good casino games

good casino games Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) Market to grow by USD 3.59 Billion from 2024-2028, driven by improved driving quality and AI-powered market evolution - Technavio

One Direction fans have accused Spotify of “tastelessness” after hearing comments on an . The music streamer introduced a feature this year in which users could hear AI-generated voices discuss their personal listening habits across 2024. However, issues arose when the podcast turned its attentions to the in late October, prompted by the . Spotify users shared clips and quotes from the podcast on social media. One widely shared video sees two AI voices discussing One Direction. “It’s so cool you know, One Direction are classics,” says one AI voice. “And you even had a seven-day listening streak,” adds another. “Seven days straight? That’s some serious dedication,” says the first. The second voice then speculates: “I wonder if that coincided with the release of something, maybe a new album or a reunion. It would be really awesome if that happened. It would be a great thing.” “Maybe there was a One Direction marathon happening?” asked the AI. “Maybe you just really love One Direction and just listen to them all the time,” it continued. “It’s a great choice but awesome.” The TikTok user was left unimpressed as they captioned the video, “I don’t think that’s what it coincided with tbh”. In another clip shared on X/Twitter, the AI voices can be heard remarking about how One Direction are “still going strong”. Consequently, fans have criticised the feature, with one writing: “This is so distasteful oh my god.” “No they did this to me too and it just kept going with me close to tears,” wrote another. has contacted Spotify for comment. The controversy comes amid sustained criticism over the implementation of AI by Spotify and other media companies. Earlier this week, singer Mariah Carey responded after fans had . “Hey, it’s Mariah. Thank you so much for listening to my music on Spotify,” the “All I Want For Christmas Is You” singer said in the video. “Your support through the years is the greatest gift I could ask for. “This year, we’re celebrating the 30th anniversary of my album, Merry Christmas,” she continued. “I hope you enjoy listening to it and I can’t wait to share new music with you soon. Happy Holidays.” “Bad lighting and a red lip have you all thinking this is AI??” she wrote on X. “There’s a reason I’m not a fan of either of those things!”

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 6:46 p.m. ESTAfter the Samajwadi Party (SP) successfully retained its two seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, party chief Akhilesh Yadav hailed the victory as a triumph of PDA’s unity. Akhilesh had campaigned in Maharashtra, addressing public gatherings in Dhule and Malegaon districts. SP Maharashtra chief and MLA Abu Asim Azmi retained the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar seat, defeating NCP’s Nawab Malik by a margin of 12,753 votes. Meanwhile, SP’s second MLA, Rais Kasam Sheikh, secured a landslide victory in the Bhiwandi East constituency, defeating Shiv Sena’s Santosh Manjayya Shetty by over 50,000 votes. Commenting on the party’s success, Akhilesh Yadav wrote on the social networking platform X, “Heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all the voters, supporters, workers, and leaders for making both the Samajwadi Party candidates win as the joint candidates of India Alliance in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Hearty congratulations to Mr. Abu Asim Azmi from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Assembly seat and Mr. Raees Kasam Sheikh from Bhiwandi East Assembly seat for their victory. This is the victory of PDA’s unity!” Abu Asim Azmi also expressed gratitude on X, thanking the people of Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar for electing him for a fourth term. Azmi had previously won the assembly elections from the same seat in 2009, 2014, and 2019.

VERMILLION, S.D. — No. 4-ranked South Dakota stunned top-ranked North Dakota State with a last-second touchdown off a scramble. Javion Phelps caught a 25-yard touchdown with 12 seconds remaining to lift the Coyotes to a 29-28 victory against the Bison on Saturday in Missouri Valley Football Conference play at the DakotaDome. NDSU (10-2, 8-1 MVFC) had its 10-game winning streak snapped and now share the conference crown with multiple teams. The FCS selection show is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, on ESPNU. The Bison could have earned a top-2 seed with a victory. South Dakota (9-2, 7-1) also earned a share of the MFVC championship. Montana State completed an undefeated regular season and will likely be the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. Bison quarterback Cam Miller completed 10 of 22 passes for 174 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 82 yards and one TD on 19 attempts after a slow start. The Coyotes raced to a 14-0 lead before NDSU responded in a game that had huge momentum shifts. The Coyotes had the lead early in the second half. USD kicker Will Leyland hit a 37-yard field goal to give the Coyotes a 17-14 lead with 10 minutes, 21 seconds to play in the third quarter. That capped a 10-play, 51-yard drive. Miller scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to give the Bison a 21-17 lead with 4:48 to play in the third quarter, giving NDSU its first lead. That capped an 80-yard drive that took 10 plays. The 5-foot-11, 214-pound Brown capped an epic 99-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run for a 28-17 lead with 4:10 remaining in the fourth quarter. The long march lasted 20 plays and NDSU converted two fourth-and-1s in its own territory to extend the drive. The Bison looked in control at that point. USD answered with a big drive. Wide receiver Jack Martens caught a 40-yard TD pass from quarterback Aidan Bouman to cut the lead to 28-23 with 3:22 remaining. The Coyotes missed on their two-point conversion attempt. Phelps later added his clutch TD catch for a 29-28 lead. The game-winning touchdown catch came after a Bison sack and Phelps broke wide open after UDS hurried to regroup and run a play with the game clock winding down. The Coyotes started strong. Running back Travis Theis scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to give USD a 7-0 lead with 6:35 remaining in the first quarter. That capped an 80-yard drive that took 11 plays. The Coyotes converted on third-and-17 and third-and-9 on that scoring march. Theis added a 14-yard TD run for a 14-0 lead with 12:44 to play in the second quarter. That capped a 73-yard drive that lasted seven plays. USD had a 158-9 edge in yards after that score. Braylon Henderson countered with a 23-yard touchdown catch to cut the USD lead to 14-7 with 2:39 to play in the first half. That capped a 66-yard drive in six plays. Earlier in the drive, RaJa Nelson had a 30-yard catch that moved the ball to the USD 18-yard line. Marty Brown scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to even the score at 14-14 with 26 seconds remaining in the first half. That capped an 83-yard drive in nine plays. Bryce Lance helped set up that score with a 48-yard catch to the USD 24. The Bison finished the first half with 173 yards on 30 plays, while the Coyotes had 184 yards on 32 plays.Aston Villa’s disallowed goal would have counted in England – Unai Emery

PHILADELPHIA and PERTH, Australia , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcadium Lithium plc (NYSE: ALTM, ASX: LTM, "Arcadium Lithium"), a leading global lithium chemicals producer, today announced that it has obtained all requisite shareholder approvals in connection with the proposed acquisition by Rio Tinto previously announced on October 9 , 2024. "Today's vote of support by our shareholders confirms our shared belief that with Rio Tinto, we will be a stronger global leader in lithium chemicals production. Together, we enhance our capabilities to successfully develop and operate our assets while supporting the clean energy transition. We are confident that this transaction will provide future benefit to our customers, employees and the communities in which we operate, and I am excited by the path ahead," said Paul Graves , president and chief executive officer of Arcadium Lithium. The final voting results of Arcadium Lithium's special meetings will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in a Form 8-K and will also be available at https://ir.arcadiumlithium.com . Regulatory Update As of this release, merger control clearance has been satisfied or waived in Australia , Canada , China , the United Kingdom and the United States (Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976). Additionally, investment screening approval has been satisfied in the United Kingdom . The proposed transaction is still expected to close in mid-2025, subject to the receipt of remaining regulatory approvals and other closing conditions. Arcadium Lithium Contacts Investors: Daniel Rosen +1 215 299 6208 daniel.rosen@arcadiumlithium.com Phoebe Lee +61 413 557 780 phoebe.lee@arcadiumlithium.com Media: Karen Vizental +54 9 114 414 4702 karen.vizental@arcadiumlithium.com About Arcadium Lithium Arcadium Lithium is a leading global lithium chemicals producer committed to safely and responsibly harnessing the power of lithium to improve people's lives and accelerate the transition to a clean energy future. We collaborate with our customers to drive innovation and power a more sustainable world in which lithium enables exciting possibilities for renewable energy, electric transportation and modern life. Arcadium Lithium is vertically integrated, with industry-leading capabilities across lithium extraction processes, including hard-rock mining, conventional brine extraction and direct lithium extraction (DLE), and in lithium chemicals manufacturing for high performance applications. We have operations around the world, with facilities and projects in Argentina , Australia , Canada , China , Japan , the United Kingdom and the United States . For more information, please visit us at www.ArcadiumLithium.com . Important Information and Legal Disclaimer: Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements. In some cases, we have identified forward-looking statements by such words or phrases as "will likely result," "is confident that," "expect," "expects," "should," "could," "may," "will continue to," "believe," "believes," "anticipates," "predicts," "forecasts," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "intends" or similar expressions identifying "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including the negative of those words and phrases. Such forward-looking statements are based on our current views and assumptions regarding future events, future business conditions and the outlook for Arcadium Lithium based on currently available information. There are important factors that could cause Arcadium Lithium's actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results, level of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including the completion of the transaction on anticipated terms and timing, including obtaining required regulatory approvals, and the satisfaction of other conditions to the completion of the transaction; potential litigation relating to the transaction that could be instituted by or against Arcadium Lithium or its affiliates, directors or officers, including the effects of any outcomes related thereto; the risk that disruptions from the transaction will harm Arcadium Lithium's business, including current plans and operations; the ability of Arcadium Lithium to retain and hire key personnel; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or governmental relationships resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction; certain restrictions during the pendency of the transaction that may impact Arcadium Lithium's ability to pursue certain business opportunities or strategic transactions; significant transaction costs associated with the transaction; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the transaction, including in circumstances requiring Arcadium Lithium to pay a termination fee or other expenses; competitive responses to the transaction; the supply and demand in the market for our products as well as pricing for lithium and high-performance lithium compounds; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the integration of the businesses of Livent and Allkem or of any future acquisitions; our ability to acquire or develop additional reserves that are economically viable; the existence, availability and profitability of mineral resources and mineral and ore reserves; the success of our production expansion efforts, research and development efforts and the development of our facilities; our ability to retain existing customers; the competition that we face in our business; the development and adoption of new battery technologies; additional funding or capital that may be required for our operations and expansion plans; political, financial and operational risks that our lithium extraction and production operations, particularly in Argentina , expose us to; physical and other risks that our operations and suppliers are subject to; our ability to satisfy customer qualification processes or customer or government quality standards; global economic conditions, including inflation, fluctuations in the price of energy and certain raw materials; the ability of our joint ventures, affiliated entities and contract manufacturers to operate according to their business plans and to fulfill their obligations; severe weather events and the effects of climate change; extensive and dynamic environmental and other laws and regulations; our ability to obtain and comply with required licenses, permits and other approvals; and other factors described under the caption entitled "Risk Factors" in Arcadium Lithium's 2023 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 29, 2024 , as well as Arcadium Lithium's other SEC filings and public communications. Although Arcadium Lithium believes the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, Arcadium Lithium cannot guarantee future results, level of activity, performance or achievements. Moreover, neither Arcadium Lithium nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any of these forward-looking statements. Arcadium Lithium is under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this news release to conform its prior statements to actual results or revised expectations . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arcadium-lithium-announces-shareholder-approval-of-proposed-rio-tinto-transaction-and-provides-regulatory-update-302338409.html SOURCE Arcadium Lithium PLCSecond Quarter FSU_FG Fitzgerald 24, 13:42. FSU_A.Williams 4 pass from Kromenhoek (Fitzgerald kick), 4:09. FSU_C.Holmes 3 run (Fitzgerald kick), :26. Third Quarter FSU_J.Douglas 71 pass from Kromenhoek (Fitzgerald kick), 14:50. FSU_H.Williams 10 pass from Kromenhoek (Fitzgerald kick), 7:50. Fourth Quarter FSU_FG Weinberg 21, 14:55. FSU_C.Holmes 18 run (Fitzgerald kick), 5:27. CHSO_Sauers 7 pass from K.Jackson (Montgomery kick), :59. A_43,711. INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_Charleston Southern, Ison 13-28, Gordon 1-12, K.Jackson 5-10, Hawkins 2-9, Greenwade 5-6, Bishop 3-(minus 8). Florida St., Davis 9-39, C.Holmes 3-38, Toafili 6-33, Kromenhoek 8-31, Singleton 4-21, Glenn 2-10, T.Jackson 1-2, McCoy 1-1. PASSING_Charleston Southern, K.Jackson 22-32-1-218. Florida St., Kromenhoek 13-20-0-209, Glenn 3-3-0-31. RECEIVING_Charleston Southern, Taylor 5-41, Rhone 3-60, Jennings 3-29, Kindell 3-29, Sauers 3-16, Highsmith 1-25, Ison 1-7, J.Scott 1-6, Gordon 1-3, Dawson 1-2. Florida St., J.Douglas 3-82, L.Thomas 2-36, H.Williams 2-35, Gibson 2-14, A.Williams 2-11, Danzy 1-38, Williamson 1-13, McCoy 1-10, Benson 1-4, Singleton 1-(minus 3). MISSED FIELD GOALS_Charleston Southern, Montgomery 48, Montgomery 41.

Pep Guardiola sure 75 per cent of Premier League clubs want Man City relegated

A look at how some of Trump's picks to lead health agencies could help carry out Kennedy's overhaulNeuphoria Completes Re-domiciliation and Successor Listing on Nasdaq

Wall Street mostly upbeat on GM's decision to pull the plug on CruiseApple iPhone 16 Pro Flipkart deal: Check exchange deal iPhone 16 Pro specifications: Camera, processor, display, and more The TOI Tech Desk is a dedicated team of journalists committed to delivering the latest and most relevant news from the world of technology to readers of The Times of India. TOI Tech Desk’s news coverage spans a wide spectrum across gadget launches, gadget reviews, trends, in-depth analysis, exclusive reports and breaking stories that impact technology and the digital universe. Be it how-tos or the latest happenings in AI, cybersecurity, personal gadgets, platforms like WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and more; TOI Tech Desk brings the news with accuracy and authenticity. Read More Latest Mobiles Lava Yuva 4 ₹6,999 Tecno POP 9 4G ₹6,499 Itel Color Pro 5G ₹9,199 Vivo Y18T ₹9,499 Lava Blaze 3 5G ₹10,999 Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro 5G ₹24,999 Vivo Y300 5G ₹21,460 Itel Aura 05i ₹5,499 Tecno Spark Go 1 ₹6,899 Poco M6 5G ₹7,998

nanamica Introduces Thermoregulating KODENSHI Wool Sweater and VestGAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Princely Umanmielen's return to the Swamp ended with a police escort . Umanmielen, who spent three years at Florida before transferring to Ole Miss, left the stadium with a number of officers surrounding him. And the defensive end still tried to get at heckling fans. It started when Umanmielen left the sideline in the waning seconds of a 24-17 loss to the Gators . He was walking toward the visiting locker room when at least one fan yelled at him from the stands. Umanmielen clearly didn't like what he heard and made his way toward the seats. Officers quickly stepped in and escorted Umanmielen back toward the locker room. They then walked him directly to the team's waiting busses, but more fans were in the path and shouted at him again. Umanmielen turned and started toward the fans before officers stepped in and stopped him. It was the latest bit of oddness for Umanmielen, who wore an orange Gators ski mask through Ole Miss' practice facility late in the week. He finished the game with seven tackles, including a sack. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Aston Villa’s disallowed goal would have counted in England – Unai EmeryWhy incoming FTC chair Andrew Ferguson will ‘bring the heat on Big Tech’The NFL's security division is warning players to be aware of professional burglars targeting the homes of pro athletes. The Athletic reported Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams that outlines the threat. "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," read the memo, which was obtained by The Athletic. "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days." NBC News reported Wednesday that law enforcement is working to figure out whether an international crime syndicate is involved. The Athletic reported that the memo includes tips for home security and also gives recommendations about the use of social media, such as not posting photos of items that would attract thieves. Players also learned via the memo how homes are targeted and how burglars enter. Mahomes hasn't said much about the burglary, other than to call it "disappointing" and "frustrating." "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing," he said. "But obviously something that you don't want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself." It's not clear what was stolen from Mahomes' home in Belton, Mo., during the Oct. 6 incident. But Kelce apparently lost $20,000 in cash in the burglary at his home in Leawood, Kan., the following day when the Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football," according to a police report. The burglary at the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis in River Hills, Wis., occurred Nov. 2 during the Bucks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He said the perpetrators "took most of my prized possessions" and is offering a reward for the return of his property. "Any info that leads to the return of any of my belongings will be rewarded handsomely," Portis said. "Let me know, thank you." --Field Level Media

Pep Guardiola sure 75 per cent of Premier League clubs want Man City relegated

AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:46 p.m. EST

Disk Drill vs. DMDE: best no-subscription data recovery appMore than a day past the scheduled conclusion of two days of COP29 talks, host Azerbaijan urged bleary-eyed delegates to seek consensus to avoid failure. "I know that none of us want to leave Baku without a good outcome," COP president Mukhtar Babayev told a late-night session, urging all nations to "bridge the remaining divide". Developing power Brazil pleaded for at least some progress and said it would seek to build on it when it leads COP30 next year in the Amazon gateway of Belem. "After the difficult experience that we're having here in Baku, we need to reach some outcome that is minimally acceptable in line with the emergency we're facing," Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva told delegates. A number of nations have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets record temperatures and faces rising deadly disasters. Small island nations threatened by rising seas and impoverished African states on Saturday angrily stormed out of a meeting with Azerbaijan, saying their concerns had been ignored. The European Union, United States and other wealthy countries met directly with poorer nations to work out final details, with both blocs also concerned at efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. "If we don't do it, people at home -- in every home across the world -- would say, why did you not get an agreement? Because I believe we can," Irish climate minister Eamon Ryan told AFP. A draft of the final text seen by AFP proposes that rich nations raise to $300 billion a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. It is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. Sierra Leone's climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world's poorest, called the draft "effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world". As staff at the cavernous and windowless stadium began closing down, diplomats rushed to meetings with one another, some ready with food and water in preparation for another late night. Panama's outspoken negotiator, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, voiced anger at offers by rich countries but warned not to repeat the failure of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. "I'm sad, I'm tired, I'm disheartened, I'm hungry, I'm sleep-deprived, but there is a tiny ray of optimism within me because this cannot become a new Copenhagen," he told reporters. UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the revised offer of $300 billion was "a significant scaling up" of the existing pledge by developed nations, which also count the United States, EU and Japan among their ranks. Climate activists shouted "shame" as US climate envoy John Podesta walked the halls. "Hopefully this is the storm before the calm," he said. Wealthy nations say it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. Ali Mohamed, the Kenyan chair of the African Group of Negotiators, told AFP: "No deal is better than a bad deal." South African environment minister Dion George, however, said: "I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful." "What we are not up for is going backwards or standing still," he said. "We might as well just have stayed at home then." The US and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. China, which remains classified as a developing nation under the UN framework, provides climate assistance but wants to keep doing so on its own voluntary terms. The EU and other countries have also tussled with Saudi Arabia over including strong language on moving away from fossil fuels, which negotiators say the oil-producing country has resisted. "We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. bur-np-sct/lth/givPOET Technologies Signs Manufacturing Agreement with Globetronics in Malaysia

Nov 28 (Reuters) - A look at the day ahead in Asian markets. Investors were grappling with fresh U.S. inflation data and its implications for Federal Reserve policy along with continued fallout from Donald Trump's tariff pledges as trading in the U.S. was thinning out ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Asian markets were waking up to a tepid day for U.S. equities, with technology shares leading major indexes lower. Shares of Dell (DELL.N) , opens new tab and HP (HPQ.N) , opens new tab sank after weak forecasts from the personal computer makers, weighing on the tech sector (.SPLRCT) , opens new tab . Data showed the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index -- an inflation gauge followed by the Fed -- rose 2.3% in the 12 months through October, a slight uptick from the prior month. Traders were still expecting another interest rate cut when the Fed meets in mid-December, with Fed futures showing that expectations of a 25 basis point reduction remained intact following the PCE data. Investors were trying to sort through the potential fallout from Trump's pledge earlier this week of big tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, which has rattled assets including currencies and auto shares . For example, Goldman Sachs economists estimated the tariffs, if implemented, would increase U.S. core PCE inflation by 0.9%. Meanwhile, Mexico's president warned the country would retaliate if Trump followed through with his 25% across-the-board tariff, a move her government warned could kill 400,000 U.S. jobs. With tariffs as a continued specter, major Asian indexes posted mixed sessions on Wednesday. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) , opens new tab ended lower, with automakers leading the losses, amid concerns about the impact of Trump's tariff plans and a stronger yen. But key China equity gauges gained more than 1%, as data showed a less sharp decline in the country's industrial profits and traders bet that Beijing will provide stimulus to counter risks from the U.S. tariffs. In India, a Reuters poll of equity analysts found that equity markets will take time to recover from their recent sell-off because they remain overvalued, with last week's Adani indictments only adding to the pain. Beyond the U.S., central bank policy was in focus elsewhere globally. New Zealand's central bank cut rates on Wednesday for a third time in four months, and flagged more substantial easing. The Bank of Korea is up next. The BOK is expected to keep its key policy rate at 3.25% on Thursday to support the Korean won against a strong U.S. dollar, according to a Reuters poll of economists, who forecast at least three rate cuts next year. The end of the week is expected to bring more eventful data in Asia, with GDP figures due in India and Taiwan on Friday, along with Tokyo CPI data. "Black Friday" -- the day after Thanksgiving -- also marks the unofficial start of U.S. holiday shopping season . The extent to which inflation-challenged shoppers flock to deals will be of interest to markets, with consumer spending making up more than two-thirds of U.S. economic activity. Here are key developments that could provide more direction to markets on Thursday: - Bank of Korea monetary policy meeting - Australia capex data (Q3) - Germany CPI (Nov) Sign up here. Reporting by Lewis KrauskopfEditing by Bill Berkrot Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tabIt's been a long road back to the highest levels of motorsport for Canadian driver Robert Wickens. Six years after he was paralyzed in a violent wreck, Wickens will again be behind the wheel against some of the best drivers in North America. Wickens, from Guelph, Ont., was named the newest driver for DXDT Racing earlier this week, moving the 35-year-old up to IMSA GTD competition for 2025, the highest class on the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series. His promotion was made possible by a new hand control braking system created by Bosch Electronics, with help from GM Motorsports and Corvette Racing/Pratt Miller. "It's not going to be easy but I wanted to get to the highest levels of motorsport again because, frankly, that's where I was when I was injured," said Wickens, who crashed at Pocono Raceway in 2018 during IndyCar's ABC Supply 500. "But not only that, I want to prove to myself and other generations of people with disabilities that you can really do anything. "Maybe you're having a hard time getting back to your place of work after a life-altering accident and — whatever your discipline, it doesn't even have to be athletics — but I know it's possible as long as you align yourself with a strong support system." For Wickens, that's been his wife Karli Wickens, his family and, in his professional life, organizations like Bosch and GM. Wickens's crash left him with a thoracic spinal fracture, a neck fracture, tibia and fibula fractures to both legs, fractures in both hands, a fractured right forearm, a fractured elbow, four fractured ribs, a pulmonary contusion, and an indeterminate spinal injury that combined to make him a paraplegic. As he has slowly recovered some movement in his legs, Wickens has eased back into motor racing. He drove the parade lap of the 2019 Honda Indy Toronto, competed in the IndyCar iRacing Challenge during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and then in January 2022 it was announced he would drive in the Michelin Pilot Challenge for Bryan Herta Autosport. He and co-driver Mark Wilkins won twice in the Michelin Pilot Challenge's TCR category with three podiums in 2022. In 2023 the pairing didn't win, but they reached the podium seven times to earn the TCR championship. All of Wickens's post-accident cars have been fitted with hand controls. Those conventional systems rely on paddles around the steering wheel that activate pneumatics that then press the foot pedals. Hand controls like that are acceptable for regular road vehicles and even lower levels of motorsports but in the highest classes, like IMSA GTD where cars top out at more than 280 kilometres, the lag between the driver toggling the paddle and the car responding is unacceptably slow. That's where the Bosch electronic system comes in, with the controls linked directly to the car's braking system, removing the pneumatics as an intermediary. "When you hit the brakes to slow the car down for each corner that was always a big challenge for me where (with) the Bosch electronic system, the latency is milliseconds not tenths of a second," said Wickens. "It's basically as accurate as I would be if I was an able-bodied driver wanting to apply the brake. "Honestly, it's just better in every facet imaginable. It's just been a true blessing." Advances in physical rehabilitation from spinal cord injuries as well as the ongoing development of vehicle technology has made Wickens's return to competitive motorsport possible. "I'm very fortunate in the timing of my paralysis and my career," Wickens said Wednesday from Tampa, Fla. "If this was even a decade ago we'd be having a very different conversation today." The IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship has four classes of vehicles: two sports prototype categories and two grand tourer classes. GTD is considered the highest of the four classes because each team must have at least a silver or bronze driver and more than one platinum-rated driver on a team is prohibited. "I want to win," said Wickens. "I think the big thing for me on this journey back was I wanted to race again because I truly felt like I could still win. "I want to raise awareness for spinal cord injury and disability, not by just being a participant, but by being the guy. I want to win races, fight for podiums, win championships, every time I'm sitting in the car." Wickens said he won't just be a role model for people living with paralysis or other mobility disabilities, but the technology his car will employ in 2025 will likely become commercially available for use in road vehicles. "Motorsports and the automotive racing industry were founded to be a proving ground for everyday automotive vehicles," he said. "From there you make road cars and road safety better. "Hopefully we can provide the technology and have regularly available components that can make any race car accessible for anyone that needs hand controls or any other form of disability." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Follow jchidleyhill.bsky.social on Bluesky. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press