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Global stocks advanced as investors raised their bets on the prospect of a U.S. interest rate cut this month after payrolls data showed strong job growth in November, while the euro dipped against the dollar as political turmoil gripped France. Futures markets put an 85% chance on the U.S. Federal Reserve cutting rates by 25 basis points at its Dec. 17-18 meeting after the data, compared with 68% earlier in the session. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 227,000 jobs last month after rising an upwardly revised 36,000 in October, in a month hit by hurricanes and strikes. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls accelerating by 200,000 jobs. “Data this morning was a Thanksgiving buffet with payrolls spot on, revisions positive, but unemployment ticking higher despite the participation rate falling,” Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector investing at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, said. “This print doesn’t kill the holiday spirit and the Fed remains on track to deliver a cut in December,” Rosner added in an email. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq rose on Friday , up 0.25% and 0.8% respectively, further bolstered by upbeat forecasts from Lululemon Athletica < LULU.O> , Ulta Beauty > and other companies. The Dow was down slightly, with a 5% drop in UnitedHealth Group < UNH.N> shares weighing on the index. MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS added about 0.2%. Treasury yields dipped to a six-week low after the release of the payrolls data, with the yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes US10YT=RR down 2.9 basis points to 4.153%, while the 2-year note US2YT=RR yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations for the Federal Reserve, fell 4.8 basis points to 4.098%. The U.S. dollar index ticked up 0.3% to $106.05 following the jobs report. =USD Strategists at TD Securities said there was a “high hurdle” for the dollar to extend recent gains. “We think the path of least resistance remains for some USD weakness, offering a great opportunity to buy the dip in early 2025,” they wrote in a client note on Friday. European shares eked out gains on Friday, with French stocks logging their biggest daily rise in three weeks as investors factored in a potential budget despite ongoing political uncertainty, while also parsing an upbeat U.S. jobs report. The pan-European STOXX 600 was up 0.2%, logging its seventh consecutive day in advances and its strongest weekly performance in ten. In Asia, MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS reversed earlier losses to be up 0.2% thanks to a rally in Chinese shares, making up for investor caution around political turmoil in South Korea. Chinese shares had climbed to three-week highs as investors scooped up technology shares ahead of a top-level policy meeting next week that will set the agenda and targets for China’s economy next year. The risk premium investors demand to hold French debt rather than German Bunds dropped to a two-week low on Friday, after President Emmanuel Macron said he would appoint a new prime minister soon to get a 2025 budget approved by parliament. The euro had rallied on Thursday, on market relief that France had avoided a more volatile political outcome for now. The euro was last down about 0.23% at $1.056. Bitcoin BTC=, which hit the $100,000 mark for the first time on Thursday as investors bet on a friendly U.S. regulatory shift, initially ran into profit-taking, tumbling as far as $92,092. Prices then rebounded, last trading up 2.3% on the day around $101,300. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday said he was appointing former PayPal < PYPL.O > chief operating officer David Sacks as his “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar,” another step towards overhauling U.S. blockchain-related policy . “This spike in volatility over the last 24 hours has the hallmarks of a classic blow-off top,” said Tony Sycamore, analyst at IG. Oil prices fell around 1.5% and were headed for weekly losses as analysts projected a supply surplus next year on floundering demand despite an OPEC+ decision to delay output hikes and extend deep production cuts to the end of 2026. Gold prices inched up on Friday to $2,632 an ounce. Source: Reuters (Reporting by Lawrence Delevingne in Boston, Iain Withers in London, additional reporting by Suzanne McGee in Providence and Johann Cherian and Stella Qiu in Sydney; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Alexander Smith, Nick Zieminski and Deepa Babington)

DURHAM, N.H. (AP) — Robert Hinton scored 15 points as Harvard beat New Hampshire 72-62 on Sunday. Hinton shot 5 of 11 from the field and 5 for 7 from the line for the Crimson (3-7). Chandler Pigge scored 14 points while going 6 of 9 from the field and added nine rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Louis Lesmond had 13 points and shot 4 for 7 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line. Anthony McComb III led the Wildcats (2-11) in scoring, finishing with 21 points. Sami Pissis added 16 points and two steals for New Hampshire. Caleb Middleton had 10 points and 11 rebounds. Harvard's next game is Saturday against Furman at home, and New Hampshire visits Stonehill on Sunday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

President-elect Donald Trump is stacking the Department of Health and Human Services with people who are poised to favor the health fantasies of the rich. It started with the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. —an environmental lawyer with a history of promoting anti-vaccination conspiracy theories —to head the department. Then, Trump tapped Janette Nesheiwat, a Fox News contributor who peddles vitamins , for surgeon general; Marty Makary, who opposed vaccine mandates and supported natural immunity during the COVID-19 pandemic, for Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) commissioner; and Dave Weldon, who has championed the idea that vaccine preservatives contribute to the rise of autism (they do not), for director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These picks do not inspire confidence. Under Kennedy's leadership, we will see a push for more individual empowerment—the kind only afforded to those with economic means. Trump said he would let Kennedy "go wild on health." This is alarming because Kennedy's beliefs on health are... wild . Kennedy has expressed interest in revisiting vaccine recommendations , removing fluoride from water, rolling back research on infectious diseases , and overhauling the FDA . Between his support for vaccine choice and relaxing access to substances with questionable benefits, it is clear that he leans in favor of increasing individual health decisions. After some of these measures have been undone, individuals will have to be more vigilant and assume greater risks when navigating their health care. While this sort of individualism in the realm of public health is most harmful to low- and middle-class people, those least able to exercise choice, it is ultimately bad for everyone. Kennedy's vision for "Making America Healthy Again" hopes to increase individual choice, which effectively translates to individual responsibility. However, one's ability to take responsibility is constrained by economic resources. Socioeconomic status is inversely correlated with morbidity and mortality. Unsurprisingly, money and education are protective. Those with more money and education have more opportunities to reduce risk of disease and maintain good health. Kennedy's plans to ramp up food regulation (motivated in part by ideology and pseudoscience ), for instance, will likely increase the cost of groceries and make it harder for Americans to buy food. Even among those with the means, health individualism is burdensome and does not guarantee better health. I am a medical sociologist who spent three years studying people who have long aligned with Kennedy , sharing many of his beliefs—they are parents of autistic children and allies who are convinced that vaccines and other environmental "triggers" contribute to autism. The debunked vaccine-autism link appeals to them because it suggests that autistic children can "recover" with the right combination of food, supplements, and experimental therapies. Here, parents find hope in the darkness of vaccine fear and confidence in their consumer power. Although the parents I studied are better resourced than most other Americans, they take on enormous risks and debt when they experiment with products that are not FDA approved. Parents spend countless hours doing their own "research" on efficacy and thousands of dollars on substances and devices that are not evidence-based (one mother sold her house and accrued $125,000 in credit card debt). Parents' desire for less government regulation and oversight ironically stems from a lack of universal health care and adequate social safety nets to protect the most vulnerable Americans. It is in this context that they make risky health decisions in hopes that their disabled children could become more "typical" and better able to survive a neoliberal world. What we need as a country are population-level efforts to improve everyone's well-being. When it comes to improving public health, we cannot keep privileging personal preference. Individual health is inseparable from population health. As we all had to learn during the COVID-19 pandemic, no individual, no matter how rich, can fully insulate themselves from the world around them. The U.S. failed to control the virus because we prioritized individualism at a time when our survival depended on collective action. Some resisted mandates to shelter in place and mask in public, placing their preferences over the safety of others. Then, when vaccines finally became available, skepticism and misinformation slowed efforts toward reducing transmission. Rich or poor, everyone was affected by the U.S.'s devastatingly inadequate response to COVID . Now, with mounting concerns about the transmission of avian flu , we might be tested again. As sociologist Andrew Szasz argued, insulating ourselves does not actually work and the delusion that it could will lead to complacency. Kennedy's promotion of consumer choice may sound appealing—especially to those who believe they have choice—but it will ultimately endanger everyone. From what we already know about his beliefs and stated plans, Kennedy is not suited to lead the health department. Catherine Tan is an Assistant Professor in Sociology at Vassar College. She is the author of Spaces on the Spectrum: How Autism Movements Resist Experts and Create Knowledge , published by Columbia University Press (January 2024). The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.Falcons favored over the Raiders in Monday night matchupCHARLOTTE, N.C. — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped. Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case. "Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them," Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina. The two teams in September refused to sign NASCAR's "take-it-or-leave-it" final offer on a new revenue sharing agreement. All other 13 teams signed the deal. Front Row and 23XI balked and are now in court. 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan has said he took the fight to court on behalf of all teams competing in the top motorsports series in the United States. NASCAR has argued that the two teams simply do not like the terms of the final charter agreement and asked for the lawsuit be dismissed. Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm. Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three, and have agreements with SHR to purchase one charter each as SHR goes from four cars to one for 2025. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as "open" teams that don't have the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was "primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR," Freeze said. "NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit," Freeze said. "NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved." A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing "new circumstances" in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a "coordinated effort behind the scenes." "This is completely false," Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk. NASCAR had been operating with 36 chartered teams and four open spots since the charter agreement began in 2016. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses. "23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing," Lauletta said. "Our efforts to expand – purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track – are integral to achieving this goal. "It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships," he continued. "It is a necessity because NASCAR's monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Broncos, left tackle Garett Bolles agree on 4-year extension to protect rookie quarterback Bo Nix

Biden values public unions above actual public serviceNew York Police Department officials found a stash of Monopoly money in a backpack believed to have been dumped by the killer of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson . The discovery was made hours after the NYPD released two new images of the suspected gunman in the fatal shooting of the executive who was gunned down in Manhattan on Wednesday. The alleged killer was seen on camera in the back of the New York City taxi and later exiting the vehicle the morning Thompson was executed . Chilling map shows which US cities would be destroyed in nuclear strike Dad makes friend dig own grave and kill himself after raping his daughter, six Police officials have called the shooting "targeted" in nature since the CEO was receiving death threats, according to his estranged wife Paulette, over "lack of coverage." However, almost five days after his shooting, no ulterior motive has yet been established. Detectives found a backpack in Central Park on Friday that allegedly belonged to the masked gunman that they took for forensic analysis. It was reportedly found near a merry-go-round in the park. On further inspection, officials have found a stash of Monopoly money inside. This seems to be yet another clue in this elusive killer's arsenal, besides the bullets used to kill the UnitedHealthcare CEO that came with cryptic scrawls resembling the title of a book that criticizes insurance companies and their tactics to deny claims. The shell casings retrieved at the scene of the shooting reportedly have the words 'depose', 'deny' and 'defend' inscribed on them. These words have an uncanny similarity to the title of a 2010 Jay M. Feinman book, "Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims And What You Can Do About It." DON'T MISS: Two new photos of suspected assassin accused of shooting CEO dead in street [LATEST] Assassin lookalike contest sees competitors dress as healthcare CEO's killer [BIZARRE] Cops 'set to reveal identity of CEO's killer' as mayor vows 'net is tightening' [ANTICIPATED] "Your insurer's main objective is not to protect you; in fact, insurers often try to avoid paying justified claims. Today the name of the game is delay, deny, defend: to improve their profits, insurance companies delay payment of justified claims, deny payment altogether, and defend their actions by forcing claimants to enter litigation," the book's website reads. The shooting has been extremely divisive in American society exposing the deep-rooted anguish and frustration toward the healthcare system. Netizens have flooded social media with their own horror stories dealing with insurance companies, particularly UnitedHealthcare. The Monopoly money may be a cryptic nod toward UnitedHealthcare taking up a massive portion of the health insurance industry. With a revenue of over $370 billion in 2023, UnitedHealthcare is making moves to acquire large chunks of the insurance industry. In Feb. 2022, the DOJ moved to block them from acquiring healthcare tech company Change Healthcare Inc. as the $13 billion transaction would give them an "unfair advantage and harm competition in health insurance markets," the DoJ said in a press release. "The proposed transaction also would eliminate United's only major rival for first-pass claims editing technology — a critical product used to efficiently process health insurance claims and save health insurers billions of dollars each year — and give United a monopoly share in the market," they said. In November, the DoJ filed another civil antitrust lawsuit to block their parent company, UnitedHealth Group from acquiring a rival provider Amedisys Inc. "We are challenging this merger because home health and hospice patients and their families experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives deserve affordable, high-quality care options," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in a November 12 press release. "The Justice Department will not hesitate to check unlawful consolidation and monopolization in the healthcare market that threatens to harm vulnerable patients, their families, and healthcare workers," the statement added. Thompson, 50, has been the CEO of UnitedHealthcare since 2021. He was on his way to an investor conference on Wednesday morning when he was fatally shot by a masked gunman outside the New York Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan. He was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. He is survived by his wife and two sons.

NATO chief warns Putin wants confrontation with EuropeTrump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He 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.” Europe's economy needs help. Political chaos in France and Germany means it may be slower in coming BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe's economy has enough difficulties, from tepid growth to trade tensions with the U.S. Dealing with those woes is only getting harder due to the political chaos in the two biggest European countries, France and Germany. Neither has a government backed by a functioning majority, and France could take a while yet to sort things out. But some problems aren't going to wait, such as what to do about U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's America First stance on trade and how to fund stronger defense against Putin's Russia. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok as soon as next month, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law - which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform. TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court. Executive of Tyler Perry Studios dies when plane he was piloting crashes in Florida ATLANTA (AP) — The president of Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios has died when the small plane he was piloting crashed on Florida’s Gulf Coast. The studio confirmed on Saturday that Steve Mensch, its 62-year-old president and general manager, had died Friday. The crash happened in Homosassa, about 60 miles north of Tampa. Photos from the scene show the plane having come to rest upside down on a road. Mensch helped advocate for Georgia’s film tax credit of more than $1 billion a year. Perry hired Mensch to run his namesake studio in 2016. Mensch died as Perry released his war drama, “The Six Triple Eight." The film was shot at the Atlanta studio. US added a strong 227,000 jobs in November in bounce-back from October slowdown WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession. Stock market today: Wall Street hits more records following a just-right jobs report NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation. The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.8% to set its own record. Treasury yields eased after the jobs report showed stronger hiring than expected but also an uptick in the unemployment rate. Killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO spotlights complex challenge companies face in protecting top brass NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when online anger and social tensions are increasingly directed at the businesses consumers count on, Meta last year spent $24.4 million to surround CEO Mark Zuckerberg with security. But the fatal shooting this week of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson while walking alone on a New York City sidewalk has put a spotlight on the widely varied approaches companies take to protect their leaders against threats. And experts say the task of evaluating threats against executives and taking action to protect them is getting more difficult. One of the primary worries are loners whose rantings online are fed by others who are like-minded. It’s up to corporate security analysts to decide what represents a real threat. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus The U.S. government has ordered testing of the nation’s milk supply for bird flu to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows. The Agriculture Department on Friday said raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processors nationwide must be tested on request starting Dec. 16. Testing will begin in six states — California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The move is aimed at eliminating the virus, which has infected more than 700 dairy herds in 15 states.

James Acaster 2024 comedy special: How to watch and streamFour Canadian women honoured in World Rugby's Dream Teams of the YearWe’ve been hearing about Apple Intelligence since June but only now has it become real. With iOS 18.2, just released, Apple has unleashed a deluge of improvements to make the iPhone (and iPad and Mac) more useful. But is the new release good to go or should you hold back? Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max. Note that I’ll be updating this post over the coming days and will make a final assessment on Thursday, Dec. 19. Who Is It For And How Do You Get It? Apple iOS 18.2 works with all iPhones that can run iOS 18, which is the same list of devices which could handle iOS 17. This means all iPhones from the iPhone XS onwards, including the second- and third-generation iPhone SE models. Apple Intelligence is the marquee feature here, but it only works on six iPhones: iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. What It’s About Two words: Apple Intelligence. That’s not to say there isn’t more to this update, but Apple Intelligence is key. Not only is it the biggest upgrade to Apple Intelligence so far, it’s the entire delivery of the new features for users in the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, which haven’t had any Apple Intelligence features until now. The Game Awards 2024 Live Winners List, And Game Of The Year Microsoft Warns 400 Million Windows Users—Do Not Update Your PC iOS 18.2—Update Now Warning Issued To All iPhone Users Apple iOS 18. 2 Security There are several security issues which are addressed by iOS 18.2, such as solutions to problems in both WebKit which is key to the Safari browser and the iPhone Kernel. Forbes colleague Kate O’Flaherty has more details on the security aspects to this big update here . Note that while the last iOS 18 update was accompanied by an iOS 17 update for those users who didn’t want to get onto the iOS 18 bandwagon, there are far fewer options this time around. Apple is saying you should upgrade to iOS 18. Indeed, those were CEO Tim Cook’s words to me when the update was happening, saying users should do it “in a rush”. First Reactions There have been some comments pertaining to issues not being solved or (the usual) worries about battery life. However, battery worries are almost never borne out in the hours or days after an update lands, so check back for a final update on that. Overall, though there have been plenty of positive comments, such as one user who said, “Huge upgrade from 18.1.1. Fixes all the problems of previous releases of iOS 18. I think this is it. No need for anymore updates. Even Apple intelligence works as promised. Even Siri responds to all my questions perfectly!” Apple iOS 18.2 Initial Verdict: Update There are so many feature updates in iOS 18.2 that updating always seemed the most likely thing to do unless it all fell over dramatically. That hasn’t happened, so unless you’re dead against Apple Intelligence, this seems a great time to upgrade to iOS 18 if you’ve previously held back.

Thousands of protesters marched through Barcelona on Saturday demanding lower rents in Spain's second city. Barcelona, which has already taken action to stop the spread of holiday rental apartments, is the latest Spanish city to see protests for cheaper housing. Backed by left-wing parties and unions, the demonstrators gathered in central Barcelona behind a giant banner declaring "Lower the rents". "Today a new political cycle starts concerning housing," Carme Arcarazo, spokesperson for the Catalan Tenants Union, the main organiser, told reporters. "Investors must not be allowed to come to our cities and play with the apartments like a game of Monopoly," she added. The union would target "profiteers" who are taking "half of our salaries", Arcarazo said. The demonstrators demanded a 50 percent cut in rents, leases with an unlimited term and a ban on "speculative" sales of buildings. They threatened to start a rent strike. An estimated 22,000 people took part in a similar demonstration in Madrid on October 13. Campaigns have been launched in other cities. According to the Idealista specialised website, rental prices per square metre have risen 82 percent across Spain over the past decade. The average salary has gone up by 17 percent in that time, according to the national statistics institute. Facing pressure over a housing crisis, the government in 2023 passed legislation calling for more social housing, greater restrictions on rents in high demand areas and penalties for owners who do not occupy properties. But rents have continued to rise while the government has battled city and regional authorities to get some parts of the law applied. vid-vab/tw/jmMONACO — Canadians Alex Tessier, Sophie de Goede and Laetitia Royer have been named to World Rugby's Women’s 15s Dream Team of the Year. Canada sevens captain Olivia Apps, meanwhile, was selected to World Rugby's Women’s Sevens Dream Team. The women's 15s world all-star squad also featured six players from top-ranked England and three from No. 2 New Zealand. The other three came from the U.S., Ireland and France. Tessier was also a finalist for the World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year award won by England fullback Ellie Kildunne. France's Pauline Bourdon Sansus and England's Alex Matthews were the other finalists. Tessier won her 50th cap in 2024 and, playing at inside centre alongside fly half Claire Gallagher, led the Canada women to a historic first-ever victory over New Zealand to win the 2024 Pacific Four Series in May. The 22-19 comeback victory lifted Canada into second place in the women’s world rankings, its highest position since November 2016. Tessier's strong kicking game was also key for Canada. The 31-year-old from Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., scored 27 points in starting all six matches for Canada in 2024 to up her career total to 48 points (including five tries) in 54 appearances. Tessier plays professionally in England for the Exeter Chiefs. De Goede made the all-star team despite tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in training in June. A finalist for the Women's Player of the Year award in 2022, the Victoria back-rower plays in England for Saracens. Royer, from Loretteville, Que., is a second-row forward who plays in France for ASM Romagnat. Top-ranked South Africa dominated the men's 15s all-star squad with seven players represented. Ireland had four players with New Zealand three and Argentina one. --- World Rugby's 15s Dream Teams of the Year Women 1. Hope Rogers (U.S.); 2. Georgia Ponsonby (New Zealand); 3. Maud Muir (England); 4. Zoe Aldcroft (England); 5. Laetitia Royer (Canada) ; 6. Aoife Wafer (Ireland)' 7. Sophie de Goede (Canada) ; 8. Alex Matthews (England); 9. Pauline Bourdon Sansus (France); 10. Holly Aitchison (England); 11. Katelyn Vahaakolo (New Zealand); 12. Alex Tessier (Canada) ; 13. Sylvia Brunt (New Zealand); 14. Abby Dow (England); 15. Ellie Kildunne (England). Men 1. Ox Nche (South Africa); 2. Malcolm Marx (South Africa); 3. Tyrel Lomax (New Zealand); 4. Eben Etzebeth (South Africa); 5. Tadhg Beirne (Ireland); 6. Pablo Matera (Argentina); 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (South Africa); 8. Caelan Doris (Ireland); 9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Ireland); 10. Damian McKenzie (New Zealand); 11. James Lowe (Ireland); 12. Damian de Allende (South Africa); 13. Jesse Kriel (South Africa); 14. Cheslin Kolbe (South Africa); 15. Will Jordan (New Zealand). World Rugby Sevens Dreams Team of the Year Women Olivia Apps (Canada) , Michaela Blyde (New Zealand), Kristi Kirshe (U.S.), Maddison Levi (Australia), Ilona Maher (U.S.), Jorja Miller (New Zealand), Séraphine Okemba (France). Men Selvyn Davids (South Africa), Antoine Dupont (France), Aaron Grandidier Nkanang (France), Terry Kennedy (Ireland), Nathan Lawson (Australia), Ponipate Loganimasi (Fiji), Matías Osadczuk (Argentina). This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. The Canadian Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped. Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case. "Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them," Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina. The two teams in September refused to sign NASCAR's "take-it-or-leave-it" final offer on a new revenue sharing agreement. All other 13 teams signed the deal. Front Row and 23XI balked and are now in court. 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan has said he took the fight to court on behalf of all teams competing in the top motorsports series in the United States. NASCAR has argued that the two teams simply do not like the terms of the final charter agreement and asked for the lawsuit be dismissed. Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm. Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three, and have agreements with SHR to purchase one charter each as SHR goes from four cars to one for 2025. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as "open" teams that don't have the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was "primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR," Freeze said. "NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit," Freeze said. "NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved." A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing "new circumstances" in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a "coordinated effort behind the scenes." "This is completely false," Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk. NASCAR had been operating with 36 chartered teams and four open spots since the charter agreement began in 2016. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses. "23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing," Lauletta said. "Our efforts to expand – purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track – are integral to achieving this goal. "It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships," he continued. "It is a necessity because NASCAR's monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level."

NoneAcross the Middle East and beyond, the fall of Syria’s authoritarian government at the hands of jihadi militants set off waves of jubilation, trepidation and alarm. Expatriate Syrians and many residents across the Middle East exulted at the overthrow of a leader who led his country through 14 years of civil strife that left half a million Syrians dead and displaced millions to countries around the world. Others worried about still more instability rocking a region in turmoil. Governments — whether allies or opponents of Assad — scrambled to absorb the sudden, stunning development and assess the implications for the Middle East and the world. In Lebanon, thousands of Syrians headed for the Masnaa border crossing to return to their home country, despite the uncertainty. “Anything is better than Bashar,” said Sami Abdel-Latif, a refugee from Hama who was heading back to join his wife and four children. “This is a feeling we’ve been waiting 14 years for,” said Malak Matar, who was preparing to return to the capital Damascus. Now, he said, “Syrians have to create a state that is well organized and take care of their country.” Many citizens in Syria's neighboring countries reacted with joy to news Assad was gone. In Jordan’s capital, Amman, resident Muhab al-Majali said his fall marked the end of “unjust and tyrannical rule.” “I believe that the future is beautiful and prosperous for the Syrians,” he said. Others were not so sure, in a region that saw the energy of the 2011 Arab Spring democracy movement collapse into conflict and authoritarian rule. Saeed Sawy, an engineer in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, predicted that Syria’s rebel groups would descend into infighting over the country’s future. “We saw this happen before,” he said. “We saw this in Libya, in Tunisia, in Yemen and Sudan. People rejoice over the fall of tyrants, then they disagree and fight, and a civil war starts.” Syria’s neighbors stepped up security along their borders. Lebanon said it was closing all but one of its land border crossings with Syria. Jordan also closed a border crossing. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israeli forces had — temporarily, he said — seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established by a 1974 ceasefire agreement, after Syrian troops abandoned their positions. Airstrikes were reported on a military airport near Damascus, which has previously been targeted by Israel, and on other Syrian military sites. Iran, a key ally of Assad, said the Syrian people should decide their country’s future “without destructive, coercive foreign intervention.” The Foreign Ministry in Tehran said Iran supports Syria’s unity and national sovereignty, and hopes to see “the end of military conflicts, the prevention of terrorist activities and the start of a national dialogue” with the participation of all groups. The Iraqi government, which is close to Iran, said it “supports all international and regional efforts seeking to open a dialogue” for Syria. Egypt’s foreign ministry urged a “comprehensive political process” to establish a new era of peace in the war-torn county. The head of Yemen’s internationally recognized government welcomed the fall of Assad as “a historic moment.” Yemen’s government is at war with the Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. Turkey has backed anti-Assad militant groups in Syria, and could play a key role in what happens next. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the fall of Assad brought “hope.” He called on the world to help “unite and reconstruct” Syria. Fidan, who met in Qatar on Saturday with diplomats from Russia and Iran, the main backers of the Assad regime, said regional and global powers should try “to act with prudence and calm.” The war sent millions of Syrians fleeing to Europe and expatriates took to the streets in celebration in cities including Paris, London, Stockholm, Helsinki and Athens. Many European governments welcomed Assad’s departure while urging a rapid return to stability. “The end of Assad’s dictatorship is a positive and long-awaited development,” said Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s newly appointed foreign policy chief, in a post on X. “Our priority is to ensure security in the region. I will work with all the constructive partners, in Syria and the region.” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a statement that the end of Assad’s rule was “good news,” adding that “what matters now is that law and order are quickly restored in Syria.” France’s foreign ministry welcomed the fall of Assad, saying “the Syrian people have suffered too much.” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the end of Assad’s "barbaric regime.” “We call on all sides to protect civilians and minorities and ensure essential aid can reach the most vulnerable in the coming hours and days,” he said. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called for calm and urged work to ensure an “orderly political transition to renewed institutions.” Russia, which backed Assad with troops and warplanes, said it has been following the “dramatic events” in Syria “with extreme concern.” Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha of Ukraine, which is at war with Russia, wrote on X that the ousted Syrian leader had suffered the fate of “all dictators who bet on (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. He always betrays those who rely on him.” In Washington, President Joe Biden was meeting with his national security team Sunday for an update on the situation in Syria. President-elect Donald Trump said in a social media post Saturday, before Assad’s fall was confirmed: “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria, including U.S. forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group.