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By Julie Gerstein Expats looking to relocate to the top cities in the United States should come prepared – with their wallets. Western European cities dominate Mercer’s 2024 Quality of Living City Rankings , eight of the top 10 cities with the highest quality of living are in Western Europe, with Zurich taking the top spot this year. Three other Swiss cities – Bern, Basel, and Geneva – also made the top 10. Among the U.S cities on the list, Boston ranked the highest, at 32nd out of 241 cities. Other U.S cities on the list include San Francisco; Honolulu; New York City; Portland, OR; Los Angeles; and Washington, D.C. San Francisco made the list of best US cities for expats. Picture: Getty Each year, Mercer, a financial services company, evaluates more than 240 cities to determine which places offer the best quality of life for international employees living abroad. Mercer looks at factors including political stability, housing, culture, travel, traffic, air quality, and educational access. It also looks at how the cost of living intersects with quality of life. Dhaka, Bangladesh, for example, has a low cost of living and a low quality of life, while Montreal has the highest quality of life relative to its cost of living. But, here’s what expats wanting to swap affordability for a higher quality of life in U.S cities can expect: Ranking: 32 Median home list price: $948,000 Median household income: $130,663 Boston, one of the oldest cities in the U.S, is rich in history and culture. It has more than 60 museums and serves as something of a higher education hub in New England. With students flocking to the area to attend Harvard, MIT, and UMass, education is one of the major economic drivers in the area, as is health care. Massachusetts General Hospital is the city’s largest employer. Boston is 46% more expensive than the national average. Boston attracts students from around the globe. Picture: Getty Ranking: 36 Median home list price: $1.2 million Median household income: $136,689 San Francisco’s reputation as a hippie cultural centre has, of late, been usurped by its role as a major tech centre. In recent years, real estate prices have skyrocketed as major companies like Google and Apple have lured high earners to the area, and many are finding the city prohibitively expensive. The cost of living is 70% higher than the national average. Residents also love the city’s public transportation and its dining scene. The city has plenty of other draws – for one, its easy access to nature. Residents can quickly escape to Golden Gate Park for a dose of green or go farther afield to Muir Woods for recreation. San Francisco's cost of living is 70% higher than the U.S average. Picture: Getty Ranking: 39 Median home list price: $618,500 Median household income: $99,816 The sun, the sand, and the tropical vibes – who wouldn’t want to live in Hawaii? Honolulu, on the island of Oahu, is one of the state’s biggest tourist destinations. Visitors love its white-sand beaches and brilliant blue water. Not surprisingly, tourism is the area’s largest industry. But living in one of the best vacation spots on Earth doesn’t come cheap. The cost of living is 85% higher than the national average. The sun and sand lure expats to Hawaii's Honolulu. Picture: Getty Ranking: 44 Median home list price: $1.2 million Median household income: $79,701 Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the universe, and it’s easy to see why stars might flock to the city. Besides having utterly perfect weather and ocean access, L.A is the cultural capital of Southern California. Museums? Check. Shopping? Check. A to-die-for food scene? Check. But you’ll have to pay a pretty penny to live there. And you’ll also need to gird yourself for the heavy traffic. The cost of living in L.A is 50% higher than the national average. Tinseltown attracts aspiring stars from far and wide. Picture: Getty Ranking: 45 Median home list price: $850,000 Median household income: $76,607 It’s easy to think of New York City as the centre of the universe. It’s the U.S. city that all other U.S cities are compared with, thanks to its energy, culture, and diversity. With its stellar public transportation system, New Yorkers basically have the world just a subway ride away. But none of that comes for cheap – New Yorkers know that they’ll likely end up spending at least $50 every time they go out the door. The cost of living is 130% higher than the national average. If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. New York ranks among the best for expats. Picture: Getty Ranking: 48 Median home list price: $534,500 Median household income: $88,876 Portland’s moody, mercurial weather isn’t for everyone, but if you’re OK with rain one minute and snow the next, it has a lot to offer. The city’s economy is growing faster than the national average. Locals like to keep Portland “weird” and pride themselves on eco-conscious and progressive politics. Compared with other spots on this list, the cost of living is relatively affordable. The city is 19% more expensive than the national average. Portland, Oregon's "weird" vibe is a drawcard for expats. Picture: Getty Ranking: 49 Median home list price: $608,000 Median household income: $111,000 Sure, D.C is a political power centre, but it’s also a major culture centre. Locals have easy access to the Smithsonian museum system, as well as the National Gallery and the National Air and Space Museum. But the cost of living in the area is 39% higher than the national average. A mix of politics and culture make Washington D.C a drawcard for international movers. Picture: Getty This story was first published on Realtor.com on 4 December, 2024FBI Director Christopher Wray could soon be out of a job. President-elect Donald Trump recently said he will fire Wray after he takes the oath of office next month and replace him with former Justice Department official Kash Patel. During his first presidential term, Trump nominated Wray to be the eighth director of the FBI, calling him “a man of impeccable credentials.” Wray’s 10-year term expires in 2027, which means he would have to either resign or be fired in order to be replaced by Patel, who must still win Senate confirmation. Patel, a Trump loyalist, is a longtime critic of the bureau and has called for shutting down its Washington headquarters and then reopening it as a “museum of the deep state.” Although Wray has been FBI director in Washington for the past seven years, he continues to have deep Atlanta ties. Here are five things you need to know about him. 1. An Atlanta lawyer: Wray, 57, moved to Atlanta in 1993 to join King & Spalding, one of the city’s top law firms. He left King & Spalding in 1997 to become a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Attorney’s Office here. He tried a number of high-profile cases. Among them: He helped secure a guilty plea to a mail fraud charge from Pat Jarvis, once a popular Atlanta Braves pitcher who later served as DeKalb County sheriff. He obtained corruption convictions against the city of Atlanta’s former chief investment officer and a politically connected businessman. And he was instrumental in the prosecution of a man convicted of setting church fires, one of which killed a Georgia firefighter. 2. Wray goes to Washington: Wray was recruited to join the U.S. Department of Justice in 2001 by Larry Thompson, a former King & Spalding colleague serving as deputy attorney general. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Wray worked closely with Thompson coordinating anti-terrorism and counterespionage efforts. “Chris was very deliberate, made sound decisions, had good judgment and never got panicked,” Thompson said in a 2018 interview. “I relied upon him a great deal.” In 2003, President George W. Bush nominated Wray to be assistant attorney general. He won unanimous Senate approval to head the department’s criminal division and became the youngest person to hold that position since the Kennedy administration. “At the age of 36, Mr. Wray has accomplished more in the legal profession than many of us as attorneys do in a lifetime,” then-Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., said at Wray’s confirmation hearing. While heading the criminal division, Wray oversaw the prosecutions of terrorism cases as well as several high-profile corporate fraud cases, such as the Enron scandal. He returned to King & Spalding in 2005 in Atlanta and worked there as a partner until being tapped to head the FBI. 3. An independent streak: On a number of occasions, Wray pushed back against Trump. When Trump tweeted in December 2017 that the FBI’s reputation was in “tatters” and was the worst in its history, Wray told the House Judiciary Committee a few days later that the bureau he saw had “tens of thousands of brave men and women who are working as hard as they can to keep people they will never know safe from harm.” After being confirmed by the Senate with a 92-5 vote , Wray held an invitation-only, swearing-in ceremony in Washington. Among Wray’s invitees: Sally Yates, his former colleague at the U.S. Attorney’s Office here and whom Trump had fired as acting U.S. attorney general when she refused to defend the administration’s travel ban. 4. Personal: Wray was born and grew up in Manhattan. He attended Phillips Academy, a prestigious preparatory school in Andover, Mass., where he played in rock bands and was a member of the wrestling and rowing teams. He then graduated cum laude from Yale University with a degree in philosophy. During his freshman year, he met fellow student Helen Howell, an Atlantan who graduated from Westminster Schools and whose great-grandfather, Clark Howell, once owned The Atlanta Constitution. They were married at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Buckhead before Wray returned to Yale to get his law degree. They have two children. After Yale law school, Wray clerked for conservative jurist J. Michael Luttig on the federal appeals court in Richmond. Since retiring from the bench, Luttig has strongly criticized Trump and he even endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. 5. Has not seen eye to eye with Trump on several occasions. Just months into his tenure as FBI director, Wray found himself at loggerheads with Trump . In January 2018, Wray went public with a request that the White House block the release of a classified House GOP memo that alleged abuses by the FBI in the Russian election interference investigation. In a statement, the FBI said it had “grave concerns” about the memo’s accuracy. Even so, Trump declassified the memo and it was soon released by House Republicans, enraging Democrats and alarming national security officials. This past Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social that those convicted of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol were “J-6 hostages” and victims of “an abuse and miscarriage of justice.” Patel, Wray’s possible successor, has called the Jan. 6 attack part of a “free speech movement.” But Wray condemned it during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2021, calling the riot “domestic terrorism.” During his Senate confirmation hearing, Wray was asked what would he do if the president asked him to do something that was illegal or unethical. “First, I would try to talk him out of it,” Wray answered. “If that failed, I would resign. There isn’t a person on this planet whose lobbying or influence could convince me to just drop or abandon a properly predicated and meritorious investigation.” ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Pacers waive former Celtics center amid disappointing start
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As far as physical activity goes, American kids are mostly C and D students. And “everything is graded on a curve,” says Jordan Carlson, a professor of pediatrics at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Carlson is the committee chair of this year’s , which was released last month. It offers a stark rendering of how our children and youth are “insufficiently active.” The report draws upon data from a number of nationally representative surveys. Its goal is to inform (and in many cases, warn) about how kids are doing in relation to federal physical activity recommendations. More specifically, 20-to-28% of 6-to-17-year-olds meet the 60 minutes of daily physical activity guideline set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Their overall grade: D-. “This is a systemic problem,” says Pam Watts, president of the , which puts out the report card. “This isn't just a funding problem or a programming problem or a localized problem. This is a pervasive, systemic problem.” While the report is a call-to-action for policymaking and advocacy about the "urgent" need to help support and improve our kids’ overall fitness, it also provides an opportunity to take stock in how we’re handling our roles as sports parents and coaches. A across a number of categories — like sedentary behavior (D-), active transportation among kids (D-) and organized sports participation (C-) — give us insight as to how we can improve our kids’ sports experience from the time they are young. “I'm sure you’ve met the parents who were hell-bent on getting their kid into a D-I scholarship situation in college,” Watts says, “and that's how they approach youth sports. There are downsides to that. That's OK for some kids, if that's what they want. “PAA works across a lifetime of physical activity, the youth being such an important part of that.” USA TODAY Sports spoke with key contributors to the report about how its data can benefit all of us, whether our kids aspire to play competitive sports in high school and beyond or use sports for a healthy dose of extracurricular activity and stress relief. As you may have found, those goals don’t have to be mutually exclusive. “The message of the report card is not that kids are failing. It's not that parents are failing,” Carlson says. “It's that there's all of these societal barriers to physical activity and that we need to address those things.” Let’s start with the highest grade in the report (B-). It comes in early care and education, where one study found that 74% of these settings provide two or more physical activity opportunities per day. The federally recommended one hour of “moderate-to-vigorous intensity” physical actions for kids includes aerobic, muscle- and bone-strengthening activities. We don’t realize we’re getting these benefits when we climb playground equipment and run around in the schoolyard early in our lives. We are put in these situations, and we thrive within them, not because we’re faster than another kid, or we win a competition of jumping rope, but because they are so natural. Carlson says we don’t have a lot of data on physical activity among preschool children, but what we learn there reinforces something our bodies are inclined to do: Move. We move as we get a little older, biking to our friends’ houses and running after each other in the backyard during games of manhunt or freeze tag (at least that what’s used to do) not for the exercise, but because we enjoy it. Today, kids are involved in youth sports as early as preschool (as my two boys were) because we feel the need to get them started on what we hope are long and fruitful careers. We put them in sometimes even knowing the odds that and an . Here is another stat you probably don't know: About 70% of adults living in households with children met their . That means, these adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. Instead of from an early age, show him or her how much you love to move, too. In fact, move together during a run or on a basketball court. It's all part of that will develop motor skills and confidence for later sports endeavors. According to a 2022 National Household Travel Survey, 10% of children usually walk or bike to school. The grade “active transportation” among kids received was the same as the one for overall physical activity (D-). Neither grade has increased in a decade. We can point to safety factors, both with traffic and in neighborhoods, and “built” environment factors such as sidewalks and . (The "community and built environment" category got a C+ nationally.) But the lower grade is also a sign of our lives today. “It takes extra time to walk to school versus throwing your kids in the van and driving them or picking them up,” Watts says. “We've just got these societal expectations around all that we accomplish in a day or a week or a month. And you know, when I think about 20, 30, 50 years ago, it's that shift in what we expect of our time, how many things we think we're going to do in a day, to be, whatever you call successful. “It is in your control to rethink some of that.” In addition to being the president of the Physical Activity Alliance, Watts is the executive director for , a non-profit association that provides resources and education for advancing college campus recreation. She’s also the mother of two college-aged kids, a daughter who played club soccer through early high school and a son who played sports whose experience, Watts says, was all about being social and engaged. “It wasn't about winning or caring if you were good,” she says. “So he did a variety of recreation sports, and then had to go club only, because at a certain age, at least in our community, the recreation leagues dry up as the kids move to club or just drop out of sports or whatever. And then in high school, he found a love through swimming and swim team.” Seven out of 10 kids quit organized sports before they become teenagers. , such as and the , but a primary one is that they aren’t fun anymore. We can all take a bike-to-school approach to kids sports. Movement from sports and physical activity, studies have found, improves our cognitive function and, as we get older, enhances academic achievement in addition to physical literacy. Get your kid into sports for those reasons, as well as to build resilience, self-esteem and effort, which can help them achieve their full potential in many areas (while enjoying the ride). Sports participation (defined by whether a kid played on a team or took a sport lesson) among 6-to-17-year-olds declined over five years through 2022, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health. The figure helped give the category of “organized sports participation” a C-. However, Amanda Grimes, an associate professor of health sciences at Missouri-Kansas City who headed this section of the report card, points to steady decline for a decade. She says economic disparities are a driving force behind it. “The pay to play model is becoming increasingly common in organized sports, even among school- and community-based sports, resulting in lower-income youth being forced out of participation,” she tells USA TODAY Sports. “Low-income families also face other burdens such as lack of transportation and often rely on older siblings to care for younger siblings after school. Both hinder sports participation for youth.” The school-based sports category gets a D-. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, 50% of high school students attended physical education classes at least one day a week. We can lobby in our schools for more P.E. and in our communities for more low-cost and free opportunities. If we are coaches, we can also offer our rates at reduced costs to families who can’t afford them. But there is a larger theme at play here, too. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the discontinuation of sports for any reason during childhood plays a role in the more than 75% of U.S. adolescents failing to meet physical activity recommendations. And rates for 12-to-17-year-olds meeting those recommendations appear around 15%, according to two national health surveys. Sports should always be about inclusion. We need to make everyone on our teams feel welcome within them. Kids can have bad sports experiences because their teammates, or even their coaches, marginalize them. If kids aren’t good fits for a team, help them find another one, or an alternative space to continue to play sports. The sedentary behavior grade dropped from a D to a D- since 2022 because children are on screens more often. The rise in sedentary behavior represents perhaps the most dramatic shift in the report card, according to Amanda Staiano, its co-committee chair. Staiano says there are no federal guidelines and recommendations for sedentary behavior and screen time in children. But international guidelines recommend no more than 2 hours per day on non-school screen time. Only about 20% of 6-to-17-year-olds meet it, according to the most recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The figure rises to 58% when we include schoolwork, but it’s still nearly a failing grade, even on the curve. “Screens have their place in a child's life for discovering or reinforcing concepts learned in school, writing and researching for papers and projects, playing games that teach academic content,” says Staiano, director of a pediatric obesity and health behavior laboratory at Louisiana State University. “Screens can also be used for social interactions with friends outside of school, including multi-player video games and social media. But kids and adults can become immersed in long bouts of entertainment screen time that results in extended sitting, which has been shown to be harmful for the body." We know as athletes, as we get into the high school years, can be a critical component of the recruiting process. But just remember this , the longtime NBA player who has become a father to Division I athletes: It's hard to make a high school or college team when you’re on your phone 4 to 5 hours per day while your competition for a roster spot is practicing. We can always encourage our athletes to sleep more. Have kids aged 6-to-12 get 9-to-12 hours per night and 13-to-18 get 8-to-10, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says. Sleep received a C+, the second-highest mark among categories. The report card, its contributors says, is a work in progress, a rolling wave of data and insight that helps us better understand and serve our kids. The 2026 report will offer global data as a point of reference. “I think that the report is one of many tools," says Watts, the PAA president. "It is really a way to keep attention and conversation and focus on this frankly bleak reality of what's going on for youth in terms of physical activity." One category in 2024, family and peer support for physical activity, got a grade of incomplete due to a lack of data. It’s our job to help fill it in with positive experiences our kids can take into life. “It's fun, right?” Watts says of sports parenting. "It's social. It becomes a family affair. We really enjoyed all those years. Kind of missed it when they graduated.”San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey and top backup Jordan Mason are being placed on injured reserve. McCaffrey left the snowy field in Buffalo on Sunday night after a 5-yard gain that was preceded by him heading to the sideline in apparent pain at the end of an 18-yard run. McCaffrey was diagnosed with a posterior cruciate ligament injury in his right knee and did not play in the second half. The 49ers also lost Jordan Mason, who emerged in a starting role with McCaffrey out the first two months of the season, to an ankle injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday that Mason has a high-ankle sprain, which typically requires a recovery window of 4-6 weeks. Those moves push rookie Isaac Guerendo into the RB1 spot. He scored the team's only touchdown at Buffalo. The IR slots in San Francisco are manned by multiple starters, including wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and safety Talanoa Hufanga. Mason had a team-leading 789 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns. Being placed on IR means he's not eligible to play until the regular-season finale at Arizona. McCaffrey had 53 yards on seven carries on Sunday night and caught two passes for 14 yards before exiting. He was playing in just his fourth game of the season after missing the first eight because of Achilles tendinitis. McCaffrey was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year last season, when he led the league with 2,023 yards from scrimmage: a league-leading 1,459 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns plus 67 catches for 564 yards and seven scores. McCaffrey hasn't scored a touchdown in his four appearances this season. He has rushed for 202 yards on 50 carries and caught 15 passes for 146 yards. "It was frustrating," Shanahan said after the game. "He had a great week of practice and I could feel his urgency and stuff and thought he came out great, looking really good, and it looked like he just got his shoestring there. ... I hurt for him, and tough for our team not having him." The 49ers (5-7) played without defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique) and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) in the 35-10 loss. San Francisco has lost three in a row heading into next Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears (4-8) in Santa Clara, Calif. San Francisco resides two games behind the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks (7-5) with five games remaining on the schedule. Seattle and San Francisco split their season series. --Field Level MediaHachette UK, which has been based at Milton Park, near Didcot, for 24 years, has almost doubled its operations to nearly 300,000 square feet. The expansion includes a new site at 188 Park Drive, which will provide extra storage and allow the publisher to increase its book distribution services both in the UK and internationally. Hachette, which has a legacy in Oxford dating back to the 1980s through its predecessor Bookpoint, currently ships 65 million copies from its Milton Park facility. The expansion is expected to increase the company's workforce by around 15 per cent. Matt Wright, CEO at Hachette UK Distribution, said: "We have an ambitious goal to deliver one in every two books sold in the UK. "With the best site, technology, and team behind us, the expansion at Milton Park brings us ever closer to that goal and allows us to serve a growing audience of readers who are discovering or rediscovering the joy of physical books. "This reflects our core mission - to make it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment, and opportunity by ensuring that we make it easy to get more books to more readers." Mr Wright also noted a shift back towards physical book sales, saying books are still "great value" for the entertainment they provide. He added: "As we head into Christmas, we want to keep prices down as much as possible for more cost-conscious buyers and we can do just that through driving efficiencies in our new facility." Sir Chris Hoy's book, 'All That Matters', was highlighted by Mr Wright as a potential bestseller this festive season. Philip Campbell, commercial director at Milton Park, said: "No matter their size, we are always delighted to see our occupiers grow from strength to strength at Milton Park. "It’s particularly rewarding when we can work closely with them, playing a small role in their story by providing the space and flexibility so they can write their next chapter of growth. "Having had a Milton Park presence since 2000, Hachette is one of our largest and long-standing occupiers. "They have deep-rooted partnerships with other occupiers, such as the distribution collaboration with Taylor & Francis, and as donors to the Didcot Powerhouse Fund. "I hope the additional space and facilities help Hachette with their ambition of delivering one in every two books in the UK. "In amongst the millions of books they distribute, I’ll certainly be happy if Sir Chris Hoy’s new book finds its way under my tree this Christmas."For teachers who feel ill-equipped to design learning experiences with digital tools, the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) has a message: help is on the way. SETDA is developing a document for release in fall 2025 to help schools use federal professional development funds to boost teacher tech training, working in partnership with Learning Forward, a professional learning association for educators, as well as the International Society for Technology in Education and the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ( ), according to a Monday. The project is supported by a grant from Google.org. The focus of the guide is of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, which provides federal funding to states and districts for educator professional development. The document will include research on how to effectively train teachers to use technology and details on how schools can best use Title II-A funds to provide this training, the news release states. The impetus for the project is the fact that, according to a May 2024 from the U.S. Department of Education (ED), fewer than 40 percent of school districts use any portion of their Title II-A funds for teacher professional development on the use of technology. Learning Forward's Chief Policy Officer Melinda George said the hope is to raise that percentage. “Developing educators’ skills and knowledge around the use of technology must be planned and implemented as ongoing, job-embedded and collaborative professional learning,” George said in a public statement. “Title II-A dollars provide an essential funding source for equipping teachers and leaders to meet the needs of all students.” The decision to create the resource comes in the wake of a “call to action” in the (NETP) to make sure teachers in every school offer quality lessons with and about technology. Lack of teacher professional development in this area has led to what ED calls a " " — a division between districts that do and do not give teachers the time and support necessary for them to learn how to create lessons that use digital tools. To close this divide, school leaders must address “opportunities for educators to expand their professional learning and build the capacities necessary to design learning experiences enabled by technology,” the plan states. SETDA worked with ED to build the 2024 NETP. A common theme of educator input for the plan was that teachers need more professional development to be able to build quality lesson plans that include technology, according to SETDA Executive Director Julia Fallon. “As the lead contractor to the U.S. Department of Education in developing the 2024 NETP, we heard from educators across the country about the critical need for time and support necessary to design instruction that meaningfully integrates technology use,” Fallon said in a public statement. “We are excited to collaborate with Learning Forward and ISTE+ASCD to identify ways that the long-standing Title II-A program can be leveraged to address these challenges and drive the modernization of our education system.”
(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Sunday, Dec. 29 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) Noon BTN — Indiana St. at Ohio St. 1 p.m. PEACOCK — Penn at Penn St. 1:30 p.m. PEACOCK — Northeastern at Northwestern 2 p.m. BTN — Chicago St. at Illinois PEACOCK — Morgan St. at Minnesota 3 p.m. ESPNU — Buffalo at Temple PEACOCK — NJIT at Washington 4 p.m. BTN — Winthrop at Indiana 6 p.m. BTN — Toledo at Purdue 8 p.m. ACCN — Campbell at North Carolina BTN — W. Kentucky at Michigan COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) Noon ACCN — Virginia at Notre Dame, Noon SECN — Alabama A&M at Vanderbitl 1 p.m. ESPN2 — South Florida at Rice 2 p.m. ACCN — Louisville at Boston College SECN — Wofford at South Carolina 4 p.m. ACCN — North Carolina at Miami SECN — Texas Rio Grande Valley at Texas 6 p.m. ACCN — Clemson at NC State 10 p.m. BTN — Michigan at Southern Cal HORSE RACING 3 p.m. FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races IIHF HOCKEY (MEN’S) Noon NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Switzerland vs. Sweden, Group B, Toronto 2:30 p.m. NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: U.S. vs. Finland, Group A, Ottawa, Ontario 5 p.m. NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Czechia vs. Slovakia, Group B, Toronto 7:30 p.m. NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Canada vs. Germany, Group A, Ottawa, Ontario NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL 2 p.m. NBATV — Osceola at Raptors 905 NFL FOOTBALL 1 p.m. CBS — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, Carolina at Tampa Bay, Tennessee at Jacksonville FOX — Regional Coverage: Las Vegas at New Orleans, Indianapolis at N.Y. Giants, Dallas at Philadelphia 4:05 p.m. CBS — Miami at Cleveland 4:25 p.m. FOX — Green Bay at Minnesota 8:20 p.m. NBC — Atlanta at Washington PEACOCK — Atlanta at Washington NHL HOCKEY 8:30 p.m. ESPN — Dallas at Chicago SOCCER (MEN’S) 10 a.m. USA — Premier League: Nottingham Forest at Everton 12:15 p.m. USA — Premier League: Liverpool at West Ham United 12:40 p.m. CBSSN — English League Championship: Leeds United at Derby Country TENNIS 6 a.m. TENNIS — Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds 6:30 p.m. TENNIS — United Cup: Britain v. Argentina; Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds; Hong Kong-ATP, Auckland-WTA Early Rounds 6 a.m. (Monday) TENNIS — Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. RELATED STORY | NCAA head warns of the dark side of college sports gambling Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it's been a spot used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two before departing to catch the Spurs' flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team's time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA's biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. RELATED STORY | LeBron and Bronny James make history as NBA's first father-son duo to play together Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning Rookie of the Year last season.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger steps down as chipmaker struggles with layoffs and competition
WWE Smackdown saw an uptick in the ratings and viewership from the previous week. Friday’s episode brought in a 0.44 rating in the 18 – 49 demographic and 1.494 million viewers per Wrestlenomics . Those numbers were up 10.0% and 11.4% respectively from the previous week’s 0.40 demo rating and audience of 1.341 million. Both metric were still down from two weeks ago, when the show did a 0.46 demo rating and 1.578 million viewers. Much like Rampage , Smackdown was up against the UNLV vs. Boise State game on FOX (0.70 demo rating, 3.005 million viewers) and the AAC Championship game on ABC (0.28/1.991 million), as well as an NBA game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics on ESPN (0.31 demo rating/1.279 million). Smackdown is averaging a 0.586 demo rating and 2.068 million viewers in 2024 to date, compared to a 0.593 demo rating and 2.237 million for the same point in 2023.
Global Product Prototyping Market Expected To Surge To USD 63.90 Billion By 2034 With A CAGR Of 11.5% TMRE! may get a commission if you purchase something through our links. Learn more . After a long day, there’s nothing like a hot shower or bath to wash away the stress. But let’s be real—wrapping up in a scratchy old towel is a buzzkill. Black Friday is the perfect time to upgrade your bath game with luxe towels that bring hotel-level softness right to your bathroom. These plush picks are super absorbent, cozy as can be, and (spoiler alert) surprisingly affordable with this season's epic deals . Whether you’re drying off or just want to feel pampered , these towels are like wrapping yourself in a fluffy cloud—we’re not joking. E! editors are raving about these top-tier finds , so you know they’re the real deal . Ready to turn your everyday bath routine into a spa-worthy experience? Scroll on to snag the best Black Friday discounts and finally say goodbye to crusty towels for good. Your Zen moment just got a major upgrade! Quince Organic Turkish Waffle Bath Towel Bundle This E! editor-approved waffle bath towel bundle is not only incredibly absorbent, it's also chic and aesthetically pleasing, making it the perfect pick for those who love keeping their bathroom both stylish and functional. With its elegant design and exceptional performance, every shower or bath becomes a luxurious experience to be savored. Glowing review: "This was my first quince purchase and led to so many more! I love having these towels hanging in the bathroom - they actually add to the space vs. take away from it! Super soft and have held up well after washes." Parachute Classic Turkish Cotton Towels Crafted with 100 percent long-staple Turkish cotton and innovative aerocotton technology, these plush towels promise exceptional softness, absorbency, and quick-drying capabilities, leaving you feeling fresh and clean after every use. They also come in four muted colors to match any aesthetic. Glowing review: "I had been eyeing these for a while and when this color went on sale I knew I needed them. They are thick and luxurious but dry very well and quickly. For me they are the perfect blend of comfort and functionality. They also snag less easily than the ribbed towels in my experience." Brooklinen Super-Plush Bath Towels These best-selling Super-Plush towels are crafted from the finest 100% long-staple Turkish cotton, ensuring durability and unmatched softness. With an indulgent 820 GSM, each wash, wrap, and dry is elevated to a luxurious experience, enveloping you in over-the-top plushness that feels like a warm hug every time. Glowing review: "I decided to upgrade my bath and hand towels after having my old ones from Costco for many years. Brooklinen's towels are exactly what I was hoping for; nicely made, stylish towels that dry me well without leaving tiny fibers all over the place. They were definitely more expensive than my Costco ones but I feel that you get what you pay for here. I will definitely be buying more in the future if/when I need more." Pottery Barn Grand Organic Cotton Embroidered Towel Next spa day, make sure to dry yourself off with these plush towels . They're meticulously crafted in Portugal from organic cotton selected for its extra-long fibers, ensuring an irresistibly soft and silky feel. With a dense 700-gram weight, they also deliver hotel-worthy comfort and luxury straight to your home (yes, please!). Why E! loves it: Very plush and perfect as a housewarming gift, thanks to its elegant embroidered details. Cozy Earth White Waffle Bath Towels Responsibly made using 100% Mulberry silk, these Cozy Earth waffle bath towels are another favorite from our editors. They're ultra-absorbent thanks to their 600-gram weight, and are also machine washable. The best part? The enhanced weave doesn't allow them to pill, keeping the towels looking brand new after constant use. Glowing review: "Cozy Earth towels are so well made and are nicer than any top-rated hotel towels I've used. They are thick but not stiff. They wash and dry well and look very classy when hung. After using these towels - I just can't go back to any other brand." Bloomingdales Frette Diamond Bordo Towels These Frette Diamond Bordo towels are meticulously crafted in Portugal with a woven jacquard border, embodying unparalleled luxury down to the finest detail. Made from high-quality Egyptian cotton for supreme absorbency and ultra-softness, every use will feel like you're wrapped in clouds, albeit with a splurge-worthy price tag. Glowing review: "I have always wanted to know "what's the big deal about Frette towels & Linen"? Now I know. I waited until they were on sale and bought towel sets for me and my husband by Frette. They are soft, fluffy, wash and dry well and feel very luxurious. Happy purchase!" Looking for more Black Friday deals? Check out our round up of artificial Christmas trees to prep your home for the holidays. Black Friday is the day following Thanksgiving in the United States, traditionally marking the start of the holiday shopping season. The term "Black Friday" originated in the 1960s and refers to the point in the year when retailers begin to turn a profit, moving from being "in the red" (indicating losses) to "in the black" (indicating profits). Retailers offer significant discounts and promotions, attracting millions of shoppers looking for the best deals. Online Black Friday deals can often be just as good, if not better, than in-store deals. Many retailers offer exclusive online discounts and free shipping options. Plus, shopping online allows you to avoid crowds and shop from the comfort of your home. Trust us, we recommend not storming the local Macy’s and instead finding the best deals from us. To prepare for Black Friday, start by making a shopping list of items you want and compare prices in advance to catch the best deals. Be sure to bookmark your favorite retailers and set up accounts for faster checkout. Sign up for our E! Insider Shop newsletter for exclusive access to deals, and follow us on Instagram for real-time updates on flash sales. While Black Friday 2024 will take place on November 29th, many brands start their sales online on Thanksgiving evening or even days prior, allowing shoppers to take advantage of deals before the official day begins. So far, Coach , Lululemon , and Michael Kors have already marked down tons of items. However, these deals won't last forever—most sales will continue through Cyber Monday, while some may end sooner depending on stock availability. Be sure to shop early to avoid missing out on your favorite items! We have already put together a list of the best deals to shop this Black Friday , featuring all of our favorite brands and products. If you’re looking for a specific brand, we've seen incredible discounts from Dyson , Nordstrom Rack , Kate Spade , Lululemon , and many others. Whether you're shopping for stylish activewear , luxury handbags , or classic wardrobe staples , these brands are offering some of the most impressive deals of the season.Cardinals are average through 12 games and the frustration is it feels as if they could be better
