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fc 188.ph How chef and activist Andrew Zimmern practices gratitude at the Thanksgiving tableThe year began with a 7.5 earthquake in Japan. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine continued to rage. Simone Biles soared in the Olympics. Katie Ledecky inspired . Steph Curry and LeBron James teamed up to win gold. America was captivated by a rare solar eclipse. Notre Dame cathedral, an 800-year-old masterpiece, gloriously reopened five years after a devastating fire. A former president was convicted of 34 felonies. The current one stumbled badly in a high-stakes debate, and announced he would not seek a second term. Mexico elected its first female president . And a daughter of Oakland joined the race to try to become America’s first. The nation said goodbye to Quincy Jones, Joe Lieberman, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Pete Rose, Ethel Kennedy, Bob Newhart, Toby Keith, O.J. Simpson, Shelley Duvall, Kris Kristofferson and Phil Donahue. The stock market hit record highs. Hurricane Helene cut a deadly swath across the South. One of the world’s most brutal dictators was driven out of Syria. The Bay Area saw its own share of big news stories in 2024 as well, some linked closely to world and national events, and many with implications for next year. Here are the top 10: 1) Kamala Harris loses the presidential race She had not planned to run until 2028. But when Joe Biden announced on July 21 that he would become the first president since Lyndon Johnson in 1968 not to seek re-election, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party rallied around her. Harris, a former San Francisco prosecutor, California attorney general and U.S. senator, would have been only the second president born in California, after Richard Nixon. She had 107 days to organize a campaign and barnstorm the country. She beat the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, in their only debate. She raised more than $1 billion. But she came up short. Voters still stinging over inflation that swept the world after the Covid pandemic, unhappy about illegal immigration and estranged from a party that many said was out of touch with working class concerns, chose Trump. He won all seven swing states. Republicans took back the Senate and kept a slim majority in the House. Where does Harris, 60, go next? She could seek the presidency again in 2028. Or she may announce a run next year for California governor in 2026. That would likely clear the Democratic field, and make her the odds-on favorite to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom. 2) Willie Mays dies He was the most famous Bay Area athlete in any sport, considered by some historians to be the greatest baseball player ever. The “Say Hey Kid” came out of the segregated South, joined the Negro Leagues, and played in the majors from 1951 to 1973, nearly all with the Giants. Mays’ legendary playing style — from his cannon arm to the way he raced around the bases so fast that his helmet flew off — marked a career with 660 home runs and 24 all-star appearances. No one was surprised when the Giants built a statue of him in front of their waterfront ballpark in 2000, and coronated the address “24 Willie Mays Plaza.” “Mays is the only man in baseball I’d pay to see play,” fellow Hall-of-Famer Ty Cobb once said. A fixture at Giants games for years, a mentor to hundreds of players and beloved by fans, Mays died June 18 at age 93 in Palo Alto. Ten days later, another Giants Hall-of-Famer, Orlando Cepeda, died at age 86. The Giants have struggled since winning the World Series in 2014, winning the National League West only once. On Sept. 30, after firing president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, they named former MVP catcher Buster Posey to the job. Opening Day is April 4. 3) Voters boot incumbents Bay Area voters are known for being tolerant. This year they hit their limit. Fed up with car break-ins, retail theft, attacks on elderly residents, drug dealing and squalid homeless encampments, San Franciscans dumped Mayor London Breed and replaced her with fellow Democrat Daniel Lurie, heir to the Levi Strauss fortune. Not to be outdone, East Bay voters recalled Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price by landslide margins. Meanwhile, every Bay Area county voted to approve Proposition 36, a statewide ballot measure to toughen sentences for theft and selling drugs like fentanyl, despite opposition from Newsom. The lesson for candidates in 2025? If voters don’t feel safe, your political career may not be either. 4) FCI Dublin prison scandal The Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin had been famous for housing inmates like Patty Hearst, “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss and actress Felicity Huffman, who was convicted in the Varsity Blues bribery scandal. The Alameda County prison became infamous, however, after the Associated Press, 60 Minutes and others documented rampant sexual abuse of inmates by prison guards and staff. Since 2021, at least eight FCI Dublin employees have been charged, including former warden Ray Garcia, who was sentenced last year to nearly 6 years in prison. This month, the Federal Bureau of Prisons announced it was permanently closing FCI Dublin, and agreed to pay $116 million to 103 women who filed a class-action lawsuit. “We were sentenced to prison. We were not sentenced to be assaulted and abused,” said former Dublin prisoner Aimee Chavira. 5) Oakland A’s era ends On Sept. 26, the Oakland Athletics played their last home game, ending a 57-year run. They beat the Texas Rangers 3-2 in front of a sell-out crowd at the Oakland Coliseum. With the loss of the Warriors to San Francisco in 2019 and the Raiders to Las Vegas in 2020, the A’s were the last major pro sports team left in Oakland. The city lost part of its identity and a gathering site for generations of families. “I started crying after the final moment,” said A’s fan Jesus Ventura. “I felt a deep, deep sadness.” After moving to Oakland from Kansas City in 1968, the A’s won four World Series in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1989. Fans cheered as Reggie Jackson blasted home runs, Rickey Henderson stole bases, and greats like Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter and Dennis Eckersley struck out opposing hitters. But as the Oakland Coliseum aged, the A’s failed to build a new facility in San Jose, Fremont or Oakland. Billionaire owner John Fisher, heir to the Gap fortune, announced plans last year to move the team to Las Vegas. Enraged fans launched a “sell the team!” campaign. But Major League owners gave him the OK. On Dec. 5, Las Vegas officials greenlit plans for a $1.75 billion domed stadium, with $380 million in public funds, scheduled to open in 2028. Until then, the A’s will play at Sutter Health Park, a minor league field in West Sacramento. Adding to the heartache of A’s fans, the team’s Hall of Fame hometown hero Rickey Henderson, who holds the record for most stolen bases, died just days before what would have been his 66th birthday on Christmas Day. 6) Tie in Silicon Valley race for Congress It’s a common cliche: “Every vote counts.” A Silicon Valley congressional race this year proved it true. After congresswoman Anna Eshoo announced she was retiring from the 16th Congressional District, 11 candidates ran to succeed her, including former San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Assemblyman Evan Low and Santa Clara County Supervisor Joe Simitian. After the March 5 primary, an amazing thing happened. Liccardo led, but fellow Democrats Low and Simitian, fighting for the other spot on the general election ballot, were tied following weeks of counting. Each had 30,249 votes. After a recount, Low won by 5 votes. In November, the more moderate Liccardo beat Low easily , 58%-42%, to represent the district, which stretches from Pacifica to San Jose. He will be sworn in Jan. 3. 7) Transit funding woes worsen Most vestiges of the Covid pandemic are gone. But it is still decimating public transit. Because so many people continue to work from home, BART, the Bay Area’s largest public transit system, has seen ridership collapse from roughly 400,000 a day to fewer than 200,000 most days now. The agency, which operates 50 stations in five counties, raised fares by 5%. It still faces a $35 million deficit in 2026 and a staggering $385 million shortfall in 2027. Federal Covid money is running out, and the new Trump administration isn’t likely to give California a bailout. Critics say BART needs to cut bloated union benefits and staffing, and continue to reduce crime on its trains. Other Bay Area transit agencies also face shortfalls, and warn that if they cut service, traffic will increase for everyone on freeways. The agencies have tried to draft a tax increase for the 2026 ballot, but so far haven’t been able to agree. The question for 2025 may not be whether there will be cuts on hours and routes — but how big will they be? 8) 49ers lose Super Bowl They had so much promise. With offensive stars like George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Christian McCaffrey and quarterback Brock Purdy, a stacked defense and a 12-5 record, the 49ers rolled into Las Vegas on Feb. 11 looking to dethrone the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. But in the most-watched TV show in history, with 123 million viewers, the Niners’ first Super Bowl victory since 1995 wasn’t to be. They led 19-16 with 1:53 left in the game. But future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Patrick Mahomes drove the Chiefs down the field, resulting in a game-tying field goal with 3 seconds left. In overtime, he broke 49ers’ fans hearts, covering 75 yards in 13 plays for the winning touchdown. The 49ers fired their defensive coordinator after the game. Relentless injuries this season to stars like Aiyuk, McCaffrey, Nick Bosa and Trent Williams caused them to miss the playoffs entirely. In 2025 they are expected to sign Purdy to a long-term deal. And although there are lots of question marks, they are lucky the NFC West is considered a relatively easy division. Hope springs eternal. 9) San Mateo County sheriff drama San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus got a lot of attention in 2024. But it wasn’t for arresting criminals. On Dec. 4, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors voted to place a measure on the March ballot that would allow them to remove a sheriff for “flagrant or repeated neglect of duties, misappropriation of public funds, willful falsification of documents, or obstructing an investigation.” The unanimous vote came after the board hired retired Superior Court Judge LaDoris Cordell to investigate allegations of wrongdoing. She concluded that Corpus hired her boyfriend to be chief of staff, gave him improper authority, used racial and homophobic slurs and bullied employees. Corpus denies the allegations. In November, she ordered the arrest of Carlos Tapia, a critic who serves as president of the San Mateo County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, for time card fraud. But on Dec. 16, San Mateo County District Attorney Stephen M. Wagstaffe said no crime was committed and he won’t file charges. Will San Mateo County’s first female sheriff get the boot? Voters will have the final say in three months. 10) Gaza protests roil universities College campuses across California were the site of raucous demonstrations following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Hamas against Israel, sparking a massive counterattack by Israeli forces in Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 people. Hundreds of students and other protesters were arrested at Cal, Stanford, UC Santa Cruz and other campuses after refusing to leave pro-Palestinian encampments and occupying buildings. Some Jewish students said they were harassed and threatened. In August, UC system President Michael Drake banned encampments and said students would face discipline if they blocked others or wore masks as intimidation. Cal State followed suit. This fall, protests were muted. Biden has dispatched negotiators to the Middle East to try and broker a cease-fire. On Dec. 16, Trump announced that he had a “very good talk” with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and warned “all hell is going to break out” if Hamas does not release the remaining hostages by Jan. 20, the day Trump takes office. Bay Area News Group reporters Rick Hurd and Grace Hase contributed to this story.

NEW YORK - Amazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic to $8-billion in a deepened collaboration on artificial intelligence, the companies said. The e-commerce and technology behemoth will remain a minority investor in Anthropic, having pumped an initial $4-billion into the artificial intelligence developer late last year and becoming its primary cloud computing provider. "The response from AWS customers who are developing generative AI applications powered by Anthropic in Amazon Bedrock has been remarkable," said Matt Garman, chief of AWS cloud computing division. "We'll keep pushing the boundaries of what customers can achieve with generative AI technologies." Amazon is investing the additional $4-billion in Anthropic as part of an expanded alliance that includes working together on "Trainium" hardware to optimise machine learning, according to the companies. "We're looking forward to working with Amazon to train and power our most advanced AI models using AWS Trainium, and helping to unlock the full potential of their technology," said Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei. The announcement came just days after Britain's competition regulator cleared Google-parent Alphabet's investment in Anthropic, following a probe. The Competition and Markets Authority concluded that the big tech giant had not acquired "material influence" over Anthropic as a result of the deal, which was reported to have cost $2 billion. The British regulator is one of several global regulators concerned with reining in big tech companies and their partnerships with AI firms. In September, the CMA cleared Amazon's initial investment in Anthropic, saying it did not believe that "a relevant merger situation has been created."The NFL's security division is warning players to be aware of professional burglars targeting the homes of pro athletes. The Athletic reported Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams that outlines the threat. "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," read the memo, which was obtained by The Athletic. "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days." NBC News reported Wednesday that law enforcement is working to figure out whether an international crime syndicate is involved. The Athletic reported that the memo includes tips for home security and also gives recommendations about the use of social media, such as not posting photos of items that would attract thieves. Players also learned via the memo how homes are targeted and how burglars enter. Mahomes hasn't said much about the burglary, other than to call it "disappointing" and "frustrating." "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing," he said. "But obviously something that you don't want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself." It's not clear what was stolen from Mahomes' home in Belton, Mo., during the Oct. 6 incident. But Kelce apparently lost $20,000 in cash in the burglary at his home in Leawood, Kan., the following day when the Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football," according to a police report. The burglary at the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis in River Hills, Wis., occurred Nov. 2 during the Bucks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He said the perpetrators "took most of my prized possessions" and is offering a reward for the return of his property. "Any info that leads to the return of any of my belongings will be rewarded handsomely," Portis said. "Let me know, thank you." --Field Level Media

Diplomats from small island nations threatened by rising seas and impoverished African states angrily filed out of a meeting with summit hosts Azerbaijan over a final deal being thrashed out in a Baku sports stadium. "We've just walked out. We came here to this COP for a fair deal. We feel that we haven't been heard," said Cedric Schuster, the Samoan chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). An unpublished version of the final text circulating in Baku, and seen by AFP, proposes that rich nations raise to $300 billion a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. COP29 hosts Azerbaijan intended to put a final draft before 198 nations for adoption or rejection on Saturday evening, a full day after the marathon summit officially ended. But, in a statement, AOSIS said it had "removed" itself from the climate finance discussions, demanding an "inclusive" process. "If this cannot be the case, it becomes very difficult for us to continue our involvement here at COP29," it said. Sierra Leone's climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world's poorest, said the draft was "effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world". An earlier offer from rich nations of $250 billion was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, who have demanded much higher sums to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the revised offer of $300 billion was "a significant scaling up" of the existing pledge by developed nations, which also count the United States, European Union and Japan among their ranks. At sunset, a final text still proved elusive, as harried diplomats ran to-and-fro in the stadium near the Caspian Sea searching for common ground. "Hopefully this is the storm before the calm," said US climate envoy John Podesta in the corridors as somebody shouted "shame" in his direction. Earlier, the EU's climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra said negotiators were not out of the woods yet. "We're doing everything we can on each of the axes to build bridges and to make this into a success. But it is iffy whether we will succeed," he said. Ali Mohamed, the Kenyan chair of the African Group of Negotiators, told AFP: "No deal is better than a bad deal." South African environment minister Dion George, however, said: "I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful." "What we are not up for is going backwards or standing still," he said. "We might as well just have stayed at home then." The revised offer from rich countries came with conditions in other parts of the broader climate deal under discussion in Azerbaijan. The EU in particular wants an annual review on global efforts to phase out fossil fuels, which are the main drivers of global warming. This has run into opposition from Saudi Arabia, which has sought to water down a landmark pledge to transition away from oil, gas and coal made at COP28 last year. "We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. Wealthy nations counter that it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. The US earlier this month elected former president Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. A coalition of more than 300 activist groups accused historic polluters most responsible for climate change of skirting their obligation, and urged developing nations to stand firm. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. Even $300 billion would be a step up from the $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire. A group of developing countries had demanded at least $500 billion, with some saying that increases were less than met the eye due to inflation. Experts commissioned by the United Nations to assess the needs of developing countries said $250 billion was "too low" and by 2035 rich nations should be providing at least $390 billion. The US and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. China, which remains classified as a developing nation under the UN framework, provides climate assistance but wants to keep doing so on its own voluntary terms. bur-np-sct/lth/giv

B. Metzler seel. Sohn & Co. Holding AG purchased a new stake in Veeva Systems Inc. ( NYSE:VEEV – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor purchased 5,987 shares of the technology company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,256,000. Several other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in VEEV. Advisors Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Veeva Systems during the first quarter worth $28,000. Mowery & Schoenfeld Wealth Management LLC purchased a new position in Veeva Systems in the 3rd quarter valued at about $26,000. Blue Trust Inc. grew its stake in shares of Veeva Systems by 3,460.0% during the second quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 178 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $33,000 after acquiring an additional 173 shares in the last quarter. DT Investment Partners LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Veeva Systems during the second quarter worth about $35,000. Finally, Fairscale Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Veeva Systems in the second quarter worth about $46,000. 88.20% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors. Insider Activity at Veeva Systems In other news, insider Thomas D. Schwenger sold 1,126 shares of Veeva Systems stock in a transaction on Friday, November 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $240.01, for a total transaction of $270,251.26. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 27,013 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,483,390.13. This trade represents a 4.00 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link . 10.50% of the stock is currently owned by insiders. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades View Our Latest Stock Analysis on VEEV Veeva Systems Trading Up 1.0 % VEEV opened at $216.59 on Friday. Veeva Systems Inc. has a twelve month low of $165.12 and a twelve month high of $240.68. The stock has a market cap of $35.07 billion, a PE ratio of 57.76, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.03 and a beta of 0.81. The business’s 50 day moving average is $214.54 and its 200-day moving average is $201.19. Veeva Systems ( NYSE:VEEV – Get Free Report ) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 28th. The technology company reported $1.07 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.04 by $0.03. Veeva Systems had a return on equity of 13.30% and a net margin of 23.91%. The firm had revenue of $676.18 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $667.21 million. As a group, analysts forecast that Veeva Systems Inc. will post 4.21 EPS for the current year. About Veeva Systems ( Free Report ) Veeva Systems Inc provides cloud-based software for the life sciences industry. It offers Veeva Commercial Cloud, a suite of software and analytics solutions, such as Veeva customer relationship management (CRM) that enable customer-facing employees at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies; Veeva Vault PromoMats, an end-to-end content and digital asset management solution; Veeva Vault Medical that provides source of medical content across multiple channels and geographies; Veeva Crossix, an analytics platform for pharmaceutical brands; Veeva OpenData, a customer reference data solution; Veeva Link, a data application that allows link to generate real-time intelligence; and Veeva Compass includes de-identified and longitudinal patient data for the United States. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VEEV? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Veeva Systems Inc. ( NYSE:VEEV – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Veeva Systems Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Veeva Systems and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. trained and went through the NFL draft process together on the way to becoming two of the five quarterbacks taken in the top 10. After going off the board earlier with the second pick by the Washington Commanders, Daniels has been their starter all season and one of football's breakout stars . Penix, taken eighth in a move coach Raheem Morris joked “shocked the world," waited behind Kirk Cousins until usurping the veteran and making his first pro start last week. On Sunday night, they'll face off in the league's first prime-time showdown of rookie QBs selected in the first round, and the spotlight is bright with significant playoff implications at stake. “I'm happy for him — he waited his time,” Daniels said of Penix. “He's a phenomenal player in my eyes, and I'm excited to be able to match up against him.” Daniels and the Commanders (10-5) are in the playoffs with a win. They might already be in before kickoff if Tampa Bay loses at home to Carolina, though the Buccaneers are 8-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook. Washington is favored by 4 against the Falcons (8-7), who are vying with the Bucs for the NFC South title and a home playoff game and also in contention with the Commanders and others for the conference's wild-card spots. “The reality is that you fight, you fight, you fight and you put yourself in a position to go out there and win your division,” Penix said. "You put yourself in a chance to get yourself to qualify for extra play. We’re right in the mix of doing that, and we’ve got to go do it and finish.” Daniels, who threw five touchdown passes to beat Philadelphia last week and end the Eagles’ winning streak at 10 games, is the prohibitive favorite to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards in a rout of the New York Giants that included two touchdowns by Atlanta's defense and two on the ground from running back Bijan Robinson. “I was really pleased with his composure, his poise, his ability to click through progressions,” Morris said. "Realistically, it was a pretty clean game at the quarterback position. I’m very pleased with what he did and how he did it and the support that he had around him.” Washington's Dan Quinn is facing the Falcons as a head coach for the first time since they fired him in 2020. He was replaced then on an interim basis by Morris, who was an assistant on his staff in Atlanta the entire time Quinn was in charge, including the run to the Super Bowl in the 2016 season. “It’s always fun to play against your friends, your confidants, your mentors — whatever you want to look at it as — that we’ve been able to grow up with throughout this whole process,” said Morris, who was an assistant in Washington from 2012-14 under Mike Shanahan and interviewed for the Commanders job last winter. “Dan coaching me in college," Morris added, "and then having a chance to work together and then having a chance to really follow the same path to the National Football League and then to now being in a fortunate position to be head coaches in this awesome league and having a chance to compete against each other at a very high level with high stakes on the line in prime time and all of those things — I just enjoy those moments of being able to go against guys that you care about.” Morris said conversations from their close working relationship, which dates to their time together at Hofstra, are on a break right now. “Obviously you swap texts on normal weeks,” Morris said. “I won’t talk to him this week. I’ll ban him. I’ll block him on the phone.” Penix's results would have been even more impressive if not for some drops by receivers. Ray-Ray McCloud and Drake London had miscues on Atlanta’s opening drive. Tight end Kyle Pitts bobbled a pass later that led to Penix's interception. Serving as scout-team QB while Cousins was the starter , Penix had little practice time with the first-string offense before last week. As a left-hander, Penix gives receivers a different look, but perhaps the biggest adjustment was the added zip on his passes when compared with Cousins. “We kind of talked about that,” Morris said. “We figured that would happen. ... We talked about the reps with these guys, not having as many. So, things like that are going to happen. But I do like the fact that we’re able to keep playing and pushing and watch the guys get better and better as we went. The Commanders are expected to get two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen back after surgery in October to repair a torn pectoral muscle initially looked to be season-ending . “We know the caliber of Jon and what he can bring,” Quinn said. “He’s strong. He’s tough. So when that does happen, that’ll be something that will definitely bring energy to our defense.” Allen had 15 tackles and two sacks in five-plus games before getting injured at Baltimore on Oct. 13. After ranking last in the league with 10 sacks through the first 11 games, Atlanta’s long-struggling pass rush has enjoyed a dramatic surge. The Falcons have at least three in four consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league, with 16 total over this stretch. Arnold Ebiketie recorded his fifth sack and recovered a fumble against the Giants, and Kaden Elliss had a strip sack. Elliss also has five sacks and has dropped opposing QBs in four consecutive games: the longest streak by a Falcons defender since Patrick Kerney's five in a row in 2001. AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLA view of an image announcing Brazil as elected host country for COP 30, at the COP29 United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Baku, Azerbaijan November 23, 2024. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo BAKU - Countries agreed to a hard-fought COP29 deal to provide $300 billion in annual climate finance by 2035. But while some delegates reacted to the agreement early Sunday with a standing ovation, others voiced anger and lambasted wealthy nations for not doing more. Here are some of their comments: U.N. FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SIMON STIELL (in a statement) "It has been a difficult journey, but we've delivered a deal. This new finance goal is an insurance policy for humanity, amid worsening climate impacts hitting every country. "This deal will keep the clean energy boom growing and protect billions of lives. It will help all countries to share in the huge benefits of bold climate action: more jobs, stronger growth, cheaper and cleaner energy for all. "But like any insurance policy – it only works – if the premiums are paid in full, and on time. No country got everything they wanted, and we leave Baku with a mountain of work still to do. So this is no time for victory laps." INDIA REPRESENTATIVE CHANDNI RAINA "We are disappointed in the outcome which clearly brings out the unwillingness of the developed country parties to fulfil their responsibilities." "I regret to say that this document is nothing more than an optical illusion. This, in our opinion, will not address the enormity of the challenge we all face. Therefore, we oppose the adoption of this document." U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES "I had hoped for a more ambitious outcome – on both finance and mitigation – to meet the great challenge we face. But this agreement provides a base on which to build. It must be honoured in full and on time. Commitments must quickly become cash." BOLIVIA REPRESENTATIVE DIEGO PACHECO BALANZA (speaking via a translator) "We need a finance which will properly grant us the resources we need to take steps. The finance that is hugely below our requirements is an insult and it is a flagrant violation of justice and climate equity. "Climate finance, as it stands in this agreement, is extinguishing international cooperation. We are moving on from the time of leaving of no-one behind to an era of let every man save himself." BRITISH ENERGY MINISTER ED MILIBAND (In a statement) “This is a critical eleventh hour deal at the eleventh hour for the climate. It is not everything we or others wanted but is a step forward for us all." "Today’s agreement sends the signal that the clean energy transition is unstoppable. It is the biggest economic opportunity of the 21st century and through our championing of it we can help crowd in private investment." TINA STEGE, MARSHALL ISLANDS CLIMATE ENVOY (in a statement) “We came in good faith, with the safety of our communities and the well-being of the world at heart. Yet, we have seen the very worst of political opportunism here at this COP, playing games with the lives of the world's most vulnerable people. "Fossil fuel interests have been determined to block progress and undermine the multilateral goals we’ve worked to build. This can never be allowed to happen. "Despite the barriers, we’ve fought hard and secured something for our communities. We are leaving with a small portion of the funding climate-vulnerable countries urgently need. "It isn’t nearly enough, but it’s a start, and we’ve made it clear that these funds must come with fewer obstacles so they reach those who need them most. We have also rejected those who sought to undo the agreements we made on phasing out fossil fuels." EU CLIMATE COMMISSIONER WOPKE HOEKSTRA "With these funds and with this structure, we are confident we will reach the $1.3 trillion objective. On efforts to cut emissions: "It was not a focus of this COP but we wanted more, because the world needs more of it. And even though the UAE Consensus was attacked, we did move forward, even though it was just a bit. "We did manage to safeguard Dubai and take some steps forward. It is less than we would have liked, but it's better than we feared. So we're unhappy to lose a year, we're happy not to lose this fight." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. 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Leaders Gather to Honor Former PM Manmohan SinghNo. 2 Ohio State takes control in the 2nd half and runs over No. 5 Indiana 38-15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press Nov 23, 2024 2:24 PM Nov 23, 2024 2:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka, right, catches a touchdown pass thrown over Indiana defensive lineman Lanell Carr during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete) COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defence that sacked Canadian quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. “In life, all good things come to an end,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. Late in the first half, Indiana punter James Evans fumbled a snap and was buried at his own 7-yardline with the Buckeyes taking over. That turned quickly into a 4-yard TD run by Henderson that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead. Early in the second half, Caleb Downs fielded an Evans punt at the Ohio State 21, raced down the right sideline, cut to the middle and outran the coverage for a TD that put the Buckeyes up 21-7. It was the first time a Buckeye returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. “Our guys just played with a chip today, and that’s the way you got to play the game of football,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. Indiana scored on its first possession of the game and its last, both short runs by Ty Son Lawson, who paced the Hoosiers with 79 rushing yards. Rourke, a 24-year-old from Oakville, Ont., is the brother of BC Lions QB Nathan Rourke. He was 8 for 18 for 68 yards. “We had communication errors, pass (protection), every time we dropped back to pass, something bad happened," Cignetti said. Indiana's 151 total yards was its lowest of the season. And it was the most points surrendered by the Hoosier's defence. The takeaway Indiana: Its special season was blemished by the Buckeyes, who beat the Hoosiers for the 30th straight time. Indiana was eyeing its first conference crown since sharing one with two other teams in 1967. That won't happen now. “Ohio State deserved to win,” Cignetti said. “They had those (third quarter scores), and we just couldn’t respond.” Ohio State: Didn't waste the opportunities presented by the Hoosiers when they got sloppy. The Buckeyes led 14-7 at the break and took control in the second half. An offensive line patched together because of multiple injuries performed surprisingly well. “We know what was at stake," Day said. “We don't win this game, and we have no chance to go to Indianapolis and play in the Big Ten championship. And that's real. We've had that approach for the last few weeks now, more than that.” Poll implications Some voters were obviously unsure of Indiana because it hadn't played a nationally ranked team before Ohio State. After this one, the Hoosiers will drop. All about Will Howard made history by completing 80% of his passes for the sixth time this season. No other Ohio State quarterback has done that. He completed his first 14 passes in a row and finished with a 85% completion rate. “I think Buckeye nation is now seeing, after 11 games, that this guy is a winner, he's tough, he cares about his teammates, he's a leader,” Day said. Up next Indiana hosts Purdue in the regular-season finale next Saturday. Ohio State hosts rival Michigan on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Mitch Stacy, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? 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Jereem “The Dream” Richards emerged as the standout Trinidad and Tobago athlete in 2024, his fourth-place finish in the Men’s 400 metres final at the Paris Olympics setting him apart. Fourth, of course, is the most heart-breaking of positions in sport — just off the podium and agonisingly close to all the glory and rewards that come with a medal performance. That his run was of such a high quality deepened the disappointment for Richards DE GANNES SETS NEW CARIFTA RECORD: Janae De Gannes celebrates her Carifta Games girls’ under-20 long jump gold medal and championship record at the Kirani James Stadium, in Grenada, in April. The Trinidad and Tobago athlete won with a 6.50 metres leap--a new personal best and Carifta record. --Photo: PAUL VOISIN “What hurt the most was that I was so close,” the Point Fortin athlete told the Express after the Olympic final. “To lose a medal on the line...it was very difficult to work so hard for all these years and then to fall just short of a medal. It hurt and I’m disappointed, but at the same time God is good.” Drawn way out in the difficult lane nine, Richards scorched the track in 43.78 seconds — a new national record and the fastest-ever fourth-place time in an Olympic final. He missed out on the podium by just four-hundredths of a second, Zambian Muzala Samukonga grabbing bronze in 43.74. In any other Olympic final in history, 43.78 would have resulted in a medal. Richards would actually have gotten gold with that time in all but four Olympic finals prior to Paris 2024. The clocking also catapulted the T&T sprinter into 16th spot on the all-time Men’s 400m performance list. While his fourth-place finish was a painful experience, Richards had a lot to be thankful for. His clocking in the championship race and the dogged determination he displayed despite the lane nine draw made it absolutely clear that the Florida-based athlete is the real deal at 400, though his first individual success on the global circuit came in the 200 — 2017 World Athletics Championship bronze. Richards has a rock solid foundation to build on as he prepares for World Championship campaigns — indoor and outdoor — in 2025. Keshorn Walcott was impressive too at Paris 2024. Surprise Olympic Men’s javelin champion in 2012 in London, England at the tender age of 19 and a bronze medallist four years later at the Rio Games, Walcott has set the bar very high. But though he did not earn precious metal in Paris, his seventh-place finish was indeed a championship performance. Just being at the Games was an achievement in itself for Walcott after suffering a serious Achilles injury in 2023. It was quite a journey on the Road to Paris for the Toco thrower — from thinking it was a career-ending injury to successful surgery and then a rapid recovery - tells the story of a determined athlete. That Walcott went on to reach the Olympic final was a bonus. And in the final, he actually took an early lead with a big 86.16 metres throw. However, like Richards, his Olympic final was next-level in terms of quality. The two-time medallist had never before landed the spear that far in an Olympic final. In addition to being the best-ever seventh-place Olympic throw, the effort would have earned gold at 14 other Olympics. Not in 2024! The good news is that Walcott is on course to return to 90-metre form in 2025. Portious Warren finished 22nd in the Women’s shot put at Paris 2024 with a 17.22 metres throw. Leah Bertrand exited the Women’s 100m after finishing ninth in her semi-final heat in 11.37 seconds. In the first round, Bertrand claimed third spot in her heat in 11.27 to progress to the semis. Michelle-Lee Ahye was fourth in her heat in 11.33, and did not advance. Akeem Stewart wrote another chapter of Paralympic history, grabbing silver in Paris in the Men’s discus throw F64 event with a 59.66m effort. Janae De Gannes made a huge impact on the regional scene, leaping to Carifta Games Girls Under-20 long jump gold with a record-breaking effort in Grenada. That big 6.50 metres jump was adjudged the most outstanding performance at the regional junior championships, earning De Gannes the Austin Sealy Award. De Gannes is now part of an elite group of T&T athletes to have taken home the coveted award, joining Darrel Brown, who did it in 1999 and again in 2000, Gavyn Nero (2006) and Jehue Gordon (2010). De Gannes was not the only golden star for T&T at Carifta 2024. Che Wickham, Mikhail Byer, Hakeem Chinapoo and Dylan Woodruffe combined for Boys Under-20 4x100m gold in 40.45 seconds, relegating the mighty Jamaicans to silver in 40.55. Hakeem’s younger brother, Kadeem Chinapoo made two strong statements, first on the track and then on television. Chinapoo clocked 21.78 seconds to strike gold in the Boys Under-17 200m, forcing Jamaican Oshane Jervis to settle for silver in 22.16. Chinapoo then told a Sportsmax interviewer: “It means a lot. This is what I’ve been training for; to beat them Jamaicans because them Jamaicans soft.” The good-natured jab drew attention to the young T&T sprinter, and set the stage for what should be an interesting sprint rivalry in the coming years. There is always a need for colourful characters to make sport more marketable. Of course, Chinapoo has put a target on his own back. The southerner, though, is a special talent, and well-equipped to take on the might of Jamaica. Tafari Waldron also set himself apart at Carifta 2024, successfully defending his Boys Under-20 5,000m title. The T&T runner returned a time of 15 minutes, 01.60 seconds for a huge margin of victory, second-placed Jake Brislane of Bermuda getting home in 15:42.42. Waldron also proved his worth on the roads, becoming only the second local runner to win the UWI SPEC International Half-Marathon men’s race, the 19-year-old crossing the finish line in one hour, nine minutes, 53 seconds. Samantha Shukla topped the Women’s field in 1:37:06 for the first-ever T&T sweep. Another T&T runner, Waldron’s training partner Nicholas Romany emerged as the star of the show at the Run Barbados Festival, successfully defending his Men’s mile and 10K titles.Shannon Sharpe is never going to live that Instagram moment down. Actress Keke Palmer brought up a viral September incident when Sharpe, 56, accidentally went live on Instagram while he was having sex. Palmer, 31, appeared on Sharpe’s “ Club Shay Shay ” podcast on Wednesday, November 20, where the two discussed past roles where she had to kiss older men. “I experienced the same thing in another movie that I did where the guy was — I was 17 and he was like, 27,” Palmer said. “You like ’em older, huh?” Sharpe replied. Palmer clapped back with, “That’s what Michelle said,” referring to the woman Sharpe was with during his infamous snafu. Sharpe was a good sport about it, nearly falling out of his seat with laughter. “Oh, my goodness. Come on, Keke! It’s too soon! You’ve been waiting for that!” he said. “You walked me into it! They don’t call you ‘Hunky Uncky’ for nothing,” Palmer replied. After initially claiming he was hacked, Sharpe addressed his miscue the night of the incident with a statement on his “Nightcap” podcast, which he cohosts with fellow ex NFL player Chad Ochocinco . “[My friend] Jamie, said, ‘Shannon, you’re on IG Live.’ I’m like, ‘Doing what?’ ... He says, ‘They could hear. ... Sounds like you were having sex.’ Man, my heart sank,” Sharpe said. “It dropped.” “[I’m] someone that is extremely, extremely private and to have one of your most intimate details, the audio heard for the entire world to hear, I’m embarrassed for a number of reasons,” the former NFL tight end added. “People count on Shannon. Shay Shay media ... ESPN, there are a lot of people that count on him at all times.” “I threw my phone on the bed, engaged in an activity,” he continued. “I did not know IG Live. I’ve never turned IG live on so I don’t know how it works and all of a sudden my other phone started going off.” In addition to hosting his podcasts, Sharpe is also a regular on ESPN’s morning talk show, First Take . You have successfully subscribed. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Check our latest news in Google News Check our latest news in Apple News Ochocinco was candid in his response, telling Sharpe on the air that he was “thoroughly disappointed.” “I’m baffled. I never thought I’d see the day where you, Unc, would pull something so out of character,” Johnson shared in the podcast episode on Wednesday. “A little unprofessional. I’m not mad, I’m thoroughly disappointed because I hold you to a higher standard. ... So this has really sent me into a complete shock.” Sharpe further owned up to his actions two nights later, when he hosted his own roast on “Nightcap,” featuring Snoop Dogg , Cam Newton , Godfrey , Lavell Crawford and Kai Cenat .A Nov. 14 Instagram post ( , ) uses a meme with an image of former President Jimmy Carter to claim U.S. educational achievement has plummeted. “In 1979 I created the Department of Education,” reads on-screen text in the image. “Since then America went from 1st to 24th in education.” X owner Elon Musk made the same claim in a on X, formerly Twitter, that was reposted 98,000 times. The claim also circulated widely on . How we pick and research claims | | There is no evidence to support the claim. While multiple studies have compared U.S. students to their peers in other countries, none show they ranked first in 1979, nor do any say they ranked 24th in 2024. There isn’t a definitive way to rank a country’s education quality, but multiple studies show results contrary to the trend claimed in the post. , a professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Education, told USA TODAY that the claim is “completely inaccurate.” “These are very rough comparisons, but it can be said that U.S. middle school and secondary students have always done poorly on international tests of mathematics compared to students in other developed countries and have done better in science and reading,” Carnoy said. Many U.S. adults believe the country is either average or below average at teaching students science, technology, engineering and math, according to a released in April. : But the measuring students' reading, math and science skills from countries show more of a mixed bag. In 2022, the test – called the – found five education systems with higher average reading scores than the U.S., 25 with higher math scores and nine with higher science scores. The test has , when 32 countries participated. That year, eight countries had higher math scores than the U.S. and seven countries had higher science scores. U.S. students performed “about as well on average” in reading compared to students in other participating countries. U.S. News & World Report ranked the U.S. as the in 2024 as part of its , which are based on an international survey of nearly 17,000 people who were asked “whether a country has a well-developed public education system, whether respondents would consider attending university there and if that country has a reputation for top-quality universities.” The news outlet has only ranked countries in that way for . There is no evidence of any widespread decline in student achievement in the U.S. since 1979, Carnoy said. U.S. math scores have been below many other countries for decades. In the mid-1960s, U.S. 13-year-olds were outperformed in math by students in all but one of the 11 other countries that participated in the First International Mathematics Study, while U.S. students in their last year of high school were ranked last, according to a published in 1992. A similar study of math skills conducted in the early 1980s broke the results down by category, and found the U.S. was near the bottom in most of them. A different published by the National Center for Education Statistics in 1993 analyzed two decades of results. It says “overall trends in science, mathematics and reading suggest few changes in levels of educational achievement.” National Center for Education Statistics charts of reading and math scores for and in the U.S. don’t show significant declines since 1979. Rather, math scores are up since then while reading is at about the same level, according to the latest test results from 2022 and 2023. The rate in the U.S. for the 1979-80 school year was 71.5%, far below the 87% reported for the . The college enrollment rate for those who completed high school has risen from to , according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It is important to recognize the U.S. doesn’t have only one education system – instead, each state has its own, Carnoy said. “Student performance in some states has increased greatly in the past 30 years, and not so much in other states,” he said. Carter that created the Department of Education on Oct. 17, 1979, the federal government had “for too long failed to play its own supporting role in education as effectively as it could.” It wasn’t the first time that the U.S. had a Department of Education, though. In 1867, President Andrew Johnson signed a bill that created the country’s first Department of Education, but it was in the Department of the Interior about a year later “due to concern that the department would exercise over local schools,” according to the current Education Department website. President-elect Donald Trump has eliminating the Department of Education, calling it a “bloated and radical bureaucracy.” USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response. also debunked the claim. , Nov. 19, Email exchange with USA TODAY Pew Research Center, April 24, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 20, National Center for Education Statistics, accessed Nov. 21, National Assessment of Educational Progress, accessed Nov. 21, U.S. News & World Report, accessed Nov. 20, Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 23, Bureau of Labor Statistics, accessed Nov. 21,

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