9 holiday gifts to hit the right note for music loversThe line item on the Halton Hills council agenda seemed routine enough. Councillors were poised to look at proposed terms of reference for a document that would delve into how people in this growing town would be moving around in the decades to come. It’s the kind of document municipalities regularly put together to shape future roadways, bike lanes, stoplight placement and the like. If some councillors were surprised to notice more residents showing up than usual for this particular session, they were stunned by what happened next. Constituents, including longtime neighbours, began accusing the council of laying the groundwork for a shadowy international plot. It was meant, they feared, to imprison residents within their neighbourhoods, using technology that would also enslave them in other ways. “I found language (in the proposed terms of reference) that has the potential to open the door to 15-minute ‘smart’ cities,” a woman who has lived in Georgetown for more than a half-century told the August meeting. “If this document opens up the route to 15-minute cities, every single tower, every single connection to the wireless of that tower, will harm the people of Georgetown through 5G radiation poisoning, or electromagnetic radiation, and every tower will cause harm at every minute.” The crowd applauded. (It’s worth noting here that Health Canada says, based on the available scientific evidence, .”) Other deputants stepped forward. They said Halton Hills risks falling prey to the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, facial-recognition technology and checkpoints to restrict their movements between the town’s scattered communities. The 15-minute cities conspiracy theory had officially arrived in Halton Hills. Conspiratorial ruminations have jumped from online forums to local council meetings. It’s a situation that’s influencing proposals and debate over good-faith attempts to make communities less car reliant with more options for walking and biking under what’s known as the 15-minute city concept. Many politicians say they’re bewildered. Some are frustrated. But others are lining up with residents and sharing their fears. Warnings across social media channels and podcasts about a global plot to restrict freedom of movement — under the guise of measures to discourage car use, curb climate change and introduce “smart city” technologies — emerged in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. They’ve grown ever louder since. As the U.S. under president-elect Donald Trump appears set to enter an era that mainstreams conspiracy theories about government intentions, unfounded fears over 15-minute cities are, on a much more local level, affecting the language some communities use to describe their new mobility options. Some people fear that backlash over imagined plots could begin to shape the communities themselves. Jane Fogal, a Halton Hills councillor for 27 years, said she couldn’t believe the statements at the August meeting triggered by a preliminary planning document written by town staff that doesn’t even mention the — or recommend any specific changes to the town. “It came as a big surprise, to me, the level of paranoia and distrust of those of us who are councillors,” said Fogal. She said she knew some of those questioning the aims of council and town staff to be “completely reasonable people.” “That anyone could believe that the municipal level of government that’s all about helping people — providing them with playgrounds, trails, ways to enjoy the entire town — that these people have been made to feel they can’t trust us, that we’re evil people who have a plan to contain them — it’s transformative, it’s unbelievable. “I believe that it was just Halton Hills’s turn to have a mobility master plan, that’s why it became an issue here, but I’m sure that idea of 15-minute neighbourhoods is bubbling up all over the country.” Even without communities explicitly trying to adopt a 15-minute city framework, councils have seen similar protests in other parts of the GTA, including Pickering and Aurora, other parts of Ontario from up to , and in other provinces. Some right-wing groups affiliated with the convoy movement give residents , including Toronto’s efforts to . The Canadian Institute of Planners that “misinformation” about the concept “has resulted in alarming instances of hostile behaviour and threats toward planners and public servants, disruptive conduct in consultation meetings, and the need for law enforcement interventions.” The backlash is shaping how municipalities describe their efforts to make communities more bikeable and walkable, avoiding terms that could trigger protest, while resisting calls to reject any initiatives that offer people more non-vehicle options. Efforts to curb suburban sprawl and make communities less car reliant have been largely embraced by cities around the world for decades. The planning institute notes that “most urban areas built prior to the overwhelming proliferation of cars have the structure of a 15-minute city.” Goals include convenience for residents, equity for people who can’t afford or don’t want a car, the health benefits of increased walking and biking, and carbon reduction benefits from reduced private vehicle use. Prof. Carlos Moreno, a Paris-based urbanist, coined the “15-minute city” that called for cities to be reimagined around ecology, proximity to activities, community connections and citizen participation. Moreno told the New York Times in 2023 that conspiracy theorists quickly turned him from a researcher into an evil character like Adolf Hitler or Pol Pot. “I have become, in one week, Public Enemy No. 1,” he said, adding it was unclear how to fight such unfounded allegations. “I’m not totally sure what is the best reaction — to respond, to not respond, to call a press conference, to write a press release,” he said. Academics, he said, “are relatively alone.” Although the concept did find fans among some city leaders, , many people previously uninterested in urban planning soon came to see it not as about mobility choice, but as an attempt to limit vehicle use, paving the road toward a future ban on vehicles. At the Halton Hills meeting, Mayor Ann Lawlor joined Fogal and other council members trying to assure residents that the mobility plan terms of reference — a framework to launch public consultation to inform future proposals — were not part of a plot to enslave them. But Coun. D’Arcy Keene questioned town staff’s use of the word “mobility” rather than “transportation” and told the crowd, to cheers: “This is just the beginning of the inevitable result — restrict people’s movement, take away their freedom of mobility.” Halton Hills Coun. D’Arcy Keene objected to a town report on mobility options that did not stress the primacy of the privately owned automobile. Keene and Coun. Joseph Racinsky questioned town staff’s proposed bullet points to help frame consultation — that the mobility plan should “encourage alternative forms of transportation such as walking, cycling and public transit” and also “reduce dependency on passenger vehicles and increase the modal share of public transit and active transportation.” Those aims, widely promoted by municipalities in recent decades, were a red flag to Keene, a first-term councillor and business owner. “Primacy of the privately owned automobile is the primary source of transportation for this community,” he told council. “That’s what is missing from this report and needs to be included.” Racinsky convinced a majority of his colleagues to erase the goals of encouraging walking and cycling, and reducing dependency on private vehicles, arguing transportation priorities should come from residents and not town staff. The mayor voted with him, but said she had no doubt the final plan would include those goals. In an interview later, Keene applauded residents for questioning town staff and his council colleagues and for resisting efforts to impose an ideology he said is completely at odds with their semi-rural, car-based lifestyle. “There are overall trends on a national and international level — to call it conspiracy theories is offensive,” he said. “Transglobal organizations — government organizations and NGOs, ‘gongos’ I call them — are constantly coming up with new ways to affect people’s lives that (Halton Hills residents) have no interest in hearing about.” Keene said he believes “the power of the unelected administrative state has grown exponentially in the last 20 years,” and questions why town staff want a new mobility plan at all. He branded the proposed terms of reference “a complete minimization of the privately owned automobile as the primary source of transportation in our community. It’s clearly an anti-car report and it ignores the needs and desires of my constituents, and I’m extremely upset about it.” The town of Halton Hills said the mobility plan “isn’t a movement away from cars, but more about encouraging alternative transportation options” and “will be addressing all modes of travel from automobiles, to cycling, to walking, transit and shared mobility.” Chris Mills, the town’s chief administrative officer, told the Star: “It’s unfortunate that the term ’15-minute cities’ has been so misunderstood, it has nothing to do with restricting people’s movements. “Basically, the concept is to construct communities with amenities that people could get to by walking or riding in 15 minutes if they choose to do so. The option to drive will always be there. The more common term we use in Halton Hills is ‘complete communities’ or ‘compact form.’” As to Keene’s statement about “the unelected administrative state,” Mills added that “Over the past 20 years, town staff have increased to meet the expectations of the community and the standards set by council.” At Aurora council last year, a deputant was after a presentation that included dire warnings about the threat of 15-minute cities. Edmonton council earlier this year took the unusual step of , adding that new plans “shall not restrict freedom of movement, association, and commerce in accordance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.” A small group of protesters gathered in Edmonton in February last year to protest the 15-minute city. The city later addressed conspiracy thoeries in a bylaw. An August meeting of city council in Brandon, Man. saw members of an overflow crowd accuse council members of . Carmen Celestini, a University of Waterloo researcher studying conspiracy theories, said online theorists linking benign efforts to improve health and convenience have mobilized a lot of regular people who, during pandemic isolation, retreated deep into their smartphones and online communities protesting lockdown measures. “Most people think conspiracy theorists have the tinfoil hat, but a lot of them are upper or middle class. They’re well-educated,” she said. “If they already distrust government or feel disengaged, their voice isn’t there, these things can make sense to them, they don’t seem far-fetched. But 15-minute cities are about livability — nothing ominous or evil.” Celestini added that “conspiracies are absolutely having an impact on politics at all levels, globally,” triggering baseless moral panics about critical race theory, “groomer” pedophile rings and prompting some politicians to vow to never engage with the World Economic Forum. Governments have a difficult task pushing back against conspiracy theories, Celestini said. “Those who believe in conspiracies do not trust politicians nor do they trust legacy media, so any pronouncements from these groups will be understood as ‘trying to control’ or ‘lies,’” she said. “I do not think there is a concrete form of fighting back this tide, but whatever is done must be a global response, because the internet is borderless,” and so too are the conspiracies and fears. It’s been challenging to pinpoint the source of conspiracy theories. Some people note that fighting efforts to reduce private vehicle use . Others point to intent on pitting Western nation citizens against each other. What is clear is that many residents deeply believe in the threat to their communities. Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe said his city is “ground zero” for municipalities coping with conspiracy theories. Pickering council is, according to Mayor Kevin Ashe, “ground zero” for municipalities coping with conspiracy theories, “including the globalist agenda, space force police, geo-engineering with chemtrails — it’s a small minority of residents, but it’s here.” He blames Coun. Lisa Robinson who, he said, “finds links to 15-minute cities and other like-minded thinking in all kinds of reports that have nothing to do with planning.” Robinson, a councillor for violating its code of conduct since her election in October 2022, said in an email that language promoting 15-minute cities “resembles a system of control rather than empowerment,” and pointed to surveillance and movement controls in China. “The pandemic exposed how governments can use fear to justify sweeping control, and it has made more people vigilant, recognizing that when only one side of the story is permitted, it’s often a red flag that the full truth is being concealed,” she said. Ashe rejected the idea that encouraging alternatives to private vehicles use is in any way nefarious, but concedes that protests by Robinson and her followers are affecting the way the city describes such initiatives. “Our staff and councillors are hesitant to use that (15-minute city) terminology. We don’t want our council chambers filled with conspiracy theorists. We don’t want our municipal agenda hijacked by the alt-right delegates. It’s unfortunate we have to couch our language,” Ashe said. “Hopefully it’s not changing policy,” in any communities, he added. Back at the Halton Hills meeting, a resident warns council members that, while he welcomes assurances they are not trying to force UN sustainability goals onto the community, “You will not be able to scare the people of Georgetown, who see the weather acting normal on a daily basis.” Any attempt to sneak a reduction in carbon emissions into city plans, he added, will result “in the council being thrown out.” Fogal said later she believes a majority of her council colleagues are determined to give residents more ways to get around and enjoy the town even if it means more accusations and more tough meetings. “I don’t want people to think we’re not going to do it because of this opposition. You’ve got to stick with your principles.”party casino slots 。

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Company experts offer predictions across key sectors to help businesses navigate the unexpected MEMPHIS, Tenn. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sedgwick , a leading global provider of claims management, loss adjusting and technology-enabled business solutions, has published its Forecasting 2025 thought leadership report . In preparing the report, Sedgwick's experts conducted research and engaged with clients for notable insights to forecast trends across key sectors and topics. The content focuses on ensuring organizations are aware of new risks and evolving trends and helping them navigate the unexpected in the year ahead. The Forecasting 2025 thought leadership report highlights trends related to: "2024 was a seismic year across industry sectors as companies navigated the unexpected, and 2025 will be no different," said Kimberly George, Sedgwick's Global Chief Brand Officer . "These predictions serve as a barometer for what's to come, so leaders around the world can prepare accordingly." The trends and predictions in the Forecasting 2025 report will be monitored by Sedgwick's experts throughout the year and serve as part of a larger thought leadership strategy to keep clients and partners informed. With this, Sedgwick will launch a new podcast featuring in-depth conversations with its experts and client partners on a new topic each month. For more on the report insights, visit sedgwick.com . About Sedgwick Sedgwick is a leading global provider of claims management, loss adjusting and technology-enabled business solutions. The company provides a broad range of resources tailored to clients' specific needs in casualty, property, marine, benefits, brand protection and other lines. At Sedgwick, caring counts; through the dedication and expertise of over 33,000 colleagues across 80 countries, the company takes care of people and organizations by mitigating and reducing risks and losses, promoting health and productivity, protecting brand reputations, and containing costs that can impact performance. Sedgwick's majority shareholder is The Carlyle Group; Stone Point Capital LLC, Altas Partners, CDPQ, Onex and other management investors are minority shareholders. For more, see sedgwick.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sedgwick-shares-major-trends-in-forecasting-2025-report-302330767.html SOURCE Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc.

* * A magnitude 7.6 earthquake, with the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture at its epicenter, struck at 4:10 p.m. on Jan. 1. The quake registered a seismic intensity of 7 on the Japanese scale in Wajima and Shika as well as upper 6 in Nanao, Suzu, Anamizu and Noto. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued the first major tsunami warning since the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011. The tsunami reached a wide area which included Ishikawa, Toyama, Niigata and Yamagata prefectures. A total of 228 people died as a direct result of the earthquake, while 241 people have died in Ishikawa Prefecture due to quake-related causes, such as stress from life as evacuees, according to figures as of Dec. 17. Including quake-related deaths in Toyama and Niigata prefectures, the death toll from the earthquake totaled 475. The figure is the third highest among death tolls resulting from natural disasters since the Heisei era (1989-2019), following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake. Fault displacement resulting from the quake caused massive ground upheavals, which some described as being on a scale that could occur “only once in several thousand years,” mainly along the northern coastline of the Noto Peninsula. According to analysis by the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan, the upheavals reached as high as four meters in some parts of Wajima. More than 260 buildings were destroyed in a massive fire that broke out after the quake around the Asaichi-dori area in Wajima. The Wajima Morning Market is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the northern Noto Peninsula, with shops for lacquerware and souvenirs as well as stalls selling seafood and other products. Demolition of damaged buildings is underway, paid for using public funds. Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani became the first player in Major League Baseball history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. In addition to winning the National League home run and runs-batted-in (RBI) titles in the 2024 regular season, he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player. He left the Los Angeles Angels last December to join the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million contract, which was worth about ¥101.5 billion at the time. Surgery on his right elbow prevented him from returning to his two-way role as a hitter and pitcher, but he put his skills in running and hitting on display. Ohtani finished the season with his batting average of .310, 54 homers, 130 RBIs, and 59 stolen bases, clinching the home run title for two years in a row and becoming the first Japanese player to win the RBI title in MLB. The Dodgers won the National League Championship Series and played in the World Series against the American League champion New York Yankees. The Dodgers defeated the Yankees to win the title for the first time in four years. On Nov. 21, Ohtani unanimously won this year’s National League MVP, following being unanimously chosen as the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023. He also became the first primary designated hitter to win the award. The 33rd Summer Olympic Games opened in Paris on July 26 for 17 days of competition through Aug. 11. Japan took 45 medals — 20 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze — a national record for an overseas Summer Olympics. Japan ranked third in the number of gold medals by country and region, behind the United States and China at 40. Japan finished sixth in the total number of medals. About 11,000 athletes competed in 329 events across 32 sports. The Japanese delegation numbered about 400, the country’s largest for an overseas Summer Games. Haruka Kitaguchi won the gold medal in the women’s javelin throw. This was the first time a Japanese woman won a gold medal in an athletics event other than the marathon. Japan’s artistic gymnastics team won the gold in the men’s all-around event, upsetting China on the final apparatus, the horizontal bar. Shinnosuke Oka won gold in the individual all-around event and men’s horizontal bar. The sport in which Japan shone brightest was wrestling. The squad won 11 medals in the 18 weight classes, including eight golds. The women, currently the dominant force in the world, medaled in all six divisions, taking home four golds and two bronzes. Japan also got two golds each in men’s freestyle and Greco-Roman. The Bank of Japan began delivering newly designed banknotes to financial institutions July 3, marking the first renewal in 20 years. The portrait on the new ¥10,000 bill is that of Eiichi Shibusawa, the industrialist known as the “father of Japanese capitalism,” and the ¥5,000 bill features Umeko Tsuda, a pioneer of women’s higher education in Japan. Bacteriologist Shibasaburo Kitasato is the face of the new ¥1,000 bill. It has been 40 years since the portrait changed from Prince Shotoku to educator Yukichi Fukuzawa on the ¥10,000 banknote in 1984. For the first time in the world, a type of 3D hologram technology that makes the portrait appear to rotate when viewed from different angles was adopted as an anti-counterfeiting measure for the banknotes. The new banknotes use a larger font size or the numerals denoting the value of the bills. Also, the identifying marks on the notes that can be distinguished by touch are differently positioned according to the type of banknote to make them more accessible for visually impaired people. More than 20 robberies by “dark” part-time workers have occurred mainly in Tokyo, Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa prefectures since August. On Oct. 15, a man in his 70s was murdered and robbed of about ¥200,000 in cash by men who had broken into his Yokohama residence. Most of the perpetrators of these crimes were recruited to take part in the robberies through social media such as X. About 50 people have been arrested in connection with these incidents, including ones who actually committed robberies and ones who collected cash from them. About 80% of those arrested were in their teens or 20s. The National Police Agency has taken emergency measures to strengthen their analysis of smartphones belonging to the perpetrators. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito suffered a heavy defeat and lost its majority in the House of Representatives election on Oct. 27. The ruling camp failed to secure 233 lower house seats, the number required for a simple majority in the lower house, in the face of fierce public anger over money scandals involving LDP politicians. As a result of the 50th lower house election, the ruling coalition holds 215 seats, including 191 held by the LDP. In the final stage of the campaign it was revealed that the LDP headquarters had provided ¥20 million even to branches led by candidates who were unendorsed due to their involvement in a political funds scandal. This sparked further criticism. Opposition parties differed in their election outcomes. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan increased its seats significantly to 148 from the 98 it had before the lower house dissolution, while the Democratic Party for the People quadrupled its number to 28. The number of lower house seats held by the Japan Innovation Party decreased by six, falling to 38. Former Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Shigeru Ishiba was elected as the party’s 28th president on Sept. 27. Nine candidates vied to succeed then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the largest number since 1972, when endorsements from 20 LDP Diet members became a condition to file for candidacy. Kishida announced in August he would step down. In the election, Ishiba placed second in the first round of voting, but beat economic security minister Sanae Takaichi in a runoff. Ishiba became the 102nd prime minister after voting at the Diet to designate the prime minister, and he launched his Cabinet on Oct. 1. The approval rating for the Cabinet stood at 51% in a Yomiuri Shimbun survey held immediately after the launch, down from 56% logged by Kishida’s Cabinet in a survey conducted in October 2021 upon their launch. An Airbus A350-900 — Japan Airlines Flight 516, which was arriving from Shin-Chitose Airport in Hokkaido — and a Bombardier DHC-8 belonging to the Japan Coast Guard, collided and caught fire on a runway at Haneda Airport on Jan 2. While all 379 passengers and crew on board the JAL aircraft were able to escape, five people on board the JCG aircraft were killed. Only the Bombardier’s captain survived. The air traffic controller had addressed the JCG aircraft as “No. 1,” meaning it was to be the first in line to take off, and instructed the aircraft to run to the stop position before the runway, but the Bombardier proceeded onto the runway and collided with the JAL airplane that was about to land. The JCG aircraft had been scheduled to fly to Niigata Airport to deliver relief supplies to areas hit by the Noto Peninsula Earthquake. Nihon Hidankyo, or Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to eradicate nuclear weapons, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced Oct. 11. Nihon Hidankyo was highly praised for its continued efforts to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons through activities such as passing on the experiences of atomic bomb survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On Dec. 10, cochair Terumi Tanaka reiterated the call for the abolition of nuclear weapons in a lecture he gave in Oslo for the peace prize. Nihon Hidankyo is the second Nobel Peace Prize laureate from Japan, with former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato having won in 1974 for advocating Japan’s three nonnuclear principles. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical Co. announced a voluntary recall of three of its products, including the Benikoji CholesteHelp supplement, on March 22 after kidney illnesses developed in several people who had taken one of the company’s supplements made with benikoji red rice mold. In September, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said it had identified puberulic acid derived fom blue mold detected in the supplements’ ingredients as the cause of the kidney damage. The number of deaths suspected to be related to consumption of the supplements has exceeded 100.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will bring a new series to Netflix in December, revealing the “grit behind the glamour” in the high-stakes world of polo. The five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.Jimmy Carter, former US president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, dead at 100

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Edmonton zoo elephant Lucy gets medical OK as she approaches 50th birthday EDMONTON — The latest checkup on famed Edmonton elephant Lucy finds her in good shape ahead of her 50th birthday -- but not healthy enough to be relocated to join a herd. Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press Dec 4, 2024 2:42 PM Dec 4, 2024 2:50 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Lucy the elephant is seen at the Edmonton Valley Zoo, in Edmonton, Tuesday, March 21, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson EDMONTON — The latest checkup on famed Edmonton elephant Lucy finds her in good shape ahead of her 50th birthday -- but not healthy enough to be relocated to join a herd. Gary Dewar, the director of Edmonton Valley Zoo, says experts have determined the 49-year-old elephant's respiratory issues won't allow her to travel short or long distances. He says the gentle giant's overall health is good considering her age and says she continues to enjoy her retirement. The Asian elephant arrived at the zoo when she was two years old. In recent years, Lucy has made international headlines as protesters have been calling for her to be moved so she could spend the final years of her life with other elephants. Among the advocates for Lucy's freedom was famous U.S. television game show host Bob Barker, who said before his death in 2023 that elephants were not meant to brave Canada's harsh winter climate. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024. Fakiha Baig, The Canadian 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 Alberta News Smith noncommittal on overriding Charter as court challenge looms over trans bills Dec 4, 2024 3:02 PM Calgary police accuse former officer of using database to meet women Dec 4, 2024 3:01 PM CFIA makes second cucumber recall in less than a week in B.C., Alberta Dec 4, 2024 1:17 PM

Arsenal closed the gap to league leaders Liverpool to seven points and consigned Ruben Amorim to a first defeat as Manchester United manager with a 2-0 win over the Portuguese’s side in north London. Two set-piece goals in the second half were the difference, Jurrien Timber flicking home Declan Rice’s corner to break the deadlock and William Saliba bundling over the line after Thomas Partey headed another corner back across a packed six-yard box. Amorim’s United went close through Matthijs de Ligt’s header but struggled to make inroads against an Arsenal defence which was missing both Gabriel and Riccardo Calafiori. Here are three talking points from the match... Arsenal’s set-pieces the difference yet again “Set piece again, ole ole,” was the unusual chant around the Emirates during yet another big occasion when Arsenal’s prowess from dead-balls was the difference. Even without Gabriel, who has comfortably been their biggest threat from set-pieces this season, United simply could not cope with the hosts' quality from corners. Arsenal's new routine of grouping players at either post was hugely effective, with Timber’s opener a carbon copy of Gabriel’s goal which broke the deadlock in the 5-2 win over West Ham at the weekend. Saliba knew relatively little about his goal after Partey headed Bukayo Saka's corner back across the box, but it was a result of the panic Arsenal inspired in the United box from every dead ball. Mikel Arteta ’s side have now scored 22 goals from set pieces since the start of last season, and Partey and Mikel Merino squandered fine chances to add to that tally here. Throughout the first half, Arsenal struggled to establish their rhythm against a well-organised opponent, but Arteta’s side always have a way of scoring in cagey games. Arsenal increasingly feel in a league of their own from dead-balls in the Premier League this season, giving them an aura that led to jitters in the United box every time either Saka or Rice stood over the ball in the corner. Credit must go, again, to both Arteta and his set-piece coach Nicolas Jover for setting the standard for the rest of the league to try to match. With the top-flight more compact than ever, particularly after Liverpool dropped points, Arsenal’s quality from dead balls could prove decisive this season. Amorim’s organised United show promise United are too big a club to take much solace from a two-goal defeat but there were some reasons for encouragement for the new head coach. United struggled with Arsenal’s intensity after the break, and were fortunate not to concede further goals, but Amorim could still point to set-pieces as the only difference between the two sides in the end. In the first half, United frustrated Arsenal with an disciplined display, Amorim setting up with a back five out of possession and four midfielders who pressed smartly and held their positions. Rasmus Hojlund worked hard as an outlet up top, occasionally threatening to get in behind. United were canny at slowing the game down, fouling and being fouled while taking their time to build out from the back. It was not exactly pretty but it was a start, and a clear improvement of Erik ten Hag’s infamous ‘doughnut’ that was so easy for a side like Arsenal to play through. If it were not for a brilliant David Raya save to claw out De Ligt’s header from Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick at 1-0, United may have snatched a leveller and made more of a fist of the second half. Arsenal showed Amorim and his players the levels they must reach, but United at least feel like a club with a solid base to build from once again. Arsenal hitting their stride Arsenal’s wobble in late October and November now feels like a distant memory another impressive result, which made it four wins on the bounce since the November international break. Arteta’s side are building momentum at the right time going into the hectic festive period, and they increasingly feel like the hard-to-beat side of the second half of last season again. They found a new level in the second half here, with Rice, Saliba, Timber and Jakub Kiwior, who was impressive in standing in for Gabriel, helping to overpower the visitors. Arteta can take particular pride that his side ground out a big result without Calafiori and Gabriel, as Kiwior and Oleksandr Zinchenko deputised well. The question is whether Arsenal will have enough to reel in Liverpool but the Reds’ 3-3 draw at Newcastle should give the Gunners some hope, and ensured the gap is a little narrower going into their derby against Fulham at the weekend.Banque Cantonale Vaudoise lowered its stake in shares of Frontline plc ( NYSE:FRO – Free Report ) by 43.3% in the third quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 3,117 shares of the shipping company’s stock after selling 2,377 shares during the quarter. Banque Cantonale Vaudoise’s holdings in Frontline were worth $71,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Frontline by 5,319.5% during the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 5,292,977 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $123,750,000 after purchasing an additional 5,195,312 shares during the period. M&G PLC increased its stake in shares of Frontline by 27.2% in the third quarter. M&G PLC now owns 1,110,763 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $25,164,000 after purchasing an additional 237,446 shares during the period. Forest Avenue Capital Management LP raised its holdings in shares of Frontline by 12.7% during the second quarter. Forest Avenue Capital Management LP now owns 1,429,909 shares of the shipping company’s stock valued at $36,834,000 after buying an additional 161,518 shares during the last quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its position in shares of Frontline by 7.7% during the second quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 1,932,842 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $50,683,000 after buying an additional 138,011 shares during the period. Finally, Edge Capital Group LLC grew its holdings in Frontline by 31.8% in the 2nd quarter. Edge Capital Group LLC now owns 413,096 shares of the shipping company’s stock worth $10,641,000 after buying an additional 99,765 shares in the last quarter. 22.70% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have weighed in on FRO shares. StockNews.com raised Frontline to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 5th. BTIG Research raised shares of Frontline from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $30.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, October 7th. Fearnley Fonds upgraded shares of Frontline to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Friday, September 27th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group dropped their price target on shares of Frontline from $30.00 to $26.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating, four have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Frontline currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $27.26. Frontline Price Performance NYSE:FRO opened at $19.55 on Friday. Frontline plc has a 52-week low of $18.26 and a 52-week high of $29.39. The company has a quick ratio of 1.38, a current ratio of 1.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.40. The business’s 50-day moving average price is $21.49 and its 200 day moving average price is $23.74. Frontline ( NYSE:FRO – Get Free Report ) last released its earnings results on Friday, August 30th. The shipping company reported $0.62 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.65 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $409.72 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $383.88 million. Frontline had a return on equity of 19.73% and a net margin of 29.42%. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.94 earnings per share. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Frontline plc will post 1.88 EPS for the current fiscal year. Frontline Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, September 30th. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 13th were paid a dividend of $0.62 per share. This represents a $2.48 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 12.69%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, September 13th. Frontline’s dividend payout ratio is presently 93.23%. Frontline Company Profile ( Free Report ) Frontline plc, a shipping company, engages in the seaborne transportation of crude oil and oil products worldwide. It owns and operates oil and product tankers. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated a fleet of 70 vessels. It is also involved in the charter, purchase, and sale of vessels. The company was founded in 1985 and is based in Limassol, Cyprus. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding FRO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Frontline plc ( NYSE:FRO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Frontline Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Frontline and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Trae Young collected 34 points and 10 assists and the visiting Atlanta Hawks never trailed en route to a 136-107 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday night. Reserve De'Andre Hunter added 22 points for the Hawks, who have won four games in a row. Jalen Johnson chipped in 15 points, six steals and one block. Onyeka Okongwu returned after missing five games due to a knee injury and scored 15 points off the bench, Zaccharie Risacher contributed 14 points and Clint Capela had 11 points and 13 rebounds. Scottie Barnes had 19 points, eight rebounds and three steals for the Raptors, who have lost 10 straight games. RJ Barrett added 17 points, and Jakob Poeltl (groin injury) was back in the lineup after missing four games and had 13 points. Bruce Brown made his season debut and scored 12 points off the bench for Toronto, which committed 31 turnovers. Atlanta led 35-25 after one quarter, taking advantage of 10 Toronto giveaways. Toronto started the second quarter with a 6-2 run, but Young's 3-pointer bumped Atlanta's lead to 14 points, 47-33, with 8:36 to play in the frame. The Raptors then used an 11-2 surge to cut the margin to five with five minutes remaining. However, the Hawks stayed in control before settling for a 64-58 lead at the break after the Raptors' Chris Boucher canned a 31-foot 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer. Atlanta shot 43.8 percent from the field in the first half and had nine turnovers. Meanwhile, Toronto shot 57.9 percent overall during the first two quarters while committing 17 turnovers. Atlanta was up 76-64 with 9:21 left in the third quarter after Risacher's dunk following Young's steal. A 7-0 rally extended Atlanta's lead to 17 with 5:41 remaining in the frame, and Hunter's 3-pointer stretched the gap to 21 points, 99-78, with 2:53 to go. Atlanta had a 104-82 cushion after three quarters and saw its advantage reach as many as 31 in the fourth. --Field Level Media/Reuters

NoneKendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX'

CLEVELAND (AP) — Shortly after doing a face-down snow angel, firing a few celebratory snowballs and singing “Jingle Bells” on his way to the media room, Jameis Winston ended his postgame news conference with a simple question. “Am I a Brown yet?” he asked. He is now. And who knows? Maybe for a lot longer than expected. Winston entered Cleveland football folklore on Thursday night by leading the Browns to Pittsburgh Steelers, who had their five-game winning streak stopped. Winston's performance at Huntington Bank Field, which transformed into the world's largest snow globe, not only made him an instantaneous hero in the eyes of Browns fans but added another wrinkle to the team's ever-changing, never-ending quarterback conundrum. In his fourth start since Deshaun Watson's season-ending Achilles tendon injury, Winston made enough big plays to help the Browns (3-8) get a victory that should quiet conjecture about coach Kevin Stefanski's job. Some wins mean more than others. In Cleveland, beating the Steelers is as big as it gets. But beyond any instant gratification, Winston has given the Browns more to consider as they move forward. Watson's future with Cleveland is highly uncertain since it will still be months before the team has a grip on whether he's even an option in 2025, his fourth year since signing a $230 million, fully guaranteed contract that has proven calamitous. It's also possible the Browns will cut ties with Watson. They signed Winston to a one-year contract to be Watson's backup. But the unexpected events of 2024 have changed plans and led to the possibility that the 30-year-old Winston could become Cleveland's full-time QB or a bridge to their next young one. So much is unclear. What's not is that Winston, who leaped into the end zone on fourth-and-2 for a TD to put the Browns ahead 18-6 in the fourth quarter, is a difference maker. With his larger-than-life personality and the joy he shows whether practicing or throwing three touchdown passes, he has lifted the Browns. A man of faith, he's made his teammates believe. Winston has done what Watson couldn't: made the Browns better. “A very, very authentic person,” Stefanski said Friday on a Zoom call. “He’s the same guy every single day. He's the same guy at 5 a.m. as he at 5 p.m. He brings great energy to everything he does, and I think his teammates appreciate that about him.” Winston, who is 2-2 as a starter with wins over the Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, has a knack for inspiring through fiery, preacher-like pregame speeches. But what has impressed the Browns is his ability to stay calm in the storm. “He doesn’t get rattled,” said . “He’s just tuned in and focused as anyone I’ve seen at that position. Turn the page. There was a turnover, came back to the sideline, ‘Love you. I’m sorry. We’re going to get it back.’ He was already on to the next one, ‘How can we complete the mission?’ “I have a lot of respect for him. First was from afar and now seeing it on the field in front of me, it’s a blessing to have someone who plays a game with such a passion and want-to. You can’t ask for a better teammate when they take those things to heart and they want to play for you like we’re actually brothers and that’s what we have to attain. That brotherhood.” Winston has done something else Watson couldn't: move the offense. The Browns scored more than 20 points for just the second time this season, and like Joe Flacco a year ago, Winston has shown that Stefanski's system works with a quarterback patient enough to let plays develop and unafraid to take shots downfield. The conditions certainly were a factor, but the Browns were a miserable 1 of 10 on third down, a season-long trend. However, Cleveland converted all four fourth-down tries, including a fourth-and-3 pass from Winston to Jerry Jeudy with 2:36 left that helped set up Nick Chubb's go-ahead TD run. RT Jack Conklin. Garrett outplayed Steelers star T.J. Watt in their rivalry within the rivalry partly because Conklin did a nice job containing Pittsburgh's edge rusher, who was held without a sack and had one tackle for loss. Conklin has made a remarkable comeback since undergoing reconstructive knee surgery last year. Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. Their desire to build a dome is well intended, but an indoor game could never come close to matching the surreal setting of Thursday night, when snow swirled throughout the stadium and covered nearly all the yard lines and hash marks. “It was beautiful,” Winston said. WR Cedric Tillman is in the concussion protocol. He had two catches before taking a big hit on the final play of the third quarter. 9 — Consecutive home wins for the Browns in Thursday night games. Three of those have come against Pittsburgh. An extended break before visiting the Denver Broncos on Dec. 2. AP NFL:

Common medication drastically increases as dementia risk says studyTua Tagovailoa is my Start of the Week for Week 14, so naturally I should be excited about his pass catchers. Tyreek Hill, Jonnu Smith and De'Von Achane are must-start Fantasy options, but what about Jaylen Waddle? The safe answer is to call him a No. 3 Fantasy receiver in the majority of leagues. He scored at least 11.3 PPR points in each of his past two games against New England and Green Bay, but that's the only time this season he's reached double digits in PPR in consecutive games this season. He's topped 60 receiving yards just twice, he has more than four receptions just twice and he only has two touchdowns on the season. And this week, he's facing a Jets defense that is No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. But Sauce Gardner (hamstring) is likely out in Week 14, and four receivers have scored at least 11.9 PPR points against the Jets in the past four games. Waddle also destroyed the Jets in two games last season with 16 catches for 256 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets, and he scored at least 19.4 PPR points in each outing. Will that version of Waddle show up in Week 14? That's hard to expect given his body of work in 2024. Your best bet is to start him in three-receiver leagues, and maybe he can surprise us with a rare dominant game at home.