Jonas Foundation names Arts-in-Education grant recipients
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Luka Doncic returns to Dallas Mavericks' lineup after missing two games with left heel contusion
When the Nebraska football team gathered for its Thursday practice prior to the Wisconsin game, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen wanted to see a game-ready unit. Anything other than the best wasn’t good enough, and Holgorsen backed it up. The players who made mistakes, even committing false start penalties during that practice didn’t play on Saturday because of it, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said. Those who did their job got their chance, though, with Rhule identifying senior wide receiver Isiaha Garcia-Castaneda as one such beneficiary. So while Holgorsen’s playcalling was part of Nebraska’s 44-point outburst against the Badgers, his general approach is what Rhule appreciates most. “You hear Dana on the headset, the whole time he’s just talking about execution,” Rhule said. “... There’s a real focus on execution and when the guys execute the play calls. I think that was the message to the guys — if you execute and practice at a high level, you’re going to have an opportunity to play in the game.” Changes have been limited in Holgorsen’s short time as NU’s offensive coordinator, but he did make sure the Huskers scaled back the number of plays in their playbook. “We’re still doing a lot,” Rhule said, while crediting assistant coaches Glenn Thomas, Garret McGuire and Marcus Satterfield for their work in helping Holgorsen get accustomed to the team’s offensive setup. A “collaborative” gameplanning process that involves those coaches poring over game film and strategy together has led to results, but Rhule again emphasized that improvements from the players, not the coaches, is what has led to better results. When Nebraska was in rhythm on Saturday and stayed ahead of the chains, the Huskers were nearly impossible to slow down. When penalties, turnovers or miscues like snapping on the wrong count happened, though, the offense’s progress was halted. The clear difference? Execution. “It’s kind of a blend of everything we’ve been trying to say to them all year coming to life,” Rhule said of Nebraska’s 44-point performance. “I think the thing Dana’s done a great job is, he’s cut things down to a degree, but he’s demanding that they execute if they want to get on the field.” Nebraska also couldn’t have cut apart the Wisconsin defense without a reinvigorated showing from quarterback Dylan Raiola. Having thrown at least one interception in his previous five starts, Raiola finished the game turnover-free for the first time since September. The freshman also completed 28-of-38 passes for 293 yards and one touchdown, his biggest passing output other than a 297-yard performance against Illinois. Part of the reason for the turnaround was health-related following the back injury Raiola suffered against UCLA. Held out of practice over the bye, Raiola was “ginger” the whole game against USC according to Rhule but was more comfortable with moving around and sliding up in the pocket last Saturday. Getting the ball out quickly and accurately also helped Raiola’s timing within the offense. “He was just taking completions, taking what was there and not trying to do too much,” Rhule said of Raiola. “Playing as a freshman in the Big Ten is really, really hard; it requires tough people and I think Dylan’s been tough in that he’s gotten better every week.” Nebraska’s progress will be tested in a matchup against the nation’s No. 12 scoring defense, an Iowa unit that is allowing just 17.7 points per game. Another week with Holgorsen at the helm will help Nebraska with that challenge as the Huskers look to build on their recent offensive surge. “Just the rhythm of the way he does things means total sense to me,” Rhule said of Holgorsen. “... If I coach with Dana for one more week or if we coach together for the next 10 years, I’ll be a better coach as a result.” Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Founder of failed crypto lending platform Celsius Network pleads guilty to fraud charges NEW YORK (AP) — The founder and former CEO of the failed cryptocurrency lending platform Celsius Network has pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges, admitting that he misled customers about the business. Alexander Mashinsky entered the plea Tuesday in Manhattan federal court to commodities and securities fraud. He admitted illegally manipulating the price of Celsius’ proprietary crypto token while secretly selling his own tokens at inflated prices. A plea agreement Mashinsky reached with prosecutors calls for him to be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. Sentencing was scheduled for April 8. Celsius filed for bankruptcy in 2022. A judge has once again rejected Musk's multi-billion-dollar Tesla pay package. Now what? DETROIT (AP) — For a second time, a Delaware judge has nullified a pay package that Tesla had awarded its CEO, Elon Musk, that once was valued at $56 billion. On Monday, Chancellor Kathaleen St. Jude McCormick turned aside a request from Musk’s lawyers to reverse a ruling she announced in January that had thrown out the compensation plan. The judge ruled then that Musk effectively controlled Tesla’s board and had engineered the outsize pay package during sham negotiations. Lawyers for a Tesla shareholder who sued to block the pay package contended that shareholders who had voted for the 10-year plan in 2018 had been given misleading and incomplete information. US job openings rose last month, though hiring slowed, in mixed picture for labor market WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of job postings in the United States rebounded in October from a 3 1/2 year low in September, a sign that businesses are still seeking workers even though hiring has cooled. Openings rose 5% to 7.7 million from 7.4 million in September. The increase suggests that job gains could pick up in the coming months. Still, the latest figure is down significantly from 8.7 million job postings a year ago. Last month, job openings rose sharply in professional and business services, a category that includes engineers, managers, and accountants, as well as in the restaurant and hotel and information technology industries. Trump vows to block Japanese steelmaker from buying US Steel, pledges tax incentives and tariffs HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is underscoring his intention to block the purchase of U.S. Steel by Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel Corp., and he’s pledging to use tax incentives and tariffs to strengthen the iconic American steelmaker. Trump said during the campaign that he would “instantaneously” block the deal, and he reiterated that sentiment in a Monday night statement. President Joe Biden also opposes Nippon Steel’s purchase of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel. A secretive U.S. committee is reviewing the transaction for national security concerns, and federal law gives the president the power to block the transaction. Nippon Steel is pledging to invest in U.S. Steel’s factories and strengthen the American steel industry. Stock market today: Wall Street inches higher to set more records NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records after a quiet day of trading. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, on Tuesday to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. The South Korean won sank against the dollar after its president declared martial law and then later said he’ll lift it. China bans exports to US of gallium, germanium, antimony in response to chip sanctions BANGKOK (AP) — China has announced a ban on exports to the United States of gallium, germanium and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The Chinese Commerce Ministry announced the move after the Washington expanded its list of Chinese companies subject to export controls on computer chip-making equipment, software and high-bandwidth memory chips. Such chips are needed for advanced applications. Beijing earlier had required exporters to apply for licenses to send strategically important materials such as gallium, germanium and antimony to the U.S. The 140 companies newly included in the U.S. so-called “entity list” subject to export controls are nearly all based in China. Small business owners brace for Trump's proposed tariffs Small businesses are bracing for stiff tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has proposed as one of his first actions when he takes office. Trump has proposed importers pay a 25% tax on products entering the country from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, as one of his first executive orders. This means small businesses may end up paying more for goods and services. Small business owners say they’re waiting to see what final form the tariffs take, but are bracing for higher costs that they may in turn need to pass on to consumers. A top Fed official leans toward December rate cut but says it depends on economic data WASHINGTON (AP) — A top Federal Reserve official says he is leaning toward supporting an interest rate cut when the Fed meets in two weeks but that evidence of persistent inflation before then could cause him to change that view. Speaking at George Washington University, Christopher Waller, a key member of the Fed’s Board of Governors, said he was confident that inflation is headed lower and that the central bank will likely keep reducing its key rate, which affects many consumer and business loans. But he noted that there’s a risk that inflation “may be getting stuck above” the Fed’s 2% target, which would support an argument for keeping the Fed’s rate unchanged this month. US closes investigation into E. coli outbreak linked to onions in McDonald's Quarter Pounders The federal government has closed its investigation into an E. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers after determining there is no longer a safety risk. The outbreak began in late October and sickened at least 104 people in 14 states, including 34 who were hospitalized, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. One person in Colorado died and four people developed a potentially life-threatening kidney disease complication. The FDA linked the outbreak to yellow onions distributed by California-based Taylor Farms and served raw on Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and other states. McDonald’s briefly pulled Quarter Pounders from one-fifth of its U.S. restaurants. Melinda French Gates plans to match $1M in GivingTuesday gifts to groups that support women NEW YORK (AP) — Melinda French Gates is offering to match up to $1 million in gifts to two nonprofit organizations to help spur donations on GivingTuesday. The Tuesday after Thanksgiving, GivingTuesday has become a major annual fundraising day for nonprofits. Through her organization Pivotal Ventures, French Gates will match up to $500,000 in donations to the Vote Mama Foundation and the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers. In an interview with The Associated Press, she said, “It’s a great time to remind people that we’re better off when we give something back and we all have something to give back."
US prosecutors ask judge to dismiss 2020 election interference case against TrumpThe decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Mr Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. The move, announced in court papers, marks the end of the Justice Department’s landmark effort to hold Mr Trump accountable for what prosecutors called a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol on January 6 2021. In court papers, prosecutors said the Justice Department’s position “is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated”. Mr Smith’s team emphasised that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Mr Smith’s team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Mr Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Mr Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated and has vowed to fire Mr Smith as soon as he takes office in January. The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. However, it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Mr Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The US Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Mr Smith’s team filed a lengthy brief in October laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will over voters after he lost to President Joe Biden.
Anyone scouring the internet for holiday deals is likely to encounter more conversational versions of the chatbots that some retailers and e-commerce sites have built to provide shoppers with enhanced customer service. Some companies have integrated models infused with newer generative AI technologies, allowing shoppers to seek advice by asking naturally phrased questions like, “What’s the best wireless speaker?” Retailers hope consumers use these chatbots, which are typically called shopping assistants, as virtual companions that help them discover or compare products. Prior chatbots were mostly used for task-oriented functions such as helping customers track down online orders or return ones that didn’t meet expectations. Amazon, the king of online retail, has said its customers have been questioning Rufus – the generative AI-powered shopping assistant it launched this year – for information such as whether a specific coffee maker is easy to clean, or what recommendations it has for a lawn game for a child’s birthday party. And Rufus, which is available for holiday shoppers in the US and some other countries, is not the only shopping assistant out there. A select number of Walmart shoppers will have access this year to a similar chatbot that the nation’s largest retailer is testing in a few product categories, including toys and electronics.The decision by special counsel Jack Smith, who had fiercely sought to hold Mr Trump criminally accountable for his efforts to subvert the 2020 election, represented the end of the federal effort against the former president following his election victory this month despite the election-related cases and multiple other unrelated criminal charges against him. The move, announced in court papers, marks the end of the Justice Department’s landmark effort to hold Mr Trump accountable for what prosecutors called a criminal conspiracy to cling to power in the run-up to his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol on January 6 2021. In court papers, prosecutors said the Justice Department’s position “is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated”. Mr Smith’s team emphasised that the move to abandon the prosecutions, in federal courts in Washington and Florida, was not a reflection of their view on the merits of the cases but rather a reflection of their commitment to longstanding department policy. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in Monday’s court filing in the election interference case. The decision was expected after Mr Smith’s team began assessing how to wind down both the 2020 election interference case and the separate classified documents case in the wake of Mr Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Justice Department believes Trump can no longer be tried in accordance with longstanding policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted. Mr Trump has cast both cases as politically motivated and has vowed to fire Mr Smith as soon as he takes office in January. The 2020 election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing the Republican as he vied to reclaim the White House. However, it quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Mr Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The US Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to US District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Mr Smith’s team filed a lengthy brief in October laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will over voters after he lost to President Joe Biden.
Mother orca and her children make 'grocery shopping' trip near downtown VancouverBitcoin IV Author says Bitcoin is only commodity in human history whose supply is capped Inviting Bitcoin to Pakistan amounts to inviting cutting-edge, world-changing technology to Pakistan. Inviting Bitcoin to Pakistan amounts to inviting innovation to Pakistan. Embracing this groundbreaking technology will unlock a world of opportunities, driving economic growth, fostering financial inclusion, and positioning Pakistan as a forward-thinking player in the global digital economy. By leveraging Bitcoin, Pakistan can attract tech-savvy investments, create jobs, and modernise its financial infrastructure for a more inclusive future. Bitcoin is an extremely scarce asset. Bitcoin is the only commodity in human history -- along with certain other cryptocurrencies -- whose supply is capped. Bitcoin is digital gold. Bitcoin is borderless. Bitcoin is decentralised. Bitcoin is global. Bitcoin is peer-to-peer. Bitcoin is open-source. Bitcoin is pseudonymous. Bitcoin is immutable. Bitcoin is transparent. Bitcoin is a medium of exchange. Bitcoin is a unit of account. Bitcoin is resistant to censorship. Bitcoin is resistant to inflation. Bitcoin is programmable money. Bitcoin is community-driven. Bitcoin is an innovation catalyst. Bitcoin is a challenge to traditional finance. Bitcoin is about social change. Sovereign entities that hold Bitcoin include the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Bhutan, El Salvador, Venezuela, Finland, Georgia, Bulgaria, and Germany. The Bitcoin Act of 2024 (S 4912), a bill that proposes holding Bitcoins as a ‘Strategic National Reserve’, is pending in the United States Congress. RESBit, a similar bill to allocate up to five per cent of Brazil’s international reserves to Bitcoin, is pending at the Brazilian Congress. El Salvador has adopted Bitcoin as legal tender. Thailand, Philippines, Paraguay, Panama, South Korea, India, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE, Qatar, France and Switzerland are all taking steps towards integrating cryptocurrencies into their financial systems. The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) has invested $156 million in Bitcoin. The Florida State Board of Administration (SBA) is also exploring a similar investment. Additionally, the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS), the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA), and several cities and counties in Texas, Wyoming, and New York are considering making similar moves into cryptocurrency investments. MicroStrategy, Marathon Digital Holdings, Tesla, Coinbase Global, Block, Inc., Galaxy Digital, the Tezos Foundation, iShares Bitcoin Trust, Grayscale, Fidelity, and several other major corporations collectively own Bitcoin holdings valued at nearly a trillion dollars. For Pakistan, Bitcoin offers the potential to serve as a hedge against inflation, providing a store of value not tied to traditional fiat currencies. For Pakistan, Bitcoin can bring much-needed diversification, reducing reliance on traditional assets. By embracing this digital currency, Pakistan can foster technological advancement, opening doors to blockchain innovation and the digital economy. For Pakistan, Bitcoin can drive financial inclusion by providing unbanked populations access to secure and efficient financial systems. It promises to stimulate economic growth by creating new industries, job opportunities, and investments. Finally, Bitcoin could play a role in addressing Pakistan's debt challenges by serving as a high-value reserve asset, potentially improving the country’s fiscal stability and global financial standing. To be certain, Bitcoin is now mainstream, having evolved from a niche experiment into a globally recognised asset class and technology. Pakistan cannot afford to be left behind in embracing this transformative financial innovation, as doing so risks missing out on significant economic and technological opportunities. The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. He tweets/posts @saleemfarrukh and can be reached at: farrukh15@hotmail.com
AP News Summary at 6:20 p.m. ESTFrom Underdogs to Contenders: How Coach DeCan revived Hudson Valley women’s volleyball
NonePop superstar Katy Perry, who campaigned for Kamala Harris, is getting ridiculed on social media after she urged her followers to watch the movie Idiocracy — an apparent dig at President-elect Donald Trump and his supporters. Bypassing Letterboxd, Katy Perry posted her thoroughly unoriginal movie recommendation to X late Wednesday. Since then, she has received an outpouring of ridicule, with some noting that the last four years under Biden-Harris have been a more accurate reflection of the 2006 Mike Judge movie. “It covered 20202 to 2024 perfectly,” one commenter noted. “Don’t have to I lived through the Biden administration. By the way you know Mike Judge is conservative right?” another wrote. “You are a celebrity in the Idiocracy.. see how that works,” another commenter noted. “We’ve all already seen it and lived it the past 4 years,” another concluded. Idiocracy has become a cliched movie recommendation among leftists whenever a Republican, conservative, or non-establishment candidate wins an election. As Breitbart News reported , Katy Perry was one of several pop stars who participated in election-eve swing-state concerts for Kamala Harris, with the goal of encouraging low propensity voters to turn out for the Harris-Walz ticket. Other stars who performed were Lady Gaga and Jon Bon Jovi. Not only did the effort fail, with President-elect Donald Trump winning all seven battleground states, the concerts cost the Harris campaign a fortune, pushing the campaign into serious debt after blowing through $1 billion raised from donors. Follow David Ng on Twitter @HeyItsDavidNg . Have a tip? Contact me at dng@breitbart.com.
Latest challenge to North Carolina's power-shifting law focuses on state elections board controlNoneLuka Doncic returns to Dallas Mavericks' lineup after missing two games with left heel contusion
LA Galaxy wins record 6th MLS CupWayne Barnes reveals how McCaw got into referees' heads