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bmy88 logo 3 Million Tourists Visited J&K In 2024AP Trending SummaryBrief at 11:43 p.m. ESTArizona (7-8) at Los Angeles Rams (9-6) Saturday, 8:15 p.m. EST, NFL Network BetMGM NFL odds : Rams by 6 1/2. Against the spread: Cardinals 9-6; Rams 8-7. Series record: Rams lead 50-41-2. Last meeting: Cardinals beat Rams 41-10 in Glendale, Ariz. on Sept. 15. Last week: Cardinals lost to Carolina 36-30, OT; Rams beat New York Jets 19-9. Cardinals offense: overall (11), rush (5), pass (20), scoring (14). Cardinals defense: overall (20), rush (22), pass (13), scoring (T-13). Rams offense: overall (15), rush (20), pass (13), scoring (17). Rams defense: overall (24), rush (25), pass (19), scoring (21). Turnover differential: Cardinals minus-4; Rams plus-5. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has had a relatively productive rookie season with 51 catches for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. But it’s also true that he hasn’t always looked like the true franchise changing force the Cardinals expected when they took him with the No. 4 overall pick. Arizona might be out of the playoff race, but Harrison’s development continues to be a major focus for the team down the stretch. RB Kyren Williams is coming off his best game of the season after rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries to help Los Angeles grind out a win at the Meadowlands. He hardly factored into the first meeting against Arizona, a game the Rams trailed 14-0 halfway into the first quarter and 24-3 at halftime, getting 12 carries and running for 25 yards and a touchdown behind a battered offensive line. Cardinals QB Kyler Murray vs. Rams defensive line. Los Angeles had no answers for Murray in September as he threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns without an interception and added 59 yards rushing. But their defensive front is much more cohesive than it was in the second week of the season, with rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske proving to be menaces in the backfield. If Murray feels that pressure and can’t keep his eyes downfield, the Rams will be in much better shape to limit Arizona’s passing game. The Cardinals have been beat up over the past two games. Both of the starting tackles — Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) and Jonah Williams (knee) — are out for the season after they were put on injured reserve this week. Others such as RB James Conner (knee), LB Baron Browning (neck), LB Mack Wilson Sr. (concussion) and DL Darius Robinson (calf) have been limited during practice. ... The Rams are in good shape, a far cry from where they were to start the season. RT Rob Havenstein was the only name on their injury report through Wednesday, when he was limited because of a shoulder injury. Arizona has not swept the season series since 2014 when the Rams were playing in St. Louis. ... The Rams and Cardinals have split the past four meetings. Arizona had dropped 11 of the previous 12 in the series. ... Los Angeles is 3-2 against Arizona since moving into SoFi Stadium in 2020, kickstarting its run to the Super Bowl after the 2021 season with a 34-11 win in an NFC wild-card game. The Cardinals have lost four of their past five games and were eliminated from the playoff race after last week’s 36-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals have made the playoffs just once over the past nine seasons. That was in 2021 ... Harrison had four catches for 130 yards and two TDs vs. the Rams in Week 2. All of that production came in the span of seven plays in the first quarter. ... The Cardinals are No. 5 in the NFL with 145.8 yards rushing per game. They also rank No. 2 with 5.28 yards per carry. ... Chad Ryland has made 25 field goals since his debut in Week 5, which ranks fourth in the NFL over that span. ... Safety Budda Baker has a career-high 148 tackles this season, which broke his previous high of 147 set in 2019. ... James Conner has 1,500 yards from scrimmage this season, including 1,090 rushing and 410 receiving. ... Trey McBride has caught 91 passes this season, which is a franchise record at tight end for the Cardinals. ... The Rams can clinch a playoff spot with a win and either a Seahawks loss or tie or a series of results elsewhere to secure the strength of victory tiebreaker. ... Rams QB Matthew Stafford threw for 110 yards against the Jets. Los Angeles has won all four games this season where Stafford has finished with fewer than 200 yards through the air. ... WR Puka Nacua had a record-setting rookie season, but Arizona was the one team that kept him in check. Nacua made four catches in each of the two meetings in 2023, finishing with 26 and 27 yards. ... The Rams didn’t have LT Alaric Jackson (suspension), LG Steve Avila (knee) or Nacua (knee) in the Week 2 game against the Cardinals. ... Los Angeles has run for at least 132 yards in four straight games, with Williams accounting for at least 87 yards in each outing that span. Cooper Kupp likely sank many a fantasy title push with his limited production over the past month, and the Rams WR should remain on benches this week for any owners still in the mix. Kupp has topped 44 yards receiving once in his past five games against Arizona. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Not everyone enjoyed Beyoncé’s Christmas Day halftime performance. All eyes were on the superstar, 43, when she hit the field at NRG Stadium in Houston on Wednesday during a break in the NFL game where the home team Texans battled the Baltimore Ravens. Shining in a white bodysuit, chaps and cowboy hat, Beyoncé performed several hits from her “Cowboy Carter” album alongside Post Malone and Shaboozey — but when she made a particular move, viewers at home lost their cool. While wrapping up her set after singing “Texas Hold ‘Em,” the singer was lifted above the field on a platform and made the finger-gun gesture with her left hand. At the same time, a banner reading “BANG” was released under the platform. The National Football League bans the gun gesture, which results in a 15-yard penalty for any offending player, per Daily Mail. The combination infuriated viewers, who unloaded their grievances on social media. “Is the @NFL going to fine @Beyonce for finger guns?!” one angry watcher shared on X (formerly Twitter). “I was thinking the same thing!! How many players were fined for that?” a second X user replied. “Where is the flag on Beyoncé for the finger guns?!?!” posted a third. “Still not sold on Beyoncé as a country artist. Still seems like a pop star that just threw a cowboy hat on. It’s also hilarious that the league has been fining players left and right for finger guns and she’s throwing them around like it’s her job,” added a fourth. The Post has reached out to the NFL for comment. The 32-time Grammy winner is married to Jay-Z, who has thick ties to the football league. The NFL entered into a partnership with his media company Roc Nation in 2019, agreeing that the company would be the league’s “live music entertainment strategist.” It’s also sticking by him in the wake of his scandal. Jay-Z was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl with Sean “Diddy” Combs at an after-party for MTV’s Video Music Awards in 2000. It’s important to note that Jay-Z has not been charged and has denied the allegations, calling them “heinous” and the lawsuit a “blackmail attempt.” His attorney also had some stern words about the growing number of inconsistencies that have surfaced since the lawsuit was filed. While Jay-Z wasn’t at Beyoncé’s nearly 13-minute Christmas Day performance, their oldest child, Blue Ivy, 12, stole the show when she came out and danced alongside her mother. Originally published as Beyoncé infuriates NFL fans with banned hand gesture during halftime performanceOfficer kills pet dog mistaken for a coyote in Massachusetts town. The owner says it was unnecessary An animal control officer shot and killed a pet dog in a Massachusetts town after mistaking it for a coyote in an incident local police are describing as a sad mix-up. Police in Northbridge, Massachusetts, say the shooting happened on Tuesday after police received a call of a report of a coyote in a residential backyard. Police say the animal control officer went into the woods to look for the coyote and found what they thought was the animal in a threatening position and shot it. The incident happened as communities around Massachusetts and the country have dealt with an uptick in interactions between coyotes and people. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. 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.

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 7:10 a.m. EST

Colorado’s unemployment reports are so unreliable the Bureau of Labor Statistics has stopped using them“Deal could be agreed” – Aston Villa tipped to beat Tottenham to sign versatile attacker in January

ANKARA French team Monaco climbed to the top spot in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague after beating Türkiye's Anadolu Efes 94-75 in a round 18 match Thursday. Jordan Loyd and Mike James dropped 14 points each for Monaco at the Salle Gaston Medecin indoor sports arena. Efes' US center Dan Oturu scored 14 points for his team. With this result, Monaco took over the top spot with 12 wins and six losses, while Anadolu Efes are in seventh spot with 10 wins and 8 losses. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv shock Zalgris Kaunas 95-78 Israeli club Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv shocked Lithuania's Zalgris Kaunas 95-78 in another EuroLeague round 18 match on Thursday. Jaylen Hoard led Maccabi with 23 points, while his teammates Roman Sorkin and Rokas Jokubaitis contributed 18 points each at Belgrade's Aleksandar Nikolic Hall. Sylvain Francisco and Deividas Sirvydis dropped 15 points each for Zalgris. Zalgris Kaunas are in eighth spot with 10 wins and eight losses, while Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv are in 16th spot with five wins and 13 losses. Olympiacos Piraeus narrowly beat Emporio Armani Milan 84-83 Greece's Olympiacos Piraeus narrowly beat Italian team Emporio Armani Milan 84-83 in a Thursday EuroLeague round 18 game. Greek forward Sasha Vezenkov rallied Olympiacos to victory with 21 points at Milano's Unipol Forum. Spanish forward Nikola Mirotic was the top scorer for Milan with 16 points. Olympiacos Piraeus are in second spot with 12 wins and six losses, while Emporio Armani Milan are in 12th spot with nine wins and nine losses.Arizona (7-8) at Los Angeles Rams (9-6) Saturday, 8:15 p.m. EST, NFL Network BetMGM NFL odds : Rams by 6 1/2. Against the spread: Cardinals 9-6; Rams 8-7. Series record: Rams lead 50-41-2. Last meeting: Cardinals beat Rams 41-10 in Glendale, Ariz. on Sept. 15. Last week: Cardinals lost to Carolina 36-30, OT; Rams beat New York Jets 19-9. Cardinals offense: overall (11), rush (5), pass (20), scoring (14). Cardinals defense: overall (20), rush (22), pass (13), scoring (T-13). Rams offense: overall (15), rush (20), pass (13), scoring (17). Rams defense: overall (24), rush (25), pass (19), scoring (21). Turnover differential: Cardinals minus-4; Rams plus-5. Cardinals player to watch WR Marvin Harrison Jr. has had a relatively productive rookie season with 51 catches for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. But it’s also true that he hasn’t always looked like the true franchise changing force the Cardinals expected when they took him with the No. 4 overall pick. Arizona might be out of the playoff race, but Harrison’s development continues to be a major focus for the team down the stretch. Rams player to watch RB Kyren Williams is coming off his best game of the season after rushing for 122 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries to help Los Angeles grind out a win at the Meadowlands. He hardly factored into the first meeting against Arizona, a game the Rams trailed 14-0 halfway into the first quarter and 24-3 at halftime, getting 12 carries and running for 25 yards and a touchdown behind a battered offensive line. RELATED COVERAGE Jets wide receiver Davante Adams sits out practice with a hip ailment, Aaron Rodgers a full go Raiders and Saints meet with prominent players nearing statistical milestones Giants will try to end the Colts playoff hopes and their franchise-record 10-game losing streak Key matchup Cardinals QB Kyler Murray vs. Rams defensive line. Los Angeles had no answers for Murray in September as he threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns without an interception and added 59 yards rushing. But their defensive front is much more cohesive than it was in the second week of the season, with rookies Jared Verse and Braden Fiske proving to be menaces in the backfield. If Murray feels that pressure and can’t keep his eyes downfield, the Rams will be in much better shape to limit Arizona’s passing game. Key injuries The Cardinals have been beat up over the past two games. Both of the starting tackles — Paris Johnson Jr. (knee) and Jonah Williams (knee) — are out for the season after they were put on injured reserve this week. Others such as RB James Conner (knee), LB Baron Browning (neck), LB Mack Wilson Sr. (concussion) and DL Darius Robinson (calf) have been limited during practice. ... The Rams are in good shape, a far cry from where they were to start the season. RT Rob Havenstein was the only name on their injury report through Wednesday, when he was limited because of a shoulder injury. Series notes Arizona has not swept the season series since 2014 when the Rams were playing in St. Louis. ... The Rams and Cardinals have split the past four meetings. Arizona had dropped 11 of the previous 12 in the series. ... Los Angeles is 3-2 against Arizona since moving into SoFi Stadium in 2020, kickstarting its run to the Super Bowl after the 2021 season with a 34-11 win in an NFC wild-card game. Stats and stuff The Cardinals have lost four of their past five games and were eliminated from the playoff race after last week’s 36-30 loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals have made the playoffs just once over the past nine seasons. That was in 2021 ... Harrison had four catches for 130 yards and two TDs vs. the Rams in Week 2. All of that production came in the span of seven plays in the first quarter. ... The Cardinals are No. 5 in the NFL with 145.8 yards rushing per game. They also rank No. 2 with 5.28 yards per carry. ... Chad Ryland has made 25 field goals since his debut in Week 5, which ranks fourth in the NFL over that span. ... Safety Budda Baker has a career-high 148 tackles this season, which broke his previous high of 147 set in 2019. ... James Conner has 1,500 yards from scrimmage this season, including 1,090 rushing and 410 receiving. ... Trey McBride has caught 91 passes this season, which is a franchise record at tight end for the Cardinals. ... The Rams can clinch a playoff spot with a win and either a Seahawks loss or tie or a series of results elsewhere to secure the strength of victory tiebreaker. ... Rams QB Matthew Stafford threw for 110 yards against the Jets. Los Angeles has won all four games this season where Stafford has finished with fewer than 200 yards through the air. ... WR Puka Nacua had a record-setting rookie season, but Arizona was the one team that kept him in check. Nacua made four catches in each of the two meetings in 2023, finishing with 26 and 27 yards. ... The Rams didn’t have LT Alaric Jackson (suspension), LG Steve Avila (knee) or Nacua (knee) in the Week 2 game against the Cardinals. ... Los Angeles has run for at least 132 yards in four straight games, with Williams accounting for at least 87 yards in each outing that span. Fantasy tip Cooper Kupp likely sank many a fantasy title push with his limited production over the past month, and the Rams WR should remain on benches this week for any owners still in the mix. Kupp has topped 44 yards receiving once in his past five games against Arizona. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

NEW DELHI: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that a decision will be taken soon to make the medical entrance exam NEET online. In the wake of the question paper leak, the government is attempting to implement it next year. The exam is conducted for admission to MBBS, BDS, Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani undergraduate courses. The Ministry of Health will make the final decision. In the wake of the controversies, a seven-member expert committee headed by Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, former chairman of ISRO and a Malayali, was tasked to prepare a report. The report containing 101 recommendations has been forwarded to the Ministry of Education and the Supreme Court. The recommendations will be implemented in next year's examination, and the protocol for conducting the test will be included. From 2025 onwards, NTA will conduct only NEET, JEE, and Common University Entrance Test (CEUT). No recruitment tests will be held. NTA will be reorganised by creating new posts and appointing more officers. Recommendation of the committee 1. Computer-based exam would be ideal 2. Artificial intelligence and biometric technology to ensure security 3. Strong guidelines to prevent irregularities 4. Mock examination to be conducted to sort out errors 5. Action to reduce exam stress for students 6. Special cell to address student concerns 7. Cyber ​​security to secure the question paper 8. Coaching centres should not be allowed to misuse the examination to reap profits. 9. The entrance test should be conducted in January or February. Outsourcing and contracting services should be limited if the exam is conducted in pen and paper offline mode. Security requires a hybrid process. The question paper should be sent to the servers installed in the examination centres. Printing should be done at the examination centres using high-speed printers. Kendriya-Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas should be made examination centres. The number of examination centres should be increased.AP Trending SummaryBrief at 7:10 a.m. ESTDonald Trump says his mass deportation plan is coming on his first day as president. It could have huge impacts on Florida’s hospitality, construction, and agriculture sectors.

Stock market today: Stocks waver in thin trading after US markets reopen following a holiday pause

Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy wasn't impressed with Beyoncé 's recent performance. She led the halftime show on Christmas Day (December 25) during the Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans football game. Portnoy, 47, shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter ). "Beyoncé has been LOST since Destinys Child," he wrote, pointing out the pop star's former girl group with Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. The band split up in 2006. He also quoted a previous tweet of his from 2023, where he mentioned believing that Rihanna, 36, was better than Beyoncé, 43. "Not particularly close," Portnoy posted at the time. Beyoncé has been LOST since Destinys Child. https://t.co/TbMZHngl6z "Rihanna sings circles around Beyonce and is a billion times hotter. There I said it," he wrote in another post from 2013. Rihanna sings circles around Beyonce and is a billion times hotter. There I said it. Portnoy even encouraged fans to call the hotline about their Beyoncé show thoughts for an upcoming episode of his The Shred Line show. As expected, Beyoncé fans pushed back online to Portnoy's post. "Lmao don't speak on Beyoncé man. Your assessment is wrong as hell," one user wrote . Another added , "You have had some bad takes. This may be the worst." Beyoncé's halftime show was broadcasted through Netflix , as she performed hits from her 2024 album, Cowboy Carter . The country-themed spectacle featured her riding in on a horse and dancing on the field alongside her daughter, 12-year-old Blue Ivy Carter . There were even a few special guests, including Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Post Malone, Brittney Spencer, and more. She then closed the show with "Texas Hold 'Em," as she elevated into the air on a platform. After taking the stage, Beyoncé then teased a major announcement on social media, with more information set to drop on January 14, 2025. "Look at that horse," she captioned. Look at that horse. pic.twitter.com/2AtteP5lZk For fans who might have missed Beyoncé's performance, Netflix has it available to watch on their streaming service under the title Beyoncé Bowl .

‘Tis the season to start shopping for loved ones – family, friends and colleagues you care about – and perhaps putting something for yourself under the tree this year. And if it’s a tech toy you want to give, there’s no shortage of sleek screens, great games and smart home-related gear worthy of your consideration. The following are a few thought-starters to suit varying budgets and tastes. For budding astronomers (or insomniacs) Project an “out of this world” moving image onto your bedroom ceiling with the Govee Star Light Projector ($79). Capable of creating a stunning 650-square-foot image with a button press on the app (or on the unit itself), with 16 million colors, flowing aurora effects and 52 scene modes. There are optional white noise tracks, too, and it’s a Bluetooth speaker, if you want to play your own songs. Holiday deals: Shop this season’s top products and sales curated by our editors. For avid readers Gift the gift of reading with Amazon’s new Kindle Paperwhite (from $179) and Kindle Paperwhite Kids (from $199), both with sharp, anti-glare 7-inch screens. Now with 20% faster page turns, the new Kindles are also waterproof, so you can take it to the beach, pool or a bubble bath. An optional backlight lets you read in bed without disturbing anyone. The Paperwhite Kids model also includes a protective folio screen, parental controls and 6 months of the Amazon Kids+ service that offers a ton of free content. For gamers on the go The versatile Nintendo Switch ($299) can be played at home on your big-screen TV (in its dock, included), perhaps in a multiplayer match with the family, but it can also be played on the go, such as in the backseat of a car on a road trip, via its built-in screen. A holiday bundle includes the Nintendo Switch console, a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a 12-month individual membership to the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service to play with others over the internet (a $100 value). For online shoppers After connecting the $29 Chamberlain Smart Garage Control to your existing garage door system, use the free myQ app (iPhone or Android) to open and close your garage door, anywhere in the world, so you’ll never have to worry about accidentally leaving the garage door open. Or set an open and close schedule. This small doohickey works with Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery, an exclusive Prime member benefit that protects your packages from porch pirates and increment weather. For thrill-seekers From $299 (for 128GB), the new Meta Quest 3S lets you experience mind-blowing 360-degree virtual reality content. Plus, this device also supports augmented reality (AR), too, since you can also see the real-world around you in some apps and games (like aliens hiding behind your sofa). Beyond games, Meta Quest 3S is also great for fitness and meditation exercises, chat rooms, virtual concerts and more. It includes a downloadable copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow. Gifts for gamers: The best video game picks for the 2024 holiday shopping season For fitness and health nuts Among several other features, Apple Watch can gauge your heart health, track sleep and fitness, show notifications, stream music, and lets you pay for items at retail by simply waving your watch over a contactless sensor. Apple Watch Series 10 (from $299) offers a thinner design, bigger and better display, new colors and band options. If you’re shopping for an Android user, the Pixel Watch 3 (from $299) is a stellar pick. For AI lovers Powered by Google’s ChromeOS, this 14-inch HP x360 laptop (from $399) delivers an enhanced Chromebook experience, with a vibrant touchscreen display that bends back to become a tablet - and twice the storage, speed and memory compared to a regular Chromebook. Google AI tools let you get more done in less time, including handy features like Help Me Write and Magic Editor to fix up your photos. The Intel Core-powered laptop has an all-day battery, B&O audio and integrated Google Play store. For the person who has everything The RayNeo Air 2S ($319) “XR” glasses house twin Micro-OLED 1080p displays that mimic a 201-inch picture for binging TV shows and blockbuster movies – on a plane, in bed, anywhere. And since these 16:9 screens each boast a 120Hz refresh rate, they’re also ideal for fast-moving video games and sports. Weighing 78 grams and with four integrated speakers, these glasses work with a host of USB-C devices, including newer iPhones, Android devices, computers and game consoles. For nomadic TV bingers For public viewing, on the other hand, the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF22 Portable Smart Laser Projector ($999) produces a super bright image, up to 1,000 lumens of color and white brightness – and no lamp to replace. The 360-swivel stand lets you beam the up-to-150-inch image against a wall or ceiling, or to the backyard for summer movie nights. The Google TV platform is built-in with thousands of apps, such as video streaming services. For serious home theater enthusiasts Available in six screen sizes ranging from 42 to 83 inches, and with multiple mounting options, the LG OLED evo C4 TV (from $1,399) features a stunningly sharp display, AI-powered upscaling and a Smart TV powered by webOS. Self-lit pixels create perfect black levels and luminous colors, and so it’s easy to see why OLED is the most desirable panel technology on the market. Along with being ultra-slim and light, the glare-free picture looks great from any angle, so there isn't a bad seat in the room. This article contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Follow Marc on X: @marc_saltzman . Email him or subscribe to his Tech It Out podcast . The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.The Vikings will be without tight end Josh Oliver on Sunday against the Bears. Oliver did not practice for the third straight day on Friday, and the Vikings ruled him out for their game in Chicago. He had a walking boot on his left ankle in the locker room in Nashville on Sunday, after leaving the Vikings’ game with the Titans because of an ankle injury. He was also listed with a wrist injury on the team’s injury reports this week. Coach Kevin O’Connell said the ankle injury is what‘s keeping Oliver out for Sunday. “He had been playing through anything and everything,” O’Connell said. “He’s a warrior. He just needs to get back to a place where he can use that ankle and be ready to roll.” His absence could contribute to an increase in playing time for T.J. Hockenson , who’s seen his share of offensive playing time tick up slightly in the three weeks since he returned from ACL surgery. Hockenson has played mostly in passing situations since his return, but could have a larger role this week on all three downs with Oliver out. “We had a plan to kind of get back into it easily and smoothly, so that’s been the game plan,” Hockenson said Thursday. “But obviously, JO is limited this week, so I’m getting back into other plays that I’ve done, getting back into practices. So we’ll see. But I would expect things to continuously go up.” Oliver was the only player not on the practice field for the Vikings the last two days of the week. The Vikings listed outside linebacker Gabe Murphy and tight end Nick Muse , who are both in their 21-day window to return from injured reserve, as questionable for Sunday’s game. For the Bears, receiver Keenan Allen and running back D’Andre Swift were listed as questionable along with rookie offensive lineman Kiran Amegadjie . Chicago coach Matt Eberflus said that Allen “rolled his ankle” in practice Friday, but that he was hopeful the receiver would play Sunday. Swift (groin) was a full participant in practice after being out Wednesday and limited Thursday. Offensive lineman Ryan Bates (concussion) and starting safety Elijah Hicks (ankle) won’t play against the Vikings. Brown a familiar face for O’Connell Bears interim offensive coordinator Thomas Brown was with the Rams in O’Connell‘s two seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator, and the Vikings reportedly interviewed him in 2022 for their coordinator position before hiring Wes Phillips . The Vikings faced Brown as the Panthers’ offensive coordinator in 2023. He took over play-calling duties for the Bears after Eberflus fired Shane Waldron earlier this month. It will be Brown working with Caleb Williams in his first game against the Vikings. He helped the first overall pick have one of his best games of the season against the Packers last week, with a diet of quick passes that helped D.J. Moore and rookie Rome Odunze get involved early. ”Thomas has been really smart,” O’Connell said. “He knows how to get his playmakers involved a lot of different ways. He’s built it clearly around the premise of trying to allow Caleb’s great talent to be on display, and help him get the ball out of his hands. They ran the football really well [for 179 yards] against a great defense, and it’s going to be a challenge.“ Got a question about the Vikings? Email it to accessvikings@startribune.com . We’ll answer your questions in an upcoming Access Vikings newsletter or podcast .

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 17, 2024-- Celero Commerce (“Celero”), a leading integrated electronic commerce solutions provider, today announced a new collaboration with EverBank, N.A., a national specialty bank serving clients across the United States, to enhance payment processing options for EverBank’s clients. Through this collaboration, EverBank will leverage Celero’s advanced payment and analytics platform to streamline financial operations for small business to larger commercial corporate clients, with a focus on expanding payment acceptance capabilities. The integration will enable a more flexible, seamless and scalable approach to payments, reinforcing EverBank’s dedication to providing innovative financial solutions to deliver the financial advantage clients deserve. “We founded Celero to deliver a proprietary suite of FinTech solutions tailored for financial institutions and small to mid-sized businesses,” said Celero founder and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Jones. “Paired with the superior service we offer, we know we can help deliver a better payments experience to EverBank’s customers.” Celero’s platform offers a comprehensive suite of services tailored to meet complex client requirements, including real-time payment capabilities, robust fraud prevention tools and in-depth financial analytics, all strategically aligned to streamline payment operations. “We are always looking for ways to make our clients’ lives easier and improve their experience of working with us, and Celero shares our mission of providing best-in-class payments solutions to give our clients an advantage,” said Lindsay Lawrence, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of EverBank. “By collaborating with Celero, we are offering a solution that adapts to our clients’ evolving needs, ensuring we continue to support their success and growth effectively.” About Celero Commerce Headquartered in Nashville, Celero Commerce is a full-service, integrated electronic commerce solutions provider powered by leading-edge technology, strategic partnerships, and business intelligence. Celero offers small and medium-sized businesses payment processing services, business management software, and data intelligence, empowering them to drive growth and profitability. Celero is a top ten non-bank processor of electronic payment transactions in the world. Visit https://www.celerocommerce.com/ to learn more. About EverBank EverBank, N.A. (“EverBank”) is a nationwide specialty bank providing high-value products and services to consumer and commercial clients nationwide. As a pioneer in online banking, we offer convenient digital access for clients 24/7, in addition to phone banking services and a network of financial centers across Florida and California. EverBank’s commitment is to deliver to their clients high-performing, high-yield solutions backed by exceptional service, always giving them the advantage they expect to make the most of their money. Visit everbank.com or connect and interact with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or X (formerly Twitter). EverBank is a Member FDIC. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241217424040/en/ CONTACT: Media Scott Farace scottf@celerocommerce.com (972) 533-5655 Media Michael Cosgrove Michael.Cosgrove@EverBank.com (904) 612-4160 KEYWORD: TENNESSEE UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: TECHNOLOGY PAYMENTS FINANCE FINTECH BANKING ELECTRONIC COMMERCE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SOFTWARE DATA ANALYTICS DATA MANAGEMENT SOURCE: Celero Commerce Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/17/2024 02:00 PM/DISC: 12/17/2024 02:00 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241217424040/en

It’s been the biggest year for elections in human history: 2024 is a “ super-cycle ” year in which 3.7 billion eligible voters in 72 countries had the chance to go the polls. These are also the first AI elections , where many feared that deepfakes and artificial intelligence-generated misinformation would overwhelm the democratic processes. As 2024 draws to a close, it’s instructive to take stock of how democracy did. In a Pew survey of Americans from earlier this fall, nearly eight times as many respondents expected AI to be used for mostly bad purposes in the 2024 election as those who thought it would be used mostly for good. There are real concerns and risks in using AI in electoral politics, but it definitely has not been all bad. The dreaded “ death of truth ” has not materialized — at least, not due to AI. And candidates are eagerly adopting AI in many places where it can be constructive, if used responsibly. But because this all happens inside a campaign, and largely in secret, the public often doesn’t see all the details. Connecting with voters One of the most impressive and beneficial uses of AI is language translation, and campaigns have started using it widely . Local governments in Japan and California and prominent politicians, including India Prime Minister Narenda Modi and New York City Mayor Eric Adams , used AI to translate meetings and speeches to their diverse constituents. Even when politicians themselves aren’t speaking through AI, their constituents might be using it to listen to them. Google rolled out free translation services for an additional 110 languages this summer, available to billions of people in real time through their smartphones. Other candidates used AI’s conversational capabilities to connect with voters. US politicians Asa Hutchinson , Dean Phillips and Francis Suarez deployed chatbots of themselves in their presidential primary campaigns. The fringe candidate Jason Palmer beat Joe Biden in the American Samoan primary, at least partly thanks to using AI-generated emails, texts, audio and video. Pakistan’s former prime minister, Imran Khan , used an AI clone of his voice to deliver speeches from prison. Perhaps the most effective use of this technology was in Japan, where an obscure and independent Tokyo gubernatorial candidate, Takahiro Anno , used an AI avatar to respond to 8,600 questions from voters and managed to come in fifth among a highly competitive field of 56 candidates. Play Video Nuts and bolts AIs have been used in political fundraising as well. Companies like Quiller and Tech for Campaigns market AIs to help draft fundraising emails. Other AI systems help candidates target particular donors with personalized messages . It’s notoriously difficult to measure the impact of these kinds of tools, and political consultants are cagey about what really works, but there’s clearly interest in continuing to use these technologies in campaign fundraising. Polling has been highly mathematical for decades, and pollsters are constantly incorporating new technologies into their processes. Techniques range from using AI to distill voter sentiment from social networking platforms — something known as “ social listening ” — to creating synthetic voters that can answer tens of thousands of questions. Whether these AI applications will result in more accurate polls and strategic insights for campaigns remains to be seen, but there is promising research motivated by the ever-increasing challenge of reaching real humans with surveys. On the political organizing side, AI assistants are being used for such diverse purposes as helping craft political messages and strategy , generating ads , drafting speeches and helping coordinate canvassing and get-out-the-vote efforts. In Argentina in 2023, both major presidential candidates used AI to develop campaign posters, videos and other materials. In 2024, similar capabilities were almost certainly used in a variety of elections around the world. In the US, for example, a Georgia politician used AI to produce blog posts, campaign images and podcasts. Even standard productivity software suites like those from Adobe, Microsoft and Google now integrate AI features that are unavoidable — and perhaps very useful to campaigns. Other AI systems help advise candidates looking to run for higher office. Must Read Philippines faces rising AI-driven disinformation Fakes and counterfakes And there was AI-created misinformation and propaganda, even though it was not as catastrophic as feared. Days before a Slovakian election in 2023, fake audio discussing election manipulation went viral. This kind of thing happened many times in 2024, but it’s unclear if any of it had any real effect. In the US presidential election, there was a lot of press after a robocall of a fake Joe Biden voice told New Hampshire voters not to vote in the Democratic primary, but that didn’t appear to make much of a difference in that vote. Similarly, AI-generated images from hurricane disaster areas didn’t seem to have much effect, and neither did a stream of AI-faked celebrity endorsements or viral deepfake images and videos misrepresenting candidates’ actions and seemingly designed to prey on their political weaknesses. Play Video AI also played a role in protecting the information ecosystem. OpenAI used its own AI models to disrupt an Iranian foreign influence operation aimed at sowing division before the US presidential election. While anyone can use AI tools today to generate convincing fake audio, images and text, and that capability is here to stay, tech platforms also use AI to automatically moderate content like hate speech and extremism. This is a positive use case, making content moderation more efficient and sparing humans from having to review the worst offenses, but there’s room for it to become more effective, more transparent and more equitable. There is potential for AI models to be much more scalable and adaptable to more languages and countries than organizations of human moderators. But the implementations to date on platforms like Meta demonstrate that a lot more work needs to be done to make these systems fair and effective. One thing that didn’t matter much in 2024 was corporate AI developers’ prohibitions on using their tools for politics. Despite market leader OpenAI’s emphasis on banning political uses and its use of AI to automatically reject a quarter-million requests to generate images of political candidates, the company’s enforcement has been ineffective and actual use is widespread. The genie is loose All of these trends — both good and bad — are likely to continue. As AI gets more powerful and capable, it is likely to infiltrate every aspect of politics. This will happen whether the AI’s performance is superhuman or suboptimal, whether it makes mistakes or not, and whether the balance of its use is positive or negative. All it takes is for one party, one campaign, one outside group, or even an individual to see an advantage in automation. – Rappler.com This article originally appeared in The Conversation. Bruce Schneier , Adjunct Lecturer in Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School Nathan Sanders , Affiliate, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard UniversityLANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Jayden Daniels connected with Zach Ertz in overtime for his third touchdown pass of the game to get the Washington Commanders into the playoffs by beating the Atlanta Falcons 30-24 on Sunday night in a back-and-forth prime-time showdown between highly drafted rookie quarterbacks. Daniels ran for a season-high 127 yards and completed 24 of 36 passes for 227 yards and had two TD passes to Ertz and another to Olamide Zaccheaus to make the playoffs in his rookie year. In his latest comeback performance in a season full of them , Daniels shook off an interception and a 10-point halftime deficit and led the winning drive in overtime that was capped with the 2-yard pass to Ertz. The Commanders (11-5) could move up to the sixth seed in the NFC and set up a wild-card round game at Tampa Bay or the Los Angeles Rams if they win their regular-season finale at Dallas next weekend. They otherwise would be seventh and visit division-rival Philadelphia unless Green Bay loses to Chicago. The Falcons (8-8) lost control of their chances of winning the NFC South and ensuring a home playoff game. They now need to beat Carolina and for the Buccaneers to lose to New Orleans to qualify altogether. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

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'Fighter for global democracy': Guam joins world in mourning former President Jimmy Carter's death