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With county foe South Decatur in the gym Thursday, the Class 3A No. 1 Lady Pirates hit the hardwood looking for an eighth straight win to open the season. Greensburg jumped out to a 19-5 lead and cruised from there, winning 66-17. Greensburg opened the scoring with a lay-up by Greensburg’s Mylie Wilkison. A right-corner 3-pointer by Leah West pushed the lead to five. South got on the board with a left baseline jumper by Paige McQueen at the 5:22 mark of the first quarter. Greensburg went on a 10-0 run, all scored by Claire Larrison. Larrison had a drive to the bucket, a 3-pointer, a traditional three-point play and bucket off the Aly Powers assist in the run to extend Greensburg lead to 15-2. Following a South timeout, Paige McQueen completed a traditional three-point play to cut the deficit to 10. Greensburg closed the quarter with a bucket by West and rebound put-back by Wilkison to lead 19-5 after one quarter. Larrison’s rebound bucket got the Lady Pirates going in the second quarter. South answered with a bucket by Dalilah Martin. Another Larrison putback started a Greensburg 17-2 run. Wilkison followed with a short jumper and Powers scored on the fastbreak. West then found Wilkison on the break for a 29-7 Greensburg lead. South’s Martin scored to slow the run, but a left-wing 3-pointer by Wilkison was followed with a Mary Harmon fastbreak bucket off the Emma McQueen assist. Larrison’s assist to West capped the run with Greensburg on top 38-9. After a Taylor Somers free throw for South, Emma McQueen stole the ball and dished to Powers for the easy bucket. Four points from West around another Taylor Somers free throw ended the first half with Greensburg leading 45-11. The third quarter scoring started with a short jumper by South’s Taylor Somers. Buckets by Greensburg’s Powers and Larrison started the running clock for the remainder of the game. The Lady Pirates outscored South 16-3 in the third quarter and 5-3 in the fourth quarter en route to the win. For the game, Greensburg shot 53 percent from the field while South shot 19 percent. South was 0-for-3 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Lady Pirates connected on 7-of-16. The Lady Pirates forced 24 turnovers and committed 10 turnovers. For the Lady Pirates, Larrison led in scoring with 24 points. Wilkison was next with 17 followed by West 12, Powers six, Harmon four and Kahlen Adams three. Larrison had a team-high eight rebounds. Harmon dished out a team-high seven assists. For South, Paige McQueen had seven points. Martin and Taylor Somers both scored four points. Makayla Somers added two points, three assists and five rebounds. The 8-0 Lady Pirates travel to Evansville North Saturday to face No. 2 Silver Creek (6-0). Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST (1 p.m. CT). The Lady Cougars drop to 5-4 heading into Saturday’s home contest with 6-1 Oldenburg Academy. The junior varsity tip is set for noon. Oldenburg Academy 53 North Decatur 50 The Lady Twisters trailed visiting North Decatur for three quarters Thursday, but a 14-8 run in the fourth quarter rallied Oldenburg Academy to the 53-50 win. Oldenburg improves to 6-1 on the season. North falls to 5-2. After falling behind early 2-0, the Lady Chargers took a 4-2 lead and never trailed again in the first half. North led 14-11 after the first quarter and 31-24 at the half. OA outscored North 15-11 in the third quarter to cut the deficit to 42-39 heading to the final eight minutes where the Lady Twisters continued their rally. Madi Allen led the scoring for North with 17 points. Kelsey Haley scored nine points. Jo Whitaker and Carmen Thackery both had eight points. Ally Whitaker scored six points and Clare Kinker had two points. In the game, North hit 6-of-8 free throws. Oldenburg connected on just 4-of-13. The Lady Chargers are back in action Tuesday, hosting Class 2A No. 5 Eastern Hancock (8-0). The junior varsity Lady Chargers outscore OA 20-4 in the second half to post 31-24 the road win. Stats for North included Brynlee Green nine points, Sarah Moeller seven points, Jewel Verseman four points, Norah Amberger four points, Grace Nobbe three points, Brooklyn White two points, Libby Crawford two points and Jessie Biltz two rebounds.The Denver Broncos (9-6) go on the road to play the Cincinnati Bengals (7-8) at Paycor Stadium on Saturday, December 28, 2024. If you are looking for Bengals vs. Broncos tickets, information is available below. Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos game info NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more. How to buy Bengals vs. Broncos tickets for NFL Week 17 You can buy tickets to see the Bengals play the Broncos from multiple providers. Cincinnati Bengals vs. Denver Broncos betting odds, lines, spreads Odds courtesy of BetMGM Cincinnati Bengals schedule Cincinnati Bengals stats Denver Broncos schedule Denver Broncos stats This content was created for Gannett using technology provided by Data Skrive.NEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng . But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes , we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. People are also reading... There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. January It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES . But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE , first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. February Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA ’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance , try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. March “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE . And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. April Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. May It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK . It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. June Welcome to BRAT SUMMER ! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album , with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. July Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION , perched on the EIFFEL TOWER , singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND , rugby player ILONA MAHER , and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK , who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG , born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. August This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON 's “ DEMURE, MINDFUL ” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN , arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI ’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. September One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN , withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN , the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN , dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. October “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG , who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER ? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT , the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. November MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON , SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP . As for MOO DENG , she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch . And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. December “WICKED” ! Director JON M. CHU ’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. 2024 Year in Review The stories and images that defined 2024. What were the most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024? Searching for something? From queries about U.S. politics to cricket in India, Wikipedia has become a source of information for millions of people across the globe. PHOTOS: The top sports images from 2024 From the Paris Olympics to the Super Bowl. From Simone Biles to Shohei Ohtani. And, of course, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. These are the sp... PHOTOS: The top images of 2024 AP photographers assembled a visual catalog of our civilization as life in 2024 hurtled directly at us at every speed and in every imaginable ... PHOTOS: The top images from the US in 2024 In 2024, photographers captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election, to hurricanes and fires that ravag... PHOTOS: The top images from the 2024 elections Associated Press photographers captured voters with raw emotions of joy, excitement, contemplation or sorrow. PHOTOS: The top entertainment images from 2024 See entertainment's biggest moments in 2024, through the lens of Associated Press photographers. How to sum up 2024? The Oxford University Press word of the year is 'brain rot' It beat five other finalists: demure, slop, dynamic pricing, romantasy and lore. From Kamala to Chappell, here are some of the most mispronounced words of 2024 News anchors, politicians and other public figures in the U.S. struggled with these words the most this year. 'Polarization' is Merriam-Webster's 2024 word of the year Is it any surprise Merriam-Webster's word of the year is "polarization"? Here are the other words that rounded out the top 10 for 2024. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
No. 1 South Carolina experiences rare sting of lossBy A Correspondent In a politically charged development in Victoria Falls, Tonderai Mutasa, a ZANU PF candidate, was sworn in as the new Ward One Councillor this Thursday following a High Court ruling that disqualified Ephias Mambume from contesting the seat. The ruling, which cited Mambume’s outstanding water and rates payments to the local council, effectively cleared the path for Mutasa’s entry into the council. But behind this seemingly technical disqualification lies a deeper, more troubling political maneuver that raises serious questions about the fairness and transparency of Zimbabwe’s electoral process. The disqualification was based on Section 119 of the Electoral Act, which prohibits individuals from contesting if they owe a local authority more than four months of unpaid rates. However, the circumstances surrounding the recall and the subsequent disqualification suggest that the entire process was not only politically motivated but designed to further entrench ZANU PF’s dominance in both urban and rural councils across the country. The Unconstitutional Recalls: A ZANU PF Tactic? The recall of Mambume, a former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) councillor, is part of a broader pattern in which opposition figures have faced systematic removals from local councils. The recalls have been widely condemned as unconstitutional, with critics arguing that they have been used as a tool to undermine opposition parties and skew the political landscape in favor of ZANU PF. Mambume’s disqualification, and Mutasa’s subsequent swearing-in, reflects a larger strategy by ZANU PF to gain control of local governance structures. Notably, the political party now controls two out of the 14 seats in Victoria Falls, including one through proportional representation, despite the city’s population being largely sympathetic to opposition parties. This move is seen as part of a coordinated effort to increase ZANU PF’s influence in key urban and rural councils, both of which are traditionally strongholds for opposition parties. By disqualifying opposition candidates under technicalities, such as unpaid rates or other minor infractions, the ruling party is able to strategically replace them with its own loyalists. This tactic circumvents the need for a fair electoral contest, ensuring that ZANU PF secures more seats without the need for actual votes. These backdoor moves are particularly concerning given the broader political context in Zimbabwe, where concerns over electoral integrity, transparency, and fairness have been a constant feature of the political discourse. Political Manipulation of Electoral Laws The legality of the recalls and disqualifications has been a point of contention. Many legal experts and political analysts have described these actions as unconstitutional, arguing that they violate the principles of democratic participation and fairness. Section 119 of the Electoral Act, which was cited in the disqualification of Mambume, has been criticized for being overly punitive and potentially being used to target political opponents unfairly. The recurring trend of recalling opposition councillors and replacing them with ZANU PF candidates creates a chilling effect on the democratic process. It sends a message that once in power, the ruling party can manipulate the system to ensure its continued dominance. The fact that the disqualification in this case was based on an outstanding council debt, rather than any direct electoral misconduct, further raises questions about the motivations behind the decision. ZANU PF’s Strategic Control of Urban and Rural Councils Victoria Falls, like many urban centers in Zimbabwe, has traditionally leaned toward opposition parties, particularly the CCC. The move to install Mutasa as councillor not only shifts the balance in favor of ZANU PF in this particular council but is also indicative of a broader strategy to secure control over both urban and rural councils. By targeting opposition councillors with recalls, ZANU PF can gradually erode the power base of opposition parties, especially in areas where the opposition enjoys significant grassroots support. Moreover, this approach also has implications for the upcoming national elections. Control over local councils is often seen as a precursor to broader political influence. With ZANU PF gaining ground in councils across the country, its ability to control local governance structures could give it a significant advantage in the national political arena, particularly in terms of resource allocation, campaign mobilization, and political patronage. Conclusion: A Dark Chapter in Zimbabwe’s Electoral History The swearing-in of Tonderai Mutasa as Victoria Falls’ Ward One Councillor is a troubling reminder of the extent to which ZANU PF is willing to go to secure its hold on power. The disqualification of Ephias Mambume, while legally justified under the Electoral Act, raises serious doubts about the integrity of the recall process and its potential for political abuse. By using technicalities like unpaid rates to disqualify opposition candidates, ZANU PF has effectively turned local councils into a political battleground where the outcome is preordained through strategic manipulation rather than through free and fair elections. This latest move in Victoria Falls is part of a broader pattern that is increasingly being viewed as unconstitutional, and one that risks further undermining democratic norms in Zimbabwe.
LOS ANGELES — Top-ranked South Carolina felt something it hasn't known in over 2 1/2 years. The sting of defeat after being thoroughly dominated in a 77-62 loss to No. 5 UCLA on Sunday. Gone was the overall 43-game winning streak. Done was the run of 33 consecutive road victories. And the No. 1 ranking it's held for 23 consecutive polls will disappear Monday. "This is what we usually do to teams," coach Dawn Staley said. "We were on the receiving end of it." South Carolina hadn't lost since April 2023, when Caitlin Clark and Iowa beat the Gamecocks in the national semifinals of the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins (5-0) shot 47% from the floor and 3-point range, hit 11 of 14 free throws and had five players in double figures. "They actually executed our game plan to a T," Staley said. The Gamecocks (5-1) were held to 36% shooting, had just two players in double figures and neither was leading scorer Chloe Kitts, who was held to 2 points on 1 of 7 shooting. They never led, got beat on the boards, 41-34, and were outscored 26-18 in the paint and 8-1 in fast break points. They only made eight trips to the free throw line. "Our kids fought," Staley said, "but we ran into a buzzsaw." South Carolina did manage to limit 6-foot-7 UCLA star Lauren Betts, who had 11 points and 14 rebounds, despite no longer having a dominant center of their own. The Bruins responded by getting the ball to others and eight of their 10 players scored. "We did an excellent job on Betts and we got killed by everyone else," Staley said. Tessa Johnson was the only other Gamecock in double figures with 14. "We needed a lot more than Tessa today," Staley said. The Gamecocks never got their offense in gear, starting the game 0 for 9 before trailing 20-10 at the end of the first quarter. They were down 43-22 at halftime. "Our shot selection is something we're dealing with on a daily basis," Staley said. The Gamecocks outscored UCLA 40-34 in the second half, but the Bruins' big early lead easily held up. "Beautiful basketball by UCLA," Staley said. "You can't help but to love up on it cause it was fluid on both sides of the ball." Given that it's only late November, the Gamecocks have plenty of time to figure things out. "We had some really good contributions from people that don't play a whole lot and we could probably give a little bit more minutes to," Staley said. "Taking a loss will help us focus on anybody that we play." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Barrister cleared of misconduct calls on head of Bar Standards Board to resign
SAN FRANCISCO -- Northern California was under a rare and brief tsunami warning alert Thursday that tested local emergency notification systems after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook part of the state. The National Weather Service canceled its alert after roughly an hour and before the tsunami was expected to arrive. In that hour, some cities and counties ordered evacuations while others relied on social media and text messages to inform people of the warning. Some people headed for higher ground, while others drove to the beach to get a better view. People took to social media to figure out why a warning was issued and then canceled so quickly, and how the NWS determines when to send alerts. Here are answers to more questions. The word for tsunami comes from the Japanese characters for harbor and wave. It's a series of extremely long waves set in motion when energy from an earthquake causes the ocean floor to suddenly rise or fall, according to the National Weather Service . Since 1800, California's shores have been struck by more than 150 tsunamis, most of them minor, according to the California Geological Survey. Phones buzzed Thursday when the National Weather Service issued its warning just minutes after the quake struck west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County. It read in part: “You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now.” The National Weather Service Bay Area posted on the social platform X early Friday that the region doesn't get tsunami alerts often and “there are lot of questions, frustration, and even some anger” about Thursday's event. A warning alert is the most serious of four tsunami alerts, including a watch alert for a possible tsunami and an advisory alert telling people to stay out of the water and away from the shore. The last time California received a warning alert was 2011 when an earthquake in Japan caused about $100 million in damages along the California coast. Basically, a distant, offshore earthquake or other trigger event gives scientists more time to analyze data and confirm that a large tsunami was generated before sounding a warning. But Thursday’s earthquake was local and close to the coast, forcing a hasty high-level alert in order to give people the maximum time to prepare as tsunami waves can travel very fast, up to 500 mph (800 kph) in the deep ocean, the NWS wrote. “By the time we actually observe it, it may be too late, because it's right there in our back doors,” said Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with NWS Bay Area, on Friday. Scientists used the time Thursday to monitor buoys and get more information on the earthquake itself, he said. They canceled the alert after seeing little sea-level change and determining the quake was a strike-slip type of temblor that shifts more horizontally and is less prone to cause tsunamis, he said. “These things happen so infrequently for us, I think it just caught a lot of people off-guard,” he said. Authorities in Eureka, the biggest city in Humboldt County, sent texts and went door-to-door to order businesses in high-risk areas to evacuate, said City Manager Miles Slattery. He said only a small portion of the city was at risk, and Thursday's test run showed evacuees need to work on leaving by foot, rather than by car. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the commuter light-rail system known as BART stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland, and the San Francisco Zoo’s visitors were evacuated. Responses varied as fire and police in Berkeley evacuated certain areas of the city while in San Francisco, officials sent alerts and messages on social media telling residents to stay away from water, beaches, harbors, marina docks, and piers. “Move at least one block inland,” said the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. Emergency personnel in vehicles with public address systems also went to make sure no one was on beaches and other low-lying areas. But some critics said San Francisco should have sounded its loud emergency sirens, which have been off-line since 2019 for repairs. In San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, officials considered but decided against sounding its tsunami warning sirens after receiving more comprehensive information from the NWS that any tsunami would affect coastlines north of the Golden Gate Bridge, said Michelle Durand, a spokesperson for the county. Fire and police cleared the beaches while emergency personnel gathered to monitor the situation, she said, which “prioritized both public safety and the prevention of unnecessary panic.”Private capital has shown great resilience in a volatile environment. Something to the tune of about $3tn is tied up for private equity-owned companies alone, as of October, according to a report from Bain & Co. Private companies — especially those in tech — are raising billions of dollars to delay, and sometimes even shun, a path to public markets. These efforts are creating vast wealth for employees and early-stage stakeholders, while shutting out most people who can’t invest in them through things such as 401(k) retirement accounts provided by some US companies. The numbers show a dramatic shift from just a few decades ago, and the trend has become even starker as initial public offerings (IPOs) have receded since a pandemic-era frenzy. As a result, a relatively small group of people have access to the upside while the vast majority of potential investors can only watch from the sidelines. Over the past two decades, the number of publicly listed companies around the globe has been shrinking. In the US alone, the number of publicly traded companies has dropped by nearly half, from roughly 7,500 in 1997 to fewer than 4,000 today, according to the Center for Research in Security Prices. Professional investors, especially institutions, have been increasingly turning to private companies; while they carry more risk, they’re drawing an ever-larger share of the capital available. This shift in attention — and investment — to the private markets has resulted in companies such as OpenAI and SpaceX having an almost insatiable amount of demand from would-be buyers. Elon Musk’s SpaceX just hit a valuation of $350bn, a number that would place it among the 25 largest companies in the S&P 500. Sam Altman’s OpenAI raised $6.6bn in new funding, bringing its valuation to $157bn. Fintech giant Stripe Inc bought back shares at a roughly $70bn valuation. And software company Databricks Inc just raised $10bn in new funding, taking its valuation to $62bn. As long as early-stage investors and employees are happy, the companies benefit from a more lax regulatory environment and don’t have to deal with activist investors pushing for change, or disclosing trade secrets and other matters that the firms would rather keep private. Private equity firms, which raise funds to take or keep companies private, are dealing with a logjam of companies that they need to either take public or sell. That number is likely similar for the traditional venture capital community, depending on the data. There are currently more than 1,400 venture-backed unicorns — companies valued at more than $1bn — worth roughly $5tn in total, data from PitchBook show. The data show there are more than 57,000 private US companies with roughly a third of those fitting the mould of late-stage and venture growth startups — a group that’s typically prime for public listings. Private companies are valued based on what investors are willing to pay for a stake in them. The difference is that whereas the going price for a public company is updated and displayed in real time on stock exchanges during trading hours, the price paid to buy shares in a private company is in many cases a closely guarded secret, with the valuation occasionally disclosed in a press release after a rare funding round. One important thing about being private: the company technically doesn’t have to share any details of their business with the public. Yet many of the largest companies still do share details about how the business is operating, even without it being obligatory. For more than a decade, private markets have enjoyed a remarkable period of sustained growth, more than doubling from $9.7tn in assets under management in 2012, and are estimated to have reached $24.4tn AUM by the end of 2023, according to an EY report. Related Story Doha Forum exhibition to showcase Qatar's efforts to resolve global conflicts MoPH closes two units in private healthcare centre
LOS ANGELES -- The leader of a Southern California white supremacist group was sentenced Friday to two years in federal prison for inciting violence at California political rallies in 2017. Robert Paul Rundo, 34, pleaded guilty in September to one count of conspiracy to violate the federal Anti-Riot Act, the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles said. “Hate and violence are antithetical to American values and tear at our community. It is therefore critical that we protect the civil and constitutional rights of our community against those who promote divisiveness," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. Rundo's attorney didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Prosecutors say Rundo co-founded the Rise Above Movement, which they describe as “a combat-ready, militant group of a new nationalist white supremacy and identity movement.” He and two others were accused of planning and engaging in violence at gatherings in Huntington Beach, Berkeley and San Bernardino in 2017. Rundo was arrested in 2018 for inciting violence at California protests and at a deadly riot in Charlottesville, Virginia. A federal court dismissed the charges in 2019, but they were reinstated by a federal appeals court in 2021. Rundo had left the United States after the charges were dismissed and was extradited last year from Romania when they were reinstated.
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