www.mnl168.com

Israeli strikes without warning in central Beirut kill at least 15 as diplomats push for cease-fire BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — Lebanese officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 15 people and injured dozens in central Beirut, as the once-rare attacks on the heart of Lebanon’s capital continue without warning. Diplomats are scrambling to broker a cease-fire but say obstacles still remain. The current proposal calls for a two-month cease-fire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,500 people in Lebanon in the months of fighting that have turned into all-out war. Trump raced to pick many Cabinet posts. He took more time to settle on a treasury secretary WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump launched a blitz of picks for his Cabinet, but he took his time settling on billionaire investor Scott Bessent as his choice for treasury secretary. The Republican not only wanted someone who jibes with him, but an official who can execute his economic vision and look straight out of central casting while doing so. With his Yale University education and pedigree trading for Soros Fund Management before establishing his own funds, Bessent will be tasked with a delicate balancing act. Trump expects him to help reset the global trade order, enable trillions of dollars in tax cuts, ensure inflation stays in check, manage a ballooning national debt and still keep the financial markets confident. What to know about Scott Turner, Trump's pick for housing secretary President-elect Donald Trump has selected Scott Turner to lead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Turner is a former NFL player who ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term. Turner, 52, is the first Black person selected to be a member of Trump's incoming Cabinet. Turner, who grew up in a Dallas, was a defensive back and spent nine seasons in the NFL beginning in 1995, playing for the Washington Redskins, San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. Turner joined the Texas House in 2013 as part of a large crop of tea party-supported lawmakers. He tried unsuccessfully to become speaker before he finished his second term in 2016. He did not seek a third term. Voters rejected historic election reforms across the US, despite more than $100M push JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Election reform advocates had hoped for a big year at the ballot box. That's because a historic number of states were considering initiatives for ranked choice voting or to end partisan primaries. Instead, voters dealt them big losses in the November elections. Voters in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and South Dakota all rejected proposed changes to their voting systems. In Alaska, a proposal to repeal ranked choice voting appears to have narrowly fallen short. The losses in many states came even though election reform supporters raised more than $100 million, easily outpacing opponents. Supporters say they aren't giving up but plan to retool their efforts. The week that upped the stakes of the Ukraine war KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — This past week has seen the most significant escalation in hostilities Ukraine has witnessed since Russia's full-scale invasion and marks a new chapter in the nearly three-year war. It began with U.S. President Joe Biden reversing a longstanding policy by granting Kyiv permission to deploy American longer-range missiles inside Russian territory and ended with Moscow striking Ukraine with a new experimental ballistic weapon that has alarmed the international community and heightened fears of further escalation. Winter storms and rain sweep across the US while a new system is expected to arrive for Thanksgiving HEALDSBURG, Calif. (AP) — A major storm continues to drop heavy snow and record rain in California, causing small landslides and flooding some streets. Meanwhile, on the opposite coast, blizzard or winter storm warnings were in effect Saturday from parts of the Northeast to central Appalachia. The storm on the West Coast arrived in the Pacific Northwest earlier this week, killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands, before moving through Northern California. Another storm system is expected to arrive for Thanksgiving week and linger into Tuesday in the Pacific Northwest, dumping rain as well as snow in the higher elevations. That is according to the National Weather Service. Even with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don't lose weight Most people taking popular drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight have shed significant pounds. But obesity experts say that roughly 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not see robust results with the new medications. The response to the drugs varies from person to person and can depend on genetics, hormones and differences in how the brain regulates energy. Undiagnosed medical conditions and some drugs can prevent weight loss. Experts say it can take experimentation to help so-called nonresponders find results. Fighting between armed sectarian groups in restive northwestern Pakistan kills at least 37 people PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A senior Pakistani police officer says fighting between armed sectarian groups in the country's restive northwest has killed at least 37 people. The overnight violence was the latest to rock Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and comes days after a deadly gun ambush killed 42 people. The officer said Saturday that armed men torched shops, houses and government property overnight. Gunfire is ongoing between rival tribes. Although Sunnis and Shiites generally live together peacefully in Pakistan, tensions remain in some areas, especially Kurram. Doctor at the heart of Turkey's newborn baby deaths case says he was a 'trusted' physician ISTANBUL (AP) — The Turkish doctor at the center of an alleged fraud scheme that led to the deaths of 10 babies says he was a “trusted” physician. Dr. Firat Sari is one of 47 people on trial accused of transferring newborn babies to neonatal units of private hospitals, where they were allegedly kept for prolonged and sometimes unnecessary treatments in order to receive social security payments. Sari said patients were referred to him because people trusted him and he did not bribe anyone involved with Turkey’s emergency medical phone line. Sari, said to be the plot’s ringleader, faces up to 583 years in prison. Hydrate. Make lists. Leave yourself time. And other tips for reducing holiday travel stress Travel, especially during the holiday season, can be stressful. But following some tips from the pros as you prepare for a trip can make for a smoother, less anxious experience. One expert traveler suggests making a list a week before you go of things you need to do and pack. Cross off each item as you complete it during the week. Another tip is to carry your comfort zone with you. That could mean noise-canceling headphones, playlists meant to soothe airport travelers, entertainment and snacks from home. Carry a change of clothes and a phone charger in case of delays. Stay hydrated. Leave extra time. And know your airline's rules. Downloading the airline's app can help with that.House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz’s ethics reportwww.mnl168.com 。

House blocks release of Matt Gaetz ethics reportThere's nothing wrong with keeping things simple. Consider, for example, how a recipe can be ruined by straying too far from its original list of ingredients -- nobody wants a milkshake made with a heaping helping of brussels sprouts , right? Similarly, investing doesn't have to be complicated. Indeed, by allocating large portions of a portfolio to funds that track major indexes, investors can feel secure knowing that their portfolio will largely capture the stock market's growth. Let's have a closer look at one excellent index-linked exchange-traded fund (ETF) and see if it could be a millionaire-maker. What is the Invesco QQQ Trust Series I ETF? In the simplest terms, the Invesco QQQ Trust Series I ETF (NASDAQ: QQQ ) is an index-linked ETF that tracks the Nasdaq 100 index . That index, in turn, is made up of the 100 largest non-financial stocks that are listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange . QQQ Total Return Level data by YCharts. Many of the stocks in the index are the mega-cap tech stocks you might expect to find: Nvidia , Microsoft , Apple , and Amazon . However, there are also much smaller, less well-known names like Ansys , MongoDB , and The Trade Desk . Finally, there are also companies from outside the tech sector, such as Starbucks , Kraft Heinz , and AstraZeneca . All in all, this fund offers investors the opportunity to own a broad array of stocks representing many sectors (except for financials ). Granted , the index is heavily skewed toward the tech industry, with roughly 59% of holdings falling within that sector. Yet, given tech's outperformance over the last few decades, investors should ask themselves: Is it a bad thing to be relatively overweight in the tech sector over the long term? I would suggest -- particularly for younger investors -- that it is not. In fact, staying slightly overweight in the tech sector could prove to be a millionaire-making move. Here's why. Large investments in the tech sector have paid off Let's compare the relative performance across four index-linked ETFs: The Invesco QQQ Trust Series I, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust , the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF , and the iShares Russell 2000 ETF . QQQ Total Return Level data by YCharts. As you can see, over the last five years, the Invesco fund has significantly outperformed the other funds with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.5%. What's more, the difference is even more pronounced if we examine the last 15 years -- starting with the end of the Great Recession bear market, which occurred in March 2009. QQQ Total Return Level data by YCharts. Indeed, $50,000 invested in the Invesco fund in March 2009 would have grown to over $1 million today. In comparison, the same amount, invested on the same day, would have grown to only $560,000 in the S&P 500 fund, $454,000 in the Dow fund, and less than $386,000 in the Russell fund. The lesson? Even with near-perfect timing and very similar index-linked ETF funds, there is an enormous amount of difference in performance among these funds -- and the tech-heavy Invesco fund has proven to be the best. All that said, there is no guarantee that the Invesco fund will continue its outperformance. After all, there were periods, such as the dot-com bubble of 2001-2003, where tech stocks severely underperformed the broader market. However, even with that turbulent period included, the Invesco fund has ever-so-slightly exceeded the performance of its major index rivals since the start of this century. QQQ Total Return Level data by YCharts. No investment is a sure thing, but index-linked ETFs are about as close as you can find . They offer investors a broad range of stocks and have a proven track record of delivering real returns over decades. Moreover, the tech-heavy nature of the Invesco fund offers investors a realistic chance to outperform the market, given the high growth and solid profitability of many of its major components. Investors looking for a smart and simple way to grow their portfolio to over $1 million should consider the Invesco fund.

As winter closes in and, in some locales, crime rates increase in relation to areas like burglaries, theft, business robberies, the firm Adobe Express has investigated which cities in the UK are safest for employees. The exercise was part of a wider national study to find the most employee friendly cities. The collected crime data takes into account safety perception, property crimes, specified crimes and violent crimes to reveal the 30 safest cities to work in. Determining the safety rankings of cities requires a comprehensive analysis of various factors. The analysis reveals that Norwich, Newcastle and Brighton top the list; whilst Bradford, Coventry and Birmingham are deemed the least safe places to work. The top ten safest cities were identified as: The Crime Index takes into account survey responses about: • General perception of crime levels • Perceived safety: Survey responses from residents and visitors regarding their feelings of safety while walking during daylight and at night. • Concerns about specific crimes: Survey questions about worries regarding mugging, robbery, car theft, physical attacks by strangers, harassment in public places, and discrimination based on factors like skin colour, ethnicity, gender, or religion. • Property crimes: Assessment of the extent of property-related crimes, such as burglary, theft, vandalism, etc. • Violent crimes: Evaluation of the perception of violent crimes, including assault, homicide, sexual offenses, etc. Under these measures, Norwich comes out on top . Norwich offers a safe and welcoming environment. The city’s low crime rates and effective community policing contribute to its safety. Norwich also boasts well-preserved heritage buildings and beautifully landscaped parks, creating a safe and pleasant atmosphere. In contrast, the least safe top ten is : While the data is broadly indicative of ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ on the measures applied, there can be variables impacting on the data. For example, people in some countries are more likely to report a crime than in other countries. In addition, the data from governmental institutions can be prone to collection error. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.Gov. Glenn Youngkin is Virginia's most prominent advocate, and he should stand up and oppose plans that would harm Virginia workers and the commonwealth economy.

Global stocks mostly rose Thursday following strong earnings from artificial intelligence leader Nvidia as bitcoin prices zoomed near $100,000 and oil prices rose. Nvidia itself had a volatile day, finishing modestly higher after several reversals. The chip company reported a whopping $19 billion in profits, although investors wondered if its current rate of stupendous growth is sustainable. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Kim Kardashian suffers leg injury, uses crutches to move, inform fans with her photo...None

CHICAGO (AP) — Two-time NBA scoring champion Joel Embiid returned to the Philadelphia 76ers' starting lineup against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. After missing his first seven shots and ambling deliberately in his left knee brace in the first quarter, the 2023 MVP went on a tear to propel the Sixers to a 108-100 win over the Chicago Bulls. Embiid connected on eight of his next 10 shots in the second quarter for his first 19 points of the game, which lifted Philadelphia to a 62-50 halftime lead. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.Joel Embiid scores 31 in return to the 76ers' starting lineup against the BullsBillionaires in Virtual Worlds. Are Gamers the New Tycoons?

12. Clemson Tigers 10-3 (7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season) What's next: First-round at No. 5 seed Texas, Dec. 21 Head coach: Dabo Swinney (17th season, 180-46 overall) About Swinney: The 55-year-old, who is 6-4 in the CFP, took over during the 2008 season and has won two national titles (2016, 2018). He will take the Tigers to the CFP the first time since the 2020 season and the seventh time overall. Resume The Tigers, the only three-loss team in the 12-team field, were in a must-win situation in the ACC championship game, prevailing on a last-second, 56-yard field goal to defeat SMU 34-31. Clemson lost two games to SEC opponents (Georgia and South Carolina) this season. The Tigers' other defeat came at home to Louisville. The matchup with Texas will be Clemson's first true road game against the SEC this season. Postseason history A nine-time winner of the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers notched a double-figure win total for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons. Along with its two national titles, Clemson reached the title game two other times (2019 and 2015). This will be the first Clemson-Texas matchup. The road to Atlanta It will be a tricky road for the Tigers to reach the CFP title game in Atlanta at a venue familiar to Clemson fans. The Tigers will take at least two and maybe three trips outside of their own time zone to qualify for the final. Names to know QB Cade Klubnik Klubnik, a Texas native, has been taking snaps in crucial situations since a limited role as a freshman in 2022, when he rescued the Tigers in an ACC Championship victory vs. North Carolina. Sporting a 19-8 career record as a starter, Klubnik has thrown for 3,303 yards and 33 touchdowns along with five interceptions this season. He tossed four TDs in the ACC title game Dec. 7 against SMU after receiving All-ACC honorable mention following the regular season. "He's battle-tested," Swinney said. "He has got a lot of experience under his belt. He has had some failure, which has made him better." RB Phil Mafah The senior has racked up 1,106 rushing yards with eight touchdowns this season and has 28 career scores. Mafah has averaged fewer than 17 carries per game, so he makes the most of his opportunities, and at 230 pounds he can be a load to bring down. DE T.J. Parker He's been disruptive on a regular basis, racking up 19 tackles for loss (11 sacks) this season. The 265-pound sophomore helped set the tone in the ACC title game when the Tigers feasted on early SMU mistakes. Parker is tied for the Division I lead with six forced fumbles this season. K Nolan Hauser The freshman joined the Tigers this season with great acclaim and produced a career highlight with a 56-yard game-winning field goal -- the longest in ACC title game history -- to beat SMU at the buzzer. --Field Level MediaPresident-elect Donald Trump called his meeting with Justin Trudeau productive and says the prime minister made a commitment to work with the United States to end the drug crisis amid the threat of stiff tariffs. Trudeau flew to Florida Friday evening to attend a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump’s transition team is based. The in-person meeting came at the end of a rocky week in which Trump threatened to impose stiff tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, unless the two countries stop illegal border crossings and prevent illicit drugs from entering the U.S. In a post on Truth Social, Trump says he and Trudeau discussed the drug crisis, particularly fentanyl, illegal immigration, as well as trade, energy and the Arctic. Trump’s post did not directly mention tariffs. Trudeau told reporters in West Palm Beach Saturday morning that he had an excellent conversation with Trump’s transition team.

None