casino filipino
Opposition fighters are closing in on Syria’s capita l in a swiftly developing crisis that has taken much of the world by surprise. Syria's army has abandoned key cities with little resistance. Nervous residents in Damascus describe security forces on the streets. The state news agency has been forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad has left the country. Who are these opposition fighters? If they enter Damascus after taking some of Syria’s largest cities , what then? Here’s a look at the stunning reversal of fortune for Assad and his government in just the past 10 days, and what might lie ahead as Syria’s 13-year civil war reignites. > 24/7 San Diego news stream: Watch NBC 7 free wherever you are The aim? Overthrow the government This is the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when the country’s troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The approaching fighters are led by the most powerful insurgent group in Syria, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, along with an umbrella group of Turkish-backed Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Both have been entrenched in the northwest. They launched the shock offensive on Nov. 27 with gunmen capturing Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the fourth largest. The HTS has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. But the group said in recent years it cut ties with al-Qaida, and experts say HTS has sought to remake itself in recent years by focusing on promoting civilian government in their territory as well as military action. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani told CNN in an exclusive interview Thursday from Syria that the aim of the offensive is to overthrow Assad’s government. Insurgents reach gates of Syria's capital, threatening to upend decades of Assad rule Rebel army seizes one of Syria's biggest cities as government forces retreat What to know about sudden rebel gains in Syria's 13-year war and why it matters Possible rifts ahead The HTS and Syrian National Army have been allies at times and rivals at times, and their aims might diverge. The Turkish-backed militias also have an interest in creating a buffer zone near the Turkish border to keep away Kurdish militants at odds with Ankara. Turkey has been a main backer of the fighters seeking to overthrow Assad but more recently has urged reconciliation, and Turkish officials have strongly rejected claims of any involvement in the current offensive. Whether the HTS and the Syrian National Army will work together if they succeed in overthrowing Assad or turn on each other again is a major question. Others take advantage While the flash offensive against Syria’s government began in the north, armed opposition groups have also mobilized elsewhere. The southern areas of Sweida and Daraa have both been taken locally. Sweida is the heartland of Syria’s Druze religious minority and had been the site of regular anti-government protests even after Assad seemingly consolidated his control over the area. Daraa is a Sunni Muslim area that was widely seen as the cradle of the uprising against Assad’s rule that erupted in 2011. Daraa was recaptured by Syrian government troops in 2018, but rebels remained in some areas. In recent years, Daraa was in a state of uneasy quiet under a Russian-mediated ceasefire deal. And much of Syria's east is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish-led group backed by the United States that in the past has clashed with most other armed groups in the country. Syria's government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. What’s next? Much depends on Assad’s next moves and his forces' will to fight the rebels. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. And Syrian troops withdrew Saturday from much of the central city of Homs, Syria's third largest, according to a pro-government outlet and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. If that city is captured, the link would be cut between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where he enjoys wide support. “Homs to the coastal cities will be a very huge red line politically and socially. Politically, if this line is crossed, then we are talking about the end of the entire Syria, the one that we knew in the past,” said a Damascus resident, Anas Joudeh. Assad appears to be largely on his own as allies Russia and Iran are distracted by other conflicts and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah has been weakened by its war with Israel, now under a fragile ceasefire. The U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, seeks urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition,” saying the situation is changing by the minute. He met with foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran on the sidelines of the Doha Summit. President-elect Donald Trump in his first extensive comments on the developments in Syria said the besieged Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on social media. ___ Associated Press writer Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed.Known for their postgame hugs of each other , the goaltending tandem of Jeremy Swayman and Linus Ullmark became one of the best in the league over three seasons for the Boston Bruins. Unfortunately for the duo, with Swayman's emergence in the playoffs last season and Ullmark's pending free agency in 2025, Boston sent Ullmark to the Ottawa Senators in June for depth forward Mark Kastelic, backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and a first-round pick in 2024. However, things haven't gone to plan for the Senators (9-11-1) or Bruins (10-9-3) with their starting netminders this season. Swayman and Ullmark have struggled immensely, each sporting a save percentage below .890. Here is what has gone wrong for the netminders: Jeremy Swayman's holdout The Bruins, who host the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night, decided in the offseason that Swayman would be their full-time starter, but they still had to sign the restricted free agent to a new contract. Unfortunately for Boston, that didn't come easily. Swayman held out until Oct. 6, two days before the Bruins' opener against Florida. After missing all of training camp and preseason, Swayman struggled in his first regular-season game, stopping just 20 of 24 shots in a 6-4 win over the Montreal Canadiens. Swayman's struggles could be attributed to the lack of preseason games that would've allowed him to ease back into the swing of things. Too many games to handle? Although Ullmark won the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goaltender in 2022-23, he only started 48 games, the lowest number of games started for a Vezina Trophy winner in a non-shortened season. In the three seasons Swayman and Ullmark were teammates with the Briuns, Swayman played 122 games and Ullmark 130, a near-even split. After spending three seasons in a tandem, perhaps neither goalie was prepared for a full-time starter role. Typically, a starting goaltender plays 50 or more games during a regular season. For Ullmark, the 48 games he started for Boston in 2022-23 were a career high. What the analytics say In addition to their poor save percentages, analytics also show that Swayman and Ullmark aren't necessarily victims of poor team defense in front of them. Ottawa, which plays next at San Jose on Wednesday, and Boston are fifth and 14th in shots against per game, respectively. When it comes to goals saved above expected , Swayman is the eighth-worst goalie in the league with a -6.5 mark, while Ullmark is 10th worst with -5.7. Ullmark is even worse in five-versus-five situations, ranking last among goaltenders with an -8.6 5v5 goals saved above expected. Swayman sports a -0.9 figure. Additionally, when it comes to their value provided to their teams, both Ullmark and Swayman have a negative 5v5 Wins Above Replacement, per MoneyPuck . Ullmark's is a league worst -1.43 while Swayman's is a -0.15. Can they turn things around? With both teams sitting outside the playoff picture, they'll need their netminders to return to form to make it to the postseason. Swayman's November was an improvement from October, albeit slight (.890 save percentage to .884 save percentage in October). On the flip side, Ullmark's has played worse, going from .904 to just .864 save percentage. Given their play before this season, it's likely that both find their form. However, if Swayman and Ullmark don't bounce back soon, Boston could be out of the playoffs for the first time since 2016, and Ottawa will miss the playoffs for the eighth straight season.Letter: Homeless people can't even find a manger
Japan's space program faces delays following an explosive setback during an engine test for the Epsilon S rocket. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) stopped the test abruptly as the second-stage motor exploded 49 seconds post-ignition, causing a fire at Tanegashima Space Center. This incident raises concerns over JAXA's schedule, likely postponing the rocket's launch beyond its planned March-end target, thus impacting national space program timelines. (With inputs from agencies.)
Birthdays for Dec. 26
Ameren Illinois’ refiled multi-year grid plan approved
Enhancing reflex speed with African martial arts drills
Countess Vaughn Death Hoax: Beloved Star Alive Despite Social Media Claims
Four observations from Bayern Munich’s nailbiting 1-0 win over PSG
NEW YORK (AP) — An early rebound for U.S. stocks petered out by the end of the day, leaving indexes close to flat. The S&P 500 edged down by 0.1% Thursday, coming off one of its worst days of the year after the Federal Reserve said it may deliver fewer cuts to interest rates in 2025 than earlier thought. The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up by less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 0.1%. Treasury yields were mixed in the bond market following reports showing the U.S. economy may be stronger than expected, but manufacturing may be contracting again. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are stabilizing Thursday following one of their worst days of the year . The S&P 500 rose 0.2% in late trading, a day after tumbling 2.9% when the Federal Reserve said it may deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than earlier thought. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 136 points, or 0.3%, with less than an hour remaining in trading, following Wednesday’s drop of more than 1,100 points. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Wednesday’s drop took some of the enthusiasm out of the market, which critics had already been warning was overly buoyant and would need everything to go correctly for it to justify its high prices. But indexes remain near their records , and the S&P 500 is still on track for one of its best years of the millennium . Traders are now expecting the Federal Reserve to deliver just one or maybe two cuts to interest rates next year, according to data from CME Group. Some are even betting on none. A month ago, the majority saw at least two cuts in 2025 as a safe bet. Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they give the economy a boost and goose prices for investments, but they can also provide fuel for inflation. Darden Restaurants, the company behind Olive Garden and other chains, helped lift the market after leaping 15.1%. It delivered profit for the latest quarter that edged past analysts’ expectations. The operator of LongHorn Steakhouses also gave a forecast for revenue for this fiscal year that topped analysts’. Accenture rose 6.7% after the professional services company likewise topped expectations for profit in the latest quarter. CEO Julie Sweet said it saw growth around the world, and the company raised its forecast for revenue this fiscal year. Amazon shares added 1.8%, even as workers at seven of its facilities went on strike Thursday in the middle of the online retail giant’s busiest time of the year. Amazon says it doesn’t expect an impact on its operations during what the workers’ union calls the largest strike against the company in U.S. history. They helped offset a tumble for Micron Technology, which fell 16.7% despite reporting stronger profit than expected. The computer memory company’s revenue fell short of Wall Street’s forecasts, and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said it expects demand from consumers to remain weaker in the near term. It gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that fell well short of what analysts were thinking. Lamb Weston, which makes French fries and other potato products, dropped 22.6% after falling short of analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue in the latest quarter. It also cut its financial targets for the fiscal year, saying demand for frozen potatoes is continuing to soften, particularly outside North America. The company replaced its chief executive. In the bond market, yields were mixed a day after shooting higher on expectations that the Fed would deliver fewer cuts to rates in 2025. Reports on the U.S. economy came in mixed. One showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The economy has remained remarkably resilient even though the Fed held its main interest rate at a two-decade high for a while before beginning to cut them in September. A separate report showed fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, an indication that the job market also remains solid. But a third report said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region is unexpectedly contracting again despite economists’ expectations for growth. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.57% from 4.52% late Wednesday and from less than 4.20% earlier this month. But the two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for action by the Fed in the near term, eased back to 4.31% from 4.35%. The rise in longer-term yields has put pressure on the housing market by keeping mortgage rates higher. Homebuilder Lennar fell 4.8% after it reported weaker profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Stuart Miller said that “the housing market that appeared to be improving as the Fed cut short-term interest rates, proved to be far more challenging as mortgage rates rose” through the quarter. “Even while demand remained strong, and the chronic supply shortage continued to drive the market, our results were driven by affordability limitations from higher interest rates,” he said. A report on Thursday may have offered some encouragement for the housing industry. It showed a pickup in sales of previously occupied homes. In stock markets abroad, London’s FTSE 100 fell 1.1% after the Bank of England paused its cuts to rates and kept its main interest rate unchanged on Thursday. The move comes as inflation there moved further above the central bank’s 2% target rate, while the British economy is flatlining at best. The Bank of Japan also kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged, and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.7%. Indexes likewise sank across much of the rest of Asia and Europe. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.The head of a Syrian opposition war monitor said early Sunday that President Bashar Assad left the country for an undisclosed location, fleeing ahead of insurgents who said they had entered Damascus.
Former Uvalde schools police chief loses bid to toss criminal charges related to 2022 shootingMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ --WuKong Education, a leading online K-12 education provider, has been named to the highly-anticipated 2025 edition of the GSV 150 : GSV's annual list of the top 150 private companies transforming digital learning and workforce skills. This recognition underscores WuKong Education's transformative role in the EdTech industry and its commitment to empowering students worldwide through AI-powered personalized learning. Out of more than 2,500 global VC- and PE-backed companies, WuKong Education was selected for the 2025 GSV 150 based on a proprietary evaluation framework, including revenue scale, growth, user reach, geographic diversification, and margin profile. The 2025 cohort of the GSV 150 collectively reaches 3B learners and generates over $25B in annual revenue. "The rapid rise of generative AI is fueling knowledge and creating opportunities we had not imagined before," says Luben Pampoulov, Partner at GSV Ventures. "Multi-modality is making education more engaging, AI tools are driving personalization and productivity, and learning is happening at the speed of light. Effectively everyone across the 2025 GSV 150 has generative AI deeply embedded in their offering." WuKong Education is revolutionizing online education for students aged 3-18 worldwide, offering courses in Chinese, Mathematics, and English Language Arts. By leveraging cutting-edge AI technology, WuKong Education empowers students from 118 countries with a unique learning journey that ignites curiosity, nurtures creativity, and sharpens critical thinking skills. Powered by AI, WuKong Education adapts to each student's unique needs, ensuring that every learner receives a personalized educational journey: This AI-driven teaching model has not only significantly improved student academic performance but also fostered the holistic development of students, earning widespread praise from students and parents around the world. "We are honored to be named to the 2025 GSV 150," said Vicky Wang , founder and CEO of WuKong Education. "This recognition affirms our ongoing commitment to revolutionizing education. By combining the expertise of our teaching and research teams with the possibilities of AI, we are setting a new benchmark for digital education to empower students globally." Earlier this year, WuKong Education was named a 2024 Cognia® School of Distinction for excellence in education by Cognia®, a globally recognized education quality certification organization, and was also listed in the AU&NZ EdTech Top 50 by HolonIQ, a global leader in impact intelligence, for the third consecutive year. These recognitions underscore WuKong Education's continued leadership in the global EdTech industry and its ongoing dedication to delivering exceptional education to learners around the world. About WuKong Education Based in Silicon Valley, WuKong Education is shaping the future of online learning for students aged 3 to 18. WuKong Education's three core programs—WuKong Chinese, WuKong Math, and WuKong English (ELA)—combine AI-driven technology, expert educators, and personalized services to deliver engaging, dynamic learning experiences. With over 400,000 families served globally, WuKong Education is empowering students to succeed and become lifelong learners in an ever-changing world. Learn more at: wukongsch.com . About GSV Founded in 2011, GSV is a global platform that drives education and workforce skills innovation. We believe that ALL people have equal access to the future, and that scaled innovations in "PreK to Gray" learning and skills are crucial to achieving this goal. The GSV platform includes the ASU+GSV Summit , hosted annually in San Diego with 7,000+ attendees; the India -based ASU+GSV & Emeritus Summit , now entering its third year; and The AI Show @ ASU+GSV , an immersive exploration of the AI Revolution in education, which welcomed 10,000+ attendees this year. GSV Ventures , GSV's investment arm founded in 2015, is a multi-stage venture fund investing in the most transformational companies across the global "PreK to Gray" landscape. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wukong-education-named-to-the-2025-gsv-150-for-leading-the-way-in-education-technology-302338883.html SOURCE WuKong Education Best trending stories from the week. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. You may occasionally receive promotions exclusive discounted subscription offers from the Roswell Daily Record. Feel free to cancel any time via the unsubscribe link in the newsletter you received. You can also control your newsletter options via your user dashboard by signing in.
Bill Oxford Spire Inc. ( NYSE: SR ) is a regulated natural gas utility that serves the U.S. states of Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama. The company’s website offers the following description of its business: Today Spire is a growing, financially strong natural gas At Energy Profits in Dividends, we seek to generate a 7%+ income yield by investing in a portfolio of energy stocks while minimizing our risk of principal loss. By subscribing, you will get access to our best ideas earlier than they are released to the general public (and many of them are not released at all) as well as far more in-depth research than we make available to everybody. In addition, all subscribers can read any of my work without a subscription to Seeking Alpha Premium! We are currently offering a two-week free trial for the service, so check us out ! Power Hedge has been covering both traditional and renewable energy since 2010. He targets primarily international companies of all sizes that hold a competitive advantage and pay dividends with strong yields. Energy Profits in Dividends Learn more Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
When the Minnesota Vikings take the field against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, they will do so without starting tight end Josh Oliver . It’s great that T.J. Hockenson is back, but Sam Darnold was probably wondering who his running mate may be. There is now an answer. Nick Muse back for the Minnesota Vikings With Oliver out, the only other tight end on the Minnesota Vikings depth chart was Johnny Mundt . That changes as Nick Muse returns to the active roster. He had been on injured reserve and was working his way back through the 21-day practice window. The team made his activation official on Saturday. The #Vikings have announced the following roster moves – Activated TE Nick Muse from IR. Muse will enter tomorrow's game without an injury designation. – Elevated TE Jake McQuaide to the active roster for tomorrow's game – Downgraded OLB Gabe Murphy to out – Waived CB Akayleb... pic.twitter.com/qD6NvCey3o A roster spot was needed for Muse, and Minnesota handled that by waiving former starting cornerback Akayleb Evans . Muse has played in two games this season , but logged just 3% of the offensive snaps. He factors in much more heavily on special teams, but could see offensive work with Oliver out of the lineup. Muse has just a single reception to his credit through three seasons. #Vikings RB Aaron Jones on not scoring a TD in a little over a month: “I talk to my son about it, I talk to my mom, I talk about it every day... I miss it, I miss the end zone. I will be back soon.” : @Vikings YouTube pic.twitter.com/nPr0DaEWWY The Vikings will have a chance to get their running game going on Sunday. Chicago’s defense is stingy in the secondary , but they can be beat on the ground. Aaron Jones turned in just 39 yards last weekend against the Tennessee Titans, and he looked hurt while doing so. The veteran back says he’s in a better place this week , and Minnesota’s offense will benefit should that be true. Oliver is a key blocker on the line, so how Muse or the other tight ends fill that void remains to be seen. Kevin O’Connell could feature T.J. Hockenson after the tight end caught just two passes for 13 yards last weekend. It seems unlikely that either Mundt or Muse will eat into his target share like Oliver did. This article first appeared on Minnesota Sports Fan and was syndicated with permission.LIBERTY LAKE, Wash., Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating new ways for energy providers and cities to manage energy and water, announced today a collaboration with Xcel Energy to manage the growing number of distributed energy resources (DERs) in Colorado, including residential battery energy storage, to support grid flexibility and customer choice. As part of this collaboration, Xcel Energy has contracted with Itron to deploy an Aggregator Distributed Energy Resource Management System (DERMS) from Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio to help manage DERs. On average, 25% of all U.S. homes with solar PV also have battery energy storage. As consumer adoption of battery energy storage continues to grow, energy providers can use Aggregator DERMS to enlist consumer-owned residential battery storage at the edge of the grid as a resource to support the grid. Residential batteries, and other DERs, can help optimize grid operations, promoting greater system reliability, lower energy costs and increased customer choice to adopt solar generation and electric vehicles. Aggregator DERMS enables both aggregated management of DERs for tasks such as load balancing and demand response as well as localized management of DERs for managing solar panels, EV chargers and smart thermostats. Itron’s Aggregator DERMS allows Xcel Energy to use residential battery storage through its Renewable Battery Connect program to manage peak loads and to support reliable electric service to customers. “As we lead the clean energy transition, Xcel Energy continues to make strides to deliver energy to our customers when and where they need it. Using our Virtual Power Plant program - Renewable Battery Connect, we can manage distributed energy resources to help our energy grid meet unprecedented increases in demand from a more electrified economy,” said Emmett Romine, VP Customer Energy & Transportation Solutions at Xcel Energy. “We’re delivering clean, reliable and resilient electricity to customers while keeping bills low, and we’re always looking for opportunities to use new technologies to benefit our customers.” “Xcel Energy is an innovator in adopting and deploying systems that are ready for the increase in DERs. Our solution turns these customer-owned devices into grid assets, which is crucial for an electrified future,” said Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron. “Itron’s Aggregator DERMS can lay the foundation for autonomous management of DERs, when used with distributed intelligence, to provide real-time visibility into the grid edge. This broader solution uses back-office analytics combined with DI edge computing that operates on a customer’s Itron electric meter directly. DI can connect to, and coordinate with the customer’s DER, such as battery storage, to continuously take advantage of stored energy in near real-time to protect customer and grid assets autonomously, which is an industry first.” “Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio currently manages 3 million DER devices for 30 utilities across the U.S. and helps solve the challenges of tomorrow by leveraging the power of grid edge intelligence. I look forward to our continued collaboration with Xcel Energy and supporting a grid that’s ready for the future of DERs.” To learn more about Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio, visit the solution page . About Itron Itron is a proven global leader in energy, water, smart city, IIoT and intelligent infrastructure services. For utilities, cities and society, we build innovative systems, create new efficiencies, connect communities, encourage conservation and increase resourcefulness. By safeguarding our invaluable natural resources today and tomorrow, we improve the quality of life for people around the world. Join us: www.itron.com . Itron® and the Itron Logo are trademarks of Itron, Inc in the United States and other countries and regions. All third-party trademarks are property of their respective owners and any usage herein does not suggest or imply any relationship between Itron and the third party unless expressly stated. For additional information, contact: Itron, Inc. Alison Mallahan Senior Manager, Corporate Communications 509-891-3802 PR@Itron.com Paul Vincent Vice President, Investor Relations 512-560-1172 Investors@itron.com Itron, Inc.Mission ProduceTM Announces Fiscal 2024 Fourth Quarter Financial Results
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton looked and sounded more like himself Monday night. He made one 3-pointer after another, found open teammates with nifty passes and, yes, was smiling again. Celebrating a second-straight win certainly helped matters, too. For the usually unflappable two-time All-Star, the bounce back game came as he finally started letting go of his pent-up frustration by speaking freely about what he’s learned over the first two months of this NBA season — and why he needs to stop blaming his early season struggles for Indiana’s slow start. “Everybody wants to say be happy, have fun. That’s hard to do when you’re not playing well or you’re losing,” Haliburton said after Monday’s 114-110 victory over New Orleans. “But differentiating the difference between happiness and joy — I’ve always had a joy for the game of basketball and love and appreciation for what I do. So I think I just got caught in becoming frustrated with myself and this kind of creeped into like job territory, you know what I mean? That’s not me.” Haliburton has displayed an unusual edginess since training camp began in late September. On media day, he talked about disproving the critics who claimed last season’s Eastern Conference finals run was more about luck than skill. He also found motivation in being deep on the bench during the U.S. Olympic basketball team’s gold-medal winning run. He thought it could propel himself and his team to even greater successes. Instead, a series of injuries have severely thinned the Pacers once-deep roster, Haliburton’s shots stopped falling, the losses piled up and suddenly the straight-talking guy who inspired so many with his beaming, trademark smile didn’t look or sound like himself. Others noticed. “I’ve got people sending me clips of how I’ve looked in the media and how I looked on the court and my body language sucks, my attitude sucks,” Haliburton said. “It’s hard to get out of what’s going on if you’re that way. I’ve been told my whole life to control what I can control and I can’t control if the ball goes in every time. But I can control my body language, I can control my energy and I can control my effort.” Whether it was the short conversation between Haliburton and All-Star forward Pascal Siakam after Sunday’s victory over Washington or something else, Haliburton looked like a different player Monday. He was 12 of 23 from the field, both season highs, made a season best nine 3s and produced his eighth double-double of the season. Haliburton finished with his second-highest point total (34), matched a season-high with 13 assists and made all the big plays down the stretch — the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3:06 remaining, driving for a layup that gave Indiana a five-point lead and finding Bennedict Mathurin for an alley-oop dunk that brought the crowd to its feet with a minute to play. The 24-year-old has shot 45% or better in just five of 18 games this season, and the NBA’s defending assists champ has seen that average drop to his lowest point (8.8) since he was traded from Sacramento to Indiana during the 2021-22 season. Plus, the Pacers are 8-10. Yes, Haliburton understands Indiana’s early woes are not entirely his fault. Indiana lost two key backup centers, James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, with torn Achilles tendons just six games into the season. Starting forward Aaron Nesmith hasn’t played since Nov. 1 because of an injured left knee and starting guard Andrew Nembhard hasn’t played since Nov. 6 because of a sprained left ankle. But after last season’s playoff run, Haliburton is no longer motivated merely making the postseason — something he didn’t do at Iowa State or in his first three pro seasons. He wants to win a championship, something he didn’t do as a Wisconsin prep star. And Haliburton knows there’s only one way to achieve that goal — by being himself. “You guys watch us every game and you wouldn’t say right now we’re playing with a joy, with a passion, with an energy,” he said. “Our energy is up and down and that starts with me. So I can make that promise — that will be there moving forward. Put that on me because when my energy is good and we’re holding each other accountable, things are going to go well. That starts with me at the top and it trickles down to everybody else.”China's Xi to lead Macau handover anniversary celebrations