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panaloko.con Donald Trump’s election interference and classified documents cases dismissedDEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in northern Gaza on Friday, forcing many staff and patients outside to strip in winter weather , the territory’s health ministry said. The army denied claims it had entered or set fire to the complex and accused Hamas of using the facility for cover. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods, according to staff. The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel's military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and militants in the area and had ordered people out of the hospital, but said it had not entered the complex as of Friday night. It repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan but provided no evidence. Hospital officials have denied that. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the yard and remove their clothes. Some were led to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid this week. Israeli troops during raids frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. The Associated Press doesn’t have access to Kamal Adwan, but armed plainclothes members of the Hamas-led police forces have been seen in other hospitals, maintaining security but also controlling access to parts of the facilities. The Health Ministry said Israeli troops also set fires in several parts of Kamal Adwan, including the lab and surgery department. It said 25 patients and 60 health workers remained in the hospital. The account could not be independently confirmed, and attempts to reach hospital staff were unsuccessful. “Fire is ablaze everywhere in the hospital,” an unidentified staff member said in an audio message posted on social media accounts of hospital director Hossam Abu Safiya. The staffer said some evacuated patients had been unhooked from oxygen. “There are currently patients who could die at any moment,” she said. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, denied the accusations. “While IDF troops were not in the hospital, a small fire broke out in an empty building inside the hospital that is under control,” he said Friday night. He said a preliminary investigation found “no connection” between military activity and the fire. The Israeli military heavily restricts the movements of Palestinians in Gaza and has barred foreign journalists from entering the territory throughout the war, making it difficult to verify information. “These actions put the lives of all of these people in even more danger than what they faced before,” U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay told journalists, and noted colleagues' reports of “significant damage” to the hospital. It should be protected as international law requires, she added. Since October, Israel’s offensive has virtually sealed off the northern Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and leveled large parts of them. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced out but thousands are believed to remain in the area, where Kamal Adwan and two other hospitals are located. Troops raided Kamal Adwan in October, and on Tuesday troops stormed and evacuated the Indonesian Hospital. The area has been cut off from food and other aid for months , raising fears of famine . The United Nations says Israeli troops allowed just four humanitarian deliveries to the area from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. The Israeli rights group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel this week petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice, seeking a halt to military attacks on Kamal Adwan. It warned that forcibly evacuating the hospital would “abandon thousands of residents in northern Gaza.” Before the latest deaths Thursday, the group documented five other staffers killed by Israeli fire since October. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead. Israel’s nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives has devastated the territory’s health sector. A year ago, it carried out raids on hospitals in northern Gaza, including Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and al-Awda Hospital, saying they served as bases for Hamas, though it presented little evidence. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most now sheltering in sprawling tent camps in south and central Gaza. Children and adults, many barefoot, huddled Friday on the cold sand in tents whose plastic and cloth sheets whipped in the wind. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 40s Fahrenheit (below 10 Celsius), and sea spray from the Mediterranean can dampen tents just steps away. "I swear to God, their mother and I cover ourselves with one blanket and we cover (their five children) with three blankets that we got from neighbors. Sea waters drowned everything that was ours,” said Muhammad al-Sous, displaced from Beit Lahiya in the north. The children collect plastic bottles to make fires, and pile under the blankets when their only set of clothes is washed and dried in the wind. At least three babies in Gaza have died from exposure to cold in recent days , doctors there have said, and the Health Ministry said an adult — a nurse who worked at the European Hospital — also died this week. Khaled and Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Narions contributed to this report.

Free trial or not, snagging Black Friday deals for price cuts on streaming services feels like a win. Paramount Plus rolled out its holiday special that gets you your first two months of the service at $3 per month. New and returning subscribers have the option to choose whether you want the discount for the ad-based Essential plan or ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime. NFL football, Tyler Sheridan's Landman , Gladiator , Transformers One and the upcoming Dexter: Original Sin may make this an attractive offer for the platform's catalog. This Black Friday offer is available from Nov. 25 through Wednesday, Dec. 4, and applies only to monthly subscriptions. Once the two-month discount expires, plans will be billed at their regular monthly rates of $8 for Essential and $13 for Paramount Plus with Showtime. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money . Paramount Plus streams original TV shows and films such as Lioness, Evil, Tulsa King and the new Jack Black-as-Satan holiday film Dear Santa . It's also home to Nickelodeon and CBS content, making it easy for anyone to watch SpongeBob and Paw Patrol along with NCIS, Poppa's House, Blue Bloods and live sports. This season, viewers can tune in for the streamer's holiday lineup of classic and newer movies and TV releases. And while horror fans won't be disappointed with titles like A Quiet Place, you can upgrade for Showtime faves like The Chi and Billions. Don't miss out on this deal if you want to cozy up for a TV streaming binge this season. Why this deal matters Like its rivals, Paramount Plus implemented price increases on its subscription plans in summer 2024. While the streamer didn't raise the rates on its annual subscriptions, new subscribers saw a bump from $6 to $8 for the monthly Essential plan and an increase of $12 to $13 for the premium plan with Showtime. The Black Friday discount shaves off $4 for ad-based Paramount Plus and takes $9 off the ad-free version. CNET is always covering a wide array of deals on tech products and much more. Start with the hottest sales and discounts on the CNET Deals page , and sign up for the CNET Deals Text to get daily deals sent straight to your phone. Add the free CNET Shopping extension to your browser for real-time price comparisons and cash-back offers. Peruse our gift guide , which includes a full range of ideas for birthdays, anniversaries and more.

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LOS ANGELES — After another loss, this one of the 37-20 variety to the Philadelphia Eagles , Rams head coach Sean McVay was once again asked about his offense’s third-down conversion rate. It’s been a recurring issue for the Rams (5-6) this season, especially in the previous three games in which the Rams failed to convert more than 25% of their attempts on third downs. But Sunday marked a new low, as the Rams went 0-for-8, their first time failing to convert a single third down all season. “There’s a lot of different reasons. It wasn’t one thing in particular,” McVay said. “But that hasn’t been successful enough. It’s been an area that we have to be better at, no doubt about it.” The Rams rank 31st in the NFL, ahead of only Cleveland, in third-down conversion percentage with a 31.71% mark. They are similarly 31st in estimated points added (EPA) on third downs at -0.287 per play. The Rams actually have a respectable success rate when running the ball on third down at 54.5%. But they aren’t getting into enough and-short situations to justify handoffs on third downs, as evidenced by Sunday’s performance. The Rams lined up for 11 third downs on Sunday, though three were nullified by penalty. They faced an average distance of 9.4 yards on those plays. This number is slightly inflated by two 10-yard penalties committed by the Rams on third downs; as far as what distance the Rams had earned through their work on first and second downs, the number is 7.9 yards. On their eight third-down plays that were allowed to stand, the Rams ran seven pass plays and one run, a white-flag handoff on third-and-13 that gained 8 yards. On the seven drop backs, quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 2 of 4 passes for 10 yards while being sacked three times, all on to-go distances of 9 or greater yards in which Philadelphia’s pass rushers knew what was coming. “We didn’t put ourselves in a lot of favorable ones today,” Stafford said. “You don’t do that against that defense, it’s going to be difficult. No doubt there are some that we can convert on, look back on but it takes great execution by everybody to convert on third down. We just gotta do a better job.” The Rams actually did move the sticks after one third down, a third-and-16, but did not get credit for it in the stat book because it came via a Philadelphia pass interference penalty. So then, what did the Rams do to put themselves in these unfavorable situations? Let’s take a look at the first and second downs in the second quarter or later, given the Rams did not reach third down until the second quarter. The Rams ran the ball 10 times and dialed up 24 drop backs on first and second downs after the first quarter; given the nature of the blowout loss, the imbalance in play calls is not surprising. On the 10 carries, the Rams managed 23 yards and allowed three tackles for loss. Stafford was also sacked twice while completing 14 of 22 attempts. And this is where inconsistent execution in the run game is hurting the Rams, a team that wants to power the ball down defenses’ throats using their big bodies on the line and duo blocking. The Rams have made a heavy investment in this aspect of the team over the last two years. The second-round pick spent on guard Steve Avila. Big contracts paid to interior linemen Kevin Dotson and Jonah Jackson. The addition of Blake Corum in the third round in April to take some of the load off starting back Kyren Williams. Related Articles Los Angeles Rams | Alexander: Rams-Eagles was Saquon Barkley’s show Los Angeles Rams | Rams running out of time to fix offense after loss to Eagles Los Angeles Rams | Rams prepare for primetime Eagles game as NFC West heats up Los Angeles Rams | Philadelphia Eagles at Rams: Who has the edge? Los Angeles Rams | Rams’ ultra-competitive pass rush thrives working ‘five as one’ But 11 games into the season, injuries and shuffling rotations along the offensive line have made that goal difficult to achieve. But that doesn’t stop the Rams in believing it can still be their identity. “I think we know what we’re really about and how to get where we want to get. I think we’ll lean a little bit more on the run,” Dotson said in the post-game locker room Sunday. “I feel like our run game is a little I guess underrated. I feel like we run it pretty good when we actually get it all set. It’s just the matter of fact of getting ourselves in situations where running is better.” “When you’re looking at a lot of third-and-longs and the opportunity for a rush to kind of play with their hair set on fire, it definitely presents a lot of difficulties for anybody in this league,” receiver Puka Nacua added. “It’s the physical game of football that has been playing for a long time and it starts in the trenches and being able to make sure that we can protect our back and not allowing safeties to kind of cap off on some of our hits and stuff like that, being able to get to that second level with a great push.”

Have you ever wondered what it would take to train a robot to walk, grasp objects, or navigate a cluttered room with the same ease as a human? For many, the idea of might conjure images of expensive labs, endless trial-and-error, and highly specialized equipment. But what if this process could be simplified, accelerated, and made accessible to anyone with a decent computer? Enter the Genesis Project—a new innovation that’s flipping the script on robotics training. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or a curious hobbyist, this technology promises to make advanced robotics not just a possibility, but a reality within reach. At its core, the Genesis Project uses the power of generative AI to create hyper-realistic virtual environments where robots can learn and adapt at lightning speed. Imagine training a robot in seconds instead of days, all from the comfort of your own home. This isn’t just about saving time—it’s about opening doors to creativity and innovation for people who’ve never had access to these before. But how does it work, and what makes it so innovative? uses generative AI as a high-precision physics engine to create realistic simulations, allowing advanced robotic training in virtual environments that closely mirror real-world conditions. With GPU acceleration, Genesis achieves simulation speeds up to 430,000 times faster than real-world physics, allowing complex robotic training tasks to be completed in seconds using consumer-grade hardware. A universal physics engine re-built from the ground up, capable of simulating a wide range of materials and physical phenomena. Robust sim-to-real transfer capabilities ensure that skills learned in simulations effectively translate to real-world applications, preparing robots for unpredictable conditions. The platform automates key aspects of robotics development, such as task generation and environment design, while its open source nature makes advanced tools accessible to researchers, developers, and hobbyists. Genesis supports diverse applications across industries like manufacturing, logistics, and healthcare, while introducing innovations in soft robotics and motion planning for complex, precise movements. The Genesis Project is transforming the field of robotics by using the power of generative AI to transform how robots are trained and deployed. Acting as a sophisticated physics engine, it creates highly realistic simulations of physical environments, offering a new approach to robotics development. With its open source framework and compatibility with consumer-grade hardware, Genesis makes advanced robotic training accessible to researchers, developers, and hobbyists alike. At the core of the Genesis Project lies its generative AI-powered physics engine, which is capable of simulating dynamic, four-dimensional physical environments with remarkable accuracy. This engine supports a wide range of physical behaviors, including: Simulating the motion and interaction of solid objects. Modeling flexible and elastic materials, such as artificial muscles. Replicating the behavior of liquids and gases in various conditions. Simulating objects that can bend, stretch, or compress under force. By replicating real-world conditions with such precision, Genesis enables robots to train in virtual environments that closely mirror reality. For example, a robotic arm can practice handling objects of varying textures, weights, and shapes, making sure adaptability to real-world tasks. This level of detail allows developers to fine-tune robotic performance before deployment, saving time and resources. One of the standout features of Genesis is its unparalleled simulation speed, operating up to 430,000 times faster than real-world physics. This capability allows robotic training tasks that would typically take hours or days to be completed in mere seconds. For instance, training a robot to walk, grasp objects, or navigate complex environments can be achieved in under 30 seconds using consumer-grade GPUs such as the NVIDIA RTX 4090. This remarkable efficiency is made possible through GPU acceleration, which optimizes computational performance without requiring expensive, specialized hardware. By drastically reducing training time, Genesis enables developers to iterate and refine robotic systems more rapidly than ever before. Find more information on humanoid robot by browsing our extensive range of articles, guides and tutorials. A critical challenge in robotics is making sure that skills learned in simulations translate effectively to real-world scenarios. Genesis addresses this issue through its robust sim-to-real transfer capabilities. By introducing variability into simulated environments—such as altering lighting conditions, surface textures, or object placements—robots are better equipped to handle unpredictable real-world conditions. For example, a robot trained to navigate a cluttered virtual room can seamlessly adapt to similar tasks in physical spaces like warehouses, offices, or homes. This adaptability ensures that robots trained with Genesis are not only efficient in controlled environments but also reliable in dynamic, real-world settings. Genesis simplifies the robotics development process by automating several key aspects of training. The platform can: Automatically create training scenarios tailored to specific objectives. Build realistic and customizable training spaces. Establish performance metrics to guide robotic learning. This automation minimizes the need for manual intervention, making the platform more user-friendly and accessible. Its open source nature further provide widespread access tos access to advanced robotics tools, allowing developers and enthusiasts to train robots at home using affordable, consumer-grade hardware. By lowering the barrier to entry, Genesis fosters innovation across a broader audience, encouraging experimentation and creativity in robotics. The versatility of Genesis unlocks opportunities across a wide range of industries. Robots trained on the platform can perform complex tasks such as walking, object manipulation, and navigation. These capabilities are particularly valuable in: Robots can assemble products with precision and efficiency, reducing production costs. Autonomous vehicles and drones can optimize delivery systems and warehouse operations. Robots can assist in surgeries, rehabilitation, and caregiving tasks. Robots can help with chores, provide companionship, or assist individuals with disabilities. By allowing robots to handle increasingly complex tasks, Genesis brings advanced robotics closer to everyday life, enhancing productivity and convenience across diverse sectors. Genesis introduces several innovative features that distinguish it from traditional simulation platforms. It is the first system to support soft robotics, allowing the simulation of flexible, deformable robots and their interactions with rigid counterparts. This capability is particularly significant in fields like medical robotics, where soft materials are essential for making sure patient safety during procedures. Additionally, Genesis incorporates a GPU-accelerated inverse kinematics solver, which calculates efficient robotic motion paths in real time. This ensures that robots can perform intricate movements with both precision and speed, making them suitable for tasks that require a high degree of dexterity and accuracy. The Genesis Project . By making advanced training tools accessible to a wider audience, it encourages innovation among professionals and hobbyists alike. Its scalability and cost-effectiveness could drive the adoption of robots in sectors such as agriculture, construction, and disaster response, where automation can significantly enhance efficiency and safety. However, the open source nature of the platform raises important ethical considerations. Making sure the responsible use of this powerful technology will be crucial to prevent misuse in harmful applications, such as weaponized robotics or surveillance systems. As the platform continues to evolve, addressing these challenges will be essential to maximize its benefits while minimizing risks. Media Credit:

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Finding and accessing capital investment continues to be a challenge for many small businesses in Manitoba. In an effort to address this issue, among other funding activities and policy initiatives, the Government of Manitoba can be credited with implementing the Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit Program (the “Program”). This innovative program offers eligible investors a 45% tax credit on taxes payable in Manitoba for investments made in approved small businesses in the province. Under the Program, each investor making the maximum investment allowed of $500,000 per eligible small business is entitled to a $225,000 tax credit. As the Program is effective for generating capital investment for Manitoba small businesses, we’ve observed its use among our clients continue to expand. The Program has two notable limitations, however, that likely make it inaccessible to most Manitoban investors: First, the eligible investors must either qualify as an accredited investor under applicable securities laws (they meet a prescribed income or financial asset threshold that would allow them to sustain risky investments), or qualify for another exemption under applicable securities laws, such as being a close friend, family member and/or business associate of an officer, director or founder of the issuer company. Second, the minimum investment under the Program is $10,000. An individual is an accredited investor if they earned over $200,000 net income, or $300,000 including their spouse’s income, in the two recent calendar years with the expectation of earning the same for the current year. They are also viewed as such if they have financial assets with an aggregate realizable value of more than $1 million, before taxes but net of any related liabilities. Financial assets are cash and securities and therefore, exclude the value of an individual’s house, cottage and other assets. According to Statistics Canada’s census data, in 2021, only 2.3% of Manitobans of working age earned more than $150,000. We thereby assume that the percentage of Manitobans that individually earn over $200,000 a year, or who have a household income of more than $300,000, is substantially lower. While securities laws are, in part, designed to protect people from high-risk and/or speculative investments that could be unsuitable, the current rules create a situation where highly educated, experienced and sophisticated investors are prohibited from taking advantage of offerings qualified and approved under the Program. There are two practical solutions that are potentially available: Implementing the self-certified investor exemption in Manitoba and allowing the self-certified investor exemption to be used concurrently with the Program and lowering the minimum investment in the Program from $10,000 to $5,000. The exemption was implemented on a trial-run basis in Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2021 and in Ontario in 2022. All three provinces have since extended these exemptions. The exemption allows issuers to raise capital without a prospectus from investors who may not meet the test to qualify as an accredited investor, subject to a number of technical requirements. In order to use the exemption, in Ontario, the investor must sign prescribed certificates to the issuer certifying that they possess certain knowledge, skills or experience, and they acknowledge that they have read and understood a regulated list of risks that are associated with investing. The issuer cannot know or would reasonably be expected to know that the statements made by the investor in the certificates are false. In Ontario, the exemption may also only be used for a maximum of $30,000, in the aggregate, in any and all businesses in Ontario in any 12-month period. To that end, the subscription agreement between the investor and the company for the investment must include a contractual representation from the investor to the company that the aggregate acquisition cost of the securities of all companies acquired by that investor in the preceding 12 months as a self-certified investor does not exceed $30,000. In Ontario, to be considered qualified under the self-certified exemption, investors need to have at least one of the following: • A designation as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Investment Manager (CIM), Chartered Business Valuator (CBV), Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Certified International Wealth Manager (CIWM) from the Canadian Securities Institute, or Certified Financial Planner (CFP) from FP Canada; • A Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree focused on finance, a finance degree or a business and/or commerce degree focused on finance or investment from a Canadian university or accredited foreign university; • Admitted to practice law and actively practises with at least one-third of the practice in securities law or mergers and acquisitions; • Passed the Canadian Securities Course Exam administered by the Canadian Securities Institute; • Passed the Exempt Market Products Exam administered by the IFSE Institute; • Passed the Canadian Investment Funds Course Exam administered by the IFSE Institute; • Passed the Investment Funds in Canada Course Exam administered by the Canadian Securities Institute; • Passed the Series 7 Exam administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in the United States; • Holds a financial planner or financial advisor credential from a credentialling body approved by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario; or • Has management, policy-making, engineering, product or other relevant operational experience at a business that operates in the same industry or sector as the company that the investor wishes to invest in. As a result of this experience, the individual is able to adequately assess and understand the risk of investment in that company. There are some notable differences between the exemptions in Alberta and Saskatchewan and Ontario. We note that in Alberta and Saskatchewan: • The list of potential qualified investors in Saskatchewan and Alberta is smaller than Ontario; • There is a limitation on the exemption of $10,000 per year in any one single company in a year, provided that the $30,000 aggregate limitation and the $10,000 single company limitation does not apply if the company is listed on a Canadian stock exchange and that investor receives advice regarding suitability of the investment from a qualified advisor. • A distribution to anyone that is using the self-certified exemption must occur concurrently with a distribution to an accredited investor and the self-certified investor must have access to the same information about the distributed securities as any accredited investor. • In addition to the prescribed certificates certifying the investor’s eligibility and that the investor has read and understood the risks of investing, as in is the case in Ontario, in Alberta and Saskatchewan, investors must also provide to the issuer a statutory declaration in a prescribed form. The statutory declaration cannot be older than 36 months from the date of distribution and the issuer must hold a copy of that acknowledgement and statutory declaration for a period of 8 years after the distribution. • Special purpose vehicles may be considered self-certified investors if certain technical conditions are met. The self-certified investor exemption is designed to strike an appropriate balance between lowering the high barrier of entry for investors to participate in private placement offerings, while ensuring that those investors have the requisite knowledge, experience and skill to do so. If the Government of Manitoba and The Manitoba Securities Commission consider and deem the self-certified exemption to be appropriate for Manitoba, they could adopt either of the existing models or take a customized approach. Implementing the exemption and allowing it to be used concurrently with the Program would effectively unlock a whole new pool of prospective investors for Manitoba small businesses to access and allow more Manitobans to use and take advantage of the Program. — Kyle Mirecki is private equity and securities lawyer in the Winnipeg office at MLT Aikins LLP. This article is of a general nature only and is not exhaustive of all possible legal rights or remedies. In addition, laws may change over time and should be interpreted only in the context of particular circumstances such that these materials are not intended to be relied upon or taken as legal advice or opinion. Readers should consult a legal professional for specific advice in any particular situation.It’s almost a new year, and that means it’s almost time for a bevy of new state laws to go into effect. For the 2023-24 legislative session that just wrapped up (each session spans two years) Gov. Gavin Newsom signed 1,017 bills into law, according to Chris Micheli, a veteran Sacramento lobbyist. That’s a tick more than one-fifth of t he 4,821 bills introduced over that two-year span . Most of the new laws are slated to kick in on Jan. 1. From new parking rules to health care coverage and more, here is a quick look at just 10 of those new laws: Local jurisdictions could give the green light to permit certain cannabis retailers to prepare and sell drinks and food that do not contain cannabis. The law, signed by the governor in late September , also allows the retailers to host ticketed live events on the premises. The idea is to pave the way for a version of Amsterdam-style cannabis cafes, where people can use cannabis with others while also consuming coffee, sandwiches and live music, for example. The new law “will allow cannabis retailers to diversify their business and move away from the struggling and limited dispensary model,” Assemblymember Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat who championed the effort in the legislature, said in a news release . Newsom vetoed similar legislation last year over concerns from public health advocates. This bill included additional provisions meant to reduce health risk, including letting employees wear employer-provided masks and allowing local governments to require filtration and ventilation systems to prevent smoke from permeating nearby buildings. Minors who make money by producing online content should get some extra financial protection as a result of two bills the governor signed this year. One expands the Coogan Act , a longtime California law that requires parents to open a trust and set aside at least 15% of their child actor’s gross earnings. The new rules have been expanded to include “kidfluencers” — or, as the bill describes them, “child influences in paid online content or internet websites, social networks and social media” — as part of the creative or artistic services that would trigger a Coogan trust account. Another extends those financial protections to children who appear in vlogs, or video blogs. Sen. Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, noted the Coogan Act covers children under contract — not necessarily children who appear in their parents’ online content. This new law requires content creators to set aside a percentage of total gross earnings in a trust for the child (to be accessed when they become an adult) if the minor is in at least 30% of their content within a month. Several education bills were signed into law this year, ranging from rules to protect young people from being outed against their will to rules that require elementary schools to offer free menstruation products . Other new laws cover what is taught in the classroom, including a bipartisan measure that ensures students are being taught accurately how Native Americans in California were treated during the Gold Rush era and the Spanish colonization of California. “Classroom instruction about the Mission and Gold Rush periods fails to include the loss of life, enslavement, starvation, illness and violence inflicted upon California Native American people during those times,” said Assemblymember James Ramos, D-San Bernardino. “These historical omissions from the curriculum are misleading.” California public schools also will be required to teach Mendez v. Westminster , a landmark court case involving an Orange County family and local school districts that helped bring about the end of segregation laws in local schools around the country. Selling a device, often called a “tuning kit,” that can modify the speed capability of an electric bicycle so that it is no longer defined as an e-bike will be prohibited . California law already has speed guidelines for e-bikes. For example, a Class 1 bike has a motor that kicks in when a rider is pedaling and tops out at 20 mph; a Class 3 motor is meant to stop at 28 mph, and those bikes include speedometers. Modifying the speed of e-bikes is already illegal and unsafe, Assemblymember Diane Dixon, R-Newport Beach, said in an analysis of her bill. The new law specifically bans the sale of products that can make the alterations. Tenants soon will have more time to respond to an eviction notice. California law originally dictated that a landlord could not file an eviction lawsuit until after serving their tenant with a three-day notice — which excludes Saturdays, Sundays and judicial holidays — to pay. Tenants then had five days after they were served to file their defense in court. If they failed to do so, a judge could award a default judgment to the landlord. The new law doubles those five day-windows to 10 days. Responding to eviction lawsuits is not necessarily a simple feat, supporters of the new law have argued , particularly for people struggling to pay their rent. Tenants need to obtain hard-to-find legal aid or an expensive attorney to complete their defense filing accurately, and then they have to find the means to travel to the courthouse. Certain insurers must cover fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, in 2025. This law, which won’t take effect until July 2025 , will require large group health care service plans to cover up to three oocyte (egg) retrievals. It also prohibits health care service plans from imposing different conditions or coverage limitations on fertility medications or services. Sen. Caroline Manjivar, D-San Fernando Valley, said her bill being signed into law is “a triumph for the many Californians who have been denied a path toward family-building because of the financial barriers that come with fertility treatment, their relationship status or are blatantly discriminated against as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.” Medical debt will no longer be shared with credit reporting agencies , meaning that debt will not show up on credit reports. That said, medical debts still must be paid. In her analysis of the bill Sen. Monique Limón, D-Santa Barbara, noted that the new rules doesn’t forgive medical debt or restrict the collection of it. Instead, she said, the new rules are meant to help “lift the credit scores of people who have been inaccurately and unfairly saddled with medical debts on their credit reports, opening opportunities for access to healthier financial products, better housing and more employment opportunities.” A new law may make it easier to opt out of pesky automatic subscription renewals. Companies will now have to obtain the “express affirmative consent” to automatically renew subscriptions entered into after July 1, 2025. Consumers also will need to be sent annual reminders about automatic renewals, what the charges are, and information about how to cancel the service. Think you’ve finally found an open parking spot? If it’s within 20 feet of any marked or unmarked crosswalk, then you may want to find a new spot. Starting in 2025, motorists could be ticketed for parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk — even if there is no sign posted. The no-parking zone decreases to 15 feet if there is a curb extension present, the law says. Newsom OK’d this law in 2023 — the bill is part of the two-year legislative session that ended in 2024 — and technically it already is in effect. However, the law only allowed jurisdictions to begin ticketing offenders starting Jan. 1, 2025. Residential treatment facilities (also called short-term residential therapeutic programs) that provide services for minors, must report certain information to the child, their parent or guardian, and California’s Department of Social Services when seclusion or restraints are used. These facilities are allowed to use seclusion or restraints when staff believe the patient may be a danger to themselves or others, said Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, who championed this law. The new law mandates that children must be informed of their rights — including the right to contact state social service workers and the California Office of the Foster Care Ombudsperson — within one day of seclusion or restraints being used. Those minors also must be given an oral and written description of the incident, including who approved the disciplinary actions and the rationale behind them. That written information must be given to Dept. of Social Services within seven days, leaving it up to the state to review and determine if any laws were potentially violated by using seclusion and restraints, therefore warranting an investigation. Beginning in 2026, the department will need to publicly post information about these incidents, so parents and guardians can be better informed about where they send their children. The effort to bring more transparency to what punishments are used in youth residential facilities was championed by actress and activist Paris Hilton, who has detailed the “continuous torture” she faced while attending a boarding school as a teenager. Hilton has championed similar laws in other states related to what’s been dubbed the troubled teen industry as well as at the federal level . “For too long, these facilities have operated without adequate oversight, leaving vulnerable youth at risk,” said Hilton. “After being abused in a California facility in my teens, it is validating to see California taking a stand to protect our youth, and I hope our state is the standard for transparency and accountability in these facilities moving forward.”Kitchens will lead Tar Heels in Fenway Bowl against UConn. Another ex-Browns coach is standing by

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chair of the Democratic National Committee informed party leaders on Monday that the DNC will choose his successor in February, an election that will speak volumes about how the party wants to present itself during four more years of Donald Trump in the White House. Jaime Harrison, in a letter to members of the party’s powerful Rules & Bylaws Committee, outlined the process of how the party will elect its new chair. Harrison said in the letter that the committee will host four candidate forums — some in person and some virtually — in January, with the final election on Feb. 1 during the party’s winter meeting in National Harbor, Maryland. The race to become the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, while an insular party affair, will come days after Trump is inaugurated for a second term. Democrats' selection of a leader after Vice President Kamala Harris’ 2024 loss will be a key starting point as the party starts to move forward, including addressing any structural problems and determining how to oppose Trump. Members of the Rules & Bylaws Committee will meet on Dec. 12 to establish the rules for these elections, which beyond the chair position will include top party roles like vice chairs, treasurer, secretary and national finance chair. The committee will also use that meeting to decide the requirements for gaining access to the ballot for those top party roles. In 2021, candidates were required to submit a nominating statement that included signatures from 40 DNC members and that will likely be the same standard for the 2025 campaigns. “The DNC is committed to running a transparent, equitable, and impartial election for the next generation of leadership to guide the party forward,” Harrison said in a statement. “Electing the Chair and DNC officers is one of the most important responsibilities of the DNC Membership, and our staff will run an inclusive and transparent process that gives members the opportunity to get to know the candidates as they prepare to cast their votes.” Two Democrats have announced campaigns for chair: Ken Martin, chair of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and a vice chair of the national party, and Martin O’Malley, the former Maryland governor and current commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Other top Democrats are either considering a run to succeed Harrison or are being pushed by party insiders, including former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke; Michael Blake, a former vice chair of the party; Ben Wikler, chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin; Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan and a former Chicago mayor; Sen. Mallory McMorrow, majority whip of the Michigan Senate, and Chuck Rocha, a longtime Democratic strategist. The next chair of the committee will be tasked with rebuilding a party demoralized by a second Trump victory. They will also oversee the party’s 2028 nominating process, a complex and contentious exercise that will make the chair central to the next presidential election. Harrison, of South Carolina, made clear in his letter to the rules committee that the four forums hosted by the party would be live streamed and the party would give grassroots Democrats across the country the ability to engage with the process through those events. He also said he intends to remain neutral during the chair election. This story has been corrected to show that McMorrow is a senator, not a representative.Business Enterprises Unified Communications Headset Market Revenue, Insights, Overview, Outlook, Analysis | Valuates Reports

With two months left in his term, O’Malley’s effort to fix the system has made inroads but remains a work in progress.