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How can the Rams clinch NFC West division title in Week 17?
FLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Inter Milan beat Como 2-0 to cement third place in Serie A and close the gap on top two Atalanta and Napoli on Monday. Carlos Augusto got the opener when he headed home a corner kick in the 48th minute. Marcus Thuram scored the second in stoppage time with a potent strike into the roof of the net. It was the first time these teams have played each other in the top division since 2003 and although Inter had lost only one league game all season it struggled to impose itself on 15th-placed Como. However, it won without exerting itself and the three points were enough to take Simone Inzaghi’s men within three points of leader Atalanta and within one of Napoli. Inter has a game in hand over both clubs. Fiorentina misses chance to rise Fiorentina missed a chance to go fourth when it lost at home to Udinese 2-1. The Florence club won a record eight consecutive Serie A games before losing to Bologna 1-0 on Dec. 15, and it looked to be back on track when Moises Kean converted a penalty after eight minutes to become the first Fiorentina player to reach double figures in the league since Federico Chiesa in the 2019-20 season. However, Udinese was a different prospect after the break. Lorenzo Lucca equalized with the aid of sloppy defending four minutes into the second half and then Florian Thauvin found space on the edge of the box to curl in the second eight minutes later. The result left Udinese in ninth place and Fiorentina in fifth. The match was a special one for Edoardo Bove, the Fiorentina player whose collapse with a heart issue led to the suspension of its game with Inter Milan on Dec. 1. Bove was fitted with a defibrillator implant soon after and sat on the Fiorentina bench for the first time since his collapse. He is not allowed to play but his position on the sideline alongside coach Raffaele Palladino was seen as a step towards normality for the 22-year-old midfielder. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer The Associated PressBy HALELUYA HADERO The emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce novel and detailed online reviews with almost no work has put merchants , service providers and consumers in uncharted territory, watchdog groups and researchers say. Related Articles National News | Mega Millions jackpot nears $1 billion ahead of Christmas Eve drawing National News | The Container Store, buffeted by rough housing market and competition, seeks bankruptcy protection National News | An ex-police officer is convicted of lying about leaks to the Proud Boys leader National News | 2 US Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent ‘friendly fire’ incident, US military says National News | Luigi Mangione pleads not guilty to state murder and other charges in United Healthcare CEO’s death Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. They are typically traded on private social media groups between fake review brokers and businesses willing to pay. Sometimes, such reviews are initiated by businesses that offer customers incentives such as gift cards for positive feedback. But AI-infused text generation tools, popularized by OpenAI’s ChatGPT , enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice, which is illegal in the U.S. , is carried out year-round but becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season , when many people rely on reviews to help them purchase gifts. Where are AI-generated reviews showing up? Fake reviews are found across a wide range of industries, from e-commerce, lodging and restaurants, to services such as home repairs, medical care and piano lessons. The Transparency Company, a tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews, said it started to see AI-generated reviews show up in large numbers in mid-2023 and they have multiplied ever since. For a report released this month, The Transparency Company analyzed 73 million reviews in three sectors: home, legal and medical services. Nearly 14% of the reviews were likely fake, and the company expressed a “high degree of confidence” that 2.3 million reviews were partly or entirely AI-generated. “It’s just a really, really good tool for these review scammers,” said Maury Blackman, an investor and advisor to tech startups, who reviewed The Transparency Company’s work and is set to lead the organization starting Jan. 1. In August, software company DoubleVerify said it was observing a “significant increase” in mobile phone and smart TV apps with reviews crafted by generative AI. The reviews often were used to deceive customers into installing apps that could hijack devices or run ads constantly, the company said. The following month, the Federal Trade Commission sued the company behind an AI writing tool and content generator called Rytr, accusing it of offering a service that could pollute the marketplace with fraudulent reviews. The FTC, which this year banned the sale or purchase of fake reviews, said some of Rytr’s subscribers used the tool to produce hundreds and perhaps thousands of reviews for garage door repair companies, sellers of “replica” designer handbags and other businesses. It’s likely on prominent online sites, too Max Spero, CEO of AI detection company Pangram Labs, said the software his company uses has detected with almost certainty that some AI-generated appraisals posted on Amazon bubbled up to the top of review search results because they were so detailed and appeared to be well thought-out. But determining what is fake or not can be challenging. External parties can fall short because they don’t have “access to data signals that indicate patterns of abuse,” Amazon has said. Pangram Labs has done detection for some prominent online sites, which Spero declined to name due to non-disclosure agreements. He said he evaluated Amazon and Yelp independently. Many of the AI-generated comments on Yelp appeared to be posted by individuals who were trying to publish enough reviews to earn an “Elite” badge, which is intended to let users know they should trust the content, Spero said. The badge provides access to exclusive events with local business owners. Fraudsters also want it so their Yelp profiles can look more realistic, said Kay Dean, a former federal criminal investigator who runs a watchdog group called Fake Review Watch. To be sure, just because a review is AI-generated doesn’t necessarily mean its fake. Some consumers might experiment with AI tools to generate content that reflects their genuine sentiments. Some non-native English speakers say they turn to AI to make sure they use accurate language in the reviews they write. “It can help with reviews (and) make it more informative if it comes out of good intentions,” said Michigan State University marketing professor Sherry He, who has researched fake reviews. She says tech platforms should focus on the behavioral patters of bad actors, which prominent platforms already do, instead of discouraging legitimate users from turning to AI tools. What companies are doing Prominent companies are developing policies for how AI-generated content fits into their systems for removing phony or abusive reviews. Some already employ algorithms and investigative teams to detect and take down fake reviews but are giving users some flexibility to use AI. Spokespeople for Amazon and Trustpilot, for example, said they would allow customers to post AI-assisted reviews as long as they reflect their genuine experience. Yelp has taken a more cautious approach, saying its guidelines require reviewers to write their own copy. “With the recent rise in consumer adoption of AI tools, Yelp has significantly invested in methods to better detect and mitigate such content on our platform,” the company said in a statement. The Coalition for Trusted Reviews, which Amazon, Trustpilot, employment review site Glassdoor, and travel sites Tripadvisor, Expedia and Booking.com launched last year, said that even though deceivers may put AI to illicit use, the technology also presents “an opportunity to push back against those who seek to use reviews to mislead others.” “By sharing best practice and raising standards, including developing advanced AI detection systems, we can protect consumers and maintain the integrity of online reviews,” the group said. The FTC’s rule banning fake reviews, which took effect in October, allows the agency to fine businesses and individuals who engage in the practice. Tech companies hosting such reviews are shielded from the penalty because they are not legally liable under U.S. law for the content that outsiders post on their platforms. Tech companies, including Amazon, Yelp and Google, have sued fake review brokers they accuse of peddling counterfeit reviews on their sites. The companies say their technology has blocked or removed a huge swath of suspect reviews and suspicious accounts. However, some experts say they could be doing more. “Their efforts thus far are not nearly enough,” said Dean of Fake Review Watch. “If these tech companies are so committed to eliminating review fraud on their platforms, why is it that I, one individual who works with no automation, can find hundreds or even thousands of fake reviews on any given day?” Spotting fake AI-generated reviews Consumers can try to spot fake reviews by watching out for a few possible warning signs , according to researchers. Overly enthusiastic or negative reviews are red flags. Jargon that repeats a product’s full name or model number is another potential giveaway. When it comes to AI, research conducted by Balázs Kovács, a Yale professor of organization behavior, has shown that people can’t tell the difference between AI-generated and human-written reviews. Some AI detectors may also be fooled by shorter texts, which are common in online reviews, the study said. However, there are some “AI tells” that online shoppers and service seekers should keep it mind. Panagram Labs says reviews written with AI are typically longer, highly structured and include “empty descriptors,” such as generic phrases and attributes. The writing also tends to include cliches like “the first thing that struck me” and “game-changer.”
Deion Sanders and the No. 16 Colorado Buffaloes will look to add to their four-game winning streak on Saturday as they take on the Kansas Jayhawks in Week 13 of the 2024 college football season. The game is set to be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the home of two-time defending Super Bowl champion, the Kansas City Chiefs. On Friday, just one day before the game, Coach Prime and the Buffaloes arrived at the NFL stadium. As it happens, Kansas City coach Andy Reid was there as well before he and the Chiefs head to Charlotte, North Carolina, to face the Carolina Panthers in Week 12 of the NFL season. A photo was captured of the two popular head coaches having a conversation. Although it is unclear what was said, there is certainly a lot of football knowledge in the one picture. Coach Prime and Andy Reid at Arrowhead 🔥 📷 : @MJBuffsVoice pic.twitter.com/nBABfZ7Tr8 College football and NFL fans alike loved the interaction between the two coaches, taking to social media to leave their thoughts. "Meeting of greats! Deion Sanders and Coach Andy Reid chatting as Colorado stops by Arrowhead ahead of tomorrow’s Game with KU!" said a user. Another user believes Reid and the Chiefs are cooking something big up for the upcoming 2025 NFL draft. "Don’t count out my team Chiefs they always are cooking something up when it comes to the NFL draft Mahomes to Travis and having Xavier worthy on the other side of you," a second fan said . Another is preparing for a big Colorado crowd at Arrowhead on Saturday. "Remember, the Chiefs playing in Missouri. Missouri hates Kansas," wrote a third. A fourth enjoyed the idea of listening in on the conversation between Sanders and Reid. "To be a fly on the wall during that convo..." the fourth commented . Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Coach Prime has the Buffaloes sitting with an 8-2 overall record and 6-1 in Big 12 play heading into the game against the Jayhawks. With a win on Saturday, Colorado would keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive but would still likely need to win out. Meanwhile, Reid, who has been with Kansas City since 2013, and the Chiefs fell to 9-1 after suffering their first loss of the season this past Sunday against the Buffalo Bills but still remain atop the AFC standings. They are looking to bounce back when they face the Panthers on Sunday. Related: Deion Sanders Made His Thoughts On Julian Lewis' Commitment Extremely Clear
Christmas lights have seen many upgrades over the years, such as bright LEDs and automatic timers. But the latest light strings go way beyond that: App controls , built-in mics and sensor technology let you program light patterns, sync lights to your favorite Christmas songs -- and plenty more surprise presents. So when you're ready to upgrade your holiday decorations (including year-round options) with supersmart lighting options, here are the picks to start with. Special note: If you're looking for a time to buy, now's the time! Many of these lights are currently on sale for Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday , so you can save money on the admittedly expensive smart LEDs. Govee Christmas String Lights 2 Govee's lights can do it all -- literally. Length : 66 to 328 feet Govee's smart string light upgrades are among the best, with several design changes we particularly like. These lights -- which have Matter support and work with Google Home or Alexa -- ditch the hanging bulbs for a string light design, making them a whole lot easier to place in a holiday tree, wrap around a wreath and so on. Plus, the app has serious smarts, with 130 preset modes as well as shape mapping technology for complex DIY options and a surprising AI feature that will try to auto-customize the lights based on texts, snippets of audio music or image prompts so you can really have fun. If you want to take the season to the next level, there's a music mode using built-in mics to sync up to nearby holiday tunes. Note that you can pick a color for the LED string itself, with green being the best option to hide the lights in a tree or bush. They're also weather-resistant and outdoor-ready, so they can fit into any holiday home plan. We also like how affordable they are compared with many options. Philips Hue Festavia String Lights If you want lights that can serve for any holiday event, Festavia is right for you. Length : 100 to 500 bulbs If you're tired of taking different kinds of holiday lights out for each event and then putting them away again, the Philips Hue Festavia lights are made for every holiday event. The indoor/outdoor light string can become any color with the Hue app, right down to each LED to set up the exact theme you want. Add in a Hue Bridge ($60, supports all Philips Hue smart lighting) and you can enable an automatic music sync too. These lights work with Alexa , Google Assistant, and Apple Siri . Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Holiday String Lights Nanoleaf has a few unique tricks for easy holiday setups. Length : 300 bulbs This Nanoleaf string has many vaunted smart features, including Matter with support for Apple Home/Siri , Google Home and Amazon Alexa, plus music syncing. It also has an in-line controller for folks who may not want to mess with a new app during decorating. But our favorite feature by far is the Screen Mirror on PC: Download the Nanoleaf app and you can make the lights immediately mirror whatever colors are on your computer screen, allowing for really creative setups. Twinkly 200-foot Strings Twinkly has some of the best extra-long light strings. Length : 26 to 200 feet If you hate chaining light strings together to cover a sizable spot in your home, we suggest Twinkly's extra-large 200-foot LED string, which gets it all done in one go. The indoor/outdoor lights sport 750 LED bulbs, along with Alexa/Google Assistant support. The app is a bit more limited than some, but that's a great fit for those who just want to set basic colors and timers with some easy light mapping -- without creating headaches. You can add a Twinkly mic ($30) , sold separately, to help with music syncing. Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro Govee's permanent lights could be the perfect holiday light solution for some homeowners. Length : 100 to 200 feet Are you the type who hates to take Christmas lights back down again and finds they "accidentally" get left up year-round? Make it official with this elite Govee installation. Made especially for your eaves but flexible with placement, these lights adhere bulb by bulb for a permanent display. They can provide everyday lighting, then switch to holiday themes and synced flashing when the season rolls around. The lights are cuttable and spliceable for placement or repairs, and they even work with the Govee motion sensor to activate when people draw near. To learn even more about your smart lighting options, make sure to check out our guide to the best overall smart lights , top indoor smart lighting tips and the best smart plugs that can give even the dumbest Christmas lights smart features. Oh, and if you're annoyed at LED lights dying out all the time, we've got a guide on exactly why that's happening .Inter beats Como and closes gap at the top of Serie A while Bove back on Fiorentina sidelineWhy education needs reform
NEW YORK — If you’re planning on ringing in the new year quietly at home, you’re not alone. A majority of U.S adults intend to celebrate New Year’s Eve at home, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. “As I’ve gotten older over the last few years, it’s like if I don’t make it to midnight, it’s not a big deal, you know?” says Carla Woods, 70, from Vinton, Iowa. Nearly 2 in 10 will be celebrating at a friend or family member’s home, and just 5% plan to go out to celebrate at a bar, restaurant or organized event, the poll found. But many U.S. adults will celebrate the new year in a different way — by making a resolution. More than half say they’ll make at least one resolution for 2025. There’s some optimism about the year ahead, although more than half aren’t expecting a positive change. About 4 in 10 say 2025 will be a better year for them personally. About one-third don’t expect much of a difference between 2024 and 2025, and about one-quarter think 2025 will be a worse year than 2024. Relaxed New Year’s Eve plans for many Kourtney Kershaw, a 32-year-old bartender in Chicago, often fields questions from customers and friends about upcoming events for New Year’s Eve. She said this year is trending toward low-key. “A majority of who I’ve spoken to in my age range, they want to go out, but they don’t know what they’re going to do because they haven’t found anything or things are just really expensive,” she said. “Party packages or an entry fee are like a turnoff, especially with the climate of the world and how much things cost.” As expected, younger people are more interested in ringing in the new year at a bar or organized event — about 1 in 10 U.S. adults under 30 say they plan to do that. But about 3 in 10 older adults — 60 and above — say they won’t celebrate the beginning of 2025 at all. Anthony Tremblay, 35, from Pittsburgh, doesn’t usually go out to toast the arrival of the new year, but this year he’s got something special cooked up: He and his wife will be traveling through Ireland. “I don’t do anything too crazy for New Year’s, usually. So this is definitely a change,” he said. “I wanted to do something unique this year, so I did.” Woods will be working New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. She answers calls on The Iowa Warmline, a confidential, noncrisis listening line for people struggling with mental health or substance use issues. “Holidays are really hard for people, so I don’t mind working,” she said. “I’m passionate about it because I have mental health issues in the family and so being able to help people is rewarding to me.” Younger Americans are more likely to make a resolution Every New Year’s also triggers the eternal debate about resolutions. A majority of U.S. adults say they intend to make a New Year’s resolution of some type, but millennials and Gen Z are especially likely to be on board — about two-thirds expect to do so, compared to about half of older adults. Women are also more likely than men to say they will set a goal for 2025. Tremblay hopes to lose some weight and focus more on self-care — more sleep, meditation and breathing exercises. “It’s probably a good year to focus on mental health,” he said. Many others agree. About 3 in 10 adults choose resolutions involving exercise or eating healthier. About one-quarter said they’ll make a resolution involving losing weight and a similar number said they’ll resolve to make changes about priorities of money or mental health. Woods’ resolutions are to stay social and active. As a mental health counselor, she knows those are key to a happy 2025 and beyond: “Probably one of my biggest resolutions is trying to make sure I stay social, try to get out at least once a week — get out and either have coffee or do something with a friend. That’s not only for the physical but also for the mental health part.” Kershaw, the bartender, says weight loss and better health are the top resolutions she hears people make. “Mental health is the new one, but I think it’s high up there as well as with regular health,” she said. She prefers more goal-oriented resolutions and, this time, it’s to do more traveling and see more of the world: “I don’t know if that’s really a resolution, but that’s a goal that I’m setting.” And how will she welcome the arrival of 2025? Usually, she takes the night off and stays home watching movies with plenty of snacks, but this year Kershaw has a different plan, maybe one of the most Chicago things you can do. This die-hard sports fan will be at Wrigley Field on Tuesday watching the Chicago Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues. “Hockey’s my favorite sport. So I will be watching hockey and bringing in the new year,” she said.
Mount St. Mary's 79, Howard 75Fahroni Note: I have covered FuelCell Energy, Inc. or "FuelCell Energy" (NASDAQ: FCEL , OTCPK:FCELB ) previously, so investors should consider this article an update to my earlier work on the company. Earlier this month, FuelCell Energy reported mixed Q4/FY2024 results, with higher-than-expected Massively Outperform in Any Market Value Investor's Edge provides the world's best energy, shipping, and offshore market research. Even during turbulent market conditions, our long-only models have outperformed the S&P 500 by more than 30% YTD. We also offer income-focused coverage geared towards investors who prefer lower-risk firms with steady dividend payouts. Our 8-year track record proves the ability of our analyst team to outperform across all market conditions. Join VIE now to access our latest top picks and model portfolios. I am mostly a trader engaging in both long and short bets intraday and occasionally over the short- to medium term. My historical focus has been mostly on tech stocks but over the past couple of years I have also started broad coverage of the offshore drilling and supply industry as well as the shipping industry in general (tankers, containers, drybulk). In addition, I am having a close eye on the still nascent fuel cell industry. I am located in Germany and have worked quite some time as an auditor for PricewaterhouseCoopers before becoming a daytrader almost 20 years ago. During this time, I managed to successfully maneuver the burst of the dotcom bubble and the aftermath of the world trade center attacks as well as the subprime crisis. Despite not being a native speaker, I always try to deliver high quality research to followers and the entire Seeking Alpha community. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
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COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims' families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev ; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they'd long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move as an assault to common decency just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Victims' families and former colleagues share relief and anger Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by one of the men whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.” Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017, called Biden's commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding that the weeks she spent sitting in court with the hope of justice were now “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” Decision to leave Roof on death row met with conflicting emotions There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can’t even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people," Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof’s case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims' families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I’ve got to stay away from the news today. I’ve got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. One inmate's attorney expresses thanks — and his remorse Two of the men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system’s flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.” ___ Swenson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writer Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, contributed to this report. Jeffrey Collins And Ali Swenson, The Associated PressSports fans who tuned into Netflix's landmark streaming Wednesday of two NFL games may have felt a bit of troubling déjà vu – at first. That's because this crucial event — signaling the entry of the industry's largest streaming service into the blockbuster business of professional football — kicked off with audio problems in the early moments of host Kay Adams' opening presentation. It was a worrying callback to problems Netflix had with its last big live event, the boxing match in November between YouTube star Jake Paul and former champ Mike Tyson when viewers struggled with blurry audio and got regularly kicked off the live stream. Fortunately, Adams' sound problems were quickly fixed, allowing Netflix to step up with a two-game programming event that felt like the streaming service's version of the Super Bowl – complete with a lushly-produced halftime show for its second game featuring pop superstar Beyoncé that could stand up to any Big Game presentation. In fact, the actual football games may have been the least impressive part of Netflix's big day, as Super Bowl champions the Kansas City Chiefs ran over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first game, 29-10 and the Baltimore Ravens dominated the Houston Texans on their home turf for the second contest, 31-2. Stacking its teams of hosts and commentators with experienced broadcasters, Netflix delivered a mostly smooth visual presentation with lots of glitzy graphics and all the information fans needed to follow the game. The connection issues that plagued the Tyson/Paul fight seemed largely absent, at least for this viewer, particularly while watching the games in slightly delayed playback. According to Netflix , more than 200 countries tuned in at some point during the Chiefs vs. Steelers contest, making it the second most popular live title on the streaming service. So, it makes sense the streamer would take advantage of the occasion to shoehorn in lots of references to other Netflix products, including a pregame interview with WWE wrestler Liv Morgan to prompt the debut of WWE Raw live events next month and realistic-looking football-shaped cakes tying into the streamer's game show Is It Cake? There were also loads of commercials, which seemed to play even for subscribers with ad-free plans, though if you watched the games via replay, you could skip past them. But the full games expired from Netflix three hours after the event; two programs offering highlights from each game's plays are available to watch on demand, and the streamer says Beyoncé's halftime show will also be offered as a standalone program to rewatch. Queen Bey, a Houston native, certainly brought the fire to her hometown for what the streamer dubbed the "Beyoncé Bowl" halftime show. Performing songs from her album Cowboy Carter for the first time – including her reboots of "Jolene" and "Blackbird" – she was a vision in white and sequins backed by a cavalcade of dancers decked out in white cowboy hats and ace collaborators like Post Malone and Shaboozey. Her daughter, Blue Ivy, even made an appearance. Beyoncé's epic live performance lasted more than 13 minutes – handily overshadowing Mariah Carey's pre-taped appearances before each game – also proving that Netflix could muster the production value and imagery to match any Super Bowl-level performer. Which was, ultimately, the most important point of the entire day – proving that the streaming service is ready to compete with the big dogs of broadcasting by offering glitch-free NFL games live to a subscriber base of more than 282 million accounts. Netflix isn't the only streamer offering live NFL games. Amazon's Prime Video has Thursday Night Football and Peacock also offers live coverage of some NFL games. But Netflix, as the largest and most profitable streaming service, has a symbolic and substantial impact when it comes to a certain kind of programming. With its plans to stream WWE Raw live events starting next month and a new deal to present the FIFA Women's World Cup, Netflix is turning toward one area of television streaming services haven't yet dominated: live sports. What that ultimately means for the future of television – and the future of sports media – we may just be starting to learn. Copyright 2024 NPRCollege women’s basketball: Goodlett makes game-winner for Catawba
ASML (NASDAQ:ASML) Shares Down 0.2% – Time to Sell?
REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Icelanders will elect a new parliament Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call early elections. This is Iceland’s sixth general election since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy of the North Atlantic island nation and ushered in a new era of political instability. Opinion polls suggest the country may be in for another upheaval, with support for the three governing parties plunging. Benediktsson, who was named prime minister in April following the resignation of his predecessor, struggled to hold together the unlikely coalition of his conservative Independence Party with the centrist Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement. Iceland, a nation of about 400,000 people, is proud of its democratic traditions, describing itself as arguably the world’s oldest parliamentary democracy. The island’s parliament, the Althingi, was founded in 930 by the Norsemen who settled the country. Here’s what to look for in the contest. How does the election work? Voters will choose 63 members of the Althingi in an election that will allocate seats both by regional constituencies and proportional representation. Parties need at least 5% of the vote to win seats in parliament. Eight parties were represented in the outgoing parliament, and 10 parties are contesting this election. Turnout is traditionally high by international standards, with 80% of registered voters casting ballots in the 2021 parliamentary election. Why now? A windswept island near the Arctic Circle, Iceland normally holds elections during the warmer months of the year. But on Oct. 13 Benediktsson decided his coalition couldn’t last any longer, and he asked President Halla Tómasdóttir to dissolve the Althingi. “The weakness of this society is that we have no very strong party and we have no very strong leader of any party,’’ said Vilhjálmur Bjarnson, a former member of parliament. “We have no charming person with a vision ... That is very difficult for us.” Why is Iceland's politics so fractured? The splintering of Iceland's political landscape came after the 2008 financial crisis, which prompted years of economic upheaval after its debt-swollen banks collapsed. The crisis led to anger and distrust of the parties that had traditionally traded power back and forth, and prompted the creation of new parties ranging from the environment focused Left-Green Alliance to the Pirate Party, which advocates direct democracy and individual freedoms. “This is one of the consequences of the economic crash,’’ said Eva H. Önnudóttir, a professor of political science at the University of Iceland. “It’s just the changed landscape. Parties, especially the old parties, have maybe kind of been hoping that we would go back to how things were before, but that’s not going to happen.” What are the issues? Like many Western countries, Iceland has been buffeted by the rising cost of living and immigration pressures. Inflation peaked at an annual rate of 10.2% in February 2023, fueled by the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While inflation slowed to 5.1% in October, that is still high compared with neighboring countries. The U.S. inflation rate stood at 2.6% last month, while the European Union’s rate was 2.3%. Iceland is also struggling to accommodate a rising number of asylum-seekers, creating tensions within the small, traditionally homogenous country. The number of immigrants seeking protection in Iceland jumped to more than 4,000 in each of the past three years, compared with a previous average of less than 1,000. What about the volcano? Repeated eruptions of a volcano in the southwestern part of the country have displaced thousands of people and strained public finances. One year after the first eruption forced the evacuation of the town of Grindavik, many residents still don’t have secure housing, leading to complaints that the government has been slow to respond. But it also added to a shortage of affordable housing exacerbated by Iceland’s tourism boom. Young people are struggling to get a foot on the housing ladder at a time when short-term vacation rentals have reduced the housing stock available for locals, Önnudóttir said. “The housing issue is becoming a big issue in Iceland,'' she said. —— Kirka reported from London. Marco Di Marco And Danica Kirka, The Associated PressToronto Sceptres open PWHL season with 3-1 comeback win over Boston Fleet
When the bowl games were announced on Dec. 8, the matchup in the Holiday Bowl between Washington State and Syracuse looked enticing. Two teams that were ranked at one point throughout the season with explosive offenses were set to make their way to Snapdragon Stadium for the Dec. 27 bowl game. The bowl game will look a lot different now however, with many changes coming to the product on the field, in particular with Washington State. Since the regular season has ended, the Cougars have lost their head coach Jake Dickert, who took the same position with Wake Forest. On top of that, starting quarterback John Mateer announced he will transfer to Oklahoma. Both the coach and quarterback will not be with the team for the Holiday Bowl. When Mateer announced his entrance to the transfer portal, an immediate connection with Oklahoma was made, due to both offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle and quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski making the move to coach the Sooners next season. We have launched our year-end campaign. Our goal: Raise $50,000 by Dec. 31. Help us get there. Times of San Diego is devoted to producing timely, comprehensive news about San Diego County. Your donation helps keep our work free-to-read, funds reporters who cover local issues and allows us to write stories that hold public officials accountable. Join the growing list of donors investing in our community's long-term future. On top of that, over 11 starters from WSU announced their intention to enter the portal, further putting into doubt what the 8-4 Cougars will see in San Diego Friday. In a release from Washington State it was announced assistant head coach and defensive tackles coach Pete Kaligis will assume the interim head coach role for the bowl game. Wide receivers coach Nick Edwards will call offensive plays. On the other sideline, Syracuse has not seen nearly as many changes to their team. Their starting quarterback Kyle McCord will play, as rumors circle on whether or not he will remain with the team heading into 2025. The 2024 Holiday Bowl is set to kick off Dec. 27 at 5 p.m. PST on FOX. Get Our Free Daily Email Newsletter Get the latest local and California news from Times of San Diego delivered to your inbox at 8 a.m. daily. Sign up for our free email newsletter and be fully informed of the most important developments. Sign Up (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});China Moves Beyond Foam by Phasing Out PFOS in FirefightingCOASTAL CAROLINA 73, USC UPSTATE 51