v�Z*��̩L@�H�zd��Rh�d�P`�qa�2��/�E���\j�]}�d%�,��\�=1�5U�A$<�2���m^{aƙ�m''�M�,��)9f�ƺ���4+����w�Yy �

v�Z*��̩L@�H�zd��Rh�d�P`�qa�2��/�E���\j�]}�d%�,��\�=1�5U�A$<�2���m^{aƙ�m''�M�,��)9f�ƺ���4+����w�Yy �In the wake of the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) decisive victory in the 2024 elections, Sammy Gyamfi, the party’s National Communications Officer, attributed a significant part of the success to divine intervention. Speaking at a gathering with Prophet Owusu Bempah and his followers, Gyamfi expressed deep gratitude for the spiritual support the party received during the election campaign. “We are immensely grateful for the spiritual support we received,” Gyamfi said. “The victory we celebrate today is not just the result of hard work on the ground, but also the prayers and spiritual guidance of many dedicated pastors and prophets.” He emphasized that the NDC’s preparations for the election were both thorough and holistic, blending physical campaigning with spiritual endeavors to ensure success. “We engaged in thorough preparations, including spiritual endeavours, to avoid any unforeseen obstacles,” Gyamfi added. A special mention was made of Prophet Owusu Bempah, whose earlier prediction of a victory for John Dramani Mahama played a central role in the NDC’s belief in their impending success. Gyamfi praised the prophet for his accurate foresight, stating, “Prophet Owusu Bempah has proven to be an indispensable and credible prophet. His prophecy about Mahama’s victory was not just accurate, but also a significant part of the reason we’re celebrating today.” While the NDC’s campaign was tireless and expansive, Gyamfi stressed that it was the spiritual backing from the clergy that had a profound impact on the election outcome. “We are thankful to the many pastors who gave their time, prayers, and resources to support our cause,” he said. “Their sacrifices and efforts were vital, and they truly deserve recognition for standing by us through this journey.” Gyamfi’s comments highlighted the unique blend of political strategy and spiritual conviction that shaped the NDC’s approach to the 2024 election, acknowledging the crucial role of the clergy in the party’s victory.(Photo by Skitterphoto via Pexels) By Stephen Beech via SWNS Cleaning surfaces every two hours at airports cuts potentially deadly norovirus infections by 83%, according to a new study. Researchers found that airport restaurants had the highest risk of norovirus transmission . But frequently disinfecting surfaces, mask-wearing and antimicrobial surface coatings at the transport hubs can all help prevent the highly contagious illness - also known as the winter vomiting bug - from spreading, say scientists. Study author Professor Nan Zhang, of the Beijing University of Technology in China, said: "Norovirus causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and is responsible for about 685 million cases and 200,000 deaths each year. "The virus is primarily transmitted through surfaces and outbreaks during air travel are especially common, due to the large number of public surfaces in airports." (PLOS Computational Biology via SWNS) To investigate the risk of norovirus infection from surfaces among passengers in different zones of the airport, the research team collected real touch data from 21.3 hours of video, which captured almost 26,000 touches. They developed a model of surface transmission and simulated the risk of infection from norovirus and the effectiveness of various interventions in different airport areas. Zhang said: "The touch data showed that, without any interventions, restaurants at airports had the highest risk of norovirus transmission, with approximately 4.6 out of 51,494 travelers infected. "Disinfecting public surfaces every two hours reduced the risk of norovirus infection per visit to the airport by 83.2%. "In contrast, handwashing every two hours reduced the risk by only 2%, and mask-wearing 50% of the time reduced risk by 48.0%, because masks stop people from touching their face. CDC "Furthermore, using antimicrobial copper or copper-nickel alloy coatings for most public surfaces lowered the infection risk by 15.9% to 99.2%." He says the study, published in the journal PLOS Computational Biology , provides "crucial" insights for developing infection prevention and control strategies specifically tailored for norovirus within airport environments. Zhang noted that the data for the study was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic , so surface-touching behaviors may have been different from normal. But he said that, overall, the simulated results indicated that public surface disinfection, mask-wearing wearing and the use of antimicrobial surfaces are effective ways of controlling the spread of norovirus via surfaces. Zhang added: "Regular surface infection is much more effective than regular handwashing for blocking norovirus transmission via fomite route in airports."

Daniel Penny chose not to testify and defense lawyers rested their case Friday at his trial in the death of an agitated man he choked on a subway train. Closing arguments are expected after Thanksgiving in the closely watched manslaughter case about the death of Jordan Neely, 30. The encounter between Penny, a white Marine veteran, and Neely, a homeless Black man with mental health and drug problems, has been drawn into U.S. political divides over race, public safety and cities’ ability to handle mental illness and social ills. Penny, 26, has pleaded not guilty. Many criminal defendants don't take the stand, and juries are routinely instructed that they cannot hold defendants' silence — a constitutional right — against them. One of Penny’s lawyers, Daniel Kenniff, noted after court that jurors did hear from Penny, in the form of his recorded statements to police minutes and hours after he put Neely in a chokehold. “Virtually everything he said then is consistent with credible testimony of his fellow passengers," Kenniff said. Penny told police that he wrapped his arm around Neely's neck, took him to the floor and “put him out” because he was angrily throwing things and making threatening comments. Penny said on police video that he hadn't wanted to injure Neely but rather to keep him from hurting anyone else. A number of other passengers testified that they were scared of Neely and relieved that Penny grabbed hold of him. A man who later stepped in and held down Neely's arms, however, told jurors that he urged Penny to let go but that the veteran kept choking Neely for a time. Prosecutors say Penny meant to protect people but recklessly used too much force, overlooking Neely's humanity and making no effort to spare his life. City medical examiners ruled that the chokehold killed Neely. A pathologist hired by Penny's defense disputed that finding. Prosecutors, defense lawyers and the judge are set to meet Monday to hash out jury instructions.

For most of our evolutionary history, human activity has been linked to daylight. Technology has liberated us from these ancient sleep-wake cycles, but there is evidence sunlight has left and continues to leave its mark. Not only do we still tend to be awake in the daytime and sleep at night, we can thank light for many other aspects of our biology. Light may have driven our ancestors to walk upright on two legs. Light helps explain the evolution of our skin color, why some of us have curly hair, and even the size of our eyes. Related: Which animals are evolving fastest? As we'll explore in future articles in this series, light helps shape our mood, our immune system, how our gut works, and much more. Light can make us sick, tell us why we're sick, then treat us. Million of years of evolutionary history means humans are still very much creatures of the light. We stood up, then walked out of Africa The first modern humans evolved in warm African climates. And reducing exposure to the harsh sunlight is one explanation for why humans began to walk upright on two legs. When we stand up and the Sun is directly overhead, far less sunshine hits our body. Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the world's most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors Curly hair may have also protected us from the hot Sun. The idea is that it provides a thicker layer of insulation than straight hair to shield the scalp. Early Homo sapiens had extra Sun protection in the form of strongly pigmented skin . Sunlight breaks down folate (vitamin B9), accelerates ageing and damages DNA. In our bright ancestral climates, dark skin protected against this. But this dark skin still admitted enough UV light to stimulate vital production of vitamin D. However, when people colonized temperate zones, with weaker light, they repeatedly... Mike LeeCartoon Network, a division of Warner Bros. Discovery, has quietly removed a half-dozen of its games from sale on Steam and other digital platforms, including Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, OK KO! Let's Play Heroes, and Steven Universe: Unleash the Light. The delistings, which as seen on SteamDB came in a single batch earlier today, were first noticed by Wario64 on Bluesky : Adventure Time: Finn and Jake's Epic Quest, and Adventure Time: Magic Man's Head Games have also been removed. The games have also reportedly been taken down from non-PC storefronts. A reason for the removal wasn't provided, but the store page for each game now carries the same message, with only the title changed: "Attention players, OK K.O.! Let’s Play Heroes will no longer be available for sale after Dec 23rd, 2024. Thanks for playing, Cartoon Network Games." The one exception is Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, which was published by Adult Swim Games—but Adult Swim is a division of Cartoon Network, so the separation seems entirely a distinction without a difference. The takedowns come just a few months after Warner closed the Cartoon Network website , shunting people to its Max website instead, and follow removal of a bunch of Adult Swim-published games earlier this year . One big difference is that advance notice was provided in those cases, and the rights to at least some of the games being removed from sale were instead handed back to their owners after an outcry. In this round of removals, the notification that it was happening seems to have been given as it happened. The games being removed from sale have been around for a while and don't have especially large player bases, but we quite liked some of them when they were new: We said OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes "looks like a cartoon and plays like an arcade classic" back in 2017, and made a similar declaration about Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time in 2020, saying it "looks like a PS2 game, in a good way." Regardless of their merits, though, seeing games get disappeared for no discernible reason is irksome as a matter of principle, particularly when the company doing it is a division of Warner, notorious in recent times for vaulting movies Batgirl and Coyote vs Acme in favor of a tax writeoff. The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. I've reached out to Cartoon Network for information on the delistings and will update if I receive a reply.

FDA chief defends work on obesity, food to Senate

NEW HOPE, Pa. (AP) - , an actor, activist and trailblazing former “Sports Illustrated” model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow, has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities in Bucks County found , 76, dead in a second-floor bedroom Friday morning after emergency dispatchers were notified about a person unconscious at the Solebury Township home. A 76-year-old man police later identified as Walter J. Blucas of Erie was hospitalized in critical condition. Responders detected a high level of carbon monoxide in the property and township police said Saturday that investigators determined that “a faulty flue and exhaust pipe on a gas heating system caused the carbon monoxide leak.” Two medics were taken to a hospital for carbon monoxide exposure and a police officer was treated at the scene. As a model, appeared on the covers of Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Elle and Esquire in the 1970s and 1980s, as well as the 1973 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. She also appeared in about two dozen films from the 1970s to 1990s, according to IMDb.com, including 1994’s “Bullets Over Broadway,” starring John Cusack. left modeling after giving birth to her daughter, Ryan, in the mid-1970s, but then had to reenter the workforce after her husband’s 1991 death. This time she found the modeling industry far less friendly: “They said to me, ‘At 38, you’re not viable,’” told The New York Times in 2003. Working a menial job at an advertising agency, began reaching out to cosmetic companies, telling them there was a growing market to sell beauty products to aging baby boomers. She eventually landed a contract with , followed by Estée Lauder and then L’Oreal, for which she promoted the company’s anti-aging products for more than a decade. She also hosted beauty segments for CBS’s “The Early Show.” “I kept modeling, but in a different way,” she told The Times, “I became a spokesperson for my age.” In 2008, founded WomenOne, an organization aimed at advancing educational opportunities for girls and women in marginalized communities, including Rwanda, Haiti and Jordan.’ was born in Toronto and began modeling as a teenager to pay for ballet classes - she began her career with the Canadian ballet company Les Grands Ballet Canadiens, according to her website. daughter, Ryan, said in a social media post that her mother was “everyone’s greatest champion. An inspiration to many.” “A pure heart. A rich inner life. Touching so many lives. A life well lived. Rest in Light, Mom,” she said. Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC.TOKYO (AP) — Japanese car manufacturers Honda and Nissan have announced plans to merge, forming the third largest car manufacturer in the world by sales, as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. PUBLICIDAD The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that the smallest member of the Nissan alliance, Mitsubishi Motors, had also agreed to join the discussions to integrate their businesses. PUBLICIDAD "We anticipate that if this integration materializes, we will be able to offer even greater value to a broader customer base," said Nissan's CEO, Makoto Uchida, in a statement. Car manufacturers in Japan have fallen behind their major rivals in electric vehicles and are trying to cut costs and make up for lost time. News of a possible merger emerged earlier this month, with unconfirmed reports indicating that discussions about a closer collaboration were partly driven by the aspirations of Taiwan's iPhone manufacturer, Foxconn, to partner with Nissan, which has an alliance with France's Renault SA and Mitsubishi. A merger could result in a colossus valued at over 50 billion dollars based on the market capitalization of the three car manufacturers. Together, Honda and the alliance of Nissan with Renault SA of France and the smaller car manufacturer, Mitsubishi Motors Corp., would gain scale to compete with Toyota Motor Corp. and Volkswagen AG of Germany. Toyota has technological partnerships with Mazda Motor Corp. and Subaru Corp. from Japan. Even after a merger, Toyota, which launched 11.5 million vehicles in 2023, would still be the top Japanese car manufacturer. If they were to join forces, the three smaller companies would produce around 8 million vehicles. In 2023, Honda manufactured 4 million and Nissan produced 3.4 million. Mitsubishi Motors made just over 1 million. Nissan, Honda, and Mitsubishi announced in August that they would share components for electric vehicles such as batteries and would jointly research software for autonomous driving to better adapt to the dramatic changes focused on electrification, following a preliminary agreement between Nissan and Honda established in March. Honda, the second largest car manufacturer in Japan, is widely seen as the only likely Japanese partner capable of rescuing Nissan, which has struggled after a scandal that began with the arrest of its former chairman Carlos Ghosn in late 2018 on charges of fraud and misuse of company assets, allegations he denies. He was eventually released on bail and fled to Lebanon. Speaking on Monday to journalists in Tokyo via a video link, Ghosn ridiculed the planned merger as a "desperate move." According to Sam Fiorani, vice president of AutoForecast Solutions, Honda could obtain large body-on-frame SUVs like the Nissan Armada and the Infiniti QX80, which Honda does not have. These vehicles offer great towing capabilities and good off-road performance. Nissan also has years of experience in building batteries and electric vehicles, as well as gas-electric hybrid powertrains that could help Honda in the development of their own EVs and the next generation of hybrids, he said. But the company announced in November that it was cutting 9,000 jobs, or approximately 6% of its global workforce, and reducing its global production capacity by 20% after reporting a quarterly loss of 9.3 billion yen ($61 million). Recently, Nissan reorganized its management and its CEO, Makoto Uchida, cut his salary by 50% to take responsibility for the financial problems. He stated that Nissan needed to be more efficient and better respond to market preferences, rising costs, and other global changes. Fitch Ratings recently downgraded Nissan's credit outlook to "negative," citing deteriorating profitability, partly due to price cuts in the North American market. However, it noted that Nissan has a strong financial structure and solid cash reserves amounting to 1.44 trillion yen (9.4 billion dollars). The price of Nissan's shares has also fallen to the point that it is considered somewhat of a bargain. On Monday, their stocks traded in Tokyo gained 1.6%. They jumped more than 20% after news of a possible merger spread last week. Honda's shares rose by 3.8%. Honda's net profit decreased by almost 20% in the first half of the fiscal year from April to March compared to the previous year, as sales were affected in China. The merger reflects a trend throughout the industry towards consolidation. During a routine briefing on Monday, Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said he would not comment on the details of the automakers' plans, but stated that Japanese companies need to remain competitive in the rapidly changing market. "As the business environment surrounding the automotive industry undergoes significant changes, with competitiveness in storage batteries and software becoming increasingly important, we expect necessary measures to be taken to survive international competition," Hayashi said. I'm sorry, but it seems like there is no text to translate. If you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to ask! This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.

Ex-DePaul guard leads N. Illinois against Chris Holtmann's Blue DemonsGlobal Times: People's Daily article says favorable conditions for China's economic development remain unchangedThe United States Postal Service might have found a way to unite a nation bitterly divided after this month's election: It will release a Betty White stamp. The beloved actor known for roles in "The Golden Girls," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Boston Legal" and others will be on a 2025 Forever stamp, USPS announced this past week. White died in late December 2021 , less than three weeks before her 100th birthday. The Postal Service hasn't announced a release date for the stamp. Betty White speaks Sept. 17, 2018, at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. “An icon of American television, Betty White (1922–2021) shared her wit and warmth with viewers for seven decades,” the Postal Service said in announcing the stamp, which depicts a smiling White based on a 2010 photograph by celebrity photographer Kwaku Alston . “The comedic actor, who gained younger generations of fans as she entered her 90s, was also revered as a compassionate advocate for animals.” Boston-based artist Dale Stephanos created the digital illustration from Alston's photo. "I'd love to send a letter back to my 18-year-old self with this stamp on it and tell him that everything is going to be OK," Stephanos posted on Facebook . Regardless of personal politics, self-proclaimed supporters of Republican President-elect Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris reacted with delight on social media. "Betty White was my hero, all of my life! I actually had a doll when I was a little girl I named Betty White," one Trump supporter posted on X , formerly Twitter. “Something to make this awful week a little better: We’re getting a Betty White stamp,” a pro-Harris X account posted. White combined a wholesome image with a flare for bawdy jokes . Her television career began in the early 1950s and exploded as she aged. “The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party," Seth Meyers posted on Twitter after her death. "A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end.” Allen Ludden and his wife Betty White, who love to play games, continue a two year gin rummy battle in which she's ahead by a cumulative 6,000 points in Westchester, N.Y. on April 29, 1965. They do it professionally on TV. He's the master of ceremonies on "Password," and she makes frequent guest appearances on game shows. They play games to relax at home. (AP Photo/Bob Wands) Allen Ludden and his wife Betty White admire magnolia blossoms on the lawn of their country home in Westchester, N.Y. on May 14, 1965. (AP Photo/Bob Wands) Actress Betty White in 1965. (AP Photo) Betty White shares a moment backstage at the 28th annual Emmy Awards with Ted Knight after they each won an Emmy for their supporting roles in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." On the series Miss White played Sue Ann Nivens while Knight played newscaster Ted Baxter. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 17, 1976: (L-R) "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" co-stars - Ed Asner, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight - all won awards at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 28th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Shubert Theatre on May 17, 1976 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by TVA/PictureGroup/Invision for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences/AP Images) Actress Betty White with Ted Knight at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Sept. 13, 1981. (AP Photo/Randy Rasmussen) Betty White and Anson Williams don't seem to faze Buckeye, a St. Bernard, during an awards ceremony during which Williams was honored by the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as a friend and lover of animals. Ms. White presented a humanitarian plaque to Williams at the event, which was held in Hollywood, California, Friday, May 1, 1982. (AP Photo/Marc Karody) Actress Betty White with actor John Hillerman arriving at Emmy Awards, Sept. 22, 1985 in Pasadena, California. (AP Photo/LIU) Actresses Betty White Ludden, left, and Mary Tyler Moore, right, smile at each other in Los Angeles, Friday, June 22, 1985 during Annual Meeting of Morris Animal Foundation, at which Ludden announced her retirement as President of the animal health group, held at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) These four veteran actresses from the television series "The Golden Girls" shown during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Actress Betty White poses in Los Angeles, Ca. in June, 1986. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) Betty White stands backstage at the NBC TV Bob Hope "I Love Lucy" special on Sept. 16, 1989. (AP Photo/Djansezian) Michael J. Fox and Betty White, winners of Emmys for best actor and actress in a comedy series, stand backstage at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, Sunday, Sept. 21, 1986 after receiving their honors. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac) Comedienne Betty White places her hand on the star that was presented posthumously to her husband, Allen Ludden, during ceremonies inducting him into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Thursday, March 31, 1988. Ludden was honored with the 1,868th star of the famed walkway — between those of White and Tyrone Power. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Estelle Getty, who plays Sophia, poses with her new husband, who plays Max, and the other "Golden Girls" after taping of episode on Friday, night, Nov. 5,1988 in Hollywood. Left to right are Rue McCLanahan (Blanche), Getty, Gilford, Bea Arthur (Dorothy) and Betty White. (AP Photo/Ira Mark Gostin) Former cast members of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, sans Mary Tyler Moore, are reunited for the Museum of Television and Radio's 9th annual Television Festival in Los Angeles Saturday, March 21, 1992. From left are Gavin MacLeod, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Betty White and Ed Asner. (AP Photo/Craig Fujii) Actress Betty White, left, writer/producer David E. Kelley, actress Bridget Fonda, and actor Oliver Platt pose at the premiere of their movie "Lake Placid," Wednesday night, July 14, 1999, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Betty White, from "Golden Girls," and Mr. T, Lawrence Tureaud, from "The A Team," pose for photographers at NBC's 75th Anniversary Party, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rene Macura) Actors Betty White, left, Georgia Engel, second left, Gavin MacLeod, center, Valerie Harper, second right, and John Amos pose for photographers during arrivals at CBS's 75th anniversary celebration Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003, in New York. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano) Actress Betty White laughs as an African eagle roosts overhead at the Los Angeles Zoo Monday, Feb. 20, 2006, in Los Angeles, where White was honored as Ambassador to the Animals by the city for her decades of dedication to the humane treatment of animals. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rene Macura) Betty White arrives at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, on Friday, June 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Beatrice Arthur, left, Betty White, center, and Rue McClanahan, of the Golden Girls, arrive at the TV Land Awards on Sunday June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Actor Henry Winkler, center, is seen Beatrice Arthur, right, and Betty White at the TV Land Awards on Sunday June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) In this Nov. 24, 2009 file photo, actress Betty White poses for a portrait following her appearance on the television talk show "In the House," in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) Actress Betty White poses for a portrait on the set of the television show "Hot in Cleveland" in Studio City section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Actress Betty White is seen on stage at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010 in Universal City, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Betty White, a cast member in "You Again," poses with fans holding Betty White masks at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Actress Betty White wears a U.S. Forest Ranger hat after being named an Honorary Forest Ranger by the US Forest Service, at the Kennedy Center in Washington Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010. White has stated in numerous interviews that her first ambition as a young girl was "to become a forest ranger, but they didn't allow women to do that back then". (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Betty White, left, Bradley Cooper and Scarlett Johansson arrive at the MTV Movie Awards in Universal City, Calif., on Sunday, June 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Betty White, left, Kristen Bell, center, and Jamie Lee Curtis, cast members in "You Again," pose together at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Betty White, left, accepts the Life Achievement Award from Sandra Bullock at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) From left, actresses Betty White, Wendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, and Jane Leeves pose for a portrait on the set of the television show "Hot in Cleveland" in Studio City section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Alec Baldwin, left, and Betty White are seen on stage at the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Betty White attends a book signing for her book 'If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)' at Barnes & Noble in New York, Friday, May 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes) Actress Betty White attends a press conference prior to the taping of "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl" on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Vince Bucci) Actress Betty White arrives on a white pony as she is honored at a Friars Club Roast sponsored by Godiva, Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at the Sheraton Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Starpix, Marion Curtis) Betty White, at left, attends her wax figure unveiling at Madame Tussauds on Monday, June 4, 2012 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Katy Winn/Invision/AP) From left, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, Actress Betty White and The 2012 American Hero Dog Gabe pose during 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Invision/AP) Betty White and Cloris Leachman onstage at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the JW Marriott on Saturday, April 20, 2013 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP) Ellen DeGeneres, left, presents Betty White with the award for favorite TV icon at the People's Choice Awards at the Nokia Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Betty White, left, speaks at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Looking on from right are Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

A Chinese film set during the Covid-19 pandemic won the top prizes in Taiwan's prestigious Golden Horse Awards, which saw the highest number of entries from China in recent years despite political tensions. Beijing banned its entertainers from joining Golden Horse -- dubbed the Chinese-language "Oscars" -- in 2019 after a Taiwanese director voiced support for the island's independence in an acceptance speech in 2018. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory, which the Taipei government rejects, and Chinese A-listers and big commercial productions have largely avoided the event ever since. Despite the sensitivity of the awards, more than 200 Chinese films entered this year's competition, which Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said was the highest number in "recent years". Acclaimed Chinese filmmaker Lou Ye was awarded best director late Saturday night for his docu-drama "An Unfinished Film", which was also named best picture. Lou was absent from the ceremony but his wife Ma Yingli read his acceptance speech, describing the film set during China's lockdown of Wuhan in the earliest stages of the pandemic as "the most special directing job I have ever done". Chinese actor Zhang Zhiyong, who also did not attend the awards, won best actor for his performance in Chinese director Geng Jun's same-sex drama "Bel Ami". Hong Kong's Chung Suet-ying was named best actress for her role in "The Way We Talk", which is about the deaf community. Neither "Bel Ami" nor "An Unfinished Film" has been released in China. Ahead of the awards, MAC spokesman Liang Wen-chieh told reporters that these films "may not be able to be screened in mainland China, but they still hope to have a free platform to participate and express themselves". "We welcome (them) very much," he said. After several years absence, Chinese stars began trickling back to the awards in Taipei last year, with actress Hu Ling the first to grace the red carpet since the ban. On Saturday, Geng Jun and some of his cast were among the few Chinese entertainers to join stars and filmmakers from around the region, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, on the red carpet. While Geng missed out on best director and best picture, his film "Bel Ami" won the awards for best cinematography and best film editing. Despite political tensions, Golden Horse remained a stage for independent Chinese films that have no distribution space on the mainland, Taiwanese film critic Wonder Weng told AFP. "This spirit remains unchanged. I think the Golden Horse Awards have always insisted on being the benchmark" that is open to all subjects, said Weng, who is a board member of Taiwan Film Critics Society. Weng said "An Unfinished Film" by Lou, who has previously taken on forbidden subjects such as gay sex and the 1989 Tiananmen protests, was "a work of conscience". Lou's latest offering is about a film crew trying to resume shooting a movie during the Covid-19 pandemic in Wuhan, as the city was placed in an unprecedented lockdown. "Lou put images that are banned or blocked into his work and reminds us that there is a director who is willing to preserve historical images for us to see... and let us know there is a different voice," Weng said. aw/amj/dhc

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard scored 14 of his team-high 25 points in the final 10 minutes and Mississippi State pulled away late to post a 91-84 win over a road-weary Prairie View A&M on Sunday afternoon. Prairie View A&M, playing its eighth straight road game after a season-opening win over a non-NCAA opponent, will not play its second home game until it hosts Grambling in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener January 4. The Panthers have surrendered 100 points or more in three games and opponents have topped 90 points in seven of their eight road losses. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.After the strong November payrolls data , released last week, boosted hopes for an interest rate cut in December,the focus of investors in the week ahead will be on the consumer price inflation. The retail inflation data could provide clues on the US Federal Reserve’s last monetary policy of 2024. In addition, the market participants will also have the Producer Price Index (PPI) data. On earnings front, the Wall Street will see quarter results of some big names including Oracle, Adobe and Broadcom. Economic calendar On December 9 (Monday), a report on wholesale inventories for October will be released. On December 10 (Tuesday), separate reports on NFIB Optimism Index for November and US productivity (revision) for Q3 will be released. On December 11 (Wednesday), data on Consumer Price Index inflation for November will be declared. On December 12 (Thursday), data on Producer Price Index inflation for November will be declared. On December 13 (Friday), a report on Import Price Index for November will be released. Earnings Following companies are due to report third quarter earnings in the week ahead — Oracle, Toll Brothers, Casey’s General Stores, AutoZone, Ferguson Enterprises, GameStop, Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Adobe, Broadcom, Costco Wholesale, and Ciena. Events The Goldman Sachs US Financial Services Conference will start on December 10 and the Barclays 22nd Annual Global Technology Conference will begin on December 11. Markets last week The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 rose to record closing high on Friday after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 123.19 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 44,642.52, the S&P 500 gained 15.16 points, or 0.25 per cent, to 6,090.27 and the Nasdaq Composite gained 159.05 points, or 0.81 per cent, to 19,859.77. For the week, the Nasdaq gained 3.3 per cent, the S&P 500 rose about 1 per cent and the Dow fell 0.6 per cent. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.15 per cent from 4.18 per cent.Defiance Connective Technologies ETF (NYSEARCA:SIXG) Declares $0.09 Dividend

WR Berkley's WRB short percent of float has fallen 13.25% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 3.95 million shares sold short , which is 1.31% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 3.31 days to cover their short positions on average. Why Short Interest Matters Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. Short selling is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises. Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish. See Also: List of the most shorted stocks WR Berkley Short Interest Graph (3 Months) As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for WR Berkley has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted. Comparing WR Berkley's Short Interest Against Its Peers Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis. According to Benzinga Pro , WR Berkley's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 1.88%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers. Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Biden Delivers National Address After Bashar Al-Assad Flees Syria: Key Takeaways[Source: Reuters] New Zealand laboured to a 29-11 win over a brave, battling Italy as the All Blacks wrapped up their autumn series with a less than impressive victory. The visitors had been expected to take out their disappointment from the loss to France last weekend on an Italian side which had struggled in their two recent games, losing heavily to Argentina and getting a comeback win over Georgia. Instead, it was Italy who looked the better side at the start, taking a 6-3 lead early on before New Zealand finally found two tries from Cam Roigard and Will Jordan, both converted by Beauden Barrett, to go in 17-6 up at the break. Italy again came out stronger, camping out on the All Blacks’ line but failing to make it count and the second half was 30 minutes old before Mark Tele’a’s try increased the visitors’ lead, with Tommaso Menoncello then going over for Italy before a late Barrett try.

‘Why late Saraki’s legacies must be documented’Six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick interviewed for the head-coaching job at North Carolina, Inside Carolina and the Raleigh News & Observer reported Thursday. According to the News & Observer, Belichick "blew them away in the interview," yet he is not likely to move forward because he is pushing 73 years old and has no experience in the college game. After he and the New England Patriots agreed to part ways following a 24-year stint, Belichick interviewed for the head job with the Atlanta Falcons, who instead hired Raheem Morris. The North Carolina interview is the first known instance of Belichick showing interest in a college position. Belichick is expected to draw interest for NFL openings in the upcoming hiring cycle. The Tar Heels retained an outside advisory firm to identify coaching candidates to replace Mack Brown, whom they fired at the end of the regular season. North Carolina went 6-6, including 3-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. "We've had a tremendous response of people across the country, of agents calling us, coaches, people calling on behalf of other people that are in the industry," North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in an in-house interview the school posted online earlier this week. "We are very optimistic of where we are, the interest in our program is just extraordinary, and we'll get a great coach to lead us. Who can lead us in the next three, five, 10 years? We need somebody that can come in and take us from good to great." --Field Level Media