999 slot game online
lack Friday is the most suitable time of the year to buy and other electronic devices, as well as screens. During this period, which lasts for several weeks, major retailers and other delivery companies such as have great offers that will allow you to find the best models available at an affordable price. This is the time to do your shopping in a well-planned way, which will allow you to save hundreds of dollars on prestigious brands such as and more. In addition, if you plan your expenses well, at this time of offers you can also purchase other complementary electronic items such as to fill every corner of your home with technology. How to choose a good deal on Black Friday? If you want to buy the best option available for a screen, you should consider some key factors: size, resolution and budget. It is advisable to choose the largest screen possible, as size does matter for image resolution, but this is not the only parameter to consider, because you should also consider the best image quality with the highest possible contrast, so are your best option. With the proliferation of streaming services, it's best to get a that has an integrated platform to more easily access your different services. However, you can also buy a streaming device of your choice later on. Traditionally, major retailers are the ones with the widest variety of deals to suit all tastes. For example, while has numerous deals on various TV models. But with the bombardment of offers, buying online allows you to compare specifications and prices, with the advantage that you can receive the package at your own home. Some attractive Black Friday screen dealsNEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don't change their clocks at all. Jill Colvin, The Associated PressNone
Amritsar: A group of Panthic leaders , in a meeting on Wednesday, said the punishment handed down to Sukhbir Singh Badal was mild. The meeting was attended by the team which organised the 2015 Sarbat Khalsa and included Mohkam Singh, Jarnail Singh Sakhira, Amrik Singh Ajnala, Satnam Singh Manava, Vassan Singh Jaffarwal, and Gurdeep Singh Bathinda. They said during the Sarbat Khalsa, they had unanimously appointed Jagtar Singh Hawara, imprisoned in Tihar jail, as the jathedar of Akal Takht and reiterated their respect for him and affirmed their continued support for his leadership. Sakhira said it was unacceptable for them to remain silent in the face of incomplete or incorrect decisions by Akal Takht. “Had we not raised voices against the pardon granted to Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim by the Sikh high priests, the pardon would never have been revoked,” he said. We also published the following articles recently Cleaning utensils, shoes over SAD rule 'mistakes': Akal Takht issues religious punishment for Sukhbir Singh Badal The Sikh clergy imposed religious penalties on Sukhbir Singh Badal and other Shiromani Akali Dal leaders for actions during their 2007-2017 rule. Badal received 'sewadar' duties at the Golden Temple, including cleaning utensils and shoes. The Akal Takht also revoked Parkash Singh Badal's 'Fakhre-e-Qaum' title and mandated other leaders to perform similar services. 'Wash utensils, clean bathrooms': Why Sikh high priests have punished SAD leader Sukhbir Singh Badal Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Punjab deputy CM, performed public penance at the Golden Temple after being declared 'tankhaiya' for religious misconduct during SAD's rule. He carried a spear and wore a placard displaying Gurbani verses. The Akal Takht Jathedar cited Badal's failure to address the 2015 sacrilege incidents and the pardoning of Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a blasphemy case. Sikh community the real force behind Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badals submission, Takhts assertion Sukhbir Singh Badal, former SAD president, admitted his and his late father's wrongdoings during their rule in Punjab before the Akal Takht. Driven by public pressure and electoral losses, this submission reflects a shift in Sikh politics. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .Hunter, Jeanty give Heisman ceremony a different vibe
NEW YORK — Same iconic statue, very different race. With two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. "The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. "There's been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I'm representing the whole position." With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. "I'm not a watch guy, but I like it," said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation's most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football's answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. "I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways," Hunter said. "It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you'll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery." Hunter is Colorado's first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. "It just goes to show that I did what I had to do," Hunter said. Next, he'd like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. "I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football," Hunter said. "Being here now is like a dream come true." Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year's College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year's Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football's top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history — topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he's attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. "I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind," Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. "I just think there's a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position," Ward said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!One Bio Secures $27 Million in Series A Funding to Revolutionize Nutrition with Launch of Breakthrough Technology Making High-Dose, Anti-Inflammatory Plant Fiber Imperceptible in Food and Beverage for the First Time
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:02 p.m. ESTIt’s a U.S. Food and Drug Administration rule that most Americans know little about, yet gives corporations the license to add potentially harmful ingredients to foods without regulatory oversight or public notice. For decades, the FDA’s “generally recognized as safe,” , designation has allowed food makers to decide for themselves whether certain novel ingredients are safe or not — even without providing evidence to agency scientists. the system has allowed companies to , including suspected carcinogens, to such products as cereals, baked goods, ice cream, potato chips and chewing gum. Now, President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of to lead the Department of Health and Human Service promises to elevate the issue. Although Kennedy’s penchant for amplifying medical conspiracies and his anti-vaccination activism , his vow to crack down on chemical additives in food has resonated with consumer health advocates. The problem, critics say, is that a GRAS determination is supposed to follow a scientific assessment, ideally one conducted by independent experts. Under the law, however, it is entirely optional for companies to share their assessments with FDA reviewers. That means the FDA and American consumers are in the dark about hundreds of compounds in processed foods. “FDA cannot ensure the safety of our food supply if it does not know what is in our food,” said , principal scientist for food additives and supplements at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. When the agency does learn about a new compound, it evaluates the company’s safety report to see whether it agrees. If FDA scientists see problems and request additional information, the company doesn’t have to provide it. It can simply withdraw its GRAS notice and use the ingredient anyway. , a former prosecutor and current state legislator in Pennsylvania, said she doesn’t understand why the FDA treats food additives like criminal defendants — “innocent until proven guilty, safe until proven otherwise.” “Right now we’re relying on the companies that are going to profit off selling these substances to do the research for us,” said Mihalek, a Republican who has introduced a bill to in her state. “It just blows my mind.” FDA officials acknowledge the limits of the GRAS system but say they don’t have the authority to change it. “Congress sets GRAS as part of the law,” said , director of the FDA’s Office of Food Additive Safety. “It is our responsibility to administer the law. We do not in fact have the authority to make the laws.” Related Articles Concern about the safety and purity of food prompted Congress to pass the in 1906, just months after Upton Sinclair brought the meatpacking industry’s unsanitary practices to light in his book The new law forbade the manufacture and sale of foods that were “adulterated or misbranded or poisonous.” The FDA’s regulatory powers expanded in 1938 with the passage of the , and a 1958 amendment divided food ingredients into two categories: additives that must be assessed for safety, and substances that could go straight into foods because they are “generally recognized as safe.” Unfortunately, the legal distinction between the two kinds of ingredients is “very vague,” said , a public health lawyer at New York University’s School of Global Public Health. The types of ingredients that were considered GRAS in 1958 included items that were already in wide use, such as salt, vanilla extract, baking powder and vinegar. The FDA established a list of GRAS substances and added new items if they passed a safety review. Individuals from outside the agency also could ask to have a particular substance studied for inclusion on the official GRAS list. But the process was time-consuming, and petitions from industry could take to evaluate. As part of the Clinton-era initiative to , the FDA embraced designed to make it more enticing for companies to keep the agency in the loop about their GRAS decisions. Now the FDA pledges to respond to GRAS notices . The notification process is also low-risk for food companies. If everything looks good, the FDA says it has “no questions” about the compound, effectively endorsing the GRAS assessment. This happens about 80% of the time, according to researchers and Maricel Maffini, who analyzed . If things aren’t so clear, the agency may say it needs more information before it can weigh in. And if a company decides not to provide that information, it can back out of the process and the FDA will say it ended its evaluation at the filer’s request. Such was the case with an ingredient in . Not just another gourmet candy bar, the dark chocolate with lavender and blueberry flavors is infused with the hormone , the amino acid , a blend of soothing botanicals and something called , an artificial version of that calms the brain. PharmaGABA is made by of Kyoto, Japan. The company touts its product as having “US-FDA’s self-affirmed GRAS approval” even though the FDA twice raised serious concerns about its safety and has never indicated to the public that its misgivings were addressed. Nothing about this violates the law. Neltner, a chemical engineer and attorney, and Maffini, a biochemist and consultant, dug into the FDA’s files on PharmaGABA to see why regulators were concerned about it. In its filed in 2008, Pharma Foods said it hired a to determine whether PharmaGABA should qualify for GRAS status when used in candy, chewing gum, beverages and other products. The consulting firm produced a report about the product and tapped three university professors with expertise in pharmacology, toxicology and food science to weigh in. The trio’s determination that the product was “safe and suitable and would be GRAS” was unanimous, . Yet after reviewing all 155 pages of the PharmaGABA notice, FDA scientists raised concerns about the product’s purity, its risk for causing low blood pressure and electrolyte imbalances, and the lack of data on how PharmaGABA is metabolized, among other problems. Pharma Foods withdrew its notice, and the FDA . The company with a for using PharmaGABA in yogurts and cheese, cereals and snack bars, candy and gum, and an array of beverages including sports drinks and flavored milks. The same consulting firm assembled a scientific panel that said consuming PharmaGABA in expected quantities was “reasonably expected to be safe.” As before, FDA reviewers had concerns. They said the new filing didn’t back the company’s claims that the product would be absorbed into the bloodstream at low levels and that it wouldn’t cross the blood-brain barrier. The reviewers were particularly concerned with the compound’s potential to harm pregnant women and children, as well as its effect on the pituitary gland. Pharma Foods withdrew its notice so it could “conduct further studies,” and the FDA of the product. Maffini said it wasn’t unusual for agency scientists to find fault with GRAS decisions that passed muster with hired consultants. Giving their clients favorable reviews increases their chances of being hired again, she said. Nine years later, Pharma Foods has yet to share additional results with the FDA. But PharmaGABA legally remains in based on Pharma Foods’ determination that the compound should be generally recognized as safe. Pharma Foods International and , which makes Sleepy Chocolate, did not respond to requests to discuss PharmaGABA’s safety. Maffini said she was frustrated that the FDA scientists who examined PharmaGABA couldn’t post a memo to warn the public about their concerns. (She and Neltner obtained the GRAS documents by filing a .) “They ask questions,” Maffini said of the agency scientists, “but then there’s really nothing they can do.” For every ingredient like PharmaGABA that is disclosed to the FDA, another probably makes its way to the market without any regulatory review. By definition, there’s no way to know for sure how many new additives are granted GRAS status in secret. To , researchers scoured websites and trade journals to find every corporate announcement of a new GRAS product during an eight-week period. Ten of those products weren’t on the FDA’s GRAS notice list. If those eight weeks were typical, at least 65 new substances are being introduced into the food supply every year without any vetting by the agency. That’s on a par with the 60 to 70 GRAS notices that Muldoon Jacobs said the FDA evaluates each year. The situation is something of a catch-22, Pomeranz said: Since GRAS products are presumed to be safe, they aren’t subject to regulatory review. But since they’re not regulated, how can the public be assured that they’re safe? And that’s only part of the problem, she said. When companies use novel ingredients, they can list them on food labels using generic terms like “flavors” or “colors.” That makes it all but impossible for consumers to know that something new has been added to their food, she said. This helps explain how an ingredient called was able to who consumed French Lentil + Leek Crumbles, a meat replacement product sold by Daily Harvest in 2022. Customers suffered severe abdominal pain, fever, chills and acute liver failure, and , according to the FDA. The company and for the illnesses. Tara flour is a high-protein substance made from the seeds of found in South America. There is no GRAS notice for the ingredient in the FDA’s database. Tests conducted after the outbreak found that in the flour caused liver damage in mice. In May, nearly two years after the recall, the FDA concluded that tara flour to qualify for GRAS status. That makes it an unapproved food additive and is considered unsafe. The agency added that it’s not aware of any products made in the U.S. that contain tara flour, nor has it identified any imported products that contain the ingredient. The case shows why the FDA’s regulatory approach needs to change, said , regulatory counsel for food chemical safety at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Self-declaring that your chemical is safe should not be the law of the land,” Jose said. “I highly doubt that’s what Congress meant” when it created the GRAS designation in 1958, he said. Bills introduced would put an end to the practice of allowing companies to make GRAS determinations in secret. The legislation would require companies to share their scientific reviews and give the FDA and the public at least 90 days to review — and potentially challenge — them before they take effect, among other provisions. But both bills have a ways to go in order to pass before the congressional term ends in January. Jose has another idea for reducing the secrecy surrounding novel food ingredients: Require companies using self-declared GRAS ingredients to submit the safety data to the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets in Albany as a condition for selling their products in the Empire State. Jose laid out the plan in that is under consideration in the New York state Legislature. If it passes, state regulators would not be required to review the safety data, but at least it would become publicly available, he said. “The goal is that you’d have a database so if something like tara flour happens, the FDA can look there and be able to respond more quickly,” Jose said. Companies could avoid the notification requirement by keeping their products out of New York stores, but that would be a tip-off to watchdog groups like his, Jose said. “If we find them selling everywhere except New York, we’ll know there might be something wrong with this chemical,” he said. , the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, the “growing public demand for the FDA to do more to ensure the safety of chemicals currently in the U.S. food supply.” and other states have sought to fill the void by regulating or banning within their borders. But “a strong national food-safety system is not built state-by-state,” Jones said. “The FDA must lead the way.” ©2024 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
By Anna Helhoski, NerdWallet The battle to get here was certainly an uphill one, but people are generally feeling better about the economy and their finances than they once did. On top of that, the economy has been easing into an ideal, Goldilocks-like position — not running too hot or cooling too quickly. Throughout 2024, consumer sentiment data showed people were fairly positive about the economy and their own finances, even if there’s remaining frustration over elevated prices compared to four years ago. Looking ahead, households are feeling more optimistic about their personal finances in the next year, as the share of those expecting to be in a better financial situation a year from now hit its highest level since February 2020. Combine positive personal vibes with a strong economic picture and it looks like 2024 wasn’t so bad for consumers, after all. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t bumps in the road or potential roadblocks ahead. To cap off the year, NerdWallet writers reflect on the top trends in personal finance and the economy this year — and what they think might be ahead in 2025. Elizabeth Renter, NerdWallet’s economist What happened: In 2024, U.S. consumers have proven resilient following a period of high inflation and ongoing high interest rates. Wage growth has been strong, owing in part to rising productivity. This has driven robust spending throughout the year, which has kept the economy growing at a healthy pace. The labor market has remained steady, though cooler than 2023, and price growth continues to moderate towards the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation goal. What’s ahead: Barring significant changes to economic policy and significant shocks, the U.S. economy is expected to grow at a moderate rate in the coming year. Inflation will continue to moderate and the labor market will remain relatively healthy, all due in part to continued slow and deliberate rate cuts from the Fed. However, there are risks to this path. Higher tariffs and tighter immigration policies are likely, but the extent of these changes are yet unclear. The potential policy scenarios are many, and the economic outcomes complex. Increased tariffs are generally inflationary, and stricter immigration policies could impact the labor supply and economic growth. Consumers and small business owners with their eyes to the new year should focus on the things within their control. Margarette Burnette, consumer banking and savings writer What happened: High-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit offered elevated rates in 2024, rewarding savers with strong returns. Following the Federal Reserve rate cuts in the second half of the year, high-yield accounts had modest rate decreases, but they continued to outperform traditional savings accounts and CDs. What’s ahead: We’re watching for further Federal Reserve rate cuts, which could lead to more decreases in savings rates. Sara Rathner, credit cards writer What happened: Credit card debt levels hit record highs, with consumers turning to credit cards to pay for necessities. While the economy is doing well, many individuals have struggled to make ends meet, as incomes haven’t kept up with certain costs. What’s ahead: We may see some policy and regulation changes with the incoming administration that could affect folks when it comes to credit cards, debt and consumer protections. Ryan Brady, small business writer What happened : New businesses continued to blossom in 2024 as business applications remained well above pre-pandemic levels. Confidence in the future state of the U.S. economy also spiked after the presidential election, but that optimism was tempered by concerns over rising costs and labor quality. What’s ahead: All eyes are on the incoming administration as small-business owners brace for turbulence resulting from potential tariffs, tax policy changes and dismantled government regulations. We’re also watching the possibility of interest rate cuts in 2025 and small-business owners’ growing reliance on new technologies, such as AI. Holden Lewis, mortgages writer What happened: Home buyers struggled with elevated mortgage rates, rising house prices and a shortage of homes for sale. On top of that, a new rule required buyers to negotiate their agents’ commissions. What’s ahead: The Federal Reserve is expected to cut short-term interest rates, but mortgage rates might not necessarily fall by a similar amount. Buyers will probably have more properties to choose from, and the greater supply should keep prices from rising a lot. Interest rates on home equity loans and lines of credit should fall, making it less expensive to borrow to fix up homes — either to sell, or to make the home more comfortable and efficient. Sam Taube, investing writer What happened: The stock market had a great year. The S&P 500 is up more than 25% due to falling interest rates, fading recession fears, AI hype, and the possibility of lighter taxes and regulations under the new administration. Cryptocurrency also saw big gains in 2024; the price of Bitcoin crossed the $100,000 mark for the first time in December. What’s ahead: A lot depends on how fast the Fed reduces rates in 2025. Another key unknown is Trump’s second term. Regulatory rollbacks, such as those he has proposed for the banking industry, could juice stock prices — but they also could create systemic risks in the economy. His proposed tariffs could also hurt economic growth (and therefore stock prices). Finally, it remains to be seen whether trendy AI stocks, such as NVIDIA, can continue their momentum into next year. It’s the same story with crypto: How long will this bull market last? Caitlin Constantine, assistant assigning editor, insurance What happened: Many people saw their home and auto insurance premiums skyrocket in 2024. In some states, homeowners are finding it harder to even find policies in the first place. Meanwhile, life insurance rates have started to decrease post-pandemic. We also saw more insurers offering online-only policies that don’t require a medical exam. What’s ahead: Auto and home insurance costs will likely continue to rise, although auto premiums may not rise as dramatically as they have over the past few years. And if you’re in the market for life insurance, expect to see competitive life insurance quotes and more customizable policies. Eliza Haverstock, student loans writer What happened: Borrowers received historic student loan relief, but lawsuits derailed an income-driven repayment plan used by 8 million whose payments are indefinitely paused. Uncertainty will carry into 2025 as a result of the presidential administration change. What’s ahead: Trump has pledged to overhaul higher education and rein in student loan relief. The fate of the SAVE repayment plan, student loan forgiveness options, FAFSA processing and more remain in the balance. Meghan Coyle, assistant assigning editor, travel What happened: People are willing to pay more for big and small luxuries while traveling, and airlines and hotels are taking note. Many airlines raised checked bag fees early in 2024, credit card issuers and airlines invested in renovated airport lounges, and major hotel companies continued to add luxury properties and brands to their loyalty programs. What’s ahead: Southwest will say goodbye to its open seating policy and introduce new extra-legroom seats, a major departure for the airline. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will unveil a unified loyalty program in 2025. Spirit Airlines may attempt to merge with another airline again after its 2024 bankruptcy filing and two failed mergers under President Biden’s administration. Travelers will find that they’ll have to pay a premium to enjoy most of the upgrades airlines and hotels are making. Laura McMullen, assistant assigning editor, personal finance What happened: This year, dynamic pricing expanded beyond concerts and travel to online retailers and even fast-food restaurants. This practice of prices changing based on real-time supply and demand received plenty of backlash from consumers and prompted the Federal Trade Commission to investigate how companies use consumers’ data to set prices. What’s ahead: Beyond an expansion of dynamic pricing — perhaps with added oversight — expect subscription models to become more prevalent and demand for sustainable products to grow. Shannon Bradley, autos writer What happened: New-car prices held steady in 2024 but remained high after a few years of sharp increases — the average new car now sells for about $48,000, and for the first time ever the price gap between new and used cars surpassed $20,000 (average used-car prices are now slightly more than $25,000). Overall, the car market returned to being in the buyer’s favor, as new-car inventories reached pre-pandemic levels, manufacturer incentives began making a comeback and auto loan interest rates started to decline. What’s ahead: The future of the car market is uncertain and depends on policies implemented by the incoming administration. Questions surround the impact of possible tariffs on car prices, whether auto loan rates will continue to drop, and if federal tax credits will still be available for electric vehicle buyers. Jackie Veling, personal loans writer What happened: Buy now, pay later continued to be a popular payment choice for U.S. shoppers, even while facing headwinds, like an interpretive ruling from the CFPB (which determined BNPL should be regulated the same as credit cards) and Apple’s discontinuation of its popular Apple Pay Later product. Large players like Affirm, Klarna and Afterpay continued to offer interest-free, pay-in-four plans at most major retailers, along with long-term plans for larger purchases. What’s ahead: Though more regulation had been widely anticipated in 2025, the change in administration suggests the CFPB will play a less active role in regulating BNPL products. For this reason, and its continued strength in the market, BNPL will likely keep growing. Taryn Phaneuf, news writer What happened: Easing inflation was a bright spot in 2024. In June, the consumer price index fell below 3% for the first time in three years. Consumers saw prices level off or decline for many goods, including for groceries, gas and new and used vehicles. But prices haven’t fallen far enough or broadly enough to relieve the pinch many households feel. What’s ahead: The new and higher tariffs proposed by the Trump administration could reignite inflation on a wide range of goods. Taryn Phaneuf, news writer What happened: Rent prices remain high, but annual rent inflation slowed significantly compared to recent years, staying around 3.5% for much of 2024, according to Zillow, a real estate website that tracks rents. A wave of newly constructed rental units on the market seems to be helping ease competition among renters and forcing landlords to offer better incentives for signing a lease. What’s ahead: If it continues, a softening rental market could work in renters’ favor. But construction is one of several industries that could see a shortage of workers if the Trump administration follows through on its promise to deport undocumented immigrants. A shortage of workers would mean fewer houses and apartments could be built. Anna Helhoski, news writer What happened: After a contentious presidential campaign, former President Donald Trump declared victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. While on the campaign trail, Trump promised to lower inflation, cut taxes, enact tariffs, weaken the power of the Federal Reserve, deport undocumented immigrants and more. Many economists have said Trump’s proposals, if enacted, would likely be inflationary. In Congress, Republicans earned enough seats to control both houses. What’s ahead: It’s unclear which campaign promises Trump will fulfill on his own and with the support of the new Congress. He has promised a slew of “day one” actions that could lead to higher prices, including across-the-board tariffs and mass deportations. Most recently, Trump pledged to enact 20% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional 10% tariff on China. He has also promised to extend or make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; many of its provisions expire by the end of 2025. Anna Helhoski, news writer What happened: Fiscal year 2023-2024’s funding saga finally came to an end in March, then six months later, the battle to fund the fiscal year 2024-2025 began. The Biden Administration waged its own war against junk fees . Antitrust enforcers pushed back against tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta; prevented the Kroger-Albertsons merger; nixed the Jet Blue-Spirit Airlines merger; and moved to ban noncompete agreements. The Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as a challenge to abortion pill access. SCOTUS also overruled its landmark Chevron case, which means every federal regulatory agency’s power to set and enforce its own rules are now weaker. What’s ahead: The election’s red sweep means the GOP will control the executive and legislative branches of government. They’ll face the threat of at least one more potential government shutdown; a debt ceiling drama comeback; and the beginning of the debate over extending or making permanent provisions of the expiring 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. More From NerdWallet 4 Ways to Hit Your Family Savings Goals in 2025 6 Ways to Avoid a Financial Hangover CFPB Will Distribute $1.8B to Victims of Credit Repair ‘Scheme’ Anna Helhoski writes for NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @AnnaHelhoski. The article What Trended in Personal Finance in 2024? originally appeared on NerdWallet . Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Distraught man tried to get police to shoot him, ultimately leading to shots fired in both directions Distraught man tried to get police to shoot him, ultimately leading to shots fired in both directions Youngkin wants to pull Virginia funding from ‘sanctuary cities’ Youngkin wants to pull Virginia funding from ‘sanctuary cities’ Isle of Wight teacher arrested on child porn charges Isle of Wight teacher arrested on child porn charges Woman dies, driver injured in James City County crash Woman dies, driver injured in James City County crash Colonial Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination has echoes across the US Colonial Williamsburg's Grand Illumination has echoes across the US Wrong-way driver on I-64 arrested, charged with driving under the influence Wrong-way driver on I-64 arrested, charged with driving under the influence David Teel: Pure genius or desperate folly? UNC welcomes Bill Belichick. David Teel: Pure genius or desperate folly? UNC welcomes Bill Belichick. Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor The Navy’s fighter pilots fly at the extremes. Their brains may suffer. The Navy’s fighter pilots fly at the extremes. Their brains may suffer. Former NFL player opens Newport News youth empowerment center Former NFL player opens Newport News youth empowerment center Trending Nationally President Joe Biden commutes sentences for two of Chicago area’s most notorious fraudsters Drone sightings reach Pennsylvania; Monroe County officials ask residents to report them to 911 How pythons and other invasive species may have spread farther in Florida due to hurricanes Snowboarder seriously injured in 47-foot fall from chairlift at Keystone Resort ‘Enron CEO’ Connor Gaydos hit in the face with pie in New York City
Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving timeECU CB Shavon Revel Jr. declares for NFL draft
From the moment he stepped back into the prime minister's job over two years ago, Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to do whatever he could to stop, defer or otherwise avoid this day. On Tuesday, the 75-year-old became the first sitting Israeli leader to appear as a defendant in a criminal case when he took the witness stand and began testifying in his own defence. Netanyahu was charged in 2019 with fraud, bribery and breach of trust but his trial was repeatedly delayed — first for the COVID-19 pandemic, then for the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and subsequently because his lawyers argued Israel's ongoing wars against Hamas and Hezbollah made Netanyahu too busy to attend. But with his final appeals exhausted, a combative Netanyahu showed up surrounded by supporters at a high-security Tel Aviv courthouse Tuesday and proceeded to launch volley after volley of incendiary attacks against the media, prosecutors and his political foes. Supporters of Netanyahu react outside the court where he took the stand for the first time in his long-running corruption trial on Tuesday. (Stoyan Nenov/Reuters) Answering softball questions from his own defence lawyer, Israel's longest-serving prime minister spent most of his time as a witness railing against 'leftist" media, saying they are so irrelevant he'd never waste his time trying to gain their favour — a key aspect of the prosecution's case against him. On the three counts of corruption he's facing, he said it was "simply absurd" that he and his wife, Sara, accepted almost $200,000 Cdn in gifts — cigars, champagne and jewelry — from rich businessmen in exchange for political favours. Benjamin Netanyahu begins testifying in his corruption trial, calls charges 'ocean of absurdness' On the charge that he traded favours with the owners of a prominent Israeli newspaper to get positive coverage, Netanyahu went on another tirade, accusing reporters and media publications of "bias" and being a "great danger" to Israeli democracy. And finally, on the question of whether he used his position as the head of Israel's government to bestow regulatory favours on an Israeli telecommunications firm to — again — get more positive media coverage, he denied any wrongdoing. "There was no 'understanding,' no corruption, no nothing," he said, suggesting the entirety of the cases against him were politically motivated. 'Witch hunt' The evening before, at a combative press conference, Netanyahu called the trial a "political witch hunt" that had "ruined the lives of dozens of people" caught up in it. For Israel's longest-serving prime minister and leader, the personal and political risks of the trial could not be greater. If found guilty, the criminal penalties could be up to 10 years in prison. People wear white as they take part in a silent protest demanding the return of the hostages kidnapped during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack. The protest took place on Dec. 4 outside Netanyahu's residence in Jerusalem. (Ronen Zvulun/Reuters) But as he began what's expected to be a month of testimony, it appeared that Netanyahu was most concerned with his political legacy. "For sure, he would not want his legacy to be ... him on a defendant's seat in a courtroom, but rather as a leader who instructs commanders of the military in a strategic point in the Golan Heights," said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem-based political think tank. Plesner told CBC News that although Netanyahu got off to a predictably combative start, it's unclear how his belligerence will play once he faces cross-examination by prosecutors or has to speak directly to the panel of judges. "Netanyahu is the most divisive figure in the country's history," said Plesner. His supporters frame him as a defender of Israel, who is tough on security and espouses a strong sense of Jewish national identity, Plesner said. However, Netanyahu's many detractors blame him for eroding Israel's democratic institutions, bringing about record levels of polarization in society and "overseeing the worst security catastrophe in the country's history" with the Oct. 7 attacks, Plesner added. As his testimony unfolds over the next month that he's expected to be on the witness stand, observers expect Netanyahu will continue to attack the justice system for putting him on trial while at the same time trying to drag out the proceedings as long as possible. Smoke rises from an explosion following an airstrike last May in Gaza. (Amir Cohen/Reuters) Defence strategy "There are two layers of his defence," said Gayil Talshir, author of a book on the politician and a professor at Jerusalem's Hebrew University. "One is to say, 'The courts are just persecuting me because they are part of the opposition and the opposition cannot win in elections,'" she said. "The other line is that Netanyahu is going to say that he was not part of it ... that he didn't know a lot about the issues that the state is actually prosecuting him for, [that] he has more important security issues to deal with." Talshir also told CBC News that Netanyahu will likely continue to draw out the case as long as possible. "He doesn't want to get to the verdict," she said. ANALYSIS — Fifth Estate Netanyahu's quest for political survival could be affecting the push for Mideast peace, U.S. election Indeed, Netanyahu's political rivals repeatedly accused him of dragging out the war in Gaza and sacrificing the lives of both Israeli hostages and Palestinians in Gaza to give him an excuse to avoid taking the witness stand. Netanyahu's Likud party is part of a coalition of far-right Jewish parties whose members have been vocal about their desire to continue with the war, arguing that the best outcome for Israel would be to push much of the Palestinian population out of Gaza and resettle the territory with Jews. Both sides of Israel's highly polarized society were on display outside the Tel Aviv courtroom where Netanyahu was testifying. People protest in support of Palestinians in Gaza at the headquarters of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in October 2023. (Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters) Yael Navon was among the protesters demanding he resign immediately, saying being the defendant in a major criminal trial and leading the country are fundamentally incompatible. "All of us want our hostages out and in his position, he can't do it," she told CBC News. Meanwhile, Asaf Sokolowski said he believed the charges against Netanyahu were politically motivated. "We see this as an attack on us, his supporters. An attack on at least half of Israelis," he said. Netanyahu will face legal troubles if ever leaves Israel, too. Last month, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for him, accusing Netanyahu of crimes against humanity in relation to Israel's 14-month war in Gaza. He has also been accused by rights groups , such as Amnesty International, of leading a genocide against Palestinians and waging an immoral war against civilians. But as Netanyahu settled in for what will be a marathon of thrust-and-parry with prosecutors over the next month, the prime minister's focus appeared exclusively on winning over a domestic audience. In the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Canadian-Israeli columnist Dahlia Scheindlin wrote that Netanyahu gave long-winded answers to present himself as a "global statesman" and the only person able to stand up to the "nefarious forces" challenging Israel. It's a line of defence that may have little relevance to the criminal charges he's facing. But it could be very important in solidifying his position with Israeli voters at election time.SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A day after De’Vondre Campbell Sr. refused to play and walked off the job, coach Kyle Shanahan made it clear Friday that Campbell won’t be returning to the team. “We’re working through the semantics of exactly how to deal with it,” Shanahan said on a media conference call. “You heard from me last night and the players. His actions from the game are not something you can do to your teammates ... and still be part of our team.” Whether Campbell’s one-year, $5 million contract is terminated or he’s released or suspended, Shanahan only said the 49ers would handle it “appropriately.” Campbell did not play a snap in Thursday night’s 12-6 home loss to the Los Angeles Rams, refusing to budge from the bench once the 49ers needed him in the third quarter to replace a fatigued Dre Greenlaw in the latter’s season debut. Shanahan said he wasn’t aware of Campbell’s boycott until asking the defensive coaching staff over their headsets about it in the third quarter. “I addressed De’Vondre and found out. It was pretty simple to see how he was,” Shanahan said. “Then we moved on with our lives after that.” Campbell, who started in place of Greenlaw the past three months, walked off the field in the fourth quarter to the 49ers’ locker room, where he was gone once reporters entered to seek his still-unanswered motive for his in-game desertion. Shanahan said he did not order him off the field, nor did Campbell reveal exactly why he refused to play. “Not sure exactly what led to him leaving the field,” Shanahan said. “Once I found out he wasn’t playing, I moved on to people we could count on.” Teammates seethed over what they deemed Campbell’s “selfish” act to leave their defense in a lurch, seeing how Greenlaw’s troublesome left leg sidelined him after a 30-snap debut and seeing how Dee Winters’ first-half neck injury kept him from working as the No. 3 linebacker, a role that perhaps Campbell thought he deserved in this week’s demotion. This conceivably could spell the end of Campbell’s nine-year NFL career that’s earned him $38 million. He’ll be gone before playing out the one-year, $5 million contract with the 49ers, who turned to him in mid-March after linebacker Eric Kendricks backed out of a deal and defected days later to the Dallas Cowboys in free agency. Campbell, 31, never quite meshed as a linebacker tandem with All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner. Prior to Thursday night’s benching, Campbell was a full-time starter, although he was not in the Week 3 opening snap at Los Angeles when the 49ers instead deployed five linemen and five defensive backs around Warner. Campbell’s 79 tackles rank second to Warner’s 106. “We needed a starting-caliber linebacker to fill in for Dre until he got back. (Campbell) had ups and downs throughout the year,” Shanahan said. “He started off slow. He got more used to our defense and how we expect people to play, and he improved throughout the year.” In the 49ers’ previous home loss before Thursday’s, they fell to another NFC West opponent, and it was Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith racing past Campbell for a go-ahead touchdown run in the final seconds of that 20-17 collapse on Nov. 17. “They just made plays at critical moments,” Campbell said afterward at his locker. Campbell had at least seven tackles — and no more than eight — in five of his six final games, not counting Thursday’s boycott that had teammates fuming in its aftermath. “I have never been around anybody that’s ever done that and I hope that I’m never around anybody that does that again,” tight end George Kittle said. Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who’s been playing through grief after the Oct. 28 death of his toddler daughter, was aghast at Campbell’s ploy. “If he didn’t want to play, he shouldn’t have dressed out. He could have told them that before the game,” Ward said. “I feel like that was some sucker (expletive) that he did. ... That’s some selfish stuff to me, in my opinion. Probably gonna be cut soon.” Part of the 49ers’ attraction to Campbell stemmed from his connection with Shanahan, who was the Super Bowl-bound Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator in 2016 when Campbell arrived as a fourth-round draft pick. Campbell played four seasons in Atlanta, 2020 in Arizona, then began a three-year stint in Green Bay by making All-Pro in 2021. It’s not a certainty Greenlaw will be healthy enough to make an encore next Sunday when the 49ers visit the Miami Dolphins. He expressed concern about his knee’s stability in the left leg he’s been rehabilitating the past 10 months because of his Achilles tear in the Super Bowl. “His Achilles and knee checked out good. He’s dealing with soreness,” said Shanahan, who listed Greenlaw and Winters (neck) as day to day. Warner (ankle) and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) all have health concerns, too. Jalen Graham and DaShaun White are on the practice squad. Curtis Robinson, Campbell’s potential replacement earlier in the year, is on injured reserve because of a knee injury, as is the case with Tatum Bethune. As for Campbell, “In my opinion, as a (NFL) brotherhood, he should never play again. Why would you want him on your team?” former NFL safety Ryan Clark said Friday morning on ESPN’s “Get Up.” His in-game exit drew comparisons to those marking the NFL farewells of Vontae Davis (2018 Bills) and Antonio Brown (2021 Bucs). Whereas 49ers tight end Vernon Davis got sent off by Mike Singletary during a 2008 game, Davis rebounded from that viral moment and stayed with the 49ers into the 2015 season as a two-time Pro Bowler. The 49ers (6-8) play next Sunday at the Miami Dolphins, before a home finale on Monday night Dec. 30 against the NFC-leading Detroit Lions, then the regular-season finale at the Arizona Cardinals. ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
B.C. aims to hang onto 'Hollywood north' title by boosting film and TV tax incentivesB.C. Premier David Eby says his party has reached an agreement in principle with the B.C. Greens to ensure "stable governance" for the next four years. The agreement, subject to annual reviews, spells out the basis on which B.C. Greens provide "confidence" to the B.C. NDP and areas where the parties will work together. They include healthcare, where the B.C. NDP will support the growth of Community Health Centres, a key proposal of the B.C. Greens during the election campaign. Other key elements include housing with the government actively supporting efforts by various groups to "protect, purchase and build 30,000 units of non-market housing" over the next four years with 7,500 units as a goal by the end of 2025. Electoral reform also makes a return with the establishment of a special commitment to "review and consider preferred methods of proportional representation" as part of deliberations designed to "increase democratic engagement, address increasing political polarization, and improve the representativeness of government." The agreement does "not lay out the full program" of government "nor does it presume support" for "initiatives and other matters not addressed within this agreement" but gives Eby's government more stability once the legislature returns next year. The agreement echoes without replicating the confidence-and-supply agreement of 2017 that allowed the B.C NDP to return after 16 years in opposition as a minority government with the help of three B.C. Greens. The B.C. NDP currently holds 47 seats, enough for a bare majority, while the B.C. Greens hold two seats. More to come...
The TOI Entertainment Desk is a dynamic and dedicated team of journalists, working tirelessly to bring the pulse of the entertainment world straight to the readers of The Times of India. No red carpet goes unrolled, no stage goes dark - our team spans the globe, bringing you the latest scoops and insider insights from Bollywood to Hollywood, and every entertainment hotspot in between. We don't just report; we tell tales of stardom and stories untold. Whether it's the rise of a new sensation or the seasoned journey of an industry veteran, the TOI Entertainment Desk is your front-row seat to the fascinating narratives that shape the entertainment landscape. Beyond the breaking news, we present a celebration of culture. We explore the intersections of entertainment with society, politics, and everyday life. Read More How to make Banana Almond Cake at home All about Keerthy Suresh and Antony Thattil's traditionally-styled Goan wedding Krithi Shetty Redefines Elegance in Her Latest Look Master the art of power dressing with Sonam Kapoor's style secrets Mouni Roy seeks divine blessings from lord Shiva at Adiyogi statue Adidas Copa to Nike Mercurial: Best soccer cleats or shoes for you How can you help your colleagues improve at work? Malavika Mohanan mesmerizes in a gorgeously embellished lehenga 10 animals that glide effortlessly without wings
- Previous: 918kiss slot game online
- Next: 9k game slot online
