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MILAN, Italy (AP) — Atalanta went to the top of Serie A when Ademola Lookman scored with three minutes remaining to beat AC Milan 2-1 on Friday. Atalanta’s ninth win in a row was a fitting gift to coach Gian Piero Gasperini, who was awarded the coach of the month award earlier in the day for guiding his team to a perfect record in November. Charles De Ketelaere put the home side ahead with a towering header after 11 minutes only for Milan to level 11 minutes later. Theo Hernández released Rafael Leão on the right wing and his inviting cross was converted by Álvaro Morata. Milan, which lost Christian Pulišić to a knock before halftime, looked set to end Atalanta’s impressive run but Lookman nipped in at the back post to nod home a corner in the dying moments. Atalanta has 34 points, two more than Napoli, which has a game in hand against Lazio on Sunday. Milan was in seventh place. Serie A champion Inter defeated Parma 3-1 and extended the Milan club’s unbeaten run to 13 games. Federico Dimarco put the home side ahead five minutes before halftime when he worked a neat one-two with Henrikh Mkhitaryan and fired a low shot past Zion Suzuki. Nicolò Barella made it two eight minutes into the second half when he finished a fast counterattack with aplomb. Marcos Thuram's 10th goal of the season made it 3-0 in the 66th. A Matteo Darmian own goal gave some late consolation for Parma. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerHow a father and daughter put aside politics
MUMBAI: The rupee continued its slide against the dollar on Thursday, closing at a record low for the third consecutive session as it ended at 85.26 - down six paise from its previous close. It hit an all-time intraday low of 85.28 as buyers for dollars outstripped sellers in weak year-end trades. "The rupee weakened marginally as the dollar index remained elevated near the 108 level. Foreign institutional investors continued to stay cautious, refraining from taking long positions in Indian markets, which kept the rupee subdued. The currency faces challenges in regaining stability, sliding over hurdles while attempting to recover lost ground. In the near term, the rupee is expected to trade within a range of 85-85.45," Jateen Trivedi, VP (research analyst) at LKP Securities, said. The dollar has gained over the rupee in the past two months. The publication in RBI's Bulletin of the real effective exchange rate hitting a multi-year high of 108.14 raised concerns of overvaluation. The Real Effective Exchange Rate is an index that tracks how the rupee's value compares to other currencies by looking at how they move against the dollar. It has increased because other currencies have weakened less than the rupee. Dealers say that the rupee could face further downward pressure as global economic uncertainties and domestic macroeconomic challenges continue to weigh on market sentiment. RBI's interventions are expected to provide some support, but sustained dollar strength poses significant challenges for the rupee in the coming months. The dollar has strengthened on the back of rising bond yields in the US and expectations that the Federal Reserve will introduce its interest rate cuts more slowly in 2025. On Thursday, the sensex closed nearly flat at 78,472 points, while Nifty ended slightly higher at 23,750. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET’s Workshop is just around the corner!Coastal Carolina 48, Georgia St. 27
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SAN FRANCISCO — About 90 minutes before the Warriors’ Christmas Day game against the Lakers, Steph Curry addressed his team. This season can go one way or another, he told them. The message was brief, only two or three minutes. They’d lost 10 of 13 entering the Lakers matchup, sinking from 12-3 to 15-13. They didn’t quite need a players-only meeting, but Curry decided it was time to at least speak up. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Rams QB Matthew Stafford riding another December hot streakPriyanka Gandhi’s Parliamentary debut will be ‘Red Letter Day’ for country: Revanth Reddy
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The NBA season continues with intensity, offering exciting games every day that keep fans on the edge of their seats. The schedule for TODAY, Thursday, December 26th, features key matchups that could significantly alter conference standings, intensifying competition as the decisive stage of the championship approaches. At this point in the season, teams are adjusting their tactics to achieve the best possible performance and secure their spot in the Playoffs. Each NBA game guarantees entertainment and adrenaline, with the best teams and players fighting to stay at the top of the standings. Every victory is crucial, as any slip-up can have a significant impact on a franchise’s aspirations. In such a competitive league, the pressure to secure positive results is constant, and every game counts in the race to keep up with the leaders. Get ready to enjoy a night full of action and spectacular plays. Today’s matchups promise thrilling moments and unforgettable experiences for basketball fans. Don’t miss any details of this day that continues to solidify the NBA as one of the most exciting sports spectacles in the world. Game schedule for TODAY, Thursday, December 26th. LeBron James’ new record after the NBA ‘Christmas Day’ game The NBA continues its exciting 2024-2025 regular season, offering action-packed games and analysis every day. Teams are still fighting to stay at the top, with each matchup providing moments to remember and discuss among fans and experts. In this context, the Christmas Day tradition, eagerly awaited by all, took place on Wednesday, December 25th, featuring some special matchups. One of the most anticipated games was the Golden State Warriors versus the Los Angeles Lakers, which lived up to expectations by offering a high-level, thrilling game until the very last second. In a dramatic finish, the Lakers secured a close 113-115 victory as visitors, in a game that was decided in the final moments. LeBron James was the standout of the night, contributing 31 points, 10 assists, and 4 rebounds, with a 54.5% shooting accuracy from the field. Additionally, the ‘King’ made history by becoming the player with the most Christmas Day appearances in NBA history, reaching 19 games played, further solidifying his legacy in the league.
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Tech founders and Silicon Valley VCs who supported — and threw their money behind — Donald Trump are being handsomely rewarded by the President-elect. Shortly after winning the 2024 election, Trump appointed one of his biggest supporters, Elon Musk , to head up a new agency called the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. Now, Trump is rewarding another wealthy tech founder for their loyalty: investor and podcaster David Sacks. "I am pleased to announce that David O. Sacks will be the 'White House A.I. & Crypto Czar,'" Trump announced in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. "In this important role, David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness." According to Trump, Sacks' role will be to "safeguard Free Speech online" and "work on a legal framework" for the cryptocurrency industry. Trump also shared that Sacks would lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Sacks will be involved in crucial policy aspects of both a burgeoning technology in AI and a crypto industry ripe with fraud but expecting favorable treatment after throwing its support behind Trump. "Congrats to czar @DavidSacks!" OpenAI's Sam Altman posted on X shortly after the announcement from Trump. Who is David Sacks? Regular users of Musk's X , formerly Twitter, may have seen Sacks pop-up on the platform from time to time. Sacks' opinions obsessing over Russia's war with Ukraine have previously gone viral. He has often been critiqued for his seemingly pro-Russia and anti-Ukraine positions as well as fearmongering over a potential World War III. However, Sacks and Musk actually have history with each other — and a similar background. Like Musk, Sacks emigrated to the U.S. from South Africa. And in 1999, Sacks worked with Peter Thiel at PayPal, joining Musk as a member in the "PayPal Mafia," a group of early PayPal employees and founders who went on to find greater success founding their own tech startups. David Sacks and Elon Musk in 2006. In 2008, Sacks co-founded Yammer, a social media platform for enterprises. Microsoft acquired Yammer in 2012 for $1.2 billion. Microsoft would go on to integrate Yammer within its Microsoft 365 products. Since then, Sacks has invested in a number of tech startups and companies. He founded a VC firm called Craft Ventures in 2017. In 2020, Sacks started the All-In podcast alongside Jason Calacanis, Chamath Palihapitiya, and David Friedberg. The podcast, where the four entrepreneurs discuss business and current events, has gained popularity in tech circles. Over time, the show has shown increasing support for right-wing politics, including hosting Trump for an interview in June and featuring Sacks broadcasting live from the Republican National Convention during the summer. Sacks, specifically, has been increasingly making a name for himself in right-wing circles, opposing prominent progressive politicians and public servants over recent years. And while Sacks previously said that Trump's role in the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol disqualified the former president from serving again, the VC quickly changed his tune and hosted a high-ticket fundraiser for Trump's campaign earlier this year. For Sacks, it appears like the pro-Trump move has paid off — barring any future falling outs with the 47th President.realme unveils realme C61 the most durable smartphone in its segment, setting new standard for resilience and performance
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'Lies and deceit suffered a crushing defeat': PM Modi on Mahayuti's landslide win in MaharashtraProsecutors Highlight 'Risk of Obstruction' if Diddy Gets Bail Before Trial: 'An Out-of-Control Individual'The U.S. House of Representatives will decide Jan. 3 whether to re-elect Speaker Mike Johnson to the top GOP job after he faced a contentious vote to avert a government shutdown at the last minute just before the holidays, leaving some Republicans skeptical of his prospects. All of Minnesota’s four Republican members of Congress say they plan to back Johnson, including Rep. Tom Emmer, the House majority whip and No. 3 Republican in the House. Emmer came close himself to becoming speaker before Johnson clinched the role last year. “Whip Emmer supports Speaker Johnson and is focused on doing the job he was elected to do,” a spokesperson for Emmer said when asked if he plans to support Johnson and if he would be interested in running for the role himself if Johnson loses support. President-elect Donald Trump and his allies sent Johnson scrambling last week to put together a new plan to avoid a government shutdown after he had worked with Democrats on an initial agreement with bipartisan support. In that chaos, some Republicans reportedly said Emmer and other lawmakers were being floated as possible contenders for speaker. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said over the weekend that Johnson is at risk of losing his speakership and that there will be “no Democrats available to save him” Jan. 3, following the speaker’s decision to move away from the bipartisan bill. DFL Reps. Ilhan Omar and Angie Craig have said they plan to back Jeffries for speaker. With a slim 219-215 GOP majority, Johnson can only risk losing one Republican vote to get re-elected to the role if all Democrats vote against him. So far, at least one Republican lawmaker, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has said he will not back Johnson, and other Republicans have indicated they are still undecided. “I believe Johnson will prevail — but not without making promises that won’t be able to be kept,” outgoing DFL Rep. Dean Phillips, who is leaving his seat Jan. 2 and will not be voting, said in a text. “Tom Emmer is broadly respected among a diverse array of his conference, and I foresee a race between him and [House Majority Leader] Steve Scalise should Mike Johnson find himself unable to secure 218 votes,” Phillips continued. Emmer emerged as a contender for speaker last year after a group of Republicans ousted former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. However, Emmer eventually dropped out after Trump and his allies spoke out against his bid on social media But Emmer and Trump have since grown close. Emmer secured a prime-time spot defending the president-elect during the Republican National Convention, and he spent election night with Trump in Florida. Nevertheless, Trump has also previously said he’s with Johnson “all the way.” Before the government shutdown dispute last week, Republicans had appeared unified after Trump’s victory in the Nov. 5 election. Johnson, Scalise and Emmer were all easily re-elected to their jobs during the November leadership elections. --------- ©2024 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence HOMS, Syria (AP) — Syria’s new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the country’s fragile peace could break down. A tense calm prevailed Thursday after checkpoints were set up throughout the country’s third-largest city, which has a mixed population of Sunni and Shia Muslims, Alawites and Christians. The security forces are controlled by the former insurgent group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led the charge that unseated former President Bashar Assad. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. New York to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Large fossil fuel companies would have to pay fees to help New York fight the effects of climate change under a bill signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. The governor signed the new law Thursday. It requires companies responsible for substantial greenhouse gas emissions to pay into a state infrastructure fund for repairs or projects that help avoid future damage from climate change. Lawmakers approved the bill earlier this year. It's meant to make big oil and gas companies contribute to the cost of repairs after extreme weather events or for resiliency projects. Such projects may include restoring coastal wetlands or upgrading roads, bridges and water drainage systems. Legal challenges to the new law are expected. Aviation experts say Russia's air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns Aviation experts say that Russian air defense fire was likely responsible for the Azerbaijani plane crash the day before that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured. Azerbaijan is observing a nationwide day of mourning on Thursday for the victims of the crash. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijan’s capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons yet unclear and crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan. Cellphone footage circulating online appeared to show the aircraft making a steep descent before smashing into the ground in a fireball. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Why this Mexican American woman played a vital role in the US sacramental peyote trade MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — Amada Cardenas, a Mexican American woman who lived in the tiny border town of Mirando City in South Texas, played an important role in the history of the peyote trade. She and her husband were the first federally licensed peyote dealers who harvested and sold the sacramental plant to followers of the Native American Church in the 1930s. After her husband's death in 1967, Cardenas continued to welcome generations of Native American Church members to her home until her death in 2005, just before her 101st birthday.
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UET entrance test on 21st, 22nd LAHORE:The last date for registration of UET test for admission in four years undergraduate programmes across Punjab, is December 9, 2024, announced university here on Friday. According to details, the prospective students will buy online tokens on payment of Rs2,500 for Non ECAT programmes, and Rs5,000 for joint registration in both ECAT and Non ECAT programmes. Students can get online tokens by visiting the admission portal (admission.uet.edu.pk), where all the information related to admissions is also available. The entrance test will be held on December 21 and 22, 2024. The interviews of successful candidates in ECAT will be held from December 30, 2024 to January 3, 2025. Interview slips of students registered in Non ECAT programmes will be released on December 23, 2024. While the first merit list will be uploaded on January 10, 2025 on the admission portal. The UET Lahore campus will have afternoon classes in four-year programmes, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber Security, Data Science, Computer Science, Robotics and Intelligence Systems, Applied Computing, Information Systems Technology and Gaming & Animation. Students must be successful in ECAT to get admission to these programmes. Similarly, four-year programmes of Software Engineering, Computer Engineering and Information Systems Technology at UET New Campus Kala Shah Kaku will have morning classes for successful students in ECAT. While morning classes will be provided for successful candidates in Computer Science and Computer Engineering programmes in UET Faisalabad, Rachna and Narowal campuses. Non ECAT programmes include Interior Design, BBIT, BBA and Biomedical Sciences.