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Miami enters the week still stunned after losing its fourth straight game. Next up, the Hurricanes will play host to Arkansas on Tuesday night in Coral Gables, Fla., as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. Miami (3-4) lost on Saturday afternoon to Charleston Southern, a team that entered with a 1-7 record. Arkansas (5-2) is coming off a Thanksgiving loss to Illinois on a neutral floor in Kansas City, Mo. "We've got a lot to learn," said John Calipari, in his first season coaching Arkansas. "We really haven't scrimmaged because we haven't had 10 guys (due to injuries). "But this team is going to be fine." The same thing cannot confidently be said about the Hurricanes. Their first three defeats of the current skid were tough for Miami to take, losing to Drake, Oklahoma State and VCU on a neutral court as part of the Charleston Classic. But the loss to Charleston Southern -- which was a 25-point underdog -- has to be considered among the worst in Miami history. Hurricanes coach Jim Larranaga was without point guard Nijel Pack, who missed the contest due to a lower-body injury. Pack leads Miami in scoring (15.2) and assists (4.7). There are no reports on how long he will be out. With Pack unavailable, five-star freshman Jalil Bethea made his first college start. However, the 6-foot-5 shooting guard has not yet played up to his ranking. Bethea is averaging 6.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists. He is also shooting 30.0 percent on 3-pointers. Miami ranks 284th in the nation in rebounds and 259th in blocked shots. "We haven't been able to put together a solid defensive effort," Larranaga said following the loss to Charleston Southern. "Some of it has to do with fundamentals. Some of it has to do with athletic ability. Some of it has to do with size." Tuesday's game will match two veteran coaches: Larranaga, 75, and Calipari, 65. Calipari brought in seven transfers and five freshmen for his first season in Fayetteville. Two of those transfers -- 6-foot-8 wing Adou Thiero and 7-foot-2 center Zvonimir Ivisic -- were signed after leaving Kentucky, Calipari's previous stop. Thiero leads Arkansas in scoring (19.1), rebounds (5.9) and steals (2.9). Ivisic leads Arkansas in blocks (2.7) while ranking third in points (12.1). Freshman Boogie Fland, a McDonald's All-American, has made a quick transition to college ball. The 6-foot-2 point guard is second on the team in scoring (15.9) and steals (1.9) and first in assists (4.9). Among Arkansas' bench pieces are 6-foot-11 Tennessee transfer Jonas Aidoo and 6-foot-10 Arkansas holdover Trevon Brazile. Their combined 92 college starts illustrate Arkansas' depth. "The ceiling is there," Calipari said. "But we need to be the aggressors." --Field Level Media

Wales’ finance secretary laid down a challenge to Plaid Cymru after unveiling the Welsh Government’s 2025/26 draft budget which included an extra £1.5bn for public services. Prof Drakeford said he remains open to talks with Plaid Cymru about how the budget can be improved, with Labour one seat short of the majority needed to pass its spending plans. But, addressing opposition benches, he warned: “If that’s not the business you are in then, believe me, the people of Wales will see through you and the political games you think you can play with their future.” He added: “There’s £253m for local government and when you vote against the budget, you will be saying to those local authorities that you don’t want them to have a single penny of it. “That’s what serious politics is about ... and that day of reckoning is coming your way.” The cooperation agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru collapsed in 2023, and the party has said it intends to vote against this year’s budget on March 4. Leading a debate on December 10, the former first minister told the Senedd the spending plans for the 12 months from April seek to protect the most vulnerable people in society. He said: “It is a budget for priorities, it is a budget for growth, it is a budget that reminds people in Wales why, time after time, they have put their trust in a Labour government. “A government which shares their values of trust, ambition, care for one another, and especially those who need that care the most. And that ... is why this is a budget for hope, a budget which sets out on that path to deliver a brighter future.” Peter Fox, the Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, criticised Labour’s “tax-and-spend frenzy” and raised concerns economic growth could slow. Mr Fox said: “Both Labour governments just don’t understand business,” as he described national insurance increases as a tax on growth and a broken manifesto pledge. He rejected "fictitious" claims of a £22bn “blackhole” in the UK’s finances left by the Tories, adding that the Welsh budget has increased due to tax rises and vast amounts of borrowing. Mr Fox welcomed an additional £253m for local government but cautioned it will still leave councils facing a “cliffedge” with financial pressures totalling £300m. The former council leader said the Welsh Government has “finally seen sense”, agreeing to offer retail, hospitality and leisure businesses the same business rates relief as in England. Heledd Fychan, for Plaid Cymru, warned the draft budget falls short of the funding Wales is owed following the lowest real-terms increase of all the devolved nations at 1.3%. The party’s shadow finance secretary reiterated calls for billions from HS2 and replacement of the “outdated” Barnett formula with a fairer model based on population need. Ms Fychan said: “Without this, it is clear despite the uplift many sectors will be left broken and uncertain about the future: cuts will still have to be made, council tax will have to rise and the backlog across the NHS will remain incredibly high. “Yes, the investment is welcome but it is a drop in the ocean of what’s needed.” Ms Fychan, who represents South Wales West, warned the budget will largely plug gaps created by Westminster and Labour mismanagement. Labour’s Lee Waters said the opposition reaction “breeds cynicism in politics”, accusing the Conservatives of complaining about revenue raising plans while demanding more money.COSTA MESA, Calif. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Automatic, a leading fintech firm specializing in facilitating seamless connections between used independent car dealerships and lenders, today announced a strategic partnership with MeridianLink, Inc. (NYSE: MLNK), a leading provider of modern software platforms for financial institutions and consumer reporting agencies. This collaboration leverages Automatic's robust dealership network technology and MeridianLink's advanced decisioning capabilities to empower financial institutions within the automotive lending sector. Automatic's platform serves as a pivotal link for lenders across its expansive independent dealer network, offering tailored solutions that optimize loan aggregation and enhance operational efficiencies. MeridianLink's innovative Advanced Decisioning capabilities, integrated within Automatic's framework, augments decision-making for lenders across a vast network of dealerships. This integration enables real-time loan analysis, improves risk management capabilities, and facilitates faster, more precise lending decisions tailored to specific borrower profiles. "Partnering with MeridianLink ® marks a significant milestone for Automatic as we continue to innovate within the automotive financing landscape," said Eric Burney , CEO of Automatic. "Our mission to foster an 'Open Marketplace' is further realized through this collaboration, empowering lenders with tools to access new clients in a safe way." Financial institutions already integrated with MeridianLink will gain seamless access to Automatic's platform, empowering them to further streamline their lending processes, in the used independent space, enhancing member satisfaction, and capitalizing on market opportunities. For more information about Automatic and its comprehensive auto financing solutions, visit https://www.automaticusa.com . About Automatic Automatic is a pioneering fintech company dedicated to facilitating efficient connections between automotive lenders and independent pre-owned vehicle dealerships. Automatic's platform serves as a cost-effective solution for the automotive financing sector, fostering an open marketplace for stakeholders. About MeridianLink MeridianLink ® (NYSE: MLNK) empowers financial institutions and consumer reporting agencies to drive efficient growth. MeridianLink's cloud-based digital lending, account opening, background screening, and data verification solutions leverage shared intelligence from a unified data platform, MeridianLink ® One, to enable customers of all sizes to identify growth opportunities, effectively scale up, and support compliance efforts, all while powering an enhanced experience for staff and consumers alike. For more than 25 years, MeridianLink has prioritized the democratization of lending for consumers, businesses, and communities. Learn more at www.meridianlink.com . For media inquiries, please contact: nikki@automaticusa.co View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/automatic-partners-with-meridianlink-to-revolutionize-lender-dealership-connectivity-302331536.html SOURCE Automatic

WWE backstage host Cathy Kelley has become quite popular over the years, there's no doubt about it. The Illinois native has built an impressive social media following because of her work. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.

Tennis: Sun sets early at the ASB Classic

( ) is hovering above a after volatile action. Coinbase stock, a bitcoin play, started its climb after Donald Trump's election victory, as the president-elect is . But the stock's breakout has been anything but textbook. This is where trading rules can help with proper entry and profit protection. Two of the are especially critical when trading Coinbase stock: Timing Buys And Sells With Technical Analysis, and Risk Management. Coinbase Global operates a cryptocurrency trading and transfers platform and has partners in more than 100 countries. The company reported $137 billion in assets under custody as of the end of the third quarter. The stock ranks No. 1 out of 49 stocks in the Computer Software-Financial group, which holds the No. 6 spot out of the 197 IBD industry groups. Some bitcoin related stocks have jumped as the price of cryptocurrency is flirting with $100,000. Coinbase Stock Hovers Around Buy Zone Coinbase stock rose more than 3% Friday and lifted out of a buy zone up to 297.65. Shares have climbed around 64% so far this month. The stock started its ascent Nov. 6 in heavy , following Donald Trump's election victory. Shares reached the 272.55 of a late-stage two days later. The chart also flashed an alternate entry of 283.48, according to . The bitcoin stock exploded nearly 20% on Nov. 11, and topped the buy zones of both entries. It then reached the of the 272.55 buy point. Shares reversed sharply soon after and fell back below Coinbase's buy zones. This was the time to follow the as the stock plunged more than 10% and landed below the 283.48 buy point, triggering a . As if that wasn't enough, shares jumped 6.4% on Nov. 18, on news Chief Executive Brian Armstrong. Coinbase stock climbed 21% above the 272.55 entry within 15 days of its breakout, earning it a . Again, the chart was warning it was time to take some profits. This would have locked in at least some gains before the stock plunged again with another round-trip sell signal in sight. The stock has a tendency to whipsaw with wide daily spreads. But with pullbacks, there are opportunities. Additional shares could have been purchased when the stock pulled back into the buy zone. Bitcoin Play Shows Results Coinbase and sales estimates on Oct. 30. The company also announced a stock buyback program of up to $1 billion without an expiration. Its quarterly profits and revenue have been erratic, along with the stock. FactSet full-year 2024 profit forecasts show $5.42 per share, up from 37 cents per share in 2023. It's expected to then drop to $3.82 in 2025. Coinbase stock holds a best-possible 99 along with a 96 . Its of A- indicates fairly heavy institutional buying over the last 13 weeks.Victoria school board says lack of communication upended safety plan

Jimmy Carter: A brief bioFears for Gaza hospitals as fuel and aid run low