slot fortune gems jili games tips and tricks
Week 12 TNF: Steelers-Browns Preview, Props & Prediction
Telecommunications company Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, with over 37% of the market. The company is also an outstanding dividend stock with a 6.2% dividend yield today and an ongoing streak of 18 consecutive annual dividend raises. So, if you're looking for passive income to cover your living expenses or to reinvest and supercharge your portfolio's compounding, Verizon is a great candidate for you right now. Are You Missing The Morning Scoop? Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free » But what about moving forward? The telecom industry is notoriously competitive among the few companies that dominate the U.S. market, and there's a constant need to spend to maintain and upgrade the vast infrastructure that makes wireless communications work. Here is what investors can expect from the stock over the next five years. Subscriber momentum is trending upward Consumers make Verizon's business go: Consumer wireless and wireline (Fios fiber optic services and landline phone connections) account for about 75% of the company's total revenue. Subscriber growth is critical because the industry is ruthlessly price competitive; acquiring customers is the best route to growth. Verizon's subscriber activity is lumpy. For example, Q4 is generally a big quarter due to the purchases consumers tend to make during the holidays (and the new iPhone usually launches in the fall). As you can see, subscriber losses have trended lower since Q1, turning positive this past quarter: Verizon acquired TracFone, a leading prepaid phone carrier with 20 million users at the time, in late 2021. However, Verizon has bled prepaid customers since closing the acquisition. It's encouraging to see Verizon slowly stem those losses and return to prepaid customer growth in Q3. However, Verizon's growth outlook is still limited Verizon has growth opportunities in fiber optics (Fios) and edge computing . As more devices connect to networks, they must transmit more data faster. This spans across the economy, from factory equipment to autonomous vehicles. Verizon is gradually expanding its Fios services, including fiber optic internet, allowing far higher bandwidth. The company has agreed to acquire Frontier Communications , the country's largest pure-play fiber provider, for $20 billion to expand its fiber optics footprint. Post-acquisition close, Verizon will have approximately 25 million fiber customers, with a 2028 goal of 30 million and a long-term goal of between 35 million and 40 million. Despite this opportunity, Verizon's mature consumer business (75% of total revenue) will likely continue to limit the company's broader growth prospects. Analysts recently raised their long-term earnings growth estimates but still anticipate just 2.4% annualized growth over the long term. What will the next five years look like? Verizon's lacking growth will ultimately make the stock a poor fit for investors who want to maximize their total investment returns. The good news is that Verizon's dividend remains on solid footing. Verizon's dividend payout ratio is 59% of 2024 earnings estimates, so there's room for the company to continue increasing its dividend over the coming years. Verizon's dividend has only grown by an average of 2% annually over the past five years, and I'd expect that pace to continue, given Verizon's similar growth prospects. Meanwhile, the stock trades at 9 to 10 times 2024 earnings estimates, which seems cheap compared to the broader market -- the S&P 500 trades at 23 times earnings. Again, Verizon's slow growth is the culprit. The reality is that Verizon's probably fully valued at its current price, perhaps even a touch expensive at a PEG ratio of 3.1 today. In that case, investors can expect mid- to high-single-digit annualized investment returns over the next five years. You'll get about 6% from the dividend plus another 2% in earnings growth, though any fluctuations in valuation could impact those returns. That makes Verizon attractive for retirees and other conservative, income-focused investors, but it is probably a pass for others. Should you invest $1,000 in Verizon Communications right now? Before you buy stock in Verizon Communications, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now... and Verizon Communications wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $872,947 !* Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of December 2, 2024 Justin Pope has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy . Where Will Verizon Communications Be in 5 Years? was originally published by The Motley FoolStony Brook wins 72-55 against RiderThe Pittsburgh Steelers take on what is typically an unenviable task -- traveling on a short week for a Thursday night primetime game. However, a few things are playing in Pittsburgh's favor as Week 12 of the NFL regular season kicks off. Namely, the "trip" to Cleveland is a little more than two hours by road and when the Steelers arrive there, they'll be facing a backup quarterback at the helm of a massively underwhelming 2-8 Browns team. The Steelers (8-2) are coming off a huge win over Baltimore to stay atop the AFC North. And Pittsburgh is beginning to set its sights on potential home-field advantage come playoff time. ODDS AND TRENDS The Steelers are a consensus 3.5-point favorite. That includes at BetRivers, where they have been backed by 80 percent of the spread-line money. Pittsburgh's -195 moneyline to simply win the game has been even more popular, drawing 95 percent of all money wagered. The Browns enter Thursday night having failed to cover the spread in nine of their past 12 games. Meanwhile, the Steelers have covered the spread in every game during their five-game win streak. The 37.0 total points line has seen the Over backed by 65 percent of the money and 70 percent of the total bets. Each of Cleveland's past eight November home games has gone under the total points line. PROP PICKS --Steelers WR George Pickens Over 50 Receiving Yards (-195 at DraftKings): Russell Wilson has thrown six touchdowns in the four games since he took over as the starting quarterback. Two of those have gone to Pickens, who has at least 74 receiving yards in each of those games. There is some concern that Pittsburgh gains a big early lead and turns to a run-heavy attack, but Wilson throws an excellent deep ball and that plays into Pickens' strength. This is the most popular player prop at the book. --Steelers RB Najee Harris Anytime TD (+100 at BetRivers): That potential for a run-heavy approach should benefit Harris, who found the sledding tough against Baltimore with 63 yards on the ground. He was also held out of the end zone for the second time in three games. Keep in mind that Cleveland has allowed only three touchdowns on the ground all season, but the Browns have allowed 12 through the air. Harris has a trio of scores on the ground and receiving through 10 games. KEY STAT The Browns have won the first quarter in five consecutive home games against the Steelers. THE NEWS The Steelers have certainly been locked in. They are currently riding a five-game winning streak, most recently edging the Baltimore Ravens 18-16 on Sunday. Chris Boswell booted six field goals against Baltimore, while Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 205 yards and an interception. Meanwhile, Cleveland continues to go through the wringer. The Browns ended up on the wrong end of a 35-14 blowout while facing the host New Orleans Saints on Sunday, marking their seventh loss in the past eight games. Cleveland now has to go up against one of the most unforgiving defenses in the league. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston is determined to direct a fundamentally sound performance against Pittsburgh, which allows the second-fewest points per game in the NFL (16.2). "It's precision passing. Getting the ball out on time. Elite operation and just doing our job. It's the simple things," Winston said. "This team (the Steelers) is not going to try and fool you. They're going to line up and say, 'Give us your best, we're going to give you our best.'" Winston threw for 395 yards and two touchdowns on 30-for-46 passing in the setback against New Orleans, with Jerry Jeudy hauling in six catches for 142 yards and a score. Star running back Nick Chubb continued to struggle since his return from a knee injury that cut his 2023 season short, finishing with 50 yards on 11 carries. INJURY REPORT The Browns could be without standout defensive end Myles Garrett, who missed practice on Tuesday because of a hip injury. Wide receiver Elijah Moore (shoulder), guard Joel Bitonio (pectoral) and cornerbacks Denzel Ward (ribs/ankle) and Greg Newsome II (shoulder) were among those limited during the session. Linebacker Alex Highsmith is dealing with an ankle issue and was ruled out by the Steelers along with cornerback Cory Trice Jr. (hamstring). THEY SAID IT Wilson is starting to feel like he might be part of something special, but he also doesn't want Pittsburgh to get ahead of itself. "I definitely think that we have a chance (to make a deep playoff run)," said Wilson, who has played in two Super Bowls. "I think the biggest thing for us is continuing to just take each week as the most important week of it all. "I think that it's not really even just the week, it's just the day, it's just the moments in between. I think the greatest teams, the greatest players, in any sport, especially the teams I've been on, is the moment -- it's never too far away. It's right here, right now. And you're just locked into that." PREDICTION Divisional road games on short weeks typically shape up as a daunting task. That's not the case for the Steelers, who will be hyper-focused to put this one out of reach early before enjoying 10 days ahead of a trip to Cleveland. With a second game against the Browns before a huge game at Philadelphia, this is not an under-manned opponent Pittsburgh will look past. --Steelers 27, Browns 19 --Field Level Media
Ottawa city councillor concerned over sprung structure debate as protests continueJimmy Carter Remembered As Faithful Public Servant In Tributes From Both Sides of The Aisle
Australia's government has withdrawn a bill that would give a media watchdog power to monitor digital platforms and require them to keep records about misinformation and disinformation on their networks. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said Sunday that the government was unable to drum up the support needed to pass the legislation. The opposition spokesman, David Coleman, said the bill "betrayed our democracy" and amounted to "censorship laws in Australia." "Based on public statements and engagements with senators, it is clear that there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through the Senate," Rowland said. The bill would have granted the Australian Communications and Media Authority power over digital platforms by approving an enforceable code of conduct or standards for social media companies if self-regulation fell short. "This bill would have had the effect of suppressing the free speech of everyday Australians, as platforms would have censored online content to avoid the threat of big fines," Coleman said said in a statement.Govt may table Peca amendments next week to tighten control over digital content If finalized, they could be presented in parliament next week for approval THE federal government could table proposed amendments to the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) in parliament as early as next week, officials revealed. Senior officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told The News that the amendments are currently being discussed with the government’s political allies. If finalized, they could be presented in parliament next week for approval. The proposed changes to Peca aim to establish two new authorities with sweeping powers to regulate online content, investigate violations, and prosecute offenders. According to a working draft of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2024, available with The News, the proposed changes include the introduction of new definitions, the creation of regulatory and investigative bodies, and stricter penalties for disseminating “false” information. New definitions The amendments introduce several definitions under which individuals can be prosecuted. “Aspersions,” for instance, is defined as “spreading false and harmful information that damages a person’s reputation.” A “complainant” is any person filing a complaint under the Act, including a victim or someone with “substantial reason” to believe an offense is occurring. While a “social media platform” refers to any website, app, or service that allows users to create public profiles and share content. Pakistan Digital Rights Protection Authority A significant proposal in the amendments is creation of the Pakistan Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), headquartered in Islamabad, with additional offices in provincial capitals as needed. DRPA would take on some of the responsibilities previously held by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). While DRPA’s broad mandate includes: • Regulating social media content; •Investigating and prosecuting complaints; • Issuing guidelines to stakeholders; • Ordering content removal, blocking, or temporary suspension. The Authority will be led by a chairperson and six members appointed by the federal government for a three-year term. The federal government will also have the power to issue binding policy directions to DRPA. Additionally, the Act provides legal immunity to government officials and members of DRPA acting “in good faith” under its provisions. Content blocking DRPA will have the authority to direct social media platforms to block or remove content deemed objectionable. Platforms will now be required to register with DRPA, pay a fee, and comply with the conditions set by it. The draft outlines categories of content that may be blocked, including material that: • Violates the “glory of Islam” or the “ideology of Pakistan”; • Incites violence, terror, or public disorder; • Is designed to frighten the general public to prevent them from coming out and carrying on their lawful trade or daily business; • Promotes hatred on religious, sectarian, or ethnic grounds; • Contains obscene or pornographic material; • Defames; • Violates copyrights or intellectual property rights; • Disseminates false or fake information; • Contains “aspersions” against constitutional institutions, including the judiciary, armed forces, or parliament or the provincial assemblies; • Encourages terrorism or other forms of violence; • Amounts to intimidation or blackmail. Content related to remarks expunged from parliamentary proceedings and statements from proscribed organizations will also be prohibited. In cases of violations, DRPA can recommend the federal government to block entire social media platforms. New tribunals and penalties The draft also calls for the establishment of Digital Rights Protection Tribunals. Each tribunal will comprise a chairperson qualified to be a High Court judge, a journalist registered with a press club, and a software engineer. Tribunals must resolve cases within 90 days, with appeals to the Supreme Court allowed within 60 days. Stricter penalties have also been proposed. Individuals who intentionally disseminate “fake or false information” through an information system face up to five years in prison. If the offense involves women or children, the sentence increases to seven years. While aggrieved individuals may file complaints with DRPA, which must issue orders for content removal or blocking within 24 hours. National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency The amendments propose transferring investigative and prosecutorial powers related to online content to a newly established National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Government’s point of view The government officials who spoke to The News said the draft amendments were still under discussion with allied political parties and had not been finalized, but they argued the changes were necessary to address the “rise of online disinformation and misinformation.” One official said that the government wants social media platforms to establish offices in Pakistan and is already in talks with Meta. However, X, formerly known as Twitter, has refused to comply. It is worth noting that X has been officially blocked in Pakistan since February. When asked why the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) was being replaced with the Pakistan Digital Rights Protection Authority (DRPA), an official explained that PTA is overwhelmed with thousands of pending complaints, necessitating a new body to manage the workload regarding online complaints, while PTA will continue its work related to the telecom sector. However, when pressed on how the government intends to define “fake” or “false” news, or determine whether misinformation was spread deliberately, the officials were unable to provide a clear explanation. The minister of state for information technology did not respond to The News repeated requests for comments.Coming off a highly successful West Coast road trip, the Buffalo Sabres return to home ice on Wednesday to face the Minnesota Wild, when they will likely welcome back their leading goal-scorer. Tage Thompson told reporters after practice Tuesday that he would be "ready to go" against the second-place team in the Central Division. The 27-year-old center, who scored 47 goals and 94 points two seasons ago, has not played since Nov. 11 due to a lower-body injury. Despite missing five games, his 11 goals still lead the team, and he ranks third in points with 18. Buffalo swept its California road trip, beating Los Angeles, Anaheim and San Jose in four days. The Sabres were off Sunday and Monday before returning to the ice Tuesday morning. The winning streak has Lindy Ruff's team tied for eighth place in the Eastern Conference. However, with three-quarters of the season remaining, Ruff -- who was in his first stint as the Sabres' coach when the team last made the playoffs in 2011 -- knows his team still needs to do more against tough competition. It did not help matters that Tuesday's practice could have started better, Ruff said. "You come in off a road trip, and you're hoping that the team can be ready to exceed the intensity that we were able to bring on the trip," Ruff said. "It's the only way to get better." One area in which Ruff, whom the Sabres rehired in April, wants to see improvement is staying out of the penalty box. Out west, Buffalo gave opponents 12 power-play opportunities while only getting seven. Minnesota comes to Buffalo after falling at home 4-1 against Central Division leaders Winnipeg on Monday. It was the team's second straight defeat following a shootout loss to Calgary on Saturday. Monday's loss was not for a lack of effort. The Wild generated a season-high 44 shots on goal, with half of those coming in the first period. The 22 shots were the second-most of any team in one period this season and were the most in a period for the Wild in nearly seven years. Wild coach John Hynes felt his team played well but just could not get much past Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner. "There's some things that we can grow from the game, but we got a lot of hockey this week too," Hynes told reporters after Monday's loss. "So, we got to put this one behind us, grab what we can take out of it, and then we got to make sure that we're refreshed again (Tuesday) and we're ready to go against Buffalo." Despite the mini losing streak, Minnesota's 30 points in 21 games is tied with the 2013-14 squad for the best start in franchise history. Left winger Kirill Kaprizov leads the Wild in both goals (13) and assists (21). His 34 total points entering Tuesday are tied for third in the NHL with Vegas' Jack Eichel and a point back from co-leaders Martin Necas of Carolina and Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado. Minnesota could be without defensive center Jakub Lauko, who left Monday's game early with a lower-body injury. Hynes did not have an update on his status after the Jets game. --Field Level Media
Australia’s technology sector has not yet felt the “whistleblowing wave” that has torn through Silicon Valley and the European Union, and a new guide is aiming to encourage more insiders to come forward and expose corporate wrongdoing. The past year has been marked by scandals at local technology companies, including WiseTech Global , Grok Academy and Metigy , with executives at each organisation resigning after alleged misconduct was revealed by whistleblowers who raised concerns. American Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. Credit: AFR Other tech scandals this year include a secretive algorithm that was found to be determining the fate of Australia’s immigration detainees and revelations that photos of Australian children have been used to train AI tools without the knowledge or consent of the children or their families. As the federal government moves ahead with its aggressive plans to regulate Big Tech and reduce the harm caused by social media and artificial intelligence, there are concerns that the role of whistleblowers has been lost in the debate. Technology-Related Whistleblowing: A Practical Guide will be launched on Monday and is the work of The Human Rights Law Centre, Reset Tech Australia, Psst.org and Digital Rights Watch. It builds on equivalent resources in the US and the EU. Frances Haugen, the high-profile American whistleblower who leaked the so-called “Facebook Files” said Australia was, in many respects, a proving ground for many of the world’s incumbent tech giants and an incubator for the good, bad, and the unlawful. ‘Few people, if any at all, actively set out to be whistleblowers. It is a difficult and hazardous path, but sometimes it’s the only path we have to serve the public interest, and even save lives.’ Haugen formerly served as a senior product manager at Facebook before quitting in May 2021 and leaking tens of thousands of internal documents that exposed how much the company knew about the harm it was causing, including knowingly promoting misinformation and hate speech, and pro-eating-disorder content to teenage girls. “Just in 2024, a wide variety of tech scandals came to light in Australia. These powerful investigations by top reporters detail a taste of what’s happening under the surface in data-powered digital companies. There are almost certainly more,” Haugen said. “Few people, if any at all, actively set out to be whistleblowers. It is a difficult and hazardous path, but sometimes it’s the only path we have to serve the public interest and even save lives.” Haugen said that she was first-hand proof that information can help transform companies and enact broader cultural and societal change. “The documents I collected and provided to the US Congress and the SEC, now known as the Facebook Files, have been instrumental in sparking global conversations about the impact of social media on society and continue to play a role in making a case for legislative reform around the world for digital platform companies,” she said. Human rights lawyer Kieran Pender says protections for whistleblowers are vital. The guide covers issues including what to think about before blowing the whistle – including employment risks, potential legal action and emotional risks – as well as the various protections that whistleblowers are afforded. Kieran Pender is an associate legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre and has worked with a number of whistleblowers in the technology sector, including several who have spoken to this masthead for major stories. While Pender works with whistleblowers in the local sector, he would like to see more. He said that under existing laws, public and private sector workers in Australia have a range of protected avenues for raising concerns. “While the tech whistleblowing wave hasn’t yet made its way to Australia, we hope this guide will empower workers who witness technology-related harms to exercise their legal rights and speak up about wrongdoing,” he said. “Regulators must also take technology-related whistleblowing more seriously, including by ensuring they can receive lawful and protected disclosures. At a time of rapid regulatory change in Australia, it is vital that whistleblowing and whistleblower protections are part of the accountability ecosystem.” Alice Dawkins is the executive director at Reset Tech Australia, a lobby group dedicated to countering misinformation. For Dawkins, 2024 represented a banner year for the reporting of misconduct at tech companies. Alice Dawkins believes further tech industry disclosures are only a matter of time. “We’ve heard a lot this year about the harmful conduct of tech-enabled companies, and there is undoubtedly more to come out,” she said. “We know it will take time to progress comprehensive protections for Australians for digital harms. It’s especially urgent to open up the gate for public accountability via whistleblowing.” Jennifer Gibson is the co-founder and legal director of Psst.org, a platform providing whistleblowers with support and advice. “If Australia is serious about holding tech accountable, then it’s imperative whistleblowers be empowered to speak up about tech-related harms. They are the key to seeing inside the ‘black box’,” she said. “This new resource will help those on the inside who have key public interest information understand what their options are and where they can find support.” The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning .
Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson used teammates’ urine to ward off injuries during NFL careerList of compromised VCE exams revealedMore than 3,000 fake Gibson electric guitars were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Southern California in what authorities are calling the largest seizure of counterfeit musical instruments at the busiest container port in North America. If they were authentic Gibson guitars, the instruments — which were destined for the e-commerce market — would be worth an estimated $18 million, according to U.S. Customs. They were seized by federal officials at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, a sprawling coastal complex that includes the Port of LA. The massive West Coast port is the busiest in the U.S. among container ports, in the volume of shipments seen, with cargo worth an estimated $292 billion passing through in 2023. While the knockoffs seized by federal authorities were manufactured outside the country, all authentic Gibson guitars are hand-crafted and made in the U.S., said Beth Heidt, chief marketing officer at the company. The iconic guitar brand, founded in 1902 in Kalamazoo, Mich., has all its instruments made at facilities in Nashville, Tenn. and Boseman, Mont. — with several generations of artisans behind the more than 100-year-old company, she said. "This is really emotional and personal for us because our teams have generations who have dedicated their entire lives to making these instruments," Heidt said, describing Gibson's guitar-making as a craft passed down generations within American families. Among the seized guitars were imitations of designs such as the Gibson SG and Les Paul , and while the majority were Gibson knockoffs, some were counterfeits of other well-known brands like Fender , Heidt said. She said there were models worth about $2,500 each if they were authentic as well as imitations of higher value Gibsons that would typically retail for more than $10,000. Federal authorities would not release any details about suspects in the investigation or where the instruments came from. U.S. Customs officers worked with Gibson's intellectual property experts to determine whether the guitars were counterfeits, according to LA County Sheriff's Lt. Bill Kitchin, who oversees the department's piracy division. Violating the federal statute that protects U.S. consumers from counterfeit products can result in a fine of up to $250,000 and 10 years in prison, said Jaime Ruiz, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Africa Bell, director of the LA-Long Beach Seaport, said the record-breaking seizure was especially noteworthy since the port is the largest container port in the country — collecting $19 billion in import duties, taxes and fees during the last fiscal year. She said finding counterfeits and contraband "in this massive amount of cargo arriving here everyday is like trying to find the smallest of needles in the largest of haystacks." Heidt said seasoned guitar players would be able to easily tell the difference between the fake Gibsons that were seized and the brand's authentic instruments, from the sound to other elements visible to the trained eye. "We can pick it up immediately and tell," she said, describing flaws in the fakes such as in the finishing, a more "flimsy" and light feel, placement of the logo, misplaced inlays and flaws in where the neck of the guitar meets the rest of the body. Andrea Bates, an attorney for the company who protects its intellectual property rights in court, said the well-known brand only sells through its website and authorized retailers which are listed on the site. Over the past fiscal year, Bell said, more than $2 billion in counterfeit products have been seized at the Southern California port. John Pasciucco, U.S. Customs' deputy special agent in charge for Los Angeles, said the selling of counterfeit goods can not only violate intellectual property rights and undermine respected brands that play by the rules, but also put consumers at risk. They can be made with substandard, even dangerous materials posing health risks — while also potentially being made through forced labor. Products made with paint containing lead, potentially dangerous counterfeit medications and knockoff brand cosmetics bearing that can cause severe skin reactions are just a few examples given by federal authorities of such potentially harmful counterfeits. Marissa Wenzke is a journalist based in Los Angeles. She has a bachelor's degree in political science from UC Santa Barbara and is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School.
Adele became emotional as she told her fans she will miss them “terribly” during her final Las Vegas residency show. The British singer-songwriter, 36, launched Weekends With Adele at Caesars Palace in November 2022 and performed her 100th show on Saturday. Her run of sell-out shows at the venue, which seats around 4,000 people, has been a success but has also taken its toll. In July, she announced she would be taking a “big break” from music after her current run of shows. Videos posted online from her concert on Saturday show the singer getting tearful as she bid farewell to Vegas. “It’s been wonderful and I will miss it terribly and I will miss you terribly”, she said. “I don’t know when I next want to perform again.” She also said she got “closure” when Canadian singer Celine Dion came to watch her perform, admitting that she cried for a “whole week” afterwards. “It was just such a full circle moment for me because that’s the only reason I ever even wanted to be in here”, she added. Adele shared an emotional embrace with Dion after she spotted the singer in the audience during her Las Vegas show last month. In footage shared online, the British star can be seen breaking down in tears as they hug in The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, which was built for Dion’s residency. The Rolling In The Deep singer has been vocal about her love for Dion over the years, hailing her as “Queen Celine” after attending one of her performances in an Instagram post in 2018. Dion reciprocated the love at the time, sharing a photo to social media of her posing alongside Adele, who was wearing the singer’s merchandise. She wrote: “Wasn’t able to do all my shows, but was thrilled that @Adele came to one of them.... I love her so much!! – Celine xx”. After their encounter at the venue, Adele said in an Instagram post: “Words will never sum up what you mean to me, or what you coming to my show means, let alone how it felt seeing you back in your palace with your beautiful family.”After two teasers, Netflix has premiered the new full trailer for the second season of “Squid Game” just one month out from launch. In the second season, Seong Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), who vowed revenge at the end of season one, returns and joins the game again. Will he succeed in getting his revenge? The fierce clash between their two worlds will continue into the series finale and in season three which was shot simultaneously with the second and will serve as the final run of the series in 2026. Lee Byung-hun, Wi Ha-jun and Gong Yoo return from the first season while Yim Si-wan, Kang Ha-neul, Park Gyu-young, Lee Jin-uk, Park Sung-hoon, Yang Dong-geun, Kang Ae-sim, Lee David, Choi Seung-hyun, Roh Jae-won, Jo Yu-ri and Won Ji-an join the new run. Executive producer, writer and director Hwang Dong-hyuk created the series and is steering it through its second and third seasons. The second season launches on the service on December 26th. The first season premiered to critical acclaim, six Emmys along with an Outstanding Drama Series nomination, and remains Netflix’s most watched single season of any series to date.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has passed on Australia’s condolences to South Korea after the country experienced its deadliest plane crash. At least 179 people were killed on Sunday when Jeju Air flight 7C2216 skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport and erupted in flames. Just two crew members — a man and a woman — survived. “The news of a plane crash at Muan Airport in the Republic of Korea today is devastating,” Senator Wong posted on social media. “Australia’s thoughts and deepest condolences are with the victims and their loved ones.” Eyewitness footage of the crash flooded social media moments after it happened. The videos showed sparks shooting from the aircraft as it slid at speed along the runway on its belly. No landing gear was visible. The plane flung debris skyward as it continued off the runway before slamming into a barrier and exploding. The flight was arriving from the Thai capital Bangkok with 175 passengers on-board. Authorities said the two surviving crew members were rescued from the tail section of the plane and getting treated for burns varying in severity. Airport authorities said a bird strike may have caused a landing gear malfunction, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.Singapore HC shares "impossible" Chai experience in India; gets reply from Chaayos founder "guess we ..."
US House passes measure that could punish nonprofits Treasury Department decides are ‘terrorist’Mbappé scores as Madrid moves closer to Barcelona in Spanish league ahead of tough test at Liverpool
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia's House of Representatives passes bill banning children younger than age 16 from social media.
BOONE, N.C. (AP) — South Carolina offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains has been hired as head coach at Appalachian State and will receive a five-year contract, athletic director Doug Gillin announced Saturday. The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, who was fired Monday after the Mountaineers finished 5-6 for their first losing season since 2013. Loggains was South Carolina's offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football," Gillin said. "He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.” Loggains' offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference's third-ranked rushing offense. Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas' tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference's East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play. App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three seasons. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballPLAINS, Ga. (AP) — Newly married and sworn as a Naval officer, Jimmy Carter left his tiny hometown in 1946 hoping to climb the ranks and see the world. Less than a decade later, the death of his father and namesake, a merchant farmer and local politician who went by “Mr. Earl,” prompted the submariner and his wife, Rosalynn, to return to the rural life of Plains, Georgia, they thought they’d escaped. The lieutenant never would be an admiral. Instead, he became commander in chief. Years after his presidency ended in humbling defeat, he would add a Nobel Peace Prize, awarded not for his White House accomplishments but “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” The life of James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, ended Sunday at the age of 100 where it began: Plains, the town of 600 that fueled his political rise, welcomed him after his fall and sustained him during 40 years of service that redefined what it means to be a former president. With the stubborn confidence of an engineer and an optimism rooted in his Baptist faith, Carter described his motivations in politics and beyond in the same way: an almost missionary zeal to solve problems and improve lives. Carter was raised amid racism, abject poverty and hard rural living — realities that shaped both his deliberate politics and emphasis on human rights. “He always felt a responsibility to help people,” said Jill Stuckey, a longtime friend of Carter's in Plains. “And when he couldn’t make change wherever he was, he decided he had to go higher.” Defying expectations Carter's path, a mix of happenstance and calculation , pitted moral imperatives against political pragmatism; and it defied typical labels of American politics, especially caricatures of one-term presidents as failures. “We shouldn’t judge presidents by how popular they are in their day. That's a very narrow way of assessing them," Carter biographer Jonathan Alter told the Associated Press. “We should judge them by how they changed the country and the world for the better. On that score, Jimmy Carter is not in the first rank of American presidents, but he stands up quite well.” Later in life, Carter conceded that many Americans, even those too young to remember his tenure, judged him ineffective for failing to contain inflation or interest rates, end the energy crisis or quickly bring home American hostages in Iran. He gained admirers instead for his work at The Carter Center — advocating globally for public health, human rights and democracy since 1982 — and the decades he and Rosalynn wore hardhats and swung hammers with Habitat for Humanity. Yet the common view that he was better after the Oval Office than in it annoyed Carter, and his allies relished him living long enough to see historians reassess his presidency. “He doesn’t quite fit in today’s terms” of a left-right, red-blue scoreboard, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who visited the former president multiple times during his own White House bid. At various points in his political career, Carter labeled himself “progressive” or “conservative” — sometimes both at once. His most ambitious health care bill failed — perhaps one of his biggest legislative disappointments — because it didn’t go far enough to suit liberals. Republicans, especially after his 1980 defeat, cast him as a left-wing cartoon. It would be easiest to classify Carter as a centrist, Buttigieg said, “but there’s also something radical about the depth of his commitment to looking after those who are left out of society and out of the economy.” ‘Country come to town’ Indeed, Carter’s legacy is stitched with complexities, contradictions and evolutions — personal and political. The self-styled peacemaker was a war-trained Naval Academy graduate who promised Democratic challenger Ted Kennedy that he’d “kick his ass.” But he campaigned with a call to treat everyone with “respect and compassion and with love.” Carter vowed to restore America’s virtue after the shame of Vietnam and Watergate, and his technocratic, good-government approach didn't suit Republicans who tagged government itself as the problem. It also sometimes put Carter at odds with fellow Democrats. The result still was a notable legislative record, with wins on the environment, education, and mental health care. He dramatically expanded federally protected lands, began deregulating air travel, railroads and trucking, and he put human rights at the center of U.S. foreign policy. As a fiscal hawk, Carter added a relative pittance to the national debt, unlike successors from both parties. Carter nonetheless struggled to make his achievements resonate with the electorate he charmed in 1976. Quoting Bob Dylan and grinning enthusiastically, he had promised voters he would “never tell a lie.” Once in Washington, though, he led like a joyless engineer, insisting his ideas would become reality and he'd be rewarded politically if only he could convince enough people with facts and logic. This served him well at Camp David, where he brokered peace between Israel’s Menachem Begin and Epypt’s Anwar Sadat, an experience that later sparked the idea of The Carter Center in Atlanta. Carter's tenacity helped the center grow to a global force that monitored elections across five continents, enabled his freelance diplomacy and sent public health experts across the developing world. The center’s wins were personal for Carter, who hoped to outlive the last Guinea worm parasite, and nearly did. As president, though, the approach fell short when he urged consumers beleaguered by energy costs to turn down their thermostats. Or when he tried to be the nation’s cheerleader, beseeching Americans to overcome a collective “crisis of confidence.” Republican Ronald Reagan exploited Carter's lecturing tone with a belittling quip in their lone 1980 debate. “There you go again,” the former Hollywood actor said in response to a wonky answer from the sitting president. “The Great Communicator” outpaced Carter in all but six states. Carter later suggested he “tried to do too much, too soon” and mused that he was incompatible with Washington culture: media figures, lobbyists and Georgetown social elites who looked down on the Georgians and their inner circle as “country come to town.” A ‘leader of conscience’ on race and class Carter carefully navigated divides on race and class on his way to the Oval Office. Born Oct. 1, 1924 , Carter was raised in the mostly Black community of Archery, just outside Plains, by a progressive mother and white supremacist father. Their home had no running water or electricity but the future president still grew up with the relative advantages of a locally prominent, land-owning family in a system of Jim Crow segregation. He wrote of President Franklin Roosevelt’s towering presence and his family’s Democratic Party roots, but his father soured on FDR, and Jimmy Carter never campaigned or governed as a New Deal liberal. He offered himself as a small-town peanut farmer with an understated style, carrying his own luggage, bunking with supporters during his first presidential campaign and always using his nickname. And he began his political career in a whites-only Democratic Party. As private citizens, he and Rosalynn supported integration as early as the 1950s and believed it inevitable. Carter refused to join the White Citizens Council in Plains and spoke out in his Baptist church against denying Black people access to worship services. “This is not my house; this is not your house,” he said in a churchwide meeting, reminding fellow parishioners their sanctuary belonged to God. Yet as the appointed chairman of Sumter County schools he never pushed to desegregate, thinking it impractical after the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board decision. And while presidential candidate Carter would hail the 1965 Voting Rights Act, signed by fellow Democrat Lyndon Johnson when Carter was a state senator, there is no record of Carter publicly supporting it at the time. Carter overcame a ballot-stuffing opponent to win his legislative seat, then lost the 1966 governor's race to an arch-segregationist. He won four years later by avoiding explicit mentions of race and campaigning to the right of his rival, who he mocked as “Cufflinks Carl” — the insult of an ascendant politician who never saw himself as part the establishment. Carter’s rural and small-town coalition in 1970 would match any victorious Republican electoral map in 2024. Once elected, though, Carter shocked his white conservative supporters — and landed on the cover of Time magazine — by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Before making the jump to Washington, Carter befriended the family of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., whom he’d never sought out as he eyed the governor’s office. Carter lamented his foot-dragging on school integration as a “mistake.” But he also met, conspicuously, with Alabama's segregationist Gov. George Wallace to accept his primary rival's endorsement ahead of the 1976 Democratic convention. “He very shrewdly took advantage of his own Southerness,” said Amber Roessner, a University of Tennessee professor and expert on Carter’s campaigns. A coalition of Black voters and white moderate Democrats ultimately made Carter the last Democratic presidential nominee to sweep the Deep South. Then, just as he did in Georgia, he used his power in office to appoint more non-whites than all his predecessors had, combined. He once acknowledged “the secret shame” of white Americans who didn’t fight segregation. But he also told Alter that doing more would have sacrificed his political viability – and thus everything he accomplished in office and after. King's daughter, Bernice King, described Carter as wisely “strategic” in winning higher offices to enact change. “He was a leader of conscience,” she said in an interview. Rosalynn was Carter's closest advisor Rosalynn Carter, who died on Nov. 19 at the age of 96, was identified by both husband and wife as the “more political” of the pair; she sat in on Cabinet meetings and urged him to postpone certain priorities, like pressing the Senate to relinquish control of the Panama Canal. “Let that go until the second term,” she would sometimes say. The president, recalled her former aide Kathy Cade, retorted that he was “going to do what’s right” even if “it might cut short the time I have.” Rosalynn held firm, Cade said: “She’d remind him you have to win to govern.” Carter also was the first president to appoint multiple women as Cabinet officers. Yet by his own telling, his career sprouted from chauvinism in the Carters' early marriage: He did not consult Rosalynn when deciding to move back to Plains in 1953 or before launching his state Senate bid a decade later. Many years later, he called it “inconceivable” that he didn’t confer with the woman he described as his “full partner,” at home, in government and at The Carter Center. “We developed a partnership when we were working in the farm supply business, and it continued when Jimmy got involved in politics,” Rosalynn Carter told AP in 2021. So deep was their trust that when Carter remained tethered to the White House in 1980 as 52 Americans were held hostage in Tehran, it was Rosalynn who campaigned on her husband’s behalf. “I just loved it,” she said, despite the bitterness of defeat. Reevaluating his legacy Fair or not, the label of a disastrous presidency had leading Democrats keep their distance, at least publicly, for many years, but Carter managed to remain relevant, writing books and weighing in on societal challenges. He lamented widening wealth gaps and the influence of money in politics. He voted for democratic socialist Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton in 2016, and later declared that America had devolved from fully functioning democracy to “oligarchy.” Yet looking ahead to 2020, with Sanders running again, Carter warned Democrats not to “move to a very liberal program,” lest they help re-elect President Donald Trump. Carter scolded the Republican for his serial lies and threats to democracy, and chided the U.S. establishment for misunderstanding Trump’s populist appeal. He delighted in yearly convocations with Emory University freshmen, often asking them to guess how much he’d raised in his two general election campaigns. “Zero,” he’d gesture with a smile, explaining the public financing system candidates now avoid so they can raise billions. Carter still remained quite practical in partnering with wealthy corporations and foundations to advance Carter Center programs. Carter recognized that economic woes and the Iran crisis doomed his presidency, but offered no apologies for appointing Paul Volcker as the Federal Reserve chairman whose interest rate hikes would not curb inflation until Reagan's presidency. He was proud of getting all the hostages home without starting a shooting war, even though Tehran would not free them until Reagan's Inauguration Day. “Carter didn’t look at it” as a failure, Alter emphasized. “He said, ‘They came home safely.’ And that’s what he wanted.” Well into their 90s, the Carters greeted visitors at Plains’ Maranatha Baptist Church, where he taught Sunday School and where he will have his last funeral before being buried on family property alongside Rosalynn . Carter, who made the congregation’s collection plates in his woodworking shop, still garnered headlines there, calling for women’s rights within religious institutions, many of which, he said, “subjugate” women in church and society. Carter was not one to dwell on regrets. “I am at peace with the accomplishments, regret the unrealized goals and utilize my former political position to enhance everything we do,” he wrote around his 90th birthday. Pilgrimages to Plains The politician who had supposedly hated Washington politics also enjoyed hosting Democratic presidential contenders as public pilgrimages to Plains became advantageous again. Carter sat with Buttigieg for the final time March 1, 2020, hours before the Indiana mayor ended his campaign and endorsed eventual winner Joe Biden. “He asked me how I thought the campaign was going,” Buttigieg said, recalling that Carter flashed his signature grin and nodded along as the young candidate, born a year after Carter left office, “put the best face” on the walloping he endured the day before in South Carolina. Never breaking his smile, the 95-year-old host fired back, “I think you ought to drop out.” “So matter of fact,” Buttigieg said with a laugh. “It was somehow encouraging.” Carter had lived enough, won plenty and lost enough to take the long view. “He talked a lot about coming from nowhere,” Buttigieg said, not just to attain the presidency but to leverage “all of the instruments you have in life” and “make the world more peaceful.” In his farewell address as president, Carter said as much to the country that had embraced and rejected him. “The struggle for human rights overrides all differences of color, nation or language,” he declared. “Those who hunger for freedom, who thirst for human dignity and who suffer for the sake of justice — they are the patriots of this cause.” Carter pledged to remain engaged with and for them as he returned “home to the South where I was born and raised,” home to Plains, where that young lieutenant had indeed become “a fellow citizen of the world.” —- Bill Barrow, based in Atlanta, has covered national politics including multiple presidential campaigns for the AP since 2012.
- Previous:
- Next: slot super ace jili games tips and tricks
