44% of IndiaAI Mission funds earmarked for compute capacity over 5 years: MeitYTweet Facebook Mail A baby toy sold across Kmart and Target stores nationally has been pulled off the shelves over fears of choking. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) recalled the Anko Soft Activity Ball, which is a multicoloured soft play ball with rattles on two sides. The ACCC has warned that the product should be kept away from children due to the risks of "serious injury or death from choking". READ MORE: Teenager cornered and stabbed by carload of people while walking on Melbourne road Anko Soft Activity Ball, which is a multicoloured soft play ball with rattles on two sides. (Nine) "The affected batch of products may not comply with the mandatory standard for toys for children up to and including 36 months of age," the recall said. "The plastic dome containing the small balls can separate from the product creating small parts." "There is a risk of serious injury or death from choking if young children put the small balls in their mouth." Customers are advised to "stop using the product immediately" and keep it out of reach of children. The product was sold from August 3 to October 18 at Kmart and Target stores. The Australian Product Number is 9341110379350. Customers should return the product to the place of purchase for a refund. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .russian roulette game online 。

letters@hindustantimes.com Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday directed state government departments to implement an action plan to generate employment effectively. He also asked officials to seek the cooperation of experts to accelerate efforts towards achieving the objective of making Uttar Pradesh a trillion-dollar economy. Chairing a meeting at his official residence here to discuss employment generation in the state, he said the state government’s initiative would enable the “New Uttar Pradesh” to play a pivotal role in fostering economic growth while creating abundant employment opportunities in line with the vision of “New India.” At this meeting, officials of various departments and institutional representatives presented potential opportunities and plans for creating jobs. He emphasised that providing timely employment to the state’s youth, based on their qualifications and skills, is a top priority for the government. Calling for the creation of maximum employment opportunities by leveraging local resources, he directed officials to enhance effectiveness of skill development programmes to encourage youth toward entrepreneurship. He also highlighted that the state government is working sector-wise to achieve its goal of transforming Uttar Pradesh into a trillion-dollar economy. Notably, to achieve this goal, work is being carried out across 10 sectors, with all state departments integrated into these sectors. He reviews the progress every three months, while the ministers concerned conduct monthly reviews. Additionally, the administrative heads of departments are required to review the work every 15 days. Adityanath said the work of making U.P. a trillion-dollar economy is being monitored by the CM dashboard. He urged representatives of various institutions to inspect the CM dashboard so that they can be made aware of the working style of the state government. He said the sectors offering the most employment opportunities are medical, education, tourism, construction, and manufacturing, urging special focus on these areas. He also highlighted that the Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025 presents an excellent opportunity to showcase the state’s image to the nation and the world. The Prayagraj Mahakumbh-2025, a confluence of religion, spirituality, and culture, attracts global attention. Discussions during the Mahakumbh should focus on employment, skill development, knowledge, and technology, he added. He instructed officials to increase the number of UPSRTC buses and develop new routes to enhance connectivity.

In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs — including Apple's Tim Cook , OpenAI’s Sam Altman , Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg , SoftBank's Masayoshi Son and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos — have joined a parade of business and world leaders in trying to improve their standing with President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office in January. “The first term, everybody was fighting me,” Trump said in remarks at Mar-a-Lago . “In this term, everybody wants to be my friend.” Tech companies and leaders have now poured millions into his inauguration fund, a sharp increase — in most cases — from past pledges to incoming presidents. But what does the tech industry expect to gain out of their renewed relationships with Trump? During an interview Tuesday, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said the incoming Trump administration seems more interested in hearing about issues that are important to the industry than the Biden administration. “Put all the politics aside, everybody wants to reboot some things," said Benioff, who stressed he strives to stay nonpartisan because he also owns Time magazine. ”We are just at a very exciting moment, it’s a new chapter for America. I think we should all have our best intentions going forward. I think a lot of people realize there is a lot of incredible people like Elon Musk in the tech industry and in the business community. If you tap the power and expertise of the best in America to make the best of America, that’s a great vision." A clue to what the industry is looking for came just days before the election when Microsoft executives — who’ve largely tried to show a neutral or bipartisan stance — joined with a close Trump ally, venture capitalist Marc Andreessen, to publish a blog post outlining their approach to artificial intelligence policy. “Regulation should be implemented only if its benefits outweigh its costs,” said the document signed by Andreessen, his business partner Ben Horowitz, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and the company's president, Brad Smith. They also urged the government to back off on any attempt to strengthen copyright laws that would make it harder for companies to use publicly available data to train their AI systems. And they said, “the government should examine its procurement practices to enable more startups to sell technology to the government.” Trump has pledged to rescind President Joe Biden’s sweeping AI executive order, which sought to protect people’s rights and safety without stifling innovation. He hasn’t specified what he would do in its place, but his campaign said AI development should be “rooted in Free Speech and Human Flourishing.” Trump's choice to head the Interior Department, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, has spoken openly about the need to boost electricity production to meet increased demand from data centers and artificial intelligence. “The AI battle affects everything from defense to healthcare to education to productivity as a country,′′ Burgum said on Nov. 15, referring to artificial intelligence. “And the AI that’s coming in the next 18 months is going to be revolutionary. So there’s just a sense of urgency and a sense of understanding in the Trump administration′′ to address it. Demand for data centers ballooned in recent years due to the rapid growth of cloud computing and AI, and local governments are competing for lucrative deals with big tech companies. But as data centers begin to consume more resources, some residents are pushing back against the world’s most powerful corporations over concerns about the economic, social and environmental health of their communities. “Maybe Big Tech should buy a copy of ‘The Art of The Deal’ to figure out how to best negotiate with this administration,” suggested Paul Swanson, an antitrust attorney for the law firm Holland & Hart. “I won’t be surprised if they find ways to reach some accommodations and we end up seeing more negotiated resolutions and consent decrees.” Although federal regulators began cracking down on Google and Facebook during Trump’s first term as president — and flourished under Biden — most experts expect his second administration to ease up on antitrust enforcement and be more receptive to business mergers. Google may benefit from Trump’s return after he made comments on the campaign trail suggesting a breakup of the company isn’t in the U.S. national interest, after a judge declared its search engine an illegal monopoly . But recent nominations put forward by his transition team have favored those who have been critical of Big Tech companies, suggesting Google won’t be entirely off the hook. Cook’s notoriously rocky relationship with the EU can be traced back to a 2016 ruling from Brussels in a tax case targeting Apple. Cook slammed the bloc’s order for Apple to pay back up to 13 billion euros ($13.7 billion) in Irish back taxes as “total political crap.” Trump, then in his first term as president, piled on, referring to the European Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, who was spearheading a campaign on special tax deals and a crackdown on Big Tech companies, as someone who “really hates the U.S.” Brussels was eventually vindicated after the bloc’s top court rejected Apple’s appeal this year, though it didn’t stop Cook from calling Trump to complain, Trump recounted in a podcast in October. Altman , Amazon and Meta all pledged to donate $1 million each to Trump’s inaugural fund. Salesforce's Benioff said Tuesday that he won't be donating money to the inauguration because of his ties to Time, which named Trump as its “Person of The Year” — a decision that landed picture of the president elect on the magazine's cover. “I think we just donated that photo,” Benioff said as he chuckled. “He can use the Time magazine cover for free.” During his first term, Trump criticized Amazon and railed against the political coverage at The Washington Post, which billionaire Bezos owns. Meanwhile, Bezos had criticized some of Trump’s past rhetoric. In 2019, Amazon also argued in a court case that Trump’s bias against the company harmed its chances of winning a $10 billion Pentagon contract. More recently, Bezos has struck a more conciliatory tone. He recently said at The New York Times’ DealBook Summit in New York that he was “optimistic” about Trump’s second term, while also endorsing president-elect’s plans to cut regulations. The donation from Meta came just weeks after Zuckerberg met with Trump privately at Mar-a-Lago. During the 2024 campaign, Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate for president, but voiced a more positive stance toward Trump. Earlier this year, he praised Trump’s response to his first assassination attempt. Still, Trump in recent months had continued to attack Zuckerberg publicly. And Altman, who is in a legal dispute with AI rival Elon Musk, has said he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence in the incoming administration. Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the company earlier this year alleging that the maker of ChatGPT betrayed its founding aims of benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits. “We have two multi-billionaires, Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who are tasked with cutting what they’re saying will be multiple trillions of dollars from the federal budget, reducing the civil service, the workforce,” said Rob Lalka, a business professor at Tulane University. Musk, he said, has a level of access to the White House that very few others have had -- access that allows him to potentially influence multiple policy areas, including foreign policy, automotive and energy policy through EVs, and tech policy on artificial intelligence. “Elon Musk walked into Twitter’s headquarters with a sink and then posted, ‘let that sink in,‘” he said. “Elon Musk then posted a status update on X, a picture of himself with a sink in the Oval Office and said, 'Let that sink in.′”Interview: Bloody Axe Wound’s Hilarie Burton Morgan on Creating Practical Gore for New Horror Movie By ComingSoon Senior Editor Brandon Schreur spoke to about Bloody Axe Wound. She discussed her experiences producing the , creating practical gore, and more. “Abbie Bladecut is a teenager torn between the macabre traditions of her family’s bloody trade and the tender stirrings of her first crush. In the small town of Clover Falls, Abbie’s father, Roger Bladecut, has built an infamous legacy by capturing real-life killings on tape and selling them to eager customers, but as Abbie delves deeper into the grisly family business, she begins to wonder if it’s time to take the family tradition in a new direction,” the synopsis reads. Bloody Axe Wound will be released in select United States theaters on December 27, 2024. It’s weird! My husband [Jeffrey Dean Morgan] and I have been producing things separately for about a decade. It was the pandemic, we were watching movies. We had kind of gone through all the things that everyone else was watching. Then there was this weird, little independent movie called Uncle Peckerhead by a writer/director named Matthew John Lawrence. We watched it and were like, ‘What the f— did we just watch?’ Right? Like it was so weird and so funny, the practical effects were so appealing to me because the CGI thing is a lot for me. Jeff is like, ‘I’m not used to you liking this genre, this is special.’ We reached out to Matthew on Twitter and were just like, ‘What else do you have?’ He sent us a stack of scripts. We read this one and it really was the perfect marriage of all of Jeffrey’s horror genre, blood and guts, killing zombies, gross stuff. And my teen drama years, where I was in high school for like a decade! Being able to do a project that appealed to both of us, our histories, and our fanbases was exciting. We signed on and just hit the ground running, trying to call up all our friends that cared about it as much as we did. Yeah. That was something that was important to me because that’s what I liked about Uncle Peckerhead. That’s what I like about vintage slasher movies. I like a practical effect because it’s artistry, right? I like knowing there’s a person mixing blood behind the scenes. I just like the backstory of a practical effect. With this, we were really lucky. Our head special effects artist came from The Walking Dead world, he works on Dead City with Jeffrey. He’s just incredible. Having someone from within the family come in and take the lead on this movie was great. There were certain parts of the script where we were like, ‘How is this going to work? We don’t know!’ Our team was so great. We teamed with Mary Stuart Masterson, who is a very dear friend of ours in the Hudson Valley. In terms of telling the story about cool, leather jacket-wearing girls, she’s the OG from Some Kind of Wonderful. I got to do it on One Tree Hill, and now we’ve got this new crop of cool girls that we got to bring in. So Mary Stuart was also incredibly important to understanding our budget, what we could do, and how to shoot it so that it made sense. I think we ended up with a really fun story that’s kind of gross. Aren’t they? We play fast and loose, man, that’s us! Sari and Molly were names that were floated very, very early on. We knew that we wanted them, but we didn’t know if we could get them. So a lot of the casting process was kind of working on contingencies — like, if we can’t get them because they’re so great, what else can we do? We had a great casting agent, here, in the Hudson Valley. And we got to incorporate some lovely actors. It was a great opportunity for me to meet them and see what they’re capable of. Molly is working with Christian Slater right now on Dexter, and his son is one of the kills in this movie. Yeah, he’s the guy who is killed at the lake. That’s Christian Slater’s son. So it was cool to have this small little world where everyone was playing nice in the sandbox. You’d hang out on set and everyone was so happy to be there. So the casting process was pretty easy. Once we had Billy Burke in place and Sari and Molly, like, what a dream. Because Sari has such a great friendship with Eddie [Leavy], having Eddie join was also like, this was our wish-list. We really felt very lucky that, as one person signed on, it opened the door for another person, and then another person. It speaks to the reputations of all the people involved, you know? When you read all those names, you’re like, ‘Oh yeah. I want that.’ I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was, the world is a f—ed up place. But as someone who was not born in the 90s, there were certain video rental places we could go to in high school that weren’t Blockbuster. Erol’s was also another one that predates your lifespan. They weren’t chains. They were just independent, mom-and-pop rental places. That’s really what this space was based on. And I liked that Matthew grew up in the same world that I did, where you’re a kid in the suburbs and those video rental places are your escape. That’s your one outlet to see what it looks like on the outside. We found the sh—iest little corner, strip mall place. And it’s great! It’s a place that I would have hung out in high school. It might be! Who knows? Yeah, no, for me, the social and political undertones of the story were really important. Because if we’re telling the story of misogyny in the genre, but also violence against young people in our country, yeah, you’re right, super touchy issues. When people have asked, ‘Oh, this is a fictional world?’ I’m like, ‘No, this sh— is happening every day.’ Crazy, awful things are happening every day. So we’re going to address it and we’re going to have a sense of humor about it so you guys see how ridiculous it is that it keeps happening. It wasn’t the comedy that I was worried about. It was the violence against women that I was worried about. We needed our kills against the boys to be every bit as grotesque as the kills against women are. So, no, make sick jokes all day. Just be careful about how you cut someone on screen, that was my concern. Everyone needs a trophy. I wish we could just send trophies to everyone in a gift box who is watching this movie, like the screeners. . Brandon Schreur has been writing about comics, movies, television shows, and all things pop culture for roughly five years. He's a lifelong cinephile who spends way, way too much money buying Blu-rays and trade paperbacks. You can find him on twitter at @brandonschreur. Share article

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Trump reveals HE forced Cabinet nominee out in scorched earth attack on the media and critics Trump Cabinet pick makes shocking announcement to withdraw after outrage By GEOFF EARLE, DEPUTY U.S. POLITICAL EDITOR FOR DAILYMAIL.COM IN WEST PALM BERACH, FLORIDA and KELLY LACO, EXECUTIVE EDITOR OF POLITICS Published: 20:13, 4 December 2024 | Updated: 21:16, 4 December 2024 e-mail 21 View comments Donald Trump revealed in a furious online post that he pulled the plug on his recent pick to run the Drug Enforcement Administration after he shockingly dropped out of consideration. 'I pulled him out,' Trump wrote after Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister announced his withdrawal. Chronister sparked MAGA controversy for ordering the arrest of a pastor for holding church services in the height of the COVID pandemic. What Trump didn't mention is that he had announced Chronister's nomination just four days before it imploded , which raises the question of why he put him forward in the first place. Chronister became the second Trump pick to pull out of Cabinet consideration, following former Rep. Matt Gaetz who withdrew after a sex scandal started plaguing his confirmation chances. Trump's secretary of defense nominee, Fox News host Pete Hegseth, is experiencing great difficulty in the Senate and there are even reports Trump is considering subbing in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump's comments about the exit of his DEA pick came during an attack on the Wall Street Journal. He included a thinly veiled threat to its powerful owner Rupert Murdoch , even as he continues to stock his administration with people connected to Fox News . The Journal is owned by Dow Jones , a Newscorp subsidiary, and the Fox Corporation is controlled by the Murdoch family. 'The Wall Street Journal is becoming more and more obnoxious and unreadable,' Trump began. 'Today’s main headline is: “Trump’s DEA Pick Pulls Out In Latest Setback.” With all that’s happening in the World, this is their Number One story of the day. Besides, he didn’t pull out, I pulled him out, because I did not like what he said to my pastors and other supporters,' Trump inveighed. President-elect Donald Trump issued a statement saying it was he who yanked the nomination fo Chad Chronister to run the Drug Enforcement Agency 'But, more importantly, what’s my “latest” setback??? I just won the Presidency of the United States! They haven’t written a good story about me in YEARS. Somebody over there ought to look at what they’re doing. The only one worse than them is stupid, China-centric Forbes Magazine!' Yet another Murdoch publication, the New York Post, cited a source who said 'Everyone knows President Trump calls the shots. The president heard the concerns about Sheriff Chronister and acted accordingly.' Another source said it 'was the president’s forceful hand that led him to remove his name' two days after putting forward the nomination. Read More Pete Hegseth breaks silence to Megyn Kelly on why he paid off rape accuser Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance have made taking on the fentanyl drug epidemic a major priority. MAGA ally Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who was leading the charge to get Chronister to step aside, said he simply 'lost his mind.' 'This sheriff ordered the arrest of a pastor for holding services during the COVID panic. He was tapped by Trump to head the DEA. Glad to see him withdraw from consideration,' he stated. 'Next time politicians lose their ever-lovin minds, he can redeem himself by following the Constitution.' Conservative Liz Wheeler called him a 'COVID tyrant' who 'abused his power and is unfit to lead the DEA' and urged him to withdraw. Another conservative influencer, Mike Cernovich, posted: 'Arresting a pastor?! This man can’t be near more power.' In March 2020 during the height of the pandemic, Chronister arrested pastor of The River at Tampa Bay Church Rodney Howard-Browne. The agency said he 'intentionally and repeatedly hosted church services with hundreds of members in attendance, despite knowing he was in violation of orders set in place by the President, the Governor of Florida , the CDC and the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group.' Chronister confirmed his decision to step aside in a post on X, but didn't disclose what prompted him to exit from consideration. The sheriff would have worked closely with another controversial Trump choice, RFK Jr., who was tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Chad Chronister, the Sheriff of Hillborough County, Florida was nominated to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration 'To have been nominated by President-Elect to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration is the honor of a lifetime,' Chronister said in a statement on Tuesday. 'Over the past several days, as the gravity of this very important responsibility set in, I've concluded that I must respectfully withdraw from consideration,' Chronister went on. Chad Chronister is a COVID tyrant who arrested a Christian pastor for holding church in person during the pandemic. Chronister held a press conference bragging about the arrest. Chronister abused his power; he’s unfit to lead the DEA. Trump should withdraw his nomination. pic.twitter.com/8jXtoPIX8q — Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) December 1, 2024 'There is more work to be done for the citizens of Hillsborough County and a lot of initiatives I am committed to fulfilling. I sincerely appreciate the nomination, outpouring of support by the American people, and look forward to continuing my service as Sheriff of Hillsborough County.' Chronister ordered the arrest of Tampa Bay pastor Rodney Howard-Browne in March 2020. He had allegedly violated a 'safer-at-home' order for the county. 'We received an anonymous tip that Dr. Rodney Howard-Browne refused a request to temporarily stop holding large gatherings at his church,' Chronister said during a press event announcing the arrest. 'And instead, he was encouraging his large congregation to meet at his church.' Chronister confirmed his decision to step aside in a post on X It is the honor of a lifetime to be nominated by President @realDonaldTrump to serve as the Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and I am deeply humbled by this opportunity to serve our nation. pic.twitter.com/X5lslYyF1U — Chad Chronister (@ChadChronister) December 1, 2024 He went on to call it a 'reckless disregard for public safety.' The pastor ended up endorsing Chronister's bid for the DEA position in a stunning reversal. 'All good, the sheriff and I are friends, he has being doing an amazing job in Hillsborough County,' he said on X after Trump's decision to nominate him. 'I believe He and Pam Bondi will do an excellent job of cleaning up the place.' But it wasn't enough to save Chronister's chances at being Senate confirmed. His shocking exit came only days after his nomination by the president-elect who praised his numerous accolades. The sheriff would have worked closely with another controversial Trump choice, RFK Jr., who was tapped to lead the Department of Health and Human Services All good, the sheriff and I are friends, he has being doing an amazing job in Hillsborough County. I believe He and Pam Bondi will do an excellent job of cleaning up the place. https://t.co/dVvG5VlHBS — Rodney Howard-Browne (@rhowardbrowne) December 1, 2024 'I am pleased to nominate Sheriff Chad Chronister for Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA),' Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on November 30. 'For over 32 years, Sheriff Chad Chronister has served the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and received countless commendations and awards for keeping his community SAFE.' 'As DEA Administrator, Chad will work with our great Attorney General, Pam Bondi, to secure the Border, stop the flow of Fentanyl, and other Illegal Drugs, across the Southern Border, and SAVE LIVES,' Trump stated. Bondi was nominated to fill the position of attorney general after Gaetz's exit. She is the former attorney general of Florida and has been on Capitol Hill this week to meet with senators and shore up support for her bid. Donald Trump Politics Fox News Florida Share or comment on this article: Trump reveals HE forced Cabinet nominee out in scorched earth attack on the media and critics e-mail Add commentThe world's largest asset manager says it's not too late to turn bullish on US stocks heading into 2025. In its outlook for the new year, BlackRock upgraded its "Overweight" rating on US stocks, turning even more bullish than its prior recommendation even as the S&P 500 trades at all-time highs. The firm was previously "+1" overweight relative to "Neutral" and is now "+2" overweight, with its highest overweight rating being "+3." BlackRock's recommendation to stay "pro-risk" toward US stocks is the opposite of Bank of America strategist Michael Hartnett, who recommended this week that investors should bet on international stocks in 2025 due to the fear that America's But BlackRock isn't buying it. "U.S. equities have persistently outpaced their global peers," BlackRock's Investment Institute wrote in their 2025 outlook. "We think that could continue." The driving force behind BlackRock's doubling down on the US stock market rally to continue is the belief that are disproportionately set to benefit American companies. "We think the AI mega force will benefit U.S. stocks more and that's why we stay overweight, particularly relative to international peers such as European stocks," BlackRock said. The firm also believes potential tax cuts and an easing regulatory environment under the incoming Donald Trump administration should support continued economic growth. One top concern for US stock market investors has been valuations, which, based on metrics like price-to-earnings ratios, However, BlackRock dismissed the valuation concern by highlighting that the US economy looks a lot different than it did in the past, as technology and services take center stage at the expense of manufacturing. "The equity market's changing sectoral composition reflects the transformation taking hold. So, comparing today's index to that of the past is like comparing apples to oranges," BlackRock said. Valuation measures have also proven to be a poor timing tool for getting in or out of the stock market, the firm said. "We are risk-on for now but stay nimble." The firm said factors that could force it to change its bullish tune include a significant surge in long-term bond yields or an escalation in trade protectionism. Read the original article on

Turkiye's central bank cut its key interest rate by 250 basis points to 47.5% Thursday, a bit more than expected, launching an easing cycle meant to leave behind protracted economic turmoil and a cost-of-living crisis. It trimmed the one-week repo rate after an 18-month tightening effort that reversed years of unorthodox economic policies and easy money championed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has since changed tack to back the programme. The rate, last cut in early 2023, had been held at 50% since March. Annual inflation dipped to 47% last month in what the central bank believes is a sustained fall toward a 5% target over a few more years. Having launched the easing cycle, the bank's policy committee said it will set policy "prudently on a meeting-by-meeting basis with a focus on the inflation outlook," and respond to any expected "significant and persistent deterioration". It said leading indicators point to a declining underlying inflation trend in December and that demand continued to slow in the fourth quarter, with disinflation in progress. In a Reuters poll last week, 14 of 17 respondents expected the bank to cut rates by between 100 and 250 basis points. Erdogan's announcement this week that the minimum wage would rise by a less-than-requested 30% in 2025 bolstered these predictions. A research note by QNB said the central bank's comments indicated an intent to proceed with rate cuts in a controlled manner. QNB expects annual inflation to dip slightly below 40% by March 2025. "Accordingly, we see a strong likelihood of 250 basis point cuts at each of the two meetings in the first quarter," the note said. The lira currency briefly touched an all-time low of 35.3005 after the rate cut, before firming to 35.2075 at 1135 GMT. Turkey's main stock index BIST-100 rose 0.8%. In a turnaround a year and a half ago, Erdogan appointed a new central bank leadership, and it aggressively tightened policy by 4,150 basis points in order to slay years of soaring prices and a crashing currency. Annual inflation had touched 85% in 2022 and 75% earlier this year, while the lira has plunged 90% in seven years — from 3.8 to 35.3 to the dollar. According to the Reuters poll's median, the central bank was expected to ease rates to about 28.5% by the end of 2025, with forecasts ranging between 25% and 33%. The bank expects inflation to fall to 21% by end-2025. To determine its easing path the bank is closely monitoring monthly inflation, which has been higher than expected in recent months including 2.24% in November due mostly to food prices. The 30% administered rise in the minimum wage, to a net monthly 22,104 Turkish lira ($627), will exert some upward pressure on prices in coming months. But the level fell well short of the 70% requested by the workers' union. The government said it was set to maintain fiscal discipline and continue the inflation fight. The central bank earlier announced that it had reduced the number of scheduled policy meetings next year to eight from 12 in 2024.NEW DELHI: Manmohan Singh will be remembered as the statesman who saved the Indian economy from going over the edge. When he took over as finance minister in the minority government of Narasimha Rao in 1991, the Indian economy was very close to sovereign default. Foreign exchange reserves were barely enough to cover a month of imports and the country had to suffer the ignominy of having to ship its gold reserves to England. The looming economic disaster was a result of fiscal and trade profligacy in the 1980s when the Indian economy, both public and private arms of it, had been spending beyond their means. The crisis was a result of a deeper economic malaise in the economy where the post-independence State-led planning model had failed to deliver and private enterprise had become shackled in what was infamously referred to the Licence-Quota Raj. All of that would change with the famous 1991 Budget which Manmohan Singh presented, and the industrial deregulation which accompanied the Budget. More than three decades later, there is as big a consensus for reforms in India just as there was opposition to it when the process started. Having said all this, what have the economic reforms done for India? Here are five charts which try and answer this question as briefly as possible. India is on its way to becoming the third-largest economy in the world in a couple of years, and the seeds of India’s growth story were sowed during the economic reforms. World Bank data on India’s share in global GDP (in current dollars) shows this clearly. India’s weight in the global economy declined steadily from the 1960s (the earliest period for which this data is available) and reached a trough in 1991. Since then, this number has been on an upward trajectory even though the pace of this has varied in the last three decades. That the reforms delivered growth in India is pretty much an undisputed fact now. The more controversial question is whether this growth has reached the proverbial last person in the line or been hogged by a smaller clique. On this count, one can say that the glass is half full. World Bank data on various measures of poverty shows that India has had significant success in eradicating extreme poverty – as captured by its $2.15 poverty line – even as poverty rates are significantly higher for poverty lines with higher income levels. Here, there is still a lot to be done. To be sure, it is unlikely even the extreme poverty eradication would have happened had post-reform growth not generated the revenue to launch welfare programs. Concerns about poverty and inequality aside, the reforms unleashed an unprecedented virtuous cycle of wealth creation in the Indian economy as deregulation allowed private enterprise to exploit the new opportunities in both domestic and external markets. This is best seen in a rise and rise of Indian stock market almost a decade after the reforms were launched. For instance, replacing the Controller of Capital Markets with the more contemporary SEBI, and relaxing IPO norms, allowed Infosys to list in the early 1990s, sparking India’s equity culture. The strengthening of sentiment vis-à-vis the Indian economy also attracted a lot of foreign capital into India which along with a stock market boom has also provided a much-needed stability on the external account despite Indian imports being significantly larger than they were in the pre-reform period. Does all this mean economic reforms have succeeded in everything they wanted to achieve in the Indian economy? There are important areas where things have not moved, the biggest being India’s failure to give a big boost to its manufacturing sector. The share of manufacturing in India’s GDP has largely been stagnant in the post-reform period even as countries such as China have benefited from export tailwinds via the manufacturing route. With the US and the developed world becoming more protectionist, there is some merit in the scepticism that India might have missed the best period to exploit this opportunity. As irony will have it, the blame for the lack of India’s manufacturing progress is often attributed to less reforms rather than reforms per se. But the fact also remains that some states have managed to do much better than others on this front in a similar national policy environment. Even as some economists who have praised reforms argue that India should focus more on services than manufacturing, it is difficult to imagine a bigger source of remunerative non-farm mass employment generation than a robust manufacturing sector. This is one area where the next generation and political and economic policy leaders will have to carry forward the work which started in 1991.

A Pirojpur court has dismissed a case filed against BNP acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, which was filed 10 years ago over sedition and delivering an offensive speech against Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Helal Uddin passed the order yesterday. Abul Kalam Akan, public prosecutor of Pirojpur Judges' Court and a member of the district unit BNP, has confirmed the matter. "As no evidence supporting the allegations against the sole accused, Tarique Rahman, was found, the judge has acquitted him and dismissed the case," he said. On December 24, 2014, Delowar Hossain, the then general secretary of Pirojpur Lawyers' Association, filed the case with Pirojpur Sadar Police Station. A Pirojpur court has dismissed a case filed against BNP acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, which was filed 10 years ago over sedition and delivering an offensive speech against Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Helal Uddin passed the order yesterday. Abul Kalam Akan, public prosecutor of Pirojpur Judges' Court and a member of the district unit BNP, has confirmed the matter. "As no evidence supporting the allegations against the sole accused, Tarique Rahman, was found, the judge has acquitted him and dismissed the case," he said. On December 24, 2014, Delowar Hossain, the then general secretary of Pirojpur Lawyers' Association, filed the case with Pirojpur Sadar Police Station.

Wall Street got back to climbing on Wednesday after the appeared to clear the way for more help for the economy from the Federal Reserve. Wednesday's report said US consumers paid prices in November that were 2.7% higher than a year earlier. That's a slight acceleration from October's inflation rate of 2.6%, but it was exactly what economists were expecting. On Wall Street, Stitch Fix jumped 44.4% after the company that sends clothes to your door reported a smaller loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also gave financial forecasts for the current quarter that were better than expected, including for revenue. Albertsons fell 1.5% after , saying it didn't do enough for their proposed $24.6 billion merger agreement to win regulatory clearance. Albertsons said it's seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, whose stock rose 1%. Mondelez, the company behind Oreo and other food brands, climbed 2.2% after announcing a plan to send cash to shareholders by buying back up to $9 billion of its own stock, the reports. On the losing end of Wall Street, Macy's fell 1% after cutting some of its financial forecasts for the full year of 2024, including for how much profit it expects to make off each $1 of revenue. Dave & Buster's Entertainment sank 20.1% after reporting a worse loss for the latest quarter than expected. It also said CEO Chris Morris has resigned, and the board has been working with an executive-search firm for the last few months to find its next permanent leader.Native American patients are sent to collections for debts the government owes

ECU CB Shavon Revel Jr. declares for NFL draftTrump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees?NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump used his image as a successful New York businessman to become a celebrity, a reality television star and eventually the president. Now he will get to revel in one of the most visible symbols of success in the city when he rings the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday as he's also named Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Trump is expected to be on Wall Street to mark the ceremonial start of the day's trading, according to four people with knowledge of his plans. He will also be announced Thursday as Time's 2024 Person of the Year , according to a person familiar with the selection. The people who confirmed the stock exchange appearance and Time award were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. It will be a notable moment of twin recognitions for Trump, a born-and-bred New Yorker who at times has treated the stock market as a measure of public approval and has long-prized signifiers of his success in New York's business world and his appearances on the covers of magazines — especially Time. Trump was named the magazine's Person of the Year in 2016, when he was first elected to the White House. He had already been listed as a finalist for this year's award alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, X owner Elon Musk, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kate, the Princess of Wales. Time declined to confirm the selection ahead of Thursday morning's announcement. “Time does not comment on its annual choice for Person of the Year prior to publication,” a spokesperson for the magazine said Wednesday. The ringing of the bell is a powerful symbol of U.S. capitalism — and a good New York photo opportunity at that. Despite his decades as a New York businessman, Trump has never done it before. It was unclear whether Trump, a Republican, would meet with New York's embattled mayor, Democrat Eric Adams , who has warmed to Trump and has not ruled out changing his political party. Adams has been charged with federal corruption crimes and accused of selling influence to foreign nationals; he has denied wrongdoing. Trump himself was once a symbol of New York, but he gave up living full-time in his namesake Trump Tower in Manhattan and moved to Florida after leaving the White House. CNN first reported Wednesday Trump’s visit to the stock exchange and Politico reported that Trump was expected to be unveiled as Time's Person of the Year. The stock exchange regularly invites celebrities and business leaders to participate in the ceremonial opening and closing of trading. During Trump’s first term, his wife, Melania Trump, rang the bell to promote her “Be Best” initiative on children’s well-being. Last year, Time CEO Jessica Sibley rang the opening bell to unveil the magazine's 2023 Person of the Year: Taylor Swift . After the Nov. 5 election, the S&P 500 rallied 2.5% for its best day in nearly two years. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 1,508 points, or 3.6%, while the Nasdaq composite jumped 3%. All three indexes topped records they had set in recent weeks. The U.S. stock market has historically tended to rise regardless of which party wins the White House, with Democrats scoring bigger average gains since 1945. But Republican control could mean big shifts in the winning and losing industries underneath the surface, and investors are adding to bets built earlier on what the higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation that Trump favors will mean. Trump has long courted the business community based on his own status as a wealthy real estate developer who gained additional fame as the star of the TV show “The Apprentice” in which competitors tried to impress him with their business skills. He won the election in part by tapping into Americans' deep anxieties about an economy that seemed unable to meet the needs of the middle class. The larger business community has applauded his promises to reduce corporate taxes and cut regulations. But there are also concerns about his stated plans to impose broad tariffs and possibly target companies that he sees as not aligning with his own political interests. Trump spends the bulk of his time at his Florida home but was in New York for weeks this spring during his hush money trial there. He was convicted, but his lawyers are pushing for the case to be thrown out in light of his election. While he spent hours in a Manhattan courthouse every day during his criminal trial, Trump took his presidential campaign to the streets of the heavily Democratic city, holding a rally in the Bronx and popping up at settings for working-class New Yorkers: a bodega, a construction site and a firehouse. Trump returned to the city in September to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at his Manhattan tower and again in the final stretch of the presidential campaign when he held a rally at Madison Square Garden that drew immediate blowback as speakers made rude and racist insults and incendiary remarks . At the stock exchange, the ringing of the bell has been a tradition since the 1800s. The first guest to do it was a 10-year-old boy named Leonard Ross, in 1956, who won a quiz show answering questions about the stock market. Many times, companies listing on the exchange would ring the bell at 9:30 a.m. to commemorate their initial offerings as trading began. But the appearances have become an important marker of culture and politics -- something that Trump hopes to seize as he’s promised historic levels of economic growth. The anti-apartheid advocate and South African President Nelson Mandela rang the bell, as has Hollywood star Sylvester Stallone with his castmates from the film “The Expendables.” So, too, have the actors Robert Downey Jr. and Jeremy Renner for an “Avengers” movie and the Olympians Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin. In 1985, Ronald Reagan became the first sitting U.S. president to ring the bell. “With tax reform and budget control, our economy will be free to expand to its full potential, driving the bears back into permanent hibernation,” Reagan said at the time. “We’re going to turn the bull loose.” The crowd of traders on the floor chanted, “Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!” The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed in 1985 and 1986, but it suffered a decline in October 1987 in an event known as “Black Monday.” Long reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

NoneHow Syria’s Christians are marking Christmas amid political change and uncertainty

TOKYO, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. MRM , "MEDIROM", a holistic healthcare company that operates over 300 wellness salons across Japan and provides healthcare services, today announced the closing of its public offering of 2,860,000 American Depositary Shares at a public offering price of $1.75 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $5,000,000 before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. In addition, MEDIROM has granted the underwriters a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 429,000 American Depositary Shares to cover over-allotments at the public offering price, less the underwriting discount. MEDIROM intends to use the proceeds for working capital and general corporate purposes, which may include investments, acquisitions, or strategic collaborations to expand its customer base, as well as marketing of new services. ThinkEquity is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering. A registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-281771) relating to the shares was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and became effective on December 9, 2024. This offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus may be obtained from ThinkEquity, 17 State Street, 41 st Floor, New York, New York 10004. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. About MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. MEDIROM, a holistic healthcare company, operates over 300 wellness salons across Japan, Re.Ra.Ku® being its leading brand, and provides healthcare services. In 2015, MEDIROM entered the health tech business and launched new healthcare programs using an on-demand training app called "Lav®", which is developed by MEDIROM. MEDIROM also entered the device business in 2020 and has developed a smart tracker "MOTHER Bracelet®". In 2023, MEDIROM launched REMONY, a remote monitoring system for corporate clients, and has received orders from a broad range of industries, including nursing care, transportation, construction, and manufacturing, among others. MEDIROM hopes that its diverse health-related product and service offerings will help it collect and manage healthcare data from users and customers and enable it to become a leader in big data in the healthcare industry. For more information, visit https://medirom.co.jp/en . Forward-Looking Statements Regarding MEDIROM Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements may include estimates or expectations about MEDIROM's possible or assumed operational results, financial condition, business strategies and plans, market opportunities, competitive position, industry environment, and potential growth opportunities. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "may," "will," "should," "design," "target," "aim," "hope," "expect," "could," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "continue," "predict," "project," "potential," "goal," or other words that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements relate to future events or to MEDIROM's future financial performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause MEDIROM's actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond MEDIROM's control and which could, and likely will, affect actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Any forward-looking statement reflects MEDIROM's current views with respect to future events and is subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to MEDIROM's operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity. Contact: Investor Relations Team E-mail: ir@medirom.co.jp © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Ford and GM to donate $1 million, vehicles to Trump’s inaugurationHudson Meek, the 16-year-old actor who appeared in “Baby Driver,” died last week after falling from a moving vehicle in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, according to CNN affiliate WVTM. The teen sustained blunt force trauma in the fall on Dec. 19 and was admitted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where he died from his injuries on Dec. 21, the Jefferson County Coroner’s office told CNN affiliate WVTM . “His 16 years on this earth were far too short, but he accomplished so much and significantly impacted everyone he met,” reads a post on his Instagram account . Hudson Meek attends the "A Different Man" premiere during the Deauville American Film Festival in Deauville, France, on September 9. The teen actor had various acting and voice over credits, most notably playing a younger version of Ansel Elgort’s character Baby in 2017 movie “Baby Driver.” Meek also voiced the lead in “Badanamu Stories” — a children’s show that examines themes relevant to preschoolers, according to IMDb . He also appeared in shows including NBC’s “Found” and The CW’s “Legacies,” as well as the recently released thriller “The School Duel.” Meek’s obituary described the teenager as a “reflective and thoughtful” avid traveler and fan of the outdoors. “He loved snow-skiing and could easily navigate the hardest trails that no one else in the family would dare attempt,” the obituary read. “One of his favorite places to be was at the lake, tubing and wakeboarding.” The Vestavia Hills Police Department is still investigating the circumstances surrounding Meek’s death, WTVM reported. CNN has reached out to Vestavia Hills police for more information on the incident. Germany players celebrate after Andreas Brehme, left on ground, scores the winning goal in the World Cup soccer final match against Argentina, in the Olympic Stadium, in Rome, July 8, 1990. Andreas Brehme, who scored the only goal as West Germany beat Argentina to win the 1990 World Cup final, died Feb. 20, 2024. He was 63. Brian Mulroney, the former prime minister of Canada, listens during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico relationship, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mulroney died at the age of 84 on Feb. 29, 2024. The Rev. James Lawson Jr. speaks Sept. 17, 2015, in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Lawson Jr., an apostle of nonviolent protest who schooled activists to withstand brutal reactions from white authorities as the Civil Rights Movement gained traction, has died, his family said Monday. He was 95. His family said Lawson died on Sunday after a short illness in Los Angeles, where he spent decades working as a pastor, labor movement organizer and university professor. Lawson was a close adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who called him “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” Lawson met King in 1957, after spending three years in India soaking up knowledge about Mohandas K. Gandhi’s independence movement. King would travel to India himself two years later, but at the time, he had only read about Gandhi in books. Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West, representing the 1960 USA Olympic Team, is seen Aug. 13, 2010, during the enshrinement news conference at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died June 12, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called West “one of the greatest executives in sports history.” Actor and director Ron Simons, seen Jan. 23, 2011, during the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, died June 12. Simons turned into a formidable screen and stage producer, winning four Tony Awards and having several films selected at the Sundance Film Festival. He won Tonys for producing “Porgy and Bess,” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike,” and “Jitney.” He also co-produced “Hughie,” with Forest Whitaker, “The Gin Game,” starring Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones, “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations,” an all-Black production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” the revival of "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf" and the original work “Thoughts of a Colored Man.” He was in the films “27 Dresses” and “Mystery Team,” as well as on the small screen in “The Resident,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” and “Law & Order: SVU.” Bob Schul of West Milton, Ohio, hits the tape Oct. 18, 1964, to win the 5,000 meter run at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Schul, the only American distance runner to win the 5,000 meters at the Olympics, died June 16. He was 86. His death was announced by Miami University in Ohio , where Schul shined on the track and was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1973. Schul predicted gold leading into the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and followed through with his promise. On a rainy day in Japan, he finished the final lap in a blistering 54.8 seconds to sprint to the win. His white shorts were covered in mud at the finish. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1991. He also helped write a book called “In the Long Run.” San Francisco Giants superstar Willie Mays poses for a photo during baseball spring training in 1972. Mays, the electrifying “Say Hey Kid” whose singular combination of talent, drive and exuberance made him one of baseball’s greatest and most beloved players, died June 18. He was 93. The center fielder, who began his professional career in the Negro Leagues in 1948, had been baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer. He was voted into the Hall in 1979, his first year of eligibility, and in 1999 followed only Babe Ruth on The Sporting News’ list of the game’s top stars. The Giants retired his uniform number, 24, and set their AT&T Park in San Francisco on Willie Mays Plaza. Mays died two days before a game between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals to honor the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham , Alabama. Over 23 major league seasons, virtually all with the New York/San Francisco Giants but also including one in the Negro Leagues, Mays batted .301, hit 660 home runs, totaled 3,293 hits, scored more than 2,000 runs and won 12 Gold Gloves. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, twice was named the Most Valuable Player and finished in the top 10 for the MVP 10 other times. His lightning sprint and over-the-shoulder grab of an apparent extra base hit in the 1954 World Series remains the most celebrated defensive play in baseball history. For millions in the 1950s and ’60s and after, the smiling ballplayer with the friendly, high-pitched voice was a signature athlete and showman during an era when baseball was still the signature pastime. Awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2015, Mays left his fans with countless memories. But a single feat served to capture his magic — one so untoppable it was simply called “The Catch.” Actor Donald Sutherland appears Oct. 13, 2017, at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Sutherland, the Canadian actor whose wry, arrestingly off-kilter screen presence spanned more than half a century of films from “M.A.S.H.” to “The Hunger Games,” died June 20. He was 88. Kiefer Sutherland said on X he believed his father was one of the most important actors in the history of film: “Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that.” The tall and gaunt Sutherland, who flashed a grin that could be sweet or diabolical, was known for offbeat characters like Hawkeye Pierce in Robert Altman's "M.A.S.H.," the hippie tank commander in "Kelly's Heroes" and the stoned professor in "Animal House." Before transitioning into a long career as a respected character actor, Sutherland epitomized the unpredictable, antiestablishment cinema of the 1970s. He never stopped working, appearing in nearly 200 films and series. Over the decades, Sutherland showed his range in more buttoned-down — but still eccentric — roles in Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" and Oliver Stone's "JFK." More, recently, he starred in the “Hunger Games” films. A memoir, “Made Up, But Still True,” is due out in November. Actor Bill Cobbs, a cast member in "Get Low," arrives July 27, 2010, at the premiere of the film in Beverly Hills, Calif. Cobbs, the veteran character actor who became a ubiquitous and sage screen presence as an older man, died June 25. He was 90. A Cleveland native, Cobbs acted in such films as “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “The Bodyguard” and “Night at the Museum.” He made his first big-screen appearance in a fleeting role in 1974's “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three." He became a lifelong actor with some 200 film and TV credits. The lion share of those came in his 50s, 60s, and 70s, as filmmakers and TV producers turned to him again and again to imbue small but pivotal parts with a wizened and worn soulfulness. Cobbs appeared on television shows including “The Sopranos," “The West Wing,” “Sesame Street” and “Good Times.” He was Whitney Houston's manager in “The Bodyguard” (1992), the mystical clock man of the Coen brothers' “The Hudsucker Proxy” (1994) and the doctor of John Sayles' “Sunshine State” (2002). He played the coach in “Air Bud” (1997), the security guard in “Night at the Museum” (2006) and the father on “The Gregory Hines Show." Cobbs rarely got the kinds of major parts that stand out and win awards. Instead, Cobbs was a familiar and memorable everyman who left an impression on audiences, regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding limited performance in a daytime program for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020. Independent gubernatorial candidate Kinky Friedman speaks with the media Nov. 7, 2009, at his campaign headquarters in Austin, Texas. The singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, died June 27. He was 79 and had suffered from Parkinson's disease. Often called “The Kinkster" and sporting sideburns, a thick mustache and cowboy hat, Friedman earned a cult following and reputation as a provocateur throughout his career across musical and literary genres. In the 1970s, his satirical country band Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys wrote songs with titles such as “They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore” and “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in Bed.” Friedman joined part of Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1976. By the 1980s, Friedman was writing crime novels that often included a version of himself, and he wrote a column for Texas Monthly magazine in the 2000s. Friedman's run at politics brought his brand of irreverence to the serious world of public policy. In 2006, Friedman ran for governor as an independent in a five-way race that included incumbent Republican Rick Perry. Friedman launched his campaign against the backdrop of the Alamo. Martin Mull participates in "The Cool Kids" panel during the Fox Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour on Aug. 2, 2018, at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including “Roseanne” and “Arrested Development,” died June 28. He was 80. Mull, who was also a guitarist and painter, came to national fame with a recurring role on the Norman Lear-created satirical soap opera “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” and the starring role in its spinoff, “Fernwood Tonight." His first foray into show business was as a songwriter, penning the 1970 semi-hit “A Girl Named Johnny Cash” for singer Jane Morgan. He would combine music and comedy in an act that he brought to hip Hollywood clubs in the 1970s. Mull often played slightly sleazy, somewhat slimy and often smarmy characters as he did as Teri Garr's boss and Michael Keaton's foe in 1983's “Mr. Mom.” He played Colonel Mustard in the 1985 movie adaptation of the board game “Clue,” which, like many things Mull appeared in, has become a cult classic. The 1980s also brought what many thought was his best work, “A History of White People in America,” a mockumentary that first aired on Cinemax. Mull co-created the show and starred as a “60 Minutes” style investigative reporter investigating all things milquetoast and mundane. Willard was again a co-star. In the 1990s he was best known for his recurring role on several seasons on “Roseanne,” in which he played a warmer, less sleazy boss to the title character, an openly gay man whose partner was played by Willard, who died in 2020 . Mull would later play private eye Gene Parmesan on “Arrested Development,” a cult-classic character on a cult-classic show, and would be nominated for an Emmy, his first, in 2016 for a guest run on “Veep.” Screenwriter Robert Towne poses at The Regency Hotel, March 7, 2006, in New York. Towne, the Oscar-winning screenplay writer of "Shampoo," "The Last Detail" and other acclaimed films whose work on "Chinatown" became a model of the art form and helped define the jaded allure of his native Los Angeles, died Monday, July 1, 2024, surrounded by family at his home in Los Angeles, said publicist Carri McClure. She declined to comment on any cause of death. Vic Seixas of the United States backhands a volley from Denmark's Jurgen Ulrich in the first round of men's singles match at Wimbledon, England, June 27, 1967. Vic Seixas, a Wimbledon winner and tennis Hall of Famer who was the oldest living Grand Slam champion, has died July 5 at the age of 100. The International Tennis Hall of Fame announced Seixas’ death on Saturday July 6, 2024, based on confirmation from his daughter Tori. In this June 30, 2020, file photo, Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., speaks to reporters following a GOP policy meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. Former Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma died July 9. He was 89. The family says in a statement that the Republican had a stroke during the July Fourth holiday and died Tuesday morning. Inhofe was a powerful fixture in state politics for decades. He doubted that climate change was caused by human activity, calling the theory “the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people.” As Oklahoma’s senior U.S. senator, he was a staunch supporter of the state’s military installations. He was elected to a fifth Senate term in 2020 and stepped down in early 2023. The Oak Ridge Boys, from left, Joe Bonsall, Richard Sterban, Duane Allen and William Lee Golden hold their awards for Top Vocal Group and Best Album of the Year for "Ya'll Come Back Saloon", during the 14th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., May 3, 1979. Bonsall died on July 9, 2024, from complications of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Hendersonville, Tenn. He was 76. A Philadelphia native and resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Bonsall joined the Oak Ridge Boys in 1973, which originally formed in the 1940s. He saw the band through its golden period in the '80s and beyond, which included their signature 1981 song “Elvira.” The hit marked a massive crossover moment for the group, reaching No. 1 on the country chart and No. 5 on Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100. The group is also known for such hits as 1982’s “Bobbie Sue." Shelley Duvall poses for photographers at the 30th Cannes Film Festival in France, May 27, 1977. Duvall, whose wide-eyed, winsome presence was a mainstay in the films of Robert Altman and who co-starred in Stanley Kubrick's “The Shining,” died July 11. She was 75. Dr. Ruth Westheimer holds a copy of her book "Sex for Dummies" at the International Frankfurt Book Fair 'Frankfurter Buchmesse' in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, Oct. 11, 2007. Westheimer, the sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, died on July 12, 2024. She was 96. Richard Simmons sits for a portrait in Los Angeles, June 23, 1982. Simmons, a fitness guru who urged the overweight to exercise and eat better, died July 13 at the age of 76. Simmons was a court jester of physical fitness who built a mini-empire in his trademark tank tops and short shorts by urging the overweight to exercise and eat better. Simmons was a former 268-pound teen who shared his hard-won weight loss tips as the host of the Emmy-winning daytime “Richard Simmons Show" and the “Sweatin' to the Oldies” line of exercise videos, which became a cultural phenomenon. Former NFL receiver Jacoby Jones died July 14 at age 40. Jones' 108-yard kickoff return in 2013 remains the longest touchdown in Super Bowl history. The Houston Texans were Jones’ team for the first five seasons of his career. They announced his death on Sunday. In a statement released by the NFL Players Association, his family said he died at his home in New Orleans. A cause of death was not given. Jones played from 2007-15 for the Texans, Baltimore Ravens, San Diego Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. He made several huge plays for the Ravens during their most recent Super Bowl title season, including that kick return. The "Beverly Hills, 90210" star whose life and career were roiled by tabloid stories, Shannen Doherty died July 13 at 53. Doherty's publicist said the actor died Saturday following years with breast cancer. Catapulted to fame as Brenda in “Beverly Hills, 90210,” she worked in big-screen films including "Mallrats" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and in TV movies including "A Burning Passion: The Margaret Mitchell Story," in which she played the "Gone with the Wind" author. Doherty co-starred with Holly Marie Combs and Alyssa Milano in the series “Charmed” from 1998-2001; appeared in the “90210” sequel series seven years later and competed on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2010. Actor James Sikking poses for a photograph at the Los Angeles gala celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Organization for Women, Dec. 1, 1986. Sikking, who starred as a hardened police lieutenant on “Hill Street Blues” and as the titular character's kindhearted dad on “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” died July 13 of complications from dementia, his publicist Cynthia Snyder said in a statement. He was 90. Pat Williams chats with media before the 2004 NBA draft in Orlando, Fla. Williams, a co-founder of the Orlando Magic and someone who spent more than a half-century working within the NBA, died July 17 from complications related to viral pneumonia. The team announced the death Wednesday. Williams was 84. He started his NBA career as business manager of the Philadelphia 76ers in 1968, then had stints as general manager of the Chicago Bulls, the Atlanta Hawks and the 76ers — helping that franchise win a title in 1983. Williams was later involved in starting the process of bringing an NBA team to Orlando. The league’s board of governors granted an expansion franchise in 1987, and the team began play in 1989. Lou Dobbs speaks Feb. 24, 2017, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Oxon Hill, Md. Dobbs, the conservative political pundit and veteran cable TV host who was a founding anchor for CNN and later was a nightly presence on Fox Business Network for more than a decade, died July 18. He was 78. His death was announced in a post on his official X account, which called him a “fighter till the very end – fighting for what mattered to him the most, God, his family and the country.” He hosted “Lou Dobbs Tonight” on Fox from 2011 to 2021, following two separate stints at CNN. No cause of death was given. Bob Newhart, center, poses with members of the cast and crew of the "Bob Newhart Show," from top left, Marcia Wallace, Bill Daily, Jack Riley, and, Suzanne Pleshette, foreground left, and Dick Martin at TV Land's 35th anniversary tribute to "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 5, 2007, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Newhart has died at age 94. Jerry Digney, Newhart’s publicist, says the actor died July 18 in Los Angeles after a series of short illnesses. The accountant-turned-comedian gained fame with a smash album and became one of the most popular TV stars of his time. Newhart was a Chicago psychologist in “The Bob Newhart Show” in the 1970s and a Vermont innkeeper on “Newhart” in the 1980s. Both shows featured a low-key Newhart surrounded by eccentric characters. The second had a twist ending in its final show — the whole series was revealed to have been a dream by the psychologist he played in the other show. Cheng Pei-pei, a Chinese-born martial arts film actor who starred in Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” died July 17 at age 78. Her family says Cheng, who had been diagnosed with a rare illness with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, passed away Wednesday at home surrounded by her loved ones. The Shanghai-born film star became a household name in Hong Kong, once dubbed the Hollywood of the Far East, for her performances in martial arts movies in the 1960s. She played Jade Fox, who uses poisoned needles, in “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” which was released in 2000, grossed $128 million in North America and won four Oscars. Abdul “Duke” Fakir holds his life time achievement award backstage at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 8, 2009, in Los Angeles. The last surviving original member of the Four Tops died July 22. Abdul “Duke” Fakir was 88. He was a charter member of the Motown group along with lead singer Levi Stubbs, Renaldo “Obie" Benson and Lawrence Payton. Between 1964 and 1967, the Tops had 11 top 20 hits and two No. 1′s: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” and the operatic classic “Reach Out I’ll Be There.” Other songs, often stories of romantic pain and longing, included “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Bernadette” and “Just Ask the Lonely.” Sculptress Elizabeth Catlett, left, then-Washington D.C. Mayor Sharon Pratt Dixon, center, and then-curator, division of community life, Smithsonian institution Bernice Johnson Reagon chat during the reception at the Candace awards on June 25, 1991 in New York. Reagon, a musician and scholar who used her rich, powerful contralto voice in the service of the American Civil Rights Movement and human rights struggles around the world, died on July 16, 2024, according to her daughter's social media post. She was 81. John Mayall, the British blues musician whose influential band the Bluesbreakers was a training ground for Eric Clapton, Mick Fleetwood and many other superstars, died July 22. He was 90. He is credited with helping develop the English take on urban, Chicago-style rhythm and blues that played an important role in the blues revival of the late 1960s. A statement on Mayall's official Instagram page says he died Monday at his home in California. Though Mayall never approached the fame of some of his illustrious alumni, he was still performing in his late 80s, pounding out his version of Chicago blues. Erica Ash, an actor and comedian skilled in sketch comedy who starred in the parody series “Mad TV” and “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” has died. She was 46. Her publicist and a statement by her mother, Diann, says Ash died July 28 in Los Angeles of cancer. Ash impersonated Michelle Obama and Condoleeza Rice on “Mad TV,” a Fox sketch series, and was a key performer on the Rosie O’Donnell-created series “The Big Gay Sketch Show.” Her other credits included “Scary Movie V,” “Uncle Drew” and the LeBron James-produced basketball dramedy “Survivor’s Remorse.” On the BET series “Real Husbands of Hollywood,” Ash played the ex-wife of Kevin Hart’s character. Jack Russell, the lead singer of the bluesy '80s metal band Great White whose hits included “Once Bitten Twice Shy” and “Rock Me” and was fronting his band the night 100 people died in a 2003 nightclub fire in Rhode Island, died Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024. He was 63. Juan “Chi Chi” Rodriguez, a Hall of Fame golfer whose antics on the greens and inspiring life story made him among the sport’s most popular players during a long professional career, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024. Susan Wojcicki, the former YouTube chief executive officer and longtime Google executive, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2024, after suffering with non small cell lung cancer for the past two years. She was 56. Frank Selvy, an All-America guard at Furman who scored an NCAA Division I-record 100 points in a game and later played nine NBA seasons, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024. He was 91. Wallace “Wally” Amos, the creator of the cookie empire that took his name and made it famous and who went on to become a children’s literacy advocate, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024, from complications with dementia. He was 88. Gena Rowlands, hailed as one of the greatest actors to ever practice the craft and a guiding light in independent cinema as a star in groundbreaking movies by her director husband, John Cassavetes, and who later charmed audiences in her son's tear-jerker “The Notebook,” died Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. She was 94. Peter Marshall, the actor and singer turned game show host who played straight man to the stars for 16 years on “The Hollywood Squares,” died. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024 He was 98. Alain Delon, the internationally acclaimed French actor who embodied both the bad guy and the policeman and made hearts throb around the world, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. He was 88. Phil Donahue, whose pioneering daytime talk show launched an indelible television genre that brought success to Oprah Winfrey, Montel Williams, Ellen DeGeneres and many others, died Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, after a long illness. He was 88. Al Attles, a Hall of Famer who coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, general manager and most recently team ambassador, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024. He was 87. John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom “Good Times” and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries “Roots,” died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. He was 84. James Darren, a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. He was 88. James Earl Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died. He was 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Sept. 9 at home. Jones was a pioneering actor who eventually lent his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader. Working deep into his 80s, he won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a Broadway theater was renamed in his honor. Frankie Beverly, who with his band Maze inspired generations of fans with his smooth, soulful voice and lasting anthems including “Before I Let Go,” has died. He was 77. His family said in a post on the band’s website and social media accounts that Beverly died Sept. 10. In the post, which asked for privacy, the family said “he lived his life with a pure soul, as one would say, and for us, no one did it better.” The post did not say his cause of death or where he died. Beverly, whose songs include “Joy and Pain,” “Love is the Key,” and “Southern Girl,” finished his farewell “I Wanna Thank You Tour” in his hometown of Philadelphia in July. Joe Schmidt, the Hall of Fame linebacker who helped the Detroit Lions win NFL championships in 1953 and 1957 and later coached the team, has died. He was 92. The Lions said family informed the team Schmidt died Sept. 11. A cause of death was not provided. One of pro football’s first great middle linebackers, Schmidt played his entire NFL career with the Lions from 1953-65. An eight-time All-Pro, he was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1973 and the college football version in 2000. Born in Pittsburgh, Schmidt played college football in his hometown at Pitt. Chad McQueen, an actor known for his performances in the “Karate Kid” movies and the son of the late actor and racer Steve McQueen, died Sep. 11. His lawyer confirmed his death at age 63. McQueen's family shared a statement on social media saying he lived a life “filled with love and dedication.” McQueen was a professional race car driver, like his father, and competed in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours of Daytona races. He is survived by his wife Jeanie and three children, Chase, Madison and Steven, who is an actor best known for “The Vampire Diaries.” Tito Jackson, one of the brothers who made up the beloved pop group the Jackson 5, died at age 70 on Sept. 15. Jackson was the third of nine children, including global superstars Michael and Janet. The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. They signed with Berry Gordy’s Motown empire in the 1960s. The group was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s, including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.” John David “JD” Souther has died. He was a prolific songwriter and musician whose collaborations with the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt helped shape the country-rock sound that took root in Southern California in the 1970s. Souther joined in on some of the Eagles’ biggest hits, such as “Best of My Love,” “New Kid in Town,” and “Heartache Tonight." The Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee also collaborated with James Taylor, Bob Seger, Bonnie Raitt and many more. His biggest hit as a solo artist was “You’re Only Lonely.” He was about to tour with Karla Bonoff. Souther died Sept. 17 at his home in New Mexico, at 78. In this photo, JD Souther and Alison Krauss attend the Songwriters Hall of Fame 44th annual induction and awards gala on Thursday, June 13, 2013 in New York. Sen. Dan Evans stands with his three sons, from left, Mark, Bruce and Dan Jr., after he won the election for Washington's senate seat in Seattle, Nov. 8, 1983. Evans, a former Washington state governor and a U.S. Senator, died Sept. 20. The popular Republican was 98. He served as governor from 1965 to 1977, and he was the keynote speaker at the 1968 National Republican Convention. In 1983, Evans was appointed to served out the term of Democratic Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson after he died in office. Evans opted not to stand for election in 1988, citing the “tediousness" of the Senate. He later served as a regent at the University of Washington, where the Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance bears his name. Eugene “Mercury” Morris, who starred for the unbeaten 1972 Miami Dolphins as part of a star-studded backfield and helped the team win two Super Bowl titles, died Sept. 21. He was 77. The team on Sunday confirmed the death of Morris, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. In a statement, his family said his “talent and passion left an indelible mark on the sport.” Morris was the starting halfback and one of three go-to runners that Dolphins coach Don Shula utilized in Miami’s back-to-back title seasons of 1972 and 1973, alongside Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick. Morris led the Dolphins in rushing touchdowns in both of those seasons. John Ashton, the veteran character actor who memorably played the gruff but lovable police detective John Taggart in the “Beverly Hills Cop” films, died Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. He was 76. Maggie Smith, who won an Oscar for 1969 film “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and won new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Sept. 27 at 89. Smith's publicist announced the news Friday. She was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench. “Jean Brodie” brought her the Academy Award for best actress in 1969. Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978. Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and an A-list Hollywood actor, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 88. Drake Hogestyn, the “Days of Our Lives” star who appeared on the show for 38 years, died Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024. He was 70. Ron Ely, the tall, musclebound actor who played the title character in the 1960s NBC series “Tarzan,” died Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024, at age 86. Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58. Frank Fritz, left, part of a two-man team who drove around the U.S. looking for antiques and collectibles to buy and resell on the reality show “American Pickers,” died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 60. He's shown here with co-host Mike Wolfe at the A+E Networks 2015 Upfront in New York on April 30, 2015. Pete Rose, baseball’s career hits leader and fallen idol who undermined his historic achievements and Hall of Fame dreams by gambling on the game he loved and once embodied, died Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. He was 83. Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, died Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home. She was 91. Ethel Kennedy, the wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who raised their 11 children after he was assassinated and remained dedicated to social causes and the family’s legacy for decades thereafter, died on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, her family said. She was 96. Former One Direction singer Liam Payne, 31, whose chart-topping British boy band generated a global following of swooning fans, was found dead Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, local officials said. He was 31. Mitzi Gaynor, among the last survivors of the so-called golden age of the Hollywood musical, died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024. She was 93. Fernando Valenzuela, the Mexican-born phenom for the Los Angeles Dodgers who inspired “Fernandomania” while winning the NL Cy Young Award and Rookie of the Year in 1981, died Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024. He was 63. Jack Jones, a Grammy-winning crooner known for “The Love Boat” television show theme song, died, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024. He was 86. Phil Lesh, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, at age 84. Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as "Young Frankenstein" and "Tootsie," died Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024. She was 79. Quincy Jones, the multitalented music titan whose vast legacy ranged from producing Michael Jackson’s historic “Thriller” album to writing prize-winning film and television scores and collaborating with Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and hundreds of other recording artists, died Sunday, Nov 3, 2024. He was 91 Bobby Allison, founder of racing’s “Alabama Gang” and a NASCAR Hall of Famer, died Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. He was 86. Song Jae-lim, a South Korean actor known for his roles in K-dramas “Moon Embracing the Sun” and “Queen Woo,” was found dead at his home in capital Seoul, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. He was 39. British actor Timothy West, who played the classic Shakespeare roles of King Lear and Macbeth and who in recent years along with his wife, Prunella Scales, enchanted millions of people with their boating exploits on Britain's waterways, died Tuesday, Nov 12, 2024. He was 90. Bela Karolyi, the charismatic if polarizing gymnastics coach who turned young women into champions and the United States into an international power in the sport, died Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. He was 82. Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 95. Former Chicago Bulls forward Bob Love, a three-time All-Star who spent 11 years in the NBA, died Monday, Nov. 18, 2024. He was 81. Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, died Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. He was 83. Barbara Taylor Bradford, a British journalist who became a publishing sensation in her 40s with the saga "A Woman of Substance" and wrote more than a dozen other novels that sold tens of millions of copies, died Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. She was 91. Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!

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Dubai, UAE, Dec. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The WikiEXPO Dubai 2024, hosted by WikiGlobal , successfully concluded on November 27, attracting wide attention from the global financial technology sector. The event was co-organized by WikiFX and the Australian Computer and Law Association (AUSCL), with strong support from the Mauritius Financial Services Institute (FSI) and the government of Liberland. Through an innovative hybrid model of online and offline participation, WikiEXPO Dubai 2024 achieved an impressive 1,267,886 online views and gathered 3500+ on-site participants, bringing together 550+ industry leaders and attracting close coverage from over 1300+ global media outlets. Focusing on Fintech Frontiers, Discussing Safe Trading Practices This expo centered around the theme “Seeing Diversity, Trading Safely,” attracting 3500+ industry decision-makers, innovators, and investors from around the globe. Key discussions included new forms of financial crime and cutting-edge practices in anti-money laundering, the financial derivatives market in the UAE, and the impact of artificial intelligence on the financial technology landscape in the UAE. The content covered a wide range of topics including financial regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering, forex, digital currency, blockchain, DeFi, Web3, RWA, artificial intelligence, ESG, climate risk, banking, and digital assets CBDC, providing attendees with a unique platform to gain insights into future trends in financial technology. Industry Leaders Gather to Discuss New Industry Trends The event featured several industry leaders and speakers, including Braden Perry from Kennehertz Perry, Dr. Mohamed Damak from S&P Global Ratings, Justin Sun from TRON, Naushad Khadun from FSI Mauritius, John Riggins from BTC Ltd., Reeve Collins from WeFi and Tether (EX), Kamran Khan from FinTech Professional, Hasnae Taleb from Minultiy Capital, Gustavo Antonio Montero from Carter Capital, Hafedh Ajmi from PwC Middle East, and Myriam Ben Sayeh from Mastercard. These respected guests shared their insights on hot topics such as financial regulatory compliance, anti-money laundering, and blockchain trends. Guests expressed that WikiEXPO Dubai 2024 provided them with a rare platform for exchange. Mr. Naushad Khadun noted that he learned about the perspectives of experts and investors from around the world regarding future investments and expectations for forex investment regulation. Dr. Mohamed Damak believed that the expo built a bridge for global financial investors, contributing to maintaining safety in financial trading and promoting robust development in financial technology. Mr. Braden Perry emphasized that the expo not only connected global financial investors but also established a safety barrier for forex trading. Top Forex Influencers Selection Announced, Leading Industry Trends Additionally, the expo revealed the results of the WikiEXPO 2024 Top Forex Influencers Selection, honoring the most popular 30 influencers in the forex sector. These industry leaders, recognized for their exceptional contributions and wide influence in the financial technology field, have earned the trust and recognition of over 1,000,000 global investors, making them some of the most prominent figures in the industry. In the context of diversified investment development trends, WikiGlobal launched several events focused on trading safety, bringing together renowned influencers and industry elites in the global investment community to share professional insights and experiences within the WikiFX Business community, helping investors better grasp market dynamics and investment opportunities. Since its launch, the WikiFX Community has garnered significant attention from industry professionals. The successful conclusion of WikiEXPO Dubai 2024 is not the end; the community will continue to host a variety of enriching online and offline activities, providing participants with more business opportunities and channels, creating a more open industry ecosystem, and jointly building a healthier and more trustworthy financial market environment. WikiEXPO: A Communication Platform in the Fintech Field WikiEXPO Dubai 2024 not only provided industry participants with a platform to gain deeper insights into future trends in financial technology but also facilitated exchanges and collaborations on cutting-edge technologies. Through this event, attendees could delve into the latest developments in financial technology and explore new opportunities for win-win cooperation. The successful hosting of this expo marks a significant milestone in the financial technology sector. In the future, WikiEXPO will continue to leverage its leading role in the Fintech field, providing more opportunities for exchange and cooperation for global industry participants, jointly promoting the robust development of the Fintech industry and enhancing the safety of the trading environment. About WikiEXPO WikiEXPO , established in 2019, is a fintech expo focused on trading environment safety. By creating a leading global fintech expo and integrating various industry resources, it promotes healthy competition and orderly development. It is a grand event that combines authoritative information, industry wisdom, networking, and business opportunities. To date, WikiEXPO has successfully hosted dozens of expos across more than ten countries.TURIN, Italy (Reuters) -Dusan Vlahovic and Weston McKennie scored to lead Juventus to a 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester City on Wednesday, a major blow to the English champions’ hopes of clinching a top-eight spot in the group stage of Europe’s elite competition. City, who lifted the 2023 Champions League trophy, continued a poor run of form which has brought only one victory in their last 10 games across all competitions. “(Confidence) is a big part of it, obviously it’s a mental issue as well. You can see that. You can see that sometimes one action we miss the ball or lose a duel and you can see that we drop immediately,” City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan told Amazon Prime. “It has such a big effect on us right now. At the crucial moment right now we are doing the wrong things.” Vlahovic scored by the narrowest of margins in the 53rd minute when Kenan Yildiz swung the ball in and City keeper Ederson fumbled the Serb’s header from close range and the ball sneaked just across the line, according to the goalline technology. “The whole team played an excellent match, we prepared well and did everything what we had to do,” Vlahovic told Amazon. “The result is amazing and can give us a great boost for the rest of the season.” City picked up the tempo in a desperate attempt to equalise and sent numbers forward, but Juve capitalised to double their lead against the run of play when McKennie hooked Timothy Weah’s cross in with a sumptuous volley in the 75th minute. Pep Guardiola’s team squandered several chances, one of the best falling to Erling Haaland late in first half. Kevin De Bruyne sent a beautiful through ball to the Norwegian who got in behind the defence before trying to chip goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio who threw up his arm to block the shot. Gundogan unleashed a blistering strike from long range that Di Gregorio stretched to just push wide. “We have done it really, really well, we didn’t lose many balls that happened in the past, and we arrived in the positions,” Guardiola said. “But the Italian teams that defend so deep and so compact it is not easy, they are masters of these kinds of situations.” With two games remaining in the group phase, Juventus are 14th in the table while City plummeted to 22nd, three places out of automatic elimination from the competition. Since the start of November, City have conceded more goals (21) across all competitions than any other team in Europe’s big five leagues, the worst spell in Guardiola’s otherwise sparkling managerial career. City, who host Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday, continue their Champions League campaign at Paris St Germain on Jan. 22. Juventus travel to Brugge on Jan. 21. (Reporting by Lori Ewing,Editing by Toby Davis and Ed Osmond) Disclaimer: This report is auto generated from the Reuters news service. 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