lucky 13 Moni scores 25 in North Dakota State's 91-62 win against Wisconsin-StoutBOSTON — A private consultant hired by the state is recommending Massachusetts not authorize sports betting kiosks at bars, restaurants and other venues, citing a lack of revenue from the machines in other states and the societal impacts of expanded gambling. The report by the Spectrum Gaming Group, which was hired last year by the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, concluded that “there is little to no economic upside for kiosk hosts and the Commonwealth itself while there is an increased risk of negative social impacts.” Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Hybrid classes coming to Surrey high schools to combat overcrowdingGreenpeace gives Bohol islands a solar energy upgrade

Seeking to pick up back-to-back Primeira Liga victories for the first time since March, Estoril Praia play host to Casa Pia at the Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota on Sunday. Born sides, who are level on points in the bottom half of the league standings , will head into the weekend looking to get the better of each other and return to winning ways. © Imago Estoril Praia had to do it the hard way last Friday as they fought back from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw against Braga when the two sides squared off at the Estadio Braga Municipal. Bruma continued his fine form in front of goal as he netted twice to put Braga two goals up heading into the final 30 minutes but goals from Alejandro Marques and Goncalo Costa helped the visitors snatch a point. While head coach Ian Cathro will be impressed with his fires resilient performance at Braga, they have now failed to win any of their last 16 competitive games on the road, losing nine and picking up seven draws since a penalty-shootout victory over Benfica on January 24. Estoril Praia now return home, where they have won two of their most recent three matches — with a goalless draw against AVS on November 9 sandwiched between the two victories — and are unbeaten in five of their last six games since late August. The Canarinhos have picked up 14 points from their 13 Primeira Liga games so far to sit 11th in the league standings, level on points with Sunday's visitors and five above the relegation places. © Imago Casa Pia, on the other hand, were left spitting feathers last weekend when they were held to a goalless draw by newcomers AVS at the Estadio Pina Manique. Joao Goulart drilled home the opener from the centre of the box in the 12th minute to hand the hosts a dream start to the game but Gustavo Assuncao converted his 72nd-minute penalty to force a share of the spoils. Prior to that, Casa Pia were on a five-game unbeaten run across all competitions — including back-to-back Taca de Portugal victories over Amora FC and Chaves — before suffering a 2-0 defeat against Porto in the league clash on December 2. With last weekend's results against AVS, Joao Pereira 's men have failed to win all but one of their most recent eight Primeira Liga outings, losing twice and picking up five draws since mid November. Next up for Casa Pia is the stern challenge of taking on an opposing side whom they have failed to get the better of in any of their previous eight clashes, losing five and picking up three draws since August 2019. © Imago With his strike against Braga, Marques now has three goals in his last five league matches, having managed just two from the first eight games to start the campaign, and we expect the 24-year-old to lead the hosts' attack once again. He should team up with Yanis Begraoui and Joao Carvalho in the front three while we expect an unchanged midfield of Wagner Pina , Jandro Orellana , Jordan Holsgrove and 23-year-old Fabricio Garcia . At the defensive end of the pitch, Cathro should stick with the back three of Kevin Boma , Pedro Alvaro and Felix Bacher , with former Atletico Madrid man Joel Robles starting between the sticks once again. Like this weekend's hosts, Casa Pia head into the weekend with a clean bill of health and no suspension concerns, giving Pereira the luxury of a full strength squad at his disposal. Goulart opened his account for Casa Pia with his strike against AVS last time out and the 24-year-old should retain his role in the back three, teaming up with Duplexe Tchamba and Ruben Kluivert . Estoril Praia possible starting lineup: Robles; Boma, Alvaro, Bacher; Pina, Orellana, Holsgrove, Garcia; Begraoui, Carvalho, Marques Casa Pia possible starting lineup: Sequeira; Goulart, Kluivert, Tchamba; Larrazabal, Segovia, Brito, Lelo; Livolant, Cassiano, Pereira While Casa Pia will be looking to return to winning ways, results against Estoril offer little optimism as they have failed to win any of their previous eight encounters. The Canarinhos have been rock-solid at home in recent weeks and we fancy them to secure all three points here. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .Days after suggesting that First Lady Jill Biden engaged in “heavy-duty petting” with Donald Trump because of her “fondness for power,” Larry Kudlow broke out his rendition of what’s become known as the “Trump dance” during a live Fox News segment. The Fox Business host, who previously served as Trump’s chief economic adviser , busted a move while gushing over the president-elect’s policy proposals and his selection of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead a government efficiency commission, colloquially calling them the “DOGE brothers.” Sitting down with Fox News anchor Sandra Smith on Friday afternoon, Kudlow claimed that the economy has been “rejuvenated” and “people feel liberated” after the election because Trump has promised to cut regulations. “The DOGE brothers, Elon and Vivek, are going to go after the regulatory state,” he declared. “Trump will cut taxes – he will extend the tax cuts and put some new ones up. People can’t wait for that. The stock market is soaring.” Continuing to praise the “DOGE brothers” for being “on the right track” when it comes to slashing federal spending, Kudlow called them “great” before joking that “they don’t dance as well as The Blues Brothers.” After applauding Trump’s recent promise to expedite and waive environmental regulations for investors who spend at least a billion dollars, Kudlow said the “enviros and the lefties will sue him, and it won’t matter” because the lawsuits will be tied up in the courts for years. “He’s a can-do guy, and don’t forget among his many skills, he was a successful businessman,” Kudlow exclaimed. Smith and Kudlow bantered some more about the “optimism” among business leaders about Trump’s return to office. Kudlow insisted that “the DOGE brothers are going to deliver,” sparking Smith to laugh and the former Trump adviser to start gyrating in his chair. “Are you doing the Trump dance, Larry?! Oh, wow, look at you go!” Smith exclaimed, referencing the president-elect’s trademarked bop that he made famous on the campaign trail, typically to The Village People’s “YMCA.” “I save my best stuff for you,” the 77-year-old business host responded. The dance, which the New York Times described as an “ungainly series of hip-swivels and fist-pumps, not unlike the movements of an automaton gaining sentience,” has taken the sports world by storm since Trump’s electoral victory last month. And while it has become all the rage among conservatives as something of a spiking of the football over the election results, Trump’s own family members don’t seem all that impressed with it. Soon-to-be First Lady Melania Trump admitted last week that she’s never done the dance, while Trump’s son Barron appeared embarrassed when his father and Musk shook a leg on Thanksgiving.

49ers GM John Lynch says Brock Purdy status ‘tenuous’ after MRI on shoulder injuryFOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Jim Harbaugh loves a high-five, calls it one of mankind’s great inventions. But sometimes, even that hearty gesture is insufficient. So when the Chargers coach spotted the team’s general manager slipping out of the visitors’ locker room Saturday — in the wake of the club’s most lopsided win in five years — he summoned him for a bear hug. The Chargers clinched a playoff berth with their 40-7 drubbing of the New England Patriots , and Harbaugh felt the urge to wrap his arms around first-year general manager Joe Hortiz. Such is the delirium of an NFL team starting to hit its stride at the right time. “I needed a hug from Joe,” said the coach, who lured Hortiz from the Baltimore Ravens. “He’s the same brilliant guy every single day. He takes no deep, long bows. But he should.” This is no finish line, of course, but Harbaugh’s Chargers have checked a big box on their to-do list. The franchise has secured a spot in the postseason for just the third time in 11 seasons, and with a finale at Las Vegas remaining has a chance to lock up the AFC’s fifth seed with a win and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss in Week 18. That would mean a more favorable wild-card game at Houston, as opposed to frigid openers at Buffalo or Baltimore. There’s also meaning to bolting down a spot in the playoffs by winning at New England, even though these Patriots are a shadow of the version led by Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. This is a franchise that tormented the Chargers in years past, delivering a divisional-round knockout to Marty Schottenheimer’s 14-2 San Diego Chargers in the 2006 season, and beating the broken-down Chargers the following year in the AFC championship game. There’s no one remaining in that Chargers locker room from that era. Most of the players were probably in grade school at the time. Still, there was significance to these players emerging from the fog that had settled on Gillette Stadium to forge a clear path to the postseason. This is precisely what Chargers ownership had in mind when they hired Harbaugh, an undeniable turnaround artist. Just check his history. The San Francisco 49ers were 6-10 the year before they hired Harbaugh, and 13-3 in his first season. The Michigan Wolverines went from 5-7 before Harbaugh to 10-3 in his debut season. “Coach Harbaugh’s a winner, that says it all,” Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton said. “He’s won his whole life, won each team he’s coached. He told us at the beginning, there’s just one way to get to where he wants to go and that’s hard work. We’ve been working hard.” When asked at the podium about the common threads among those teams that reversed course, Harbaugh immediately pointed to his players, “stalwarts” as he calls them, including quarterback Justin Herbert and safety Derwin James. Later, after most of the team had left the locker room for the bus, Harbaugh reiterated that with, “There are no good coaches without good players. There’s no great coaches with bad players.” One of those outstanding players Saturday was rookie receiver Ladd McConkey, who had eight catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns. That pushed his numbers to 77 receptions for 1,046, six more grabs than previous Chargers rookie record-holder Keenan Allen. The Chargers traded up to the second pick in the second round to draft McConkey, a standout from the University of Georgia. Their trade partner in that deal? The Patriots, who used the fifth pick in that round to draft Washington receiver Ja’Lynn Polk. McConkey had seven more yards on Saturday, and the same number of touchdowns, that Polk has had all season. Asked if there was a little piece of him that wanted to show the Patriots what they missed, McConkey said: “That’s not me. If they want to think about it that way, like, `Oh, we should have done this,’ it’s shoulda, coulda, woulda.” Historically, it’s important for teams to be able to run the ball in the postseason, especially when the weather can turn foul in so many NFL cities. Only more reason for the Chargers to feel good about the return of running back J.K. Dobbins, who missed four games with a knee sprain. He ran for 76 yards in 19 carries against the Patriots, with a two-yard touchdown. He was part of the Baltimore brigade who came west to the Chargers from the Ravens, coached by Harbaugh’s older brother, John. Unlike a lot of his teammates, Dobbins has playoff experience. He’s played in postseason road games at Cincinnati, Tennessee and Buffalo. He understands the importance of a team finding another gear in December, as it seems the Chargers have, and fostering a belief that it can compete at the highest level. “We can beat you a lot of ways, and in the playoffs that’s what you’ve got to do,” Dobbins said. “In the playoffs, they’re going to try to take away the thing that you do best.” He said Harbaugh has “changed the culture” of a team that won five games last season. “He’s brought in guys that are winners,” he said. “That’s how you change the culture. You draft guys who win [national championships] or won all throughout college. You bring in guys who have won all across the league. You start to see the benefits of that.” Harbaugh delivered his hugs Saturday but he’s hoping there are many more. One box checked. The way he sees it, his team has only earned a spot at the starting gate.

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ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. According to documents released by the state, Rush Street accepted 16 bets worth $1,523 in Nov. 2021 on a college basketball game between the University of North Carolina-Asheville and Tennessee Tech University after the game had already concluded with a UNC victory. Kambi told the enforcement division that a trader had failed to manually remove that game from its betting markets, saying it had stopped receiving messages from its own sports data provider due to a network connectivity error. Kambi said it has updated its guidelines and retrained its traders to prevent a recurrence. Kambi, which is based in Malta, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday. Rush Street declined comment, and DraftKings had no immediate comment Monday. DraftKings stopped using Kambi in 2021. In March 2022 Rush Street took seven bets totaling just under $2,900 on three Magic City Jai Alai games after the results were already known. Kambi told the division it experienced a connectivity issue that allowed the bets to be accepted after the games were over. An explanation of what Kambi did to address the situation was blacked out in documents released by the division. A month earlier Rush Street took 13 wagers worth $8,150 with pre-match odds on a Professional Golf Association match after the event had already begun. In this case, Kambi told the division a newly hired trader failed to enter the correct closing time time for bets on the event. The trader and a supervisor underwent retraining. DraftKings was fined for taking bets on unapproved events including Russian basketball for nine months in 2020 and 2021. It eventually voided over $61,000 in bets and returned the money to customers after being directed to do so by the state. In this case, Kambi told the division it misidentified this particular Russian basketball league as one that was approved for wagering in New Jersey. DraftKings told the state it did not catch the error, either. In 2020, DraftKings accepted 484 wagers on unapproved table tennis matches. Kambi incorrectly enabled the events for wagering without conditions required by the state, the division said. In Feb. 2022, the division said DraftKings took pre-season NFL bets involving specific players but did not give the state specific information on what information was to be included in the bets, drawing 182 wagers worth nearly $7,000 that were later voided and refunded to customers. ___ Follow Wayne Parry on X at www.twitter.com/WayneParryAC Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

'Sports Illustrated' model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoningThe challenges affecting Guam’s tourism industry today stem from deep and systemic issues that require thoughtful attention. While the relocation of the military from Okinawa to Guam provides short-term economic activity, it does not contribute directly to the recovery of our tourism sector. Instead, it absorbs valuable resources, strains local infrastructure, and perpetuates the perception of Guam as a military outpost rather than the tropical paradise it once was known for. At the same time, Guam faces significant geographic and economic challenges. High operating costs, limited flight connectivity post-pandemic, and fierce competition from regional destinations like Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam exacerbate our struggles. These destinations have not changed from pre-COVID to present conditions; they remain competitive because they continue to offer affordable travel packages, modern infrastructure, and cultural experiences that attract tourists from our key markets. Meanwhile, Guam has seemingly become Okinawa overnight, creating an environment Japan, our largest tourist market, does not want. Japan rejects the so-called “Tip of the Spear” atmosphere in favor of the “Hafa Adai Spirit,” which has historically drawn visitors to our island. It is clear that we are now competing against overwhelming odds and may never regain the market share the GVB board aims to achieve without addressing these foundational issues. Adding to these challenges is the recent resignation of former Governor Carl T.C. Gutierrez as general manager and CEO of the Guam Visitors Bureau. His departure, reportedly due to tactful and deliberate actions by the GVB board and political leaders, is both disappointing and concerning. Governor Gutierrez brought unparalleled experience, leadership, and dedication to Guam’s tourism sector at a time when visionary guidance is needed most. His resignation raises serious questions about the priorities of the board and our political leaders, particularly as it appears to cater to outside interests rather than addressing the critical needs of our island. It is nauseating to now see advertisements in the daily paper soliciting a new general manager with such a generic job description, as if to depict that Mr. Gutierrez failed in his efforts to recover our tourism market share in the region. This completely disregards Guam’s unique situation. Such oversimplified messaging fails to consider the deeper, systemic challenges Guam faces and does a disservice to the hard work and progress made under Mr. Gutierrez’s leadership. This situation reflects a broader failure to focus on the root causes of Guam’s tourism struggles. The big picture remains clear: these problems go far beyond surface-level concerns like “cleaning toilets.” Guam needs balanced leadership that fosters sustainable solutions, revitalizes our tourism industry, and restores confidence among stakeholders. While the military buildup absorbs much of the labor and construction resources, the vision of “One Guam” has fallen by the wayside. What happened to initiatives that aimed to create a balance beneficial for both the military and the private sector? Guam’s livelihood depends on finding this equilibrium. We worry about being at the front of a nuclear war, but when the dust settles after the military buildup, I am concerned about our fragile island becoming so small and dependent on the federal government. We risk being overshadowed and displaced by the immense, non-taxable military industry, falling back into the very reality General Murray described in his 1945 secret message to Congress: that Guam has no economic value to the United States and remains subservient to its will. Our island deserves better than to be left in such a state, and it is time for leadership that puts our people first, fostering self-sufficiency and dignity.

Fans of The Batman franchise will have to wait even longer for the most expected sequel. ET Year-end Special Reads Two sectors that rose on India's business horizon in 2024 2025 outlook: Is it time for cautious optimism or rekindling animal spirits? 2024: Govt moves ahead with simultaneous polls plan; India holds largest democratic exercise The latest update from Deadline confirms that The Batman Part II has been delayed once again, now set to premiere on October 1, 2027. This marks a delay of an entire year from its originally expected release, extending the wait for eager audiences who were hoping for an earlier return to Gotham City. Director Matt Reeves Returns Matt Reeves, who directed the first film, will once again helm the sequel, continuing the dark and gritty tale of Bruce Wayne's transformation into the iconic vigilante. Robert Pattinson will reprise his role as the troubled young billionaire who adopts the Batman persona after the traumatic loss of his parents, as per a report by Collider. Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Basics of Generative AI: Unveiling Tomorrows Innovations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Generative AI for Dynamic Java Web Applications with ChatGPT By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Master in Python Language Quickly Using the ChatGPT Open AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Office Productivity Zero to Hero in Microsoft Excel: Complete Excel guide 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance A2Z Of Money By - elearnmarkets, Financial Education by StockEdge View Program Marketing Modern Marketing Masterclass by Seth Godin By - Seth Godin, Former dot com Business Executive and Best Selling Author View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Data Science SQL for Data Science along with Data Analytics and Data Visualization By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Pam Moore By - Pam Moore, Digital Transformation and Social Media Expert View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI-Powered Python Mastery with Tabnine: Boost Your Coding Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Marketing Digital marketing - Wordpress Website Development By - Shraddha Somani, Digital Marketing Trainer, Consultant, Strategiest and Subject Matter expert View Program Office Productivity Mastering Google Sheets: Unleash the Power of Excel and Advance Analysis By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Mastering Full Stack Development: From Frontend to Backend Excellence By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Financial Literacy i.e Lets Crack the Billionaire Code By - CA Rahul Gupta, CA with 10+ years of experience and Accounting Educator View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program As Gotham City continues to grapple with corruption and chaos, The Batman Part II promises to delve deeper into the city's dark underbelly, although specific plot details remain tightly under wraps. The Expanding Gotham Universe While the delay of The Batman Part II may be disappointing to fans, Warner Bros. remains committed to expanding the Gotham universe. The Penguin, a spin-off television series focusing on Colin Farrell's character Oz Cobblepot, has recently concluded its first season, garnering strong viewership numbers for HBO and Max. Additionally, the studio is working on another version of Batman within the newly established DC Universe. The Brave and the Bold, a film featuring a different iteration of the Dark Knight, is in development under the direction of Andy Muschietti. However, the release date for this project has yet to be announced, and Muschietti has confirmed that the film has also been delayed. The Future of Gotham Despite the delay, excitement for The Batman Part II remains high. The extended wait gives fans time to reflect on the first film and speculate about what new challenges Bruce Wayne will face in the sequel. The Batman (2022) is currently streaming on Max, while The Batman Part II is now scheduled to hit theaters on October 1, 2027. FAQs Who will be Joker in Batman 2? Barry Keoghan remains tight-lipped about reprising his role as the Joker in The Batman - Part II . Keoghan made his debut as the Clown Prince of Crime with a brief but memorable appearance in The Batman . Who killed Batman's parents? In Batman's origin story, Joe Chill is the criminal responsible for the tragic murder of Bruce Wayne's parents, Dr. Thomas Wayne and Martha Wayne. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

I was booked to sleep with a woman’s husband as his ‘birthday treat’ – but trolls insist it’s proof ‘love is dead’

NEW YORK , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- CLOSING PRICES AS OF 11/30/24 NAV 11.80 MKT 10.32 AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN AS OF 11/30/24 NAV (%) MKT (%) One-Month* 11.32 10.73 Year to Date* 19.30 18.23 One-Year 32.77 31.23 Three-Year 6.30 6.46 Five-Year 14.13 13.80 10-Year 10.17 9.69 *Not Annualized Important Performance and Expense Information All performance information reflects past performance, is presented on a total return basis, net of the Fund's investment advisory fee, and reflects the reinvestment of distributions. Past performance is no guarantee of future results Current performance may be higher or lower than performance quoted. Returns as of the recent month-end may be obtained at www.royceinvest.com . The market price of the Fund's shares will fluctuate, so that shares may be worth more or less than their original cost when sold. The Fund normally invests in micro-cap companies, which may involve considerably more risk than investing in larger-cap companies. The Fund's broadly diversified portfolio does not ensure a profit or guarantee against loss. PORTFOLIO DIAGNOSTICS Average Market Cap 1 $854.6M Weighted Average P/B 2 2.2x Net Assets $603.1M 1 Geometric Average : This weighted calculation uses each portfolio holding's market cap in a way designed to not skew the effect of very large or small holdings; instead, it aims to better identify the portfolio's center, which Royce believes offers a more accurate measure of average market cap than a simple mean or median. 2 Harmonic Average : This weighted calculation evaluates a portfolio as if it were a single stock and measures it overall. It compares the total market value of the portfolio to the portfolio's share in the earnings of its underlying stocks. The Price-to-Book , or P/B, Ratio is calculated by dividing a company's share price by its book value per share. Portfolio Composition TOP 10 POSITIONS % OF NET ASSETS (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) Transcat 1.8 Sprott 1.7 PAR Technology 1.6 Richardson Electronics 1.6 Universal Technical Institute 1.5 Applied Optoelectronics 1.5 BioLife Solutions 1.3 Mesa Laboratories 1.3 IES Holdings 1.2 nLIGHT 1.2 TOP FIVE SECTORS % OF NET ASSETS (SUBJECT TO CHANGE) Information Technology 23.3 Industrials 23.3 Financials 16.1 Health Care 11.8 Consumer Discretionary 5.7 Recent Developments Royce Micro-Cap Trust, Inc. is a closed-end diversified investment company whose shares of Common Stock (RMT) are listed and traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The Fund's investment goal is long-term capital growth, which it seeks by investing primarily in equity securities of companies that, at the time of investment, have market capitalization of $1 billion or less. Daily net asset values (NAVs) for Royce Micro-Cap Trust, Inc. are now available on our website and online through most ticker symbol lookup services and on broker terminals under the symbol XOTCX. For more information, please call The Royce Funds at (800) 221-4268 or visit our website at www.royceinvest.com An investor in Royce Micro-Cap Trust should consider the Fund's investment goals, risks, fees, and expenses carefully before investing. Important Disclosure Information Closed-End Funds are registered investment companies whose shares of common stock may trade at a discount to their net asset value. Shares of each Fund's common stock are also subject to the market risks of investing in the underlying portfolio securities held by the Fund. Royce Fund Services, LLC. ("RFS") is a member of FINRA and has filed this material with FINRA on behalf of each Fund. RFS does not serve as a distributor or as an underwriter to the closed-end funds. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/royce-micro-cap-trust-nyse-rmt-as-of-nov-30-2024-302338580.html SOURCE Royce Micro-Cap Trust, Inc.Dozens of workers sacked by Glasgow tech firm weeks before Christmas as bosses travel to Spain

Milwaukee Bucks Interested in Reunion With 3-And-D ForwardFLORENCE, Italy (AP) — Inter Milan beat Como 2-0 to cement third place in Serie A and close the gap on top two Atalanta and Napoli on Monday. Carlos Augusto got the opener when he headed home a corner kick in the 48th minute. Marcus Thuram scored the second in stoppage time with a potent strike into the roof of the net. It was the first time these teams have played each other in the top division since 2003 and although Inter had lost only one league game all season it struggled to impose itself on 15th-placed Como. However, it won without exerting itself and the three points were enough to take Simone Inzaghi’s men within three points of leader Atalanta and within one of Napoli. Inter has a game in hand over both clubs. Fiorentina missed a chance to go fourth when it lost at home to Udinese 2-1. The Florence club won a record eight consecutive Serie A games before losing to Bologna 1-0 on Dec. 15, and it looked to be back on track when Moises Kean converted a penalty after eight minutes to become the first Fiorentina player to reach double figures in the league since Federico Chiesa in the 2019-20 season. However, Udinese was a different prospect after the break. Lorenzo Lucca equalized with the aid of sloppy defending four minutes into the second half and then Florian Thauvin found space on the edge of the box to curl in the second eight minutes later. The result left Udinese in ninth place and Fiorentina in fifth. The match was a special one for Edoardo Bove, the Fiorentina player whose collapse with a heart issue led to the suspension of its game with Inter Milan on Dec. 1. Bove was fitted with a defibrillator implant soon after and sat on the Fiorentina bench for the first time since his collapse. He is not allowed to play but his position on the sideline alongside coach Raffaele Palladino was seen as a step towards normality for the 22-year-old midfielder. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerOur community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Kim Cotton was a 28-year-old mother-of-two when she made a decision that thrust her into the national spotlight and sparked a debate that would change surrogacy in Britain forever in the 1980s. It was 1985, and Kim became the UK's first commercial surrogate, agreeing to carry a baby for an anonymous Scandinavian couple for £6,500. But what should have been a private act of compassion turned into a storm of controversy, with Kim becoming a household name overnight, reports the Mirror . In the 80s, surrogacy was uncharted territory. When Kim gave birth to a baby girl, dubbed "Baby Cotton", on January 4, 1985, at London’s Victoria Maternity Hospital , her name was splashed across headlines, and her actions were debated in parliament. Even as she laboured, reporters swarmed outside the hospital to cover the historic event. “I had no idea I’d be the first , or what the reaction would be,” Kim, now 68, says from her Cambridgeshire home. “I was doing what I wanted to do in my heart, to give this incredible gift to a couple who couldn’t have a child of their own. But I’ve always said that yes, I also did it for the money – something I was absolutely vilified for.” The money, Kim admits, was a factor. At the time, she and her husband Geoffrey had just moved into a dilapidated house. “I thought maybe this could help me fix it,” she recalls. But what followed eclipsed the financial gain. Kim’s labour was far from ordinary. Social services arrived at the hospital , interrogating her as she gave birth. “I had to lock myself in the toilet to calm down,” she says. The baby was immediately made a ward of court, meaning the intended parents had to obtain legal permission to take her home. Kim barely had time to hold Baby Cotton before she was taken away. “She looked like one of mine,” Kim recalls. “ To have to abandon her in hospital for the seven days it took for the court process to to be resolved, was dreadful. It was the worst week of my life, a shocking ending to what should have been such a lovely thing .” Kim’s surrogacy journey began two years earlier when she saw a programme about the concept on TV. Inspired, she wrote to an American surrogacy agency offering her services. “ Like me, my husband thought we had a complete family by then, with a little boy, Jamie, and girl Anouska, of our own ,” she explains. “When I sent the letter off, we both thought it was probably pie in the sky as it was so unreal, but it worked out that it wasn’t.” A year later, Kim was contacted by a UK-based coordinator, and the process began. She was inseminated with sperm from an anonymous man. The arrangement was clear: she would not meet the intended parents or the baby again. “I’ve never actively sought her out,” Kim says of the baby . “ She turns 40 in January so she could be a young mum herself, and I’d never want to upset her by pursuing a relationship with her. But I’m absolutely open to meeting her if she wanted to find me. I’m certainly out there publicly, and I’ve put my DNA on an ancestry website .” In the weeks following Baby Cotton’s birth , Kim’s life became a media circus. Reporters camped outside her house, and she was inundated with interview requests. News at 10 and Anne Diamond visited her home. “In the early days, it felt surreal, like I was in a dream world,” she says. “I felt very empty at the time. It wasn’t until about five years later when I did a counselling course that the cost of what happened felt real, when all the old wounds were opened.” The backlash was swift. By July 1985, the Surrogacy Arrangements Act was rushed through Parliament , banning commercial surrogacy and any form of advertising. Subsequent laws, like the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, made surrogacy agreements unenforceable and restricted payments to “reasonable expenses.” Kim supports the ban on commercial surrogacy . “The £6,500 I received felt irrelevant after everything that happened,” she admits. But she insists her experience inspired others. “The letters meant a lot, people saying they’d love to be a surrogate, or couples wishing they could find someone to do this wonderful thing for them.” Despite the turmoil of her first surrogacy , Kim wasn’t deterred. In 1991, she carried twins for a friend and her husband through an embryo transfer. “This experience couldn’t have been more different,” she says. "I knew the couple, they were with me every step of the way during the pregnancy, and when I watched them take a baby each in their arms after they were born, it was the best experience of my life. It was magical.” The public response was also kinder. “Now I was a saint, whereas before I was a sinner. Yet I’d done the same thing both times.” Kim stayed in touch with the twins, who affectionately call her their “tummy mummy .” Now in their 30s, they live abroad but remain close to Kim. In 1988, Kim co-founded Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogacy (COTS), a not-for-profit organisation supporting surrogates and childless couples. Over its lifetime, COTS has helped facilitate 1,136 births. Kim has remained a passionate advocate for surrogacy, campaigning for clearer laws and better protections for all involved. “Progress has been made, but we’re not there yet,” she says. Current laws still prohibit surrogacy advertising and requires intended parents to apply for legal parenthood post-birth, a process Kim describes as outdated. In 2023, the Law Commission proposed reforms, including recognising intended parents as legal parents from birth and creating a Surrogacy Register to help children trace their origins. While supportive, Kim believes more clarity is needed around allowable expenses. “Most surrogates receive around £15,000 for expenses, which isn’t unreasonable. We don’t want to attract vulnerable women doing it for the wrong reasons.” After nearly 40 years in the field, Kim plans to step down from COTS in 2025 and become an independent surrogacy consultant. Reflecting on her journey, she has no regrets. “At the end of the day, I brought joy to that couple,” she says. “It was traumatic , but I gave them the gift of life. I think of her (Baby Cotton) every year on her birthday. It’s imprinted in my mind.” Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile , select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. 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How to transform leftover festive chocolates into quick and easy desserts

Nestment is helping families and groups of friends buy up houses together. Share this: Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to print (Opens in new window) Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Report an error Policies and Standards Contact Us Most Popular Harriette Cole: We bought our forever home. Then the stress started. Harriette Cole: We bought our forever home. Then the stress started. Harriette Cole: My friend died, and only then did I learn he wasn’t my friend Harriette Cole: My friend died, and only then did I learn he wasn't my friend Legendary punk rock band descends on NorCal for several concerts Legendary punk rock band descends on NorCal for several concerts These California homeowners paid millions to have ADUs built. The best they got were permits or port-a-potties, they say. These California homeowners paid millions to have ADUs built. 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Here’s why ‘Baby Driver’ actor Hudson Meek dead at 16 Pregnant woman stabbed multiple times by pizza deliverer disgruntled about tip, sheriff saysDonald Trump weighed in Saturday in a bitter debate dividing his traditional supporters and tech barrons like Elon Musk, saying that he backs a special visa program that helps highly skilled workers enter the country. "I've always liked the (H1-B) visas, I have always been in favor of the visas, that's why we have them" at Trump-owned facilities, the president-elect told the New York Post in his first public comments on the matter since it flared up this week. An angry back-and-forth, largely between Silicon Valley's Musk and traditional anti-immigration Trump backers, has erupted in fiery fashion, with Musk even vowing to "go to war" over the issue. Trump's insistent calls for sharp curbs on immigration were central to his election victory in November over President Joe Biden. He has vowed to deport all undocumented immigrants and limit legal immigration. But tech entrepreneurs like Tesla's Musk -- as well as Vivek Ramaswamy, who with Musk is to co-chair a government cost-cutting panel under Trump -- say the United States produces too few highly skilled graduates, and they fervently champion the H1-B program. Musk, who himself migrated from South Africa on an H1-B, posted Thursday on his X platform that luring elite engineering talent from abroad was "essential for America to keep winning." Adding acrimony to the debate was a post from Ramaswamy, the son of immigrants from India, who deplored an "American culture" that he said venerates mediocrity, adding that the United States risks having "our asses handed to us by China." That angered several prominent conservatives who were backing Trump long before Musk noisily joined their cause this year, going on to pump more than $250 million into the Republican's campaign. "Looking forward to the inevitable divorce between President Trump and Big Tech," said Laura Loomer, a far-right MAGA figure known for her conspiracy theories, who often flew with Trump on his campaign plane. "We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats." She and others said Trump should be promoting American workers and further limiting immigration. Musk, who had already infuriated some Republicans after leading an online campaign that helped tank a bipartisan budget deal last week, fired back at his critics. Posting on X, the social media site he owns, he warned of a "MAGA civil war." Musk bluntly swore at one critic, adding that "I will go to war on this issue." That, in turn, drew a volley from Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who wrote on the Gettr platform that the H1-B program brings in migrants who are essentially "indentured servants" working for less than American citizens would. In a striking jab at Trump's close friend Musk, Bannon called the Tesla CEO a "toddler." Some of Trump's original backers say they fear he is falling under the sway of big donors from the tech world like Musk and drifting away from his campaign promises. It was not immediately clear whether Trump's remarks might soothe the intraparty strife, which has exposed just how contentious changing the immigration system might be once he takes office in January. bbk/nro

Football fans will forever cherish the intense jubilation that comes with their team scoring a late winning goal. The celebrations are heightened even further when they come away from home, with Tottenham huge beneficiaries of this in May 2010. Spurs travelled to Manchester City for their penultimate fixture of the 2009/10 Premier League season with a huge prize up for grabs. Champions League qualification for the first time in each of the clubs' history was on the line during the clash at the Etihad Stadium. City, who saw the completion of their £200million takeover by Sheikh Mansour's Abu Dhabi United Group the season prior, were favourites. However, it was their visitors from north London who stole all three points and did so in dramatic fashion thanks to Peter Crouch . Younes Kaboul got the better of Craig Bellamy down the right flank and saw his cross deflect off Wayne Bridge towards Marton Fulop. The goalkeeper could only parry it away and it fell into the path of Spurs striker Crouch, who headed in from inside the six-yard box. Crouch struck in the 82nd minute of the match and immediately ran to the visiting fans behind the goal who were celebrating wildly. Although it was far from the most glamorous of all his 108 Premier League goals, it was arguably the most important of his career. Crouch's header was dubbed as the '£15million goal' given the hailed financial riches that come with qualifying for the Champions League. It also sparked an iconic moment as David Bentley and some of his teammates threw a bucket of ice over manager Harry Redknapp during a post-match interview. Spurs previously played just once in the European Cup in the 1961/62 season when they lost 4-3 on aggregate to Benfica in the semi-finals. The north London side had never featured in UEFA's top-tier club competition after it adopted its current name in 1992. A 6-3 aggregate play-off round win over Young Boys allowed Redknapp's side to reach the group stages in the 2010/11 season. They topped Group A ahead of reigning champions Inter Milan, FC Twente and Werder Bremen, but Real Madrid knocked them out at the quarter-finals stage. Crouch scored four goals in their European campaign before leaving at the end of the season to sign for Stoke City. Spurs had to wait until 2016 to play Champions League football again after they finished third in the Premier League. They even reached the final for the first time ever in 2019 but lost 2-0 to Liverpool and have failed to progress past the last since then. City would have been gutted with the defeat to Spurs on May 5 2010 as victory would have put qualification in their hands on the final day. However, they would make their debut in the competition just a year later courtesy of a third-place finish in the league. They have played Champions League football in every season that has followed, first reaching the final in 2021 but losing to Chelsea 1-0. Pep Guardiola, who has just extended his contract at the club, helped to deliver their first title in 2023 with a 1-0 victory against Inter. City host Spurs again on Saturday evening, with both heading into the match off the back of defeats in their last Premier League fixtures.

LOS ANGELES — Eric Dailey Jr. scored 18 points, making four 3-pointers, and No. 22 UCLA edged 14th-ranked Gonzaga 65-62 on Saturday in the first college basketball game played at Intuit Dome, the new home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. Ryan Nembhard’s basket tied it at 60 before the Bruins (11-2) scored five points in a row. Nembhard then drove the length of the court and scored while getting fouled. After a timeout, he missed the potential tying free throw with 8 seconds remaining. Graham Ike fouled Skyy Clark, who made both free throws for a 65-62 lead with 5 seconds left. Nembhard's 3-point heave from halfcourt missed at the buzzer. Ike led the Bulldogs (9-4) with 24 points and eight rebounds. Nembhard had 16 points and eight assists. Graham was 11 of 16 from the floor on a day when both teams struggled offensively in the 18,000-seat arena. It was a tough shooting day for UCLA's Tyler Bilodeau, who was limited to seven points — well under his team-leading 15.1 average — while going against Ike. NO. 13 TEXAS A&M 92, ABILENE CHRISTIAN 54: Wade Taylor IV had 15 points and a career-high 10 assists, and Zhuric Phelps had 12 points and 10 rebounds in Texas A&M's home victory over Abilene Christian. Taylor's 15 points passed Vernon Smith, who scored 1,778 points at A&M from 1977-81, for second on Texas A&M's all-time scoring list. Taylor now has 1,779 career points and needs 212 more to pass Bernard King, who scored 1,990 points from 1999-2003, as Texas A&M’s all-time scoring leader. The Aggies (11-2) opened the game on a 7-0 run and never looked back. Texas A&M led 48-29 at halftime and ended the game on a 12-0 run over the final 5:24. Quion Williams led Abilene Christian (8-6) with 14 points. MEMPHIS 87, NO. 16 MISSISSIPPI 70: Colby Rogers scored 28 points and Moussa Cisse had 13 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks as host Memphis defeated Mississippi. PJ Haggerty finished with 17 points as Memphis (10-3) won for the third time in four games. Sean Pedulla led Ole Miss (11-2) with 13 points and four assists. Jaylen Murray scored 12 and Malik Dia 11 as the Rebels had their five-game winning streak halted. Memphis' defense caused early problems for the Rebels, and the Tigers extended their lead to double digits. But, Ole Miss made five straight field goals, including a string of 3-pointers, to get back into the game before halftime, trailing by just two points at the break. Get local news delivered to your inbox!