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Headwater Exploration Inc. ( OTCMKTS:CDDRF – Get Free Report ) announced a dividend on Tuesday, December 24th, investing.com reports. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, January 1st will be given a dividend of 0.0721 per share on Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a dividend yield of 6.54%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. Headwater Exploration Stock Down 0.3 % Headwater Exploration stock opened at $4.52 on Friday. Headwater Exploration has a 52 week low of $4.06 and a 52 week high of $6.26. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $4.80 and a 200 day moving average price of $4.96. Analysts Set New Price Targets Separately, Raymond James initiated coverage on Headwater Exploration in a report on Friday, October 18th. They set a “market perform” rating and a $8.50 price objective for the company. About Headwater Exploration ( Get Free Report ) Headwater Exploration Inc engages in the exploration, development, and production of petroleum and natural gas in Canada. It holds interest in the Marten Hills area located in Alberta, and McCully Field area located in New Brunswick. The company was formerly known as Corridor Resources Inc and changed its name to Headwater Exploration Inc in March 2020. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Headwater Exploration Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Headwater Exploration and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation's leading builder of luxury homes, today announced its newest master-planned community, Overbrook Estates , is coming soon to Huntersville, North Carolina, located off Highway 77 and Gilead Road. Construction of the Sales Center and model homes will begin in early spring 2025 and sales are expected to start in late spring 2025. Overbrook Estates will include 357 new homes, including ranch and two-story single-family home designs. Home buyers will be able to choose from nine exquisite home designs across three collections ranging from 3,030 to 3,905+ square feet, with 3 to 6 bedrooms, 2.5 to 5.5 baths, and 2- to 3-car garages. Each home will be built with the outstanding quality, craftsmanship, and value for which Toll Brothers is known. Homes are anticipated to be priced starting from the $600,000s. Home buyers will experience one-stop shopping at the Toll Brothers Design Studio . The state-of-the-art Design Studio allows home buyers to choose from a wide array of selections to personalize their dream home with the assistance of Toll Brothers professional Design Consultants. "We are excited to bring our luxury home brand to the Huntersville community with Overbrook Estates by Toll Brothers,” said Ryan Switzer, Division President of Toll Brothers in Charlotte, North Carolina. "Conveniently located just off Highway 77 and Gilead and close to Lake Norman, this stunning new luxury home community will offer residents resort-style living and easy access to everything this vibrant area has to offer.” Home buyers will enjoy proximity to nearby shopping, dining, arts and entertainment, and recreational destinations, including Birkdale Village, Historic Downtown Huntersville, McDowell Creek Greenway, as well as nearby Lake Norman. The community will feature future onsite amenities including a pool and cabana. Overbrook Estates is also just a short drive away from the excitement of Uptown Charlotte. Children will have the opportunity to attend school in the Mecklenburg County School District. Major highways including Interstates 77 and 485, and Route 73 are easily accessible from Overbrook Estates, offering homeowners convenient access to Uptown Charlotte, Morrisville, Davidson, and Lake Norman. For more information and to join the Toll Brothers interest list for Overbrook Estates, call (866) 232-1719 or visit TollBrothers.com/Charlotte . About Toll Brothers Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation's leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 57 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "TOL.” The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations. In 2024, Toll Brothers marked 10 years in a row being named to the Fortune World's Most Admired CompaniesTM list and the Company's Chairman and CEO Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. was named one of 25 Top CEOs by Barron's magazine. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com . From Fortune, ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Senior Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | [email protected] Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/00efb8b7-140d-4d66-b421-027fcf5a2e3d https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/41410aba-2b25-42e2-8259-4256b403d6e7 Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG)

Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the criminal charges against President-elect Donald Trump that accused him of plotting to overturn the 2020 election and to abandon the classified documents case against him, citing longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Mr Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. Advertisement The move, announced in court papers, marks the end of the Justice Department’s landmark effort to hold Mr Trump accountable for what prosecutors called a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol on January 6 2021. The Justice Department says that Donald Trump cannot be tried in accordance with a policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted (Evan Vucci/AP) In court papers, prosecutors said the Justice Department’s position “is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated”. Advertisement Mr Smith’s team emphasised that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Mr Smith’s team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Mr Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Advertisement Mr Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated and has vowed to fire Mr Smith as soon as he takes office in January. President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on January 20 (Brandon Bell/Pool via AP) The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. Advertisement However, it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Mr Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The US Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Mr Smith’s team filed a lengthy brief in October laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will over voters after he lost to President Joe Biden. AdvertisementSANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 16, 2024-- GoodRx Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: GDRX), the leading prescription savings platform in the U.S., today announced that Wendy Barnes has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. Wendy brings more than 30 years of leadership experience across the pharmacy and medical benefit industry to her new role. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216730604/en/ Wendy Barnes (Photo: Business Wire) Wendy will join GoodRx following her role as CEO of RxBenefits, where she led the company in providing pharmacy benefit support to more than 2,000 self-insured clients comprised of more than three million lives. Under her guidance, RxBenefits became a leading entity providing tailored pharmacy benefit solutions that promote affordability and transparency. Before that, as President of Express Scripts Pharmacy, Wendy oversaw the service, operation, and financial success of the organization’s multiple pharmacies on behalf of 100 million members. Wendy also served as Group Vice President at Rite Aid, where she was responsible for all aspects of managed care, including contracting, enhancing relationships with managed care organizations, overseeing pharmacy benefit managers and third-party payers, and developing strategic partnerships. “Wendy is joining GoodRx at a pivotal moment – both for the healthcare industry and for GoodRx. In a world where conventional insurance coverage is increasingly restrictive, and patients and healthcare professionals are bearing increasing costs and time burdens, GoodRx offers a complement to insurance that fills the gaps that existing systems don’t cover and helps Americans save both time and money,” said Scott Wagner, Interim CEO at GoodRx. “Wendy has the expertise, vision, and leadership to help GoodRx grow in unique and valuable ways, both for our customers and as a business. I’m excited for Wendy and I’m particularly excited for GoodRx.” Wendy's career highlights include her effective leadership roles at RxBenefits, Express Scripts, Rite Aid and Pfizer, leading extensive pharmacy operations and simplifying and improving patient healthcare experiences. Wendy also served for 10 years as a Medical Service Corps Officer in the United States Air Force. "I am thrilled to join GoodRx and contribute to its mission of making healthcare more affordable for millions of Americans," said Wendy Barnes, the newly appointed President and CEO of GoodRx. "With the evolving challenges in healthcare delivery and management, I look forward to working with our talented executive leadership team to foster growth and innovation at GoodRx and within the industry. We have a tremendous opportunity to free Americans from friction in getting medication.” In her role as CEO, Wendy will focus on advancing GoodRx’s strategic initiatives, with particular attention on bringing all brand affordability programs onto the GoodRx platform, expanding GoodRx’s product experience with healthcare professionals, and enriching partnerships with retail pharmacies, insurers, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to help save Americans time and money. Driven by a steadfast commitment to making healthcare more accessible and affordable, Wendy aims to build a better patient experience and help fill gaps within the existing system. “As we embark on this transition, I want to thank Scott for his hard work and huge impact over the last year and a half as our Interim CEO. His leadership and deep business expertise has been felt both inside and outside the walls of GoodRx,” said Trevor Bezdek, Co-founder and Chairman of GoodRx. “As we look ahead to the next phase of growth, I’m confident and enthusiastic that Wendy’s experience and dedication to improving patient lives will drive GoodRx’s mission forward.” About GoodRx GoodRx is the leading prescription savings platform in the U.S. Trusted by more than 25 million consumers and 750,000 healthcare professionals annually, GoodRx provides access to savings and affordability options for generic and brand-name medications at more than 70,000 pharmacies nationwide, as well as comprehensive healthcare research and information. Since 2011, GoodRx has helped consumers save over $75 billion on the cost of their prescriptions. GoodRx periodically posts information that may be important to investors on its investor relations website at https://investors.goodrx.com . We intend to use our website as a means of disclosing material nonpublic information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors and potential investors are encouraged to consult GoodRx’s website regularly for important information, in addition to following GoodRx’s press releases, filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and public conference calls and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, GoodRx’s website is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this press release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding anticipated consumer savings, convenience and accessibility; the new CEO appointment and related benefits and values; and our plans, expectations and objectives. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, risks relating to our ability to achieve broad market education and change consumer purchasing habits; changes in medication pricing and pricing structures; our reliance on a limited number of industry participants; and the important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and our other filings with the SEC. Any such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, projections and estimates as of the date of this press release. While we may elect to update such forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we disclaim any obligation to do so, even if subsequent events cause our views to change. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216730604/en/ press@goodrx.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HEALTH TECHNOLOGY TELEMEDICINE/VIRTUAL MEDICINE HEALTH TECHNOLOGY HEALTH INSURANCE PHARMACEUTICAL INTERNET SOURCE: GoodRx Holdings, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/16/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/16/2024 04:04 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216730604/en

Rodgers Silicon Valley Acquisition Corp. ( OTCMKTS:RSVAU – Get Free Report ) dropped 5.3% during trading on Friday . The company traded as low as $24.18 and last traded at $24.22. Approximately 17,000 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 75% from the average daily volume of 67,461 shares. The stock had previously closed at $25.58. Rodgers Silicon Valley Acquisition Trading Down 5.3 % The company’s fifty day simple moving average is $24.22 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $24.22. Rodgers Silicon Valley Acquisition Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Rodgers Silicon Valley Acquisition Corp. intends to enter into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in Woodside, California. Read More Receive News & Ratings for Rodgers Silicon Valley Acquisition Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Rodgers Silicon Valley Acquisition and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .No injuries in Friday incident with shots fired

Nebraska builds big lead, holds off Boston College in Pinstripe BowlREDWOOD CITY, Calif., Dec. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biomea Fusion, Inc. (Nasdaq: BMEA) ("Biomea” or the "Company”), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of oral covalent small molecules to treat and improve the lives of patients with diabetes, obesity, and genetically defined cancers, today announced that on December 2, 2024, the compensation committee of Biomea's board of directors granted one new employee non-qualified stock options to purchase an aggregate of 30,000 shares of the Company's common stock. The shares underlying the employee's stock options will vest 1/16 on a quarterly basis over four years, subject to the employee's continued employment with the Company on such vesting dates. The above-described award was made under Biomea's 2023 Inducement Equity Plan (the "Plan”). The above-described award was granted as an inducement material to the employee entering into employment with the Company in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and was granted pursuant to the terms of the Plan. The Plan was adopted by Biomea's board of directors on November 17, 2023. About Biomea Fusion Biomea Fusion is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of oral covalent small molecules to improve the lives of patients with diabetes, obesity, and genetically defined cancers. A covalent small molecule is a synthetic compound that forms a permanent bond to its target protein and offers a number of potential advantages over conventional non-covalent drugs, including greater target selectivity, lower drug exposure, and the ability to drive a deeper, more durable response. We are utilizing our proprietary FUSIONTM System to discover, design and develop a pipeline of next-generation covalent-binding small-molecule medicines designed to maximize clinical benefit for patients. We aim to have an outsized impact on the treatment of disease for the patients we serve. We aim to cure. Visit us at biomeafusion.com and follow us on LinkedIn , X and Facebook . Contact: Investor & Media Relations Ramses Erdtmann [email protected]

Talphera CEO Vincent J. Angotti buys $3,649 in company stockFew would argue that New York City is mired in a housing crisis — as defined by high prices and low vacancies. There’s good evidence for that conclusion. The most recent federal New York City Housing and Vacancy Survey reported a vacancy rate of just 1.4%, “a stark contrast to the 4.54 rate in 2021”. Over the same period, median monthly rent rose from $1,500 to $,1641 — and that includes everything from luxury high-rises to public housing. These sorts of figures drive an ongoing search for solutions to the problem — including, most recently, Mayor Adams’ Dec. 12 announcement of a new city Charter Revision Commission to consider, as he put it, how to “deliver as much affordable housing to working-class New Yorkers and their families.” A thorough examination of New York’s housing policy — both at the city and state level — could include a growing body of economic research regarding rent regulation, which affects the 960,000 “rent-stabilized” apartments whose price is set not by the market but by mayoral appointees. Rent stabilization may provide a good deal for those lucky to benefit from it. But as economists from across the political spectrum increasingly concur, it ultimately harms the city’s housing market for many. Research into the impact of rent control has a long history. Back in 1997, the Harvard economists Edward Glaeser and Erzo Luttner described the “misallocation of housing” that rent controls creates. That was their term for a mismatch between what renters might need and what they choose because the price is cheap — such as folks who might only need a small apartment, but live in a big one because they can afford it. More recently, in 2018, the liberal Brookings Institution cited the same problem: “Once a tenant has secured a rent-controlled apartment, he may not choose to move in the future and give up his rent control, even if his housing needs change.” This “misallocation,” Brookings continued, is not without major consequence, most notably “empty-nest households living in family-sized apartments and young families crammed into small studios.” Last year’s Census analysis of New York housing data suggests that’s exactly what is happening here — as young people crammed into subdivided studios with multiple roommates know well. The difference between rent-regulated and market-rate housing in the Big Apple is stark: Only 94,000 (24%) rent-stabilized tenants had moved (either in or out) in the past year, compared to 221,000 (57%) of market-rate tenants. Rent-stabilized tenants are more likely to stay put — forming a kind of housing blockade for newcomers or households with kids who need more bedrooms. As per the Census, the long-term rent-stabilized tenants were not necessarily low-income: 30% reported incomes above $100,000 a year—in keeping with notorious stories of the actress Mia Farrow and Congressman Charles Rangel enjoying rent-stabilized units. (Farrow inherited hers through her family, as the law permits.) Rent controls, notes the Journal of Housing Economics , lead to a redistribution of income — which can include tenants who become better off at the expense of landlords. As Kenny Burgos, the former Bronx Assemblyman who now heads the New York Apartment Association (NYAA) — which represents the owners of some 400,000 regulated units — notes, the current system “inhibits the natural flow and movement of a normal housing market.” There can be ill-effects on housing quality too, economists are finding, in ways that harm rent-stabilized tenants themselves. In February, 2024, ceonomists at the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank looked at the physical effects of rent controls. They concluded that “while rent-control policies do restrict rents at more affordable rates, they can also lead to a reduction of rental stock and maintenance, thereby exacerbating affordable housing shortages.” Similarly, new research in the Journal of Housing Economics from March 2024 concluded that “even tenants in the controlled dwellings can suffer from rent control, as maintenance of such dwellings can be reduced, leading to a decreased housing quality.” Once again, the most recent findings from New York reveal these very same market conditions. Its review of “reported housing problems” found that there are more tenant complaints about rodents, leaks, cracks and heating in rent-stabilized units than in the non-regulated. The numbers are striking: 376,000 reports of rodents in regulated units (39% of all), compared to 240,000 in market-rate units (22% of all). The repair needs of older, rent-regulated buildings can even lead to owners simply abandoning them, as Maggie Brunn, president of Brooklyn’s A&E Real Estate, has said . “When an apartment has been lived in for 20 or 30 years, those limits [on rent increases] don’t even come close to the actual costs of rewiring, plumbing and the basic improvements you’d need to rent an apartment that a family would be proud to call home. That means more and more of those desperately needed low-rent apartments are sitting vacant.” That problem has been exacerbated by 2019 New York state legislation which sharply limits rent increases even for rising costs such major capital repairs. Burgos of the NYAA estimates at least 10,000 of such “ghost apartments” lie vacant — because their owners “aren’t allowed to recoup their costs. Inflation, property taxes, insurance.” As a result, he says, “banks won’t lend to them.” That’s exactly what Brookings has found. “Rent control can also lead to decay of the rental housing stock; landlords may not invest in maintenance because they can’t recoup these investment by raising rents.” “The system,” says Burgos, “is not working either for owners or tenants.” But how could this deeply established system — existing, in one form or other, for more than 50 years — actually be adjusted? The experience of another major world city, Buenos Aires, Argentina, suggests doing so might not bring on the chaos and price-gouging tenant advocates would suggest. Late last year, libertarian-leaning Argentine President Javier Milei simply “scrapped” rent controls, as reported in The Wall Street Journal. The effect, it reported, is that “the Argentine capital is undergoing a rental-market boom. Landlords are rushing to put their properties back on the market, with Buenos Aires rental supplies increasing by over 170%. While rents are still up in nominal terms, many renters are securing better (or at least fairer) deals, with a 40% decline in the real price of rental properties when adjusted for inflation.” Simply scrapping rent control like in Buenos Aires would be far more difficult in regulation-laden New York, of course. But, as Burgos notes, even permitting the de-regulation of vacant units could lead to significant improvement — without affecting current tenants. What he calls “vacancy control” stands in the way of the rent increases owners need to invest simply to comply with building codes and lead abatement laws — rather than leaving units vacant. The city’s Charter Commission could help by reducing property taxes or water rates for regulated units. But even a rapid deregulation might not be that consequential in much of the city. Census survey reports that the typical market-rate rent ($2,000) is not fantastically higher than the typical regulated rent ($1,500). In The Bronx, the typical rent for all units — including non-rent stabilized — is just $1,200. Market rents, in other words, can be close to regulated rents in lower-cost neighborhoods. Combined with a wave of vacant units coming back on the market and new investments, New York might follow (or at least tiptoe) in the footsteps of Buenos Aires. Such a move would not only benefit renters, it would save the city the expenses associated with an agency most metropolises don’t possess, the Rent Stabilization Guidelines Board, whose staff sets rent increase recommendations and monitors compliance. What’s more, property owners — including mom-and-pop landlords who own just a few buildings — would no longer have to incur the red tape headaches of registering their buildings every year — and either mailing or hand-delivering the required forms and fees, to be paid, for each unit, both to the state ($13) and the city ($20). Failing to do so means a $500 fine — per apartment. There have been attempts, led by the owners’ lobby, the Rent Stabilization Association (now part of the New York Housing Association), to upend the price control regime through the courts — without success. Most recently, the US Supreme Court declined a challenge based , in part, on the argument that rent regulation was effectively a legal “taking of an owner’s property, without compensation.” The fact that property owners sought to overturn rent regulation through the courts makes clear how difficult it is to change the system legislatively. But city and state officials should take notice of the changing leadership in Washington. In the first Trump Administration, a White House Executive Council singled out rent control for criticism, writing that it can lead to “restricted supply [which] ends up hurting some of the lower-income renters they are intended to help.” New York City’s budget relies on Washington for $100 billion in revenue, including from the Department of Housing and Urban Development — which could attach strings to that aid, including revisions to rent regulation or calling for it to end. Once back in office, Donald Trump — as he often does — could prove a wild card and deregulate New York City’s housing market. Howard Husock is a senior fellow in domestic policy at the American Enterprise Institute.

This picturesque seaside village in regional Victoria lures food lovers for its annual Wild Harvest Seafood Festival and, year round, delights those looking for a stay that combines the bush, fishing and relaxation. The cruise Take a cruise on the historic M.V. Loch-Ard. To really appreciate the beauty and size of the surrounding lakes get on board the MV Loch-Ard, which has been beetling around the Victorian waterways since it was first built, from Huon pine and kauri, in 1910. It is a snugly romantic vessel and during a sunset cruise you can watch the changing colours of the skies, see white sea eagles dive for an evening meal and hear some great local stories from Captain Dale Winward. See mallacootacruises.com The historic stay Karbeethong Lodge was built in 1922 and offers a slice of nostalgia. Karbeethong Lodge has the distinction of being favourably compared to heaven by A Sentimental Bloke author C.J. Dennis when he stayed here in 1932. It is hard to argue with him as you sit on the balcony of this 1920s-built seaside guesthouse with a local Gippsland drop in hand, looking across the grassy slope of a yard to the tranquil East Gippsland waters. Owners Graeme and Jenny Mitchell keep things warm and inviting with a retro collection of furnishings that populate the communal spaces of the huge living room and the help-yourself kitchen. Rooms are quirky and often have more beds than you need, but this is a very special place from which to explore the region. See karbeethonglodge.com.au The local dinner Lucy’s Cantonese fare is legendary in Mallacoota. Lucy’s, on the main street of Mallacoota, is an order-at-the-counter, family-working-all-stations affair that is packed on a weekend with visitors and locals sharing tables full of simple but utterly delicious dishes in serves that often require a take-away container. The go-tos here are the fresh, handmade noodles teamed with locally caught abalone and homegrown herbs, generously stuffed prawn har gau and rolled-up newspaper-sized spring rolls. The museum Mallacoota’s Bunker Museum was once part of a group of World War II-era military installations. The Bunker Museum was originally part of a chain of military installations that protected this exposed easterly part of the Australian coast during World War II. Now visitors descend the stairs into the rainbow-roofed bunker for a taste of military and local history with displays of “trench art” made from shell casings, the story of the sinking of British ship the SS Cumberland and a full-scale replica of home life in the 1940s complete with a mannequin looking like she has come off the set of Dad’s Army . See mallacootabunker.com.au The market Located near The Muddie, the mud brick pavilion at the centre of the Lions Park in town, this local market is full of the freshest local produce, local arts and crafts and community groups. It is a regularly changing roster of stallholders but keep an eye out for The Travelling Squid with its signature salt-and-pepper calamari and “prawn twists”. See mallacootamarkets.com The festival The Wild Harvest Seafood Festival was created to celebrate some of the less-loved creatures of the sea, such as the abalone and sea urchin that Mallacoota is known for. Started in 2022 (after some delays), the “whelk-om” dinner might have local oysters cooked over fire by Noel Butler from First Nations social enterprise Black Duck Foods, and pesce crudo using locally caught fish by guest chefs such as Stefano de Pieri. You might catch a live band, learn a sea shanty or enter a sandcastle making competition. It is an intimate introduction to this special part of Victoria. See wildharvestseafoodfestival.com The creative hub The Mallacoota Art Space, inside the Croajingolong Centre, often hosts an artist-in-residence. Tucked in behind the local radio station, inside the Croajingolong Centre, is the Mallacoota Art Space that is not only hung with works from local artists but, more often that not, will have an artist-in-residence producing works who is up for a chat about the local area and the wild coast that provides much of the inspiration for the local makers and creators. See visitmallacoota.com.au The nature walk Croajingalong National Park is great for bathing, walking or just taking in the view. It is a short drive to Genoa Falls in the Croajingolong National Park, just outside of Mallacoota, where the water runs down a long, flat slope packed full of water dragons that dart away into the rocks as soon as they see you. It is a great spot for bathing or simply wandering through the walking trails. If you have extra time the walk to Genoa Peak gives you a killer view of the surrounding bush and waterways. See visitmallacoota.com.au One more thing ... Abalone is now being processed locally. Mallacoota is the abalone capital of Victoria and the Australian Wild Abalone plant recently opened after the previous operation was devastated by the 2019 Gippsland bushfires. In the past, most of the popular aquatic meat was sent straight to Asia, but there is a renewed interest in using the fresh meat at home, so keep an eye out for it on local menus and at markets. See ex1191.com.au Loading Paul Chai was a guest of Wild Harvest Festival and Destination Gippsland. How we travel Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Victoria Gippsland Australia Paul Chai has been a travel writer, editor and author for over 20 years. He is more of an indoors than outdoors type, is Melbourne-based and writes on eating and drinking. Connect via Twitter . Most viewed on Traveller Loading

OpenAI faces more opposition in its for-profit transition

OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma will be obtaining mobile counter-unmanned aerial systems detection technology following mystery sightings in other states. Gov. Kevin Stitt on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, announced he had directed Tim Tipton, public safety commissioner and homeland security adviser, to procure the systems to support state and local law enforcement in responding to recent unmanned drone activity. “Drones and unmanned aerial systems are an exciting new industry here in Oklahoma,” Stitt said. “We want to make sure that industry has room to thrive.” Because the technology is new, the state doesn’t have all the measures in place to ensure protection from those who wish to cause harm, Stitt said. “The activity happening in New Jersey and across the country is unsettling,” Tipton said in a statement. “While we’ve only had a few reports of drone activity in Oklahoma, we want to be ready in case the need arises.” Residents in New Jersey and other parts of the eastern United States have reported seeing unexplained drones in the sky recently, sparking concerns over who is operating them. The Associated Press has reported that law enforcement doesn’t believe the drones are a public safety threat, though the FBI has asked residents to share any information, videos or photos they might have. Tipton was not available Monday to answer questions about the announcement, including how much the systems will cost to procure and where the funding will come. Federal law generally prohibits disabling or destroying any unmanned aerial systems because federal rules consider drones to be a form of aircraft. This prevents state and local law enforcement from any activity that would interfere with the flight of a drone, including shooting it down. With the detection systems, the Department of Public Safety can monitor and identify the drones without destroying them and ensure the state’s critical infrastructure is protected, officials said.Putin apologizes for 'tragic incident' but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin has apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a “tragic incident” following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people. He stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. The Kremlin said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya, to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike as the plane attempted to land on Wednesday. Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev “for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace.” The Kremlin also says Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. Israel detains the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals during a raid DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza's Health Ministry says Israel’s army has detained the director of one of northern Gaza's last functioning hospitals. The announcement on Saturday came after health officials said Israeli troops stormed the hospital and forced many staff and patients outside and told them to strip in winter weather. Israel’s military alleges the hospital director is a suspected Hamas operative and says it detained over 240 others. It acknowledges it ordered people outside and that special forces entered the hospital. It says it “eliminated” militants who fired at its forces. Kamal Adwan officials have denied that Hamas operates in the hospital. Abortions are up in the US. It's a complicated picture as women turn to pills, travel Even with abortion bans in place in most Republican-controlled states, the number of people obtaining them has grown slightly. That's part of a complicated picture of the impacts of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade two and a half years ago. Abortion pills are more common now. So is traveling to other states for care, often on journeys hundreds of miles long. Public support for the right to abortion has also increased since before the ruling. That's been reflected in most ballot measures to add the right to abortion to state constitutions being adopted. Drought, fires and deforestation battered Amazon rainforest in 2024 BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — The Amazon rainforest staggered through another difficult year in 2024. A second year of record drought contributed to wildfires that worsened deforestation across the massive forest, which spans Brazil, Peru, Colombia and other Latin American nations and is a critical counterweight to climate change. There were some bright spots. Both Brazil and Colombia reported lower levels of deforestation compared to prior years. Experts say Amazon countries need to do more to strengthen cross-border collaboration and that the global community who reap the benefits of commodities from the rainforest also need to pitch in. Bloodied Ukrainian troops risk losing more hard-won land in Kursk to Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Five months after their shock offensive into Russia, Ukrainian troops are bloodied by daily combat losses and demoralized by the rising risk of defeat in Kursk. Some want to stay in the region at all costs. Others question the value of having gone in at all. Battles are so intense that commanders are unable to evacuate their dead. Lags in communication and poorly timed operations have cost lives and commanders say they have little way to counterattack. The overstretched Ukrainians have lost more than 40% of the territory they won in the lightning incursion that seized much of Kursk in August. Afghan forces target Pakistan in retaliation for deadly airstrikes Afghanistan's Defense Ministry says its forces hit several points inside Pakistan in retaliation for deadly airstrikes. Pakistan last Tuesday launched an operation to destroy a training facility and kill insurgents in Afghanistan's eastern Paktika province. The strikes killed dozens of people. The ministry said Saturday that its forces hit points “serving as centers and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organized and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan.” Pakistan accuses the Taliban of not doing enough to combat cross-border militant activity, a charge the Taliban government denies. Former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who instituted economic reforms, cremated in New Delhi NEW DELHI (AP) — Manmohan Singh, the former Indian prime minister widely regarded as the architect of the country’s economic reform program, has been cremated after a state funeral. The veteran leader, who was also credited for a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, died late Thursday at age 92. Singh’s body was taken Saturday to the headquarters of his Congress party in New Delhi, where party leaders and activists paid tributes to him and chanted “Manmohan Singh lives forever.” Later, his body was transported to a crematorium ground for his last rites as soldiers beat drums. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh was prime minister for 10 years until 2014. Sweden embarks on a sober search for more cemetery space in case of war GOTHENBURG, Sweden (AP) — Burial associations in Sweden are looking to acquire enough land for something they hope they’ll never have to do. And that's to bury thousands of people in the event of war. The search follows new crisis preparedness guidelines from the country's civil defense agency and the military. The issue is seen in a new light after Russia's invasion of Ukraine led formerly neutral Sweden to join NATO. Sweden and Finland sent out updated civil preparedness guides in November with instructions on how to survive in war. The guides are similar to those in Denmark and Norway, though they don't mention Russia by name. Olivia Hussey, star of the 1968 film 'Romeo and Juliet,' dies at 73 LONDON (AP) — Olivia Hussey, the actor who starred as a teenage Juliet in the 1968 film “Romeo and Juliet,” has died, her family said on social media. She was 73. Hussey died on Friday, “peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones,” a statement posted to her Instagram account said. Hussey was 15 when director Franco Zeffirelli cast her in his adaptation of the William Shakespeare tragedy. “Romeo and Juliet” won two Oscars and Hussey won a Golden Globe for best new actress for her part as Juliet, opposite British actor Leonard Whiting. Decades later, the pair brought a lawsuit against Paramount Pictures over nude scenes in the film they said they were coerced to perform. The case was dismissed by a Los Angeles County judge in 2023. Winning ticket for $1.22 billion lottery jackpot sold in California, Mega Millions says At least one Mega Millions player has plenty of dough to ring in the New Year after drawing the winning number. After three months without anyone winning the top prize in the lottery, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night. The California Lottery said the winning ticket was sold at Circle K (Sunshine Food and Gas) on Rhonda Rd. in Cottonwood. The winning ticket matched the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the gold Mega Ball 6. The identity of the winner or winners was not immediately known. The estimated jackpot was the fifth-highest ever for Mega Millions.

Small towns are made of numerous threads that keep them together. For some, acting as a single community thread isn’t enough and they choose to wear multiple hats. For Chris Vodopich, raising a family and leading a successful career was bolstered by 33 years spent with the Cañon City Volunteer Fire Department. Born and raised in Cañon City, Vodopich and his sister attended well-known schools, such as Washington Elementary and Cañon City Junior High School before attending Cañon City High School. Vodopich kept himself busy at CCHS while playing sports and also partaking in the choir. He found a special love in Mike Geesaman’s Design and Drafting class, which nurtured skills that Vodopich would use for a large part of his life. He also met his wife, Becky, while attending youth group at the local Methodist church and got married in 1988. After graduating from CCHS in 1981, Vodopich began courses in Industrial Technology at the University of Southern Colorado (now Colorado State University-Pueblo) and graduated in 1988. That same year, he began making wooden displays and opened Alpine Woodworks, a woodshop display factory, on Elm Avenue in 1990. He spent years making fixtures, cabinetry, and furniture for local businesses and has worked on numerous well-known projects. “I started woodworking in junior high,” he said “I loved doing woodworking even as a kid.” He built original furniture for Merlino’s Belvedere, and Waffle Wagon, and also made fixtures and cabinetry for local doctor’s offices and the social service buildings. By June 1991, he decided to venture into a new part of life and officially became a volunteer firefighter. “One of my friends was a fireman and he encouraged me to do it,” he said with a smile. “I always liked doing it because it was a way I could give back to the community and help people on their worst days.” During his early years as a volunteer firefighter, he and the other volunteers were kept quite busy and responded to five to six calls a month. Alongside the paid staff, which was only about four people at the time, Vodopich and his fellow volunteers responded to calls across Cañon City, including fires that destroyed the DeWeese Lodge in 2007, crippled Merlino’s Belvedere in 1991, and threatened to destroy the Royal Gorge Bridge in 2013. Through it all, Vodopich maintained a sunny attitude and developed lifelong friendships with his fellow firefighters. “It was really a family,” he said. “We did all kinds of things together and we were really tight.” Even when he responded to a bus crash on 8 Mile Hill that ultimately took the lives of three people during the winter of 1993, he kept his head up to help those in need. “The bus rolled over so it threw kids out everywhere so, we got there, and there were kids screaming and hollering in the snow — it was awful,” he said. When asked how he handled crises on a regular basis, his response was simple. “You just do it,” he said. “You just do it at the time and you think about it later.” In 2009, he returned to CSU-Pueblo and graduated in 2013 with a degree in Business Administration and an emphasis in Accounting. He also opened Canon Classic Homes to build and renovate homes in 2010. Ever since he’s kept busy working as an accountant at H&R Block during the winters and has built and renovated homes during the warmer months. “I hate sitting still, which is why I didn’t do full-time accounting,” he said. However, his work with the volunteer department has continued to be a cornerstone of his life. He’s served as the volunteer department’s treasurer and was also instrumental in bringing the fire department’s staple and beloved puppet show to Cañon City. Thousands of local children have learned about fire safety from the puppets and many thousands more are likely to do so in the future — thanks in no small part to Vodopich’s work on the project. All good things must come to an end, however, as Vodopich announced his retirement earlier this winter and celebrated by driving the volunteer fire truck for the last time during the 2024 Christmas Parade of Lights and getting together with his fire family. “I was just ready to take a step back,” he said. In addition to fishing, riding his bike, and playing guitar in the local band Applewood, Vodopich looks forward to spending time with Becky, his daughter, two sons and five grandchildren. Even though he won’t be running into Cañon City fires anymore, life still holds some sizzle for Vodopich.

The Trump administration has a major opportunity to deal a blow to the sprawling censorship industry, both inside the government and in the private sector. Trump promised in a campaign video from Dec. 2022 to “shatter the left-wing censorship regime” by, among other proposals, signing an executive order banning agencies from collaborating with private platforms to suppress speech and ordering the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate parties involved in censorship. “If Trump takes the steps that he has indicated he will, one focus of anti-censorship efforts I anticipate is nonprofits like the Atlantic Council and Stanford Internet Observatory [SIO] that operate as middlemen between the government and the tech companies,” New Civil Liberties Alliance attorney Jenin Younes told the Daily Caller News Foundation. “As President, Trump should ensure that the White House and his executive agencies do not work with these groups to censor ‘mis’ or ‘disinformation.’ In fact, all government efforts in the MDM [misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation] sphere should end, since this clearly results in suppressing First Amendment protected speech.” Under the Biden administration, White House staff made explicit requests for platforms to restrict COVID-19 related speech. Other agencies participated in speech suppression, with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) flagging posts for removal and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) forwarding misinformation reports from local election officials to platforms, a practice they called “ switchboarding .” CISA likewise helped create of the Election Integrity Partnership in 2020, which the SIO played a key role in running , to monitor “misinformation” and report it to platforms during the 2020 election. A federal judge declined last week to dismiss a lawsuit against the SIO, along with several other groups, over their alleged targeting of conservative speech. “Private entities cannot be permitted to partner with the government to censor Americans’ speech,” Nicholas R. Barry, America First Legal Senior Counsel, said in a statement . Younes told the DCNF she would like to see “punishment for government actors who have violated Americans’ First Amendment rights.” (RELATED: Mark Zuckerberg Admits Biden-Harris Admin Pressured Facebook To Censor Content, Expresses Regret) “At this time, such individuals manage to escape accountability for their actions because of doctrines like qualified immunity,” she said. “However, there can be exceptions to qualified immunity when government officials knowingly flout people’s civil rights, and those exceptions should be applied in the First Amendment context.” Trump’s other suggestions included firing bureaucrats who have engaged in censorship, ensuring federal dollars do not go towards nonprofits and universities labeling domestic speech as misinformation and asking Congress to revise Section 230 to “get big online platforms out of censorship.” The Biden administration has issued $267 million in grant funding for projects including the term “misinformation,” including $127 million specifically relating to COVID-19, according to a November Open The Books report. The DCNF reported in 2023 on several projects funded by the NSF to develop censorship tools, including a dashboard to forecast misinformation “trends” and another studying how misinformation influences online networks. Great Discussion Between @AFergusonFTC And @nataliegwinters On The Censorship Regime And How The Trump Administration Can Combat It Two Key Parts Of The Censorship Problem: -Private companies colluding to censor speech they don’t like. Advertiser Cartels being one of their... pic.twitter.com/i89sWWF9nQ — The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) November 30, 2024 ‘Smash This Censorship Cartel’ Many Trump nominees have been vocal about their commitment to promoting free speech. Andrew Ferguson, who Trump selected as the new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) chair, said on War Room in late November that Trump can cut off some censorship outright, ordering officials to stop communicating with platforms and ending government funding for entities participating in speech suppression. But private censorship would likely move to “new fronts,” he noted, making it important for the FTC to take “investigative steps.” Ferguson said “advertiser cartels” could violate antitrust laws by agreeing to boycott certain shows, podcasts and platforms. “If the government is going to get out of the business here in the states of cooperating and colluding with the platforms to suppress the speech that they don’t like, then it’s up to the FTC to make sure that that sort of cooperation and collusion doesn’t move into the private sector,” Ferguson said. Trump’s pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Brennan Carr likewise said in a NewsNation interview that one of his top priorities would be to “smash this censorship cartel.” (RELATED: Trump Taps Brendan Carr For FCC Chair, Calls Him ‘Warrior For Free Speech’) Other appointees took strong stances on censorship. Jay Bhattacharya, Trump’s choice for National Institute for Health (NIH) head, co-authored the Great Barrington Declaration pushing back on COVID-19 lockdowns and responses. United States Department of Health and Human Services Secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. brought his own lawsuit against the Biden administration for alleged First Amendment violations. Harmeet Dhillon , who is set to run the DOJ’s civil rights division, worked with her firm on a case challenging the California Secretary of State’s Office coordination with Twitter to suppress speech. The covid era was the golden age of science denial. Closed schools, immunity denial, lockdowns, toddler masking, vaccine mandates, vax harm denial, and of course censorship to suppress opposition to a failed ‘expert’ class. The Science TM must be replaced by science. — Jay Bhattacharya (@DrJBhattacharya) November 15, 2024 Continued Litigation While the Supreme Court found in June that plaintiffs who challenged the Biden administration’s censorship efforts failed to link their accounts’ restrictions to the government’s communications with platforms, the Missouri v. Biden lawsuit is ongoing. In November, the district court allowed the plaintiffs to pursue more discovery to establish the government’s involvement. “Depending on the approach the Administration takes, it is conceivable that cases like ours could resolve in a consent decree, in which the government acknowledges its wrongdoing and takes various specific steps to safeguard against future violations of Americans’ First Amendment free speech rights,” Younes told the DCNF regarding the case. The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) recently launched a new Center for Free Speech aimed at targeting censorship entities, pointing to the “new opportunity” free speech defenders will have as Trump takes office. ADF Senior Counsel Phil Sechler told the DCNF the center is intended to create “substantial pushback on global censorship,” which he said has increased over the past decade by both private and government actors. Potential targets include state level election laws, like the California laws targeting political satire that ADF already filed a lawsuit against on behalf of the Babylon Bee, along with debanking practices and other censorship by private actors. “There is a lot of work to be done to dismantle this censorship industrial complex that’s been built up over many years,” Sechler told the DCNF. All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org .Can H-1B Visa Holders Change Jobs? Critics Call Workers Indentured Servants2024 28th Sanya Tianya Haijiao Wedding Celebration Festival and Sanya Romantic Grand Ceremony was kicked off to present a romantic journey

The King and the Prime Minister have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter following the former US president’s death on Sunday aged 100. In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public serviceGiants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26. In a 'Final Four-type weekend,' two top-6 clashes put women's college basketball focus on West Coast LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two games featuring four powerhouse teams has put the focus in women's college basketball on the West Coast this weekend. JuJu Watkins and No. 3 Southern California host Hannah Hidalgo and No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. Top-ranked South Carolina visits Lauren Betts and fifth-ranked UCLA on Sunday. Both games are nationally televised and the arenas are expected to be packed. WNBA scouts will be on hand to check out some of the nation's top talent. Two teams will come away with their first losses of the season. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb calls it “a Final Four-type weekend.” A documentary featuring Watkins will air on NBC ahead of USC's game, which leads into the Army-Notre Dame football game. Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga Blame it on the noodles. That's what one Chinese official suggested when anti-doping leaders were looking for answers for the doping scandal that cast a shadow over this year's Olympic swim meet. Earlier this year, reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication emerged. None were sanctioned because Chinese authorities determined the swimmers were contaminated by traces of the drug spread about a hotel kitchen. In a strange twist, the leader of China's anti-doping agency suggested this case could have been similar to one in which criminals were responsible for tainting noodles that were later eaten by another Chinese athlete who also tested positive for the drug.

William Ren, Founder and CEO of GlobalStar, Recognized in Forbes China's 2024 Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites 12-16-2024 09:52 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: SHENZHEN HMEDIUM INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD In October, Forbes China unveiled its "2024 Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites" list, celebrating William Ren, the founder and CEO of GlobalStar, for his remarkable achievements in the international influencer marketing space. Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/6cd51b8ee5e9ead91cd04b78553e63e6.jpg William Ren received the award for being named to Forbes China's 2024 Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites at the ceremony. Founded by William in 2021, GlobalStar has quickly established itself as a leader in influencer marketing for 3C consumer electronics in the North American and European markets. With over 150% annual revenue growth for three consecutive years, the company now partners with more than 200 top-tier global brands, including Anker, DJI, TCL, Roborock, and Ecoflow. As the fastest-growing player in influencer marketing within the smart hardware niche, GlobalStar has expanded its presence with offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. William's inclusion on this prestigious list reflects his innovative leadership and GlobalStar's growing influence in the global market. Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/c3b066b5376cbea759b194595dc8f7e1.jpg William Ren, Founder and CEO of GlobalStar GlobalStar's success stems from William and his core team's relentless pursuit of market insights and operational excellence. The company, which began on Canada's west coast, has since expanded its operations to include professional teams in Los Angeles, Hamburg, and Asia. GlobalStar has developed a sophisticated Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). This system encompasses AI-powered market research, strategy development, trend analysis, influencer selection and engagement, campaign management, and data-driven performance analysis, enabling the company to deliver a seamless and effective service experience for its clients. On the influencer side, GlobalStar has built long-term partnerships with tens of thousands of influencers across Europe and North America. In early 2024, GlobalStar raised 2 Million USD in a Pre-A funding round, backed by leading affiliate management platform Partnerboost and Celtic House Asia Partners, a leading Silicon Valley venture firm. Investors were drawn not only to GlobalStar's rapid fast growth but also to William's exceptional leadership. "William is one of the most pragmatic and driven entrepreneurs I've encountered-he has a rare ability to say less and deliver more," said Zhang Lu, Founding Partner of Fusion Fund and an angel investor in GlobalStar. Similarly, Partnerboost praised William's team, noting, "William and his team are grounded, action-oriented, and highly effective in execution." According to Statista, the overseas influencer marketing industry is projected to reach $22.3 to $24 billion by the end of 2024. Over the next 5-10 years, influencer marketing is expected to drive significant growth in the international marketing sector, with the potential for the global market to expand more than 20 fold. Looking ahead, William aims to sustain annual triple-digit growth over the next three years, targeting collaborations with over 500 leading global smart hardware brands. His vision for the next decade is to position GlobalStar as one of the top three international platforms for influencer marketing services. About Global Star Founded by William in 2021, GlobalStar has been deeply engaged in influencer marketing within the 3C consumer electronics sector, focusing on the European and American markets. With annual revenue growth exceeding 150% for three consecutive years, the company has served over 200 leading international brands, including Anker, DJI, TCL, Roborock, and Ecoflow. Globalstar has been recognized by Forbes as the fastest-growing company in the global influencer marketing industry specializing in consumer electronics sector. GlobalStar has established offices in North America, Europe, and Asia. Media Contact Company Name: Fosmos consulting management co.,ltd. Contact Person: Matt.Sun Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=william-ren-founder-and-ceo-of-globalstar-recognized-in-forbes-chinas-2024-top-100-most-influential-chinese-elites ] City: Shanghai Country: China Website: https://www.forbeschina.com/activity/news/68987 This release was published on openPR.South Carolina has won six straight games, and one of the catalysts has been the improved free-throw shooting of Nick Pringle. When South Carolina (9-3) faces Presbyterian (7-7) in the final nonconference game for both teams on Monday in Columbia, S.C., the Gamecocks won't have to hold their breath when Pringle toes the line. During South Carolina's surge, which includes wins over three power conference teams, Pringle has made 26 of 30 (86.7 percent) free-throw attempts. It's a remarkable improvement from his 51.7 percent career success rate entering the season. Last month, in his South Carolina debut after transferring from Alabama, Pringle's foul shooting woes continued as he shot 3-for-8 in stunning 74-71 upset at the hands of the visiting North Florida. But video work with coach Lamont Paris convinced Pringle that he needed to quicken his routine and tweak his set point, which is where a player's eyes focus on the rim. "How long it was taking him to release the ball once he started his free throw process was really long, really, really long," Paris said. "So he shortened it." In a 74-48 win over Radford on Dec. 22, Pringle made all 10 of his free throws. His work at the line is no small matter, as he has taken the second-most free throws on the team (61). Pringle averages 10.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, combining with Collin Murray-Boyles (16.2 points, 9.3 rebounds) to give the Gamecocks a formidable duo inside. Presbyterian enters after suffering its first home loss this season, 86-81 in overtime to Manhattan on Dec. 21. It was a frustrating defeat after the Blue Hose led by 19 points in the first half. There was a positive, however, as Carl Parrish delivered 23 points and nine rebounds, both career highs. It was a performance that sixth-year coach Quinton Ferrell has been awaiting. "Seeing him play like that offensively is not a shock to me because that's really what he's capable of," Ferrell said. "He's a big-time offensive player." Parrish combines in the backcourt with the Blue Hose's top two threats: Kory Mincy, who averages 14.9 points and 4.6 assists per game, and Kobe Stewart, who scores at a 14.4 ppg clip. Located just 60 miles apart, South Carolina and Presbyterian (Clinton, S.C.) have a long history, with their first game coming nearly 108 years ago. The Gamecocks lead the series 33-8. --Field Level MediaGonzaga lands Virginia transfer G Jalen Warley