Rafael Nadal has had a profound impact on not just his supporters, pundits and opponents but also his own people. One of them is Carlos Costa of IMG fame, who started as Nadal’s agent and eventually became his business partner. Costa has been associated with Nadal since he was 16 when he didn’t even properly make it on the ATP Tour. On social media, Costa went viral with his post for which he took a lot of effort and love to showcase it to the world. The post included a caption in which he expressed gratitude for getting to work with Nadal for 22 years in the ‘world’s best tournaments’. The picture had all of Costa’s ID cards till date, which are required to be worn by each member of a particular player’s box as well as their representatives. Those cards are arguably Costa’s most prized possessions. Costa has played a vital role in the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s material success but is more proud of Nadal, the person. Nadal’s values throughout his career have not changed, as he is someone who doesn’t like change within his setup and values loyalty. Apart from relieving uncle Toni Nadal in 2017 from his coaching duties, his core team has remained pretty much the same, and this included Costa. It is this continuity that helped Nadal to earn more than just prize money at the peak of his playing career. Costa is the man who is the key to the former World No.1 still having sponsors like Kia Motors, Nike and Babolat, who have backed him since the start. Eventually, Costa made him diversify from prize money and endorsements into businesses and other investments so much that his net worth is reportedly said to be beyond $320 million today . After his retirement, Nadal will be continuing with Costa since they co-own Hi7tory, an athlete and event management company that is responsible for growing and funding Rafa Nadal Academy branches across the world. Costa also plays a vital role in ensuring that the Rafa Nadal Foundation is taken care of. Little did Costa know that he would go on to become a successful businessperson after failing to reach his potential as a professional tennis player. When Costa tried to put Spanish tennis on the world map before Nadal A six-time ATP title winner in singles, Carlos Costa played professional tennis for 11 years. In doubles too, he has won 5 titles. His prize money earnings in his tennis career came up to $3,134,189. But his most famous win was at the Stockholm Open in 1993 when he defeated the eventual 14-time Grand Slam champion, Pete Sampras on clay. Costa won that match 7-6 (7-1), 2-6, 6-1, and was a major deal in the tennis world. The surface was an indoor carpet surface, and it suited Costa. Costa never won a Grand Slam title but nevertheless contributed a lot to Nadal winning 22 of them. While the Spanish legend might not publicly credit him often, he is the first person to admit that Costa’s influence behind the scenes worked wonders for him. Nadal and Costa’s equation shows that money is important but must never supersede relations and the game. This is something that aspiring young players must look to emulate.
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistani police arrested thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of a rally in the capital to demand the ex-premier’s release from prison, a security officer said Sunday. Khan has been behind bars for more than a year and has over 150 criminal cases against him. But he remains popular and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf or PTI, says the cases are politically motivated. Shahid Nawaz, a security officer in eastern Punjab province, said police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters. They include five parliamentarians. Pakistan has sealed off Islamabad with shipping containers and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with PTI strongholds in Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Tit-for-tat teargas shelling between the police and the PTI was reported on the highway bordering Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns.” The government and Interior Ministry posted the announcement on the social media platform X, which is banned in Pakistan. They did not specify the areas, nor did they say how long the suspension would be in place. “Internet and mobile services will continue to operate as usual in the rest of the country,” the posts said. Meanwhile, telecom company Nayatel sent out emails offering customers “a reliable landline service” as a workaround in the areas suffering suspended cellphone service. Khan's supporters rely heavily on social media to demand his release and use messaging platforms like WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said Khan's wife Bushra Bibi was traveling to Islamabad in a convoy led by the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur. “She cannot leave the party workers on their own,” said Akram. There was a festive mood in Peshawar, with PTI members dancing, drumming and holding up pictures of Khan as cars set off for Islamabad. The government is imposing social media platform bans and targeting VPN services , according to internet advocacy group Netblocks. On Sunday, the group said live metrics showed problems with WhatsApp that were affecting media sharing on the app. The U.S. Embassy issued a security alert for Americans in the capital, encouraging them to avoid large gatherings and warning that even “peaceful gatherings can turn violent.” Last month, authorities suspended the cellphone service in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to thwart a pro-Khan rally. The shutdown disrupted communications and affected everyday services such as banking, ride-hailing and food delivery. The latest crackdown comes on the eve of a visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko . Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said authorities have sealed off Islamabad's Red Zone, which houses key government buildings and is the destination for Khan's supporters. “Anyone reaching it will be arrested,” Naqvi told a press conference. He said the security measures were in place to protect residents and property, blaming the PTI for inconveniencing people and businesses. He added that protesters were planning to take the same route as the Belarusian delegation, but that the government had headed off this scenario. Naqvi denied cellphone services were suspended and said only mobile data was affected. Associated Press writers Riaz Khan in Peshawar and Asim Tanveer in Multan contributed to this report.
AI voice cloning: How programs are learning to pick up on pitch and toneNoneVoice cloning is an emerging technology powered by artificial intelligence and it's raising alarms about its potential misuse. Earlier this year, New Hampshire voters experienced this firsthand when a deepfake mimicking President Joe Biden’s voice urged them to skip the polls ahead of the primary. The deepfake likely needed only several seconds of the president's voice to create the clone. According to multiple AI voice cloning models, about 10 seconds of an actual voice is all that is needed to recreate it. And that can easily come from a phone call or a video from social media. "A person's voice is really probably not that information-dense. It's not as unique as you may think," James Betker, a technical staff member at OpenAI, told Scripps News. Betker developed TortoiseTTS, an open-source voice cloning model. "It's actually very easy to model, very easy to learn, the distribution of all human voices from a fairly small amount of data," Betker added. How AI voice cloning works AI models have been trained on vast amounts of data, learning to recognize human speech. Programs analyze the data and train repeatedly, learning characteristics such as rhythm, stress, pitch and tone. "It can look at 10 seconds of someone speaking and it has stored enough information about how humans speak with that kind of prosody and pitch. Enough information about how people speak with their processing pitch and its weights that it can just continue on," Betker said. Imagine a trained AI model as a teacher, and the person cloning the voice to be a student. When a student asks to create a cloned voice, it starts off as white noise. The teacher scores how close the student is to sounding correct. The student tries again and again based on these scores until the student produces something close to what the teacher wants. While this explanation is extremely simplified, the concept of generating a cloned voice is based on bit-by-bit, based on probability distributions. "I think, at its core, it's pretty simple," Betker said. "I think the analogy of just continuing with what you're given will take you pretty far here." There are currently some AI models that claim to only need two seconds of samples. While the results are not convincing yet, Betker says future models will need even fewer voice samples to create a convincing clone.
SUZHOU, China, Nov. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- YXT.com Group Holding Limited (NASDAQ: YXT) (“YXT.com” or the “Company”), a leader and disruptor of the digital corporate learning industry in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first nine months of 2024 that ended September 30, 2024. First Nine Months 2024 Operating and Financial Highlights Total revenues were RMB241.7 million (US$34.4 million), compared with RMB328.8 million in the same period of last year. Gross Margin was 60.4% in the nine months ended September 30, 2024, compared with 59.3% in the same period of last year. Net loss was RMB14.9 million (US$2.1 million), compared with RMB245.3 million in the same period of last year. Number of subscription customers decreased to 2,428 as of September 30, 2024, from 3,039 as of September 30, 2023. After adjusting for the deconsolidation of CEIBS Publishing Group Limited (the “CEIBS PG”) (571 customers), the net change of 40 customers reflects the Company’s strategic shift toward large enterprise accounts with consistent demand for corporate learning solutions. This realignment resulted in a planned reduction of small and medium-sized customers from our portfolio. Net revenue retention rates of subscription customers decreased to 101.0% from 104.8% in the same period of last year. The change was due to the Company’s strategic shift toward large enterprise accounts with consistent demand for corporate learning solutions. This realignment resulted in a planned reduction of small and medium-sized customers from our portfolio. Mr. Xiaoyan Lu, Director, Founder and Chairman of the Board of YXT.com, commented, “We are pleased to report our first financial results as a public company, covering the nine months ended September 30, 2024, following our successful IPO on the Nasdaq in August. While the period presented macro challenges that impacted enterprise training spending, we remained focused on executing our strategic priorities. We continued to deepen our relationships with large enterprise clients, as evidenced by our growing penetration among Fortune 500 companies. Our products’ new AI features have been well-received by key customers, enabling us to maintain healthy retention rates despite the challenging environment. Looking ahead, we remain cautiously optimistic about our long-term growth prospects, supported by the fundamental need for digital learning solutions, our strengthening position in the large enterprise segment, and our continuous product innovation and enhancement.” Mr. Pun Leung Liu, Chief Financial Officer of YXT.com, added, “Our financial results for the first nine months of 2024 demonstrate the effectiveness of our operational optimization initiatives. Through strategic cost management and AI-enabled operational improvements across multiple functions, we significantly narrowed our net loss to RMB14.9 million from RMB245.3 million in the same period last year. We remain committed to disciplined cost control while continuing to invest in strategic areas that drive long-term growth, particularly our technology capabilities and enterprise-focused solutions.” Financial Results for the First Nine Months of 2024 Revenues Revenues were RMB241.7 million (US$34.4 million), compared with RMB328.8 million in the same period of last year. Revenues from corporate learning solutions were RMB240.3 million (US$34.2 million), compared with RMB318.6 million in the same period of last year. Revenues from subscription based corporate learning solutions were RMB221.7 million (US$31.6 million), compared with RMB271.1 million in the same period of last year. The change was primarily due to (i) the deconsolidation of CEIBS PG effective on January 15, 2024, resulting in a decrease of RMB46.1 million; and (ii) a net impact of RMB3.3 million from operational adjustments, driven by our strategic suspension of certain ancillary online teaching tools, partially offset by growth in corporate learning platform services. Revenues from non-subscription based corporate learning solutions were RMB18.6 million (US$2.7 million), compared with RMB47.5 million in the same period of last year. The change was primarily due to (i) the deconsolidation of CEIBS PG effective on January 15, 2024, resulting in a decrease of RMB20.9 million; and (ii) reduced offline activities reflecting our strategic shift towards subscription-based corporate learning solutions. Revenues from others were RMB1.4 million (US$0.2 million), compared with RMB10.2 million in the same period of last year. The change primarily reflects fewer customized software projects completed in the nine months ended September 30, 2024, aligning with our strategic focus on corporate learning solutions. Cost of revenues Cost of revenues was RMB95.8 million (US$13.6 million), compared with RMB133.8 million in the same period of 2023, representing a decrease of 28.4%, mainly due to (i) the deconsolidation of CEIBS PG effective on January 15, 2024, resulting in a decrease of RMB22.7 million; (ii) lower instructor compensation costs due to reduced offline activities, aligning with our strategic shift towards subscription-based corporate learning solutions; and (iii) decreased staff expenses and third-party infrastructure costs through operational optimization. Sales and marketing expenses Sales and marketing expenses were RMB105.8 million (US$15.1 million), compared with RMB173.2 million in the same period of last year, representing a decrease of 38.9%, mainly due to (i) the deconsolidation of CEIBS PG effective on January 15, 2024, resulting in a decrease of RMB36.5 million; and (ii) reduced compensation and incentives through human resources optimization. Research and development expenses Research and development expenses were RMB90.6 million (US$12.9 million), compared with RMB136.8 million in the same period of 2023, representing a decrease of 33.8%, mainly due to (i) the deconsolidation of CEIBS PG effective on January 15, 2024, resulting in a decrease of RMB18.8 million; and (ii) reduced compensation through human resources optimization. General and administrative expenses General and administrative expenses were RMB75.0 million (US$10.7 million), compared with RMB117.1 million in the same period of 2023, representing a decrease of 35.9%, mainly due to (i) the deconsolidation of CEIBS PG effective on January 15, 2024, resulting in a decrease of RMB13.5 million; (ii) a RMB18.5 million decrease in share-based compensation following completion of certain share-based incentives amortization; and (iii) reduced professional fees. Net loss and adjusted net loss Net loss was RMB14.9 million (US$2.1 million), compared with a net loss of RMB245.3 million in the same period of last year. Adjusted net loss was RMB123.1 million (US$17.5 million), compared with an adjusted net loss of RMB196.1 million in the same period of last year. Earnings/(loss) per share Basic and diluted net income per share was RMB5.02 (US$0.72), compared with basic and diluted net loss per share of RMB7.06 in the same period of last year. The improvement in earnings per share was primarily attributable to the deemed contribution to common shareholders due to modification and extinguishment of the Company’s convertible redeemable preferred shares on July 1, 2024. Balance Sheet As of September 30, 2024, the Company had cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments and long-term bank deposits of RMB488.7 million (US$69.6 million), compared with RMB496.2 million as of December 31, 2023. Conference Call Information The Company's management team will hold a conference call at 8:00 P.M. U.S. Eastern Time on Tuesday, November 26, 2024 (or 9:00 A.M. Beijing Time on Wednesday, November 27, 2024) to discuss the financial results. Details for the conference call are as follows: All participants must use the link provided above to complete the online registration process in advance of the conference call. Upon registering, each participant will receive a set of participant dial-in numbers and a unique access PIN, which can be used to join the conference call. A live and archived webcast of the conference call will be available at the Company's investor relations website at https://ir.yxt.com/. Non-GAAP Financial Measures In evaluating our business, we consider and use adjusted net loss as a supplemental non-GAAP measure to review and assess our operating performance. Adjusted net loss is net loss excluding amortization of incremental intangible assets resulting from business combination, gain on deconsolidation of CEIBS PG, share-based compensation, change in fair value of derivative liabilities, net of income taxes, to the extent applicable. The presentation of the non-GAAP financial measure is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We present the non-GAAP financial measure because it is used by our management to evaluate our operating performance and formulate business plans. We also believe that the use of the non-GAAP measure facilitates investors’ assessment of our operating performance. The non-GAAP financial measure is not defined under U.S. GAAP and is not presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measure has limitations as analytical tools. One of the key limitations of using the non-GAAP financial measure is that it does not reflect all items of income and expense that affect our operations. Further, the non-GAAP measure may differ from the non-GAAP information used by other companies, including peer companies, and therefore its comparability may be limited. We compensate for these limitations by reconciling the non-GAAP financial measure to the nearest U.S. GAAP performance measure, which should be considered when evaluating our performance. We encourage you to review our financial information in its entirety and not rely on a single financial measure. Exchange Rate Information This announcement contains translations of certain Renminbi (“RMB”) amounts into U.S. dollars (“US$”) at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from Renminbi to U.S. dollars were made at the rate of RMB7.0176 to US$1.00, the exchange rate on September 30, 2024, set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board. The Company makes no representation that the Renminbi or U.S. dollars amounts referred to could be converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate or at all. Safe Harbor Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company’s beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to”, or other similar expressions. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties or factors is included in the Company’s filings with the SEC. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any duty to update such information, except as required under applicable law. About YXT.com As a technology company, YXT.com provides corporations with digital corporate learning solutions, including SaaS platforms, learning content, and other services. YXT.com is a leader and disruptor of the digital corporate learning industry in China. Established in 2011, YXT.com has supported Fortune 500 companies and other leading companies with their transformation and digitalization of learning and development, and has received recognition, respect and recurring business. Contact Robin Yang ICR, LLC YXT.IR@icrinc.com +1 (646) 405-4883
-- Shares Facebook Twitter Reddit Email Tashbulak and Tugunbulak may be largely forgotten today, but the pair of Uzbekistani cities thrived during the Medieval era . Nestled in the Tien Shan mountains, the largest east to west mountain range on Earth, merchants from all over Europe and Asia would travel to Tashbulak and Tugunbulak to hawk their wares. Located on the famous Silk Road, Tashbulak and Tugunbulak was a nexus of trade and culture. More than a thousand years have passed since their heyday, however, and as humans continue to destroy our environment, archaeological treasures like those in these cities could be lost forever. But thanks to a powerful laser-based technology called lidar, ancient history is being illuminated like never before. Related Our human ancestors learned to sail half a million years ago, study suggests Scientists still debate whether lidar stands for “laser imaging, detection and ranging” or “light detection and ranging.” Either acronym accurately summarizes the technology, which uses lasers to measure large areas by targeting a surface or object and measuring how long it takes for light to be reflected back.But no one is debating how lidar is helping preserve humanity’s most important treasures from our species’ tendency to destroy our natural environment. "All of the storytelling takes time, and time is critical right now." As for the lost cities of Tashbulak and Tugunbulak, anthropologist Michael Frachetti used lidar to conduct unprecedentedly detailed scans of the Medieval metropolis, which thrived approximately 2,000 meters above sea level between the 6th and 11th centuries. Their research was published in October in the journal Nature, with Frachetti marveling at how these ancient cities struggled with the same self-destructive habit of exploiting their natural resources. “There does appear to be an environmental factor which played a role in both the establishment of the cities in high altitude — in this case areas rich in ore and other resources,” Frachetti said. “We hypothesize that the investment these populations made in producing iron metallurgy would have had significant environmental impact on local forest resources used for fuel. This remains to be demonstrated scientifically, but given the scale of smelting documented at Tugunbulak, it makes sense that there would have been consequential effects on the ecology of this highland landscape.” Frachetti, who teaches at Washington University in St. Louis, added that “we think there is a broader lesson related to the impact of intensive exploitation of the environment and the ultimate sustainability of Urban settings, which we can extrapolate from this time in history.” Lidar image of La Mojana Raised Fields in Colombia (Courtesy of NV5) Ron Chapple agrees that lidar keeps reminding us about the importance of environmental protection. Chapple is the former CEO of GEO1, a company that specialized in utilizing lidar technology. He was an early investor in lidar technology , recognizing during his former career as an aerial cinematographer that it has the potential to transform archaeology. He regularly is consulted by scholars about how to use lidar, and today Chapple is VP Global Strategic Solutions at NV5, a multinational corporation that also specializes in lidar, imaging and analytics. He is particularly well-known for acquiring extremely detailed images of a lost city half a world away from Uzbekistan — Ciudad Perdida (literally Spanish for "lost city"), an ancient city in Colombia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains. Ciudad Perdida is believed to have been founded about 800 A.D., which is true would make it older than Machu Picchu by more than six centuries. Archaeologists dream of discovering more locations like Ciudad Perdida, and yet Chapple has watched with anxiety as human activity endangers these delicate sites. Want more health and science stories in your inbox? Subscribe to Salon's weekly newsletter Lab Notes . Indeed, last week a 1,100-year-old pyramid in Mexico collapsed into a pile of rubble because of heavy rainfall that was preceded by record-breaking drought that evaporated entire lakes. Tariakuiri Alvarez, a living member of the P'urhépecha tribe, told Live Science his ancestors would have interpreted the crumbling of the pyramid at Ihuatzio as a "bad omen." Salon spoke with Chapple about the future of lidar and how, because of climate change, he believes humanity needs to start using lidar as much as possible to protect our civilization’s greatest treasures before they are lost forever. This interview has been edited for clarity and length. What do we know for sure about climate change and its impact on the future of archeology? What about other human activities such as warfare or various forms of industrial, agricultural and other commercial development? I think it's safe to assume that climate change is going to change current human living patterns in a few different ways. For example, if the world is getting a little bit warmer where crops would say grow at a 2,000-foot elevation, now that it's warmer, the farmers might need to go upslope to 3,000-foot elevation and start clear-cutting areas so their crops can continue to grow. By clear cutting, you have the potential to damage untouched areas where there could be sites of archeological significance. "During the helicopter flight, we could see clear-cutting occurring within a couple of miles of the site that we were surveying." I think that's one of the main ones, as well as any similar type of development where there are more people moving on Earth, or if there is warfare, any human influence has the potential to expose untouched areas. If we can use lidar and survey those areas in advance, we not only may be able to preserve and record any evidence of ancient settlements, but that data could assist in better land planning. Likewise with sea level rise. Increasing ocean heights may cause migration from the coast to higher ground. Again, you're opening or removing forests with farming and development that could affect archeological sites. How does lidar offer a solution to these? We were doing archeological discovery in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountains in northern Colombia. During the helicopter flight, we could see clear-cutting occurring within a couple of miles of the site that we were surveying and in roughly similar terrain. Now we have no way of knowing if there was anything of historical value there or not, but it has the potential of modifying the land so that we may never know what history could have been hidden under the rainforest. Lidar image of Ciudad Perdida (Courtesy of NV5) How much of the data that your company has accumulated over the years can be realistically analyzed by qualified historians, anthropologists and other scholars who can actually transform it into meaningful stories and history? NV5 doesn’t deliver just numbers. NV5 believes in democratizing data, and we use algorithms that say, for archeologists, will highlight the contours of the ground. This visualization makes it easier for researchers to be able to look at that data and understand what they're looking at. In many cases, we are layering that data with other information such as imagery from either airplanes or satellites to provide more context. Aerial View of Ciudad Perdida (Courtesy of NV5) How do you tell a story with that data? How do you make that data easy to understand? All of the storytelling takes time, and time is critical right now. We analyze and learn what's out there. I think of Chris Fisher, an archeologist friend of mine who discovered ancient settlements in Honduras using lidar technology. Chris always says, “Is the Amazon natural, or are we looking at an overgrown garden? We need your help to stay independent Subscribe today to support Salon's progressive journalism In the 1500s, something like 90% of the population in South America was wiped out because of disease that came in when the Europeans settled and started to explore. For example, in 1520, when [Hernán] Cortés arrived in the densely populated Mexican city of Tenochtitlan, his soldiers brought along smallpox, which killed off 40% of the population in a single year . It harkens back to COVID-19 in an extreme sense. The more we learn about these civilizations that are now beneath the dense jungle canopy, the more we may be able to learn about our future. I'm thinking of the recent discoveries in Brazil and Uzbekistan using lidar. As I'm sure you saw, a research team in the Brazilian state of Rondônia discovered an 18th century Portuguese colonial city . In Uzbekistan, a different research team provided great detail about a pair of 6th to 11th century cities on the Silk Road, Tashbulak and Tugunbulak , that had thrived before being lost to time. What are your thoughts about the significance of these individual discoveries and how the average news consumer should internalize them in terms of their larger relevance? Is there something out there that's going to change our civilization dramatically? Maybe not today, because we have better ways to fight disease, but knowing what was out there is essential. Is it possible that some of the world’s greatest cities are still lying hidden beneath the Amazon rainforest, or in other undiscovered areas around our world? While I am not a doomsayer, with a catastrophic meteor or nuclear event, large swaths of civilization could be changed forever. What’s interesting to me about working with NV5 is that we provide data and analytics that will provide the tools for humanity to manage climate change and population growth. But back to archeology, we need to understand what was there before it's too late and provide the history that our fellow humans and children deserve. Read more about ancient history Bronze Age Europeans were getting high on all kinds of drugs, hair analysis study finds What 5,000-year-old skeletons tell us about living with climate change Oldest ever Neanderthal art illuminated in new study By Matthew Rozsa Matthew Rozsa is a staff writer at Salon. He received a Master's Degree in History from Rutgers-Newark in 2012 and was awarded a science journalism fellowship from the Metcalf Institute in 2022. MORE FROM Matthew Rozsa Related Topics ------------------------------------------ Archaeology Climate Change History Interview Lasers Lidar Science Uzbekistan Related Articles Advertisement:O.C. football coaches analyze Edison’s chances in CIF-SS final without Julius Gillick
The Pittsburgh Steelers take on what is typically an unenviable task -- traveling on a short week for a Thursday night primetime game. However, a few things are playing in Pittsburgh's favor as Week 12 of the NFL regular season kicks off. Namely, the "trip" to Cleveland is a little more than two hours by road and when the Steelers arrive there, they'll be facing a backup quarterback at the helm of a massively underwhelming 2-8 Browns team. The Steelers (8-2) are coming off a huge win over Baltimore to stay atop the AFC North. And Pittsburgh is beginning to set its sights on potential home-field advantage come playoff time. ODDS AND TRENDS The Steelers are a consensus 3.5-point favorite. That includes at BetRivers, where they have been backed by 80 percent of the spread-line money. Pittsburgh's -195 moneyline to simply win the game has been even more popular, drawing 95 percent of all money wagered. The Browns enter Thursday night having failed to cover the spread in nine of their past 12 games. Meanwhile, the Steelers have covered the spread in every game during their five-game win streak. The 37.0 total points line has seen the Over backed by 65 percent of the money and 70 percent of the total bets. Each of Cleveland's past eight November home games has gone under the total points line. PROP PICKS --Steelers WR George Pickens Over 50 Receiving Yards (-195 at DraftKings): Russell Wilson has thrown six touchdowns in the four games since he took over as the starting quarterback. Two of those have gone to Pickens, who has at least 74 receiving yards in each of those games. There is some concern that Pittsburgh gains a big early lead and turns to a run-heavy attack, but Wilson throws an excellent deep ball and that plays into Pickens' strength. This is the most popular player prop at the book. --Steelers RB Najee Harris Anytime TD (+100 at BetRivers): That potential for a run-heavy approach should benefit Harris, who found the sledding tough against Baltimore with 63 yards on the ground. He was also held out of the end zone for the second time in three games. Keep in mind that Cleveland has allowed only three touchdowns on the ground all season, but the Browns have allowed 12 through the air. Harris has a trio of scores on the ground and receiving through 10 games. KEY STAT The Browns have won the first quarter in five consecutive home games against the Steelers. THE NEWS The Steelers have certainly been locked in. They are currently riding a five-game winning streak, most recently edging the Baltimore Ravens 18-16 on Sunday. Chris Boswell booted six field goals against Baltimore, while Wilson completed 23 of 36 passes for 205 yards and an interception. Meanwhile, Cleveland continues to go through the wringer. The Browns ended up on the wrong end of a 35-14 blowout while facing the host New Orleans Saints on Sunday, marking their seventh loss in the past eight games. Cleveland now has to go up against one of the most unforgiving defenses in the league. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston is determined to direct a fundamentally sound performance against Pittsburgh, which allows the second-fewest points per game in the NFL (16.2). "It's precision passing. Getting the ball out on time. Elite operation and just doing our job. It's the simple things," Winston said. "This team (the Steelers) is not going to try and fool you. They're going to line up and say, 'Give us your best, we're going to give you our best.'" Winston threw for 395 yards and two touchdowns on 30-for-46 passing in the setback against New Orleans, with Jerry Jeudy hauling in six catches for 142 yards and a score. Star running back Nick Chubb continued to struggle since his return from a knee injury that cut his 2023 season short, finishing with 50 yards on 11 carries. INJURY REPORT The Browns could be without standout defensive end Myles Garrett, who missed practice on Tuesday because of a hip injury. Wide receiver Elijah Moore (shoulder), guard Joel Bitonio (pectoral) and cornerbacks Denzel Ward (ribs/ankle) and Greg Newsome II (shoulder) were among those limited during the session. Linebacker Alex Highsmith is dealing with an ankle issue and was ruled out by the Steelers along with cornerback Cory Trice Jr. (hamstring). THEY SAID IT Wilson is starting to feel like he might be part of something special, but he also doesn't want Pittsburgh to get ahead of itself. "I definitely think that we have a chance (to make a deep playoff run)," said Wilson, who has played in two Super Bowls. "I think the biggest thing for us is continuing to just take each week as the most important week of it all. "I think that it's not really even just the week, it's just the day, it's just the moments in between. I think the greatest teams, the greatest players, in any sport, especially the teams I've been on, is the moment -- it's never too far away. It's right here, right now. And you're just locked into that." PREDICTION Divisional road games on short weeks typically shape up as a daunting task. That's not the case for the Steelers, who will be hyper-focused to put this one out of reach early before enjoying 10 days ahead of a trip to Cleveland. With a second game against the Browns before a huge game at Philadelphia, this is not an under-manned opponent Pittsburgh will look past. --Steelers 27, Browns 19 --Field Level MediaSecretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg took to X on Monday to fact-check misleading claims about the state of a Biden administration initiative to build more electric vehicle charges. Earlier that day, Michael Rulli claimed that the federal government had spent $7.5bn to build eight electric vehicle charging stations, in what he called “evidence of squandering billions on something nobody wants, while millions struggle to afford the things they need.” The president-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr ., retweeted Rulli’s message, claiming the program “does not seem like a great return on investment...but hey he checked a woke box so it’s totally worth it.” In response to the posts, Buttigieg said their information was “false.” “To start with, $7.5B has not been spent, nor anything like that. That’s the entire program budget for the NEVI [National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure] program, which is to help build out a national charging network by 2030,” the official wrote in a thread. “Secondly, there are chargers now operational in nine states (which does not mean 9 chargers, to be clear). These are only the first handful though. Most are to be built in the 2nd half of the decade,” he added. “Third, in this program the chargers are built by the states, not the federal government. And while it takes time to get a novel multi-billion dollar program going across 50 states, the states are on track.” The exchange got the attention of Trump ally and EV manufacturer Elon Musk , who said Buttigieg’s information was “helpful to understand.” Despite the rebuttal from Buttigieg, conservatives aren’t the only ones concerned about the slow rollout of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s $7.5bn plan to spur EV charging stations. As of March of this year, only seven stations in four states had been built . “I think a lot of people who are watching this are getting concerned about the timeline,” Alexander Laska, deputy director for transportation and innovation at the center-left think tank Third Way told The Washington Post at the time. The Department of Transportation has approved plans for further NEVI projects in all 50 states, according to its website . The back-and-forth on X is also a reminder of Musk’s unique position within the incoming administration, which combines personal interest and public policy. Musk, as head of the Trump administration’s non-governmental DOGE commission on cutting government spending , could have enormous influence over the federal budget, which currently provides contracts and subsidies to Musk enterprises like SpaceX and Tesla. The world’s richest person, despite publicly boasting that Tesla didn’t need the subsidies, recently railed against a California plan to restart consumer EV tax credits if Trump follows through on an expected move to cut them, instituting a state policy that might not include Tesla. The billionaire called the proposal “insane.”
DETROIT (AP) — Brandon Noel's 26 points helped Wright State defeat Detroit Mercy 80-72 on Saturday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * DETROIT (AP) — Brandon Noel's 26 points helped Wright State defeat Detroit Mercy 80-72 on Saturday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? DETROIT (AP) — Brandon Noel’s 26 points helped Wright State defeat Detroit Mercy 80-72 on Saturday. Noel had seven rebounds for the Raiders (6-5, 1-1 Horizon League). Jack Doumbia scored 21 points while shooting 8 of 16 from the field and 5 for 6 from the line and added 13 rebounds and three blocks. Alex Huibregste shot 5 of 10 from the field, including 2 for 6 from 3-point range, and went 5 for 5 from the line to finish with 17 points, while adding six assists. The Titans (5-6, 1-1) were led in scoring by Orlando Lovejoy, who finished with 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Detroit Mercy also got 12 points from Nate Johnson. Grant Gondrezick II also recorded 11 points and two steals. Wright State’s next game is Wednesday against Marshall at home. Detroit Mercy visits Davidson on Saturday. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementSARAI KORPACZ RELEASES NEW CHRISTMAS SONG, 'UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN,' FEATURING DAUGHTERS CHLOE AND DANIELLA KORPACZ
Farm Bill gets extension as Congress passes spending package and averts shutdownBJP leader B. Sriramulu, who launched a hunger strike outside the district hospital in Ballari over the maternal deaths reported there and at Ballari Medical College and Research Centre, called off his agitation after Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao persuaded him with concrete assurances on Saturday. In the evening, Mr. Rao visited the spot and briefed him about his government’s measures to handle the issue. “Just as we received the information about the deaths of lactating mothers in Ballari Hospital, we ordered a probe by a team of experts from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. The team expressed its apprehensions about the quality of the IV fluid [Compound Sodium Lactate Injection I.P intravenous fluid]. We immediately stopped the use of the IV fluid in question. We have decided to send another team of experts to conduct another round of thorough investigation into the deaths,” Mr. Rao told Mr. Sriramulu and appealed to the latter to end the agitation. When the Health Minister said that he was ready to tender his resignation if that would solve the problem, Mr. Sriramulu said he sought a permanent solution to the problem, not the resignation of the Health Minister. Substandard IV fluid “The Health Minister need not resign. What is required is that maternal deaths should stop and the health system should be strengthened. Hundreds of lactating mothers have died in a year. The deaths are the direct result of the use of substandard IV fluid manufactured and supplied by West Bengal-based Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals. It is not due to the negligence of doctors but that of the government, People are scared of visiting government hospitals. The government should sternly act upon and pay a compensation of ₹25 lakh to the families of each lactating mother who died recently,” Mr. Sriramulu demanded. Mr. Rao pointed out how the drug company got a stay order against the ban on its IV fluid in the State and how the Central Laboratory certified the quality of its product. “When the reports of the State laboratories underlined the substandard quality of the IV fluid supplied by the company, we stopped its usage. However, they moved to court and got a stay order. The Central laboratory upheld the quality of the drug. We will not cover up these cases of maternal deaths. As many as 327 lactating mothers have died in the state in one year. We will investigate each case and take stringent legal action against the people responsible,” the Health Minister said. After the Minister appreciated Mr. Sriramulu’s agitation as a correct measure of pressurising the government in a democratic system and assured him of addressing the issues he raised, Mr. Sriramulu called off the agitation. Mr. Rao also met a few lactating mothers and authorities in the District Hospital and took stock of the situation. Published - December 07, 2024 09:37 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Karnataka / ministers (government) / death / children / health / hospital and clinic / demonstration / Gulbarga
Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that his government considers India's eastern region as the country's growth engine, while the area was considered backward earlier. Addressing a gathering at the "Odisha Parba" event here, the prime minister said investments of Rs 45,000 crore have been approved within 100 days of the formation of a new government in the state. "Odisha has always been a land of seers and scholars. The way the scholars here took our religious texts to every household and connected the public with those, it has played a crucial role in the cultural prosperity of India. "There was a time when India's eastern region and the states there were called backward. However, I consider India's eastern region as the country's growth engine. That is why we have prioritised the development of India's eastern region," he said. "The budget that we now allocate to Odisha is three times higher than what it was 10 years ago. We are working rapidly in every sector for Odisha's development and the budget has been increased by 30 per cent this year," Modi added. The prime minister informed that the Centre is committed to promoting ease of doing business in Odisha and said investments of Rs 45,000 crore have been approved within 100 days of the formation of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state. Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Marketing Future of Marketing & Branding Masterclass By - Dr. David Aaker, Professor Emeritus at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, Author | Speaker | Thought Leader | Branding Consultant View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Office Productivity Microsoft Word Mastery: From Beginner to Expert By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Startup Fundraising: Essential Tactics for Securing Capital By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Master RESTful APIs with Python and Django REST Framework: Web API Development By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) ChatGPT Mastery from Zero to Hero: The Complete AI Course By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Crafting a Powerful Startup Value Proposition By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Office Productivity Advanced Excel Course - Financial Calculations & Excel Made Easy By - Anirudh Saraf, Founder- Saraf A & Associates, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Finance: Finance Beginner Course By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program "Last year, the G20 Summit was held in India. During the G20 Summit, we showcased the photo of the Sun Temple (in Konark). I am also glad that all four doors of the Jagannath temple (in Puri) are open now. Besides, the Ratna Bhandar of the temple is also open," he added. "Odisha Parba" is a flagship event conducted by the Odia Samaj, a Delhi-based trust engaged in providing valuable support towards the preservation and promotion of Odia heritage. This year, "Odisha Parba" was organised from November 22 to November 24 to showcase the rich heritage of Odisha, displaying colourful cultural forms and exhibiting the vibrant social, cultural and political ethos of the state. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Pakistani police arrest thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of rally in the capitalPakistani police arrest thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of rally in the capital