TORONTO — Canada's main stock index pushed higher to end Monday up almost 150 points on light trading action, while U.S. stock markets also gained ahead of the Christmas break. "Today is a quiet pre-Christmas Day of trading," said Kevin Burkett, a portfolio manager at Victoria, B.C.-based Burkett Asset Management. While markets in both Canada and the U.S. were mild, Burkett suggests watching the markets closely during the holiday season, a contrast to what's typically a sleepy period for markets. "We're continuing to watch markets very closely here because you've got some tectonic plate shifting in terms of the macroeconomic backdrop," he said. "It's all the political conversations both in Canada and in the U.S." Burkett added fiscal policy seems to be disconnected from monetary policy in the post-pandemic period. "The fiscal policy may shift and that shift absolutely has market implications both in the short and long term," he said. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 149.50 points at 24,748.98. Statistics Canada released its latest numbers on Canada's economic growth, up 0.3 per cent in October — driven by the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector. The loonie continued its slide, trading for 69.47 cents US compared with 69.61 cents US on Friday. The telecom sector was the biggest loser at the closing on TSX, which Burkett attributed to "tax loss selling happening at the end of the year." Competition Bureau Canada announced on Monday it was suing Rogers Communications Inc. for allegedly making misleading claims about its infinite wireless plans. The stock price for Rogers, which is hovering near 52-week lows, fell 0.7 per cent on Monday. Meanwhile, BCE was down almost 1.4 per cent and Telus dropped 0.9 per cent. Burkett suggested the day's poor performance among telecom companies was likely tax loss selling since it's almost the end of the year. "It's been a tough year for the communication services sector," he said. South of the border, communications services was the top-performing sector, led by large-cap tech companies. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 66.69 points at 42,906.95. The S&P 500 index was up 43.22 points at 5,974.07, while the Nasdaq composite was up 192.29 points at 19,764.89. The February crude oil contract was down 22 cents at US$69.24 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down six cents at US$3.35 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$16.90 at US$2,628.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down one cent at US$4.09 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 23, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX: GSPTSE, TSX: CADUSD, TSE: BCE, TSE: RCI. B) Ritika Dubey, The Canadian PressWASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers, meet your latest lobbyists: online influencers from TikTok. The platform is once again bringing influencers to Washington, this time to lobby members of Congress to reject a fast-moving bill that would force TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company to sell or be banned in the United States. On Tuesday, some influencers began a two-day advocacy event in support of TikTok, which arranged their trip ahead of a House floor vote on the legislation on Wednesday. But unlike a similar lobbying event the company put together last March when talks of a TikTok ban reached a fever pitch, this year’s effort appeared more rushed as the company scrambles to counter the legislation, which advanced rapidly on Capitol Hill. Summer Lucille, a TikTok content creator with 1.4 million followers who is visiting Washington this week, said if TikTok is banned, she “don’t know what it will do” to her business, a plus-sized boutique in Charlotte, North Carolina. “It will be devastating,” Lucille said in an interview arranged by the platform. The legislation is drawing unusual support in Congress In an unusual showing of bipartisanship, a House panel unanimously approved the measure last week. President Joe Biden has said he will sign the legislation if lawmakers pass it. But it’s unclear what will happen in the Senate, where several bills aimed at banning TikTok have stalled. The legislation faces other roadblocks. Former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump, who holds sway over both House and Senate Republicans, has voiced opposition to the bill, saying it would empower Meta-owned Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss. The bill also faces pushback from some progressive lawmakers in the House as well as civil liberties groups who argue it infringes on the First Amendment. TikTok could be banned if ByteDance, the parent company, doesn’t sell its stakes in the platform and other applications it owns within six months of the bill’s enactment. The fight over the platform takes place as U.S.-China relations have shifted to that of strategic rivalry, especially in areas such as advanced technologies and data security, seen as essential to each country’s economic prowess and national security. The shift, which started during the Trump years and has continued under Biden, has placed restrictions on export of advanced technologies and outflow of U.S. monies to China, as well as access to the U.S. market by certain Chinese businesses. The Biden administration also has cited human rights concerns in blacklisting a number of Chinese companies accused of assisting the state surveillance campaign against ethnic minorities. TikTok isn’t short on lobbyists. Its Beijing-based parent company ByteDance has a strong lobbying apparatus in Washington that includes dozens of lobbyists from well-known consulting and legal firms as well as influential insiders, such as former members of Congress and ex-aides to powerful lawmakers, according to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also be in Washington this week and plans to meet with lawmakers, according to a company spokesperson who said Chew’s visit was previously scheduled. Influencers descend on Washington But influencers, who have big followings on social media and can share personal stories of how the platform boosted their businesses — or simply gave them a voice — are still perhaps one of the most powerful tools the company has in its arsenal. A TikTok spokesperson said dozens of influencers will attend the two-day event, including some who came last year. The spokesperson did not immediately respond to questions about how many new people would be attending this year’s lobbying blitz. The company is briefing them ahead of meetings with their representatives and media interviews. Lucille, who runs the boutique in North Carolina, says has seen a substantial surge in revenue because of her TikTok page. The 34-year-old began making TikTok content focusing on plus-sized fashion in March 2022, more than a decade after she started her business. She quickly amassed thousands of followers after posting a nine-second video about her boutique. Because of her popularity on the platform, her business has more online exposure and customers, some of whom have visited from as far as Europe. She says she also routinely hears from followers who are finding support through her content about fashion and confidence. JT Laybourne, an influencer who also came to Washington, said he joined TikTok in early 2019 after getting some negative comments on videos he posted on Instagram while singing in the car with his children. Laybourne, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, said he was attracted to the short-form video platform because it was easy to create videos that contained music. Like Lucille, he quickly gained traction on the app. He says he also received more support from TikTok users, who reacted positively to content he produced on love and positivity. Laybourne says the community he built on the platform rallied around his family when he had to undergo heart surgery in 2020. Following the surgery, he said he used the platform to help raise $1 million for the American Heart Association in less than two years. His family now run an apparel company that gets most of its traffic from TikTok. “I will fight tooth-and-nail for this app,” he said. But whether the opposition the company is mounting through lobbyists or influencers will be enough to derail the bill is yet to be seen. On Tuesday, House lawmakers received a briefing on national security concerns regarding TikTok from the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence officials. ____ AP Journalist Didi Tang contributed to this report. ___ This story was originally published on March 12, 2024. It was updated on December 23, 2024 to clarify a quote by TikTok content creator Summer Lucille. Advertisement Advertisement
Libya’s Haftar, Egyptian intelligence chief discuss regional developmentsTickets to the $1 Billion Mega Millions Draw available this Christmas Eve on Jackpot.comOsun State Chairman, of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. John Adeleke, has tasked Nigerians to turn to God for the healing of the land from hunger and other challenges. Speaking with News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday, Rev. Adeleke said that the nationis currently facing many challenges because Nigerians have forgotten Godly ways. He lamented over political leaders who find it hard to fulfil their promises to the public because of the people they surround themselves with. READ MORE: Osun Monarch Advocates For Sharia Law In South West, Says It’s Muslims’ Right He said: “There will be challenges in a country where the people and their leaders are not righteous. God is expecting that every sinner should repent and turn to Him. “Most of the things that are happening show that God is not happy with us. Somehow, we are experiencing famine as part of the last-day prophecies. “The only solution is for everyone to turn to God and develop a fear of God. “Sinners should give their lives to Jesus Christ and turn away from their wicked ways; I believe God is the God of mercy, He will show mercy. “Once they get to their respective offices, they do not care about the welfare of the people. “Hence, they get to listen to bad advice and sometimes, the power of dark forces is at work.”
Bowdoin awards Portland Public Schools Wabanaki Studies curriculum creators
2d illustrations and photos Real estate stocks bounced back on segment gains as the President-elect Donald Trump makes appointments for his second administration. Trump is said to have picked Scott Turner as secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Turner had served as
PAYSON, Ariz. — Firefighters were dispatched to Woods Canyon Lake on Sunday after three people reportedly fell through ice and into the water. The Forest Lakes Fire District said two of the individuals were able to get out of the water but a 26-year-old man from Phoenix was unaccounted for. Helicopter searches conducted on Sunday did not result in finding the missing man. A dive team was also not successful in finding the man and the search was called off Sunday due to darkness. The Coconino County Sheriff's Office said the man's body was eventually recovered Monday morning. The medical examiner will be brought in to help identity him. CCSO said lake visitors should avoid frozen waterways. Woods Canyon Lake is located east of Payson and north of Arizona State Route 260. Watch 12News for free You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12+ app! The free 12+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV . 12+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona. Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives. Roku : Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX." Amazon Fire TV : Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12+ app to add to your account , or have the 12+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Abou Ousmane scored a season-best 19 points and Bryce Thompson added 14 as Oklahoma State topped visiting Oral Roberts 86-74 on Sunday in Stillwater, Okla. Oklahoma State (8-3) led by as many as 20 points in the second half while winning for the fourth time in five games. Khalil Brantley and Jamyron Keller chipped in 10 points apiece for the Cowboys. Issac McBride had a game-high 27 points for the Golden Eagles on 8-for-13 shooting, including 5-for-7 from long range. Luke Gray scored all 12 of his points in the second half for Oral Roberts (3-9). JoJo Moore and McBride each dished five assists for the Golden Eagles. The Cowboys created distance with a 13-1 run late in the second half, holding Oral Roberts without a field goal over a stretch of nearly five minutes during one sequence. Oklahoma State shot 53.3 percent from the field in the second half and 48.1 percent overall. The Cowboys finished plus-24 on the glass. Ousmane swished each of his nine attempts from the foul line, where Oklahoma State finished 31-for-39. He added a game-high seven rebounds. Oklahoma State started to shake some early sloppiness in the closing stages of the first half, using a 10-2 run to take a 38-31 lead into intermission. Oral Roberts took its last lead of the afternoon on Jackson Skipper's trey with 3:48 left in the first half. The Golden Eagles went without a field goal for the rest of the half. Ousmane scored five points during the Cowboys' surge while Arturo Dean added four. Both schools slogged through the first half, shooting a combined 20-for-47 while teaming to commit 19 turnovers. The Golden Eagles had 12 turnovers in the first 20 minutes, including six from McBride, who led all scorers with 10 points at the break. Oklahoma State scored 17 of its first-half points at the free-throw line. Oklahoma State extended its dominance in the all-time series against the in-state rival Golden Eagles. The Cowboys' 21-5 advantage includes a 14-1 edge in games played at home. --Field Level MediaUniversal confirmed the project today (Monday, December 23) [formerly Twitter] account. The film will be shot ‘across the world using brand new IMAX film technology’, according to the studio. — Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) Set in the 8th century BC, tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his dangerous journey home after the Trojan War. The film will have a stacked cast of A-list stars, with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron already attached. Described by Universal as ‘Homer’s foundational saga’, the 12,109-line poem takes in themes such as free will, heroism, loyalty, intelligence, and the struggle against divinity. ’s release date on the third weekend of July mirrors that of previous Nolan-directed tentpoles, including (July 21, 2023), , (July 21, 2017) and (July 20, 2012). Previous screen adaptations of Homer’s poem include Mario Camerini’s 1954 adventure starring Kirk Douglas; Andrei Konchalovsky’s 1997 TV miniseries; and loose adaptations including the Coen brothers’ 2000 comedy-drama . Nolan comes to the film on the back of a major global hit with , which made $974m worldwide, including $330m in North America and $644m internationally. The film swept the board in the 2024 awards season, winning seven awards at both the Oscars and Baftas, including best picture, director for Nolan and actor for Cillian Murphy at both ceremonies.
South Korea plane crash: Acting Prez declares 7 day mourning period