https lodigame vip

Pam Bondi, Donald Trump's pick to be attorney general, is a staunch ally of the former president, defending him against impeachment during his first term and pushing his false claims of election fraud as he sought to cling on to the White House. The 59-year-old former Florida attorney general, if confirmed by the Senate, will now serve as the top law enforcement official in a second Trump administration. "For too long, the partisan Department of Justice has been weaponized against me and other Republicans -- Not anymore," Trump wrote on his Truth Social network. "Pam will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting Crime, and Making America Safe Again." Bondi's nomination means the top ranks of the Justice Department will be filled by Trump loyalists, as the president-elect has named three of the lawyers who defended him in his multiple criminal cases to its other high-ranking roles. Trump tapped Bondi to be attorney general on Thursday after his first pick, firebrand ex-Florida lawmaker Matt Gaetz, dropped out amid sexual misconduct allegations and doubts that he could obtain Senate confirmation. A graduate of the University of Florida with a law degree from Stetson University, Bondi served as a prosecutor for 18 years before being elected attorney general of the "Sunshine State" in 2010, the first woman to hold the post. Bondi, a native of Trump's adopted home state of Florida, was reelected to a second term in 2014. As attorney general, Bondi notably fought opioid addiction and human trafficking while taking a tough stance on crime and supporting the death penalty. She sued BP for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and obtained more than $2 billion in economic relief for Florida, according to her biography page at Ballard Partners, a powerful lobbying firm where she has worked after leaving office. While serving as attorney general, Bondi was drawn into a controversy involving Trump when she declined in 2013 to join a multi-state prosecution accusing Trump University of fraud. It emerged later that Bondi's reelection committee had received a $25,000 donation from the charitable Trump Foundation. Both Trump and Bondi denied any wrongdoing. Bondi joined Trump's legal team during his first impeachment trial, in which he was alleged to have pressured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to find political dirt on his 2020 election opponent, Democrat Joe Biden. Trump was impeached by the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives but acquitted by the Republican-majority Senate. After the 2020 election, Bondi made television appearances on behalf of Trump and pushed to de-legitimize vote counting in battleground states as part of the push by the former president to overturn the results of the vote. Bondi has also criticized the criminal cases brought against Trump, appearing in solidarity at his New York trial, where he was convicted of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments to a porn star. At Ballard Partners, Bondi has done work for Amazon, General Motors and Uber and as a registered lobbyist for the oil-rich Gulf nation of Qatar, according to press reports. She is also a member of the America First Policy Institute, a Trump-aligned right-wing think tank. cl/dwHome | NW government HOD sentenced to 2-years in SA Express matter The former Head of Department at the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management Bailey Mahlakoleng has been sentenced to two years imprisonment or R200 000 fine. This is after he pleaded guilty before the North West High court today, for contravening the Public Finance Management Act relating to the SA Express matter. His sentencing emanates from an investigation by the Hawks into allegations of flouting procurement processes when the North West Department of Community Safety and Transport Management entered into a contract with SA Express in 2015 to provide airline services for the province. HAWKS North West Spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Tinyiko Mathebula elaborates. “Upon entering into a five-year contract with the department, SA Express appointed three different management companies for ground handling services. In terms of the agreement, the department had to pay an amount of approximately R409 million to SA Express and management companies over a five-year period. The contract ended after three years. The department had suffered a loss of R186 million. Over R83 million was paid to the three management companies. It was discovered during the investigation that no ground handling services were rendered by the appointed companies.” Mahlakoleng reportedly confessed that he was only following political instructions. “The main reasons for accepting the plea offer were that he did not receive any of the stolen funds and he is a first offender and acted under pressure when he yielded to the instruction from his political bosses not to follow correct procurement procedures when SA Express was appointed,” adds Mathebula. SABC © 2024lodibet 123 。

LG USA ANNOUNCES CREATION OF 2025 SUMMER INTERNSHIPS EXCLUSIVELY FOR RUTGERS STUDENT-ATHLETES

NoneDemocrats strike deal to get more Biden judges confirmed before Congress adjourns

By ALEXANDRA OLSON and CATHY BUSSEWITZ NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser Stephen Miller , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a prominent gay rights index . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in June 2023 that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including Ford , Harley-Davidson, Lowe’s and Tractor Supply . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.In Chicago, Obama focuses on bridge building among a public divided by TrumpWalmart Pulls Back from Diversity Policies in Latest Corporate Abandonment of DEIDr. Manmohan Singh demise: 7-day national mourning declared in tribute to former PM, key cabinet meet on Friday

Zoom raises annual revenue and profit forecasts, expands share repurchaseNo. 22 Xavier unbeaten but looking for more effort vs. South Carolina

Here’s Why TXT Leader Soobin Is Going on Temporary Hiatus By , the leader of the , has gone on a following certain reasons that were shared by his agency. The 23-year-old singer has been part of TXT, AKA Tomorrow X Together, since the group’s debut in 2019. Here is everything the popular band’s fans need to know about the reason behind Soobin’s hiatus. TXT leader Soobin announces temporary hiatus 23-year-old Soobin, or Choi Soo-bin, has announced he is going on a break from all the activities. The reason was shared by his agency Big Hit Entertainment, which also represents the global sensation K-pop boy band, BTS. In their statement, the agency revealed that Soobin has been dealing with some medical issues that have halted his participation in certain group activities. The statement was shared on the fandom platform, . It reads, “We would like to provide you with some information regarding TOMORROW X TOGETHER member Soobin’s future activities. Soobin recently exhibited signs of being unwell and visited the hospital for medical attention. The medical staff have advised that he would need sufficient time to rest and recover. We have prioritized Soobin’s recovery and have had discussions regarding future activities with all members.” Soobin also wrote a heartfelt letter to MOA, the official fandom of TXT. Its translation was shared by . It read, “There were moments when I felt strongly that I wasn’t in the best physical condition, but thanks to the other members and MOA, I was able to solidly push through. Thank you! After giving it deep thought, I thought that in order to be with all of you for a long time, I needed time to reorganize myself.” The singer continued, “Although my heart feels heavy because I worry that this news might sadden MOA, who always give me only love and joy, I will recover quickly so that you don’t have to wait long, and I will return in good health!” Additionally, Big Hit Entertainment revealed the events in which Soobin will not be present due to the hiatus. This includes the MAMA Awards, TXT fan events in Japan and China, ACT: PROMISE Encore, and more. Ishita Verma is an SEO contributing writer for ComingSoon. She is passionate about delivering authentic content and holds experience in SEO content writing. Apart from her quest to ensure her content is promising, Ishita is an avid Kdrama and anime watcher. Ishita is a bibliophile and also pursues gaming as one of her favorite pastimes. Share article

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) last week released a 16-page to help schools avoid discriminatory uses of artificial intelligence, featuring detailed examples of how improper school use of AI and handling of AI-related issues could violate the civil rights of students. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin. The new guidance from OCR provides six hypothetical scenarios to illustrate how school AI use could violate this law, including an AI cheating detector that inaccurately flags English learners and AI-enabled facial recognition technology that consistently misidentifies students of color as known criminals. In the latter hypothetical, despite complaints to the principal, the school does not take any action, and students continue to be called out of class and questioned, resulting in missed learning time and harm to their reputations as peers begin calling them criminals. “[T]he students may have experienced a hostile environment due to the multiple false flags, being pulled out of class and questioned, and the allegations regarding peer harassment,” the OCR document states. Another six hypothetical scenarios illustrate potential violations of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex. These include harassment on school grounds due to AI-generated sexual deepfakes and an AI program that scans college engineering applications, informed by past data that creates a bias toward men. In the sexual deepfakes scenario, the guidance explains that if school officials do nothing but report the issue to police, OCR would have reason to investigate. “[T]he students may have experienced prohibited harassment about which the school knew and failed to appropriately respond,” the document states. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 prohibit discrimination based on disability. OCR offers six examples of how AI can perpetrate this form of discrimination, from a generative AI tool that composes Section 504 plans for disabled students without human oversight, resulting in cookie-cutter plans that do not meet the needs of each student, to an AI-enabled noise monitor and display meant to keep classrooms quiet that continually flags a student who is hard of hearing for speaking too loudly. In most of these hypothetical examples, school authorities fail to act on complaints from parents and students, leaving the school open to investigation should anyone decide to the issue to OCR. The agency is responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws in public schools and colleges, and any AI use that violates these laws could be grounds for an investigation, according to Catherine Lhamon, assistant secretary of education for civil rights. “Federal civil rights laws protect students in educational settings with and without AI,” she said in a . “School communities must take care that they do not discriminate when applying AI tools. OCR will remain vigilant in enforcement regarding AI usage as we will with respect to any other aspect of students’ educational experience.” Last year, OCR received 19,201 complaints regarding school-based civil rights violations, the highest in the agency’s history, according to its most recent . If an OCR investigation determines a school failed to comply with a civil rights law, range from voluntary compliance procedures to the revocation of federal funds.

The new technology allows passengers to leave liquids under 100ml in their hand luggage, along with all electronics, providing an enhanced customer experience. This means the screening process will be quicker, giving customers more time to enjoy the recently upgraded facilities in the airport's departure lounge. Airport staff have been proud to help deliver this major project which has seen work in the terminal building for the past two years. Spencer Birns, CEO of Cardiff Airport, said: "I would like to say a special thank you to our teams for working tirelessly to deliver this project. "This state-of-the-art facility is a significant investment for the growth and future development of our national airport. "Safety and security is our number one priority. "We have worked closely with our suppliers, who I also want to thank for their hard work and support." Cardiff Airport provides more than 4,000 jobs and drives more than £200m of economic benefit to Wales each year. Cardiff and St Athan airports won the 2024 AirportsUK's Medium Sized Airport Health & Safety Award for its 'excellent' teamwork and standards of security and safety. The airport has 15 airlines regularly operating out of it, with 34 direct flights on sale.

Meet Wall Street's Newest $1 Trillion Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock -- but Don't Rush to Buy It Just Yet

lodigame 291 login registration

u lol game HCA Healthcare Stock: Analyst Estimates & RatingsArsenal make Mikel Arteta proud after smashing Sporting Lisbon

St. Thomas fraud victim loses nearly $100K to job scamFortress reports positive financial year for Barbados dollar funds

Cam Akers reached down in front of him to scoop a sinking pass from Sam Darnold, bringing it into his body as he tumbled backwards. As he did, two words ran through his mind: game over. Akers’ late catch, which came with less than two minutes left in the game on a third-and-2 pass, sealed a 27-25 win for the Vikings over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon in a game at U.S. Bank Stadium that got tight late. “I’m blessed,” Akers said. “On my journey from where I’ve come from, to be able to be in there, crunch time, fourth quarter, the coaches trust me, the team trusts me,” Akers said. “I’m blessed.” It’s been a long journey for the running back, who has dealt with two serious Achilles injuries in previous seasons. But Akers, now in his second stint with the Vikings, has rewarded the coaching staff for its faith in him. He also caught a 9-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter, one which ended up proving the difference in the win. His opportunities on Sunday came in part because Aaron Jones took a shot to the quad earlier in the game, which he played through before watching the end of the game from the sidelines. His last carry in the game came near the end of the third quarter. “Coach was like, ‘Hey, we’re going to hold you for a little bit,’ but I was good,” Jones said. “I kept warm just in case they needed me. Kept my helmet on.” They didn’t wind up needing him, thanks in large part to Akers. “Cam has something inside him that allowed him to push through the adversity of what’s happened to him over the course of his career,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “His teammates were probably the most excited all season when Cam scored on that screen and then obviously the catch late. He just brings something. He brings physicality. He brings a level of mental and physical toughness that I think makes us all better.” Darnold aired it out and found his receiver, on the run, open in the end zone. It wasn’t Justin Jefferson, nor Jordan Addison, but Jalen Nailor, who hauled in the 31-yard pass for the Vikings’ first touchdown of the game. “I just had a post route. I’ve seen the far safety. He wasn’t there,” Nailor said. “I just took off running as fast as I could and Sam found me.” Darnold found Nailor a season-high five times on Sunday. He finished the day with 81 yards, also a season-high, and his touchdown was his first in more than a month, with the last one coming in the Vikings’ Nov. 24 win over the Bears. “It just felt good to be out there, just help the team win,” Nailor said. “That’s all I’m trying to do.” Will Reichard’s first field goal attempt Sunday hit the crossbar. The rookie kicker missed a 55-yard attempt near the end of the first half, but a Green Bay penalty negated his miss and a subsequent Packers’ timeout took away a 50-yard make. He then connected from 50 yards to send the Vikings into halftime up 10. His last field goal attempt of the day went off the left upright from 43 yards. But despite a shaky day, O’Connell’s confidence in the 23-year-old, who also converted on a short kick in the second quarter, hasn’t wavered. “I just told him, ‘Hey, next one’s going to be the best one.’ My confidence in Will is sky high,” O’Connell said of Reichard. “If we think we’re anywhere near the range, I’m going to give him the swing. He’s a phenomenal kid, great makeup. The next kick’s going to be his best kick.”PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Erik Reynolds II's 22 points helped Saint Joseph's defeat Delaware State 76-58 on Saturday. Reynolds shot 6 of 16 from the field, including 4 for 13 from 3-point range, and went 6 for 6 from the line for the Hawks (9-4). Rasheer Fleming scored 13 points and added 14 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Dasear Haskins had 12 points and shot 6 for 12, including 0 for 5 from beyond the arc. Kaseem Watson finished with 23 points and three steals for the Hornets (7-7). Martez Robinson added 13 points, seven rebounds and two steals for Delaware State. Muneer Newton also had 10 points and six rebounds. Saint Joseph's took the lead with 15:43 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 33-20 at halftime, with Reynolds racking up eight points. Saint Joseph's outscored Delaware State by five points over the final half, while Reynolds led the way with a team-high 14 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Livestream: President Biden hosts NBA champion Celtics at the White House

Northwestern hopes hot streak continues vs. Northeastern

None

None

By Llazar Semini TIRANA, Albania — Albanian opposition lawmakers and their supporters blocked the capital’s main streets for hours Tuesday accusing the government of corruption and demanding it be replaced by a technocratic caretaker Cabinet until 2025 parliamentary elections. Hundreds of activists blocked traffic at Tirana’s main intersections accusing the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama of corruption, manipulating earlier elections and usurping the powers of the judiciary. Led by lawmakers, opposition supporters — some coming from other cities — were involved in sporadic clashes with anti-riot police trying to clear the streets. Others sat down in the street or tried to push police officers away. “Rama go away,” was a call repeated by protesters in many places. Riot police wear their gas masks during a protest, in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Police use water canons against opposition supporters in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during an anti-government protest over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Supporters of the Albanian opposition clash with riot police in Tirana, Albania , Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during an anti-government protest over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Supporters of the Albanian opposition take part in an anti-government protest in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Riot police stand guard a street in central Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during an anti-government protest over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Police officers help a woman after a clash between riot police and opposition supporters in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during an anti-government protest over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Police use water canons against opposition supporters in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during an anti-government protest over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) An elderly woman is being cared after clashes between riot police and opposition supporters in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during an anti-government protest over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Police use water canons against opposition supporters in Tirana, Albania , Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 during an anti-government protest over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Riot police wear their gas masks during a protest, in Tirana, Albania, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases, saying the charges are politically motivated. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj) Hundreds of police officers were deployed to protect government buildings and keep streets clear for traffic and preserve order. They used water guns mounted on trucks to keep protesters away from City Hall and Wilson Square, and tear gas in at least in one case. The conservative Democratic Party and its supporters in an opposition coalition also have been holding protests over the arrests of their leader Sali Berisha and former President Ilir Meta in separate corruption cases , saying the charges are politically motivated. “The Albanians’ revolt and civil disobedience cannot be stopped,” said the Democrats’ Secretary-General Flamur Noka, the most senior leader while Berisha is under house arrest. As Noka was addressing journalists, he stopped speaking out of respect when a prayer was heard from the new Muslim mosque nearby. Albania’s 2.4 million population is more than half Muslim. They live peacefully alongside Catholic and Orthodox Christians and other smaller religious communities. The protest ended after three hours with the opposition leaders pledging to continue with rallies all around the country. Albania holds parliamentary elections next spring, which Rama’s Socialists are poised to win, according to polls, partly because the opposition is divided. The United States and the European Union have urged the opposition to resume dialogue with the government, saying violence won’t help the country integrate into the 27-nation European Union. In October, Tirana started discussions with the bloc on how the country aligns with EU stances on the rule of law, the functioning of democratic institutions and the fight against corruption. Albania aims to join the bloc by 2030, according to Rama.I asked Google’s AI to identify the laziest person in history. It said this is impossible. Laziness is subjective. It can’t be measured. Then, strangely, it offered unnamed examples of lazy historical figures, including: “One person was so lazy that mice were able to eat their way into his head while he let them.” Here’s what we know: lazy is pejorative. — we don’t use these put-downs on mountain climbers. That said, Netflix’s did exude laziness. Or maybe Tyson suddenly realized he was a 58-year-old man in the ring with a 27-year-old behemoth. Standing still and biting his gloves became a survival strategy. I digress. Or I forgot what this column is about, which could mean I’m lazy. According to a Finnish meta-analysis published this month, sedentary lifestyles are correlated with poorer working memory. Is this why your friend who can kill hours in front of the TV always forgets what happened last episode? And your other friend, a fervent jogger, never forgets her keys on the way out? Per Science Daily: “The working memory advantage for athletes over non-athletes was found across different types of sports and performance levels. Interestingly, this advantage was more pronounced when athletes were contrasted with a sedentary population, compared to the analysis where the sedentary population was excluded ...” Not fair. I’m not an athlete and am now at greater risk of forgetting my address? There are moments when I can see the wisdom of lazy. Look at this month’s U.S. election. A story this week in U.S. News & World Report cited data from the University of Florida Election Lab. There were roughly 245 million eligible voters — and about 90 million were too lazy to bother. Is that terrible for society? Yes. But on an individual basis, those apathetic souls are now liberated from caring about the consequences of their inaction. My wife and I were getting the yard prepped for Jack Frost this weekend. This is the downside of home ownership: mindless, repetitive, gloomy seasonal tasks you need to perform like a circus monkey until you are as dead as the fallen leaves you last bagged. Nobody ever asks to be buried with their rake. It’s time to stop shaming the lazy. “Lazy” is like coffee or red wine: the scientific consensus keeps flipping. Researchers are now linking lazy with impaired memory? Here are a few contradictory headlines from recent years: “Research Suggests Being Lazy Is a Sign of High Intelligence.” “Why Lazy People Are More Productive.” “Being Lazy Can Help You Live Longer.” “Lazy People Are More Successful!” “Lazy People Have The Best Sex.” Not sure how that last one works. But you know what I love about the lazy, beyond loving I’ll never be recruited to portage? Their . Have you ever had a friend cancel social plans without offering a good excuse? Many moons ago, a friend asked if we could reschedule dinner. She didn’t claim to have the flu. She didn’t say her car broke down. She didn’t say an army of rodents were skulking outside to gnaw into her brain. At the last minute, she was “too lazy” to get dressed up and go out. The older I get, the more I admire such honesty. You know why there is a spike in laziness? Technology. We are tethered to screens. Our bodies are immobilized while our minds are always racing. That’s a bad combo for getting stuff done. It can lead anyone to think, “Trump won? Screw it, I’m hibernating until 2028.” You can now blame everything on tech. Why aren’t kids playing outside? Instagram. Why are there so many singers who can’t sing? Auto-Tune. Why am I winded ambling to my theatre seats? Combustion engine. Why is Aunt Peggy proposing a virtual Christmas this year? Zoom. (And zero cleanup — ) On Monday evening, I was grilling chicken breasts when the propane ran out after five minutes. Realizing it was now the toaster oven or marital salmonella, a haze of expletives tumbled from my lips as I shook my fist at the pewter sky: “Damn you, low tech!” Lazy people should stand up for themselves. They should forcefully reject this bigotry. If that takes too much effort, I’ll do it for them. Listen up, Lazy Bums! Do not feel ashamed for not wanting to engage with this bonkers world. Avoid the rat race, stay off the hamster wheel, be as quiet as a mouse as you stare at the walls while biting your gloves. You do you. Life can’t deliver a knockout if you never get in the ring. Lazy people are ... lazy people are ... my mind just blanked.

1. A Baccarat Rouge 540-inspired moisturizing body wash infused with white jasmine, red currant, and sweet amber that reviewers swear by for a cheap alternative to keep that delectably luxe scent on them all day long. Nothing wrong with smelling a lil' ~~expensive~~! I bought this after being peer-pressured by all the lovely reviews and I'm happy to report it lives up to the hype. The scent is lovely — it has depth with a hint of floral, but it's light and not at all overpowering . My favorite thing about it is how easily it pairs other scents, because I am a body mist gremlin who swaps out her scents every day. The lather is also deeply satisfying and I feel quite refreshed and squeaky clean without ever feeling dry. Promising review: "Cremo's body wash is nothing short of exceptional. If you’re a fan of luxurious fragrances, this product will quickly become your new favorite. It boasts an incredible scent that perfectly mimics Baccarat Rouge 540 — a fragrance renowned for its sophisticated and captivating aroma. What sets this body wash apart is not just its stunning scent but also its longevity. The fragrance lingers beautifully throughout the day , ensuring you stay enveloped in that luxurious aroma long after your shower." — Ralph D. Thompson II Get it from Amazon for $9.34 . 2. A gorgeous pastel paint-by-number you can get in all kinds of intricate, deeply satisfying patterns for anyone who is looking for an activity that pairs perfectly with a screen-free night in. Each set comes with a detailed numbered outline, four brushes, and a set of numbered acrylic paints with extra to spare. Promising review : "Colorful and fun! This is the third paint-by-number I’ve done, and by far the most challenging. Lots of fine point detail, and the paint brushes included were adequate, unlike other PBN sets I’ve bought." — Emily cox Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in 12 styles). 3. E.l.f's brand new Lash XTNDR Tubing Mascara , a GODSEND for anyone with thin or fragile lashes. This uses lightweight ~tubing~ technology to wrap around lashes and give them a natural-looking, smudge-proof extension so good it almost looks fake. The real boon, though, is how easily the "tubes" slide off in clean, easy swipes at the end of the day when you're washing your face — absolutely no smudging, over-scrubbing, or special eye makeup removal products required. Check out a TikTok of the E.l.f. tubing mascara in action. I am not a new human to the tubing mascara game, and in fact readily spent $26 on the famous OG blend from Blinc every time it needed replacing . I didn't even love it for the length half as much as the fact that tubing mascara like this genuinely never smudges, but can I just say — regardless of price, the E.l.f. tubing mascara formula blows all the others I've tried out of the water. It gives me way more length and volume than other brands, slides on so much more easily, stays put ALL day, and never, ever smudges. My favorite part, though, is how gently and easily it comes off with soap and water. In the past, other mascara removals have felt rough on my lashes, but this comes off so fast that I'm like ??? was I even wearing mascara a minute ago?? Anyway, I hesitate even writing this review because I want to gatekeep the hell out of this before it sells out, but the world needed to know. I'm a big fan of the brown shade (which is what I'm wearing above!), but it also comes in black and soft black. Get it from Amazon for $7 (available in three shades). 4. A Lego lotus flower building kit so you can build yourself a dainty little bouquet and then sit back and admire them as decor for however long you please, no flower food or pruning required. Promising review : "I bought this lotus flower set for myself, and it only took me a little while to make it. Each stem with a flower is bagged separately, making it easy to put together. You can make the stem as long or short as you want . The leaves on the two open flowers have bendable hinged leaves, so you can make them look more realistic. They look cute in a vase, and I'm very pleased with the results ." — Happy Amazoner Get it from Amazon for $11.99+ (available in two styles). 5. A portable retro-style radio with built-in speakers and a handle so you can bop around to your nostalgic heart's content wherever you roam. Promising review: "This was to replace an inherited vintage radio that finally died after 50 years. This is smaller and has a similar style, but pulls in so many more stations than the old one did. Good sound in small package, perfect kitchen radio." — Pat Kidwell Get it from Amazon for $17.70 (available in two styles). 6. Clinique Almost Lipstick Tinted Lip Balm in Black Honey that you're definitely going to want to stock up on *now*, before TikTokers go feral again (guilty as charged). This cult-classic, lightweight, slightly glossy shade is beyond "holy grail" status — it matches skin tones so beautifully that I'm personally starting to suspect witchcraft, after seeing so many TikToks of it subtly transforming entire beauty looks with just a few swipes. I was very adamant about not buying this for the longest time because I am stubborn about "expensive" beauty products, but this is worth every penny and then some . It's so lightweight and layerable, it's foolproof to apply, and I have yet to wear a single outfit it doesn't complement??? I love watching it instantly elevate a casual look or add simple elegance to dressy ones. I wear it every day now, and after weeks of use, I've barely made a dent . Also, and maybe this is just me, but I tend to get pigment on my teeth with a lot of lip products, and I've simply never had an issue with this magic stick. Anyway, watch this TikTok of someone using it on their lips AND cheeks , because I did and oops, this lipstick FELL into my cart. Get it from Amazon for $21.25. 7. A set of affordable lavender shower steamers so you can have a dose of ~calm~ to cap off a long day of capitalism and help your poor overworked brain getting into de-stressing mode. Read more about aromatherapy and stress and tension at Johns Hopkins . Promising review : "Hubby bought these for me because I work full time and just decided to go back to school full time, and he figured I'd be a little stressed, haha . They all smell wonderful, they work great, they'll definitely help me calm down especially during exam time at school or budget season at work." — Tyleena Gloeker Get a set of six from Amazon for $12.99 (available in three styles). 8. A pick-apart ASMR cloud plush, or "Fluffie Stuffiez" — this unique fidget toy is covered with fluff you can methodically pluck off, revealing a different color plush underneath. No worries about the extra fluff, because it comes with an adorable container to make a second cloud out of it! Reviewers love this engaging, adorable fidget both as a toy for kids and a stress reliever for adults. A few reviewers with trichotillomania swear by this as a helpful alternative for picking tendencies. Promising review : "I have a tendency to pick at my clothes when I’m bored and have nothing else to occupy my time with . I got this toy to see if it would scratch that itch and save my clothes from my boredom . It worked much better than I thought it would. The outer layer to pluck has a soft wooly feel and the under layer is very soft. Some of the strands were a bit stuck and took some effort, but most came out with only a little effort. I’ll probably get some more if I know I’m going to be away from home for a while." — Terras Get it from Amazon for $11.02 (and check out dozens of other versions on the Fluffie Stuffiez Amazon storefront !). 9. A set of delightfully ~~tingly~~ self-heating soothing foot masks made with Epsom salts, lavender, and peppermint perfect for anyone whose recent step count is "too many." Nothing like a lil' self-care on those aching feet to lift your spirits! Check out a TikTok of the foot masks in action. I'm a long-ish distance runner, and these were certainly an interesting experience for my feet! You slide them on and, after a few minutes, feel a tingling, mildly burning (in a good way) sensation. It doesn't quite numb your feet, but it relaxes them. I kept them on for 30 minutes and then toweled my feet off, and the tingling sensation slowly faded over the next 30 minutes. After that, my feet felt very refreshed and relaxed at a time of day when they're usually aching from all the miles I put in. The whole thing was a mess-free, easy process, and I will definitely keep them on hand for longer run days! Promising review: "Very soothing. My husband and l used these on our European vacation, and they definitely felt good on our feet!" — KS2018 Get a set of three pairs from Amazon for $11.97 . 10. A Mason jar-inspired cold brew coffee maker to save you (*crunches numbers*) one bajillion dollars at coffee shops, and a whole lot of time to boot. All you have to do is put your favorite coffee grounds in this pitcher and let them steep overnight. Be the cool, aloof barista with amazing cold brew on tap you want to see in the world! Promising review : "This is the best way to have coffee without the acid and still have the caffeine. Easy to use and so much cheaper than buying cold brew coffee. I have bought several over the years for friends. I’ve owned mine now for four years and still love it." — Terry "Absolutely love this cold brew coffee maker. TikTok made me buy it. I use it all the time. I use 1 cup of ground coffee and 7 cups of filtered water. Once I pull out the coffee filter, I top it off with more water. I add coffee to my chocolate protein shakes every day!" — Connie Forbes Get it from Amazon for $21.99 (available in two sizes). 11. An oh-so-sweet hummingbird lamp with three brightness levels and a touch sensor that reviewers love using as a reading light, a wind-down light, or a nursery light. Bonus: it also functions as an aroma diffuser if you add 3–4 drops of essential oil to the top of its head. Check out a TikTok of the bird night-light in action. Promising review: "This little bird is truly a gem. You tap on its head to get three different brightness of lighting. Works great as a night-light or to have on during the day as a decor for your table or end table. I love that it comes with a charger. No need to worry about having the right battery size. Will buy as gifts for friends and family! " — Linda S. Get it from Amazon for $19.99 . 12. A shaker of Thin Mint seasoning you need to buy as a favor to all your taste buds immediately. Allow me to paint a picture for you: Thin Mint coffee, Thin Mint pudding, Thin Mint popcorn, Thin Mint anything your dessert gremlin heart desires. I stared at this for months online before caving and buying it, and when I tell you!! It jazzes up my morning coffee in a way that makes my little '90s baby heart sing. I've also loved it on Greek yogurt, oatmeal, and mug cakes. Plus, when I am feeling lonely for a real Thin Mint, and we're not in Girl Scout cookie season, I'll shake this on an Oreo Thin to stave off the despair. Get it from Amazon for $4.98 (and try their s'mores seasoning blend, too!). 13. A deep exfoliating shower back scrubber so soothing and effective that it won't be long before all your friends are like, "Wow, remember when they talked about something other than how squeaky clean their back feels?" A lot of reviewers with dry skin and keratosis pilaris swear by this for relief! Dermasuri is a small business that specializes in skincare and personal care products. Check out a TikTok of the back scrubber in action. Promising review: "I used this back scrubber the day after it arrived, and I love it. Finally, I have an easy-to-use and more effective way to scrub my back. I saw the dead skin fall to the shower floor. Wow! And it easily rinsed cleaned, too." — Naomi M. Get it from Amazon for $18.79 . 14. A set of 2-in-1 magnetic rechargeable hand warmers that are a genuine must-have for cold weather traveling — you can keep these in your pockets to keep your hands the kind of roasty toasty warm that radiates through your whole body, and makes it a heck of a lot easier to stay outside and explore. Bonus: both hand warmers double as device chargers, so they'll come in handy in warm weather, too! Promising review: "These are amazing! I use them when I volunteer at the outdoor food bank and they keep my hands nice and toasty. I keep them in my coat pocket and they warm me right up! They are easy to charge and easy to use!" — Karen Get it from Amazon for $23.99+ (available in eight colors). 15. A dual beverage Stanley cup separator so you can have TWO beverages in ONE GIANT CUP. It's a free-for-all of bevvy combos. Apple cider + seltzer, iced tea + lemonade, High Noon plus — you know what, I'll let you choose that journey for yourself 😉. Each set comes with two silicone separators and two straws in different colors adapted to a 40-ounce Stanley cup. Promising review : "I love this separator! It fits in snugly and comes with two straws. Works well with my 40-ounce Stanley!" — Dana Daily Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in seven styles). 16. A penguin-shaped egg cooker and holder that makes it ridiculously easy to make easy-, medium-, and hard-boiled eggs on the stove, *plus* keep them safe afterward. No more sticking your eggs back in the fridge and confusing them for the raw ones anymore — you can just pop the little penguins in there for storage. Promising review : "Bought this for a serotonin boost because it’s ridiculously cute . Little did I know how utterly functional it is . No more cracking eggs while dropping them into the pot, no more fishing them out, no more putting them back into the damp cardboard carton where they inevitably are forgotten right next to the equally neglected bag of spring mix. Just in the pot, out the pot, into the fridge where they cutely greet me every time I open the door. Gives me five seconds of joy every time. Highly recommend." — Kitty M. Get it from Amazon for $19.90 (also available in a bear version ). 17. A set of of Minnie Mouse ear scrunchies for anyone whose permanent spiritual address is "Magic Kingdom," even if their physical address is somewhere else. Promising review: "I bought these at the last minute prior to a school trip to Disney. They came in a two-pack. I wore them EVERY DAY of the trip. They are so dang cute and durable. Standing in lines for the ride, almost EVERYONE asked me about them. They thought I bought them there, but surprisingly, NOT ONE shop at any of the Disney properties sold this. I sold one to someone in the line!" — Melissa Rae Get a two-pack from Amazon for $8.99 (available in 13 styles). 18. "You Need To Calm Down: A Coloring Book," which is the new ideal way for Swifities to de-stress. This features 45 pages of illustrations and quotes designed to loosely follow the Eras tour in order, so you can color your way back to the magic whenever you please. Psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon for $11.99! Promising review : "I never thought I would enjoy adult coloring as much as I do with this book. It provides many opportunities to be creative, mix colors, be whimsical, and enjoy the lyrics." — Sherry Get it from Amazon for $9.99 . 19. A pair of wireless over-the-ear headphones crafted to look like AirPods Max, so you can still enjoy the comfort and chic style of their iconic headphones without shelling out hundreds of dollars. These feature premium cushion padding, a built-in mic with the ability to take calls, 10 hours of playtime per charge, and surprisingly decent noise blocking for the price. iJoy is a small business that specializes in headphones and tech accessories. I own a pair of these, and because I'm vain as heck and need to own all things pink, but I was decently surprised by how well they muffle noise! I feel like these are ideal for people who still want to hear some of the world around them (read: parents, people working in open offices), but still want to listen to their tunes comfortably . The charge on these goes for at least four hours (I haven't tried it beyond that yet), and the Bluetooth connects to my devices super easily. Excellent pair of headphones for the price point. Promising review : "These headphones surprised me. I thought they were not going to be as great because of how cheap they are, but the bass is amazing! The noise cancellation is so good that I can’t hear anything. The volume is loud and sound quality is a win , and just how I like it. Very snug and comfy, recommend! Thanks TikTok, lol :)." — Chevelle Revero Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in five colors). 20. Etude's delightfully multipurpose Dear Darling Water Tint , which a lot of reviewers compare to Benefit's Lip Tint. This smudgeproof formula is designed primarily to be a natural-looking, weightless lip stain, but reviewers use it as a blush as well! Promising review : "I bought the Benefit version a couple of months ago and was very underwhelmed by it, but this product is sooo soo much better than Benetint. The pigment is so good and natural at the same time. A 10/10 for sure. And at this price point what’s there not to like?" — Rachael Get it from Amazon for $6.20+ (available in three shades and combo packs). 21. A coquette cocktail print so your bar can be every bit as cutesy, demure, and mindful as the rest of your life. (Well, so long as that espresso martini isn't in the picture.) Each poster is made on lightweight, uncoated classic matte paper. Honey Island Studio is a California-based Etsy shop established in 2019 that specializes in funky, trendy digital prints for your home. Promising review : "Looks just like the image! I bought a frame for it and it fits perfectly, I love it. If you're thinking of buying this item, I highly suggest you do so! :)" — Allison Get it from Honey Island Studio on Etsy for $17+ (available in 13 sizes). 22. Bachan's Japanese Barbecue Sauce , which is basically what happens when teriyaki sauce and barbecue sauce have an absurdly delicious baby. Reviewers are obsessed with putting this umami + savory + sweet sauce on just about everything they can. Check out a TikTok of Bachan's Japanese barbecue sauce in action. Bachan's is a small business that specializes in Japanese barbecue sauces. Promising review: "Worth the hype . This is absolutely delicious and full of umami. It's so tasty on stir fry with rice and makes it taste more like hibachi . I warmed up leftover restaurant brisket in a skillet, and tossed a little of this on it at the end, and let it caramelize, and it was outrageously good. The flavor is hard to describe . It's savory and salty, like the sauce that comes with Chinese dumplings, but not quite that . And there are notes of barbecue sauce, but not heavy or overly sweet." — John Flora Here's what BuzzFeed Contributor Jonathan Mazzei has to say about it: "I love this sauce! It's the perfect mix of savory, sweet, and spicy, and I've found that it works beautifully whether you're cooking with it or just using it as a last-minute topping or dipping sauce." Get a set of two (Original + Miso from Amazon for $23.98 (available in five flavors and several combo packs). 23. A sweet Nessie sugar spoon reviewers are obsessed with, and for good reason. It infuses just the right amount of ~whimsy~ into the best parts of their day (read: that first cup of coffee, the first bite of oatmeal, that lil' bowl of ice cream before bed). It also has a very satisfying weight and curve for optimum sipping. Promising review: "This little silly spoon makes me happy. It is now the #1 spoon everyone looks for in the silverware drawer at our house. Often found in a container of ice cream or a mug of tea living its best little life." — Emily Get it from Amazon for $9.95 (also available in sets of four and eight). 24. Kitsch's Zig Zag Headbands , an iconic callback to the '90s style with a chic modern update. This is designed to work for all hair types, letting you add some volume and cheeky playfulness to the rest of your look. Reviewers especially love that these don't give them headaches like other headbands! Promising review : "If you don’t have this headband, you need it! I haven’t stopped wearing it since I bought it! I’ve had so many people compliment it and order one because of how simple but cute it is! I have a medium thickness of hair and It holds my hair out of my face, the quality is great and it stays put all day. Wouldn’t use for working out but great for everyday wear!" — Morgan "Saw these on TikTok and knew they were worth buying. I was right to love them!!!" — Debbie Ladnier Get a set of two from Amazon for $7.99 (available in two colors). 25. A mushroom growing kit that grows right there in the packaging, so you can add some sweet, sweet umami flavors to all your favorite dishes by sautéing, roasting, or air frying them up. Back To The Roots is a California-based small business founded by two college friends that specializes in indoor gardening kits with a mission to reconnect families to food. Promising review: "This product has been so much fun to watch! I followed the directions, exactly as written, and the mushrooms began growing within 3–4 days. I will say that I did soak them for close to 10 hours before putting them back in the box to grow and I believe this helped a ton. I also kept the box inside by a window with the blinds closed in order for them to get indirect sunlight . The mushrooms grew tremendously for almost a week before they started to shrink so I clipped them to cook with and they were DELICIOUS! This was such a fun product and process to watch." — Steph A Get it from Amazon for $19.99 . 26. A beautifully packaged, travel-friendly Touchland Power Mist hydrating hand sanitizer for anyone who's like "mindfully practicing health and safety, but make it fashion." Unlike other sanitizer sprays, it's infused with aloe vera to keep your skin hydrated and has the most luxurious floral scents. Touchland is a small business that specializes in hand sanitizers. Promising review: "Touchland's hand sanitizers are absolutely beautiful! Not only is the packaging functional for travel, but it’s pretty! Absolutely no issues with the product or the design of the packaging leaking, and it’s extremely easy to use! No sticky residue, and your hands feel completely hydrated and soft after each use . I’m especially impressed with this perk, considering most hand sanitizers leave your skin feel tight and dry . No leaks, great hydration, phenomenal fragrance.... what’s not to LOVE!!!? 🤍 SPOIL YOURSELF, NO EXCUSES NECESSARY!" — Briana R. Get it from Amazon for $16 (available in Lily of the Valley and Rose scents; check out Touchland's Amazon storefront for more options). 27. A gorgeous vintage-inspired botanical tapestry that will bring some much-needed calm, lovely vibes to your space with almost *zero* effort on your part — all you have to do is hang it up with the included hook. Promising review: "This is a very nice item that I am using in my small Florida apartment to enhance my decor since my hobby is growing indoor houseplants. It is the best-quality item I own . It's beautiful, the pictures didn't do it justice. " — Sharon Boggs Get it from Amazon for $12.99 . 28. Mr. Sketch Scented Watercolor Markers so all the foodies out there can finally sniff their beloved orange and mint pen tips to their heart's content without a teacher being concerned they're about to take a big honking bite out of it. Promising review : "These are my favorite markers to use for anchor charts in my first grade classroom. The tips are great for writing nice, big letters. The smells are fantastic , although this pack had a few interesting scents, like nacho cheese. I will only use this brand." — KPorto28 Get a set of 22 from Amazon for $14.10 . Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Canada’s financial intelligence agency aiming to provide crucial info in real time

NEW YORK , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Halper Sadeh LLC, an investor rights law firm, is investigating the following companies for potential violations of the federal securities laws and/or breaches of fiduciary duties to shareholders relating to: Brightcove Inc. (NASDAQ: BCOV)'s sale to Bending Spoons for $4.45 per share in cash. If you are a Brightcove shareholder, click here to learn more about your legal rights and options . Summit Materials, Inc. (NYSE: SUM)'s sale to Quikrete Holdings, Inc. for $52.50 per share in cash. If you are a Summit shareholder, click here to learn more about your legal rights and options . EnLink Midstream, LLC (NYSE: ENLC)'s sale to ONEOK, Inc. for 0.1412 shares of ONEOK common stock for each common unit of EnLink. If you are an EnLink shareholder, click here to learn more about your rights and options . Halper Sadeh LLC may seek increased consideration for shareholders, additional disclosures and information concerning the proposed transaction, or other relief and benefits on behalf of shareholders. We would handle the action on a contingent fee basis, whereby you would not be responsible for out-of-pocket payment of our legal fees or expenses . Shareholders are encouraged to contact the firm free of charge to discuss their legal rights and options. Please call Daniel Sadeh or Zachary Halper at (212) 763-0060 or email sadeh@halpersadeh.com or zhalper@halpersadeh.com . Halper Sadeh LLC represents investors all over the world who have fallen victim to securities fraud and corporate misconduct. Our attorneys have been instrumental in implementing corporate reforms and recovering millions of dollars on behalf of defrauded investors. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Contact Information: Halper Sadeh LLC Daniel Sadeh, Esq. Zachary Halper, Esq. One World Trade Center 85th Floor New York, NY 10007 (212) 763-0060 sadeh@halpersadeh.com zhalper@halpersadeh.com https://www.halpersadeh.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-investigation-halper-sadeh-llc-investigates-bcov-sum-enlc-on-behalf-of-shareholders-302315502.html SOURCE Halper Sadeh LLP

lodigame apk latest version

US senator says mysterious drones spotted in New Jersey should be 'shot down, if necessary'By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.Ukraine must be in strong position for negotiations, Starmer saysUCLA stops South Carolina's 43-game win streak8 locomotor skills 。

Washington visits New Jersey after shootout win Washington Capitals (16-6-1, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. New Jersey Devils (16-8-2, in the Metropolitan Division) Newark, New Jersey; Saturday, 7 p.m. Canadian Press Nov 30, 2024 1:12 AM Nov 30, 2024 1:20 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Washington Capitals (16-6-1, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. New Jersey Devils (16-8-2, in the Metropolitan Division) Newark, New Jersey; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Devils -168, Capitals +142; over/under is 6 BOTTOM LINE: The New Jersey Devils host the Washington Capitals after the Capitals knocked off the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime. New Jersey is 16-8-2 overall with a 4-1-2 record against the Metropolitan Division. The Devils are fifth in the league with 89 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game). Washington is 16-6-1 overall with a 6-4-0 record in Metropolitan Division games. The Capitals have a 5-2-1 record in games decided by one goal. Saturday's game is the fourth time these teams square off this season. The Devils won the last meeting 3-2. TOP PERFORMERS: Jesper Bratt has 10 goals and 19 assists for the Devils. Stefan Noesen has five goals and two assists over the last 10 games. Dylan Strome has eight goals and 26 assists for the Capitals. Connor McMichael has scored five goals and added four assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Devils: 7-3-0, averaging 3.1 goals, five assists, four penalties and 10.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game. Capitals: 7-2-1, averaging 4.4 goals, 7.2 assists, 3.9 penalties and 8.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game. INJURIES: Devils: None listed. Capitals: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Hockey Blues host the Flyers after Holloway's 2-goal game Nov 30, 2024 1:12 AM Islanders take losing streak into matchup with the Sabres Nov 30, 2024 1:12 AM Senators visit the Kings following Gaudette's 2-goal performance Nov 30, 2024 1:12 AMBuffalo Sabres (11-10-2, in the Atlantic Division) vs. New York Islanders (8-10-6, in the Metropolitan Division) Elmont, New York; Saturday, 7:30 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Islanders -130, Sabres +110; over/under is 5.5 BOTTOM LINE: The New York Islanders take on the Buffalo Sabres as losers of three straight games. New York has gone 3-5-2 in home games and 8-10-6 overall. The Islanders have gone 6-1-1 in games they score one or more power-play goals. Buffalo is 5-4-1 in road games and 11-10-2 overall. The Sabres have a 4-7-1 record in games their opponents commit fewer penalties. Saturday's game is the second time these teams match up this season. The Islanders won the previous meeting 4-3. Simon Holmstrom scored two goals in the victory. TOP PERFORMERS: Kyle Palmieri has 10 goals and nine assists for the Islanders. Brock Nelson has five goals and five assists over the last 10 games. Tage Thompson has 11 goals and seven assists for the Sabres. Rasmus Dahlin has five goals and five assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Islanders: 2-4-4, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.6 assists, 2.4 penalties and 5.1 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game. Sabres: 6-3-1, averaging three goals, 4.7 assists, 4.3 penalties and 8.9 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game. INJURIES: Islanders: None listed. Sabres: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated Press

US senator says mysterious drones spotted in New Jersey should be 'shot down, if necessary'Nashville Predators (7-12-5, in the Central Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (15-4-4, in the Central Division) Saint Paul, Minnesota; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Wild -153, Predators +128; over/under is 5.5 BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Wild host the Nashville Predators after Jared Spurgeon's two-goal game against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Wild's 3-2 win. Minnesota is 15-4-4 overall and 3-2-2 against the Central Division. The Wild are 7-1-2 in games they score one or more power-play goals. Nashville has gone 7-12-5 overall with a 4-1-1 record in Central Division games. The Predators are 7-2-0 when scoring at least three goals. The matchup Saturday is the first meeting this season between the two teams. TOP PERFORMERS: Kirill Kaprizov has 14 goals and 22 assists for the Wild. Marco Rossi has four goals and three assists over the past 10 games. Roman Josi has seven goals and 13 assists for the Predators. Steven Stamkos has scored three goals and added two assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Wild: 6-2-2, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.5 assists, 3.5 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game. Predators: 3-3-4, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.1 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game. INJURIES: Wild: None listed. Predators: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated Press

When does Cyber Monday end? Soon – shop the 101 best deals while you canA similar scene has played out plenty of times in the Calgary Flames ’ locker-room — whenever somebody is summoned from the farm team, the other recent AHL grads will rush to offer congratulatory fist-bumps and welcome-to-the-big-leagues well-wishes. What’s different in this latest case is the call-up is a coach. The Flames announced just before the holidays that Calgary Wranglers bench boss Trent Cull is joining Ryan Huska’s staff on an interim basis. The 51-year-old Cull will fill the skates/shoes of assistant coach Brad Larsen, who has been granted an indefinite leave of absence for family reasons. “The first guys that were giving him knuckles this morning were all the guys that he’s had over the last year-and-a-half down with the Wranglers,” Huska said before the Flames departed on a two-games-in-two-nights trip to San Jose and Las Vegas. “He’s worked very hard to get where he’s at. He’s done an excellent job with that team. And I think he is the best choice for us to bring up in this situation.” Cull has posted an impressive 55-37-10 record as head coach for the Wranglers, but a better measure of his impact in the organization is the number of guys who were anxious to greet him prior to Friday’s practice at the Saddledome. He helped to prepare Matt Coronato, Martin Pospisil, Dustin Wolf and Connor Zary to prove they were ready to be full-timers with the Flames. He worked this fall with Walker Duehr and Jakob Pelletier, who each needed to rediscover their games — and their confidence — in the minors so they could earn another look at the top level. There is a direct connection between Cull and nearly one-third of the lads on the active roster. “I’ve always said that I’m like a proud papa when I’m sitting at home watching the games on TV,” Cull told Postmedia. “I’m just a fan like everybody else and rooting for the Flames and rooting for the boys that I’ve had in my locker-room even more maybe, just because I know them and have so much invested in them.” For the foreseeable future, this proud papa will be watching from an even better vantage point — the Flames’ bench. According to Huska, the interim assistant will be asked to lend a hand with both the forwards and defence. The plan is that he will soon be handed the keys to the penalty-kill. Cull expressed optimism the transition should be smooth because of the way Huska treats the farm-club skippers during training camp, including them in all the on-ice sessions and the team meetings, “So most of these guys have seen my pretty face around here before.” “(Larsen) was a presence for us in the room. He has some swagger, and he’s been a head coach prior, and you could see that in him,” said Huska, whose staff had been shorthanded for the two weeks before the festive break. “I feel, with my time around Trent, he has that as well. I do think that’s important for someone to walk in the dressing room and have a presence about him. And from his time with the Wranglers, from his time in the American League, from his short time in Vancouver, he’s shown that. “I’m excited to have him around. I know he’s going to be a real strong addition to our staff.” Ah yes, that short time in Vancouver. Cull got a raw deal in his only previous stint as an assistant coach in the NHL. During the 2022-23 campaign, he lasted 46 games on the Canucks’ bench before he was dismissed alongside his boss, Bruce Boudreau. There had been rampant speculation that Rick Tocchet would replace Boudreau, leaving Cull to wonder about his own future. About six months after being canned by the Canucks, he landed the gig with the Wranglers. Asked about the significance of getting another shot on the biggest stage, even if it’s just on an interim basis, Cull told Postmedia: “It has not been my focus, maybe because of that experience (in Vancouver).” “I’m very appreciative,” said Cull, who played a decade in the minors and has coached for the past 20 years in the OHL, AHL and NHL. “But for me, it’s just about whatever I can do to help. That’s how it’s put. For me, it’s not a promotion or this or that, because of the circumstances. It’s just how can I come in and fill in and maybe take some of the load off Husk or some of the staff, because they’re down a guy. “I’m not worried about the outcome, I guess probably because of what happened to me. I really enjoy coaching in the American Hockey League. I love it. Love being a head coach, too. So I’m just kind of taking this all by stride and see where it goes.” Even if he wasn’t motivated by the possibility of scoring a call-up of his own, the rest of the Wranglers grads were thrilled to welcome Cull to the big club. “I think he just brings a great sense of enthusiasm,” said Flames fourth-line centre Kevin Rooney, who briefly toiled with the Wranglers last season as he returned to action after shoulder surgery. “He has a real positive demeanour but he also knows when it’s kind of crunch time and he can push the guys. Now, as an assistant coach, I think he’ll bring a lot of knowledge and just be another voice we can kind of lean on. Because with the absence of Lars, you don’t always want to go to the head coach with every question you have. I think Culler can kind of fill those shoes. “He’s obviously done a really good job with the young guys in the organization, so we’re looking forward to having him up here.” wgilbertson@postmedia.com

The Growing Importance of Water Conservation Water is one of the most vital resources for life, yet its scarcity is a growing concern in India. With rapid urbanization, industrialization, and climate change, efficient water management is more critical than ever. Thankfully, several water conservation companies in India are stepping up to address this challenge with innovative solutions. In this article, we highlight the top 10 best water conservation companies in India 2025 , showcasing their groundbreaking efforts to preserve this essential resource. 1. VA Tech Wabag VA Tech Wabag is a global leader in water treatment and management solutions, headquartered in Chennai. The company specializes in desalination, wastewater treatment, and industrial water recycling. Key Achievements: Over 1,200 water treatment projects worldwide Advanced technologies in desalination plants Collaborations with government and private entities With their state-of-the-art technologies, VA Tech Wabag plays a pivotal role in solving India’s water crisis. 2. Ion Exchange India Ion Exchange is a pioneer in water and wastewater treatment solutions. Established in 1964, the company has been providing sustainable water management solutions for industries and communities. Key Features: Industrial and domestic water treatment systems Emphasis on zero-liquid discharge technologies Eco-friendly ion exchange resins Their solutions are widely used across sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing. 3. WaterHealth India WaterHealth India focuses on providing clean and affordable drinking water to underserved communities. The company operates through its innovative WaterHealth Centers. Key Highlights: Over 500 WaterHealth Centers across India Low-cost water purification systems Partnership with NGOs and local governments WaterHealth India’s efforts are bridging the gap between clean water access and affordability. 4. Jain Irrigation Systems Jain Irrigation Systems is a leading player in micro-irrigation and water-efficient agricultural practices. The company helps farmers optimize water usage through innovative technologies. Key Offerings: Drip and sprinkler irrigation systems Water storage solutions Solar-powered irrigation systems Jain Irrigation’s sustainable practices are revolutionizing water use in agriculture. 5. EcoWater Systems EcoWater Systems specializes in providing advanced water purification and filtration technologies for households and industries. The company ensures safe and clean water through cutting-edge innovations. Unique Aspects: High-efficiency water softeners Customized industrial solutions Emphasis on eco-friendly technologies EcoWater Systems has a growing presence in urban and rural areas alike. 6. Thermax Limited Thermax Limited is renowned for its water and wastewater treatment solutions tailored for industries. The company’s innovative systems reduce water wastage and energy consumption. Notable Projects: Zero-liquid discharge systems for industries Sewage treatment plants (STPs) for urban areas Sustainable cooling and heating solutions Thermax’s holistic approach to water conservation makes it a trusted name across sectors. 7. Agua Designs Agua Designs is a fast-growing company specializing in rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems. They provide solutions for residential, commercial, and industrial spaces. Core Services: Rainwater harvesting installations Greywater recycling solutions Comprehensive water audits Agua Designs has been instrumental in making water conservation accessible to all. 8. Tata Projects Limited Tata Projects is a major player in water infrastructure, offering comprehensive solutions for water management, desalination, and sewage treatment. Key Strengths: Expertise in large-scale water infrastructure projects Collaboration with municipalities for clean water supply Use of IoT for efficient water monitoring Tata Projects combines innovation and scale to address India’s water challenges. 9. Enviro Control Associates Enviro Control Associates specializes in designing and constructing water and wastewater treatment plants. Their solutions cater to both public utilities and private industries. Major Contributions: Effluent treatment plants (ETPs) Expertise in water recycling systems Focus on reducing industrial water footprints Their commitment to sustainability makes them a key player in the water conservation space. 10. Doshion Veolia Water Solutions A subsidiary of Veolia, Doshion Veolia Water Solutions provides integrated water management systems across various sectors. The company is known for its innovative technologies and global expertise. Key Highlights: Turnkey water and wastewater treatment projects Advanced desalination technologies Focus on industrial and municipal clients Doshion Veolia’s global network ensures access to cutting-edge water conservation solutions. Why Water Conservation Companies Are Essential The role of water conservation companies is more crucial than ever, given India’s growing water scarcity. These companies help: Minimize water wastage Promote sustainable agricultural and industrial practices Improve access to clean water for underserved populations By implementing advanced technologies and fostering awareness, they are paving the way for a sustainable future. Future Outlook for Water Conservation in India The future of water conservation companies in India is promising, with increasing investments in innovative technologies and sustainable solutions. Initiatives like rainwater harvesting, wastewater recycling, and smart irrigation are expected to gain further traction. Water conservation companies like VA Tech Wabag and Jain Irrigation will continue to lead this space, driving India toward efficient and sustainable water management. For more information on water conservation technologies and their impact, visit India Water Portal . Conclusion The top 10 best water conservation companies in India 2025 are not only addressing the country’s water challenges but are also setting examples for sustainable practices globally. From industrial water treatment to community-focused initiatives, these water conservation companies are shaping a future where water is managed responsibly and efficiently. By supporting these water conservation companies, we can all contribute to preserving one of our most precious resources.Two key topics will be discussed with eminent industry personnel on the 2nd and 3rd days of the 7th edition of the Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference which starts on 27 November at Cinnamon Grand. These two fireside chats will add a macro picture for Sri Lanka along with 11 sessions on key industry developments at the conference. Fireside chat 1 will ignite a discussion on future fuels (ship bunkering) and the second half will migrate into port technologies and automation. The call for global reduction in carbon emissions and other harmful gases by the UN has led to new demands which include new forms of energy to fuel ships and to effectively run ports and reduce the carbon footprint which is affecting the planet’s health. This transition requirement comes from the global organisations (COP 29). Consumer behaviour increasingly requires the manufacturers, and all intermediaries involved in the global supply chains to move towards sustainable resource usage. The competition in the sector is focusing on green energy and robotics with automated terminals as sustainable solutions for the development of new infrastructure to support global trade and to attract business. This discussion will bring in salient points for the ports and shipping sector to be relevant and to be competitive in providing planet-friendly solutions as well as to attract new investments to increase business with greener sustainable solutions & best management practices into shipping hubs. The ports in South Asia also need to upscale to sustain shipping traffic by catering to the demand by shipping lines and other customers. Targeting 5% or $ 6 billion from logistics to GDP in Sri Lanka by 2030. What can Sri Lanka do to compete in the transhipment and logistics business? Can we sustain manufacturing? How can we be a part of the global supply chains through value addition? More listed logistics companies and promotions, is it a good answer for capital and investment attraction into logistics? The shipping and logistics industry in Sri Lanka contributes a mere 2% to the national GDP although the port of Colombo has been the number one transhipment hub in South Asia for decades as reported by the Central Bank. Whereas, in developed logistics hubs around the world, they contribute 7%-15% to GDP. In a modest target, Sri Lanka should look at reaching 5%+ from this sector by 2030 as global logistics is set to reach $20 trillion by 2033. Having a location alone is not going to bring value added services or expansion of investments as the trade geography is changing. An investor friendly environment and consistent policies with ease of doing business for global transactions will only attract capital, know-how and knowledge in transforming the macro economy. To be an export-based economy, the country needs to uplift its logistics industry to provide customer-based solutions with speed to market reliable solutions. Sustaining with value added manufacturing and to connect to global supply chains is a vital component if Sri Lanka needs to increase its export output. What is needed are strong legal reforms and a consistent policy framework to support exports and implementation of a digital economy that will bring in efficiency and reduce transaction costs. There is also the importance of an independent professional regulating body to monitor the market and bring in time to time reforms to facilitate trade. The country must think of promoting global partnerships, JVs and PPPs and looking at new solutions, including getting the message to the world about the country and its opportunities- simply a strong marketing effort. Divesting shares by listing companies at the CSE to attract FDI can be a solution as witnessed in the recent past. Have more trade events locally and globally to promote the destination. More free ports and free zones will attract global volumes of cargo if done in a timely and professional manner which can create a large amount of employment and increase revenue. This session will discuss with industry experts, short, medium and long-term macro measures to achieve a reasonable contribution of 5% to GDP or $ 6 billion by 2030 from the logistics industry in Sri Lanka by increasing trade flows, services via our ports and contributing a larger portion to the services export industry. More details on www.cimc.lk CIMC Events has taken a new initiative in the 10th year, the 7th edition of the conference and is making an effort to make the 3-day conference a Carbo Negative conference. This will be a first for a Sri Lankan conference to move towards sustainability. The Colombo International Maritime and Logistics Conference signed an MOU with Planetary Carbon Standards who will guide to do so with The Global Integrity in Carbon Management process.XRP Bull that Held From 2017 Now Switches To Next Big Ecosystem: Is Ripple Momentum Switching?Teenage girl’s bold stand against child marriage sparks reforms in Rajasthan village

AP News Summary at 5:31 p.m. EST

291 lodigame

is lodigame legit US trade partners warn Trump tariffs would harm all involved

As the reigning world number one, Trump's success is a testament to his dedication and talent as a player. His ability to consistently deliver top-notch performances on the biggest stages has earned him the respect of fans and fellow players alike. With each victory, he continues to raise the bar for excellence in the sport of snooker.

The lack of consensus on ceasefire conditions has been a major obstacle to resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have been fighting against Ukrainian government forces since 2014. The ongoing hostilities have resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with thousands of lives lost and millions of people displaced from their homes. The failure to reach a lasting ceasefire agreement has only exacerbated the suffering of the civilian population in the region.

TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rivalry Corp. (the " Company " or " Rivalry ") (TSXV: RVLY) (OTCQX: RVLCF) (FSE: 9VK), the leading sportsbook and iGaming operator for digital-first players, is pleased to announce that it has closed the initial tranche of a non-brokered private placement of 12,930,707 units of the Company (the " Units "), at a price of $0.15 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $1.94 million (the " Offering "). The Company may complete one or more additional closings, for aggregate gross proceeds (together with the proceeds raised under the initial closing) of up to approximately USD$3 million. Unless otherwise noted, all dollar figures are quoted in Canadian dollars. “This initial tranche of our non-brokered private placement was primarily subscribed to by insiders, family and friends, and long-term shareholders,” said Steven Salz, Co-Founder and CEO of Rivalry. “This commitment and demonstration of support is deeply gratifying as we press ahead into a new chapter for the Company.” Each Unit is comprised of one (1) subordinate voting share in the capital of the Company (each, a " Subordinate Voting Share ") and one-half of one (1/2) Subordinate Voting Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a " Warrant "). Each Warrant is exercisable into one Subordinate Voting Share in the capital of the Company (each, a " Warrant Share ") at a price of $0.25 per Warrant Share for a period of 12 months from the date hereof, subject to the Company's right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants upon 30 days' notice in the event that the closing price of the Subordinate Voting Shares is equal to or exceeds $0.50 on the TSX Venture Exchange (or such other recognized Canadian stock exchange as the Subordinate Voting Shares are primarily traded on) for a period of 10 consecutive trading days. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Offering for corporate development and general working capital purposes. The Subordinate Voting Shares and Warrants, and any securities issuable upon exercise thereof, are subject to a four-month statutory hold period, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. The Company has paid an aggregate of $14,953.74 in finder's fees in connection with the closing of the first tranche of the Offering. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the " U.S. Securities Act "), or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. 1,333,300 Units were issued to Steven Isenberg, a director of the Company and a "related party" (within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (" MI 61-101 ")) and such issuance is considered a "related party transaction" for the purposes of MI 61-101. Such related party transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the securities being issued to the related parties nor the consideration being paid by the related parties exceeded 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. The purchasers of the Units and the extent of such participation were not finalized until shortly prior to the completion of the Offering. Accordingly, it was not possible to publicly disclose details of the nature and extent of related party participation in the transactions contemplated hereby pursuant to a material change report filed at least 21 days prior to the completion of such transactions. About Rivalry Rivalry Corp. wholly owns and operates Rivalry Limited , a leading sport betting and media company offering fully regulated online wagering on esports, traditional sports, and casino for the digital generation. Based in Toronto, Rivalry operates a global team in more than 20 countries and growing. Rivalry Limited has held an Isle of Man license since 2018, considered one of the premier online gambling jurisdictions, as well as an internet gaming registration in Ontario, and is currently in the process of obtaining additional country licenses. With world class creative execution and brand positioning in online culture, a native crypto token, and demonstrated market leadership among digital-first users Rivalry is shaping the future of online gambling for a generation born on the internet. Company Contact: Steven Salz, Co-founder & CEO ss@rivalry.com 416-565-4713 Investor Contact: investors@rivalry.com Media Contact: Cody Luongo, Head of Communications cody@rivalry.com 203-947-1936 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "achieve", "could", "believe", "plan", "intend", "objective", "continuous", "ongoing", "estimate", "outlook", "expect", "project" and similar words, including negatives thereof, suggesting future outcomes or that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management of the Company at the date the statements are made based on information then available to the Company. Various factors and assumptions are applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to and involve a number of known and unknown, variables, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause the Company’s actual performance and results to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors, among other things, include regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations; the ability to obtain and maintain required licenses; the esports and sports betting industry being a heavily regulated industry; the complex and evolving regulatory environment for the online gaming and online gambling industry; the success of esports and other betting products are not guaranteed; changes in public perception of the esports and online gambling industry; failure to retain or add customers; the Company having a limited operating history; negative cash flow from operations; operational risks; cybersecurity risks; reliance on management; reliance on third parties and third-party networks; exchange rate risks; risks related to cryptocurrency transactions; risk of intellectual property infringement or invalid claims; the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability; competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; and general economic, market and business conditions. For additional risks, please see the Company’s MD&A dated April 30, 2024 and other disclosure documents available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. No assurance can be given that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. Source: Rivalry Corp.

The A-share market, a key component of the Chinese economy, has been experiencing a rapid upward momentum in recent trading sessions. Investors are flocking to this market, intrigued by the potential for high returns and the prospect of participating in the exciting rally.

Teen actor Hudson Meek, who appeared in ‘Baby Driver,’ dies after falling from moving vehicle

Overall, the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona was a thrilling spectacle of tactical maneuvering and strategic battles. While Mbappé's offside woes may have been a surprising twist in the narrative, they added an extra layer of drama to an already intense rivalry. As both teams look ahead to their next encounter, one thing is certain - the world will be watching with bated breath to see how the story unfolds once again on the grand stage of El Clásico.As the impeachment storm gathers steam, the future of South Korea hangs in the balance. The upcoming presidential election will be a crucial turning point for the country, determining its direction and leadership for years to come. With tensions running high and the political landscape in turmoil, South Koreans are bracing themselves for a period of uncertainty and change.Americans uninformed about reality, Alec Baldwin claims

The match itself was a complete disaster for Barcelona, with defensive frailties laid bare and an inability to match Bayern's intensity and quality. Setién's tactics and team selection came under heavy scrutiny, as Barcelona appeared disjointed and lacking a clear game plan against the rampant German champions.Working holidaymaker numbers have soared to record levels. It’s a challenge for Labor

As the game unfolded, it was clear that Conte's tactical gamble had paid off. Inter's high-pressing game and quick transitions caught Lazio off guard, with the Nerazzurri controlling possession and creating numerous scoring opportunities. Lukaku's predatory instincts were on full display as he latched onto a through ball from Martinez to fire home the opening goal, sending the Inter fans into raptures. Lazio tried to mount a comeback, but Inter's resolute defending and clinical finishing proved to be too much for them to handle.

None

With over five million units sold globally in the past year, Tineco reinforces its leadership in the industry SEATTLE , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Tineco is proud to announce that Euromonitor International, the world's leading independent provider of strategic market research, has recognized the company as the #1 global leader in the household wet & dry vacuum cleaner category * . With over five million units sold between July 1, 2023 , and June 30, 2024 , the honor reflects Tineco's commitment to innovation and quality in the home cleaning sector. Harnessing more than two decades of industry innovation, Tineco began its journey with a single vacuum cleaner. Pioneering industry excellence, a notable moment in company history was the launch of the first-ever smart vacuum to market in 2018, quickly followed by an inaugural smart floor washer in 2019, and an intelligent carpet cleaner in 2022. Today, Tineco products are enjoyed by 14 million users across key markets worldwide, including regions in North America , Europe , and Asia . Tineco is now a globally recognized market leader in smart home appliances across the floor care, kitchen, and personal care categories, with 975 patents and 577 registered trademarks across domestic and international markets. For three consecutive years, the company has also held the title of being the #1 wet & dry vacuum brand on Amazon in the United States , Canada , France , Italy , Australia , and Japan . "At Tineco's inception, we set out to simplify life and household tasks with the help of smart technology. Over the past 26 years, our robust R&D team has made significant investments and a steadfast dedication to setting the standard for excellence in floor care solutions," said Ling Leng , CEO of Tineco. "The honor of being named the #1 global leader in the wet & dry vacuum cleaner category by Euromonitor International is an incredible milestone achievement. This recognition fuels our commitment to continuing to innovate and push boundaries to bring exceptional products to market that enhance the lives of our customers worldwide. Looking ahead, we are laser-focused on making Tineco more accessible by expanding into new markets, introducing new advanced technologies to simplify our customers' lives, and expanding our product lineup to meet diverse needs." Tineco's flagship models, including FLOOR ONE Stretch S6 , PURE ONE Station 5 , and Carpet One Cruiser , combine intelligent features with superior power and user-friendly capabilities to revolutionize cleaning. Tineco's R&D team has carefully engineered each model to address real-world challenges and enhance user satisfaction by incorporating technological advancements and valuable consumer feedback. Specifically: A leader in the intelligent floor care category, Tineco smart models are equipped with Tineco's proprietary iLoop technology that adjusts suction power in real-time based on the mess detected, which not only optimizes battery power but also allows the user to visualize cleaner floors on the unit's display ring that will change from red to blue once the surface is clean. Guided by customer insights, all new Tineco models also feature self-cleaning capabilities that significantly streamline maintenance. Tineco products are available globally, with distribution in North America on Amazon, Tineco's official online store, and in over 10,000 major retail locations, including Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Costco, Home Depot, and Canadian Tire. To learn more about Tineco and its entire portfolio of intelligent stick vacuums, floor washers, carpet cleaners, and more, please visit us.tineco.com . *Source: Euromonitor International ( Shanghai ) Co., Ltd.; measured in terms of 2023 H2 and 2024 H1 retail sales volume in the world; household wet & dry vacuum cleaners are defined as household cleaners that dispense clean water (or cleaning solution) to wash hard floors and vacuum the dirty water and garbage thereafter; research completed in Nov. 2024 . About Tineco Tineco was founded in 1998 with its first SKU as a vacuum cleaner and, in 2019, pioneered the first-ever smart vacuum. Today, the brand has innovated into a global leader offering intelligent appliances across home categories, including floor care, kitchen, and personal care. Tineco is dedicated to its brand vision of making life easier through smart technologies and consistently innovating new devices. For more information, visit us.tineco.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tineco-recognized-as-global-leader-in-emerging-floor-washer-category-302316066.html SOURCE TINECOThe Ion-X Glass Screen:

Monro, Inc. Declares Quarterly Cash DividendWhile it is natural to feel conflicted upon viewing these images, it is essential to remember that they do not negate the atrocities committed under Assad's rule. The suffering of the Syrian people, the countless lives lost, and the widespread destruction cannot be erased by a few pictures of family bliss.

lodigame 5 download

lodi 647 HICKSVILLE, N.Y. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Flagstar Financial, Inc. (NYSE: FLG) (the "Company") today announced the appointment of Brian Callanan , Senior Managing Director and General Counsel at Liberty Strategic Capital ("Liberty"), to its Board of Directors, effective December 16, 2024 . Commenting on the appointment, Joseph M. Otting , Chairman, President, and CEO said, "I'm pleased to have Brian join our Board. His proven track record and expertise in financial services, along with his strategic insights will be instrumental as we continue to execute on our transformation and long-term vision. Brian's perspectives will provide valuable guidance, and his leadership will play a critical role in driving sustainable growth, ensuring we achieve long-term success and maximize the value we deliver to our shareholders, employees, and clients." Callanan is a distinguished lawyer with extensive experience in financial regulation, regulatory compliance, and financial technology. At Liberty, Callanan leads the firm's legal function, serves on its Investment Committee, and focuses on financial sector investments. Prior to joining Liberty, he served as General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, overseeing 2,000 lawyers across the department. As Chief General Counsel, he played a key role in major initiatives such as economic rescue programs during COVID-19, the design of new economic sanctions, and the implementation of tax reform. While serving as Deputy General Counsel, Callanan managed major litigation and advised on regulatory reform efforts, among other responsibilities. For his service, he received the Alexander Hamilton Award, the department's highest honor. This appointment aligns with the $1.05 billion equity investment in March 2024 , which stipulated that two Board seats would be granted to lead investor Liberty Strategic Capital. With Callanan's addition, the Company's Board of Directors, which was reconstituted earlier in 2024, expands to nine members, including Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Joseph M. Otting , Milton Berlinski , Alessandro P. DiNello , Alan Frank , Marshall Lux , Lead Independent Director Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin , Allen Puwalski , and Jennifer Whip. About Flagstar Financial, Inc. Flagstar Financial, Inc. is the parent company of Flagstar Bank, N.A., one of the largest regional banks in the country. The Company is headquartered in Hicksville, New York . At September 30, 2024, the Company had $114.4 billion of assets, $73.0 billion of loans, deposits of $83 .0 billion, and total stockholders' equity of $8 .6 billion. Flagstar Bank, N.A. operates over 400 branches, including a significant presence in the Northeast and Midwest and locations in high growth markets in the Southeast and West Coast. In addition, the Bank has approximately 80 private banking teams located in over 10 cities in the metropolitan New York City region and on the West Coast, which serve the needs of high-net worth individuals and their businesses. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This release may include forward‐looking statements by the Company and our authorized officers pertaining to such matters as our goals, beliefs, intentions, and expectations regarding (a) revenues, earnings, loan production, asset quality, liquidity position, capital levels, risk analysis, divestitures, acquisitions, and other material transactions, among other matters; (b) the future costs and benefits of the actions we may take; (c) our assessments of credit risk and probable losses on loans and associated allowances and reserves; (d) our assessments of interest rate and other market risks; (e) our ability to execute on our strategic plan, including the sufficiency of our internal resources, procedures and systems; (f) our ability to attract, incentivize, and retain key personnel and the roles of key personnel; (g) our ability to achieve our financial and other strategic goals, including those related to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., which was completed on December 1, 2022, our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction, and our ability to fully and timely implement the risk management programs institutions greater than $100 billion in assets must maintain; (h) the effect on our capital ratios of the approval of certain proposals approved by our shareholders during our 2024 annual meeting of shareholders; (i) the conversion or exchange of shares of the Company's preferred stock; (j) the payment of dividends on shares of the Company's capital stock, including adjustments to the amount of dividends payable on shares of the Company's preferred stock; (k) the availability of equity and dilution of existing equity holders associated with amendments to the 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan; (l) the effects of the reverse stock split; and (m) transactions relating to the sale of our mortgage business and mortgage warehouse business. Forward‐looking statements are typically identified by such words as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "should," "confident," and other similar words and expressions, and are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, which change over time. Additionally, forward‐looking statements speak only as of the date they are made; the Company does not assume any duty, and does not undertake, to update our forward‐looking statements. Furthermore, because forward‐looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in our statements, and our future performance could differ materially from our historical results. Our forward‐looking statements are subject to, among others, the following principal risks and uncertainties: general economic conditions and trends, either nationally or locally; conditions in the securities, credit and financial markets; changes in interest rates; changes in deposit flows, and in the demand for deposit, loan, and investment products and other financial services; changes in real estate values; changes in the quality or composition of our loan or investment portfolios, including associated allowances and reserves; changes in future allowance for credit losses, including changes required under relevant accounting and regulatory requirements; the ability to pay future dividends; changes in our capital management and balance sheet strategies and our ability to successfully implement such strategies; recent turnover in our Board of Directors and our executive management team; changes in our strategic plan, including changes in our internal resources, procedures and systems, and our ability to successfully implement such plan; changes in competitive pressures among financial institutions or from non‐financial institutions; changes in legislation, regulations, and policies; the imposition of restrictions on our operations by bank regulators; the outcome of pending or threatened litigation, or of investigations or any other matters before regulatory agencies, whether currently existing or commencing in the future; the success of our blockchain and fintech activities, investments and strategic partnerships; the restructuring of our mortgage business; our ability to recognize anticipated expense reductions and enhanced efficiencies with respect to our recently announced strategic workforce reduction; the impact of failures or disruptions in or breaches of the Company's operational or security systems, data or infrastructure, or those of third parties, including as a result of cyberattacks or campaigns; the impact of natural disasters, extreme weather events, military conflict (including the Russia / Ukraine conflict, the conflict in Israel and surrounding areas, the possible expansion of such conflicts and potential geopolitical consequences), terrorism or other geopolitical events; and a variety of other matters which, by their nature, are subject to significant uncertainties and/or are beyond our control. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to the following principal risks and uncertainties with respect to our merger with Flagstar Bancorp, which was completed on December 1, 2022 , and our acquisition of substantial portions of the former Signature Bank through an FDIC-assisted transaction: the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transactions will not be realized when expected or at all; the possibility of increased legal and compliance costs, including with respect to any litigation or regulatory actions related to the business practices of acquired companies or the combined business; diversion of management's attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; the possibility that the Company may be unable to achieve expected synergies and operating efficiencies in or as a result of the transactions within the expected timeframes or at all; and revenues following the transactions may be lower than expected. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the Community Benefits Agreement entered into with NCRC, which was contingent upon the closing of the Company's merger with Flagstar Bancorp, Inc., will achieve the results or outcome originally expected or anticipated by us as a result of changes to our business strategy, performance of the U.S. economy, or changes to the laws and regulations affecting us, our customers, communities we serve, and the U.S. economy (including, but not limited to, tax laws and regulations). More information regarding some of these factors is provided in the Risk Factors section of our Annual Report on Form 10‐K/A for the year ended December 31, 2023, Quarterly Report on Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024 , June 30, 2024 , and September 30, 2024 , and in other SEC reports we file. Our forward‐looking statements may also be subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those we may discuss in this news release, on our conference call, during investor presentations, or in our SEC filings, which are accessible on our website and at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov . Investor Contact: Salvatore J. DiMartino (516) 683-4286 Media Contact: Nicole Yelland (248) 219-9234 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flagstar-financial-inc-appoints-brian-callanan-to-board-of-directors-302331692.html SOURCE Flagstar Financial, Inc.MADRID (AP) — Atletico Madrid conceded three goals in a Spanish league game for the first time this season but still managed to beat Sevilla 4-3 on Sunday with Antoine Griezmann’s double helping to make it nine wins in a row for Diego Simeone’s in-form side. Third-place Madrid restored its three-point lead over fourth-place Athletic Bilbao, which beat Villarreal earlier Sunday. Rodrigo De Paul gave Atletico the perfect start when he lashed home a stunning opener in the 10th minute. However, goals from Dodi Lukébakio, Isaac Romero and Juanlu Sanchez put Sevilla 3-1 up early in the second half and Atletico, without the vocal support of some home fans in a dispute over tickets, seemed lost in an unusually quiet at Metropolitano Stadium. Simeone’s side, though, is known for its resilience and it was not long before the fightback began. Griezmann reduced the deficit in the 62nd minute and 17 minutes later, after Simeone made five substitutions in a quarter of an hour, Samuel Lino got the equalizer with a low shot from 30 yards. Griezmann himself got the winner in stoppage time to consolidate Atletico’s third place. RELATED COVERAGE Copa Libertadores champion Botafogo wins its first Brazilian league title since 1995 Wind powers Wolfsburg to 4-3 win after trailing Mainz three times in Bundesliga thriller Cataldi promises hospitalized teammate Bove a goal and delivers as Fiorentina wins 8th straight The Madrid club now has 35 points, one behind city rival Real and three behind league leader Barcelona. “We struggled to get into the game,” Griezmann said. “We missed the support of the fans behind the goal. But in the end we managed to come back.” Fourth-place Bilbao beats Villarreal Athletic Bilbao consolidated fourth place with a comfortable 2-0 win over Villarreal, the team immediately below it in the table and one of its closest rivals for a Champions League spot. Aitor Paredes put Athletic ahead when he glanced home a corner kick in 14 minutes and Iñaki Williams made it 2-0 midway through the second half. It was the fourth consecutive league win for Athletic but the victory was marred by a silent protest from an organized fan group. The group refused to sing or chant in response to a rift between it and the club president, who reported threats to police earlier in the week. Several Athletic players expressed solidarity with the president and the team did not salute the fans behind the goal after the match. “It’s a very sad win and a time for everyone to pull together,” club captain Óscar De Marcos said in comments reported by newspaper Marca. “The silence was notable during the game but we need to keep doing our job.” Earlier Sunday, Real Sociedad won for the fourth time in a row, beating Leganes 3-0 at the Butarque stadium near Madrid. Three days after his extra-time goal gave Sociedad a 1-0 win at fourth-tier Conquense in the Copa del Rey, Brais Méndez scored again to give the visitors an early lead. Substitute Ander Barrenetxea’s first goal of the league season doubled its lead 10 minutes from time and then Mikel Oyarzabal added a third in stoppage time. It was only the fourth time in 16 matches that Sociedad has scored twice in a league game and the win lifted it into sixth, above Osasuna, which drew 2-2 with Alaves. Alaves took only 37 seconds for Kike Garcia to put the team ahead with a diving header. However, Ante Budimir and Rubén García scored early in the second half to put Osasuna in front before Kike Garcia got his second of the game to tie the scores at 2-2. The point was the first for new Alaves coach Eduardo Coudet but still leaves it in 15th place without a win in five games. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

I want to give you a list of AI Christmas music to block in your major music streaming platform. I don’t think it’s comprehensive. I bet there’s a bunch of new ones that I am still unwittingly playing. I just want to feel festive for a moment sometimes, which is why I play this music. But now I know about artificial intelligence (AI) Christmas music, so I can’t be happy in December, either. AI sludge is already everywhere and now it’s here, too. Some stupid list won’t be enough to solve the problem. To be honest, I don’t really know how to fix this. Banning AI Christmas “bands” who receive millions of listens monthly is like killing individual flies coming from a massive open sewer situated right around my house. Well, Merry Christmas. Here is your gift. A little fly swat. (Screenshot via Spotify) AI Christmas songs sound like the real deal. Nothing funny or remarkable about them — the occasional odd instrumentalisation or off-sounding vocal, but little that sparks curiosity and absolutely nothing that sparks joy. That’s generative AI’s job. It thieves from real stuff and shoves it all into a tech mulcher to produce a reasonable aggregate of all the things that ever made you feel something. Now you can enjoy a tech-slop aggregate of those old feelings in your stupid Christmas hat. Like a digital mama bird that regurgitates your own nostalgia into your open beak for you to gulp up. You’ll hear this shit whether you want to or not. It will come up on auto-play if you fire up a lone Nat King Cole song. It’s also infesting all the largest Christmas playlists on streaming platforms. Some of these AI Christmas “bands” have been around for a year or two by now, so they’ve accumulated enough streams and shares to come up in the playlist right after Mariah . A popular bit of software used to make AI Christmas music is Suno . The app follows specific commands to create AI music and vocals accordingly. It also allows artists to hide the AI mulch behind a smattering of real lyrics, vocals and instrumentalisation they can choose to add. All of these AI slop Christmas artists appear to be controlled by the same person or group. There are a few tells. (Screenshot via Spotify) All their Spotify bios begin with a variant of the following statement: ‘ [Insert band name here] are working songwriters, artists and musicians who have joined forces to release holiday-themed cover music on their independent record label, distributed by Warner Music’s ADA.’ (Screenshot via Spotify) Distribution services like ADA and Distrokid accept AI music but are getting increasingly picky about what they allow through the gate. Not because they have morals. They do not. It’s due to the many legal battles cropping up currently around AI thievery. The merest uncredited sample can bankrupt artists and minor labels, so imagine the kind of payday an entirely thieved AI musical salad could deliver. As long as the content is deemed of high enough quality and perhaps spliced in Suno with real vocals or instrumentalisation to help disguise it, they’ll let it through. Another tell: the bios of these “bands” tell you to follow them for more music. But you can’t. The Instagram and Twitter accounts are always locked. (Screenshot via Instagram) They don’t really want people snooping around and verifying the AI-ness of the music. Or determining who is producing it. (Screenshot via Instagram) Oh, well. Another bit of AI slop to have to gulp down whenever I turn one of my hundred bits of shitty tech on for the day. Another shitty facet of the minefield of behaviour modification, guerilla marketing and AI mulch that is my digital life. Tech writer Ed Zitron was writing post-U.S. Election about this misery that is modern digital life: It's time to accept that most people's digital life fucking sucks, as does the way we consume our information, and that there are people directly responsible. Be as angry as you want at Jeff Bezos... but don’t forget Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Sundar Pichai, Tim Cook and every single other tech executive that has allowed our digital experiences to become rotted out husks dominated by algorithms. These companies are not bound by civic duty, or even a duty to their customers — they have made their monopolies, and they’ll do whatever keeps you trapped in them. Funny how recently one of the modern era’s most effective political assassinations appears to have been, in part at least, inspired by the inhuman outputs of AI algorithms. More or less across the political divide, we can all see people cheering the moment of the assassination of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. From that, I suspect we’re able to assess just how unhappy people really are about the encroachment of AI slop, AI thievery and AI-based decision-making into daily life, whether real or digital. AI is here to stay, so get used to it The consensus among experts and pundits on AI technologies such as ChatGPT seems to be that it’s like old age — inevitable, so get used to it. I don’t think that our mainstream discourse has bothered to give people the tools to voice this frustration. Zitron has often written about this as well. Tech writers are too busy breathlessly playing stenographer for the lies of AI snake oil salesmen to address the fact that it’s not really helping anyone. Just one more update! Please! Just one more! You’ll all see! Perhaps the worst thing that AI can do has already been mentioned. Is it the insurance stuff? Or is it Israel’s mass-murdering tech drone equipment ? I know it’s not AI Christmas music. There are greater evils in the world, yes. And I’m sure I’ll push on, drunk in December in my Santa hat. Perhaps in time, I’ll be willing to trade away yet more cynicism at an unending torrent of nostalgic AI mulch for just a little more cheer. But, from my layperson calculations and looking at the average streams of each of these AI “artists”, I believe this “AI art” earns whoever’s behind it hundreds of thousands of dollars every Christmas season. And I don’t like that. The list of AI Christmas music I've uncovered is as follows: Sleighbelle; The Humbugs; Dean Snowfield (come on); Snowdrift Sleighs; Daniel & The Holly Jollies; and North Star Notesmiths. If we’re negotiating how to take a more moral position you probably shouldn’t even be paying for Spotify or Apple Music at all. But you probably do. And you probably do Christmas-y stuff in December, as well. So join me in simply selecting ‘Don’t like this artist’ , or whatever similar function your streaming app offers. Join me as we content ourselves with starving some arsehole of $0.00001 cents this Christmas. Happy holidays. Tom Tanuki is a writer, satirist and anti-fascist activist whose weekly videos commenting on the Australian political fringe appear on YouTube . You can follow him on Twitter @tom_tanuki. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA. Related Articles Countering the influence of 'mass man' with AI Intelligent systems depend on fusion of biology and technology Nightshade empowers artists in the battle against unauthorised AI theft Intuition key to AI being a tremendous force for good AI holds promising future for quantum genetics BUSINESS CONSUMERS MUSIC ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AI Christmas music theft copyright Spotify Suno Apple Music ADA Distrokid Share Article

Traditional Ruler Engages Stakeholders For Peaceful Elections

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:25 p.m. ESTFLAGSTAR FINANCIAL, INC. NAMES LEE SMITH AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

What to know about Northern California's rare tsunami warningThe Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care system has emerged as one of the best in the federation at the second edition of the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge Gala/ Awards ceremony held in Abuja. A statement from Bola Ajao, the Senior Special Assistant to the Mandate Secretary, FCT Health and Environment Secretariat, Adedalapo Fasawe, noted that the FCT emerged as the runner-up for “Best Performing and Most Improved State” with a cash incentive of $400,000 in recognition of its implemented innovations and outstanding performance in strengthening PHC system in the territory in line with Universal Health Coverage among other states in the year 2024. Meanwhile, 14 awards were presented in total—one per geo-political zone and one national award. Along with FCT, other states that shined at the ceremony were Gombe state, which won “Best Implemented Innovation,” and Anambra, which got the “Overall Best Performance” award for the 2024 edition. This year’s edition, chaired by Vice President Sen. Kashim Shettima, was represented by a former Minister of FCT, Alh. Aliyu Madibbo. The PHC Leadership Challenge award was launched in 2022 by the Nigeria Governors Forum as a commitment to strengthening and improving the PHC system across the country and to appraise state performance. The first award edition kicked off in 2023. Related News FAAC: FG, states, LGs share N1.7tn November revenue FCT health insurance scheme exceeds 2024 enrolment targets — Official Wike ready to revoke illegally acquired lands of friends, family — Aide In response to this remarkable feat, Fasawe said, “This award underscores the strategic leadership of the FCT Minister in investing in healthcare and the credible services carried out daily in PHC centres across the territory, with more to come.” Fasawe noted that the FCT healthcare system promotes and utilises the Basic Health Care Provision Fund adequately yields significant improvements in antenatal coverage, an increased proportion of women who are using modern contraceptive methods, an increased rate of women delivery with skilled birth attendants through various approaches targeted at creating awareness and educating vulnerable women on the importance of accessing quality healthcare system within their proximity. Fasawe, while appreciating the entire management and staff team of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, and other stakeholders called for more action by putting in more work to ensure that the commitment to strengthen and improve the PHC systems in Nigeria is fully actualised. At the ceremony, the HSE Secretariat was represented by the Acting Executive Secretary, FCT Primary Health Care Board, Ruqqaya Wamako in the company of the Director, FCT Health Insurance Scheme, Dr Salamatu Belgore, who received the award on behalf of the Secretariat. The statement added that the Chairman of the NGF and Governor of Kwara state, AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq, who was represented by the Governor of Anambra state, Prof Charles Soludo; and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate were present at the award ceremony.

Griezmann double makes it nine wins in a row for Atletico after stunning 4-3 victory over Sevilla

u lol game

lodi game store Port Hedland earthquake: ‘No tsunami threat’ after quakes hit Australia, Indonesia and Philippines

None

Hyperchanging Tech Markets Demand Smarter Procurement and Agile Evaluation, Says Info-Tech Research Group

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Amgen AMGN , and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in AMGN usually suggests something big is about to happen. We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 10 extraordinary options activities for Amgen. This level of activity is out of the ordinary. The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 10% leaning bullish and 60% bearish. Among these notable options, 6 are puts, totaling $327,012, and 4 are calls, amounting to $381,036. Predicted Price Range Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $135.0 to $310.0 for Amgen during the past quarter. Analyzing Volume & Open Interest In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Amgen options trades today is 108.33 with a total volume of 445.00. In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Amgen's big money trades within a strike price range of $135.0 to $310.0 over the last 30 days. Amgen Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days Significant Options Trades Detected: Symbol PUT/CALL Trade Type Sentiment Exp. Date Ask Bid Price Strike Price Total Trade Price Open Interest Volume AMGN CALL TRADE BEARISH 02/21/25 $13.4 $13.2 $13.2 $260.00 $209.8K 127 186 AMGN PUT SWEEP BEARISH 05/16/25 $11.9 $11.75 $11.9 $250.00 $147.5K 64 124 AMGN CALL TRADE NEUTRAL 12/27/24 $18.45 $16.85 $17.6 $245.00 $70.4K 2 40 AMGN CALL SWEEP NEUTRAL 03/21/25 $131.25 $126.35 $129.07 $135.00 $64.5K 0 5 AMGN PUT SWEEP NEUTRAL 06/20/25 $50.2 $49.75 $50.14 $310.00 $44.9K 159 15 About Amgen Amgen is a leader in biotechnology-based human therapeutics. Flagship drugs include red blood cell boosters Epogen and Aranesp, immune system boosters Neupogen and Neulasta, and Enbrel and Otezla for inflammatory diseases. Amgen introduced its first cancer therapeutic, Vectibix, in 2006 and markets bone-strengthening drug Prolia/Xgeva (approved 2010) and Evenity (2019). The acquisition of Onyx bolstered the firm's therapeutic oncology portfolio with Kyprolis. Recent launches include Repatha (cholesterol-lowering), Aimovig (migraine), Lumakras (lung cancer), and Tezspire (asthma). The 2023 Horizon acquisition brings several rare-disease drugs, including thyroid eye disease drug Tepezza. Amgen also has a growing biosimilar portfolio. Current Position of Amgen With a volume of 1,153,448, the price of AMGN is down -0.14% at $263.02. RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching oversold. Next earnings are expected to be released in 43 days. Professional Analyst Ratings for Amgen Over the past month, 2 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $293.0. Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. Click here for access .* An analyst from RBC Capital has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Amgen, which currently sits at a price target of $330. * An analyst from B of A Securities has revised its rating downward to Underperform, adjusting the price target to $256. Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Amgen with Benzinga Pro for real-time alerts. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

The Seahawks released receiver and kick returner Laviska Shenault Jr., the team announced Monday afternoon. There was no corresponding move announced, meaning they have a spot open on its 53-man roster. The Seahawks could be saving that in case outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu is able to come off injured reserve this week to play Sunday against Arizona. Nwosu returned to practice last week and coach Mike Macdonald has said the team hopes he could be back for the pivotal game against the Cardinals. The move came in the wake of a mistake-filled special-teams performance against the New York Jets on Sunday that the team overcame with a 26-21 win. The Seahawks fumbled two consecutive kickoffs, one by Shenault, who bobbled the attempt and lost it again when he hit the ground. Shenault also had a lost fumble in a game against the 49ers in October, though he also had a 97-yard kickoff return for a TD in that game. Shenault, a second-round pick of the Jaguars out of Colorado in 2020, signed with the Seahawks as a free agent last spring. He has a fully guaranteed contract of $1.152 million. He was used some as a receiver, playing 45 snaps, with five receptions for 36 yards. He had 16 kickoff returns for 459 yards. The Seahawks recently signed Cody White off the practice squad to the 53-man roster and has Dareke Young and Jake Bobo also as backup receivers. Dee Williams also lost a fumble on a kickoff as the Seahawks allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown during a bizarre first half in which the Seahawks fell behind 21-7. Shenault was also a member of the kickoff cover team throughout the season, including on Sunday. He played two offensive snaps against the Jets and 15 on special teams.

Hyperchanging Tech Markets Demand Smarter Procurement and Agile Evaluation, Says Info-Tech Research GroupOld Dominion 40, Arkansas St. 32California lawmakers to begin special session to protect state laws from second Trump presidency

Southern California jumped to No. 4 in The Associated Press women's college basketball poll on Monday after edging UConn. The Trojans moved up three spots in the AP Top 25 after beating the then-No. 4 Huskies 72-70 on Saturday night in a rematch of last season's Elite Eight game that UConn won. "It feels great to get the dub always," USC star JuJu Watkins said after the victory. "I think it hit a little different knowing the history of last year and how they sent us home." This was the Trojans' first win ever over UConn. "This is a really significant win, and it's a really significant win because of the stature of UConn's program and what Geno Auriemma has done for our sport," USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. "It doesn't matter to me that they haven't won a championship in a couple years. There's still a way that they prepare, a way that they play, that makes you better, and it made us better." UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dame remained the top three teams. The Bruins received 30 of the 32 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Gamecocks and the Fighting Irish each got one first-place vote. UConn fell to seventh behind Texas and LSU. Maryland, Oklahoma and Ohio State rounded out the top 10 teams. Falling Blue Devils Duke dropped five spots to No. 14 after losing to South Florida on Saturday. The Blue Devils' other two losses this season were to Maryland and South Carolina. The Bulls are 7-6 on the season, with four of those losses coming against ranked opponents (UConn, Louisville, TCU and South Carolina). Welcome back Alabama jumped back into the poll at No. 20 two weeks after falling out. The Crimson Tide had an impressive 82-67 victory over Michigan State, handing the Spartans their first loss of the season. It was Alabama's first victory over a ranked opponent this year. Conference breakdown The Southeastern Conference has eight teams in the poll this week with Alabama's return. The Big Ten is next with seven. The ACC has six while the Big 12 has three and the Big East one. Game of the week No. 23 Michigan at No. 4 USC, Sunday. The Wolverines start Big Ten play with a trip to Los Angeles to face the Trojans on Sunday and then the Bruins a few days later. Coach Kim Barnes Arico's young team is off to a 10-2 start.1 person killed in single-vehicle crash near Arnprior, Ont.New Jersey school board to refund state over $33K in funds spent on ‘Staff Fun Day’

ludo game

CS Northridge 89, Utah Tech 79lodibet 464 。

Bryce Thompson scored 17 points and achieved a milestone as Oklahoma State defeated Miami 80-74 on Friday afternoon in a Charleston Classic consolation game in Charleston, S.C. Thompson made 6-of-14 shots from the floor, surpassing 1,000 points for his career at Oklahoma State (4-1), which also got 15 points from Marchelus Avery. The Cowboys won in large part thanks to their impressive 3-point shooting (10-for-22, 45.5 percent). Oklahoma State backup guard Arturo Dean, a Miami native, posted eight points and one steal. He led the nation in steals last season while playing for Florida International. Miami (3-2) has lost two straight games in Charleston, failing to take a lead at any point. They will play on Sunday against either Nevada or VCU. The Hurricanes on Friday were led by Nijel Pack, who had a game-high 20 points. Brandon Johnson had a double-double for Miami with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Matthew Cleveland scored 11 points and Lynn Kidd and Paul Djobet added 10 points apiece for Miami. Miami, which fell behind 7-0 in Thursday's loss to Drake, got behind 9-0 on Friday as Abou Ousmane scored six of his eight points. Oklahoma State stretched its lead to 18 before settling for a 43-27 advantage at the break. Pack led all first-half scorers with 10 points, but Miami shot just 29.6 percent from the floor, including 3-of-13 on 3-pointers (23.1). Oklahoma State shot 48.4 percent, including 8-for-15 on 3-pointers (53.3 percent) before intermission. The Cowboys also had a 14-8 edge in paint points. In the second half, Miami closed its 20-point deficit to 55-42 with 12:12 left. Miami got a bit closer as two straight short jumpers by Kidd, trimming the deficit to 73-62 with 3:25 to play. The Hurricanes cut it to 77-70 on Pack's 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining, but the Cowboys hit their free throws to close out the win. --Field Level MediaUnity in Diversity: Lok Sabha Speaker Emphasizes Constitutional Spirit

Title: The Guardian Angel of a Missing Woman in Shaanxi: Zhang, Who Provided Shelter for 13 YearsThe Syrian conflict, now in its tenth year, has resulted in immense human suffering and political instability in the Middle East. As one of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, China holds a significant role in shaping international responses to the crisis in Syria. The Chinese government has consistently advocated for a political solution to the conflict and has supported the efforts of the United Nations to facilitate peace negotiations between the warring parties.At a price point of $46 for a pack of 12 bottles, some may find the cost to be on the higher side for a beverage product. However, the uniqueness and novelty of the collaboration, along with the limited availability, may attract collectors and fans who are willing to pay a premium for a one-of-a-kind experience.

B.C. man charged over tractor crash with police during 2023 anti-SOGI protest

Manchester United is making headlines once again as reports emerge that the club is willing to sell star midfielder Paul Pogba due to disciplinary reasons. The decision to part ways with Pogba is seen as a strategic move by the club in order to pave the way for the potential arrival of Declan Rice.In conclusion, the premiere of the teaser trailer for "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc" marks the beginning of a new chapter in the iconic franchise, promising fans a cinematic experience like no other. With its compelling storyline, stunning visuals, and emotional depth, this movie is set to captivate audiences and leave a lasting impact on the world of anime.Unions score a major win in Wisconsin with a court ruling restoring collective bargaining rights

In a heartbreaking turn of events, a female singer has tragically lost her life after being paralyzed following three massages. This tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the potential risks involved with frequent and excessive massages.The first blow came in the form of a shocking defeat to newly-promoted side Norwich City, where the defending champions were outplayed and outclassed by the underdogs. This unexpected loss sent shockwaves through the football community and raised doubts about Manchester City's ability to maintain their dominance in the Premier League.

Despite the challenges and uncertainties associated with the restructuring process, there is a growing recognition of the importance of maintaining a stable and resilient banking sector in supporting the long-term prosperity of the economy. By implementing necessary reforms and ensuring proper oversight, authorities aim to create a more transparent and sustainable banking environment that can foster greater trust and confidence among depositors and investors.INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Detroit Lions have gone 10 straight quarters without allowing a touchdown. It’s a streak that started with the team’s improbable win over the Houston Texans two weeks ago. It continued through last week’s complete destruction of the Jacksonville Jaguars. And even after taking some hits on the first two drives of the game in their win over the Indianapolis Colts, the streak has persevered. #Lions have not allowed a TD in consecutive games for the first time since 1999. #OnePride pic.twitter.com/XLR3VZH7YP

Despite the challenges ahead, Turkey's commitment to supporting Syria's reconstruction and assisting refugees in returning home is a step in the right direction. By addressing the root causes of the Syrian crisis and working towards long-term solutions, Turkey aims to contribute to stability and peace in the region.

lodigame 291 login

lodibet 678 Unwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets

(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir held an urgent meeting of top security brass on Friday after a shootout at the home of powerful former spy chief Akol Koor, who was sacked almost two months ago amid rumours of a coup plot. Gunfire erupted on Thursday evening in the capital Juba, sparking concerns about the stability of the world's youngest country that is already plagued by power struggles, ethnic infighting and a deep economic malaise. The shooting around the home of Koor, who was fired by Kiir in early October and placed under house arrest, caused panic among local residents before it was contained after about an hour. Following the meeting, South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF) spokesman Lul Ruai Koang said the incident took place after a "misunderstanding" between security forces attempting to relocate the ex-head of the National Security Services. Koang said Koor had now agreed to the relocation "with his dear wife, one bodyguard, and a cook" elsewhere in the city. He would be provided with additional army protection at his new residence, but Koang emphasised he was not under "their (army) detention." He said four people, two civilians and two soldiers, had been killed during the confrontation. The meeting convened by Kiir included the heads of defence, police, national security and military intelligence. A source in the presidency press unit said Koor was also present. The Sudans Post newspaper quoted a security official as saying the meeting had "resolved all outstanding tensions" and that the spy chief and his family "have been assured of their safety". In an alert to its staff on the ground on Thursday, the United Nations in South Sudan had said the shooting was linked to the arrest of the former spymaster and advised people to take cover. Koang told AFP that Koor "remains at his house", and denied claims circulating on social media that he had fled to the UN compound in Juba. There was a heavy deployment of military forces around his home in the Thongpiny district, an AFP correspondent said, but traffic has resumed and people were going about their daily business. Police spokesman John Kassara said the situation was now calm but that Thongpiny remained sealed off and residents "should remain vigilant". Koor became head of the feared National Security Services (NSS) after South Sudan's independence in 2011 but was sacked in October leading to widespread speculation he had been planning to overthrow Kiir. After his dismissal from the NSS, Koor was appointed governor of Warrap State, Kiir's home state, but this was abruptly revoked by the president before he took the oath of office. Koang said there had been a "misunderstanding" between two security services forces present at Koor's residence when a third unit arrived for the relocation. "That was the start of the armed confrontation that you heard," he said. Four people, two servicemen and two civilians, were killed in the incident, he said, and two civilians were wounded. Koor's sacking came just two weeks after Kiir again postponed by two years, to December 2026, the first elections in the nation's history. The delay has exasperated the international community, which has been pressing the country's leaders to complete a transitional process, including unifying rival armed forces and drawing up a constitution. The NSS was at the centre of controversy in July when parliament approved amendments to legislation allowing the agency to continue to arrest -- without a warrant -- anyone accused of offences against the state, raising alarm among rights groups and South Sudan's international partners. The country has struggled to recover from a brutal civil war between forces loyal to Kiir and his now deputy Riek Machar from 2013 to 2018 that killed about 400,000 people and drove millions from their homes. It remains one of the poorest and most corrupt countries on the planet and continues to be plagued by chronic instability and climate disasters. str-txw-rbu/givThe National Packaging Centre (NPC) of the Export Development Board (EDB) recently conducted an awareness session focusing on ‘Packaging Solutions for Fruits and Vegetables’ at the EDB premises. One of the objectives of conducting this awareness session was to reduce post-harvest losses of fruits and vegetables through innovative packaging solutions and enhance the value of export products, benefitting the broader economy. In Sri Lanka, post-harvest losses are significant, affecting 20%-30% of vegetables and 15%-20% of fruits. Inadequate packaging has been identified as a major cause of these losses. The session was conducted in collaboration with packaging experts from the industry and the National Plant Quarantine Service, with the participation of 70 exporters and potential exporters. The NPC was established for the promotion and development of the packaging industry in Sri Lanka. It supports a wide range of stakeholders, including exporters, manufacturers, designers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), women entrepreneurs, students, and research institutions. By fostering collaboration among Government bodies and other partners, the NPC plays a vital role in advancing Sri Lanka’s packaging industry and supporting sustainable growth in the agricultural export sector. The session featured insightful lectures by Packaging Consultant W. Abhaya Senavirathna, design83 CEO Dulesh Fernando, and National Plant Quarantine Service Deputy Director S.D. Kamani Priyadarshani. Key topics such as packaging concepts, packaging materials, packaging technology, packaging design, and graphic design for fruits and vegetable packing, as well as the importance of the plant quarantine certificate and the process of obtaining the certificate were mainly discussed. Participants also learned about the importance of proper packaging, selection of the most effective methods, and selecting the right materials to prevent product degradation. Further, packaging experts provided tailored solutions for appropriate packaging methods for export potential entrepreneurs participating in the program. In addition, Mount Packs Ltd. conducted a practical demonstration by packaging a sample of corrugated boxes. At the end of the program, an evaluation was conducted due to the significant contributions made by the resource persons to enhance capacity and knowledge. The participants highly appreciated the usefulness of the program.

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index lost nearly 250 points Thursday, led by weakness in energy and base metals, while U.S. markets also fell. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 246.99 points at 25,410.71. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 234.44 points at 43,914.12. The S&P 500 index was down 32.94 points at 6,051.25, while the Nasdaq composite was down 132.05 points at 19,902.84. “I think the markets had some time to now digest where rates could be going into the near term,” said Adelaide Chiu, portfolio manager, vice-president and head of responsible investing at NEI Investments. On Wednesday, the Bank of Canada announced an outsized half-percentage point interest rate cut and signalled it would slow the pace of cuts going forward. “With the policy rate now substantially lower, we anticipate a more gradual approach to monetary policy if the economy evolves broadly as expected," said Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem. And in the U.S., the monthly report on consumer inflation came in largely as expected, helping set the stage for a quarter-point cut by the U.S. Federal Reserve next week. Globally, interest rate cuts are moderating as inflation reaches targets, Chiu said. On Thursday, the European Central Bank cut rates by a quarter of a percentage point while the Swiss National Bank cut by half a percentage point. A year ago, market watchers couldn’t have predicted just how much equities would rise in 2024, said Chiu. “Earnings growth itself has been quite modest, but the market has done very well,” she said. “It’s really a movement of the interest rates that has really impacted valuations for a lot of these companies in the market.” Now, the news is largely focused on the incoming U.S. president and whether his threatened tariffs will come to pass, Chiu said. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.48 cents US compared with 70.65 cents US on Wednesday. The January crude oil contract was down 27 cents at US$70.02 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up eight cents at US$3.46 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$47.30 at US$2,709.40 an ounce and the March copper contract was down a penny at US$4.20 a pound. -- With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

Mojave Brands Inc. Announces Public OfferingUnwrap the latest AI features with Amazon Fire Tablets

What to watch for as the 49ers look to save their season with victory over the Rams in Week 15How to win election in red states? The Democrats can learn from this fiery American evangelical pastor

African Union chairperson candidates advocate for permanent UN Security Council seatsTheir ages vary. But a conspicuous handful of filmmaking lions in winter, or let’s say late autumn, have given us new reasons to be grateful for their work over the decades — even for the work that didn’t quite work. Which, yes, sounds like ingratitude. But do we even want more conventional or better-behaved work from talents such as Francis Ford Coppola? Even if we’re talking about “Megalopolis” ? If Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” gave audiences a less morally complicated courtroom drama, would that have mattered, given Warner Bros.’ butt-headed decision to plop it in less than three dozen movie theaters in the U.S.? Coppola is 85. Eastwood is 94. Paul Schrader, whose latest film “Oh, Canada” arrives this week and is well worth seeking out, is a mere 78. Based on the 2021 Russell Banks novel “Foregone,” “Oh, Canada” is the story of a documentary filmmaker, played by Richard Gere, being interviewed near the end of his cancer-shrouded final days. In the Montreal home he shares with his wife and creative partner, played by Uma Thurman, he consents to the interview by two former students of his. Gere’s character, Leonard Fife, has no little contempt for these two, whom he calls “Mr. and Mrs. Ken Burns of Canada” with subtle disdain. As we learn over the artful dodges and layers of past and present, events imagined and/or real, Fife treats the interview as a final confession from a guarded and deceptive soul. He’s also a hero to everyone in the room, famous for his anti-Vietnam war political activism, and for the Frederick Wiseman-like inflection of his own films’ interview techniques. The real-life filmmaker name-checked in “Oh, Canada” is documentarian Errol Morris, whose straight-to-the-lens framing of interview subjects was made possible by his Interrotron device. In Schrader’s adaptation, Fife doesn’t want the nominal director (Michael Imperioli, a nicely finessed embodiment of a second-rate talent with first-rate airs) in his eyeline. Rather, as he struggles with hazy, self-incriminating memories of affairs, marriages, one-offs with a friend’s wife and a tense, brief reunion with the son he never knew, Fife wants only his wife, Emma — his former Goddard College student — in this metaphoric confessional. Schrader and his editor Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. treat the memories as on-screen flashbacks spanning from 1968 to 2023. At times, Gere and Thurman appear as their decades-young selves, without any attempt to de-age them, digitally or otherwise. (Thank god, I kind of hate that stuff in any circumstance.) In other sequences from Fife’s past, Jacob Elordi portrays Fife, with sly and convincing behavioral details linking his performance to Gere’s persona. We hear frequent voiceovers spoken by Gere about having ruined his life by age 24, at least spiritually or morally. Banks’ novel is no less devoted to a dying man’s addled but ardent attempt to come clean and own up to what has terrified him the most in the mess and joy of living: Honesty. Love. Commitment. There are elements of “Oh, Canada” that soften Banks’ conception of Fife, from the parentage of Fife’s abandoned son to the specific qualities of Gere’s performance. It has been 44 years since Gere teamed with Schrader on “American Gigolo,” a movie made by a very different filmmaker with very different preoccupations of hetero male hollowness. It’s also clearly the same director at work, I think. And Gere remains a unique camera object, with a stunning mastery of filling a close-up with an unblinking stillness conveying feelings easier left behind. The musical score is pretty watery, and with Schrader you always get a few lines of tortured rhetoric interrupting the good stuff. In the end, “Oh, Canada” has an extraordinarily simple idea at its core: That of a man with a movie camera, most of his life, now on the other side of the lens. Not easy. “I can’t tell the truth unless that camera’s on!” he barks at one point. I don’t think the line from the novel made it into Schrader’s script, but it too sums up this lion-in-winter feeling of truth without triumphal Hollywood catharsis. The interview, Banks wrote, is one’s man’s “last chance to stop lying.” It’s also a “final prayer,” dramatized by the Calvinist-to-the-bone filmmaker who made sure to include that phrase in his latest devotion to final prayers and missions of redemption. “Oh, Canada” — 3 stars (out of 4) No MPA rating (some language and sexual material) Running time: 1:34 How to watch: Opens in theaters Dec. 13, running 1in Chicago Dec. 13-19 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.; siskelfilmcenter.org Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death rowPredictive Maintenance (PDM) Market to grow by USD 33.76 Billion from 2024-2028, driven by AI and cloud adoption in SMEs - Technavio

Their ages vary. But a conspicuous handful of filmmaking lions in winter, or let’s say late autumn, have given us new reasons to be grateful for their work over the decades — even for the work that didn’t quite work. Which, yes, sounds like ingratitude. But do we even want more conventional or better-behaved work from talents such as Francis Ford Coppola? Even if we’re talking about ? If Clint Eastwood’s gave audiences a less morally complicated courtroom drama, would that have mattered, given Warner Bros.’ butt-headed decision to plop it in less than three dozen movie theaters in the U.S.? Coppola is 85. Eastwood is 94. Paul Schrader, whose latest film “Oh, Canada” arrives this week and is well worth seeking out, is a mere 78. Based on the 2021 Russell Banks novel “Foregone,” “Oh, Canada” is the story of a documentary filmmaker, played by Richard Gere, being interviewed near the end of his cancer-shrouded final days. In the Montreal home he shares with his wife and creative partner, played by Uma Thurman, he consents to the interview by two former students of his. Gere’s character, Leonard Fife, has no little contempt for these two, whom he calls “Mr. and Mrs. Ken Burns of Canada” with subtle disdain. As we learn over the artful dodges and layers of past and present, events imagined and/or real, Fife treats the interview as a final confession from a guarded and deceptive soul. He’s also a hero to everyone in the room, famous for his anti-Vietnam war political activism, and for the Frederick Wiseman-like inflection of his own films’ interview techniques. The real-life filmmaker name-checked in “Oh, Canada” is documentarian Errol Morris, whose straight-to-the-lens framing of interview subjects was made possible by his Interrotron device. In Schrader’s adaptation, Fife doesn’t want the nominal director (Michael Imperioli, a nicely finessed embodiment of a second-rate talent with first-rate airs) in his eyeline. Rather, as he struggles with hazy, self-incriminating memories of affairs, marriages, one-offs with a friend’s wife and a tense, brief reunion with the son he never knew, Fife wants only his wife, Emma — his former Goddard College student — in this metaphoric confessional. Schrader and his editor Benjamin Rodriguez Jr. treat the memories as on-screen flashbacks spanning from 1968 to 2023. At times, Gere and Thurman appear as their decades-young selves, without any attempt to de-age them, digitally or otherwise. (Thank god, I kind of hate that stuff in any circumstance.) In other sequences from Fife’s past, Jacob Elordi portrays Fife, with sly and convincing behavioral details linking his performance to Gere’s persona. We hear frequent voiceovers spoken by Gere about having ruined his life by age 24, at least spiritually or morally. Banks’ novel is no less devoted to a dying man’s addled but ardent attempt to come clean and own up to what has terrified him the most in the mess and joy of living: Honesty. Love. Commitment. There are elements of “Oh, Canada” that soften Banks’ conception of Fife, from the parentage of Fife’s abandoned son to the specific qualities of Gere’s performance. It has been 44 years since Gere teamed with Schrader on “American Gigolo,” a movie made by a very different filmmaker with very different preoccupations of hetero male hollowness. It’s also clearly the same director at work, I think. And Gere remains a unique camera object, with a stunning mastery of filling a close-up with an unblinking stillness conveying feelings easier left behind. The musical score is pretty watery, and with Schrader you always get a few lines of tortured rhetoric interrupting the good stuff. In the end, “Oh, Canada” has an extraordinarily simple idea at its core: That of a man with a movie camera, most of his life, now on the other side of the lens. Not easy. “I can’t tell the truth unless that camera’s on!” he barks at one point. I don’t think the line from the novel made it into Schrader’s script, but it too sums up this lion-in-winter feeling of truth without triumphal Hollywood catharsis. The interview, Banks wrote, is one’s man’s “last chance to stop lying.” It’s also a “final prayer,” dramatized by the Calvinist-to-the-bone filmmaker who made sure to include that phrase in his latest devotion to final prayers and missions of redemption. No MPA rating (some language and sexual material) Running time: 1:34 How to watch: Opens in theaters Dec. 13, running 1in Chicago Dec. 13-19 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St.;