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BOSTON (AP) — Jaylen Brown scored the Celtics’ first 15 points on five consecutive 3-pointers and finished with 29 points, before Boston withstood a late charge to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 107-105 on Sunday. Jayson Tatum added 26 points and eight rebounds to help Boston post a season-high fifth straight victory. Anthony Edwards had 28 points and nine rebounds for Minnesota, which has lost five of its last seven. Julius Randle added 23 points, and Rudy Gobert finished with 10 points and 20 rebounds, his eighth double-double of the season. Minnesota got within 55-54 early in the third quarter, before a 14-0 run by Boston. The spurt featured four 3s by the Celtics, including two by Tatum. The lead grew to 79-60 with 4:26 to play in the period. But the Timberwolves chipped it all the way down in the fourth, getting within 107-105 with 34 seconds left on a driving layup by Randle. Timberwolves: Minnesota will be looking to for some wins at home, after dropping four of its last five on the road. Celtics: The Celtics have struggled at home at times this season but improved to 6-2 at the Garden. The Timberwolves had the ball with 7.1 seconds and a chance to win. Edwards got the inbounds and tried to drive on Brown. But he was cut off, and the ball swung to Naz Reid, who failed to get off a 3 as time expired. Boston assisted on 25 of its 37 made field goals. The Timberwolves host Houston in NBA Cup play on Tuesday, beginning a four-game homestand. The Celtics host the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday night. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaHARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Democratic Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania conceded his reelection bid to Republican David McCormick on Thursday, as a statewide recount showed no signs of closing the gap and his campaign suffered repeated blows in court in its effort to get potentially favorable ballots counted. Casey’s concession comes more than two weeks after Election Day, as a grindingly slow ballot-counting process became a spectacle of hours-long election board meetings, social media outrage, lawsuits and accusations that some county officials were openly flouting the law. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, dies at 85Principal Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE:PFG) Stock Holdings Lessened by Kingsview Wealth Management LLCIntel’s new Lunar Lake hardware is a reflection of modern chip design. It’s tempting to call it a “processor” or “CPU” — old habits die hard, after all — but it’s really a system-on-a-chip (SoC), both in terms of architecture and philosophy. The CPU cores are joined by integrated GPU cores, a neural processing unit (NPU), and even on-chip RAM. Also, unlike past Intel chips, Lunar Lake seems set on striking a balance between the three. That’s keenly felt in Intel’s approach to Lunar Lake’s integrated graphics (iGPU). Building on the success of Intel Core Ultra, Intel’s new processors also offer Intel Arc graphics — but this time around, Intel has returned to providing each iGPU a name unique to its configuration, and the best version here is the Intel Arc 140V with eight Xe Cores and a max frequency of 2.05GHz. Meanwhile, Intel’s competition hasn’t been spinning its wheels. AMD’s latest Ryzen AI processors have their own integrated graphics updates in the form of the Radeon 880M (succeeding the well-respected Radeon 780M) and the new Radeon 890M (which clearly thumped an earlier Intel Arc iteration ). So, how well does the iGPU in Intel’s Lunar Lake chips perform? Is it a minor boost over previous incarnations? Or a major update? Spoiler alert: Lunar Lake’s visual chops are good enough to let you play many modern games without paying extra for a discrete graphics card. Keep reading for our in-depth benchmark test results. This article was updated to include benchmark results from the Asus Zenbook S 14 with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. Additional testing was conducted after initial results suggested the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition might be delivering lower-than-typical graphics performance for this configuration. Hardware specifications for our tests Our game benchmarks below were conducted on two laptops: a Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition with Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor and an Asus Zenbook S 14 with Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor. The Intel Core Ultra 7 processors are high-end Core Ultra 7 chips for slim-and-light laptops, though more mid-range in terms of overall core count and performance (as opposed to, say, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K). These chips are common choices for thin, light, Intel-powered laptops sold above $1,000. Cheaper laptops may offer them as upgrades. While neither the Intel Core Ultra 7 256V nor 258V are the most powerful SKUs in Intel’s latest line-up, their iGPU looks impressive on paper. Both are badged as Intel Arc 140V, which is the best version of Arc integrated graphics in the Lunar Lake line-up. They have eight Intel Xe Cores, the same number as higher Lunar Lake SKUs. With that out of the way, let’s get to the benchmarks. 3DMark Let’s start things off with 3DMark’s Time Spy and Night Raid tests. Time Spy is a more demanding (but still not especially punishing) benchmark while Night Raid is a less demanding benchmark meant for entry-level graphics hardware, including integrated graphics. Matthew Smith / IDG The Asus Zenbook S 14’s Arc 140V shows strong synthetic benchmark performance, scoring 31,946 in Night Raid and 4,236 in Time Spy. That’s a big improvement over the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition’s results of 28,193 and 3,585, respectively. While the Zenbook puts Intel closer to competing with AMD’s Radeon 890M, AMD still maintains an advantage of 39,966 in Night Raid, though it falls behind in Time Spy. That suggests we’ll see varied results in actual games, with Asus’ implementation providing stronger performance than our initial Lenovo test unit. Onward, to the games! Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Let’s give a polite round of applause to . First released in October 2016, the game is now eight years old — and over the course of that journey, it has roughly doubled its active player base since the months following its launch (based on publicly available Steam stats). With due out in 2025, the sun is setting on this title. But, at the moment, it’s still by far the most popular and commercially successful entry in the franchise. It’s also a less demanding game that’s playable even when frame rates dip below 30 FPS, which makes it easy to enjoy on mid-range, thin-and-light laptops with integrated graphics. Matthew Smith / IDG The Asus Zenbook’s Arc 140V delivers 72.46 FPS average with 43.35 FPS 1% lows. While this matches the Lenovo’s average frame rate of 72.6 FPS, the improved 1% low (compared to Lenovo’s 55.6 FPS) suggests more stable performance. However, both Intel Arc 140V laptops trail significantly behind AMD’s Radeon 890M and Radeon 880M, which average 126.5 and 89.9 FPS, respectively. Even the older Radeon 780M beats Intel’s Arc 140V by a few frames per second. That’s a huge advantage for AMD in this title. Dota 2 Although not often discussed in “mainstream” gaming news, still typically sits among the top three games on Steam and has a vibrant esports scene. It’s also the least demanding game used for this test. Matthew Smith / IDG ‘s average frame rate sees another marginal uplift for the Intel Arc 140V. Though it churned out a slightly better average frame rate, its advantage comes down to just a handful of frames, which is trivial in a game that averages above 100 FPS. The minimum frame rate is more impactful. The Asus Zenbook S 14 beat a 1% low of 60 FPS, which means it can generally achieve 60 FPS or better in even the most demanding scenes. Intel Arc 140V beat the 1% lows from the AMD Radeon 880M and 890M laptops by roughly 10 FPS. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition was not as quick, however, and more-or-less tied its AMD-powered peers. Final Fantasy XIV is a personal favorite and remains among the most popular MMORPGs on the market. The latest expansion, , brought a graphics update that noticeably improves texture quality and polygon count. That makes it somewhat challenging for iGPUs to handle, though most can deliver an average around 30 FPS or better at High (Laptop) detail. Matthew Smith / IDG These results are the opposite of what we saw from . The Intel laptops dominate, with the Asus Zenbook S 14 averaging nearly 52 FPS and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition averaging about 45 FPS. Both figures leave AMD’s Radeon 890M and Radeon 880M behind. Total War: Warhammer III Though it sits in the same grand strategy genre as , Creative Assembly’s is far more demanding. It’s enough to challenge the most capable iGPUs, even at just 1080p and the Low detail preset. Intel’s Arc 140V is no exception. Matthew Smith / IDG This is a disappointing result for Intel. While the Asus Zenbook S 14 with Intel Arc 140V delivered a small performance boost over the prior generation of Intel Arc, the game still can’t provide a consistent 30 FPS at these settings. The slower Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is even worse off, as it averaged a tad under 30 FPS. AMD’s Radeon 890M notches a win here, raising the minimum frame rate above the crucial 30 FPS line. The Radeon 880M, on the other hand, finds itself tied with Intel Arc 140V. It’s playable, I suppose, but barely. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Though over 10 years old at this point, is a game that keeps on giving. It remains popular and, thanks to graphical upgrades in the , it’s still somewhat demanding for iGPUs when played at 1080p resolution and High detail. Matthew Smith / IDG These results are good for Intel. While none exactly hit 60 FPS, it’s important to note the game has a 60 FPS cap. Because of that, it’s the minimum frame rate that matters most — and Intel’s Arc 140V beats both the AMD Radeon 890M and Radeon 880M by that metric. On the other hand, the older Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with Intel Arc delivered performance very close to the Asus Zenbook S 14 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition with Intel Arc 140V. plays well on Intel Arc 140V, but Intel’s prior-gen hardware is nearly as good. Cyberpunk 2077 We finish off with , a notoriously demanding game that, despite a lackluster launch, has roared back to popularity in part thanks to its visually stunning and immersive world. Matthew Smith / IDG This is a good result for the Intel Arc 140V, which delivers a noticeable improvement over its predecessor. Asus’ Zenbook S 14 took a clear lead over the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, as the Asus averaged about 48 FPS against the Lenovo’s 40 FPS. Compared to the AMD-powered systems, Intel’s Arc 140V seems to edge out the AMD Radeon 880M, but it falls behind the AMD Radeon 890M. Still, it’s important to note the Intel Arc 140V scored both average and minimum frame rates above 30 FPS at these settings. That means the game should feel playable on Intel’s Arc 140V — which, given how demanding this game can be, is impressive. Intel Arc 140V performance discussion Intel’s Arc 140V is definitely superior to the prior-gen Intel Arc offering. How much so depends on the game, but best-case scenarios see that it can increase average frame rates by up to 25 percent. That would be significant in any case, but it’s especially important for integrated graphics solutions that often struggle to hit the 30 FPS target in modern titles. An extra 25 percent can mean the difference between clearing a minimum frame rate of 30 FPS or falling short a few frames — and that’s exactly what happens in . However, not every game saw a noticeable performance boost. was no quicker on the new Intel Arc 140V than it was on an older Dell Inspiron 14 Plus with first-gen Intel Arc. The performance uplift was also rather marginal in and . To be fair, though, all these games were enjoyable at the settings we used for testing. We also saw a notable difference in performance between the and . While the former felt like a respectable upgrade over the prior generation, the latter just barely edged ahead. We’ve also tried other laptops with Intel’s Arc 140V, like the , and we’ve found that performance leans closer to the Asus Zenbook S 14 than the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (so far). But this goes to show that, in 2024, you can’t count on a graphics solution to perform similarly across all laptops that use it. You’ll need to read a review of the specific laptop you want to buy. How does the Intel Arc 140V compare to AMD’s Radeon 880M and Radeon 890M? We’d say the Intel Arc 140V has a general edge over the AMD Radeon 880M but isn’t as quick overall as the AMD Radeon 890M. As mentioned, it depends on the particulars of a given laptop. The verdict on Intel’s Arc 140V In summary, the Intel Arc 140V is a good update over prior Intel Arc integrated graphics. It pushes integrated graphics performance in a way that is at times meaningful, especially in more demanding games (like ) that struggle to offer a steady 30 FPS. In other games, like , the performance increase is evident in benchmarks but slim enough that it’s hard to notice in real gameplay. The real winner in all of this, truth be told, is you. Intel Arc and AMD Radeon integrated graphics solutions are competitive, and that competition is forcing both companies to put their best feet forward. In fact, Intel Arc 140V and AMD Radeon 880M/Radeon 890M graphics can now deliver performance that isn’t far behind some laptops with Nvidia GTX 3050 mobile graphics — and thanks to that, there’s a buffet of modestly priced laptops that can handle today’s most popular PC games. Matthew S. Smith is a freelance technology journalist with 15 years of experience reviewing consumer electronics. In addition to PCWorld, his work can be found on Wired, Ars Technica, Digital Trends, Reviewed, IGN, and Lifewire. Matthew also covers AI and the metaverse for IEEE Spectrum and runs Computer Gaming Yesterday, a YouTube channel devoted to PC gaming history.
Jaylen Brown scores 29 points before Celtics beat Timberwolves 107-105 with late defensive standMaverick McNealy birdies the last hole at Sea Island to finally become PGA Tour winnerMobile homes are a viable form of low-income housing. So, why isn’t it being factored in to solve the housing crisis?
Gautam Adani's conglomerate could find it harder to get funding following a U.S. arrest warrant for its billionaire founder, with some banks considering halting fresh credit to the Indian group due to an alleged $265 million bribery scheme. Some global banks are considering temporarily halting fresh credit to the Adani Group after the U.S. indictment but maintaining existing loans, sources told Reuters. Ratings agency S&P warned in a statement that the group will need regular access to equity and debt markets given its large growth plans, but it might find fewer takers. "We believe domestic, as well as some international banks and bond market investors, look at Adani entities as a group, and could set group limits on their exposure," it said. However, S&P added that the rated entities have "no immediate and lumpy" debt maturities. Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI 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 Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays 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 Finance Tally Prime & GST Accounting: Complete Guide By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Web Development JavaScript Essentials: Unlock AI-Driven Insights with ChatGPT 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 Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Advanced Java Mastery: Object-Oriented Programming Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Microsoft Word Mastery: From Beginner to Expert By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant 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 Leadership From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience 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 Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Leadership Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Senior executives at two of Adani's global lenders said that they have had multiple calls within their respective banks to discuss exposure to the group and what the impact of the indictment would be on its financial position. Research firm CreditSights highlighted refinancing for the conglomerate's green energy business, which is at the centre of the allegations, as its biggest near-term concern. Bonds issued by the Adani Group dropped sharply for a second day on Friday and although the shares of some Adani firms clawed back some of Thursday's losses, the overall market value of all 10 stocks has dropped by $27.9 billion over two sessions. Adani Green Energy, which is at the centre of the U.S. allegations, has lost nearly $7 billion of its value. U.S. authorities have charged Adani and seven other people with agreeing to pay bribes to Indian government officials to obtain contracts that could yield $2 billion of profit over 20 years as well as to develop India's largest solar power project. Adani Group has said the accusations as well as those levelled by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in a parallel civil case are "baseless and denied" and that it will seek "all possible legal recourse". Some analysts said the fallout was unlikely to be limited to the Adani group of companies. "India's renewable energy sector, a critical pillar for global climate goals, may face reduced international investment as a result of this controversy," said Nimish Maheshwari, an independent analyst who publishes on Smartkarma. "Investors may demand greater transparency and due diligence, slowing down the pace of project financing." The Securities and Exchange Board of India, the country's market regulator, is making preliminary checks to see if disclosures made by Adani entities were inadequate and if they breached local market regulations, a SEBI official told Reuters. SEBI did not respond to a request for comment. The regulator has completed a separate investigation into the group, but not yet issued orders, after Hindenburg Research in January 2023 alleged improper use of tax havens and stock manipulation, which the group has denied. Falls in Adani dollar bond prices on Friday included a 2.5c drop on the dollar for 2029 Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone bonds. At 87.8c, they are down more than 5c over the two sessions. Longer-dated maturities have fallen around 5c in two days and trade just below 80c. Adani Transmission and Adani Electricity Mumbai bond prices had similar declines. Investors are also watching to see if more Adani deals could be scuttled after Kenya cancelled a procurement process worth nearly $2 billion that had been widely expected to award control of the country's main airport to the group. It also nixed a 30-year, $736-million public-private partnership deal that an Adani Group firm signed with the energy ministry last month to construct power transmission lines. Adani Green also cancelled a scheduled $600 million U.S. bond sale. U.S. prosecutors say Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani and others bribed Indian officials to gain business advantages in renewable energy projects in India that benefited Adani Green and a company called Azure Power, which was listed on the New York Stock Exchange until late 2023. They are also accused of making misleading statements to the public, including U.S. investors, despite being made aware of the U.S. investigation in 2023. Adani has not appeared in public or commented on social media since the indictment and his whereabouts remain unclear. Indian authorities have not responded to opposition calls for a probe into the indictment, which came not long after Adani raised $1.5 billion through two share sales by flagship firm Adani Enterprises and power distribution arm Adani Energy Solutions. (Reporting by Scott Murdoch and Tom Westbrook; Additional reporting by Chris Thomas, Ira Dugal, Aditya Kalra and Krishna Das; Editing by Edwina Gibbs and Alexander Smith) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, dies at 85
James Earl Carter Jr., the 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, died Sunday at the age of 100. Here are some of the statements released by Virginia officials about the late president: From left to right, Virginia House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, a Shenandoah Republican, listens to Gov. Glenn Youngkin speak, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, at the Patrick Henry Building in Richmond. "Suzanne and I join our nation to mourn the passing of Jimmy Carter, a devoted public servant and 39th president. He served our country in the Navy, as Georgia state senator and as the governor of Georgia. We are praying for the Carter family during this difficult time. His faith was always inspiring to others, may he rest in peace.” Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears presides over the state Senate during a reconvened session in the Virginia Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2023. "We pray for the peace of the Lord to be with former President Jimmy Carter and his family. We are deeply grateful for his years of sacrifice, including his tireless work building homes through Habitat for Humanity and his dedication to supporting the incarcerated. We also honor his service to our country, especially his years in the United States Navy." U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat and chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, attends a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new National Security Data and Policy Institute at the University of Virginia, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, inside the Rotunda at UVa. “Jimmy Carter blazed a trail from the peanut fields of Plains, Georgia, to the Navy, the governor’s mansion, the White House, and to a remarkable post-presidential career – modeling leadership, philanthropy, and love of country every step of the way. We lost a giant." U.S. Sen Tim Kaine speaks to the press after a roundtable discussion on prescription drug prices with the Jefferson Area Board for Aging, Friday, June 21, 2024, in Charlottesville. “President Carter dedicated his life to public service – from the Navy to the Georgia governorship and White House and countless causes, including the construction of affordable housing, after his presidency. America is better for his service, and I’m praying for his family.” Speaker of the House Don Scott, a Portsmith Democrat, speaks to a crowd during a gun safety rally at the state Capitol in Richmond on Lobby Day, Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. “President Carter’s commitment to human rights, his tireless work for peace, and his deep sense of moral clarity were not just hallmarks of his presidency, but of his entire life. He lived by a standard that showed us all what it means to be filled with kindness, to act with empathy, and to give without expecting anything in return." U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, a Virginia Democrat, speaks during an interview at Libbie Mill Library in Henrico County, Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, after she announced she will run for governor. "President Jimmy Carter led a life of service. He donned the U.S. Navy’s uniform, dedicated himself to his home state, ascended to the Oval Office, and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his commitment to global human rights. May his legacy continue to inspire generations." Democratic state Sen. Creigh Deeds meets with The Daily Progress, Thursday, June 15, 2023, at Common House in downtown Charlottesville. "RIP President Jimmy Carter, the best ex President we’ve had and an honest, honorable man." Del. Katrina Callsen, a Charlottesville Democrat, speaks during a press conference in support of the Affordable Care Act, Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024, at a Democratic campaign office just north of Charlottesville. "RIP President Carter. Thank you for all that you've given to the United States." U.S. Rep. Jennifer McClellan, a Democrat who represents Virginia's 4th Congressional District, waits to greet voters at Main Street Station in Richmond where voting takes place, on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. "Today, we mourn the loss of President Jimmy Carter, a true embodiment of servant leadership. A veteran, human rights champion, and philanthropic leader, he helped move our nation forward ... He will be sorely missed." U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott is a Democrat who represents Virginia's 3rd Congressional District in Congress. "I join those across our nation and the world mourning the passing of President Jimmy Carter. A deeply principled and family man, he dedicated his life to public service — not only to his fellow Americans, but to humanitarian causes around the world. Through the Carter Center, his work with Habitat for Humanity, and his advocacy for democracy and human rights at home and abroad, President Carter redefined how former presidents can continue to serve and positively impact the world years after their presidency. His accomplishments as president live on, but so will his vast contributions to society he made after his term in office.” U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, a Virginia Democrat, attends a news conference about the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, in Washington, Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. "Jimmy Carter lived a life of kindness, compassion, and decency. He never forgot his roots as a Navy veteran and peanut farmer, never stopped fighting racism and oppression, and never stopped helping others or working to make the world a better place. A great human being." U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, a Virginia Democrat, listens at an event in Fairfax on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2020. "Jimmy Carter was the best of us. An exemplary human being and a committed public servant, he was an underappreciated president who got consequential things done in his one term. I wish his family peace as they grieve this loss. A nation mourns with them." State Sen. Aaron Rouse, a Virginia Beach Democrat, walks through the Senate chambers at the Capitol in Richmond. Susan Swecker is the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia. "My first paid campaign job in politics was for Jimmy Carter's re-election campaign in 1980 as a field organizer for the 6th Congressional District in Virginia. As a bright-eyed young American eager to get involved in politics, I saw President Carter embody the qualities we needed — courage, empathy, and integrity —both then and still, now. ... On behalf of a grateful Democratic Party of Virginia, I offer our deep condolences to President Carter’s children, grandchildren, and extended family. For generations to come, his memory will serve as a driving force for how we can do good in our communities. We thank him for his service to this country and for leaving the world a better place." Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney poses for a photo outside of City Hall on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. "My deepest condolences go out to President Carter's family. President Carter was the embodiment of public service, and, as a nation, we mourn his passing. May his memory be a blessing. Thank you for everything, Mr. President." Daily Progress staff contributed to this story. Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.
Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball , the players’ association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. A family friend told Listín Diario — a newspaper in Carty’s native Dominican Republic — that he died Saturday night in an Atlanta hospital. “Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favorite,” the players' association said in its statement . The Braves said Carty left an indelible mark on the organization. “While his on-field accomplishments will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be sorely missed,” the team said in its statement. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise's first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Carty had his best year in 1970, batting .366 with 25 homers and a career-best 101 RBIs. He started the All-Star Game after he was elected as a write-in candidate, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs over 15 years in the majors, also playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1979 season. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
Heavy equipment operators from more than 40 countries compete to claim worldwide title in largest challenge to date IRVING, Texas, Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today launched its third Global Operator Challenge, inviting thousands of machine operators worldwide to put their agility, resilience and versatility to the test on a wide range of construction equipment and technology. "For nearly 100 years, our customers have been pushing the limits with our machines," said Caterpillar Construction Industries Group President Tony Fassino. "This challenge helps showcase and celebrate the exceptional skills of the expert men and women in this important profession as they forge their legacies of being the best operators in the world." More than 140 Cat® dealer competitions were held during the 2022-2023 challenge, which attracted more than 10,000 operators from 32 countries. The 2025-2026 challenge aims to include more events, countries and operators than previous programs. Invitation for Operators Operators are invited to compete in local challenges facilitated by Cat dealers around the globe during the first round, being held from January – September 2025. The competitions will feature at least three different challenges on at least three separate pieces of equipment. Scoring is based on the operator's skills, safety, efficiency and competence in using integrated technology such as payload, grade control and operator ease-of-use features to enhance the machine's performance. Winners from local dealer events will advance to regional semifinal competitions during the fall of 2025. Nine finalists will emerge from the regional semifinals and participate in the final competition in March 2026 at Caterpillar's outdoor Festival Grounds exhibit during CONEXPO-CON/AGG in Las Vegas. The winner receives either a $10,000 cash prize or an equal value trip for two where Caterpillar has a location worldwide. For more information and official rules about the Global Operator Challenge, including how to participate, visit www.cat.com/operatorchallenge . About Caterpillar With 2023 sales and revenues of $67.1 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we've been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments – Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation – and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels at caterpillar.com/en/news/social-media.html . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/caterpillar-invites-worlds-most-skilled-operators-to-forge-their-legacies-through-third-global-operator-challenge-302326150.html SOURCE Caterpillar Inc.For the last 15 years, Zac Paeth and Gene Walters have spent Black Friday under the weight of shopping bags. This year, they were spotted at Woodfield Mall walking out of the busy Lego store with yellow shopping bags filled with toys like the recently-released Nightmare Before Christmas set that’s been “selling out everywhere.” Wearing matching Santa hats and holding Starbucks holiday cups, it’s a tradition for them to spend the day after Thanksgiving hunting down deals. “I’ve done Black Friday shopping where I haven’t bought anything — just got out there for fun. My daughter’s here with her friends, and we drive around and pick up three of her friends,” Walters said. “It feels like some of the specials are back this year ... so sometimes, like I said, I’ll spend nothing, and then there’ll be times like this where I spend a lot.” Zac Paeth (left) and Gene Walters outside the Lego store at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times Chicagoans flocked to malls and big-box chains for Black Friday to snag holiday deals, and many took part in the tradition at 6 a.m., when most centers like Woodfield opened its doors. “This is our super bowl,” said Emily Holdeman, assistant director of marketing at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. “I think it’s a tradition for [people]. I think it’s a fun thing to get their coffees; they get their energy drinks.” Retailers like Best Buy, Amazon and Target have been pushing holiday deals for weeks, but Black Friday remains the biggest day of the year for retail foot traffic in the U.S., according to retail technology company Sensormatic Solutions. “It’s important for them to be able to get shoppers into their store to show them that experience of what it’s like to browse and touch and feel items. It also can be a bellwether for retailers on what to expect for the rest of the holiday season,” Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic, said. A record 183.4 million people plan to shop in stores and online from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, according to the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. That’s more than the previous record of 182 million people set in 2023. NRF also forecast holiday sales in November and December to total $979.5 billion and $989 billion, growing between 2.5% and 3.5% year over year. Separately, digital research firm Adobe expects overall U.S. online holiday sales to hit $240.8 billion, representing 8.4% growth over last year. Christa Sowa, of Glen Ellyn, has passed on her enthusiasm for early morning shopping to her daughter, Liliana, 12, and even her daughter’s friend, Natalie Hauser, 11. The girls sported matching french braids. “That is cute,” Christa Sowa said to Liliana Sowa, who was holding up a black kids T-shirt inside activewear shop Athleta. “Add it to the stack.” The Sowas started regularly visiting Woodfield on Black Friday a few years ago as a way to get out of the house after the COVID-19 lockdowns lifted. When Christa Sowa briefly went next door to look at cheerleading uniforms at the Cheer Shoppe, Liliana and Natalie practiced TikTok dances in the mirror at Athleta. “I grew up with Black Friday shopping. It was such a tradition to get up and go,” Christa Sowa said. “I came down at 5 this morning, and they were already up ready to go. ... They’re at the age where they need independence, and they want to come and look a little bit and explore, and so I feel comfortable with that here.” While the 6 a.m. traffic was quiet heading into Woodfield, much of the parking lot was full by 9 a.m. and the mall was packed with shoppers. Jewelry store Pandora normally draws long lines on Black Friday, store manager Patricia Cigarroa said, but it wasn’t as busy Friday. “We actually started our Black Friday deals two weeks ago,” Cigarroa said. “[Shoppers] didn’t have to deal with getting up at 6 in the morning. That would be my guess. Otherwise, I can’t explain it. I geared up the store, and I have enough [staff] to take care of the typical traffic, but they aren’t here.” Tanisha Thomas (right) looks at jewelry at Pandora at Woodfield Mall. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times But some Pandora customers like Tanisha Thomas, 29, and Joe Alm, 24, were ready to shop there before 7 a.m. Thomas has had her eye on a ring and was able to purchase it at the store. “Pandora is my go-to,” she said. “It’s easier to just buy it in person now and see what you want without having to return it or deal with shipping.” Brynn Skinner, 14, also prefers shopping in person. She joined her friends at 5:30 a.m. for her first Black Friday experience after seeing TikTok videos advertising deals. “I don’t want to wait. I hate waiting for my packages,” Brynn said. At the Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, lines wrapped around stores with wait times of more than an hour. Polo Ralph Lauren touted a 50% off sale and had 100 people in line by 8:45 a.m., while the Nike store had about 50 people waiting in line. Other retailers like Converse were also offering deep discounts of up to 50% off. Shoppers line up outside Polo Ralph Lauren at Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, Ill. on Black Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times Katie Walsh, senior marketing manager for Fashion Outlets of Chicago, said there were “tons of lines” before its 6 a.m. opening, with many outside stores like Gucci, Lululemon and Ugg. DJ Lani Love spun tunes at the outlet mall, where roller skating dancers would later perform to keep the energy up during the long shopping day. “A lot of our stores are offering exclusive Black Friday deals or outlet exclusive products that makes you really have to come here,” Walsh said. “The other thing, too — the luxury stores don’t broadcast their Black Friday sales. So if you wanna know, you actually have to come here to see what it is.” Meanwhile, big-box chains like Target offered exclusive merchandise. The retailer was selling a Taylor Swift Eras Tour book and a bonus CD and vinyl edition of her “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology” album, only available in stores on Black Friday before customers can buy them online starting Saturday. Mari Flores, 18, looks at Taylor Swift’s “The Anthology” CD at Target’s Harlem Irving Plaza store in Norridge. Pat Nabong/Sun-Times Mari Flores, 18, is a big Swiftie fan but was thinking of her 29-year-old sister while shopping at the Harlem Irving Plaza Target in Norridge. She was purchasing the exclusive Taylor Swift CD as a gift. “[My sister] collects the CDs,” Flores said. “I’m the one who collects the vinyls. We’ve gotten the Target collabs before, and I like collecting the different versions.” Vicky Hernandez was in the toy aisle, clutching several Rainbow High dolls that were $10 off. She said she misses how Black Friday shopping used to be a decade ago. “I think online shopping has changed it,” Hernandez said. “It’s not like it used to be. I enjoy the chaos. We used to go to witness the chaos, not necessarily to fight over the items.” Contributing: Amy Yee and AP Vicky Hernandez and Efrain Hernandez, who are cousins, shop for Rainbow High Dolls at the Target store on Harlem Irving Plaza on Black Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. | Pat Nabong/Sun-Times Pat Nabong/Sun-Times