Stock market today: Tech stocks and AI pull Wall Street to more recordsCooperation with China boosts Zimbabwe’s agriculture sectorA lively Melbourne Derby and Douglas Costa’s excellent individual performance on Friday highlighted another action-packed weekend of football action. Here are your A-League Round 9 talking points. Reds snatch draw from the jaws of victory There had been signs of Sydney FC marquee Douglas Costa’s class since his arrival down under, but he hadn’t managed to take over a game the way he did in Friday night’s action-packed 3-3 stalemate at Coopers Stadium. Costa scored two goals and set up Jordan Courtney-Perkins’ injury time equaliser in a dominant display, something Ufuk Talay and Sky Blues fans will be hoping becomes more common as the ex-Bayern Munich winger settles into life in the A-League. But Sydney should not have been in a position to take anything from the game after Adelaide led 3-1 late in the game. Carl Veart is known for showing emotion on the touchline and he was apoplectic after his side conceded two soft goals to throw away two points that could be quite important in a potential premiership tilt. Stefan Mauk copped a spray for his reaction to being substituted and I’m sure the berating continued in the dressing room. The Reds maintained their undefeated run, however, and are still in a stronger position at this point of the season than many would have predicted before the 2024-25 campaign kicked off. More Football Lively derby provides another spark The A-League tends to get a lot of negative press in mainstream media outlets but to give credit to the APL, the early season derbies from Victoria to NSW to the North Island of New Zealand have provided a much-needed shot in the arm for the competition. The front-loading will inevitably lead to a drop in crowds and TV numbers as casual fans drop off with winter codes’ pre-seasons beginning but for now, let’s enjoy the sugar hit. It was an unusual week of preparation for Victory with Patrick Kisnorbo’s sudden departure to pursue an overseas opportunity catching Vuck fans, players and management completely by surprise. In today’s media environment I’m surprised the news did not leak before an official announcement on Wednesday. Despite the pre-game disruption and going behind to a cracking Yonatan Cohen strike in the first half, Victory rallied to earn a point with captain Roderick Miranda finishing from close range after young City goalkeeper Patrick Beach made another unfortunate error. It may not have been three points for Aurelio Vidmar’s side but after the humiliation they suffered in the first derby, I think it was an encouraging result. Mathew Leckie of Melbourne City celebrates after scoring a goal during the A-League Men round 24 match between Melbourne City and Perth Glory at AAMI Park, on April 14, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Keep in mind this squad is missing plenty of quality with international-level players Mat Leckie and Marco Tilio nursing injuries, and Andrew Nabbout will not play again this season after an ACL injury. Pressure mounts on winless Zadkovich After defeat in the ‘spoon bowl’ against Perth Glory, Brisbane are alone on the bottom of the A-League ladder with a dreadful 0-2-6 record. David Williams’ volley was the difference in a fairly dire contest that even diehards of both clubs probably struggled through. Even in the context of off-field uncertainty and lack of investment in the playing squad, Roar’s record needs to be condemned. There’s no acceptable reason for such disparity between any side and the rest of the competition in a salary cap system. But you have to feel for the Roar fans, more than 6000 of whom turned up at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. That figure was only a few hundred short of what Western Sydney, ostensibly one of the league’s bigger clubs, managed to attract 24 hours later for their well-earned win over Wellington. For David Zdrilic and Perth, it’s a sweet victory, their first of the season. For their sake, hopefully it can be a turning point in the campaign that’s unlikely to see finals football return to the west, but bettering last season’s 12th-placed finish would at least be progress. Roar editor Christy Doran made the trip to Seattle with VisitSeattle.org, diving into the city’s electric sports vibe, outdoor adventures, and renowned food scene. Click here for his latest adventure in the Emerald City. Champions’ sputtering title defence continues after Bulls stalemate It looked like Central Coast’s double defence was back on track after a 2-1 win over glamour club Sydney FC, but Mark Jackson’s side followed that performance with a horror showing against Adelaide five days later, and struggled to break down Macarthur, having to settle for a point at Campbelltown Stadium. Goal scoring has been a weakness for the Mariners and as alluded to by the Paramount commentators during Sunday’s game, Jackson, like any other manager, would love to bring in some reinforcements in January to bolster his forward stocks. Whether the resources are there, and what the market looks like, are two more potential obstacles. Tommy Uskok’s blatant red card in the dying minutes was pretty much the end of Macarthur’s ambition to grab the extra two points. Thinking back to the Brisbane game, that’s four points that have gone begging, at home, when the Bulls were in control and should have better managed the final stages. The fallout from the betting scandal is perhaps still affecting the squad, but it seems improving their killer instinct is what Mile Sterjovski needs to work on in southwest Sydney.
Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in West Bengal on Friday announced its intention to hire political analysts , content writers, digital marketing executives, designers, and interns in a social media post. The party’s West Bengal State secretary Mohammad Salim said it was an initiative to build a stronger network by focusing on creative methods, new age technology, and data-driven social media outreach for targeted campaigns to reach young voters “This is not a sudden decision. We already have a social media presence. These new hires will strengthen the existing workforce,” Mr. Salim told The Hindu . He also said the CPI(M) did not believe in outsourcing its work, unlike other political parties. Asked if the decision aligned with the CPI(M)‘s ideology, Mr. Salim, said: “We are the only party which has an ideology to begin with.” “We are not outsourcing our ideologies. Anybody who has strong ideologies — that cannot change,” he added. “Apply with the goal to transform & reform our public policies, for the people, by the people,” the party’s post said. Mr. Salim said content was already being improved in the party’s social media pages, and on YouTube. The CPI(M), a cadre-driven and ideology-based party, has for many decades largely relied on its own cadre to run the show, and has criticised other parties for hiring professionals for “policy development”. The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has worked with political analysts, including I-PAC, for electoral successes. The CPI(M) ruled West Bengal for 34 years, from 1977 to 2011, and had a significant presence in the Lok Sabha. However, the party has failed to secure a single seat in the Lok Sabha since 2019, and its presence is dwindling. In the 2021 Assembly election, it failed to win a single seat. Published - November 23, 2024 08:08 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit West Bengal / Communist Party of India -MarxistNEW YORK >> Art Cashin, a renowned market pundit and the UBS director of floor operations at the New York Stock Exchange, has died at the age of 83, UBS said. Cashin, once dubbed “Wall Street’s version of Walter Cronkite” by The Washington Post, was a regular on CNBC, delivering stock market commentary and analysis to the business news channel’s viewers for more than 25 years. His Wall Street career spanned more than six decades. “It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of Arthur Cashin, Jr., a true giant in our industry,” Bill Carroll, head of sales and development at UBS Wealth Management USA, said in a memo sent to employees on Monday. The memo did not say when he had died or give details about the circumstances. In addition to his role at UBS, Cashin was renowned for his daily newsletter, Cashin’s Comments, which was published for over 25 years with a daily circulation of more than 100,000 readers. He was also a regular on CNBC’s “Art Cashin on the Markets,” a segment airing several times a week over more than two decades. “It’s fair to say that over this time, Art Cashin became a household name for investors across the country, who benefited from his savvy insight on the markets, good humor and wit,” the memo said. Arthur D. Cashin was born in Jersey City, N.J., in 1941, according to CNBC. He began his business career at Thomson McKinnon in 1959 and in 1964, at age 23, he became a member of the NYSE and a partner of P.R. Herzig & Co. In 1980, Cashin joined investment bank PaineWebber and managed their floor operation. PaineWebber was acquired by UBS in 2000. At that time, the NYSE floor was the hub for the vast majority of trading activity in the United States. His newsletter, which combined market analysis with trivia, historical tidbits and even recipes, often generated a buzz in Wall Street’s trading rooms and on the NYSE floor. “The day Cashin’s Commentary was released was always a landmark on the Street,” said Art Hogan, market strategist at Baird Wealth Management, who got to know Cashin during the several decades they worked on Wall Street together. One recipe regularly featured was for “White Castle burger stuffing”, which he usually sent ahead of Thanksgiving, Hogan recalled. Its ingredients? The bun and patty from a hamburger bought from budget restaurant chain White Castle. Cashin was also a regular at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in Manhattan, where for decades he and a group of friends would gather to tell stories and discuss markets. His usual drink was a Dewar’s on ice, and the restaurant would have his first ready for him within five minutes of the closing bell ringing. “Every time I’d be in New York, I’d be sure to be at Bobby Van’s right when the markets closed,” said Julie Werner, an individual investor in the Atlanta area, who first met Cashin back in the mid-1990s when she was taking classes at the NYSE. “They’d have his drink ready and waiting for him at his own seat.” Cashin was one of three senior executive floor governors and also served as a member of the Bond Club of New York. He also chaired the NYSE Fallen Heroes Fund, which assists families of first responders killed in the line of duty. CNBC did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Cashin’s family could not be reached for comment.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Reniya Kelly had 18 points and six assists, Maria Gakdeng added 16 points and nine rebounds, and No. 16 North Carolina beat 14th-ranked Kentucky 72-53 on Thursday night in the SEC/ACC Challenge. North Carolina opened the game on a 14-4 run, capped by Alyssa Ustby’s fifth 3-pointer of the season. The Tar Heels led 36-25 at halftime after holding the Wildcats to 36% shooting. North Carolina only made one field goal in the opening five minutes of the third quarter as Kentucky got as close as seven points. But The Tar Heels made five field goals in the final five minutes to take a 50-39 lead into the fourth. Kentucky’s opening four baskets of the fourth were from 3-point range to get within 60-51 with 5:52 left on Dazia Lawrence’s basket off a nice assist from Georgia Amoore on an inbounds play. North Carlina sealed it by scoring the next six points — all from the free-throw line. Ustby scored 13 points with eight rebounds for North Carolina (8-1). The Tar Heels outscored Kentucky 42-10 in the paint. Lawrence scored 17 points and Amelia Hassett had 13 points and 13 rebounds for Kentucky (7-1). Amoore added 10 points and eight assists and Clara Strack, averaging a team-high 18.3 points per game, was held to four points on 2-of-10 shooting. North Carolina stays at home to play Coppin State on Sunday. Kentucky returns home to face Queens University on Monday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketballNo. 6 Purdue routs Marshall
Niagara's Liberal MPs at risk of losing their jobs: analyst
House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics reportThe speculation is at an end – Universal Pictures has announced that Christopher Nolan’s next film is an adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey”. In a posting on , Nolan’s take is described as a “mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology.” The film brings Homer’s iconic saga of Odysseus and his many year journey home after the Trojan War to IMAX film screens for the first time. Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o and Robert Pattinson star in the film which will shoot early next year and opens in cinemas everywhere on July 17th 2026. The story has been adapted for the screen several times – as the Kirk Douglas-led film “Ulysses ” in 1954, as the early 1980s sci-fi animated series “Ulysses 31,” as a memorable TV mini-series in 1997 starring Armand Assante, and loosely turned into the Coen brothers’ “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”. The news comes as the Ralph Fiennes-led “The Return,” which adapts the last part of the story, is currently in cinemas.Tesla shares fall as court rejects Musk's $56 bln pay package
Conversational artificial intelligence tools may soon "covertly influence" users' decision making in a new commercial frontier called the "intention economy", University of Cambridge researchers warned in a paper published Monday. The research argues the potentially "lucrative yet troubling" marketplace emerging for "digital signals of intent" could, in the near future, influence everything from buying movie tickets to voting for political candidates. Our increasing familiarity with chatbots, digital tutors and other so-called "anthropomorphic" AI agents is helping enable this new array of "persuasive technologies", it added. It will see AI combine knowledge of our online habits with a growing ability to know the user and anticipate his or her desires and build "new levels of trust and understanding", the paper's two co-authors noted. Left unchecked, that could allow for "social manipulation on an industrial scale", the pair, from Cambridge's Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence , argued in the paper published in the Harvard Data Science Review. It characterises how this emergent sector dubbed the "intention economy" will profile users' attention and communicative styles and connect them to patterns of behaviour and choices they make. "AI tools are already being developed to elicit, infer, collect, record, understand, forecast, and ultimately manipulate and commodify human plans and purposes," co-author Yaqub Chaudhary said. The new AI will rely on so-called Large Language Models or LLMs to target a user's cadence, politics, vocabulary, age, gender, online history, and even preferences for flattery and ingratiation, according to the research. That would be linked with other emerging AI tech that bids to achieve a given aim, such as selling a cinema trip, or steer conversations towards particular platforms, advertisers, businesses and even political organisations. Co-author Jonnie Penn warned: "Unless regulated, the intention economy will treat your motivations as the new currency." "It will be a gold rush for those who target, steer, and sell human intentions," he added. "We should start to consider the likely impact such a marketplace would have on human aspirations, including free and fair elections, a free press, and fair market competition, before we become victims of its unintended consequences." Penn noted that public awareness of the issue is "the key to ensuring we don't go down the wrong path". jj/gil Nvidia Meta Apple This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.HASTINGS — The 2025 Compelling Preaching Conference, set for June 16-21 at Hastings College, invites pastors and aspiring pastors to explore innovative ways to connect with younger generations through preaching. “During the conference, presenters and participants will examine youth culture, exploring ways to interact with young people, and the spiritual topics that resonate with them today,” said the Rev. Doodle Harris, Hastings College chaplain and director of ASPIRE (Academy of Student Preachers Inspiring Religious Engagement). Harris “Our goal is to understand how to nurture the spiritual lives of our young people in ways that enhance our entire faith community,” Harris said. Registration, accommodations and meals provided at no cost for the first 50 who register. Details can be found at hastings.edu/preaching . The deadline to register is May 24, 2025. In addition to Harris, presenters for the cross-generational event include: The Rev. Cece Armstrong, co-moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Dr. Corey Schlosser-Hall, deputy executive director of vision and innovation for the Presbyterian Mission Agency The Rev. Dr. Dominique Robinson, assistant professor of preaching at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas The Rev. Eddie Mariel of First Presbyterian Church, Lexington The Rev. Nathan Lamb, pastor, First Presbyterian Church in Manchester, Iowa The Rev. Dr. Alyce M. McKenzie, professor of preaching and worship at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University The Rev. Jihyun Oh, stated clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) Topics for the conference change daily, with presenters covering the use of digital media and current culture to reach young adults and classes providing practical training for using technology and engaging in intergenerational dialogue. Activities are also planned, as well as peer-to-peer workshops, providing time for aspiring and active preachers to learn with and from each other. “Last year’s inaugural event saw participants grow in confidence and creativity while forming valuable connections,” Harris said. “These relationships become crucial resources for idea-sharing and feedback long after the conference ends.” The conference begins on Monday, June 16, 2025, with registration from 1 to p.m. followed by a gathering event and dinner. It wraps up at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 21. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
A DUP minister rebuffed a suggestion that there could be an extension of pub opening hours in Northern Ireland to celebrate the golden jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, declassified files show. Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”
Trump raced to pick many Cabinet posts. He took more time to settle on a treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his choice for treasury secretary. The Republican not only wanted someone who jibes with him, but an official who can execute his economic vision and look straight out of central casting while doing so. With his Yale University education and pedigree trading for Soros Fund Management before establishing his own funds, Bessent will be tasked with a delicate balancing act. Trump expects him to help reset the global trade order, enable trillions of dollars in tax cuts, ensure inflation stays in check, manage a ballooning national debt and still keep the financial markets confident. Trump chooses Bessent to be treasury secretary, Vought as budget chief, Chavez-DeRemer for Labor WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen hedge fund manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Bessent, 62, is founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management. He previously had worked on and off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. Trump also said he would nominate Russell Vought, 48, to lead the Office of Management and Budget, a position he held during Trump's first term. And Trump chose Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, an Oregon Republican, as his labor secretary, and Scott Turner, a former football player who worked in Trump’s first administration, as his housing secretary. Afraid of losing the US-Canada trade pact, Mexico alters its laws and removes Chinese parts MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico has been taking a bashing for allegedly serving as a conduit for Chinese parts and products into North America. Officials here are terrified that a re-elected Donald Trump or politically struggling Justin Trudeau could simply expel their country from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement. Mexico's ruling Morena party is so afraid its has gone on a campaign to get companies to replace Chinese parts with locally made ones. And its legislators are consciously tweaking the wording of major laws to try to make them compatible with the trade pact's language. Mexico hopes the rules of the trade pact would prevent the U.S. or Canada from simply walking away. US budget airlines are struggling. Will pursuing premium passengers solve their problems? DALLAS (AP) — Delta and United Airlines have become the most profitable U.S. airlines by targeting premium customers while also winning a significant share of budget travelers. That is squeezing smaller low-fare carriers like Spirit Airlines, which filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday. Some travel industry experts think Spirit’s troubles indicate less-wealthy passengers will have fewer choices and higher prices. Other discount airlines are on better financial footing but also are lagging far behind the full-service airlines when it comes to recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Most industry experts think Frontier and other so-called ultra-low-cost carriers will fill the vacuum if Spirit shrinks, and that there's still plenty of competition to prevent prices from spiking. What to know about Scott Bessent, Trump's pick for treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has chosen money manager Scott Bessent, an advocate for deficit reduction and deregulation, to serve as his next treasury secretary. Bessent is a past supporter of Democrats who has become an enthusiastic supporter of Trump. He’s an advocate of cutting spending while extending the tax cuts approved by Congress in Trump’s first term. He has said tariffs imposed during a second Trump administration would be directed primarily at China. What to know about Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Trump's pick for labor secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has named Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer to lead the Department of Labor, elevating a Republican congresswoman who has strong support from unions in her district but lost reelection in November. Chavez-DeRemer has a legislative record that has drawn plaudits from unions, but organized labor leaders remain skeptical about Trump's agenda for workers. Trump, in general, has not supported policies that make it easier for workers to organize. Chavez-DeRemer is a one-term congresswoman, having lost reelection in her competitive Oregon district earlier this month. She joins Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio, the Florida senator, as the second Latino pick for Trump’s second Cabinet. Trump taps a Fox News personality, a surgeon and a former Congressman to lead public health agencies WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has nominated a critic of COVID-19 health measures to lead the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Marty Makary came to national attention for opposing mask mandates and other steps during the pandemic. He is a surgeon, author and professor at Johns Hopkins University. Makary is the latest of a string of Trump nominees who are deeply critical of government health regulators and experts. If confirmed, Makary would be expected to report to anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to oversee the nation’s health agencies. Bitcoin ticks closer to $100,000 in extended surge following US elections NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin is jumping again, setting another new high above $99,000. The cryptocurrency has been shattering records almost daily since the U.S. presidential election, and has rocketed more than 40% higher in just two weeks. It's now at the doorstep of $100,000. Cryptocurrencies and related investments like crypto exchange-traded funds have rallied because the incoming Trump administration is expected to be more “crypto-friendly.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is hard to predict. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. Supreme Court steps into fight over FCC's $8 billion subsidies for internet and phone services WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has stepped into a major legal fight over the $8 billion a year the federal government spends to subsidize phone and internet services in schools, libraries and rural areas, in a new test of federal regulatory power. The justices on Friday agreed to review an appellate ruling that struck down as unconstitutional the Universal Service Fund. The Federal Communications Commission collects money from telecommunications providers, who then pass the cost on to their customers. The Biden administration appealed the lower court ruling, but the case probably won’t be argued until late March. At that point, the Trump administration will be in place and it is not clear whether it will take a different view of the issue. Charlotte airport workers voting on whether to strike during busy Thanksgiving travel week CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Service workers at Charlotte Douglas International Airport are voting on whether to go on a 24-hour strike around Thanksgiving amid complaints about low wages and poor working conditions. The vote is being taken by employees of two airport contractors who provide cabin cleaning services, trash removal and other services. The airport expects over 1 million passengers to depart from it the weekend before the holiday. The date of the proposed strike has not been announced.China’s slowing economy has increased the number of protests by workers demanding unpaid wages, including in the public sector. An economist told VOA this could cause many social problems and affect the stability of the Chinese Communist Party's governance in mainland China. See the full story here .
President-elect Donald Trump has promised to bring down prices on groceries, rent and other basic necessities of life. U.S. presidents don’t typically have direct control over how much any of those things cost, but their policies can have an effect. In Trump’s case, the proposals that economists think could have significant influence are tariffs, or taxes on imports. On Monday, Trump threatened to impose new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China — the United States’ three biggest trading partners — as soon as he takes office, on Jan. 20. The Republican said the new rate for goods from Canada and Mexico would be 25% as a pressure campaign to curb the illegal drug trade and immigration. Trump proposed an additional 10% on China after previously pledging a 60% tariff on products from there. He has also proposed anywhere from 10 to 20% tariffs on other imports. Trump says his plans would bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. But economic experts say Trump’s proposals will hurt American families’ wallets with more expensive cars, appliances and technology. Wayne Winegarden, senior fellow in economics at the right-leaning Pacific Research Institute, said additional tariffs will raise the price of not only foreign goods, but those produced domestically as well. “We import steel that goes into production of cars, so cars will be more expensive,” Winegarden said. “You may see prices going up.” Winegarden said he sees the tariffs as a broad-based consumption tax that will be bad for the economy. “How bad just depends on how high the rates are and there will be secondary effects in terms of how other countries respond as well,” he said. “Even if they don’t respond — I think that’s important for people to know, even if nobody raises their tariff in response to us — we’re still making U.S. families worse off.” Under a scenario with a broad 10% tariff and a 60% China tariff, the effect on households, even if there is no tariff retaliation, would be an additional $2,421 per household in 2023 dollars according to the Budget Lab at Yale University, a nonpartisan research center. The economy was a major concern for many voters in the presidential election, although inflation has generally slowed from a peak of 9.1% in June 2022. In October, 62% of registered voters said the economy is in poor condition. Economists say, though, it’s unlikely that prices will broadly come down to where they were during Trump’s first term. If prices came down that much, it would likely be the result of a weak economy. Lauren Saidel-Baker, an economist at ITR economics, a nonpartisan economic research and consulting firm based in New Hampshire, said her forecast is that inflation will continue to slow through the end of the year and will pick back up early next year. Saidel-Baker said she had this expectation before considering Trump policies because the money supply is increasing, leading to a faster pace of transactions. But tariffs are one of her main concerns about how Trump’s policies will affect inflation next year. She said goods inflation is under control at the moment while the services sector is harder hit by inflation as the result of a tighter labor market. Under the Trump administration, goods inflation could start picking up again. “Tariffs could cause goods to catch back up. But we have long-term demographic problems that are going to keep the labor market tight. I don’t see service inflation getting materially better, especially if we do things like these mass deportations that’s going to cut from the working-age population,” Saidel-Baker said. During his first term, Trump imposed tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum, solar panels and washing machines, to name a few. Several countries responded with retaliatory tariffs, including China. Although Trump’s tariffs boosted jobs in the steel and washing machine industries, the effect was a fall in the long run GDP by 0.2% and a loss in employment of 142,000 full-time jobs, the Tax Foundation, a tax policy think tank, estimated . “We already have evidence of what his tariffs are going to do from his first term. And those aren’t positive. It did not achieve what he says they’re going to achieve,” Winegarden said. Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at the NPD Group, a market research company, said a lot of companies have already moved their production away from China as a result of Trump’s first term tariffs. Steve Madden CEO Edward Rosenfeld explained in an earnings call that the company is implementing a plan to reduce its reliance on China, where more than 70% of its imports are from. Cohen said that despite this shift, certain goods could be more affected by tariffs, such as technology, cars, appliances, and the toy business that are based in or have many ties to China. Companies such as Columbia Sportswear, AutoZone, Stanley Black & Decker have said that they will raise prices in anticipation of tariffs. “If we get tariffs, we will pass those tariff costs back to the consumer,” Philip Daniele, CEO of AutoZone, said in an earnings call. Isabella Weber, associate professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, who recently co-authored a paper on companies’ pricing strategies, said how much companies are comfortable raising prices depends on how much sales fall. “We have seen that companies were willing to increase prices even when it came at reductions in the volume sold. So, demand falling is not necessarily a reason for companies to not raise prices,” she said. “However, there comes a point of course at which further price increases no longer improve the bottom line if sales fall too much. In some segments, especially the ones where low-income households are important buyers like for example fast food, that point could have been reached.”
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, leads fan balloting for the 2025 NFL Pro Bowl Games after one week of voting, the league announced on Monday. Ravens superstar Jackson set the overall pace with 44,681 votes followed by teammate Derrick Henry, the running back leader, in second overall at 40,729 votes. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was third overall at 40,602, only 127 votes behind Henry in the rusher's race, with Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen fourth overall on 36,574 and Detroit running back Jahmyr Gibbs fifth on 35,637. The Detroit Lions lead all clubs in total votes received, followed by the Ravens, the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers. The NFL's revamped all-star event will be staged in Orlando, Florida, for the second consecutive year. In all, 88 players will gather on February 2 in skills competitions and a flag football showdown with coaches Peyton and Eli Manning. While other vote totals were not revealed, Washington rookie Jayden Daniels was the top NFC quarterback in the fan voting and top receivers were Minnesota's Justin Jefferson in the NFC and Cincinnati's Ja'Marr Chase in the AFC. NFL fans can vote as often as they wish through December 23 with selections decided by a consensus of ballots by players, coaches and fans with each group counting for one-third of every player's final total. NFL players and coaches will cast votes on December 27. js/rcw
In addition to our main Game of the Year Awards 2024 , each member of the PC Gamer team is shining a spotlight on a game they loved this year. We'll post new personal picks, alongside our main awards, throughout the rest of the month. As the protagonist of Dragon's Dogma 2, I'm equal parts mythic hero, destined monarch, and fledgling demigod, but the most important thing I can do during my adventures is make sure I'm not left with a backpack full of rotten meat. My Arisen can fire a hail of magic darts from an enchanted bow; he can enlist a legion of soulbonded companions drawn from countless parallel worlds in a metaphysical conflict spanning the infinite strata of reality. That only counts for so much if I'm not keeping track of my camping supplies. I won't pretend like it's not obnoxious when me and my party of pawns are awoken after our campfire meal of beast scrags by a midnight assault from a redwolf pack, leaving us stranded in the wilderness with ruined tents and only a spoiling stock of harspuds to fuel our trek back to civilization. Dragon's Dogma 2 makes sure that no hero's quest goes too long without contending with daily tediums and mundanities—and I love it. Other fantasies can feel paranoid about the times between your moments of high adventure. Take Blizzard's, for example. I've spent a few dozen hours with Diablo 4 this year, and there's an almost anxious tension during the long stretches of riding overland between dungeons and world events—like the game's self-conscious about whether I'll notice that the downtime conveniently gives me plenty of time to ponder all the spots on my horse and hero that I haven't draped in premium cosmetics. World of Warcraft, meanwhile, feels like it's waking from a fugue state spanning multiple expansions, where its mad sprint to endgame content meant blazing through regions and villains at such a blistering pace that everything smeared together into an undifferentiated blur of magic and huge pauldrons. Dragon's Dogma 2 is unapologetic about slowing down. It gets just as high fantasy as your Azeroths and Faeruns; by the end of the game, you'll watch a dragon get incinerated by a second, cooler dragon. But here, that high fantasy is tempered by an understanding that the magical often works best when it's firmly planted in the material. Dragon's Dogma 2 isn't just comfortable with the mundane. It revels in it, and that only makes the fantasy stronger. Dragon's Dogma 2 is unapologetic about slowing down. Traveling long distances is more feasible by ox cart than by arcane portcrystal. Incriminating letters vanquish more of the kingdom's villains than heroic combat. When you're tasked with protecting an empress during a sacred rite, you're not defending her from some kind of rude necromancer's terrible spell; her greatest threat in the crowd of onlookers is a guy with a knife. And if you're going to fight monsters, the best way to prepare yourself is finding a place for a hearty meal and a full night's sleep. The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. When I'm eventually conjuring a pillar of ice so I can leap from it to kill a medusa with a plunging greatsword slash, the excitement is only heightened by the fact that—hours beforehand—I was doing the more humble task of helping an aging dissident secure a pair of glasses so he can do historical research while hiding in a library. Other games will have you fighting an escalating parade of fantastic beasts until you're barely blinking an eye at the gnarliest freaks a Monster Manual could muster. Dragon's Dogma 2 is confident enough to leave you fighting hordes of generic goblins, wolves, and harpies so that whenever a griffon does thunder down out of the clouds while you're trying to navigate a narrow cliffside path, it feels like a moment worth savoring. I won't minimize it: It's an odd game. But it's an honest oddness. It's weird without pretension. It's so dense with charming design idiosyncracies—like mechanics letting you clamber all over an ogre like a horrid little bug, or grab a panicked stag as it sprints past and casually lob it at an enemy—that it feels like it never occurred to anyone that it could play any other way. Of those idiosyncrasies, the player-made pawns are the highlight. I'm ensuring I won't beat any sicko allegations by saying so, but I love the pawn chatter, no matter how many hundreds of times I've been warned about the Dragonsplague. When another player's pawn points out a chest it knows is in the area, there's a good chance it'll contain a cloak I've seen in a few vendors' inventories. But all those bits of advice and strategic suggestions—pleasantly and repeatedly shared—came from discoveries made alongside other players. Whatever brief disappointment I might've felt finding that cloak in that chest could've been shared by that pawn's Arisen in their own world. It might've been after their own camp was ambushed by redwolves—after their own harrowing midnight journey, where their own meager provisions might've been made more dire by a minotaur charging out of the darkness. When the latest pawn I'd passed on the road or pulled from a riftstone offers its insights, it's sketching the outline of its own history: of other adventurers' battles with titanic monsters and all the quiet ox cart rides, inn stays, and campfire-grilled beast-steaks shared along the way.Challenging year lies ahead for stocks and big economies
Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”SAINTS ended 2024 with an all-too-familiar feeling on Sunday when they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace. Southampton took the lead midway through the first half when Tyler Dibling scored his second senior goal but Palace levelled before the break. Trevoh Chalobah scored from a corner, much to the frustration of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who felt he had been pushed. His appeals fell on deaf ears, despite Jean-Philippe Mateta’s clear contact knocking him off balance, upon VAR inspection. Ivan Juric turned to Lesley Ugochukwu early in the second half to sure things up but Palace scored less than a minute later, winning the game through Eberechi Eze. Here's how we rated every Southampton player's performance against Crystal Palace... Ivan Juric suffered defeat in his first away game as Saints boss. (Image: PA) Aaron Ramsdale - 6. Made some important saves, preventing Palace from scoring more than twice. Rightfully annoyed with Palace's first, which was after Mateta pushed him. Had a limited view of Eze's winner. Aaron Ramsdale was beaten after being pushed into the post. (Image: PA) James Bree - 6. Came in to replace Yukinari Sugawara, who did not come off the bench. Created two chances but left Saints light on the right, along with Tyler Dibling. Had an effort from a tight angle. Completed two of his five crosses. Taylor Harwood-Bellis - 6. Played a key role in stopping Crystal Palace from scoring two or three in the first half. Wasn't afraid to clear his lines but struggled in the second half, twice fouling in quick succession, earning him a yellow card. Jan Bednarek - 6. Had a tough battle with Mateta but was not given much support by the midfielders in the first half. Was shoulder-barged off the ball by the Frenchman before being booked for a tug. Rescued from an own goal by Ramsdale. Nathan Wood - 5. Struggled against Ismaila Sarr in the first half because the Senegalese winger had the run on him - again in part due to the lack of midfield support. Improved after the break but delayed a through ball for Cameron Archer late on. Kyle Walker-Peters - 7. Played well down the left-hand side again. Bamboozled the Palace defenders with a strong run down the left, leading to Dibling's goal. Didn't deal with Daniel Munoz's ball back into the box, which fell for Eze. Southampton's biggest attacking threat. Kyle Walker-Peters created Southampton's goal out of nothing. (Image: Adam Davy/PA) Joe Aribo - 4. Struggled to impose himself for a third straight game. Held onto the ball in deep areas. Palace found it too easy to get the ball into the forwards behind him. Subbed minutes into the second half. Mateus Fernandes - 7. Struggled in much the same way Aribo did in the first half but was much better when Lesley Ugochukwu was introduced. Forced a save out of Dean Henderson after a moment of individual brilliance. Suspended for Brentford at home after earning his fifth yellow. Tyler Dibling - 6. Got Southampton going with his second goal of the season. Tapped in from close range after moving into a strong position. Struggled to cause many more problems after his goal as Saints ran out of gas. Tyler Dibling scored his second Saints goal against Crystal Palace. (Image: PA) Paul Onuachu - 5. Fed off scraps and had little service all game. Saints aimed balls towards him but he had little chance of doing anything with them. Took a knock before being replaced. Saints looked like a far worse side without him. Adam Armstrong - 5. Had an early effort off-target before providing the assist for Dibling's goal but offered very little. Limited to just 20 touches in 65 minutes. Adam Armstrong got his second assist of the season against Palace. (Image: PA) Substitutes Lesley Ugochukwu - 6. Gave Southampton more solidity in midfield but came on less than a minute before Palace scored the winner. Won two of three tackles. Should start against Brentford later this week. Cameron Archer - 4. Managed just five touches in 25 minutes. Was flagged offside having been played through by Wood, but the ball came too late. Kamaldeen Sulemana - 5. Introduced by Juric with Saints needing an injection of pace. Tried to make an impact but was unsuccessful with his one dribble and one cross. Cut down when he looked like beating a man and running through. Ryan Manning - N/A. Surprised Juric waited until the 86th minute to bring him on. Didn't play enough to be judged fairly. Set for more competition with Charlie Taylor back in the fold and Welington formally joining in January. Adam Lallana - N/A. Bought a free-kick right under the referee's nose. Should hopefully receive more minutes against Brentford.