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MADRID (AP) — Spanish King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic Valencia flash floods , and urged the country to remain calm despite public debates around hot-button issues such as immigration and housing affordability. In a pre-recorded speech that usually reviews the year's most relevant issues, Felipe said Spain “must never forget the pain and sadness" the flood have caused. The Oct. 29 floods killed more than 225 people in eastern Spain, damaging countless homes and leaving graveyards of cars piled on top of each other. In some towns, the heavy downpours that caused the floods dropped as much as a year's worth of rain in just eight hours. In early November, as Spaniards' shock at the wreckage turned into frustration, a political blame game began, directed especially at regional authorities who failed to send timely emergency alerts to cell phones on the day of the floods. The frustration of residents in hard-hit Paiporta near Valencia was on display when people tossed mud and shouted insults at the king and government officials in early November when they made their first visit to the town. “We have seen — and understood — the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination," Felipe said about how the disaster was managed, adding that he had asked that aid be sent to everyone who needed it. He also addressed the country's housing crunch and high rents, which have become a leading concern in this European Union country that is the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. Fast-rising rents are especially acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, where incomes have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Felipe urged that “all the actors involved reflect” and "listen to each other” so that they facilitate bringing access to housing under “affordable conditions.” Spain's immigration debate should keep in mind the country's European partners and immigrants' countries of origin, Felipe said, warning that “the way in which we are able to address immigration ... will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.” Felipe said Spain need to remain calm in the public sphere, even in the face of a “sometimes thunderous” contest in its politics.
Influencer girl blogger talking smartphone,live recording video blog on social network at ... [+] home.Social media live streaming concept.Focus on the phone, the girl in the background in a blur. As we end 2024 and enter a new year, the creator economy is projected to grow. As stated in Deloitte’s Creator Economy in 3D report, the creator economy is now projected to represent a $250 billion opportunity. The creator economy encompasses influencers, content creators, celebrities, musicians, chefs, and anyone who creates content online and shares it on digital platforms. Here are a 5 key insights about the creator economy in 2025: 1. Creator Marketing Is A Top Marketing Investment In 2025 A recent study conducted by LTK x Northwestern University found that 93% of brands reported that they’ll either increase their creator budgets or increase the role of creators in their overall strategy. The surveyed brands also shared that 41% are investing at least half their digital marketing budget on creators and influencers. 2. 43% Of Brands Shared They Plan To Use Creator Content In connective TV While boosting creator content on social media has continued to be a part of the brand’s creator/influencer strategy, creator content will start to be leveraged outside of social media platforms. Creator content is used and repurposed across at least four channels within and outside digital media. About 43% of the brands surveyed in the LTK x Northwestern University study shared that they plan to use creator content in connective TV (CTV) ads. The 85 Best Black Friday Deals So Far, According To Our Editors 60+ Early Black Friday Deals Worth Shopping Right Now A few other ways brands plan to use creator content include: - Content marketing (56%) - Sponsorships (44%) - Television Advertising (39%) - Affiliate Marketing (31%) 3. News Influencers Are Rising In Popularity . People may have their favorite beauty or fashion influencers. Still, one type of influencer on the rise is a “news influencer,” as described in a Pews Research Center . News influencers are individuals who share current news, issues, political events, and more on social media. While a news influencer may be a journalist, they may also be an independent content creator without a news organization affiliation. 4. Gen-Z and Millennial Consumers Reported Having 5-10 Favored Creators. Gen-Z and millennials consume more time on social media, about 26%-37% more than other generations, as Deloitte’s Creator Economy in 3D report reported. The two generations shared that there are creators on social media they catch up with, like a favorite TV show. The average Gen-Z consumer reported having 10 favored creators that they actively seek out for new content and updates, while the average millennial consumer reported having 5 favored creators they engage with. Some Gen-Z and millennial consumers (45%) report admiring these creators for their lifestyles. These generations shared that these favored creators provide more relatable and personable content on digital platforms compared to what they see in traditional media. 5. Creators Are Helping Brands Solve Marketing Challenges Like Increasing Brand Awareness. Brands reported that awareness is one of the most important metrics for creator campaigns. 58% of the brands surveyed in the LTK x Northwestern University study shared that creators helped increase brand or product awareness and higher in categories like beauty (72%) and fashion (67%). Other brand priorities for in working with creators include:
Education strategy | A holistic approach
USDA sends $44M in funding to Minnesota to increase broadband in rural areasA former Regina high school teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old female student was acquitted on Tuesday of all five charges he faced, Regina’s Court of King’s Bench confirmed to CTV News. Jeffery G. Dumba, now 52, faced charges including luring, sexual exploitation and making sexually explicit material available to a person under 16 years of age. The alleged offences were said to have occurred in the summer of 2021 after Dumba and the female student, who attended the school where he was employed, began communicating on the social media platform Snapchat. Their communications allegedly evolved to sexual images being exchanged on the app as well as through iPhone messages. Dumba’s trial had been ongoing since June of this year. He was initially arrested in 2021 after police were made aware of the alleged relationship. Digital evidence found on a laptop, Apple Watch, and two cell phones included explicit images which were exchanged between two distinct Snapchat user IDs, which were believed to belong to the student and accused. Over the course of the trial, the court heard testimony from police officers, the victim, the victim’s mother and Dumba himself. Closing arguments were heard in October, where Dumba testified he was not aware of the student’s age and claimed she told him she was 20-years-old. Dumba’s defence also argued that the 15-year-old “sought out the [then] 49-year-old teacher," something the girl's mother said in June she believed had occurred. The student was said to have had two Snapchat accounts and usernames, with one later being her actual first and last name. Dumba had a username that was different from his given names because he said it helped keep his students from finding him on social media. During closing arguments, the defence argued that the student was lying about not knowing who the teacher was prior to them communicating on Snapchat. "She portrayed herself as a victim after the fact, but that's not what's going on ... I think its pretty clear that she felt good about what she had done and was sort of bragging about this sort of relationship she had with Mr. Dumba." the defence said in October, adding the student was a “very convincing liar.” The crown argued Dumba did not take enough steps to verify the student’s age. "She's not concealing her identity from him if she's interacting with him on Snapchat using the username [first and last name of the alleged victim] and if she's sending him pictures that include pictures of her face ... he knows that people lie about their age on social media, because he lied about his age on social media," the crown said during closing arguments. In June court heard a recording of a preliminary police interview from September 2021 that included a conversation between the student and her mother. The following dialogue was exchanged between the two: Mother: “You do understand how wrong this is, right?” Victim: “Ya, but it’s my fault.” Mother: “Can I ask why you think it’s your fault?” Victim: “I added him [on Snapchat].” Mother: “Did you know who he was when you added him?” Victim: “No, but I added him.” The student's mother went on to testify that she had "guilt" in feeling as though her daughter held a portion of responsibility for the situation. Dumba maintained his innocence throughout the trial, and pleaded "not-guilty" to all five charges he faced. -- With files from Hallee Mandryk
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