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Britney Spears didn’t move to Mexico— despite the video of Spears saying she did, a source told The Hollywood Reporter . The singer originally told fans that she moved to Mexico to escape the “incredibly cruel” paparazzi. “It really kind of hurts my feelings that the paparazzi make my face look like I’m wearing like a white Jason mask, and it doesn’t even look like me,” Spears said on Tuesday. “They’ve always been incredibly cruel to me, the paparazzi and pictures and the way they’ve illustrated me to be in some of it. I know I’m not perfect at all, by any means, but some of it is extremely mean and cruel, and that’s why I’ve moved to Mexico.” The clip was part of a longer video marking Spears’ 43rd birthday on Monday, which was also the day her divorce with Sam Asghari was finalized, according to TMZ . A federal court upheld a law stating that TikTok needs to cut ties with its parent company, Chinese-owned ByteDance, or be banned in the U.S. on Jan. 19, 2025. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s appeal to overturn the law. The company argued that it violated the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court’s opinion, written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance are expected to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, though it’s unclear if the Court would hear the case. The ban was signed into law by Joe Biden in April, capping off a years-long fight against the popular app, which lawmakers view as a threat to national security. The name TASER is already synonymous with public safety, with professionals everywhere relying on them for unparalleled protection in all kinds of situations. 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If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Two hikers reportedly stumbled upon a woman tied to a tree and crying in Monterey County, California, on Wednesday. According to SF Gate , she was walking a trail in Pebble Beach around 7:30 that morning when she noticed a “suspicious male” behind her, holding a gun. The man did not take anything from her or assault her or injure her, just left her tied up for two hours before the passersby found her. With the help of another hiker, he untied the woman and called the police. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office subsequently launched a search for the suspect, described as being in his 30s with a neck tattoo involving the letter Z. SFGate reports that while authorities haven’t identified anyone matching that description yet, they say there is “no active threat to the community.” Confusing celebrity update: Paris Jackson, daughter of late musician Michael Jackson , is engaged to Justin Long. Not the Justin Long I think you’re thinking of (he’s married to Kate Bosworth) but another Justin Long; the Justin Long who Jackson has been dating for about two years. He works as a music producer, sound engineer, and mixer, according to The Daily Mail , and first appeared on Jackson’s Instagram in Nov. 2022. The next time he showed up on her grid was Friday, in a carousel she posted to celebrate Long’s birthday, which also included photos of the proposal. “Happy birthday, my sweet blue,” she captioned the post, using her nickname for her fiancé. “Doing life with you these last years has been an indescribable whirlwind and I couldn’t dream of anyone more perfect for me to do it all with.” As for when the pair became engaged, Jackson was photographed wearing a big diamond ring during Paris Fashion Week this past September. Consider this the hard launch? Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. 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The personalized, optimal resistance levels are automatically adjusted as you work out—at exactly the right time—making the most efficient workouts easy to follow. “ CAROL Bike is designed to maximize training efficiency, with the shortest, most effective workouts, backed by science. And new rider-inspired features that give riders more flexibility to exercise their way,” says Ulrich Dempfle, CEO & Co-Founder at CAROL. You can try the CAROL Bike for yourself risk-free for 100 days, and the brand offers free shipping (7-10 business days) in the U.S. The jury in Daniel Penny’s manslaughter case signaled Friday that they’re struggling to reach a verdict on the case. They must decide if Penny “recklessly” caused the death of Jordan Neely by putting him in a six-minute chokehold on the subway in May 2023. Penny’s attorneys argued that the former Marine was justified in putting Neely in a chokehold because witnesses say he told passengers, “Somebody’s going to die today,” and that he was ready to go to jail. Prosecutors argue that no witnesses testified that Neely brandished a weapon or touched anybody, and that Penny kept Neely in the chokehold long after other passengers left the train. The jury has been deliberating since Tuesday. The jury could also convict him of the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide. If the jury can’t reach a verdict then Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Maxwell Wiley would issue an “Allen” charge, which urges them to reach a unanimous verdict. Penny faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the manslaughter charge, or up to four years if convicted of a lesser count. Donald Trump on Friday fired off an unequivocal message of support for his defense secretary pick Pete Hegseth in the wake of several damaging reports about the Fox News star’s alleged behavior. “Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe,” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social. “He was a great student—Princeton/Harvard educated—with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump’s post came the morning after Hegseth spent the day meeting with senators whose votes he’ll need to be confirmed as the next Pentagon chief. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Hegseth insisted he’d had a “ great week ”—despite multiple bombshell reports emerging in recent days about his alleged drunken antics, which he denies, along with rumors that Trump is considering replacing him with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as his nominee for defense secretary. “As long as Donald Trump wants me in this fight, I’m going to be standing right here in this fight,” Hegseth said. A top Romanian court alleged Friday that Russia conducted an elaborate TikTok psy op to get a pro-Putin political newcomer elected president. The European Union member state’s Constitutional Court made the unprecedented decision to annul the results after the first round of its election votes, with Sunday’s second round of voting canceled, too. A raft of now-released intelligence reports allege that front-runner Calin Georgescu soared into the lead backed by 25,000 TikTok accounts based in Moscow. The Euro skeptic and anti-NATO Georgescu, who has professed his admiration of Romania’s fascist past, was a relative nobody before the election and was polling at around 5 percent. The U.S. State Department said earlier this week that it was concerned by the Romanian Supreme Council of National Defense’s “report of Russian involvement in malign cyber activity designed to influence the integrity of the Romanian electoral process.” A trio of climbers who disappeared on Aoraki/Mount Cook, the highest mountain in New Zealand, are presumed dead. The BBC reports that Aoraki Area Commander Inspector Vicki Walker made the announcement on Friday, five days after the men went missing. Although investigators have not yet located their bodies, during drone scans of the area, they did spot personal belongings and footprints in the snow on a ridge. Police believe the men fell while trying to cross. Two of them—Kurt Blair and Carlos Romero, reportedly experienced climbers—were American while a third, whose name has not been disclosed, was Canadian. They were reported missing on Monday, having never showed up for their post-summit transportation down the mountain. Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. It’s not every day that you can score a deal on a high-quality printer at a lower cost. Investing in a quality printer for your home or office is a game-changer, and while it’s not the most fun purchase, it’ll pay for itself in a couple of months. Fortunately, you don’t have to pay full price for a solid printer, thanks to HP’s current sale . Right now, you can score the HP Envy Inspire 7955e , the brand’s premium at-home photo printer for $70 off. If you’re looking for a solid holiday gift that they’ll actually use, the deluxe multi-purpose printer is a great choice—especially for photographers and anyone who works from home. The all-in-one printer is also designed with HP’s Wolf Essential Security system to keep your information secure and keep hackers out. Plus, unlike other printers that require you to get your hands dirty to replenish the ink, this one offers a 15-second mess-free ink refill experience with bottles that can be plugged into the tank. Say goodbye to messes and hello to your new printer . Best of all? For a limited time, score three months of Instant Ink with HP+. Timothée Chalamet thanked Bob Dylan for the shoutout after the legendary singer-songwriter praised his new biopic A Complete Unknown . “Floored. I am so grateful. Thank you Bob,” Chalamet posted on X . The film, set to be released on Dec. 25, stars Chalamet as a young Dylan. “Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me,” Dylan posted on X . Though Dylan didn’t share if he’s seen the film yet, he did recommend the book the biopic is based off of. “The film’s taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric – a book that came out in 2015. It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport,” he added. “After you’ve seen the movie read the book.” Dylan also gave a nod to the film’s title, A Complete Unknown , which references lyrics from Dylan’s 1965 song “Like a Rolling Stone.” “What a title!” he wrote. The slain UnitedHealthcare CEO had a criminal record for drunk driving and was secretly separated from his wife for years before he was shot dead in Manhattan on Wednesday, according to public records. Minnesota court filings show that in 2017 Brian Thompson was arrested and convicted on charges of fourth-degree driving while impaired, for which he received probation. In addition to legal troubles, the executive, who was gunned down in what NYPD has labeled a “premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack,” also seems to have faced recent marital issues. Based on property records, voter registration forms, and reports from neighbors, Brian and Paulette Thompson had lived in different homes less than a mile apart in Maple Grove, Minnesota, for the past several years, The Wall Street Journal reported . In 2018, Thompson bought a five-bedroom second house for around $1 million, while his wife’s residence remained in another house nearby, also worth about $1 million, based on Zillow listings and public records. Paulette Thompson told MSNBC her husband had received threats related to his company’s “lack of coverage” and said in a statement to a local Fox affiliate in Minnesota that his killing had left her and their two sons “shattered.” About 12 hours after his killing, someone made a bomb threat at his Minnesota home, but authorities did not find any evidence of explosives, TMZ reported . UnitedHealthcare and the Hennepin County District Court did not immediately respond to a Daily Beast inquiry about Thompson’s DUI.NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The largest artificial intelligence data center ever built by Facebook’s parent company Meta is coming to northeast Louisiana, the company said Wednesday, bringing hopes that the $10 billion facility will transform an economically neglected corner of the state. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry called it “game-changing” for his state's expanding tech sector, yet some environmental groups have raised concerns over the center's reliance on fossil fuels — and whether the plans for new natural gas power to support it could lead to higher energy bills in the future for Louisiana residents. Meanwhile, Elon Musk's AI startup, xAI, is expanding its existing supercomputer project in Memphis, Tennessee, the city's chamber of commerce said Wednesday. The chamber also said that Nvidia, Dell, and Supermicro Computer will be “establishing operations in Memphis,” without offering further details. Louisiana is among a growing number of states offering tax credits and other incentives to lure big tech firms seeking sites for energy-intensive data centers. The U.S. Commerce Department found that there aren’t enough data centers in the U.S. to meet the rising AI-fueled demand, which is projected to grow by 9% each year through 2030, citing industry reports. Meta anticipates its Louisiana data center will create 500 operational jobs and 5,000 temporary construction jobs, said Kevin Janda, director of data center strategy. At 4 million square feet (370,000 square meters), it will be the company's largest AI data center to date, he added. “We want to make sure we are having a positive impact on the local level,” Janda said. Congressional leaders and local representatives from across the political spectrum heralded the Meta facility as a boon for Richland parish, a rural part of Louisiana with a population of 20,000 historically reliant on agriculture. About one in four residents are considered to live in poverty and the parish has an employment rate below 50%, according to the U.S. census data. Meta plans to invest $200 million into road and water infrastructure improvements for the parish to offset its water usage. The facility is expected to be completed in 2030. Entergy, one of the nation's largest utility providers, is fast-tracking plans to build three natural gas power plants in Louisiana capable of generating 2,262 megawatts for Meta's data center over a 15-year period — nearly one-tenth of Entergy's existing energy capacity across four states. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is weighing Entergy's proposal as some environmental groups have opposed locking the state into more fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure. Meta said it plans to help bring 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy onto the grid in the future. Louisiana residents may ultimately end up with rate increases to pay off the cost of operating these natural gas power plants when Meta's contract with Entergy expires, said Jessica Hendricks, state policy director for the Alliance for Affordable Energy, a Louisiana-based nonprofit advocating for energy consumers. “There’s no reason why residential customers in Louisiana need to pay for a power plant for energy that they’re not going to use," Hendricks said. "And we want to make sure that there’s safeguards in place.” Public service commissioner Foster Campbell, representing northeast Louisiana, said he does not believe the data center will increase rates for Louisiana residents and views it as vital for his region. “It’s going in one of the most needed places in Louisiana and maybe one of the most needed places in the United States of America,” Foster said. “I’m for it 100%.” Environmental groups have also warned of the pollution generated by Musk's AI data center in Memphis. The Southern Environmental Law Center, among others, says the supercomputer could strain the power grid, prompting attention from the Environmental Protection Agency. Eighteen gas turbines currently running at xAI’s south Memphis facility are significant sources of ground-level ozone, better known as smog, the group said. Patrick Anderson, an attorney at the law center, said xAI has operated with “a stunning lack of transparency” in developing its South Memphis facility, which is located near predominantly Black neighborhoods that have long dealt with pollution and health risks from factories and other industrial sites. “Memphians deserve to know how xAI will affect them,” he said, “and should have a seat at the table when these decisions are being made.” Sainz reported from Memphis, Tennessee. Associated Press writer Matt O’Brien in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on the social platform X: @jack_brook96
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The police are reporting that the teen boys seen in a video sexually assaulting a schoolgirl have been arrested. The video, which came to light sometime last week and has been circulated on social media platforms, depicts inappropriate behaviour involving the girl and multiple boys. The police are urging the public to refrain from sharing the video as they say this can further traumatise the victim and by extension affect the successful outcome of the case. The lawmen are also reminding citizens that sharing such content may constitute a breach of the Child Pornography (Prevention Act), and persons found guilty are subject to imprisonment for up to 20 years. Meanwhile, Gender Minister Olivia Grange and Minister of Education Dr Dana Morris Dixon, in a jointed media statement, have both condemned the incident. Grange said she is outraged and deeply concerned about the sexual assault of the young female student. She said it was a heinous act of violence which demands swift justice for the victim. "This is appalling and despicable and has no place in our society. It shows why as a nation, we must come together to protect our women and girls. It is heartbreaking to see this kind of violence, especially against our children, who should be nurtured and protected in every space they occupy." Grange called for all Jamaicans to take a stand against gender-based violence and emphasised the importance of fostering a culture of respect and safety for women and girls. "It is our collective responsibility to ensure that our children are safeguarded, both physically and emotionally, and that perpetrators of such crimes are held accountable.” For her part, Morris Dixon said this horrifying incident not only highlights the pervasive issue of violence against women and girls but also underscores the urgent need to address this scourge through education, awareness, and enforcement of the law. "The Ministry of Education stands ready to provide counselling and psycho-social support to the student, families and members of the community affected by this traumatic event. This type of violence being perpetuated by students cannot not be tolerated.” Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com .Mauritius announces 2025 scholarship opportunities for Nigerian undergraduates and postgraduatesMumbai: India is one of the fastest adopters of artificial intelligence (AI), as reflected in how consumers use AI and how marketers leverage it to connect with them, said Jon Cook, CEO of VML. "India is one of the fastest-growing markets from the standpoint of consumers blending their consumption habits across shopping, entertainment, education, and experiences. I think all these dimensions evolve at a faster pace in India, which is exciting for marketers," he added. Owned by advertising giant WPP, VML is the world's largest creative advertising company formed through the merger of Wunderman Thompson and VMLY&R in October 2023. It operates 150 offices in 64 markets, employing over 26,000 people globally. Cook also highlighted that India is a critical market for the company, not just for the expansion opportunities it offers but also for the digital transformation work emerging from the country. "We've always regarded India as a highly integrated part of how we deliver digital transformation globally, rather than merely an outsourcing hub," said Cook. 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View Program Entrepreneurship Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Entrepreneurship Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development C++ Fundamentals for Absolute Beginners By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Value and Valuation Masterclass By - CA Himanshu Jain, Ex McKinsey, Moody's, and PwC, Co - founder, The WallStreet School View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Web Development Django & PostgreSQL Mastery: Build Professional Web Applications By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Digital transformation is one of the fastest-growing areas for VML, with India typically involved in any large-scale digital transformation projects the company has undertaken worldwide. While EMEA and North America remain key markets for VML, Cook emphasised the significant roles India and Brazil are set to play in the company's future growth. "I think India and Brazil share many parallels in their size, importance to our company, vibrancy, and the ability to be thought leaders and key indicators of future trends. We regard India as one of our top four or five regions." Cook explained that VML was established to combine brand experience, customer experience, and commerce to deliver value for marketers. "VML was created because, globally and in India, we see increasing pressure on marketing leaders to connect their advertising efforts with commerce and customer experiences," he said. VML sees significant growth potential in offering connected solutions across commerce, advertising, and customer experience for Indian clients. "India is one of our strongest markets because we have a client base and a consumer audience that truly thrives when these three areas converge," Cook concluded. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Qatar tribune Agencies Even before the French and German governments collapsed, Europe’s economy had enough difficulties. Tepid growth and lagging competitiveness versus the U.S. and China. An auto industry that’s struggling. Where to find billions for defense against Russia? And now Donald Trump threatening tariffs. Solutions will be harder to find while the two countries that make up almost half of the eurozone economy remain stuck in political paralysis well into 2025. Where once there was the so-called French-German axis to push Europe ahead, now there’s a vacuum. French Prime Minister Michel Barnier resigned Thursday after losing a vote of confidence, and while President Emmanuel Macron will appoint a successor, the new head of government will lack a majority. Elections are not constitutionally permitted until at least June. Germany’s coalition led by Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz with the Greens and pro-business Free Democrats fractured in November, triggering an early election on Feb. 23. Talks to form a new government could last into April. At least Germany’s likely new chancellor, conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz, appears open to loosening constitutional restrictions on borrowing to enable pro-growth spending and investment, said Mujtaba Rahman, managing director Europe at Eurasia Group. France, however, could be facing “complete paralysis on the economic question,” Rahman said. “It’s highly unlikely they’re going to get a political equilibrium that has a mandate to implement a credible fiscal course correction.” “And that’s obviously a problem for Europe because it means the great potential of the European economy is not what it otherwise should be, because you don’t have France and Germany firing on all cylinders,” he said. Then there’s Europe’s lagging business environment, dissected by former European Central Bank head Mario Draghi in a report that contains recommendations such as common borrowing to support public investment; EU-wide industrial policy; and integrating financial markets to help startups raise capital. Yet “nothing can move in Europe without Franco-German alignment,” Rahman said. Meanwhile, Europe’s auto industry has sought a review of tough EU emissions standards in 2025 instead of 2026, saying slackening demand for electric cars means they won’t be able to avoid heavy fines and that the money would be better used to develop new electric vehicles. Anne-Laure Delatte, a French economist and head of research at the National Center for Scientific Research, said financial markets remain cautious but are not overly alarmed by France’s political instability. But economic weakness in France and Germany could have broader implications for the European Union. “This could either weaken Europe’s position globally or shift power and influence to other European countries like the Netherlands or Spain, which are performing well at the moment,” she said. France is expected to see growth of 1.1% this year and 0.8% next year, while Germany’s economy is expected to shrink 0.1% this year, the second consecutive year of contraction, and rebound modestly with 0.7% next year. Germany faces headwinds from a shortage of skilled labor, excessive bureaucracy and higher energy prices, and efforts to address those issues have been stalled by squabbling in Scholz’s coalition. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU’s executive arm, is equipped with serious powers, especially on trade, a key EU authority delegated to Brussels by member countries. But there’s only so much von der Leyen can do without political backing from the two biggest member countries, whose national budgets are bigger than the EU’s. The most urgent matter may be how to respond to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office Jan. 20. European officials are trying to defuse a potential trade conflict involving new U.S. tariffs or import taxes on European goods that would seriously ding the continent’s export-focused economy. Europe could decide not to retaliate to any U.S. tariffs, thus avoiding a mutually destructive tit-for-tat cycle. The bloc could also commit to buying U.S. liquefied natural gas to mollify Trump, or spend billions more on defense for Ukraine to answer his complaint that European countries don’t meet NATO commitments on defense spending. Europe is seeing only modest growth as consumers pummeled by inflation remain cautious about spending. The economy is expected to expand 0.8% this year and 1.3% next year for the 20 EU member countries that use the euro currency, according to the European Commission. While the direct impact on growth is small, the political logjam means Europe is missing an important opportunity to engage Trump, said Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg Bank. “It would be ideal if Europe — at the moment when Trump is not yet in office — would prepare a big offer for Trump, such as: We spend significantly more on defense, if on trade and on Ukraine you don’t disappoint us. This is unfortunately not happening.” “The risk is that Trump on trade might be tougher on us than otherwise because Germany and France are missing in action,” he said. Von der Leyen can offer to get countries to purchase more U.S. natural gas and remind Trump that the EU could retaliate, but “the offer that Europe can make to Trump is small, rather than a big offer where there would be German and French money behind it.” The EU commission estimates that as much as 500 billion euros ($528 billion) will be needed over the next decade to help meet the bloc’s security needs. Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has indicated common defense bonds could raise that enormous sum. But moving ahead without Germany, the bloc’s biggest member, is hard to imagine. The big issues such as defense and competitiveness “require the fiscal and parliamentary resources of the biggest member states and the question is whether Germany and France are in a position to enable that at the European level,” said Rahman. “I think the answer is probably yes, but I feel a bit less certain than I would have had Germany and France not had this very difficult political time.” Copy 11/12/2024 10Unamused 49ers GM: Cool it with Kyle Shanahan 'hot seat' talkSupriya Sule vows to rebuild NCP SP with renewed commitment
Alexandra Samuels is a national political reporter and contributor to the Daily Dot, where she started as an intern covering politics in the summer of 2016. She enjoys all things Marvel, keeping up with the latest TikTok trends, long walks with her pup, and reading murder-mystery novels.
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