MILWAUKEE (AP) — Themus Fulks' 26 points helped Milwaukee defeat IU Indianapolis 88-81 on Sunday. Fulks also contributed five rebounds and five assists for the Panthers (10-4, 3-0 Horizon League). Kentrell Pullian scored 20 points while going 5 of 9 from the floor, including 4 for 7 from 3-point range, and 6 for 8 from the line. Erik Pratt shot 5 for 9, including 1 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with 11 points. Sean Craig led the way for the Jaguars (5-10, 1-3) with 22 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Paul Zilinskas added 21 points and three steals for IU Indianapolis. Jarvis Walker finished with 12 points and four assists. Milwaukee's next game is Thursday against Oakland on the road. IU Indianapolis hosts Youngstown State on Wednesday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Newcastle will feature an unforgettable fireworks display at 9pm on December 31. or signup to continue reading The Queens Wharf precinct will be prime position for the extravaganza, with family-friendly activities, bike parades, live music and local food providers adding to the fun from 5pm. Wollongong will be illuminated by its iconic harbourside fireworks on New Year's Eve. When the show starts at 9pm there will be two great viewing spots: Osborne Park and Lang Park. From 5pm, families can make the most of food trucks near the harbour in Osborne Park. A New Year's Eve carnival will also run between December 31 and January 5 in Lang Park on Marine Drive. Gear up for Australia's most famous fireworks display over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The colossal New Year's celebration has dozens of vantage points to best view the show, with a 'family friendly' 9pm show as well as the midnight extravaganza atop the Harbour Bridge. Enjoy fun with the whole family on Lake Burley Griffin this year. The two separate shows are back after 2023 featured one longer show. The first display is at 9pm for families, followed by another at midnight. Fireworks will launch from the Central Basin and Commonwealth Bridge. This will ensure maximum visibility across four celebration hubs. These will be at Rond Terrace, Queen Elizabeth Terrace and two hubs will be at Regatta Point, one in front of the Canberra and Region Visitors Centre and one near Nerang Pool. Head to Maitland Riverbank, Riverside Carpark and RH Taylor Reserve, Lorn to ring in the New Year with a bang. A family-friendly event from 5pm will offer free amusements, face painting, live music and a disco reliving the year's top hits. Celebrations will conclude with a fireworks display from 9pm onward. Welcome 2025 on Wagga Wagga's iconic Lake Albert. Family fun kicks off at 6.30pm at Apex Park, Lake Rd with food trucks and fun activities for the whole family. The regional centre's traditional fireworks will light up the sky at 9.30pm. Watch Melbourne sparkle on New Year's Eve with the annual fireworks display. Melbourne's night sky will light up across free celebration zones at 9.30pm and again when the clock strikes midnight. Find family-friendly celebration zones at Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens, The Shrine and Treasury Gardens offer the best inner-city views of fireworks and lasers. See the best spots: https://nye.melbourne.vic.gov.au/ Head to the Geelong Waterfront for the best seat in the house. Roll out a rug at Eastern Beach when the annual fireworks displays at 9.30pm midnight light up the night sky. The Bendigo sky will be illuminated not once, but twice, on December 31. A family-friendly display will run at 9.15pm, and another will explode at midnight. Both displays will be let off from the Poppet Head lookout in Rosalind Park. For the first time, Ballarat will have its own New Year's Eve fireworks. The annual display usually comes in mid-January, but it has been shifted to the iconic December 31 timeslot. Lake Wendouree will host the show, which kicks off at 9.30pm. Warrnambool will feature two extraordinary fireworks displays on New Year's Eve. The first show will start at 9.30pm and the second kicks off at midnight, both launching from the Breakwater. The Lady Bay beachfront is the best seat in the house, but Cannon Hill and Flagstaff Hill are also prime viewing spots. Head to the Hobart waterfront to witness an amazing fireworks display at 9.30pm. An amazing midnight show will follow over Sullivan's Cove over the Derwent River at midnight. This year, the Regatta Grounds will have a designated viewing area on the grassy hill looking over Macquarie Point to the Derwent and fireworks. Celebrate New Year's Eve on the Riverbank at Elder Park. Enjoy free fireworks displays at both 9pm and midnight at Elder Park on King William Road. Festivities include food trucks, live entertainment and family-friendly activities. Perth features an incredible 11 fireworks displays throughout December and January, including two shows on New Year's Eve. Families can ring in the New Year at Elizabeth Quay with a fun fair and fireworks. The displays kick off at 8.30pm and midnight over the Swan River. New Year's Eve at the Darwin Waterfront will offer two firework displays, a neon disco for the kids and a New Year's themed show from Liquid Light. Local musicians will wow crowds from 5pm onward. Two fireworks displays will light up the sky at 9pm and midnight, with liquid light and neon fairies promising to entertain the children for hours on end. Brisbane will feature two action-packed fireworks shows on December 31. Held at the South Bank Parklands, one display will take off at 7.45pm and another at midnight. Lay out the picnic blanket and watch the firework action from Wilson's Lookout, City Botanic Gardens, Kangaroo Point Cliffs, Bartley's Hill Lookout or Captain Burke Park for a relaxed viewing with the family. The best viewing locations at South Bank include the Clem Jones Promenade, the Cultural Forecourt, Riverside Green and River Quay. Enjoy amazing fireworks displays across the Gold Coast this New Year's Eve from 8pm onward. Broadbeach, 8pm and midnight at Kurruwa Park, Broadbeach. Coolangatta, 9pm and midnight at Coolangatta beach. Paradise Point, 9pm at Paradise Point Parkland. Coomera, 8pm at Coomera Sports Park. Robina, 10pm at Robina Town Centre, Robina Town Centre Drive, The Promenade. Southport, 9pm at Broadwater Parklands, Marine Parade. Surfers Paradise, 8pm and midnight at Surfers Paradise Foreshore. The Sunshine Coast will have just one fireworks event, a family-friendly display at Mooloolaba at 8.30pm. There have traditionally been two events, but the midnight show was cancelled in November due to safety concerns. Amazing fireworks shows will light up the sky across Springfield Central, South Ripley, Ipswich Central, Chuwar and Goodna at 9pm. The Springfield Central, South Ripley and Ipswich Central fireworks locations have been chosen strategically in central locations so some residents can view the displays from their home backyards or in large, open public spaces nearby. The best public viewing locations include Ironbark Park, South Ripley, the Springfield Central Sporting Complex, Bill Paterson Oval, Limestone Park and the Tivoli Drive In. Find out more: Correspondent covering key issues across regional Victoria, based in Melbourne. Correspondent covering key issues across regional Victoria, based in Melbourne. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement AdvertisementBUFFALO, N.Y. — “It was so surreal to me. I felt happy it was over.” Those were the words a 24-year-old Yemeni American woman used to describe landing back on U.S. soil after a year and a half long odyssey, in which she claims she was kidnapped by family members and held against her will as part of a forced marriage scheme . For a second day jurors heard testimony from the alleged victim at the trial of Khaled Abughanem, 52, and his adult son, Adham Abughanem, both of Lackawanna. The two are charged with conspiracy to kidnap a person in a foreign country and kidnapping conspiracy, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison. Khaled Abughanem is also charged with threatening to retaliate against a victim. It is alleged that they tricked Khaled Abughanem’s daughter into travelling to Yemen in September of 2021, where her father then announced that she would not be returning to the United States, but instead would be staying in Yemen to marry, even though she already had a fiancé. She said that when she told her father she would rather die than enter an arranged marriage, her father savagely beat her with his fists, feet, and a belt to the point where "I thought I was going to die." Until her escape in April of 2023, she says she was being constantly watched as her U.S. passport was held in a safe within the home of her grandparents in a country where, as an unmarried woman, she was not permitted to freely travel without the approval of family members. However, she was eventually allowed to go to a corner store across the street to pick up items for the family. That's when she started keeping the change from purchases and eventually saved enough to buy a Wi-Fi card, which she used secretly on her sister-in-law's cell phone. She was eventually able to contact her fiancé, who then began reaching out to authorities as well as the nonprofit Unchained at Last , a group dedicated to women and girls escaping from forced marriages. The group was successful in smuggling a cellphone, which she says she obtained by going to an address where her fiancé told her she could retrieve it if she said a code word. The woman, who was an architecture student at the University of Buffalo prior to the ordeal, was then able to use the cellphone to contact the FBI. On Wednesday, she concluded her direct testimony by relating that when FBI agents met her plane at John F. Kennedy airport and began escorting her through the terminal, one of her sisters appeared almost out of nowhere and tried to snatch her. A picture of the encounter, captured from an airport surveillance camera, was shown to jurors. “She grabbed me by the scarf to try and stop me. I didn’t want to see her anymore,” she testified, before relating that agents whisked her into an area of the airport inaccessible to the public so that she could board another plane for a destination not mentioned in court. She has since changed her name and estranged herself from her family. Born in Yemen in 2000, she came to the United States at the age of 10 with other members of her family who settled in Lackawanna. As a girl, she began an online relationship with a young man in Mexico, and as their relationship progressed, he also told her he was interested in converting to Islam. They continued to correspond and speak on the phone for approximately nine years, she says, unbeknownst to her family She testified that in 2021, when she was a student at the University at Buffalo and after her parents had already tried to arrange for her to be married to a man in California, she secretly left for Mexico to be with Rodrigo Reymoso Rodriguez, whom she had never met in person. He arranged for her to travel to the home of his parents in Guadalajara, and though he urged her to leave a note so her parents wouldn’t worry, she did not. The day after her arrival, and after a missing person’s report had been filed with Lackawanna police, together they phoned her father and told him of their plan to marry. According to prosecutors, Khaled Abughanem only pretended to approve, and quickly planned to travel to Mexico to meet Rodriguez and his family. Once there, they say he even promised her fiancé that he would help him get a visa to come to the United States. But it was all a ruse, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Kruly, who in his opening statement told jurors, “That’s where her nightmare began.” According to prosecutors, once back in Lackawanna, the woman’s social media accounts were deleted by her brother, her phone was taken away, she was kept behind locked doors, and a surveillance camera was set up to watch her. Unable to reach her, her fiancé began calling Lackawanna police who went to the family home to conduct welfare checks. According to family attorney Arcangelo Petricca, who testified on Wednesday , he was told by the woman that Rodriguez was not her fiancé and was a nuisance who kept pestering her by calling police to check on her. Petricca testified to a letter introduced as evidence which he wrote to the City of Lackawanna Director of Public Safety asking them to cease responding to the calls. However, according to prosecutors, the woman’s family forced her to say those things about Rodriguez. Within a month, prosecutors say the family tricked her into travelling to Yemen for her brother’s wedding where they knew she would be unable to escape. It is a country without a US Embassy and the city they traveled to, the capital of Sanaa, is controlled by the Houthis and is particularly known as a place where women have few if any rights. Lawyers defending the Abughanem’s insist he is a father who was concerned about his daughter running away to marry a man she'd never met and allege she fabricated many elements of her story, and imagined other parts of it, in order to get what she wanted. Another one of Khaled Abughanem’s sons, Waleed Abughanem, 34, pleaded guilty in September to misprision of felony, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The charge relates to a person with knowledge of a felony who, instead of reporting it, conceals that information and essentially covers up the crime and applies even if the person did not directly participate in the felony itself. Waleed Abughanem has since indicated, however, his desire to withdraw his guilty plea.
Another housing-related showdown between the city of Boston and the state Legislature is poised to unfold next year if city councilors embrace a push to shield renters from paying broker’s fees. City Councilor Liz Breadon and Council President Ruthzee Louijeune on Wednesday introduced a new proposal that would require any broker fees in the city to be paid by the party who contracted with a real estate broker, effectively prohibiting landlords from passing those costs onto their tenants. More Boston storiesPISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild 38-31 victory over Rutgers on Saturday. Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07. Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) gave up a safety on the final kickoff return, throwing a ball out of bounds in the end zone as players passed it around hoping for a miracle touchdown. Altmyer was 12-of-26 passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Bryant finished with seven receptions for 197 yards. Altmeyer put Illinois in front with a 30-yard TD run with 3:07 to go. He passed to Josh McCray on the 2-point conversion, making it 30-24. Rutgers responded with a 10-play, 65-yard drive. Athan Kaliakmanis had a 15-yard run on fourth down. He passed to running back Kyle Manangai for a 13-yard TD with 1:08 remaining. Illinois then drove 75 yards in eight plays for the unexpected win. Kaliakmanis was 18 for 36 for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 13 carries for 84 yards and two TDs. Monangai had a career-high 28 carries for 122 yards. Kaliakmanis found Ian Strong for a 2-yard touchdown in the final seconds of the first half, and he scored on a 1-yard run to lift Rutgers to a 24-15 lead early in the fourth quarter. Illinois responded with Aidan Laughery’s 8-yard TD run, setting up the roller-coaster finish. The start of the second half was delayed because of a scrum between the teams. There were no punches thrown and the officials called penalties on both schools. Monangai become the third player in Rutgers history to rush for 3,000 yards when he picked up 4 on a third-and-1 carry early in the second quarter. The defending conference rushing champion joins Ray Rice and Terrell Willis in hitting the mark. Illinois: The great finish keeps the Illini in line for its first nine-win season since 2007 and a prestigious bowl game this season. Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights were seconds away from their first in-conference three-game win streak since joining the Big Ten in 2014. Illinois: At Northwestern next Saturday. Rutgers: At Michigan State next Saturday. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
A 9th telecoms firm has been hit by a massive Chinese espionage campaign, the White House says
LaFleur: Packers Won't Gain 'Advantage' vs. Lions After Jahmyr Gibbs Leaked CallsJack Schlossberg accuses cousin, RFK Jr, of being a ‘Russian spy’
Philippine Science HS students get climate leadership training via US Peace CorpsPolice hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO on Wednesday in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant Pete Hegseth fought to save his nomination to be Donald Trump's defense secretary Wednesday as the president-elect considered possible replacements in the face of growing questions about the former Fox News host's personal conduct and ability to win Senate confirmation. Hegseth met with legislators on Capitol Hill, conducted a radio interview and released an opinion article denying allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. He insisted he was “not backing down one bit," that Trump was still supporting him and he planned to return Thursday for more meetings with lawmakers. But the president-elect's team was looking at alternatives including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Trump himself remained quiet about Hegseth while issuing a flurry of statements on social media Wednesday about other nominees and his news coverage. Hegeth, asked if he'd meet with Trump on Thursday, said he'd meet with him “anytime he'd like." Hegseth is the latest nominee-designate to be imperiled by personal baggage after the recent withdrawal of Trump’s initial pick for attorney general, former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose vulnerabilities were well-documented. But Hegseth’s past, including the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies, was not widely known. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people, showcasing the uneasy intersection between law, politics and individual rights. The Biden administration's top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. In arguments that lasted more than two hours, five of the six conservative justices voiced varying degrees of skepticism of arguments made by the administration and Chase Strangio, the ACLU lawyer for Tennessee families challenging the ban. Peter Navarro served prison time related to Jan. 6. Now Trump is bringing him back as an adviser WASHINGTON (AP) — Former White House adviser Peter Navarro, who served prison time related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, will return to serve in Donald Trump’s second administration, the president-elect announced Wednesday. Navarro, a trade adviser during Trump’s first term, will be a senior counselor for trade and manufacturing, Trump said on Truth Social. The position, Trump wrote, “leverages Peter’s broad range of White House experience, while harnessing his extensive Policy analytic and Media skills.” The appointment was only the first in a flurry of announcements that Trump made on Wednesday as his presidential transition faced controversy over Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief. Hegseth faces allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking and financial mismanagement, and Trump has considered replacing him with another potential nominee. As he works to fill out his team, Trump said he wanted Paul Atkins, a financial industry veteran and an advocate for cryptocurrency, to serve as the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission. He wrote on Truth Social that Atkins “recognizes that digital assets & other innovations are crucial to Making America Greater than Ever Before.” Trump also said he was changing course on his choice for White House counsel. He said his original pick, William McGinley, will work with the Department of Government Efficiency, which will be run by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy with the goal of cutting federal spending. Now David Warrington, who has worked as Trump’s personal lawyer and a lawyer for his campaign, will serve as White House counsel. Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli airstrikes tore through a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza on Wednesday, sparking fires and killing at least 21 people, according to the head of a nearby hospital, in the latest assault on a sprawling tent city that Israel designated a humanitarian safe zone but has repeatedly targeted. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants “involved in terrorist activities” in the area, without providing additional details, and said it took precautions to minimize harm to civilians. The strike on the Muwasi tent camp was one of several deadly assaults across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. An Israeli attack in central Gaza killed at least 10 more people, including four children, according to Palestinian medics. Israel’s devastating war in Gaza, launched after Hamas’ October 2023 attack, shows no signs of ending after nearly 14 months. Hamas is still holding dozens of Israeli hostages, and most of Gaza’s population has been displaced and is reliant on international food aid to survive. Israel is also pressing a major offensive in the isolated north, where experts say Palestinians might be experiencing famine. The Biden administration has pledged to make a new push for a Gaza ceasefire now that there's a truce in Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah, ending more than a year of cross-border fighting. Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump demanded this week the release of hostages held by Hamas before he is sworn into office in January. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term and whether he will abide by democratic principles. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Here's a look at the political firestorm caused by the martial law declaration, the first of its kind in more than 40 years. Yoon's declaration of emergency martial law on Tuesday night was accompanied by a pledge to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces at a single stroke.” He vowed to protect the country from “falling into the depths of national ruin.” Yoon, a conservative, cited repeated attempts by his liberal rivals in control of parliament to impeach his top officials and curtail key parts of his budget bill for next year. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers joined together Wednesday in a historic no-confidence vote prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet members to resign, a first since 1962. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. A conservative appointed in September, Barnier becomes the shortest-serving prime minister in France’s modern Republic. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official on Wednesday said at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered new details about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that the number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow. The U.S. believes that the hackers were able to gain access to communications of senior U.S. government officials and prominent political figures through the hack, Neuberger said. “We don’t believe any classified communications has been compromised,” Neuberger added during a call with reporters. Harris found success with women who have cats, but Trump got the dog owner vote: AP VoteCast WASHINGTON (AP) — The lead-up to the 2024 election was all about cat owners. But in the end, the dogs had their day. President-elect Donald Trump won slightly more than half of voters who own either cats or dogs, with a big assist from dog owners, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters. Dog owners were much more likely to support the Republican over Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Cat owners were split between the two candidates. About two-thirds of voters said they own a dog or cat, but pet owners don't usually get much attention from politicians. This year, however, past comments by Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, about “childless cat ladies” briefly became a campaign issue — and Taylor Swift signed her Instagram endorsement of Harris in September as “Taylor Swift Childless Cat Lady.” Harris did end up decisively winning support from women who owned a cat but not a dog. Still, those voters were a relatively small slice of the electorate, and pet owners as a whole did not seem to hold Vance's remarks against the GOP ticket. Childless or not, women who only owned a cat were more likely to support Harris than were dog owners, or voters who had a cat and a dog. About 6 in 10 women who owned a cat but not a dog supported Harris, according to AP VoteCast. She did similarly well among women who did not own either kind of pet.
Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer and little-known Georgia governor who became the 39th president of the United States, promising “honest and decent” government to Watergate-weary Americans, and later returned to the world stage as an influential human rights advocate and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has died. He was 100. When his turbulent presidency ended after a stinging reelection loss in 1980, Carter retreated to Plains, his political career over. Over the four decades that followed, though, he forged a legacy of public service, building homes for the needy, monitoring elections around the globe and emerging as a fearless and sometimes controversial critic of governments that mistreated their citizens. He lived longer than any U.S. president in history and was still regularly teaching Bible classes at his hometown Maranatha Baptist Church well into his 90s. During his post-presidency, he also wrote more than 30 books, including fiction, poetry, deeply personal reflections on his faith, and commentaries on Middle East strife. Though slowed by battles with brain and liver cancer and a series of falls and hip replacement in recent years, he returned again and again to his charity work and continued to offer occasional political commentary, including in support of mail-in voting ahead of the 2020 presidential election. Carter was in his first term as Georgia governor when he launched his campaign to unseat President Ford in the 1976 election. At the time, the nation was still shaken by President Nixon’s resignation in the Watergate scandal and by the messy end of the Vietnam War. As a moderate Southern Democrat, a standard-bearer of what was then regarded as a more racially tolerant “new South,” Carter promised a government “as good and honest and decent and competent and compassionate and as filled with love as are the American people.” But some of the traits that had helped get Carter elected — his willingness to take on the Washington establishment and his preference for practicality over ideology — didn’t serve him as well in the White House. He showed a deep understanding of policy, and a refreshing modesty and disregard for the ceremonial trappings of the office, but he was unable to make the legislative deals expected of a president. Even though his Democratic Party had a majority in Congress throughout his presidency, he was impatient with the legislative give-and-take and struggled to mobilize party leaders behind his policy initiatives. His presidency also was buffeted by domestic crises — rampant inflation and high unemployment, as well as interminable lines at gas stations triggered by a decline in the global oil supply exacerbated by Iran’s Islamic Revolution. “Looking back, I am struck by how many unpopular objectives we pursued,” Carter acknowledged in his 2010 book, “White House Diary.” “I was sometimes accused of ‘micromanaging’ the affairs of government and being excessively autocratic,” he continued, “and I must admit that my critics probably had a valid point.” Carter’s signature achievements as president were primarily on the international front, and included personally brokering the Camp David peace accords between Egypt and Israel, which have endured for more than 40 years. But it was another international crisis — the storming of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran by Iranian revolutionaries and the government’s inability to win the release of 52 Americans taken hostage — that would cast a long shadow on his presidency and his bid for reelection. Carter authorized a secret military mission to rescue the hostages in April 1980, but it was aborted at the desert staging area; during the withdrawal, eight servicemen were killed when a helicopter crashed into a transport aircraft. The hostages were held for 444 days, a period that spanned Carter’s final 15 months in the White House. They were finally freed the day his successor, Ronald Reagan, took the oath of office. Near the end of Carter’s presidency, one poll put his job approval rating at 21% — lower than Nixon’s when he resigned in disgrace and among the lowest of any White House occupant since World War II. In a rarity for an incumbent president, Carter faced a formidable primary challenge in 1980 from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, a favorite of the Democratic Party’s liberal wing. Although Carter prevailed, his nomination was in doubt until the party’s August convention. The enmity between Carter and Kennedy, two of the most important Democratic political figures of their generation, continued throughout their lives. In Kennedy’s memoir, published shortly after his death in 2009, he called Carter petty and guilty of “a failure to listen.” While promoting the publication of “White House Diary,” Carter said Kennedy had “deliberately” blocked Carter’s comprehensive healthcare proposals in the late 1970s in hopes of defeating the president in the primary. In the 1980 general election, Carter faced Reagan, then 69, who campaigned on a promise to increase military spending and rescue the economy by cutting taxes and decreasing regulation. Carter lost in a 51% to 41% thumping — he won just six states and the District of Columbia — that devastated the man known for his toothy smile and sent him back to his hometown, an ex-president at 56. A year later, he and Rosalynn founded the Carter Center, which pressed for peaceful solutions to world conflicts, promoted human rights and worked to eradicate disease in the poorest nations. The center, based in Atlanta, launched a new phase of Carter’s public life, one that would move the same historians who called Carter a weak president to label him one of America’s greatest former leaders. His post-presidential years were both “historic and polarizing,” as Princeton University historian Julian E. Zelizer put it in a 2010 biography of Carter. Zelizer said Carter “refused to be constrained politically when pursuing his international agenda” as an ex-president, and became “an enormously powerful figure on the international stage.” When Carter appeared on “The Colbert Report” in 2014, host Stephen Colbert asked him, “You invented the idea of the post-presidency. What inspired you to do that?” “I didn’t have anything else to do,” Carter replied. He traveled widely to mediate conflicts and monitor elections around the world, joined Habitat for Humanity to promote “sweat equity” for low-income homeownership, and became a blunt critic of human rights abuses. He angered conservatives and some liberals by advocating negotiations with autocrats — and his criticism of Israeli leaders and support for Palestinian self-determination angered many Jews. A prolific author, Carter covered a range of topics, including the Middle East crisis and the virtues of aging and religion. He penned a memoir on growing up in the rural South as well as a book of poems, and he was the first president to write a novel — “The Hornet’s Nest,” about the South during the Revolutionary War. He won three Grammy Awards as well for best spoken-word album, most recently in 2019 for “Faith: A Journey For All.” As with many former presidents, Carter’s popularity rose in the years after he left office. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts” and to advance democracy and human rights. By then, two-thirds of Americans said they approved of his presidency. “Jimmy Carter may never be rated a great president,” wrote Charles O. Jones, a University of Wisconsin political scientist, in his chronicle of the Carter presidency. “Yet it will be difficult in the long run to sustain censure of a president motivated to do what is right.” The journey for James Earl Carter Jr. began on Oct. 1, 1924, in the tiny Sumter County, Ga., town of Plains, home to fewer than 600 people in 2020. He was the first president born in a hospital, but he lived in a house without electricity or indoor plumbing until he was a teenager. His ancestors had been in Georgia for more than two centuries, and he was the fifth generation to own and farm the same land. His father, James Earl Carter Sr., known as Mr. Earl, was a strict disciplinarian and a conservative businessman of some means. His mother, known as Miss Lillian, had more liberal views — she was known for her charity work and for taking in transients and treating Black residents with kindness. (At the age of 70, she joined the Peace Corps, working in India.) Inspired by an uncle who was in the Navy, Carter decided as a first-grader that he wanted to go to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. He became the first member of his family to finish high school, then attended Georgia Tech before heading for the academy, where he studied engineering and graduated in 1946, 59th in a class of 820. Before his last year in Annapolis, while home for the summer, he met Eleanor Rosalynn Smith, a friend of his sister Ruth’s. He and a friend invited the two young women to the movies, and when he returned home that night, he told his mother he had met “the girl I want to marry.” He proposed that Christmas, but Rosalynn declined because she felt she was too young (she was 18 and a sophomore in college). Several weeks later, while she was visiting Carter at the academy, he asked again. This time she said yes. Carter applied to America’s new nuclear-powered submarine program under the command of the icy and demanding Capt. (later Adm.) Hyman Rickover. During Carter’s interview, Rickover asked whether he had done his best at Annapolis. “I started to say, ‘Yes, sir,’ but ... I recalled several of the many times at the Academy when I could have learned more about our allies, our enemies, weapons, strategy and so forth,” Carter wrote in his autobiography. “... I finally gulped and said, ‘No, sir, I didn’t always do my best.’” To which Rickover replied: “Why not?” Carter got the job, and would later make “Why not the best?” his campaign slogan. The Carters had three sons, who all go by nicknames — John William “Jack,” James Earl “Chip” and Donnel Jeffrey “Jeff.” Carter and Rosalynn had wanted to have more children, but an obstetrician said that surgery Rosalynn had to remove a tumor on her uterus would make that impossible. Fifteen years after Jeffrey was born, the Carters had a daughter, Amy, who “made us young again,” Carter would later write. While in the Navy, Carter took graduate courses in nuclear physics and served as a submariner on the USS Pomfret. But his military career was cut short when his father died, and he moved back to Georgia in 1953 to help run the family business, which was in disarray. In his first year back on the farm, Carter turned a profit of less than $200, the equivalent of about $2,200 today. But with Rosalynn’s help, he expanded the business. In addition to farming 3,100 acres, the family soon operated a seed and fertilizer business, warehouses, a peanut-shelling plant and a cotton gin. By the time he began his campaign for the White House 20 years later, Carter had a net worth of about $800,000, and the revenue from his enterprises was more than $2 million a year. Carter entered electoral politics in 1962, and asked voters to call him “Jimmy.” He ran for a seat in the Georgia Senate against an incumbent backed by a local political boss who stuffed the ballot box. Trailing by 139 votes after the primary, Carter waged a furious legal battle, which he described years later in his book “Turning Point.” Carter got a recount, the primary result was reversed, and he went on to win the general election. The victory was a defining moment for Carter, the outsider committed to fairness and honesty who had successfully battled establishment politicians corrupted by their ties to special interests. In two terms in the Georgia Senate, Carter established a legislative record that was socially progressive and fiscally conservative. He first ran for governor in 1966, but finished third in the primary. Over the next four years, he made 1,800 speeches and shook hands with an estimated 600,000 people — a style of campaigning that paid off in the 1970 gubernatorial election and later in his bid for the White House. In his inaugural address as governor in 1971, Carter made national news by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” He had a portrait of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. hung in a hall at the Capitol in Atlanta. But when Carter launched his official campaign for the White House in December 1974, he was still so little-known outside Georgia that a celebrity panel on the TV show “What’s My Line?” couldn’t identify him. In the beginning, many scoffed at the temerity of a peanut farmer and one-term governor running for the highest office in the land. After Carter met with House Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Jr., the speaker was asked whom he had been talking to. “Some fellow named Jimmy Carter from Georgia. Says he’s running for president,” O’Neill replied. In a meeting with editors of the Los Angeles Times in 1975, Carter said he planned to gain the presidency by building a network of supporters and by giving his candidacy an early boost by winning the Iowa caucuses. Until then, Iowa had been a bit player in the nominating process, mostly ignored by strategists. But Carter’s victory there vaulted him to front-runner status — and Iowa into a major role in presidential nominations. His emergence from the pack of Democratic hopefuls was helped by the release of his well-reviewed autobiography “Why Not the Best?” in which he described his upbringing on the farm and his traditional moral values. On the campaign trail, Carter came across as refreshingly candid and even innocent — an antidote to the atmosphere of scandal that had eroded confidence in public officials since the events leading to Nixon’s resignation on Aug. 9, 1974. A Baptist Sunday school teacher, Carter was among the first presidential candidates to embrace the label of born-again Christian. That was underscored when, in an interview with Playboy magazine, he made headlines by admitting, “I’ve looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. God knows I will do this and forgives me.” Carter had emerged from the Democratic National Convention in July with a wide lead over Ford, Nixon’s vice president and successor, but by the time of the Playboy interview in September, his numbers were tumbling. By election day, the contest was a dead heat. Carter, running on a ticket with Walter F. Mondale for his vice president, eked out a victory with one of the narrower margins in U.S. presidential history, winning 50.1% to 48% of the popular vote and 297 electoral votes, 27 more than needed. Many of Carter’s supporters hoped he would usher in a new era of liberal policies. But he saw his role as more of a problem-solver than a politician, and as an outsider who promised to shake things up in Washington, he often acted unilaterally. A few weeks into his term, Carter announced that he was cutting off federal funding to 18 water projects around the country to save money and protect the environment. Lawmakers, surprised by the assault on their pet projects, were livid. He ultimately backed down on some of the cuts. But his relationship with Congress never fully healed. Members often complained that they couldn’t get in to see him, and that when they did he was in a rush to show them the door. His relationship with the media, as he acknowledged later in life, was similarly fraught. Carter’s image as a reformer also took a hit early in his presidency after he appointed Bert Lance, a longtime confidant, to head the Office of Management and Budget. Within months of the appointment, questions were raised about Lance’s personal financial affairs as a Georgia banker. Adamant that Lance had done nothing wrong, Carter dug in his heels and publicly told his friend, “Bert, I’m proud of you.” Still, Lance resigned under pressure, and although he was later acquitted of criminal charges, the damage to Carter had been done. As Mondale later put it: “It made people realize that we were no different than anybody else.” When Carter did score legislative victories, the cost was high. In 1978, he pushed the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties to eventually hand control of the canal over to Panama. But conservatives criticized the move as a diminution of U.S. strength, and even the Democratic National Committee declined to endorse it. Carter’s most significant foreign policy accomplishment was the 1978 Camp David agreement, a peace pact between Israel and Egypt. But he followed that with several unpopular moves, including his decree that the United States would not participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, as a protest against the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. It was the only time in Olympic history that the United States had boycotted an Olympics; the Soviets responded by boycotting the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Carter had taken a series of largely symbolic steps to dispel the imperial image of the presidency. After he took the oath of office on a wintry day, he and the new first lady emerged from their motorcade and walked part of the way from the Capitol to the White House. He ended chauffeur-driven cars for top staff members, sold the presidential yacht, went to the White House mess hall for lunch with the staff and conducted town meetings around the country. He suspended the playing of “Hail to the Chief” whenever he arrived at an event, though he later allowed the practice to resume. On the domestic front, he was saddled with a country in crisis. Inflation galloped at rates up to 14%, and global gasoline shortages closed service stations and created high prices and long lines. Interest rates for home mortgages soared above 14%. In his first televised fireside chat, he wore a cardigan sweater and encouraged Americans to conserve energy during the winter by keeping their thermostats at 65 degrees in the daytime and 55 degrees at night. He also proposed a string of legislative initiatives to deal with the crisis, but many were blocked by Congress. In what would become a seminal moment in his presidency, Carter addressed the nation — and a television audience of more than 60 million — on a Sunday evening in 1979, saying the country had been seized by a “crisis of confidence ... that strikes at the very heart and soul and spirit of our national will.” He outlined a series of proposals to develop new sources of energy. The address, widely known as the “malaise speech” even though Carter never used that word, was generally well-received at the time, though some bristled at the implication that Americans were to blame for the country’s problems. Any positive glow disappeared two days later, when Carter fired five of his top officials, including the Energy, Treasury and Transportation secretaries and his attorney general. The value of the dollar sank and the stock market tumbled. Sensing that Carter was politically vulnerable, Kennedy moved to present himself as an alternative for the 1980 Democratic nomination, publicly criticizing the president’s agenda. But Kennedy damaged his own candidacy in a prime-time interview with CBS’ Roger Mudd: Asked why he was running for president, Kennedy fumbled his answer, and critics cited it as evidence that the senator didn’t want the job so much as he felt obligated to seek it. A few months after the malaise speech, in late 1979, revolutionaries loyal to Iran’s spiritual leader, the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. Weeks stretched into months, with Iran refusing all efforts to negotiate a hostage release. In April 1980, Carter approved Operation Eagle Claw, a secret Delta Force rescue mission. But it ended in disaster — mechanical trouble sidelined three helicopters and, after the mission was aborted, one of the remaining helicopters collided with a transport plane on the ground, killing eight soldiers. Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance resigned before the mission, believing the plan too risky. Negotiations to free the hostages resumed, and Carter desperately tried to win their release before the November election. But the Iranians prolonged the talks and the hostages weren’t released until Jan. 20, 1981, moments after Carter watched Reagan being sworn in. The journey home for Carter was painful. Of those who voted for Reagan in 1980, nearly 1 in 4 said they were primarily motivated by their dissatisfaction with Carter. Carter faced “an altogether new, unwanted and potentially empty life,” as he later put it. He sold the family farm-supply business, which had been placed in a blind trust during his presidency and was by then deeply in debt. Then, as Rosalynn later recalled, Carter awoke one night with an idea to build not just a presidential library but a place to resolve global conflicts. Together, they founded the nonprofit, nonpartisan Carter Center. His skill as a mediator made Carter a ready choice for future presidents seeking envoys to navigate crises. Republican President George H.W. Bush sent him on peace missions to Ethiopia and Sudan, and President Clinton, a fellow Democrat, dispatched him to North Korea, Haiti and what then was Yugoslavia. Carter described his relationship with President Obama as chilly, however, in part because he had openly criticized the administration’s policies toward Israel. He felt Obama did not strongly enough support a separate Palestinian state. “Every president has been a very powerful factor here in advocating this two-state solution,” Carter told the New York Times in 2012. “That is now not apparent.” As an election observer, he called them as he saw them. After monitoring presidential voting in Panama in 1989, he declared that Manuel Noriega had rigged the election. He also began building houses worldwide for Habitat for Humanity, and he wrote prodigiously. The Nobel committee awarded Carter the Peace Prize in 2002, more than two decades after he left the White House, praising him for standing by “the principles that conflicts must as far as possible be resolved through mediation and international cooperation.” During his 70s, 80s and even into his 90s, the former president showed an energy that never failed to impress those around him. In his 1998 book “The Virtues of Aging,” he urged retirees to remain active and engaged, and he followed his own advice, continuing to jog, play tennis and go fly-fishing well into his 80s. When his “White House Diary” was published in 2010, he embarked on a nationwide book tour at 85, as he did in 2015 with the publication of “A Full Life: Reflections at 90.” When he told America he had cancer that had spread to his liver and brain, it was vintage Carter. Wearing a coat and tie and a pair of blue jeans, he stared into the television cameras and was unflinchingly blunt about his prognosis. “Hope for the best; accept what comes,” he said. “I think I have been as blessed as any human being in the world.” Former Times staff writers Jack Nelson, Robert Shogan and Johanna Neuman contributed to this report.
At this conference on AI Journey, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of BRICS-enhancing artificial intelligence and that he expected many following countries to join this alliance soon. “An Agency of seriousness will be the international Alliance of national associations and development institutions in artificial intelligence of States from BRICS and other interested countries; today, we will launch such an alliance at a conference, ‘Journey to the World of Artificial Intelligence,” the President said. “I expect new foreign participants, including my colleagues – the first persons of states, to join this event. The President has said that Russia is ready to facilitate and apply generative models across and beyond the Russian framework. “The algorithms of such systems, as I have already said, must be trusted, that is, understandable, open and unbiased, developed taking into account the cultural, national characteristics of each civilization with its history, identity, and traditions, which we in Russia treat with deep respect,” the President summed up. Reuters, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would develop artificial intelligence with BRICS partners and other countries, in a bid to challenge the dominance of the United States in one of the most promising and crucial technologies of the 21st century.Google’s innovative Circle to Search feature is now available on Nothing smartphones, marking its continued expansion across Android devices. Now, Nothing has joined the fold, integrating the feature into its Phone (2), Phone (2a), and Phone (2a) Plus models. In a community announcement, Nothing revealed that the feature is accessible with devices running Nothing OS 3.0 , based on Android 15. Although the operating system was launched earlier, the company explained that Circle to Search required additional testing before being included. To activate the feature, users must navigate toSettings > Special features > Gestures > Navigation mode > Circle to Search. If the option is not immediately visible, a device reboot is recommended. Notably, the tool works seamlessly with both gesture navigation and traditional 3-button navigation modes. Circle to Search simplifies how users search for on-screen content. By drawing a circle around text, images, or locations, users can instantly access detailed information without the need for copying or pasting into Google Lens. Whether it is translating text, looking up a word, or finding details about a place, the tool streamlines everyday tasks. Google has enhanced the feature since its debut, recently adding the ability to search for songs. There are rumours of further developments, including enabling the tool to work within videos. Nothing has confirmed that other devices in its lineup will receive the feature following their Nothing OS 3.0 update. This includes Phone (2a) models sold in Japan and potentially the CMF Phone 1. Initially introduced with the Galaxy S24 series in early 2024, the feature has swiftly become a favourite among Android users. While it was initially exclusive to Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy flagships, Google began extending its availability to other brands mid-year, including Xiaomi, Oppo, and Motorola. With these advancements, Circle to Search continues to reshape Android’s approach to intuitive and efficient search functionality.
Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets
By Kimberly Palmer, NerdWallet The festivity of December is replaced all too quickly by the due dates of January, when the bills from holiday spending and travel arrive. This kind of financial hangover can make the start of the year a little less joyful, but there are ways to prevent it. “People often go into the holiday season without a plan. They might know who they want to give gifts to, but may not put numbers to it or think of what they want to spend overall, and that’s where people get into trouble,” says Rob Wurzburg, a Chicago, Illinois-based financial advisor at Forum Financial Management, a registered investment adviser. To counteract the tendency to overspend, financial experts recommend the following six strategies: Wurzburg urges people to start planning for holiday spending as soon as possible. Related Articles Business | The White House is cracking down on overdraft fees Business | Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people Business | How long does it take to buy a house? Business | Survey: Impulse buys may be ruining some Americans’ finances Business | Growth of sports betting may be linked to financial woes, new studies find “The earlier you start planning, the better. Some people do a yearly budget in January,” he says. While it’s too late for 2024, you can start planning for the 2025 holidays soon. Setting aside money each month for the big end-of-year celebrations can reduce the risk of overspending or turning to debt, he adds. Giving yourself a goal for the amount you want to save in time for the holiday season can help you stay on track, says Tiffany Murray, managing director at the Society for Financial Education and Professional Development, a nonprofit based in Alexandria, Virginia. “Make sure it’s achievable and realistic within your budget,” she says. Then, when you see an item on your list go on sale , you’ll have the money ready to make the purchase, even if it’s well before the start of the holiday shopping season. Starting with the total amount you want to spend for the holidays — perhaps based on those previous savings and inclusive of gifts, travel, meals and any other costs — makes it easier to develop a game plan, says Brian Gawthrop, a certified financial planner in Kirkland, Washington and founder of Five Cedars Financial. “Set a total spending budget before you make the list of people,” he says. Then you can prioritize and cut back on recipients, if needed. “Almost everyone needs to revise the gifting list,” he says, because once you write it out in full, it is often pricier than anticipated. Gawthrop suggests downsizing to more modest gifts or reducing the number of gifts per person. Often, making the gift more personal — such as framing a photo — makes it easier to spend less because it still feels special, he says. Some people might be happy with a card and handwritten note, perhaps paired with a modest charitable contribution. “People want to express their love and how much they care for someone with a gift, and in today’s culture that can feel like a dollar amount translates to how much they care about you,” Gawthrop says. “But I think a heartfelt card and something simple like, ‘I know you like fidgets and found this one,’ or ‘I’m glad I have you in my life,’ can show how much you mean to someone,” he says. Gawthrop adds that recipients might be relieved to know you spent less. “The last thing you want is to have someone open your expensive gift and then they feel awkward because it’s so expensive.” The frenzy of sales and advertising during the holiday season, combined with the strong emotions the season evokes, can easily lead to overspending, Wurzburg says. “Anything you can do to get yourself in a calmer state helps,” he says. Calming techniques can include taking a break from shopping, going for a walk or reviewing your original spending plan. Wurzburg also recommends simply staying home. “Stick with online shopping so you don’t get sucked in,” he says. Using cash to buy gifts helps minimize debt , since financing purchases with credit cards or other forms of debt can be expensive, says Tim Bauer, a CFP and founder of Evergreen Financial Group in Billings, Montana. “It sounds old-fashioned, but if you don’t have it, don’t spend it,” he says, adding that many friends and family would rather not receive a gift than know it caused financial strain. If you need to finance essential purchases, Wurzburg recommends a low- or no-interest method such as buy now, pay later , where shoppers can spread out their purchases over installments. That often means avoiding fees and interest, as long as you make the installment payments on time. Still, he cautions against overcommitting yourself to future installment payments. He suggests scaling back instead. “If you don’t have the funds today, are you hampering yourself in the future by overspending at the holidays?” Connecting with a friend who is also aiming to stick to a budget this season can help keep you on track, Gawthrop says. “Both of you can commit to sticking with your budget,” he says. You can check in with each other and even share what you’re buying. Raising the topic with family members and encouraging everyone to stick with a budget — or the same spending limit per gift — can also help, Bauer says. “People are scared and don’t want to talk about money, but defining how much to spend helps set expectations.” More From NerdWallet Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer. The article 6 Ways to Avoid a Financial Hangover originally appeared on NerdWallet .The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing to start Kenny Pickett at quarterback on Sunday against the visiting Dallas Cowboys. Head coach Nick Sirianni confirmed Friday morning that Jalen Hurts remains in the concussion protocol, adding, "It's going to be tough for him to make it this week." Hurts and Pickett (ribs) were both injured during last weekend's 36-33 loss to the Washington Commanders, but Pickett was a full participant in Thursday's practice. Pickett, who grew up as an Eagles fan in Ocean Township, N.J., will have a chance to help Philadelphia (12-3) clinch the NFC East title in his first start for the franchise. "I'm very excited. It's a big opportunity," he told reporters Thursday. "I've been working hard to stay ready and I felt like I was in a good position last game with my preparation and now having a week to practice, I'll feel even better going into the stadium. So, I'm excited. I just want to get the win." Pickett relieved Hurts in the first quarter against Washington and completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Prior to that, he had appeared in three games in mop-up duty. Pickett, 26, compiled a 14-10 record as the starter for the Steelers from 2022-23 after being drafted by Pittsburgh in the first round (20th overall) in 2022. After the Steelers acquired Russell Wilson in March, Pickett was traded along with a 2024 fourth-round pick to the Eagles in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick and two 2025 seventh-rounders. Pickett has completed 62.3 percent of his pass attempts for 4,622 yards with 14 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 29 career games. He has rushed for 303 yards and four scores. Hurts, 26, has completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 2,903 yards with 18 TDs and five picks in 15 starts in 2024. He has rushed for 630 yards and is tied for the NFL lead with 14 rushing touchdowns. --Field Level Media
During an appearance on Fox News Channel’s “The Ingraham Angle,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) warned against efforts to bring Ukraine into NATO. According to the Missouri Republican, such a move would risk a “from now until forever” conflict with Russia. Partial transcript as follows: INGRAHAM: Well, the deal that Biden and company scotched at the beginning of this war, before the war started. That would have avoided the war. It looks like what they’re going to end up with is worse than they would have gotten had they not done this at all. That’s what it looks like at least. It could change. But now, Senator, Zelenskyy has a magic solution to end the war. Watch. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY, PRESIDENT, UKRAINE (VIA TRANSLATOR): If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take on the NATO umbrella, the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control. (END VIDEO CLIP) INGRAHAM: Your reaction, Senator. HAWLEY: No, absolutely not. They should not put any part of Ukraine in NATO. And listen, this administration is already risking World War III by greenlighting the use of American weapons into Russian territory. What will happen if Moscow responds by sending a weapon, a missile, you name it, into the territory of a NATO country, we’ll all be at war. The idea that now we would expand NATO to include Ukraine is extremely dangerous. It is a recipe for constant conflict, including American soldiers boots on the ground in Europe from now until forever. It is a disastrous idea. It’s exactly the wrong thing to do. And listen, here’s another point about the need to settle this conflict. What the Biden administration has been telling senators behind closed doors for literally two years now, Laura, is that there will have to be a negotiated peace. The Secretary of State was saying that two years ago. So out in public, they’re saying, war forever. Behind closed doors, they’re saying, well, we’re going to have to negotiate. INGRAHAM: Yes. HAWLEY: They just don’t want to make the hard choices to do it. And here we are. Follow Jeff Poor on Twitter @jeff_poor