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Will the stock markets check Trump’s power?MIAMI (AFP) – Jaylen Brown top-scored with 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics struggled to a 108-96 win at Washington in the NBA Cup. The Celtics moved to 13-8 on the season but still have some work to do in the NBA Cup, where they are in second place at 2-1 in Eastern Conference Group C behind the Atlanta Hawks. After their celebratory trip to the White House on Thursday, the Celtics trailed by two at half-time, having been 11 points behind at one stage, and it wasn’t until late in the fourth quarter that they were able to pull away from the Wizards. Brown delivered down the stretch, his superb turnaround jumper giving Boston a 99-92 lead and ending Washington’s resistance. It was far from a vintage Celtics performance though. Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday drives to the basket against Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole during an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in Washington, United States. PHOTO: AP Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum collides with Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly. PHOTO: AP Jayson Tatum, who scored 16 points, was 0-for-10 from three-point range and Boston shot 42.4 percent from the floor and 23.9 percent from three-point range, equalling their lowest scoring output of the season. Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla picked up a technical foul in the second half for remonstrating with the referee but said his emotions had an impact on the game. “It changed the energy in the arena. Did you feel that? It wasn’t really about energising the guys, it was more about manipulating the environment. It was just what the environment needed at the time,” said Mazzulla. The Dallas Mavericks, without the injured Luka Doncic, survived a strong comeback from the Denver Nuggets to emerge with a 123-120 win. Naji Marshall top-scored for the Mavs, off the bench, with 26 points, while PJ Washington put up 22 points. Nikola Jokic had a triple-double, top-scoring for Denver with 33 points along with 17 rebounds and 10 assists. Dallas had a 24-point lead early in the third but Denver battled back and DeAndre Jordan’s alley oop dunk shot made it a two-point game with 8:47 left in the fourth. Daniel Gafford’s two-point shot levelled the game 108-108 with 5:13 remaining and it was nip and tuck all the way down the stretch. With Denver down a point and just four seconds left on the clock, Jamal Murray tried to hit the rim with his second free throw but inadvertently found the basket and two free throws from Washington sealed the win for Dallas. “We all stepped up at the right time and we gutted out this win,” said Mavs point guard Kyrie Irving, who said the team had shown the right attitude without Doncic. “It is next-man-up mentality and we’ve got to do our best to find that rhythm. Consistently feed each other that confidence, especially in tough environments like this. We had to will ourselves to this win,” he said. The Philadelphia 76ers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 113-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets. Jared McCain scored 30 points and Tyrese Maxey 26 as the 76ers coped without the injured Joel Embiid and Paul George. Cameron Johnson top-scored for the Nets with 37 points. Andrew Wiggins scored 30 points for the Golden State Warriors as they won 112-108 at New Orleans. A pair of free throws from Draymond Green saw the Warriors over the line.
Jubilation. Joy. Relief. Wonder. Pick your word for it — emotions, each and all of them felt by the masses, came pouring out as the clock struck zero inside Memorial Stadium. The Nebraska football program’s long eight-year bowl drought finally came to an end on a 50-degree November afternoon in downtown Lincoln. That achievement is worth celebrating on its own, but the way Nebraska got it done — dominating, rather than eking over the line against an opponent it knows well — made the accomplishment that much sweeter. Nebraska never trailed in a 44-25 win over Wisconsin on Saturday, securing the program’s first bowl game since the 2016 season. The victory also snapped a 10-game losing streak to the Badgers, and the four-game losing skid which NU entered the day with. For a Nebraska (6-5, 3-5 Big Ten) senior class which had never made the postseason before, their level of play on the field matched the seriousness of the opportunity in front of them. Particularly on the offensive side of the ball, improvements from last week’s loss to USC were evident. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, calling his second game as a member of the Nebraska coaching staff, dialed up a blistering six-play, 55-yard touchdown drive to start the game. A 45-yard kickoff return from freshman Jacory Barney Jr. set Nebraska up on the drive, with junior Heinrich Haarberg scoring the 5-yard run to secure NU’s early 7-0 lead. Having parted ways with its offensive coordinator during the week, Wisconsin, (5-6, 3-5) showed no ill effects from that shakeup as it immediately responded with a scoring drive of its own. Helped by a key missed tackle near midfield, Wisconsin found the end zone on a 4-yard passing score from Braedyn Locke to Bryson Green. After the initial scoring drive, Wisconsin took three of its next four possessions into Nebraska territory but came away with just three points from those chances. A Janiran Bonner fumble deep inside Nebraska territory set up Wisconsin with a prime scoring opportunity, but a three-and-out and delay of game penalty contributed to a 34-yard field goal sailing wide. The Badgers pushed across a 33-yard kick later in the half but also missed a second field goal from 41 yards out, a miss which resulted in a 10-play drive netting zero points. Not all of Nebraska’s first-half drives were perfect — the Huskers punted twice and fumbled once — but when things clicked, Wisconsin could do little to slow down the surging Nebraska offense. Nebraska utilized its quick passing game during its second touchdown drive, with a 27-yard gain from Emmett Johnson on a screen pass quickly being followed by a 21-yard Barney gain on a touch pass in the backfield. Running back Dante Dowdell capped off the eight-play, 80-yard touchdown drive with a 12-yard rushing score in which Jahmal Banks and Nate Boerkircher sealed the edge with a pair of punishing blocks. Nebraska also took advantage of Wisconsin’s field goal miscues by scoring touchdowns immediately following both misses. An efficient drive just prior to the halftime break ended with a toe-tap catch from Banks in the back of the end zone, a 5-yard passing score from Dylan Raiola which extended Nebraska’s lead to 21-10. Taking the ball with just 17 seconds left in the half, Wisconsin could’ve kneeled out the clock but instead opted to give running back Tawee Walker a first down carry. NU’s Nash Hutmacher made Wisconsin regret that decision by jarring the ball loose for a Bager turnover. One completion later and Nebraska brought kicker John Hohl onto the field for a 37-yard try, one he dispatched to give the Huskers a 14-point halftime lead. The 24 first-half points scored by Nebraska marked the team’s second-most all season, and the most since NU’s win over Colorado in September. The Huskers came out firing after the halftime break, too, forcing a Wisconsin three-and-out prior to putting together a scoring drive of its own. While the Nebraska drive stalled out prior to the end zone, a 45-yard Hohl field goal gave the Huskers a three-score advantage, 27-10 in their favor. Unable to trust its kicker in a similar situation, Wisconsin instead opted to keep its offense on the field for a fourth down outside the NU red zone. Walker’s carry up the middle was stuffed by the Blackshirts, resulting in a turnover on downs midway through the third quarter. When Nebraska turned that opportunity into a touchdown of its own, the game just about escaped Wisconsin’s reach. Another well-executed scoring drive, this time a seven-play march down the field which took three-plus minutes, ended in a Dowdell 3-yard touchdown run. As Nebraska’s lead reached 34-10, it marked the most points NU has scored against a Big Ten foe under head coach Matt Rhule. Wisconsin did fire back with a touchdown drive late in the third quarter and another midway through the fourth quarter. A third made field from Hohl helped keep Nebraska’s lead safe to the end, though. Nebraska can take away many positives from its win over Wisconsin, with the all-around performance of Johnson at running back and its much-improved offense taking center stage. Most important of all was the fact that Saturday’s win meant six on the season, a mark Nebraska fans hadn’t celebrated since the 2016 season. That major season milestone now secured, Nebraska’s regular season will come to a close during a Black Friday matchup against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Building wealth by investing in the stock market might be risky if you focus on speculative or overly stocks. For conservative investors with a low-risk appetite, offer a more stable and dependable approach. Many blue-chip stocks also reward their investors with regular , making them a great choice for investors seeking steady income alongside the potential of capital appreciation in the long run. This is one of the key reasons why conservative investors should consider adding some blue-chip stocks to their portfolios. In this article, I’ll explore two of the top Canadian blue-chip stocks that can help you build enduring wealth that lasts for decades. Let’s get started! TC Energy stock With a of $71.5 billion, ( ) is one of Canada’s largest energy infrastructure companies, which could be a top pick for conservative investors seeking stability and reliable income from their investments. TRP stock has outperformed the broader market by a wide margin this year as it has risen over 46% compared to the ’s 22% increase. With this, it currently trades at $68.91 per share and offers an attractive 4.8% annualized dividend yield. TC Energy’s robust growth outlook further enhances its appeal to long-term investors. At its recently held 2024 Investor Day event, the company outlined several key initiatives that could accelerate its growth in the coming years. For example, it announced four new projects, collectively representing $1.5 billion in capital expenditures. As the demand for natural gas and nuclear power generation continues to rise, these projects could place TC Energy in a strong position to benefit from North America’s growing energy needs. Interestingly, its Southeast Gateway pipeline project, which is on track for commercial in-service by mid-2025, has already achieved significant cost optimization, with expenditures reduced by 11% compared to earlier expectations. Given these positive developments, TRP could continue to generate reliable returns for its investors for years to come. Scotiabank stock ( ), or Scotiabank, is another trustworthy blue-chip stock Canadian investors can buy now and hold for the long term. Currently trading with nearly 21% year-to-date gains, BNS stock trades at $77.80 per share with a market cap of $96.8 billion. It has an annualized dividend yield of 5.5% at this market price. Scotiabank was recently in the news when its stock dived by 3.4% in a single day after announcing the financial results for the fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2024 (ended in October). Notably, negative factors such as higher provisions for credit losses and one-time impairment charges related to its investment in China affected its performance during the quarter. However, these factors do not overshadow the bank’s underlying performance and strong long-term potential. Scotiabank reported a solid adjusted net profit of $8.63 billion for fiscal 2024, reflecting a steady 3.2% increase from the previous year. This growth was supported by higher revenues across its Canadian and international banking divisions, along with disciplined cost management that resulted in positive operating leverage. Besides its solid track record of increasing dividends, Scotiabank’s strategic focus on strengthening its presence in key North American markets to drive profitable growth makes it a safe blue-chip stock for Canadian investors.NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks slipped below their records in the runup to a big jobs report due on Friday. The S&P 500 edged down 0.2% Thursday after setting an all-time high for the 56th time this year the day before. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite fell 0.2%. The crypto market had much more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before falling back toward $99,000. It’s climbed dramatically since Election Day on hopes President-elect Donald Trump will be more friendly to crypto. Airline stocks were strong, while Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are drifting around their records Thursday in the runup to a big jobs report due on Friday. The crypto market had much more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before pulling back. The S&P 500 was edging down by 0.1% after setting an all-time high for the 56th time this year the day before to improve one of its best years of the millennium . The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 183 points, or 0.4%, with roughly an hour remaining in trading, while the Nasdaq composite was nearly unchanged from its own record set the day before. Bitcoin powered above $100,000 the night before, after President-elect Donald Trump chose a crypto advocate, Paul Atkins, as his nominee to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. The cryptocurrency has climbed dramatically from less than $70,000 on Election Day, but it quickly fell back as Thursday progressed toward $99,000, according to CoinDesk. Sharps swings for bitcoin are nothing new, and they took stocks of companies enmeshed in the crypto world on a similar ride. After rising as much as 9% in early trading, MicroStrategy, a company that’s been raising cash just to buy bitcoin, swung to a loss of 5.9%. Crypto exchange Coinbase Global fell 3.2% after likewise erasing a big early gain. Elsewhere on Wall Street, stocks of airlines helped lead the way following the latest bumps up to financial forecasts from carriers. American Airlines Group soared 18.6% after saying it’s making more in revenue during the last three months of 2024 than it expected, and it will likely make a bigger profit than it had earlier forecast. The airline also chose Citi to be its exclusive partner for credit cards that give miles in its loyalty program. That should help its cash coming in from co-branded credit card and other partners grow by about 10% annually. Southwest Airlines climbed 3.4% after saying it’s seeing stronger demand from leisure travelers than it expected. It also raised its forecast for revenue for the holiday traveling season. On the losing end of Wall Street was Synposys, which tumbled 12.1%. The supplier for the semiconductor industry reported better profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected, but it also warned of “continued macro uncertainties” and gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that fell short of some analysts’ estimates. American Eagle Outfitters fell even more, 15.3%, after the retailer said it’s preparing for “potential choppiness” outside of peak selling periods. It was reminiscent of a warning from Foot Locker earlier in the week and raised more concerns about how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain. Solid spending by U.S. consumers has been one of the main reasons the U.S. economy has avoided a recession that earlier seemed inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to crush inflation. But shoppers are now contending with still-high prices and a slowing job market . This week’s highlight for Wall Street will be Friday’s jobs report from the U.S. government, which will show how many people employers hired and fired last month. A report on Thursday said the number of U.S. workers applying for unemployment benefits rose last week but remains at historically healthy levels. Expectations are high that the Fed will cut its main interest rate again when it meets in two weeks. The Fed began easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high in September, hoping to offer more support for the job market. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury held steady at 4.18%, where it was late Wednesday. In stock markets abroad, indexes were mostly calm in Europe after far-right and left-wing lawmakers in France joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that will force Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The CAC 40 index in Paris added 0.4%. In South Korea, the Kospi fell 0.9% to compound its 1.4% decline from the day before. President Yoon Suk Yeol was facing possible impeachment after he suddenly declared martial law on Tuesday night. He revoked the martial law declaration six hours later. Crude oil prices slipped after eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries decided to put off increasing oil production. ___ AP Business Writers Yuri Kageyama and Matt Ott contrributed. Stan Choe, The Associated Press
Thousands of Lebanese return to their homes as Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire takes hold TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — Thousands of Lebanese displaced by the war between Israel and Hezbollah returned home Wednesday as a ceasefire takes hold. Lebanese and Israeli troops warned them to stay away from some areas. If it endures, the ceasefire would end nearly 14 months of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which escalated in September into all-out war. The fighting threatened to pull Hezbollah’s patron, Iran, and Israel’s closest ally, the United States, into a broader conflagration. The deal does not address the war in Gaza, where Israeli strikes overnight on two schools-turned-shelters in Gaza City killed 11 people, including four children. The Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire quiets one front but Gaza sees no end to war JERUSALEM (AP) — For many across the Middle East, the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire came as a relief: the first major sign of progress in the region since war began more than a year ago. But for Palestinians in Gaza and families of hostages held in the territory, the news appeared only to inaugurate a newer, grimmer period of the conflict there. For them, it marked yet another missed opportunity to end fighting that has stretched on for nearly 14 months. Palestinians had hoped that any ceasefire deal with Hezbollah would include a truce in Gaza as well. The families of people kidnapped when Hamas-led militants stormed southern Israel in October 2023, meanwhile, wanted part of the agreement to include returning their loved ones. Instead, the ceasefire was confined only to the fighting in Lebanon. Trump transition says Cabinet picks, appointees were targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's transition says several of his Cabinet picks and appointees have been targeted by bomb threats and “swatting attacks." The FBI said it was investigating. Transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said several Cabinet nominees and administration appointees were targeted Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Among them were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s pick to serve as the next ambassador to the United Nations, and Trump’s incoming chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Leavitt said the people targeted were the subject of violent, un-American threats to their lives and those who live with them. Trump selects longtime adviser Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine and Russia WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Keith Kellogg, a highly decorated retired three-star general, to serve as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia. Kellogg has long been Trump’s top adviser on defense issues, and he served as national security adviser to former Vice President Mike Pence. Kellogg is one of the architects of a staunchly conservative policy book that lays out an “America First” national security agenda for the incoming administration. He will come into the role as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine enters its third year in February. Schools are bracing for upheaval over fear of mass deportations Regardless of whether President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his pledge to deport millions of immigrants, educators around the U.S. are bracing for upheaval. Even if he only talks about it, educators and legal observers say children of immigrants may avoid school out of fear. Since 2011, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has operated under a policy that immigration agents should not arrest or conduct other enforcement actions near “sensitive locations” including schools, hospitals and places of worship. Some schools are training staff not to allow immigration agents inside in case schools are no longer off-limits. Ohio governor signs bill limiting bathroom use by transgender students COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A ban on transgender students from kindergarten through college using multiperson bathrooms that fit their gender identities has become law in Ohio. The announcement Wednesday adds to a string of recent bills affecting transgender people nationally. Opponents had hoped that DeWine would veto the bill because he vetoed a measure banning gender-affirming care for minors. The new law, signed Tuesday, says public and private schools must designate separate bathrooms, locker rooms and overnight accommodations for “the exclusive use” of either males and females, based on the gender one was assigned at or near birth. 3 Americans held for years in China have been released, the White House says WASHINGTON (AP) — Three American citizens imprisoned for years by China have been released. That word comes Wednesday from the White House and it's a diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. The three are Mark Swidan, Kai Li and John Leung. Each had been designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. Swidan had been facing a death sentence on drug charges while Li and Leung were imprisoned on espionage charges. The White House says in a statement that the men will soon “return and be reunited with their families for the first time in many years." It's a rare diplomatic agreement with Beijing in the final months of the Biden administration. Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey's killing DENVER (AP) — Police in Boulder, Colorado, are refuting assertions that there is viable evidence and leads about the 1996 killing of JonBenet Ramsey that they are not pursuing. The 6-year-old was found dead in the basement of her family’s home the day after Christmas in 1996. The police comments came as part of their annual update on the investigation. Police say they released it a little earlier due to the increased attention on the case. They're apparently referring to the three-part Netflix series “Cold Case: Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey.” White House pressing Ukraine to draft 18-year-olds so it has enough troops to battle Russia WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration is urging Ukraine to quickly increase the size of its military by drafting more troops and revamping its mobilization laws to allow for the conscription of those as young as 18. A senior Biden administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private consultations, said Wednesday that the outgoing Democratic administration wants Ukraine to lower the mobilization age to 18 from the current age of 25. The aim is expand the pool of fighting-age men available to help a badly outnumbered Ukraine in its nearly three-year-old war with Russia. Australian Senate begins debate on world-first social media ban for children under 16 MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The Australian Senate has begun considering a ban on children younger than 16 years old from social media after the House of Representatives overwhelming supported the age restriction. The world-first bill that would make platforms liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars for systemic failures to prevent young children from holding accounts is likely to be passed by the Senate on Thursday. The major parties’ support for the ban all but guarantees the legislation will become law. Many child welfare and mental health advocates are concerned about unintended consequences and the platforms complained that the law would be unworkable.
The bears are throwing in the towel
Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Viper Energy, Inc. ( NASDAQ:VNOM – Free Report ) by 233.0% during the third quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 95,892 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock after buying an additional 67,098 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Viper Energy were worth $4,326,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC. Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. New York State Teachers Retirement System purchased a new stake in shares of Viper Energy during the 3rd quarter worth about $984,000. Sei Investments Co. raised its holdings in Viper Energy by 81.9% in the 1st quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 45,308 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock worth $1,743,000 after purchasing an additional 20,396 shares during the period. Amalgamated Bank purchased a new position in Viper Energy during the second quarter worth approximately $616,000. Vanguard Group Inc. grew its holdings in Viper Energy by 23.3% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 8,481,119 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $326,184,000 after purchasing an additional 1,603,333 shares during the period. Finally, Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in shares of Viper Energy by 326.0% in the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 760,830 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $28,554,000 after buying an additional 582,247 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 87.72% of the company’s stock. Viper Energy Stock Up 3.4 % VNOM stock opened at $56.55 on Friday. The company has a current ratio of 7.24, a quick ratio of 7.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $50.24 and a two-hundred day moving average of $44.20. Viper Energy, Inc. has a 12 month low of $29.03 and a 12 month high of $56.63. The company has a market cap of $10.65 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.86 and a beta of 1.72. Viper Energy Announces Dividend The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 21st. Stockholders of record on Thursday, November 14th were issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, November 14th. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.12%. Viper Energy’s dividend payout ratio is presently 51.50%. Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth A number of brokerages have recently issued reports on VNOM. Barclays increased their target price on Viper Energy from $52.00 to $58.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 5th. TD Securities increased their price objective on shares of Viper Energy from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, September 12th. Truist Financial lifted their target price on shares of Viper Energy from $57.00 to $64.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 6th. Raymond James upped their price target on shares of Viper Energy from $58.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, StockNews.com cut Viper Energy from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 5th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Viper Energy presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $54.75. Read Our Latest Stock Analysis on Viper Energy Viper Energy Profile ( Free Report ) Viper Energy, Inc owns and acquires mineral and royalty interests in oil and natural gas properties in the Permian Basin, North America. Viper Energy Partners GP LLC operates as the general partner of the company. The company was formerly known as Viper Energy Partners LP and changed its name to Viper Energy, Inc in November 2023. Recommended Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VNOM? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Viper Energy, Inc. ( NASDAQ:VNOM – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Viper Energy Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Viper Energy and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees?René Bennett | (TNS) Bankrate.com If you’re an iPhone user, you might not realize that you already have access to Apple Cash. It’s a digital cash card that’s built into Apple devices and can be found in the default Wallet app. (Note: You must link an eligible debit card to use this service.) The main function of Apple Cash is to make it easier for Apple device users to send money to one another, including sending money through the iMessage app. But Apple Cash is more than just a peer-to-peer (P2P) payment service — it can be used to shop online, in stores or to make in-app purchases. Apple Cash is a convenient way to transfer money between friends and family. Once it’s set up, a user can simply open the iMessage app and send money to a contact through their chat. It’s also useful for those who use Apple Pay, a separate service that allows Apple device users to make contactless payments with any linked card, including an Apple Cash card. Here are some important things to know about setting up and using Apple Cash. Apple Cash is a digital cash card that’s stored in the Wallet app of Apple devices, and it can be used for making P2P payments, as well as purchases through Apple Pay. When you receive money from another Apple Cash user, that money appears in your Apple Cash balance. The balance can then be spent or transferred to a linked bank account or debit card. Sending money to peers with Apple Cash can be done either directly from the digital Apple Cash card (in the Wallet app) or through the iMessage app. You can send or receive anywhere between $1 and $10,000 per message. The money shows up on the recipient’s Apple Cash card instantly, but it may take from one to three days for the balance to be transferred to a bank account. Instant transfers to a bank account are possible, but it comes with a 1.5% fee. There’s also an option to set up Apple Cash Family for children who are under 18 years old. This option limits the amount a child can send to $2,000 per message. Those younger than 18 also cannot add money to their Apple Cash card from a bank account; rather, their balance only grows when they receive money from another Apple Cash user. Apple Cash is a digital card within your Wallet that allows you to spend your Apple Cash online, in stores and in apps as well send and receive money. Apple Pay, however, allows you to make purchases using any credit card or debit card you have stored in your Wallet — including Apple Cash. With Apple Pay, you add credit and debit cards to your Wallet and then have the ability to pay right with your phone (or other Apple product). To set up Apple Cash, you’ll need three things: —A compatible Apple device. —Two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID (this can be done in Settings). —An eligible debit card to load funds onto the Apple Cash card. In the Settings app, you can turn on Apple Cash in the Wallet and Apple Pay section. Tap on the Apple Cash card icon and follow the instructions on the screen. You’ll be asked to agree to the terms and conditions, after which your device will set up Apple Cash for you. The Apple Cash card, once set up, can be found in your device’s Wallet app. If you want to set up Apple Cash Family, you’ll first need to have Family Sharing turned on, which can be done in Settings. The family organizer can add children to Apple Cash in the Family Sharing section of Settings. You’ll need to have a debit card linked to your digital Wallet to add money to an Apple Cash card. You can add a debit card to Wallet in the same place where you set up Apple Cash — the Wallet and Apple Pay section of Settings. Once a debit card is linked to your Wallet, open Wallet and tap on the Apple Cash card. Then, tap the More button (an icon with three dots). This will open a page where you can see your Apple Cash balance, add money and transfer funds to a bank account. Tap Add Money and enter the amount you’d like to add (the minimum is $10). You’ll be asked to confirm which debit card you want to use to fund the Apple Cash balance, and then the money is added to the Apple Cash card. There are two ways to send a payment to someone using Apple Cash: directly from your Wallet or in the iMessage app. Both the sender and recipient need Apple Cash to send or receive money. To send money from Wallet, simply tap the Apple Cash card in Wallet and then tap Send. Type in the contact name or phone number of the recipient. Enter the amount you’d like to send (between $1 and $10,000), then review the payment and confirm it with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. In iMessage, open the conversation with who you’d like to send money to, or start a new one. Tap on the app button, which appears next to the type bar, and then tap on the Apple Cash icon. You’ll be prompted to enter an amount (between $1 and $10,000). Once you’ve reviewed the amount, tap Send and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. The first time money is sent to someone, the recipient will need to accept the payment within seven days for it to go through. After the first instance, payments are automatically accepted. If you’re using Apple Cash to make a purchase either online or in a store, you’ll need to pay using Apple Pay. To request money from your iPhone, open the conversation in the Messages app. Tap the plus icon, followed by Apple Cash. Then, tap Request. Tap the send button to send your payment request. Once the request is sent, the person you sent it to can confirm or change the amount they send to you. You can also request money from your Apple watch. Open your messages app, choose a conversation, tap the plus icon and then choose Apple Cash. Once you enter the amount you are requesting, swipe left on the Send button. Tap Request. As you start to accumulate money on the Apple Cash card, you may want to move it to a debit card or a bank account . This can be done by going to the same place where you added funds to the card, by clicking the icon with three dots next to your digital card. Related Articles Technology | As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows Technology | Australia is banning social media for people under 16. Could this work elsewhere — or even there? Technology | Home entertainment holiday gift ideas at a discount Technology | Are you tracking your health with a device? Here’s what could happen with the data Technology | How to get started with Bluesky Enter an amount to be transferred, then tap Next. You’ll be asked whether you want to do an instant transfer (for a 1.5% fee) or a transfer in one to three business days for free. After making a selection, the screen will instruct you to set up a bank account if you don’t already have one set up. You’ll confirm the payment, and the transfer is initiated. Instant transfers can only be made to an eligible debit card, not a bank account. Money is sent within 30 minutes when you select instant transfer. —Zelle: If your bank is offers Zelle, it might be a good idea to take advantage of the P2P payment service. Zelle can be accessed directly from your bank’s mobile app, and it allows you to send instant transfers at no extra cost. —Venmo: Anyone can use Venmo, as long as they’ve downloaded the app. Unlike Apple Cash or Zelle, it’s a standalone P2P payment app. Venmo comes with a social element — users can follow each other and add fun emojis to their payments, although they can also keep their account activity private. —PayPal: This P2P payment service is a good option if you want to send money internationally. It also offers a PayPal Debit card, which, like the Apple Cash card, can be used to make purchases online or in stores. —Samsung Pay Cash: Samsung device users can use this option instead of Apple Cash. Similar to Apple Cash, it is a digital wallet that you can access from a Samsung mobile device. However, to take full advantage of Samsung Pay Cash, users will need to undergo an extra registration process to upgrade to a Full Card Account. Apple Cash makes it easy for Apple device users to send money to each other. Users can simply tap the Apple Cash icon in their text messages to send money through iMessage. It can also be used as an extra repository for spending money and can be used for purchases anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. With that said, only Apple device users can send and receive money using Apple Cash, so those looking for a more universal payment service may want to consider other P2P payment apps . ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
No 'Trump Bump' for Canadian Liberals after U.S. election, poll showsPITTSBORO — A center at Central Carolina Community College intended to advance environmental and natural resource technology education is celebrating the end of its inaugural year. The EARTh Center’s primary initiative is collaborating with educators and industry leaders to develop instructional and training materials in support of environmental tech industries such as those involved with water and air quality, natural resource management, energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. Professional development opportunities through the EARTh Center are open to community college, tribal college and high school educators from all over the United States. Over the summer, the EARTh Center hosted two major in-person professional development events: the Summit for Tribal College Educators and the annual EARTh Center Institute. In May, the Summit for Tribal College Educators in Michigan provided a forum for tribal college faculty to meet in person and discuss the current challenges of environmental technology education at tribal colleges. In June, Nahant Marsh Education Center co-hosted the EARTh Center Institute in Iowa, bringing together 17 educators for an immersive five-day event, exploring water quality, conservation and the ecosystems of the upper Mississippi River region. In 2025, the EARTh Center will have two in-person professional development opportunities and several virtual opportunities. In June, the EARTh Center will take educators to Beaver Island, Mich., for the EARTh Center Institute and to Boulder, Colo., for the first part of the brand-new EARTh Center Fellows Program. Applications and details for both opportunities may be found at earthcntr.org . One achievement for the EARTh Center from this year is the development of immersive educational modules and simulations, and their availability for educator use through the EARTh Center website. These cutting-edge resources integrate simulation-based learning environments with interactive coursework, allowing students to engage in realistic scenarios where they can apply their knowledge in safe, controlled settings. The most recent creation of simulation-based materials is aimed at photovoltaic (solar) programs. The coursework and simulations created by the in-house Immersive Ed Design team walks students through the necessary knowledge checks and information for working on energized high-voltage photovoltaic systems, allowing students to gain experience with tools and situations they may experience in a real-world environment, without being exposed to the potential dangers of high-voltage electricity. For more information and resources, earthcntr.org and follow the EARTh Center on LinkedIn (search “EARTh Center (Environmental and Natural Resources Technology Center)”). Additionally, interested instructors, educators and industry partners may email Tiffany Breindel at tbreindel@cccc.edu or Andrew McMahan at amcmahan@cccc.edu to discuss involvement and opportunities with the EARTh Center.
René Bennett | (TNS) Bankrate.com If you’re an iPhone user, you might not realize that you already have access to Apple Cash. It’s a digital cash card that’s built into Apple devices and can be found in the default Wallet app. (Note: You must link an eligible debit card to use this service.) The main function of Apple Cash is to make it easier for Apple device users to send money to one another, including sending money through the iMessage app. But Apple Cash is more than just a peer-to-peer (P2P) payment service — it can be used to shop online, in stores or to make in-app purchases. Apple Cash is a convenient way to transfer money between friends and family. Once it’s set up, a user can simply open the iMessage app and send money to a contact through their chat. It’s also useful for those who use Apple Pay, a separate service that allows Apple device users to make contactless payments with any linked card, including an Apple Cash card. Here are some important things to know about setting up and using Apple Cash. Apple Cash is a digital cash card that’s stored in the Wallet app of Apple devices, and it can be used for making P2P payments, as well as purchases through Apple Pay. When you receive money from another Apple Cash user, that money appears in your Apple Cash balance. The balance can then be spent or transferred to a linked bank account or debit card. Sending money to peers with Apple Cash can be done either directly from the digital Apple Cash card (in the Wallet app) or through the iMessage app. You can send or receive anywhere between $1 and $10,000 per message. The money shows up on the recipient’s Apple Cash card instantly, but it may take from one to three days for the balance to be transferred to a bank account. Instant transfers to a bank account are possible, but it comes with a 1.5% fee. There’s also an option to set up Apple Cash Family for children who are under 18 years old. This option limits the amount a child can send to $2,000 per message. Those younger than 18 also cannot add money to their Apple Cash card from a bank account; rather, their balance only grows when they receive money from another Apple Cash user. Apple Cash is a digital card within your Wallet that allows you to spend your Apple Cash online, in stores and in apps as well send and receive money. Apple Pay, however, allows you to make purchases using any credit card or debit card you have stored in your Wallet — including Apple Cash. With Apple Pay, you add credit and debit cards to your Wallet and then have the ability to pay right with your phone (or other Apple product). To set up Apple Cash, you’ll need three things: —A compatible Apple device. —Two-factor authentication enabled for your Apple ID (this can be done in Settings). —An eligible debit card to load funds onto the Apple Cash card. In the Settings app, you can turn on Apple Cash in the Wallet and Apple Pay section. Tap on the Apple Cash card icon and follow the instructions on the screen. You’ll be asked to agree to the terms and conditions, after which your device will set up Apple Cash for you. The Apple Cash card, once set up, can be found in your device’s Wallet app. If you want to set up Apple Cash Family, you’ll first need to have Family Sharing turned on, which can be done in Settings. The family organizer can add children to Apple Cash in the Family Sharing section of Settings. You’ll need to have a debit card linked to your digital Wallet to add money to an Apple Cash card. You can add a debit card to Wallet in the same place where you set up Apple Cash — the Wallet and Apple Pay section of Settings. Once a debit card is linked to your Wallet, open Wallet and tap on the Apple Cash card. Then, tap the More button (an icon with three dots). This will open a page where you can see your Apple Cash balance, add money and transfer funds to a bank account. Tap Add Money and enter the amount you’d like to add (the minimum is $10). You’ll be asked to confirm which debit card you want to use to fund the Apple Cash balance, and then the money is added to the Apple Cash card. There are two ways to send a payment to someone using Apple Cash: directly from your Wallet or in the iMessage app. Both the sender and recipient need Apple Cash to send or receive money. To send money from Wallet, simply tap the Apple Cash card in Wallet and then tap Send. Type in the contact name or phone number of the recipient. Enter the amount you’d like to send (between $1 and $10,000), then review the payment and confirm it with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. In iMessage, open the conversation with who you’d like to send money to, or start a new one. Tap on the app button, which appears next to the type bar, and then tap on the Apple Cash icon. You’ll be prompted to enter an amount (between $1 and $10,000). Once you’ve reviewed the amount, tap Send and confirm with Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode. The first time money is sent to someone, the recipient will need to accept the payment within seven days for it to go through. After the first instance, payments are automatically accepted. If you’re using Apple Cash to make a purchase either online or in a store, you’ll need to pay using Apple Pay. To request money from your iPhone, open the conversation in the Messages app. Tap the plus icon, followed by Apple Cash. Then, tap Request. Tap the send button to send your payment request. Once the request is sent, the person you sent it to can confirm or change the amount they send to you. You can also request money from your Apple watch. Open your messages app, choose a conversation, tap the plus icon and then choose Apple Cash. Once you enter the amount you are requesting, swipe left on the Send button. Tap Request. As you start to accumulate money on the Apple Cash card, you may want to move it to a debit card or a bank account . This can be done by going to the same place where you added funds to the card, by clicking the icon with three dots next to your digital card. Enter an amount to be transferred, then tap Next. You’ll be asked whether you want to do an instant transfer (for a 1.5% fee) or a transfer in one to three business days for free. After making a selection, the screen will instruct you to set up a bank account if you don’t already have one set up. You’ll confirm the payment, and the transfer is initiated. Instant transfers can only be made to an eligible debit card, not a bank account. Money is sent within 30 minutes when you select instant transfer. —Zelle: If your bank is offers Zelle, it might be a good idea to take advantage of the P2P payment service. Zelle can be accessed directly from your bank’s mobile app, and it allows you to send instant transfers at no extra cost. —Venmo: Anyone can use Venmo, as long as they’ve downloaded the app. Unlike Apple Cash or Zelle, it’s a standalone P2P payment app. Venmo comes with a social element — users can follow each other and add fun emojis to their payments, although they can also keep their account activity private. —PayPal: This P2P payment service is a good option if you want to send money internationally. It also offers a PayPal Debit card, which, like the Apple Cash card, can be used to make purchases online or in stores. —Samsung Pay Cash: Samsung device users can use this option instead of Apple Cash. Similar to Apple Cash, it is a digital wallet that you can access from a Samsung mobile device. However, to take full advantage of Samsung Pay Cash, users will need to undergo an extra registration process to upgrade to a Full Card Account. Apple Cash makes it easy for Apple device users to send money to each other. Users can simply tap the Apple Cash icon in their text messages to send money through iMessage. It can also be used as an extra repository for spending money and can be used for purchases anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. With that said, only Apple device users can send and receive money using Apple Cash, so those looking for a more universal payment service may want to consider other P2P payment apps . ©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.CIBC Asset Management Inc bought a new stake in shares of Independent Bank Group, Inc. ( NASDAQ:IBTX – Free Report ) in the third quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor bought 3,546 shares of the bank’s stock, valued at approximately $204,000. Several other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in IBTX. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its holdings in Independent Bank Group by 1.7% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,316,743 shares of the bank’s stock worth $105,456,000 after purchasing an additional 39,091 shares during the period. Magnetar Financial LLC bought a new position in shares of Independent Bank Group in the second quarter worth about $14,146,000. Silver Lake Advisory LLC purchased a new position in shares of Independent Bank Group during the 2nd quarter valued at about $5,491,000. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC lifted its position in shares of Independent Bank Group by 28.3% during the 1st quarter. Silvercrest Asset Management Group LLC now owns 81,115 shares of the bank’s stock valued at $3,703,000 after buying an additional 17,875 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Public Sector Pension Investment Board increased its holdings in Independent Bank Group by 7.6% in the 2nd quarter. Public Sector Pension Investment Board now owns 79,245 shares of the bank’s stock worth $3,607,000 after acquiring an additional 5,623 shares in the last quarter. 77.90% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In A number of equities analysts have weighed in on IBTX shares. Truist Financial dropped their price target on shares of Independent Bank Group from $66.00 to $63.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 23rd. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods upped their target price on shares of Independent Bank Group from $69.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 7th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Independent Bank Group in a report on Friday. They set a “sell” rating on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Independent Bank Group presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $58.83. Independent Bank Group Stock Performance Shares of NASDAQ IBTX opened at $65.49 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $2.71 billion, a P/E ratio of -6.26 and a beta of 1.38. Independent Bank Group, Inc. has a 52-week low of $36.16 and a 52-week high of $67.92. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 0.97. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $59.71 and its two-hundred day moving average is $53.10. Independent Bank Group ( NASDAQ:IBTX – Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Monday, October 21st. The bank reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.71 by ($0.21). The firm had revenue of $255.18 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $124.48 million. Independent Bank Group had a positive return on equity of 4.49% and a negative net margin of 43.45%. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.79 earnings per share. As a group, analysts anticipate that Independent Bank Group, Inc. will post 2.7 EPS for the current fiscal year. Independent Bank Group Announces Dividend The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, November 14th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 31st were issued a $0.38 dividend. This represents a $1.52 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.32%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, October 31st. Independent Bank Group’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently -14.53%. About Independent Bank Group ( Free Report ) Independent Bank Group, Inc, through its subsidiary, Independent Bank provides various commercial banking products and services to businesses, professionals, and individuals in the United States. It accepts various deposit products, including checking and savings accounts, demand deposits, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. Featured Stories Receive News & Ratings for Independent Bank Group Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Independent Bank Group and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Will the stock markets check Trump’s power?
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday announced its first list of 11 candidates for the Delhi Assembly election scheduled for February next year. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are yet to announce their candidates. Out of the 11 candidates, six had switched to the ruling party in the last two months, three each from the BJP and the Congress. The party has dropped three of its sitting MLAs. The names were announced after a meeting of AAP’s political affairs committee, the highest decision-making body of the party, which is headed by party national convener Arvind Kejriwal. AAP has been in power in Delhi since 2015 and had won 67 of the 70 seats in the 2015 Assembly poll and 62 seats in the 2020 poll. ‘Set to launch campaign’ Addressing mediapersons, AAP Delhi convener Gopal Rai said, “With the announcement of candidates, AAP has now geared up to accelerate its campaign for the Assembly election. Starting today, AAP is preparing to launch a massive campaign across the city. The details will be shared soon.” Mr. Rai said AAP remains confident that under the leadership of Mr. Kejriwal, the people will re-elect the party in the election to continue the momentum of progress and development in the Capital. The AAP leader said the candidates were announced early as eight of these 11 constituencies currently do not have AAP MLAs. “To strengthen its campaign in these areas, the party has prioritised them in the first list.” The BJP and the Congress targeted AAP over giving tickets to leaders from other parties who had joined it as recently as Sunday. The BJP said six candidates being entrants from other parties showed that AAP is scared of “anti-incumbency”. The Congress alleged that Mr. Kejriwal was desperate to save his party as three of the 11 candidates in the first list were “Congress discards”. Published - November 22, 2024 01:39 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Aam Aadmi Party / Delhi / election / Bharatiya Janata Party / Indian National CongressIt looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. "The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more," Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. "There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie," said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction." In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation, did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the "no-fault findings," as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report, Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist "saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities." But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's "decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable." A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug "then entered the market through illegal channels," he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles," Li said. "The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice." This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. "Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated," he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. "It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. "Which clearly it has not."
Seahawks claim WR Jaelon Darden off waivers from the BrownsBefore Week 16, the Las Vegas Raiders were neck-and-neck with the New York Giants for the distinction of worst record in the NFL and the reward that comes with it: the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. The Raiders (3-12) have now plummeted out of the top five thanks to their 19-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Raiders coach Antonio Pierce didn't want hear about it when addressing reporters Monday, one day after fans on social media trashed the organization for winning a so-called meaningless game that hurt their draft position. He said fans more concerned with the team's 2025 draft picks should "Talk to Tom Telesco" -- Las Vegas' general manager -- before going deeper. "We don't do this to lose," Pierce said. "We don't do this for anybody's fantasy football team. We don't do this for anybody's draft projections. None of that (expletive) matters to us. The only thing that matters is winning, and that's all we want to do." The Raiders' win was their first since Sept. 29, ending a 10-game losing streak. The Giants lost their 10th straight game to be the NFL's only 2-13 team. Las Vegas is not only tied with four other teams at 3-12, but it currently sits in the No. 6 overall spot because it loses the strength of schedule tiebreaker to the New England Patriots, Jaguars, Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns. It's felt acutely by Raiders fans because the franchise has run into a black hole at quarterback. Las Vegas has used Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell and Desmond Ridder at the position, with none making a case to be the starter in 2025 and beyond. Colorado's Shedeur Sanders and Miami's Cam Ward are the only two quarterbacks projected to go in the first round by many recent mock drafts. The last time the Raiders got to select No. 1 overall in 2007, they picked QB JaMarcus Russell, widely considered one of the biggest NFL draft busts of all time. The Raiders' two remaining games come Dec. 29 at the New Orleans Saints and in Week 18 at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. --Field Level MediaByfield scores in 200th career game as Kings hold off Kraken for 2-1 win