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online casino baccarat The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock. Swansea boss Luke Williams thought his side were second best for the majority of the contest despite earning a 2-1 win at Derby. The Swans stunned Pride Park into silence with less than two minutes on the clock when Zan Vipotnik sent a bullet past Jacob Widell Zetterstrom before Ronald slotted home his first of the season in the 14th minute. Cyrus Christie brought Tom Barkhuizen down inside the box and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing dispatched the resulting penalty to cut the deficit in half and, despite piling on the pressure, Derby succumbed to a second home defeat of the season. Williams told a press conference: “We started the game very well, we were good up until we scored the second goal then we lost the grip on the game and I thought Derby were the better team. “The next thing for us we have to be able to maintain that level throughout the game and we weren’t able to do that to be quite honest today. “They made it difficult, reacted very well after the second goal and didn’t go under, far from it.” Swansea leapfrogged their opponents into the top half of the table with their sixth win of the season and took three points back to south Wales following two last-minute defeats by Burnley and Leeds heading into the match. Williams added: “We’ve recently conceded late goals but they’re a very resilient group and we saw it out in the end. “We’ve dominated games a lot but probably failed to score when we’ve been that dominant and tonight we managed to score the goals when we were dominant. “We scored the goals at the right time today.” Derby had been unbeaten in their last three matches coming into this one but Paul Warne put defeat down to a poor start. He said: “We conceded two and didn’t get close enough, weren’t aggressive enough, not enough body contact and looked soft, that’s my fault. “Maybe I didn’t message it properly. Sometimes it doesn’t come down to shape and tactics but I thought that was what the difference was. “Credit Swansea for the win but after the 25 mins it looked like we would score. I really enjoyed it, that’s the truth. I had 70 minutes of a team giving everything, I don’t think we’ve had that many attempts in the Championship this season. “It’s a rude awakening, last year we would’ve won that 4-2.”

Syrian opposition fighters have reached the suburbs of the capital, Damascus, and government forces are withdrawing from the strategic city of Homs as the rebels' surprising offensive picks up speed and President Bashar Assad's whereabouts are unknown. Homs is an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces that are the Syrian leader’s base of support. In Damascus, residents described a city on edge, with security forces on the streets and many shops running out of staple foods. The rapidly developing events have shaken the region. Lebanon said it was closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria, too. Eight key countries gathered with the U.N. special envoy on Syria on the sidelines of the Doha Summit for two hours of discussions Saturday night, and more will follow. The U.N. envoy seeks urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Here's the Latest: Two officials with Iran-backed Iraqi militias in Syria say the militias are monitoring the situation and have not made a decision to enter in support of Iran’s ally, Syrian President Bashar Assad. One of the officials said Iranian militias had withdrawn to Iraq from their positions in Syria. “All the militias are waiting to see what Bashar Assad will do in Damascus. If he resists and does not allow Damascus to fall, it is possible that the Iraqi factions will intervene for the purpose of support,” he said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. -- Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad Multi-country discussions on Syria have ended on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein says the countries will issue a statement, and there will be follow-up talks “taking into consideration the practical and real situation on the ground.” He said the talks, which lasted over two hours Saturday evening, focused on how to stop the fighting. Eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran gathered with the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen. When asked where Syrian President Bashar Assad is, Iraq's foreign minister replied, “I don’t know.” He declined to speculate on whether Assad would be overthrown. Opposition fighters have reached the Damascus suburbs. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Health Ministry says two Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday killed six people and wounded five others. The ministry said an airstrike on the village of Beit Leif killed five people and wounded five, while a drone strike on the village of Deir Serian killed one person. Israel’s military said it was looking into the report. Despite a ceasefire that went into effect on Nov. 27 to end the 14-month fighting between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah militants that had escalated into all-out war, violations of the truce have continued. The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza says the facility came under heavy Israeli bombardment again on Saturday and three medical staff were killed. Dr. Hussam Abu Safia in a statement posted by Gaza’s Health Ministry said the hospital was hit by over 100 projectiles and bombs, and electricity was cut off. He said the surgery department and neonatal unit were hit, and he pleaded for “immediate coordination for repair operations.” Kamal Adwan is one of the last remaining hospitals in northern Gaza. Israeli forces are pressing an offensive that has almost completely sealed off the area from humanitarian aid for two months. Israel’s military said it wasn’t aware of any attack Saturday. The hospital director on Friday said Israeli strikes had killed at least 29 people including four medical staff. Israeli Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says the military is monitoring the Syrian border to make sure that “local factions do not direct actions towards us,” adding that Israel is not intervening in the events in Syria. Israel’s military has said it is reinforcing its deployment along the border with Syria. Halevi said if “confusion” arises and actions are directed toward Israel by “local factions” taking control of parts of Syria, Israel has a strong “offensive response.” The United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Syria says the U.N. is relocating non-critical staff outside the country. Adam Abdelmoula in a statement Saturday called it a precautionary measure to protect U.N. teams. “Let me emphasize—this is not an evacuation and our dedication to supporting the people of Syria remains unwavering,” Abdelmoula said. The statement did not say how many U.N. staffers were leaving Syria as opposition fighters reached the suburbs of Syria’s capital, Damascus. The statement said the fighting in Syria has displaced over 370,000 people as the humanitarian situation deteriorates, “with many seeking refuge in the northeast and others trapped in frontline areas, unable to escape.” Foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran have gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit along with the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, to discuss the situation in Syria. The talks continued late Saturday and no details were immediately available. Qatar, Jordan and Iraq also were part of the discussions as opposition fighters closed in on the Syrian capital, Damascus. BAGHDAD — An Iraqi government spokesperson says about 2,000 Syrian army soldiers have crossed into Iraq seeking refuge as opposition forces advance in Syria. Bassem al-Awadi said the soldiers’ equipment and weapons were registered and taken into custody by the Iraqi army. “We dealt with them according to the principle of good neighborliness and humanity,” he said Saturday. Al-Awadi also said Iraqi officials are concerned about the security of the al-Hol camp and other facilities in northeast Syria where suspected Islamic State group members and their families are detained. The facilities are guarded by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces. Al-Awadi said there is “high security coordination” between Iraqi officials and those forces to “prevent the prisoners from escaping.” Syria's army says it is fortifying its positions in the suburbs of Damascus and in the country’s south, as opposition fighters close in on the capital. The army statement on Saturday also asserted that Syria is being subjected to a “terrorist” and propaganda campaign aiming to destabilize and spread chaos. The statement also said the military is continuing with operations in areas including the central provinces of Hama and Homs, and that it has killed and wounded hundreds of opposition fighters. At least two people were wounded in a car-ramming attack in the West Bank on Saturday, according to the Israeli army and rescue services. The army said the attack took place in the area of the Fawwar refugee camp, near the city of Hebron. It said a soldier was severely wounded, and security forces were looking for the attacker. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said another man in his 40s suffered light injuries from shrapnel. The West Bank has seen a surge in violence since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza sparked the war there. Israel has intensified its military raids in the West Bank, targeting what it says are militants planning attacks, and there has also been a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis. The Israeli military says it is helping United Nations forces to head off an attack on a U.N. position in Syria close to the Israeli border. The army said in a statement Saturday that an attack was carried out by “armed individuals” on a U.N. post near the Syrian town of Hader and it was “assisting U.N. forces in repelling the attack.” On Friday, Israel’s military said it would reinforce its forces in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and opposition fighters. Hamas has released a video showing Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker making an emotional plea for his release and describing the conditions he and other hostages face in Gaza after being seized in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. His mother, Einav, has become a symbol of the fight to bring back the hostages and is an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Matan Zangauker, speaking under duress, appealed to the public to protest in front of Netanyahu’s home and “not let him sleep even for a minute.” Zangauker also referred to 420 days of being held by Hamas militants. “We want to return before we go crazy. Isolation is killing us, and the darkness here is frightening,” he said, describing having little food and medicine and “undrinkable” water. President-elect Donald Trump has made his first extensive comments on dramatic advances by opposition fighters in Syria, saying the besieged President Bashar Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on the Truth Social platform on Saturday. Syrian opposition activists and regional officials have been watching closely for any indication from both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration of how the U.S. would handle the sudden advances against Syria’s Russian- and Iranian-allied leader. Trump condemned the overall U.S. handling of the 13-year civil war in Syria, but spoke favorably of the routing of Assad and Russian forces. ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that there was “now a new reality in Syria” following the rapid advance of rebel forces. Speaking in Gaziantep, a city less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the Syrian border, Erdogan said that “increasing attacks on civilians” in Syria’s northwest Idlib province “triggered the latest events like the straw that broke the camel’s back.” It was not possible for Turkey to ignore developments in a country with which it shares a lengthy border and it would not allow any threats to its national security, he added in a televised speech. “Our wish is for our neighbor Syria to attain the peace and tranquility it has been longing for for 13 years,” he told a rally of supporters. “We want to see a Syria where different identities live side by side in peace. We hope to see such a Syria in the very near future.” Erdogan claimed President Bashar Assad had erred in rebuffing Turkey’s previous efforts to establish relations, saying Damascus “could not appreciate the value of the hand Turkey extended.” Ankara has supported anti-Assad rebel groups since the early months of the conflict and hosts 3 million refugees dislodged by the fighting. While Turkey lists HTS, the group leading the latest offensive, as a terrorist organization, the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army has worked alongside it. BEIRUT — A resident of the Syrian capital of Damascus says the city is very tense as troops and members of security agencies are deployed on main streets and intersections. The resident told The Associated Press that many shops are closed and those that are open have run out of main commodities such as sugar. He added that if food products are available, some shops are selling them for a price three times higher than usual. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said on condition of anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” — Bassem Mroue in Beirut DOHA, Qatar — Russia’s foreign minister says he has met his Turkish and Iranian counterparts in Doha and that all three countries were calling for an “immediate end to hostile activities” in Syria. Russia and Iran are the chief supporters of Syria’s government, while Turkey backs opposition fighters trying to remove President Bashar Assad from power. Speaking at the annual Doha Forum, Sergey Lavrov said Russia continues to help the Syrian army confront insurgents, military via airstrikes. Asked whether Assad’s rule is threatened by the fast-moving rebel offensive, he said, “We are not in the business of guessing what’s gong to happen.” He blamed the United States and the West for the events in Syria and said, “We are very sorry for the Syrian people who became a subject of another geopolitical experiment. “We are doing everything we can not to make terrorists prevail, even if they say they are not terrorists,” Lavrov said, referring to the de facto leader of the Syrian insurgents, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who says he has cut links with al-Qaida. His group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and United Nations. He said Russia, Iran and Turkey want the full implementation of a U.N. resolution, which endorsed a road map to peace in Syria. Resolution 2254 was adopted unanimously in December 2015. The measure called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Lavrov also downplayed reports that Moscow had withdrawn ships from Russia’s base in Syrian city of Tartus, saying that the vessels had left to take part in naval exercises in the Mediterranean. DOHA, Qatar — The U.S. envoy who brokered the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah says the deal has created a new opportunity for Lebanon to reshape itself. Amos Hochstein told the Doha Forum that the weakness of Hezbollah after nearly 14 months of fighting along, along with blows to its Syrian and Iranian allies, give the Lebanese military and government a chance to reassert itself. “Now is the moment with this ceasefire to rebuild Lebanon again for a much more prosperous future and stronger state institutions,” Hochstein told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference. He said Lebanon needs “to do its part” by rebuilding its economy, choosing a president after years of delays and strengthening its central government to attract investors. “And the international community has a requirement and a responsibility to support Lebanon after this devastating conflict and after years of Hezbollah control,” he said. Hochstein told the conference that the turning point in ceasefire efforts was Hezbollah dropping its pledge to keep fighting as long as the war in Gaza continues. He said the change in position was the result of the heavy losses inflicted on Hezbollah, and Lebanese public opinion in favor of delinking the two conflicts. He said key tests for the ceasefire will be whether Israel carries out its promised phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon over the coming two months and whether the Lebanese army is able to move into those areas. BEIRUT — Insurgents and a war monitor say opposition fighters are taking over military posts evacuated by Syrian government forces in the country’s south, bringing them closer to the capital, Damascus. An insurgent official known as Maj. Hassan Abdul-Ghani posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition fighters are now in the town of Sanamein, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the southern outskirts of Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said insurgents have entered the town of Artouz, which is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Damascus. Opposition fighters have captured wide parts of Syria, including several provincial capitals, since they began their offensive on Nov. 27. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s government has approved a plan to deploy more troops along the border with Israel, part of the ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a rare Cabinet meeting outside of Beirut, held Saturday at a military base in the southern port city of Tyre, the government also approved a draft law to reconstruct buildings destroyed during the Israel-Hezbollah war that broke out in October 2023 and ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire last week. Information Minister Ziad Makary told reporters after the meeting that the committee whose job is to monitor the ceasefire that went into effect on Nov. 27 will hold its first meeting on Monday. The committee is made up of military officials from the U.S., France, Israel and Lebanon as well as the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along the border. As part of the ceasefire deal, during the first 60 days Israeli troops will have to withdraw from Lebanon, while Hezbollah will have to pull its heavy weapons away from the border area to north of the Litani river. The Lebanese army said this week it will begin recruiting more soldiers, apparently to deploy them along the border with Israel. BEIRUT — The Syrian army withdrew from much of southern Syria on Saturday, leaving more areas of the country, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters, the military and an opposition war monitor said. The redeployment away from the provinces of Daraa and Sweida came as Syria’s military sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The rapid advances by insurgents are a stunning reversal of fortunes for Syria’s President Bashar Assad , who appears to be largely on his own, with erstwhile allies preoccupied with other conflicts. His chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by Israeli regular airstrikes. JERUSALEM — Israeli security forces killed a Palestinian man after he attacked them at a border crossing in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Saturday morning, police said. The man shot firecrackers at security forces at the checkpoint and threatened them with a knife, the police statement said. The man wore a t-shirt emblazoned with a symbol of the Islamic State militant group, according to an Associated Press reporter Israeli fire has killed at least 700 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war began last year, Palestinian health officials said. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. DOHA, Qatar — The prime minister of Qatar says he has seen new momentum in Gaza ceasefire efforts since the U.S. presidential election, with the incoming Trump administration seeking an end to the conflict before it takes office. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a key mediator in the ceasefire efforts, declined to give specifics of the negotiations but told an international conference in Doha that the gaps between the sides are not large. Qatar, which has served as a mediator throughout the 14-month war, suspended its efforts last month in frustration over the lack of progress. But Sheikh Mohammed said his government has re-engaged in recent days after determining a new willingness by both parties to reach a deal. ’We have sensed after the election that the momentum is coming back,” he told the Doha Forum on Saturday. He said has been in touch with both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration and found that while there are some differences in approach, both are committed to the same goal of ending the war. ’We have seen a lot of encouragement from the incoming administration in order to achieve a deal, even before the president comes to the office,” Sheikh Mohammed said. He declined to discuss details, saying he wanted to “protect the process,” but expressed hope for a deal “as soon as possible.” ’If you look at the gaps and the disagreements, they are not something substantial that really affects the agreement,” he said. CAIRO — At least 29 people were killed, including four medical staff, when Israeli strikes pummeled the area around one of the last remaining hospitals in northern Gaza, Palestinian officials said. The situation in and around the Kamal Adwan hospital is “catastrophic,” according to Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of the hospital. The dead included five children and five women, according to the hospital casualty list, which was obtained by The Associated Press. Friday’s strikes also wounded 55 people including six children and the five women, according to the hospital. Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya is one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the Gaza’s northernmost province , where Israeli forces are pressing an offensive that has almost completely sealed off the area from humanitarian aid for two months. Israel’s military denied that its forces had struck the hospital or operated inside it. The army said that in the past few weeks, “coordinated efforts with international organizations have been underway in order to transfer patients, companions, and medical staff to other hospitals.” An Indonesian medical team which had been assisting in Kamal Adwan for the past week was forced to evacuate on foot after the area was surrounded by Israeli soldiers, according to a statement from the team. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the medical team’s expulsion. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization representative in the Palestinian territories, said an Israeli tank approached the hospital at around 4 a.m. Friday. Although no official Israeli evacuation order was issued, “people started to climb the wall to escape, and this panic attracted IDF (Israeli) fire,” he said. He spoke by video from Gaza to journalists in Geneva. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months since Israel launched a fierce military operation in northern Gaza against Hamas militants. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. MANAMA, Bahrain — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has reiterated the kingdom’s call for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip. Prince Faisal bin Farhan described Israel as acting with “impunity and is getting away without punishment” in its war on Hamas there. The prince said that any permanent solution requires a two-state solution, with the Palestinians having east Jerusalem as their capital. After the speech, Prince Turki al-Faisal, a prominent royal in the kingdom who led Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and served as ambassador to the U.S. and Britain, took the stage. He harshly criticized Israel’s conduct in the wars. “Israel has become an apartheid, colonial and genocidal state,” Prince Turki said. “It is about time for the world to address that issue and take the necessary steps to bring those who are thus charged by the International Criminal Court to justice.” Israeli officials could not be immediately reached for comment on Prince Turki’s remarks. The Saudis spoke at the International Institute for Security Studies’ Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.Here are some of the headlines from this past week in the Missoulian. To read the full stories, click the link on each headline: Montanans encouraged to select health insurance plan by Jan. 15 deadline Montanans have until Jan. 15 to purchase a health insurance plan on the federal marketplace . Most people who miss the deadline will not be eligible to sign up again until November of next year. Cover Montana, an initiative to help people sign up for health insurance, and other advocates are encouraging people to look at their options and make sure they have health insurance plans that make sense for their needs going forward. This period, known as open enrollment, is especially critical for those who lost Medicaid coverage during the redetermination process over the last year. Montana Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides health care coverage to low-income earners, adults with disabilities, seniors, children and new birthing parents for 12 months postpartum. Of those, some are eligible under Medicaid expansion, which the state first passed in 2015 and renewed again in 2019. Adults earning below 138% of the federal poverty level can enroll in the government-funded health insurance program as well as children and pregnant people earning a bit more. — Carly Graf, carly.graf@missoulian.com Board of Regents approves UM grad student labor union The Board of Regents voted unanimously Nov. 22 to approve a labor agreement with the newly formed Graduate Employee Union at the University of Montana. The Graduate Employee Union, which falls under the Montana Federation of Public Employees, already reached a tentative bargaining agreement with the University in September after just one meeting. This agreement was partially based off of the contract used by unionized graduate students at MSU. In a letter sent to the University of Montana earlier this year , union leadership expressed that they sought to improve working and living conditions for graduate employees, who often take on teaching and research work in addition to their studies, but often cannot pay for their costs of living through existing stipends. — Andy Tallman, andy.tallman@missoulian.com Missoula land use plan heads to final vote A new land use plan that will guide development in Missoula for the next two decades received strong support during a Missoula city-county planning board hearing this week, with all nine board members approving the years-long project. The Our Missoula 2045 Land Use and Code Reform plan most notably has a goal to add an additional 19,000 to 23,000 housing units to the Garden City over the next two decades . In total, the city expects 39,000 more residents by 2045. The plan now just needs final approval from city council, which is set for Dec. 9. The plan also simplifies how the city views zoning, allowing city planners to streamline and diversify new development, according to Ben Brewer, a long-range planning supervisor with the city. — Griffen Smith, griffen.smith@missoulian.com Two large Missoula housing projects approved for TIF assistance to be scaled down A Missoula developer has significantly scaled down a proposal for a large apartment complex in Missoula, and city officials say another massive proposed housing complex will also be revised down. On Thursday, the Missoula Redevelopment Agency reviewed plans for a scaled-down version of Bissinger Place, which was originally proposed in the spring of 2022 . Back then, the MRA board unanimously approved $269,000 in Tax Increment Financing for Bissinger Place to help the developers with asbestos remediation, deconstruction of aging homes on the site, utility relocation and right-of-way improvements. The board also approved $50,000 in Facade Improvement Program grant funds for paint removal, windows, doors, an overhead door replacement and awnings. The project is located at 903 S. 1st W. near Loyola High School's football field. Back in 2022, the project was proposed to be a 61,500-square-foot, four-story, mixed-use development with 42 rental housing units and commercial space. The lot was deconstructed, but no construction has started on the project. — David Erickson, david.erickson@missoulian.com American Prairie donates land along Missouri, Judith rivers for possible state park A historic parcel of land along the Missouri and Judith rivers in central Montana has been donated to the Montana State Parks Foundation for a possible state park “benefiting outdoor enthusiasts and protecting natural resources and cultural heritage,” the group announced. "This donation and potential state park could benefit those who enjoy floating and fishing on the Judith and Missouri rivers, enrich the surrounding communities and honor Montana’s rich ranching heritage and Indigenous history,” said Angie Grove, president of the foundation’s board of directors, in a press release. The 109.43 acres of land located about 23 miles northwest of Winifred was offered by the Bozeman-based nonprofit American Prairie. "This donation represents an important step towards preserving the historical and cultural legacy of the area,” said Alison Fox, CEO of American Prairie, in a press release. The group bought the 47,000-acre PN Ranch , encircling the donated parcel, in 2016. — Brett French, bfrench@billingsgazette.com Livingston artist examines cartoonish colonialism Who is John Henry Haseltine? You could try to answer that question in a few ways. For starters, there’s his biographical information. Haseltine lives in Livingston now and has become a mainstay on the Gallatin Valley theatrical stage, but he was born in New York City and grew up all over, with stops in Jackson Hole and Kalispell. You could look up his IMDb page. Haseltine got a degree in film production from Boston’s Emerson College, one of America’s most prestigious liberal arts universities, which has produced creatives like David Cross, Paul Thomas Anderson, Norman Lear and, of course, the guy who wrote “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” After graduation Haseltine lived in L.A. for years. His credits include behind-the-scenes work on HBO’s “Silicon Valley,” directing the music video for a Chromeo remix of Donna Summer’s “Love is in Control” and a few films of his own. The most notable of those is “Spring: The Fairest of the Seasons,” a bonkers 30-minute short he shot in Montana in 2016. But if you really want to know who Haseltine is, what he likes and what makes him tick, you need to see his new art exhibition, “The Mountain Clown and Other Foul Animals,” which is at the Yellowstone Art Museum until February. — Jake Iverson, jiverson@billingsgazette.com At the Roxy: Ariana Grande gets 'Wicked,' 'RRR' roars back Missoula's community cinema is screening the new adaptation of the Broadway hit. They're also bringing back the head-spinning cult favorite "RRR." — Charlotte Macorn, for the Missoulian Things to do: Star-struck theater, vibey brewery jazz You can see a contemporary play about astronomy on campus, a bingo-themed production at the Senior Center, or hear a new Khruangbin-style band with local members of touring soul acts. — Cory Walsh, cory.walsh@missoulian.com Citizen grand juries and county militias: The quiet rise of Tactical Civics in Montana EAST HELENA — Steve Wagner stepped on the stage and gazed out over the pews. He was at the Canyon Ferry Road Baptist Church to baptize a few dozen believers in a new Christian nationalist movement, one that’s crystalized around the idea that citizen-spurred grand juries and county militias are the instruments against omnipresent government corruption. The stakes, Wagner told them through a wired microphone headset, could not be higher. "We know we are sitting ducks. This criminal gang in Washington, D.C., right down through the channels of our state in the temples of government, we know that they could pick any one of us off at any minute, and there’s not a lot we can do about it," Wagner told the audience. At the meeting that night in April 2021, Wagner marshaled the simmering resentment in the room over public health measures to stem the spread of COVID-19, the 2020 election results and Black Lives Matter riots. He told the few dozen seated before him that these events had primed them all. "They can shut our business down; they can drain our bank account. Won’t be long before they have their way. You can’t go hardly anywhere unless you’ve got your little card that say’s you’ve been vaccinated — that’s what’s coming, we all know it, if we stay on the course that we are." Wagner, who lives in Whitehall, told the group they were now all on the forefront of turning the tide back, if they were willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work. — Seaborn Larson, seaborn.larson@missoulian.com Missoula Fairgrounds to get up to $120K from hosting Zootown Music Festival The Missoula County Fairgrounds will get a rental fee of at least $50,000 — and up to $120,000 depending on the number of tickets sold — for allowing concert promoters to host the two-day Zootown Music Festival at the fairgrounds on July 4-5, 2025. Fairgrounds events and operations manager Billie Ayers shared the 21-page facility use agreement the Fairgrounds signed with Always On LLC, the main concert promoter for the new festival. The term of the lease is for six days every year starting in 2025 and ending in 2029, meaning the festival could be held every summer through 2029. There are stipulations in the contract that state the concert promoters must pay for any delays in cleanup or damage to the Fairgrounds. Ayers said that the county won’t be liable if there’s, for example, damage to fencing or to the turf or arena. — David Erickson, david.erickson@missoulian.com Kalispell-based Rat's Army owner accused of illegally selling drugs to bodybuilders The owner of Rat’s Army LLC, a defunct online company based in Kalispell, has been charged in federal court with illegally distributing a class of pharmaceuticals popular among some bodybuilders. Tyler J. Hall was charged earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Missoula with the introduction of unapproved drugs into interstate commerce, a violation of federal law that requires approval by the federal Food and Drug Administration to sell the chemicals for human consumption. A plea agreement has been filed in the case, according to court documents, and Hall is scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing on Dec. 3. The agreement calls for Hall to admit to the single charge in the case, and in exchange prosecutors will move for a reduction in his offense level at sentencing. — Sam Wilson, sam.wilson@missoulian.com Missoula authorized campsite proposals in works, city tweaks strategy with shelters Missoula's homelessness service providers are working on a cost and workload estimate to establish and operate an authorized campsite to serve the city's homeless population, but it is unclear if that could become a reality any time soon. The city's urban camping law passed in June directs Missoula's mayor to propose an authorized camping site if it is "feasible, practicable, and in the public interest." There hasn't been an authorized campsite for the homeless in Missoula since summer 2022 . Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis said during a Wednesday city committee quarterly update on homeless programs that city council would need to approve any proposed authorized campsite, and discussions taking place now are only preliminary. "Folks are taking a look at what it would take," Davis said, adding current law allows for one to be established. — Griffen Smith, griffen.smith@missoulian.com 'The best scenario': The Last Best Ride gravel race continues in '25 under new owner This was almost the last best year for The Last Best Ride. The gravel road bicycle race, in its fourth running this past July, drew about 600 cyclists from around the state and continent to compete on a mostly unpaved course of mountainous roads around Whitefish. Behind the scenes this late summer and fall, organizers and their friends — primarily western Montana locals — worried the event wouldn't happen in 2025. Riders from Montana-based Frontiers Racing line up at the start of the 2024 edition of The Last Best Ride gravel race. But on Nov. 14, race founder and organizer Jess Cerra, a Whitefish native and former professional racer, announced the event wasn't going away. Shaun Radley of Missoula-based MTCX Skis, Bikes and Events had agreed to buy The Last Best Ride, Cerra wrote in a social media post . She and other original organizers like Stella Hobbs, a rising pro rider and owner of Great Northern Cycle & Ski shop, would continue their involvement in the race. — Joshua Murdock, joshua.murdock@missoulian.com 'Very disheartening': Deer and elk poached in Potomac, Bitterroot A white-tailed buck deer was shot and left to waste in Potomac last week, and state game officials are offering a cash reward for tips about the incident. Separately, the agency is also seeking tips on the poaching of at least three mule deer bucks and one bull elk found killed and left to waste around the West Fork Bitterroot River. According to the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, a Potomac resident reported the buck on Nov. 13, and it was likely shot the day before. The animal was found dead in a field on private property. The agency announced Monday evening that Warden Chris Hamilton was seeking information about the killing, and that people who submit tips could be eligible for a reward up to $1,000 cash. Tips can submitted directly to Hamilton at 406-210-7513 or anonymously online at tipmont.mt.gov . Hamilton said in a phone call Tuesday afternoon that there was a small chance the deer was wounded by a legal hunting shot, moved locations and wasn't recovered, but "it doesn't seem as likely" because of where it was found. — Joshua Murdock, joshua.murdock@missoulian.com Business Buzz: New CEO at Western MT Mental Health; Small Business Saturday Small Business Saturday, which encourages shopping local instead of at "big box" stores, will be held on Nov. 30 and there's specials in downtown Missoula. — David Erickson, david.erickson@missoulian.com New Lewis and Clark art exhibit opens at Travelers’ Rest State Park Nov. 29 LOLO — Travelers’ Rest State Park is hosting a temporary exhibit, “Pop! Goes the Expedition: Pictures of an Expedition,” from Friday, Nov. 29 through March 25. The display is centered on the theme of how Lewis and Clark's Expedition is represented in art and pop culture. Visitors to Travelers’ Rest State Park can view the free exhibit during regular winter visitor center hours, Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Celebrate the exhibit opening with a special family-friendly activity available any time on Nov. 29 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. “Pop! Goes the Expedition” includes reproductions of some of the most famous paintings of the expedition by artists like Charles M. Russell, Frederic Remington and N.C. Wyeth. Additional works by contemporary Montana artists, including Robert Morgan and Courtney Blazon, offer different viewpoints. Display cases contain a carefully curated selection of objects from pop culture including movie posters, novels, toys and collectibles. More than 50 books and objects, as well as 17 original and reproduction works of art, will be on display from Nov. 29 through March 25. — Montana FWP Gianforte says he'll cut income taxes; critics say it fails to help working Montanans Gov. Greg Gianforte released details on his proposed roughly $18 billion budget last week, giving state lawmakers and residents a glimpse into his vision for the state over the next two years. His self-described "conservative" plan features decreased property taxes, investments in public safety and boosts to teacher pay. House Bill 2, the major appropriations bill, charts a plan for the majority of the state government's earnings and spending every two years. The governor works with the state Legislature to craft and pass the budget. During a press conference Nov. 13, Gianforte pitched his plan as a balanced budget that avoids cuts to essential services and caps spending increases at a level below inflation, which he repeatedly blamed on White House policy. — Carly Graf, carly.graf@missoulian.com New fishing regulations implemented to protect bull trout in northwest Montana The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission recently approved changes it says will add protections for bull trout in northwest Montana as officials report seeing record low numbers of spawning nests, known as redds, in one of the last places they thrive in the state. The new changes will affect the South Fork of the Flathead River, the Hungry Horse Reservoir, Big Salmon Lake and Big Salmon Creek. Bull trout were listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act in 1998, and the South Fork of the Flathead River is one of the last strongholds for the fish in Montana because the Hungry Horse Dam has limited the encroachment of nonnative species. “These changes are intended to be a proactive measure that maintains limited fishing opportunity but reduces the amount of handling stress on bull trout,” said Leo Rosenthal, a Fish, Wildlife & Parks fisheries biologist based in Kalispell. “These fish are important ecologically and culturally, but they are also an important sport fish. We want to maintain opportunity for anglers to pursue this unique native species.” — David Erickson, david.erickson@missoulian.com One year after attack on neighbors, Polson man set to stand trial A man who drove his pickup truck into his neighbor's home in Polson in 2023 is set to stand trial for attempted murder next month, more than a year after he was arrested and treated for extreme burns from the incident. Paul Ailport, 65, faces charges for attempted homicide, arson and criminal mischief stemming from a multi-year feud with the Schiele family in a rural Mission Valley neighborhood near Polson. The Schieles, who lived next door, described a multi-year saga of aggression from Ailport leading up to the morning he drove his truck into their home in a story published by the Missoulian in February. Paul Ailport's truck smolders after he crashed it into his neighbors' home on Nov. 10, 2023. The vehicle was filled with fireworks and covered with gasoline. Ailport and his wife moved into the rural neighborhood between late 2021 and early 2022, the Schieles said. Things were normal until Ailport started moving his car business of 30-40 vehicles onto the property. — Griffen Smith, griffen.smith@missoulian.com Public backlash sends Missoula street project back to planning Missoula's city council delayed a project to build sidewalks and boulevards along Eaton Street on Monday night after several residents brought concerns of costs and a lack of effectiveness to calm area traffic. The council agreed to send the project back to committee for more work to address resident concerns and the project design. About a dozen residents spoke against the project during the meeting. The project comes with a shared cost for homeowners, which could cost up to $9,000 per homeowner under city policy. Residents shared concerns that the price could be too much for them to afford. — Griffen Smith, griffen.smith@missoulian.com City council approves Missoula Southgate Crossing land purchase The city of Missoula approved the purchase of 13 acres of vacant land behind Southgate Mall for $5.88 million on Monday night, turning the page toward a planned redevelopment for housing, commercial and park space on the property. The council approved the Southgate Crossing purchase 9-2, with councilors Bob Campbell and Sandra Vasecka opposed. The city has eyed the land for decades as a "catalyst" for adding density to Missoula's Midtown. "This is one of the rare times that we get to be really proactive, and we get to make decisions for what's going to happen on that block," Ward 2 Councilor Sierra Farmer said. "This is the time where we can bring infrastructure in before it's too late." The money for the purchase comes from the Missoula Redevelopment Agency via Tax Increment Financing, which was approved by the MRA board on Oct. 31. — Griffen Smith, griffen.smith@missoulian.com City approves land purchase for new Missoula park on Northside Missoulians will soon get a new park on the Northside after the city council approved spending more than $2 million to purchase roughly 5 acres on North Scott Street on Monday night. The new Northside park is meant to add open space capacity to a growing residential district. The city purchased the 5.4 acres of land from the Resurrection Cemetery Association, which will retain a small cemetery on the northeast corner of the plot. — Griffen Smith, griffen.smith@missoulian.com Missoula County Fairgrounds to host two-day Zootown Music Festival in 2025 A group of entertainment production companies have announced a music festival slated to be held at the Missoula County Fairgrounds on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5, 2025. The Zootown Music Festival will feature musical artists Hozier, Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Mt. Joy, Lake Street Dive, Modest Mouse, Julien Baker and Torres and perhaps a dozen more yet-to-be announced smaller acts. The festival's organizers sent out a press release this week and are having a press conference to answer questions on Tuesday afternoon. It will be organized by Always On LLC, Knitting Factory Presents and Shore Sound Entertainment in partnership with Destination Missoula and the University of Montana’s Entertainment Management program. — David Erickson, david.erickson@missoulian.com Financing, weather, inflation, lack of labor: Construction experts explain challenges There are plenty of vacant pieces of property or older, under-utilized buildings around Missoula, so why don’t developers just build new housing on these parcels to address the housing shortage? It turns out it’s complicated, according to three panelists at the City Club Missoula forum on Monday who all discussed the challenges of infill construction and the barriers to building diverse housing. “All the easy projects have already been done,” explained Chris Chitty, the president of Hone Architects and Builders in Missoula. “All the low-hanging fruit has been picked. All the projects that are left need creativity. They need head-scratching. They need back-and-forth with regulators. They’re not straightforward.” Chitty said his company mostly does smaller infill housing projects, like a small row of townhomes. Developers have to bring a considerable amount of upfront cash equity to a project in order to get a bank loan, he said. “Nobody just loans you all the money,” he said. “It’s more than 20% like you would have for a home mortgage. You need 25% to 30%, sometimes more if you’ve got a riskier development.” — David Erickson, david.erickson@missoulian.com Community Medical Center targeted for alleged role in Hurst sex abuse case At least 14 women who have accused former Missoula doctor Tyler Hurst of sexual abuse have filed claims against Community Medical Center with the Montana Medical Legal Panel — a required first step toward a malpractice lawsuit against the hospital for its role in the alleged assaults. Community Medical Center wasn’t named in a civil complaint against Hurst, filed by AVA Law Group in Missoula in August. But attorneys for the women wrote in that complaint that the hospital had failed “to act on a lot of red flags.” Tyler J. Hurst, 40, has been previously accused in Missoula County District Court of raping or sexually assaulting 15 women during his time as an emergency room doctor at Community Medical Center. He has pleaded not guilty to eight criminal charges, including six felonies, in Missoula District Court. Hurst’s next court appearance in his criminal case is scheduled for Thursday. — Sam Wilson, sam.wilson@missoulian.com Whitefish music fest Under the Big Sky rolls out 2025 lineup The Under the Big Sky Festival in Whitefish has announced its lineup for 2025, including headliners Tyler Childers, Mumford and Sons, and the Red Clay Strays. The festival’s sixth installment lands on July 18-20 at Big Mountain Ranch, a 360-acre working ranch that can accommodate multiple stages and even a rough-stock rodeo, according to a news release sent on Monday from promoter Outriders Present. Last year, the festival drew 20,000 attendees per day, the company said. Childers, a rootsy Kentucky songwriter who’s risen to the top of the country genre, is returning to Montana fresh from a sold-out concert at Washington-Grizzly Stadium in August. British folk act Mumford and Sons haven’t performed in the state since a 2019 appearance at Ogren Park at Allegiance Field. Alabama rock ‘n’ roll band the Red Clay Strays went viral on TikTok and channeled the attention into a new album, “Live at the Ryman.” Almost 40 acts in the country, roots, folk and bluegrass vein will perform over three days at the family-friendly event. Other artists include Grammy winner Wynonna Judd, online sensation Oliver Anthony, up-and-comer Wyatt Flores, “Yellowstone” star Luke Grimes and more. — Cory Walsh, cory.walsh@missoulian.com Sentencing set for Benson in Superior double-homicide case A man found guilty last month of fatally shooting his wife and their friend in a Superior bar in 2023 will be sentenced on Jan. 3. Kraig W. Benson, 48, was convicted of two counts of deliberate homicide at the end of a weeklong jury trial in October. He admitted to killing his wife , Jenny Benson, and their friend, Logan Gardner, at the Four Aces Bar on Aug. 27, 2023. Kraig W. Benson enters the courtroom at the Ravalli County Courthouse on Monday, Oct. 21 in Hamilton. With surveillance footage from the Four Aces Bar clearly showing Benson shooting the two victims multiple times with a handgun, Benson's defense attorneys had sought to obtain convictions on a lesser charge , mitigated deliberate homicide. — Sam Wilson, sam.wilson@missoulian.com Tribes, US and Canada agree on Lake K selenium study board Eleven governments — two countries, two states, a province and six Indigenous tribes — have a stake in the Elk and Kootenai rivers that flow through Montana, Idaho and British Columbia. Now, for the first time, all 11 are officially working together to address toxic mining contamination from Canadian coal mines that flows into the Elk, which empties into the Kootenai (Kootenay in Canada) and Lake Koocanusa, and pollutes a broad watershed spanning states and countries. The issue is being addressed by the International Joint Commission, a bi-national body created under the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty between the U.S. and Canada. The IJC exists to address trans-boundary water management or quality disputes. Waste rock piles form a terraced landscape at Teck Resources' mothballed Coal Mountain Operations mine southeast of Sparwood, British Columbia. The company owns four active mines to the north. The governments of Canada and its province of British Columbia had long resisted joining the U.S. to issue a joint reference of the issue to the IJC. But, under more than a decade of pressure from the trans-boundary Ktunaxa Nation and, more recently, Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, the Canadian governments relented and joined a reference in March . The Ktunaxa Nation announced Wednesday that all 11 governments tapped by the IJC to form a governance body for the Elk-Kootenai/y Watershed had approved the terms of the reference — the document that outlines the group's structure, function, rules and goals — with Canada doing so only recently, months after a June 30 deadline. — Joshua Murdock, joshua.murdock@missoulian.com Tribal housing authority invites non-Native support amid housing crisis The Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority has launched a new program that invites non-Natives to “join a community of solidarity,” where members both commit to learning about tribal history and culture and make financial or other contributions to support tribal members in need of housing on the reservation. Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority (SKHA) Executive Director Jody Cahoon Perez said the initiative “brings people together to meet two different needs.” “Some tribal members need housing, and some non-Natives need a way to engage with the people who have stewarded this land since time immemorial.” Communities nationwide face housing crises, and the problem is exacerbated in Indian Country, where people must engage with slow and opaque government processes, where Termination Era policy contributes to widespread inequity and where limited federal funding does not come close to meeting infrastructure needs or community demand. — Nora Mabie, nora.mabie@missoulian.com Missoula 2045 growth plan scheduled for final votes The long-term framework document for growth within the city of Missoula is set for final votes in the next month, which would solidify the valley's new land use plan for the next decade. The Our Missoula Growth Policy Update and Code Reform plan has been under development for the past two years and residents are encouraged to comment on the plan as the final touches are made. The land use plan calls for 22,000 new homes in Missoula by 2045 to keep up with population growth. The new zoning would allow for more land uses in neighborhoods, like duplexes and multi-use buildings . "The Our Missoula 2045 Land Use Plan builds on the foundation of the current Our Missoula 2035 Growth Policy, which establishes Missoula’s policy to focus growth inward toward existing services and amenities and away from costly sprawl," the city said in a press release Friday. "The proposed Plan outlines a vision for Missoula that can meet community needs and desires; support housing supply; attract new businesses; protect the environment; and plan infrastructure effectively." Missoula's Consolidated Planning Board is set for final consideration of the plan on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. in the Sophie Moise Room of the Missoula County Courthouse. — Griffen Smith, griffen.smith@missoulian.com After-school program helps Missoula students bring dream projects to life It can be hard for families of teenagers to find something for them to do after school. Families First is trying to fill that gap with the Dream Bigger Afterschool Program that launched in September, which is aimed at helping seventh through 12th graders pursue their passion projects at Missoula and Lolo’s public libraries. For the kids, that means time, mentorship and resources to work on anything from SCUBA certification to filmmaking. The goal is that they’ll create something that’ll do more than just gather dust, teen program director Nick Ehlers said. For Allyson Curran, a seventh-grade student at C.S. Porter Middle School, that hopefully means launching a game for horror enthusiasts to play. That game, currently titled "Catfe," takes place at a cat cafe, where players will be able to play as either a worker or customer. They’ll uncover the cat-sacrificing demon-dealing mysteries of the nefarious cafe owner, all while running from monstrous cats. During a recent day at the program, Curran had sketches of possible cafe logos, playable characters and possessed villains strewn across her desk, showcasing a cute yet unsettling style for the game’s art direction. Allyson Curran, left, and Bella Curran, center, work with program instructors at the Dream Bigger Afterschool Program at the Missoula Public Library on Tuesday, Nov. 12. On another table sprawled a black and white photo of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. That photo was taken by Chris Taylor, and will be auctioned off as part of the program to pay for his daughter, Selene Taylor, to get SCUBA certified. — Andy Tallman, andy.tallman@missoulian.com A Carousel for Missoula reunited with a new vintage pony A Carousel for Missoula has added a new pony to its herd. Technically, it’s more of a reunion. The wood-carved horse, about a hundred years old, was part of a carousel at Ponderosa Ranch, an amusement park outside Lake Tahoe, Nevada, where some parts of the Western television show “Bonanza” were filmed. The frame for that carousel was eventually sold separately from the animals and ended up here in Missoula at Caras Park, where it was outfitted with horses hand-carved by local volunteers. John Thompson, an original carver for the Carousel for Missoula, looks up at the newly installed vintage pony on Tuesday, Nov. 12. This new addition took a circuitous route. Years ago, it was bought at auction by a private collector in California, said Tracy Ursery, the executive director of the nonprofit carousel. The donor is moving to the East Coast and felt “it was time to let the horse go,” Ursery said. The donor looked up the history of that horse and carousel frame and then reached out to Missoula and thought it was the best place for it to land. While the horse, complete with an intact patina, was installed on Tuesday, no one’s allowed to ride it to ensure it stays in good shape. Thankfully, there are the many other options that volunteers have maintained since it opened. — Cory Walsh, cory.walsh@missoulian.com When a theater company plays bingo, anything can happen A bingo game in honor of the dead should not be funereal, but celebratory. Think dance numbers, satirical music, surprise guests, unprovoked confessions. There will also be prizes, raffles and drinks. At least, that’s the card you’ll play if you show up at the Missoula Senior Center for a memorial game in honor of Lula Mae Johnson, a wealthy Missoula resident, avid bingo fan and somewhat of a free spirit. She’s also a fiction, the centerpiece of “Bingo! A Night of Theatre, Dance, and Prizes,” an interactive dramatic experience put on by the Montana Repertory Theatre the next two weekends. Eliza McNelly, playing Young Lula Mae, and Amy Ragsdale as Marion during a rehearsal for Montana Repertory Theatre’s production of “Bingo! A Night of Theatre, Dance & Prizes” at the Missoula Senior Center on Wednesday evening. The Rep’s series “Plays on Tap” is intended to bring theater out of the physical theater and make it a more immersive, more casual experience. In this case, you step into the Senior Center, buy a beer and take a seat with your bingo card. Your emcee is an actor, Monroe Ayers, playing Lula Mae’s agreeable but visibly stressed nephew, Jeff. Once the show gets started, real rounds of bingo are played along with the unfolding story, written by four professional playwrights. The player sitting next to you could very well be an actor from the University of Montana or a local professional, but you might not realize that until the right moment. Like any funeral in a movie, things don’t go as planned but the results are funny and moving in ways you might not expect. — Cory Walsh, cory.walsh@missoulian.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter.Bryce Thompson scores 17 points and Oklahoma State beats Miami 80-74 in the Charleston ClassicDylan Hernández: MLS deal with Apple TV could be hurting league's efforts to grow its fan base

Beds at the City of Portland Homeless Services Center Thursday. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald Portland and state officials are clashing over millions of dollars in annual funding for general assistance, the safety net program that pays for shelter and other basic needs for residents who can’t afford them. Portland’s mayor says the state is proposing a rule change that could cost the city $4.4 million a year in reduced funding for emergency shelter operations. “This proposal would slash state reimbursement of local emergency shelter expenses, weakening Maine’s emergency shelter network and putting the people who need it at further risk,” Mayor Mark Dion wrote in a Nov. 25 letter to the director of the state’s Office of Family Independence in the Department of Health and Human Services. The change could mean a reduction in services or a 5.5% increase in the municipal portion of the city’s tax rate this spring, according to the city. State officials, however, say the proposal would simply codify longstanding policy and that Portland has been charging the state for more funding than it should have. The dispute is the latest in a long series of conflicts between the city and state over general assistance funding to support local shelters, which take in residents from around the state and beyond. STATE SAYS CITY IN VIOLATION The state issued Portland a notice of violation in September saying the city is out of compliance with the general assistance statute and that its shelter reimbursement requests have exceeded the maximum amount allowed at the Homeless Services Center on Riverside Street. The violation notice does not say how much funding the state believes Portland received but should not have. The state said the maximum amount the Department of Health and Human Services can reimburse for a stay at the city’s shelter is based on the rate the agency has set for a studio or efficiency apartment, a standard known as the “zero-bedroom rate.” That means the maximum that could be reimbursed per bed per night at the HSC is $44, according to the state’s notice, which said Portland has instead been requesting reimbursement at a rate of $84 per night determined by shelter operating expenses. In February alone, the state said that added up to the city claiming $157,170 worth of ineligible expenses for reimbursement. General assistance is distributed at the local level to residents who can’t afford to pay rent or keep the heat and lights on. Under state law, municipalities can receive 70% reimbursement from the state for eligible general assistance expenses. General assistance housing rates are published each year by the department based on federal Housing and Urban Development fair market rent figures. Municipalities may adopt those rates or propose their own, subject to DHHS approval. The state also said that according to a 2015 agreement with the city, the zero-bedroom rate is to be prorated into a daily figure for anyone staying at a municipal shelter. But the city, which is appealing the notice of violation, has argued that the 2015 plan did not include a specific formula for calculating rates and that there is nothing in city code, the general assistance statute or the general assistance rules that set a maximum rate for emergency shelters. The rules also state that municipalities may need to disregard the rates in an emergency, the city said. “The department’s reliance on the 2023 zero-bedroom rate of $44/night fails to recognize that the city’s reimbursement requests related to the (Homeless Services Center) are not for rental housing, but for emergency shelter costs,” the city wrote in a Sept. 23 response to the notice. The city also said the $84 per night is an accurate reflection of the actual costs to operate the shelter, including rent, utilities, routine maintenance and essential supplies. That total does not include ineligible expenses such as administrative costs or costs associated with other services offered at the center beyond overnight shelter. The City of Portland Homeless Services Center. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald ARE RULE CHANGE AND DISPUTE RELATED? It’s unclear if the rule change, which the state posted online on Nov. 6, was directly related to the violation notice. The proposal makes several changes to general assistance rules, but the part the city has taken particular issue with seeks to add language specifying that municipalities are limited to the “zero-bedroom” rate for reimbursement at emergency shelters . According to DHHS spokesperson Lindsay Hammes, the department reimburses all municipalities for emergency shelter beds using the zero-bedroom rate. Only six municipalities around the state have sought shelter reimbursements so far this fiscal year, she said. “We are unaware of any other shelter that receives more than the zero-bedroom rate for an eligible single individual in reimbursement through GA,” Hammes said in an email, adding that as of Oct. 1 the applicable rate for reimbursement in Portland should be $48 per night, but the city has requested $84 per night. “The Department’s proposed rule reasserts its longstanding practice for shelter reimbursement,” Hammes said. She said the department could not comment further because of the ongoing appeal of the notice and because the rule is in the process of being adopted. It should be finalized within the next few months, Hammes said. Dion, the Portland mayor, said he couldn’t speculate about why the rule proposal has come forward, though he noted that the timing seemed to coincide with the notice issued to the city. “It would be one thing if they gave us a notice of violation, we have a chance to respond and have a hearing and we’re arguing about a rule we all agree on,” Dion said. “But now we’re trying to dispute a decision that was made under a rule that now appears to be subject to something entirely different. It’s like, can we resolve one issue before we decide another one?” CITY SAYS RULE UNDERMINES EFFORTS City officials say the new rule would result in cuts to services or a 5.5% increase to the municipal portion of the property tax rate. It also comes as Portland has significantly increased its number of shelter beds over the last two years. The city opened the Homeless Services Center in March 2023 , growing capacity by 54 beds compared to the old Oxford Street Shelter. And in May of this year the planning board approved an expansion by another 50 beds. Late last year the city also opened a new 179-bed shelter for asylum seekers in Riverside. Still, the amount the city is spending on general assistance dropped by about $8.2 million from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2024, and the amount of state reimbursement to Portland fell by about $10 million as the city reduced operating costs by getting away from more costly temporary housing options like hotels. In the 2024 fiscal year, Portland spent $22.4 million on general assistance, of which $11 million was reimbursed by the state. “Rule #26 would, ultimately, undermine the City of Portland’s recent efforts to increase shelter capacity so that beds could be made available to people sleeping in large encampments, which posed serious health and safety risks,” Dion said in his letter. Preble Street, a non-profit social services provider that runs three shelters in Portland, has also raised concerns about the rule. The agency receives general assistance funds through the city to help pay for shelter beds. “Our shelters are not adequately funded,” said Andrew Bove, Preble Street’s vice president of social work. “We have to cobble funds together, and I think that’s the case with shelters across the state. It’s tough out there. So anything that seeks to reduce what shelters can access in terms of funding, we have a problem with.” Dion, a former state legislator, has argued that the rule should be considered a “major substantive rule” requiring legislative review and approval, as opposed to a “routine technical” rule that can be finalized by an agency alone. “The Legislature might not agree with us, but that’s the proper forum in which to have this conversation,” he said. Portland’s legislative delegation has also written to the state to oppose the rule and has said it should be considered a major substantive rule. “The proposed change will overly burden municipalities and nonprofit entities across the state that are currently struggling to offer emergency shelter services,” the delegation wrote in a Dec. 4 letter. “Furthermore, this is not the time to engage in ruling-making that will have an immediate, far-ranging, and negative impact on unhoused persons.” Comments are not available on this story. 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MG has a storied history, and in recent years it has established a strong presence in the Australian market, primarily by selling cheap cars with mass-market appeal. or signup to continue reading It's currently ranked seventh in Australia's new-vehicle sales chart, and while it isn't on track to surpass its 2023 sales record, it's still a top contender with an ever-expanding local model lineup. MG's model range is being bolstered by the arrival of new and upgraded vehicles across a variety of market segments, which are serving to help the brand elevate itself up and away from its cheap-and-cheerful roots roots. Indubitably, it's cheap cars like the MG 3 hatch that come to mind when MG is mentioned, though the all-new MG 4 electric hatch, the long-awaited new MG 3 and subsequent renewals of other models like the HS mid-sized SUV and ZS small SUV are helping to shift perceptions – as is the arrival of the $100,000-plus Cyberster electric sports car. But MG as we know it now is just its latest iteration, and there's a lot more to the brand name than what's happened in only the past 15 years. Most car enthusiasts and anyone middle-aged won't be surprised to read MG was originally an entirely British manufacturer most notable for small sports cars loaded with charm. But did you know the MG name came from modifying another company's vehicles? Or that the brand established its historical sporting pedigree through motorsport success as long ago as the 1930s? Here we'll break all that down, including the factors that led to its eventual downfall in the early 2000s and its subsequent rebirth as a global automotive powerhouse under Chinese ownership. As the marque celebrates its 100th birthday, here's everything you need to know about MG. MG – specifically MG Motor – is headquartered in Shanghai, China, and has been owned by the Chinese state-owned carmaker SAIC Motor since 2007. Many will know the MG badge for its much older origins though, and there's plenty to unpack from its 100-year history. MG was established in 1924, when the first vehicles created by British car designer Cecil Kimber appeared in Oxford. Its origins aren't as clear cut as other carmakers though, because the brand effectively began as an unofficial spin-off of Morris Garages – owned by British motor manufacturer William Morris. Morris Garages was an automobile retail sales and service centre in Oxford, where Mr Kimber was hired as a sales manager in 1921 and promoted to general manager in 1922. He went on to become the founder of MG. He began by modifying the standard production Morris Oxford, a model that had been in production since 1913. Mr Kimber's modified versions were dubbed Kimber Specials, and they featured both Morris and MG badges. A reference to MG with its iconic octagon badge first appeared in a local newspaper in late 1923, and the symbol was later registered as a trademark by Morris Garages in 1924. In the same year, the MG 14/28 appeared as the company's first recognised model, and in 1925 the MG Old Number One went on sale. Continued expansion over the coming years led to Morris Garages moving to several new locations, until a facility near the main Morris factory in Cowley, Oxford became its home in 1927. That factory provided the company its first opportunity to employ an actual production line. MG continued to grow and by 1928 it was large enough to warrant the establishment of an identity separate to the original Morris Garages, and so it was subsequently dubbed the M.G. Car Company in March 1928 – a name derived from its origins. 1928 also saw the launch of the first MG model that wasn't a modified Morris, the MG 18/80. In October of that year it hosted its first exhibit at the London Motor Show, followed by another necessary relocation to a larger factory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire in 1929. In that year, it launched the first in a long line of its iconic sporty Midgets, the Morris-derived M-Type. The official M.G. Car Company was incorporated on July 21, 1930. It soon rolled out several small T-Series models that were later exported worldwide following World War II. Those cars achieved unexpectedly high success thanks to models like the MG TC, TD, and TF – all of which were based on the pre-war MG TB. Throughout the 1930s, MG also began enjoying success in motorsport after toppling British giants like Bentley. Mr Kimber stayed with the company as its managing director until 1935, when Mr Morris – who was still the company's main shareholder – formally sold the M.G. Car Company to Morris Motors, which meant Mr Kimber was no longer the sole controlling owner. In the coming years the outbreak of WWII halted car production at MG, but it continued making basic items for the British army until Mr Kimber controversially obtained a contract to work on aircraft. He did so without prior approval, which led to company executives asking him to resign. He left in 1941 and soon found work elsewhere, though he was tragically killed in a railway accident at London's King's Cross station in 1945. In 1952, the M.G. Car Company and Morris were absorbed into the British Motor Corporation (BMC), which was created through a merger between Morris Motors and the Austin Motor Company. MG soon departed from its earlier pre-war designs to release the MGA in 1955. It was later followed by the iconic MGB in 1962, in response to demand for a more modern and comfortable sports car. From 1967 to 1969 a short-lived MGC was produced, which was based on the MGB but featured a larger, heavier six-cylinder engine and noticeably worse handling. Aside from those small sports cars though, many of MG's cars under BMC were simply badge-engineered versions of models from other marques. One such car was the MG Midget of 1961, which was a rebadged and slightly restyled Austin-Healey Sprite. In 1966, BMC merged with Jaguar Cars to form British Motor Holdings (BMH), which itself merged with the Leyland Motor Corporation in 1968 to form the British Leyland Motor Corporation (BLMC). From the early 1970s under BLMC, the M.G. Car Company name disappeared and the MG marque began to only be used for rebadged models from BLMC's other brands. The exception was the unsuccessful MGB GT V8, which was only in production from 1973 to 1976. While both the MGB and Midget designs were frequently modified to keep up to date with changing safety regulations, primarily in the United States, those two popular models were becoming outdated under BLMC ownership. MG's step back during this period was largely caused by BLMC, later British Leyland, whose management and engineering staff were predominantly carried over from the former Leyland organisation. That was unfortunate for MG, as the Leyland company previously incorporated Triumph – its historically close rival. In fact, while Triumph was able to release new models during the 1970s like the TR7 and Dolomite, no new MG models were introduced except for that short-lived V8 MGB. Several distinct tiers emerged at British Leyland, with Triumph, Rover and Jaguar bundled into its Specialist Division, while MG was placed in the Austin-Morris division that generally made mass-produced family cars. Despite its lower status, MG proved to be profitable, though its profits were offset by substantial losses mounting from the rest of the Austin-Morris division. That meant any funding allocated to the division by British Leyland was diverted away from MG and instead to desperately needed mass-market models. That left MG with limited funding to maintain its tired lineup, let alone develop new models. The Abingdon plant closed as a result (bringing with it the death of the MGB and Midget), and in the 1980s MG returned to being used for badge-engineering Austin Rover models like the Metro, Maestro, and Montego. It wasn't until 1992 that the MG marque reappeared in its own right, with the MG RV8 – an updated MGB Roadster with a V8 engine from Rover – previewed at that year's Birmingham Motor Show. It entered low-volume production in 1993. That car was followed by the MG F in 1995, which was the first mass-produced all-new MG sports car since the death of the MGB in 1980. By that point, MG ownership had shifted hands multiple times. British Leyland became the Rover Group in 1986, which led to the MG marque being passed to British Aerospace in 1988 and then BMW in 1994. BMW sold the business in 2000, when the MG marque was passed on to the MG Rover Group based at the historic car factory in Longbridge, Birmingham. MG's own sports cars continued to be sold alongside rebadged Rovers, and the lineup included the models like the MG ZS small sedan (a rebadged Rover 45) and the Rover 75 mid-sized sedan, both of which were sold in Australia in the mid-2000s. In 2005, the overarching MG Rover Group entered administration with £1.4 billion (~A$2.7 billion) in debt, and car production was suspended on April 7, 2005. Interestingly, the group wasn't formally dissolved until May 2023. China had entered the MG picture as early as 2004, when reports of a joint venture between SAIC and MG Rover led to speculation from British media that a takeover was imminent. That initial venture fell through, and SAIC denied it had tried to purchase the company. In July 22, 2005, Nanjing Automobile Group purchased the rights to MG along with the MG Rover Group's other assets, but it couldn't acquire the Rover name from BMW and thus created Roewe. The company formed was titled NAC MG UK, and Nanjing Automobile later merged with SAIC Motor in 2007. Earlier in 2007 though, Nanjing had restarted MG production, which saw sports cars like the MG TF manufactured at Longbridge from 2008 to 2010. The company was renamed to MG Motor UK in 2009, and MG continues to be controlled by SAIC to this day. The first all-new MG in 16 years hit the market in the form of the MG 6 in 2011 – though it was derived from the SAIC-owned Roewe 550 and was thus distantly related to the Rover 75, which ended production in 2005. It was built both in China and in the United Kingdom at Longbridge, and was followed by the MG 3 in 2013. MG Motor ended production at the Longbridge plant in September 2016. MG vehicles have been primarily built in China ever since – with the exception of localised operations in countries like Thailand and India. SAIC has since designated MG as its main international brand, and it became China's largest single-marque car exporter in 2019. MG Motor went on to sell around 840,000 units globally in 2023, when 88 per cent of its sales were outside of China. Apart from of SAIC-developed MG models, MG Motor also sells rebadged versions of other vehicles from SAIC-owned brands like Roewe (successor to Rover) and Maxus (founded by SAIC in 2011). One such vehicle is the second-generation MG HS, which is a rebadged version of the Chinese-market Roewe RX5. The new HS was released in 2024, alongside new-generation versions of the MG 3 and ZS, replacing Australia's top-selling light car and small SUV, respectively. MG Motor has also since released its first roadster under Chinese ownership, the battery-electric Cyberster. Between 2020 and 2023, MG was one of the fastest-growing brands in the UK and Europe, and during the same period its Australian sales quadrupled. Its most popular global model continues to be the ZS, while MG's sales were boosted by the arrival of its first electric vehicle (EV) developed from the ground up – the MG 4 in 2022. In 2023, China was MG Motor's largest market with 99,441 sales. It was followed by the UK with 81,289, Mexico with 60,128, and Australia with 58,346. MG currently sells six distinct models in Australia, though there are several caveats. Prices for the MG 3, 4, and 5 are all as-listed, though specific drive-away pricing for the MG 4 range is only listed for the base-spec Excite 51. It's also worth noting there are currently several factory bonus deals available, which bring discounts for models like the ZS EV – check for more details. There are also several ZS models, which can be explained as standard (ZS), updated and restyled (ZST), electric (ZS EV), and new-generation (ZS Hybrid+) – the latter of which is hitting showrooms this month and will be followed by new petrol versions early next year. The HS and 3 are now officially in their second-generation guises, while the all-new Cyberster has only just arrived in Australia and will go on sale next month. While the HS and 3 are two models that received significant updates this year, you can still purchase new previous-generation versions of both models while stocks last. The is currently discounted through MG's run-out sale for $19,990 drive-away, alongside the for either $28,990 drive-away or $30,990 drive-away depending on the variant. Similarly, the outgoing HS Plus EV plug-in hybrid is on sale for either $34,990 drive-away or $37,990 drive-away. We'll now provide a top-line overview of each of the new and incoming models, though it's worth checking out our individual price and specs articles for detailed information. These will be linked to the model's name below. The is the brand's smallest model, and it's available as either a standard petrol variant or the electrified Hybrid+. Each employ a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, and non-hybrids get a continuously variable transmission (CVT) compared to the 'hybrid' transmission in the Hybrid+. Drive is sent to the front wheels only. It's a similar story with the , though its higher-spec version adds a turbocharger and a dual-clutch transmission to its 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. Lower grades utilise a CVT, and all are front-wheel drive. A has been revealed in China, and it'll likely arrive in Australia early next year. As for MG's SUVs, there are currently two in the lineup. The smallest of the pair is the ZS, which has been on sale for some time and has just been released in next-generation Hybrid+ form. The only has one variant available, which utilises a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine and a four-speed torque converter transmission. It's front-wheel drive only. Above that is the , which is updated and restyled compared to the standard ZS. It's front-wheel drive only and there are four variants; the bottom two use a 1.5-litre four-cylinder mated with a CVT, while the top two gain a 1.3-litre turbo three-cylinder and a six-speed torque converter automatic. The new-gen is arriving this month in two variants, both with a 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine. That's mated with a three-speed motor-assisted hybrid transmission, with drive again sent to the front wheels only. There's also the , which is now in its second generation. It's sold in three variants, and all use a 1.5-litre turbo four-cylinder mated with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. MG's EV range also includes SUVs with the , which is sold in three variants. The two cheapest variants utilise a 50.3kWh battery pack for 320km of WLTP range, while the top-spec Long Range gains a 72kWh unit for a claimed range of 440km. Then there's the dedicated-electric , Australia's cheapest EV, that is sold in five variants. The base Excite 51 is the only one to use a 51kWh battery for a claimed range of 350km, while the next two up use a 64kWh battery for ranges of 450km and 435km respectively. The Long Range 77 has a 77kWh battery pack and a claimed range of 530km, and all are rear-wheel drive. The odd one out is the XPower at the top of the range, which has a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup, a 64kWh battery, and 400km of driving range. Finally, MG Motor's most unique global car to date is the all-electric . It's coming to Australia in one all-wheel drive variant, and it's the most expensive car MG has ever brought here. The scissor-door convertible utilises a 77kWh battery pack for a claimed range of 443km, while MG says it can reach 0-100km/h in just 3.2 seconds. MG is primarily competing against auto brands that sell similarly affordable cars in Australia, namely Chery, GWM, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, and – at a stretch – Mazda. Firstly Chery, as it's another Chinese brand competing in similar Australian market segments. Its and are strong rivals for the ZST and ZS respectively, largely due to their price and size. The entry-level Omoda 5 FX is priced at $27,990 drive-away, compared to the ZST Core's $26,990 drive-away price tag. On the cheaper end, the Tiggo 4 Pro costs as little as $23,990 drive-away, while the ZS is priced from $20,990 drive-away. In terms of larger SUVs, the closest matched vehicles are the ($39,990 drive-away) and the MG HS ($34,990 drive-away). GWM – another Chinese manufacturer – competes against MG's SUVs with its Haval-branded and models, while the is also a strong rival for the MG 4. The MG 3 is MG's cheapest and smallest car, therefore making it a rival for the . There are some differences though – the MG 3 is cheaper than the Swift Hybrid, and the cheapest Swift Hybrid offers a manual transmission instead of a CVT. Mitsubishi's small SUV goes up against the ZS on price in particular, while its larger models like the and can also be compared to the HS in size and price – though the HS wins out on standard tech. Mazda isn't a direct rival for MG, though its smaller and older models like the and would likely be cross-shopped against the MG 3 (MG 5 in sedan guise) and ZS respectively. The key difference is Mazda's cheapest models tend to offer a slightly higher level of luxury (albeit without being legitimately luxurious) than comparable MGs. Similarly, the Cyberster doesn't currently have any direct competitors, given its unique positioning as an all-electric high-performance roadster. MG is currently Australia's seventh-best selling auto brand, sandwiched between Mitsubishi in sixth and Isuzu in eighth. Against the above rivals on yearly sales to the end of October this year, MG (41,302) ranks considerably higher than both Chery (8956) and Suzuki (17,670), though there's a much smaller gap to GWM (35,143). It's still well behind Mazda (81,143) and Mitsubishi (62,588), the latter of which is currently enjoying a year-to-date sales increase of a sizeable 20.1 per cent. MG, meanwhile, is currently down 15.6 per cent on its figure from this time last year. That means MG is on track to fall short of its record sales figure of 58,346 in 2023, if it maintains October's monthly sales of 5206 for the rest of the year. It is, however, only around 8000 units down on its 2022 sales figure of 49,582. MG remains Australia's top-selling Chinese brand, with GWM currently its closest rival on the charts. The brand's best-selling model here is the ZS, which has found 18,668 new homes so far this year. It's worth noting that figure combines sales of the ZS, ZST, and ZS EV. It's followed by the MG 3 on 10,421, but after that is a sizeable gap to the MG 4, its second most popular model with 5258 sales. Making up the rest of the total are the HS and MG 5 with 3530 and 3425 sales respectively. Interestingly, both the ZS and MG 4 made the sales top 20 for the month of October this year. The ZS ranked 11th, ahead of cars like the and , while the MG 4 was 16th and ahead of the and . MG has multiple new models on the way in 2025 alone, following the launch of several others in late 2024. The two recently launched new models are the and the , which will be on sale shortly. The next new MG expected to arrive here is the , which entered production in China in 2022. It'll fill the large sedan space currently unoccupied by MG, whose only current sedan is the smaller MG 5. On that note, an is expected to arrive at a similar time to the MG 7, and it's expected to improve the current model's ANCAP safety rating. Next up is the , which is expected to arrive in the first half of 2025. Though it follows the Hybrid+ version, it'll feature the same design and bring the rest of the ZS range into the current generation. Similarly, a replacement for the ZS EV is expected to arrive in first half of next year – though it'll likely look different to the new ZS and more like the spied in Australia earlier this year. Unlike the MG 3-based ZS, the S5 will share its platform with the MG 4. Another MG 4-influenced car is the , which is another electric SUV but appears to be closer in size to the HS. The current Marvel R has been sold overseas for some time, but never in Australia. The second-generation version is expected to arrive in local showrooms in the first half of 2025. As MG's largest SUV, however, the HS is expected to gain in mid-2025. They'll join the latest petrol HS, which itself arrived in Australia earlier this year. MG is also looking to bring to Australia in the future, and – like the HS – it's expected to be a rebadged SUV from fellow SAIC brand Roewe. In this case it'll be the RX9, but timing is unconfirmed. While MG has confirmed the RX9 for the Philippines, it may need a different name in Australia given Mazda owns the rights to the RX-9 trademark here. Content originally sourced from: Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementAP News Summary at 3:58 p.m. EST

Happy Birthday for Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024: You spirited, versatile and intelligent. Your sense of adventure takes you to new places. You’re also down to earth. This is a year of learning and teaching. It’s also time to renew your spiritual or religious beliefs. Explore meditation, yoga or philosophies that help you get a better self-awareness. The stars show the kind of day you’ll have: 5-Dynamic; 4-Positive; 3-Average; 2-So-so; 1-Difficult ARIES (March 21-April 19)  Today you have a wonderful, positive outlook on life! Furthermore, you’re finding it easy to see the big picture. Meanwhile, this is a good day to focus on gratitude. It’s also a wonderful day to focus on future success! Share your joy with others. Live it up! Tonight: Learn! TAURUS (April 20-May 20)  You are the financial wizard of the zodiac, and today the moon is in your Money House lined up with lucky, moneybags Jupiter. This is good news! By all means, look for ways to boost your income. Gifts, goodies and favors from others might come your way. Tonight: Check your finances. GEMINI (May 21-June 20)  Today the moon is in your sign lined up with Jupiter. This is favorable! This is why you feel warm and openhearted to others. In particular, you will enjoy practicing kindness and being generous to others. It makes you feel good. Plus, what goes around, comes around. Tonight: Partnerships. CANCER (June 21-July 22)  Today it’s easy for you to feel fortunate and appreciative. You’re happy to be in your own skin. These positive feelings might encourage you to explore mystical ideas or information about spirituality or religion. You want to connect with your higher aspirations. Tonight: Boost your health. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)  This is a fabulous day to schmooze with friends and to interact with clubs, groups and organizations, because you’re enthusiastic and positive-minded! Your energy will attract others to you, which will make you feel successful. In fact, this is a great day to set some goals. Tonight: Socialize! VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)  You look fabulous in the eyes of others today! People see you as successful, generous, broad-minded and wise. (Go with the flow and don’t do anything to ruin this great press.) People might ask for your approval or advice. Tonight: Home and family. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)  This is a wonderful day to travel or do something to get a change of scenery. If you can’t travel, then be a tourist in your own neighborhood. You will also love to learn something new. You might like to study. You might talk to people from different backgrounds and other cultures. It’s a good day for legal and medical matters. Tonight: Conversations. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)  Keep your pockets open, because the universe will favor you today. You’ll be laughing all the way to the bank. However, this is also a good day to be generous to others. You will feel a sense of warm satisfaction and increased self-respect. Tonight: Money ideas. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)  Relations with partners, spouses and even members of the general public will be warm and friendly today, which is why you will enjoy socializing with others, including group activities. Very likely, someone will inspire or uplift you. Tonight: You shine. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)  Work-related travel will be on the books for some of you today. You’ll be pleased to do anything that widens your world and expands your knowledge. Work with groups today to be the most productive! Tonight: Privacy. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)  Accept all invitations to socialize today. You’ll have fun! It’s a great day for sports events, the theater, anything to do with the hospitality industry, plus playful activities with children. You will find it rewarding to spread joy to others. Tonight: Old friends. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)  This is a great day to entertain at home. Invite the gang over for good food and drink. Any gathering at your home will be a successful, upbeat event! By extension, this can also be a profitable and favorable day for real estate. Tonight: You’re admired. — King Features Syndicate Get local news delivered to your inbox!CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic scored in the first half, and the LA Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. After striking twice in the first 13 minutes of the final with goals from their star forwards, the Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league’s biggest trophy for the first time since 2014. MLS’ most successful franchise struggled through most of the ensuing decade, even finishing 26th in the 29-team league last year. But the Galaxy turned everything around this season with a high-scoring new lineup that finished second in the Western Conference and then streaked through the playoffs with a whopping 18 goals in five games to win another crown. Sean Nealis scored for the seventh-seeded Red Bulls, whose improbable charge through the playoffs ended one win shy of its first Cup championship. With the league's youngest roster, New York fell just short of becoming the lowest-seeded team to win MLS' playoff tournament under first-year German coach Sandro Schwarz. Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made four saves to win his second MLS title in three seasons. He was the MVP of the 2022 MLS Cup Final for the Galaxy's crosstown rival, Los Angeles FC. The Galaxy won this title without perhaps their most important player. Riqui Puig, the playmaking midfielder from Barcelona who ran their offense impressively all season long, tore a ligament in his knee last week in the Western Conference final. Puig watched the game in a suit, but his teammates hadn't forgotten him: After his replacement, Gastón Brugman, set up LA's opening goal with a superb pass, Paintsil held up Puig's jersey to their fans during the celebration. Paintsil put the Galaxy ahead in the ninth minute when he ran onto that sublime pass from Brugman and pounded home his 14th MLS goal — including four in the playoffs — in the Ghanaian forward's outstanding first season. Just four minutes later, Joveljic sprinted past four New York defenders and chipped home the 21st goal of his outstanding year as the Galaxy's striker. Nealis got New York on the scoreboard in the 28th minute when he volleyed home a ball that got loose in LA's penalty area after a corner. The Galaxy's usually shaky defense gave up another handful of good chances before reaching halftime with a tenuous lead. The second half was lively, but scoreless. Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg hit the outside of the post in the 72nd minute, while Gabriel Pec and Galaxy substitute Marco Reus nearly converted chances a few moments later. The ball got loose again in the Galaxy's penalty area in the third minute of extra time, but two Red Bulls couldn't finish. The Galaxy bench rushed onto the field and prematurely celebrated a victory in the seventh minute of injury time, only to be herded back off for another 30 seconds of play. The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 this season at their frequently renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 for the final included several robust cheering sections of traveling Red Bulls supporters hoping to see their New Jersey-based club’s breakthrough on MLS’ biggest stage. The Galaxy’s Greg Vanney became the fourth coach to win an MLS title with two clubs. The former Galaxy player also won it all with Toronto in 2017. The club famous for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández rebuilt itself this season with lesser-known young talents from around the world. The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and the Ghanaian Paintsil out of Belgium, and the duo combined with incumbent Serbian striker Joveljic to form a potent attack that could outscore almost any MLS opponent. But the Galaxy also relied heavily on Puig, their Catalan catalyst and one of MLS’ best players. Puig stayed in last week's game after injuring his knee, and he even delivered the decisive pass to Joveljic for the game’s only goal. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer Greg Beacham, The Associated PressBy DAVID SHARP, The Associated Press The U.S. Navy is transforming a costly flub into a potent weapon with the first shipborne hypersonic weapon, which is being retrofitted aboard the first of its three stealthy destroyers. The USS Zumwalt is at a Mississippi shipyard where workers have installed missile tubes that replace twin turrets from a gun system that was never activated because it was too expensive. Once the system is complete, the Zumwalt will provide a platform for conducting fast, precision strikes from greater distances, adding to the usefulness of the warship. “It was a costly blunder but the Navy could take victory from the jaws of defeat here, and get some utility out of them by making them into a hypersonic platform,” said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute. The U.S. has had several types of hypersonic weapons in development for the past two decades, but recent tests by both Russia and China have added pressure to the U.S. military to hasten their production. Hypersonic weapons travel beyond Mach 5, five times the speed of sound, with added maneuverability making them harder to shoot down. Last year, The Washington Post reported that among the documents leaked by former Massachusetts Air National Guard member Jack Teixeira was a defense department briefing that confirmed China had recently tested an intermediate-range hypersonic weapon called the DF-27. While the Pentagon had previously acknowledged the weapon’s development, it had not recognized its testing. One of the U.S. programs in development and planned for the Zumwalt is “Conventional Prompt Strike.” It would launch like a ballistic missile and then release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would travel at speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target. The weapon system is being developed jointly by the Navy and Army. Each of the Zumwalt-class destroyers would be equipped with four missile tubes, each with three of the missiles for a total of 12 hypersonic weapons per ship. In choosing the Zumwalt, the Navy is attempting to add to the usefulness of a $7.5 billion warship that is considered by critics to be an expensive mistake despite serving as a test platform for multiple innovations. The Zumwalt was envisioned as providing land-attack capability with an Advanced Gun System with rocket-assisted projectiles to open the way for Marines to charge ashore. But the system featuring 155 mm guns hidden in stealthy turrets was canceled because each of the rocket-assisted projectiles cost between $800,000 and $1 million. Despite the stain on its reputation, the three Zumwalt-class destroyers remain the Navy’s most advanced surface warship in terms of new technologies. Those innovations include electric propulsion, an angular shape to minimize radar signature, an unconventional wave-piercing hull, automated fire and damage control and a composite deckhouse that hides radar and other sensors. The Zumwalt arrived at the Huntington Ingalls Industries shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in August 2023 and was removed from the water for the complex work of integrating the new weapon system. It is due to be undocked this week in preparation for the next round of tests and its return to the fleet, shipyard spokeswoman Kimberly Aguillard said. A U.S. hypersonic weapon was successfully tested over the summer and development of the missiles is continuing. The Navy wants to begin testing the system aboard the Zumwalt in 2027 or 2028, according to the Navy. The U.S. weapon system will come at a steep price. It would cost nearly $18 billion to buy 300 of the weapons and maintain them over 20 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Critics say there is too little bang for the buck. “This particular missile costs more than a dozen tanks. All it gets you is a precise non-nuclear explosion, some place far far away. Is it really worth the money? The answer is most of the time the missile costs much more than any target you can destroy with it,” said Loren Thompson, a longtime military analyst in Washington, D.C. But they provide the capability for Navy vessels to strike an enemy from a distance of thousands of kilometers — outside the range of most enemy weapons — and there is no effective defense against them, said retired Navy Rear Adm. Ray Spicer, CEO of the U.S. Naval Institute, a think tank, and former commander of an aircraft carrier strike force. Conventional missiles that cost less aren’t much of a bargain if they are unable to reach their targets, Spicer said, adding the U.S. military really has no choice but to pursue them. “The adversary has them. We never want to be outdone,” he said. The U.S. is accelerating development because hypersonics have been identified as vital to U.S. national security with “survivable and lethal capabilities,” said James Weber, principal director for hypersonics in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Critical Technologies. “Fielding new capabilities that are based on hypersonic technologies is a priority for the defense department to sustain and strengthen our integrated deterrence, and to build enduring advantages,” he said.Spurs travel to Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday reeling from a disappointing home loss to Ipswich before the international break. The club’s problems have multiplied during the past fortnight with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur handed a seven-match domestic ban on Monday and Cristian Romero (toe) joining a lengthy list of absentees. However, Postecoglou remains bullish about Tottenham’s progress and acutely aware of the scrutiny set to come his way if they stay 10th. “Christmas is a joyous occasion, irrespective, and I think it should be celebrated. If we’re still 10th then people won’t be happy, I won’t be happy, but we might not be 10th,” Postecoglou pointed out before nine games in 30 days. “Certainly for us I think it’s a significant period because you look at those games and we’ve got the league where we’ve got to improve our position and a couple of important European fixtures that can set us up for the back half of the year, also a Carabao Cup quarter-final. “At the end of that period we could be in a decent position for a strong second half of the year, so for us it is an important period. “You know there’s no more international breaks, so the full focus is here. You can build some momentum through that, or if things don’t go well you could get yourself into a bit of a grind. Ready for 👊 Go behind the scenes of training ahead of our trip to Manchester 🎥⤵️ — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) “Of course if we had beaten Ipswich, we’d be third and I reckon this press conference would be much different wouldn’t it? “I’m not going to let my life be dictated by one result, I’m sorry. I take a wider perspective on these things because I know how fickle it can be, but we need to address our position for sure. “And if we’re 10th at Christmas, yeah it won’t be great. There’d be a lot of scrutiny and probably a lot of scrutiny around me, which is fair enough, but that’s not where I plan for us to be.” Tottenham’s immediate efforts to move up the table will require them ending City’s two-year unbeaten home run in the Premier League. The champions have lost their last four matches in all competitions, but have some key personnel back for Saturday’s clash and will aim to toast Pep Guardiola’s new contract with a victory. Postecoglou was pleased to see Guardiola commit to a further two seasons in England, adding: “I love the fact that there’s a massive target out there that can seem insurmountable. “I look at it the other way. I go, ‘imagine if you knock him off, that’d be something’. “I’m at the stage of my life where I’d rather have the chance of knocking him off than missing that opportunity. “When greatness is around, you want to be around it. And hopefully it challenges you to be like that as well.” Saturday’s fixture will be Postecoglou’s 50th league game in charge of Spurs and he knows what is required to bring up three figures. “No European football, significant player turnover, change of playing style. Where did I think we’d be after 50 games? God knows. “It could have been a whole lot worse, but when you look at it in the current prism of we’re 10th, you’re going ‘it doesn’t look good’ and I understand that and we have to improve that. “But over the 50 games, I think there’s enough there that shows we are progressing as a team and we are developing into the team we want. “The key is the next 50 games, if they can be in totality better than the first 50? First, that means I’m here but second, I think we’ll be in a good space.”

No Week 17 game will have more volatility under center than the hosting the Indianapolis Colts. Epitomizing high-variance play is Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who has oscillated between franchise quarterback and colossal bust with seemingly every pass attempt. He looked the part in Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans, throwing 11 times to his nine rush attempts and looking incredibly efficient. This season, he’s had more turnovers than touchdowns in five separate games. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.NoneSo I heard. I watched Puig play only twice this year, once in the Galaxy's season-opening 1-1 draw with Inter Miami and a second time in his team's Fourth of July defeat to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. Outside of short highlight clips on social media, I never saw the former Barcelona prospect, not even when he assisted on the goal that sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup final. That wasn't a reflection of my interest. Some of my friends will make fun of me for publicly admitting this, but I like Major League Soccer. I covered the league in my first job out of college and have casually kept up with it since. I take my children to a couple of games a year. My 11-year-old son owns Galaxy and LAFC hats but no Dodgers or Lakers merchandise. When flipping through channels in the past, if presented with the choice of, say, college football or MLS, I usually watched MLS. But not this year. While the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will be shown on Fox and Fox Deportes, the majority of games are now exclusively behind a paywall, courtesy of the league's broadcasting deal with Apple. MLS Season Pass subscriptions were reasonably priced — $79 for the entire season for Apple TV+ subscribers, $99 for non-subscribers — but I was already paying for DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayStation Plus and who knows what else. MLS became a casualty in my household, as well as in many others, and the possibility of being out of sight and out of mind should be a concern for a league that is looking to expand its audience. Which isn't to say the league made a mistake. This was a gamble MLS had to take. Now in the second year of a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with Apple, MLS did what Major League Baseball is talking about doing, which is to centralize its broadcasting rights and sell them to a digital platform. Regional sports networks have been decimated by cord cutting, making traditional economic models unsustainable. The move to Apple not only increased the league's broadcast revenues — previous deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision were worth a combined $90 million annually, according to multiple reports — but also introduced a measure of uniformity in the league. The quality of the broadcasts are better than they were under regional sports networks. Viewers know where to watch games and when, as every one of them is on Season Pass and most of them are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time either on Wednesday or Saturday. "That's been fueling our growth and driving our fan engagement," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday at his annual state of the league address. Apple and MLS declined to reveal the number of League Pass subscribers, but the league provided polling figures that indicated 94% of viewers offered positive or neutral reviews of League Pass. The average viewing time for a game is about 65 minutes for a 90-minute game, according to Garber. In other words, the League Pass is well-liked — by the people who have it. The challenge now is to increase that audience. The launch of League Pass last year coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi, which presumably resulted in a wave of subscriptions. But the league can't count on the appearance of the next Messi; there is only one of him. MLS pointed to how its fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded television than any other U.S. sports league, as well as how 71% of its fans are under the age of 45. The league also pointed to how it effectively drew more viewers to the Apple broadcast of Inter Miami's postseason opener with a livestream of a "Messi Cam' on TikTok, indicating further collaborations with wide-reaching entities could be in its future. Garber mentioned how Season Pass is available in other countries. The commissioner also made note of how Apple places games every week in front of its paywall. "What we have, really, is a communication problem," Garber said. "This is new, and we've got to work with Apple, we've got to work with our clubs and we've got to work with our partners to get more exposure to what we think is a great product." The greatest benefit to the league could be Apple's vested interest in improving the on-field product. MLS insiders said Apple has not only encouraged teams to sign more high-profile players but also pushed the league to switch to a fall-to-spring calendar more commonplace in other parts of the world, reasoning that doing so would simplify the process of buying and selling players. The on-field product is what matters. The on-field product is why MLS continues to face competition for viewers from overseas leagues. The on-field product is why the league hasn't succeeded in converting every soccer fan into a MLS fan. And ultimately, if casual viewers such as myself are to pay to watch the Galaxy or LAFC on a screen of some kind, the on-field product will be why.NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Tariq Francis had 23 points in NJIT's 69-64 win over Navy on Saturday. Francis shot 9 for 26 (1 for 8 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Highlanders (2-9). Sebastian Robinson added 19 points while shooting 9 of 16 from the field while they also had five rebounds. Tim Moore Jr. went 4 of 6 from the field (1 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points. The Midshipmen (3-7) were led in scoring by Donovan Draper, who finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds. Austin Benigni added 18 points and five assists for Navy. Aidan Kehoe also put up 10 points and seven rebounds. NJIT went into the half tied with Navy 33-33. Moore scored 10 points in the half. Francis' 17-point second half helped NJIT close out the five-point victory. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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When it comes to purchasing perfume, either for personal use or as a Christmas gift, the toughest choice isn't typically the brand but the size. However, Boots has simplified my decision by slashing the price of the 100ml version of one of my favourite scents - and it's only 11p pricier than a 50ml bottle. Kylie Jenner's debut fragrance, Cosmic , launched at Boots in March and swiftly became the store's fastest-selling perfume launch of 2024. Despite my usual avoidance of celebrity perfumes, this one quickly earned a place in my regular rotation due to the numerous compliments it garners. Typically priced at £34 for 30ml , £43 for 50ml or £55 for 100ml, it's already a reasonably priced scent compared to other renowned brands like Marc Jacobs, Yves Saint Laurent and Dior. But all three sizes have been discounted for Black Friday , allowing me to stock up and complete my Christmas shopping. READ MO RE: Best beauty advent calendars for 2024 that are available to buy now from Boots, Liz Earle and more READ MORE: I worked at Boots and these are the best early Black Friday deals to shop now for Christmas Now, a 30ml bottle is less than £30, priced at £28.90, while the 50ml bottle is now £36.55. The largest bottle, 100ml, has a larger discount and currently costs £36.66 , which is just 11p more for a bottle twice the size. It's almost as cheap as the 30ml bottle at full price, reports the Liverpool Echo . The perfume is characterised as a 'magnetic ambery floral', boasting top notes of sweet star jasmine and fresh blood orange, complemented by rich golden amber and red peony. The scent is rounded off with warm, cosy notes of cedarwood and vanilla musk, which shoppers describe as 'smells sweet, feminine, and not too overpowering. I started wearing Cosmic in the summer, and it’s carried me through from the balmy sunny evenings of August all the way through to these chillier weeks. Usually, I opt for quite sultry scents with notes of wood, leather and spice. I like those almost aftershave-y notes, so the sweet floral scent of Kylie Jenner’s perfume was quite a change from my usual favourites - but a refreshing one, to say the least. I’m used to quite strong perfumes, but Cosmic is incredibly subtle by comparison, so much so that I often can’t really smell it on myself after an hour or so beyond a lingering sweetness. However, whenever I wear it, everyone around me seems to notice - especially my fiance, who can’t stop complimenting me whenever I wear it. I love that it makes itself known without being overpowering, and because it’s relatively inexpensive compared to others I own, I’m quite happy to be liberal with the application to satisfy my own mind, too. I’m not the only one who loves it, either, with the fragrance racking up more than 1,400 five star reviews . One said: “After seeing reviews, I finally caved in to purchase. I love Kylie and support all of her products, but for perfumes, I'm more picky. This did not disappoint. It smells sweet, feminine, and not too overpowering.” Another added: “i purchased this fragrance about 2 weeks ago. i truly wear it everyday. it is the perfect sexy scent for everyday wear. i will say, i spray A LOT & it's not overwhelming. scent doesn't seem to last all day..so i just purchased the body mist and small on the go bottle to re-up when needed. this is my new favorite scent.” “Absolutely beautiful perfume ,” penned a third. “An elegant scent that’s not too overwhelming but smells gentle and soft. I also love the shape of the bottle, unusual and pretty.” Though I can see how it might be too sweet for some people, with one shopper leaving a three-star review, which read: “This perfume is very sweet and warm smell, almost nauseatingly so. I was not impressed with how long it lasted either.” There are plenty of other celebrity perfumes worth checking out, though, whether you’re thinking about Christmas gifts or just fancy a change for the festive season. Jada Jones, our resident fragrance fanatic, waxes lyrical about Billie Eilish's Eilish . She said: “It's a perfect gourmand. There's vanilla but also a dash of cocoa that really rounds it out. "It's sweet but doesn't cross the line into sickly, thanks to some woody and spicy notes lingering near the base. Whenever I've worn it on dates, I've received compliments, and friends often ask me what I'm wearing. I think it's a good option for late teens and women in their 20s and 30s and definitely a treat for under the Christmas tree — I'm actually expecting my dad to 'surprise' me with it.” Meanwhile, shopping writer Lauren Codling is still a fan of the nostalgic Britney Spears Fantasy . She added: “It never crossed my mind to choose any other celebrity perfume besides Britney Spear's Fantasy — the iconic fragrance that graced nearly every teenage girl's dressing table back in the day. Nearly two decades after its initial launch in 2005, Fantasy still stands the test of time; it's the ideal balance of fun and sophistication, transporting anyone who wears it back to the good ol' carefree days of BlackBerry phones and frosted eyeshadow.” Or, if you’re a fan of the new Wicked film, Ariana Grande Ari Eau de Parfum Spray , 50ml is currently reduced on Amazon for £24.45, down from £40. The bottle is definitely giving Glinda vibes, while the scent itself is described as having ‘sparkling fruits and an ultra-feminine floralcy’. Or you can buy Kylie Jenner’s Cosmic on offer at Boots here.The 26 Best Black Friday Deals From Best Buy (2024)

Podcasts have become an integral part of India’s digital content consumption, with millions of listeners tuning in daily for information, inspiration, and entertainment. From captivating storytelling to insightful interviews, Indian podcast platforms have revolutionized the way audio content is delivered. With a growing market and diverse audience preferences, several platforms have emerged as leaders in this space. Here’s a detailed look at the top 10 Indian podcast platforms of 2025, shaping the future of audio storytelling in India. 1. Spotify Although an international giant, Spotify has made a significant impact in India by curating localized content for Indian audiences. With a dedicated section for podcasts, Spotify caters to diverse genres and languages. Key Features : Exclusive Indian podcasts like “Kalki Presents: My Indian Life” User-friendly interface with personalized recommendations Availability in regional languages Spotify’s commitment to the Indian market has solidified its position as a top platform for both creators and listeners. 2. Gaana Podcasts Gaana, a leading Indian music streaming platform, has made strides in the podcast domain by offering a vast range of audio content tailored to Indian tastes. Why It Stands Out : Content in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and more Easy integration with music playlists Free and premium subscription options Gaana Podcasts has become a go-to platform for listeners seeking a mix of entertainment and education. 3. JioSaavn Podcasts JioSaavn leverages its massive user base by offering high-quality podcasts alongside music streaming services. Its integration of regional content makes it a favorite among Indian listeners. Unique Features : Podcasts in multiple Indian languages Original shows like “No Filter Neha” Seamless streaming experience JioSaavn’s wide reach and curated content ensure a loyal listener base across India. 4. Apple Podcasts Apple Podcasts remains a pioneer in the podcasting space, offering an extensive library of global and Indian content. It is particularly popular among users of Apple devices. Key Highlights : High-quality audio streaming Curated recommendations for Indian listeners Exclusive shows across genres With its sophisticated interface and premium content, Apple Podcasts continues to dominate the podcasting landscape. 5. Hubhopper Hubhopper is an Indian-born podcast platform that has gained immense popularity for its focus on empowering independent creators. Features That Shine : Easy-to-use podcast creation tools Distribution support across platforms Content in English, Hindi, and regional languages Hubhopper has become the backbone of India’s podcasting ecosystem, enabling creators to launch and grow their shows with ease. 6. Audible (Audible Suno) Amazon’s Audible is known for audiobooks, but its Audible Suno initiative focuses on Indian audiences with free, high-quality podcasts. What Sets It Apart : Free, ad-free podcasts for Indian listeners Original shows featuring Bollywood celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan Focus on storytelling and scripted series Audible Suno offers a premium experience, making it a must-have for podcast enthusiasts. 7. Kuku FM Kuku FM is a rising star among Indian podcast platforms , offering content in a variety of regional languages. Its affordable pricing and wide range of topics appeal to the masses. Unique Selling Points : Content in Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and more Affordable premium subscriptions Focus on self-help, education, and entertainment Kuku FM’s regional approach has allowed it to capture a significant share of the podcast market. 8. Wynk Podcasts Wynk, primarily known for its music streaming services, has successfully ventured into podcasting with its growing library of Indian and international content. Highlights : Integration with Wynk Music Regional language content Regularly updated library Wynk Podcasts offers an all-in-one solution for audio lovers, combining music and podcasts in one app. 9. Pocket FM Pocket FM is a storytelling-focused platform, delivering high-quality audiobooks and podcasts in multiple languages. Its focus on long-form content sets it apart. Why It’s Unique : Narrated stories and episodic content Affordable subscription plans Strong presence in tier-2 and tier-3 cities Pocket FM’s storytelling niche makes it a favorite among fiction lovers and regional audiences. 10. Castbox India Castbox is an international platform with a strong presence in India. It provides a seamless listening experience with features that cater to Indian users. Key Features : AI-driven recommendations Offline listening capabilities Vast library of Indian and global content Castbox India’s intuitive design and diverse library make it an attractive option for podcast enthusiasts. What Makes These Platforms Stand Out? These Indian podcast platforms have redefined audio content consumption by focusing on: Emerging Trends in Indian Podcast Platforms The podcast industry in India is evolving rapidly, with several trends shaping its future: Regional Content Boom : Platforms are focusing on creating and curating content in regional languages to reach untapped audiences. Celebrity Collaborations : High-profile names are joining the podcast space, driving traffic and engagement. AI-Powered Recommendations : Artificial intelligence is improving content discovery by analyzing user preferences. Integration with Smart Devices : Voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant are making podcast consumption easier. The Future of Indian Podcast Platforms As internet penetration increases and data becomes cheaper, the audience for Indian podcast platforms is set to grow exponentially. These platforms are leveraging technology to enhance user experiences, while creators are exploring innovative ways to engage listeners. With a focus on localization and quality, Indian podcasts are poised to compete on a global scale. Conclusion The top 10 best Indian podcast platforms in 2025 showcase the growth and potential of podcasting in India. From giants like Spotify and Apple Podcasts to homegrown platforms like Kuku FM and Pocket FM, the diversity of options ensures that there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a listener seeking inspiration or a creator looking to make an impact, these Indian podcast platforms offer the tools and content to elevate your podcasting experience. As India’s podcasting ecosystem continues to flourish, these Indian podcast platforms will play a pivotal role in shaping the audio content landscape, making 2025 an exciting year for podcasts in India.AP Business SummaryBrief at 11:22 a.m. EST

Washington — President-elect Donald Trump said Republicans will try to end the decades-long ritual of changing the clocks twice a year, saying the GOP will push to eliminate daylight saving time. "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," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Friday. Though Trump in the past has supported making daylight saving time permanent — that is, keeping clocks shifted one hour ahead, which happens in the spring — his latest comment called for daylight saving time to be eliminated. Daylight saving time ends in the fall when clocks turn back one hour. CBS News has reached out to his spokesperson for clarification. Congress enacted daylight saving time in 1918 to add additional daylight hours and help conserve energy during World War I. It was implemented again during World War II. In 1973, Congress briefly made daylight saving time permanent, but reversed course just months later after public opinion soured on the experiment. The current practice of starting daylight saving time on the second Sunday in March and ending it on the first Sunday in November was enacted under President George W. Bush. Ending the biannual ritual would require congressional approval. The Senate passed the Sunshine Protection Act in March 2022 that would have made daylight saving time permanent the next year. But the bill was never taken up in the House. In October, Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican who is Trump's pick to lead the State Department, and Sen. Edward Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts, called on Congress to pass the legislation. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who Trump has tapped to lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency, also recently commented on the clock changes, with Musk calling it "annoying" and Ramaswamy saying it's "inefficient." Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.LA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record 6th MLS Cup championship