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LOS ANGELES, Dec 8, (AP): Of all the post-apocalyptic landscapes we've been treated to over the years, none is as beautiful nor peaceful as that of "Flow.” In Gints Zilbalodis' wondrously shimmering animated fable, a solitary black cat, after escaping a cataclysmic flood, navigates a water world. What brought things to this point is never explained. We're left to look upon this strange, verdant, and overgrown landscape through the amber eyes of our unnamed feline protagonist. Humans are completely absent, and it's part of this beguilingly meditative film to wonder not just about what role we played in the flood, but to ponder the grace of the animal life left to inherit the Earth. As much as I didn't have a wordless Latvian animated movie on my 2024 bingo card, "Flow” - an expected Oscar contender currently in theaters - is quite easily the best animated movie of the year and one of the most poetic ecological parables in recent memory. It's an all-audiences movies, and by that, I'm tempted to include not just young and old, but cats and dogs, too. When the waters rise, the cat encounters a friendly Labrador, a long-legged secretary bird, a dozing capybara and a bauble-hoarding ring-tailed lemur. Cute as they are, they aren't quite your typical animated animals. Part of the allure of "Flow” is seeing animal characters that would normally be anthropomorphized and voiced by celebrity actors - the lemur, in particularly, has until now been ruled by Sacha Baron Cohen's King Julian of "Madagascar" - move and sound authentically. Well, mostly. Circumstances bring these five together aboard a small sailboat, an ark sans Noah. And while "Flow” doesn't exactly go for realism - the secretary bird, for instance, proves an especially adept captain in steering the rudder - it is most decidedly drawn in closer harmony to the natural world than your average animation. Together they sail through mountain tops-turned-islands and an abandoned city with rivers for streets. That "Flow” is made with computer generated animation adds to its dreamy, curiously real surrealism. Zilbalodis created "Flow” with Blender, the free, open-source graphics software tool. His camera moves less with the prescribed, storyboarded form of traditional animation than as a nimble, roving perspective within a virtual world. That such a natural and sensory movie is made possible by cutting-edge technology is one reason why the dystopic world of "Flow” always feels more hopeful than it ought to. Another reason is the animals. Though they come from different species and have little means of communication, they together form an odd partnership. The cat is initially wary of each, but they slowly form an evident bond. Their survival hinges on their cooperation, which is occasionally threatened by the self-interest of others (there's a pack of less community-minded dogs) or the cat's own timid reluctance. Staying to face a problem or trust another animal, rather than scampering away, goes against its nature. In that way, these two- and four-legged creatures, digitally rendered in a human-less future, are both worthy heirs to the planet and furry figures of inspiration for today. Reflections run through "Flow” - in a mirror clutched by the lemur, in the water the cat peers into - but none more so than the image of ourselves gazing back at it. "Flow,” a Sideshow and Janus Films release is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association for peril and thematic elements. Running time: 84 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.Taylor Swift Sweetly Thanks 'Eras Tour' Dancers for Changing Her Mic Pack

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump said he can't guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won't raise prices for American consumers and suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning "things do change." Here's a look at some of the issues covered: President-elect Donald Trump takes the stage before he speaks at the FOX Nation Patriot Awards, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Greenvale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa) Trump threatened broad trade penalties, but said he didn't believe economists' predictions that added costs on those imported goods for American companies would lead to higher domestic prices for consumers. He stopped short of a pledge that U.S. an households won't be paying more as they shop. "I can't guarantee anything. I can't guarantee tomorrow," Trump said, seeming to open the door to accepting the reality of how import levies typically work as goods reach the retail market. That's a different approach from Trump's typical speeches throughout the 2024 campaign, when he framed his election as a sure way to curb inflation. In the interview, Trump defended tariffs generally, saying that tariffs are "going to make us rich." He has pledged that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada unless those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He also has threatened tariffs on China to help force that country to crack down on fentanyl production. "All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field," Trump said. He offered conflicting statements on how he would approach the justice system after winning election despite being convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and being indicted in other cases for his handling of national security secrets and efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. "Honestly, they should go to jail," Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power. The president-elect underscored his contention that he can use the justice system against others, including special prosecutor Jack Smith, who led the case on Trump's role in the siege on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump confirmed his plan to pardon supporters who were convicted for their roles in the riot, saying he would take that action on his first day in office. As for the idea of revenge driving potential prosecutions, Trump said: "I have the absolute right. I'm the chief law enforcement officer, you do know that. I'm the president. But I'm not interested in that." At the same time, Trump singled out lawmakers on a special House committee who investigated the insurrection, citing Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. "Cheney was behind it ... so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee," Trump said. Asked specifically whether he would direct his administration to pursue cases, he said, "No," and suggested he did not expect the FBI to quickly undertake investigations into his political enemies. At another point, Trump said he would leave the matter up to Pam Bondi, his pick as attorney general. "I want her to do what she wants to do," he said. Such threats, regardless of Trump's inconsistencies, have been taken seriously enough by many top Democrats that Biden is considering issuing blanket, preemptive pardons to protect key members of his outgoing administration. Trump did seemingly back off his campaign rhetoric calling for Biden to be investigated, saying, "I'm not looking to go back into the past." Immigration advocates hold a rally in Sacramento, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 2, 2024, to protest President-Elect Donald Trump's plans to conduct mass deportation of immigrants without legal status. (AP Photo/Haven Daley) Trump repeatedly mentioned his promises to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally through a mass deportation program. "I think you have to do it," he said. He suggested he would try to use executive action to end "birthright" citizenship under which people born in the U.S. are considered citizens — though such protections are spelled out in the Constitution. Asked specifically about the future for people who were brought into the country illegally as children and were shielded from deportation in recent years, Trump said, "I want to work something out," indicating he might seek a solution with Congress. But Trump also said he does not "want to be breaking up families" of mixed legal status, "so the only way you don't break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back." President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Notre Dame Cathedral as France's iconic cathedral is formally reopening its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019, Saturday Dec.7, 2024 in Paris ( Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP) Long a critic of NATO members for not spending more on their own defense, Trump said he "absolutely" would remain in the alliance "if they pay their bills." Pressed on whether he would withdraw if he were dissatisfied with allies' commitments, Trump said he wants the U.S. treated "fairly" on trade and defense. He waffled on a NATO priority of containing Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested Ukraine should prepare for less U.S. aid in its defense against Putin's invasion. "Possibly. Yeah, probably. Sure," Trump said of reducing Ukraine assistance from Washington. Separately, Trump called for an immediate cease-fire. Asked about Putin, Trump said initially that he has not talked to the Russian leader since Election Day last month, but then hedged. "I haven't spoken to him recently," Trump said when pressed, adding that he did not want to "impede the negotiation." Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) The president-elect said he has no intention, at least for now, of asking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down before Powell's term ends in 2028. Trump said during the campaign that presidents should have more say in Fed policy, including interest rates. Trump did not offer any job assurances for FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose term is to end in 2027. Asked about Wray, Trump said: "Well, I mean, it would sort of seem pretty obvious" that if the Senate confirms Kash Patel as Trump's pick for FBI chief, then "he's going to be taking somebody's place, right? Somebody is the man that you're talking about." Trump promised that the government efficiency effort led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will not threaten Social Security. "We're not touching Social Security, other than we make it more efficient," he said. He added that "we're not raising ages or any of that stuff." He was not so specific about abortion or his long-promised overhaul of the Affordable Care Act. On abortion, Trump continued his inconsistencies and said he would "probably" not move to restrict access to the abortion pills that now account for a majority of pregnancy terminations, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. But pressed on whether he would commit to that position, Trump replied, "Well, I commit. I mean, are — things do — things change. I think they change." Reprising a line from his Sept. 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump again said he had "concepts" of a plan to substitute for the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which he called "lousy health care." He added a promise that any Trump version would maintain insurance protections for Americans with preexisting health conditions. He did not explain how such a design would be different from the status quo or how he could deliver on his desire for "better health care for less money." Among President-elect Donald Trump's picks are Susie Wiles for chief of staff, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for secretary of state, former Democratic House member Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Susie Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager. Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making a former sharp critic his choice to be the new administration's top diplomat. Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement. The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations. Pete Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014, where he developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show. Hegseth lacks senior military or national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea. Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year. Trump tapped Pam Bondi, 59, to be attorney general after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration. She was Florida's first female attorney general, serving between 2011 and 2019. She also was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020. Considered a loyalist, she served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute. Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him. Trump picked South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a well-known conservative who faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting a rambunctious dog, to lead an agency crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda. Noem used her two terms leading a tiny state to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics. South Dakota is usually a political afterthought. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic. She takes over a department with a sprawling mission. In addition to key immigration agencies, the Department of Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service, and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports. The governor of North Dakota, who was once little-known outside his state, Burgum is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump, and spent months traveling to drum up support for him, after dropping out of the race. Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs. Trump made the announcement about Burgum joining his incoming administration while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club, and said a formal statement would be coming the following day. In comments to reporters before Trump took the stage, Burgum said that, in recent years, the power grid is deteriorating in many parts of the country, which he said could raise national security concerns but also drive up prices enough to increase inflation. “There's just a sense of urgency, and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration,” Burgum said. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ran for president as a Democrat, than as an independent, and then endorsed Trump . He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign. The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines . For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Scott Bessent, 62, is a former George Soros money manager and an advocate for deficit reduction. He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary. He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending. “This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then. Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district. As a potential labor secretary, she would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities. Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment. Scott Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.” Sean Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business. Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children. A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market. Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States. Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term. President-elect Donald Trump tapped billionaire professional wrestling mogul Linda McMahon to be secretary of the Education Department, tasked with overseeing an agency Trump promised to dismantle. McMahon led the Small Business Administration during Trump’s initial term from 2017 to 2019 and twice ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut. She’s seen as a relative unknown in education circles, though she expressed support for charter schools and school choice. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. Brooke Rollins, who graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in agricultural development, is a longtime Trump associate who served as White House domestic policy chief during his first presidency. The 52-year-old is president and CEO of the America First Policy Institute, a group helping to lay the groundwork for a second Trump administration. She previously served as an aide to former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and ran a think tank, the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Trump chose Howard Lutnick, head of brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and a cryptocurrency enthusiast, as his nominee for commerce secretary, a position in which he'd have a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. Trump made the announcement Tuesday on his social media platform, Truth Social. Lutnick is a co-chair of Trump’s transition team, along with Linda McMahon, the former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration. Both are tasked with putting forward candidates for key roles in the next administration. The nomination would put Lutnick in charge of a sprawling Cabinet agency that is involved in funding new computer chip factories, imposing trade restrictions, releasing economic data and monitoring the weather. It is also a position in which connections to CEOs and the wider business community are crucial. Doug Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate. Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command. "We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need," Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs. Karoline Leavitt, 27, was Trump's campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history. The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps. Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas. Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump's first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, keeping with the trend to stock his Cabinet with loyal personalities rather than veteran professionals in their requisite fields. Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall. “I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement. Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as somewhat of an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions. Trump has picked John Ratcliffe, a former Texas congressman who served as director of national intelligence during his first administration, to be director of the Central Intelligence Agency in his next. Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump's first term, leading the U.S. government's spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic. “I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation's highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.” Kash Patel spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before catching the Trump administration’s attention as a staffer on Capitol Hill who helped investigate the Russia probe. Patel called for dramatically reducing the agency’s footprint, a perspective that sets him apart from earlier directors who sought additional resources for the bureau. Though the Justice Department in 2021 halted the practice of secretly seizing reporters’ phone records during leak investigations, Patel said he intends to aggressively hunt down government officials who leak information to reporters. Trump has chosen former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin to serve as his pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency . Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X , “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.” “We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added. During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration's promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referring to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign his administration would “Drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration. In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Trump has named Brendan Carr, the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, as the new chairman of the agency tasked with regulating broadcasting, telecommunications and broadband. Carr is a longtime member of the commission and served previously as the FCC’s general counsel. He has been unanimously confirmed by the Senate three times and was nominated by both Trump and President Joe Biden to the commission. Carr made past appearances on “Fox News Channel," including when he decried Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris' pre-Election Day appearance on “Saturday Night Live.” He wrote an op-ed last month defending a satellite company owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk. Trump said Atkins, the CEO of Patomak Partners and a former SEC commissioner, was a “proven leader for common sense regulations.” In the years since leaving the SEC, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. “He believes in the promise of robust, innovative capital markets that are responsive to the needs of Investors, & that provide capital to make our Economy the best in the World. He also recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. The commission oversees U.S. securities markets and investments and is currently led by Gary Gensler, who has been leading the U.S. government’s crackdown on the crypto industry. Gensler, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, announced last month that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated — Jan. 20, 2025. Atkins began his career as a lawyer and has a long history working in the financial markets sector, both in government and private practice. In the 1990s, he worked on the staffs of two former SEC chairmen, Richard C. Breeden and Arthur Levitt. Jared Isaacman, 41, is a tech billionaire who bought a series of spaceflights from Elon Musk’s SpaceX and conducted the first private spacewalk . He is the founder and CEO of a card-processing company and has collaborated closely with Musk ever since buying his first chartered SpaceX flight. He took contest winners on that 2021 trip and followed it in September with a mission where he briefly popped out the hatch to test SpaceX’s new spacewalking suits. Rep. Elise Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump's staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment. Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership. Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile. If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine begun in 2022. He has also called for peace as Israel continues its offensive against Hamas in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon to target Hezbollah. President-elect Donald Trump says he's chosen former acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Trump has expressed skepticism about the Western military alliance for years. Trump said in a statement Wednesday that Whitaker is “a strong warrior and loyal Patriot” who “will ensure the United States’ interests are advanced and defended” and “strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability.” The choice of Whitaker as the nation’s representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an unusual one, given his background is as a lawyer and not in foreign policy. President-elect Donald Trump tapped former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China, saying in a social media post that the former CEO “brings valuable expertise to help build our relationship with China.” Perdue lost his Senate seat to Democrat Jon Ossoff four years ago and ran unsuccessfully in a primary against Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp. Perdue pushed Trump's debunked lies about electoral fraud during his failed bid for governor. Trump will nominate former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to be ambassador to Israel. Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel's interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah. “He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.” Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland. Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Trump on Tuesday named real estate investor Steven Witkoff to be special envoy to the Middle East. The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect's golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump's club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination. Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud." Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee. Trump said Wednesday that he will nominate Gen. Keith Kellogg to serve as assistant to the president and special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg, a retired Army lieutenant general who has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, served as National Security Advisor to Trump's former Vice President Mike Pence. For the America First Policy Institute, one of several groups formed after Trump left office to help lay the groundwork for the next Republican administration, Kellogg in April wrote that “bringing the Russia-Ukraine war to a close will require strong, America First leadership to deliver a peace deal and immediately end the hostilities between the two warring parties.” (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) Trump asked Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a retired Army National Guard officer and war veteran, to be his national security adviser, Trump announced in a statement Tuesday. The move puts Waltz in the middle of national security crises, ranging from efforts to provide weapons to Ukraine and worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea to the persistent attacks in the Middle East by Iran proxies and the push for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah. “Mike has been a strong champion of my America First Foreign Policy agenda,” Trump's statement said, "and will be a tremendous champion of our pursuit of Peace through Strength!” Waltz is a three-term GOP congressman from east-central Florida. He served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs. He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population. Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner , was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump's priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump's first administration. Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump's policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation's economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally. Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security. Thomas Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history. Homan, who served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border, an issue Trump made central to his campaign. Though Homan has insisted such a massive undertaking would be humane, he has long been a loyal supporter of Trump's policy proposals, suggesting at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to "run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.” Democrats have criticized Homan for his defending Trump's “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border. Customs and Border Protection, with its roughly 60,000 employees, falls under the Department of Homeland Security. It includes the Border Patrol, which Rodney Scott led during Trump's first term, and is essentially responsible for protecting the country's borders while facilitating trade and travel. Scott comes to the job firmly from the Border Patrol side of the house. He became an agent in 1992 and spent much of his career in San Diego. When he was appointed head of the border agency in January 2020, he enthusiastically embraced Trump's policies. After being forced out under the Biden administration, Scott has been a vocal supporter of Trump's hard-line immigration agenda. He appeared frequently on Fox News and testified in Congress. He's also a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Former Rep. Billy Long represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023. Since leaving Congress, Trump said, Long “has worked as a Business and Tax advisor, helping Small Businesses navigate the complexities of complying with the IRS Rules and Regulations.” Former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler was appointed in January 2020 by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and then lost a runoff election a year later. She started a conservative voter registration organization and dived into GOP fundraising, becoming one of the top individual donors and bundlers to Trump’s 2024 comeback campaign. Even before nominating her for agriculture secretary, the president-elect already had tapped Loeffler as co-chair of his inaugural committee. Dr. Mehmet Oz, 64, is a former heart surgeon who hosted “The Dr. Oz Show,” a long-running daytime television talk show. He ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate as the Republican nominee in 2022 and is an outspoken supporter of Trump, who endorsed Oz's bid for elected office. Elon Musk, left, and Vivek Ramaswamy speak before Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at an Oct. 27 campaign rally at Madison Square Garden in New York. Trump on Tuesday said Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Ramaswamy will lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency" — which is not, despite the name, a government agency. The acronym “DOGE” is a nod to Musk's favorite cryptocurrency, dogecoin. Trump said Musk and Ramaswamy will work from outside the government to offer the White House “advice and guidance” and will partner with the Office of Management and Budget to “drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” He added the move would shock government systems. It's not clear how the organization will operate. Musk, owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since Trump won the presidential election. Ramaswamy suspended his campaign in January and threw his support behind Trump. Trump said the two will “pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies.” Russell Vought held the position during Trump’s first presidency. After Trump’s initial term ended, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a think tank that describes its mission as “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God.” Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trump’s second term that he tried to distance himself from during the campaign. Vought has also previously worked as the executive and budget director for the Republican Study Committee, a caucus for conservative House Republicans. He also worked at Heritage Action, the political group tied to The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Dan Scavino, deputy chief of staff Scavino, whom Trump's transition referred to in a statement as one of “Trump's longest serving and most trusted aides,” was a senior adviser to Trump's 2024 campaign, as well as his 2016 and 2020 campaigns. He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president. Scavino had run Trump's social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. James Blair, deputy chief of staff Blair was political director for Trump's 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president. Blair was key to Trump's economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate's “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago. Taylor Budowich, deputy chief of staff Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump's 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president. Budowich also had served as a spokesman for Trump after his presidency. Jay Bhattacharya, National Institutes of Health Trump has chosen Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health. Bhattacharya is a physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, and is a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He promoted the idea of herd immunity during the pandemic, arguing that people at low risk should live normally while building up immunity to COVID-19 through infection. The National Institutes of Health funds medical research through competitive grants to researchers at institutions throughout the nation. NIH also conducts its own research with thousands of scientists working at its labs in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Marty Makary, Food and Drug Administration Makary is a Johns Hopkins surgeon and author who argued against pandemic lockdowns. He routinely appeared on Fox News during the COVID-19 pandemic and wrote opinion articles questioning masks for children. He cast doubt on vaccine mandates but supported vaccines generally. Makary also cast doubt on whether booster shots worked, which was against federal recommendations on the vaccine. Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, Surgeon General Nesheiwat is a general practitioner who serves as medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care centers in New York and New Jersey. She has been a contributor to Fox News. Dr. Dave Weldon, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weldon is a former Florida congressman who recently ran for a Florida state legislative seat and lost; Trump backed Weldon’s opponent. In Congress, Weldon weighed in on one of the nation’s most heated debates of the 1990s over quality of life and a right-to-die and whether Terri Schiavo, who was in a persistent vegetative state after cardiac arrest, should have been allowed to have her feeding tube removed. He sided with the parents who did not want it removed. Jamieson Greer, U.S. trade representative Kevin Hassett, Director of the White House National Economic Council Trump is turning to two officials with experience navigating not only Washington but the key issues of income taxes and tariffs as he fills out his economic team. He announced he has chosen international trade attorney Jamieson Greer to be his U.S. trade representative and Kevin Hassett as director of the White House National Economic Council. While Trump has in several cases nominated outsiders to key posts, these picks reflect a recognition that his reputation will likely hinge on restoring the public’s confidence in the economy. Trump said in a statement that Greer was instrumental in his first term in imposing tariffs on China and others and replacing the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, “therefore making it much better for American Workers.” Hassett, 62, served in the first Trump term as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. He has a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute before joining the Trump White House in 2017. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.A fugitive gains fame in New Orleans eluding dart guns and netsTrump first-term inquiry into leakers led to invasive searches, report finds

WEST JORDAN, Utah, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings, Inc. (“Sportsman's Warehouse” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPWH) today announced third quarter financial results for the thirteen and thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2024. “Despite a pressured consumer and complex macroeconomic environment, we focused our efforts on driving sales and achieved growth in our fishing, camping and gift bar categories during the quarter,” said Paul Stone, Sportsman’s Warehouse President and Chief Executive Officer. “We continue to make progress on our business reset initiatives with a focus on improved in-stocks, in-store and online customer experience and our Great Gear | Great Service program.” “To improve our holiday relevancy and drive traffic during the season, we introduced an omni-channel marketing campaign highlighting gear perfect for gifting or for treating yourself, primarily centered around value,” continued Stone. “This is a new approach to engaging our customers, which we coupled with an upgraded store experience creating a fully integrated customer experience. As we move through the balance of the holiday season and navigate a pressured consumer environment, we’ll continue to prioritize traffic-driving marketing and product pricing initiatives, exceptional customer service and prudent inventory management. Emphasizing the balance sheet and ending the year with positive free cash flow remain our primary objectives.” For the thirteen weeks ended November 2, 2024: Net sales were $324.3 million, a decrease of 4.8%, compared to $340.6 million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. The net sales decrease was primarily due to the continued impact of consumer inflationary pressures on discretionary spending, resulting in a decline in store traffic and lower demand across most product categories, particularly in ammunition, apparel and footwear. This decrease, however, was partially offset by year-over-year sales growth in our fishing, camping and optics and accessories departments. Same store sales decreased 5.7% during the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, compared to the third quarter of fiscal year 2023, primarily as a result of the impact of consumer inflationary pressures and recessionary concerns on discretionary spending. Gross profit was $103.1 million, or 31.8% of net sales, compared to $103.2 million or 30.3% of net sales in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. This 150 basis-point increase, as a percentage of net sales, was primarily driven by improved product margins in our apparel and footwear departments, partially offset by increased freight and shrink. Selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) expenses were $100.0 million, or 30.8% of net sales, compared to $100.1 million, or 29.4% of net sales in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. Net loss was $(0.4) million, compared to a net loss of $(1.3) million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. Adjusted net income was $1.4 million, compared to adjusted net loss of $(0.2) million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 (see “GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures”). Adjusted EBITDA was $16.4 million, compared to $16.2 million in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 (see "GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures"). Diluted loss per share was $(0.01), compared to diluted loss per share of $(0.04) in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023. Adjusted diluted earnings per share were $0.04, compared to adjusted diluted loss per share of $(0.01) for the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 (see "GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures"). For the thirty-nine weeks ended November 2, 2024: Net sales were $857.2 million, a decrease of 6.6%, compared to $917.6 million in the first nine months of fiscal year 2023. This net sales decrease was primarily driven by lower demand across most product categories due to current consumer inflationary pressures on discretionary spending. This decrease was partially offset by same store sales growth in our fishing department and the opening of 1 new store since October 28, 2023. Stores that have been open for less than 12 months and were not included in our same store sales, contributed $30.8 million to net sales. Same store sales decreased 9.4% compared to the first nine months of fiscal year 2023, primarily as a result of the same factors noted above that impacted net sales. Gross profit was $266.9 million or 31.1% of net sales, compared to $284.0 million or 31.0% of net sales for the first nine months of fiscal year 2023. This increase, as a percentage of net sales, was primarily due to higher overall product margins, versus last years apparel and footwear clearance events which put pressure on our gross margin, partially offset by increased shrink. SG&A expenses decreased to $288.7 million or 33.6% of net sales, compared with $301.5 million or 32.9% of net sales for the first nine months of fiscal year 2023. This absolute dollar decrease primarily related to our ongoing cost reduction efforts and decision to not open new stores during fiscal year 2024, partially offset by increases in rent and depreciation expenses. The increase as a percentage of net sales was largely due to lower net sales. Net loss was $(24.3) million, compared to net loss of $(20.3) million in the first nine months of fiscal year 2023. Adjusted net loss was $(21.7) million, compared to adjusted net loss of $(16.6) million in the first nine months of fiscal year 2023 (see “GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures”). Adjusted EBITDA was $15.1 million, compared to $19.3 million in the first nine months of fiscal year 2023 (see "GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures"). Diluted loss per share was $(0.65), compared to diluted loss per share of $(0.54) in the first nine months of fiscal year 2023. Adjusted diluted loss per share was $(0.58), compared to adjusted diluted loss per share of $(0.44) in the first nine months of fiscal year 2023 (see "GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures"). Balance sheet and capital allocation highlights as of November 2, 2024: The Company ended the third quarter with net debt of $151.3 million, comprised of $130.0 million of borrowings outstanding under the Company’s revolving credit facility, $24.0 million of net borrowings outstanding under the Company’s term loan facility, and $2.7 million of cash and cash equivalents. Inventory at the end of the third quarter was $438.1 million. Total liquidity was $150.8 million as of the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, comprised of $148.1 million of availability under the Company’s revolving credit facility and term loan facility and $2.7 million of cash and cash equivalents. Company Outlook: “Given the current consumer environment and the shift towards value and promotion-driven shopping, we intensified our marketing and advertising campaigns to drive sales, which placed additional pressure on our margins this quarter,” said Jeff White, Chief Financial Officer of Sportsman’s Warehouse “To ensure strong core product in-stocks and to bring fresh offerings to our stores, we made strategic inventory investments aimed at improving sales during the hunting and holiday seasons. As we progress through the remainder of the year, we will remain disciplined in managing our expenses, and will reduce total inventory levels to generate positive free cash flow. Our mid and long-term objectives will be centered on improving our topline with a focus on margins and profitability.” The Company is adjusting its guidance for fiscal year 2024 and expects net sales to be in the range of $1.18 billion to $1.20 billion, adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $23 million to $29 million and total inventory to be below $350 million. The low end of the adjusted EBITDA range still assumes positive free cash flow for the full year. The Company now expects capital expenditures for 2024 to be in the range of $17 million to $20 million, primarily consisting of technology investments relating to merchandising and store productivity. No new store openings for the remainder of fiscal year 2024 are currently anticipated and we plan to open one new store in fiscal year 2025. The Company has not reconciled expected adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2024 to GAAP net income because the Company does not provide guidance for net (loss) income and is not able to provide a reconciliation to net (loss) income without unreasonable effort. The Company is not able to estimate net (loss) income on a forward-looking basis without unreasonable efforts due to the variability and complexity with respect to the charges excluded from Adjusted EBITDA, including stock-based compensation expense. Conference Call Information A conference call to discuss third quarter 2024 financial results is scheduled for December 10, 2024, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time. The conference call will be held via webcast and may be accessed via the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.sportsmans.com. Non-GAAP Financial Measures This press release includes the following financial measures defined as non-GAAP financial measures by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and that are not calculated in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”): adjusted net (loss) income, adjusted diluted (loss) earnings per share and adjusted EBITDA. The Company defines adjusted net (loss) income as net (loss) income plus expenses incurred relating to director and officer transition costs, costs related to the implementation of our cost reduction plan, costs related to legal settlements and related fees and expenses, and fees and expenses related to a settlement in the cancellation of a contract related to our information technology systems. Net (loss) income is the most comparable GAAP financial measure to adjusted net (loss) income. The Company defines adjusted diluted (loss) earnings per share as adjusted net (loss) income divided by diluted weighted average shares outstanding. Diluted (loss) earnings per share is the most comparable GAAP financial measure to adjusted diluted (loss) earnings per share. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net (loss) income plus interest expense, income tax (benefit) expense, depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation expense, director and officer transition costs, costs related to the implementation of our cost reduction plan, a legal settlement and related fees and expenses, and fees and expenses related to a settlement in the cancellation of a contract related to our information technology systems. Net (loss) income is the most comparable GAAP financial measure to adjusted EBITDA. The Company has reconciled these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures under “GAAP and Non-GAAP Financial Measures” in this release. As noted above, the Company has not provided a reconciliation of fiscal year 2024 guidance for Adjusted EBITDA, in reliance on the unreasonable efforts exception provided under Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K. The Company believes that these non-GAAP financial measures not only provide its management with comparable financial data for internal financial analysis but also provide meaningful supplemental information to investors and are frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of companies in the Company’s industry. Specifically, these non-GAAP financial measures allow investors to better understand the performance of the Company’s business and facilitate a more meaningful comparison of its diluted (loss) earnings per share and actual results on a period-over-period basis. The Company has provided this information as a means to evaluate the results of its ongoing operations. Management uses this information as additional measurement tools for purposes of business decision-making, including evaluating store performance, developing budgets and managing expenditures. Other companies in the Company’s industry may calculate these items differently than the Company does. Each of these measures is not a measure of performance under GAAP and should not be considered as a substitute for the most directly comparable financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Non-GAAP financial measures have limitations as analytical tools, and investors should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the Company’s results as reported under GAAP. The Company’s management believes that these non-GAAP financial measures allow investors to evaluate the Company’s operating performance and compare its results of operations from period to period on a consistent basis by excluding items that management does not believe are indicative of the Company’s core operating performance. The presentation of such measures, which may include adjustments to exclude unusual or non-recurring items, should not be construed as an inference that the Company’s future results, cash flows or leverage will be unaffected by other unusual or non-recurring items. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 as contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding our progress on our business reset initiatives; our prioritization of traffic-driving marketing and product pricing initiatives, exceptional customer service and prudent inventory management; our emphasis on the balance sheet and ending the year with positive free cash flow; our ability to manage expenses, reduce total inventory levels to generate positive free cash flow; and our guidance for net sales and Adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2024. Investors can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as “aim,” “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “can have,” “could,” “due,” “estimate,” “expect,” “goal,” “intend,” “likely,” “may,” “objective,” “plan,” “positioned,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “target,” “will,” “would” and similar terms and phrases. These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our business and the industry in which we operate and our management’s beliefs and assumptions. We derive many of our forward-looking statements from our own operating budgets and forecasts, which are based upon many detailed assumptions. While we believe that our assumptions are reasonable, we caution that predicting the impact of known factors is very difficult, and we cannot anticipate all factors that could affect our actual results. The Company cannot assure investors that future developments affecting the Company will be those that it has anticipated. Actual results may differ materially from these expectations due to many factors including, but not limited to: current and future government regulations, in particular regulations relating to the sale of firearms and ammunition, which may impact the supply and demand for the Company’s products and ability to conduct its business; the Company’s retail-based business model which is impacted by general economic and market conditions and economic, market and financial uncertainties that may cause a decline in consumer spending; the Company’s concentration of stores in the Western United States which makes the Company susceptible to adverse conditions in this region, and could affect the Company’s sales and cause the Company’s operating results to suffer; the highly fragmented and competitive industry in which the Company operates and the potential for increased competition; changes in consumer demands, including regional preferences, which we may not be able to identify and respond to in a timely manner; the Company’s entrance into new markets or operations in existing markets, including the Company’s plans to open additional stores in future periods, which may not be successful; the Company’s implementation of a plan to reduce expenses in response to adverse macroeconomic conditions, including an increased focus on financial discipline and rigor throughout the Company’s organization; impact of general macroeconomic conditions, such as labor shortages, inflation, elevated interest rates, economic slowdowns, and recessions or market corrections; and other factors that are set forth in the Company's filings with the SEC, including under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 3, 2024, which was filed with the SEC on April 4, 2024, and the Company’s other public filings made with the SEC and available at www.sec.gov. If one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or if any of the Company’s assumptions prove incorrect, the Company’s actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement made by the Company in this release speaks only as of the date on which the Company makes it. Factors or events that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as may be required by any applicable securities laws. About Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings, Inc. Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, Inc. is an outdoor specialty retailer focused on meeting the needs of the seasoned outdoor veteran, the first-time participant, and everyone in between. We provide outstanding gear and exceptional service to inspire outdoor memories. For press releases and certain additional information about the Company, visit the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.sportsmans.com. Investor Contact: Riley Timmer Vice President, Investor Relations Sportsman’s Warehouse (801) 304-2816 investors@sportsmans.com

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PERSONAL FINANCE | TRAVEL In April, the Department of Transportation announced new airline rules requiring prompt automatic cash refunds to passengers when owed. The final rule took eff ect Oct. 28 and should simplify and speed up the process of receiving your money back due to a canceled or significantly changed flight or delayed luggage. "Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them — without headaches or haggling," said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. "Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers." According to the Department of Transportation, under the old rules, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund, which made receiving a refund for a canceled or delayed flight a complicated aff air. This was seen during the global technology outage in July that disrupted several major airlines and caused thousands of flight cancellations and delays. Many customers were left to wait hours in customer-service lines to start the reimbursement process for their chosen airline. The new rule clearly defines the circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds and how they should be administered, making the reimbursement process much easier if your trip goes awry. According to the Department of Transportation, this is when customers are entitled to a refund: Canceled or significantly changed flights If your flight is canceled or significantly changed and you do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits off ered, you will be refunded. According to the Department of Transportation, significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than three hours domestically and six hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at diff erent airports or flights on diff erent planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability. Significantly delayed baggage return If you file a mishandled-baggage report, you will be entitled to a refund of your checked-bag fee if your luggage is not delivered within 12 hours of your domestic flight arriving at the gate or 15 to 30 hours of your international flight arriving at the gate. Extra services not provided If you pay for an additional service, like in-flight Wi-Fi or a specific seat selection, and you don't receive this accommodation, you are entitled to a refund. The Department of Transportation has also outlined several rules for how refunds will be processed: ■ Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds. Customers will no longer have to explicitly request a refund — which can be a complicated aff air. ■ Prompt: Refunds must be issued within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit-card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods. ■ Cash or original form of payment: Airlines must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase. ■ Total amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. This includes all taxes and fees. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Russian state news agencies say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow and given asylum DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies are reporting that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. Abdulrahman Shaheen And Abby Sewell, The Associated Press Dec 8, 2024 10:19 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Abu Mohammed al-Golani speaks at the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus Sunday Dec. 8, 2024. Golani, a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. He calls himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre.(AP Photo/Omar Albam) DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies are reporting that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also cited an anonymous Kremlin source that Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. The report did not give further details. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday. Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule . THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and had given instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Assad's fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. "I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. Celebrations in the capital Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up," said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it “only carried out the instructions.” A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Assad's base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Assad's whereabouts are unknown Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad, 59, took a flight early Sunday from Damascus. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which had sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and has welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel's military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead.” The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” ___ Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed. Abdulrahman Shaheen And Abby Sewell, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More World News Ghana's ex-President John Mahama is set to return after rival concedes election Dec 8, 2024 8:06 AM Ghana's ruling party candidate concedes presidential election to his opposition rival Dec 8, 2024 2:01 AM Syrian government falls to fast-moving rebels, ending 50 years of iron rule by the Assad family Dec 7, 2024 11:24 PM Featured Flyer

Quick hits: Altmyer, Bryant engineer another Illini fourth-quarter comeback win at Rutgers - 247SportsOn today’s episode of You Asked: What are the differences between HDMI 2.1 , 2.1a, and 2.1b? Are older OLED TVs compatible with the PlayStation 5 Pro ? Why 4K Blu-ray-quality digital downloads don’t exist? What screens sizes are best for achieving a cinematic experience at home? Plus, TCL’s Bruce Walker joins Caleb in the studio to discuss TCL’s giant TVs, holiday deals, and what might be coming at CES 2025. HDMI 2.1 vs. 2.1a vs. 2.1b Kbarso who writes: What is the difference between HDMI 2.1, HDMI 2.1a and HDMI 2b?. Is a 2019 OLED TV (with standard HDMI 2.1) good for the PS5 Pro that has HDMI 2.1b? So, short answer: Yes, your LG C9 is a great match for a PS5 Pro. Here’s why. HDMI 2.1 — without the A or B — includes just about every modern HDMI feature you could want. That includes up to 48 gigabits per second bandwidth, Auto Low Latency Mode, 4K 144Hz, 8K 60Hz — almost all the stuff that you want out of the latest HDMI version. HDMI 2.1a added support for source-based tone mapping. Source-based tone mapping allows a device like a game console or PC to dynamically adjust the HDR tone mapping based on the TV’s capabilities, which takes the tone mapping out of the TV’s control without — and this is the key — without the user having to do any calibration. But, the PS5 Pro — and prior versions of the PS5 — allow you to use HGiG tone mapping, where you do a quick calibration on the PS5, and that controls the tone mapping rather than the TV. The only difference is that it requires a bit of input from you. HDMI 2.1b basically added some stability fixes for the source-based tone-mapping feature that came with HDMI 2.1a. So, again, the LG C9 will work great with the PS5, and you’ll get the best HDR picture possible by doing that manual HDR calibration. 4K Blu-ray-quality digital downloads Michael Grundle writes: Hi, are there any digital stores that sell Blu-ray-quality digital downloads? I couldn’t find any. It seems like this is the solution to physical media’s slow demise. I understand that Blu-rays are massive storage-wise, but we live in a world where you buy to own games that you download, why can’t we have this for movies? It would be cool to own digital versions of Blu-rays including menus and special features. Thanks for your question, Michael. I’ll start by saying that I wish this were a thing as well — I’d love to be able to just buy a 4K Blu-ray-quality version of a movie as a digital download, or maybe pay extra on top of the disc price to get that. Unfortunately, this does not exist — not as you and I are envisioning it, anyway. The closest thing to owning the digital download version of a 4K Blu-ray is through Kaleidescape — they make high-end home theater movie servers. But those downloads are proprietary, and so is the equipment you must use to play back those digital files. It’s not like you can play it back using your PC or through a media server like Plex. Outside of that, the closest thing is streaming your digital movies through iTunes, Fandango at Home (that’s what VUDU has become), or Movies Anywhere. You can also rip your 4K Blu-rays and make your own copies, which is legal so long as you own the movie on disc and don’t distribute or otherwise screen that movie for commercial purposes. But, yeah, with storage getting less and less expensive, I think it would be cool if we could move toward purchasing digital versions of our movies that are at that quality level. It would still be expensive, but it seems like a low lift for production houses, so why not? They would for sure make more profit margin by not involving disc manufacturing and distribution. Cinema experience at home Will writes: You recently covered some really big TV screens. In your experience, considering typical domestic room sizes and average viewing distances, what screen size really starts to feel like a cinema experience? Well, Will, I’ll do my best here. The thing is, I’m just not sure what the typical domestic room size is anymore. I mean, in the United States alone, the room size in which someone is watching their TV and, by some extension anyway, the viewing distance, seems super varied. In my own life, I’ve been anywhere from 8 to 12 feet away from my screen, but I’ve seen some homes with so-called great rooms where folks are 15 feet or more away. I think we can simplify this by relying on a tried and trusted calculator to get us started. THX suggests that you take your viewing distance in inches and multiply that by 0.835 to get the screen size, in inches, that will come off as cinematic. So, if we take a viewing distance of 10 feet — that’s 120 inches — and we multiply that by 0.835, we get about 100 inches. I think that is a good starting point. I think a 98-inch TV, viewed at about 10 feet away, is awesome. From there, you could go a little bigger and be OK, and you can go a little smaller and still have a great experience. Now, that calculator isn’t concerned with resolution or whether you can see pixelation or any of that stuff — it’s about occupying your field of view in a manner that is similar to what you might experience in a commercial movie theater. But keep in mind that even in a commercial theater, there is a sweet spot, sure, but you may be farther away than “ideal” if you sit in the back, or closer than ideal if you’re sitting in the front. I think that calculator is a really solid starting point for someone whose main goal is to try to get the most cinematic experience possible. Now, if we take the largest TV screen size available now — 120 inches, which is also a very popular projector screen size — and we work backward, that means the “ideal” viewing distance would be 12 feet. This section is sponsored by TCL Interview with Bruce Walker of TCL North America Speaking of huge TVs, I’m excited to bring in Bruce Walker, Product Evangelist at TCL – the company responsible for bringing us massive TVs like the 120-inch QM891G as well as the 98-inch Q6 and 98-inch QM7. Time to learn a little more about how TCL is doing what it’s been doing, and I’m gonna see if I can squeeze a little bit about what we might see at CES 2025 out of him, too. Caleb : Bruce Walker, thank you for literally flying across the country this morning to join us in our studio. This is the first time that we’ve hosted a guest here in the studio. I’m honored. And, yeah, I mean, you literally flew across the country. Thank you for doing that. Bruce : Thank you for hosting me. I’m very excited to be here. Excited to talk to you and your audience and talk about exciting TCL stuff. Caleb : Look, I feel like we need to talk about the TCL story because, from my seat, I mean, we’ll go back to the first TCL TV I reviewed. It was a 6-series TV. What was the model number? The P607. That really started it all right, because that TV landed in my testing lab, and anybody who goes back and watches the review will see that we were shocked. Like, it kind of came out of nowhere for us. What was that like for somebody in your seat? Because previously, let’s be honest, TCL was more of a budget-oriented brand that you might find at Walmart or wherever and now you’ve got this TV that’s competing with the best out there. What was that like for you guys? Bruce : It was really fun. It was a watershed moment for us. You know, when we were talking to members of the media and people at CES, saying, This is going to be one of the brightest Dolby Vision TVs on the market this year, the general response was, “Yeah, right. We’ll see.” And it really paved the way and allowed customers to believe in TCL as a premium offering. Caleb : From my seat, it seemed like that set off a bit of a shift in the product planning. So, what was that like at TCL? Bruce : Yeah, it was a fun domino effect. We started getting better placement at retail partners, so people could see premium TCL TV sets. Then we were able to leverage all the things we do great in terms of innovation. You know, we introduced the world’s first big-screen quantum-dot TV back in 2015. I’m very excited that many of the reviews we see now — back when the P605 came out around that time, it was all about value, value, price, value, value, price. Oh, by the way, it performs pretty well too. Now, we’re shifting that narrative. So many of the reviews we see don’t even mention price until maybe as a footnote: This TV compares with this, this, and this from the big three. Oh, by the way, it’s also really good value. Caleb : Something a lot of people might consider inside baseball, but it actually has everything to do with how TCL makes its TVs and how you make engineering decisions. TCL is a vertically integrated company, right? What does that mean, and what does that allow TCL to do that other manufacturers maybe can’t? Bruce : So, the overarching picture is that we make every component that goes into a TV set. Your audience, the tech-savvy people out there, might say when they see a TV, “Who makes the panel for that TV?” All the stuff we’re talking about, we do. We make the panel, the backlight, the processors, the feet. We make every component that goes into a TV set. And there are a whole host of benefits that go with that. If we control the entire manufacturing process, we can control the quality. We can make sure that component A works perfectly with component B when it’s all put together. And they’re going to last a long time and be a good-quality product. Then that dovetails into the value story: Why can I get a 75-inch TCL for the same price as a 65-inch and have all the same features? If you look at the reviews, they’re comparable. It’s part of that vertical integration story. Caleb : So, does that mean because you’re buying less parts from other manufacturers, you’re not paying the markup on those parts Bruce : The middleman markup? Exactly. Because we’re making it ourselves. Our panel manufacturing facility, CSOT, makes our panels for all the TVs we talk about. Because we make it ourselves, we can pivot and say, “Oh, 98-inch TVs are hot now.” We can make 98-inch panels and now we make more 98-inch panels than any other panel manufacturing facility in the world. And because we make it ourselves, we’re not paying a middleman markup, and we can bring incredible value to the market. Caleb : See, it’s all starting to make a lot more sense for me now. I don’t think I was aware of that. Is that also why you’re going to see more consistency in the panels across the different sizes? Because, I mean, we look at some other brands, and you might get a VA panel in one size and then an ADS Pro in another size. But you’re consistent across the board. Bruce : We make our own high-performance VA panels, and on our QD-LED lines, it’s actually a new HVA panel, which improves the contrast within the mini-LED ecosystem. Caleb : Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe TCL was the first brand to release a mini-LED television, right? Bruce : Yes! Mini-LED has really reinvented LED TV technology. We introduced the world’s first mini-LED TV in 2019, the 8-series. Caleb : It’s been that long? Bruce : Yeah. And now, it’s everyone’s flagship TV. It’s mini-LED. All of our flagship TVs this year are QD mini-LED. We just want to make sure people understand that that’s an important distinction in the marketplace because, unfortunately, when you talk about mini-LED, there isn’t really a definition for it. A mini-LED is a small OLED? If you took it to the absurd, you could make a TV with one mini-LED in the back of the backlight, and we’d call it a mini-LED TV. You know, not all mini-LED is created equally, and when you see QD-LED, you can be assured that it’s going to give you top-tier performance. Caleb : So what we’re seeing here, on the right-hand side, first of all, you made this, right? Tell me the story about how you made this thing. Bruce : Most of the cuts have healed, but these are actual, backlights. The TCL QD mini-LED backlight is from a QM8 TV. The other mini-LED backlight is an off-the-shelf backlight, cut up into pieces, sent up to an amazing company in California and made these for us so that we, really put, you know, kind of a face to the name of what is QD mini-LED. And you can see in there, the things that make our secret sauce, as it were. And with QD being LED, you get things like our own HEXA mini-LED chips for incredible brightness. But also, Pirelli famously once said, “Power without control is nothing.” So we make all this incredible brightness, but we’ve also got our own in-house designed and manufactured UWA ultra-wide-angle lenses that take all that light and steer it to the front of the cabinet. So it comes out through all the layers of the TV. But it’s our own HVA panel, which does a very good job of, when there’s no light, it closes up to give you deep, rich blacks. And when it opens up, you get a super-bright picture on that panel type. Caleb : I feel like that’s kind of important because I’ve noted in my reviews in the past that, let’s say, the number of mini-LEDs, the number of zones that were involved — everything else — let’s say those were more or less equal. The TCL ends up coming out on top in terms of the black levels. And now I’m hearing part of it is because of the VA panel that you’re making. That makes sense because you can actually see it. Bruce : And then the last part of the equation that I find really exciting is, you know, processing. Candidly, in our industry, people talk about processing and motion handling. It’s Sony, and then everybody else. To their credit, this year, we have not only one processor but a family of AiPQ processors starting in our S-Class TV. And when we get to our QD mini-LED, we have our AiPQ Pro processor. With that powerful backlight — again, with control — you get up to about 65,000 levels of gradation. So you not only get incredible bright whites, but you’ve measured specs that outperform what we claim they do: deep, rich blacks. You get an incredible grayscale, so you get great shadow detail. Caleb : But I do want to get back to this prop because, on the right-hand side, what you’re seeing, if I’m not mistaken, are three mini-LED lights that are kind of hiding behind this sort of dome lens. And what you notice is that they’re spaced fairly far apart, so there’s a decent amount of gap in between those. And then on the left, we’re looking at the TCL QD mini-LED, where you’re using individual mini-LED diodes, and they’re spaced much more closely together. Bruce : Yep. Very densely packed. You get better uniformity. You get better brightness. Because there’s so many and so densely packed, you can have better zone control — all the benefits that come from doing that. And great picture performance. Caleb : From the backlight level, I think what we’re seeing here is that, rather than use a tight cluster of mini-LEDs and then use some kind of lens to broaden it out, you’re using individual mini-LEDs. And if I heard you correctly, you can individually address every single one of those mini-LEDs, right? So it’s not like you put a cluster on one board and can just turn that board on and off. You can actually turn each individual light on and off. Bruce : That’s very exciting. Caleb : Now we’re starting to understand how it’s actually done. Bruce : We’re in the golden era of TV sets. And the fact that we’re now producing products that compete with the best of the best — we are proud of the fact that we think that, compared to an OLED (perfect blacks, infinite contrast ratio), we think in the dark man-cave environment, sets like our QM7 and QM8 compete very well. But then, in the arena of a normal lighting environment where most people watch their TVs, is really where we kind of stand apart. When you’ve got 5,000 nits of peak brightness on our flagship TV sets, we think it’s the best choice for most people. Caleb : And also, like, no burn-in, right? Bruce : With the TCL TV, the official TV partner of Call of Duty, if you’re a gamer out there, you can game all day and all night and not have to worry about it. Caleb : And I’ve seen this question from viewers more times than I can count. How is TCL actually doing that? I’m starting to get the sense that it’s about that vertical integration, right? Bruce : Yep. But it also boils down to that manufacturing. You know, the fact that — you look at that 98 inch Q6 — it’s our backlight, it’s our panel, it’s our processor. Caleb : We’re back to the whole, “There is no middleman charging markup on all these different parts.” You can actually make it in a way that others simply can’t. Bruce : And it’s just been a resounding success. You know, through the end of last year, we were No. 2 in sales for five years in a row. Caleb : All right, so I know that you don’t have a crystal ball, but, like, how big do you think we’re going to go here? I mean, 98 inches is — I still think — is a larger size than most people are currently prepared to accept in their home. But obviously, we’re seeing those sell. So that’s changing. It used to be 65 inches was a huge TV, and now it’s kind of like if you don’t have it, it’s not a huge TV. That’s like the No. 1 size in the U.S. right now. Is going big a big priority for TCL? Bruce : It’s big for us. And I have to say — sorry — it’s a huge growth part of the market. The fact that I mentioned earlier — we make more 98-inch panels than anybody out there. So a lot of the marketing we’ve been doing is, you know, giving people the permission to get a TV that big in their house. And once you do, I say your childlike wonderment — talking about these, you know, 115-inch screens and watching — it’s just so much fun. It’s a whole different ball of wax watching. Caleb : I know that you can’t talk about CES — nobody can. It’s a super-secret thing. But how excited should I be about what TCL is bringing? Bruce : It’s going to be another fun year. I mean, our 2024 product is the best that we’ve ever made. I know we’re going to be showing some great stuff next year as well, and we’re going to be talking about it before we know it. Caleb : Yeah, I know. It’s coming up super soon. And that’s when I’m going to see you next — is down in Las Vegas. Well, listen, man, thank you so much for coming all this way to give us some insight into it. It’s all starting to make a bit more sense now because it all seemed kind of, “How do they pull it off?” Now I think I understand a little bit better. And hopefully, the audience does as well. Obviously, TCL is a remarkable choice. And look, the holiday shopping season is not over, you know? Yeah. And so, I imagine that a lot of folks are going to be looking to do that big upgrade. Bruce : Measure that wall. Measure that stand. Find room for it. You’ll be happy you did.

Mutual of America Capital Management LLC decreased its position in GXO Logistics, Inc. ( NYSE:GXO – Free Report ) by 5.6% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 64,567 shares of the company’s stock after selling 3,814 shares during the period. Mutual of America Capital Management LLC’s holdings in GXO Logistics were worth $3,362,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale acquired a new stake in shares of GXO Logistics during the third quarter worth about $28,000. UMB Bank n.a. lifted its stake in GXO Logistics by 111.4% during the 3rd quarter. UMB Bank n.a. now owns 628 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 331 shares during the period. Signaturefd LLC boosted its holdings in shares of GXO Logistics by 37.2% in the 3rd quarter. Signaturefd LLC now owns 918 shares of the company’s stock valued at $48,000 after acquiring an additional 249 shares during the last quarter. Hara Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of GXO Logistics in the third quarter worth $50,000. Finally, Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. raised its holdings in shares of GXO Logistics by 37.6% during the third quarter. Whittier Trust Co. of Nevada Inc. now owns 1,032 shares of the company’s stock worth $54,000 after purchasing an additional 282 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 90.67% of the company’s stock. GXO Logistics Stock Performance GXO opened at $60.47 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $57.06 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $52.69. GXO Logistics, Inc. has a 52-week low of $46.07 and a 52-week high of $63.33. The company has a market cap of $7.22 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 67.19, a PEG ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 1.55. The company has a quick ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.86 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several equities research analysts have commented on GXO shares. UBS Group increased their price target on GXO Logistics from $66.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Susquehanna dropped their target price on GXO Logistics from $75.00 to $73.00 and set a “positive” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, September 26th. Citigroup initiated coverage on GXO Logistics in a report on Wednesday, October 9th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $60.00 price target for the company. Barclays raised their price objective on shares of GXO Logistics from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 13th. Finally, TD Cowen boosted their target price on shares of GXO Logistics from $82.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 6th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $67.00. Check Out Our Latest Research Report on GXO Logistics GXO Logistics Company Profile ( Free Report ) GXO Logistics, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides logistics services worldwide. The company provides warehousing and distribution, order fulfilment, e-commerce, reverse logistics, and other supply chain services. As of December 31, 2023, it operated in approximately 974 facilities. The company serves various customers in the e-commerce, omnichannel retail, technology and consumer electronics, food and beverage, industrial and manufacturing, consumer packaged goods, and others. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding GXO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for GXO Logistics, Inc. ( NYSE:GXO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for GXO Logistics Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for GXO Logistics and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Geoffrey Hinton says he doesn’t regret the work he did that laid the foundations of artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Geoffrey Hinton says he doesn’t regret the work he did that laid the foundations of artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Geoffrey Hinton says he doesn’t regret the work he did that laid the foundations of artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. The British-Canadian computer scientist often called the godfather of AI said over the weekend that he doesn’t have any guilty regret, which he said is when someone has done something when they know they shouldn’t have at the time. “In the same circumstances, I would do the same again,” he said of his research, which dates back to the 1980s and has formed the underpinnings of AI. “However, I think it might have been unfortunate in that we’re going to get superintelligence faster than I thought, and I wish I’d thought about safety earlier.” Superintelligence surpasses the abilities of even the smartest humans. Hinton thinks it could arrive in the next five to 20 years and humanity may have to “worry seriously about how we stay in control.” Hinton made his prediction during a press conference in Stockholm, where he is due to a receive the Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday. Hinton, a University of Toronto professor emeritus, and co-laureate John Hopfield, a Princeton University professor, are being given the prize because they developed some of the foundations of machine learning, a computer science that helps AI mimic how humans learn. Hinton kicked off his Nobel week on Saturday with the press conference, where he appeared with laureates in chemistry and economics and was asked about AI safety and regulation. Hinton left a job at Google last year to speak more freely about the technology’s dangers, which he has said could include job losses, bias and discrimination, echo chambers, fake news, battle robots and even the end of humanity. On Saturday, he said he considers lethal autonomous weapons to be a short-term danger. “There isn’t going to be any regulation there,” he said, pointing out that European regulations have a specific clause exempting military use of AI from restrictions. “Governments are unwilling to regulate themselves, when it comes to lethal autonomous weapon, and there is an arms race going on between all the major arms suppliers like the United States, China, Russia, Britain, Israel and possibly even Sweden, though I don’t know.” A day later, Hinton put his concerns about AI aside to deliver a lecture with Hopfield explaining the research that earned them their Nobel. “Today I am going to do something very foolish.” Hinton said in introducing his portion of the pair’s hour-long speech. “I am going to try and describe a complicated technical idea for a general audience without using any equations.” The audience chuckled. The talk began with Hopfield describing a network he invented that could store and reconstruct images in data. It led Hinton to later create the Boltzmann machine, which learns from examples, rather than instructions, and when trained, can recognize familiar characteristics in information, even if it has not seen that data before. Hinton said students in his lab and others run by fellow AI pioneers Yoshua Bengio and Yann LeCun were using Boltzmann machines to pre-train neural networks — machine learning models that make decisions in a manner similar to the human brain — between 2006 and 2011. By 2009, two of Hinton’s students had showed the technique “worked a little bit better than the best existing techniques for recognizing fragments of phonemes in speech and that then changed the speech recognition community,” Hinton said. Phonemes are small units of sound that can change the meaning of a word. Google later began working on technology based on Hinton’s discoveries and “suddenly the speech recognition on the Android got a lot better.” Even though the kind of Boltzmann machines Hinton was working with back then are no longer used in the same ways as he used them, he said “they allowed us to make the transition from thinking that deep neural networks would never work to seeing that deep neural networks actually could be made to work.” Nobel Week will continue Monday with a discussion about the future of health before an awards ceremony and banquet is held Tuesday. Hinton has said he will donate a portion of the prize money — equivalent to about C$1.45 million — he and Hopfield will be given to Water First, which is working to boost Indigenous access to water, and a charity supporting neurodiverse young adults. He is also reportedly due to donate an early Boltzmann chip to the Nobel Prize Museum. The Nobel is not the only prize Hinton scooped up this month. On Friday, he, Bengio, LeCun, Chinese-American computer scientist Fei-Fei Li and Nvidia founder Jensen Huang, were awarded the Vin Future Prize, a US$3 million prize for science breakthroughs in a ceremony in Vietnam. Hinton, Bengio and LeCun previously won the A.M. Turing Award, known as the Nobel Prize of computing, together in 2018. This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Dec. 8, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Syrian opposition fighters celebrate Sunday after the Syrian government collapsed in Damascus, Syria. Joyful crowds gathered in central squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after President Bashar Assad and other top officials vanished, their whereabouts unknown. A man tries to take a lamp Sunday as people search for belongings in the ransacked private residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus, Syria. Russia, a close ally, said Assad left the country after negotiations with rebel groups and gave instructions to transfer power peacefully. Abu Mohammed al-Golani , a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country's future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the capital’s sprawling Umayyad Mosque and said Assad's fall was “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among different armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian opposition fighters remove a government Syrian flag from an official building Saturday in Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria. Syrian state television broadcast a video statement early Sunday by a group of rebels saying that Assad was overthrown and all prisoners were released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed . A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked and confused. At least one small child could be seen among them. Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi, who appeared on state TV later in the day, sought to reassure Syria's religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did," he added. People gather Sunday in Manbij, Syria, to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government. Celebrations in the capital Residents of Damascus gathered to pray at mosques and to celebrate in squares, chanting, “God is great.” People also chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled central Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Men fired celebratory gunshots and some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. “I cannot express my happiness," said Bassam Masr. “But this happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he. I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering into the presidential palace, with some emerging carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “Victory to Syria. Syria remains and Assad to hell, to the dustbin of history,” said a man exploring the palace. A man walks by a broken portrait of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad as people search for belongings Sunday in the ransacked private residence of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the Malkeh district of Damascus, Syria. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood. We believe and trust that Syria will be for all Syrians.” The newspaper added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying: “We only carried out the instructions and published the news they sent us.” A statement from the Alawite sect — to which Assad belongs and which formed the core of his base — called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. An opposition fighter steps on a broken bust of the late Syrian President Hafez Assad on Sunday in Damascus, Syria. Assad reportedly in Russia Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said in a video statement that the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed a group of armed men escorting him out of his office and to the Four Seasons hotel Sunday. Syrian President Bashar Assad listens May 19, 2023, during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Rami Abdurrahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights told The Associated Press that Assad took a flight Sunday from Damascus. Russian state news agencies reported that Assad arrived in Moscow with his family and was given asylum. The agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. A senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, which sought to rehabilitate Assad's image and welcomed high-profile exiles in recent years, declined to comment on his whereabouts when asked by reporters at a conference in Bahrain. Anwar Gargash said Assad's destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. Assad was accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity during the war, including a 2013 chemical weapons attack on the outskirts of the capital. Opposition fighters burn down a military court Sunday in Damascus, Syria. Calls for an orderly transition The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall in a matter of days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him in the final days as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule deals a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by over a year of conflict with Israel . Iran, which had strongly backed Assad throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had temporarily seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying the move was taken to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied. Israeli soldiers walk Sunday near armored vehicles parked along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS , which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Its head, al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. HTS set up a “salvation government” in 2017 to administer a large region in northwestern Syria under its control. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians," said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group and an expert on Syrian groups. "But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead. One can only hope they rise to the occasion.” People gather Sunday in Manbij, Syria, to celebrate the fall of the Syrian government. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. The participants included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground," including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem contributed. People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Members of the Syrian community in Finland wave a Syrian flag and celebrate in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 8, 2024. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Syrians wave opposition flags and give out sweets during a spontaneous rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) Syrians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians wave Syrian opposition flags at a rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government's fall, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

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MSGT. (retired) George Modzik, 89, of Powell, Tenn., died Monday, December 2, 2024. George was born May 27, 1935, in Jere, the ninth of 11 children. He was a son of the late Joseph and Rose Petempa Modzik. George was proud of his large immigrant Polish family, and all of their accomplishments over the years. George graduated from University High School in Morgantown. When he turned 18, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where he was trained in radar and was one of the first to be trained using Doppler Radar. He was a veteran of the Vietnam War and retired from the USAF after 20 years. George then worked as a maintenance supervisor for the Department of Energy at the Y12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, Tenn. until he retired. During this time, he completed a BS in Economics from the University of Tennessee. George was also selected and participated in the Honor Flight for veterans. George loved golfing, bow hunting, and fishing. He was an avid gardener and planted a yearly vegetable garden. He was also a master tinkerer and enjoyed working with his hands. He loved spending vacations at the beach with his wife, Sue. George also enjoyed spending time with his family and would always create fun, interactive family games for the large Modzik Family reunions. He was involved with his three daughters, four stepchildren and many grandchildren and great- grandchildren. George is survived by his beloved wife of 38 years, Sue Modzik; his three daughters, Debbie Schmadel (Don) of Blythewood, S.C., Ann Watson of Granville, Ohio, and Beth Modzik Coode of Jekyll Island, Ga.; four stepchildren, Robert Defenderfer, Sharon Defenderfer, John Defenderfer, and Jim Defenderfer, all of Powell, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; one sister, Irene Liberatore of Morgantown; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by five sisters, Elizabeth Modzik, Ann Yashinsky, Helen Osecky, Jenny Sottile, Carol Modzik; and four brothers, Joseph Modzik, Andrew Modzik, William Modzik and Julian “Junior” Modzik. Also, family members Eve Modzik and David Coode. A Memorial Mass was held at noon on Saturday, December 7 in All Saints Catholic Church on Cedar Bluff Road, Knoxville, Tenn. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Wounded Warrior Project.Faith & Values: The act of just showing up

The sudden going off the air of the television programs ‘We are not TV’ generated speculation in the world of Peruvian streaming. After several months of live broadcasts with varied content, the YouTube channel of Jorge Luna and Ricardo Mendoza, directed by Cathy Sáenz, stopped broadcasting its programs without prior notice, which caused confusion among its followers. In the midst of this controversy, Carlos Orozco founder of ‘La Roro Network’ did not hesitate to criticize the management of the channel and affirmed the lack of commitment and the absence of advertising agreements. What did Carlos Orozco say about the ‘No Somos TV’ programs going off the air? The recent cancellation of the live programming of the YouTube channel ‘No Somos TV’ caused a stir in the Peruvian streaming world, especially among direct competitors. Carlos Orozco expressed his discontent about this decision. In public statements, the host pointed out that the sudden departure of the programs shows the channel’s lack of seriousness and commitment, especially with regard to its commercial and advertising relationships. “To close a channel overnight, as they have done, is because they had no commitment,” commented Orozco, criticizing the lack of planning in the management of the channel. Your partner in ‘Ouke’, Daniel Marquina added that this cancellation points to the lack of contracts with sponsors, which would have forced the channel to make the decision to suspend programming without further consequences. “If they had had advertising commitments, the brands would have claimed them, but since they did not have those contracts, the cancellation was much easier to do,” he said. What happened to ‘No Somos TV’ and why did they lift their programming? The YouTube channel ‘We are not TV’ was in the middle of its proposed competition with other streaming programs, such as ‘Ouke’, when it surprisingly and without prior notice suspended all of its live programming. The last program broadcast live was the sports space ‘Palabra de fan’, on December 3, 2024, and since then no live content has been broadcast again. This sudden pause has generated speculation and rumors about the reasons behind the decision. One of the most commented rumors on social networks is an alleged sentimental scandal between the drivers of ‘We are not TV’ . According to various sources close to the channel, the rumor about a romance between Tato Luna and Majo with Sabor would have caused a wave of criticism from followers, which could have influenced the decision to pause broadcasts. Despite the rumors, so far there has been no official statement clarifying the situation. Another hypothesis that is circulating is that ‘No Somos TV’ would be taking a break after finishing its 2024 season, with plans to return with new programming in 2025. However, the lack of official communication from those responsible for the channel has left its audience in uncertainty. According to Ric La Torre, influencer and expert in the world of Peruvian streaming, the abrupt cancellation would be the result of internal controversy, highlighting that the pause could last until next year. Join our entertainment channelNew Delhi: The Delhi police special cell has arrested a man from Hyderabad allegedly involved in the illegal trafficking of Indian youths and forcing them to work in fake call centres engaging in cyber fraud, an officer said on Sunday, December 8. The arrest came after a 2,500-kilometre non-stop chase, the officer claimed. “After a long, persevering chase of 2,500 km, Kamran Haider, alias Zaidi, was nabbed from Hyderabad,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Manoj C said. Zaidi carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh on information leading to his arrest, declared by the National Investigation Agency. According to police, on May 27, a case was registered at New Friends Colony Police Station on the complaint of one Naresh Lakhavath, who said he was searching for a job when he came across Ali International Service, a consultancy firm supposedly based in New Delhi. “The firm offered him a job in Thailand and Laos, and he was eventually sent to Thailand. But when he reached there, his passport was snatched, and he was forced to work for a Chinese company that used to scam Indian people online,” the DCP said. The case was transferred to the National Investigation Agency. An investigation carried out by the NIA identified Manjoor Alam, Sahil, Ashish, Pawan Yadav, and Haider as key conspirators. All five were involved in trafficking vulnerable Indian youth to the Golden Triangle Region in Laos, where they were forced to commit cyber scams targeting European and American citizens, the officer said. They operated through Ali International Services, which functioned as a front. “The main accused was identified as Kamran Haider. Kamran Haider absconded, and despite all efforts, the accused Kamran Haider could not be arrested. He was trying to go abroad to Thailand and Laos,” the DCP said. Haider continuously changed his locations from one state to another after he absconded. Teams were stationed in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh to nab him, police said. “Zaidi was located in Hyderabad, Telangana. Immediately two different teams of the special cell were sent to Hyderabad. He was apprehended on December 7 after a long, persevering chase of 2,500 kilometres by the team without any rest. “He was apprehended near Nampally Railway Station, Hyderabad, Telangana, while trying to escape to another hideout,” said the DCP.