Pro Football Hall of Fame reveals 2025 finalists as one nominee ignites controversy 44 years after tragedy READ MORE: Texans 'stand behind' Azeez Al-Shaair amid outrage over tackle READ MORE: Trevor Lawrence's wife Marissa speaks out after brutal Al-Shaair hit By ALEX RASKIN Published: 22:48 GMT, 3 December 2024 | Updated: 23:06 GMT, 3 December 2024 e-mail 1 View comments Legendary Green Bay Packers receiver Sterling Sharpe and his former head coach Mike Holmgren are among the 2025 finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but there's a far more controversial name on the ballot this time around. Nominated in the Seniors category for players whose careers ended before 1999, former Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Tyrer was a six-time All-Pro and member of the AFL all-decade team for the 1960s while famously protecting quarterback Len Dawson's blind side. He won three AFL titles and one Super Bowl with the Chiefs franchise before ending his career with Washington in 1974. Tyrer was considered a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame at the time of his retirement. In fact, every other nonspecialist who was a six-time All-Pro and is eligible for the Hall has been inducted. But shortly after he was picked as a finalist for the first time, Tyrer shot his wife in a murder-suicide in September 1980. Tyrer had been dealing with depression and severe headaches that experts now believe might have been CTE, the degenerative brain disease that has been found in many former NFL players who endured repeated blows to their heads in their career. CTE can be diagnosed only posthumously. Tyrer didn't get voted in that year and wasn't nominated again until this year. Chiefs legend Jim Tyrer (pictured) shot his wife in a murder-suicide in September 1980 Brad Tyrer, son of former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Jim Tyrer, believes his father suffered from CTE. And it was this condition, Brad says, that led to the 1980 murder-suicide Read More Retired NFL star's father arrested for attempted strangulation Since the tragedy, Tyrer's son Brad and a doctor who treated the former lineman have both spoken out in his defence, insisting that the murder-suicide was the result of his football career. 'If it walks like a duck, it quacks, it has webbed feet and water goes off its back, it's not a zebra: It's CTE,' Doug Paone, the doctor who treated Tyrer days prior to the murder-suicide, told the Kansas City Star in 2020. '[Tyrer] would be the poster child for CTE.' Brad Tyrer insists his father was never violent or even angry until he started battling head issues. 'My dad was just a great guy, an all-around great guy; he didn't cuss, he didn't drink, you never saw him raise his voice at my mom, ever,' Brad said in 2020. 'It was just that something snapped. And that wasn't him ... It was somebody else who did that.' Fans, however, have been largely against the idea of enshrining Tyrer in Canton. One called the idea the 'height of lunacy.' 'He murdered his wife and then killed himself in 1980,' the fan wrote. 'And that is a Hall of Famer?' 'Jim Tyrer!' another added. 'That's not a story the league wanted dredged up.' Sharpe was picked as one of three finalists in the Seniors category for players whose career ended in 1999 or earlier, along with Maxie Baughan and Tyrer, in voting results announced Tuesday. Holmgren was picked as the lone finalist in the coaching category and Ralph Hay, who helped found the NFL more than a century ago, was the finalist in the contributor category. Fans were upset to see Tyrer nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame after the 1980 murder Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre (4) talks to head Coach Mike Holmgren as time winds down in the NFC Championship Game, a 23-10 victory over the San Francisco 49ers in 1998 Green Bay Packers receiver Sterling Sharpe (84) during a 31-22 loss to the Detroit Lions in 1989 Sterling Sharpe has a word with Packers head coach Mike Holmgren after a playoff game in 1994 The five will be grouped together for voting by the full selection committee in January. Voters can pick three of the candidates, meaning a maximum of three can reach the 80% threshold needed for induction. If no one gets 80 percent of the votes, then the leading vote-getter will get into the Hall. The selection committee will vote separately on 15 finalists from the modern era , with the 2025 inductees being announced during Super Bowl week in New Orleans in February. One of Brett Favre's favorite targets, Sharpe had a short but productive career for the Green Bay Packers from 1988-94. His best season came in 1992, when he became the sixth player to win the receiving triple crown, setting set an NFL record with 108 catches for 1,461 yards and 13 touchdowns. The brother of Hall-of-Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe, Sterling broke his own record with 112 catches in 1993 and led the NFL with 18 touchdown receptions in his final season, 1994, before a neck injury cut his career short. Sharpe was a three-time All-Pro and had 595 catches for 8,134 yards and 65 TDs. He trailed only Jerry Rice over his seven-year career in receptions and TD catches. Baughan was one of the top linebackers in the game in the 1960s for Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Rams. He helped the Eagles win an NFL title as a rookie in 1960 and made nine Pro Bowls in a 10-year span with one first-team and five second-team All-Pro selections. Sharpe and Baughan were never finalists during their time in the modern era category. Holmgren was one of the most influential offensive coaches, starting with his time as an assistant on two Super Bowl champion teams in San Francisco. He went on to coach Green Bay for seven seasons, winning a Super Bowl following the 1996 season. He coached 10 years in Seattle and finished with a 161-111 record, going to three Super Bowls overall. Holmgren also had a big impact on future coaches, with Andy Reid and Jon Gruden going on to win Super Bowls after working under him in Green Bay. Hay owned the Canton Bulldogs from 1918-22 and hosted the meeting the led to the formation of the NFL. He beat out a group of semifinalists that included six-time Super Bowl champion owner Robert Kraft. Green Bay Packers AFL Share or comment on this article: Pro Football Hall of Fame reveals 2025 finalists as one nominee ignites controversy 44 years after tragedy e-mail Add comment

Leicester 3-1 West Ham: Ruud van Nistelrooy's first game produces a stirring win to leave luckless Julen Lopetegui on borrowed time Jamie Vardy put Leicester in front inside two minutes at the King Power Stadium Bilal El Khannous and Patson Daka wrapped up the victory in the second half LISTEN NOW: Manchester City correspondent Jack Gaughan joins It's All Kicking Off! to explain whether Pep Guardiola will have money to spend in January By TOM COLLOMOSSE Published: 09:15 AEDT, 4 December 2024 | Updated: 10:16 AEDT, 4 December 2024 e-mail 10 shares 13 View comments As one era begins, so another may have edged a little closer to its conclusion as Julen Lopetegui felt the full force of West Ham supporters’ fury. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game as Leicester boss produced a stirring win as his side enjoyed the sort of luck that deserted Lopetegui when he needed it most. West Ham fans chanted ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ in the closing stages and though Lopetegui’s words after the game were defiant, he had the look of a broken man. Nine years ago, Jamie Vardy scored in 11 consecutive matches to break a Premier League record that Van Nistelrooy had held. This game was only 98 seconds old when Leicester’s extraordinary talisman put his team ahead, and Bilal El Khannouss doubled their advantage early in the second half. In between those moments, only West Ham will know how they did not score. Just before the second, they had a goal ruled out for a foul on Leicester goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, who so often kept his team in it. To add insult to injury, substitute Patson Daka made it three with time ticking away and West Ham sub Niclas Fullkrug’s stoppage-time header was too little, too late. Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester reign got off to the perfect start as they beat West Ham 3-1 The result may have pushed Julen Lopetegui closer to the exit door at West Ham Jamie Vardy got the ball rolling as Leicester took the lead inside the opening two minutes While the visiting fans voiced their anger, the under-pressure Lopetegui stood on the touchline, wondering how many more times he would do so in charge of West Ham. There has been little to show for the heavy spending that followed the Basque’s arrival last summer and he may now be on borrowed time. MATCH FACTS Leicester (4-4-2): *Hermansen 8.5*; Justin 6.5, Coady 7, Vestergaard 7 (Faes 60, 6), Kristiansen 5; McAteer 7.5 (Mavididi 73, 6), Ndidi 7.5, Soumare 6, El Khannouss 8; Buonanotte 7 (De Cordova-Reid 72, 6), Vardy 8 (Daka 60, 7). Scorers: Vardy 2, El Khannouss 61, Daka 90 Booked: Soumare, Vardy Manager: Ruud van Nistelrooy 7 West Ham (4-1-4-1): Fabianski 6.5; Coufal 6 (Emerson 62, 6), Mavropanos 6, Kilman 6, Wan-Bissaka 6; Alvarez 7; Bowen 7.5, Soucek 6 (Paqueta 62, 6), Soler 6 (Antonio 62, 6), Kudus 6.5; Ings 5 (Summerville 46, 6). Scorers: Fullkrug 90+3 Booked: Coufal Manager: Julen Lopetegui 5.5 Referee: Josh Smith 6 Advertisement Having frustrated fans all season, Lucas Paqueta was left out of the starting XI by Lopetegui, who has been asked regularly about his future in recent weeks. Paqueta was one of five players to be axed after the Hammers were thrashed at home by Arsenal. At least Van Nistelrooy will not have to handle such questions for a while. The Dutchman made it clear he will take no nonsense from this restless Foxes squad and he was as good as he word, leaving Wout Faes out of the line-up for the first time since October 2022. Van Nistelrooy has replaced Steve Cooper, whose reign was doomed from the start amid player dissatisfaction over tactics and management style. The former Nottingham Forest boss was not even mentioned by owner Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha in his column in the programme. Time to look ahead. Yet while Leicester looked more fluent going forward, it will take more than a change in the dugout to fix the defensive problems that have hobbled them all season. The away side took a remarkable 20 shots before the break and 31 across the 90 minutes, their most on a record in a Premier League fixture. West Ham were 5-2 down at half-time against Arsenal last Saturday and should probably have been leading by that margin at the interval here, even though Van Nistelrooy could not have dreamed of a better start. El Khannouss found Vardy haring through the middle and his finish was perfect, though initially disallowed for offside. As the players waited for the VAR verdict, the West Ham fans taunted Vardy with a chant about his family. West Ham finally found the net but the goal was ruled out for a foul by Tomas Soucek on Mads Hermansen West Ham's players were furious with the goal being disallowed and crowded the referee Bilal El Khannous doubled Leicester's lead just a minute after West Ham's goal was ruled out Sure enough, Vardy returned the compliment when the goal was given as he raced towards the travelling supporters, flapping his arms in the manner of a cockerel. Afterwards the first half was largely West Ham against Mads Hermansen. The Dane turned an effort from Jarrod Bowen around the post before clawing away a header from Danny Ings. Not long afterwards, Bowen was thwarted by Hermansen again. Hammers fans thought their team had equalised when Tomas Soucek’s header rippled the net. Lopetegui thought it was in, too – and the Leicester fans jeered when he realised the ball had hit the side netting. Then Bowen steered a perfect cross to the far post but nobody was there for the tap-in. The visitors were nearly made to pay when Facundo Buonanotte released Kasey McAteer. With Vardy waiting, Lukasz Fabianski blocked with his shin. Hermansen soon produced his best save, an instinctive left hand to stop Bowen steering in Edson Alvarez’s pass. From the corner, Carlos Soler volleyed just wide and in first-half stoppage time, Hermansen’s luck was in when he failed to claim a high ball but Lopetegui’s men could not take advantage. Lopetegui had hauled off the ineffective Ings and sent on Crysencio Summerville, with Bowen now through the middle. The West Ham captain created another good chance for Soucek, who squandered it. It was not long before Hermansen was back in action as he tipped over Mohammed Kudus’ deflected effort. And when West Ham finally had the ball in the net after Hermansen punched fresh air, the goal was ruled out for a foul by Soucek. Patson Daka put the result beyond doubt when he fired home a late third goal for the hosts Niclas Fullkrug pulled a goal back in stoppage time but it was too little too late for West Ham Vardy was brought off on the hour mark and given a big hug by Van Nistelrooy. The pair would soon be celebrating again as Leicester doubled their lead. Buonanotte sent McAteer scurrying through and El Khannouss drifted into space on the edge of the box to guide home the pass. El Khannouss then produced a delicious cross that drew a stunning Fabianski stop from Wilfred Ndidi’s header. At the other end, Leicester somehow preserved their two-goal lead. Summerville sneaked ahead of James Justin to prod Bowen’s cut-back beyond Hermansen but there was Conor Coady to poke it off the line. By now the Hammers fans were berating Lopetegui and VAR’s decision to disallow Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s third was no consolation. Sure enough, fellow substitute Patson Daka made it three soon afterwards and Fullkrug’s headed goal could not alter Lopetegui’s miserable night. Ruud van Nistelrooy Patson Daka Leicester Share or comment on this article: Leicester 3-1 West Ham: Ruud van Nistelrooy's first game produces a stirring win to leave luckless Julen Lopetegui on borrowed time e-mail 10 shares Add comment

Often undervalued and ignored even more than their film counterparts, animated shows have always been a television staple. But the confines of both the kids’ and adult animation subgroups have often unfortunately homogenized these series. After all, for those that turn their noses up at animation, how is the crude humor of Family Guy any different from the slapstick comedy of The Simpsons ? How does Rebecca Sugar’s impactful Steven Universe stand apart from the equally moving She-Ra and the Princesses of Power or The Owl House ? But when Arcane debuted in 2021, with the confident audacity to be released in a three-week “act” structure on the typically binge-or-bust Netflix, animated television’s magnum opus dared audiences to try to look away. But, for Netflix, going all in on Arcane was a no-brainer , having a long history of creative, risk-taking animation projects under its belt (and Riot Games footing a lot of the bill, comparatively ). However, the important difference between Arcane and the series that have come both before and since is that Netflix actually let creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee tell the story they set out to tell in its entirety, with little concession. While Netflix has undeniably had its fair share of animated hits over the years ( Bojack Horseman and Big Mouth immediately spring to mind), its animation offerings beyond those standouts are, frankly, scattershot, resulting in a proverbial graveyard of creative animated triumphs and misses that all ultimately failed to stake a strong foothold in the overcrowded catalog of the world’s biggest streamer. Much like everything on Netflix, its animation offerings are mostly a mishmash of “content” thrown at the wall to see what will stick, produced solely to drive subscriptions. The second a series fails to bring new eyes to the service, it becomes expendable. Blue Eye Samurai might be a bona fide hit for now, but it will only become less valuable to the growth-driven streamer over time, likely to result in an untimely cancellation. But unlike abandoned projects like The Midnight Gospel and under-promoted masterpieces like Scott Pilgrim Takes Off , Netflix (uncharacteristically — again, likely with a strong push from collaborator Riot Games) believed in Arcane , enough to propel the series to a number of Emmy wins, consistent viewership from season 1 to season 2, and a stunningly executed story from beginning to end. And, truly, the tale Arcane spins across those paltry 18 episodes is nothing short of brilliant. Following the tragedy of two doomed sisters, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) , this series takes the lore of League and transforms it into a moving examination of the basest human emotions contrasted against the most bastardizing, hellish abominations. Where anger and lust and love and grief take center stage, those beacons of mankind battle against greed, warmongering, fear, and artificial homogenization, morphing into a meticulously animated love letter to the messiness and beauty of humanity in a stunning package. The series’ first season opened with heartache and tragedy, and the anguish these central characters endure never truly stops until the credits roll on season 2. But Arcane admirably never becomes wholly masochistic, with the final act of the season allotting as much time to the poignant, moving connections between these complex characters as it does for bloodshed and battle. In the first of Arcane ’s three-episode finale, titled “Pretend Like It’s the First Time,” Ekko (Reed Shannon) and Heimerdinger (Mick Wingert) find themselves trapped in an alternate reality where Vi died during the sisters’ ill-conceived heist, preventing the deaths of their father and their friends, as well as ensuring Powder never morphed into Jinx. What follows is a beautiful dance between Ekko and Powder, as they flirt and bicker within the confines of their working relationship and this odd predicament Ekko has found himself in. The episode as a whole acts as a reprieve, contrasting this pulsating, heartwarming expression of connection and love against Jayce’s (Kevin Alejandro) trek through a hell of his own creation. Arcane has always been about the mystifying power of the Arcane and the larger whims and machinations of war, separation, and greed, but more than that, this series’ voracious commitment to these quiet, humanizing moments between its central players brings this beautifully untouchable world within tangible reach. Like Caitlyn (Katie Leung) states in her final monologue in the aftermath of their hard-fought battle, “With every loss, we found some light, some good worth fighting for.” And it’s Arcane ’s hope and belief in the power of humanity and connection that bleeds into the art that lights up the screen. Much like Ekko and Powder’s endearing dance, Vi and Caitlyn are allowed their own electric moment, once again contrasted against the act’s brutality and nervous anticipation. War-torn tension is replaced by teasing banter as these two are finally able to shed their armor and simply be with one another after outside forces kept them apart. While it may seem like blatant fanservice to toss a sex scene in the middle of the preparation for all-out war, the scene’s meticulous intimacy provides yet another example of what all this bloodshed, heartache, and war is truly for — what’s the point of risking life and limb to protect the sanctity of human connection and emotion if you don’t get to tug on those threads with someone you love? While some dubbed this season “self-indulgent,” throwing digs at the music video-esque moments and the languid pacing of this unavoidable, bloody conflict, Arcane ’s penchant for transforming universal emotions into large, bombastic sequences or heart-wrenching slow-motion tributes is exactly why this series is as captivating as it is. Episode 4’s “Paint the Town Blue” sequence is the distillation of hatred, rebellion, hope, and fear, communicating so much through splashes of blue spray paint and riotous stylization. Caitlyn transforms into a revenge-fueled leader; Isha fans the flames of hope in a newly invigorated people; Jinx becomes a larger-than-life figurehead of a rebellion she never expected — all communicated with no dialogue and a barrage of black-and-white images. And two episodes later, when Isha sacrifices herself to save her newly formed family, the watercolor fluidity of her short life with Jinx backdropped by the aptly titled “Isha’s Song” captures the fleeting beauty of life’s most precious moments. Arcane allots time for these breaks and pauses in its propelling story because they are the series’ most important. Sure, it’s interesting and fun to learn more about the mysterious Arcane, to dive deeper into Zaunian politics or watch as Piltover crumbles to violent regimes. But Arcane ’s insistence on making its audience sit with its characters’ innermost emotions splashed with color and illustrated to perfection showcases this series’ commitment to humanity more than any moving bit of dialogue or lore dump ever could. For every painstakingly animated twitch at the corner of every mouth that graces the screen, for every eyeball that flickers with emotion beneath the painterly, captivating style that has become synonymous with this series, Arcane posits that art itself is humanity, and emphasizes that through the clear love injected into every animated frame. While the three years between seasons 1 and 2 were nothing short of tortuous, the end result is too stunning and too moving to argue with. From the brutality of battle to the tearjerking weight of empathy and sacrifice, Arcane ’s beauty, success, and perseverance — both within its fictional world and beyond — is nothing short of a miracle, delivering unto us blessed viewers a tale combatting the increasing threat of AI and callousness, reminding us all that humanity and kindness is just around every bend for those with keen eyes to see. From beginning to end, Arcane utilized its animated prowess to tell a comparatively small, human story about two sisters who band together and fall apart while trying to make the world a better place, and its artful commitment to its characters, its style, its substance, and its heart transformed it into a singular miracle unmatched by anything else on TV. No matter what comes next for Netflix’s collaboration with Riot Games and the League of Legends lore, Arcane has cemented its place as a genre-defining project, changing animation on television for the better by daring to dream in vibrant, resounding colors. Animation Entertainment Polygon Picks Reviews TV

Vikings defense has had a big boost this season from the indefatigable Jonathan GreenardWASHINGTON — A top White House official said Wednesday at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations were impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. FILE - The American and Chinese flags wave at Genting Snow Park ahead of the 2022 Winter Olympics, in Zhangjiakou, China, on Feb. 2, 2022. A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. (AP Photo/Kiichiro Sato, File) Kiichiro Sato Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could grow. The U.S. believes the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. She added that Biden was briefed on the findings and the White House “made it a priority for the federal government to do everything it can to get to the bottom this.” US officials recommend encrypted messaging apps amid "Salt Typhoon" cyberattack, attributed to China, targeting AT&T, Verizon, and others. Straight Arrow News The Chinese embassy in Washington rejected the accusations that it was responsible for the hack Tuesday after the U.S. federal authorities issued new guidance. “The U.S. needs to stop its own cyberattacks against other countries and refrain from using cyber security to smear and slander China,” embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu said. The embassy did not immediately respond to messages Wednesday. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts White House officials believe the hacking was regionally targeted and the focus was on very senior government officials. Federal authorities confirmed in October that hackers linked to China targeted the phones of then-presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, along with people associated with Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris. The number of countries impacted by the hack is currently believed to be in the “low, couple dozen,” according to a senior administration official. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity under rules set by the White House, said they believed the hacks started at least a year or two ago. The suggestions for telecom companies released Tuesday are largely technical in nature, urging encryption, centralization and consistent monitoring to deter cyber intrusions. If implemented, the security precautions could help disrupt the operation, dubbed Salt Typhoon, and make it harder for China or any other nation to mount a similar attack in the future, experts say. Trump's pick to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kash Patel was allegedly the target of cyberattack attempt by Iranian-backed hackers. Straight Arrow News Neuberger pointed to efforts made to beef up cybersecurity in the rail, aviation, energy and other sectors following the May 2021 ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline . “So, to prevent ongoing Salt Typhoon type intrusions by China, we believe we need to apply a similar minimum cybersecurity practice,” Neuberger said. The cyberattack by a gang of criminal hackers on the critical U.S. pipeline, which delivers about 45% of the fuel used along the Eastern Seaboard, sent ripple effects across the economy, highlighting cybersecurity vulnerabilities in the nation’s aging energy infrastructure. Colonial confirmed it paid $4.4 million to the gang of hackers who broke into its computer systems as it scrambled to get the nation's fuel pipeline back online. Picture this: You're on vacation in a city abroad, exploring museums, tasting the local cuisine, and people-watching at cafés. Everything is going perfectly until you get a series of alerts on your phone. Someone is making fraudulent charges using your credit card, sending you into a panic. How could this have happened? Cyberattacks targeting travelers are nothing new. But as travel has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, so has the volume of hackers and cybercriminals preying upon tourists. Financial fraud is the most common form of cybercrime experienced by travelers, but surveillance via public Wi-Fi networks, social media hacking, and phishing scams are also common, according to a survey by ExpressVPN . Spokeo consulted cybersecurity sources and travel guides to determine some of the best ways to protect your phone while traveling, from using a VPN to managing secure passwords. Online attacks are not the only type of crime impacting travelers—physical theft of phones is also a threat. Phones have become such invaluable travel aids, housing our navigation tools, digital wallets, itineraries, and contacts, that having your phone stolen, lost, or compromised while abroad can be devastating. Meanwhile, traveling can make people uniquely vulnerable to both cyber and physical attacks due to common pitfalls like oversharing on social media and letting your guard down when it comes to taking risks online. Luckily, there are numerous precautions travelers can take to safeguard against cyberattacks and phone theft. TAUSEEF MUSTAFA/AFP // Getty Images Hackers can—and do—target public Wi-Fi networks at cafés and hotels to gain access to your personal information or install malware onto your device, particularly on unsecured networks. Travelers are especially vulnerable to these types of cybersecurity breaches because they are often more reliant on public Wi-Fi than they would be in their home countries where they have more robust phone plans. This reliance on public, unsecured networks means travelers are more likely to use those networks to perform sensitive tasks like financial transfers, meaning hackers can easily gain access to banking information or other passwords. One easy way to safeguard yourself against these breaches is to use a virtual private network, or VPN, while traveling. VPNs are apps that encrypt your data and hide your location, preventing hackers from accessing personal information. An added bonus is that VPNs allow you to access websites that may be blocked or unavailable in the country you are visiting. To use a VPN, simply download a VPN app on your phone or computer, create an account, choose a server, and connect. Robert Nickelsberg // Getty Images Pickpockets, scammers, and flagrant, snatch-your-phone-right-out-of-your-hand thieves can be found pretty much everywhere. In London, for instance, a staggering 91,000 phones were reported stolen to police in 2022 , breaking down to an average of 248 per day, according to the BBC. Whether you're visiting a crowded tourist attraction or just want peace of mind, travel experts advise taking precautions to make sure your phone isn't physically stolen or compromised while traveling. There are several antitheft options to choose from. If you want a bag that will protect your phone from theft, experts recommend looking for features like slash-resistant fabric, reinforced shoulder straps, hidden zippers that can be locked, and secure attachment points, like a cross-body strap or a sturdy clip. For tethers, look for those made of tear-resistant material with a reinforced clip or ring. Lauren DeCicca // Getty Images In order for the previous tip on this list to work, "Find My Phone" must be turned on in advance, but remotely wiping your device isn't the only thing this feature allows you to do. The "Find My Phone" feature enables you to track your device, as long as it's turned on and not in airplane mode. This is particularly helpful if you misplaced your phone or left it somewhere since it can help you retrace your steps. While this feature won't show you the live location of a phone that has been turned off, it will show the phone's last known location. With "Find My Phone," you can also remotely lock your phone or enable "Lost Mode," which locks down the phone, suspends any in-phone payment methods, and displays contact information for returning the phone to you. If your phone was stolen, experts caution against taking matters into your own hands by chasing down the thief, since this could land you in a potentially dangerous situation and is unlikely to result in getting your phone back. Canva Strong passwords for important accounts help protect your information while you travel, but it's just a first step. The National Cybersecurity Alliance recommends creating long, unique, and complex passwords for every account and combining them with multifactor authentication to create maximum barriers to entry. If you're worried about remembering these passwords, password managers can be a vital tool for both creating and storing strong passwords. Password managers are apps that act as secure vaults for all your passwords. Some even come with a feature that allows you to temporarily delete sensitive passwords before you travel and then easily restore them once you return. Story editing by Mia Nakaji Monnier. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Tim Bruns. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. KT Stock photos // Shutterstock

Warning over hiking apps after 'virtually identical' rescues on Vancouver North ShoreSAN JOSE, Calif. , Nov. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced that Nimrod Ben-Natan , President and CEO of Harmonic, and Walter Jankovic , Harmonic's Chief Financial Officer, will participate in a fireside chat at the Raymond James 2024 TMT and Consumer Conference in New York City , on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 8:20 a.m. PT / 11:20 a.m. ET and host investor meetings throughout the day. Mr. Jankovic will also host investor meetings at the Barclays 2024 Global Technology Conference in San Francisco , on Thursday, December 12, 2024 . A live audio webcast of the fireside chat will be available on Harmonic's website at investor.harmonicinc.com . An archived webcast will remain posted on the Company's investor relations website for 30 days. Further information about Harmonic and the company's solutions is available at https://www.harmonicinc.com/ . About Harmonic Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in virtualized broadband and video delivery solutions, enables media companies and service providers to deliver ultra-high-quality video streaming and broadcast services to consumers globally. The company revolutionized broadband networking via the industry's first virtualized broadband solution, enabling operators to more flexibly deploy gigabit internet service to consumers' homes and mobile devices. Whether simplifying OTT video delivery via innovative cloud and software platforms, or powering the delivery of gigabit internet cable services, Harmonic is changing the way media companies and service providers monetize live and on-demand content on every screen. More information is available at https://www.harmonicinc.com/ . Harmonic, the Harmonic logo and other Harmonic marks are owned by Harmonic Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/harmonic-to-participate-in-upcoming-december-2024-investor-conferences-302316838.html SOURCE Harmonic Inc.