2 fish fighting Chanelle Hawken has been named Cox Communications ‘ new market vice president following the retirement of Ingo Hentschel. Hawken, who joined the company in 2015, most recently served as the West region’s vice president of government and public affairs, where she guided strategies and provided leadership on local, state and federal government affairs to community and media teams. Cox, according to its website , manages information technology and cloud services for an estimated 7 million homes and businesses nationwide. “Chanelle brings decades of experience in the public and private sectors to this role, and she’s built strong ties in the community,” said Sam Attisha, Cox senior vice president and regional manager in a news release. “We’re excited to have [her] serve as the new market vice president.” Hawken has a bachelor’s degree in political science from UC San Diego and a law degree from the University of San Diego . She is a member of the California State Bar and completed an executive education program through Harvard Business School in 2022. 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. Before joining Cox, Hawken was vice president of public policy for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce , overseeing local, state and federal policy efforts. She also worked in government and media relations with the San Diego Regional Airport Authority and served on the staff of Rep. Scott Peters . “Having proudly called San Diego home for more than 20 years, I’m excited to take on this new role and work with elected officials and our partners in the business, education and nonprofit communities to bring connectivity to residential and business customers throughout our region,” she said. Hawken also has been recognized by several business media outlets for her accomplishments including San Diego Metropolitan Magazine and San Diego Business Journal . 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.BridgingApps® and Sentara Health Plans Creating Transition Tool for Children and Youth with Special Health Needs

Behavioral Biometrics Market Predicted to Reach $7.4 Billion by 2031 | BioCatch Ltd., Nuance Communications, Inc., LexisNexis Risk SolutionsNonecourtneyk Thesis Jefferies Financial ( NYSE: JEF ) has given again a buy signal near its all-time highs, which I am eager to follow. Despite the fact that the stock is considered expensive, based on the financial results that I will analyze below, I still Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of JEF 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.

The Blue Jays agreed to a minor league deal with left-hander Eric Lauer , reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The CAA client will be in major league camp as a non-roster invitee this spring. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet adds that if Lauer makes the big league roster, he would earn a $2.2MM base salary with additional incentives based on innings pitched and games started. Lauer, 29, was a first-round pick by the Padres in 2016 and has had solid seasons both in San Diego and particularly in Milwaukee. The Brewers acquired Lauer and Luis Urias in the 2019 trade sending Trent Grisham and Zach Davies to the Padres. In the first two seasons of his career, Lauer logged a 4.40 ERA in 261 2/3 innings with the Padres. He was hit hard in his 2020 debut for Milwaukee but looked to be on the cusp of a full-fledged breakout with the Brewers in 2021-22. In 2021, Lauer added a slider to his repertoire midway through the season and went on an absolute tear to close out the year. Over his final 80 2/3 frames, he pitched to a sparkling 2.23 ERA with a 23.6% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. He came roaring out of the gates with a 2.38 ERA, 27.7% strikeout rate and 7.2% walk rate in his first 10 starts of the 2022 campaign as well. Lauer hit a rough patch early in the summer and had some uneven results leading up to a season-ending placement on the injured list due to elbow inflammation in September but still ended the year with a solid 3.69 ERA in 158 2/3 innings. Injury problems persisted for Lauer in 2023. He lost more than two miles per hour off his fastball early in the season, posted a 5.48 ERA through late May and wound up on the injured list for the bulk of the season due to a shoulder impingement. Lauer split the 2024 season between the Triple-A affiliates for the Pirates and Astros before heading overseas to pitch for the Korea Baseball Organization’s Kia Tigers down the stretch. He was hit hard at all three stops, with an ERA approaching or in excess of 5.00 as a member of each team. It’s been a few years since Lauer looked to be solidifying himself as a high-quality big league starter. He’s dealt with elbow and shoulder injuries along the way and has yet to regain his form. However, on a no-risk non-roster deal, there’s little harm in taking a look at a former first-rounder who had some legitimate big league success prior to a run of poor health. If the Jays can get him back on track, Lauer has 4.111 years of big league service, meaning he’d be controllable for multiple seasons. This article first appeared on MLB Trade Rumors and was syndicated with permission.'Multiple' drones entered airspace at New Jersey naval station: Official

Bajaj MUMBAI: Through its AI initiative - FinAI , a key pillar of Bajaj Finance 3.0 - the company aims to triple lead conversion rates , double back-office productivity, and boost front-line performance by 1.5 times. The company's AI-driven transformation will integrate with its existing cloud and digital infrastructure, said Rajeev Jain, managing director of Bajaj Finance. "We've always been early adopters of technology," he said, adding, "Technology drives revenue growth, reduces costs, and mitigates operational risks. AI will take this a step further by improving customer engagement, lowering operating expenses, and augmenting profitability." Over the past year, the company has tested over 30 AI use cases to validate its effectiveness. "Ninety percent of our computers operate on Microsoft Azure, and our data lake supports hundreds of thousands of variables," he said. "These foundations make AI a logical next step." One significant use case for AI at Bajaj Finance is conversational AI. Jain explained, "Currently, SMS communication is static. With AI, messages will include interactive links. For instance, if a customer clicks a link, they can specify preferences like a smartphone instead of a smart TV. AI will then provide options, specifications, and prices, even connecting them to a dealer... Over the next four years, we aim to reduce operating cost-to-net-interest-margin ratio by 100 basis points." Jain emphasised that AI will complement existing systems rather than replace them. "AI will integrate into our current cloud, data, and digital infrastructure. However, physical processes like KYC and AML compliance will remain essential due to regulatory requirements," he said. Discussing the broader lending environment, Jain addressed concerns around unsecured loans. "Unsecured loans have grown rapidly after Covid, prompting necessary regulatory measures. For us, our product mix has remained consistent over the past decade," he said. He added that recent credit cost increases are a return to pre-Covid norms. "If credit costs were 195 basis points pre-Covid, they went down to 153 last year, and are now at 205-210... it's not a dramatic shift," he said. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!

Four flagship investments with a combined budget of 253 million euros were approved by the Interministerial Committee for Strategic Investments, as part of the implementation of the country’s new production model that was presented on October 21. These investments, implemented through the General Secretariat of Private Investments, concern the defense industry, the self-sufficiency of Greece in paper and alcohol and the safety of flights and civil protection services. Metlen’s strategic investment, with a budget of €45 million, concerns new building infrastructure and specialized mechanical equipment in the area of Thessaly. The aim is to produce special metal structures with advanced technology and high added value. The investment of BGS Alcohols, with a budget of €34 million, aims to establish an integrated unit in Patra for the production and distribution of ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin for multiple uses. Olympic’s strategic investment, with a budget of €74.75 million, is part of a larger investment of over €140 million. It concerns the creation of an integrated aircraft and aircraft maintenance service center, as well as a flight simulator and crew training center at Athens Airport. Finally, Intertrade’s investment of €99 million aims to expand the capacity of an existing unit, which will be implemented in Oinofyta, and create a logistics hub for finished products and paper rolls.

Oklahoma sophomore quarterback Jackson Arnold will enter the transfer portal, according to multiple reports on Wednesday. A five-star recruit in 2023 out of Denton, Texas, Arnold began this season as the starter, lost his spot and later regained it as the Sooners went 6-6. Monday is the first day that underclassmen can transfer during the winter portal window. Arnold completed 154 of 246 passes (62.6 percent) for 1,421 yards, 12 touchdowns and three interceptions in 10 games. He also ran the ball 150 times for 444 yards and three TDs, including 25 attempts for 131 yards in the Sooners' 24-3 win over Alabama on Nov. 23. As a freshman last season playing behind Dillon Gabriel, Arnold appeared in seven games and was 44 of 69 (63.8 percent) for 563 yards, four TDs and three picks. A former Gatorade Texas Player of the Year, Arnold started for Oklahoma in the Alamo Bowl last December, when the Sooners lost 38-24 to Arizona. He was QB1 for the 2024 campaign, but three early turnovers caused him to be pulled in a 25-15 defeat to Tennessee on Sept. 21 and replaced by true freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. Arnold came off the bench to replace Hawkins in a 35-9 loss to South Carolina on Oct. 19, and head coach Brent Venables afterward fired offensive coordinator Seth Littrell. Co-offensive coordinator Joe Jon Finley became the interim play-caller. Venables filled the position permanently on Monday by hiring Washington State OC Ben Arbuckle, who could bring Cougars QB John Mateer with him to Norman, Okla. --Field Level MediaBOYS BASKETBALL The Brazoswood Bucs went 1-1 during the first day of the Alice Hub City Whataburger Classic. Brazoswood defeated Laredo Harmony, 90-26, Thursday and lost to Texas Lions Homeschool, 86-57. Four players scored in double figures in the win over Laredo Harmony, led by Kaden Solis’ 17 points. Kyle Mathews added 12, and Jose Trevino and Israel Williams each contributed 10 points. Miguel Nava had eight points, and Robert Young, Sayvion Dunlap and Jalen Davis each finished with six points. The Bucs made 11 3-pointers in the game. Williams’ 10 points paced the Bucs in their loss to Texas Homeschool. Mathews and Solis each added nine, Trevino finished with eight, and Davis scored six. On Dec. 6, the Bucs lost 61-43 to Baytown Sterling. The Rangers’ 17-2 first quarter padvantage ut the Bucs (5-6) behind the 8-ball. Nava scored 11 points, and Shaydon Coulter added seven. BCS wins 5th straight: After a 3-2 start to the season, Brazosport Christian has won five straight after beating Allen Academy, 55-28, Thursday in tournament action. Tyson Sullivan finished with nine points, 11 rebounds, four assists and three steals. Luke Coburn, James Moore and Shep Poe each scored eight points. Moore collected five steals. The Eagles (8-2) will finish the Founders Christian Tournament on Saturday. 2 ’Necks score 20 points in win: The Columbia Roughnecks improved to 2-0 at their new court Monday with an 83-67 victory over Sealy. Two Roughnecks finished with at least 20 points, paced by freshman Drake Autenrieth’s 24. Kaison Lewis added 21, and Dassi Abdullah contributed 19 points. After tournament play this weekend, the Roughnecks (5-6) will host Brazosport (8-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at First Capital Court. Bulldogs win first game of season: A second-quarter advantage helped Sweeny to its first win of the season, 54-45, against an Australian travel team. Both Sweeny basketball teams hosted an Australian team last season, and the schools continued the tradition this year with the Bulldogs hosting the team from down under. Tatum Waller and Jacory Maisonet each scored a team-high 10 points and grabbed five rebounds. Miguel Garza scored eight points and recorded three steals. Marcus Pete added eight points and four rebounds and Ethan Miller had seven points and seven boards. The Bulldogs (1-5) were less fortunate Tuesday in a 94-37 non-district loss to in-county team Angleton. The Wildcats improved to 9-8. Bryson Campbell led all scorers with 29 points on 10-of-21 shooting and 10 steals. Kadyine Jones followed with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and four steals, and Noah Rossow added 11 points and four steals. Malaki Manzano and Braelin Williams each tallied eight points. Manzano dished four assists and six steals, and Williams grabbed five rebounds. For Sweeny, Deshaun James paced the Bulldogs with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, five rebounds and two steals. Waller and Clinton King-Varner each scored eight points. King-Varner snatched six rebounds. GIRLS BASKETBALL Coburn scores 25 in Lady Eagles’ win Brazosport Christian won its third straight game Tuesday with a 61-27 victory over Divine Savior Academy. Sophomore Bo Coburn scored nearly as many points as the Rays with 25 on 10-of-22 shooting. She also had four rebounds and three steals. Cayla Cloudt added 11 points and three steals, and Lexi Mendoza and Malerie Gonzalez each contributed eight points. Valerie Gonzalez grabbed eight rebounds, and Mendoza and Charity Catoe each snatched seven boards. In tournament play Thursday, the Lady Eagles (6-2) defeated Calvary Baptist, 46-36. After tournament action this weekend, the Lady Eagles will not play again until Jan. 7 Columbia goes 4-1 in tourney: The Columbia Lady ’Necks’ lone loss last weekend at the Tidehaven Tournament came against the host Tigerettes. Other than that, Columbia had a successful weekend by going 4-1. The Lady ’Necks beat Van Vleck, 43-29; Bay City, 31-30; Wharton, 39-28; and Calhoun, 40-25. The state-ranked Tigerettes beat Columbia, 50-19. Columbia (1-0, 12-3) will play Brazosport on Tuesday at E.E. “Flash” Walker Gymnasium. Lady Dogs drop district opener: The Sweeny Lady Dogs lost their sixth straight game Tuesday with a 41-29 District 29-4A-opening loss to Wharton. No Lady Dog (0-1, 4-10) scored in double figures. Kiah Woodard’s eight points led the team on 4-of-4 shooting from the field. Trinity McDaniel added six points and two rebounds. B’port snaps skid: The Brazosport Lady Exporters started District 29-4A play on the right foot Tuesday with a 69-25 victory over Needville. The win snapped a four-game skid for the Lady Ships (1-0, 5-7). The 69 points tied for the third-most scored in a game by Brazosport this season and the most since Dec. 3, when it beat Brazoswood, 69-48. Iowa Colony wins district opener: The reigning District 26-4A champion Iowa Colony Lady Pioneers opened their inaugural District 20-5A schedule Tuesday with a resounding 86-33 victory over Texas City. Since last season, Iowa Colony (1-0, 9-8) has won 13 straight district games. Three Lady Pioneers finished in double figures, with Eryn Roberts leading the way with 24 points on 11-of-15 shooting. Aaliyah Rogers finished with a double-double with 11 points on 5-of-12 shooting and 10 rebounds, and Kenadie Francis had 12 points with a 5-of-9 mark from the floor. Roberts and Payton Watson each tallied six steals. Watson contributed nine points and Kailee Scipio added seven points. at Emery-Weiner. WRESTLING B’wood takes 2nd at Stampede The Brazoswood Bucs had a strong showing at last weekend’s Maverick Stampede at Morton Ranch High School in Katy. The Bucs finished with 157 points for second place in the team standings behind Katy Cinco Ranch’s 210.5 points. Senior Michael Villarreal finished 4-1 to take silver in the 285-pound weight class. In the two-day tournament, Villarreal (13-1) collected his 100th career victory, joining teammate Aaron Reyna, who notched his 100th career win last season. Reyna — who owns the school record in most wins in program history — also finished runner-up in the 120-pound eight class. Reyna went 4-1 in the tournament and is 12-2 on the season. Gavin Marks placed fifth in the 106 category by beating Marcos Nino of Corpus Christi Carroll by a 9-2 decision in his final tournament match. Marks is 10-4 this season. Aidan Marks (10-5) in the 132 class and Byron Dabney (14-2) in the 215 class each finished sixth. The Lady Bucs finished 11th with 91.5 points. Karen Kime (7-2) went 5-0 to win her 165-pound weight class. Maria Gonzalez (11-3) placed fourth in the 185 class, and Lupita Gonzalez (9-5) took fifth in the 152 category.FBI Director Christopher Wray announces resignation

Taoiseach Simon Harris has said he is taking a “project truth” approach to calling out Sinn Fein’s spending pledges as fears over future economic threats took centre stage in the Irish General Election campaign. Election results on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean have set the background for the final stretch of campaigning for Irish parties ahead of polling day on Friday. Donald Trump’s presidential election victory in the US has brought heightened concern that his administration’s proposals around corporation tax and tariffs would significantly impact Ireland’s economic model. Mr Harris, leader of Fine Gael, has argued Ireland and other EU countries need to prepare for the possibility of trade shocks as he criticised the scale of Sinn Fein’s spending pledges as well as their saving plans. He said: “I think that is irresponsible, I think it is dangerous and I think it is reckless.” He accused Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald of not being able to say what her party was prepared to do in the event of an economic crash, adding that Fine Gael would borrow and stop putting money towards a rainy-day fund. Asked if the party was engaging in “project fear” to dissuade voters against Sinn Fein, Mr Harris said: “I call it ‘project truth’. It’s telling people what’s being discussed right across European capitals.” Ms McDonald told an RTE interview on Wednesday morning that a Sinn Fein government would also be prepared to start borrowing in the event of an economic downturn. Both Mr Harris and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, who were partners in the last coalition government in Ireland, have made clear they will not countenance Sinn Fein as a potential partner in the next administration in Dublin. One day after the only three-way debate featuring the leaders of the main parties, Mr Martin accused Sinn Fein of being “dishonest” about how they will fund their manifesto plans. Speaking in Dublin on Wednesday, he said he is anxious to get clarity on the issue. “I think Sinn Fein have been very dishonest, frankly, in terms of the funds, because if you go through their figures, and this is a matter of fact, not opinion, they’re predicting a surplus of a billion in 2026, a billion in 2027. “Even in 2025, they’re talking about a mini budget, which would mean reducing the surplus that we’re anticipating in 2025. “There’s a legislative obligation now on any new government to put 0.8% of GDP to one side, and into the funds. There’s no way you can do that with a surplus of a billion in 2026 or 2027, and we would argue they would not have enough funds next year either to put into the funds.” He added: “It means they have no room to manoeuvre if things go wrong, if there’s headwinds come externally, or there are shocks internationally, Sinn Fein is not allowing any headroom at all in terms of room to respond or to move it.” Ms McDonald accused the other two parties of conspiring to keep Sinn Fein out of government and prevent change in Ireland. She said the two men were now “indistinguishable” from each other as she claimed they were suffering “acute amnesia” in regard to their records in government. On a visit to Naas fire station in Co Kildare, she said: “To listen to them, you’d imagine they had just arrived on the scene and that they were going to come up with all of these solutions. “They have had ample chances, ample opportunity, to make things better, and they have failed, and in between the two of them I make the case that now we ask for our chance, with our plans, with our team, to demonstrate how change can happen, how your community, your family, yourself, can be supported when the government is actually on your side.” Mr Martin’s and Mr Harris’ coalition partner Roderic O’Gorman, the leader of the Greens, issued a warning to the public over a future government without his party. On Wednesday, he said it is looking likely that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael will be returned to government – but cautioned they may not want the Greens to continue “fighting hard” on policies. He told reporters: “My sense is certainly the mood music from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael is that they’d like an easier life in the next government – and my concern is they use these small populist parties and right-wing independents.” Mr O’Gorman argued that the Greens could continue to provide stability to government at a time when economic shocks may be around the corner. As the Green leader suggested that relying on independents would be unstable, Mr Martin has also argued that “too much fragmentation would lead to incoherence in government”. Reflecting on Tuesday night’s debate, the Fianna Fail leader said the race remained “too close to call” while Mr Harris said it is “all to play for”. The leaders of Ireland’s three main political parties clashed on housing, healthcare and financial management in the last televised debate before Friday’s General Election. The tetchy debate, which was marked by several interruptions, saw the parties set out their stalls in a broadcast that commentators said did little to move the dial before polling day. The latest opinion poll on Monday put the parties in a tight grouping, with Fianna Fail slightly ahead of Sinn Fein, and Fine Gael in a close third after a significant slide in a campaign marked with several hiccups for Mr Harris’s party. After the 2020 general election delivered an inconclusive result, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power – with the Greens as a junior partner. From 2016 to 2020, Fianna Fail had supported Fine Gael in power through a confidence-and-supply arrangement from the Opposition benches in the Dail parliament. Sinn Fein won the popular vote in 2020 but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government.Reports: Oklahoma QB Jackson Arnold entering transfer portal

Trump's lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction

Mysterious googly eyes go viral after appearing on public art in OregonPep Guardiola admits he is questioning himself after Manchester City’s latest defeat left them in danger of missing out on the Champions League knockout stages. City slumped to their seventh defeat in 10 games in all competitions as they were beaten 2-0 at Juventus in their latest European outing on Wednesday. Second-half goals from Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie at the Allianz Stadium left Guardiola’s side languishing in 22nd place in the standings. With just two games of the league phase remaining, a place in the top eight and automatic last-16 qualification looks beyond them and they face a battle just to stay in the top 24 and claim a play-off spot. City manager Guardiola said: “Of course I question myself but I’m stable in good moments and bad moments. “I try to find a way to do it. I’m incredibly honest. If we play good (I say) we played good and today I thought we played good. “Our game will save us. We can do it. We conceded few chances compared to the Nottingham Forest game that we won. We’re making the right tempo. “We missed the last pass, did not arrive in the six-yard box (at the right time) or have the composure at the right moment. “But I love my team. This is life, it happens. Sometimes you have a bad period but I’m going to insist until we’re there.” City now face a crunch trip to Paris St Germain, who are also at risk of failing to qualify, next month. Guardiola accepts the top 24 is now the only aim. He said: “It’s the target. We need one point or three points. We go to Paris to try to do it and the last game at home.” Veteran midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said after the game he felt City were suffering from a loss of confidence but Guardiola dismissed his player’s comments. “I am not agreeing with Ilkay,” he said. “Of course it is tough but, except one or two games in this period, we’ve played good.” City now face a further test of their resolve as they host rivals Manchester United in a derby on Sunday. Gundogan told TNT Sports: “It (confidence) is a big part of it. That’s a mental issue as well. “You can see that sometimes we miss the ball or lose a duel and you see that we drop immediately and lose the rhythm. They (the opponents) don’t even need to do much but it has such a big effect on us right now. “Even more you have to do the simple things as good as possible and create and fluidity, then it’s work hard again. This is how you get confidence back – do the small and simple things, (but) in crucial moments at the moment we are always doing the wrong things.” Juventus coach Thiago Motta was pleased with the hosts’ performance, which boosted their hopes of making the top eight. “It was a deserved victory,” he said. “We had to defend as a team and be ready to attack with quality. “We have shown we can compete at this level and now we have to do it consistently.”