What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industryPatchwork Patchwork is a chill two-player puzzle game where you and your opponent compete to create the best quilt. The tactile experience and cozy results are relaxing on a chilly day. If you have more than two players, try Calico instead, where you’ll create quilts for cats. Carcassonne In Carcassonne, players compete to build Medieval cities and fields by laying tiles. The game takes a bit of strategy and luck, and it will generate some friendly competition among children and adults alike. The charming artwork also will transport you on a road trip from the comfort of your home. Everdell and Flamecraft For those looking for longer gameplay, Everdell will have you playing as cute forest creatures building new cities during a game that averages a little over an hour. Flamecraft is another delightfully whimsical game where players try to attract dragons to improve the reputation of their shops. Each of these games is simple to pick up and, with every playthrough offering something new, they’ll get you through the season. Everdell and Flamecraft can also be single-player games if you need a break from socialization. Puzzle and organization games If having everything in its place provides calm in the chaos, you’ll love Unpacking. This puzzle game, available on Switch, PC and Xbox, has you unpacking boxes and putting items away. Playing games like Unpacking can be a meditative experience. Other puzzle games like A Little to the Left and Spiritfarer blend stories into the gameplay. Farming, building and simulation games Maintaining a virtual farm or building a make-believe castle from your sofa can be a great stress reliever. Stardew Valley is a quintessential farming game surrounded by charming townspeople. Palia, a massively multiplayer online game, features farming, quests and community building with other players. It’s also free. For those with a Nintendo Switch, the Animal Crossing series has you interacting with other animal players in a peaceful village. With multiplayer modes, these games are great options for playing with friends and family from afar. For a single-player escape, try the recently released Tiny Glade on PC where you’ll build castles. This cozy game’s detailed artistry and conflict-free gameplay will bring hours of relaxation. Or build a world from tiles in Dorfromantik. The game can be entirely chill or provide a bit of strategy if you want to go for a high score. Relaxing card games A pack of cards is reliable entertainment at any gathering. From classics to innovative new card games, having a few in your collection can be worthwhile. Card games can range from simple to complex, a few minutes to a few hours and single-player to dozens of players. If you have a standard deck of playing cards, Blitz is a great option for any number of players. Also known as Thirty One, this game gives every player three cards and lets them trade out a card on each turn, trying to get a value of thirty-one. President is another simple social card game where players race to get rid of their cards in ascending order. Some people play it as a drinking game. For a two-player card game, try The Fox in the Forest. This trick-taking card game features cozy graphics, and its fast, simple gameplay is perfect for a winter date night. For two to four players, Arboretum has darling tree graphics on its cards. Players lay cards down with the goal of creating a beautiful garden.
Michael Carrick answers key question in draw with Burnley - but more ariseCole Anthony drove for a layup with 0.2 seconds left to complete the Orlando Magic's 17-point fourth-quarter comeback Sunday in a 102-101 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Cam Thomas missed a jumper from the corner at the final horn. Anthony scored 10, and Tristan da Silva scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter for Orlando, which was down 71-51 midway through the third quarter. Goga Bitadze added 19 points, 11 rebounds and five assists. The Magic's comeback was their second in eight days after Orlando rallied from 25 points down to beat Miami 121-114 on Dec. 21. Thomas came off the bench with 25 points to lead the Nets in his first game since Nov. 25. Jalen Wilson added 16 points including two free throws with 6.2 seconds left. Thomas, Brooklyn's leading scorer with 24.7 points per game, played 25 minutes after missing 13 games with a strained left hamstring. Nets: Losing for the seventh time in nine games, the Nets played for the first time without Dorian Finney-Smith, who was traded early Sunday to the Los Angeles Lakers. In their four games against the Magic this season, the Nets used 11 different starters. Only Cam Johnson started all four games. Magic: The Magic completed a four-game season series sweep of the Nets and concluded a 3-4 holiday home stretch. They overcame double-digit second-half deficits in all three of their wins against Miami, Boston and Brooklyn. A 3-pointer by Anthony, who did not play in the first half, launched a 13-0 Orlando run after they had fallen behind by 20 points. The Nets shot 13 for 30 from 3-point range. The Nets are at Toronto and the Magic are at Detroit on Wednesday night. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Robert Way I think it’s fair to say that investors in Alibaba Group Holding Limited ( NYSE: BABA ) have seen the stock go “nowhere” over the past month, as the market digested mixed signals from China’s policymakers. For China’s leading A Unique Price Action-based Growth Investing Service We believe price action is a leading indicator. We called the TSLA top in late 2021. We then picked TSLA's bottom in December 2022. We updated members that the NASDAQ had long-term bearish price action signals in November 2021. We told members that the S&P 500 likely bottomed in October 2022. Members navigated the turning points of the market confidently in our service. Members tuned out the noise in the financial media and focused on what really matters: Price Action. Sign up now for a Risk-Free 14-Day free trial! JR Research is an opportunistic investor. He was recognized by TipRanks as a Top Analyst. He was also recognized by Seeking Alpha as a "Top Analyst To Follow" for Technology, Software, and Internet, as well as for Growth and GARP. He identifies attractive risk/reward opportunities supported by robust price action to potentially generate alpha well above the S&P 500. He has also demonstrated outperformance with his picks. He focuses on identifying growth investing opportunities that present the most attractive risk/reward upside potential. His approach combines sharp price action analysis with fundamentals investing. He tends to avoid overhyped and overvalued stocks while capitalizing on battered stocks with significant upside recovery possibilities. He runs the investing group Ultimate Growth Investing which specializes in identifying high-potential opportunities across various sectors. He focuses on ideas that has strong growth potential and well-beaten contrarian plays, with an 18 to 24 month outlook for the thesis to play out. The group is designed for investors seeking to capitalize on growth stocks with robust fundamentals, buying momentum, and turnaround plays at highly attractive valuations. Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of AMZN, GOOGL, PDD either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.Today marks a significant shift in the Fijian Government with the swearing-in of Sashi Kiran as the new Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection. The ceremony follows the dismissal of former Minister, Lynda Tabuya, by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, in light of recent conduct issues. In a formal statement, the Prime Minister announced, “I have decided to exercise the power conferred upon me by Section 92(3)(b) of the Constitution, to dismiss her as a Minister, with immediate effect. She will remain as a Member of Parliament.” This decision, though not made lightly, reflects the need to uphold the standards expected of all government officials.
Good Mama detergent has rewarded loyal consumers with prizes worth over N5m during its recently concluded ‘Good Mama’s Day Out’ campaign in Ibadan, Lagos, and Ilorin, blending fashion, entertainment, and community engagement to celebrate personal style and brand loyalty. In a statement, Good Mama stated that its campaign kicked off in Ibadan on November 23, 2024, and culminated in Ilorin, with Lagos hosting a fashion show featuring social media influencer Tomike Adeoye, popularly known as Olori Ebi. Attendees competed in categories like Best Dressed, Best Head Tie, and Best Catwalk for prizes that included cash, washing machines, and pressing irons. Brand Manager, Ramat Haruna, explained that the event aimed to “celebrate personal style and community spirit,” while also showcasing the practical benefits of the Good Mama detergent. Related News Drop in beans price excites Lagos traders, consumers Electricity consumers demand disconnection over rising tariffs Consumers exploited through counterfeit products – Minister Head of Marketing, Toyin Dania, emphasised the campaign’s focus on creating meaningful consumer connections, stating, “This was an opportunity to celebrate consumers’ confidence and style. It allowed us to go beyond selling a product by creating a community-driven experience.” Participants also engaged in interactive activities like wash demonstrations, games, and raffle draws. The events showcased Good Mama’s advanced detergent formula, which promises extra clean and fresh results, aligning with the campaign’s theme of presenting one’s best self. The brand added it launched an ongoing online campaign tagged ‘Vibe in Style with Good Mama’ to complement the physical events, including Lyrical Challenge, Laundry Moment, and Own Your Style, offering consumers additional chances to win cash prizes and other rewards.
India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies at 92
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Texas' abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. It appears to be the first challenge in the U.S. to a state shield law that's intended to protect prescribers in Democratic-controlled states from being punished by states with abortion bans. Prescriptions like these, made online and over the phone, are a key reason that the number of abortions has increased across the U.S. even after state bans started taking effect. Most abortions in the U.S. involve pills rather than procedures. Anti-abortion groups are increasingly focusing on the rise of pills. Syrians cheer end of 50 years of Assad rule at first Friday prayers since government fell DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital’s historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. US military flies American released from Syrian prison to Jordan, officials say WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military has brought an American who was imprisoned in Syria for seven months out of the country. That's according to two U.S. officials, who said Friday that Travis Timmerman has been flown to Jordan on a U.S. military helicopter. The 29-year-old Timmerman told The Associated Press earlier Friday he had gone to Syria on a Christian pilgrimage and was not ill-treated while in a notorious detention facility operated by Syrian intelligence. He said he was freed by “the liberators who came into the prison and knocked the door down (of his cell) with a hammer.” New Jersey governor wants more federal resources for probe into drone sightings TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has asked the Biden administration to put more resources into the ongoing investigation of mysterious drone sightings being reported in the state and other parts of the region. Murphy, a Democrat, made the request in a letter Thursday, noting that state and local law enforcement remain “hamstrung” by existing laws and policies in their efforts to successfully counteract any nefarious drone activity. Murphy and other officials say there is no evidence that the drones pose a national security or a public safety threat. A state lawmaker says up to 180 aircraft have been reported to authorities since Nov. 18. Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she 'sustained an injury' from fall on official trip to Luxembourg WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman. Pelosi is 84. She was in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, did not describe the nature of her injury or give any additional details, but a person familiar with the incident said that Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event with the other members of Congress. The person requested anonymity to discuss the fall because they were not authorized to speak about it publicly. Russia targets Ukrainian infrastructure with a massive attack by cruise missiles and drones KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia has launched a massive aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia fired 93 cruise and ballistic missiles and almost 200 drones in Friday's bombardments. He says it is one of the heaviest bombardments of the country’s energy sector since Russia’s full-scale invasion almost three years ago. He says Ukrainian defenses shot down 81 missiles, including 11 cruise missiles that were intercepted by F-16 warplanes provided by Western allies earlier this year. Zelenskyy renewed his plea for international unity against Russian President Vladimir Putin. But uncertainty surrounds how the war might unfold next year. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to end the war and has thrown into doubt whether vital U.S. military support for Kyiv will continue. Trump’s lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it 'absurd' NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers are again urging a judge to throw out his hush money conviction. In a court filing Friday, they balked at the prosecution’s “absurd” idea for preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies before sentencing. The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. Some in seafood industry see Trump as fishermen's friend, but tariffs could make for pricier fish PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump is likely to bring big changes to seafood, one of the oldest sectors of the U.S. economy. Some in the industry believe the returning president will be more responsive to its needs. Economic analysts paint a more complicated picture, as they fear Trump’s pending trade hostilities with major trading partners Canada and China could make an already pricy kind of protein more expensive. Conservationists also fear Trump’s emphasis on deregulation could jeopardize fish stocks already in peril. But many in the commercial fishing and seafood processing industries said they expect Trump to allow fishing in protected areas and crack down on offshore wind expansion. OpenAI's legal battle with Elon Musk reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI 'dictatorship' A 7-year-old rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and best avoid an artificial intelligence ‘dictatorship’ is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing conversion into a for-profit company. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year. Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully. OpenAI is filing its response Friday. Paula Abdul settles lawsuit alleging sexual assault by 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paula Abdul and former “American Idol” producer Nigel Lythgoe have agreed to settle a lawsuit in which she alleged he sexually assaulted her in the early 2000s when she was a judge on the show. Abdul filed a notice of settlement in a Los Angeles court Thursday. The lawsuit filed nearly a year ago had also accused Lythgoe of sexually assaulting Abdul after she left “American Idol” and became a judge on Lythgoe’s other show “So You Think You Can Dance.” Lythgoe said at the time that the allegations were “an appalling smear.” Both sides said in statements Friday that they were glad to put the case behind them.Squash matches are commonplace within professional wrestling. They're often designed to win a young talent over with the fan base or give a returning star some momentum moving forward. However, we seldom stop and wonder what those matches do to the talent on the losing end. To put it bluntly, a squash match is an on-air butt-kicking. The matches last a few minutes at most and are primarily one-sided. The "squasher" usually has minimal offense but must find a way to shine if they want to be remembered. Those types of matches are part and parcel of paying your dues. Either you're an established talent working your way back up the roster, or you're an up-and-comer trying to get in the good graces of the booker and creative team. During a recent interview with me via the "Taylor Talks Wrestling" podcast , former AEW talent Fuego Del Sol discussed the importance of paying your dues. "I think ego has hurt a lot of people's careers, especially in the past 10 years," Del Sol said. "I think my mindset going into any match is play the role that you are giving to the best of your ability in hopes of earning a better role later...So no matter who I'm wrestling, if I'm wrestling the best of the best or the worst of the worst, or a celebrity coming in just to, you know, help get more eyes on the product, you gotta do what you gotta do, uh, because that's what you're paid to do." Squash matches aren't fun to watch. They're boring and predictable. However, like most things in life, they have their place. There's a clear method to putting them on a show, especially if they segue into a promo, which is often the case. Nevertheless, talents have to walk a fine line. Del Sol found his tenure in AEW primarily consisted of squash matches. As such, he understands the downside of becoming known as someone who shines while losing. "If you're really great at taking an a** whooping, then you're only going to be known as that guy," Del Sol said. "I remember I just heard a Ricochet interview recently where they (WWE) would tell him, 'hey, you got this match on raw tonight, or hey, you got this many minutes. Can you find a way to lose in a spectacular fashion?' He was like, 'yeah, I keep doing spectacular things, but I keep losing and that's not what I wanted. And I just became the spectacular losing guy.'" Figuring out how to walk that fine line can't be easy. However, if you want to climb the political ladder within a wrestling company, it's a tightrope you must walk at one point or another. The only way to avoid it is to join a company when you already have a following or a big reputation. Still, it's easy to see why so many talents stick to the indie scene. Leaving your ego at the door is a must, even if it's counterintuitive to reaching your goals. All quotations obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
MHA promotes Gilani (IPS) to DGP rankLowe scores career-high 22, leads Pitt over LSU 74-63 in Greenbrier Tip-Off