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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. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week
HONG KONG , Nov. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited ("iClick" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: ICLK ), a renowned online marketing and enterprise solutions provider in Asia that empowers worldwide brands with full-stack consumer lifecycle solutions, today announced unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2024 . "I am pleased to report that our continuing operations recorded an improvement in gross margin to 56.9% in the first half of 2024 from 54.6% in the first half of 2023, and we saw the increase in enterprise solutions revenue by 13% year-over-year. The Company will continue to focus on improving the financial performance and cash flows, while exploring strategic opportunities for broader business growth.", said Mr. Jian Tang , Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of iClick. "We continue monitoring and evaluating operations and market trends proactively in order to optimize our business and enhance profitability. We have recently completed the disposal of our mainland China Enterprise Solutions business and demand side Marketing Solutions business. The results of these businesses are presented under discontinued operations." First Half Year of 2024 Results on Continuing Operations: Revenue for the first half of 2024 was US$14.2 million , compared with US$17.0 million for the first half of 2023. Revenue from Marketing Solutions declined to US$9.3 million for the first half of 2024, compared with US$12.7 million for the first half of 2023. It was resulted from our strategic contraction of lower margin and higher risk businesses, with weaker demand from clients on advertising spending due to uncertainty in the macro-economic environment. Revenue from Enterprise Solutions was US$4.9 million for the first half of 2024, improved from US$4.3 million in the first half of 2023 due to the increasing demand for digital transformation and services. Gross profit for the first half of 2024 was US$8.1 million , compared with US$9.3 million for the first half of 2023. With the effort of reducing lower margin and higher risk businesses, and a rising revenue contribution from the higher-margin Enterprise Solutions business, gross profit margin increased to 56.9% for the first half of 2024 from 54.6% for the first half of 2023. Total operating expenses were US$12.4 million for the first half of 2024, decreased from US$14.1 million for the first half of 2023. The change was primarily due to our cost optimization execution, which resulted in reduction of staff cost and savings on promotional expenses. The expected credit losses provision of trade receivables was also reduced because of our close monitoring of cash collection. Net loss from continuing operations was US$1 .3 million for the first half of 2024, significantly improved from the net loss of US$10.3 million for the first half of 2023, mainly due to no impairment of equity investments in the first half of 2024, which we recorded US$5.6 million in the first half of 2023. Operating loss was reduced by US$0.6 million . Net loss from continuing operations attributable to the Company's shareholders per basic and diluted ADS for the first half of 2024 was US$0.12, compared with a net loss attributable to the Company's shareholders per basic and diluted ADS of US$1.01 for the first half of 2023. Gross billing 1 from continuing operations was US$23.1 million for the first half of 2024, compared with US$30.0 million for the first half of 2023, mainly as a result of our continued strategy of reducing lower margin and higher risk businesses, as well as clients' reduced advertising spending. Net loss from discontinued operations was US$5 .1 million for the first half of 2024, compared with the net loss of US$18.3 million for the first half of 2023, mainly due to cost optimization, and gain on disposal of discontinued operations amounting to US$2 .6 million in the first half of 2024. As of June 30, 2024 , the continuing operations of the Company had cash and cash equivalents, time deposits and restricted cash of US$70.2 million , compared with US$41.3 million as of December 31, 2023 . About iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited Founded in 2009, iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited (NASDAQ: ICLK ) is a renowned online marketing and enterprise solutions provider in Asia . With its leading proprietary technologies, iClick's full suite of data-driven solutions helps brands drive significant business growth and profitability throughout the full consumer lifecycle. For more information, please visit https://ir.i-click.com . Safe Harbor Statement This announcement contains forward-looking statements, including those related to the Company's business strategies, operations and financial performance. These statements constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "will," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "confident" and similar statements. Such statements are based upon management's current expectations and current market and operating conditions and relate to events that involve known or unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that its expectations will turn out to be correct, and investors are cautioned that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: (financial tables follow) SOURCE iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited
NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin topped $100,000 for the first time this week as a massive rally in the world's most popular cryptocurrency, largely accelerated by the election of Donald Trump, rolls on. The cryptocurrency officially to rose six figures Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bitcoin has soared since Trump won the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5. The asset climbed from $69,374 on Election Day, hitting as high as $103,713 Wednesday, according to CoinDesk. And the latest all-time high arrives just two years after bitcoin dropped below $17,000 following the collapse of crypto exchange FTX . Bitcoin fell back below the $100,000 by Thursday afternoon, sitting above $99,000 by 4 p.m. ET. Even amid a massive rally that has more than doubled the value of bitcoin this year, some experts continue to warn of investment risks around the asset, which has quite a volatile history. Here’s what you need to know. Cryptocurrency has been around for a while now. But chances are you’ve heard about it more and more over the last few years. In basic terms, cryptocurrency is digital money. This kind of currency is designed to work through an online network without a central authority — meaning it’s typically not backed by any government or banking institution — and transactions get recorded with technology called a blockchain. Bitcoin is the largest and oldest cryptocurrency, although other assets like ethereum, XRP, tether and dogecoin have also gained popularity over the years. Some investors see cryptocurrency as a “digital alternative” to traditional money, but most daily financial transactions are still conducted using fiat currencies such as the dollar. Also, bitcoin can be very volatile, with its price reliant on larger market conditions. A lot of the recent action has to do with the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Trump, who was once a crypto skeptic, has pledged to make the U.S. “the crypto capital of the planet” and create a “strategic reserve” of bitcoin. His campaign accepted donations in cryptocurrency and he courted fans at a bitcoin conference in July. He also launched World Liberty Financial, a new venture with family members to trade cryptocurrencies. On Thursday morning, hours after bitcoin surpassed the $100,000 mark, Trump congratulated “BITCOINERS” on his social media platform Truth Social. He also appeared to take credit for the recent rally, writing, “YOU’RE WELCOME!!!” Top crypto players welcomed Trump’s election victory last month, in hopes that he would be able to push through legislative and regulatory changes that they’ve long lobbied for — which, generally speaking, aim for an increased sense of legitimacy without too much red tape. And the industry has made sizeable investments along the way. Back in August, Public Citizen, a left-leaning consumer rights advocacy nonprofit, reported finding that crypto-sector corporations spent more than $119 million in 2024 to back pro-crypto candidates across federal elections. Trump made his latest pro-crypto move when he announced his plans Wednesday to nominate Atkins to chair the SEC. Atkins was an SEC commissioner during the presidency of George W. Bush. In the years since leaving the agency, Atkins has made the case against too much market regulation. He joined the Token Alliance, a cryptocurrency advocacy organization, in 2017. Under current chair Gary Gensler, who will step down when Trump takes office, the SEC has cracked down on the crypto industry — penalizing a number of companies for violating securities laws. Gensler has also faced ample criticism from industry players in the process. One crypto-friendly move the SEC did make under Gensler was the approval in January of spot bitcoin ETFs, or exchange trade funds, which allow investors to have a stake in bitcoin without directly buying it. The spot ETFs were the dominant driver of bitcoin's price before Trump's win — but, like much of the crypto’s recent momentum, saw record inflows postelection. Bitcoin surpassing the coveted $100,000 mark has left much of the crypto world buzzing. “What we’re seeing isn’t just a rally — it’s a fundamental transformation of bitcoin’s place in the financial system,” Nathan McCauley, CEO and co-founder of crypto custodian Anchorage Digital, said in a statement — while pointing to the growth of who's entering the market, particularly with rising institutional adoption. Still, others note that the new heights of bitcoin's price don't necessarily mean the asset is going mainstream. The $100,000 level is “merely a psychological factor and ultimately just a number,” Dan Coatsworth, investment analyst at British investment company AJ Bell, wrote in a Thursday commentary . That being said, bitcoin could keep climbing to more and more all-time highs, particularly if Trump makes good on his promises for more crypto-friendly regulation once in office. If Trump actually makes a bitcoin reserve, for example, supply changes could also propel the price forward. “It is hard to overstate the magnitude of the change in Washington’s attitude towards crypto post-election,” Matt Hougan, chief investment officer at Bitwise Asset Management, said via email Thursday, reiterating that prices could keep rising if trends persist. “There is a lot more demand than there is supply, and that’s usually a pretty good recipe for success.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is never promised. Worldwide regulatory uncertainties and environmental concerns around bitcoin “mining" — the creation of new bitcoin, which consumes a lot of energy — are among factors that analysts like Coatsworth note could hamper future growth. And, as still a relatively young asset with a history of volatility, longer-term adoption has yet to be seen through. Today’s excitement around bitcoin may make many who aren’t already in the space want to get in on the action. For those in a position to invest, Hougan says it's not too late — noting that bitcoin is still early in its development and most institutional investors “still have zero exposure.” At the same time, Hougan and others maintain that it's important to tread cautiously and not bite off more than you can chew. Experts continue to stress caution around getting carried away with crypto “FOMO,” or the fear of missing out, especially for small-pocketed investors. “A lot of people have got rich from the cryptocurrency soaring in value this year, but this high-risk asset isn’t suitable for everyone,” Coatsworth noted Thursday. “It’s volatile, unpredictable and is driven by speculation, none of which makes for a sleep-at-night investment.” In short, history shows you can lose money in crypto as quickly as you’ve made it. Long-term price behavior relies on larger market conditions. Trading continues at all hours, every day. Coatsworth points to recent research from the Bank for International Settlements, a Switzerland-based global organization of central banks, which found that about three-quarters of retail buyers on crypto exchange apps likely lost money on their bitcoin investments between 2015 and 2022. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, bitcoin stood at just over $5,000. Its price climbed to nearly $69,000 by November 2021, during high demand for technology assets, but later crashed during an aggressive series of rate hikes by the Federal Reserve. And the late-2022 collapse of FTX significantly undermined confidence in crypto overall, with bitcoin falling below $17,000. Investors began returning in large numbers as inflation started to cool — and gains skyrocketed on the anticipation and then early success of spot ETFs, and again, now the post-election frenzy. But lighter regulation from the coming Trump administration could also mean less guardrails. This story has been corrected to refer to Anchorage Digital as a crypto custodian, not a crypto asset manager. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.
Harrison Li holds a photo of his father, Kai Li, one of the three American citizens imprisoned for years by China —AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File WASHINGTON DC — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released and are returning to the United States, the White House said Wednesday, announcing a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung, all of whom had been designated by the US government as wrongfully detained by China. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. “Soon they will return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years,” the White House said in a statement. The release comes just two months after China freed David Lin, a Christian pastor from California who had spent nearly 20 years behind bars after being convicted of contract fraud. US-China relations have been roiled for years over major disagreements between the world’s two largest economies on trade, human rights, the production of fentanyl precursors, security issues that include espionage and hacking, China’s aggressiveness toward Taiwan and its smaller neighbors in the South China Sea, and Beijing’s support for Russia’s military-industrial sector. The release of Americans deemed wrongfully detained in China has been a top agenda item in each conversation between the US and China, and Wednesday’s development suggests a willingness by Beijing to engage with the outgoing Democratic administration before Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January. Trump took significant actions against China on trade and diplomacy during his first term. He has pledged to continue those policies in his second term, leading to unease among many who fear that an all-out trade war will greatly affect the international economy and could spur potential Chinese military action against Taiwan. Still, the two countries have maintained a dialogue that has included a partial restoration of military-to-military contacts. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met this month to discuss potential improvements. In a separate but related move, the State Department on Wednesday lowered its travel warning to China to “level two,” advising US citizens to “exercise increased caution” from the norm when traveling to the mainland. The alert had previously been at “level three,” telling Americans they should “reconsider travel” to China in part because of the “risk of wrongful detention” of Americans. The new alert removes that wording but retains a warning that the Chinese government “arbitrarily enforces local laws, including exit bans on US citizens and citizens of other countries, without fair and transparent process under the law.” The Biden administration had raised the cases of the detained Americans with China in multiple meetings over the past several years, including this month when Biden spoke to Xi on during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru. Politico was first to report the men’s release, which it said was part of a prisoner swap with the U.S. The White House did not immediately confirm that any Chinese citizens in American custody had been returned home. Senators from both political parties praised the move. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said he was “overjoyed”—Swidan’s mother lives in Texas—and credited senior Biden administration officials for having “worked tirelessly to secure this achievement.” Li, a Chinese immigrant who started an export business in the US and lived in New York, was detained in September 2016 after flying into Shanghai. He was placed under surveillance, interrogated without a lawyer and accused of providing state secrets to the FBI. A UN working group called his 10-year prison sentence arbitrary and his family has said the charges were politically motivated. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who said he had worked for years to try to secure Li’s release, welcomed the news. “Even when it felt like there was no hope, we never stopped believing that one day Mr. Li would return home,” Schumer said in a statement. Leung was sentenced last year to life in prison on spying charges. He was detained in 2021, by the local bureau of China’s counterintelligence agency in the southeastern city of Suzhou after China had closed its borders and imposed tight domestic travel restrictions and social controls to fight the spread of COVID-19. After Leung’s sentencing, the US recommended—though without citing specific cases—that Americans reconsider traveling to China because of arbitrary law enforcement and exit bans and the risk of wrongful detentions. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Swidan had been jailed for the last 12 years on a drug charge and, along with Li and Leung, was considered by the State Department to be wrongfully detained.Wisconsin faces its first losing season in 23 years and the end of a bowl streak when the Badgers host arch-rival Minnesota on Friday in the annual Big Ten battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Minnesota (6-5, 4-4) lost to No. 4 Penn State 26-25. Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5 Big Ten) lost its fourth straight, 44-25, at Nebraska in a game that was not as close as the score. "Well 1890 is the first time we played this football team coming up and this is what it's all about," Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck said of the rivalry. "And you wouldn't want to have it any other way, being able to end the season with one of your biggest rivals. I know our guys will be ready to go, ready to play." Wisconsin has 22 consecutive winning seasons since going 5-7 under Barry Alvarez in 2001, the longest active streak among Power 4 teams. The Badgers also have played in a bowl game in each of the last 22 seasons, the longest active streak in the Big Ten and third-longest in FBS. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is more concerned with the rivalry game than the winning season and bowl streaks. "I'm not downplaying it, I'm not saying it's not important, I'm not saying it's another thing that's on our plate," Fickell said Monday. "But when it gets down to this last week, it's about one thing, it's about the rivalry. It's about preparing to play in the most important game of the year." The Gophers have dropped their last two games after winning four in a row. Minnesota averages 26.6 points per game, while allowing 18.5, 15th-best in the country. Max Brosmer has completed 67 percent of his passes for 221 per game with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. Daniel Jackson is the top target with 69 catches for 802 yards and three scores, and Darius Taylor is the top rusher with 730 yards at 4.8 per carry with nine touchdowns. One week after leading Oregon after three quarters, the Wisconsin defense was shredded for 473 yards and five touchdowns by Nebraska. Braedyn Locke, who took over at quarterback when Tyler Van Dyke suffered an early season-ending knee injury, has thrown at least one interception in eight consecutive games. Locke has completed 56.4 percent of his passes for 180.6 yards per game, with 12 touchdowns and 10 picks. Tawee Walker is the leading rusher with 828 yards at 4.7 per carry with 10 touchdowns. He has failed to reach 60 yards in three of the last four games. Former Wisconsin and NFL standout JJ Watt posted on social media his assessment - and frustration - with the Badgers after the Nebraska game. "Losing happens, it's part of the game. Hearing announcers talk about how much tougher and more physical Nebraska & Iowa are while getting blown out ... that's the issue," Watt wrote on X. "We are Wisconsin. Physicality, running game, great O-Line and great defense. That is our identity." Wisconsin defeated the Gophers 28-14 last after Minnesota had won the previous two meetings. The Badgers have won 7 of the last 10 and lead the storied series 63-62-8. --Field Level Media
Sony to Take On Nintendo with New PlayStation Handheld - IGN Daily FixSony to Take On Nintendo with New PlayStation Handheld - IGN Daily FixNEW YORK (AP) — Minnesota pitchers Justin Topa and Brock Stewart agreed to one-year contracts ahead of Friday's tender deadline along with fellow right-hander Triston McKenzie of Cleveland and Cole Sulser of Tampa Bay. Agreements and non-tenders reduced players eligible for arbitration to 169 from 238 at the start of last week. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
BRUNSWICK, Georgia (AP) — A car similar to one driven by a wealthy New York couple missing for more than four decades has been found in a south Georgia pond near the hotel where they were last seen, police in Georgia said. Retired oil executive Charles Romer, 73, and his wife Catherine, 75, vanished with their 1978 Lincoln in the spring of 1980. The Scarsdale, New York, couple were returning home from Miami Beach, Florida, and checked into a Holiday Inn in Brunswick, Georgia. Hotel employees were concerned that their bed had not been slept in and reported them missing. On Friday, a team from Florida that uses sonar to find missing objects discovered a vehicle submerged in a pond near Interstate 95 that matched the description of the Romers' vehicle, Glynn County police said. A human bone was also found inside the vehicle, they said. The pond is being drained, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting in the investigation. “At this time there is no conclusion about the identity of the remains that were found,” police said in a statement. The statement did not speculate on what might have happened to the Romers, but at the time of their disappearance, law officers expressed concerns about foul play. Catherine Romer was wearing about $81,000 worth of jewelry at the time, and police said one theory was that thieves burglarized their motel room, The Associated Press reported previously. “We all felt with our experience that these people had been kidnapped and killed for her jewelry, and the vehicle and the bodies were hidden in the water,” rescue diver George Baker, who searched for the car over the years, told the AP in 1998.
Fast Casual Restaurants Market In US size is set to grow by USD 65.2 billion from 2024-2028, demand for innovation and customization in food menus to boost the market growth, TechnavioFORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Hailey Van Lith scored 17 points and Madison Connor made four 3-pointers and added 14 points on Sunday to help No. 11 TCU beat Brown 79-47. Van Lith added five assists, five rebounds and three steals and Taylor Bigby scored 11 points for the Horned Frogs. TCU (13-1) has won four games in a row since an 82-54 loss to No. 3 South Carolina on Dec. 8 at the Coast to Coast Challenge. Grace Arnolie hit three 3-pointers in the first five minutes and Olivia Young added another with 4:34 left in the first quarter to give Brown a 12-8 lead. The Horned Frogs responded with a 9-2 run to close the period, scored 12 of the first 14 second-quarter points to extend their lead to 13 points and took a 34-25 lead into the intermission. Bigby hit a 3 to open the scoring in the third quarter and TCU led by double figures the rest of the way. The Horned Frogs outrebounded Brown 54-28, including 20-6 on the offensive glass which led to TCU outscoring the Bears 27-5 in second-chance points. Isabell Mauricio led Brown with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting Brown (6-7). The rest of the Bears players combined to made 10 of 41 (24.4%) from the field. Arnolie added 13 points. TCU made 11 3-pointers on 27 attempts (41%) and the Horned Frogs' 148 this season are the most in Division I. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
Stock market today: Dow hits another record as stocks rise
McConnell to head subcommittee overseeing defense spending as he prepares to step down as GOP leaderPrivacy watchdog concerned as Alberta passes bill to end fall legislature sitting EDMONTON — Alberta’s information and privacy commissioner says she is worried -- but not surprised -- the province voted this week to pass legislation she says will reduce public access to government information. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press Dec 5, 2024 3:16 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Alberta’s access to information watchdog says she wasn’t expecting the UCP government to heed her warnings about a bill she’s concerned will “significantly degrade” government transparency.The Alberta legislature is shown in Edmonton, on Thursday Oct.31, 2024.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson EDMONTON — Alberta’s information and privacy commissioner says she is worried -- but not surprised -- the province voted this week to pass legislation she says will reduce public access to government information. "I am concerned," commissioner Diane McLeod said in an interview. "All of those things I think are going to impact the right of access significantly for Albertans." The government wrapped up the fall sitting of the legislature late Wednesday night, passing a bill from Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally on new rules surrounding freedom of information. The bill creates new exemptions for what documents the public has a right to access. They will not be allowed to see any document created by or for the premier, government ministers or the provincial Treasury Board, including correspondence like emails. When the bill was introduced last month, McLeod wrote to Nally outlining multiple concerns, but no amendments were made to Nally's bill before it passed third and final reading. "There was nothing in (the letter that) would have come as any surprise to them," said McLeod, whose office has been investigating the government's handling of freedom of information requests since the summer of 2023. "I didn't really expect them to respond to my comments and recommendations.” In her letter to Nally, McLeod wrote that the proposed changes give the government more power to avoid disclosing information to the public by including in the exempted correspondence “virtually all communication between political staff and (members of cabinet).” Nally has repeatedly rejected the criticism, saying that such electronic communication should be confidential as freedom of information "is about access to government documents, not about political conversation." Nally's bill also extends the time frame for when public bodies must respond to freedom of information applications to 30 business days from 30 days. It also permits public bodies to dismiss information applications if they are deemed not to be "reasonable." What is and is not reasonable is not defined in the bill. Nally has denied the changes will make Alberta's government less transparent. “Every province is a little bit different, but at the end of the day there will be no light between us when it comes to offering access to information to Albertans,” Nally said Wednesday. Irfan Sabir, the Opposition NDP's justice critic, said the bill will make accessing government records much more difficult. "We are dealing with a government that is already very secretive, that is dishonest, that is not transparent, so it will make things way worse," said Sabir. During the sitting, Smith’s government also passed three contentious bills surrounding transgender youth. The bills ban the prescribing of puberty blockers to those under 16, require parental notification and consent if those under 16 wish to use a different name or pronouns in school, and ban transgender athletes from competing in female amateur sports. They also ban minors from receiving gender-affirming "top" surgery. Opposition NDP Leader Christina Gray said Thursday they tried to remedy multiple bills with amendments but were voted down by Smith’s UCP majority. “We were batting zero," said Gray. "None of our (26) amendments were accepted." NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said Smith’s government lost sight of what matters to Albertans. "They tabled ... (13) bills with not a single bill about affordability, about jobs, about housing, about public safety,” said Nenshi. “The only things they had to say on health care and education were 'Let's make sure vulnerable kids are more vulnerable in schools and in the doctor's office,'" said Nenshi. Not so, said government house leader Joseph Schow. "We come to work every day and we do the people's business," Schow said Thursday. "(Premier Smith) has spent the last two years traveling this province, listening, genuinely listening to Albertans and their concerns, and those concerns are reflected in legislation." The assembly is expected sit again in February in time for the next provincial budget. Schow declined to provide details on upcoming legislation. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2024. Jack Farrell, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Alberta News Quebec police say cutting blood-alcohol limit to .05 would save up to 14 lives a year Dec 5, 2024 2:24 PM Number of inactive oil and gas wells in Alberta fell five per cent in 2023: report Dec 5, 2024 1:17 PM Alberta health minister signs onto federal deal for rare disease drugs Dec 5, 2024 1:02 PM
DENVER — Amid renewed interest in the killing of JonBenet Ramsey triggered in part by a new Netflix documentary, police in Boulder, Colorado, refuted assertions this week that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of the 6-year-old girl that they are not pursuing. JonBenet Ramsey, who competed in beauty pageants, was found dead in the basement of her family's home in the college town of Boulder the day after Christmas in 1996. Her body was found several hours after her mother called 911 to say her daughter was missing and a ransom note was left behind. The gravesite of JonBenet Ramsey is covered with flowers Jan. 8, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Cemetery in Marietta, Ga. JonBenet was bludgeoned and strangled. Her death was ruled a homicide, but nobody was ever prosecuted. The details of the crime and video footage of JonBenet competing in pageants propelled the case into one of the highest-profile mysteries in the United States. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation, a month before the 28th anniversary of JonBenet's killing. Police said they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case, apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series "Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey." In a video statement, Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn said the department welcomes news coverage and documentaries about the killing of JonBenet, who would have been 34 this year, as a way to generate possible new leads. He said the department is committed to solving the case but needs to be careful about what it shares about the investigation to protect a possible future prosecution. "What I can tell you though, is we have thoroughly investigated multiple people as suspects throughout the years and we continue to be open-minded about what occurred as we investigate the tips that come in to detectives," he said. The Netflix documentary focuses on the mistakes made by police and the "media circus" surrounding the case. A police officer sits in her cruiser Jan. 3, 1997, outside the home in which 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was found murdered Dec. 26, 1996, in Boulder, Colo. Police were widely criticized for mishandling the early investigation into her death amid speculation that her family was responsible. However, a prosecutor cleared her parents, John and Patsy Ramsey, and brother Burke in 2008 based on new DNA evidence from JonBenet's clothing that pointed to the involvement of an "unexplained third party" in her slaying. The announcement by former district attorney Mary Lacy came two years after Patsy Ramsey died of cancer. Lacy called the Ramseys "victims of this crime." John Ramsey continued to speak out for the case to be solved. In 2022, he supported an online petition asking Colorado's governor to intervene in the investigation by putting an outside agency in charge of DNA testing in the case. In the Netflix documentary, he said he advocated for several items that were not prepared for DNA testing to be tested and for other items to be retested. He said the results should be put through a genealogy database. In recent years, investigators identified suspects in unsolved cases by comparing DNA profiles from crime scenes and to DNA testing results shared online by people researching their family trees. In 2021, police said in their annual update that DNA hadn't been ruled out to help solve the case, and in 2022 noted that some evidence could be "consumed" if DNA testing is done on it. Last year, police said they convened a panel of outside experts to review the investigation to give recommendations and determine if updated technologies or forensic testing might produce new leads. In the latest update, Redfearn said that review ended but police continue to work through and evaluate a "lengthy list of recommendations" from the panel. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!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. 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 Michigan beat Ohio State in football 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. 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. Ekblad's goal was his first in a span of 1,045 regular-season shifts since Feb. 20. Carolina starts a two-game homestand Tuesday against Seattle. Florida goes to Pittsburgh to start a two-game trip on Tuesday. AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
The month of November has seen major announcements from Spotify in the podcasting space. In mid-November Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek spoke at the Spotify campus in Los Angeles about initiatives for uninterrupted video podcasts, audience-driven payments, and the new Spotify for Creators platform. “We can provide an experience for your audience that is superior to any platform. And by giving you, the creators, another path to monetisation beyond ads, we’re freeing you up to spend more time doing what you love: creating,” said Ek. Creators are taking notice of the changes. Why? Spotify is one of the largest platforms in the world for creators, with more than 640 million users and more than 250 million subscribers. Video consumption is rapidly growing on Spotify. To find out a little more about the changes on the platform, Mediaweek spoke with Prithi Dey, podcast lead AUNZ at Spotify. Dey explained the platform is no stranger to video content. “We’re seeing a lot of engagement with video content on Spotify. We’ve had video podcasts since 2019.” “For audio-only podcasters, they are being an opportunity to grow via Spotify.” There’s good reason to consider adding video to audio-only content. More than 250 million users have watched a video podcast on Spotify, and nearly two-thirds of podcast listeners say they prefer podcasts with video. There are now more than 300,000 video podcast shows on Spotify Dey: “Our focus is really trying to give creators from all different backgrounds the opportunity to grow their audience, monetise their content and give them the tools they need to be able to engage with their audiences.” With no option for audio creators to offer subscriptions to podcasts on Spotify, their monetisation options were restricted. Now with the ability to share Spotify subscription revenue with creators, it provides a new revenue stream. “The reason we’re doing that is to basically have a creative, better user experience for the audience because they get an uninterrupted experience of being able to view video podcasts on Spotify,” said Dey. “We’re able to do this because we are going to be paying the video podcast creators the premium revenue from subscribers. “ It will also help video creators, like traditional YouTubers for example, decide if they want to bring their video content to Spotify because they will essentially have three revenue streams that they could leverage from the 2nd of January, 2025.” Prithi Dey “Spotify for Podcasters has been rebranded to Spotify for Creators,” explained Dey. “It’s an easy-to-use platform and the whole purpose of rebranding is to create a holistic ecosystem that is easy to use. It’s free to use, and those thinking about bringing their content onto Spotify can easily upload content through Spotify for Creators. “They can easily look at their analytics, they can easily distribute to all other platforms, and our job really is to support them on that process. We’re having multiple with creators and partners from all different places about how they can actually bring their video podcast onto Spotify and how to use Spotify for Creators. “We try to make it as easy for them as possible. We also have a help section on Spotify for Creators, which is easy to use and comprehensive. I often direct a lot of new creators there and all their questions are usually answered, and it’s a really easy process if they have that content.” Spotify has reacted to what its audience wants, explained Dey. “In 2021, 43% of podcast listeners said they prefer video podcasts. In 2024, just three years later, that number’s grown to 64%. We are seeing increased interest from audiences coming to Spotify to watch video content. “ In Australia, the number of podcast listeners engaging with video podcasts has surged around 25% year over year. This is why we are investing in this space a lot more.” See also: Every Thursday in Mediaweek’s Podcast Week When asked about what rates for Spotify users, Dey said: “ I don’t think there’ll be any major surprises if I say true crime is always popular. Entertainment in general, sport and comedy, too are the categories that we always see doing well. Given that we’ve got quite a young audience, entertainment skews towards younger demographics and sport is always really popular. “Long-form content is where we are going and what we’re encouraging creators to upload. When I say long form, we’re thinking 15 to 30 minutes. That’s something the audience can be consuming when commuting or maybe walking.” There is another initiative aimed at helping grow podcast audiences – podcast clips. These are basically short-form teasers that can be uploaded by creators. The purpose of the clips is to drive awareness to the long-form content.” For podcasters who have “baked-in ads”, including host reads, nothing changes. “That will not be impacted,” advised Dey. “If the podcaster or the video creator has those baked in ads, mayb sponsorships that they set up and manage directly. Those host reads and sponsorships will stay in the podcast or the video podcast. “Even if you’re a premium user and you don’t get those third party dynamic ads, the host reads will still be there. The creator gets a hundred percent of that revenue.” While Dey listens and watched a wide range of content for her work, she has a few regulars she doesn’t miss. “I’m watching more content now than I did previously because it’s actually a really good user experience when I can watch and listen to a podcast. It is easy to toggle between the two. “I recently started watching a new show called Swag on the Beat . They’re comedians, with a massive social following. They just launched a couple of weeks ago. “Also Relatables with Jake and Ottie, that’s a video show as well. So those are two local shows. In terms of audio podcasts, I like to listen to a lot of current affairs and I listen to the news. “I listen to Guardian podcasts and The Daily Aus . I love a good documentary series too. See also: Spotify’s Now Playing event: Uninterrupted Video Podcasts to roll out first in Australia Uninterrupted Video Podcasts: Beginning in January, Spotify Premium subscribers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada can watch their favourite podcasts uninterrupted by dynamic ads. Spotify Partner Program: Beginning in January, this new program will give eligible creators access to a new monetisation system. The Spotify Partner Program has two components: Premium Video Revenue and Ads. With new Premium Video Revenue, creators in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia can earn revenue based on video consumption from Spotify Premium subscribers beginning in January. With Ads, enrolled creators earn a share of revenue every time a dynamic ad monetised by Spotify plays in their episodes both on and off Spotify. Eligible creators can apply today and learn more at creators.spotify.com Spotify for Creators: Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify’s free, all-in-one podcast hosting and analytics platform, is evolving to Spotify for Creators to serve the needs of multiformat creators with a more expansive and streamlined platform. The platform features a new mobile app experience, robust analytics, a suite of new monetisation options, tools to customise shows’ presence on Spotify, creator-fan interactivity features, and turnkey audio and video distribution. Podcast Clips: Eligible creators will also have the ability to upload short-form, vertical Podcast clips to promote their episodes, and select a custom thumbnail to represent their content on Spotify. Seamless Streaming: We’re delivering the best viewing experience for audiences by making it easy for fans to stream their favourite video content in the foreground or background without disrupting the experience – whether they are using Spotify Premium or Free. We’re giving fans more content they love and a best-in-class UX so they can easily switch between watching or listening. • More than 170m users have consumed a podcast on Spotify, up from 10m in 2019. • There are now more than 300,000 video podcast shows on Spotify. • More than 250M users have streamed a video podcast on Spotify (based on users who streamed video in background or foreground). • More than 70% of users consuming video podcasts watch them in the foreground. • On Spotify, more than 1 in 3 US podcast MAU engage with video, while more than 1 in 4 global podcast MAU engage with video. Video Podcast MAU globally has grown by 60% year on year. • Premium users listen more than twice as much as Ad-supported users. • In 2021, 43% of podcast listeners said they preferred video podcasts, and in 2024, that number has grown to more than 64%. • In 2020, average users were spending 30 hours a month on Spotify. Today it’s closer to 40. And younger subscribers are spending around 60 hours each month on Spotify. • The share of podcasts from Australian creators that publish video has grown by more than 60% YoY. • Video podcast consumption hours in Australia are up 11% YoY. • Video podcast monthly listeners in Australia are up more than 40% YoY. • The share of podcast listeners in Australia who watch video podcasts is up almost 25% YoY. • Australia is the top podcast market in APAC for Spotify (by consumption hours). • Podcast listeners in Australia are up 13% YoY. • Podcast consumption hours for local shows in Australia are up 8% YoY. • Politics & Current Events, Horror, Paranormal & Conspiracy Theories, Business & Technology are the fastest-growing podcast categories on Spotify in Australia.Rams WR Demarcus Robinson not suspended, will play Sunday after arrest on DUI suspicion