5jili The first major event has touched down in Black Ops 6, and it's giving you the opportunity to unlock the silliest weapon yet. Black Ops 6 has been an incredibly impressive title so far, and as it launches into Season 1 with its brand new Battle Pass , new version of Warzone and a new Zombies map, Citadelle Des Morts , on the game’s list of promises to come, Call of Duty players are soaking it all up nicely. There’s plenty more to come, though, and among the new features is the first Black Ops 6 event – The Hit List. The in-game event is a big deal, as it’s the first instance in which players can claim some free rewards, including the hilarious Power Drill Melee weapon, that’ll allow you to do some major DIY on the battlefield (the DIY, of course, being murder). There’s plenty for players to claim, so it’s worth knowing what’s to claim and exactly how to claim it all. Here’s what you need to know about Black Ops 6's The Hit List event. The Hit List Black Ops 6 event – how to earn rewards The Hit List Black Ops 6 event is a compelling one, as it’ll demand some teamwork if players want to claim every available reward. You’ll unlock items, divided into categories of personal and community rewards, based on how many kills you’ll get, with different values assigned to different modes. Between November 21 and December 5 , you’ll earn one elimination point for every kill in Multiplayer, one elimination point for every five kills in Zombies, and you’ll earn a respectable five elimination points for every kill you get in Warzone. It’s a fair-seeming system, but it does pretty drastically favour Zombies players, so if you’re looking to get these rewards as soon as possible, farming Zombies makes sense as the best strategy. The Hit List Black Ops 6 event – every reward There are a lot of items to collect over the course of the Hit List Black Ops 6 event, though there is a twist – there is a list of personal rewards that you’ll earn with your elimination points alone, and community rewards that will be unlocked by all players when everyone has pitched in their own eliminations. here’s everything you can earn while the event is live: Big Plans Loading Screen –100 Eliminations Elimination Game Calling Card – 250 Eliminations Evidence Emblem – 500 Eliminations Targeted Weapon Charm – 750 Eliminations Power Drill Melee Weapon – 1,000 Eliminations Buffer Weight Stock ASG-89 Attachment – 8 Billion Eliminations Shadow Perk (Black Ops 6) – 16 Billion Eliminations Hand Cannon Scorestreak – 24 Billion Eliminations Veteran Perk (Warzone) – 32 Billion Eliminations Sirin 9mm Secondary Weapon – 50 Billion It seems like a lot of kills to accrue for the rewards for the community, but they’re perhaps the best for everyone, as it has the potential to actually change Call of Duty’s gameplay. Get to work, soldiers.

Forthright and fearless, the Nobel Prize winner took pot-shots at former prime minister Tony Blair and ex-US president George W Bush among others. His death came after repeated bouts of illness in which images of the increasingly frail former president failed to erase memories of his fierce spirit. Democrat James Earl “Jimmy” Carter Jr swept to power in 1977 with his Trust Me campaign helping to beat Republican president Gerald Ford. Serving as 39th US president from 1977 to 1981, he sought to make government “competent and compassionate” but was ousted by the unstoppable Hollywood appeal of a certain Ronald Reagan. A skilled sportsman, Mr Carter left his home of Plains, Georgia, to join the US Navy, returning later to run his family’s peanut business. A stint in the Georgia senate lit the touchpaper on his political career and he rose to the top of the Democratic movement. But he will also be remembered for a bizarre encounter with a deeply disgruntled opponent. The president was enjoying a relaxing fishing trip near his home town in 1979 when his craft was attacked by a furious swamp rabbit which reportedly swam up to the boat hissing wildly. The press had a field day, with one paper bearing the headline President Attacked By Rabbit. Away from encounters with belligerent bunnies, Mr Carter’s willingness to address politically uncomfortable topics did not diminish with age. He recently said that he would be willing to travel to North Korea for peace talks on behalf of US President Donald Trump. He also famously mounted a ferocious and personal attack on Tony Blair over the Iraq war, weeks before the prime minister left office in June 2007. Mr Carter, who had already denounced George W Bush’s presidency as “the worst in history”, used an interview on BBC radio to condemn Mr Blair for his tight relations with Mr Bush, particularly concerning the Iraq War. Asked how he would characterise Mr Blair’s relationship with Mr Bush, Mr Carter replied: “Abominable. Loyal, blind, apparently subservient. “I think that the almost undeviating support by Great Britain for the ill-advised policies of President Bush in Iraq have been a major tragedy for the world.” Mr Carter was also voluble over the Rhodesia crisis, which was about to end during his presidency. His support for Robert Mugabe at the time generated widespread criticism. He was said to have ignored the warnings of many prominent Zimbabweans, black and white, about what sort of leader Mugabe would be. This was seen by Mr Carter’s critics as “deserving a prominent place among the outrages of the Carter years”. Mr Carter has since said he and his administration had spent more effort and worry on Rhodesia than on the Middle East. He admitted he had supported two revolutionaries in Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo, and with hindsight said later that Mugabe had been “a good leader gone bad”, having at first been “a very enlightened president”. One US commentator wrote: “History will not look kindly on those in the West who insisted on bringing the avowed Marxist Mugabe into the government. “In particular, the Jimmy Carter foreign policy... bears some responsibility for the fate of a small African country with scant connection to American national interests.” In recent years Mr Carter developed a reputation as an international peace negotiator. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his commitment to finding peaceful solutions to international conflicts, his work with human rights and democracy initiatives, and his promotion of economic and social programmes. Mr Carter was dispatched to North Korea in August 2008 to secure the release of US citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, who had been sentenced to eight years of hard labour after being found guilty of illegally entering North Korea. He successfully secured the release of Mr Gomes. In 2010 he returned to the White House to greet President Barack Obama and discuss international affairs amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Proving politics runs in the family, in 2013 his grandson Jason, a state senator, announced his bid to become governor in Georgia, where his famous grandfather governed before becoming president. He eventually lost to incumbent Republican Nathan Deal. Fears that Mr Carter’s health was deteriorating were sparked in 2015 when he cut short an election observation visit in Guyana because he was “not feeling well”. It would have been Mr Carter’s 39th trip to personally observe an international election. Three months later, on August 12, he revealed he had cancer which had been diagnosed after he underwent surgery to remove a small mass in his liver. Mr Obama was among the well-wishers hoping for Mr Carter’s full recovery after it was confirmed the cancer had spread widely. Melanoma had been found in his brain and liver, and Mr Carter underwent immunotherapy and radiation therapy, before announcing in March the following year that he no longer needed any treatment. In 2017, Mr Carter was taken to hospital as a precaution, after he became dehydrated at a home-building project in Canada. He was admitted to hospital on multiple occasions in 2019 having had a series of falls, suffering a brain bleed and a broken pelvis, as well as a stint to be treated for a urinary tract infection. Mr Carter spent much of the coronavirus pandemic largely at his home in Georgia, and did not attend Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021, but extended his “best wishes”. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter, the closest adviser to Mr Carter during his term as US president, died in November 2023. She had been living with dementia and suffering many months of declining health. “Rosalynn was my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished,” Mr Carter said in a statement following her death. “She gave me wise guidance and encouragement when I needed it. As long as Rosalynn was in the world, I always knew somebody loved and supported me.”The New England Patriots added another "Worst Loss of the Season" nominee Saturday as they were blown out by the Los Angeles Chargers in front of their home crowd , 40-7. Just about everything that could go wrong, did go wrong for the Patriots in the embarrassing defeat. In what NBC Sports Boston's Patriots insider Tom E. Curran labeled an "unprofessional" performance , New England allowed L.A. to score on seven consecutive possessions. The Chargers cruised to victory while dominating the time of possession battle, 40:34 to 19:26. The dismal showing culminated in boos and "Fire Mayo" chants from the Gillette Stadium crowd as the Patriots fell to 3-13. Other than their updated 2025 draft position , there were hardly any positives to take away from Saturday's game. That was reflected in the latest "Stock Watch" with Curran and fellow Pats insider Phil Perry. The duo broke down their "Stock Up, Stock Down" picks in the latest edition of the Patriots Talk Podcast . 🔊 Patriots Talk Podcast: Disastrous day for Patriots puts need for change back on front burner | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube Cole Strange, OL Curran: "Cole Strange gets a Stock Down for the early snap." Patriots offensive line Perry: "Can we give it to the entire Patriots offensive line? It just felt like Maye was under duress -- it felt like maybe the game where Drake Maye got the most punishment that he has absorbed all season, which is saying something." CB Jonathan Jones and S Kyle Dugger Perry: "On the scene for a lot of Ladd McConkey yards and a Ladd McConkey touchdown where he ran by Jonathan Jones and Kyle Dugger. Can we just add Kyle Dugger as sort of an addendum to the Jonathan Jones Stock Down? Because that was -- you're the free safety on the play, you can't be flat-footed and just have the guy run right by you." Patriots coaching staff Perry: "We have to put the coaches in there. Across the board." The Patriots fans at Gillette Stadium Curran: "Salute to the 38,000 fans who showed up."

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Southfield, Michigan, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Credit Acceptance Corporation (Nasdaq: CACC) (referred to as the “Company”, “Credit Acceptance”, “we”, “our”, or “us”) has been named one of the Best Places to Work in IT by Computerworld for the 10th year. Credit Acceptance ranked #8 among midsize companies. This award recognizes companies with comprehensive tech-led strategies that foster an inclusive, supportive, and growth-oriented workplace. “Our Engineering team continues to be at the forefront of many key initiatives. Together, team members have shown incredible effort, dedication, and collaboration while driving change to modernize the way we work,” said Ravi Mohan, Chief Technology Officer. “As we strengthen our foundational technologies, maximize the use of automation, and bring new ideas to life, we are providing value to our customers faster and fueling business growth in service of our mission to make car ownership possible for everyone.” The contributions of Credit Acceptance’s Engineering team are deeply embedded in the Company’s focus on collaboration and day-to-day improvements that benefit everyone we serve. One example of this is the “Test Drive” program, which provides potential dealers firsthand experience with Credit Acceptance’s software, boosting dealer engagement, and expanding reach across communities. Additionally, the team continues to innovate in support of the Company’s remote-first working environment, bringing new tools and technologies forward to better enable the productivity of team members. Credit Acceptance is consistently recognized as one of the best places to work by team members. This year, the Company has received four honors from Great Place to Work® and Fortune : we have been ranked 39th in the 100 Best Companies to Work For® (the tenth time we have been included on this list), 29th in Best Workplaces for Women (the sixth time we’ve been included), 50th in the Best Workplaces for Millennials (the eighth time we have been included), and 13th in the 2024 Best Workplaces in Financial Services & Insurance (the tenth time we have been included). In addition, Credit Acceptance has been named a Top Workplaces USA award winner for the fourth consecutive year, a Most Loved Workplace® for 2024 in several categories by the Best Practice Institute, and a Newsweek America’s Top 200 Most Loved Workplace® for 2024, among many others. About Credit Acceptance We make vehicle ownership possible by providing innovative financing solutions that enable automobile dealers to sell vehicles to consumers regardless of their credit history. Our financing programs are offered through a nationwide network of automobile dealers who benefit from sales of vehicles to consumers who otherwise could not obtain financing; from repeat and referral sales generated by these same customers; and from sales to customers responding to advertisements for our financing programs, but who actually end up qualifying for traditional financing. Without our financing programs, consumers are often unable to purchase vehicles, or they purchase unreliable ones. Further, as we report to the three national credit reporting agencies, an important ancillary benefit of our programs is that we provide consumers with an opportunity to improve their lives by improving their credit score and move on to more traditional sources of financing. Credit Acceptance is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol CACC. For more information, visit creditacceptance.com . About Computerworld Computerworld is the leading technology media brand empowering enterprise users and their managers, helping them create business advantage by skillfully exploiting today's abundantly powerful web, mobile and desktop applications. Computerworld also offers guidance to IT managers tasked with optimizing client systems—and helps businesses revolutionize the customer and employee experience with new collaboration platforms. Computerworld's award-winning website ( www.computerworld.com ), strategic marketing solutions and research forms the hub of the world's largest global IT media network and provides opportunities for IT vendors to engage this audience. Computerworld is published by Foundry. Investor Relations: Douglas W. Busk Chief Treasury Officer (248) 353-2700 Ext. 4432 IR@creditacceptance.comExperts discuss transforming Saudi museums into interactive cultural spaces

Mozambique death toll rises to 21 amid post-election protests

The future of gas transit through Ukraine is at a turning point. If a last-minute deal isn’t struck by Wednesday, billions of cubic meters in gas flows could come to a halt. Ukraine is under mounting pressure from Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and a group of central European companies to keep gas moving from its eastern border with Russia into the European Union following the expiration of a transit agreement on Dec. 31. Almost three years after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Budapest and Bratislava still rely on cheap gas from Gazprom PJSC, undermining the EU push to cut reliance on Russian energy. With three days to go before the Russia-Ukraine agreement runs out, rhetoric on all sides has sharpened. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week accused Fico of striking “shadow agreements” with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Slovak leader on Friday threatened to halt power supplies to his eastern neighbor, a step Ukraine criticized. To diplomats with knowledge of the talks, the escalation hasn’t come as a surprise. Past disputes over gas transit between the two former partners saw flows cut or reduced at short notice — and deals clinched at the very last minute. Energy traders, industry leaders and politicians in Europe and elsewhere are still looking to the three leaders for signs of what might come next. Zelenskyy has repeatedly stated that he won’t allow Russian gas, which benefits the Kremlin’s war machine, to transit through Ukraine after the current deal ends. He’s said that he would be open to transporting gas from countries other than Russia — an option that people with knowledge of the talks say isn’t completely off the table. In making the decision, the Ukrainian leader must consider the need to protect the country’s 38,600-kilometer (23,985-mile) gas pipeline system. The network, among the world’s largest, has been spared attacks over the last three years as Russian gas has flowed though it. If that were to stop, the system might become a target for missile strikes, as gas storage facilities and power supplies have been. It would also create technical challenges that would make it difficult to heat homes across Ukraine during the winter. “The issue of risks for Ukrainian infrastructure is reverberating in diplomatic discussions,” said Christian Egenhofer, senior researcher at the CEPS think-tank in Brussels. “It may prove a lifeline for Zelenskyy if he opts to allow for continued transit.” At the same time, Egenhofer noted, “the gas talks will matter beyond Ukraine.” For both Putin and Fico, the most profitable option would be for European buyers to continue purchasing gas directly from Gazprom. Russia would then remain in the EU market without having to share revenue with intermediaries, and Slovakia would save on additional transit costs, according to people with knowledge of the talks who asked not to be identified. Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Friday that talks are ongoing and a last-minute deal cannot be completely ruled out. Before the war, the executive arm of the European Union helped broker transit agreements between Kyiv and Moscow. Now, because of the bloc’s efforts to diversify energy sources away from Moscow and expand renewables, the European Commission is staying out of negotiations. Instead, it has stressed that alternatives sources are available and the region’s gas storage levels are high. In February, the EU’s executive arm will unveil a plan to further phase out Russian fossil fuels, which it says the Kremlin has turned into a political weapon. Its implementation hinges on member states: in addition to pipeline flows to Slovakia and Hungary, Russian liquefied natural gas is also shipped to ports in France, Belgium and Spain. “The row over the Russian gas will worsen the wedge between EU members, aligning neatly with Russia’s interest in seeing European support for Ukraine fracture,” said Bota Iliyas, a senior analyst at PRISM, a strategic intelligence firm. The end of gas flows through Ukraine will have a “negligible” impact on European gas prices, the commission said earlier this month, noting that markets have already priced in the end of the transit deal. European gas prices rose 48% this year, in anticipation of supply cuts combined with rapidly depleting gas reserves due to periods of cold and windless weather. While costs are still far below the 2022 records reached during the energy crisis triggered by the first phase of the war, they’re high enough to impact households and manufacturers. The absence of an intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Ukraine complicates but doesn’t rule out a commercial deal involving European companies. Slovakia’s gas utility Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel AS and its gas network operator Eustream AS — alongside Hungary’s MOL Hungarian Oil and Gas Plc., trade associations and large industrial customers from Austria and Italy — have urged Zelenskyy to allow shipments to continue. The volume being discussed is 15 billion cubic meters a year, the amount that currently moves through Ukrainian pipelines. Following his meeting with Putin in Moscow a week ago, Fico said that Russia was ready to continue delivering gas to the West via Ukraine, but this would be “practically impossible” after Jan. 1 given Kyiv’s stance. In response, Zelenskyy said he’d offered to compensate Fico for the additional costs that Slovakia would accrue should Russian gas transit end. He said he was also ready to allow shipments of non-Russian fuel if a request was to be made by the European Commission — an offer which he claimed the Slovak leader rejected. The spat escalated further late on Friday, when Fico said in a video posted on Facebook that if the flows stop, he’ll assess potential reciprocal measures, including halting power supplies that Ukraine needs during its network outages. The end of transit of Russian gas would cost the EU an additional 120 billion euros ($125 billion) in energy costs over the next two years, according to Fico. “Stopping the transit of Russian natural gas through Ukraine is not just a hollow political gesture. It’s an extremely costly move, one that we, in the European Union, will pay for,” Fico said. Ukraine’s Energy Minister German Galushchenko hit back on Saturday, telling a local television station that he alerted the EU and the region’s energy community that a halt in power supply will violate European regulations. He added that Ukraine has mechanisms to substitute Slovak electricity with more imports from other partners. With the deadline approaching, alternative solutions are being considered. SPP has been in talks with Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil company about sourcing Azeri gas, according to people with knowledge of the talks. That may require a swap between Gazprom and Socar, in which the Azeri company would purchase corresponding volumes from Russia to deliver to European buyers. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has also proposed moving the location of Russian gas sales to the physical border between Russia and Ukraine, which would transfer gas ownership to European buyers and oblige Ukraine to ensure transit under its free trade agreement with the EU, according to people with knowledge of the issue. Putin acknowledged various proposals on Thursday that would allow Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey or Azerbaijan to take control of the gas shipped through Ukraine. He noted that any such arrangement would be difficult to enact because of Gazprom’s long-term contracts. Before the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia was the EU’s top gas supplier, providing more than 40% of the bloc’s imports. Following the outbreak of the war and a cut in supplies, Europe accelerated its shift away from Russian energy. Last year, Russian gas made up around 8% of EU imports. Permitting further Russian gas to transit through Ukraine would undermine the message that the EU can no longer do business as usual with Putin’s Russia, said Benjamin L. Schmitt, senior fellow at the CEPA think-tank and the University of Pennsylvania’s Kleinman Center for Energy Policy. “The stakes couldn’t be higher,” Schmitt said in a research note. “Continuing Russian gas transit in any form — whether through an overt contract extension with Kremlin-controlled Gazprom, or under any other name, but still de facto Russian — would be dangerous for Ukraine.” ——— (With assistance from Daryna Krasnolutska and Daniel Hornak.) ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Tabuya’s Nude Viral Video, Says “It was Private”Once the final presents are unwrapped and the last holiday cookie crumbs vacuumed up, our attention shifts toward the new year and the infinite possibilities it represents. Maybe 2025 will be the year you finally take that dream vacation (seems unlikely) or get that raise you’ve been gunning for at work (not a chance). But before our eyes widen with ambition at the prospect of the new year’s fresh start, this quiet period before the calendar flips offers a time for deep personal reflection; a taking stock of life’s seasons and how we engage with the world and the people we love. Since that sounds kind of scary, I’ve instead devoted what limited mental bandwidth I have left to reflect on the past year in local music. Some cool stuff happened. We lost some really good people. And there are reasons to believe that the future is looking bright. By virtue (at least in part) of a few pop stars slipping into some Wranglers, 2024 was deemed a banner year for country music and Washington wasn’t left out in the rain, starting this spring when the Seattle area went from having just one country radio station to three literally overnight . When most people think of music from America’s upper left, country is not atop their minds. Yet, several country wave-makers emerged out of Washington this year, including Sunnyside’s Zach Top and the Kalama kid Tucker Wetmore . Now based in Nashville, the two breakout stars hail from different ends of the country spectrum. A reformed bluegrasser, Top’s '90s flavor strikes a throwback chord (which there’s clearly an appetite for), while Wetmore’s more of a pop-smart shape-shifter working with a contemporary palette. While each made their mark nationally, back in the 360, Snohomish rapper-turned-country-singer Antwane Tyler scored a legitimate regional hit — a woefully rare feat these days outside of KEXP’s rotation — with “Homesick,” an infectious modern country bop with electronic drums. At the start of 2024, who’d have predicted that the Washington song of the year would be a newfangled country ditty? Seattle clubs may not have experienced a country takeover to the degree that the Billboard charts did in 2024. But it was arguably the year of the underplay, with a number of big-time music stars taking the stage in comparably small Seattle venues given their stature. There was LCD Soundsystem’s four-night run at the Paramount Theatre, where an intimately folky Shawn Mendes held court on an acoustic tour of areas where he recorded his latest album. (The Canadian pop star cut some of the new stuff at Bear Creek in Woodinville.) In October, some zealous music writer , high off the smoke emanating from Jack White’s guitar, proclaimed the White Stripes co-founder’s incendiary Showbox date the show of the year, only for the Soundgarden guys to reunite on that hallowed stage for a charity gig two months later. Joined by vocal dynamo Shaina Shepherd — who delivered the performance of her career — and (for a couple songs) Duff McKagan, the Seattle rock heroes threw down in old-school, ultraheavy fashion to help support local families dealing with unfathomable medical expenses for their kids. While we’re on the hometown tip, let’s not forget when Robin Pecknold packed the pews at “dream venue” Town Hall, playing the coziest solo set with a bunch of Fleet Foxes rarities and charmed folk covers. Of course, the granddaddy of Seattle homecomings came when Pearl Jam’s Dark Matter Tour touched down in the band’s backyard this May. Armed with a sterling new album that netted the band its first Grammy nominations in 14 years , Eddie and the boys made their long-awaited Climate Pledge Arena debut , outfitted with some new-look visuals by Washington artist Rob Sheridan. During the two inspiring shows, the palatial arena had literally never sounded better. It’s always an event when the PJ machine is reactivated and “Dark Matter” — its in-the-moment recording sessions shepherded by young, hotshot producer Andrew Watt — is one of the best-received albums of the band’s later years. In many respects, running a music venue focused on presenting local artists has arguably never been more financially challenging. Between post-pandemic habits, reduced alcohol consumption and the rising costs of everything, the economic formula could use some adjustment. All that considered, it’s a welcome sign that Seattle saw more venue openings than closings this year. We’ll pour one out for all-ages favorite Cafe Racer, which packed up its Capitol Hill space for good in June, while having an NYE toast to Pioneer Square newcomers Baba Yaga and nonprofit jazz spot Seattle Jazz Fellowship . Meanwhile, Hillman City’s highly anticipated Black & Tan Hall — a cooperatively owned community performance space and restaurant — has steadily ramped up activity throughout the year, recently adding regular bar and restaurant hours. Across town, employees of singer-songwriter haven Conor Byrne staved off a closing threat , reopening the cozy pub as a co-op. The resiliency and push for alternative models offers proof that Seattle’s artistic spirit won’t be stamped out by the unforgiving forces of capitalism. Amid a remarkably crowded field of newcomer pop stars, Washington’s Benson Boone made one of the biggest songs of the year with “Beautiful Things,” a rafter-reaching pop rocker that was truly inescapable. With equally impressive vocal range and abdominal strength, the former Monroe High School diving team standout has made quite the splash since dropping out of “American Idol” to chase a music career outside of reality TV, eventually signing with Imagine Dragons singer Dan Reynolds’ imprint. It has clearly paid off for the 22-year-old singer-songwriter, who’s up for best new artist at next year’s Grammys, making Boone the first local nominated for the prestigious award since Macklemore & Ryan Lewis in 2014. Still, the fact that it was Boone’s only nomination was kind of a snub for one of pop’s biggest breakouts this year. Nary a year passes without us losing essential figures who have made great contributions to the community. 2024 was no different with the passing of Quincy Jones — a true giant among giants in the entertainment industry — and renowned journalists Charles R. Cross and former Seattle Times critic Patrick MacDonald . While the individual losses are profound, collectively it’s a testament to the depth and richness of the Seattle music heritage, and a reminder that ultimately, it’s about the people who cherish it, drive it and continue its legacy. Though I’d long admired his work, I didn’t know Cross well. We exchanged occasional emails and had an overdue hangout when he accompanied me to one of Eddie Vedder’s Benaroya Hall concerts last year. But since his death, whenever I’ve found myself in the middle of a crowded venue for an event that’s coursing with that Seattle spirit, I can’t help but think to myself, “Charley would have loved this.” I look forward to having more of those moments in 2025.‘Gossip Girl’ Star Files Restraining Order Against Mom

AgroLiquid to Acquire Montyʼs Plant Food Company, Expanding Innovation in Agricultural Crop NutritionThe team that President-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead federal health agencies in his second administration includes a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans' health — from health care and medicines to food safety and science research. In line to lead the Department of Health and Human Services secretary is environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine organizer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump's choices don't have experience running large bureaucratic agencies, but they know how to talk about health on TV . Centers for Medicare and Medicaid pick Dr. Mehmet Oz hosted a talk show for 13 years and is a well-known wellness and lifestyle influencer. The pick for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, and for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, are frequent Fox News contributors. Many on the list were critical of COVID-19 measures like masking and booster vaccinations for young people. Some of them have ties to Florida like many of Trump's other Cabinet nominees: Dave Weldon , the pick for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, represented the state in Congress for 14 years and is affiliated with a medical group on the state's Atlantic coast. Nesheiwat's brother-in-law is Rep. Mike Waltz , R-Fla., tapped by Trump as national security adviser. Here's a look at the nominees' potential role in carrying out what Kennedy says is the task to “reorganize” agencies, which have an overall $1.7 trillion budget, employ 80,000 scientists, researchers, doctors and other officials, and effect Americans' daily lives: The Atlanta-based CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. Kennedy has long attacked vaccines and criticized the CDC, repeatedly alleging corruption at the agency. He said on a 2023 podcast that there is "no vaccine that is safe and effective,” and urged people to resist the CDC's guidelines about if and when kids should get vaccinated . The World Health Organization estimates that vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past 50 years, and that 100 million of them were infants. Decades ago, Kennedy found common ground with Weldon , 71, who served in the Army and worked as an internal medicine doctor before he represented a central Florida congressional district from 1995 to 2009. Starting in the early 2000s, Weldon had a prominent part in a debate about whether there was a relationship between a vaccine preservative called thimerosal and autism. He was a founding member of the Congressional Autism Caucus and tried to ban thimerosal from all vaccines. Kennedy, then a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, believed there was a tie between thimerosal and autism and also charged that the government hid documents showing the danger. Since 2001, all vaccines manufactured for the U.S. market and routinely recommended for children 6 years or younger have contained no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine. Meanwhile, study after study after study found no evidence that thimerosal caused autism. Weldon's congressional voting record suggests he may go along with Republican efforts to downsize the CDC, including to eliminate the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses and shooting deaths. Weldon also voted to ban federal funding for needle-exchange programs as an approach to reduce overdoses, and the National Rifle Association gave him an “A” rating for his pro-gun rights voting record. Kennedy is extremely critical of the FDA, which has 18,000 employees and is responsible for the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs, vaccines and other medical products, as well as overseeing cosmetics, electronic cigarettes and most foods. Makary, Trump’s pick to run the FDA, is closely aligned with Kennedy on several topics . The professor at Johns Hopkins University who is a trained surgeon and cancer specialist has decried the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods and the undue influence of pharmaceutical and insurance companies over doctors and government regulators. Kennedy has suggested he'll clear out “entire” FDA departments and also recently threatened to fire FDA employees for “aggressive suppression” of a host of unsubstantiated products and therapies, including stem cells, raw milk , psychedelics and discredited COVID-era treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. Makary's contrarian views during the COVID-19 pandemic included questioning the need for masking and giving young kids COVID-19 vaccine boosters. But anything Makary and Kennedy might want to do when it comes to unwinding FDA regulations or revoking long-standing vaccine and drug approvals would be challenging. The agency has lengthy requirements for removing medicines from the market, which are based on federal laws passed by Congress. The agency provides health care coverage for more than 160 million people through Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, and also sets Medicare payment rates for hospitals, doctors and other providers. With a $1.1 trillion budget and more than 6,000 employees, Oz has a massive agency to run if confirmed — and an agency that Kennedy hasn't talked about much when it comes to his plans. While Trump tried to scrap the Affordable Care Act in his first term, Kennedy has not taken aim at it yet. But he has been critical of Medicaid and Medicare for covering expensive weight-loss drugs — though they're not widely covered by either . Trump said during his campaign that he would protect Medicare, which provides insurance for older Americans. Oz has endorsed expanding Medicare Advantage — a privately run version of Medicare that is popular but also a source of widespread fraud — in an AARP questionnaire during his failed 2022 bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania and in a 2020 Forbes op-ed with a former Kaiser Permanente CEO. Oz also said in a Washington Examiner op-ed with three co-writers that aging healthier and living longer could help fix the U.S. budget deficit because people would work longer and add more to the gross domestic product. Neither Trump nor Kennedy have said much about Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans. Trump's first administration reshaped the program by allowing states to introduce work requirements for recipients. Kennedy doesn't appear to have said much publicly about what he'd like to see from surgeon general position, which is the nation's top doctor and oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members. The surgeon general has little administrative power, but can be an influential government spokesperson on what counts as a public health danger and what to do about it — suggesting things like warning labels for products and issuing advisories. The current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence as a public health crisis in June. Trump's pick, Nesheiwat, is employed as a New York City medical director with CityMD, a group of urgent care facilities in the New York and New Jersey area, and has been at City MD for 12 years. She also has appeared on Fox News and other TV shows, authored a book on the “transformative power of prayer” in her medical career and endorses a brand of vitamin supplements. She encouraged COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, calling them “a gift from God” in a February 2021 Fox News op-ed, as well as anti-viral pills like Paxlovid. In a 2019 Q&A with the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation , Nesheiwat said she is a “firm believer in preventive medicine” and “can give a dissertation on hand-washing alone.” As of Saturday, Trump had not yet named his choice to lead the National Institutes of Health, which funds medical research through grants to researchers across the nation and conducts its own research. It has a $48 billion budget. Kennedy has said he'd pause drug development and infectious disease research to shift the focus to chronic diseases. He'd like to keep NIH funding from researchers with conflicts of interest, and criticized the agency in 2017 for what he said was not doing enough research into the role of vaccines in autism — an idea that has long been debunked . Associated Press writers Amanda Seitz and Matt Perrone and AP editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. This story has been corrected to reflect that the health agencies have an overall budget of about $1.7 trillion, not $1.7 billion. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Sign up here to get the latest health & fitness updates in your inbox every week!Short Interest in Western Acquisition Ventures Corp. (NASDAQ:WAVS) Decreases By 33.3%CHENNAI: In March this year, the US-based ACV, a B2B digital automotive marketplace for American dealers and commercial partners, flagged its presence with a new technology development centre here. This is its second hub outside the US. Helming the centre is employee number one, Sathish Vaidyanathan, VP, Head of auctions, ACV Auctions, who spoke to DT Next recently to give an overview of the company’s global capability centre’s operations. “We are 75-odd people at the Chennai centre along the lines of our growth plans. By next year, we are looking to touch 140 to 150 people-count,” he said, adding the scaling up effort would be focused on recruiting people with competencies in data science, artificial intelligence and cloud technologies. ACV began operations in Buffalo in 2014 and thereafter went public in 2021. For 8-9 years, it organically acquired companies that fit its profile, while it continued to amplify its supply base. Its business model is to leverage data insights and proprietary technology to assist franchise dealer and independent dealers in the US to inspect, buy, sell, finance and arrange transport for vehicles, Vaidyanathan said. The primary reason for choosing Chennai is the availability of talent and culture fit, the leader said, adding the US entity had identified the southern IT nerve-centre to globalise its operations. ACV has technical hubs in France and Ireland also. The high-growth auto marketplace company plans to scale its India operations rapidly to leverage Chennai’s availability of highly-skilled technology professionals and its reputation in automotive and SaaS industries. ACV’s aim is to transform the US automotive industry by building efficient digital marketplace and data solutions for sourcing, selling, and managing used vehicles with transparency and comprehensive insights that were once unimaginable. Vaidyanathan said, “Our goal is to build a vibrant team in India and to contribute significantly to ACV’s global vision. Our focus will be on harnessing the stellar local technology talent to enhance our product offerings and operational efficiencies.” He then went on to cite some examples that made it possible to bring in improved efficiencies in the digital marketplace auction process. For instance, part of the ecosystem is the ability to do the inspection prior to the listing. “The vehicle condition inspection is done using advanced technologies. Our hardware products are able to offer inspection information of the car chassis or detect even the engine noise coming from the bonnet of the car,” he said, adding an elliptical camera with AI technology made it possible to offer solutions that made the listing and customer engagement more precise. By such a tech intervention, the prediction of the car price is possible using current market data. Since the auction time lasts only 20 minutes on the marketplace, the estimated price submitted by ACV ensures that the transaction is completed through the auction platform.

Hedge fund manager Scott Bessent is a credible, safe choice for US Treasury secretary -- and one that is likely positive for markets -- observers said Saturday following President-elect Donald Trump's highly anticipated nomination. His selection came after competition for the top economic job spilled into the open last weekend, with the world's richest man Elon Musk throwing his support instead behind Trump's transition team co-chair Howard Lutnick. Lutnick has since been named commerce secretary to lead Trump's tariff and trade agenda, and Bessent's nomination days later appears to be uncontroversial for now. "Scott Bessent is a credible, mainstream pick for Treasury Secretary," said Jason Furman, a professor at Harvard University and former top White House economic adviser. "I could see previous administrations as having chosen him," Furman, a former chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, told AFP. But a key difference is that Bessent, 62, has had to adopt and defend views on topics like tariffs, in a way "he never would have in pursuit of the job for a previous Republican administration." Tariffs are a key part of Trump's economic agenda, with the Republican president-elect vowing sweeping duties on allies and adversaries alike. In an opinion piece published earlier this month on Fox News, Bessent defended the potential use of tariffs as a means to raise revenue for the government, protect strategic US industries and negotiate with trading partners. He would be one of the first openly gay Cabinet officials if confirmed by the Senate, and the first at the helm of the Treasury Department. Jens Nordvig, chief executive of data and analytics firm Exante Data who has worked with Bessent, drew a contrast between his demeanor and that of other Trump supporters. While some Trump allies have a tendency towards "general sweeping statements," Bessent is an "analytical thinker, and he communicates accordingly," Nordvig told AFP. He counts Bessent among his early clients. "I would expect his messaging to be very focused, to get his key points across, without any unnecessary flamboyance or gusto," Nordvig added of the Wall Street veteran. Calling Bessent a "safe choice," Brookings senior fellow in economic studies David Wessel told AFP: "He will be an adult in the room for the Trump administration." Besides Bessent, others seen as top contenders for Treasury chief in recent days included former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh, Apollo Global Management chief executive Marc Rowan, and Tennessee Senator Bill Hagerty. It remains to be seen if Bessent will be a big influence "moderating some of the administration's more aggressive trade policy" or simply be a spokesman, Wessel said. He does not have much experience in dealing with Congress either, and this would be important next year as the Trump administration works to raise the debt ceiling and effort a tax bill to deliver on his economic promises. Bessent would also have to grapple with the country's debt burden, with debt borrowed at much lower interest rates previously and Trump's plans estimated to add trillions over time. In an open letter published Saturday, Nordvig called for "thoughtful leadership" at the Treasury, saying a realistic approach to tax cuts and bond issuance was needed. He also sounded a hopeful note, saying Bessent would work to reduce extreme risks for markets. Krishna Guha, vice chairman of Evercore ISI, believes Bessent's nomination "will be well received by financial markets," given his deep understanding of markets and macro conditions. Guha also warned of the risk of bond yields spiking and "pushing up mortgage rates and tanking the housing market, while also causing stocks to sell off." In his past administration, Trump has viewed the stock market as a gauge of his success. bys/mdEEPC India proposes faceless GST audit to empower MSME sector

Longest-lived US president was always happy to speak his mind

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders and workers on Tuesday organised statewide demonstrations in Uttar Pradesh in protest against Union home minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks on Dr BR Ambedkar. They raised slogan against the BJP and demanded that Shah withdraw his ‘anti-Babasaheb remarks’ made in the Parliament recently. The BSP leaders handed over memorandum to the district administrative officers. Lauding the party workers for organising demonstrations in a series of posts on X, Mayawati said, “I express deep gratitude and thanks to all office bearers, workers of BSP and all the followers of the most revered Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar who organised successful peaceful sit-in protests at all the district headquarters against the disrespect shown to Babasaheb.” “The demonstrations are not a permanent solution to the problem. Rather, for this, the Bahujans will have to acquire the master key of power and become the ruling class and become capable of saving themselves, only then freedom and respect is possible,” she said. “Today’s successful protests prove that whether it is BJP or Congress or any other party, India will not tolerate the insult to Babasaheb. In fact, it is necessary to implement Babasaheb’s Constitution with full devotion and honesty to bring ‘achche din’ to the people, i.e. to build a country with public interest and welfare,” Mayawati said. “Also, the destruction of Babasaheb’s statue in Ahmedabad and lynching of a Dalit in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, is extremely sad and shameful. If that poor man is accused of stealing rice, is he not one of the millions of people suffering from poverty and hunger? The government must support such people,” she said. AGRA Thousands of BSP workers assembled at the district headquarters in Agra on Tuesday to state a demonstration. After the protest, the protestors handed over a memorandum addressed to the President of India to the administrative official present at the Collectorate. Senior BSP leader and division head Gore Lal said, “It is not only our party but the entire Dalit community worldwide holds Babasaheb in high regard, and such comments from the Union home minister have hurt the very sentiments of the community.” District BSP chief Vimal Kumar Verma led the protest. Thousands of BSP workers staged demonstrations, while Congress leaders organised Dr Ambedkar Samman Yatra across various districts, supported by Dalit organisations. GORAKHPUR In Gorakhpur, hundreds of BSP workers, led by former MLC Vijay Kumar, marched from Ambedkar Crossing to the district magistrate’s office. The march culminated into a dharna where a memorandum demanding Shah’s resignation was submitted to district authorities. Congress leaders also organised Samman Yatras in Gorakhpur, Deoria, and Kushinagar districts. Senior Congress leader Touqeer Alam Khan, along with district Congress president Nirmala Paswan, demanded Shah’s dismissal from office. Similar protests were witnessed in Basti and Sant Kabir Nagar districts. VARANASI Alleging that Shah insulted Dr Ambedkar, national president Scheduled Caste cell of the Congress Rajesh Lilothia demanded that Shah must resign. While addressing a press conference in presence of UPCC president Ajay Rai, Lilothia said, “Congress is firm on its demand for Amit Shah’s resignation for insulting Dr Ambedkar and our protest will continue from the road to the Parliament.” Lilothia said that the Constitution of India is the biggest watchdog of the identity and unity and integrity of this great country. The Indian Constitution gave shape to the feelings and hopes of crores of people of India by giving them protection, he added. “It is our Constitution that gave women, poor, farmers, laborers, oppressed, Dalits, backward and minorities the opportunity to move forward with pride, to realise their dreams, to become socially, politically and economically empowered. The great people of India have always shown their faith in the Constitution of India with full determination and commitment,” Lilothia said. He alleged that the BJP never misses any opportunity to show disdain for democracy and Constitutional values. “The advice to follow Dr. Ambedkar’s ideals of equality, parity and justice did not go down well with the BJP,” he alleged. “It constantly tried to stop the opposition parties from speaking on the Constitution. Not only this, Shah exposed the Manuwadi mentality of the Sangh and the BJP by insulting Dr Ambedkar,” alleged Lilothia.