3 phases of spin
NoneBitkraft Ventures sharpens focus on India gaming market; appoints Anuj Tandon as partnerRBI's war against inflation is not yet over, says governor Shaktikanta Das
BEIRUT (AP) — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. No casualties were reported after many residents fled the targeted sites. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel had issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians , and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military had previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding U.S.-led ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment in order to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because “we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire.” Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were “close to a deal." “It can happen within days,” he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. Two Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Netanyahu’s security Cabinet had scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, but they said it remained unclear whether the Cabinet would vote to approve the deal. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal deliberations. Danny Danon, Israel’s U.N. ambassador, told reporters Monday that he expected a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah to have stages and to be discussed by leaders Monday or Tuesday. Still, he warned, “it’s not going to happen overnight.” After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force . Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel is demanding the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government has said that such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. A ceasefire could mark a step toward ending the regionwide war that ballooned after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 . The lack of a ceasefire has emerged as a political liability for Israeli leaders including Netanyahu, particularly while 60,000 Israelis remain away from their homes in the country's north after more than a year of cross-border violence. Hezbollah rockets have reached as far south into Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers died fighting in the ground offensive in Lebanon. The Israeli military said about 250 projectiles were fired Sunday, with some intercepted. A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the strongest of Iran’s armed proxies , is expected to significantly calm regional tensions that have led to fears of a direct, all-out war between Israel and Iran. It’s not clear how the ceasefire will affect the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Hezbollah had long insisted that it would not agree to a ceasefire until the war in Gaza ends, but it dropped that condition. A top Hamas official in Lebanon said the Palestinian militant group would support a ceasefire between its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Israel, despite Hezbollah’s previous promises to stop the fighting in Lebanon only if the war in Gaza ends. “Any announcement of a ceasefire is welcome. Hezbollah has stood by our people and made significant sacrifices,” Osama Hamdan of Hamas' political wing told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, which is seen as politically allied with Hezbollah. While the ceasefire proposal is expected to be approved if Netanyahu brings it to a vote in his security Cabinet, one hard-line member, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said he would oppose it. He said on X that a deal with Lebanon would be a “big mistake” and a “missed historic opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah.” If the ceasefire talks fail, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, “it will mean more destruction and more and more animosity and more dehumanization and more hatred and more bitterness.” Speaking at a G7 meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, the last summit of its kind before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office, Safadi said such a failure "will doom the future of the region to more conflict and more killing and more destruction.” Federman reported from Jerusalem and Metz from Rabat, Morocco. Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Nicole Winfield in Fiuggi, Italy, and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report. Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-warITTA BENA, Miss. (AP) — Cornelious Brown IV threw five touchdown passes, Donovan Eaglin ran for 105 yards and two scores, and Alabama A&M defeated Mississippi Valley State 49-35 on Saturday. The Bulldogs scored 21 points in the third quarter to break free from a 28-all tie at halftime. All three touchdowns came on passes by Brown. He hit DJ Nelson for 35 yards, Donovan Payne for 9 yards, and Keenan Hambrick for 13 yards. Alabama A&M led 49-28 heading to the final quarter. Donivan Wright caught Brown's two other TD passes. He was the Bulldogs' leading receiver with 79 yards among their team total of 296. Brown completed 19 of 28 passes for 252 yards for the Bulldogs (6-5, 4-3 SWAC). Ty’Jarian Williams was 12 for 28 passing for 275 yards for the Delta Devils (1-11, 1-7). He threw two TD passes and was intercepted twice. Nathan Rembert had 107 yards receiving and a touchdown on five receptions. There were five touchdowns in the second quarter and the score was tied three times before the Bulldogs blew it open in the third quarter. __ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll 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
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James has been ruled out of the Los Angeles Lakers' game at Minnesota on Friday night due to soreness in his left foot. James will miss his second straight game when the Lakers return from a four-day break to face the Timberwolves, the Lakers announced Thursday. The top scorer in NBA history was away from the team this week with an excused absence attributed to “personal reasons,” coach JJ Redick said Wednesday. It's unclear whether James will even make the quick round trip to Minnesota before the Lakers' next game at home against Memphis on Sunday. James missed his first game of his record-tying 22nd NBA season when the Lakers beat Portland at home last Sunday. That absence also was attributed to his foot injury. James is averaging 23.0 points, 9.1 assists and 8.0 rebounds for the Lakers (13-11), who have lost seven of 10 after a 10-4 start. The Lakers upgraded starter Austin Reaves to questionable for the game at Minnesota after he missed LA's previous five games with a pelvic bruise. Anthony Davis is listed as probable with left plantar fasciitis. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBAThe commemorative ceremony of the 104th Anniversary of National Victory Day and the religious title conferring ceremony were held at Tatmadaw Religious Hall near the southern corner of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon yesterday. Present on the occasion were monks led by Presiding Nayaka Sayadaw of Thanlyin Min Kyaung monastery YMBA(Central) Ovadacariya Aggamaha Pandita Aggamaha Ganthavacaka Pandita Aggamaha Saddhammajotikadhaja Dr Bhaddanta Candima Bhivamsa, Union Minister for Information U Maung Maung Ohn, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein, Yangon Command Commander Maj-Gen Zaw Hein, regional ministers, YMBA Chairman U Ye Tun and relevant officials. State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Chairman Dr Bhaddanta Candima Bhivamsa delivered Ovada Gatha at the event. Then, Yangon Region Chief Minister Thiri Pyanchi Sithu U Soe Thein read out the message sent by Chairman of the State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Thadoe Maha Thray Sithu Thadoe Thiri Thudhamma Min Aung Hlaing to the ceremony to mark the 104th Anniversary of National Victory Day. Union Minister Zeya Kyaw Htin Sithu U Maung Maung Ohn offered donations to State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Chairman Dr Bhaddanta Candima Bhivamsa while Yangon Region Chief Minister Thiri Pyanchi Sithu U Soe Thein to Presiding Sayadaw Bhaddanta Suwunna of the Mashi Khana Monastery in Kamayut Township, Yangon, and Commander Zeya Kyaw Htin Maj-Gen Zaw Hein to Presiding Sayadaw Dr Bhaddanta Pannajota of Natsin Taya Monastery in Thanlyin Township. YMBA Chair U Ye Tun then offered the Abhidhaja Aggamaha Mingala Dhammajotika title to State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Chairman Dr Bhaddanta Candima Bhivamsa, and the relevant ministers, vice-chairs and officials presented religious titles to recipient Sayadaws. Union Minister U Maung Maung Ohn, Chief Minister U Soe Thein and Commander Maj-Gen Zaw Hein offered titles to one Sayadaw and lay persons. The Yangon Region government and donors made cash donations to the YMBA chairman. The YMBA chairman explained the National Victory Day and officials presented titles to recipients. YMBA was founded in 1906, and National Victory Day was celebrated on the 10th Waning of Tazaungmone every year. The objective of YMBA is to love race, respect religion, value Sasana and support education. The motto of YMBA is that YMBA is always ready for race, religion, Sasana, education and political affairs. — MNA/KTZHNEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. (Nasdaq: NYMT) (the “Company”) announced today that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share on shares of its common stock for the quarter ending December 31, 2024. The dividend will be payable on January 23, 2025 to common stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 20, 2024. In addition, the Board declared cash dividends on the Company’s 8.000% Series D Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series D Preferred Stock”), 7.875% Series E Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series E Preferred Stock”), 6.875% Series F Fixed-to-Floating Rate Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series F Preferred Stock”) and 7.000% Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (“Series G Preferred Stock”) as stated below. Quarterly Preferred Stock Dividends The Board declared cash dividends for the dividend period that began on October 15, 2024 and ends on January 14, 2025 as follows: About New York Mortgage Trust New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. is a Maryland corporation that has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) for federal income tax purposes. NYMT is an internally managed REIT in the business of acquiring, investing in, financing and managing primarily mortgage-related single-family and multi-family residential assets. Forward-Looking Statements When used in this press release, in future filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or in other written or oral communications, statements which are not historical in nature, including those containing words such as “will,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “plan,” “continue,” “intend,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “may” or similar expressions, are intended to identify “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and, as such, may involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Statements regarding the following subject, among others, may be forward-looking: the payment of dividends. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates, projections, beliefs and assumptions of management of the Company at the time of such statements and are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties in predicting future results and conditions. Actual results and outcomes could differ materially from those projected in these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: changes in the Company’s business and investment strategy; inflation and changes in interest rates and the fair market value of the Company’s assets, including negative changes resulting in margin calls relating to the financing of the Company’s assets; changes in credit spreads; changes in the long-term credit ratings of the U.S., Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae; general volatility of the markets in which the Company invests; changes in prepayment rates on the loans the Company owns or that underlie the Company’s investment securities; increased rates of default, delinquency or vacancy and/or decreased recovery rates on or at the Company’s assets; the Company’s ability to identify and acquire targeted assets, including assets in its investment pipeline; the Company's ability to dispose of assets from time to time on terms favorable to it, including the disposition over time of its joint venture equity investments; changes in relationships with the Company’s financing counterparties and the Company’s ability to borrow to finance its assets and the terms thereof; changes in the Company's relationships with and/or the performance of its operating partners; the Company’s ability to predict and control costs; changes in laws, regulations or policies affecting the Company’s business; the Company’s ability to make distributions to its stockholders in the future; the Company’s ability to maintain its qualification as a REIT for federal tax purposes; the Company’s ability to maintain its exemption from registration under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended; impairments in the value of the collateral underlying the Company's investments; the Company's ability to manage or hedge credit risk, interest rate risk, and other financial and operational risks; the Company's exposure to liquidity risk, risks associated with the use of leverage, and market risks; and risks associated with investing in real estate assets, including changes in business conditions and the general economy, the availability of investment opportunities and the conditions in markets for residential loans, structured multi-family investments, mortgage-backed securities and other assets in which we invest. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors, including the risk factors and other information described in the Company’s reports filed with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements the Company makes. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made. New risks and uncertainties arise over time and it is not possible to predict those events or how they may affect the Company. Except as required by law, the Company is not obligated to, and does not intend to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For Further Information AT THE COMPANY Investor Relations Phone: 212-792-0107 Email: InvestorRelations@nymtrust.comTexas Tech 78, New Orleans 70
NEW YORK — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday. Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points. Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 voting. He didn’t pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Ohtani joined Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. He was the first player to twice become an unanimous MVP. He had combined with Atlanta outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2023 for the first year both MVPs were unanimous. Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title, playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. “The ultimate goal from the beginning was to win a World Series, which we are able to accomplish,” he said through a translator. “The next goal is for me to do it again and so right now I’m in the middle of rehab and working out and getting stronger.” When Ohtani returns to the mound, could he win MVP and the Cy Young Award in the same year? “That would obviously be great, but right now my focus is just to get to get back healthy, come back stronger, get back on the mound and show everybody what I can do,” Ohtani said. Ohtani became the first primary DH to win an MVP in a season that started with the revelation his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, had stolen nearly $17 million from the star to fund gambling. Ohtani is the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each). Balloting was conducted before the postseason. Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 31 stolen bases and 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs. When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. Judge had discussed the MVP award with Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, the NL winner in 2015 and ‘21. “I was telling him, `Man, I’m going to try to catch up to you with these MVPs here, man,’” Judge recalled. “He’d say, hopefully, he could stay a couple ahead of me, which I think he’ll do.” When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. He is the Yankees’ 22nd MVP winner, four more than any other team. Judge was hitting .207 with six homers and 18 RBIs through April, then batted .352 with 52 homers and 126 RBIs in 127 games. “March and April were not my friend this year.” Judge said. “Just keep putting in the work and things are going to change. You can’t mope. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. So you just got to go out there and put up the numbers?” St. Pete rejects money to repair Tropicana Field roof ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg City Council reversed course Thursday on whether to spend more than $23 million to repair the hurricane-shredded roof of the Tampa Bay Rays’ ballpark, initially voting narrowly for approval and hours later changing course. The reversal on fixing Tropicana Field came after the council voted to delay consideration of revenue bonds for a proposed new $1.3 billion Rays ballpark. Just two days before, the Pinellas County Commission postponed a vote on its share of the new stadium bonds, leaving that project in limbo. “This is a sad place. I’m really disappointed,” council chair Deborah Figg-Sanders said. “We won’t get there if we keep finding ways we can’t.” The Rays say the lack of progress puts the new stadium plan and the future of Tropicana Field in jeopardy. “I can’t say I’m confident about anything,” Rays co-president Brian Auld told the council members. The Trop’s translucent fiberglass roof was ripped to pieces on Oct. 9 when Hurricane Milton swept ashore just south of Tampa Bay. There was also significant water damage inside the ballpark, with a city estimate of the total repair costs pegged at $55.7 million. The extensive repairs cannot be finished before the 2026 season, city documents show. The Rays made a deal with the Yankees to play next season at 11,000-seat Steinbrenner Field, New York’s spring training home across the bay in Tampa. The initial vote Thursday was to get moving on the roof portion of the repair. Once that’s done, crews could begin working on laying down a new baseball field, fixing damaged seating and office areas and a variety of electronic systems — which would require another vote to approve money for the remaining restoration. The subsequent vote reversing funding for the roof repair essentially means the city and Rays must work on an alternative in the coming weeks so that Tropicana Field can possibly be ready for the 2026 season. The city is legally obligated to fix the roof. BRIEFLY PIRATES: Pittsburgh hired Matt Hague as its hitting coach, bringing him back to the team that drafted him in 2008. Hague replaces Andy Haines, who was fired after Pittsburgh finished in the bottom 10 in the majors in every significant statistical category last season, including runs (24th) and home runs (25th), while also striking out a club-record 1,504 times, second-most in the National League behind Colorado. The 39-year-old Hague spent last season as an assistant hitting coach with the Toronto Blue Jays. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Nigerian military kills several IPOB members, recovers bombs, pump-action gunsHistory Is Useless for Wall Street Pros Betting on Stocks RallyHannah is one of thousands of children across Scotland who have been regularly missing school. Some are absent for days, others for years. Twelve-year-old Hannah missed most of her primary school education. Right from her first day she barely spoke and would get very upset, so the school would phone her mum daily to ask her to pick her up. By the time she got to primary four she refused to go altogether. She would take off her uniform, cry and scream. Psychologists say the rise in the number of children absent from school is not about bunking off but because many are too anxious to step through the school gates. And since Covid the numbers just keep rising. The latest figures from the Scottish government, to be published on Tuesday, are expected to continue that trend. Hannah's mum Ashly says her daughter, who is autistic, struggled with the noise and busyness of the school environment. "Obviously she didn't feel safe in school," Hannah says. "She didn't feel comfortable. I tried everything to get her to school." Then almost two years ago they started working with a project from the charity Quarriers called Reach, which involves a trained member of staff going to their home in Glasgow to help increase their confidence. "For the first six weeks she wouldn't even speak to her," Ashly says. The support worker began by going to the primary school with Hannah for an hour a day and sitting with her in a quiet room doing crafts and games. Over last summer, before Hannah started at secondary, she and her worker spent days in the school baking cakes and having fun. After almost two years, Hannah's worker has gradually got her to a point where she is attending her S1 secondary school class most days. Ashly told the BBC: "Even getting Hannah to school without crying and being upset was a big thing and now she gets herself ready and gets herself organised for school so that is a big difference." The latest statistics from Glasgow City Council show that every year for the past five years, school absence has increased. The council is now working on a campaign to encourage parents in particular to remember the importance of attending. A report by Reform Scotland last year found that 200,000 children in Scotland are missing more than one day a fortnight. And almost 80,000 pupils miss at least one day a week - with attendance of less than 80%. Official figures released earlier this year suggested that 22.3% of pupils in England were persistently absent in the 2022-23 academic year - roughly double pre-pandemic levels. The lead educational psychologist for Glasgow, Barry Syme, told the BBC that absence is not generally about kids skipping school. "I think the days of children just bunking off is a very simple way of looking at it," he said. "We've seen a significant increase in the number of young people with mental health concerns, particularly anxiety and stress. "That was still an issue pre-pandemic but certainly the pandemic has not helped in any way with that." Mr Syme said there had been an increase in the number of young people identified with neurodiversity and the associated challenges of the school environment such as noise and large numbers of people. He also said that children were picking up on the pressures felt by their parents, such as cost of living issues. Colin Simpson, who runs the Quarriers service, said they had seen huge benefits from offering one-to-one support to families. In the first two years, the project worked with about 200 children but there are another 400 still waiting. "There's a huge waiting list for this service because there's an awful lot of young people across the city of Glasgow and beyond who have chronic non-attendance challenges and they all deserve that kind of support," he said. "But it takes time to give a child the support that they need. "And it takes a lot of effort and energy and a really, really well established relationship." Professor Edward Sosu of the University of Strathclyde said the fall in average attendance was a serious concern and that Scotland needed to tackle the problem. He said a rise in poverty, mental health problems and additional support needs were the major reasons for the increase in absences. And he said that regardless of social class or background, it was almost impossible to make up for the lost time in school. His research looked at people who were aged between 34 and 42, and the impact their school attendance rates had on their outcomes. "What we found is that missing an average of just 10 days aged 10 was linked to not having any qualifications age 42 or not being in employment. So missing that small amount of school in that time had a negative impact," he said. "This was irrespective of their socioeconomic background, irrespective of cognitive outcomes, irrespective of all the background characteristics. "Our assumption originally was that those from middle class backgrounds will be able to help their children catch up - but what we found is that irrespective of your background, absences have a negative impact on your educational achievement."
Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Jonel Aleccia, The Associated PressEven as some of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks have drawn intense scrutiny, his intended treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent appears to have a smoother path, lawmakers told USA TODAY. Bessent, a hedge-fund manager who served as the Soros Fund Management chief investment officer until 2015, has only met with a few lawmakers after Trump announced his selection last month. But that hasn't worried Republicans, who will have a 53-47 majority in the Senate next year. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said from what he’s heard, Bessent appears to have a “very clear path” to confirmation. “I had a very good meeting with him. I didn’t know much about him before,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. The GOP senator serves on the Senate Finance Committee, which typically holds nomination hearings for treasury secretaries. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who also serves on the Finance Committee, said he had “no hesitation about him.” “I'm looking forward to visiting with him,” he said, adding that Bessent “Doesn't appear to have a lot of controversy.” Bessent's backing among Senate Republicans comes after former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., withdrew his nomination to be Trump's attorney general last month. The move came after it became clear there were not enough Republicans willing to support him. Pete Hegseth, Trump's pick for defense secretary, has faced questions after he was accused of sexual assault, excessive drinking and other allegations he has denied . Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's choice for the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has also drawn criticism for spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories on vaccines, COVID-19 and more. Still, Senate Republicans have largely supported both Hegseth and Kennedy. But in picking Bessent, Trump – despite his anti-establishment rhetoric and calls to "drain the swamp" – chose a less ideological, more conventional financier for the post. With a Wall Street pedigree, Bessent made a name for himself by betting against the British pound in 1992, which netted a profit of more than $1 billion for Soros. His hedge fund, Key Square Capital, also made money by betting that U.S. inflation in 2022 would prove longer lasting than the Federal Reserve had predicted. However, Bessent hasn't won over every voice on the right. His consideration by Trump for the position initially drew some criticism from Elon Musk, the billionaire appointed by Trump to co-head the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency. “Bessent is a business-as-usual choice,” wrote Musk on X . “Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt, so we need change one way or another.” A Yale graduate, Bessent, 62, has supported Trump’s economic policy of deregulation for businesses, imposing tariffs on some of America's top trading partners and tax cuts. Trump hailed Bessent as “a strong advocate of the America First Agenda” in his announcement on Nov. 22. If confirmed by the Senate, Bessent would take over a high-level Cabinet position charged with advising the president on matters related to financial, economic and tax policy. Plenty of other Republican lawmakers were also quick to heap praise on him. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., told USA TODAY Bessent “one of the smartest guys I've known.” “I've known him about 15 years. He's gonna be a great secretary of treasury,” he said. “He understands not just domestic finance, but also international finance and that's what we need.” Bessent could also make history if confirmed to the post: He would be the first openly gay treasury secretary, and he would be the first openly LGBTQ Senate-confirmed Cabinet member to serve in a Republican administration. Even some Democrats were measured in their opinion of Bessent, who hosted a fundraiser for then-Vice President Al Gore when he was running for president in 2000. “I’m going to hear him out,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the current chair of the Senate Finance Committee. But Wyden was critical of Bessent’s support for tariffs. In a Nov. 15 opinion piece for Fox News, Bessent backed the use of tariffs, which were the centerpiece of Trump's economic campaign promises. His proposed tariffs have included 60% on imports from China and 10 to 20% on imports from other trading partners. “For too long, the conventional wisdom has rejected the use of tariffs as a tool of both economic and foreign policy. However, like Alexander Hamilton, we should not be afraid to use the power of tariffs to improve the livelihoods of American families and businesses.” Wyden said he believes the tariffs will spark further inflation in the U.S.: “Trump has told the American people that it's gonna be paid for by foreign countries. That's inaccurate. It's gonna be paid for by our workers and consumers.” Trump during an interview with "Meet the Press" that aired on Sunday said he can't guarantee American families won't pay more because of tariffs implemented against foreign countries. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said he would give all candidates a fair shake. “I’m not saying no on anybody. I'm gonna give everybody a thorough vetting.” S wapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House Correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
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The Oukitel OT5 is a great bargain for a tablet that can serve many needs. The Oukitel OT5 Android tablet is on sale for $240 on Amazon for Black Friday. This tablet has an incredible battery life and a buttery smooth display that is sure to please any Android tablet user. The cameras don't compare to those of costlier devices. Android tablets get a bad rap -- and there's a reason for that. For the most part, Android tablet hardware simply cannot compete with Apple. Where Apple focuses on premium, flagship hardware , most Android tablets tend to lean heavily into the budget-friendly zone. And that approach is great because it makes Android tablets affordable. But for those people looking for a more advanced experience, Android tablets are a hard sell these days. Often they include underpowered CPUs, not enough RAM, or displays that do not impress. Also: The best Black Friday deals live now The Oukitel OT5 tablet This 12-inch tablet impresses in enough categories to make it a no-brainer recommendation. Every so often, however, I run into an Android tablet that punches above its weight. Don't get me wrong, I've never used a sub-$250 tablet that checked off every box. But once in a while, a tablet comes along that ticks most of the important items. To be clear, I don't need a tablet with a best-in-class camera because I don't tend to use tablets for video or photo purposes. What I do need is a tablet with enough resources to function without lag and without crumbling under the weight of multitasking. I need an Android tablet that makes it easy to work with the Google suite of tools, read news, work with my teleprompter, and watch the occasional video. I also need a tablet with a solid battery life. So, when someone from Oukitel reached out to me to review the OT5 tablet , I was more than willing to give it a go (assuming it would underwhelm). When I received the tablet, I fired it up, connected it to my wireless network, associated it with my Google account, and had a play. Also: Lenovo Tab P11 Plus review: A budget Android tablet that's surprisingly good To my surprise, this sub-$250 tablet really impressed me. No, it's not going to best Apple's flagship tablet, but the OT5 can certainly stand toe to toe with any mid-range Android tablet -- and even some flagship devices. The specs Before I dive into my experiences with the tablet, let's take a look at the specs: 12" 2K display at 2000 x 1200 resolution that is TÜV SÜD certified Corning Gorilla Grass 5 screen MediaTek Helio G99 octa-core CPU 86% screen-to-body ratio 16MP main camera Four 1217 speaker boxes 11000mAh battery 36GB of RAM (12 physical which can be increased to 36GB with virtual allocation via the Hybrid Memory section in Settings) 256GB internal storage 7.5mm thick and 560g weight OS Android 13 The OT5 comes in gray, blue, or green, and includes a soft cover that doubles as a stand My experience with the OT5 The first thing that grabbed me about the device is the display. It's quite beautiful, crisp, bright, and large. Even the Windows 11-esque default wallpaper didn't bother me. In fact, the display on the OT5 is probably the best I've seen at this price point. I'd go so far as to say it's better than other, more costly, tablets I've tested. Next, came the smoothness of the UI. Thanks to the 12+24GB of RAM (12 physical and 24 virtual), the 8-core CPU, and Android 13, the OT5 interface is great. Apps open quickly and switching between them is as smooth as butter. Also: One of the best cheap Android tablets I've tested is not made by TCL or Samsung What really struck me about the OT5 is the battery life. I've been using the device for nearly two weeks and have charged it once. Now, I'm not saying you'll get the same longevity from a single charge. If you're using the tablet for social media, watching a lot of videos, or video conferencing, I'm certain the battery life will drop dramatically. But for my general usage, the battery on the OT5 has been seriously impressive. Consider the Samsung Tab S8 Ultra (typically selling for $900-$1,300), which has an 11,200 mAh battery. The OT5 (which sells for $239.99) has an 11000mAh battery. If battery life is a high priority, you certainly cannot go wrong with this tablet. The caveat Of course, a sub-$250 tablet is going to have a caveat or two. The big issue with the OT5 is the cameras. That's not to say they are bad. They actually take serviceable photos, so long as you have good lighting. In bad lighting, the cameras can't stand up to most modern phones. But if you can always have good lighting available, you'll find the photos aren't awful. That's the case for both the front and rear-facing cameras. However, I was actually surprised that the lesser of the two cameras (the "selfie" camera) did a fairly nice job of capturing subjects, as long as the lighting was good. My best glamour shot with the OT5 selfie camera. My biggest issue with the cameras, however, is the lack of options. I've grown accustomed to the Pixel cameras (which, I know, is an unfair comparison) that include portrait, macro, and other modes to create stunning photos. Instead, the OT5 camera app is fairly generic. You get photos and videos and not much more. But this is a tablet, so you shouldn't expect the level of flexibility found on a phone, especially at the level of the Pixel 8 Pro . So, if your tablet photo needs venture toward the basic, you won't have any problem with the OT5. ZDNET's buying advice If you're looking for an inexpensive Android tablet for yourself or as a holiday gift for a friend or loved one, the Oukitel OT5 is an outstanding bargain that makes a strong case for the continuation of Android tablets. What are the best Black Friday 2024 deals? ZDNET's experts have been searching through Black Friday sales live now to find the best discounts by category. These are the best Black Friday deals so far, by category: Black Friday TV deals Black Friday phone deals Black Friday laptop deals Black Friday gaming PC deals Black Friday smartwatch and fitness tracker deals Black Friday Amazon deals Black Friday Best Buy deals Black Friday Walmart deals Black Friday Sam's Club deals Black Friday Apple deals Black Friday iPad deals Black Friday AirPods deals Black Friday Apple Watch deals Black Friday Kindle deals Black Friday streaming deals Black Friday soundbar and speaker deals Black Friday robot vacuum deals Black Friday Nintendo Switch deals Black Friday PlayStation deals And more Black Friday deals: Black Friday deals under $25 Black Friday deals under $100 Black Friday Samsung deals Black Friday Verizon deals Black Friday headphone deals Black Friday tablet deals Black Friday monitor deals Black Friday gaming deals Black Friday security camera deals Black Friday storage and SSD deals Black Friday portable power station deals Black Friday VPN deals Black Friday Chromebook deals Black Friday HP deals Black Friday Dell deals Black Friday Roku deals Black Friday Roborock deals Best Black Friday deals Black Friday phone deals Black Friday TV deals Black Friday laptop dealsBlack Friday used to be dubbed the unofficial start to the holiday shopping season, but deals began way before the Thanksgiving turkey popped into the oven. With discounts that are too good to pass up, it’s easy to excitedly add just about everything in your cart — but, it’s important to take the time to truly understand what’s worth your money and what isn’t. According to a recent Bain & Company report , U.S. retail sales between Black Friday and Cyber Monday are “forecast to rise 5% year over year to $75 billion ‘for the first time ever.” This comes as no surprise, as online shopping offers ample convenience, shopping options and research opportunities compared to in-person shopping. RELATED : Black Friday 2024 predictions and trends, according to shopping experts Our Post Wanted team is comprised of professional product testers, deal-hunters and brand pros. That’s why we’re so committed to helping you find the best deals on Black Friday and beyond. So, we’re telling you *exactly* what to buy (and what to avoid!) so you’re best prepared to conquer all the savings hitting the internet. “Over the past several years, we’ve seen significant changes in the holiday sales periods; rather than being confined to just two days, retailers now start sales earlier and extend them longer,” Ally Anderson, director of strategy and insights at LTK with more than 10 years of experience in digital marketing strategy, shared with The Post. “This shift aligns with consumer shopping habits, which have evolved to start holiday shopping earlier in the season. Our recent LTK holiday shopper study confirms this, showing a growing trend of consumers kicking off their holiday purchases well before Black Friday. According to the study, 58% of the general population will start shopping by the end of October.” What to Buy on Black Friday 2024 As you can imagine, smart TVs come in thousands of different models and are one of the best product categories to comb through on Black Friday. After all, Black Friday is well-known for major discounts on tech, including laptops, smartphones, tablets, smart home devices and TVs. Pro tip: look for deals on older models, as retailers are often eager to clear out last year’s stock to make room for new releases. One of our favorite kitchen products to recommend to Post Wanted readers is a newly minted coffee maker , and Black Friday is one of the best times — if not the best time — to buy one. From our experience digging into Black Friday products and price histories, it’s the ideal time to pick up top brands like Keurig and Nespresso, along with big-ticket espresso makers for less. In recent years, we’ve been surprisingly seeing some of the best deals on Korean skincare. Items like facial sunscreen , glass skin-inducing cleansers and toners (like COSRX’s viral Snail Mucin ) are discounted en masse. If you’ve been wanting to adopt a new skincare routine or pick up some products that’ll hydrate and do your skin some good, Black Friday is the time. What to Avoid on Black Friday 2024 It’s no surprise we like to shop, but there are a few items we recommend skipping, for the most part. Of course, you’ll want to follow our coverage leading up to Black Friday — and, during Black Friday weekend itself — should any of these product categories feature a can’t-miss deal: Newly released electronics : While older tech models can be a steal, newly released gadgets are often only discounted marginally. Brands like Apple , Samsung and Sony typically release their latest smartphones, laptops and wearables in the fall, and you’ll rarely find a good deal on these during Black Friday. So, If you’re eyeing the latest iPhone or MacBook, we recommend waiting for a deeper price cut later in the year or after the holiday season. Fitness equipment : While fitness equipment often gets heavy promotion on Black Friday, many of these deals aren’t necessarily great values. Items like treadmills , stationary bikes or elliptical machines may be a few hundred dollars off but, in retrospect, it may only be 10% or 20% off, which isn’t exactly a run-to-it deal. Moreover, the market for fitness equipment has been on the downturn after the pandemic, when people were sprinting to purchase treadmills, walking pads for their standing desks and rowing machines to complete their at-home gyms . Some of the larger brands have seen price inflation or a reduction in quality. That said, you may find better deals on items like dumbbells , kettlebells or resistance bands , which are typically cheaper and offer better value. Fast-fashion clothing : Cheaply made fashion retailers will often offer Black Friday discounts, but the items on sale may be part of trends that won’t last long. Instead of going for clothes that are highly trendy or designed to last just one season, opt for classic wardrobe staples that will have lasting value. Black Friday 2024 Shopping Tips As mentioned, this isn’t our first rodeo covering all things Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Ahead, find our insider shopping tips to take with you as you peruse site after site, discount after discount. Your Black Friday FAQs, answered by shopping experts Thanksgiving is late this year, falling on Thursday, November 28 , 2024. This year, Black Friday and its much-anticipated sales will occur on Friday, November 29 , 2024. We recommend shopping early for items that are likely to sell out, such as perennial gift favorites like Xbox, Ugg boots , PS5, Apple AirPods , the editor-approved Dyson AirWrap and more. Yes! Most stores and big box retailers continue to hold traditional in-store Black Friday sales but also match discounts for online shoppers. According to the National Retail Federation , Black Friday has topped Cyber Monday as the busiest day of the calendar ye ar for online shopping since 2019. The earliest usage of “Black Friday” as we know it dates back to the 1950s or ’60s, with “black” nodding to dreaded traffic jams caused by shoppers crowding downtown retail stores, as well as understaffed sales associates. Retailers attempted to rename the day “Big Friday” to signify a day of family fun and shopping. Although the rebrand didn’t stick, the positive connotation did. Retail businesses enjoy increased sales, and consumers enjoy corresponding holiday shopping discounts. Despite being a great day for retailers, Black Friday still draws on the dark side of American consumerism, as many will remember violent crowds competing for limited merchandise. However, with the advent of internet shopping, retailers and e-tailers have continued to see record-breaking sales in recent years, without the morbid mob mentality kicking off the holiday season. This year, the online shopping holiday Cyber Monday will take place on Monday, December 2 , 2024. The short answer is, it depends. Some retailers approach Black Friday and Cyber Monday differently, discounting various brands and products throughout the days after Thanksgiving, sometimes at different price points. Traditionally, Cyber Monday offers retailers an opportunity to drop deeper discounts on already on-sale products. However, consumers should take caution: waiting for Cyber Monday is a risk that products, or certain sizes or models, may sell out. Conversely, some stores don’t differentiate between their Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. Jet-setters rejoice: Travel Tuesday , with its great deals on flights, hotels, cruises, all-inclusives, and more, will take place on Tuesday, December 3 , 2024. Right here! Follow Post Wanted shopping coverage for all the Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Travel Tuesday deals worth your coin in 2024. Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post For over 200 years, the New York Post has been America’s go-to source for bold news, engaging stories, in-depth reporting, and now, insightful shopping guidance . We’re not just thorough reporters – we sift through mountains of information, test and compare products , and consult experts on any topics we aren’t already schooled specialists in to deliver useful, realistic product recommendations based on our extensive and hands-on analysis. Here at The Post, we’re known for being brutally honest – we clearly label partnership content, and whether we receive anything from affiliate links, so you always know where we stand. We routinely update content to reflect current research and expert advice, provide context (and wit) and ensure our links work. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
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REBEKAH Vardy has hit back at Iain Lee after he made a series of claims about their time together on I'm A Celebrity. The TV star and Sun columnist has rubbished former radio host Iain's claims she 'bullied' him in the jungle, leading to him to quit the industry for good. Iain, 51 , said he was subjected to multiple foul-mouthed exchanges from Vardy, 42 , during their stint Down Under in 2017. He told MailOnline : "When I was on the show, she bullied me and led a clique that picked on me. There were two occasions when I wanted to get out, it was so toxic and dark in there. I thought: 'I can’t be with these people.' I don’t watch the show now because of what I experienced." However, mum-of-five Becky has hit back in defence, by publishing their private WhatsApp conversations after they left the jungle. In the messages, which she posted to Instagram, she offered him supportive words of encouragement as he struggled following jungle life. more on rebekah vardy Iain told Becky in their exchange that he didn't think she was a bully, adding: "I have no bad feelings towards you. You're pretty amazing." Becky also said she had "no bad feelings" towards Iain. In another screenshot, the star confronted Iain over his previous comments about her and how she had threatened to 'sue' him. Replying, Iain said "I'm sorry about this" before deleting his tweets about her and offered Becky a 'Twitter apology'. Most read in I’m A Celebrity 2024 She also pleaded with him: "You know you are lying about things... You are inciting bullying this has to stop I have all the messages between us that contradict your ridiculous claims." Iain added to the MailOnline: "My experience in the jungle led me to change career and become a counsellor. I started seeing a great therapist and work through what happened to me. "When I came out of the show I was not all right. It sent me into a spiral of depression and anxiety. It really upset me." Meanwhile, Becky, who is The Sun's I'm A Celebrity columnist said how this year's show needs more drama and entertainment. She said: "Barry’s still being a true gent offering to run Danny a bath. "He’s just so sweet and he’s definitely providing the entertainment at the minute talking about his boxing career and his boxing knowledge. "Who knows? Maybe he could set up a ring in the camp and get them all fighting?" i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz , Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street , was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women . She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher . Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan . It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth."Louisville extends athletic director Josh Heird for 5 years through June 2030