what makes a calico a calico Published 3:03 pm Thursday, December 12, 2024 By Minnesota Public Radio Back to the nitty gritty of governing after a national campaign, Gov. Tim Walz urged lawmakers Thursday to avoid a “retreat” to political corners and promised to put forward a package of anti-fraud measures he hopes both parties can rally around. In an interview with MPR News, Walz also pressed for patience on the marijuana market rollout and said while his time on the presidential stage has ended, his outspokenness on major issues won’t stop. He said he remains in touch with some of the people he encountered across the country, from those who are well known to those who are fighting through everyday problems. It was the governor’s first interview with MPR News since his run for vice president, which ended in defeat. Walz had limited interaction with Minnesota media during his three-month bid for the nation’s second-highest office. On the issue of misuse of state funds, he said his administration has taken steps to root out unlawful spending but would put forward additional changes in 2025. Among them would be tougher penalties for those who attempt to fleece funds intended to serve children and people with disabilities. “This is not a victimless crime, and it is one that I consider to be incredibly harmful,” Walz said. “I would just like the tools to be able to maybe shut them down earlier, or to be able to detect it a bit sooner.” The comment came hours after FBI agents raided a pair of centers in Minneapolis and St. Cloud that serves people with autism as part of a Medicaid fraud investigation. Republicans and Democrats at the Capitol have both called for renewed efforts to weed out improper use of state government dollars. Walz said he would like to empower agencies to more quickly cut off grants to suspected fraudsters – a pause that he said could be easily lifted if everything checks out. Walz said he’s also settling back into his role in St. Paul following a whirlwind campaign that took him around the country. Walz was tapped to run by Vice President Kamala Harris after making a name for himself on a series of televised interviews criticizing Republicans’ policy priorities as “weird.” He had also built up clout among Democrats across the country in his role as chair of the Democratic Governors Association. He said he’s feeling back in the swing of things at the Capitol. “To still have the privilege of being governor of Minnesota was, if you will, kind of a nice consolation,” Walz said. Reflecting on his run, Walz said that while policies that Democrats were talking about – from paid leave to guaranteed cost-free access to school meals – were resonating, inflation and immigration turned out to be driving issues for voters that his party didn’t do well enough connecting with voters on. “Sometimes the other team plays better than you, and sometimes you don’t play to where you should be,” Walz said. “And I think this is more complex than that, but not altogether untrue.” He said his party has its work cut out for it as it works to rebound. Even as Democrats embrace policies popular with working-class voters, Walz said there is distrust of the party brand in some corners. “We’re gonna have to figure out how to make that case clearer and broader,” he said of the issues where he believes Democrats are more in line with the wishes of those voters. Walz declined to offer an endorsement in the contest to pick a new Democratic National Committee chair even though his longtime homestate chair and friend Ken Martin is in the running. He praised Martin but left it there. “I’m staying out of that one,” Walz said. After a loss to Republican President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, Walz returns to a new power dynamic in St. Paul. Democrats held a one-seat advantage in the Senate but stand poised to share custody of the Minnesota House on a 67-67 split. The governor said he thinks there is common ground to be found on health care, government efficiency and guardrails around technology such as artificial intelligence. He said he hopes that Republicans will be willing to strike a deal on a construction projects plan, which failed to pass in 2024. But he said he won’t agree to link it to other, unrelated topics. “I’m actually thinking this could be a productive session, if we don’t retreat to our particular corners,” Walz said. He said he was already holding phone calls with co-chairs of House committees who will have to find ways to muscle bills through the split-control chamber. He pointed back to 2019, when lawmakers in divided government were able to pass a budget and approve changes addressing problems with the state’s driver licensing system. “If democracy is going to work, you’re going to have to compromise,” Walz stressed. “And so I’m very hopeful.” Lawmakers have to pass a two-year budget before July or risk a state government shutdown. State budget officials last week said that while Minnesota has a projected $616 million surplus for the next budget, assuming ongoing spending remains on track with current levels, a deficit looms over the two years that follow. Republican leaders have said the state should assess areas where the state could pare back existing spending to stave off a shortfall down the road. Meanwhile, DFL leaders said the state remained in a strong financial position, and has a full rainy day fund should the state see a downturn down the road. Walz said lawmakers would have to make hard choices during the 2025 legislative session about areas of state government that could be cut or held constant to offset the growing price tag for special education and care for people with disabilities. He said those were areas that he would not look to pare back. “I think that over the horizon, there are going to be some hard discussions, but I think both Democrats and Republicans agree, especially with those groups of people, folks who need disability services and our children with special needs, we want to deliver that,” Walz said. Slow cannabis rollout The Office of Cannabis Management on Wednesday announced that the state’s timeline for rolling out its budding cannabis industry would be delayed , following a set of legal challenges over license preapprovals. A pair of lotteries for applicants – first social equity applicants, then a broader general pool – are set to take place this May or June. That means that the first recreational cannabis businesses not associated with tribes could be on hold for longer. The retail launch could come almost two years after it became legal for adults 21 and older to use, possess or home grow small amounts of cannabis in Minnesota. Walz said he advised his cannabis office to grudgingly put the court challenge to rest by moving beyond an early licensing process. He said he expects the market to develop before long. “The bottom line is that sometime early this spring or summer will issue those licenses, folks will be growing for retail sales, you’ll start to see some of these dispensaries open up, and then from there it’ll just be the market will work. The industry will mature.” To people who might be growing impatient with the pace of the rollout, Walz said it takes time to get it right. “So we passed this thing in 2023, the goal was to have these things up and running sometime late this year or early next year,” he said. “We’re pretty close to on-time to do that.”

US monitors Syria after Assad's fallSmith scores 25 as Furman knocks off Harvard 77-63

Monogram Technologies Announces Management and Related Parties Complete Open Market Purchases of MGRM Common Stock Totaling $1 MillionORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — There’s plenty of concern and second-guessing to unpack from how the Bills unraveled on defense, special teams and clock management in their loss to the Los Angeles Rams to wonder whether it was premature labeling Buffalo as Super Bowl contenders only a week earlier. But first, the good news. There’s very little wrong with Buffalo’s Josh Allen-led offense after the quarterback strengthened his NFL MVP case. A week after a four-TD performance that included the statistical anomaly of him scoring two touchdowns on the same play in a 35-10 win over San Francisco, Allen became the NFL’s first player to throw and rush for three scores apiece in 44-42 loss to Los Angeles on Sunday . That Allen's latest superhuman-like effort ended in defeat is what’s troubling for the five-time defending AFC East champions (10-3) in their bid to dispel questions of finding ways to fall short in the playoffs in each of the past five years. Buffalo’s defense had few answers in stopping the Rams’ dynamic attack while allowing a season-high 457 yards. Worse still, the Bills allowed Los Angeles to go 11 of 15 on third down for a 73.3 conversion percentage — the third highest allowed by Buffalo and worst since allowing Miami's 75% conversion rate in 1986. If that’s not bad enough, the Bills lost for the first time in 39 games in which they scored at least 42 points, while becoming the NFL’s second team to lose when scoring 42 or more and not committing a turnover. Special teams didn’t help. Aside from allowing a blocked punt to be returned for a touchdown, the Bills couldn’t muster an attempt to block the Rams’ final punt from midfield with 7 seconds left because they only had nine players on the field. As coach Sean McDermott concluded after finally addressing reporters more than an hour after the game ended: “I thought we lost two of the three phases today.” He failed to mention yet another clock management misstep. Rather than have Allen spike the ball to stop the clock after a failed quarterback keeper from the Rams 1 with 62 seconds remaining, McDermott called timeout. That left Buffalo with two timeouts and essentially relying on the slim chances of recovering an onside kick after Allen scored on his next attempt. McDermott defended his decision by saying he feared too much time would elapse before the Bills aligned for another snap. And yet, it would not have matched the 45 seconds the Rams ran off on their final possession after Buffalo used its final two timeouts. Together, these are the types of miscues that have haunted the Bills in their recent playoff losses. The bright side is the loss to the Rams didn’t end the Bills’ season, though they fell two games behind Kansas City (12-1) in the race for the AFC’s top seed . And perhaps, the loss can be chalked up to a team riding a little too high off a playoff-clinching win and having to travel across the country to face a Rams team in the thick of its divisional race. If that’s so, the Bills have a chance to address their flaws — and doubters — by how they respond in what still stands as a juicy showdown at the NFC-leading Detroit Lions (12-1) on Sunday. “They’re the top dog in football right now,” Allen said, looking ahead to Detroit. “We have to have a good week, learn from this one, and put it behind us.” What’s working Scoring. The Bills topped 30 points for a team-record seventh consecutive game and ninth time this season. Buffalo entered the day ranked second in the NFL averaging 30.5 points per outing, behind Detroit (32.1). What needs help Run defense. Though the Rams averaged just 3.3 yards per carry, they stuck with it in finishing with 137 yards, helping them enjoy a 17-minute edge in time of possession. Stock up Allen. If not for him, the Bills wouldn't have been in position to nearly overcome a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit. His 424 yards (342 passing and 82 rushing) accounted for all but 21 yards of Buffalo's total offense. Stock down With so many options, perhaps the focus falls on special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley. This is the second time in 13 months special teams personnel management became an issue. Buffalo was flagged for having too many men as time expired, providing Wil Lutz a second chance to hit a decisive field goal in sealing Denver's 24-22 win last season . Injuries Starting CB Rasul Douglas was sidelined by a knee injury. ... DE Casey Toohill injured his ribs. Key number 80-1-1 — The Bills' record when scoring 38 or more points, including a 38-38 tie with Denver in 1960. Next steps Facing Detroit represents Buffalo's final major test before closing the season with two games against New England and hosting the New York Jets. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl John Wawrow, The Associated Press

Playoff game at Ohio State has sold 34% more tickets than Notre Dame game on StubHub

Raw milk has been linked to at least 10 illnesses in California, according to the California Department of Public Health. None of the illnesses has been identified as bird flu, the agency said. “Since announcing multiple recalls of raw milk due to contamination with bird flu, state and local public health experts have received reports of illnesses from 10 individuals who reported drinking raw milk. Initial county and state public health laboratory testing has not identified any positive bird flu infections in these individuals to date,” a spokesperson said Thursday. The department didn’t immediately provide additional information about the 10 illnesses. Health officials in Northern California are also investigating a possible case of bird flu in a child who became ill after drinking raw milk in November, Marin County Public Health said Tuesday. The child went to a local emergency department with fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk and tested positive for influenza A, the county said . Interest in raw milk has surged amid support from some high-profile fans, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services . Although some fans claim there are nutritional benefits to drinking raw milk, health experts say any purported benefits do not outweigh the associated risks. Raw milk and some types of raw cheese can be a source of many kinds of germs, and lab tests show that bird flu virus in raw milk can be infectious. Raw milk and cream products from Fresno-based Raw Farm were recalled and distribution of the products was last month halted after samples tested positive for bird flu. Two possible cases of bird flu were reported in indoor cats who had consumed raw milk from Raw Farm, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Thursday. In response to the increasing presence of the virus, the US Department of Agriculture has announced that it will begin testing raw milk stored in dairy silos across the country . Here’s what food scientists and dairy professionals say about the myths surrounding raw milk and the pasteurization process. What is raw milk? Raw milk has not undergone pasteurization, the process that removes disease-causing germs, yeasts, molds and other harmful microbes, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Raw milk can carry disease-causing bacteria from infected udder tissue, residue from milking equipment or particles from the water, soil and cow manure, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. That’s why the CDC recommends eating and drinking pasteurized milk and dairy products instead. Most milk in the US is pasteurized using High Temperature Short Time Pasteurization, which involves heating it to at least 161 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 15 seconds, according to the International Dairy Foods Association . The process was named after French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur , who refined the process to use in alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine, later adapting the method to milk as a way to remove bovine tuberculosis in the US and Europe in the early 1900s. Roughly 65,000 people died of the disease after eating and drinking unpasteurized dairy products between 1912 to 1937 in England and Wales alone. Instead of pasteurization, raw milk producers monitor the health of the cow, according to Raw Farm CEO Mark McAfee. “We can isolate that cow immediately and make sure she’s OK, and we can treat her,” McAfee told CNN. Raw Farm uses smaXtec boluses , capsule sensors swallowed by the cows to measure their body temperature, water consumption, activity and general health. The capsules stay in the same position in the reticulum for the cow’s life, neither digested nor regurgitated. The devices wirelessly transmit updates every 10 minutes. The data is then sorted by AI to provide information quickly, should a cow become sick, to ensure that the milk is safe to drink. Why do people drink raw milk? Despite the hype, the FDA estimates that less than 1% of Americans drink raw milk. Many fans claim to choose raw over pasteurized milk because they prefer the taste, according to Dr. William Hallman, a professor and psychologist in the Department of Human Ecology at Rutgers University. “One of the reasons is that some raw milk is not homogenized, which means that cream floats to the top, for example, so some of the first sips may be full of cream,” he said. There are also a variety of psychological reasons, Hallman said. Some people believe it’s healthier than pasteurized milk, while others might want to support local agriculture or choose it because family, friends or neighbors enjoy it. It’s also more expensive, with some gallons of raw milk costing almost twice as much as regular milk at the grocery store. “Psychologically, it reinforces the idea that it’s a premium product because otherwise they couldn’t charge so much for it,” he said. “There’s kind of this group effect that becomes normalized.” According to the FDA , many of the claims about raw milk’s health benefits are not true. For example, it doesn’t cure or treat asthma, allergy or lactose intolerance, and it doesn’t have the good gut bacteria that could improve your microbiome . “Pasteurization is meant to ensure the bad bacteria that can be harmful to people and make them ill are killed,” said Dr. Rabia de Latour, a gastroenterologist at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine. “There’s been a lot of recent attention being paid to the concept of ‘processed’ foods being bad for your health. [Pasteurization] still provides some protein and aids in bone health by providing calcium and vitamin D to the drinker, but if you’re very concerned about your microbiome, I believe there are safer ways to enhance it.” Some ways to improve your gut microbiome include consuming high-fiber and fermented foods, fruits, vegetables and extra virgin olive oil . What are the risks of drinking raw milk? Raw milk has a neutral pH and substantial nutritional and water content , making it an ideal environment for bacteria and other harmful pathogens to grow., research shows. “Milk has around 87% moisture, and microbes love more moisture,” said Alex O’Brien, the food safety and quality coordinator at the Center for Dairy Research. “The more available water, the easier it is for them to grow.” The CDC says that drinking or eating products made from raw milk opens the door to several harmful germs , including E. coli, listeria, salmonella and brucella. Another, Cryptosporidium, can lead to very dangerous diarrhea in people who have HIV or AIDS, de Latour says. These foodborne illnesses can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramping and vomiting. In rare cases, they may lead to serious conditions like Guillain-Barré or hemolytic uremic syndrome. The germs are more likely to cause health complications in children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant people and the immunocompromised. What about raw cheese? Raw milk can be used to make raw cheese, and fans say it has a better, more complex flavor than pasteurized cheese. Dr. Don Schaffner, a food science professor at Rutgers University, said the health risk from raw milk cheeses may be significantly lower, depending on the type of cheese. Hard aged raw milk cheeses like cheddar, Asiago, Parmesan or Swiss are much less risky than soft raw milk cheese like queso fresco, feta, Camembert or Brie, Schaffner said. “Soft raw milk cheeses are not aged ... and probably pose about the same level of risk as raw milk itself,” he said. The CDC says that soft cheeses with a high moisture content are more likely to be contaminated with listeria bacteria. “There’s salt that’s added to cheeses, and there is rennet and other additives that make the cheese curdle the milk,” Hallman said. “That aging process and the addition of salt can basically reduce the risk of pathogens. It doesn’t mean it’s risk-free, which is why if you are pregnant or immunocompromised or an older individual, consuming raw milk cheeses can be somewhat risky.” Why we pasteurize milk The US Public Health Service created the Standard Milk Ordinance in 1924 to promote pasteurization practices and remove harmful bacteria that could cause typhoid and scarlet fevers as well as tuberculosis. The ordinance, now known as the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance , outlines the requirements for lab testing of milk and dairy products for quality and safety. Experts estimate that, before the wider adoption of this approach, roughly 25% of all disease outbreaks in the US were milk-borne. According to the FDA , for every 2 billion servings of pasteurized dairy products consumed in the US, about one person becomes ill. Pasteurization “has been incredibly effective at reducing the incidents of milk-borne disease,” Schaffner said. “Any biological organism has optimal conditions that it prefers, and if those deviate, organisms are inactivated. Heat is a very straightforward technology that is easy to apply with precision, and its effect on pathogenic microorganisms is well known.” Some health experts believe that people may continue to consume raw milk despite the health risks because they believe that the overall chance of illness is low. “Some people are extremely optimistic, and they believe that if there are risks, they are more likely to be much more likely to apply to other people,” Hallman said. “In this case, they may be focusing primarily on the health benefits and ignoring the risks because it’s more convenient to do that. They underplay the risks by overemphasizing the benefits to justify the choice they’ve made.” The raw milk controversy Raw milk has become a particularly hot topic because of Kennedy’s vocal support as well as endorsements from social media influencers and the “ Gwyneth Paltrows of the world,” Hallman said. Paltrow has said she drinks raw cream in her coffee. “The evidence for these health benefits is certainly not definitive, whereas the risks certainly are definitive,” he said. “Having worked on a farm and been around cattle, I can pretty much assure you that everything is not sterile around those animals. There’s this romanticized view of this, which is not entirely realistic.” The credibility and position of those endorsing the product, like Kennedy, who said in a social media post in October that raw milk was among a long list of items that faced “aggressive suppression,” also seems to play a role in raw milk’s recent attention. Sid Miller, the Texas agriculture commissioner, recently argued in an opinion piece on the department’s website that consumers in the state should maintain the right to purchase raw dairy products. “There’s nothing more American than the freedom to choose what kind of food you eat,” he wrote. “Raw milk isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be available. Just as we shouldn’t force people to consume something they don’t want, the government should allow people the right to choose what is best for their personal nutrition.” Hallman said that some people don’t want to be limited in their options and told what they can or cannot purchase. “Kind of perversely, some people drink raw milk because they don’t want the government telling them what they should do,” he said. “They support drinking raw milk because they want to maintain their ability, their freedom of choice.” The risks of bird flu The FDA notes that one increasingly common pathogen removed from raw milk during the pasteurization process is H5N1. This bird flu virus has caused “widespread” illness in a multistate outbreak among US poultry and cows, according to the CDC. When cows are infected with this strain of bird flu, Schaffner said, the concentration of the virus shed in milk can be quite high. “Eventually, cows become sick and either stop producing milk or produce poor-quality milk,” he said. The CDC has reported 58 human cases of bird flu this year, 32 of them in California, where raw milk is legal to drink and sell. Most of the cases are linked to farm workers who have been in contact with sick animals. California also reported last month the first US case identified in a child; the CDC that the virus from that case resembled those previously detected in humans, cattle and poultry in the state but that it’s not clear how the child was exposed. Bird flu symptoms in humans include flu-like symptoms like eye redness, sore throat, runny nose, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, fatigue, trouble swallowing or fever. Health experts encourage anyone who has consumed raw milk and notices symptoms to alert their health-care providers or local health departments. “We’ve seen the flu move from birds to cow,” de Latour said. “If you were to drink raw milk of a sick animal shedding this virus, theoretically, yes, maybe you could potentially contract bird flu, but we haven’t seen that happen yet. ... The ultimate big fear here is human-to-human transmission, which we have not yet seen.” CNN’s Meg Tirrell and Jamie Gumbrecht contributed to this report.Trump pledges 'hell to pay' if Israeli hostages are not released before his inauguration

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate” granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’” Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater “that President Biden condemned.” Related Articles Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump’s attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office.SMARTPHONES After a sprawling hacking campaign exposed the communica-tions of an unknown number of Americans, U.S. cybersecurity off cials are advising people to use encryption in their communications. To safeguard against the risks highlighted by the campaign, which originated in China, federal cybersecurity authorities released an extensive list of security recommendations for U.S. telecom companies — such as Verizon and AT&T — that were targeted. The advice includes one tip we can all put into practice with our phones: "Ensure that traffic is end-to-end encrypted to the maximum extent possible." End-to-end encryption, also known as E2EE, means that messages are scrambled so that only the sender and recipient can see them. If anyone else intercepts the message, all they will see is garble that can't be unscrambled without the key. Law enforcement off cials until now resisted this type of encryption because it means the technology companies themselves won't be able to look at the messages, nor respond to law enforcement requests to turn the data over. Here's a look at various ways ordinary consumers can use end-to-end encryption: Texting Off cials said the hackers targeted the metadata of a large number of customers, including information on the dates, times and recipients of calls and texts. They also managed to see the content from texts from a much smaller number of victims. If you're an iPhone user, information in text messages that you send to someone else who also has an iPhone will be encrypted end-to-end. Just look for the blue text bubbles, which indicate that they are encrypted iMessages. The same goes for Android users sending texts through Google Messages. There will be a lock next to the timestamp on each message to indicate the encryption is on. But there's a weakness. When iPhone and Android users text each other, the messages are encrypted only using Rich Communication Services, an industry standard for instant messaging that replaces the older SMS and MMS standards. Apple has noted that RCS messages "aren't end-to-end encrypted, which means they're not protected from a third party reading them while they're sent between devices." Samsung, which sells Android smartphones, also hinted at the issue in a footnote at the bottom of a press release last month on RCS, saying, "Encryption only available for Android to Android communication." Chat apps To avoid getting caught out when trading texts, experts recommend using encrypted messaging apps. Privacy advocates are big fans of Signal, which applies endto-end encryption to all messages and voice calls. The independent nonprofit group behind the app promises never to sell, rent or lease customer data and made its source code publicly available so that it can be audited by anyone to examine it "for security and correctness." Signal's encryption protocol is so reputable that it has been integrated into rival WhatsApp, so users will enjoy the same level of security protection as Signal, which has a much smaller user base. End-to-end encryption is also the default mode for Facebook Messenger, which like WhatsApp is owned by Meta Platforms. What about Telegram? Telegram is an app that can be used for one-on-one conversations, group chats and broadcast "channels" but contrary to popular perception, it doesn't turn on end-to-end encryption by default. Users have to switch on the option. And it doesn't work with group chats. Cybersecurity experts warned people against using Telegram for private communications and pointed out that only its opt-in 'secret chat' feature is encrypted from end-to-end. The app also has a reputation for being a haven for scammers and criminal activity, highlighted by founder and CEO Pavel Durov's arrest in France. Making calls Instead of using your phone to make calls through a wireless cellular network, you can make voice calls with Signal and WhatsApp. Both apps encrypt calls with the same technology that they use to encrypt messages. There are other options. If you have an iPhone you can use Facetime for calls, while Android owners can use the Google Fi service, which are both end-to-end encrypted. The only catch with all these options is that, as with using the chat services to send messages, the person on the other end will also have to have the app installed. WhatsApp and Signal users can customize their privacy preferences in the settings, including hiding an IP address during calls to prevent your general location from being guessed. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The Cleveland Cavaliers find themselves at home rather than spending a weekend in Las Vegas when they begin the post-NBA Cup portion of their schedule Friday night against the Washington Wizards. The Cavaliers have won 21 of their first 25 games, giving them the best record in the NBA. But two of the four losses came to the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks in group play of the NBA Cup, allowing the Hawks to advance into the event's quarterfinals while the Cavaliers got an unexpected four-day break. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.PSG beats Toulouse 3-0 and Akliouche double gives Monaco home win over Brest

NEW YORK (AP) – As she anticipates her estranged uncle’s return to the White House, Mary Trump isn’t expecting any future book to catch on like such first-term tell-alls as Michael Wolff’s million-selling Fire and Fury or her own blockbuster, Too Much and Never Enough. “What else is there to learn?” she said. “And for people who don’t know, the books have been written. It’s all really out in the open now.” For publishers, Donald Trump’s presidential years were a time of extraordinary sales in political books, helped in part by Trump’s legal threats and angered tweets. According to Circana, which tracks around 85 per cent of the hardcover and paperback market, the genre’s sales nearly doubled from 2015 to 2020, from around five million copies to around 10 million. Besides books by Wolff and Trump, other bestsellers included former FBI Director James Comey’s A Higher Loyalty, former national security adviser John Bolton’s The Room Where it Happened and Bob Woodward’s Fear. Meanwhile, sales for dystopian fiction also jumped, led by Margaret Atwood’s A Handmaid’s Tale which was adapted into an award-winning Hulu series. But interest has dropped back to 2015 levels since Trump left office, according to Circana, and publishers doubt it will again peak so highly. Readers not only showed little interest in books by or about United States (US) President Joe Biden and his family – they even seemed less excited about Trump-related releases. Mary Trump’s Who Could Ever Love You and Woodward’s War were both popular this fall, but neither has matched the sales of their books written during the first Trump administration. ABOVE & BELOW: A customer looks at a copy of Michael Wolff’s ‘Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House’ as they go on sale at a bookshop in London, England; and a collection of books about United States (US) President-elect Donald Trump. PHOTO: AP & AFP PHOTO: AP & AFP Trump gestures at supporters as he holds hands with Melania Trump during an election night event at the West Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, US. PHOTO: AP & AFP Mary Trump. PHOTO: AP & AFP “We’ve been there many times, with all those books,” HarperCollins publisher Jonathan Burnham said of the various Trump tell-alls. He added that he still sees a market for at least some Trump books – perhaps analysing the recent election – because “there’s a general, serious smart audience, not politically aligned in a hard way,” one that would welcome “an intelligent voice.” “It’s like the reboot of any hit television show,” said Eric Nelson, publisher and vice president of Broadside Books, a conservative imprint of HarperCollins that’s released books by Jared Kushner, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Trump Cabinet nominees Pete Hegseth and Senator Marco Rubio. “You’re not hoping for ratings like last time, just better ratings than the boring show it’s replacing.” In the days following Trump’s victory, The Handmaid’s Tale and George Orwell’s 1984 returned to bestseller lists, along with more contemporary works such as Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny, a 2017 bestseller that expanded upon a Facebook post Snyder wrote soon after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton. Books appealing to pro-Trump readers also surged, including those written by Cabinet picks – Robert F Kennedy Jr’s The Real Anthony Fauci and Hegseth’s The War on Warriors – and Vice President-elect JD Vance’s Hillbilly Elegy, his 2016 memoir that’s sold hundreds of thousands of copies since Trump selected him as his running mate. First Lady Melania Trump’s memoir, Melania, came out in October and has been high on Amazon.com bestseller lists for weeks, even as critics found it contained little newsworthy information. According to Circana, it has sold more than 200,000 copies, a figure that does not include books sold directly through her website. “The Melania book has done extraordinarily well, better than we thought,” said Barnes and Noble Chief Executive Officer James Daunt. “After Election Day, we sold everything we had of it.” Conservative books have sold steadily over the years, and several publishers – most recently Hachette Book Group – have imprints dedicated to those readers. Publishers expect at least some critical books to reach bestseller lists – if only because of the tradition of the publishing market favoring the party out of power. But the nature of what those books would look like is uncertain. Perhaps a onetime insider will have a falling out with Trump and write a memoir, like Bolton or former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, or maybe some of his planned initiatives, whether mass deportation or the prosecution of his political foes, will lead to investigative works. A new Fire and Fury is doubtful, with the originally only possible because Wolff enjoyed extraordinary access, spending months around Trump and his White House staff. Members of the president-elect’s current team have already issued a statement saying they have refused to speak with Wolff, calling the author a “known peddler of fake news who routinely concocts situations, conversations, and conclusions that never happened”. A publicist for Wolff said he was declining comment. Woodward, who interviewed Trump at length for the 2020 bestseller Rage, told The Associated Press that he had written so much about Trump and other presidents that he wasn’t sure what he’d take on next. He doesn’t rule out another Trump book, but that will depend in part on the president-elect, how “out of control he gets,” Woodward said, and how far he is able to go. “He wants to be the imperial president, where he gets to decide everything and no one’s going to get in his way,” Woodward said. “He’s run into some brick walls in the past and there may be more brick walls. I don’t know what will happen. I’ll be watching and doing some reporting, but I’m still undecided.”Superstar Olympian Maher joins Bristol in blockbuster deal

How would you like that mushroom? Medium-rare perhaps? Increasingly, an epic mushroom main course is becoming as essential as a steak or fillet of salmon on restaurant menus around the country. At Café Chelsea in New York City's Manhattan borough, a meaty, ruffle-edged slab of maitake, also known as hen-of-the-woods, is prepared like steak au poivre with a velvety peppercorn-riddled sauce, listed among the grill items and appointed with a steak knife. "I had to have a vegetarian item and I knew a mushroom could be more than just a side," said Derek Boccagno, the restaurant's executive chef. "The mushroom au poivre is one of our most popular dishes." The creativity abounds. There's king oyster mushroom and eggplant kebabs at Acadia in midtown Manhattan, porcini fondue at the Lavaux Wine Bar in the West Village neighborhood and the medley of "Take-out Mushrooms" with scallion pancakes at Tatiana, Kwame Onwuachi's jewel in Lincoln Center Plaza. At Third Kingdom, a year-old vegan restaurant devoted entirely to mushrooms in the East Village, "the response has been overwhelming, and not just from vegans," said Ravi DeRossi, an owner. He calls his sautéed and sauced blue oyster mushroom "a real steakhouse analogue." Many mushrooms have the beefy minerality and earthiness that's expected in a rib-eye, along with the satisfying chew. It's worth noting that these mushroom dishes are all cooked. Winson Wong, a founder of Afterlife, a company in New York City's Queens borough that grows and sells mushrooms to restaurants, cautions to "not serve or eat mushrooms raw because they can be toxic." He's not talking about the poisonous ones or mushrooms you might gather in a woodland, but all mushrooms. Heating will blunt the risk. And besides, mushrooms taste so much better once they're cooked, even to add to a salad. Increasingly home cooks can buy mushrooms other than everyday white button, cremini, portobellos and shiitakes in stores and at farmers markets and also online. But even with a mushroom wardrobe that's more Gap than Gucci, it's important to know how mushrooms, even commonplace white buttons, are best cared for and prepared. Unfortunately, most mushrooms come encased in some kind of plastic container. Even when sold loose, by the pound, shoppers inevitably collect them in a plastic bag. Like moisture, airtight plastic is the enemy of fresh mushrooms; they need to breathe and are not degraded if they dry out as cooking reconstitutes them. Purchase your mushrooms however they're sold, but transfer them to an open paper or netted bag to store them in the refrigerator, preferably not in the vegetable drawer, which is a moist area. They'll last a good week. For long term storage, try dehydrating them, but never freeze them raw unless your goal is a soggy mess. As for cleaning mushrooms, the bottoms of the stems should be trimmed off and with some varieties, like shiitakes, the stems should be discarded or steeped in hot water to make a broth, because they're so woody, they're inedible. Any bits of soil can be brushed off. You do not have to wash them, but if you insist, spread them out on paper towels to dry completely before storing them. Sautéing is the simplest cooking method and as they sizzle they'll shrink and may seem to soak up all the fat, but eventually they'll release some of it back into the pan so the cooking can finish. Grilling, simmering in stock and roasting are other methods to use. "Mushroom Gastronomy" by Krista Towns, published earlier this year, is a worthwhile guide with mushroom-by-mushroom profiles and recipes like king trumpet char siu and black pearl oyster mushroom stroganoff. With the exception of rich, golden chanterelles and precious, nutty-tasting morels, which still can only be gathered by foragers, today's mushrooms, even huge king trumpet, shaggy lion's mane and almost neon-blue oyster mushrooms, among many others, are not "wild," despite what the menu says. They are raised and harvested in indoor urban facilities. They require no agricultural land, little water or energy, no chemical protection and have a minimal carbon footprint. In short, they're sustainable. Mushrooms deserve to be on your shopping list, sizzling in your skillet and commanding your dinner plate. (Recipe from Derek Boccagno. Adapted by Florence Fabricant) Yield: 2 servings Total time: 45 minutes INGREDIENTS 1/4 ounce dried mushrooms, preferably porcini 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, preferably high fat (European style) 4 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce (see Tip) or regular soy sauce 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns 1/4 cup cognac or brandy 1/2 cup heavy cream Salt 2 large slices maitake (hen-of-the-woods) mushroom, each about 6 inches wide and 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick (from 1 to 2 large maitakes) DIRECTIONS Place dried mushrooms in a small bowl, add 1/2 cup hot water (tap is fine) and let soak at least 30 minutes. Strain the mushroom stock through a mesh sieve into another small bowl, gently squeezing the mushrooms to release more of the liquid. (Save the softened mushrooms for another use.) While the mushrooms soak, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan over medium, swirling occasionally. After about 3 minutes, when the foam subsides and the melted butter turns nut-brown with browned bits at the bottom of the pan, add 2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce to the pan, swirl to combine and set aside. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium-low. Add garlic and shallots and cook until softened and barely starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add peppercorns, cook briefly and then add cognac. Step back and flame the mixture by carefully lighting the sauce with a long-reach lighter or long fireplace match; it will ignite quickly. When the flames die out (about 30 seconds), add the reserved mushroom stock and the cream, swirling to combine. When the mixture returns to a simmer, cook 3 to 4 minutes to reduce and thicken the sauce. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce and then add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter bit by bit, swirling to combine. Season with salt, if necessary, and set aside. Shortly before serving, brush the maitake slices to remove any grit. Then brush them with the brown butter-soy sauce and season lightly with salt. Heat a grill, a grill pan or a cast-iron skillet over medium for 1 to 2 minutes. Cook the mushrooms, gently pressing them down with a spatula, until nicely browned and slightly crisped, about 3 minutes per side. Reheat the peppercorn cream sauce on low. Divide the mushroom slices between dinner plates, pour the sauce over and around them and serve immediately. Tip: Mushroom soy sauce is typically a bit darker and sweeter than regular soy sauce and tastes more intense, thanks to a flavor boost from mushrooms. It's available at Asian markets, many supermarkets and online. Portobello mushrooms end up juicy and meaty when they’re fried Milanese-style. (Recipe from Marissa Lo. Adapted by Florence Fabricant) Yield: 4 servings Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 large lemon) 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying 4 large portobello mushrooms (or 8 medium) 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 large eggs 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder 3/4 teaspoon onion powder DIRECTIONS Line a baking sheet large enough to hold the mushroom caps with parchment. Make the marinade: Combine garlic, rosemary, basil, thyme, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and oil. Cut off and discard stems from the mushrooms and use a spoon to gently scrape away the gills under the caps. On the prepared baking sheet, generously brush mushrooms on both sides with the marinade. With the mushrooms stem-side up, drizzle any remaining marinade over top. Gently press down on the mushrooms to flatten them somewhat. Let marinate for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 F. Roast mushrooms for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool. Meanwhile, place flour in a wide shallow bowl. Beat eggs in another wide shallow bowl. In a third wide shallow bowl, mix panko with the cheese, parsley, garlic powder and onion powder; season with salt and pepper. Line up the bowls with flour, beaten eggs and panko mixture. Gently flatten mushrooms one more time, then dredge the caps first in flour, then egg and lastly panko, pressing to coat each mushroom completely. Return to the baking sheet and refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight. In a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet or regular pan, heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium (use more oil if needed to cover the bottom of the pan). When oil is shimmering (this takes about 2 minutes), fry the breaded mushrooms, working in batches if necessary, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Season with salt, garnish with parsley and serve.Chip trade oversight 'inadequate'

The battle for Pennsylvania is on between the Steelers and Eagles this Sunday in Philadelphia. Pittsburgh is 10-3 this season and winners of two straight and six of the past seven. With Russell Wilson, the Steelers’ offense has been revived at 28.4 points per game. George Pickens is questionable, which doesn’t help the offense, but Pittsburgh has excelled as the underdog, going 5-0 ATS this year, including 3-0 as the road underdog. Philadelphia is 11-2 on the year and holds the NFL’s longest winning streak at nine straight games. The Eagles have won four straight at home and are 4-1 at the Linc since its Week 2 loss to the Falcons (22-16). Saquon Barkley is second in MVP odds (+400) behind Josh Allen and has carried this offense over the past three games due to Jalen Hurts’ struggles to get the ball downfield (108, 118, 179 passing yards). NBC Sports has all the latest info and analysis you need, including how to tune in for kickoff, odds from DraftKings, player news and updates, and of course our predictions and best bets for the game from our staff of experts. Listen to the Bet the Edge podcast as hosts Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick provide listeners with sharp actionable insight, market analysis and statistical data to help bettors gain more information before placing their wagers. Game Details and How to watch the Kansas City Chiefs vs. Cleveland Browns on Sunday · Date: Sunday, December 15, 2024 · Time: 4:25 PM EST · Site: Lincoln Financial Field · City: Philadelphia, PA · TV/Streaming: FOX Want to check out the other games on the NFL schedule this week? We’ve got you covered right here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, venue, game-time, and TV/streaming info so you won’t miss any of the action! Game odds for Steelers vs. Eagles The latest odds as of Thursday courtesy of DraftKings: Moneyline: Pittsburgh Steelers (+205), Philadelphia Eagles (-250) Spread: Eagles -5.5 (-110) Total: 43.0 The line opened at 45.5 for the total and Philadelphia -5, so money has come in on the Under in the battle of PA. The spread dipped to +4.5 in favor of Pittsburgh but has been bet back up. Expert picks & predictions for Steelers vs Eagles Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Pittsburgh Steelers to cover the +5.5 as road underdogs in Philadelphia: “Pittsburgh is 3-0 ATS and on the ML as road underdogs this year, 5-0 ATS as an underdog overall, and an NFL-best 10-3 ATS overall (tied with Denver). The Steelers are 6-1 with Russell Wilson under center and the offense looks dangeruss. Pittsburgh averages an NFL-best 5.6 plays of 20-plus yards with Wilson under center and George Pickens is also one of the main reasons why the Steelers lead in that category. Pickens is questionable to play and if he’s good to go, his presence would be a significant boost for the Steelers offense in what should be a gritty game. I like the Steelers to cover the +5.5 and would sprinkle the ML (+205).” Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest betting info & tools for NFL with game predictions, player props, futures, and trends! Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Philadelphia Eagles team stats, betting trends Pittsburgh is tied for NFL-best 10-3 ATS and 3-0 ATS and on the ML as a road underdog. Philadelphia is 8-5 ATS but 1-4 ATS as a home favorite, ranking sixth-worst. The Eagles are 8-5 to the Under, ranking tied for 4th-best. The Steelers are 7-6 to the Over and 2-1 to the Over as a road dog. Jalen Hurts has a rushing touchdown in seven of the past eight games. Russell Wilson tossed at least two touchdowns in four of seven starts. Saquon Barkley had his three-game touchdown streak snapped last week against Carolina but he did manage 124 rushing yards surpassing the century mark for the fourth straight game. Najee Harris is 123 yards short of his fourth straight 1,000-yard season. Harris has run for at least 50 yards in six of the past seven. Quarterback matchup for Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia Philadelphia: Jalen Hurts – Hurts has 29 total touchdowns (16 passing, 13 rushing) to 5 interceptions on the season. Hurts is on pace to break his career-high of 15 rushing touchdowns last season and is 240 rushing yards shy of his career-high of 784. Pittsburgh: Russell Wilson - In seven starts with the Steelers, Wilson has tossed 1,784 yards, 12 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and sports a 6-1 record. Wilson’s thrown two or more touchdowns in four of seven games and 264 or more in four as well. Steelers and Eagles injury update Philadelphia’s TE Dallas Goedert (knee), S Reed Blankenship (concussion), S Sydney Brown (knee), DT Byron Young (hamstring) and LB Ben VanSumeren (knee) are all out. For the Steelers, WR George Pickens (hamstring) and LB Tyler Matakevich (hamstring) are questionable, while WR Roman Wilson (hamstring), DT Montravius Adams (knee), CB C.J. Henderson (neck) and OT Dylan Cook (foot) are all out. Rotoworld has you covered with all the latest betting info & tools for NFL with game predictions, player props, futures, and trends! Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

PASOK's Androulakis: We are proposing the taxation of excessive bank profits