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4 roulette The Seattle Seahawks placed leading rusher Kenneth Walker III on injured reserve due to an ankle injury and signed George Holani off the practice squad on Thursday afternoon. Walker had been ruled out earlier in the day ahead of Thursday's game against the host Chicago Bears. He returned from a two-game absence due to an ailing calf on Sunday before injuring his ankle in the Seahawks' 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Zach Charbonnet is set to shoulder the load in the backfield for the Seahawks (8-7), who have lost two in a row heading into Thursday's game against the Bears (4-11). Seattle is in a must-win situation. Even if the Seahawks can top Chicago and beat the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18, they still might miss out on the postseason because of the strength-of-victory tiebreaker. Walker, 24, leads Seattle in carries (153) and rushing yards (573) to go along with seven rushing touchdowns. Charbonnet, 23, has a team-best eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 106 carries for 453 yards. Holani, who turned 25 on Dec. 16, has three carries for 10 yards in three games this season. He is an undrafted rookie out of Boise State. The Seahawks also ruled out tight end Brady Russell (foot) and safety K'Von Wallace (ankle) for Thursday's game. Cornerback Artie Burns was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for the contest. The Bears will be without defensive backs Elijah Hicks (ankle/foot) and Tarvarius Moore (knee), running back Travis Homer (hamstring) and offensive lineman Teven Jenkins (calf). --Field Level MediaCancer Horoscope Today: Expenditures might rise

Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.Tesla ( TSLA 5.10% ) stock investors received an early Christmas gift from Hyundai ( HYMTF -7.03% ) this morning: at least 112,000 new potential customers for its Supercharger electric car charging system . Tesla stock is up 4.5% through 10:45 a.m. ET on the news. Details, please Tesla spent the bulk of 2023 reporting a series of alliances with other carmakers around the world, in the form of announcements that these other carmakers -- Hyundai, Honda , GM , Ford Motor Company , and others -- would switch their electric cars' primary charging technology from the putative "Common Charging System" for all carmakers, to Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) instead. In Hyundai's case, the switchover began in Q4 2024 -- as in, from now onwards, all Hyundai electric vehicles should be sold exclusively with NACS charging connectors. But what about all the electric Hyundais that have already been sold with CCS connectors, you ask? Well, adaptors are available for sale. General Motors will sell its customers a NACS adapter for $225, and Ford will sell one for $200. As InsideEVs reported this morning, however, Hyundai is going to start giving away NACS adaptors for free. This will enable owners of early-edition Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, and Kona Electric EVs to begin using Tesla's Superchargers immediately, and at no cost (well, aside from the cost of the electricity), which should encourage them to make the switch. Hyundai's Christmas gift to Tesla What does this mean for Tesla? Well, according to data from goodcarbadcar.net, Hyundai has sold about 112,000 Ioniq EVs in the U.S. already, and an unspecified number of Konas. And Hyundai EV sales are growing strongly up 77% in November, with more than 50,000 EV sales in 2024 so far, and a new Ioniq 9 on the way. Long story short, Hyundai just gifted Tesla at least 112,000 new potential electric car customers for its Supercharger network, with tens of thousands more on the way. This should make for a very merry Christmas for Tesla investors.

After pushing remote work before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt now wants state employees to come back to the office full time in early 2025. Stitt issued an executive order on Wednesday directing state employees to perform their work in an office, facility, or field location assigned by their agency by Feb. 1. The move mirrors an effort pushed by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the unelected businessmen appointed by incoming President Donald Trump to study government efficiency at the federal level. Stitt, in a press release, said pandemic-era work arrangements should end. “COVID altered the way we did business for a time, but that time has passed,” Stitt said. “Now, we need to put stewardship of taxpayer dollars as our top priority. Oklahomans deserve a government that operates with full accountability and delivers services effectively. Returning to traditional work environments is a critical step in achieving that goal.” Stitt’s executive order includes several exceptions. Agencies that have eliminated office space in the last few years and would have problems accommodating a full return to office could get an exception from the policy. Agency executives can also approve teleworking for employees with non-standard work hours. The Department of Corrections used the increased use of state employee teleworking to move its Oklahoma City headquarters this year. Agency leaders found space at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority building north of the Capitol partly because more Health Care Authority employees were teleworking. Stitt put the Office of Management and Enterprise Services in charge of collecting data from agencies on teleworking status after the executive order goes into effect. OMES had almost 30% of its employees working remotely in fiscal year 2024, the agency disclosed in budget documents this year. Another 60% of the agency’s 1,036 employees were in a hybrid work arrangement, which means they were onsite two to four days per week. As a state agency, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education will comply with the executive order, said Angela Caddell, associate vice chancellor for communications. “State system institutions are reviewing the EO, and any next steps will be determined by the respective campus governing boards,” Caddell said in an email. The latest statewide employee engagement survey , issued by OMES in July, showed widespread satisfaction with telework or a hybrid arrangement. The survey had responses from 16,000 employees across 111 state agencies. “Respondents indicating either hybrid or full-time telework had slightly higher favorable responses related to engagement and satisfaction,” the report said. “Among those indicating a full-time or hybrid telework status, engagement is slightly higher and satisfaction is slightly lower among employees working hybrid schedules.” Department of Government Efficiency Musk and Ramaswamy said in a Wall Street Journal opinion column last month their reform project, which they dubbed the Department of Governmental Efficiency, could lead to lower costs if the federal government got rid of telework. “Requiring federal employees to come to the office five days a week would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome: If federal employees don’t want to show up, American taxpayers shouldn’t pay them for the COVID-era privilege of staying home,” Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in the opinion column. Some Oklahoma lawmakers said Stitt’s executive order could hamper efforts to keep state employment competitive with the private sector. In recent years, lawmakers on a bipartisan basis have expanded state benefits to include 6 weeks of paid maternity leave for state employees. “We want great jobs in our state with opportunities for advancement,” said Senate Democratic Leader Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City. “These state positions need to be competitive with modern employers to provide high quality, desirable jobs. We were just hearing cost savings reports from state agencies who moved positions to remote work. What will it cost in taxpayer funds with this U-turn?” House Democratic Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, said offering telework as an option to prospective state employees helps recruitment, especially in rural areas. “With all the costs of getting to work, paying for gas and car maintenance, especially if you’re living in a rural area, being able to access a job and being able to work from home is a huge benefit,” Munson said. “And it’s a way to grow our workforce for state employees.” Munson said both private and public sector employees have reevaluated their work-life balance in the wake of the pandemic. “We spend the majority of our days working,” Munson said. “If you can work from home and be as effective and efficient in the comfort of your home, why would we take that away from folks? It’s very confusing.” The Department of Human Services, which at more than 6,200 employees is the state’s largest agency, had 44% of its workforce working remotely in fiscal year 2024. DHS closed dozens of county offices in the early part of the pandemic and pushed employees to telework or to be embedded with other social service agencies, The Frontier found in a July, 2021 investigation . In his 2021 State of the State address , Stitt touted the benefits of teleworking for state employees. He mentioned an employee called Cody, who worked for the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission in Idabel. “Cody was doing way more work than his title and job description indicated, but factors out of his control made a promotion nearly impossible,” Stitt said in the speech. “One of those factors was location. An agency policy required directors to live in Oklahoma City. Generations of Cody’s family had lived in Idabel and a promotion wasn’t worth leaving his family. It took a pandemic – and my Executive Order to have state employees working from home – to change the policy so he could become a director.”

Jammu: Five soldiers were killed and 5 others injured in a road accident in J&K’s Poonch district on Tuesday, officials said. Officials said that an army vehicle, which was on its way from Nilam Headquarters to the Balnoi Ghora Post, met with an accident upon reaching Ghora Post. “The vehicle fell into a deep gorge around 300-350 feet deep resulting in on-the-spot death of five soldiers and serious injuries to five other soldiers. The vehicle was part of the 11 MLA. After receiving the distress call, the quick reaction team (QRT) of 11 MLI immediately reached the spot and undertook rescue and relief operations,” an official said. The injured soldiers were shifted to the hospital for treatment and the condition of a few of them is said to be critical, the official said. The Nagrota-headquartered White Knight Corps of the army said on X: “All ranks of #WhiteKnightCorps extend their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers in a vehicle accident during operational duty in the #Poonch sector. Rescue operations are ongoing, and the injured personnel are receiving medical care”. Northern Command chief Lt Gen M.V.SuchindraKumar and all ranks also extended their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers. “DhruvaCommand stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief”, it said in a post on X. The army has been maintaining heightened vigil on the Line of Control (LoC) after intelligence reports that terrorists are waiting at the launch pads across the border to infiltrate into the Indian side before the mountain passes are closed by heavy snowfall this year.Blake Lively's claims put spotlight on 'sinister' Hollywood tactics

ECRL seeks stronger relations with municipalities

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --WuKong Education, a leading online K-12 education provider, has been named to the highly-anticipated 2025 edition of the GSV 150 : GSV's annual list of the top 150 private companies transforming digital learning and workforce skills. This recognition underscores WuKong Education's transformative role in the EdTech industry and its commitment to empowering students worldwide through AI-powered personalized learning. Out of more than 2,500 global VC- and PE-backed companies, WuKong Education was selected for the 2025 GSV 150 based on a proprietary evaluation framework, including revenue scale, growth, user reach, geographic diversification, and margin profile. The 2025 cohort of the GSV 150 collectively reaches 3B learners and generates over $25B in annual revenue. "The rapid rise of generative AI is fueling knowledge and creating opportunities we had not imagined before," says Luben Pampoulov, Partner at GSV Ventures. "Multi-modality is making education more engaging, AI tools are driving personalization and productivity, and learning is happening at the speed of light. Effectively everyone across the 2025 GSV 150 has generative AI deeply embedded in their offering." WuKong Education is revolutionizing online education for students aged 3-18 worldwide, offering courses in Chinese, Mathematics, and English Language Arts. By leveraging cutting-edge AI technology, WuKong Education empowers students from 118 countries with a unique learning journey that ignites curiosity, nurtures creativity, and sharpens critical thinking skills. Powered by AI, WuKong Education adapts to each student's unique needs, ensuring that every learner receives a personalized educational journey: This AI-driven teaching model has not only significantly improved student academic performance but also fostered the holistic development of students, earning widespread praise from students and parents around the world. "We are honored to be named to the 2025 GSV 150," said Vicky Wang , founder and CEO of WuKong Education. "This recognition affirms our ongoing commitment to revolutionizing education. By combining the expertise of our teaching and research teams with the possibilities of AI, we are setting a new benchmark for digital education to empower students globally." Earlier this year, WuKong Education was named a 2024 Cognia® School of Distinction for excellence in education by Cognia®, a globally recognized education quality certification organization, and was also listed in the AU&NZ EdTech Top 50 by HolonIQ, a global leader in impact intelligence, for the third consecutive year. These recognitions underscore WuKong Education's continued leadership in the global EdTech industry and its ongoing dedication to delivering exceptional education to learners around the world. About WuKong Education Based in Silicon Valley, WuKong Education is shaping the future of online learning for students aged 3 to 18. WuKong Education's three core programs—WuKong Chinese, WuKong Math, and WuKong English (ELA)—combine AI-driven technology, expert educators, and personalized services to deliver engaging, dynamic learning experiences. With over 400,000 families served globally, WuKong Education is empowering students to succeed and become lifelong learners in an ever-changing world. Learn more at: wukongsch.com . About GSV Founded in 2011, GSV is a global platform that drives education and workforce skills innovation. We believe that ALL people have equal access to the future, and that scaled innovations in "PreK to Gray" learning and skills are crucial to achieving this goal. The GSV platform includes the ASU+GSV Summit , hosted annually in San Diego with 7,000+ attendees; the India -based ASU+GSV & Emeritus Summit , now entering its third year; and The AI Show @ ASU+GSV , an immersive exploration of the AI Revolution in education, which welcomed 10,000+ attendees this year. GSV Ventures , GSV's investment arm founded in 2015, is a multi-stage venture fund investing in the most transformational companies across the global "PreK to Gray" landscape.

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As technology markets rapidly commoditize, new research insights from Info-Tech Research Group highlight how smarter, more agile procurement methods enable quicker, more efficient purchasing decisions in a market defined by constant innovation and disruption. The recently published resource from the global research and advisory firm offers IT leaders actionable strategies to streamline procurement, reduce evaluation timelines, and maintain a competitive edge. TORONTO , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Global research and advisory firm Info-Tech Research Group explains in a new industry resource that traditional procurement processes are proving inadequate for IT leaders tasked with navigating rapidly commoditizing technology markets. In the firm's new blueprint, Stop Wasting Time Evaluating Commoditized Products and Services , Info-Tech highlights how outdated methods, lengthy evaluations, and resource-intensive approaches can hinder organizations from adapting to fast-paced innovation. The resource will equip IT leaders with the tools needed to streamline procurement cycles to save time, reduce costs, and maintain a competitive edge in a landscape being rapidly shaped by exponential technological change. As technology markets accelerate toward commoditization, Info-Tech's resource emphasizes the need for IT leaders to evolve their procurement strategies. The blueprint details how hyperchange affects traditional approaches, urging organizations to embrace agile evaluation methods to stay competitive. "There's a new word in the IT dictionary – hyperchange. It's not a new concept, though – Moore's Law led to the law of accelerating returns, which very naturally led to what is being called hyperchange," says Mark Tauschek , Vice President of Research Fellowships at Info-Tech Research Group . "It means that the lifecycle time from innovation to commodity in most mainstream technology markets is rapidly shrinking. There have been many examples over the past 20 years, including cloud computing, smartphones, and countless applications. Innovations are even being commoditized from the outset, particularly at the consumer level." In a recent Forbes article , Tauschek elaborates on the challenges posed by hyperchange and the accelerating commoditization of technology markets and stresses the critical role IT leaders play in recognizing and adapting to these rapid shifts. The article reinforces the importance of rethinking traditional procurement methods to streamline decision-making and align purchasing strategies with business objectives. These insights align with the strategies detailed in the firm's blueprint, which guides IT leaders in developing more efficient procurement processes for commoditized products and services. The firm's insights demonstrate that effective procurement in commoditized markets requires more than just cost-cutting; it demands a strategic shift toward smarter, faster decision-making aligned with business goals. "Evaluating and procuring technology solutions has become increasingly time-consuming and resource-intensive, especially in markets where products quickly transition from innovation to commodity," Tauschek explains. "This is where IT leaders need to adopt more agile evaluation methods to prioritize value and eliminate unnecessary complexity." Six Stages of Technology Market Evolution Info-Tech's blueprint, Stop Wasting Time Evaluating Commoditized Products and Services , identifies six distinct stages of technology market evolution, providing IT leaders with a clear framework for navigating the lifecycle of commoditized products and services: Stage 1 – Nascent Market: Emerging technologies with compelling use cases show potential but remain underdeveloped and niche. Stage 2 – Features Arms Race: Rapid innovation defines this stage as new entrants compete for differentiation and market share. Stage 3 – Feature Parity: As products achieve similar functionality, differentiation through features becomes negligible. Stage 4 – Consolidation: Smaller vendors either scale up or are acquired by larger competitors, reshaping the vendor landscape. Stage 5 – Commoditized Market: Price becomes the primary differentiator as larger vendors dominate the market through low-margin strategies. Stage 6 – Oligopoly: The market stabilizes, leaving a few dominant players controlling the majority share. As technology markets continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace, Info-Tech advises that IT leaders must rethink their procurement strategies to stay ahead. By applying the proven methodologies outlined in Info-Tech's blueprint, IT leaders can significantly streamline decision-making, reduce evaluation times, and align procurement practices with business goals. Through the adoption of more agile and targeted approaches, IT teams can navigate the challenges of hyperchange, optimize resource allocation, and drive long-term success in markets that are rapidly becoming commoditized. For exclusive and timely commentary from Mark Tauschek , an expert in IT infrastructure and operations, and access to the complete Stop Wasting Time Evaluating Commoditized Products and Services blueprint , please contact pr@infotech.com . About Info-Tech Research Group Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT and HR professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations. To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services and SoftwareReviews for software buying insights. Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com . For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hyperchanging-tech-markets-demand-smarter-procurement-and-agile-evaluation-says-info-tech-research-group-302320029.html SOURCE Info-Tech Research GroupBigBear.ai Hldgs Unusual Options ActivityThe slump in the number of people heading to the shops during Boxing Day sales signals a return to declining pre-pandemic levels, an analyst has said. Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.

The Mirror and the Light: the series takes Hilary Mantel’s manifesto for historical fiction to heartSANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — When the San Francisco 49ers used a third-round pick to draft Jake Moody last year, the hope was it would settle their kicking position for years to come. A shaky second half to Moody’s second season with San Francisco has put that into question headed to the offseason. Moody missed his sixth field goal in the past seven games last week, leading to questions about whether the 49ers will need to replace him or at least bring in competition for next season. Coach Kyle Shanahan expressed confidence in Moody on Thursday, attributing some of the struggles to a high ankle sprain he suffered in his kicking leg earlier in the season. “I still feel the same about him, that I believe he is going to be our guy,” Shanahan said. “Everyone has got to perform and do things like that and I think he has had a tough year. ... I thought he was doing really well and then had a high ankle sprain to his kicking foot. Since he’s come back, he hasn’t been as consistent, obviously. But I think a lot of that probably has to do with that, just common-sense wise.” Moody got off to a strong start this season, making all six field goals he attempted in the season opener and going 13 for 14 before injuring his ankle while attempting to make a tackle on a kickoff return in Week 5. RELATED COVERAGE Dolphins are on the outside of AFC playoffs and need help and a win over Browns to have any chance Bills seek to shore up playoff positioning in hosting Jets team looking ahead to uncertain offseason Surging Rams host the eliminated Cardinals in the rematch of a rare blowout loss for Sean McVay He missed three games and has struggled since he returned. He missed three field goals in first first game back at Tampa Bay, two more in the snow at Buffalo in Week 13 and then a 41-yarder last week against the Dolphins. “That’s the great thing about kicking is, you can be as talented as whoever and you can struggle,” Moody said. “I feel like this year, I’ve struggled. It doesn’t really waver my confidence or anything. I feel like, throughout my entire life, I’ve gone through struggles, I’ve gone through high points. The biggest thing is to just stay consistent, not change anything.” Moody had an up-and-down rookie season, making 21 of 25 field goals in the regular season and missing only one extra point. But he missed a potential game-winning kick in a loss at Cleveland and missed field goals in playoff wins against Green Bay and Detroit. Moody then made three field goals in the Super Bowl with two coming from more than 50 yards, including a go-ahead 53-yard kick late in the fourth quarter against Kansas City. But Moody also had an extra point blocked in that game. “I believe we’ve got the right guy and I think that eventually, I think he has shown that at times,” Shanahan said. “I thought he showed that at times his rookie year. I thought he showed that big time being 12 out of 13 to start this year. And I think he’ll show us all that in the future.” NOTES: The Niners placed LT Trent Williams on IR after his ankle injury hasn’t healed as quickly as hoped. Shanahan didn’t think there were any long-term issues. ... LB Dre Greenlaw (calf) will be shut down for the rest of the season after playing parts of two games in his return from a torn left Achilles tendon. ... OL Spencer Burford (calf) didn’t practice but might be able to play this week. ... San Francisco has signed two OL this week, adding Matt Hennessy and Charlie Heck. ... RB Isaac Guerendo (hamstring, foot) was limited but appears on track to play this week. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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Who is Kash Patel, Trump's pick to lead the FBI?Israeli police set to probe Netanyahu’s wife over ‘harassment of witnesses’By MATTHEW BROWN and JACK DURA BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Donald Trump assigned Doug Burgum a singular mission in nominating the governor of oil-rich North Dakota to lead an agency that oversees a half-billion acres of federal land and vast areas offshore: “Drill baby drill.” That dictate from the president-elect’s announcement of Burgum for Secretary of Interior sets the stage for a reignition of the court battles over public lands and waters that helped define Trump’s first term, with environmentalists worried about climate change already pledging their opposition. Burgum is an ultra-wealthy software industry entrepreneur who grew up on his family’s farm. He represents a tame choice compared to other Trump Cabinet picks. Public lands experts said his experience as a popular two-term governor who aligns himself with conservationist Teddy Roosevelt suggests a willingness to collaborate, as opposed to dismantling from within the agency he is tasked with leading. That could help smooth his confirmation and clear the way for the incoming administration to move quickly to open more public lands to development and commercial use. “Burgum strikes me as a credible nominee who could do a credible job as Interior secretary,” said John Leshy, who served as Interior’s solicitor under former President Bill Clinton. “He’s not a right-wing radical on public lands,” added Leshy, professor emeritus at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco. Frictions over lands The Interior Department manages about one-fifth of the country’s land with a mandate that spans from wildlife conservation and recreation to natural resource extraction and fulfilling treaty obligations with Native American tribes. Most of those lands are in the West, where frictions with private landowners and state officials are commonplace and have sometimes mushroomed into violent confrontations with right-wing groups that reject federal jurisdiction. Burgum if confirmed would be faced with a pending U.S. Supreme Court action from Utah that seeks to assert state power over Interior Department lands. North Dakota’s attorney general has supported the lawsuit, but Burgum’s office declined to say if he backs Utah’s claims. U.S. Justice Department attorneys on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to reject Utah’s lawsuit. They said Utah in 1894 agreed to give up its right to the lands at issue when it became a state. Trump’s narrow focus on fossil fuels is a replay from his 2016 campaign — although minus coal mining, a collapsing industry that he failed to revive in his first term. Trump repeatedly hailed oil as “liquid gold” on the campaign trail this year and largely omitted any mention of coal. About 26% of U.S. oil comes from federal lands and offshore waters overseen by Interior. Production continues to hit record levels under President Joe Biden despite claims by Trump that the Democrat hindered drilling. But industry representatives and their Republican allies say volumes could be further boosted. They want Burgum and the Interior Department to ramp up oil and gas sales from federal lands, in the Gulf of Mexico and offshore Alaska. The oil industry also hopes Trump’s government efficiency initiative led by billionaire Elon Musk can dramatically reduce environmental reviews. Biden’s administration reduced the frequency and size of lease sales, and it restored environmental rules that were weakened under Trump . The Democrat as a candidate in 2020 promised further restrictions on drilling to help combat global warming, but he struck a deal for the 2022 climate bill that requires offshore oil and gas sales to be held before renewable energy leases can be sold. “Oil and gas brings billions of dollars of revenue in, but you don’t get that if you don’t have leasing,” said Erik Milito with the National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore industries including oil and wind. Trump has vowed to kill offshore wind energy projects. But Milito said he was hopeful that with Burgum in place it would be “green lights ahead for everything, not just oil and gas.” Conservation, drilling and grazing It is unclear if Burgum would revive some of the most controversial steps taken at the agency during Trump’s first term, including relocating senior officials out of Washington, D.C., dismantling parts of the Endangered Species Act and shrinking the size of two national monuments in Utah designated by former President Barack Obama. Officials under Biden spent much of the past four years reversing Trump’s moves. They restored the Utah monuments and rescinded numerous Trump regulations. Onshore oil and gas lease sales plummeted — from more than a million acres sold annually under Trump and other previous administrations, to just 91,712 acres (37,115 hectares) sold last year — while many wind and solar projects advanced. Developing energy leases takes years, and oil companies control millions of acres that remain untapped. Biden’s administration also elevated the importance of conservation in public lands decisions, adopting a rule putting it more on par with oil and gas development. They proposed withdrawing parcels of land in six states from potential future mining to protect a struggling bird species, the greater sage grouse. North Dakota is among Republican states that challenged the Biden administration’s public lands rule. The states said in a June lawsuit that officials acting to prevent climate change have turned laws meant to facilitate development into policies that obstruct drilling, livestock grazing and other uses. Oil production boomed over the past two decades in North Dakota thanks in large part to better drilling techniques. Burgum has been an industry champion and last year signed a repeal of the state’s oil tax trigger — a price-based tax hike industry leaders supported removing. Burgum’s office declined an interview request. In a statement after his nomination, Burgum echoed Trump’s call for U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. The 68-year-old governor also said the Interior post offered an opportunity to improve government relations with developers, tribes, landowners and outdoor enthusiasts “with a focus on maximizing the responsible use of our natural resources with environmental stewardship for the benefit of the American people.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees? National Politics | Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad National Politics | Trump’s team is delaying transition agreements. What does it mean for security checks and governing? National Politics | Judge delays Trump hush money sentencing in order to decide where case should go now National Politics | Republicans scramble to fill JD Vance’s Ohio Senate seat Under current Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the agency put greater emphasis on working collaboratively with tribes, including their own energy projects . Haaland, a member of the Pueblo of Laguna tribe in New Mexico, also advanced an initiative to solve criminal cases involving missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and helped lead a nationwide reckoning over abuses at federal Indian boarding schools that culminated in a formal public apology from Biden. Burgum has worked with tribes in his state, including on oil development. Badlands Conservation Alliance director Shannon Straight in Bismarck, North Dakota, said Burgum has also been a big supporter of tourism in North Dakota and outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing. Yet Straight said that hasn’t translated into additional protections for land in the state. “Theodore Roosevelt had a conservation ethic, and we talk and hold that up as a beautiful standard to live by,” he said. “We haven’t seen it as much on the ground. ... We need to recognize the landscape is only going to be as good as some additional protections.” Burgum has been a cheerleader of the planned Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. Brown reported from Billings, Montana.

The rapid growth of the printed circuit board (PCB) industry in Thailand has convinced the Board of Investment (BoI) a "big wave" of foreign PCB manufacturers are investing here. Foreign companies and areas, especially those from China, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong, form the majority of investors in this field, which supplies products to other key industries, ranging from electric vehicles (EVs) to medical devices. The PCB industry has great potential to drive the economy, if promoted by the BoI. The board believes PCB business expansion in Thailand will not lose steam, strengthening the country's position as the largest PCB manufacturer in Southeast Asia and fifth-largest in the world. PCBs are crucial electronics components that can drive advancements in other targeted industries such as EVs, smart electronics and appliances, computers, medical devices, telecom equipment, automated systems and robotics. One type of PCBs is flexible PCBs, known as FPCBs, which are used in products with complex designs and those with space and weight limitations. FPCBs are components of smart contact lenses and EV batteries. The BoI granted investment incentives to Mektec Manufacturing Corporation (Thailand), a subsidiary of NOK Corporation, Japan's largest PCB manufacturer by sales volume. NOK specialises in making FPCBs. The company plans to increase its production with a budget of 920 billion baht to serve growing demand in the EV industry, said Somchai Asawarungsaengkul, managing director of Mektec Manufacturing Corporation (Thailand). Authorities also approved an investment project submitted by Well Tek Electronics, a subsidiary of China's Welgao Electronics. Well Tek is the first new PCB investor to open a factory at Rojana Industrial Park in Ayutthaya, utilising an investment budget of 2.5 billion baht, according to the BoI. The company produces high-density interconnect multilayer PCBs, characterised by the high density of electrical interconnections between layers. Multilayer PCBs are needed for complex electronic devices, including data servers and power supply used in EVs, as well as data centres and artificial intelligence-based (AI) devices. PCB manufacturing can support the development of the EV industry, which is expected to keep growing next year, said Narit Therdsteerasukdi, secretary-general of the BoI. Under the country's "30@30" policy, Thailand expects EVs to represent at least 30% of total auto production by 2030, with 725,000 zero-emission cars, 675,000 electric motorcycles and 34,000 electric buses and trucks. The growth of digital technology and electronics markets as well as the impact of geopolitical conflicts are factors lifting the PCB industry in Thailand. Foreign investors seeking to avoid the impact of geopolitical conflicts and trade wars are searching for new production bases for their products, including PCBs, with Thailand an investment destination. "Thailand can take advantage of these conflicts to draw more new investors," said Mr Narit. Mr Somchai attributed the expansion of PCB manufacturing in Thailand to the growth of 5G wireless technology, electronics devices linked with Internet of Things technology and AI robots. Electronics production played an important role in driving investment during the first nine months this year. The value of investment project proposals for this period soared by 42% year-on-year to 723 billion baht, the highest level since 2015, according to the BoI. The uptick in value was apparent for electronic products and data centres, noted the board. The adjusted investment value totalled 509 billion baht in the corresponding period last year. Singapore was the top source of foreign direct investment with applications worth 181 billion baht, more than double the 79.7 billion the previous year, mostly attributed to large investments in electrical and electronics products as well as data centres by units of Chinese and US firms. China ranked second with investment of 114 billion baht, up 18% from 96.5 billion a year earlier, followed by applications from companies from Hong Kong (68.2 billion baht), Taiwan (44.6 billion baht) and Japan (35.5 billion baht). Thailand is a safe and resilient place that is good for their businesses, said Mr Narit. PCB production, along with other modern industries such as data centres and cloud services, will continue to grow next year, helping the BoI meet its investment target by 2027, he said. The BoI set a target to achieve 3.3 trillion baht in investment value under its five-year strategy, which was announced in 2022. Under the strategy, from 2023 to 2027 the BoI will support investments in high technology, green and smart industries as well as businesses driven by creativity and innovation, all of which are expected to form a new economy and increase competitiveness. As of September this year, investment promotion under the strategy led to new investment worth 1.5 trillion baht, making up almost half of the 3.3-trillion-baht target. New investment over the past 21 months mostly came from business expansion in PCBs, smart electronics, EVs, data centres and cloud services, said Mr Narit. In the PCB industry alone, as of September 2024 investors had submitted 95 projects worth 162 billion baht to the BoI for investment incentive packages. Thailand's PCB industry has grown exponentially over the past year, he said, adding this expansion will continue to gain momentum.Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’South Korea's opposition moves to impeach acting president