Wodonga mayor reacts to rate cap mark set by Victorian government
College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama outShare Tweet Share Share Email Protecting personal information has never been more vital in today’s digital world, with identity theft becoming an increasing risk that affects everyone. Damaged credit scores, financial losses, and emotional stress all stem from identity theft. There are proactive steps you can take to minimize its effects; for example, you can use a LifeLock promo code to begin protecting your identity at an affordable cost! Understanding the Risks of Identity Theft Identity theft refers to any illegal use of your data – like Social Security Number, credit card details, or bank account data- by criminals for illicit gain. With more and more people transacting online activities and digital transactions every year, new opportunities for thieves to exploit exist: hacking scams or data breaches being some examples. Identity theft has evolved significantly over time. Criminals no longer rely solely on stolen wallets or compromised databases for theft; now, sophisticated techniques like social engineering and deep web markets are employed by identity thieves to gain access to sensitive data, making it even harder for individuals to detect fraud before it’s too late. Protecting Your Personal Information Online To best safeguard yourself online, you must understand how identity theft works and take measures against it. One effective method for doing so is creating strong passwords with mixed uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols to secure all online accounts you own. Rather than easily guessable personal details like birthdays or names of family members as passwords for accounts created online such as emails. Enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) on your accounts can be an efficient, yet effortless step you can take towards protecting their security. 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When signing up with LifeLock you can use their promo codes for discounted services making investing in identity protection simpler than ever! Preventative Measures You Can Take Today While identity theft protection services are invaluable, taking additional preventive steps now to lower your risk is equally crucial. One simple yet highly effective solution is regularly reviewing credit reports from each major credit bureau –Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion– to spot any unusual activity such as new accounts opening under your name or any suspicious charges against it. If you don’t plan on applying for new credit any time soon, freezing it might be beneficial as an extra measure to safeguard against identity thieves opening accounts in your name. Once frozen, this extra step provides extra protection. Of course, you can unfreeze later, providing peace of mind. Why You Should Consider Identity Theft Protection Services Protecting against identity theft requires multiple strategies. While basic precautions may help, identity theft protection services provide a proactive solution by monitoring data and alerting you of possible threats early. With their early warning capabilities and alert system in place, identity theft protection services allow individuals to detect suspicious activities early and take immediate steps against any damage done to themselves or others. LifeLock provides expert assistance and resources that can guide the recovery of your identity if needed, such as reimbursement of stolen funds and identity restoration specialists if an identity breach does occur. They guarantee this support so you won’t face it alone in times of emergency. Conclusion Identity theft can be a devastating risk in today’s digital world. However, taking appropriate precautions and using identity theft protection services will significantly lower your risk and protect your data from being exposed. Simple measures like creating strong passwords, using two-factor authentication, and restricting online sharing of personal data could make an immense difference in protecting yourself against identity theft . Related Items: Identity Theft , Threat Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Protect Your Business: Essential Cybersecurity Measures You Need to Know Protecting Your Digital Life: A Comprehensive Guide to Cybersecurity Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Identity Theft Protection CommentsWASHINGTON — Donald Trump said he can’t guarantee that his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers and he suggested once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday, also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” A look at some of the issues covered: Trump hems on whether trade penalties could raise prices Trump has threatened broad trade penalties, but said he didn’t believe economists’ predictions that added costs on those imported goods for American companies would lead to higher domestic prices for consumers. He stopped short of a pledge that U.S. an households won’t be paying more as they shop. “I can’t guarantee anything. I can’t guarantee tomorrow,” Trump said, seeming to open the door to accepting the reality of how import levies typically work as goods reach the retail market. That’s a different approach from Trump’s typical speeches throughout the 2024 campaign, when he framed his election as a sure way to curb inflation. In the interview, Trump defended tariffs generally, saying that tariffs are “going to make us rich.” He has pledged that, on his first day in office in January, he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada unless those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. He also has threatened tariffs on China to help force that country to crack down on fentanyl production. ”All I want to do is I want to have a level, fast, but fair playing field,” Trump said. Trump suggests retribution for his opponents while claiming no interest in vengeance He offered conflicting statements on how he would approach the justice system after winning election despite being convicted of 34 felonies in a New York state court and being indicted in other cases for his handling of national security secrets and efforts to overturn his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. “Honestly, they should go to jail,” Trump said of members of Congress who investigated the Capitol riot by his supporters who wanted him to remain in power. The president-elect underscored his contention that he can use the justice system against others, including special prosecutor Jack Smith, who led the case on Trump’s role in the siege on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump confirmed his plan to pardon supporters who were convicted for their roles in the riot, saying he would take that action on his first day in office. As for the idea of revenge driving potential prosecutions, Trump said: “I have the absolute right. I’m the chief law enforcement officer, you do know that. I’m the president. But I’m not interested in that.” At the same time, Trump singled out lawmakers on a special House committee who had investigated the insurrection, citing Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo. “Cheney was behind it ... so was Bennie Thompson and everybody on that committee,” Trump said. Asked specifically whether he would direct his administration to pursue cases, he said, “No,” and suggested he did not expect the FBI to quickly undertake investigations into his political enemies. But at another point, Trump said he would leave the matter up to Pam Bondi, his pick as attorney general. “I want her to do what she wants to do,” he said. Such threats, regardless of Trump’s inconsistencies, have been taken seriously enough by many top Democrats that Biden is considering issuing blanket, preemptive pardons to protect key members of his outgoing administration. Trump did seemingly back off his campaign rhetoric calling for Biden to be investigated, saying, “I’m not looking to go back into the past.” Swift action on immigration is coming Trump repeatedly mentioned his promises to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and deport millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally through a mass deportation program. “I think you have to do it,” he said. He suggested he would try to use executive action to end “birthright” citizenship under which people born in the U.S. are considered citizens — although such protections are spelled out in the Constitution. Asked specifically about the future for people who were brought into the country illegally as children and have been shielded from deportation in recent years, Trump said, “I want to work something out,” indicating he might seek a solution with Congress. But Trump also said he does not “want to be breaking up families” of mixed legal status, “so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.” Trump commits to NATO, with conditions, and waffles on Putin and Ukraine Long a critic of NATO members for not spending more on their own defense, Trump said he “absolutely” would remain in the alliance “if they pay their bills.” Pressed on whether he would withdraw if he were dissatisfied with allies’ commitments, Trump said he wants the U.S. treated “fairly” on trade and defense. He waffled on a NATO priority of containing Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Trump suggested Ukraine should prepare for less U.S. aid in its defense against Putin’s invasion. “Possibly. Yeah, probably. Sure,” Trump said of reducing Ukraine assistance from Washington. Separately, Trump has called for an immediate ceasefire. Asked about Putin, Trump said initially that he has not talked to the Russian leader since Election Day last month, but then hedged: “I haven’t spoken to him recently.” Trump said when pressed, adding that he did not want to “impede the negotiation.” Trump says Powell is safe at the Fed, but not Wray at the FBI The president-elect said he has no intention, at least for now, of asking Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to step down before Powell’s term ends in 2028. Trump said during the campaign that presidents should have more say in Fed policy, including interest rates. Trump did not offer any job assurances for FBI Director Christopher Wray, whose term is to end in 2027. Asked about Wray, Trump said: “Well, I mean, it would sort of seem pretty obvious” that if the Senate confirms Kash Patel as Trump’s pick for FBI chief, then “he’s going to be taking somebody’s place, right? Somebody is the man that you’re talking about.” Trump is absolute about Social Security, not so much on abortion and health insurance Trump promised that the government efficiency effort led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will not threaten Social Security. “We’re not touching Social Security, other than we make it more efficient,” he said. He added that “we’re not raising ages or any of that stuff.” He was not so specific about abortion or his long-promised overhaul of the Affordable Care Act. On abortion, Trump continued his inconsistencies and said he would “probably” not move to restrict access to the abortion pills that now account for a majority of pregnancy terminations, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights. But pressed on whether he would commit to that position, Trump replied, “Well, I commit. I mean, are — things do — things change. I think they change.” Reprising a line from his Sept. 10 debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump again said he had “concepts” of a plan to substitute for the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which he called “lousy health care.” He added a promise that any Trump version would maintain insurance protections for Americans with preexisting health conditions. He did not explain how such a design would be different from the status quo or how he could deliver on his desire for “better health care for less money.”South32 shares in 2025: Here's what to expect
AP News Summary at 6:44 p.m. ESTGeoffrey Hinton says he doesn’t regret the work he did that laid the foundation for artificial intelligence, but wishes he thought of safety sooner. The British-Canadian computer scientist says the technology has now progressed so fast that he thinks it could achieve superintelligence in the next five to 20 years. Superintelligence is intelligence that surpasses even the smartest humans. When superintelligence happens, Hinton says humanity will have to seriously worry about how it can stay in control. His remarks came at a press conference in Stockholm, where Hinton is due to a receive the Nobel Prize in psychics on Tuesday. Hinton and co-laureate John Hopfield are being given the prize because they developed some of the underpinnings of machine learning, a computer science that helps AI mimic how humans learn. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 8, 2024. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian PressJosh Pascarelli scores 24 to propel Marist to 82-75 victory over Manhattan
Social Media platform X has added a new image generator called “Aurora” to its Grok assistant. This new generator produces more photorealistic images compared to its predecessor.Bell Potter has been running the rule over the retail sector this month and has picked out a number of its key picks. Two ASX dividend shares that get the thumbs up from the broker are listed below. Here's why it thinks these could be top buys for income investors: ( ) This footwear retailer could be an ASX dividend share to buy according to Bell Potter. It likes the company due to its dominance of the local market, which could become even stronger if it rolls out the Sports Direct brand across Australia. It said: Accent Group commands a dominant ~30% market share in the $3b Australian footwear retailing market, in addition to a broader opportunity given the expansion into the athleisure market via its own brands. We continue to view AX1 as a key pick in our retail sector coverage given their scale as Australia's market leader, growth adjacencies in both footwear/apparel from exclusive partnerships & TAF channel conversion and growing vertical brand strategy led by Nude Lucy. We also view the strategic investment by Frasers Group (FRAS) in AX1 (~15%) and the recent board appointment as a step forward to unlocking the sizable store roll-out opportunity of FRAS's core Sports Direct banner in Australia. 13.7 cents per share in FY 2025 and then 15.6 cents per share in FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $2.53, this would mean of 5.4% and 6.2%, respectively. Bell Potter has a buy rating and $2.75 price target on Accent's shares. ( ) Another ASX dividend share that is a key pick for Bell Potter is Premier Investments. It is positive on the company due to its proposed demerger and the positive outlook for its highly profitable Smiggle and Peter Alexander brands. The broker feels that things are so positive that these businesses deserve a re-rating. It explains: In addition to Premier Investments' market share of ~6% in the apparel vertical and ~15% in the stationary space in Australia, the Smiggle brand is also a large player in the UK market. As the Smiggle brand looks to grow its presence in the Middle East & Indonesia via a low-risk wholesale model and Peter Alexander into the UK, we think the two brands have a long runway ahead. With the divestment of the non-core Apparel Brands to Myer (MYR) in an all-script deal expected to be completed in January 2025, we see PMV retaining the higher margin Smiggle and Peter Alexander earnings base post-demerger. We view the highly profitable retail business with domestic:offshore exposure of 70:30 (BPe) growing at ~13% (BPe, FY26e), ~26% stake in Breville Group (BRG), together with property assets valued at cost and a strong cash balance (~$327m, BPe), as worthy of a re-rate in the multiple. Bell Potter is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 111.7 cents in FY 2025 and then 122.6 cents in FY 2026. Based on the current Premier Investments share price, this equates to dividend yields of 3.1% and 3.4%, respectively. The broker has a buy rating and $38.00 price target on its shares.Ellen DeGeneres' exodus amid Trump victory includes ditching signature hairdo
By CLAIRE RUSH President-elect Donald Trump has once again suggested he wants to revert the name of North America’s tallest mountain — Alaska’s Denali — to Mount McKinley, wading into a sensitive and decades-old conflict about what the peak should be called. Related Articles National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl Former President Barack Obama changed the official name to Denali in 2015 to reflect the traditions of Alaska Natives as well as the preference of many Alaska residents. The federal government in recent years has endeavored to change place-names considered disrespectful to Native people. “Denali” is an Athabascan word meaning “the high one” or “the great one.” A prospector in 1896 dubbed the peak “Mount McKinley” after President William McKinley, who had never been to Alaska. That name was formally recognized by the U.S. government until Obama changed it over opposition from lawmakers in McKinley’s home state of Ohio. Trump suggested in 2016 that he might undo Obama’s action, but he dropped that notion after Alaska’s senators objected. He raised it again during a rally in Phoenix on Sunday. “McKinley was a very good, maybe a great president,” Trump said Sunday. “They took his name off Mount McKinley, right? That’s what they do to people.” Once again, Trump’s suggestion drew quick opposition within Alaska. “Uh. Nope. It’s Denali,” Democratic state Sen. Scott Kawasaki posted on the social platform X Sunday night. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski , who for years pushed for legislation to change the name to Denali, conveyed a similar sentiment in a post of her own. “There is only one name worthy of North America’s tallest mountain: Denali — the Great One,” Murkowski wrote on X. Various tribes of Athabascan people have lived in the shadow of the 20,310-foot (6,190-meter) mountain for thousands of years. McKinley, a Republican native of Ohio who served as the 25th president, was assassinated early in his second term in 1901 in Buffalo, New York. Alaska and Ohio have been at odds over the name since at least the 1970s. Alaska had a standing request to change the name since 1975, when the legislature passed a resolution and then-Gov. Jay Hammond appealed to the federal government. Known for its majestic views, the mountain is dotted with glaciers and covered at the top with snow year-round, with powerful winds that make it difficult for the adventurous few who seek to climb it. Rush reported from Portland, Oregon.
News Business Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. It was a dicey premise from the start: taking niche Hamburg grocer Braymiller Market and plunking it down in the urban center of Buffalo. Then-Mayor Byron Brown, knowing he needed amenities to attract wealthier residents to the city's core, convinced Braymiller owner Stuart Green that an opportunity existed where other grocers didn’t see one. Both thought the opportunity would grow as more apartments were built. Brown assured Green the city would be behind him every step of the way, and Green set out to appeal to a critical mass of higher-end shoppers that doesn't yet exist downtown. Stuart Green unloads a Braymiller Market truck on Dec. 6, 2024. Now, just three years later – despite tax breaks and a more than $1 million bailout – Braymiller Market will close by month's end. That is despite Green's attempts – with prodding from the Buffalo Urban Development Corp. – to turn his store into something it was never meant to be. The shoppers Braymiller was trying to appeal to – the more affluent consumers newly moving from the suburbs into upscale lofts downtown – aren't the type of city dwellers who walk down the block to buy ingredients for the night's dinner each day. Instead, they tend to hop into their cars and stock up elsewhere. That's part of the appeal of living in a city where you can get anywhere in 20 minutes. The bulk of residents who live downtown today, the ones who really need and would stock up at a grocery store within walking distance, are those who are used to stretching their dollar as far as it will go. That demographic calls for a no-frills deep discounter offering wholesome food at affordable prices. The Buffalo Urban Development Corp. and other city officials could suggest all the tweaks they wanted and Braymiller Market would never be Save A Lot or Aldi. Opening a successful grocery store in downtown Buffalo would have been an uphill battle even without the Covid pandemic that gutted the city's commuter population. Green knew that, which is why he designed a business plan that relied equally on the store's deli, to feed workers on their lunch breaks, and a wholesale supply line delivering fresh produce to the city's restaurants. The shutdown, which is expected to take place in seven to 10 days, once again will leave downtown without a grocery store to serve the residents in the nearby apartments that have sprouted up in converted buildings over the last few years. But Covid slashed deeply into that worker population and much of that restaurant business, and neither have recovered to pre-pandemic levels. The store's deli has a devoted following among commuters – there just aren't enough of them. On Friday, as the city staged a press conference to announce the market's closure, the deli's customers mourned the news. Isabelle LaBarbera had made the jaunt from her job at the Liberty Building as she does most weekdays. "It's one of the only places open past 2 p.m. around here to get lunch," she said. "It's quick and really good food." Octavia Butts had driven downtown from South Buffalo just to get one of Braymiller's subs. "I literally travel down here just to get a sub," she said. "I love the turkey clubs. They have really good mac n’ cheese. I love the desserts, cupcakes, anything." They're glimmers that show Braymiller could have been a success if not for Covid – the unthinkable that no one could have seen coming. But what Braymiller really needed was shoppers who filled their carts with $100 worth of groceries, maybe even $200. And those shoppers were hard to come by. If Green had known how the Covid pandemic would change traffic patterns in downtown Buffalo, he wouldn't have touched the project with a 10-foot pole. Business conditions were much more favorable when Green took the gamble on downtown, and he was still the only one willing to take the chance. Who would step up today, knowing what we know now? If anything, a lot would have to change for another grocer to give things another shot. Will we have to wait years for the commuter population to return? What if the changes that have transformed the city since Covid are permanent? Buffalo Acting Mayor Christopher Scanlon on Friday noted that there now are 30,000 fewer workers coming downtown to the office than there were just a few years ago. Those are 30,000 potential Braymiller customers who might have stopped in to pick up groceries or dinner at the end of the workday. "We have to work on the downtown core as well and getting people back down here, and repair the situations that led to the closure," Scanlon said. "You can't just say, 'All right, come on in and turn the key and open the grocery store again.' You have to work with our partners in the private sector and otherwise, to make sure we have more people in downtown Buffalo, build this core up," he said. "Get people living down here. Get people visiting down here, entertainment, everything you can to get people living down here so that there's this store, this location, or another location, whatever it might be, could be successful in the future." So, soon, downtown Buffalo will again be without a supermarket, and officials will resume trying to attract one. But Buffalo has a lot of work to do if it wants to build downtown back up to the place it was when it was able to lure tiny Braymiller into the city – and that was with the promise of tax abatements and subsidies. How much more will it have to do to bring in a Tops or Aldi? Only this time around, it will be much harder for the city to attract a new one. In fact, it will be harder now than if Braymiller had never opened in the first place. That's because downtown grocery was previously an untested, untried idea. Now it has a track record of failure. Any other grocer the city approaches will have that at the front of their minds. And that will make a downtown grocery store an even harder sell. The shutdown of the Save A Lot in the Broadway Market won't help either. New grocery prospects, instead of forecasting how things might go, will have an idea of how things already went. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. News Business Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.