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NoneMLB Salary Arbitration Eligibles ListIndia News Today Live Updates: Trending India News brings you the most significant stories and developments from across the nation, covering everything from politics and economy to culture and technology. Whether it's a major policy change, a groundbreaking legal verdict, or the latest in entertainment and sports, we ensure you don't miss out on the news that's shaping the nation. Our in-depth coverage and timely updates keep you informed about the trends that are making headlines in India today. Stay connected to the pulse of the nation with Trending India News. India News Today Live: MGNREGS funding likely to remain unchanged in FY26 amid rural recoveryEgypt Daily News – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced the final statement of the state’s general budget for the fiscal year 2025, expecting total expenditures to reach about 1,285 billion riyals, and total revenues about 1,184 billion riyals. A statement by the Saudi Ministry of Finance confirmed that there are estimates of recording a deficit for the state’s general budget for the fiscal year 2025 amounting to 101 billion riyals, representing about 2.3% of the gross domestic product. Saudi Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Jadaan said that the continuation of the economic transformation process towards diversification, innovation and investment in promising sectors adopted by the Kingdom’s government, and that the positive results achieved so far confirm the success of economic and financial reforms aimed at promoting comprehensive economic growth and developing public financial management with a focus on improving the quality of services provided to citizens, residents and visitors. He explained that the 2025 budget aims to continue expanding strategic spending on development projects in accordance with the sectoral strategies and programs of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and to continue implementing programs and projects with sustainable economic, social and environmental returns. Al-Jadaan stressed that the government, through this budget and previous budgets, continues to pay attention to the citizen and his basic needs, in spending on the education, health and social services sectors, enhancing the quality of government services and facilities and developing infrastructure in various regions of the Kingdom. He explained that the deficit comes within the financial planning of the budget, and that the Kingdom aims to continue local and international financing operations with the aim of covering the expected deficit in the 2025 budget and repaying the principal due during the year 2025. The Saudi minister expected that the public debt balance would reach about 1,300 billion riyals (equivalent to 29.9% of the GDP) for the year 2025 AD, compared to about 1,199 billion riyals in the year 2024 AD (equivalent to 29.3% of the GDP).

Hyperconnected employees experiencing ‘dark side’ of digital workColts defense picks up the pace as offense continues searching for answers to red zone woes INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts defense started this season struggling. It couldn't stop the run, couldn't keep teams out of the end zone, couldn't get off the field. Now the script has flipped. Michael Marot, The Associated Press Nov 25, 2024 1:47 PM Nov 25, 2024 2:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) is tackled by Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu (97) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts defense started this season struggling. It couldn't stop the run, couldn't keep teams out of the end zone, couldn't get off the field. Now the script has flipped. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley's group is playing stouter, holding teams — even the high-scoring Detroit Lions — largely in check long enough to give Indy a chance to win, and it's the Colts offense that has struggled. “They are playing their tails off. You don’t want them on the field a bunch and as an offense you want to be able to play complementary football,” running back Jonathan Taylor said after Sunday's 24-6 loss. “I would say specifically on offense, it sucks when you can’t help your defense out when they are fighting their tails off all game.” Indy's defense held up its end of the bargain by limiting the Lions (10-1) to 14 first-half points and allowing just 24, matching Detroit's lowest output since Week 3. The problem: Even when the Colts (5-7) did get Detroit off the field, they couldn't sustain drives or score touchdowns. Again. Anthony Richardson provided the bulk of the ground game by rushing 10 times for 61 yards, mostly early. Taylor managed just 35 yards on 11 carries and a season-high 10 penalties constantly forced the Colts to dig out from deep deficits. Part of that was by design. “We knew Jonathan Taylor was going to be the guy we needed to shut down,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We did that. The quarterback runs. It got us on a couple but overall, we did what we needed to do, and we kept them out of that game." Part of it could be because of an injury-battered offensive line that has started three rookies each of the past two weeks and finished the previous game with the same three rookies. Whatever the fix, Indy needs a good solution. There is good news for Indy is that its schedule now gets substantially more manageable. After losing four of five, all to teams in playoff position and three to division leaders, Indy faces only one team with a winning record in its final five games. The most recent time the Colts played a team with a losing mark, Richardson rallied them past the New York Jets 28-27. But Colts coach Shane Steichen knows that's not the answer. The Colts must get this offense righted now. “We’ve got to get that figured out. We’ve got to get him going on the ground,” Steichen said when asked about Taylor, who has 92 yards on his past 35 carries. “We’ll look at the offensive line. We’ll look at everything." What’s working Pass rush. Pro Bowl DT DeForest Buckner's presence certainly has been felt since he returned from a sprained ankle Oct. 27. In those past five games, the Colts have had 14 sacks, including three of Jared Goff on Sunday. What needs work Penalties. The Colts have had one of the cleanest operations in the league most of this season. Sunday was an anomaly, but one that can't merely be written off. Stock up WR Michael Pittman Jr. The five-year veteran is one of the league's toughest guys, but playing through a back injury appeared to take its toll on Pittman's productivity. Since sitting out in Week 10, Pittman has 11 receptions for 142 yards including six for 96 yards, his second-highest total of the season, Sunday. Stock down Tight ends. Each week the Colts want their tight ends to make an impact. And each week, they seem to fail. It happened again Sunday when Drew Ogletree dropped a TD pass that would have given Indy a 10-7 lead. Instead, Indy settled for a field goal and a 7-6 deficit. Through 12 games, Indy's tight ends have a total of 26 catches, 299 yards and two TDs. That's just not good enough in a league where versatile, productive tight ends increasingly signal success. Injuries Pittman and WR Josh Downs both returned to the game after leaving briefly with shoulder injuries. WR Ashton Dulin did not return after hurting his foot in the second half. But the bigger questions come on the offensive line. LT Bernhard Raimann (knee) was inactive Sunday, and rookie center Tanor Bortolini entered the concussion protocol Monday. Bortolini was one of three rookie starters the past two weeks, replacing Pro Bowler Ryan Kelly who is on injured reserve. Key number 55.88 — Indy has scored touchdowns on 55.88% of its red zone trips this season. While it puts it near the middle of the NFL, it's cost the Colts multiple wins. Next steps Richardson needs to rebound from this latest 11 of 28 performance and show he can lead the Colts to victories week after week. He'll get plenty of chances over the season's final month, starting with next week's game at the New England Patriots. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Michael Marot, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers, accused of domestic violence, cleared to practice and play Nov 25, 2024 2:04 PM Jets' Ulbrich says Rodgers 'absolutely' remains the team's starting quarterback Nov 25, 2024 1:34 PM Chiefs are no longer relishing close wins as the stress of the postseason push begins to mount Nov 25, 2024 1:15 PM

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dallion Johnson scored 25 points and made seven 3-pointers to help FGCU defeat CSU Bakersfield 74-54 on Friday. Johnson went 9 of 14 from the field for the Eagles (1-4). Zavian McLean scored 12 points, going 4 of 9 from the floor, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line. Jevin Muniz went 3 of 10 from the field (2 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points, while adding eight rebounds. Marvin McGhee led the Roadrunners (3-2) in scoring, finishing with 15 points. Fidelis Okereke added 10 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

By . . Donald Trump hit out Tuesday at Joe Biden for commuting the sentences of almost every American federal prisoner on death row, as the president-elect prepared to replace the Democrat in the White House. President Biden, in his final month in office, announced Monday he was converting the death sentences of 37 of the 40 inmates awaiting federal execution to life without the possibility of parole. They included nine people convicted of murdering fellow prisoners, four for murders committed during bank robberies and one who killed a prison guard. “Joe Biden just commuted the Death Sentence on 37 of the worst killers in our Country,” Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media platform. “When you hear the acts of each, you won’t believe that he did this,” he added. “Makes no sense. Relatives and friends are further devastated. They can’t believe this is happening!” Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.SinoHytec, Toyota co-invest 1,9 billion yen in joint fuel cell venture in China On December 16, Beijing SinoHytec Co., Ltd. (“SinoHytec”) announced that it will jointly increase capital investment in its joint venture, Toyota SinoHytec Fuel Cell Co., Ltd. (“Toyota SinoHytec”), alongside Toyota Motor Corporation (“Toyota Motor”). The total capital injection amounts to 1.9 billion yen (approximately 89.61 million yuan), with SinoHytec contributing 950 million yen (around 44.81 million yuan). Following the capital increase, the registered capital of Toyota SinoHytec will rise from 4.5 billion yen to 6.4 billion yen (about 302 million yuan), while SinoHytec and Toyota Motor will each maintain their 50% ownership stake. The joint venture, established in June 2021, focuses on producing and commercializing fuel cell systems to support the adoption of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). Leveraging Toyota’s advanced fuel cell technology and localized R&D, the company designs systems that meet the diverse power output requirements of China’s commercial vehicle market. These systems offer high power, reliability, longevity, and cost efficiency, suitable for buses, coaches, logistics vehicles, and trucks. the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at SinoHytec, Toyota co-invest 1,9 billion yen in joint fuel cell venture in China, Impact Coatings Receives Order from Feintool (China) for INLINECOATER IC2000 for Fuel Cell Coatings Impact Coatings AB (publ) has received an order for an INLINECOATERTM IC2000 from Feintool Precision System Parts... Hyzon Receives Order for Refuse Collection And Class 8 200kW Fuel Cell Electric Trucks From South San Francisco Scavenger Company BOLINGBROOK, Ill., December 17, 2024 – Hyzon (NASDAQ: HYZN) (Hyzon or the Company), a U.S... Blue Origin Licenses Nimbus Power Systems’ Fuel Cell Technology for Development of Space Power Systems GROTON, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nimbus Power Systems, Inc., a pioneering developer of advanced fuel cell...

Will Kirill Kaprizov Score a Goal Against the Jets on November 25?Happy holidays everyone! The has kicked off, with a ton of top-end prospects taking part. Here's our third 2025 NFL mock draft to unwrap as a present, stuff your stocking, or do whatever else you want. Ward seeks explosive plays and will bring a calmness to the QB position, both traits that have been desperately missing in recent years in New York. Ward has things to clean up, namely his heat check moments that can get him in trouble, but pairing Ward with the electric Malik Nabers would bring explosive plays in bunches even as Ward continues to refine his game. Travis Hunter might be the best overall player in the class, and the Patriots need help at skill positions on offense and defense. Hunter would make a lot of sense as a shutdown cornerback across from Christian Gonzalez and can step in on offense here and there as needed. — Campbell plays like a veteran even at just 20 years old. He can consistently bend and move defenders in the run game and has the footwork, awareness and hand technique to consistently win in pass protection, even without ideal arm length. Whether he stays out at OT (I think he can) or has to move inside, I think Campbell is the best overall offensive lineman in this class and a winning player who would boost a Jags line with his maturity no matter where he ends up starting. The Titans need a quarterback desperately, but they could also use a topflight cornerback to pair with some of the front seven talent that they already have accumulated. Will Johnson, step on down. Here's the pass rusher with the most upside in this draft. Carter is twitchy and can bend around the corner. He still has to work on his overall consistency, especially against the run, where he can take himself out of too many plays. The at QB and even the future of their OL beyond 2025, but the thought of pairing Carter with Myles Garrett is exciting. And terrifying for offenses. Another team with a dire quarterback situation, the Raiders opt to take Sanders to shore up that position for them. They can’t walk into another season with Aidan O’Connell as their best option, even though he’s a good backup option to have moving forward. After battling an ankle injury at the beginning of the year, Williams has started to ramp up his play — and the production has followed. Williams has an excellent combination of length, strength and explosiveness. With the added bonus of being able to affect the game from multiple spots along the line. His best ball is ahead of him and would be a fun fit next to Derrick Brown for a Panthers defense needing needle-movers. Gang Green’s defense still has some of the top players in the NFL, but their depth was lacking this season as their defensive performance took a nosedive following the firing of Robert Saleh. Graham is a solid reinforcement for Quinnen Williams on interior defensive line. Banks is explosive, plays balanced and can have impact snaps in the run and pass games. He’d be best at guard as a pro, which would be a great fit for the Bears who desperately need a boost on the inside and at right guard. The Bears targeting positional versatility doesn’t hurt at all, though. The Saints can’t be picky at this point in their roster building journey. They’ll need help just about everywhere as they try to rebuild while staying cap compliant. Starks is a strong player to add on the backend of their defense who can play any safety position. Conerly has light feet and can get to the second level in a hurry. His strength was a big question mark heading into this season and even over the first month. But he has really put it together over the second half of the season, showing off the ability to anchor and sustain blocks with much more consistency and playing with much better awareness for post-snap movement. Conerly is athletic enough to stay on the outside, but I could see his skill set translating across the offensive line. Perfect for a 49ers offense that needs to inject talent up front, and possibly start thinking about a Trent Williams succession plan. Miami found a hit last year when they picked Chop Robinson out of Penn State to bolster their pass rush, and they dip in the well again here. Walker can be an all-around weapon for the Dolphins' front seven, but he’s at his best when he’s moving forward and wreaking havoc against opposing offensive lines. The Colts' defense has actually stepped up in recent weeks. They could still use a player at outside cornerback to pair with JuJu Brents when he returns from injury. Enter Revel, a cornerback with a prototypical build and the easy movement ability to develop into a true outside one-on-one defender. Revel suffered a season-ending ACL injury in September, but his aggressive play when he was on the field should keep him high on boards. Plus he has the length and other traits that make sense for what general manager Chris Ballard and defensive coordinator Gus Bradley prefer at the position. Cincinnati needs to get more stout and physical up front to get back to being a real contender in the AFC — there might not be a better player to do that than the 330-pound Grant. He might not be a stat-stuffer in the NFL, but he can plug holes and has some real upside. This would be a huge get for the Cowboys. McMillan is my easy WR1 in this class and offers true X-receiver upside at the next level. His size (6-foot-5, 212 pounds), catching range, and surprisingly easy bend for such a big receiver gives him matchup-wrecking potential. Pairing McMillan’s ability to win outside with CeeDee Lamb operating from the slot and Dallas would have ideal synergy between two pass-catchers. Ashton Jeanty is exciting, but McMillan would supercharge this offense and passing attack and has the added boost of fitting their personnel, even down to what Dak Prescott likes. Arizona needs to shore up its defensive line if it wants to get serious about winning the NFC West. Harmon from Oregon is a talented player who can help the Cardinals get better up front immediately. It makes sense that Stewart was a former big-time recruit with how easy of a mover he is. Stewart can line up across the defensive line and his size, athleticism and do-everything style fits with what head coach Todd Bowles likes to do up front that changes based on the situation. It might be a bit of a hat-on-a-hat situation with what the Buccaneers have currently on their roster, but the other position that I looked at, inside linebacker, might be a reach here. No team has a need for offensive line help more than the Seahawks. Booker is a stout interior player who will be able to get them moving in the right direction again — and could be one of the missing pieces they need to beat some of the tougher teams in the NFL. Even with the Falcons starting to pick up some sacks in recent weeks, injecting their defensive front with more talent seems like their obvious near-term plan (I feel like I could have written this every year for the past decade). I actually like where the Falcons sit with their offensive personnel, but adding a talented player like Nolen, a more dynamic interior player than what Atlanta currently has, would give head coach Raheem Morris and defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake a fun player to work with and move around on their front. And his physicality would help the Falcons out on all downs. The Chargers' offense clearly has a vision and a plan, but they need more talented (and physical) players to make that happen. Warren might be one of the best players in the class, but falls to this pick due to that pesky positional value argument. Texans. Offensive line. Texans. Offensive line. We will see this pairing for the next hundred-plus days and thousand-plus mock drafts that happen. Justifiably so! C.J. Stroud is constantly under duress and the Texans' run game is one of the least efficient in the league, despite Joe Mixon’s best efforts. Mbow is a very good athlete who springs out of his stance. He could look to add some lower body strength, but he plays tough and is able to bend and stay balanced in space, while also already showing off the ability to cut off defenders on the backside. He would boost the Texans' offensive line no matter what spot he’d end up at. The quest to continue building around Bo Nix continues for the Broncos. The cupboard might not be as empty as previously thought on offense for the Broncos, but if they’re going to make this Nix thing work, they’ll need a few more wide receivers. The Rams' ever-revolving offensive line actually gets a first-round pick to plop in. Alaric Jackson is a free agent after this season and Rob Havenstein is another year older. Ersery would give the Rams a player with dozens of college starts under his belt, with still more to tap into and develop. Ersery has a large frame and plays with some pop on contact, while also being a solid mover in such a big frame and flashing improving hand placement (something that he could still clean up). Ersery would fit the Rams' preference and give them the best of both worlds of having the experience to potentially play early and a player who could have more to develop for the future. Campbell is the first true linebacker off the board, and he goes to a team that could stand to get a smidge faster on the second level of the defense. In a world where college football isn’t producing many true first-round talents at the position, the Crimson Tide product could be one of them. I know the Steelers don’t typically (or mostly ever) draft wide receivers in the first round. But this Steelers offense has been lethargic when George Pickens isn’t on the field. And while players at other positions could be intriguing here for the Steelers — another cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr., swapping out Najee Harris for Ashton Jeanty, possibly even a tight end like Colston Loveland — I went with the dynamic Burden, whose production was up and down in 2024 but his explosiveness was still apparent. Burden lined up mostly in the slot during college as Missouri liked to move him around the formation, but he showed off the ability to win from the outside and has the YAC and big-play potential to add to any offense. He fits perfectly opposite Pickens and in Arthur Smith’s offense. A big, heavy-handed pass rusher for a team that loves big, heavy-handed pass rushers, Jackson had a solid year for Arkansas off the edge and projects well to the next level for defenses that like their pass rushers to be well-rounded players. The FBS leader in sacks, Green is a riser among prospects. Green plays hard every snap and will even be disruptive against double teams. He's only a redshirt sophomore but has already flashed secondary pass rush moves. It’s not all perfect and Green can get washed out when he doesn’t connect. Green’s athleticism, hard playing style, and flashes of advanced play remains an intriguing profile for the Packers to include. The Eagles always love drafting ahead for future needs on the offensive line, and Simmons could fill that role as an eventual replacement for Lane Johnson. Simmons has the talent to be a starting offensive tackle in the NFL, but needs some refinement. The Bills look to constantly add to their defensive line and do so again with Pearce. While Pearce can be up and down against the run, he has upside as an impactful pass rusher. Pearce is long and can be a handful for offensive tackles right at the snap of the ball. He can be easily taken out of the play a bit too often, especially against the run. Pearce could continue to develop his consistency for a Bills franchise that prefers to have a deep rotational line under head coach Sean McDermott. A dynamic interior presence would really take the Vikings' defense to the next level. Williams could be that guy for the Vikings as he’s shown some real penetrative ability at Ohio State. A team built through the trenches is exactly where my eyes went to to keep the good times rolling in Detroit. The Lions have remained one of the best offenses in the NFL despite signing new guards this offseason. The Lions keep the assembly line going with Savaiinaea, a guard who has a good thick build and plays consistently balanced. Savaiinaea is smart and knows how to use his hands. He plays right tackle for Arizona, but I like him best on the inside at the next level. A steal! Ashton Jeanty is one of the two or three best players in the class but winds up in the hands of the Chiefs, who should be thrilled about being able to add him to the offense. Jeanty has a rare combination of strength, balance and speed that will make him a nightmare for NFL defenses.

Buchanan went 11 of 17 from the field (4 for 8 from 3-point range) for the Broncos (5-1). Alvaro Cardenas Torre added 16 points while going 6 of 13 (3 for 6 from 3-point range) while they also had seven assists. Julian Bowie went 4 of 4 from the field (3 for 3 from 3-point range) to finish with 13 points. Oscar Cluff finished with 19 points and 14 rebounds for the Jackrabbits (5-2). Joe Sayler added 19 points for South Dakota State. Kalen Garry had 13 points and five assists. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .None

13-year-old cricketer Suryavanshi can become India's latest T20 batting sensationMore and more, according to the data, tax revenue from state-sanctioned gambling — from Keno and scratch tickets to casinos and sports betting — is becoming more valuable to the state’s budget than the other so-called “sin taxes.” For the state fiscal year 2024, all the games and gambling under the auspices of the N.H. Lottery Commission outperformed tobacco and liquor tax revenue ... by a lot. Lottery Commission-generated revenue was $43 million over budget in the fiscal year that ended on June 30. Meanwhile, tax revenue from liquor sales was $9 million under budget and tax revenue from tobacco sales was $24 million under budget. Sin taxes derive revenues from items that society might deem as potentially harmful. In New Hampshire, sin tax revenue comes from tobacco, alcohol and gambling. There’ll be a fourth if policymakers ever come to terms with legalizing marijuana. According to Phil Sletten, research director at the N.H. Fiscal Policy Institute, the Lottery Commission as a percentage is the state’s fastest growing source of tax revenue. “Long term, we’ve seen some really substantial trends in Lottery Commission revenues. Between state fiscal years 2017 and 2023, profits transferred from the Lottery Commission constituted the fastest growing major source of revenue for the general fund and the Education Trust Fund,” said Sletten. “When I say fastest growing, I mean in percentage terms,” he added. “While business tax revenues nearly doubled in this time period and resulted in more growth in total dollars, Lottery Commission profits to the Education Trust Fund were about 161 percent higher in state fiscal year 2023 than they were in state fiscal year 2017, and I’m using 2023 because those are the most recent audited numbers.” According to unaudited fiscal year 2024 numbers, about $3.32 billion in revenue came into the general and education funds. That’s about 4 percent over plan and 3.5 percent more than FY 2023. As a percentage of the whole, business taxes generated about $1.2 billion, or 36.7 percent of all revenue. Sin taxes on tobacco, liquor, beer and gaming generated a total of $516.4 million, or 15.5 percent of the whole. Sin taxes in FY 2024 outperformed state property taxes ($363.8 million, 10.9 percent of the whole) and Meals and Rentals Tax ($328.1 million, 9.9 percent of the whole). Of the sin taxes, only the Lottery Commission reported positive results against the previous fiscal year — up 7.3 percent, while revenue from the tobacco tax was down 12.8 percent, liquor was down 10.9 percent, and beer tax was down 6.2 percent. The Lottery Commission reported a banner revenue year in FY 2024. And, if current trends hold true, another might be in the offing for FY 2025, which comes to a close on June 30, 2025. Gambling a big player State budget writers are keeping a close eye on all revenue sources as they begin to assemble the FY 2026 budget. The new budget year starts on July 1, 2025. Gambling revenue could be a big player in the budget. The revenue report for October, for example, showed Lottery Commission revenue of $19 million, 13.1 percent above what was projected. “Revenue generated through the Lottery Commission was a large contributor to October’s overall surplus relative to the State Revenue Plan,” the Fiscal Policy Institute said in its analysis of the October numbers. While the Lottery Commission was above plan, tobacco was $10.2 million behind and liquor was $4.9 million behind plan, according to the October report. At the close of FY 2024, the New Hampshire Lottery reported in excess of $631 million in total sales, marking a nearly 5 percent or $29 million increase over FY 2023. With a portion of that revenue going toward the state’s public schools, the Lottery Commission generated an all-time high of $200.7 million in revenue supporting education, reflecting a nearly 7 percent or $13 million year-over-year increase. The N.H. Lottery Commission manages all lottery operations in the state, including scratch games, N.H. Powerball, N.H. Mega Millions, Tri-State Megabucks, Tri-State Pick3/Pick4 Daily Numbers games, Gimme 5, Fast Play games, Lucky For Life, KENO 603 and iLottery. The Commission also regulates charitable gaming, including Bingo, Lucky 7 and games of chance (poker, craps, roulette), along with simulcast racing, fantasy sports and sports wagering. “Our goal is always to maximize revenue for New Hampshire schools, while providing our players with fun and entertaining games. We certainly hit the mark this year,” Charlie McIntyre, Lottery Commission executive director, said in August with the release of the FY 2024 revenue data. “With the introduction of exciting new games, record high numbers from Tri-State Megabucks, new sports betting opportunities and more, we are confident 2025 will be even more successful.” With the professional and college football season well underway, Commission officials are putting their money down on an even better year, especially when it comes to sports betting, which became legal in the state in 2019. In the first two weeks of the season, New Hampshire players had wagered more than $13 million on NFL games alone. It marks a $1.7 million increase in total wagering compared to the first two weeks of last year’s NFL season. The state contracted with DraftKings to handle its sportsbook wagering through its app and live at four locations in the Granite State: the Brook in Seabrook, Revo Casino in Dover, Revo Casino in Manchester and Gate City Casino in Nashua. “Each year, football continues to be one of our biggest sports betting drivers. With an ever-expanding lineup of betting options for our players, the N.H. Lottery and DraftKings are confident that momentum will continue throughout this season,” said McIntyre. Betting it all Digging into the Lottery’s FY 2024 numbers (as yet unaudited), the gross revenue was $633,716,687 from the games such as KENO, Powerball, Mega Millions, Megabucks and the rest. There was a total of $413,815,869 in prizes awarded. So, for every dollar spent on Lottery games, the average win was about 65 cents. Separately, sports betting earned the state a total of $33.65 million in FY 2024. The total “handle” bet by players was $753 million, with players wagering more than $661.4 million through the DraftKings online sportsbook and nearly $91.6 million at New Hampshire’s retail sportsbooks. The Granite State’s 12 charitable gaming establishments generated an additional $36.7 million in revenue in support of local charities in FY 2024 and $29.2 million for New Hampshire’s public schools. These casinos are licensed to donate a portion of daily proceeds to local nonprofit organizations. For Sletten, the long-term prognosis for Lottery Commission revenue is better than Liquor Commission revenue in the sale of liquor, wine, beer and tobacco products (including e-cigarettes and vape products). “We at least know that Liquor Commission revenues are not growing to nearly the same degree that Lottery Commission revenues are and with tobacco tax revenues, those are expected to be in long-term decline,” said Sletten. In the last few years, the best year for Liquor Commission revenue was FY 2021 when revenue peaked at $252.8 million; liquor/wine tax revenue was $230.8 and beer tax revenue was $13.7 million. FY 2022 saw Liquor Commission revenue drop to $241.3 million, then drop further to $235.5 in FY 2023. So is it a good bet for New Hampshire to be dependent on the gambling sin tax? Sletten sees both sides. “There could be a different direction or a different trend in lottery revenues that could serve to provide diversity to revenue streams that the state has that may be less tied directly to economic fortunes,” said Sletten. He cited a scenario where economic conditions might not favor the meals and rooms tax or business profits tax but might favor gaming. He also acknowledges the cost of gambling addiction. “Gambling addiction may generate cost to society, including both economic and social costs. Some key research suggests that the negative effects of gambling and gambling addiction may fall disproportionate on people with lower incomes,” said Sletten. “These relationships are likely complex, and causality may be difficult to determine in all cases, but it suggests that negative impacts may be disproportionate on those who can least absorb them, and that can affect the broader economy, as well as individual household budgets.” A Pew Charitable Trust report from 2018 entitled “Are Sin Taxes Healthy for State Budgets?” had two pieces of advice: 1) “Sin taxes are a useful tool for supporting public health objectives and can be effective in raising revenue in the short term,” and “2) States should carefully assess the sustainability of these revenue sources in the long term, especially for funding ongoing budget commitments, to avoid structural budget challenges.” A research paper published in June posits the notion that the growth of sports betting has had a particularly negative effect on economically vulnerable households. “Gambling Away Stability: Sports Betting’s Impact on Vulnerable Households” argues that, “despite being marketed as a form of entertainment, the industry’s profitability suggests that the typical bettor faces negative expected returns.” As a result, it said, the betting behavior displaces more favorable economic habits such as saving money and paying down credit card debt. “These effects concentrate among financially constrained households, as credit card debt increases, available credit decreases and overdraft frequency rises,” it said. What does the Lottery Commission’s executive director think of gambling as a state policy to generate revenue? “I always joke: I don’t make policy; I’m the instrument of policy,” said McIntyre. His job is to make it all work. “One of the reasons to do this is because, like, for example, sports betting, was to bring an illegal activity to be legal, to be well regulated, add the consumer protections,” said McIntyre. “If you have a problem with our platform of DraftKings, you can call me directly, and I’ll follow up and we’ll investigate, whereas you don’t have the luxury of that in the illegal market or your friend’s card game in his basement,” he added. “Yes, I believe it’s being done safely. As for if it’s a good idea, that’s a policy decision that the government, i.e. the Legislature, the governor make that.” The N.H. Council for Responsible Gambling was established through the 2019 legislation legalizing sports betting in the Granite State and is tasked with education, prevention and treatment related to gambling disorders in New Hampshire. It used $290,000 from the state to contract with the Council on Problem Gambling to build training and clinical capacity, and to facilitate outreach and awareness activities. That funding ran out at the end of FY23 and has not been renewed. The growth of gambling addiction issues are growing as opportunities to gamble are growing, according to Ed Talbot. “There’s more calls each year,” said Talbot. The organization mans a 24/7 hotline: 603-724-1605. As advertising for gambling has increased, particularly by DraftKings for sports betting, Talbot is seeing more issues with a younger generation. “One alarming statistic I just saw is the highest percentage of people indicating a potential problem is the 17 to 24 (age group), and I think a lot of that is based on the advertising that’s going on, especially around sports gambling,” said Talbot. “To me, that just says there’s going with the next generation, the problem is going to be more so.” In addition to counseling services and treatment recommendations for gambling addiction, Talbot said he wants the council to advocate for stronger self-exclusion, where gamblers who believe that they have a problem can voluntarily bar themselves from entering one or more gambling venues to prevent them from gambling. In New Hampshire, according to Talbot, that has to be done in person, at each establishment the individual wants to be excluded from. He said other states — Pennsylvania, for example — make it much easier through an online process. Talbot is unsure about future direct state funding for the Council on Problem Gambling. “Fiscal Year 2024 we’ve been on our own, and fiscal year 2025 unless we get some supplemental funding, we’ll be on our own again,” he said. Ironically, Talbot said the council feels it has to participate in casino nights in order to raise operating funds. “We have participated in charity gaming, which is not something we would like to do,” said Talbot, “but we’re a nonprofit, and we have taken advantage of that and gotten anywhere between $25,000 and $30,000 a year out of that.”Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. Wemby at The Garden. LeBron vs. Steph. The NBA's Christmas Day lineup, as always, has star power LeBron James made his Christmas debut in 2003. Victor Wembanyama was born 10 days later. That’s right: James has been featured on the NBA’s big day for longer than Wembanyama has been alive. And on Wednesday the league’s oldest player and brightest young star will be big parts of the holiday showcase. It’s another Christmas quintupleheader, with Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs visiting the New York Knicks, Minnesota going to Dallas for a Western Conference finals rematch, Philadelphia heading to Boston to renew a storied rivalry, James and the Los Angeles Lakers taking on Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and Denver playing at Phoenix. Pro Picks: Chiefs will beat the Steelers and Ravens will edge the Texans on Christmas Day Playoff berths, draft positioning and more are up for grabs in Week 17. There’s going to be plenty of football on television this holiday week with the NFL playing games on five out of six days, starting with a doubleheader on Christmas Day featuring four of the AFC’s top five teams. Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs visit Russell Wilson and the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. Then, two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens take on C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans. The Bears host the Seahawks on Thursday night and there are three games on Saturday, making Sunday’s schedule light at nine games. Falcons drafting Penix no longer a head-scratcher with rookie QB shining in place of benched Cousins It was the most surprising first-round pick in a long time when the Atlanta Falcons chose Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall selection in the NFL draft last April. That came just six weeks after the Falcons had signed free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million in guarantees. But that move is no longer a head-scratcher after Penix's solid starting debut in place of a benched and turnover-prone Cousins. Several teams have fared well with new quarterbacks this season including the Steelers, Broncos, Vikings and Commanders. Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could start a trend in skiing. And pro sports in general ST. MORITZ, Switzerland (AP) — Lindsey Vonn thinks her new titanium knee could be the start of a trend in ski racing. The 40-year-old American standout had replacement surgery in April and returned to the World Cup circuit after nearly six years last weekend. She says her knee feels “amazing" and that "it’s something to seriously consider for athletes that have a lot of knee problems.” Her surgery was the first of its kind in World Cup skiing. Vonn had a robot-assisted surgery in April with part of the bone in her right knee cut off and replaced by two titanium pieces. She was planning her comeback a month later. Boise State's legacy includes winning coaches and championship moments No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for its third trip to the Fiesta Bowl. This time it's in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year’s Eve. Boise State's first appearance on the national stage was in a memorable victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, 2007. But former coach Chris Petersen said the victory in that bowl three years later over TCU was even more meaningful for the program. Players have mixed feelings about being on the road on Christmas as NFL adds more holiday games OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Games on Christmas aren’t new to the NFL. The Miami Dolphins famously beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a playoff game on Dec. 25, 1971 — a double-overtime classic that still holds the record for the NFL’s longest game. In 2020, New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara tied an NFL record with six touchdowns in a game when the Saints beat Minnesota on Christmas. Lately the league has been much more aggressive about scheduling games on Christmas. That's been met with mixed feelings among the players. Baltimore tackle Ronnie Stanley says there is an offensive line Christmas party planned for Friday at center Tyler Linderbaum’s house. Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s plan is to celebrate on Thursday. Embiid ejected after drawing 2 technicals in game against Wembanyama and Spurs PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was ejected in the first half of Monday night’s game against San Antonio after drawing two technical fouls. Referee Jenna Schroeder ejected Embiid with 2 minutes, 59 seconds left in the second quarter. The seven-time All-Star received the first technical for arguing with Schroeder, and received another technical — and ejection — from Schroeder before any more game time elapsed. Embiid was close to Schroeder, but it wasn’t clear from replays whether he made contact with the official. An enraged Embiid charged toward the officials after the ejection and was restrained by teammate Kyle Lowry, head coach Nick Nurse and several assistants. Nikki Glaser uses Prime Video's NFL postgame show appearances to help prepare for Golden Globes INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Nikki Glaser has become a familiar face to football fans this season. Her breakthrough performance at the Tom Brady Roast on May 5 paved the way for five appearances on Amazon Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football” postgame show. Glaser said before last Thursday’s game between the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers that doing her “Late Hits” segment was a no-brainer following her success at the Brady roast. Leaving Thunder, Bucks off the NBA's Christmas game list has those teams feeling snubbed Oklahoma City leads the Western Conference and has a MVP candidate in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Milwaukee has the NBA’s leading scorer in Giannis Antetokounmpo. They were the teams that made their way to the NBA Cup final. By any measure, they’re both very good teams. And neither will play on Christmas Day this year. Bah, humbug. The NBA faces the same challenge every summer, figuring out which 10 teams will get the honor of playing on Christmas Day. But the Bucks and Thunder are right to feel snubbed.

Hyperconnected employees experiencing ‘dark side’ of digital work

Special counsel moves to dismiss subversion case against Trump Move represents shift from special prosecutor who obtained indictments against Trump accusing him of crimes against national security WASINGTON: Special Counsel Jack Smith on Monday moved to dismiss the case against US President-elect Donald Trump for allegedly conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Smith, in a filing with the district judge presiding over the case, said it should be dismissed in light of a Justice Department policy not to prosecute a sitting president. The move represents a remarkable shift from the special prosecutor who obtained indictments against Trump in two separate cases accusing him of crimes that threatened US election integrity and national security. It shows how Trump's election victory over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris was not just a political triumph, but also a legal one. Trump pleaded not guilty in August 2023 to four federal charges accusing the Republican of conspiring to obstruct the collection and certification of votes following his 2020 defeat to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump, who as president will again oversee the Justice Department, was expected to order an end to the federal 2020 election case and an attempt by Smith to revive a second case accusing Trump of illegally retaining classified documents after leaving office in 2021. The Justice Department policy, dating back to the 1970s, holds that a criminal prosecution of a sitting president would violate the US Constitution by undermining the ability of the country's chief executive to function. US District Judge Tanya Chutkan will still have to approve the request from prosecutors. Trump's lawyers had previously said they would seek to dismiss the charges based on a US Supreme Court ruling in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution over official actions taken while in the White House. Smith attempted to salvage the case following the high court ruling, dropping some allegations but arguing the rest were not covered by presidential immunity and could proceed to trial. Chutkan had been due to decide whether the immunity decision required other portions of the case to be thrown out. A trial date had not been set. The case was brought following a probe led by Smith into Trump's attempts to hold on to power following his 2020 election defeat, culminating in the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol by a mob of his supporters following a fiery speech by Trump near the White House. Trump denied wrongdoing and argued that the US legal system had been turned against him to damage his presidential campaign. He vowed during the campaign that he would fire Smith if he returned to the presidency. Biden pardons Thanksgiving turkeys Peach and Blossom French prosecutors seek 20-year sentence for Pelicot over wife's mass rape One woman killed by those closest to them every 10 minutes worldwide: UN Adani scandal disrupts Indian parliament

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