super ace online casino Wall St Week Ahead-Inflation report poses test for stocks rally as Fed meeting loomsEMERYVILLE, Calif., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NMI Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: NMIH) announced today that Mohammad Yousaf, currently the company's Executive Vice President, Operations and Information Technology, has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief of Operations and Technology, effective January 1, 2025. Upon his appointment, Mr. Yousaf will continue to lead the innovation of National MI's customer platform and technology roadmap and play an important role in shaping the company's future success in collaboration with the broader executive team. "Mohammad has been instrumental in our success and this new role reflects his dedication, leadership and significant contributions to National MI. This is a well-deserved promotion and I look forward to working with Mohammad and our broader executive team as we continue to deliver differentiated solutions and value for National MI's customers, community, employees and shareholders,” said Adam Pollitzer, National MI's President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Yousaf joined National MI in 2018 and previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Transformation Officer from 2020 to 2021 and Vice President, Business Development and Technology Partnerships from 2018 to 2020. Prior to joining National MI, Mr. Yousaf was a Senior Managing Director in charge of servicing operations for Home Point Financial and held leadership positions with Mr. Cooper and Wells Fargo. "National MI has the most modern and efficient operating platform in the private mortgage insurance industry and I'm proud to lead our operations and technology teams as we continue to develop innovative solutions for our customers,” said Mr. Yousaf. "Our goal has always been to support lenders and borrowers with a differentiated commitment and standard of service and, today, we lead the private MI industry from a position of strength and success. I am excited to leverage this expanded role to drive continued momentum and results across our business.” About National MI National Mortgage Insurance Corporation (National MI), a subsidiary of NMI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: NMIH), is a U.S.-based, private mortgage insurance company enabling low down payment borrowers to realize home ownership while protecting lenders and investors against losses related to a borrower's default. To learn more, please visit www.nationalmi.com Press Contact for National MI Lesley Alli Senior Vice President, Industry Relations, Marketing and Communications [email protected] (510) 858-0568 Investor Contact for National MI John M. Swenson Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasury [email protected] (510)788-8417

Keene State men's hoops holds at No. 12 in poll entering breakBOCA RATON, Fla. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boca Woods Country Club is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newly redesigned Woods golf course. This momentous occasion took place on Sunday, December 8th at 12:00 PM , with a celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony marking the culmination of a remarkable $9M transformation that has captivated the attention of golf enthusiasts far and wide. More than 450 Members and distinguished guests from industry and government joined the Club for the ribbon cutting ceremony, cocktails and hors d' oeuvres. Attendees included PGA Junior Club Members standing aside past Club Presidents, sharing a commitment to excellence demonstrated by the investment to fully renovate the Woods Course. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of a lifetime Boca Woods Country Club Membership accepted by Rees Jones . The outcome of this extensive renovation: a formidable championship golf course, meticulously designed by the renowned Rees Jones and delivered through the craftsmanship of LaBar Golf. Stretching to a maximum yardage of 7,043 yards, the course boasts key risk/reward decisions for the experienced golfer while offering better playable options for those less experienced. Some key highlights of the renovation include: " The Woods course is now a true championship layout, playing to a maximum yardage of 7,043 yards." Said Jeff Gullett , Director of Golf. He continued, " Rees Jones has incorporated a combination of green complexes and bunkering that will test every golfer's ability. We are confident that our Members will be delighted with the results." The Woods golf course offers an inspired blend of challenging greens and strategically placed bunkers, promising to test the mettle of even the most seasoned golfers. The harmonious fusion of design elements guarantees a truly exceptional and unforgettable round of golf. What truly distinguishes the Woods course is its serene and secluded setting. Nestled away from the luxury homes that dot the community, the course immerses players in the tranquility of South Florida's nature, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. " Bryce Swanson and I are pleased that the Woods Course at Boca Woods is reopening on time and on budget. The redesign of the golf course enhances the course's playability, strategy, and variety. The remodeled golf course will provide an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience for the Members and their guests on a continuing basis. It has been a pleasure to work with all involved in this project," said Rees Jones . This renovation is particularly significant due to Boca Woods' unique position in the golfing world. With 36 holes of championship golf and a limited Membership of only 590 golfers, Boca Woods provides an unparalleled level of exclusivity and access. The newly renovated Woods course further solidifies the club's reputation as a golfer's paradise, offering a rare combination of world-class amenities and a close-knit community of passionate enthusiasts. " It is amazing to witness the evolution taking place at this Club." Says David Sweet, General Manager/ COO. He continues, "In the last four years, Members have supported the development of modern amenities: a new Clubhouse with state-of-the-art virtual meeting spaces, a sports and wellness complex that offers 10,000 sq ft of fitness, modern racquet sports facilities including lights for night play, and now this championship course developed in partnership with the best names in the business. Rees has left his mark on Boca Woods, and the Club's future is bright!" Central to the course's allure is the masterful touch of Rees Jones , whose design philosophy seamlessly integrates the natural beauty of the surroundings with the strategic demands of the game. The result is a golfing experience that is both visually captivating and intellectually stimulating. "The Rees Jones' update to our Woods Course is inspirational. Coupled with renovations designed by Kipp Schulties on the Lakes Course, we offer a small community of players a wide range of golfing opportunities. As President of Boca Woods, I am proud of what we accomplished and the time frame we worked within. We listened to our players: men and women, scratch players and weekenders... the result is 36 holes of magnificent golf course architecture that challenges the best and offers playable options for every level. Our demographics say it all (reference the generations photo), and there are tee boxes for every player at every age to enjoy. Boca Woods is setting the standard" said Howard Mittleman , Board President for Boca Woods Country Club. The renovation of the Woods golf course represents a substantial investment in elevating the club's amenities, ensuring Members have exceptional golf experiences. The comprehensive project followed a $14.5M building and facilities renovation. For more information on the new Woods golf course or to inquire about membership opportunities, please visit bocawoodscc.com . The Club foresees many future investments, including the installation of TopTracer (technology owned and used by Top Golf Entertainment Group) on the driving range, sharing information about every shot for Members through fully integrated technology inclusive of ballistics scopes delivering multiple data points for every shot. About Boca Woods Country Club Boca Woods Country Club is an established residential country club community located in Boca Raton, Florida . Membership at Boca Woods offers extraordinary value in a golf community that features two championship golf courses and all the amenities that private country club living has to offer. Boca Woods Country Club is dedicated to providing a residential country club lifestyle featuring a community and club culture characterized by friendliness, civility and respect for its members and staff in an overall setting of refinement and casual elegance. Media Contact: membership@bocawoodscc.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grand-opening-of-the-rees-jones-woods-golf-course-announced-at-boca-woods-country-club-302334242.html SOURCE Boca Woods Country ClubFormer Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., attends the cocktail hour of New York Young Republican Club’s annual gala at Cipriani Wall Street, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., closes a door to a private meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Republican Senate Judiciary Committee members, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., center, attends the cocktail hour of New York Young Republican Club’s annual gala at Cipriani Wall Street, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., attends the cocktail hour of New York Young Republican Club’s annual gala at Cipriani Wall Street, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) By LISA MASCARO and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee’s long-awaited report on Matt Gaetz documents a trove of salacious allegations , including sex with an underage girl, that tanked the Florida Republican’s bid to lead the Justice Department . Related Articles National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl National Politics | Trump wants mass deportations. For the agents removing immigrants, it’s a painstaking process National Politics | Many Americans have come to rely on Chinese-made drones. Now lawmakers want to ban them Citing text messages, travel receipts, online payments and testimony, the bipartisan committee paints a picture of a lifestyle in which Gaetz and others connected with younger women for drug-fueled parties, events or trips, with the expectation the women would be paid for their participation. The former congressman, who filed a last-minute lawsuit to try to block the report’s release on Monday, slammed the committee’s findings. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has insisted he never had sex with a minor. And a Justice Department investigation into the allegations ended without any criminal charges filed against him. “Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn’t ask for — and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” Gaetz wrote in one post on Monday. “There is a reason they did this to me in a Christmas Eve-Eve report and not in a courtroom of any kind where I could present evidence and challenge witnesses.” Here’s a look at some of the committee’s key findings: The committee found that between 2017 and 2020, Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women “likely in connection with sexual activity and/or drug use.” He paid the women using through online services such as PayPal, Venmo, and CashApp and with cash or check, the committee said. The committee said it found evidence that Gaetz understood the “transactional nature” of his relationships with the women. The report points to one text exchange in which Gaetz balked at a woman’s request that he send her money, “claiming she only gave him a ‘drive by.’” Women interviewed by the committee said there was a “general expectation of sex,” the report said. One woman who received more than $5,000 from Gaetz between 2018 and 2019 said that “99 percent of the time” that when she hung out with Gaetz “there was sex involved.” However, Gaetz was in a long-term relationship with one of the women he paid, so “some of the payments may have been of a legitimate nature,” the committee said. Text messages obtained by the committee also show that Gaetz would ask the women to bring drugs to their “rendezvous,” the report said. While most of his encounters with the women were in Florida, the committee said Gaetz also traveled “on several occasions” with women whom he paid for sex. The report includes text message exchanges in which Gaetz appears to be inviting various women to events, getaways or parties, and arranging airplane travel and lodging. Gaetz associate Joel Greenberg, who pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges in 2021, initially connected with women through an online service. In one text with a 20-year-old woman, Greenberg suggested if she has a friend, the four of them could meet up. The woman responded that she usually does “$400 per meet.” Greenberg replied: “He understands the deal,” along with a smiley face emoji. Greenberg asks if they are old enough to drink alcohol, and sent the woman a picture of Gaetz. The woman responded that her friend found him “really cute.” “Well, he’s down here for only for the day, we work hard and play hard,” Greenberg replied. The report details a party in July 2017 in which Gaetz is accused of having sex with “multiple women, including the 17-year-old, for which they were paid.” The committee pointed to “credible testimony” from the now-woman herself as well as “multiple individuals” who corroborated the allegation. The then-17-year-old — who had just completed her junior year in high school — told the committee that Gaetz paid her $400 in cash that night, “which she understood to be payment for sex,” according to the report. The woman acknowledged that she had taken ecstasy the night of the party, but told the committee that she was “certain” of her sexual encounters with the then-congressman. There’s no evidence that Gaetz knew she was a minor when he had sex with her, the committee said. The woman told the committee she didn’t tell Gaetz she was under 18 at the time and that he didn’t how old she was. Rather, the committee said Gaetz learned she was a minor more than a month after the party. But he stayed in touch with her after that and met up with her for “commercial sex” again less than six months after she turned 18, according to the committee. In sum, the committee said it authorized 29 subpoenas for documents and testimony, reviewed nearly 14,000 documents and contacted more than two dozen witnesses. But when the committee subpoenaed Gaetz for his testimony, he failed to comply. “Gaetz pointed to evidence that would ‘exonerate’ him yet failed to produce any such materials,” the committee said. Gaetz “continuously sought to deflect, deter, or mislead the Committee in order to prevent his actions from being exposed.” The report details a months-long process that dragged into a year as it sought information from Gaetz that he decried as “nosey” and a “weaponization” of government against him. In one notable exchange, investigators were seeking information about the expenses for a 2018 get-away with multiple women to the Bahamas. Gaetz ultimately offered up his plane ticket receipt “to” the destination, but declined to share his return “from” the Bahamas. The report said his return on a private plane and other expenses paid by an associate were in violation of House gift rules. In another Gaetz told the committee he would “welcome” the opportunity to respond to written questions. Yet, after it sent a list of 16 questions, Gaetz said publicly he would “no longer” voluntarily cooperate. He called the investigation “frivolous,” adding: “Every investigation into me ends the same way: my exoneration.” The report said that while Gaetz’s obstruction of the investigation does not rise to a criminal violation it is inconsistent with the requirement that all members of Congress “act in a manner that reflects creditably upon the House.” The committee began its review of Gaetz in April 2021 and deferred its work in response to a Justice Department request. It renewed its work shortly after Gaetz announced that the Justice Department had ended a sex trafficking investigation without filing any charges against him. The committee sought records from the Justice Department about the probe, but the agency refused, saying it doesn’t disclose information about investigations that don’t result in charges. The committee then subpoenaed the Justice Department, but after a back-and-forth between officials and the committee, the department handed over “publicly reported information about the testimony of a deceased individual,” according to the report. “To date, DOJ has provided no meaningful evidence or information to the Committee or cited any lawful basis for its responses,” the committee said. Many of the women who the committee spoke to had already given statements to the Justice Department and didn’t want to “relive their experience,” the committee said. “They were particularly concerned with providing additional testimony about a sitting congressman in light of DOJ’s lack of action on their prior testimony,” the report said. The Justice Department, however, never handed over the women’s statements. The agency’s lack of cooperation — along with its request that the committee pause its investigation — significantly delayed the committee’s probe, lawmakers said.Armed robbery reported at the U.S. Bank on Carmel Rancho Lane in Carmel.

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NMI Holdings, Inc., (NASDAQ: NMIH) announced today that Mohammad Yousaf, currently the company’s Executive Vice President, Operations and Information Technology, has been appointed to the newly created position of Chief of Operations and Technology, effective January 1, 2025. Upon his appointment, Mr. Yousaf will continue to lead the innovation of National MI’s customer platform and technology roadmap and play an important role in shaping the company’s future success in collaboration with the broader executive team. “Mohammad has been instrumental in our success and this new role reflects his dedication, leadership and significant contributions to National MI. This is a well-deserved promotion and I look forward to working with Mohammad and our broader executive team as we continue to deliver differentiated solutions and value for National MI’s customers, community, employees and shareholders,” said Adam Pollitzer, National MI’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Yousaf joined National MI in 2018 and previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Transformation Officer from 2020 to 2021 and Vice President, Business Development and Technology Partnerships from 2018 to 2020. Prior to joining National MI, Mr. Yousaf was a Senior Managing Director in charge of servicing operations for Home Point Financial and held leadership positions with Mr. Cooper and Wells Fargo. “National MI has the most modern and efficient operating platform in the private mortgage insurance industry and I’m proud to lead our operations and technology teams as we continue to develop innovative solutions for our customers,” said Mr. Yousaf. “Our goal has always been to support lenders and borrowers with a differentiated commitment and standard of service and, today, we lead the private MI industry from a position of strength and success. I am excited to leverage this expanded role to drive continued momentum and results across our business.” About National MI National Mortgage Insurance Corporation (National MI), a subsidiary of NMI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: NMIH), is a U.S.-based, private mortgage insurance company enabling low down payment borrowers to realize home ownership while protecting lenders and investors against losses related to a borrower’s default. To learn more, please visit www.nationalmi.com Press Contact for National MI Lesley Alli Senior Vice President, Industry Relations, Marketing and Communications media@nationalmi.com (510) 858-0568 Investor Contact for National MI John M. Swenson Vice President, Investor Relations and Treasury investor.relations@nationalmi.com (510)788-8417Brooklyn Nets at Miami Heat: Odds, predictions, recent stats, trends and Best bets for December 23Andrew Callahan: It’s time to forget about Jerod Mayo getting fired

Environmental, Social And Governance ESG Rating Services Global Market Report 2024WEST FARGO — When Happy, a sweet but oblivious-to-danger 9-year-old mare scraped up her back leg once again, owner Alicia Severson was able to call on Casselton Veterinary Service to visit her Gandin, N.D., farm and patch up Happy. But when it comes to a recurring ligament injury Happy sustained while competing in a barrel competition, Severson and many other horse and farm animal owners are finding it more difficult every year to find big animal veterinarians, and especially ones that specialize in certain care. ADVERTISEMENT "There is absolutely a shortage," Severson said. For decades, ranchers have been sounding the alarm about a shortage of rural veterinarians and new big animal vets, and especially those who specialize in caring for horses, cows, pigs and sheep. The problem persists despite land grant universities such as North Dakota State University, who often send undergraduates interested in the profession to far-away schools for continuing education. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture , 500 counties across 46 states reported critical shortages of big animal vets. And while large animal veterinarians have long been a challenge to find in rural areas, where they are most needed, veterinarians who specialize in horses are also waning. That's despite the increasing popularity and availability in North Dakota and Minnesota for younger generations to compete in equine activities. According to an online database, about 43,200 horses call North Dakota home, which is about one horse per 18 people in the state. Leon Glasser, president of the North Dakota Quarter Horse Racing Association, has been breeding, raising and racing horses for more than 40 years, working to improve the quality of racehorses born in North Dakota. Over the years, he's watched the number of veterinarians willing to work with horses dwindle quickly. "Are we short of equine vets in this area? Absolutely, we are," Glasser said. He said a veterinary clinic in New Salem, N.D., will now only provide simple paperwork needed for owners to transport horses across state lines for care and Missouri Valley Vet Clinic in Bismarck has also limited equine services in the same way. Most newer veterinarians prefer to work on dogs and cats exclusively, he said. ADVERTISEMENT Severson agreed, noting it is also difficult to find a veterinarian who has experience treating goats, as the Seversons have two goats at their farm along with the horses and a cat. For Happy's ligament issue, of which she's had recurring surgeries and needs sporadic treatment, Severson worked with an equine sports medicine specialist based in the Twin Cities but would travel into western Minnesota. However, that veterinarian recently retired, leaving Severson on the hunt to find another specialist within a few hundred miles of the Red River Valley. "Nothing takes the place of a seasoned veterinarian," Severson said. "Thankfully, Casselton [Veterinary Service] is fabulous when it comes to when my horse is injured. But when it comes to long-term stuff that she's dealing with, it's difficult." Access to education and access to vets Dr. Alexa Weyer at Casselton Veterinary grew up in Snohomish, Wash., a farm town north of Seattle, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of North Dakota before finishing her doctorate in Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University in Alabama. Following graduation, she began working at Casselton Veterinary in early 2021. "There is definitely a shortage of people interested in large animal practice, and we would love to see more interest," Weyer said. To be a veterinarian requires a doctorate degree from a veterinary school or program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and passing the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam, which is an extensive 360-question exam on all species (dogs, cats, horses, cows, goats, pigs, birds, reptiles, rabbits, fish and more) and all aspects of veterinary medicine. ADVERTISEMENT Veterinarians can choose to either go straight into general practice after graduation or they can seek further education to become a specialist. To be a veterinarian technician requires a two- or four-year veterinary technology degree, depending on the program. Derine Winning, a veterinarian at Valley Veterinary Hospital in Fargo and public policy adviser for the North Dakota Veterinary Medical Association, said the vast majority — about 70% — of new graduate veterinarians became companion animal practitioners in 2023. Almost 10% became mixed animal practitioners and only 6% became equine practitioners. The data comes from the American Veterinary Medical Association's 2024 Economic State of the Profession Report. "There are a lot of different areas in which veterinarians can become board certified through advanced education and training," Winning said. Animal specialists of any kind can be difficult to find locally, although Winning said the Red River Animal and Emergency Hospital and Referral Center in Fargo does have some specialists in oncology, surgery, internal medicine and emergency and critical care. Casselton Veterinary provides many large animal services from emergency on-call care to posting a doctor and technician for nights and weekends. In addition to their vets traveling to farms, the clinic has a large treatment area with two stocks and stalls for hospitalization and breeding care. The clinic also has several portable imaging tools. Weyer said the trend of vets moving away from rural areas can be seen in the growing need for referrals. "Unfortunately, most referral facilities across the country for large and small animals are in areas of high population density. For large animals, there are even fewer facilities and they tend to be at universities with veterinary schools or in areas of high equine concentration," she said. ADVERTISEMENT While the Casselton doctors work with a variety of places for specialty referrals, Sturgis Equine in western South Dakota and the University of Minnesota are probably most used by the clinic. Still, the closest drive is about four hours. Weyer said referrals are typically needed for colic surgery, arthroscopic surgery, advanced imaging or advanced hospitalizations. "In general practice like we are, there are always times to refer. For our clients, it would be nice to have a closer option, but a lot of areas in the country are even farther from referral than we are," Weyer said. Beth Carlson, deputy veterinarian with the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, said rural areas most in need of large animal veterinarians may not attract college graduates with those abilities. "The ratio of large animal veterinarians has shifted quite a bit," Carlson said. "Certainly there are areas of the state where it is difficult to hire veterinarians for a variety of reasons. In some cases it's challenging to hire veterinarians even in urban areas as well." One challenge is the cost of becoming a veterinarian. The USDA offers a program that provides up to $75,000 in veterinary school loan repayment to graduates who agree to work in underserved rural communities a minimum of three years. While some in Congress have recently proposed increasing that amount, it can still be daunting as new veterinarians, on average, face about $190,000 in school debt over the eight years needed to become a veterinarian. ADVERTISEMENT According to the American Veterinary Medicine Association, the mean starting salary for a veterinarian working predominantly in the treatment of food animals is about $85,000, but it was more than $100,000 for those who specialize in pet care. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture does work with residents interested in attending veterinary school. Carlson said her office assists with applications for veterinary loan repayment programs. "There are a few different ways that the state and federal government has approached that issue," Carlson said. While NDSU has a veterinarian technician program, there are currently no veterinary schools in North Dakota. In fact, there are only about 30 veterinary schools nationwide. The closest to North Dakota and some of the most renowned veterinary medicine schools are the University of Minnesota, University of Iowa and Kansas State. "NDSU is a great agricultural school and has a great veterinary technician program," Weyer said. "It might be nice to have a veterinary doctorate program at NDSU, but I am not sure that the population is there yet to support one."A-League Talking Points: Costa shines as Reds throw away two points, spoils shared in lively Melbourne DerbyArmed robbery reported at the U.S. Bank on Carmel Rancho Lane in Carmel.

Stock market today: Wall Street ends mixed after a bumpy week

‘Anuja’ Director Adam J. Graves On Creating An Empathetic Tale Of Two Sisters In Oscar-Qualifying ShortSANTA CLARA, Calif. , Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Marvell Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRVL), today announced a quarterly dividend of $0.06 per share of common stock payable on January 30, 2025 to shareholders of record as of January 10, 2025 . About Marvell To deliver the data infrastructure technology that connects the world, we're building solutions on the most powerful foundation: our partnerships with our customers. Trusted by the world's leading technology companies for over 25 years, we move, store, process and secure the world's data with semiconductor solutions designed for our customers' current needs and future ambitions. Through a process of deep collaboration and transparency, we're ultimately changing the way tomorrow's enterprise, cloud, automotive, and carrier architectures transform—for the better. Marvell® and the Marvell logo are registered trademarks of Marvell and/or its affiliates. For further information, contact: Ashish Saran Senior Vice President, Investor Relations 408-222-0777 ir@marvell.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/marvell-technology-inc-declares-quarterly-dividend-payment-302331636.html SOURCE Marvell

NEW YORK (AP) — A Brooklyn real estate magnate accused of working with a Turkish government official to funnel illegal campaign contributions to New York City Mayor Eric Adams plans to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge tied to the scheme, federal prosecutors said Monday. Erden Arkan, the owner of a real estate construction firm, was one of several individuals implicated in the sprawling corruption indictment brought against Adams in October. He would be the first to plead guilty in a public proceeding. In court papers, prosecutors said Arkan planned to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud by collecting campaign contributions for Adams that were made under the name of someone other than the true contributor. Adams then used those funds to fraudulently obtain public funding under the city’s matching funds program, which provides a generous match for small-dollar donations, prosecutors allege. A lawyer for Arkan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An attorney for Adams, Alex Spiro, said in an emailed statement that the decision would have "no bearing on the Mayor’s case whatsoever.” “We know from the government’s own interviews that Mr. Arkan repeatedly said that Mayor Adams had no knowledge of his actions," Spiro said. A well-known member of New York’s Turkish community, Arkan is a co-owner of KSK, a Brooklyn-based construction firm specializing in luxury condominiums. His firm’s ties to Adams emerged in November 2023, as investigators searched his residence, along with the home of Adams’ chief fundraiser and his liaison to the Turkish community. Adams was subsequently charged with accepting bribes in the form of luxury travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals hoping to buy his influence for their benefit. He has pleaded not guilty and vowed to remain in office as he fights the charges. The indictment details an April 2021 dinner organized by the Turkish official in which Adams personally solicited illegal campaign contributions from Arkan — identified in court papers only as “Businessman-5.” The following month, Arkan hosted a fundraiser at KSK’s headquarters for Adams in which 11 of his employees donated between $1,200 and $1,500 to the campaign. Each was reimbursed by the construction firm, prosecutors allege, making the contributions illegal straw donations. Arkan later confirmed to the FBI that he had spoken to the Turkish official about the fundraiser. He initially denied reimbursing his employees, prosecutors said. As he sought to recruit others to raise money for Adams, Arkan appeared to acknowledge misgivings about the fundraising scheme, telling prospective donors in New York's Turkish community that it “may feel like swimming against the current but unfortunately this is how things work in this country,” according to the indictment. As Adams gears up for an April trial, he has pledged to fight the case “with every ounce of my strength and my spirit." But his administration has faced overlapping scandals and investigations, leading to the resignations of his police commissioner , schools chancellor , multiple deputy mayors and his director of Asian affairs . His former buildings commissioner was also charged in a separate bribery conspiracy case involving real estate officials last year. Last week, Adams' former top advisor and close confidante, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, was charged by state prosecutors for allegedly accepting bribes from two real estate developers seeking to speed the process of construction approvals. She has pleaded not guilty. Jake Offenhartz And Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press

The Alaska Department of Transportation plans to use a $12.4 million federal grant to use drones for safety-related efforts in the state’s rural communities and remote areas. DOT stated in a news release that the money will fund the Scalable Operations and Advanced Remote Technologies (SOAR) initiative, the second phase of a drone program partnership. SOAR was launched to use advanced drones for long-distance flights to improve safety and transportation in hard-to-access areas with limited roads, trails or infrastructure. “This project will help modernize community decision-making through advanced technologies, information gathering, and communications about surface conditions, weather, temperatures, and information on special situations such as floods or fire,” DOT Commissioner Ryan Anderson said in a prepared statement. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) grant program. The first phase was the ARROW (Alaska Rural Remote Operations Work Plan) Program. The funding will help integrate “cutting-edge technologies such as Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), drone-in-a-box solutions, advanced communications infrastructure, and real-time data management,” DOT stated in its release. The University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Center for UAS Integration (ACUASI) has been spearheading how to integrate BVLOS technology into unmanned drones for several years. BVLOS drones use GPS, sensors, and cameras to navigate and observe the environment, detect other aircraft and adjust flight patterns accordingly to re The Federal Aviation Administration enforces strict protocols for most drones that require them to remain within an operator’s visual line of sight; however, waivers can be secured by organizations such as the one ACUASI received in 2023. ACUASI also achieved other milestones, such as a historic unmanned beyond visual sight survey of a 3.87-mile segment of trans-Alaska pipeline corridor in 2019. Under the ARROW program, DOT initially deployed drones to Yukon Kuskokwim Delta communities in 2023, including Bethel. ARROW supported initiatives such as infrastructure inspections, documentation of the 300-mile Kuskokwim ice road, and enhancing search and rescue operations across the region. Skydio, a California-based American drone manufacturer, provided the unmanned aerial systems. The SOAR project includes partnerships with other agencies, including AUCASI, the California Department of Transportation, the Association of Village Council Presidents and labor organizations such as AFL-CIO and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. With the $12.4 million infusion, SOAR would expand the number of participating disadvantaged communities in Alaska and California, ranging in size from Lime Village and Goodnews Bay in the Bethel Census Area, cities including Fairbanks to major metropolitan areas such as San Jose in California. “Sites were selected for their proximity to transportation corridors, critical infrastructure, construction sites, and geohazards (landslides, avalanche, ice road, erosion, subsidence and earthquake) affecting the safety of traveling public in snowmachine, boat, car, or plane,” the project website states. “This highly disparate selection of project sites was purposefully curated to demonstrate broad scalability and live problem-solving capabilities with the integration of uncrewed aviation technologies.” Dylan Blankenship, DOT’s statewide aviation development specialist, noted that the program can benefit communities and developments to “document seasonal trails like ice roads, which we have a few of” and provide warnings about hazardous conditions ahead of time. According to the DOT, SOAR drone applications will include monitoring and responding to critical transportation-related environmental and infrastructure challenges, rural economic growth through workforce development programs and partnerships with local organizations, and “reducing carbon emissions by integrating renewable energy sources, such as solar-powered drone docks and energy storage systems, into transportation operations.”

The Framework Laptop 16 just got a modular gadget that enables quadruple SSDs

Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week

WASHINGTON — If there’s a theme among President-elect Donald Trump’s health Cabinet picks, it’s this: The vast majority were critics of how the Biden administration handled COVID-19. The pandemic upended Americans’ perspective on public health and health care delivery, both throughout the United States and among Republican lawmakers. Policy experts say that change is evident in Trump’s selections to lead major U.S. health agencies. That change is particularly notable in Trump’s pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic who has been critical of the federal government’s pandemic response. Trump and Republicans have praised Kennedy for bucking conventional thinking when it comes to public health, even though many of Kennedy’s theories and proposals are not backed by science. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Kennedy advocated against vaccinating kids against the coronavirus. He also led the anti-vaccination group Children’s Health Defense beginning in 2018. As Trump’s presumptive HHS secretary nominee, Kennedy worked with the Trump team to pick the leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid, the Food and Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health. Former Rep. Dave Weldon, Trump’s selection to head the CDC, is also a vaccine skeptic. Mehmet Oz, known more commonly as “Dr. Oz,” Trump’s choice to head CMS, promoted use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19. FDA commissioner pick Marty Makary promoted herd immunity to stop the virus, as did Trump’s choice to lead the NIH, Jay Bhattacharya. Taken as a whole, the picks reflect a deep skepticism toward the recommendations of the very agencies these men have been tapped to lead. Trust in public health institutions plummeted in the wake of the pandemic, particularly among Republicans, according to polling, and virus prevention measures like wearing a face mask on an airplane or getting a routine vaccination have morphed into political actions in many parts of the United States. “There was a lot of misinformation, uncertain information,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said of the COVID-19 pandemic response. “In the end, when you looked at what the benefits were, the benefits were not as large as promised and some people were penalized. So I’m sure that’s reflected in [Trump’s] Cabinet choices.” But as Republicans cheer these changes to the public health sector, Democrats and medical institutions are concerned about health misinformation and how that could impact the American health care system, which spends roughly $4.5 trillion per year and accounts for 17.3 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. On the campaign trail, Trump won voters by promising to buck the system. But public health experts warn that moving too far from the medical establishment and rejecting scientific data could have disastrous consequences. A look at other key Trump health picks and their records on COVID-19: Mehmet Oz, CMS Oz has long been criticized for his controversial views on public health. The pandemic was no exception. The Daytime Emmy award winner served as an informal adviser during the first Trump administration, promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19 early in the pandemic. He reportedly tried to persuade the president’s advisers to accelerate approval of the drug for use against COVID-19, even though at the time it had not been tested against the virus. Later, the FDA and infectious disease doctors found the antimalarial would not treat the virus. Oz also urged Trump administration officials to back a study he offered to fund at Columbia University Medical Center about the impacts of the antimalarial on COVID-19 patients, according to the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. In April 2020, Oz said on Fox News that reopening schools would be worth it, even if it led to increased deaths. He later retracted the statement. Marty Makary, FDA Like Kennedy, Makary has publicly questioned the broad use of COVID-19 vaccines and vaccine mandates. But unlike Kennedy and many others in Trump’s health Cabinet, Makary was an early advocate of masking to prevent the spread of the virus and restricting air travel. The Johns Hopkins surgeon and author publicly opposed COVID-19 booster shots and promoted natural immunity over vaccinations. He went as far as arguing that the federal government censored pandemic data on natural immunity in an attempt to get more people vaccinated. But Makary also promoted early vaccination strategies to protect those most at risk for severe disease, such as getting single doses of vaccines to as many people as possible before allowing people to go back for a second dose of the shot. In late 2020, he criticized the FDA for not moving fast enough to approve mRNA vaccines. Jay Bhattacharya, NIH A Stanford physician and professor, Bhattacharya made a name for himself as a skeptic who opposed COVID-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates. He also promoted herd immunity, the concept that low-risk people should live their lives normally and build up resistance to COVID-19 through infection while only high-risk individuals took precautions. In October 2020, Bhattacharya co-authored the controversial “Great Barrington Declaration,” an open letter advocating against virus prevention measures with the hopes of quickly obtaining herd immunity. Both the World Health Organization and leading academic and public health organizations condemned the letter, with the American Public Health Association and other health organizations signing a letter calling it a “wrong-headed proposal masquerading as science” and arguing that the declaration would lead to preventable deaths. Dave Weldon, CDC Weldon, a physician who represented Florida in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 through 2009, has routinely questioned the links between vaccines and autism throughout his career. He does not specialize in infectious diseases and has never formally worked in public health, having spent his career as a military doctor, internist and politician. In 2007, Weldon introduced a bill that would remove vaccine safety research from the CDC’s domain and house it in a separate HHS agency. Although the bill didn’t advance, some privately worry it’s indicative of the way he’d strip down the public health agency. Former acting CDC Director Richard Besser said he’s concerned about Weldon’s lack of public health credentials and suspects he was nominated to the post largely because his vaccine skepticism aligns with Kennedy’s views. “What we’re seeing with a number of these nominations is a continuation of that politicization [of public health], where you know people coming in who are saying public health is the problem, not the solution,” Besser said.COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan Monday. The new investment will boost the amount it has committed to spending in Ohio by the end of 2029 to more than $23 billion. AWS launched its first data centers in the state in 2016 and currently operates campuses in two counties in central Ohio, home to the capital city of Columbus. The new investment will allow AWS to expand its data centers to new sites, but the company said those locations have not been determined yet and noted that its investment plans are contingent upon the execution of long-term energy service agreements. AWS said the new data centers will contain computer servers, storage drives, networking equipment and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. In June 2023, AWS said it would invest $7.8 billion by the end of 2029 to expand its data center operations in central Ohio. That was on top of $6 billion already invested through 2022.

‘Nearly 40% of cricketers at U12 level in Australia are of South Asian heritage’ ABC writer on why Indian migrants might be answer to future of cricket in Australia MELBOURNE: Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s sports presenter Paul Kennedy, a former Footie player and current journalist, was asked on the Grade Cricketer vlog, if he worried about the “influence of India’s vision of cricket in Australia.” He instead suggested that “Indian or South Asian heritage cricketers might actually be the answer for future of cricket in Australia. Quoting some eye-popping figures, Kennedy explained that South Asian heritage cricketers were pivotal to increase participation figures in Australian cricket. “If you look at all sports, which I do, participation levels is a big thing. You need people playing a game if you want to keep operating as a sport, particularly big sport like cricket. If you look at migration to Australia, India is a huge part of Australia life now. And what do they do? They play cricket. The stats are that at the U12 level it’s up near 40% of the kids are from South Asian heritage. We went to Truganina which is west of Melbourne. In that area along eight years ago, they had 160 teams., now they have 420 teams. And some sports haven’t got the diversity to to have that future safeguard of just full participation in growing a game. So it’s like a gift for cricket,’ he told the Grade Cricketer. Earlier last month, writing on abc.net.au , Kennedy had stressed that the current participation boom was unlike any other trend in Australian sport: “Five years ago, 10 per cent of cricket players registered at all levels in Australia had South Asian heritage; Cricket Australia Chief of Cricket James Allsop says that figure is 20 per cent and rising.” The writeup noted other growing numbers. “Registrations for ‘Cricket Blast’, a backyard cricket-style introductory program for kids under 10, saw children of parents from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan go up by 26 per cent for boys and 29 per cent for girls over the past year. Representative programs run by local, state, and national organisations have noted 17 per cent of their players are now of South Asian heritage. In the Under 12 age group that number is an amazing 40 per cent in boys and 25 per cent in girls.” However a sobering stat presented itself in Kennedy’s findings, as he said the revolution is yet to reach the professional ranks, where contracted state players from South Asian families make up fewer than five per cent of 166 elite men and 122 women and at the highest level, only Usman Khawaja and Alana King had national contracts. A Cricket Australia multicultural plan aimed to double the number of South Asian players at state level by 2027. Alsopp was quoted as saying by ABC.net.au , “We’re making inroads. But we’ve still got a lot of work to do and we’re not shy about that. We want to make sure that all clubs are accommodating for people from all cultural backgrounds, which has been a big focus for the last five years.” AgenciesU.S. District Court Awards 10x Genomics Permanent Injunction in Patent Infringement Lawsuit Against Bruker Corporation's GeoMx Products

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan Monday. The new investment will boost the amount it has committed to spending in Ohio by the end of 2029 to more than $23 billion. AWS launched its first data centers in the state in 2016 and currently operates campuses in two counties in central Ohio, home to the capital city of Columbus. The new investment will allow AWS to expand its data centers to new sites, but the company said those locations have not been determined yet and noted that its investment plans are contingent upon the execution of long-term energy service agreements. AWS said the new data centers will contain computer servers, storage drives, networking equipment and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. In June 2023, AWS said it would invest $7.8 billion by the end of 2029 to expand its data center operations in central Ohio. That was on top of $6 billion already invested through 2022.Magnite to Participate in Needham Annual Growth ConferenceTORONTO — Canada's main stock index fell more than 100 points Friday, led by losses in base metal and telecom stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed ahead of next week's interest rate decision from the U.S. Federal Reserve. This week, the Bank of Canada announced another outsized interest rate cut of half a percentage point while also signalling it plans to slow the pace of cuts going forward. Allan Small, senior investment adviser at iA Private Wealth, said the central bank is juggling a lot of balls heading into the new year, including a faltering economy, a housing market that’s poised to heat up, and a U.S. Fed likely to cut much slower next year. “If (the Bank of Canada) continues to cut when the U.S. doesn’t, where does that leave our dollar?” asked Small. “They’re flying by the seat of their pants.” The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 136.41 points at 25,274.30. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 86.06 points at 43,828.06. The S&P 500 index was down 0.16 points at 6,051.09, while the Nasdaq composite was up 23.88 points at 19,926.72. The Fed has done a better job of tamping down inflation while not harming the economy too much, said Small. The Fed is expected to cut by a quarter-percentage point next week, and its path is clearer than the Bank of Canada’s, said Small. “I don’t think they have much room to cut more,” he said, noting this week saw U.S. inflation data tick up from the month before. “Most people think they’ll go 25 (basis points) and pause for a little while,” said Small. “Would I be surprised to see them not cut at all? No, but I think the market would take that negatively.” Heading into the last few weeks of the year, Small said if there’s a so-called Santa Claus rally, it may be more muted than usual. “It's quite possible we've taken some gains that we normally would have had in December, brought them forward into November, and now December might not be as strong as we normally see,” he said. On Wall St., the Nasdaq did a little better than its U.S. peers as semiconductor company Broadcom saw its stock gain more than 24 per cent after reporting earnings. “I think the commentary on the conference call really caused the stock to shoot up," said Small. The company gave a bright forecast for investors on the back of expected growth in artificial intelligence. This week, Broadcom and Apple also announced a deal to develop a chip for AI. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.27 cents US compared with 70.48 cents US on Thursday. The January crude oil contract was up US$1.27 at US$71.29 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down 18 cents at US$3.28 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$33.60 at US$2,675.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was down five cents at US$4.15 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

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