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Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Sells 1,289,255 Shares of Comerica Incorporated (NYSE:CMA)For travelers, Puerto Rico is a floating island of desirabilityMajor League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps today confirmed that the team is for sale. Majority owner Greg Kerfoot owns the team with Steve Luczo, Jeff Mallett, and Steve Nash. Kerfoot acquired the team in 2002 and then put together the ownership group in 2008. The four were awarded an MLS franchise the following year and saw the team play in North America's premier soccer league starting in 2011. "This decision comes after careful consideration of the club’s journey and reflection on what is required to ensure its continued growth and success,” the team said in a news release. The team added that the Whitecaps have grown to become "a staple of MLS, reaching seventh in league attendance, doubling season ticket memberships over the past two years, and qualifying for the MLS Cup Playoffs in three of the past four seasons." It added that the current ownership has built a solid foundation for the team and that "it is the right time for an owner with the platform, resources and ambition to enhance the club’s ability to compete at the highest levels of MLS and steward the club in realizing its significant potential." The league confirmed the news and praised the team's owners. “The Vancouver Whitecaps would not be where they are today without the vision and commitment of this exceptional ownership group,” said MLS commissioner Don Garber in a statement. “The Whitecaps are a terrific club in a world-class city. On behalf of everyone at Major League Soccer, I want to thank them for their tremendous contributions and look forward to working with them to identify new ownership for the club.” Kerfoot said today in a statement on behalf of the ownership group that it has been "committed to transforming our local soccer club into a significant contributor to our community.” He added, "It is gratifying to see how meaningful the Whitecaps have become to so many, and to have been able to contribute to the growth of a vibrant and thriving soccer community in Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, British Columbia, and beyond.” He thanked what he called "the passionate MLS supporters, academy development teams and players, the thousands of kids who attend camps, and the groups we support in nurturing the game in so many places have all proven out our belief in Vancouver as a first-class soccer market. The future of the Vancouver Whitecaps is bright.”
A new movie about the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, is sparking debate among viewers and religious scholars alike. “Mary,” a Biblical epic streaming now on Netflix, tells the story of the Nativity through the eyes of Mary of Nazareth (Noa Cohen). The film follows Mary, Joseph (Ido Tako) and the newborn Jesus as they escape persecution from King Herod (Anthony Hopkins). “Mary is the most extraordinary woman ever to walk this earth, yet her story remains largely unknown beyond a few passages in the Bible,” director D.J. Caruso told Netflix’s “I embarked on this journey — to create a film that presents her in her most human and relatable form,” he continued, adding that his aim was “to portray Mary as someone we can all connect with, not just as a saint but as the young woman we all recognize before her sanctification.” Producer Mary Aloe said her intention was to make Mary and Joseph’s story “relatable,” speaking to , and tell a story of a “young girl becoming a woman in the midst of such divine expectations.” While some viewers are praising the film, which has been in Netflix’s Top 10 for much of the time since its debut on the streaming platform Dec. 6, others have objected to what they views as the movie’s Biblical and historical inaccuracies. Others have objected to the casting. Religious scholars have had mixed reactions to “Mary,” as they debate perceived inaccuracies in the portrayal. Christy Cobb, a assistant professor of Christianity in the department of religious studies at the University of Denver, says the field of Biblical studies has been alight with discussions about the film. She first heard about “Mary” through a post on Facebook — “a rant post,” she says. “Biblical scholars are hearing about these movies, and then we get excited, and then when we watch it, we’re like, ‘Oh, this isn’t depicting Biblical stories as accurately or historical moments as accurately as we hope that they would be,’” she says. There’s “very little” about Mary in the Bible, Cobb says. Aspects of Mary’s character in the movie are based on passages of the New Testament (the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke) and an early Christian text called the Proto Gospel of James. Filmmakers took creative liberties with Mary's depiction, Cobb says. Cobb appreciated that the film's Mary is more “fiery and rebellious” than commonly depicted. “I like that we’re depicting Mary as this full character with some agency, courage and her fears at the surface,” she says. But other historical inaccuracies stood out. The movie places modern conservative family values onto the Holy Family in a way that is “not supported by the text” or by historical context, Cobb, who is working on a book about early Christian families, says. “The Holy Family was depicted (in the movie) as a nuclear family. Joseph is immediately supportive of Mary and will protect Mary at all costs,” she says. The Bible, however, says that . Families also “looked quite different” in that era than they do today, Cobb says. Divorces were common and there would have been more people living in the household than depicted in “Mary.” “In the Bible, all sorts of families are represented, not just one view of a family system,” she says. The result, Cobb says, is “we’re having the the debate about what a Christian family (should) look like, superimposed upon this film.” Producer Mary Aloe, speaking to Christian Post, said that script approval came from “a range of religious leaders” to “ensure authenticity.” However, only one person, Adam W. Schindler, is listed as a Biblical consultant on IMDB. Schindler is a pastor and the chief digital author of the conservative nonprofit think tank America First Policy Institute, founded by two former advisors to president Donald Trump. The movie is funded, in part, by megachurch pastor Joel n, per . TODAY.com has reached out to Aloe Entertainment, Schindler and Caruso for comment about script consultants. Other aspects of the movie — including Mary’s more down-to-earth characterization — are sparking debate for straying from doctrine. Some Catholic commentators have objected to the depiction of Mary’s labor pains during the birth of Jesus, because showing Mary suffering during childbirth “does not comport with Catholic teaching,” Joseph Pronechen wrote in a review for the . “From the beginning, the Fathers and doctors of the Church, including Sts. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, have taught that Mary alone would be exempt from such pains as a sign of her unique holiness,” he sayss in his review. “She alone had no original sin.” Caruso addressed his choice to show Mary in pain during labor in a recent interview with . “Regarding the labor pains: That’s about presenting Mary in a human way, acknowledging that she had apprehensions,” he said. “I think something like a third of women died in childbirth in antiquity.” Nathanael Andrade, a chair and professor of history at Binghamton University, who has written a forthcoming book about the crucifixion of Jesus, also pointed out a “serious problem” for movies like “Mary” and others that portray the life of Jesus. “The often portray everyone in ancient Jewish society that did not support Jesus as nurturing base or corrupt motivations. Such films run a serious risk of feeding pernicious anti-Semitic attitudes,” he said in an email statement to TODAY.com. “Mary” ruffled feathers outside of the religious community. Some people have objected to the casting of Noa Cohen, a Jewish Israeli actor, as Mary. Several other actors in the movie, including Ido Tako, who plays Joseph, and Keren Tzur, who plays Elizabeth, are also Israeli. The real Mary was believed to be a Jewish woman from Nazareth, Galilee. At the time of Mary’s birth, Galilee was a region in ancient Palestine. Today, in northern Israel. Online, some viewers believe Mary should have been portrayed by an Arab Palestinian actor in the new movie, pointing to modern conflicts in the region. Others defended the casting of a Jewish actor to play Mary. Caruso spoke to the casting decision in an interview with . “ It was important to us that Mary, along with most of our primary cast, be selected from Israel to ensure authenticity,” he said. Speaking to , Caruso said it was his “goal” to find an actor “from the region where Mary was born to play her.” “I felt like if we could find a great young Jewish actress, that would be amazing,” he told Netflix’s Tudum. “I just know that Noa did an amazing job. She’s a fantastic actress. She’s got this grace and beauty, and at the same time, she’s accessible. I’m so proud of her performance, and I think it should be celebrated. It has nothing to do with politics,” he said. “The idea of the movie is to spread love, and art is hopefully a uniter,” he added. “It’s not supposed to be something that separates anybody.” Lindsay Lowe has been a regular contributor to TODAY.com since 2016, covering pop culture, style, home and other lifestyle topics. She is also working on her first novel, a domestic drama set in rural Regency England.NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Angel Yin was making putts from across the green and threatening to build a big lead until Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie for a 9-under 63 to share the lead Saturday going into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship with $4 million on the line. Yin had a 69 after another day of big putts and one chip-in from some 60 feet for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole that put her comfortably ahead at Tiburon Golf Club. She holed a 30-footer on the eighth hole, another birdie from about 25 feet on the ninth hole and another one from the 30-foot range on the 12th. Thitikul seemed to be an afterthought until she lit it up on the back nine for a 30. The Thai started the back nine with three straight bogeys, but she made up quick ground at the end with her eagle on the reachable par-5 17th and a birdie on the closing hole. The birdie briefly gave her the lead until Yin made birdie on the 17th to join her. They were tied at 15-under 201, three shots head of Ruoning Yin, who birdied her last two for a 66. Charley Hull had seven birdies in her round of 66 and was at 11-under 205, along with Narin An of South Korea. Nelly Korda, who got back into the mix on Friday after a sluggish start, lost ground with a 69 on a pleasant day that left her six shots back going into the final round. Korda has won four of her seven LPGA titles this year coming from behind. This could be a tall order. At stake is the richest payoff in women's golf, $4 million to the winner, nearly as much as Korda has made all year in her seven-victory season. Thitikul already picked up a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition based on how players score on a designated hole each week. Now she could leave Florida with a total of $5 million. “Actually, $1 million is really good enough for me,” Thitikul said. “If I can get more, it’s definitely going to be a nice, because as my team know I spend a lot of money. That’s why I have to keep playing good golf, like spending on shopping day.” Angel Yin heard plenty of cheers for her long birdie putts, and the chip-in for eagle. She also was helped by a couple of pars after bad drives. She went well to the left at No. 10, did well to blast out on a blind shot just short of the green and then got up-and-down with a pitch to 4 feet. And then on the 13th, another tee shot went well to the left. She tried to get it back in play from just in front of some bushes, and from 50 yards hit wedge to about 15 feet. She holed that putt, too, that kept her in front. “I'm scoring still,” Yin said. “Making some mistakes, but saving a bunch, so a lot of positives.” AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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Clemson defensive stars will 'run it back' as Tigers' 2025 roster comes into clearer viewTHE POWER OF ALLO'S ALL-FIBER NETWORK COMING TO BOULDER, COLORADO
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — First it was Canada, then the Panama Canal. Now, Donald Trump again wants Greenland. The president-elect is renewing unsuccessful calls he made during his first term for the U.S. to buy Greenland from Denmark, adding to the list of allied countries with which he’s picking fights even before taking office on Jan. 20. In a Sunday announcement naming his ambassador to Denmark, Trump wrote that, “For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity.” Trump again having designs on Greenland comes after the president-elect suggested over the weekend that the U.S. could retake control of the Panama Canal if something isn’t done to ease rising shipping costs required for using the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He’s also been suggesting that Canada become the 51st U.S. state and referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.” Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, said Trump tweaking friendly countries harkens back to an aggressive style he used during his days in business. “You ask something unreasonable and it’s more likely you can get something less unreasonable,” said Farnsworth, who is also author of the book “Presidential Communication and Character.” Greenland, the world’s largest island, sits between the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. It is 80% covered by an ice sheet and is home to a large U.S. military base. It gained home rule from Denmark in 1979 and its head of government, Múte Bourup Egede, suggested that Trump’s latest calls for U.S. control would be as meaningless as those made in his first term. “Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale,” he said in a statement. “We must not lose our years-long fight for freedom.” Trump canceled a 2019 visit to Denmark after his offer to buy Greenland was rejected by Copenhagen, and ultimately came to nothing. He also suggested Sunday that the U.S. is getting “ripped off” at the Panama Canal. “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question,” he said. Panama President José Raúl Mulino responded in a video that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to,” but Trump fired back on his social media site, “We’ll see about that!” The president-elect also posted a picture of a U.S. flag planted in the canal zone under the phrase, “Welcome to the United States Canal!” The United States built the canal in the early 1900s but relinquished control to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, under a treaty signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter. The canal depends on reservoirs that were hit by 2023 droughts that forced it to substantially reduce the number of daily slots for crossing ships. With fewer ships, administrators also increased the fees that shippers are charged to reserve slots to use the canal. The Greenland and Panama flareups followed Trump recently posting that “Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State” and offering an image of himself superimposed on a mountaintop surveying surrounding territory next to a Canadian flag. Trudeau suggested that Trump was joking about annexing his country, but the pair met recently at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida to discuss Trump’s threats to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods. “Canada is not going to become part of the United States, but Trump’s comments are more about leveraging what he says to get concessions from Canada by putting Canada off balance, particularly given the precarious current political environment in Canada,” Farnsworth said. “Maybe claim a win on trade concessions, a tighter border or other things.” He said the situation is similar with Greenland. “What Trump wants is a win,” Farnsworth said. “And even if the American flag doesn’t raise over Greenland, Europeans may be more willing to say yes to something else because of the pressure.”UCF will attempt to shake off a dreadful offensive performance when it collides with LSU on Sunday afternoon in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The Knights (4-1) couldn't get anything going against No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday, going 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent) and just 2-for-17 from 3-point range (11.8 percent) en route to an 86-70 loss. Jordan Ivy-Curry finished with 13 points while Keyshawn Hall and Dior Johnson added 11 apiece for UCF, which never led and fell behind by as many as 23. Knights coach Johnny Dawkins is hoping that his team's struggles don't carry over into the meeting with the Tigers (4-1). "We have to do better offensively," Dawkins said. "We have to space the floor better. We have to balance our offense between our perimeter and our bigs. Those are things that we didn't do consistently (on Friday)." LSU also needs to clean things up after committing 15 turnovers in a 74-63 setback against Pitt on Friday. Tigers forward Jalen Reed doesn't believe giving the ball away will be a lingering issue. "I feel like a lot of our turnovers were more on us than them," Reed said. "I feel like a lot of the turnovers were careless, but we're a better team than that and I feel like we'll take care of the ball better moving forward." Reed and Vyctorius Miller each posted 14 points in the loss to the Panthers, with Reed also hauling in seven rebounds. Cam Carter chipped in 11 points. Carter is putting up a team-leading 16.4 points per game. Jordan Sears (12.0 points per game), Reed (11.0) and Miller (10.2) also have scoring averages in double figures. Ivy-Curry (16.8 points per game), Hall (16.2) and Darius Johnson (13.0) have been leading the way for UCF. Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between the Knights and Tigers. --Field Level Media
Nationwide to host free face-to-face dementia clinicsPresident-elect Donald Trump ’s nomination of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has been positively received by Senate Republicans . As compared to Trump’s previous pick, former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who took himself out of consideration for the position Thursday, Bondi appears to be more universally accepted and seems to have a clearer path to confirmation in the Senate. In a social media post , Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called Bondi’s nomination “a grand slam, touchdown, hole in one, ace, hat trick, slam dunk, Olympic gold medal pick.” TRUMP CABINET PICKS: WHO’S BEEN TAPPED TO SERVE IN THE PRESIDENT-ELECT’S ADMINISTRATION Of the senators who sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who expressed his concerns about Gaetz’s nomination, said the pick was “an excellent nomination” and that Bondi’s experience “as a career prosecutor and Florida Attorney General make her a good choice to lead the DOJ.” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who is also on the committee, said in a post that Bondi will “make a fabulous AG.” He congratulated her and called her a “friend.” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), also on the committee, said she is “well regarded” and “experienced.” Outgoing Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who has frequently been at odds with Trump, said Bondi “will be a highly capable leader at DOJ.” Romney will not be in the Senate during Bondi’s confirmation process, though Sen.-elect John Curtis (R-UT), who was elected to replace Romney, was believed to be one of at least four senators who said they would not vote to confirm Gaetz. Of the incoming freshmen senators who will be voting on Bondi’s confirmation, Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno (R-OH) said, “Congratulations to my friend @PamBondi, who will be a fantastic Attorney General! Pam is a true fighter who will dismantle the Trump-hating deep state at DOJ, root out the corrupt career prosecutors, and make our country great again,” on X. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Republican senators were reportedly relieved after Gaetz announced he would withdraw, with one GOP senator calling his confirmation “an uphill battle.” Gaetz, a firebrand Trump loyalist, was facing the release of a report from the House Ethics Committee regarding alleged sex trafficking, sex with an underage girl, and illicit drug use, along with other actions. Bondi served as attorney general for Florida from 2011 to 2019, but she is perhaps better known for serving as one of Trump’s defense lawyers during his first impeachment. When announcing Bondi’s nomination, Trump said she “will refocus the DOJ to its intended purpose of fighting crime, and Making America Safe Again.”ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Gaston Martirena and Adrian Martinez scored first-half goals as Argentina’s Racing won its first Copa Sudamericana championship by beating Brazil’s Cruzeiro 3-1 in the final on Saturday. Martirena opened the scoring in the 15th minute and Martinez added a goal five minutes later to give “La Academia” its first international title since 1988 when it won the Supercopa Sudamericana. “Maravilla” Martinez scored 10 goals in 13 matches and finished as the top scorer in the competition. Roger Martinez sealed the victory with a goal in the 90th. Kaio Jorge scored in the 52nd for Cruzeiro. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer The Associated Press
Many of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees don't have the gravitas or institutional experience in dealing with giant bureaucracies to serve eff ectively, critics say. That whining you hear is the sound of progress. Trump, who spent his business career in real estate taking a wrecking ball to what doesn't work and then building luxury in its place, staked his campaign message to American voters on the need to do the same with Washington. You're not going to get renewal and reform from Cabinet appointees who figure that the place looks good overall but just maybe needs a little bit of paint. You need human bulldozers. One of the few nominees that the establishment actually accepts proves the rule: Florida Sen. Marco Rubio as secretary of state. Even Democrats have said he's a viable candidate for the job because he knows the ropes. Which is really just another way of saying he's on board with the bipartisan neocon talking points that don't distinguish between Republican and Democrat positions much , underscoring the need for an anti-establishment force that's skeptical of both establishment parties and whatever systemic corruption underpins some head-scratching consensus. A tweet from October 2015 by Trump speaks volumes about why he may have chosen Rubio. "Sheldon Adelson is looking to give big dollars to Rubio because he feels he can mold him into his perfect little puppet," Trump wrote, referring to the late top Republican donor and passionate Israel advocate. Trump clearly doesn't see Rubio as a leash-biter. Perhaps Trump also imagines him being a go-between who can translate Trump's MAGA world view to all the swamp critters at the State Department. Same with Elise Stefanik, the New York congresswoman nominated to be Trump's United Nations ambassador, who already seems to be working on her MAGA fluency after many years of speaking only neocon. Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense immediately triggered personal witch hunts related to everything from his tattoos to his personal life, with criticism suggesting he doesn't have the chops to lead one of the biggest bureaucracies in the country at the Pentagon. How much worse can the guy do, really? The Pentagon wargamed its chances against Russia and China, and it lost. It's also losing the war that it's piloting in Ukraine against Russia. What is the establishment worried that Hegseth would ruin, besides maybe the morale of a few paperclip Purple Hearts in the bureaucratic brigade? The main concern about Trump's director of national intelligence pick, Army reservist and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, would be that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be running the U.S. intelligence community. This is all because she hasn't swallowed the standard talking points and has been open to considering all sources and types of information and analysis, which is actually the definition of intelligence gathering. Perhaps under Gabbard the U.S. will spend less time setting fires in foreign countries as an excuse to rush in and put them out. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is Trump's choice for secretary of health and human services. Kennedy, whose environmental law career involved suing industrial polluters, would be the first Big Pharma and medical-industry skeptic to hold the position at a time when the U.S. has become synonymous with pharmaceutical profiteering and obesity. Trump's nominee for attorney general, former Congressman Matt Gaetz of Florida, withdrew his name from consideration amid accusations of sexual misconduct. Much has been made of Gaetz not even practicing law despite having a law degree. I'm pretty sure he didn't need one to recognize and end witch hunts dressed up as justice. America's problems won't be solved by slight variations of the same sort of people who created them. Trump was elected as a giant middle finger to the system. This Cabinet is just the rest of the hand, winding up for some long-overdue spankings. Marsden writes for Tribune Content Agency: rachelmarsden.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!Titans keep losing as coach Brian Callahan tries to show some progress
Easter Sunday is four months away, falling on April 20 in 2025 but some supermarkets already have seasonal stock out on their shelves. Chocolate eggs and hot cross buns have already been spotted for sale in shops including Morrisons, Tesco and Asda. As reported by Sky News , Gary Evans, 66, from Margate, shared a picture of Creme Eggs on display at his local Morrisons on Boxing Day. I’m a very liberal person but seeing Morrisons selling #Easter eggs right after #Christmas is where I draw the line 🥲 pic.twitter.com/RZR4gsvanx "I just think it's crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial... [there's] something quite frantic about it," he said. Meanwhile, Joseph Robinson, saw themed Kit-Kat and Kinder Surprise products at his local Morrisons in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday evening (December 27). He said: "It's funny as they've not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates off the shelves yet and they're already stocking for Easter. "I wish that supermarkets weren't so blatantly consumerist-driven and would actually allow customers and staff a time to decompress during the Christmas period." (function (d, s, n) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; js = d.createElement(s); js.className = n; js.src = "//player.ex.co/player/abffe1c9-94c2-4cb8-9e4b-edf636d234a3"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); js.setAttribute('programmatic', 'true'); js.onload = function () { const playerApi232038 = ExCoPlayer.connect('abffe1c9-94c2-4cb8-9e4b-edf636d234a3'); playerApi232038.init({ "autoPlay": false, "mute": true, "showAds": true, "playbackMode": "play-in-view", "content": { "playFirst": [ { "title": "Discontinued UK Sweets/Chocolates", "src": "https://large-cdn.ex.co/transformations/production/07e8370e-04f6-4f11-86d9-86c3c15c0e54/720p.mp4" } ], "playlistId": "649af81e79e0a90012add765" }, "sticky": { "mode": "persistent", "closeButton": true, "pauseOnClose": true, "desktop": { "enabled": false, "position": "bottom-right" }, "mobile": { "enabled": false, "position": "upper-small" } }}); }; }(document, 'script', 'exco-player')); On X (formerly known as Twitter) user @Jingle1991 shared an image of Malteser Bunnies in Sainsbury's on Christmas Eve and pointed out: "Easter chocolate already out. Jesus hasn’t even been born yet". Another added: "I’m a very liberal person but seeing Morrisons selling #Easter eggs right after #Christmas is where I draw the line". In an alternative view, marketing consultant Andrew Wallis, 54, admitted he was surprised to see Easter eggs in the Co-op in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire. However, he added it also illustrates "forward-thinking" from big businesses. Recommended reading: Cadbury chocolate Easter eggs spotted in B&M as shoppers say 'far too early' Quality Street discontinues chocolate labelled 'favourite of all time' by fans I went looking for discontinued chocolates still on sale in UK - here's what I found He explained: "It made me reflect on how big brands are always thinking ahead and planning early. "My message to retailers would be: while planning ahead is important, it's also essential to be mindful of consumer sentiment. "Some might feel it's too early for seasonal products like this but others might see it as a sign of forward-thinking. Striking the right balance is key to keeping customers happy."
Congress has always favoured power over Constitution: Rajnath during Lok Sabha debateATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia Bulldogs finally dispatched a pesky Massachusetts team for a 59-21 victory at Sanford Stadium on Saturday. And with that out of the way, the No. 10 Bulldogs can get back to pursuing a College Football Playoff berth. Their victory Saturday certainly did little to enhance that pursuit. Georgia (9-2) rolled up 550 yards of offense and scored on all but one offensive possession. But the Bulldogs gave up 351 yards — including 226 rushing — to UMass (2-9), an FBS independent that recently fired its head coach. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.UAE airlines keep link to Israel
PFC among 43 stocks nearing ex-dates for dividends, bonus, splits next week. Do you own? - The Economic Times
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a "tragic incident" following the crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan that killed 38 people, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. Putin's apology came as allegations mounted that Russian air defenses shot down the plane while attempting to deflect a Ukrainian drone strike near Grozny, the regional capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via videoconference Saturday at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. An official Kremlin statement issued Saturday said that air defense systems were firing near Grozny airport as the airliner "repeatedly" attempted to land there on Wednesday. It did not explicitly say one of these hit the plane. The statement said Putin apologized to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev "for the fact that the tragic incident occurred in Russian airspace." The readout said Russia has launched a criminal probe into the incident, and Azerbaijani state prosecutors have arrived in Grozny to participate. The Kremlin also said that "relevant services" from Russia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are jointly investigating the crash site near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan. The plane was flying from Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, to Grozny when it turned toward Kazakhstan, hundreds of miles across the Caspian Sea from its intended destination, and crashed while attempting to land. There were 29 survivors. According to a readout of the call provided by Aliyev's press office, the Azerbaijani president told Putin that the plane was subject to "external physical and technical interference," though he also stopped short of blaming Russian air defenses. Part of an Azerbaijan Airlines plane lies on the ground Thursday near the airport of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Aliyev noted the plane had holes in its fuselage and the occupants sustained injuries "due to foreign particles penetrating the cabin mid-flight." He said that a team of international experts began a probe of the incident at Azerbaijan's initiative, but provided no details. Earlier this week, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General's office confirmed that investigators from Azerbaijan are working in Grozny. On Friday, a U.S. official and an Azerbaijani minister made separate statements blaming the crash on an external weapon, echoing those made by aviation experts who blamed the crash on Russian air defense systems responding to a Ukrainian attack. U.S. President Joe Biden, responding Saturday to a reporter asking whether he thought Putin should take responsibility for the crash, said: "Apparently he did but I haven't spoken to him." Biden made the comment after leaving church in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Passengers and crew members who survived the crash told Azerbaijani media they heard loud noises on the aircraft as it circled over Grozny. Dmitry Yadrov, head of Russia's civil aviation authority Rosaviatsia, said Friday that as the plane was preparing to land in Grozny in deep fog, Ukrainian drones were targeting the city, prompting authorities to close the area to air traffic. Yadrov said after the captain made two unsuccessful attempts to land, he was offered other airports but decided to fly to Aktau. People attend a funeral Saturday for Mahammadali Eganov, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's airport of Aktau at the age of 13, in Baku, Azerbaijan. Earlier this past week, Rosaviatsia cited unspecified early evidence as showing that a bird strike led to an emergency on board. In the days following the crash, Azerbaijan Airlines blamed "physical and technical interference" and announced the suspension of flights to several Russian airports. It didn't say where the interference came from or provide any further details. If proven that the plane crashed after being hit by Russian fire, it would be the second deadly civil aviation accident linked to fighting in Ukraine. Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed with a Russian surface-to-air missile, killing all 298 people aboard, as it flew over the area in eastern Ukraine controlled by Moscow-backed separatists in 2014. Russia denied responsibility but a Dutch court in 2022 convicted two Russians and a pro-Russia Ukrainian man for their role in downing the plane with an air defense system brought into Ukraine from a Russian military base. The grave of Mahammadali Eganov, 13, who died in the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer 190 crash near the Kazakhstan's Aktau airport, is seen Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Following Wednesday's suspension of flights from Baku to Grozny and nearby Makhachkala, Azerbaijan Airlines announced Friday that it would also halt service to eight more Russian cities. Several other airlines made similar announcements since the crash. Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air on Friday said it would stop flying from Astana to the Russian city of Yekaterinburg in the Ural Mountains for a month. Turkmenistan Airlines, the Central Asian country's flagship carrier, on Saturday halted flights to Moscow for at least a month, citing safety concerns. Earlier this past week, Israel's El Al carrier suspended service from Tel Aviv to the Russian capital, citing "developments in Russia's airspace." Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.Pakistan partially stops mobile and internet services ahead of pro-Imran Khan protest
Putin apologizes for crash but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot downIPDS declares VT50M dividend for shareholders
Lowey Dannenberg Notifies PACS Group, Inc. ("PACS Group", or the "Company") (NYSE: PACS) Investors of Securities Class Action Lawsuit and Encourages Investors with more than $100,000 in Losses to Contact the Firm(BPT) - Consumers are facing increasing costs on virtually every purchase these days and auto insurance is no exception. While skyrocketing costs of this auto-related expense can be attributed to everything from parts replacement to service — even health costs as a result of accidents — consumers can better manage these increases with thoughtful study and attention to detail. Some of the common causes for higher insurance rates are Inflation, car accidents, extreme weather conditions such as hail, hurricanes and wind, along with increased vehicle theft claims. Mercury Insurance has partnered with financial literacy influencer Sam Jarman to highlight specific ways consumers can address these rising costs. "Your car is the second biggest expense for most people, right behind your home, and car insurance is a big part of that," said Jarman. "Checking rates and coverage with your Mercury Insurance agent makes sense along with choosing a car with low maintenance costs." According to Consumer Price Index data released earlier this year, car insurance rates are up almost 21% year-over-year for the 12 months which ended in February. The last time car insurance rates rose that much on an annual basis was 1976. Here are some auto insurance statistics recently released from Forbes : "Our goal is to help our customers get the best rates possible because we know that every dollar counts." said Justin Yoshizawa, Director, Product Management, State. "We encourage consumers to build a close relationship with their agent and discuss what discounts they may be eligible to receive. The answer might be surprising." Mercury offers the following tips for lowering your insurance costs: Review your deductibles with your insurance agent – It is recommended that you review your coverage and deductible with your Mercury agent at least once a year. Their wisdom and experience can help you make wise decisions regarding your insurance. Explore car insurance discounts – In addition to bundling your home and auto insurance, Mercury offers discounts for multi-car, good drivers, good students and auto pay. Your agent may have additional discounts to offer. Let Your Insurer Track Your Driving – Most insurers offer discounts for customers who install telematics. This technology allows your insurance company to collect information regarding your mileage and driving habits. This can also provide valuable information regarding your driving as well as saving you money. Drive a safe car with low repair costs – According to Bankrate , some of the cheapest cars to insure are the Subaru Outback, Honda CR-V and Honda Pilot. Also, look for cars with lower repair costs such as the Toyota Corolla, Toyota Prius and Tesla Model 3. Doing some research before you purchase a vehicle can save you money over the length of ownership. Install an anti-theft device on your car – Drivers may receive an additional discount on your auto insurance if you install an anti-theft device on your car. Before you buy a car, compare insurance costs – You can get a fast and easy quote from your Mercury Insurance agent. To receive a quote, you can reach us at 844-514-2893. To learn more about common types of auto insurance discounts, visit https://www.mercuryinsurance.com/resources/auto/understanding-types-of-auto-insurance-discounts.html . For more information on your auto insurance, you can reference the Insurance Information Institute .
Putin apologizes for crash but stops short of saying Azerbaijani plane was shot down
Medtronic plc ( NYSE:MDT – Free Report ) – Investment analysts at William Blair decreased their Q3 2025 earnings estimates for Medtronic in a report issued on Tuesday, November 19th. William Blair analyst M. Andrew now forecasts that the medical technology company will post earnings of $1.36 per share for the quarter, down from their previous estimate of $1.37. The consensus estimate for Medtronic’s current full-year earnings is $5.46 per share. William Blair also issued estimates for Medtronic’s Q4 2025 earnings at $1.62 EPS, FY2025 earnings at $5.46 EPS and Q2 2026 earnings at $1.43 EPS. A number of other analysts have also weighed in on MDT. Piper Sandler increased their target price on Medtronic from $85.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 21st. Citigroup increased their price objective on Medtronic from $85.00 to $92.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 1st. Barclays lifted their target price on Medtronic from $104.00 to $105.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, August 22nd. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Medtronic from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and lifted their price objective for the stock from $98.00 to $105.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 10th. Finally, Daiwa America raised shares of Medtronic to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, August 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $95.00. Medtronic Price Performance MDT stock opened at $86.21 on Thursday. The company has a current ratio of 1.84, a quick ratio of 1.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. Medtronic has a 12 month low of $75.96 and a 12 month high of $92.68. The stock has a market cap of $110.56 billion, a PE ratio of 26.36, a P/E/G ratio of 2.42 and a beta of 0.84. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $88.99 and a 200 day moving average price of $84.87. Medtronic ( NYSE:MDT – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 19th. The medical technology company reported $1.26 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.25 by $0.01. Medtronic had a return on equity of 13.79% and a net margin of 13.00%. The company had revenue of $8.40 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $8.27 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.25 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.2% on a year-over-year basis. Institutional Inflows and Outflows Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Fortitude Family Office LLC purchased a new stake in Medtronic during the third quarter worth $27,000. Highline Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Medtronic in the 3rd quarter valued at about $27,000. Darwin Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Medtronic in the 3rd quarter worth about $27,000. Lynx Investment Advisory purchased a new position in Medtronic during the second quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, J. Stern & Co. LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Medtronic in the third quarter valued at approximately $30,000. 82.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. About Medtronic ( Get Free Report ) Medtronic plc develops, manufactures, and sells device-based medical therapies to healthcare systems, physicians, clinicians, and patients worldwide. Its Cardiovascular Portfolio segment offers implantable cardiac pacemakers, cardioverter defibrillators, and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices; cardiac ablation products; insertable cardiac monitor systems; TYRX products; and remote monitoring and patient-centered software. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Medtronic Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Medtronic and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
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