Broncos head into bye on three-game winning streak and chasing first playoff spot since 2015 season
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Browns sticking with QB Jameis Winston down the stretch as dismal season heads into final weeks CLEVELAND (AP) — Jameis Winston didn't throw a pick-6 on Sunday in Pittsburgh. There's progress. In this lost season for the disappointing and shockingly bad Cleveland Browns, the small victories matter. Tom Withers, The Associated Press Dec 9, 2024 1:57 PM Dec 9, 2024 2:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston (5) in the second half of an NFL football game in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Freed) CLEVELAND (AP) — Jameis Winston didn't throw a pick-6 on Sunday in Pittsburgh. There's progress. In this lost season for the disappointing and shockingly bad Cleveland Browns, the small victories matter. Winston, who has been entertaining if not always effective in six starts, did have a pair of interceptions. But the Browns were more harmed by Dustin Hopkins missing two more field goals in falling 27-14 to the Steelers, who haven't lost a regular-season home game to Cleveland since 2003. Coming off a 497-yard passing performance, which included two pick-6's in a loss at Denver last Monday night, Winston played more cautiously against the Steelers (10-3). However, he still made mistakes and couldn't rally the Browns (3-10), who were trying to sweep the season series from their division rival for the first time in 36 years. Now that the Browns have officially and mathematically been eliminated from the AFC playoffs — logically, that happened weeks ago — it's probably time for them to start planning ahead for next season. But that won't include a change at quarterback as coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Winston, who has revived Cleveland's offense since taking over when Deshaun Watson ruptured his Achilles tendon in October, will start this week against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. “Our focus right now is really just trying to find ways to get a win,” Stefanski said. While there's an argument to be made that the Browns should play second-year QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson over the next four weeks to see if he fits into their future, Stefanski is sticking with Winston, who has emerged as a viable option to start for Cleveland next season. Of course, with it being the Browns, all plans are subject to change. So there's a reasonable chance that Thompson-Robinson, who made three starts and played in eight games as a rookie, could get some time before the season ends. Stefanski wouldn't get into any specifics for his decision to ride with Winston, who has thrown for 1,892 yards while going 2-4 as a starter. “We’re just going to continue to do everything we can to play better,” Stefanski said on a Zoom call. “Obviously I think we can play better on offense. Certainly as a team we can play better, but really the focus is making sure that we put our guys in position to find a way to win.” Winston at least gives the Browns a chance to finish with some dignity. At this point, that's all they got. What's working Stefanski has kept his players focused and motivated. The Browns haven't quit, and that's a strong signal that Stefanski still has his player's attention in a season filled with disappointment. It might be more challenging now that the Browns are only playing for pride, but guard Wyatt Teller is confident the team will fight until the end. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in playoff contention or not,” he said. “You’re going to do the best you can to play at a high level and protect your brothers.” What needs help Penalties have been a problem all season (11 in the opener) and continued Sunday as the Browns were called for nine infractions, including a pair of personal fouls in the second half. Cleveland leads the NFL with 53 pre-snap penalties. Stock up Right tackle Jack Conklin. For the second straight game, Conklin, with some help from others, held Steelers star pass rusher T.J. Watt without a sack. Conklin's comeback after undergoing knee reconstruction last season has been a bright spot in an otherwise dark season. Stock down Hopkins. His two misses — a 38-yarder at the end of the first half and a 43-yarder early in the third quarter — were beyond deflating. Two makes and the game would have been tied at 13. So steady while going 33 of 36 and making all eight kicks from over 50 yards a year ago, Hopkins is in a 3 of 9 tailspin. The team's decision to sign him to a three-year, $15.9 million extension this summer appears to be another miss. Still, Stefanski is confident Hopkins will find his kicking swing. “This is something that I know he can get through,” Stefanski said. “We’ll get through it together. He’s a veteran. He’s been through a lot in his career already and this is something we’ll continue to work through.” Injuries CB Greg Newsome II injured the same hamstring Sunday that he had surgery on during the summer. Stefanski said Newsome will “miss time,” but did not say how much. ... DB Mike Ford is in concussion protocol after being hurt in the first half. ... Stefanski ruled out LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah again this week with a neck injury, but didn't provide any updates on his condition. Owusu-Koramoah was eligible to return last week. He got hurt on Oct. 27 while tackling Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Key number 99 1/2 — Career sacks for Myles Garrett, who recorded his 11th this season on Sunday. Garrett has 13 sacks against the Steelers, including six in his past three games. What's next A visit on Sunday from the Chiefs and perhaps pop superstar Taylor Swift, who could celebrate her birthday (Dec. 13) with a weekend in boyfriend Travis Kelce's hometown. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Tom Withers, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Bills' letdowns on defense, special teams and clock management in loss to Rams are all too familiar Dec 9, 2024 2:30 PM The Vikings and their in-gear offense will be a tough team to outscore moving forward Dec 9, 2024 2:22 PM Latest loss shows issues go beyond coach as Bears' skid hits 7 in first game under Thomas Brown Dec 9, 2024 2:05 PMTwo charged in connection with Iran drone strike that killed 3 US troops in the Middle EastCHANGSHA, China , Dec. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Modern China's rural revitalization strategy is crafting a remarkable narrative of transformation across the countryside, while progressive opening-up policies encourage foreign visitors to delve deeper into the nation's heartland. On December 26th , VOC.com.cn premiered the second season of its acclaimed series, I Am in Rural China. The show follows Teona Kvartskhava, an international guest, as she explores the villages of Hunan Province , offering viewers a firsthand look at the dynamic implementation of comprehensive rural revitalization. This captivating series invites a global audience to witness the dawn of a new era in China's rural landscapes, showcasing the country's evolving countryside to viewers worldwide. Rice field came as the first surprise. Hunan is the largest rice grower and producer in China . Hunan provides the high-quality and tasty rice. Teona Kvartskhava, a foreigner hardly feeding on rice, was tempted to have plenty of it. In Qunle Village, Lixian County, Changde, she also experienced "Double Rush", which is a time-honored agricultural event in China . An event that used to call for the joint efforts of all family members, has now become much easier thanks to technology. Departing from Lixian County for the moment, Teona Kvartskhava embarked on an exciting trip of tastes in Rucheng, Chenzhou , Southern Hunan . Hunan people are keen and expert on peppery food and spicy taste dominates the Hunan cuisine. Hunan is also rich in varieties of peppers. Jingpo town, a well-known town where spicy food prevails. It is a producer of red cluster pepper, officially one of the hottest peppers in China . From the crowded market, to the red and yellow pepper planting base, and then to the modern processing pepper workshop, the small cluster pepper strung up all corners of the town, so that the original ordinary mountain town has become extraordinarily lively and affluent. Of course, the "star" of the countryside here is not only agriculture, but also culture, which has also blossomed in this ancient land. As the birthplace of papermaking, China has preserved a unique handmade papermaking technique, which is used to make some "special" papers. In Shanghong Village, Liuyang, Teona Kvartskhava was lucky to meet two Chinese masters, who showed her hands-on experiences of "Gushan Tribute Paper" and "Floral Paper". As the process progresses, the paper took shape in her hands, as if history and culture were meeting in front of her eyes, and became the "first paper" in Teona Kvartskhava's life. So,What's rural China like? It's about hospitable peasants, about various agricultural produce, about profound history and culture, about colorful intangible cultural heritage. It's like a book telling numerous absorbing stories. Hopefully Teona Kvartskhava'll be luckier to visit more villages for their unique interest and charm. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/my-date-with-rural-chinavoccomcn-unveils-season-two-of-i-am-in-rural-china-302339884.html SOURCE voc.com.cn
China is trying to wrap up every strata of British society in a clandestine network of spies penetrating industry, politics, commerce, technology, security and defence. If you counted everyone who has worked directly, or indirectly, for Chinese intelligence in the UK, it would likely run into tens of thousands. British intelligence has for years warned UK companies their research and development is extremely vulnerable to China’s spy agencies. Prince Andrew’s statement claiming never to have discussed anything of a “sensitive nature” with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo is as ridiculous as it is arrogant. He could not know how much intelligence and access to important people a spy could glean from him, nor the true nature of their relationship. Just a subtle mention by a Chinese spy that they knew Prince Andrew could open doors. He is not interesting but the networks he has access to are very interesting to spies. If Yang is a spy, the naive Prince, who met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing in 2018, likely became a passive agent who was inestimably valuable to Chinese intelligence – without realising it. A passive agent can be used to allow an actual agent to creep into a person’s contact network and then provide a gateway for other spies. And with technology of massive interest to China, that route could eventually lead to a technology contact worth millions. China has stolen technological research and development from the UK before – at a cost of hundreds of millions of pounds. The passive agent can also be persuaded to see another government’s point of view and perhaps change their behaviour and that of others towards a foreign government. For instance, a Chinese agent might persuade a passive agent that Beijing’s genocidal treatment of minority Uyghurs is justified. It is feared some people coming to the UK from China may have been asked by a spy agency to make friends or find out information. Head of MI5 Ken McCallum has warned at least 20,000 people had been approached by Chinese intelligence online in recent years. But for a senior royal not to be on his guard and to think he has done nothing wrong by hanging out with them is unfathomable.Overseeing everything from state finances and human resources to property, real estate management, and construction services, the , is the backbone of the State of Oklahoma. Spearheading a “whole-of-state” approach to essential services, OMES strives to increase efficiency, reduce financial and administrative overheads, and eliminate the duplication of effort, making it easier for the state’s agencies and affiliates to focus on their core missions. As a part of its mandate, OMES also provides expert guidance and drives continuous improvement to support its agency stakeholders. At the heart of OMES, the division oversees the vast infrastructure and technology that secures and connects nearly 180 state agencies, boards, and commissions to over four million Oklahomans. Michael Toland, State Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), explains the complexity of IS’s ongoing efforts and the challenges involved in gathering everything under the OMES umbrella: “It has been more than a decade-long process,” says Toland. “Historically, each state organization had its own infrastructure, creating a hodgepodge of on-premises cloud and hybrid systems running on mainframes, Windows and Linux servers, and even some Macintosh workstations. That has left us in a situation where we have old systems trying to interact with our modern architectures.” Understanding that a reactive, piecemeal approach to security, problem-solving, and infrastructure modernization was not a viable strategy for long-term progress, OMES wanted a strategic partner to help it proactively achieve the following goals: “A core goal of our whole-of-state approach is to ensure that every department has access to the best resources, best security, and the best software, putting our weakest link on par with our strongest and securing and making the state stronger overall,” Toland explains. Before it could address its transformation goals, the State of Oklahoma had a more pressing problem — DDoS attacks affecting both its own and other public web services. “There were six or seven attacks directed against .gov domains that lasted as long as 24 hours,” says Justin Baustert, OMES Oklahoma Cyber Command Defense Engineering Manager. “They didn't only target Oklahoma — other states and even other governments were affected.” After identifying the incidents as NXDOMAIN flood attacks — automated assaults that overwhelm servers with requests for non-existent or invalid domain records — IS sought an immediate solution. To achieve higher levels of visibility into its security tooling, OMES chose to partner with Cloudflare directly. Its goal was to leverage Cloudflare’s knowledge and technical expertise firsthand while implementing the full range of Cloudflare , especially , against recurring attacks. With Cloudflare DNS management — administered from either the Cloudflare interface or customer toolsets via the Cloudflare API — OMES was able to easily absorb the incoming DDoS attacks, strengthening the chain of trust with features like built-in, . “We wanted to manage DNS with our own tools and push our changes to Cloudflare,” says Christopher Little, Former OMES Linux and DNS Team Lead. “From a technical perspective, having the ability to use the tools we already had while leveraging the power of DDoS mitigation from a single vendor made Cloudflare our only option.” OMES set up and configured Cloudflare DNS Management in four hours. It then mitigated the NXDOMAIN attacks and secured the State of Oklahoma’s websites over the next two days. Automated rulesets, machine learning, behavioral analysis, and threat fingerprinting native to , and provided additional security for layers 1 to 7 of the State of Oklahoma’s public infrastructure. “We deployed Cloudflare over the weekend, moving everything from our primary, on-premises DNS so that Cloudflare could neutralize any further attacks on the global network before they hit our servers,” says Toland. “Deflecting the attacks that knocked down the state's public-facing infrastructure is a great success story for us — our appliances could never handle the volume Cloudflare can.” Since countering the DDoS attacks, the State of Oklahoma has expanded Cloudflare’s role in its transformation and consolidation efforts. Leveraging Cloudflare’s single control interface and unlimited scalability, OMES is streamlining the way it manages and secures its public-facing and legacy systems, especially for the state’s smaller, less-resourced organizations. “We use it primarily to protect our legacy applications, but Cloudflare DNS is the foundation of all our communications,” says Baustert. “If our DNS isn't working, neither is anything else.” According to Toland, the security benefits of folding OMES’ partnership with Cloudflare into Oklahoma's statewide transformation objectives have ramifications well beyond the state’s borders. Improving security locally contributes to an enhanced security posture across the entire US, especially as other states embrace and promote the whole-of-state IT and cybersecurity ethos. “In government, our systems are all interconnected — we are all integrated and we all share data,” says Toland. “If an agency or municipality with a weaker security posture experiences a breach, that vulnerability could creep across the entire country. Security is much simpler when everybody has the same tooling. With the services and expertise of Cloudflare universally available, we can identify, contain, and minimize the damage before it happens.” Partnering with Cloudflare enables OMES to efficiently and cost-effectively secure around 180 state agencies and services — helping streamline operations for 32,000 employees and benefitting millions of users. “With Cloudflare, we have been able to build out our capabilities while reducing our costs,” says Little. “By wrapping Cloudflare solutions into our service portfolio, we can distribute our expenses more effectively, improving the quality of service for every state agency irrespective of its size or budget.” Having the expertise of Cloudflare engineers, security, and support teams on call also reduces the expense of maintaining redundant resources and helps bridge gaps in localized institutional knowledge. Embracing the challenges of consolidation — despite the scope of its responsibilities and the size of the State of Oklahoma’s infrastructure — OMES continues to make widespread improvements to their web security and performance initiatives. Cloudflare is a central part of that transformation strategy. “As part of our growth, we will continue our strategic planning and alliances with partners like Cloudflare who can guide and assist us, showing us how to extract full value from the services it offers,” says Toland. “To us, success means leveraging every Cloudflare feature available.”Sir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conference in Estonia where he met leaders of other Baltic states. After signing an energy partnership with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Bergen, Sir Keir flew to Estonia where he spoke alongside Mr Store and their Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal. Asked what else could be done to support Ukraine, Sir Keir said: “There is an ever-increasing demand for more capability. That is understandable, and Ukraine needs all the capability that it can get, so I think all of us have put in more capability into Ukraine by way of equipment.” He added: “A lot of money has been raised, funding has been raised, but more is going to be needed.” The Prime Minister’s also discussed making the economic case at home for continued support for Ukraine. Sir Keir said: “Making the case on the significance of Ukraine, making the case, to double down, linking it back to each of our countries – what does it mean for us if Russia succeeds, is a really important question that we have to answer with our people to make it clear why it is that we are so supportive of Ukraine, why it is that we must stand with our allies on this, why it is we must make sure that Nato is put in the strongest position as well. “Now, this is a different world to the world of 10, 20 years ago, to recognise the world that we are living in, there’s a positive case as well to be made. “Defence spending doesn’t sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy, no effect on technology. “It has a huge effect on technologies, the cutting edge of technology and change which can then be used in other areas. “It binds countries together. I think all of us have got joint projects on in terms of defence capabilities that bind us together. There’s a huge number of well-paid jobs that are very important to our economy in defence spending as well. “But we have to make that positive case. I don’t personally feel that we can sort of sit back and assume that all of those in our respective countries necessarily accept all of our arguments unless we make them in that positive way, which I do think the argument can and should and must be made. “But the challenge that you put to us is the right challenge, which is it’s very difficult when finances are tight, as they are in all of our countries.” On Tuesday morning the Prime Minister will meet Taavi Madiberk, the founder of Estonian tech start-up manufacturing low-cost air defence missiles, Frankenburg Technologies, which is planning to open a new office in London Specialising in the manufacture of the missiles, the rapidly growing company already collaborates closely with the UK defence industry, sourcing a significant portion of its subsystems locally, including from propulsion specialists Roxel in Worcestershire. The Prime Minister will again attend the JEF summit, joining leaders from the Nordics and Baltics to discuss support for Ukraine, the sustained threat posed by Russia and wider European security. He will then visit British forces serving in the region to deter malign Russian threats.
NEW YORK — A slide for market superstar Nvidia on Monday knocked Wall Street off its big rally and helped drag U.S. stock indexes down from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, coming off its 57th all-time high of the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 240 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite pulled back 0.6% from its own record. Nvidia's fall of 2.5% was by far the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 after China said it's investigating the company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. Nvidia skyrocketed to become one of Wall Street's most valuable companies because its chips are driving much of the world's move into artificial-intelligence technology. That gives its stock's movements more sway on the S&P 500 than nearly every other. Nvidia's drop overshadowed gains in Hong Kong and for Chinese stocks trading in the United States on hopes that China will deliver more stimulus for the world's second-largest economy. Roughly 3 in 7 of the stocks in the S&P 500 also rose. The week's highlight for Wall Street will arrive midweek when the latest updates on inflation arrive. Economists expect Wednesday's report to show the inflation that U.S. consumers are feeling remained stuck at close to the same level last month. A separate report on Thursday, meanwhile, could show an acceleration in inflation at the wholesale level. "Investors should enjoy this rally while it lasts — there's little on the horizon to disrupt the momentum through year-end," according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide, though he warns stocks could stumble soon because of how overheated they've gotten. On Wall Street, Interpublic Group rose 3.6% after rival Omnicom said it would buy the marketing and communications firm in an all-stock deal. The pair had a combined revenue of $25.6 billion last year. Omnicom, meanwhile, sank 10.2%. Macy's climbed 1.8% after an activist investor, Barington Capital Group, called on the retailer to buy back at least $2 billion of its own stock over the next three years and make other moves to help boost its stock price. All told, the S&P 500 fell 37.42 points to 6,052.85. The Dow dipped 240.59 to 4,401.93, and the Nasdaq composite lost 123.08 to 19,736.69. In the oil market, a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude rallied 1.7% to settle at $68.37 following the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, who sought asylum in Moscow after rebels overthrew his regime. Brent crude, the international standard, added 1.4% to $72.14 per barrel. The price of gold also rose 1% to $2,685.80 per ounce amid the uncertainty created by the end of the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Tait-Jones scores 21 as UC San Diego defeats James Madison 73-67
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The unique desert governance model of Kubuqi Desert has been widely recognized internationally and has become a global benchmark for environmental governanceThe Gophers football program is on the verge of signing the state’s top-rated high school prospect to headline its recruiting class for a second straight year. The U hasn’t done that since 2017-18. Robbinsdale Cooper linebacker Emmanuel Karmo is set to join Minnesota when the early signing period opens Wednesday, just like Esko safety Koi Perich did a year ago. The U fought off fellow Big Ten schools in both recruiting battles. ADVERTISEMENT “It feels amazing,” Karmo told the Pioneer Press this week. “I’ve waited a long time for this.” Karmo, a four-star prospect, said his other top contenders were Wisconsin, Nebraska and, to a lesser degree, Ohio State. His more than 15 scholarship offers also included Southern California, Penn State, Oregon, with some interest from Michigan. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound athlete, who is also the U’s overall No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, played nearly everywhere in high school and committed to Minnesota in April, but that didn’t stop others from pursuing him and seeing if he would be willing to visit their campuses. “When coaches come in, they just see his build and his film speaks for itself,” said Robbinsdale Cooper head coach Tony Patterson. “The recruiting process was a little bit stressful for him. He wanted to make sure that he was making the right decision and not really basing it on when the big-time schools come in. “Some kids can get glamor and glitz in their eyes, but I think he did it his way. He spoke with his family. He made the best decision for him and his family to stay home in Minnesota.” Karmo is close with his large family, especially his mother, and was looking for a close-knit connection in a college. The Gophers weren’t among the first to offer Karmo, but he found a bond with U defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere. “He showed how invested he was in his family, and also Emmanuel as a person,” Patterson said. “So, I think that’s what drew him to Minnesota.” ADVERTISEMENT Karmo played four years on varsity and started the final three for the Class 5A school a few miles west of Minneapolis. He played everywhere — safety (as an underclassman) and linebacker/edge rusher (as upperclassman), wide receiver, tight end, running back, wildcat quarterback and punter. In 10 games as a senior, Karmo had five rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns, along with 64 tackles, two sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. Other teams ran away from his side of the field, but he worked to track ball carriers down. The Hawks finished 8-2, but fell short of the state tournament. The Gophers see Karmo’s skills best translating at linebacker in college. “They told me I would be useful on third-down situations and stuff like that,” Karmo said. “They want me to come in and play early.” The Gophers nearly had the top-rated in-state recruit sign with the U in three straight classes, but Cooper defensive lineman Jaxon Howard went to Louisiana State for a year before transferring back to Minnesota. He played 118 snaps for the Gophers as a redshirt freshman this fall. Howard gave Karmo the space to make his own college decision but was instrumental in showing Karmo how to lead in high school. “He just passed down the torch when he left (Cooper),” Karmo said. “I took over and now I’m on the way.” ADVERTISEMENT Karmo, who spent part of his youth in St. Louis, said he had a “pretty rocky start” at Cooper, but began to lead by example during his junior year. “He’s invested in Cooper,” Patterson said. “... His play on the field spoke for itself, but it’s the off-the-field things that, sometimes, they get unnoticed. He’s encouraging guys, giving (car) rides to guys, making sure that the young guys understand what it means to be a Cooper Hawk.” Patterson sees Karmo as a no-nonsense worker with twitchy athleticism. “Emmanuel is a special guy. He’s one of those kids that coaches kind of just salivate over,” Patterson said. “He has all the intangibles: great GPA, smart player, size, frame. He has the ability to get even bigger, faster, stronger in college, under their weight program. “He’s one of those guys that just show up and go to work, no complaints about anything. He doesn’t have kind of a look-at-me attitude; he wants a team to succeed. This year I saw that, putting the team on his back and trying to do everything in his power to have us reach that next level.” ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
Both motorcyclists who died in unrelated collisions in Colorado Springs on Nov. 3 have been publicly identified by the county coroner's office. The man who died when his motorcycle collided with a vehicle in the 500 block of West Garden of the Gods Road earlier this month, has been identified as 54-year-old Spencer Cooreman. Police were notified of the crash at approximately 3:27 p.m. on Nov. 3. The driver of the motorcycle had sustained serious bodily injuries and was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Investigators say that the motorcycle rider's speed was a factor in this crash. According to social media and an online obituary Cooreman was born in South Bend, Indiana, lived in Colorado Springs and is survived by a wife and three children. At 4:58 p.m. on Nov. 3, police were notified of another vehicle-versus-motorcycle crash, this time in the 1900 block of South Monterey Road. Upon arrival, first responders declared the motorcycle driver dead. Investigators say the motorcycle driver was traveling southbound on Monterey Road when a southbound vehicle began making a U-turn. The motorcycle struck the side of the turning vehicle. The motorcyclist's speed was determined to be a factor in the crash. He was later positively identified by the county coroner as 29-year-old Cody James Zimmerman. A GoFundMe established by one of his brothers for funeral costs, states that Zimmerman was the youngest of eight siblings, and leaves behind his siblings, both parents and 16 nieces and nephews. These deaths mark the 46th and 47th traffic fatality in Colorado Springs this year, as counted by the Colorado Springs police.FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury convicted two men on Friday of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel, 29, an Indian national who prosecutors say went by the alias “Dirty Harry,” and Steve Shand, 50, an American from Florida, were part of a sophisticated illegal operation that has brought increasing numbers of Indians into the U.S., prosecutors said. They were each convicted on four counts related to human smuggling, including conspiracy to bring migrants into the country illegally. “This trial exposed the unthinkable cruelty of human smuggling and of those criminal organizations that value profit and greed over humanity,” Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said. “To earn a few thousand dollars, these traffickers put men, women and children in extraordinary peril leading to the horrific and tragic deaths of an entire family. Because of this unimaginable greed, a father, a mother and two children froze to death in sub-zero temperatures on the Minnesota-Canadian border,” Luger added. The most serious counts carry maximum sentences of up to 20 years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office told The Associated Press before the trial. But federal sentencing guidelines rely on complicated formulas. Luger said Friday that various factors will be considered in determining what sentences prosecutors will recommend. Federal prosecutors said 39-year-old Jagdish Patel; his wife, Vaishaliben, who was in her mid-30s; their 11-year-old daughter, Vihangi; and 3-year-old son, Dharmik, froze to death Jan. 19, 2022, while trying to cross the border into Minnesota in a scheme Patel and Shand organized. Patel is a common Indian surname, and the victims were not related to Harshkumar Patel. The couple were schoolteachers, local news reports said. The family was fairly well off by local standards, living in a well-kept, two-story house with a front patio and a wide veranda. Experts say illegal immigration from India is driven by everything from political repression to a dysfunctional American immigration system that can take years, if not decades, to navigate legally. Much is rooted in economics and how even low-wage jobs in the West can ignite hopes for a better life. Before the jury’s conviction on Friday, the federal trial in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, saw testimony from an alleged participant in the smuggling ring, a survivor of the treacherous journey across the northern border, border patrol agents and forensic experts. Defense attorneys were pitted against each other, with Shand’s team arguing that he was unwittingly roped into the scheme by Patel. Patel’s lawyers, The Canadian Press reported , said their client had been misidentified. They said “Dirty Hary,” the alleged nickname for Patel found in Shand’s phone, is a different person. Bank records and witness testimony from those who encountered Shand near the border didn’t tie him to the crime, they added. Prosecutors said Patel coordinated the operation while Shand was a driver. Shand was to pick up 11 Indian migrants on the Minnesota side of the border, prosecutors said. Only seven survived the foot crossing. Canadian authorities found two parents and their young children later that morning, dead from the cold. The trial included an inside account of how the international smuggling ring allegedly works and who it targets. Rajinder Singh, 51, testified that he made over $400,000 smuggling over 500 people through the same network that included Patel and Shand. Singh said most of the people he smuggled came from Gujarat state. He said the migrants would often pay smugglers about $100,000 to get them from India to the U.S., where they would work to pay off their debts at low-wage jobs in cities around the country. Singh said the smugglers would run their finances through “hawala,” an informal money transfer system that relies on trust. The pipeline of illegal immigration from India has long existed but has increased sharply along the U.S.-Canada border. The U.S. Border Patrol arrested more than 14,000 Indians on the Canadian border in the year ending Sept. 30, which amounted to 60% of all arrests along that border and more than 10 times the number two years ago. By 2022, the Pew Research Center estimates more than 725,000 Indians were living illegally in the U.S., behind only Mexicans and El Salvadorans. Jamie Holt, a Special Agent with Homeland Security Investigations, said the case is a stark reminder of the realities victims of human smuggling face. “Human smuggling is a vile crime that preys on the most vulnerable, exploiting their desperation and dreams for a better life,” Holt said. “The suffering endured by this family is unimaginable and it is our duty to ensure that such atrocities are met with the full force of the law.” One juror Kevin Paul, of Clearwater, Minnesota, told reporters afterward that it was hard for the jurors to see the pictures of the family’s bodies. He said he grew up in North Dakota and is familiar with the kind of conditions that led to their deaths. “It’s pretty brutal,” Paul said. “I couldn’t imagine having to do what they had to do out there in the middle of nowhere.”BOSTON (AP) — Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! BOSTON (AP) — Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BOSTON (AP) — Two men, including a dual Iranian American citizen, have been arrested on charges that they exported sensitive technology to Iran that was used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. The pair were arrested after FBI specialists who analyzed the drone traced the navigation system to an Iranian company operated by one of the defendants, who relied on technology funneled from the U.S. by his alleged co-conspirator, officials said. “We often cite hypothetical risk when we talk about the dangers of American technology getting into dangerous hands,” said U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy, the top federal prosecutor in Massachusetts. “Unfortunately, in this situation, we are not speculating.” The defendants were identified as Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi, who prosecutors say works at a Massachusetts-based semiconductor company, and Mohammad Abedininajafabadi, who was arrested Monday in Italy as the Justice Department seeks his extradition to Massachusetts. Prosecutors allege that Abedininajafabadi, who also uses the surname Adedini and operates an Iranian company that manufactures navigation systems for drones, has connections to Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. They allege that he conspired with Sadeghi to circumvent American export control laws, including through a front company in Switzerland, and procure sensitive technology into Iran. Both men are charged with export control violations, and Abedini separately faces charges of conspiring to provide material support to Iran. A lawyer for Sadeghi, a naturalized U.S. citizen who was arrested Monday in Massachusetts, did not immediately return an email seeking comment. U.S. officials blamed the January attack on the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella group of Iran-backed militias that includes Kataib Hezbollah. Three Georgia soldiers — Sgt. William Jerome Rivers of Carrollton, Sgt. Breonna Moffett of Savannah and Sgt. Kennedy Sanders of Waycross — were killed in the Jan. 28 drone attack on a U.S. outpost in northeastern Jordan called Tower 22. In the attack, the one-way attack drone may have been mistaken for a U.S. drone that was expected to return back to the logistics base about the same time and was not shot down. Instead, it crashed into living quarters, killing the three soldiers and injuring more than 40. Tower 22 held about 350 U.S. military personnel at the time. It is strategically located between Jordan and Syria, only 10 kilometers (6 miles) from the Iraqi border, and in the months just after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, and Israel’s blistering response in Gaza, Iranian-backed militias intensified their attacks on U.S. military locations in the region. Following the attack, the U.S. launched a huge counterstrike against 85 sites in Iraq and Syria used by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Iranian-backed militia and bolstered Tower 22’s defenses. ____ Tucker and Copp reported from Washington. Advertisement
Is Enron back? If it’s a joke, some former employees aren’t laughingKeion White Urges Patriots to Make Changes After Chargers Loss: 'What Are We Doing?'NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The right frame can freeze a moment in time, creating meaning for the masses from a fist pump over a bloodied ear , a bridge crumbled by a ship , towns shredded by nature , and a victory sealed with an on-field kiss . In 2024, photographers across the U.S. captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election , to hurricanes and fires that ravaged communities, to campus protests over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The gallery from The Associated Press illustrates a new chapter of political history — the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump , the moment President Joe Biden announced he would no longer run again , the campaign sprint by Vice President Kamala Harris in Biden’s place, and the raw emotion from voters during a grueling contest ultimately won by Trump . Related Articles National News | Today in History: December 7, Japan attacks Pearl Harbor National News | Connecticut court upholds $965 million verdict against Alex Jones in Sandy Hook National News | USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus National News | More than a million oven gloves are being recalled after consumers report 92 minor burns National News | Here’s where police are being investigated for excessive force, discrimination and other allegations Hurricanes whipped through the country with devastating imagery, leaving a path of wreckage and death from Florida to Appalachia . After Hurricane Helene , Lake Lure in North Carolina was shown in a jarring photo covered in shards of debris thick enough to hide the surface of the water. Hurricane Milton ripped apart the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. The scale of destruction experienced in some corners of the country in 2024 was hard to capture and might have been harder to fathom. That was the case when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and crumple around the vessel, killing construction workers on the bridge. As flames torched the landscape in California , another image captured firefighters and sheriff’s deputies pushing a vintage car away from a burning home. Elsewhere in California , one photo is aglow with bright orange flames, broken up only by the subtle features of an animal running through them. But hope also persevered in the face of devastation. In Helene’s aftermath , an image from Crystal River, Florida, shows Dustin Holmes holding hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, as they sloshed through floodwaters with her 4- and 7-year-old children to return to their flooded home. And in Manasota Key, Florida, a family was lit up by the glow of flashlights as they walked to check on their home damaged by Milton. Other photos from 2024 also grabbed the darkness and shadows to emphasize light: among them, a rocket liftoff and a total solar eclipse . And, yes, eclipse glasses were back in style for a shared moment of skygazing. But many other photos delivered a blast of color, from the spectrum of the northern lights across a Maine sky to a crew of workers wading into the deep-red of a Massachusetts cranberry bog . And, once again, Taylor Swift captured the country’s attention, even as a part of the crowd. 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Hiring was led by healthcare and social assistance as well as leisure and hospitality and government. Retail trade cut the most jobs in a year, while durable goods manufacturing jobs jumped by 26,000 upon the conclusion of the Boeing Co. strike. Tyler Olson/Dreamstime/TNS WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. hiring picked up in November and the unemployment rate increased, pointing to a moderating labor market rather than one that’s significantly deteriorating. Nonfarm payrolls rose 227,000 last month following an upwardly revised 36,000 gain in October — a month constrained by storms and strikes — according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Friday. Smoothing out volatility, payrolls growth over the past three months averaged 173,000 — a step down from the robust pace seen earlier this year. The unemployment rate, which edged higher to 4.2%, indicating cooling demand for workers, with long-term joblessness at the highest in almost three years. Traders interpreted it as confirming the case for another Federal Reserve interest-rate cut when policymakers meet later this month. The figures, after accounting for payrolls swings related to a Boeing Co. strike and hurricanes, support the Fed’s view that the job market remains solid yet no longer a big source of inflation. While price pressures have remained elevated in recent months, officials have begun reducing interest rates to give the economy a nudge and ensure hiring is sustained. Chair Jerome Powell said earlier this week that the central bank’s decision to start rate cuts with a half-point move in September was meant to send a “strong signal” of the Fed’s intention to support the labor market. Policymakers reverted to their usual quarter-point reduction at November’s meeting, and several have suggested it may soon be time to pause cuts as the economy proves resilient. “The muted rebound in payrolls in November after October’s hurricanes and strikes implies that the underlying trend has continued to deteriorate,” said Samuel Tombs, chief U.S. economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. That bolsters the case for the Fed to cut rates again, he said. Treasury yields slid and the S&P 500 opened higher. Traders upped bets on a Fed rate cut later this month. Officials will also see the latest data on consumer and producer prices, as well as retail sales, before the conclusion of their Dec. 17-18 meeting. October’s job report was particularly weak because of two severe hurricanes, when more than 500,000 people said they couldn’t work because of the weather. In November, just 56,000 reported that as an issue. Hiring last month was led by health care and social assistance as well as leisure and hospitality and government. Retail trade cut the most jobs in a year, while transportation equipment manufacturing jobs jumped by 32,000 upon the conclusion of the Boeing strike. The participation rate — the share of the population that is working or looking for work — fell to 62.5%, the lowest since May. The rate for workers ages 25-54, also known as prime-age workers, was little changed. The jobs report is composed of two surveys. While the main payrolls number comes from a survey of businesses, the household survey that produces the jobless rate has its own measure of employment. That’s fallen by more than 700,000 in the last two months, the most since the onset of the pandemic. The unemployment rate moved up amid more permanent job losses compared to temporary layoffs. There were also more people who voluntarily quit as well as joined the labor force but couldn’t immediately find work. It’s taking longer for unemployed Americans to find work — the number of people unemployed for at least 27 weeks jumped to the highest in nearly three years. While layoffs are generally low, companies like Cargill Inc. and General Motors Co. have recently announced plans to reduce headcount. Average hourly earnings rose 4% from a year ago for a second month, the BLS said. Wage growth for production and nonsupervisory employees, who comprise a majority of the workforce, advanced 0.3% from October. Earnings growth has largely eased amid a substantial pool of available workers and waning demand for new hires, allowing many employers to pull back on incentives to attract talent. Other BLS data this week showed job openings picked up in October while layoffs eased, suggesting demand for workers is stabilizing. Looking ahead, it remains to be seen how President-elect Donald Trump’s economic agenda — particularly plans for mass deportations and punitive tariffs — will impact the labor market. His appointees are also looking to slash the federal bureaucracy. That could impact government hiring, which has driven much of the broader recovery from the pandemic.( MENAFN - PR Newswire) SAO PAULO, Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Trinasolar, a global leader in smart energy solutions, has partnered with Centro Universitário Facens, based in Sorocaba (São Paulo), with the goal of providing training for project development and solar plant construction and assembly companies, while fostering innovation and the development of academic research. Starting in 2025, this initiative will provide a high-level training center for the market and university students, teaching best practices from the conceptual phase of project development to the installation and commissioning of its equipment. According to Felipe Tukamoto, Product Manager for TrinaTracker across Latin America, "the installation of the photovoltaic system on the university campus provides a unique opportunity for the development of advanced studies on the energy efficiency of solar modules, performance curves, and increased energy generation using smart solar tracking system." Additionally, another key aspect of this initiative is to share with the market best practices for enhancing the reliability of equipment installations. This includes step-by-step guidance on ensuring compatibility between components, proper installation according to product manuals, and reducing project implementation costs through correct procedures. "Being close to São Paulo provides us with a strategic location to offer training in a more accessible way, effectively connecting the solar market with the academic sector in a more efficient and dynamic manner. This proximity strengthens the integration between industry and research, creating a fertile environment for innovation and the development of technological solutions," adds Felipe. This collaboration also aims to significantly contribute to skill development in the solar sector, training specialized professionals capable of meeting the growing demands of the renewable energy market. The project seeks to empower students and professionals in critical areas such as solar project design and development, photovoltaic system installation and maintenance, and the application of advanced technologies like intelligent algorithms and monitoring tools. In addition to implementing the state-of-the-art photovoltaic solution, a practical classroom will be established, equipped with advanced devices for demonstrations. This infrastructure will be dedicated to training installation technicians and providing employee development programs, reinforcing Trinasolar's commitment to advancing technical education and promoting innovation in the energy sector. SOURCE Trina Solar Co., Ltd MENAFN16122024003732001241ID1109000071 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
