haha777 promo code 2024 Moira Deeming v John Pesutto defamation case LIVE updates: Judgment set to be deliveredGov JB Pritzker on Wednesday said he would be willing to speak with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming border czar to discuss his mass deportation plan, but questioned whether Tom Homan has the legal “authority” to execute Trump’s broad initiative. The Democratic governor’s comments at an unrelated Chicago news conference came two days after Homan ripped into Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson at a Northwest Side political fundraiser, declaring Chicago would be ground zero for his plan. “ At some point, he’s going to become a part of the Trump administration and so, I’m open to dialogue with him,” Pritzker said. “I will say that he ... does not have the authority to do the things that he’s talked about. Being a border czar is not an official position in the government and will be up to the President of the United States and up to the leaders of the Customs and Border patrol to make decisions about how we’ll manage the border. ” Homan, the former acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term, threatened to arrest people who are found with the undocumented criminals he is targeting. And though he reiterated that there was no plan to separate families, he said “it may happen.” Speaking on “Meet the Press” on Sunday, Trump said that ICE would be “starting with the criminals.” It’s unclear whether that means trying to pick up migrants or undocumented criminals in prisons and jails — or within communities. But the first Trump administration struggled with cooperation from legal authorities in sanctuary states. Pritzker said he would cooperate with authorities to help find the “violent criminals” that the Trump administration is targeting, but vowed to protect the state’s documented immigrants, migrants and immigrants lacking legal status, who have protections under state law. “They’ve tried very hard to become documented, to use the levers that are available..but they’re here and they’re holding down jobs and they’re paying taxes that they don’t get benefits from,” Pritzker said of immigrants lacking legal status. “And I believe it’s my obligation to protect them too. Those are residents of the state of Illinois.” The governor, however, expressed concern that laws on the books, including one making Illinois a sanctuary state, won’t be adhered to under a second Trump administration. “I’m proud of those laws in the state of Illinois. I’m proud of those laws that protect people who are undocumented here that, by the way, protect those who are migrants and those who are documented immigrants too,” Pritzker said. “But we have laws that protect undocumented immigrants, and I’m going to make sure to follow the law. I’m concerned that the Trump administration and his lackeys aren’t going to follow the law, but I will.” Pritzker also said he would block the Illinois National Guard from being deployed to assist with any mass deportations. “I think that’s un-American. I think calling out the National Guard to be engaged in, you know, this endeavor is something that should be Customs and Border Patrol, if they want to be involved,” Pritzker said. "... But the civilian, the military, part-time military that are part of the Illinois National Guard didn’t join so they could essentially go to war in another state.” Pritzker’s comments came as he signed an executive order that will create a new Illinois Director of Housing Solutions to combat the state’s housing crises and increase the number of middle-class homes and rental options across the state. The order will also relaunch the SmartBuy program, which offers a 30-year fixed rate first mortgage with $5,000 in deferred down payment and closing cost assistance. The program will also provide up to $40,000 in student loan relief to borrowers buying a home in Illinois.Stock market today: Stocks drift higher as US markets reopen after a holiday pause

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — On a damp Wednesday night with temperatures dipping into the 30s, fans in sparsely filled stands bundled up to watch Buffalo beat Eastern Michigan 37-30 on gray turf. The lopsided game was not particularly notable, but it was played on one of the nights the Mid-American Conference has made its own: A weeknight. “A lot of the general public thinks we play all of our games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, not just some of them in November,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a telephone interview this week. “What it has done is help take what was a pretty darned good regional conference and has given it a national brand and made it a national conference.” When the conference has played football games on ESPN or ESPN2 over the last two seasons, the linear television audience has been 10 times larger than when conference schools meet on Saturdays and get lost in the shuffle when viewers have many more choices. The most-watched MAC game over the last two years was earlier this month on a Wednesday night when Northern Illinois won at Western Michigan and there were 441,600 viewers, a total that doesn’t include streaming that isn’t captured by Nielsen company. During the same span, the linear TV audience has been no larger than 46,100 to watch two MAC teams play on Saturdays. “Having the whole nation watching on Tuesday and Wednesday night is a huge deal for the MAC,” Eastern Michigan tight end Jere Getzinger said. “Everybody wants to watch football so if you put it on TV on a Tuesday or Wednesday, people are going to watch.” ESPN has carried midweek MAC football games since the start of the century. ESPN and the conference signed a 13-year extension a decade ago that extends their relationship through at least the 2026-27 season. The conference has made the most of the opportunities, using MACtion as a tag on social media for more than a decade and it has become a catchy marketing term for the Group of Five football programs that usually operate under the radar in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and New York. Attendance does tend to go down with weeknight games, keeping some students out of stadiums because they have class or homework and leading to adults staying away home because they have to work the next morning. “The tradeoff is the national exposure,” Buffalo coach Pete Lembo said. “You know November nights midweek the average fan is going to park on the couch, have a bowl of chips and salsa out in front, and watch the game from there." When the Bulls beat Ball State 51-48 in an overtime thriller on a Tuesday night earlier this month, the announced attendance was 12,708 and that appeared to be generous. There were many empty seats after halftime. “You watch the games on TV, the stadiums all look like this,” Buffalo fan Jeff Wojcicki said. “They are not packed, but it’s the only game on, and you know where to find it.” Sleep and practice schedules take a hit as well, creating another wave of challenges for students to attend class and coaches to prepare without the usual rhythm of preparing all week to play on Saturday. “Last week when we played at Ohio in Athens, we had a 4-four bus ride home and got home at about 3:30 a.m.,” Eastern Michigan center Broderick Roman said. “We still had to go to class and that was tough, but it's part of what you commit to as an athlete.” That happens a lot in November when the MAC shifts its unique schedule. During the first two weeks of the month, the conference had 10 games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays exclusively. This week, there were five games on Tuesday and Wednesday while only one was left in the traditional Saturday slot with Ball State hosting Bowling Green. Next week, Toledo plays at Akron and Kent State visits Buffalo on Tuesday night before the MAC schedule wraps up with games next Friday and Saturday to determine which teams will meet in the conference title game on Dec. 7 in Detroit. In all, MAC teams will end up playing about 75% of their games on a Saturday and the rest on November weeknights. When the Eagles wrapped up practice earlier this week, two days before they played the Bulls, tight end Jere Getzinger provided some insight into the effects of the scheduling quirk. “It's Monday, but for us it's like a Thursday,” he said. Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler said he frankly has a hard time remembering what day it is when the schedule shift hits in November. “The entire week gets turned upside down,” Loeffler said. “It’s wild, but it’s great for the league because there’s two days a week this time of year that people around the country will watch MAC games.” AP freelance writer Jonah Bronstein contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballSobeys parent Empire sticks with bet on full-service stores despite discount trend

Editorial. Quantum mechanics

President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday nominated Charles Kushner, the father of his son-in-law Jared Kushner, as the US ambassador to France, in the latest of several controversial picks. Kushner "is a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker, who will be a strong advocate representing our Country & its interests," Trump said on his Truth Social website, adding that Jared "worked closely with me in the White House." The choice is in keeping with Trump's pattern, so far, of selecting people, often wealthy, who are close to his family or of proven loyalty. Kushner is a multimillionaire real estate executive and former attorney; his son was a senior adviser during Trump's first term. Trump did not mention, however, that the elder Kushner once served jail time -- a two-year sentence, most of it served in a federal prison. Kushner, who is now 70, pleaded guilty in 2004 to 18 counts of tax evasion, witness tampering and making illegal campaign contributions. The case, which was prosecuted by then US attorney Chris Christie, included sordid details, to which Kushner admitted: that he had hired a prostitute to seduce his brother-in-law, a man cooperating in a campaign finance inquiry, and then videotaped the encounter and sent it to the man's wife, Kushner's sister, to dissuade her from testifying against him. Christie, who worked on Trump's first presidential transition team and then opposed him in this year's Republican primary contests, later said Kushner had committed a "loathsome" and "disgusting crime." In 2020, Trump issued a pardon to Kushner, whose conviction had resulted in him being disbarred in three states. Nominees for key ambassadorships are often business associates of a president-elect, or major political donors. But it is rare, if not unprecedented, to name a convicted felon. The first two men to fill the prestigious Paris post were famed inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin and a future president, Thomas Jefferson. If confirmed, Kushner would succeed Denise Bauer, a former ambassador to Belgium who was a major Democratic fundraiser and donor. md/bbk/mdWASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn’t alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued,” said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They’re looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference,” Struve said of the former president’s appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan’s chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau’s “Break 50” challenge for the golfer’s more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump’s were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It’s unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there’s no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris’ campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign’s embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump’s campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don’t deliver on improving Americans’ lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect’s authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. ___ Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report. Matt Brown, The Associated Press

Special election dates set for vacant state Senate seat in Orange and Los Angeles countiesSome I'm A Celebrity fans think GK Barry and Ella Rutherford have secretly got married. Speculation was fuelled by Ipswich Town footballer Ella referring to GK as "my wife" on social media. The podcast star, whose real name is Grace Keeling, secured fifth place on this year's series of the ITV show. As GK, 25, made her exit, she was greeted by her sports star partner, 24, at the end of the bridge. Ella has now raised a few eyebrows with an Instagram post from her time in Australia, the Mirror reports. Alongside some images from Down Under, she wrote: "Flew to the jungle to get my wife. Met the most amazing people along the way and made memories that will last a life time. You made us all so proud beautiful, I love you with all my heart, I have everything I’ll ever need." READ MORE: I'm A Celeb's Coleen Rooney hints at exciting projects and says 'I'll be back really soon' Her comments wowed followers who rushed to the comments over the pair's romance. One fan wrote in the comments: "@ellarutherford_ got her wife Whata gem." Another wrote: "Love this Ella", followed by a heart and ring emoji. Those who weren't convinced the pair had yet wed had commented to encourage it. "Marry her already," wrote one. A second chimed in with: "I say put a ring on it." During her time in the jungle, GK was open about her relationship and said: “It was by accident I found Ella, through a mutual friend and then I really liked her the first day I met her, but I’d never told my parents. I’d mentioned, ‘Oh I’m just going to see my friend Ella’ or ‘I’m staying round Ella’s’ so they’d heard her name.” She told her fellow campmates her parents had later visited while Ella and asked who she was. Recounting the story, GK said: "I told them 'Oh. she’s my girlfriend'. They just love her, they never had an issue with it. To be fair I feel like the closet may have been glass!” When she was voted off the series, GK vowed never to walk away from her girlfriend again. She said: "Never again, are we leaving each other. We must be joined at the hip at all times. She basically said to me, 'this is your moment.....this is all about you'. I feel like it says a lot about her."

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People in CT suffer hunger. These groups try creative solutions to address food insecurityFrom a 10-year-old to a Muppet to a president-elect, NYSE bell-ringers range from famous to obscure

Former Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz revealed Friday some of the reasoning behind his decision to withdraw from the attorney general nomination process, saying some senators “had an ax to grind” against him. President-elect Donald Trump Thursday in a post on Truth Social, “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect.” Gaetz began earlier in the week meeting with senators whose approval he would need in order to be confirmed as AG. “I enjoyed the time on the Hill, frankly, talking with senators, and we had great momentum,” he told Real America’s Voice host on Friday. “While our discussions were going well, I found myself having to do two jobs at one time,” he added. “I had a full-time job explaining to senators that maybe a tweet I sent about them was rash and not reflective of how I would serve as attorney general. “And at the same time, I was having to build out the Department of Justice with the right human talent, [and] the right policy infrastructure.” Gaetz recounted that Trump’s new pick to head the DOJ, former Florida Attorney General , will not have the same distractions. “It won’t take the same long process” to get her confirmed, the former congressman argued. Matt Gaetz is currently at Mar-a-Lago, helping build an “America First Army” to take over the DOJ. “You and I have been very involved at Mar-a-Lago at finding patriotic Americans who want to do incredible service, not for themselves, for the country, and putting them in a... — George (@BehizyTweets) Gaetz who led the effort to have former House Speaker removed in 2023 had created animosity on Capitol Hill toward himself. “I was dealing with a politically motivated body. They didn’t like me because of what I did to Kevin McCarthy,” Gaetz said, according to . “And they had an ax to grind. So that was going to serve as at least enough of a basis to delay my confirmation as attorney general.” The America First firebrand also revealed to Kirk that he will not be seeking to return to the House to serve in the next Congress in January. When Gaetz resigned his seat, it was from the current 118th Congress. “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch. I do not intend to join the 119th Congress,” he said. “There are a number of fantastic Floridians who stepped up to run for my seat, people who have inspired with their heroism, with their public service. And I’m actually excited to see Northwest Florida go to new heights and have great representation,” Gaetz added. JUST IN: Matt Gaetz tells Charlie Kirk that he does *not* intend on joining the 119th Congress, hints he has other plans “from a new perch.” The statement comes after Gaetz withdrew his name from the AG nomination. “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from... — Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) “I’m 42 now, and I’ve got other goals in life that I’m eager to pursue — my wife and my family — and so I’m going to be fighting for President Trump,” he said. “I’m going to be doing whatever he asks of me, as I always have. But I think that eight years is probably enough time in the United States Congress.” Prior to his decision to resign, Gaetz had faced the prospect of having a report released. The panel had been investigating allegations that he paid a 17-year-old girl to have sex with him at a party in 2017. The DOJ had also investigated Gaetz for alleged sex trafficking allegations but in 2023 bringing no charges. He told Kirk the allegations were false and an attempt to smear him, reported. “[I]f the things that the House Ethics report [said] were true, I would be under indictment and probably in a prison cell,” Gaetz said. “But of course, they’re false, because when you test them against other records, when you test them against other testimony, it all falls apart very quickly.” We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. .The Christmas party is in two hours. You step out of the shower, wrap yourself in a towel, head over to the mirror and wipe a spot clean so you can see your face. You continue to get ready, and your mind wanders. You already picked up a bottle of wine to bring (and it was a good deal, too!); all the presents are wrapped. Just gotta get dressed, put everything in the car and — Oh, no. It hits you in the stomach like a super-sized helping of pumpkin pie: You forgot a present. Your mom texted you to remind you your great-uncle is coming, but with everything else on your overflowing holiday plate, you didn’t get to cross him off your list. It’s Christmas Day and everything is closed — even Amazon Prime can’t save you now. What’s a Penny Hoarder to do? It’s possible you could get stuck in a situation where the only viable option is hitting the pharmacy or grocery store on the way to Grandma’s. But that doesn’t mean Uncle Mark’s stocking stuffer has to be a bottle of Advil. If you’re creative, you can find awesome Christmas gifts wherever you go. Just put a ribbon on it, and it’s an instant gift! Need some extra cash to fund the holidays? Try one of these 50 ways to make extra money this month. Does your convenience store carry bargain DVDs? Microwave popcorn? Snag ‘em and grab a bow: You’ve given the gift of a night in! Raid the beauty aisle for a few bottles of nail polish and a foot scrub, or try a luxurious face mask. Got a birthday coming up? These 117 places will give you free stuff on your birthday. If you live in a state where beer and wine are sold in drug stores and groceries, no worries! You have an opportunity to give a classic gift — even at the eleventh hour. You may be worried your giftee doesn’t need this household staple. But if you skip the generic stuff and pay a little more for a fancy imported bottle, you’ve got a great gift your recipient will actually use — guaranteed. Looking for another money-saving life hack? These companies give you food and other products for free. Like a nice olive oil, a true foodie would appreciate a bottle of gourmet vinegar. Skip the blue box. Scour the Italian aisle for tri-color tripolini and a high-end jar of sauce for good measure. You’ve given the gift of a nice meal. Make your money work harder for you with our top picks for savings accounts. Yeah, there’s nothing very exciting about garlic salt or onion powder. But what about a jar of Spanish saffron or grains of paradise? Bonus: Find a great-looking recipe that uses the spice(s) you choose. Write it into a Christmas card to go along with your gift. These are staples in pre-packaged gift baskets. Pick a whole-bean variety from your grocery aisle so your giftee can get it ground fresh to his needs, or pick up a bag of fancy-ish loose-leaf tea. Here’s how to start saving money, even if you don’t have room in your budget. A nice package of pistachios or macadamia nuts can make a nice (healthy!) gift. They’re pricey enough that your recipient probably doesn’t keep them on hand — but inexpensive enough to be Penny Hoarder-friendly at the same time. Chocolate is awesome, and it’s available at pharmacies and groceries everywhere . Skip the M&Ms and spring for the good stuff — you’ve got a gift that’s hard to beat! Wrangle your budget with one of our picks for the best budget apps for couples. If CVS or Walgreens is your only option, this likely won’t work for you. But if you can swing by the supermarket on the way to the soirée, consider grabbing a beautifully decorated cake from the case — or even just a nice loaf of bread. There’s nothing better than fresh, in-season fruit. Pair it with chocolate to really amp up your gift. Love to play on your phone? These 22 legit games play real money. Soda crackers, sharp cheese and red wine. Dark chocolate and almonds, with a perfectly paired dark roast coffee to enjoy alongside. A bag of apples and a jar of caramel sauce. A pasta basket. The possibilities are endless — and the best part? All you really need to make anything a gift is a ribbon. Your grocer probably also sells them during the holidays. Everyone loves bringing fresh flora indoors. Grab a bouquet or a potted plant for your host — if she’s a cook, maybe even a couple of potted herbs from the produce section! Looking for a side gig? These are our top 28 picks. Candles are great, because they’re both visual and olfactory. Plus, all those nice holiday scents — like evergreen and peppermint — are likely to be on steep sale! You might want to skip the cheesy romance novels, but most convenience stores have at least a few recent bestsellers. Another money hack? Stop spending too much money on these dumb things. Grocery stores sell gift cards to everything from restaurants to iTunes. Help your host commemorate another awesome year and successful holiday. No one has to know it was a last-minute purchase! Many pharmacies carry ornaments and decorations in their seasonal aisles — and this late in the game, they might also be on sale. Want more money-saving tricks like this? Here are eight more you should try. There are actually some pretty cool cooking gadgets on the endcap you always pass at the grocery store. Your host might love a pretty new ceramic pie pan — or maybe a slow cooker! Drop by the photo center to print a few favorite memories from a USB stick. Then spend some time sharing them around the table. Save $100 (or more!) on groceries with these 25 tools and tricks. At the end of the day, even a thoughtful card is better than nothing. You just need to show you didn’t forget about the person in question (even though you totally did). Grab a Christmas card and write an IOU for a home-cooked meal, a night out or a few hours catching up over coffee — a gift way more thoughtful than any object you could wrap and put under a tree. This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder , a personal finance website that empowers millions of readers nationwide to make smart decisions with their money through actionable and inspirational advice, and resources about how to make, save and manage money.Global HR Leader Partners with CyberCX to Achieve Prestigious ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Certification, Showcasing Commitment to Advanced Cyber Security Standards MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2024 / HireRoad , a global leader in HR solutions, is proud to announce that its Australia-based recruitment platform, Acendre Recruit, has achieved ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification. This prestigious certification demonstrates HireRoad's unwavering commitment to robust information security practices, giving its customers and stakeholders the confidence that their data is managed with the highest levels of protection. The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification process was completed in October 2024, with an external audit finding zero non-conformities - a testament to HireRoad's dedication to information security. The certification was officially issued in November 2024, marking a significant milestone in the company's ongoing cybersecurity journey. "This achievement underscores HireRoad's commitment to safeguarding sensitive information and staying ahead in a rapidly evolving cyber security landscape," said Liam Ackland, Managing Director of Acendre. "It is a testament to our team's hard work and to the strong partnership we've forged with CyberCX in building and executing a comprehensive security roadmap." Partnering with CyberCX to Elevate Security CyberCX, a leading provider of professional cyber security services, played a pivotal role in HireRoad's certification journey. Over the course of six months, CyberCX worked closely with the Acendre team to implement an Information Security Management System (ISMS) that meets the rigorous standards of ISO/IEC 27001:2022. This collaboration included defining security roadmaps, applying risk-based approaches to information security, and providing ongoing leadership through Virtual CISO support. "Acendre has made incredible strides in enhancing its cyber security capabilities," said Paul Kemp, Executive Director, CyberCX. "CyberCX is proud to support Acendre's commitment to safeguarding customer data, leading the way for security within their industry." Case Study Highlight: Acendre and CyberCX To provide further insights into this successful partnership, Acendre and CyberCX have released a detailed case study showcasing their collaboration and outcomes. The case study highlights the strategic approach and tangible results achieved, including strengthened customer trust and improved security posture. The full case study is available on the HireRoad website: https://acendre.hireroad.com/acendre-cybercx . Looking Ahead: Building on Success Following HireRoad's latest milestone of ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification, the Acendre team is preparing for an independent IRAP assessment in 2025, inclusive of Essential Eight ML2 controls. This next phase will provide additional assurance to HireRoad's Australian government customers, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining a competitive and secure platform. For more information about HireRoad's cyber security initiatives or to request a copy of the ISO certification audit report, please visit acendre.hireroad.com . About HireRoad HireRoad is a leading global provider of HR solutions spanning recruitment, onboarding, learning, and analytics software. Acendre is a HireRoad entity out of Australia with over 25 years of expertise in recruitment technology for government and other highly regulated organisations. Acendre Recruit is a leading applicant tracking system and trusted partner for Australian government agencies and beyond, providing a comprehensive and configurable process to help organisations recruit and onboard talent efficiently. About CyberCX CyberCX is the leading provider of end-to-end cyber security and cloud services across Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and U.K. With a workforce of over 1,400 cyber security professionals, CyberCX is a trusted partner to private and public sector organisations, helping customers confidently manage cyber risks, respond to incidents, and build resilience in an increasingly complex threat environment. Media Contact: Evan White Evan@EvanWhitePR.com 509.995.9105 SOURCE: HireRoad View the original on accesswire.com

EschCollection Listen below or on the go on Apple Podcasts and Spotify . CFPB says banks must cap fees at $5 . (0:15) Wholesale inflation heats up . (1:20) Nvidia loses Supreme Court decision on shareholder suit. (3:28) This is an abridged transcript of the podcast. Our top story so far: Major U.S. banks will have to put a limit on overdraft fees, according to a final rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Banks and credit unions can still charge overdraft fees, according to a final rule from the CFPB, but must cap them at $5 or charge depositors a fee that covers their expenses and losses. The latest measure, to take effect on October 1, 2025, could save customers $5 billion annually and was part of the campaign against junk fees by the Biden administration. The new rule applies to banks and credit unions that have at least $10 billion in assets. Previously, customers were charged $35 on average when they overdrew their bank accounts. The CFPB has been leading an effort to curb junk fees, with multiple banks beginning to reduce or eliminate overdraft and non-sufficient fund fees. However, despite such initiatives in place, consumers still paid more than $5.8 billion in reported overdraft and NSF fees last year. But the latest rule, proposed in January, has been met with criticism from banks and Republican lawmakers. With Republicans set to take over Congress and President-Elect Donald Trump expected to appoint a new CFPB head, the future of the rule is unclear. Looking to the economy, inflation is still in the spotlight—this time wholesale—and it’s still on the high side. The November Producer Price Index rose +0.4% , topping the +0.3% consensus estimate and accelerating from +0.3% in October, which was revised from +0.2%. That pushed the annual rate to 3% vs. the 2.6% consensus and +2.9% prior. The October number was revised up from +2.4%. The core PPI number, which excludes food and energy, rose +0.2%, slowing from +0.3% in October and matching the consensus estimate. But the annual rate came in at 3.4%, hotter than the +3.2% consensus and unchanged from the previous month, which was revised up from +3.1%. Some 80% of the increase in goods prices comes from the food index, which increased 3.1% M/M. Prices of eggs surged 54.6%. Vegetables, fruits, processed foods and poultry also saw increases. But while the headline number gave pause, things look more dovish given the components that feed into the core PCE, the Fed’s favorite inflation gauge. Pantheon Macro economist Samuel Tombs revised his expectation for November core PCE to +0.13% from 0.2% after the PPI. He added, "The foundations are in place for core PCE inflation to fall further next year, though the new administration will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory if they press ahead with higher import tariffs and deportations." In today’s trading, action is choppy, with rates edging up and a little profit-taking after the Nasdaq Composite (COMP.IND) closed above 20,000 for the first time in history. Clark Bellin, president of Bellwether Wealth, says: "The stock market is trading at record highs amid a bullish combination of expectations of lower interest rates, continued earnings strength, and the possibility of additional tax cuts." "Just because stocks are at record highs does not by itself mean that a pullback is imminent. We are staying invested despite elevated valuations." As Frank Sinatra, who was born on this day in 1915, might say, the place to be a part of it is still New York, New York, as far as equities are concerned. Among active stocks, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Nvidia ( NVDA ) looking to avoid a securities fraud lawsuit by stockholders, who alleged that the company misled investors about how much of its sales relied on the cryptocurrency market. According to Reuters, the judges, who heard arguments in the case on Nov. 13, decided not to give a decision on the underlying legal dispute and instead dismissed Nvidia's appeal of a lower court's decision, which allowed the 2018 class action to go ahead. Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery ( WBD ) are among the best performing in the S&P. The company said it will implement a new corporate structure , under which the namesake will serve as the parent for two core operating divisions: Global Linear Networks and Streaming & Studios. The new structure is expected to "enhance clarity and focus." WBD said Global Linear Networks will focus on maximizing profitability and free cash flow to continue deleveraging, while Streaming & Studios will focus on driving growth and strong returns on increasing invested capital. Chinese electric vehicle maker NIO ( NIO ) CEO William Li said the company wants to improve efficiency and cost controls , even as it also looks to spark sales growth that is two years behind schedule. NIO has already trimmed its workforce and deferred long-term projects that were not expected to boost overall financial performance within three years. At an event in Shanghai, Li also noted that NIO will start production at its third factory in the second half of next year. NIO's new sales goal is to double sales in 2025 from the level seen in 2024. And Domino's Pizza ( DPZ ) will voluntarily transfer its stock exchange listing to the Nasdaq Global Select Market from the New York Stock Exchange, effective Dec. 31 after market close. The stock is expected to begin trading as a Nasdaq-listed security on January 2, retaining its current ticker symbol "DPZ." In other news of note, energy drink sales accelerated to 7.7% year-over-year for a four-week period of retail sales tracked by Nielsen that ended November 30. Monster Beverage ( MNST ) saw energy drink sales increase 3.6% Y/Y, while Celsius Holdings ( CELH ) saw its sales growth slow to 5.9%, and its market share retreated back to 8.8% after being as high as 9.7% in September. Notably, Monster Beverage saw a price/mix increase of 5.2% during the tracked period to offset a 1.6% drop in volume, while Celsius Holdings ( CELH ) saw its 10.1% volume growth help to offset a 4.1% decline in price/mix. Weighing in on the energy drink market, Evercore ISI analyst Robert Ottenstein said 2024 has to be considered the year of Red Bull. He highlighted that Red Bull’s dollar market share fell to 35% in 2023 from 36.9% in 2022, with most of the share losses going to Celsius, which saw its own share leap from 5.3% to 10.1%. But Red Bull was noted to have fought back hard this year with its Red Edition and Amber Edition sugar-free innovations, which ramped in June and then the Winter Edition sugar-free in October. "These line extensions not only blunted Celsius' growth, but also bit into Monster, which experienced share losses in 2023 and again in 2024 YTD," Ottenstein said. And in the Wall Street Research Corner, we haven’t looked at options for a while. BofA Securities analyst Arjun Goyal picked 10 overwriting candidates for investors worried about missing out on upside. Overwriting is a strategy of selling options on a stock on the assumption that they won’t be exercised. These plays within the Russell 1000 ( IWB ) may see at least a 6% gain by January 17, with a minimum premium of 5% and an underlying notional option volume of at least $5 million. “Overwriting outperforms a long-only position if the underlying stock declines, but if the stock rises, it can underperform if the call strike is not sufficiently high,” Goyal adds. Among the players are: Micron Technology ( MU ) – Strike price: 105; Call and dividend premium: 6.4%; Call away return: 8.5% United Airlines ( UAL ) – Strike: 97.5; Call and dividend premium: 6%; Call away return: 7.5% ARM ( ARM ) – Strike: 140; Call and dividend premium: 6.5%; Call away return: 6.8% Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) — On a damp Wednesday night with temperatures dipping into the 30s, fans in sparsely filled stands bundled up to watch Buffalo beat Eastern Michigan 37-30 on gray turf. The lopsided game was not particularly notable, but it was played on one of the nights the Mid-American Conference has made its own: A weeknight. “A lot of the general public thinks we play all of our games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, not just some of them in November,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a telephone interview this week. “What it has done is help take what was a pretty darned good regional conference and has given it a national brand and made it a national conference.” When the conference has played football games on ESPN or ESPN2 over the last two seasons, the linear television audience has been 10 times larger than when conference schools meet on Saturdays and get lost in the shuffle when viewers have many more choices. The most-watched MAC game over the last two years was earlier this month on a Wednesday night when Northern Illinois won at Western Michigan and there were 441,600 viewers, a total that doesn’t include streaming that isn’t captured by Nielsen company. During the same span, the linear TV audience has been no larger than 46,100 to watch two MAC teams play on Saturdays. “Having the whole nation watching on Tuesday and Wednesday night is a huge deal for the MAC,” Eastern Michigan tight end Jere Getzinger said. “Everybody wants to watch football so if you put it on TV on a Tuesday or Wednesday, people are going to watch.” ESPN has carried midweek MAC football games since the start of the century. ESPN and the conference signed a 13-year extension a decade ago that extends their relationship through at least the 2026-27 season. The conference has made the most of the opportunities, using MACtion as a tag on social media for more than a decade and it has become a catchy marketing term for the Group of Five football programs that usually operate under the radar in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and New York. Attendance does tend to go down with weeknight games, keeping some students out of stadiums because they have class or homework and leading to adults staying away home because they have to work the next morning. “The tradeoff is the national exposure,” Buffalo coach Pete Lembo said. “You know November nights midweek the average fan is going to park on the couch, have a bowl of chips and salsa out in front, and watch the game from there." When the Bulls beat Ball State 51-48 in an overtime thriller on a Tuesday night earlier this month, the announced attendance was 12,708 and that appeared to be generous. There were many empty seats after halftime. “You watch the games on TV, the stadiums all look like this,” Buffalo fan Jeff Wojcicki said. “They are not packed, but it’s the only game on, and you know where to find it.” Sleep and practice schedules take a hit as well, creating another wave of challenges for students to attend class and coaches to prepare without the usual rhythm of preparing all week to play on Saturday. “Last week when we played at Ohio in Athens, we had a 4-four bus ride home and got home at about 3:30 a.m.,” Eastern Michigan center Broderick Roman said. “We still had to go to class and that was tough, but it's part of what you commit to as an athlete.” That happens a lot in November when the MAC shifts its unique schedule. During the first two weeks of the month, the conference had 10 games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays exclusively. This week, there were five games on Tuesday and Wednesday while only one was left in the traditional Saturday slot with Ball State hosting Bowling Green. Next week, Toledo plays at Akron and Kent State visits Buffalo on Tuesday night before the MAC schedule wraps up with games next Friday and Saturday to determine which teams will meet in the conference title game on Dec. 7 in Detroit. In all, MAC teams will end up playing about 75% of their games on a Saturday and the rest on November weeknights. When the Eagles wrapped up practice earlier this week, two days before they played the Bulls, tight end Jere Getzinger provided some insight into the effects of the scheduling quirk. “It's Monday, but for us it's like a Thursday,” he said. Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler said he frankly has a hard time remembering what day it is when the schedule shift hits in November. “The entire week gets turned upside down,” Loeffler said. “It’s wild, but it’s great for the league because there’s two days a week this time of year that people around the country will watch MAC games.” AP freelance writer Jonah Bronstein contributed to this report. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Daily Post Nigeria Tinubu urges politicians to emulate late Wayas Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport News Tinubu urges politicians to emulate late Wayas Published on November 30, 2024 By Asare Asare President Bola Tinubu had called on Nigerians, particularly the political elite, to emulate the virtues of the former Senate President, late Dr Joseph Wayas, who was buried in his home town of Bassang in Obanliku LGA of Cross River State on Saturday. Wayas died in London on November 30, 2022 at the age of 80. He was Senate President from 1979 to 1983. The President said that the late Wayas lived for the unity of the country and described him as a peaceful man whose public service records remain indelible. The president was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume Also speaking at the funeral, which had an array of dignitaries and politicians in attendance, was the Cross River State governor, Bassey Otu. He said that the state will uphold and remember the legacy of Wayas. He said Wayas had emphasised love and unity of the country while alive, recalling how influential he was. “It is not merely about the duration of one’s life but the profound influence one has on their era. “On behalf of Cross River State, we pay tribute to you for placing us on the national stage. We shall forever cherish your accomplishments and strive to follow in your footsteps,” he concluded. During the night of tributes held at the U.J. Esuene Stadium on Friday, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio had urged the bereaved family to eschew bitterness and acrimony and emphasise peace, love and unity in order to sustain the legacies which the deceased left. “Now that the government of Cross River has taken the bull by the horns to bring his remains to touch this land, this should be the beginning of unity, peace and true love in that family so that, truly, we can all honour the legacies Wayas left behind,” he said. Related Topics: Tinubu Wayas Don't Miss Nigeria needs listening leaders who don’t act like they know it all – Peter Obi You may like Why we passed Tinubu’s tax reform bills for second reading – Deputy Senate President Tinubu on mission to transform Nigeria like he did in Lagos – French President Macron WTO: Nigeria’ll support you – Tinubu tells Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on reappointment ‘North will not be party to Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills’ – Borno Gov, Zulum Arewa youths back Senate on passage of Tinubu’s Tax Reforms Bills for second reading Tinubu Tax Reform bills will bring backwardness to North, benefit only Lagos – Zulum Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media Ltd

Empire’s chief executive believes the grocery retailer has a leg up on the competition as consumer sentiment improves amid lower inflation and interest rates, and the gap between its discount and full-service stores shrinks. “We believe this will be advantageous to us as we continue to lean into our strengths as a full-service foremost grocer,” said Michael Medline, president and CEO of the company that owns Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Farm Boy, Longo’s and other grocery banners across the country. “We saw momentum and green shoots in both the economy and our business,” he said on a conference call with analysts discussing the company’s second-quarter financial results. “Inflation has now moderated, and interest rates have begun to decline, representing a positive inflection point for full service.” Like its competitors, Empire has been increasing its discount store footprint through new stores and conversions. But it’s also got big plans for its higher-end stores in Ontario. “You’re going to see many new Farm Boy and Longo’s stores going up over the next year and two years,” said Medline. The company said it earned a second-quarter profit of $173.4 million, compared with $181.1 million a year earlier. Sales for the quarter totalled $7.78 billion, up from $7.75 billion a year earlier. The increase came as same-store sales rose 1.1 per cent. Same-store sales growth, excluding fuel sales, were up 1.8 per cent. The company’s e-commerce sales grew 12.2 per cent during the quarter, driven primarily by Voilà, said Medline. “Growing Canadian e-commerce penetration is the key tailwind that we need to accelerate the growth of Voilà,” he said. Near the end of the quarter, the company also launched new partnerships with Instacart and Uber Eats to complement its Voilà service. Empire said in a press release that it intends to continue investing in its store network, including renovating approximately 20 to 25 per cent of stores between fiscal 2024 and 2026. During the quarter, Empire said it invested $149.2 million in capital expenditures, including renovations, construction of new stores, and other technological investments. Medline said during the quarter the company completed the expansion of one of its distribution centres in Ontario. This has helped margins by redirecting some deliveries to the distribution centre instead of individual stores, he said, boosting freshness, waste reduction and product availability. The company provided an update on its expansion of discount banner FreshCo in Western Canada, with 48 stores now operating in the region. Empire said it expects to achieve its original target of converting up to a quarter of its Safeway and Sobeys stores to FreshCo over the next several years. Empire's stock was up more than seven per cent in midday trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The company said its profit amounted to 73 cents per diluted share for the 13-week period ended Nov. 2 compared with a profit of 72 cents per diluted share a year ago when it had more shares outstanding. On an adjusted basis, it earned 73 cents per diluted share in its latest quarter, up from an adjusted profit of 71 cents per diluted share in the same quarter last year. The average analyst estimate had been for an adjusted profit of 66 cents per share, according to data provided by LSEG Data & Analytics. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:EMP.A) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

Charities, food banks and homeless shelters are to receive access to a £15m fund to help use surplus farm food. The government scheme, set to be launched next year, will give grants of £20,000 and upwards to non-profit food redistribution groups in England. It aims to help those groups secure new equipment - like hoppers and balers - or to train staff and set up new technology so they can get food that would be wasted to those who need it most. According to government figures, it's estimated that around 330,000 tonnes of edible food a year are wasted or used for animal feed before leaving farms. Announcing the scheme, circular economy minister Mary Creagh said: "With families gathering to celebrate Christmas and the New Year, it's important to remember those in our communities who may be going hungry this festive period. "Nobody wants to see good food go to waste - especially farmers who work hard to put food on family tables across the country." Charlotte Hill and Kris Gibbon-Walsh, chief executives of charities The Felix Project and FareShare, said they were "thrilled" that the fund had been announced after years of campaigning. "We have a proven model which funds farmers to redistribute their unsold food, which means that together, we can take meaningful steps toward achieving a zero-waste Britain," they said. Read more from Sky News: Animal neglect and abandonment soars - charity Reform UK membership overtakes Tories, party says Follow our channel and never miss an update. It comes after the Trussel Trust, an anti-poverty charity that runs food banks across the UK, said in November that more than 1.42 million emergency food parcels had been distributed in the previous six months. The charity also reported a 37% increase in demand for food parcels between 2021/22 and 2022/23, and another 4% increase was recorded between 2022/23 and 2023/24.Apple @ Work: What happens when you trade-in an old Apple product? Inside Assurants new facility to save devices from landfills

WASHINGTON – Meta, the social media giant that owns Facebook and Instagram , donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural fund, as the company tries to mend fences ahead of a second administration that could oversee major social media regulations. The donation, first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday and confirmed by USA TODAY, is the latest move by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicating that he would like to work closely with Trump. Zuckerberg has sought to repair his relationship with Trump and other Republican leaders over the last few months after he received blowback in 2021 for banning the former president on Meta’s platforms following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump has since lashed out against Meta and in one interview earlier this year described its site Facebook as “ the enemy of the people.” More: Meta shares hit record high after US appeals court upholds TikTok ban But, in the past few months, Zuckerberg has appeared to try and curry favor with the Republican leader. The CEO praised Trump’s response to being shot in the ear at a Butler, Pa. campaign rally as “ badass ” in the run-up to the 2024 election. He later congratulated Trump on his “ decisive victory ,” in a post on the Meta platform Threads and met with the President-elect in the weeks following his win. Casey Burgat, director of the legislative affairs program at the George Washington University Graduate School of Management, said Meta and Zuckergberg’s actions are similar to those of other tech giants who have previously criticized Trum and now are trying to get in his good graces. “We've seen this with Trump and people who have been formally critical, all of a sudden they turn willing to praise the former president and he welcomes them back in the fold,” Burgat said. “Zuckerberg and Meta are making the calculation that that can be true for them as well.” More: Trump and the GOP weaponized Mark Zuckerberg's donations; what it means for the 2024 election Meta could have a lot riding on Trump’s presidency. Lawmakers in Congress have sought in recent months to crack down on how social media companies operate – from proposing a ban on TikTok to legislation requiring sites to enhance protections for children. Republican senators, in particular, have also expressed interest in investigating the role Big Tech companies play in American society. Not to mention the fact that Trump and his close adviser, Elon Musk , both own two of Meta's competitor social media platforms. Trump owns Truth Social and Musk owns X , formerly known as Twitter. Burgat suggested that, while the $1 million donation might seem like a pay-to-play scheme, it’s more of a “signal” of a willingness to cooperate. “It doesn't buy you a way into the room. But the calculus on a lot of these companies, is that it is a necessary precondition to be invited,” into policy discussions, Burgat said. Meta’s donation marks a sharp departure from its past actions. The company notably did not donate to Trump’s inaugural fund in 2016 or to President Joe Biden’s in 2020.Committed Newton Aycliffe disability advocate honoured with community award