Europe can make up the Ukraine funding shortfall if the U.S. withdraws, analysts say‘Dìdi’ Star Joan Chen On Embracing Vulnerability Through Acting And Motherhood: “This Was A Part Of My Own Life Now Finding Its Expression”Clippers, Pelicans seeing different results despite stars' absence
Lady Panthers lean on defensive intensity and veteran leadershipKey Takeaways Though it can help start a business , act as a personal tutor , and even roast Instagram profiles , ChatGPT has its limits. For example, ask it to tell you about David Faber. Or simply ask it who Jonathan Turley is. Those names, plus a few others, will cause ChatGPT to spit out an error message: "I'm unable to produce a response." The user is then unable to write another prompt to continue the conversation; the only option left is to regenerate the response, which yields the error again. Screenshot. Prompt: Tell me about Brian Hood. ChatGPT users discovered over the weekend that a few words could break the AI chatbot, or cause it to stop working. The trend started with the name "David Mayer," which ChatGPT users on Reddit and X flagged. 404 Media found that the names "Jonathan Zittrain," which refers to a Harvard Law professor, and "Jonathan Turley," which is the name of a George Washington University Law professor, also caused ChatGPT to stop working. Related: Here's How the CEOs of Salesforce and Nvidia Use ChatGPT in Their Daily Lives Ars Technica noted that " Brian Hood ," the name of an Australian mayor, " David Faber ," which could refer to a CNBC journalist, and " Guido Scorza ," which is the name of an Italian attorney, all yielded error messages. As of the time of writing, ChatGPT no longer produces an error message when asked about David Mayer and instead gives the generic response, "David Mayer could refer to several individuals, as the name is relatively common. Without more context, it's unclear if you're asking about a specific person in a field such as academia, entertainment, business, or another domain. Can you provide more details or clarify the area of interest related to David Mayer?" However, for the other names — Brian Hood, Jonathan Turley, Jonathan Zittrain, David Faber, and Guido Scorza — ChatGPT persistently produces an error message. Screenshot. Prompt: Who Is Jonathan Turley? It's unclear why these specific names cause the AI bot to malfunction and to what effect. Ars Technica theorized that ChatGPT being unable to process certain names opens up new ways for attackers to interfere with the AI chatbot's output. For example, someone could put a forbidden name into the text of a website to prevent ChatGPT from accessing it. Social media users speculated that certain names being blocked meant that ChatGPT would be monitored and tightly controlled by powerful people . They also found that other AI chatbots, like Google's Gemini, were able to process the names with no problems. OpenAI did not respond to Entrepreneur 's request for comment. Related: ChatGPT Finally Gives Businesses What They've Been Asking ForRoyce Freeman has joined the Chicago Bears. The running back signed a contract to join the Bears’ practice squad, the team announced Wednesday. Freeman gets a fresh start in Chicago after spending time on the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad before he was released in October. “Rolls Royce” could get a quick promotion to the 53-man roster ahead of the Bears’ Monday night game against the Minnesota Vikings. Short-yardage specialist Roschon Johnson did not practice Thursday and he remains in the league’s concussion protocol and his availability for the game remains unclear. Running back D’Andre Swift has a groin injury and did not practice Thursday. The 28-year-old Freeman was a third-round pick (No. 71) by the Denver Broncos in the 2018 NFL draft. Freeman’s best season occurred as a rookie, when he ran 130 times for 521 yards and five touchdowns. He didn’t duplicate those numbers during his next two seasons with the Broncos before he was released. The Broncos cut Freeman ahead of the 2021 season and he landed with the Carolina Panthers. Freeman played for the Panthers and Houston Texans during the 2021 season and returned to the Texans in 2022. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023, rushing 77 times for 319 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games with the Rams. Freeman went to training camp with the Dallas Cowboys in 2024, but was cut on the final day of camp. He then signed with the Browns’ practice squad. Freeman has rushed for 1,792 yards and 10 touchdowns and caught 86 passes for 532 yards and another score during his career.
Barrister cleared of misconduct calls on head of Bar Standards Board to resignThe heart of Mid-Market now pulsates with a newfound vibrancy following the unveiling of 'Heartfullness,' a monumental sculpture that has taken residence at the intersection of Market and Turk Streets, according to a social media post by Market Street Arts . This dynamic piece of steel takes the shape of a mended heart and is a testament to the human spirit's durability and our capacity to love despite adversity. A post shared by Market Street Arts (@marketstreetarts) Standing over 15 feet wide and 13 feet high, 'Heartfullness' isn't just a spectacle during the day – when the sun bounces off its rusted metallic surface – but also at night, where it emanates a warm glow from its core. As part of its design, the sculpture includes a pair of woven rope seats nestled within, offering visitors a moment of respite and reflection. This installation is more than art; it's a gathering space intended to foster communal connection on San Francisco's main thoroughfare through June 2025. The transformative effects of 'Heartfullness' on the Mid-Market area were underlined by Abra Allan, Director of Creative Engagement at the Mid-Market Foundation, as per Broadway World . Allan expressed, "Through Market Street Arts, we've built a foundation of sustained investment and community engagement that celebrates the unique character and rich history of our neighborhood. 'Heartfulness' represents more than just an artistic installation—it embodies our community's aspirations and resilience, serving as a beacon of hope for Market Street's bright future." The artist behind 'Heartfullness,' Katy Boynton, shared with Broadway World her connection to the sculpture. "I moved to San Francisco to follow my artistic dreams," Boynton said. "I wanted to learn how to weld and build a heart sculpture that came to me in a dream. Having Heartfullness placed in San Francisco is the ultimate dream come true.”
Cape May needs multiple sources to fund new desalination plantJimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’The Bosler Memorial Library will celebrate its 125th birthday in 2025. Every resident of Carlisle and Cumberland County should recognize and be proud of this fact. If the Bosler Memorial Library does not receive increased funding from the Cumberland County commissioners, it will be forced to make difficult decisions regarding operating hours, collections, programs, services and staffing. Libraries serve as a conduit to access information and to learn, encourage social inclusion and equity, foster civic engagement, create a bridge to resources and community involvement, and promote economic vitality within the community (Scott, R., 2011). When political jurisdictions come under budget constraints (real, imagined or manufactured), elected and appointed officials will look to reduce or eliminate budget line items that are soft and vulnerable targets. Cuts to public libraries can be such targets. For budget hawks, the existence of vast amounts of information, most of it free, on the Internet suggests that public libraries have outlived their usefulness, that they have become irrelevant. (Barclay, D., 2017). Not so! In the 10-year period 1993-2013, there was a dramatic increase in the number of visits to libraries—497,600,000 more! This despite the use of the aforementioned Internet (Barclay, D., 2017). There are several reasons people are still drawn to public libraries. The one big, obvious reason is that the physical space offered cannot be replicated in the online environment. This is a compelling enough reason to support and embrace the public library system. There are, of course, many other reasons. So, I urge the Cumberland County commissioners to increase funding to the county library system. And, I urge all the citizens of Cumberland County to reach out to the commissioners and encourage them to find sufficient room in the budget to support the county libraries. Thomas J. Arminio Captain, USN (Ret.) Carlisle Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly!
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JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — “My Driver and I” was supposed to be made in 2016, but was scuttled amid Saudi Arabia's decades-long cinema ban. Eight years later, the landscape for film in the kingdom looks much different — and the star of “My Driver and I” now has an award. Roula Dakheelallah was named the winner of the Chopard Emerging Saudi Talent award at the Red Sea International Film Festival on Thursday. The award — and the glitzy festival itself — is a sign of Saudi Arabia's commitment to shaping a new film industry. “My heart is attached to cinema and art; I have always dreamed of a moment like this,” Dakheelallah, who still works a 9-5 job, told The Associated Press before the awards ceremony. “I used to work in voluntary films and help my friends in the field, but this is my first big role in a film.” The reopening of cinemas in 2018 marked a cultural turning point for Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy that had instituted the ban 35 years before, under the influence of ultraconservative religious authorities. It has since invested heavily in a native film industry by building theaters and launching programs to support local filmmakers through grants and training. The Red Sea International Film Festival was launched just a year later, part of an attempt to expand Saudi influence into films, gaming, sports and other cultural fields. Activists have decried the investments as whitewashing the kingdom’s human rights record as it tightly controls speech and remains one of the world’s top executioners. With FIFA awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia this week, Lina al-Hathloul, a Saudi activist with the London-based rights group ALQST, said Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman “has really managed to create this bubble where people only see entertainment and they don’t see the reality on the ground.” These efforts are part of Vision 2030, an ambitious reform plan unveiled in 2016 to ease the economy's dependence on oil. As part of it, Saudi Arabia plans to construct 350 cinemas with over 2,500 movie screens — by this past April, across 22 cities, it already had 66 cinemas showing movies from the local film industry, as well as Hollywood and Bollywood. (The Red Sea International Film Festival attracts a host of talent from the latter industries, with Viola Davis and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also picking up awards Thursday.) The country's General Entertainment Authority last month opened Al Hisn Studios on the outskirts of Riyadh. As one of the largest such production hubs in the Middle East, it not only includes several film studios but also a production village with workshops for carpentry, blacksmithing and fashion tailoring. “These facilities, when they exist, will stimulate filmmakers,” said Saudi actor Mohammed Elshehri. “Today, no writer or director has an excuse to imagine and say, ‘I cannot implement my imagination.’” The facilities are one part of the equation — the content itself is another. One of the major players in transforming Saudi filmmaking has been Telfaz11, a media company founded in 2011 that began as a YouTube channel and quickly became a trailblazer. Producing high-quality digital content such as short films, comedy sketches and series, Telfaz11 offered fresh perspectives on Saudi and regional issues. In 2020, Telfaz11 signed a partnership with Netflix to produce original content for the streaming giant. The result has been movies that demonstrate an evolution on the storytelling level, tackling topics that were once off-limits and sensitive to the public like secret nightlife in “Mandoob” (“Night Courier”) and changing social norms in “Naga.” “I think we tell our stories in a very simple way, and that’s what reaches the world,” Elshehri says of the changing shift. “When you tell your story in a natural way without any affectation, it will reach every person.” But the films were not without their critics, drawing mixed reaction. Social media discoursed ranged from pleasure that Saudi film were tackling such topics to anger over how the films reflected conservative society. As Hana Al-Omair, a Saudi writer and director, points out, there are still many stories left untold. “We certainly have a long time ahead of us before we can tell the Saudi narrative as it should be,” she said, acknowledging that there are still barriers and rampant censorship. “The Goat Life,” a Malayalam-language movie about an Indian man forced to work without pay in Saudi Arabia, is not available on Netflix's platform in the country. Movies that explore political topics or LGBTQ+ stories are essentially out of the question. Even “My Driver and I,” featured at the Red Sea festival alongside 11 other Saudi feature-length films, was initially too controversial. It centers on a Sudanese man in Jeddah, living away from his own daughter, who feels responsible for the girl he drives as her parents are absent. It was initially blocked from being made because of the relationship between the girl and the driver, filmmaker Ahd Kamel has said, even though it's not a romantic relationship. Now in 2024, the film is a success story — a symbol of the Saudi film industry's evolution as well as the growing role of women like Kamel behind the camera and Dakheelallah in front of it. “I see the change in Saudi cinema, a very beautiful change and it is moving at a wonderful speed. In my opinion, we do not need to rush,” Dakheelallah said. “We need to guide the truth of the artistic movement that is happening in Saudi Arabia.” Baraa Anwer, The Associated Press
Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’JAMAICA, N.Y. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) today announced that Turkish Airlines will begin operations at the new terminal when it opens in 2026. Turkish Airlines will also unveil a brand new, state-of-the-art lounge for its premium customers, launching the next phase of the award-winning airline's growth at its top U.S. gateway. The New Terminal One, set to be the largest international terminal in the United States , will offer best-in-class amenities and innovative technology for a transformational and efficient travel experience. The New Terminal One is a key component of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's $19 billion transformation of JFK Airport into a world-class gateway, which will include two new terminals, the modernization and expansion of two existing terminals, a new ground transportation center, and an entirely new, simplified roadway network. Turkish Airlines, which currently flies 19 times weekly from JFK Airport to its hub at Istanbul , providing seamless connections to its extensive global network, will continue to offer top-tier service from the new terminal. As part of its expansion in the JFK market, Turkish Airlines will open an 11,000-square-foot lounge in the New Terminal One – twice the size of the airline's lounge at the existing Terminal 1. The new lounge will feature premium amenities, expansive views of JFK Airport's airfield and provide direct boarding access to aircraft, offering unmatched convenience for Turkish Airlines' business class customers and top-tier frequent flyers. Recognized for its exceptional in-flight service, Turkish Airlines recently received the World Class Award from the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) for the fourth consecutive year, placing it among just 10 airlines in the world to have received this prestigious recognition. Turkish Airlines was also chosen as the Best Airline in Europe nine times by Skytrax. Over the years Turkish Airlines also received accolades from Skytrax and other prestigious organizations numerous times for its Business and Economy Class offerings and Lounges. Turkish Airlines offers service to 351 destinations, including 25 in the Americas. Turkish is a member of the Star Alliance and will join other alliance members at the New Terminal One: LOT Polish Airlines, EVA Air and Air China. "We are thrilled to welcome Turkish Airlines to the New Terminal One at JFK, where their commitment to world-class customer service aligns perfectly with our mission to provide an unparalleled customer experience," said The New Terminal One Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Aument . "We look forward to working closely with our colleagues at Turkish Airlines to elevate the travel experience for customers from 2026 and beyond." Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof. Ahmet Bolat stated: "We are excited to bring Turkish Airlines' world-class service to the New Terminal One at JFK, further enhancing our passengers' travel experience with a state-of-the-art-lounge. This move underlines our commitment to continue our growth in the U.S market." In addition to Turkish Airlines, the New Terminal One has partnered with several other global carriers, including Air France, KLM, Etihad, LOT Polish Airlines, Korean Air, EVA Air, Air Serbia, SAS, Neos and Philippine Airlines. Air China is also partnering with the terminal on elevating the travel experience for Chinese customers visiting New York . The New Terminal One is focused on improving the customer experience by collaborating with potential airline partners. This includes working with airline teams across all customer journey touchpoints. Set to be JFK Airport's largest terminal when complete, the New Terminal One will offer a world-class customer experience and additional widebody aircraft gate capacity – providing international airlines a unique opportunity to grow their service at JFK, the top global gateway to the U.S. About The New Terminal One The New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport is a bold and exciting project to develop a world-class international terminal that will serve as an anchor terminal in the Port Authority's $19 billion transformation of JFK into a global gateway to the New York metropolitan area and the United States . The New Terminal One will set a new standard for design and service, aspiring to obtain a Top 5 Skytrax ranking and be considered one of the finest airport terminals in the world. The New Terminal One is being built on sites now occupied by Terminal 1 and the former Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, where it will anchor JFK's south side. Construction is taking place in phases. The first phase, including the new arrivals and departures halls and first set of 14 new gates, is expected to open in 2026. At completion, anticipated in 2030, the New Terminal One will be 2.6 million square feet, making it the largest terminal at JFK and nearly the same size as LaGuardia Airport's two new terminals combined. The New Terminal One will be a 23-gate, state-of-the-art, international-only terminal. Sustainably designed and future-focused, the terminal will feature expansive, naturally lit public spaces, cutting-edge technology, and an array of amenities, all designed to enhance the customer experience and compete with some of the highest-rated airport terminals in the world. The New Terminal One consortium of labor, operating, and financial partners is led by Ferrovial, JLC Infrastructure, Ullico, and Carlyle. The New Terminal One is being built by union labor and is committed to local inclusion and labor participation, focusing on diversity and capacity-building opportunities, including ambitious participation goals of 30% for minority and women-owned enterprises, 10% for local business enterprises and 3% for service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. To learn more about the New Terminal One at JFK International Airport, visit https://www.anewjfk.com/projects/the-new-terminal-one/ About Turkish Airlines Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines has a fleet of 491 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 351 worldwide destinations in 130 countries (298 international destinations and 53 domestic destinations within Turkiye). More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on its official website www.turkishairlines.com or its social media accounts on Facebook, X, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/turkish-airlines-to-begin-operations-at-the-new-terminal-one-at-jfk-and-unveil-world-class-lounge-302331710.html SOURCE The New Terminal One at JFK
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he unfolding power struggle in South Korea this past week has many of the elements and the plots needed to make a best-selling Korean drama about how real liberal democracy works to protect society. Here is the synopsis: An unpopular president desperately clinging to power sends the military to the streets of Seoul, but parliament quickly responds by voting overwhelmingly to reject the martial law which he has declared. In the meantime, thousands of people gather outside the parliament building, defying curfew and confronting fully-armed soldiers and tanks, giving passage for enough members of parliament to assemble and do their work. This real political drama, which happened on the night of Dec. 3, is short and sweet, not like the traditional made-for-TV Korean dramas that can drag on for many seasons. Not only was martial law rolled back, opposition parties in parliament are now moving to impeach President Yoon Suk-yeol. But this last part is more the epilogue. The climax of this drama already occurred when the president lifted martial law only hours after declaring it. A classic story of the good beating out evil. We couldn’t ask for a happier ending. The real story, and the real lesson for Koreans and for the rest of the world, is that democracy, which in its true sense means the will of the people, is resilient enough to beat back a president who uses the power of the gun to prolong his unwelcome stay. Democracy survived because the Korean people willed it and fought for it. This drama defies the trend seen in other parts of the world where established and not-so-established democracies are moving toward authoritarianism, and where people have passively accepted their fate instead of fighting to defend it. Whether you're looking to broaden your horizons or stay informed on the latest developments, "Viewpoint" is the perfect source for anyone seeking to engage with the issues that matter most. By registering, you agree with 's Please check your email for your newsletter subscription. While the villains in this drama are clear, Yoon and his cohorts who are trying to cling to power, the real heroes are the people, particularly those who took to the streets and gathered outside the parliament building which was already fortified by the military. A video that went viral that night shows a woman tussling with an armed soldier. She won the fight but only because the soldier, to his credit, restrained from opening fire. The entire story would have taken a different twist if blood were shed. This would have been the preferred plot for an impactful TV drama. In real life, Koreans show there is no need for killing. You just have to be resolute in order to protect democracy. One could easily forget the role the internet and social media play in rescuing democracy. That night, the military visited all legacy media outlets to impose a news blackout which is part and parcel of martial law. But the internet and social media platforms are not under military control. They could not control it even if they wanted to. The net was flooded with news and information about the tense hours following the declaration of martial law. Through social media, people shared video clips of the emergency hearing in parliament by 190 members who made it there to take the vote, and of the hundreds of people who defied the military curfew. Three decades ago or more, before the era of the internet, most people would not have known about what was happening and would have remained passive players in the unfolding drama. We should credit the Korean military for not succumbing to the temptation of power. They followed the president’s order to impose martial law, but as soon as parliament voted to roll it back, the soldiers quickly backed off and were returned to barracks. Now, president Yoon’s days are numbered. His claims that anti-state forces were working to undermine the country, in collaboration with communists and the North Korean government, fell flat. No one would buy this from a leader who has lost all credibility. South Korea will still go through political instability until this leadership matter is settled. The political drama continues, but we can say for sure that the worst is over.Canada Post may have no option but to drastically change its service delivery model after its labour dispute is settled, a University of Manitoba professor argues. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Canada Post may have no option but to drastically change its service delivery model after its labour dispute is settled, a University of Manitoba professor argues. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Canada Post may have no option but to drastically change its service delivery model after its labour dispute is settled, a University of Manitoba professor argues. Barry Prentice, a professor of supply chain management, said fewer mail deliveries per week, layoffs and a switch to community mailboxes may be in the cards so the Crown corporation can save costs while maintaining the public service. Otherwise, it risks privatization. Canada Post will have to adapt to changing consumer habits and remain competitive with private couriers, says Barry Prentice. (The Canadian Press files) “There’s a fundamental change that’s needed in this whole arrangement, as far as I can see,” Prentice said Friday. “It’s technology-driven, the demand for mail delivery is certainly not what it used to be.” Canada Post, which has 55,000 employees and high labour costs, will have to adapt to changing consumer habits and remain competitive with private couriers. Daily mail deliveries could be cut down to once or twice per week and the conversion of door-to-door delivery to community mailboxes, which was suspended in 2015 after the Trudeau Liberal government was elected, could be resumed to save the corporation money, Prentice said. Canada Post’s relevancy has been debated during a month-long strike. However, privatizing the post office, as Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre has promised, would affect rural communities that rely on it and can’t access third-party parcel services. The federal labour minister on Friday referred the dispute to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, with the aim of ordering the nearly 55,000 postal workers back to work. (Spencer Colby / The Canadian Press files) “It’s an obligation on the part of the government to serve all parts of the country,” he said. “We all have high-speed internet here in the city, but you don’t even necessarily have that out in the country so there’s certainly more need in the countryside.” Prentice said he expects the Liberals won’t deal with the problems at Canada Post before next year’s election. “The union has to make the company more competitive. They can’t just simply demand that they carry on forever,” he said. “There is a role for government to subsidize some essential services. So the question comes down to how much of the post office is essential?” nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the newsroom in 2023. . Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Mail could begin moving again in Canada as early as next week after the federal government moved Friday to end the nearly month-long work stoppage at Canada Post. Nicole Buffie is a multimedia producer who reports for the city desk. Born and bred in Winnipeg, Nicole graduated from Red River College’s Creative Communications program in 2020 and worked as a reporter throughout Manitoba before joining the newsroom in 2023. . Every piece of reporting Nicole produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement AdvertisementFormer US president Jimmy Carter dies aged 100
These are the four up-and-coming British companies I recommend investing in for real rewards next year and beyond, by shares guru JOANNE HART By JOANNE HART Updated: 16:55, 29 December 2024 e-mail 2 View comments Stock markets are intended to help companies grow. However, that theory has been sorely tested this year, with many firms hit by a cruel combination of economic uncertainty and investor apathy. Rachel Reeves's Budget made matters worse but this is no time for investors to turn their backs on Britain. Many UK stocks have huge potential. Often undervalued by the stock market, they have proved their resilience in recent years and shown they can move forward, even when conditions are tough. Midas top picks for 2025 include four such businesses, drawn from very different markets but all expected to deliver real rewards for shareholders next year and beyond. Assura The NHS is in a mess. More than six million people are waiting for treatment and half of them have been on waiting lists for four months or more. Cancer targets are continually missed, A&E waiting times are a national disgrace, and GPs are stretched to breaking point. To cap it all, the nation is becoming less healthy, with obesity levels rising, heart disease increasing, and life expectancy falling in the poorest parts of Britain. Change is needed – and Assura is helping to provide this. It designs, builds and manages healthcare facilities, from GP surgeries and NHS training centres to mental health units and private hospitals. Today, Assura has about 620 properties, two-thirds of which are GP surgeries, while private hospitals account for a quarter of the group. Many households regard private hospitals as greedy, price-gouging businesses. However, these are not just used by wealthy clients but also the NHS, helping to shorten waiting times and offering specialist services that the state simply cannot afford. Nuffield Health for example, Assura's largest customer on the private side, is a charity focused on community wellbeing. Assura designs, builds and manages healthcare facilities, from GP surgeries and NHS training centres to mental health units and private hospitals (picture posed by models) On the GP front, Assura surgeries are often modern and purpose-built, designed in consultation with doctors to create an environment that works for patients and medics alike. Chief executive Jonathan Murphy joined the group as finance director in 2013, rising to the top job four years later. Well regarded, Murphy is determined to build a business that improves Britain's health and delivers rewards for investors. Earnings and dividends have risen steadily over the past decade and last summer, Murphy spent £500 million on a portfolio of 14 hospitals, which are expected to drive growth for 2025 and beyond. Even after splashing out on the new assets, Assura is still forecast to increase dividends by 3 per cent to 3.3 p in the year to March 2025, putting the shares on a generous 8.5 per cent yield. Midas verdict: Property firms have been savaged recently and Assura is no exception, with its shares almost halving in value since 2022. This seems excessive. Health Secretary Wes Streeting is determined to make his mark and Assura is well positioned to benefit, as the government strives to ease pressure on the Health Service by encouraging greater use of GP surgeries and private hospitals. At 38p, the shares offer long-term growth and highly attractive dividends. Buy. Traded on: Main market Ticker: AGR Contact: assuraplc.com Telecom Plus American statesman Benjamin Franklin is credited with coining the phrase that nothing in this world is certain except death and taxes. But its first recorded mention was actually in a work by British playwright Christopher Bullock. For most of us today, though, another certainty is monthly bills. Never welcome, their number seems to increase on a regular basis – gas, electricity, broadband, mobile, insurance, plus numerous subscriptions to everything from TV to toilet paper. Telecom Plus aims to simplify customers' lives, with one bill covering energy, internet use, mobile phones and home insurance. Starting out from a pub in Henley-on-Thames in 1996, the company has more than a million customers and is valued on the stock market at almost £1.4 billion. Operating under the brand name Utility Warehouse, the group is focused on delivering top-tier service, ease of use and consistently competitive pricing. Accolades and awards suggest that the business is true to its word, as it has just been ranked number one for energy by Citizens Advice. Not only does Telecom Plus differ from peers in the range of services on offer, but it also acquires customers primarily by recommendations from existing users. Ordinary people – teachers, nurses, firefighters, police – tell friends, family or neighbours about Utility Warehouse and are rewarded for every person that they convert. Payment comes as a percentage of the new customer's bill – generally about 2.5 per cent – and for serial recommenders, known as agents, the rewards can be substantial, stretching to hundreds of pounds a year. The system is highly unusual but it works, with customer numbers – and profits – growing by more than 10 per cent a year for the past three years and set to continue. Chief executive Stuart Burnett is keen to double customer numbers to two million over the next five to seven years and add more services to his roster, with motor and pet insurance high on his list. Customers receive a loyalty card too, which takes money off their bill when they buy goods at chains such as Sainsbury's and Boots. Savings can run into hundreds of pounds for committed customers. The more customers join the group, the more profitable it becomes and the more dividends can be paid to shareholders. Shares guru Joanne Hart recommends that you buy and hold shares in Telecom Plus Brokers forecast a dividend of 94p for the year to March 2025, rising to £1.07 the following year and £1.18 in 2027. With the shares at £17.28, that puts Telecom Plus on a yield of almost 5.5 per cent. Midas verdict: Telecom Plus shares peaked at more than £25 two years ago, when energy prices were soaring and inflation was rampant. They have fallen 30 per cent since then to £17.28, with investors worried that new customers will be harder to find in today's environment. Evidence to date would suggest otherwise and the shares should bounce back in 2025 and beyond. Buy and hold. Traded on: Main market Ticker: TEP Contact: telecomplus.co.uk Distribution Finance Capital Staycations came into their own after the Covid pandemic and many holidaymakers decided they preferred them. More than 500,000 caravans trundle round the UK each year, demand for campervans and motorhomes has been soaring, and sales of new vehicles top 25,000 annually. Manchester-based Distribution Finance (DF) Capital oils the wheels of this market and its prospects are bright. The company provides finance to hundreds of dealers nationwide, via loans that are repaid as soon as vehicles are sold. Loans are subsidised by manufacturers so DF works with these firms as well, ensuring processes run smoothly from start to finish. Founded in 2016 by a trio of financial specialists who cut their teeth at US giant GE Capital, DF aims to stand out from larger competitors through a combination of top-tier technology and old-fashioned, personal service. Read More Where you should invest your money to set yourself up for a prosperous 2025, by JEFF PRESTRIDGE Rivals tend to be large banks, saddled with legacy IT. DF has built its own systems, which are easy to use by makers and dealers. Motorhomes and caravans account for about a quarter of DF's business. However, the group operates in several other areas too, from boats and motorbikes to pre-fabricated holiday homes and lodges for retirement communities. The latter are increasingly popular for older couples looking to downsize, release some funds and have fun in their senior years. Trading is brisk across the group. Working with almost 100 manufacturers and about 1,200 dealers, DF is growing fast. Chief executive Carl D'Ammassa revealed earlier this month that results for 2024 would be significantly ahead of expectations with profits of more than £18.5 million, a fourfold increase over 2023. There are high hopes for 2025 as well, with D'Ammassa planning to offer loans not just to dealers but to their customers too. The motor finance market has become enmeshed in scandal, with dealers and lenders accused of hiding commissions and overcharging customers. DF Capital will focus on specialist vehicles rather than cars, but should benefit as lenders across the industry struggle with past problems. D'Ammassa intends to start small as well, so he can be choosy in his choice of customers and keep credit quality high. DF runs a fully licensed savings bank too, financing its lending activity by offering consumers attractive rates, simple online processes and, again, friendly personal service for those who need it. Midas verdicT: Distribution Finance shares topped £1.30 in 2019. Today, they are 36p, hit by concerns about Covid, high interest rates and the collapse of a troublesome manufacturer, Royale Life, in 2023. That issue has been resolved, important lessons have been learned and DF shares have come off earlier lows. However, they are still too cheap at 36p and should deliver strong growth in 2025 and beyond. Buy. Traded on: Aim Ticker: DFCH Contact: dfcapital-investors.com IIG Gambling in China dates back at least 3,000 years, starting with an ancient precursor to chess, known as liubo. Today, however, most forms of gambling are illegal in the People's Republic, with two notable exceptions: the Welfare Lottery and the Sports Lottery, both of which are state-owned. Here too, there are restrictions, with lottery tickets historically available at just 200,000 designated shops, scattered across a country almost 40 times larger than Britain. Chinese New Year lottery tickets. About 100 million Chinese play the lottery today, out of a population of 1.4 billion Ten years ago, Englishman Daniel Levine and his Chinese colleague Frank Li Tong decided this presented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to drag Chinese lottery systems into the modern era and allow consumers to buy tickets online. The duo founded Hui10 to bring their idea to fruition and in 2023, UK-listed Intuitive Investments Group (IIG) acquired the business via a $365 million all-share deal. Aim-listed IIG boasts an impressive team. Chief executive Robert Naylor and chief investment officer Giles Willits have made serious money for shareholders in recent roles and hope to do the same again. Chairman Sir Nigel Rudd has a 40-year history of backing winners and believes Hui10 will turn IIG into a FTSE 100 business, so much so that he has persuaded top financiers to invest in the company. At the coalface, Levine and Tong have spent the past decade working with Chinese government bodies and local businesses. Now they are on the cusp of delivery. Systems have been approved and steps are under way to make China's lottery digital, including trial runs in certain parts of the country and promotional schemes with giants such as AliBaba, the Chinese equivalent of Amazon. A full roll-out is expected next year and the stakes are high. About 100 million Chinese play the lottery today, out of a population of 1.4 billion. If China were to follow the UK and America, those numbers could rise to at least 300 million over the next five years, sending IIG revenues from virtually nothing today to more than £1.5 billion, with profits running into hundreds of millions of pounds. Midas verdict: IIG shares are £1.10 today. If all goes according to plan, the stock could soar. Like any early-stage business, IIG is not without risk. But the board is top drawer, backers are savvy and Hui10 is determined to succeed. An appealing punt for the adventurous investor. Traded on: Aim Ticker: IIG Contact: iigplc.com Share or comment on this article: These are the four up-and-coming British companies I recommend investing in for real rewards next year and beyond, by shares guru JOANNE HART e-mail Add comment Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
By JILL COLVIN and STEPHEN GROVES WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working mostly behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role: Helping Donald Trump try to get his most contentious Cabinet picks to confirmation in the Senate, where Vance has served for the last two years. Vance arrived at the Capitol on Wednesday with former Rep. Matt Gaetz and spent the morning sitting in on meetings between Trump’s choice for attorney general and key Republicans, including members of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The effort was for naught: Gaetz announced a day later that he was withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations and the reality that he was unlikely to be confirmed. Thursday morning Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth, the “Fox & Friends Weekend” host whom Trump has tapped to be the next secretary of defense. Hegseth also has faced allegations of sexual assault that he denies. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings in coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, and Vice President-elect JD Vance, left, walk out of a meeting with Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, departs the chamber at the Capitol in Washington, March 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, center speaks during a Senate Banking Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, right, speaks with Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, before testifying at a hearing, March 9, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a classified briefing on China, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, arrives for a vote on Capitol Hill, Sept. 12, 2023 in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE – Sen. JD Vance R-Ohio speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File) Vice President-elect JD Vance, still a Republican senator from Ohio, walks from a private meeting with President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The role of introducing nominees around Capitol Hill is an unusual one for a vice president-elect. Usually the job goes to a former senator who has close relationships on the Hill, or a more junior aide. But this time the role fits Vance, said Marc Short, who served as Trump’s first director of legislative affairs as well as chief of staff to Trump’s first vice president, Mike Pence, who spent more than a decade in Congress and led the former president’s transition ahead of his first term. ”JD probably has a lot of current allies in the Senate and so it makes sense to have him utilized in that capacity,” Short said. Unlike the first Trump transition, which played out before cameras at Trump Tower in New York and at the president-elect’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, this one has largely happened behind closed doors in Palm Beach, Florida. There, a small group of officials and aides meet daily at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort to run through possible contenders and interview job candidates. The group includes Elon Musk, the billionaire who has spent so much time at the club that Trump has joked he can’t get rid of him. Vance has been a constant presence, even as he’s kept a lower profile. The Ohio senator has spent much of the last two weeks in Palm Beach, according to people familiar with his plans, playing an active role in the transition, on which he serves as honorary chair. Vance has been staying at a cottage on the property of the gilded club, where rooms are adorned with cherubs, oriental rugs and intricate golden inlays. It’s a world away from the famously hardscrabble upbringing that Vance documented in the memoir that made him famous, “Hillbilly Elegy.” His young children have also joined him at Mar-a-Lago, at times. Vance was photographed in shorts and a polo shirt playing with his kids on the seawall of the property with a large palm frond, a U.S. Secret Service robotic security dog in the distance. On the rare days when he is not in Palm Beach, Vance has been joining the sessions remotely via Zoom. Though he has taken a break from TV interviews after months of constant appearances, Vance has been active in the meetings, which began immediately after the election and include interviews and as well as presentations on candidates’ pluses and minuses. Among those interviewed: Contenders to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , as Vance wrote in a since-deleted social media post. Defending himself from criticism that he’d missed a Senate vote in which one of President Joe Biden’s judicial nominees was confirmed, Vance wrote that he was meeting at the time “with President Trump to interview multiple positions for our government, including for FBI Director.” “I tend to think it’s more important to get an FBI director who will dismantle the deep state than it is for Republicans to lose a vote 49-46 rather than 49-45,” Vance added on X. “But that’s just me.” While Vance did not come in to the transition with a list of people he wanted to see in specific roles, he and his friend, Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., who is also a member of the transition team, were eager to see former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. find roles in the administration. Trump ended up selecting Gabbard as the next director of national intelligence , a powerful position that sits atop the nation’s spy agencies and acts as the president’s top intelligence adviser. And he chose Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services , a massive agency that oversees everything from drug and food safety to Medicare and Medicaid. Vance was also a big booster of Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, who will serve as Trump’s “border czar.” In another sign of Vance’s influence, James Braid, a top aide to the senator, is expected to serve as Trump’s legislative affairs director. Allies say it’s too early to discuss what portfolio Vance might take on in the White House. While he gravitates to issues like trade, immigration and tech policy, Vance sees his role as doing whatever Trump needs. Vance was spotted days after the election giving his son’s Boy Scout troop a tour of the Capitol and was there the day of leadership elections. He returned in earnest this week, first with Gaetz — arguably Trump’s most divisive pick — and then Hegseth, who has was been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, according to an investigative report made public this week. Hegseth told police at the time that the encounter had been consensual and denied any wrongdoing. Vance hosted Hegseth in his Senate office as GOP senators, including those who sit on the Senate Armed Services Committee, filtered in to meet with the nominee for defense secretary. While a president’s nominees usually visit individual senators’ offices, meeting them on their own turf, the freshman senator — who is accompanied everywhere by a large Secret Service detail that makes moving around more unwieldy — instead brought Gaetz to a room in the Capitol on Wednesday and Hegseth to his office on Thursday. Senators came to them. Vance made it to votes Wednesday and Thursday, but missed others on Thursday afternoon. Vance is expected to continue to leverage his relationships in the Senate after Trump takes office. But many Republicans there have longer relationships with Trump himself. Sen. Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican, said that Trump was often the first person to call him back when he was trying to reach high-level White House officials during Trump’s first term. “He has the most active Rolodex of just about anybody I’ve ever known,” Cramer said, adding that Vance would make a good addition. “They’ll divide names up by who has the most persuasion here,” Cramer said, but added, “Whoever his liaison is will not work as hard at it as he will.” Cramer was complimentary of the Ohio senator, saying he was “pleasant” and ” interesting” to be around. ′′He doesn’t have the long relationships,” he said. “But we all like people that have done what we’ve done. I mean, that’s sort of a natural kinship, just probably not as personally tied.” Under the Constitution, Vance will also have a role presiding over the Senate and breaking tie votes. But he’s not likely to be needed for that as often as was Kamala Harris, who broke a record number of ties for Democrats as vice president, since Republicans will have a bigger cushion in the chamber next year. Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
Oscar Health COO Steven Wolin sells $353,955 in stock
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has said he is "devastated" after suffering a fresh injury setback. Shaw has only just returned from injury and has made substitute appearances in each of Ruben Amorim's three games in charge. Editor's Picks Arteta: Amorim fingerprints already on Man United 7h James Olley Amorim tells United fans: 'I don't like my chant' 12h Rob Dawson Arsenal vs Man United: Time, how to watch, stats, news, injuries 11h ESPN A source has told ESPN that his latest problem, picked up in training, is set to rule him out for a number of weeks. In a statement posted on social media on Tuesday, Shaw said it was his "toughest period." "It's hurting a lot having to write this as I really thought I had got through my recent struggles and was on a positive path going forward, but unfortunately I've had a small setback," Shaw said. "I've been through a lot of ups and downs but this has definitely been my toughest period. I'm absolutely devastated and it's extremely tough to come to terms with reality at this moment in time." Shaw has come in for criticism from some United fans after missing the end of last season with a hamstring injury but returning to play for England in the Euro 2024 final in July. Another injury picked up after the Euros saw him miss the first three months of the current campaign. The 29-year-old has started just four Premier League games for United in 2024. "I understand there are going to be people frustrated, angry, disappointed and I understand all of that," Shaw said. "There is no one feeling that more than me at this moment in time. "But what I can promise is I will do everything I can to come back better soon to help this club achieve its ambitions this season. Thank you to everyone for the support. It really doesn't go unnoticed and I really do appreciate it."
Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. At least 15 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 15 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 160,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat this week after Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, which can cause life-threatening infections. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City. Top football recruit Bryce Underwood changes commitment to Michigan instead of LSU, AP source says ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Top football recruit Bryce Underwood has flipped to Michigan after pledging to play at LSU. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the recruit’s plans to join the Wolverines. Underwood pinned a post on his Instagram account, showing a post in which On3.com reported that he has committed to Michigan. The 6-foot-3 quarterback played at Belleville High School about 15 miles east of Michigan's campus, and told LSU nearly a year ago he intended to enroll there. Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach. The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on sand dunes in temperate southwest Australia about 2,200 miles north of the Antarctic coast. He was released Wednesday from a boat that traveled several hours from Western Australia state's most southerly city of Albany. His caregiver Carol Biddulph wasn't sure at first if the penguin would live. She said a mirror was important to his rehabilitation because they provide a sense of company. Biddulph said: “They’re social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time.” Shohei Ohtani wins third MVP award, first in NL. Aaron Judge earns second AL honor in 3 seasons NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday. Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points.
8 Best Altcoins to Join for December 2024: Your Guide to Crypto’s Most Promising ProjectsFor Joan Chen playing a doting but slightly disregarded Taiwanese immigrant mother in Sean Wang’s was a healing experience. Not only could she connect with the struggles that her character Chungsing goes through while raising her college-aged daughter and rebellious teenage son, the onscreen rift also helped her make amends with her daughters offscreen. “It was so cathartic to play Chungsing in this film and redemptive in a way because I think it gave me another chance almost to be a better mother,” Chen says. “And to do it better this time with my own younger daughter on set watching me, I felt like, ‘OK, Audrey. I’m talking to you. I’m trying to say, I’m sorry, and I love you.'” Throughout her nearly five-decade career, Chen has embodied more than the all-encompassing role of a supportive mommy dearest. From garnering China’s most prestigious award before she was 18 years old in pre-Maoist political drama r (1979), playing a femme fatale on (1990) to garnering U.S. moviegoers attention for her harrowing performance as an ill-fated empress trapped in a loveless marriage in the Oscar award-winning (1987). Her long-spanning career also led her to make moves behind the camera in films such as and her critically acclaimed debut film, . “Never for a moment throughout my teens and early twenties did I believe this could be a real career,” Chen says. “Looking back, I slowly fell in love with this profession because I did find self-expression in it. I have been a relatively shy person, not demonstrative of my feelings in front of people, so this became a venue for me. I was so lucky I was assigned to star in movies.” Here, with Deadline, Chen reflects on her career and the complexities of motherhood in her latest role in . There certainly is. My mother is very artistic, and I think her aspiration as a young child was to be an artist. She was a great singer. She played the grand piano, and she loved literature. Eventually, she followed in her own father’s footsteps and went into neuropharmacology. But all her life, I think what kept her happy was music. And then from my mother’s side and her mother’s side, there were great painters, and my brother is a great painter, and my mother also paints, so my brother and my mother are both a lot more talented than I am [laughs]. I fell into acting completely by accident, but they were my teachers. My brother taught me how to look at the world and how to actually see it. I remember he was painting cows. I only see black and white and maybe green grass. But he would see a myriad of colors in the green grass, and he would see the reflection from different things onto the hide of the cow. So, when I became a director, the way he taught me how to see was very important. I was 14 years old. I don’t think any 14-year-olds wanted to go back to school [laughs]. When they picked me out of the rifle team, I was overjoyed. One reason is that I would now get to go to work instead of going to school. And there were little things that, for instance, once you get a job, you can now wear a watch, students could never wear a watch, and so I was like, “Oh my god, now I could have a watch. I can wear a watch.” It was just little things that really had nothing to do with acting at first. Then, when I started practicing my lines, there was one line that I would speak. I didn’t have many lines in there, but there was one line I had to speak, the script described: with tears beaming out of my eyes and my lips quivering, and I’m like, “How do I do that?” So that was the line I practiced. I remember it being in the hallway or in the office before we were shooting. I think it’s these things that intrigued me. It’s like how you do that, how you conjure true emotion from a written page to your heart, and these types of challenges made me interested, and then later on, love acting. It was such a different era and culture. During the Cultural Revolution, our piano was taken. People would come and raid your house. My parents were considered the intellectual class as well as the bourgeoisie, so I didn’t have a choice. And most people, my brother’s age, as he’s older than me, and our friends were slightly older, were all being sent down to remote areas, so they left the city. One good thing about being an actress was that I didn’t have to graduate from high school and be assigned to a remote region, so my parents were happy about that. But never for a moment throughout my teens and early twenties did I believe this could be a real career. Looking back, I slowly fell in love with this profession because I did find self-expression in it. I have been a relatively shy person, not demonstrative of my feelings in front of people, so this became a venue for me. I was so lucky I was assigned to star in movies. I think most kids see their parents as just somebody who provides what they need. It’ll take many years and maturity for them to reflect and understand that their parents are human beings with their own desires, needs, and emotional ups and downs. In the film, Chungsing’s children are teens, and I don’t think they would see things that way. It is, in a way, my own personal experience. So, when I read the script, I felt instantly empathy toward the character’s sympathy and empathy. I felt like this was a part of my own life, now finding its expression. My children and I weathered many storms, some much worse than what’s in the film, and I take it as my responsibility. They’ve been trying to teach me to be a better mother. Being an immigrant, having been raised very differently and coming from a different culture... that uncertainty that both the character and I felt about what’s best for my children is relatable. I don’t know how to raise them. Is their behavior the norm in the society, or is it my own children that are difficult? There are so many uncertainties. I’m sure motherhood for anyone in any culture is really not for the faint of heart, especially when you are a stranger to this land and trying to raise American children. It’s awfully difficult. Chungsing’s art and paintings are so important to her. She had the aspiration of becoming an artist and then having to be a single mother, not only raising two kids but also taking care of her mother-in-law. That’s a very difficult job. Sean [Wang] ‘s mom really did a marvelous job. She’s had the patience, the resilience, and the forbearance to carry out this job, even though she wasn’t sure. It was so cathartic to play Chungsing in this film and redemptive in a way because I think it gave me another chance almost to be a better mother, to do it better this time with my own younger daughter on set watching me, and I felt like, “OK, Audrey. I’m talking to you. I’m trying to say, ‘I’m sorry, and I love you.'” My younger daughter does want to be an actress. Right now, her strongest passion is for social justice. She’s still a student at NYU, so that’s her strongest passion right now. But she does love acting also. My older daughter is a writer. Playing Sean’s mom taught me something: to have a little patience so that they will fall into their destinies where they need to be, and I don’t have to worry too much about it. I think they are two great children, and oftentimes, we fear for them, like, “Oh my God. Is she ever going to be like this or that?” Having played this character helped that. Now I know that I have faith and they’re decent people and they will find their own destiny, and so it’s a learning process for me. It was interesting to learn about her mannerisms, tone of voice, beliefs, and faith. What I admire most about Sean’s mom is that she has very deep faith within her. I have learned that in trying to incorporate this into a character who is insecure, Her relationship with her children is fraught with so much misunderstanding, not only by the generational gap but also by the cultural chasm, yet she held faith and hope. So, I learned a great deal from that part. Throughout my interviews with her, I saw she had such a gentle touch and spoke gently. I had her record all my lines, just to get another point of view on the delivery, as I was curious about how someone that the character is based on would say these. And a lot of the dialogue came from her in real life. She was part of the scriptwriting. She was very helpful in creating the character of the mother. It’s very interesting. For one thing, even though the Chinese and U.S. culture is very different, the filmmaking process nowadays in China and in the U.S. is very similar. The filmmaking departments, from art, the DP, directors, and costuming, all do their work similarly. So, it’s not really hard to jump from one Chinese movie to a U.S. movie and vice versa. But the audience’s appetite is culturally different. I think the Chinese audience likes sentimental things more. And so, some films are not so well reviewed in the U.S. or are too sappy or sentimental and poorly reviewed. However, they are reviewed very well in China. People actually love these films, so tastes are different.. Not good or bad. It’s just different. If I direct a film, I’m not thinking about who the audience is or who do I [impress]. It’s just as I see it. There is only one subjective view, and you can’t consider this and that. I think filmmaking is a circus life, a production, and all the crews; we are all together. We build our tents and start performing. That type of lifestyle is very similar. It’s the same in China or the U.S.. I feel very fortunate to be able to constantly work in both or other countries. I just finished a Canadian film in Quebec, where half of my lines are in French. It’s a wonderful thing to make films with different cultures. It feels great. I love acting, writing and directing. I think acting, if I see some merit in a character, if I could identify with one scene, like, “OK, this is one scene that I could sink my teeth into, and maybe the entire project is not ideal, it’s not the best, I could still go do it,” but I think for directing, I’d be like, “I really need to love it.” I need to feel 100% passion for it to go for it. There is this little difference. If I’m acting and don’t get a good part, I can’t wait for a whole year for a good part. You need to be constantly acting because that’s how you practice. And so when the good part does show up, you’re good at it. For directing, it’s not just a craft thing. The story has to drive me insane. I would have to tell it, or else I couldn’t live. That’s the difference, but I do love both. It’s very interesting. When it first came out, I think one critic mentioned it. I thought maybe that Hollywood experience may have driven me [to portray] the women being exploited in that way. Maybe it was subconsciously. Consciously, I was making a film about my generation’s loss of innocence. An entire generation for ten years were being sent down [ Chinese youths were coerced to leave their hometowns to work in rural areas for labor]. As a matter of fact, I was once approached by Criterion, and now a couple of other people are approaching me to bring it to a platform. The funny thing is I couldn’t find my cut negative. [The company] has since folded, so I’m like, where would that be? How do I restore it now? Back then, it was like, OK, I made the film, and it was shown and that’s done [laugh]. And I didn’t keep a good record of all the material because I was wearing so many hats on the film. I was producing, directing, and writing it, and I was the one who actually carried the prints around. And so now, good question. I do want to bring it to a good platform. But first, I need to find where my negative is. If worse comes to worse, and I don’t find my cut negative, then it’s expensive to restore the print itself. We’re going to try, though. I appreciate your question. Sign up for . For the latest news, follow us on , , and .Jimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’