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Oakland County prosecutor refers Oxford High School case to Michigan attorney general for state-led probeSAN FRANCISCO, Nov 25 (Reuters) - An economic adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco known for his research into productivity trends published an analysis Monday that left open the possibility that a recent surge in productivity may not necessarily fade as it so often has in the past. John Fernald, economist emeritus at the San Francisco Fed and a professor at INSEAD in Fountainebleau, France, has long been cautious about extrapolating from short-term trends to conclude that the U.S. is entering a new period of breakout productivity growth like that from 1995 to 2004, which enabled big economic gains without inflation. Some Fed policymakers and analysts have expressed the hope that generative artificial intelligence and other innovations may already be setting the nation up for such a period, which lays the groundwork for improvements in living standards. Most of Fernald's latest piece in the regional Fed's Economic Letter was consistent with a more skeptical view, detailing how a jump in per-worker output at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly faded and longer-term slower trends reasserted themselves. "This pandemic boom-and-bust in productivity growth was a predictable cyclical response overlaid on a broad continuation of the underlying slow growth pace," Fernald and co-authors Huiyu Li, Brigid Meisenbacher and Aren Yalcin wrote, noting that productivity growth surged and faded during the Great Recession as well. Productivity growth is now running close to, although slightly higher, than has been typical since 2004, they found. And yet, they concluded, "there are some reasons for optimism," including recent official data revisions that show faster productivity growth since the pandemic than had been previously estimated. "Much is still uncertain about the productivity effects of emerging technologies like generative artificial intelligence, which will only be revealed over time, as the economy continues to evolve in the aftermath of the pandemic." Sign up here. Reporting by Ann Saphir; editing by Jonathan Oatis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
The Playlist: Week 6 fantasy basketball waiver wire pickups and start/sit adviceWashington, Nov 22 (AP) President-elect Donald Trump's allies on Capitol Hill rallied around Pete Hegseth, Trump's Pentagon pick, on Thursday even as new details surfaced about allegations that he had sexually assaulted a woman in 2017. The GOP embrace of Hegseth came as another controversial Trump nominee, Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration for attorney general. Gaetz said it was clear he had become a “distraction" amid pressure on the House to release an ethics report about allegations of his own sexual misconduct. An attorney for two women has said that his clients told House Ethics Committee investigators that Gaetz paid them for sex on multiple occasions beginning in 2017, when Gaetz was a Florida congressman. Fresh questions over the two nominees' pasts, and their treatment of women, arose with Republicans under pressure from Trump and his allies to quickly confirm his Cabinet. At the same time, his transition has so far balked at the vetting and background checks that have traditionally been required. While few Republican senators have publicly criticised any of Trump's nominees, it became clear after Gaetz's withdrawal that many had been harbouring private concerns about him. Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who served with Gaetz in the House, said it was a “positive move.” Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker said it was a “positive development.” Maine Sen. Susan Collins said Gaetz “put country first and I am pleased with his decision.” After meeting with Hegseth, though, Republicans rallied around him. “I think he's going to be in pretty good shape,” said Wicker, who is expected to chair the Senate Armed Services Committee in the next Congress. Republican senators' careful words, and their early reluctance to publicly question Trump's picks, illustrated not only their fear of retribution from the incoming president but also some of their hopes that the confirmation process can proceed normally, with proper vetting and background checks that could potentially disqualify problematic nominees earlier. Gaetz withdrew after meeting with senators on Wednesday. Sen. Thom Tillis said Gaetz was “in a pressure cooker” when he decided to withdraw, but suggested that it would have little bearing on Trump's other nominees. “Transactions — one at a time,” he said. As the Hegseth nomination proceeds, Republicans also appear to be betting that they won't face much backlash for publicly setting aside the allegations of sexual misconduct — especially after Trump won election after being found liable for sexual abuse last year. Hegseth held a round of private meetings alongside incoming Vice President JD Vance on Thursday in an attempt to shore up support and told reporters afterward: “The matter was fully investigated and I was completely cleared, and that's where I'm gonna leave it.” A 22-page police report report made public late Wednesday offered the first detailed account of the allegations against him. A woman told police that she was sexually assaulted in 2017 by Hegseth after he took her phone, blocked the door to a California hotel room and refused to let her leave. The report cited police interviews with the alleged victim, a nurse who treated her, a hotel staffer, another woman at the event and Hegseth. Hegseth's lawyer, Timothy Palatore, said the incident was “fully investigated and police found the allegations to be false.” Hegseth paid the woman in 2023 as part of a confidential settlement to head off the threat of what he described as a baseless lawsuit, Palatore has said. Wicker played down the allegations against Hegseth, a former Fox News host, saying that “since no charges were brought from the authorities, we only have press reports.” Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said after his meeting with Hegseth that he "shared with him the fact that I was saddened by the attacks that are coming his way.” Hagerty dismissed the allegations as “a he-said, she-said thing” and called it a “shame” that they were being raised at all. The senator said attention should instead be focused on the Defence Department that Hegseth would head. It's one of the most complex parts of the federal government with more than 3 million employees, including military service members and civilians. Sexual assault has been a persistent problem in the military, though Pentagon officials have been cautiously optimistic they are seeing a decline in reported sexual assaults among active-duty service members and the military academies. Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, who will be the No. 2 Republican in the Senate next year, said after his meeting with Hegseth that the nominee is a strong candidate who “pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power – not the current administration's woke political agenda.” Senate Republicans are under pressure to hold hearings once they take office in January and confirm nominees as soon as Trump is inaugurated, despite questions about whether Trump's choices will be properly screened or if some, like Hegseth, have enough experience for the job. Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed, who will be the top Democrat on the panel next year, said the reports on Hegseth “emphasised the need for a thorough investigation by the FBI on the background of all the nominees.” It takes a simple majority to approve Cabinet nominations, meaning that if Democrats all opposed a nominee, four Republican senators would also have to defect for any Trump choice to be defeated. Trump has made clear he's willing to put maximum pressure on Senate Republicans to give him the nominees he wants – even suggesting at one point that they allow him to just appoint his nominees with no Senate votes. But senators insist, for now, that they are not giving up their constitutional power to have a say. “The president has the right to make the nominations that he sees fit, but the Senate also has a responsibility for advice and consent,” said Republican Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota. In the case of Gaetz, he said, “I think there was advice offered rather than consent.” (AP) GRS GRS (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)
Former actress Meghan Markle has finally spoken out following rumors that her professional relationship with Prince Harry is "strained." In recent times, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, currently residing in Montecito, California , have been seen attending events separately. Meghan, 43, a former Suits star , attended a Thanksgiving event last week without her Royal spouse, 40. This follows reports suggesting their work relationship is "in a very bad state." Meghan was all smiles as she participated in an event for the Southern California Welcome Project, in collaboration with hers and Harry's Archewell Foundation, while Harry was noticeably absent. Prince Harry taking an 'aggressive tack' with major rebranding move Harry and Meghan's idyllic US life plagued by 'intolerable' smell - crackdown underway The mother-of-two has now addressed the situation in a statement posted on their joint foundation website. She discussed the "heartfelt dinner" organized for Afghan women by Mina's List. "This initiative, led by the partner organization Mina's List, has spent the past year building community through storytelling and creating a safe space for women who have resettled in the U.S. from Afghanistan," the statement read. It further added: "The evening included a shared meal that encouraged open conversation centered on gratitude and resilience. The Duchess expressed her deep appreciation to the attendees for sharing their personal stories and cultural experiences, underscoring her excitement for future gatherings that continue to strengthen these connections." "The dinner was hosted at Our Place, founded by Shiza Shahid, where the participants were gifted with new cookware for the upcoming holiday season. The Archewell Foundation remains committed to uplifting women and fostering community through shared experiences, reinforcing the importance of unity and support during challenging times." The Duchess of Sussex, known for her love of Thanksgiving, has revealed that she and Prince Harry keep their celebrations "pretty low-key." In an interview with Marie Claire magazine, she expressed her joy at being close to her mother, hinting that Doria Ragland will be joining the Sussexes for the holiday. Meghan also shared a memorable Thanksgiving when feminist activist Gloria Steinem was an unexpected guest. She said: "I was thinking about, in the past few years of having Thanksgiving here, like many of us, I think you always make sure there's room at the table for your friends who don't have family, which is really key." DON'T MISS: 'No trouble' in Harry & Meghan's marriage as they launch separate projects Harry and Meghan's new home could open couple up to 'projects in Europe' Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Portugal plan makes sense for security reason Last week, Harry, who renounced his Royal duties in January 2020 and no longer carries the title His Royal Highness, attended several Invictus Games events in Vancouver, Canada. However, the couple demonstrated their unity as they jointly paid tribute to veterans from both the US and UK on Veteran's Day earlier this month. Meghan and Harry are scheduled to attend the Invictus Games in Canada come February 2025. The Duchess has hinted that their seldom-seen children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, might make a public appearance. There are also whispers that the Royal couple may be contemplating working independently of each other.BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts judge dismissed criminal charges Monday against a backer of Karen Read who admitted placing dozens of yellow rubber ducks and fake $100 bills around town in support of Read. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts judge dismissed criminal charges Monday against a backer of Karen Read who admitted placing dozens of yellow rubber ducks and fake $100 bills around town in support of Read. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BOSTON (AP) — A Massachusetts judge dismissed criminal charges Monday against a backer of Karen Read who admitted placing dozens of yellow rubber ducks and fake $100 bills around town in support of Read. Richard Schiffer Jr. had argued in Stoughton District Court that he had a First Amendment right to support the defense theory that Read — accused of ramming into her boyfriend John O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving the Boston police officer to die in a snowstorm — has been framed in the polarizing murder case. Schiffer’s attorney Timothy Bradl said Monday that the judge made the right call by quickly tossing the felony witness intimidation and criminal harassment charges against Schiffer. The ruling comes as another judge decided Monday to push back Read’s retrial to April after a mistrial was declared in July when jurors couldn’t reach an agreement. Read was facing second-degree murder charges and two other charges. Her attorneys have argued that other law enforcement officers were responsible for O’Keefe’s death. Regarding Schiffer’s charges, Bradl said, “There wasn’t a leg to stand on.” “Hats off to the judge. He didn’t make everyone wait and ruled from the bench. Everything was completely protected by the First Amendment. This was political speech,” Bradl said. The Norfolk District Attorney’s office declined to comment. Schiffer has said he got the ducks idea after thinking about a defense lawyer’s closing argument that Read was framed. Alan Jackson told jurors that “if it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it’s a duck.” Schiffer’s actions did not rise to the level of witness intimidation and criminal harassment “nor does his speech, or in this case his written word on fake currency and use of rubber toys, which are afforded the protections of the First Amendment,” Judge Brian Walsh wrote. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “It is the view of this Court that the defendant’s conduct and speech, though a rather sophomoric expression of his opinion, is nonetheless protected speech,” he wrote. Walsh concluded the two-page ruling with quotes from Indiana poet James Whitcomb Riley, believed to have coined the “walks like a duck” phrase, and Robert McCloskey, author of the children’s book “Make Way For Ducklings.” The defense alleged that O’Keefe was actually killed inside the home of his fellow Boston officer Brian Albert and then dragged outside. They argued that investigators focused on Read because she was a “convenient outsider” who saved them from having to consider law enforcement officers as suspects. Schiffer has been among the dozens of Read supporters who accuse state and local law enforcement of a widespread cover-up. Their demonstrations have led to confrontations, especially in the town of Canton where the murder happened, between those who support Read and others who believe she is guilty. Schiffer, who owns Canton Fence and has said that he knows practically everyone in town through his contracting work, was accused of placing some of the ducks outside a pizza shop run by Brian Albert’s brother, Canton Selectman Chris Albert. Other ducks appeared in O’Keefe’s neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement
Blockchain founder Justin Sun has invested $30 million into President-elect Donald Trump's crypto project, World Liberty Financial. The platform aspires to be a sort of digital asset bank, where customers will be encouraged to borrow, lend and invest in digital coins. It also launched the WLFI token. Trump's company, DT Marks DEFI LLC is entitled to 75% of any revenue over $30 million. Before Sun's investment, the platform had sold $21 million of tokens. Now it has sold $51 million. Tron blockchain founder Justin Sun has invested $30 million into Donald Trump's crypto project, World Liberty Financial, he announced Monday. "We are thrilled to invest $30 million in World Liberty Financial @worldlibertyfi as its largest investor," Sun wrote in a post on X . Sun recently made national headlines when he spent $6.2 million at a Sotheby's auction for a banana duct-taped to a wall . World Liberty Financial, the Trump-branded crypto platform, aspires to be a sort of digital asset bank, where customers will be encouraged to borrow, lend and invest in digital coins. Trump has licensed his name and promotional considerations to the venture through an LLC, with no assumption of liability. In exchange, Trump's LLC received billions of tokens and the right to 75% of revenues above a $30 million threshold. The platform launched a WLFI token last month , and said in a roadmap that it was looking to raise $300 million at a $1.5 billion valuation in its initial sale. Before Sun's investment, $21.2 million worth of the token had been sold. As of Monday afternoon, $51.2 million worth of the token had been sold, according to its website. Sales now appear to have crossed the $30 million threshold to trigger revenue distribution to Trump's LLC. "The U.S. is becoming the blockchain hub, and Bitcoin owes it to @realDonaldTrump ! TRON is committed to making America great again and leading innovation. Let's go!" added Sun. WLFI co-founder Zachary Folkman has said "well over 100,000 people" are on the whitelist to invest in the token. But as of Monday afternoon, only about 20,400 unique wallet addresses hold the token, according to blockchain data tracked by Etherscan, representing roughly 20% of the total number of people who registered. "There have been a number of similarly significant purchases in recent weeks, and we are confident about future success and building out something that helps to make finance freer and fairer," Folkman said in a statement. "We expect more such developments to happen in the coming weeks and months." While Trump does not take office until January, Sun's investment in WLFI, and the revenue it appears to direct to Trump's LLC under the terms disclosed, highlights the way Trump's newer business ventures, like his social media company Trump Media Technology Group and this crypto venture, could offer more direct opportunities for individuals to enrich the president-elect than Trump's hotels and office buildings did. During Trump's first term in office, there were near constant questions about whether foreign governments' lavish spending on rooms and banquets at Trump's Washington, D.C. hotel amounted to violations of the Constitution's "emoluments clause." The clause bars federal office holders from accepting payments or things of value from foreign governments and their representatives. But Trump's hotel rooms and office space have relatively fixed prices, and costs that cut into total profits. By contrast, the investors in Trump's newer ventures — as demonstrated by Sun's token purchase — can inject tens of millions of dollars, instantly, with little to no cost to Trump. Spokespeople for the Trump presidential transition, World Liberty Financial and Sun's Tron did not immediately reply to requests for comment. Sun's purchase comes as Trump actively works to assemble his list of appointees. The president-elect wrapped up cabinet appointments over the weekend and has since moved on to other agency and department leaders. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong reportedly met with Trump to discuss appointments on Nov. 18. Within a day, conversations swirled about the potential for Trump to create the White House's first crypto czar . By the end of the week, longtime crypto foe and SEC chairman Gary Gensler, whose term doesn't expire until June 2026, announced he would be retiring on Inauguration Day. Trump has yet to select a nominee to lead the SEC in Gensler's place. Under new leadership, the securities regulator could choose to drop some of its enforcement actions against major crypto ventures. It's unclear how Tron's case could be impacted. In March 2023 , the commission unveiled fraud and unregistered securities charges against Sun, alongside separate violations against the celebrity backers of his Tronix and BitTorrent crypto assets, which included Jake Paul, Lindsay Lohan and Soulja Boy. The SEC alleged that Sun engaged in fraud by manipulating the trading activity of the two tokens, creating the appearance of active trading when it did not exist. The unregistered offer and sale charges, on the other hand, are similar to charges the SEC has unveiled against other crypto offerings and exchanges, including Genesis, Gemini , Coinbase , Binance, and Kraken. The crypto industry showed up in force this election cycle. Several notable sector leaders including Gemini co-founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss, as well as multiple C-suite executives from crypto firms battling the SEC, donated to PACs supporting the Trump campaign.Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are gearing up for the SEC championship game, which will see them square off against the Texas Longhorns in a rematch from earlier this season when Georgia prevailed by a score of 30-15. Ahead of this huge game, Smart made an interesting comment regarding Quinn Ewers and Arch Manning. The Longhorns are arguably the most well-stocked team in all of college football at the quarterback position, as they have a de facto stud in Ewers, and one of the top up-and-coming prospects in Manning. Both guys have seen time on the field this season due to Ewers battling a slew of injuries. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Thanks for the feedback.
Liverpool legend lashes ‘selfish’ superstar after troubling admission casts doubt over PL future - Fox SportsRangers have turned a corner and there are three players who have made it happenUnlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Jonel Aleccia, The Associated Press
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Role of literature in building harmonious society highlightedWords on ammo in CEO shooting echo common phrase on insurer tactics: Delay, deny, defend A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition used to kill UnitedHealthcare's CEO. That's according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. The words are similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend.” That's how attorneys describe insurers denying services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the words. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. Bitcoin has surpassed the $100,000 mark as the post-election rally continues. What's next? NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin has topped the $100,000 mark, extending a rally in the world’s most popular cryptocurrency sparked by the election of Donald Trump. The milestone comes just hours after the president-elect signaled a lighter regulatory approach to the crypto industry with his choice of crypto advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bitcoin has soared to unprecedented heights since Trump won the election Nov. 5. The cryptocurrency has climbed dramatically from $69,374 on Election Day and rose to more than $103,000 before falling back below $100,000 by Thursday afternoon. US judge rejects Boeing's plea deal in a conspiracy case stemming from fatal plane crashes DALLAS (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a deal that would have let Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed and 346 people died. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas said that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in picking an official to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement. His ruling on Thursday creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant. The judge gave Boeing and the Justice Department 30 days to tell him how they plan to proceed. McKinsey subsidiary will pay $122M for scheme to bribe South African officials, US says WASHINGTON (AP) — An African subsidiary of the consulting firm McKinsey & Company Inc. will pay a criminal penalty of more than $122 million to resolve a U.S. Justice Department investigation into a yearslong scheme to bribe South African government officials. The Justice Department says the scheme involved bribes to officials with South Africa’s state-owned and state-controlled custodian of ports, rails, and pipelines, as well as its state-controlled energy company. It netted McKinsey Africa and its parent company $85 million in profits between 2012 and 2016, officials said. McKinsey said in a statement that it “welcomes the resolution of these matters and the closure of this regretful situation.” EPA hails 'revitalized' enforcement efforts as Biden administration heads to exit WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency says it concluded more than 1,850 civil cases this year, a 3.4% increase over 2023, and charged 121 criminal defendants, a 17.6% increase over the previous year. The agency also issued $1.7 billion in financial penalties, more than double last year's total. Thursday's report was the final one account of Biden-era enforcement actions before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Enforcement efforts included first-ever criminal charges for a California man accused of smuggling climate-damaging air coolants into the United States. Engine maker Cummins Inc. paid more than $2 billion in fines and penalties after it was found to use illegal software to skirt diesel emissions tests. Work-life balance isn't working for women. Why? NEW YORK (AP) — About half of working women reported feeling stressed “a lot of the day,” compared to about 4 in 10 men, according to a Gallup report published Wednesday. The report suggests that competing demands of work and home comprise part of the problem: working women who are parents or guardians are more likely than men who are parents to say they have declined or delayed a promotion at work because of personal or family obligations, and mothers are more likely than fathers to “strongly agree” that they are the default responders for unexpected child care issues. But changing workplace culture and prioritizing well-being can improve the problem, according to Karen Guggenheim, creator of the World Happiness Summit. From outsider to the Oval Office, bitcoin surges as a new administration embraces crypto NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin burst on the scene after trust had withered in the financial system and Washington’s ability to protect people from it. Now, it’s Washington’s embrace of bitcoin that’s sending it to records. Bitcoin briefly surged above $103,000 after President-elect Donald Trump said he will nominate Paul Atkins, who's seen as friendly to crypto, to be the Securities and Exchange Commission's next chair. The crypto industry, meanwhile, did its part to bring politicians friendly to digital currencies into Washington. It's a twist from bitcoin's early days, when it was lauded as a kind of electronic cash that wouldn’t be beholden to any government or financial institution. Stock market today: Wall Street edges back from its records as bitcoin briefly pops above $100,000 NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their records as Wall Street counted down to a big jobs report that’s coming on Friday. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.2% from its own all-time high. The crypto market had more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before falling back toward $99,000. It's climbed dramatically since Election Day on hopes President-elect Donald Trump will be more friendly to crypto. Airline stocks were strong, while Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Key members of OPEC+ alliance are putting off production increases amid slack crude prices FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries have decided to put off increasing oil production as they face weaker than expected demand and competing production from non-allied countries — factors that could keep oil prices stagnant into next year. The OPEC+ members decided at an online meeting to postpone by three months production increases that had been scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. The plan had been to start gradually restoring 2.2 million barrels per day over the course of 2025. That process will now be pushed back to April 1, 2025 and production increases will gradually take place over 18 months until October 2026. Eli Lilly invests $3B to expand Wisconsin factory to help meet demand for Mounjaro, Zepbound Eli Lilly is spending another $3 billion to bulk up manufacturing as the drugmaker seeks to stoke production of some blockbuster drugs and future products. Lilly said Thursday it will expand a Kenosha County, Wisconsin, factory it bought early this year. The investment will help meet growing demand for injectable products like its diabetes and obesity drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. Those drugs brought in a combined $4.4 billion in sales for Lilly in this year’s third quarter. The drugmaker plans to start construction of the expansion next year.
Former officials urge closed-door Senate hearings on Tulsi Gabbard, Trump's pick for intel chiefGilbert makes clutch layup, steal as No. 7 LSU beats Washington 68-67 in the Bahamas