Canada stocks lower at close of trade; S&P/TSX Composite down 0.02%Freeman added three steals for the Wildcats (2-4). Tre Thomas added 17 points while shooting 4 for 12 (4 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line while he also had six rebounds. Daniel Rouzan went 5 of 10 from the field to finish with 10 points. The Fightin' Hawks (3-3) were led in scoring by Treysen Eaglestaff, who finished with 20 points. Mier Panoam added 19 points for North Dakota. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Penn State is heading into the new calendar year in impressive fashion, but one final challenge awaits as the Nittany Lions square off against Penn on Sunday afternoon in University Park, Pa. The Nittany Lions (10-2) have enjoyed a strong season to this point, highlighted by a win over then-No. 8 Purdue earlier this month. Most recently, the team topped Drexel 75-64 last weekend as Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 18 points and Ace Baldwin Jr. chipped in 15 points and six assists. Penn State outrebounded Drexel 40-31 and grabbed 19 offensive boards, including six by Puff Johnson and three by Konan Niederhauser. "Offensive rebounds are extra possessions," Nittany Lions coach Mike Rhoades said. "That gets us to where we want to go to. Number of possessions, it's a better chance to win all the time." Konan Niederhauser has shot at least 50 percent from the floor in every game except one this season and enters Sunday's clash averaging 13.0 points, which is second-best on the squad. Baldwin comes in with 14.2 points to go along with 8.5 assists, which ranks among the top marks in the nation. That duo, in addition to Penn State's bevy of 3-point shooters, should give Penn plenty to handle defensively. The Quakers (4-8) have allowed at least 80 points five times this season, including in Sunday's 85-53 trouncing at the hands of George Mason. Offense was another major issue in that game, as Penn shot just 32.2 percent from the floor and committed 15 turnovers. "We played 3 1/2 games of really good defense over the last three weeks and the defense was poor in the second half (against George Mason)," Penn coach Steve Donahue said. "On the defensive end, making sure late in the clock we don't let our guard down, keep guys in front, and limit them to one shot ... when we do those things -- those simple things -- we're a good basketball team." Penn and Penn State have met six times previously, but not since 2017. The Nittany Lions lead the all-time series 4-2. --Field Level MediaPenn State looks to control offensive glass vs. PennChinese parliament chief visits Athens
Traffic citations against Dolphins' Tyreek Hill dismissed after officers no-show at hearingAffiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate tax products to write unbiased product reviews. Gift tax may apply to gifts of cash or other property. There are several gift tax exclusions, including gifts between spouses. Every taxpayer can give an unlimited number of people up to $18,000 annually in 2024 (and $19,000 annually in 2025) without triggering the gift tax. Federal gift tax may apply when someone gives a gift — of cash or any other type of property — to someone else and receives nothing in return. In some cases, depending on the gift's size, the use of a property or income from a property could trigger gift taxes. Selling something at a greatly reduced cost compared to its value could also be considered a gift. When gift tax applies, the giver is generally responsible for paying, though the recipient may agree to pay the taxes in some situations. 2024 gift tax exclusions and limits Any gifts given to an individual totaling less than $18,000 are not federally taxable for the 2024 tax year. That means you could give up to $18,000 to as many people as you'd like without triggering gift tax or needing to file a gift tax return. In 2025, the $18,000 cutoff increases to $19,000 annually. For married couples who live in community property states or couples who live in common law states and elect to split gifts, the amount for 2024 is $36,000. These taxpayers must always file a gift tax return, known as Form 709 . Gifts that are exempt from gift tax You generally don't need to file a gift tax return for: Gifts worth less than the annual gift exclusion amount Tuition or medical expenses paid directly to an institution Gifts to your spouse Gifts to a political organization Gifts to organizations deemed exempt by the IRS Gifts to a 529 college savings plans in which the contribution is front-loaded and spread over five years When do you need to file a gift tax return? If your gift is larger than $18,000 or $36,000 for a married couple in 2024 and doesn't meet one of the exceptions, then you need to file Form 709 to report it. Married couples cannot file a joint gift tax return even if gifts are split. Each spouse should file a separate return if they make any taxable gifts that exceed the annual exclusion, even if they won't have to pay taxes on them. In 2024, individual taxpayers have a $13.61 million lifetime exemption, up from $12.92 million in 2023. The amount of the gift that exceeds the annual limit each year reduces your lifetime exemption amount. The gift tax return is filed as a record of that reduction. Gifts of real estate, vehicles, cash, stock, or other valuable investments are situations where you may exceed the annual exclusion. Filing Form 709 also helps you establish the cost basis in the gifted property, which will be necessary to determine if you have a gain or loss if you dispose of it in the future. If you do trigger the gift tax, rates start at 18% and go up in increments based on the size of the gift above the annual $18,000 limit. The highest gift tax rate is 40% for taxable gifts over $1 million. Note: In 2026, the lifetime exemption amount will revert to its pre-2018 level of $5 million, adjusted for inflation, unless Congress passes a new tax law. A successful businesswoman gives her niece a $36,000 car for college graduation. What a lucky niece! In this case, a gift tax return would need to be filed, as it is above the $18,000 annual exclusion. There probably won't be any gift taxes due. Chances are, the woman hasn't used up her lifetime exemption. If she had used up her lifetime exemption, she would pay an 18% tax rate on the first $10,000 and a 20% rate on the next $8,000. That's a total of $3,400 in gift tax. Strategies to minimize gift tax If you prefer to make gifts directly to friends and family (other than your spouse), be sure to stay at or below the $18,000 annual limit. If you give more than that to any recipient, you will be required to file a gift tax return to report your reduction in your lifetime exemption. Married couples can take advantage of gift splitting if they file a joint tax return, effectively doubling their annual gift limit to $36,000. For example, say a married couple gifts $35,000 cash to their adult daughter for her thirtieth birthday. In this case, the couple can take advantage of the total gift tax exclusion afforded for spouses and won't owe any gift tax, but they will still need to file Form 709 with their tax return. One way to bypass the annual gift limit is to give directly to medical or educational institutions on behalf of another person. For example, if you want to pay for your grandchild's college tuition but the annual amount far exceeds $18,000, you can pay the school directly and avoid having to file a gift tax return. Note that expenses paid for books, supplies, and room and board are not eligible. Gift and estate taxes can get complicated at higher levels. If you're concerned about triggering gift taxes or minimizing tax on your estate, consult a tax advisor . FAQs on the gift tax No, you don't need to pay taxes on gifts you receive. If gift tax is due, it is the giver's responsibility to pay. Gift taxes are progressive, just like income taxes. Rates range from 18% to 40%, with the top bracket applying to taxable gifts of $1 million or more. Gifts exceeding the annual $18,000 per person limit, or $36,000 for married couples, will reduce the giver's lifetime exemption amount. For example, if a single filer gives $25,000 cash to a friend, $7,000 will be considered taxable. But since the giver has a $13,610,000 million lifetime exemption, the $7,000 gets subtracted from that amount, leaving them with an exemption of $13,603,000. If they make no more gifts until they die, the exemption amount will fully apply to their estate. Real estate/mortgages Taxes Retirement planning Small business finances Banking Budgeting
We've finally gotten our first proper look at The Witcher 4 , and while Ciri's place as the RPG's protagonist answered a lot of prayers among series fans, there are an equal number wondering how established lore will allow her to be a Witcher. Luckily, it turns out that The Witcher 4 itself will answer that very question. "Dear, if you're wondering how Ciri may be on the path as a witcher, well, there's the story of the Witcher IV to tell that tale," CD Projekt boss Adam Badowski says on Twitter . "A huge thank you for the respect and love for the lore created by Andrzej Sapkowski. Hugs!" There are, indeed, a number of lore questions that need to be answered about Ciri taking on the mantle of a Witcher, not the least of which is whether we're getting a specific Witcher 3 ending canonized . While a tiny detail in the new trailer certainly suggests one ending stands above the others, lore master Cian Maher tells IGN that the new game won't "break any canon or even offend any canon." In that same interview, CDPR also confirms that Ciri has undergone the Trial of the Grasses - something that typically only young boys are able to survive. Given the timeline of The Witcher 3, Ciri would have to be an adult woman by the time she undergoes the trial, making for a doubly low survival rate - or so the arguments from those annoyed about her role in the new game go. But honestly, her Elder Blood powers are probably reason enough to handwave any issue on that front. "For good and for bad, she wants to become a Witcher," game director Sebastian Kalemba explains in a video breaking down the new trailer. "And the word 'become'... There is a journey, and I want people to experience this journey." Geralt will return in The Witcher 4, confirms CD Projekt Red - and yes, that's his voice you hear at the end of the RPG's new trailer.ICBF crosses new milestone with 40th anniversary library opening
DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad , gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey, which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, U.S. officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria's new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has worked to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned about extremist jihadis among the rebels. Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after, we will work to build this country, and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed the historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. Syrian state television reported that the sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria were tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. “I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011," because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.” Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come. But there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.” Blocks away in Damascus' biggest roundabout, named Umayyad Square, thousands gathered, including many families with small children — a sign of how, so far at least, the country's transformation has not caused violent instability. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” the crowd chanted. Some shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centers of Assad’s security forces. One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine — originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted — said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze.” The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition's enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels were bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Similar scenes of joy unfolded in other major cities, including in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Raqqa. Al-Sharaa, HTS' leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will impose a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds . Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria's Kurds. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s Embassy in Damascus would reopen Saturday for the first time since 2012, when it closed due to the Syrian civil war. The U.S. has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad's fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. It has also seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the U.S. on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey's borders a terrorist group, as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the U.S. A U.S. official said that in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan both told Blinken that Kurdish attacks on Turkish positions would require a response. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic talks. The U.S. has been trying to limit such incidents in recent days and had helped organize an agreement to prevent confrontations around the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which was taken by Turkey-backed opposition fighters from the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces earlier this week. In Baghdad, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, saying both countries wanted to ensure the Islamic State group — also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh — doesn't exploit Syria's transition to re-emerge. “Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out, and we’re determined to make sure that that doesn’t happen," Blinken said. The U.S. official who briefed reporters said that Blinken had impressed upon al-Sudani the importance of Iraq exercising its full sovereignty over its territory and airspace to stop Iran from transporting weapons and equipment to Syria, either for Assad supporters or onward to the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Lee reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.