Wade Taylor IV helps No. 22 Texas A&M get by Texas TechThe Lions have revoked the season tickets of the fan who had a heated verbal altercation with Packers head coach Matt LaFleur during last Thursday’s game between the teams. Fahad Yousif told the Detroit News that the Lions informed him of the decision via an email. Yousif was on the field before the game to hold part of on oversized flag during the national anthem and had to be separated from LaFleur, who said Yousef “was talking junk to our players, giving them the throat slash sign.” “The biggest gut punch, man,” Yousif said. “Just waking up and seeing that email and not being able to talk to somebody in person, it was a terrible feeling. I don’t have my chance to give my side of the story or anything.” Yousef was asked to leave the game by the Lions before halftime and said at the time that he “ got caught up ” in the moment. He told the newspaper that he was “devastated” by the team’s decision and admitted that the entire incident “definitely could have been avoided” on his end, but his lack of self-control in the moment proved to be costly.
Indian sages understood dharma it is not just method of worship UP CM Adityanath
TORRANCE, Calif., Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Navitas Semiconductor (Nasdaq: NVTS) has announced that the company’s revenue growth has been acknowledged for the third consecutive year, by Deloitte’s Technology Fast 500TM . Navitas growth was driven by strong demand for its advanced, high-efficiency, wide-bandgap gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) power components, across a growing number of global markets and customers. Now in its 30th year, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 provides a ranking of the fastest-growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences, fintech, and energy tech companies — both public and private — in North America. Based on percentage fiscal year revenue growth from 2020 to 2023, Navitas achieved 571% growth as GaN and SiC technology enabled efficient, sustainable applications and displaced legacy silicon chips. “As a ‘pure-play’, next-gen, semiconductor company, Navitas continues to outperform the overall power semiconductor market, with record sales into mobile fast chargers, now ramping AI data center revenues and a strong customer pipeline for EV opportunities,” said Gene Sheridan, CEO and co-founder. “Recent introductions like GaNSafeTM, Gen-3 ‘Fast’ SiC, and a newly-announced, 48V-focused range in partnership with Infineon, have built a strong foundation for further revenue growth in applications from 20W to 20MW, and with a market opportunity of over $22B per year.” About Deloitte Deloitte provides industry-leading audit, consulting, tax and advisory services to many of the world’s most admired brands, including nearly 90% of the Fortune 500® and more than 8,500 U.S.-based private companies. At Deloitte, we strive to live our purpose of making an impact that matters by creating trust and confidence in a more equitable society. We leverage our unique blend of business acumen, command of technology, and strategic technology alliances to advise our clients across industries as they build their future. Deloitte is proud to be part of the largest global professional services network serving our clients in the markets that are most important to them. Bringing more than 175 years of service, our network of member firms spans more than 150 countries and territories. Learn how Deloitte’s approximately 460,000 people worldwide connect for impact, at www.deloitte.com . About Navitas Navitas Semiconductor (Nasdaq: NVTS) is the only pure-play, next-generation power-semiconductor company, celebrating 10 years of power innovation founded in 2014. GaNFastTM power ICs integrate gallium nitride (GaN) power and drive, with control, sensing, and protection to enable faster charging, higher power density, and greater energy savings. Complementary GeneSiCTM power devices are optimized high-power, high-voltage, and high-reliability silicon carbide (SiC) solutions. Focus markets include AI datacenters, EV, solar, energy storage, home appliance / industrial, mobile and consumer. Over 300 Navitas patents are issued or pending, with the industry’s first and only 20-year GaNFast warranty . Navitas was the world’s first semiconductor company to be CarbonNeutral®-certified . Navitas Semiconductor, GaNFast, GaNSense, GeneSiC and the Navitas logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Navitas Semiconductor Limited and affiliates. All other brands, product names and marks are or may be trademarks or registered trademarks used to identify products or services of their respective owners. Contact Information Stephen Oliver, VP Investor Relations ir@navitassemi.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cffa5421-88e3-46de-8f52-2e8e1815b4edAKRON, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 21, 2024-- Myers Industries Inc. (NYSE: MYE), a leading manufacturer of a wide range of polymer and metal products and distributor for the tire, wheel and under-vehicle service industry (the “Company” or “Myers”), today announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) has appointed Aaron M. Schapper as the Company’s new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2025. Mr. Schapper will succeed Dave Basque, who has been serving as Myers’ Interim President and CEO since September 9, 2024, and who will return to his role as Vice President, Special Projects. Mr. Schapper will also join the Board in January. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121687085/en/ Aaron Schapper (Photo: Business Wire) Mr. Schapper brings to Myers significant experience leading global industrial businesses. For the past eight years, he has served in a variety of senior leadership roles at Valmont Industries Inc. (NYSE: VMI), a leading manufacturer and global provider of equipment and technology solutions for infrastructure and agriculture markets. During his tenure at Valmont, Mr. Schapper led each of its business divisions and served as Chief Strategy Officer and Group President of Agriculture from July 2023 through May 2024. Previously, Mr. Schapper served as Valmont’s Group President of Infrastructure and Group President of Utility Support Structures. Prior to Valmont, Mr. Schapper served as General Manager at Orbit Irrigation Products Inc., based in Shanghai, China. “We are excited to welcome Aaron to Myers,” said F. Jack Liebau Jr., Chairman of the Board. “His appointment is the result of a comprehensive search process that attracted many outstanding candidates, and we are pleased that Aaron has agreed to join Myers to lead our next phase of growth. Throughout his career, Aaron has demonstrated his ability to build and manage high performing businesses, which makes him the ideal leader to drive our business forward.” Mr. Liebau continued, “I also want to thank Dave Basque for his leadership as Interim President and CEO and his continued dedication to the Company during this time of transition.” Mr. Schapper commented, “I am grateful to be named Myers’ President and Chief Executive Officer at this important inflection point for the Company. I am confident we can accelerate Myers’ ongoing transformation, further hone our strategic focus, capitalize on demand recovery and growth opportunities, and capture productivity and efficiency gains throughout the organization.” About Aaron Schapper Aaron Schapper, age 51, has served as Group President of Agriculture and Chief Strategy Officer of Valmont Industries Inc. (NYSE: VMI), a global leader that provides vital infrastructure and advances agricultural productivity while driving innovation through technology, since July 2023. Previously, Mr. Schapper served as Valmont’s Group President of Infrastructure from February 2020 to July 2023 where he was able to lead significant growth and profitability in Valmont’s largest segment. Prior to that, Mr. Schapper was the Group President of Utility Support Structures from October 2016 to February 2020. Prior to Valmont, from 2007 to 2020, he served as General Manager of Orbit Irrigation Products Inc., based in Shanghai, where he was responsible for acquisitions and the establishment of the company's green-field manufacturing sites in Ningbo, China, and Taipei, Taiwan. From 2002 to 2007, Mr. Schapper served as a design and manufacturing engineer at Orbit Irrigation USA. Mr. Schapper has two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Utah, in Mechanical Engineering and Mandarin Chinese, and a joint MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. About Myers Industries Myers Industries Inc., based in Akron, Ohio, is a manufacturer of sustainable plastic and metal products for industrial, agricultural, automotive, commercial, and consumer markets. The Company is also the largest distributor of tools, equipment and supplies for the tire, wheel, and under-vehicle service industry in the United States. Visit www.myersindustries.com to learn more. Caution on Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this release include contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including information regarding the Company’s financial outlook, future plans, objectives, business prospects and anticipated financial performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "will," "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," or variations of these words, or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on the Company’s current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, projections, anticipated events and trends, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, these statements inherently involve a wide range of inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of our control. The Company’s actual actions, results, and financial condition may differ materially from what is expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Specific factors that could cause such a difference on our business, financial position, results of operations and/or liquidity include, without limitation, raw material availability, increases in raw material costs, or other production costs; risks associated with our strategic growth initiatives or the failure to achieve the anticipated benefits of such initiatives; unanticipated downturn in business relationships with customers or their purchases; competitive pressures on sales and pricing; changes in the markets for the Company’s business segments; changes in trends and demands in the markets in which the Company competes; operational problems at our manufacturing facilities or unexpected failures at those facilities; future economic and financial conditions in the United States and around the world; inability of the Company to meet future capital requirements; claims, litigation and regulatory actions against the Company; changes in laws and regulations affecting the Company; unforeseen events, including natural disasters, unusual or severe weather events and patterns, public health crises, geopolitical crises, and other catastrophic events; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including without limitation, the risk factors disclosed in Item 1A, "Risk Factors," in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. Given these factors, as well as other variables that may affect our operating results, readers should not rely on forward-looking statements, assume that past financial performance will be a reliable indicator of future performance, nor use historical trends to anticipate results or trends in future periods. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation or intention to provide updates to the forward-looking statements and the estimates and assumptions associated with them. M-INV View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121687085/en/ Meghan Beringer, Senior Director Investor Relations, 252-536-5651 KEYWORD: OHIO UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING TRUCKING TRANSPORT GENERAL AUTOMOTIVE RETAIL LOGISTICS/SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT PACKAGING CHEMICALS/PLASTICS SOURCE: Myers Industries, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/21/2024 04:00 PM/DISC: 11/21/2024 04:00 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241121687085/en
Canada thumped Trinidad and Tobago 38-0 to win the Rugby Americas North (RAN) Sevens on Sunday and qualify for World Rugby’s second-tier Challenger Series. The tournament-favourite Canadian men outscored their opposition 169-0 over five matches in a first step back up the rugby sevens ladder since being relegated from the elite HSBC SVNS circuit in June. The top four teams from the three-event Challenger Series will face off against the bottom four from the HSBC SVNS at the SVNS World Championships May 3-4 in Carson, Calif., in a promotion/relegation playoff. “I think it’s just about continually building,” said Canada captain Elias Hancock. “We know what we’re capable of. We’ve shown it at times. It’s just time to get back to that place where we know we belong.” Prior to relegation, Canada had been a core team on the top sevens circuit since 2012-13 and lifted the trophy in Singapore in 2017. The Canadian men finished eighth at the Tokyo Olympics. Trinidad had plenty of the ball in the first half of Sunday’s final at Larry Gomes Stadium. But Canada, helped by several penalties, scored first with Hancock touching down under the posts for a try converted by Thomas Isherwood. Matt Oworu, beating two defenders, added another converted try for a 14-0 lead at the break. Cooper Coats added a converted try early in the second half. And Hancock, Jack Shaw and Noah Bain added late tries after Trinidad lost a man to the sin-bin for two minutes midway through the second half for an infraction off a Canadian kickoff. Earlier Sunday, the Canadians defeated Jamaica 26-0 in semifinal play and the Cayman Islands 38-0 in the quarterfinal. Trinidad and Tobago made it to the final — for the first time since 2013 — with a 19-7 comeback win over Mexico. Jamaica defeated Mexico 12-0 to finish third. Weather was a factor during the three-day tournament in Arima, some 30 kilometres east of Port of Spain. After enduring 30-plus C heat and humidity Friday, their final Pool A game against Barbados was abandoned Saturday due to a storm. On Sunday, the Canadians played the Cayman Islands in a downpour and the skies opened again at halftime of the Jamaica game. Alex Russell, Josiah Morra, Coats and Hancock scored tries against Jamaica for Canada, which led 12-0 at the break. Thomas Isherwood added three conversions. Morra and Hancock each scored two tries against the Caymans and Ethan Hager and D’Shawn Bowen added singles for Canada, which led 19-0 at the half. Canada added four conversions. Canada, which blanked Guyana 29-0 Friday, dispatched Bermuda 38-0 Saturday and was leading Barbados 10-0 when the game was halted in the first half due to heavy rain and high winds. While play eventually resumed, the interrupted Canada game was ruled a scoreless draw. The Canadian men are coming off a disastrous 3-36-0 HSBC SVNS season that ended with a 22-14 loss to Spain with relegation on the line. It was a 29th straight defeat. After being relegated, coach Sean White’s team fell short in an Olympic repechage tournament in late June in Monaco, finishing fourth after losing 26-0 to eventual winner South Africa in the semifinals. The Blitzboks went on to claim bronze in Paris. The 13-man roster for the RAN 7s includes six players who were part of the relegation playoff in Madrid: Hancock, Isherwood, Morra, Coats, Oworu and David Richard. Morra, Coats and Oworu joined the sevens team from Bucharest where they were part of Kingsley Jones’ Canadian 15s squad for test matches against Chile and Romania. The Canadian men are scheduled to play in an invitational men’s sevens tournament taking place at B.C. Place Stadium alongside the HSBC SVNS Vancouver stop in February. The Canadian women left Sunday for Dubai and the opening stop of the 2005 HSBC SVNS season. The Olympic silver-medallist Canadians open play next Saturday against Japan before facing Brazil and Olympic champion New Zealand.DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad fled to Moscow on Sunday, Russian media reported, hours after a stunning rebel advance took over the capital of Damascus and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. The Russian agencies, Tass and RIA, cited an unidentified Kremlin source on Assad and his family being given asylum in Moscow, his longtime ally and protector. The Associated Press was not immediately able to verify the reports but contacted the Kremlin for comment. RIA also said Moscow had received guarantees from Syrian insurgents of the security of Russian military bases and diplomatic posts in Syria. Assad reportedly left Syria early Sunday, and Syrians have been pouring into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. The swiftly moving events have raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. Russia has requested an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council discuss the situation in Syria, Russia’s first deputy permanent representative to the U.N., Dmitry Polyansky, posted on Telegram. Joyful crowds gathered in squares in Damascus, waving the Syrian revolutionary flag in scenes that recalled the early days of the Arab Spring uprising, before a brutal crackdown and the rise of an insurgency plunged the country into a nearly 14-year civil war. Others gleefully ransacked the presidential palace and residence after Assad and other top officials vanished. Abu Mohammed al-Golani, a former al-Qaida commander who cut ties with the group years ago and says he embraces pluralism and religious tolerance, leads the biggest rebel faction and is poised to chart the country’s future. In his first public appearance since fighters entered the Damascus suburbs Saturday, al-Golani visited the sprawling Umayyad Mosque and called Assad’s fall “a victory to the Islamic nation.” Calling himself by his given name, Ahmad al-Sharaa, and not his nom de guerre, he told hundreds of people that Assad had made Syria “a farm for Iran’s greed.” The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country ravaged by war and still split among armed factions. Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling U.S.-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and the Islamic State group is still active in some remote areas. Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. They called on people to preserve the institutions of “the free Syrian state.” The rebels later announced a curfew in Damascus from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. The rebels said they freed people held at the notorious Saydnaya prison, where rights groups say thousands were tortured and killed. A video circulating online purported to show rebels breaking open cell doors and freeing dozens of female prisoners, many of whom appeared shocked. At least one small child was seen among them. “This happiness will not be completed until I can see my son out of prison and know where is he,” said one relative, Bassam Masr. “I have been searching for him for two hours. He has been detained for 13 years.” Rebel commander Anas Salkhadi later appeared on state TV and sought to reassure Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, saying: “Syria is for everyone, no exceptions. Syria is for Druze, Sunnis, Alawites, and all sects.” “We will not deal with people the way the Assad family did,” he added. Damascus residents prayed in mosques and celebrated in squares, calling, “God is great.” People chanted anti-Assad slogans and honked car horns. Teenage boys picked up weapons apparently discarded by security forces and fired into the air. Revelers filled Umayyad Square, where the Defense Ministry is located. Some waved the three-starred Syrian flag that predates the Assad government and was adopted by the revolutionaries. Elsewhere, many parts of the capital were empty and shops were closed. Soldiers and police left their posts and fled, and looters broke into the Defense Ministry. Videos showed families wandering the presidential palace, some carrying stacks of plates and other household items. “It’s like a dream. I need someone to wake me up,” said opposition fighter Abu Laith, adding the rebels were welcomed in Damascus with “love.” At the Justice Ministry, where rebels stood guard, Judge Khitam Haddad said they were protecting documents from the chaos. Outside, some residents sought information about relatives who disappeared under Assad. The rebels “have felt the pain of the people,” said one woman, giving only her first name, Heba. She worried about possible revenge killings by the rebels, many of whom appeared to be underage. Syria’s al-Watan newspaper, which was historically pro-government, wrote: “We are facing a new page for Syria. We thank God for not shedding more blood.” It added that media workers should not be blamed for publishing past government statements, saying it “only carried out the instructions.” A statement from the Alawite sect that has formed the core of Assad’s base called on young Syrians to be “calm, rational and prudent and not to be dragged into what tears apart the unity of our country.” The rebels mainly come from the Sunni Muslim majority in Syria, which also has sizable Druze, Christian and Kurdish communities. In Qamishli in the northeast, a Kurdish man slapped a statue of the late leader Hafez Assad with his shoe. Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Ghazi Jalali said the government was ready to “extend its hand” to the opposition and turn its functions over to a transitional government. A video shared on Syrian opposition media showed armed men escorting him from his office and to the Four Seasons hotel on Sunday. Anwar Gargash said Assad’s destination at this point is a “footnote in history,” comparing it to the long exile of German Kaiser Wilhelm II after World War I. The rebel advances since Nov. 27 were the largest in recent years, and saw the cities of Aleppo, Hama and Homs fall within days as the Syrian army melted away. Russia, Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, which provided crucial support to Assad throughout the uprising, abandoned him as they reeled from other conflicts. The end of Assad’s rule was a major blow to Iran and its allies, already weakened by conflict with Israel. Iran, which had strongly backed him throughout the civil war, said Syrians should decide their future “without destructive, coercive, foreign intervention.” The Iranian Embassy in Damascus was ransacked after apparently having been abandoned. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said Israeli troops had seized a buffer zone in the Golan Heights established in 1974, saying it was to protect Israeli residents after Syrian troops abandoned positions. Israel’s military later warned residents of five southern Syria communities to stay home for their safety, and didn’t respond to questions. Israel captured the Golan in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed it. The international community, except for the United States, views it as occupied, and the Arab League on Sunday condemned what it called Israel’s efforts to take advantage of Assad’s downfall occupy more territory. The rebels are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, which has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. Al-Golani, has sought to recast the group as a moderate and tolerant force. “Golani has made history and sparked hope among millions of Syrians,” said Dareen Khalifa, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group. “But he and the rebels now face a formidable challenge ahead.” The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, called Saturday for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” The Gulf nation of Qatar, a key regional mediator, hosted an emergency meeting of foreign ministers and top officials from eight countries with interests in Syria late Saturday. They included Iran, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Turkey. Majed al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, said they agreed on the need “to engage all parties on the ground,” including the HTS, and that the main concern is “stability and safe transition.” ___ Sewell reported from Beirut. Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Sarah El Deeb and Kareem Chehayeb in Beirut; Samar Kassaballi, Omar Sanadiki and Ghaith Alsayed in Damascus; Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain; Josef Federman in Doha, Qatar; and Tia Goldenberg in Jerusalem, contributed. To remove this article -What to Know About Canadian Consumer Retail Stocks for 2025Video game ends ‘collaboration’ with Conor McGregor
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara released a statement Friday slamming the "100% false" media reports that suggested he had thrown his final pass for the Hawkeyes. McNamara has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the Oct. 26 win against Northwestern. Backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan has started the last two games for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) but is out with an ankle injury for Saturday's game at Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this week that Jackson Stratton will be the likely starter against the Terrapins if McNamara is unavailable. McNamara's cloudy status prompted speculation on a podcast this week that he was "not mentally ready to play." The podcast hosts from the Des Moines Register and The Athletic also suggested that McNamara -- who played three years at Michigan (2020-22) before transferring to Iowa -- is not "fit to play quarterback in the Big Ten right now." "We don't want to bury his career yet, but it does seem like that interception against Northwestern was his last snap as a Hawkeye," Leistikow said. McNamara, who passed for 1,017 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season, released a statement updating his current status. "My status is the same as it's always been -- a proud member of this football team," he said. McNamara said he has not yet been cleared to play. He said he was cleared to practice on Sunday but suffered an "adverse reaction" and was unable to practice this week and therefore unable to travel with the team to Maryland. "I have been working with the University of Iowa doctors and trainers, a concussion specialist focused on vision training, as well as engaging in hyperbaric treatments as frequently as possible," McNamara said. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night and I am confident that my teammates will return from Maryland with a win." Including his time with the Wolverines, McNamara has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,703 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 34 games. --Field Level MediaA U.S. Congresswoman who went viral earlier this year for her "Make America Great Again" swimsuit photoshoot is trending on social media for her holidays card. Anna Paulina Luna, a 35-year-old U.S. Congresswoman, who serves in the United States House of Representatives from Florida's 13th congressional district as a member of the Republican Party, is trending on social media for her holidays card. The 35-year-old U.S. Congresswoman is going viral on X, formerly known as Twitter, for her Merry Christmas card. "Merry Christmas America," the card reads. "And Happy Holidays." Tom Williams/Getty Images The U.S. Congresswoman took a clear shot at the left with her Christmas card. It's a map of what districts went which way in the 2024 presidential election. "I say Merry Christmas even though I live in a blue area," one fan wrote. "From Thanksgiving to New Years there's 3 holidays, that's why I will say "Happy Holidays" . Nothing more nothing less. I will say Merry Christmas on Christmas day just like I'll say Happy Thanksgiving on Thanksgiving giving day," one fan added. "This is going to be a GREAT Christmas this year!!!" one fan added. "This is a truly beautiful juxtaposition!" one fan added. pic.twitter.com/zYQXQViXeA The holidays are quickly approaching, that's for sure. Today is one month away from Christmas. And Thanksgiving is just three days away. What's your favorite part of the holidays?The Kansas City Chiefs picked up a road victory — but in true 2024 form, they didn’t make it easy on themselves. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led a game-winning drive inside the last two minutes, lifting the Chiefs to a 30-27 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Mohammed A. Alqarni Every so often, news emerges of an advanced AI model outperforming its predecessor, restarting debates about the trajectory of AI. These incremental improvements, while impressive, also reignite discussions about the prospect of artificial general intelligence or AGI — a hypothetical AI that could match or exceed human cognitive abilities across the board. This potential technological leap brings to mind another transformative innovation of the 20th century: nuclear power. Both promise unprecedented capabilities but carry risks that could reshape or even end human civilization as we know it. The development of AI, like nuclear technology, offers remarkable opportunities and grave dangers. It could solve humanity’s most significant challenges or become our ultimate undoing. The nuclear arms race taught us the perils of unchecked technological advancement. Are we heeding those lessons in the AI era? The creation of nuclear weapons introduced the concept of mutually assured destruction. With AGI, we face not only existential risks of extinction but also the prospect of extreme suffering and a world where human life loses meaning. Imagine a future where superintelligent systems surpass human creativity, taking over all jobs. The very fabric of human purpose could unravel. Should it be developed, controlling AGI would be akin to maintaining perfect safety in a nuclear reactor — theoretically possible but practically fraught with challenges. While we have managed nuclear technology for decades, AGI presents unique difficulties. Unlike static nuclear weapons, AGI could learn, self-modify, and interact unpredictably. A nuclear incident, however catastrophic, allows for recovery. An AGI breakout might offer no such luxury. The timeline for AGI remains uncertain and hotly debated. While some “optimistic” predictions suggest it could arrive within years, many experts believe it is still decades away, if achievable at all. Regardless, the stakes are too high to be complacent. Do we have the equivalent of International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards for AI development? Our current methods for assessing AI capabilities seem woefully inadequate for truly understanding the potential risks and impacts of more advanced systems. The open nature of scientific research accelerated both nuclear and AI development. But while open-source software has proven its value, transitioning from tools to autonomous agents introduces unprecedented dangers. Releasing powerful AI systems into the wild could have unforeseen consequences. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the world to the brink but also ushered in an era of arms control treaties. We need similar global cooperation on AI safety — and fast. We must prioritize robust international frameworks for AI development and deployment, increased funding for AI safety research, public education on the potential impacts of AGI, and ethical guidelines that all AI researchers and companies must adhere to. It is a tough ask. However, as we consider these weighty issues, it is crucial to recognize the current limitations of AI technology. The large language models that have captured the public imagination, while impressive, are fundamentally pattern recognition and prediction systems. They lack true understanding, reasoning capabilities, or the ability to learn and adapt in the way human intelligence does. While these systems show remarkable capabilities, there’s an ongoing debate in the AI community about whether they represent a path toward AGI or if fundamentally different approaches will be needed. In fact, many experts believe that achieving AGI may require additional scientific breakthroughs that are not currently available. We may need new insights into the nature of consciousness, cognition, and intelligence — breakthroughs potentially as profound as those that ushered in the nuclear age. This perspective offers both reassurance and a call to action. Reassurance comes from understanding that AGI is not an inevitability based on our current trajectory. We have time to carefully consider the ethical implications, develop robust safety measures, and create international frameworks for responsible AI development. However, the call to action is to use this time wisely, investing in foundational research not just in AI but also in cognitive science, neuroscience, and philosophy of mind. As we navigate the future of AI, let us approach it with a balance of excitement and caution. We should harness the immense potential of current AI technologies to solve pressing global challenges while simultaneously preparing for a future that may include more advanced forms of AI. By fostering global cooperation, ethical guidelines, and a commitment to human-centric AI development, we can work towards a future where AI enhances rather than endangers human flourishing. The parallels with nuclear technology remind us of the power of human ingenuity and the importance of responsible innovation. Just as we have learned to harness nuclear power for beneficial purposes while avoiding global catastrophe so far, we have an opportunity to shape the future of AI in a way that amplifies human potential rather than diminishing it. The path forward requires vigilance, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to the betterment of humanity. In this endeavor, our human wisdom and values are the most critical components of all.
US President Joe Biden has issued 39 presidential pardons and granted clemency to over 1500 people in the US, in another massive use of powers in his final weeks of office. “America was built on the promise of possibility and second chances,” Mr Biden said. “As President, I have the great privilege of extending mercy to people who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation, restoring opportunity for Americans to participate in daily life and contribute to their communities, and taking steps to remove sentencing disparities for non-violent offenders, especially those convicted of drug offences.” Mr Biden revealed the pardons were granted to people who “have shown successful rehabilitation and have shown commitment to making their communities stronger and safer.” “I am also commuting the sentences of nearly 1,500 people who are serving long prison sentences – many of whom would receive lower sentences if charged under today’s laws, policies, and practices.” Max Corstorphan Mr Biden said he planned to take “more steps in the weeks ahead”. Adding: “My Administration will continue reviewing clemency petitions.” The White House said Americans given relief from Mr Biden include: The pardons and clemency comes just weeks after Mr Biden caused a stir in the US by using the presidential powers to pardon his son Hunter. The democratic leader, who will end his presidency when President-elect Donald Trump assumes power in January, had previously maintained that he would not issue a pardon to his son over gun and tax evasion charges. However, after Thanksgiving, Mr Biden issued a statement to the White House website confirming the pardon had been signed. “I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” he said. “From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. “Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. “Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.” Mr Trump reacted angrily after Mr Biden backflipped and issued the presidential pardon for his son. Taking to his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump labelled the move an “abuse and miscarriage of justice”. Mr Trump also pointed to the imprisonment of those convicted of the January 6 Capitol riots and asked whether they too would be pardoned. “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years? Such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice!” he wrote. Max Corstorphan
Nigerian Govt saved $20bn by removing subsidies – Finance minister, EdunDrake Maye after Patriots fall to Dolphins: "Losing sucks"
After Trump’s win, Black women are rethinking their role as America’s reliable political organizersWade Taylor IV racked up 19 points that included eight in the final 3:22 of the game as No. 22 Texas A&M outlasted Texas Tech 72-67 on Sunday afternoon in the USLBM Coast-to-Coast Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Texas A&M (8-2) led by as many as 11 points in the first half and by three at halftime before the Red Raiders surged to the front early in the second half. Down 52-49, the Aggies produced an 11-0 surge capped by a jumper by Zhuric Phelps to take a 60-52 advantage with 5:02 to play The Aggies' margin was just two points when Taylor went hard to the hole on back-to-back possessions for layups that pushed the lead to 64-58. A 3-pointer by Tech's Chance McMillian cut lead to three but Taylor, Henry Coleman III and Solomon Washington converted free throws over the final 27 seconds to provide the deciding points for A&M. Jace Carter added 16 points and Phelps had 12 for the Aggies, who have won four straight games. McMillian's 23 points were a game high, while Kevin Overton added 17 and Darrion Williams had 11 for Texas Tech (7-2), which had a three-game winning streak snapped. The Aggies ruled the game's first five minutes, blitzing to a 13-2 lead thanks to eight early points from Taylor and a stifling defense that forced Tech into four turnovers. The Red Raiders responded with an 8-2 run capped by a jumper by Federiko Federiko to close the gap to five points at the 10:57 mark. Texas Tech continued to battle back, clawing to within 26-24 with 5:16 left in the first half thanks to a 9-0 run. Texas A&M boosted the margin to as many as six points after Manny Obaseki hit a layup with 2:23 remaining before McMillian canned a pair of free throws with 41 seconds to play to pull to within 34-31 at the break. Overton led all scorers with 14 points before halftime while Carter paced the Aggies with 13. The Red Raiders pulled even on Federiko's jumper 46 seconds into the second half, went in front on a jumper by Elijah Hawkins with 18:22 to play and pushed their advantage to five points on another Hawkins jumper at the 16:30 mark of the half. The Aggies swung back, tying the contest at 49 when Washington sank a 3-pointer with 10:48 left, setting the stage for the furious finish. --Field Level Media
Chuck Woolery, the first host of Wheel Of Fortune , is dead. His podcasting co-host, Mark Young, confirmed his death to TMZ . Woolery was 83. “It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away,” Young posted . “Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother.” Woolery was born on March 16, 1941, in Ashland, Kentucky. After serving two years in the U.S. Navy, Woolery moved to L.A. and “hadn’t a clue” what he would do there. In a 2020 interview , Woolery recalled meeting John Wayne on his third day in town. Wayne was of no help. Instead, the future host turned to children’s television, landing his first credit on the New Zoo Revue , playing an 85-year-old mailman. Before he became one of America’s preeminent vowel salesmen, Woolery plucked the double bass. Throughout the ’60s, Woolery was a musician, playing bass in the folk group The Borderman and, later, the psych-pop duo The Avant-Garde. Avant-Garde’s sole hit, “Naturally Stoned, ” a lush bit of orchestral psychedelia, peaked at 40 on Billboard . A parody remix of the song would later be the theme to GSN’s short-lived reality series Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned . After Avant-Garde disbanded, Woolery continued to perform music, releasing several albums on Columbia. Though his tunes didn’t move mountains, Woolery made connections on the talk show circuit, performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and The Merv Griffin Show . One day on set, Griffin asked him, “Did you ever think about being a game show host?” After considering his own impression of a game show host (“the guy with a bad mustache and a bad jacket who cares nothing about what you have to say”), Woolery responded, “No, but I’d like to think about it.” Woolery agreed to host the pilot for Shopper’s Bazaar , which Griffin retooled into America’s Game. Woolery first spun onto American television sets on January 6, 1975, as the host of Wheel Of Fortune . The show was an immediate hit, but Woolery’s time on the series would be shortlived. After six years with Wheel , he demanded his salary be raised from $65,000 to $500,000, matching Hollywood Squares host Peter Marshall. Griffin refused and hired Pat Sajak to replace him. “Merv was so upset with me, they started taping over all the old Wheel of Fortune [masters],” Woolery told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021. In 1983, Woolery jumped from Wheel to Love Connection , a dating game show for over a decade and 2,100 episodes. It is also where Woolery launched his catchphrase, “We’ll be back in two and two ,” which he delivered by raising two fingers and flicking his wrist, cluing the viewing audience into the two-minute-and-two-second ad-break ahead. Woolery would also host the game shows Greed , Scrabble , and Lingo , as well as his daytime talk show, The Chuck Woolery Show . In the 2010s, Woolery began focusing on politics, launching SaveUsChuckWoolery.com as part of his numerous online efforts to brand himself a Republican humorist. He published videos mocking Occupy Wall Street and wealth inequality on his YouTube channel, leveraging his political leanings and online audience into appearances on Fox News and his right-wing podcast Blunt Force Truth . This would, unsurprisingly, lead to numerous controversies, including his being accused of anti-Semitism and criticized for COVID denial, which he later walked back . Woolery is survived by his fourth wife, Kim Barnes, and three children, Michael, Melissa, and Sean. His two children from his first marriage, Chad and Katherine, died.By KENYA HUNTER, Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — As she checked into a recent flight to Mexico for vacation, Teja Smith chuckled at the idea of joining another Women’s March on Washington . As a Black woman, she just couldn’t see herself helping to replicate the largest act of resistance against then-President Donald Trump’s first term in January 2017. Even in an election this year where Trump questioned his opponent’s race , held rallies featuring racist insults and falsely claimed Black migrants in Ohio were eating residents’ pets , he didn’t just win a second term. He became the first Republican in two decades to clinch the popular vote, although by a small margin. “It’s like the people have spoken and this is what America looks like,” said Smith, the Los Angeles-based founder of the advocacy social media agency, Get Social. “And there’s not too much more fighting that you’re going to be able to do without losing your own sanity.” After Trump was declared the winner over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris , many politically engaged Black women said they were so dismayed by the outcome that they were reassessing — but not completely abandoning — their enthusiasm for electoral politics and movement organizing. Black women often carry much of the work of getting out the vote in their communities. They had vigorously supported the historic candidacy of Harris, who would have been the first woman of Black and South Asian descent to win the presidency. Harris’ loss spurred a wave of Black women across social media resolving to prioritize themselves, before giving so much to a country that over and over has shown its indifference to their concerns. AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, found that 6 in 10 Black women said the future of democracy in the United States was the single most important factor for their vote this year, a higher share than for other demographic groups. But now, with Trump set to return to office in two months, some Black women are renewing calls to emphasize rest, focus on mental health and become more selective about what fight they lend their organizing power to. “America is going to have to save herself,” said LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the national voting rights group Black Voters Matter. She compared Black women’s presence in social justice movements as “core strategists and core organizers” to the North Star, known as the most consistent and dependable star in the galaxy because of its seemingly fixed position in the sky. People can rely on Black women to lead change, Brown said, but the next four years will look different. “That’s not a herculean task that’s for us. We don’t want that title. ... I have no goals to be a martyr for a nation that cares nothing about me,” she said. AP VoteCast paints a clear picture of Black women’s concerns. Black female voters were most likely to say that democracy was the single most important factor for their vote, compared to other motivators such as high prices or abortion. More than 7 in 10 Black female voters said they were “very concerned” that electing Trump would lead the nation toward authoritarianism, while only about 2 in 10 said this about Harris. About 9 in 10 Black female voters supported Harris in 2024, according to AP VoteCast, similar to the share that backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. Trump received support from more than half of white voters, who made up the vast majority of his coalition in both years. Like voters overall, Black women were most likely to say the economy and jobs were the most important issues facing the country, with about one-third saying that. But they were more likely than many other groups to say that abortion and racism were the top issues, and much less likely than other groups to say immigration was the top issue. Despite those concerns, which were well-voiced by Black women throughout the campaign, increased support from young men of color and white women helped expand Trump’s lead and secured his victory. Politically engaged Black women said they don’t plan to continue positioning themselves in the vertebrae of the “backbone” of America’s democracy. The growing movement prompting Black women to withdraw is a shift from history, where they are often present and at the forefront of political and social change. One of the earliest examples is the women’s suffrage movement that led to ratification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution , which gave women the right to vote. Black women, however, were prevented from voting for decades afterward because of Jim Crow-era literacy tests, poll taxes and laws that blocked the grandchildren of slaves from voting. Most Black women couldn’t vote until the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Black women were among the organizers and counted among the marchers brutalized on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama, during the historic march in 1965 from Selma to Montgomery that preceded federal legislation. Decades later, Black women were prominent organizers of the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of police and vigilantes. In his 2024 campaign, Trump called for leveraging federal money to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs in government programs and discussions of race, gender or sexual orientation in schools. His rhetoric on immigration, including false claims that Black Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating cats and dogs, drove support for his plan to deport millions of people . Tenita Taylor, a Black resident of Atlanta who supported Trump this year, said she was initially excited about Harris’ candidacy. But after thinking about how high her grocery bills have been, she feels that voting for Trump in hopes of finally getting lower prices was a form of self-prioritization. “People say, ‘Well, that’s selfish, it was gonna be better for the greater good,”’ she said. “I’m a mother of five kids. ... The things that (Democrats) do either affect the rich or the poor.” Some of Trump’s plans affect people in Olivia Gordon’s immediate community, which is why she struggled to get behind the “Black women rest” wave. Gordon, a New York-based lawyer who supported the Party for Socialism and Liberation’s presidential nominee, Claudia de la Cruz, worries about who may be left behind if the 92% of Black women voters who backed Harris simply stopped advocating. “We’re talking millions of Black women here. If millions of Black women take a step back, it absolutely leaves holes, but for other Black women,” she said. “I think we sometimes are in the bubble of if it’s not in your immediate circle, maybe it doesn’t apply to you. And I truly implore people to understand that it does.” Nicole Lewis, an Alabama-based therapist who specializes in treating Black women’s stress, said she’s aware that Black women withdrawing from social impact movements could have a fallout. But she also hopes that it forces a reckoning for the nation to understand the consequences of not standing in solidarity with Black women. “It could impact things negatively because there isn’t that voice from the most empathetic group,” she said. “I also think it’s going to give other groups an opportunity to step up. ... My hope is that they do show up for themselves and everyone else.” Brown said a reckoning might be exactly what the country needs, but it’s a reckoning for everyone else. Black women, she said, did their job when they supported Harris in droves in hopes they could thwart the massive changes expected under Trump. “This ain’t our reckoning,” she said. “I don’t feel no guilt.” AP polling editor Amelia Thomson DeVeaux and Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams met with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming “border czar” on Thursday, with the Democratic mayor expressing an enthusiasm to work with the incoming administration to pursue violent criminals in the city while Trump promises mass deportations. The mayor's meeting with Tom Homan, who will oversee the southern and northern borders and be responsible for deportation efforts in the Trump administration, came as Adams has welcomed parts of the president-elect's hardline immigration platform. Adams told reporters at a brief news conference that he and Homan agreed on pursuing people who commit violent crimes in the city but did not disclose additional details or future plans. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those who commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and longstanding New Yorkers," he said. “That was my conversation today with the border czar, to figure out how to go after those individuals who are repeatedly committing crimes in our city.” The meeting marked Adams' latest and most definitive step toward collaborating with the Trump administration, a development that has startled critics in one of the country's most liberal cities. In the weeks since Trump’s election win, Adams has mused about potentially scaling back the city’s so-called sanctuary policies and coordinating with the incoming Trump administration on immigration. He has also said migrants accused of crimes shouldn’t have due process rights under the Constitution, though he eventually walked back those comments. The mayor further stunned Democrats when he sidestepped questions last week on whether he would consider changing parties to become a Republican, telling journalists that he was part of the “American party.” Adams later clarified that he would remain a Democrat. For Adams, a centrist Democrat known for quarreling with the city's progressive left, the recent comments on immigration follow frustration with the Biden Administration over its immigration policies and a surge of international migrants in the city. He has maintained that his positions have not changed and argues he is trying to protect New Yorkers, pointing to the law-and-order platform he has staked out throughout his political career and during his successful campaign for mayor. At his news conference Thursday, Adams reiterated his commitment to New York’s generous social safety net. “We’re going to tell those who are here, who are law-abiding, to continue to utilize the services that are open to the city, the services that they have a right to utilize, educating their children, health care, public protection,” he said. “But we will not be the safe haven for those who commit violent acts.” While the education of all children present in the U.S. is already guaranteed by a Supreme Court ruling, New York also offers social services like healthcare and emergency shelter to low-income residents, including those in the country illegally. City and state grants also provide significant access to lawyers, which is not guaranteed in the immigration court as they are in the criminal court. Still, Adams’ recent rhetoric has been seen by some critics as an attempt to cozy up to Trump, who could potentially offer a presidential pardon in his federal corruption case. Adams has been charged with accepting luxury travel perks and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals looking to buy his influence. He has pleaded not guilty. Homan, who was Trump’s former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, also met this week with Republicans in Illinois, where he called on Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, both Democrats, to start negotiations over how Trump's mass deportation plans, according to local media. Separately, New York City officials this week announced continued efforts to shrink a huge emergency shelter system for migrants because of a steady decline in new arrivals. Among the planned shelter closures is a massive tent complex built on a federally owned former airport in Brooklyn, which advocates have warned could be a prime target for Trump's mass deportation plan. Elsewhere, Republican governors and lawmakers in some states are already rolling out proposals that could help him carry out his pledge to deport millions of people living in the U.S. illegally. Izaguirre reported from Albany, N.Y. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!