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roulette design If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above. ← Back FENTON, Mo. – The Farmington girls basketball team sank 7-of-10 free throws in overtime to beat Lindbergh 49-45 on Monday in the first round of the Rockwood Summit Tournament. The Knights wasted an eight-point advantage with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, but stayed ahead after freshman Lila Roth sealed a defender for the first field goal of the extra session. Kate Jenkerson and Madison Mills added perfect trips to the line, and Farmington (7-2) captured its sixth consecutive win while advancing to face top seed Francis Howell on Friday. A runner in the lane by Jenkerson and corner 3-pointer by Mills helped restore a 40-32 lead. But the Flyers erased the entire thing within a span of 53 seconds. Piper Wilmot scored on an entry pass, and Lindbergh (4-4) stole two errant passes before pulling even at 40-40 on 3-pointers by Kate Ritter and Claudia Hanson. The teams traded offensive fouls and missed shots over the last four possessions of the fourth quarter, and the Knights had a 9-5 scoring edge in overtime. Roth finished with 11 points and six rebounds, and fellow freshman Madison Clay provided a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and two assists for Farmington. Clay collected her own miss for a putback, and the Knights carried a 12-5 lead through one quarter. Kenzie Tucker made 2-for-3 free throws just before the second expired for a 22-14 margin. Lindbergh withstood a ragged first half with 17 turnovers, and committed only one during the third period while modestly chipping away. M.J. Abercrombie countered a Roth basket with a runner, and sparked an 11-2 surge. Kate Ritter turned a steal into a transition 3-point play that propelled the Flyers ahead 27-26. Ella Scott regained the lead for Farmington at the line, and Clay extended it on a putback. But a triple at the buzzer by Josephine Mullins kept Lindbergh within 32-30. Jenkerson finished with nine points and three steals, while Mills compiled eight points, six rebounds and a game-high five steals in the victory. Ritter paced all players with 15 points. Olivia Heggemeier grabbed six rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter, and equaled Mullins with nine points each for Lindbergh. The Flyers totaled 25 turnovers compared to 23 by the Knights. Francis Howell defeated Liberty (Wentzville) 64-43 in other first-round action.

As TikTok bill steams forward, online influencers put on their lobbying hats to visit WashingtonTORONTO, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mink Ventures Corporation (TSXV:MINK) (" MINK ” or the " Company ") today announced that the Board of Directors has approved the grant of an aggregate number of 500,000 incentive stock options to its officers and directors. The exercise price of the stock options granted is $0.10 per common share. Subject to the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange and the Company's Stock Option Plan, the options have a term of ten years and will expire on November 22, 2034. About Mink Ventures Corporation: Mink Ventures Corporation (TSXV:MINK) is a Canadian mineral exploration company exploring for critical minerals in Ontario, Canada. It has a highly prospective, nickel copper cobalt exploration portfolio, with its Montcalm project, which now covers ~100 km 2 adjacent to Glencore's former Montcalm Mine with historical production of 3.93 million tonnes of ore grading 1.25% Ni, 0.67% Cu and 0.051% Co (Ontario Geological Survey, Atkinson, 2010), as well as its expanded Warren Project. These complementary nickel copper cobalt projects have excellent access and infrastructure and are in close proximity to the Timmins Mining Camp. The Company has 22,456,488 common shares outstanding. For further information about Mink Ventures Corporation please contact: Natasha Dixon, President & CEO, T: 250-882-5620 E: [email protected] or Kevin Filo, Director, T: 705-266-6818 or visit www.sedar.com . Forward Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking information", including, but not limited to, statements with respect to the prospectivity of the Company's projects. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of MINK to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect the outcome include, among others: future prices and the supply of metals; the results of exploration work; inability to raise the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the Montcalm Project; environmental liabilities (known and unknown); general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; political instability, or delays in obtaining governmental and stock exchange approvals. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to MINK's filings with Canadian securities regulators available on SEDAR. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and MINK disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or ac curacy of this release.

Editorial: Winding down 526 won't be easy, but it should be fair

Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president, has died at 100NEB_Haarberg 5 run (Hohl kick), 12:07. WIS_Green 4 pass from Locke (Vakos kick), 8:52. NEB_Dowdell 12 run (Hohl kick), 14:18. WIS_FG Vakos 33, 9:58. NEB_Banks 5 pass from Raiola (Hohl kick), :17. NEB_FG Hohl 37, :02. NEB_FG Hohl 45, 11:18. NEB_Dowdell 3 run (Hohl kick), 3:07. WIS_Green 24 pass from Locke (Vakos kick), 1:19. NEB_FG Hohl 26, 10:52. WIS_Anthony 58 pass from Locke (Green pass from Locke), 8:30. NEB_Dowdell 1 run (Hohl kick), 3:11. RUSHING_Wisconsin, Dupree 8-63, Walker 14-55, Locke 2-(minus 1), (Team) 1-(minus 2). Nebraska, E.Johnson 16-113, Dowdell 10-41, Haarberg 6-18, Barney 1-11, Ervin 1-2, (Team) 2-(minus 5). PASSING_Wisconsin, Locke 20-30-1-292. Nebraska, Raiola 28-38-0-293. RECEIVING_Wisconsin, Anthony 7-137, Green 4-52, Kekahuna 3-39, Dupree 2-14, Brooks 1-27, Acker 1-11, Nowakowski 1-8, Ashcraft 1-4. Nebraska, Barney 9-85, E.Johnson 6-85, Banks 4-52, Neyor 4-22, Boerkircher 2-29, Garcia-Castaneda 1-10, Lindenmeyer 1-8, Bonner 1-2. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Wisconsin, Vakos 41, Vakos 34.

Tekken 8 Gets Its Biggest Discount of the YearWorlase Kpeli, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Afram Plains North, has revealed his intention to consult with his constituents before deciding whether to align with the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Parliament. In an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show, Kpeli emphasized the importance of a thoughtful decision-making process, acknowledging the complexity of aligning with any political party. “There are a lot of things that go into this decision and consultations. There are decisions that one must go through to determine who to do business with, and I will have to consult my people before,” he stated. Kpeli’s victory marked a notable political shift, as he ran as an independent candidate after being suspended by the NDC. Despite the odds, he secured the Afram Plains North seat, showcasing strong grassroots support. Regarding his future relationship with the NDC, Kpeli pointed out that the party’s constitution does not explicitly prohibit him from engaging with the NDC following his independent candidacy. “Looking through the NDC’s constitution, there is no express clause that goes against me going independent. It is just by convention that we all say it, but expressly, I don’t see any binding clause that forfeits my membership in the NDC,” he explained. Kpeli’s stance underscores his commitment to consult with his constituents before making any decisions about his parliamentary affiliation, signaling that his political alignment will be shaped by the interests of those who elected him.TORONTO — Canada's main stock index pushed higher to end Monday up almost 150 points on light trading action, while U.S. stock markets also gained ahead of the Christmas break. "Today is a quiet pre-Christmas Day of trading," said Kevin Burkett, a portfolio manager at Victoria, B.C.-based Burkett Asset Management. While markets in both Canada and the U.S. were mild, Burkett suggests watching the markets closely during the holiday season, a contrast to what's typically a sleepy period for markets. "We're continuing to watch markets very closely here because you've got some tectonic plate shifting in terms of the macroeconomic backdrop," he said. "It's all the political conversations both in Canada and in the U.S." Burkett added fiscal policy seems to be disconnected from monetary policy in the post-pandemic period. "The fiscal policy may shift and that shift absolutely has market implications both in the short and long term," he said. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 149.50 points at 24,748.98. Statistics Canada released its latest numbers on Canada's economic growth, up 0.3 per cent in October — driven by the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector. The loonie continued its slide, trading for 69.47 cents US compared with 69.61 cents US on Friday. The telecom sector was the biggest loser at the closing on TSX, which Burkett attributed to "tax loss selling happening at the end of the year." Competition Bureau Canada announced on Monday it was suing Rogers Communications Inc. for allegedly making misleading claims about its infinite wireless plans. The stock price for Rogers, which is hovering near 52-week lows, fell 0.7 per cent on Monday. Meanwhile, BCE was down almost 1.4 per cent and Telus dropped 0.9 per cent. Burkett suggested the day's poor performance among telecom companies was likely tax loss selling since it's almost the end of the year. "It's been a tough year for the communication services sector," he said. South of the border, communications services was the top-performing sector, led by large-cap tech companies. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 66.69 points at 42,906.95. The S&P 500 index was up 43.22 points at 5,974.07, while the Nasdaq composite was up 192.29 points at 19,764.89. The February crude oil contract was down 22 cents at US$69.24 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down six cents at US$3.35 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$16.90 at US$2,628.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down one cent at US$4.09 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX: GSPTSE, TSX: CADUSD, TSE: BCE, TSE: RCI. B) Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press

Shedeur Sanders often draws attention to himself. But usually, its for his standout passing ability while leading Colorado to wins. On Saturday, however, the Buffaloes' star quarterback found himself at the center of a pair of controversial players. No. 16 Colorado faced a deficit throughout its Week 13 matchup against Kansas. And in the second half, Sanders was spotted putting his hands on an official. That came after the Buffaloes quarterback took a massive hit to the legs in the first half — one that wasn't penalized, which stirred up debate across social media. Here's a look at the two buzzworthy plays involving Sanders from Saturday, the first being his physical interaction with an official, then the uncalled hit he took against the Jayhawks. NCAAF HQ: Live NCAAF scores | Updated NCAAF standings | Full NCAAF schedule Shedeur Sanders pushes referee in Colorado vs. Kansas In the frustration of Colorado trailing Kansas in the second half, Fox's broadcast team caught Sanders approaching a referee, then giving him a shove from behind after a play was over. After the network showed the clip, Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira said Sanders was "lucky he wasn't ejected from the game." "He's lucky he wasn't ejected from the game." @MikePereira takes a closer look at Shedeur Sanders' push on the ref ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/SSESj7QtId Sanders remained in the game after the interaction, but players are often immediately ejected for physically interacting with an official. The Buffaloes likely got a huge break with the officials either not noticing Sanders' shove — or seeing it, but opting to not punish the star player. Shedeur Sanders takes controversial hit vs. Kansas Sanders was the subject of controversy earlier in the game as well, but for a much different reason. After he clearly had already thrown a pass and wasn't a threat to make a play, a Kansas defender came flying in, taking Sanders down with a shot to his legs. Kansas with a big hit on Shedeur Sanders 😬 pic.twitter.com/5jXVaGb1Rh No penalty was called on the play. College football fans, though, immediately suggested that the Jayhawks should have been called for roughing the passer as a result of the low hit. Such a dirty hit on Shedeur Sanders, how is this NOT a flag? Terrible pic.twitter.com/kMIiYqAqwn

Environment Canada has issued weather warnings for parts of Nova Scotia, including Halifax, Malay Falls, Lunenburg and Cape Breton. It has been wet and windy for much of Nova Scotia all day, resulting in power outages across the province and delayed ferry crossings . Localized flooding prompted Elections Nova Scotia to close a polling station in Sydney. Another closed in Donkin when the power went out. Halifax Transit has paused ferry service. Shuttles will now be provided. According to Environment Canada , strong winds in Cape Breton are supposed to continue until tonight with maximum wind gusts reaching 90 km/h. Most of mainland Nova Scotia will see additional rainfall amounting to 5 to 10 millimetres tonight and winds gusting from 40 to 70 km/h overnight. MORE TOP STORIES N.S. political parties take differing views on federal government's GST holiday Group of Independents in N.S. requests judicial review of snap election call N.S. wildfire victim may have to pay hundreds more in property taxes. Political parties weigh in Group aims to reduce barriers to health care for 2SLGBTQ+ elders N.S. man accused of 2nd-degree murder found not criminally responsible

Hail Flutie: BC celebrates 40th anniversary of Miracle in Miami

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. According to documents released by the state, Rush Street accepted 16 bets worth $1,523 in Nov. 2021 on a college basketball game between the University of North Carolina-Asheville and Tennessee Tech University after the game had already concluded with a UNC victory. Kambi told the enforcement division that a trader had failed to manually remove that game from its betting markets, saying it had stopped receiving messages from its own sports data provider due to a network connectivity error. Kambi said it has updated its guidelines and retrained its traders to prevent a recurrence. Kambi, which is based in Malta, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday. Rush Street declined comment, and DraftKings had no immediate comment Monday. DraftKings stopped using Kambi in 2021. In March 2022 Rush Street took seven bets totaling just under $2,900 on three Magic City Jai Alai games after the results were already known. Kambi told the division it experienced a connectivity issue that allowed the bets to be accepted after the games were over. An explanation of what Kambi did to address the situation was blacked out in documents released by the division. A month earlier Rush Street took 13 wagers worth $8,150 with pre-match odds on a Professional Golf Association match after the event had already begun. In this case, Kambi told the division a newly hired trader failed to enter the correct closing time time for bets on the event. The trader and a supervisor underwent retraining. DraftKings was fined for taking bets on unapproved events including Russian basketball for nine months in 2020 and 2021. It eventually voided over $61,000 in bets and returned the money to customers after being directed to do so by the state. In this case, Kambi told the division it misidentified this particular Russian basketball league as one that was approved for wagering in New Jersey. DraftKings told the state it did not catch the error, either. In 2020, DraftKings accepted 484 wagers on unapproved table tennis matches. Kambi incorrectly enabled the events for wagering without conditions required by the state, the division said. In Feb. 2022, the division said DraftKings took pre-season NFL bets involving specific players but did not give the state specific information on what information was to be included in the bets, drawing 182 wagers worth nearly $7,000 that were later voided and refunded to customers. ___ Follow Wayne Parry on X at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Hizbollah rockets land near Tel Aviv after large Israeli strike on Beirut

MLB Winter Meetings Notebook: Juan Soto, Roki Sasaki drive Day 1 chatterAustralian NBA star Ben Simmons’ role is up in the air after the Brooklyn Nets made a trade for prodigal son D’Angelo Russell. Average of 9 LIVE Regular Season games per week plus the best of the NBA Playoffs, including every game of the NBA Conference Finals & NBA Finals LIVE on ESPN, available via Kayo New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. Brooklyn shipped veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith and backup guard Shake Milton — who was coming on of late — to Los Angeles for three second-round picks, Maxwell Lewis and former Net D’Angelo Russell. The Nets will get the Lakers’ second-rounders in 2027, 2030 and 2031. The news was first reported by ESPN, and confirmed by The Post. Russell — averaging 12.4 points and 4.7 assists — was a key linchpin of general manager Sean Marks’ first rebuild in Brooklyn, before being moved in a sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant. It remains to be seen if he’ll be around for this second rebuild. And if he still harbors any hard feelings over being traded away the first time. In Finney-Smith, the Nets traded away their toughness on the court and the grownup in the room. Having one of the best seasons of his career, he was a team-leading plus-41, when no other Net was better than plus-2 coming into Sunday’s game in Orlando. Finney-Smith is shooting a career-high 44 percent from 3-point range. But he had a player option for next year that he was unlikely to pick up, meaning he could’ve left for nothing in unrestricted free agency in the summer. Marks and Nets owner Joe Tsai had an offer of two first-round picks for Finney-Smith as soon as they acquired him from Dallas for Kyrie Irving. But they were trying to compete behind Mikal Bridges at the time, and had no interest in a tear-down rebuild. But times have changed. Now they’re rebuilding, and once again Russell could be part of it. They’d acquired the young point guard from the Lakers and molded him into an All-Star. He helped guide them into the 2018-19 playoffs, but was traded in the summer of 2019 as part of the deal to bring in Durant. Asked in 2021 if he was extra motivated playing against the Nets, he said no but would certainly be if Marks was suiting up. “Maybe if Sean Marks was in a jersey, then there’d be something different,” Russell told The Post. “But he’s not. “It’s part of the league. Obviously I was traded before that, so I’m sure I could be traded again. I try not to get too comfortable. You know, I know any day you can wake up and get that call, so my bags are packed.” Russell is on an expiring contract that will pay him $18.7 million. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Brooklyn currently starts Ben Simmons at point guard, on a $40 million expiring deal. Originally published as Fresh NBA problem for Ben Simmons after surprise trade Read related topics: Ben Simmons NBA Don't miss out on the headlines from NBA. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories Sport Golden hauls, spats, tears: Top 100 sporting moments of 2024 From Australia’s record golden haul at the Paris Games to controversies that split the sporting world – we look back at 100 moments that shaped the sporting calendar. Read more NBA ‘First since MJ’: Aussie’s absurd history Josh Giddey has etched his name into the record books after delivering a jaw-dropping display in his first game back on the court. Read more

I watch porn daily before school pick-up – it makes me a better mum but my friends would be horrified if they found out

Republicans rally around Hegseth, Trump's Pentagon pick, as Gaetz withdraws for attorney generalManitobans with learning disabilities gathered with allies on Sunday afternoon to raise awareness about “Marin’s principle” and related gaps in the public school system. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Manitobans with learning disabilities gathered with allies on Sunday afternoon to raise awareness about “Marin’s principle” and related gaps in the public school system. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Manitobans with learning disabilities gathered with allies on Sunday afternoon to raise awareness about “Marin’s principle” and related gaps in the public school system. More than 50 people showed up to the Corydon Community Centre to participate in an education forum hosted by Jon Gerrard, former MLA for River Heights, and the Manitoba Liberal Party. Twila Richards, a teacher, spoke about how her now-adult daughter struggled in school as a result of dyslexia, dysgraphia and dyscalculia, among other diagnoses, and inadequate interventions. “Marin is not a dropout. Marin is a survivor, and the trauma is still there,” Richards said. “I spoke to a couple of Marin’s former classroom teachers this past couple of days. They, her former teachers, signed Marin’s principle and they are saddened still as they never received the proper training to teach the students like Marin.” The mother of two launched the call to action named after her daughter, as well as a petition to draw attention to the challenges many marginalized students face and improve school screening, instruction and intervention. Marin’s principle is about ensuring every struggling student receives support to realize their human right to become literate, and so much more, she said. The Manitoba Human Rights Commission launched a special project to document concerns about reading instruction in fall 2022. There have been numerous unexplained delays in what’s been dubbed the “Manitoba Right to Read” consultations via survey and in-person meetings. Richards originally advocated for the commission-led initiative in 2020. She launched Marin’s principle this year, owing to concerns about the delays and the urgency of the situation — especially the deteriorating wellbeing of struggling learners. Gerrard, a retired pediatrician, said he’s disappointed in the stalled project and that Manitoba has not introduced meaningful changes in response to a landmark Supreme Court of Canada ruling that affirmed the legal rights of students with learning disabilities in 2012. (The retiree has taken a special interest in learning disabilities dating back to 1980, when he worked under a mentor-professor with dyslexia in medical school, and because some of his in-laws have the same diagnosis.) Ahead of the forum, he published a 36-page report detailing research tying undiagnosed and untreated learning disabilities to low levels of self-esteem, substance abuse, suicide, homelessness, anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. The document relies heavily on the findings of the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s 2022 Right to Read inquiry, and offers a slew of recommendations, beginning with a holistic provincial plan. The NDP government pledged to establish “clear outcomes for literacy instruction” in the throne speech, marking the start of the second session of the 43rd legislature, last week. “There’s no recommended screening tool. School divisions are left to their own devices to choose whichever screening tool they feel is best — or cheapest (right now),” Ian McIntyre, a retired teacher and former president of the Manitoba Teachers’ Society, said Sunday. The other panelists included Jamie Pfau, president of the Manitoba Foster Parent Association, and Willard Reeves, a former running back with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who spoke about his challenges in elementary school. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Tyndall Park MLA Cindy Lamoureux, the sole representative for the Liberals in the Manitoba legislature, is expected to introduce the Marin’s principle petition when she returns to work; Lamoureux gave birth to her first child on Nov. 3. Citing concerns about declining reading performance and literacy being a key social determinant of health, the Canadian Paediatric Society recently released a position statement on the subject. “In-class quality reading programs must include phonemic awareness, phonics, and reading practice to improve word-reading accuracy and speed,” per the statement. The organization’s Manitoba branch has endorsed the advocacy initiative in support of structured literacy lessons and launched a petition in support of “evidence-based literacy instruction.” maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the . Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she joined the newsroom as a reporter in 2019. . Funding for the education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the . Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the . Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she joined the newsroom as a reporter in 2019. . Funding for the education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the . Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement Advertisement Updated on Sunday, November 24, 2024 5:37 PM CST: Adds file photoDrake eases by Stetson 49-10 to secure a second straight outright Pioneer Football League title

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Brainy, 'normal guy': the suspect in US insurance CEO's slayingI’m proud of my service chiefs, says TinubuWASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok's Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday. But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill. Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform. In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled. The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment. TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment. The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses. The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities. TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled. But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal. A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews. Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique. Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence. JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children. Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity. Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok. “I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said. But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials. AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report. This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille.

BBC Strike fans left puzzled over The Ink Black Heart series for same reasonMichelle Keegan's famous exes and broken engagement before marrying Mark WrightALTOONA, Pa. — After UnitedHealthcare’s CEO was gunned down on a New York sidewalk, police searched for the masked gunman with dogs, drones and scuba divers. Officers used the city's muscular surveillance system. Investigators analyzed DNA samples, fingerprints and internet addresses. Police went door-to-door looking for witnesses. When an arrest came five days later, those sprawling investigative efforts shared credit with an alert civilian's instincts. A Pennsylvania McDonald's customer noticed another patron who resembled the man in the oblique security-camera photos that New York police had publicized. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry speaks during a press conference regarding the arrest of suspect Luigi Mangione, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa., in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Luigi Nicholas Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family, was arrested Monday in the killing of Brian Thompson, who headed one of the United States’ largest medical insurance companies. He remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. By late evening, prosecutors in Manhattan had added a charge of murder, according to an online court docket. He's expected to be extradited to New York eventually. It’s unclear whether Mangione has an attorney who can comment on the allegations. Asked at Monday's arraignment whether he needed a public defender, Mangione asked whether he could “answer that at a future date.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after the McDonald's customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Police in Altoona, about 233 miles (375 kilometers) west of New York City, were soon summoned. This booking photo released Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections shows Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Pennsylvania Department of Corrections via AP) They arrived to find Mangione sitting at a table in the back of the restaurant, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he’d been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake,” the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, “we knew that was our guy,” rookie Officer Tyler Frye said at a news conference in Hollidaysburg. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Manhattan news conference that Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America." An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and $10,000 in cash — $2,000 of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a midtown Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9 mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Thompson’s body. The words mimic a phrase used to criticize the insurance industry. A poster issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows a wanted unknown suspect. (FBI via AP) From surveillance video, New York investigators gathered that the shooter fled by bike into Central Park, emerged, then took a taxi to a northern Manhattan bus terminal. Once in Pennsylvania, he went from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, “trying to stay low-profile” by avoiding cameras, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Col. George Bivens said. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. Mangione was valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, where his 2016 graduation speech lauded his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.” He went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” An NYPD police officer and K-9 dog search around a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Luigi Nicholas Mangione worked for a time for the car-buying website TrueCar and left in 2023, CEO Jantoon Reigersman said by email. From January to June 2022, Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Honolulu tourist mecca Waikiki. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with R.J. once but it didn’t work out because of his back," Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. NYPD officers in diving suits search a lake in Central Park, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago. Although the gunman obscured his face during the shooting, he left a trail of evidence in New York, including a backpack he ditched in Central Park, a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza, a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper. In the days after the shooting, the NYPD collected hundreds of hours of surveillance video and released multiple clips and still images in hopes of enlisting the public’s eyes to help find a suspect. “This combination of old-school detective work and new-age technology is what led to this result today,” Tisch said at the New York news conference. ___ Scolforo reported from Altoona and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Contributing were Associated Press writers Cedar Attanasio and Jennifer Peltz in New York; Michael Rubinkam and Maryclaire Dale in Pennsylvania; Lea Skene in Baltimore and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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