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Editorials and other Opinion content offer perspectives on issues important to our community and are independent from the work of our newsroom reporters. ’Tis the season for year-end Top Ten lists, which I consume with gusto, even knowing annoyance lies ahead. Somebody’s list of top movies will contain films I thought were stupid; a new-restaurant Top Ten will invariably contain a place whose appeal baffled me. So, with the knowledge that my daily immersion in news and hot topics in no way guarantees universal agreement, here are my Top Ten stories of 2024, with “story” defined deliciously loosely, as either a single event, a series of developments or a compelling theme of this unforgettable year. 10. THE CRAZY DRONE STORY As I mulled this list exercise last month, I told myself that if these flying enigmas were still a source of concern after Christmas, they would make the cut. The top theories are mysterious tech that is ours, something from some other nation or, a recurring favorite, from some other planet. I’m a hard no on aliens, and I’m willing to hear from my government that they are ours and secrecy is a national security concern. But absent that, and since a foreign ally would probably own up to them, that leaves the prospect of sinister intent from a global villain. No matter how this shakes out, weeks of non-responsive befuddlement have been completely unacceptable. 9. THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR Weeks away from the third anniversary of the Russian invasion , most Americans have grown numb to a conflict that, to the credit of the Ukrainians and frustration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, shows no sign of a definitive conclusion on the battlefield. But the stage is now set for an attempt at a negotiated settlement, as Americans grow weary of further years of additional billions of insufficiently accountable taxpayer dollars funneled toward the noble but wildly unrealistic goal of forcing Russia from Ukrainian soil. 8. THE INEXORABLE MARCH OF AI Artificial intelligence is a technological miracle with the potential to yield innumerable benefits for our economy and our daily lifestyles. It also strikes fear with the threats it poses to human jobs and human creativity. Enthusiasm seems appropriate, and so do acute concerns. The modern world often develops the knack for doing things before we figure out the morality and efficacy of doing them. It is hard to imagine an area with higher stakes for getting it right. 7. THE RISE OF ELON MUSK A social media kingpin, an electric car pioneer or a private-sector space trailblazer would each dominate the news. Make them the same guy, then give him one of the most noticed roles in a new administration, and he constantly makes headlines — moving forward on the issues of online free speech, American tech, and in his Department of Government Efficiency role , federal spending. 6. ISRAEL’S WAR After more than a year of mixed American posturing and spotty support for one of our most vital allies, our approach toward this war may change as suddenly as the Ukraine conflict will on Jan. 20. Donald Trump has demanded that Hamas release Israeli hostages before his inauguration. Whether that happens or not, the Middle East is another part of the world that will notice a stark change as the new presidency begins. Halftime pause and spoiler alert: The Trump election victory is the obvious top story of the year, but its subplots were all so individually impactful that the whole package constitutes the top five. 5. TRUMP COURT WINS The dismissal of two federal cases and the collapse of the election-interference prosecution in Georgia adds to the mockery of the New York hush money case and a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity to create a historic backfire. Prosecutions which were supposed to shatter his electability actually accrued to his benefit, as supporters found fresh energy in the desire to make a statement against what they saw as political persecutions. 4. HARRIS HANDED THE REINS A candidate whose 2020 campaign did not make it out of 2019 was then awarded the vice presidency, rendering Kamala Harris immovable in 2024 as Democrats scrambled for a Plan B when Joe Biden’s infirmities became undeniable . A campaign of stunning ineptitude unfolded, featuring a nominee whom no one had voted for. 3. THE BIDEN EXIT RAMP People who said his performance and cognition were in decline were mocked until they were proved right. Biden promised to stay in the presidential race right up to the moment he got out. Was it his decision or a bloodless coup? Once the die was cast, the odd plot thickened as an already semi-present president virtually vanished from the visible scene, except to issue a wave of controversial pardons. From absolving his son Hunter to a wave of roughly 1,500 other pardons and commutations, Biden racked up the broadest sweeping clemency in presidential history. 2. TRUMP ASSASSINATION FAILS The bullet that came inches from killing him on July 13 instead left Trump able to rise from a bloodied stage to exhort the crowd to “Fight! Fight! Fight!” with a clenched-fist determination that even some harsh critics had to admire. The resulting imagery was emblematic of the trait that has fueled his constant popularity among Republicans and drove the definitive election victory — he is a fighter, taking aim at the people, institutions and opponents at home and abroad that he identifies as inimical to the American future he has described and pursued for a decade 1. A WIN LIKE NO OTHER Nov. 5 itself is the obvious capper, and while Grover Cleveland also regained the presidency after a defeat, our 22nd and 24th president was not shot at, hounded by weaponized prosecutions and vilified by a media culture that lapsed into daily full-blown activism against him. Nor did Cleveland power his way back with solid gains in several demographics he had lost before. Our 45th president soon becomes our 47th , certain to occupy several spots in the Top Ten of 2025. Yes, Trump’s Cabinet picks are shaking up Washington. That’s the whole point | Opinion ABC’s Trump settlement doesn’t threaten media, as long as reporters learn this lesson | Opinion

Hyderabad: Raghu Vamsi Group , a Hyderabad-based manufacturer of high-precision, life-critical products for aerospace & defence, space, oil & gas, and medical sectors, is investing Rs 300 crore in setting up a new facility spread over eight acres at Hardware Park near the Hyderabad international airport. To be spread over 2 lakh sq ft across three buildings, the integrated R&D, assembly, and manufacturing facility will be equipped with dedicated manufacturing bays for 15 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). The facility is expected to be ready for operations by the end of September 2025 and will create around 2,000 jobs over the next three years, Vamsi Vikas, Managing Director, Raghu Vamsi Group, said. The company currently employs over 800 people and has comprehensive in-house design and manufacturing capabilities, including CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, welding, forging, gear manufacturing, electronics assembly, surface coatings, and product testing. Laying the foundation stone for the facility, Telangana IT & industries minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu said the facility will create around 1,200 direct jobs over the next three years. Raghu Vamsi Group, which has beefed up its manufacturing capabilities through strategic partnerships and joint ventures with global industry giants such as ITP Aero of Spain, Rave Gears of the US, Adani Defence, and Part East Robotics, said it will now be able to specialise in three core verticals thanks to its ongoing expansion. These include high-precision contract manufacturing, which includes manufacturing precision parts and assemblies, including aero-engine subassemblies, fuel nozzles, valve actuators, and landing gears for leading aerospace, defence, oil & gas, and medical OEMs such as Boeing, Eaton, Haliburton, GE Healthcare, Collins Aerospace, and others. It will also enable it to build to specification critical sub-assemblies such as rocket motor casings, thrust vector controls, and air bottles for Indian govt agencies like DRDO, ISRO, HAL, and BDL. The company will also be able to manufacture advanced deep technology products such as loitering munitions, unmanned guided vehicles, micro turbojet engines for missiles and UAVs, and target simulators for the Indian defence forces. The Hyderabad-based company has already established itself as a key supplier of critical components for engines that power aircraft such as Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 MAX and also partners with global aerospace giants such as GE Aerospace, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, Safran, and Honeywell through the supply of precision-engineered components. The company, which has been growing at a CAGR of 35%, has an order book of over Rs 2000 crore and recently acquired UK-based PMC Group to boost its presence in the oil & gas sector.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A pair of conservative groups on Friday challenged a Maine law that limits donations to political action committees that spend independently in candidate elections, arguing that money spent to support political expression is "a vital feature of our democracy.” Supporters of the referendum overwhelmingly approved on Election Day fully expected a legal showdown over caps on individual contributions to so-called super PACs. They hoped the referendum would trigger a case and ultimately prompt the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify the matter of donor limits after the court opened the floodgates to independent spending in its 2010 Citizens United decision. The lawsuit brought by Dinner Table Action and For Our Future, and supported by the Institute for Free Speech, contends the state law limiting individual super PAC donations to $5,000 and requiring disclosure of donor names runs afoul of that Citizens United legal precedent. “All Americans, not just those running for office, have a fundamental First Amendment right to talk about political campaigns,” lawyers wrote in the lawsuit in federal court. “Their ‘independent expenditures,’ payments that fund political expression by those who are not running for office but nonetheless have something to say about a campaign, are a vital feature of our democracy.” Cara McCormick, leader of the Maine Citizens to End Super PACs, which pressed for the referendum, said the lawsuit attempts to undermine the will of the people after an overwhelming majority — 74% of voters — approved the referendum last month. “Super PACs are killing the country and in Maine we decided to do something about it. We want to restore public trust in the political process,” she said. “We want to say that in Maine we are not resigned to the tide of big money. We are the tide.” But Alex Titcomb, executive director of Dinner Table Action, argued Friday that the government “cannot restrict independent political speech simply because some voters wish to limit the voices of their fellow citizens.” Named in the lawsuit are Maine’s attorney general and the state’s campaign spending watchdog, the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. The ethics commission is reviewing the complaint, said Jonathan Wayne, executive director. The Maine referendum didn’t attempt to limit spending on behalf of candidates. Instead, it focused on limits on individual donations to super PACS, an area the Supreme Court has not ruled on, observers say. Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig, a longtime advocate for campaign finance reform, contends the U.S. Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue of individual contributions to PACs, and long-established case law supports the notion that states can limit individual contributions to PACs despite a decision to the contrary by the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Lessig, whose Equal Citizens nonprofit backed the Maine referendum, previously said the cap on donations imposed by the referendum "is not asking the Supreme Court to change its jurisprudence, not asking them to overturn Citizens United.”Terrorists exploit AI for propaganda and operations, exposing critical gaps in tech safeguards

By Jim Rossman, Tribune News Service (TNS) Everyone seems to be listening to something. I’m not sure what they’re listening to, because they all seem to be wearing headphones. I suppose they’re all listening to their favorite podcast or just their playlists. Here are a few gift suggestions for headphones that’ll make anything sound better. I’ve listed the retail pricing, but don’t be surprised if you find them on sale. We’ve all tried traditional earbuds. They can sound good if the fit is correct. The SoundCore AreoFit 2 ($99.99, soundcore.com) don’t fit inside your ear canal. Instead, they sit on the outside of your ear. The battery sits behind your ear, much like a hearing aid. The speaker is attached by a sturdy, yet flexible cable. The only adjustment is on the speaker end – it clicks to adjust the angle of the speaker to sit directly over your ear canal. The fact that they don’t insert into your ears means you can still hear the outside world, so you are not so isolated. These are great for jogging or biking. The sound is really nice. The full range of sound comes in very clearly and the form factor is comfortable to wear, even for hours at a time. There are four microphones, so your voice sounds clear on phone calls. They have an IP55 rating, so they can withstand water spashing, sweat or dust. They can also connect to more than one device, so you can keep them paired to your phone and laptop and switch easily between them. The AeroFit 2 can play for 10 hours on a charge. They live in a battery case that can keep them charged for more than 40 hours. The charging case can power up via a USB-C port or a Qi wireless charger. They are available in white, blue, green or black. The Soundcore C40i ($99.99, soundcore.com) is another fun option in a non-traditional form factor. Instead of going inside or even over the top your ears, the C40i earbuds are u-shaped and they clip on the sides of your ears. They are unlike anything I’ve ever tried, and they sounded surprisingly good once you get them in the right spot. They are a bit flexible, in that you can pull them apart slightly to get them in the right spot. Once you let go, they gently grip your earlobe. I must admit I was a little self-conscious when I first started wearing the C40i earbuds, as they look a bit like earrings. The fit is interesting. The end with the speaker sits in front of your ear canal and the end with the battery and action button goes behind your ear. You can adjust them on your ear until the sound becomes clear. It’ll be obvious to your ears when you have them adjusted correctly. If your earlobes are thin, there are some rubber sleeves that can help with the fit. You want them to be snug, but not to the point where they are pinching your ears. There is a customizable button on the back of each earbud for call and music control. They are on the small side, so the battery life is seven hours before needing to return to the case for a charge. The case can charge them twice more before it needs recharging. The case charges via USB-C cable, but it is too small for wireless chargers. The earbuds have a 12mm x 17mm oval shaped driver and the sound quality is very good. Voice quality on phone calls also surprised me with its clarity. They sync with the Soundcore phone app to let you assign the button commands and tweak the sound settings. They also can pair to two devices at once. Frequent flyers know all about noise canceling over-the-ear headphones. These headphones usually have active noise canceling, which uses microphones to listen to the ambient noise and reduce it before it can get to your ears. What I’m noticing is more and more people wearing these during workouts or just walking around. The Baseus Bowie 30 Max noise canceling headphones ($79.99, baseus.com) are fairly generic looking headphones, but their performance is incredible for the price. Baseus says the Bowie 30s can eliminate 96 percent of noise, but that actual noise cancellation will vary depending on the ambient noise level. I can tell you the noise canceling is impressive. There is also a transparency mode that lets in outside sounds so you can have a conversation with someone without taking them off. You can pair them to the free Baseus phone app to unlock some additional features including spatial acoustics, bass enhancement and low-latency mode. These connect to your phone or PC wirelessly via Bluetooth or wired with an included 3.5mm cable. They last an impressive 65 hours on a charge without noise canceling or 50 hours with noise canceling enabled. The ear cups and piece that fits over the top of your head are nicely padded and the entire headset folds up to take up less room in your bag. ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

DUP minister rejected suggestion licensing laws could be relaxed for jubileeSignificant milestones in life and career of Jimmy CarterNEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 13, 2024-- Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. (NYSE: BXMT) declared a dividend of $0.47 per share of class A common stock with respect to the fourth quarter of 2024. This dividend is payable on January 15, 2025 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2024. About Blackstone Mortgage Trust Blackstone Mortgage Trust (NYSE: BXMT) is a real estate finance company that originates senior loans collateralized by commercial real estate in North America, Europe, and Australia. Our investment objective is to preserve and protect shareholder capital while producing attractive risk-adjusted returns primarily through dividends generated from current income from our loan portfolio. Our portfolio is composed primarily of loans secured by high-quality, institutional assets in major markets, sponsored by experienced, well-capitalized real estate investment owners and operators. These senior loans are capitalized by accessing a variety of financing options, depending on our view of the most prudent strategy available for each of our investments. We are externally managed by BXMT Advisors L.L.C., a subsidiary of Blackstone. About Blackstone Blackstone is the world’s largest alternative asset manager. We seek to deliver compelling returns for institutional and individual investors by strengthening the companies in which we invest. Our more than $1.1 trillion in assets under management include global investment strategies focused on real estate, private equity, infrastructure, life sciences, growth equity, credit, real assets, secondaries and hedge funds. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com . Follow @blackstone on LinkedIn , X (Twitter) , and Instagram . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which reflect BXMT’s current views with respect to, among other things, its operations and financial performance, its business plans and the impact of the current macroeconomic environment, including interest rate changes. You can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of words such as “outlook,” “objective,” “indicator,” “believes,” “expects,” “potential,” “continues,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “predicts,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates” or the negative version of these words or other comparable words. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual outcomes or results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. BXMT believes these factors include but are not limited to those described under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) which are accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . These factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in this release and in the filings. BXMT assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events or circumstances. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213685391/en/ CONTACT: Investor Relations Blackstone +1 (888) 756-8443 BlackstoneShareholderRelations@Blackstone.comPublic Affairs Blackstone +1 (212) 583-5263 PressInquiries@Blackstone.com KEYWORD: NEW YORK UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FINANCE BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES COMMERCIAL BUILDING & REAL ESTATE CONSTRUCTION & PROPERTY SOURCE: Blackstone Mortgage Trust, Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/13/2024 04:15 PM/DISC: 12/13/2024 04:15 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213685391/enPlay-by-play announcer Willy Daunic provides Nashville’s keys to the Avs game

National chief urges MPs to send water bill to Senate before holiday break

Packers fail yet again to produce a premier performance against a top NFC team in loss to Vikings MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The top of the NFC standings are towering over the Green Bay Packers as they move toward the playoffs, casting a long shadow shaped like Vikings, Lions and Eagles over what has been an otherwise-promising season on both sides of th Dave Campbell, The Associated Press Dec 29, 2024 7:25 PM Dec 29, 2024 7:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Green Bay Packers' Jordan Love walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The top of the NFC standings are towering over the Green Bay Packers as they move toward the playoffs, casting a long shadow shaped like Vikings, Lions and Eagles over what has been an otherwise-promising season on both sides of the ball. For as well as the Packers (11-5) had been playing down the stretch, they left Minnesota with a rather murky outlook for the playoffs after stumbling into a 17-point deficit that proved too large for their late surge in the 27-25 loss to the Vikings on Sunday . “They continued to compete and battle, but you just can’t do that against good teams. The margins in this league, especially against a good football team, are razor thin," coach Matt LaFleur said. "I don’t think we were at our best, but that’s a credit to them in our slow start — and that’s me as much as anybody.” The Packers gained 126 yards in the fourth quarter and still finished with a season-low 271 yards. The defense allowed 441 yards, which was also a season worst. The most glaring set of numbers after this frustrating afternoon, though, was this: 0-5. That's Green Bay's record against the top three teams in the NFC: Minnesota, Detroit and Philadelphia. There's no shame in losing to those opponents that carry a combined 40-7 record into Monday, particularly when four of those defeats — save for the 10-point loss to the Lions on Nov. 3 — came by a total of 12 points. “It’s not about who we can and can’t beat. We can beat everybody. If we figure out how to finish, we’ll win games,” cornerback Keisean Nixon said. But the Packers will more than likely be on the road the entire time they're alive in the playoffs, so any path to the Super Bowl would undoubtedly trigger rematches with one, two or even all three teams from that daunting trio. The Packers clearly aren't overmatched by the Vikings, Lions or Eagles, but in games against those premier foes that significantly shrink the margins for error the Packers have shown a troubling pattern of not meeting the moment with too many ill-timed mistakes and not enough big-time plays. “It's hard when you put yourself in a hole and are down early and just kind of shooting yourself in the foot,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “There’s so much stuff to clean up and get better at, but I think we’re still a really good team. We can put up points. But when you put yourself in a hole, it’s just hard to climb out of that hole. And when it’s a good team like the Vikings, you know, it just makes it even tougher.” The red flag came right away. Josh Jacobs, the NFL 's fourth-leading rusher, had just given the Packers a second first down on the opening drive of the game when defensive tackle Jerry Tillery pushed the ball out and safety Cam Bynum recovered at the Minnesota 38. Jacobs had gone 11 straight games without fumbling until losing one at Seattle on Dec. 15. Now he has coughed up the ball twice in three games. “I feel like it drained the energy out of the team just starting early,” Jacobs said. “I take it personal on getting the team to start fast and things like that. Yeah, that’s on me.” Though the Vikings punted on the subsequent possession, they moved the ball enough to flip the field position. Perhaps wary of the fumble getting in Jacobs' head, LaFleur then called three straight passes from their own 15-yard line, and Love was off the mark on all three to force a punt. After a breakout performance here a year ago in a 33-10 victory over the Vikings that helped the Packers squeak into the playoffs after a rough start and ride the momentum through a first-round win at Dallas, Love looked awfully amid the cocktail of blitzes ordered by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores that fueled a fierce pass rush. He finished 19 for 30 for 185 yards and one touchdown. “They do a good job of keeping a lid on the coverage. That’s how they play," LaFleur said. "We knew that going in, so there was going to be minimal opportunities to push the ball down the field. You've got to be super efficient. You've got to stay on schedule because once they get you into third down, that’s where they’re really good.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, 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) Browns' Myles Garrett makes history with 2 sacks, but another loss leaves him frustrated Dec 29, 2024 6:53 PM Darnold gives Vikings another gem with career-high 377 yards in 27-25 win over Packers Dec 29, 2024 6:26 PM NFC's No. 1 seed comes down to Vikings-Lions showdown at Detroit in Week 18 Dec 29, 2024 6:16 PM

Arne Slot fires major Liverpool warning that's bad news for Arsenal and ChelseaGREENSBORO, N.C. (AP) — Ryan Forrest's 30 points led N.C. A&T over North Carolina Central 85-72 on Saturday. Forrest shot 12 of 18 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 7 from the line for the Aggies (4-10). Landon Glasper scored 25 points while going 7 of 17 from the floor, including 5 for 12 from 3-point range, and 6 for 6 from the line. Jahnathan Lamothe went 3 of 7 from the field (1 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with nine points, while adding eight rebounds. The Aggies stopped an eight-game skid with the win. Po'Boigh King finished with 21 points for the Eagles (6-10). Keishon Porter added 11 points and seven rebounds for North Carolina Central. Dionte Johnson also recorded 11 points. N.C. A&T took the lead with 1:28 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 46-39 at halftime, with Glasper racking up 18 points. Forrest scored 18 points in the second half to help lead the way as N.C. A&T went on to secure a victory, outscoring North Carolina Central by six points in the second half. NEXT UP Up next for N.C. A&T is a matchup Thursday with Elon at home. North Carolina Central hosts Saint Andrews (NC) on Tuesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

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ASX to drop after tech giants slide in the USLAS VEGAS — UNLV is reaching into the Southeastern Conference to keep momentum going for its 24th-ranked football team, hiring former Florida and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen on Thursday. He will be introduced in a news conference Friday morning. UNLV athletic director Erick Harper, in a news release, called Mullen "an innovator and nationally respected leader.” “The momentum of UNLV football continues to skyrocket with Coach Mullen coming aboard and is even more proof that our university is serious about success," Harper said. "Rebel Nation came alive while watching this program reach new heights the last two seasons and we are excited to keep it moving forward under the leadership of someone the caliber of Dan Mullen.” The 52-year-old Mullen replaces Barry Odom, who left for Purdue on Sunday after going 19-8 and helping the Rebels receive back-to-back bowl invitations for the first time in program history. UNLV will play California in the LA Bowl on Wednesday. Harper wasted little time in finding Odom's replacement. “These past two years, a foundation has been set to compete for championships, including being just one game away from making the College Football Playoff, which is a great testament to where we plan on continuing to be," Mullen said in a statement. "My expectation is to keep that excitement and momentum alive ...” Mullen, most recently an ESPN college football analyst, went 103-61 at Florida and Mississippi State. That includes a 34-15 record with the Gators from 2018-21. Florida went 4-7 the season before Mullen took over and then went 21-5 over his first two seasons at Florida. His record over the following two seasons was 13-10 before Florida fired Mullen. He was 69-46 at Mississippi State from 2009-17, made eight consecutive bowl appearances and reached No. 1 in 2014. The Bulldogs were 29-65 over the previous eight years. Instead of taking over a program coming off a losing season, this time Mullen inherits a team that is 10-3 and was in contention for a College Football Playoff spot before losing to now-No. 8 Boise State 21-7 on Friday in the Mountain West championship. It was UNLV's second straight appearance in the conference title game. But the Rebels will be losing some key players, including quarterback Hajj-Malik Williams, wide receiver Ricky White III, linebacker Jackson Woodard and defensive back Jalen Catalon. Woodard was named the Mountain West defensive player of the year and White the conference's top special teams player after he blocked four punts. Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .