NEW YORK — Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Greg Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time,” said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. Related Articles He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season.The debate over a potential value-added tax (VAT) hike has reignited following remarks by Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira at a seminar, where he mentioned ongoing studies on tax reform, including VAT adjustments. The broader discussion on tax reform -- potentially increasing VAT while reducing corporate and personal income taxes to 15% -- raises questions about Thailand's fiscal strategy. Although the minister did not explicitly state the government has plans to raise VAT from its current rate of 7% to 15%, his comments highlighting that Thailand's VAT is relatively low compared to the 15–20% in many countries sparked widespread public criticism. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra responded to curb the public outcry, reassuring the public via social media that her government would not raise VAT to 15%. While reducing corporate and personal income taxes could stimulate economic activity and consumption, the notion of raising VAT to compensate remains controversial. Critics argue such a move disproportionately affects low-income groups, who would bear a heavier burden relative to their income, while wealthier individuals and corporations benefit from tax reductions. This perception has fuelled criticism that a VAT hike equates to "the poor paying to save the rich". Thailand's VAT rate, introduced at 10% in 1992 and reduced to 7% in 1997 during an economic downturn, is indeed among the lowest in the world. Over the past two decades, Thailand's political landscape, dominated by populist policies requiring substantial funding, has compounded this issue. Successive administrations have introduced programmes targeting grassroots voters without clearly identifying funding sources. The result is a persistent shortfall in government revenue, even as demands for expanded social welfare programmes and public infrastructure grow. Successive governments have considered increasing VAT to bolster state coffers but have faced fierce opposition. This resistance stems from a lack of public trust in how additional revenue will be used and concerns about the fairness of taxation. The question is not whether Thailand needs to increase VAT -- it does. State revenues are insufficient to fund essential social services, let alone support infrastructure development, human capital investment, or national competitiveness. However, any VAT increase must come with clarity and accountability. Research by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) challenges the criticism that a VAT hike disproportionately burdens low-income people. In principle, VAT is a fair tax applied universally. Funds collected from a VAT increase could strengthen social welfare, improve public services, and support national development. Nevertheless, public resistance to a VAT hike often stems from scepticism about the government's intentions. Many fear additional revenue will finance political campaign promises rather than benefit the broader public. The government must outline a clear and transparent roadmap for making use of the increased revenue. For instance, promising to allocate funds to universal healthcare improvements or other initiatives that benefit the majority would reassure the public that the additional tax burden serves the greater good. Raising VAT is a politically sensitive issue that requires careful implementation. A phased approach, with incremental increases over several years, would allow businesses and households time to adapt.WSP Global Inc. (WSP) To Go Ex-Dividend on December 31st
James Glenday is announced as Michael Rowland's ABC News Breakfast replacementGerman President Frank-Walter Steinmeier dissolved parliament on Friday and confirmed the expected February date for an early general election after the collapse of Olaf Scholz's government last month. Scholz's coalition was brought down by internal fights about how to revive Europe's largest economy but a deadly car-ramming attack at a Christmas market last week has renewed the country's heated debates over security and immigration. Confirming the February 23 date for the election, Steinmeier emphasised the need for "political stability" and appealed for the campaign to be "conducted with respect and decency". He also said that he wanted "the campaign to be conducted with fair and transparent means" and warned of the dangers of "foreign influence... which is particularly intense on X," the social media platform owned by billionaire Elon Musk. "Hatred and violence must have no place in this election campaign, nor denigration or intimidation... all this is poison for democracy," Steinmeier said. Scholz's Social Democrats are lagging badly in polls on just 15 percent. His unruly three-party coalition collapsed on November 6, the day Donald Trump won re-election to the White House. That led Scholz to call a confidence vote last week which he lost, paving the way for an early election. He will remain in office as a caretaker chancellor until a new government is formed, which could take several months after the election. In his speech, Steinmeier reminded political parties and voters of the host of challenges the next government will face given the "economically unstable situation... the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine" as well as debates over immigration and climate change. On security, both the CDU and SPD want to keep helping Ukraine in its war with Russia and spend two percent of GDP or more on Germany's defence. While the CDU programme remains vague on what weapons to ship to Kyiv, the SPD opposes sending long-range missiles because "Germany and NATO must not themselves become parties to the war". On the thorny issue of how to boost Germany's ailing economy, both parties want to reinvigorate the "Made in Germany" brand, boost investment and upgrade crumbling infrastructure. On climate and energy, the SPD has vowed to promote renewables, e-mobility and an ambitious green hydrogen initiative, while the CDU said it would reverse the planned phase-out of combustion engine vehicles COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our
De'Aaron Fox's Future with Kings Debated by NBA Fans After Mike Brown FiringAcadian Timber Corp. to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.29 (TSE:ADN)Janet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-January
'Ten out of ten' Netflix film is dubbed 'the best movie ever' by fansSacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown called out his players for not fouling the Detroit Pistons, up three, which allowed Detroit's Jaden Ivey to not only hit a tying three-pointer but also get fouled in the act, hitting a free throw to seal the four-point play and ultimately earn a 114-113 win. He referenced star point guard De'Aaron Fox more than once in his postgame comments: Less than 24 hours later, the Kings fired Brown, per Shams Charania of ESPN. And that had pundits and fans on social media debating whether Brown's firing is something that Fox might have requested, which will entice him to stick around Sacramento—amid comments this year suggesting he's not thrilled with the direction of the franchise—or whether the dysfunction around the team, including Friday's firing, will lead to him seeking a departure: The Kings are entering an incredibly important period with Fox. He's under contract for the remainder of this season and next season, but after that could hit free agency. He's already turned down an extension offer, though that was logical, as signing an extension next offseason would allow him to sign a bigger deal. If Fox doesn't sign an extension before the 2025-26 season, however, the Kings have basically two decisions: Trade him, or allow him to hit free agency and hope he doesn't sign elsewhere, leaving the Kings with zero assets in return for his departure. More than likely, they would take the first option. At this point for the Kings, finding a way to keep Fox engaged in the team's future is priority No. 1. If he and Brown were no longer seeing eye-to-eye, Friday's decision is easy enough to understand. It certainly didn't help Brown's cause that Sacramento is just 13-18 on the season and currently 12th in the Eastern Conference after failing to advance past the Play-In Tournament last season. If the Kings can't rectify that either, Fox is as good as gone. Firing Brown appeared to be a last-ditch effort to keep the star point guard happy in Sacramento.
Elon Musk endorses X post bashing ‘re***ded’ American workersJanet Yellen tells Congress US could hit debt limit in mid-JanuaryBy JOHN WAWROW ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the unraveling and undisciplined New York Jets on Sunday. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. Allen had a short and efficient outing, finishing 16 of 27 for 182 yards with a and a 14-yarder to Keon Coleman before giving way to backup Mitchell Trubisky with Buffalo leading 33-0 through three quarters. And Trubisky piled on by completing a 69-yard touchdown pass to practice squad call-up Tyrell Shavers 2:23 into the fourth quarter. Allen’s two-TD passing outing was the 64th of his career to match Peyton Manning for the third most in a player’s first seven NFL seasons. Patrick Mahomes holds the record with 67 two-TD outings in that span, followed by Dan Marino’s 65. Allen also became the NFL’s first player with five consecutive 40-TD seasons, while his 1-yard score was the 65th rushing TD of his career, matching the team record held by Thurman Thomas. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record, and will open the playoffs hosting the conference’s seventh-seeded team in two weeks. The outing was a meltdown for Rodgers and the Jets (4-12), who will finish with five or fewer wins for the seventh time over a 14-season playoff drought — the NFL’s longest active streak. Rodgers, who entered the game with 499 career TD passes and looking to become just the fifth player to reach 500, instead was shut out and replaced by Tyrod Taylor with 12:37 remaining. Discipline was an issue for a Jets team that fell to 2-9 since Jeff Ulbrich took over as interim coach. New York finished with 16 accepted penalties for 120 yards. Taylor accounted for New York’s only points with a 9-yard TD pass to Garrett Wilson and a 20-yarder to Tyler Conklin in a game played in blustery, unseasonably warm conditions, with temperatures in the mid-50s Farenheit (10 Celsius) and winds gusting up to 35 mph (56 kmph). Rodgers finished 12 of 18 for 112 yards with two interceptions after entering the game having thrown only one in his past eight outings. He was also sacked four times, pushing his career total to 568, moving ahead of Tom Brady (565) and into first place on the NFL list. The outing became a comedy of errors for the Jets. Trailing 7-0 after Allen’s 1-yard run, New York’s three possession of the first half ended with turning the ball over on downs Buffalo’s 24; Rodgers being intercepted at his own 17 by ; and being sacked for a safety by A.J. Epenesa. The bottom fell out to close the third quarter when Rodgers’ being intercepted by Christian Benford led to Cooper’s leaping TD grab put Buffalo up 19-0. James Cook scored on a 1-yard run on Buffalo’s next possession with 1:15 left, and Coleman’s touchdown with 12 seconds left in the third was set up after Wilson lost a fumble. The Bills finished their third season with a perfect record, and first since 1990, by going 8-0 at home. They’ve won 11 straight regular-season home games dating to last season since dropping a 24-22 decision to Denver on Nov. 13. Jets CB Sauce Gardner aggravated a hamstring injury in the first half and was ruled out in the third quarter. Jets: Close the season hosting the Miami Dolphins. Bills: Play their regular-season finale at the New England Patriots. ___ AP NFL:
Hubbard scores 14 of his 25 points late as Mississippi State pulls away from Prairie View A&M, 91-84Raiders 120kg beast to make comeback after premature retirement
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Dave & Buster’s coming summer 2025A Conservative member of Parliament met with Donald Trump’s second-in-command over the weekend as Canada prepares for the U.S. president-elect’s return to the White House next month amid threats of devastating tariffs. Jamil Jivani said he had dinner with vice-president-elect JD Vance and British Conservative Opposition Leader Kemi Badenoch on Saturday in Arlington, Va., not far from Washington. “The dinner was a good opportunity to catch up with my longtime friend, the vice president-elect, and also meet the new leader of the U.K. Conservative party,” Jivani, the MP for Durham, said Sunday. “I think it’s pretty clear right now that for the good of Canada we need to be able to build strong relationships with our allies. I felt like the dinner we had was good for that purpose.” A source with knowledge of the gathering said they discussed the importance of building strong relationships between all three countries. The source said Jivani invited the vice president-elect to come to Bowmanville, in his Ontario riding, in the new year. Jivani has been friends with the U.S. senator for Ohio since they both attended Yale University. Jivani has written about their close relationship and spoke at Vance’s wedding. Jivani shared a picture after Saturday’s dinner on social media, marking the first time he has publicly posted about meeting with his friend since the November election. The display of cross-border camaraderie comes as Trump lobs tariff threats against America’s closest neighbours and ahead of a review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. A Team Canada approach was quickly formed following Trump’s first win in 2016, when the Republican promised to tear up the North American Free Trade Agreement and impose tariffs. At that time, Trudeau reached out to former Tory prime minister Brian Mulroney to be an adviser. Former Conservative ministers Rona Ambrose and James Moore also joined the effort. The Canadian approach has appeared less unified this time around. Provincial leaders, particularly Ontario Premier Doug Ford, have called on Ottawa to do more to avoid threatened duties. Thanks to the VP-elect and @KemiBadenoch for a great conversation in DC. pic.twitter.com/aEBmDiSR9t Jivani confirmed that despite his close relationship with the incoming vice-president, he has not been contacted by anyone in the governing Liberals “in relation to things concerning the United States.” He also has not been contacted by anyone in the Ontario government. Trudeau met with other federal party leaders after his unprecedented surprise dinner with Trump at the Republican’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. The prime minister asked the other leaders not to negotiate against Canada in public by saying things like the border is broken, and that they impart the message that Trump’s tariffs would harm the American economy, too. But, in response, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trudeau had lost control of crucial government files, like the budget and the border, and put Canada in a weak position. Poilievre said Sunday he could not speak to what his Conservative MP and the vice president-elect discussed because he was not at the dinner. “Every single Conservative would tell every single American that a tariff on Canada is a bad idea,” Poilievre said. “We need to put Canada first and that’s what we will do. We will fight these tariffs from a position of strength.” A general election must be held by October next year, but it could come sooner if the Liberals lose the confidence of the House. Whoever wins will be in charge of the 2026 review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement. Polling has long shown the Conservatives leading against Trudeau’s governing Liberals. Poilievre initially described the threatened duties as “unjustified.” He later criticized Trudeau for being weak. Trudeau accused Poilievre of being unhelpful in his criticisms and said there’s a long-standing tradition of all political stripes pulling together when the country comes under threat. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”
WASHINGTON — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her agency will need to start taking “extraordinary measures,” or special accounting maneuvers intended to prevent the nation from hitting the debt ceiling , as early as January 14, in a letter sent to congressional leaders Friday afternoon. "Treasury expects to hit the statutory debt ceiling between January 14 and January 23," she wrote in a letter addressed to House and Senate leadership, at which point extraordinary measures would be used to prevent the government from breaching the nation's debt ceiling — which was suspended until Jan. 1, 2025. The department in the past deployed what are known as “extraordinary measures” or accounting maneuvers to keep the government operating. Once those measures run out, the government risks defaulting on its debt unless lawmakers and the president agree to lift the limit on the U.S. government’s ability to borrow. "I respectfully urge Congress to act to protect the full faith and credit of the United States," Yellen said. FILE - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen speaks during a visit to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) in Vienna, Va., on Jan. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) The news came after Democratic President Joe Biden signed a bill into law last week that averted a government shutdown but did not include Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s core debt demand to raise or suspend the nation’s debt limit. Congress approved the bill only after a fierce internal debate among Republicans over how to handle Trump's demand. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” Trump said in a statement. After a protracted debate in the summer of 2023 over how to fund the government, policymakers crafted the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which included suspending the nation's $31.4 trillion borrowing authority until Jan. 1, 2025. Notably however, Yellen said, on Jan. 2 the debt is projected to temporarily decrease due to a scheduled redemption of nonmarketable securities held by a federal trust fund associated with Medicare payments. As a result, “Treasury does not expect that it will be necessary to start taking extraordinary measures on January 2 to prevent the United States from defaulting on its obligations," she said. The federal debt stands at about $36 trillion — after ballooning across both Republican and Democratic administrations. The spike in inflation after the COVID-19 pandemic pushed up government borrowing costs such that debt service next year will exceed spending on national security. Republicans, who will have full control of the White House, House and Senate in the new year, have big plans to extend Trump's 2017 tax cuts and other priorities but are debating over how to pay for them. Many consumers may remember receiving their first credit card, either years ago in a plain envelope, or months ago from a smartphone app. Still other consumers may remember their newest card, maybe because it's the credit card they're now using exclusively to maximize cash back rewards or airline miles. But for most consumers, there's also a murky in-between where they add, drop and generally accumulate credit cards over time. Over the years, consumers may close some credit card accounts or leave some of their credit cards dormant as a backup form of payment, or perhaps left forgotten in a desk drawer. In the data below, Experian reveals the changes in consumers wallets in recent years. U.S. consumers, on average, carry fewer cards today than they did in 2017, when the typical wallet held 4.2 active credit cards. As of the third quarter (Q3) of 2023, consumers carried 3.9 cards on average. This average is up slightly since the early days of the pandemic, when consumers reduced their average credit card debt and number of accounts as the economy slowed. As Experian revealed earlier this year, credit card balances are still climbing, despite (and partially because of) higher interest rates. And while average balances are increasing, they are spread across fewer accounts than in recent years. Alternative financing—including buy now, pay later plans for purchases—may account for at least some of this discrepancy, as consumers gravitate toward these newer financing methods. In general, residents of higher-population states tend to carry more credit cards than those who live in states with fewer and smaller population centers. Nonetheless, the difference between the states is relatively small. Considering that the national average is around four credit cards per consumer, the four states with the fewest cards per consumer (Alaska, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming) aren't appreciably different, with "only" about 3.3 credit cards per consumer. Similarly, the four states on the higher end of the scale where consumers have 4.2 or more credit cards are Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, New Jersey and Rhode Island. The disparity in average credit card counts is more apparent when the population is segmented by age, thanks in part to Generation Z, many of whom have yet to receive their first credit card. The average number of credit cards for these consumers was two, less than half of what older generations keep on hand. The average number of credit cards held by each generation follows the familiar pattern seen in credit card balances, which tend to increase in a consumer's middle age. It's not surprising that the number of credit card accounts follows a similar climb throughout young adulthood and middle age, then drops off in the retirement years. No matter how many credit cards you may have at the moment, keep in mind that the number of accounts has little if any bearing on one's FICO Score. Far more important is how consumers manage those accounts. This is easily demonstrable by quickly stepping through some of the factors that affect your credit scores . Longer credit histories do tend to have a positive effect on a consumer's credit score, but it's not something you can rush. Adhering to on-time payments and managing amounts owed will go far in improving credit scores, even absent a lengthy credit history. While accounts closed in good standing remain on your credit report for 10 years, canceling your oldest credit card account still has the potential to shorten your credit history when it is eventually removed. The impact of its removal depends on any other active credit cards in your credit file. Ultimately, the number of cards a particular individual carries is a personal decision. Justifications can be found for carrying a travel rewards card, a cash back card, a balance transfer card, a card for business transactions and other types of credit cards that other consumers may not have either the need or qualifications for. However, keeping track of numerous credit cards, whether or not a consumer is actively using all of them, can be a mentally taxing exercise. Not only that, credit card fees can add up and dull the benefit of carrying several credit cards. Organized consumers can benefit greatly from a wallet full of specialized cards, but for those seeking a more zen-like financial future, some judicial pruning may be in order. Methodology: The analysis results provided are based on an Experian-created statistically relevant aggregate sampling of our consumer credit database that may include use of the FICO Score 8 version. Different sampling parameters may generate different findings compared with other similar analysis. Analyzed credit data did not contain personal identification information. Metro areas group counties and cities into specific geographic areas for population censuses and compilations of related statistical data. This story was produced by Experian and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.NoneGameStop reports fall in third-quarter revenue as consumers curb spending