Ariana Grande is dancing through life with Ethan Slater . The “Positions” singer—whose relationship with the SpongeBob SquarePants actor was made public in June 2023—celebrated a sweet moment by taking her grandmother Marjorie “Nonna” Grande to the movies to see her performance in Wicked . But Ari and Nonna weren’t the only ones in attendance: She revealed Ethan also joined for the family outing in Boca Raton, Fla. “Flew to Boca for a day to watch with Nonna,” Ariana wrote on a Nov. 25 Instagram Story photo of her sitting beside her grandma and brother Frankie Grande . “At the movie theater I grew up going to every weekend, Cinemark 20 in Boca.” In another photo, Ariana and Nonna held hands while watching the stage-to-screen adaptation, with the 31-year-old—who stars in the film as Glinda opposite Ethan’s Boq—making note of who took the tender pics, writing alongside a smiley face, “Photo by @ethanslater.” And while Ari’s grandma was happy to see her granddaughter in the movie, Nonna also made note of another favorite part. “Thrilled to report that when the sugar glider had her drum solo,” Ariana wrote on the snap and tagged the film’s director Jon M. Chu , “Nonna exclaimed loudly, ‘oh i LOVE that.’” The Grande family outing with Ethan—who shares a 2-year-old son with ex-wife Lilly Jay —is just the latest sign of support from Ariana’s boyfriend. Earlier this month, he praised the “One Last Time” singer and her performance in Wicked . “She’s so funny,” Ethan said on the Nov. 4 episode of The Jennifer Hudson Show . “She’s a comedy genius. I mean, she’s amazing in this film.” “Everyone’s amazing in this film,” he continued. “And Ari’s hilarious. I can’t wait for people to see the takes that didn’t make it in.” But that’s not the only time Ethan gushed about his girlfriend fulfilling her lifelong dream of being Glinda. “I’m just really, really proud of Ari and the work she’s done on this,” he told GQ in October. “She’s poured herself into it. I’m really excited to be here for this next step of when the world gets to see the amazing thing that she did.” Read on to look back at Ariana and Ethan’s love story. Just A Little Bit Of Her Heart: September 2023 After a source close to the couple—who met on the set of Wicked —told E! News they had “recently” begun dating in July 2023, Grande subtly supported Slater by “liking” a photo announcing his role in Spamalot on Broadway in early September 2023. Later that same month, the two were seen out together for the first time at, naturally, Grande’s favorite place on Earth, Disney World. In photos shared by TMZ , the duo walked around the Florida theme park arm-in-arm. A source close to Grande and Slater told E! News after the excursion, “they went with a big group of friends including her mom and brother and are really happy and really good for each other.” It’s Supernatural: October 2023 T he costars engaged in some subtle PDA at dinner in New York City in photos obtained by TMZ . A few weeks later, Grande stepped out to support Slater during previews of Spamalot on Broadway where he played The Historian/Prince Herbert. Grande was gleaming as she made her way out of St. James Theater alongside friends, sporting a paper crown from the show and clutching a Playbill. She Loves to Seem Him From Her POV: November 2023 Grande later attended the opening night of Spamalot and shared an Instagram post highlighting her evening. In the photos, Grande sported an elegant black dress and accessorized with sheer black gloves and a Spamalot cup. The last slide of her carousel included a nod to the cast—which included Slater—with a message reading, “Happy Opening of Broadway Show.” Doing Winter Things: December 2023-January 2024 In a rare life update on Instagram in Dec. 2023 , Grande showed off some of her holiday celebrating a photo of a wall Christmas tree with a Spam can ornament. Fans quickly pointed out the connection to Slater, as Spamalot was running on Broadway at the time. On Dec. 23, 2023, the couple stepped out with Grande’s father Ed Butera for dinner in New York City. That same month, Grande teased new music and would go on to announce Eternal Sunshine in early 2024. Although no songs are explicitly about Slater on the album, fans pointed out that the album’s initials, E.S., coincidentally—or not—match the initials of Ariana’s boyfriend. Love Isn’t Completely Off The Table: Summer 2024 In March 2024, Ariana and ex Dalton Gomez finalized their divorce. That summer, Grande’s brother Frankie Grande gave her new romance his stamp of approval. “I love him,” Frankie said of Slater in a June 2024 interview with TooFab . “He’s a very sweet guy.” A few days after Frankie’s interview went live, Grande and Slater attended the 2024 Stanley Cup final in Florida together —marking their most public joint outing since their romance debut. This Is the True Story: September 2024 In an interview with Vanity Fair published in Sept. 2024 , Grande addressed her romance with Slater publicly for the first time—pushing back on the speculation of the couple's romantic timeline overlapping with their previous relationships. “It definitely doesn’t get any easier, seeing some of the negativity that was birthed by disreputable tabloids,” she told the outlet. “Of course, I went through a lot of life changes during the filming of this movie. A lot of people that were working on it did.” Grande went on to defend Slater against any negativity thrown at him. “There couldn’t be a less accurate depiction of a human being than the one that the tabloids spread about him,” Grande added. “No one on this earth tries harder or spreads themselves thinner to be there for the people that he loves and cares about. There is no one on this earth with a better heart, and that is something that no bullshit tabloid can rewrite in real life.” That same month, Slater finalized his divorce with ex Lilly Jay —with whom he shares a young son. Imperfect For Each Other: November 2024 A month after he showed support for Grande’s October 2024 Saturday Night Live hosting gig, Slater addressed their relationship—and the scrutiny surrounding it—for the first time. “It was an amazing year and a really beautiful thing,” Slater reflected on falling in love with Grande while filming Wicked in a Oct. 2024 GQ interview. “I’m just really excited. I’m just really, really proud of Ari and the work she’s done on this. She’s poured herself into it.” Still, Slater admitted he found it difficult to wait for people to like him again as they clung to their papers and pens. “I think there was something that was really difficult about things in your private life being commented on and looked at by the public,” he added. “There were a lot of big changes in private lives that were really happening, so it’s really hard to see people who don’t know anything about what’s happening commenting on it.” But he was able to block out the noise somewhat. As he added of Grande’s song “Imperfect For You,” which is rumored to be about him, “I love that song.” Magical Moments: November 2024 One short day in the Emerald City, or rather in the Australian city of Sydney, Grande and Slater attended a press event for Wicked and wrapped their arms around each other.College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta. Alabama left out of playoff as committee rewards SMU's wins over Crimson Tide's strong schedule The College Football Playoff committee took wins over strength of schedule, taking SMU over Alabama for the final at-large spot in the field. The field was expanded from four to 12 teams this season, but that didn’t save the committee from controversy. SMU showed it could compete against a traditional power, losing to Clemson 34-31 on a 56-yard field goal in the ACC title game on Saturday. Alabama had some ups and downs in its first season under coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide had quality wins against Georgia and South Carolina, but lost at Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma. Big Ten wins playoff selection derby, followed by SEC despite notable Alabama omission College football’s conference shakeup left concerns about two super conferences dominating the playoff field. They weren’t totally unfounded, or 100% born out. The Big Ten, not the Southeastern Conference, was the biggest winner. The ACC scored, too. The Big Ten led the initial 12-team playoff field with four making the cut, topped by a No. 1 Oregon team that was part of the Pac-12 exodus. Then came the SEC — and one notable omission. ACC runner-up SMU got the nod over college football blue-blood Alabama, another blemish in Kalen DeBoer’s first season as Nick Saban’s championship-or-bust successor. Tamar Bates scores 29 points to help Missouri beat No. 1 Kansas 76-67 COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Tamar Bates had 29 points and five steals to help Missouri beat Hunter Dickinson and No. 1 Kansas 76-67. Mark Mitchell scored 17 points in Missouri’s first win over Kansas since a 74-71 victory on Feb. 4, 2012. Anthony Robinson II had 11 points and five steals for the 8-1 Tigers. Dickinson had 19 points and 14 rebounds, but he also committed seven turnovers. The 7-2 Jayhawks have lost two straight on the road after falling 76-63 against Creighton on Wednesday night. Scottie Scheffler ends his big year in the Bahamas with his 9th victory NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Scottie Scheffler ended his biggest year with another victory. Scheffler was coming off a two-month break and looked as good as ever. He shot 63 in the Hero World Challenge and set tournament records at Albany with a 72-hole total of 263 and a six-shot victory. Tom Kim was the runner-up and Justin Thomas finished third. Scheffler ends his year with nine victories in 21 tournaments. That includes the holiday tournament in the Bahamas and the Olympic gold medal in Paris. It's the third-highest winning percentage in the last 40 years. Tournament host Tiger Woods had two better years. Lindsey Vonn is encouraged by how close she is to being competitive in ski racing return at age 40 COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — Lindsey Vonn is encouraged by how close she is to being competitive again in her ski racing return at 40 years old. Vonn is still getting her ski equipment dialed in and getting used to going full speed again on her new titanium knee. That’s why all that she's reading into being more than two seconds behind in a pair of lower-level super-G races Sunday is that she’s right there. This after nearly six years away from ski racing and an abbreviated prep period. She was 2.19 seconds behind in the first race and 2.06 in the second. Both were won by her American teammate Lauren Macuga. Plane circles MetLife Stadium with message to co-owner John Mara to fix the Giants' 'dumpster fire' EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — A small plane circled MetLife Stadium roughly 90 minutes before New York was to play host to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, asking Giants co-owner John Mara to overhaul the team that has made the playoffs twice since winning the Super Bowl in February 2012. “Mr. Mara, enough. Please fix this dumpster fire!” the message read as it was towed behind the rear of a small plane. Saquon Barkley sets Eagles season rushing record and has Dickerson's NFL mark in his sights PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley has broken LeSean McCoy's Eagles franchise record for rushing yards in a season. Barkley has 1,623 yards. He surpassed McCoy's mark of 1,607 yards with a 9-yard run in Sunday's 22-16 win over Carolina. Barkley finished the game with 124 yards, within a yard of his season average. He has four games left and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's 40-year-old NFL record of 2,105 yards. Dickerson set that record in a 16-game season and Barkley has one more game. Eagles fans serenaded Barkley with “MVP!” chants and McCoy congratulated him on social media. Tua Tagovailoa's TD pass to Jonnu Smith gives Dolphins 32-26 overtime win over Aaron Rodgers, Jets MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jonnu Smith in overtime and the Miami Dolphins overcame Aaron Rodgers’ first 300-yard passing game in nearly three years to beat the New York Jets 32-26. After Jason Sanders tied it with 7 seconds left in regulation with a 42-yard field goal, Tagovailoa quickly moved the Dolphins down the field and they beat the Jets for the ninth straight time in Miami. That came after Anders Carlson gave the struggling Jets the lead with a 42-yarder with 52 seconds remaining. New York was eliminated from playoff contention for the 14th straight year. Steelers WR George Pickens to miss first game of his career with hamstring injury PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens will have to wait to “introduce” himself to Cleveland Browns defensive back Greg Newsome II. Pickens is inactive for Pittsburgh's rematch against the Browns because of a hamstring injury. Newsome and Pickens ended Cleveland’s 24-19 win on Nov. 21 by tussling on Pittsburgh’s last-gasp desperation pass attempt. Pickens grabbed Newsome’s facemask as the two careened through the end zone and slammed into a restraining wall. Afterward, Newsome called the mercurial Pickens a “fake tough guy.” Pickens responded on Friday by feigning ignorance and saying he didn’t even know who Newsome was when asked if he would talk to Newsome before the game.
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . ST. LOUIS (AP) — Robbie Avila’s 19 points helped Saint Louis defeat winless Chicago State 85-62 on Sunday. Avila also had seven rebounds for the Billikens (6-3). Gibson Jimerson added 18 points and seven rebounds. Kalu Anya had 14 points. The Cougars (0-11) were led in scoring by Noble Crawford, who finished with 18 points. Jalen Forrest added 13 points and seven rebounds. Troy McCoy finished with 11 points. Saint Louis took the lead with 13:38 remaining in the first half and never looked back. Avila led their team in scoring with 12 points in the first half to help put them up 41-33 at the break. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Social media users are misrepresenting a report released Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general's office, falsely claiming that it's proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The watchdog report examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report's finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That's false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau's informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day's events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney's office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” Related: The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office's counterterrorism division told the inspector general's office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D'Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report's findings. READ: “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!" reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray's resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray's announcement Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a fringe conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump's 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. Wray called such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. Asked for comment on the false claims spreading online, Stephanie Logan, a spokesperson for the inspector general’s office, pointed The Associated Press to a press release about the report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI's involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.” — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck . Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Perella Weinberg chairman Peter A. Weinberg sells $3.58m in stock
In the final hours before University of Mississippi student Jimmy “Jay” Lee disappeared, sexually explicit Snapchat messages were exchanged between his account and the account of the man now on trial in his killing, an investigator testified Thursday. Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr., 24, of Grenada, Mississippi , is charged with capital murder in the death of Lee, who vanished July 8, 2022. Lee, 20, of Jackson, Mississippi, was a gay man well known in the LGBTQ+ community at Ole Miss and in Oxford , where the university is located and Herrington's trial is being held. Lee's body has never been found, but a judge has declared him dead. Herrington maintains his own innocence. Herrington “was not openly in the LGBTQ community,” but evidence will show he had a relationship with Lee and is responsible for the death, assistant district attorney Gwen Agho said during opening arguments Tuesday in Oxford. Herrington’s attorney, Kevin Horan, told jurors that prosecutors have “zero” proof Lee was killed. University Police Department Sgt. Benjamin Douglas testified Thursday that investigators used search warrants to obtain cellphone records, information from social media accounts belonging to Lee and Herrington and information about Herrington's internet searches on the day Lee disappeared until Herrington was arrested two weeks later. One of Lee's friends, Khalid Fears , testified Tuesday that he had a video call with Lee just before 6 a.m. on July 8, 2022. Fears said Lee mentioned a sexual encounter with a man hours earlier, which ended badly. Lee was leaving his own on-campus apartment to go see the same man again, Fears said. Douglas testified Herrington's Snapchat account sent a message to Lee's account at about 5:25 a.m. saying: “Come back.” People using the two accounts then argued, and Lee's account sent a message at 5:54 a.m. saying he was on the way over. Douglas said that at 6:03 a.m., Lee's account sent its final message: “Open.” Google records obtained through a warrant showed that Herrington searched “how long does it take to strangle someone” at 5:56 a.m., Douglas said. An officer from another police agency, the Oxford Police Department, testified that starting on 7:18 a.m. the morning of Lee's disappearance, a car matching the description of Lee’s black sedan was captured on multiple security cameras driving through Oxford. A camera showed the car entering a parking lot at the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex at 7:25 a.m., Lt. Mark Hodges testified. The same camera showed a man jogging out of the parking lot moments later, turning onto Molly Barr Road. A witness, Kizziah Carter, testified Wednesday that he was driving home from work about 7:30 that morning and saw Herrington jogging along Molly Barr Road. Carter said he knew Herrington and honked to greet him, and Herrington flagged him down to ask for a ride. Carter said he drove Herrington to Herrington’s apartment in another complex. Lee's car was towed from Molly Barr Trails later that day. Both Herrington and Lee had graduated from the University of Mississippi. Lee was pursuing a master’s degree. He was known for his creative expression through fashion and makeup and often performed in drag shows in Oxford, according to a support group called Justice for Jay Lee. Prosecutors have announced they do not intend to pursue the death penalty, meaning Herrington could get a life sentence if convicted. Mississippi law defines capital murder as a killing committed along with another felony — in this case, kidnapping.
Building a strong economy requires building strong communities first
Musk says US is demanding he pay penalty over disclosures of his Twitter stock purchases DETROIT (AP) — Elon Musk says the Securities and Exchange Commission wants him to pay a penalty or face charges involving what he disclosed — or failed to disclose — about his purchases of Twitter stock before he bought the social media platform in 2022. In a letter, Musk’s lawyer Alex Spiro tells the outgoing SEC chairman, Gary Gensler, that the commission’s demand for a monetary payment is a “misguided scheme” that won’t intimidate Musk. The letter also alleges that the commission reopened an investigation this week into Neuralink, Musk’s computer-to-human brain interface company. The SEC has not released the letter. Nor would it comment on it or confirm whether it has issued such a demand to Musk. Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate is pushing toward a vote on legislation that would provide full Social Security benefits to millions of people. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer began the process on Thursday for a final vote on the bill, known as the Social Security Fairness Act. It would eliminate policies that currently limit Social Security payouts for roughly 2.8 million people. The legislation has passed the House. The bill would add more strain on the Social Security Trust funds, which are already estimated to be unable to pay out full benefits beginning in 2035. The measure would add an estimated $195 billion to federal deficits over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Trump offers support for dockworkers union by saying ports shouldn't install more automated systems WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering his support for the dockworkers union before their contract expires next month at Eastern and Gulf Coast ports. He posted on social media Thursday that he met with union leaders and that any further “automation” of the ports would harm workers. He wrote that the “amount of money saved is nowhere near the distress, hurt, and harm it causes for American Workers.” The International Longshoremen’s Association has until Jan. 15 to negotiate a new contract with the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents ports and shipping companies. The Maritime Alliance says the technology will improve worker safety and strengthen our supply chains, among other things. IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power WASHINGTON (AP) — IRS leadership on Thursday announced that the agency has recovered $4.7 billion in back taxes and proceeds from a variety of crimes. The announcement comes under the backdrop of a promised reckoning from Republicans who will hold a majority over both chambers of the next Congress and have long called for rescinding the tens of billions of dollars in funding provided to the agency by Democrats. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said improvements made to the agency will help the incoming administration and new Republican majority congress achieve its goals of administering an extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. OpenAI's Altman will donate $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund LOS ANGELES (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is planning to make a $1 million personal donation to President-Elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships the incoming administration. A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed the move on Friday. The announcement comes one day after Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it donated $1 million to the same fund. Amazon also said it plans to donate $1 million. China signals it's prepared to double down on support for the economy as Trump tariffs loom BANGKOK (AP) — Chinese leaders met this week to plot economic policy for the coming year and sketched out plans to raise government spending and relax Beijing's monetary policy. Analysts said the broad-brush plans from the annual Central Economic Work Conference were more of a recap of current policy than ambitious new initiatives at a time when the outlook is clouded by the President-elect Donald Trump's threats to sharply raise tariffs once he takes office. The ruling Communist Party did commit to raising China's deficit and to doing more to encourage consumer spending by bringing wage increases in line with the pace of economic growth. Here's a look at China's main priorities and their potential implications. Stock market today: Wall Street slips at the end of a bumpy week Stocks slipped as Wall Street closes out a rare bumpy week. The S&P 500 was down less than 0.1% in afternoon trading Friday and headed for a weekly loss. The benchmark index hit its latest in a string of records a week ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 25 points. The Nasdaq composite was down less than 0.1%. Broadcom surged after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. Treasury yields edged higher in the bond market. European markets were mostly lower and Asian markets mostly fell. Next Week: Retail sales, Fed policy update, existing home sales The Commerce Department releases its monthly snapshot of U.S. retail sales Tuesday. Federal Reserve officials wrap up a two-day meeting and issue an interest rate policy update Wednesday. The National Association of Realtors issues its latest update on U.S. home sales Thursday. African Union chairperson candidates advocate for permanent UN Security Council seats NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Three African leaders seeking to head the African Union have detailed their plans for regional security amid conflicts and political coups while strongly advocating for inter-Africa trade. The race for chairperson debate was held Friday in Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. Kenya’s Raila Odinga, Djibouti’s Mahamoud Ali Youssouf and Madagascar’s Richard Randriamandrato are seeking to be elected as chairperson for the 55-member state African Union. They had a two-hour debate Friday in which they all advocated for two permanent seats for African countries at the U.N. Security Council to effectively represent the continent with the youngest population. The three are seeking to convince most African countries before the February election to succeed the African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki. From a 10-year-old to a Muppet to a president-elect, NYSE bell-ringers range from famous to obscure The first guest invited to ring the bell at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The even list includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer.ROSEN, NATIONAL INVESTOR COUNSEL, Encourages ASP Isotopes Inc. Investors to Secure Counsel ...
By Anna Helhoski, NerdWallet The battle to get here was certainly an uphill one, but people are generally feeling better about the economy and their finances than they once did. On top of that, the economy has been easing into an ideal, Goldilocks-like position — not running too hot or cooling too quickly. Throughout 2024, consumer sentiment data showed people were fairly positive about the economy and their own finances, even if there’s remaining frustration over elevated prices compared to four years ago. Looking ahead, households are feeling more optimistic about their personal finances in the next year, as the share of those expecting to be in a better financial situation a year from now hit its highest level since February 2020. Combine positive personal vibes with a strong economic picture and it looks like 2024 wasn’t so bad for consumers, after all. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t bumps in the road or potential roadblocks ahead. To cap off the year, NerdWallet writers reflect on the top trends in personal finance and the economy this year — and what they think might be ahead in 2025. Elizabeth Renter, NerdWallet’s economist What happened: In 2024, U.S. consumers have proven resilient following a period of high inflation and ongoing high interest rates. Wage growth has been strong, owing in part to rising productivity. This has driven robust spending throughout the year, which has kept the economy growing at a healthy pace. The labor market has remained steady, though cooler than 2023, and price growth continues to moderate towards the Federal Reserve’s 2% inflation goal. What’s ahead: Barring significant changes to economic policy and significant shocks, the U.S. economy is expected to grow at a moderate rate in the coming year. Inflation will continue to moderate and the labor market will remain relatively healthy, all due in part to continued slow and deliberate rate cuts from the Fed. However, there are risks to this path. Higher tariffs and tighter immigration policies are likely, but the extent of these changes are yet unclear. The potential policy scenarios are many, and the economic outcomes complex. Increased tariffs are generally inflationary, and stricter immigration policies could impact the labor supply and economic growth. Consumers and small business owners with their eyes to the new year should focus on the things within their control. Margarette Burnette, consumer banking and savings writer What happened: High-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit offered elevated rates in 2024, rewarding savers with strong returns. Following the Federal Reserve rate cuts in the second half of the year, high-yield accounts had modest rate decreases, but they continued to outperform traditional savings accounts and CDs. What’s ahead: We’re watching for further Federal Reserve rate cuts, which could lead to more decreases in savings rates. Sara Rathner, credit cards writer What happened: Credit card debt levels hit record highs, with consumers turning to credit cards to pay for necessities. While the economy is doing well, many individuals have struggled to make ends meet, as incomes haven’t kept up with certain costs. What’s ahead: We may see some policy and regulation changes with the incoming administration that could affect folks when it comes to credit cards, debt and consumer protections. Ryan Brady, small business writer What happened : New businesses continued to blossom in 2024 as business applications remained well above pre-pandemic levels. Confidence in the future state of the U.S. economy also spiked after the presidential election, but that optimism was tempered by concerns over rising costs and labor quality. What’s ahead: All eyes are on the incoming administration as small-business owners brace for turbulence resulting from potential tariffs, tax policy changes and dismantled government regulations. We’re also watching the possibility of interest rate cuts in 2025 and small-business owners’ growing reliance on new technologies, such as AI. Holden Lewis, mortgages writer What happened: Home buyers struggled with elevated mortgage rates, rising house prices and a shortage of homes for sale. On top of that, a new rule required buyers to negotiate their agents’ commissions. What’s ahead: The Federal Reserve is expected to cut short-term interest rates, but mortgage rates might not necessarily fall by a similar amount. Buyers will probably have more properties to choose from, and the greater supply should keep prices from rising a lot. Interest rates on home equity loans and lines of credit should fall, making it less expensive to borrow to fix up homes — either to sell, or to make the home more comfortable and efficient. Sam Taube, investing writer What happened: The stock market had a great year. The S&P 500 is up more than 25% due to falling interest rates, fading recession fears, AI hype, and the possibility of lighter taxes and regulations under the new administration. Cryptocurrency also saw big gains in 2024; the price of Bitcoin crossed the $100,000 mark for the first time in December. What’s ahead: A lot depends on how fast the Fed reduces rates in 2025. Another key unknown is Trump’s second term. Regulatory rollbacks, such as those he has proposed for the banking industry, could juice stock prices — but they also could create systemic risks in the economy. His proposed tariffs could also hurt economic growth (and therefore stock prices). Finally, it remains to be seen whether trendy AI stocks, such as NVIDIA, can continue their momentum into next year. It’s the same story with crypto: How long will this bull market last? Caitlin Constantine, assistant assigning editor, insurance What happened: Many people saw their home and auto insurance premiums skyrocket in 2024. In some states, homeowners are finding it harder to even find policies in the first place. Meanwhile, life insurance rates have started to decrease post-pandemic. We also saw more insurers offering online-only policies that don’t require a medical exam. What’s ahead: Auto and home insurance costs will likely continue to rise, although auto premiums may not rise as dramatically as they have over the past few years. And if you’re in the market for life insurance, expect to see competitive life insurance quotes and more customizable policies. Eliza Haverstock, student loans writer What happened: Borrowers received historic student loan relief, but lawsuits derailed an income-driven repayment plan used by 8 million whose payments are indefinitely paused. Uncertainty will carry into 2025 as a result of the presidential administration change. What’s ahead: Trump has pledged to overhaul higher education and rein in student loan relief. The fate of the SAVE repayment plan, student loan forgiveness options, FAFSA processing and more remain in the balance. Meghan Coyle, assistant assigning editor, travel What happened: People are willing to pay more for big and small luxuries while traveling, and airlines and hotels are taking note. Many airlines raised checked bag fees early in 2024, credit card issuers and airlines invested in renovated airport lounges, and major hotel companies continued to add luxury properties and brands to their loyalty programs. What’s ahead: Southwest will say goodbye to its open seating policy and introduce new extra-legroom seats, a major departure for the airline. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines will unveil a unified loyalty program in 2025. Spirit Airlines may attempt to merge with another airline again after its 2024 bankruptcy filing and two failed mergers under President Biden’s administration. Travelers will find that they’ll have to pay a premium to enjoy most of the upgrades airlines and hotels are making. Laura McMullen, assistant assigning editor, personal finance What happened: This year, dynamic pricing expanded beyond concerts and travel to online retailers and even fast-food restaurants. This practice of prices changing based on real-time supply and demand received plenty of backlash from consumers and prompted the Federal Trade Commission to investigate how companies use consumers’ data to set prices. What’s ahead: Beyond an expansion of dynamic pricing — perhaps with added oversight — expect subscription models to become more prevalent and demand for sustainable products to grow. Shannon Bradley, autos writer What happened: New-car prices held steady in 2024 but remained high after a few years of sharp increases — the average new car now sells for about $48,000, and for the first time ever the price gap between new and used cars surpassed $20,000 (average used-car prices are now slightly more than $25,000). Overall, the car market returned to being in the buyer’s favor, as new-car inventories reached pre-pandemic levels, manufacturer incentives began making a comeback and auto loan interest rates started to decline. What’s ahead: The future of the car market is uncertain and depends on policies implemented by the incoming administration. Questions surround the impact of possible tariffs on car prices, whether auto loan rates will continue to drop, and if federal tax credits will still be available for electric vehicle buyers. Jackie Veling, personal loans writer What happened: Buy now, pay later continued to be a popular payment choice for U.S. shoppers, even while facing headwinds, like an interpretive ruling from the CFPB (which determined BNPL should be regulated the same as credit cards) and Apple’s discontinuation of its popular Apple Pay Later product. Large players like Affirm, Klarna and Afterpay continued to offer interest-free, pay-in-four plans at most major retailers, along with long-term plans for larger purchases. What’s ahead: Though more regulation had been widely anticipated in 2025, the change in administration suggests the CFPB will play a less active role in regulating BNPL products. For this reason, and its continued strength in the market, BNPL will likely keep growing. Taryn Phaneuf, news writer What happened: Easing inflation was a bright spot in 2024. In June, the consumer price index fell below 3% for the first time in three years. Consumers saw prices level off or decline for many goods, including for groceries, gas and new and used vehicles. But prices haven’t fallen far enough or broadly enough to relieve the pinch many households feel. What’s ahead: The new and higher tariffs proposed by the Trump administration could reignite inflation on a wide range of goods. Taryn Phaneuf, news writer What happened: Rent prices remain high, but annual rent inflation slowed significantly compared to recent years, staying around 3.5% for much of 2024, according to Zillow, a real estate website that tracks rents. A wave of newly constructed rental units on the market seems to be helping ease competition among renters and forcing landlords to offer better incentives for signing a lease. What’s ahead: If it continues, a softening rental market could work in renters’ favor. But construction is one of several industries that could see a shortage of workers if the Trump administration follows through on its promise to deport undocumented immigrants. A shortage of workers would mean fewer houses and apartments could be built. Anna Helhoski, news writer What happened: After a contentious presidential campaign, former President Donald Trump declared victory over Vice President Kamala Harris. While on the campaign trail, Trump promised to lower inflation, cut taxes, enact tariffs, weaken the power of the Federal Reserve, deport undocumented immigrants and more. Many economists have said Trump’s proposals, if enacted, would likely be inflationary. In Congress, Republicans earned enough seats to control both houses. What’s ahead: It’s unclear which campaign promises Trump will fulfill on his own and with the support of the new Congress. He has promised a slew of “day one” actions that could lead to higher prices, including across-the-board tariffs and mass deportations. Most recently, Trump pledged to enact 20% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as an additional 10% tariff on China. He has also promised to extend or make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; many of its provisions expire by the end of 2025. Anna Helhoski, news writer What happened: Fiscal year 2023-2024’s funding saga finally came to an end in March, then six months later, the battle to fund the fiscal year 2024-2025 began. The Biden Administration waged its own war against junk fees . Antitrust enforcers pushed back against tech giants like Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta; prevented the Kroger-Albertsons merger; nixed the Jet Blue-Spirit Airlines merger; and moved to ban noncompete agreements. The Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, as well as a challenge to abortion pill access. SCOTUS also overruled its landmark Chevron case, which means every federal regulatory agency’s power to set and enforce its own rules are now weaker. What’s ahead: The election’s red sweep means the GOP will control the executive and legislative branches of government. They’ll face the threat of at least one more potential government shutdown; a debt ceiling drama comeback; and the beginning of the debate over extending or making permanent provisions of the expiring 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. More From NerdWallet Anna Helhoski writes for NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @AnnaHelhoski. The article What Trended in Personal Finance in 2024? originally appeared on NerdWallet .House Democrats who voted yes on NDAA lament transgender restrictions
None
How Exness Is Revolutionizing Forex Trading with Advanced Tools
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is slated make his season debut Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers following offseason ankle surgery. The 7-foot-2 Latvian center was upgraded from probable to available about an 90 minutes before tipoff, though Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said how much he'd play was to be determined. Veteran center Al Horford, who has started 14 of the Celtics 17 games this season, is out Monday with an illness. Fellow big man Luke Kornet is also sitting out as he continues to deal with hamstring tightness. “He has worked hard, he's in good shape. We'll put him in position to be healthy and be successful and do what's best for the team,” Mazzulla said. “He's been pretty consistent, just based on his work ethic and what he's done to get to this point.” Porzingis had surgery to fix a tear in the tissue that holds the ankle tendons in place. The issue limited him to seven playoff games during the Celtics' NBA championship run last season. Boston is 14-3 this season, but has missed his presence on the inside, with teams routinely outscoring the defending champions in the paint. Mazzulla acknowledged that how Porzingis plays on the offensive end, particularly how he operates sometimes out of the high and low post, will force some adjustment from how the team has played this season without him on the floor. “I think last year we had an opportunity to see how teams were guarding him,” Mazzulla said. "That'll take a little bit of time to figure out what the coverages are, just get used to that spacing. That'll take some time. ... Then we'll figure out how we go from there." The original window for Porzingis' return following surgery was five to six months. But Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said before the season that they didn't want to hold to a specific timeline because of the uniqueness of the injury. Porzingis injured his ankle in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks and missed the next two games. He returned for Game 5, contributing five points and one rebound in 16 minutes as the Celtics beat Dallas 106-88 to clinch their record 18th title. Porzingis averaged 20 points and seven rebounds in 57 games for last season. He signed a $60 million, two-year extension with Boston in the summer of 2023 after the Celtics acquired him in a trade with Washington. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaSharps technology CEO Robert Hayes acquires $10,072 in stock
Canadians bristle - or shrug - at Trump's trollingChina eyes negotiations as Trump threatens new tariffs
NoneWords on ammo in CEO shooting echo common phrase on insurer tactics: Delay, deny, defend A message left at the scene of an insurance executive’s fatal shooting echoes a phrase commonly used to describe insurer tactics to avoid paying claims. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were written on the ammunition used to kill UnitedHealthcare's CEO. That's according to two officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday. The words are similar to the phrase “delay, deny, defend.” That's how attorneys describe insurers denying services and payment, and the title of a 2010 book critical of the industry. Police haven’t officially commented on the words. But Thompson’s shooting and the messages on the ammunition have sparked outrage on social media and elsewhere, reflecting frustration Americans have over the cost and complexity of getting care. Bitcoin has surpassed the $100,000 mark as the post-election rally continues. What's next? NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin has topped the $100,000 mark, extending a rally in the world’s most popular cryptocurrency sparked by the election of Donald Trump. The milestone comes just hours after the president-elect signaled a lighter regulatory approach to the crypto industry with his choice of crypto advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bitcoin has soared to unprecedented heights since Trump won the election Nov. 5. The cryptocurrency has climbed dramatically from $69,374 on Election Day and rose to more than $103,000 before falling back below $100,000 by Thursday afternoon. US judge rejects Boeing's plea deal in a conspiracy case stemming from fatal plane crashes DALLAS (AP) — A federal judge has rejected a deal that would have let Boeing to plead guilty to a felony conspiracy charge and pay a fine for misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before two of the planes crashed and 346 people died. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Texas said that diversity, inclusion and equity or DEI policies in the government and at Boeing could result in race being a factor in picking an official to oversee Boeing’s compliance with the agreement. His ruling on Thursday creates uncertainty around the criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant. The judge gave Boeing and the Justice Department 30 days to tell him how they plan to proceed. McKinsey subsidiary will pay $122M for scheme to bribe South African officials, US says WASHINGTON (AP) — An African subsidiary of the consulting firm McKinsey & Company Inc. will pay a criminal penalty of more than $122 million to resolve a U.S. Justice Department investigation into a yearslong scheme to bribe South African government officials. The Justice Department says the scheme involved bribes to officials with South Africa’s state-owned and state-controlled custodian of ports, rails, and pipelines, as well as its state-controlled energy company. It netted McKinsey Africa and its parent company $85 million in profits between 2012 and 2016, officials said. McKinsey said in a statement that it “welcomes the resolution of these matters and the closure of this regretful situation.” EPA hails 'revitalized' enforcement efforts as Biden administration heads to exit WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency says it concluded more than 1,850 civil cases this year, a 3.4% increase over 2023, and charged 121 criminal defendants, a 17.6% increase over the previous year. The agency also issued $1.7 billion in financial penalties, more than double last year's total. Thursday's report was the final one account of Biden-era enforcement actions before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Enforcement efforts included first-ever criminal charges for a California man accused of smuggling climate-damaging air coolants into the United States. Engine maker Cummins Inc. paid more than $2 billion in fines and penalties after it was found to use illegal software to skirt diesel emissions tests. Work-life balance isn't working for women. Why? NEW YORK (AP) — About half of working women reported feeling stressed “a lot of the day,” compared to about 4 in 10 men, according to a Gallup report published Wednesday. The report suggests that competing demands of work and home comprise part of the problem: working women who are parents or guardians are more likely than men who are parents to say they have declined or delayed a promotion at work because of personal or family obligations, and mothers are more likely than fathers to “strongly agree” that they are the default responders for unexpected child care issues. But changing workplace culture and prioritizing well-being can improve the problem, according to Karen Guggenheim, creator of the World Happiness Summit. From outsider to the Oval Office, bitcoin surges as a new administration embraces crypto NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin burst on the scene after trust had withered in the financial system and Washington’s ability to protect people from it. Now, it’s Washington’s embrace of bitcoin that’s sending it to records. Bitcoin briefly surged above $103,000 after President-elect Donald Trump said he will nominate Paul Atkins, who's seen as friendly to crypto, to be the Securities and Exchange Commission's next chair. The crypto industry, meanwhile, did its part to bring politicians friendly to digital currencies into Washington. It's a twist from bitcoin's early days, when it was lauded as a kind of electronic cash that wouldn’t be beholden to any government or financial institution. Stock market today: Wall Street edges back from its records as bitcoin briefly pops above $100,000 NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their records as Wall Street counted down to a big jobs report that’s coming on Friday. The S&P 500 fell 0.2% Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.6%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 0.2% from its own all-time high. The crypto market had more action, and bitcoin briefly burst to a record above $103,000 before falling back toward $99,000. It's climbed dramatically since Election Day on hopes President-elect Donald Trump will be more friendly to crypto. Airline stocks were strong, while Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. Key members of OPEC+ alliance are putting off production increases amid slack crude prices FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Eight members of the OPEC+ alliance of oil exporting countries have decided to put off increasing oil production as they face weaker than expected demand and competing production from non-allied countries — factors that could keep oil prices stagnant into next year. The OPEC+ members decided at an online meeting to postpone by three months production increases that had been scheduled to take effect Jan. 1. The plan had been to start gradually restoring 2.2 million barrels per day over the course of 2025. That process will now be pushed back to April 1, 2025 and production increases will gradually take place over 18 months until October 2026. Eli Lilly invests $3B to expand Wisconsin factory to help meet demand for Mounjaro, Zepbound Eli Lilly is spending another $3 billion to bulk up manufacturing as the drugmaker seeks to stoke production of some blockbuster drugs and future products. Lilly said Thursday it will expand a Kenosha County, Wisconsin, factory it bought early this year. The investment will help meet growing demand for injectable products like its diabetes and obesity drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound. Those drugs brought in a combined $4.4 billion in sales for Lilly in this year’s third quarter. The drugmaker plans to start construction of the expansion next year.
With no guarantees that another opportunity might come his way — only the Atlanta Falcons interviewed Belichick last offseason — and unsure whether he could find the right fit in the NFL, the 72-year-old future Hall of Fame coach decided to go back to school. Belichick took his eight Super Bowl rings to North Carolina on a mission to build a college program the way he constructed two dynasties during 24 seasons with the New England Patriots. It starts with doing things his way. The Patriot Way is legendary. Perhaps it'll translate into the Tar Heel way. That's to be determined. But Belichick is back doing what he loves: coaching. And, he's going to run the show with his guys around him. An NFL team giving Belichick full control the way he had in New England seemed unlikely. Success at North Carolina could change that thinking. For now, Belichick's quest to break Don Shula's all-time record for most wins in the NFL is on hold. He's 15 victories short but the buyout clause in his college contract — a $10 million fee if done before June 2025 and $1 million after that date — leaves the window open for a return to the league. If Belichick stays in college or retires without returning to the NFL, his legacy is already cemented. Winning at North Carolina will only enhance his reputation. Losing won't impact his NFL resume. "He's one of the all-time great coaches. What he's done for the NFL and the game, we all know where he'll end up — in the Hall of Fame with a gold jacket," Dallas Cowboys executive Stephen Jones said Wednesday shortly before Belichick agreed on a five-year deal with North Carolina that pays him $10 million in base and supplemental salary annually with up to $3.5 million in bonuses per year. Belichick has his detractors. There's no denying he couldn't win without Tom Brady. He was 29-39 and had no playoff wins without No. 12 in his final four seasons with the Patriots. Critics have labeled him a cheater because of the Spygate and Deflategate scandals. He overlooked Aaron Hernandez's issues. He was tough on players, even alienating Brady in the end and letting him walk him away in free agency in 2020 only to see him lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl in his first season there. But Belichick instilled in players the importance of doing their job and presided over an unprecedented two-decade run of dominance that withstood changing times, free agency, salary-cap restrictions and much more. Brady has always maintained how important Belichick was for his career, giving him credit for helping him become one of the best players in sports. Now, Belichick is onto Chapel Hill in a surprise twist after he spent most of the NFL season reinventing himself as an entertaining and engaging analyst. Belichick is a football genius and his knowledge came across on television. But he also displayed a fun personality, trading quips with the Mannings and cracking jokes with Pat McAffee. "College kind of came to me this year," Belichick said at his introductory news conference. "I didn't necessarily go and seek it out. I had many coaches, probably a couple dozen coaches, talk to me and say, 'Can we come down and talk to you about these things?' Let's call it the salary cap of pro football relative to college football. The headsets, the green dot, the two-minute warning, the tablets on the sideline. Those were all rules changes this year for college football that were either or the same or similar to what we had in the NFL. These coaches said, 'Hey coach can we talk to you about how you did this? How you did that? How did you use this?'. "As those conversations started and then the personnel conversations started relative to salary cap and how you spend whatever the allotment of money you have. I'd say that started to make me a lot more aware of it because the first thing I would have to do is learn about it. .... As you learn different things about different programs you start to put it all together. There is some common threads and there's some variables." How will he do as a college coach? Nobody knows yet. Three of Belichick's former players were skeptical before he took the job. "There's a lot of things he can do, and obviously he's tremendous, and even showing his personality. But getting out there on the recruiting trail and dealing with all these college kids, that would be ..." Brady said before trailing off during a conversation on Fox's NFL pregame show last Sunday. Fellow former Patriots Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman also wondered the same. "Can you imagine NIL, and all that nonsense?" Gronkowski said. Edelman added: "Can you imagine Bill on a couch recruiting an 18-year-old?" But Belichick doesn't have to recruit kids on visits. These are new times in college sports. The NIL has dramatically changed the landscape. Plus, Belichick's name is enough. Just like Deion Sanders at Colorado. "I think it could be great for this game, honestly, if he can find a way to make college football more like this in terms of what's being asked of the coaches, the recruiting staff, the personnel, the NIL, and all those different things," Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Cohen said. "If he can make it a little bit less demanding on some of the coaches and create a great atmosphere and have success, I think it's great for our game. It's pretty cool to see, actually." Time for Belichick to do his job.