Nominees for Trump's administration continue to make their rounds on Capitol Hill, where they've been holding meetings and courting favor for days. Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to direct the FBI, was in meetings with lawmakers the same day that current Director Chris Wray announced he would resign at the end of President Biden's term. Patel met with Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, on Wednesday. Before the meeting, he told reporters he was ready to begin work immediately if he's confirmed. Wray's departure may make Patel's path to confirmation easier. And some Republican Senators have told Scripps News they see no reason their colleagues would object to Patel's nomination during confirmation hearings. "I think this is a great development," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO, told reporters. "I think this is long overdue and much needed. I look forward to confirming his successor." "I don't know what the opposition to Kash Patel really is," Hawley said. "I understand he is a conservative, and I understand my liberal colleagues don't like that. But a conservative just won the election." RELATED STORY | FBI Director Christopher Wray says he will resign at the end of Biden's term Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, continues to meet with lawmakers. There is not as much discussion of potentially replacing Hegseth as the nominee as there was last week. Sen. Susan Collins told reporters on Wednesday that she had asked Hegseth numerous questions about allegations of sexual assault. His comments on Wednesday also suggested his stance on women serving in the military has shifted. Before he was nominated to be secretary of defense, Hegseth made comments on the Shawn Ryan Show Podcast that women do not belong in combat roles. “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective. Hasn’t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated,” he said at the time. On Wednesday, Hegseth told reporters "I look forward to being a leader for every single member of this Pentagon, men and women."Canadian men win RAN Sevens tournament, qualify for World Rugby Challenger SeriesPeter Dutton has been accused of blocking a show of political unity and stopping a Liberal senator from reading out the local Labor MP’s statement in the wake of the Melbourne synagogue firebombing. Macnamara MP Josh Burns, who had physically lost his voice on Friday, appeared alongside Coalition foreign affairs spokesman James Paterson and a number of state and federal Liberals outside the Adass Israel synagogue on Friday, after the early morning terror attack. Mr Burns claims Senator Paterson had agreed to read out his words, but Opposition Leader Peter Dutton intervened. “James agreed to read out a statement from me, because I thought it was really important there be a united front,” Mr Burns told ABC RN Breakfast on Tuesday. “Unfortunately, right before we got on, Peter Dutton intervened and told James that he wasn’t allowed to read out the statement. “Peter Dutton told James that he wasn’t allowed to read out my words. I wanted to stand out with James and present a united front on this, and Peter Dutton decided that it was more important to play partisan games than to allow my words that I physically couldn’t speak to be read out.” Mr Burns’ statement, which labelled the attack a “disgrace and extremely dangerous” was instead ready by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry president Daniel Aghion. Mr Burns on Tuesday said despite having no voice, “I wanted to make sure that my community knew that I was there, and that we do this in a bipartisan way”. “I wanted to show unity,” he told ABC News. “If we’re going to play those sorts of politics, I don’t think it’s in our best interests. I compare that with community leaders who have been working with people avross the Parliament regardless of their political stripes. “I’ll stand up with anyone at this moment... I don’t care. I care about my community.” In response to Mr Burns’ claims, Senator Paterson on Tuesday said that he felt “very sorry that Josh Burns and his community have been abandoned by the Labor Party in the wake of this terror attack”. “But it is not the role of a Liberal frontbencher to act as a spokesman for a Labor MP,” Senator Paterson said. “One of the many senior Albanese Government ministers should have been there to speak if Josh was not able to.” The early morning attack was on Monday deemed a likely terror incident. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also stood up a federal taskforce, led by the Australian Federal Police and ASIO, to combat anti-Semitism. The Coalition have slammed Mr Albanese for not yet having visited the synagogue site - although he is expected to do so this week, potentially on Tuesday. Senator Paterson earlier told the ABC Melbourne’s Jewish community were “disappointed” in the lack of leadership shown by the entire Labor cabinet. “I think it is strange that we’re now five days on from this happening and the Prime Minister still hasn’t attended and nor has any senior national security minister of the government, not the Home Affairs Minister (Tony Burke), not the Attorney-General (Mark Dreyfus),” he said. The latest development in the politicking came after one of the world’s most prominent Jewish human rights organisations prepares to issue a global warning against travel to Australia. The Simon Wiesenthal Centre in the United States reached out to community members through social media in the wake of the Ripponlea attack to say: “Arsonists burned a Melbourne synagogue, built by Holocaust survivors, injuring Jews and damaging sacred religious items”. “Jews were trapped inside a Sydney synagogue by Hamas supporters, and a Jewish bakery in Melbourne was targeted by antisemites,” the organisation said, referencing other incidents that occured within days of the Melbourne terror attack. “These attacks coincide with Australia’s vote at the UN supporting an anti-Israel resolution calling for Israel to leave parts of Jerusalem and the West Bank — an action that would leave the Jewish state with indefensible borders.”

Police issue notice to three engineering colleges in ‘seat blocking scam’The Welsh Government has published its draft budget which more funding for health and social care and measures aimed at the business sector. A spokesman for Age Cymru said: "We welcome the draft budget announcement prioritising health and social care. "However, we’re disappointed at the lack of specific financial support from Welsh Government for older people in Wales who will struggle with their energy bills." Melanie Simmonds, head of Save the Children Cymru, said: “The Welsh Government stated that addressing poverty is an ‘absolute priority’ so why not use this draft budget to do something about this? “While more money is promised across all government departments it’s concerning to see that there is no clear targeted investment in tackling child poverty, especially as figures remain stubbornly high in Wales and means that children are missing out on their basic rights to equal opportunities." Ben Francis, FSB Wales policy chairman, said: "The draft budget has delivered an extension of the rates relief for retail, leisure and hospitality businesses and the multiplier used to calculate rates for all businesses has been capped. "This lifeline will be crucial for many businesses in a context of razor-thin margins and soaring costs, helping them to reposition themselves for the next stages of economic recovery. “In the longer term, the Welsh Government must deliver a business rates framework that aligns with a forward-looking mission to drive prosperity and addresses the imbalance between our small-town centre retailers and large out-of-town developments." Helen Whyley, executive director of Royal College of Nursing Wales, said: “Nurses and health care workers have been under immense strain, and while this budget offers potential relief, meaningful change will require targeted investment in fair pay, career progression and improved working conditions. "It is essential that these resources are used to support the delivery of safe, high-quality care and that the voices of nursing professionals are central to decisions on how the funds are allocated.” First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “People told me over the summer how proud they are of the NHS in Wales. But they also said they were worried about long waiting times for treatment. “Today is a real opportunity. With an extra £600m extra for health and social care, we are finally able to unlock the potential and power of the partnership of two Labour governments – in Wales and Westminster - working together, to deliver for the people of Wales.” Cabinet Secretary for Finance Mark Drakeford said: “With two Labour governments working together, to provide public services with investment which has been denied for far too long, we are able to put Wales back on the path to growth and start undoing the damage inflicted on Wales over the last 14 years. “The uplift for health and social care today means we will be able to reduce the longest NHS waiting times, continue to improve mental health services and access to social care, and build on strengthening women's health services in Wales.”

Nominees for Trump's administration continue to make their rounds on Capitol Hill, where they've been holding meetings and courting favor for days. Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to direct the FBI, was in meetings with lawmakers the same day that current Director Chris Wray announced he would resign at the end of President Biden's term. Patel met with Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, on Wednesday. Before the meeting, he told reporters he was ready to begin work immediately if he's confirmed. Wray's departure may make Patel's path to confirmation easier. And some Republican Senators have told Scripps News they see no reason their colleagues would object to Patel's nomination during confirmation hearings. "I think this is a great development," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO, told reporters. "I think this is long overdue and much needed. I look forward to confirming his successor." "I don't know what the opposition to Kash Patel really is," Hawley said. "I understand he is a conservative, and I understand my liberal colleagues don't like that. But a conservative just won the election." RELATED STORY | FBI Director Christopher Wray says he will resign at the end of Biden's term Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, continues to meet with lawmakers. There is not as much discussion of potentially replacing Hegseth as the nominee as there was last week. Sen. Susan Collins told reporters on Wednesday that she had asked Hegseth numerous questions about allegations of sexual assault. His comments on Wednesday also suggested his stance on women serving in the military has shifted. Before he was nominated to be secretary of defense, Hegseth made comments on the Shawn Ryan Show Podcast that women do not belong in combat roles. “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective. Hasn’t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated,” he said at the time. On Wednesday, Hegseth told reporters "I look forward to being a leader for every single member of this Pentagon, men and women."

Adarsh Vaid: A Visionary Leader In Enterprise Technology And Digital Transformation

Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan are in talks to merge to better compete with electric vehicle manufacturers like Tesla, BYD, and others. As reported by , the two have discussed signing a memorandum of understanding that outlines plans to split equity into a new holding company from which both will do business, according to anonymous sources. Both Honda and Nissan are also discussing a plan to pull Mitsubishi into the party, which would be akin to how various — such as Konica Minolta, JVCKenwood, and others. Honda and Nissan were already working together to develop EV technology and software and had to that party as well. Of the two companies, it’s Nissan that’s really in trouble and reportedly will only survive another year unless another company (Honda) swoops in to buy Nissan shares. According the , Nissan’s net earnings in the middle of 2024 were down more than 90 percent year over year, and it had to cut its annual operating profit forecast by nearly 70 percent. Nissan and Honda relased statements to Reuters saying: EV market growth has slowed worldwide, but Chinese brands are outpacing US, European, and Japanese manufacturers. , Japanese automakers are losing big market share in east and southeast Asia from China to Indonesia. Honda is preparing to launch its new EV platform next year and is finding some success in the US with its GM-based electric . Meanwhile Nissan had fumbled its early pioneering lead with the 2011 Leaf and has only released one other EV, . Both companies, along with domestic competitor Toyota, have added more hybrid models than full EVs to their product roadmaps. This year Nissan said it would have by 2026, and Honda is looking to launch next year. /

NoneContent warning: This story discusses allegations of sexual assault. Roger Goodell is responding to recent allegations against Jay-Z . The NFL commissioner shared an update on the organization's partnership with the rapper for the forthcoming Super Bowl three days after it was revealed that Jay-Z—whose real name is Shawn Carter —was accused in a civil lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl alongside Sean "Diddy" Combs . "We’re aware of the civil allegation, and Jay-Z’s really strong response to that," Goodell said during a Dec. 11 press conference. "And we know that obviously litigation is happening now. But from our standpoint, our relationship is not changing with them, including our preparation for the next Super Bowl." And the 65-year-old provided insight into why the NFL plans to continue evolving its collaboration with Carter's Roc Nation company, which was brought into the organization to executive produce the Super Bowl Halftime Show and help with the league’s social justice program Inspire Change. "They’re getting incredibly comfortable with not just the Super Bowl but other events that they’ve helped us on and helped us with," Goodell continued. "They’ve been helpful in the social justice area to us on many occasions." He added, "They’ve been great partners that have provided a lot of value for us." Three days before Goodell's update, an accuser—identified anonymously as "Jane Doe"—refiled a sexual assault civil lawsuit that she originally filed against Combs in October , this time adding Carter as an additional defendant in the case. In the document, she alleged that the two music moguls raped her at a house party in 2000 following the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Hours after news broke that he was named in the suit, Carter—who has since filed a motion to reveal the accuser's identity —denied her allegations in an emotional statement addressed to the accuser's lawyer Tony Buzbee . "These allegations are so heinous in nature that I implore you to file a criminal complaint, not a civil one!!" Carter said in a statement shared to X Dec. 8 . "Whomever would commit such a crime against a minor should be locked away, would you not agree? These alleged victims would deserve real justice if that were the case." Closing out his message, the "Empire State of Mind" rapper—who shares kids Blue Ivy , 12, and twins Rumi and Sir , 6, with wife Beyoncé —shared that his "only heartbreak" is for his family. "My wife and I will have to sit our children down, one of whom is at the age where her friends will surely see the press and ask questions about the nature of these claims," he said, "and explain the cruelty and greed of people." As for Combs—who is currently in jail, awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges, to which he's plead not guilty —the Bad Boy Records founder also denies any wrongdoing in the case, which marks one of several sexual abuse civil lawsuits filed against him in recent months. "Mr. Combs and his legal team have full confidence in the facts, their legal defenses, and the integrity of the judicial process," his lawyers told E! News in October. "In court, the truth will prevail: that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted anyone—adult or minor, man or woman." (E! and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.) Read on for more info about Combs' federal case... Search Warrants Executed on Sean "Diddy" Combs' L.A. and Miami Properties Federal agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed search warrants at Sean “Diddy” Combs ’ Los Angeles and Miami properties on March 25, multiple law enforcement sources confirmed to NBC News . The sources told the outlet the warrant was out of the Southern District of New York, and a spokesperson for HSI New York confirmed to E! News it “executed law enforcement actions as part of an ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI Los Angeles, HSI Miami, and our local law enforcement partners.” Law enforcement sources told NBC News the music mogul was in the Miami area when the search warrants were executed. News about the investigation broke after Combs faced allegations of sexual misconduct in lawsuits filed by multiple accusers starting in November, with the musician denying the allegations. “Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday,” he wrote in a December statement posted on Instagram . “Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.” Diddy’s Attorney Speaks Out The day after HSI executed the search warrants at Combs' L.A. and Miami properties, his lawyer spoke out . "Yesterday, there was a gross overuse of military-level force as search warrants were executed at Mr. Combs' residences," attorney Aaron Dyer said in a March 26 statement to E! News. "There is no excuse for the excessive show of force and hostility exhibited by authorities or the way his children and employees were treated." Dyer noted Combs “was never detained but spoke to and cooperated with authorities.” “Despite media speculation, neither Mr. Combs nor any of his family members have been arrested nor has their ability to travel been restricted in any way,” his lawyer's statement continued. “This unprecedented ambush—paired with an advanced, coordinated media presence—leads to a premature rush to judgment of Mr. Combs and is nothing more than a witch hunt based on meritless accusations made in civil lawsuits.” And Dyer expressed Combs' intent to defend himself. “There has been no finding of criminal or civil liability with any of these allegations,” he added. “Mr. Combs is innocent and will continue to fight every single day to clear his name.” Details About the Raid Revealed As for what actually went down during the searches, multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the warrant told NBC News authorities with the Department of Homeland Security seized phones from Combs’ home in Miami before he was scheduled to travel to the Bahamas, and several sources familiar with the matter added that guns were discovered during the search . One source familiar with the matter also told NBC News three women and one man were interviewed by prosecutors and investigators from the Southern District of New York about allegations of sex trafficking, sexual assault, the solicitation and distribution of illegal narcotics and firearms purportedly tied to Combs. Diddy’s Associate Brendan Paul Arrested on Suspicion of Drug Possession On the same day the search warrants were executed at Combs’ Miami and Los Angeles properties, one of his associates, Brendan Paul , was arrested by the Miami-Dade police on suspicion of drug possession, a law enforcement source familiar with the matter told NBC News . According to the Miami-Dade arrest affidavit obtained by the outlet, Paul was taken into custody for allegedly possessing suspected cocaine and suspected marijuana candy. Prison records obtained by NBC News show Paul was released on March 26 after posting bond. “We do not plan on trying this case in the media,” Paul’s attorney Brian Bieber said in a statement obtained by the outlet, “all issues will be dealt with in court.” In May, Paul accepted a plea deal, with his lawyer Bieber telling People , "Brendan accepted the prosecutor’s offer to permit his entry into the diversion program which, after completion, the case against him will be dismissed in its entirety." Diddy Arrested in New York He was arrested in the lobby of a New York hotel on Sept. 16, 2024, according to NBC News. It's unclear what Combs has been charged with and if the arrest has any potential connection to the raids. “We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office," his lawyer Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to E! News. "He is an imperfect person but Is not criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges." Diddy Charged With Sex Trafficking & Racketeering After Combs was arrested based on the sealed indictment, the indictment was unsealed on Sept. 17. The 54-year-old was charged with racketeering conspiracy; sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; as well as transportation to engage in prostitution, according to court documents obtained by NBC News. The indictment alleged Combs “abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct” for more than a decade, with prosecutors saying the purported behavior started around 2008. "To do so," the documents stated, "Combs relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled—creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice." According to NBC News , Combs pleaded not guilty and was denied bail . “He’s going to fight this with all of his energy and all of his might,” his attorney Marc Agnifilo told reporters outside the courthouse prior to the arraignment, “and the full confidence of his lawyers." Diddy Is Held Without Bail in New York Facility Following his arrest, Combs was held at the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center where he was denied a $50 million bond. The music mogul was also placed on suicide watch, which a source told E! News is a customary procedure for high-profile inmates. He was since taken off. He was assigned the same area of the jail as cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried, a source told NBC News. Comedian Jeff Wittek Says He Attended "Freak Off" Comedian Jeff Wittek , 34, came forward Sept. 29 to say he attended one of Diddy's "freak off" parties around 2010 in a Miami mansion. "It was like eight stories high and it just kept going up," Wittek said on Jeff FM , "and the higher you went, the weirder s--t was going on." " I saw live sex happen that night," he continued. "That's the first time I saw that happen ever in my life. And did I partake? No, but I got f--king drunk there." As Wittek put it, "It's just crazy. I was literally there. I lived through it." Diddy Accused of 120 New Sexual Assault Cases In an Oct. 1 press conference, attorney Tony Buzbee detailed that 120 people had come forward with new sexual assault allegations against the rapper. The allegations against Combs, Buzbee noted in a press conference with NBC News, include, "violent sexual assault or rape, facilitated sex with a controlled substance, dissemination of video recordings, sexual abuse of minors." A lawyer for the rapper, Erica Wolff , later responded to the allegations, emphasizing that Combs maintains his innocence. “He cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus," she said. " That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors." Diddy Accused of Abusing Minors One of the 120 accusers was only 9 years old when they were allegedly assaulted by Combs, their lawyer Tony Buzbee said in an Oct. 1 press conference, per NBC News. According to the attorney, “25 of the accusers were minors at the time of the alleged incidents." Diddy's Mom Janice Small Combs Defends the Rapper “It is heartbreaking to see my son judged not for the truth, but for a narrative created out of lies,” Janice’s attorney Natlie G. Figgers shared in a statement on her behalf to The Hollywood Reporter Oct. 6. “To bear witness what seems to be like a public lynching of my son before he has had the opportunity to prove his innocence is a pain too unbearable to put into words. Like every human being, my son deserves to have his day in court, to finally share his side, and to prove his innocence.” Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Lawyer Calls Out Piers Morgan Over Diddy Comparisons Beyoncé and Jay-Z 's lawyer spoke out after Piers Morgan 's TV guest Jaguar Wright claimed the couple had more “victims” than Diddy. "There’s rumors, and then there’s nonsense, and this is one step further,” lawyer Alex Spiro told TMZ Oct. 9. “This is a formal and pointed accusation of something.” Their attorney told Piers to “remove that false accusation," which the host later did and apologized. “As I noted in the moment," Piers said on his Oct. 8 show, "they were not present to respond or defend themselves. But now they have: their lawyer has contacted us to say those claims are totally false and have no basis in fact.”

Join our newsletter to get the latest military space news every Tuesday by veteran defense journalist Sandra Erwin. HELSINKI — China is developing a dependence on space-based space situational awareness as its space activities expand, according to a new report. China’s on-orbit presence has grown dramatically in recent years, with a boom in numbers of satellites launched, and the construction of the Tiangong space station. However, its space situational awareness (SSA) architecture heavily relies on space-based systems due to its limited global ground sensor network, according to a report from the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI). The report provides new insights into China’s SSA infrastructure and outlines its unique constraints and priorities. China has sent at least 10 spacecraft to low Earth orbit (LEO) for space-based SSA, according to analysis of open-source Chinese reports and literature. Further unspecified satellites in general orbits have been referred to texts as carrying out SSA tasks. Noted satellites include Shiyan and Shijian technology demonstration spacecraft, as well as satellites from commercial actors Changguang Satellite Technology , operator of the Jilin remote sensing constellation, and Origin Space , a space resources firm. The satellites use mostly optical (including infrared for detecting heat sources, especially useful when spacecraft are in Earth’s shadow, and LiDAR) and radio frequency sensors, with a variety of detection ranges. Chinese satellites employ onboard processing for tasks like collision avoidance, aiming to reduce reliance on limited and overburdened ground stations. This autonomy enables faster response times, crucial for a nation with limited access to global relay networks. The general U.S. approach is described as relying on data analysis on the ground with human oversight. LEO is currently the main focus of its SSA efforts due to the dense satellite population and collision risks. Less attention is set on geostationary orbit, on which the U.S. has a stronger focus. The development of China’s space-based SSA is seen not only as having military uses and applications, but also for collision avoidance and other strategic and economic reasons. The efforts also assist China’s aim of building its own space object catalog, rather than relying on U.S. or Russian data. Traditional methods for tracking and identifying satellites are falling behind as space grows more crowded, leaving critical gaps and uncertainties. HEO’s flyby NEI is changing that, offering rapid satellite identification and characterisation. Explore our latest white paper &... pic.twitter.com/I9QhIPLpuf — HEO (@heospace) December 2, 2024 China’s approach is found to contrast with that of the U.S., which integrates space-based SSA with extensive ground sensors. China’s ability to establish ground sensors is limited by political factors. These divergent approaches bring potential challenges and opportunities, the report states. China’s reliance on space-based SSA assets could heighten threat perceptions if these systems are disrupted, potentially leading to misinterpretation of incidents. Conversely, the report suggests, this dependence may also drive China’s commitment to space stability, given its growing reliance on space for economic and military operations. The report also recommends that the U.S. regulators expedite the process to allow companies to supply non-Earth imagery in higher orbits to remain competitive with Chinese companies. The building of China’s comprehensive space object catalog could also have implications. It may rival the U.S. Space-track system and serve as an alternative for global users, potentially reducing U.S. influence in space traffic management. China’s need for SSA, a catalog and collision avoidance is growing. China had more than 900 satellites in orbit by mid-July this year, according to China Central Television (CCTV). The country has launched over 230 spacecraft across 62 orbital launch attempts so far in 2024. 54 of these have been for the Qianfan/Thousand Sails megaconstellation, while the first satellites for the national Guowang constellation could launch on a Long March 5B rocket this week. Together, the constellations plan to send more than 27,000 satellites into orbit. The sheer scale of these constellations underscores China’s ambition but also presents challenges for space traffic management and debris mitigation, necessitating robust SSA systems. SpaceX meanwhile already has more than 5,000 satellites in orbit for its Starlink constellation, underscoring the complex, global nature of space traffic management challenges ahead. Chinese researchers earlier this year called for expanded SSA capabilities .Why you can trust AppleInsider Read how we test products or view our ethics policy . If you shop through our links, we may get a commission. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: The pinnacle of the portable Mac Andrew O'Hara | Nov 22, 2024 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Peak MacBook Pro 3 Facebook x.com Reddit The latest MacBook Pro update arrived in November, alongside multiple other Macs. We similarly got a new M4 -powered iMac and a completely redesigned Mac mini . Looking at the MacBook Pros specifically, they come in both 14- and 16-inch versions. You can get the 14-inch in M4 and M4 Pro versions and the 16-inch with the M4 Pro or M4 Max. This review is sponsored by tomtoc . Tomtoc is a design-driven, tech-savvy brand focused on providing innovative protection for your digital devices. With an emphasis on quality, functionality, and a perfect fit, tomtoc's products keep your gear safe in style. Get ready for their Black Friday sale with up to 50% off and don't miss your chance to upgrade your protection! We're looking at the Space Black 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 Max processor and its 40-core GPU. It has 1TB of storage and 64GB of unified memory. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Internals and ports Much of this machine is the same as before. The design is unchanged on the outside, other than that the base M4 model can now be obtained in the Space Black colorway that's become so popular. We still wish it was a bit darker. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: The left side has MagSafe 3, Thunderbolt 5 ports, and an audio jack As you face it, on the left of the machine is a MagSafe 3 port for charging at up to 140W, saddled by two Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm audio jack. The right has an SDXC card reader, another Thunderbolt port, and an HDMI connector. You get Apple's excellent built in keyboard above the still-spacious glass trackpad. Years later, Apple's trackpad is still unmatched by the competition. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: The keyboard is as good as ever and a joy to type on The display is 16.2-inches on the diagonal and measures 3456 by 2234 in resolution. It looks beautiful, has 1000 nits of typical brightness, ProMotion up to 120Hz, supports the P3 wide color gamut, and has TrueTone. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: What's new this time around? There are a number of improvements here, even if Apple kept the body the same. For example, the display's 1000 nit max brightness is 400 nits above where it was before. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: The screen looks gorgeous with the matte finish That's particularly useful when outdoors, no matter if you opted for the glossy or the new nano-texture finish. Similarly, it can get dimmer too. If you've ever worked into the wee hours or tried to use your computer in bed in the dark, you may have tried to turn your display brightness extremely low. Like the iPhone 16 line, it can now go as low as 1 nit. We certainly work into the wee hours of the night, frequently. So, this, like it was on the iPhone, has been a surprisingly useful feature. Not everyone is going to need this and it's not really that heavily promoted by Apple. For us, though, it's so helpful and more comfortable on our eyes. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: The new camera is 12MP and supports desk view Also on the display is a beefed up camera hiding in the notch. It's now 12MP and supports Desk View. Video is still capped at 1080p though. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Desk View on the upgraded camera Even if you don't use Desk View, the higher resolution and improved M4 ISP is welcomed and we were shocked at how much better we looked. We did a side-by-side with our M3 Max MacBook Pro and it was drastic. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: The old versus new camera quality The photo was richer with more contrast and better colors. It frankly makes the camera much more usable for processional applications. Thunderbolt 5 will be a standout feature — eventually After we got our first look at Thunderbolt 5 prototype devices at CES 2024, we're finally seeing the first cables and docks coming to market. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: A third party Thunderbolt 5 cable It's capable of 120Gb/s of aggregated data which is up to three times that of Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4. There aren't many devices now, but we're going to see many over the lifespan of this machine. When buying a Mac that you plan to use three, five, or even ten years you want it to support the latest technology. That's what this offers. It'll make more of a difference when there are more peripherals available. At the time of writing, only a few things have been announced. One thing we didn't get here was Wi-Fi 7 and we're sorely disappointed. This is the one upgrade we expected to get and didn't, purely based on the new wireless standard being finalized earlier this year. The iPhone 16 series also already supports it. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Apple has plenty of ports Once more, when you want a machine that will last, you want the latest standards and it's frustrating to see that omitted here. We'd prefer it on our Macs versus our iPhones. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Nano texture display Filed under "new changes in 2024" for the MacBook Pro is an optional nano texture finish. It's similar to what the iPad Pro , iMac, and Studio Display offer. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Trying to flash a light at the glossy (left) and matte (right) finish options We're not going to get into it again, given that this isn't Apple's first product with it. In short, it reduces glare and the impact of bright lights on the display. This diffused light, in our experience, makes the screen even better. There will be debate on what's better for color-specific workflows like video color grading or professional editing in Lightroom and Photoshop, but for us, it makes sense. Side by side, the color difference is minimal. If you are worrying that much about the color representation, a dedicated reference monitor may make more sense. With a laptop, the idea is to be portable and the nano texture affords that. The only downside is that because of the diffused light, it does appear slightly dimmer in certain environments. That's a worthwhile tradeoff though because we'd usually have to crank the brightness to battle the glare. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Testing the two displays outside When outside and the brightness cranks up to that 1000 nit level, that difference goes away and the new model looks just as bright as the older one. It also has great viewing angles, which is a plus. In all the environments we tested, the nano texture looked better. Even the clarity loss is minimal and we'd happily pay the $150 upgrade cost. Funny enough, the nano texture also kept out display cleaner. It still showed some oils, but overall looked and stayed cleaner than the normal glossy one. We've disliked the traditional anti-glare screens found on PCs and it's clear why Apple waited for a more suitable technology before introducing their own Mac-specific version of it. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Performance Here, we're testing the M4 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro which is a 16-core CPU with 12 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Geekbench single-core results That's the same breakdown as the M3 Max. It's now faster though, increasing the clockspeed from 3.68GHz to 4.5GHz. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Geekbench multi-core results In terms of benchmarked performance, Geekbench 6 is showing us a 25% boost in the single core performance. We also saw a 30% boost in the multi-core performance. The Metal graphics test was a little more modest, going to 189752 from 163927. That's about a 15% increase for that 40-core GPU. Putting these numbers into perspective, the M4 Max easily outperforms the M2 Ultra CPU. That shouldn't be a huge surprise since we never got an M3 Ultra chip to compare with. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Blender GPU benchmarks Perhaps even more impressive, the M4 Max is also comparable to the GeForce 4080 super GPU in some workloads. That's a huge, desktop graphics card that has similar performance to a laptop. We wanted throw something different at the new machine in our testing, which was perfectly timed with Apple's new update to Final Cut Pro. One of the new features to that is Magnetic Mask, which is one of the more computationally intensive video tasks we do, outside of 3D motion graphics. It uses AI to track a subject, masking out the background without the need for a green screen. We applied it to a 12 minute 4K 24FPS video and it took 14 minutes and 27 seconds to complete. On the M3 Max model, it took a minute and 32 seconds longer. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Testing editing with Final Cut Pro Overall it's about a 10% boost in that performance. That's not a ton but on a longer or higher resolution project, that could amount to a serious time savings. Of course, higher-end workflows probably aren't using Magnetic Mask, but still. For completeness sake, we ran Cinebench R23 on both our last-gen and current gen machines. The M4 Max achieved 27108 for the multi-core sore and 2237 for the single-core, compared to 21355 and 1816 for the M3 Max respectively. That once more is showing about a 30% increase in multi-core performance. For a yearly update, that's a solid increase, and even more impressive compared to the exceptional M1 Max machine many still use. This may be a big enough jump to encourage holdouts to make the jump to Apple's latest and greatest portable Mac. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: M4 Pro is where it's at While the M4 Max is an incredibly powerful chip, and also points to a mind-bending M4 Ultra release down the pike, the real story seems to be the M4 Pro. Generationally, it's a bigger increase than its predecessor and at the rate of Apple Silicon , it's still more power than a lot of pro users will need. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Apple's M4 series chips are great Our most demanding workflow, multi-cam 4K video, is now barely taxing even for a base M4 processor. We'd be fine with an M4 Pro these days, even if we opt for the extra headroom and better performance the M4 Max offers. Notably, the M4 Pro is up to a 14-core, two more than before, but also increased the performance cores from six to ten. We'd have been fine had Apple gave us just more efficiency cores. Memory bandwidth also nearly doubled from 150GB/s to 273GB/s. It all amounts to an exceptional upgrade for the mid-tier chip. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Some of our benchmarking suite Last year, the M3 Pro felt like we got slighted with a middling update. It gave users more of a reason to jump to the "max" variant. This year, it feels like the M4 Pro is where it's at and unless you have an ultra-demanding workflow, it will probably keep up. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Should you buy Apple's new flagship portable Mac? Not every year of Apple Silicon needs to be a monumental increase. This year it was probably above average for the M4 Max, between 20% and 30% for the CPU and less for the GPU. Still, it's so impressive how much power Apple is able to pack into a laptop that is so incredibly portable. And unlike many Windows-based PCs, you don't see a massive performance dip when running on battery. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Sliding the MacBook Pro into a backpack is easy, even at 16 inches There's very little to criticize here as Apple has continued to refine and push the MacBook Pro line. There's the absence of Wi-Fi 7, but otherwise Apple knocked it out of the park. It's powerful, fast, elegant, portable, and reliable. It's the machine we turn to most often to get work done. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: The new MacBook Pro is incredibly good The only reason not to buy the M4 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro is if you don't need this much power. In that case, the M4 Pro model is perfectly suitable. Next year it's rumored we'll see a redesigned MacBook Pro that's even thinner and presumably adding Wi-Fi 7 and upgraded OLED displays. That's what's on the roadmap which will hopefully make any upgrade decisions easier. This is a workhorse of a machine and would be a solid upgrade choice before jumping to a redesigned model in a few years, when Apple has any first-gen bugs worked out. This is peak MacBook Pro. And we're here for it. 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Pros Nano-texture display is incredible upgrade Performance of M4 Pro and M4 Max are both outstanding New camera is markedly better Peak design and performance of the portable Mac Thunderbolt 5 will be a game changer New minimum brightness is great for late night working 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max review: Cons No Wi-Fi 7 Thunderbolt 5 accessories are still scarce to start 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max rating: 5 out of 5 This review is sponsored by tomtoc . Tomtoc is a design-driven, tech-savvy brand focused on providing innovative protection for your digital devices. With an emphasis on quality, functionality, and a perfect fit, tomtoc's products keep your gear safe in style. Get ready for their Black Friday sale with up to 50% off and don't miss your chance to upgrade your protection! Where to buy Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro M4 Max at a discount The 2024 MacBook Pro 16-inch is already on sale at numerous Apple resellers, with discounted prices starting at $2,199 in our 16-inch MacBook Pro Price Guide . Amazon has M4 Max models marked down to as low as $3,199 at press time, reflecting a triple-digit discount off MSRP. AppleInsider readers can also save up to $300 on every CTO M4 MacBook Pro configuration with promo code APINSIDER at Apple Authorized Reseller Adorama. The same code takes $30 off three years of AppleCare for the 14-inch models and $40 off three years of AppleCare for the 16-inch MacBook Pro. You can also find the latest 14-inch MacBook Pro deals in our Price Guides: 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 prices 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 Pro & M4 Max prices

We can clone you wholesale: Boffins build ML agents that respond like specific people

Brits have been alerted to keep an eye out for a rare 50 pence coin depicting a beloved story character, which could be worth a hefty sum. A coin expert, known online as the Coin Collecting Wizard, has signalled that the 2008 50p coin featuring Raymond Briggs' Snowman could command up to £300 if sold to a collector. The Coin Collecting Wizard shared his insights on social media app TikTok, where he pointed out: "This 50 pence is worth over £300. This sought after collectible coin is a new addition of a rare Christmas themed design first issued in 2003 inspired by Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman first published in 1978. " He added: "The magical tale of a young boy's snowman coming to life was adapted into a short animated film in 1982, which has become a mainstay of British festive TV schedules." The Coin Collecting Wizard then went on to explain that the coin designs from both 2003 and 2008 commemorate significant anniversaries of the book’s release. Elaborating further, he remarked: "The 2003 snowman and James coin was the first in a popular series produced in partnership with Popjoy Mint to mark the 25th anniversary of the original storybook. This 2008 coin struck for the 30th anniversary recreates the 2003 design showing James and his snowy companion ready to take to the air in front of some seasonal fir trees." He concluded by highlighting the growing value of such collectibles: "The value of this point increased dramatically over the years and easily sells for over £300 today." At the time this article was first published a copy of this coin was listed on eBay for £1,095.Chuck Woolery Dies: Former ‘Wheel of Fortune’ and ‘Love Connection’ Host Was 83Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury to have FOURTH judge scoring fight - as 'groundbreaking experiment' confirmed for heavyweight showdown Fury and Usyk will meet in their much anticipated rematch on December 21 Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh announced an AI-judge for the fight The AI-judge will score the fight but the verdict will not impact the final result By MICHAEL PAVITT Published: 13:09 EST, 17 December 2024 | Updated: 14:08 EST, 17 December 2024 e-mail 51 shares 9 View comments Tyson Fury 's rematch against Oleksandr Usyk will be scored by a fourth judge using artificial intelligence , it has been announced. The two heavyweights clashed in one of the biggest fights of all time in May in Saudi Arabia. Usyk became the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world with the Ukrainian awarded victory by a via split decision verdict from the three judges. Ahead of the rematch in Riyadh on Saturday night, Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh announced plans for an additional judge to score the rematch. Alalshikh said the AI-powered judge will score the contest as part of an experiment, but its verdict will not impact the official result. 'For the first time ever, an AI-powered judge will monitor the fight,' Alalshikh said. An AI-powered judge has been announced to score Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury's rematch Saudi boxing powerbroker Turki Alalshikh announced plans for a 'groundbreaking experiment' The AI boxing judge will score the fight but its verdict will not impact the final result of the fight 'Free from bias and human error brought to you by The Ring. 'This groundbreaking experiment, which won’t impact the official results, debuts during the biggest fight of the century, #Usyk2Fury, on December 21. 'Don’t miss history in the making.' Alalshikh shared a video promoting the judge which stated: ‘For years boxing has been defined by its glory but sometimes that glory is clouded by doubt and controversy. Isn’t it time for fairness to step into the ring? The promotion added ‘This isn’t just AI, it’s revolutionizing boxing. It’s fairness powered by technology and human expertise. See the revolution unfold on December 21.’ The first fight saw Usyk awarded the contest by two judges, who scored it 115-112, 114-113 in his favour. The third judge had given Fury the verdict by a 114-113 score. Fury and Usyk will meet in a 12-round rematch at the Kingdom Arena as the Gypsy King seeks to bounce back from his only defeat in professional boxing career. For the first time ever, an AI-powered judge will monitor the fight 🤖 Free from bias and human error brought to you by The Ring. This groundbreaking experiment, which won’t impact the official results, debuts during the biggest fight of the century, #Usyk2Fury , on December 21 🥊... pic.twitter.com/RdslVlBLRC — TURKI ALALSHIKH (@Turki_alalshikh) December 17, 2024 Fury will be hoping to bounce back from the first defeat of his professional boxing career Usyk will put three of his belts on the line when he takes on Fury in the rematch in Riyadh This time around there will be three belts up for grabs, as Usyk has since vacated the IBF belt. Fury claims to have rewatched their first bout 'a hundred times' and will be making some adjustments in a bid to cause Usyk's first defeat of his career in their Riyadh showdown. Fury has maintained that he was actually the victor from the first fight, and claims that he wasn't focused - something he is keen to put right this time. 'I need to be more focused this time and not do as much showboating, he said via GB News. 'That's how easy it was for me and you can get complacent. 'I don't believe the showboating cost me the fight but I need to be more focused this time and not do as much. 'I didn't feel as if I could have knocked him out at any point. I hurt him a few times to the body and with head shots but I didn't feel I was going to take him out.' 'It was my best performance in the last five years, probably more.' HOW TO WATCH: Click to register and watch Usyk vs. Fury 2 on DAZN here Oleksandr Usyk Tyson Fury Share or comment on this article: Oleksandr Usyk vs Tyson Fury to have FOURTH judge scoring fight - as 'groundbreaking experiment' confirmed for heavyweight showdown e-mail 51 shares Add comment

Fort Lauderdale, FL, Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Algorhythm Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RIME) (“Algorhythm” or the “Company”), an AI-driven technology and consumer electronics holding company today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with several investors for the purchase and sale of an aggregate of 24,067,388 of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the “Common Stock”) at a purchase price of 0.0831 per share in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. The aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of this offering are expected to be approximately $2 million. The transaction is expected to close on or about December 18, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Univest Securities, LLC is acting as the sole placement agent. The registered direct offering is being made pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-269183) previously filed by the Company and declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on January 20, 2023. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus describing the terms of the proposed offering will be filed with the SEC and will be available on the SEC's website located at http://www.sec.gov . Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may be obtained, when available, by contacting Univest Securities, LLC at info@univest.us , or by calling +1 (212) 343-8888. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sales of such securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the registered direct offering, together with the accompanying base prospectus will be filed by the Company and, upon filing, can be obtained at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov . About Algorhythm Holdings, Inc. Algorhythm Holdings, Inc. is a holding company with two primary investments. First, the Company owns SemiCab Holdings, an emerging leader in the AI-enabled global logistics industry. Second, the Company owns The Singing Machine Company, the worldwide leader in the consumer karaoke industry. SemiCab is a cloud-based Collaborative Transportation Platform built to achieve the scalability required to predict and optimize millions of loads and hundreds of thousands of trucks. To orchestrate collaboration across manufacturers, retailers, distributors, and their carriers, SemiCab uses real-time data from API-based load tendering and pre-built integrations with TMS and ELD partners. To build fully loaded round trips, SemiCab uses AI/ML predictions and advanced predictive optimization models. On the SemiCab platform, shippers pay less and carriers make more while not having to change a thing. Since 2020, SemiCab has enabled major retailers, brands and transportation providers to address these common supply-chain problems globally. SemiCab's Orchestrated Collaboration TM AI model has proven to increase transportation capacity, improve asset utilization, reduce empty miles, lower logistics costs, and provide visibility into the entire transportation network. Models show the technology has the capability of saving shippers tens of billions of dollars annually through optimization. Further, SemiCab’s technology also has the potential to play a key role in the improved sustainability model globally. Based on its proven ability to improve truck utilization rates from 65% to over 90%, this results in a dramatic reduction in the carbon footprint of the industry. The optimization of existing truck utilization can add approximately 30% more trucking capacity without adding more trucks, drivers or driven miles which addresses common problems plaguing the industry like severe driver shortage and road congestion. Trucking optimization could also eliminate approximately 25% of CO2 emissions attributable to road freight. For additional information regarding SemiCab: http://www.semicab.com The Singing Machine Company, Inc. is the worldwide leader in consumer karaoke products. Based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and founded over forty years ago, the Company designs and distributes the industry's widest assortment of at-home and in-car karaoke entertainment products. Their portfolio is marketed under both proprietary brands and popular licenses, including Carpool Karaoke and Sesame Street. Singing Machine products incorporate the latest technology and provide access to over 100,000 songs for streaming through its mobile app and select WiFi-capable products and is also developing the world’s first globally available, fully integrated in-car karaoke system. The Company also has a new philanthropic initiative, CARE-eoke by Singing Machine, to focus on the social impact of karaoke for children and adults of all ages who would benefit from singing. Their products are sold in over 25,000 locations worldwide, including Amazon, Costco, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart. To learn more, go to www.singingmachine.com . Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the Company’s registration statement and in its other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Investor Relations Contact: investors@algoholdings.com www.algoholdings.comRetail 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. What does Big Tech hope to gain from warming up to Trump? NEW YORK (AP) — In a string of visits, dinners, calls, monetary pledges and social media overtures, big tech chiefs have joined a parade of business and world leaders in trying to improve their standing with President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office in January. The tech list includes Apple’s Tim Cook, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. Meanwhile, the list of what the executives may be hoping for includes an open path toward developing artificial intelligence, easier access to energy for data centers and an easing of antitrust enforcement. 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.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Once-promising seasons hit new lows for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers last week. Another sent the Bears to their sixth straight loss and led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus. The 49ers suffered their and to go from Super Bowl contenders to outside the playoff picture in a matter of weeks. The two reeling teams will try to get back on track on Sunday when the Bears (4-8) visit the 49ers (5-7) in Chicago's first game under . “I told them a minute ago after practice there is no confidence loss at all as far as what I think about them,” Brown said Wednesday. “I don’t care what anybody else thinks about them. I think we have a very talented football team. It’s about just putting the work in every single day to give us an opportunity to win.” The Bears are hoping to get an emotional boost from the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history. Over the last 10 seasons, teams with interim coaches are 13-11 in their first game with the new coach. Those teams had a .284 winning percentage at the time they fired their coaches. “I wouldn’t say a new voice was needed. I would say there was change that was needed," rookie quarterback Caleb Williams said, pointing to a need for more accountability and better communication. The Niners came into the season as the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl from the NFC after losing the title game to Kansas City last season. But a series of key injuries, bad losses and spotty play have left them in last place in the NFC West with only slim hopes of even reaching the postseason. San Francisco lost and 35-10 to Buffalo in back-to-back weeks and lost star running back Christian McCaffrey to a knee injury last week that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season. The Niners already lost key players Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave to season-ending injuries and are preparing to be without stars Nick Bosa and Trent Williams for a third straight week. “It’s just been a rocky mountain for real with the injuries and other stuff we’ve had to go through this season,” receiver Deebo Samuel said. “Our record don’t show how really good we are as a team. We're still believing in this locker room.” Williams described Eberflus’ firing as “interesting” and “tough” and vowed to “roll with the punches” while insisting the chaos and turnover of the past few weeks could help him handle similar situations in the future. Just 12 games into his NFL career, the prized quarterback is on his second head coach and third offensive coordinator, though Brown will continue to call plays. How does he keep the faith that his career is in good hands with this organization? “The first part is understanding I can’t control,” Williams said. “Even if I understand or don’t understand, that doesn’t matter. I have to roll with the punches like I said before. I don’t control everything.” With McCaffrey and Jordan Mason injured, the Niners running game will turn to . The fourth-round pick has 42 carries for 246 yards and two TDs this season and will be making his second start in either college or the pros. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the progress Guerendo has made since training camp makes him ready for his new role as he sees him running with more “urgency.” “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it the more, if you’ve got the right stuff, the more you get reps, the more you can adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how when there is a hole how you have to hit it full-speed and can’t hesitate at all or it closes like that. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” San Francisco's usually stout run defense has been anything but that this season. The Niners have struggled to slow down the opposition on the ground all year with the problem getting worse recently. The 49ers allowed 389 yards rushing the past two weeks. “It’s been so frustrating because I know what is supposed to look like,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “That’s not it.” Stopping the run also continues to be a sore spot for Chicago. The Bears rank 25th overall against the run and 29th in yards allowed per rush after another difficult outing last week. They gave up 194 yards, including 144 in the first half as the Lions grabbed a 16-0 lead. Losing veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings to a torn pectoral muscle last month did not help. He was injured in a Week 9 loss at Arizona and is expected to miss the remainder of the season after having surgery. AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report. AP NFL:

Boys soccer: Wolf Pack up to 2-1, Bulldogs extend unbeaten start, Falcons win two straight