A week after a demoralizing loss to the Tennessee Titans, the AFC South-leading Houston Texans might have a perfect opportunity to reboot when they face the host Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Then again, maybe not. It depends, Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said, if the Texans (7-5) are "locked in" and able to make a December push. "I just look at it as being intensely focused on your job and being where you're supposed to be, executing the minor details of your job," Ryans said. "It all comes down to minor, minute details that you get exploited if you don't do them the correct way and teams find those and they make you pay. "And a lot of the things, as I talked to our guys about, are things that we can control." Jacksonville (2-9), sitting at the bottom of the AFC South, is coming off a humiliating 52-6 loss to the Detroit Lions. It marked the fourth straight setback for the Jaguars, who had dropped their previous three games by a combined 13 points. Jaguars coach Doug Pederson noted that changes are coming, although he opted not to show his cards. "I'm not going to get into the whole details of things, but there are things in the run game that we have to get back to," Pederson said. "Even in the passing game, tweaking some things there. There are things that can, hopefully, help our production over the last six weeks." One of those things could be the return of starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who has not played since Nov. 3 due to a left shoulder injury. Lawrence was a limited participant during practice on Wednesday, with Pederson telling reporters Monday that the signal-caller's status for Sunday would be determined as the week progresses. Pederson has also had his eye on Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud, who has run into some struggles during his sophomore season. Stroud has thrown nine interceptions in 12 games (all starts) after throwing only five as a rookie. He was picked off twice in the 32-27 setback against Tennessee, also throwing for 247 yards and two touchdowns on 20-for-33 passing. Pederson still believes the 23-year-old can hurt the Jaguars, though. "Playing the quarterback position is hard," Pederson said. "I don't know everything that goes on down there. I'm sure there's been injury, guys have missed (time). He's missed his playmakers from time to time. And then there's the film. There's the film out there." The Texans have lost three of their past four games and four of their past six as defenses continue to solve Stroud. Defensive ends Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) and Denico Autry (knee) were among those who didn't practice for Houston on Wednesday, and safety Jalen Pitre is expected to miss several weeks because of a shoulder injury. Linebacker Yasir Abdullah (hamstring) was the only Jaguar to miss practice on Wednesday. Cornerback Tyson Campbell (shoulder) joined Lawrence as limited. Sunday marks the second meeting of the season between the teams. The Texans topped Jacksonville 24-20 back on Sept. 29. --Field Level Media
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics has taken a significant step forward in its digital transformation with the launch of a new Digitalization and Technical Processing Center, alongside the unveiling of the Unified Documents and Records Platform. These initiatives were announced by Minister of Transport and Logistics Services Saleh Al-Jasser during a ceremony attended by senior officials and industry leaders, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency. The new center and platform are part of the ministry’s broader strategy to accelerate digitalization in line with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and the Vision 2030 goals. A primary aim of these efforts is to increase the transport and logistics sector’s contribution to Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product from 6 percent in 2021 to 10 percent by 2030. This would generate an additional SR45 billion ($11.9 billion) in non-oil revenues annually. To achieve these goals, the NTLS prioritizes infrastructure development and operational improvements. Key plans include expanding the railway network by approximately 8,080 km, which features the 1,300 km “Landbridge” project, and enhancing port infrastructure to accommodate over 40 million containers annually. Additionally, the strategy envisions increasing air freight capacity to over 4.5 million tonnes annually, as well as expanding international flight destinations to over 250. Improving service quality and safety is another critical focus. The NTLS aims to position Saudi Arabia among the top 10 countries in the Logistics Performance Index and secure 6th place in the Road Infrastructure Quality Index. It also seeks to reduce road traffic accidents and fatalities by over 50 percent and cut fuel consumption in the transport sector by 25 percent. In conjunction with the digitalization efforts, the ministry also inaugurated a historical exhibition that highlights key documents, photographs, and equipment used throughout the history of Saudi Arabia’s transport sector. The exhibition also includes specialized laboratories for document restoration and sterilization, as well as a centralized destruction center to safeguard the security and confidentiality of information. Bandar Al-Roqi, general supervisor of the ministry’s Document and Archive Center, emphasized the collaborative nature of the project, acknowledging the contributions of various ministry departments in its successful realization. The project reflects the ministry’s commitment to integrating modern technologies to drive digital transformation while preserving the country’s transport history.Timothée Chalamet’s turn as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown earned praise from critics, including Rolling Stone’s David Fear , but like any biopic, some details and facts get left out or rearranged . The notoriously mercurial Dylan, who had input in the James Mangold biopic, even slipped a made-up scene into the movie. The movie is based on the 2015 book Dylan Goes Electric! , which documents Dylan’s pivotal 1965 performance at the Newport Folk Festival . His plugged-in performance of “Like A Rolling Stone” was controversial among festival attendees, who expected an acoustic set. The Timothée Chalamet film isn’t the first time this iconic era for Bob Dylan’s career has been documented — here’s what Dylan fans should read (and watch) after seeing A Complete Unknown . $12.79 $18.99 33% off Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric! is the direct inspiration for A Complete Unknown . The book delves deep into Bob Dylan’s Newport Folk Festival performance, in which he performed with an electric guitar and was backed by an amplified band, signaling a shift away from his politically focused acoustic folk music. Filmed the same year that A Complete Unknown is set, Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back is an intimate portrait of Dylan on tour. Directed by D. A. Pennebaker, the 1967 documentary is streaming on Max and Hulu. It’s also available as a Blu-Ray or DVD from the Criterion collection . Martin Scorsese’s love of classic rock runs deep, and the director has made two documentaries about Bob Dylan since 2005. No Direction Home focuses on the same era as A Complete Unknown (in fact, both films take their titles from “Like a Rolling Stone” lyrics). Scorsese’s most acclaimed film to feature Dylan is The Last Waltz , which is about The Band (which had a stint as Dylan’s backing band during his electric era). His most recent is Rolling Thunder Revue , released in 2019 and available on Netflix . No Direction Home is not widely available on streaming services, but Prime members can stream it with a free trial to Quello Concerts, and the movie is available with a free standalone trial to the service . $19.99 The 1967 film Festival chronicles the Newport Folk Festival from 1963-1966, including the infamous 1965 Bob Dylan performance at the heart of A Complete Unknown . It features performances from other musicians featured in A Complete Unknown , including Pete Seeger and Joan Baez. For a decidedly more experimental take on Dylan’s life, I’m Not There stars six actors from different eras of Dylan’s career. The film, directed by Todd Haynes, embraces Dylan’s penchant for reinvention and obfuscation by casting actors as varied as Cate Blanchett and Heath Ledger as characters inspired by Dylan and his influences. The film is streaming on Prime , for free with a library card with Kanopy , or free with ads on Pluto .
With shares up by 223% year to date, Rigetti Computing ( RGTI 37.74% ) is soaring as Wall Street becomes more interested in quantum computing. While this industry is less flashy than other hype cycles like generative artificial intelligence (AI), it could be just as impactful over the long term. Let's dig deeper to decide if Rigetti is a potential millionaire maker. What is a quantum computer? Quantum computers are computers that use quantum mechanics to solve problems much faster than their traditional alternatives. While the industry is still largely in the research and development stage, analysts at McKinsey estimate that it could add $1.3 trillion in value to the economy by 2035. Most of the growth is expected to come from applications like pharmaceutical development and materials science. The analysts also believe quantum computers could play a role in training AI algorithms and neural networks, which makes this industry an exciting way to get indirect exposure to the red-hot opportunities like large language models (LLMs) or self-driving cars. In the best-case scenario, Rigetti Computing could be the Nvidia of quantum computing because of its picks-and-shovels business model. Like the legendary chipmaker, Rigetti serves the infrastructure side of this opportunity, building quantum computers and their key hardware components like processors. The company has also developed its Quantum Cloud Services (QCS) platform designed to give clients access to its quantum processors remotely through the cloud. Rigetti has designed QCS to integrate with traditional computer hardware, making it easier for customers to access the technology. Naturally, this could represent huge cost savings for a client compared to building its own quantum computing capabilities in-house. By going public through a reverse merger with a special -purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Rigetti was able to list at a particularly early stage in its operations. Third-quarter revenue fell 23% year over year to $2.4 million. And while the company generated a gross profit of $1.2 million, it posted an operating loss of $17.3 million after accounting for important outflows like research, development, and office salaries. It gets worse. Rigetti has spent a whopping $9.7 million on stock-based compensation this year. While this technique can save cash and motivate employees, it dilutes shareholders by increasing the number of shares outstanding and lowering their claims on future earnings or cash flow. The good news is that the company's cash position remains strong, with around $93 million in cash and liquid investments. Rigetti should be able to maintain its current cash burn for a few more quarters without relying on outside sources of capital. What do the next few years have in store for Rigetti? Rigetti's management seems optimistic for the future. The company continues to improve upon its technology and try to solve the problems associated with quantum computing, such as its fragility to external factors like noise. The company is developing new chip fabrication techniques and plans to introduce new architecture designs next year. All this being said, technology doesn't necessarily pay the bills. Not only are Rigetti's sales not growing, it currently posts more than 7 times more in quarterly losses than it generates in revenue. It is unclear how management can turn around such a financial situation. Like with many SPAC mergers, Rigetti doesn't seem ready for public markets and probably would have made more sense as a privately funded start-up or an experimental division of a larger company that had money to burn. Investors who want to make millions in the stock market should look elsewhere because the risks of buying Rigetti seem to dramatically outweigh the potential rewards . Shares should be avoided or sold.Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The San Francisco 49ers , 5-5 and in last place in the NFC West, desperately need a win if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive. Now, they have an even steeper uphill climb after it was announced two of their stars will not play Sunday. Quarterback Brock Purdy and defensive end Nick Bosa will be sidelined this weekend with injuries against the Green Bay Packers. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Nick Bosa and Brock Purdy (Imagn) Purdy, who is dealing with a shoulder injury in his throwing arm, was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday. After getting an MRI, he did not practice Friday. Bosa did not practice all week with his hip/oblique injury. On top of that, Trent Williams did not practice for a third consecutive day as he deals with an ankle injury, but he is listed as questionable. The Niners have been plagued by injuries all season. Christian McCaffrey did not see the field until Week 10, and Brandon Aiyuk tore an ACL earlier this season. Tight end George Kittle and wide receiver Deebo Samuel have also missed time. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy walks off the field after a game against the Seattle Seahawks in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn) STEELERS' GEORGE PICKENS GETS INTO IT WITH BROWNS PLAYER ON FINAL PLAY OF BLIZZARD GAME, HELD BACK BY SECURITY Green Bay cornerback Jaire Alexander will also miss the gane with a hamstring injury. Brandon Allen will start under center for the 49ers. The injuries will make the 49ers underdogs for the first time since 2022. They had been favorites in 36 consecutive games, the longest streak in the Super Bowl era. Purdy is completing 66.0% of his passes this year and has thrown for 2,613 yards, 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Bosa has at least a half sack in each of his last four games and at least one in his last three. He has seven overall on the season and aims to make his fifth Pro Bowl in six seasons. San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa reacts after sacking Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford during the first half in Santa Clara, Calif., Oct. 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP NFL.com says the Niners have a 30% chance of making the playoffs. They currently sit in the 10th seed, and a win would bump those odds up to 48%. A loss would give them just a 15% chance at the postseason. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter .
Hyderabad: It was a moment of pride for the transgender community of Telangana as 39 transgenders recruited as traffic police assistants in the police department recently, performed the “traffic drill” before Hyderabad police commissioner CV Anand at the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) of Hyderabad police department on Sunday, December 22. The newly recruited traffic police assistants from the transgender community performing the traffic drill at the Integrated Command Control Centre (ICCC) in Hyderabad on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/1EX2dypE6v These new traffic police assistants who have received training for 15 days will begin their duties starting Monday, December 23. The transgender traffic police assistants have been posted with the same status as Home Guards. A post shared by The Siasat Daily (@siasatdaily) Addressing them, CV Anand said that their performance in their new duties was crucial as the state government was contemplating inducting the transgenders into various other government departments based on this pilot project. He also said that the entire country was looking at the initiative in Telangana which would set a new precedent for social acceptance of the community which has suffered social stigma for ages. Terming the government’s initiative as “innovative and revolutionary,” CV Anand said that it was a great opportunity for the transgenders to integrate with society and that stationing them at traffic signals was one of the most suitable jobs for them, as they were all well acquainted with such locations.
Pachpadra refinery nears completionWEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump's supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump's movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump's Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer's comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks, whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar." Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government, weighed in, defending the tech industry's need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump's world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world's richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect, was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump's movement but his stance on the tech industry's hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry's need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent," he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump's own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration, including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order, which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump's businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club, and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country" and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country," he told the “All-In" podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump's budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Dec. 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Onity Group Inc. (NYSE: ONIT) (“Onity” or the “Company”), a leading non-bank mortgage servicer and originator, today announced that Valerie Haertel has joined the Company as Vice President, Investor Relations. Ms. Haertel will report to Sean O’Neil, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Onity. Ms. Haertel is responsible for leading Onity’s investor relations activities to accelerate investor outreach and to communicate the Company’s business strategy, financial performance and investment thesis to the investment community. She also will be responsible for maintaining relationships with existing investors and analysts and expanding our analyst coverage profile. “We are excited to welcome Valerie to lead investor relations at Onity,” said O’Neil. “Her extensive experience in building and enhancing investor relations and external communications programs and strong relationships within the investment community will be invaluable to the communication of our strategic priorities and the factors that drive our financial results to create value for our shareholders. Valerie joins Onity at an exciting time as we have executed a dramatic transformation of our business that is positioned to build upon the strong results we have delivered this year.” Ms. Haertel brings to the Company more than 20 years of industry-diverse experience across the financial services and healthcare services sectors, having led investor relations at Vestis, a spinoff of Aramark Corporation, CVS Health, BNY Mellon, State Street Corporation and AllianceBernstein. Valerie Haertel Background Ms. Haertel has more than 20 years of experience as a leading investor relations and strategic corporate communications professional. She most recently served as Vice President, Investor Relations and External Communications of Vestis, a spinoff of Aramark Corporation. Previously, Ms. Haertel led investor relations for Cedar Gate Technologies, preparing the company for an IPO. Prior to this position, she served as Senior Vice President of Investor Relations of CVS Health. Prior to joining CVS Health, Ms. Haertel led Investor Relations for Teladoc Health, the largest global telehealth company. She also led global investor relations teams at BNY Mellon, State Street Corporation, Medco Health Solutions and AllianceBernstein. Ms. Haertel is a past chair of the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and an inaugural NIRI Investor Relations Charter (IRC) holder and was awarded the NIRI fellow distinction in 2020. She has earned industry recognition from IR Magazine, Institutional Investor Magazine and Greenwich Associates for her work as one of the nation’s top IR professionals. Ms. Haertel holds Bachelor of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from St. John’s University in New York and has been serving as a Director on the Tobin Board of Advisors for St. John’s University since 2019. About Onity Group Onity Group Inc. (NYSE: ONIT) is a leading non-bank mortgage servicer and originator providing solutions through its primary brands, PHH Mortgage and Liberty Reverse Mortgage. PHH Mortgage is one of the largest servicers in the country, focused on delivering a variety of servicing and lending programs. Liberty is one of the nation’s largest reverse mortgage lenders dedicated to education and providing loans that help customers meet their personal and financial needs. We are headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, with offices and operations in the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands, India and the Philippines, and have been serving our customers since 1988. For additional information, please visit onitygroup.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements relating to the possibility of expanding analyst coverage profile, driving financial results, and creating shareholder value. Forward-looking statements involve a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements, including the risks and uncertainties detailed in our reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and current reports and quarterly reports filed with the SEC since such date. Anyone wishing to understand Onity’s business should review our SEC filings. For Further Information Contact: Investors: Valerie Haertel, VP, Investor Relations (561) 570-2969 shareholderrelations@onitygroup.com Media: Dico Akseraylian, SVP, Corporate Communications (856) 917-0066 mediarelations@onitygroup.com
Victoria’s Secret & Co. Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results
Institutional interest in the cryptocurrency sector sees Solana and Cardano emerging as focal points, while a new altcoin, 1Fuel, is gaining momentum. Solana has drawn considerable attention from traditional institutions, aided by its partnerships with tech giants like Microsoft and Google Cloud. This interest is manifesting in Solana-based exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that have been filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission by key players such as Grayscale and 21Shares. The approval of these ETFs could potentially lead to significant market inflows for Solana. Meanwhile, Cardano has experienced a positive rally, currently trading at $0.90, fueled by increased on-chain activity and the expanding adoption of decentralized applications on its platform. This has sparked optimism among investors, who are watching for Cardano to surpass the $10 threshold, thanks to its consistent delivery on promised developments. Amidst these developments, 1Fuel, an altcoin focused on privacy and utility, has emerged as a promising player. It has raised over $850,000 during its presale and is recognized for facilitating seamless transactions across various blockchains. As it continues to build its reputation, 1Fuel is positioning itself as a noteworthy project for the future, with technological advantages that include cross-chain transaction capabilities and a built-in privacy mixer. This distinctive approach aims to set it apart in the competitive digital asset landscape.Voices: The House of Assad has finally fallen - but chaotic Syria could still be torn apartHome improvement is a process that's never truly finished, whether you just need a new wall socket to support a growing collection of Christmas decorations or you're looking to tackle a total landscaping revamp ahead of the spring growing season. Home improvement can be an endless and ever-evolving pursuit. That's where the major tool manufacturers come in. For every job there's a unique tool that's best suited to handling its novel conditions, limitations, and demands. Take the installation of base boards, for example. Nailing these trim features in place is the standard practice, but a standard hammer and nail combination leaves much to be desired. A delicate finish nailer provides the appropriate impact power, alongside a tiny nail head and precise delivery that's simply unmatched with any other tool or approach. As is often the case, when seeking a quality product to streamline whatever task you're working on, a trusted brand name is often the target. DeWalt is officially owned by Stanley Black & Decker , but the brand itself is one of the most commonly sought tool names, with a huge range of products and accessories to get any job done right. There are lots of affordable DeWalt tools , and just as many premium ones, which is part of why the brand is a common favorite among professionals and DIY home improvers alike. Here are some of the brand's best products to tackle a bevy of home improvement tasks, some of which might be totally new to you. Many people working through home improvement projects for the first time are simply blind to the reality that drills come in all shapes and sizes. Across major tool brands, drill options that scale down the body for easier use in tight places are common. While high powered drills like DeWalt's stud and joist drill (a high tech DeWalt tool that replicates and even eclipses corded power) might be a part of your knowledge base, standard right angle drills are a lot less known. The DeWalt 20V Max 3⁄8-Inch Right-Angle Drill/Driver delivers a paddle-type trigger and 90-degree drilling capability to transform your non-standard drilling tasks. Projects living between the studs in a wall cavity, for instance, might require some unconventional thinking or a contorted body to get a standard drill to operate as needed: Not so with a right-angle drill. The tool is just 4 inches from front to back, allowing the chuck to slip into even the tightest areas to provide drilling or fastening power exactly where it's needed. The tool delivers 292 in-lb of torque, more than enough to tackle routine home improvement requirements. Finding the space to get working on your projects isn't always easy. From staging areas to actual working room, home improvement commands a lot of physical real estate. Even small jobs like fixing a minor hole in drywall requires a good few tools and plenty of open area. Moreover, that's not including the workspace that's required to make cuts and go about installing a patch seamlessly. The best DIYers and pros know that bringing your workpiece up to standing height (roughly where your wrist falls to when your arms are placed straight down) makes a job — any job — far easier. Cutting a drywall plug on a table or workbench takes less effort and is faster than bending down to do it on the ground. This is where tools like DeWalt's Collapsable Heavy Duty Work Stand comes into the fold. The collapsable frame folds down into a tiny package that's easy to move around, making it great for pros who travel to their jobs. It's also easy to store in your garage if you're a homeowner working on a repair task by yourself. The stands can accommodate large tools like one of DeWalt's miter saws, or a pair of them can come together to provide a solid base to place a temporary worktop across. These stands weight 15.4 pounds, and are built from aluminum. A single stand can handle a workload capacity of 1,000 pounds, and a pair can be set up rapidly to support whatever mobile bench top needs you might have for any home improvement job. The utility of a pressure washer is nearly endless. They serve all manner of cleanup tasks admirably. A gas-powered pressure washer is even more versatile than one of its plug-in competitors, too, because it can go anywhere you do to handle a greater volume of power hosing requirements. The DeWalt Cold Water Gas Pressure Washer (Model number: DXPW61299; rated at 3,600 PSI at 2.5 GPM) is a solid middle ground solution suited to tackling any number of home improvement projects you might find yourself embroiled in. It's a high powered solution for cleaning driveways, siding, walls, and even cars or roofing surfaces. The pressure washer delivers high powered output alongside five nozzle options to dial in the perfect concentration of water to blast away whatever you're trying to clean. The washer includes a premium 25-foot steel braided hose that's abrasion and kink resistant. The AAA Triplex pump provides consistent water pressure and a longevity that pros and DIYers alike can get behind. It's powered by a Honda GX200 engine that's characterized by an easy startup and durable output. Pressure washers find their way consistently into the workflow of home improvers, and this one's a great selection that can handle anything you might face off against. Don't want to go the pressure washer route? That's perfectly alright; they can be expensive, and even the smallest pressure washers are quite bulky and can be difficult to operate at times as a result. Instead of a full fledged power washer, DeWalt also offers a 20V Max 550 PSI Cordless Power Cleaner . The cleaner pairs up with DeWalt's standard battery packs and simply connects to a hose to provide a steady stream of pressurized cleaning flow. It's not going to deliver the same grime stripping prowess of a fully operational power washer, but that's not always the right tool for the job. If you're washing down windows, hitting the gutters, or spraying down the car, a lighter duty option is likely the perfect tool for the task. The cleaner magnifies garden hose flow by ten times, creating a potent jet of water. The power cleaner includes a soap bottle to add additional sudsy cleaning power and features four nozzles for the perfect jet stream for your cleaning needs. The suction hose allows you to funnel in fresh water from a source other than a garden hose when constraints limit availability, as well, adding even more to the tool's versatility by opening up the use of any fresh water source you can find. Going the other direction, sometimes you don't need to spray water at a project area, but rather remove a reservoir of liquid from your targeted space. The DeWalt 1⁄3 Horsepower Submersible Sump Pump is a great selection when flooding or a broken pipe finds its way into your life. The pump can be submerged and features a cast iron impeller within the stainless steel body to prevent clogging. The impeller also allows the pump to attack solids up to a 1⁄2-inch that may be lurking within the water to be removed. The pump features a 10-foot power cord as well as a thermally protected motor to prevent overheating even during lengthy water removal processes. The tool pumps at up to 75 gallons per minute or 4,500 per hour. The pump is also capable of lifting pumped liquid up to 25 feet for ample moisture removal in a variety of unique circumstances and conditions. Nailers are a common tool in serious home improvement enthusiasts' arsenals, but typically you only see finish tools or brad nailers, which only scratch the surface of what these power tools can do. It's well established now that nailers can be operated free from the hose connection that once dominated the space. Pneumatic nailers reliant on compressed air were once the standard. While powerful, they're obviously less than portable considering the additional gear that must travel along with the relatively small bodied tool. Today, battery power and potent spring technology allow for totally cordless operation. A nailer that most home improvers aren't likely to have encountered before takes nail driving power to another level, though. DeWalt's 20V Max XR Cordless Concrete Nailer delivers enough juice to drive nails into concrete and steel workpieces. This means that you can tackle installation jobs revolving around a home built from block rather than timber and drywall, or handle building projects that require some components to be fastened down to an exterior wall, steel frame, or concrete foundation slab. As part of DeWalt's XR lineup (meaning "extreme runtime"), this tool offers both improved battery performance and power output, too. It uses the same batteries as DeWalt's other power tools in the range and doesn't run on compressed air, so introducing this solution to your existing workflow is literally as easy as picking one up at your local retailer (or online). Any home improver knows the value of a tape measure. However, many home improvement enthusiasts find over the course of their projects that they are unable to conveniently and accurately measure long distances. A standard tape measure is difficult to use over lengthy spans — for instance, in accurately sketching out a new garden landscape to scale. You may also find that the tool isn't long enough to handle some sections in one measurement, so measuring in two or more segments may be necessary, contributing another error-prone feature to the task. A laser measurement tool solves this problem entirely. The DeWalt Laser Tape is easy to use and delivers accurate measurements over up to 330 feet. This makes it perfect for calculating dimensions inside and out. The tape can store 20 measurement captures for added redundancy when transposing your figures onto a drawing or writing up cut lists, too. It's IP54 rated for durable outdoor use in varied weather conditions, and can offer volume and Pythagoras calculations to go beyond simple line measurements. The tape also features 1⁄4-inch threading for use with tripods. DeWalt also makes an "Atomic" range laser tape that's smaller (see: the difference between DeWalt XR and Atomic ) for those who want an overwhelmingly portable laser measurement option. A cordless drill isn't typically going to turn any heads, especially if it's laid out in a standard configuration that's easily recognizable and delivers much the same output as any other in its class. The DeWalt 20V Max XR Brushless three-Speed Drill/Driver looks like many other 18 to 20 volt cordless drills, but it has a few secrets up its sleeves that go far beyond the standard fare offered by even some of the most sophisticated drills on the market. As the name implies, the drill features three speed settings for the most precise drilling performance you can dial in on just about any tool in this class. The vast majority of cordless drills feature two, but this one's third speed setting brings access to a far wider range of power and speed performance options. The brushless motor provides enhanced durability and apparently up to a 57% runtime improvement over brushed alternatives, while the 1⁄2-inch ratcheting nitro-carburized metal chuck delivers heavy duty gripping performance. With the help of carbide teeth within the chuck, the drill offers immense bit handling strength and an incredible depth of versatility throughout any kind of drilling or driving application you may face in a project. Whether it's a delicate tile project or rough lumber or concrete-based work, the three-speed DeWalt drill/driver is a solid option to reach for. Sticking with the theme of drills, DeWalt also makes numerous specialty drills with oddly shaped bodies or project-specific output ranges. The 1⁄2-Inch Spade Handle Drill from DeWalt is a corded tool that delivers a variable speed trigger with a reversible switch ranging from zero to 550 rpm for high torque output that's essential when drilling through tough material or mixing home improvement solutions (concrete, plaster, or paint, for instance). The drill's 120V motor is a potent powerplant that won't let the tool down on even the most demanding mixing and drilling jobs. The tool's layout provides a three-position side handle and a quasi-pistol grip-type trigger for a firm grasp. It also introduces a spade handle that can be configured in two positions on the back end of the drill to help control movement as you work through mixing duties or a tough drilling need. Specifically, beyond the tool's superiority as a mixing asset, the drill is great as a pairing for hole saws and auger and spade bit drilling. Rather than creating a small hole in your target material, this drill is specifically designed to produce high torque for larger material removal in both steel and wood workpieces. Returning again to the world of nailers, many home improvement enthusiasts simply don't have access to a robust and rapid nailing solution. Specifically, DIYers are unlikely to have both a rough lumber treatment and finish nailer that can handle delicate trim work and other installation duties. Often, those outside the profession don't even understand the full range of cordless nailing options they have available to them. A great example of the DeWalt 20V Max XR 15 Gauge Cordless Angled Finish Nailer . It's a solid choice to managing finish installation tasks like installing drawer faces, crown molding or baseboard, or even setting hardwood flooring boards. The nailer offers tool-free depth adjustment to deliver nails to just the right spot with each new project. It also features a selection trigger to opt for contact actuation or sequential firing, giving you precise control over how nails are delivered and how deep you'll sink them. A brushless motor underpins the entire experience, giving you longevity and intense power output. The nailer also features a micro nose build to give users better line of sight toward the target workpiece for easier nailing and better accuracy with each strike. The DeWalt USB Rechargeable Green Cross Line Laser Base Kit is a kind of secret weapon — many homeowners new to DIY won't realize that a laser level is far and away the best option for dialing in perfect lines on every task. Those who are aware of the value these provide often incorrectly believe they're prohibitively expensive, and therefore reserved for pros. However, DeWalt's USB Rechargeable laser kit is available from retailers like Acme Tools for less than $300. This is a versatile piece of kit — it's portable and you won't even need to dedicate a precious system battery to power it, which DIYers with only a few to bridge batteries their entire power tool collection will appreciate. With a USB cable included, recharging the tool anywhere is a simple as a quick plug-in, just like your phone. The laser level delivers accuracy within 1⁄8-inch at 30 feet, offering more than enough precision to handle any project you might be working on around the house, and with an 11 hour runtime it can reliably deliver all day support for your work. Up to 150 foot visual and 330 foot detectable ranges make it ideal for outdoor improvements too, such as laying down a new fence line. Having reliably straight and level lines dramatically improves your workflow as a DIYer, and a laser tool means you won't have to fiddle with your spirit level any longer. The final product from DeWalt that can tremendously impact your work as a home improvement enthusiast isn't a tool in the classical sense. Yet, storage and organization are perhaps the most important tool-adjacent features in any workspace. From your desk at the office to the kitchen cabinets underpinning your nightly sojourn to the chopping board and stovetop, organization and a personalized knowledge of how your things are kept clean and tidy makes a world of difference in everything you busy yourself with every day. The same is true for your DIY tools. DeWalt's Toughsystem 5-in-1 Modular Workstation features a dolly for mobile functionality around your garage or in any room you might be tackling an update. It also includes two 30-inch deep drawer units, and two smaller 15-inch deep drawers. Nearly every inch of the outer dimensions is augmented with some kind of functionality inclusion, too. Handle segments along the top edges make for easy hanging and integrated recess rails allow for the addition of small baskets and other hanging expansions. There's also a worktop above the drawers with a cup holder to help you get in your morning cup of Joe while you ponder the work to be done.
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalitionSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Leaks: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked Event To Reportedly Unveil 4 Smartphones On January 22
Indiana got what it wanted Tuesday night in a 97-71 rout of Sam Houston State -- a lopsided victory where its bench played well and it didn't have to go down to the wire. The Hoosiers will look for more of the same Friday night in Bloomington when they continue their homestand against nonconference foe Miami (Ohio). Four players scored in double figures for Indiana (6-2) against the Bearkats, including 18 from reserve Luke Goode. The Illinois transfer hit four 3-pointers in less than four minutes of the first half, enabling the Hoosiers to take a 34-12 lead. Led by Goode, Indiana's bench contributed a whopping 36 points. "I thought it was a total team effort on everybody's part," Hoosiers coach Mike Woodson said. "Helps when your bench come off and play the way they did. Goode was fantastic but everybody off the bench played well." Indiana also got an encouraging 19-point performance from point guard Myles Rice, who struggled a bit in the first seven games in terms of making shots and running the offense. Rice (11.1 ppg) is one of four double-figure scorers in an attack led by Mackenzie Mgbako (16.8). Meanwhile, the RedHawks (5-2) are coming off a 73-60 home win Monday against Air Force. Bellarmine transfer Peter Suder poured in a career-high 42 points on 17-of-21 shooting, the highest-scoring game in program history since Wally Szczerbiak scored 43 in 1999. Suder, who averaged 10.5 ppg as a sophomore last season, is up to 17.4 ppg this season. He's hitting 58.8 percent of his field goals while also chipping in 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals. "I always say players win games, man. Coaches lose games," Miami coach Travis Steele told the Journal-News. "Peter was phenomenal. It was just get out of the way and just let him go." Forward Kam Craft, who Steele landed out of high school when he was still coaching at Xavier, is the RedHawks' second-leading scorer at 14.1 ppg. The Hoosiers have won 22 of the previous 25 meetings, including an 86-56 rout two years ago in Indianapolis. --Field Level Media
The Ursid meteor shower is happening from December 17 to December 24, 2024, and it will be the last major meteor shower of the year. The best time to see it will be around December 23, when the shower is expected to peak. The Ursid meteor shower occurs once a year and was first observed in the early 1900s by British astronomer William F. Denning. Although the winter air and a 54% full moon may make it harder to see the meteors clearly, there are a few simple steps you can follow to enjoy this natural display. According to Robert Lunsford, fireball report coordinator for the American Meteor Society, the best time to watch the shower will be from 4 to 5 AM ET on Sunday, December 23 (2 to 3 PM IST). For people in North America, midnight to early morning is the best time to catch the meteors. If you stay awake and watch closely, you could see up to 10 meteors per hour. The best part is, you don’t need any special equipment since the meteors are visible to the naked eye. pic.twitter.com/pKZi0ZuzgF December 22, 2024 To get the best view of the meteors, face north with the moon behind you. Lie back comfortably and look halfway up in the sky so the horizon is at the bottom of your view. If there are trees or buildings in your way, try looking a bit higher. The lower parts of the sky are thicker, and that’s where the most meteors will appear. If you miss the Ursid meteor shower due to sleep or cloudy skies, don’t worry. The Quadrantid meteor shower will be next, starting on December 26 and peaking on January 3. The Quadrantids will be easier to see since the moon will only be 11% full, making it brighter and clearer.None
Russian state news agencies say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad is in Moscow and given asylum DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russian state news agencies are reporting that ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad has arrived in Moscow with his family and has been given asylum. The agencies cited an unidentified Kremlin source. The Associated Pres was not immediately able to verify the reports but has contacted the Kremlin for comment. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday. Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled the country. Assad’s departure on Sunday brings to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad’s exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. But faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to his father's brutal tactics to crush dissent. A long stalemate was quickly broken when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive late last month. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and promises swift immigration action WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” Trump calls for immediate cease-fire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate cease-fire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. South Korean prosecutors detain ex-defense chief over martial law imposition SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Local media say that ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun voluntarily appeared on Sunday at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. A law enforcement official says Kim was later sent to a Seoul detention facility. Kim's detention came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. A farming project in South Africa is helping deaf people build skills and find jobs JOHANNESBURG (AP) — In South Africa, where the general unemployment rate is over 32%, deaf people face even steeper hurdles. Unlike their counterparts who can hear and speak, they must struggle to communicate in sign language while trying to gain opportunities for jobs and skills development. Now a deaf entrepreneur who quit her job at one of the biggest banks in the country has created an organization where the deaf can be trained in agriculture, develop their skills and earn a sustainable living. The farming sector is emerging as a solace for those with disabilities who also face the dire levels of unemployment in Africa’s most developed economy. First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but one fewer loss. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.LightPath Technologies Introduces New Optical Gas Imaging Camera for Ammonia and SF6 Detection