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All polling stations managed to open despite fierce weather in the sub-Arctic nation that left roads in many areas blocked by snow. Ballot counting began after polls closed at 10pm local time, with results expected early Sunday. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggested the country could be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Mr Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. “My expectation is like, something new (is) going to happen, hopefully,” said Horour Guojonsson, voting in the capital, Reykjavik. “We always have had these old parties taking care of things. I hope we see the light now to come in with a younger people, new ideas.” Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The island’s parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country.

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An architect whose home runs on the equivalent power of a lightbulb has designed low energy properties which are sending electricity back to the National Grid. A four-bedroom house and a pair of two-bedroom apartments in West Kirby, Wirral, designed by Colin Usher have now been completed and are occupied by tenants. The house, which cost £350,000, and the flats at £250,000 each, received energy performance certificate scores of 105%. Mr Usher designed and built his own home nearby 12 years ago which costed £15-a-year to run initially. "Obviously everybody lives in a different way," Mr Usher, who practises as MicoArchiTecture, said. "But the great thing is that they're all using much less energy than they would otherwise expect to." One tenant, Robin, now pays about £10-a-month in energy costs in the winter months. He said: "Last winter, we were living in a conventionally heated house and of course the heating charges went through the roof. "When we got our first electricity bill here it was quite a shock, but a very nice shock." Heat is retained in the homes by airtight construction, triple glazing and 200mm of insulation in the floors and wall and 400mm of roof insulation. A ventilation and heat recovery system pumps moisture out of kitchens and bathrooms and passes it through a heat exchanger to warm cooler incoming air. Batteries allow electricity to be stored for future use with about 75% sold back to the National Grid on sunnier days. Mr Usher was asked if homes like this could be constructed with conventional builders rather than specialists in insulation and eco-technology. He said: "I think, increasingly, it will be. "There's some really good schemes that are actually beginning to happen, even now, being sponsored by energy companies and things like that." Mr Usher created eco-friendly homes at Liverpool-based John McCall Architects for 30 years before retiring from the practice in 2018. At his own home, he now makes a profit of almost £500-a-year by selling excess electricity generated back to the grid at peak times. "Although the design of the homes is informed by the need to optimise net zero performance, they do not sacrifice anything in order to achieve this," he said. "The technology is now so advanced that you need next to no human intervention or behavioural changes to have zero fuel bills - you can heat, light, cook and live like normal." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook , X , and Instagram . You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk

US homelessness up 18% as affordable housing remains out of reach for many people Federal officials say the United States saw an 18.1% increase in homelessness, a dramatic rise driven mostly by a lack of affordable housing as well as devastating natural disasters and a surge of migrants in several parts of the country. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said that federally required tallies taken across the country in January found that more than 770,000 people were counted as homeless. That increase comes on top of a 12% increase in 2023, which HUD blamed on soaring rents and the end of pandemic assistance. Among the most concerning trends was a nearly 40% rise in family homelessness. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. Israeli troops burn northern Gaza hospital after forcibly removing staff and patients, officials say DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Gaza's Health Ministry says Israeli troops have stormed one of the last hospitals operating in the territory's north on Friday and forced many of the staff and patients outside. Then they had to remove their clothes in winter weather. It was the latest assault on Kamal Adwan Hospital. Parts of it were set on fire. Staff say it has been hit multiple times in the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods. Israel's military says Hamas uses the hospital as a base. It did not provide evidence, and hospital officials have denied it. Azerbaijani and U.S. officials suggest plane that crashed may have been hit by weapons fire U.S. and Azerbaijani officials have said weapons fire may have brought down an Azerbaijani airliner that crashed on Wednesday, killing 38 people. The statements from Rashad Nabiyev and White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Friday raised pressure on Russia. Officials in Moscow have said a drone attack was underway in the region that the Azerbaijan Airlines flight was destined for but have not addressed statements from aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defenses responding to a Ukrainian attack. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to Chechnya on Wednesday when it crashed, killing 38 people and leaving all 29 survivors injured. Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has ruled that the Georgia state Senate can subpoena Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. It's part of a inquiry into whether Willis has engaged in misconduct during her prosecution of President-elect Donald Trump. But Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shukura Ingram is giving Willis the chance to contest whether lawmakers’ demands are overly broad before Willis responds. A Republican-led committee was formed earlier this year and sent subpoenas to Willis in August seeking to compel her to testify during its September meeting and to produce scores of documents. Willis argued that the committee didn’t have the power to subpoena her. In states that ban abortion, social safety net programs often fail families MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee has a nearly total abortion ban and a porous safety net for mothers and young children. GOP state leaders in Tennessee and other states that banned abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 argue that they are bolstering services for families. Recent research and an analysis by The Associated Press has found that from the time a Tennessee woman gets pregnant, she faces greater obstacles to a healthy pregnancy, a healthy child and a financially stable family life than the average American mom. Maryland sues maker of Gore-Tex over pollution from toxic 'forever chemicals' Maryland is suing the company that produces the waterproof material Gore-Tex. State officials say the company's leaders kept using so-called “forever chemicals” long after learning about serious health risks. The federal complaint alleges Delaware-based W.L. Gore & Associates polluted the air and water around 13 facilities in northeastern Maryland with chemicals that have been linked to certain cancers, reproductive issues and high cholesterol. They’re nearly indestructible and can build up in various environments, including the human body. The company stopped using the harmful chemicals in 2014 and says it’s working with state regulators on testing and cleanup efforts. Man indicted in burning death of woman inside a New York City subway train, prosecutors say NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of burning a woman to death inside a New York City subway train has been indicted on state charges. A prosecutor announced Sebastian Zapeta’s indictment at a court hearing Friday. The development comes days after Zapeta’s arrest and subsequent police questioning in which they say he identified himself in photos and surveillance video showing the fire being lit. The indictment will be under seal until Jan. 7. He remains jailed. Federal immigration officials say the 33-year-old Zapeta is from Guatemala and entered the U.S. illegally. Authorities are continuing to work to identify the victim. Alex Ovechkin is on track to break Wayne Gretzky's NHL career goals record Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals is chasing the NHL career goals record of 894 held by Wayne Gretzky. Ovechkin entered the season 42 goals short of breaking a record that long seemed unapproachable. He is set to play again Saturday at the Toronto Maple Leafs after missing more than a month with a broken left fibula. Ovechkin was on pace to get to 895 sometime in February before getting injured. At 868, he his 27 goals away from passing Gretzky.The Broncos will be without their No. 2 cornerback for Monday Night Football. Riley Moss has been ruled out against the Browns, the team listed on their final injury report. Moss suffered a knee injury in the first half of a Week 12 road win over the Raiders. He did not return. Coach Sean Payton previously described it as an MCL injury that “wasn’t really serious.” But Moss will miss at least one game while recovering. The Broncos now turn to cornerbacks Levi Wallace and Damarri Mathis without Moss against Cleveland. “We have depth there,” Payton said following practice Saturday at Broncos Park. “A number of those guys. They’ve played a lot. Those guys have done well.” Wide receiver Josh Reynolds (finger) is listed as questionable against the Browns. Jones back healthy Safety Brandon Jones played through an illness when the Broncos defeated the Raiders. “I definitely had a little something,” Jones told The Denver Gazette on Saturday. “I was going through it the whole game. It’s one of those moments where you’ve just got to tough it out.” Jones intercepted Las Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew in the third quarter to help turn the game around. Denver has also benefited from the strong play of safety P.J. Locke despite wearing a cast on his left hand for several games to protect his surgically repaired thumb. Toughness has become a defining trait of the Broncos’ secondary. “We just care that much about each other,” Jones said. “We love this team.” Kickin' it with Kiz: Dear Coach Prime: A bowl game is nice, but all I want for Christmas is a tricked-out pickup truck. Briefly There were no Broncos fines resulting from their Week 12 road win over the Raiders. ... The Broncos signed ILB Zach Cunningham to the 53-man roster earlier this week. On Saturday, Payton said: “He had used his three call ups. So, his experience, he’s a good tackler (and) he can run. Definitely, we spent a lot of time on him in the offseason.” ... The Browns listed four players out against the Broncos on their final injury report: CB Myles Harden (tibia), DT Sam Kamara (head), WR Cedric Tillman (concussion), S Juan Thornhill (calf) and OL Jedrick Wills (knee).Japan Strengthens Critical Minerals Cooperation With Peru

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In 1999, University of the Philippines professor Cesar Adib Majul penned a critique of historian Renato Constantino’s essay, Our Task: To Make Rizal Obsolete. Constantino argued that Jose Rizal, while historically significant, should be displaced as a model for contemporary nation-building because his reformist approach was less radical than what modern struggles demand. Majul asserted that Rizal’s enduring value lies in his evolving relevance, particularly as a symbol of intellectual rigor, moral conviction, and love for the Filipino people. Fast forward to 2024, 128 years after Rizal’s execution, and the debate remains strikingly relevant. In a country grappling with chronic corruption, systemic inequality, environmental degradation, and threats to democratic institutions, the question arises: Can Rizal still inspire us today, or has he become obsolete in a world requiring more immediate and radical solutions? Rizal, according to Majul, was not merely a reformist; he was a revolutionary of thought and character. His insistence on education as the bedrock of societal transformation and his belief in peaceful reform over violent upheaval were not acts of compromise but of profound foresight. He envisioned a nation that could achieve sovereignty not just through political independence but through a collective awakening of intellectual and moral consciousness. This vision remains relevant in 2024, where the Philippines finds itself at a crossroads. The challenges Rizal confronted—colonialism, social stratification, and the abuse of power—manifest today in different forms: economic neocolonialism, digital misinformation, and environmental exploitation. Rizal’s insistence on critical thinking and moral leadership offers a blueprint for addressing these contemporary issues. Critics argue that Rizal’s emphasis on education and reform lacks the urgency needed to combat oppressive structures. In today’s world, where social media fuels mass movements and grassroots activism demands swift action, Rizal’s methods might seem too deliberative. However, this critique overlooks the depth of Rizal’s strategy. His novels, “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo,” were not mere calls for reform but critiques of systemic injustices that laid the intellectual groundwork for revolution. In this sense, Rizal was both a reformist and a revolutionary, demonstrating that profound change requires both immediate action and long-term cultural and mindset shifts. In an age where many Filipinos feel disillusioned by corruption and systemic failures, Rizal’s unwavering commitment to his principles—despite the personal cost—remains an inspiring model. His refusal to compromise his ideals, even in the face of death, challenges today’s leaders and citizens alike to embody integrity and accountability. In a country as diverse as the Philippines, Rizal’s vision of a united Filipino identity, grounded in shared values and aspirations, is particularly resonant. In 2024, as the nation navigates regional disparities, cultural fragmentation, and the globalized pressures of migration, Rizal’s call for solidarity and collective action is a necessary reminder of what it means to be Filipino. To dismiss Rizal as obsolete is to misunderstand his legacy. His ideas are not static relics of the past but dynamic principles that can be reinterpreted to address present challenges. The task, therefore, is not to render Rizal irrelevant but to reinvigorate his teachings, ensuring they remain a beacon for future generations. As we commemorate 128 years since his martyrdom, the Philippines must look to Rizal not as a distant historical figure but as a guiding light in the ongoing quest for justice, equality, and national dignity.

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The Critical Necessity of Immediate Regulation and Labeling of AI-Generated MediaCredit: HCPLive Ophthalmology achieved groundbreaking advancements in 2024, with innovative therapies and cutting-edge technologies reshaping care for some of the most challenging eye conditions. From the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the first home optical coherence tomography (OCT) device to advances in gene therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and retinitis pigmentosa, the year brought significant milestones in patient care. Regulatory breakthroughs, including the authorization of autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) for portable diabetic retinopathy screening and the approval of novel therapies like clobetasol propionate eye drops for post-surgical pain, demonstrated a commitment to improving accessibility and outcomes. On the innovation front, new treatment modalities continued to make huge strides. Promising data from trials of RGX-314 and Ixo-vec reinforced the potential of long-term solutions for reducing treatment burden in nAMD, while groundbreaking results for oral gildeuretinol offered hope for slowing geographic atrophy progression. Regulatory shifts, such as the reintroduction of Susvimo and the approval of a prefilled syringe for faricimab, further simplified treatment delivery for retinal diseases. As the year draws to a end, these advancements highlight an exciting future for ophthalmology, with patient-centric approaches driving progress in vision preservation and restoration. On January 16, 2024, Tarsier Pharma received agreement from the FDA under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for the Phase 3 Tarsier-04 trial investigating TRS01 eye drops (Dazdotuftide) for the treatment of non-infectious uveitis, including uveitic glaucoma. The regulatory agency agreed the clinical trial protocol and planned statistical analysis of Phase 3 trial would address objectives supporting regulatory submission. On March 4, 2024, the FDA approved clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension 0.05% (APP13007) for treating post-operative inflammation and pain following ocular surgery. Awarded to a collaborative team of Formosa Pharmaceuticals and AimMax Therapeutics, clobetasol propionate ophthalmic suspension 0.05% for post-ocular surgery pain marks the first new steroid in the ophthalmic market in over 15 years. Subretinal delivery of ABBV-RGX-314, a potential one-time gene therapy, was well-tolerated without a clinically recognized immune response in the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in phase 1/2a trial results. These 2-year data suggested the novel approach of RGX-314 for sustained vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A suppression could safely maintain vision and reduce treatment burden after a single dose. On April 30, 2024, the FDA cleared the first, fully autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) for portable diabetic retinopathy screening, with the ability to diagnose the disease from retinal images obtained by a handheld camera. Awarded to AEYE Health, the AEYE Diagnostic Screening (AEYE-DS) technology marked the first autonomous AI solution to allow accessible, portable screening using the Optomed Aurora device. Topline results from the Phase 2 PAVIA trial found the vorolanib intravitreal insert (DURAVYUTM) missed its pre-specified primary endpoint, without displaying an improvement of ≥2 Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (DRSS) by week 36. Announced by Eyepoint Pharmaceuticals, the company still reported Duravyu stabilized or improved disease severity with reduced rates of NPDR progression and a favorable safety and tolerability profile. On July 4, 2024, the FDA approved a 6.0 mg single-dose prefilled syringe of faricimab (Vabysmo) for use in the treatment of a trio of ophthalmic disorders, including nAMD, diabetic macular edema (DME) and macular edema following retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Awarded to Genentech, the prefilled syringe is designed to simplify administration and marked the first and only syringe with an FDA-approved bispecific antibody to treat retinal conditions. FDA Accepts sBLA for Susvimo in Treatment of DME, Diabetic Retinopathy On July 8, 2024, Genentech/Roche has signaled the reintroduction of Susvimo® (ranibizumab injection) 100 mg/mL for intravitreal use via an ocular implant for neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), marking the end of a voluntary recall. The FDA granted a post-approval supplement to the Biologics License Application for Susvimo based on component-level updates to the ocular implant and refill needle. Later that month, on July 18, 2024, the FDA accepted the supplemental BLA (sBLA) for Susvimo for the treatment of DME and diabetic retinopathy. The filing was accepted based on the 1-year study results from the Phase 3 Pagoda and Pavilion studies, with both studies meeting their primary endpoints of non-inferior visual acuity gains from baseline to monthly ranibizumab and superior improvements on the Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scale (DRSS) to clinical observation, respectively. On September 17, 2024, Alkeus Pharmaceuticals announced oral gildeuretinol acetate (ALK-001) achieved a clinically meaningful reduction in geographic atrophy (GA) lesion growth at 24 months in patients with GA secondary to AMD. Gildeuretinol, a novel molecule created as a specialized form of deuterated Vitamin A, also achieved a statistically significant slowing of low-luminance visual acuity (LLVA) decline at 24 months, with a favorable safety and tolerability profile in patients with GA. On October 9, 2024, Clearside Biomedical announced axitinib injectable suspension (CLS-AX) achieved all primary and secondary outcomes in the treatment of nAMD in the Phase 2b ODYSSEY trial. Suprachoroidal CLS-AX demonstrated stability in visual acuity and anatomical control for up to 6 months, with a well-tolerated safety profile without ocular or treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs). On October 3, 2024, Aldeyra Therapeutics resubmitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for their investigational new drug candidate, topical ocular reproxalap, for the treatment of signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED). The resubmitted NDA for reproxalap included positive results from a recently finished Phase 3 DED symptom trial requested by the FDA after a Complete Response Letter (CRL) received in Novemebr 2023. The resubmitted NDA also involved a draft label reflecting acute activity in reducing dry eye symptoms in a dry eye chamber trial, chronic activity in reducing dry eye symptoms in a field trial, and acute activity in reducing ocular redness in two dry eye chamber trials. RESTORE: MCO-010 Achieves Significant Vision Restoration in Retinitis Pigmentosa On October 10, 2024, Nanoscope Therapeutics announced plans to submit the Biologics License Application (BLA) for MCO-010 gene therapy for the treatment of severe vision loss due to retinitis pigmentosa in the first quarter of 2025. The announcement followed a productive meeting with the FDA discussing the MCO-010 clinical trial program with the agency acknowledging the company’s proposal for the next steps for submission. Earlier in the year, positive topline results from the 2-year Phase 2b RESTORE trial showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with MCO-010 in patients with permanent and severe vision loss from advanced retinitis pigmentosa. On November 15, 2024, the FDA issued a CRL for the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) of avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution (IZERVAY) for the treatment of GA secondary to AMD. Announced by Astellas Pharma, the sNDA was intended to include new positive Phase 3 2-year data from the GATHER2 trial in the US prescribing information. Intended for a decision by its Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of November 19, 2024, the FDA indicated it cannot approve the sNDA in its present form, owing to comments on a statistical matter related to labeling language proposed by Astellas. The agency outlined no comments on the safety or benefit-risk profile of avacincaptad pegol for GA secondary to AMD. On November 18, 2024, Alkeus Pharmaceuticals announced gildeuretinol (ALK-001), an investigational oral therapy, received Rare Pediatric Disease and Fast Track designations from the FDA for the treatment of Stargardt disease. The company indicated its plans to apply for a Priority Review voucher with the submission of the NDA for gildeuretinol for Stargardt. On November 18, 2024, Adverum Biotechnologies announced topline 1-year results from the LUNA Phase 2 trial and 4-year follow-up of the OPTIC first-in-human trial. These data supported the long-term potential of intravitreal ixoberogene soroparvovec (Ixo-vec) gene therapy for patients with nAMD, with 52-week efficacy data on the 6E10 dose and 4-year data on the 2E11 dose demonstrating maintenance of visual and anatomic endpoints, with an ≥80% reduction in injection burden and ≥50% injection freedom. Traditional optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices require a patient with retinal diseases to visit an office, an often time-consuming task, and there is a delay between scans which can lead to disease progression. In May 2024, the FDA granted De Novo authorization to Notal Vision’s patient self-operated home OCT product, Scanly, for the monitoring of retinal diseases at home, including nAMD. In our This Year in Medicine feature, we take a look at how the device could provide eye care professionals unprecedented insight into how treatments work in real-time, empowering patients to take a more active role in preserving their vision.ATLANTA (AP) — Ethan Vasko threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth as Coastal Carolina became bowl eligible by beating Georgia State 48-27 for its sixth win of the season in the regular season finale on Saturday. The Chanticleers evened their season record at 6-6 with the win and finished 3-5 in the Sun Belt East. The loss leaves Georgia State (3-9) with just one win in eight conference games. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

Border plan promises round-the-clock aerial surveillance, drug detection supportSCHAUMBURG, Ill. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Creative Group, a full-service meeting, event, and incentive agency, is proud to highlight its insights and contributions to Skift Meetings' Megatrends 2025 report. The report reveals a dynamic landscape shaped by transformative forces, from artificial intelligence and sustainability to mental health and generational inclusivity. Creative Group's expertise underscores how strategic event design can address complex organizational goals while delivering exceptional attendee experiences. Trends Redefining the Events Landscape 1. Events Have Become More Strategic Melissa Van Dyke , Creative Group's Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing, Design, and Innovation, highlights the shift in event strategy. "Today's events must go beyond flawless logistics to deeply align with business initiatives," Van Dyke states in the report. Events must begin with a deep understanding of their purpose. Creative Group advocates for aligning all aspects of event planning with business initiatives, ensuring every element—from agenda to attendee engagement—supports organizational goals. By starting with the "why," planners can craft experiences that not only meet attendee expectations but also drive organizational objectives forward. This more intentional design focus is the crucial middle between events that check a box and events that move the needle. 2. Addressing Generational Shifts With Millennials and Gen Z comprising an increasing share of the workforce, event strategies must reflect values like sustainability, inclusivity, and experiential depth—with more immersive and interactive experiences. Creative Group's methods integrate these elements seamlessly, ensuring events resonate with all age groups while fostering connections across diverse demographics. 3. Immersive and Interactive Engagement Understanding the purpose of an event also shapes how planners design interactions. Creative Group incorporates principles of behavioral economics—awareness, engagement, and nudges—to create meaningful moments before, during, and after the event, ensuring participants stay inspired by and connected to event messaging, brand and core business objectives. Meeting New Expectations in 2025 Sustainability as a Business Imperative As sustainability becomes non-negotiable for many attendees, Creative Group emphasizes adopting eco-friendly practices, such as waste reduction and locally sourced elements, to meet expectations while reflecting each brand's business values. Mental Health Integration Event designers are increasingly tasked with addressing attendee well-being, making it essential to create events that reduce stress and promote emotional connection. Creative Group's approach integrates wellness strategies that are empathy-based and customizable to meet the needs of the modern attendee. Looking Ahead Creative Group's contributions to the Megatrends 2025 report reinforce the idea that understanding the "why" behind every event is crucial in today's meetings landscape, especially critical given the additional scrutiny on event budgets in 2025. "Corporate events are no longer about simply gathering people for a single objective—they are about achieving complex business challenges, reinforcing organizational culture, boosting brand loyalty, and recognizing and retaining top talent," says Van Dyke . To explore how Creative Group and other industry leaders are addressing the trends shaping 2025, download the full Skift Meetings Megatrends 2025 report. About Creative Group Creative Group is a full-service meeting, event, and incentive agency that delivers business results by inspiring people to thrive. An industry leader, Creative Group has been honored with numerous Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) awards and the CMI 25 Award, which recognizes the top 25 most influential meeting and incentive management companies in the U.S. Creative Group was founded in 1970, and has served clients in financial services, life sciences, insurance, manufacturing, retail, technology, automotive, and hospitality. Employing 220+ people, the company is headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois , and maintains offices in San Francisco , Appleton, Wisconsin , and Toronto, Canada . For more information about Creative Group, visit http://www.creativegroupinc.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/creative-group-spotlights-event-industrys-2025-megatrends-in-skift-meetings-report-302334125.html SOURCE Creative Group, Inc.The Trump transition team is considering a proposal to eliminate a controversial car-crash reporting requirement, largely opposed by Tesla, according to sources. The move could significantly undermine federal oversight of vehicle safety standards, particularly those with automated-driving systems. Tesla, which has been a key subject of data-driven investigations by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), stands to benefit from the removal. The company argues the current rules disproportionately impact them, as they report a substantial portion of crashes to regulators. Some industry insiders and consumer safety advocates argue that eliminating the crash-reporting provision will curb valuable data collection, essential for understanding the safety impacts of emerging autonomous technologies. NHTSA emphasizes the importance of such data in guiding recalls and addressing consumer safety concerns. (With inputs from agencies.)

Short Interest in Forafric Global PLC (NASDAQ:AFRIW) Decreases By 47.6%Jet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing WASHINGTON (AP) — A machinists strike. Another safety problem involving its troubled top-selling airliner. A plunging stock price. 2024 was already a dispiriting year for Boeing, the American aviation giant. But when one of the company’s jets crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday, killing all but two of the 181 people on board, it brought to a close an especially unfortunate year for Boeing. The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and aviation experts were quick to distinguish Sunday’s incident from the company’s earlier safety problems. Alan Price, an airline consultant, said it would be inappropriate to link the incident Sunday to two fatal crashes involving Boeing’s troubled 737 Max jetliner in 2018 and 2019. 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films are dominating the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Sonic movie earned $38 million, while “Mufasa” brought in $37.1 million from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The R-rated horror “Nosferatu” placed third with an unexpectedly strong $21.2 million. Thanksgiving release holdovers “Wicked” and “Moana 2” rounded out the top five. Christmas Day had several big film openings, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the Nicole Kidman erotic drama “Babygirl” and the boxing drama “The Fire Inside.” Big Lots reaches deal to keep hundreds of US stores open The discount chain Big Lots has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores open. Big Lots said it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, which specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores to other retailers. Variety Wholesalers, which owns more than 400 U.S. discount stores, plans to acquire between 200 and 400 Big Lots stores and operate them under the Big Lots brand. Big Lots filed for bankruptcy protection in September, saying inflation and high interest rates had cut back on consumer demand for its furniture and other products. Charles Dolan, HBO and Cablevision founder, dies at 98 Charles F. Dolan, who founded some of the most prominent U.S. media companies including Home Box Office Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp., has died at age 98. Newsday reports that a statement issued Saturday by his family says Dolan died of natural causes. Dolan’s legacy in cable broadcasting includes founding HBO in 1972, Cablevision in 1973 and the American Movie Classics television station in 1984. He also launched News 12 in New York City, the first U.S. 24-hour cable channel for local news. Dolan also held controlling stakes in companies that owned Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Trump asks Supreme Court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after he takes office President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to pause the potential TikTok ban from going into effect until his administration can pursue a “political resolution” to the issue. Trump's request Friday came as TikTok and the Biden administration filed opposing briefs to the court. Oral arguments are scheduled for Jan. 10 on whether the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban, unlawfully restricts speech in violation of the First Amendment. The brief said Trump opposes banning TikTok at this junction and “seeks the ability to resolve the issues at hand through political means once he takes office.” Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing lower as Wall Street ends a holiday-shortened week on a down note. The S&P 500 fell 1.1% Friday and the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 333 points, or 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite dropped 1.5%. The “Magnificent 7” stocks weighed on the market, led by declines in Nvidia, Tesla and Microsoft. Even with the loss, the S&P 500 had a modest gain for the week and is still headed for its second consecutive annual gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.62%. 10 tips from experts to help you change your relationship with money in 2025 NEW YORK (AP) — As the calendar changes to 2025, you might be thinking about how to approach your relationship with money in the new year. Whether you’re saving to move out of your parents’ house or pay off student loan debt, financial resolutions can help you stay motivated. If you’re planning to make financial resolutions for the new year, experts recommend that you start by evaluating the state of your finances in 2024. Then, set specific goals and make sure they’re attainable for your lifestyle. Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling, as early as January 14th, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. The department has taken such action in the past. But once those measures run out the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in the president-elect’s political movement into public display. The argument previews fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — that is, wealthy members of the tech world who want more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says a ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies, as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, a deputy national security adviser, said Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks.

ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who won the presidency in the wake of the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, endured humbling defeat after one tumultuous term and then redefined life after the White House as a global humanitarian, has died. He was 100 years old. The longest-lived American president died on Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023, spent most of their lives, The Carter Center said. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” the center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. Businessman, Navy officer, evangelist, politician, negotiator, author, woodworker, citizen of the world — Carter forged a path that still challenges political assumptions and stands out among the 45 men who reached the nation’s highest office. The 39th president leveraged his ambition with a keen intellect, deep religious faith and prodigious work ethic, conducting diplomatic missions into his 80s and building houses for the poor well into his 90s. “My faith demands — this is not optional — my faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can, with whatever I have to try to make a difference,” Carter once said. A president from Plains A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. His no-frills campaign depended on public financing, and his promise not to deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter repeated before narrowly beating Republican incumbent Gerald Ford, who had lost popularity pardoning Nixon. Carter governed amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over racism, women’s rights and America’s global role. His most acclaimed achievement in office was a Mideast peace deal that he brokered by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at the bargaining table for 13 days in 1978. That Camp David experience inspired the post-presidential center where Carter would establish so much of his legacy. Yet Carter’s electoral coalition splintered under double-digit inflation, gasoline lines and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His bleakest hour came when eight Americans died in a failed hostage rescue in April 1980, helping to ensure his landslide defeat to Republican Ronald Reagan. Carter acknowledged in his 2020 “White House Diary” that he could be “micromanaging” and “excessively autocratic,” complicating dealings with Congress and the federal bureaucracy. He also turned a cold shoulder to Washington’s news media and lobbyists, not fully appreciating their influence on his political fortunes. “It didn’t take us long to realize that the underestimation existed, but by that time we were not able to repair the mistake,” Carter told historians in 1982, suggesting that he had “an inherent incompatibility” with Washington insiders. Carter insisted his overall approach was sound and that he achieved his primary objectives — to “protect our nation’s security and interests peacefully” and “enhance human rights here and abroad” — even if he fell spectacularly short of a second term. And then, the world Ignominious defeat, though, allowed for renewal. The Carters founded The Carter Center in 1982 as a first-of-its-kind base of operations, asserting themselves as international peacemakers and champions of democracy, public health and human rights. “I was not interested in just building a museum or storing my White House records and memorabilia,” Carter wrote in a memoir published after his 90th birthday. “I wanted a place where we could work.” That work included easing nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, helping to avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiating cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, The Carter Center had declared at least 113 elections in Latin America, Asia and Africa to be free or fraudulent. Recently, the center began monitoring U.S. elections as well. Carter’s stubborn self-assuredness and even self-righteousness proved effective once he was unencumbered by the Washington order, sometimes to the point of frustrating his successors. He went “where others are not treading,” he said, to places like Ethiopia, Liberia and North Korea, where he secured the release of an American who had wandered across the border in 2010. “I can say what I like. I can meet whom I want. I can take on projects that please me and reject the ones that don’t,” Carter said. He announced an arms-reduction-for-aid deal with North Korea without clearing the details with Bill Clinton’s White House. He openly criticized President George W. Bush for the 2003 invasion of Iraq. He also criticized America’s approach to Israel with his 2006 book “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.” And he repeatedly countered U.S. administrations by insisting North Korea should be included in international affairs, a position that most aligned Carter with Republican President Donald Trump. Among the center’s many public health initiatives, Carter vowed to eradicate the guinea worm parasite during his lifetime, and nearly achieved it: Cases dropped from millions in the 1980s to nearly a handful. With hardhats and hammers, the Carters also built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The Nobel committee’s 2002 Peace Prize cites his “untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” Carter should have won it alongside Sadat and Begin in 1978, the chairman added. Carter accepted the recognition saying there was more work to be done. “The world is now, in many ways, a more dangerous place,” he said. “The greater ease of travel and communication has not been matched by equal understanding and mutual respect.” ‘An epic American life’ Carter’s globetrotting took him to remote villages where he met little “Jimmy Carters,” so named by admiring parents. But he spent most of his days in the same one-story Plains house — expanded and guarded by Secret Service agents — where they lived before he became governor. He regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined and the coronavirus pandemic raged. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world to the small sanctuary where Carter will receive his final send-off after a state funeral at Washington’s National Cathedral. The common assessment that he was a better ex-president than president rankled Carter and his allies. His prolific post-presidency gave him a brand above politics, particularly for Americans too young to witness him in office. But Carter also lived long enough to see biographers and historians reassess his White House years more generously. His record includes the deregulation of key industries, reduction of U.S. dependence on foreign oil, cautious management of the national debt and notable legislation on the environment, education and mental health. He focused on human rights in foreign policy, pressuring dictators to release thousands of political prisoners. He acknowledged America’s historical imperialism, pardoned Vietnam War draft evaders and relinquished control of the Panama Canal. He normalized relations with China. “I am not nominating Jimmy Carter for a place on Mount Rushmore,” Stuart Eizenstat, Carter’s domestic policy director, wrote in a 2018 book. “He was not a great president” but also not the “hapless and weak” caricature voters rejected in 1980, Eizenstat said. Rather, Carter was “good and productive” and “delivered results, many of which were realized only after he left office.” Madeleine Albright, a national security staffer for Carter and Clinton’s secretary of state, wrote in Eizenstat’s forward that Carter was “consequential and successful” and expressed hope that “perceptions will continue to evolve” about his presidency. “Our country was lucky to have him as our leader,” said Albright, who died in 2022. Jonathan Alter, who penned a comprehensive Carter biography published in 2020, said in an interview that Carter should be remembered for “an epic American life” spanning from a humble start in a home with no electricity or indoor plumbing through decades on the world stage across two centuries. “He will likely go down as one of the most misunderstood and underestimated figures in American history,” Alter told The Associated Press. A small-town start James Earl Carter Jr. was born Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains and spent his early years in nearby Archery. His family was a minority in the mostly Black community, decades before the civil rights movement played out at the dawn of Carter’s political career. Carter, who campaigned as a moderate on race relations but governed more progressively, talked often of the influence of his Black caregivers and playmates but also noted his advantages: His land-owning father sat atop Archery’s tenant-farming system and owned a main street grocery. His mother, Lillian, would become a staple of his political campaigns. Seeking to broaden his world beyond Plains and its population of fewer than 1,000 — then and now — Carter won an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1946. That same year he married Rosalynn Smith, another Plains native, a decision he considered more important than any he made as head of state. She shared his desire to see the world, sacrificing college to support his Navy career. Carter climbed in rank to lieutenant, but then his father was diagnosed with cancer, so the submarine officer set aside his ambitions of admiralty and moved the family back to Plains. His decision angered Rosalynn, even as she dived into the peanut business alongside her husband. Carter again failed to talk with his wife before his first run for office — he later called it “inconceivable” not to have consulted her on such major life decisions — but this time, she was on board. “My wife is much more political,” Carter told the AP in 2021. He won a state Senate seat in 1962 but wasn’t long for the General Assembly and its back-slapping, deal-cutting ways. He ran for governor in 1966 — losing to arch-segregationist Lester Maddox — and then immediately focused on the next campaign. Carter had spoken out against church segregation as a Baptist deacon and opposed racist “Dixiecrats” as a state senator. Yet as a local school board leader in the 1950s he had not pushed to end school segregation even after the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision, despite his private support for integration. And in 1970, Carter ran for governor again as the more conservative Democrat against Carl Sanders, a wealthy businessman Carter mocked as “Cufflinks Carl.” Sanders never forgave him for anonymous, race-baiting flyers, which Carter disavowed. Ultimately, Carter won his races by attracting both Black voters and culturally conservative whites. Once in office, he was more direct. “I say to you quite frankly that the time for racial discrimination is over,” he declared in his 1971 inaugural address, setting a new standard for Southern governors that landed him on the cover of Time magazine. 'Jimmy Who?' His statehouse initiatives included environmental protection, boosting rural education and overhauling antiquated executive branch structures. He proclaimed Martin Luther King Jr. Day in the slain civil rights leader’s home state. And he decided, as he received presidential candidates in 1972, that they were no more talented than he was. In 1974, he ran Democrats’ national campaign arm. Then he declared his own candidacy for 1976. An Atlanta newspaper responded with the headline: “Jimmy Who?” The Carters and a “Peanut Brigade” of family members and Georgia supporters camped out in Iowa and New Hampshire, establishing both states as presidential proving grounds. His first Senate endorsement: a young first-termer from Delaware named Joe Biden. Yet it was Carter’s ability to navigate America’s complex racial and rural politics that cemented the nomination. He swept the Deep South that November, the last Democrat to do so, as many white Southerners shifted to Republicans in response to civil rights initiatives. A self-declared “born-again Christian,” Carter drew snickers by referring to Scripture in a Playboy magazine interview, saying he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.” The remarks gave Ford a new foothold and television comedians pounced — including NBC’s new “Saturday Night Live” show. But voters weary of cynicism in politics found it endearing. Carter chose Minnesota Sen. Walter “Fritz” Mondale as his running mate on a “Grits and Fritz” ticket. In office, he elevated the vice presidency and the first lady’s office. Mondale’s governing partnership was a model for influential successors Al Gore, Dick Cheney and Biden. Rosalynn Carter was one of the most involved presidential spouses in history, welcomed into Cabinet meetings and huddles with lawmakers and top aides. The Carters presided with uncommon informality: He used his nickname “Jimmy” even when taking the oath of office, carried his own luggage and tried to silence the Marine Band’s “Hail to the Chief.” They bought their clothes off the rack. Carter wore a cardigan for a White House address, urging Americans to conserve energy by turning down their thermostats. Amy, the youngest of four children, attended District of Columbia public school. Washington’s social and media elite scorned their style. But the larger concern was that “he hated politics,” according to Eizenstat, leaving him nowhere to turn politically once economic turmoil and foreign policy challenges took their toll. Accomplishments, and ‘malaise’ Carter partially deregulated the airline, railroad and trucking industries and established the departments of Education and Energy, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. He designated millions of acres of Alaska as national parks or wildlife refuges. He appointed a then-record number of women and nonwhite people to federal posts. He never had a Supreme Court nomination, but he elevated civil rights attorney Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the nation’s second highest court, positioning her for a promotion in 1993. He appointed Paul Volker, the Federal Reserve chairman whose policies would help the economy boom in the 1980s — after Carter left office. He built on Nixon’s opening with China, and though he tolerated autocrats in Asia, pushed Latin America from dictatorships to democracy. But he couldn’t immediately tame inflation or the related energy crisis. And then came Iran. After he admitted the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979 by followers of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Negotiations to free the hostages broke down repeatedly ahead of the failed rescue attempt. The same year, Carter signed SALT II, the new strategic arms treaty with Leonid Brezhnev of the Soviet Union, only to pull it back, impose trade sanctions and order a U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Hoping to instill optimism, he delivered what the media dubbed his “malaise” speech, although he didn’t use that word. He declared the nation was suffering “a crisis of confidence.” By then, many Americans had lost confidence in the president, not themselves. Carter campaigned sparingly for reelection because of the hostage crisis, instead sending Rosalynn as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy challenged him for the Democratic nomination. Carter famously said he’d “kick his ass,” but was hobbled by Kennedy as Reagan rallied a broad coalition with “make America great again” appeals and asking voters whether they were “better off than you were four years ago.” Reagan further capitalized on Carter’s lecturing tone, eviscerating him in their lone fall debate with the quip: “There you go again.” Carter lost all but six states and Republicans rolled to a new Senate majority. Carter successfully negotiated the hostages’ freedom after the election, but in one final, bitter turn of events, Tehran waited until hours after Carter left office to let them walk free. 'A wonderful life' At 56, Carter returned to Georgia with “no idea what I would do with the rest of my life.” Four decades after launching The Carter Center, he still talked of unfinished business. “I thought when we got into politics we would have resolved everything,” Carter told the AP in 2021. “But it’s turned out to be much more long-lasting and insidious than I had thought it was. I think in general, the world itself is much more divided than in previous years.” Still, he affirmed what he said when he underwent treatment for a cancer diagnosis in his 10th decade of life. “I’m perfectly at ease with whatever comes,” he said in 2015. “I’ve had a wonderful life. I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.”

FACT FOCUS: Vermont ruling does not say schools can vaccinate children without parental consentBaylor wins 6th straight as Sawyer Robertson throws 4 TDs in 45-17 win to end Kansas seasonBorder plan promises round-the-clock aerial surveillance, drug detection support

This edition of the Hidden Game is dedicated to . Say what you will about fighting in hockey and the frontier justice mentality that exists, but the Canadiens’ veteran forward wasted little time Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden settling a five-week-old score. And credit Anderson for taking the law into his own hands; someone had to. Before the game was two minutes old, Anderson put a beating on Rangers’ captain Jacob Trouba, landing right hands, repeatedly, on the New York defenceman. They briefly separated and Anderson, 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds, pounded the crap a second time out of Trouba, no Caspar Milquetoast at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds. In World Wrestling Entertainment, they would have called this two out of three falls. Trouba, you’ll remember, delivered a clean — albeit vicious — hit on Canadiens’ defenceman Justin Barron when the teams met at the Bell Centre on Oct. 22. Barron suffered an apparent concussion on the play, although that was never confirmed by the organization, and defenceman Mike Matheson subsequently fought Trouba that night. The teams will meet a third time Jan. 19 in Montreal Canadiens fans might want to circle that date, given the hate these two clubs seem to have for each other. The Rangers ended a five-game losing streak — their longest in four seasons — with Saturday’s 4-3 victory. Montreal, idle since Wednesday, should have taken better advantage of a team that played in Philadelphia Friday afternoon. It was New York’s first set of back-to-back contests this season. Last season in the second game, the Rangers’ record was 11-1-0. : When New York’s Artemi Panarin opened the scoring nine minutes into the game, it was the Rangers’ first power-play goal in nine games, dating back to Nov. 12, against Winnipeg. The Rangers continue to beat the Canadiens like a rented mule. New York is 5-0-1 in its last six against Montreal and 9-2-1 dating back to February 2020. The win was the 1,700th in Rangers history on home ice. New York has won 13 games this season and has allowed two or fewer goals in all but two of those victories. Rangers forward Chris Kreider, who returned to the lineup after missing three games with back spasms, has a 9-0 stats line — the differential between goals and assists. The 33-year-old, who has been with the team since 2012-13, has been the subject of trade speculation. Panarin was at the point in the game’s seventh minute when his stick shattered. Kreider would have had a good scoring opportunity off a rebound one minute later — until he was held by . Kreider was guilty of holding Kaiden Guhle in the offensive zone nearly 13 minutes into the game. Credit Christian Dvorak for his screen on goaltender Jonathan Quick, allowing Matheson to snap the puck past him at 11:47 of the opening period. The Canadiens played a decent first period — until Vincent Trocheck scored New York’s second goal with 3.1 seconds remaining in the period. Montreal came out quickly in the second period, generating three shots in the opening two minutes. Kreider blatantly interfered with Anderson early in the period. Nonetheless, no penalty was assessed. Seconds later, Sam Carrick was called for unsportsmanlike conduct, with — of all players — unwilling to drop the gloves. This one would have been a mismatch, considering Carrick is four inches shorter and outweighed by 38 pounds. : Late in the middle frame, Trouba and Trocheck delivered a one-two punch on Heineman. It certainly looked like a routine check to us. Nonetheless, Anderson was penalized for roughing against Ryan Lindgren in the second period. Mika Zibanejad scored on the ensuing power play — his first goal in six games. is on pace for 50 goals after scoring his 14th from a tight angle at 4:16 of the third period. Brett Berard, playing only his fourth game this season, left favouring his right shoulder after being crunched against the boards by Kirby Dach in the third period. Lane Hutson to Nick Suzuki on the Canadiens’ third goal, with six minutes remaining in regulation time. It might have been an unfortunate break, but players must control their sticks. The struggling Dach, with one goal this season, took a double minor for high-sticking Zibanejad at 17:20 of the third period. With 23.3 seconds remaining, Kaapo Kakko scored the winning goal. Montreal went 0-for-3 with the man advantage. Matheson had four shots, was a plus-3 and logged a team-high 26:07 of ice time. Dach also had four shots. Samuel Montembeault faced 28 shots for a save percentage of .857. “I loved everything about our game, but I’m not going to talk about the refs,” Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis told reporters in New York following the contest. “I thought we deserved better, obviously,” Suzuki told the media in New York. “I thought we played better than them. It’s a tough way to end the game like that, giving up a goal that late.” “I thought we answered how we had to in the third period,” Alex Newhook said in New York. “It would have been nice to get one more. We had enough looks to get one more.” x.com/HerbZurkowsky1Kangan, Dec 27: In a true example of hospitality, the residents of tehsil Gund in Kangan area of Ganderbal district on Friday opened the doors of Masjids as well as their homes for the stranded tourists who got stuck along Srinagar-Leh highway amid the heavy snowfall. Besides the Jammu and Kashmir police team led by SHO police station Gund were seen providing a helping hand to the stranded tourists; the members and volunteers of Civil Society Tehsil Gund came forward and offered assistance to the stranded tourists. On Friday evening, many people living in and around tehsil Gund and Kangan shared their contact numbers on social networking sites inviting the stranded tourists to stay in their homes. “Any non-Kashmiri passenger/tourist stranded in Kashmir is cordially welcomed to stay at my home,” wrote a civil society Gund member. Many people asked the tourists and passengers from outside to stay with them as long as they wish. “Tourists and visitors stuck here in view of the heavy snowfall and slippery roads are welcome to stay at my home. I can accommodate 30 people,” Aijaz Shah, a local said. The Civil Society Gund also offered free accommodation to the tourists. Chairman Civil Society Gund has expressed gratitude to his members and volunteers and the police team from police station Gund led by SHO Lateef Ahmed for their efforts and support to the stranded tourists and to ensure their safety and well being.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell says it was a really easy decision to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the presence of three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani played a part, too. Snell was introduced Tuesday at Dodger Stadium accompanied by his agent Scott Boras. The left-hander finalized a $182 million, five-year contract last Saturday. “It was really easy just cause me and Haeley wanted to live here, it’s something we’ve been talking about for a while,” Snell said, referring to his girlfriend. “Then you look at the team. You look at what they’ve built, what they’re doing. It’s just something you want to be a part of.” Last month, Snell opted out of his deal with San Francisco to become a free agent for the second consecutive offseason after he was slowed by injuries during his lone year with the San Francisco Giants. Snell gets a $52 million signing bonus, payable on Jan. 25, and annual salaries of $26 million, of which $13.2 million each year will be deferred . Because Snell is a Washington state resident, the signing bonus will not be subject to California income tax. “It just played out the way that people around me felt comfortable with, I felt comfortable with, they felt comfortable with,” Snell said. “We talked and found something that could work for both of us. You want your worth, you want your respect, and you want enough time to where you can really make a name for yourself. I've made a name for myself outside of LA, but I'm going to be invested.” Two-way star Ohtani, who signed a record $700 million, 10-year deal a year ago, had a historic first season with the Dodgers. He helped them win the franchise's eighth World Series while playing only as designated hitter and became MVP in the National League for the first time after twice winning the award while in the American League. “It helps with him in the lineup for sure. That’s big motivation,” Snell said. “You want to be around players like that when you’re trying to be one of the best in the game. Yeah, it played a big part.” Snell joins Ohtani and fellow Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto atop Los Angeles’ rotation. All-Star Tyler Glasnow will be back after having his first season in LA derailed by a sprained elbow. Ohtani didn’t pitch this year while recovering from right elbow surgery but is expected back on the mound in 2025. The rest of the rotation includes Tony Gonsolin, Landon Knack, Dustin May, Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. “I pitched on six-man, five-man, four-man rotations,” Snell said. “I'm good with it all as long as we have a plan, we'll execute it.” Snell, who turns 32 on Wednesday, went 5-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 20 starts this year, throwing a no-hitter at Cincinnati on Aug. 2 for one of only 16 individual shutouts in the major leagues this season. He struck out 145 and walked 44 in 104 innings. He was sidelined between April 19 and May 22 by a strained left adductor and between June 2 and July 9 by a strained left groin. Snell won Cy Young Awards in 2018 with Tampa Bay and 2023 with San Diego. He is 76-58 with a 3.19 ERA in nine seasons with the Rays (2016-20), Padres (2021-23) and Giants. He has known Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, since he was 18. In the aftermath of winning the World Series and discussing how the Dodgers could repeat next year, Friedman said, “All conversations kept coming back to Blake.” “Usually in major league free agency, you're buying the backside of a guy's career, the accomplishments that they have had,” he said. “With Blake, one thing that's really exciting for us is, as much success as he's had, we feel like there's more in there." Snell was 2-2 against the Dodgers in his career. “We couldn’t beat him, so we’re going to have him join us,” Friedman said. .___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLBFormer President Jimmy Carter has died at the age of 100. The 39th president of the United States was a Georgia peanut farmer who sought to restore trust in government when he assumed the presidency in 1977 and then built a reputation for tireless work as a humanitarian. He earned a Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. He died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care, at his home in Plains, Georgia. At age 52, Carter was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Carter left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following his 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. Here's the latest: The longest-lived American president died Sunday, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in the small town of Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died at 96 in November 2023 , spent most of their lives. “Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in posting about his death on the social media platform X. It added in a statement that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. In his 1975 book “Why Not The Best,” Carter said of himself: “I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry.” A moderate Democrat, Carter entered the 1976 presidential race as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad smile, outspoken Baptist mores and technocratic plans reflecting his education as an engineer. After he left office and returned home to his tiny hometown of Plains in southwest Georgia, Carter regularly taught Sunday School lessons at Maranatha Baptist Church until his mobility declined. Those sessions drew visitors from around the world. Former Vice President Al Gore praised Jimmy Carter for living “a life full of purpose, commitment and kindness” and for being a “lifelong role model for the entire environmental movement.” Carter, who left the White House in 1981 after a landslide defeat to Ronald Reagan. concentrated on conflict resolution, defending democracy and fighting disease in the developing world. Gore, who lost the 2000 presidential election to George W. Bush, remains a leading advocate for action to fight climate change. Both won Nobel Peace Prizes. Gore said that “it is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world” that Carter is often “remembered equally for the work he did as President as he is for his leadership over the 42 years after he left office.” During Gore’s time in the White House, President Bill Clinton had an uneasy relationship with Carter. But Gore said he is “grateful” for “many years of friendship and collaboration” with Carter. Former President Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, remember Carter as a man who lived to serve others. “Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others — until the very end." The statement recalled Carter's many achievements and priorities, including efforts “to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama, and secure peace between Egypt and Israel at Camp David." After he left office, the Clinton statement said, Carter continued efforts in "supporting honest elections, advancing peace, combating disease, and promoting democracy; to his and Rosalynn’s devotion and hard work at Habitat for Humanity — he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world,” the statement said.