3 US Army soldiers arrested on human smuggling charges along the border with MexicoWashington Nationals win lottery for No. 1 pick in next amateur baseball draft, Angels No. 2 DALLAS (AP) — The Washington Nationals will have the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft next summer after winning the lottery in a drawing of ping-pong balls at the winter meetings Tuesday. Canadian Press Dec 10, 2024 3:39 PM Dec 10, 2024 3:50 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Emcee, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser, holds up the the Washington Nationals logo after the organization won the overall number one pick in the draft lottery at the Major League Baseball winter meetings in Dallas, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) DALLAS (AP) — The Washington Nationals will have the No. 1 overall pick in the amateur draft next summer after winning the lottery in a drawing of ping-pong balls at the winter meetings Tuesday. Unlike last year, when the Nationals were ineligible after initially coming out with the top spot, they will get to make the first pick in July in Atlanta, the site of the All-Star Game. Washington was ineligible for a top-six pick last year because the collective bargaining agreement states a team that pays into the revenue-sharing plan cannot have a lottery selection in back-to-back years. The Nationals chose outfielder Dylan Crews with the No. 2 pick in 2023. The Los Angeles Angels have the second pick for next summer. Seattle, Colorado, St. Louis and Pittsburgh round out the top six. A weighted lottery among the 18 teams that failed to make the playoffs this season determined the order of picks for the third year in a row. The Nationals went in with a 10.2% chance, the fourth-best odds, for getting the No. 1 pick. Colorado and Miami, both 100-loss teams, had the best odds at 22.45%, ahead of the Angels at 17.96%. Miami instead ended up with the seventh pick. Seattle got the No. 3 overall pick after having a 0.53% chance to get the No. 1 pick, the second-worst odds among 16 eligible teams. The 121-loss Chicago White Sox, who had the most losses of any major league club since 1900, were not eligible for the draft lottery since they had one of the top six picks last year (No. 5) and is a team that pays into the revenue-sharing plan. The CBA also doesn’t allow teams that receive money in revenue sharing to have lottery picks three years in a row. That made the Athletics (69-93) ineligible for the lottery — they picked fourth last year after having the No. 6 selection in 2023. Chicago instead got the 10th pick, one spot ahead of Oakland — the highest possible positions for those two teams because of their recent lottery picks. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Baseball Left-hander Max Fried agrees to $218 million, 8-year contract with Yankees, AP source says Dec 10, 2024 3:25 PM Shortstop Willy Adames and San Francisco Giants finalize $182 million, 7-year contract Dec 10, 2024 3:01 PM Analysis: After Juan Soto's megadeal, could MLB see a $1 billion contract? Probably not soon Dec 10, 2024 2:35 PM
, /PRNewswire/ -- 365 Retail Markets, the global leader in unattended retail technologies, today announced the appointment of Anton Rakushkin as Chief Technology Officer and as VP of Sales for . These strategic hires come as two long-time leaders, and , retire after years of dedicated service to the company. Rakushkin comes to 365 with twenty years of experience in retail technology including time with Streamware Corporation and Crane Connectivity Solutions. He holds impressive accomplishments in the areas of vending management, including the architecture of Vendmax, an extensively used VMS system across the industry. His achievements also include innovations around data exchange and tools for operator success such as industry-first pre-kit and dynamic scheduling features. Rakushkin has had notable success working closely with both customers and other solution providers to create widely adopted industry standards. "I am excited to bring my experience to the world-class team at 365 and look forward to elevating their impressive accomplishments across the industry as well as extending that success to more opportunities. By understanding customer needs and providing solutions that will drive the industry forward, we will accomplish great things," said Rakushkin. Reidy joins 365 Retail Markets with over thirty years of experience in sales leadership and executive management. Throughout his career, he has successfully developed and grown businesses across various verticals and industries. Reidy has cultivated a deep understanding of the SaaS industry by advancing through prominent firms, including well-known players in the automotive technology space, such as KPA, Netsertive, and DealerMatch. During his time at vAuto, he designed highly effective sales and operations management processes and built a renowned national sales team. When asked about his optimism around 365's growth potential, Reidy noted, "I'm fortunate to be joining a well-established team at 365 Retail Markets, and I believe that through coaching and establishing the right processes, we can expand our opportunities immensely. I am looking forward to elevating the reach and success of this organization through the help of a world-class sales team." , CEO at 365 Retail Markets, expressed his excitement about the leadership additions. "Bringing experts like Anton and Bill onto the team is essential to keep up with the intense growth we are seeing in our unattended retail business. We have heard for years that the market is tired of the lack of investment by the legacy VMS providers and the lack of consumer-focused features from the me-too payment terminal providers. Anton and Bill will be focused on being sure 365 remains the global leader for decades to come." retires after 10 years with 365. While currently serving as Chief Strategy Officer, he has previously served as Chief Financial Officer and an early advisor and Board Member helping define nearly every successful initiative in the company's history. Joe will be missed greatly by his industry colleagues and friends at 365 but will remain in an advisory role in his retirement. decade of service to 365 comes with many accomplishments in roles as Chief Operating Officer and later as President of International, spearheading international growth. His dedication to 365 has positioned the long-term success internationally and his relationships with many in the industry has gained him immense respect among his peers and colleagues. Hessling acknowledged their contributions, stating, "I would like to thank both Joe and John for helping me turn 365 into what it is today. Taking the leap to join over 10 years ago was a risk neither had to take and their impact on 365, me, and the industry has been something that most don't ever get the chance to do in their careers. I will miss working with them both but am happy for them in their next stage of life." Both retirements are effective and 365 Retail Markets thanks both individuals for their incredible dedication and commitment to the organization and industry. VP of Marketing & Communications, 365 Retail Markets 365 Retail Markets is the global leader in unattended retail technology. Founded in 2008, 365 provides a full suite of best-in-class, self-service technologies for food service operators including end-to-end integrated SaaS software, payment processing and point of-sale hardware. Today, the company's technology solutions autonomously power food retail spaces at corporate offices, manufacturing and distribution facilities, hospitality settings and more, in order to provide compelling foodservice options for consumers. 365's technology solutions include a growing suite of frictionless smart stores, micro markets, vending, catering, and dining point-of-sale options to meet the expanding needs of its customers. 365 continuously pioneers innovation in the industry with superior technology, strategic partnerships and ultimate flexibility in customization and branding. For more information about 365 Retail Markets, visit and connect on and View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE 365 Retail Markets, LLCThis from Citi comes via a Dow Jones / Market Watch piece (may be gated ) - in brief: Citigroup forecasts modest gains for the S&P 500 with a base case of 6,500, a bull case of 6,900, and a bear case of 5,100. High trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios, at their loftiest levels in 40 years, pose a risk to returns and increase volatility. Positive fundamentals, artificial intelligence advancements, and productivity gains are expected to support the market. Confidence in long-term growth remains, but "elevated and unattainable" growth expectations temper optimism. While big tech valuations are high, the remaining 493 S&P stocks also trade at their highest 20-year forward P/E levels. Citi’s Levkovich Index (formerly the panic/euphoria index) indicates a euphoric investor phase, akin to the Tech Bubble and post-pandemic rally. History suggests that starting from such high valuations often leads to lower median returns and higher downside risks.
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Expect more affordable housing units in Alberta as the province spends $150 million for new developments. “I am pleased to announce that the Alberta Affordable Housing Partnership Program is opening for the next round of applications,” said Jason Nixon, Seniors, Community and Social Services Minister, on Friday.. With National Housing Day, the Alberta government is pledging to increase its efforts to address housing affordability in the province. From the start of 2024 up until October, the province saw an estimated $38,000 houses being constructed, which is more compared to last year. “The reality is though that while Alberta is having success we recognize that there are still many struggling to find housing and to meet their needs. Which is why we know there’s more that needs to be done,” said Nixon. Alberta saw an increase in population by about 200,000 last year. One organization stated that while the funding is a start, there’s still a lot more that needs to be done. “We didn’t have a real housing crisis and the government didn’t invest in affordable and community housing over the years the same way. And now we’re here and we’re trying to meet the growing demand, so we are playing catch up,” said Irene Martion-Lindsay, the executive director of Alberta Seniors and Community Housing Association. Martin-Lindsay also says that there has been a growing demand for the adult population needing affordable homes. “This has been happening for a while and it’s really hard for them to be prioritized, but the older adults that aren’t seniors that are in that 55 to 65, they’re really struggling because of the lower-end fixed income,” said Martin-Lindsay. This is not the first time Alberta invested in affordable housing, in 2022 the government put $189 million into supporting units and shelters within 15 communities. The province opens the application for the new housing development this Friday up until January 31, 2025.Mbappe, Vinicius and Bellingham on target as Real Madrid beats Atalanta 3-2. Liverpool wins againNone
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The rideshare industry has just been shaken up by a new that is rapidly expanding to major cities around the country including Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Nashville, Phoenix, and many other locations. BlackWolf, like Uber and Lyft, is a rideshare app that will take you anywhere you need to go. The kicker is this service has drivers who are armed with guns. But they aren’t just the typical Joes with firearms, the company claims that they only hire law enforcement officers, veterans, and others who have worked in the private security sector for at least four years, according to t . As for how they screen potential drivers, the founder, Kerry KingBrown, told that they perform a detailed background check, reviewing documentation from the law enforcement or military agency that the potential employee previously worked at. Founded by KingBrown in May 2023, he was inspired to start the company during a unique encounter with a female client who alleged that she had previously been a victim of sex trafficking. This happened while he was working as a private investigator. He shared in an interview with , “She was trafficked for three years and [during] the last couple of months that I had with this particular client, she told me to create a transportation system for herself and her daughter.” Initially, KingBrown only transported women and children who were victims of domestic violence or trafficking. Now, he’s made his special rideshare service to anyone who wants that extra sense of security while driving. Currently, the app has more than 300,000 users nationwide and will be expanding to some of the biggest cities in Texas such as Austin, Houston, and Dallas by the end of 2025 according to . But how have they been able to get so many users after only a year? KingBrown gives all the credit to social media, specifically TikTok, telling Houston Public Radio, “TikTok has given us a boost of a lifetime. When we started in May [2023] we probably had a thousand followers. By the time we got to December, we were well over 200,000. ... The biggest thing is the concept we’ve created. It’s the realness in every video we put out. We think like how the people think because we’re a people-driven business.”The S&P 500 rose 0.2% from its all-time high set on Friday to post a record for the 54th time this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 128 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that's been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared 28.7% to lead the market. Following allegations of misconduct and the resignation of its public auditor, the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company's board. It also said that it doesn't expect to restate its past financials and that it will find a new chief financial officer, appoint a general counsel and make other moves to strengthen its governance. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up the market. Gains of 1.8% for Microsoft and 3.2% for Meta Platforms were the two strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500. Intel was another propellant during the morning, but it lost an early gain to fall 0.5% after the chip company said CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the board. Intel is looking for Gelsinger's replacement, and its chair said it's "committed to restoring investor confidence." Intel recently lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia, which has skyrocketed in Wall Street's frenzy around AI. Stellantis, meanwhile, skidded following the announcement of its CEO's departure. Carlos Tavares steps down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales and an inventory backlog at dealerships. The world's fourth-largest automaker's stock fell 6.3% in Milan. The majority of stocks in the S&P 500 likewise fell, including California utility PG&E. It dropped 5% after saying it would sell $2.4 billion of stock and preferred shares to raise cash. Retailers were mixed amid what's expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record and coming off Black Friday. Target, which recently gave a forecast for the holiday season that left investors discouraged, fell 1.2%. Walmart, which gave a more optimistic forecast, rose 0.2%. Amazon, which looks to benefit from online sales from Cyber Monday, climbed 1.4%. All told, the S&P 500 added 14.77 points to 6,047.15. The Dow fell 128.65 to 44,782.00, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 185.78 to 19,403.95. The stock market largely took Donald Trump's latest threat on tariffs in stride. The president-elect on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a group of developing economies if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump said he wants the group, headlined by Brazil, Russia, India and China, to promise it won't create a new currency or otherwise try to undercut the U.S. dollar. The dollar has long been the currency of choice for global trade. Speculation has also been around a long time that other currencies could knock it off its mantle, but no contender has come close. The U.S. dollar's value rose Monday against several other currencies, but one of its strongest moves likely had less to do with the tariff threats. The euro fell amid a political battle in Paris over the French government's budget. The euro sank 0.7% against the U.S. dollar and broke below $1.05. In the bond market, Treasury yields gave up early gains to hold relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed above 4.23% during the morning before falling back to 4.19%. That was just above its level of 4.18% late Friday. A report in the morning showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again last month, but not by as much as economists expected. This upcoming week will bring several big updates on the job market, including the October job openings report, weekly unemployment benefits data and the all-important November jobs report. They could steer the next moves for Federal Reserve, which recently began pulling interest rates lower to give support to the economy. Economists expect Friday's headliner report to show U.S. employers accelerated their hiring in November, coming off October's lackluster growth that was hampered by damaging hurricanes and strikes. "We now find ourselves in the middle of this Goldilocks zone, where economic health supports earnings growth while remaining weak enough to justify potential Fed rate cuts," according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. In financial markets abroad, Chinese stocks led gains worldwide as monthly surveys showed improving conditions for manufacturing, partly driven by a surge in orders ahead of Trump's inauguration next month. Both official and private sector surveys of factory managers showed strong new orders and export orders, possibly partly linked to efforts by importers in the U.S. to beat potential tariff hikes by Trump once he takes office. Indexes rose 0.7% in Hong Kong and 1.1% in Shanghai.AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:38 p.m. EST
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — De'Vondre Campbell's decision to quit on his team in the middle of a game overshadowed the bigger issues for the San Francisco 49ers. An offense that was one of the most dynamic in the NFL during a run to the Super Bowl last season has been just ordinary for most of 2024 and was downright bad in a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night that just about ended San Francisco's playoff hopes. San Francisco (6-8) was held to its fewest yards (191) in a regular-season game in eight seasons under coach Kyle Shanahan and its fewest points since Shanahan's debut in 2017 on a rainy night that will be remembered mostly for Campbell walking off the field in the middle of the game with a towel draped over his head. The game also featured San Francisco going three-and-out on four drives as Brock Purdy struggled to connect with his receivers. Deebo Samuel dropped a potential touchdown pass after complaining earlier in the week about a lack of touches. Purdy then missed Ricky Pearsall on an underthrown deep shot in the fourth quarter before throwing an interception into the end zone that ended the Niners' comeback attempt. “I just feel like I had a lot of plays left out there that I could have made for our team,” Purdy said. “I thought the defense and special teams played so good. That’s what’s hurting me is I just feel like I failed the team. I could have been better for our offense and we could have put up more points.” Scoring has been an issue this season for the 49ers, who have been missing key playmakers like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk for much of the season. San Francisco is scoring 8.5 fewer points per game on offense than the Niners did through 14 games last season. What’s working Red-zone defense. After allowing touchdowns on 13 consecutive red-zone drives over the previous four games, the 49ers kept the Rams out of the end zone on all three drives that went inside the 20. What needs help Receivers. The 49ers failed to get much production from their wide receivers with Purdy going 6 for 20 for 63 yards with an INT and a 19.4 rating when targeting wideouts. Samuel had 16 yards on seven targets with the key drop. Jauan Jennings had two drops and was the target on the interception. Pearsall had one catch for 16 yards on four targets. Stock up LB Dre Greenlaw returned for the first time since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season's Super Bowl. Greenlaw had eight tackles in the first half as he brought needed intensity and physical play that had been missing for much of the season. Stock down Campbell. The 49ers are deciding whether to waive or suspend Campbell, who lost his starting job when Greenlaw returned and then refused to play when he was needed. “His actions from the game just is not something you can do to your team or your teammates and still expect to be a part of our team,” Shanahan said. “We’re working through exactly the semantics of it right now, but we’ll handle the situation appropriately.” Injuries Greenlaw came out of the game feeling OK after leaving with soreness in his knee and Achilles tendon. He is day to day. ... S Ji’Ayir Brown (groin) and LB Dee Winters (neck) are also day to day. ... LT Trent Williams (ankle) is still trying to get back to play after missing the last four games. Shanahan said Williams' recovery has been "a lot slower than anticipated.” Key number 0 — The Niners didn't reach the red zone once all game, with their deepest penetration into Rams territory being when they reached the 27 on a third-quarter field goal drive. This marked the first time since Week 11 in 2010 that the 49ers didn't run a single play inside the opponent's 25. What’s next The 49ers visit Miami on Dec. 22. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
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