CONNECTICUT (WABC) -- This time of the year can be dangerous on the roads. Accidents are bound to happen with people visiting from out of town who don't always know the lay of the land. In Connecticut, there's a safety system in place to prevent drivers from making a deadly mistake. The red wrong-way signs on highway entrance ramps have gotten a technology upgrade with flashing lights that alert the driver, allowing them to turn around before getting on the wrong way. The Connecticut Department of Transportation calls it a self-correction. "The technology works, this technology saves lives and it's why we're committed to putting this on as many ramps as we possibly can here in Connecticut," said Josh Morgan, with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The state has been on a mission to reduce the number of wrong-way collisions, which are usually head-on and often result in fatalities. Drivers admit it's a concern. "We see all the signs on 95, 299 crashes, some of them have been terrible. How can you not?" Stamford resident Joyce Fubini said. "Both ongoing and oncoming are on the same ramp. There's one, it makes me nervous," resident Mary Thies said. This year 13 people have been killed in wrong-way crashes, which is down from 23 deaths in 2022. That's when the State Legislature allocated $40 million to upgrade its warning system. Sensors trigger flashing lights which notify an operations center and mounted cameras record the activity. Because nearly every wrong-way accident involved an impaired driver, specific locations have been targeted. "We charted out a map, if the ramp is within a certain distance of a bar, restaurant, hotel, someplace that's going to be service alcohol, that was a sign of pretty high score," Morgan said. Connecticut officials are warning motorists since Thanksgiving weekend is busy and deadly. "These are probably the most dangerous four days of the year on our Connecticut highways and usually 10-20 serious injuries, fatalities many of them alcohol-related," Governor Ned Lamont said. 135 of these sensors have been installed throughout the state this year. 100 more are planned for next year. * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * Follow us on YouTube * More local news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
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Hayden Road closed following crash that left motorcycle rider with life-threatening injuriesA FURIOUS Social Security recipient has been struggling to feed herself since failing to get a life-changing $1,800 in payouts. Romaine Fantroy first started having problems with her benefits in October, and months later, she's still fighting for her money . Two months ago, the Oklahoma City resident was baffled when the Social Security office failed to load her monthly $943 onto her Direct Express card. Direct Express cards are designed specifically to be loaded with federal benefits, and users don't have to have an existing bank account . Fantroy went to the office for answers and was told that she would have to ditch the card and open a checking account instead. However, once she did so, Fantroy claims she was only sent a measly $93. read more money stories She also didn't get money in November until she visited the office and demanded her payout. Months later, as the bills pile up, the issue still hasn't been fixed. "Here I am fighting for my benefits for December," she told NBC affiliate KFOR . "It's December 10th. I can't eat, I can't clean, I can't do laundry. Most read in Money "I can't do anything because they won't give me my benefits." Dressed in a bonnet, an emotional Fantroy admitted she can't even get a haircut until she gets her necessary payout. "My routine has been completely thrown off," she said. Other Social Security recipients have blasted the administration for failing to give them payouts. One anonymous resident told the local station he was owed a massive $1,800 after he started having issues with his Direct Express card. Every time he tries to call and get the issue fixed, he's put on hours-long holds. Direct Express, which is owned by financial services company Comerica, has faced recent legal troubles for allegedly failing its customers. Social Security payments are issued on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of each month based on the recipient's birthdate: Second Wednesday : For individuals born between the 1st and 10th of the month Third Wednesday : For those born between the 11th and 20th Fourth Wednesday : For those born between the 21st and 31st On Friday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued the company, accusing it of dropping customer calls and charging illegal ATM fees. Comerica specifically refused services to elderly consumers who didn't have a bank account, the suit alleges. However, Comerica defended itself against the claims and blasted the CFPB for "ignoring arguments and documentation." Read More on The US Sun The company has filed its own suit against the bureau that accuses it of "regulatory overreach" that "undermined the legitimacy of its own investigation," Comerica told the Detroit Free Press . The U.S. Sun has reached out to the SSA and Comerica for comment. Those who cannot afford to pay back the overpayment amounts noted by the SSA or feel they should not have to can file a specific form. The form is identified as SSA-632 on the SSA website and can be filled out and submitted at a local office. "If you agree that you have been overpaid, but you feel you should not have to pay it back because you did not cause the overpayment and you cannot afford to repay it, you should file Form SSA-632," the SSA notes on its website. It also lists multiple repayment options. Recipients with additional questions are urged to call 1-800-772-1213.How Major US Stock Indexes Fared Dec.11 Powerful spotlights Wednesday night dance to the music on top of Jason Mills’ home at 74 Warren Road in Monmouth. The lights have prompted questions and speculation from residents miles away. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal MONMOUTH — It’s not unusual, some evenings, for people to pull to the side of the road, get out of their cars and just start dancing in the street in front of Jason Mills’ house on Warren Road. “We’ve had people out there singing at the top of their lungs, too,” says Mills, “and it’s just fun and funny. We really enjoy seeing people out there.” These spontaneous displays of singing and dancing aren’t the work of lunatics. They are among the many who stop in front of Mills’ house in the early evenings to enjoy the elaborate Christmas light show going on there. And when we say “elaborate,” we really mean it. We’re talking 18,000 LED lights flickering, flashing and kind of dancing along in exotic ways in sync with the music. We’re talking computer controlled projectors beaming images onto the windows, where exotic swirls of light move in every imaginable way. Every once in while, you’ll see the ghostly image of a guitarist jamming along to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Mills’ front door. The lights spin and throb and pulsate in such a wild variety of ways, it’s mesmerizing. The experience is almost psychedelic. It is, without question, hypnotic. Sheets of LED bulbs change with the music at Jason Mills’ home in Monmouth. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal And there are four moving spotlights atop Mills’ roof, as well. They shoot out beams of light and move every which way based on the music. The light dances playfully on whatever sky cover there happens to be that night, and people have reported seeing this phenomena as far away as Turner and Greene, Lewiston, Auburn and Poland, in some cases attributing it to UFOs or the northern lights. When it comes to his Christmas light show, Mills, an assistance chief with the Monmouth Fire Department, does not mess around. His show is carefully curated through computer software that allows him to adjust the timing of every bulb and get every flash and flicker in line with the beat of the holiday season songs on his playlist. This is not traditional Christmas decorating. The display is all encompassing. From the great spotlights on the roof to the animated Christmas trees and candy canes on the front lawn, Mills has used the latest in lighting technology to present one of the grandest displays one will find in the region. It’s a lot of work and none of it is cheap: The spotlights alone run about $1,000 apiece and the LED lights were at one time selling for about a buck a bulb. Yet, Mills has been doing this for years and his officially named Monmouth Lights show gets wilder with each new Christmas season. Jason Mills stands Wednesday night in front of his home at 74 Warren Road in Monmouth., where his ever-evolving light display is attracting people from across the region. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal “Inspiration for my light show came from a few places,” says Mills, in a way that is both modest and alive with childlike enthusiasm. “When I was a kid, my grandmother had an amazing Christmas light display every year and I see this as my way of carrying on that piece of her legacy. I am also a big fan of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and started going to their concerts around 20 years ago. The lighting at those concerts is a show of its own and, as a bit of a tech geek, it garnered my interest immediately. So in 2012 I started Monmouth Lights with a few strings of traditional Christmas lights and some controllers that I put together. I had a couple different songs each year and we would see a handful of cars each night stop by. We did that for three or four years before work got in the way.” Things went along at that tempo for a few years. Then Mills stepped things up a notch or three. “In 2019, we moved to our current house and I started looking into smart lighting options,” Mills says. “I built a few small controllers and played around with some LED strips before stumbling across some information about connecting them into a Christmas light show. That’s all it took to throw me back into the hobby and I started putting together a small show. We didn’t expect a lot of visitors, but that was 2020 and a lot of normal Christmas events and traditions weren’t happening that year, so we had more than we anticipated and we ended up causing a few traffic problems.” Mills lives on a pretty quiet stretch of Warren Road. In order for someone to cause traffic problems there, people would have to be coming from miles around to see the show. That’s exactly what happened, and the show draws even more interest these days now that it’s bigger and brighter and more intense than ever. Viewers watching the light show from their cars can tune their radios to 91.7 FM to hear the music while the lights dance. The closer Christmas gets, the more Christmas music is being added to the playlist. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal The popularity of Mills’ light show got a boost recently thanks to a bunch of threads on social media where people — including Sun Journal photographer Russ Dillingham — reported seeing lights in the sky in far-flung places like the wilds of Turner. Some folks thought it was Elon Musk’s Starlink they were seeing up there in the heavens. Others thought UFOs were making regular stops to the area. When it was finally sorted out, many made the drive out to lonely Warren Road to have an up-close look at Mills’ fancy display. By then, Mills already had a pretty good following. There is rarely a time between 4:30 and 9 p.m. that at least one vehicle isn’t stopped in front of his house to enjoy the show — which takes an amazing 22 minutes to cycle from start to finish before beginning all over again. Mills gets help from his wife and two daughters, both with the setup and the computer controls. “My oldest daughter is just in high school,” Mills says. “Now she’s kind of getting into computer programming and stuff, so she’s starting to learn how to program the songs so she can pick some of her favorites and make some light shows from them.” The light show at the Monmouth home of Jason Mills includes thousands of LED lights, projects, spotlights and even a collection box for families to drop off their letters to Santa. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Mills adds new songs to the mix every week. Right now, there’s a little bit of everything in there, but as it gets closer to the holiday, Mills will switch over to Christmas music exclusively. He also gets a little help from Maine Equipment Rental, which partners with Mills and made it possible for him to work safely and with a little bit of a break on his own costs. Mills said he’s never considered asking for help from the public to pay for his setup. He does this for them and all he wants is for families viewing the show to have a good time. Families can drop off letters to Santa and watch the light show choreographed by computer to an ever-changing playlist of music. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal “We do this show for the community,” Mills says, “and there is never a charge to come and see it. We do have a Santa’s mailbox where families can drop their letters to Santa and we will get them to the North Pole. If they include a return address, we do our best to make sure they get a personal replay.” Some folks will leave donations in a box at the roadside, but Mills gives 100% of anything collected to local youth STEM and arts programs, including Monmouth VEX Robotics and the Monmouth Community Players’ kids program. The show runs nightly and Mills plans to keep the display going until the new year. Those who stop to take in the grand show can tune their radios to 91.7 FM to hear the music or they can download the PulseMesh app on their phones. In spite of the breathtaking magnitude of his light show, Mills doesn’t consider himself any kind of local king of Christmas displays. In fact, he says that some spectacular light shows at nearby homes — on Small Road and on Hallowell Road in Litchfield — make it so that the drive to the area is three times as special for those out to enjoy Christmas decorations in the area. You can find more information about Mills’ work at the Facebook group Monmouth Lights , but take it from us. This is the kind of Christmas decoration that has to be seen to be believed. We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use . More information is found on our FAQs . You can modify your screen name here . Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve. Please sign into your Sun Journal account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe . Questions? Please see our FAQs . Your commenting screen name has been updated. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »
US announces nearly $1 bn in new military aid for UkraineJuan Soto introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15-year deal NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto put on a New York Mets jersey and cap for the first time after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized and talked about what made the difference in his decision. He said at his introductory news conference on Thursday that the Mets “showed me a lot of love." Soto was introduced at Citi Field a day after his deal was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, Soto was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and his agent, Scott Boras. Bill Belichick 'always wanted' to give college coaching a try. Now he will at North Carolina New North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick said he had long been interested in coaching in the college ranks. But it had never worked out until now, as he takes over the Tar Heels program. Belichick led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles during a 24-year run there that ended last year. University trustees approved terms of a five-year deal for him Thursday morning before he held his introductory news conference on campus. Wander Franco's sex abuse trial has been postponed 5 months PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — The trial against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking, has been postponed until June 2, 2025. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing Thursday at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment. Rape investigation that Swedish media say focused on Kylian Mbappé has been closed STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with soccer star Kylian Mbappé’s visit to Stockholm in October. In a statement, lead investigator Marina Chirakova says there is not enough evidence to continue the investigation into the allegation at a hotel. Prosecutors never publicly named the suspect in the investigation but some Swedish media reported it was Mbappé. The Real Madrid striker visited Stockholm in October during a break in the Spanish league. At the time, Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false. Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter is The Associated Press college football player of the year. Hunter received 26 of the 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes, and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. A throwback player who rarely left the field, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defensed as a shutdown corner. Hunter helped the the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. 2034 World Cup visitors will live in 'a bubble' and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says LONDON (AP) — A Saudi human rights activist says soccer fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” that doesn't reflect real life there. Lina al-Hathloul is a London-based activist whose sister was jailed in Saudi Arabia then banned from travel after campaigning to end a ban on women driving. When FIFA confirmed the kingdom as the 2034 tournament host on Wednesday its president Gianni Infantino acknowledged “the world will be watching” for positive social change. Al-Hathloul says western people “will be very safe” at the World Cup but "will see a bubble of what Saudi Arabia is.” Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy new charter unless federal antitrust suit is dropped CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A new court filing says NASCAR rejected Front Row Motorsports’ agreement to purchase a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing unless the team and 23XI Racing dropped their federal antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series. Front Row and 23XI rejected NASCAR's new revenue sharing agreement and have gone to court. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. Indian teen Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest chess world champion after beating Chinese rival NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in Thursday's game which was played in Singapore. He has surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Dommaraju is now also the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. Hojlund scores twice for Manchester United to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in Europa League Rasmus Hojlund scored twice after coming off the bench and Manchester United rallied to beat Viktoria Plzen 2-1 in the Europa League. The Denmark striker netted in the 88th minute after collecting Bruno Fernandes’ pass off a free kick to seal the victory. Ahead of the late games, United moved to fifth place with 12 points from six games. Hojlund came on in the 56th to replace Marcus Rashford and scored an equalizer six minutes later. In the Conference League a youthful Chelsea lineup made the most of a long trip to Kazakhstan by beating Astana 3-1 to stay perfect in the third-tier competition. Raiders player Charles Snowden facing misdemeanor DUI charge after Las Vegas arrest LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders football player Charles Snowden was arrested in Las Vegas on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence and released from custody. The NFL, the Raiders and Snowden’s attorneys acknowledged Thursday the 26-year-old first-year defensive end was arrested early Tuesday. He faces a scheduled court date in April. It’s not clear yet whether the arrest will affect Snowden’s status with the team. He has played every game this season, and the Raiders' next game is at home on Monday. Commissioner Roger Goodell can impose a three-game suspension without pay for a first violation of the league's alcohol abuse policy.WASHINGTON (AP) — A person accused of accosting U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace in a Capitol Office building pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to a misdemeanor assault charge. Witnesses told police that James McIntyre, 33, of Chicago, shook Mace's hand in an “exaggerated, aggressive” manner after approaching the South Carolina Republican in the Rayburn House Office Building on Tuesday evening, according to a police affidavit. Mace, who is identified only by her initials in a court filing, posted a string of social media messages about the incident. She said she was “physically accosted” at the Capitol, and she thanked President-elect Donald Trump for calling her Wednesday morning to check on her condition. “I’m going to be fine just as soon as the pain and soreness subside,” Mace wrote. Mace declined to be treated by a paramedic after her encounter with McIntyre, who was arrested Tuesday by the Capitol Police, the affidavit says. Mace told police that McIntyre said, “Trans youth serve advocacy,” while shaking her hand. Last month, Mace proposed a resolution that would prohibit any lawmakers and House employees from “using single-sex facilities other than those corresponding to their biological sex.” Mace said the bill is aimed specifically at Delaware Democrat Sarah McBride — the first transgender person to be elected to Congress. A magistrate judge ordered McIntyre’s release after an arraignment in Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Efforts to reach an attorney for McIntyre weren't immediately successful.
This Magnificent Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Has Crashed 12%. Here's Why That's Great News for InvestorsCORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Garry Clark scored 15 points as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi beat Stephen F. Austin 67-48 on Saturday night. Clark had 12 rebounds for the Islanders (6-4, 1-1 Southland Conference). Owen Dease went 3 of 3 from the field to add 10 points. Jordan Roberts had 10 points and shot 4 for 9. Nana Antwi-Boasiako led the Lumberjacks (5-5, 0-2) in scoring, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Clayton Southwick added 10 points and two steals. Myles Jenkins had five points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
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WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for Fox Corp. asked a Delaware judge Friday to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit seeking to hold current and former company officials personally liable for the financial fallout stemming from Fox News reports regarding alleged vote rigging in the 2020 election. Five New York City public employee pension funds, along with Oregon’s public employee retirement fund, allege that former chairman Rupert Murdoch and other Fox Corp. leaders deliberately turned a blind eye to liability risks posed by reporting false claims of vote rigging by election technology companies Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic USA. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
No peace on earth or goodwillWhy NuScale Power Stock Jumped 28% to an All-Time High This Week
WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — Attorneys for Fox Corp. asked a Delaware judge Friday to dismiss a shareholder lawsuit seeking to hold current and former company officials personally liable for the financial fallout stemming from Fox News reports regarding alleged vote rigging in the 2020 election. Five New York City public employee pension funds, along with Oregon’s public employee retirement fund, allege that former chairman Rupert Murdoch and other Fox Corp. leaders deliberately turned a blind eye to liability risks posed by reporting false claims of vote rigging by election technology companies Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic USA. Smartmatic is suing Fox News for defamation in New York, alleging damages of $2.7 billion. It recently settled a lawsuit in the District of Columbia against One America News Network, another conservative outlet, over reports of vote fraud. Dominion also filed several defamation lawsuits against those who spread conspiracy theories blaming its election equipment for Donald Trump’s loss in 2020. Last year, Fox News settled a defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion in Delaware for $787 million. The shareholder plaintiffs also allege that Fox corporate leaders ignored “red flags” about liability arising from a 2017 report suggesting that Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer, may have been killed because he had leaked Democratic party emails to Wikileaks during the 2016 presidential campaign. Rich, 27, was shot in 2016 in Washington, D.C., in what authorities have said was an attempted robbery. Fox News retracted the Seth Rich story a week after its initial broadcast, but Rich’s parents sued the network for falsely portraying their son as a criminal and traitor. Fox News settled the lawsuit in 2020 for “millions of dollars,” shortly before program hosts Lou Dobbs and Sean Hannity were to be deposed, according to the shareholder lawsuit. Joel Friedlander, an attorney for the institutional shareholders, argued that Fox officials waited until the company’s reporting about Rich became a national scandal before addressing the issue. Similarly, according to the shareholders, corporate officials, including Rupert Murdoch and his son, CEO Lachlan Murdoch, allowed Fox News to continue broadcasting false narratives about the 2020 election, despite internal communications suggesting that they knew there was no evidence to support the conspiracy theories. “The Murdochs could have minimized future monetary exposure, but they chose not to,” Friedlander said. Instead, he argued, they engaged in “bad-faith decision making” with other defendants in a profit-driven effort to retain viewers and remain in Trump’s good graces. “Decisions were made at the highest level to promote pro-Trump conspiracy theories without editorial control,” Friedlander said. Defense attorneys argue that the case should be dismissed because the plaintiffs filed their lawsuit without first demanding that the Fox Corp. board take action, as required under Delaware law. They say the plaintiffs also failed to demonstrate that a pre-suit demand on the Fox board would have been futile because at least half of the directors face a substantial likelihood of liability or are not independent of someone who does. Beyond the “demand futility” issue, defense attorneys also argue that allegations that Fox officials breached their fiduciary duties fail to meet the pleading standards under Delaware and therefore should be dismissed. Defense attorney William Savitt argued, for example, that neither the Rich settlement, which he described as “immaterial,” nor the allegedly defamatory statements about Dominion and Smartmatic constitute red flags putting directors on notice about the risk of defamation liability. Nor do they demonstrate that directors acted in bad faith or that Fox “utterly failed” to implement and monitor a system to report and mitigate legal risks, including defamation liability risk, according to the defendants. Savitt noted that the Rich article was promptly retracted, and that the settlement included no admission of liability. The Dominion and Smartmatic statements, meanwhile, gave rise themselves to the currently liability issues and therefore can not serve as red flags about future liability risks, according to the defendants. “A ‘red flag’ must be what the term commonly implies — warning of a risk of a liability-causing event that allows the directors to take action to avert the event, not notice that a liability-causing event has already occurred,” defense attorneys wrote in their motion to dismiss. Defense attorneys also say there are no factual allegations to support claims that Fox officials condoned illegal conduct in pursuit of corporate profits, or that they deliberately ignored their oversight responsibilities. They note that a “bad outcome” is not sufficient to demonstrate “bad faith.” Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster is expected to rule within 90 days.The Times view on housebuilding: New Build
The safety of TikTok users “is at the core of the platform”, one of the social media giant’s executives has said as it announced 175 million people now use the platform each month. Christine Grahn, TikTok’s head of European public policy, said users needed to feel safe in order to properly use a platform, and this was a key factor for the company. She was speaking as the shortform video giant held its European Safety Forum in Dublin , where the company discussed upcoming new safety features, including looking into ways of using new machine learning technology to better spot under-13s trying to join the service, and announced plans to add more age restrictions to some facial effects and provide more information to younger users on how an effect might alter their appearance if applied. “If people don’t feel safe, they are not going to bring their authentic selves to the platform and express themselves, and that means that we don’t have the platform that we’re hoping to create,” Ms Grahn told the PA news agency. “In order for us to achieve the best result, which is, at the end of the day, safety for our users, we have everything to gain from working with partners of various sorts. “We adapt our products based on the research that comes out of that work, and we also work with academic partners to integrate their experience. “The end result is going to be so much better if we work together as a society to address societal issues rather than trying to do so in silos.” Richard Collard, associate head of policy for child safety online at the NSPCC, said it was “encouraging” to see TikTok looking to tackle age-related online safety issues. “Given the well documented risks and harmful content that proliferates on some social media platforms, it’s vital that tech companies do everything in their power to ensure the youngest children are not accessing their sites,” he said. “However, age limits only work if they are meaningfully enforced. It’s encouraging to see TikTok recognising this challenge and taking responsibility by using technology to help them uphold their own terms and conditions and keep children safer. “This is just the tip of the iceberg. Other social media sites must step up and find effective ways to assess the ages of their users. “Ofcom and the Government also have an important role to play in compelling tech bosses to deliver age-appropriate experiences for all their users.” Despite its efforts on safety, concerns have been raised in the US and elsewhere about the platform’s possible links to China – TikTok’s parent company is the China-based ByteDance – and critics have raised concerns TikTok could be pressured into handing over data to the Chinese government. TikTok remains banned from government devices in the UK, and its future in the US remains uncertain over a law that requires the site to be sold by ByteDance by January or face being banned in the United States – although it is unclear if president-elect Donald Trump will uphold these plans when he takes office in the same month. In response to these concerns, TikTok has repeatedly denied it does or ever would share data with the Chinese government, and has begun a £10 billion scheme to move its European user data to data centres in Europe to further enhance its security credentials. The scheme also includes independent oversight by a British cybersecurity firm, NCC Group, something Ms Grahn hailed as “unprecedented”. “We’re very proud of this industry-leading data security project, that aims to keep our users even more secure,” she told PA. “There’s a number of different parts in this project, but maybe one of the most interesting is this unprecedented third-party external oversight by British cybersecurity company NCC Group. “They are continuously monitoring the security gateways that surround the European enclave where we store European TikTok user data.” She added: “From our perspective, this has been a massive undertaking – 12 billion euros over the course of 10 years – and we are quite proud of the fact that we’re building out this model, and we do see it to be truly industry leading. “I think some of the aspects of this will also be industry-wide challenges, but we’re happy to be on this journey and we’re quite proud of the progress that we’ve made so far.”NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Friday after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation . The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 123.19 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8% to set its own record. The quiet trading came after the latest jobs report came in mixed enough to strengthen traders’ expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again at its next meeting in two weeks. The report showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected last month, but it also said the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%. “This print doesn’t kill the holiday spirit and the Fed remains on track to deliver a cut in December,” according to Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector investing within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year. And the Fed is part of a global surge: 62 central banks have lowered rates in the past three months, the most since 2020, according to Michael Hartnett and other strategists at Bank of America. Still, the jobs report may have included some notes of caution for Fed officials underneath the surface. Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, pointed to average wages for workers last month, which were a touch stronger than economists expected. While that’s good news for workers who would always like to make more, it could keep upward pressure on inflation. “This report tells the Fed that they still need to be careful as sticky housing/shelter/wage data shows that it won’t be easy to engineer meaningfully lower inflation from here in the nearer term,” Wren said. So, while traders are betting on an 85% probability the Fed will ease its main rate in two weeks, they’re much less certain about how many more cuts it will deliver next year, according to data from CME Group. For now, the hope is that the job market can help U.S. shoppers continue to spend and keep the U.S. economy out of a recession that had earlier seemed inevitable after the Fed began hiking interest rates swiftly to crush inflation. Several retailers offered encouragement after delivering better-than-expected results for the latest quarter. Ulta Beauty rallied 9% after topping expectations for both profit and revenue. The opening of new stores helped boost its revenue, and it raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for sales over this full year. Story continues below video Lululemon stretched 15.9% higher following its own profit report. It said stronger sales outside the United States helped it in particular, and its earnings topped analysts’ expectations. Retailers overall have been offering mixed signals on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain amid the slowing job market and still-high prices. Target gave a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season, for example, while Walmart gave a much more encouraging outlook. A report on Friday suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers may be improving more than economists expected. The preliminary reading from the University of Michigan’s survey hit its highest level in seven months. The survey found a surge in buying for some products as consumers tried to get ahead of possible increases in price due to higher tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has threatened. In tech, Hewlett Packard Enterprise jumped 10.6% for one of the S&P 500’s larger gains after reporting stronger profit and revenue than expected. Tech stocks were some of the market’s strongest this week, as Salesforce and other big companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. All told, the S&P 500 rose 15.16 points to 6,090.27. The Dow dipped 123.19 to 44,642.52, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 159.05 to 19,859.77. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.15% from 4.18% late Thursday. In stock markets abroad, France’s CAC 40 rose 1.3% after French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to stay in office until the end of his term and to name a new prime minister within days. Earlier this week, far-right and left-wing lawmakers approved a no-confidence motion due to budget disputes, forcing Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet to resign. In Asia, stock indexes were mixed. They rallied 1.6% in Hong Kong and 1% in Shanghai ahead of an annual economic policy meeting scheduled for next week. South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.6% as South Korea’s ruling party chief showed support for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared martial law and then revoked that earlier this week. Yoon is facing calls to resign and may be impeached. Bitcoin was sitting near $101,500 after briefly bursting above $103,000 to a record the day before. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., details her resolution requiring staffers to use bathrooms corresponding with their biological sex on 'The Ingraham Angle.' New Hampshire Judge Steven McAuliffe presided over a case involving parents in the state who wore pro-girl armbands at a high school girls soccer game that included a transgender athlete . During the case, McAuliffe pushed back on the parents for repeatedly referring to the athlete as a boy. "You seem to go out of your way to suggest there’s no such thing as a trans girl ," McAuliffe said during the hearing. McAuliffe's federal judicial service dates back to 1992, when he was appointed by former President George H.W. Bush. On Thursday, McAuliffe heard arguments in a case in which plaintiffs Kyle Fellers and Anthony Foote sued the Bow School District after being banned from school grounds for wearing the wristbands at their daughters' soccer game in September. THE PRONOUN POLICE HAVE ARRIVED AND ARE COMING FOR YOU NEXT The wristbands said "XX" in reference to the natural female chromosomes. The "XX" logo has become an unspoken symbol of the ongoing legal and political battle against transgender inclusion in girls and women's sports across the country. Many consider it a women's rights phenomenon. The no-trespass orders have since expired, but McAuliffe is deciding whether the plaintiffs should be allowed to wear the wristbands and carry signs at upcoming school events, including basketball games, swim meets and a music concert, while the case proceeds. A protester outside the Kansas Statehouse holds a sign after a rally for transgender rights on the Transgender Day of Visibility, March 31, 2023, in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/John Hanna) They wore the wristbands because another federal judge in New Hampshire, Landya McCafferty, who was appointed to her seat by President Obama in 2013, ruled two transgender athletes would be allowed to play on high school girls soccer teams, overruling a state law in place to prevent that from happening. Fifteen-year-old Parker Tirrell, a transgender athlete, was allowed to compete for Plymouth Regional High School. In a lawsuit filed by Fellers and Foote, they alleged they were told by school officials to remove the armbands or they would have to leave the game. TRANS VOLLEYBALL PLAYER LEGAL HEARING OPENED WITH LONG AND HEATED DEBATE OVER WHAT PRONOUNS TO USE Both of the fathers say the intention of the armband was not to protest Tirrell, but to support their own daughters in a game that featured a biological male. McAuliffe questioned the notion that the wristbands were in support of their own daughters. "Sometimes the message you think you’re sending might not be the message that is being sent," he said. McAuliffe asked Foote whether it occurred to him that a transgender person might interpret the pink XX wristbands as an attempt to invalidate their existence. "If he’s a trans female, pink might be a color he likes," Foote responded. First lady Jill Biden, right, and Steven J. McAuliffe, widower of Christa McAuliffe, arrive at the Christa McAuliffe School in Concord, N.H., March 17, 2021. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Transgender inclusion in girls' and women's sports emerged as a mainstream political issue in the last few years. Instances of athletes discovered to be male and then legally protected to continue playing have emerged in rapid succession since the start of the Biden administration. This includes instances like those involving Tirrell in New Hampshire and others in Virginia and California. At the college level, a situation at San Jose State University involving a transgender volleyball player has prompted multiple lawsuits and a media firestorm. It became a talking point of Donald Trump's presidential campaign before his recent election win. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump and even his wife, Melania, who has admitted to disagreeing with Republicans on issues of LGBT rights, each announced they are opposed to letting biological males compete in girls and women's sports. Trump advocated for a blanket ban during a Fox News town hall event on the campaign trail. Multiple states filed lawsuits and enacted their own laws to address the issue after the Biden-Harris administration issued a sweeping rule that clarified that Title IX’s ban on "sex" discrimination in schools covers discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and "pregnancy or related conditions," in April. The administration insisted the regulation does not address athletic eligibility. However, multiple experts presented evidence to Fox News Digital in June that it would ultimately put more biological men in women's sports. The Supreme Court then voted 5-4 in August to reject an emergency request by the Biden administration to enforce portions of that new rule after more than two dozen Republican attorneys general sued to block the Title IX changes in their own states. During the most recent election cycle, multiple Democrats, including Texas Rep. Collin Allred backtracked on past support for transgender inclusion in women's sports. That trend continued after the election when Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton spoke out against his party's stance and actions in enabling transgender inclusion in multiple interviews, inciting fierce backlash and even a massive pro-transgender rally outside his office. Now, multiple judges like McAuliffe across the country are presiding over cases about the eligibility of transgender athletes in sports. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.
App State hires S.Carolina's Loggains as new HC
1:5 Split, 2 Bonus, 38 Dividends; Not BEL, But A Maharatna Defence PSU Stock Top Pick On Dec-12; New Target?KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Inhabit, a global leader in property management software solutions, announced a preferred equity investment led by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities (Blackstone) with an additional investment from Greater Sum Ventures (GSV). Blackstone joins GSV as well as existing institutional investors Goldman Sachs, Insight Partners and PSG as shareholders in Inhabit. This increased backing from Blackstone and GSV highlights their support of Inhabit's growth trajectory and reinforces the company's potential to drive innovation and improvements in the property management technology industry. "We are thrilled to welcome Blackstone as part of our investor base," said Lisa Stinnett, CEO of Inhabit. "This investment represents a tremendous vote of confidence in Inhabit's potential and positions us to expand our capabilities, elevate customer experience, and drive new levels of success across the residential and vacation property management industries." "Since Inhabit's founding in 2016, GSV has been a proud partner in its journey, and we are excited to continue investing as the company moves to the next level," said Ross Croley, CEO and Founder of GSV. "This next phase is an exciting opportunity to further support Inhabit's growth and innovation in the property management industry." "We are excited to support Inhabit's growth journey and innovative approach to property management technology," said Shary Moalemzadeh, a Senior Managing Director at Blackstone, and Dawn Hu, a Managing Director at Blackstone. "We look forward to investing in Inhabit as they continue to enhance their platform and expand their presence across the industry. Our investment reflects our confidence in Inhabit's ability to continue delivering excellent solutions in this dynamic space." With the backing of Blackstone, GSV's additional investment, and the continued support of Inhabit's equity partners, Inhabit is well-positioned to strengthen its product offerings and deliver exceptional technology solutions to property management companies. Advisors In connection with the transaction, Jefferies LLC and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC provided financial advisory services to Inhabit. Guggenheim Securities acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Blackstone and GSV. About Inhabit Inhabit is a global PropTech software company serving the residential and vacation property management industries. Our 1,100+ employees drive strategic partnerships, deliver best-in-class software solutions and services, and foster innovation and collaboration with business leaders and industry experts. To learn more, visit Inhabit.com. Press Inquiries: pr@inhabit.com About Blackstone Tactical Opportunities Tactical Opportunities (Tac Opps) is Blackstone's opportunistic investment platform. The Tac Opps team invests globally across asset classes, industries and geographies, seeking to identify and execute on attractive, differentiated investment opportunities. As part of the strategy, the team leverages the intellectual capital across Blackstone's various businesses while continuously optimizing its approach in the face of ever-changing market conditions. About GSV Greater Sum Ventures (GSV) is an entrepreneurial family office that invests its own capital in middle market software and tech-enabled services companies. With entrepreneurial roots and strong operational and investing experience, GSV works with select independent co-investing partners to build platforms of technology companies that revolutionize the industries they serve. Headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, GSV provides access to capital and operational support to midmarket technology firms all over the world. To learn more, visit GreaterSumVentures.com . Contact: Joshua Phillips EVP Marketing, Inhabit PR@Inhabit.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/inhabit-secures-investment-from-blackstone-and-greater-sum-ventures-to-accelerate-innovation-and-growth-in-property-management-technology-302319857.html SOURCE Inhabit
Jamie Redknapp pointed the finger at Ruben Amorim’s right-hand man Carlos Fernandes after Manchester United’s set piece problems continued. United lost their second match in a week as Nottingham Forest left Old Trafford with a famous 3-2 win on Saturday evening . The defeat was Amorim’s first at home and followed on the back of a comprehensive 2-0 reverse at Arsenal on Wednesday to leave United languishing in 13th place in the Premier League . They were 1-0 down inside two minutes when Nikola Milenkovic climbed highest to power home a corner for Forest. The ease with which he got a free header inside the United box was concerning after Arsenal scored both of their goals from corners earlier in the week. Amorim explained before the game that Fernandes has taken over from Andreas Georgson as the coach in charge of set pieces – and former Liverpool midfielder Redknapp is not impressed by the defensive set-up he has implemented. “ Manchester United have changed their set piece coach,” he said in a piece of analysis on Sky Sports. “They’ve got a new guy in, that the manager’s brought in. Carlos Fernandes his name is. Another guy was doing it. But this doesn’t work for me. There are a couple of people in the Premier League who you don’t want to mark from set pieces: one of them is Gabriel [Magalhaes] and one has to be Chris Wood. “[Manuel] Ugarte, he must be 5ft 10in maximum, and he’s up against Chris Wood. If that ball comes in there it’s a mismatch and it’s a goal. Nobody in this situation is taking control. There’s not one bit of confidence when I look at it.” Former United centre-back Phil Jones feels that having Diogo Dalot as the first defender on the near post is problematic. He believes that Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt should be positioned more prominently to clear the ball. “There was a real sense of vulnerability, just watching the game, in the crowd,” Jones said. “It was almost infectious, every time the ball went out for a corner you felt that.” He added: “I think he's got a clear identity of how he wants to play, I think he's got a clear message of how he wants every individual player to be in possession, out of possession, that will take time. “He's alluded to the fact that it will take time to implement his style and the way he wants to go about things. But I do think if you're going to concede goals like they have and set plays then they're going to find it increasingly difficult.” When asked who was to blame for the poor organisation from the corner, Amorim told Sky Sports: "This is more my fault, because I'm responsible. And we tried to do it in the best way. We did a lot of work in this area, because we saw it in Arsenal. It was really hard.” United striker Rasmus Hojlund said: "Annoying goals of course, we need to do better, specifically on corners, we've conceded too much now but I'm sure we'll improve.” Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Sky has slashed the price of its Sky Sports, Sky Stream, Sky TV and Netflix bundle in an unbeatable new deal that saves £240 and includes 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.Trane Technologies PLC stock falls Friday, underperforms market
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Voters dejected by the presidential election results need to find a way to give back and remain involved, Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton said Saturday as they celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Clinton presidential library. The former president urged audience members in a packed theater to remain engaged and find ways to communicate with those they disagree with despite a divisive political time. The two spoke about a month after former President Donald Trump's win over Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential election. “We’re just passing through, and we all need to just calm down and do something that builds people up instead of tears them down,” Bill Clinton said. Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state who was defeated by Trump in the 2016 election, said she understands the next couple of years are going to be challenging for voters who don't agree with the decisions being made. "In addition to staying involved and staying aware, it’s important to find something that makes you feel good about the day because if you’re in a constant state of agitation about our political situation, it is really going to shorten your life," she said. The Clintons spoke during a panel discussion with journalist Laura Ling, who the former president helped free in 2009 when she was detained in North Korea with another journalist. The event was held as part of a weekend of activities marking the 20th anniversary of the Clinton Presidential Library's opening in Little Rock. The library is preparing to undergo an update of its exhibits and an expansion that will include Hillary Clinton's personal archives. Hillary Clinton said part of the goal is to modernize the facility and expand it to make it a more open, inviting place for people for convene and make connections. When asked about advice he would give for people disappointed by the election results, Bill Clinton said people need to continue working toward bringing people together and improving others' lives. “If that's the way you keep score, then you ought to be trying to run up the score,” he said. “Not lamenting the fact that somebody else is winning a different game because they keep score a different way." “And in addition, figure out what we can do to win again,” Hillary Clinton added, eliciting cheers. The program featured a panel discussion with cast members of the hit NBC show “The West Wing” and former Clinton White House staffers. The weekend amounted to a reunion of former Clinton White House staffers, supporters and close friends, including former Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and adviser James Carville. McAuliffe said he and Carville ate Friday at Doe's Eat Place, a downtown restaurant that was popular with Clinton aides and reporters during Clinton's 1992 White House run. He said he viewed the library and its planned expansion as important for the future. “This is not only about the past, but it's more importantly about the future," McAuliffe said. “We just went through a very tough election, and people are all saying we've got to get back to the Clinton model.”