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jollibet casino app NEW YORK , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Council for Autism Service Providers (CASP) honored ABA Centers, the nation's fastest growing autism care provider, by partnering to ring the iconic Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange together. Lorri Unumb , Chief Executive Officer of CASP; Christopher Barnett , Founder & Chairman of ABA Centers; and his daughter, Madison Mulvey , were the official bell ringers during the 1 pm ceremony, marking an early close of the markets in preparation for the upcoming Christmas holiday. ABA Centers was founded as a testament to a father's love for his daughter, sparked from Mr. Barnett's personal experience attempting to acquire a diagnosis and then quality care for his own child, Ms. Mulvey, who spent years dealing with a misdiagnosis and missing out on the proper treatment that she desperately needed. What Mr. Barnett experienced as the parent of a child on the spectrum – the inadequacies, the lack of services available, and the long wait lists within the autism care system – were simply unacceptable. As a longtime healthcare entrepreneur, Mr. Barnett recognized that he already harnessed the infrastructure to effectuate real change within the autism care industry, so he set out to create a mission-driven organization, where every employee throughout the corporate and clinical teams is dedicated to making a lasting impact in the lives of autistic children and their families. "I hope that the sound waves of this bell ringing transcend the trading floor and serve as a rally call for quick, compassionate, and top quality autism care across our country," remarked Mr. Barnett. "Seeing CASP and ABA Centers on the New York Stock Exchange podium should encourage other decision makers and deal makers alike to find ways in which they can positively impact the autism care industry further because there are millions of children currently languishing on wait lists and missing out on the autism care that they deserve during the most crucial times." In 2024, ABA Centers achieved the following monumental milestones, which served to amplify its commitment to providing every kid in the country with world class autism care: "For mission-driven organizations like CASP and ABA Centers, this bell ringing ceremony offers a platform to amplify our message and highlight the importance of autism care, as well as the challenges faced by the autism community, to a robust and influential audience," stated Mrs. Unumb. Mrs. Unumb and Mr. Barnett were joined on the bell ringing podium by the C-suite of ABA Centers: Jason Barker ; Joseph Heilner ; Kristy Johnson ; Quatiba Davis; Michael Holohan ; Michael Holzum ; Michael Holzum, Jr. ; and Ted Bender ; members of The Christopher M. Barnett Family Foundation: Julie Barnett , Kaitlyn Mulvey , Madison Mulvey , and Kennedy Mulvey ; and Dan Unumb of the Autism Legal Resource Center. About ABA Centers ABA Centers provides applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy services to children with autism spectrum disorder through a play-based approach rooted in positive reinforcement. The company was designed to disrupt the autism care industry by demolishing wait times traditionally experienced by those in search of a diagnosis or treatment. Its strategically designed behavioral care centers offer the greatest opportunity for growth to young clients and their families. In-home and in-school therapy services are also available to deliver the most impactful continuum of care and to best meet each client's specific needs. In 2024, ABA Centers was named the No. 5 fastest growing private company in America on the Inc. 5000. More information can be found at www.abacenters.com . About the Council of Autism Service Providers Founded in 2016, the Council of Autism Service Providers (CASP) is a non-profit trade association of over 380 autism service provider organizations from all 50 states and multiple countries. It supports members by cultivating, sharing, and advocating for best practices in autism services. From developing clinical practice guidelines for applied behavior analysis to educating legislators about good policy, CASP works every day to ensure individuals with autism receive quality care. Learn more at www.CASProviders.org . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-council-of-autism-service-providers-and-aba-centers-partner-to-ring-closing-bell-at-the-new-york-stock-exchange-302337682.html SOURCE ABA Centers

Europe's main stock markets were little changed Thursday despite interest rate cuts by the eurozone and Swiss central banks as policymakers warned of economic and political woes in the region and beyond. Wall Street shares pulled back a day after the tech-heavy Nasdaq topped 20,000 points for the first time. The Paris CAC 40 index ended the day flat while the Frankfurt DAX added 0.1 percent after the European Central Bank (ECB) cut its interest rates by 25 basis points, marking its third consecutive reduction and fourth this year overall. ECB President Christine Lagarde said policymakers discussed political "uncertainty" in Europe and the United States before deciding on the cut. She mentioned "political situations in some of the member states" and the US presidential election won by Donald Trump. Lagarde warned that the eurozone economy was "losing momentum" and that "the risk of greater friction in global trade could weigh on euro area growth". Earlier, the Swiss National Bank surprised markets with a 50-basis-point reduction in its rate, citing slowing inflation and uncertainty over the impact of Trump's economic policies and Europe's political upheaval. The franc fell against the dollar and the euro following the announcement. With growth still weak and France and Germany in political crises there have been calls for the ECB to move faster. Germany is heading towards early elections in February following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government as Europe's biggest economy falters. In France, President Emmanuel Macron is due to appoint a new prime minister after MPs toppled the government of Michel Barnier last week. Sylvain Broyer, an economist at S&P Global Ratings, said Europe was suffering from "a real crisis of confidence whose roots run deep and go beyond economic factors". "The ECB must react and speed up the pace of rate cuts, unless low confidence derails the nascent recovery and jeopardizes the return to price stability," he said. Investors are also focused on the US Federal Reserve's own interest rate decision next week. Consumer inflation data on Wednesday was in line with expectations as it inched slightly higher in November to 2.7 percent. But figures on Thursday showed US wholesale inflation also ticked higher in November. Nonetheless, futures markets continued to show high confidence the Fed will still cut interest rates next week. But there are concerns that measures pledged by Trump to slash taxes and regulations and ramp up tariffs could reignite price increases. In Asia, Hong Kong and Shanghai rallied amid hopes that leaders in China will unveil more help for the economy, which is struggling under the weight of weak consumer spending and a chronic property crisis. Tokyo gained more than one percent on a weaker yen. New York - Dow: DOWN 0.5 percent 43,014.12 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.5 percent at 6,051.25 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: DOWN 0.7 percent at 19,902.84 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.1 at 8,311.76 (close) Paris - CAC 40: FLAT at 7,420.94 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: UP 0.1 percent at 20,426.27 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: UP 1.2 percent at 39,849.14 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: UP 1.2 percent at 20,397.05 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.9 percent at 3,461.50 (close) Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.0468 from $1.0496 on Wednesday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2669 from $1.2751 Dollar/yen: UP at 152.68 yen from 152.45 yen Euro/pound: UP at 82.59 from 82.31 pence West Texas Intermediate: DOWN 0.4 percent at $70.02 per barrel Brent North Sea Crude: DOWN 0.2 percent at $73.41 per barrel burs-jmb/dwHealth In Tech Announces Closing of Initial Public OfferingChannel 4 News was named News Provider of the Year at the British Journalism Awards 2024 for its eyewitness journalism from Gaza, coverage of the Post Office scandal and undercover reporting during the UK general election The British Journalism Awards judges said Channel 4 News had “led the way providing public interest journalism which raises the reputation of our whole industry”. Meanwhile, a Sunday Times staffer was Journalist of the Year winner for the second year in a row: Caroline Wheeler received the title for her work on the infected blood scandal, following in the footsteps of colleague Gabriel Pogrund in 2023. Judges said Wheeler was recognised for her work both over the previous year and over the course of a 23-year crusade in which she was instrumental in bringing about the public inquiry that began in 2017. Wheeler also won the Politics Journalism category for, the judges said, being “outstanding work which is the definition of public interest journalism”. The Sun won two of the most prestigious categories – Investigation of the Year and Scoop of the Year – for its work investigating the BBC and its most high-profile newsreader Huw Edwards. The awards were presented at a gala dinner hosted by BBC and Channel 5 presenter Jeremy Vine at the London Hilton Bankside on Thursday night. Other highlights included the posthumous recognition in the Public Service category for David Knowles, who spearheaded The Telegraph’s flagship Ukraine: The Latest podcast before his sudden death aged 32 in September. And two journalists reporting from inside Gaza for Channel 4 News and BBC Eye Investigations – Yousef Hammash and Feras Al Ajrami – jointly received the Marie Colvin Award given to outstanding up-and-coming journalists of the calibre of the Sunday Times correspondent who was killed in Syria in 2012. The 13th annual British Journalism Awards continued to celebrate journalism that showed skill and rigour, was revelatory and served the public interest. The 26 winners were whittled down from more than 750 entries and 170 finalists by an independent panel of 80 judges. The BBC was a big winner of the night across four categories through its different strands. Laura Kuenssberg was named Interviewer of the Year for interviews with Baroness Mone and Chancellor Rachel Reeves on her Sunday morning programme, a team from Radio 4 won the Crime & Legal Affairs Journalism category for their work tracking down a wanted people smuggler, and a Panorama team won Social Affairs, Diversity & Inclusion Journalism for revealing allegations of exploitation and abuse at fashion brand Abercrombie and Fitch. The BBC was also highly commended in four categories. Also recognised in four categories were The Times and Sunday Times: as well as Wheeler’s two prizes, Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace won in Arts & Entertainment Journalism for their investigation into allegations against Russell Brand and Oliver Marsden won New Journalist of the Year for work from Israel and Lebanon for The Sunday Times and Al Jazeera. The publisher was further highly commended in three categories. The Economist was close behind with three wins: Duncan Robinson won the Comment Journalism category, while from its 1843 magazine Thomas Dworzak won Photojournalism and Amanda Chicago Lewis won Technology Journalism. The Sun was rewarded in two categories (Scoop and Investigation of the Year) for its work revealing allegations and then charges against Huw Edwards. The judges said: “Unmasking such a powerful figure and exposing not only how they abused their position but but how the BBC had failed to act was a huge act of public interest. This story required not just old-fashioned investigative techniques but sensitivity and judgement in how to handle and present the investigation.” Also winning two categories each were The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and The Guardian (which did not have any representation on the awards night due to the ongoing strike against the sale of The Observer to Tortoise). Nominated Guardian journalists shared a statement read out on the night which said: “We are so disappointed that we can’t be here with you tonight, but want to thank Press Gazette and the judges for shortlisting us and also pay tribute to our fellow nominees for their impressive work. From the picket lines, have a great night.” In his opening comments, Press Gazette editor-in-chief and chairman of the judges Dominic Ponsford said: “Artificial intelligence can do a lot, but it can’t go undercover in a prison, care home or school. It can’t be the eyes of the world, risking everything to report from war zones. And it can’t make the call to face down legal threats, despite the high costs, and decide to publish and be damned as so many of you have done over the last year. “Amid a sea of online content which can be filled with ‘made for advertising’ sewage, the work on display tonight reminds us all that real journalism is special, it does matter and it can make a difference. It is worth fighting for and protecting from the parasitical US tech giants who have been allowed to dominate and monopolise so much of our media and culture.” The awards were supported by headline sponsor Starling Bank along with Amazon and RenewableUK. The event supported charity partner the Journalists’ Charity, which is devoted to assisting members of the profession who fall on hard times. If you can, please help a colleague by making a donation via this link . WINNER: Josephine Moulds — The Bureau of Investigative Journalism The judges said: “Well written, detailed and revelatory. Three massive stories which had an impact and got results.” Highly commended: Guy Grandjean, Patrick Fee, Gwyneth Jones and Chris Thornton — BBC Spotlight Northern Ireland Highly commended: Sam McBride — Belfast Telegraph The judges said the highly commended finalists “both exposed really shocking levels of pollution in Britain’s largest freshwater lake and got results”. WINNER: Rebecca Thomas — The Independent The judges said the winner’s work provided “three significant examples of dogged journalism which had a huge impact”. WINNER: Gill Plimmer and Robert Smith — Financial Times The judges said the FT “played to two of its journalists’ strengths here – notably its coverage of infrastructure and the debt markets – to bring the crisis at Thames Water to front pages across the country”. Highly commended: Anna Isaac and Alex Lawson — The Guardian The judges said: “This was an impressive, good old-fashioned off-diary scoop of the best variety, clearly written against a wall of intransigence.” WINNER: Sue Mitchell, Rob Lawrie, Joel Moors, Winifred Robinson, Dan Clarke, Philip Sellars, Tom Brignell and Mom Tudie — BBC Radio 4 The judges said: “Gripping, brave, brilliant tradecraft and a huge public interest operation achieving what the police couldn’t.” WINNER: Duncan Robinson — The Economist The judges said Robinson was “absolutely on the money on freebies long before the rest of the media, particularly Keir Starmer’s declarations. He exemplifies the fine art of balanced commentary.” WINNER: Simon Lock, Rob Davies and Jacob Steinberg — The Bureau of Investigative Journalism / The Guardian The judges said: “This was superb work which tenaciously pursued a story others seemed happy to forget, exposing the less salubrious machinations behind the lucrative world of football.” WINNER: Tom Pettifor, Matthew Young and Daniel Dove — Daily Mirror The judges said: “This was a compelling video report which revealed persuasive new evidence on one of the UK’s most high-profile unsolved murders, 25 years on.” Highly commended: Mohamed Ibrahim, Owen Pinnell, Mouna Ba, Wael El-Saadi and Feras Al Ajrami — BBC Eye Investigations The judges said: “A deeply compelling watch that captured brilliantly the plight of people in Gaza.” Highly commended: Reem Makhoul, Robert Leslie, Clancy Morgan, Amelia Kosciulek, Matilda Hay, Liz Kraker, Dorian Barranco, Barbara Corbellini Duarte, Erica Berenstein and Yasser Abu Wazna — Business Insider The judges said: “A highly polished and beautifully visualised piece of research about the effects of the war in Gaza.” WINNER: Emily Townsend — Health Service Journal The judges said: “A great range of stories tackling tough subjects, all well researched and genuinely impactful.” WINNER: Thomas Dworzak — 1843 magazine, The Economist The judges said: “A sensitive and deeply moving set of photos which reveal an untold story and provide a visual record of the human toll of geopolitical conflict.” WINNER: Harry Lewis-Irlam, Stephen Matthews, Darren Boyle and Rhodri Morgan — Mail Online: Deep Dive The judges said: “A clever way of conveying complex information without overwhelming the audience. A genuinely innovative new story format.” Highly commended: Alison Killing, Chris Miller, Peter Andringa, Chris Campbell, Sam Learner and Sam Joiner — Financial Times The judges said this entry displayed an “innovative use of AI on an extremely important public interest story”. Highly commended: David Dubas-Fisher, Cullen Willis, Paul Gallagher and Richard Ault — Reach Data Unit The judges said this was “data journalism that makes excellent use of public data to provide useful information in an accessible format”. WINNER: Amanda Chicago Lewis — 1843 magazine, The Economist The judges said: “This was a gripping story which shed new light on one of the biggest problems in the world of technology and how companies respond when they are under ransomware attack.” WINNER: Sirin Kale — The Guardian The judges said: “Sirin’s work is a masterclass in how to blend beautiful writing with meticulous research to ensure she delivers an absolute must-read piece of journalism.” Highly commended: Fiona Hamilton — The Times The judges said: “A journalistic class act who showcases how to bring unique angles to tragedies which had received global scrutiny.” Highly commended: Inderdeep Bains — Daily Mail The judges said: “Inderdeep’s determination to give a voice to a vulnerable young person who literally could not speak for herself resulted in real-world discussion around policy change. A heartbreaking story told with compassion and vigour.” WINNER: Feras Al Ajrami — BBC Eye Investigations WINNER: Yousef Hammash — Channel 4 News The judges said: “Whilst the world’s media has been banned from entering Gaza, these reporters were among those who have ensured that victims of the conflict still have a voice. It is a conflict zone which has become the most deadly in history for the media, with 137 journalists and media workers killed in just over a year. “They’ve both captured the voice from the ground, shown tremendous courage in appalling circumstances and produced vivid, memorable stories. Whilst one chronicled the work of emergency crews working in Gaza during the first weeks of the conflict, the other winner covered the bombardment of Gaza even as his home was destroyed and he had to flee south with his family.” WINNER: Oliver Marsden — The Sunday Times/Al Jazeera The judges said: “This journalist has demonstrated huge courage reporting from dangerous areas. Vivid and compelling reporting.” WINNER: Sam McBride — Belfast Telegraph The judges said: “Sam is a proper journalistic pain in the arse for those in power. Strong, compelling stories, meticulously researched and told with flair and authority.” Highly commended: Abi Whistance, Joshi Herrmann, Kate Knowles, Mollie Simpson and Jothi Gupta — Mill Media The judges said this was “brilliant forensic reporting drawing threads together from three cities to create a powerful expose of exploitation and corruption”. Highly commended: Richard Newman, Jennifer O’Leary, Gwyneth Jones and Chris Thornton — BBC Spotlight The judges said: “Absolutely compelling documentary making which exposed the police incompetence that allowed a killer to be at his dying victim’s bedside.” WINNER: Rianna Croxford, Ruth Evans, Cate Brown, Ed McGown, Tom Stone, Ed Campbell and Karen Wightman — BBC Panorama The judges said: “This three-year investigation made global headlines after it revealed sexual abuse and exploitation at the top of a major fashion brand. Brave journalism which gave male victims a voice in the #metoo movement and has had a huge impact.” Highly commended: Abi Kay — Farmers Weekly The judges said this was “journalism which exposed uncomfortable truths at the heart of the community this publication serves”. Highly commended: Joshua Nelken-Zitser, Ida Reihani and Kit Gillet — Business Insider The judges said this was a “wide-ranging investigation into a largely untold story in one of the most secretive parts of the world”. WINNER: Laura Kuenssberg — Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, BBC News The judges said: “Laura is forensic, politely determined and never lets her subject off the hook.” Highly commended: Christina Lamb — The Sunday Times The judges said: “An excellent spread of work. Intelligence and brilliant on detail.” Highly commended: Nick Ferrari — LBC Ferrari was praised for: “Consistently making headlines thanks to his quick thinking and superb journalism instincts.” The judges also congratulated him for marking 20 years presenting LBC’s breakfast show, the longest stint of any UK commercial radio breakfast presenter. WINNER: Rosamund Urwin and Charlotte Wace — The Times and The Sunday Times The judges said: “This was undoubtedly one of the scoops of the year in the entertainment industry. Journalism which overcame a culture of silence and intimidation.” WINNER: Vanessa Bowles and Jaber Badwan — Channel 4 Dispatches The judges said: “This was the most startling and compelling of many entries from the Israel/Gaza conflict, exposing the true cost of war. It was impossible not to be moved by the children’s stories of life inside Gaza.” Highly commended: Kim Sengupta — The Independent The judges wanted to recognise the “late, great” Kim Sengupta who died in July aged 68. They said: “Typically vivid reporting from Kim Sengupta, one of the finest foreign correspondents of our time. As always he was at the sharp end of the story, bringing to life the impact and the price of war in Ukraine and Israel/Gaza. His skill, his determination and his courage will be missed after his passing this year. He represented the best of British journalism and deserves our recognition.” WINNER: Caroline Wheeler — The Sunday Times The judges said: “This was outstanding work which was the definition of public interest journalism: a story and a campaign that is literally life and death to so many people.” Highly commended: Beth Rigby — Sky News The judges said: “Beth is always brilliant at holding politicians to account in simple and direct style.” WINNER: Computer Weekly editorial team — Computer Weekly: Post Office Scandal The judges said: “Sometimes, campaigning journalism takes time to have an impact. For this title it has taken 15 years and 450 stories. They prove that you don’t have to be big to make a massive impact and have led the way on one of the biggest stories of the century so far, playing a crucial role in finally securing justice for victims.” WINNER: Ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards charged with making 37 indecent images of children, ‘shared on WhatsApp’ — The Sun The judges said: “This was a series of astonishing scoops incredibly sensitively handled, despite some sneering from the usual suspects. Some stories you have to fight incredibly hard to get over the line, and this is one of them. Another game changer.” WINNER: Channel 4 News The judges said: “From searing eye-witness journalism in Gaza to breaking new ground in coverage of the Post Office scandal, Channel 4 News has led the way providing public interest journalism which raises the reputation of our whole industry.” WINNER: David Knowles — The Telegraph The judges said Knowles, who died suddenly at the age of just 32 in September , “made a global impact in a short life. The daily podcast he launched – Ukraine: The Latest – continues to this day and has now had more than 700 episodes and 100 million listens. “Thousands of those listeners paid tribute to Knowles as someone who inspired them to support the people of Ukraine in their struggle against Russian aggression.” The judges added: “His work is an inspirational example of the capacity for journalism to create communities, provide a voice for those who need it most and reach a huge audience by simply telling human stories in a sensitive and intelligent way.” The Public Service Award was collected on behalf of Knowles by his Telegraph colleague Francis Dearnley. WINNER: Scarlet Howes, Mike Hamilton, Alex West, Victoria Newton and James Slack — The Sun The judges said: “Unmasking such a powerful figure and exposing not only how they abused their position but how the BBC had failed to act was a huge act of public interest. This story required not just old-fashioned investigative techniques but sensitivity and judgement in how to handle and present the investigation.” Highly commended: Rosamund Urwin, Charlotte Wace, Paul Morgan-Bentley, Esella Hawkey, Imogen Wynell Mayow, Alice McShane, Florence Kennard, Ian Bendelow, Victoria Noble, Alistair Jackson, Sarah Wilson and Geraldine McKelvie — The Sunday Times, The Times, Hardcash Productions, Channel Four Dispatches Investigations Unit The judges said: “A hard-hitting dissection of a predator who was aided and abetted by the industry he worked in. Meticulous work which had to reach a high bar in order to make it to publication.” Highly commended: Ruth Evans, Oliver Newlan, Leo Telling, Sasha Hinde, Hayley Clarke and Karen Wightman — BBC Panorama The judges said this was “an investigation that exposed cruelty and profiteering in the field of special needs education, led to a school being closed down and staff arrested”. WINNER: Caroline Wheeler — The Sunday Times Press Gazette editor-in-chief and chairman of the judges Dominic Ponsford said Wheeler was “recognised not just for her work over the last 12 months but over the course of a 23-year crusade. Her work was instrumental in bringing about the infected blood public inquiry in 2017. She led a campaign which last year was backed by 250 MPs and peers seeking a fair settlement for victims of the tragedy. “The campaign and public report helped secure the promise of more than £10bn in compensation, undermining the previous government’s ability to offer tax cuts and perhaps even hastening the general election.” Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

As Love Island star Maura Higgins and author Reverend Richard Coles join fellow celebrities Down Under. The latecomers were revealed on Wednesday, November 20 and have yet to join the other campmates. The two are currently in their own private camp as hosts Ant and Dec told viewers they would be living in the 'Junkyard' camp for the next few days. Thinking it would be really bad living conditions, the camp transformed with a mattress bed, bubble bath, grill and more. Maura influencing a priest was not on my 2024 bingo card #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/ZFCl2buUuC However, the two had to complete a mission by convincing the celebrities in the other camp that they were living in awful conditions. Despite not yet being with the other celebrities, fans of the ITV show have said that they are already loving them. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one I’m A Celeb viewer said: “These two are like polar opposites but so funny together." As another added: “Richard and Maura are MY WINNERS ALREADY." A further said: ““Sorry Father.” HAHAHAHAHA adding Maura to an already 10/10 camp is ridiculously brilliant!" While one said: “Aww I’ve missed Maura, I love her! I saw her on Love Island USA but I still have missed her." The reason celebrities no longer have their phone numbers printed on their uniforms is because ITV has changed the way viewers vote this year. Usually, viewers can vote for celebrities to take part in trials or to leave camp by calling the phone numbers assigned to each of them. However, this year, the ITV show is not accepting votes via phone calls. Therefore, viewers must use the app to make their votes. RECOMMENDED READING I'm A Celeb's Danny Jones in tears as he shares mental health journey GK Barry and Dean branded ‘awful’ on I’m A Celebrity I'm A Celebrity's Melvin Odoom was on this hit TV show - do you remember him? The app is available to download either via the App Store or Play Store. One viewer took to X (formerly Twitter) to say they didn't like the change: "Don’t like how they no longer stick phone numbers on the back of their shirts on I’m A Celeb. "Some things should never change, even with technological advances."Viant technology's CFO Larry Madden sells $278,695 in stock

Jacksonville St. 86, East Carolina 78The Best Tech Deals During Target's Black Friday Sale (So Far)Warning as FDA announces many cold and flu medicines do not work

With sleek, ultra-flat, iconic stylish giant screen Innovative technology brand TECNO today unveiled its new AI-enhanced, second-generation flip smartphone, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G in the Philippines with Pia Wurtzbach as brand ambassador A remarkable fusion of on-trend aesthetic design and powerful technologies, the iconic phone will bring a fun, fashionable and functional flip phone experience to stylish individuals. Bringing pocket-sized ease and elegance to daily life, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G is freshly equipped with TECNO’s brand-new TECNO AI suite of AI functions. The suite features an upgraded Gemini-integrated Ella AI Assistant, AI Artboard, AI Writing and much more. It also upgrades the flip experience with a stunning infinity pool-inspired ThruPool cover screen, a flagship imaging system, an ultra-flat flagship main screen and a long-lasting 4720mAh Super Battery with 70W Ultra Charge. 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The cover features a 3.64” screen that is perfectly integrated with the slightly curved main body, while the suspended camera lens is immersed in the pixels that beautifully flow across the display. PHANTOM V Flip2 5G reimagines everyday uses of the cover screen, supporting over 2,000 apps to make life easy for users who often won’t even need to open up the main screen. The screen is larger and more regular in shape to make it natural to use, while it’s 413PPI display is delicate and dynamic. Users can set up shortcut icons for instant access to useful features like step count and weather. The screen also supports a full keyboard display for easy dialing and typing, including quick replies. Users can also bring more character to their smartphone interactions with customizable displays and adorable interactive pets. The cover screen can be personalized with a range of styles, from magazine to graffiti or contrast. There are also five new animal additions to Outer Screen Cute Pet 2.0, bringing even more cuteness to the display. Users can stroke their pet to engage in cute interactions. For game lovers, the screen offers a host of mini-games such as Cute Pet Jump, 2048 Landmark Edition, Cute Pet Elimination Music, Sudoku, and more, so users can have fun without even opening the main screen. Flagship Imaging Elevated by FreeCam Despite being perfectly pocket-sized, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G delivers a flagship candy bar smartphone level camera system, with a 50MP main camera, 50MP ultra-wide angle camera, and front 32MP camera, while its flip form unfolds new shooting perspectives. The powerful rear cameras offer amazing optical grade lossless zoom results, with 2x extended focal length and 2x-10x zoom. Image quality is maintained even when zoomed in. For photos of friends or unforgettable party moments in low light, a 1/1.57” large main camera sensor and 1μm pixels produce clear, detailed photos with improved clarity, brightness, and tone. The main camera also supports 4K@30fps Ultra Steady video stabilizer for clear, stable videos, even on the move. The 32MP shining selfie front camera is ideal for capturing super selfies or shooting exciting vlogs, with advanced phase detection autofocus (PDAF) with more accurate human eye autofocus that achieves finer feature recognition. Equipped with a front flash and physical-level fill light, it also solves the problem of no light source for selfies in low-light environments, making selfies clearer, brighter and more realistic. With its foldable design, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G flips standard shooting on its head for a more creative imaging experience. Capable of hovering at any angle from 30-150°, users can explore new perspectives with FreeCam shooting. FreeCam Selfie, FreeCam Group Selfie and FreeCam Video all let users make the most of the folding design to capture exciting hands-free shots. Hovering the phone also lets users shoot incredible FreeCam Timelapse and FreeCam Long Exposure shots without the need for a tripod. Besides FreeCam, the foldable dual screen design allows even more unexpected shooting methods. With Ultra Selfie, users can shoot highly detailed, ultra wide-angle selfies without unfolding the device, using the device’s flagship-level rear cameras. With Cover Screen Preview, the shooting screen is displayed on both the main screen and the cover screen so the subject of the shot knows exactly how the shot will look in real-time. With Retro DV Mode, users can feel the classic video camera vibes with the device hovered, creating atmospheric shots with built-in templates and filters. Ultra-flat Flagship 120Hz Main Screen Aside from its iconic ThruPool cover screen, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G also features an immaculate ultra-flat 6.9” flagship main screen to bring users an immersive viewing experience. The 120Hz LTPO self-adaptive refresh rate display offers seamless and dynamic screen interactions. The AMOLED FHD+ display with 100% P3 color gamut delivers a rich viewing experience, while 2160Hz high-level PWM dimming controls brightness to reduce the impact of usage on the eyes. Even with regular folding and unfolding, the main screen’s crease line is kept to a minimum, thanks in part to the device’s double helix star track water drop hinge. Constructed using aerospace-grade super strength steel, the hinge ensures a tight fit when opened and closed, while providing a lifetime of at least 400,000 normal temperature folds, 150,000 high temperature folds and 100,000 low temperature folds. The main screen and strong hinge also enable FreeForm hovering. With the cellphone at any angle from 30-150°, users can hover the device and use it in new ways. FreeForm supports a wide range of apps, including system applications like Camera and Visha Player, as well as popular third-party apps such as YouTube, WhatsApp, Netflix, Disney+, Zoom, Google Meet and Messenger. Fast Charge, Big Battery PHANTOM V Flip2 5G lets users chill all day without worrying about charging, boasting one of the largest battery capacities and fastest charging speeds in its category. A powerful 4720mAh Super Battery makes it a reliable companion for all-day activities. Meanwhile, 70W Ultra Charge achieves 50% charge in just 15 minutes and a full charge in 43 minutes. This combination of a large battery capacity and rapid charging technology guarantees uninterrupted usage and superior convenience, making PHANTOM V Flip2 5G the perfect flip companion for hours and hours on the go. Combining an iconic aesthetic and innovative AI, TECNO’s new PHANTOM V Flip2 5G is a futuristic flip phone that brings forward-thinking individuals an amazing creative boost. Through advanced technologies and eye-catching design, it promises to take everyday experiences to a new level of pocket-sized style and fun. Set the trend, order ahead! The PHANTOM V Flip2 5G is priced at Php 34,999 officially. From 11.28 to 12.08, customers in Luzon region and the cities of Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo can preorder the PHANTOM V Flip2 5G by paying a reservation fee of only Php2,000. The first 200 customers will receive a limited edition PHANTOM luggage plus a customized PHANTOM Flip 2 pin and digital video phone case. After the limited edition items run out, customers who will preorder will receive the digital video phone case. During the open sale from 12.09, customers who will purchase offline will also receive a digital video phone case. They will also have the option to pay over 18 months at 0% interest through Home Credit. Special discounts on Tiktok Shop and Shopee On 12.06-12.12, customers can purchase the PHANTOM V Flip2 5G during its first sale at a special price lowest to Php27,999 at TECNO Mobile PH in TikTok Shop . Starting from 12.08, PHANTOM V Flip2 5G will also be available on TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee , TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Lazada , as well as at TECNO Partner Retail Stores nationwide. Being business-savvy should be fun, attainable and A+. BMPlus is BusinessMirror's digital arm with practical tips & success stories for aspiring and thriving millennial entrepreneurs.

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Walker 3-8 4-6 10, Banks 3-7 3-5 10, Kinziger 2-6 4-4 10, Pence 5-9 2-3 14, Wolf 4-9 0-1 11, Poindexter 5-11 0-2 13, Boser 0-0 0-0 0, Barnes 0-0 0-0 0, Daugherty 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-50 13-21 68. Charles 3-6 1-2 8, Shumate 4-7 0-2 9, Cooper 1-2 1-1 3, Garcia 5-12 4-4 16, Murray 4-10 5-7 13, Parker 4-8 3-4 13, Richards 2-7 4-4 10, Selebangue 0-0 2-2 2, Copeland 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 24-54 20-26 76. Halftime_McNeese St. 43-36. 3-Point Goals_Illinois St. 11-26 (Wolf 3-6, Poindexter 3-8, Pence 2-4, Kinziger 2-5, Banks 1-3), McNeese St. 8-20 (Garcia 2-3, Parker 2-5, Richards 2-6, Charles 1-2, Shumate 1-3, Murray 0-1). Fouled Out_Kinziger. Rebounds_Illinois St. 26 (Pence 6), McNeese St. 34 (Shumate, Garcia 7). Assists_Illinois St. 14 (Banks 4), McNeese St. 10 (Cooper 5). Total Fouls_Illinois St. 19, McNeese St. 21.AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced that his office has launched investigations into 15 tech companies over safety practices in compliance with the Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment (SCOPE) Act and the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act (TDPSA). Some of the companies the attorney general's office said it is targeting include Character.AI, a personalized AI software, as well as Reddit, Instagram, Discord and a number of others. “Technology companies are on notice that my office is vigorously enforcing Texas’s strong data privacy laws," Paxton said. "These investigations are a critical step toward ensuring that social media and AI companies comply with our laws designed to protect children from exploitation and harm." The investigations follow an October lawsuit filed by Paxton against TikTok , alleging that the social media giant operated in violation requirements enabled by the SCOPE Act. What is the SCOPE Act? Passed during the most recent legislative session, the SCOPE Act went into effect on Sept. 1 , 2024. It requires digital service providers – such as companies that own websites, apps and software – to protect people under the age of 18 from "harmful content and data collection practices." The law primarily applies to digital services that provide an online platform for social interaction between users that allow users to create a public or semi-public profile to use the service, and allow them to create or post content that can be viewed by other users of the service. This includes digital services such as message boards, chat rooms, video channels or a main feed that presents users content created and posted by other users.

NEW YORK , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Council for Autism Service Providers (CASP) honored ABA Centers, the nation's fastest growing autism care provider, by partnering to ring the iconic Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange together. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Top trending stories from the past week. News, Sports, and more throughout the week. The week's obituaries, delivered to your inbox.

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Pursue Wealth Partners LLC Purchases 15,027 Shares of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)Nitrous oxide (N O) is the third most potent greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and methane. It can also be oxidized by physical processes to form ozone-depleting substances. Atmospheric concentrations of N O have increased since the preindustrial era, making N O reduction a global challenge. The only known biological sink of N O in the biosphere is microbial denitrification. Denitrification is a series of reduction reactions starting with nitrate and ending with the reduction of N O to nitrogen gas, with no greenhouse effect. This reaction is unique to microorganisms possessing N O reductase (N OR; NosZ), highlighting the importance of identifying the molecular mechanisms mediating high N O reduction activity. Researchers at Hokkaido University, in collaboration with colleagues at the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN) and the University of Washington, investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying N O reduction of a microbial species, Nitrosophilus labii HRV44T, which had been discovered by Hokkaido University researchers in 2020, from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent. The team recently published their results in the journal iScience. The research team developed a method that enabled them to analyze time-series gene expression at a genome-wide level, called the transcriptome, using RNA extracted from very few cells. “Time series transcriptomic analysis of HRV44T in response to N O was more challenging than expected,” said corresponding author Sayaka Mino, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Fisheries Sciences, Hokkaido University. “We have performed transcriptomic analysis using methods often used in microbial studies, but we failed to capture the gene expression dynamics over short time scales because we could not get enough RNA from just a few cells. The method demonstrated in the current study requires only 1 ng of messenger RNA (mRNA), making it useful for analysis at low cell densities, from which RNA extraction is difficult.” The time series transcriptomic profiling of HRV44T demonstrated that N O is not a critical inducer of denitrification gene expression, including nos genes, which are expressed under anaerobic conditions even in the absence of nitrogen oxides as electron acceptors. “We hypothesize that this feature may contribute to efficient energy metabolisms in deep-sea hydrothermal environments where alternative electron acceptors are occasionally depleted”, said Robert M. Morris, Associate Professor at the University of Washington. Jiro Tsuchiya, the first author and a JSPS research fellow DC2 at Hokkaido University, and colleagues conducted a statistical analysis of time series data. “Our findings suggest that the denitrification gene nosZ is negatively regulated by transcriptional regulators that typically function as transcriptional activators in response to environmental changes. Although we still need to investigate this result, our study extends the understanding of the regulatory mechanisms controlling gene expression in N O-reducers and may help increase their ability to respire N O”, said Tsuchiya. Deep-sea hydrothermal environments have steep chemical and physical gradients, making them hotspots for bioresources. This study demonstrates the potential for microorganisms in these environments to contribute to N O mitigations that may help combat climate change. Search for microbial resources with high greenhouse gas reduction efficiency, optimization of their abilities, and elucidation of molecular mechanisms specific to these microorganisms will contribute to developing technologies for environmental remediation by microorganisms. AstrobiologyLate kickoff return TDs by Turpin and Thomas spark the Cowboys as they end their 5-game skidzoliget 。

Six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was killed in her home in Boulder, Colorado, US, on December 25, 1996. The girl had suffered a broken skull and her body was also found with a garotte around the neck. Images and footage of JonBenet competing in child beauty pageants helped fan interest in the case, which mushroomed hugely in the US and internationally. A lengthy ransom note and a missing person's call initially convinced police the girl had been kidnapped. The note made a demand for US$118,000 on behalf of a "small foreign faction" and threatened to kill JonBenet. "Speaking to anyone about your situation, such as Police, FBI, etc, will result in your daughter being beheaded. If we catch you talking to a stray dog, she dies," it read. JonBenet's body was found in the basement of her family's home on December 26. It was behind a latched door in a basement that an initial police search had determined to be unimportant - as at the time they were checking for a possible kidnapper's escape route, and the door was latched from the inside. Her father opened it during a subsequent search to find JonBenet's body covered by a white blanket. Despite multiple theories being pursued over the years, the murder remains unsolved. The case is still considered open at the Boulder Police Department. Mikhail Gorbachev, the final leader of the Soviet Union, signs the decree relinquishing control of nuclear weapons to Boris Yeltsin at the Kremlin in Moscow, on Wednesday, December 25, 1991. Gorbachev announced his resignation in a live televised address to the nation that same day, drawing a line under more than 74 years of Soviet history. By the fall of 1991, however, deepening economic woes and secessionist bids by Soviet republics had made the collapse of the USSR all but inevitable. The red flag of the Soviet Union was pulled down over the Kremlin that night as well, and replaced with the tricolour of the Russian Federation. Charlemagne, King of the Franks, was crowned as Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III in Rome on December 25, 800. Although the Eastern Roman Empire had persisted past the "fall of Rome", the papacy wanted to return imperial glory to western Europe as well. Charlemagne united much of western Europe under his rule, and imposed conversions to Christianity on many of his subjects.  However, his capital was in Aachen, not Rome. His Carolingian Empire did not last for long, but it is considered to have planted the seed for the German-based Holy Roman Empire that persisted into the early modern age. US revolutionary general George Washington led a surprise attack across the Delaware River on the night of December 25, 1776. Washington was able to defeat German mercenaries hired by Britain in the Battle of Trenton on December 26 in a crucial turning point of the War of Independence. On December 25, 1951, four University of Glasgow students - Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, Kay Matheson, and Alan Stuart - managed to break into Westminster Abbey and retrieve (or steal, depending on your perspective) the Stone of Scone. The Stone was used in the coronation of Scottish monarchs, until King Edward I took it during his invasion of Scotland in 1296. It has since been used in the coronation of English and British monarchs since that day, up until Charles III. The theft of the stone led to the first closing of the Anglo-Scottish border in centuries. The stone was eventually recovered in February 1952, though the students were not prosecuted for fear of sparking bitter political backlash. Typhoon Phanphone devastated the Philippines on December 25, 2019. Winds hit up to 150km/hr ravaged the country, just a week after a similar typhoon had passed through. The typhoon ultimately killed about 50 people, with 55 missing and hundreds more injured. It left a damage bill of more than $100 million.

Footy legend Paul 'Fatty' Vautin confirms his next move after shock departure from Channel 9 Paul Vautin announced retirement from Channel 9 Says he will never work another day in his life Details the moment he wanted out of the NRL By JAMES COONEY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 22:43 GMT, 3 December 2024 | Updated: 22:43 GMT, 3 December 2024 e-mail 11 shares View comments NRL funny man Paul Vautin has revealed that he will never work another day in his life after announcing his retirement and bringing to an end a 33-year broadcasting career with Channel 9. Footy fans hoped the larrikin commentator would continue doing other media work following his shock announcement , but the NRL icon has now ruled it out. 'I will never work again. I am done. I'm not looking for work,' the Manly great told SEN radio on Tuesday. 'I don't want to do anything. Not radio, not podcasts. I don't want to do anything. I'm happy.' Vautin, who lives on the Gold Coast , says he's very happy just spending time at home relaxing. 'I can spend a whole day on my own and be happy with myself,' he said. Footy legend Paul Vautin says that he will never work another day in his life Vautin says he won't do radio, podcasts or any other kind of media 'Sometimes I read, go for a walk or mow the grass. I'm very happy in my own company.' Vautin was the face of the popular sports talk show The Footy Show for the better part of 24 years before he was unceremoniously dismissed in 2017 after ratings dwindled. He revealed the exact moment he knew it was time to walk away from his job. 'Something changed this year. I'd be driving up in three hours of traffic on a Friday afternoon going 'oh my god what am I doing?' he said. 'In the end I just felt as though I'd rather be at home watching the footy on a Friday night than working on it. 'I still love the game immensely but I just thought 'you know what I think I'm done'. 'There was one particular moment when the Brisbane Broncos were playing the Roosters on a Friday night at Suncorp and look it was a pretty good game, I was commentating with Joey and we were having a good time. 'Then 20 minutes into the second half I was looking out at the field going, 'Oh my god I am so bored'. Vautin, who played 204 games for Manly and represented his state and country in rugby league, described his time in TV as an absolute privilege 'I drove home thinking wow that had never happened before and I knew then it was the beginning of the end.' Vautin told SMH that it was a privilege to work with so many talented people throughout his career at Channel 9. 'I still love Nine, and all the great people there, and I still love the game, I really do – it gave me everything,' he said. 'I can't believe how fortunate I've been to play the game at the level I did. I thought when I came to Sydney I'd have a few years in reserve grade and then probably go home. Instead, I got to play with some of the greats of the game who I now get to call friends. 'And then to think that I somehow had a career in media that went for as long as it did. I'm just so grateful for all the people and my family who have helped me along the way.' NRL Share or comment on this article: Footy legend Paul 'Fatty' Vautin confirms his next move after shock departure from Channel 9 e-mail 11 shares Add commentThe battle for positioning in the College Football Playoff race is nearing its homestretch as the Oregon Ducks maintain a firm grip on the No. 1 spot in the CFP rankings heading into Week 13. In advance of Saturday's games, college football analyst and former Heisman-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III unveiled his list of the top five "teams on the rise" in the country. Holding down the top two spots in Griffin's weekly rankings, which he again revealed via X on Friday, were two teams currently making moves in the Big 12 conference. However, Coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes ultimately netted top honors. Top 5 teams on the Rise 1. @CUBuffsFootball 2. @ASUFootball 3. @GamecockFB 4. @ArmyWP_Football 5. @SMUFB pic.twitter.com/dr3AptBsLm The Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1 in Big 12 play) have notched four consecutive wins and are fresh off a 49-24 victory over the Utah Utes (4-6, 1-6) at Folsom Field. In terms of points scored, it was Colorado's best output of the Sanders era. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for 340 yards and three touchdowns with an interception in the contest. Meanwhile, the Heisman frontrunner, wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, caught five balls for 55 yards and added three tackles and an interception. Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images Next up for the Buffaloes is a road bout with the Kansas Jayhawks (4-6, 3-4). Although Kansas has underperformed this season, the team is coming off an upset win over the BYU Cougars (9-1, 6-1) in Provo. Coming in at No. 2 on Griffin's list were the Arizona State Sun Devils (8-2, 5-2), winners of back-to-back games with last Saturday's 24-14 win over the Kansas State Wildcats (7-3, 4-3) at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt threw for 275 yards and three touchdowns in the victory, while wideout Jordyn Tyson racked up 176 yards on 12 catches, two of which went for a touchdown. Arizona State will host BYU at Mountain America Stadium on Saturday. Rounding out Griffin's top-five trending teams were the South Carolina Gamecocks (7-3, 5-3 SEC) at No. 3, Army Black Knights (9-0, 7-0 AAC) at No. 4 and SMU Mustangs (9-1, 6-0 ACC) at No. 5. Related: Shedeur Sanders Issues Apology After Colorado-Utah

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747 jili Washington Commanders release 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel ForbesThe aftermath of the accident was nothing short of chaotic and devastating. Emergency services rushed to the scene to provide medical assistance to those injured, while law enforcement officials worked tirelessly to clear the area and investigate the cause of the collision. The injured individuals were transported to the nearest hospital for treatment, where they are currently receiving care for their injuries.

Blowout loss to Packers leaves the 49ers on the playoff brinkOn the morning of October 15th, the Henan Provincial Department of Education organized a seminar on school-enterprise cooperation between BYD Co., Ltd. and vocational schools. The event, held at the Henan Education Department Building, aimed to promote collaboration between industry and education, enhancing the quality of vocational education in Henan province.

Steelers Host Massive Ex-Browns Nose Tackle for Visit

In recent years, social commerce has been on the rise in the United States, transforming the way consumers shop online. One platform that has been at the forefront of this trend is TikTok, the popular short-video sharing app that has now ventured into e-commerce. This transformation was particularly evident during the recent Black Friday sales event, where TikTok played a significant role in driving sales and generating revenue worth billions of dollars. However, the question that now lingers is whether this trend can be sustained in the long run or if it was just a momentary success.Senators visit the Kings following Gaudette's 2-goal performance

In recent days, a shocking incident has captured the attention of netizens all across social media platforms. A netizen managed to capture video footage from across the river, showing what appears to be an enforcement scene related to suspected telecommunication fraud taking place in a secluded area. The video quickly went viral, sparking outcry and calls for further investigation into the matter.

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joli.bet 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 MediaMensah, a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining, told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men's basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils (9-3) will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Mensah, viewed as one of the top players in the portal, threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns and completed 65.9% of his passes. He led the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and the American Athletic Conference championship game, where they lost 35-14 to Army. Tulane will play Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl on Sunday. Van Buren, Mendoza and Locke announced on social media they had entered the portal. Van Buren started eight games as a true freshmen for the Bulldogs. He threw for 1,886 yards on 55% passing with 16 total touchdowns and seven interceptions for the Bulldogs (2-10, 0-8 Southeastern Conference). He took over as the starter when Blake Shapen suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a 45-28 loss to Florida on Sept. 21. Shapen has said he plans to return next season. Van Buren, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound passer from St. Frances Academy in Maryland, had two 300-yard performances for the Bulldogs, including 306 yards and three touchdown passes in a 41-31 road loss against Georgia. Mendoza threw for 3,004 yards in 2024 with 16 TDs, six interceptions and a 68.7 completion percentage. "For the sake of my football future this is the decision I have reached," he posted. Locke passed for 1,936 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for Wisconsin this season. He said he will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school. ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan cornerback Will Johnson has joined defensive tackle Mason Graham in the NFL draft. Johnson declared for the draft on Wednesday, one day after Graham decided he would also skip his senior season with the Wolverines. Both preseason All-America players are expected to be first-round picks. Johnson was limited to six games this year due to an injury. He had two interceptions, returning them both for touchdowns to set a school record with three scores off interceptions. Johnson picked off nine passes in three seasons. Graham played in all 12 games this season, finishing with 3 1/2 sacks and seven tackles for losses. He had 18 tackles for losses, including nine sacks, in his three-year career. Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is The Associated Press offensive player of the year in the Southeastern Conference and South Carolina defensive lineman Kyle Kennard is the top defensive player. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia was voted the top newcomer on Wednesday while the Gamecocks' Shane Beamer is coach of the year in voting by the panel of 17 media members who cover the league. Sampson led the SEC and set school records by rushing for 1,485 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is tied for third nationally in rushing touchdowns, recording the league's fifth-most in a season. Sampson was chosen on all but two ballots. Mississippi wide receiver Tre Harris and his quarterback, Jaxson Dart, each got a vote. Kennard led the SEC with 11-1/2 sacks and 15-1/2 tackles for loss. He also had 10 quarterback hurries and forced three fumbles. Beamer led the Gamecocks to just their fifth nine-win season, including a school-record four wins over Top 25 opponents. They've won their last six games and ended the regular season with a win over eventual ACC champion Clemson. South Carolina plays Illinois on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Pavia helped lead Vandy to its first bowl game since 2018 after transferring from New Mexico State. He passed for 2,133 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions. He ran for another 716 yards and six touchdowns, directing an upset of Alabama. AMES, Iowa — Matt Campbell, who led Iowa State to its first 10-win season and became the program's all-time leader in coaching victories, has agreed to an eight-year contract that would keep him with the Cyclones through 2032. University president Wendy Wintersteen and athletic director Jamie Pollard made the announcement Wednesday, four days after the Cyclones lost to Arizona State in the Big 12 championship game. “Given all the uncertainty currently facing college athletics, it was critical that we moved quickly to solidify the future of our football program,” Pollard said. “Matt is the perfect fit for Iowa State University and I am thrilled he wants to continue to lead our program. Leadership continuity is essential to any organization’s long-term success." The Cyclones won their first seven games for their best start since 1938 and are 10-3 heading into their game against Miami in the Pop Tarts Bowl in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 28. BRIEFLY FLAG PLANT: Ohio Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. MALZAHN: Gus Malzahn, who resigned as UCF’s coach last month to become Mike Norvell’s offensive coordinator at Florida State, said he chose to return to his coaching roots rather than remain a head coach distracted by a myriad of responsibilities.

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CLEVELAND (AP) — The NFL has closed an investigation into sexual assault allegations against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is ending the season on injured reserve for the second year in a row. The league has been reviewing the case for months , trying to determine whether Watson should be punished. “The matter is closed,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said Friday in an email to The Associated Press. “There was insufficient evidence to support a finding of a violation of the personal conduct policy.” Watson, who served an 11-game suspension in 2022, was accused of assault in Texas by a woman in September. She was seeking more than $1 million in damages before the sides reached a confidential settlement. Watson strongly denied the allegations through his attorney, Rusty Hardin. The 29-year-old Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon rupture in October. He's been rehabbing the injury in hopes of returning next season. The Browns still owe Watson $46 million in each of the next two seasons after they traded three first-round picks to Houston and signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million contract that has backfired. Watson has only played in 19 games over three seasons due to the suspension and injuries. He was acquired by the Browns, who were comfortable with his character despite Watson being accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct during massage therapy sessions while he played for the Texans. While he's in the clear with the league, Watson's future with Cleveland isn't so certain. His massive contract — and its salary-cap ramifications — has put the Browns in a bind in terms of trying to improve their roster. Cleveland has had a disappointing season after making the playoffs a year ago and could move on from Watson, but the cost would be exorbitant if the team just releases him. The Browns signed Jameis Winston for one season to be Watson's backup. Winston has gone 2-3 as a starter since taking over and he's put some life into Cleveland's offense, which didn't score 20 points or gain 300 yards with Watson before his injury. His 2023 season was ended by a broken bone in his shoulder, requiring surgery. Winston has indicated he would come back, and he could be a viable option as a starter even if the Browns draft a young QB. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Social media ban: More harm than goodThe revelation that the total economic cost of violence against children in Fiji is estimated to be $460million or 4 per cent of Fiji’s GDP is a shocking reminder for us all about our state of affairs! We are talking about violence here, and abuse! We are talking about vulnerable members of society. We are talking about the future of our nation. When you get down to the base of negativity and how that is supposed to impact us as a nation in the future, it can get scary. The statistics were revealed in a joint survey by UNICEF and the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection survey. The study – Economic Costs of Violence Against Children in Fiji – revealed that 81 per cent of children between one and 14 years experience some form of violent discipline, 65 per cent experience psychological aggression while 68 per cent experience some form of physical punishment in their lifetime. In saying that, we also reflect on the sensitive issue of child discipline. That comes with its fair share of expectations, and opinions. There are different views about child discipline out there, and they are connected to laws and expectations now ingrained in society. Anyway, this latest report, endorsed by Minister Lynda Tabuya, explains how children in Fiji experience abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence on a daily basis. This not only affects their physical and mental health, the study suggested, but also leads to challenges in education, social services and their overall quality of life. It notes the long-term impacts are well documented. Children who suffer abuse, it warned, are more likely to become violent adults, perpetuating a cycle that negatively impacts the economic wellbeing of families for generations. Through this study, we learn about the total economic cost of violence against children in Fiji. When you break that down, the costs include $19.33m in direct medical costs, $14.96m in direct non-medical costs, $140.41m in indirect tangible costs and $285.12m in indirect intangible costs. The study also picks on interventions. It suggests that while significant, this large economic burden could be averted through targeted investments in interventions that prevent and respond to violence against children. In Parliament last week, Ms Tabuya said the report provided a basis for their 2022 to 2027 Action Plan. What we have here is a wake-up call because it represents the impact of violence, as we point out, on our vulnerable members of society! We have to confront this challenge head on. Ignoring this could affect the very fabric of society. So we can either keep quiet about it, or work together to break the cycle of violence, for our future wellbeing. So let’s take meaningful steps to create a supportive environment for our children. And while we are at it, let’s try to also navigate the sensitive topic of child discipline. We have been talking about this for some time, and we have writers to the Letters to the Editor column expressing their views. We accept that the issue brims with expectations and opinions. Let’s face it, societal norms, cultural perspectives, and legal frameworks can shape our understanding of discipline and violence. We realise there are complexities, but we have to start somewhere! And while we are at it, let’s talk about how we can navigate our way through the complex situations we are facing now!

CNBC Daily Open: Markets begin last trading week with holiday cheerSouth Korea’s right-wing president, Yoon Suk Yeol, suddenly declared martial law across the country on Tuesday and then swiftly rescinded it after the self-declared anti-communist power grab was unanimously rejected by parliament and sparked a public mass uprising. Late Tuesday evening, Yoon declared martial law, saying that there is a need to protect the country from “communist forces” and to eliminate “anti-state forces.” The decree prohibited all political activities, put all news publications under control of martial law and banned all labor activities like strikes or work slowdowns. Members of the National Assembly, South Korea’s parliament, rushed to the chamber after the declaration, with one lawmaker saying that he had to climb over a wall to get past police and military who were blocking the building. Less than three hours after it was declared, parliament voted, 190 to 0, to reverse the edict. Meanwhile, protests erupted in Seoul after the declaration. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of South Korea’s largest unions with over 1 million members, called for an “ indefinite general strike ” until Yoon resigned. Even though the parliament voted to undo the declaration, military officials had reportedly pledged to continue enforcing it until the president lifted it, according to South Korean news channel YTN . But then, just about six hours after Yoon’s surprise television conference, he rescinded his declaration, citing the National Assembly’s vote . It was the first time martial law had been declared in South Korea since 1980 , when it was declared under a fascist dictatorship propped up in part by the U.S. Yoon is a scandal-plagued far right leader who has massively expanded the oppressive security state within the country since he was narrowly elected in 2022. President Joe Biden has been criticized for his warm relationship with Yoon, saying he is a “great friend” and maintaining diplomatic relations. The Biden administration refused to condemn the martial law declaration on Tuesday, only expressing “concern” over “developments we are seeing on the ground,” as a White House spokesperson said. “Certainly it is our hope and expectation that the laws and regulations of a particular country are abided by that particular country,” said State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel at a news briefing. “Ultimately, we want to see these political disputes resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law. And of course, such a vote in the legislature would be consistent with that approach.” Yoon had already faced mass calls to resign prior to Tuesday, facing accusations of abusing his veto power to advance his own interests, including vetoing a bill to investigate his wife for allegations of stock manipulation; legislation to investigate a 2022 crowd crush that killed 159 people in Seoul; and a bill to probe the death of a marine seemingly caused by negligence within the military.

Subscribe to our newsletter Privacy Policy Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in. Please visit My Account to verify and manage your account. An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link. Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, please join us as a member . Pope Francis and the Holy See drew polarized reactions across the globe after unveiling a Nativity scene featuring a wood-carved infant Jesus laying on a keffiyeh in his manger last Saturday, December 7. The symbol of solidarity with Palestine, which sparked both praise and outrage internationally, has since disappeared from the scene along with the entire manger and model of baby Jesus as of today, December 11. Initially reported by Christian and Italian news outlets , the removal of the manger, baby Jesus, and the keffiyeh was first observed during Pope Francis’s general audience at Paul VI Hall , where only the carved figures of the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and some surrounding stuffed sheep remain. The Nativity was designed by Johny Andonia and Faten Nastas Mitwasi, two Palestinian artists from the city of Bethlehem in the Occupied West Bank, and carved by Bethlehem artist Peter Khano from a single olive tree per cultural tradition. It was a joint gift to the Vatican from Dar al-Kalima University, the Palestinian Embassy at the Holy See, and the Higher Presidential Committee of Churches Affairs in Palestine. Hyperallergic contacted the artists and a spokesperson for the Holy See for comment. Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities It’s worth noting that the Vatican and many Christians abide by the tradition of waiting until Christmas Eve to put the model of baby Jesus in his manger in their respective Nativity scenes; however, the manger itself is usually left empty until Christmas rather than omitted overall. Further, the scene’s removal came after an outpouring of online criticism about the keffiyeh’s inclusion from pro-Israel entities, with netizens , organizations , and outlets alike accusing the Vatican of blasphemy by distorting or misrepresenting the identity of Jesus Christ as Palestinian instead of Jewish. One user on X commented that using the keffiyeh, “a garment that represents violence to Jews,” turned the Nativity scene into a site of hate for Jewish people. Pope Francis, who has used his platform to acknowledge the death and suffering in Gaza and advocate for peace throughout the region on multiple occasions, drew outrage last month after calling for an investigation into Israel’s attacks to determine whether they constitute genocide . He has twice met with the families of hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7, and with some of the freed hostages after their release as well. The keffiyeh, a cultural garment tied to Palestinian identity and broader Arab heritage, has been at the center of controversy in the last year. The Noguchi Museum in New York City recently barred its employees from wearing the scarf , calling it an example of “political dress” that could cause discomfort to visitors. The policy sparked various protests in solidarity with four museum staff members who were terminated after they refused to comply with it. Weeks after the 2023 attack, Christie’s auction house in London pulled two paintings by Lebanese artist Ayman Baalbaki from its Modern and Contemporary Middle Eastern Art sale after multiple complaints — though his portrayal of a keffiyeh in one painting is related to experiences of loss and displacement due to the Lebanese Civil War. We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn Facebook

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NFL ends investigation into sexual assault allegations against Browns QB Deshaun WatsonWhether for streaming or watching movies on disc with one of the , getting your right is key, and that means having the that your budget can accommodate. One of the main tech questions in TVs right now is QLED vs displays, so let's dig into the differences between the two technologies. Both offer impressive advancements in picture quality, yet they rely on very different methods to deliver that performance. In brief, QLED, which was developed by , builds on traditional LCD displays and uses quantum dots to deliver vibrant colors and high brightness, making it ideal for brighter rooms. OLED, meanwhile, is an entirely different approach that uses organic compounds to emit light directly from each pixel, allowing for unbeatable contrast and "true black" levels that are perfect for well-optimized home theater setups. Neither is completely "better" than the other, but there are pros and cons to each approach. Let's dive in. QLED vs OLED: What are the key differences? We mentioned above that QLED and OLED offer competing methods on how to power a TV display. The first thing to note is that both of these technologies are a big improvement over plain old LCD TVs. QLED, pioneered by and adopted by other major TV brands in the past few years, builds on traditional LCD tech by adding a layer of quantum dots that enhance brightness and expand color accuracy. OLED, which stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode, takes a different approach by using organic materials to produce light at the pixel level. Due to its display technology, QLED is ideal for brightly lit spaces, such as if your living room gets a lot of sun, while OLED screens can give the viewer unrivaled contrast and deep, true blacks, which are ideal for a cinematic experience in dimly lit rooms. QLED vs OLED: Key things to look for Roughly speaking, there are three key areas that separate QLED and OLED: brightness, colour accuracy, and contrast ratios. In terms of brightness, QLED displays generally outperform OLED as QLED’s reliance on LED backlighting – enhanced in some models with mini-LED technology – allows it to reach higher brightness levels. The addition of mini-LED backlighting gives certain QLED TVs a further edge by improving brightness control and reducing blooming, or a visible light halo effect, which enhances detail in bright and dark scenes. Color accuracy and contrast are also crucial to any TV viewing experience. OLED excels at producing deep blacks due to its self-emissive nature, where individual pixels can completely turn off, resulting in what is often called “infinite contrast.” QLED screens, on the other hand, leverage quantum dot technology to achieve a wider color range, making colors look vibrant even in brightly lit conditions. Viewing angles and off-axis uniformity are important factors to consider, especially if you’re watching TV from different positions around the room, and OLED has a clear advantage in this area. As each pixel emits its own light, OLED TVs maintain consistent colors and contrast even when viewed from the side. QLED can struggle with color and brightness shifts when viewed from an angle. However, advancements in panel tech and special filter layers in high-end QLED models have helped minimize this issue. Still, for the best all-around viewing experience across a range of seating positions, OLED remains the more reliable choice of the two. QLED: Regular LED vs. Mini-LED Traditional QLED TVs use regular LED backlighting, where LEDs illuminate the screen from behind or along the edges, which enables QLED displays to reach high brightness levels, but can also lead to “blooming”, or a halo effect where bright areas bleed into dark areas due to less precise control over individual light zones. While regular LED backlighting is good for overall brightness, this blooming effect can reduce contrast, especially in scenes with a mix of light and dark elements, and just doesn't look good on a big TV. Mini-LED technology has brought a significant improvement to QLED’s backlighting as they are much smaller than standard LEDs, allowing for significantly more to be packed in. This increase in individual LEDs enables QLED TVs with mini-LED backlighting to have higher brightness and more dimming zones, resulting in finer control over light and dark areas on the screen. The end result is reduced blooming and improved contrast, as mini-LEDs can adjust lighting in smaller, more precise sections of a screen. While mini-LED backlighting doesn’t completely eliminate blooming like OLED with its self-emissive pixels, it narrows the performance gap, making QLED a more competitive choice for viewers who want deeper contrast in a bright room. QLED vs OLED: Anything else to consider? Good question. There are a few other details to consider when choosing between QLED and OLED for your next TV: response time, durability, and power consumption. OLED’s pixels respond to input almost instantaneously, giving it a fast response time that’s perfect for fast-motion content like sports and gaming, with minimal motion blur. QLED displays, although slower, have made strides in reducing motion blur, particularly in higher-end models, in recent years, and that's been helped along by higher TV refresh rates such as 120Hz and 144Hz. When it comes to durability, QLED has the advantage since it relies on inorganic materials. QLED screens are less prone to long-term image retention or burn-in, which can affect OLED displays if static images remain on the screen for extended periods, such as when you leave a show paused. Some newer OLED models have added features to mitigate burn-in, improving their longevity. In terms of power consumption, OLED is generally more energy-efficient, especially in darker scenes where fewer pixels are active. This efficiency not only reduces energy costs but also aligns with eco-friendly practices, making OLED a solid choice for viewers conscious of environmental impact.Morgan Stanley's Options: A Look at What the Big Money is Thinking

NEW YORK — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records amid a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what’s already been a stellar year so far. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It’s climbed in 10 of the last 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 76 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. AT&T rose 4.6% after it boosted its profit forecast for the year. It also announced a $10 billion plan to send cash to its investors by buying back its own stock, while saying it expects to authorize another $10 billion of repurchases in 2027. On the losing end of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan’s Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans last December to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware reaffirmed a previous ruling that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. The judge denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. All told, the S&P 500 rose 2.73 points to 6,049.88. The Dow fell 76.47 to 44,705.53, and the Nasdaq composite gained 76.96 to 19,480.91. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. Continued strength there would raise optimism that the economy could remain out of a recession that many investors had earlier worried was inevitable. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.23% from 4.20% from late Monday. Yields have seesawed since Election Day amid worries that Trump’s preferences for lower tax rates and bigger tariffs could spur higher inflation along with economic growth. But traders are still confident the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in two weeks. They’re betting on a nearly three-in-four chance of that, according to data from CME Group. Lower rates can give the economy more juice, but they can also give inflation more fuel. The key report this week that could guide the Fed’s next move will arrive on Friday. It’s the monthly jobs report , which will show how many workers U.S. employers hired and fired during November. It could be difficult to parse given how much storms and strikes distorted figures in October. Based on trading in the options market, Friday’s jobs report appears to be the biggest potential market mover until the Fed announces its next decision on interest rates Dec. 18, according to strategists at Barclays Capital. In financial markets abroad, the value of South Korea’s currency fell 1.1% against the U.S. dollar following a frenetic night where President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and then later said he’d lift it after lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Stocks of Korean companies that trade in the United States also fell, including a 1.6% drop for SK Telecom. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to help lead global markets. Some analysts think Japanese stocks could end up benefiting from Trump’s threats to raise tariffs , including for goods coming from China . Trade relations between the U.S. and China took another step backward after China said it is banning exports to the U.S. of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The counterpunch came swiftly after the U.S. Commerce Department expanded the list of Chinese technology companies subject to export controls to include many that make equipment used to make computer chips, chipmaking tools and software. The 140 companies newly included in the so-called “entity list” are nearly all based in China. In China, stock indexes rose 1% in Hong Kong and 0.4% in Shanghai amid unconfirmed reports that Chinese leaders would meet next week to discuss planning for the coming year. Investors are hoping it may bring fresh stimulus to help spur growth in the world’s second-largest economy. In France, the CAC 40 rose 0.3% amid continued worries about politics in Paris , where the government is battling over the budget. AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.NoneLebanon said Israeli strikes Thursday on the country's east and south killed 52 people, as raids also hit south Beirut and Hezbollah claimed its deepest attack on Israel in over a year. More than 11 months of cross-border fire between Israel and Hezbollah over the Gaza conflict escalated into all-out war in September, with Israel conducting an extensive bombing campaign, primarily targeting Hezbollah strongholds, and sending ground troops into southern Lebanon. "Israeli enemy strikes that targeted the Baalbek district" in east Lebanon's Bekaa Valley left "40 dead and 52 wounded", a health ministry statement said, listing tolls for 10 different locations. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said a couple and their four children were killed in a strike on a house in the village of Maqneh, while another couple and their young daughter were among 11 people killed in a raid on nearby Nabha. The ministry also reported "seven dead and 24 wounded" in "Israeli enemy strikes" on south Lebanon's Nabatiyeh district, and "five dead and 26 wounded" in strikes elsewhere in south Lebanon. In Israel, first responders said a man was killed after rocket fire from Lebanon hit the Galilee region in the country's north. In Beirut's southern suburbs, the NNA reported at least 12 strikes throughout Thursday, after relative calm while US envoy Amos Hochstein visited earlier this week, seeking to broker an end to the Israel-Hezbollah war. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee on social media platform X issued several rounds of evacuation warnings for Beirut's southern suburbs, as well as areas in and around the southern coastal city of Tyre, but none for east Lebanon. AFPTV footage showed columns of smoke rising from the southern suburbs, usually a densely populated residential district but now largely emptied. Adraee said on X that the Israeli military "targeted a weapons depot, a command headquarters and terrorist infrastructure" belonging to Hezbollah in south Beirut. Amid a series of attack claims, Hezbollah said its fighters targeted "the Hatzor air base" near Israel's southern city of Ashdod, around 150 kilometres (90 miles) from Lebanon's southern border, "with a missile salvo" -- its deepest target in more than a year of hostilities. In 10 separate statements, Iran-backed Hezbollah said its fighters also targeted Israeli troops in and near the south Lebanon town of Khiam, including with artillery, rockets and drones. The NNA said "the enemy army" was "blowing up homes and residential buildings during its incursion into the town". Lebanon's official news agency and Hezbollah have reported fighting and air strikes in the Khiam area ever since Israeli ground troops first entered Lebanon on September 30. Earlier Thursday, United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert visited Baalbek's UNESCO-listed archaeological area, after the UN's cultural body this week granted more than 30 heritage sites in Lebanon "provisional enhanced protection" amid the war. Lebanon's health ministry said Thursday that at least 3,583 people had been killed in the violence since October 2023. Most of the deaths have been since September this year. The Israeli military said Wednesday that three soldiers were killed in south Lebanon, bringing to 52 the number killed in Lebanon since the start of ground operations. bur-lg/giv

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Iran blames Israel, US for overthrow of al-Assad* Loonie trades in a range of 1.4350 to 1.4433 * Canada's economy grows 0.3% in October * 10-year yield increases 1.8 basis points By Fergal Smith TORONTO, Dec 23 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar steadied against the U.S. dollar on Monday, clawing back its earlier declines, as investors weighed domestic GDP data as well as minutes from the Bank of Canada's latest meeting that showed some members favored a smaller rate cut. The loonie was trading nearly unchanged at 1.4375 per U.S. dollar, or 69.57 U.S. cents, after trading in a range of 1.4350 to 1.4433. The Bank of Canada's decision to cut rates by 50 basis points on Dec. 11 was a close call, with some members of the governing council suggesting a 25-basis-point cut was more appropriate, the minutes showed. "We continue to expect Canadian central bankers to cut rates by another 25 basis points in January and then pause in March to assess how the economy responds to lower interest rates," Tiago Figueiredo, a macro strategist at Desjardins, said in a note. Investors are pricing in roughly 13 basis points of easing at the central bank's next policy decision on Jan. 29, equivalent to a 52% chance of a 25-basis-point cut. Canada's economy exceeded market expectations with 0.3% growth in October, led by increases in oil and gas extraction and manufacturing, but gross domestic product likely contracted in November. On Thursday, the loonie touched its weakest intraday level since March 2020 at 1.4467. It has had to contend recently with the threat of U.S. trade tariffs as well as a hawkish shift by the Federal Reserve and domestic political uncertainty. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is under increasing pressure from his own legislators to step down and let someone else take over. The U.S. dollar resumed its upward trajectory against a basket of major currencies as U.S. Treasury yields climbed. The Canadian 10-year yield was up 1.8 basis points at 3.295%. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Chris Reese)

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Dubai Weeklys Unveils Highlights Of Winter City Expo 2024 And New Year’S Eve 2025Gurgaon, Dec 6: UPES, a leading multidisciplinary university in India, has formed a strategic partnership with the University of Waterloo, Canada, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This collaboration aims to leverage the expertise of both institutions to create transformative learning opportunities in online executive education by bringing WatSPEED, the University of Waterloo’s professional learning initiative, to India. A statement said that the MoU outlines several key areas of collaboration. Firstly, the institutions aim to work towards integrating WatSPEED’s high-quality, flexible course offerings with UPES’ expertise and student outreach, ensuring innovative and accessible learning solutions. This collaboration seeks to enhance opportunities for working professionals in India to upskill and reskill, aligning with the demands of the global economy. Secondly, the partnership aims to facilitate the establishment of international credit transfer pathways, enabling UPES students to seamlessly transfer credits earned from their programs to applicable courses or degree programs at the University of Waterloo. This process will align with the academic standards of both institutions enabling a smooth transition for students pursuing advanced studies abroad. The signing ceremony witnessed the presence of a high-level delegation from the University of Waterloo, including Dr. Vivek Goel, President; Dr. Mark Giesbrecht, Dean of Mathematics; Dr. Mary Wells, Dean of Engineering; Sanjeev Gill, Associate Vice-President of Innovation and Nenone Donaldson, Vice-President, Advancement. At the signing, Dr. Sunil Rai, President; Dr. Abhishek Sinha, Dean – School of Law and Head- International Affairs and Dr. Vijaysekhar Chellaboina, Dean – School of Computer Science, represented UPES. Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Sunil Rai, President, UPES, expressed his excitement about the collaboration. He said, “Over the years, UPES has worked tirelessly to forge meaningful collaborations with some of the world’s most prestigious institutions. Our collaborations with leading global universities provide learners with unique international exposure, equipping them to excel as skilled professionals in a global economy. This partnership between UPES and the University of Waterloo highlights our commitment to delivering globally benchmarked education.” Dr. Vivek Goel, President of the University of Waterloo, stated, “As technological advancements and global forces dramatically reshape industries, education will be essential for driving innovation and economic growth. Our collaboration with UPES to deliver professional and executive education will equip learners with the skills and adaptability required in the dynamic Indian economy. We look forward to working together to build transformative educational pathways that transcend borders and embody our commitment to shaping a better future for humanity and our planet.”

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jolibet apk download KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Taylor Swift once raved about the sweet potato casserole served at a New York City restaurant and now that recipe pops up every now and again at Thanksgiving. The holidays encourage many of us to try new recipes. Social media right now is flooded with recipes for appetizers, side dishes and desserts. Anyone making that cornbread casserole from TikTok? While we might not get to share a Thanksgiving feast with Swift — is your name Blake Lively? — or other celebrities beloved by Kansas City, we can eat like them. So here’s the recipe for that casserole Swift loved so much, and favorite family side dish recipes from Donna Kelce and Eric Stonestreet. Enjoy. If we tried to guess how many holiday dinner rolls Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason Kelce, have scarfed over the years, would it be in the hundreds? Thousands? Their mom has spoken often about the batches of holiday crescent rolls she has baked over the years. Based on the recipe that won the 1969 Pillsbury Bake-Off, Pillsbury’s Magic Marshmallow Crescent Puffs , they’re now known as Mama Kelce’s Dinner Rolls. They blend the crescent roll pastry with marshmallows, cinnamon and sugar. Dinner roll or dessert? We bet they didn’t last long enough in front of Travis and Jason for that debate. Ingredients Rolls •1/4 cup granulated sugar •2 tablespoons Pillsbury Best all-purpose flour •1 teaspoon ground cinnamon •2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated Pillsbury Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count) •16 large marshmallows •1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted Glaze •1/2 cup powdered sugar •1/2 teaspoon vanilla •2-3 teaspoons milk •1/4 cup chopped nuts Directions Make the rolls 1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray 16 medium muffin cups with nonstick baking spray. 2. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon. 3. Separate the dough into 16 triangles. For each roll, dip 1 marshmallow into melted butter; roll in the sugar mixture. Place marshmallow on the shortest side of a triangle. Roll up, starting at shortest side and rolling to opposite point. Completely cover the marshmallow with the dough; firmly pinch edges to seal. Dip 1 end in remaining butter; place butter side down in muffin cup. 4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. 5. When done, remove from the oven and let the puffs cool in the pan for 1 minute. Remove rolls from muffin cups; place on cooling racks set over waxed paper. Make the glaze and assemble In a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and enough milk for desired drizzling consistency. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve warm. Eric Stonestreet attends 'Eric Stonestreet visits The SiriusXM Hollywood Studios in Los Angeles' at SiriusXM Studios on Oct. 8, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM/TNS) Thanksgiving is one of the “Modern Family” star’s favorite holidays. Three years ago, as part of a campaign honoring hometown heroes , he shared one of his favorite recipe with McCormick Spices: Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Butternut Squash . This recipe serves eight. Ingredients •1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved •1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size cubes •1 tablespoon olive oil •1/2 teaspoon garlic powder •1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves •1/2 teaspoon salt •1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper •5 slices bacon, chopped •1 shallot, finely chopped •1/2 cup dried cranberries •1/4 cup balsamic vinegar •1 teaspoon whole grain mustard •1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional) •1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese, (optional) Directions 1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Spray large shallow baking pan with no stick cooking spray; set aside. Place Brussels sprouts and squash in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper; toss to coat evenly. Spread in single layer on prepared pan. 2. Roast 16 to 18 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring halfway through cooking. 3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in medium skillet on medium heat about 6 minutes or until crispy. Remove using slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain. Add shallot to same skillet; cook and stir 2 minutes until softened and lightly browned. Stir in cranberries, vinegar and mustard until well blended. Transfer mixture to small bowl; set aside. 4. Arrange roasted Brussels sprouts and squash on serving platter. Drizzle with cranberry balsamic glaze and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cooked bacon, toasted pecans, and crumbled blue cheese, if desired. Serve immediately. Donna Kelce, left, mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce watched the game with pop superstar Taylor Swift, center, during the first-half on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. (Tammy Ljungblad/Kansas City Star/TNS) Swift gushed about the sweet potato casserole served at Del Frisco’s Grille in New York City, a dish crowned with a crunchy candied pecan and oatmeal crumble. “I’ve never enjoyed anything with the word casserole in it ever before, but it’s basically sweet potatoes with this brown sugary crust,” she told InStyle. ”Oh my God, it’s amazing.” The media rushed to find the recipe, which Parade has published this Thanksgiving season . “Similar to T. Swift herself, we think this recipe is a mastermind, especially if you’ve been asked to bring the sweet potato side dish to this year’s Thanksgiving feast. It seriously begs the question: who needs pumpkin pie?” the magazine writes. Ingredients •4 lbs sweet potatoes •1⁄3 cup oats •12 oz unsalted butter, divided •1⁄2 cup packed brown sugar •1⁄2 cup toasted pecans •1⁄2 cup granulated sugar •1 tsp kosher salt •2 tsp vanilla extract •4 large eggs, beaten Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. 1. Scrub sweet potatoes. Pierce each several times with a fork and wrap tightly in foil. Place on a sheet pan. Bake 90 minutes or until tender. Set aside until cool enough to handle. 2. Meanwhile, place oats in a food processor; process 1 minute. Add 4 oz butter, brown sugar and pecans; pulse five times to combine. Spread mixture on a baking sheet; bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven, crumble. Bake 5 minutes or until golden brown. 3. Melt remaining 8 oz butter. Remove skin from cooled sweet potatoes. In a large bowl, whisk sweet potatoes, melted butter, granulated sugar and remaining ingredients until slightly lumpy. Transfer to a greased baking dish, smoothing surface evenly. Top with oat mixture. Bake 12 minutes or until heated through. Make-ahead tips •Sweet potato filling can be made up to 2 days in advance. Prepare the sweet potato filling, cool, place in a casserole dish and keep refrigerated. •Oat-pecan crust can also be made up to 2 days ahead. Make the crust according to recipe directions, cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Sprinkle over the sweet potato filling just before baking. With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food.DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector came "to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. The rebel alliance now in control of much of the country is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and promises representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. Syrian citizens stand on a government forces tank that was left on a street Monday as they celebrate in Damascus, Syria. "It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women's dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty," the command said on social media. People are also reading... Iredell County deputies charge 7 people in drug trafficking investigation 2 Statesville men face murder charges in 2011 shooting death of Joey Brewer 3 men face arson charges in Statesville house fire that severely burned woman Top vote-getter Houpe: Why am I not chairman of Iredell board of commissioners? Statesville native Tomlin leads Delaware State to MEAC volleyball title, NCAA berth 4 pounds of marijuana, gun seized by Mooresville police officers Iredell-Statesville Schools closed Tuesday due to snow, ice Tiny, 4 more dogs seeking homes at Iredell County Animal Services New school chairman rules 2 fellow board members out of order in Iredell Now streaming and on DVD: 'It Ends With Us' just prompts head shakes 3 Eagle Scouts and 1 grateful Iredell County resident Get to know Mooresville basketball player Cadence Lane Families prepare for mass deportations: 'A sad and painful time' Hear the songs, see Santa at Sunday's Statesville Christmas Parade Colombia native brings tastes of his homeland to downtown Statesville Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. Syrians wait to cross into Syria from Turkey on Monday at the Oncupinar border gate near the town of Kilis, southern Turkey. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia granted political asylum to Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad's specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people still celebrated. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence, though in some areas small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Syrian citizens celebrate Monday during the second day of the takeover of the city by the insurgents in Damascus, Syria. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons, security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. "Don't be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!" In southern Turkey, Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. "I haven't seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he's alive." Jalali, the prime minister, sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. "We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth," he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation already improved from the day before. Israeli soldiers sit on top of a tank Monday along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. "We want to give everyone their rights," Haddad said outside the courthouse. "We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods." But a U.N. official said some government services were paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector "has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies was put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. "This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation's capital," Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again." World reacts to overthrow of Syria's Assad regime People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Members of the Syrian community in Finland wave a Syrian flag and celebrate in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 8, 2024. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Syrians wave opposition flags and give out sweets during a spontaneous rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) Syrians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians wave Syrian opposition flags at a rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government's fall, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians living in France hug during a rally on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Get local news delivered to your inbox!HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans made mistakes in every facet of the game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans to lose for the third time in four games. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans made mistakes in every facet of the game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans to lose for the third time in four games. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans made mistakes in every facet of the game Sunday against the Tennessee Titans to lose for the third time in four games. C.J. Stroud threw two interceptions, the defense gave up multiple big passing plays and Ka′imi Fairbairn missed a 28-yard field goal that would have tied it late in a 32-27 loss. “Just a disappointing loss for us,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “We didn’t do anything well enough to win this game. Out of all the positives that we did have, there were way too many negatives, too many negative plays.” Jimmie Ward had a 65-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter and the Texans tied a franchise record with eight sacks. Danielle Hunter led the group with a season-high three sacks and Will Anderson Jr. added two in his return after missing two games with an ankle injury. But the offense sputtered for most of the game as Joe Mixon was held to 22 yards on 14 carries. But Ryans refused to blame the offense for the loss. “Our offense did plenty,” Ryans said. “They gave us enough points. On defense, we have to be able to stop them.” Chig Okonkwo grabbed a short pass and rumbled 70 yards for a touchdown to put the Titans (3-8) up 30-27 with 9 1/2 minutes remaining. Safety Eric Murray missed a tackle that would have stopped him near midfield. It was the last of three big passing plays the Titans had Sunday. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine got in front of the defense and was wide open for a 38-yard TD catch that made it 10-7 late in the first quarter. Calvin Ridley had a 63-yard reception that set up their next touchdown in the second. “It was just way too many negative plays,” Ryans said. “Defensively, unexplainable explosives for touchdowns. We didn’t play good across the board and that starts with me.” Despite this, the Texans (7-5) had a chance to tie it with less than two minutes remaining, but Fairbairn’s short field-goal attempt sailed wide left. He fell to the ground after the miss before getting up and slamming his helmet on the field. “The most frustrating part about it is out of all the bad things that happened, we still had a chance to finish the game,” Ryans said. “Everything that could go wrong, it went wrong. We still had a chance there to tie it up and finish the game, and we didn’t.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The Texans forced a three-and-out, but couldn’t move the ball after that and Harold Landry sacked Stroud in the end zone for a safety to make it 32-27 and allow Tennessee to snap a two-game skid. Stroud threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns, but his two interceptions Sunday give him five combined in the past three games. He now has more interceptions in 12 games this season (nine) than he had in 15 games as a rookie last season (five). “It’s no secret that I haven’t been playing well ... I’ve got to be harder on myself,” he said. “I’m not going to hold my head down. I know I can be a great player, but I’ve got to make better plays.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement Advertisement

Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” 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.

Johannes Hoff Thorup joked he is not looking forward to the January transfer window after Borja Sainz plundered another Championship hat-trick in Norwich City’s 6-1 demolition of Plymouth on Tuesday. The 23-year-old is top of the league’s goal charts and has produced a staggering 16 goal contributions in 17 league appearances this season. Sainz has already been touted with top tier Spanish clubs and Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray , although Norwich sporting director Ben Knapper revealed at the recent annual meeting discussions are on-going with his camp for a player out of contract at Carrow Road in 2026. The Spaniard grabbed a first home matchball, with Shane Duffy, Anis Ben Slimane and Ante Crnac all on target against Wayne Rooney's woeful Plymouth . “I'm not looking forward to January,” said Thorup. “We have to accept that, and we have to understand that of course, a third season away from the Premier League, it's a different one in terms of budget and financial situation. "Also with the change of strategy here the next ones are also out there in the squad, but maybe on the bench, or maybe just a part of the squad, or playing some under 21 minutes at the moment, but those guys are the next ones, and we have to prepare that so there's a consistent flow in what we do here. “Hopefully when he travels to a bigger destination than here, then another one is ready. Otherwise we haven't done our job good enough. “He has (gone to another level) and that's a part of what we can expect to see with the way that we play. Because if you go back and watch his goals, then you can see that he ends up in more or less the same situation and position every time. "For him then it is to take the right decision and also to show that individual quality where, again, like I've said a couple of times, that’s not my part. I can make sure that the collective structure is there, so we support him the best possible way, so we get him into these areas of the game and on the pitch, and then for him to show that class. But he's definitely taking steps.” Thorup spoke to the media on Tuesday night at Carrow Road.However, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets.S ix months before the sensational case of JonBenét Ramsey’s murder hit the news – along with the near ubiquitous presence of the tiny blond’s beauty pageant glamor shots – the documentary Paradise Lost premiered. The film by Joe Berlinger cast doubt on the guilt of a trio of Arkansas teens convicted in the killings of three local eight-year-olds. For Berlinger, whose films on the West Memphis Three not only earned him an Oscar nomination but also saw the prisoners walk free, a key element of his work has always centered on rooting out – and hopefully correcting – injustices. But JonBenét’s murder didn’t immediately catch his eye as a possible example. After the 6-year-old’s body was found on the day after Christmas in 1996, talk shows, tabloids and the barreling behemoth of 24-hour news grabbed the story and ran with it, usually relating details parceled out strategically by police in Boulder, Colorado. “Back then I fell for it,” Berlinger, 63, tells The Independent . “And I’m embarrassed that I fell for it, because I had just finished Paradise Lost , which is all about wrongful conviction – but I had a two-year-old daughter at home, and I kind of bought into the media hype. “And I thought to myself, ‘Gee, my daughter, my two-year-old, is very cute, and I bet when she’s six, she’ll be really cute; I would never put her into a beauty pageant’ – and I had a bunch of judgment about that.” He wasn’t alone; even now, ask almost anyone about JonBenét Ramsey and they’ll have strong opinions and a theory about who killed her. More often than not, they’ll point to her parents or then-nine-year-old brother, all of whom were home in the family’s tony, holiday-decorated mansion at the time of the JonBenét’s murder. Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report finding a ransom note for her daughter before dawn on December 26, 1996; hours after police first responded, another search of the property led by Patsy’s husband, John, uncovered their daughter’s body in a basement room. “Over time, as I became more familiar with the case, it became illogical,” says Berlinger, who did a “deep dive” into the murder and investigation that increased his skepticism – resulting in his new Netflix three-part docuseries, Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenét Ramsey , which premieres on Monday. Key to the director’s research was the work of Lou Smit, a Colorado Springs detective who came out of retirement to assist the Boulder district attorney’s office in the months after the killing. Smit quickly decided the Ramseys were not involved, putting him at odds with local police and launching a personal mission to uncover the truth. (His family and friends carry on that mission 14 years after his death.) After looking at Smit’s detective work, Berlinger says, “that’s when I had this ‘a-ha!’ moment.” The documentary highlights many of Smit’s points, such as his insistence that an intruder could easily have crept into the house and waited to snatch JonBenét before the plan went horribly wrong. The special investigator also believed that DNA would ultimately solve the case, and many viewers will likely be surprised to hear of the delays and lack of DNA testing by Boulder authorities persisting even today. The Netflix series outlines how a DNA report clearing the Ramseys was given to Boulder police by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation in the months after the murder; the documentary posits that, since the family’s innocence did not align with local police’s theory, it was unnecessarily withheld while stories kept getting fed to the press painting the Ramseys as guilty. According to Smit’s notes, the CBI DNA report was not shared with Boulder prosecutors for months; despite the evidence, as well, city authorities continued to let suspicion focus on the Ramsey family, only clearing them publicly in 2008 – a clearance which did little in changing public perception after decades of blame placement and innuendo. JonBenét was brutally sexually assaulted and tortured with a garrote (a knotted cord tied to the broken handle of a paintbrush taken from her mother’s supplies) before she died. Unknown male DNA was found in her underwear, however that DNA has yet to be identified, and contamination concerns persist given lax crime scene securement at the time and other issues. Testing methods have exponentially evolved since the mid-1990s, however, the director tells The Independent . “With the advances in DNA technology, I think this case can actually be solved,” Berlinger says. “And so I will be honest and say one of my goals of this show is to pressure Boulder police to finally do the right thing ... the Ramsey family has been pounding the table for several years for additional DNA testing.” He’s talking about the surviving Ramsey family; JonBenét’s mother, Patsy, died in 2006 at age 49. The child’s older half-sister, 22-year-old Beth, had been tragically killed in a car accident in 1992 when JonBenét was a toddler. “I can’t imagine a more brutalized family than the Ramsey family,” Berlinger tells The Independent . “John Ramsey – who I think deserves a Purple Heart [or] five Purple Hearts – he lost his daughter, Beth, from a previous marriage. As a parent, I can’t think of anything more painful. “JonBenét was the magic elixir that was going to help that family recover, and she’s brutally murdered in the most horrific way imaginable – and then they’re blamed for it. The mother, Patsy, is dealing with ovarian cancer, and no doubt the stress of that murder and being blamed for it, I’m sure, contributed to it coming back.” The then-Boulder DA cleared the Ramseys and her brother, Burke, in 2008, writing that she was “deeply sorry.” There have been myriad prosecutorial and police regime changes since the murder, and opinions differ. Suspicion within the wider arena has lingered to the point that CBS went ahead with a 2016 program theorizing that Burke accidentally killed JonBenét before their parents staged the scene. He sued CBS for $750 million and the case was settled in 2019. Burke doesn’t speak in the docuseries, but it features interviews with John Ramsey and another adult son from his first marriage, in addition to Colorado reporters – not all of whom come out looking great – and law enforcement experts. The program also delves into the strange case of John Mark Karr, a pedophile extradited from Thailand who confessed to the killing but was ruled out by alibi and DNA, despite his knowledge of unreleased details. Berlinger says part of his motivation for making the docuseries was his “desire always to shine a light on things that I think are wrong and need to be corrected.” “I’m blessed that I can say that ... my work has been the catalyst for six people being released from prison,” he says. “So I am deep in the wrongful conviction space, and there are certain patterns that make wrongful convictions happen that I see in this case. “Just like in the West Memphis case ... what you often see in wrongful conviction cases is kind of a small-town police force that’s not experienced enough to handle the crime that gets locked into an idea early on and can’t move that tunnel vision – and this is what you see in this case,” he says, though convictions here came in the court of public opinion rather than court of law. “It’s exacerbated by the fact that [the authorities’] method was to feed false or incomplete stories to the press in an era where there was just exploding irresponsible journalism, and it just created this firestorm.” For those who lived through the Nineties, it can be easy to forget just how far some cable programs and talk shows pushed matters and muddied agendas; for younger audiences, clips will be jaw-dropping. The new Netflix series includes footage from one mock trial held of the Ramseys on a daytime chat show which included input from an “expert” who made an explicit interpretation of JonBenét’s performance with a saxophone that Berlinger calls “obscene.” In another mind-boggling reality, the Ramseys went head-to-head on CNN with a former Boulder detective who’d written a book accusing Patsy of the killing (this cop not only settled with the Ramseys after they sued for libel and defamation but also failed to exhibit a solid grasp of case detail in other recorded interviews.) The exploration particularly of the media’s role was another motivating factor behind the JonBenét docuseries, Berlinger tells The Independent . “I have always been very concerned about this decades-long march we’ve had towards the lessening of journalistic standards and the rise of opinion journalism, which has divided our country,” Berlinger says, adding that he believes the deep division has arisen “because we each tune in to different opinions on television, and the truth is somewhat ephemeral. “And I think all of this began with not just the JonBenét Ramsey case, but JonBenet, OJ Simpson ... the early 90s gave birth to a whole new era of irresponsible journalism. “All of a sudden there were 500 networks in a 24-hour news cycle, and everyone thought they could make money on telling real stories, and I think journalistic standards greatly declined – and you can trace that to today’s environment, where we have kind of the death of truth, and 50 percent of the population gets its news from TikTok.” While he laments the state of the news landscape, Berlinger does have hopes that perhaps his project can prompt action from investigators in Colorado. A cold case review team of outside experts last year made recommendations to Boulder police about how best to proceed in the investigation, but the department only announced that “the specific recommendations will not be made public at this time... However, we are committed to following the recommendations generated from this cold case review.” The release from December 2023 insisted that Boulder authorities were “working with leading DNA experts from across the country to ensure the latest forensic techniques are used to analyze remaining DNA samples. “The evidence has been preserved and will continue to be ready for testing when there is proven and validated technology that can accurately test forensic samples consistent with the evidence available in this case. Detectives are actively taking steps to prepare the evidence for testing when possible.” When asked this week by The Independent for any updates about such testing – along with detailed other questions – a spokeswoman only continued to urge anyone with information to contact detectives but cited the “open and ongoing” nature of the investigation as the reason for no further comment. In a statement, Chief Steve Redfearn said: “The killing of JonBenét was an unspeakable crime and this tragedy has never left our hearts. We are committed to following up on every lead and we are continuing to work with DNA experts and our law enforcement partners around the country until this tragic case is solved. This investigation will always be a priority for the Boulder Police Department.” Boulder police wouldn’t play ball with Berlinger’s team, either. “They wouldn’t officially sit down, and they wouldn’t reveal any information; nor have they revealed much information to the Ramseys,” Berlinger says. “Our belief, until we’re told otherwise, is not much has been done, and there are advances in DNA technology that demand that they take action. “And there is a good likelihood that this crime can be solved. There are old items that were tested that need to be retested. There were old items sent to the crime lab that were never tested.” Putting it bluntly, Berlinger says: “Let’s get some action finally. Let’s dismiss all these crazy conspiracy theories that defy logic. “Let’s focus on the fact that there can be some DNA tested, and it could possibly lead to finding out who the killer is.”

New York takes on St. Louis after Panarin's 2-goal showingDAMASCUS, Syria — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Syrian opposition fighters celebrate Sunday after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus, Syria. Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. A man tries to take a lamp Sunday as people search for belongings in the ransacked private residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus, Syria. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and gave instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the capital’s sprawling Umayyad Mosque and said Assad's fall was “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among different armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian opposition fighters remove a government Syrian flag from an official building Saturday in Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria. Syrian state television broadcast a video statement early Sunday by a group of rebels saying that Assad was overthrown and all prisoners were released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked and confused. At least one small child could be seen among them. Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi, who appeared on state TV later in the day, sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. People gather Sunday in Manbij, Syria, to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government. Celebrations in the capital Residents of Damascus gathered to pray at mosques and to celebrate in squares, chanting, “God is great.” People also chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled central Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Men fired celebratory gunshots and some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Syrians gather Sunday to celebrate the arrival of opposition fighters in Damascus, Syria. “I cannot express my happiness," said Bassam Masr. “But this happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he. I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering into the presidential palace, with some emerging carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “Victory to Syria. Syria remains and Assad to hell, to the dustbin of history,” said a man exploring the palace. A man walks by a broken portrait of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad as people search for belongings Sunday in the ransacked private residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus, Syria. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood. We believe and trust that Syria will be for all Syrians.” The newspaper added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying: “We only carried out the instructions and published the news they sent us.” A statement from the Alawite sect — to which Assad belongs and which formed the core of his base — called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. An opposition fighter steps on a broken bust of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad on Sunday in Damascus, Syria. Assad reportedly in Russia Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said in a video statement that the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting him out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel Sunday. Syrian President Bashar Assad listens May 19, 2023, during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad took a flight Sunday from Damascus. Russian state news agencies reported that Assad arrived in Moscow with his family and was given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts when asked by reporters at a conference in Bahrain. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. Assad was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war, including a 2013 chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of the capital. Opposition fighters burn down a military court Sunday in Damascus, Syria. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall in a matter of days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him in the final days as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule deals a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by over a year of conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed Assad throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” Syrian opposition fighters take a selfie Sunday at the damaged entrance of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria. The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had temporarily seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying the move was taken to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied. Israeli soldiers walk Sunday near armored vehicles parked along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Its head, al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. HTS set up a “salvation government” in 2017 to administer a large region in northwestern Syria under its control. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group and an expert on Syrian groups. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead. One can only hope they rise to the occasion.” People gather Sunday in Manbij, Syria, to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. The participants included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed. People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Members of the Syrian community in Finland wave a Syrian flag and celebrate in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 8, 2024. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Syrians wave opposition flags and give out sweets during a spontaneous rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) Syrians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians wave Syrian opposition flags at a rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to a “sudden loss of consciousness at home,” the hospital said in a statement. “Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency” at 8:06 p.m., the hospital said, but “despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 p.m.” Singh was being treated for “age-related medical conditions,” the statement said. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and leader of the Congress Party in the Parliament's Upper House, earning a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. He was chosen to fill the role in 2004 by Sonia Gandhi, the widow of assassinated Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi . But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. Singh was reelected in 2009, but his second term as prime minister was clouded by financial scandals and corruption charges over the organization of the 2010 Commonwealth Games. This led to the Congress Party’s crushing defeat in the 2014 national election by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party under the leadership of Narendra Modi . Singh adopted a low profile after relinquishing the post of prime minister. Prime Minister Modi, who succeeded Singh in 2014, called him one of India’s “most distinguished leaders” who rose from humble origins and left “a strong imprint on our economic policy over the years.” “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives,” Modi said in a post on the social platform X. He called Singh’s interventions in Parliament as a lawmaker “insightful” and said “his wisdom and humility were always visible.” Rahul Gandhi, from the same party as Singh and the opposition leader in the lower house of the Indian Parliament, said Singh’s “deep understanding of economics inspired the nation” and that he “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.” “I have lost a mentor and guide. Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” Gandhi wrote on X. Born on Sept. 26, 1932, in a village in the Punjab province of undivided India, Singh’s brilliant academic career took him to Cambridge University in Britain, where he earned a degree in economics in 1957. He then got his doctorate in economics from Nuffield College at Oxford University in 1962. Singh taught at Panjab University and the prestigious Delhi School of Economics before joining the Indian government in 1971 as economic advisor in the Commerce Ministry. In 1982, he became chief economic adviser to the Finance Ministry. He also served as deputy chair of the Planning Commission and governor of the Reserve Bank of India. As finance minister, Singh in 1991 instituted reforms that opened up the economy and moved India away from a socialist-patterned economy and toward a capitalist model in the face of a huge balance of payments deficit, skirting a potential economic crisis. His accolades include the 1987 Padma Vibhushan Award, India’s second-highest civilian honor; the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress in 1995; and the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Singh was a member of India’s Upper House of Parliament and was leader of the opposition from 1998 to 2004 before he was named prime minister. He was the first Sikh to hold the country’s top post and made a public apology in Parliament for the 1984 Sikh Massacre in which some 3,000 Sikhs were killed after then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by Sikh bodyguards. Under Singh, India adopted a Right to Information Act in 2005 to promote accountability and transparency from government officials and bureaucrats. He was also instrumental in implementing a welfare scheme that guaranteed at least 100 paid workdays for Indian rural citizens. The coalition government he headed for a decade brought together politicians and parties with differing ideologies that were rivals in the country’s various states. In a move hailed as one of his biggest achievements apart from economic reforms, Singh ended India’s nuclear isolation by signing a deal with the U.S. that gave India access to American nuclear technology. But the deal hit his government adversely, with Communist allies withdrawing support and criticism of the agreement growing within India in 2008 when it was finalized. Singh adopted a pragmatic foreign policy approach, pursuing a peace process with nuclear rival and neighbor Pakistan. But his efforts suffered a major setback after Pakistani militants carried out a massive gun and bomb attack in Mumbai in November 2008. He also tried to end the border dispute with China, brokering a deal to reopen the Nathu La pass into Tibet, which had been closed for more than 40 years. His 1965 book, “India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth,” dealt with India’s inward-oriented trade policy. Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and three daughters. Associated Press writer Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi contributed to this report.India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies at 92jolibet com 。

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — It wasn’t how Duke drew up the final play, but it worked out perfect for the Blue Devils in Saturday’s 23-17 victory over Wake Forest. Maalik Murphy threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Moore as time expired, allowing Duke to end the regular season with three consecutive victories. Murphy said he realized he took too long to make a decision after the last snap. “I knew at that point I had to make a play,” he said. “The damage was already done, time was ticking.” With the score tied at 17, the Blue Devils (9-3, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) moved 76 yards in 1:22 after forcing a Wake Forest punt. It appeared that Duke might run out of time in the slow-developing play, but Moore improvised and broke free along the right side, caught the ball at the 10-yard line and spun into the end zone to complete a comeback from 14 points down in the second half. “The play that Maalik and Jordan put together was magical,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “Nobody thought a 5-yard route would turn into a (long) touchdown.” So instead of a long field-goal attempt, Duke had something better. “I just decided to take it down the field,” Moore said. “I think that’s a testament to our chemistry. ... Maalik had the confidence in himself to make that kind of play.” It resulted in Duke’s sixth victory by seven points or less. “It’s like a perfect exclamation point to our season,” Diaz said. “An unbelievable way to finish our season.” Murphy racked up with 235 yards on 26-for-34 passing. Moore, who was down with an injury after a reception earlier in the second half, made five catches for 98 yards. Hank Bachmeier threw for 207 yards and a touchdown as Wake Forest (4-8, 2-6) ended its second straight four-win season with a four-game losing streak. “A heartbreaking loss,” Demon Deacons coach Dave Clawson said. “It’s a tough way to lose a game and a tough way to end the season.” Tate Carey’s 8-yard run, Matthew Dennis’ 37-yard field goal and Horatio Fields’ 9-yard reception across 11 minutes of game time gave Wake Forest a 17-3 lead with nine minutes left in the third quarter. Duke took advantage of a short field following a punt, moving 42 yards in four plays to score on Star Thomas’ 3-yard run. The Blue Devils recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff and converted on Murphy’s 2-yard run with 12:57 left to pull even. “What has been proven is that we’re mentally tough,” Diaz said. “We’re not going to do everything perfect.” Taylor Morin became Wake Forest’s all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,974. He picked up 47 yards on eight catches on Saturday. Morin, in his fifth season, passed former NFL player Ricky Proehl, who had 2,929 yards in the late 1980s. Duke: The Blue Devils have secured at least a nine-win season for the second time in three seasons, this one coming in Diaz’s first season. They racked up a 4-0 record against in-state opponents, including comebacks to top North Carolina and Wake Forest. “Every quest that we have for championships starts in our own state,” Diaz said. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons punted on their final three possessions of the season. They finished with a 1-6 record in home games. “It’s been a tough year, a long year, and I’m proud of our team and how hard they fought,” Clawson said. Duke: Awaits a bowl invitation Wake Forest: Enters the offseason with a losing record for the third time in five seasons. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Stephens initiated coverage on shares of Plumas Bancorp ( NASDAQ:PLBC – Free Report ) in a research note published on Wednesday morning, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm issued an overweight rating and a $60.00 price target on the financial services provider’s stock. Separately, Raymond James upped their target price on shares of Plumas Bancorp from $43.00 to $45.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, October 2nd. View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Plumas Bancorp Plumas Bancorp Stock Performance Plumas Bancorp ( NASDAQ:PLBC – Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, October 16th. The financial services provider reported $1.31 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.14 by $0.17. Plumas Bancorp had a net margin of 31.02% and a return on equity of 17.31%. The business had revenue of $24.10 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $20.60 million. As a group, sell-side analysts anticipate that Plumas Bancorp will post 4.66 EPS for the current fiscal year. Plumas Bancorp Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, November 15th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 1st were issued a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.16%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, November 1st. Plumas Bancorp’s dividend payout ratio is currently 22.64%. Insiders Place Their Bets In other Plumas Bancorp news, EVP Bj North sold 2,496 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, October 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.55, for a total transaction of $106,204.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link . Insiders own 9.00% of the company’s stock. Institutional Investors Weigh In On Plumas Bancorp Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Rhumbline Advisers grew its holdings in Plumas Bancorp by 4.9% during the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 6,247 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $225,000 after acquiring an additional 290 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in shares of Plumas Bancorp by 533.8% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 5,863 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $239,000 after purchasing an additional 4,938 shares during the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in shares of Plumas Bancorp by 7.9% in the 3rd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 6,206 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $253,000 after purchasing an additional 457 shares during the last quarter. Barclays PLC boosted its stake in shares of Plumas Bancorp by 275.4% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 7,155 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $292,000 after purchasing an additional 5,249 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Fourthstone LLC bought a new position in shares of Plumas Bancorp in the 3rd quarter valued at about $521,000. Institutional investors own 41.68% of the company’s stock. About Plumas Bancorp ( Get Free Report ) Plumas Bancorp operates as the bank holding company for the Plumas Bank that provides various banking products and services for small and middle market businesses, and individuals in Northeastern California and Northwestern Nevada. The company accepts various deposits, such as checking, money market checking, business sweep, public funds sweep, savings, time deposit, and retirement accounts. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Plumas Bancorp Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Plumas Bancorp and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

She's not sure what to think about Jaguar now after the 89-year-old company announced a radical rebranding that featured loud colors and androgynous people — but no cars. Jaguar, the company says, will now be JaGUar. It will produce only electric vehicles beginning in 2026. Say goodbye to British racing green, Cotswold Blue and black. Its colors are henceforth electric pink, red and yellow, according to a video that sparked backlash online. Its mission statement: "Create exuberance. Live vivid. Delete ordinary. Break moulds." "Intrigued?" @Jaguar posted on social media. "Weird and unsettled" is more like it, Vogt wrote on Instagram. "Especially now, with the world feeling so dystopian," the Cyprus-based brand designer wrote, "a heritage brand like Jaguar should be conveying feelings of safety, stability, and maybe a hint of rebellion — the kind that shakes things up in a good way, not in a way that unsettles." Our brands, ourselves Jaguar was one of several iconic companies that announced significant rebrandings in recent weeks, upending a series of commercial — and cultural — landmarks by which many modern human beings sort one another, carve out identities and recognize the world around them. Campbell's, the 155-year-old American icon that artist Andy Warhol immortalized in pop culture decades ago, is ready for a new, soupless name. Comcast's corporate reorganization means there will soon be two television networks with "NBC" in their name — CNBC and MSNBC — that will no longer have any corporate connection to NBC News, a U.S. legacy news outlet. One could even argue the United States itself is rebranding with the election of former President Donald Trump and Republican majorities in the House and Senate. Unlike Trump's first election in 2016, he won the popular vote in what many called a national referendum on American identity. Are we, then, the sum total of our consumer decisions — what we buy, where we travel and whom we elect? Certainly, it's a question for those privileged enough to be able to afford such choices. Volumes of research in the art and science of branding — from "brandr," an old Norse word for burning symbols into the hides of livestock — say those factors do contribute to the modern sense of identity. So rebranding, especially of heritage names, can be a deeply felt affront to consumers. "It can feel like the brand is turning its back on everything that it stood for — and therefore it feels like it's turning its back on us, the people who subscribe to that idea or ideology," said Ali Marmaduke, strategy director with the Amsterdam-based Brand Potential. He said cultural tension — polarization — is surging over politics, wars in Russia and the Mideast, the environment, public health and more, creating what Marmaduke said is known as a "polycrisis": the idea that there are several massive crises converging that feel scary and complex. "People are understandably freaked out by that," he said. "So we are looking for something that will help us navigate this changing, threatening world that we face." Trump's "Make America Great Again" qualifies. So did President Joe Biden's "Build Back Better" slogan. Campbell's soup itself — "Mmm Mmm Good" — isn't going anywhere, CEO Mark Clouse said. The company's new name, Campbell's Co., will reflect "the full breadth of our portfolio," which includes brands like Prego pasta sauce and Goldfish crackers. What is Jaguar? None of the recent activity around heritage brands sparked a backlash as ferocious as Jaguar's. The company stood as a pillar of tradition-loving British identity since World War II. Jaguar said its approach to the rebrand was rooted in the philosophy of its founder, Sir William Lyons, to "copy nothing." What it's calling "the new Jaguar" will overhaul everything from the font of its name to the positioning of it's famous "leaper" cat. "Exuberant modernism" will "define all aspects of the new Jaguar world," according to the news release. The approach is thought to be aimed at selling fewer cars at a six-figure price point to a more diverse customer base. The reaction ranged from bewilderment to hostility. Memes sprouted up likening the video to the Teletubbies, a Benetton ad and — perhaps predictably — a bow to "woke" culture as the blowback intersected with politics.

The move appears to be a political gambit by Donald Trump to use tariffs as a bargaining chip with China. BEIJING – United States President-elect Donald Trump appeared to fire his first salvo on China on Nov 26, saying that he will impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on imported Chinese goods on his first day in office. It appears to be a political gambit to use tariffs as a bargaining chip, with Trump adding that the hike is related to China not doing enough to stem the flow of drugs – specifically fentanyl – to the US. Mr Stephen Olson, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said Trump prides himself on being unpredictable, so it is difficult to be certain of his strategy. “But this is very likely an opening salvo,” he noted, adding that Trump’s goal through such tariff actions could be to cut some kind of trade deal that could also include Chinese commitments on other issues, such as drug control. Observers, including Chinese scholars, had warned about the likelihood of Trump using tariffs in such a transactional way. During Trump’s first presidency between 2017 and 2021, such tit-for-tat moves were made on goods such as Chinese solar panels and steel, and American soya beans and aeroplanes. In the meantime – especially with US President Joe Biden deciding not to lift these import taxes – Chinese sellers have been diversifying their export destinations, and 10 per cent could be a margin that they could still absorb. But the greater fear is that this is merely the beginning of a series of escalating actions that would lead to yet another economic confrontation. The first trade war resulted in tariffs on some US$550 billion (S$728 billion) of Chinese goods and US$185 billion of US goods. It ended with a trade deal in 2020, but a Chinese pledge to buy an additional US$200 billion worth of US exports never materialised. In a Truth Social post on Nov 26, Trump said he had “many talks” with China about fentanyl being sent to the US, but to no avail. Abuse of the prescription drug used to treat severe pain has caused thousands of deaths in the US each year. The US government has said that most illegal fentanyl is trafficked from Mexico using chemicals from China. In response, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman maintained that China has one of the world’s strictest anti-drug policies, and has engaged in “extensive” cooperation with the US on this issue. The Chinese embassy in Washington said: “Nobody wins in a tariff or trade war.” During his election campaign, Trump pledged a blanket 60 per cent additional tariff on Chinese goods. It is unclear how he derived the figure, but observers have noted that the figure would be roughly consistent with the average tariff level if the US had revoked China’s most favoured nation status. China was granted this status in 2000 as it prepared for entry into the World Trade Organisation, allowing it to benefit from the same trade terms as US allies. Only four countries currently do not enjoy such a status with the US: Russia, Belarus, North Korea and Cuba. The US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in its annual report released last week recommended that China’s status be revoked – the first time the US bipartisan advisory body has explicitly called for such a move. Mr Olson, who studies international trade, said that revocation – if it comes to that – would “send a very strong signal that the US has concluded that deep economic integration with China was a mistake that now needs to be corrected”. The National University of Singapore’s Associate Professor Chong Ja Ian, who specialises in Chinese foreign policy, cautioned that nothing is yet definite as Trump does not take office until January. Other possible motivations for the latest move? “Perhaps it is to see how the PRC will react as Trump and his team plan out their strategy,” he said, using China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China. Trump could yet hold back because a tariff hike could end up hurting US consumers, with the US still the top export market for China. Mr Nick Marro, the principal economist for Asia and lead for global trade at the Economist Intelligence Unit, noted that senior US officials have cautioned that the battle on inflation is not over, and tariff imposition would risk reigniting those price pressures. “It’s still highly unlikely at this point, but the economic – and political – costs of these tariffs could prompt a rethink by the Trump team come January. But let’s not hold our breath,” he wrote in a note on Nov 26. A key question remains over Trump’s Cabinet picks, with potential appointees such as Mr Marco Rubio for secretary of state viewed as China hawks. But others are seen as being more moderate, especially on the economic front. Prof Chong said that such differences in the upcoming administration could also lead to volatility in US-China relations. He noted that Mr Rubio has different positions on China than Mr Elon Musk, who has significant investments in China and has met the country’s top leaders multiple times. “These differences will have to be worked out. There could be some variation in policy as that takes place. The resulting shifts could well affect US-PRC ties.” Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel now

Aston Villa fails in its bid to overturn Jhon Duran’s red card at NewcastleAusperBio Secures $73 Million in Series B Financing to Advance Functional Cure for Chronic Hepatitis BBrock Purdy update increases concern about 49ers quarterback's status for Week 12 clash with PackersThe Miami Dolphins are largely in good health as they gear up for a key home game on Sunday against the New England Patriots as they continue to work to climb back into the playoff race. The Dolphins have a laundry list of players on the report, but all bit five have been cleared to play on Sunday and only one has been ruled out. CB Kendall Fuller , who suffered a concussion against the Los Angeles Rams , continues to work through protocol and hasn't been cleared, thus ruling him out for Sunday. However, a huge number of starters and key contributors managed to avoid a game status designation for Sunday, including Tyreek Hill - who downgraded from full to limited practice on Friday - Aaron Brewer, Jordyn Brooks, Jevon Holland, Jalen Ramsey, Julian Hill, Raheem Mostert, and Jordan Poyer. On the other side of the coin, the Patriots saw a major name pop up on the injury report with a new ailment. CB Christian Gonzalez appeared on the report as limited with a hip injury. That will certainly be something to monitor on Sunday when the list of inactives is released an hour and a half before kickoff. The Dolphins and Patriots get underway on Sunday at 1:00 pm ET from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

Much was made about Michigan's attempted flag planting after its 13-10 win over Ohio State in Columbus in Week 14. Players from both teams met in an altercation at midfield, resulting in the use of pepper spray by the police, and the Big Ten fined each school $100,000 for their role in the incident. That seemed like the end of it, until Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore was shown on the jumbotron at the Michigan men's basketball game against Iowa on Saturday. Moore took one last opportunity to needle Ohio State. In the first half, the game ops team at Crisler Arena pointed the camera at Moore, and he did the rest. Moore fired up the crowd before pretending to plant a flag. Sherrone Moore hypes up the faithful Michigan crowd and emphatically plants an imaginary flag. The crowd liked it, to say the least. pic.twitter.com/xbakn2pxsn Moore addressed the flag-planting fracas immediately after the game last weekend, saying emotions got the best of both sides. He also admitted Michigan could have handled the situation differently. "Our guys, I did see they had the flag," Moore said. "Guys were waving it around, and their guys charged us. There was emotion on both sides, and it can't happen. Rivalry games get heated, especially this one. This is the biggest one in the country. We gotta handle that better." Clearly, Moore wasn't quite ready to put the win or the beef to bed just yet. That was probably a good thing for the Michigan basketball team, which needed every bit of energy the Crisler Center had to offer. The Wolverines pulled out an 85-83 win over the Hawkeyes thanks to Roddy Gayle Jr.'s game-winning bucket with just three seconds left.9 Things To Buy at Costco This Winter If You Live on Social Security

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BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. The 21-year-old Colombia international was sent off 32 minutes into a 3-0 defeat in the Premier League at St. James’ Park on Thursday after appearing to stamp on defender Fabian Schar, prompting a furious reaction from Villa head coach Unai Emery, who later indicated that the club would appeal. However, Villa said Friday night that its bid was unsuccessful and the forward will now serve a three-match ban for violent conduct. “Aston Villa can confirm that our decision to appeal Jhon Duran’s red card in our match with Newcastle United has been rejected," a statement on Villa’s official X account read. "The player will now miss our next three matches.” Duran will miss Premier League games against Brighton and Leicester, followed by Villa's FA Cup third-round match with West Ham on Jan. 10. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:24 p.m. ESTIn a surprising turn of events, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad found asylum in Russia after being ousted from power. This move has sparked speculation about what the future may hold for Assad, as history has shown us that the fate of exiled leaders can vary drastically.

Texans get visit from longtime foe Derrick Henry when the Ravens visit on Christmas DayMoreover, China's commitment to key structural reforms, such as opening up its financial markets, promoting innovation and technology, and enhancing regulations to protect investors, has further boosted the attractiveness of Chinese assets to foreign investors. The Chinese government's efforts to enhance transparency, strengthen corporate governance, and improve market efficiency have been well-received by international investors seeking long-term growth opportunities in the country.

In recent trading sessions, the A-share market in China has shown remarkable resilience and strength as it surged higher towards the 3500-point mark, fueled by a series of significant positive developments. Investors and market participants are closely monitoring these developments, which are expected to have a profound impact on the market sentiment and direction in the near term.In conclusion, the story of Li Xiang suspected of buying a car early for her daughter, Wang Shilin, who is set to take her driving test in London at only 16 years old, reflects a mix of controversy and admiration. While some may criticize their lifestyle choices, others applaud their close relationship and shared love for luxury. Ultimately, the mother-daughter duo's experience of driving in luxury cars and residing in extravagant mansions serves as a testament to their unique bond and shared passion for life's indulgences. As they await Wang Shilin's driving test, Li Xiang and Wang Shilin continue to make headlines with their carefree and luxurious adventures in the city of London.One of the main highlights of the summit was the keynote address by Amazon Global Selling executives, who shared insights into the future of cross-border e-commerce and the key success factors for sellers looking to tap into international markets. They emphasized the importance of leveraging Amazon's global infrastructure, logistics network, and marketing tools to reach customers worldwide.

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The former deputy secretary of the Party Committee and chairman of Mianyang City Commercial Bank, He Miao, was expelled from the party and dismissed from public office due to serious disciplinary violations. The decision was made by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Supervisory Commission, marking a significant development in the ongoing anti-corruption campaign in China.In a recent escalation of tensions in the Middle East, Israel has carried out a series of airstrikes targeting key military facilities in Syria. The strikes, which have been met with condemnation from the international community, are seen as a significant escalation of the conflict in the region.Is Being Unemployed at 35 a Result of Age Discrimination? Zhang Chaoyang: Age is Not an Obstacle, Experience is an Advantage

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The Conequeror by Kezia Age Wins Iron A' Design Award in 3D Printed Forms and Products Design CategoryAs open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. Suit names long list of defendants The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. Defendants respond to requests for comment The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. Lawsuit: COVID relief package made ‘scheme’ possible The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” How it started The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. Complaints from former employees and clients The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.jollibet ph 。

Halo Security Launches Slack Integration for Real-Time Alerts on New Assets and VulnerabilitiesHurley, No. 2 UConn Upset by Hardaway, Memphis at Maui Invitational; CBB Fans StunnedCHICAGO (WLS) -- Sammy Sosa is set to return to the Chicago Cubs' winter fan convention. Sosa and the Cubs reconciled last week , ending their 17-year estrangement after the former slugger apologized for making "mistakes" during his playing career. Minutes after the apology was released, the Cubs invited Sosa to the Cubs Convention for the first time since he retired in 2007. The 2025 Cubs Convention will take place Jan. 17-19 at the Sheraton Grand in Chicago. The Cubs officially announced Saturday that Sosa will be in attendance. Sosa, who has been linked to performance-enhancing drugs for decades, stopped short of directly admitting to PED use in a statement released December 19. But the former National League MVP said that at times throughout his playing career he "did whatever I could to recover from injuries in an effort to keep my strength up to perform over 162 games" and added, "I never broke any laws, but in hindsight, I made mistakes and I apologize." Sosa, 56, hit 609 home runs -- the ninth most in Major League Baseball history -- during an 18-year career highlighted by his 13-year stint with the Cubs. He hit at least 60 homers in three seasons over a four-year stretch from 1998 to 2001, all of which came in the heart of baseball's steroid era. Sosa is one of a group of players, including Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire, who haven't been elected to the Hall of Fame in part because of their ties to the steroid era, which occurred from about 1994 to 2004, when more stringent testing began. Sosa testified in front of Congress in 2005 and denied using PEDs, although the New York Times later reported he had tested positive in 2003. Sosa, Bonds and McGwire all fell well short of Hall of Fame election in 2022 on their 10th and final appearance on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot. Sosa received a high of 18.5% support in his final year, less than a quarter of the 75% needed. His next chance for consideration would be if he were put on the ballot for the contemporary player committee, which meets next December. Cubs ownership hinted at the need for an apology from Sosa before welcoming him back to the organization or even inviting him to an offseason team function. "We appreciate Sammy releasing his statement and for reaching out," Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement Dec. 19. "No one played harder or wanted to win more. Nobody's perfect but we never doubted his passion for the game and the Cubs. It is an understatement to say that Sammy is a fan favorite. We plan on inviting him to the 2025 Cubs Convention and, while it is short notice, we hope that he can attend. We are all ready to move forward together." Sosa's 545 home runs in a Cubs uniform is the most in franchise history. "We can't change the past, but the future is bright," Sosa said in his statement. "In my heart, I've always been a Cub and I can't wait to see Cubs fans again." ESPN contributed to this report.

RADNOR — Having landed his dream job once, Eric Roedl wasn’t sure at first what to make of the chance to do it again. It would’ve taken a lot to get the Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Oregon to leave Eugene, where he’s spent 13 years. The chance to lead not just any athletic department but that of his alma mater was sufficient to bring him back to the Main Line. Roedl was introduced Tuesday as Villanova’s Vice President and Director of Athletics. He replaces Mark Jackson, who was hired in the fall to become the AD at Northwestern. The move brings Roedl home. He played tennis at Villanova, graduating in 1997. His wife Nicole is a 1998 graduate of Villanova. Roedl spent eight years in athletic administration at Temple, then a stint at William & Mary before venturing west to a power conference behemoth in Oregon. While Villanova President Rev. Peter M. Donohue joked at Tuesday’s press conference that he hoped Roedl could bring a slice of the Ducks’ massive budget East with him, Roedl will carry some tangible aspects managing such a big organization to the mission-driven challenge at Villanova. “My big takeaways from Oregon are a commitment to building a championship culture in everything we do, very high standards, full-fledged commitment to holistic student-athlete development, always trying to be out in front when it comes to NCAA deregulation and the things that we can do to provide support for our student-athletes, and just creating a great environment for our student-athletes and our staff,” Roedl said. “People talk about resources and they talk about money, but to me, what really is the difference maker in building successful programs – and I know you know this here at Villanova – it’s about the people and how you operate in the culture.” Both Donohue and Roedl acknowledged several times the changing landscape of college athletics. Athletes are able to earn money for their name, image and likeness, and the House settlement requires colleges to share revenue with athletes. The pressure of those changes will exert much different responses at Roedl’s former employer, a public land-grant institution backed by the deep pockets of Nike’s founder, than at a small, private, Augustinian university. Roedl highlighted those differences in asserting how his approach would meet those challenges. “We have an exciting and compelling vision for the future,” Roedl said in prepared remarks. “Villanova has a deep belief in the role and value of college athletics as a part of this community. Nothing brings people together like sports, and I think Nova Nation is a true testament to that. ... Our priorities will be focused on what’s in the best interest of this university and alignment with our Augustinian values, and certainly what is in the best interest of the health, well-being and success of our student-athletes.” Roedl talked around a question about the basketball program’s recent struggles, beyond a pledge to “continue to innovate and strategically invest” in the men’s and women’s programs. The Wildcats, who won national titles in 2016 and 2018 under Jay Wright, have failed to make the NCAA Tournament in consecutive seasons under Kyle Neptune. Roedl won’t formally take over until January, but he’ll be monitoring how the basketball season progresses, with on-court performance as one of several factors in determining Neptune’s fate. Roedl is transitioning from a program that enjoys a revenue-generating football program to a Football Championship Subdivision squad that is a much different economic model. But he extolled the virtues of that competitive format for Villanova, which begins the FCS playoffs on Saturday. “I think the FCS football model is terrific,” Roedl said. “I love the fact that you’re competing throughout the year, and you’re competing to get into the playoffs, and you can play your way through. The CFP finally came around to that type of a model. It took a while, but the financial model is different, and football means different things to different schools. “There’s a lot of benefit to having an FCS football program and all the things that it brings to your campus. The team represents this university really well. We bring in tremendous, talented student-athletes from all over the country to come in here and compete for Villanova, and that’s a program that I really look forward to supporting and being a part of.” Roedl played a sport in college that, like many Olympic sports, feels economically endangered at the collegiate level. He calls his student-athlete experience “transformational,” in both his career and his life. He used the term “broad-based excellence” on several occasions to illustrate a goal of elevating all of Villanova’s 24 varsity programs, in terms of on-field success and off-field sustainability. In lamenting that “college athletics has become a little bit more transactional,” Roedl is endeavoring to lead Villanova through a middle path. If recruiting talent becomes a bidding war against bigger and better resourced schools, they don’t necessarily have the capital to compete directly. So the name of the game is to provide something more than just what happens on the field, whether that’s academically or via the community. “To me, one of the things that’s most special about college athletics is all the opportunity that it provides to young people to dream and be a part of a university athletic program, and that’s something that we’re going to be fully committed to here at Villanova,” he said. “We’re going to work our tails off to go out and find the resources. It’s a new time, and there’s going to be more pressure on each of our programs to find ways to be sustainable, to continue to be able to provide those opportunities. There’s a lot of pressure on resources right now post-House settlement and we look forward to engaging in the communities around all of our sports to continue to have them be thriving and successful.”None

Longest-lived US president was always happy to speak his mind

Notable quotes by Jimmy Carter

Ransomware attack on software supplier disrupts operations for Starbucks and other retailersBy Tony Leys | KFF Health News GLENWOOD, Iowa — Hundreds of people who were separated from society because they had disabilities are buried in a nondescript field at the former state institution here. Disability rights advocates hope Iowa will honor them by preventing the kind of neglect that has plagued similar cemeteries at other shuttered facilities around the U.S. The southwest Iowa institution, called the Glenwood Resource Center, was closed this summer in the wake of allegations of poor care . The last of its living residents were moved elsewhere in June. But the remains of about 1,300 people will stay where they were buried on the grounds. The graveyard, which dates to the 1800s, covers several acres of sloping ground near the campus’s brick buildings. A 6-foot-tall, weathered-concrete cross stands on the hillside, providing the most visible clue to the field’s purpose. On a recent afternoon, dried grass clippings obscured row after row of small stone grave markers set flat in the ground. Most of the stones are engraved with only a first initial, a last name, and a number. “If somebody who’s never been to Glenwood drove by, they wouldn’t even know there was a cemetery there,” said Brady Werger, a former resident of the facility. During more than a century of operation, the institution housed thousands of people with intellectual disabilities. Its population declined as society turned away from the practice of sequestering people with disabilities and mental illness in large facilities for decades at a time. The cemetery is filled with residents who died and weren’t returned to their hometowns for burial with their families. State and local leaders are working out arrangements to maintain the cemetery and the rest of the 380-acre campus. Local officials, who are expected to take control of the grounds next June, say they’ll need extensive state support for upkeep and redevelopment, especially with the town of about 5,000 people reeling from the loss of jobs at the institution. Hundreds of such places were constructed throughout the U.S. starting in the 1800s. Some, like the one in Glenwood, served people with disabilities, such as those caused by autism or seizure disorders. Others housed people with mental illness. Most of the facilities were built in rural areas, which were seen as providing a wholesome environment. States began shrinking or closing these institutions more than 50 years ago. The shifts were a response to complaints about people being removed from their communities and subjected to inhumane conditions, including the use of isolation and restraints. In the past decade, Iowa has closed two of its four mental hospitals and one of its two state institutions for people with intellectual disabilities. After closures in some other states, institutions’ cemeteries were abandoned and became overgrown with weeds and brush. The neglect drew protests and sparked efforts to respectfully memorialize people who lived and died at the facilities. “At some level, the restoration of institutions’ cemeteries is about the restoration of humanity,” said Pat Deegan, a Massachusetts mental health advocate who works on the issue nationally . Deegan, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teenager, sees the neglected graveyards as symbolic of how people with disabilities or mental illness can feel as if their individual identities are buried beneath the labels of their conditions. Deegan, 70, helped lead efforts to rehabilitate a pair of overgrown cemeteries at the Danvers State Hospital near Boston, which housed people with mental illness before it closed in 1992. More than 700 former residents were buried there, with many graves originally marked only with a number. The Massachusetts hospital’s grounds were redeveloped into a condominium complex. The rehabilitated cemeteries now have individual gravestones and a large historical marker, explaining what the facility was and who lived there. The sign notes that some past methods of caring for psychiatric patients seem “barbarous” by today’s standards, but the text portrays the staff as well-meaning. It says the institution “attempted to alleviate the problems of many of its members with care and empathy that, although not always successful, was nobly attempted.” Deegan has helped other groups across the country organize renovations of similar cemeteries. She urges communities to include former residents of the facilities in their efforts. Iowa’s Glenwood Resource Center started as a home for orphans of Civil War soldiers. It grew into a large institution for people with disabilities, many of whom lived there for decades. Its population peaked at more than 1,900 in the 1950s, then dwindled to about 150 before state officials decided to close it. Werger, 32, said some criticisms of the institution were valid, but he remains grateful for the support the staff gave him until he was stable enough to move into community housing in 2018. “They helped change my life incredibly,” he said. He thinks the state should have fixed problems at the facility instead of shutting it. He said he hopes officials preserve historical parts of the campus, including stately brick buildings and the cemetery. He wishes the graves had more extensive headstones, with information about the residents buried there. He would also like to see signs installed explaining the place’s history. Two former employees of the Glenwood facility recently raised concerns that some of the graves may be mismarked . But officials with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, which ran the institution, said they have extensive, accurate records and recently placed stones on three graves that were unmarked. Department leaders declined to be interviewed about the cemetery’s future. Spokesperson Alex Murphy wrote in an email that while no decisions have been made about the campus, the agency “remains committed to ensuring the cemetery is protected and treated with dignity and respect for those who have been laid to rest there.” Glenwood civic leaders have formed a nonprofit corporation that is negotiating with the state over development plans for the former institution. “We’re trying to make the best of a tough situation,” said Larry Winum, a local banker who serves on the new organization’s board. Tentative plans include tearing down some of the existing buildings and creating up to 900 houses and apartments. Winum said redevelopment should include some kind of memorial sign about the institution and the people buried in the cemetery. “It will be important to us that those folks be remembered,” he said. Activists in other states said properly honoring such places takes sustained commitment and money. Jennifer Walton helped lead efforts in the 1990s to properly mark graves and improve cemetery upkeep at state institutions in Minnesota . Some of the cemeteries are deteriorating again, she said. Activists plan to ask Minnesota legislators to designate permanent funding to maintain them and to place explanatory markers at the sites. “I think it’s important, because it’s a way to demonstrate that these spaces represent human beings who at the time were very much hidden away,” Walton said. “No human being should be pushed aside and ignored.” Related Articles Health | A stroke changed a teacher’s life. How a new electrical device is helping her move Health | Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too Health | CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changes Health | New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants Health | Biden proposes Medicare and Medicaid cover costly weight-loss drugs for millions of obese Americans On a recent day, just one of the Glenwood graves had flowers on it. Retired managers of the institution said few people visit the cemetery, but amateur genealogists sometimes show up after learning that a long-forgotten ancestor was institutionalized at Glenwood and buried there. Former grounds supervisor Max Cupp said burials had become relatively rare over the years, with more families arranging to have deceased residents’ remains transported to their hometown cemeteries. One of the last people buried in the Glenwood cemetery was Kenneth Rummells, who died in 2022 at age 71 after living many years at the institution and then at a nearby group home overseen by the state. His guardian was Kenny Jacobsen, a retired employee of the facility who had known him for decades. Rummells couldn’t speak, but he could communicate by grunting, Jacobsen said. He enjoyed sitting outside. “He was kind of quiet, kind of a touch-me-not guy.” Jacobsen helped arrange for a gravestone that is more detailed than most others in the cemetery. The marker includes Rummells’ full name, the dates of his birth and death, a drawing of a porch swing, and the inscription “Forever swinging in the breeze.” Jacobsen hopes officials figure out how to maintain the cemetery. He would like to see a permanent sign erected, explaining who is buried there and how they came to live in Glenwood. “They were people too,” he said.As open enrollment for Affordable Care Act plans continues through Jan. 15, you’re likely seeing fewer social media ads promising monthly cash cards worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars that you can use for groceries, medical bills, rent and other expenses. But don’t worry. You haven’t missed out on any windfalls. Clicking on one of those ads would not have provided you with a cash card — at least not worth hundreds or thousands. But you might have found yourself switched to a health insurance plan you did not authorize, unable to afford treatment for an unforeseen medical emergency, and owing thousands of dollars to the IRS, according to an ongoing lawsuit against companies and individuals who plaintiffs say masterminded the ads and alleged scams committed against millions of people who responded to them. The absence of those once-ubiquitous ads are likely a result of the federal government suspending access to the ACA marketplace for two companies that market health insurance out of South Florida offices, amid accusations they used “fraudulent” ads to lure customers and then switched their insurance plans and agents without their knowledge. In its suspension letter, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cited “credible allegations of misconduct” in the agency’s decision to suspend the abilities of two companies — TrueCoverage (doing business as Inshura) and BenefitAlign — to transact information with the marketplace. CMS licenses and monitors agencies that use their own websites and information technology platforms to enroll health insurance customers in ACA plans offered in the federal marketplace. The alleged scheme affected millions of consumers, according to a lawsuit winding its way through U.S. District Court in Fort Lauderdale that seeks class-action status. An amended version of the suit, filed in August, increased the number of defendants from six to 12: — TrueCoverage LLC, an Albuquerque, New Mexico-based health insurance agency with large offices in Miami, Miramar and Deerfield Beach. TrueCoverage is a sub-tenant of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in a building leased by the newspaper in Deerfield Beach. — Enhance Health LLC, a Sunrise-based health insurance agency that the lawsuit says was founded by Matthew Herman, also named as a defendant, with a $150 million investment from hedge fund Bain Capital’s insurance division. Bain Capital Insurance Fund LP is also a defendant. — Speridian Technologies LLC, accused in the lawsuit of establishing two direct enrollment platforms that provided TrueCoverage and other agencies access to the ACA marketplace. — Benefitalign LLC, identified in the suit as one of the direct enrollment platforms created by Speridian. Like Speridian and TrueCoverage, the company is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. — Number One Prospecting LLC, doing business as Minerva Marketing, based in Fort Lauderdale, and its founder, Brandon Bowsky, accused of developing the social media ads that drove customers — or “leads” — to the health insurance agencies. — Digital Media Solutions LLC, doing business as Protect Health, a Miami-based agency that the suit says bought Minerva’s “fraudulent” ads. In September, the company filed for Chapter 11 protection from creditors in United States Bankruptcy Court in Texas, which automatically suspended claims filed against the company. — Net Health Affiliates Inc., an Aventura-based agency the lawsuit says was associated with Enhance Health and like it, bought leads from Minerva. — Garish Panicker, identified in the lawsuit as half-owner of Speridian Global Holdings and day-to-day controller of companies under its umbrella, including TrueCoverage, Benefitalign and Speridian Technologies. — Matthew Goldfuss, accused by the suit of overseeing and directing TrueCoverage’s ACA enrollment efforts. All of the defendants have filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit. The motions deny the allegations and argue that the plaintiffs failed to properly state their claims and lack the standing to file the complaints. The Sun Sentinel sent requests for comment and lists of questions about the cases to four separate law firms representing separate groups of defendants. Three of the law firms — one representing Brandon Bowsky and Number One Prospecting LLC d/b/a Minerva Marketing, and two others representing Net Health Affiliates Inc. and Bain Capital Insurance Fund — did not respond to the requests. A representative of Enhance Health LLC and Matthew Herman, Olga M. Vieira of the Miami-based firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, responded with a short message saying she was glad the newspaper knew a motion to dismiss the charges had been filed by the defendants. She also said that, “Enhance has denied all the allegations as reported previously in the media.” Catherine Riedel, a communications specialist representing TrueCoverage LLC, Benefitalign LLC, Speridian Technologies LLC, Girish Panicker and Matthew Goldfuss, issued the following statement: “TrueCoverage takes these allegations very seriously and is responding appropriately. While we cannot comment on ongoing litigation, we strongly believe that the allegations are baseless and without merit. “Compliance is our business. The TrueCoverage team records and reviews every call with a customer, including during Open Enrollment when roughly 500 agents handle nearly 30,000 calls a day. No customer is enrolled into any policy without a formal verbal consent given by the customer. If any customer calls in as a result of misleading content presented by third-party marketing vendors, agents are trained to correct such misinformation and action is taken against such third-party vendors.” Through Riedel, the defendants declined to answer follow-up questions, including whether the company remains in business, whether it continues to enroll Affordable Care Act clients, and whether it is still operating its New Mexico call center using another affiliated technology platform. The suspension notification from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services letter cites several factors, including the histories of noncompliance and previous suspensions. The letter noted suspicion that TrueCoverage and Benefitalign were storing consumers’ personally identifiable information in databases located in India and possibly other overseas locations in violation of the centers’ rules. The letter also notes allegations against the companies in the pending lawsuit that “they engaged in a variety of illegal practices, including violations of the (Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations, or RICO Act), misuse of consumer (personal identifiable information) and insurance fraud.” The amended lawsuit filed in August names as plaintiffs five individuals who say their insurance plans were changed and two agencies who say they lost money when they were replaced as agents. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of 55 counts of wrongdoing, ranging from running ads offering thousands of dollars in cash that they knew would never be provided directly to consumers, switching millions of consumers into different insurance policies without their authorization, misstating their household incomes to make them eligible for $0 premium coverage, and “stealing” commissions by switching the agents listed in their accounts. TrueCoverage, Enhance Health, Protect Health, and some of their associates “engaged in hundreds of thousands of agent-of-record swaps to steal other agents’ commissions,” the suit states. “Using the Benefitalign and Inshura platforms, they created large spreadsheet lists of consumer names, dates of birth and zip codes.” They provided those spreadsheets to agents, it says, and instructed them to access platforms linked to the ACA marketplace and change the customers’ agents of record “without telling the client or providing informed consent.” “In doing so, they immediately captured the monthly commissions of agents ... who had originally worked with the consumers directly to sign them up,” the lawsuit asserts. TrueCoverage employees who complained about dealing with prospects who called looking for cash cards were routinely chided by supervisors who told them to be vague and keep making money, the suit says. When the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began contacting the company in January about customer complaints, the suit says TrueCoverage enrollment supervisor Matthew Goldfuss sent an email instructing agents “do not respond.” The lawsuit states the “scheme” was made possible in 2021 when Congress passed the American Rescue Plan Act in the wake of the COVID pandemic. The act made it possible for Americans with household incomes between 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level to pay zero in premiums and it enabled those consumers to enroll in ACA plans all year round, instead of during the three-month open enrollment period from November to January. Experienced health insurance brokers recognized the opportunity presented by the changes, the lawsuit says. More than 40 million Americans live within 100% and 150% of the federal poverty level, while only 15 million had ACA insurance at the time. The defendants developed or benefited from online ads, the lawsuit says, which falsely promised “hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars per month in cash benefits such as subsidy cards to pay for common expenses like rent, groceries, and gas.” Consumers who clicked on the ads were brought to a landing page that asked a few qualifying questions, and if their answers suggested that they might qualify for a low-cost or no-cost plan, they were provided a phone number to a health insurance agency. There was a major problem with the plan, according to the lawsuit. “Customers believe they are being routed to someone who will send them a free cash card, not enroll them in health insurance.” By law, the federal government sends subsidies for ACA plans to insurance companies, and not to individual consumers. Scripts were developed requiring agents not to mention a cash card, and if a customer mentions a cash card, “be vague” and tell the caller that only the insurance carrier can provide that information, the lawsuit alleges. In September, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the claims. In addition to denying the charges, they argued that the class plaintiffs lacked the standing to make the accusations and failed to demonstrate that they suffered harm. The motion also argued that the lawsuit’s accusations failed to meet requirements necessary to claim civil violations of the RICO Act. Miami-based attorney Jason Kellogg, representing the plaintiffs, said he doesn’t expect a ruling on the motion to dismiss the case for several months. The complaint also lists nearly 50 companies, not named as defendants, that it says fed business to TrueCoverage and Enhance Health. Known in the industry as “downlines,” most operate in office parks throughout South Florida, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit quotes former TrueCoverage employees complaining about having to work with customers lured by false cash promises in the online ads. A former employee who worked in the company’s Deerfield Beach office was quoted in the lawsuit as saying that senior TrueCoverage and Speridian executives “knew that consumers were calling in response to the false advertisements promising cash cards and they pressured agents to use them to enroll consumers into ACA plans.” A former human resources manager for TrueCoverage said sales agents frequently complained “that they did not feel comfortable having to mislead consumers,” the lawsuit said. Over two dozen agents “came to me with these complaints and showed me the false advertisements that consumers who called in were showing them,” the lawsuit quoted the former manager as saying. For much of the time the companies operated, the ACA marketplace enabled agents to easily access customer accounts using their names and Social Security numbers, change their insurance plans and switch their agents of record without their knowledge or authorization, the lawsuit says. This resulted in customers’ original agents losing their commissions and many of the policyholders finding out they suddenly owed far more for health care services than their original plans had required, the suit states. It says that one of the co-plaintiffs’ health plans was changed at least 22 times without her consent. She first discovered that she had lost her original plan when she sought to renew a prescription for her heart condition and her doctor told her she did not have health insurance, the suit states. Another co-plaintiff’s policy was switched after her husband responded to one of the cash card advertisements, the lawsuit says. That couple’s insurance plan was switched multiple times after a TrueCoverage agent excluded the wife’s income from an application so the couple would qualify. Later, they received bills from the IRS for $4,300 to cover tax credits issued to pay for the plans. CMS barred TrueCoverage and BenefitAlign from accessing the ACA marketplace. It said it received more than 90,000 complaints about unauthorized plan switches and more than 183,500 complaints about unauthorized enrollments, but the agency did not attribute all of the complaints to activities by the two companies. In addition, CMS restricted all agents’ abilities to alter policyholders’ enrollment information, the lawsuit says. Now access is allowed only for agents that already represent policyholders or if the policyholder participates in a three-way call with an agent and a marketplace employee. Between June and October, the agency barred 850 agents and brokers from accessing the marketplace “for reasonable suspicion of fraudulent or abusive conduct related to unauthorized enrollments or unauthorized plan switches,” according to an October CMS news release . The changes resulted in a “dramatic and sustained drop” in unauthorized activity, including a nearly 70% decrease in plan changes associated with an agent or broker and a nearly 90% decrease in changes to agent or broker commission information, the release said. It added that while consumers were often unaware of such changes, the opportunity to make them provided “significant financial incentive for non-compliant agents and brokers.” But CMS’ restrictions might be having unintended consequences for law-abiding agents and brokers. A story published by Insurance News Net on Nov. 11 quoted the president of the Health Agents for America (HAFA) trade group as saying agents are being suspended by CMS after being flagged by a mysterious algorithm that no one can figure out. The story quotes HAFA president Ronnell Nolan as surmising, “maybe they wrote too many policies on the same day for people who have the same income or they’re writing too many policies on people of a certain occupation.” Nolan continued, “We have members who have thousands of ACA clients. They can’t update or renew their clients. So those consumers have lost access to their professional agent, which is simply unfair.” Ron Hurtibise covers business and consumer issues for the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can be reached by phone at 954-356-4071, on Twitter @ronhurtibise or by email at rhurtibise@sunsentinel.com.