nn777 hotai GERMANTOWN, Tenn. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., or MAA (NYSE: MAA), today announced that its board of directors approved a quarterly dividend payment of $1.515 per share of common stock to be paid on January 31, 2025 , to shareholders of record on January 15, 2025 . The increase will raise the annualized dividend payment 3.1% to $6.06 per share of common stock and represents the 15 th consecutive year MAA has increased its dividend to shareholders. As established in prior quarters, the board of directors declared the quarterly common dividend in advance of MAA's earnings announcement that is expected to be made on February 5, 2025 . About MAA MAA is a self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT) and member of the S&P 500. MAA owns or has ownership interest in apartment communities primarily throughout the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. focused on delivering strong, full-cycle investment performance. For further details, please refer to www.maac.com or contact Investor Relations at investor.relations@maac.com . Certain matters in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended with respect to our expectations for future periods. Such statements include statements made about the payment of common dividends. The ability to meet the payment of common dividends in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements could differ materially from the projection due to a number of factors, including a downturn in general economic conditions or the capital markets, changes in interest rates and other items that are difficult to control such as increases in real estate taxes in many of our markets, as well as the other general risks inherent in the apartment and real estate businesses. Reference is hereby made to the filings of Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, reports on Form 8-K, and its annual report on Form 10-K, particularly including the risk factors contained in the latter filing. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/maa-announces-increase-to-quarterly-common-dividend-302328178.html SOURCE MAAInfinity Nikki is blessing the world with its stunning visuals and fabulous outfits, and it’s available as a free-to-play experience. Many are wondering, however, if there are any Infinity Nikki gacha elements to worry about. Are there Infinity Nikki gacha elements? Infinity Nikki has you collect costumes for special abilities and gorgeous new outfits to wear in the game. While some can be received by simply progressing in the game, other outfits are exclusively gacha . How does the gacha system work? It works very similarly to Genshin Impact. You can get four- and five-star outfits from the Resonance (like Wish) system . With every 10 Revelation or Resonite Crystals, you’ll get a guaranteed 4-star or higher piece of an outfit. You’ll need to gain Stellarites or Diamonds to get these Crystals. Diamonds act similarly to Primogems if you’ve played Genshin Impact. You’ll gain them from completing quests and finishing in-game activities . These diamonds can be used to get the Revelation and Resonite Crystals. You’ll need 120 of them to gain one, so 1,200 Diamonds are required to gain a 10-pull. If you want to skip the Diamond grinding, you can pay for Stellarites, another currency that can be used to gain Crystals. They cost the following in real money: With the first top-up, you’ll get a double bonus. For example, if you spend $0.99 on 60 Stellarites, you’ll get a bonus 60 Stellarites for 120 in total. Certain costumes can be purchased outright. If you head to the bottom tab of the Store, you can access four different outfits, such as the Scalry Dream dress. They each vary in press and might be on sale.

The Houston Rockets winning back-to-back championships in 1994 and 1995 have a huge asterisk behind them. Michael Jordan was in the middle of his first retirement, and most people consider the Rockets lucky because of it. Chicago Bulls were competitive without MJ after the first three-peat, but they weren't a championship contender. Therefore, the Rockets had to beat the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic for their titles, teams widely considered weaker than the first three-peat Chicago squad. Confident Maxwell However, if you ask Vernon Maxwell , Houston's key contributor during those title runs, he is very confident his team would've beaten Jordan's Bulls in those years, too, had Mike not gone to play baseball. "We were beating their a**. Just google the times we played them when they were winning those six championships. Basketball is about matchups. And we couldn't get past Seattle. They were matching so well with us. And they ended up playing against Mike, but we always beat Mike," Vernon said on the It Is What It Is. "During those years when they won six titles, they beat us twice. It's not the playoffs, but shit, you got Bill Cartwright guarding fu***ng Olajuwon? Get the f**k out of here. We were going to beat their a**, and I wish it could've happened because we were the best team for those two years. Nobody was going to beat us because "Dream" was the best player on the planet," Maxwell concluded. Related: "I do know LeBron likes special treatment. He needs things his way" - Phil Jackson on why James' relationship with Pat Riley broke down Can't bet against Mike While we'll never know what would've happened if the Rockets and the Bulls (with Jordan) matched up in the Finals against each other in 1994 and 1995, it's still fun to do fantasy basketball. While Maxwell's point about matchups stands, and the Bulls would've had a tough time guarding Hakeem, Houston would have an even bigger problem stopping Jordan. Vernon quickly mentioned how his team beat Mike and Chicago in the regular season, but that's a critical point. Jordan would turn into a different animal in the playoffs, as he constantly raised his regular season averages series by series. The fact that he won six titles with six MVPs and his team never played seven games in the Finals speaks loudly about how clutch MJ was when it mattered most. It's admirable that Maxwell has the confidence his Rockets would've won, and he should have after winning back-to-back titles. But it's tough to find a better team than the 90s Bulls. And you can't bet against Mike. Related: Vernon Maxwell almost got divorced after celebrating the Rockets' 1994 championship for two weeks: "When I got back there, the locks were changed on that MF"Rewind 2024: Korea’s top 10 business stories

Nothing's guaranteed, but Bucs need to win out to give themselves best shot to make the playoffs

TORONTO — Canada's main stock index pushed higher to end Monday up almost 150 points on light trading action, while U.S. stock markets also gained. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 149.50 points at 24,748.98. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 66.69 points at 42,906.95. The S&P 500 index was up 43.22 points at 5,974.07, while the Nasdaq composite was up 192.29 points at 19,764.89. The Canadian dollar traded for 69.47 cents US compared with 69.61 cents US on Friday. The February crude oil contract was down 22 cents at US$69.24 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down six cents at US$3.35 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$16.90 at US$2,628.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down one cent at US$4.09 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) The Canadian PressIn this period of uncertainty, that provide a higher level of could be exactly what investors are looking for. in Australia remain quite high, so income-seekers may want to find investments that can provide a higher level of than a term deposit. Unlike a term deposit, ASX dividend shares can deliver growth, so I'm going to discuss two stocks below that provide a mixture of good , income growth, and longer-term capital growth. Universal Store Holdings Ltd ( ) Universal Store is an impressive , in my view, with a number of youth fashion brands. Its main business is its Universal Store shop network. It also has CTC (which trades as THRILLS and Worship brands) and Perfect Stranger. The business has more than 100 stores across Australia. In my opinion, this business already has an impressive dividend record. It started paying a dividend in 2021 and has paid a dividend every year since then. Some other ASX retail shares have cut their dividends in the last couple of years amid the and elevated cost of living. The ASX dividend share paid an annual dividend per share of 35.5 cents in FY24, which translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 6.5%, including . Universal Store's recent showed very promising numbers to help dividend growth in the 2025 financial year. The company announced its FY25 year-to-date direct-to-customer sales were up 19.3% year over year. Universal Store's total sales were up 15.5%, Perfect Stranger's total sales were up 111.1%, and CTC's total sales grew 7.4%. The company said its store rollout is on track to open nine to 15 new stores in FY25, with seven expected to open by Christmas. It said its was in line with the second half of FY24. However, its cost of doing business as a percentage of sales was approximately 1% above the prior year because of inflation pressures and investments in its team's capability. According to the forecasts on Commsec, Universal Store is valued at 16x FY25's estimated earnings. MFF Capital Investments Ltd ( ) and . Impressively, thanks to the quality-focused portfolio, MFF shares have delivered average total shareholder returns (TSR) per annum of 12.1%, which doesn't include the benefits of . In terms of passive income, MFF has grown its annual ordinary dividend every year since 2018, which is a solid and growing record. One reason I like this investment is that we can buy the ASX dividend shares at a discount to their underlying value, called the . In other words, we can buy $1 of shares for 90 cents (if the NTA discount were 10%). As of 29 November 2024, its pre-tax NTA was $4.85. At the current MFF share price, it's trading at a 10% discount to that value, which I think is an appealing discount. In FY25, it's expecting to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.25%, including franking credits.Rachel Reeves: We can't boost the UK's defence spending without making cuts elsewhereTips to ensure the Grinch doesn’t steal your Christmas

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Professor Biman Prasad, tabled the Reserve Bank of Fiji Annual Report for August 2023 – July 2024 in Parliament this week. The Report details the RBF’s audited accounts and operations for the financial year (FY) ending 31 July 2024. Commenting on the publication, Governor Ariff Ali stated that the annual report highlights the Bank’s dedication to accomplishing its mandates and continued efforts to support the Fijian economy amid unexpected economic developments and challenges. He said the economy is projected to expand by 3.8 percent in 2024, following a 7.5 percent growth in 2023, underpinned by the services sectors largely due to a better-than-expected outturn in visitor arrivals. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad also highlighted this in parliament while providing an update on the economy. Prof. Prasad said the Fijian economy has shown great resilience despite the global uncertainties caused by factors such as slowing global growth, global inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions, escalating geopolitical tensions and geo-economic fragmentation. The banking sector remained sound, stable and competitive during the FY, evidenced by strong capital positions, reduced non-performing loans and higher private-sector credit. Given this supportive environment, additional loans were not provided by the RBF under the Disaster Rehabilitation & Containment Facility and Import Substitution and Export Finance Facility. Ali added capital controls were progressively relaxed on the back of comfortable foreign reserve levels, and in June 2024, the RBF increased the delegated limits to authorised dealers on capital transactions and selected payments. “The insurance industry remained resilient and maintained a solvency surplus position, as well as satisfactory earnings and liquidity level,”Ali said. The Fiji National Provident Fund continued to meet its solvency requirement, while the capital markets exhibited growth in market capitalisation and funds under management by Managed Investment Schemes. The RBF’s annual report also highlights the Bank’s drive towards innovation and dynamism in improving and modernising Fiji’s financial system. One of the key accomplishments in the FY was the progressive work on the digital transformation of the country’s payment system. Phase two of the National Payment System’s automated clearing house was launched in November 2023, enabling instant interbank transactions between commercial banks, followed by the continuation of phase three on integrating Fiji’s mobile network operators for payment interoperability. As part of its continued focus on sustainability and inclusion, the RBF in June 2024 launched the “Natadola Roadmap to Inclusive Green Finance” in partnership with other Pacific Islands’ central banks, for the promotion of green financial inclusion across vulnerable Pacific Island countries. Additionally, the RBF together with the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives, MSMEs and Communications, and private sector institutions, signed the Women in Finance (We-Fi) Code in March 2024, to boost support for women-led MSMEs. Throughout the FY, the Bank commemorated its 50 years of central banking, which provided an opportunity for introspection on the Bank’s historical journey. The RBF also finalised its strategic plan for the next five years, undertaking a comprehensive review of the Bank’s core statements, and acknowledges the valuable contributions of the Board, management, staff, and key stakeholders.CLR Neurosthenics Logo LOS ANGELES , Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sports and recreational injuries send more than 3.5 million Americans to the hospital emergency room each year according to the National Safety Council. The problem is much greater in collegiate sports, where NCAA injury incident reports reached 1.3 million in 2022. Beyond soft tissue damage, these injuries include life-altering Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears and Traumatic Brain Injuries. To reduce the occurrence and impact of sports-related injuries, CLR Neurosthenics today launched CLR Advantage TM , a groundbreaking solution that employs interactive software and a wearable, wireless sensor network to collect real-time neurophysiological data while athletes perform pre-programmed physical exercises, cognitive tests, reaction games and position drills. This data is then used to instantly generate reports that reveal hidden deficiencies, indicate player readiness, and guide training routines for injury prevention, performance optimization and rehabilitation. Designed by a team of leading sports neurophysiologists and biometric engineers, patent-pending CLR Advantage TM utilizes FDA-approved qEEG brain wave sensors and physiological monitors to capture a continuous stream of high-resolution data, including cortical power, heart rate, heart rate variability, respiration rate, trapezoidal tension, galvanic skin response and peripheral temperature. The solution then employs NASA technology to process biometric signals and report on neurophysiological capabilities, including brain connectivity, power, activation and symmetry during various physical tasks and mental exercises. CLR Advantage TM finally correlates event-marked physiologic data to reinforce neurologic observations. For example, data may indicate certain risk in an athlete that exhibits an elevated heart rate, neurologic asymmetry and qEEG inhibition during a single-leg balance exercise. CLR Advantage TM recently completed a two-year clinical trial with 177 NCAA Division I athletes at the University of Cincinnati . Performed in partnership with Select Medical at the University's Sports Medicine Department, the study compared the neurophysiological performance of healthy athletes with those suffering from ACL injuries. Results from the study, which continues to assess injured athletes through various stages of rehabilitation, were published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy . To supplement ongoing research, CLR Advantage TM is currently employed by the NFL Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) to study ACL injury propensity through assessments that include a variety of dynamic force exercises. "For the first time, we now have a better understanding of exactly how the brain is impacted by an acute injury," said Robert Mangine, Senior Athletic Director of Sports Medicine at the University of Cincinnati and Residency Director for NovaCare Rehabilitation. "CLR Advantage TM allows us to look at brain activity as athletes progress through the rehabilitation, then use that data and musculoskeletal measures to determine a safe return to play." The Microsoft Azure cloud-powered CLR Advantage TM platform provides an end-to-end, HIPAA-compliant solution for operators to organize teams, create athlete profiles, schedule appointments, conduct assessments, monitor live biometric data, and generate comprehensive analytic reports. Offered on a subscription basis, the solution is available for demonstration at CLR Neurosthenics' Los Angeles Assessment Center. https://clradvantage.com/ For additional information contact: Mark O'Bryan (424) 256-7264 mark.obryan@clradvantage.com 1 https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/144/5/e20192759/38190/Soccer-Injuries-in-Children-and-Adolescents 2 https://perma.cc/9EG6-6TBJ ; Robert L. Parisien et. al., Implementation of an Injury Prevention Program in NCAA Division I Athletics Reduces Injury-Related Health Care Costs. 9 Orthopedic J. of Sports Med. (2023). https://ijspt.org/task-driven-neurophysiological-qeeg-baseline-performance-capabilities-in-healthy-uninjured-division-i-college-athletes/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/clr-neurosthenics-launches-neurophysiological-assessment-platform-to-help-prevent-sports-injuries-optimize-performance-and-improve-rehabilitation-302334112.html SOURCE CLR NeurosthenicsGame and Fish grants benefit National Archery in the Schools programs across North Dakota

Be Focused, Utilise Opportunities, Sanwo-Olu Charges YouthsPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 18 points as Temple beat Buffalo 91-71 on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 18 points as Temple beat Buffalo 91-71 on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Jamal Mashburn Jr. scored 18 points as Temple beat Buffalo 91-71 on Sunday. Mashburn shot 6 for 10 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Owls (8-5). Zion Stanford scored 15 points while going 4 of 9 and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line. Quante Berry had 15 points and shot 7 of 8 from the field and 0 for 4 from the foul line. The Bulls (5-7) were led by Tyson Dunn, who posted 11 points and four assists. Anquan Boldin Jr. added 11 points and three steals for Buffalo. Noah Batchelor also had nine points and six rebounds. Temple took the lead with 5:38 remaining in the first half and never looked back. The score was 39-29 at halftime, with Shane Dezonie racking up seven points. Temple outscored Buffalo in the second half by 10 points, with Mashburn scoring a team-high 13 points after intermission. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. Advertisement

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Vladislov Goldin and Nimari Burnett scored 17 points apiece and Tre Donaldson and Danny Wolf posted double-doubles to lead Michigan to a 112-64 romp over Western Kentucky on Sunday night, snapping a six-game win streak for the Hilltoppers. Goldin made 7 of 8 shots with two 3-pointers and 1 of 2 free throws for the Wolverines (10-3), whose three losses this season have been by a combined five points. Burnett did most of his damage on 5-for-7 shooting from 3-point range. Donaldson totaled 12 points and 11 rebounds for his first career double-double, while Wolf finished with 12 points and 10 boards for his sixth of the season. Sam Walters scored 13 off the bench for Michigan and Roddy Gayle Jr. pitched in with 11 points and four assists. Don McHenry sank three 3-pointers and scored 18 to lead Western Kentucky (9-4). Julius Thedford scored 11 on 3-for-16 shooting. Enoch Kalambay added 10 points. Gayle and Goldin both had 11 points to guide Michigan to a 59-31 advantage at halftime. The Wolverines shot 57.6% from the floor and made 11 of 21 from 3-point range in posting their highest scoring half of the season. The Wolverines topped the century mark on 3-pointer by Danny Wolf with 6:05 remaining for a 102-52 lead. It was the first time the two teams squared off in 17 years. Michigan has won 4 of 6 all time against the Hilltoppers. Michigan travels to play Southern California on Saturday in a Big Ten Conference matchup. Western Kentucky travels to play Liberty on Thursday in a Conference USA opener. ____ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-toWp-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Kurtis Rourke has made the Jon Cornish Trophy a family affair. The Indiana quarterback received the award Monday, which is presented annually to the top Canadian playing football in the NCAA. Rourke’s older brother, Nathan, currently with the CFL’s B.C. Lions, won the award twice in 2017 and 2018 at Ohio. “It’s awesome,” Rourke said. “Kind of getting introduced to the Jon Cornish Trophy back when Nathan won it a couple of times, I wanted to be able to have a shot and it was one of my goals to be in the conversation, be in the running. “It just means a ton to be recognized just because Canadian athletes don’t get recognized too often. I’m just so glad we’re able to get that recognition and continue to do it for our country.” Rourke finished first in voting ahead of Montreal’s Dariel Djabome, a junior linebacker at Rutgers. Stanford receiver Elic Ayomanor, last year’s winner, was third, followed by Vancouver’s Ty Benefield (sophomore safety, Boise State) and Jett Elad of Mississauga, Ont., a senior safety at UNLV. Cornish, of New Westminster, B.C., was a standout running back at Kansas who went on to have a decorated CFL career with the Calgary Stampeders (2007-15) before being inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2019. Rourke transferred to Indiana last December to boost his NFL draft stock after five years at Ohio, where he began as a backup to his older brother. The junior Rourke then captured the ‘22 MAC offensive player of the year award despite suffering a season-ending knee injury before heading to Indiana after the 2023 season. Rourke was instrumental in Indiana — traditionally known as a basketball school — emerging as a Big Ten contender in head coach Curt Cignetti’s first season. After winning 11 of their first 12 games, the Hoosiers’ stellar campaign ended with a 27-17 loss to Notre Dame in the opening game of the expanded U.S. college football playoff bracket. Rourke finished 20-of-33 passing for 215 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in that contest. Overall, Rourke completed 222 of 320 passes (69.4 per cent) for 3,042 yards with 29 TDs and five interceptions. “What a privilege, opportunity to come join a program that had so much to prove,” Rourke said. “It kind of aligned with what I was wanting to do, which was prove I could play at a higher level.” The six-foot-five, 223-pound Rourke was named a finalist for the Manning Award, presented annually to the NCAA’s top quarterback. He was also ninth in voting for the Heisman Trophy as U.S. college football’s outstanding player. “College football has been everything to me,” Rourke said. “Starting off my freshman year to be able to watch Nathan grow and play in his senior year and just learn from him in both how to live a college life but also be a college quarterback as well. “I won’t forget my time at Ohio at all, it really created me and moulded me into the person, player I am. I’m extremely grateful for the entire college football experience.” The former Holy Trinity star becomes just the second Canadian high school graduate to claim the Jon Cornish Trophy. Chuba Hubbard, of Sherwood Park, Alta., and currently with the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, did so in 2019 while at Oklahoma State. The six-foot-two, 240-pound Djabome recorded 102 tackles (48 solo), three sacks and two forced fumbles this season. Rutgers faces Kansas State in the Rate Bowl on Boxing Day. The six-foot-two, 210-pound Ayomanor, a redshirt junior, was one of the few bright spots this season for Stanford (3-9). He registered 63 catches for 831 yards and six TDs after recording 62 receptions for 1,013 yards and six touchdowns in 2023. Last week, Ayomanor declared for the ‘25 NFL draft. The six-foot-two, 204-pound Benefield led Boise State in tackles (73), solo tackles (53) and interceptions (two) while also registering five tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and two recoveries. The Broncos are the third seed in U.S. college football’s expanded playoffs and face Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. Elad registered 55 tackles, an interception and six pass knockdowns during the regular season. He added 12 tackles (nine solo) and a sack in the Runnin’ Rebels’ 24-13 win over Cal in the Art of Sport LA Bowl to finish with an 11-3 overall record.SafeSport Center changes targeted in new bill aimed at sex abuse in sportsL.A. City Council approves 'mansion tax' spending plan and program guidelines

Martin scores 17, Southeast Missouri State beats Westminster (MO) 88-39A DUP minister rebuffed a suggestion that there could be an extension of pub opening hours in Northern Ireland to celebrate the golden jubilee of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 2002, declassified files show. Stormont minister Maurice Morrow told an official he would not raise the issue with the Northern Ireland Executive, despite similar measures being considered in England and Wales. A file on planning arrangements for the jubilee celebrations reveals a series of civil service correspondences on how Northern Ireland would mark the occasion. It includes a letter sent on January 11 2001 from an official in the Office of the First Minister/Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) to the Department of Social Development, advising that a committee had been set up in London to consider a programme of celebrations. The correspondence says: “One of the issues the committee is currently considering is the possibility of deregulating liquor licensing laws during the golden jubilee celebrations on the same lines as the arrangements made for the millennium. “It is felt that the golden jubilee bank holiday on Monday 3 June 2002 is likely to be an occasion on which many public houses and similar licensed premises would wish to stay open beyond normal closing time.” The letter said a paper had been prepared on the issue of extending opening hours. It adds: “You will note that paragraph seven of the paper indicates that the devolved administrations ‘would need to consider deregulation separately within their own jurisdictions’. “I thought that you would wish to be aware that this issue is receiving active consideration for England and Wales and to consider whether anything needs to be done for Northern Ireland.” Some months later a “progress report” was sent between officials in OFMDFM, which again raised the issue of licensing laws. It says: “I spoke to Gordon Gibson, DSD, about Terry Smith’s letter of 12 January 2001 about licensing laws: the matter was put to their minister Maurice Morrow (DUP) who indicated that he would not be asking the NIE (Northern Ireland Executive) to approve any change to current licensing laws in NI to allow for either 24 hour opening (as at the millennium) nor a blanket approval for extended opening hours as is being considered in GB. “In both cases, primary legislation would be required here and would necessitate consultation and the minister has ruled out any consultation process.” The correspondence says individual licensees could still apply for an extension to opening hours on an ad hoc basis, adding “there the matter rests”. It goes on: “DSD await further pronouncements from the Home Office and Gibson and I have agreed to notify each other of any developments we become aware of and he will copy me to any (existing) relevant papers. “Ministers may well come under pressure in due course for a relaxation and/or parity with GB.” The document concludes “That’s it so far...making haste slowly?” Emails sent between officials in the department the same month said that lord lieutenants in Northern Ireland had been approached about local events to mark the jubilee. One message says: “Lord lieutenants have not shown any enthusiasm for encouraging GJ celebrations at a local level. “Lady Carswell in particular believes that it would be difficult for LLs to encourage such activities without appearing political.”Did you miss out on the TV deal you were hoping to score on Black Friday? No need to worry because Walmart has just slashed their prices on three of the best TVs on the market. Walmart customers can get the LG 65′′ Class 4K UHD OLED Web OS Smart TV with Dolby Vision B3 Series for a whopping $301 off, bringing the price down to $998. While that may still seem like a big price tag, keep in mind this particular Smart TV is regularly priced at almost $1,300. This price is even better than you’ll find on LG’s site. Why choose an LG TV? It’s all about the picture. LG OLED has over 8.3 million self-lit pixels that turn on and off individually for perfect black and incredible colors, with contrast you can’t get from anywhere else but OLED. Take in the action with a native 120Hz refresh rate for smooth, lifelike movement whether you love sports, movies or games. Entertainment extras like Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and FILMMAKER MODE give you the big-picture experience straight from your couch. Enjoy outstanding picture powered by the a7 AI Processor Gen6, which uses AI to detect what you’re watching and automatically improves the picture and sound quality of whatever you’re watching. And you’ll experience less searching and more streaming, thanks to the next generation of AI technology from LG webOS23. All LG OLED TVs have NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR to further improve gaming quality. And four HDMI 2.1 inputs allow you to plug in all the devices you need for the win. The 65′′ isn’t the only LG OLED TV marked down this week . Keep scrolling to check out other sizes and prices: LG 75′′ Class 4K UHD QNED Web OS Smart TV with Dolby Vision $1,475 (was $1,999) LG 86′′ 4K UHD Smart TV 120 Hz webOS $898 (was $1,098) LG 65′′ 4K UHD Smart TV 2160p webOS $398 (was $476) LG 55′′ Class 4K UHD OLED Web OS Smart TV with Dolby Vision B3 Series $798 (was $1,199) LG 70′′ 4K UHD Smart TV 2160p webOS $498 (was $598) Ashley Dill covers the online shopping industry, writing about commerce. She can be reached at adill@pennlive.com . Shopping LEGO is having a massive sale, plus how to get a free gift with a $150 purchase Kate Spade Outlet is offering an extra 25% off sitewide - get a handbag for as low as $51! DSW UGG sale: Up to 40% off select styles, including the viral Mini Bootie

On Monday, Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek Saab announced the release of 223 more individuals arrested during protests about the July election, bringing the total number freed to 956. The announcement is part of a series of releases over recent weeks, aimed at easing growing political tensions in the country. Despite these efforts, rights groups have managed to verify only some of the releases, and there have been reports of at least three protesters dying in custody. The ongoing detentions have drawn criticism from international human rights organizations. The controversy stems from the dispute over the election results, with official sources claiming President Nicolas Maduro secured a third term. Meanwhile, opposition parties present conflicting evidence, suggesting a different candidate actually won, leaving the nation deeply divided. (With inputs from agencies.)

Retail sales rose at healthy pace last month in latest sign of US economy's health WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers stepped up their spending at retail stores last month, providing a boost to the economy in the early phases of the winter holiday shopping season. Retail sales rose 0.7% in November, the Commerce Department said Tuesday, a solid increase and higher than October’s 0.5% gain. The boost in spending underscores that the economy is still growing at a healthy pace even with higher interest rates, a trend that could cause the Federal Reserve to lower borrowing costs more slowly next year than they have previously signaled. Tuesday’s report arrives just a day before the Fed is set to announce its latest rate decision Wednesday. Americans end 2024 with grim economic outlook, but Republicans are optimistic for 2025: AP-NORC poll WASHINGTON (AP) — A new poll finds that Democrats are feeling more pessimistic about the U.S. economy after Donald Trump's victory. Republicans, meanwhile, are still dour about the current state of the economy but hopeful that growth will be stronger next year when Trump returns to the White House as president. The latest survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research suggests that some Americans are evaluating the economy more by who holds political power than on what the underlying trends suggest. This was a persistent challenge for President Joe Biden and raises the possibility that Trump might also struggle to translate his economic ideas into political wins. Biden calls for ban on congressional stock trading WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has endorsed a ban on congressional stock trading in an interview that’s being released this week. It's the first time he's publicly backed the idea. He made the comments to Faiz Shakir, a political adviser for Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shakir interviewed the Democratic president for A More Perfect Union, a pro-labor advocacy and journalism organization. The Associated Press reviewed a video of the interview before its release. A bipartisan proposal to ban trading by members of Congress and their families has dozens of sponsors, but it has not received a vote. Federal Reserve is likely to slow its rate cuts with inflation pressures still elevated WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans hoping for lower borrowing costs for homes, credit cards and cars may be disappointed after this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The Fed’s policymakers are likely to signal fewer interest rate cuts next year than were previously expected. The officials are set to reduce their benchmark rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, by a quarter-point to about 4.3% when their meeting ends Wednesday. The problem is that while inflation has dropped far below its peak of 9.1% in mid-2022, it remains stubbornly above the Fed’s 2% target. Why is tech giant SoftBank investing over $100 billion in the US? BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese tycoon Masayoshi Son has joined President-elect Donald Trump in announcing plans by technology and telecoms giant SoftBank Group to invest $100 billion in projects in the United States. Trump said the investments would create 100,000 jobs over four years, twice what Son promised when he pledged $50 billion in U.S. investments in 2016. Son is known for making bold choices, sometimes paying big and sometimes not. SoftBank has investments in dozens of Silicon Valley startups, big companies like semiconductor maker Arm and Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. The stock market rally and craze for AI has boosted the value of its assets, but some question if its investments will create that many jobs. Business owners should not forget anti-money laundering rule currently in legal limbo Small business owners should not forget about a rule that requires them to register with an agency called the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, or FinCEN, by Jan. 1. The registration is part of the Corporate Transparency Act passed in 2021. Registering isn’t difficult, but if a small business owner is unaware of the requirement, they could be slapped with penalties of up to $10,000. For now, the rule is in legal limbo. On Dec. 3 a federal court in Texas issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of the rule. Stellantis pledges invest $2.1 million in Italian production in 2025 during talks with government MILAN (AP) — The Stellantis automaker has pledged to invest 2 billion euros or $2.1 billion in Italian production next year and spend another 6 billion euros or $6.3 billion in the supply chain. The head of European operations for the world's fifth-largest carmaker made the pledge during a meeting with Italian ministers, regional officials and unions following the forced resignation of former CEO Carlos Tavares earlier this month. The Italian government was seeking reassurances of Stellantis' commitment to Italy. Billion-dollar donation from Netflix's Reed Hastings leads 2024's list of biggest gifts Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings and former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg made the largest contributions in 2024, and financial aid, especially for medical students, got most of the money. The Chronicle’s annual list of the biggest charitable donations from individuals or their foundations totaled nearly $6 billion in 2024, with half of that coming from three contributions of $1 billion or more each. Two of those three gifts went to medical schools to provide financial aid. Altogether, four of the top donations on the list, totaling $2.3 billion, went to support financial aid. Stock market today: Wall Street trims its stellar gains as Nvidia's star dims again NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes are trimming some of their stellar gains for the year. The S&P 500 fell 0.3% in Tuesday afternoon trading, though it’s still near its all-time high set earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 242 points, and the Nasdaq composite lost 0.2% from its record set the day before. Nvidia, the superstar stock that’s been a big reason for Wall Street’s run to records this year, fell toward its eighth loss in the last nine days. Treasury yields held relatively steady after sales at U.S. retailers strengthened by more than expected. Bitcoin set another record. Event promoters, hotels and lodging sites soon will have to disclose extra fees up front The Federal Trade Commission says it will soon require hotels, vacation rental platforms and live event promoters to disclose any fees up front when they list prices. The FTC said on Tuesday that consumers often see advertised prices for hotel rooms, short-term rentals, and tickets to sporting events and concerts only to be surprised later by so-called “junk fees,” including resort fees, cleaning fees, processing fees and other extra charges. The new rule requires businesses to clearly and conspicuously disclose the true cost – including all mandatory fees – when they display any pricing for lodging or events. The rule is scheduled to go into effect in 120 days.

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