NonePro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss reveals cancer diagnosis, 6-hour surgery Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss says he is being treated for cancer and is recovering from major surgery. In an appearance on Instagram Live on Friday, Moss introduced himself as a cancer survivor and thanked his “prayer warriors” for their support. Moss says a cancerous mass was found in his bile duct, between his pancreas and liver. He says he had surgery to put a stent in his liver on Thanksgiving and then underwent a 6-hour procedure about a week ago to remove the cancer. He says he was hospitalized for six days and released on Friday. De'Vondre Campbell won't be part of the 49ers after his refusal to enter a game, Kyle Shanahan says SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said linebacker De’Vondre Campbell won’t be part of the 49ers moving forward after he refused to enter a game after losing his starting job. Shanahan said the team is still working through the options of how to deal with Campbell after he walked to the locker room in the middle of a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Shanahan says the team is weighing its options, which could include a suspension or release, but that Campbell won't be part of the team for the final three weeks of the season. Trae Young, Hawks hoping to win big in Vegas at the NBA Cup semifinals LAS VEGAS (AP) — Trae Young might be the NBA’s biggest enigma. Young’s fans can point to numbers and say he’s an elite player. His detractors can point to numbers and say he’s overrated. Both arguments have validity. To some, his cocky ways are endearing. To others, they’re infuriating. This can’t be argued: He’s helping Atlanta author one of the season’s surprise stories. The Hawks are in the NBA Cup semifinals, set to play Milwaukee on Saturday before the other semifinal between Oklahoma City and Houston. The title game is Tuesday night. Analysis: Only LeBron James knows what's happening right now, and what's in his future LAS VEGAS (AP) — LeBron James was starring in Las Vegas at this time last year, the headline attraction while he and the Los Angeles Lakers were about to win the inaugural version of the event now known as the NBA Cup. That's not the case this year. “Personal reasons ... he’s taking some time” is what Lakers coach JJ Redick said this week when detailing why James was missing from practice. “Left foot soreness” is the reason why the Lakers have ruled him out of Friday’s game in Minnesota. There’s been trade speculation in recent days. It's all very different than a year ago at Cup time. Yankees get closer Devin Williams from Brewers for Nestor Cortes, Caleb Durbin NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees have acquired All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. The Yankees also will send $2 million to the Brewers as part of the trade. A 30-year-old right-hander, Williams and his signature “Airbender” changeup are eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He was diagnosed during spring training with two stress fractures in his back and didn’t make his season debut until July 28. Williams was 14 for 15 in save chances with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 11 in 21 2/3 innings. Cubs acquire All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in trade with the Astros CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs have acquired All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros, paying a big price for one of baseball’s best hitters. The Cubs sent third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and Cam Smith, one of their top infield prospects, to the Astros for Tucker, who is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. Tucker was limited to 78 games this year because of a fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 homers and 49 RBIs for the AL West champions. New West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez says leaving for Michigan 17 years ago was a 'mistake' MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Rich Rodriguez says he regrets leaving West Virginia 17 years ago. Rodriguez was introduced as the coach at his alma mater on Friday. Based on the welcome he got from the thousands of West Virginia fans in attendance, much seems to be forgiven. Rodriguez told the crowd that he never should have left his home state. The 61-year-old coach says he's grown both as a person and a coach throughout his long career, and that his departure at the end of the 2007 season for a head coaching job at Michigan was a mistake. Rodriguez went 60-26 at West Virginia from 2001 to 2007. Lindsey Vonn to enter World Cup ski races next weekend in Switzerland in her comeback at age 40 BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — Lindsey Vonn will return to World Cup ski racing next weekend for a pair of super-G events in St. Moritz, Switzerland, as she continues her comeback at 40 years old. Vonn teased her return in an Instagram post through her sponsor, Red Bull, on Friday morning. She said “I hear St. Moritz is pretty nice this time of year.” The U.S. Ski Team then confirmed she will race in St. Moritz. She’s won five of her 82 World Cup races on the venue at St. Moritz. Picabo Street, a two-time Olympic medalist and Vonn’s former teammate, says “it’s the coolest thing ever.” Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story. The accusations made national headlines at the time, stirring tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes. Crystal Mangum, who is Black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn’t true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.” The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum’s story fell apart under legal scrutiny. Belichick's bid to reshape football at UNC another sign of rising pro influence on college level CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina's hiring of NFL coaching great Bill Belichick marks another sign of the growing influence of the NFL on college football. The challenges of managing the transfer portal and looming revenue sharing for athletes has led teams to take on more NFL-like structures to their programs. Belichick is set to structure North Carolina's program like an NFL front office. That includes hiring former NFL executive Michael Lombardi as general manager. At Florida, coach Billy Napier is interviewing general managers while saying the program is going to “a business model” to deal with a “major math puzzle.”
The company filed a settlement agreement with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission reached with intervenors on its 2023 rate case MINNEAPOLIS , Nov. 25, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, CenterPoint Energy filed a settlement agreement with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) for its rate case submitted in November 2023 , to adjust natural gas distribution service rates in 2024 and 2025. The company reached a settlement agreement with all intervening parties including: Minnesota Department of Commerce, Minnesota Office of Attorney General – Residential Utilities Division, Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota , International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49, LIUNA of Minnesota and North Dakota , and Suburban Rate Authority. If approved by the Commission, CenterPoint's rate adjustment will enable the company to: Continue to maintain the safety, resiliency and integrity of its natural gas distribution system to benefit the company's more than 920,000 customers in over 260 local Minnesota communities. Continue to support the advancement of low- and zero-carbon technologies, including recovering certain costs for the company's innovation plan approved in July 2024 by the Commission under Minnesota's Natural Gas Innovation Act for investments in innovative technologies and low- and zero-carbon energy resources. Conduct infrastructure projects to replace or upgrade existing pipelines, provide safe and reliable service, comply with federal pipeline regulations and relocate facilities to enable projects by government agencies such as roads, bridges, drainage and other infrastructure. Accommodate the increased investments to operate, maintain and deliver natural gas through the company's distribution system. "From the outset, we were determined to use a collaborative approach with state agencies and all intervenors to reach a settlement agreement that worked for all parties. This agreement prioritizes the safety, reliability and resiliency of the energy system for the benefit of our customers and communities throughout Minnesota ," said Brad Steber , CenterPoint's Vice President of Minnesota Gas. "The agreement meaningfully plans for current and anticipated near-term future investments to continue to serve our customers' needs for readily available energy resources. These proposed investments will enhance our ability to deliver energy when customers need it most to help them withstand the coldest days of winter and to keep them safe and warm." The Commission will review and decide upon the filed settlement agreement. A decision is expected in 2025. Meaningful investments in the company's natural gas system A rate case is a forward-looking proposal to plan for the continued needs of customers for energy service. CenterPoint plans to continue to make investments in the safety and resiliency of the company's natural gas distribution system to benefit its customers including: Replacing natural gas lines using modern construction methods and materials. Relocating natural gas meters inside residential customer's homes to outside for improved access in case of an emergency and for enhanced customer safety. Deploying smart natural gas meters for residential customers, which have enhanced safety and communications features. Using methane detection vehicles that have a higher level of detection capability to monitor methane emissions and more efficiently conduct leak detection operations, allowing for faster mitigation and repair of natural gas leaks. Leveraging vacuum-like technology, also known as cross-compression, during repair, replacement and inspection of a natural gas line to help prevent natural gas from going into the air. Instead, the natural gas is temporarily stored or placed in another segment of natural gas line. Rate adjustment proposal As identified in the proposed settlement agreement, CenterPoint is requesting adjustments to the delivery charge, or the cost to deliver natural gas. The delivery charge accounts for approximately 50% of a typical residential customer's monthly bill. The remaining approximately 50% of a customer's bill is the cost of natural gas which is passed through at cost. CenterPoint does not profit from the overall cost of natural gas. The requested increase is approximately 4.7% or $60.8 million for 2024 and approximately 3.1% or $42.7 million for 2025. The requested increase will add $2.70 to the average residential customer's monthly bill in 2024 and an additional $1.27 to an average residential customer's monthly bill in 2025. While the rate case is under consideration, interim rates are in effect. Interim rates started with the January 2024 billing cycle and added approximately $4 per month to the average residential bill. It is anticipated that interim rates for 2025 would begin with the January 2025 billing cycle and be approximately $2 more per month for an average residential customer's bill as the Commission reviews the settlement agreement. Interim rates are applied as an equal percentage across all customer types. After final rates have been approved by the Commission, and if interim rates are set higher than final approved rates, CenterPoint will calculate a refund to customers for the difference in interim rates and final rates. The refund will be based on actual customer usage while interim rates were in effect, including interest, and will be issued as a credit on a monthly bill. CenterPoint offers various programs, tools and tips to help customers manage their bills and save energy. The company encourages those facing hardship to call CenterPoint to find out about payment arrangements and be referred to resources that may be available. To learn more, call 800-245-2377 between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. , Monday-Friday or visit CenterPointEnergy.com/PaymentAssistance . More details about the rate case can be found at CenterPointEnergy.com/RateCase . About CenterPoint Energy, Inc. As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas , CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP ) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana , Louisiana , Minnesota , Mississippi , Ohio and Texas . With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com . Forward-looking statements This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any statements in this news release regarding future events, such as approval by the Commission of the settlement agreement and timing thereof, the anticipated benefits of the rate adjustment, investments in the company's natural gas system and the anticipated benefits thereof, the amount and expected impact to customer's bills, and any other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release speaks only as of the date of this release. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) CenterPoint Energy's business strategies and strategic initiatives; (2) financial market conditions; (3) general economic conditions; (4) the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions; and (5) other factors, risks and uncertainties discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 and CenterPoint's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2024 , June 30, 2024 , and September 30, 2024 and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, contact Communications [email protected] SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc
Joe Biden was in a jovial mood as he carried out his final Thanksgiving turkey pardoning, telling the two lucky birds, “Your prayers are going to be answered today.” The president , 82, addressed crowds from the South Lawn on Monday morning, giving out pardons to Peach and Blossom. The birds are from Minnesota and are roughly 17 weeks old, according to a National Turkey Federation (NTF) press conference Sunday. The two names are meant as an homage to Biden’s home state of Delaware and its state flower, the peach blossom. Biden kicked off the ceremony by cracking a joke about the size of the crowd gathered for the event. “They tell me there’s 2,500 people here today...looking for a pardon,” Biden said, prompting laughter. The president was joined by NTF president John Zimmerman and his 9-year-old son, Grant, who brought Peach out onto the stage. After the turkey let out a quiet gobble, Biden joked: “What did you say Peach? Peach is making a last-minute plea here.” President Harry Truman started the tradition of turkey pardons 77 years ago in 1947 when the National Turkey Federation presented him with a turkey that he spared from mealtime. “The last four years, I’ve had the honor to continue that tradition by pardoning Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate and Chip, Liberty and Bell and today, Peach and Blossom,” Biden said. Peach weighs around 41 pounds, loves to eat hotdish topped with tater tots, and lives by the motto “keep calm and gobble on,” the president told the crowd. Blossom’s goal is to do a road trip to all 10,000 Minnesota lakes. The bird reportedly loves watching boxing and lives by the motto, “no ‘fowl’ play,’” he added. The two VIPs (very important poultry) spent the evening before their big day staying in a luxurious suite at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC, with the NTF posting photos to social media the night before. The organization also posted a “Get Ready With Us” video of the two arriving at their turkey-proofed accommodation. While being transported from Minnesota to Washington DC they reportedly listened to a playlist including Livin’ On a Prayer by Bon Jovi, Biden said. “Well, fellas, your prayer is going to be answered today,” the president told the birds. “Based on your temperament and commitment to being productive members of society, I hereby pardon Peach and Blossom.” Following their pardons, the two turkeys will become agricultural ambassadors and enjoy retirement on a farm in southern Minnesota, according to the NTF. Biden concluded the ceremony on a more serious note. “This event marks the official start of the holiday season here in Washington,” he said. “It’s also my last time to speak here as your president during this season and give thanks and gratitude. So let me say to you, it’s been the honor of my life. I’m forever grateful.” The president added that he and his wife Dr Jill Biden would be traveling to Staten Island in New York for a Friendsgiving with members of the Coast Guard and their families “to demonstrate our gratitude for their service and sacrifice.”
Eastside Distilling CEO of Subsidiary Buys $36,749 in StockThe NFL suspended Tennessee Titans safety Julius Wood six games on Tuesday for violating the policy on performing-enhancing substances. There are five games remaining this season for the Titans (3-9), so Wood's suspension will bleed into Week 1 of 2025. Wood, 23, went undrafted this spring and signed with the Dallas Cowboys as a free agent. They waived him in August, and he caught on with the Titans, who claimed him off waivers. Wood appeared in nine games, almost exclusively on special teams, and has recorded two tackles. --Field Level MediaNo. 6 Houston faces No. 9 Alabama in a men’s college basketball game on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, (11/26/24) at Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via DirecTV Stream or via a subscription to Sling TV , which is 50% off the first month. Here’s what you need to know: What: Men’s college basketball Who: Houston vs. Alabama When: Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 (11/26/2024) Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena Time: 8 p.m. ET TV: TBS Live Stream: DirecTV Stream AP Story: Eight of the nation’s premier basketball programs are descending on Las Vegas during the traditional Thanksgiving tournament week for a unique event where real money for their school’s name, image and likeness collectives is riding on the outcome. Welcome to a brave new world for college hoops. The three-day Players Era Festival, tipping off Tuesday and organized by RedBird IMI-backed EverWonder Studios, is reimagining old-school holiday tournaments. Every school participating will receive at least $1 million for their NIL collective , with bonuses of $500,000 to the champion, $250,000 to the runner-up, $150,000 for third place and $100,000 for finishing in fourth. “When we launched Players Era, we knew that it had the ability to drive a positive shift in the college basketball landscape, and we’re seeing that vision come to life as we get ready to tip off next week,” the event’s CEO, Seth Berger, said in a statement. “Everything we do is about delivering value to the players,” Berger continued, ”and our guiding principles continue to be paying the players fair market value for their NIL and creating captivating content for fans.” Fair market value comes to a hefty tab of $9 million in payouts to the participating schools. The lucrative proposition has resulted in a stacked field for the round-robin format at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. San Diego State faces No. 21 Creighton , Oregon plays No. 20 Texas A&M, sixth-ranked Houston faces No. 9 Alabama and Rutgers plays Notre Dame on Tuesday. Each team plays another opponent Wednesday. Those results along with point differentials — capped at 20 points per game — are used to set Saturday’s championship and consolation games. The financials aside, the Players Era Festival features some heavyweight matchups of national title contenders. The Bluejays are led by All-American candidate Ryan Kalkbrenner, the Cougars and Crimson Tide — whose opening game is must-see TV — are March darlings, while Texas A&M is among nine SEC programs ranked in this week’s AP Top 25 . “There’s a lot of silliness out there asking if we can win a national championship. How would I know?” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Do you understand what a bad call does to a team, or a missed free throw or a sprained ankle? That’s why you don’t ever focus on the destination. You take pride and joy in going through the journey. However it ends up, it ends up, but don’t ever judge your season on how you finish. Judge it on how hard you tried and did you do the best you could.” The Maui Invitational is celebrating its ruby jubilee back in Lahaina , after the wildfires last year forced its relocation, and began Monday with another loaded field. Fourth-ranked Auburn faced No. 5 Iowa State in an opening round that also featured second-ranked UConn against Memphis, Colorado against Michigan State and Dayton against No. 12 North Carolina. The tournament continues with semifinals Tuesday and the championship game Wednesday. Top-ranked Kansas, led by All-American center Hunter Dickinson, takes on Cooper Flagg and No. 11 Duke on Tuesday night in the Vegas Showdown. Kansas already has beaten the Tar Heels in a thriller at Allen Fieldhouse and Michigan State in the Champions Classic, while the Blue Devils have lost to No. 8 Kentucky but are coming off a win over then-No. 17 Arizona. The ballroom is staged once against at Atlantis Paradise Island for one of the most unique holiday tournaments of Thanksgiving week. Third-ranked Gonzaga, No. 14 Indiana and No. 21 Arizona are the headliners in the eight-team Battle 4 Atlantis, which tips off Wednesday and continues with semifinals Thursday and the championship game Friday. No. 18 Florida should have a de facto home-court advantage when it joins Minnesota, Wichita State and Wake Forest for the ESPN Events Invitational at Walt Disney World Resort. The Rady Children’s Invitational also tips off Thursday in San Diego with No. 13 Purdue playing NC State and No. 23 Ole Miss facing BYU, while No. 19 Arkansas plays Illinois in the Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. MORE SPORTS COVERAGE One day after Hurley’s meltdown, No. 2 UConn loses again Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat FREE LIVE STREAM (11/26/24): Watch NBA regular season game | Time, TV, Channel Giants’ Malik Nabers walks back (and doubles down on) fiery postgame comments after Bucs loss What channel is the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns game tonight (11/26/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for NBA regular season Western Kentucky vs. Kentucky FREE LIVE STREAM (11/26/24): Watch college basketball online: Time, TV, Channel
Now that November is behind us, let’s reflect on the important lessons from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's . This year’s theme — Resolve to be Resilient — reminded us that, as critical infrastructure, state and local agencies must prepare and invest now for the disruptions of tomorrow. Today I’ll focus on cybersecurity resilience, but let’s acknowledge that it is a much broader topic. Every year, we must be ready for wide-ranging incidents that impact our business routines, customer interactions and communities/families. In 2024 alone, we saw how our physical and virtual worlds were affected by: In the hyperconnected world which we live in, events like these reach well beyond the local area and create unexpected circumstances. Our digital world can provide resilient answers for some events, like supporting a distributed workforce in the event of a natural disaster, but this same digital world can facilitate a broader negative impact on people beyond the local community and even around the world as has been seen with outages caused by malware like Log4j or recent ransomware attacks. The Internet has become the source for this connectiveness and must be protected if we are to deliver consistent services. Resolve to be Resilient is a rallying cry for preparedness as it is often state and local agencies on the frontlines of response and recovery. For the last five years, digital government has been a top priority for most CIOs. The promise of a digital government has delivered more transparency and access to government services than ever before. On top of that, customer experience has greatly benefited from this evolution. A simple, real-world validation is a transaction with your local department of motor vehicles (DMV) (like driver’s license renewal). You will see that most of the services are digital and online, and you rarely actually need to visit the DMV let alone wait in long lines (that are nonexistent due to offloading to online activities). The Internet is one of the main components of digitization. It is critical infrastructure for most government agencies as it is the primary interface to the public, and with the proliferation of software as a service (SaaS) and the hybrid workforce, it is the vehicle for internal operations and collaboration as well. Dependence on the Internet creates new requirements for IT departments and at times can cause negative consequences if the IT environment is not properly designed. Imagine your agency completely without Internet access due to a distributed-denial-of-service (DDOS) attack. Your employees or contractors may not have connectivity to their work tools, and none of your residents have the ability to access your online services. As more citizen services are delivered via the web, the impact gets felt broadly. But as a state or local government leader, how do you protect your assets on the Internet? How do you optimize customer experience and secure their identity and data? You have more control than you might realize. And it’s imperative to shore up your Internet services as part of your cyber resilience plan for 2025. I believe there are specific focus areas which can put any agency on the right path to resilience: review the DNS infrastructure, secure web application and API services, and review modernized network services. Domain name system (DNS) services are a critical yet often overlooked component of government cybersecurity and operational infrastructure. These services, which translate human-readable website addresses into IP addresses, play a vital role in maintaining the security, reliability and accessibility of government digital services. Modern DNS services provide essential security features that help protect against various cyber threats, including DNS poisoning, domain hijacking and data exfiltration attempts. Importantly, DNS is often the first line of defense against cyber threats, and modern DNS services can detect and block malicious traffic before it actually reaches government networks. Beyond security, DNS services enable government agencies to: Resolve to be resilient by modernizing your DNS and getting the most out of your DNS provider. Here’s how: Government agencies are increasingly finding themselves on the frontlines of a new cybersecurity battleground: the protection of web applications and APIs (application programming interfaces). As web applications and APIs are now the primary way residents interact with government services from tax filing to benefits management, these digital interfaces handle millions of sensitive transactions daily. Their security is paramount to maintaining public trust. Web application and API attacks are at record highs and in 2022 over 400 million web application and API attacks were recorded daily. Traditional perimeter security isn't enough anymore — we need comprehensive application and API security measures that can protect against modern threats such as: Gartner defines cloud web application and API protection (WAAP) as a category of security solutions designed to protect web applications irrespective of their hosted locations. Typically, these services are offered as a series of security modules that provide protection from a broad range of runtime attacks on web-based applications. Resolve to be resilient by ensuring that your customer applications are protected by leveraging WAAP tools with the following steps: On the National Association of State Chief Information Officers' Top 10 list, legacy modernization is a constant. There are many reasons why modernization continues to show up, ranging from the continued use of outdated and out-of-service infrastructure components to the inability of IT departments to keep pace with the incredible architectural changes which have happened in IT over the last decade. The latter caused by the move to SaaS applications, data centers being displaced by cloud and the proliferation of the hybrid worker, all which helped invert the typical data/traffic workflow of 80/20 internal company/external company to a 20/80 paradigm. And with that major shift, the hub and spoke router networks of the past must be replaced and/or upgraded to support this transformation. Most agencies and private companies are on the same journey to modernize their network infrastructure to accommodate the above transformation. As most IT assets and users are now on the Internet versus a corporate network, augmenting or replacing traditional MPLS networks with the Internet as a WAN makes sense from a performance and cost perspective. Cloud-based services to accelerate, optimize and protect these infrastructure components makes sense from a security and use perspective. This modern approach provides scalable bandwidth, optimized for modern application delivery, with resilience built in, all while reducing complexity and costs. Today’s network resilience can be delivered as a service similar to how data centers and applications have been delivered as a service (IaaS and SaaS) for years now. It is possible and often recommended to use the Internet for an agency’s backbone, or at least a component of the backbone. The benefit includes built-in resilience and scalability. A cable cut, data center outage, or even a massive DDoS attack will not impact uptime or performance. This is possible due to the security architectures today like zero trust and encryption technologies. One that’s part of the state’s enterprise architecture, delivers WAN as a service, firewall as a service, DDoS protection, and a SASE framework — helping agencies protect, connect and accelerate their networks without the cost and complexity of running or maintaining any hardware. As government agencies continue to expand their digital services, their IT architecture and cybersecurity strategy must transform to address the modern world. This includes protecting IT infrastructure, customer-facing online services delivered by web applications and APIs. A secure, consistent online presence remains critical to maintaining public trust and protecting sensitive information. With cyber threats evolving daily, robust security measures are not just a technical requirement but a fundamental obligation to public service. At Cloudflare, we’re helping state and local agencies around the country enhance their service resilience by protecting entire networks, their Internet-scale applications and websites efficiently, like the and the . Learn more about how we can help your agency protect, connect and accelerate your mission .As the newly-named host of the 2034 World Cup in men's soccer , Saudi Arabia says it will construct or renovate 15 stadiums, create a futuristic city and expand airports in a massive buildout to accommodate millions of athletes, coaches and spectators. That will emit tons of planet-warming greenhouse gases as concrete and steel are manufactured and transported, diesel-powered excavators and trucks move material and new buildings are powered and cooled. When all the emissions associated with the world's buildings are grouped together, they are the largest contributor to climate change . Constructing so many new venues is “environmentally wasteful in the extreme” because so much carbon will be emitted and scarce resources used, said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College in Massachusetts who has written several books about the economics of mega sporting events. Zimbalist said the World Cup should be held in countries with a developed soccer culture and industry. Seth Warren Rose, founding director of the research organization Eneref Institute, said the world will be even hotter a decade from now, and can’t afford this added warming. “I’m sorry, but we’re living in a different planet. We have to prepare for that,” Rose said. “By 2034, we’ll be living in a different climate and that’s not a metaphor." Rose said his message to organizers is: Make a genuine effort to reduce emissions or don't host at all. Saudi Arabia’s plans will rely heavily on concrete, which is responsible for about 8% of worldwide emissions that warm the planet, with iron and steel accounting for another 7% . Human rights groups are concerned that giving the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia will endanger migrant workers . In a bid book detailing its plans for development across five cities ahead of the World Cup, Saudi Arabia said three new stadiums are currently under construction and eight more are planned, to accommodate 2034's first-ever 48-team games. Buildings constructed for international sporting events often end up becoming “white elephant” venues that sit idle once games are over. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation did not respond to request for comment. Saudi Arabia has proposed 134 accommodations for teams and referees, new hotels, several fan festival locations, transportation expansions, including high-speed rail and further investment in its futuristic city of Neom . Much of what the nation included in its bid book relates to its Vision 2030 strategic plan, which the government calls a plan to diversify its economy and unlock new business opportunities. The bid does include sustainability initiatives, said Karim Elgendy, a fellow at London’s Chatham House think tank. Among them are running stadiums on clean electricity such as solar, using energy-efficient natural ventilation and shading and mandating green building standards. But Elgendy said the sheer scale of Saudi Arabia's apparent plans for the event, plus the distances between host cities suggest this could become the most carbon-intensive World Cup in history. Elgendy said how they mitigate this undertaking will determine the environmental impact and without measures, the event could have a carbon footprint that is almost twice the record set in 2022. In contrast, organizers of this summer’s Paris Olympics said this week they met their goal of cutting the games’ carbon footprint by half compared to 2012 and 2016. They did this using renewable energy, recycled materials, plant-based food options that are less carbon-intensive than meat and even powering the famous Olympic cauldron with electricity and lights rather than burning gas. To critics who suggest FIFA ought to have chosen a different host country, like the United Kingdom which has dozens of stadiums, Walker Ross, a researcher of sport ecology and sustainability at the University of Edinburgh points out the Saudi bid was the only one in a fast-tracked process. The next World Cup, in 2026, will span 16 cities across North America. Ross said that could have a significant carbon footprint, too, as teams and fans travel across an entire continent. The same could be said for the 2030 World Cup to be played across six countries. If anyone is at fault, it's FIFA, he said, because it's their bid process. Ross said he thinks locations shouldn’t be ruled out because they are hot or there aren’t a lot of stadiums. “People kind of throw their hands up in the air and act like there are certain countries that should and shouldn’t host when it comes to these events,” he said. “But if this sport is truly for the world, then we have to be open to everyone hosting.” Qatar went on a $200 billion construction spree , building seven stadiums, a new metro system, highways, high-rise buildings and a new city ahead of the 2022 event there. Organizers and FIFA projected it would produce some 3.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over the decade spent preparing for the tournament, or about 3% of Qatar’s total emissions in 2019, according to World Bank data. Experts say the Qatar event had the highest carbon emissions to date. Skeptics and outside experts said Qatar’s accounting that it hosted a ‘carbon neutral’ World Cup didn't encompass the event’s full carbon footprint . FIFA accepted Saudi Arabia’s sustainability and climate promises in an evaluation released in November , noting that “whilst the extent of construction would have a material environmental impact, the bid provides a good foundation for delivering mitigation measures to address some of the environment-related challenges.” FIFA directed The Associated Press to the evaluation Thursday when asked for additional comment. Saudi Arabia's emissions have been growing; it emitted 533 metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2022 , or 1.6% of global emissions, according to the International Energy Agency, and its fossil fuel production is skyrocketing. Renewable energy remains nearly nonexistent. The country has a goal to source at least half of its power from renewables by 2030 . “It appears that FIFA has learnt very little from the debacle with the World Cup in Qatar," said Khaled Diab, a spokesperson at Carbon Market Watch. Read more of AP’s climate coverage at http://www.apnews.com/climate-and-environment The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .