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gitli Today’s Career horoscope promises opportunities for growth and success in professional endeavors. Whether you're tackling new projects or navigating workplace challenges, the day’s energy supports focus and determination. Some signs may experience breakthroughs in their careers, while others may find value in networking and collaboration. Stay driven and open to possibilities! Aries Your determination and confidence are at their peak today, making it an excellent time to tackle challenging tasks. Avoid confrontations with colleagues, as impulsive reactions might cause unnecessary tension. If you're in a leadership role, take extra care to motivate your team without being overly demanding. Networking opportunities might arise, so stay professional and approachable. Taurus Focusing on a well-organized plan will help you complete pending tasks efficiently. Avoid procrastination, as delays may create unnecessary stress. Collaborative projects will bring out your strengths, and your steady approach will impress your superiors. Financial decisions made today will likely yield long-term benefits, so consider budgeting or investment options carefully. Gemini Your communication skills are your biggest asset today, so use them wisely in meetings or presentations. Be cautious not to overcommit, as multitasking might lead to errors. Brainstorming sessions with your team can result in innovative solutions. If you're job-seeking, your adaptability will open up diverse opportunities. Stay focused, and success will follow. Cancer Your creativity and intuition will shine in the workplace today, making it a great time to pitch new ideas or tackle complex problems. Support from colleagues will boost your confidence, so don't hesitate to seek advice. Avoid taking on too many responsibilities at once. Prioritizing tasks will ensure steady progress and a sense of accomplishment. Leo Your natural leadership skills will help you stand out at work today. Take the initiative in team projects, but be mindful of appearing overly controlling. Opportunities to mentor others may arise, showcasing your expertise. Financially, avoid impulsive expenditures related to work tools or training. Stay focused on your goals, and recognition will follow. Virgo Your analytical abilities are in top form today, making it an ideal time to resolve issues that require precision and attention to detail. Avoid micromanaging your team, as it may create friction. A structured approach to your daily tasks will help you stay productive. Job-seekers may find success in fields requiring research or critical thinking. Libra Harmony in the workplace will be your focus today. Your diplomatic approach can help resolve conflicts among colleagues or improve team dynamics. Be cautious with deadlines, as distractions might slow you down. If you're job-seeking, creative industries or roles involving negotiation might offer exciting opportunities. Stay balanced and prioritize wisely. Scorpio Your determination and focus will help you overcome obstacles today. Challenges may arise, but your resourceful nature will guide you through. Consider taking on new responsibilities to showcase your abilities. Job-seekers might attract roles in startups or innovative industries. Keep your emotions in check, as a calm demeanor will work in your favor. Sagittarius A sense of adventure will inspire you to explore new career avenues today. Take calculated risks, but ensure you have a solid backup plan. Collaborative efforts will yield positive results, especially in creative fields. If you're job-seeking, roles involving travel or teaching may be promising. Maintain optimism, and success will follow. Capricorn Your disciplined nature will help you manage your workload effectively today. Focus on long-term goals, as your efforts will bring steady progress. Avoid overworking yourself; balance is key to sustaining productivity. Job-seekers may find success in traditional industries like banking or administration. Trust your instincts when making important career decisions. Aquarius Your innovative mindset will help you stand out in the workplace today. Share your unique ideas, as they might lead to exciting opportunities or recognition. Be cautious with financial dealings related to work. If you're job-seeking, roles in technology or social causes may align with your skills. Stay authentic and visionary. Pisces Your empathetic approach will help you connect with colleagues and clients today. Creative industries or artistic projects will thrive under your leadership. Avoid getting overwhelmed by emotions when handling criticism. Job-seekers might find success in roles requiring imagination and adaptability. Stay focused, and your efforts will yield meaningful progress. Also See: Horoscope Predictions for 2025 Aries Horoscope 2025Taurus Horoscope 2025Gemini Horoscope 2025Cancer Horoscope 2025Leo Horoscope 2025Virgo Horoscope 2025Libra Horoscope 2025Scorpio Horoscope 2025Sagittarius Horoscope 2025Capricorn Horoscope 2025Aquarius Horoscope 2025Pisces Horoscope 2025 Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Astrology and around the world.Soap home insecticides segments hit GCPL expects flattish volume growth in India sales in Q3Origins of the Gukurahundi philosophy

AFC standouts meet when Herbert, Chargers host Jackson's Ravens on Monday nightThe Coconino boys basketball team started its 2024-25 season strong on Friday, defeating Tempe 73-38 at home to start the season 1-0 (0-0 Grand Canyon). Coach Cooper Elliott has high expectations for the team this winter. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The New York Yankees are going big game hunting after missing out on Juan Soto. The Yankees acquired all-star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers, the teams announced Friday. The Brewers are receiving starting pitcher Nestor Cortes and prospect Caleb Durbin in exchange for Williams. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Devin Williams reacts after pitching in the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at American Family Field. (Benny Sieu/Imagn Images) Williams, 30, is a two-time All-Star and two-time Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year. Last season, in 22 games, Williams was 1-0 with a 1.25 ERA with 14 saves in 212⁄3 innings after missing the first four months of the season with a stress fracture in his back. Williams has a 1.83 ERA in 2352⁄3 career innings with 68 career saves. Williams is nicknamed "The Airbender" because of a wipeout changeup that strikes out over 14 hitters per nine innings. Williams will become the Yankees' new closer, and Luke Weaver will move back into a setup role. METS' JUAN SOTO REVEALS HE HASN'T TALKED TO ANY OF HIS FORMER YANKEES TEAMMATES SINCE WORLD SERIES LOSS Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Devin Williams pitches against the San Francisco Giants during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. (Kelley L Cox/Imagn Images) Cortes will immediately join the Brewers' starting rotation. Last season, Cortes was solid with a 3.77 ERA over 174.1 innings with a 9-10 record. Cortes sustained a flexor strain at the end of the regular season and appeared out of the bullpen during the World Series in a limited role. The Yankees parted with Cortes due to a wealth of starting pitching the team had after signing Max Fried to the most lucrative contract given to a left-handed starting pitcher in MLB history . CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes throws against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning at T-Mobile Park. (John Froschauer/Imagn Images) Durbin is a prospect who can play all over the diamond for the Brewers — second base, shortstop, third base and center field. The 24-year-old hit .269 with 110 stolen bases in four minor league seasons. Durbin struck out just 111 times in 1,216 minor league plate appearances. The Yankees don’t appear to be done making moves yet and reportedly have interest in trading for outfielders Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger to replace Soto. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter . Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.Rain, particularly the harsh variety that causes widespread devastation, is a leveler. It affects everybody and interferes with their routine. But in the realm of politics in Tamil Nadu rain is used as a stick to beat the ruling party. So when it rains, amidst the pitter patter that it causes, there is a howl of anger from various quarters. It happened last week when it rained cats and dogs in some districts of the State. Though Chennai and its surroundings were also affected to some extent, it was in some districts where the skies opened up to bring in one spell a downpour that the place otherwise gets through the year. When such a situation makes people run helter skelter seeking succor, the habitual critics of the government converge at one point. They find a reason to run down the government or is it a bid to bring it down. Whatever it is, rains in Tamil Nadu have been playing a prominent role in politics as they serve as a weapon for politicking particularly after 2015 when Chennai went under water without prior warning. In the olden days, when floods strike, someone in government will take a helicopter ride over the affected places to make an assessment of the damage. Since the journey would be shot in camera and the black and white footage screened as ‘news reel’ before the start of a movie in a theatre, people will know about the disaster and sympathize with the victims. Whatever the person who took the helicopter ride would utter would be taken at face value. But now, at least in Tamil Nadu, if it rains and if it brings devastation, the government is squarely blamed by the opposition parties. Maybe because more people repose more faith now on weather forecasts, which were earlier considered as jokes when announced over Doordarshan or All India Radio. Since the government, too, issues warnings to people based on the weather forecasts that are keenly followed on television, some opposition party leaders think that if devastation happens, the blame should be placed at the government’s doorsteps. This trend of politicizing disasters had, in earlier years, seen some opposition leaders attempting photo shoots to send across the message that the government had failed to prevent inundation in places where people lived. A particular honcho from an opposition once rushed, despite the discomfort, to comfort the affected people by engaging a boat to reach those places that are otherwise connected by roads. It’s a different story that the boat had run aground in the extremely shallow water and the leader had stood exposed for staging the drama. Still, accusations are hurled at the government through political statements and social media messages on the official inefficiency in not facilitating the water to drain out in a jiffy and thus inconveniencing the people. Even if the government made arrangements to evacuate people from low lying areas and even housed them in camps, the shrill voice of the opposition would resonate in political circles, always pointing fingers at the government's inability to not disrupt the people’s lives. In the latest rain disaster, brought about by Cyclone Fengal, which threw life in a few districts of northern Tamil Nadu out of gear, the government was accused of opening the floodgates of Sathanur dam in Tiruvannamalai district without a warning. Of course the government was quick to deny it and clarify that five warnings were indeed issued by the authorities and that the dam was opened only when the reservoir was filled to the brim. Yet, the charges of procrastination flew from the opposition camp as the excess water that was let into the Thenpennai River caused a deluge displacing people from their homes. Interestingly, the ruling party went not only into the defensive but also offensive. In its defence it said that there was no loss of life due to the flooding though it happened in the night. It also hit out at the opposition party in whose time the sudden opening of the Chembarambakkam reservoir in Chennai plunged the State capital into a disaster in 2015. So, both the ruling party and the prime opposition party were involved in virtual mudslinging over the Sathanur dam opening, which actually averted a major catastrophe. A real mudslinging, too, happened with grim political motives during the rains. A minister who went to address the grievances of the people of a village in Villupuram district, was welcomed with a barrage of mud. The real politics behind the incident, which was immediately given due publicity through social media by an opposition political leader with the comment that it showed people’s frustration, came to light much later when the police identified a man and a woman who had hurled the mud. The woman was a member of the same leader’s party. Though some people warned that such humiliation of political leaders who visited people during times of calamities would only serve as a deterrent for politicians to address people’s grievances, floods of the past had only proved that many politicians would not miss an opportunity to make political hay when it rained. In fact, going by the latest trend, it looks that political leaders seek to score brownie points when it rained. The ruling party by showcasing their efficient handling of the disaster and the opposition by pointing fingers at the lapses.

At Keneseth Israel, They Will Take You as You Are

Argentina's Racing wins its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil's Cruzeiro 3-1

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The sight was a common one for Andrew Kolpacki. For many a Sunday, he would watch NFL games on TV and see quarterbacks putting their hands on their helmets, desperately trying to hear the play call from the sideline or booth as tens of thousands of fans screamed at the tops of their lungs. When the NCAA's playing rules oversight committee this past spring approved the use of coach-to-player helmet communications in games for the 2024 season, Kolpacki, Michigan State's head football equipment manager, knew the Spartans' QBs and linebackers were going to have a problem. "There had to be some sort of solution," he said. As it turns out, there was. And it was right across the street. Kolpacki reached out to Tamara Reid Bush, a mechanical engineering professor who not only heads the school's Biomechanical Design Research Laboratory but also is a football season ticket-holder. Kolpacki "showed me some photos and said that other teams had just put duct tape inside the (earhole), and he asked me, 'Do you think we can do anything better than duct tape,?" Bush said. "And I said, 'Oh, absolutely.'" Bush and Rylie DuBois, a sophomore biosystems engineering major and undergraduate research assistant at the lab, set out to produce earhole inserts made from polylactic acid, a bio-based plastic, using a 3D printer. Part of the challenge was accounting for the earhole sizes and shapes that vary depending on helmet style. Once the season got underway with a Friday night home game against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30, the helmets of starting quarterback Aidan Chiles and linebacker Jordan Turner were outfitted with the inserts, which helped mitigate crowd noise. DuBois attended the game, sitting in the student section. "I felt such a strong sense of accomplishment and pride," DuBois said. "And I told all my friends around me about how I designed what they were wearing on the field." All told, Bush and DuBois have produced around 180 sets of the inserts, a number that grew in part due to the variety of helmet designs and colors that are available to be worn by Spartan players any given Saturday. Plus, the engineering folks have been fine-tuning their design throughout the season. Dozens of Bowl Subdivision programs are doing something similar. In many cases, they're getting 3D-printed earhole covers from XO Armor Technologies, which provides on-site, on-demand 3D printing of athletic wearables. The Auburn, Alabama-based company has donated its version of the earhole covers to the equipment managers of programs ranging from Georgia and Clemson to Boise State and Arizona State in the hope the schools would consider doing business with XO Armor in the future, said Jeff Klosterman, vice president of business development. XO Armor first was approached by the Houston Texans at the end of last season about creating something to assist quarterback C.J. Stroud in better hearing play calls delivered to his helmet during road games. XO Armor worked on a solution and had completed one when it received another inquiry: Ohio State, which had heard Michigan State was moving forward with helmet inserts, wondered if XO Armor had anything in the works. "We kind of just did this as a one-off favor to the Texans and honestly didn't forecast it becoming our viral moment in college football," Klosterman said. "We've now got about 60 teams across college football and the NFL wearing our sound-deadening earhole covers every weekend." The rules state that only one player for each team is permitted to be in communication with coaches while on the field. For the Spartans, it's typically Chiles on offense and Turner on defense. Turner prefers to have an insert in both earholes, but Chiles has asked that the insert be used in only one on his helmet. Chiles "likes to be able to feel like he has some sort of outward exposure," Kolpacki said. Exposure is something the sophomore signal-caller from Long Beach, California, had in away games against Michigan and Oregon this season. Michigan Stadium welcomed 110,000-plus fans for the Oct. 26 matchup between the in-state rivals. And while just under 60,000 packed Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, for the Ducks' 31-10 win over Michigan State three weeks earlier, it was plenty loud. "The Big Ten has some pretty impressive venues," Kolpacki said. "It can be just deafening," he said. "That's what those fans are there for is to create havoc and make it difficult for coaches to get a play call off." Something that is a bit easier to handle thanks to Bush and her team. She called the inserts a "win-win-win" for everyone. "It's exciting for me to work with athletics and the football team," she said. "I think it's really exciting for our students as well to take what they've learned and develop and design something and see it being used and executed." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

is reportedly considering removing a clause from its contract with Microsoft in a move that could help it attract further investment from the tech giant. Citing people with knowledge of the discussions, reported Friday that the ChatGPT maker was weighing whether to eliminate that closes off Microsoft's access to its most advanced AI models when the startup achieves artificial general intelligence, or AGI. OpenAI's website defines AGI as "a highly autonomous system that outperforms humans at most economically valuable work," adding that it's "explicitly carved out of all commercial and IP licensing agreements." The clause is meant to prevent AGI from being misused for commercial purposes. The Financial Times noted that removing it could encourage Microsoft to keep cash flowing to the AI company. . OpenAI's website says its nonprofit board will both decide when AGI is achieved and take ownership of the technology. The report said that OpenAI's board was still discussing options and no decision had been made. remains bullish that the company will achieve AGI in the near future. "My guess is we will hit AGI sooner than most people in the world think and it will matter much less," he said at The New York Times' DealBook Summit this week. Altman also touched on the company's financial needs. "When we started, we had no idea we were going to be a product company or that the capital we needed would turn out to be so huge," he said. "If we knew those things, we would have picked a different structure." in September, citing sources familiar with the matter, that to a for-profit benefit corporation that would no longer be controlled by its nonprofit board and that would give Altman equity in the business for the first time. OpenAI in October said it had closed a $6.6 billion funding round . OpenAI and Microsoft did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Read the original article onThe Apothecary Diaries Hints at Its Return With New Season 2 PromoReeling Cowboys visit Dan Quinn's overachieving Commanders in a franchise role reversal

On Friday, Nokia Corporation NOK and Du announced the launch of the first commercial 5G Cloud RAN solution in the Middle East and Africa. This partnership underscores du's hybrid RAN strategy, combining purpose-built and cloud-native infrastructures for enhanced flexibility and scalability. The deployment supports the UAE's digital growth and enables advanced use cases, including AI, machine learning, and industry-specific applications in manufacturing, energy, and logistics. The commercial 5G Cloud RAN site deployed in Abu Dhabi, based on Nokia's anyRAN approach, features Nokia's virtualized Distributed Units (vDU) and Centralized Units (vCU) running on Dell PowerEdge XR8620 servers, integrated with Red Hat OpenShift, a leading hybrid cloud platform powered by Kubernetes. This setup supports cloud-native RAN functions and allows service providers like du to scale their 5G networks and quickly roll out new services. Saleem Alblooshi, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of du, said, "Leveraging 5G Cloud RAN will not only enhance our network's efficiency and flexibility but also enable us to explore new opportunities and services that can deliver genuine value to our customers and society at large." Mark Atkinson, Head of RAN at Nokia, stated, "Under our anyRAN approach, we bring together Nokia's expertise, trusted performance, and innovation in radio networks with best-in-class partner solutions to offer true flexibility and scalability to operators and enterprises." Last month, the company completed the UAE's first live transport slicing trial with du, enabling the telecom provider to offer diverse network services on existing infrastructure . Investors can gain exposure to NOK stock via iShares U.S. Digital Infrastructure and Real Estate ETF IDGT and Hartford Multifactor Developed Markets (ex-US) ETF RODM . Price Action : NOK shares are down 1.04% at $4.27 at the last check on Friday. Read Next : Kyndryl And Nokia Expand Partnership: AI-Powered Networking To Transform Data Center Solutions Image via Nokia This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

The Latest: Police believe gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO has left New York CityWASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump on Friday offered a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Defense Department, whose confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat. Hegseth, a former Fox News Host, Army National Guard major and combat veteran, spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and privately reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead Trump’s Pentagon. “Pete Hegseth is doing very well,” Trump posted on his social media site. “He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense.” The president added that “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” The pitched nomination battle over Hegseth is emerging not only as a debate about the best person to lead the Pentagon, but an inflection point for a MAGA movement that appears to be relishing a public fight over its hardline push for a more masculine military and an end to the “woke-ism” of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. Trump’s allies are forcefully rallying around the embattled Hegseth – the Heritage Foundation’s political arm is promising to spend $1 million to shore up his nomination – as he vows to stay in the fight, as long as the president-elect wants him to. “We’re not abandoning this nomination,” Vice-President-elect JD Vance said as he toured post-hurricane North Carolina. “Pete Hegseth is going to get his hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, not a sham hearing before the American media,” Vance said. He said he had spoken with GOP senators and he believes Hegseth will be confirmed. “We are completely behind him.” The effort has become a test of Trump’s clout and of how far loyalty for the president-elect goes with Republican senators who have concerns about his nominees. Two of Trump’s other choices have stepped aside as they faced intense scrutiny: former congressman Matt Gaetz , his first choice for attorney general, and Chad Chronister, a Florida sheriff who was Trump’s first choice to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration. The president’s son Donald J. Trump Jr., also made a show of support for Hegseth on Friday, part of a full-court MAGA press. “If you’re a GOP Senator who voted for Lloyd Austin, but criticize @PeteHegseth, then maybe you’re in the wrong political party!” he wrote on X. referring to President Joe Biden’s defense secretary. Thanking the president-elect for the support, Hegseth posted on social media, “Like you, we will never back down.” Hegseth has promised not to drink on the job and told lawmakers he never engaged in sexual misconduct, even as his professional views on female troops have also come under intensifying scrutiny. He said as recently as last month that women “straight up” should not serve in combat . He picked up one important endorsement from Republican Sen. Katie Britt of Alabama, whose support was seen as a potentially powerful counterweight to the cooler reception Hegseth had received from Sen. Joni Ernst , herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel. “Huge. Thanks to Katie for her leadership,” Vance posted on social media. Ernst, who is also a sexual assault survivor, stopped short of an endorsement after her meeting with Hegseth this week. She said she appreciates his military service and they “had a frank and thorough conversation.” On Friday, Trump put out the statement in response to coverage saying he had lost faith in Hegseth, according to a person familiar with his thinking who was not authorized to discuss it publicly. The president-elect and his team have been pleased to see Hegseth putting up a fight and his performance this week reiterates why he was chosen, the person said. They believe he can still be confirmed. If Hegseth goes down, Trump’s team believes the defeat would empower others to spread what they cast as “vicious lies” against every candidate Trump chooses. Still, Trump’s transition team has been looking at potential replacements if Hegseth’s nomination cannot move forward, including former presidential rival Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis . DeSantis plans to attend the Army-Navy football game with Trump on Dec. 14, according to a person familiar with the Florida governor’s plans who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to discuss them before a public announcement. And DeSantis and Trump had spoken about the defense secretary post when they saw each other Tuesday at a memorial service for sheriff deputies in West Palm Beach, Florida, according people familiar with the matter who said Trump was interested in DeSantis for the post, and the governor was receptive. At the same time, DeSantis also is poised to select a replacement for the expected Senate vacancy to be created by Marco Rubio becoming secretary of state, and Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump is seen as the preferred choice by those in Trump’s orbit. Despite a weeklong push of private Capitol Hill meetings, Hegseth is facing resistance from senators as reports have emerged about his past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. The New Yorker cited what it described as a whistleblower report and other documents about his time leading a veterans advocacy group, Concerned Veterans for America, that alleged multiple incidents of alcohol intoxication at work events, inappropriate behavior around female staffers and financial mismanagement. The New York Times obtained an email from his mother Penelope from 2018, in which she confronted him about mistreating women after he impregnated his current wife while he was married to his second wife. She went on “Fox & Friends” this week to defend her son. Trump ally Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said senators are judging “Pete for who he is today.” In many ways the increasingly pitched battle resembles the political and culture wars that exploded over Trump’s pick of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court during his first term at the White House. Kavanaugh had also faced allegations of sexual assault that he strenuously denied, but Republicans rallied to his side and turned a tide of opposition into a more sympathetic view of the Supreme Court nominee as the victim of a liberal-led smear campaign. He eventually won confirmation. While Hegseth was still fighting for votes in the Senate, he did appear to make incremental progress with some Republicans who had expressed concerns about the reports of his drinking, in particular. “I’m not going to make any decision regarding Pete Hegseth’s nomination based on anonymous sources,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer said of the allegations against Hegseth, “I have no reason to doubt him any more than believe somebody else.” Still, Cramer indicated he could still change his mind. A background check “will be informative.” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said after meeting with Hegseth that he wanted to see how he does in a hearing but “he went a long way” toward getting his support. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writers Darlene Superville in Fariview, N.C., Michelle L. Price in New York, Adriana Gomez Licon in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, and Mary Clare Jalonick, Kevin Freking and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.Greg Newsome: George Pickens only cares about himself

(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .

The University of Michigan has ditched its controversial diversity hiring rules, following a vote by board members. , the university had required staff to discuss how they would advance diversity when applying for jobs, promotion and tenure. It was viewed by critics as a way to evade the ban in place on affirmative action. “As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach” to DEI, said Laurie McCauley, the university provost, following the ruling. The University of Michigan, which has been labelled “the wokest university in America” for , has spent more than $250 million on inclusivity initiatives since 2016. Ms McCauley announced the decision following from an eight-member faculty working group, which examined the use of DEI statements across multiple universities and surveyed nearly 2,000 faculty members. Commissioned in June, the review found that “diversity statements have the potential to limit viewpoints and reduce diversity of thought among faculty members”. It added that most faculty members surveyed believed diversity statements “put pressure on faculty to express specific positions on moral, political or social issues”. John D Sailer, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, called Michigan’s decision a “watershed moment”. He told The New York Times: “It will represent a milestone in the movement to roll back this misguided practice: a clear victory for academic freedom.” The about-turn comes as the university’s regents consider a broader overhaul of its sweeping DEI programmes. The statements have proliferated in recent years in states such as Michigan and California, where hiring based on racial preferences is prohibited. Despite laws banning affirmative action, there have been multiple reports of job applicants being eliminated from consideration based solely on their diversity statements. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, at least nine states have banned diversity statements, with universities in Missouri, Ohio and Wisconsin putting an end to the practice last year. Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have also ditched the statements. The University of Michigan was previously a pioneer in promoting the use of DEI statements, having devised a scoring system to assess them that was used by colleges across the country. One of the university’s diversity programmes required candidates to state how they would advance diversity through research into “race, gender, diversity, equity and inclusion,” “significant academic achievement in the face of barriers” or “commitment to allyhood through learning about structural inequities”, according to The New York Times. In October, it emerged that the university had warned that , in guidance to prevent the influence of colonial “power structures” on visitors. A strategy document for the university’s botanical gardens and arboretum warned against using the traditional combination of an English name and Latin name on plaques next to its plants, amid concerns they could erase “other forms of knowing”.Surprise! ‘No Good Deed’ Features All Your Fave Comedy Stars

CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changes NEW YORK (AP) — The outgoing head of the nation’s top public health agency urged the next administration to maintain its focus and funding to keep Americans safe from emerging health threats. Mike Stobbe, The Associated Press Nov 25, 2024 3:04 PM Nov 25, 2024 3:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message NEW YORK (AP) — The outgoing head of the nation’s top public health agency urged the next administration to maintain its focus and funding to keep Americans safe from emerging health threats. “We need to continue to do our global work at CDC to make sure we are stopping outbreaks at their source,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. “We need to keep that funding up. We need to keep the expertise up. We need to keep the diplomacy up.” Cohen, 46, will be leaving office in January after about 18 months in the job. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday night said he picked Dave Weldon , a former Congressman from Florida, to be the agency’s next chief. Cohen said she hasn’t met Weldon and doesn’t know him. She previously voiced concern about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine advocate and CDC critic nominated to oversee all federal public health agencies . The CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. The staff is heavy with scientists — 60% have master’s degrees or doctorates. The last eight years have been perhaps the most difficult in the agency's history. The CDC once enjoyed a sterling international reputation for its expertise on infectious diseases and other causes of illness and death. But trust in the agency fell because of missteps during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, political attacks and resistance to infection-prevention measures like wearing masks and getting vaccinated. The CDC has four political appointees, out of about 13,000 employees. The rest serve no matter who is in the White House, with civil service protections against efforts to fire them for political reasons. Trump said during the campaign that he wants to convert many federal agency positions into political appointments, meaning those employees could be hired and fired by whoever wins the election. There’s also a proposal to split the agency in two: one to track disease data, and another focused on public health but with a limited ability to make policy recommendations. And then there’s a current budget proposal in Congress that would cut the agency’s funding by 22%. It would also eliminate the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses, suicides and and shooting deaths. Cohen said there’s reason to be proud of the agency’s work in recent years. The CDC has built partnerships to improve the availability of testing for different infections and to watch for signs of disease outbreaks by monitoring wastewater . There are emerging threats, as always, but no new, full-fledged public health emergencies, she said. The day after the Nov. 5 election, Cohen emailed CDC employees to urge them to keep going. “While the world may feel different with changes ahead — our mission has not changed,” she wrote. She said she’s not aware of any wave of worried CDC scientists heading for the doors because of the election results. “There is a difference between campaigning and governing,” she said. “I want to go into this in a way that we’re passing the baton.” Cohen said she doesn’t know what she’ll do next, other than spend time with her family in Raleigh, North Carolina, where her family maintained its residence while she ran the agency. Next year, for the first time, the CDC director will be subject to Senate confirmation, which could make for a gap before Trump's pick takes the helm. CDC Deputy Director Dr. Debra Houry has been assigned to help manage the transition. Aside from administration transition, the CDC has to face several looming threats. Officials this month confirmed the first U.S. case of a new form of mpox that was first seen in eastern Congo. There’s also the ongoing stream of bird flu cases , most of them mild illnesses seen in farmworkers who were in direct contact with infected cows or chickens. CDC officials say they believe the risk to the public remains low and that there’s no evidence it’s been spreading between people. “I don’t think we’re yet at a turning place. But does that mean it couldn’t change tomorrow? It could,” she said. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Mike Stobbe, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? 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The kitchen is the heart of the home, making it the perfect place for the focus of a meaningful holiday gift for new or aspiring homeowners. Smart tools that combine style, functionality and cutting-edge technology take kitchen duties to a whole new level. Here are some standout smart kitchen tools that any homeowner or homeowner-to-be would love, as reviewed by PC Magazine. Bring smart tech to meal prep If you’re seeking culinary inspiration or enhancing your skills with a cooking show, consider the third-generation Echo Show 8 smart display. Its high-definition screen and immersive audio make it perfect for watching cooking shows, streaming music, or following recipes hands-free. Simply ask Alexa — the cloud-based voice assistant — to set timers, convert measurements, or add items to your shopping list. The Echo Show 8 also allows you to pair and control other smart devices in your home that are compatible with Zigbee, Matter and Thread. To brighten your cooking space and warm up your kitchen, consider GE’s Cync Reveal under-cabinet and under-counter smart lights . These puck lights offer bright adjustable lighting with app control and are compatible with Matter for hands-free voice or remote control. While plug-in installation is straightforward, direct wiring provides the sleekest-looking install. If you have concerns about handling wiring, hire an electrician to install the lights. Self-cleaning robots for kitchen cleanup No cooking event is complete without the final cleanup, and the more help you can get the better. Enter a good robot vacuum to the rescue. The Shark IQ Robot Self-Empty XL RV1001AE features a large dustbin in its base station that only needs emptying about once a month. The vacuum rarely gets stuck and can be controlled from your phone or voice, allowing you to set cleaning schedules, target specific rooms, or establish no-go zones. It has a self-cleaning brush roll for pet guardians and is powerful enough to remove pet fur from carpeting. Another option for pet guardians is the iRobot Roomba j9+ , with its Pet Owner Official Promise (POOP) guarantee — if the vacuum fails to avoid solid pet waste in its first year, the company will replace it for free. There’s also a self-emptying robot vacuum, like the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni , which has a self-emptying dustbin, a mop that cleans and dries itself, and a built-in voice assistant. If you’re shopping on a budget, PC Magazine suggests the Roomba Combo Essential , which has seamless app setup, mopping and navigation abilities. But why stop there? You can also get a robot mop. The Bissell SpinWave Wet and Dry robot mop features two spinning microfiber pads for a spotless finish, while the iRobot Braava Jet m6 is another excellent option. Furbo smart cameras for pet lovers In keeping with gifts tied to the heart, here’s an option to treat pet owners and their furry friends. This device doubles as a pet sitter and indoor home security camera, with barking alerts, the ability to hear and talk to your pooch, and to toss treats from your phone. The Furbo 360 Dog Camera offers a livestream video to watch your pooch morning, afternoon, or night. Cat lovers aren’t left out, either. The Furbo 360 Cat Camera offers similar features tailored to feline families, with sound effects and notifications designed to entertain cats. Smart gadgets exist for every area of the home, so you’re sure to find one to suit the homeowners or renters on your holiday list. Explore the complete list of smart devices reviewed by PC Magazine at www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-smart-home-devices . Tom Kalinski is the broker/owner of RE/MAX of Boulder, the local residential real estate company he established in 1977. He was inducted into Boulder County’s Business Hall of Fame in 2016 and has a 40-year background in commercial and residential real estate. For questions, e-mail Tom at tomkalinski33@gmail.com , call 303.441.5620 or visit boulderco.com . Stay up to date with area Real Estate and Home & Garden news information with the latest e-edition version of atHome Colorado online This article is brought to you by atHome Colorado , your weekly insight into real estate, design, and community trends, published weekly by the advertising and marketing department in the Boulder Daily Camera, Loveland Reporter-Herald, Greeley Tribune, and Longmont Times-Call