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During a gripping trial on 'I'm A Celebrity', medics had to intervene to assist Coleen Rooney. The hit show made its anticipated return on Tuesday (December 3), with presenting duo Ant and Dec once again steering the ship, as viewers tuned in to see how the celebrities were faring in the Australian wilderness. In the latest episode, the stars were vying for a coveted ticket to Cyclone, which promised immunity from the next two eliminations. Danny Jones, GK Barry, Richard Coles, and Coleen Rooney stepped up to tackle the Arcade of Agony first. The challenge involved a claw machine filled with balls that the celebrities had to grab. Each ball contained a number of tickets they could add to their collection box. To operate the claw machine, they needed coins, which were buried in a box of fish guts. With only ten minutes on the clock, the celebs scrambled to amass as many tickets as possible, reports . The top two ticket holders would advance to the final round, edging closer to securing the immunity-granting ticket to Cyclone. As expected in a Bushtucker Trial, the celebrities weren't alone; their grab boxes were teeming with creepy crawlies. Additionally, each celebrity had the chance to find a star hidden within the balls, translating to a meal for the camp. However, the trial ended on a distressing note for Coleen when she emerged from her booth exclaiming: "I've got one in my ear! ". Ant and Dec promptly called for medical assistance to examine the situation and safely extract the critter with a syringe. The moment it was removed, Ant, witnessing the event, exclaimed: "Oh my god! It just jumped out! ". Viewers were uncomfortable watching Coleen's distressing experience. On social media, one viewer commented: "That bug in Coleen's ear! ." Another said, writing their thoughts: "That was horrible! Poor Coleen." Yet another expressed their reaction with: "The way it just crawled out of her ear I'm sick!"The New York-based company said it had net income of 4 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for stock option expense and amortization costs, were 10 cents per share. The results exceeded Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 8 cents per share. The customer experience software developer posted revenue of $200.7 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $196.6 million. For the current quarter ending in January, Sprinklr expects its per-share earnings to be 7 cents. The company said it expects revenue in the range of $200 million to $201 million for the fiscal fourth quarter. Sprinklr expects full-year earnings in the range of 31 cents to 32 cents per share, with revenue ranging from $793.9 million to $794.9 million. This story was generated by Automated Insights ( http://automatedinsights.com/ap ) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on CXM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/CXM
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We all know what happens when voice acting goes wrong. There’s a reason your brain still reads "It's-a-me, Mario!" in Charles Martinet’s legendary voice, not whatever Chris Pratt’s doing (or isn’t doing) in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog family flicks are playing the same adaptation game, but avoid making the same mistakes when it comes to gimmick casting that doesn’t benefit the role. That's the problem with celebrity stunt casting in animated movies and why it should be avoided — you sacrifice quality for a (hopeful) box office cheat code. Everyone's favorite Parks and Recreation brat isn't just Ben Schwartz-ing through Sonic's dialogue. The actor strives to honor Sonic's voice in past SEGA video games while putting his spin on a more juvenile character interpretation. There's an art to Schwartz's voice acting and acknowledgment of Sonic's prior iterations. Like Mario, Sonic's voice appears in television shows and video games when speech became more than 8-bit garble or speech synthesis. Why would you want to erase all that history and relation? The difference in quality between The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise depicts the stark contrast between memorable and forgettable revamps. Universal and Illumination's mushroom-eating adaptation opts for the aforementioned celebrity stunt castinga cold and transactional method focused on maximizing profits at all costs. Sonic the Hedgehog invests in transformative voice acting, where the draw isn't who's behind pixelated recordings but the characters on screen. It's an animated film's job to immerse audiences in fantastical worlds, which the hybrid live-action Sonic movies accomplish whether in the fictional town of Green Hills, modern-day Tokyo, or a digitized mushroom planet. That’s because no matter the backdrop, Schwartz and company want you to believe Sonic, Tails, and the whole gang are real. They don’t want the credit themselves. The Super Mario Bros. Movie boasts a stacked cast, but what do they bring to their character personalities? Jack Black grumbles and croons as a serviceable Bowser (Black himself is a cartoon character, so that checks out), but even impressionist Keegan-Michael Key's Toad is oddly flat. Luigi sounds like Charlie Day but vaguely New Yorker, Donkey Kong is straight-up Seth Rogen, Princess Peach is an unaltered Anya Taylor-Joy — there's no passion behind vocal development. It's the equivalent of dialogue cosplay if purchased on Temu, like slapping a novelty mustache on Chris Pratt while he holds a plunger. Meanwhile, Ben Schwartz has a motormouth zip about his words that matches Sonic's hyperspeed lifestyle. Schwartz can be hilarious as Sonic does his best Quicksilver from X-Men impression during slow-motion action scenes, but also heartfelt and emotional when Sonic faces insurmountable odds or learns everlasting lessons. There's depth to Schwartz's vocal performance that speaks to the values of professional voice acting, which is infinitely harder than it looks. You’re reading lines off scripts in silent isolation, unable to interact with co-stars who’ll share scenes with your pixelated and dubbed role — yet Schwartz makes it look easy. Sonic never feels out of place next to James Marsten or Jim Carrey, as Schwartz’s range, through sound only, hits more dimensions than live-action actors benefitting from all their theatrical tools. What's distracting and frustrating about The Super Mario Bros. Movie is how all the film's voices have countless reference points, none of which the studio cares to duplicate or reward. When novels or comic books are adapted to film, there's a freedom to cast without direct audible comparisons. But a video game series with hours upon hours of line readings from voice actors who are still readily available for role reprisals? It's not only disrespectful to the artists who've mastered their crafts and helped galvanize a studio's brand, but distracting from a fanbase standpoint. Slaslfilm’s BJ Colangelo makes a compelling case to "stop screwing with legacy characters," and she's right. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 takes its reverence for its source material a step farther,, introducing beloved animal buddies Miles "Tails" Prower and Knuckles the Echidna. Now, Tails has one of the more unique voices in the Sonic universe — so Paramount went right to the source by hiring Tails' voice actress since 2010, Colleen O'Shaughnessey. Knuckles eventually went to Idris Elba, but not as stunt casting. Elba's take on Knuckles understands the fight-first character, echoing his Drax-like barbarian mannerisms with a gruff warrior's tone. There's even a video of Elba wearing personalized Knuckles gloves during recording sessions so he can disappear into the role, which helps us forget there's an Englishman in a box somewhere reading lines. Then there's the casting of Keanu Reeve as Shadow in Sonic The Hedgehog 3. A handful of voice actors have put their spin on Shadow as a baddie and anti-hero, which Reeves manipulates into his John Wickian hedgehog. You can hear Reeves in Shadow's bluntness and gravel, but there's a more profound parallel. Shadow's history is one of coldness and tragedy at the hands of G.U.N., which Reeves handles with empathy. Reeves himself has dealt with unthinkable hardships throughout his life, tying this sympathetic bond between actor and character. Keanu Reeves isn’t playing Shadow the Hedgehog, he is Shadow the Hedgehog, and the parallels between actor and character help develop a well-rounded alien who is himself on screen, not the man behind the words (even if he sounds just like him). Each actor's connection to their colorful counterparts is the secret sauce that's elevated Paramount's Sonic franchise above other video game adaptations. The Super Mario Bros. Movie sold itself on the backs of Chris Pratt, Jack Black, and the entire ensemble cast. Sonic the Hedgehog has enlisted equally impressive stars, but these movies aren't about Keanu Reeves or Idris Elba. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Shadow are the stars — the characters are who we’re talking about after after the credits roll. When you watch any Sonic the Hedgehog after or before The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the debate over celebrity stunt casting falls apart. As an Italian, I laughed when Chris Pratt was announced as Mario but kept an open mind only to be proven wrong. As a Sonic fan who saw those nightmare first renderings of Sonic with teeth, I entered even more nervous — once again proven wrong. Paramount's voice cast choices have been aces thus far, endearing these movies to Sonic fans instead of pushing them away. Let's give kudos where appropriate — the fantastic voice actors selflessly bringing Sonic and his buddies to life on the big screen.Trinity Capital Inc. ( NASDAQ:TRIN – Get Free Report ) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, December 12th, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be paid a dividend of 0.51 per share on Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a $2.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 13.79%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. Trinity Capital has a payout ratio of 98.6% indicating that its dividend is currently covered by earnings, but may not be in the future if the company’s earnings decline. Research analysts expect Trinity Capital to earn $2.11 per share next year, which means the company should continue to be able to cover its $2.04 annual dividend with an expected future payout ratio of 96.7%. Trinity Capital Price Performance Trinity Capital stock opened at $14.79 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $871.22 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.65 and a beta of 0.56. The company has a quick ratio of 0.05, a current ratio of 0.05 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $14.19 and a 200 day simple moving average of $14.18. Trinity Capital has a 52 week low of $13.05 and a 52 week high of $15.26. Analyst Ratings Changes Get Our Latest Research Report on Trinity Capital Insider Buying and Selling In other news, Director Ronald E. Estes acquired 2,000 shares of Trinity Capital stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 1st. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $13.59 per share, for a total transaction of $27,180.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 25,836 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $351,111.24. This trade represents a 8.39 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website . Also, Chairman Steve Louis Brown bought 19,350 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 4th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $13.12 per share, with a total value of $253,872.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 722,182 shares in the company, valued at $9,475,027.84. The trade was a 2.75 % increase in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here . Over the last ninety days, insiders purchased 29,702 shares of company stock worth $392,696. Corporate insiders own 6.38% of the company’s stock. Trinity Capital Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Trinity Capital Inc is a business development company. It is a venture capital firm specializing in venture debt to growth stage companies looking for loans and/or equipment financing. Trinity Capital Inc was founded in 2019 is based in Phoenix, Arizona with additional offices in the United States. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Trinity Capital Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Trinity Capital and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
DEAR READERS: Wishing you and all a very happy holiday season. Please enjoy the following poem. “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement Clarke Moore “‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; / The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, / In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; / The children were nestled all snug in their beds, / While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; / And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, / Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, / When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, / I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. / Away to the window I flew like a flash, / Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. / The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow / Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, / When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, / But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, / With a little old driver, so lively and quick, / I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. / More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, / And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; / ‘Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! / On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen! / To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! / Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!’ / As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, / When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; / So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, / With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. / And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof / The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. / As I drew in my head, and was turning around, / Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. / He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, / And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; / A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, / And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack. / His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! / His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! / His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow / And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; / The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, / And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; / He had a broad face and a little round belly, / That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. / He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, / And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; / A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, / Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; / He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, / And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, / And laying his finger aside of his nose, / And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; / He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, / And away they all flew like the down of a thistle, / But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, / ‘Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.’” NOTE: The above column was originally published in 2023. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com . Latest Advice Columns Miss Manners: My sister-in-law was angry that my nephew saw ‘embarrassing things’ in my medicine cabinet December 24 birthday horoscope and your daily astrology Asking Eric: Since my dad and brother passed away, my mother has been increasingly mean, angry and rude Dear Abby: Widow with no interest in physical relationship worries her significant other may want intimacy Today’s daily horoscope for Dec. 24, 2024Filmmaking changed forever in the first half of June 2024. On the 10th of that month, Kuaishou Technology announced Kling—a free text-to-video creation AI program. Though OpenAI had announced and teased Sora on February 15th, most of the videos they showcased were enhanced by VFX, and it wouldn’t be released for another 10 months. People only began to create stunning AI videos via Kling and DreamMachine, launched by Luma on June 12th. Whenever such a new tool came out, I told my friends in Bollywood to try it. Six months later, at the end of December, after Sora finally released nearly a year after its announcement, I asked them again which of the many AI video-making tools was the best. The answer was unanimous: Kling. How extraordinary this is can only be gauged when we consider how the US tried to stifle China’s AI advances. The trade war between the US and China has been like a game of ping pong, with each side volleying tariffs and restrictions back and forth. , the US imposed tariffs on over $360 billion worth of Chinese goods, citing unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft. China retaliated with tariffs on $110 billion of US products. The Biden administration continued and even expanded some measures, targeting high-tech sectors like AI and semiconductors, while China banned exports of rare earth metals. The Biden administration’s decision to impose a chip embargo on China was designed to hinder the country’s ability to develop advanced AI systems by denying access to high-performance chips. We will not delve into whether Western fears of a belligerent China justify these sanctions. Instead, we will discuss how this was a blessing in disguise for China and what it can teach us about AI. The embargo—first highlighted by the Huawei affair and recently by —naturally presented significant challenges, but surprisingly spurred innovative strategies and adaptations within the Chinese tech sector. Chinese companies responded by developing new methods to extract more value from weaker chips, focusing on smaller, more specialised AI models, and investing heavily in local chip manufacturing. Hence, despite the restrictions, Chinese AI companies managed to sustain and advance their AI capabilities, often through creative workarounds and a shift in focus from hardware to software and model efficiency. The Chinese Strategy to Circumvent the Embargo was multipronged. One of the primary strategies employed is the development of homegrown AI chip suppliers. Companies like Huawei, Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent made strides in producing their own AI chips. While the West has its NVIDIA chips like the A100, China now has Huawei’s Ascend 910B and Baidu’s Kunlun Gen 2, both using the 7nm process node technology. While these domestically produced chips may lag behind their Western counterparts in terms of performance and stability, they are increasingly proving to be viable alternatives. Huawei and Baidu’s chips are seen as competitors to Nvidia’s AI chips. The embargo forced Chinese AI companies to focus on other strategies, like developing more efficient code and smaller, specialised AI models. Think of this approach as the difference between a bulked-up gym enthusiast and a well-trained martial artist. Having the brute power of advanced chips is like a gym enthusiast with massive muscles. Still, it is the martial artist, with precise techniques developed through efficient training, who emerges victorious in a street fight with a worthy opponent. The US has the brute power of advanced chips, but the Chinese figuring out the precise movement of martial artists to do more with what they have could prove the eventual winner. In AI terms, this means that instead of relying solely on powerful chips, companies are optimising their models to require fewer resources. Professor Winston Ma, a law professor at New York University, recently noted that “the coming year is the year of small models.” Instead of LLMs (Large Language Models), SMLs (Small Language Models) will see significant adoption and development due to their efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and ability to operate on all devices, making them suitable for a wider range of applications over LLMs. With less training data and speed, they’ll allow for quicker response times. Another aspect is enhancing engineering capabilities and algorithms to compensate for the unavailability of advanced chips. By improving software and model training techniques, Chinese companies like Alibaba and Tencent achieve high performance even with less advanced hardware. Zhang Ping’an, a senior Huawei executive, said it best when he advocated that the mindset of relying solely on the most advanced AI chips needs to be abandoned in favour of innovative engineering and algorithmic advancements. Flexibility over bulky muscles and agility over brute force seems to have become the new Chinese mantra for AI, which even Western AI companies realise is the better approach. Another tactic Chinese companies employ is renting cloud services located in the United States or other regions unaffected by the embargo. This allows them to access advanced computing resources without directly violating the restrictions. Although the US government has not yet addressed this loophole effectively, it remains a viable option for Chinese companies to leverage global cloud infrastructure. Instead of the one-size-fits-all mentality of the West, AI models in China are being trained using different techniques such as supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and semi-supervised learning. Supervised learning is when models are trained on labelled data, which is crucial for tasks like object recognition and sentiment analysis. Unsupervised learning uses unlabeled data to find patterns and structures useful for clustering and anomaly detection. Semi-supervised learning combines both, leveraging a small amount of labelled data and a large amount of unlabeled data to improve overall performance. China has also been forced to rely on open-source AI model development. This has helped in China’s AI advancements because such models offer transparency, customizability, and flexibility, allowing continuous improvement and refinements. It enables the incorporation of the latest advancements in AI research rapidly and at scale while fostering a collaborative environment that drives future innovations. China’s AI strategy is guided by key documents such as the New Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan (AIDP) from 2017 and the Made in China 2025 initiative launched in 2015. Both emphasise the importance of AI for enhancing national competitiveness and security and outline goals for achieving world-leading levels in AI technology while reducing dependence on foreign technologies. The Made in China 2025 document aimed to transform China’s manufacturing sector from producing low-cost, low-quality goods to becoming a global leader in high-tech innovative products, especially in key industries like AI, robotics, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. The number of patents coming out of China in each of these sectors in the last five years proves that the Chinese have succeeded. This success is due to significant investments in AI research and development by the Chinese government, with regional governments pledging billions of yuan to foster local AI industries. Take the city of Beijing, which invested heavily in developing its AI ecosystem, focusing on areas such as autonomous vehicles and smart city technologies, emerging as an AI development hub for China and the world. In the novel trilogy, writer Cixin Liu wrote about how an alien species tries to stop Earth’s progress by preventing the advancement of key technologies. The US tried to do something similar to China. In Liu’s novel, the Earth-alien conflict wipes out our solar system. One can only hope that the US-China trade war, leading to attempts to halt China’s AI advancements, will not lead to the same outcome.
Winston's performance in snowy win over Steelers adds new layer to Browns' quarterback conundrum
NEW YORK — I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng. But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism. Whether we found it on the yellow brick road, or in videos from a Thailand zoo, or perhaps in unlikely Olympic heroes, we gravitated toward fantasy and feel-good pop culture moments this year. There were new trends, as always. “Brat summer” became a thing, as did “demure, mindful.” And for some inexplicable reason, we became obsessed with celebrity lookalike contests. People are also reading... There were breakups — Bennifer is, again, a thing of the past — and reunions: Oasis, please try to stay together for the tour. Yet some things stayed, remarkably, the same: Taylor Swift and Beyoncé kept on breaking records and making history. So, after a year where much changed but some things held steady, here’s our annual, very selective trip down pop culture memory lane: Lily Gladstone poses in the press room Jan. 7 with the award for best performance by an actress in a motion picture, drama for "Killers of the Flower Moon" at the 81st Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif. Chris Pizzello, Associated Press January It starts as a cheery tweet from a beloved “Sesame Street” figure: “ELMO is just checking in! How is everybody doing?” The answers hint at something deeper and more worrisome. “Not great, Elmo. Not great,” says one milder reply. Doing much better is the viral phenomenon called “BARBENHEIMER,” which makes its awards season debut at the GOLDEN GLOBES. But perhaps the most poignant moment comes from neither film: LILY GLADSTONE, first Indigenous winner of best actress in a drama for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” begins her remarks in the language of her tribe, Blackfeet Nation. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) kisses Taylor Swift on Feb. 11 after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime during the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas. John Locher, Associated Press February Valentine’s Day — a perfect time to settle into a sweet love saga via TikTok. Only that’s not quite what we get with “Who TF Did I Marry?,” REESA TEESA’s depressing, fascinating, 50-part account of her disastrous marriage with a man who lied about absolutely everything. Meanwhile, if you're looking for a single week that encapsulates peak SWIFT cultural dominance, try this: she begins with the Grammys in Los Angeles (becoming the first artist to win album of the year four times AND announcing a new album), then heads to Tokyo for four tour dates, then jets back just in time for the Super Bowl in Las Vegas — where she shares a passionate smooch with boyfriend TRAVIS KELCE on the field of victory. Ryan Gosling performs the song "I'm Just Ken" from the movie "Barbie" on March 10 during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Chris Pizzello, Associated Press March “What was I made for?” BILLIE EILISH sings at the OSCARS, channeling BARBIE. And what was KEN made for? Not entirely clear — but it's clear RYAN GOSLING was made to play him. His singalong version of “I’m Just Ken” is one of the most entertaining Oscar musical moments in years. Still, Christopher Nolan's “OPPENHEIMER” prevails, a rare case of the top prize going to a blockbuster studio film. Will it happen again in 2025? CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE sure hope so; as presenters, they make a sly reference to their upcoming juggernaut, “WICKED.” Speaking of marketing, people are obsessed with that bizarre “DUNE” popcorn bucket. Beyonce Chris Pizzello, Associated Press And BEYONCÉ carves her space in country music with “Act II: Cowboy Carter,” which will make her the first Black woman to top the Billboard country chart. Taylor Swift performs June 21 at Wembley Stadium in London as part of her Eras Tour. Scott A Garfitt, Invision April Tennis, anyone? The game’s been around for centuries, but it’s having a cultural moment right now, helped mightily by “CHALLENGERS,” the sweaty romance triangle starring ZENDAYA, MIKE FAIST and JOSH O'CONNOR (40-love? More like 40-sex.) Elsewhere, a new era dawns: At midnight, SWIFT drops “THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT," then drops another 15 songs two hours later. The fascinating and disturbing “BABY REINDEER,” the story of a struggling comedian’s extended encounter with a stalker, debuts on Netflix. Ben Affleck, left, and Jennifer Lopez arrive Feb. 13 at the premiere of "This Is Me ... Now: A Love Story" at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Jordan Strauss, Invision May It’s MET GALA time — or as it's known in 2024, another early marketing moment for “WICKED.” ERIVO and GRANDE make fashion waves on the carpet and then musical ones at dinner, with a soulful performance of “When You Believe.” If the “Wicked” tour is in full force, another one stops in its tracks: JENNIFER LOPEZ cancels her summer tour amid reports of both poor ticket sales and trouble in her marriage to BEN AFFLECK. It’s been an eventful year for J.Lo, who's released an album and movie called “THIS IS ME ... NOW" — both reflections on her renewed love with Affleck. June Welcome to BRAT SUMMER! CHARLI XCX releases her hit “Brat” album, with its lime green cover, and launches a thousand memes. Collins Dictionary defines “brat,” its word of the year, as “characterized by a confident, independent, and hedonistic attitude.” At the celeb-heavy SWIFT shows in London, we see PRINCE WILLIAM shaking it off, which is either charming or cringe, you decide. Even better: KELCE dons a top hat and tux and performs for one night. At another stadium across the pond, METS infielder JOSE IGLESIAS delights the crowd with his cheery number “OMG.” Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack Stephen Nedoroscik is introduced June 29 at the United States Gymnastics Olympic Trials in Minneapolis. Charlie Riedel, Associated Press July Bonjour, it’s OLYMPICS time! In Paris! An audacious opening ceremony along the Seine is punctuated by a fabulous CELINE DION, perched on the EIFFEL TOWER, singing her heart out — in the rain, too. Controversy swirls over a scene critics feel mocks Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” (organizers say it does not). Olympic stars are born — including French swimming superstar LEON MARCHAND, rugby player ILONA MAHER, and bespectacled “Pommel Horse Guy” gymnast STEPHEN NEDOROSCIK, who nets two bronze medals and comparisons to Clark Kent. Baby pigmy hippo Moo Deng plays with a zookeeper Sept. 19 in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand. Sakchai Lalit, Associated Press Also capturing hearts: yep, MOO DENG, born this month. Her name means “bouncy pork.” Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as B-Girl Raygun, competes Aug. 9 during the Round Robin Battle at the breaking competition at La Concorde Urban Park at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Frank Franklin, Associated Press August This is them ... now: BENNIFER is no more. After two decades, two engagements and two weddings, J.Lo files for divorce. One union dissolves, another returns: OASIS announces a reunion tour. Everyone seems to want to get in on TikToker JOOLS LEBRON's “DEMURE, MINDFUL” act — even the WHITE HOUSE press team. Back at the Olympics, in the new sport of breaking, we meet Australia’s RAYGUN, arguably neither demure nor mindful with her “kangaroo” move. Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani brings his dog Decoy to the mound Aug. 28 before Decoy delivered the ceremonial first pitch prior to a baseball game between the Dodgers and the Baltimore Orioles in Los Angeles. Mark J. Terrill, Associated Press Cute animal alert: SHOHEI OHTANI’s perky pooch DECOY does a great “first pitch” in his Major League Baseball debut. Chappell Roan performs "Good Luck, Babe" on Sept. 11 during the MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena in Elmont, N.Y. Charles Sykes, Invision September One of the year’s biggest breakout artists, CHAPPELL ROAN, withdraws from a music festival after speaking out about frightening fan interactions. And more on the price of fame: In an excruciating moment, “Bachelorette” JENN TRAN, the franchise’s first Asian American lead, is forced to sit through a painful viewing of her proposal to her chosen suitor, after tearfully explaining how he’d later dumped her over the phone. Tran is keeping busy though — she’s announced as part of the new “Dancing with the Stars” lineup. Also on the list: rugby player Maher, and Pommel Horse Guy! Also, ANNA SOROKIN, dancing with an ankle monitor. Online fandom, meanwhile, is shaken when X is temporarily suspended in Brazil and celebrity stan accounts post tearful farewells, revealing to many across the globe that their favorite accounts are run by Brazilians. Miles Mitchell, 21, wins of the Timothee Chalamet lookalike contest Oct. 27 near Washington Square Park in New York. Stefan Jeremiah, Associated Press October “Dune” Chalamets! “Wonka” Chalamets! Thousands gather in Manhattan for a TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET lookalike contest, and things really get interesting when Chalamet himself shows up. He doesn’t enter the contest, though, and with his mustache, he may not even have won. The trend continues with contests for JEREMY ALLEN WHITE, ZAYN MALIK and — in a very Washington version — Kennedy scion JACK SCHLOSSBERG, who's been gathering a following with some interesting social media posts. New York Liberty Kennedy Burke dances with the mascot, Ellie the Elephant, during an Oct. 24 ceremony after a parade in honor of the Liberty's WNBA basketball championship at City Hall in New York. Seth Wenig, Associated Press Turning to basketball, who’s that dancing with USHER? Why it’s ELLIE THE ELEPHANT, the now-viral NEW YORK LIBERTY mascot. Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, right, appears Nov. 2 with Maya Rudolph on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" in New York. Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press November MAYA RUDOLPH does a pretty good KAMALA HARRIS laugh on “Saturday Night Live,” but you know who does it better? HARRIS herself. The Democratic candidate makes a surprise cameo three days before the U.S. presidential election, following in the footsteps of HILLARY CLINTON, SARAH PALIN and others. Elsewhere in television, Bravo announces that “VANDERPUMP RULES,” the Emmy-nominated reality show that has lived through countless scandals, is entirely recasting its 12th season — apart from namesake LISA VANDERPUMP. As for MOO DENG, she doesn't have her own TV series yet, but our favorite pygmy hippo is generating plenty of merch. And THAT brings us back to ... Ariana Grande, left, and Cynthia Erivo pose for photographers Nov. 11 prior to the premiere of "Wicked" at Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City. Fernando Llano, Associated Press December “WICKED”! Director JON M. CHU’s emerald-hued fantasy remains very very popular, to quote one of its buzzy show tunes, dancing through life and defying gravity at the multiplex. Moviegoers also come for “GLADIATOR II” and, in a veritable tidal wave, Disney's “MOANA 2,” which beckons us back to the seas of Oceania. Once again, 2024 seems to be telling us: Give people some whimsy, a place to escape, maybe some catchy tunes — and no one knows how far they’ll go. 2024 Year in Review What were the most popular Wikipedia pages of 2024? PHOTOS: The top sports images from 2024 PHOTOS: The top images of 2024 PHOTOS: The top images from the US in 2024 PHOTOS: The top images from the 2024 elections PHOTOS: The top entertainment images from 2024 How to sum up 2024? The Oxford University Press word of the year is 'brain rot' From Kamala to Chappell, here are some of the most mispronounced words of 2024 'Polarization' is Merriam-Webster's 2024 word of the year Stay up-to-date on what's happeningReview: Nicole Kidman commands the erotic office drama ‘Babygirl’
Shahjahanpur: A case has been registered against BJP leader Sanjay Mishra and his aides for allegedly holding a man hostage and assaulting him with sticks and pipes at a school here, police said on Saturday, November 23. Mishra, a former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC), has denied the charges. The additional superintendent of police Sanjay Kumar, citing the complaint, told PTI, “The victim, Vishal, a resident of Danyapur village under the Ramchandra Mission police station area, was in the city for work on Friday when he was allegedly taken by Sanjay Mishra and others to a field in the Roza area and severely beaten with PVC pipes.” “After the assault, the accused took Vishal to their inter-college, where he was again beaten with pipes and sticks. When his mother arrived to save him, the accused misbehaved with her as well,” he added. Refuting the allegations, former BJP leader Mishra said on November 18, some people assaulted his brother, leaving him in a critical condition. “When I took him to the police station, only a minor NCR (non-cognisable report) was filed. This false case has been registered against us in retaliation to that incident,” he added. The police have registered a case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) related to group violence, unlawful confinement, and assault-causing injuries. The case names Sanjay Mishra, two others, and two unidentified individuals. An investigation is underway, according to police.
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California urges Buttigeg to grant last-minute cash for LA-SF bullet train as DOGE loomsIt seemed like companies couldn’t hire information technology analysts fast enough in 2014 when Michael Deneen began his IT career. Job counts nationally soared in the 2010s and early 2020s, but then the market flattened and a profession that looked like it might grow uninterrupted started shedding jobs. Laid off twice this year from Minnesota IT jobs, Deneen said he’s found it hard to snag the next gig. “Before I could have three, four offers lined up and would have to choose between them,” the Columbia Heights man said. “It’s like I’m struggling to even get a foot in the door in places that I’m more than qualified for.” Even with the state’s relatively low 3.5 percen t unemployment rate, some mid-career Minnesotans and those just coming out of college are seeing a job market now that worries them. Recent layoffs at Cargill in the Twin Cities and last week’s announcement that Arctic Cat, the Minnesota snowmobile maker, will shutter its manufacturing operations next year in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud, have added to the anxiety. Analysts say Minnesota’s job market remains robust, but for some there’s a skills matchup problem as some sectors grow while others flatten or decline. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s been hard,” Deneen said of finding the next IT job. “I’ve had a lot of self-doubt now, like questioning is this really an industry I am good at? Is this something I should even be in anymore? I’m also 40. It’s like, I can’t really switch careers at this point.” ‘Shouldn't be this way’ Health care, government, leisure and hospitality and transportation are among the Minnesota sectors that continue to show strong job growth, according to state data. Other industries are growing slower, including construction and manufacturing. “We’ve heard from some folks that maybe it has taken a little longer than what they remember in the past if they were previously unemployed. Some individuals don’t say that at all,” said Sara Garbe, workforce development supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. “November and reaching December, we certainly see a slowdown of hiring and folks may mention things like that they’ve heard from recruiters that maybe a decision won’t be made until after the holidays or after the first or the last quarter of the year,” added Garbe, whose staff works with new job seekers and those in mid-career. For recent college grads who haven’t landed work, the holiday season can bring its own pressures. Raina Hofstede, 22, studied English at Harvard University. Since graduating in May and coming back to Minnesota, she said job prospects have been nearly nonexistent. “I feel kind of directionless in the time period that I’m waiting,” said Hofstede, who grew up in Coon Rapids. “I feel like I really want to plan. I’m at a point where, like, I’d love to get things moving.” She’s applied to post-undergrad internships and career-advancing work. She’s looking into publishing, creative writing spaces and museums and hopes a stint working in comedy clubs while at Harvard might intrigue an employer. The search and the uncertainty around it is a grind, she acknowledged. “I think, as time goes on, and this feels sad, but I think as time goes on, my belief in myself slowly drops a little bit more with more rejections, and so I feel like I’ll be applying to less and less competitive things as I move forward,” Hofstede said. ' Minnesota showed strong steady job growth coming out of the Great Recession in 2009, reaching nearly 3 million jobs by February 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic torpedoed that growth — the state lost more than 400,000 jobs, nearly 14 percent of its employment, in the span of a few months. Job counts didn’t return permanently to pre-pandemic levels until September last year. The current state and national unemployment rates are relatively low, although they have ticked up over the past year. Minnesota’s unemployment rate is lower than the U.S. unemployment rate at 4.2 percent. Based on the most recent data, Minnesota has six unemployed people for every 10 job openings where nationally there are nine unemployed people for every 10 openings. Knowing that doesn’t make it easier for those looking for work, waiting for answers from prospective employers. “It just kind of feels like they have no respect for a candidate or their time, or them as a person,” Deneen said of the current market. “It’s an entire game, and it shouldn’t be this way.” ‘A little community’ Garbe said technology is transforming job searches in ways that may make landing work more challenging for some in mid-career or just starting out. Companies are using automated systems or in some cases artificial intelligence systems to screen applicants before a human gets to them. She encourages job seekers to reach out to one of DEED’s more than 50 CareerForce offices across the state where analysts can review resumes or cover letters with job seekers and offer help with writing and strategy. They can also connect people to needed training or certifications. Garbe also suggests reflecting on what you’ve accomplished to boost your self-confidence if you get overwhelmed. Social media has become a resource for job seekers as they look. Groups on Reddit like r/StudentJobSearch have become a space for venting and advice with conversations about job searching and applications. LinkedIn is also seeing similar support groups, including two Deneen is in that focus on networking and project management. Hofstede said she’s found solace leaning on those around her who are going through these same experiences. She and a group of new graduates meet at their public library to sift through job postings and work on cover letters and resumes together. “Something of a little community of people who are unemployed and looking for jobs, and I like having the friends support,” she said. “It is harder to go through something uncertain like this alone.”A McAlester resident has been spreading kindness, love and hope on social media platforms for the last few years. Barry “Bear” Mathews is known as @bearthevoice3 on TikTok, where he talks to his followers, or as he calls them his friends, for the last two and a half years, but has been present on the platform for three and a half years in total. Mathews journey into the world of social media started with a conversation and a misunderstanding as he was gathered around a swimming pool with his daughter. “She said, ‘Daddy, you need a TikTok.’ I said, ‘Baby, I got a watch.’ She was like, ‘What? No. It’s an app that goes on your phone.’ I said, ‘Sweetheart, I’ve got a clock app on my phone.’ I’m thinking ‘tic toc’ like a clock. I had never heard of the app,” Mathews said. After his daughter explained and showed Mathews the app, he questioned why he would even need TikTok. His voice was the answer. “She said ‘Daddy, you have the coolest voice on the planet, man. Your voice is just cool. People will watch your TikToks just to hear you talk,’” Mathews said. The now TikTok star was not initially game for making an account, but allowed his daughter to do so anyways, marking the birth of Bear the Voice. Mathews said his content was just like any other found on the app until he made a video talking about how proud he was of his son. “Somebody made a comment that said, ‘I wish I had a dad who would tell me he was proud of me,’” Mathews said. “So I did a video reply to that comment where I just looked at the camera and said ‘Well, I am proud of you. I’m very proud of you.’” The video went viral with many more content to follow suit, as he now has 1.32 million followers and 18.1 million likes. Mathews’ account is a combination of content ranging from life advice to cooking. Mathews said he didn’t have a clue his account would reach the success it has and still finds it mind blowing. “I think the reason my account has grown the way it has is because I’m not going to respond with hatred,” Mathews said. “I’m going to treat people the way that I want people to treat me, and I’m going to be tremendously honest and caring in doing so. I think that is something people look for. We live in a very superficial age, where it’s all about the trend and not about the compassion and honesty with one another.” The TikTok platform has been under fire for the last few years with the social media app having a potential of being banned in the U.S. in January 2025. Mathews has started to move his content to all social media platforms, like Instagram and YouTube, in case this takes place. Some upcoming projects Mathews has included hosting a Meet and Greet and Eat in June. Mathews said there is a community of cooking content creators, such as himself, who will be gathering June 14 at the Lightning C Arena. The event – a third of its kind – will feature foods made by potentially 100 content creators. As his popularity has grown, Mathews has continued to respond to comments from his friends with kindness and has even been given the moniker of “America’s Grandpa.” “I said in a video that I absolutely adore being a grandpa, and someone put a comment on it that said ‘You probably would not want to be a grandpa to a young Black woman.’ And I knew I had to make a video response to that...,” Mathews said. “I called her by name and told her I don’t care if you’re Black or white or red or green. I don’t care what color you are. Human need is human need, and it knows no race, so I would love for you to call me grandpa. Since then I’ve kind of turned into America’s grandpa.” A grandfatherly figure is something Mathews said he believes America needs right now, as a grandfather not only loves their grandkids regardless of anything but will also dole out advice and guide the person through life. Mathews said he doesn’t want to come across as a know-it-all, but that he does know what it’s like to deal with tragedies and how some just need to be told it will be OK. Mathews current job is social media due to his battle with Polycythemia vera – a chronic, rare blood cancer – which has progressed to cause Mathews to not have the ability to do everything he once could. Prior to the age of TikTok, Mathews drove trucks and worked in the oilfield, which is what brought him to McAlester in the first place. Since 2009 Mathews has made McAlester his home, where he tries to give back when he can. From making Angel Tree donations to helping pay for others at Walmart, Mathews has been living out his kind nature past the phone screen and into the real world of McAlester for years. One example is when Mathews recognized the look of panic on a father’s face after his card declined at a register. As the father tried to pull up his online bank account and find out why his deposit wasn’t showing up, Mathews heard the man’s son ask what was happening. Mathews then told the child the card must be broken and paid for the groceries. “I think that’s not an act of charity it’s an act of kindness that if you can afford to do that that is what you should do,” Mathews said. “We all got to eat, and if I have the money in my account, I’m not going to let you or your little boy go hungry.” Mathews said he helps out when he can because he knows what it is like to need someone. From falling on financial hard times to a flooded house to a house fire, Mathews said he knows what it feels like to not have anything with no one to turn to. “A lot of people who I have talked to personally [will say] ‘God has allowed so many tragedies.’ But I don’t believe a person can truly find humility without having been humiliated and I have been,” Mathews said. “So rather than allow that to make me bitter I’ve tried to let it make me grow into a better person. It’s so easy to be bitter, but it’s also easy to be better.” Becoming TikTok famous has been what Mathews referred to as cool with fans coming up to him in stores and telling Mathews how he has impacted them or even saved their life. Mathews said learning how he has made such an impact on people has been a humbling experience. Mathews said he has not always been this way, but after the death of a child, step sister, and both parents he knows what it is like to lose someone. “That’s a feeling that so many people feel, like they’ve lost everything and they feel like their world is hopeless, and if I can give them a little bit of hope, maybe one day God will smile at me face to face,” Mathews said. Something that Mathews ends each video with is a saying he takes to heart and means to every friend who hears it – “I love all of you. I truly do.” “I think love is something that is a rarity in all societies, not just ours, but all societies these days,” Mathews said. “We don’t have to see eye to eye politically or spiritually. I don’t care – like I said to that young lady – I don’t care what color you are. I don’t care if you’re heterosexual or homosexual. I don’t care if you were born Beverly and you want to be called Billy. I don’t care. Love and compassion is what this world needs the most of, so I love all of you. I truly do.” Skyler Hammons writes for the McAlester News-Capital.
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