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circus decorations Stock market today: Wall Street gains ground as it notches a winning week and another Dow recordWe often read about toxic bosses. What about their employee equivalents? I’m referring to the employee who wants to extract as much money from the company for as little work as possible and is prepared to go to any means to do so. In fact, given the abundance of social legislation supporting employees, they have ample available (often governmental) helping hands enabling them to do so. What can an employer do? Here’s a list of common scenarios and how best to navigate them. In Ontario, an employee is entitled to overtime at time and a half if the employer permits them to work more than 44 hours per week. In other provinces and federally, it is 40 hours. What does one do about an employee who creates and submits fictitious “records” of their hours, often after they are fired. I have seen those overtime hours add up to more than the employee’s ! Many employers are flummoxed. The employment standards branch, to which the employee complains to obtain that time and a half, requires employers to keep records of employees’ time and, if they have not created those records as required, will presumptively accept the employee’s version. Calling evidence to disprove the employee’s recording that they were working at specific times can be difficult and sometimes impossible. The best technique to protect themselves is to have a written memo, signed by everyone, advising that employees are prohibited from ever working over those 44 hours a week without the employer’s written consent. If an employer does that, unless the employee can prove the employer was wilfully blind and observed all of this overtime being worked and permitted it, the employer will have protected itself. Many employees combine long weekends and compliant doctors to obtain illegitimate paid vacations, taking time off work just because they wish to. If the employer has a paid sick leave policy, the employees will be paid for those days. Subject to certain statutory exceptions in some provinces, there is no inherent obligation for employers to pay for . Still, most medium and large employers will pay, at least for some number of days per year. Often other employees will know if a co-worker has a practice of falsely making such claims and will resent having to work when that employee does not. This affects morale as well as . What is the solution? In the provinces that permit employers to demand medical notes, require one so the employee cannot spend a day of leisure or at the cottage but instead must attend the doctor’s office. If you suspect that the employee is not genuinely ill, contact them to ask relevant business questions to ensure that they are engaged and prevent them from having a real holiday. Finally, if a particular employee has a pattern of suspicious absences, have their doctor list their limitations and functionalities and require them to work within that modified job description. At last resort, if you believe they are not disabled at all, have them attend an independent medical examination with a doctor you retain and then insist on compliance with that doctor’s recommendation. Of course, some employees can pretend to be working by simply staying near their phones but provide little value because, in the absence of supervision, they are not working at all. One solution is to install software that monitors their keyboards to ensure they are productive. Another is to order them back to work where they have to attend the office (and cannot take their dogs for a walk or watch that daytime soap). To answer the unspoken question: yes, you can order back to work those who are not effectively working from home — whether it be because they are simply not working or because they are ineffective in that modality — while allowing employees who are effectively working from home to continue doing so. And yes, that is , but it is legal discrimination. Some employees push their employers, including in the ways discussed above, hoping to be fired. They misbehave hoping their misconduct will be rewarded. What can employers do? Start documenting their activity and providing warnings. If the employee miscalculates, you might well develop a case for cause, or at least give the employee the perception that they could lose such a case, which will make them ultimately change their conduct, or take less if you terminate them. You can also assign them duties that minimize the ill effect of their conduct — duties that would not amount to a constructive dismissal. And you can warn them that continued misconduct will affect their . References can last for one’s entire career. Employees can make claims without any foundation, such as to human rights, occupational health and safety and/or to human rights. This is often done in the hope of provoking a firing. The problem is that retaliating by firing them is itself a violation of these statutes, so that is not a viable option. Another problem is that, even if the employer is successful, they cannot recover costs from the employee. Some of these statutes have provisions whereby the cases can be dismissed on an early basis if they are frivolous. Again, although this cannot be threatened, as nothing can, there is nothing wrong with telling future employers about the employee’s history. A disgruntled employee might disparage an employer on social media or just in conversation. It might even rise to the level of defamation, permitting a lawsuit or, depending on the context, be cause for dismissal without — sending a message to other malcontents.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to top the all-time high it set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 123 points, or 0.3%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6% as Microsoft and Big Tech led the way. Stock markets abroad mostly fell after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China once he takes office. But the movements were mostly modest. Stock indexes were down 0.1% in Shanghai and nearly flat in Hong Kong, while Canada’s main index edged down by less than 0.1%. Trump has often praised the use of tariffs , but investors are weighing whether his latest threat will actually become policy or is just an opening point for negotiations. For now, the market seems to be taking it more as the latter. The consequences otherwise for markets and the global economy could be painful. Unless the United States can prepare alternatives for the autos, energy products and other goods that come from Mexico, Canada and China, such tariffs would raise the price of imported items all at once and make households poorer, according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists at High Frequency Economics. They would also hurt profit margins for U.S. companies, while raising the threat of retaliatory tariffs by other countries. And unlike tariffs in Trump’s first term, his latest proposal would affect products across the board. General Motors sank 9%, and Ford Motor fell 2.6% because both import automobiles from Mexico. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States, dropped 3.3%. The value of the Mexican peso fell 1.8% against the U.S. dollar. Beyond the pain such tariffs would cause U.S. households and businesses, they could also push the Federal Reserve to slow or even halt its cuts to interest rates. The Fed had just begun easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high a couple months ago to offer support for the job market . While lower interest rates can boost the economy, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. “Many” officials at the Fed’s last meeting earlier this month said they should lower rates gradually, according to minutes of the meeting released Tuesday afternoon. The talk about tariffs overshadowed another mixed set of profit reports from U.S. retailers that answered few questions about how much more shoppers can keep spending. They’ll need to stay resilient after helping the economy avoid a recession, despite the high interest rates imposed by the Fed to get inflation under control. A report on Tuesday from the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Kohl’s tumbled 17% after its results for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Tom Kingsbury said sales remain soft for apparel and footwear. A day earlier, Kingsbury said he plans to step down as CEO in January. Ashley Buchanan, CEO of Michaels and a retail veteran, will replace him. Best Buy fell 4.9% after likewise falling short of analysts’ expectations. Dick’s Sporting Goods topped forecasts for the latest quarter thanks to a strong back-to-school season, but its stock lost an early gain to fall 1.4%. Still, more stocks rose in the S&P 500 than fell. J.M. Smucker had one of the biggest gains and climbed 5.7% after topping analysts’ expectations for the latest quarter. CEO Mark Smucker credited strength for its Uncrustables, Meow Mix, Café Bustelo and Jif brands. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up U.S. indexes. Gains of 3.2% for Amazon and 2.2% for Microsoft were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.26 points to 6,021.63. The Dow gained 123.74 to 44,860.31, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 119.46 to 19,174.30. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following their big drop from a day before driven by relief following Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. The yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.29% from 4.28% late Monday, but it’s still well below the 4.41% level where it ended last week. In the crypto market, bitcoin continued to pull back after topping $99,000 for the first time late last week. It’s since dipped back toward $91,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s a sharp turnaround from the bonanza that initially took over the crypto market following Trump’s election. That boom had also appeared to have spilled into some corners of the stock market. Strategists at Barclays Capital pointed to stocks of unprofitable companies, along with other areas that can be caught up in bursts of optimism by smaller-pocketed “retail” investors. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. 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.Andrew met the individual through “official channels” with “nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed”, a statement from his office said. The businessman – known only as H6 – lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. He brought a case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) after then-home secretary Suella Braverman said he should be excluded from the UK in March 2023. H6 was described as a “close confidante” of The Duke. Judges were told that in a briefing for the home secretary in July 2023, officials claimed H6 had been in a position to generate relationships between prominent UK figures and senior Chinese officials “that could be leveraged for political interference purposes”. They also said that H6 had downplayed his relationship with the Chinese state, which combined with his relationship with Andrew, 64, represented a threat to national security. A statement from Andrew’s office said: “The Duke of York followed advice from His Majesty’s Government and ceased all contact with the individual after concerns were raised. “The Duke met the individual through official channels with nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed. “He is unable to comment further on matters relating to national security.” At a hearing in July, the specialist tribunal heard that the businessman was told by an adviser to Andrew that he could act on the duke’s behalf when dealing with potential investors in China, and that H6 had been invited to Andrew’s birthday party in 2020. A letter referencing the birthday party from the adviser, Dominic Hampshire, was discovered on H6’s devices when he was stopped at a port in November 2021. In a ruling on Thursday, Mr Justice Bourne, Judge Stephen Smith and Sir Stewart Eldon, dismissed the challenge.Stock market today: Wall Street hangs around its records as bitcoin briefly pops above $100,000

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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to top the all-time high it set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 123 points, or 0.3%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6% as Microsoft and Big Tech led the way. Stock markets abroad mostly fell after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China once he takes office. But the movements were mostly modest. Stock indexes were down 0.1% in Shanghai and nearly flat in Hong Kong, while Canada’s main index edged down by less than 0.1%. Trump has often praised the use of tariffs , but investors are weighing whether his latest threat will actually become policy or is just an opening point for negotiations. For now, the market seems to be taking it more as the latter. The consequences otherwise for markets and the global economy could be painful. Unless the United States can prepare alternatives for the autos, energy products and other goods that come from Mexico, Canada and China, such tariffs would raise the price of imported items all at once and make households poorer, according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists at High Frequency Economics. They would also hurt profit margins for U.S. companies, while raising the threat of retaliatory tariffs by other countries. And unlike tariffs in Trump’s first term, his latest proposal would affect products across the board. General Motors sank 9%, and Ford Motor fell 2.6% because both import automobiles from Mexico. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States, dropped 3.3%. The value of the Mexican peso fell 1.8% against the U.S. dollar. Beyond the pain such tariffs would cause U.S. households and businesses, they could also push the Federal Reserve to slow or even halt its cuts to interest rates. The Fed had just begun easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high a couple months ago to offer support for the job market . While lower interest rates can boost the economy, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. “Many” officials at the Fed’s last meeting earlier this month said they should lower rates gradually, according to minutes of the meeting released Tuesday afternoon. The talk about tariffs overshadowed another mixed set of profit reports from U.S. retailers that answered few questions about how much more shoppers can keep spending. They’ll need to stay resilient after helping the economy avoid a recession, despite the high interest rates imposed by the Fed to get inflation under control. A report on Tuesday from the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Kohl’s tumbled 17% after its results for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Tom Kingsbury said sales remain soft for apparel and footwear. A day earlier, Kingsbury said he plans to step down as CEO in January. Ashley Buchanan, CEO of Michaels and a retail veteran, will replace him. Best Buy fell 4.9% after likewise falling short of analysts’ expectations. Dick’s Sporting Goods topped forecasts for the latest quarter thanks to a strong back-to-school season, but its stock lost an early gain to fall 1.4%. Still, more stocks rose in the S&P 500 than fell. J.M. Smucker had one of the biggest gains and climbed 5.7% after topping analysts’ expectations for the latest quarter. CEO Mark Smucker credited strength for its Uncrustables, Meow Mix, Café Bustelo and Jif brands. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up U.S. indexes. Gains of 3.2% for Amazon and 2.2% for Microsoft were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.26 points to 6,021.63. The Dow gained 123.74 to 44,860.31, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 119.46 to 19,174.30. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following their big drop from a day before driven by relief following Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. The yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.29% from 4.28% late Monday, but it’s still well below the 4.41% level where it ended last week. In the crypto market, bitcoin continued to pull back after topping $99,000 for the first time late last week. It’s since dipped back toward $91,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s a sharp turnaround from the bonanza that initially took over the crypto market following Trump’s election. That boom had also appeared to have spilled into some corners of the stock market. Strategists at Barclays Capital pointed to stocks of unprofitable companies, along with other areas that can be caught up in bursts of optimism by smaller-pocketed “retail” investors. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.

Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talk

Enter the Chronosphere - Official Trailer | PC Gaming Show: Most WantedNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.6% to top the all-time high it set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 123 points, or 0.3%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite gained 0.6% as Microsoft and Big Tech led the way. Stock markets abroad mostly fell after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China once he takes office. But the movements were mostly modest. Stock indexes were down 0.1% in Shanghai and nearly flat in Hong Kong, while Canada’s main index edged down by less than 0.1%. Trump has often praised the use of tariffs , but investors are weighing whether his latest threat will actually become policy or is just an opening point for negotiations. For now, the market seems to be taking it more as the latter. The consequences otherwise for markets and the global economy could be painful. Unless the United States can prepare alternatives for the autos, energy products and other goods that come from Mexico, Canada and China, such tariffs would raise the price of imported items all at once and make households poorer, according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists at High Frequency Economics. They would also hurt profit margins for U.S. companies, while raising the threat of retaliatory tariffs by other countries. And unlike tariffs in Trump’s first term, his latest proposal would affect products across the board. General Motors sank 9%, and Ford Motor fell 2.6% because both import automobiles from Mexico. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States, dropped 3.3%. The value of the Mexican peso fell 1.8% against the U.S. dollar. Beyond the pain such tariffs would cause U.S. households and businesses, they could also push the Federal Reserve to slow or even halt its cuts to interest rates. The Fed had just begun easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high a couple months ago to offer support for the job market . While lower interest rates can boost the economy, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. “Many” officials at the Fed’s last meeting earlier this month said they should lower rates gradually, according to minutes of the meeting released Tuesday afternoon. The talk about tariffs overshadowed another mixed set of profit reports from U.S. retailers that answered few questions about how much more shoppers can keep spending. They’ll need to stay resilient after helping the economy avoid a recession, despite the high interest rates imposed by the Fed to get inflation under control. A report on Tuesday from the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. Kohl’s tumbled 17% after its results for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Tom Kingsbury said sales remain soft for apparel and footwear. A day earlier, Kingsbury said he plans to step down as CEO in January. Ashley Buchanan, CEO of Michaels and a retail veteran, will replace him. Best Buy fell 4.9% after likewise falling short of analysts’ expectations. Dick’s Sporting Goods topped forecasts for the latest quarter thanks to a strong back-to-school season, but its stock lost an early gain to fall 1.4%. Still, more stocks rose in the S&P 500 than fell. J.M. Smucker had one of the biggest gains and climbed 5.7% after topping analysts’ expectations for the latest quarter. CEO Mark Smucker credited strength for its Uncrustables, Meow Mix, Café Bustelo and Jif brands. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up U.S. indexes. Gains of 3.2% for Amazon and 2.2% for Microsoft were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. All told, the S&P 500 rose 34.26 points to 6,021.63. The Dow gained 123.74 to 44,860.31, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 119.46 to 19,174.30. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following their big drop from a day before driven by relief following Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. The yield on the 10-year Treasury inched up to 4.29% from 4.28% late Monday, but it’s still well below the 4.41% level where it ended last week. In the crypto market, bitcoin continued to pull back after topping $99,000 for the first time late last week. It’s since dipped back toward $91,000, according to CoinDesk. It’s a sharp turnaround from the bonanza that initially took over the crypto market following Trump’s election. That boom had also appeared to have spilled into some corners of the stock market. Strategists at Barclays Capital pointed to stocks of unprofitable companies, along with other areas that can be caught up in bursts of optimism by smaller-pocketed “retail” investors. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.NEW YORK (AP) — The huge rally for U.S. stocks lost momentum on Thursday as Wall Street counted down to a big jobs report that’s coming on Friday. The crypto market had more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before pulling back. The S&P 500 slipped 0.2% from the all-time high it had set the day before, its 56th of the year so far, to shave a bit off what’s set to be one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 248 points, or 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.2% from its own record set the day before. Bitcoin powered above $100,000 for the first time the night before, after President-elect Donald Trump chose Paul Atkins, who's seen as a crypto advocate, as his nominee to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. The cryptocurrency has climbed dramatically from less than $70,000 on Election Day, but it fell back as Thursday progressed toward $99,000, according to CoinDesk. Sharp swings for bitcoin are nothing new, and they took stocks of companies enmeshed in the crypto world on a similar ride. After rising as much as 9% in early trading, MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash just to buy bitcoin, swung to a loss of 4.8%. Crypto exchange Coinbase Global fell 3.1% after likewise erasing a big early gain. Elsewhere on Wall Street, stocks of airlines helped lead the way following the latest bumps up to financial forecasts from carriers. American Airlines Group soared 16.8% after saying it’s making more in revenue during the last three months of 2024 than it expected, and it will likely make a bigger profit than it had earlier forecast. The airline also chose Citi to be its exclusive partner for credit cards that give miles in its loyalty program. That should help its cash coming in from co-branded credit card and other partners grow by about 10% annually. Southwest Airlines climbed 2% after saying it’s seeing stronger demand from leisure travelers than it expected. It also raised its forecast for revenue for the holiday traveling season. On the losing end of Wall Street was Synposys, which tumbled 12.4%. The supplier for the semiconductor industry reported better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, but it also warned of “continued macro uncertainties” and gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that fell short of some analysts’ estimates. American Eagle Outfitters fell even more, 14.3%, after the retailer said it’s preparing for “potential choppiness” outside of peak selling periods. It was reminiscent of a warning from Foot Locker earlier in the week and raised more concerns about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Solid spending by U.S. consumers has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A report on Thursday said the number of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remains at historically healthy levels. Expectations are high that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury edged down to 4.17% from 4.18% late Wednesday. The S&P 500 fell 11.38 points to 6,075.11. The Dow sank 248.33 to 44,765.71, and the Nasdaq composite lost 34.86 to 19,700.26. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mostly calm in Europe after far-right and left-wing lawmakers in France joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion that will force Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The CAC 40 index in Paris added 0.4%. In South Korea, the Kospi fell 0.9% to compound its 1.4% decline from the day before. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. Crude oil prices slipped after eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries decided to put off increasing oil production. AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contributed.

Stock market today: Wall Street hits records despite tariff talk

Taylor Swift fans rush to defend her after sports host Skip Bayless' brutal declaration READ MORE: Skip Bayless claims Caitlin Clark is right to snub Unrivaled league By LEOCCIANO CALLAO Published: 23:42, 5 December 2024 | Updated: 23:44, 5 December 2024 e-mail View comments Fans quickly descended on sports personality Skip Bayless after the former Undisputed host gave his honest take on Taylor Swift . In the December 2 installment of The Skip Bayless Show, the 73-year-old and his wife, Ernestine, chatted about the pop star - with Skip declaring he is 'not a fan' of Swift. Ernestine agreed with her husband while discussing Swift's music. Skip took matters further when he talked about Swift's looks. 'Taylor Swift to me? Not hot,' he said before noting, 'But that's just me. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' As a result, users took to the comment section to flame the ex-ESPN employee for his remarks. 'Skip. Nobody cares what you and your wife think,' one wrote. 'To each his own. Yawn Worthy.' Fans came to Taylor Swift's defense after Skip Bayless' brutal take about the pop sensation View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Skip Bayless Show (@skipbaylessshow) Read More Travis Kelce refuses to watch iconic Christmas movie Taylor Swift loves: 'Don't f***ing torture me' 'You don't have to like her music but to talk about her looks seems gross,' another added. 'I'd rather watch the Talk Tuah podcast than hear Skip and his wife's takes on Taylor Swift,' a third chimed in - referring to Haliey Welch's program. 'Skip I don't think she's reaching out to your demographic,' a fourth suggested. While Skip took the shallow path by digging at the 14-time Grammy winner's appearance, Ernestine treaded the other way and complimented her looks, calling Swift 'a cute girl.' She did, however, note that Swift's music is not her cup of tea. Instead, she noted similarities between Swift's music and one of her favorite artists. 'I know people like her,' Ernestine said, 'but she's not on my turntable.' 'I'd rather listen to Bonnie Raitt,' she added. 'That's part of where her music came from. It's very similar.' Swift is in the final stretch of her record-breaking Eras Tour. The singer-songwriter continues to find success in her field while supporting NFL boyfriend Travis Kelce during his games. The tour will wrap up after consecutive shows in Vancouver's BC Place from December 6-8. Bayless abruptly left FS1 in August without a proper sign-off on air after an episode of Undisputed. The controversial commentator spent eight years on the network, which included a seven-year run with Shannon Sharpe on the program. Taylor Swift Share or comment on this article: Taylor Swift fans rush to defend her after sports host Skip Bayless' brutal declaration e-mail Add commentSony Brings Back PS1-PS4 Themes For 30thEDITOR'S NOTE: On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. No one wants to see any player take a vicious hit like the one that knocked Trevor Lawrence out of the game. It’s easy to agree on that point. Eliminating violent shots is the hard part. The NFL has instituted several rules to protect quarterbacks but football is a physical sport and players have to react instantly and make split-second decisions going at high speeds so injuries keep occurring. Lawrence was carted off the field in the first half of Jacksonville’s 23-20 loss to Houston on Sunday after Azeez Al-Shaair leveled the defenseless quarterback with a forearm to the facemask. The late hit put Lawrence in the fencing position — both fists clenched — and he stayed on the ground for several minutes, while a brawl ensued. Lawrence didn’t require hospitalization for his concussion but it’s unknown when he’ll return. “Thank you to everyone who has reached out/been praying for me,” Lawrence wrote on X. “I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.” Al-Shaair was ejected from the game and faces a fine and potential suspension after his latest unsportsmanlike penalty. The Texans' linebacker was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard last week. He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline that wasn’t flagged. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair during the first half of a game on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Lawrence was injured on the play. Al-Shaair once got away with grabbing Tom Brady by the throat on a pass rush in a game between the 49ers and Buccaneers. Outraged Jaguars players called Al-Shaair’s hit “dirty” and Texans coach DeMeco Ryans made it known he didn’t condone it. “It’s not what we’re coaching,” Ryans said. “Want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, get a penalty there. Have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down. Unfortunate play. Not representative of who Azeez is. He’s a smart player, really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there. His loss really affected us on the defensive side. Just not what we’re coaching. Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath. That’s not what we’re about. Not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move forward from it.” Fox Sports color analyst Daryl Johnston, a former fullback for the Dallas Cowboys, didn’t hold back his criticism, calling it a “cheap shot.” “It’s everything you’re not supposed to do,” Johnston said. “Everything. You’ll see this in slow motion and Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation. It’s reckless. It’s disrespectful. There’s an honor that you give to your opponent on the football field and you respect him. And there’s opportunities to be physical and give big hits and play this game in that manner. And there’s other times when there’s a respect that you grant to your opponent.” Some former NFL quarterbacks blasted Al-Shaair on social media. “There is no place in the game of football for dirty hits like this one,” Robert Griffin III wrote on X. Chase Daniel called it “one of the dirtiest hits” he’s ever seen on a quarterback. Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram, right, jumps on Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after his late hit on quarterback Trevor Lawrence, bottom, during the first half of a game on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. Even defensive players struggled to defend Al-Shaair. “That was uncalled for,” Hall of Fame defensive lineman Michael Strahan said on Fox’s studio show while fellow Hall of Famer Howie Long agreed. But the play also sparked debate about the quarterback slide. Lawrence slid feet first, which signals that he’s giving himself up on the play. The NFL rulebook states: “A defender must pull up when a runner begins a feet-first slide.” But defensive players aren’t automatically penalized if they make contact with a sliding quarterback if they already committed and the contact is unavoidable. The rules state it’s a foul when “the defender makes forcible contact into the head or neck area of the runner with the helmet, shoulder, or forearm, or commits some other act that is unnecessary roughness.” Al-Shaair did that so he was penalized and will face other repercussions. Still, given the hard-hitting nature of the sport, it won’t be the last time this happens. When Caleb Williams took the field for the Chicago Bears' first regular season game against the Tennessee Titans, the anticipation for the rookie's debut game—possibly the most ever—was on full display. Despite a tough debut for the quarterback, the Bears secured a 24-17 win, a notable feat for the rookie. The victory made Williams the first #1 overall pick with a Week 1 win in over 20 years. Going forward this season, Williams is expected to eclipse C.J. Stroud's record-breaking 2023 rookie campaign with the Houston Texans. However, Stroud's success is an anomaly. Drafting a successful quarterback, especially one who is effective right away, is difficult. When teams have a high first-round draft pick, and they're coming off an unsuccessful few seasons, it's assumed that they will use their first pick on a quarterback . That player will assume the title of "the face of the franchise" and will get the central attention, win or lose. To see which quarterbacks have faced that challenge and triumphed, ATS.io compiled a ranking of the 10 best rookie quarterbacks since 1960 using data from StatHead . Rookies were defined as players who are in their first season of professional football and have not been on the roster of another professional team. Quarterbacks were ranked according to adjusted net yards per pass attempt, which quantifies efficient passing skill. Ties were broken using passer rating. Only rookie quarterbacks with at least 10 games played and 200 total passing attempts were considered. Since 1967, 130 quarterbacks have been drafted in the first round. Of those drafted, only 61 have won a playoff game as a starter, according to The Athletic, which used data from NFL Research . The biggest reason this success rate is not guaranteed is because there are differences between college and pro offensive systems. In the collegiate game, the ball is snapped at different points on the field, passing windows are wider, and defenders and linemen are not as quick, making the adjustment to the pro level more difficult. NFL scouts and general managers are gambling on what skills can be transferable and how long those adjustments might take, which is why some teams prefer redshirt quarterbacks to ease the transition. However, just because a team may not want to use their first-round pick on a quarterback, doesn't mean they can't find a diamond in the rough later in the draft. Think about Tom Brady, Russell Wilson, and Dak Prescott, all of which were not first-round picks, but have gone on to make a name for themselves in the NFL. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.44 - Passer rating: 91.2 - Season stats: 3,271 yards, 21 touchdowns, 6 interceptions Coming out of college, Gardner Minshew was not a highly sought-after quarterback for NFL teams. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 draft—a draft that was headlined by Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, and Daniel Jones. Nonetheless, Minshew's rookie season with the Jacksonville Jaguars was filled with many accomplishments. He won Rookie of the Week seven times despite not winning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Minshew also had the highest passer rating of any rookie quarterback that started in 2019. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.77 - Passer rating: 93.7 - Season stats: 3,725 yards, 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions Pressure was high for Baker Mayfield as the first overall pick in the 2018 draft. When he joined the Cleveland Browns, there was an expectation that once the team figured out the quarterback position, it could be playoff-ready. After trading for Jarvis Landry, a young wide receiver from the Miami Dolphins, in the offseason, the Browns were on their way. Mayfield's rookie season was filled with many firsts, and the Landry-Mayfield connection filled the stat sheet. Mayfield set the record for most passing touchdowns by a rookie quarterback in 2019 with 27 surpassing prior marks from Payton Manning and Russell Wilson. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.84 - Passer rating: 98.3 - Season stats: 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns, 10 interceptions Justin Herbert was the third quarterback selected in the 2020 NFL draft behind Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa. As the No. 6 overall pick, expectations were high, but there was also an assumption that it would be a few years before Herbert's development would take shape. Then, Chargers starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor was accidentally punctured in the lung by a team doctor administering a painkiller before the second game of the season, and it wasn't clear what Taylor's status would be moving forward. When Herbert was given the nod to start minutes before the game, fans didn't know what to expect. Herbert shocked viewers when he threw for over 300 yards and only one interception in that game. He continued his strong rookie showing throughout the season and went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 6.93 - Passer rating: 98.1 - Season stats: 2,621 yards, 17 touchdowns, 11 interceptions Ben Roethlisberger was the third quarterback selected in his draft class behind the likes of Eli Manning and Philip Rivers—though fans wouldn't have been able to tell. From the moment Roethlisberger was called up by the Pittsburgh Steelers to play in his first game—Week 2 against the Baltimore Ravens—it was clear he had a special arm, gaining the nickname "Golden Arm." While the next several games were bumpy for Steelers fans, it was clear that Roethlisberger was the future of the franchise. The Steelers had a solid running game and its receiving core, led by Hines Ward, was one of the best in the league . Once Roethlisberger gained his footing a few games in, he was unstoppable. He led Pittsburgh to its best record ever: 15-1. He also started the season on an eight-game winning streak, becoming the first rookie to do so. Additionally, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.01 - Passer rating: 87.7 - Season stats: 3,440 yards, 16 touchdowns, 11 interceptions As the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 NFL draft, there were high expectations on Matt Ryan's shoulders heading to the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons were coming off back-to-back losing seasons and off-the-field legal troubles with its starting quarterback Michael Vick overshadowing the team's play. Ryan was expected to pick up the pieces. He did that immediately, leading the Falcons to an 11-5 record in his rookie season and becoming the clear favorite for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year halfway through the season, which he went on to win. The tag team of Ryan and running back Michael Turner was one of the best offensive forces in the sport that season. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.01 - Passer rating: 100 - Season stats: 3,118 yards, 26 touchdowns, 10 interceptions Russell Wilson was drafted in the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. Considering Robert Griffin III and Andrew Luck headlined the NFL Draft that year, it was not believed that Wilson would be a starter come Week 1, but that quickly changed. Going into the 2012 NFL Draft, Tarvaris Jackson was the Seattle Seahawks' starting quarterback, and the team signed NFL veteran quarterback Matt Flynn as an insurance policy on the injury-prone Jackson . It was assumed in the short term that either Jackson or Flynn would lead the franchise. Once training camp arrived, however, the Seahawks' quarterback position was uncertain. Jackson was traded to the Buffalo Bills, and Flynn was underwhelming at camp, forcing Head Coach Pete Carroll to take a gamble on his rookie quarterback, Wilson, in Week 1. Carroll, nor Wilson, ever looked back. Wilson was one of the best passing quarterbacks that season. He led the Seahawks to an 11-5 record and went on to win NFL Rookie of the Year. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.39 - Passer rating: 96 - Season stats: 2,210 yards, 20 touchdowns, 6 interceptions When Dan Marino was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 1983, the NFL looked very different. Running the ball was the name of the game. The quarterback would either run the football himself at the line of scrimmage or hand it off to the running back, and the offensive linemen would claw and push the pile forward as the runner powered his legs. It was not a pretty sight. However, Marino took a different approach, throwing the ball with a unique quick release for that era. He led the Dolphins to a 9-1 record after replacing David Woodley midway through his rookie season, ending with a 12-4 record. He went on to win Rookie of the Year and was the first rookie to start a Pro Bowl. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.47 - Passer rating: 100.8 - Season stats: 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, 5 interceptions When C.J. Stroud was drafted No. 2 by the Houston Texans last year, there were a lot of questions, not about his ability, but about the organization that he would be playing for. The Texans were coming off of a 3-13-1 season in 2022, finishing with the worst record in the league, and a lot of volatility in its front office. The team fired its head coach and a top executive before the draft. Weeks later, the team hired former Texans linebacker DeMeco Ryans as its next head coach. While Ryans is a defensive-minded coach, Stroud was seen as a key ingredient to the team's success since Ryans hired his coaching staff around the quarterback. Stroud led the NFL in yards and TD-to-interception ratio during his rookie season, which is an efficiency statistic considering he didn't get his first interception until his sixth regular-season game against the New Orleans Saints. While Stroud was a part of the league MVP conversation for most of the season, he didn't ultimately win the title. However, he was named 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and his rookie season is seen as one of the best in NFL history. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.47 - Passer rating: 102.4 - Season stats: 3,200 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 interceptions Leading into the 2012 draft, it wasn't a matter of whether Washington would pick a quarterback, it was a matter of who. After several seasons of mediocre quarterback play and losing seasons from the likes of Jason Campbell, Donovan McNabb, and Rex Grossman, it was time for a new face to lead the offense. At No. 2, Washington selected Robert Griffin III making him the second quarterback selected in the 2012 NFL draft behind Andrew Luck. Griffin started his rookie year campaign with one of the best performances football fans have ever seen. He completed 19 of his 26 pass attempts for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns, beating the New Orleans Saints. That game earned him the highest passer rating by a rookie ever, 158.3. He now shares that record with Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota. Griffin III went on to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012. - Adjusted net yards per pass attempt: 7.86 - Passer rating: 104.9 - Season stats: 3,667 yards, 23 touchdowns, 4 interceptions Dak Prescott is statistically the best rookie quarterback ever, racking up the best passer rating as a rookie. After losing his first game, he led the Cowboys on an 11-game winning streak. That season, he led the team to its fourth-best season ever with a 13-3 record. Prescott was the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and became the first NFL quarterback to be drafted in the fourth round or later to start all 16 regular season games. Data reporting by Karim Noorani. Story editing by Shanna Kelly. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Clarese Moller. This story originally appeared on ATS.io and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Landspace is expected to debut the enhanced version of its ZhuQue-2 rocket this week, and there are rumors that the Chang Zheng 12 rocket will take its maiden flight at the week’s end. Roscosmos is due to launch a highly classified mission from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia, while four Falcon 9 missions are expected this week from all three of SpaceX’s active pads in the United States. The first of these four Falcon 9 missions, Starlink Group 12-1, launched in the early hours of Monday morning and became the 400th orbital mission flown by Falcon 9 to date. Furthermore, Group 12-1’s launch also set a new record for the fastest booster turnaround time, with Falcon booster B1080 beating the previous record (21 days, set by B1062 two years ago) with a turnaround of 13 days and 12 hours. Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 6-76 A Falcon 9 is expected to lift off from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Nov. 25, at 10:35 PM EST (03:35 UTC on Nov 26). Onboard will be another batch of Starlink v2 Mini satellites for the sixth and largest shell of the internet satellite constellation. The booster supporting this mission has not yet been confirmed but is expected to land on the autonomous droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas, which will be stationed approximately 600 km southeast of the Cape in the Atlantic Ocean. As of the recent Starlink Group 12-1 mission, SpaceX has launched over 7,400 Starlink satellites into orbit, of which 668 have deorbited. ZhuQue-2E is rolled to the pad. (Credit: Landspace) ZhuQue-2E | Unknown Payload The upgraded ZhuQue-2E (ZQ-2E)variant of Landspace’s medium-sized ZhuQue-2 (ZQ-2) rocket is expected to fly on its maiden flight this week. Utilizing liquid methane and liquid oxygen as propellants, ZQ-2 became the first methane-burning rocket to reach orbit almost two years ago in December 2022, and despite an issue with the upper stage on its demo flight, two successful launches followed last year, placing four payloads into Sun-synchronous orbit. ZQ-2E is expected to launch on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 02:00 UTC from Site 96 at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China, with a launch window lasting a little over an hour. The two payloads onboard have not yet been confirmed but could include two more test satellites for the Honghu constellation. Two 50 kg satellites were lofted by a ZQ-2 last December to test different Hall-effect and ion thrusters. Indications are that the payloads will be deployed approximately eight and a half minutes into the mission, targeting a 300 by 500 km low-Earth orbit inclined 50 degrees. The 47.3 m tall vehicle was rolled horizontally to the pad on Nov. 22 following successful static fire tests of its second stage a month prior. These also tested and verified the subsystems and propellant loading processes for the rocket. ZQ-2E uses the same 3.35 m diameter first stage with four Tianque 12 (TQ-12) engines as the ZQ-2 with an upgraded second stage that adopts a common bulkhead and a change of engines. This upgraded second stage now features one TQ-15A vacuum-optimized engine in place of the TQ-12 and four TQ-11 vernier thrusters of the ZQ-2. The TQ-15A engine will also be used on the forthcoming ZhuQue-3 rocket and is designed to be reignited in orbit, widening the scope of missions for the ZQ rocket family. Soyuz 2.1b prepares to launch Cosmos 2576 from Site 43/4 at Plesetsk in May 2024. (Credit: Russian Ministry of Defence) Soyuz 2.1b | Cosmos 2580 (Unknown Payload) A Soyuz 2.1b rocket is expected to launch the Cosmos 2580 mission, featuring another Lotos-S satellite, into orbit this week, though this has not yet been confirmed. Soyuz 2.1b is expected to launch from an unconfirmed pad at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia on Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 19:00 UTC during a two-hour launch window, carrying the payload to an orbit inclined by 67 degrees. Should a launch on teh 27th be scrubbed, alternative launch opportunities extend into early December. The Lotos reconnaissance satellites form part of a wider, classified, orbital electronic intelligence system known as Liana. This Electronic Signals Intelligence, or ELINT, system intercepts radar and electromagnetic radiation signals for the location and characterization of sites, ships, and aircraft of military interest. Four were procured by the Russian Ministry of Defense back in 2017, one of which has yet to be launched and could, therefore, be this payload. A further batch was subsequently ordered in August 2022 and is assumed to still be in production. Previous Lotos launches have been accompanied by a secondary payload, which has been deployed shortly after the primary satellite is released. Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 6-65 This will be SpaceX’s 120th Falcon mission of the year and Falcon 9’s 118th mission. Liftoff is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 30, at 12:00 AM EST (05:00 UTC) from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, lofting another batch of Starlink v2 Mini satellites to low-Earth orbit. This will be the 67th mission to populate Starlink’s Group 6 shell, following the Group 6-76 mission earlier in the week. Currently, neither the booster nor the autonomous droneship supporting this mission has been announced. Falcon 9 Block 5 | NROL-126 This classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office is likely to be a fifth batch of Starshield satellites built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:08 AM PST (08:08 UTC) on Saturday, Nov. 30, from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California during a four-hour launch window. Following launch, Falcon 9 will fly on a southeasterly trajectory out of California. The booster supporting this mission has not yet been announced but is expected to perform Falcon’s 112th landing of 2024 on SpaceX’s autonomous droneship Of Course I Still Love You . The SXM-7 satellite, almost identical to the SXM-9 satellite replacing it, before it was integrated for launch. (Credit: Space Systems/Loral (SSL)/Maxar Technologies) Falcon 9 Block 5 | SXM-9 Falcon 9’s SXM-9 mission will launch the replacement for the SXM-7 high-power digital audio broadcasting satellite, which was launched four years ago in December 2020. SXM-7, itself a replacement for the XM 3 satellite, experienced unresolvable issues during its commissioning phase once in orbit. Operated by SiriusXM, SXM-9 is the first in a series of nearly identical third-generation satellites that will update the fleet. Subsequent launches are planned once per year up to SXM-12 in 2027. Built on Maxar’s 1300-class platform and massing around 7,000 kg, SXM-9 will support both Sirius and XM services’ broadcasting of sports, music, news, and entertainment content via satellite radio. The satellite includes a large mesh reflector, which measures almost 10 m in length when unfurled and has an expected 15-year lifespan. Launch is expected on Monday, Dec. 2, at 11:09 AM EST (16:09 UTC) from LC-39A in Florida, lofting the satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit. It is anticipated, but not yet confirmed, that the booster will attempt to land downrange on an autonomous droneship. (Lead image: Falcon 9 launches into the twilight skies of Florida. Credit: Julia Bergeron for NSF)Kane hat trick against Augsburg hides Bayern's concerning lack of goals

By JILL COLVIN NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump wants to turn the lights out on daylight saving time. In a post on his social media site Friday, Trump said his party would try to end the practice when he returns to office. “The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn’t! Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation,” he wrote. Setting clocks forward one hour in the spring and back an hour in the fall is intended to maximize daylight during summer months, but has long been subject to scrutiny. Daylight saving time was first adopted as a wartime measure in 1942. Lawmakers have occasionally proposed getting rid of the time change altogether. The most prominent recent attempt, a now-stalled bipartisan bill named the Sunshine Protection Act , had proposed making daylight saving time permanent. The measure was sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio , whom Trump has tapped to helm the State Department. Related Articles National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game National Politics | About 3 in 10 are highly confident in Trump on Cabinet, spending or military oversight: AP-NORC poll “Changing the clock twice a year is outdated and unnecessary,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida said as the Senate voted in favor of the measure. Health experts have said that lawmakers have it backward and that standard time should be made permanent. Some health groups , including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine, have said that it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology. Most countries do not observe daylight saving time. For those that do, the date that clocks are changed varies, creating a complicated tapestry of changing time differences. Arizona and Hawaii don’t change their clocks at all.

Why Intel Stock Sank TodayUS Unveils New Package Of Chip Export Controls Against China

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House shut down Democrats' efforts Thursday to release the long-awaited ethics report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz , pushing the fate of any resolution to the yearslong investigation of sexual misconduct allegations into further uncertainty. The nearly party-line votes came after Democrats had been pressing for the findings to be published even though the Florida Republican left Congress and withdrew as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for attorney general. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., was the sole Republican to support the effort. Most Republicans have argued that any congressional probe into Gaetz ended when he resigned from the House. Speaker Mike Johnson also requested that the committee not publish its report, saying it would be a terrible precedent to set. While ethics reports have previously been released after a member’s resignation, it is extremely rare. Shortly before the votes took place, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who introduced one of the bills to force the release, said that if Republicans reject the release, they will have “succeeded in sweeping credible allegations of sexual misconduct under the rug.” Gaetz has repeatedly denied the claims. Earlier Thursday, the Ethics panel met to discuss the Gaetz report but made no decision, saying in a short statement that the matter is still being discussed. It's unclear now whether the document will ever see the light of day as lawmakers only have a few weeks left before a new session of Congress begins. It's the culmination of weeks of pressure on the Ethics committee's five Republicans and five Democrats who mostly work in secret as they investigate allegations of misconduct against lawmakers. The status of the Gaetz investigation became an open question last month when he abruptly resigned from Congress after Trump's announcement that he wanted his ally in the Cabinet. It is standard practice for the committee to end investigations when members of Congress depart, but the circumstances surrounding Gaetz were unusual, given his potential role in the new administration. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., the committee chairman, said Wednesday that there is no longer the same urgency to release the report given that Gaetz has left Congress and stepped aside as Trump's choice to head the Justice Department. “I’ve been steadfast about that. He’s no longer a member. He is no longer going to be confirmed by the Senate because he withdrew his nomination to be the attorney general,” Guest said. The Gaetz report has also caused tensions between lawmakers on the bipartisan committee. Pennsylvania Rep. Susan Wild, the top Democrat on the panel, publicly admonished Guest last month for mischaracterizing a previous meeting to the press. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and said last year that the Justice Department’s separate investigation against him into sex trafficking allegations involving underage girls ended without federal charges. His onetime political ally Joel Greenberg , a fellow Republican who served as the tax collector in Florida’s Seminole County, admitted as part of a plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 that he paid women and an underage girl to have sex with him and other men. The men were not identified in court documents when he pleaded guilty. Greenberg was sentenced in late 2022 to 11 years in prison.Union announce offseason roster moves, part with Leon Flach(Bloomberg) — Canada’s largest banks all are poised to pay their employees more in variable compensation for 2024, with stock-market favorites Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and National Bank of Canada increasing bonus pay the most. The country’s Big Six lenders set aside 12.2% more on average in fiscal 2024 compared with the previous year, with bonus pay rising across the board despite a generally challenging environment for dealmaking and capital markets during the year. While there was decent activity in debt capital markets this year, there was a dearth of Canadian initial public offerings — a dry spell that finally ended when Groupe Dynamite Inc. went public last month — and mergers and acquisitions were muted for most of the year. Still, that didn’t lead to a wave of job cuts, said Bill Vlaad, managing partner and chief executive officer of Toronto-based recruitment firm Vlaad & Co. “We haven’t had a bloodbath in 2024,” he said. “Things haven’t been good, but there’s been really good management of personnel. Yes, there’s been some cleaning up and yes, there’s been a little restructuring, but for the most part it hasn’t been catastrophic.” Incentive pay at Canadian banks is based on performance, and the figures the firms report in their quarterly filings reflect the amount reserved, not paid out. The fiscal year ended on Oct. 31, but bonuses are typically distributed in December. The trend in Canada echoes what bankers south of the border are expecting. Investment bankers, traders and asset- and wealth-management professionals are all poised to see increases in year-end incentive pay reaching into the double digits, according to a report last month from Johnson Associates Inc. Bankers who help companies sell debt may see the biggest gains, with payouts set to rise as much as 35%, the compensation consultant said. Variable compensation is particularly important to capital-markets professionals — including investment bankers, analysts, salespeople and traders — who typically count on a large portion of their take-home pay coming from bonuses. But employees in other divisions, such as wealth management, insurance and asset management, also receive incentive pay on top of their base salaries. RBC, CIBC, National Bank Bonus pay at Royal Bank and CIBC increased by 16.2% and 19.1%, respectively, in 2024. While Royal Bank’s dominant capital-markets franchise saw profit increase by more than 10% last year, net income at CIBC’s equivalent unit was little changed. Canada’s fifth-largest bank has been on a winning streak in recent quarters, however, with its stock routinely hitting new all-time highs on strong financial performance. “We pay competitively and have a pay-for-performance philosophy that aligns compensation to our bank’s financial and non-financial performance,” CIBC spokesperson Tom Wallis said in an email, adding that non-financial metrics including environmental, social and governance progress are also a factor. Royal Bank Chief Executive Officer Dave McKay cited the bank’s strong capital-markets results on an earnings call this week and noted the lender has a “robust pipeline that continued to build as we progressed through 2024.” National Bank, which has also enjoyed a run-up in its shares for most of the year and is poised for growth if it completes its acquisition of Canadian Western Bank as planned, increased bonus pay by 13.9% during the year. Its capital-markets business saw profits increase about 19% in fiscal 2024. “Our variable compensation is in line with revenue growth and the solid performance of our teams across business lines,” spokesperson Alexandre Guay said. BMO, Scotiabank Bank of Montreal and Bank of Nova Scotia both boosted the size of their bonus pools — with increases of 5.1% and 4.2%, respectively — despite capital-markets profit declining at both companies. The slump at Bank of Montreal was largely due to higher provisions for potentially bad loans — an issue that has plagued the bank overall — while Scotiabank said in its latest quarterly report that profit at its capital-markets business slipped on higher expenses. “Our compensation framework is designed to deliver long-term shareholder performance, is a reflection of business results and is competitive with the market,” said Bank of Montreal spokesperson Jeff Roman. Scotiabank employees are its “most important asset and recognizing them through performance-based compensation is one of the many ways we reward their valued contributions,” Chief Financial Officer Raj Viswanathan said. “This year’s all-bank performance-based compensation reflects early progress against our strategy amidst continued challenging market conditions, and confidence in our execution,” he said, referring to a strategy the bank put in place about a year ago. Toronto-Dominion Bonuses were up a healthy 10.2% at Toronto-Dominion Bank, despite a rough year for the lender, which reached a $3.1 billion settlement with US authorities over money-laundering charges in October. It said Thursday it’s suspending its guidance on growth as it undertakes a sweeping business review. Still, on the capital-markets front, the bank is enjoying momentum following its takeover of US investment bank Cowen Inc. But its 45% profit increase for the division is outsize partly because last year’s figure included significant costs related to the Cowen integration. “This year’s incentive compensation reflects a combination of factors including year-over-year annual salary increases and higher business specific incentives reflecting strong performance in wholesale banking (including a full fiscal year of TD Cowen) and wealth management,” spokesperson Elizabeth Goldenshtein said in an email. —With assistance from Melissa Shin.

Protecting or restricting? The effect of social media bans on the big dreams of young Australians - The Guardian

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