S.Africa's Breyten Breytenbach, writer and anti-apartheid activistCineverse's Bob Ross, Comedy Dynamics, Dog Whisperer and Dove FAST Channels Now Live on Google TVTM Freeplay
Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini was quick to back Vitor Roque after the team’s draw with Rayo Vallecano last time out. The Brazilian did not score in the match, and has only managed four goals all season, but has still reportedly attracted interest from Palmeiras . Yet Pellegrini seems happy with Vitor Roque who is currently on loan from Barcelona . “He is a young player who is starting his career. He is 19 years old, so we cannot demand from him the experience that a footballer with more games under his belt has,” he told reporters. “He spent the 90 minutes running, trying to create opportunities. He caused the penalty, had a cross-field chance that he failed to convert and a one-on-one with the goalkeeper and as he gains confidence, he will also improve his precision in finishing inside the area. He is a player in full growth who brings us a lot.” Palmeiras are said to be prepared to spend 20 million euros on Vitor Roque but it’s not known if the youngster would be interested in returning to Brazil. Relevo are now reporting that Tottenham also scouted Vitor Roque during the match, suggesting he is also a target for the north London side.A MUM has hit back after being criticised over the huge mountain of Christmas presents she buys her kids. Amanda shared a video showing her lounge piled high with so many toys you could barely see the floor. While most parents love to spoil their kids during the festive season, many people were shocked at the amount of gifts she typically buys. However, Amanda proudly showed off her haul saying: “Let’s normalise spending whatever we want on our kids with our own money and not judging other parents for how they celebrate with their kids.” Many people were shocked at the volume of gifts, with one saying: “It screams over consumption.” Another added: “For TWO kids? Even if you had the money this is just dumb” to which Amanda corrected them saying she has three. And a third person wrote: “Going overboard in absurd. Maybe you could donate to underprivileged kids.” Meanwhile some wondered if the kids would forget what “present one” was if they were on “present 1,743.” Amanda replied to the comments on her @pandaamandaxo account saying: “Just to clear the air, I actually don't care what you think. “Not based off of a family video. “Glad we could clear that up. Have a great day.” She also added that her husband donates to needy families every year. Many parents will be planning their own kids’ Christmas presents - but how many is too many? Australian parenting author and educator Maggie Dent has revealed why being overly generous can be bad for your child. Speaking to Fabulous, Maggie , creator of the Parental As Anything book and podcast, said: “We now live in a very consumerist society and parents and kids are heavily marketed to. “This has put huge pressure on well-meaning parents to feel they need to buy toys and other gadgets which they believe will stimulate their children and help with their development. “But actually too many toys can limit a child's creativity and lead to an addiction to ‘stuff’, which children can tend to get bored with easily. “Children, particularly little ones, don’t need a lot of bells and whistles and they certainly don’t need a lot of stuff. “They are naturally curious and will probably learn more and get more enjoyment from the box a toy comes in than the toy itself.” Maggie advised that parents don’t “overdo” their presents - and one can be enough. She added: “Save your money to provide delicious, quality food instead and create enjoyable experiences you can have with your kids. Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save money on your Christmas shopping. Limit the amount of presents - buying presents for all your family and friends can cost a bomb. Instead, why not organise a Secret Santa between your inner circles so you're not having to buy multiple presents. Plan ahead - if you've got the stamina and budget, it's worth buying your Christmas presents for the following year in the January sales. Make sure you shop around for the best deals by using price comparison sites so you're not forking out more than you should though. Buy in Boxing Day sales - some retailers start their main Christmas sales early so you can actually snap up a bargain before December 25. Delivery may cost you a bit more, but it can be worth it if the savings are decent. Shop via outlet stores - you can save loads of money shopping via outlet stores like Amazon Warehouse or Office Offcuts. They work by selling returned or slightly damaged products at a discounted rate, but usually any wear and tear is minor. “It's better to give one, well-intentioned gift that really meets a special interest for your child.” Etiquette expert William Hanson said you should avoid oversharing presents on social media. He told Fabulous: “If you are able to afford to spend over £100 on your children then, as your own money, it is your choice and no one should judge. “What is tacky is to let others know that you have a bigger budget than most.”Construction group Ellaktor’s decision to return 85 cents per share to shareholders galvanized the Greek stock market on Friday, after its three-day recess, and drove the benchmark higher despite the limited trading volume one would expect from the festive season anyway. Mid-caps actually outperformed, while banks lagged. The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,457.38 points, adding 0.59% to Monday’s 1,448.86 points. On a weekly basis it improved 0.34%. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.50%, ending at 3,539.42 points, and mid-caps advanced 0.99%. The banks index earned 0.31%, as National rose 0.63%, Eurobank collected 0.49% and Alpha grabbed 0.25%, though Piraeus slipped 0.10% and Optima Bank dropped 1.41%. Ellaktor soared 9.64%, Helleniq Energy jumped 3.83%, and Motor Oil augmented 1.79%. In total 60 stocks secured gains, 39 suffered losses and 25 remained unchanged. Turnover was the lowest in over a month, amounting to 72.6 million euros, down from Monday’s €86.7 million. In Nicosia, the general index of the Cyprus Stock Exchange increased 0.67% to close at 213.94 points.
Union of Investment Companies Releases the 20th Issue of The Investor Magazine for December 2024If Senate falls in line with cabinet picks, might as well say ‘good-bye’ to separation of powers: Letter to the EditorPropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit marks landmark 10th edition
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he told Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky during a Christmas Day visit that he should run for prime minister of Canada. “I just left Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Great One’ as he is known in ice-hockey circles,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform Wednesday afternoon. “I said, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for prime minister of Canada, soon to be known as the governor of Canada — you would win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign.’ He had no interest,” Trump wrote. His comment about being governor of Canada refers to Trump repeatedly suggesting the country become a U.S. state, which Ottawa insists is a joke. Trump added that it would be “fun to watch” if Canadians launched a movement to get the retired hockey player to seek office. The Canadian Press has tried to contact Gretzky through his agents. Experts have said that Ottawa is rightfully focused on the prospect of damaging tariffs under the looming Trump presidency instead of pushing back on rhetoric about annexing or purchasing Canada. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leads a minority government that could be toppled by a confidence vote next year, following the surprise resignation of finance minister Chrystia Freeland. Trump also expressed Christmas greetings to Trudeau, again referring to him as a governor and claiming that Canadians would see a tax cut of more than 60 per cent if the country became an American state. “Their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other country anywhere in the world,” Trump wrote in a post that also alluded to his desire to annex Greenland and the Panama Canal. Gretzky has previously backed Conservative politicians, such as former Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown during his run for the party leadership. During the 2015 federal election, Conservative leader Stephen Harper interviewed Gretzky in front of hundreds of supporters as the Tories unsuccessfully sought re-election. At the event, Gretzky told Harper he thought he had been an “unreal prime minister” who had been “wonderful to the whole country.” Gretzky later said he always follows a prime minister’s request, regardless of political stripe, noting he had once hosted a lunch for former Liberal prime minister Pierre Trudeau.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Defending national champion South Carolina women defeated by UCLA 77-62 for their first loss since the 2023 Final Four.THE Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announced that 2,450 out of 4,257 or 57.55 percent passed the Radiologic Technologists Licensure Examination (RTLE), and 35 out of 91 or 38,46 percent passed the X-Ray Technologists Computer-Based Licensure Examination given by the Board of Radiologic Technology in National Capital Region, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Iliilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Pampanga, Rosales, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zambionga on Dec. 12 and 13, 2024. PRC reported that Saint Louis University (SLU) in Baguio City was recognized as Top 1 in the December 2024 RadTech Licensure Examination or RTLE, with a 95.68 percent passing rate or 162/155 takers-passers. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.
Liza Soberano’s Hollywood debut listed among Variety’s worst films of 2024Merry & Mindful: PG&E's Energy-Efficient Solutions for a Season of Savings
How to protect your communications through encryptionSophisticated Wisp Lounge announced to open soon in former Stork + Bundle locationWASHINGTON (AP) — A ninth U.S. telecoms firm has been confirmed to have been hacked as part of a sprawling Chinese espionage campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans, a top White House official said Friday. Biden administration officials said this month that at least eight telecommunications companies , as well as dozens of nations, had been affected by the Chinese hacking blitz known as Salt Typhoon. But Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security adviser for cyber and emerging technologies, told reporters Friday that a ninth victim had been identified after the administration released guidance to companies about how to hunt for Chinese culprits in their networks. The update from Neuberger is the latest development in a massive hacking operation that has alarmed national security officials, exposed cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the private sector and laid bare China's hacking sophistication. The hackers compromised the networks of telecommunications companies to obtain customer call records and gain access to the private communications of “a limited number of individuals." Though the FBI has not publicly identified any of the victims, officials believe senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures are among those whose whose communications were accessed. Neuberger said officials did not yet have a precise sense how many Americans overall were affected by Salt Typhoon, in part because the Chinese were careful about their techniques, but a “large number" were in the Washington-Virginia area. Officials believe the goal of the hackers was to identify who owned the phones and, if they were “government targets of interest,” spy on their texts and phone calls, she said. The FBI said most of the people targeted by the hackers are "primarily involved in government or political activity.” Neuberger said the episode highlighted the need for required cybersecurity practices in the telecommunications industry, something the Federal Communications Commission is to take up at a meeting next month. “We know that voluntary cyber security practices are inadequate to protect against China, Russia and Iran hacking of our critical infrastructure,” she said. READ: The Chinese government has denied responsibility for the hacking. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
There are times when a postseason bowl seems like the first game of next year for the participating teams. That cliche means something a little different for NC State and East Carolina. The Wolfpack and Pirates face each other in the Military Bowl on Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland. Then they'll see each other again in about eight months. NC State opens the 2025 season at home against ECU on Aug. 30. There is certainly plenty of familiarity between these two programs, even though NC State (6-6) is in the ACC and East Carolina (7-5) is in the AAC. The teams — located about 80 miles apart — have met 32 times, most recently in 2022 when the Wolfpack won 21-20. From 1970-87, these teams played each other every year. Since 2004, they haven't gone more than two consecutive seasons without meeting. “Hour and a half down the road and you're playing — whether you play every year or don't play every year — I think it's still a rivalry," East Carolina coach Blake Harrell said. "Our fans still get excited. They still think that's a rivalry. Our players still think that's a rivalry.” NC State leads the series 19-13 and has won three straight — but East Carolina won three in a row before that. “It's weird playing a team that we open with next year,” Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren said. “We don't play them that much. We play them every three years, so it's really a roster turnover. Every time we see them, it's a different ballclub for the most part. But yeah, finishing with who you open with is unique.” NC State and East Carolina met in the Peach Bowl in 1992 — during an eight-year hiatus in their regular-season series. ECU scored three touchdowns in the final 7:26 to win 37-34. “We had that time during COVID, we obviously all had some down time. I remember searching through YouTube, just past games to check out. That game did pop up," Harrell said. "That was a special moment for that team and that program at the time, and this could be a special moment for this team and this program.” NC State is playing in the Military Bowl for the first time. East Carolina was supposed to participate in 2021, but the game was canceled. The Pirates lost to Maryland in the 2010 edition. Harrell took over on an interim basis in the middle of the season when Mike Houston was fired. After leading the Pirates to four straight wins, Harrell had the interim tag removed . Freshman CJ Bailey took over at quarterback for NC State this season after concussion problems ended Grayson McCall's career. Bailey has completed 64.1% of his passes. Only Philip Rivers and Russell Wilson threw for more touchdowns as a freshman for the Wolfpack than Bailey, who has 14 TD tosses. “He's a really good player. Doesn't play like a freshman to me,” Harrell said. "Makes really good throws down the field, has a really good arm, and then if he takes off scrambling or if the quarterback-designed run game, he's a long strider. He can eat up some ground. Nobody ever catches him." Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football