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The expanded Big Ten is poised to be a major player in this season's College Football Playoff. The 18-team conference had three of the top-four teams in the AP poll this week — No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. A one-loss Indiana team is ranked 10th but is still very much a contender to make the playoff, given how many Southeastern Conference teams have three defeats or more. Indiana's rise has been perhaps the Big Ten's biggest story this season. Much of the spotlight was on newcomers Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington, but aside from the top-ranked Ducks, that foursome has struggled to impress. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers won their first 10 games under new coach Curt Cignetti before losing at Ohio State last weekend. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 back in October, and if the Buckeyes beat rival Michigan this weekend, they'll earn a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title. And it's entirely possible another matchup between those two teams awaits in the CFP. Dillon Gabriel has quarterbacked Oregon to an unbeaten record, throwing for 3,066 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games. But don't overlook Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and his 21 rushing TDs, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been a big part of Indiana's improvement. Penn State's Abdul Carter has eight sacks and two forced fumbles and could be one of the top edge rushers drafted this year. Oregon (11-0, 8-0), Ohio State (10-1, 7-1), Penn State (10-1, 7-1), Indiana (10-1, 7-1), Illinois (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Michigan (6-5, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4), Washington (6-5, 4-4), Southern California (6-5, 4-5), Nebraska (6-5, 3-5) and Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) have already reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility. Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) and Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5) can join them. There may not be many firings in general at the top level of college football. The prospect of sharing revenue with athletes in the future might lead schools to be more judicious about shedding one coach and hiring a new one. Who should be most worried in the Big Ten? Well, Lincoln Riley is struggling to stay above .500 in his third season at USC. Purdue is 1-10, but coach Ryan Walters is only in his second season. Maryland's Mike Locksley has been there six years and his Terrapins are 4-7, but this was his first real step backward after guiding the team to three straight bowl wins. Cignetti has shown it is possible for a coaching change to push a previously moribund program to some impressive heights in a short amount of time — but the improvement has been more incremental at Michigan State following Jonathan Smith's arrival. Sherrone Moore wasn't a completely unknown commodity at Michigan after he won some massive games in place of a suspended Jim Harbaugh last year. But in his first season completely at the helm, the Wolverines have declined significantly following their national title a season ago. The Big Ten is home to one of the most dynamic freshmen in the country in Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. He has 52 catches for 899 yards and nine touchdowns. Highly touted quarterback Dylan Raiola has teamed up with fellow freshman Jacory Barney (49 catches) to lead Nebraska to bowl eligibility. Ohio State is on track to land the Big Ten's top class, according to 247 Sports, but the big news recently was quarterback Bryce Underwood flipping from LSU to Michigan. If the Wolverines do in fact keep Underwood in his home state, that would be a big development for Moore. Get local news delivered to your inbox!The two faces of violenceWhat is the best mattress for cold sleepers?

AP Trending SummaryBrief at 10:31 p.m. ESThttps://arab.news/pcpr4 DUBAI: As Saudi Arabia cements its position as a global centre for luxury, the Kingdom’s burgeoning fashion market is capturing the attention of high-end retailers worldwide. Mytheresa, one of the leading luxury e-commerce platforms, is at the forefront of this shift, catering to a growing and increasingly discerning Saudi clientele. Michael Kliger, CEO of Mytheresa, revealed how the brand is evolving alongside the Kingdom’s dynamic landscape, with a focus on personalization and cultural connection. A post shared by Mytheresa (@mytheresa.com) “We’re witnessing incredible changes in the Saudi market,” Kliger said. “More Saudis are staying in the region, with some even moving back permanently, which has created a significant increase in local demand for luxury fashion. “Events like weddings and receptions have always been important here, but now, with cinemas and fine dining experiences becoming more common, there are even more occasions for people to dress up.” While Mytheresa does not yet have a physical presence in Saudi Arabia, its strategy focuses on creating meaningful connections with local clients. A post shared by Mytheresa (@mytheresa.com) “We host a variety of events to engage directly with our Saudi customers,” Kliger said. “Recently, we had a dinner at Hia Hub in Riyadh with the designers of Oscar de la Renta, and in Jeddah, one of our clients hosted 100 of her friends for us at a hotel. These gatherings, along with style suites where customers can try curated collections, allow us to bring the Mytheresa experience to them in a personal and exclusive way.” Additionally, the e-tailer frequently collaborates with local creatives to create authentic connections with their customers. Kliger said that understanding the timing of local events and traditions, such as Ramadan and other festive gatherings, is essential. He highlighted the importance of working with local influencers and ambassadors to ensure the brand’s messaging feels genuine and accessible, making it easier for Saudi customers to engage with Mytheresa. Michael Kliger. (Supplied) Personalization too, is at the heart of Mytheresa’s approach. “It’s not about catering to a ‘Saudi style,’ but understanding each individual client,” Kliger said. “For example, one of our clients in Riyadh loves Yamamoto and Sacai. It’s about identifying those preferences and curating options that resonate with their personal taste. That’s what makes our service unique.” Kliger also touched on the recent acquisition of Net-a-Porter by Mytheresa’s parent company, YNAP, and its implications for the Saudi market. “Net-a-Porter complements what we do at Mytheresa,” he said. “They’re strong in discovery and editorial, while we focus on highly curated, established luxury brands. Together, we can cater to different corners of the luxury market without diluting our individual strengths.” As Saudi Arabia’s young, tech-savvy population drives the growth of e-commerce, Kliger emphasized the importance of adapting to the Kingdom’s digital preferences. “Social media usage here is unique, with platforms like TikTok and Snapchat playing a major role in how people interact and shop. Understanding these behaviors is key to connecting with this market,” he said. With a focus on personalization, community engagement, and digital strategy, Mytheresa is poised to strengthen its position in Saudi Arabia’s thriving luxury landscape. “The Saudi market is one of the most dynamic regions for us,” Kliger said.

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Sinn Fein was accused of “ignoring” the role 3,000 Troubles deaths had in damaging community relations in Northern Ireland in a memo sent to a direct rule minister in 2003. Declassified files show the note to former MP John Spellar also said the republican party had ignored the “visceral component of sectarianism” in responding to a new government good relations strategy. Mr Spellar, then a Northern Ireland Office minister, had launched a consultation on the “A Shared Future” document, an attempt to address community divisions, segregation and sectarianism in the region at a time when the devolved powersharing institutions were suspended. A file at the Public Record Office in Belfast shows that OFMDFM official Chris Stewart wrote to the minister in July about a response to the document from Sinn Fein representative Bairbre de Brun. Mr Stewart told Mr Spellar that Ms de Brun’s letter had been critical of the document and was clearly intended to “mark your card”. He said among a number of points raised by de Brun was that “the promotion of equality is the key to improving community relations”. His memo adds: “Sinn Fein is clearly seeking to position or align the issue of community relations within its equality and human rights agenda. “This general Sinn Fein position has resulted in a simplistic analysis of community relations, which is flawed in its description of the causes and necessary policy response. “There is of course, no doubt that a lack of equality has been a contributing factor to poor community relations. “However, Sinn Fein ignores the many other factors, not least the violent conflict that resulted in over 3,000 deaths. “Sinn Fein also portrays poor community relations (for nationalists) as being a purely rational response to the political situation. “This ignores the more visceral component of sectarianism, which is all too prevalent in both communities.” Mr Stewart continues: “To suggest, as Sinn Fein does, that the promotion of equality should be the key component of good relations policy is to ignore the key message in A Shared Future, that indirect approaches alone are insufficient to deal with sectarianism and the abnormal relationship between sections of the Northern Ireland community.” The official recommended the minister invite representatives of Sinn Fein to a meeting to discuss the policy. The file also contains a note about Mr Spellar’s meeting with DUP representatives Maurice Morrow and Peter Weir the following month to discuss the document. The note says: “Morrow said he had no problem with sharing the future and suggested that the first step to that would be an election to decide who spoke for whom – though he was quick to say he didn’t want politics to dominate the meeting.” It adds: “Weir said that the biggest step towards improving community relations would be the creation of a political environment that had the broad support of both unionism and nationalism, and the GFA (Good Friday Agreement) could not create that environment.”Top Ag stories of 2025

A TikToker who went viral teaching science videos predicts short-form video will make its way into the national curriculum after 2024 saw him publish a new book and win a TikTok award. Emanuel Wallace, 27, from east London, is better known as Big Manny by his 1.9 million followers on TikTok, where he shares videos explaining various science experiments from his back garden while using Jamaican Patois phrases and London slang. In early December, Mr Wallace won the Education Creator of the Year award at the TikTok Awards ceremony, which he said is a “symbol that anything that you put your mind to you can achieve”. The content creator began making videos during the coronavirus pandemic when schools turned to online learning but has since expanded his teaching from videos to paper after releasing his debut book Science Is Lit in August. He believes his “unconventional” teaching methods help to make his content relatable for younger audiences by using slang deriving from his Jamaican and British heritage. “The language that I use, it’s a combination between Jamaican Patois and London slang because I have Jamaican heritage,” the TikToker, who holds a bachelors and masters degree in biomedical science, told the PA news agency. “That’s why in my videos sometimes I might say things like ‘Wagwan’ or ‘you dun know’. I just want to connect with the young people more, so I speak in the same way that they speak. “The words that I use, the way that I deliver the lesson as well, I would say that my method of teaching is quite unconventional. I speak in a way that is quite conversational.” Examples of his videos include lithium batteries catching fire after being sandwiched inside a raw chicken breast, as well as mixing gold with gallium to create blue gold, earning millions of views. Mr Wallace hopes his content will help make the science industry more diverse, saying “the scientists that I was taught about, none of them look like me”. “Now me being a scientist is showing young people that they can become one as well, regardless of the background that they come from, the upbringing that they’ve had,” he said. “I just want to make it seem more attainable and possible for them because if I can do it, and I come from the same place as you, there’s no reason why you can’t do it as well.” The TikToker has seen a shift in more young people turning to the app as a learning resource and feels short-form videos will soon become a part of the national curriculum in schools. “I’m seeing (young people) using that a lot more – social media as a resource for education – and I feel like in the future, it’s going to become more and more popular as well,” he said. “I get a lot of comments from students saying that my teacher showed my video in the classroom as a resource, so I feel like these short form videos are going to be integrated within the national curriculum at some point in the near future.” He also uses his platform to raise awareness of different social issues, which he said is “extremely important”. One of his videos highlighted an anti-knife campaign backed by actor Idris Elba, which earned more than 39 million views, while his clip about the banning of disposable vapes was viewed more than 4.6 million times. He said there is some pressure being a teacher with a large following online but hopes he can be a role model for young people. “I’m aware that I am in the public eye and there’s a lot of young people watching me,” he said. “Young people can be impressionable, so I make sure that I conduct myself appropriately, so that I can be a role model. “I always have the same message for young people, specifically. I tell them to stay curious. Always ask questions and look a little bit deeper into things.” His plans for 2025 include publishing a second Science Is Lit book and expanding his teaching to television where he soon hopes to create his own science show.

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Dividend Stocks: NALCO, Gillette India, Godfrey Phillips India among others to trade ex-dividend next week; Full listThe Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has processed 15,547 crore transactions totalling Rs 223 lakh crore from January to November this year, as reported by the Finance Ministry on Saturday. In a social media post on X, the ministry highlighted the significant impact of UPI on financial transactions in India. Using the hashtag #FinMinYearReview2024, the ministry emphasized UPI's growing influence globally, noting its increasing adoption in various countries. India's digital payment revolution is gaining worldwide traction, with both UPI and RuPay making rapid strides internationally. Currently, UPI operates in seven countries, including the UAE, Singapore, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, France, and Mauritius. UPI, a digital payment system that enables instant money transfers between bank accounts, was launched in 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and has since transformed India’s payment ecosystem by integrating multiple bank accounts into a single mobile application. This system has streamlined fund transfers, merchant payments, and peer-to-peer transactions, providing users with flexibility, such as scheduled payment requests. UPI has made financial transactions faster, more secure, and easier, empowering individuals, small businesses, and merchants, and supporting the nation's shift towards a cashless economy. In October 2024, UPI set a new record by processing 16.58 billion transactions, totaling Rs 23.49 lakh crore. This marked a 45% year-on-year increase from 11.40 billion transactions in October 2023, according to Ministry of Finance data. With 632 banks connected to its platform, this surge underscores UPI's growing dominance in India's payment sector. UPI has greatly benefited small businesses, street vendors, and migrant workers by providing an efficient way to transfer money and receive payments. The system's adoption accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people sought safer, contactless alternatives to cash. UPI's success can be attributed not only to its robust infrastructure but also to a shift in consumer behavior. Trust in the system and its accessibility have played a crucial role in its widespread adoption. UPI’s expansion into France marks a significant milestone, as it is the first European country to adopt the system. This enables Indian consumers and businesses to make and receive payments seamlessly while abroad. Prime Minister Modi has actively advocated for UPI’s expansion within the BRICS group, now including six new members. This push is expected to strengthen remittance flows, promote financial inclusion, and enhance India's global financial standing. According to the ACI Worldwide Report 2024 cited by the Finance Ministry, India now accounts for approximately 49% of global real-time payment transactions as of 2023, reinforcing its leadership in digital payment innovation.

Microsoft has announced that it’s removing passwords for over a billion users, signalling the end of the password era. The tech giant is acting on the growing risks associated with password-based security, as cyberattacks have surged by a staggering 200%. Now, Microsoft is focusing on a more secure, user-friendly solution: passkeys. Microsoft responds to growing cybersecurity threats with passkeys The move comes in response to the sharp rise in cyberattacks , with Microsoft reporting: Most Read on Euro Weekly News Help get Robyn repatriated to the UK Six-metre python snake terrifies onlookers as it swims through flooded streets Spain braces for Arctic blast: Freezing temperatures, snow, and torrential rain to hit the country 7,000 password attacks per second—almost double compared to last year. A 146% rise in phishing attacks, where hackers intercept user credentials. In light of these escalating threats, Microsoft is urging users to embrace passkeys, a solution that offers both better security and faster, easier access. Why Passkeys are revolutionising digital security for the future Passkeys are seen as a more secure and efficient alternative to traditional passwords. Here’s why: No vulnerability to common password attacks. Log in faster with biometrics like face recognition, fingerprints, or PINs. Say goodbye to forgotten passwords and one-time codes. The good news? Passkeys are already gaining traction. According to the FIDO Alliance , awareness of passkeys has risen by 50% over the past year. As more people recognise the benefits, the technology is becoming a viable replacement for outdated password systems. Microsoft’s plan to phase out passwords completely: What’s next for security Microsoft is working towards a password-free future, where security relies on passkeys alone. While millions of users have already switched to passkeys, Microsoft acknowledges that it won’t be easy to convince the remaining 30-40% to make the change. However, the data shows the benefits are hard to ignore: Three times faster login with passkeys compared to traditional passwords. Users are three times more successful logging in with passkeys (98% success rate) than with passwords (32% success rate). 99% of users who start the registration process for passkeys complete it. Microsoft plans to keep things simple by encouraging users to start small and gradually transition. With passkeys, users can enjoy secure access without the hassle of passwords or traditional multi-factor authentication (MFA). The goal is clear: eliminate passwords entirely. With passkeys, biometric data and PIN codes stored on your device will secure your accounts, making them much more resistant to phishing and cyberattacks. This approach offers better security than 2FA, which can be compromised through SMS interception.

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Community Energy and Technology (GCET) anticipates providing internet to residents of The Weldon apartments on High Street within two or three years, thanks in part to the receipt of a nearly $500,000 grant. GCET was awarded $499,519 through the Massachusetts Broadband Institute’s Residential Retrofit Program, an initiative that works with housing operators and internet service providers to upgrade broadband infrastructure in public and affordable housing properties. The Weldon apartments at 54 High St., owned by The Schochet Companies, consists of 105 units. John Lunt, GCET’s general manager, said fiber optics will be installed in every unit as well as the building’s public spaces. “It’s a chance to advance digital equity to seniors in our community, which we think is really important,” he said. “Internet is a utility, just like water, sewer or electricity. It’s essential for modern life.” Peter Lewis, The Schochet Companies’ executive vice president of property management, said The Weldon’s residents have been asking about getting internet through GCET for two or three years. “It gives the residents an alternative to Xfinity/Comcast,” he explained. “They’ve been asking for this alternative for years.” Although GCET recently announced that it would be raising its prices by about 5% , Lunt has said GCET prices will remain 30% to 35% lower than those of its competitors, Comcast and Verizon. The $499,519 grant is part of nearly $6.33 million in awards to 3,512 affordable housing units across nine Massachusetts communities. MBI launched the Residential Retrofit Program in February. The funding comes from the U.S. Treasury’s Capital Projects Fund through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess “Massachusetts is committed to delivering internet to every resident, especially for low-income residents and communities that have been historically overlooked,” Gov. Maura Healey said in a Dec. 17 statement announcing the grants. “These investments in state-of-the-art infrastructure will ensure affordable and public housing residents can fully participate in essential daily activities and our state’s economy. I’m grateful for the leadership of the Biden-Harris administration and our congressional delegation to deliver this essential funding to Massachusetts communities.” Built in 1905 and designed by local architect William B. Reid, The Weldon was originally used as housing for a local metal and tools manufacturer, according to its website. It was eventually converted into a hotel known as one of the grandest destinations in the area, complete with numerous gatherings, balls and social events. The Weldon was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Two years later, it was converted to low-income elderly apartments. The Weldon is part of the Retirement Housing Foundation, a national nonprofit. Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.

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