Florida State pounds Charleston Southern for second victory of seasonPat King found guilty of mischief for role in 'Freedom Convoy'
resident-elect Donald Trump met with moderator Kristen Welker for his first televised broadcast network interview since his win in the November presidential election against Vice President Kamala Harris. As the U.S. and the rest of the world prepares for Trump’s return to the White House in January, there is much discussion about what the President-elect plans to do once he takes office alongside his Vice President, J.D. Vance. In the sit-down interview, which took place on Friday, Dec. 6 and aired on Sunday, Dec. 8, Trump covered a range of high-profile topics, including his plans related to abortion, immigration, tariffs, and his controversial Administration selections. He also spoke about his foreign policy plans. Here are some of the key topics Trump spoke out about in his televised interview as he prepares for his second presidency. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned in 2022, Trump has often applauded himself for the ruling. Throughout the 2024 election, abortion played a large role as the Trump-Vance ticket went head-to-head with Harris and her VP pick, Tim Walz. Trump argued he would not sign a federal ban on abortion when elected, while the Harris-Walz ticket argued that Trump would further restrict abortion rights if re-elected. When asked whether he would restrict abortion pill access, Trump told Welker: “I’ll probably stay with exactly what I’ve been saying for the last two years. And the answer is no." This comes after Vance tried to seem more moderate on abortion in the vice presidential debate, Standing on the podium, Vance said that the Republican party needs "to do so much better of a job at earning the American people’s trust back on this issue where they frankly just don’t trust us.” Welker asked Trump, who was convicted during a high-profile earlier this year, whether he plans to pardon Jan. 6 rioters when in office. Trump stated that he will give “first day” consideration of whether he will pardon people convicted of crimes related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. “We're going to look at individual cases, but I'm going to be acting very quickly," he said, adding that he'll be looking at this his "first day" as the “people have been in there [jail] for years.” Amid reports that political figures who could be in Trump’s crosshairs, the President-elect spoke out once again against the Jan. 6 committee, including Liz Cheney, saying: "For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail." Trump defended his controversial pick of Fox News host Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, a selection that has been marked . “He's a very smart guy,” Trump told Welker, saying he had confidence Hegseth would be confirmed by the Senate. “I’ve had a lot of senators call me up to say he's fantastic.” He also defended his pick of as Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), who has been deeply critical of the FBI in the past. In an interview last year with former White House Chief Strategist and right-wing agitator (conducted before Bannon’s incarceration), Patel said he “will go out to find the conspirators not just in government but in the media.” When asked by Welker if he will fire current FBI Director Christopher Wray, who still has three years remaining in his 10-year term, in order for Patel to take charge, Trump said he is “not happy with him.” “It would sort of seem pretty obvious that if Kash gets in, he’s going to be taking someone’s place,” Trump continued. Trump continued to defer to Patel and his pick for Attorney General, Pam Bondi, when pushed by Welker to say whether he will go after his political opponents, including investigator Jack Smith, saying he wants Bondi to do “what she wants to do.” Trump was also asked if he has plans to direct Patel to go after President Joe Biden, to which the President-elect said, “I’m really looking to make our country successful; I’m not looking to go back into the past... Retribution will be through success.” He stated that he would not appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden, something he proposed on , “unless I find something that I think is reasonable.” He also called out Biden’s recent choice to after previously stating that he would not, saying: “I always knew he was going to give him a pardon.” Trump will be the oldest U.S. President by the end of his term—and , particularly when it was Biden going head-to-head with Trump. When Harris took over the race from Biden, she to the public, in which her physician said she “possesses the physical and mental resiliency required to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.” The Harris campaign called on Trump to be equally transparent about sharing his medical records, but he did not do so during the election. The most recent medical report publicly shared by Trump was featured in a post, which included a screenshot of a letter from Dr. Bruce Aronwald, sharing little detail but saying the former President was in “excellent health.” Welker asked Trump if he plans on releasing his full medical records, rather than just a letter. “I would and I think anybody should,” he said, before adding: “Sure, I have no problem with it.” On wider matters of health care, Trump continued to express his dissatisfaction with Obamacare, but did not elaborate on a moment in his September with Harris, in which when Trump was asked whether he had a plan for health care reform, his answer was: “I have concepts of a plan.” “Obamacare stinks,” he said on . “If we come up with a better answer, I would present that answer to Democrats and to everybody else and I’d do something about it.” Trump has caused much discussion with his on all products imported from America’s trading partners: Mexico, Canada, and China. When Welker pointed out that experts have said such tariffs could impact the prices of a range of imported goods, from cars to electronics, Trump defended his idea. “I’m a big believer in tariffs. I think tariffs are the most beautiful word. I think they're beautiful. It's going to make us rich,” he said. When asked if he could guarantee the tariffs would not impact pricing for the average American he said: “I can’t guarantee anything, I can’t guarantee tomorrow.” Trump emphasized that immigration will be one of the first things he will begin working on when he returns to the White House. Throughout the campaign, Trump promised a slew of new policies regarding immigration, including mass deportations, ending birthright citizenship, and reinstating the “ policy. Trump doubled down on some of these policies, arguing that he will be focused on deporting migrants who came to America illegally and have criminal records first, but that eventually the aim would be for all illegal immigrants to be deported. “Well, I think you have to do it... it’s a very tough thing to do. But you have to have, you know, you have rules, regulations, laws. They came in illegally,” he said. “The people who have been treated very unfairly are the people who have been online for 10 years [waiting] to come into the country.” When asked by Welker about mixed immigration families—some whereby the parents might be in the U.S. illegally but the children are there legally—and if the plan is to deport the families together, Trump said, “I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.” On the topic of Dreamers—undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally by their parents—Trump said he was willing to work with Democrats on a plan, and that he wants to see them remain in the country. “We're talking many years ago, they were brought into this country many years ago, some of them are no longer young people, and in many cases, they become successful,” he said. “We’re going to have to do something with them.” at .
"Development, good governance and social justice have won in Maharashtra. Lies and deceit have suffered a crushing defeat. Today negative politics has been defeated. Today 'Parivarvad' have been defeated. Today Maharashtra has strengthened the resolve for a developed India. I congratulate all the workers of BJP and NDA across the country," PM Modi said addressing the party workers and leaders. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday joined celebrations at BJP headquarters following party-led Mahayuti’s landslide victory in Maharashtra assembly elections and said people of the state have defeated “negative and parivarvad politics.” He said Maharashtra has strengthened the resolve for a developed India. “Development, good governance and social justice have won in Maharashtra. Lies and deceit have suffered a crushing defeat. Today negative politics has been defeated. Today ‘Parivarvad’ have been defeated. Today Maharashtra has strengthened the resolve for a developed India. I congratulate all the workers of BJP and NDA across the country,” PM Modi said addressing the party workers and leaders. He lauded Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, state Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar for victory in Maharashtra polls. The Prime Minister referred to the slogan ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’, raised by him during the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand and said the biggest message of the polls is unity. “After Haryana, the biggest message of this election is unity. ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’ has become the ‘maha-mantra’ of the country,” he said. The Prime Minister also referred to the results of bypolls across 48 assemblies and two Lok Sabha seats in 15 states and said the BJP had increased its strength. “The results for byelections in several states were also declared today. Besides, our tally in Lok Sabha has increased today as well. UP, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan have strongly supported BJP (in bypolls). The people of Assam have once again expressed their trust in the BJP. We have also had success in Madhya Pradesh. Support for NDA has increased in Bihar. This shows that the country now only wants development,” he added. The Prime Minister received a grand welcome as he arrived at the BJP headquarters and greeted party workers and leaders present there. Addressing the party workers, Union Minister and BJP chief JP Nadda termed the victory of Maharashtra assembly polls as “historic” and said that people have once again expressed their trust in the policies and development work of PM Modi. “Today is a historic day. The people of Maharashtra and the by-elections held in various states have shown that people have once again expressed their trust in the policies and development work of Prime Minister Modi,” Nadda said. “For some time now, the INDI alliance had the illusion that they would gain power by dividing people in the name of caste, constitution, and religion. Haryana, Maharashtra have given them an answer... In 2019, Uddhav Thackeray insulted the mandate, but today the people of Maharashtra have shown that they are with the Mahayuti, PM Modi,” he added. The ruling Mahayuti alliance won the Maharashtra assembly polls and is poised for a landslide mandate. JMM-led alliance returned to power in Jharkhand. In Maharashtra, the BJP led the Mahayuti alliance to a smashing victory carrying its allies – Shiv Sena and NCP – with its momentum. While the BJP has won or is ahead in 132 seats, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has won or is ahead in 57 seats and NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is poised to win 41 seats. The state has 288 assembly seats. The constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) suffered a rude jolt with Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray poised to win 20 seats, Congress 16 and NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar only 10 seats. The BJP saw a fabulous strike rate with the party poised to win 133 of 148 seats it contested in Maharashtra. Party’s allies Shiv Sena and NCP also have a very good strike rate. (This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 4, 2024-- Figure Technology Solutions (“Figure”), a technology platform powering a more efficient and liquid marketplace for financial products, today announced that Macrina Kgil, a seasoned finance executive, joined as Chief Financial Officer. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204327766/en/ (Photo: Business Wire) “Macrina is the perfect fit for Figure, given her industry expertise and deep background in public markets and public company finance functions,” said Michael Tannenbaum, Chief Executive Officer of Figure. He continued, “We recently surpassed $1.5 billion in quarterly originations, record revenue, eighty percent year over year growth, and one hundred fifty percent EBITDA growth. Our metrics reflect three primary drivers: the widespread adoption of our increasingly liquid lending marketplace, Figure Connect, coupled with both a diversified product suite and a growing network of embedded lending partners. Our steady growth and ambitious plans called for a CFO of Macrina’s caliber; her financial stewardship will be pivotal to helping Figure achieve our goals.” “I’m thrilled to join Figure and have the opportunity to work alongside a deep executive bench and lead a talented finance team,” said Kgil. ‘’Particularly given my extensive experience in the fintech and blockchain sectors, I am eager to drive our growth and nurture investor confidence. Figure operates at the forefront of innovation, and I believe that we can unlock significant value for all of our stakeholders as we continue our momentum.” Kgil joins Figure from Flow, a residential real estate startup, where she led the finance function globally. Prior to Flow, Kgil was CFO of OneMain Holdings (NYSE: OMF). While there, she helped manage the acquisition of OneMain Holdings from Citigroup, and successfully led the company (as Springleaf Finance) through an IPO, managing the public markets debut as well as subsequently guiding the company as a public filer. Previously, she served as CFO of Blockchain.com and its affiliate Blockchain Ventures Fund I, where she built a robust finance infrastructure across numerous global entities with a strong regulatory and compliance focus. Earlier, she served as VP in the private equity group at Fortress Investment Group and started her career at PwC in the capital market advisory and audit teams. Kgil holds an engineering degree from Seoul National University. She’s a founding member of the F Suite, an executive community of leading CFOs. Kgil reports to Tannenbaum in this newly created role for Figure, following its spin-off earlier this year as a stand-alone company independent of Figure Markets Holdings. Her hiring follows September’s appointment of Ron Chillemi as Figure’s first Chief Legal Officer. About Figure Technology Solutions Founded in 2018, Figure Technology Solutions (“Figure”) is a disruptive and scaled technology platform built to enhance efficiency and transparency in financial services. Its subsidiary, Figure Lending LLC, is the largest non-bank provider of home equity lines of credit; its software has been used to originate more than $12B of home equity lines of credit. Figure’s technology is embedded across a broad network of loan originators and capital markets buyers, and is used directly as well by homeowners in 49 states and Washington, DC. With Figure, homeowners can receive approval for a HELOC in as fast as five minutes and receive funding in as few as five days. To date, Figure has embedded its HELOC in more than 135 partners, including Rate (formerly Guaranteed Rate), CrossCountry Mortgage, Movement Mortgage, Goodleap and many other fintechs, depositories and independent mortgage banks. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204327766/en/ press@figure.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA NEW YORK INDUSTRY KEYWORD: COMMERCIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY FINANCE CONSULTING BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINTECH RESIDENTIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE SOURCE: Figure Technology Solutions Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/04/2024 03:00 PM/DISC: 12/04/2024 03:02 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204327766/enTuesday, December 24, 2024 Holoconnects, a pioneer in 3D holographic solutions, has joined forces with Mews, a leading cloud-native hospitality management system, and CIC Hospitality, a prominent hotel operator in the Nordics, to unveil an innovative AI-powered holographic front desk avatar. This cutting-edge solution, developed in collaboration with RAVATAR—experts in creating real-time, lifelike AI digital humans—promises to revolutionize guest interactions in the hospitality sector. The AI holographic avatar is designed to streamline hotel operations and elevate the guest experience. Deployed inside Holoconnects’ Holobox, the avatar delivers an immersive, lifelike experience through 4K high-resolution 3D holographic visualization. Guests can interact with the avatar in real-time, engaging in natural, human-like conversations powered by RAVATAR’s AI Avatar Platform. This advanced technology allows the avatar to assist with various tasks, including checking in and out, generating room keys, booking additional rooms, arranging dinner or spa reservations, and providing instant answers to frequently asked questions. The first implementation of this AI-powered greeter took place at the Aiden by Best Western Lolland in Denmark on November 21, marking a significant milestone in the integration of AI and holography in the hospitality industry. CIC Hospitality, which operates 13 Aiden by Best Western hotels in its portfolio across the Nordics, played a crucial role in bringing this futuristic solution to life. Mews’ integration with the holographic avatar further enhances its functionality, enabling seamless handling of hotel bookings and check-ins. As a leader in hospitality software, Mews automates hotel operations to maximize revenue and deliver exceptional guest experiences. This collaboration showcases how advanced technology can transform traditional hotel operations while ensuring customer satisfaction. The partnership between Holoconnects, Mews, CIC Hospitality, and RAVATAR is a testament to the potential of AI and holography in redefining guest services. By combining lifelike holographic visuals with intelligent automation, hotels can offer a modern, efficient, and memorable experience that caters to the needs of today’s travelers. “This launch underscores CIC Hospitality’s commitment to leveraging innovative technology to transform guest experiences. We are excited to collaborate with Holoconnects and Mews to explore how cutting-edge solutions like this holographic front desk avatar can enhance the hospitality landscape,” said Matthias Tanski, CEO of CIC Hospitality. “The launch of a virtual avatar greeter is an exciting new step forward for Holoconnects and the hospitality sector as a whole. We believe it will ultimately elevate and improve the guest experience and overall hotel customer satisfaction,” said Holoconnects co-founder and CEO André Smith. “Our partnership with Mews, CIC Hospitality and RAVATAR has the potential to change the face of modern hotels. We plan to use this first deployment to learn as much as possible and work with Mews to make the front desk virtual avatar greeter and check-in experience better and more helpful.” Holoconnects, a pioneer in holographic technology, is revolutionizing immersive experiences across a wide range of industries, including hospitality, travel, healthcare, retail, entertainment, communications, events, education, advertising, and more. By continually expanding its product portfolio and entering new market sectors, Holoconnects is at the forefront of innovation in holographic solutions. The company’s flagship products—the Holobox, Holobox Mini, and Hologrid—offer 3D holographic visualizations of people, products, or logos, transforming communication into a dynamic and interactive experience. These cutting-edge tools provide unparalleled engagement, delivering immersive interactions that leave a lasting impact on audiences. With its versatile applications and commitment to innovation, Holoconnects is redefining how businesses and individuals connect and communicate. “At Mews, we are dedicated to building the right solutions that provide remarkable experiences for guests, no matter where they stay. This revolutionary front-desk avatar, in collaboration with Holoconnects, has the potential to transform the hotel reception experience as we know it,” commented Matt Welle, CEO of Mews. “We are delighted to have launched this at Aiden by Best Western Lolland in collaboration with CIC Hospitality, Holoconnects and RAVATAR. It is already freeing up front-desk staff who now have more time to deliver a truly personal experience for each of their guests.” “This joint initiative with Holoconnects, Mews, and CIC Hospitality is a transformative step for the hotel industry, blending AI and holographic technology to enhance guest interactions,” said Ruslan Synytskyy, CEO of RAVATAR. “We’re thrilled to bring personalized, lifelike avatars into real-world settings, setting a new benchmark for service innovation.”
Maharashtra Poll Results: PM Modi Says Voters Affirmed 'Ek Hai Toh Safe Hai', Breathes Fire On Congress, MVA
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Tampa Bay's surest path to the NFL playoffs is a division championship. The Buccaneers will need help to repeat in the NFC South , but only if they first and foremost give themselves a chance. That means winning their remaining games at home against Carolina and New Orleans, while the Atlanta Falcons lose at least once in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Bucs (8-7) and Falcons share the best record in the division, however Atlanta holds the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams. Tampa Bay, which has won three consecutive division titles, is the only NFC team that has made the playoffs each of the past four seasons. “We’ve got to take care of business or else we’ve got no shot,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said after a 26-24 loss at Dallas cost the Bucs control of the NFC South race. “This one, we've got to take it on the chin,” Mayfield added. “It's a short week. It's Christmas week. We've got to focus on Carolina and figure out a way to win.” If Atlanta is able to maintain its lead, Tampa Bay could make the postseason as a wild card if the Bucs win out and the Commanders lose twice. Coach Todd Bowles sounds confident that his players understand the challenge ahead and will clean up mistakes that contributed to the end of their four-game win streak. “We’ve got to win a ballgame (this week). If we don’t win a ballgame, we don’t give ourselves a chance,” Bowles said Monday. “We have to focus on us like we’ve been doing,” the coach added. “We have to correct the mistakes, and we have to go out and win Sunday, and we’ve got to win the next week, and then we’ll see what happens after that.” What's working The offense, which ranks third in the NFL at 389.8 yards per game, isn't a fluke. Despite losing to the Cowboys, Tampa Bay finished with 410 yards total offense. It was the team's fifth straight game — as well as an NFL-high ninth overall — with 400-plus yards. The Bucs are seventh in rushing (143.7 yards per game) after ranking 32nd each of the past two seasons. What needs helps The defense yielded 292 yards passing against the Cowboys, 226 of it in the first half when Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb had six catches for 100 yards and a touchdown. Bowles said shoddy tackling was the biggest issue — not poor coverage. Lamb had one reception for 5 yards after halftime. Stock up Mayfield's chemistry with rookie WR Jalen McMillan, who has 27 receptions for 336 yards and five TDs, continues to grow. McMillan had five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown — his fourth in the past three games — against Dallas. He was also the intended receiver on Mayfield's deep throw that CB Jourdan Lewis intercepted in the end zone to help the Cowboys hold off the Bucs in the closing minutes. Stock down Turnovers were costly against Dallas. The end-zone interception stopped the Bucs from cutting into a 26-17 deficit with 6:22 remaining in the fourth quarter. Rachaad White's fumble with 1:31 left ended any hope for a last-minute victory. On both plays, defenders ripped the ball out of the grasp of the offensive player. “We knew they were going to rake at the ball going into the ballgame," Bowles said. "We just have to have two hands on the ball, and we have to fight for it. We have to take better care of the football. That’s priority No. 1.” Injuries Bowles said it's too early to project the status of several starters for coming games, including S Antoine Winfield Jr. (knee), who has missed the past two games. TE Cade Otton (knee) and LB K.J. Britt (ankle) were inactive against the Cowboys, while reserve WR Sterling Shepard left during the game with a hamstring injury. Key number 80. Bucky Irving leads all NFL rookie RBs with 920 yards rushing. He needs 80 over the next two games to reach 1,000. He scored his seventh rushing touchdown against Dallas. That tied Errict Rhett and Lars Tate for the second-most rushing TDs by a rookie running back in franchise history. Doug Martin set the record of 11 in 2012. Next up Host Carolina on Sunday. ___ NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Fred Goodall, The Associated Press
Report recommends against sports betting kiosksNEW DELHI (AP) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party headed for a victory Saturday in state elections in politically significant Maharashtra while the opposition won mineral-rich Jharkhand state. Polling in the two states are seen as a test of Modi's popularity after his party returned to power in June national elections but was forced to form a coalition government with help from regional partners.
TEHRAN – During a mourning ceremony for Hazrat Fatemeh (SA) at the Holy Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, Hojatoleslam Mohammad Qomi, head of the Islamic Development Organization, declared that resilience is the hallmark of success. "Successful people are those who remain steadfast and refuse to let obstacles deter them from reaching their peaks," he stated on Friday. Qomi emphasized that resistance is crucial when pursuing ambitious goals. "If you aim for a peak, you should not be discouraged by the first obstacle; instead, you must strive to overcome it and continue your journey towards the summit," he elaborated. Drawing a parallel to a regular journey, he noted, "Problems may arise on the road, but instead of abandoning the path, one should solve the issue and continue onward." He reiterated that truly successful individuals are those who stand firm and resist. "They do not give up in the face of obstacles and do not abandon their goals," he affirmed. Qomi concluded by highlighting that "successful individuals, martyrs, and saints of God exemplify this spirit. Anyone who practices resistance is also on the path to progress."
Brendan Fraser Talks Post ‘The Whale’ Pictures ‘Rental Family’ & ‘Pressure’ As Well As Stage Play ‘Grangeville’ – Red Sea Film FestivalFormer Prime Minister PJ Patterson says last week’s brutal murder of veteran journalist Barbara Gayle is a “wake-up call” for Jamaica, noting that it underscores the urgent need for the nation to reexamine its values and “prioritise those that are life-sustaining”. Gayle’s body was found at her Caymanas Country Club Estate home in St Catherine last Tuesday. She had been stabbed multiple times and had been bludgeoned. A man who was the main suspect in the killing was held two days later. READ: Police collar main suspect in Barbara Gayle murder In a release on Monday, Patterson remembered Gayle as “gentle, modest and conscientious” and noted that “as a legal scribe, she understood the essence of the evidence and complex points of law that eventually made her a reporter of the highest order.” “Her acumen for comprehensive legal reports was such that practitioners, including myself, could rely on the integrity and completeness of a Barbara Gayle story in the most intriguing and complicated trials,” the former prime minister said. He added that as the country is engulfed in condemning the heinous crime of Gayle’s murder, “it also marks a time for sober reflection how to end such despicable crimes.” He called for a “decisive change in the culture”, arguing that “anything less will be like recurring decimals which perpetuate our own individual vulnerability to criminal extinction.” “Anger and greed must give way to caring and tolerance at every level,” Patterson said, adding “The solution to the national dilemma has to begin with acknowledging the sacredness of life – the belief that one’s own life is of intrinsic value. That necessitates valuing and treating others with respect.” Patterson suggested that overemphasis on materialism is leading Jamaicans to a neglect of their social and moral fabric. “It is past time for Jamaica to reclaim its values and promote the attitudinal changes which emphasize the importance of respect for human life, empathy, civility and kindness,” Patterson said, noting that “The brutal murder of Barbara Gayle is a wake-up call for Jamaica to take action and promote a culture of love, compassion, and shared humanity.”