wow888 free 297

wow888 free 297 The NRL has suspended Ezra Mam for nine games after the Brisbane Broncos star pleaded guilty to charges of drug driving. Mam's punishment was reported by the Courier Mail and is expected to see the five-eighth sidelined until Round 10, when the Broncos face the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The 21-year-old escaped a criminal conviction last week after pleading guilty to two charges relating to a drug-driving crash. The Queenslander was driving unlicensed before colliding into an Uber on October 18. The Uber was carrying three occupants at the time - 64-year-old driver Marcel Van Den Camp, a mother and her four-year-old daughter. In court, the magistrate fined Mam $850 and suspended his licence for six months, leading to an outcry of disappointment he didn't receive harsher punishment. News Corp revealed last week Mam had a history of traffic offences, including speeding, failure to stop at a red light, and driving while using a phone. His licence had also previously been suspended three times. After leaving court Mam issued a statement to the media, as he apologised to his fans and family, as well as the NRL and Brisbane Broncos. “Today is an important step in owning my actions and starting to make things right. To all the people involved in this accident, I’m truly sorry,” he said. “I promise to work on being a better person and representative of the club and the game that I love.” The Queensland government was left displeased with the punishment, as Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie labelled it "disgraceful". "It was a slap on the wrist," he said. Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said she would look into legislation changes following the penalty. “I can understand that for many Queenslanders, this outcome doesn’t pass the pub test,” she said in a statement. “Most Queenslanders would expect that the penalty for a driver who’s found to have drugs in their system would be more severe than the penalty for using a mobile phone behind the wheel. “I will be consulting with my colleagues, in particular the transport minister, and considering what changes can be made to our laws." The NRL has now come under fire with many accusing its punishment of also being too weak. Journalist Phil 'Buzz' Rothfield was one of several who slammed the suspension on social media. "The Ezra Mam 9-week ban by the NRL is not harsh enough for drug-driving and putting a 4-year-old in hospital with a broken hip while unlicensed. SHOULD HAVE BEEN 12-15 WEEKS MINIMUM," he posted on X. Another said the NRL "need to hang their heads in shame". "If you give Ezra Mam a 9 week ban shows how out of touch with society you really are. Cricket Australia gave players 12 months for ball tampering," a third wrote.

CHICAGO (AP) — When the Chicago Bears threatened to score in the closing minutes of a 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday, fans expressed their feelings loud and clear. They weren't cheering for a touchdown or field goal. They had something else in mind. “Sell the team!” they chanted. With their skid at 10 games, a season that started with playoff hopes can't end soon enough for the Bears (4-12). They will wrap it up when they visit the rival Green Bay Packers on Jan. 5. “My job is to go out there and win games,” quarterback Caleb Williams said. “And we don’t focus on the outside noise. The fans are going to cheer and maybe boo sometimes. And you can’t react to that. It’s not something that we react to.” Chicago is 14-36 in three seasons under general manager Ryan Poles and has two double-digit losing streaks. The Bears dropped their final 10 in 2022 when they were tanking as part of a franchise-record 14-game skid that stretched into last year. They've never lost more than 10 in a row in a single season. The slide was at six games when they fired former coach Matt Eberflus the day after a loss at Detroit on Thanksgiving, following a series of poor late-game decisions. They're 0-4 under interim coach Thomas Brown, and they've been dominated by Green Bay in recent decades. What’s working The defense. A defense that has gone from ranking seventh in yards per game through the first six weeks to 25th did its part against Seattle. The six points allowed were a season-low and the 265 yards the Bears gave up were their second-lowest. “As we know, our defense has a certain standard and we’ve showed it,” cornerback Kyler Gordon said. “So, obviously syncing a little bit. Just getting back on the guys to get back right. It’s just important to know what we can do and just go in there and execute.” What needs help Pass protection. Williams was sacked seven times, bringing his NFL-leading total and individual franchise record to 67. The Bears broke their previous mark of 66 sacks allowed in 2004, when they used four quarterbacks. Their issues on the offensive line are well-documented. And so is Williams' tendency to hold onto the ball too long, resulting in unnecessary sacks. “There were miscues,” Williams said. “There were stupid sacks that I was taking, losing 10, 14 yards, which is frustrating. But I will say that I will definitely take the heat for this one just because (of) some of the situations that I put us in.” Stock up DE Montez Sweat. The Bears gave up 53 yards rushing on Seattle's game-opening field-goal drive. But the line performed better after that. Sweat picked up his first sack since Week 12 against Minnesota on the first play of Seattle's second possession, when he took down Geno Smith for an 8-yard loss. Though he's only missed one game, Sweat has been slowed by ankle and shin injuries. His 5 1/2 sacks are a big drop from last season, when he had a combined 12 1/2 for Washington and Chicago while becoming the first NFL player to lead two teams in the same season. Stock down Williams. Coming off a promising outing against NFC leader Detroit that followed some shaky outings, Williams had a rough night. The No. 1 overall draft pick completed 16 of 28 passes for 122 yards — not much more than his low of 93 in a Week 1 win over Tennessee — after throwing for 334 yards and two touchdowns against the Lions. The seven sacks for 46 yards both matched his second-highest totals. Injuries The Bears reported no injuries during the game. Key number 5 — The Bears once again had trouble sustaining drives, converting just 5 of 15 third downs and punting on seven of their 10 possessions. They tied a season low with 11 first downs and managed 179 yards. Chicago owns the NFL's second-worst third-down conversion rate at 31.8% and is averaging a league-worst 287.3 yards per game. Next steps The Bears have lost 11 straight against the Packers — the longest streak by either team in the storied rivalry — and 26 of 29 counting the playoffs. They've dropped eight in a row at Lambeau Field since a win in 2015. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLCostco, Oracle, GameStop, and more stocks to watch this week - Yahoo Finance

A local Jubo Dal leader was killed during a clash between two factions of BNP in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram last night. The deceased Ashraful Islam, 38, was joint convener of Kurigram's Ulipur Upazila Jubo Dal. He was a supporter of Tasvirul Islam, former president of Kurigram District BNP. Police and local BNP men said the clash took place between supporters of former district BNP president Tasvirul Islam and Rangpur divisional joint organising secretary Abdul Khalek at Ulipur Police Station premises at 7:30pm. The clash broke out while leaders of the party tried to settle an non-political dispute between some leaders and activists. Jubo Dal leader Ashraful, who tried to stop the altercation, was seriously injured in the clash. He was taken to Ulipur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Tension spread in Ulipur upazila town soon after the news of his death came out. Angry leaders and activists of Tasvir Group vandalised the Sahawan Hotel owned by Khalek's supporter Aminul Islam and also set fire to the houses of Krishak Dal leader Abu Jafar Sohel Rana and former Chhatra Dal leader Firoz Kabir Kajal, who were present at the meeting. Kurigram Civil Surgeon Dr Manjur-e-Murshed said one person was brought to the hospital dead after the clash. Several others were admitted to the hospital. The Civil Surgeon could not immediately provide any information on the injury marks on the deceased's body. Ulipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zillur Rahman said he was on leave. He has received a report of clash between two BNP groups near the police station premises. One person has died. However, it is not yet confirmed whether he died of a beating or stroke. A local Jubo Dal leader was killed during a clash between two factions of BNP in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram last night. The deceased Ashraful Islam, 38, was joint convener of Kurigram's Ulipur Upazila Jubo Dal. He was a supporter of Tasvirul Islam, former president of Kurigram District BNP. Police and local BNP men said the clash took place between supporters of former district BNP president Tasvirul Islam and Rangpur divisional joint organising secretary Abdul Khalek at Ulipur Police Station premises at 7:30pm. The clash broke out while leaders of the party tried to settle an non-political dispute between some leaders and activists. Jubo Dal leader Ashraful, who tried to stop the altercation, was seriously injured in the clash. He was taken to Ulipur Upazila Health Complex, where doctors declared him dead. Tension spread in Ulipur upazila town soon after the news of his death came out. Angry leaders and activists of Tasvir Group vandalised the Sahawan Hotel owned by Khalek's supporter Aminul Islam and also set fire to the houses of Krishak Dal leader Abu Jafar Sohel Rana and former Chhatra Dal leader Firoz Kabir Kajal, who were present at the meeting. Kurigram Civil Surgeon Dr Manjur-e-Murshed said one person was brought to the hospital dead after the clash. Several others were admitted to the hospital. The Civil Surgeon could not immediately provide any information on the injury marks on the deceased's body. Ulipur Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Zillur Rahman said he was on leave. He has received a report of clash between two BNP groups near the police station premises. One person has died. However, it is not yet confirmed whether he died of a beating or stroke.

SUGAR LAND, Texas, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAOI) (“ AOI ,” “ we ,” “ us ” or “ our ”) announced today that it has closed its exchange with holders (the “ Noteholders ”) of its 5.25% Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “ 2026 Notes ”) of approximately $76.7 million principal amount of the 2026 Notes for (i) $125 million aggregate principal amount of 2.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2030 (the “ 2030 Notes ”), (ii) 1,487,874 shares of our common stock (the “ Exchange Shares ”) and (iii) approximately $89.6 thousand in cash representing accrued interest on the 2026 Notes and the value of fractional shares (such transactions, collectively, the “ Exchanges ”). The 2030 Notes are our senior, unsecured obligations and are equal in right of payment with our existing and future senior, unsecured indebtedness, senior in right of payment to our existing and future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated to the 2030 Notes and effectively subordinated to our existing and future secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing that indebtedness. The 2030 Notes bear interest at a rate of 2.75% per year, payable semiannually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year, beginning on July 15, 2025. The 2030 Notes will mature on January 15, 2030, unless earlier repurchased, redeemed or converted. The 2030 Notes are convertible at the option of holders of the 2030 Notes under certain specified circumstances, as set forth in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes. We will settle conversions by paying or delivering, as applicable, cash, shares of our common stock or a combination of cash and shares of our common stock, at our election, based on the applicable conversion rate. The initial conversion rate is approximately 23.0884 shares of our common stock per $1,000 principal amount of 2030 Notes, representing an initial conversion price of approximately $43.31 per share of our common stock, an approximately 27.50% premium to the closing price of our common stock on December 18, 2024. If a Make-Whole Fundamental Change (as defined in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes) occurs, and in connection with certain other conversions, we will in certain circumstances increase the conversion rate for a specified period of time. Except in connection with the completion of the Specified Divestiture (as described below), we may not redeem the 2030 Notes prior to January 15, 2027. On or after January 15, 2027, and on or before the 40 th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, we may redeem all or part of the 2030 Notes for cash if the last reported sale price per share of our common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price on (i) each of at least 20 trading days, whether or not consecutive, during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the trading day immediately before the date we send the related redemption notice; and (ii) the trading day immediately before the date we send such redemption notice, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the 2030 Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. Holders may require us to repurchase their 2030 Notes upon the occurrence of a Fundamental Change (as defined in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes) at a cash purchase price equal to the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. In addition, the 2030 Notes will be redeemable, in whole or in part, at our option at any time, and from time to time, on or before the 40 th scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date, at a cash redemption price equal to the principal amount of the 2030 Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, if the “Specified Divestiture” (as defined in the indenture governing the 2030 Notes) is completed. If the Specified Divestiture is completed, each holder will have the right to require us to repurchase its 2030 Notes for cash at a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such 2030 Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the repurchase date. The issuance of the 2030 Notes, the Exchange Shares and the shares of our common stock issuable upon conversion of the 2030 Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”), and the 2030 Notes, the Exchange Shares and such shares issuable upon conversion of the 2030 Notes may not be offered or sold without registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state or other jurisdictions’ securities laws, or in transactions not subject to those registration requirements. Concurrently with the Exchanges, AOI issued an aggregate of 1,036,458 shares of common stock, at a purchase price of $33.97 per share, in a registered direct offering (the “ Registered Direct Offering ”). Estimated net proceeds from the Registered Direct Offering are approximately $33.7 million after deducting placement agent fees and estimated offering expenses incurred by us. We intend to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, capital expenditures and working capital. We may also use such proceeds to fund acquisitions of businesses, technologies or product lines that complement our current business; however, we have no present plans, agreements or commitments with respect to any potential acquisition. Stefan Murry, AOI’s Chief Financial Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, stated that “AOI expects to benefit from the convertible debt exchange transactions and the concurrent registered direct offering by, among other things, extending our convertible debt from 2026 to 2030, reducing our existing interest expense and strengthening the cash position of our balance sheet by approximately $30.2 million through the registered direct offering. In addition, the convertible debt exchange transactions increase our financial flexibility by removing certain existing restrictive covenants in our 2026 Notes. We were able to execute these transactions with minimal additional dilution of approximately 0.5%, compared to the implied dilution of the shares underlying the 2026 Notes.” The Registered Direct Offering was made pursuant to an automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3ASR (Registration File No. 333-283905), which was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) on December 18, 2024, and became effective immediately upon filing, including the prospectus contained therein, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated December 18, 2024 filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on December 20, 2024. The prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the Registered Direct Offering are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. acted as AOI’s exclusive financial advisor in connection with the Exchanges and acted as the sole placement agent in connection with the Registered Direct Offering. Haynes Boone LLP acted as legal advisor to AOI and Mayer Brown LLP acted as legal advisor to Raymond James & Associates, Inc., in connection with the Exchanges and the Registered Direct Offering. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “believe,” “may,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “target,” “seek,” “aim,” “predicts,” “think,” “objectives,” “optimistic,” “new,” “goal,” “strategy,” “potential,” “is likely,” “will,” “expect,” “plan” “project,” “permit” or by other similar expressions that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes. Such forward-looking statements reflect the views of management at the time such statements are made. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, as well as assumptions and current expectations, which could cause our actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: reduction in the size or quantity of customer orders; change in demand for our products due to industry conditions; changes in manufacturing operations; volatility in manufacturing costs; delays in shipments of products; disruptions in the supply chain; change in the rate of design wins or the rate of customer acceptance of new products; our reliance on a small number of customers for a substantial portion of its revenues; potential pricing pressure; a decline in demand for our customers’ products or their rate of deployment of their products; general conditions in the internet datacenter, cable television (CATV) broadband, telecom, or fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) markets; changes in the world economy (particularly in the United States and China); changes in the regulation and taxation of international trade, including the imposition of tariffs; changes in currency exchange rates; the negative effects of seasonality; the impact of any pandemics or similar events on our business and financial results; and other risks and uncertainties described more fully in our documents filed with or furnished to the SEC, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024, June 30, 2024 and September 30, 2024. More information about these and other risks that may impact our business are set forth in the “Risk Factors” section of our quarterly and annual reports on file with the SEC. You should not rely on forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to us as of the date hereof, and qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release to conform these statements to actual results or to changes in our expectations. About Applied Optoelectronics Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical products, including components, modules and equipment. AOI’s products are the building blocks for broadband fiber access networks around the world, where they are used in the CATV broadband, internet datacenter, telecom and FTTH markets. AOI supplies optical networking lasers, components and equipment to tier-1 customers in all four of these markets. In addition to its corporate headquarters, wafer fab and advanced engineering and production facilities in Sugar Land, TX, AOI has engineering and manufacturing facilities in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China. Investor Relations Contacts: The Blueshirt Group, Investor Relations Monica Gould +1-212-871-3927 ir@ao-inc.com Cassidy Fuller +1-415-217-4968 ir@ao-inc.com

Southampton boss Russell Martin was left infuriated by two crucial refereeing decisions during his side's defeat to Liverpool . Martin saw his side give up a 2-1 lead as a Mo Salah brace handed Arne Slot his 10th Premier League victory , after Dominik Szoboszlai's strike had been cancelled out by goals from Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes. The result leaves Southampton bottom of the table with only a late penalty from Liverpool's star Egyptian denying the south coast side a point at St Mary's. The 38-year-old coach pinpointed his side being denied a penalty when Caoimhin Kelleher collided with Armstrong as a pivotal moment where the video assistant referee should have intervened. Martin was also left frustrated when offside was not awarded in a phase of play before Liverpool scored. "Adam Armstrong not getting a penalty at 2-1 up, I have a big issue with that. After watching it back in slo-motion, it’s what VAR is there for," he said. "Adam is trying to play the ball, the goalie tries to play the ball and misses it and collides with Adam – then it’s given as a handball against Adam. "So in my opinion it’s a penalty. It’s not the reason we lose, but at 2-1 that’s a big, big moment. “Then of course it’s subjective about Yuki [Sagawara]’s handball [for Mo Salah ‘s penalty winner], I haven’t seen it back so I have to accept that. But I have a big problem with that decision [against Armstrong]. “There’s a real, clear offside as well. We ask our guys to defend a high line from a wide free-kick, maybe a minute and 50 seconds or whatever before they score, but there’s five of their players offside and it doesn’t get given. So I’m annoyed at that, I am annoyed at that. “I’m proud of a lot of the performance, I’m annoyed at the goals we concede and I’m disappointed we don’t get anything from the game.” Reds boss Arne Slot was also left frustrated with the officials after Southampton were awarded a penalty after a foul that did not appear to be in the box. "In general sometimes you could have made a different decision or not, but for me with the offsides and deciding if a ball is inside or outside, that is just black and white," he said. "It was a foul, that was clear, so if they saw it was inside then, yes, it’s a penalty. Sometimes with a knock, yes or no, or red card, yes or no. There was also an incident in the first half where you could argue if it’s a red card, yes or no. Those things you can argue, but offside and inside or outside the 18-yard box is something you cannot argue." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.Stocks shook off a choppy start to finish higher Monday, as Wall Street kicked off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 ended 0.7% higher after having been down 0.5% in the early going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also recovered from an early slide to eke out a 0.2% gain. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Gains in technology and communications stocks accounted for much of the gains, outweighing losses in consumer goods companies and elsewhere in the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3.7%. Broadcom climbed 5.5% to also help support the broader market. Walmart fell 2% and PepsiCo slid 1%. Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. U.S.-listed shares in Honda jumped 12.7%, while Nissan ended flat. Eli Lilly rose 3.7% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.5% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. All told, the S&P 500 rose 43.22 points to 5,974.07. The Dow gained 66.69 points to 42,906.95. The Nasdaq rose 192.29 points to 19,764.89. Traders got a look at a new snapshot of U.S. consumer confidence Monday. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a roughly 25% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.59% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets closed mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas.

PM looks to ‘brighter future’ at Christmas and ‘wishes for peace in Middle East’

NYPD drone helps nab two Queens teen subway surfers — one of whom had MTA train keys

Legislation increasing the accessibility of home heating aid and to help identify more seniors who are eligible for the Home Energy Assistance Program — a federal program available to New Yorkers implemented to help low-income homeowners and renters afford costs associated with heating and cooling, was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday. Through the legislation, applicants and participants of the Elderly Pharmaceutical Coverage Program will be provided information and instructions for enrollment in HEAP, according to a news release from Hochul's office. "Programs like HEAP help put money back in the pockets of hard-working New Yorkers, helping heat their homes in the dead of winter,” Hochul said. “From raising the minimum wage to our proposed inflation refund checks, we’re doing everything we can to tackle the affordability crisis head-on.” Under the legislation, the Department of Health, which oversees EPIC and its applications, will provide HEAP information and enrollment information with each EPIC application and also through an annual notice to EPIC participants. Barbara C. Guinn, state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance commissioner, said, “HEAP is a vital lifeline for low-income working families and older adults on a fixed income and also provides financial support to ensure those in emergency situations can keep the heat on and keep their homes warm during the cold winter months.” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “Governor Hochul understands that having a safe and comfortable home, protected from the elements, is a social determinant of health that is foundational to improved health outcomes. New York sees some of the coldest temperatures during the winter and this important legislation will ensure New York’s most vulnerable senior citizens are safeguarded from the cold without facing the added costs of heating their homes.” On Nov. 12, Hochul announced that additional funding was available for seniors and low- and middle-income households to help lower their heat and energy bills. HEAP can provide up to $996 to eligible households. Applications for the regular HEAP benefit opened Nov. 1 and can be found online at . Seniors who require assistance filling out their HEAP applications can contact their local office for the aging or the NY Connects helpline at 800-342-9871.When Pontiac debuted the first Firebird in 1967, the popular engine of choice was the 400-cubic inch, 4-barrel carburetor V8 with Ram Air hood scoops. Since engine output relies heavily on the amount of air that can move through the system, induction technology, like the Ram Air, was devised to help push even more oxygen under the hood. Importantly, with Ram Air, it wasn't just more airflow that was crucial, but also the fact that it was flowing from outside of the hot engine compartment, meaning it was cooler in temperature. If small hood scoops can provide a performance boost through induction, what about a large hole over the engine with an air intake mounted directly on top of the air cleaner? This concept became known as a shaker hood, as the scoop and air cleaner shook along with the engine, hence the name. While shaker hoods certainly looked menacing, actual performance measures only support a modest increase in output, if any at all. Pontiac wasn't the first to incorporate a shaker hood, but the most iconic models from every generation of Pontiac Trans Am featured one. The Trans Am shaker hood included a large rear-facing scoop mounted to the air cleaner, drawing in crisp outside air. Functional Pontiac shaker hoods could be found on a few Trans Am models, one GTO, and one Can Am model. There is a major difference between the 1970 through 1972 Pontiac Trans Am and the '73 through '81, even though you can spot a shaker hood on all of them. The early '70s Trans Am featured a working shaker hood, which would actually suck air into the engine. However, in 1973, the auto industry was fighting against more restrictive emissions and noise requirements, posing a significant hurdle to the working shaker hood. Not wanting to detract from the overall esthetics of the Trans Am, Pontiac added a non-functional shaker hood in '73. While it still looks the part, the shaker hood didn't actually do anything. For example, the Trans Am from Smokey and the Bandit, which was one of the classic muscle cars that made it to the movies , includes a non-operational shaker hood. The 1974 Pontiac GTO also sported an active shaker hood. However, this GTO model wasn't as popular with muscle car fans as it lacked the robust output of earlier models, and it was built on a different platform that more resembled a Chevy Nova. Pontiac's final attempt at a fully operational shaker hood was in the 1977 Can Am, which was a special performance package for the LeMans. Unfortunately, a functioning shaker hood and decent performance weren't enough to overcome massive production delays, and the Can Am was halted in the same year. The one benefit nearly everyone can agree on in terms of the shaker hood is that it exudes style. While you can always take in the deep, growling tones of a classic muscle car V8, you could also see it with a shaker hood. For enthusiasts, this prominent element also made a statement, alerting those around that this particular Pontiac had some serious oomph under the hood. Other than looks, though, the bump in output is marginal at best. While a shaker hood is superior in terms of airflow to a basic air intake setup, its ability to grab colder air might only provide a mild advantage in performance. This intake system does deliver more oxygen, which can enhance the combustion process, delivering some extra horses at faster speeds, but it won't have much effect off the starting line. While a shaker hood did provide a slight advantage, it was also a mechanism to boost sales. Fortunately for Pontiac, it was effective even when the automaker added it only for show, such as those featured on the engines that powered the 1979 Pontiac Firebird , a top-selling year, with 117,109 units sold with shaker hoods.Driving Apparel Market to Surpass $23.32 Billion by 2030, Growing at a 5.90% CAGR from 2023 to 2030David Coote will not appeal against the termination of his contract by referees’ body PGMOL, the PA news agency understands. Coote was sacked earlier this month after the emergence of a video in which he made derogatory remarks about Liverpool and their former manager Jurgen Klopp. Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) said that a thorough investigation had concluded he was “in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable”. “Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare,” PGMOL’s statement on December 9 added. Coote had the right to appeal against the decision but PA understands the Nottinghamshire referee has decided not to. The video which triggered PGMOL’s investigation into Coote’s conduct first came to public attention on November 11. In it, Coote is asked for his views on a Liverpool match where he has just been fourth official, and describes them as “s***”. He then describes Klopp as a “c***”, and, asked why he felt that way, Coote says the German had “a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown” and had accused him of lying. “I have got no interest in speaking to someone who’s f****** arrogant, so I do my best not to speak to him,” Coote said. Later in the video, Coote again refers to Klopp, this time as a “German c***”. The Football Association opened its own investigation into that video, understood to be centred on that last comment and whether Coote’s reference to Klopp’s nationality constituted an aggravated breach of its misconduct rules. The investigation by PGMOL which led to Coote’s contract being terminated is also understood to have looked at another video which appeared to show Coote snorting a white powder, purportedly during Euro 2024 where he was one of the assistant VARs for the tournament. European football’s governing body UEFA also appointed an ethics investigator to look into the matter.

College hoops’ Thanksgiving tournaments beloved part of the sportKimberley hosts U18 BC Curling Championships

Bangladesh tolerance festival scrapped after Islamist threatsSources: Struggling Kings fire Mike Brown

This doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the end of the road for Primeau in the Canadiens organization, but it remains a possibility. when the Canadiens claimed him off waivers in 2021. It was entirely foreseeable that the Montreal Canadiens would be calling goaltender Jakub Dobes up from the Laval Rocket and bringing him with them to South Florida on Friday. But there will be fallout, writes . — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) However, Montembeault’s sample size in the NHL was very small when he was placed on waivers. He had played only 25 games in the NHL, but had an efficiency rate of less than .900. – The Alouettes extend Evans’ contract. re-sign QB Caleb Evans to a 1-year deal Won both his starts in 2023 but suffered a season-ending knee injury in Hamilton last August. Threw a beautiful TD pass to David Dallaire in that game too. Very good at short yardage too! — Joey Alfieri (@joeyalfieri) – Bergevin didn’t only make bad moves in Montreal. Another product of former GM Marc Bergevin tenure will graduate tomorrow. Jakub Dobes 2020 draft 136 overall. Look at the roster. the numbers are there. Hockey people love numbers.... — Stormin Norman (@Stormin1Norman) – Heavy loss for Ottawa. Linus Ullmark devrait rater les 5 prochains matchs — RDS (@RDSca) – Coaching change in Sacramento. Breaking: The Sacramento Kings have fired head coach Mike Brown, sources told . Sacramento is in the midst of a five-game losing streak and has lost 12 of its last 17 games. — ESPN (@espn)WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer , a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. RELATED COVERAGE Court rules Georgia lawmakers can subpoena Fani Willis for information related to her Trump case Mexico tests cellphone app allowing migrants to send alert if they are about to be detained in US Canadian ministers head to Palm Beach for talks with incoming Trump administration Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks , whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government , weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift, and his presidential transition team did not respond to a message seeking comment. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect , was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration , including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order , which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club , and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.Holiday gift ideas for the movie lover, from bios and books to a status tote