Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has also resigned as vice-president of the animal welfare organisation, with both of them expressing their “sadness” over leaving the roles. It comes after an Animal Rising investigation made claims of cruelty at “RSPCA Assured” slaughterhouses in England and Scotland, with the campaign group sharing footage of alleged mistreatment. RSPCA Assured is a scheme whereby approved farms must comply with the organisation’s “stringent higher welfare standards”, according to its website. Mr Packham shared the news of his resignation on social media, saying: “It is with enormous sadness that I have resigned from my role as president of the RSPCA. “I would like to register my respect and admiration for all the staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to protect animals from cruelty.” Ms Lucas said she and Mr Packham failed to get the charity’s leadership to act. She posted on X, formerly Twitter: “With huge sadness I’m resigning as VP of the RSPCA, a role I’ve held with pride for over 15 years. “But their Assured Schemes risk misleading the public & legitimising cruelty. “I tried with @ChrisGPackham to persuade the leadership to act but sadly failed.” In June, the RSPCA commissioned an independent review of 200 farms on its assurance scheme which concluded the scheme was “operating effectively” to assure animal welfare on member farms. Following Animal Rising’s release of footage last week, the charity said it was “appalled” by what was shown, adding that it launched an immediate investigation and suspended three slaughterhouses from the scheme. In the wake of Mr Packham and Ms Lucas’ resignations, an RSPCA spokesperson said it is “simply not true” that the organisation has failed to take urgent action. They said: “We agree with Chris and Caroline on so many issues and have achieved so much together for animals, but we differ on how best to address the incredibly complex and difficult issue of farmed animal welfare. “We have discussed our work to drive up farmed animal welfare standards openly at length with them on many occasions and it is simply not true that we have not taken urgent action. “We took allegations of poor welfare incredibly seriously, launching an independent review of 200 farms which concluded that it was ‘operating effectively’ to improve animal welfare. “We are taking strong steps to improve oversight of welfare, implementing the recommendations in full including significantly increasing unannounced visits, and exploring technology such as body-worn cameras and CCTV, supported by £2 million of investment.” The charity insisted that while 94% of people continue to choose to eat meat, fish, eggs and dairy, it is the “right thing to do” to work with farmers to improve the lives of animals. “RSPCA Assured visit all farms on the scheme every year, but last year just 3% of farms were assessed for animal welfare by state bodies,” the spokesperson continued. “No-one else is doing this work. We are the only organisation setting and regularly monitoring animal welfare standards on farms. “We have pioneered change through RSPCA Assured, which has led to improvements throughout the industry including CCTV in slaughterhouses, banning barren battery cages for hens and sow stalls for pigs, giving salmon more space to swim and developing slower growing chicken breeds who have better quality of life.”7xm online casino login 。

Displaced Palestinian children play at a shelter in Gaza City on Dec. 9, 2024. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) The escalating crises in the Middle East over the passing year have deepened human tragedies, geopolitical shifts, and socioeconomic challenges, leaving the region's prospects for 2025 shrouded in uncertainty. CAIRO, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- In a region where turmoil has long been the norm, the cascade of events in the Middle East in 2024 has nevertheless shocked the world due to its intensity and complexity. The Israel-Palestine conflict entered the second year, leaving Gaza stranded in a dire humanitarian crisis and creating ripple effects across Lebanon, Yemen and Iran. Apart from Israel's multiple-front wars, the escalating fighting in Sudan, rising instability in Libya, as well as the swift toppling of Bashar al-Assad's government in Syria, have created further chaos in the Middle East. The human tragedies, geopolitical shifts and socioeconomic challenges befalling the region throughout the year have cast a shadow over the future of the Middle East in 2025. INCREASING HOSTILITIES As mediators are still working to bridge the chasm between Israel and Palestine to create a Gaza ceasefire deal through indirect negotiations, Israel is launching more airstrikes and bombardment on the brittle enclave. The 14-month conflict has claimed more than 45,300 Palestinian lives and injured nearly 108,000 others, according to Gaza's health authorities. The UN estimates that, as of early December, over 1.6 million people were living in makeshift shelters, with 80 percent of Gaza under ongoing evacuation orders since October. "There is nowhere that civilians in Gaza are safe," Tom Fletcher, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, said Monday, noting that more humanitarians in Gaza have been killed in 2024 than any on record. The conflict in Gaza, the "eye of the storm," has also spread to neighboring regions, raising concerns that the Middle East is teetering on the brink of a wider regional war. Israel's airstrike on the Iranian Embassy in Syria in April prompted Iran to retaliate with a large-scale drone and missile assault on Israel and triggered further tit-for-tats between the two sides. Israel then killed Hamas Politburo Chief Ismail Haniyeh in July and Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in September. In the following month, Israeli tanks crossed the border and advanced onto Lebanese soil. Despite a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, effective from Nov. 27 and aimed at ending a conflict that have reportedly claimed more than 4,000 lives in Lebanon, Israeli forces have continued their strikes, causing further casualties. Following a 12-day military operation by Syrian militant groups that resulted in the fall of al-Assad's government on Dec. 8, Israel launched extensive airstrikes on Syria and moved its troops into a demilitarized zone near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. As the year comes to an end, Israel has vowed to "act with force" against the Houthis in Yemen amid heavier exchanges of fire between the two sides. Israeli troops are seen near the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, on Dec. 15, 2024. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua) "Today, the Middle East serves as a battleground for Israel, which is engaged in multiple military confrontations," Washington-based think tank the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said in mid-November, adding that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies "appear resolute in sustaining these conflicts ... rejecting negotiations and political settlements." "If there ever was a time to use superlatives about Middle Eastern affairs, the year 2024 is it ... The region's reordering is accompanied by great violence and renewed competition," the Financial Times opined last Sunday. INVISIBLE HAND While it is widely agreed that the chaos in the Middle East should be primarily understood from a historical viewpoint featuring unresolved problems among different ethnic groups in the region, many experts have agreed that external influences from the West, notably the United States, have also been a key factor in the region's ongoing war of attrition. In mid-November, the Council on Foreign Relations, a U.S. think tank, revealed that "Israel has long been the leading recipient of U.S. foreign aid, including military assistance" and that "the United States has provisionally agreed via a memorandum of understanding to provide Israel with 3.8 billion U.S. dollars per year through 2028." "U.S. military aid to Israel has soared to its highest in decades amid Israel's yearlong war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip," as it has enacted legislation providing at least 12.5 billion dollars in direct military aid to Israel, the think tank said. Researchers at Brown University estimated in early October that U.S. President Joe Biden's administration provided an additional 17.9 billion dollars to Israel since the start of the Gaza war. While the United States has dubbed itself a mediator in the Gaza ceasefire, it has repeatedly vetoed UN Security Council draft resolutions calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza. A Politico report in late September revealed that while Washington publicly urged Israel to curtail its strikes on Lebanon, senior White House figures privately backed Israel's military push against Hezbollah. Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly admitted that his country's efforts spanning the last 20 years to seek regime change in Iran did not yield much success. People walk past a billboard showing late Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Tehran, Iran, on Jan. 2, 2022, one day ahead of the second anniversary of his assassination by the United States in Iraq. (Xinhua/Gao Wencheng) The Pentagon also recently confirmed the first official increase in U.S. troops in Syria from around 900 to 2,000, noting that the additional deployments were made before al-Assad's ouster in response to the evolving security situation in Syria and to safeguard critical U.S. interests in the region. "The U.S. has a major role in these conflicts, as it is the one fueling these conflicts, standing behind them, planning them, and supporting them, although it always tries to deny its presence and direct intervention in these actions," Muthanna Mishaan al-Mazrouei, a professor of political geography at Iraq's Tikrit University, told Xinhua. "It's frankly embarrassing ... to see just the way we give in to the demands of the Israeli government and continue to support what the Israeli government is doing even though we know it's wrong," former U.S. State Department official Mike Casey told Al Jazeera on Dec. 21. UNATTAINABLE "LUXURIES" Some 1.9 million people had been displaced in Gaza as of October out of a population of 2.2 million. A study of children living through the Gaza war published in December found that 96 percent of them feel their death is imminent and almost half want to die due to the trauma they have been through. People try to get food relief in Jabalia refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, Aug. 29, 2024. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) Nearly one million people, or one in five of Lebanon's population, have been displaced. In Syria, over 880,000 have fled their homes since Nov. 27, with around 6 percent living with disabilities. Cases of psychological trauma are surging across Syria, particularly among children. In Yemen, 385,000 children face severe acute malnutrition, while a failing health system leaves 540,000 vulnerable to diseases like cholera. Over 9 million people in Libya, Palestine, and Sudan urgently need humanitarian aid. The conflicts have taken a heavy economic toll on the region. The IMF projected in October that Middle Eastern economies may face prolonged recovery, with per capita gross domestic product (GDP) expected to drop by 10 percent even a decade after the Gaza conflict. Given the recurring armed conflicts and the subsequent socioeconomic setbacks in the Middle East in 2024, the international community has voiced its call for regional stability for the new year. "My hope is that Israel will change course and seek to advance a two-state solution with the Palestinians, paving the way for peacemaking and further normalization," Nimrod Goren, a senior fellow for Israeli Affairs at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, told Xinhua. UN agencies and countries worldwide have repeatedly called for an end to Israel's "aggression" against Gaza and urged a long-overdue ceasefire, expressed hope for a lasting Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, supported an "inclusive, credible, and peaceful" Syrian-led political transition, and pledged increased humanitarian aid to war-torn Middle Eastern countries. Yet, for many experts, peace and development remain unattainable "luxuries" for the Middle East in the upcoming year. "As long as entrenched political elites, external interventions, and sectarian divisions remain dominant, the Middle East is likely to remain a volatile and contested region, with peace a distant and uncertain prospect," Mohamed Elchime, professor of Political Science at Helwan University in Egypt, told Xinhua. "Today the Middle East faces much uncertainty. There are countless questions about past-Assad Syria, Iran-Israel hostilities, the Gaza war, Israel's land theft in the West Bank, Houthi militancy, and the unpredictable nature of the incoming U.S. administration," Giorgio Cafiero, CEO of Washington-based geopolitical risk consultancy Gulf State Analytics, said Monday. "The regional situation is heading towards tension, deterioration and the unknown," Iraqi political analyst Ali Moussa told Xinhua. (Xinhua reporters Yao Bing and Dong Xiuzhu in Cairo, Wang Zhuolun in Jerusalem, Duan Minfu and Li Jun in Baghdad, and He Yiping in Amman contributed to the story.)

In my previous article for Daily Sabah, I discussed the PKK's involvement in the drug trade since its early days, tracing the routes of these transactions and highlighting the countries and groups that have contributed to the industry's growth. In this following piece, I will explain how drug money is utilized and how political dynamics across the region have created a favorable environment for the PKK and its affiliates to thrive. The PKK plays a dominant role in Türkiye’s narcotics smuggling industry. Money earned through the drug trade constitutes one of the principal sources of its revenue, which is used to buy advanced weapons from European markets and expand its military and political capabilities. The PKK tends to lure the young by offering mild drugs free of cost first and later dragging them into its trade permanently. The drug money is also utilized to lobby with the major powers across the world to achieve its political objectives and fund the big media houses to raise their issue and veil their terror activities. It is also siphoned off to support its operatives in Türkiye and neighboring countries and to achieve their political objectives. They have close contact with several overseas Kurdish groups and one such group is the Belgium-based Congress of the European Kurdish Democratic Community. In 2022, the Council for Europe backlisted thirteen persons associated with the group for their involvement in the illicit trade. The PKK forcefully drags minors into the drug swamps, and several leading figures of the PKK, like Cemil Bayık (one of the founding members of PKK), Duran Kalkan (commander of the PKK's terrorist forces) and several others, have been blacklisted by the EU countries. Today, PKK-controlled drug networks have deep roots in the market of Europe and the United States. According to a report published by the U.S.’s General Directorate of Security, the PKK has used the earnings through drug trafficking to widen the networks of its activities and enrolled more and more youth in the PKK because the easy access to banned stimulating drugs also attracts the youth. A U.K. intelligence report has recently also linked the London-based notorious drug gang Tottenham Boys group with the PKK, which has a membership of 400 and is responsible for distributing Grade A and B drugs in Northern and Central London and the same report indicates that three Moldova-based drug peddlers were part of the PKK. With the ushering of the Arab uprising coupled with the political chaos across the region, the PKK found an uncontested geographical terrain to expand its drug trade and consequently, in the last decade, its drug empire has upped many notches. The rise of ISIS and the subsequent U.S. support to the PKK/YPG in the guise of combating ISIS offered a favorable environment to the PKK and its affiliates to deepen its imprint, which eventually helped the PKK’s drug empire as well. Because of the growing U.S.-PKK/YPG alliance in Syria, the PKK acquired new leeway in Syrian internal politics and emerged as a catalyst in the burgeoning drug trade. For a long time, most of the fertile agricultural lands in northern Syria have been controlled by regional Kurdish people, but with the weakening authority of Assad, these lands began to be used for the cultivation of cannabis to mint money. In recent years, the PKK/YPG has been reported to force the locals to cultivate only cannabis in the areas controlled by them. They also coordinate smuggling between Syria and Europe. The trained drug peddlers inside the PKK/YPG carry the drugs through the Syrian border to other countries, and they also use drone services, which can have three to five kilograms of banned and costly drugs in a single flight. These drugs are passed on to Lebanese territories through various middlemen to market them into other Arab nations and some are resent to Türkiye to be sold in European markets for higher prices. Amid the growing influence of PKK/YPG in their zone, they started to grow more drug-related plants like poppy, hemp, marijuana and cannabis to make huge amounts of money in a short span. To evade the general gaze, they grow corn around the farming tract and drug plantations in the middle of the tract. The PKK/YPG has created a special cell to protect and hide the drug cultivation in the areas run by the North and East Syrian Autonomous Administration. The rampant production has increased drug addiction in the region and the price of some drugs is cheaper than cigarettes. Apart from cannabis, the most known drug in Syria is Captagon . In one of the operations launched by the Turkish force, around a million Captagon pills were seized in the region controlled by PKK/YPG. Similarly, during the 2018 Olive Branch operation in Afrin, security forces found concrete tunnels that the PKK used to smuggle drugs into Türkiye. Drugs have become a tool to lure youngsters and the rampant use of drugs is likely to render them defunct, fatigued and despondent. The control of huge lands by the PKK/YPG has created a prosperous zone for drug cultivation and like in Türkiye and Europe, the PKK/YPG officials have established special cells to supervise the drug trade and money laundering. Though in the past, the Turkish authorities have launched many operations to bust these drug operatives in the country, the international community does not cooperate with Türkiye on this matter. Türkiye has repeatedly warned the EU about PKK’s threat to public order in the region. However, the EU seems to have overlooked the warning and failed to take the necessary action despite the fact Germany hosts the largest number of followers of PKK/YPG. Drug trafficking is a global menace and it needs global efforts and cooperation among different countries to fight it. There should be no politics in dealing with this peril; otherwise, it would lead to many new crises in the world, which is already trapped in the vortex of numerous calamities.

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New Delhi [India], December 29 (ANI): Indian Railways is taking significant steps towards enhancing the safety and efficiency of its operations by accelerating the deployment of the advanced Kavach 4.0 automatic train protection system. It is speeding up to deploy an advanced Kavach 4.0 - automatic train protection system across its key routes. Also Read | Balasore Horror: Man Allegedly Sells 9-Day-Old Baby for INR 60,000, Buys Bike in Odisha; Probe Launched. Kavach 4.0 is an enhanced comprehensive, technology-driven solution developed by Indian Railways to prevent accidents and ensure the smooth operation of trains, providing an additional layer of safety and control, according to officials. According to a press release issued, all the locomotives where a lower version of Kavach was installed will be replaced with the upgraded Kavach 4.0. Over NF Railway approximately 1966 RKM of length from Malda Town to Dibrugarh have been identified for implementation of Kavach. Also Read | Navi Mumbai International Airport To Be Inaugurated in April 2025, Commercial Operations Second Half of May, Says Adani Airports CEO Arun Bansal. The implementation of Kavach 4.0 by Indian Railways across its key routes is a broader initiative to modernize its infrastructure and improve safety standards. By leveraging technology such as Kavach 4.0, the connectivity system will ensure smoother operations, minimizing human error and most importantly preventing accidents. The Kavach 4.0 system is built upon several critical technological components, including Station Kavach, which receives information from Loco Kavach and signalling systems to guide the locomotive and RFID tags, which are installed along the tracks at regular intervals and signal point to monitor the train's location and direction. Over the past period, Indian Railways has been taking several steps to cut down train accidents. By rolling out Kavach 4.0, Indian Railways is committed to making rail travel even safer for passengers. This step is part of a larger plan to strengthen the railway network and boost safety measures across the rail network of the country. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)Mayor vows to fight corruption allegations

Hungary welcomes wanted Polish politiciansBanxa's strengthening of its compliance capabilities comes amid new measures introduced by Australian crypto regulations MELBOURNE, Australia , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Crystal Intelligence , a leading blockchain intelligence firm, has announced a strategic partnership with Banxa , a trusted payments infrastructure provider enabling embedded crypto solutions. This collaboration will leverage Crystal Intelligence's cutting-edge compliance and monitoring technology to bolster Banxa's security operations as Australia's crypto industry adapts to heightened regulatory requirements. The partnership comes as the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) issues a consultation paper. Under the proposed framework, companies offering certain digital assets must secure an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL) if the digital assets are financial products. Meanwhile they may also need to comply with the AML/CTF regime, which requires robust compliance technology, such as the solutions Crystal offers. "This partnership will strengthen Crystal's presence in the Australian market and provide essential benefits for Banxa in terms of regulatory and compliance frameworks. In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital assets, companies should enhance their capabilities with investigative tools like Crystal to navigate these fast-changing environments effectively," says Navin Gupta , CEO of Crystal Intelligence . "At Banxa, our mission is to empower businesses by providing the payments infrastructure that facilitates seamless movement of money across the globe. We help businesses navigate the complexities of the crypto ecosystem, making it easier to move funds quickly and efficiently. With robust compliance measures in place, we offer a trusted, best-in-class solution to our global clients. Our collaboration with Crystal strengthens this capability, ensuring we meet the highest standards of crypto compliance while supporting rapid adoption and growth in an ever-evolving financial landscape," says Holger Arians, Co-CEO of Banxa . To learn more about Crystal's compliance and investigative services click here About Banxa Banxa is the leading infrastructure provider for enabling embedded crypto - empowering businesses to embed crypto seamlessly into their existing platforms and unlocking new opportunities in the rapidly evolving crypto economy. Through an extensive and growing network of global and local payment solutions and regulatory licenses, Banxa helps businesses provide seamless integration of crypto and fiat for global audiences with lower fees and higher conversion rates. Headquartered in the USA , Europe , and Asia-Pacific , the Banxa team is building for a world where global commerce is run on digital assets. For further information visit www.banxa.com . About Crystal Intelligence Crystal is a leading blockchain intelligence firm empowering financial institutions, law enforcement and regulators with real-time blockchain analysis, investigative and compliance solutions. Our solution helps financial institutions comply with global anti-money laundering regulations efficiently. Investigators and government agencies use Crystal's cutting-edge technology and unique real-time intelligence to solve crypto investigations. Available as a free blockchain explorer, SaaS, or API. www.crystalintelligence.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2581920/Crystal_Intelligence_Logo.jpgEndgame not yet clear as lawmakers await stopgap spending bill7xm.con 。

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Brandon Gilliam made field goals of 42, 29 and 30 yards and Alabama State beat Prairie View A&M 9-6 on Saturday to secure a third straight winning season under coach Eddie Robinson. The last time Alabama State had three straight winnings seasons was under coach Reggie Barlow, who had five consecutive from 2010-15. The teams combined for 22 first downs, 428 total yards and five turnovers. Daquon Kincey rushed for 94 yards for Alabama State (6-5, 5-3 SWAC). Kareem Keye completed 6 of 14 passes for 71 yards with an interception. Jaden Johnson was also intercepted for Prairie View (5-7, 3-5). He was 13 of 23 for 122 yards. Guillermo Garcia Rodriguez had two field goals, including a 50-yarder. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballBill Belichick had just been introduced Thursday as North Carolina's next football coach when chancellor Lee Roberts came armed with a gift: a short-sleeved gray hoodie — a bit of a trademark from Belichick's NFL coaching days — bearing a blue interlocking “NC” logo. It was the visual confirmation, which will take some getting used to, that the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach whose name became synonymous with NFL success has taken an unexpected first dive into college coaching. He now leads a program at a school with a national name brand but one that has been unable to sustain fleeting pockets of high-level success when it comes to football. “I've always wanted to coach in college football,” Belichick said during his introductory campus news conference. “It just never really worked out. Had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK.” The school's trustees approved terms of the deal to hire Belichick as the new football coach earlier Thursday. Specific terms have yet to be released, though the school said Wednesday there was a five-year agreement. Belichick arrived wearing a dark suit, a light blue dress shirt and a tie bearing a white-and-light-blue pattern. He sat between Roberts and athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who paid his own tribute by donning a suit jacket with the sleeves cut off to mimic Belichick's cut-off sideline look. “I’m here to, as Bubba said, teach, develop and build a program in the way that I believe in,” Belichick said. Moving on from the 73-year-old Mack Brown to hire the 72-year-old Belichick means UNC is turning to a coach who has never worked at the college level, yet had incredible success in the NFL alongside quarterback Tom Brady throughout most of his 24-year tenure with the Patriots, which ended last season. Belichick holds 333 career regular-season and postseason wins in the NFL, trailing only Don Shula’s 347 for the NFL record, while his 31 playoff wins are the most in league history. He had been linked to NFL jobs in the time since his departure from the Patriots, notably the Atlanta Falcons in January. That’s why word of Belichick’s conversations with UNC — first reported by Inside Carolina and confirmed by the AP last week — stirred such surprise as an unexpected and unconventional candidate. There’s also at least a small family tie to the UNC program for Belichick; his late father, Steve, was an assistant coach for the Tar Heels from 1953-55. When asked about fan concerns that he might leave quickly for the next NFL job, Belichick said: “I didn't come here to leave." And when asked how long he might want to keep coaching, he quipped: “It beats working. My dad told me this: when you love what you do, it's not work. I love what I do. I love coaching." He’s arriving on campus at a time of rapid changes in college athletics, from free player movement through the transfer portal and athletes’ ability to cash in on endorsements to the looming arrival of revenue sharing. And he's taking over a program that for a school with a national name-brand — particularly as a tradition-rich blueblood in college basketball — has never sustained elite football success in its long history. RODRIGUEZ RETURNING TO WEST VIRGINIA Rich Rodriguez is returning to West Virginia for a second stint as head coach at his alma mater. Athletic director Wren Baker announced the hiring on Thursday, 17 years after Rodriguez made a hasty exit for what became a disastrous three-year experiment at Michigan. “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez and his family back home,” Baker said in a statement. “Coach Rodriguez understands what it takes to win at West Virginia, and I believe he will pour his heart, soul and every ounce of his energy into our program. I am convinced Coach Rodriguez wants what is best for West Virginia, WVU and West Virginia football, and I am excited about the future of our program.” Rodriguez, who is the current coach at Jacksonville State, an architect of the spread offense and a polarizing figure in his home state, replaces Neal Brown, who was fired on Dec. 1 after going 37-35 in six seasons, including 6-6 this year. “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be the head football coach at West Virginia University,” Rodriguez said. “My family and I are filled with gratitude to lead the Mountaineer football program again and look forward to working with the many supporters, fans, and friends to build the best football program in America! Take Me Home!” Rodriguez, 61, will be tasked with restoring a consistent winning climate at West Virginia, which hasn’t been ranked or had back-to-back winning seasons since 2018. The Mountaineers have yet to qualify for the Big 12 championship game since joining the league in 2012. Its best finish was a tie for second place in 2016. Success was a standard at West Virginia under Rodriguez, who went 60-26 from 2001 to 2007 after replacing Hall of Fame coach Don Nehlen. With star players such as quarterback Pat White and running back Steve Slaton, Rodriguez led the Mountaineers to four Big East titles in five years and one of the greatest victories in school history, an upset win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl following the 2005 season. But many in the West Virginia fanbase remain jaded over his long-ago exit. Needing a win in their 2007 regular season finale to advance to the BCS national championship game, the Mountaineers lost at home to heavy underdog Pittsburgh, 13-9. “We picked an awful time to have our worst offensive game in years,” Rodriguez said after the game. Despite earning a berth in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma as a consolation prize, Rodriguez was gone two weeks later, taking some of his assistant coaches and recruits with him to Michigan. Rodriguez has insisted the Pitt loss had nothing to do with him leaving. He has said promises made by the school’s administration were not kept and his request for more money for his assistant coaches was rejected. Rodriguez said his relationship with then-athletic director Ed Pastilong had disintegrated by August 2007 to the point that the two men barely spoke.

Starmer to visit troops serving on Russian border in push for Ukraine supportSir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conference in Estonia where he met leaders of other Baltic states. After signing an energy partnership with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Bergen, Sir Keir flew to Estonia where he spoke alongside Mr Store and their Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal. Asked what else could be done to support Ukraine, Sir Keir said: “There is an ever-increasing demand for more capability. That is understandable, and Ukraine needs all the capability that it can get, so I think all of us have put in more capability into Ukraine by way of equipment.” He added: “A lot of money has been raised, funding has been raised, but more is going to be needed.” The Prime Minister’s also discussed making the economic case at home for continued support for Ukraine. Sir Keir said: “Making the case on the significance of Ukraine, making the case, to double down, linking it back to each of our countries – what does it mean for us if Russia succeeds, is a really important question that we have to answer with our people to make it clear why it is that we are so supportive of Ukraine, why it is that we must stand with our allies on this, why it is we must make sure that Nato is put in the strongest position as well. “Now, this is a different world to the world of 10, 20 years ago, to recognise the world that we are living in, there’s a positive case as well to be made. “Defence spending doesn’t sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy, no effect on technology. “It has a huge effect on technologies, the cutting edge of technology and change which can then be used in other areas. “It binds countries together. I think all of us have got joint projects on in terms of defence capabilities that bind us together. There’s a huge number of well-paid jobs that are very important to our economy in defence spending as well. “But we have to make that positive case. I don’t personally feel that we can sort of sit back and assume that all of those in our respective countries necessarily accept all of our arguments unless we make them in that positive way, which I do think the argument can and should and must be made. “But the challenge that you put to us is the right challenge, which is it’s very difficult when finances are tight, as they are in all of our countries.” On Tuesday morning the Prime Minister will meet Taavi Madiberk, the founder of Estonian tech start-up manufacturing low-cost air defence missiles, Frankenburg Technologies, which is planning to open a new office in London Specialising in the manufacture of the missiles, the rapidly growing company already collaborates closely with the UK defence industry, sourcing a significant portion of its subsystems locally, including from propulsion specialists Roxel in Worcestershire. The Prime Minister will again attend the JEF summit, joining leaders from the Nordics and Baltics to discuss support for Ukraine, the sustained threat posed by Russia and wider European security. He will then visit British forces serving in the region to deter malign Russian threats.I'm A Celeb's Alan Halsall loses his temper with Dean McCullough as tensions boil over between the pair - after body language expert revealed Radio 1 host was close to QUITTING

Atlanta (6-7) at Las Vegas (2-11) Monday, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN BetMGM NFL Odds: Falcons by 4 Series record: Falcons lead 8-7 Against the spread: Falcons 5-8, Raiders 5-8 Last meeting: Falcons beat Raiders 43-6 in Atlanta on Nov. 29, 2020. Last week: Falcons lost to Vikings 42-21; Raiders lost to Buccaneers 28-13 Falcons offense: overall (8), rush (12), pass (2), scoring (19) Falcons defense: overall (23), rush (17), pass (25), scoring (25) Raiders offense: overall (25), rush (32), pass (16), scoring (31) Raiders defense: overall (15), rush (14), pass (15), scoring (30) Turnover differential: Falcons minus-9; Raiders minus-17 OLB Arnold Ebiketie has been a key to Atlanta's suddenly improved pass rush. Ebiketie has three sacks in the past two games, giving him four for the season. Overall, the Falcons have had nine sacks in the past two games. They almost doubled their NFL-low total of 10 through their first 11 games. Whoever plays quarterback. Aidan O'Connell injured his left knee Sunday at Tampa Bay, so his availability is unknown. O'Connell is not a mobile quarterback, so if he plays, he likely wouldn't be as limited as a more athletic player at that position. If Desmond Ridder gets the call, he'll face the team where he started 13 games last season. Falcons QB Kirk Cousins vs. Raiders defense. Cousins has been intercepted the past four games, and he has been picked off six times combined the past two weeks. Las Vegas' best hope in forcing Cousins into even more mistakes is pressuring, and the Raiders have nine sacks over the past two weeks. They also had two interceptions against the Bucs. Falcons: Rookie RB Jase McClellan was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. The sixth-round pick earlier had missed time with a foot problem and had only 13 carries for 32 yards. RB Carlos Washington Jr. was signed to the active roster from the practice squad as depth behind Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. ... ILB Troy Andersen (knee) and WR Casey Washington (concussion) did not practice on Thursday. Raiders: RB Alexander Mattison (ankle) is expected to be activated after missing the past three games. CB Nate Hobbs (ankle) hasn't played since Nov. 3 at Cincinnati. The Falcons have won the past five meetings. ... Their 37-point victory in the most recent matchup in 2020 was the most lopsided game in the series' history. ... That game also was the second highest-scoring game by the winning team, behind the then-Oakland Raiders' 50-19 victory in 1979. Falcons WR Drake London needs only two catches to pass Calvin Ridley (217) for the most receptions in the first three seasons with Atlanta. ... London has 75 receptions for 866 yards and six touchdowns this season. ... Cousins has an unhealthy ratio of 17 touchdown passes to 15 interceptions. ... The Raiders' Brock Bowers has caught 87 passes to set an NFL rookie record tight ends record. Sam LaPorta had 86 last season for the Detroit Lions. Bowers also is 67 yards from becoming the third rookie tight end with 1,000 yards, joining Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts in 2021 and the Chicago Bears' Mike Ditka in 1961. ... DE Maxx Crosby is half a sack from becoming the third Raiders player since 1982 with 60 for his career. The other two are Greg Townsend (107 1/2) and Howie Long (84). ... LB Robert Spillane is one of seven players this season with at least 100 tackles, an interception and a sack. ... Las Vegas has committed 4.86 penalties per game since coach Antonio Pierce took over at midseason last season, best in the league. ... The Raiders have had at least one sack in 31 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak behind the Baltimore Ravens with 51 and Philadelphia Eagles with 41. Las Vegas has nine combined in the past two games, tied for best in the league with the Falcons. Raiders RB Sincere McCormick has secured the starting job, and he has averaged at least 5.2 yards per carry in each of his past three games. His rushing total keeps increasing, with McCormick gaining 78 yards against the Bucs. Especially given the uncertainty at quarterback, expect the Raiders to rely on McCormick. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

What to know about Scott Turner, Trump's pick for housing secretarySkier/snowboarder Ester Ledecka has 2 Olympic races on same day in 2026, hoping for schedule change

BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — As the situation stands, snowboarder/ski racer Ester Ledecka has two Olympic races on the same day in 2026, at nearly the same time and in Italian mountain towns hours apart. The Czech Republic standout simply can’t make both starting gates. So she may have a big decision to make on Feb. 8, 2026 — race in the women's downhill at the Milan-Cortina Games or go for a three-peat in snowboarding’s parallel giant slalom. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.Two charged in connection with Iran drone strike that killed 3 US troops in the Middle East

Business owners say they've been left with questions about how a temporary tax exemption to the GST will work after the federal government announcement the policy earlier this week. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the new measure to provide relief to Canadians still dealing with cost-of-living concerns. The tax break, which still needs approval in the House of Commons, will last for two months. Among items included in the tax break includes alcoholic beverages, snack foods, diapers, printed books, audiobooks, Christmas trees and children's toys for kids under 14. At Out of the Box, a store that has more than 3,000 board games for all ages in Ottawa's Bells Corners neighbourhood, owner Jimmy Sirmas says he and his team will have to go through them all to find which games qualify and which don't. One of the most popular games is Warhammer 40,000, a miniature war game for ages 12 and up. While the exemption should apply to the popular game, he doesn't want to be wrong. "This is one of the items we just need clarification will be included," he said. "With it being one of our biggest sellers, it could have a huge impact on our business." Sirmas says its been frustrating to see little communication on specifics of the new policy. "We've just been reading online what's going to be included," he says. "And then we're getting lots of questions from customers." He says at an important time of year for his store, he's noticed a slowdown as people wait for the exemption to kick in. He says he's also getting customers asking to put items aside so they can come back when they are. "It's a lot of confusion," he said. "I think it's a good idea to help people out a little bit, but it definitely seems a little rushed at this time of year, especially for small businesses that are being impacted already with the Canada Post strike." He says he hopes the policy helps his customers. Some shoppers like Aileen Connelly aren't sure it is helping those who need it most. The government is not exempting items they call "basic groceries," which includes fresh, frozen, canned or sealed fruits and vegetables and most milk products and eggs. "A lot of people are struggling to buy groceries and just basic items," said Connelly. "And they probably can't even afford to buy Christmas presents. So how is this going to help them?" Nearby, at Scotty's Corner Diner, owner Jodi Statham says she doesn't know yet if it will have any effect on her business. "I hope to see that it helps us out. But do I think it's going to change all that much? Not too sure. It's around the holiday season so people choose between Christmas presents or food." Regular customer Andrew Christea says he believes the two-month tax break will be a good incentive. "Things are getting more expensive these days and people are trying to stay in, I'm trying to save money" he said. "But I like coming out and supporting the local businesses. So I think it'll be good for us." GST, which stands for goods and services tax, is a federal tax that applies to most, but not all, goods and services in Canada. An estimated 18.7 million people will receive a cheque this spring, costing the government about $4.7 billion. The tax exemption will run from Dec. 14 until Feb. 15, 2025. With files from CTVNews.ca Ottawa Top Stories Ottawa councillor violated Code of Conduct for daycare incident last summer, integrity commissioner concludes Ottawa driver fined for hauling thousands of empty cans in trunk of car 290,000 speeding tickets and counting: A look at how many photo radar tickets have been issued in Ottawa in 2024 What's happening in Ottawa this weekend: Nov.22-24 5 tips on how to winterize your home Seniors facing 60% hike for OC Transpo monthly transit pass in 2025 under new proposal Ottawa Food Bank declares an emergency amid record-breaking usage Orleans man calls for changes after service guide dog attacked by another dog CTVNews.ca Top Stories Walking pneumonia is surging in Canada. Is this unusual? CTVNews.ca spoke with various medical experts to find out the latest situation with the typically mild walking pneumonia in their area and whether parents should be worried. Trump picks Brooke Rollins to be agriculture secretary U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Brooke Rollins, president of the America First Policy Institute, to be agriculture secretary. Joly, Blair condemn anti-NATO protest in Montreal that saw fires, smashed windows Federal cabinet ministers condemned an anti-NATO protest in Montreal that turned violent on Friday, saying 'hatred and antisemitism' were on display, but protesters deny the claim, saying they demonstrated against the 'complicity' of NATO member countries in a war that has killed thousands of Palestinians. Retiring? Here's how to switch from saving for your golden years to spending The last paycheque from a decades-long career arrives next Friday and the nest egg you built during those working years will now turn into a main source of income. It can be a jarring switch from saving for retirement to spending in retirement. Police thought this gnome looked out of place. Then they tested it for drugs During a recent narcotics investigation, Dutch police said they found a garden gnome made of approximately two kilograms of MDMA. 'Her shoe got sucked into the escalator': Toronto family warns of potential risk of wearing Crocs A Toronto family is speaking out after their 10-year-old daughter's Crocs got stuck in an escalator, ripping the entire toe area of the clog off. Canada's top general takes on U.S. senator in defending womens' role in combat units Canada's top general firmly rejected the notion of dropping women from combat roles -- a position promoted by president-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defence secretary -- at a security forum underway in Halifax on Saturday. Ottawa driver fined for hauling thousands of empty cans in trunk of car Ontario Provincial Police stopped an Ottawa man for dangerously hauling thousands of empty cans from the back of his car. Canadians are craving to take a 'adult gap year.' Here's why Canadian employees are developing an appetite for an 'adult gap year': a meaningful break later in life to refocus, refresh and indulge in something outside their daily routine, according to experts. Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks 24 Of The Best Host And Hostess Gifts You Can Find Online Right Now The Best Advent Calendars For Women In 2024 All The Best Beauty Stocking Stuffers That Ring In Under $25 Home Our Guide to the Best Jewellery Boxes You Can Find Online Right Now 16 Home Gadgets That'll Make Your Life Easier The 5 Best Drip Coffee Makers In Canada In 2024, Tested and Reviewed Gifts 23 Gifts, Add-Ons, And Stocking Stuffers For Anyone Who Spends A Lot Of Time In Their Car The Ultimate 2024 Holiday Gift Guide For Nature Lovers And Outdoor Adventurers 27 Of The Absolute Best Stocking Stuffers For Men Beauty 20 Anti-Aging Skincare Products That Reviewers Can’t Stop Talking About 12 Budget-Friendly Makeup Brushes And Tools Worth Adding To Your Kit If You Suffer From Dry Skin, You'll Want To Add At Least One Of These Hydrating Moisturizers To Your Cart Deals These Apple Products Are Majorly On Sale On Amazon Canada Right Now, So It Might Be Time To Upgrade Your Tech Black Friday Has Begun On Amazon Canada: Here Are The Best Deals Black Friday Is Almost Here, But These Deals On Mattresses And Bedding Are Already Live Atlantic 'We need answers': Protest held at RCMP detachment for suspicious disappearance of N.B. man A crowd of over 20 people stood in the pouring rain Saturday in front of the RCMP detachment in Hampton, N.B., to bring awareness to a missing person’s case. Canada Post down eight million parcels amid strike as talk carry on over weekend Canada Post says it has seen a shortage of more than eight million parcels amid an ongoing strike that has effectively shut down the postal system for nine days compared with the same period in 2023. 17-year-old dies following single-vehicle crash in Turtle Creek: N.B. RCMP A 17-year-old boy from Petitcodiac, N.B., has died following a single-vehicle crash in Turtle Creek, N.B. Toronto 'Her shoe got sucked into the escalator': Toronto family warns of potential risk of wearing Crocs A Toronto family is speaking out after their 10-year-old daughter's Crocs got stuck in an escalator, ripping the entire toe area of the clog off. 'Still working full time on it:' One year later police continue to search for gunman in Caledon double murder linked to ex-Olympian One year after a couple was shot and killed in their Caledon home in what investigators have described as a case of mistaken identity, Ontario Provincial Police say they are still trying to figure out who pulled the trigger. Maple Leafs' Matthews says Wednesday return possible after visiting doctor in Germany Auston Matthews is back in Toronto and says a return to action Wednesday is possible after the injured Maple Leafs captain visited a doctor in Germany. Montreal Quebec MNAs continue screen time consultations with students Quebec's special commission on the impact of screen time and social media addiction among youth made a stop at Westmount High School this week, speaking directly with students about their habits and concerns. Ottawa to deliver apology, $45M in compensation for Nunavik Inuit dog slaughter The federal government is providing $45 million in compensation to Inuit in Nunavik as part of Canada's apology for its role in the killing of sled dogs between the mid-1950s and the late 1960s. Joly, Blair condemn anti-NATO protest in Montreal that saw fires, smashed windows Federal cabinet ministers condemned an anti-NATO protest in Montreal that turned violent on Friday, saying "hatred and antisemitism" were on display, but protesters deny the claim, saying they demonstrated against the "complicity" of NATO member countries in a war that has killed thousands of Palestinians. Northern Ontario Northern Ont. First Nation files claim against Ontario and Newmont mining Taykwa Tagamou Nation, a Cree First Nation located within Treaty 9, has filed a statement of claim against the Province of Ontario and Newmont, a mining company that owns properties in Timmins. Senior killed in dog attack in northern Ont. An 81-year-old was killed in a dog attack this week in Bonfield, Ont. Police believe three dogs were involved. Whole Foods carrots pulled in expanded recall for E. coli: CFIA The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced an expanded recall on carrots over risks of E. coli O121 contamination, according to a notice issued Friday. Windsor Charity produces record amounts of non-perishable food amidst rise in food insecurity A Windsor-Essex charitable organization created a record amount of non-perishable food amidst an increase in food insecurity, both at home and abroad. No impaired drivers detected during Friday night RIDE checks The Windsor Police Service reports no detected impaired drivers on Friday night during their RIDE checks. Truck fire on the Ambassador Bridge Windsor fire responded to a transport truck fire on Friday afternoon on the Ambassador Bridge. London Two people airlifted, several taken to hospital due to collision Two people have been airlifted to hospital following a serious collision in Norfolk County. South Bruce residents vote in favour of hosting nuclear waste project in narrow referendum South Bruce residents narrowly voted in favour of plans to bury Canada’s most radioactive nuclear waste under their municipality on Monday. St. Thomas, Ont. and San Jose, Calif. celebrate hockey legend on night his jersey is retired The Jumbo elephant monument in St. Thomas, Ont. will be lit in teal Saturday night as the city honours hockey legend Joe Thornton. Kitchener Advocates push for anti-renoviction bylaws as Waterloo Region reports affordable housing progress On National Housing Day, housing advocacy group ACORN continued to push for anti-renoviction bylaws. Man charged in Kitchener crash involving Grand River Transit LRT Charges were laid after a crash between an LRT train and a Dodge vehicle shut down a busy Kitchener street for more than eight hours on Thursday. How University of Waterloo researchers could help charge your devices by moving your body Imagine being able to charge your devices through your body’s movements. Barrie New Orillia Christmas tree shines bright After Orillia’s underwhelming Christmas tree-lighting ceremony last year became a viral sensation, the City lit a new, bigger, brighter and healthier tree Friday evening. Missing man in Collingwood Collingwood OPP are searching for a 79-year-old man who was last seen early Saturday morning. Highway 400 reopens in Muskoka Lakes after fatal propane truck rollover Highway 400 reopened late Friday night in Georgian Bay Township after emergency crews tended to a fatal tanker truck rollover Friday morning. Winnipeg Missing Neepawa senior found dead: RCMP An 81-year-old man who went missing Friday has been found dead, Spruce Plains RCMP said. Snowfall warning in effect for southwestern Manitoba Some areas could expect snowfall totals of 15 to 25 centimetres. The Thriftmas Special: The benefits of second-hand holiday shopping The holidays may be a time for family, joy and togetherness, but they can also be hard on the wallet. Calgary Snowfall warning for Calgary and southern Alberta expected to continue throughout Saturday A snowfall warning for Calgary remained in effect early Saturday morning and looks poised to be hanging around all weekend. Need something fixed? Repair Exchange Calgary has a volunteer for that Repair Exchange Calgary is bringing a few good fixers to the Hillhurst Flea Market on Sunday. Spruce Meadows Christmas Market adds Allen the Alpaca to Sunday lineup The Spruce Meadows Christmas Market is bringing in a special guest Sunday. Edmonton From Instagram to IRL: Where to find this year's trendy treats in Edmonton From globally-inspired pastries to vegan fast food and Connor McDavid-themed culinary delights, Edmonton has a lot to offer anyone looking to try something trendy. Edmonton calls parking ban after city hit with heavy snowfall Edmonton has called its first parking ban of the season as the city remained under a snowfall warning. Hit-and-run driver wanted after pedestrian hit in southeast Edmonton Police are looking for a hit-and-run driver after a pedestrian was hit on Thursday night. Regina City of Regina releases snowfall response plan ahead of next blast of wintery weather Many parts of Saskatchewan will be hit with another round of wintery weather on Saturday, and Regina is no exception, with up to 25 centimetres of snow expected to accumulate. NDP calls for investigation into food prices in northern Sask. after scurvy cases discovered The Saskatchewan NDP is calling for an investigation into food prices in the northern part of the province after 27 cases of scurvy were discovered. Ministry of Highways releases annual snow campaign as Sask. braces for more snow Snowplows will be on standby ready to go as the province is expected to get more snow over the weekend. Saskatoon 'I'm excited to take it on': Saskatoon businesses weigh in on GST exemption Some local businesses say the federal government’s recent plan to pull back GST on several items is a positive initiative, but it should have been rolled out earlier in the holiday season. Watermain break closes Saskatoon road The City of Saskatoon is advising motorists of road closures due to a watermain break that caused flooding on Millar Avenue near Circle Drive. Why isn't Saskatoon's new downtown shelter open yet? Saskatoon's new downtown shelter must undergo renovations before it can open, according to the operator of the site. Vancouver Black bear killed in self defence after attack on dog-walker in Maple Ridge A black bear has died following a brawl with a man on a trail in Maple Ridge. Man arrested after allegedly attempting to set fire to Vancouver City Hall A 36-year-old man was arrested and is facing criminal charges after allegedly trying to start a blaze at the front of Vancouver City Hall Friday night. Woman killed in Vancouver's Joyce-Collingwood neighbourhood, suspect in custody A woman is dead and a 46-year-old suspect is in custody after an incident in Vancouver's Joyce-Collingwood neighbourhood overnight. Vancouver Island BC Hydro says power almost fully restored after B.C. windstorms British Columbia's electric utility says it has restored power to almost all customers who suffered outages during the bomb cyclone earlier this week, but strong wind from a new storm has made repairs difficult in some areas. Fall legislative sitting scrapped in B.C. as Speaker Chouhan confirmed to serve again There won't be a sitting of the British Columbia legislature this fall as originally planned. Canada Post down eight million parcels amid strike as talk carry on over weekend Canada Post says it has seen a shortage of more than eight million parcels amid an ongoing strike that has effectively shut down the postal system for nine days compared with the same period in 2023. Kelowna Man in hospital following targeted shooting in Kamloops Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops. Police cleared of fault in fatal 2023 crash in B.C.'s Interior British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year. B.C. woman sentenced for stealing $14K in funds raised for schoolkids A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail. Stay Connected

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped. Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case. "Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them," Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina. The two teams in September refused to sign NASCAR's "take-it-or-leave-it" final offer on a new revenue sharing agreement. All other 13 teams signed the deal. Front Row and 23XI balked and are now in court. 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan has said he took the fight to court on behalf of all teams competing in the top motorsports series in the United States. NASCAR has argued that the two teams simply do not like the terms of the final charter agreement and asked for the lawsuit be dismissed. Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm. Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three, and have agreements with SHR to purchase one charter each as SHR goes from four cars to one for 2025. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as "open" teams that don't have the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was "primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR," Freeze said. "NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit," Freeze said. "NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved." A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing "new circumstances" in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a "coordinated effort behind the scenes." "This is completely false," Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk. NASCAR had been operating with 36 chartered teams and four open spots since the charter agreement began in 2016. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses. "23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing," Lauletta said. "Our efforts to expand – purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track – are integral to achieving this goal. "It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships," he continued. "It is a necessity because NASCAR's monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Stock market today: Wall Street’s rally stalls as Nasdaq pulls back from its recordB.C.'s Finance Minister Brenda Bailey Wednesday (Nov. 20) said British Columbia is "very interested in remaining competitive" when it comes to hosting film productions. Bailey made these comments following meetings with executives from Warner Bros Entertainment Inc and Netflix and before meetings with Hallmark. Bailey is part of a B.C. delegation that includes industry figures represented by Screen BC speaking for the provincial motion picture industry, as well as relevant political leaders. Joining Bailey is B.C.'s Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Spencer Chandra Herbert (Vancouver-West End) and Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film Nina Krieger (Victoria-Swan Lake) -- all of them sworn in Monday. Bailey said the trip to California is not so much an elevator pitch to Hollywood executives about the benefits of filming in British Columbia, but ensuring that B.C.'s strong relationship with established partners continues. It comes as the provincial film industry is trying to recover from labour disputes in the film industry and a general pull-back in productions for economic reasons. The B.C. NDP campaigned on increasing the production services tax credit to 36 per cent from 28 per cent that B.C. offers to global film and TV production to help support an increasingly important industry. Premier David Eby reiterated that promise in late October after California had announced changes to its financial support for the film industry centred in Los Angeles, but long globalized. California Governor Gavin Newsom specifically proposed expanding that state's film and television credit program to US$750 million from US$330. Responding to Newsom's announcement, Eby said his government would work with the provincial film industry. "We know that if you are competitive, we can bring in the big productions," he said. "(We) are not going to be able to outbid the lowest common denominator bidders in the United States, but if we are competitive, combined with the amazing crews that we have, we can deliver some of the biggest productions available." Bailey, who has had a history of working with the film industry in her previous role as Minister for Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, acknowledged California's financial commitment. But money night not be everything, she added. "It's important to note that it is not a strict competition on tax credits," she said. "There are many factors that go into placing a product (in a specific location)." Other jurisdictions outside of California have also recognized the economic potential of the film industry in courting productions of various sorts. They include Ireland, whose government has extended its low-tax approach in fields such as high technology and finance to film. So how much does this aspect concern Bailey? "We're really down here talking to studio heads about what the opportunities are to work together," she said. "We know that a decision to place a major project in British Columbia has just such incredibly positive outcomes for us and we are taking these meetings to have discussions about those future opportunities," she said. One such future opportunity could be developing tourism around film locations, she added, pointing to the community of fans that has sprung up around the show The Last of Us, which has filmed in British Columbia including Nanaimo as well as Alberta. Bailey's visit comes as a new U.S. administration said to be generally hostile toward international ties and trade prepares to take office. In other words, the political interests of California — historically a 'blue state' — and those of incoming U.S. president Donald Trump may find themselves in alignment, with B.C.'s film industry thus facing strong political headwinds. "It's interesting, that particular topic (protectionism) hasn't come up in the meetings that we have taken today," Bailey said. "The topics have been more around competitiveness and talent and opportunities in the future." Bailey's trip to California has not gone unnoticed. Vancouver-based journalist Bob Mackin called it the "(first) junket of the new" Eby cabinet on social media. So what's Bailey's reaction? "I think the point of this trip is to really communicate to (Hollywood) executives that British Columbia is very interested in their business....we are talking about 47,500 jobs," she said. "So yes, I'm very interested in defending these jobs and keeping these jobs in British Columbia." Bailey said the delegation arrived late Tuesday evening and is scheduled to return Thursday morning. "So it's a fast and important trip."

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PML-N fumes at Bushra Bibi over claims of Saudi role in Imran Khan’s ouster Dar says targeting Saudi Arabia for political gains is regrettable, adding Bushra's statement reflects a desperate mindset (From left) Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar. — State media/AFP/State media/Files Political leaders, particularly from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), have strongly condemned former first lady Bushra Bibi’s remarks about Saudi Arabia’s alleged role in toppling the government of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in 2022, stressing that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) could go to any length to gain political benefit. Condemnation from the PML-N leaders came after the PTI founder's better half, in a rare video message issued on Thursday, accused Saudi Arabia of playing a role in toppling the Imran Khan-led government in 2022. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed dismay over the statement, saying, "Targeting Saudi Arabia for political gains is regrettable. The statement reflects a desperate mindset." He urged political forces to refrain from compromising foreign policy for their objectives, highlighting the brotherly relations between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which are based on mutual respect. "We take pride in Saudi Arabia's journey of progress and prosperity," Dar added, noting that Saudi Arabia has supported Pakistan in difficult times. Reacting to Bushra Bibi's statement, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif denounced the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which the minister said has now started using religion for personal gain. The minister added that the former ruling party could go to any length to gain political mileage. "Now they have started playing the Shariah card," he remarked, criticising the exploitation of religious sentiments to gain political advantage. Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari termed the former first lady’s remarks a “suicidal attack” on a friendly Islamic country. "These troublemakers cannot bring any good to the country," she said, stressing the dangerous implications of such accusations against Saudi Arabia which she described as “a pillar of the Muslim Ummah”. Meanwhile, Information Minister Atta Tarar condemned Bushra Bibi's statement, pointing out the irony of her accusations against a country where her daughter was married. "The same country gave them gifts, which Bushra Bibi sold in the black market," he claimed, calling her allegations "extremely filthy." Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, Allama Tahir Ashrafi, dismissed Bushra Bibi's statement as baseless, recalling the respect and generosity shown by Saudi Arabia during Imran Khan's visit to the country. "I was present during the visit, and General Bajwa was also there. The delegation received great respect in Saudi Arabia," he said. Ashrafi questioned the basis of Bushra Bibi's claims, asserting that Islamic laws were firmly in place in Saudi Arabia. “Which Shariah did the PTI founder enact in Pakistan? And, what threat did it pose to Saudi Arabia?” he questioned. "The real issue is that Saudi Arabia is investing in Pakistan,” Ashrafi said, adding that a certain group is spreading propaganda against the friendly Islamic country. "This is an attempt to appease the forces hostile to Saudi Arabia," he added.WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he will nominate former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies. The nomination must be confirmed by the Senate, which will be controlled by Republicans when Trump takes office Jan. 20. Rollins would succeed Tom Vilsack , President Joe Biden’s agriculture secretary who oversees the sprawling agency that controls policies, regulations and aid programs related to farming, forestry, ranching, food quality and nutrition. Then-President Donald Trump looks to Brooke Rollins, president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as she speaks during a Jan. 11, 2018, prison reform roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. Rollins previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The pick completes Trump’s selection of the heads of executive branch departments, just two and a half weeks after the former president won the White House once again. Several other picks that are traditionally Cabinet-level remain, including U.S. Trade Representative and head of the small business administration. Brooke Rollins, assistant to the president and director of the Domestic Policy Council at the time, speaks during a May 18, 2020, meeting with restaurant industry executives about the coronavirus response in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington. Rollins, speaking on the Christian talk show “Family Talk" earlier this year, said Trump was an “amazing boss” and confessed that she thought in 2015, during his first presidential campaign, that he would not last as a candidate in a crowded Republican primary field. “I was the person that said, ‘Oh, Donald Trump is not going to go more than two or three weeks in the Republican primary. This is to up his TV show ratings. And then we’ll get back to normal,’” she said. “Fast forward a couple of years, and I am running his domestic policy agenda.” Trump didn’t offer many specifics about his agriculture policies during the campaign, but farmers could be affected if he carries out his pledge to impose widespread tariffs. During the first Trump administration, countries like China responded to Trump’s tariffs by imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports like the corn and soybeans routinely sold overseas. Trump countered by offering massive multibillion-dollar aid to farmers to help them weather the trade war. Brooke Rollins speaks at an Oct. 27 campaign rally for then-Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden in New York. President Abraham Lincoln founded the USDA in 1862, when about half of all Americans lived on farms. The USDA oversees multiple support programs for farmers; animal and plant health; and the safety of meat, poultry and eggs that anchor the nation’s food supply. Its federal nutrition programs provide food to low-income people, pregnant women and young children. And the agency sets standards for school meals. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, has vowed to strip ultraprocessed foods from school lunches and to stop allowing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program beneficiaries from using food stamps to buy soda, candy or other so-called junk foods. But it would be the USDA, not HHS, that would be responsible for enacting those changes. In addition, HHS and USDA will work together to finalize the 2025-2030 edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. They are due late next year, with guidance for healthy diets and standards for federal nutrition programs. Gomez Licon reported from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Associated Press writers Josh Funk and JoNel Aleccia contributed to this report. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump's first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee's election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign. In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.” Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

North Texas — already home to many next-generation aviation companies, including those in north Fort Worth’s booming Alliance hub — is being considered for a new multimillion federal center for advanced aviation technology. The Federal Aviation Administration sent a request for information for its planned Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies to the Arlington-based North Central Texas Council of Governments, the agency’s transportation director Michael Morris told local elected and appointed officials at a meeting late last week. The federal agency is currently seeking input for the planned research and testing center, authorized under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 approved by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in May. The legislation, co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Maria Cantwell, D-Washington, as well as two other senators, will provide $4 billion each year for airport infrastructure projects that increase safety and capacity. The Center for Advanced Aviation Technologies is also intended to increase integration of advanced air mobility and other emerging aviation services, such as air taxis and vertical-lift aircraft, into the National Airspace System. “This is the first step of a procurement process,” Morris told members of the Regional Transportation Council on Thursday afternoon. “They’re looking at tens of millions of dollars to create a center of advanced aviation technology. We’re hearing a lot of whispering that they would like to potentially have that in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, so we’re giving you a heads-up that that work is being put together and the partnership (is) being put together through Tier 1 universities and our aviation system.” The Regional Transportation Council, an independent policy council composed of elected and appointed members from Tarrant, Dallas, Denton and several other surrounding counties, could address the proposal with its support in the future, Morris said. Get essential daily news for the Fort Worth area. Sign up for insightful, in-depth stories — completely free. “To get ready for that, we’ll have the appropriate action on your agenda at an appropriate time,” he said. “We wanted to give you advanced notice on that.” The FAA’s Southwest regional headquarters is located at 10101 Hillwood Parkway in north Fort Worth near Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport. That office partners with federal, state and local governments to promote aviation safety and education across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. The office also addresses airspace and procedure modernization, runway safety, aviation workforce development, finance, information technology, policy, human resources and civil rights. The Alliance airport has attracted several advanced aviation companies, including AVX Aircraft Co., which plans to design, test and build unmanned aircraft for military and commercial uses . AVX recently relocated from a small office in Benbrook to a larger, modern facility at Perot Field Fort Worth Alliance Airport to grow the company specializing in advanced vertical-lift technology. Cruz has championed bringing the advanced aviation center to Texas and hosted a roundtable discussion on the topic at Dallas Executive Airport on Aug. 30. Representatives from 11 aviation-related companies, including Southwest Airlines and Amazon, participated as well as those from Texas A&M University and the system’s Autonomy Research Institute in Corpus Christi. “Texas continues to lead the way in the aviation sector — it’s why I am advocating for the center to be based in the Lone Star State,” Cruz posted on the X social media platform at the time. Cruz said companies in the state including commercial carriers, spaceflight, drones and more spotlight that “Texas continues to be on the forefront of flight.” The legislation, Cruz said, “delivers significant wins for Texas and the hundreds of thousands of Texans who work in aerospace.” “The new law,” he added, “also establishes an advanced aviation center for testing and approving futuristic aircraft, like air taxis, that Texas is well-positioned to host.” In August, Gov. Greg Abbott appointed nine people, including Southlake resident Kevin Cox, CEO of Ferrovial Vertiports, to the state’s Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee.The committee assists in Texas’ economic development efforts to recruit and retain aerospace and aviation jobs and investments in the state. The FAA said its requests for information will help inform the aviation industry of the agency’s intent to implement a CAAT airspace laboratory, flight demonstration zones and testing corridors to support testing and advancement of advanced air mobility. The survey will help the agency assess estimated costs and the level of interest and capabilities of qualified industry, academic, research and government entities. The council of governments said the University of Texas at Arlington, University of North Texas in Denton, Southern Methodist University in Dallas and the Richardson-based University of Texas at Dallas are involved in the procurement process for the FAA center. Input for information requests must be submitted by 6 p.m. Jan. 6, the FAA said. Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org . At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here . Related Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative for adhering to standards for ethical journalism . Republish This Story Republishing is free for noncommercial entities. Commercial entities are prohibited without a licensing agreement. Contact us for details. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . Look for the "Republish This Story" button underneath each story. To republish online, simply click the button, copy the html code and paste into your Content Management System (CMS). Do not copy stories straight from the front-end of our web-site. You are required to follow the guidelines and use the republication tool when you share our content. The republication tool generates the appropriate html code. You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you use our stories in any other medium — for example, newsletters or other email campaigns — you must make it clear that the stories are from the Fort Worth Report. In all emails, link directly to the story at fortworthreport.org and not to your website. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. You have to credit Fort Worth Report. Please use “Author Name, Fort Worth Report” in the byline. If you’re not able to add the byline, please include a line at the top of the story that reads: “This story was originally published by Fort Worth Report” and include our website, fortworthreport.org . You can’t edit our stories, except to reflect relative changes in time, location and editorial style. Our stories may appear on pages with ads, but not ads specifically sold against our stories. You can’t sell or syndicate our stories. You can only publish select stories individually — not as a collection. Any web site our stories appear on must include a contact for your organization. If you share our stories on social media, please tag us in your posts using @FortWorthReport on Facebook and @FortWorthReport on Twitter. by Eric E. Garcia, Fort Worth Report December 16, 2024How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers

Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingMaskot Investment Thesis I recommend holding The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR® ETF Fund (NYSEARCA: XLC ). The ETF has been showing strong momentum since the Fed's first rate cut in September. However, when we look at the track record for the Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.7xm casino app download 。

Biden says the US believes journalist Austin Tice is alive after disappearing in Syria in 2012ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — defense of the national championship has fallen woefully short. The Wolverines started the season ranked No. 9 in the , making them the third college football team since 1991 to be ranked worse than seventh in the preseason poll after winning a national title. Michigan (6-5, 4-4 Big Ten) failed to meet those modest expectations, barely becoming eligible to play in a bowl and putting the program in danger of losing six or seven games for the first time since the Brady Hoke era ended a decade ago. The Wolverines potentially can ease some of the pain with a win against rival and second-ranked (10-1, 7-1, No. 2 CFP) on Saturday in the Horseshoe, but that would be a stunning upset. Ohio State is a 21 1/2-point favorite, according to the BetMGM Sportsbook, and that marks just the third time this century that there has been a spread of at least 20 1/2 points in what is known as “The Game.” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore doesn't sound like someone who is motivating players with an underdog mentality. “I don’t think none of that matters in this game,” Moore said Monday. “It doesn’t matter the records. It doesn’t matter anything. The spread, that doesn’t matter.” How did Michigan end up with a relative mess of a season on the field, coming off its first national title since 1997? Winning it all with a coach and star player contemplating being in the NFL for the 2024 season seemed to have unintended consequences for the current squad. The Wolverines closed the College Football Playoff with a win over Washington on Jan. 8; several days later quarterback announced he was skipping his senior season; and it took more than another week for to bolt to coach the Los Angeles Chargers. In the meantime, most quality quarterbacks wanting to transfer had already enrolled at other schools and Moore was left with lackluster options. Davis Warren beat out Alex Orji to be the team's quarterback for the opener and later lost the job to Orji only to get it back again. No matter who was under center, however, would've likely struggled this year behind an offensive line that sent six players to the NFL. The Wolverines lost one of their top players on defense, safety Rod Moore, to a season-ending injury last spring and another one, preseason All-America cornerback Will Johnson, hasn't played in more than a month because of an injury. The Buckeyes are not planning to show any mercy after losing three straight in the series. “We’re going to attack them," Ohio State defensive end Jack Sawyer said. “We know they’re going to come in here swinging, too, and they’ve still got a good team even though the record doesn’t indicate it. This game, it never matters what the records are." While a win would not suddenly make the Wolverines' season a success, it could help Moore build some momentum a week after top-rated freshman quarterback flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. “You come to Michigan to beat Ohio,” said defensive back Quinten Johnson, intentionally leaving the word State out when referring to the rival. "That's one of the pillars of the Michigan football program. “It doesn’t necessarily change the fact of where we are in the season, but it definitely is one of the defining moments of your career here at Michigan.” ___ AP Sports Writer Mitch Stacy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report. ___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. . AP college football: and Larry Lage, The Associated Press

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High price paid for David Jiricek an acceptable investment for Wild GM Bill GuerinGlobal stocks mostly rose Tuesday, with US and German indices posting records, as markets weighed Chinese stimulus hopes, political tensions in France and the US interest-rate outlook. Germany's blue-chip DAX stock index jumped above 20,000 points for the first time and Paris rebounded even as France braced for new political turmoil. In New York, both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq narrowly rose to finish at records, while the Dow pulled back. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

NoneBy JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. What happened at Enron? Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company’s collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. Is Enron coming back? On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron’s new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand’s tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that “We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company’s website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. What do former Enron employees think of the company’s return? Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70CDW Corp. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gains

NEW YORK (AP) — There's no place like home for the holidays. And that may not necessarily be a good thing. In the wake of the very contentious and divisive 2024 presidential election, the upcoming celebration of Thanksgiving and the ramp-up of the winter holiday season could be a boon for some — a respite from the events of the larger world in the gathering of family and loved ones. Hours and even days spent with people who have played the largest roles in our lives. Another chapter in a lifetime of memories. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest news, sports, weather and more delivered right to your inbox.

Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingITV I'm A Celebrity fans spot 'feud' as one star's 'not impressed' with campmate

Pete Hegseth on the Hill for another day of meetings to rally support: 'It's been a wonderful process'Thanksgiving Weekend Sports Guide: Your roadmap to NFL matchups, other games, times, odds

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With 36 bills to pass, one less senator and only one day left in parliament - Australia's decision makers are in for a wild ride. The federal government has been chipping away at its agenda since Monday, but with only a few more hours to go in the last sitting week of the year, Labor will have to go warp speed to tick off its remaining items. Centrepiece proposals like the social media ban for children younger than 16, clean energy incentives known as Future Made in Australia, and migration laws that would give the government powers to deport non-citizens are among the 36 bills that will be brought before the Senate on Thursday. Asked if politicians would have to endure a marathon 24-hour sitting, manager of government business in the senate Katy Gallagher did not rule it out. "If that is how we get these important bills through, then we are prepared to sit and wait," she told ABC radio. It is not uncommon for senators to vote through the night, though it remains unclear whether every piece of legislation has the support needed to pass. Discussions have continued giving rise to last-minute amendments and other negotiations have reached an impasse. "Peter Dutton's opposition ... want to block, they'll engage and they'll keep you hanging, and then they block," Senator Gallagher said. "They're not interested in implementing reform." Senator Gallagher has said the government will go to other members of the Senate to get its legislation across the line. However, that has become more difficult as the Senate suspended independent senator Lidia Thorpe on Wednesday night after she threw pieces of paper at Pauline Hanson over a racism row. This means Senator Thorpe has been barred from the chamber and will be unable to vote on any legislation. Members of the Senate have also raised concerns that the compressed timeline will not allow bills to be properly considered, with Nationals senator Matt Canavan arguing that each piece of legislation would only receive 15 minutes of debate assuming the chamber sat for its usual nine-hour day. "What other workplace gets to knock off in November and not back until February?" he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Let's come back next week, keep working and properly scrutinise..." But Senator Gallagher has insisted on pushing ahead. "These are important bills, we're being upfront, we're allowing time," she said. A federal election must be held by May 17, but if the government opts for an earlier contest, politicians may not return to Parliament House before Australians go to the polls.Australian Senate begins debate on world-first social media ban for children under 16

7xm game quarterback needs only one touchdown pass to reach 500 for his career, and his longtime friend and teammate, , wants to be the one to catch it. "Obviously, I'd love to," Adams said Friday after practice. "I got 200, I got 400, so it would be dope to get 500 as well." Rodgers is on the verge of joining Tom Brady (649), Drew Brees (571), Peyton Manning (539) and Brett Favre (508) as the only players in NFL history with 500 touchdown passes. He will try to join the club on Sunday against the at Highmark Stadium, where the weather is expected to be rainy and windy with temperatures in the 50s. "We've had some special connections in the past, so it'd be great," said Adams, who expects to play despite a hip injury from last week. "And, obviously, it would be a big, big thing for him. Not that he needs more accolades and more milestones, but you might as well keep racking them up while you can." Rodgers, 41, has said he's undecided on whether he will play in 2025, so this could be the final road game of his career. The Jets (4-11) finish the season at home against the . He and Adams were reunited in October, when the Jets acquired the wide receiver in a trade with the . After a slow start, Adams has elevated his game in recent weeks, becoming Rodgers' No. 1 target. In nine games with the Jets, Adams has 56 receptions, 719 yards and 6 touchdowns, bringing his yardage total to 928 for the season. "It would be a crying shame not to be able to get (1,000 yards)," said Adams, who has done it five times in his career, including the past four seasons. Adams never will forget his first NFL touchdown reception. It came in 2014, his rookie year with the , and it happened to be touchdown pass No. 200 for Rodgers. It took six years before they hooked up for No. 400. With no drama left in the Jets' season -- they were eliminated three weeks ago -- Rodgers' pursuit of individual milestones has become one of the top storylines. With 3,511 passing yards, he needs 497 yards to pass Joe Namath's single-season record (4,007), which has stood since 1967. Namath was the first player in history to reach 4,000, and he did it in a 14-game season. "It's been one of my great honors in my life -- not just football and this profession -- to be around him, to learn from him, to grow from him," interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said of Rodgers. "It's going to be so special to see that 500th ball caught. I'm so excited for him and what it means to his legacy and all that Aaron Rodgers is." On Friday, the Jets announced that kicker will be activated from injured reserve and will replace the struggling on Sunday. The Jets have used four different kickers. They began with Zuerlein, but he slumped and was placed on IR with a knee injury on Oct. 30.Bob and Celene Ellingson celebrate 60 years of marriage

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The game had suddenly gone sideways for the Minnesota Vikings , their 11-point lead on the Chicago Bears having evaporated in the closing seconds. They straightened it out in overtime, no sweat, because Sam Darnold simply hasn't been fazed. Save for his occasional rash of turnovers, in games the Vikings still managed to win, Darnold proved again on Sunday in defeating the Bears that he's directing a passing attack with the potential to be one of the NFL 's most potent. “I think he’s a mentally tough guy. I think he’s a physically tough guy. I think he’s confident in the guys around him, and I think he’s confident in our system,” coach Kevin O'Connell said after the 30-27 victory. “I think when he just continues to play quarterback at a high level, I think we’re a tough team.” After the defense forced the Bears to punt on the opening possession of overtime, Darnold led the Vikings on a 68-yard drive to set up the game-ending field goal while overcoming a 7-yard sack on the first play and two subsequent setbacks with a false start and a holding penalty. On third-and-10 from the 21, he hit Jordan Addison near the sideline for 13 yards. On first-and-15 from the 29, Darnold threaded a throw to Justin Jefferson for 20 yards after he'd muscled his way through Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson on a post route for the clutch catch after he'd been all but silenced all afternoon by a defense determined to constantly bracket him with double coverage. On second-and-11 from the 48, Darnold connected with a wide-open T.J. Hockenson underneath for 12 yards. Then two plays later off a second-and-8 play-action fake, he found Hockenson again on a deep corner route for 29 yards to put Parker Romo in prime position for the walk-off winner. “Just execute. It’s as simple as that. Just one play at a time," said Darnold, who went 22 for 34 for 330 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. “I think I tell the guys that every single time in the huddle, but that’s my mindset every single time I’m out there on the field, especially in that situation.” Even when Jefferson continues to draw an extraordinary amount of coverage , the Vikings with Addison, Hockenson, Aaron Jones and the rest of their crew running O'Connell's system have proven they have an offense that can go win a game when it's required. That wouldn't be possible without Darnold, whose career rebirth has helped spark the Vikings (9-2) become one of the league's biggest surprises in what's now its most difficult division. “He’s cool, calm, collected,” Hockenson said. "That’s what you want as the leader of the huddle.” The Vikings' defense ranks ninth in the league on third downs, allowing a conversion rate of 34.5% after limiting the Bears to a 6-for-17 performance. The Vikings are tied for first on fourth downs with an allowance of 36.4% after the Bears went 2 for 3. Both conversions came in the fourth quarter during touchdown drives. The Vikings also rank fourth in the NFL in opponent points per drive (1.52). The Vikings had seven possessions that crossed the 20-yard line in Chicago, but only three of them yielded touchdowns. Their lone turnover was the type of game-altering giveaways they've struggled to eliminate this month, a fumble by Aaron Jones at the 1-yard line that ruined a promising first drive. The Vikings are tied for 20th in the league in red zone touchdown rate (53.9%) and are 17th in goal-to-go touchdowns (72%). Addison had eight catches for 162 yards, both career highs, and a touchdown on nine throws from Darnold. The second-year wide receiver has had a quieter season than his rookie year, but he stepped up in a significant way on an afternoon when Jefferson was as smothered by the opposing secondary as ever. TE Johnny Mundt had the onside kick glance off his shin as he charged toward the coverage, and the first kicking team recovery in the NFL this season helped the Bears extend the game. Mundt also had the false start on the overtime drive. His lone catch was a 7-yard gain when he was stopped short of the goal line, one play before the lost fumble. Mundt played 33 of 71 snaps and Hockenson took 48 snaps with Oliver out. The Vikings lost LT Cam Robinson (foot) and LB Ivan Pace (hamstring) to injuries in the first quarter against the Bears, and O'Connell said on Monday those players were still in "evaluation mode." Oliver (ankle) will have an opportunity to return after being sidelined last week. 101.7 — Darnold's passer rating, which ranks ninth in the NFL. Darnold has posted a 100-plus passer rating in nine of 11 games this season. He had only 12 such performances in 56 career starts before joining the Vikings. The Vikings have four of their next five games at home, starting with Arizona (6-5) this week, Atlanta (6-5) on Dec. 8 and a rematch with Chicago (4-7) in a Monday night game on Dec. 16. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLTwo senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada’s new border plan with Donald Trump’s transition team, a day after Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Both Trudeau and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who Trudeau has been courting to become Canada’s next finance minister, shared posts on X Thursday, a day after Trump’s latest jab at Canada in his Christmas Day message. It isn’t clear if Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who has repeatedly insisted Trump’s 51st state references are a joke, will raise the issue with Trump’s team when he and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly meet with them in Palm Beach. The two are there to discuss Canada’s new $1.3 billion border plan with just under four weeks left before Trump is sworn in again as president. He has threatened to impose a new 25 per cent import tariff on Canada and Mexico the same day over concerns about a trade imbalance, as well as illegal drugs and migration issues at the borders. The broad strokes of Canada’s plan were made public Dec. 17, including a new aerial intelligence task force to provide round-the-clock surveillance of the border, and improved efforts using technology and canine teams to seek out drugs in shipments leaving Canada LeBlanc’s spokesman, Jean-Sébastien Comeau, said the ministers will also emphasize the negative impacts of Trump’s threatened tariffs on both Canada and the U.S. Comeau said the ministers will build on the discussions that took place last month when Trudeau and LeBlanc met Trump at Mar-a-Lago just days after Trump first made his tariff threat. It was at that dinner on Nov. 29 when Trump first raised the notion of Canada becoming the 51st state, a comment LeBlanc has repeatedly since insisted was just a joke. But Trump has continued the quip repeatedly in various social media posts, including in his Christmas Day message when he said Canadians would pay lower taxes and have better military protection if they became Americans. He has taken to calling Trudeau “governor” instead of prime minister. Trudeau had not directly responded to any of the jabs, but on Thursday posted a link to a six-minute long video on YouTube from 2010 in which American journalist Tom Brokaw “explains Canada to Americans.” The video, which originally aired during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, explains similarities between the two countries, including their founding based on immigration, their trading relationship and the actions of the Canadian Army in World War 2 and other modern conflicts. “In the long history of sovereign neighbours there has never been a relationship as close, productive and peaceful as the U.S. and Canada,” Brokaw says in the video. Trudeau did not expand about why he posted a link to the video, posting it only with the words “some information about Canada for Americans.” Carney, who is at the centre of some of Trudeau’s recent domestic political troubles, also called out Trump’s antics on X Thursday, calling it “casual disrespect” and “carrying the ‘joke’ too far.” “Time to call it out, stand up for Canada, and build a true North American partnership,” said Carney, who Trudeau was courting to join his cabinet before Chrystia Freeland resigned as finance minister last week. Freeland’s sudden departure, three days after Trudeau informed her he would be firing her as finance minister in favour of Carney, left Trudeau’s leadership even more bruised than it already was. Despite the expectation Carney would assume the role, he did not and has not made any statements about it. LeBlanc was sworn in as finance minister instead the same day Freeland quit. More than two dozen Liberal MPs have publicly called on Trudeau to resign as leader, and Trudeau is said to be taking the holidays to think about his next steps. He is currently vacationing in British Columbia.By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case and was written by D. John Sauer, Trump’s choice for solicitor general. Related Articles The argument submitted to the court is the latest example of Trump inserting himself in national issues before he takes office. The Republican president-elect has already begun negotiating with other countries over his plans to impose tariffs, and he intervened earlier this month in a plan to fund the federal government, calling for a bipartisan plan to be rejected and sending Republicans back to the negotiating table. He has been holding meetings with foreign leaders and business officials at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida while he assembles his administration, including a meeting last week with TikTok CEO Shou Chew. Trump has reversed his position on the popular app, having tried to ban it during his first term in office over national security concerns. He joined the TikTok during his 2024 presidential campaign and his team used it to connect with younger voters, especially male voters, by pushing content that was often macho and aimed at going viral. He said earlier this year that he still believed there were national security risks with TikTok, but that he opposed banning it. The filings Friday come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The law was was signed by President Joe Biden in April after it passed Congress with broad bipartisan support. TikTok and ByteDance filed a legal challenge afterwards. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute , leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” In their brief to the Supreme Court on Friday, attorneys for TikTok and its parent company ByteDance argued the federal appeals court erred in its ruling and based its decision on “alleged ‘risks’ that China could exercise control” over TikTok’s U.S. platform by pressuring its foreign affiliates. The Biden administration has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok’s U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread or suppress information. But the government “concedes that it has no evidence China has ever attempted to do so,” TikTok’s legal filing said, adding that the U.S. fears are predicated on future risks. In its filing Friday, the Biden administration said because TikTok “is integrated with ByteDance and relies on its propriety engine developed and maintained in China,” its corporate structure carries with it risk.

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Retired soldier charged for alleged involvement in farm work scamAfter a successful 10th presale stage sellout Rexas Finance is getting attention from investors wanting to participate in Stage 11. Currently priced at $0.175, this Dogecoin and XRP rival is projected to explode, potentially turning a $1,000 investment into $1 Million by 2026. The RWA altcoin has raised over $33.4 million, with Stage 11 of the presale progressing. At $0.175, the token price marks a nearly 6x increase from its initial presale price of $0.03. While Dogecoin (DOGE) remains strong for its community appeal and Ripple (XRP) stands out in cross-border payments, Rexas Finance offers a fresh opportunity with its innovative real-world asset tokenization platform. Dogecoin Bullish Momentum Over the past week, DOGE has experienced a good upward trend, rising by 15.6%. This recent momentum highlights Dogecoin's strong potential, presenting an appealing opportunity for investment. In the last month, DOGE's value has climbed by 3.96%, adding an average of $0.01 to its price. This steady growth suggests that Dogecoin could become a reliable asset if its upward trajectory persists. XRP Performance XRP has recently experienced notable price changes. In December 2024, XRP is trading at $2.33, reflecting a 6.26% increase over the past 24 hours. Despite this performance, XRP has faced challenges, including a 60% decline from its ATH 3.92, influenced market volatility and regulatory developments. XRP's performance underscores the dynamic nature of the cryptocurrency market, with its price influenced by a combination of technological advancements, regulatory news, and broader market trends. Rexas Finance Asset Tokenization Rexas Finance is transforming the real estate market by making blockchain technology to tokenize assets, breaking down traditional barriers and adding more investment opportunities. Through fractional ownership, Rexas Finance empowers all level investors to acquire stakes in high-value properties with ease. By enhancing liquidity, simplifying transactions and removing obstacles like high entry costs and complex processes, Rexas Finance sets a new benchmark for inclusivity in global property investment. Rexas Finance Presale Success and Giveaway The Rexas Finance presale has successfully raised over $33.4 million and is now in Stage 11, with tokens priced at $0.175. After the presale, Rexas Finance is set to list on three of the top 10 Tier 1 cryptocurrency exchanges, which will attract millions of global traders. This step will enhance the visibility and liquidity of the RXS token. Unlike many other projects which rely on venture capital funding, Rexas Finance has chosen the public presale model to emphasize inclusion. This model thus avoids early VC entry pitfalls where big investors often dump their holdings on retail buyers post-launch, making it more equitable for all parties involved. The project has also developed a strong community by an initiative of $1m giveaway, wherein 20 lucky winners will be rewarded with each of $50,000. Rexas Finance, besides this, has already passed a great milestone: it performed the CertiK audit that strengthens security and boosts credibility. Furthermore, with success in the listings process, it entered the prestigious data tracking platforms, CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko. These are the biggest boosts to its visibility and fame in the world of cryptocurrency investors. Final Thoughts Rexas Finance offers an exciting opportunity for its investors. It is founded on the innovative real estate asset tokenization platform. Thus, with its 11th presale stage up to now, the amount of raised funds is more than $33.4 million. Even though established ones like Dogecoin or Ripple show volatility, Rexas Finance can be seen as quite an interesting alternative due to its novelty in fractional ownership along with blockchain technology. For more information about Rexas Finance (RXS) visit the links below: Website: https://rexas.com Win $1 Million Giveaway: https://bit.ly/Rexas1M Whitepaper: https://rexas.com/rexas-whitepaper.pdf Twitter/X: https://x.com/rexasfinance Telegram: https://t.me/rexasfinance Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp _____________ Disclaimer: Analytics Insight does not provide financial advice or guidance. Also note that the cryptocurrencies mentioned/listed on the website could potentially be scams, i.e. designed to induce you to invest financial resources that may be lost forever and not be recoverable once investments are made. You are responsible for conducting your own research (DYOR) before making any investments. Read more here.

Atlanta's Akins Ford: 2025 Raptor Details Released!TEHRAN - Kayhan says the FATF is an institution whose purpose is to combat money laundering and terrorist financing. However, since it is under the influence of great powers it has turned into one of the main challenges. For years, Iran has been under pressure from the FATF to approve related bills. Critics believe that the adoption of these bills, regardless of the dual policies of the United States and its allies, can become a tool for exploitation of Iran. The incident of (HTS leader) al-Julani and the change in America's position on terrorism is a clear example of the fact that America defines "terrorism" based on its interests. When Tahrir al-Sham serves the interests of the United States, it is removed from the list, but at the same United States puts institutions such as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and resistance groups that have fought terrorism on the list of terrorist organizations. America's dual approach shows that even if Iran accepts the FATF's requirements, it is still not possible to get out of the blacklist or that pressures will be reduced, because these decisions are more political rather than legal and depend on American policies. In a commentary, Jam-e Jam focused on the enemies’ plan to disappoint the people through hybrid and psychological warfare. It said: The enemies are trying to disappoint the Iranian people about the achievements of the Islamic revolution and also casting doubt about the future. They seek to divide the society through hybrid and psychological wars. One of the ways that the enemies try to undermine the unity of the nations in the region, especially in the Middle East (West Asia), is to inflame riots and conflicts or create instability and insecurity. It is noticeable that global countries have used disinformation campaigns against the Islamic Republic and the Resistance Front to achieve their goal. They try to spread lies through media outlets. The enemy uses media to create instability and division between the Iranian government and the nation and also between Iran and the regional countries. Naturally, one of the dangers that poison public opinion in our society is casting doubt (about the course of developments). And for this reason, our people must be alert to thwart the plans of the enemies and not fall under this hybrid and psychological war. In a note, the Iran newspaper talked about Iran's patience regarding challenges following the fall of Bashar Assad and wrote: Tehran will face new and important challenges after the fall of Assad, which in the first step will threaten its regional influence. But what is ignored is that the Islamic Republic has formulated a well-thought-out strategy in the region. In a recent stance, Asaad al-Shaybani, the foreign minister appointed by al-Julani in Syria, has accused Iran of spreading chaos in Syria. Such an accusation is intended to undermine Iran’s role in the region. Tehran believes that Syria will become a source of conflict that will bring this country into a new era of crisis. For Iran, the game in Syria is not over. Iran has been a patient actor in the Middle East that has patiently achieved all its goals and is now waiting for an opportunity. In an analysis, Ham Mihan discussed the penetration of Israelis into Iraqi territory and the potential threat to Iran's borders and said: Many analysts believe that Israel's next target after the almost destruction of Syria's military capabilities is Iraq because it is the center of the presence of Iran's allied forces with large numbers of troops and military capabilities. With Syria out of the equation, it seems that in the future, the competition between Iran and Israel will increase for more control over Iraq’s skies. Considering the unfriendly relationship between the ruling groups in Syria and Iran, the closest option for Iran will be to strengthen its presence in Iraq. Iran will have no choice but to rely more on its allied groups in Iraq to keep Iran's borders away from possible Israeli threats. Given the developments of the past months, Iran is not in a position to lose another ally in the region. However, America and Israel welcome the separation of Baghdad and Tehran without hesitation.

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If I had to quantify the amount of time I’ve spent begging for particular games to make a comeback, I’d guess the EA BIG ‘Street’ series has gotten somewhere between 50-55% of my attention. This was a classic mid-2000’s arcade sports series that represented everything right about gaming at the time. Back when developers had the freedom to just try stuff, these games straight up just represented fun. It’s time for another Retro Runback . This time around, NFL and NBA Street . Both NFL and NBA Stree t got sequels, with NBA Street getting 4 mainline games and NFL Street getting 3. NBA STREET Looking back, the first NBA Street feels fairly bare-bones, more of a proof of concept than anything else. But in the moment? It felt like NBA Jam turned up to 11. Clearly inspired by streetball culture and specifically the legendary AND1 Basketball, NBA Street brought a much needed arcade spin to the proceedings as sim games had started to take hold with the advancements in console tech. But it was the next game in the series that would change the way we looked at arcade sports gaming forever. Videos by VICE NBA Street Vol. 2 was THE arcade basketball game. It took everything that made the first game great and mashed it with rap culture. To this day, I will contend that this game has the greatest soundtrack ever. The moment you get the game started up, you’re greeted with the sounds of the legendary track T.R.O.Y by Pete Rock & CL Smooth. And it only got better from there. Commentary in the game was handled by the iconic Bobbito Garcia who has some of the greatest lines in sports game history. This would be followed up by NBA Street Vol. 3 and NBA Street Homecourt . The latter employing a more realistic graphical style separate from the previous games. While both of these games were good, they didn’t reach the heights of the second game. But there were great things done that could be employed in the future if there was to be one. NFL STREET The NFL Street games hold a special place in my heart because of my time with the NFL Blitz games. Now because the NFL is a bit more strict about it’s presentation than the NBA is, the NFL games were a bit more straightforward in their gameplay and presentation. You weren’t going to get the Blitz-style post play leg drops, but there were some pretty cool animations, such as the no look pass. And then I ended up living through an era where two real life Quarterbacks have that pass in their bag. What a time to be alive indeed. NFL Street 2 could have been the big inflection point in arcade football gaming. But the series dropped in quality after that. NFL Street 3 came out and was a bit of a dud. Not a bad game but just annoyingly average. As can be the case with sports gaming sequels, there was more to do, but just not a lot of incentive to do it. I do think that today’s NFL is far more arcade game friendly, especially since knocking someone’s neck loose has been legislated out of the game. Because of that, there’s no expectation of that in your video game, so you don’t have to focus on working around it. Should WE RUN IT BACK? We need a new NBA Street . That is not up for debate. How we can go through the primes of Lebron James, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and not have an arcade game with them in it is beyond me. You will never get me to believe that watching developers accidentally turn Giannis into an unstoppable video game character on the level of Tecmo Bo, 04 Vick, and 2K1 Randy Moss shouldn’t have happened. We’re missing out on something special. You’re gonna tell me we don’t get an arcade Victor Wembanyama? Terrible. Run it back. NFL Street on the other hand, I could take it or leave it. I’ll always love the games, but as I said, that has more to do with another game entirely. I’d be fine with a new one just to see what can be done with it. But the NFL just doesn’t seem to lend itself well to arcade gaming unless you can rock bottom someone on the 50 yard line. Regardless, Run it back. An arcade Mahomes would be fun.

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By Sam Tobin LONDON (Reuters) -Jurrien Timber and William Saliba scored from corners to give Arsenal a 2-0 victory over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, cutting the gap to Premier League leaders Liverpool and ending Ruben Amorim’s unbeaten start. The Gunners threatened from set pieces but little else in a strangely subdued first half, with Thomas Partey unable to direct a dangerous Declan Rice corner that injured defender Gabriel may well have converted. United goalkeeper Andre Onana twice needed to punch clear from corners, with the second presenting a half-chance for Gabriel Martinelli who sliced his shot high and wide. The visitors were content to slow the game down and retain possession, but went close before the break as Diogo Dalot dragged his effort wide from a tight angle. Arsenal were sharper after the restart and took the lead from another Rice corner in the 54th minute, with Timber heading in from a tight angle. United nearly levelled from a set piece of their own shortly after, but David Raya produced a superb fingertip save at full stretch to claw away Matthijs de Ligt’s goalbound header. Arsenal put the game to bed in the 73rd minute when Partey’s header from a Bukayo Saka delivery bounced off Saliba and in for Arsenal’s 22nd league goal from a corner since the start of last season. “Until the set pieces the game didn’t have too many opportunities for both sides, the set pieces killed the game,” Amorim told the BBC. Rice nearly added a third before substitute Mikel Merino headed past the post from the resulting corner, as each set piece generated a roar of expectation. ARSENAL CLOSE GAP Arsenal saw the game out to capitalise on Liverpool’s draw at Newcastle United, with the victory putting them third behind Chelsea on goal difference on 28 points from 14 games — with the gap to the leaders now seven points. During a small wobble while influential captain Martin Odegaard was injured, critics had questioned Arsenal’s title credentials but Rice said that was premature. “People get carried away with the title talk,” he told Amazon Prime. “I was involved in my first one last year and you just need to be in and around it in February time.” His manager Mikel Arteta told reporters: “It’s true that we went through a lot in that period ... you have to react. It’s about trying to do it next. “Today, now we’ve won four in a row — it doesn’t matter, we have to go to Fulham and be better than them.” Amorim’s first loss as United manager — and his first league defeat since his former club Sporting were beaten by Vitoria de Guimaraes in December, 2023 — left them 11th on 19 points. Amorim saw positives from United, especially in the first half. “I make the evaluation of a game regardless of the result, he told reporters. “The 4-0 (win against Everton), you can take positive things but you have to improve and you already knew that. “You can feel it in the first half, especially at the end of the first half, you can feel that they were not comfortable, you can feel it in the stadium, so you can take that.” (Reporting by Sam Tobin,Editing by Toby Davis and Ed Osmond) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );

Frustrated Steelers Players Are Making It Easy To See Where Fingers Are Pointed: 'Close To Having A Complete Jigsaw Puzzle'AP Business SummaryBrief at 5:58 p.m. EST

Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. At least 19 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 19 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 167,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat sent to restaurants nationwide. Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli, which can cause life-threatening infections. No illnesses have been reported outside of Minnesota. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City. Top football recruit Bryce Underwood changes commitment to Michigan instead of LSU, AP source says ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Top football recruit Bryce Underwood has flipped to Michigan after pledging to play at LSU. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the recruit’s plans to join the Wolverines. Underwood pinned a post on his Instagram account, showing a post in which On3.com reported that he has committed to Michigan. The 6-foot-3 quarterback played at Belleville High School about 15 miles east of Michigan's campus, and told LSU nearly a year ago he intended to enroll there. Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach. The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on sand dunes in temperate southwest Australia about 2,200 miles north of the Antarctic coast. He was released Wednesday from a boat that traveled several hours from Western Australia state's most southerly city of Albany. His caregiver Carol Biddulph wasn't sure at first if the penguin would live. She said a mirror was important to his rehabilitation because they provide a sense of company. Biddulph said: “They’re social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time.”Trump asks US Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban

President-elect Donald Trump asked the Supreme Court on Friday to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. The request came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court, in which the company argued the court should strike down a law that could ban the platform by Jan. 19 while the government emphasized its position that the statute is needed to eliminate a national security risk. “President Trump takes no position on the underlying merits of this dispute. Instead, he respectfully requests that the Court consider staying the Act’s deadline for divestment of January 19, 2025, while it considers the merits of this case,” said Trump’s amicus brief, which supported neither party in the case. The filings come ahead of oral arguments scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. Earlier this month, a panel of three federal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit unanimously upheld the statute, leading TikTok to appeal the case to the Supreme Court. The brief from Trump said he opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.”New pro-European coalition approved in Romania amid period of political turmoil

In a quiet week for economic data, Wall Street’s focus shifted to the possibility of witnessing a "Santa Rally," the seasonal tendency for stocks to rise in the final days of December. Historically, the S&P 500 has gained 64 times in the past 96 years during the Dec. 24–Dec. 31 window, averaging a 0.85% return. The market began the week attempting a recover from the Federal Reserve's hawkish signals of fewer rate cuts in 2024. Yet, renewed volatility resurfaced on Friday, casting doubt on the Santa rally's resilience. Investors remain cautious, as markets weigh Fed policy outlook against uncertainty surrounding the incoming Trump administration's economic plans. Still, 2024 is shaping up to be a banner year. The S&P 500 is on track to match last year's 24% surge, setting up a two-year gain of 55%, the strongest since 1999. U.S. stocks are also outperforming global markets by the widest margin since 1997, driven by the enduring strength of U.S. economic fundamentals. On the leaderboards, Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR has surged 360%, overtaking Nvidia Corp. NVDA , last year's top performer, which gained 175% in 2024. Consumer Confidence Slips U.S. consumer confidence, as measured by the Conference Board, declined in December, highlighting rising concerns about economic conditions . A deeper drop in the expectations index, a key forward-looking measure, signals potential weakness in 2025 amid fears of persistent inflation and steady, high interest rates. Tesla's Robotaxi Bet Elon Musk envisions a Tesla Inc. TSLA ’s robotaxi fleet allowing owners to earn $40,000 annually. Despite the bold prediction, experts question the feasibility of the technology and regulatory challenges, suggesting Musk's vision remains aspirational rather than immediately achievable in the near term. Trump's Tariff Impact Goldman Sachs projects the Trump administration will raise tariffs on Chinese imports, averaging a 20% hike, with higher rates for non-consumer goods. This could increase consumer prices by 1%-2%, strain industrial margins, disrupt supply chains and ignite Chinese retaliatory measures, the Wall Street firm says. Cadillac EV Success General Motors Co. GM ’s Cadillac Lyriq, priced at $60,000, became its best-selling EV in 2024 through the third quarter. The premium EV's success highlights a potential shift toward luxury electric vehicles as automakers target higher margins and affluent buyers. Read now: Veteran Investor Bets Big On S&P 500 Hitting 7,000 By End Of 2025: These Sectors Could Lead The Charge Photo by Marek Maskin on Shutterstock © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Global Alumni Tracking and Management Software Market Size, Share and Forecast By Key Players-360Alumni,Alma Connect,Almabase,Almashines,Blackbaud

7xm app for android OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s latest attempt to topple the minority Liberal government in a non-confidence vote failed on Monday, thanks to the New Democrats. The Conservatives’ motion quoted NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s criticism of the Liberals over labour issues, and called on the House to agree with Singh and vote non-confidence in the government. The New Democrat leader said last week he would not be supporting Poilievre in bringing down the government. There were jeers from the Conservative benches as NDP MPs cast their votes against the motion on Monday afternoon. Singh was not in the House chamber during the vote because of a meeting, and cast his vote remotely. “We’re not going to vote in favour of any of their games because that’s what (the Conservatives are) doing. They’re playing games,” Singh told reporters after the vote was tallied. MPs also voted Monday on an NDP opposition motion calling on the government to permanently remove GST from what the New Democrats call essentials. That motion also called on the Liberals to expand their planned $250 “working Canadians rebate” to include vulnerable adults like fully retired seniors and people who rely on disability benefits. Those payments are expected to be issued this spring, if the required legislation is approved. The NDP and Greens were the only parties to vote in favour of this motion, resulting in its defeat. Hamilton East_Stoney Creek Liberal MP Chad Collins was the lone government member to support the NDP motion. The Liberals initially announced plans for the federal sales tax holiday and the rebate together, but they introduced the GST measure in a separate bill after the NDP said it would not support the rebate unless it was expanded. The Liberals need the support of one other party in the House of Commons to passed that measure into law, and Singh said Monday he is open to negotiation. “So I want to see it improved. How that’s done, we’re very flexible, but it has to be improved. Seniors have to get it, people living with disabilities have to get it, a mom trying to raise her kid should get it,” Singh said. The proposed payments would go to all working Canadians who had an income of less that $150,000 in the last year. The government estimates this would include some 18.7 million people and cost nearly $4.7 billion. The Conservatives will introduce their final opposition motion of the sitting on Tuesday, with a vote scheduled to happen after question period. The Tories introduced another motion earlier on Monday that calls for the GST to be removed on the sale of new homes valued at under $1 million, and calls on premiers to enact the same policy for their portion of the sales tax. That motion will also be up for a vote after question period on Tuesday. The marathon voting session is set to run late Tuesday, with a separate vote scheduled on the government’s supplementary estimates. Treasury Board President Anita Anand has asked Parliament for approval of $21.6 billion to fund programs including housing, dental care and the national school food program. If that does not pass, some programs could face a cash shortfall, including veteran benefits and natural disaster assistance. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here .Summit for sustainable growthNighdive Studios seems to have quietly announced a The Thing: Remastered release date of December 5, 2024. Nightdive announced its latest remaster at IGN Live in June of this year, promising to deliver a bone-chilling upgrade for the classic 2002 adaptation before 2024 came to a close. A post from the studio’s X/Twitter account promised that the release date is in December earlier today but did not clarify whether the December 5 date shown in the Xbox Wire post is accurate. If it is, then we shouldn’t have to wait much longer before the full experience is available for everyone to play for themselves. In addition to Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S, The Thing: Remastered is currently set to come to PC via Steam, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. Nightdive has made a name for itself as an experienced remaster studio throughout the last few years. Other titles in its catalog include remasters for the Turok trilogy, Star Wars: Dark Forces, System Shock, Shadow Man, and more. The Thing: Remastered promises a suite of additions to help bring the original experience to modern platforms. These include dynamic lighting, up to 144fps, 4K resolution, antialiasing, and other general gameplay improvements. While we wait for Nightdive to share more about its plans for The Thing: Remastered, you can read about PO’ed: Definitive Edition , another one of its projects that launched earlier this year. You can also read up on why we think remakes and remasters are great for gamers , and the top 10 Konami games we think deserve a fresh coat of paint . Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx. Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Kolkata: Bus rides in and around the city, including Howrah Station, is set to become easier this month as commuters can now purchase tickets for state-run buses using the ''Yatri Sathi'' mobile application. This smartphone application also allows users to book yellow, blue, and white taxis. The application launched years ago has now introduced a new digital ticketing feature for state-run buses. According to a Times of India report, State Transport Minister Snehasis Chakraborty stated on Tuesday that the service initially began on 12 routes, including S10 (Airport-Nabanna), AC23A (Rajchandrapur-New Town), EB12 (Karunamoyee-Barasat), AC39D (Airport-Howrah Station), S23A (Rajchandrapur-Karunamoyee), AC2 (Barasat-Howrah), and S66 (Howrah-Barrackpore), which connect the airport. Gradually, the service will be expanded. The Minister said, "The launch of the Yatri Sathi digital ticketing system represents a significant advancement in Kolkata's public transportation infrastructure. This innovative solution marks a substantial improvement in how commuters access and utilise the city's transport services," as quoted by TOI. The report added that commuters using the application need to choose their route and make UPI payments to receive a QR-coded ticket. Conductors will scan the QR code to verify it. However, a pre-booked ticket does not guarantee a seat, as seats are still available on a first-come, first-served basis. Currently, AC bus services between the airport and Howrah Station (AC39 and VS-2) operate from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and until 10 p.m. on weekends. Bus services to Tollygunge (V1) wrap up even earlier, by 8 p.m. daily. Other routes offering AC bus services include Garia (AC37A), Golf Green (AC43), and Esplanade (VS-1). The last buses for Garia, Golf Green, and Esplanade depart the airport even earlier, at 6:15 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 6:00 p.m., respectively. The Minister further added, "This move will enhance commuter convenience. With a cashless system, it simplifies payments and promotes digital adoption," as quoted by TOI. Transport Secretary Saumitra Mohan highlighted that this advancement places Kolkata among select Indian cities utilizing technology to enhance public transport efficiency, the report added. ''Yatri Sathi'', an application developed by the West Bengal government's IT and ITeS department, functions primarily as a ride-booking service with thousands of AC and non-AC cabs registered. Moreover, it offers digital ticketing facilities for various Kolkata attractions, including the Alipore Zoo, Alipore Jail Museum, Nicco Park, Eco Park, Eco Urban Village, Aircraft Museum, and Rabindra Tirtha, the report noted. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Kolkata and around the world.10 Lucky Brand Black Deals Sales You Won’t Want to Pass Up in 2024

SAN FRANCISCO — Google showed off Monday a new quantum computing chip that it said was a major breakthrough that could bring practical quantum computing closer to reality. A custom chip called “Willow” does in minutes what it would take leading supercomputers 10 septillion years to complete, according to Google Quantum AI founder Hartmut Neven. “Written out, there is a 1 with 25 zeros,” Neven said of the time span while briefing journalists. “A mind-boggling number.” Neven’s team of about 300 people at Google is on a mission to build quantum computing capable of handling otherwise unsolvable problems like safe fusion power and stopping climate change. “We see Willow as an important step in our journey to build a useful quantum computer with practical applications in areas like drug discovery, fusion energy, battery design and more,” said Google CEO Sundar Pichai on X. READ: Why 2023 is the year of quantum computing A quantum computer that can tackle these challenges is still years away, but Willow marks a significant step in that direction, according to Neven and members of his team. While still in its early stages, scientists believe that superfast quantum computing will eventually be able to power innovation in a range of fields. Quantum research is seen as a critical field and both the United States and China have been investing heavily in the area, while Washington has also placed restrictions on the export of the sensitive technology. Olivier Ezratty, an independent expert in quantum technologies, told AFP in October that private and public investment in the field has totaled around $20 billion worldwide over the past five years. Regular computers function in binary fashion: they carry out tasks using tiny fragments of data known as bits that are only ever either expressed as 1 or 0. READ: Google Claims Breakthrough in Blazingly Fast Computing However, fragments of data on a quantum computer, known as qubits, can be both 1 and 0 at the same time – allowing them to crunch an enormous number of potential outcomes simultaneously. Crucially, Google’s chip demonstrated the ability to reduce computational errors exponentially as it scales up – a feat that has eluded researchers for nearly 30 years. The breakthrough in error correction, published in the leading science journal Nature, showed that adding more qubits to the system actually reduced errors rather than increasing them – a fundamental requirement for building practical quantum computers. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Error correction is the “end game” in quantum computing and Google is “confidently progressing” along the path, according to Google director of quantum hardware Julian Kelly.NoneTulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for intel chief, faces questions on Capitol Hill amid Syria fallout

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NoneCalifornia to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sitesXavier aims to rebound from a tough week and get one more critical tune-up for a rivalry matchup when it hosts Morgan State on Tuesday night in Cincinnati. The Musketeers (7-2) were ranked No. 22 in the AP poll two weeks ago but fell out after a 25-point loss to Michigan in the Fort Myers Tip-Off tournament final on Nov. 27. Xavier then barely escaped with a 71-68 home win over South Carolina State on Dec. 1 before losing 76-72 at TCU on Thursday. Dante Maddox Jr. came off the bench to score nine points in 20 minutes on three 3-pointers against the Horned Frogs. He also grabbed six rebounds before fouling out. The Musketeers have been waiting for the Toledo transfer to add a punch to an underwhelming bench cast that many thought would be a strength for Xavier coming into the season. "I really feel like you can almost be baited into a false sense of how deep your team is because you're around guys every day and have a good, older group, which we do," Musketeers coach Sean Miller said. "You see the good in a lot of different guys. It's not until you get 8 to 10, 10 to 15 games in when you truly understand how deep your team is." Maddox hit a 3-pointer and started a fastbreak with a steal that gave Xavier a 60-54 lead with 7:28 remaining, but the Musketeers faded down the stretch and lost for the second time in three games. Maddox is averaging 4.7 points per game, while Ryan Conwell leads the team with 16.6. Tuesday's game will be the last chance for Xavier to straighten up before visiting No. 22 Cincinnati on Saturday for the teams' annual intense crosstown showdown. Morgan State (5-7) is coming off a 102-81 road loss at Bowling Green on Saturday. Preseason All-MEAC First Team selection Will Thomas led the Bears with 19 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field, while Kameron Hobbs scored 12 points off the bench. Amahrie Simpkins made all five of his field-goal attempts to add 11 points and Wynston Tabbs had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists. Tabbs leads Morgan State in scoring this season at 16.8 points per game, while Simpkins (12.8) and Thomas (12.2) round out the Bears' double-digit scorers. The Bears have struggled away from home, losing all five road contests this season. --Field Level Media

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Houston's Al-Shaair apologizes for hit on Jacksonville's Lawrence that led to concussion HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair took to X to apologize to Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback’s facemask led to him being carted off the field with a concussion. Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston’s 23-20 win on Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback. In the long post, Al-Shaair says "To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening.” Jets are sticking with struggling Aaron Rodgers as their starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers will remain the New York Jets’ starting quarterback despite speculation the team could bench him in what has been a disappointing season. Interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said during a video call that he still believes Rodgers, who turned 41 on Monday, gives the Jets their best chance to win. Rodgers was 21 of 39 for 185 yards and touchdown passes to Davante Adams and Isaiah Davis but also had an interception returned 92 yards for a touchdown by Leonard Williams in the Jets’ 26-21 loss to Seattle on Sunday. Hall of Famer Randy Moss reveals he's 'battling something' internal and asks for prayers Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss revealed he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made the announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying for any particular illness. Moss explained why he’s been wearing tinted sunglasses, saying, “I’m battling something, man, and it’s something internal, your boy is going to get through it.” College playoff bracket offers last dress rehearsal and one more chance to see where the SEC stands The next set of College Football Playoff rankings will be released Tuesday night under heavy scrutiny before the final bracket is set on Sunday. It will be one last chance to see just how much the selection committee loves the Southeastern Conference. The best gauge will be whether Miami, which suffered its second loss over the weekend, is placed behind any or all three SEC teams with three losses — Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina, all of which are coming off wins. Whatever happens, the SEC is likely to have at least five teams in the 12-team field when the final bracket comes out. Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down as LPGA commissioner after 3 1/2 years of record prize money Mollie Marcoux Samaan is leaving after more than three years as LPGA commissioner. In a surprise announcement Monday, Marcoux Samaan says she will step down in January, just three weeks before the LPGA starts its 75th season. Liz Moore is the chief legal and technology officer. She'll be serving as interim commissioner until a search committee can find a permanent replacement. Marcoux Samaan was the athletic director at Princeton when she took over the LPGA in May 2021. Prize money has soared during her tenure. She also has faced criticism for the LPGA not gaining in popularity during a rise in women's sports. Kansas holds off Auburn for No. 1 in AP Top 25 as SEC grabs 3 of top 4 spots; UConn slides to No. 25 Kansas continues to hold the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll. Auburn is pushing the Jayhawks in the latest poll after winning the Maui Invitational and checked in at No. 2. Two-time reigning national champion UConn nearly fell out entirely after an 0-3 week at Maui, falling from No. 2 to 25th. The Southeastern Conference had three of the top four teams with No. 3 Tennessee and No. 4 Kentucky behind the Tigers. The poll featured six new teams, headlined by No. 13 Oregon, No. 16 Memphis and No. 18 Pittsburgh. TCU, Duke climb into top 10, Notre Dame drops in women's AP Top 25; UCLA and UConn remain 1-2 TCU has its best ranking ever in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll after a convincing win over Notre Dame. The Horned Frogs jumped eight spots to No. 9, the first time the school has ever been in the top 10. The Fighting Irish, who were third last week, fell seven spots to 10th after losses to TCU and Utah. UCLA remained No. 1, followed by UConn, South Carolina, Texas and LSU. USC, Maryland and Duke are next. USC QB Miller Moss enters transfer portal after losing starting job to Jayden Maiava LOS ANGELES (AP) — Southern California quarterback Miller Moss is entering the transfer portal after losing the Trojans’ starting job last month. Moss started the Trojans’ bowl victory last season and their first nine games this season before coach Lincoln Riley replaced him with Jayden Maiava in early November. Moss signed with USC before Riley arrived at the school. Moss also stayed after Caleb Williams transferred from Oklahoma to rejoin Riley, and he served as Williams’ backup for two seasons before getting his chance to play with six touchdown passes in last year’s Holiday Bowl. Michael Andretti's Formula 1 dream comes to bittersweet fruition without his involvement Michael Andretti has been sidelined from his namesake motorsports organization and won’t have any role with the Formula 1 program he spent the last four years desperately trying to launch. His effort to get a program partnered with General Motors into F1 was approved last week, a month after he stepped aside from his teams. F1’s decision to expand its grid for Cadillac F1 came amidst a federal antitrust investigation into why Liberty Media refused to admit Andretti Global and after Andretti partners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter claimed controlling interest of the fledgling effort. Ryan Poles to remain Bears general manager and lead search for new head coach LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Chicago Bears president Kevin Warren said Ryan Poles will remain the general manager and serve as the point person in the search for a head coach to replace the fired Matt Eberflus. He says Poles will have the “final say” if the two have differing opinions on who should get the job. Chicago had never fired a coach during a season. But a six-game losing streak marked by questionable coaching decisions spurred the founding NFL franchise to change course. The Bears let Eberflus go Friday and replaced him on an interim basis with offensive coordinator Thomas Brown.

Netflix 's spy thriller, Black Doves , premiered on December 5 to a largely positive reception. Interestingly, it was renewed for a second season ahead of the first season premiere. The show stars Keira Knightley , Ben Whishaw, and Sarah Lancashire and work on the second installment is already underway. Here's what you can expect from the upcoming season. 'Black Doves' Season 2: Potential plot and character developments The first season ended with shocking revelations about the murder of Helen's (Knightley) lover Jason (Andrew Koji) and his real identity as an MI5 Agent. The finale also featured a nail-biting showdown between Helen and Trent, the son of crime family head Alex Clark (Tracey Ullman). However, it's still unclear how they'll affect Season 2's plot. Showrunner Joe Barton has teased deeper entanglements for Helen in the spy world as her husband Wallace's (Andrew Buchan) political career progresses. 'Black Doves' Season 2: Cast and character returns The second season of Black Doves will likely see most main cast members return. This includes Whishaw as Sam, Lancashire as Reed, Omari Douglas as Michael, Ella Lily Hyland as Williams, Gabrielle Creevy as Eleanor, Isabella Wei as Kai-Ming and Kathryn Hunter as Lenny. Showrunner Barton has also teased possible new alliances and conflicts among these characters in the next season. The possibilities for supporting characters Speaking about the supporting characters, Barton said, "You could definitely see them [Williams, Eleanor and Kai-Ming] forming a little group..." "Kai-Ming would have to stop being a heroin addict party girl, probably," he added. "Maybe they could start their own little assassin agency working out of their canal boat. I'd like to see that." 'Black Doves' Season 2: Release date and production status The release date remains unannounced by Netflix. Notably, the first season was part of a rare two-season order from Netflix. Barton earlier told Deadline , "It's a different kind of pressure now. When you do a show you are always wanting it to do well to get a second season but now they've already let us come back the pressure is about hoping it does well to reward that faith."Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next

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For fans of the game, the appeal of owning a piece of merchandise tied to their favorite title is undeniable. The limited edition nature of the co-branded cola set adds to its allure, creating a sense of exclusivity and collectibility. The unique packaging and design of the bottles further enhance the overall aesthetic appeal, making it a must-have for enthusiasts and collectors alike.WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" Trump also told NBC's “Meet the Press” in an interview recorded Friday that he believes Hegseth will be confirmed and that he still has confidence in him. “Pete is doing well now,” the president-elect said in an excerpt of the interview set to air Sunday. “I mean, people were a little bit concerned. He's a young guy with a tremendous track record.” The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. Vice President-elect JD Vance offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, the embattled choice to lead the Defense Department. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vance told reporters during a tour of western North Carolina. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, left, joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, attends a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) If Hegseth goes down, Trump's transition team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, the team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

In a bizarre turn of events, a man who paid $20,000 to participate in a self-discipline challenge has failed three times consecutively, leading to the filing of a court case against him. The man, whose identity remains undisclosed, embarked on the journey of self-improvement by joining the challenge, only to find himself unable to meet the requirements set forth.

It didn't take Syracuse first-year coach Fran Brown long to figure out the key matchup for Saturday afternoon's Atlantic Coast Conference game visiting Miami. "Syracuse has a really good quarterback," Brown said of Kyle McCord, "and Miami has a really good quarterback (Cam Ward)." With a win on Saturday, the No. 6 Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 ACC) can clinch a berth in the league championship game against SMU. Miami is a 10 1/2-point favorite for Saturday's game. Syracuse (8-3, 4-3) has reached eight wins for just the fourth time since 2002, going 8-5 in 2010 and 2012 and 10-3 in 2018. However, the Orange haven't defeated a Top-10 team since knocking off Clemson in 2017. Miami leads the nation in scoring (44.7), and the Hurricanes will count on perfect passing conditions in Syracuse's dome. That could be huge for Ward, who leads the nation with 34 touchdown passes, ranking second in passing yards (3,774) and fourth in passing efficiency. Ward's top target is wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, who needs just 21 yards to reach 1,000 for the second straight season. Restrepo also ranks tied for seventh in the nation with 10 TD receptions. Ward has some other top targets, including 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end Elijah Arroyo, who is a walking mismatch because of his size and speed. He leads Miami with 18.5 yards per reception. Hurricanes wide receivers Isaiah Horton and Jacolby George have combined for 12 TD passes, and Sam Brown has added two more. Each of them has more than 500 receiving yards this season. Miami's running game features battering ram Damien Martinez (739 yards, 5.5 average, eight TDs); versatile Mark Fletcher Jr. (499 yards, 5.7 average, six TDs); and game-breaking freshman Jordan Lyle (361 yards, 8.6 average, four TDs). Defensively, Miami's big-play man is safety Mishael Powell, who ranks second in the ACC with five interceptions. "He's all about winning," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Powell. "He's a smart, self-starting team player." On special teams, Miami kicker Andres Borregales ranks second in the ACC with 97 points. He is 52-for-52 on extra points and 15-for-16 on field goals. Meanwhile, McCord ranks No. 1 in the nation in passing yards (3,946) and tied for seventh in TD passes (26). McCord, a transfer from Ohio State, has also set Syracuse's single-season record for passing yards. In last week's 31-24 win over Connecticut, McCord passed for a career-high 470 yards. However, McCord is just 46th in the nation in passing efficiency, due in part to his high total of interceptions (12). Syracuse also has three of the top six pass-catchers in the ACC in terms of yards: tight end Oronde Gadsden II (810) and wide receivers Jackson Meeks (801) and Trebor Pena (743). Gadsden, who is from the greater Miami area, has had three straight 100-yard games. He is the son of former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Oronde Gadsden. Syracuse's run game is led by LeQuint Allen, who has rushed for 819 yards, a 4.3 average and 12 TDs. The issue for Syracuse could be its defense, which ranks 13th in the ACC in points allowed (27.8). Miami's defense is fourth (22.3). Even so, Syracuse coach Brown said he's excited about this matchup. "I heard Miami is going to come deep," Brown said of Miami fans. "It's going to be intense in the stands. It's going to be intense on the field. I think this is a game everyone wants to see." --Field Level MediaWith such high stakes involved, the role of the referee becomes paramount in ensuring a fair and balanced contest. Anthony Taylor's appointment brings a sense of reassurance to both teams, knowing that they will have a seasoned official overseeing proceedings. Taylor's track record of handling pressure situations with poise and professionalism bodes well for the Manchester Derby, where emotions can often run high and the margin for error is slim.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won her reelection bid Wednesday after a recount confirmed her lead, helping her party pad its thin majority in the U.S. House and retain control of all four of Iowa’s congressional seats. Miller-Meeks defeated Democrat Christina Bohannan in a rematch of 2022, when Miller-Meeks won by 7 percentage points. The margin this year was much tighter — Miller-Meeks' lead over Bohannan was less than a percentage point, or fewer than 1,000 votes. Miller-Meeks represents the 1st District, which includes the eastern part of the state and a swath of south-central Iowa, including Johnson County, home to University of Iowa in Iowa City. Miller-Meeks earned a first term in Congress representing Iowa’s 2nd District when she defeated Democrat Rita Hart by just six votes in 2020. The Associated Press called this year's race at 4:02 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Miller-Meeks had declared victory earlier, but the AP had not yet called the race because the margin was close enough that it could prompt a recount. Bohannan's campaign on Nov. 14 requested a recount , as any candidate is allowed to do, saying in a statement that the recount will make certain “that every voter is heard.” The campaign said it would have “full trust in this process and will accept the results regardless of the outcome.” The request was made for a recount in each of the district’s 20 counties. Because the margin was less than a percentage point, the state — not the candidate — pays for the costs associated with the recount. Miller-Meeks’ campaign accused Bohannan and other Democrats of being “election deniers," and Republicans have said Bohannan is wasting taxpayer dollars. “This is a delaying tactic to thwart the will of the people,” the Miller-Meeks campaign said in a Nov. 14 statement. “A recount won’t meaningfully change the outcome of this race as the congresswoman’s lead is mathematically impossible to overcome.” Republican incumbents held onto Iowa’s three other congressional seats, maintaining GOP control over the entirety of Iowa’s congressional delegation. The sweep in 2022 represented the first time in three decades that Iowa had an all-Republican delegation, emblematic of the sharp rightward shift in the state not long after former President Barack Obama carried Iowa in 2008 and again in 2012. Obama won with solid support from the eastern counties along the Mississippi River that have mostly backed Trump since and bolster Miller-Meeks' in her district as well. Two competitive congressional races in Iowa this year – the 1st and 3rd Districts – brought millions of dollars in paid advertising to the state from national campaign arms for House Republican and Democrats. Zach Nunn fought off the challenge from Democrat Lanon Baccam in the 3rd District, which includes much of the Des Moines metro area. Republican incumbents Ashley Hinson in the 2nd District and Randy Feenstra in the 4th District won decisively. Hinson defeated Democrat Sarah Corkery. Feenstra defeated Democrat Ryan Melton. Associated Press, The Associated Press

In recent years, the e-commerce landscape has been dominated by fierce competition and intense price wars. Amidst this cutthroat environment, platforms like AliExpress have often been criticized for perpetuating a culture of internal competition, known as "内卷" in Chinese, where sellers are pressured to constantly undercut each other's prices in order to attract customers. However, amidst this backdrop of relentless competition, there is a glimmer of hope emerging on the horizon.The wedding day is often marked as one of the most special and emotional days in a person's life. It is a day filled with love, joy, and the coming together of families. For one groom, however, his wedding day held an extra layer of emotion as he found a way to honor and include his late mother in the celebration.

In conclusion, the news that Manchester United has not discussed selling Marcus Rashford and that the club's ownership is satisfied with his performance should be seen as a positive sign for the Red Devils and their supporters. With Rashford's talent and potential, the future looks bright for both the player and the club, as they continue their quest for success on and off the pitch.

A look at how some of Trump's picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy's overhaulAlexander: Golden at-bat? It would only tarnish baseballNow, as fate would have it, Krunic is set to return to San Siro, this time as a player for the opposing team. The emotions swirling within him are undoubtedly mixed - a sense of nostalgia for the place he once called home, combined with a steely determination to give his all for his current club. The road that has led him back to this iconic stadium has been paved with hard work, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

The arrests of Yoon Suk-yeol, Kim Yong-hyun, and six others underscore the need for robust institutional reforms and a renewed commitment to upholding the rule of law in South Korea. The country's democratic institutions and political culture face a critical test in the wake of these developments, as the public watches closely to see how the government will respond to the allegations and ensure justice is served.Kingston substitute teacher charged for allegedly assaulting students in classroom

Identity and Access Management (IAM) Professional Service Market Overview and Leading Players: Column Technologies, Hub City Media, Identropy, Oxford Computer Group, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), PwC, IDMWORKS, Aurionpro Solutions 12-15-2024 10:46 PM CET | IT, New Media & Software Press release from: STATS N DATA Identity and Access Management (IAM) Professional Service Market The Identity and Access Management (IAM) Professional Service Market has emerged as a critical component in ensuring organizational security and compliance in an increasingly digital landscape. IAM encompasses a range of technologies and processes that enable organizations to manage user identities and control access to sensitive information. With the rise of cyber threats, regulatory requirements, and the shift towards remote work models, the importance of IAM solutions has never been more pronounced. You can access a sample PDF report here: https://www.statsndata.org/download-sample.php?id=98270 Recent developments in the IAM sector have been driven by technological advancements such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. These innovations have paved the way for more efficient, scalable, and secure IAM solutions that are critical for organizations of all sizes. Furthermore, strategic collaborations between technology providers and enterprises have accelerated the adoption of IAM services, enabling them to keep pace with evolving threats and compliance demands. As organizations continue to embrace digital transformation, the IAM Professional Service Market is poised for significant growth. This market is expected to evolve with actionable insights tailored to current trends, such as increased focus on user experience, the need for adaptive security measures, and the integration of advanced analytics into IAM frameworks. Therefore, staying relevant in this dynamic environment requires businesses to remain agile and proactive in their IAM strategies. Key Growth Drivers and Trends Several critical factors are influencing the demand for IAM professional services. Sustainability initiatives are prompting businesses to adopt IAM processes that not only secure data but also minimize their environmental impact. As organizations strive to meet corporate social responsibility goals, IAM solutions that support sustainability will gain traction. The ongoing digitization of industries has further propelled the demand for IAM services. With a growing number of transactions occurring online, the need for secure access and identity verification has become paramount. Additionally, consumer awareness regarding data privacy has led to increased pressure on organizations to implement robust IAM solutions that protect sensitive information. Trends such as AI integration are transforming the IAM landscape. Artificial intelligence can enhance identity verification processes, streamline access control mechanisms, and improve threat detection capabilities. Moreover, product customization is becoming increasingly important as organizations seek tailored IAM solutions that fit their unique operational needs. Emerging technologies, such as blockchain, are also shaping the future of IAM by providing decentralized identity management solutions that offer enhanced security and privacy. Market Segmentation The IAM Professional Service Market can be segmented into various categories to better understand its dynamics: *Segment by Type* - Cloud-Based: This segment has gained significant traction due to the scalability and flexibility offered by cloud solutions. Organizations find it easier to manage identities and access control in a cloud environment, facilitating remote work and collaboration. - On-Premises: Although the cloud-based segment is growing, many large enterprises still prefer on-premises IAM solutions for greater control and compliance with regulatory requirements. *Segment by Application* - Large Enterprises (1000+ Users): Large organizations require comprehensive IAM solutions to manage vast amounts of user data and access controls. The complexity of their operations necessitates sophisticated IAM strategies. - Medium-Sized Enterprises (499-1000 Users): Medium-sized businesses are increasingly adopting IAM solutions to enhance their security posture and comply with regulatory standards. - Small Enterprises (1-499 Users): Despite being smaller in scale, small enterprises are recognizing the importance of IAM in protecting their assets and customer data. Get 30% Discount On Full Report: https://www.statsndata.org/ask-for-discount.php?id=98270 Competitive Landscape The IAM Professional Service Market is characterized by a competitive landscape with several key players driving innovation and shaping market trends. The following companies are leading the charge: - Column Technologies: Known for its robust IAM solutions, Column Technologies focuses on integrating advanced technologies to enhance security and user experience. - Hub City Media: This company specializes in providing tailored IAM services that meet the specific needs of its clients, ensuring compliance and security. - Identropy: A pioneer in identity governance, Identropy offers innovative IAM solutions that help organizations manage identities effectively. - Oxford Computer Group: With a strong emphasis on security and compliance, Oxford Computer Group provides comprehensive IAM services to enterprises globally. - Tata Consultancy Services (TCS): TCS leverages its vast expertise to deliver scalable IAM solutions that cater to diverse industry needs. - PwC: PwC combines its consulting prowess with technology to offer cutting-edge IAM services that address complex security challenges. - IDMWORKS: Focused on delivering end-to-end IAM solutions, IDMWORKS helps organizations streamline their identity management processes. - Aurionpro Solutions: Aurionpro is committed to innovation in IAM, providing solutions that enhance security and user satisfaction. - EST Group: Known for its focus on security, EST Group offers IAM solutions that cater to the specific requirements of its clients. - Edgile: Edgile specializes in risk management and compliance, delivering IAM services that help organizations navigate regulatory challenges. - Identity Works: This company focuses on providing customized IAM solutions that align with the unique needs of its clients. - Simeio: Simeio's innovative approach to IAM includes managed services that help organizations maintain security and compliance effortlessly. - AllClear ID: AllClear ID is dedicated to identity protection and provides IAM solutions that enhance security for consumers and businesses alike. Each of these companies plays a vital role in driving market growth through product innovations, market expansions, and strategic partnerships. Opportunities and Challenges The IAM Professional Service Market presents numerous opportunities, particularly in untapped regions where organizations are beginning to prioritize security and compliance. As companies increasingly recognize the value of effective IAM solutions, emerging markets are likely to witness significant growth in demand. Moreover, evolving consumer preferences towards enhanced security measures offer new avenues for IAM service providers. As customers become more aware of data privacy issues, they are seeking services that ensure their information is protected. However, challenges remain. Regulatory constraints can hinder the implementation of IAM solutions, particularly in industries with strict compliance requirements. Additionally, operational inefficiencies and talent shortages in the IAM sector pose significant hurdles for organizations looking to adopt these services. To address these challenges, companies must invest in training and development to cultivate a skilled workforce adept at navigating the complexities of IAM. Furthermore, leveraging automated solutions can help mitigate operational inefficiencies and streamline IAM processes. Technological Advancements Cutting-edge technologies are significantly impacting the IAM Professional Service Market. Artificial intelligence is at the forefront, enabling organizations to automate identity verification processes and enhance their ability to detect fraudulent activities. Machine learning algorithms can analyze patterns in user behavior, allowing for adaptive security measures that respond to potential threats in real-time. Virtual tools are also transforming IAM by facilitating remote access and collaboration while maintaining robust security protocols. Moreover, the integration of IoT-driven systems into IAM frameworks is becoming increasingly common as organizations seek to manage access across a growing number of connected devices. These technological advancements not only improve the efficiency of IAM processes but also enhance the overall user experience, making it easier for organizations to manage identities securely. Research Methodology and Insights The insights presented in this press release are derived from a rigorous research methodology employed by STATS N DATA. Using a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches, we have conducted extensive primary and secondary research to gather valuable data on the IAM Professional Service Market. Our triangulation process ensures the accuracy and reliability of the insights, allowing us to provide a comprehensive overview of market trends, growth drivers, challenges, and opportunities. This robust methodology positions STATS N DATA as a trusted authority in the IAM sector, delivering actionable insights that empower organizations to make informed decisions in a rapidly evolving landscape. In conclusion, the Identity and Access Management Professional Service Market is poised for remarkable growth, driven by technological advancements, increasing consumer awareness, and the pressing need for enhanced security. As organizations navigate the complexities of digital transformation, effective IAM solutions will play a crucial role in safeguarding their assets and ensuring compliance in an ever-changing environment. For customization requests, please visit: https://www.statsndata.org/request-customization.php?id=98270 Full Identity and Access Management IAM Professional Service Market Report Link: https://www.statsndata.org/report/Global-Identity-and-Access-Management-IAM-Professional-Service-Market-98270 Related Reports: Soda Drinking Water System Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/soda-drinking-water-system-market-244530 Virtual Reality Surgery Simulator Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/virtual-reality-surgery-simulator-market-67617 Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/solid-oxide-fuel-cell-market-55206 UAV Photoelectric Pod Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/uav-photoelectric-pod-market-188898 Maritime Ship Position And Radar Detection Market https://www.statsndata.org/report/maritime-ship-position-and-radar-detection-market-283645 John Jones Sales & Marketing Head | Stats N Data Phone: +1 (315) 642-4324 Email: sales@statsndata.org Website: www.statsndata.org STATS N DATA is a trusted provider of industry intelligence and market research, delivering actionable insights to businesses across diverse sectors. We specialize in helping organizations navigate complex markets with advanced analytics, detailed market segmentation, and strategic guidance. Our expertise spans industries including technology, healthcare, telecommunications, energy, food & beverages, and more. Committed to accuracy and innovation, we provide tailored reports that empower clients to make informed decisions, identify emerging opportunities, and achieve sustainable growth. Our team of skilled analysts leverages cutting-edge methodologies to ensure every report addresses the unique challenges of our clients. At STATS N DATA, we transform data into knowledge and insights into success. Partner with us to gain a competitive edge in today's fast-paced business environment. For more information, visit https://www.statsndata.org or contact us today at sales@statsndata.org This release was published on openPR.In addition to its stunning visuals, "Black Myth: Wu Kong" also boasts a rich and engaging storyline that draws players into a dark and mysterious world filled with ancient legends and supernatural creatures. As players progress through the game, they unravel the secrets of Wu Kong's past and discover the true extent of his powers, leading to epic battles and thrilling confrontations that will keep them glued to their screens for hours on end.

WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump offered a public show of support Friday for Pete Hegseth, his choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat roles. Hegseth, a former Fox News host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump's Pentagon. "Pete Hegseth is doing very well," Trump posted on his social media site. "He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense." The president added that "Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!" The nomination battle is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hard-line push for a more masculine military and an end to the "woke-ism" of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, responds to reporters during a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Military leaders are rattled by a list of “woke” senior officers that a conservative group urged Pete Hegseth to dismiss for promoting diversity in the ranks if he is confirmed to lead the Pentagon. The list compiled by the American Accountability Foundation includes 20 general officers or senior admirals and a disproportionate number of female officers. It has had a chilling effect on the Pentagon’s often frank discussions as leaders try to figure out how to address the potential firings and diversity issues under Trump. Those on the list in many cases seem to be targeted for public comments they made either in interviews or at events on diversity, and in some cases for retweeting posts that promote diversity. Tom Jones, a former aide to Republican senators who leads the foundation, said Friday those on the list are “pretty egregious” advocates for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, policies, which he called problematic. “The nominee has been pretty clear that that has no place in the military,” Jones said of Hegseth. Hegseth embraced Trump’s effort to end programs that promote diversity in the ranks and fire those who reflect those values. Other Trump picks, like Kash Patel for FBI director, have suggested targeting those in government who are not aligned with Trump. Trump's allies forcefully rallied around Hegseth — the Heritage Foundation's political arm promised to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination — as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. Vice President-elect JD Vance offers a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, the embattled choice to lead the Defense Department. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vance told reporters during a tour of western North Carolina. "We're not abandoning this nomination," Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. He said he spoke with GOP senators and believes Hegseth will be confirmed. The effort became a test of Trump's clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump's other choices stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump's first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, "Like you, we will never back down." Hegseth faces resistance from senators as reports emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. He promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops came under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women "straight up" should not serve in combat. He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth received from Sen. Joni Ernst, a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after meeting with Hegseth this week. On Friday, Ernst posted on X that she would meet with him again next week. “At a minimum, we agree that he deserves the opportunity to lay out his vision for our warfighters at a fair hearing,” she wrote. On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team were pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be defense secretary, left, joined by his wife Jennifer Rauchet, attends a meeting with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) If Hegseth goes down, Trump's team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as "vicious lies" against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump's transition team is looking at potential replacements, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis plans to attend the Dec. 14 Army-Navy football game with Trump, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor's plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity. DeSantis and Trump spoke about the defense secretary post Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Fla., according to people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. DeSantis is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump's orbit. Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.ST. LOUIS — Aldermanic President Megan Green said Friday she thinks Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has earned re-election to a second term this spring. Green, a longtime ally of the mayor, said that while the city still has work to do, it has made significant progress under Jones. “Anyone who thinks that you can fix decades of dysfunction in the city in four years, I've got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you,” Green said. She credited the mayor with moving the city forward on big upcoming projects like a new 911 dispatch center and a MetroLink line connecting the city’s north and south sides. “I think we have a lot of great momentum going into the next four years,” she said. And Green said that momentum would be lost if Jones loses re-election to a challenger like Alderwoman Cara Spencer or Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler. "I think in some respects, we'd be starting all over,” Green said.AC Milan, the formidable team standing at the top of the Serie A table, has been in scintillating form this season. With a well-drilled defense, a potent attacking lineup, and a steely determination to succeed, they have proven to be a force to be reckoned with on the pitch. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have experienced a mixed season so far, struggling to find consistency in their performances and results. However, when faced with a formidable opponent like AC Milan, the Madridistas know they must rise to the occasion and bring their A-game to the match.

Setien will have his work cut out for him at Beijing Guoan, as the club is currently in the midst of a challenging season. With the team looking to secure a top-four finish and potentially compete for the league title, Setien will need to hit the ground running to make a positive impact.

7xm live Ange Postecoglou knows the next month will be “significant” for Tottenham, but is confident they will improve and not be mid-table at Christmas. Spurs travel to Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday reeling from a disappointing home loss to Ipswich before the international break. The club’s problems have multiplied during the past fortnight with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur handed a seven-match domestic ban on Monday and Cristian Romero (toe) joining a lengthy list of absentees. However, Postecoglou remains bullish about Tottenham’s progress and acutely aware of the scrutiny set to come his way if they stay 10th. “Christmas is a joyous occasion, irrespective, and I think it should be celebrated. If we’re still 10th then people won’t be happy, I won’t be happy, but we might not be 10th,” Postecoglou pointed out before nine games in 30 days. “Certainly for us I think it’s a significant period because you look at those games and we’ve got the league where we’ve got to improve our position and a couple of important European fixtures that can set us up for the back half of the year, also a Carabao Cup quarter-final. “At the end of that period we could be in a decent position for a strong second half of the year, so for us it is an important period. “You know there’s no more international breaks, so the full focus is here. You can build some momentum through that, or if things don’t go well you could get yourself into a bit of a grind. Ready for #MCITOT 👊 Go behind the scenes of training ahead of our trip to Manchester 🎥⤵️ pic.twitter.com/4jFZTCIwSz — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 22, 2024 “Of course if we had beaten Ipswich, we’d be third and I reckon this press conference would be much different wouldn’t it? “I’m not going to let my life be dictated by one result, I’m sorry. I take a wider perspective on these things because I know how fickle it can be, but we need to address our position for sure. “And if we’re 10th at Christmas, yeah it won’t be great. There’d be a lot of scrutiny and probably a lot of scrutiny around me, which is fair enough, but that’s not where I plan for us to be.” Tottenham’s immediate efforts to move up the table will require them ending City’s two-year unbeaten home run in the Premier League. The champions have lost their last four matches in all competitions, but have some key personnel back for Saturday’s clash and will aim to toast Pep Guardiola’s new contract with a victory. Postecoglou was pleased to see Guardiola commit to a further two seasons in England, adding: “I love the fact that there’s a massive target out there that can seem insurmountable. “I look at it the other way. I go, ‘imagine if you knock him off, that’d be something’. “I’m at the stage of my life where I’d rather have the chance of knocking him off than missing that opportunity. “When greatness is around, you want to be around it. And hopefully it challenges you to be like that as well.” Saturday’s fixture will be Postecoglou’s 50th league game in charge of Spurs and he knows what is required to bring up three figures. A post shared by Premier League (@premierleague) “No European football, significant player turnover, change of playing style. Where did I think we’d be after 50 games? God knows. “It could have been a whole lot worse, but when you look at it in the current prism of we’re 10th, you’re going ‘it doesn’t look good’ and I understand that and we have to improve that. “But over the 50 games, I think there’s enough there that shows we are progressing as a team and we are developing into the team we want. “The key is the next 50 games, if they can be in totality better than the first 50? First, that means I’m here but second, I think we’ll be in a good space.”

SANTA ANA, Calif., Dec. 13, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — In a groundbreaking move for the property management and inspection industry, DrBalcony ( drbalcony.com ) introduces its cutting-edge app, a pioneering digital platform designed to revolutionize the balcony inspection process. This innovative tool empowers homeowners, property managers, and Homeowner Associations (HOAs) with a streamlined, intuitive experience, eliminating inefficiencies and redefining how inspections are managed. With a user-friendly interface and advanced features, the DrBalcony App transforms what was once a complex, time-consuming process into one that is seamless and efficient. Users can now obtain instant quotes, create and manage projects, and schedule inspections—all with just a few taps on their devices. “At DrBalcony, we are passionate about reimagining property management through technology,” said Greg, VP of Sales of DrBalcony. “The app reflects our dedication to simplifying inspections while upholding safety and compliance standards. With over 2,500 inspections completed, we’re proud to offer a solution that sets a new benchmark for convenience and reliability.” FEATURES THAT SET THE DRBALCONY APP APART The DrBalcony App is tailored to meet the specific needs of California property owners, offering features designed to ensure the integrity of balcony structures while making compliance with state laws like SB 721 and SB 326 more accessible than ever. Learn more: https://drbalcony.com/services/ A SOLUTION BACKED BY REAL RESULTS “For years, the balcony inspection process has been frustrating and inefficient,” shared Omid, CEO of DrBalcony. “This app eliminates unnecessary complications. From instant quotes to straightforward scheduling, it’s a game-changer.” DOWNLOAD THE DRBALCONY APP TODAY The DrBalcony App is now available for download and marks a significant leap forward in property management. By addressing common pain points in the inspection process, DrBalcony ensures peace of mind for property owners, engineers, and HOAs, all while maintaining safety and compliance with California’s strict balcony safety regulations . About DrBalcony: DrBalcony leverages innovative technology to enhance balcony inspection, focusing on efficiency, safety, and customer-centric solutions. With a mission to simplify the complex, DrBalcony has become a trusted name in the balcony inspection industry, ensuring compliance and safety standards are met with ease. Learn more: https://drbalcony.com/ . Your property’s safety has never been simpler—download the DrBalcony App today! NEWS SOURCE: DrBalcony Keywords: Real Estate, DrBalcony, Balcony Inspections, home inspection, safety, app, solution, service, SB 326, SB 721, SANTA ANA, Calif. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (DrBalcony) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire . Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P122836 APDF15TBLLI To view the original version, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/drbalcony-app-redefines-balcony-inspections-with-unparalleled-efficiency/ © 2024 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA’s idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it ‘absurd’BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands rushed the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some shops were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reach the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied rumors flooding social media that Assad has left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Assad's chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. Pedersen said a date for the talks in Geneva on the implementation of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were also marching from eastern Syria toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. The Britain-based Observatory said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle is looming. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. The Syrian army said in a statement Saturday that it has carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists.” The army said it is setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. Tartus is home to the only Russian naval base outside the former Soviet Union while Latakia is home to a major Russian air base. In the gas-rich nation of Qatar, the foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met to discuss the situation in Syria. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. After the fall of the cities of Daraa and Sweida early Saturday, Syrian government forces remained in control of five provincial capitals — Damascus, Homs and Quneitra, as well as Latakia and Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. On Friday, U.S.-backed fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces captured wide parts of the eastern province of Deir el-Zour that borders Iraq as well as the provincial capital that carries the same name. The capture of areas in Deir el-Zour is a blow to Iran’s influence in the region as the area is the gateway to the corridor linking the Mediterranean to Iran, a supply line for Iran-backed fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah. With the capture of a main border crossing with Iraq by the SDF and after opposition fighters took control of the Naseeb border crossing to Jordan in southern Syria, the Syrian government's only gateway to the outside world is the Masnaa border crossing with Lebanon. Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy that has been closely watched by the world. “The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue,” he said. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. There are worries that Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1/2 years in office because his leadership took a huge hit. Many experts say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Woo repeatedly urged ruling party members to return to the chamber to participate in the vote, waiting several hours for them to come. At one point, Democratic Party leaders visited a hall on the floor below the main chamber where PPP lawmakers were gathered, attempting to persuade them to vote. After being blocked from entering, they angrily accused the conservatives’ leadership of preventing its lawmakers from voting freely. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The turmoil resulting from Yoon’s bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” The passage of Yoon’s impeachment motion appeared more likely Friday when the chair of Yoon’s party called for his removal on Friday, but the party remained formally opposed to impeachment. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing and singing along to K-pop songs with lyrics changed to call for Yoon’s ouster. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon’s party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. Kim Tong-hyung And Hyung-jin Kim, The Associated PressExperienced Technology and Education Leader, Goli Will Drive Learning Innovation, Operational Excellence and Strategic Growth Mike Duran to Serve as Executive Chairman ST. LOUIS, Dec. 3, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Colibri Group ("Colibri"), a professional education company serving millions of individuals and business customers through over 40 leading brands that offer flexible, online, and in-person learning solutions to licensed professionals, today announced that Shravan Goli has been appointed Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Goli will succeed current Chairman and CEO Mike Duran, who will resume his role as Executive Chairman. This planned transition marks an exciting new chapter for the Colibri Group, building on the company's strong foundation. Colibri Group is backed by Gridiron Capital, LLC ("Gridiron Capital"), a leading investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams. With over 20 years of leadership experience in technology and education, Mr. Goli brings a proven history of driving innovation, customer engagement, and transformative growth. He has held pivotal roles at leading companies, including Coursera, Dictionary.com , Dice.com , Yahoo!, and Microsoft. As Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer at Coursera, he expanded global learning access for millions, led growth in consumer and enterprise markets, and played a key role in the company's successful IPO. His strategic leadership at Dice.com and Dictionary.com drove significant revenue growth and market expansion. Mr. Goli also serves on the board of NETGEAR, supporting its mission to deliver seamless connectivity. "With a distinguished career leading technology and education companies, Shravan's expertise in leveraging customer insights and driving growth through a product-led approach makes him the ideal leader for Colibri," said Mr. Duran. "I am excited to support this seamless transition and look forward to seeing Shravan build on Colibri's legacy of delivering exceptional education solutions and engaging experiences that empower millions of professionals to thrive." "I am deeply honored to join Colibri. Its mission to lead people to achieve more, adapt, and thrive in their careers aligns with my own passion for lifelong learning and skill development," said Mr. Goli. "Colibri's remarkable legacy of transforming careers and industries through exceptional education solutions is both inspiring and motivating. Together with the talented team, I am excited to shape the future of professional learning by creating innovative opportunities that empower professionals to grow, succeed, and thrive in an ever-evolving world." "Shravan's extensive experience in both technology and education, combined with his innovative mindset, positions him as an exceptional leader for Colibri," said Kevin Jackson, Managing Partner at Gridiron Capital. "With his deep understanding of the educational market and customer needs, we are confident that under Shravan's leadership Colibri will continue to realize its immense potential, develop groundbreaking products for licensed professionals nationwide, and achieve exceptional outcomes." About Colibri Group Colibri Group is building the future of professional education. Today, millions of licensed professionals start and advance their careers through the company's engaging online and in-person learning solutions for licensing, continuing education, test preparation and professional development. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Colibri Group provides a holistic learning experience for learners and professionals to achieve more, adapt, and thrive throughout their careers in real estate, financial services, teacher education, healthcare, valuation and property services, among other professions. Visit www.colibrigroup.com for more information. About Gridiron Capital Gridiron Capital is an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, and creating value by building middle-market companies into industry-leaders in the consumer products & services, industrial growth, and business services segments in the United States and Canada. We help transform growing companies by winning together through hard work, partnerships grounded in shared values, and a unique culture that comes from hands-on experience building and running businesses. As a team led by former operators and entrepreneurs, we know what it takes to run successful businesses on a day-to-day basis. Additional information is available on the firm's website: www.gridironcapital.com . Contacts For Colibri Group: Kevin O'Connor, Communications Lead media@colibrigroup.com For Gridiron Capital, LLC: Kevin Jackson, Managing Partner KJackson@gridironcapital.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/colibri-group-appoints-shravan-goli-as-chief-executive-officer-302321132.html SOURCE Colibri Group

Mayor vows to fight corruption allegations, /PRNewswire/ -- We will release our fourth-quarter 2024 results on , and webcast a conference call to discuss results. (NYSE:T) will release its fourth-quarter 2024 results before the New York Stock Exchange opens on . The company's earnings release and related materials will be available at . At the same day, AT&T will host a conference call to discuss the results. A live webcast of the call will also be available at , and the webcast replay and transcript will be available following the call. To automatically receive AT&T financial news by email, please . We help more than 100 million U.S. families, friends and neighbors, plus nearly 2.5 million businesses, connect to greater possibility. From the first phone call 140+ years ago to our 5G wireless and multi-gig internet offerings today, we @ATT innovate to improve lives. For more information about AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), please visit us at . Investors can learn more at . © 2024 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. AT&T and the Globe logo are registered trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE AT&T Get local news delivered to your inbox!

The Great Daylight Saving Debate: A Timely Issue

NEW YORK (AP) — He's making threats, traveling abroad and negotiating with world leaders. Donald Trump has more than a month and a half to go before he's sworn in for a second term. But the Republican president-elect is already moving aggressively not just to fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but to achieve those priorities . Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, prompting emergency calls and a visit from Canada's prime minister that resulted in what Trump claimed were commitments from both U.S. allies on new border security measures. The incoming president has warned there will be “ALL HELL TO PAY" if, before his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, Hamas does not release the hostages being held in Gaza . He has threatened to block the purchase of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company, warning "Buyer Beware!!!” And this weekend, Trump was returning to the global stage, joining a host of other foreign leaders for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral five years after it was ravaged by a fire. On Saturday, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron — joined at the last minute by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — and had plans to see Britain's Prince William also in Paris. Absent in Paris: lame duck President Joe Biden, who has largely disappeared from headlines, except when he issued a pardon of his son , Hunter, who was facing sentencing for gun crimes and tax evasion. First lady Jill Biden is attending in his place. “I think you have seen more happen in the last two weeks than you’ve seen in the last four years. And we’re not even there yet,” Trump said in an over-the-top boast at an awards ceremony Thursday night . For all of Trump's bold talk, though, it is unclear how many of his efforts will bear fruit. The pre-inauguration threats and deal-making are highly unusual, like so much of what Trump does, said Julian Zelizer, a political historian at Princeton University. “Transitions are always a little complicated in this way. Even though we talk about one president at a time," he said, “the reality is one president plus. And that plus can act assertively sometimes." Zelizer said that is particularly true of Trump, who was president previously and already has relationships with many foreign leaders such as Macron, who invited both Trump and Biden to Paris this weekend as part of the Notre Dame celebration. “Right now he’s sort of governing even though he’s not the president yet. He’s having these public meetings with foreign leaders, which aren't simply introductions. He's staking out policy and negotiating things from drug trafficking to tariffs," Zelizer said. Trump already has met with several foreign leaders, in addition to a long list of calls. He hosted Argentinian President Javier Milei in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago club in November. After the tariff threat, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago for a three-hour dinner meeting. Canadian officials later said the country is ready to make new investments in border security, with plans for more helicopters, drones and law enforcement officers. Last Sunday, Trump dined with Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Israeli prime minister. Incoming Trump aides have also been meeting with their future foreign counterparts. On Wednesday, several members of Trump's team, including incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz, met with Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Zelenskyy, in Washington, as Ukraine tries to win support for its ongoing efforts to defend itself from Russian invasion, according to a person familiar with the meeting. Yermak also met with Trump officials in Florida, he wrote on X . That comes after Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, traveled to Qatar and Israel for high-level talks about a cease-fire and hostage deal in Gaza, according to a U.S familiar with the efforts, meeting with the prime ministers of both countries. There is no prohibition on incoming officials or nominees meeting with foreign officials, and it is common and fine for them to do so — unless those meetings are designed to subvert or otherwise impact current U.S. policy. Trump aides were said to be especially cognizant of potential conflicts given their experience in 2016, when interactions between Trump allies and Russian officials came under scrutiny. That included a phone call in which Trump's incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn, discussed new sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, suggesting things would improve after Trump became president. Flynn was later charged with lying to the FBI about the conversation. Trump’s incoming press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that, “All transition officials have followed applicable laws in their interactions with foreign nationals.” She added: “World leaders recognize that President Trump is returning to power and will lead with strength to put the best interests of the United States of America first again. That is why many foreign leaders and officials have reached out to correspond with President Trump and his incoming team.” Such efforts can nonetheless cause complications. If, say, Biden is having productive conversations on a thorny foreign policy issue and Trump weighs in, that could make it harder for Biden “because people are hearing two different voices” that may be in conflict, Zelizer said. Leaders like Russia's Vladimir Putin and Netanyahu may also anticipate a more favorable incoming administration and wait Biden out, hoping for more a better deal. It also remains unclear how extensively the Biden administration has been kept apprised of Trump transition efforts. Although there is no requirement that an incoming administration coordinate calls and meetings with foreign officials with the State Department or National Security Council, that has long been considered standard practice. That is, in part, because transition teams, particularly in their early days and weeks, do not always have the latest information about the state of relations with foreign nations and may not have the resources, including interpretation and logistical ability, to handle such meetings efficiently. Still, the Biden and Trump teams have been talking, particularly on the Middle East, with the incoming and outgoing administrations having agreed to work together on efforts to free hostages who remain in held in Gaza, according to a U.S. official, who, like others, was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. That includes conversations between Witkoff and Biden’s foreign policy team as well as Waltz and Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Last month, Biden administration officials said they had kept Trump’s team closely apprised of efforts to broker a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah on the Israel-Lebanon border. “I just want to be clear to all of our adversaries, they can’t play the incoming Trump administration off of the Biden administration. I’m regularly talking to the Biden people. And so, this is not a moment of opportunity or wedges for them," Waltz said Friday in a Fox Business interview. But when it comes to immigration, Biden administration officials haven’t been entirely in the loop on discussions around how to execute on Trump’s pledge to deport millions of migrants, according to four administration officials with knowledge of the transition who spoke on condition of anonymity. That’s not terribly surprising given how differently the teams view migration. Trump’s team, meanwhile, is already claiming credit for everything from gains in the stock and cryptocurrency markets to a decision by Walmart to roll back diversity, equity and inclusion policies Trump opposes. “Promises Kept — And President Trump Hasn’t Even Been Inaugurated Yet,” read one press release that claimed, in part, that both Canada and Mexico have already pledged "immediate action” to help “stem the flow of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and deadly drugs entering the United States." Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stopped short of saying Trump mischaracterized their call in late November. But she said Friday that Trump “has his own way of communicating, like when we had the phone call and he wrote that we were going to close the border. That was never talked about in the phone call.” Earlier this week, Mexico carried out what it claimed was its largest seizure of fentanyl pills ever. Seizures over the summer had been as little as 50 grams per week, and after the Trump call, they seized more than a ton. Security analyst David Saucedo said that "under the pressure by Donald Trump, it appears President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is willing to increase the capture of drug traffickers and drug seizures that Washington is demanding.” Biden, too, tried to take credit for the seizure in a statement Friday night. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Colleen Long and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report.TORONTO, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Edesa Biotech, Inc. (Nasdaq:EDSA), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing host-directed therapeutics for immuno-inflammatory diseases, today reported financial results for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2024 and provided an update on its business. During the fiscal year, the company pivoted the in-house development of its anti-TLR4 drug candidate, EB05 (paridiprubart), to a U.S. government-funded study investigating novel threat-agnostic host-directed therapeutics in patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Given this opportunity, Edesa is also amending a development and drug manufacturing project for the same asset that is supported by the Government of Canada. The company said that the goal is to maximize synergies between the two government-funded projects. For its anti-CXCL10 program, Edesa intends to manufacture EB06 and submit related data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as part of an investigational new drug (IND) application. The manufacturing of clinical-grade drug batches and initiation of the patient enrollment is subject to funding. Edesa anticipates topline results for this Phase 2 study could be available within as few as 12 to 18 months following regulatory clearance in the U.S. The study is currently approved in Canada. “This year, Edesa maintained its momentum despite the headwinds in the drug development sector, and we once again validated our TLR4 technology with a third competitive government award,” said Par Nijhawan, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Edesa Biotech. “I have maintained my strategic support financially and I believe that our team can continue to advance and expand our development pipeline and partnerships.” Edesa's Chief Financial Officer Stephen Lemieux reported that financial results for the fiscal year benefited from prudent use of working capital and effective financial management, including a more than 20% decrease in operating expenses. “Following the end of the fiscal year, we strengthened our balance sheet, and with two governments now funding the advancement of our anti-TLR4 technology, we have improved our position for future financing, potential strategic arrangements as well as other opportunities to advance our pipeline.” Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ended September 30, 2024 Total operating expenses decreased by $2.2 million to $7.0 million for the year ended September 30, 2024 compared to $9.2 million for the prior year: Research and development expenses decreased by $1.9 million to $2.9 million for the year ended September 30, 2024 compared to $4.8 million for the prior year primarily due to decreased external research expenses related to the company’s completed dermatitis study and a reduction in labor costs and noncash share-based compensation, which were partially offset by an increase in expenses related to manufacturing of paridiprubart. General and administrative expenses decreased by $0.3 million to $4.1 million for year ended September 30, 2024 compared to $4.4 million for the prior year primarily due to a decrease in noncash share-based compensation, which was partially offset by an increase salaries and related costs. Total other income was unchanged at $0.8 million for the years ended September 30, 2024 and September 30, 2023 as a $0.1 million increase in reimbursement funding from the Canadian government's Strategic Innovation Fund was offset by a $0.1 million decrease in interest income. For the year ended September 30, 2024, Edesa reported a net loss of $6.2 million, or $1.93 per common share, compared to a net loss of $8.4 million, or $2.93 per common share, for the year ended September 30, 2023. Working Capital At September 30, 2024, Edesa had cash and cash equivalents of $1.0 million and negative working capital of $0.2 million. Subsequent to the fiscal year end, the company received $1.5 million in gross proceeds under a securities purchase agreement with an entity affiliated with Edesa’s Chief Executive Officer and Founder, and $0.6 million in net proceeds, after deducting sales agent commissions, from common shares sold under an at-the-market offering program. Calendar Edesa management plans to participate in one-on-one meetings during JP Morgan week, which begins on January 13, 2025, in San Francisco, California. Attendees interested in meeting with management can request meetings through the conference organizers or by contacting Edesa directly at investors@edesabiotech.com . About Edesa Biotech, Inc. Edesa Biotech, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDSA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative ways to treat inflammatory and immune-related diseases. Its clinical pipeline is focused on two therapeutic areas: Medical Dermatology and Respiratory. In Medical Dermatology, Edesa is developing EB06, an anti-CXCL10 monoclonal antibody candidate, as therapy for vitiligo, a common autoimmune disorder that causes skin to lose its color in patches. Its medical dermatology assets also include EB01 (1.0% daniluromer cream), a Phase 3-ready asset developed for use as a potential therapy for moderate-to-severe chronic Allergic Contact Dermatitis (ACD), a common occupational skin condition. The company’s most advanced Respiratory drug candidate is EB05 (paridiprubart), which is being evaluated in a U.S. government-funded platform study as a treatment for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), a life-threatening form of respiratory failure. The EB05 program has been the recipient of two funding awards from the Government of Canada to support the further development of this asset. In addition to EB05, Edesa is preparing an investigational new drug application (IND) in the United States for EB07 (paridiprubart) to conduct a future Phase 2 study in patients with pulmonary fibrosis. Sign up for news alerts . Connect with us on X and LinkedIn . Edesa Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "will," "would," "could," "should," "might," "potential," or "continue" and variations or similar expressions, including statements related to: Edesa’s ability to pivot the in-house development of its anti-TLR4 drug candidate; the company’s plans to amend its contribution agreement with the Government of Canada; the company’s goal to maximize synergies between two government-funded projects; Edesa plans to manufacture EB06 and submit related data to the FDA as part of an IND application; the company’s plans to manufacture clinical-grade drug and initiate patient enrollment; the company’s plans to finance clinical and manufacturing activities; the company’s estimate that topline results for its Phase 2 vitiligo study could be available within as few as 12 to 18 months following regulatory clearance; the company’s belief that in 2024 it maintained its momentum despite the headwinds in the drug development sector and once again validated its TLR4 technology with a third competitive government award; the company’s belief that its team can continue to advance and expand its development pipeline and partnerships; the company’s belief that its fiscal year financial results benefited from prudent use of working capital and effective financial management; the company’s belief that with two governments funding the advancement of its anti-TLR4 technology, it has improved its position for future financing, potential strategic arrangements and alternatives as well as other opportunities to advance its pipeline; and the company's timing and plans regarding its clinical studies in general. Readers should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which are not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as all such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results or future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Such risks include: the ability of Edesa to obtain regulatory approval for or successfully commercialize any of its product candidates, the risk that access to sufficient capital to fund Edesa's operations may not be available or may be available on terms that are not commercially favorable to Edesa, the risk that Edesa's product candidates may not be effective against the diseases tested in its clinical trials, the risk that Edesa fails to comply with the terms of license agreements with third parties and as a result loses the right to use key intellectual property in its business, Edesa's ability to protect its intellectual property, the timing and success of submission, acceptance and approval of regulatory filings, and the impacts of public health crises. Many of these factors that will determine actual results are beyond the company's ability to control or predict. For a discussion of further risks and uncertainties related to Edesa's business, please refer to Edesa's public company reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the British Columbia Securities Commission. All forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change. Except as required by law, Edesa assumes no obligation to update such statements.

A teenage West Ham academy goalkeeper has died aged 15 after suffering from cancer. Oscar Fairs from Benfleet, Essex, was diagnosed with a rare 7cm ependymoma brain tumour in August 2023 and underwent seven surgeries, one round of chemotherapy and one round of radiotherapy to be told palliative care was the only option. A GoFundMe page was set up to help the family raise £100,000 towards a treatment trial in France. West Ham footballers donated £27,000, chairman David Sullivan donated £10,000 and Arsenal footballer and former West Ham star Declan Rice gave £5,000, according to Ms Fairs. On Friday, West Ham announced that the 15-year-old had died. Sporting director Mark Noble said: “Oscar was adored by everyone at the Academy – not only was he a great goalkeeper, he was a true Hammer and a fantastic young person, who will be deeply missed by everyone who had the pleasure to know him. “I have wonderful memories of Oscar playing in my garden – (my son) Lenny and his teammates all loved him. “He was a friendly, happy, well-mannered and polite young man, who had such a bright future ahead of him, and it is just so unimaginably devastating that he has been taken from his family and friends at this age. “The thoughts and sincere condolences of everyone at the Club are with Oscar’s parents, Natalie and Russell, and his brother Harry, and we kindly ask that the family’s privacy is respected at this extremely difficult time.” All scheduled Academy fixtures over the weekend have been postponed as a mark of respect.NEW YORK (AP) — He’s making threats, traveling abroad and negotiating with world leaders. has more than a month and a half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the Republican president-elect is already moving aggressively not just to fill and outline policy goals, but to achieve . Trump has on goods from Canada and Mexico, prompting emergency calls and a visit from Canada’s prime minister that resulted in what Trump claimed were commitments from both U.S. allies on new border security measures. The incoming president has if, before his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, Hamas does not release the hostages being held in Gaza . He has the purchase of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company, warning “Buyer Beware!!!” And this weekend, Trump was returning to the global stage, for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral five years after it was ravaged by a fire. On Saturday, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron — joined at the last minute by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — and had plans to see Britain’s Prince William also in Paris. Absent in Paris: lame duck President Joe Biden, who has largely disappeared from headlines, except when he issued a , Hunter, who was facing sentencing for gun crimes and tax evasion. First lady Jill Biden is attending in his place. “I think you have seen more happen in the last two weeks than you’ve seen in the last four years. And we’re not even there yet,” Trump said in . For all of Trump’s bold talk, though, it is unclear how many of his efforts will bear fruit. Breaking precedent The pre-inauguration threats and deal-making are highly unusual, like so much of what Trump does, said Julian Zelizer, a political historian at Princeton University. “Transitions are always a little complicated in this way. Even though we talk about one president at a time,” he said, “the reality is one president plus. And that plus can act assertively sometimes.” Zelizer said that is particularly true of Trump, who was president previously and already has relationships with many foreign leaders such as Macron, who invited both Trump and Biden to Paris this weekend as part of the Notre Dame celebration. “Right now he’s sort of governing even though he’s not the president yet. He’s having these public meetings with foreign leaders, which aren’t simply introductions. He’s staking out policy and negotiating things from drug trafficking to tariffs,” Zelizer said. Foreign leader meetings Trump already has met with several foreign leaders, in addition to a long list of calls. Argentinian President in Florida at his Mar-a-Lago club in November. After the tariff threat, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for a three-hour dinner meeting. Canadian officials later said the country is ready to make new investments in border security, with plans for more helicopters, drones and law enforcement officers. Last Sunday, Trump dined with Sara Netanyahu, wife of the Israeli prime minister. Incoming Trump aides have also been meeting with their future foreign counterparts. On Wednesday, several members of Trump’s team, including incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz, met with Andriy Yermak, a top aide to Zelenskyy, in Washington, as Ukraine tries to win support for its ongoing efforts to defend itself from Russian invasion, according to a person familiar with the meeting. Yermak also met with Trump officials in Florida, . That comes after Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, about a cease-fire and hostage deal in Gaza, according to a U.S familiar with the efforts, meeting with the prime ministers of both countries. One president, two voices There is no prohibition on incoming officials or nominees meeting with foreign officials, and it is common and fine for them to do so — unless those meetings are designed to subvert or otherwise impact current U.S. policy. Trump aides were said to be especially cognizant of potential conflicts given their experience in 2016, when interactions between Trump allies and Russian officials came under scrutiny. That included a phone call in which Trump’s incoming national security adviser, Michael Flynn, discussed new sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States, suggesting things would improve after Trump became president. Flynn was later charged with lying to the FBI about the conversation. Trump’s incoming press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that, “All transition officials have followed applicable laws in their interactions with foreign nationals.” She added: “World leaders recognize that President Trump is returning to power and will lead with strength to put the best interests of the United States of America first again. That is why many foreign leaders and officials have reached out to correspond with President Trump and his incoming team.” Such efforts can nonetheless cause complications. If, say, Biden is having productive conversations on a thorny foreign policy issue and Trump weighs in, that could make it harder for Biden “because people are hearing two different voices” that may be in conflict, Zelizer said. Leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Netanyahu may also anticipate a more favorable incoming administration and wait Biden out, hoping for more a better deal. Coordination between incoming and outgoing administrations It also remains unclear how extensively the Biden administration has been kept apprised of Trump transition efforts. Although there is no requirement that an incoming administration coordinate calls and meetings with foreign officials with the State Department or National Security Council, that has long been considered standard practice. That is, in part, because transition teams, particularly in their early days and weeks, do not always have the latest information about the state of relations with foreign nations and may not have the resources, including interpretation and logistical ability, to handle such meetings efficiently. Still, the Biden and Trump teams have been talking, particularly on the Middle East, with the incoming and outgoing administrations having agreed to work together on efforts to free hostages who remain in held in Gaza, according to a U.S. official, who, like others, was not authorized to comment publicly about the sensitive talks and spoke on condition of anonymity. That includes conversations between Witkoff and Biden’s foreign policy team as well as Waltz and Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Last month, Biden administration officials said they had kept Trump’s team closely apprised of efforts to broker a on the Israel-Lebanon border. “I just want to be clear to all of our adversaries, they can’t play the incoming Trump administration off of the Biden administration. I’m regularly talking to the Biden people. And so, this is not a moment of opportunity or wedges for them,” Waltz said Friday in a Fox Business interview. But when it comes to immigration, Biden administration officials haven’t been entirely in the loop on discussions around how to execute on Trump’s pledge to deport millions of migrants, according to four administration officials with knowledge of the transition who spoke on condition of anonymity. That’s not terribly surprising given how differently the teams view migration. Taking credit already Trump’s team, meanwhile, is already claiming credit for everything from gains in the stock and to a decision by diversity, equity and inclusion policies Trump opposes. “Promises Kept — And President Trump Hasn’t Even Been Inaugurated Yet,” read one press release that claimed, in part, that both Canada and Mexico have already pledged “immediate action” to help “stem the flow of illegal immigration, human trafficking, and deadly drugs entering the United States.” Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has stopped short of saying Trump mischaracterized their call in late November. But she said Friday that Trump “has his own way of communicating, like when we had the phone call and he wrote that we were going to close the border. That was never talked about in the phone call.” Earlier this week, Mexico carried out what it claimed was its largest seizure of fentanyl pills ever. Seizures over the summer had been as little as 50 grams per week, and after the Trump call, they seized more than a ton. Security analyst David Saucedo said that “under the pressure by Donald Trump, it appears President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is willing to increase the capture of drug traffickers and drug seizures that Washington is demanding.” Biden, too, tried to take credit for the seizure in a statement Friday night. ___ Associated Press writers Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Colleen Long and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Mark Stevenson in Mexico City contributed to this report. Jill Colvin, The Associated PressNone

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Teflon Heat Exchanger Market Expected to Grow at a 7.7% CAGR, Reaching US$ 2.5 Bn by 2034LOS ANGELES — Until he sustained a season-ending knee injury last week in the Western Conference final, Galaxy playmaker Riqui Puig was having a tremendous season. So I heard. I watched Puig play only twice this year, once in the Galaxy's season-opening 1-1 draw with Inter Miami and a second time in his team's Fourth of July defeat to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. Outside of short highlight clips on social media, I never saw the former Barcelona prospect, not even when he assisted on the goal that sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup final. That wasn't a reflection of my interest. Some of my friends will make fun of me for publicly admitting this, but I like Major League Soccer. I covered the league in my first job out of college and have casually kept up with it since. I take my children to a couple of games a year. My 11-year-old son owns Galaxy and LAFC hats but no Dodgers or Lakers merchandise. When flipping through channels in the past, if presented with the choice of, say, college football or MLS, I usually watched MLS. But not this year. While the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will be shown on Fox and Fox Deportes, the majority of games are now exclusively behind a paywall, courtesy of the league's broadcasting deal with Apple. MLS Season Pass subscriptions were reasonably priced — $79 for the entire season for Apple TV+ subscribers, $99 for non-subscribers — but I was already paying for DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayStation Plus and who knows what else. MLS became a casualty in my household, as well as in many others, and the possibility of being out of sight and out of mind should be a concern for a league that is looking to expand its audience. Which isn't to say the league made a mistake. This was a gamble MLS had to take. Now in the second year of a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with Apple, MLS did what Major League Baseball is talking about doing, which is to centralize its broadcasting rights and sell them to a digital platform. Regional sports networks have been decimated by cord cutting, making traditional economic models unsustainable. The move to Apple not only increased the league's broadcast revenues — previous deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision were worth a combined $90 million annually, according to multiple reports — but also introduced a measure of uniformity in the league. The quality of the broadcasts are better than they were under regional sports networks. Viewers know where to watch games and when, as every one of them is on Season Pass and most of them are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time either on Wednesday or Saturday. "That's been fueling our growth and driving our fan engagement," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday at his annual state of the league address. Apple and MLS declined to reveal the number of League Pass subscribers, but the league provided polling figures that indicated 94% of viewers offered positive or neutral reviews of League Pass. The average viewing time for a game is about 65 minutes for a 90-minute game, according to Garber. In other words, the League Pass is well-liked — by the people who have it. The challenge now is to increase that audience. The launch of League Pass last year coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi, which presumably resulted in a wave of subscriptions. But the league can't count on the appearance of the next Messi; there is only one of him. MLS pointed to how its fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded television than any other U.S. sports league, as well as how 71% of its fans are under the age of 45. The league also pointed to how it effectively drew more viewers to the Apple broadcast of Inter Miami's postseason opener with a livestream of a "Messi Cam' on TikTok, indicating further collaborations with wide-reaching entities could be in its future. Garber mentioned how Season Pass is available in other countries. The commissioner also made note of how Apple places games every week in front of its paywall. "What we have, really, is a communication problem," Garber said. "This is new, and we've got to work with Apple, we've got to work with our clubs and we've got to work with our partners to get more exposure to what we think is a great product." The greatest benefit to the league could be Apple's vested interest in improving the on-field product. MLS insiders said Apple has not only encouraged teams to sign more high-profile players but also pushed the league to switch to a fall-to-spring calendar more commonplace in other parts of the world, reasoning that doing so would simplify the process of buying and selling players. The on-field product is what matters. The on-field product is why MLS continues to face competition for viewers from overseas leagues. The on-field product is why the league hasn't succeeded in converting every soccer fan into a MLS fan. And ultimately, if casual viewers such as myself are to pay to watch the Galaxy or LAFC on a screen of some kind, the on-field product will be why. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

AT&T to Release Fourth-Quarter 2024 Earnings on January 27