Major stock indexes on Wall Street drifted to a mixed finish Friday, capping a rare bumpy week for the market. The S&P 500 ended essentially flat, down less than 0.1%, after wavering between tiny gains and losses most of the day. The benchmark index posted a loss for the week, its first after three straight weekly gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%, ending just below the record high it set on Wednesday. There were more than twice as many decliners than gainers on the New York Stock Exchange. Gains in technology stocks helped temper losses in communication services, financials and other sectors of the market. Broadcom surged 24.4% for the biggest gain in the S&P 500 after the semiconductor company beat Wall Street’s profit targets and gave a glowing forecast, highlighting its artificial intelligence products. The company also raised its dividend. The company's big gain helped cushion the market's broader fall. Pricey stock values for technology companies like Broadcom give the sector more weight in pushing the market higher or lower. Artificial intelligence technology has been a focal point for the technology sector and the overall stock market over the last year. Tech companies, and Wall Street, expect demand for AI to continue driving growth for semiconductor and other technology companies. Some tech stocks were a drag on the market. Nvidia fell 2.2%, Meta Platforms dropped 1.7% and Google parent Alphabet slid 1.1%. Among the market's other decliners were Airbnb, which fell 4.7% for the biggest loss in the S&P 500, and Charles Schwab, which closed 4% lower. Furniture and housewares company RH, formerly known as Restoration Hardware, surged 17% after raising its forecast for revenue growth for the year. All told, the S&P 500 lost 0.16 points to close at 6,051.09. The Dow dropped 86.06 points to 43,828.06. The Nasdaq rose 23.88 points to 19,926.72. Wall Street's rally stalled this week amid mixed economic reports and ahead of the Federal Reserve's last meeting of the year. The central bank will meet next week and is widely expected to cut interest rates for a third time since September. Expectations of a series of rate cuts has driven the S&P 500 to 57 all-time highs so far this year . The Fed has been lowering its benchmark interest rate following an aggressive rate hiking policy that was meant to tame inflation. It raised rates from near-zero in early 2022 to a two-decade high by the middle of 2023. Inflation eased under pressure from higher interest rates, nearly to the central bank's 2% target. The economy, including consumer spending and employment, held strong despite the squeeze from inflation and high borrowing costs. A slowing job market, though, has helped push a long-awaited reversal of the Fed's policy. Inflation rates have been warming up slightly over the last few months. A report on consumer prices this week showed an increase to 2.7% in November from 2.6% in October. The Fed's preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released next week. Wall Street expects it to show a 2.5% rise in November, up from 2.3% in October. The economy, though, remains solid heading into 2025 as consumers continue spending and employment remains healthy, said Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY. “Still, the outlook is clouded by unusually high uncertainty surrounding regulatory, immigration, trade and tax policy,” he said. Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.40% from 4.34% late Thursday. European markets slipped. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.1%. Britain’s economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.1% month-on-month in October, following a 0.1% decline in September, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. Asian markets closed mostly lower.A study of hot spots for collisions between ships and whales around the world, including Canadian waters, offers a map for measures to prevent the deadly strikes that could drive some species to extinction, one of the British Columbia-based authors says. Chloe Robinson said reported strikes represent a fraction of their true extent, and a lack of protection measures leaves whales vulnerable as global shipping expands. The study found shipping takes place across 92 per cent of the ranges for humpback, blue, fin and sperm whales worldwide, but measures to reduce vessel strikes have been implemented in less than seven per cent of high-risk areas. "That could really spell, you know, potential extinction for some of these species," said Robinson, director of whales for Ocean Wise, a B.C.-based organization that provided data for the paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science. "A recent study estimated anything up to 20,000 whales are killed a year through ship strikes, globally, and that's just an estimate, a best-case estimate." Robinson said she was surprised to see Swiftsure Bank, off the west coast of Vancouver Island, emerge as a risk hot spot for strikes of fin, blue and humpback whales. The area is a "migration highway" for humpbacks, she noted. The study also identified a hot spot for the same three species in the Gulf of St. Lawrence between Quebec, New Brunswick and Newfoundland. "This is something that Ocean Wise has been looking into because a lot of the management measures occur offshore and not sort of within the Gulf of St. Lawrence itself and even the St. Lawrence Seaway, (which) leads down to the Great Lakes," she said. "That was a huge hot spot, which was really interesting for me." Robinson said there have been smaller studies on the risk of ship strikes in different regions, but the study published Thursday is the first to map the distribution of the four whale species, using a variety of data sources, then compare it with the Automatic Identification System, a tool used for tracking vessels worldwide. "This was really the first of its kind to map these two on top of each other," she said. The researchers found the highest levels of risk in the Indian, western North Pacific and Mediterranean, while it also identified high-risk areas in the eastern North Pacific, North and South Atlantic Ocean along with the South China Sea. The Southern Ocean was the only region that did not contain any ship-strike hot spots due to low levels of shipping, despite high use by whales, the study found. Robinson said the findings support a strong case for maritime authorities to adopt measures such as whale alert systems, speed limits and no-go zones. "We know where there are areas where there are lots of whales and lots of ships, so this is where we need to target for management," she said in an interview. Robinson said Canada is home to many "eyes on the water" and researchers exploring innovative techniques for monitoring whales. But the country lacks mandatory mitigation measures, and it's not alone. "Next to none of the measures globally are mandatory. So, having voluntary measures (is) great, provided people comply," Robinson said. Ocean Wise launched an alert system in 2018 that notifies large vessels of the presence of whales in Pacific Northwest waters, and Robinson said about 80 per cent of mariners from Washington state up to Alaska have signed up. The WhaleReport alert system mainly functions in what she describes as "inshore" waters around busy ports in Seattle, Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The Port of Vancouver has also seen a high rate of compliance for its ECHO program, Robinson noted. The program encourages vessels to take voluntary steps, such as slowing down or staying farther away from whales, in order to reduce underwater noise and the potential for strikes in busy shipping areas. Robinson favours a multi-pronged approach to reducing ship strikes, but she said one single measure she believes could have a big impact would be equipping vessels with an infrared camera to detect whales within several kilometres. "Maybe some mariners ... respond better to knowing there 100 per cent is a whale 200 metres in front of your vessel, versus, 'slow down, there might be a whale here.'" Robinson said such cameras can cost between US$50,000 and $75,000. But the cost was a "drop in the bucket" of major companies' profits, she said. The cameras also present a public-relations opportunity for businesses to advertise themselves as operating in a more whale-friendly manner, Robinson said. "I know people who have had to go and have therapy after killing a humpback whilst at the helm," she added. "I think there's a lot to be said (for) the long-term benefits of this kind of technology." The study also found areas with lower traffic that could provide refuge for whales, especially with added protections. It shows the Arctic Ocean, for example, has very few high-risk areas for vessel strikes, and Robinson said some researchers view it as potential sanctuary. But without protections, Robinson said Arctic waters could become the next high-risk hot spot as sea ice melts with climate change, opening up shipping routes. "Knowing the plans to expand shipping routes into these areas to cut shipping time, make things faster, right through prime whale habitat, I think this is a really good opportunity to get ahead of the issue before it becomes an issue," she said. Whales play crucial roles in their ecosystems, including cycling nutrients that support other species, and they're a boon for tourism, Robinson said. They're also "magical" creatures that people feel connected to, she said, and they remain vulnerable after many species were hunted to the brink of extinction. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. Brenna Owen, The Canadian PressAn archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on

President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction

An orderly selloff in the US government bond market continued for a fifth straight day, with the 30-year bond’s yield posting its biggest weekly increase of the year. Driven in part by shifting expectations the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month and potentially pause next year, the rise in yields back toward their November highs also was fueled by weak demand for an auction of 30-year debt Thursday. The yield for that tenor reached 4.61% on Friday, about 28 basis points higher on the week. Shorter-maturity yields rose by smaller increments, while the the 10-year’s was up by 25 basis points to 4.40%, exceeding the three-month bill’s on Friday for the first time since 2022. Conviction that the Fed will drop its target for the US overnight lending rate to a range of 4.25%-4.5% on Dec. 18 moved toward certainty this week after November inflation data in line with expectations were viewed as no obstacle. That was keeping downward pressure on short-term yields, while longer maturities priced in a risk that policymakers will simultaneously signal an intention to pause cuts next year amid economic resilient and halting progress toward lower inflation. Yields are “pricing in a Fed that is going to sit here for a little bit,” Rick Rieder, BlackRock chief investment officer for global fixed income, said on Bloomberg Television. “The economy is in a good shape. Inflation, if anything, is bending up.” The extra yield offered by long- versus short-maturity yields “is not enough at this point of time.” Next week’s Fed meeting includes an updated summary of economic projections showing where officials see interest rates over the next three years and their estimate of the neutral rate — a theoretical level that neither stimulates or restricts the economy. In September, the projections anticipated a drop in the policy rate to 3.25%-3.5%, or four quarter-point cuts assuming one next week. While traders continue to price in that a quarter-point rate cut next week will be followed by two more in 2025, economists at Deutsche Bank AG and BNP Paribas have predicted no Fed action in 2025. BNP Paribas expects next week’s action to be accompanied by hawkish language supporting that view. They see the 10-year Treasury yield rising to 4.65% next year. “Ideally, you cut at this December meeting because you’re continuing your 25-basis-point cut per meeting path and leave open a strong likelihood that you’re going to pause in January,” said Jason Pride, chief of investment strategy and research at Glenmede. “Next year, they are going to be deciding between two and four cuts,” said Pride. “There is lot of the debate around the inflationary aspects of the next administration’s policies on tariffs and immigration.” Activity in interest-rate futures this week suggested some traders see the potential for a surprise cut early next year. Open-interest data in recent days indicated that new long positions had been set in February federal funds futures, anticipating quarter-point rate cuts in both December and January. Two- to 30-year Treasury yields rose for a fifth-straight day Friday, with the 10-year note’s nearly reaching 4.40%, still some 10 basis points below its November highs. None of the daily moves were large by historical standards, however, and an index of Treasury market volatility declined to its lowest level of the year. The yield spread between Treasury’s three-month bills and 10-year notes is a proxy for how investors see Fed policy affecting economic activity. It became inverted in October 2022 as the Fed was raising rates. When it had been inverted for 13 months last December, Campbell Harvey — the Duke University professor who first established the predictive qualities of an inverted curve back in the 1980s — said it amounted to a recession threat that the Fed should address via rate cuts. What Bloomberg strategists say... “The disinversion of the three-month versus 10-year curve will make it more attractive for carry traders to buy longer-term debt, reducing the chance of an abrupt withdrawal of leverage from the system, and allowing deeply negative swap spreads to rise.” — Simon White, macro strategist. Read more on MLIV. Read: Pioneering Yield-Curve Economist Sees US Able to Dodge Recession The shifting Fed policy outlook “has caused a lot of volatility in the short-end of the yield curve which filters into the curve,” said Vineer Bhansali, founder of the Newport Beach, California-based asset-management firm LongTail Alpha. He said the firm had invested for a steeper yield curve, “and to the degree we’ve had more bullets to spend, we’ve added to the position.” The possibility that economic conditions will keep inflation from slowing all the way back to the Fed’s 2% target may cause further yield-curve steepening. The US is “in a structurally higher rate, inflation and volatility environment” than it was for most of the past two decades, Daniel Siluk, head of global short duration and liquidity, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson. “We are reticent to move further out the curve in terms of the way we invest because yield curves are still quite flat.” With assistance from Edward Bolingbroke and Ye Xie. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Muqeem’s five-wicket blitz sinks ZimbabweThe Detroit Lions have been one of the most formidable teams in football this season, and though the offense has been extremely productive and dynamic, Aaron Glenn's defense is the backbone of the team. Despite losing 13 players to injured reserve, including superstar edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and linebackers Alex Anzalone and Malcolm Rodriguez, Detroit's defense has been dominant, allowing just 18 points per game and 93.9 rushing yards per game this season, both ranking within the top five. Due to their extraordinary play and next-man-up mentality, head coach Dan Campbell labeled his defense as the "Northern Savages" after the team's Week 14 win over the Green Bay Packers. "Those guys (Lions defense) just laid it on the line. Man, we call them the Northern Savages. They just roll right in the door, man." "Those guys just laid it on the line. Man, we call them the Northern Savages. They just roll right in the door, man." — Head coach Dan Campbell on the @Lions defense pic.twitter.com/w7erqqUW78 Campbell's intriguing nickname for the defense has won over Lions players, as linebacker Jack Campbell spoke to the media on Wednesday and voiced his opinion on the nickname. The 2023 first-round pick stated that the nickname is 'sick' and fits the defense perfectly. "We really are. You've just got a bunch of guys who are just out there flying around and having fun, so I'm going to keep going with the Northern Savage thing. I think that thing is sick," said Campbell. "You've just got a bunch of hungry guys out there who are always looking to improve and just love the game of football." Linebacker Jack Campbell LOVES that Dan Campbell called the Lions defense "northern savages." "I just think that's so bad---! I don't even need a t-shirt, I'm just going to walk around like I'm a f---ing northern savage." 😂 pic.twitter.com/0PY9Ko47l3 Detroit will need their hard-nosed defense to step up in Week 15, as the Lions host the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field in a potential Super Bowl preview on Sunday. Campbell's squad is 12-1 and currently has sole possession of the No.1 seed in the NFC through 14 weeks, owning a one-game lead over the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings , who both sit at 11-2. MORE DETROIT LIONS NEWS Lions injury updates on 5 key players ahead of Week 15 game vs. Bills Cowboys urged to sign Lions coach to $125 million contract to replace Mike McCarthy Lions rookie Terrion Arnold has hilarious reaction to harsh Detroit weather

Israeli drone strikes hit Kamal Adwan Hospital on Tuesday, wounding three medical staff at one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the northernmost part of Gaza , the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In Lebanon, a tenuous ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has held despite Israeli forces carrying out several new drone and artillery strikes on Tuesday, killing a shepherd in the country's south. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed keep striking “with an iron fist” against perceived Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire. Hezbollah began launching rockets, drones and missiles into Israel last year in solidarity with Hamas militants who are fighting in the Gaza Strip. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The war in Gaza has destroyed vast areas of the coastal enclave and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times . Here's the Latest: WASHINGTON — U.S. forces conducted a self-defense strike Tuesday in the vicinity of Mission Support Site Euphrates, a U.S. base in eastern Syria, against three truck-mounted multiple rocket launchers, a T-64 tank and mortars that Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said presented “a clear and imminent threat” to U.S. troops. The self-defense strike occurred after rockets and mortars were fired that landed in the vicinity of the base, Ryder said. The Pentagon is still assessing who was responsible for the attacks — that there are both Iranian-backed militias and Syrian military forces that operate in the area. Ryder said the attack was not connected to the offensive that is ongoing in Aleppo, where Syrian jihadi-led rebels taken over the country’s largest city. The U.S. has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic Stage group. CAIRO — Israeli drone strikes hit the Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza on Tuesday, wounding three medical personnel, the facility’s director said. Dr. Hossam Abu Safiya said the drones were dropping bombs, spraying shrapnel at the hospital, located in the town of Beit Lahiya. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. In comments released by Gaza’s Health Ministry, Abu Safiya said one of the injured was in critical condition and was undergoing a complex surgery. “The situation has become extremely dangerous,” he said. “We are exhausted by the ongoing violence and atrocities.” Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months as Israeli forces have waged a fierce offensive in the area, saying they are rooting out Hamas militants who regrouped there. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. Abu Safiya was wounded in his thigh and back by an Israeli drone strike on the hospital last month. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli court has ordered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the stand next week in his long-running corruption trial, ending a long series of delays. Netanyahu’s lawyers had filed multiple requests to put off the testimony, arguing first that the war in Gaza prevented him from properly preparing for his testimony, and later that his security could not be guaranteed in the court chamber. In Tuesday’s decision, judges in the Jerusalem district court said that following a security assessment, his testimony will be moved to the Tel Aviv district court. Israeli media said the session would take place in an underground chamber. His testimony in the trial, which began in 2020, is expected to begin on Dec. 10 and to last at least several weeks. Netanyahu is charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three separate scandals involving powerful media moguls and wealthy associates. He denies wrongdoing. NABATIYEH, Lebanon — In destroyed areas of southern Lebanon, residents clearing away rubble on Tuesday said they didn’t trust Israel to abide by the week-old ceasefire with Hezbollah. “The Israelis are breaching the ceasefire whenever they can because they are not committed,” said Hussein Badreddin, a vegetable seller in the southern city of Nabatiyeh, which was pummeled by Israeli airstrikes over several weeks. “This means that they (can) breach any resolution at any time.” Since it began last Wednesday, the U.S.- and French-brokered 60-day ceasefire has been rattled by near daily Israeli strikes, although Israel has been vague about the purported Hezbollah violations that prompted them. Imad Yassin, a trader who owns a clothing shop in Nabatiyeh, said Israel was constantly breaching the ceasefire because Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to continue the displacement of residents of southern Lebanon. “The Israeli enemy was defeated and the truth is that he is trying to get revenge. Netanyahu is trying to displace us as citizens of southern Lebanon,” Yassin said. They spoke as bulldozers cleared streets strewn with rubble and debris from destroyed buildings. Electricians worked to fix power lines in an effort to restore electricity to the city. Both men were displaced by the war and returned to Nabatiyeh on Wednesday, the day the ceasefire went into effect. Yassin found his clothing shop had been destroyed. He said he would wait to see if the state will dispense compensation funds so that he can repair and reopen his business. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Two separate Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in Gaza City on Tuesday, Palestinian medical authorities said. Six people, including two children, who were killed when an Israeli strike hit a school sheltering displaced people Tuesday afternoon in the Zaytoun neighborhood, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency services. A second strike hit a residential building in the Sabra neighborhood, killing at least three people, the services said. Israeli forces have almost completely isolated northernmost Gaza since early October, saying they’re fighting regrouped Hamas militants there. That has pushed some families south to Gaza City, while hundreds of thousands more live in the territory's center and south in squalid tent camps, where they rely on international aid. JERUSALEM — Israel's military confirmed it killed a senior member of Hezbollah responsible for coordinating with Syria's army on rearming and resupplying the Lebanese militant group. Syrian state media said a drone strike on Tuesday hit a car in a suburb of the capital Damascus, killing one person, without saying who was killed. Israel's military said he was Salman Nemer Jomaa, describing him as “Hezbollah’s representative to the Syrian military,” and that killing him “degrades both Hezbollah’s presence in Syria and Hezbollah’s ongoing force-building efforts.” Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years. Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, but it has said that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups. Iran supports both Hezbollah and the Syrian government of President Bashar Assad, which is currently fighting to push back jihadi-led insurgents who seized the country’s largest city of Aleppo . TUBAS, West Bank — Israeli soldiers opened fire inside a hospital in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday during a raid to seize the bodies of alleged militants targeted in earlier airstrikes, a Palestinian doctor working at the hospital told The Associated Press. Soldiers entered the Turkish Hospital complex in Tubas after the bodies of two Palestinians killed and one wounded in airstrikes in the northern West Bank on Tuesday were brought there, said Dr. Mahmoud Ghanam, who works in the hospital’s emergency department. The troops briefly handcuffed and arrested Ghanam and another doctor. “The army entered in a brutal way, and they were shooting inside the emergency department,” said Ghanam. “They handcuffed us and took me and my colleague.” The military confirmed that its troops were operating around the hospital searching for those targeted in the airstrikes, which they said had hit a militant cell near the Palestinian town of Al-Aqaba in the Jordan Valley. It denied that troops had entered the hospital building or fired gunshots inside. The soldiers left after learning that the wounded man had been transferred to another hospital, Ghanam said. The soldiers wanted to take the bodies of the two men killed in the strike, but the hospital’s manager refused to hand over the bodies, Ghanam said. Israeli raids on hospitals in the West Bank are rare but have grown more common since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. In Gaza, Israeli troops have systematically besieged, raided and damaged many hospitals. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis — attacks which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek all three territories for an independent state. CAIRO — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war . It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or Fatah, which dominates the Western-backed Palestinian Authority . A Palestinian Authority official on Tuesday confirmed that a preliminary agreement had been reached following weeks of negotiations in Cairo. The official said the committee would have 12-15 members, most of them from Gaza. It would report to the Palestinian Authority, which is headquartered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and work with local and international parties to facilitate humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. A Hamas official said that Hamas and Fatah had agreed on the general terms but were still negotiating over some details and the individuals who would serve on the committee. The official said an agreement would be announced after a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo, without providing a timeline. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief media on the talks. There was no immediate comment from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas is dismantled and scores of hostages are returned. He says Israel will maintain open-ended security control over Gaza , with civilian affairs administered by local Palestinians unaffiliated with the Palestinian Authority or Hamas. No Palestinians have publicly volunteered for such a role, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with the Israeli military. The United States has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to govern both the West Bank and Gaza ahead of eventual statehood. The Israeli government is opposed to Palestinian statehood. Associated Press writers Samy Magdy in Cairo and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed. NUSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip — Palestinians lined up for bags of flour distributed by the U.N. in central Gaza on Tuesday morning, some of them for the first time in months amid a drop in food aid entering the territory. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, gave out one 25-kilogram flour bag (55 pounds) to each family of 10 at a warehouse in the Nuseirat refugee camp, as well as further south in the city of Khan Younis. Jalal al-Shaer, among the dozens receiving flour at the Nuseirat warehouse, said the bag would last his family of 12 for only two or three days. “The situation for us is very difficult,” said another man in line, Hammad Moawad. “There is no flour, there is no food, prices are high ... We eat bread crumbs.” He said his family hadn’t received a flour allotment in five or six months. COGAT, the Israeli army body in charge of humanitarian affairs, said it facilitated entry of a shipment of 600 tons of flour on Sunday for the World Food Program. Still, the amount of aid Israel has allowed into Gaza since the beginning of October has been at nearly the lowest levels of the 15-month-old war. UNRWA’s senior emergency officer Louise Wateridge told The Associated Press that the flour bags being distributed Tuesday were not enough. “People are getting one bag of flour between an entire family and there is no certainty when they’ll receive the next food,” she said. Wateridge added that UNRWA has been struggling like other humanitarian agencies to provide much needed supplies across the Gaza Strip. The agency this week announced it was stopping delivering aid entering through the main crossing from Israel, Kerem Shalom, because its convoys were being robbed by gangs. UNRWA has blamed Israel in large part for the spread of lawlessness in Gaza. The International Criminal Court is seeking to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister over accusations of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel rejects the allegations and says it has been working hard to improve entry of aid. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war isn't over against Hezbollah and vowed to use "an iron fist" against the Lebanese militant group for any perceived violations of a week-old ceasefire. “At the moment we are in a ceasefire, I note — a ceasefire, not the end of the war," Netanyahu said at the start of the government meeting Tuesday. He said the military would retaliate for “any violation — minor or major.” Netanyahu also thanked U.S. President-elect Donald Trump for his recent demands for Hamas to release the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza. Trump posted on social media Monday that if the hostages are not freed before he takes office in January there would be “HELL TO PAY.” Netanyahu convened Tuesday's meeting in northern Israel, where around 45,000 Israelis had been displaced by the war as of last week, according to the prime minister’s office. Netanyahu said the government was focused on getting them back in their homes and rehabilitating the area. BERLIN — German authorities have arrested a Lebanese man accused of being a member of Hezbollah and working for groups controlled by the militant organization in Germany. Federal prosecutors said the suspect, identified only as Fadel R. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested in the Hannover region on Tuesday. The man is suspected of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and is not accused of direct involvement in any violence. Prosecutors said he joined Hezbollah in the summer of 2008 or earlier and took part in leadership training courses in Lebanon. From 2009, he allegedly had leadership duties in two groups controlled by Hezbollah in the Hannover area, organizing appearances by preachers close to the militants. According to prosecutors, he was briefly a correspondent for a Hezbollah media outlet in 2017 and was tasked with coordinating building work at a mosque. Germany is a staunch ally of Israel. It is also home to a Lebanese immigrant community of more than 100,000. BEIRUT — The Lebanese army is looking for more recruits as it beefs up its presence in southern Lebanon after the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire. Lebanon’s army is a respected national institution that kept to the sidelines during the nearly 14-month conflict. During an initial 60-day truce, thousands of Lebanese troops are supposed to deploy in southern Lebanon, where U.N. peacekeepers also have a presence. Hezbollah militants are to pull back from areas near the border as Israel withdraws its ground forces. The army said those interested in joining up have a one-month period to apply, starting Tuesday. The Lebanese army has about 80,000 troops, with around 5,000 of them deployed in the south. DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s state news agency says a drone strike hit a car in a suburb of the capital, Damascus, killing one person. The agency did not give further details or say who was killed. It said the attack occurred Tuesday on the road leading to the Damascus International Airport south of the city. The area is known to be home to members of Iran-backed militant groups. Israel is believed to have carried out a number of strikes in the area in recent months as it has battled Iran-backed Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon. Israeli officials rarely acknowledge such strikes. JERUSALEM — Israel’s defense minister warned that if the shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah collapses, Israel will widen its strikes and target the Lebanese state itself. He spoke the day after Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes that killed nearly a dozen people. Those strikes came after the Lebanese militant group fired a volley of projectiles as a warning over what it said were previous Israeli violations. Speaking to troops on the northern border Tuesday, Defense Minister Israel Katz said any violations of the agreement would be met with “a maximum response and zero tolerance.” He said if the war resumes, Israel will widen its strikes beyond the areas where Hezbollah’s activities are concentrated, and “there will no longer be an exemption for the state of Lebanon.” During the 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which came to an end last week with a ceasefire brokered by the United States and France, Israel largely refrained from striking critical infrastructure or the Lebanese armed forces, who kept to the sidelines . When Israeli strikes killed or wounded Lebanese soldiers, the Israeli military said it was accidental . The ceasefire agreement that took effect last week gives 60 days for Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanon and for Hezbollah militants to relocate north of the Litani River. The buffer zone is to be patrolled by Lebanese armed forces and U.N. peacekeepers. Israel has carried out multiple strikes in recent days in response to what it says are violations by Hezbollah. Lebanon’s parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, accused Israel of violating the truce more than 50 times in recent days by launching airstrikes, demolishing homes near the border and violating Lebanon’s airspace. Berri, a Hezbollah ally, had helped mediate the ceasefire. JERUSALEM — Palestinian officials say an Israeli airstrike in the northern West Bank has killed two Palestinians. Israel’s military said it struck a militant cell near the town of Al-Aqaba, in the Jordan Valley. It did not immediately give more details. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the two deaths and said a third person was moderately wounded. About 800 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the West Bank since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza ignited the war there. Israel has carried out near-daily military raids in the West Bank that it says are aimed at preventing attacks on Israelis, which have also been on the rise. Israel captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for an independent state. BEIRUT — Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon made his first public appearance in Beirut since he was wounded in an attack involving exploding pagers in mid-September. Mojtaba Amani, who returned to Lebanon over the weekend after undergoing treatment in Iran, visited on Tuesday the scene south of Beirut where Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sept. 27. Speaking about the airstrike that destroyed six buildings and killed Nasrallah and others, Amani said Israel should get for its act “the highest medal for sabotage, terrorism, blood and killing civilians.” Amani suffered serious injuries in his face and hands when a pager he was holding exploded in mid-September. The device was one of about 3,000 pagers that exploded simultaneously, killing and wounding many Hezbollah members. A day after the pager attack, a similar attack struck walkie-talkies. In total, the explosions killed at least 37 people and wounded more than 3,000, many of them civilians. Last month, a spokesperson for the office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the pager attack was approved by Netanyahu.

March 2025 Sports Calendar

It’s looking more and more likely the Vikings will be without veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore for a second straight game. He hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury against the Arizona Cardinals a couple of weeks ago. ADVERTISEMENT Though he has an extra 24 hours to prepare this week with the Vikings set to host the Chicago Bears on Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, the fact that Gilmore still hasn’t practiced in any capacity isn’t a good sign. After not participating in the walkthrough on Thursday afternoon at TCO Performance Center, Gilmore was listed as a non participant in practice on Friday afternoon. It would make sense for the Vikings to be cautious with Gilmore considering how important he’s been to the secondary this season. They want to make sure he’s back at 100 percent for the playoffs. In the absence of Gilmore, veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau has logged more playing time. There also has been more responsibility placed on fellow cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaq Griffin, with safety Josh Metellus also mixing in at nickel. ADVERTISEMENT Jones at full strength It appears that edge rusher Pat Jones II is getting closer to making his return given that he was listed as a full participant in practice on Friday afternoon. He has been working through a knee injury and missed last Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Having Jones back would be a major boost for the Vikings on defense, as he has found a role as a situational pass rusher. He has a career high 7.0 sacks this season while showcasing the ability to apply pressure off the edge or up the middle. Bynum honored by NFLPA In response to his philanthropy near and far, safety Cam Bynum has been named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 15. Not only has Bynum regularly used his platform in the NFL to help with natural disaster relief in the Philippines, he has continued to spread joy in and around the Twin Cities through charitable events hosted by his Bynum Faith Foundation. ADVERTISEMENT The NFLPA will donate $10,000 to his foundation or charity of choice. In turn, Bynum will take part in a special visit to a local school, children’s hospital, or community center. The recognition also makes Bynum eligible for the Alan Page Community Award, the NFLPA’s highest player honor, which includes an additional $100,000 donation to the winner’s charities. Briefly The rest of the injury report was good news for the Vikings as running back Aaron Jones (back), tight end Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle), and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel (hip) were all listed as full participants. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

St. Paul, MN, Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ergodyne has collaborated with other leading safety equipment manufacturers and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) in the creation of a standard for solutions aimed at reducing injuries caused by head impacts with stationary objects. This falls under a category of personal protective equipment (PPE) known as bump caps . This voluntary industry consensus standard, designated as ISEA 100, has recently received approval from ISEA committee members and is currently undergoing a formal review process. Upon finalization, release, and adoption, this standard will provide manufacturers with a consistent guideline for classification, test procedures, and performance requirements for bump caps. It is anticipated that the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) will subsequently adopt the safety standard in conjunction with ISEA, resulting in the designation ANSI/ISEA 100. There is a critical gap in workplace head protection: the risk of bumps, scrapes, and cuts from low ceilings, overhead objects, or tight spaces in settings where traditional hard hats or safety helmets are not required or even practical. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), injuries to the head account for roughly 78,000 injuries resulting in at least one day away from work every year in the private sector. (BLS reported 156,000 in the two-year period from 2021-22). Of those, a mere 7.2% occurred in construction, where hard hats are most likely being worn. Meanwhile, service workers (who may or may not be wearing hard hats) account for 22.1% of head injuries. Transportation and material moving make up another 20.6%. "And those workers (in transportation and material moving) are likely not wearing hard hats or even bump caps," says Ergodyne President and ISEA Trustee Greg Schrab. Schrab has led the effort from ISEA's Head Protection Group in developing the standard. "These two occupational sectors have more than six times the amount of head injuries than construction... so obviously the need for a safety solution is there." To date, there had not been a US standard for bump cap manufacturers to reference. ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2014 (R2019) – American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection is the current edition of the American National Standard for hard hats and does not cover bump caps. "When a standard is referenced, it is usually (the European bump cap standard) EN812," says Schrab. "It's serviceable as a reference in the absence of a US standard, but it has its limitations." Most notably, Schrab elaborates, it doesn't address the concept of universal bump cap inserts . Bump cap inserts continue to grow in popularity as they allow wearers to fortify just about any type of headwear with lightweight, relatively unobtrusive impact protection–from baseball caps to winter beanies to wide-brimmed sun hats. ISEA 100 addresses this by adding various testing and language clarity that allows for inserts to meet the standard. ISEA 100, once published, will act as a benchmark for future bump cap development. It shares similar performance requirements with EN812 but permits more flexibility in design to accommodate the diverse needs of workers and various work scenarios. ISEA (International Safety Equipment Association) is a professional association for personal protective equipment and technologies that has served as the trade association of safety manufacturers for over 90 years. Their members sponsor and draft standards that can then be adopted by organizations like ANSI. ANSI (American National Standards Institute) is a nearly century-old, private, not-for-profit organization that promotes "voluntary consensus standards." The purpose of ANSI and the standards they and ISEA put forth is to set a level of quality and safety across an entire industry. Because these standards are voluntary, there is no enforcement of them. However, many are recognized as industry best practice. The release date of ISEA 100 has not been finalized. For more information on the forthcoming standard, contact support@ergodyne.com . ABOUT US Since 1983, Tenacious Holdings, Inc. (dba Ergodyne, a Klein Tools Company) has pioneered the development of products that Make The Workplace A Betterplace TM . What started with just one product has grown into a line of top flight, battle-tested, Tenacious Work Gear ® ; all precision crafted to provide protection, promote prevention and manage the elements for workers on jobsites the world over. The current lineup is extensive and constantly growing: ProFlex ® Hand Protection, ProFlex ® Knee Pads, ProFlex ® Supports, Skullerz ® Head & Face Protection, Skullerz ® Eye Protection, Trex ® Traction, KREW'D ® Skin Protection, Chill-Its ® Cooling Products, N-Ferno ® Warming Products, GloWear ® Hi-Vis Apparel, Squids ® Lanyards, Arsenal ® Gear and Tool Storage, and SHAX ® Portable Work Shelters. Originally posted on: www.ergodyne.com Attachment ISEA Bump Cap Standard Awaiting Approval © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.It’s looking more and more likely the Vikings will be without veteran cornerback Stephon Gilmore for a second straight game. He hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring injury against the Arizona Cardinals a couple of weeks ago. ADVERTISEMENT Though he has an extra 24 hours to prepare this week with the Vikings set to host the Chicago Bears on Monday night at U.S. Bank Stadium, the fact that Gilmore still hasn’t practiced in any capacity isn’t a good sign. After not participating in the walkthrough on Thursday afternoon at TCO Performance Center, Gilmore was listed as a non participant in practice on Friday afternoon. It would make sense for the Vikings to be cautious with Gilmore considering how important he’s been to the secondary this season. They want to make sure he’s back at 100 percent for the playoffs. In the absence of Gilmore, veteran cornerback Fabian Moreau has logged more playing time. There also has been more responsibility placed on fellow cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr. and Shaq Griffin, with safety Josh Metellus also mixing in at nickel. ADVERTISEMENT Jones at full strength It appears that edge rusher Pat Jones II is getting closer to making his return given that he was listed as a full participant in practice on Friday afternoon. He has been working through a knee injury and missed last Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Having Jones back would be a major boost for the Vikings on defense, as he has found a role as a situational pass rusher. He has a career high 7.0 sacks this season while showcasing the ability to apply pressure off the edge or up the middle. Bynum honored by NFLPA In response to his philanthropy near and far, safety Cam Bynum has been named the NFLPA Community MVP for Week 15. Not only has Bynum regularly used his platform in the NFL to help with natural disaster relief in the Philippines, he has continued to spread joy in and around the Twin Cities through charitable events hosted by his Bynum Faith Foundation. ADVERTISEMENT The NFLPA will donate $10,000 to his foundation or charity of choice. In turn, Bynum will take part in a special visit to a local school, children’s hospital, or community center. The recognition also makes Bynum eligible for the Alan Page Community Award, the NFLPA’s highest player honor, which includes an additional $100,000 donation to the winner’s charities. Briefly The rest of the injury report was good news for the Vikings as running back Aaron Jones (back), tight end Josh Oliver (wrist/ankle), and edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel (hip) were all listed as full participants. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

Discover Wordle today’s hints and answer for puzzle #1274 on December 14, 2024. Solve the New York Times Wordle challenge with expert advice and clues. Wordle hints, clues and answer today #1274 December 14, 2024: There’s a new puzzle every day! You should be aware that Wordle has undergone several adjustments and difficulties in recent years if you were among the original users. But in the very simple Wordle game, the player only has to guess five or six letters. Using the coloured tiles, you might be able to guess the sentences immediately. Grey means the letter is not in the word, green means the letter is in the right location, and yellow means the letter is in the wrong place but correct. It is sufficient to apply one of the previously described concepts and make an effort to forecast how the issue will develop in the future. Keep in mind that you have up to six choices for the word of the day. On the other hand, a protracted decision-making process may occasionally result in a favourable conclusion. You can choose the word of the day instead of the typical response by adhering to these rules and recommendations. Today’s Wordle Hints and Clues (December 14, 2024) The word of the day for Wordle #1274 was selected due to its capacity to stop your run. But sometimes we can mislead people even when we speak clearly. It also utilises the feature of letter repetition. But don’t worry, you can follow these guidelines: – The word has two vowels. – It starts with the letter ‘D’. – There are repeated letters. – The third letter is ‘O’. – Here’s a clue: Saliva that flows from the mouth, often unintentionally, especially when sleepy or excited. Are you still unable to pinpoint the problem? The last piece of advice has the potential to have a big impact. If you’re near and only need one or two letters, don’t pull out just yet. The answer is provided below. Wordle Today Answer for Puzzle #1274 You can now scroll away if you want to give it one last try. Here’s the word you’re looking for, though, while you wait for your guess to be verified: Today’s Wordle answer is “DROOL.” Did you solve it on your own? This one was probably easy for you to understand. For more information on how to complete the Wordle challenge, stay tuned and come back tomorrow. Click for more latest Gaming news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Pragya is an accomplished journalist known for in-depth reporting and a keen eye for detail. Delivers insightful and well-researched content that informs and engages readers.

Pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes may produce breast milk with unique properties that could positively influence infant growth and development, according to a new study. The research, published in JAMA Network Open on Thursday, suggests that breast milk from mothers with gestational diabetes contains distinct metabolites found in higher concentrations that correlate with infant growth patterns, including potential effects on body composition and length. The mothers, aged between 21 and 45 years at the time of delivery, had a pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) ranging from 18.5 to 45. All participants had healthy pregnancies, delivered full-term infants, intended to breastfeed for three or more months, and had adequate social support. Among the participants, 53 mothers with an average age of 34 years were diagnosed with GD, while the non-GD group averaged 30.7 years. Milk samples were collected from the mothers one month after giving birth, and researchers measured various infant growth metrics, including the baby’s weight relative to length and overall body composition. The study found that mothers with GD experienced notable changes in nine out of 458 metabolites tested in their milk. Specifically, three metabolites—2-hydroxybutyric acid, stearoylcarnitine, and phenylacetic acid—were linked to growth in babies. 2-Hydroxybutyric acid, which is significantly more prevalent in the breast milk of women with GD, was linked with no change in body fat in babies within the first three months. Stearoylcarnitine, which is reduced in the breast milk of mothers with GD, was linked to rapid weight gain in babies. Furthermore, phenylacetic acid, which was also reduced in the breast milk of mothers with GD, was linked to a child’s change in length as they age. “A baby can die in utero due to uncontrolled gestational diabetes,” Davidov noted. Another risk is that the baby can become very large, a condition called fetal macrosomia, potentially leading to birth injuries during delivery, he added. Also, uncontrolled diabetes, especially earlier in pregnancy, can cause congenital anomalies, chiefly heart disease linked to heart defects, Davidov said. Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) is another risk to babies born to mothers with GD. It is unknown how an infant’s body processes these metabolites and whether metabolite levels are causally linked to the observed patterns of growth and body composition, the researchers wrote. They added that as this study only “identified candidate metabolites potentially involved in the relationship between GD and infant growth, further work is needed to better understand their role in infant health.”

SHAREHOLDER INVESTIGATION: Halper Sadeh LLC Investigates PDCO, NURO, PWOD, CARA on Behalf of ShareholdersNEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’" Trump’s legal team wrote. The Manhattan district attorney, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater "that President Biden condemned.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump's attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has pledged to appeal the verdict if the case is not dismissed. He and his lawyers said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office. Presidential pardons apply only to federal crimes.

Middle East latest: Israeli strikes on Gaza hospital wound 3, Netanyahu vows 'iron fist' in Lebanon