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Here’s how much prices of Modelo, Corona beer will have to rise to cover tariffs - MarketWatch
Abercrombie and Fitch (ANF) Stock Trades Up, Here Is WhyNOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES HALIFAX, Nova Scotia, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NOVA LEAP HEALTH CORP. (TSXV: NLH) (“Nova Leap” or “the Company”), a growing home health care organization, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to amend its existing credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) with BMO Bank of Montreal for new credit facilities (the “Credit Facilities”). The amended Credit Agreement will provide up to an additional $7 million of available credit to support the Company’s long-term growth strategy. All amounts are in United States dollars unless otherwise specified. The Credit Facilities consist of non-readvanceable demand acquisition lines to assist with business acquisitions, including the Nova Scotia acquisition announced on October 29, 2024, the Florida acquisition announced on October 15, 2024, and future business acquisitions approved by the lender, in addition to the Company’s existing facilities for working capital and day-to-day operating needs. The acquisition lines are available as CAD prime (prime rate plus 1.50%) and USD base rate (base rate plus 1.50%) loans, as well as fixed rate loans with rates determined at the time of booking. The Credit Facilities contain financial and other covenants and security in favour of the lender which are customary for facilities of this nature, including security over the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, and are conditional upon obtaining coverage under Export Development Canada’s Export Guarantee Program. Management Comments “We are pleased to secure the new Credit Facilities. Our ability to complete this transaction reflects the consistent cash flow and financial results that we have produced. With our strong Adjusted EBITDA over the past six quarters, our capital structure can comfortably support increased debt, while still maintaining financial flexibility,” said Chris LeBlanc, Chief Financial Officer of Nova Leap. “The successful negotiation of the Credit Facilities provides us with greater financial flexibility to execute on our growth strategy that consists of investing in our business to drive organic growth and in pursuing strategic acquisitions,” said Chris Dobbin, President & CEO of Nova Leap. About Nova Leap Nova Leap is an acquisitive home health care services company operating in one of the fastest-growing industries in the U.S. & Canada. The Company performs a vital role within the continuum of care with an individual and family centered focus, particularly those requiring dementia care. Nova Leap achieved the #42 ranking on the 2021 Report on Business ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies, the #2 ranking on the 2020 Report on Business ranking of Canada’s Top Growing Companies and the #10 Ranking in the 2019 TSX Venture 50TM in the Clean Technology & Life Sciences sector. The Company is geographically diversified with operations in 10 different U.S. states within the New England, Southeastern, South Central and Midwest regions as well as in Nova Scotia, Canada. NON-IFRS MEASURES: This release contains references to certain measures that do not have a standardized meaning under IFRS as prescribed by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. Rather, these measures are provided as additional information to complement IFRS measures by providing a further understanding of operations from management’s perspective. Accordingly, non-IFRS financial measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of financial information reported under IFRS. The Company presents non-IFRS financial measures, specifically Adjusted EBITDA (as such term is hereinafter defined), as well as supplementary financial measures such as annualized revenue and annualized adjusted EBITDA. The Company believes these non-IFRS financial measures are frequently used by lenders, securities analysts, investors and other interested parties as a measure of financial performance, and it is therefore helpful to provide supplemental measures of operating performance and thus highlight trends that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS financial measures. Adjusted Earnings before interest, taxes, amortization and depreciation (“Adjusted EBITDA”), is calculated as income from operating activities plus amortization and depreciation and stock-based compensation expense. The most directly comparable IFRS measure is income from operating activities. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION: Certain information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements, such as statements regarding availability of the Credit Facilities, the closing of the acquisitions (including timing) and its expected impact on the Company, financing of the acquisitions, and plans regarding future acquisitions and business growth. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions, including assumptions described elsewhere in this release and those concerning general economic and market conditions, the satisfaction of conditions to closing the Credit Facilities and the acquisitions, availability of working capital necessary for conducting Nova Leap’s operations, availability of desirable acquisition targets and financing to fund such acquisitions, and Nova Leap’s ability to integrate its acquired businesses and maintain previously achieved service hour and revenue levels, that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. Risks that could cause results to differ from those stated in the forward-looking statements in this release include staff and supply shortages, regulatory changes affecting the home care industry or government programs utilized by the Company, other unexpected increases in operating costs and competition from other service providers. All forward-looking statements, including any financial outlook or future-oriented financial information, contained in this press release are made as of the date of this release and included for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans relating to the future, and these statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements unless and until required by securities laws applicable to the Company. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.com . CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
A Tennessee man is convicted of killing 2 at a high school basketball game in 2021Two Virginia legislators — one Democrat and one Republican — plan legislation to limit what debt collectors and creditors can seize. Del. Phil Hernandez, D-Norfolk, wants to make it easier to limit the amount a creditor or debt collector can take from a family bank account under a court order. Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield, wants to rein in Virginia’s unique-in-the-nation law that allows liens to garnish 100% of an erring taxpayer’s wages. Hernandez Virginia House of Delegates Coyner Virginia House of Delegates Under current Virginia law, you can exempt $5,000 of bank accounts or household goods from creditors, but you must file a Homestead Deed and then go to court to claim your exemption. Hernandez wants to make that protection kick in automatically for bank accounts. People are also reading... For many Virginians, the Homestead Deed protection is out of reach, said Jay Speer, chief executive officer of the Virginia Poverty Law Center. “This is virtually impossible for someone without a lawyer. This bill will make it automatic, which we think makes a lot more sense and it makes things easier for a bank that receives a garnishment,” he said. Virginia consumer protection bills meet mixed results in assembly The poverty law center supports the measure. It notes that many Virginians now have their wages deposited directly to their bank accounts. The complicated process of protecting sums in those accounts means state law's limits on how much a creditor can have garnished from wages is rendered moot. And not being able to keep at least some money in a bank account has meant families can’t get at their money for essential bills, for rent, food or medical expenses. Some people have electricity, water or gas cut off because a creditor has effectively frozen their bank accounts, the poverty law center said. “Families shouldn’t have to make the impossible choice of feeding their children or paying off a debt,” Hernandez said. “This necessary bill will create new protections to safeguard funds that are needed for the necessities of life and prevent families from falling into a vicious cycle of poverty," he said. 26 states Twenty-six states have higher household good exemptions, and 11 of these have additional, separate exemptions for at least portions of a debtor’s bank account, according to a Richmond Times-Dispatch analysis of state exemption laws compiled by the National Consumer Law Center, a nonprofit that tracks consumer protection measures nationwide. Delaware bars garnishment of bank accounts but has no exemption for household goods. While Alaska's household goods exemption is less than Virginia's, its separate exemption for some funds in a a bank account exceeds Virginia's exemption. Coyner is focusing on the court orders that let creditors — as well as state and local tax collectors — take Virginians' wages when they owe money. While most creditors or debt collectors are limited to seizing 25% of a debtor's paycheck, tax collectors can seize the whole amount. “Garnishing 100% of someone’s wages is not just impractical — it’s inhumane,” Coyner said. “This bill allows Virginians to pay their debts while maintaining their dignity and basic livelihood.” Her bill would set the same limit on garnishments for back taxes as applies to any other debt: 25% of disposable earnings for a given week, or the amount by which a delinquent taxpayer’s disposable earnings for a week exceed 40 times the minimum. Fifteen states exempt more of a debtors’ wages from garnishment, including four states that exempt all wages: North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Texas. “I believe in paying your taxes,” Coyner said. “But people need a minimum to live on." Virginia lags other several other states when it comes to limiting how much property and wages debt collectors can seize, the National Consumer Law Center review shows. Virginia’s law also exempts $50,000 of a debtor’s home from seizure, while 32 states have higher exemptions. Payment plans A 2020 law aimed at helping debtors and creditors work out payment plans saw use of settlement services grow last year. The law required debt settlement agencies be licensed and capped the fees they charge. Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, introduced it and argued for it after hearing from the Office of the Attorney General’s consumer protection unit that it was getting a lot of consumer complaints about some debt settlement companies charging exorbitant fees for these services. Virginians entered into 10,559 new agreements during the year; there were 18,586 such agreements in force at the end of the year, a State Corporation Bureau of Financial Institutions report found. The agreements seek to repay or forgive $303 million of debt. Debtors and creditors have come to terms on $104 million, and since the law took effect have repaid $85 million. “We want people to have confidence in these firms,” Willett said. “There were a lot of good firms here, but we wanted to keep the bad actors out. ... A lot of the good ones were with us on this, he said. “It seems to be working," Joseph Face, commissioner at the State Corporation Commission Bureau of Financial Institutions, said he’s not hearing any complaints about debt settlement agencies anymore. Debts are mainly owed retailers and credit card companies he said. The high-interest rate payday, car title and open-end credit lenders that the General Assembly also cracked down on in 2020 do not seem to be involved, he said. The debt settlement bill says debt settlement firms must now be licensed by the Bureau of Financial Institutions. It sets a cap of 20% of a borrower’s debt as the fee a debt settlement firm can charge. A licensed firm must post a surety bond equal to the average amount it receives from Virginians under its debt management plans, up to a maximum of $350,000. RVA 100: 100 people, places, things that you should know about Richmond RVA 100: The Marlboro sign RVA 100: When did the murals start going up in Richmond? RVA 100: The Markel Building, one of the ugliest buildings in the world RVA 100: When did Maymont become a park? RVA 100: Maggie Walker, Richmond pioneer RVA 100: How Libby Hill Park got its name RVA 100: How the Richmond Kickers got started RVA 100: Justin Verlander's Goochland roots RVA 100: When The Jefferson Hotel had alligators in the lobby RVA 100: The James River, heart of the city RVA 100: Jackson Ward, ground zero for Richmond's complex history RVA 100: How did Hollywood Cemetery get its name? RVA 100: Chimborazo Park named after a volcano? RVA 100: How did Carytown get its name? RVA 100: How The Flying Squirrels got its start in Richmond RVA 100: When the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond moved at midnight RVA 100: Doug Wilder, 'a son of Virginia' RVA 100: How the CSX A-Line train bridge became a Richmond icon RVA 100: What was the last event held at the Richmond Coliseum? RVA 100: How City Stadium got its name RVA 100: Church Hill, a historic neighborhood in transition RVA 100: What does The Carillon stand for? RVA 100: Capital One RVA 100: Byrd Theatre RVA 100: Bill's Barbecue RVA 100: Belle Isle RVA 100: Arthur Ashe Jr. RVA 100: Agecroft Hall RVA 100: Why is the popular river spot called Pony Pasture? RVA 100: Pump House, the 'Castle on the James' RVA 100: Richmond Ballet has been spinning for decades RVA 100: How the Richmond Symphony became the region's biggest performing arts organization RVA 100: Russell Wilson started out as a Collegiate quarterback RVA 100: The story behind how the sailor sandwich started in Richmond RVA 100: Sally Bell’s Kitchen, a Richmond gem RVA 100: When did the last train leave Broad Street Station? RVA 100: How The Diamond replaced Parker Field RVA 100: What ancient building was the Virginia State Capitol designed after? RVA 100: In the 1800s, who owned Scott's Addition? RVA 100: What is Virginia Commonwealth University known for? RVA 100: How long is the Virginia Capital Trail? RVA 100: Willie Lanier of the Kansas City Chiefs RVA 100: Blues Armory awaits new chapter in Richmond history RVA 100: Bojangles statue honors more than dancing RVA 100: Pop open the history of canned beer in Richmond RVA 100: The history of Richmond's unusual Egyptian Building RVA 100: Edgar Allan Poe, record-breaking swimmer? RVA 100: Richmond's cobblestones were originally ballast in sailing ships RVA 100: Fannie Criss Payne made history as a Black designer RVA 100: What is the Triple Crossing? RVA 100: Tredegar Iron Works once stood as the South's largest iron supplier RVA 100: Richmond Dairy Co. Building is a flashback to days of milk deliveries RVA 100: Historic African American church grew from humble beginnings to a pillar in Jackson Ward RVA 100: Richmond's electric street railway, world’s first RVA 100: The 'godmother of rock 'n' roll' called Richmond her home for a decade RVA 100: Henry 'Box' Brown, shipped himself to freedom RVA 100: GWAR. Prepare to be conquered!! RVA 100: Meeting at Miller & Rhoads clock was local tradition RVA 100: Monument Ave was designed to showcase RVA's 'taste and wealth' RVA 100: Petersburg legend Moses Malone RVA 100: The Freedom Monument on Brown's Island RVA 100: Ebenezer Baptist Church, founded by free and enslaved Black people in 1800s RVA 100: The ghost at the governor's mansion RVA 100: A jolly Richmond legend since 1936 RVA 100: Former Richmonder Vince Gilligan working on a new series for Apple+ TV RVA 100: Pipeline Trail still closed RVA 100: Pat Benatar got her start in Richmond RVA 100: Ellen Glasgow influenced future Southern women writers RVA 100: Ray Dandridge, Richmond's baseball hall of famer RVA 100: Pocahontas' ties to Henrico RVA 100: Southern States silos may not be a Richmond icon much longer RVA 100: When the Richmond Raceway was the Atlantic Rural Exposition Fairgrounds RVA 100: Richmond Times-Dispatch, 175 years of covering Virginia news RVA 100: Donnie 'Dirtwoman' Corker RVA 100: Museum District RVA 100: When the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond moved at midnight Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox!BASEBALL Major League Baseball American League TEXAS RANGERS — Named Luis Urueta bench coach, Dave Bush assistant pitching coach and Jordan Tiegs bullpen coach. BASKETBALL National Basketball Association NBA — Fined Sacramento head coach Mike Brown $35,000 for for aggressively pursuing a game official during a Nov. 24 game against Brooklyn. Fined Atlanta $100,000 for violating the player participation policy in connection with Trae Young missing the team’s Nov. 12 Emirates NBA Cup game against Boston. FOOTBALL National Football League NFL — Fined Jacksonville LB Ventrell Miller $5,440.19 for unnecessary roughness. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Signed OL Tyler Shatley to the practice squad. Released OL Dieter Eiselen from the practice squad. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS — Signed K Matthew Wright. Reinstated TE Baylor Cupp from the practice squad injured reserve. Placed TE Peyton Hendershot on injured reserve. Waived DE Cameron Thomas. Released OT Lucas Niang and DR Truman Jones from the practice squad. MIAMI DOLPHINS — Reinstated S Patrick McMorris from injured reserve. Waived S Marcus Maye. MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Signed LB Jamin Davis. Placed LB Ivan Pace Jr. on injured reserve. Reinstated OLB Gabriel Murphy from injured reserve. NEW YORK GIANTS — Claimed TE Greg Dulcich off waivers from Denver. NEW YORK JETS — Signed WR Easop Winston to the practice squad. TENNESSEE TITANS — Signed WR Stanley Morgan to the practice squad. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS — Signed RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. Placed K Austin Seibert on injured reserve. Signed DT Vilami Fehoko Jr. to the practice squad. Released G Marquis Hayes from the practice squad. HOCKEY National Hockey League NHL — Suspended New Jersey F Timo Meier for one game without pay for cross-checking during a Nov. 25 game against Nashville. ANAHEIM DUCKS — Recalled D Tyson Hinds from San Diego (AHL). BUFFALO SABRES — Reinstated C Tage Thompson from injured reserve. Sent Isak Rosen to Rochester (AHL). CAROLINA HURRICANES — Recalled D Riley Stillman from Chicago (AHL). NEW YORK RANGERS — Reassigned RW Matt Rempe to Hartford (AHL). Promoted D Chad Ruhwedel from Hartford. OTTAWA SENATORS — Placed D Artyom Zub on long-term injured reserve. Recalled D Donocan Sebrango from Belleville (AHL). PITTSBURGH PENGUINS — Waived RW Valtteri Puustinen. SAN JOSE SHARKS — Reassigned G Yaroslav Askarov to San Jose (AHL). Recalled D Jack Thompson from San Jose. SEATTLE KRAKEN — Reassigned C Ben Meyers for Coachella Valley (AHL). UTAH — Loaned RW Milos Kelemen to HC Dynamo Pardubice and D Patrik Koch to HC Ocelari Trinec. SOCCER Major League Soccer ATLANTA UNITED — Exercised contract options on G Brad Guzan, D Efrain Morales and Ms Jay Fortune and Santiago Sosa. INTER MIAMI — Named Javier Mascherano head coach. PHILADELPHIA UNION — Exercised a contract option on D Isaiah LeFlore. ST. LOUIS CITY — Named Olof Mellberg head coach. COLLEGE NORTH CAROLINA — Fired head football coach Mack Brown.
Manchester City's struggles continued as Pep Guardiola's side remarkably blew a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 with Feyenoord in the Champions League on Tuesday, while Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain to leave the French club in danger of elimination. There were also big wins for Arsenal, Atletico Madrid, Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen, while Inter Milan went top of the standings after five games and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski reached a century of Champions League goals. However, the biggest drama came at the Etihad Stadium, where City were cruising early in the second half with a three-goal advantage as they sought to end a run of five successive defeats in all competitions. Erling Haaland opened the scoring from a penalty just before half-time, and Ilkay Gundogan's deflected shot made it 2-0 in the 50th minute. Haaland struck again to make it 3-0, but Feyenoord's comeback began on 75 minutes when Anis Hadj Moussa took advantage of hapless defending to round goalkeeper Ederson and pull one back. Substitute Santiago Gimenez bundled in to make it 3-2 on 82 minutes and the equaliser arrived a minute from the end. Ederson was again caught out with Igor Paixao going around the goalkeeper and crossing for Slovak international David Hancko to head in. "We concede a lot of goals because we are not stable," complained Guardiola. "We lost a lot of games lately. We are fragile and of course we need a victory." It is the first time that a team has gone into the last 20 minutes of a Champions League game trailing by three goals and still avoided defeat, as the point boosts the Dutch side's hopes of progressing. City are two points outside the top eight places which offer direct qualification for the last 16, while Bayern moved above them by beating PSG 1-0 in Munich. South Korean defender Kim Min-jae scored the only goal seven minutes before half-time, heading in after goalkeeper Matvei Safonov failed to clear a corner. PSG had Ousmane Dembele sent off in the second half and the French champions have just four points, and three goals, from five games. They are a lowly 26th in the 36-team league, a point adrift of the positions which offer a place in the play-off round in February. "We need to win our last three matches, otherwise we risk being eliminated," admitted PSG coach Luis Enrique. Lewandowski notched his 100th goal in the competition with an early penalty in Barcelona's 3-0 home win over French side Brest. Dani Olmo netted midway through the second half before Lewandowski sealed Barca's win at the death, his 101st goal in the Champions League -- only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have scored more. Inter lead the standings with 13 points, a point ahead of Barcelona and Liverpool, after a 1-0 win at home to RB Leipzig which means they are also still yet to concede a goal. Castello Lukeba's own goal made the difference at San Siro, and Leipzig are one of only three teams to have lost five games out of five. Arsenal romped to a 5-1 victory away to Sporting in Lisbon, as the Portuguese side adapt to life without coach Ruben Amorim, who has departed for Manchester United. Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes all scored in the first half for Arsenal, before Goncalo Inacio pulled one back shortly after the restart. Bukayo Saka converted a penalty on 65 minutes after Martin Odegaard had been brought down, and Leandro Trossard headed in to seal Arsenal's win late on. Atalanta romped to a 6-1 win over rock-bottom Young Boys in Switzerland, with Mateo Retegui and Charles De Ketelaere both scoring braces. Sead Kolasinac and Lazar Samardzic also netted for the Italians, with Silvere Ganvoula getting the hosts' reply. Florian Wirtz struck twice, including a penalty, as Leverkusen crushed Red Bull Salzburg 5-0, with Alejandro Grimaldo scoring a superb free-kick and Patrik Schick and Aleix Garcia also netting. Julian Alvarez and substitute Angel Correa each scored twice and Marcos Llorente and Antoine Griezmann once as Atletico romped to a 6-0 win away to Sparta Prague. Christian Pulisic, Rafael Leao and Tammy Abraham were the scorers in AC Milan's 3-2 win at Slovan Bratislava, whose goals came from Tigran Barseghyan and Nino Marcelli. Marko Tolic saw red at the end for Slovan, who are without a point. as/nfPro Picks is a weekly column where AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi shares his picks for upcoming games. For all previous Pro Picks, head here . Playoff berths, draft positioning and more are up for grabs in Week 17. There’s going to be plenty of football on television this holiday week with the NFL playing games on five out of six days, starting with a doubleheader on Christmas Day featuring four of the AFC’s top five teams. Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs visit Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. Then, two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens take on C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. The Bears host the Seahawks on Thursday night and there are three games on Saturday, making Sunday’s schedule light at nine games. The Lions-49ers wrap up the weekend on Monday night. Pro Picks goes for another winning week. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6) at New England (3-12) Line: Chargers minus 4 The Chargers would clinch a wild-card spot with a victory over the Patriots, who battled hard against the Bills. Los Angeles is 9-2 against the spread as favorites. Justin Herbert is 9-0 ATS in the Eastern time zone in his career. The Patriots have lost eight straight home games in December. BEST BET: CHARGERS: 23-16 Denver (9-6) at Cincinnati (7-8) Line: Bengals minus 3 Joe Burrow and the Bengals have to win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. They’re favorites for the 12th time this season despite a losing record. The Broncos would clinch a wild-card berth with a win. They’re 11-4 ATS. UPSET SPECIAL: BRONCOS: 23-22 Kansas City (14-1) at Pittsburgh (10-5) Line: Chiefs minus 3 The Chiefs can set a franchise record for wins in the regular season and wrap up the No. 1 seed along with home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs as they continue their quest for a third straight Super Bowl title. Kansas City got another playmaker when wide receiver Marquise Brown made his season debut. Mahomes is 3-0 with 14 touchdowns and no interceptions in his career vs. Pittsburgh. The scuffling Steelers are trying to snap a two-game losing streak after missing an opportunity to clinch the AFC North. Wide receiver George Pickens should return from a hamstring injury and he’ll open up the passing game for Wilson and the offense. CHIEFS: 24-20 Baltimore (10-5) at Houston (9-6) Line: Ravens minus 5 1/2 The Ravens have won five in a row over the Texans, including 34-10 in a divisional playoff game last season. Baltimore can move into first place in the AFC North with a win and loss by Pittsburgh. But Jackson and Derrick Henry face a tough challenge against Houston’s defense. Stroud and the Texans are reeling after losing receiver Tank Dell to a devastating knee injury. RAVENS: 23-19 Seattle (8-7) at Chicago (4-11) Line: Seahawks minus 3 1/2 The Seahawks have to win to maintain slim playoff hopes. The Bears have lost nine straight. Geno Smith and Jaxon Smith-Njigba should have a big day against Chicago’s pass defense. SEAHAWKS: 26-20 Arizona (7-8) at Los Angeles Rams (9-6) Line: Rams minus 6 A four-game winning streak has the Rams on the verge of securing the NFC West. Los Angeles aims to avenge a lopsided loss to Arizona in Week 2. The Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs and are reduced to playing spoiler. With Kyren Williams leading the rushing attack, the Rams don’t have to rely on Matthew Stafford’s passing as much. RAMS: 26-16 New York Jets (4-11) at Buffalo (12-3) Line: Bills minus 10 The Bills will know going in if they have a shot at the AFC’s No. 1 seed. If the Chiefs beat the Steelers and lock it up, Buffalo’s main priority will be keeping Josh Allen and everyone healthy. Still, they can rest in Week 18. After a subpar effort against the Patriots, the Bills can’t take Aaron Rodgers and the Jets lightly. BILLS: 27-16 Las Vegas (3-12) at New Orleans (5-10) Line: Raiders minus 1 The Raiders already hurt their draft positioning by beating the Jaguars last week. Another win could further knock them down and negatively impact their quest for a franchise quarterback. But coach Antonio Pierce wants to win and the players don’t care about draft slots. The Saints can’t get to the end of the season fast enough. RAIDERS: 20-16 Carolina (4-11) at Tampa Bay (8-7) Line: Buccaneers minus 8 The Panthers have embraced the spoiler role and coach Dave Canales will try to derail his former team’s playoff hopes. Bryce Young keeps improving and Chuba Hubbard is having a career year. The Buccaneers would’ve lost to Carolina last month if Hubbard didn’t fumble in overtime. Baker Mayfield and a turnover-prone offense have to overcome a depleted defense that couldn’t stop Cooper Rush and the Cowboys. BUCCANEERS: 26-20 Tennessee (3-12) at Jacksonville (3-12) Line: Jaguars minus 1 The winner of this one really loses because it’ll be costly in the race for draft positioning. TITANS: 19-17 Indianapolis (7-8) at New York Giants (2-13) Line: Colts minus 8 The Giants have come too far to lose the No. 1 pick in the draft. The Colts are clinging to slim playoff hopes. Jonathan Taylor and Anthony Richardson combined for 308 yards and four TDs against the Titans. They could have similar results against New York. COLTS: 27-16 Dallas (7-8) at Philadelphia (12-3) Line: Eagles minus 9 1/2 The Cowboys are left to play for a winning record after being eliminated from the playoff race. The Eagles still need a win to secure the NFC East, but are almost locked into the No. 2 seed. If Jalen Hurts can’t play because of a concussion, Dallas has a shot against Kenny Pickett. Saquon Barkley is 268 yards away from breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record. He could have a big day facing the fifth-worst run defense in the NFL. EAGLES: 24-17 Green Bay (11-4) at Minnesota (13-2) Line: Vikings minus 1 The Vikings are two wins away from the NFC’s No. 1 seed with Sam Darnold. Let that sink in. But those won’t be easy victories. Minnesota has to beat Green Bay and then Detroit on the road to win the NFC North and get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Vikings defeated the Packers 31-29 in Green Bay in September. They’re getting the Packers on short rest off a Monday night rout. The Vikings have been overlooked and underrated. This is a statement game. VIKINGS: 27-22 Miami (7-8) at Cleveland (3-12) Line: Dolphins minus 6 1/2 Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins still have slim playoff changes and get an opportunity to win a game in cold weather. A loss helps the Browns hold onto a top-five pick in the draft. DOLPHINS: 25-16 Atlanta (8-7) at Washington (10-5) Line: Commanders minus 4 The Falcons regained control of their NFC South hopes when the Buccaneers lost. Now, they have a tough test against the Commanders with Michael Penix Jr. making his second start facing off against Jayden Daniels in another matchup between rookie QBs. Daniels beat Caleb Williams and the Bears earlier this season on a Hail Mary. Washington clinches a playoff berth with a win or a loss by Tampa Bay. COMMANDERS: 24-23 Detroit (13-2) at San Francisco (6-9) Line: Lions minus 4 The Lions aim to avenge their loss in the NFC championship game, though this matchup lost its luster because the 49ers are eliminated from the playoff race. Detroit clinches the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a win if the Packers beat the Vikings. If Minnesota beats Green Bay, the Lions have to beat the Vikings in Week 18 to win the division and secure the top seed so the result against San Francisco won’t matter. In that case, Dan Campbell could choose to rest some of his starters in preparation for a winner-take-all regular-season finale. LIONS: 26-23 Last week: 12-4. Against spread: 8-7-1 Overall: Straight up: 168-72. Against spread: 131-105-4. Prime-time: Straight up: 39-14. Against spread: 29-23-1. Best Bet: Straight up: 9-7. Against spread: 8-8. Upset Special: Straight up: 9-7. Against spread: 9-7. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .
California announces billion dollar electric vehicle charger initiativePublished 19:35 IST, December 29th 2024 Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk's guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag —a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country," Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country's condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel , has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party's public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper's own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk's social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print," Eva Marie Kogel wrote. A critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard, accompanied Musk’s opinion piece. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk's piece was "very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa. Updated 19:35 IST, December 29th 2024
Appeal Court sets aside order stopping release of funds to Rivers govt
Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
By ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump promised on Tuesday to “vigorously pursue” capital punishment after President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of most people on federal death row partly to stop Trump from pushing forward their executions. Related Articles National Politics | Elon Musk’s preschool is the next step in his anti-woke education dreams National Politics | Trump’s picks for top health jobs not just team of rivals but ‘team of opponents’ National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own Trump criticized Biden’s decision on Monday to change the sentences of 37 of the 40 condemned people to life in prison without parole, arguing that it was senseless and insulted the families of their victims. Biden said converting their punishments to life imprisonment was consistent with the moratorium imposed on federal executions in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” he wrote on his social media site. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this. Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Presidents historically have no involvement in dictating or recommending the punishments that federal prosecutors seek for defendants in criminal cases, though Trump has long sought more direct control over the Justice Department’s operations. The president-elect wrote that he would direct the department to pursue the death penalty “as soon as I am inaugurated,” but was vague on what specific actions he may take and said they would be in cases of “violent rapists, murderers, and monsters.” He highlighted the cases of two men who were on federal death row for slaying a woman and a girl, had admitted to killing more and had their sentences commuted by Biden. Is it a plan in motion or more rhetoric? On the campaign trail, Trump often called for expanding the federal death penalty — including for those who kill police officers, those convicted of drug and human trafficking, and migrants who kill U.S. citizens. “Trump has been fairly consistent in wanting to sort of say that he thinks the death penalty is an important tool and he wants to use it,” said Douglas Berman, an expert on sentencing at Ohio State University’s law school. “But whether practically any of that can happen, either under existing law or other laws, is a heavy lift.” Berman said Trump’s statement at this point seems to be just a response to Biden’s commutation. “I’m inclined to think it’s still in sort of more the rhetoric phase. Just, ‘don’t worry. The new sheriff is coming. I like the death penalty,’” he said. Most Americans have historically supported the death penalty for people convicted of murder, according to decades of annual polling by Gallup, but support has declined over the past few decades. About half of Americans were in favor in an October poll, while roughly 7 in 10 Americans backed capital punishment for murderers in 2007. Death row inmates are mostly sentenced by states Before Biden’s commutation, there were 40 federal death row inmates compared with more than 2,000 who have been sentenced to death by states. “The reality is all of these crimes are typically handled by the states,” Berman said. A question is whether the Trump administration would try to take over some state murder cases, such as those related to drug trafficking or smuggling. He could also attempt to take cases from states that have abolished the death penalty. Could rape now be punishable by death? Berman said Trump’s statement, along with some recent actions by states, may present an effort to get the Supreme Court to reconsider a precedent that considers the death penalty disproportionate punishment for rape. “That would literally take decades to unfold. It’s not something that is going to happen overnight,” Berman said. Before one of Trump’s rallies on Aug. 20, his prepared remarks released to the media said he would announce he would ask for the death penalty for child rapists and child traffickers. But Trump never delivered the line. What were the cases highlighted by Trump? One of the men Trump highlighted on Tuesday was ex-Marine Jorge Avila Torrez, who was sentenced to death for killing a sailor in Virginia and later pleaded guilty to the fatal stabbing of an 8-year-old and a 9-year-old girl in a suburban Chicago park several years before. The other man, Thomas Steven Sanders, was sentenced to death for the kidnapping and slaying of a 12-year-old girl in Louisiana, days after shooting the girl’s mother in a wildlife park in Arizona. Court records show he admitted to both killings. Some families of victims expressed anger with Biden’s decision, but the president had faced pressure from advocacy groups urging him to make it more difficult for Trump to increase the use of capital punishment for federal inmates. The ACLU and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops were some of the groups that applauded the decision. Biden left three federal inmates to face execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Eric Tucker contributed to this report.
After fighting virus, storms and Republicans, departing North Carolina Gov. Cooper focuses on wins“I am definitely not following the news anymore,” one patient told me when I asked about her political news consumption in the weeks before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. This conversation happened around the time I talked with a local TV channel about why we saw fewer political yard signs during this year’s election season, compared with past ones. I am a psychiatrist who studies and treats fear and anxiety. One of my main mental health recommendations to my patients during the 2016 and 2020 election cycles was to reduce their political news consumption. I also tried to convince them that the five hours a day they spent watching cable news was only leaving them helpless and terrified. Over the past couple of years, though, I have noticed a change: Many of my patients say they either have tuned out or are too exhausted to do more than a brief read of political news or watch one hour of their favorite political show. Research supports my clinical experience: A Pew research study from 2020 showed that 66% of Americans were worn out by political stress. Interestingly, those who are not following the news feel that same news fatigue at an even higher percentage of 73%. In 2023, 8 out of 10 Americans described U.S. politics with negative words like “divisive,” “corrupt,” “messy” and “polarized.” In my view, three major factors have led Americans to exhaustion and burnout with U.S. politics. -- The politics of fear In my 2023 book, “AFRAID: Understanding the Purpose of Fear, and Harnessing the Power of Anxiety,” I discuss how American politicians and major news media have found an ally in fear: a very strong emotion that can be used to grab our attention, keeping us in the tribal dividing lines and making us follow, click, tap, watch and donate. Over the past few decades, many people have felt a strong push for tribalism, an “us vs. them” way of seeing the world, turning Americans against one another. This has led to a point where we are not just in disagreement with each other. We hate, cancel, block and attack those who disagree with us. -- People live in information bubbles It can feel like Fox News and MSNBC commentators are talking about Americas from two different planets. The same is true when it comes to different social media feeds. Many people are part of social media communities that are closed to the world outside their homes and familiar social circles. Based on people’s political views and what they search for or watch and read, social media algorithms feed them content where everybody talks and thinks alike. If you hear about the other side, it is only about their worst attributes and behavior. The disconnect is so wide that people are not even able to comprehend the thinking of those from other perspectives and find their logic or political beliefs unfathomable. Many Americans have gotten to the point of believing that the other half of Americans are, at best, unintelligent and stupid; and at worst, immoral and evil. -- People’s political opinions have become their identities There was a time in American politics where two politicians or two neighbors could disagree, but still believe that the other person was fundamentally good. Over time, and more so since the early 2000s, this ability to connect despite political beliefs has decreased. The majority of both Democrats and Republicans said in a 2022 Pew Research survey that someone’s political ideas are an indicator of their morality and character. This 2022 Pew survey also shows that partisan animosity extends to judgments about character: 72% of Republicans and 63% of Democrats said they believe members of the opposing party are more “immoral” than other Americans. This is evident in day-to-day conversations of members of both political tribes: “How can I be friends with someone who wants to kill babies,” or “How can I talk to someone who is OK with women dying in a corner of a clinic parking lot”. We can no longer see someone’s political affiliation in the context of their humanity at large. What psychology and neuroscience say Fear as a deeply ingrained survival mechanism takes priority over other brain functions. Fear guides your memories, feelings, attention and thoughts, and can cause you to keep watching, scrolling and reading to monitor this perceived threat. Positive or neutral news could then become uninteresting because it is not important in your survival response. That has been the key to a person’s deep engagement with the fear-based political news. But too much fear does not keep someone engaged forever. That is because of another survival mechanism – what’s called “learned helplessness.” In 1967, American psychologist Martin Seligman exposed two groups of dogs to painful shocks. Dogs in group 1 could stop the shock by pressing a lever, which they quickly learned to do. But the dogs in group 2 learned that they could not control when the shock starts and stops. Then, both groups were placed in a box divided into two halves by a small barrier, and shock was applied to only one side of the box. Dogs in group 1 – who had learned how to stop the shocks in the earlier experiment – quickly learned to jump over the barrier to the shock-free side. But dogs in group 2 did not even attempt to do so. They had learned there is no point in trying. This experiment has been replicated in different forms with other animals and humans with the same conclusion: When people feel they cannot control the painful or scary situation, they just give up. During such experiences, the brain’s fear region – called the amygdala – is hyperactive. Meanwhile, emotion-regulating brain areas like the prefrontal cortex decrease in activity under these circumstances. Learned helplessness also means the brain mechanisms commonly involved in regulating anxiety and depression don’t function as well. When working with patients who have suffered from long periods of intense anxiety, fear, trauma and exhaustion, I see learned helplessness showing up in the form of depression, loss of motivation, fatigue and lack of engagement with the world around them. The COVID-19 pandemic, more than a decade of intense political stress, polarizing social media and wars across the world, as well as public disillusionment with U.S. politics and media, have led, I believe, to many people experiencing burnout and learned helplessness. If you feel politically exhausted, you are not the problem. Feel free to tune out from the noise. Arash Javanbakht is Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Wayne State University. The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.
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Trump wants pardoned real estate developer Charles Kushner to be ambassador to FranceOgun state House of Assembly has passed 2025 Appropriation Bill of N1,054,542,020,147 presented to it by Governor Dapo Abiodun exactly 20 days ago with slight adjustments in the recurrent expenditures of about 21 agencies. The assembly also adjusted capital expenditures of five agencies alongside the revenue targets of just two agencies. The passage of the Appropriation Bill followed the presentation of the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation by its Chairman, Hon. Musefiu Lamidi, who thereafter moved the motion for its adoption, seconded by his Deputy, Hon. Wahab Haruna and supported by the Whole House during today’s plenary presided over by Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta. The bill was later read and adopted clause by clause before the Committee of the whole house, after which the motion for the third reading was moved by the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, seconded by the Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye and supported by all the lawmakers through a unanimous voice vote, while the Clerk and Head of the Legislative Service, Sakiru Adebakin read the bill for the third time before the State lawmakers. The Speaker therefore, directed that the clean copy of the bill be forwarded to the Governor, Dapo Abiodun for his assent. Some of the agencies that had their budget proposals adjusted included the Ministry of Budget and Planning which had its estimate increased from N1.475 billion to N1.902 billion giving an increase of N427 million; while that of the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives was also increased from N1.780bn to N2.499bn giving an increment of N719m. Others like the State Ministry of Health was jacked up from N3.806bn to N4.116bn, just as the State Teaching Service Commission’s budget proposal moved from N34.412bn to N35.912bn, with that of the State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) moving from N1.347bn to N1.372bn; while that of the State Hospital, Sokenu Abeokuta also got an addition from N3.208bn to N3.348bn. Also, Ogun State Security Network (Amotekun) had its budget proposal increased from N765m to N 1.575bn ; while that of the States Environment Protection Agency moved from N252m to N262m, just as the State Library Board 2025 budget proposal amongst others was jacked up from N147m to N177m.
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