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50.jili BOONE, N.C. (AP) — South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has been hired as head coach at Appalachian State and will receive a five-year contract, athletic director Doug Gillin announced Saturday. The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, who was fired Monday after the Mountaineers finished 5-6 for their first losing season since 2013. Loggains was South Carolina's offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football," Gillin said. "He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.” Loggains' offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference's third-ranked rushing offense. Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas' tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference's East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play. App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three seasons. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballBOONE, N.C. (AP) — South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has been hired as head coach at Appalachian State and will receive a five-year contract, athletic director Doug Gillin announced Saturday. The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, who was fired Monday after the Mountaineers finished 5-6 for their first losing season since 2013. Loggains was South Carolina's offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football," Gillin said. "He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.” Loggains' offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference's third-ranked rushing offense. Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas' tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference's East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play. App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three seasons. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

LUFKIN, Texas (AP) — Tonya Jackson left an Angelina County nursing home on a recent December day, happy with the successful resolution she brokered between the staff and a resident. The elderly woman faced eviction after communication broke down between her family and the facility. That’s when Jackson stepped in. Jackson is the Deep East Texas managing local ombudsman for long-term care facilities. Each day she serves Texans living at these facilities as a state-assigned independent advocate. “We do not enter a nursing facility to wreak havoc,” Jackson said. “We enter the nursing facility to assist and advocate for the residents who do not feel they have a voice. We are there to help mend the broken bridge.” There are not enough people like Jackson in Texas, which has a dismal track record for long-term care. The state ranked 42nd for safety and quality, on a 2018 scorecard from AARP, the last time the survey was taken. The lack of ombudsmen — which include both paid staff and volunteers — is a statewide issue, and is acute in Deep East Texas, which includes Angelina, Nacogdoches and Newton counties. Just five people, two paid staff and three volunteers, bounce between 48 long-term care facilities — 34 nursing facilities and 14 assisted living facilities. “We would be lost in the long-term care community without them, but they definitely need more support across the board,” said Andrea Earl , the associate state director of advocacy and research for the AARP. In early December, the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, a group made up of representatives from local governments, called for more volunteers to bolster this program. Jackson prays the extra hands will better support her small team. She believes one volunteer for each facility would go a long way toward improving the lives of residents. “Volunteers can usually catch things that we can’t, being that our time is so limited going to each of the facilities,” Jackson said. At the same time, state officials hope the Legislature will step in to provide extra support when they reconvene in January. Patty Ducayet , the state’s lead ombudsman, wants lawmakers to fund more full-time and part-time positions, regulate the use of Medicaid and create a portal to handle involuntary discharge, the eviction of residents. Texas legislators have signaled they intend to prioritize dementia care and research this session. Earl hopes this means they’ll see the value in prioritizing the ombudsman program as well. The program has faced an uphill battle in past sessions. “This session, we have to continue to lay the groundwork to ensure that legislators over in the big pink building understand that this is a critical office to long-term care residents and families,” Earl said. The role of an ombudsman The state ombudsman works independently from the Health and Human Services Department, which oversees the state’s long-term care facilities. This independence provides ombudsmen the chance to work on behalf of residents without fearing retribution. Texas utilizes full-time employed ombudsmen to investigate complaints related to the health, safety, welfare and rights of residents in care facilities and help resolve any issues. Their work is ideally supplemented by a large force of volunteers who do similar work but for only a few hours a week. Jackson tries to see 15 to 20 people at each facility during her monthly visits. If she’s successful, she’ll meet with every resident at least once a year. The job requires patience and empathy, Jackson said. In many places, ombudsmen are the only visitors residents get from the outside world and the conversations provide them a level of peace. Her visits serve not only to connect with residents but also to establish a rapport with staff at each facility so she can more effectively address complaints. Facilities without that rapport may see ombudsmen as people just trying to stir up problems, Earl said. Ombudsmen and facilities have clashed before. In 2023, the Texas Assisted Living Association worked with Rep. Travis Clardy, R-Nacogdoches on legislation that Earl said would have made the job of ombudsman harder. The legislation would have limited what files ombudsmen could review, even when it is requested by the patient, Earl said. “Accessing those documents and looking at history, especially when we’re talking about dementia patients and those facing severe medical issues, is a key part of what they do,” Earl said. Carmen Tilton, the vice president of public policy for the Texas Assisted Living Association, said the organization supported House Bill 4220 , which would have impacted ombudsman access to patient records. Their goal wasn’t to curb access, however, but to bring Texas regulation in line with federal regulations. Prior to this, even volunteer ombudsmen – without consent from residents – could access any resident information. This meant they could access Social Security numbers, bank account information, doctors information, prescriptions, and more, Tilton said. The bill also sought changes to training to clarify the differences between facilities and to establish guidelines for what is an ombudsman’s job and what is that of law enforcement. “It was perceived as an attack on the program, which was not our intent,” Tilton said. Clardy dropped the bill before it went for a vote. Since then, the ombudsman office has worked with the Texas Assisted Living Association directly to institute many of the changes Tilton hoped to see within the organization’s framework without requiring legislative intervention. Making changes actually happen within the facility can be difficult, slow and may result in backsliding instead of progress, Ducayet said. An ombudsman may fix a problem for one resident only to be back in the same facility facing the same problem with another resident. This can be extremely frustrating and requires volunteers and staff to have patience. When done right, the issues are resolved within the facility — between the administration, residents and their families — and don’t require state intervention. Jackson does a good job of this, said Lynne’ Nix , the business office manager for Shady Acres Health & Rehabilitation in Newton County. Nix’s relationship with Jackson has been built on the belief that Jackson’s interventions help both the facility and the resident. Sometimes a resident isn’t comfortable speaking their mind and the situation deteriorates quickly. The ombudsman is the logical answer. “They’re the true advocates for the residents,” Nix said. A shortage of ombudsman In 2024 , the state ombudsman program had a 25% turnover rate of paid staff, the highest it has ever been. Those who have stayed are overworked, Ducayet said. Ideally, Texas would have one staff member for every 2,000 licensed care facility beds. Right now, Texas has one person for every 2,514 beds, she said. If the program was fully staffed, then paid personnel could focus their work on recruiting and supporting more volunteers, Ducayet said. An additional 22 full-time employees would further improve advocacy statewide. Local volunteers, who are often people whose family members are in long-term care facilities, or are eyeing a facility for themselves, serve as the “boots on the ground,” Earl said. They can accomplish a lot if they can focus on one or two facilities at a time, Ducayet said. But that’s not a reality for Texas right now. Since 2019, the number of active volunteers has decreased by more than 100 people, leaving only 300 people to serve as volunteers across the state. The work, whether as a volunteer or a full-time staff member, takes its toll. Residents, who are often elderly or ailing, die. The sudden loss of a person who you have been meeting with for months, or even years, can be extremely difficult, Ducayet said. After serving in the field for 18 years, she learned that any meeting with a person could be her last. “Those are hard things,” Ducayet said. “It takes resilience and grit, like most hard things do.” Fewer staff and volunteers means longer times between visits to care facilities. Having more eyes and ears on the ground helps address problems at a facility more quickly, Ducayet said. This could go a long way toward improving elderly care and preventing problems from escalating to the point where state intervention feels necessary. What can be done Ducayet has several goals this legislative session to improve the ombudsman program and care for residents of long-term care facilities overall. First is increasing state funding for the ombudsman program by about $3 million. This would cover the cost of 22 additional full-time ombudsmen statewide, including a quality assurance officer and discharge rights officer at the state level. She also wants to resolve noncompliance with state and federal discharge rules by nursing facilities. Involuntary discharge, like what Jackson’s client was facing in early December, is the No. 1 complaint received by the program. Ducayet believes creating an online portal for nursing homes to file discharge notices, hiring for a position that is over discharges statewide and making it increasing fines if a nursing home violates discharge laws will help. Increasing staff at long-term care facilities should also be a priority, Ducayet said. She and the AARP are advocating for the state to require nursing homes to use 85% of Medicaid reimbursements for payroll. This would put the money in the hands of caregivers, instead of corporations, Ducayet said. A similar bill was proposed in 2023. The Texas Senate approved it, as did a House committee. But it never received a full vote by the state House. . Earl believes it can go all the way this year. These goals may not necessarily resolve the major issues within the long-term care industry in Texas, but they would go a long way toward increasing accountability in the industry, Earl said. The AARP shares many of Ducayet’s goals, and Earl believes the work completed during the 88th Legislative Session to educate lawmakers about the ombudsman program and how it’s funded could help them progress. She is optimistic, but also weary of what is gearing up to be a potentially complicated session. While Ducayet is working at the state level to improve upon the program, Jackson has other goals – mainly: to find more local volunteers. If she could find one volunteer for each of the 48 facilities in Deep East Texas, an 11 county region, then she could feel more confident that her program is truly meeting the needs of this vulnerable population. This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Exciting news for gamers as the highly anticipated new title "The Fading Light" has been officially announced to make its debut at The Game Awards (TGA)! With just days away from the big event, players around the world are buzzing with excitement and anticipation for what promises to be a groundbreaking addition to the gaming world.The Coalition will reveal details of its nuclear power plan this week, with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton confirming long-awaited costings would be released in the coming days. Speaking to Sky News on Sunday morning, Mr Dutton said the Coalition has stuck to a "very deliberate process" of drip-feeding information about its plan to ensure the Australian public could consume and understand the proposal. "The damage that the Labour Party is doing to the Australian economy is staggering and particularly through their energy policy, manufacturers are fleeing our shores," Mr Dutton told Sky News political editor Andrew Clennell. Mr Dutton cited Frontier Economics which refuted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's claim electricity and gas bills would cost $12 billion, instead, a "conservative estimate" found energy bills would cost "well over $600 billion". Mr Dutton was pressed on the costings of his plan and whether it will be in the hundreds of billions of dollars.+ The Opposition Leader said the estimates were done by Frontier Economics, the "most credible economic model in the country" and employed by Labor across the country. "Interestingly, the work that they did, which demonstrated that the cost of the renewables-only policy wasn't $122B, it was well over $600B, has not been criticised, nor has the government picked apart the assumptions that have been drawn by the conclusions that have been drawn by Frontier Economics," Mr Dutton said. "We're going to lose jobs and economic activity and capital is being taken from our country and going to other parts of the world by global boards who just don't want to invest under this government." Mr Dutton said 19 of the top 20 economies in the world had nuclear power or were in the process of developing technology, with Australia being the only one that has not signed up to it. The Opposition Leader said food prices were soaring due to unaffordable energy prices, not just for families, but for farmers as well. When asked if nuclear energy would be only 4 per cent of the grid, according to Energy Minister Chris Bowen, Mr Dutton flatly said "no". "There's more that we'll have to say in relation to cost and the way in which we can utilise the existing distribution network by ramping up the energy that we're producing out of our seven coal fired power stations with the latest generation nuclear technology," he said. "And that's a sensible way to do it because part of the government's policy is to roll out 28,000km of new poles and wires, which frankly will never happen. "The government's living this lie at the moment, and unfortunately we're seeing a three fold increase in manufacturing closures." On Thursday, Mr Dutton announced a Coalition government will cancel the controversial Port Stephens offshore wind zone if he is elected. The Albanese government’s planned wind farm has been expected to generate up to five gigawatts of power for about four million homes. During a press conference, Mr Dutton revealed he would scrap the project, citing concerns about the environment, economy and energy reliability. “It is in our country's best interest and in this local community's best interest if this project doesn't proceed,” Mr Dutton said. “The ongoing environmental impact, the emissions, the servicing, the oil that's required to run one of these turbines, all of that needs to be taken into consideration.” Instead, the Coalition has proposed nuclear power plants as an alternative energy source to provide more baseload power over a longer period. Wind turbines have a short lifespan of about 20 years, while small modular reactors have a life span of about 80 years.

Appalachian State hires South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains as head coachThe defendants, Yang Hua and Ying, were accused of abducting and selling children for profit. This heart-wrenching crime not only violates the law but also goes against the most fundamental values of human decency. The victims, innocent children who were taken away from their families and sold into a life of uncertainty and suffering, deserve justice and closure.

At the same time, China has also demonstrated a strong commitment to respecting South Korea's internal affairs. This principle is based on the understanding that every country has the right to manage its own domestic affairs without outside interference. China has consistently supported South Korea in upholding its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while also urging all parties to refrain from actions that could undermine regional stability.Why Donald Trump Can't Actually Buy Greenland, According to ExpertsJiangsu Huachang Group, a local state-owned enterprise, has also made significant strides in the province's real estate sector. Through strategic partnerships and targeted development initiatives, Jiangsu Huachang Group has achieved notable sales growth and expanded its market reach. The company's focus on community engagement and sustainable practices has resonated with customers and stakeholders, positioning it as a key player in Jiangsu Province's real estate industry.

The surgery initially seemed successful, and the woman was pleased with the immediate results. However, her joy soon turned to anguish as she began experiencing excruciating pain and alarming symptoms in the days that followed. Worried and distressed, she sought medical help, only to discover that the clinic where she had undergone the surgery had no qualifications or proper accreditation to perform such procedures.

The highly anticipated sixth installment of the "Final Destination" franchise, titled "Death Is Coming 6," has officially set a release date for next year to commemorate its 25th anniversary. Fans of the long-running supernatural horror series can mark their calendars for May as the film is scheduled to hit theaters worldwide.

, a celebration deeply rooted in African heritage and culture, is not only a festival of unity and community but also a culinary journey through a rich tapestry of flavors and traditions. Originating in 1966 during the Civil Rights Movement by activist , Ph.D., Kwanzaa was created as a holiday specifically for African-Americans. The name "Kwanzaa" derives from the Swahili phrase "matunda ya kwanza," meaning "first fruits," harkening back to the times of collective harvest and communal gratitude. Celebrated from December 26 to January 1, each of the seven nights of Kwanzaa is dedicated to a different principle or social value. The sixth night, Kuumba, meaning "creativity," is especially notable for its focus on a festive feast. This feast, or Karamu, is a time for rejoicing in the shared heritage and cultural richness of the African diaspora. While there is no set Kwanzaa menu, it is customary to serve African and African-influenced foods for any Kwanzaa meal. What Food is Eaten on Kwanzaa? The dishes served during Kwanzaa reflect the diverse culinary influences of African, Caribbean, and Southern American cuisines. Some of the traditional and popular dishes include:Revlon Signs Lease to Relocate its New Jersey-based Science and Innovation Lab to The Northeast Science & Technology (NEST) Center

Amicorp Group has announced its intention to challenge a claim exceeding $1 billion from the scandal-plagued Malaysian fund 1MDB. The corporate services provider denies any knowledge or facilitation of over $7 billion in fraudulent transactions associated with the embezzlement of 1MDB funds. In a statement released late Monday, Amicorp said it would contest the legal action initiated by Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad, in the British Virgin Islands. 1MDB claims Amicorp, headquartered in Hong Kong, and its CEO played a crucial role in the fraud that took place between 2009 and 2014, making it one of the largest claims tied to the multibillion-dollar graft scandal. Investigations by Malaysian and U.S. authorities previously suggested that $4.5 billion was illicitly diverted from 1MDB, implicating former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Goldman Sachs employees, and high-level officials globally. Amicorp is accused of orchestrating a sophisticated conspiracy involving shell companies and fake transactions to conceal the movement of funds. Amicorp argues that the funds were misappropriated by senior Malaysian officials and the top management of Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Co and its subsidiary Aabar Investments PJS. In 2023, these UAE firms agreed to pay $1.8 billion to Malaysia in settlement over the 1MDB scandal. Najib Razak, who established 1MDB in 2009, is now serving a prison sentence for corruption and money laundering involving former unit SRC International. Despite his reduced sentence, he continues to face several other corruption trials linked to 1MDB. Amicorp claims it has not been subject to any administrative investigations or civil lawsuits, affirming its cooperation with Singaporean and Swiss authorities under mutual assistance arrangements in criminal matters, though it provided no further details. (With inputs from agencies.)Media leaders end management proogrammeOpposition fighters are closing in on Syria’s capital in a swiftly developing crisis that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria's army has abandoned key cities in the west and south with little resistance. Nervous residents in Damascus describe security forces on the streets. The state news agency has been forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad has left the country. Who are these opposition fighters ? If they enter Damascus after taking two of Syria’s largest cities , what then? Here’s a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and his government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria’s 13-year civil war reignites . This is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham , or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in the northwest. They launched the shock offensive on Nov. 27 with gunmen capturing Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the fourth largest. The HTS has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. But the group said in recent years it cut ties with al-Qaida, and experts say HTS has sought to remake itself in recent years by focusing on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that the aim of the offensive is to overthrow Assad’s government. The HTS and Syrian National Army have been allies at times and rivals at times, and their aims might diverge. The Turkish-backed militias also have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep away Kurdish militants at odds with Ankara. Turkey has been a main backer of the fighters seeking to overthrow Assad but more recently has urged reconciliation, and Turkish officials have strongly rejected claims of any involvement in the current offensive. Whether the HTS and the Syrian National Army will work together if they succeed in overthrowing Assad or turn on each other again is a major question. While the flash offensive against Syria’s government began in the north, armed opposition groups have also mobilized elsewhere. The southern areas of Sweida and Daraa have both been taken locally. Sweida is the heartland of Syria’s Druze religious minority and had been the site of regular anti-government protests even after Assad seemingly consolidated his control over the area. Daraa is a Sunni Muslim area that was widely seen as the cradle of the uprising against Assad’s rule that erupted in 2011. Daraa was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018, but rebels remained in some areas. In recent years, Daraa was in a state of uneasy quiet under a Russian-mediated ceasefire deal. And much of Syria's east is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group backed by the United States that in the past has clashed with most other armed groups in the country. Syria’s government now controls just four of 14 provincial capitals. Much depends on Assad’s next moves and his forces' will to fight. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs. If that city is captured, the link would be cut between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where he enjoys wide support. “Homs to the coastal cities will be a very huge red line politically and socially. Politically, if this line is crossed, then we are talking about the end of the entire Syria, the one that we knew in the past,” said a Damascus resident, Anas Joudeh. Assad appears to be largely on his own as allies Russia and Iran are distracted by other conflicts and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah has been weakened by its war with Israel, now under a fragile ceasefire. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, is calling for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition,” saying the situation is changing by the minute. He met with foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. President-elect Donald Trump in his first extensive comments on the developments in Syria said the besieged Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on social media.

Title: The Rise of Social Commerce in the U.S. - Can TikTok's Black Friday Craze Sustain the Billion-Dollar "Feast"?In addition to the live demonstrations, the promotions also include screenings of select episodes of "Ming Dynasty" followed by Q&A sessions with the cast and crew. Fans have the opportunity to learn more about the making of the show, hear behind-the-scenes stories, and interact with their favorite stars, creating a truly immersive and engaging experience.