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BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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Johnson City Schools recently named three educators to represent the district in the state’s search for the 2025-26 Teacher of the Year. Towne Acres fifth-grade teacher Karen Bunch, Indian Trail Career Explorations teacher Brandie Wishon-Sanchez and Science Hill history teacher Ben Davenport have been named the district-wide Teachers of the Year. The three will now compete to be named Regional Teachers of the Year, and will have the opportunity to advance to grand division and statewide competitions if they win locally. Before the competition heats up, the three took the time to answer five questions about their careers and the importance of education. Five Questions with Karen Bunch Towne Acres fifth-grade teacher Karen Bunch was named one of the District-Level Teachers of the Year. A Knoxville native, Bunch has a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of Tennessee. Bunch has been a teacher for 32 years, with 31 of them spent at Towne Acres. Bunch currently resides in Kingsport with her husband, Michael, and their five cats. When outside of school, she spends her time reading, cooking, traveling and watching UT games with her friends and family. What led you to pursue a career in education? I have wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember. I loved ‘playing school’ with my stuffed animals and even had my own chalkboard! Several of my teachers inspired me to pursue leadership roles, which sparked the teaching bug! What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of being a teacher is seeing the lightbulb moment firsthand when a student ‘gets it’. That is such a rewarding experience for me! What is your favorite lesson or unit to teach in your classroom? This is my first year teaching fifth grade math, but I love seeing how my students have progressed from basic multiplication facts to more complex skills like multiplying decimals and fractions. It’s been fun learning with them! From my past years in third grade, I loved teaching physical science with exploration and hands-on activities. What is one piece of advice you share with students? Everyone makes mistakes. It’s how you recover that matters. What is one common misconception about being a teacher? One common misconception about being a teacher is work hours. Although our work hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with weekends, holidays and summers off, most teachers willingly go way beyond the contracted hours to provide for their students. Five Questions with Brandie Wishon-Sanchez Indian Trail Career Explorations teacher Brandie Wishon-Sanchez was named one of the District-Level Teachers of the Year. Originally from San Diego, California, Wishon-Sanchez spent most of her early childhood in Guam until moving to Charleston, South Carolina at the age of seven. Wishon-Sanchez moved to Tennessee when she was 16 after her father retired from the Navy. Wishon-Sanchez has a bachelor’s degree in social work and child psychology and a master’s degree in art and teaching. Wishon-Sanchez has been teaching for 24 years. When she’s not in the classroom, she enjoys dancing and spending time with family. What led you to pursue a career in education? As a child, I excelled academically but struggled behaviorally in school. I was the kid who talked too much, had too much attitude and was often sent out of class. Growing up at a time when ADHD wasn’t well understood, I never had a teacher who took the time to sit down, listen and truly understand what was going on with me. That experience shaped my decision to become an educator. I chose this profession to be the teacher I never had—the one who holds students accountable, but also provides the support and understanding they need. My goal is to be there for students, especially those who feel unseen, and to be part of the solution rather than giving up on those who need someone in their corner. What is your favorite part of your job? My favorite part of teaching is the opportunity to connect with students and watch them discover what they want to do in the future. As a career exploration teacher, I love guiding students as they create projects like commercials, video blogs and new business products. I also cherish my role in Hawk's Academy, where I work closely with students who need more behavioral support. Building relationships with these students, who often don’t get the chance to connect deeply with others, is incredibly rewarding and reminds me why I chose this profession. What is your favorite lesson or unit to teach in your classroom? One of my favorite lessons to teach is preparing eighth-grade students for the professional world. In this unit, they learn how to fill out applications, create resumes and navigate the do’s and don’ts of interviewing. The highlight is when community partners come in to conduct real interviews with the students, grading them on key skills like handshakes, confident answers and managing nerves. What is one piece of advice you share with students? One piece of advice I always share with each of my students is to never take life for granted. I encourage them to choose joy and gratitude daily, even during tough times. I always stress that every day if they can find the smallest thing to be thankful for it can lead to a more rewarding and fulfilling life. What is one common misconception about being a teacher? A common misconception about teaching is that it’s like babysitting and easy since we have ‘summers off,’ but nothing could be further from the truth. Having had a few careers and jobs in the past, I can say with all my heart that teaching is the most challenging, exhausting and frustrating job—and yet it’s also the most rewarding, endearing, loving and exciting career I have ever had. Every day, we get the privilege to wear so many hats for our kids. We become their parents, therapists, coaches, advocates, and so much more, we pour everything we have into helping students succeed and grow. Five Questions with Ben Davenport Science Hill history teacher Ben Davenport was named one of the District-Level Teachers of the Year. A Johnson City native, Davenport attended Science Hill High School and graduated in 2001 before going on to receive a bachelor’s degree in history from UT, a master’s degree in teaching from ETSU and an educational specialist degree from Union Commonwealth University. When outside the classroom, Davenport enjoys watching sports, traveling to new places and spending time with family. What led you to pursue a career in education? I visited a high school classroom as a college student and appreciated the interactions and learning that was happening. I have always had a desire to know and learn more. I think that I had positive role models in my life from my family and teachers, and as I got older I realized that those people had a direct effect on my future. I wanted to help others as they helped me, so it was a natural fit. What is your favorite part of your job? Each day is unique, and I love the challenge of teaching. I love the times when the lightbulb goes off in a student's head and they learn something new. I love when they can connect past events to the current day. I love seeing their critical thinking and analytical skills grow. This is the only profession that has an impact on all professions. What is your favorite lesson or unit to teach in your classroom? I love teaching about World War II. My grandfather was a WWII vet and his generation experienced the hardships of the Great Depression and were asked to sacrifice for the greater good to fight totalitarian regimes. Teaching students about the war at home and abroad helps students know about resiliency, sacrifice, empathy and what America can achieve when united for a cause. It shows how great this nation can be when we work together, not against one another. What is one piece of advice you share with students? Teaching history gives me all kinds of avenues to help students learn from the past. The best advice I can give them is to make a positive impact where they are and to have confidence in themselves. What is one common misconception about being a teacher? There are two misconceptions that come to mind immediately. First, students and teenagers are not as respectful or well behaved as they used to be. I find that kids by and large are good people. They want to help others, they are respectful of adults and they will work hard. They are motivated (and distracted) in many different ways, but I see great kids every single day at Science Hill. The second misconception is that teachers, especially experienced ones, can just ‘show up and teach’. Teachers have to constantly adapt and evolve how they teach and even what they teach. You have to be ready for different learning styles, different technology, different content and even different types of classrooms. Answers have been edited for length and AP style. Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter TodayLewis scores 18 as Toledo knocks off Defiance 111-49

Armenia’s Shant Sargsyan and India’s Murali Karthikeyan secured victories to climb to the top of the standings after five rounds at the Qatar Masters Open, while title favourite Arjun Erigaisi joined the four-point club at Aspire Zone on Saturday. Playing white pieces on board 2, Sargsyan beat Bulgarian grandmaster Arkadij Naiditsh while Karthikeyan defeated Iran’s Pouya Idani on board 3 with black pieces as both of them took their points tallies to 4.5. Erigaisi, meanwhile, reached four points after beating his compatriot Surya Shekhar Ganguly. On the top board, Russia’s sixth seed Andrey Esipenko drew with Iran’s Bardiya Daneshvar, bringing both players to four points. UAE’s Salem Abdulrahman also secured his fourth point with a win over India’s Sankalp Gupta, while India’s Rithvik R Raja had the better of compatriot and 19th seed Pranav V to join the four-point pack. Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan, World No. 6 and last year’s runner-up beat India’s Ayush Sharma to reach 3.5 points. His compatriot and defending champion Nodirbek Yakubboev also drew with Lorenzo Lodici (Italy, 26th seed), leaving both players with 3.5 points. Iran’s 3rd seed Parham Maghsoodloo defeated Aditya Dipangkar of India, raising his score to 3.5 points. Meanwhile, the only Qatari player in the main tournament, International Master Husain Aziz drew with India’s Rajesh Nayak, raising his score to 1.5 points. Aziz had previously drawn with Mongolia’s Turmunkh Munkhzul in Round 4, lost to Cuba’s Luis Ernesto Quesada (the No. 27 seed), Uzbekistan’s Abdimalik Abdisalimov and settled for a draw in the opening round against China’s Zhihang Xu (ranked 35th). In the Qatar Masters Open B tournament being held simultaneously, India’s 12-year-old Abdul Khader Syed, Uzbek Samandar Shermuhammadov and Pakistan’s Lodhi Mahmood remained unbeaten. No. 2 seed Lodhi beat Khazakstan’s Yernur Akhmediyar to collect his fifth point, while Sayed defeated Uzbekistan’s Khudoyor Maraimov. Shermuhammadov beat Egypt’s Mohammed Salah Zozek. Among Qatari winners in the B tournament on Saturday were Layan al-Qassabi (defeated Saudi Arabia’s Maitha al-Otaibi), Hamad al-Kuwari (beat compatriot Ahmed Saif), Turki al-Kuwari (beat India’s Dahanaraja Srijan) and Fahad al-Mansoori (defeated Johan Jobsy of India). The youngest participant of the B tournament, 9-year-old Asma al-Hammadi of Qatar lost to India’s Rishi Ghanesharathinam. Commenting on the ongoing prestigious tournament, Hamad al-Tamimi, Executive Director of the Qatar Chess Federation and Championship Director, highlighted the fierce competition and unexpected results at the top boards. With four rounds yet to be played, he acknowledged the difficulty in predicting the eventual champion. Al-Tamimi also commended the strong performances of Qatari players and the seamless organisational efforts, emphasising the tournament’s pivotal role in nurturing chess talent and promoting the sport’s growth. Related Story QU launches 4th World Congress on Engineering and Technology Al Kuwari reelected president of Qatar Rugby and Hockey committee

Giants Exec Blasts ESPN's Elle Duncan for Mocking Daniel Jones After ReleaseThe 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom Tuesday, where he was denied bail and his lawyer said he'd fight extradition to New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in the Dec. 4 attack on Brian Thompson after police say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted them to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione was led into the Hollidaysburg courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” He left hours later without saying anything and was driven away. Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. What's the latest? Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through by fighting extradition, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. What evidence has been gathered? In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. What do we know about Mangione? Mangione, who comes from a prominent Maryland family, was valedictorian of his elite Baltimore prep school and had degrees from one of the nation’s top private universities. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione's grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione, a spokesman for the lawmaker’s office confirmed. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin, said that Martin had learned that Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life. Friends in Hawaii widely considered Mangione a “great guy,” and pictures on his social media accounts show a fit and smiling young man on beaches and at parties. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger at what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, according to a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of the suspect’s handwritten notes and social media posts. The shooting and a quick escape Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. last Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Jamie Stengle, Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.NoneThe US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”

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The US tech giant said it now supported 550,000 jobs in the UK through direct employment, its supply chain and the economy around its App Store – with app developers having earned nearly £9 billion since it launched in 2008. Apple said its engineering teams were carrying out critical work on the firm’s biggest services, including key technology within Apple Intelligence, the iPhone maker’s suite of generative AI-powered tools which are expected to launch in the UK for the first time this week. Elsewhere, the firm said its growing TV empire, spearheaded by its Apple TV+ streaming service and production arm, had also helped boost its investment in the UK with Apple TV+ production in this country tripling in the last two years, the company said. Chief executive Tim Cook said: “We’ve been serving customers in the UK for more than 40 years, and we’re proud of our deep connection with communities across this country. “We’re thrilled to be growing our Apple teams here, and to keep supporting the extraordinary innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries of technology in so many ways.” The Chancellor Rachel Reeves said companies such as Apple were “intrinsic” to the UK’s prosperity by boosting jobs. “This government is laser focused on creating the right conditions for growth to help put more money in people’s pockets. “That’s what underpins the Plan for Change and is what has driven £63 billion worth of inward investment in the UK through our first international investment summit. “Companies like Apple are intrinsic to the success of our nation’s prosperity – helping deliver jobs, innovative technology, and boost infrastructure.”

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Apple’s UK engineering teams have ‘doubled in size in five years’Andy Andrews/DigitalVision via Getty Images Real estate stocks slid down despite rising odds of a rate cut in December 2024. Nonfarm payrolls resurged in November, making up for October's storms and the Boeing strike and then some, indicating that the labor market remains solid, data released by the

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For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter , with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that's the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal . His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft . Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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