UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New Yorkwow888 net 。

The Edmonton Oilers took a big loss to their roster this offseason with Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway leaving to St. Louis via an offer sheet, but they almost went to the Calgary Flames instead, according to new reports. NHL insider Jeff Marek revealed that at least three teams were preparing to make an offer sheet to both Broberg and Holloway, and one of them was the Flames. Calgary Flames Were Close to Offer Sheeting Oilers RFAs Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway Broberg and Holloway signed offer sheets with the Blues for $4.58M and $2.29M respectively, salaries that would've put the Oilers in an impossible situation this year and next year. The Oilers took the easy route to not match the offer sheets , and take a second and third round draft pick in compensation. Losing out on Philip Broberg in particular may have been a mistake that could haunt the Edmonton Oilers for years to come. In his first 13 games with the Blues, Broberg has 9 points and is playing top pair minutes. As a 6'4 right shot two-way defenceman, he's a premium position and a talented young player. Holloway is having a good start with the Blues as well, already with a career high of 7 goals and 13 points in 25 games. However, management had torched this situation before it got to the Offer Sheets. Broberg, and potentially Holloway too, were ready to move on from Edmonton to get consistent NHL ice time. It's interesting to wonder how things would've been different if it was the Flames that did finalize an offer sheet with the Oilers RFAs. Flames ownership is reportedly blocking trades to Edmonton , so it's believable that the Oilers may have even tried to match the offer sheets if Calgary was behind them. Without Broberg and Holloway, the Oilers are an older and slower team - but they still will be a Stanley Cup Contender. It was never depth players like Broberg and Holloway that made the Oilers a great team, it's their veteran star players. However, in a few years, Edmonton may be dearly missing these players. This article first appeared on Oilers Daily and was syndicated with permission.The 2024–25 summer of sport is here, and Seven is setting the pace with an impressive lineup that blends tradition, technology, and some clever storytelling. From cricket to the NFL playoffs, Seven is making sure its coverage isn’t just watched but truly experienced. Rob Maclean , Seven’s national sport sales director, says the secret to Seven’s success is inclusivity. “At its core, Seven’s sport content is for everyone. We tell stories that draw in the first-time viewer while keeping the die-hard fans engaged.” And it’s not just about the broadcast anymore. Seven is putting digital platforms like 7plus front and centre. “We know people’s time is limited, so we offer highlights, minis, and social content for those who want a quick fix,” Maclean explains. But it’s the live-streaming options that really stand out. “Our Hindi feed for the Australia vs. India Tests reached 74,000 viewers, and we’re introducing alternate commentary like The Grade Cricketer for the Big Bash League. It’s all about catering to different fan segments.” Maclean is confident that the future of sports broadcasting is evolving into a more curated, entertainment-driven experience, and Seven is strategically positioning itself at the forefront of this shift. When it comes to integrating sponsors into its coverage, Seven knows that subtlety is key. “Sports fans are smart—they know when something feels forced,” says Maclean. That’s why Seven’s 7RED division works closely with producers to make sure brands genuinely enhance the experience. “The best integrations are entertaining, informative, or insightful,” he says. “We’re always asking, ‘Does this add value for fans?’ For example, we’ve got brands collaborating with us to create unique content that our producers actually love.” It’s a strategy that’s clearly working, with strong advertiser interest across the summer slate. “The NRMA Insurance Test Series between Australia and India is a standout. It ticks all the boxes—big audiences, cultural relevance, and perfect timing leading into Christmas.” Maclean also notes the growing appeal of international sports like the NFL and NBA. “Younger Australians are tuning in more because accessibility has improved. It’s easy to follow now, and that’s opening up new opportunities for brands to connect.” Seven’s coverage wouldn’t be the same without its all-star commentary teams. Chris Jones , Seven’s director of sport, says this summer is particularly exciting with the addition of Aaron Finch. “Having Aaron on board gives us so much flexibility. And we’re still rolling out Ricky Ponting—he’s the world’s best cricket commentator, hands down.” But it’s not just about who’s on the mic—it’s also about how they deliver. “We’ve made a conscious decision to focus on the action on the field. Our commentators aren’t here to reminisce about the ‘good old days.’ We aim to educate, inform, and entertain every time we go to air,” Jones says. And then there’s the tech. Seven is pushing boundaries with new offerings like virtual sets and partnerships with companies like Quidich in India. “We’re doing player tracking and even taking viewers inside players’ helmets so they can see what the athletes are seeing,” says Jones. “This summer, we’re also mic-ing players live and non-live across all forms of cricket, including Tests. It’s game-changing.” With such a packed schedule, Seven isn’t just delivering sport—it’s delivering moments. “The Big Bash League will carry us through January, and we’ll wrap up the cricket season with the Women’s Ashes, including the first-ever day-night Test at the MCG,” says Maclean. “Then, February kicks off with the Super Bowl, LIV Golf Adelaide, the Supercars championship, and Australian thoroughbred racing every Saturday.” And it’s not just sport pulling viewers in. Seven’s entertainment offering is firing too. “Home and Away is back mid-January, and our FAST channels are packed with local and international content from partners like NBCUniversal and Disney,” says Maclean. With more people streaming than ever, Seven’s strategy seems to be paying off. “Since adding cricket to 7plus, we’ve already seen over 70,000 new users register on the platform,” Maclean says. “It’s about giving people reasons to stay engaged—not just with the sport, but with everything else we offer.” Whether it’s short-form highlights, live-streamed alternate feeds, or Ricky Ponting breaking down the action, this is sport as it should be—inclusive, innovative, and downright entertaining. Keep on top of the most important media, marketing, and agency news each day with the Mediaweek Morning Report – delivered for free every morning to your inbox.

Why celebrity look-alike contests are all the rage right nowRudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke

The ( ) share price is pushing higher on Wednesday morning. At the time of writing, the travel technology company's shares are up 14% to $4.82. This follows the release of the WebBeds owner's first since the demerger of its ( ) online travel agency. Web Travel share price jumps on results day What happened during the half? For the six months ended 30 September, Web Travel reported a 1% increase in revenue to $170.4 million. This reflects weaker margins, which largely offset strong booking and TTV growth over the prior corresponding period. Commenting on the company's performance, managing director John Guscic said: Following a record FY24, WebBeds' first two months of trading in 1H25 continued to reflect the previous 6-month trading conditions. In the period of June and July, TTV margins declined in Europe. The decline coincided with the collapse of FTI Group, the Paris Olympics and European football championships. We underestimated this decline and the extent of changing market conditions and customer mix, and underlying margins did not recover in August as anticipated. We also underestimated the incentive payments during August (at the time of the AGM) which were $7.5 million higher than planned, representing a decline of 0.3% of the TTV margin in 1H25. Combined with an 8% increase in expenses, this ultimately led to underlying EBITDA falling 8% to $70 million and underlying group net profit after tax coming in at $52.5 million. Outlook The company revealed that its top line growth has continued in the second half. For the first seven weeks of trading for the second half, TTV is up 23% and TTV margins were at 6.5% in October. Based on current trading, management is expecting FY 2025 EBITDA to be between $117 million to $122 million. Looking further ahead, Guscic advised that he expects the company's margins to recover next year. He said: In the universe of global publicly traded companies, WebBeds remains one of the fastest organically growing travel brands. The business is highly scalable and efficiencies now in place give us confidence we will return to our c. 50% EBITDA margin target in FY26. The Web Travel share price is up 20% since this time last month.

The all-male Tasmanian Club will allow women inside. As long as they are with a man.

NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.

Chris Cenac Jr., the top center in the Class of 2025 according to the ESPN100, has committed to play for the Houston Cougars. The five-star recruit announced his decision Tuesday via the Bleacher Report's B/R App. Cenac previously said he wouldn't make his decision until the spring, but his stock soared over the summer after his impressive play on the Puma Pro 16 circuit with Dallas-based YGC, vaulting him into the national top-10 rankings. The 6-foot-10 New Orleans native was reportedly choosing between LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Baylor, Kentucky, Tennessee and others before making the decision to join Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson's team. "I just like the coaching staff a lot, I like their plan to develop me and I like coming into a winning program," Cenac told 247Sports. "I'm looking forward to producing and just helping them win more. But the main thing was development and them being able to get me better so I can be ready for that next level." Cenac's rating of .9978 by 247Sports Composite makes him the Cougars' highest-rated commit in the modern era, according to multiple outlets. "They see me as a four who can kind of play all over the court and do everything," Cenac told 247Sports. "I can get rebounds, push the ball, shoot and play all over the floor." With Cenac joining other Houston commits like five-star shooting guard Isaiah Harwell, four-star point guard Kingston Flemings and three-star wing Bryce Jackson, Houston's Class of 2025 is ranked No. 2 in the nation by 247Sports and ESPN. --Field Level MediaNoneWärtsilä propulsion package to power world’s largest methanol-ready cement carrier vessel

Autodesk Inc ADSK reported third-quarter financial results after the market close on Tuesday. Here’s a rundown of the report . Q3 Revenue: $1.57 billion, versus estimates of $1.56 billion Q3 Adjusted EPS: $2.17, versus estimates of $2.12 Total revenue was up 11% year-over-year. Total billings increased 28% year-over-year to $1.54 billion. Cash flow from operations was $209 million, while free cash flow totaled $199 million in the quarter. The company ended the period with $1.44 billion in cash and cash equivalents. “Autodesk is leading the industry in modernizing its go-to-market motion. These initiatives enable us to build larger and more durable direct relationships with our customers and to serve them more efficiently. We have already seen significant benefits from these optimization initiatives and there’s more to come in the next phase,” said Andrew Anagnost , president and CEO of Autodesk. See Also: Amazon Prime Vs. Netflix: MrBeast Game Show Arrives Dec. 19, ‘Squid Game’ Season 2 Drops 1 Week Later Outlook: Autodesk expects fourth-quarter revenue to be in the range of $1.623 billion to $1.638 billion versus estimates of $1.621 billion. The company sees fourth-quarter earnings of $2.10 to $2.16 per share versus estimates of $2.12 per share. Autodesk anticipates full-year revenue of $6.12 billion to $6.13 billion versus estimates of $6.11 billion. The company expects full-year earnings to be between $8.29 and $8.35 per share versus estimates of $8.27 per share. Autodesk announced the appointment of Janesh Moorjani as the company’s CFO, effective Dec. 16. Management will hold a conference call to further discuss the quarter with analysts and investors at 5 p.m. ET. ADSK Price Action: Autodesk shares were down 8.53% after hours, trading at $290.83 at the time of publication Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro . Photo: Courtesy of Autodesk. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Movie review: ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ a boundary-pushing prequel worthy of original filmRays push back on county ultimatum: Stadium agreement ‘in effect’To be launched on 17 January 2025, St. Benedict’s College, Colombo has issued a stakeholder proposal to raise funds for its much anticipated STEM education program – a pioneering initiative designed to shape a generation of forward-thinking innovators and lead STEM education in the country. STEM education is central to 21st century learning as it integrates the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to cultivate key skills, including problem solving, amongst students. Students are trained to critically analyse and tackle complex global challenges, fostering an environment promoting creativity, teamwork, and leadership which is crucial to Sri Lanka’s current landscape. The strategic decision was made in 2023, signifying the school’s commitment to 21st century learning, a framework centred on fostering independent thinking rather than rote memorisation. In a world racing to keep up with technological advancements, this approach encourages students to think critically and collaboratively, using readily available information to identify patterns, derive meaningful insights, and formulate opinions. As information and data become increasingly accessible, students struggle with discerning credible information and applying this intelligently to the real world, and this 21st century focus equips them with the expertise and tools required to navigate this challenge effectively. The STEM Centre will be housed at the James Memorial Building and will be comprised of three distinct chambers, each facilitating a distinct learning style: 1. Chamber One will be called the dedicated technology area, containing equipment and learning material to help students understand critical technologies that cut across multiple domains. These technology areas, including robotics, coding, 3D printing, and design, would evolve over time as in-demand technology changes. 2. Chamber Two is the permanent display area which has permanent fixtures to educate students on key STEM principles and domains. These form the building blocks for a rounded STEM education program. 3. Chamber Three is an experimental area for students to discover STEM through domains that cut across different STEM disciplines, and will be known as the Thematic Investigation Lab. This encourages play and learning through discovery and experimentation in subjects such as food science, forensic science, earth science, climate change, and space science, fuelled by the innate curiosity of every child. The STEM Centre is expected to result in widespread benefits to the three major stakeholders of the country – the students, the school, and the economy. Such programs will widen the scope for entrepreneurship within the country by facilitating innovation, meet demands of the modern workplace, and fill workforce gaps in the science and technology field. To students, this holistic approach to learning will ensure hands-on experiences that are greatly applicable to the real world while enhancing knowledge and developing critical thinking, which are key to moulding rounded individuals. In addition, St. Benedict’s believes that pioneering STEM learning in Sri Lanka will not only leverage the image of the school, but by sharing these facilities with other schools, it can become a model for social justice. The STEM Centre Project will be driven by a group of eminent alumni and Director/Principal Rev. Bro. (Dr.) Pubudu Rajapaksha, who are accomplished academics and professionals in multiple STEM fields.

Breakthrough brings body-heat powered wearable devices closer to realityAngelina Jolie has taken a major step forward in her ongoing battle with Brad Pitt over their French winery Château Miraval, Us Weekly can exclusively confirm. A judge tentatively ruled on Monday, November 25, that Pitt, 60, must turn over documents and communications that Jolie, 49, claims will prove he covered up alleged domestic violence against her and their children. “We are gratified that the court ruled in Angelina’s favor,” Jolie’s attorney Paul Murphy exclusively told Us in a statement on Tuesday, November 26. “After Mr. Pitt fought for years to hide this crucial evidence, he must now produce documents and communications concerning abuse, lies to authorities, and years of cover-up. His actions harmed Angelina and their children and are central to this case.” Murphy noted that his client only wants what’s best for her and Pitt’s family. (The exes, who divorced in 2016, share six children .) “I want to again emphasize that Angelina never wanted any of this . She never pressed charges, she left all their properties, and she is the one who tried to sell him the business in the first place,” the attorney continued. “To this day, Mr. Pitt has never been held accountable for his actions and has at all times controlled Miraval and the winery, yet he still demands more.” The statement concluded: “She wants this to end, the children want this to end, and Mr. Pitt should focus on healing their family, not pursuing lawsuits . If he does not, Angelina will defend herself in court by presenting the evidence necessary to demonstrate that Pitt’s allegations are demonstrably false.” A source close to Pitt exclusively told Us on Tuesday that the ruling “is mostly irrelevant because he has provided so much information already.” Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lia Martin issued her tentative ruling on Monday after Jolie’s legal team argued that Pitt’s documents would prove her allegations that he tried to make her sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) that would have prevented her from speaking out about the alleged abuse so she could sell her half of their winery to Pitt. Jolie and Pitt have been in a legal battle since February 2022 , when Pitt filed a lawsuit against her claiming she illegally sold her shares of their French winery. Pitt claimed that he and Jolie previously agreed they could only sell their shares with each other’s approval. “Pitt and Jolie purchased the château as a home to share with their children and the vineyard as a family business,” the initial court documents read. “They agreed they would never sell their respective interests in Miraval without the other’s consent. The couple spent the holidays at Miraval with their children and were married there in 2014.” In July, Jolie filed court documents claiming that the actor tried to force her to sign an $8.5 million NDA to cover up “years of abuse.” Her legal team asked that the court compel Pitt to disclose “private, third-party communications” he had about their family’s 2016 plane ride that resulted in Jolie filing for divorce. Shortly before Jolie and Pitt called it quits in 2016 , their family made headlines when Pitt was accused of child abuse during a trip on their jet . Pitt was later cleared by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. Jolie argued in the July docs that she “was not acting with malice and the intent to hurt Pitt in response to any custody ruling” when she sold her share of Château Miraval in 2021. She claimed it was Pitt who “refused to buy her interest unless he received his newly expanded NDA,” she alleged in the filing, claiming that it was designed to “force her silence about his abuse and cover-up.” Pitt’s legal team previously responded to the July motion, calling the separate filing asking for his personal communications “wide-ranging and intrusive.” The judge’s latest ruling is a major blow to Pitt, who had put off releasing his correspondence for years. “This ruling is an enormous win for Angie and a disaster for Brad. This is, by far, the most impactful ruling in the case to date,” a source told Us on Tuesday. “All of this evidence is now fair game in discovery.” The insider explained that this case is “ Pitt’s doing , and he controls whether to resolve it.” The source alleged that the Oscar winner “clearly wants to keep controlling and hurting Angelina through this lawsuit, forcing her to relive the pain of the reasons for the separation and cover of abuse.” You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News Prior to being compelled to disclose his communications, Pitt scored his own legal win over Jolie when a judge ruled in favor of the case going to trial. Us confirmed on November 15 that a judge upheld the ruling that there was an implied contract regarding shares in the holding company, and Pitt’s claims were valid on two counts of interference. The ruling came after Jolie previously asked the case to be thrown out . The trial date has yet to be set. Us has reached out to Pitt’s team for comment.

VPS is a world-leading, innovative service provider with a proven, trusted reputation of working to the highest accredited standards. Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. As the world changes, we work relentlessly to ensure your business remains on the right side of that change. Our value-added testing and advisory services actively support and protect our customers, people, their assets and the environment. To further our commitment to excellence and advance our client-oriented goals, we are pleased to announce the appointment of Steve Laino to the role of Managing Director – Americas. In this role, Steve will apply his experience and knowledge to deliver complete value-chain solutions for fuel, lubricants and decarbonization in this important region. Steve joins us having held c-suite and leadership roles as a ship owner, broker, entrepreneur and advisor across multiple sectors and markets in the global supply chain. Most recently, Steve has applied his subject matter expertise and in-depth understanding of the emerging emissions and alternative fuels sectors in his role as Global Head of Environmental Solutions with Poten & Partners/BGC. He has a strong background in shipping, having graduated from the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, sailed as an officer in the US Merchant Marine and served as Lieutenant Commander in the US Naval Reserve. Dr. Malcolm Cooper, VPS CEO, stated: “The maritime industry is changing fast with ambitious emissions targets and decarbonisation requirements driving the introduction of new technologies and fuels into the market. In this dynamic landscape, we are very pleased to have Steve on board to lead delivery of all VPS services to customers in the Americas and help them optimise their operations by understanding which new fuels to use and how to adapt to these sustainable business drivers and meet new regulations.” Steve Laino Steve Laino stated: “Industries around the world are witnessing a paradigm shift in the energy products that power them and the environmental regulations that govern their stakeholders’ compliance. An increased need for transparency and traceability of energy sources and production methods will grow to be a primary driver of successful business strategies. Testing, verification, certification, data-supported analysis and the ability to easily access and disseminate critical information from these sources are quickly becoming required tools of the trade. For decades, VPS has reliably provided and evolved their services to the maritime, power generation and wind sectors. In response to the evolution of energy products and the impact on businesses in and adjacent to the supply chain, VPS has invested in new digital platforms, testing capabilities and advisory capacity to meet the challenges faced by its customers. I am very pleased to join VPS to lead and grow their business in the Americas. I look forward to working closely with our team to gather and provide valuable decision-making information to our clients, yielding the flexibility and foresight needed to navigate the new commercial, operational and technical challenges before us.” Source: Veritas Petroleum Services

The California Transportation Commission allocated $830 million at its December meeting to fund a broad range of investments to improve access and safety, provide sustainable projects and help support the infrastructural backbone of the globe’s fifth-largest economy. The approved allocations include $249 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 and another $306 million via Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. “These investments will help provide the next generation of transportation projects in California, strengthening efforts for bridge maintenance and renovation, increasing safety for people who walk and bike, expanding equitable access and continuing support for the movement of goods and services that fuel the state’s economic engine,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. San Diego County and Imperial County projects include: $7,200,000 in Imperial County on State Routes 78, 86, 98 and 111 to remove debris from the roadway and repair drainage systems, pavement, slopes, and embankments damaged by an August 2023 storm resulting in flash flooding. $2,400,000 in San Diego on Interstate 5 at the State Route 75 pump plant to replace damaged pumps and the pump control system and repair the discharge box damaged by an August 2023 storm that flooded the pump plant, causing water to spill into the pump house dry-pit, submerging pumps and motors and causing leakage from the discharge box. $375,000 in Oceanside on Interstate 5 to remove debris, backfill the eroded area, replace the culvert, replace a damaged dike, and pour a concrete ditch damaged by a January 2024 storm that caused an 18′′ culvert to fail, and eroded a slope. This supplemental is needed to include additional work recommendations based on a final investigation report that recommends constructing multiple new drainage inlets, replace additional damaged dike, repair damaged guardrail, and add more than originally anticipated backfill to the eroded area. $3,000,000 in San Diego on Interstate 5, State Routes 56, 78 and 905 to repair damaged pavement, drainage systems, and slope embankment damaged by a January 2024 storm that caused multiple sinkholes and washouts, as well as damage to drainage systems. $4,317,000 to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to construct 2.1-miles of buffered bike lanes, 3 diverters, high visibility crosswalks (2 raised), neighborhood traffic circle, and additional traffic calming and pedestrian access features that will improve safety and comfort for people walking and biking for the Orange Family Friendly Street Project that will run along Orange Avenue, between 32nd Street and Estrella Avenue, in the City Heights community of San Diego. $8,064,000 to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System and the SANDAG to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure for the Zero-Emission Transit Enhancement Project (Electrification of the Imperial Avenue Division (IAD)) in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by implementing the supporting infrastructure for the future zero-emission fleet, including supporting the electric charging capacity and access of surrounding regional transit in San Diego County. In addition to major undertakings, such as the rehabilitation of the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles and the Silicon Valley rail extension in San Jose, the allocation contains funds for local projects, including: We have launched our year-end campaign. Our goal: Raise $50,000 by Dec. 31. Help us get there. Times of San Diego is devoted to producing timely, comprehensive news about San Diego County. Your donation helps keep our work free-to-read, funds reporters who cover local issues and allows us to write stories that hold public officials accountable. Join the growing list of donors investing in our community's long-term future. · The Orange Family Street Project in San Diego’s City Heights community will install traffic circles and buffered bike lanes and raise crosswalks to reduce traffic and improve pedestrian safety. (More details below) · Nearly 10 miles of new bike lanes in the Wilmington neighborhood near the Port of Los Angeles will also include pedestrian and ADA upgrades, new sidewalks, shade trees and lighting. · The L.A. River Greenway project will connect East San Fernando Valley with LA Metro’s North Hollywood rail station through a network of pedestrian and bicycle trails. · The purchase of zero-emission, high-capacity buses to serve residents of Alameda and Contra Costa counties. IIJA, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our country’s energy, water, broadband and transportation systems. California has received nearly $62 billion in federal infrastructure funding since its passage. It includes investments to upgrade the state’s roads, bridges, rail, public transit, airports, ports, waterways and the electric vehicle charging network. The funding alone has already created more than 170,000 jobs in California. SB 1 has invested approximately $5 billion annually toward transportation projects since 2017. It provides funding split between the state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of funds, including projects that are partially funded by SB 1. For more information, visit: Build.ca.gov . Get Our Free Daily Email Newsletter Get the latest local and California news from Times of San Diego delivered to your inbox at 8 a.m. daily. Sign up for our free email newsletter and be fully informed of the most important developments.Some Alabama football fans are already looking toward next season, especially at quarterback. Jalen Milroe is expected by most NFL Draft pundits to enter the 2025 draft. He is viewed by most experts as the second or third best signal-caller in the class. Milroe has three more interceptions (9 to 6) this year than he had in 2023; however, some media personalities feel NFL teams will fall in love with him. If he pursues the draft or enters the NCAA transfer portal, a former five-star is very ‘hopeful’ that he commands the Crimson Tide’s offense as the starting quarterback next season. Ty Simpson , a redshirt sophomore from Martin, Tenn., is in his third year with Alabama. He came in the 2022 recruiting class after a successful high school career. The former Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Tennessee is the son of a college coach. Simpson is a football junkie that wants a chance to lead the Tide’s program to a CFP national title. He was interviewed by Roger Hoover of Crimson Tide Sports Network on Monday. Simpson believes his calling in his coaching after his playing career, but he feels next spring begins his moment at Alabama. “Hopefully next year that will be my job to be the guy and know the next guy is ready [as the backup],” Simpson said. The 6-foot-2, 215-pounder is more of a pure passer than Milroe is. Simpson also has escapability and athleticism with his legs to create and extend plays. Alabama fans saw his abilities in the Mercer matchup when he avoided a sack, scrambled to his right, and delivered an 43-yard opportunity downfield to give tight end Josh Cuevas a chance. Simpson came into the South Florida game in 2023 and helped pull the Tide to a 17-3 victory on the road. He has completed 14 of 25 passes for 167 yards and totaled a rushing touchdown. Simpson is more than just a capable quarterback, but he sees himself as a marquee leader on the team. “Certainly, especially since coming back [for 2024],” Simpson said to Hoover about his leadership during Saban’s retirement announcement in January. “In this day and age, a lot of people would have probably left, especially with the circumstances that I had. But being here when Coach [Saban] left and being here for three years — in my class, you’ve got guys like Tyler Booker, Jihaad Campbell, Kendrick Law, Jamarion Miller — guys like that that are big time playmakers for us and vocal leaders in the locker room. And me being a quarterback and an older guy as well, my voice is just as much important as theirs, and just as heard as much as theirs. I think it’s a job of mine — even though I don’t play — that these guys know the standard and know how we do things around here.” Simpson has the same mental makeup as Mac Jones. Jones, a former Alabama standout, came as a three-star in the Crimson Tide’s highly regarded 2017 signing class from Jacksonville, Fla. He came in the same class as Tua Tagovailoa, a former five-star, and shared a quarterback room with Tagovailoa and Jalen Hurts. Jones did not back away from the competition, but he allowed it to grow him as a leader. He took his moment when Tagovailoa got hurt in 2019 and ran with it. Some thought Jones should not have been the starter in 2020; however, he was exactly what the Tide needed. Jones took Alabama in a Coronavirus shortened season and guided it to a CFP National Championship with a SEC-only schedule. Simpson has that competitive drive mixed with a talented passing ability. It will be interesting to see if he pulls out the starting job, beginning with next spring. This article first appeared on Touchdown Alabama Magazine and was syndicated with permission.

A prudent step

( MENAFN - ING) Main views and forecasts: The latest data shows that the economy performed visibly worse than expected over the first nine months of the year, growing only 0.9% year-to-date (YTD). Annual growth printed again below consensus at 1.1% in the third quarter. While data due on 6 December will reveal the full picture, high-frequency data and anecdotal evidence point to a continuation of the strong private consumption trends and a marginal investment spending increase, both weighed on by net exports. Given the electoral context, government spending likely remained generous into the year-end. Current spending (as a % of GDP) was roughly 2.0pp higher this year compared to 2023, growing in magnitude in the third quarter, according to the budgetary execution data up to October. On the supply side, civil engineering-related activities continued to outshine pretty much every other sector as manufacturing and most services activities remained a drag or at best a neutral factor for output. Key worrying trends come from the IT sector, which has been flashing red for four months now and from this year's drought, which is set to weigh on the agricultural output, as well as on the food inflation. Overall, we have recently revised down our growth forecast for 2024 from 1.3% to 1.0% on the back of persistently weak growth prints and limited potential of improvements this year. In essence, while internal demand is strong, the economy continues to perform poorly at preventing the benefits of sturdy activity from dissipating externally through imports, which weighs on growth. In the fourth quarter of 2024, early signs paint a mixed picture. The Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) picked up in October-November. Above-average consumer confidence, fuelled by still-high wage growth, is likely to help the persistent momentum of private consumption in the near term. On the more negative side, some of the real income gains will be lost as a result of the likely acceleration of inflation towards the year-end. What's more, the likely desire of policymakers to preserve a relative FX stability through a volatile year-end might have led to tighter financial conditions more recently, as visible in the diminishing interbank liquidity surplus. In turn, this could result in the peak of an already vigorous consumer credit growth by the end of the year. All in all, while private consumption is likely to remain strong in the fourth quarter, some early signs of fatigue are not excluded. After this year's 1.0% projected outturn, for 2025, we have pencilled in an acceleration towards 2.6%. At a technical level, base effects stemming from this year's low outturn will contribute positively. Concerning economic drivers, real wage gains (albeit smaller than in 2024) and new minimum wage increases will continue to drive private consumption, while EU-funded large-scale investments are set to carry on. An automatic indexation of pensions is also scheduled for January 2025, which will give an extra boost to consumption. Lower interest rates in the eurozone should limit the downfall of the external sector somewhat, although at this stage our house view is that structural factors will continue to keep European activity in a weak state, at least in the near term. Upside potential could come from a more expansionary fiscal stance in Germany next year, depending on the early election outcome. Returning to local factors, a fiscal reform to kick in next year could be in the making, potentially posing downside risks for growth and possible upside inflationary pressures. Key factors to watch are the structure, magnitude, and timing of these fiscal changes. In our view, the lengthier the political negotiations for a new government will be, the higher the risks for sub-optimal fiscal measures. Overall, risks to growth steming from the current electoral context are now higher and asymmetrically tilted to the downside. On the other hand, potential early boosts to activity, productivity, and future business expectations could stem from the progress that will have been achieved on large-scale investments (especially roads) by then and immediately ahead. Ultimately, many of the simultaneous ongoing projects are 'once-in-a-generation' public works, delayed for many years. It should not be long before they start to impact business efficiency and optimism more visibly. Last but not least, a boost to activity will also come from the Schengen ascension scheduled for January 2025. Bottom line, at face value, the fiscal correction will likely weigh to an extent on growth in the short run. If delayed, it will force sub-optimal measures (i.e. a larger-than-planned increase in one or more of the main taxes). However, (re)gaining the credibility on the fiscal front is a must in our view, especially after a year when the budget deficit could exceed 8.0% of GDP. Maintaining market access and smooth financing is particularly important at a time when infrastructure-driven productivity improvements will be in full swing, in an international context where friendshoring and nearshoring will likely remain key policy priorities. Not to avoid the elephant in the room, strictly on the economic front, even in a scenario where the political landscape shifts towards being less policy continuity-oriented, the negative impact on growth and additional fiscal slippage could still be limited by the relatively tight RRP milestones that condition still generous EU funds disbursements. The market's patience on the fiscal developments has been constantly tested throughout 2024. This was due to both subsequent upward revisions of the budget deficit target and financing needs in the short run, as well as through a reasonable questioning of the credible path towards a 3.0% deficit in the long run. The uncertainty surrounding the elections outcome insert more uncertainty into the picture, adding to the upside risks for the 2025 deficit. In the first nine months of the year, the trade balance (most important driver of the BoP) worsened visibly as the deficit increased 15.1% year-on-year. This is already reversing last year's gains. The negative drivers, compared to the same period of 2023, were higher deficits in foods, fuels, chemicals and manufactured products, coupled with a much smaller surplus in raw materials. A smaller deficit was recorded in the auto sector. Overall, the trade balance reading continues to reflect a strong internal demand generated by a sharp response of consumers to real wage gains, a significant fiscal slippage and large-scale investments. All of these elements have boosted imports significantly, while the state of the German industry and European activity as a whole remained weak, weighing on exports. For 2025, we don't expect meaningful changes in the trade balance dynamics, since we do not anticipate a significant or sudden cooling of the economy. Meanwhile, our view is that the outlook for the eurozone economy remains relatively gloomy, which will still act as a headwind for exports in the near term. Here, upside risks stem from potential industry stimulus programmes in Germany, while downside risks stem from US tariffs entering the scene. Turning to the surplus in services, declines in 2024 compared to 2023's EUR13.5bn surplus are now likely as the surplus over the first half of the year is now almost 15.0% smaller. Transport and IT activities will likely continue to bring most of the surpluses. Meanwhile, tourism abroad will likely continue to weigh negatively on the services trade balance for the foreseeable future. On other items, we expect EU-funds inflows directed towards infrastructure projects to continue to stimulate the capital account, while on foreign direct investments, we could see some marginal pickup as the new infrastructure projects gradually start to shape up new business opportunities which were previously not viable. All in all, we expect the current account deficit to remain elevated in 2025 as well. Nevertheless, we have pencilled in a small improvement from this year's projected -7.9% of GDP to -7.4% of GDP. The persistent fiscal slippage, with a slow-paced projected adjustment, will continue to remain the main cause of concern for rating agencies, weighing on Romania's prospects. While the bar for a downgrade remains high, we think, risks for an eventual negative outlook cannot be ignored and have likely increased. Overall, we expect the rating reports to display a harsher tone on fiscal developments. That said, we see rating downgrades as a possibility in the case of an imminent and significant EU funds absorption issue, which is not the case right now, or a general deterioration in the relations with the EC – also not the base case. A prolonged political instability period (also not anticipated) could weigh in on the negative side as well since this would delay the needed fiscal reform. However, the fact that the deficit remains high but there is a plan agreed with the EC that backs EU funds inflows and the financial markets' confidence should, in principle, keep rating agencies from downgrading Romania over the forecasting horizon. The NBR began the easing cycle in July-August on the back of a fairly good inflation progress through the first half of the year. The 50bp of cuts in the summer brought the policy rate to 6.50%, where it has remained since. This has been in line with our view that only a gradual and slow easing cycle is currently viable, given the upside risks for inflation through the medium term. Some of them, mainly food inflation, have indeed materialised. Also, services inflation continued to remain stubbornly high. This led to a higher projected inflation path through the medium term, which involves an acceleration over the next few months. This factor, coupled with higher uncertainty stemming from local elections, geopolitics and the policy of central banks in core markets, could lead the NBR to embark on a policy strategy that involves less excess liquidity in the interbank market. Remember, over the last two years, EU funds inflows and the government's FX debt sales have indirectly boosted the interbank excess liquidity, which reached a peak of RON60.7bn in January this year. In practice, this led to looser financial conditions for both the government and the private sector, compared to the outcome where the NBR had intervened to sterilise this excess liquidity at the policy rate. As such, market rates have revolved around the deposit facility of the Bank, and not the key rate. As of recent, interbank rates started to shift visibly higher from the previous alignment with the 5.50% deposit facility, and at the time of writing, they sit close to the midground between it and the 6.50% key rate. This could be an indication that the NBR wishes to bring the liquidity surplus closer to levels that could be kept in-check, if needed, without large-scale and sudden market interventions. As such, it should not be excluded that, going forward, we might see excess liquidity levels sitting between RON10bn and RON20bn, as a middle ground between tackling higher uncertainties and preserving not-too-tight financial conditions. We believe that NBR's policy restrictiveness had a limited impact on the domestic demand and credit activity. On top, upside risks for inflation are now magnified by the possibility of both food and energy price pressures hitting the economy simultaneously or at close intervals, at a time when the minimum wage and pensions continue to grow. This raises the stakes for the need to preserve the policy space in the near term. This is also in tune with Governor Isarescu's recent hint that rates might stay in place until there is more clarity on the fiscal outlook and the subsequent inflationary pressures attached to it. Concerning the FX markets, we continue to think that there is little room for EUR/RON to move from the current levels in the short run. The NBR will likely aim for the disinflationary trend to resume as soon as possible, after the projected near-term term hiccup, and we think that FX stability will continue to play a key role here. All in all, we continue to see policymakers remaining cautious with policy easing ahead. We have recently revised our total rate cuts forecasted for 2025 from a total of 100bp to 75bp. Moreover, we expect the Bank to hold fire through the first half of the year, with cuts backloaded into the second part of 2025. As such, we foresee a key rate of 5.75% at the end of 2025, with upside risks at play. Key factors to watch are the extent of wage growth moderation, the fiscal reform and energy markets developments. MENAFN02122024000222011065ID1108948980 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

Judge shuts down Tesla’s attempt to reinstate Elon Musk’s giant CEO pay packageLOS ANGELES (AP) — After struggling to run the ball consistently all season, the Los Angeles Rams finally made some progress on the ground in New Orleans. Kyren Williams and rookie Blake Corum carried the Rams (6-6) to a 21-14 win that kept them squarely in the playoff race for another week. Los Angeles racked up a season-high 156 yards rushing against the Saints, with Williams going for 104 yards and a touchdown while Corum added 42 yards on a season high-tying eight carries. The game was the inverse of most afternoons this season for the Rams, who came into the week averaging fewer than 100 yards rushing per game. The running game was sturdy and productive, while Matthew Stafford and his receivers struggled to get into a rhythm at the Superdome. Coach Sean McVay always prefers to use his run game to set up the pass, and it finally worked for once this season. “I thought Kyren ran really well," McVay said. “I thought Corum ran really well. I thought our offensive line set the line of scrimmage in the run game. We really started slow in the pass game, but I thought Matthew was excellent in the second half. We were able to get some different things off of those run actions going, and that ended up being the difference in the game.” Not coincidentally, the Rams' running game worked well on the Sunday when the offensive line finally had a starting five uncompromised by injuries or suspension for the first time all season. Right tackle Rob Havenstein returned from an ankle injury, making the group whole around rookie center Beaux Limmer, who has beaten out high-priced free agent Jonah Jackson for a starting job. The Rams still had yet another slow start in a season full of them. They ran only three plays in the entire first quarter, and they were held scoreless in the first half when their other two drives resulted in a turnover on downs and a punt. But Los Angeles rebounded with an 11-play scoring drive to open the second half featuring seven runs by Williams. He eventually moved up to fifth in the NFL with 926 yards rushing despite averaging just 4.2 yards per carry — nearly a yard less than he had last season, and the lowest average among the league's top 10 rushers this season. The Rams have thrived without a strong rushing attack before: They averaged just 99.0 yards per game on the ground, ranking 25th in the NFL, during their Super Bowl championship season in 2021-22. But McVay prefers his first option to be a strong running attack, which he had during his first three seasons in charge with Todd Gurley in the backfield and Andrew Whitworth at left tackle. “Anytime the guys up front are moving them, and (Williams) is making great reads and moves on the second level, then that is a fun feeling for the offense," Stafford said. “It’s great when you can hand the ball off and get big creases. We converted when we needed to in short-yardage stuff. I thought our guys did a really great job up front, and Kyren ran it great.” What's working The Rams have struggled in the red zone all season, but they scored touchdowns on all three trips in New Orleans. They did it by committing to the run game up the middle, setting up TD passes on the outside to Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua. What needs help Alvin Kamara racked up 112 yards rushing in the latest strong game by an opposing running back. Los Angeles is 28th in the league against the run, allowing 144.2 yards rushing per game — including 194 per game over the past three weeks. Stock up Rookie edge rusher Jared Verse had another outstanding game, racking up five tackles, three quarterback hits and numerous big plays that don't show up on stat sheets. He capped the performance by hitting Derek Carr from behind and forcing an incompletion from the Los Angeles 9 on New Orleans' final play. Stock down Cornerback Darious Williams gave up a touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling and the ensuing 2-point conversion pass to Dante Pettis early in the fourth quarter, capping a second straight rough week for the free-agent signee. Williams is the Rams' best cornerback, but they haven't had an above-average shutdown pass defender since trading Jalen Ramsey. Los Angeles added cornerback depth Monday, claiming 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes off waivers from Washington. Injuries Robinson injured his hand during the game, and Stafford incurred a lateral ankle sprain. McVay said he doesn't expect either injury to affect the veterans' preparations this week. Key number 17 — Cooper Kupp's yards receiving. That's his lowest total in a game in which he didn't get injured since Oct. 18, 2020. Kupp had only six targets, few downfield routes and curiously scant chances to make big plays. Next steps The Rams are home underdogs this week against powerhouse Buffalo, followed by a Thursday night game at San Francisco. Getting even one win out of these two matchups will be difficult, but probably necessary to keep pace with Seattle and Arizona in the NFC West. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL Greg Beacham, The Associated Press

38000 won to philippine peso Emi Martinez began the night by walking onto the field with his children and parading a pair of trophies for being the world’s best goalkeeper for the last two years. He finished it by producing an astonishing save that vindicated those awards. The Argentina international illuminated a 0-0 draw between his Aston Villa team and Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday by plucking the ball from behind him and scooping it off the goal line to deny Francisco Conceição what could have been the winner. Replays showed the ball was almost entirely over the line before Martinez hooked it clear, and the goalkeeper was quickly congratulated by his teammates. No save by Martinez will ever beat the one he pulled off for Argentina in the last seconds of extra time in the 2022 World Cup final , denying France striker Randal Kolo Muani and keeping teammate Lionel Messi’s dream alive of finally winning soccer’s biggest prize. He might just have run it close. It was fitting he produced his wonder save against Juve on the night he showed off the two Yashin Trophies he claimed at the Ballon d’Or awards ceremony in each of the past two years. The most recent one came last month. As for Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio, he finished the game relieved that what appeared to be a mistake in the final seconds of stoppage time didn't cost his team. Di Gregorio spilled a cross under pressure from Villa defender Diego Carlos and Morgan Rogers was there to poke the ball into the net. A goal was awarded by the on-field referee but after a two-minute check, it was ruled out for a foul on Di Gregorio by Carlos. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Zerbor Introduction The VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF ( NYSEARCA: MORT ) has significantly underperformed the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ( SPY ) so far in 2024, delivering a ~0.4% gain against the ~26% total return for the S&P 500 tracking ETF: I Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Colts QB Anthony Richardson ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Giants

Martinez parades goalkeeper awards and justifies them with wonder save for Villa in Champions LeagueHernandez 5-10 0-0 10, Levingston 5-8 0-0 10, Lagway 6-13 0-0 13, Stanton 3-9 3-4 9, Strachan 0-6 2-2 2, Falsdottir 2-5 1-2 7, Muniz 3-7 0-0 7, Totals 24-58 6-8 58 Daniels 3-9 2-5 8, Eke 0-1 0-0 0, Ladine 8-18 3-4 20, Sellers 4-7 1-2 9, Stines 3-9 0-0 7, Gillmer 2-5 0-0 5, McDonald 1-2 0-0 2, Briggs 0-1 0-0 0, Brown 1-1 0-0 3, Coppinger 2-6 2-2 8, Totals 24-59 8-13 62 3-Point Goals_Cal St.-Fullerton 4-9 (Lagway 1-2, Stanton 0-1, Falsdottir 2-2, Muniz 1-4), Washington 6-21 (Daniels 0-2, Ladine 1-5, Stines 1-6, Gillmer 1-3, Brown 1-1, Coppinger 2-4). Assists_Cal St.-Fullerton 12 (Hernandez 4), Washington 10 (Daniels 5). Fouled Out_Cal St.-Fullerton Levingston. Rebounds_Cal St.-Fullerton 25 (Lagway 7, Levingston 7), Washington 42 (Daniels 9). Total Fouls_Cal St.-Fullerton 16, Washington 17. Technical Fouls_None. A_1,575.Best New Meme Coins to Invest in for Long Term Profits: BTFD Presale Turns Dips into Huge Gains as DOGS and Just a CHILL GUY Thrive

Guinness is to raid its Irish reserves to help ease UK shortages , it's been reported. A social media-fuelled surge in demand has left pubs across the UK at risk of running dry . But now reserves known as security stocks, usually earmarked for Irish customers, are being used to supply landlords in the UK, the Sunday Times reports. A spokesperson for Diageo, which owns Guinness, said demand was at 'unprecedented levels' and thanked customers for their patience. They added: "We are producing more Guinness today than we ever have in our 265-year history, and we continue to work closely with customers across our network to manage Guinness distribution as efficiently as possible, ensuring we maximise supply and minimise disruptions for pubs and retailers." As the Manchester Evening News reported some pubs even went to the extreme lengths of issuing 'ration cards' to limit the amount of Guinness punters could buy, to ensure everyone got their fair share. There were also reports that some breweries started capping the number of kegs pubs could acquire at once due to the national shortage. (Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News) Speaking last week Jonathon Barnes, manager at Northern Quarter pub Gullivers, said: "We ran out of our last barrel yesterday, the shortage is going into the new year, I feel like we’re definitely going to be losing money with it." Guinness, which used to be the drink of choice for elderly men and rugby union clubs, has had a resurgence in recent years. It now has a new, young and trendy fanbase fuelled by online influencers and trends such as 'splitting the G', a party trick where drinkers aim to finish their first sip of a pint halfway across the 'G' on the Guinness glass.

Roki Sasaki’s agent fires back at Dodgers rumorsMantis scores 17 points off the bench as Maine downs Holy Cross 80-55

The Federal Government has introduced a new strategy focused on promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), enhancing Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and raising the overall standard of education. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated this in Abuja on Wednesday while declaring open the stakeholders’ consultative dialogue on the Education Sector Renewal Initiative (ESRI) 2024–2027. Alausa outlined the strategic goals, which include reducing the number of out-of-school children, addressing learning poverty, and enhancing skills development and human capital for the labour market. READ ALSO: Dangote refinery is Nigeria’s pride – former NOA boss He noted the importance of integrating out-of-school children and the Almajiri system into formal education. He added that this should be complemented by initiatives such as conditional cash transfers, school feeding programmes, and Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) to promote the education of girls and other vulnerable groups. “As we all know, the education sector faces numerous challenges, ranging from infrastructural decay and funding issues to unreliable data collection, poor planning, inadequate teacher development, and the persistent issue of out-of-school children. “We have one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world. “As a ministry, we are committed to providing quality education to all Nigerians, as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. “This commitment aims to ensure inclusive, equitable, and quality education and to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,” he said. READ ALSO: Lagos partners NDPA, NITDA to increase revenue generation Alausa also stressed the importance of strengthening governance and management within the education sector, which includes organizational reforms for relevant institutions. He emphasized the need for enhanced oversight of programmes and sub-national implementation, alongside improved planning, resource allocation, tracking, research, and monitoring. The Minister announced plans to develop a robust data architecture and strengthen the Education Management Information System (EMIS) to support better decision-making and accountability across the sector. READ ALSO: Why Nigeria must transcend mining predicament to achieve prosperity On her part, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to providing quality education in line with global standards and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ahmad noted that achieving these objectives would require collaboration with development partners, stakeholders, and the private sector. The meeting was attended by representatives from the UN Children’s Fund, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the World Bank, the European Union, and others.

China’s annual exercise of setting its growth target at the Two Sessions is extremely important as it sets the tone for government policy for the year. China’s government has rarely failed to meet its growth targets, with only two cases on record where growth fell significantly short of the target, in 1990 and 2022. The growth target set will also show how serious policymakers are about shoring up growth amid what will likely be a less supportive external environment in 2025. • Baseline case (‘around 5%’ or ‘above 4.5%’): in our baseline case, we expect China to either repeat the ‘around 5%’ growth target in 2025 for a third consecutive year or to select an “above 4.5%” target. Either of these targets would set a relatively acceptable floor for growth and would send a message that the government remains confident in its ability to stabilise growth. To successfully manage this goal, we would likely need to see a stronger fiscal and monetary policy stimulus push in 2025. Policy focus will likely shift towards boosting domestic demand, as the odds of export demand holding up are not high. There will also likely be targeted support for industries affected by tariffs. • Bear case (around 4.5% or below): this more conservative target would naturally be easier to reach and reduce the pressure on policymakers. This is a potential option if policymakers are not expecting the impact of domestic stimulus to be significant enough to offset the drag from the external environment. This sort of result would likely be viewed by markets negatively as a tolerance for lower growth would likely lead to a weaker policy support stance. • Bull case (Above 5%): this would be bold messaging and a signal of confidence in an environment where most economists are expecting some drag from US tariffs to materialise. Securing above 5% growth would likely require a significant policy push beyond what has already been announced. This sort of commitment would likely act as a catalyst for a rise in markets. Our baseline forecast has China’s GDP growth at 4.6% YoY in 2025, incorporating a slight net drag from weaker external demand but a stronger supportive policy push domestically. There is a higher than normal level of uncertainty to the forecasts given various question marks surrounding the scenario. The People’s Bank of China (PBoC) has had a busy year. The central bank announced a new monetary policy framework reform in June, aiming to improve the market transmission of monetary policy by featuring the 7-day reverse repo rate as the new benchmark interest rate and expanding open market operations. During the year, we saw 30bp of 7-day reverse repo rate cuts, 50bp of 1-year MLF rate cuts, 100bp of RRR cuts (with the possibility of another cut in December), as well as new programmes introduced to support the equity and property markets. This pace of easing was generally a little faster than most forecasts, and the PBoC’s stabilisation efforts were generally well-received by market participants, with September’s package, in particular, sparking a furious rally in Hong Kong and Mainland Chinese equities. The efficacy of current rate cuts is up for debate. At first glance, China’s economic activity data has stabilised since September, though it’s questionable how much of that can be attributed to monetary policy given there is typically a longer lag effect. Credit activity has remained weak on an aggregate level, but our channel checks have indicated that there has been a slight uptick in loan demand after rates were lowered. In 2025, we believe the PBoC will continue to build on the foundations laid in 2024. We expect 20-30bp of rate cuts next year, with more if US tariffs come in earlier or higher than anticipated. Another 50bp RRR cut is widely expected in the coming months, and we could see a cumulative 100bp of RRR cuts before the end of 2025. We also anticipate further expansion of open market operations and a gradual wind-down of the medium-term lending facility in the next part of the PBoC’s reform and continued targeted programmes to support vulnerable areas of the economy. While monetary policy generally exceeded expectations in 2024, fiscal policy mostly underwhelmed markets. Numerous local governments continued to face short-term debt pressures, with various reports of delayed payments to vendors and staff. In such a challenging situation, it is of little surprise that many local governments did not have the bandwidth to ramp up stimulus. The RMB 10tr fiscal package announced at the National People’s Congress in November sets the stage for 2025. We think the market’s lukewarm reaction to the announcement is underestimating the impact of this package; addressing local government short-term debt pressures is a vitally important step in freeing local governments up to resume their traditional roles as executors of fiscal stimulus, and once this is done we expect to see a more forceful fiscal policy stance next year. We expect fixed asset investment growth will see a modest pick up next year from the current 3.4% to around 5%, with government-led investment still likely to lead private sector investment. Investment will likely be concentrated in green infrastructure, as well as continued investment in roads, bridges, and railways. The multiplier effect of fiscal stimulus will likely be less than in the past, given the low-hanging fruit for investment is largely gone. • For the property market, the direction is likely to be in the form of ramping up purchases of unsold homes to convert to affordable housing or other purposes; while these plans have been announced this year, execution has been understandably quite slow. • For consumption, we think there is a possibility of accelerating the various programmes put into play this year. We saw a return of the “trade-in” programmes across many cities, which has been a clear driver of retail sales growth in the last few months. Consumption vouchers were also rolled out in Shanghai, and there is potential to see larger programmes across different cities. This year’s targets were primarily focused on household appliances and autos, but there is no reason other categories couldn’t be added to the mix next year. Additionally, we could potentially see adjustments to tax brackets to ease the tax burden on lower-income households. Overall, we think fiscal policy will be one of the keys to growth stability next year, but the scale, pace, and efficacy of this rollout represent significant uncertainty to our outlook. Real estate has been the largest drag on the Chinese economy in 2024. In terms of industry developments, 2024 was a quintessential glass-half-full or half-empty year for the Chinese property market. • On the one hand, it looks like the property market crisis that dominated headlines toward the end of 2023 was averted. Property developer defaults have slowed, banks have not collapsed, and despite enormous angst over abandoned projects, through the first 10 months of the year, there were more than 420 million square meters of property completions. The rapidly increasing inventories of unsold properties finally peaked in February 2024 and have started to gradually come down. • On the other hand, prices continued to fall, and despite a plethora of policy support for the property sector in 2024, prospective buyers are still understandably cautious after years of restrictive policy. Through the first 10 months of the year, secondary market prices were down -7.5%, and primary market prices were down -5.5%. From the 2021 peak, prices are now down -15.% and -9.4% respectively. There’s still clearly a lot of work to be done, and stabilising property prices remains paramount to maintaining household confidence; it is difficult to expect households to confidently spend when their biggest asset is losing value by the month. We expect the pace of state-owned enterprise (SOE) and government acquisitions of property to pick up in 2025, and this combined with further expansions to existing measures to improve affordability and reduce barriers to purchases will help the market establish a trough. We think property prices will finally bottom out in 2025, with an L-shaped recovery more likely than a U or V-shaped one. The stabilisation will start from China’s core, the Tier 1 cities, then gradually spread through to Tier 2 cities. Tier 3 and 4 cities’ performance will be more mixed and may take longer to recover given a greater supply-demand imbalance, but the overall property price index will find a bottom. The pace of housing inventory decline will also accelerate in 2025 as state-led purchases of unsold homes pick up. In our baseline scenario, inventories are still unlikely to return to pre-crackdown levels next year but there is growing hope that with increased state buying this could be managed in 2026 versus the current pace where it may only be seen toward the end of 2027. We have argued that it will be difficult to see a recovery of real estate investment until prices have bottomed out and inventories have normalised. It will still be challenging to see both conditions fulfilled in 2025, but we think the Chinese property market could gradually move past the worst part of this cycle. The other big drag to Chinese growth this year has been the weakening of consumption. Retail sales growth has slowed from 7.2% YoY in 2023 to just 3.5% YoY YTD through the first 10 months of 2024. As the impact of “revenge consumption” wore off, household spending momentum clearly softened, and consumer confidence broke to new record lows. • A persistent negative wealth effect over the last few years. Falling property prices play the largest role in this negative wealth effect, but equity markets have also been challenging for much of the past 3-4 years, and many investors were left sidelined for or bought the top of the rebound seen in 2024. • A nationwide cost-cutting environment has led to slow wage growth and diminishing income confidence. 2023 wage growth of 3.5% YoY was the lowest level since 1998. A PBoC survey of urban depositor confidence showed that income sentiment and income confidence hit record lows in the second quarter of 2024. Official data on these topics tends to be released with a significant lag, but we have not observed much of a turnaround yet, with numerous reports of pay freezes, pay cuts, and layoffs throughout the year. In 2025, we expect to see these headwinds gradually weaken somewhat but will remain a factor. We anticipate property prices bottoming out sometime in 2025, though given an L-shaped recovery is expected at best this turns from negative to neutral rather than a significant positive. Most companies that we have spoken to remain on the cautious side but with many cost-cutting moves already made in 2024, it’s possible the worst could be past on this side as well. As China continues its long-term economic transitions, a key aspect will be to ultimately unlock the potential of the domestic consumer. The two long-term keys are to increase the consumer’s spending power and their willingness to spend. China’s current economic situation gives a good window for policymakers to take the first steps toward this, by re-orienting policy support from the supply side to the demand side. The big question is how much tangible policy support for consumption we will see roll out next year. Policymakers had previously been reluctant to direct resources in this direction but there were signs of a shift in 2024 as more mainstream experts have added their voices to call for demand-side stimulus, and the government has rolled out various measures to test the waters. We think this will continue – as we discussed in the earlier question on fiscal policy, we expect an acceleration and expansion of trade-in programmes and consumption vouchers, and possible considerations for tax bracket adjustments to support consumption. Overall, we are looking for retail sales to rebound to around 4.5% YoY in 2025, with the potential for higher growth if we get stronger-than-expected policy support. China’s exports were perhaps the biggest upside surprise for the economy in 2024, and one of the main reasons China is set to achieve its ‘around 5%’ growth target. After 2023’s -4.6% YoY export growth and expectations for a tepid rebound of global trade in 2024, most forecasts were looking for barely positive growth, but through the first 10 months of the year, exports have grown by 5.1% YoY. Net exports are expected to directly contribute around 1ppt to GDP growth in 2024, and solid export demand has also been an indirect contributor to stronger-than-expected industrial production. However, after Trump’s US election victory and the high possibility of a re-escalation in trade friction, we expect the external demand picture for China will likely weaken in 2025. Estimates place China’s direct and indirect exports to the US at around US $600-700bn, with $506bn of those as direct exports. • We remain sceptical that tariffs will immediately be hiked to a 60% blanket tariff. We expect tariffs will start on a smaller scale with room for negotiations throughout the process, and we expect there will also be exemptions rather than the blanket tariff proposed. • Unless concurrent and equivalent tariffs are applied against numerous other countries, or if there is a good mechanism to effectively and directly target Chinese products regardless of where it is shipped, it is likely that re-exports will still be able to reduce some of the impact. • China will almost certainly ramp up supportive policy to help offset the shock from tariffs. As a result, the drag on growth could fall between 0.4ppt and 0.8ppt of GDP, but the ultimate impact on growth and consequently the extent of our downgrades to the GDP forecasts will be smaller. • China’s exports to the US as a proportion of total exports have fallen from a peak of 19% in 2018 to around 14.6% in 2024. • Furthermore, many of China’s export categories with the fastest growth such as automobiles, ships, and semiconductors do not have a high dependency on the US market. • Various re-export channels have also been established since the first trade war and it remains to be seen if these will also be cracked down upon in quick order. With that said, there is a potential downside risk that the US will try to align allies to isolate China with coordinated tariffs or establish a mechanism to crack down on Chinese-owned companies, though enforcement of such a rule would ostensibly be a logistical nightmare. Given China’s role in global supply chains, it is difficult to imagine too many countries willing to agree to these terms, but it is a risk worth considering as this sort of scenario could lead to a bigger shock than what we are currently pencilling in. The US aside, the backdrop for export demand from other destinations should be relatively stable and could help offset some of the impact. On the positive side, our ING forecasts point to decent growth in ASEAN and India, two increasingly important export destinations for China. On the negative side, a growth slowdown in the US, eurozone, Korea, and Taiwan could lead to weaker demand independent of tariffs. Overall, our baseline case expects China’s export growth to take a hit in 2025, and export growth should slow to be more or less flat in year-on-year terms, with the upside likely capped at low single-digit growth. We are likely to see a smaller contribution to GDP growth from net exports in 2025. We could see some frontloading of exports in the coming few months but momentum is likely to soften after this is done, unless the outcome of tariff negotiations is surprisingly positive. However, rebalancing of trade, expansions of overseas production facilities, and re-export channels should help limit the damage. China has been in a low inflation environment in 2024. Whether it has successfully avoided deflation depends on the metric used, but deflation risks clearly remain a concern. • Headline CPI inflation returned to positive territory in February and has remained there since. For much of the year, this was driven by non-food inflation, but in recent months has been driven by food prices. • Non-food inflation tipped into negative territory starting in September. This is particularly concerning as non-food inflation is arguably a better indication of deflationary pressure, given the cyclical nature of food prices. Cheaper vehicle prices as well as falling rents have been the major drags on non-food inflation. • PPI inflation has been negative since October 2022 and has fallen for the last few months after peaking at -0.8% YoY. Raw material prices have been the main drag on PPI inflation. • China’s GDP deflator has been in negative territory since 2Q23. This is perhaps the most direct indicator of deflation on a macro level – nominal GDP growth has been lower than real GDP growth for some time. At a September conference, former PBoC Governor Yi Gang said that policymakers “should focus on fighting the deflationary pressure”. Shortly after, the PBoC initiated this effort with a series of monetary policy easing measures, accelerating the pace of policy support There is concern that deflationary pressures could mount next year. One argument for tariffs is that they could increase China’s overcapacity problem, lead to further rounds of price competition and worsen deflationary pressure. The counter-argument is that China will certainly retaliate with its own tariffs which could push certain prices higher. Though tariffs have been in the headlines, perhaps more important will be how fiscal stimulus will be deployed in China next year. Focus on infrastructure could be a boost to commodity prices, while a pivot toward stimulating consumption could provide a bigger boost to CPI inflation. We are expecting inflation to remain low but trend a little higher in 2025. Our CPI inflation forecast for the year has a slight uptick to 0.9% YoY. Food inflation will likely be the main driver in the early months of 2025, but non-food inflation should gradually recover as supportive policies take effect. Risks to the inflation scenario are larger than usual given the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and retaliation as well as the scale of domestic policy stimulus. Our core view on the Chinese yuan over the past year was that it would be a relatively low-volatility currency compared to other Asian currencies thanks to the PBoC’s priority on maintaining currency stability. Our forecasted 2024 fluctuation band of 7.00-7.30 has held up well for most of the year to date. Our call had been that under the previous status quo, the CNY was on a trajectory for modest appreciation, considering the start of the Fed rate cut cycle and expectations for China’s fiscal stimulus to pick up. • Trump’s impact on China is largely seen as negative by most economists, with tariffs and the related chain reaction front of mind for most investors. • The impact on trade and investment flows will be net negative for CNY. In a vacuum, higher tariffs will reduce China’s exports to the US and may accelerate the pace of outward direct investment to mitigate or reduce the impact of tariffs and sanctions. • A drag from tariffs could necessitate more monetary policy easing than previously forecasted in China, widening the US-China yield spread. • The possibility of intentional devaluation to partially offset tariffs. • Trump’s policies are seen as inflationary for the US, leading to fewer Fed cuts. This in turn will limit the degree of spread narrowing and weaken one of the key previous drivers for CNY appreciation. As a result, market forecasts have rapidly shifted in the other direction, and now a depreciation trend is expected for CNY in the next year. Many market participants have speculated that China will intentionally depreciate CNY to offset US tariffs, and there have been calls for CNY to be depreciated by 10-20%, and in more extreme cases, calls for a 50% depreciation to help offset tariffs. We do anticipate some depreciation pressure in an expected strong dollar environment. However, our view is that some of the depreciation forecasts have now swung a little too far in the opposite direction. • We don’t expect an intentional large-scale depreciation: o First, intentional devaluation will be ineffective to mitigate tariffs, as it will likely trigger currency manipulator claims and Trump’s administration can easily adjust tariffs further as needed. o Second, this will also undermine the efforts of the last few years to stabilise CNY, improve attractiveness as a settlement currency and avoid capital outflow pressures. o Third, given China’s trend of accelerating investment abroad, a stronger CNY facilitates these investments. o In sum, the costs would appear to outweigh the benefits at this point. • The PBoC will continue to ramp up the use of the counter-cyclical factor as necessary to resist rapid depreciation. Use of the counter-cyclical factor has already ramped up after Trump’s election victory. • We expect the USDCNY pair to move by less than the dollar index and think CNY will remain a low-volatility currency vis-à-vis most other Asian currencies. • Our 2025 forecast is for the USDCNY to move within a band between 7.00-7.40, with a further upside to 7.50 possible if tariffs come in earlier or are more aggressive than our forecasts. o A very low-probability but high-impact scenario that would throw fundamentals out the window would be the possibility of a modern-day Plaza Accord-type agreement on currency in order to settle trade disputes. China’s government bond market has been one of the few assets to outperform in the last few years, but it has also sparked a lot of controversy throughout the year, as many investors have been concerned about China’s very low government bond yields as a sign of deflation and economic weakness. Policymakers have also criticised yields as being out of alignment with fundamentals. • Why are China’s government bond yields so low? The typical explanations of economic pessimism and deflation concerns are certainly a relevant factor, but perhaps the main reason in our view is because CGBs remain the top option for many investors in a limited field for risk-free yield: o Deposit rates have declined as the PBoC has cut rates, with many time deposits now yielding under 1%. o RRR cuts have led to banks redirecting funds into the bond market rather than into the real economy given limited high-quality borrowing demand. o The property market bust and the spike in defaults have also raised questions about the safety of corporate bonds, especially high-yield bonds. o Several years of poor performance in equities has also limited many investors’ appetite, despite various high-yielding defensive plays available. o With capital controls, many domestic investors have limited options for diversification and seeking higher yields elsewhere in global markets. • Will Chinese government bonds continue to perform well in 2025? o Various factors suggest China’s government bonds will continue to fare well in 2025, including likely rate and RRR cuts and continued safe-haven demand. o Our baseline forecast for China’s 10-year government bond yield is for yields to gradually grind lower toward 1.9% by the end of the year. • Will the PBoC continue to intervene in the bond market, and is the 2% barrier a line in the sand? o While limited explanation was given for the PBoC’s intervention, two possible reasons were to avoid a bond market bubble (and a potential Silicon Valley Bank-esque event down the line), and the other was as policymakers wished to encourage funds to flow back toward risk assets. o The 2% level for China’s 10-year government bond yields has represented a psychological barrier in 2024. It briefly broke below 2% in intraday trading several times this year but was quickly met with selling pressure. December was the first time we saw the 2% level broached without an immediate bounceback. o We think this softening signals that policymakers will tolerate a move below the 2% level in 2025 as long as the move is gradual. • Will we see a flatter or steeper CGB yield curve next year? Despite extensive focus on falling long-term yields, the CGB yield curve has actually steepened slightly in 2024. We expect this trend to continue in 2025 for three main reasons: o The PBoC will likely need to continue to cut interest rates, which will drag the short end of the curve lower. o The government is set to ramp up bond issuance, increasing supply which in theory should push the long end higher. o As the PBoC ramps up its open market operations to try and improve the transmission mechanism of monetary policy, it is likely that open market operations will also target a healthy yield curve. • Is pessimism over declining yields merited? We think the narrative on the government bond market is far too clouded by doom and gloom. Instead, the low yields represent the government with a rare window of low-cost financing at a time when fiscal stimulus support and refinancing of debt are both useful. • Could we see a surprise move for higher yields? Possible catalysts for this include: o The recovery of risk appetite sparking rotation out of bonds into equities. We saw this during the September rally when the CNY moved stronger despite a rate cut. o Accelerated bond issuance could eventually push yields higher. The discourse on China has been quite downbeat over the past few years both domestically and abroad. There certainly are numerous significant challenges; various external and domestic shocks such as the pandemic and trade war in the past few years have added to what was always going to be a difficult long-term economic transition. However, we feel that the environment has since tipped into excessive pessimism. • Most of China’s confidence indicators which are still being published are near or at record lows. • Equity market valuations have recovered over the last several months but spent much of the year at or below the lower range of historical fluctuation bands. On an absolute number basis, the Hang Seng Index and CSI 300 are still down more than 30% from their Covid-era peaks. In September, the bold moves from the PBoC sparked a furious rally of Chinese risk assets, with Chinese stocks at one point becoming the strongest-performing equity markets of the year. Our main takeaway was that many investors have been eagerly awaiting signs of an aggressive policy shift – the PBoC’s moves drew renewed interest from foreign and domestic investors alike in China. • Firstly, there was a slower than-hoped-for rollout of fiscal policy support as well as no firm commitments to shore up key areas of weakness such as the property market and consumption. • Secondly, the election victory of Trump has once again shifted the conversation from opportunity for recovery to risks from tariffs and sanctions In our view, the early market reaction to both of these factors has tended to be on the overly pessimistic side. • On the fiscal policy side, we think some investors may have understated the November fiscal policy package. While it is true that there were no specific measures to directly boost growth via supporting the property market or consumption, what the package will achieve is to free local governments up to take action in the coming months. China’s upcoming Central Economic Work Conference and Two Sessions will likely be instrumental in setting the direction for this policy action. • On the Trump effect, early estimates of a 1-2pp shock to GDP growth as well as calls for RMB depreciation of up to 20-50% have since been toned down by many market participants. While an enormous level of uncertainty on the tariff trajectory remains, early signs are that Trump’s tariff stance will be transactional rather than ideological, which in our view opens up the possibility of negotiations and exemptions. While we could eventually get the 60% tariffs proposed if talks fall through, it does not look likely this will be a day-one event. Restoring confidence remains an uphill battle. The short-term challenges remain numerous and considerable. There could be several key steps in this process: • We think the first step has to come from the stabilisation of asset prices, where we see some positive signs in equity markets but the more important area has to be stemming the bleeding in property markets. • The next step has to be gradually moving out of the cost-cutting and downscaling environment and restoring earnings confidence across the economy; 2023 wage growth was the lowest since 1998, and this year’s is unlikely to see too much of a significant upturn. • Finally, the longer-term market and law-based reforms and opening-up process should be continued. Despite increased geopolitical friction in recent years, there have also been significant new opportunities, including stronger trade and investment ties with ASEAN, Latin America, and the Middle East. Improving policy transparency and opening up the market for fair competition will help China continue to attract businesses and help offset some of the impact of Western de-risking. It is a tall task to expect all of these steps to be achieved in a single year. However, some progress has been made in 2024, and we are cautiously optimistic about more progress along these fronts in 2025 as well. It feels like every year economists are talking about how there will be a high level of uncertainty in the year ahead, but at risk of sounding like a broken record, 2025 does once again present a series of uncertainties. At this point, no one can say for certain how fast or how aggressive US tariffs on China will be and what level of retaliation China will take in turn, nor is there much certainty on how fast or aggressive China’s fiscal and monetary policy easing will come. New shocks and opportunities will inevitably emerge, and by the end of next year, the narratives and assumptions currently guiding the markets are likely to have changed significantly. Forecasting is a challenge even in the most stable of times, and we are entering a period where key parameters can change with a single Trump truth or a Chinese government press conference. Our current take on 2025’s outlook can be found in the table below. Source: INGGukesh D Prepares Master Plan: How 18-Year-Old India Star Plans to Dethrone Ding Liren In World Chess Championship 2024

Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supporters

Je’Shawn Stevenson scores 23 to lead Cleveland State over Midway University 116-60MALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner won matches in singles and doubles to lead defending champion Italy to a 2-1 comeback victory over Argentina on Thursday, earning a return trip to the Davis Cup semifinals. “I’m here trying to do the best I can in the singles,” Sinner said. “If they put me on the court in doubles, I’ll also try my best.” On Saturday, Italy will face Australia in a rematch of last year's final, but this time it will only be for a chance to play for the championship. Australia eliminated the U.S. 2-1 earlier Thursday to reach the final four at the team competition for the third consecutive year. The other semifinal, to be contested Friday, is the Netherlands against Germany. The Dutch got past Rafael Nadal and Spain in the quarterfinals earlier in the week, sending the 22-time Grand Slam champion into retirement. Italy fell behind 1-0 in the quarterfinals when Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1 on an indoor hard court at the Palacio de Deportes Jose Maria Martina Carpena in southern Spain. But then in stepped Sinner, whose season already includes two Grand Slam trophies — at the Australian Open and U.S. Open — plus the title at the ATP Finals last weekend in Turin, Italy. First he overwhelmed Sebastián Báez 6-2, 6-1. Then Sinner teamed with 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in the deciding doubles match to win 6-4, 7-5 against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez. “He carried me today,” Sinner said about Berrettini. After arriving late to Malaga from Turin, Sinner did not get a chance to practice on the Davis Cup competition court before taking on Báez and stretching his streak to 22 sets won in a row. “In three minutes, he was perfectly comfortable on court,” Italy captain Filippo Volandri said. “He’s a special one.” Volandri swapped out his original doubles team, Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, for Sinner and Berrettini, and the change paid dividends. Australia, the Davis Cup runner-up the last two years, advanced when Matt Ebden and Jordan Thompson beat the surprise, last-minute American pairing of Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-4 in that quarterfinal's deciding doubles match. The Shelton-Paul substitution for Paris Olympics silver medalists Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram was announced about 15 minutes before the doubles match began. Ebden and John Peers beat Krajicek and Ram in the Summer Games final in August. The Australians broke once in each set of the doubles. In the second, they stole one of Shelton’s service games on the fourth break opportunity when Ebden’s overhead smash made it 5-4. Thompson then served out the victory, closing it with a service winner before chest-bumping Ebden. The 21st-ranked Shelton made his Davis Cup debut earlier Thursday in singles against 77th-ranked Thanasi Kokkinakis, who emerged from a tight-as-can-be tiebreaker by saving four match points and eventually converting his seventh to win 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (14). No. 4 Taylor Fritz , the U.S. Open runner-up, then pulled the Americans even with a far more straightforward victory over No. 9 Alex de Minaur , 6-3, 6-4. When their match finally ended, on a backhand by Shelton that landed long, Kokkinakis dropped onto his back and pounded his chest. After he rose, he threw a ball into the stands, then walked over to Australia’s sideline, spiked his racket and yelled, before hugging captain Lleyton Hewitt. “I don’t know if I’ve been that pumped up in my life. I wanted that for my team,” said Kokkinakis, who won the 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles title with Nick Kyrgios. “It could have gone either way, but I kept my nerve.” AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

The 25-year-old Sweden international took his goal tally for the season to 12 in the 3-0 Boxing Day win over Aston Villa at St James’ Park, 10 of them in his last 10 Premier League games, after a challenging start to the new campaign. Isak managed 25 goals in a black and white shirt last season to further justify the club record £63million the club paid to bring him to Tyneside from Real Sociedad during the summer of 2022, but as delighted as he is with his big-money signing, head coach Howe is confident there is even more to come. Murph 🔗 Alex Isak Different game. Same link up. 💪 pic.twitter.com/OMhZf7dtKZ — Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 27, 2024 Asked where the former AIK Solna frontman currently ranks in world football, he said: “My biggest thing with Alex is I am evaluating his game on a daily and weekly basis and I just want to try to push him for more. “Everyone else can say where he is in the pecking order of world football. His game is in a good place at the moment. “My job is to not sit back and appreciate that, my job is to try and find areas he can improve, push him towards that and never stop pushing him. He has all the ingredients in there. Football never stops evolving and changing and he has to evolve with it. “There is a lot more to come from him. Our job is to help him deliver that. “Of course the main responsibility is for Alex to keep his focus, ignore the plaudits and keep helping the team, not be selfish. It is about Newcastle and he plays his part.” It is no coincidence that Newcastle have prospered as Isak has rediscovered his best form, and they will head for Manchester United – where they have won only once in the top flight since 1972 – on Monday evening looking for a fifth successive win in all competitions. He has scored in each of the last five league games having grown into the mantle of the Magpies’ main man, a role performed with such distinction in the past by the likes of Jackie Milburn, Malcolm Macdonald and Alan Shearer, and he has done so with the minimum of fuss. Asked about his character, Howe said: “He is calm, cool – he is what you see on the pitch. “He doesn’t get overly emotional, which for a striker is a great quality because that coolness you see and calmness in front of goal is part of his personality, part of what he is. He seems to have an extra half a second when other players don’t. “With Alex, the beauty of his attitude is that he wants to improve. We give him information and he is responsive. He is not a closed shop. “He is in no way thinking he has arrived at a certain place. He knows he has to keep adding to his game. The challenge is great for him to keep scoring freely as he is now.”Montreal’s police chief said he expects more arrests stemming from a Friday anti-NATO protest that turned violent, while one of the protest organizers on Sunday denounced political reaction as hijacking the underlying message of the demonstration. Uniformed police officers could be seen Sunday both inside and outside Montreal’s Palais des congres convention centre as the annual meeting continued with no signs of demonstrations, although some protesters had planned a “counter-summit” at a community centre just north of downtown. Chief Fady Dagher told reporters on Saturday that more arrests would be coming thanks to additional evidence gathered during the protests, adding that police were aware of who was behind the vandalism including smashed windows and burned cars as well as alleged assaults on police officers. Police said that during the march, smoke bombs were deployed, metal barriers were thrown into the street and windows smashed of nearby businesses and the convention centre where delegates from NATO parliamentary assembly, including members and partner states, gathered for a session set to wrap Monday. Among the issues being broached were support for Ukraine, climate change and the future of the alliance. Dagher estimated that about 800 people took part in protests from several groups, but about 20 to 40 people were allegedly responsible for the trouble. “I do not want to advertise these groups and glorify these groups, it is a big trap to do so,” Dagher said. “But I can assure to you ... it is a few groups.” Montreal police arrested three people following Friday’s demonstration — a 22-year-old woman who was arrested for allegedly obstructing police work and assaulting a police officer and two men, 22 and 28, also each facing a charge for allegedly obstructing police work. All are scheduled to appear in court at a later date. “Despite what you saw in the images, last-minute impromptu events are extremely difficult to anticipate,” Dagher added. “We have other pieces of evidence. So probably we will have other arrests.” Friday night’s protest was condemned by politicians of all stripes Saturday as acts of antisemitism, which one organizer rejected, saying the protests were against the actions of the state of Israel and not Jewish people. On Sunday, the Divest for Palestine Collective denounced what it called “dishonest attempts” of politicians to hijack the “anti-militarist, anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist messages” delivered by protesters. In an emailed statement, it refuted allegations of antisemitism. “These are false accusations aimed at delegitimizing the solidarity movement for the liberation of Palestine and undermining the fight against antisemitism,” the group wrote. The group defended setting ablaze a doll representing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the protest. Earlier this week, the International Court of Justice issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu as well as his former defence minister and Hamas members. “It is a legitimate expression of collective anger against the political indifference at the heart of an ongoing colonial genocide,” the collective said. The collective also denounced what it called police violence against demonstrators, saying at least four protesters had to be taken to hospital with various injuries. Dagher said he could not make a firm link between Friday’s acts and antisemitism, but added that since the Oct. 7 attacks more than one year ago, incidents and acts of antisemitism and Islamophobia have both increased enormously in the city. The police chief however, defended his officers handling of Friday’s event, which he felt could have been much worse. He added he would spend the rest of the weekend with his officers on the ground to lend support.Eddie Howe says ‘a lot more to come’ from Newcastle striker Alexander Isakwow888 com promotion 。

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Andrej Stojakovic converted 11 of 15 from the free throw line and scored 20 points as California held off a late rally to post an 83-77 win over Sacramento State in the Cal Classic tournament on Sunday. Cal came into its tournament without three starters, Jovan Blacksher Jr., DJ Campbell and BJ Omot and the Golden Bears earned back-to-back wins over Air Force and the Hornets. Stojakovic scored a career-high 21 points and freshman guard Jeremiah Wilkinson stepped up with career-best 23 points against the Falcons. Against Sacramento State, Wilkinson came off the bench to score 16 points. Sacramento State took an early 12-7 lead after Emil Skytta hit a pair of free throws five minutes into the game, but Wilkinson hit back-to-back buckets and Stojakovic drew a foul on a three-point attempt and hit all three foul shots to take a 14-12 lead and the Bears pulled away to take a 40-33 lead at intermission. Julian Vaughns knocked down a trey three minutes into the second half to pull Sacramento State even at 43 and his free throw put the Hornets in front. Ryan Petraitis and Wilkinson hit back-to-back 3-pointers to put Cal up 51-47 and the Bears never trailed the rest of the way. Petraitis finished with 13 points, five assists and three steals for Cal (5-1). Joshua Ola-Joseph and Mady Sissoko each added 10 points. Jacob Holt scored 25 points with eight rebounds, two assists and a steal to lead Sacramento State (1-4). Vaughns scored 18 points and EJ Neal added 16. The game was just the third meeting between schools separated by roughly 80 miles, and first since 1992. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

PHOENIX (AP) — As Washington heaved over the possibility of a partial government shutdown, leading far-right figures gathered with thousands of Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters and, for the most part, gloried in splintering the president-elect’s party. Speakers and attendees at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2024 hailed Trump and billionaire Elon Musk for initially scuttling a bipartisan agreement to keep government open. They jeered House Speaker Mike Johnson and his willingness to engage with Democrats, disregarding Johnson’s close alliance with Trump and frequent appearances at his side. “The political class is infected with a malignant cancer. The cancer is bipartisanship,” boomed Steve Bannon, the Trump adviser who perhaps more than any other reflects and stokes the president-elect’s pugilistic populism. “We don’t need partisanship,” Bannon continued, as he called for Johnson’s ouster. “We need hyper-partisanship.” The president-elect has wide latitude with his core supporters and is in turn responsive to their demands. That dynamic fuels the unpredictability put on display in last week’s budget fight and sets up inevitable future conflicts within Trump’s broadened Republican coalition. That Trump failed to achieve his central goals — with 38 Republicans voting against a plan backed by Trump and Musk — seemed unimportant to Bannon and others who welcomed Trump to the conference’s Sunday finale. The fight itself, and the incoming president being at the center of it, was the point. “Thank you, God, for sending us Donald Trump,” said Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk as Trump took the stage. Thousands roared and held their cell phones aloft to capture the moment. Interviews with people at AmericaFest and arguments from speakers illustrated that, beyond fealty to Trump, the new right in America is defined philosophically by anti-establishment sentiment, staunchly conservative social mores and vocal declarations of patriotism — not a uniform policy consensus. “I just want everything Trump said he was going to do,” said Andrew Graves, a 39-year-old former Disney employee who now works as an Arizona organizer for Turning Point. “It doesn’t matter how as long as we get it done.” Pressed on what “it” is, Graves mentioned “what’s going on in education” and “keeping women out of men’s sports.” He talked about Trump’s signature promises – tariffs on foreign imports, a hardline immigration crackdown – only when prompted. Jennifer Pacheco, a 20-year-old student from Southern California, said she embraced Turning Point because she likes Kirk’s unapologetic Christianity and believes “we need to have God be more present in this country.” In Trump, Pacheco sees a transformative figure. “It’s just everything that’s off track, and I think we will see things get fixed,” she said, talking about the economy and cultural values. When asked, Pacheco said she does sometimes worry about national debt levels. But she said she did not closely follow the week’s maneuvers in Washington and was unfamiliar with Trump’s call to essentially eliminate the nation’s debt ceiling through the entirety of his upcoming term. Alexander Sjorgen, a 26-year-old from Berks County, Pennsylvania, volunteered a more detailed list of policy priorities: addressing structural deficits, goosing domestic energy production, launching a mass deportation program, curtailing “the transgender rights” agenda, rethinking how involved the U.S. is in international affairs. “For the most part, we all just want to see the country strong again and feel like its ours again,” he said. That ethos permeated convention halls and meeting rooms awash in Trump paraphernalia – the “Make America Great Again” hats, T-shirts emblazoned with the bloodied candidate after Trump survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Among the throngs, there was the occasional fully costumed “Uncle Sam” or Revolutionary War figure. Top speakers seized on the atmosphere, being greeted as celebrities and drawing roars of approval on everything from demanding confirmation of Trump’s Cabinet picks to imprisoning members of Congress who investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. “It feels good to win back our country,” Kirk told the opening assembly. But, he added, “the transformation of the Republican Party is not yet complete.” He threatened primaries against any GOP senator who votes against a Trump nominee, warnings that have already affected Capitol Hill. Bannon praised the assembled activists as “the vanguard of a revolutionary movement” and compared Trump’s election to Franklin Roosevelt’s 1932 realignment of working-class Americans behind Democrats. Bannon skewered Johnson and other establishment Republicans in “the imperial capital,” his derisive quip for Washington. “President Trump came back from the political dead,” Bannon said, framing Trump’s sweep of seven battleground states as a landslide. “We have nothing else to discuss. It’s only about the execution of President Trump’s agenda.” During 75 minutes at the podium on Sunday, Trump ticked through many of his usual pledges and policy ideas. But he did not acknowledge his unsuccessful venture on Capitol Hill last week or continued questions about whether he will try to unseat Johnson. Summing up his intentions, Trump opted for politically fuzzy rhetoric. “Last month, the American people voted for change,” he said, touting a ”common-sense” agenda and promising a “golden age” for the country. Kirk, Bannon and other influencers discussed the Trump agenda in more detail than most attendees, sometimes even acknowledging discrepancies and complexity. Bannon conceded Trump did not get his way on the debt ceiling vote but said he eventually would. But he also insisted that doesn’t mean Trump won’t cut spending. “He’s got a plan. ... But you’ve got to line everything up,” he said, spotlighting billionaires Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy and their “government efficiency” commission. Ben Shapiro, another commentator, offered assurances that Trump would rethink tariffs if they “are in fact inflationary.” Further, Shapiro tried to reconcile Trump’s staunch support for U.S. aid to Israel and conservatives’ disdain for foreign aid, including for Ukraine in its war against its invading Russian neighbors. Israel’s fight against Hamas, Shapiro argued, is “existential,” suggesting that Ukraine’s defensive posture is not. Retired Gen. Michael Flynn, a firebrand forced out of Trump’s first White House who Trump has suggested he would bring back once in office, insisted conservatives are not isolationist even as he assailed the Pentagon footprint around the world. “I’m not anti-war,” Flynn said from the main podium. “I’m anti-stupid war.” Kirk, meanwhile, tried to frame any differences across Trump’s coalition as reconcilable. “Maybe you are a parents-rights advocate. Maybe you are here as a Second Amendment enthusiast. ... Maybe you are a pastor. Maybe you are a ‘Make America Healthy Again’ advocate,” Kirk said. “Whatever focus group you have, as long we can agree on the big stuff ... we need to combine forces and defeat the incumbent regime. Welcome aboard. We are going to make America great again.”

Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New YorkHow to Watch Baylor vs St. John's: Live Stream NCAA Men's Basketball, TV Channel

Low quality of service has been the leading issue reported by customers of the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), according to the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC). Between January and October this year, 1,477 out of the 1,891 complaints received by PURC centered on poor service delivery. Customers lodged various complaints about ECG, including power outages, phase-offs, and low voltage. On the other hand, issues with GWL included irregular water supply, discoloured water, burst pipes, leaks, and low water pressure. ECG accounted for 1,096 complaints, while GWCL recorded 381 under the category of low service quality. Speaking during a media stakeholder meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Jude Aduamoah- Addo the Eastern Regional Manager of PURC, emphasized the importance of providing high-quality services to ensure customers get value for their money. He noted that although the PURC has resolved nearly all complaints received this year, utility providers must adopt effective strategies to improve their operations and satisfy customer needs. Of the 1,891 complaints recorded this year, 1,870 have been resolved, with the remaining issues under active review. Other concerns reported by customers included overbilling, metering issues, disconnections, and property damage, he said. Mr Aduamoah stressed the need for ECG and GWCL to adhere to their mandate of delivering reliable and quality services. In terms of billing disputes, PURC resolved 337 cases, with 77 consumers benefiting from a total billing adjustment of GHC 333,374.26 in favour of both ECG and GWL customers. ECG also recovered a total revenue of GHC 56,893.18 through these interventions, he revealed. Additionally, he stated that 74 customers under the government’s Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP), who had never received bills, now have monthly billing systems in place. He said PURC also facilitated critical interventions, such as restoring power to residents in Onakwase, Asamankese District, after a week-long outage. Mr Jude reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to ensuring both utility providers and consumers are satisfied. He encouraged customers to report grievances through the Commission’s digitized platforms for faster resolutions. “This year, WhatsApp became the most popular channel for filing complaints, surpassing walk-ins, phone calls, field reports, and written submissions. We encourage more customers to use digital platforms to reach us, as the country is advancing technologically,” Mr Jude stated. He also urged consumers to fulfil their financial obligations by paying utility bills promptly. “Timely payment is crucial for utility providers to maintain and improve the quality of service,” he added. He said PURC remains dedicated to resolving customer complaints and working with utility providers to enhance service delivery adding that both ECG and GWCL are urged to prioritize efficient operations to build trust and meet customer expectations. FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA

Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been a spot used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. AP NBA:

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EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Giants snapped a franchise-record 10-game losing streak and ended the Indianapolis Colts' slim playoff hopes Sunday as Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes and ran for another in a 45-33 victory. New York earned its first home win of the season and it no longer has control of the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Lock sandwiched touchdown passes of 31 and 59 yards to Malik Nabers around TD passes of 32 yards to Darius Slayton and 5 yards to Wan'Dale Robinson in leading the Giants (3-13) to their first win since beating Seattle on Oct. 6. Ihmir Smith-Marsette had a 100-yard return on the second-half kickoff on a day the league's worst offense set a season high for points. Jonathan Taylor scored on runs of 3 and 26 yards for Indianapolis (7-9), while Joe Flacco, subbing for the injured Anthony Richardson, threw touchdown passes of 13 yards to Alec Pierce and 7 yards to Michael Pittman, the last bringing the Colts within 35-33 with 6:38 left in the fourth quarter. Lock, who finished 17 of 23 for 309 yards, iced the game by leading a nine-play, 70-yard drive that he capped with a 5-yard run. The 45 points were the most for New York since putting up 49 in a 52-49 loss to the Saints in 2015. It’s the Giants most in a win since a 45-14 rout against Washington in 2014 and most at home since a 52-27 win against the Saints in 2012. Nabers finished with seven catches for a career-high 171 yards. Flacco was 26 of 38 for 330 yards with two interceptions, the second by rookie Dru Phillips shortly after Lock's TD run. Taylor, who rushed for 218 yards in a win over Tennessee last weekend, finished with 125 yards on 32 carries. Pierce had six catches for 122 yards. Nabers and running back Tyrone Tracy become the third pair of rookies to have more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage in the same season. The previous duo was running back Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston of the Saints in 2006. Colts: Richardson was inactive with foot and back injuries sustained against Tennessee. Giants: DL Armon Watts (knee) was ruled out in the first half. Colts: Finish the regular season by hosting Jacksonville. Giants: At Philadelphia to face Saquon Barkley and the Eagles. AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLGaetz’ Bad Boy image finally catches up with him

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Both Summerville teams turned in a Top 10 performance during the cross country state finals. Green Wave sophomore David Greer led the way for Summerville during the 5A, Division 1 Cross Country State Championship meet Nov. 21 in Newberry. Greer finished the Boys race with a 16:26 time to place ninth individually and help his team to a 10th place finish. This year’s title race featured more than 100 runners representing more than 15 teams. Dorman finished with 49 team points to claim the 5A, Division 1 Boys State Championship. Rounding out the Top 10 were Blythewood (120), Lexington (134), J.L. Mann (149), Wando (190), River Bluff (192), Spring Valley (194), James Island (213), Spartanburg (214) and Summerville (216). Green Wave junior Nick Alberti finished in 16:40 to place 17th individually and senior Ben Hamilton finished in 17:07 to place 35th. Others representing Summerville during the race were Willis Rogers (17:49), Jacob Bunao (18:05), Caleb Cinnamon (18:07) and Jacob Williams. Spring Valley junior Brendan Hitchcock (15:55) was the first runner across the finish line. Junior Cole Thomas (17:05) led Ashley Ridge, placing 37th to help the Swamp Foxes to a 13th place finish. Junior Kendall Wilcher (17:08) placed 37th. Others representing Ashley Ridge were Ayden Ray (17:36), Ryan Wallace (17:40), Tyler Pierce (17:59), Dominick Granato (18:24) and Jonta Richardson (19:35). Junior Taylor Blackwelder (20:19) led the Summerville Girls, placing 27th individually to help the Lady Green Wave to an eighth-place finish. Sophomore Kendall Griffith (20:51) placed 40th; senior Aubrey Gorin (20:55) placed 44th and junior Isabella Bradley (20:58) placed 48th. Others representing the Summerville Girls during the race were Kinley Brown (22:00), Ainsley Barbee (22:31) and Victoria Williams. Wando (54) won the race to capture the 5A, Division 1 Girls State Championship. Other teams placing in the Top 10 were James Island (56), Lexington (97), Mauldin (112), Dorman (150), River Bluff (213), Blythewood (217), Summerville (228), Clover (237) and Spartanburg (243). James Island senior Avery Belk (18:31) was the first to cross the finish line during the Girls race.Covestor Ltd Trims Stake in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

wow888 login register download Article content The Onion’s rejected purchase of Infowars in an auction bid supported by families of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting dealt them a new setback Wednesday and clouded the future of Alex Jones’ conspiracy theory platform, which is now poised to remain in his control for at least the near future. Recommended Videos What’s next for Infowars and Sandy Hook families’ long-sought efforts to hold Jones accountable over calling one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history a hoax was unclear, after a federal judge in Houston late Tuesday rejected The Onion’s winning bid for the site. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez in Houston said he did not want another auction but offered no roadmap over how to proceed. One possibility includes ultimately allowing Sandy Hook families _ who comprise most of Jones’ creditors — to return to state courts in Connecticut and Texas to collect on the nearly $1.5 billion in defamation and emotional distress lawsuit judgments that Jones was ordered to pay them. “Our hope is that when this process ends, and it will end, and it will end sooner rather than later, is that all assets that Alex Jones has available are paid to the families, and that includes Infowars, and that as a result of that process Alex Jones is deprived of the ownership and control of the platform that he’s used to hurt so many people,” Christopher Mattei, an attorney for the Sandy Hook families, said in a phone interview Wednesday. The families, meanwhile, were preparing the mark the 12th anniversary of the Dec. 14 shooting. The sale of Infowars is part of Jones’ personal bankruptcy case, which he filed in late 2022 after he was ordered to pay the $1.5 billion. Jones was sued for repeatedly saying on his show that the 2012 massacre of 20 first graders and six educators was staged by crisis actors to spur more gun control. Lopez said there was a lack of transparency in the bidding process and too much confusion about The Onion’s bid. He also said the amount of money offered in the only two bids was too low and there needed to be more effort to try to raise as much money possible from the selling of Infowars’ assets. The Onion’s parent company, Global Tetrahedron, submitted a $1.75 million cash offer with plans to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody. The bid also included a deal with many of the Sandy Hook families for them to forgo $750,000 of their auction proceeds and give it to other creditors. Lopez called it a complex arrangement that led to different interpretations of the bid’s actual value as well as last-minute changes to a proposed sale order. The other bidder was First United American Companies, which runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements and planned to let Jones stay on the Infowars platforms. It offered $3.5 million in cash and later, with Jones, alleged fraud and collusion in the bidding process. Lopez rejected the allegations, saying that while mistakes were made there was no wrongdoing. Christopher Murray, the trustee who oversaw the auction, said he picked The Onion and its deal with the Sandy Hook families because it would have provided more money to Jones’ other creditors. The next steps remained unclear Wednesday. The judge directed Murray to come up with a new plan to move forward. Murray and representatives of The Onion did not immediately return messages seeking comment. The judge said there was a possibility there could be a trial in 2025 to settle Jones’ bankruptcy. He said Murray could try to sell the equity in Infowars’ parent company. He also said Murray could abandon the efforts, which could allow the Sandy Hook families to return to the state courts where they won their lawsuits against Jones and begin collection proceedings against him. The judge said he wanted to hear back from Murray and others involved in the bankruptcy within 30 days on a plan to move forward. Mattei, who represented the Sandy Hook families in the Connecticut lawsuit, said everyone is waiting to see what plan the trustee comes up with. Jones, meanwhile, continued to allege fraud and collusion on his show Wednesday and threatened legal action over what he called an attempted “rigged auction.” On the social media platform X, he called the judge’s ruling a “Major Victory For Freedom Of The Press & Due Process.” “I don’t want to have to go after these people, lawsuit-wise, but we have to because if you don’t then you’re aiding and abetting and they do it to other people. They made some big mistakes,” he said. It’s a solemn and heartbreaking week for relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The 12th anniversary is Saturday, and some of the victims’ relatives were traveling to Washington, D.C., to attend the annual National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence on Wednesday evening. The families usually mark the anniversary out of the public eye. Many of the families said their lawsuits against Jones bought back the unbearable pain of losing their loved ones, as well as the trauma of being harassed and threatened by believers of Jones’ hoax conspiracy. Relatives said they have been confronted in public by hoax believers and received death and rape threats. Robbie Parker, whose 6-year-old daughter Emilie was killed, testified at the Connecticut lawsuit trial in 2022 that the decade of abuse his family suffered made them move across the country to Washington state, and even there he was accosted in person. The families have not received any money from Jones since winning the trials. Jones has been appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments, and has since conceded that the shooting did happen. Last week, a Connecticut appeals court upheld most of the judgment in that state but reduced it by $150 million.By DEVNA BOSE One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from “significant widespread misinformation” about the policy. “To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services,” the statement said. “The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.” Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield would have used “physician work time values,” which is published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as the metric for anesthesia limits; maternity patients and patients under the age of 22 were exempt. But Dr. Jonathan Gal, economics committee chair of the American Society for Anesthesiologists, said it’s unclear how CMS derives those values. In mid-November, the American Society for Anesthesiologists called on Anthem to “reverse the proposal immediately,” saying in a news release that the policy would have taken effect in February in New York, Connecticut and Missouri. It’s not clear how many states in total would have been affected, as notices also were posted in Virginia and Colorado . People across the country registered their concerns and complaints on social media, and encouraged people in affected states to call their legislators. Some people noted that the policy could prevent patients from getting overcharged. Gal said the policy change would have been unprecedented, ignored the “nuanced, unpredictable human element” of surgery and was a clear “money grab.” “It’s incomprehensible how a health insurance company could so blatantly continue to prioritize their profits over safe patient care,” he said. “If Anthem is, in fact, rescinding the policy, we’re delighted that they came to their senses.” Prior to Anthem’s announcement Thursday, Connecticut comptroller Sean Scanlon said the “concerning” policy wouldn’t affect the state after conversations with the insurance company. And New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in an emailed statement Thursday that her office had also successfully intervened. The insurance giant’s policy change came one day after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare , another major insurance company, was shot and killed in New York City.

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BLOOMFIELD — If there was any question about who the night belonged to on Friday, Ella Bobe ended any doubt at the halftime horn. The South Knox senior became the school's all-time leading scorer late in the first quarter at Eastern Greene, and she banked in a half-court shot at second-quarter buzzer as the Class 2A No. 1 Spartans dominated the Thunderbirds, 72-14. Bobe finished with 19 points. She broke the South Knox girls basketball scoring record last season and needed eight points Friday to surpass the boys leader, 2008 South Knox alum Levi Holscher, who had 1,296. While Bobe is the first to eclipse 1,300 points in a South Knox uniform, there are still others from pre-consolidation that she can pass this season, Ed McCormick (Decker, class of 1954, 1,362 points), Keith Prather (Wheatland, 1963, 1,391), and Gene Powell (Monroe City, 1963, 1,554). South Knox scored the game's first 21 points before Eastern Greene got on the board. Bobe's record-breaking score came in response to make it 23-2 with 2:40 showing, and coach Hollie Eaves called a timeout to give the Spartans' fans a chance to acknowledge Bobe. "Ella, in general is just a great kid. She does the little things right, on the court and off the court as well," Eaves said. "She's just a great human being and a strong woman. I'm super proud of her. The scoring record is great, and it's only going to go up. I'm proud of her for how hard she's worked to get to where she is. It's definitely deserved." South Knox led, 27-5, after one quarter and scored 19 in a row to begin the second period. Bobe's half-court buzzer beater made it 53-8. The margin was 66-9 after three periods. It was the first time this season and fifth time since the start of last season that South Knox has held an opponent under 20 points. Kendal Hill and Madison Parrish each added 12 points Friday, and Bren Hill had nine. "One of the main goals was to make sure no one got hurt. But the girls wanted to get their minutes, so they got up and down," Eaves said. "We're going to take tomorrow off, give the girls a rest. I already had a couple ask if they could come in and get shots up, but I just told them to take some time off to rest. "This was a nice way to finish out our little series here (six games in eight days), and we finished strong too." In a two-quarter junior varsity game, South Knox (4-1) handled Eastern, 32-7. Sarah French had 13 points, and Ellie Burke nine. Bobe nearly reached the career scoring mark on Thursday, putting up a season-high 26 points in a 63-30 home victory over Evansville Mater Dei. Bren Hill added 13 points, and Kendal Hill 12. South Knox had a 5-3 advantage before it broke free with a 19-0 run that spanned the first two periods. The margin was 19-3 after one, with Kendal Hill scoring seven in the period. The lead swelled to 35-10 at halftime, and Bobe had 17 in the third quarter as her teammates tried to help her achieve the record on the Spartans' home floor. "The coaches never talked about (Bobe getting the record). Kendal knew, and that was all her. They were trying to get Ella the ball, and that's what's great about this team. They're so unselfish," Eaves said. The Spartans earned a running clock by hitting the 35-point threshold with 7:10 remaining. Eaves was pleased that her team continued to play well from the start. "Part of that is not being satisfied. We constantly go back to last year, and how we didn't meet our mission," she said. "It's pretty easy to keep them motivated. They want to be here. It makes my job easier. We tell them that it all starts on the defensive end, and they did a great job getting after it." Izzy Like had eight points to lead the Wildcats (2-3). South Knox's JV topped Mater Dei in a two-quarter game, 26-7. Burke had 11 points, and Kalissa Lavely 10. The Spartans play their second of four consecutive sectional opponents on Tuesday, visiting Linton for a 6 p.m. start.

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NEW YORK — U.S. stock indexes drifted amid mixed trading Monday, ahead of this week’s upcoming meeting by the Federal Reserve that could set Wall Street’s direction into next year. The S&P 500 rose 0.4%, coming off its first losing week in the last four . The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.2% to a record, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was a laggard and fell 110 points, or 0.3%. Broadcom leaped 11.2% to help lead the S&P 500 for a second straight day after delivering a profit report last week that beat analysts’ expectations. The technology company is riding a wave of enthusiasm about its artificial-intelligence offerings in particular. The market’s main event, though, will arrive on Wednesday when the Federal Reserve will announce its last move on interest rates for the year. The widespread expectation is that it will cut its main rate for a third straight time, as it tries to boost the slowing job market after getting inflation nearly all the way down to its target of 2%. The question is how much more it will cut rates next year, and Fed officials will release projections for where they see the federal funds rate ending 2025, along with other economic indicators, once their meeting concludes. Fed Chair Jerome Powell will also answer questions in a press conference following the meeting. For now, the general expectation among traders is that the Fed may cut a couple more times in 2025, according to data from CME Group. But such expectations have been shrinking following reports suggesting inflation may be tougher to get all the way down to 2% from here. Besides last month’s slight acceleration in inflation, another worry is that President-elect Donald Trump’s preferences for tariffs and other policies could lead to higher inflation down the line. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle has dropped his earlier forecast of a cut by the Fed in January, for example. Beyond the possibility of tariffs, he said Fed officials may also want to slow their cuts because of uncertainty about exactly how low rates need to go so that they no longer press the brakes on the economy. Expectations for a series of cuts to rates by the Fed have been one of the main reasons the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year and is heading for one of its best years of the millennium . The economy has held up better than many feared, continuing to grow even after the Fed hiked the federal funds rate to a two-decade high in hopes of grinding down on inflation, which topped 9% two summers ago. On Wall Street, MicroStrategy jumped as much as 7% during the day as it continues to benefit from the surging price for bitcoin , which set another all-time high. But its stock ended the day down by les than 0.1% after bitcoin’s price pulled back below $106,000 after setting a record above $107,700, according to CoinDesk. The software company has been building its hoard of the cryptocurrency, and its stock price has more than sextupled this year. It will also soon join the Nasdaq 100 index. Bitcoin’s price has catapulted from roughly $44,000 at the start of the year, riding a recent wave of enthusiasm that Trump will create a system that’s more favorable to digital currencies . Honeywell rose 3.7% after saying it’s still considering a spin-off or sale of its aerospace business, as part of a review of its overall business. It said it plans to give an update with the release of its fourth-quarter results. They helped offset a drop for Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move into AI. Its stock fell 1.7%. Because it’s grown so massive, with a total value topping $3 trillion, it was the single heaviest weight on the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 22.99 points to 6,074.08. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 110.58 to 43,717.48, and the Nasdaq composite rose 247.17 to 20,173.89. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.39% from 4.40% late Friday. The two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for the Fed, eased to 4.24% from 4.25%. In stock markets abroad, indexes fell modestly across much of Europe and Asia. They sank 0.9% in Hong Kong and 0.2% in Shanghai after China reported lackluster economic indicators for November despite attempts to strengthen the world’s second-largest economy. South Korea’s Kospi fell 0.2% as law enforcement authorities pushed to summon impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol for questioning over his short-lived martial law decree, and the Constitutional Court met to discuss whether to remove him from office or reinstate him. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

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Hurotics, a South Korean start-up, is making waves in the world of wearable tech. At the CES 2025 Global Media Meetup held from December 9 to 13 at AVING News MIK Base Camp in Seoul, CEO Giuk Lee showcased the company’s innovative range of customizable robotic suits designed to enhance rehabilitation, daily mobility, and sports performance. Founded in 2022, Hurotics focuses on creating lightweight, user-friendly exosuits that significantly improve on traditional robotic exoskeletons, which are often cumbersome and costly. Their solutions cater to a wide array of applications, including medical rehabilitation and athletic training, setting a new standard in wearable technology. Robotic Suits One of Hurotics’ standout products, the H-Flex soft robotic suit, garnered international acclaim by winning the Innovation Award in the Robotics category at a prominent global event earlier this year. This recognition underscores the product’s innovative design and performance capabilities. In addition to accolades, Hurotics successfully exported its first passive model, the H-Band, to prestigious institutions like the University of Illinois Chicago and Northwestern University, paving the way for expanded partnerships. In its home country of South Korea, Hurotics has been recognized for its achievements with the K-R&D Award for two consecutive years (2023-2024) and has secured several intellectual property rights. The company recently raised KRW 3.5 billion (approximately USD 2.5 million) in pre-Series A funding from notable venture capital firms, indicating strong investor confidence in its vision. During the Global Media Meetup, Lee discussed how Hurotics aims to address the global challenge of aging populations with its advanced wearable technology. The H-Medi and H-Flex robotic suits offer flexibility and support for users, whether they’re undergoing rehabilitation or engaging in everyday activities. Lee’s academic background from Seoul National University and Harvard and CTO Seungtae Yang’s expertise in wearable robotics fuels the company’s commitment to biomimetic designs that mirror natural tendon structures for maximum user comfort and minimal side effects. The tech Hurotics has developed five types of wearable robotic technologies, focusing on two main models: the H-Medi rehabilitation robot and the H-Flex mobility assistance robot. These devices balance user comfort with effectiveness, addressing feedback from rehabilitation professionals who noted that traditional robotic solutions were often heavy and impractical for patients. The H-Medi weighs only 15 kg, and the H-Flex modules are remarkably lightweight at just 0.6 kg each. The company is currently conducting tests at multiple medical facilities in South Korea. For example, trials with patients suffering from sarcopenia at Chung-Ang University Hospital have shown promising results, with improvements in exercise duration and walking posture. Hurotics is also seeking to apply this technology to early-stage Parkinson’s disease patients, with plans to finalize GMP and medical certifications by May 2024, paving the way for market launch. In addition to rehabilitation, Hurotics is making strides in sports technology. Their H-Fit training robot has been shown to enhance athletic performance, helping users reduce their 200-meter sprint time by three seconds and increasing golf swing distance by seven percent. This technology boosts performance and promotes better posture during physical activities. Hurotics plans to feature both H-Medi and H-Fit models at the Global Media Meetup, with H-Fit attracting interest from elite athletes, including a national track coach from Italy looking for innovative ways to enhance athlete performance. As Hurotics continues to develop and refine its groundbreaking technology, the company is setting itself apart as a leader in wearable robotics, promising exciting possibilities for rehabilitation and sports performance enhancement.Share Tweet Share Share Email Cryptocurrencies are rewriting the rules of wealth creation, and savvy investors are always hunting for the next big opportunity. With blockchain innovation pushing boundaries daily, a few standout coins are catching the eyes of analysts and early adopters alike. Among them are three dynamic projects that not only promise exponential growth but also have the fundamentals to back it up. If you’re eager to capitalise on the best coins with 100x potential , this list is your ultimate guide. 1. Qubetics: A Quantum Leap in Blockchain Innovation Leading the charge is Qubetics, an extraordinary Web3 project making waves in the crypto community. With its state-of-the-art platform designed to streamline blockchain usage for all types of users, Qubetics stands apart from its competition. It employs quantum-resistant cryptography, ensuring future-proof security for its ever-growing ecosystem. At just $0.0342 per $TICS token in its 13th presale stage, the project has already raised an impressive $6.8 million. More than 10,000 investors have joined the Qubetics movement, collectively purchasing over 347 million tokens. Analysts are predicting a jaw-dropping price surge to $10–$15 following the project’s mainnet launch. This blend of accessibility, advanced tech, and tremendous upside potential makes Qubetics one of the best coins with 100x potential in 2024 . 2. Avalanche (AVAX): Revolutionising DeFi and Beyond Avalanche has emerged as a game-changer in the world of decentralised finance and smart contracts. Its innovative consensus mechanism allows the network to process thousands of transactions per second without compromising scalability or security. Avalanche has also attracted significant interest from developers due to its compatibility with Ethereum’s blockchain, which enables seamless integration of decentralised apps. With continuous updates and partnerships fueling its ecosystem, Avalanche is poised to deliver remarkable returns to early believers. Its ability to tackle blockchain inefficiencies head-on places it firmly on the list of best coins with 100x potential. 3. Fantom (FTM): The King of Speed and Efficiency Fantom is redefining speed in blockchain technology with its high-performance, scalable, and secure platform. Leveraging its Lachesis consensus mechanism, Fantom ensures near-instant transactions, making it ideal for DeFi applications, supply chain management, and more. The network has seen explosive growth in adoption, with its total value locked (TVL) soaring as more projects integrate into its ecosystem. Fantom’s commitment to solving real-world challenges gives it enormous growth potential, making it a prime choice for investors seeking massive returns. For those eyeing the best coins with 100x potential, Fantom should not be overlooked. Qubetics stands apart from its competition. It employs quantum-resistant cryptography, ensuring future-proof security for its ever-growing ecosystem. At just $0.0342 per $TICS token in its 13th presale stage, the project has already raised an impressive $6.8 million. More than 10,000 investors have joined the Qubetics movement, collectively purchasing over 347 million tokens. The Final Word These three cryptocurrencies embody the promise of transformative technology and exponential growth. Whether it’s Qubetics revolutionising Web3, Avalanche reshaping DeFi, or Fantom excelling in speed and scalability, the time to invest is now. With their unique advantages and real-world applications, these coins are primed to deliver extraordinary results for those who act quickly. For More Information: Qubetics: https://qubetics.com Telegram: https://t.me/qubetics Twitter: https://x.com/qubetics Related Items: Blockchain , Qubetic Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you BTFD Presale Rockets Past $4 Million Mark: Why It’s Among the Best Meme Coins for Exponential Returns Alongside Cat in a Dog’s World and Apu Apustaja Join 10,000+ Investors: Qubetics Hailed as the Best Crypto to Buy Now While Bitcoin Smashes $106K and Ethereum Climbs Towards $15K Qubetics Innovation, Best Altcoins for Significant Returns Filecoin Storage, and SUI Scalability Surge! CommentsBy Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times (TNS) Every day millions of people share more intimate information with their accessories than they do with their spouse. Wearable technology — smartwatches, smart rings, fitness trackers and the like — monitors body-centric data such as your heart rate, steps taken and calories burned, and may record where you go along the way. Like Santa Claus, it knows when you are sleeping (and how well), it knows when you’re awake, it knows when you’ve been idle or exercising, and it keeps track of all of it. People are also sharing sensitive health information on health and wellness apps , including online mental health and counseling programs. Some women use period tracker apps to map out their monthly cycle. These devices and services have excited consumers hoping for better insight into their health and lifestyle choices. But the lack of oversight into how body-centric data are used and shared with third parties has prompted concerns from privacy experts, who warn that the data could be sold or lost through data breaches, then used to raise insurance premiums, discriminate surreptitiously against applicants for jobs or housing, and even perform surveillance. The use of wearable technology and medical apps surged in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, but research released by Mozilla on Wednesday indicates that current laws offer little protection for consumers who are often unaware just how much of their health data are being collected and shared by companies. “I’ve been studying the intersections of emerging technologies, data-driven technologies, AI and human rights and social justice for the past 15 years, and since the pandemic I’ve noticed the industry has become hyper-focused on our bodies,” said Mozilla Foundation technology fellow Júlia Keserű, who conducted the research. “That permeates into all kinds of areas of our lives and all kinds of domains within the tech industry.” The report “From Skin to Screen: Bodily Integrity in the Digital Age” recommends that existing data protection laws be clarified to encompass all forms of bodily data. It also calls for expanding national health privacy laws to cover health-related information collected from health apps and fitness trackers and making it easier for users to opt out of body-centric data collections. Researchers have been raising alarms about health data privacy for years. Data collected by companies are often sold to data brokers or groups that buy, sell and trade data from the internet to create detailed consumer profiles. Body-centric data can include information such as the fingerprints used to unlock phones, face scans from facial recognition technology, and data from fitness and fertility trackers, mental health apps and digital medical records. One of the key reasons health information has value to companies — even when the person’s name is not associated with it — is that advertisers can use the data to send targeted ads to groups of people based on certain details they share. The information contained in these consumer profiles is becoming so detailed, however, that when paired with other data sets that include location information, it could be possible to target specific individuals, Keserű said. Location data can “expose sophisticated insights about people’s health status, through their visits to places like hospitals or abortions clinics,” Mozilla’s report said, adding that “companies like Google have been reported to keep such data even after promising to delete it.” A 2023 report by Duke University revealed that data brokers were selling sensitive data on individuals’ mental health conditions on the open market. While many brokers deleted personal identifiers, some provided names and addresses of individuals seeking mental health assistance, according to the report. In two public surveys conducted as part of the research, Keserű said, participants were outraged and felt exploited in scenarios where their health data were sold for a profit without their knowledge. “We need a new approach to our digital interactions that recognizes the fundamental rights of individuals to safeguard their bodily data, an issue that speaks directly to human autonomy and dignity,” Keserű said. “As technology continues to advance, it is critical that our laws and practices evolve to meet the unique challenges of this era.” Consumers often take part in these technologies without fully understanding the implications. Last month, Elon Musk suggested on X that users submit X-rays, PET scans, MRIs and other medical images to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence chatbot, to seek diagnoses. The issue alarmed privacy experts, but many X users heeded Musk’s call and submitted health information to the chatbot. While X’s privacy policy says that the company will not sell user data to third parties, it does share some information with certain business partners. Gaps in existing laws have allowed the widespread sharing of biometric and other body-related data. Health information provided to hospitals, doctor’s offices and medical insurance companies is protected from disclosure under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act , known as HIPAA, which established federal standards protecting such information from release without the patient’s consent. But health data collected by many wearable devices and health and wellness apps don’t fall under HIPAA’s umbrella, said Suzanne Bernstein, counsel at Electronic Privacy Information Center. “In the U.S. because we don’t have a comprehensive federal privacy law ... it falls to the state level,” she said. But not every state has weighed in on the issue. Washington, Nevada and Connecticut all recently passed laws to provide safeguards for consumer health data. Washington, D.C., in July introduced legislation that aimed to require tech companies to adhere to strengthened privacy provisions regarding the collection, sharing, use or sale of consumer health data. In California, the California Privacy Rights Act regulates how businesses can use certain types of sensitive information, including biometric information, and requires them to offer consumers the ability to opt out of disclosure of sensitive personal information. “This information being sold or shared with data brokers and other entities hypercharge the online profiling that we’re so used to at this point, and the more sensitive the data, the more sophisticated the profiling can be,” Bernstein said. “A lot of the sharing or selling with third parties is outside the scope of what a consumer would reasonably expect.” Health information has become a prime target for hackers seeking to extort healthcare agencies and individuals after accessing sensitive patient data. Health-related cybersecurity breaches and ransom attacks increased more than 4,000% between 2009 and 2023, targeting the booming market of body-centric data, which is expected to exceed $500 billion by 2030, according to the report. “Nonconsensual data sharing is a big issue,” Keserű said. “Even if it’s biometric data or health data, a lot of the companies are just sharing that data without you knowing, and that is causing a lot of anxiety and questions.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

At first glance, President-elect Donald Trump’s most controversial Cabinet nominees are an odd list of ideologues and eccentrics chosen for political loyalty more than any substantive qualifications. But a more important and potentially dangerous factor ties their nominations together: They are foot soldiers in a power grab that, if it succeeds, would weaken the institutional guardrails that limit the president’s powers and concentrate more authority in Trump’s hands. Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host who could become defense secretary, has proposed purging military officers he sees as too committed to diversity, including Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “The Pentagon likes to say our diversity is our strength,” Hegseth said in June. “What a bunch of garbage.” (“Pete’s a leader,” former Trump aide Steve Bannon said. “He’s kind of a madman — but hey, you need that.”) Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who as director of national intelligence would oversee the CIA and 17 other agencies, has criticized the Biden administration’s support for Ukraine so fervently that a Russian state television host once called her “our girlfriend.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine activist who is Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services, has said he wants to fire hundreds of senior officials in the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health on “day one.” Trump has encouraged him to “go wild.” Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump’s nominee for attorney general, didn’t last long. He withdrew his name from consideration amid allegations of sexual misconduct. Gaetz had promised to purge the Justice Department and FBI of anyone who might get in the president’s way. Their pledges are all in keeping with Trump’s broader promise to dismantle much of the federal bureaucracy and bring what remains under his personal control. During his first term, Trump often expressed frustration at the legal and political limits on what he could do as president. In 2018, he expressed an expansive view of his powers under the Constitution: “I have an Article II, where I have the right to do whatever I want.” But in practice, he found himself hemmed in by experienced Cabinet officials, White House lawyers and military officers, some of whom dubbed themselves “the adults in the room.” His attorneys general, Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr, quietly sidelined his demands that they prosecute Hillary Clinton and other top Democrats. His last defense secretary, Mark Esper, resisted his proposal to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy active-duty troops against demonstrators in Washington and other cities. So it’s no surprise that he wants to bring those national security agencies to heel. But Trump’s plans to expand his personal authority extend much further. He has vowed to weaken civil service rules that protect federal bureaucrats from being fired if they disagree with their bosses’ decisions. “We will pass critical reforms making every executive branch employee fireable by the president,” he said last year, adding: “I will wield that power very aggressively.” Trump also has proposed weakening Congress’ power to direct spending. He plans to revive the practice of “impounding” funds — blocking agencies from spending money that Congress has appropriated for programs he doesn’t like. A 1974 law made impoundment illegal, but Trump has suggested he will ignore the prohibition and challenge it in court. And Trump warned the Senate that if it refuses to confirm any of his Cabinet nominees, he may put them in office anyway — by using “recess appointments,” which allow a president to fill top jobs when Congress isn’t in session. And if the Congress doesn’t recess, Trump threatened to adjourn both chambers under a presidential power laid out in the Constitution for “extraordinary occasions.” That makes it all the more important that Republicans in the Senate preserve their constitutional powers, subject Trump’s nominees to searching scrutiny and reject any that are unqualified, dangerous or both. They will help determine whether Trump can undo the checks and balances the Founders wrote into the Constitution and turn the executive branch into an instrument of a would-be autocrat’s will. McManus is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs leaves game because of concussion

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Luigi Nicholas Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of a healthcare executive in New York City, apparently was living a charmed life: the grandson of a wealthy real estate developer, valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and with degrees from one of the nation's top private universities. Friends at an exclusive co-living space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Hawaii where the 26-year-old Mangione once lived widely considered him a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit, smiling, handsome young man on beaches and at parties. Now, investigators in New York and Pennsylvania are working to piece together why Mangione may have diverged from this path to make the violent and radical decision to gun down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack on a Manhattan street. The killing sparked widespread discussions about corporate greed, unfairness in the medical insurance industry and even inspired folk-hero sentiment toward his killer. But Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sharply refuted that perception after Mangione's arrest on Monday when a customer at a McDonald's restaurant in Pennsylvania spotted Mangione eating and noticed he resembled the shooting suspect in security-camera photos released by New York police. “In some dark corners, this killer is being hailed as a hero. Hear me on this, he is no hero,” Shapiro said. “The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this morning.” Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather, Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. Reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. Nick Mangione had 37 grandchildren, including Luigi, according to the grandfather's obituary. Luigi Mangione’s grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes, including Catholic organizations, colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media by Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” Mangione, who was valedictorian of his elite Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts suggest he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. The children of some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent residents, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have attended the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” Mangione took a software programming internship after high school at Maryland-based video game studio Firaxis, where he fixed bugs on the hit strategy game Civilization 6, according to a LinkedIn profile. Firaxis' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, said it would not comment on former employees. He more recently worked at the car-buying website TrueCar, but has not worked there since 2023, the head of the Santa Monica, California-based company confirmed to the AP. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, including surfing, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. An image posted to a social media account linked to Mangione showed what appeared to be an X-ray of a metal rod and multiple screws inserted into someone's lower spine. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. An X account linked to Mangione includes recent posts about the negative impact of smartphones on children; healthy eating and exercise habits; psychological theories; and a quote from Indian philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurti about the dangers of becoming “well-adjusted to a profoundly sick society.” Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by AP. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. He appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown, asserting in his note that he is the “first to face it with such brutal honesty,” the bulletin said. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, the document said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore; Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio; and Michael Kunzelman in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.Aston Villa march on in Champions League after beating RB Leipzig

NoneTwo sisters who started a beauty business from a garage in south Wales 10 years ago have grown a global company with sales of millions of pounds a year. Spectrum Collections has sold more than two million make-up brushes and accessories so far this year and surpassed £2.5m in sales in the UK - its biggest market - in the year to date. In the United States, where the company is currently seeing faster growth than the UK, sales so far this year are over £1.5m, said co-founder Sophie Pycroft, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. "We had some of the best days of our lives in that garage," the 36-year-old said. "We didn't know what was going to happen, and it's very nostalgic now." Spectrum's products have been used in the backstage areas of Netflix drama Bridgerton, London Fashion Week and the MTV European Music Awards. Sophie and Hannah, who is 35, both worked with clients on photography, videos and website design in London before setting up the business and could frequently be found backstage with hair and make-up artists themselves. The sisters had always been interested in beauty products and chats with professionals backstage led to a "lightbulb moment". They decided to create a collection of brightly coloured, distinctive make-up brushes at a lower price point, made from synthetic fibres. "We wanted to create products that had a bit more personality than the ones you would see behind the scenes," she said. "We were trying to create a professional product but aimed at a more mass market," Sophie said. "We knew that we ourselves would never go into a shop and spend £40-plus on a single make-up brush. But we would actually buy a set of brushes for that price," she said. To achieve a cheaper price, synthetic fibres were key, while the density of the hair helps to achieve a high quality finish. Traditional brushes are made with animal hair from squirrels, goats or sable, a species of weasel. Although synthetic bristles had been around for decades, Sophie says many industry professionals used animal hair brushes when the sisters launched the brand. The sisters had no product-based experience and were "starting from scratch in terms of knowledge or guidance," Sophie said. They worked with the same factories that produced animal hair brushes, but used different materials. After months of sampling and seeking feedback from their network of make-up artists, they created their own range of brushes. Sophie and Hannah live on the same street, are family-oriented and like being close to home. Their all-female, all-Welsh team at Spectrum Collections is made up of nine members, all based in or around Barry. "We always wanted to stay in Wales. We never wanted to uproot the company to London," Sophie said. It was one of the key drivers for them to create their own business. "Being home in Wales kind of keeps you grounded in a way," she added. Much of the company's marketing is done through social media: Spectrum gives brushes to make-up artists and influencers who will tag the brand. Marketing the brushes as vegan and cruelty-free also tapped into a wider trend in the fashion industry to move away from animal-derived textiles such as leather and fur and many professional make-up artists also became fans of Spectrum's brushes. The firm's suppliers are in China and the company conducts audits every six months, Sophie said, checking that workers were treated correctly and that the environment the brushes are made in complied with regulations. Sophie and Hannah created "personality-led collections" - vibrant colours and designs as well as more minimalist options - mixing beauty and fashion. In 2018, Spectrum agreed a deal with Disney for a Little Mermaid collection inspired by mermaid princess Ariel. It included brushes with pastel-toned bristles and and turquoise bags with metallic fin closures and pearl studs. The company also produced a Frozen bundle of brushes in icy, shimmery whites, with sponges shaped like the snowman Olaf. Spectrum has moved away from licensing deals more recently, however, and wants to focus more on its own ranges. Customers were "really enthusiastic" about the very bright colours when they first started, Sophie said, but as the cost of living rose sharply in the past few years the sisters saw a shift. "We still try and give them something different when it comes to the design, but I think people are buying less now. And they're just trying to buy stuff that is going to last them that little bit longer," she said. Currently, 60% of Spectrum's business is in the UK, 30% in the United States and 10% in Canada and other parts of the world. The sisters now want to further expand the company across the globe. Working with each other is "the best part of the business", Sophie said. "We normally agree on everything because we're very, very similar. Neither one of us would want to do it without the other," she added. "We definitely come as a pair."Unique among ‘Person of the Year’ designees, Donald Trump gets a fact-check from Time magazine

Generally speaking, attempting to buy a stock at an exact low (or get out at an exact high) often does more harm than good. Timing your trades with perfect precision isn't just difficult, it's downright impossible, and made even more challenging by an ever-changing, emotionally charged environment. That being said, don't ignore an obvious opportunity staring you in the face. If shares of a compelling prospect are down in a big way, pull the trigger while you can even if it's not clear that stock's bottom is in. Five years from now, you won't care -- or even remember -- if you stepped in at the lowest-possible price. The 73% pullback from its May high is a prime opportunity to plug into a long-term stake in Celsius Holdings ( CELH 0.90% ) . Here's why you'd want to take a shot on this up-and-comer. Celsius Holdings is the same, but different Never heard of it? Don't sweat it. Plenty of people haven't. Although this energy drink brand is making waves, it's still breaking into a market dominated by names like Monster Beverage and Red Bull. But Celsius is growing like crazy, with plenty of opportunity for more ahead. The key to this growth is how Celsius' energy drinks are different. Like most Red Bull and Monster beverages , Celsius drinks include familiar ingredients like green tea, caffeine, guarana seed, and a bunch of different vitamins. Unlike most competing energy drinks, however, Celsius drinks don't have any aspartame, high-fructose corn syrup, or artificial preservatives or flavors. The thing is, this seemingly small difference isn't small at all to the industry's target market. Whereas brands like the aforementioned Monster and Red Bull are often embraced by dreary-eyed college students, video gamers sitting in front of their computers for hours on end, and extreme sports enthusiasts, Celsius energy drinks are designed for the fitness-minded crowd. Six different university studies support the claim that its beverages help people burn more fat by boosting their metabolism. And Celsius Holdings has successfully made a point of selling consumers on these differences. Since John Fieldly took the helm as CEO back in 2018 and rethought the company's product positioning as well as its marketing, annual sales have soared from less than $500 million roughly $1.5 billion. There's still plenty more growth potential, however, making the stock's recent pullback a prime buying opportunity. Opportunity ahead That's not a conclusion every investor would jump to in light of Celsius stock's recent sell-off. Indeed, many investors are probably wondering, if it's such a great prospect, why have shares fallen to a multi-month low? The reason is the big run-up between 2020 and 2023 that turned unsustainably hot during the first half of this year. Once the market finally turned around and recognized how far and how fast it had pushed Celsius stock into profit-taking territory, it panicked. Fanning these bearish flames was a move from distribution partner (and equity stakeholder) PepsiCo , which reset its product inventory in a way that led to a dramatic -- albeit misleading -- drop in Q3's revenue. The top-line stumble is only temporary though. Analysts are looking for revenue growth of nearly 17% next year, to be accompanied by even stronger bottom-line growth. This progress will put the company back on its previous growth track. The ultimate reason to take a swing on Celsius Holdings stock while it's down, however, is simply that this company is striking the right chord with a growing number of consumers . While Straits Research predicts the global energy drinks market is set to grow at a respectable but modest annualized pace of 8.5% through 2032, this growth is being led by interest in healthier, more natural options here and abroad. Both tailwinds play into the hand Celsius is holding. Better yet, just this year the company's entered six new overseas markets including Australia, France, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Presume it will achieve there what it did within the United States. It just needs a little time to firmly establish roots in these countries. The reward is worth the risk There are risks. Chief among them is its relatively small size. With a market cap of $6 billion and a domestic market share of only 11% (according to market research outfit Circana), Celsius doesn't necessarily enjoy all the clout and financial muscle it might like to have. But, given the company's track record, the energy drink market's current evolution, and the stock's recent sell-off, it's worth the risk for growth investors who can stomach the volatility. The analyst community thinks so, anyway. Despite the stock's recent weakness, it's still considered a strong buy by the vast majority of these professionals. Their current consensus price target of $42.93 is also 58% better than Celsius stock's current price of just over $27 per share. At the very least, interested investors should consider that analysts are clearly seeing something bullish even if most people aren't at this time.

'Mufasa' stars 'pinching themselves' to be in 'Lion King' prequel

Fran Brown calls out College GameDay to come for SU-Miami gamePrime Minister Narendra Modi arrived at the BJP headquarters in Delhi on Saturday evening to participate in celebrations following the NDA's massive victory in Maharashtra. Addressing a rally, PM Modi said that development, good governance and social justice won in Maharashtra while lies, dynasty politics, negative politics suffered a crushing defeat. PM Modi also praised the NDA for its strong showing in the bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar and said such results showed the country wanted development. "Today the results of by-elections of many states have also come. Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have given strong support to the BJP. The people of Assam have once again expressed their trust in the BJP. We have also got success in Madhya Pradesh. Support for NDA has increased in Bihar. This shows that the country now only wants development," PM said at the BJP office in Delhi. Also read: BJP-led Mahayuti sweeps Maharashtra, JMM-led INDIA Bloc retains Jharkhand; full list of winners here PM added that Maharashtra broke all records in terms of victory for any party or pre-poll alliance in the last 50 years. "This is the third consecutive time that Maharashtra has blessed the alliance led by BJP. For the third time, BJP has emerged as the largest party in Maharashtra. BJP has got more seats than Congress and its allies. Maharashtra is the sixth state in the country which has given mandate to BJP three times in a row," he said. PM Modi also took a veiled dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and reiterated his "Ek hain toh safe hain" slogan, calling it to have become the country's maha-mantra (national chant). In Maharashtra, the Mahayuti coalition of the BJP, Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party was leading in at least 236 seats, with the BJP itself having the upper hand on 133 seats. There are 288 seats in the assembly and the half way mark is 145. The Maha Vikas Aghadi, which comprises the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), is leading in just 48 seats. Also read: 'Development, good governance wins': PM Modi lauds BJP-led Mahayuti's thumping win in Maharashtra

Cowboys star G Zack Martin doubtful to play vs. CommandersWhat did you Google in 2024? From the elections to Copa América, here's what search trends show

SAN DIEGO , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sempra (NYSE: SRE) (BMV: SRE) today announced it has been recognized by Newsweek as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies" for 2025, earning this distinction for the sixth consecutive year. The annual list ranks companies based on their commitment to corporate responsibility in the areas of corporate governance and responsible social and environmental practices. Sempra has been included since the list's inception. "At Sempra, we believe our responsible business practices improve the value of our franchise. By strengthening governance and risk management and improving the safety and resiliency of our business operations, it allows us to better meet the needs and expectations of our customers, while also adding scale to our business," said Lisa Larroque Alexander , senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer for Sempra. "We will continue to approach global energy challenges with an entrepreneurial mindset, steadfast optimism and confidence in our vision of delivering energy with purpose." Newsweek's recognition of Sempra as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies" is based on publicly available key performance indicators derived from the company's Corporate Sustainability Report and an independent survey that asked U.S. citizens about their perception of Sempra's commitment to corporate social responsibility. Details of Sempra's approach to responsible stakeholder engagement and corporate governance can be found in the company's most recent Corporate Sustainability Report, which is available here . In addition to being recognized on Newsweek's America's Most Responsible Companies list, Sempra is included in the FTSE4Good Index and JUST 100 list, has been named one of TIME Magazine's World's Best Companies and one of Fortune Magazine's World's Most Admired Companies , and earned a perfect score on the CPA-Zicklin Index of Corporate Political Disclosure and Accountability , among other accolades. About Sempra Sempra (NYSE: SRE ) is a leading North American energy infrastructure company focused on delivering energy to nearly 40 million consumers. As owner of one of the largest energy networks on the continent, Sempra is electrifying and improving the energy resilience of some of the world's most significant economic markets, including California , Texas , Mexico and global energy markets. The company is recognized as a leader in sustainable business practices and for its high-performance culture focused on safety and operational excellence, as demonstrated by Sempra's inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America and in The Wall Street Journal's Best Managed Companies. More information about Sempra is available at sempra.com and on social media @Sempra . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sempra-named-among-newsweeks-most-responsible-companies-302324298.html SOURCE SempraJudge rejects SEC’s bid to sanction Elon Musk over missed testimony in Twitter probeGSA Capital Partners LLP bought a new position in LivaNova PLC ( NASDAQ:LIVN – Free Report ) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor bought 5,561 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $292,000. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in LIVN. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System lifted its position in LivaNova by 13.3% during the first quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 17,542 shares of the company’s stock valued at $981,000 after purchasing an additional 2,060 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in LivaNova by 3.5% during the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 1,832,987 shares of the company’s stock valued at $102,537,000 after buying an additional 62,480 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in LivaNova during the first quarter valued at approximately $94,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of LivaNova in the first quarter worth $84,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD increased its stake in shares of LivaNova by 6.8% in the first quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 31,021 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,736,000 after purchasing an additional 1,980 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.64% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on LIVN. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of LivaNova from $66.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. Mizuho cut their target price on shares of LivaNova from $80.00 to $70.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 31st. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price objective on shares of LivaNova in a research report on Tuesday, November 12th. StockNews.com lowered shares of LivaNova from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 16th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of LivaNova in a research report on Friday, October 4th. They set a “buy” rating and a $65.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $69.17. LivaNova Trading Down 0.7 % Shares of LIVN opened at $51.32 on Friday. LivaNova PLC has a 1-year low of $42.75 and a 1-year high of $64.47. The company has a 50-day moving average of $52.13 and a 200 day moving average of $52.60. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 122.19 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 3.37 and a quick ratio of 2.87. LivaNova Profile ( Free Report ) LivaNova PLC, a medical device company, designs, develops, manufactures, and sells therapeutic solutions worldwide. The company operates through Cardiopulmonary, Neuromodulation, and Advanced Circulatory Support segments. The Cardiopulmonary segment develops, produces, and sells cardiopulmonary products, including oxygenators, heart-lung machines, autotransfusion systems, perfusion tubing systems, cannulae, connect, and other related products. Read More Five stocks we like better than LivaNova Investing in Commodities: What Are They? How to Invest in Them Tesla Investors Continue to Profit From the Trump Trade Russell 2000 Index, How Investors Use it For Profitable Trading MicroStrategy’s Stock Dip vs. Coinbase’s Potential Rally Are Penny Stocks a Good Fit for Your Portfolio? Netflix Ventures Into Live Sports, Driving Stock Momentum Want to see what other hedge funds are holding LIVN? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for LivaNova PLC ( NASDAQ:LIVN – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for LivaNova Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for LivaNova and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

PM Images Introduction The Dividend Champions list is a monthly compilation of companies which have consistently increased their annual dividend payouts. However, since this list is only produced once per month, the data in it can quickly get out of date. Furthermore, with around Looking for more in depth analysis of high quality dividend stocks? Check out the Dividend Kings marketplace service! Justin Law has a Ph.D in Chemistry from Rice University and has earned the CFA Institute Investment Foundations certificate. He applies his knowledge to deep value and dividend paying stocks. Justin is a contributor to the investing group The Dividend Kings where he curates the Dividend Champions list, a monthly publication of companies with a history of consistently increasing their dividends. The Dividend Kings is a group of analysts teaching individuals how to invest more wisely in dividend stocks. Learn More . Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of DOX, O, BMY, CSCO, RGLD, SYY, XEL, FNF, PEP, VST either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Lynn Jones had never even met a gnome. The 80-year-old Chemainus resident has lived what she describes as “an adventurous life”, moving all over B.C., from the water to the wild, restoring and reselling houses for a living with her husband. “We moved a lot,” said Jones. “We’d buy places, fix them up all over interior B.C. We had time out in the wilderness, we lived on a boat one time at Maple Bay Marina and we used to scuba dive. I’ve done a lot of different things but I've never met up with gnomes. I didn't know what they were!” That all changed last summer when her daughter Cindy Doumont was painting the exterior of her own house and came across several old ceramic gnomes in her garden. “They all were in really bad shape," said Doumont. "I hauled them all out, brought them in the house saying, ‘one of these days I'm going to paint them.’ But I knew very well that three years later they'd still be sitting there waiting for me to find the time to do it. I thought, well, I'm going to ask my mom and see if she would like to.” A lifelong artist, Lynn Jones has been painting canvases for years, but she’d never painted gnomes before. Her artistic touch quickly transformed the worn and weather-beaten garden guardians. “It just seemed to come natural to paint these little characters,” Jones said. “You'd laugh because I talk to them the whole time I'm painting them. They're personal to me. I got up at seven o'clock one morning because I thought, ‘Oh, Jack! Jack is sitting in there and I gotta get Jack done!’” Jones thoroughly enjoyed the project but Doumont was now out of gnomes. She wondered if there were other people in Chemainus with gnomes in need of a glow up. Neither Doumont nor Jones is on Facebook so they enlisted the help of Doumont’s daughters to post a call out on the social media platform in local groups. The response was overwhelming. Doumont and her daughter set about picking up the gnomes-in-need from local residents, carefully tracking each gnome to return them to the correct owner once restored. They even had to take the post down when Doumont’s vehicle was packed full of gnomes, almost 50 of them, to give Jones a chance to catch up. The family was not prepared for such a huge response and couldn't have predicted the impact Jones’s gnome makeovers would have on people. “We had people that were crying, because most of the stuff that comes to us has sentimental value,” Doumont explained. “Gnomes aren't as popular nowadays so if people have gnomes, they usually have been handed down and they have sentimental reasons for keeping them. So we've had people crying, just really thrilled.” And Jones is just as thrilled about her little painted friends. “They almost become real to me by the time I finish them,” said Jones. “It's rewarding.” She meticulously cleans each gnome before getting to work, using her artistic skills to make them appear lifelike, all while chatting to them as she paints. The gnomes are so detailed they seem like they might just talk back, and people often comment on how real their eyes and faces look when they pick them up. Community support extended beyond donations of gnomes; a local business also contributed. When Doumont’s husband told the people at Country Chic Paints in Duncan what his mother-in-law was doing, they generously donated paint to the project. Jones sticks to a schedule, spending her mornings painting gnomes for three or four hours a day before heading out on her regular afternoon walk. She also takes on responsibilities around her apartment building, touching up paint and beautifying the interior and exterior of the building. She likes to stay active and engaged, especially since her husband Keith died a few years ago. “We met when we were 15 and [were] married for so many years, so it was hard because he's always been there. It's hard when you're a widow all of a sudden.” Jones is grateful for the community she lives in where she knows people and can be useful around the building. The gnomes help too. Once Jones had finished the first round of gnome restoration, her granddaughters made a second post looking for more gnomes she could paint. But with the change of seasons, the response has been smaller this time and Jones is waiting for more gnomes. “I’m gnomeless,” she quipped. Anyone who thinks her lack of gnome projects means she’s left twiddling her thumbs has obviously never met the spry octogenarian. Jones encourages other seniors to find a fulfilling hobby and keep busy like she does. “We've all got things that we can do, that we enjoy doing. Just because you get old doesn't mean you sit in a chair and stare out the window,” Jones said. “Life's short. You’ve got to do the best you can in your life while you’ve got it.” From making over houses around B.C. with her husband to making over gnomes at her home in Chemainus, Lynn Jones is bringing life back to local gnomes and joy to the community. And the joy she gets from painting, and talking to, her little ceramic buddies is evident. “It's a blessing,” she said. “It's a real blessing for me to be able to do each one of them.” Anyone with gnomes they'd like Jones to work her magic on can visit the Facebook page, Lynn Jones Painted Gnomes .

Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. boosted its stake in VanEck BDC Income ETF ( NYSEARCA:BIZD – Free Report ) by 24.0% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 17,124 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,316 shares during the period. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc.’s holdings in VanEck BDC Income ETF were worth $284,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Truist Financial Corp bought a new position in shares of VanEck BDC Income ETF in the 2nd quarter worth about $248,000. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. increased its holdings in VanEck BDC Income ETF by 130.2% in the second quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 235,203 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,024,000 after purchasing an additional 133,044 shares in the last quarter. Raymond James & Associates lifted its stake in VanEck BDC Income ETF by 206.1% in the third quarter. Raymond James & Associates now owns 166,398 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,756,000 after buying an additional 112,039 shares during the period. Condor Capital Management lifted its position in shares of VanEck BDC Income ETF by 7.7% during the 2nd quarter. Condor Capital Management now owns 978,936 shares of the company’s stock valued at $16,750,000 after acquiring an additional 70,045 shares during the period. Finally, Harbour Investments Inc. lifted its position in shares of VanEck BDC Income ETF by 9.7% during the 2nd quarter. Harbour Investments Inc. now owns 28,052 shares of the company’s stock valued at $480,000 after acquiring an additional 2,483 shares during the period. VanEck BDC Income ETF Trading Up 1.1 % NYSEARCA:BIZD opened at $16.66 on Friday. VanEck BDC Income ETF has a 12 month low of $15.18 and a 12 month high of $17.43. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.08 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.42 and a beta of 0.58. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.34 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.57. VanEck BDC Income ETF Profile The VanEck BDC Income ETF (BIZD) is an exchange-traded fund that mostly invests in financials equity. The fund tracks a market cap-weighted index of US BDC companies whose principal business is to invest in, lend capital to, or provide services to privately held companies. BIZD was launched on Feb 12, 2013 and is managed by VanEck. Further Reading Want to see what other hedge funds are holding BIZD? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for VanEck BDC Income ETF ( NYSEARCA:BIZD – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for VanEck BDC Income ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for VanEck BDC Income ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Outgoing Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Krekorian will serve as executive director of the Office of Major Events as part of preparations for sporting events coming to the LA region in the coming years, officials announced Thursday. According to Mayor Karen Bass’ office, the councilman will take on this role on Monday after Krekorian formally steps down from his role as the representative of the Second Council District due to term limits. Councilmember-elect Adrian Nazarian, a former aide to Krekorian and state Assembly member, will serve as the district representative, spanning east San Fernando Valley neighborhoods such as North Hollywood, Sun Valley, Toluca Lake and Valley Glen, among others. In his new position, Krekorian will coordinate city departments and external stakeholders for the upcoming 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games , eight games of the 2026 World Cup , and a Super Bowl in 2027 , among other events. “President Krekorian is uniquely positioned to do just that — drawing on his decades of experience handling local and statewide budgets and firsthand institutional knowledge of city government as well as the Olympic bid process,” Bass said in a statement. “Today marks a new phase of urgent preparations for Los Angeles.” The 64-year-old politician served as a state Assembly member from 2006 to 2010. Krekorian joined the City Council in 2010. “As I conclude my service on the City Council, I know how much more work needs to be done ahead of the 2028 Games,” Krekorian said in a statement. Krekorian described it would be an honor to serve as the executive director for this office. He added, “I look forward to hitting the ground running and partnering with Mayor Bass, the City Council, our city departments and LA28 to deliver the 2028 Games in a way that benefits everyone.” As executive director of the Office of Major Events, he will also ensure that sporting events create positive economic impacts for local businesses, and that city policies are being implemented. LA28 CEO Reynold Hoover hailed Bass’ appointment. He described Krekorian as a “longtime advocate of the Olympic and Paralympic movement.” “His (Krekorian’s) dedication and leadership will undoubtedly continue to drive excellence in his new role ... in this next chapter of our journey to deliver an incredible Olympic Games in 2028,” Hoover said in a statement.Middle East latest: Israel bombs 100s of sites in Syria as army pushes into border zone

COBRA GOLF Announces 2025 DS-ADAPT DriversIsrael said Tuesday it had bombed more than 350 military sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the wave of airstrikes in neighboring Syria was necessary to keep the weapons from being used against Israel following the Syrian government’s stunning collapse . Israel also acknowledged its troops were pushing into a border buffer zone inside Syria, which was established after the 1973 Mideast war. However, Israel denied its forces were advancing Tuesday toward the Syrian capital of Damascus. Life in the capital was slowly returning to normal after jihadi-led Syrian insurgents ousted President Bashar Assad over the weekend. People celebrated for a third day in a main square, and shops and banks reopened. The United States said Tuesday it would recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Syria's nearly 14-year civil war killed nearly half a million people and displaced half of the country’s prewar population of 23 million, becoming a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Here's the Latest: SAYDNAYA, Syria — Tens of thousands came to Saydnaya Prison from all over Syria after the fall of former President Bashar Assad to search for their loved ones. The place so notorious for its horrors was long known as “the slaughterhouse.” For the past two days, all have been looking for signs of loved ones who disappeared years or even decades ago into the secretive, sprawling prison just outside Damascus. But hope gave way to despair Monday. People opened the heavy iron doors lining the hallways to find cells inside empty. With sledgehammers, shovels and drills, men pounded holes in floors and walls, looking for what they believed were secret dungeons, or chasing sounds they thought they heard from underground. They found nothing. Insurgents freed dozens of people from the Saydnaya military prison on Sunday when Damascus fell. Since then, almost no one has been found. “Where is everyone? Where are everyone’s children? Where are they?” said Ghada Assad, breaking down in tears. An estimated 150,000 people were detained or went missing in Syria since 2011 — and tens of thousands of them are believed to have gone through Saydnaya. WASHINGTON — The top U.S. military commander for the Middle East was on the ground in Syria on Tuesday, meeting with a Kurish-led, U.S.-allied force at several bases in the country's east, U.S. Central Command said. Army Gen. Erik Kurilla visited with U.S. military commanders and troops as well as the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. It wasn’t clear if he met with SDF leader Mazloum Abdi, and U.S. Central Command did not respond to a request for details about his visit or with whom he met. U.S. officials said they did not know what his message to the SDF was. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. In a press release, Central Command said Kurilla received an “assessment of force protection measures, the rapidly evolving situation, and ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the current situation.” Kurilla then went on to Iraq where he met with leaders in Baghdad. UNITED NATIONS – The United Nations says it still getting reports about the looting of warehouses with humanitarian aid in a number of areas in Syria, including around the capital Damascus. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters Tuesday that U.N. agencies and their partners are working to identify the extent of looting at the warehouses, including those of U.N. agencies and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent. Dujarric said U.N. aid officials report that “the humanitarian situation remains volatile across Syria, with reports of people continuing to be displaced.” Humanitarian officials reported that 25 trucks carrying U.N. aid crossed from Turkey to northwest Syria, which the situation is now relatively calm, the U.N. spokesman said. All 11 receptions opened in Idlib in the northwest to host newly displaced families were empty as of Monday, Dujarric said. In the northeast, he said, authorities report that as of Tuesday 100,000 people have been displaced due to fighting in Tal Rifaat and other parts of Aleppo governorate. Dujarric said the U.N.’s partners report that “reception centers in Tabqa and Raqqa have reached full capacity, and more than 200 sites – including municipal buildings, schools, mosques, and stadiums – are being used to accommodate newly displaced people.” BEIRUT — The Lebanese army said Tuesday that “unidentified gunmen” crossed the border from Syria into eastern Lebanon's Bekaa province and approached a Lebanese border post. In a statement, the army said the gunmen fired into the air and seized equipment from an evacuated Syrian army post in the outskirts of Kfar Fouq, near Rashaya al-Wadi, in the western part of Bekaa province. Lebanese army personnel responded with warning shots, forcing the group to retreat back into Syrian territory. The Lebanese army did not report any injuries or provide further details about the identity of the gunmen. WASHINGTON — Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched multiple drones and a missile at three commercial ships being escorted in the Gulf of Aden by U.S. Navy ships, a U.S. official said Tuesday. There was no damage and no injuries. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations, said U.S. Navy destroyers, and Navy helicopter and a French Air Force aircraft shot down four of the drones and the missile. The three U.S. affiliated flagged ships were sailing east toward Djibouti. The Iran-backed Houthis have targeted shipping through the key waterway for more than a year, attacks they say are meant to force an end to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said it bombed more than 350 sites in Syria during the previous 48 hours, targeting “most of the strategic weapons stockpiles” in the country. There is concern that, with the sudden collapse of the Syrian government, weapons stockpiles could be seized by jihadi militants. Warplanes hit what Israel said were Syrian air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots, and dozens of weapons production sites in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Latakia, and Palmyra, the Israeli army statement said. In naval operations overnight Monday, Israeli missile ships struck two Syrian navy facilities simultaneously — Al-Bayda port and Latakia port — where the army said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked. Israeli did not specify how many Syrian naval vessels were hit. The private security firm Ambrey said it had seen evidence that at least six Soviet-era Syrian navy missile ships were hit. Israeli officials said earlier that Israel also targeted alleged chemical weapons sites. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that his country’s military launched a wave of airstrikes across Syria to destroy the toppled government’s leftover “military capabilities,” and said Israel wants relations with the new government emerging Syria. Hours after Israeli warplanes pounded Syria, Netanyahu said Israeli doesn’t want to meddle in Syria’s internal affairs, but would take necessary steps to protect Israel's security and prevent jihadi militants from seizing the Syrian army assets. He warned that if the new Syrian government “allows Iran to re-establish itself in Syria or allows the transfer of Iranian weapons or any other weapons to Hezbollah, or attacks us -- we will respond forcefully and we will exact a heavy price from it.” He spoke in a video statement recorded at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, after his first day of testimony in his corruption trial. DAMASCUS, Syria — In Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syrians celebrated the fall of President Bashar Assad for the third day on Tuesday despite Israeli airstrikes across the country. Insurgents who recently took control of the capital city tried to impose a new rule banning the celebratory gunfire. There were a few violators, and much less deafening gunfire. Protesters climbed the square's central monument to wave the Syrian revolutionary flag. On the ground, crowds chanted: “Out with Bashar! Out with Bashar!” Assad fled to Russia over the weekend after a lightning rebel offensive toppled his brutal police state. Demonstrators from different provinces marched in the square in groups, celebrating Assad's fall. Men on motorcycles and horses paraded into the square. One woman from Idlib province shouted that the Israeli strikes ruined the joy of ousting Assad. “Why are you striking us? We just deposed a tyrant,” she said. “Give us peace. Leave us alone,” said Ahmed Jreida, 22, a dentist student, when asked about the Israeli airstrikes. Hamzeh Hamada, 22, said this was the first time he had gone out to a demonstration. “We want the country to get better, to live in dignity and be like other countries that respect citizens’ rights and where there are no bribes,” he said. “We have suffered a lot from bribes. ... We had to bribe people for very minor things; things that should be our right.” Abdul-Jalil Diab was taking a stroll with his brothers in another square in western Damascus. He said he came back from Jordan the day Damascus fell. He was there studying German to prepare to move to Germany and said he is now reconsidering his plans. He was ecstatic, saying words can’t describe how he feels. “We are happy to get rid of the corrupt regime that was based on bribes. The whole country feels better. Everyone is happy and celebrating,” Abdul-Jalil Diab said. QAMISHLI, Syria — Residents of northeast Syria in the area around Qamishli airport said Tuesday they heard explosions overnight after an airstrike hit trucks loaded with rockets and ammunition that were heading to a military base in Tartab. “We don’t know the story. It was only in the morning when we realized they are trucks loaded with ammunition, leftovers of the former army, the regime,” said Ibrahim al-Thalaj, who lives near the base. He said residents assumed that the strikes were Israeli. Israel has carried out a heavy wave of airstrikes across Syria targeting military infrastructure after Syrian insurgents toppled the government of Bashar Assad. However, Turkish security officials said Tuesday that the strike in Qamishli was carried out by Turkey, targeting weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian army and seized by Syrian Kurdish militants. The explosions lasted for over 20 minutes after the strike, and many houses in the surrounding area were damaged as a result, residents of the area said. “We just felt a strike hitting. It hit the first one (truck) and we saw the other trucks retreating back, and from there rockets and shells started flying over,” said Hamid al-Asaad, an eyewitness from Qub al-Zeki village in Qamishli. “We were sitting when these explosions started to hit the house,” said Mahmoud Hamza of Tartab. “It was hitting randomly and we didn’t know where it was coming from. ... Once we got out of our house, a rocket hit the house.” There were no details released by the local Kurdish administration regarding the explosions, but members of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces blocked the road to the base. BRUSSELS — The European Union’s top diplomat is concerned that Syria might violently fall apart like neighboring Iraq, or Libya and Afghanistan if its territorial integrity and the rights of minorities are not protected. “The transition will present huge challenges in Syria and in the region,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas told European lawmakers on Tuesday during a special hearing. “There are legitimate concerns about the risks of sectarian violence, extremist resurgence and the governance vacuum, all of which must be averted. We must avoid a repeat of the horrific scenarios of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan,” she said. “The rights of all Syrians, including those of many minority groups, must be protected,” she said. “It is crucial to preserve the territorial integrity of Syria, and to respect its independence, its sovereignty, as well as the state institutions.” Kallas also said the collapse of the government has shown that Assad’s backers in Russia and Iran “could neither afford to do it any longer, nor had any interest of being present in the aftermath.” “They are weakened, distracted and overstretched in other theaters in the broader Middle East, but also in Ukraine,” she said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence agency, MIT, has attacked a convoy of trucks that was allegedly carrying missiles, heavy weapons and ammunition that were abandoned by the Syrian government and reportedly seized by Syrian Kurdish militias, Turkish security officials said Tuesday. The officials said 12 trucks, two tanks and two ammunition depots were “destroyed” in aerial strikes in the city of Qamishli, near the border with Turkey in northeast Syria. The officials provided the information on condition of anonymity in line with Turkish regulations. They did not say when the attack occurred. The officials said the intelligence agency detected that weapons left by the Syrian government forces were being moved to warehouses belonging to the Syrian Kurdish People’s Defense Units, or YPG. Turkey views the group as a terrorist organization because of its links to the banned Kurdish militants that have led a decadeslong insurgency in Turkey. According to the officials, he group was allegedly planning to use the equipment and supplies against Turkish security forces. By Suzan Fraser WASHINGTON — The White House is signaling its approval of Israel’s strikes against Syrian military and alleged chemical weapons targets and the seizure of a buffer zone in the Syrian Golan Heights after the fall of the Assad government. “These are exigent operations to eliminate what they believe are imminent threats to their national security,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday, saying the U.S. would leave it up to the Israelis to discuss details of their operations. “They have as always the right to defend themselves,” Kirby said. He declined to detail and U.S. intelligence cooperation with the Israelis that went into the strikes. Kirby said the White House was reasserting its support of the 1974 Golan Heights disengagement agreement, but didn’t criticize the Israeli seizure of the demilitarized zone. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. WASHINGTON — The Biden administration says it will recognize and support a new Syrian government that renounces terrorism, destroys chemical weapons stocks and protects the rights of minorities and women. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement Tuesday that the U.S. would work with groups in Syria and regional partners to ensure that the transition from President Bashar Assad’s deposed government runs smoothly. He was not specific about which groups the U.S. would work with. Blinken says Syrians should decide their future and that other countries should “support an inclusive and transparent process” and not interfere. “The United States will recognize and fully support a future Syria government that results from this process,” he said. “We stand prepared to lend all appropriate support to all of Syria’s diverse communities and constituencies.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Jihad Mustafa Shibani was taking his new motorcycle for a spin with a friend around the house of the deposed Syrian president in western Damascus on Tuesday. Shibani was released from prison a week before the capital Damascus fell, after he served two years on charges of buying his motorcycle using foreign currency on accusations he was dealing in dollars. He was tortured for 15 days and and given a quick trial where he was sentenced for two years, he said. He was released the day Aleppo fell to the insurgents. “Everything was banned in Syria. The (Assad loyalists) only could use it,” Shibani said. He said he has never been to this neighborhood, because it was taken over by Assad, his family and supporters. “For 50 years, my family’s house is near here, and we don’t know anything about it. ... The Syrian people had been oppressed, you can’t imagine.” Shibani said he has no fear of the rebel newcomers who have taken control of the country. “We are not afraid. There can be no one more unjust than Bashar. Impossible.” BEIRUT — Lebanon’s prime minister is in contact with security and judicial officials to follow up on reports that senior members of President Bashar Assad’s government have fled to Lebanon. Najib Mikati’s office quoted him as saying that Lebanon abides by international laws regarding people who cross its borders. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said that several top security officials have entered Lebanon over the past two days. Abdurrahman added that Syria’s former intelligence chief Ali Mamlouk, who is wanted in Lebanon over two bombings in 2012 in the northern city of Tripoli that killed dozens, was allegedly brought to Lebanon by the Hezbollah militant group and was staying in a southern suburb of Beirut where the group has deep support. Lebanon’s Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, whose ministry is in charge of border crossings, told reporters Tuesday that no person who is wanted in Lebanon entered the country through legal border crossings. There are dozens of illegal border crossings between Lebanon and Syria where people are usually smuggled in and out of Lebanon, but it was not possible to independently confirm whether Mamlouk had entered Lebanon. GENEVA — The United Nations says humanitarian operations in two major areas in northwestern Syria have resumed, deploying food, medical supplies, fuel and other needed services and supplies. Spokesman Jens Laerke of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that some health facilities were “overwhelmed” – in part due to staff shortages – and many border crossings have been closed, disrupting supply chains. OCHA said humanitarian operations in some parts of northwestern Syria were put on hold in the early days of the recent escalation, and resumed on Monday. “As of yesterday, all humanitarian organizations in Idlib and northern Aleppo have resumed operations,” Laerke told reporters at a U.N. briefing in Geneva. He said the three border crossings from Turkey used by the U.N. to deliver assistance into Syria remain open and “we are providing assistance in the northwest, including to those who have been newly displaced.” Even before the latest escalation, which led President Bashar Assad to flee the country, nearly 17 million people in Syria needed humanitarian assistance. More than 1 million have been displaced across Idlib, Aleppo, Hama and Homs since the escalation. JERUSALEM — Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel's military destroyed Syria’s fleet overnight and intends to establish a demilitarized zone “in southern Syria” to prevent attacks on Israel. He also issued a warning to Syria’s rebels, saying that “whoever follows Assad’s path will end up like Assad — we will not allow an extremist Islamic terrorist entity to act against Israel across its border while putting its citizens at risk.” Speaking at a naval base in Haifa, Katz said the Israeli navy “operated last night to destroy the Syrian fleet and with great success.” Video showing the smoking wreckage of what appeared to be small Syrian naval ships in the port at Latakia was broadcast by Saudi-owned television station Al-Hadath on Tuesday. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which has closely tracked the conflict since the civil war erupted in 2011, said Israel targeted Syrian warships, military warehouses and an air-defense facility on the coast. Katz added that he had instructed the army to establish a “defense zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence, in order to prevent terrorism in Syria from taking root and organizing.” It was unclear if the demilitarized zone would reach beyond the buffer zone that Israel has taken over in the border area. Israel has a long history of seizing territory during wars with its neighbors and occupying it indefinitely , citing security concerns. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized internationally, except by the United States. DAMASCUS, Syria — Members of the Syrian government under ousted President Bashar Assad will gradually transfer power to a new transitional cabinet headed by Mohammed al-Bashir. The departing government met with al-Bashir for the first time since Assad fled Damascus over the weekend. Al-Bashir had previously led the “salvation government” running the rebel stronghold in northwest Syria. Al-Bashir told reporters after the meeting that the ministers discussed transferring the portfolios to the interim government during the transitional period until the beginning of March. He said that in the coming days the new government will decide on each ministry. DAMASCUS, Syria — Banks and shops are reopening in Damascus after the chaos and confusion of the first two days following the ouster of President Bashar Assad. Sadi Ahmad, manager of Syria Gulf Bank, said life is returning to normal. A customer who came to withdraw money from an ATM was surprised to see it functioning. At the historic Hamadiyeh market, fighters who seized power were still standing guard but shops had reopened — even an ice cream stand. Resident Maysoun Al-Qurabi said she was initially “against what happened,” referring to the insurgency, but changed her mind after seeing footage of rebels releasing inmates from the notorious Saydnaya prison. “People are at ease and secure now,” she said. “Before, people were hungry and scared.” DAMASCUS, Syria — Minority Christians in Syria have been living in a state of uneasy anticipation since insurgents headed by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham took control after ousting President Bashar Assad. Mazen Kalash, a resident of Bab Touma, a Christian neighborhood in Damascus, said he wants to know the plans of the new government that will be formed by the rebels. “The important thing is to feel safe, bring order, law and respect to the citizens,” he said. “We need to be able to work whatever we want and do whatever we want without any interference from anyone.” The insurgents have so far attempted to reassure minorities that they will be protected. Large numbers of Syrian Christians, who made up 10% of the population, fled after the civil war erupted in 2011. Many of those who stayed supported Assad out of fear they might be targeted by Islamist insurgents. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at media during testimony at his corruption trial, which involves media moguls. “There has never been such a biased media in any democracy ... as there is in Israel,” Netanyahu told the court, describing his testy relationship with the press. He is accused of exchanging regulatory favors with media bosses for more positive coverage of himself and his family. He has denied wrongdoing. GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria says armed groups that drove out President Bashar Assad have “been sending good messages” about national unity and inclusiveness but acknowledges that a Security Council resolution still counts the leading one as a terrorist group. With Syria’s future and stability still very much in flux since Assad’s departure over the weekend, Geir Pedersen suggested that the international community needs to help the country get through this turbulent moment. “We are still in what I would call a very fluid period. Things are not settled,” Pedersen told reporters at U.N. offices in Geneva on Tuesday. “There is a real opportunity for change, but this opportunity needs to be grasped by the Syrians themselves and supported by the U.N. and the international community.” Referring to Israeli military strikes in Syria, Pedersen said it was “extremely important that we now don’t see any action from any international country that destroys the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place.” The insurgents are led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which grew out of an al-Qaida-affiliate called the Nusra Front that the Security Council listed as a terror group in a 2015 resolution. “This is obviously a complicating factor for all of us,” Pedersen said. “But we also have to be honest, we have to look at the facts and to see what has happened during the last nine years.” “The reality so far is that the HTS and also the other armed groups have been sending good messages to the Syrian people,” he said. “They have been sending messages of unity, of inclusiveness, and frankly speaking, also, we have seen in (the captured cities of) Aleppo and in Hama ... reassuring things on the ground." Ahmad al-Sharaa, previously known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency and the founder of both groups Nusra and HTS, cut ties with al-Qaida in 2016 and says he is committed to pluralism and religious tolerance. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey has “strongly” condemned Israel’s advance into Syrian territory, saying it was in violation of a 1974 agreement on a buffer zone inside Syria. “We strongly condemn Israel’s violation of the 1974 Separation of Forces Agreement, its entry into the separation zone between Israel and Syria, and its advance into Syrian territory,” Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry accused Israel of “displaying a mentality of an occupier” at a time when the possibility of peace and stability had emerged in Syria. The statement also reiterated Turkey’s support to Syria’s “sovereignty, political unity, and territorial integrity.” Israeli troops on Sunday entered the buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war and the military said it would deploy in “several other places necessary for (Israel’s’) defense.” TEL AVIV, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he works 17 to 18 hours a day and that he is engulfed in meetings, especially during the past year that Israel has been fighting wars. Netanyahu was testifying in his long-running corruption trial. He has denied charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate cases. “If only I could steal away five minutes to enjoy some time with my wife,” he told the court Tuesday. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military official says troops plan to seize a buffer zone inside Syria as well as “a few more points that have strategic meaning.” The official spoke Tuesday on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. The official dismissed reports of a larger Israeli invasion as “rumors.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces were moving to control a roughly 400-square-kilometer (155-square-mile) demilitarized buffer zone in Syrian territory. The buffer zone between Syria and the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights was created by the U.N. after the 1973 Mideast war. Following the overthrow of President Bashar Assad, Israel sent troops into the buffer zone. It said the move was temporary and was aimed at preventing attacks. It said the 1974 agreement establishing the zone had collapsed and that Syrian troops had withdrawn from their positions. Israel has also carried out airstrikes across Syria in recent days targeting what it says are suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets. Egypt and Saudi Arabia have condemned Israel’s incursion, accusing it of exploiting the disarray in Syria and violating international law. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community, except for the United States. The rest of the world views the strategic plateau as occupied Syrian territory. — By Joseph Krauss DAMASCUS, Syria — Israel’s air force has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in different parts of Syria as its ground forces move north of the Golan Heights along the border with Lebanon, according to an opposition war monitor. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Tuesday that since the fall of President Bashar Assad’s government, Israel’s air force has carried out more than 300 airstrikes against research centers, arms depots and military infrastructure across Syria, as well as a naval base along the Mediterranean coast. Associated Press journalists in Damascus witnessed intense airstrikes on the city and its suburbs overnight into Tuesday morning. Photographs posted online by activists showed destroyed missile launchers, helicopters and warplanes. Meanwhile, Israeli troops marched along the border with Lebanon and now control a long stretch on the Syrian side facing Lebanon’s Rashaya region, according to the war monitor's head, Rami Abdurrahman, and the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV, which has reporters in Syria. Israeli troops are now about 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Damascus, according to the monitor. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel’s incursion into a buffer zone in Syria and a wave of Israeli airstrikes launched after the overthrow of President Bashar Assad. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said in a statement Tuesday that “the assaults carried out by the Israeli occupation government, including the seizure of the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, and the targeting of Syrian territory confirm Israel’s continued violation of the principles of international law and its determination to sabotage Syria’s chances of restoring its security, stability and territorial integrity.” Israel sent troops into a buffer zone inside Syria that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. It said the move was temporary and was taken to prevent any cross-border attacks after Syrian troops withdrew. Israel has also carried out heavy airstrikes that it says are aimed at preventing suspected chemical weapons and long-range rockets from falling into the hands of extremists. Saudi Arabia has been in talks with the United States in recent years over normalizing relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact, American assistance in establishing a civilian nuclear program and a pathway to the establishment of a Palestinian state. But the kingdom has also repeatedly condemned Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip, where it is at war with the Hamas militant group. Last month, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and day-to-day ruler Mohammed bin Salman accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza , allegations Israel adamantly rejects.

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Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingWho Is Making a Difference in Fresno? Explore This List of 2024’s Shining Stars388vf 。

HELP THEM DRIVE LIKE A SACRAMENTO KING: GIVE THE GIFT OF A REVIVER RPLATE®Kolkata: The heritage clubs of the city are no longer confining themselves to only Christmas or New Year's Eve parties. From culture, food festivals to football, winter menu at clubs encompasses all that Kolkata is known for. Lake Club started the season with an art exhibition, to be followed by theatre and other cultural activities. The convenor of entertainment sub-committee of the club, Dhrubajyoti Bhowmik, said, "We organize a winter festival every year, and this year is no exception. The event is packed with art, music, food, theatre, and performances," he said. This year, participating art groups include, Amra Noychhoy, Society of Contemporary Artists, Calcutta Painters Artistic, Bengal Art Stocks Chander Hat, Open Window, Painters Eighty, Graffiti, and Third Eye. Additionally, 10 stalls will feature folk art. There will be work by Jogen Chowdhury, Suvaprasanna and Samir Aich. Calcutta Club is organising theatre and musical programmes in the last week of Dec. The immediate past president, Abhijit Ghosh, said the play ‘Naathbathi Anathbat' by Shambhu Mitra will be performed by Arpita Ghosh and her team on Dec 26. On Dec 27, there will be a performance of ‘Jara Bristite Bhijhechilo'. On Dec 28, Calcutta Club will organise a performance by the Bangla band Chandrabindoo. Calcutta Rowing Club is host a performance by Bhoomi, titled ‘O Nadi Ray'. There will be a musical night by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Tarun Bhattacharya on Jan 25, apart from football adda. "Bengal is incomplete without football. Legends like Gautam Sarkar, Shyam Thapa and Pradip Cho-wdhury will participate in our football adda," said club secretary Chandan Roychowdhury. The International Club is staring celebrations with ‘Tribute to 100 Years of Salil Chowdhury', in which The committee member in charge of cultural activities and entertainment, Aloke Mukherjee, said Saikat Mitra and Shri Radha Bandopadhyay will also perform in this programme while Haimanti Shukla will make a special appearance. There would be a musical night by Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. In Jan, the club will organise a musical programme by reality TV star Anwesha. The Tolly Club is planning a host of cultural activities between Jan 11 and 19, said CEO V Ganapathy. Hindustan Club is organising a musical evening with local star Abhishek Roychowdhury, said club president Rishabh C Kothari. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah start a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fightingDavid Hilzenrath, Jodie Fleischer, Cox Media Group | (TNS) KFF Health News In March, newly installed Social Security chief Martin O’Malley criticized agency “injustices” that “shock our shared sense of equity and good conscience as Americans.” He promised to overhaul the Social Security Administration’s often heavy-handed efforts to claw back money that millions of recipients — including people who are living in poverty, are elderly, or have disabilities — were allegedly overpaid, as described by a KFF Health News and Cox Media Group investigation last year. “Innocent people can be badly hurt,” O’Malley said at the time. Nearly eight months since he appeared before Congress and announced a series of policy changes, and with two months left in his term, O’Malley’s effort to fix the system has made inroads but remains a work in progress. For instance, one change, moving away from withholding 100% of people’s monthly Social Security benefits to recover alleged overpayments, has been a major improvement, say advocates for beneficiaries. “It is a tremendous change,” said Kate Lang of Justice in Aging, who called it “life-changing for many people.” The number of people from whom the Social Security Administration was withholding full monthly benefits to recoup money declined sharply — from about 46,000 in January to about 7,000 in September, the agency said. Asked to clarify whether those numbers and others provided for this article covered all programs administered by the agency, the SSA press office did not respond. Another potentially significant change — relieving beneficiaries of having to prove that an overpayment was not their fault — has not been implemented. The agency said it is working on that. Meanwhile, the agency seems to be looking to Congress to take the lead on a change some observers see as crucial: limiting how far back the government can reach to recover an alleged overpayment. Barbara Hubbell of Watkins Glen, New York, called the absence of a statute of limitations “despicable.” Hubbell said her mother was held liable for $43,000 because of an SSA error going back 19 years. “In what universe is that even legal?” Hubbell said. Paying down the overpayment balance left her mother “essentially penniless,” she added. In response to questions for this article, Social Security spokesperson Mark Hinkle said legislation is “the best and fastest way” to set a time limit. Establishing a statute of limitations was not among the policy changes O’Malley announced in his March congressional testimony. In an interview at the time, he said he expected an announcement on it “within the next couple few months.” It could probably be done by regulation, without an act of Congress, he said. Speaking generally, Hinkle said the agency has “made substantial progress on overpayments,” reducing the hardship they cause, and “continues to work diligently” to update policies. The agency is underfunded, he added, is at a near 50-year low in staffing, and could do better with more employees. The SSA did not respond to requests for an interview with O’Malley. O’Malley announced the policy changes after KFF Health News and Cox Media Group jointly published and broadcast investigative reporting on the damage overpayments and clawbacks have done to millions of beneficiaries. When O’Malley, a former Democratic governor of Maryland, presented his plans to three congressional committees in March, lawmakers greeted him with rare bipartisan praise. But the past several months have shown how hard it can be to turn around a federal bureaucracy that is massive, complex, deeply dysfunctional, and, as it says, understaffed. Now O’Malley’s time may be running out. Lang of Justice in Aging, among the advocacy groups that have been meeting with O’Malley and other Social Security officials, said she appreciates how much the commissioner has achieved in a short time. But she added that O’Malley has “not been interested in hearing about our feelings that things have fallen short.” One long-standing policy O’Malley set out to change involves the burden of proof. When the Social Security Administration alleges someone has been overpaid and demands the money back, the burden is on the beneficiary to prove they were not at fault. Cecilia Malone, 24, a beneficiary in Lithonia, Georgia, said she and her parents spent hundreds of hours trying to get errors corrected. “Why is the burden on us to ‘prove’ we weren’t overpaid?” Malone said. It can be exceedingly difficult for beneficiaries to appeal a decision. The alleged overpayments, which can reach tens of thousands of dollars or more, often span years. And people struggling just to survive may have extra difficulty producing financial records from long ago. What’s more, in letters demanding repayment, the government does not typically spell out its case against the beneficiary — making it hard to mount a defense. Testifying before House and Senate committees in March, O’Malley promised to shift the burden of proof. “That should be on the agency,” he said. The agency expects to finalize “guidance” on the subject “in the coming months,” Hinkle said. The agency points to reduced wait times and other improvements in a phone system known to leave beneficiaries on hold. “In September, we answered calls to our national 800 number in an average of 11 minutes — a tremendous improvement from 42 minutes one year ago,” Hinkle said. Still, in response to a nonrepresentative survey by KFF Health News and Cox Media Group focused on overpayments, about half of respondents who said they contacted the agency by phone since April rated that experience as “poor,” and few rated it “good” or “excellent.” The survey was sent to about 600 people who had contacted KFF Health News to share their overpayment stories since September 2023. Almost 200 people answered the survey in September and October of this year. Most of those who said they contacted the agency by mail since April rated their experience as “poor.” Jennifer Campbell, 60, a beneficiary in Nelsonville, Ohio, said in late October that she was still waiting for someone at the agency to follow up as described during a phone call in May. “VERY POOR customer service!!!!!” Campbell wrote. “Nearly impossible to get a hold of someone,” wrote Kathryn Duff of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who has been helping a disabled family member. Letters from SSA have left Duff mystified. One was postmarked July 9, 2024, but dated more than two years earlier. Another, dated Aug. 18, 2024, said her family member was overpaid $31,635.80 in benefits from the Supplemental Security Income program, which provides money to people with little or no income or other resources who are disabled, blind, or at least 65. But Duff said her relative never received SSI benefits. What’s more, for the dates in question, payments listed in the letter to back up the agency’s math didn’t come close to $31,635.80; they totaled about a quarter of that amount. Regarding the 100% clawbacks, O’Malley in March said it’s “unconscionable that someone would find themselves facing homelessness or unable to pay bills, because Social Security withheld their entire payment for recovery of an overpayment.” He said that, starting March 25, if a beneficiary doesn’t respond to a new overpayment notice, the agency would default to withholding 10%. The agency warned of “a short transition period.” That change wasn’t automated until June 25, Hinkle said. The number of people newly placed in full withholding plummeted from 6,771 in February to 51 in September, according to data the agency provided. SSA said it would notify recipients they could request reduced withholding if it was already clawing back more than 10% of their monthly checks. Nonetheless, dozens of beneficiaries or their family members told KFF Health News and Cox Media Group they hadn’t heard they could request reduced withholding. Among those who did ask, roughly half said their requests were approved. According to the SSA, there has been almost a 20% decline in the number of people facing clawbacks of more than 10% but less than 100% of their monthly checks — from 141,316 as of March 8 to 114,950 as of Oct. 25, agency spokesperson Nicole Tiggemann said. Meanwhile, the number of people from whom the agency was withholding exactly 10% soared more than fortyfold — from just over 5,000 to well over 200,000. And the number of beneficiaries having any partial benefits withheld to recover an overpayment increased from almost 600,000 to almost 785,000, according to data Tiggemann provided. Lorraine Anne Davis, 72, of Houston, said she hasn’t received her monthly Social Security payment since June due to an alleged overpayment. Her Medicare premium was being deducted from her monthly benefit, so she’s been left to pay that out-of-pocket. Davis said she’s going to need a kidney transplant and had been trying to save money for when she’d be unable to work. Related Articles National News | Traveling this holiday season? 10 things the TSA wants you to know National News | California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child National News | Colorado funeral home owners who let bodies decay plead guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse National News | Another E. coli recall: falafel bites from Florida, California and 16 other states National News | US budget airlines are struggling. Will pursuing premium passengers solve their problems? A letter from the SSA dated April 8, 2024, two weeks after the new 10% withholding policy was slated to take effect, said it had overpaid her $13,538 and demanded she pay it back within 30 days. Apparently, the SSA hadn’t accounted for a pension Davis receives from overseas; Davis said she disclosed it when she filed for benefits. In a letter to her dated June 29, the agency said that, under its new policy, it would change the withholding to only 10% if she asked. Davis said she asked by phone repeatedly, and to no avail. “Nobody seems to know what’s going on” and “no one seems to be able to help you,” Davis said. “You’re just held captive.” In October, the agency said she’d receive a payment — in March 2025. Marley Presiado, a research assistant on the Public Opinion and Survey Research team at KFF, contributed to this report. ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

STUART, Fla. , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Health In Tech, Inc., an Insurtech platform company backed by third-party AI technology, today announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 2,300,000 shares of its Class A common stock, at a public offering price of $4.00 per share. In addition, Health In Tech has granted the underwriter a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 345,000 shares of its Class A common stock at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on December 23, 2024 , under the ticker symbol "HIT". The offering is expected to close on December 24, 2024 , subject to customary closing conditions. American Trust Investment Services, Inc. is acting as the sole book-running manager of this offering. Health In Tech intends to use the net proceeds from the offering towards system enhancements, the expansion of service offerings, expansion of sales and distribution channels, talent development and retention, working capital and other general corporate purpose. A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-281853) relating to the shares was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and became effective on December 19, 2024 . This offering was made only by means of a prospectus, forming part of the effective registration statement. A copy of the prospectus relating to the offering can be obtained when available, by contacting American Trust Investment Services, Inc., 230 W. Monroe Street , Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60606, or via E-Mail at ECM@amtruinvest.com . This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of any securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About Health In Tech Health in Tech, Inc. ("HIT") is an Insurtech platform company backed by third-party AI technology. We offer a dynamic marketplace designed to create customized healthcare plan solutions while streamlining processes through vertical integration, process simplification, and automation. By eliminating friction and complexities, HIT enhances value propositions for employers and optimizes underwriting, sales, and service workflows for Managing General Underwriters (MGUs), insurance carriers, licensed brokers, and Third-Party Administrators (TPAs). Learn more at healthintech.com . Forward-Looking Statements Regarding Health In Tech Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include estimates or expectations about Health In Tech's possible or assumed operational results, financial condition, business strategies and plans, market opportunities, competitive position, industry environment, and potential growth opportunities. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "design," "target," "aim," "hope," "expect," "could," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "continue," "predict," "project," "potential," "goal," or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements relate to future events or to Health In Tech's future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Health In Tech's actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond Health In Tech's control and which could, and likely will, affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects Health In Tech's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to Health In Tech's operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Investor Contact Investor Relations: ir@healthintech.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/health-in-tech-inc-announces-pricing-of-initial-public-offering-302337631.html SOURCE Health In Tech © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Flag football scours nation with talent camps to uncover next wave of stars

A big shopping deadline is drawing near for some people, and it has nothing to do with the holidays. Millions of people use flexible spending accounts to help pay for health care, and some may lose money left in those accounts if they don’t spend it by year’s end. There are many ways to spend that use-it-or-use it balance — think raiding the local drugstore — but it’s important to understand FSA rules before going on a shopping spree. Here are some things to consider. FSAs let you set aside money from your paycheck before taxes to cover a wide range of medical expenses like copays, deductibles, eyeglasses and other supplies. They are set up through your employer, and individuals can set aside up to $3,300 in these accounts. Figuring out the right amount to set aside can be tricky because it involves forecasting how much care you might need. And you have to use the money by a certain point or you lose it. They can vary by employer or plan administrator. In some cases, you may have to spend the money by Dec. 31 or you will lose it. But many plans offer a grace period in the new year to let people use their remaining funds or they allow participants to carry over some of the leftover balance. “Make sure you understand the clock and the rules,” said David Feinberg of Justworks, a technology company that helps small businesses with benefits. There are limits. The IRS, for instance, limits the balance carried over to $660 for 2025. Any amounts over that could be lost if they are still in your account by the plan deadline. Think of medical expenses not covered by insurance. The IRS keeps a huge list of eligible expenses for both FSAs and health savings accounts. But companies can limit the expenses they’ll reimburse, so employees should check with their employers. Eligible expenses can include travel costs to the doctor’s office, eyeglasses, bandages, sunscreen, condoms and tampons. FSA dollars may even be used to cover things like gym memberships or electric massagers if you have a doctor’s note stating that they are medically necessary. But they don’t cover things like health insurance premiums or certain cosmetic procedures like teeth whitening. Do you have any receipts from health care you could submit, like the copayment for a doctor’s office visit? That would qualify. Some plan administrators watch for stockpiling. Don’t buy a crate of aspirin to use up your balance. Limit purchases to about a year’s supply. Items can be bought in stores or online. Health savings accounts, or HSAs, also allow you to set aside money before taxes. The difference is that you won’t lose the balance, you can keep the account if you leave your job, and some plans let you invest the money. HSAs can only be paired with high-deductible insurance plans. Account holders can contribute several thousand dollars each year, depending on the type of coverage they have. FSAs work with more types of coverage. And the help they offer can be more immediate. The money you decide to set aside over the course of the year is available right away. That can help people facing a big medical expense like a surgery at the start of a year, said Nicky Brown of Health Equity, which manages about 3 million FSAs. ____ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Story by Tom Murphy, Associated Press More articles from the BDN

A few days ago, the Brazilian model Ana Paula Consorte, who is in a relationship with the soccer player Paolo Guerrero shared with her followers that she was admitted to a hospital due to a diagnosis of pneumonia. This news generated concern among his fans, who have been attentive to his state of health. After causing great concern among his followers, Ana Paula Consorte He reappeared on his social networks to share family images for Christmas. The model showed off with Paolo Guerrero after having gone through a complicated situation regarding his health, since he had pneumonia. The publication of Ana Paula Consorte Before Christmas, Ana Paula Consorte has decided to show his progress in health and deny rumors of an alleged breakup with Paolo Guerrero by participating in a Christmas photo session with the footballer and his three children. Through his Instagram account, he shared a series of images in which he is seen with a renewed appearance, in addition to dedicating emotional words to his loved ones. “FAMILY, a seven-letter word that means everything,” was what the Brazilian wrote in the Christmas publication. These images have reassured her followers, since the influencer went through a difficult time when she became ill with pneumonia. Ana Paula Consorte and Paolo Guerrero pose before Christmas and with their children. Photo: Instagram Internet users were quick to send their best wishes to the family. Warrior Consort who will reportedly spend the holidays in Brazil. Users celebrated the family union and expressed their wish that it last over time. Likewise, they praised how good they look together, highlighting the harmony they project as a family. What had happened to Ana Paula Consorte? On December 22, Ana Paula Consorte He posted a moving video on Instagram, where he outlined the challenges he had faced in recent weeks. The model reported that she was admitted to a hospital due to a diagnosis of pneumonia, which led her to be undergoing treatment and away from her children. “High fever, cough, vomiting, not being able to walk, there we went to the hospital for the third time and, to my surprise, a diagnosis: pneumonia. End of the year, being with my family, enjoying my children, nephews, brothers, my parents is so important and, suddenly, STOP. Soon me? There are 3 children and a fast life, I love being active and feeling good, but my body forced me to stop,” she mentioned in her social media post. In a recent video shared by Ana Paula Consorte the model documented her stay in the hospital, where she was seen chatting via video call with her children and other family members. However, what caught the attention of her followers most was the notable absence of her partner, Paolo Guerrero, in the images she published. Join our entertainment channel

Cerity Partners LLC lifted its stake in Zebra Technologies Co. ( NASDAQ:ZBRA – Free Report ) by 45.3% during the third quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 10,668 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,328 shares during the period. Cerity Partners LLC’s holdings in Zebra Technologies were worth $3,950,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Point72 Asia Singapore Pte. Ltd. acquired a new position in Zebra Technologies during the second quarter valued at approximately $27,000. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. boosted its stake in Zebra Technologies by 185.3% during the 2nd quarter. Farmers & Merchants Investments Inc. now owns 97 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 63 shares during the period. Concord Wealth Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Zebra Technologies in the third quarter worth $30,000. Transcendent Capital Group LLC bought a new position in Zebra Technologies during the second quarter worth $32,000. Finally, Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV raised its stake in Zebra Technologies by 38.8% during the 2nd quarter. Massmutual Trust Co. FSB ADV now owns 118 shares of the industrial products company’s stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 33 shares during the last quarter. 91.03% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. Zebra Technologies Trading Up 0.3 % Shares of ZBRA opened at $407.00 on Friday. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $380.51 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $344.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.37. Zebra Technologies Co. has a 52-week low of $232.29 and a 52-week high of $409.03. The company has a market cap of $20.99 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 55.37 and a beta of 1.64. Insider Transactions at Zebra Technologies In other news, CFO Nathan Andrew Winters sold 1,837 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $381.73, for a total transaction of $701,238.01. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 11,421 shares in the company, valued at $4,359,738.33. The trade was a 13.86 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link . 1.06% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders. Analyst Ratings Changes Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on ZBRA shares. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Zebra Technologies from $290.00 to $305.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Needham & Company LLC lifted their price objective on Zebra Technologies from $394.00 to $430.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Truist Financial reissued a “hold” rating and set a $383.00 price objective (up previously from $379.00) on shares of Zebra Technologies in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Robert W. Baird lifted their price objective on Zebra Technologies from $380.00 to $415.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on Zebra Technologies from $390.00 to $445.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, eight have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Zebra Technologies has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $385.18. Check Out Our Latest Stock Report on Zebra Technologies Zebra Technologies Profile ( Free Report ) Zebra Technologies Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides enterprise asset intelligence solutions in the automatic identification and data capture solutions industry worldwide. It operates in two segments, Asset Intelligence & Tracking, and Enterprise Visibility & Mobility. The company designs, manufactures, and sells printers that produce labels, wristbands, tickets, receipts, and plastic cards; dye-sublimination thermal card printers that produce images, which are used for personal identification, access control, and financial transactions; radio frequency identification device (RFID) printers that encode data into passive RFID transponders; accessories and options for printers, including carrying cases, vehicle mounts, and battery chargers; stock and customized thermal labels, receipts, ribbons, plastic cards, and RFID tags for printers; and temperature-monitoring labels primarily used in vaccine distribution. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ZBRA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Zebra Technologies Co. ( NASDAQ:ZBRA – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Zebra Technologies Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Zebra Technologies and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired center Philip Tomasino from the Nashville Predators on Monday in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2027 draft. The move gives the struggling Penguins another young player to work with as the franchise tries to emerge from its roughest start in two decades. The 23-year-old Tomasino had one point in 11 games this season for Nashville. The former first-round pick in the 2019 draft had 23 goals and 48 assists in 159 games for the Predators since reaching the NHL during the 2021-22 season. The Penguins sent a fourth-rounder that belonged to the New York Rangers to Nashville for Tomasino. Pittsburgh is off to its worst start in nearly two decades. The Penguins are dead last in the Metropolitan Division and their minus-34 goal differential is the worst in the NHL. While there have been occasional bright spots — star captain Sidney Crosby becoming the latest member of the 600-goal club over the weekend. General manager Kyle Dubas is starting to lean into an overdue youth movement for one of the league’s oldest teams. He sent veteran center Lars Eller to Washington earlier this month in exchange for multiple draft picks. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl More sports news Rays to front-load home games at minor league ballpark to avoid summer rain What Penn State coach James Franklin said in recapping the Minnesota comeback, previewing Maryland Steelers star T.J. Watt resistant to position switch, insider says Judge rejects request to sideline a college volleyball player on grounds she’s transgenderbwin 888 casino 。

Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Mass., said Saturday that she and her family had been targeted by a bomb threat and that local police are working with the U.S. Capitol Police to investigate the incident. “This morning, I was made aware of a bomb threat targeting my family and me. I am grateful to the excellent officers at the Westford Police Department who responded swiftly to make sure we were safe and who are now working with the United States Capitol Police and Massachusetts State Police regarding this incident,” Trahan said in a statement. “It’s a good time to say the obvious: threats of violence and intimidation have no place in our country,” Trahan added. Westford Police Department Capt. Michael Breault said the department was made aware of the threat via email Saturday morning, at which point they responded to Trahan’s home and notified the Capitol Police and the Massachusetts State Police. Breault said the state police's bomb squad did not find a device and cleared the residence for safety. He added that there appears to be no threat to public safety at this time. The Capitol Police and the Massachusetts State Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The threat against Trahan comes a week after several members of Congress and some of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet picks were targeted with bomb threats and swatting incidents. At least seven Democratic lawmakers from New England were notified of bomb threats targeting their homes as they prepared to celebrate Thanksgiving last week, though no bombs were ultimately found. Among them was another Massachusetts Democrat, Rep. Seth Moulton. The Capitol Police, charged with protecting members of Congress, said in January the department has investigated more than 8,000 cases involving threats against lawmakers, an increase from 7,500 investigated threats the year before. The final statistics for 2024 have not been released.Gap Inc. Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2024 Results, Raises Full Year OutlookNone

I sincerely hope that whoever dreamt up the title Game of Throws (Sky Documentaries) for a show about darts was summoned to the Sky executives’ office — and given a slap on the back. It’s up there, for wit, with Desperate Scousewives and Good Will Humping , though granted that last one is in a different genre altogether (clue: Stormy Daniels was in it). The darts isn’t bad, either. If the documentary’s intention is to show a new side to the game once associated with fag smoke, sticky carpets and pasty-faced, fat-bellied men in gold chains (though there were quite a few “generously proportioned” chaps here, to be fair), it succeeds. Darts has transformed Cinderella-like into the cool, buzzy, upbeat “people’s sport” (in the newA British mother of three has died at a remote retreat in the Amazon rainforest that specialises in “plant ceremonies” involving psychedelic drugs. Maureen Rainford, 54, a social worker from Romford in Essex, paid £800 for a ten-day stay last month at the Ayahuasca and San Pedro Pisatahua Retreat in Bolivia. The retreat describes itself as “an ideal environment to heal, expand consciousness and connect with the wonders of the Amazon”. Her daughter Rochel, 32, said that she was informed by a member of staff named Eric that her mother had suffered a “medical emergency” while on site. Others told her that Rainford collapsed ten minutes after drinking a tea brewed with ayahuasca, a plant-based psychedelic which is an illegal class A drug in Britain.

Advisors Asset Management Inc. Has $133,000 Stake in Horace Mann Educators Co. (NYSE:HMN)

NoneAs mere inches and seconds separated Manhattan High football from its second perfect season in three seasons, the Indians have no reason to hang their heads. “They’re champions in my heart,” head coach Joe Schartz said after the game.

has sold more than 1 million copies since its launch, with additional players jumping in via Xbox Game Pass. The news was announced by developer GSC Game World, which claimed this was just the start of the game’s adventure. “No wonder it feels a bit crowdy in the Zone. A million copies were sold, and much more stalkers joined the artifact hunt with Game Pass,” the studio . “The Heart of Chornobyl emanates stronger with each of us.” So far, has hit a 24-hour peak of 121,335 players on Steam (via ) and that number will likely rise in future – particularly as GSC Game World begins to release the first patches and content updates for the game. Notably, the launch of has been accompanied by an array of issue reports, as players have encountered rafts of bugs in the game. Many players have reported issues running the game on their PC, with any attempt resulting in visual glitches and poor resolution. Some have claimed enemies tend to spawn directly in front of you, creating a real dissonance in exploration. Others have issues with stealth, gun combat, fast travel, and random game freezes. GSC Game World is working to address STALKER 2’s bugs Despite all this, sentiment towards is largely positive, with many players enjoying the experience regardless. There’s also a clear throughline in player feedback: they’ll patiently wait for new patches, as GSC Game World continues to work on the game and address its major bugs. has rightfully earned a fair bit of leeway: it was developed under incredibly difficult conditions, as much of the studio team was forced to evacuate from their home country of Ukraine mid-development, due to Russia’s invasion. Some of the team remained in Ukraine, while others evacuated to the Czech Republic, understandably causing complications with smooth development. While ‘s path from launch hasn’t been entirely smooth, GSC Game World has committed to addressing the major issues with the game, creating a better experience for those one million players+ now wandering its wasteland. Those keen to jump in once its rougher edges are smoothed can stay tuned for updates via and .

Voting closed on Saturday evening in most polling centres throughout Ghana, bringing to an end the presidential and legislative elections poised to be a litmus test for democracy in a region shaken by extremist violence and coups. The capital, Accra, was almost a ghost town for much of the day. Even vibrant Oxford Street, one of the city’s commercial hubs, saw little activity on the day that Ghanaians went to the polls to elect a new president and 276 legislators. About 18.7 million people are registered to vote in the West African country hit by one of the worst economic crises in a generation. However, the two main candidates offer little hope for change for the nation. Early results were expected late on Saturday. The first official results will be released by Tuesday. Ghana used to be a poster child for democracy in the region. At a time when coups threatened democracy in West Africa, Ghana has emerged as a beacon of democratic stability with a history of peaceful elections. It had also been an economic powerhouse, priding itself on its economic development. But in recent years, it has struggled with a profound economic crisis, including surging inflation and a lack of jobs. According to an opinion poll released earlier this year by Afrobarometer, a research group, 82% of Ghanaians feel their country is headed in the wrong direction. Although 12 candidates are running to become Ghana’s next president, Saturday’s election – like previous ones since the return of multiparty politics in 1992 – has emerged as a two-horse race. Vice president Mahamudu Bawumia is the candidate of the ruling New Patriotic Party, or NPP, which has struggled to resolve the economic crisis. He faces off against former president John Dramani Mahama, the leader of the main opposition party National Democratic Congress, or NDC. He was voted out in 2016 after failing to deliver on promises for the economy. Opinion polls point at a potential comeback for Mr Mahama. A local research company, Global InfoAnalytics says he is projected to get 52.2% of the vote, followed by Mr Bawumia, with 41.4%.

How did it come to this? Login or signup to continue reading It was half an hour before the first Newcastle students had planned to walk out of school in 2018 in protest. They were following the example set by revered, and in some circles reviled, climate action protester Greta Thunberg. The adults were killing the planet they lived on. They knew they were doing it; decades of scientific consensus had told them so. They just didn't care. The kids were not OK. And in the absence of an adult to speak for them, they were taking up the fight for themselves. Alexa Stuart, then 15, knew the action was coming. Her mum had asked if she wanted to join them. She said she did not. "I had something on at school that day," she recalls, phrasing the memory half as a question. "But I overheard some of my friends saying that they were going, and I got this really strong urge that I had to be there. I knew I cared about the environment, and I felt that if this was something that I cared about, I had to show up. "I panicked and called my sister, who is older than me and was going, and said, 'You have to come pick me up'." They rode into town together on her sister's bike. They were late. But the moment was profound. "I felt so powerful and inspired and angry and hopeful, marching down the street with hundreds of other kids, chanting at the top of our lungs," she said. "It was a day when I got a taste of what agency can look like for young people who can't vote or have much say on this issue, which will have the biggest impact on us." Stuart would go on to lead the Newcastle school strike movement with a band of friends and classmates. Over the next few years, countless students would follow them. Protests would be staged every few months, drawing masses of children and teens angry at the apathy of the grown-ups, and there were those who hated them for it. They had asked for a world that could sustain life beyond their own , and there were those who threatened to rape them for it. Stuart stopped reading the comments, returned to school, and graduated. A pandemic soon followed. The children's strike movement wound down in the face of that other existential threat, and the former Lambton high student took a gap year to figure some things out. She made art, participated in a few smaller protests, and considered a move to Melbourne to study at the Victorian College of the Arts. There is a version of this story where she accepted that offer to study, moved out of the Hunter, took a different path, and let her activism dissolve into a quiet liberal adulthood where she hangs art in her home and might have become a teacher. Stuart often volunteers to teach primary school ethics and has an affinity with children. But these are things relegated to the hypothetical. What has been seen cannot then be unseen. In August 2022, a sleeping climate action group called Rising Tide was revived by a former teacher turned full-time climate campaigner with a clear goal rooted in the Hunter. The group had been active in a localised way from around 2005 to 2012, but its resurrection would turn outwards to bigger quarry. The Port of Newcastle exported more coal than anywhere else in the world, and that statistic would make it Rising Tide's white whale. It was a clear and tangible target in the tangled web of a problem with no clear and tangible solutions. If the planet was choking on fossil fuel combustion, Rising Tide demanded it stay in the ground. If they were told that the action they wanted to see was economically unfeasible, they would demand the funds be taxed from the industry pouring coal out of the harbour for profit. The group has often claimed to be the fastest-growing climate action cause in the country, though it has no formalised membership other than a database of those who have registered their participation in its protests. Its leaders say it has a spectrum of involvement, from those who are engaged in its efforts effectively full-time to those who show up to support its actions. It holds weekly meetings in Newcastle that are regularly attended by over 30 people, though that number has ballooned to more than 60 in the lead-up to this week's "protestival". Off-shoot hubs have sprung up around the country. In the past year, the group has stopped coal trains in the Hunter, blockaded the harbour in a flotilla of kayaks for 30 hours, and drawn the ire of the NSW Government as they tried to host a similar event this week. Earlier this month, the NSW Supreme Court ruled for the state's police, declaring the planned harbour blockade an unauthorised assembly, effectively denying the protesters the legal exemptions from move-on orders and the access to the Newcastle shipping channel that they had last year. While not illegal, the protest would be forbidden from undertaking any unlawful activity. The state's transport department was similarly employed in the clamp-down , declaring an exclusion zone across the harbour last weekend, cutting protesters off from the water. The group would launch an 11th-hour challenge to overturn the lockout. They would learn they were successful with less than an hour to spare . The boats launched on Thursday as the encampment in Newcastle's Foreshore Park grew in an action that was expected to draw thousands. Transport for NSW has said t he exclusion zone was declared over concerns for safety . Meanwhile, Port of Newcastle boss Craig Carmody has called the protest, and newly-elected lord mayor Ross Kerridge's support of it, a "direct and intentional disregard" for the decision made by the court and police. Councillor Kerridge's deputy, Callum Pull, has similarly denounced the movement as "nothing but disruptive". Nationals Senator Ross Cadell, who criticised the City's support, said the activists were "maintaining a rage" that should not exist. Both sides of government had committed to addressing climate change by 2050, he said. "Just because they don't like the pace or the way it is going on, they get to whinge and shut down a city that's been built on this? That's wrong." The Port of Newcastle has long held the title of the world's largest single coal export hub, but by 2021, its lead was narrowing. In 2022, wet weather, rail maintenance and labour shortages caused a significant dip in output. By 2023, North Queensland was catching up, and the total local export for that year barely outstretched that of the previous one. While Newcastle remains the larger export port, Queensland exports greater quantities of coal through a network of harbours, while NSW centralises its output through Newcastle and Wollongong. At each turn, Rising Tide has framed the state's response as evidence their action has been effective - that they are pressing where it hurts. Still, as the years drag on, there is a growing weariness in the cause as the promise of direct action dissolves like ink in the tide. At Nobbys beach last weekend, Mina Bui Jones had come to support the response to the state's exclusion zone. The weekend's protest would be her second with Rising Tide after she returned from living abroad last year, saw a poster for the blockade and felt compelled to get involved. "My whole life, I've been signing petitions, composting, recycling, writing letters, marching on World Environment Day," she said. "I'm 50, and I remember hearing about the greenhouse effect in high school. My kids have now grown up and become adults, and in that time, it has only got worse. "So many of us have been so earnest and so good. We worry about whether we drive our cars. I've ridden a bicycle where I can, I've been a vegetarian. So many of my friends and family - everyone - have been trying to do the right thing. Meanwhile, you have coal companies that really could make a difference. I'm washing out my compost bucket and doing weed control with my Landcare group, I'm only buying second-hand clothes, and I think, 'Come on, guys'. "We're all making an effort at an individual level, but it is a systemic problem. It needs systemic action." The renewed Rising Tide group marked the second anniversary of its first protest action earlier this month . Stuart said they are in a building phase, in which they are working towards a critical mass of supporters to stage sustained pressure to force the action they are demanding. Still, though the exact point at which that critical mass is achieved was unclear (she estimates the group could reach it in 2026), she maintains that her protest is a means to an end, not an end in itself. "We have a really clear strategy," she said. "And I think that is something that some social movements don't have. Looking back, that is one of my reflections on the school strike movement. We found this great tactic, and we went on strike, and then we went on strike again, and our strikes were getting bigger. That was awesome, but we had less of a clear strategy of how to create the change we wanted. "History has shown that things can change really quickly. It may not seem like it now, but movements can explode, and governments can change their position when public sentiment changes. I think that is what COVID showed - that if there is political will, things can change incredibly quickly. When we start treating this like a crisis, we can create massive changes. But, if there is not the visible demonstration of people, if there's not the visible public demonstration of people's concern about the issue, then our politicians have no reason to act in that way." There have been 12 blockades in the Newcastle Harbour since 2006, with the intent to block the shipping channel, but Rising Tide mounted the longest in that time over the weekend of November 25, 2023. The Port of Newcastle had come to a standstill for the weekend, effectively waiting out the demonstration, and started up again almost immediately after it ended. When the deadline expired, a group of protesters remained in the channel, and supporters on the beach began to chant: "Floods, fires, famine, we are terrified. We shall overcome like a rising tide." Police boats approached and arrested more than 100 people. One was Stuart's 97-year-old grandfather, Alan Stuart, a retired Uniting Church minister. He said that while climate disaster would not happen in his lifetime, his concern for future generations compelled him to participate in the struggle. "What happens to me doesn't matter, but what is happening to the climate and the impact on future generations does matter," he said. "They are just going to suffer; it will ruin their lives. I want them to have as good a life as I have had." Both Stuart's grandparents were ministers of the Uniting Church. Her parents did not practice in faith, and Stuart said she is not religious. "You need to have faith in humanity," she said. "Otherwise, you fall into despair. I think that is what keeps me going: looking at the good and believing that we can change. If you don't believe that, I think it is very depressing. "I genuinely don't read the comments. I know that people won't like what we have to say, but I can live with that. That is a reality of social movements; people who we now look back on with immense respect and admiration were hated when they were alive. "When I grow old, I want to know that I have done everything that I could, and if I have children or grandchildren, I want to be able to look them in the eye and say that I tried." When I suggest, over coffee at Bank Corner on a sunny day earlier this month, that it was small comfort to think that being right could make her a martyr, she laughed softly. "I guess so," she said. "I don't know." But then again, she never reads the comments. Simon McCarthy is a journalist with the Newcastle Herald and its sister publications in the Hunter region of New South Wales (NSW). He has contributed stories, photography, video and other multimedia to the pages of the Herald and its Saturday magazine, Weekender, since 2017. In 2020, he co-created the Toohey's News podcast, which he produced for four years with sports writer Barry Toohey until the show's indefinite hiatus. Since early 2023, he has served as the paper's Topics columnist and, more recently, returned to reporting with an interest in deep-dive stories that illustrate the issues shaping daily life in Newcastle and the region.McCarthy has reported for Australian Community Media (ACM) since 2013, first as a general news and sports writer for the Glen Innes Examiner and later as a group journalist and producer for the publisher's New England regional titles. He joined the Newcastle Herald newsroom as a digital producer in 2017 before returning to reporting in early 2023.He had previously worked for the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth.McCarthy was born in the New England region of NSW, where he grew up, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Cross University in 2012. He covers general news, culture and community issues, with a focus on the Herald Weekender.He is a member of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and adheres to its codes of ethics for journalists.Contact: simon.mccarthy@newcastleherald.com.au Simon McCarthy is a journalist with the Newcastle Herald and its sister publications in the Hunter region of New South Wales (NSW). He has contributed stories, photography, video and other multimedia to the pages of the Herald and its Saturday magazine, Weekender, since 2017. In 2020, he co-created the Toohey's News podcast, which he produced for four years with sports writer Barry Toohey until the show's indefinite hiatus. Since early 2023, he has served as the paper's Topics columnist and, more recently, returned to reporting with an interest in deep-dive stories that illustrate the issues shaping daily life in Newcastle and the region.McCarthy has reported for Australian Community Media (ACM) since 2013, first as a general news and sports writer for the Glen Innes Examiner and later as a group journalist and producer for the publisher's New England regional titles. He joined the Newcastle Herald newsroom as a digital producer in 2017 before returning to reporting in early 2023.He had previously worked for the Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth.McCarthy was born in the New England region of NSW, where he grew up, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Southern Cross University in 2012. He covers general news, culture and community issues, with a focus on the Herald Weekender.He is a member of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and adheres to its codes of ethics for journalists.Contact: simon.mccarthy@newcastleherald.com.au 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. 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‘We can barely believe what’s happening’: how Syria’s frozen conflict flared into hot war that could topple AssadNone

Ignorance and Bliss: On Wanting Not to Know by Mark Lilla review – the enduring power of stupidityNoneWorkday ( NASDAQ:WDAY – Free Report ) had its price target hoisted by Morgan Stanley from $315.00 to $330.00 in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday, Benzinga reports. The firm currently has an overweight rating on the software maker’s stock. A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on WDAY. Scotiabank began coverage on shares of Workday in a research note on Monday, November 18th. They set a “sector outperform” rating and a $340.00 target price on the stock. Loop Capital cut their price objective on Workday from $270.00 to $242.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday. JMP Securities reiterated a “market outperform” rating and set a $315.00 target price on shares of Workday in a report on Thursday, September 19th. Evercore ISI lowered their target price on Workday from $300.00 to $290.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, August 20th. Finally, KeyCorp upped their price target on Workday from $275.00 to $305.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, August 23rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $288.14. View Our Latest Analysis on Workday Workday Trading Down 1.3 % Workday ( NASDAQ:WDAY – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 26th. The software maker reported $1.89 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.76 by $0.13. The company had revenue of $2.16 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.13 billion. Workday had a return on equity of 6.21% and a net margin of 19.86%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $0.47 earnings per share. Analysts predict that Workday will post 2.4 EPS for the current year. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Workday news, insider Richard Harry Sauer sold 3,134 shares of Workday stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $235.78, for a total value of $738,934.52. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 85,795 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,228,745.10. The trade was a 3.52 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink . Also, major shareholder David A. Duffield sold 66,492 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $261.20, for a total value of $17,367,710.40. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 102,997 shares in the company, valued at $26,902,816.40. The trade was a 39.23 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . In the last 90 days, insiders sold 359,954 shares of company stock valued at $88,742,132. 20.00% of the stock is owned by insiders. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Workday A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Capital Performance Advisors LLP purchased a new position in shares of Workday in the third quarter worth approximately $26,000. SouthState Corp raised its position in Workday by 614.3% in the second quarter. SouthState Corp now owns 150 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $34,000 after acquiring an additional 129 shares during the period. Crewe Advisors LLC raised its position in Workday by 56.6% in the second quarter. Crewe Advisors LLC now owns 155 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $35,000 after acquiring an additional 56 shares during the period. Goodman Advisory Group LLC purchased a new position in shares of Workday during the 2nd quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. grew its position in shares of Workday by 42.2% during the 3rd quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 145 shares of the software maker’s stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 43 shares during the period. 89.81% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. About Workday ( Get Free Report ) Workday, Inc provides enterprise cloud applications in the United States and internationally. Its applications help its customers to plan, execute, analyze, and extend to other applications and environments to manage their business and operations. The company offers a suite of financial management applications to maintain accounting information in the general ledger; manage financial processes, such as payables and receivables; identify real-time financial, operational, and management insights; enhance financial consolidation; reduce time-to-close; promote internal control and auditability; and achieve consistency across finance operations. Recommended Stories Receive News & Ratings for Workday Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Workday and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

MESA, Ariz. — Fire crews were able to contain a fire burning near US 60 and Meridian. >> Live, local, breaking. Download the 12News app According to the Superstition Fire and Medical Department, crews were called to the area of Meridian and US 60 just after midnight Saturday. The fire had burned between five and 10 acres on the northeast corner. Crews had difficulty accessing the fire but were able to surround the fire and prevent further spread. Two trucks from Superstition Fire and Medical remained on scene Saturday to monitor for hot spots. No one was injured. Watch 12News for free You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12+ app! The free 12+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV . 12+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX." Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12+ app to add to your account , or have the 12+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.LG Innotek prepares camera module for iPhone 17 - 디일렉(THE ELEC 영문판)

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