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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Garry Clark scored 15 points as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beat Prairie View A&M 109-74 on Saturday night. Clark also contributed five rebounds for the Islanders (5-3). Dian Wright-Forde shot 5 of 6 from the field and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line to add 14 points. Jordan Roberts shot 4 of 6 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 5 from the line to finish with 14 points. The Panthers (1-6) were led in scoring by Tanahj Pettway, who finished with 21 points and six rebounds. Nick Anderson added 15 points and two steals for Prairie View A&M. Marcel Bryant had 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Amaravati: YSR Congress Party national General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy announced on Thursday that he will file a defamation case against Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and former chairman and managing director of Kakinada Seaports Limited (KSPL) KV Rao for making false and baseless allegations against him regarding Kakinada Port and SEZ transactions. He told reporters in New Delhi Naidu has been conspiring to tarnish his reputation by using KV Rao as a front to file fabricated cases. Vijayasai Reddy said that KV Rao is a broker and a close associate of Naidu, being used to spread lies about the YSRCP leader. He clarified that the claims of threats and illegal deals involving Kakinada Port are entirely false. He questioned why Rao, who spends most of his time abroad, chose to make these accusations after over four years of silence. Criticising the lookout notices issued against him, Vijayasai Reddy called them politically motivated and aimed at defaming him. He emphasised that the Chief Minister is using these tactics to mislead the public and cover up his own failures. He said the defamation suit, to be filed in the High Court next week, will expose the Chief Minister’s vendetta politics and Rao’s dubious role. Vijayasai Reddy further stated that Chandrababu Naidu’s focus on false narratives instead of governance is harming the state. He warned that Chandrababu Naidu will face legal and political consequences for his actions, and assured that the YSRCP will hold him accountable when it returns to power. KV Rao has filed a complaint with the Andhra Pradesh CID alleging the forcible acquisition of Kakinada Port shares worth Rs 2,500 crore for just Rs 494 crore during the YSRCP rule. The former chairman and MD of KSPL has accused former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy of orchestrating the illegal acquisition. The FIR also names Vijayasai Reddy, Rajya Sabha MP Y. V. Subba Reddy’s son Y. Vikrant Reddy, Sharath Chandra Reddy, a non-executive director of Aurobindo Pharma, and auditing firm PKF Sridhar & Santhanam. According to the complaint, 40 per cent of Kakinada Port, valued at Rs 2,500 crore, was forcibly acquired for just Rs 494 crore. Similarly, 49 per cent of Kakinada Special Economic Zone (SEZ), worth Rs 400 crore, was purchased for a mere Rs 12 crore, even after a competing offer from GMR Group for the full amount. The CID has issued lookout notices against Vijayasai Reddy, Vikrant Reddy and Sharat Chandra Reddy to stop them from leaving the country. In another development, Vikrant Reddy, who is named as A1 in the case, has filed a petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court for anticipatory bail. He denied allegations made against him.AP Business SummaryBrief at 4:13 p.m. EST
The joke Christmas present for Hearts' star man after 'voodoo doll' strikes again
SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Spencer Knight made 20 saves, Mackie Samoskevich scored with less than a second left in the second period, and the Florida Panthers got four goals in the third to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 on Saturday and complete a two-day sweep. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Evan Rodrigues and Adam Boqvist also scored for Florida, which won 6-3 at Carolina on Friday. The Panthers have won three straight — that streak following a stretch of six losses in seven games for the Stanley Cup champions. It was Knight’s fourth career shutout, his first since Nov. 9, 2022 — also at home against Carolina. Spencer Martin made 23 saves on 28 shots for the Hurricanes, who have dropped four of their last six games (2-3-1). It was Martin’s fourth consecutive start for Carolina. Takeaways Hurricanes: This was the first time all season that the Hurricanes failed to get a point in the game immediately following a loss. Carolina was 4-0-1 after a defeat entering Saturday. Panthers: A big day for Samoskevich — his alma mater on Saturday, that game ending just before the Florida-Carolina game started. The Panthers are 5-0-0 when he scores this season. Sam Reinhart had each of the four most recent Florida goals at 19:59, before Samoskevich got his Saturday. Key moment The Panthers scored two goals 11 seconds apart in the third to make it 5-0, and Yaniv Perets replaced Martin in the Hurricanes’ net with 8:12 remaining. It was the second NHL appearance for Perets, who came on once in relief for Carolina last season. Key stat Ekblad’s goal was his first in a span of 1,045 regular-season shifts since Feb. 20. Up next Carolina starts a two-game homestand Tuesday against Seattle. Florida goes to Pittsburgh to start a two-game trip on Tuesday. ___ AP NHL:Share Tweet Share Share Email The crypto world is always full of innovation, and the opportunities for early investors seem endless. Every now and then, a project redefines how we think about blockchain technology, creating a ripple effect across the industry. While projects like Tron and Cronos have made significant strides in building robust ecosystems, there’s a rising star in the blockchain world that’s turning heads— Qubetics ($TICS). With a visionary approach to interoperability and a presale that’s breaking records, Qubetics is setting itself apart as the best crypto to buy now for investors. This article dives into the game-changing potential of Qubetics alongside insights into Tron and Cronos, giving you a well-rounded perspective on the future of blockchain. Qubetics: Unlocking Blockchain’s Full Potential In today’s blockchain space, most networks feel like isolated islands. You’ve got Ethereum doing its thing, Binance Smart Chain over here, and other blockchains all operating separately. Sure, they’re powerful, but this fragmentation creates real issues—especially for developers and businesses trying to connect the dots. Cross-chain transactions? Painfully slow. Data sharing? Even worse. Qubetics changes the game by becoming a Web3-aggregated chain that unifies these siloed networks into one powerful, interoperable framework. Imagine a world where assets move seamlessly between blockchains, data flows without friction, and decentralised apps actually talk to each other. That’s what Qubetics is building—a system that enhances interoperability, fosters collaboration, and unlocks the true potential of decentralised technology. For developers, enterprises, and users alike, this is the bridge the blockchain world has been waiting for. Tron: The Blockchain for Decentralized Entertainment Tron has carved a niche for itself by focusing on the entertainment and content-sharing sectors of blockchain. Its high throughput and low fees make it a popular choice for developers building decentralised apps (dApps). Tron eliminates middlemen by enabling direct transactions between content creators and consumers, fostering a more equitable ecosystem. Tron stands out in the crowded crypto landscape with its scalable infrastructure and innovative features. Cronos: Bridging DeFi and Payments Cronos has positioned itself as a blockchain that seamlessly bridges the gap between decentralised finance (DeFi) and traditional payments. It’s built to support scalable, fast, and affordable transactions, making it a favourite for both developers and enterprises. With its unique integration with the Crypto.com ecosystem, Cronos brings the convenience of everyday crypto payments to life while also powering cutting-edge DeFi applications. Qubetics Presale: The Numbers Speak for Themselves Here’s where it gets exciting. Qubetics is currently in Presale Phase 10, and it’s nothing short of thrilling. Each phase brings a 10% price hike, culminating in a whopping 20% increase in the final stage. Right now, $TICS tokens are a steal at just $0.025. Over $3.8 million has already been raised, with 4600+ holders and 239 million tokens sold. The best part? The post-presale target price is $0.25 per token, meaning early adopters are looking at a jaw-dropping 900% ROI. But wait—it gets crazier. Analysts are buzzing with predictions: If $TICS hits $10, a modest $100 investment could explode to $40,000—that’s a 39,000% ROI. If the token climbs to $15, that same $100 could skyrocket to $60,000, delivering an incredible 59,900% ROI. Think about it. Could this be the best crypto to buy now? With presale momentum like this, it sure feels like a no-brainer. But time’s ticking, and with the next phase right around the corner, prices won’t stay this low for long. Don’t miss your chance to be part of a project that’s rewriting blockchain history. Conclusion As the crypto market continues to evolve, picking the best crypto to buy now becomes both an art and a science. Tron and Cronos have proven themselves as innovative platforms with strong use cases, but the buzz around Qubetics is impossible to ignore. Its visionary approach to interoperability, combined with an explosive presale offering unparalleled ROI potential, makes it a standout opportunity for early adopters. Analysts predict life-changing gains for Qubetics, with some envisioning a future where modest investments turn into fortunes. The presale momentum, groundbreaking technology, and sheer excitement surrounding $TICS tokens make it clear: Qubetics isn’t just another crypto—it’s the one everyone will be talking about. Don’t wait. Get in on the presale now and be part of something truly transformative. For More Information: Qubetics: https://qubetics.com Telegram: https://t.me/qubetics Twitter: https://x.com/qubetics Related Items: Blockchain , Qubetics Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Is Lightchain Protocol AI the Next PEPE Coin? How This New Blockchain Could Rival Meme Coins Like “Just a Chill Guy” Why BTFD Coin’s Presale Boom Is the Top Choice Among the Best Meme Coin Presales to Buy for 2025 With Popcat and Dogs BlockDAG (BDAG) or Flockerz (FLOCK): Find Your Top Presale Opportunity for Black Friday Gains CommentsNone
Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, who blocked the newspaper’s endorsement of Kamala Harris and plans to overhaul its editorial board, says he will implement an artificial intelligence-powered “bias meter” on the paper’s news articles to provide readers with “both sides” of a story. Soon-Shiong, the biotech billionaire who acquired the Times in 2018, told CNN political commentator Scott Jennings — who will join the Times’ editorial board — that he’s been “quietly building” an AI meter “behind the scenes.” The meter, slated to be released in January, is powered by the same augmented intelligence technology that he’s been building since 2010 for health care purposes, Soon-Shiong said. “Somebody could understand as they read it that the source of the article has some level of bias,” he said on Jennings’ “ Flyover Country ,” podcast. “And what we need to do is not have what we call confirmation bias and then that story automatically, the reader can press a button and get both sides of that exact same story based on that story and then give comments.” Soon-Shiong said major publishers have so far failed to adequately separate news and opinion, which he suggested “could be the downfall of what now people call mainstream media.” The comments prompted a rebuke from the union representing hundreds of the Times’ newsroom staffers, which said Soon-Shiong had “publicly suggested his staff harbors bias, without offering evidence or examples.” “Our members — and all Times staffers — abide by a strict set of ethics guidelines , which call for fairness, precision, transparency, vigilance against bias, and an earnest search to understand all sides of an issue,” the Los Angeles Times Guild said in a statement Thursday. “Those longstanding principles will continue guiding our work.” The contentious moves from the paper’s owner also led to the resignation of Harry Litman, a senior legal affairs columnist for the Times’ Opinion page. “My resignation is a protest and visceral reaction against the conduct of the paper’s owner, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong. Soon-Shiong has made several moves to force the paper, over the forceful objections of his staff, into a posture more sympathetic to Donald Trump,” Litman wrote Thursday. “Given the existential stakes for our democracy that I believe Trump’s second term poses, and the evidence that Soon-Shiong is currying favor with the President-elect, they are repugnant and dangerous.” Litman’s resignation comes days after Kerry Cavanaugh, the Times’ assistant editorial page editor, also announced her exit, Status first reported . In addition to his sweeping changes to the editorial board, a person familiar with the matter said Soon-Shiong has begun reviewing the headlines of all opinion pieces before publication. A spokesperson for the Times did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. The moves come as Soon-Shiong looks to restructure the newspaper’s editorial board, telling CNN last month that he plans to balance the paper’s opinion section with more conservative and centrist voices in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory. “If we were honest with ourselves, our current board of opinion writers veered very left, which is fine, but I think in order to have balance, you also need to have somebody who would trend right, and more importantly, somebody that would trend in the middle,” Soon-Shiong told CNN in November. The restructuring follows Soon-Shiong’s divisive decision to block a drafted endorsement of Vice President Harris two weeks before Election Day, which resulted in the resignation of several members of the paper’s editorial board, staff protests, and thousands of readers canceling their subscriptions. Just three of the editorial board’s eight members now remain, according to the Times website. On Wednesday, Soon-Shiong told Jennings that when the editorial board shared it had “pre-packaged” a presidential endorsement “without having met with any of the candidates,” he was “outraged.” “I did not want our paper to be part of that method of providing information or misinformation or disinformation,” he said. “Everybody has a right to an opinion, that’s fair,” Soon-Shiong said, underscoring that the paper needs to “actually create some level of balance when it comes to opinion and columnist, and then we need to actually let the reader know this is opinion.” In his resignation Thursday, Litman called the owner’s decision to spike the presidential endorsement a “deep insult to the paper’s readership.” “Trump has made it clear that he will make trouble for media outlets that cross him,” Litman wrote. “Rather than reacting with indignation at this challenge to his paper’s critical function in a democracy, Soon-Shiong threw the paper to the wolves. That was cowardly.”None
Senior Biden White House aides, administration officials and prominent defense attorneys in Washington, DC, are discussing potential preemptive pardons or legal aid for people who might be targeted for prosecution by President-elect Donald Trump after he retakes power, multiple sources told CNN. Reports of these conversations have captured the attention of Trump’s legal advisers, who, according to a source familiar with their strategy, believe President Joe Biden would be setting a new precedent in terms of the scope of pardons that they could take advantage of, down the line, to help their own allies. Biden’s senior aides inside the White House have been deliberating for weeks about the possibility of issuing preemptive pardons, according to the sources familiar with the discussions. The move, which would cover people who haven’t ever been formally accused of any crimes, would be an extraordinary step and shows the grave concerns many Democrats have that Trump will prosecute a range of figures that he considers to be his enemies. Trump has publicly called for the jailing of people like Republican former Rep. Liz Cheney, who served as vice chair of the House select committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, US Capitol attack, as well as special counsel Jack Smith , who brought federal criminal cases against Trump. One former senior White House official said aides inside the White House and across various federal agencies are intensely worried about the possibility that the incoming Trump administration will prosecute anyone deemed as having antagonized the president-elect. Additionally, several prominent white-collar lawyers across Washington have fielded calls in recent weeks from government officials, including investigators from Smith’s office, who are concerned they could be targeted by the incoming Trump administration. Biden and his top aides view Trump’s public threats – particularly against current and former government officials – as unprecedented, and some believe that it would be reckless and irresponsible for Biden to leave office without granting preemptive pardons. “You have got (an incoming) president that has basically said he’s going to go after all these people,” a source familiar with the discussions told CNN. “Why not do it?” A White House spokesperson declined to comment. Possible legal defense funds According to Politico, which first reported on the internal debate, the discussions are being led by White House counsel Ed Siskel and other senior aides to the president, including chief of staff Jeff Zients . The former White House official who spoke to CNN, who is intimately familiar with the workings of the White House counsel’s office, said it would be typical for Siskel and his team to first put together a detailed memo to be presented to Biden. In that situation, that memo would include a list of individuals that Biden might consider pardoning preemptively, the context about any prior legal precedent, and a discussion of the wide range of potential ramifications if the president does move forward with these pardons. The calls among worried government officials and top white-collar defense lawyers in DC, appear, at this point, to be precautionary. One private attorney told CNN that they’re “feeling out what they should do if something happens” once Trump takes over. A spokesman for Smith’s special counsel office declined to comment on whether he would seek a preemptive pardon. CNN previously reported that Smith intends to step down before Trump takes office, instead of being fired, as the president-elect has pledged to do . As Democrats brace for the political and legal scrutiny that could come from the new president, his administration, and the GOP-run Congress , one significant concern for many current and former administration officials is the possibility of mounting legal bills. Multiple sources said there have been discussions about setting up legal funds to help support those who would not be able to afford thousands of dollars in lawyers’ fees. Some of the private practice bar have discussed if influential white-collar practices could work together to help career Justice Department workers – and others who are exiting the federal workforce – to possibly provide them low-cost or pro-bono representation. And at least one progressive group is working on assembling resources – such as lawyers, security experts and communications professionals – who could help government officials placed under investigation during the Trump years, some of the people familiar with the discussions said. Emboldening Trump? A source familiar with Trump legal strategy says his team believes Biden’s pardon of his son Hunter has set a new precedent for presidents to issue expansive pardons to their children – and this could be something Trump chooses to do before he leaves office. The Hunter Biden pardon was notable for not only forgiving the crimes in his tax and gun indictments, but also for protecting him from being charged with any offense he “may have committed or taken part in” between January 2014 and December 2024. There’s also the president’s brother James Biden, who hasn’t faced charges but whose overseas business dealings attracted intense scrutiny from congressional Republicans. Several GOP-run House committees urged the Justice Department to prosecute James Biden in connection with lying to Congress. (He denies all wrongdoing and declined to comment for this story.) If Biden goes even further and grants preemptive pardons to an expansive list of individuals, Trump’s team believes that move would also create a new precedent and give Trump political cover to do the same for his allies, according to the source. CNN reported in 2021 that before Trump left office during his first term, he considered – but did not grant – preemptive pardons for family members , political allies, his personal attorneys, and even for himself , including in the wake of the January 6 insurrection. Attorneys across the political spectrum have raised concerns about blanket pardons to protect against future investigations or prosecution. “It’s just such a different use of the pardon power,” said Neil Eggleston, former White House counsel to President Barack Obama. “You would create the beginning of a tit for tat where, when any administration is over, you just pardon everybody.” Presidential pardons protect against federal Justice Department prosecutions, but do not shield individuals from state-level criminal cases or congressional investigations. While Trump has publicly said he wants his Justice Department to go after his perceived adversaries, the system has built-in checks against abuses of power, such as judges that can throw out charges, grand juries that can refuse to indict, juries that can return “not guilty” verdicts, and other safeguards to protect against purely vindictive prosecutions. Some prominent former Justice Department officials have said they wouldn’t want a preemptive pardon from Biden, because it might imply they’re conceding there was wrongdoing during their work for the federal government, according to a source familiar with their thinking. Trump’s ever-growing enemies list Trump has a well-documented history of pushing – both publicly and privately – for investigations and prosecutions of his political opponents, almost always based on unproven, baseless and conspiracy-tinged allegations about their supposed activities. Many of his recent threats targeted prosecutors who charged him with crimes: Smith, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. He has publicly called for investigations into prominent lawmakers: Cheney and the rest of the January 6 committee members (who he said “should go to jail”), former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (for her supposed “ties to Russia”), Senator-elect Adam Schiff (for his role in the Trump-Ukraine impeachment saga) and a host of other Democratic lawmakers. Still, members of Congress have immunity from the Constitution’s “speech or debate clause” that offers such broad protections for their legislative work that even members of the defunct January 6 committee would be unlikely to take seriously any legal threats. Trump also has said Vice President Kamala Harris “should be ... prosecuted” for letting undocumented immigrants into the country. After the election, Trump called for probes of Iowa pollster Ann Selzer (for “election fraud,” by releasing a poll with Harris ahead), and into stock traders who spread “illegal rumors” about his investment in Truth Social. During his first term, some of Trump’s calls for probes were apparently heeded, leading to investigations into 2016 Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , former FBI director James Comey , and former FBI deputy director Andy McCabe , now a CNN contributor. None of them were ever charged with crimes. Some of Trump’s longtime foes who worked on the Russia probe around the 2016 election may not have much legal exposure now because their government service ended so long ago and statutes of limitations may have lapsed. There are plenty of other figures that, despite Trump’s calls, weren’t investigated during his first term, but could be scrutinized when he returns to power: former President Barack Obama (for “treason”), former Secretary of State John Kerry (for his contacts with Iran), and even MSNBC host Joe Scarborough (based on a conspiracy theory that he was possibly able to “get away with murder” after one of his interns died in 2001). Attorneys who might defend top targets have their own fears, too. Representing Trump administration and political officials had largely gone out of fashion for large DC defense firms in recent years, with few willing to take on clients, especially after January 6. The view at Washington’s elite firms – which tend to lean liberal – may be shifting back toward getting involved, but it’s still not clear how much pushback the next Trump presidency may receive from the capital’s powerful law firms, several prominent attorneys told CNN this week. “There could well be a fear now by law firm leaders that if we take on those cases, could we ourselves be targeted?”one white-collar lawyer who regularly represents high-profile political figures told CNN on Thursday. Focus on political pardons angers activists Some liberal-leaning and criminal justice reform groups are pushing Biden to focus his final clemency efforts less on family members, political allies or Trump’s potential targets – and instead to help incarcerated Americans whom they believe deserve relief. One group, FWD.us, is airing TV ads in the Washington, DC, market, pressing Biden to “give people a second chance,” by granting clemency to Americans with “outdated” prison sentences that they argue would be shorter under today’s laws and policies. They’ve pointed to Obama’s record-setting commutations as a model. He reduced the punishments of more than 1,300 convicts, including 500 people serving life sentences. “The thousands of people serving disproportionately long and racially disparate sentences in federal prison have been waiting for relief long before the politics of this particular moment,” Zoë Towns, executive director of FWD.us, said in an email. “It is our hope that whatever comes next includes a robust clemency effort focused on them.” CNN’s Kayla Tausche and Curt Devine contributed to this report.Jets QB Aaron Rodgers open to pay cut but unsure if he wants to play next season