Viewers in hysterics as Maura loses temper with Jane during I’m a Celebrity Bushtucker TrialBOCA RATON, Fla. , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boca Woods Country Club is thrilled to announce the grand opening of its newly redesigned Woods golf course. This momentous occasion took place on Sunday, December 8th at 12:00 PM , with a celebration and ribbon cutting ceremony marking the culmination of a remarkable $9M transformation that has captivated the attention of golf enthusiasts far and wide. More than 450 Members and distinguished guests from industry and government joined the Club for the ribbon cutting ceremony, cocktails and hors d' oeuvres. Attendees included PGA Junior Club Members standing aside past Club Presidents, sharing a commitment to excellence demonstrated by the investment to fully renovate the Woods Course. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of a lifetime Boca Woods Country Club Membership accepted by Rees Jones . The outcome of this extensive renovation: a formidable championship golf course, meticulously designed by the renowned Rees Jones and delivered through the craftsmanship of LaBar Golf. Stretching to a maximum yardage of 7,043 yards, the course boasts key risk/reward decisions for the experienced golfer while offering better playable options for those less experienced. Some key highlights of the renovation include: Redesigned Greens: Completely rebuilt to provide smoother, truer, and more consistent putting surfaces. Enhanced bunkering: Strategically repositioned and reshaped to create visual appeal and challenge. Improved drainage: a state-of-the-art drainage system has been implemented to ensure optimal playing conditions year-round, even after heavy rainfall. New Tee Boxes: multiple tee boxes have been added and repositioned on each hole, providing players of all skill levels with a fair and enjoyable challenge. " The Woods course is now a true championship layout, playing to a maximum yardage of 7,043 yards." Said Jeff Gullett , Director of Golf. He continued, " Rees Jones has incorporated a combination of green complexes and bunkering that will test every golfer's ability. We are confident that our Members will be delighted with the results." The Woods golf course offers an inspired blend of challenging greens and strategically placed bunkers, promising to test the mettle of even the most seasoned golfers. The harmonious fusion of design elements guarantees a truly exceptional and unforgettable round of golf. What truly distinguishes the Woods course is its serene and secluded setting. Nestled away from the luxury homes that dot the community, the course immerses players in the tranquility of South Florida's nature, offering a respite from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. " Bryce Swanson and I are pleased that the Woods Course at Boca Woods is reopening on time and on budget. The redesign of the golf course enhances the course's playability, strategy, and variety. The remodeled golf course will provide an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience for the Members and their guests on a continuing basis. It has been a pleasure to work with all involved in this project," said Rees Jones . This renovation is particularly significant due to Boca Woods' unique position in the golfing world. With 36 holes of championship golf and a limited Membership of only 590 golfers, Boca Woods provides an unparalleled level of exclusivity and access. The newly renovated Woods course further solidifies the club's reputation as a golfer's paradise, offering a rare combination of world-class amenities and a close-knit community of passionate enthusiasts. " It is amazing to witness the evolution taking place at this Club." Says David Sweet, General Manager/ COO. He continues, "In the last four years, Members have supported the development of modern amenities: a new Clubhouse with state-of-the-art virtual meeting spaces, a sports and wellness complex that offers 10,000 sq ft of fitness, modern racquet sports facilities including lights for night play, and now this championship course developed in partnership with the best names in the business. Rees has left his mark on Boca Woods, and the Club's future is bright!" Central to the course's allure is the masterful touch of Rees Jones , whose design philosophy seamlessly integrates the natural beauty of the surroundings with the strategic demands of the game. The result is a golfing experience that is both visually captivating and intellectually stimulating. "The Rees Jones' update to our Woods Course is inspirational. Coupled with renovations designed by Kipp Schulties on the Lakes Course, we offer a small community of players a wide range of golfing opportunities. As President of Boca Woods, I am proud of what we accomplished and the time frame we worked within. We listened to our players: men and women, scratch players and weekenders... the result is 36 holes of magnificent golf course architecture that challenges the best and offers playable options for every level. Our demographics say it all (reference the generations photo), and there are tee boxes for every player at every age to enjoy. Boca Woods is setting the standard" said Howard Mittleman , Board President for Boca Woods Country Club. The renovation of the Woods golf course represents a substantial investment in elevating the club's amenities, ensuring Members have exceptional golf experiences. The comprehensive project followed a $14.5M building and facilities renovation. For more information on the new Woods golf course or to inquire about membership opportunities, please visit bocawoodscc.com . The Club foresees many future investments, including the installation of TopTracer (technology owned and used by Top Golf Entertainment Group) on the driving range, sharing information about every shot for Members through fully integrated technology inclusive of ballistics scopes delivering multiple data points for every shot. About Boca Woods Country Club Boca Woods Country Club is an established residential country club community located in Boca Raton, Florida . Membership at Boca Woods offers extraordinary value in a golf community that features two championship golf courses and all the amenities that private country club living has to offer. Boca Woods Country Club is dedicated to providing a residential country club lifestyle featuring a community and club culture characterized by friendliness, civility and respect for its members and staff in an overall setting of refinement and casual elegance. Media Contact: membership@bocawoodscc.com View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grand-opening-of-the-rees-jones-woods-golf-course-announced-at-boca-woods-country-club-302334242.html SOURCE Boca Woods Country ClubThe streets were dark and cars packed. People, who moved on foot, carried bags with their belongings, unsure about where they were going but certain that they could not stay. This was the scene on Tuesday in Nuweiri, central Beirut, moments after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings, the first for these areas. We were trying to visit the site of an Israeli air strike hours earlier, in the afternoon, that came without warning, flattened one building and killed at least seven people. But we could not get there. Crowds were leaving, and men on motorbikes stopped us from moving, saying it was not safe. Minutes later, we heard several explosions, from more attacks. And for hours, that was how the night unfolded in Beirut. Multiple blasts. Some in the distance; others closer. Gunshots announced more warnings, urging people to seek safety. All of this, with the constant sound of an Israeli drone flying overhead. This dramatic escalation came as the country waited for an Israeli decision on a ceasefire deal, the main hope to end over a year of conflict with Hezbollah, the powerful Iranian-backed movement. During that wait, Israel unleashed its most intense bombardment of Beirut in the conflict. Within two minutes, shortly after the attack on Nuweiri, fighter jets hit 20 targets in the city’s southern suburbs, known as Dahieh, where Hezbollah is based in the city. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the targets hit were facilities used by Hezbollah, and the wave of attacks was heard across the city. Now, a ceasefire has been officially announced, but questions remain. The war has been devastating for Lebanon, where more than 3,700 people have been killed since the start of the hostilities in October 2023, and one million residents have been displaced in areas where Hezbollah has strong presence. The World Bank estimates $8.5bn (£6.8bn) in economic losses and damage. Recovery will take time, and no-one seems to know who will pay for it. Under the deal, thousands of Lebanese soldiers will be deployed to the south, after the withdrawal of Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters. How they will be deployed remains unclear. The military has complained that they do not have the resources – money, manpower and equipment – to fulfil their obligations. But it is not only about funding, which will probably come from some of Lebanon’s international allies. Will the Lebanese military confront Hezbollah if needed? That would put Lebanese against Lebanese, which is always a risk in a country where sectarian divisions run deep. Lebanese authorities seem to have accepted that things must change, a diplomat told me. It appears there is political will to do so. Hezbollah, too, has been devastated. Many of its leaders have been killed, including long-time chief Hassan Nasrallah, while its infrastructure has been heavily damaged. How it will look like after the war is another unknown. The group has been severely weakened, some would say humiliated, but it has not been destroyed. In Lebanon, it is more than a militia: it is a political party with representation in Parliament, and a social organisation, with significant support among Shia Muslims. Its opponents will probably see it as an opportunity to limit its influence. Before the conflict, Hezbollah was often described as a state within a state in Lebanon. And for months, people outside Hezbollah’s support base said the group had dragged the country into a war that was not in its interests. This deal may bring the conflict with Israel to an end. But many in Lebanon fear a new internal conflict could follow.slot machine strategy 。

AP News Summary at 5:53 p.m. ESTBRYANT 97, TENNESSEE STATE 85

Activating your credit card? Don’t skip the mobile wallet stepSUGAR LAND, Texas, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (“AOI”) (Nasdaq: AAOI), a leading provider of fiber-optic access network products for the internet datacenter, cable broadband, telecom and fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) markets, today announced that it has filed a complaint for patent infringement against Accelight Technologies, Inc. (ATI) in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Case No.: 3:24-cv-09041. The complaint, filed December 13, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleges that at least the ATI 100G QSFP28 LR4, ATI 400G QSFP-DD SR8, ATI 100G QSFP28 CWDM4, ATI 400G QSFP-DD FR4, and ATI 400G QSFP-DD DR4 infringe one or more of the asserted Applied Optoelectronic, Inc. (AOI) optical transceiver patents. “AOI filed this lawsuit because we believe ATI is infringing several of our key optical transceiver patents. AOI has invested significantly in research and development and will continue to enforce its IP rights against alleged infringers to protect those rights,” said Dr. Thompson Lin, Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer. In the complaint, AOI is seeking monetary damages from ATI and a permanent injunction. About Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AOI) is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced optical products, including components, modules and equipment. AOI's products are the building blocks for broadband fiber access networks around the world, where they are used in the internet datacenter, CATV broadband, telecom and FTTH markets. AOI supplies optical networking lasers, components and equipment to tier-1 customers in all four of these markets. In addition to its corporate headquarters, wafer fab and advanced engineering and production facilities in Sugar Land, TX, AOI has engineering and manufacturing facilities in Taipei, Taiwan and Ningbo, China. For additional information, visit www.ao-inc.com . Investor Relations Contact: The Blueshirt Group, Investor Relations Monica Gould +1-212-871-3927 ir@ao-inc.com Cassidy Fuller +1-415-217-4968 ir@ao-inc.comChoosing the Best Builder in Marbella; The guide to construction excellence

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Ravens waive S Eddie Jackson amid latest turmoil for secondaryEliminating Vancouver’s elected park board could save the city around $7 million per year, according to a report heading to council next week. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim unveiled the Parks and Recreation Transition Group’s final report Thursday, which suggested the savings would come from efficiencies, streamlined processes and reduced duplication. The report also argued that the integration of parks and recreation under council authority could help ensure 36 hectares of parkland currently designated as “temporary” were reclassified as permanent. “This transition isn’t just about governance,” Sim said. “It’s about unlocking opportunities to save, to improve and to invest. Now, by streamlining services, cutting duplication, eliminating unnecessary red tape, we’re going to save Vancouverites $70 million over the next decade.” The report states that delays related to duplication in authority between the two elected bodies added about $15 million in added costs to city projects over the last four years, particularly related to construction. “Right now, getting permits for events like festivals or filming can be a frustrating, multi-step process, and we’re going to change that,” Sim said. The transition group’s report recommends replacing the oversight duties of elected park board members with a city council subcommittee on parks and recreation, made up of five councillors. The committee would advise the full council and represent the city in talks with other government bodies on parks and recreation issues. Completing the transition would require updating 18 city bylaws, integrating duplicated teams and aligning policies between the city and parks departments, the report states. Sim announced plans to abolish the city’s elected park board last December, despite campaigning on retaining and improving it in the 2022 election. At the time, Sim said the elected body was “broken ,” and that eliminating it would align Vancouver with other major Canadian cities. The move has met with resistance from some community groups and a majority of elected parks commissioners, including three who split with Sim’s ABC Vancouver party over the plan. That includes independent commissioner Laura Christensen, who said she doesn’t trust the financial figures in the transition group’s report. “There’s no backup on where these numbers came from. They came up with this number of $7 million a year, but the report itself says its difficult and they are unable to really estimate what those savings are,” she said. She added the savings were minuscule in the context of Vancouver’s multi-billion-dollar operating budget, and that the Park Board had managed to boost its own revenues by $4.5 million last year alone. “$7 million a year, in the grand scheme of the city budget, is not huge,” she said. “For example, in the 2025 budget, the VPD is requesting a $22 million increase to their budget.” Christensen also criticized the report’s conclusion abolishing the board would help ensure temporary parks are made permanent, something she said city council could already do tomorrow if it wished. Vancouver Green Coun, Adrianne Carr said her colleagues are already dealing with a heavy workload, and taking on new committee obligations would be difficult. “I already work about 60 to 70 hours a week,” she said. “So for me, it’s almost impossible to think about taking on an extra two days a week and in workload.” The report notes several challenges with completing the transition, including employee concerns and uncertainties about their roles, reporting structures and job security. It also highlighted concerns from the public about losing dedicated parks oversight and specialized expertise and fears that smaller community groups could have their voices overshadowed by larger groups under the new structure. It recommends mitigating those concerns with the creation of a Parks and Recreation Community Partner Relations Office, to handle engagement with stakeholders and ensure stability across elected city administrations. While the transition report is slated to go to council next week, it will be some time before there is any movement on the issue. Eliminating the park board will require the provincial government to make changes to the Vancouver Charter. B.C.’s NDP government has given its approval in principle, but has not given a timeline on when those changes could take place.Even if you knew nothing about astronomy, you’d understand that exploding stars are forceful and consequential events. How could they not be? Supernovae play a pivotal role in the Universe with their energetic, destructive demises. There are different types of supernovae exploding throughout the Universe, with different progenitors and different remnants. The Zwicky Transient Facility has detected 100,000 supernovae and classified 10,000 of them. The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a wide-field astronomical survey named after the prolific Swiss astronomer Fritz Zwicky. In the early 1930s, Zwicky and his colleague Walter Baade coined the term ‘supernova’ to describe the transition of normal main sequence stars into neutron stars. In the 1940s, Zwicky and his colleague developed the modern supernova classification system . The ZTF bears his name because of these and many other scientific contributions. (Zwicky was also a humanitarian and a philosopher.) The ZTF observes in both optical and infrared and was built to detect transients with the Samuel Oschin Telescope at the Palomar Observatory in San Diego County, California. Transients are objects that change brightness rapidly or objects that move. While supernovae (SN) don’t move, they definitely change brightness rapidly. They can outshine their entire host galaxy for months. In 2017, the ZTF began its Bright Transient Survey (BTS), an effort dedicated to the search for supernovae (SNe). It’s by far the largest spectroscopic SNe survey ever conducted. The BTS has discovered 100,000 potential SNe, and more than 10,000 of them have been confirmed and classified according to distance, type, rarity, and brightness. These types of astronomical surveys create a rich dataset that will aid researchers well into the future. “There are trillions of stars in the universe, and about every second, one of them explodes. Reaching 10,000 classifications is amazing, but what we truly should celebrate is the incredible progress we have made in our ability to browse the universe for transients, or objects that change in the sky, and the science our rich data will enable,” said Christoffer Fremling, a staff astronomer at Caltech. Fremling leads the ZTF’s Bright Transient Survey (BTS). The effort to catalogue supernovae dates back to 2012 when astronomical databases began officially tracking them. Since then, astronomers have detected nearly 16,000 of them, and the ZTF is responsible for more than 10,000 of those detections. The first documented SNe discovery was in 185 AD when Chinese astronomers recorded the appearance of a ‘guest star’ in the sky that shone for eight months. In the nearly two millennia since then, we’ve seen many more. 1987 was a watershed year for supernovae science when a massive star exploded in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud. Named SN 1987A. it was the first supernova explosion since the telescope was invented. This was also the first direct detection of neutrinos from a supernova, and the detection is considered by many to be the beginning of neutrino astronomy . Each night, the ZTF detects hundreds of thousands of events, including everything from small, simple asteroids in our inner Solar System to powerful gamma-ray bursts in the distant Universe. The ZTF uses a pair of telescopes that act as a kind of ‘triage’ facility for supernovae and transients. The Samuel Oschin Telescope has a 60-megapixel wide field camera that images the visible sky every two nights. Astronomers detect new transient events by subtracting images of the same portion of the sky from subsequent scans. Then, members of the ZTF team study these images and send the most promising to the other ZTF telescope, the Spectral Energy Distribution Machine (SEDM). This robotic spectrograph operates on the Palomar 60-inch telescope. “We combine the brightness information from the ZTF camera with the data from the SEDM to correctly identify the origin and type of a transient, a process astronomers call transient classification,” said Yu-Jing Qin, a postdoc at Caltech, who is running much of the daily operations of the BTS survey. ZTF Detections are also sent to other observatories around the world who can examine transients with other spectroscopic facilities. About 30% of the ZTF transients have been confirmed this way. ZTF detects so many transients that it’s difficult for astronomers to keep up. In recent years, Caltech has made an effort to develop machine-learning tools that can examine SEDM spectroscopic data, classify the transients, and send them to the Transient Name Server. In 2023, the BTSBot system was employed to help manage the flow of detections. “Since BTSbot began operation it has found about half of the brightest ZTF supernovae before a human,” said PhD student Nabeel Rehemtulla from Northwestern University, developer of the BTSBot. “For specific types of supernovae, we have automated the entire process and BTSbot has so far performed excellently in over a hundred cases. This is the future of supernova surveys, especially when the Vera Rubin Observatory begins operations.” Though every supernova discovery is scientifically valuable, there are some highlights among all these detections. The ZTF has detected thousands of Type 1a supernovae. They occur in binary systems where one star is a white dwarf. The white dwarf draws gas away from its companion and the gas gathers on the white dwarf. Eventually, this causes a supernova explosion. SN 2022qmx is one of these Type 1a supernovae that appeared to be way brighter than it should be. It turns out that an interceding galaxy was gravitationally lensing the SN’s light, making it appear 24 times brighter. The ZTF is also responsible for detecting the closest and most distant SNe (with help from the JWST). “Back when we started this project, we didn’t know how many astronomers would follow up on our detections,” said Caltech’s Fremling. “To see that so many have is a testament to why we built ZTF: to survey the whole sky for changing objects and share those data as rapidly as possible with astronomers around the world. That’s the purpose of the Transient Name Server (TNS).” The TNS is where the global astronomical community announces the detection and classification of transients so that work isn’t duplicated. Since 2016, the TNS has handled over 150,000 reported transients and over 15,000 reported supernovae. “Everything is public in hopes that the community will come together and make the most of it,” said Fremling. “This way, we don’t have, say, 10 telescopes across the world doing the same thing and wasting time.” Soon, the ZTF will have a powerful partner in time-domain astronomy. The Vera Rubin Observatory (VRO) should see its first light in the next few months and then begin its 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST). The LSST will also detect transients but is far more sensitive than the ZTF. It’s expected to detect millions of supernovae, and handling all of those detections will require a machine-learning tool similar to the BTSbot. “The machine learning and AI tools we have developed for ZTF will become essential when the Vera Rubin Observatory begins operations,” said Daniel Perley, an astronomer at Liverpool John Moores University in the UK who developed the search and discovery procedures for the BTS. “We have already planned to work closely with Rubin to transfer our machine learning knowledge and technology,” added Perley. Astronomical surveys like the ones performed by ZTF and the VRO provide foundational data that researchers will use for years. It’s impossible to know how it will be used in every case or what discoveries it will lead to. Even better, the ZTF and the VRO will overlap. According to Caltech astronomy professor Mansi Kasliwal, who will lead ZTF in the coming two years, this will be a very important and exciting time in time-domain astronomy. “The period in 2025 and 2026 when ZTF and Vera Rubin can both operate in tandem is fantastic news for time-domain astronomers,” said Kasliwal. “Combining data from both observatories, astronomers can directly address the physics of why supernovae explode and discover fast and young transients that are inaccessible to ZTF or Rubin alone. I am excited about the future,” added Kasliwal.

Simbisa records 12% customer count growthHarris has ‘no knowledge’ anyone tried to get RTE to take down viral clip

In a world increasingly dominated by visual content, Google has unveiled a groundbreaking AI tool that pushes the boundaries of image generation. Dubbed “Whisk,” this experimental offering from Google Labs allows users to create images using other images as prompts, marking a significant departure from traditional text-based AI image generators. Launched in December 2024, Whisk is currently available to users in the U.S. and is powered by Imagen 3, Google’s advanced image-generation model. This innovative approach promises to make AI image generation more intuitive and accessible, particularly for those who struggle to articulate their visual ideas in words. Why is this a big deal? Imagine trying to describe your dream house to an artist. You might spend hours detailing the intricate architectural features, the specific shade of blue for the front door, and the landscaping you envision. With Whisk , you can simply show a few reference images – perhaps a Victorian facade, a Mediterranean garden, and a specific shade of blue from a favorite painting – and let the AI generate an image that captures the essence of your vision. This visual approach not only streamlines the creative process but also opens up new possibilities for those who find it challenging to translate their visual ideas into words. How does Whisk work? Whisk’s interface is surprisingly simple. Users start by uploading an image that serves as the base prompt. They can then refine their vision by adding more images, each contributing different elements or styles to the final output. For instance, you could upload a picture of a cat and then add images of a lion, a crown, and a majestic landscape. Whisk would then generate an image of a regal cat, perhaps with a lion-like mane, perched on a throne in a grand setting. While still in its experimental phase, Whisk has already garnered significant attention for its unique approach and impressive capabilities. It’s been praised for its ability to capture the “essence” of an image, allowing for rapid visual exploration and brainstorming. However, Google emphasizes that Whisk is not intended for pixel-perfect edits or precise recreations . Instead, it’s designed to facilitate creative exploration and generate new ideas based on visual inspiration. My experience with Whisk As someone who constantly seeks new ways to express creativity, I was eager to experiment with Whisk. I started with a simple image of a sunflower and then added pictures of a cityscape, a starry night sky, and a Van Gogh painting. The result was a mesmerizing image of a sunflower with swirling, vibrant petals, set against a backdrop of a cityscape merging into a starry night sky. The AI had beautifully captured the essence of each input image, creating something entirely new and unexpected. I also experimented with using Whisk to generate ideas for a logo design. I uploaded images of different geometric shapes, color palettes, and fonts. The AI generated a variety of interesting concepts, some of which I wouldn’t have thought of on my own. While I didn’t end up using any of the generated images directly, they served as valuable inspiration for my final design. What are the implications of Whisk? Whisk represents a significant step forward in AI image generation. By shifting the focus from text to images, it opens up new avenues for creative exploration and makes AI more accessible to a wider audience. This technology has the potential to revolutionize various fields, including: What are the limitations of Whisk? While Whisk is undoubtedly an impressive tool, it’s important to acknowledge its limitations. As an experimental technology, it’s still under development and may produce unexpected or unpredictable results. Additionally, Whisk’s reliance on visual prompts can sometimes lead to misinterpretations or inaccurate representations. For instance, if you upload an image of a dog and then add a picture of a bird, the AI might generate an image of a dog with wings, which may not be what you intended. The future of AI image generation Whisk provides a glimpse into the future of AI image generation, where visual prompts will likely play an increasingly important role. As AI models become more sophisticated and capable of understanding complex visual relationships , we can expect even more innovative and powerful image generation tools to emerge. These tools will not only empower us to create stunning visuals but also transform the way we interact with and perceive the world around us. Key takeaways:AP News Summary at 6:28 p.m. EST

US agencies should use advanced technology to identify mysterious drones, Schumer says

WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer was blocked Wednesday from quickly advancing a bill that would allow local law enforcement agencies to track aerial drones, ensuring Congress won't act this year on the mysterious drone sightings that have bewildered residents of New Jersey and across the eastern U.S. Schumer, a New York Democrat, sought to speed a bipartisan bill through the Senate by seeking unanimous consent on the floor, but Sen. Rand Paul , a Kentucky Republican, objected to its passage. Recommended Videos “The people in New York and New Jersey have a lot of questions, and they’re not getting good enough answers,” said Schumer. “The utter confusion surrounding these drone sightings shows that the feds can’t respond all on their own.” Schumer has also called for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators. The Senate bill would have also enhanced some federal agencies’ authority to act on drones, as well as started a pilot program to allow states and local authorities to disrupt, disable or seize a drone without prior consent of the operator. “This bill would ensure that law enforcement has the technology needed to quickly and clearly identify exactly what the reported sightings of drones across the country actually are,” said Sen. Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who sponsored the bipartisan bill. National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference or a public safety threat. But they can’t say with certainty who is responsible for the sudden swarms of drones over parts of New Jersey, New York and other eastern parts of the U.S. Some U.S. political leaders, including Trump, have called for much stronger action against the drones, including shooting them down. Paul, the Kentucky Republican who often advocates for limiting governmental powers, said that he was objecting because it is not clear there is a threat that warrants urgent action. He said the bill would “expand federal authority to intercept communications and disrupt drone activity — powers that raise serious concerns for Americans' privacy, civil liberties, and Fourth Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizure.”From twinkling lights to festive sites, happy holidays await you in Charleston

Activating your credit card? Don’t skip the mobile wallet stepWatkins and the Trojans (4-1) fell behind early and were down 21 points in the fourth quarter. She had 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. Hidalgo came out shooting well, hitting 5 of 8 from the floor in the first quarter and had 16 points at the break. She added six rebounds and eight assists. Hidalgo's backcourt mate, Olivia Miles, added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Fighting Irish (5-0). Even though Hidalgo outshone her, Watkins’ imprint was all over the game. A documentary about her life aired on NBC leading into the nationally televised game. A buzz arose when Snoop Dogg walked in shortly before tipoff wearing a jacket in USC colors with Watkins' name and number on the front and back. Her sister, Mali, sang the national anthem. Takeaways Notre Dame: The Irish struck quickly, racing to a 20-10 lead in the opening quarter. Even after cooling off a bit, they never trailed and stayed poised when the Trojans got within three in the second and third quarters. USC: The Trojans were without starting guard Kennedy Smith, whose defense on Hidalgo would have proven valuable. It was announced shortly before tipoff that she had a surgical procedure and will return at some point this season. Key moment The Trojans got within three points three times but the Irish remained poised and never gave up the lead. Key stats Notre Dame's defense forced the Trojans into 21 turnovers, which led to 22 points for the Irish. Watkins, Kaleigh Heckel and Talia von Oelhoffen had five each. USC was just 1 of 13 from 3-point range Up next Notre Dame plays TCU on Nov. 29 in the Cayman Islands Classic. USC plays Seton Hall in the Women's Acrisure Holiday Invitational on Nov. 27 in Palm Desert, California.

LAS VEGAS – Max Verstappen returned to the Las Vegas Grand Prix as the defending winner of the Sin City spectacle and a fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship well within his reach. The Dutchman needed only to finish Saturday night's race ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren to make it four straight for the Red Bull driver. Verstappen starts fifth and Norris is sixth. Recommended Videos Norris can additionally lose the title if he fails to outscore Verstappen by three points on the neon-lit street circuit that zips down the famed Las Vegas Strip. The race is back for a second year and again promoted by Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1. The debut event was a bit of a disaster in that locals were livid for months over ongoing construction, as well as traffic detours and delays, the inability to access many local businesses, outrageous price gouging by the tourism industry as well as LVGP ticketing, and then a loose valve cover that nearly destroyed Carlos Sainz Jr.'s Ferrari minutes into the first practice. It caused an hours-long delay for repairs, fans were kicked out of the circuit, and F1 ran practice until 4 a.m. — when it legally had to reopen the streets to the public. This year has been far less hectic, in part because all of the infrastructure headaches were a year ago, but also that last year's race was spectacular. Despite all its speed bumps, the actual running of the race was one of the best of the F1 season and could produce a similar show Saturday night. George Russell of Mercedes starts from the pole ahead of Sainz , who wants redemption after the valve-cover fiasco last year. He had to serve a penalty because his car was damaged in the incident. Ferrari is expected to be the class of the field, which could tighten the nail-biting constructer championship battle. Red Bull, the two-time reigning winners, have fallen to third in the standings behind McLaren and Ferrari. But with Las Vegas the first of the final three races of the season, McLaren is clinging to a 36-point lead for a championship worth an estimated $150 million in prize money. McLaren last won the constructor title in 1998, while Ferrari last won it in 2008. The race is the final stop in the United States for F1, which has exploded in American popularity the last five years. The trio of races in Miami; Austin, Texas; and Las Vegas are more than any other country. After the race completion, F1 next week is expected to announce it will expand the grid to 11 teams to make room for an American team backed by General Motors' Cadillac brand. The team was initially started by Michael Andretti, who could not receive approval from F1 on his expansion application. Andretti has since turned over his ownership stake to Indiana-businessman Dan Towriss and Mark Walter, the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They would run the Cadillac F1 team that would likely join the grid in 2026. The announcement of the American team did not come during the weekend to not derail from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is the showpiece of the Liberty Media portfolio. With one-time infrastructure costs last year, the debut event was believed to cost Liberty nearly $1 billion. Expenses are down this year, but Liberty put in as much glitz and glamour as possible, anyway. There are nightclubs around the course and on top of the paddock, an ice-skating rink, top-level musical acts and a 10 p.m. local start to make it feel like a true Las Vegas big Saturday night event. ___ AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing( MENAFN - EIN Presswire) Athletic Footwear Global market Report 2024 - Market Size, Trends, And Global Forecast 2024-2033 The Business Research Company's Early Year-End Sale! Get up to 30% off detailed market research reports-for a limited time only! LONDON, GREATER LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, December 18, 2024 /EINPresswire / -- The Business Research Company's Early Year-End Sale! Get up to 30% off detailed market research reports-limited time only! The athletic footwear market has exhibited robust growth in recent years . It has grown from $81.43 billion in 2023 to an expected $85.8 billion in 2024, marking a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 5.4%. What prompted this significant growth? The growth in the historic period can be attributed to an increase in global sporting events, accelerating urbanization, active lifestyles, brand loyalty, and vibrant sneaker culture. Additionally, heightened health and fitness awareness and the casualization of workwear also played significant roles in driving this growth. Explore the Athletic Footwear Global Market Report 2024 for a comprehensive overview of the market sphere: Looking forward, the athletic footwear market size is poised for strong growth in the next few years, with projections indicating that it will grow to $107.27 billion in 2028. This expansion signifies a CAGR of 5.7%. What will fuel this anticipated growth? Notably, the upcoming growth in the forecast period can be attributed to factors such as sustainable and eco-friendly footwear initiatives, expansion in emerging markets, sports tourism and events, and a fusion of performance and lifestyle footwear. Increasing inclusivity and diversity in athletic footwear brands are other critical growth drivers to note. Furthermore, major trends expected in the forecast period encompass the integration of technology, customization and personalization, collaborations and limited edition releases, digital retail and direct-to-consumer DTC channels, retro and vintage styles, fitness apps, and the advent of wearables. The rising popularity of sports tournaments is also expected to fuel this accelerated growth of the athletic footwear market. Sports tournaments are competitions where numerous players compete against each other in a specific format to determine the overall winner. With an increasing number of individuals participating in local or regional tournaments, the demand for athletic footwear is expected to rise, further propelling the growth of the market. For instance, in May 2023, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board, the governing body of cricket, around 2.6 million individuals engaged in cricket during 2022, with approximately 1.4 million players being under the age of 16. This surge in cricket participation among the younger demographic was supported by the ECB's national initiatives All Stars Cricket and Dynamos Cricket. These initiatives attracted over 100,000 participants for the second consecutive year in 2022, contributing to cricket's increasing popularity among newcomers. Delve deeper into the data driving the growth of the athletic footwear market: Major companies operating in the athletic footwear market also significantly influence market trends and dynamics. These include Nike Inc., Adidas AG, Lining, VF Corporation, Puma SE, ANTA Sports Products Limited, Skechers USA Inc., Under Armour, New Balance Athletics Inc., Lotto Sport, Li-Ning Company Limited, ASICS Corporation, ASICSTIGER, Deckers Brands, Columbia Sportswear Company, Fila, Fila Korea Ltd., Mizuno Corporation, On AG, Brooks Running Company, ECCO Sko A/S, Lanvin, K-Swiss Inc., Diadora Sport S.p.A., UMBRO, Umbro, Keen Inc., Saucony, Warrior, Salomon, Tecnica Group S.p.A., La Sportiva, Vivobarefoot, Helly Hansen, Topo Athletic, and Hummel International Sport & Leisure A/S. Moreover, the use of recycled material in shoe manufacturing is a key trend gaining popularity in the athletic footwear market. Companies operating in this sphere are focusing on utilizing recycled materials in shoes to reduce their carbon footprint and meet specific sustainable goals. The athletic footwear market, as covered in this report, is segmented by product type, end-user, and distribution channel: 1 By Product Type include Running Shoes, Sports Shoes, Trekking/Hiking Shoes, and other types. 2 By End User, the segmentation includes Men, Women, and Kids. 3 By Distribution Channel include Hypermarkets/Supermarkets, Specialty Stores, Brand Outlets, and Online Channels. On the geographical front, North America was the largest region in the athletic footwear market in 2023. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in this report include Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. Browse Through More Similar Reports By The Business Research Company: Medical Footwear Global Market Report 2024 Vegan Footwear Global Market Report 2024 Diabetic Footwear Global Market Report 2024 About The Business Research Company Learn More About The Business Research Company. With over 15000+ reports from 27 industries covering 60+ geographies, The Business Research Company has built a reputation for offering comprehensive, data-rich research and insights. Armed with 1,500,000 datasets, the optimistic contribution of in-depth secondary research, and unique insights from industry leaders, you can get the information you need to stay ahead in the game. Contact us at: The Business Research Company: ]( Americas +1 3156230293 Asia +44 2071930708 Europe +44 2071930708 Email us at ... 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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will bring a new series to Netflix in December, revealing the “grit behind the glamour” in the high-stakes world of polo. The five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.