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A major flaw of biopics in general, and music biopics specifically, is the tendency to sand down the rough edges of the person being profiled. For the most part, director and co-screenwriter James Mangold — along with co-screenwriter Jay Cocks — do a commendable job showing how the iconic Bob Dylan is not only talented but rather prickly and arrogant — a creative force with the talent and chutzpah to ennoble change. The warts-and-all approach and strong performances across the board elevate this absorbing, but overly long, look at the early professional and personal life of music legend and revered groundbreaker Bob Dylan. Above all, credit goes to Timothée Chalamet’s impressive achievement in not reducing Dylan to a caricature. Related Articles Another main reason “A Complete Unknown” works is that it hones in on a pivotal four-year span in Dylan’s life. It begins with Dylan’s shuffling arrival in 1961 New York with his beloved guitar and a burning desire to write and sing songs that make a difference. He meets and befriends folk music pioneers Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy) — his hero who lies bedridden in a hospital due to Huntington’s Disease — and Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), a devoted colleague and musician who steers away from the wild side of fame and prefers the confines of tradition over music evolution. It concludes with Dylan evolving into a temperamental but visionary performer who takes the stage at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival — to the dismay and outrage of organizers, including Seeger, and fans — and performs amplified versions of several songs. The re-creation of that volatile “going electric” event is the film’s crowning achievement. But other times Mangold and Cocks don’t stick the landing, resorting to shorthand when detailing the tumultuous change that’s brewing in America and leaning too heavily on shopworn storytelling techniques such as having radio and news reports flash through those game-changing events. A more intense connection linking Dylan’s impact on music to the rebellious actions of other iconic artistic and political figures would have given “A Complete Unknown” more heft and a more solid dramatic arc. Still “A Complete Unknown” is entertaining — particularly to music fans worshipping that period – and trots along in the footsteps of a dynamic Dylan as he becomes a force on the Greenwich Village music scene and soon finds his star rising as he puts his stamp on folk music and a variety of other musical genres. Unlike most music biopics, Mangold blessedly devotes much of the time to its subject actually creating music and then performing it. The film’s all the better for it. Some of the best scenes occur between Dylan and longtime Woodside resident Joan Baez (an electrifying Monica Barbaro) as those two musical forces flirt, make love, perform together and squabble bitterly. The concert sequences include a brief re-creation of the first Monterey Folk Festival in 1963, where Dylan and Baez performed. Both actors are on fire when they’re together. The challenge for an actor portraying such a distinctive superstar is to not imitate him. (Too many comedic acts have done that.) Chalamet wobbles in initial scenes, and then finds his footing — surprising us with his astonishing vocals and his ability to adopt an irascible demeanor, all but downplaying his striking good looks to become a man who doesn’t give a damn about physical appearances, except for being the epitome of someone who is anti fashion forward. Diehard Dylan fans will likely find faults with Chalamet’s smart performance, but it deserves respect. The scenes involving Guthrie, Seeger, Baez and Dylan fuel the film. Less successful are the ones that revolve around his romance with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning) — a character described as a “surrogate” for the real-life late artist and activist Suze Rotolo – which ran from 1961 to 1964. Her role intends to put a human face on the awful burden fame imposes on those who are sidelined from the ones in the addictive spotlight, but it’s presented in a contrived manner, even though Fanning gives it her all. Ditto the walk-on role of Boyd Holbrook as an inebriated Johnny Cash. It detracts from the overhaul story. “A Complete Unknown” isn’t a complete success, but it does have musical moments that soar and performances to match. It doesn’t shed any new light on who the real Dylan is, and maybe, just maybe, we will never become privy to that. 3 stars out of 4 R (language) Timothée Chalamet, Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro James Mangold 2 hours, 21 minutes In theaters Dec. 25Big A exposure will help homeless pets in Orange County

Greatest Boxing Day Tests – Part 2: Warnie’s magic, Mike Whitney to the rescue and a Windies classic for the agesThe Australian government's support for a UN resolution calling for an end to Israel's occupation of Gaza is to blame for a widely condemned arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue, the Jewish state's prime minister says. Login or signup to continue reading It is impossible to separate the reprehensible arson attack from the federal government's "extreme anti-Israeli position," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on social media early on Saturday. "Including the scandalous decision to support the UN resolution calling on Israel 'to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible', and preventing a former Israeli minister from entering the country," he wrote on X. "The burning of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne is an abhorrent act of antisemitism," he said. The Adass Israel synagogue at Rippon Lea in Melbourne's southeast had two of its three buildings gutted after suspected masked intruders allegedly broke into the building and set it alight in the early hours of Friday. Two congregants preparing for morning prayers, were inside. They were evacuated, with one sustaining minor injuries. Police have not ruled out terrorism as a motive, believing the attack was targeted. The suspects had poured accelerant on the floor inside the synagogue and set it on fire before fleeing when they were disturbed by a congregant, police said. Israel President Isaac Herzog said he firmly condemned the horrific arson amid an intolerable wave of attacks on Jewish communities when he spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday night. "I noted to the prime minister that this rise and the increasingly serious antisemitic attacks on the Jewish community required firm and strong action, and that this was a message that must be heard clearly from Australia's leaders," he said. "I thanked him for his ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, and expressed my trust that the local law enforcement would do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to justice." Political and religious leaders have widely condemned the attack on the synagogue, built by Holocaust survivors. Mr Albanese said he had no tolerance for antisemitism. "This deliberate, unlawful attack goes against everything we are as Australians and everything we have worked so hard to build as a nation," he said in a statement. Australian Federal Police will provide all requested resources to Victorian authorities, he said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said police patrols would be increased, and pledged $100,000 to rebuilding the synagogue. Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!

The NBA schedule today should provide some fireworks. The matchups include the Denver Nuggets taking on the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Don’t miss out on all of the NBA action today. We’ve got the inside scoop on the betting info you need to know. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .

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These things in your home look tacky but they're easy & cheap to fixA ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China's hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of “a limited number of individuals." Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Neuberger said officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but a “large number" were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are "primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking.

Greg Gumbel, the popular CBS broadcaster who spent decades on the airwaves covering a multitude of sports, died Friday. He was 78 years old. His family : It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of our beloved husband and father, Greg Gumbel. He passed away peacefully surrounded by much love after a courageous battle with cancer. Greg approached his illness like one would expect he would, with stoicism, grace, and positivity. He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten. Greg's memory will forever be treasured by his family, dearest friends, colleagues and all who loved him. — Marcy & Michelle Gumbel CBS Sports also released a statement praising Gumbel's impact on the world of sports. A statement from CBS Sports on the passing of Greg Gumbel — CBS Sports PR (@CBSSportsGang) For more than two decades, Gumbel was a regular in CBS's coverage of both the NFL and college basketball, always providing a welcoming face in either the broadcast booth or the studio host's chair. He retired from NFL coverage in 2022 but continued handling the college hoops side of the job until this year. Gumbel stepped away from covering the 2024 NCAA tournament, with " " presented as the reason why. A New Orleans native and baseball player at Loras College, Gumbel when his younger brother Bryant, a legendary journalist and broadcaster in his own right, told him about a weekend sportscaster opening at WMAQ-TV in Chicago. He auditioned and got the job, staying there until ESPN came calling in 1981. He worked as a "SportsCenter" anchor during the network's early days, then found further stints at MSG Network, CBS and NBC before returning to CBS. Among the milestones of Gumbel's career is being the first Black person to call play-by-play in a major American sports championship, having taken the microphone for Super Bowl XXXV in 2001. There are few popular American sports that Gumbel hadn't spent at least some time in. Beyond the NFL and college basketball, he called MLB games for the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners and NBC. He called NBA games for ESPN, NBC and CBS. He did the Winter Olympics, NASCAR and the World Figure Skating Championships. It was the kind of career that every young sports broadcaster dreams about, going from pioneer to legend with fans always happy to see him on their television. Gumbel's peers in sports media quickly posted several tributes after news of his death broke, praising both his capabilities as a broadcaster and his kindness as a person. So sad to hear about the passing of Greg Gumbel. Whether hosting or calling games Greg did it with passion poise and made it look effortless. One of the best ever RIP — trey wingo (@wingoz) Greg Gumble was so very kind to me during my time with CBS Sports and the years since. He LOVED his family, sports and live music. RIP. Cancer Sucks — Doug Gottlieb (@GottliebShow) RIP Greg Gumbel. One of the friendliest guys in the history of a venomous industry. — Damon Bruce (@DamonBruce) RIP to Greg Gumbel, the host of College Basketball for as long as I can remember. When I think of Selection Sunday and the CBS College Basketball studio show, he is always the first thing that comes to mind and had understated greatness. He was 78 years old — Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) Sad news. Praying for the Gumble family. — Scott Hanson (@ScottHanson)

Published 3:26 pm Tuesday, December 24, 2024 By Data Skrive The Denver Nuggets and the Phoenix Suns square off in one of many exciting matchups on the NBA schedule on Wednesday. Seeking additional betting intel for Wednesday’s NBA action? We’ve got you covered with betting odds for all the big matchups in the article below. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .What Snoop wants: Arizona Bowl gives NIL opportunities to players for Colorado State, Miami (Ohio)

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said star forward Vinicius Junior will be back from injury quicker than expected to face Atalanta in the Champions League on Tuesday. The Brazilian winger suffered a hamstring injury in November which was expected to keep him out until the Intercontinental Cup final on December 18. However Vinicius was able to train on Friday and Ancelotti said he would return next week, missing today’s La Liga visit to face Girona. “Vini has recovered from his injury very well, he will not be ready for tomorrow but he will be for the next Champions League game,” Ancelotti said. Vinicius’ return bolsters a Madrid side which has suffered three defeats in their opening five European matches, sitting 24th in the Champions League group table. The coach said defender David Alaba, who also trained with the team, was finding fitness after a long-term knee injury and could return in January. With Vinicius sidelined, even more focus has been cast on misfiring superstar striker Kylian Mbappe after his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer. The French forward missed penalties in defeats by Liverpool and Athletic Bilbao in the past fortnight and is struggling to find his best form, with 10 goals in his first 20 matches across all competitions. Mbappe posted on social media network Instagram to say he would “change this situation” and show his true colours. “He is conscious (of it), the post he put out after the game is that of a player who knows what he is doing and also what he can do, and will do,” said Ancelotti. “Obviously we’re with him, he’s not at his best level, but there are many players who are not at their best levels and don’t know it – he does know it.” Ancelotti said he was encouraged by Mbappe’s performances in recent La Liga matches against Getafe and Athletic. “In the last couple of games in terms of intensity he improved a lot,” said the coach, citing Mbappe’s sprinting statistics. However Ancelotti accepted resting the 25-year-old might also help him at some point. “We have to support him, but supporting him does not mean he has to play all the games. Sometimes it could be that a day of rest could be good for him.” The coach felt he himself was also being attacked too much over Madrid’s recent form, although admitted he had “to accept” some criticism. “Like stress, criticism is fuel to try and do better,” added Ancelotti. Leaders Barcelona visit Real Betis earlier today, aiming to move seven points clear of Madrid before kick-off at Montilivi. Diego Simeone’s in-form Atletico Madrid, third, welcome Sevilla on tomorrow night. Fixtures (all times GMT): Saturday: Las Palmas v Valladolid (1300), Real Betis v Barcelona (1515), Valencia v Rayo Vallecano (1730), Girona v Real Madrid (2000) Sunday : Leganes v Real Sociedad (1300), Athletic Bilbao v Villarreal (1515), Osasuna v Alaves (1730), Atletico Madrid v Sevilla (2000) Monday : Getafe v Espanyol (2000) Related Story Student-painted canvases to be showcased at Al Ghorrah festival Qatar joins Global Coalition for Digital SafetyWith Gaetz out as attorney general pick, Trump’s right flank looks for a new ally at FBI

iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSEARCA:EWY) Position Reduced by OneDigital Investment Advisors LLCHaving concluded the nonconference portion of its schedule with four consecutive wins, No. 15 Houston will open Big 12 play with something of a clean slate. The Cougars (8-3) resemble the squad that claimed the regular-season Big 12 title in their first year in the league last season as they head to Stillwater, Okla., to face Oklahoma State on Monday. Their balanced offense was on full display in an 87-51 home victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 21, with Emanuel Sharp (18 points), L.J. Cryer (17), Terrance Arceneaux (13) and Milos Uzan (12) sharing the load as Houston made a season-high 14 3-pointers. The offensive display provided a complement to the Cougars' usual brand of stifling defense and tenacious rebounding, and Houston coach Kelvin Sampson found it worth celebrating for a team whose shortcomings are too often overanalyzed. "You can't always just focus on things you've got to get better at," Sampson said. "You'll never focus on the things you're good at." Oklahoma State will represent a step up in weight class, with the depth and athleticism to challenge the Cougars' emerging offense. That comes as no surprise for the Cougars, who quickly became accustomed to the rigors of the Big 12, especially when the stakes are highest on the road. "Being able to get shots at the goal and taking care of the ball in the hostile environment is always going to be a challenge when you go on the road in this league," Sampson said. "That's what we'll be challenged with." The Cowboys (8-3) improved to 5-0 at home with their 86-74 victory over Oral Roberts on Dec. 22. Senior forward Abou Ousmane paired a season-high 19 points with a team-high seven rebounds in the victory, further validating the need for Oklahoma State to run more of its offense through its second-leading scorer. Ousmane averages 12.2 points per game for the Cowboys, second to Marchelus Avery (13.0). "It helps when we get him the basketball," first-year Cowboys coach Steve Lutz said of Ousmane. "We don't throw him the basketball enough. To his credit, he runs in transition, he seals for the most part darn near every time and our guards have to do a better job as they come across halfcourt of getting their head up and reading where the big is and (determining) can we get him the basketball. "That's going to be our quickest and best opportunity to score. We've got to continue to focus on throwing the ball inside to him." Oklahoma State enters conference play with momentum, having won four of its last five games. And while nonconference losses to Florida Atlantic, Nevada and Oklahoma proved disappointing, the setbacks showed the Cowboys have room for improvement. "We still have a lot of work to do," Lutz said. "We still have a lot of growth. I don't ever like to look ahead at the beginning of the season and say our record should be X and X. I try to focus more on the day-to-day progress of our team, and there are days where I think we make progress and days where we slip back a little bit. "We've got to continue with the process and get better and better each day." --Field Level Media

Stephanie Armour, Julie Rovner | (TNS) KFF Health News Many of President-elect Donald Trump’s candidates for federal health agencies have promoted policies and goals that put them at odds with one another or with Trump’s choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., setting the stage for internal friction over public health initiatives. Related Articles National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak The picks hold different views on matters such as limits on abortion, the safety of childhood vaccines, the COVID-19 response, and the use of weight-loss medications. The divide pits Trump picks who adhere to more traditional and orthodox science, such as the long-held, scientifically supported findings that vaccines are safe, against often unsubstantiated views advanced by Kennedy and other selections who have claimed vaccines are linked with autism. The Trump transition team and the designated nominees mentioned in this article did not respond to requests for comment. It’s a potential “team of opponents” at the government’s health agencies, said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian policy organization. Kennedy, he said, is known for rejecting opposing views when confronted with science. “The heads of the FDA and NIH will be spending all their time explaining to their boss what a confidence interval is,” Cannon said, referring to a statistical term used in medical studies. Those whose views prevail will have significant power in shaping policy, from who is appointed to sit on federal vaccine advisory committees to federal authorization for COVID vaccines to restrictions on abortion medications. If confirmed as HHS secretary, Kennedy is expected to set much of the agenda. “If President Trump’s nomination of RFK Jr. to be secretary is confirmed, if you don’t subscribe to his views, it will be very hard to rise in that department,” said Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “They will need to suppress their views to fit with RFK Jr’s. In this administration, and any administration, independent public disagreement isn’t welcome.” Kennedy is chair of Children’s Health Defense , an anti-vaccine nonprofit. He has vowed to curb the country’s appetite for ultra-processed food and its incidence of chronic disease. He helped select Trump’s choices to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. If confirmed, he would lead them from the helm of HHS, with its more than $1.7 trillion budget. Clashes are likely. Kennedy has supported access to abortion until a fetus is viable. That puts him at odds with Dave Weldon, the former Florida congressman whom Trump has chosen to run the CDC. Weldon, a physician, is an abortion opponent who wrote one of the major laws allowing health professionals to opt out of participating in the procedure. Weldon would head an agency that’s been in the crosshairs of conservatives since the COVID pandemic began. He has touted his “100% pro-life voting record” on his campaign website. (He unsuccessfully ran earlier this year for a seat in Florida’s House of Representatives.) Trump has said he would leave decisions about abortion to the states, but the CDC under Weldon could, for example, fund studies on abortion risks. The agency could require states to provide information about abortions performed within their borders to the federal government or risk the loss of federal funds. Weldon, like Kennedy, has questioned the safety of vaccines and has said he believes they can cause autism. That’s at odds with the views of Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon whom Trump plans to nominate for FDA commissioner. The British American said on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio that vaccines “save lives,” although he added that it’s good to question the U.S. vaccine schedule for children. The American Academy of Pediatricians encourages parents and their children’s doctors to stick to the recommended schedule of childhood vaccines. “Nonstandard schedules that spread out vaccines or start when a child is older put entire communities at risk of serious illnesses, including infants and young children,” the group says in guidance for its members. Jay Bhattacharya, a doctor and economist who is Trump’s selection to lead NIH, has also supported vaccines. Kennedy has said on NPR that federal authorities under his leadership wouldn’t “take vaccines away from anybody.” But the FDA oversees approval of vaccines, and, under his leadership, the agency could put vaccine skeptics on advisory panels or could make changes to a program that largely protects vaccine makers from consumer injury lawsuits. “I do believe that autism does come from vaccines,” Kennedy said in 2023 on Fox News . Many scientific studies have discredited the claim that vaccines cause autism. Ashish Jha, a doctor who served as the White House COVID response coordinator from 2022 to 2023, noted that Bhattacharya and Makary have had long and distinguished careers in medicine and research and would bring decades of experience to these top jobs. But, he said, it “is going to be a lot more difficult than they think” to stand up for their views in the new administration. It’s hard “to do things that displease your boss, and if [Kennedy] gets confirmed, he will be their boss,” Jha said. “They have their work cut out for them if they’re going to stand up for their opinions on science. If they don’t, it will just demoralize the staff.” Most of Trump’s picks share the view that federal health agencies bungled the pandemic response, a stance that resonated with many of the president-elect’s voters and supporters — even though Trump led that response until Joe Biden took office in 2021. Kennedy said in a 2021 Louisiana House oversight meeting that the COVID vaccine was the “deadliest” ever made. He has cited no evidence to back the claim. Federal health officials say the vaccines have saved millions of lives around the globe and offer important protection against COVID. Protection lasts even though their effectiveness wanes over time. The vaccines’ effectiveness against infection stood at 52% after four weeks, according to a May study in The New England Journal of Medicine, and their effectiveness against hospitalization was about 67% after four weeks. The vaccines were produced through Operation Warp Speed, a public-private partnership Trump launched in his first term to fast-track the shots as well as other treatments. Makary criticized COVID vaccine guidance that called for giving young children the shots. He argued that, for many people, natural immunity from infections could substitute for the vaccine. Bhattacharya opposed measures used to curb the spread of COVID in 2020 and advised that everyone except the most vulnerable go about their lives as usual. The World Health Organization warned that such an approach would overwhelm hospitals. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s choice to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency within HHS, has said the vaccines were oversold. He promoted the use of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment. The FDA in 2020 revoked emergency authorization of hydroxychloroquine for COVID, saying that it was unlikely to be effective against the virus and that the risk of dangerous side effects was too high. Janette Nesheiwat, meanwhile, a former Fox News contributor and Trump’s pick for surgeon general, has taken a different stance. The doctor described COVID vaccines as a gift from God in a Fox News opinion piece . Kennedy’s qualms about vaccines are likely to be a central issue early in the administration. He has said he wants federal health agencies to shift their focus from preparing for and combating infectious disease to addressing chronic disease. The shifting focus and questioning of vaccines concern some public health leaders amid the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus among dairy cattle. There have been 60 human infections reported in the U.S. this year, all but two of them linked to exposure to cattle or poultry. “Early on, they’re going to have to have a discussion about vaccinating people and animals” against bird flu, said Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “We all bring opinions to the table. A department’s cohesive policy is driven by the secretary.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.NDTV Profit’s special research section collates quality and in-depth equity and economy research reports from across India’s top brokerages, asset managers and research agencies. These reports offer NDTV Profit’s subscribers an opportunity to expand their understanding of companies, sectors and the economy.

NORAD’s Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost. Now it attracts millions of kidsCIBC Asset Management Inc Sells 2,037 Shares of Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:BIO)

Stephanie Armour, Julie Rovner | (TNS) KFF Health News Many of President-elect Donald Trump’s candidates for federal health agencies have promoted policies and goals that put them at odds with one another or with Trump’s choice to run the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., setting the stage for internal friction over public health initiatives. Related Articles National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl The picks hold different views on matters such as limits on abortion, the safety of childhood vaccines, the COVID-19 response, and the use of weight-loss medications. The divide pits Trump picks who adhere to more traditional and orthodox science, such as the long-held, scientifically supported findings that vaccines are safe, against often unsubstantiated views advanced by Kennedy and other selections who have claimed vaccines are linked with autism. The Trump transition team and the designated nominees mentioned in this article did not respond to requests for comment. It’s a potential “team of opponents” at the government’s health agencies, said Michael Cannon, director of health policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian policy organization. Kennedy, he said, is known for rejecting opposing views when confronted with science. “The heads of the FDA and NIH will be spending all their time explaining to their boss what a confidence interval is,” Cannon said, referring to a statistical term used in medical studies. Those whose views prevail will have significant power in shaping policy, from who is appointed to sit on federal vaccine advisory committees to federal authorization for COVID vaccines to restrictions on abortion medications. If confirmed as HHS secretary, Kennedy is expected to set much of the agenda. “If President Trump’s nomination of RFK Jr. to be secretary is confirmed, if you don’t subscribe to his views, it will be very hard to rise in that department,” said Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “They will need to suppress their views to fit with RFK Jr’s. In this administration, and any administration, independent public disagreement isn’t welcome.” Kennedy is chair of Children’s Health Defense , an anti-vaccine nonprofit. He has vowed to curb the country’s appetite for ultra-processed food and its incidence of chronic disease. He helped select Trump’s choices to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health. If confirmed, he would lead them from the helm of HHS, with its more than $1.7 trillion budget. Clashes are likely. Kennedy has supported access to abortion until a fetus is viable. That puts him at odds with Dave Weldon, the former Florida congressman whom Trump has chosen to run the CDC. Weldon, a physician, is an abortion opponent who wrote one of the major laws allowing health professionals to opt out of participating in the procedure. Weldon would head an agency that’s been in the crosshairs of conservatives since the COVID pandemic began. He has touted his “100% pro-life voting record” on his campaign website. (He unsuccessfully ran earlier this year for a seat in Florida’s House of Representatives.) Trump has said he would leave decisions about abortion to the states, but the CDC under Weldon could, for example, fund studies on abortion risks. The agency could require states to provide information about abortions performed within their borders to the federal government or risk the loss of federal funds. Weldon, like Kennedy, has questioned the safety of vaccines and has said he believes they can cause autism. That’s at odds with the views of Marty Makary, a Johns Hopkins surgeon whom Trump plans to nominate for FDA commissioner. The British American said on the “Brian Kilmeade Show” on Fox News Radio that vaccines “save lives,” although he added that it’s good to question the U.S. vaccine schedule for children. The American Academy of Pediatricians encourages parents and their children’s doctors to stick to the recommended schedule of childhood vaccines. “Nonstandard schedules that spread out vaccines or start when a child is older put entire communities at risk of serious illnesses, including infants and young children,” the group says in guidance for its members. Jay Bhattacharya, a doctor and economist who is Trump’s selection to lead NIH, has also supported vaccines. Kennedy has said on NPR that federal authorities under his leadership wouldn’t “take vaccines away from anybody.” But the FDA oversees approval of vaccines, and, under his leadership, the agency could put vaccine skeptics on advisory panels or could make changes to a program that largely protects vaccine makers from consumer injury lawsuits. “I do believe that autism does come from vaccines,” Kennedy said in 2023 on Fox News . Many scientific studies have discredited the claim that vaccines cause autism. Ashish Jha, a doctor who served as the White House COVID response coordinator from 2022 to 2023, noted that Bhattacharya and Makary have had long and distinguished careers in medicine and research and would bring decades of experience to these top jobs. But, he said, it “is going to be a lot more difficult than they think” to stand up for their views in the new administration. It’s hard “to do things that displease your boss, and if [Kennedy] gets confirmed, he will be their boss,” Jha said. “They have their work cut out for them if they’re going to stand up for their opinions on science. If they don’t, it will just demoralize the staff.” Most of Trump’s picks share the view that federal health agencies bungled the pandemic response, a stance that resonated with many of the president-elect’s voters and supporters — even though Trump led that response until Joe Biden took office in 2021. Kennedy said in a 2021 Louisiana House oversight meeting that the COVID vaccine was the “deadliest” ever made. He has cited no evidence to back the claim. Federal health officials say the vaccines have saved millions of lives around the globe and offer important protection against COVID. Protection lasts even though their effectiveness wanes over time. The vaccines’ effectiveness against infection stood at 52% after four weeks, according to a May study in The New England Journal of Medicine, and their effectiveness against hospitalization was about 67% after four weeks. The vaccines were produced through Operation Warp Speed, a public-private partnership Trump launched in his first term to fast-track the shots as well as other treatments. Makary criticized COVID vaccine guidance that called for giving young children the shots. He argued that, for many people, natural immunity from infections could substitute for the vaccine. Bhattacharya opposed measures used to curb the spread of COVID in 2020 and advised that everyone except the most vulnerable go about their lives as usual. The World Health Organization warned that such an approach would overwhelm hospitals. Mehmet Oz, Trump’s choice to head the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency within HHS, has said the vaccines were oversold. He promoted the use of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment. The FDA in 2020 revoked emergency authorization of hydroxychloroquine for COVID, saying that it was unlikely to be effective against the virus and that the risk of dangerous side effects was too high. Janette Nesheiwat, meanwhile, a former Fox News contributor and Trump’s pick for surgeon general, has taken a different stance. The doctor described COVID vaccines as a gift from God in a Fox News opinion piece . Kennedy’s qualms about vaccines are likely to be a central issue early in the administration. He has said he wants federal health agencies to shift their focus from preparing for and combating infectious disease to addressing chronic disease. The shifting focus and questioning of vaccines concern some public health leaders amid the spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus among dairy cattle. There have been 60 human infections reported in the U.S. this year, all but two of them linked to exposure to cattle or poultry. “Early on, they’re going to have to have a discussion about vaccinating people and animals” against bird flu, said Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “We all bring opinions to the table. A department’s cohesive policy is driven by the secretary.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Unrivaled signs LSU star Flau'jae Johnson to NIL dealTUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Snoop Dogg has nearly as many ties to football as he does to rap music. The entertainer coached youth football for years and created the Snoop League, an after-school program for inner city Los Angeles youths. Snoop has been a guest analyst on football broadcasts and his son, Cordell Broadus, played Division I football. When Snoop took his latest step, becoming the sponsor of a bowl game, he had a demand: Find a way for all players in the game to receive name, image and likeness (NIL) money. “This was Snoop's idea,” said Kym Adair, executive director of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice. “He was having conversations with people he knows in the college football world and I got a call that said he wants us to be the first bowl to make this commitment and that's what we did.” The beneficiaries are Colorado State and Miami (Ohio), who will conclude their seasons Saturday at Arizona Stadium in the Arizona Bowl. The bowl is classified as a 501(c)(3), so all revenue goes to charity. And, being one of the few bowls not tied to ESPN, it opens the door for unique sponsorship opportunities. The bowl was previously sponsored by Barstool Sports and the digital media company used its own cast of characters on the broadcast, which was streamed on its digital platforms. Snoop Dogg takes over this year. The rapper/entertainer is the latest celebrity to sponsor a bowl, following the footsteps of Jimmy Kimmel and Rob Gronkowski at the LA Bowl. And, Snoop being Snoop, he wanted to put his own spin on his own bowl. “College football fans are exhausted by the constant talk around NIL, conference realignment, coach movement, transfer portal and super conferences,” Snoop said in a video posted on social media. “So it’s time that we get back to the roots of college football — when it was focused on the colleges, the players and the competition, the community, the fan experience and the pageantry.” With that will be an NIL component. The bowl can't pay players just for playing in the bowl, but both teams participated in football clinics on Friday and will get paid for their services. Other bowls have given single players NIL opportunities, but this is believed to be the first to offer it to every player on both teams. “I love the fact that the Arizona Bowl is unique and tries new things, and obviously having Snoop here is unique,” Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said. “The NIL component, it’s the future. It’s what football has become now. We think it’s fantastic for our kids and then the interaction with the kids is the hidden gem of the whole thing.” The NIL component of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl comes a month after a similar effort in The Players Era Festival basketball tournament in Las Vegas. The eight-team tournament said it paid out $9 million in NIL money to participating players for activities outside the competition. It also offered $50 million in NIL opportunities over the next three years for services and activities compliant with NCAA regulations. Are the Players Era Festival and Arizona Bowl the start of a new future? It is not out of the question in big-time college athletics, where schools are already preparing for the era of revenue sharing with players next year. “Revenue sharing between the players and the athletic departments is already on the horizon, so whether that takes the place of these types of arrangements or they're completely separate has yet to be determined," Adair said. "We're just trying to be flexible, ahead of the curve and make an impact any way we can.” Just the way Snoop wants it. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Consumer Reports applauded the Federal Communications Commission for proposing a fine against a China-based company that made video doorbells with troubling security vulnerabilities. The FCC fine is somewhat adjacent to the actual security and privacy concerns about the video doorbells. The proposed $734,872 fine, announced Thursday, is because the company, Eken, didn’t respond to the letter of inquiry from the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau and for not maintaining a required active domestic point of contact, according to the FCC. Investigators discovered that the company’s domestic point of contact address in Colorado was a mailbox that had been inactive since 2019. The FCC’s investigation into Eken’s equipment remains ongoing. “It’s good to see more enforcement in this space that’s been traditionally radically under-enforced,” said Justin Brookman, the director of technology policy at Consumer Reports. Brookman said his team flagged their concerns over the Eken video doorbells to the FCC after routine product testing uncovered security vulnerabilities. The video doorbells — sold under different brand names, including Eken and Tuck, at online retailers, including Amazon, Walmart and Temu — “revealed pretty alarming stuff” during the Consumer Reports testing, Brookman said. The video doorbells exposed a user’s home IP addresses and Wi-Fi network names to the internet without encryption, potentially opening a user’s home network to malicious activity, according to Consumer Reports’ investigation from earlier this year. Hackers could potentially take over the device by downloading the associated smartphone app and entering the doorbell into pairing mode, which would allow them to take ownership of the device, view footage and lock out the owner of the device, Consumer Reports said. “It was far too easy for a bad actor ... to get access to who’s coming in, who’s going,” Brookman said. He said they have no reason to think the company itself was collecting images off their video doorbells, and that wasn’t the focus of Consumer Reports’ investigation, Brookman said. Ensuring products are safe and up to high standards can be tough in today’s world of online shopping, where the reviews many folks rely on can be “gamed,” Brookman added. The platforms selling the products, such as Amazon, “need to take more responsibility” to protect customers, he said. The FCC said it’s taking action to protect consumers. One example is the voluntary cybersecurity labeling program for wireless consumer “Internet of Things” products. Video doorbells fall into that product bucket, along with an array of internet-connected devices like smart TVs, home smart speakers and home security cameras that must be protected from hackers.No. 23 Arkansas will close its nonconference schedule Monday night by hosting Oakland in Fayetteville, Ark., in the final tune-up before beginning Southeastern Conference play. With Arkansas (10-2) rotating just nine players due to injuries, coach John Calipari wants Jonas Aidoo, a second-team All-SEC selection for Tennessee last season, to go all out on the court as he continues to rehab an offseason injury. "(His presence) makes us different," Calipari said after the 6-foot-11 Aidoo's strong showing in a 95-67 win over North Carolina A&T on Dec. 21. "Going for three, four minutes at a time, in that time, he has a huge impact on the game." Aidoo produced season-high totals in points (17), rebounds (11) and blocks (three) to go with two assists. When healthy, Aidoo provides good size for the Razorbacks and creates a three-man rotation with Trevon Brazile and Zvonimir Ivisic that allows Calipari to put two big men on the court at once -- though Ivisic is nursing an ankle injury. Aidoo said he was glad to see electric guard Boogie Fland achieve a double-double with 12 points and 11 assists against NC A&T. "A five-star guard, really young ... his mind is just racing," Aidoo said after Arkansas won for the fifth straight time. "Definitely great to play with a player like that. He's a special player, for sure." Fourth in the SEC in field-goal percentage at 50.8 percent, Arkansas leans on forward Adou Thiero, who leads with 17.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. Fland and fellow guard D.J. Wagner score 15.3 and 10.1 per game, respectively. As a No. 14 seed last March, Oakland stunned third-seeded Kentucky and Calipari 80-76 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, but the current version of Oakland (4-9) is very much different. In the middle of December as his team prepared to face in-state foe Michigan State, coach Greg Kampe admitted he had plenty of thinking and decisions to make regarding his Golden Grizzlies' offense. With his team sputtering with the ball -- it scored 50 points in a loss to Youngstown State on Dec. 7 -- Kampe, the longest-tenured coach in the NCAA with 41 seasons, said he had hard decisions to make. "By the time you are (10 games in), you should have a pretty good idea of your personnel and what's going to happen," said Kampe, whose first season at the Horizon League school was 1984-85. "I've got to make some decisions on playing times and minutes. "I've got to figure out what can we do offensively to have success ... (because) it's not successful." However, he may have something offensively in reserve Malcolm Christie, who has scored in double digits in five straight games and set a season high in points (27) in a 73-70 overtime loss to Hawaii in the Diamond Head Classic's third-place matchup on Christmas night. Christie, a senior from Fredericton, New Brunswick, made 7 of 22 shots from distance. During his streak, he has canned 26 of 70 (37.1 percent) from beyond the arc, but Oakland is 1-5 since losing to Youngstown State. Joining Christie (11.2) in double-figure scoring this season are leader Allen Mukeba (13.1), DQ Cole (11.4) and Buru Naivalurua (11.3). --Field Level MediaDec. 7, 1941: America remembersdevastating attack on Pearl Harbor