fb777 6com

QUENTIN LETTS at PMQs: Sir Keir became peevish with Kemi, his right eyebrow shooting skywards like a leaping salmon

I was dancing with my friend Babette Arroyo when she told me I had made a difference in the life of a woman who was going through a very difficult time. “She had not been out of the house for a very long time,” Babett said. “You didn’t even know what a good thing you were doing, Mike.” She was right. I had no idea. Certain events in life can become so devastating that we are unable to move forward. Everything we learned to combat our sadness –meditation, prayer, friends, hobbies, cognitive therapy – do not seem to alleviate the pain. A downward spiral occurs. So it was for the woman Babette was speaking about. But a great night out lessened that pain and I had been unknowingly involved . “She told me, ‘This old guy who must have been 75 (Me? Do I look that old?) asked me to dance. I thought I knew some dance moves. Boy could he move!’” This made me laugh. The woman told Babette, “He was wearing white suspenders, white pants, a black shirt. He was sitting with a young fellow and a couple other older women. I was keeping my eyes open wondering if he would ask me to dance again.” Babette said when the woman told her this, she knew it was me. “You always dress like that,” Babette said. This vignette has given me great pause. Doing something good for someone in need is rewarding. When you aren’t aware of the good you’re doing, the reward can be even sweeter. That’s how I feel when I tell this story to my dance partners and friends. There are so many people in need. Those needs are often hidden from others. The pandemic, however, revealed the soft underbelly of humanity. Life went on during the crisis: People still had emergencies, kids still needed guidance, crimes still were committed. Loneliness multiplied. Many of us tried to continue with our passions to combat the emotional distress: yoga, reading, painting, skiing, and, me, dancing lessons via Zoom. The hard things we experience every day became exacerbated: depression, psychosomatic illness, and suicide climbed. False information we were getting from political leaders made things even worse. It was during this time, however, that vast numbers of caregivers did everything they could to keep people going. From teachers to nurses to police officers to religious leaders: Everyone seemed to have a hand in trying to keep us moving forward. This is instructive now for the next time we encounter a national or global crisis. Sometimes it seems the needs of our population are overwhelming. But one doesn’t necessarily have to travel with Doctors Without Borders to do some good. Just take a look in your own city or town if you want to help. Call your town or city clerk, town manager, or the mayor’s office. Consider driving for Meals On Wheels. For some disabled and elderly people, the knock on the door might be the only human contact they have all day. In fact, it was the quick thinking of a Meals On Wheels driver that alerted the police that my mother wasn’t answering the door. This led to her being found unconscious on the floor. She was resuscitated and got two more years of life. Or be a driver for Northern Essex Transport for people who cannot get to medical appointments by themselves. Perhaps volunteer for Big Brothers-Big Sisters. You might even consider creating your own volunteer project. Certainly such efforts were rampant during the pandemic. Doing something to enhance the life of someone else is, perhaps, one of the most satisfying things a person can do. Little did I know when I asked Babette’s friend to dance that her journey back to life would begin. “Mike, another man asked her to dance and she stayed with him,” Babette said. I answered, “Yes, I think I know who you mean. She looked like she was having a great time.” And Babette told me, “I think you started her back. You don’t know the difference you made.” Now I do, and that’s a memory I’ll hold dearly forever. Michael Veves, 70, writes from Haverhill, Massachusetts.Travis Kelce's Ex-Girlfriend Facing Backlash Over Emotional Admission About Breakup - Athlon Sports

Conners, Tate lead Appalachian State over Sam Houston 66-63

Aurora Holiday Food Drive moves into its final daysSavion Williams rushed for two touchdowns and Josh Hoover threw for 252 yards as TCU pulled away from Arizona in the second half, winning 49-28 on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. The Horned Frogs (7-4, 5-3 Big 12) scored touchdowns on five consecutive possessions, starting late in the first half after the Wildcats (4-7, 2-6) pulled within 14-13. Williams carried nine times for 80 yards, scoring on runs of 1 and 20 yards in the first half. Hoover completed 19 of 26 passes, with one touchdown and one interception, before being pulled midway through the fourth quarter when the Frogs were up by 21. TCU took control after leading 21-13 at halftime, going up 35-13 on a 38-yard reception to JP Richardson midway through the third. Arizona kept its hopes alive, ending a 15-play, 75-yard drive with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Chris Hunter on fourth down on the first play of the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion made it 35-21. But the Horned Frogs responded with another TD drive, capped by a 6-yard run by Cam Cook for a 42-21 advantage. Arizona added a 70-yard fumble return touchdown with one minute to go for the game's final score. Tetairoa McMillan caught nine passes for 115 yards to become the Arizona career leader in receiving yardage with 3,355. He surpassed his receivers coach, Bobby Wade (3,351), at the top spot. The Wildcats' Noah Fifita completed 29 of 44 passes for 284 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, which happened on the game's first snap. TCU promptly scored on a 4-yard run by Trent Battle, and Williams added a 1-yard TD run late in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead. But the Wildcats fought back, getting a 17-yard touchdown reception by Hunter and field goals of 53 and 43 yards from Tyler Loop to climb within 14-13 with 1:55 go before halftime. That's almost how the half ended, but the Horned Frogs converted third-and-18 on the ensuing drive and then gained 24 yards on third-and-25 to the Arizona 20. That set up a 20-yard run by Williams on fourth-and-1 with 13 seconds left for a 21-13 lead. --Field Level MediaStolen Vehicle Recovery Market In-Depth Analysis of the CAGR, Share, and Value Forecast for 2024-2031

Ukrainian girls’ team finds hockey haven at Wickenheiser festivalThanksgiving Weekend Sports Guide: Your roadmap to NFL matchups, other games, times, odds

Quinn runs for 154 yards, 2 TDs to lead Texas Southern over Arkansas-Pine Bluff 31-23Enerflex Ltd. Provides Update Related to Kurdistan ProjectCalgary 4, Minnesota 3South Korea's acting president faces impeachment vote as court meets on martial law case

Shania Twain celebrates Christmas with cozy, make-up free lookAt least 65 million tune in for Netflix NFL Christmas Day games. NBA holiday ratings also skyrocket

Blindfire - Official PlayStation Launch Trailer

None

New York to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate changeThe month of November has seen major announcements from Spotify in the podcasting space. In mid-November Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek spoke at the Spotify campus in Los Angeles about initiatives for uninterrupted video podcasts, audience-driven payments, and the new Spotify for Creators platform. “We can provide an experience for your audience that is superior to any platform. And by giving you, the creators, another path to monetisation beyond ads, we’re freeing you up to spend more time doing what you love: creating,” said Ek. Creators are taking notice of the changes. Why? Spotify is one of the largest platforms in the world for creators, with more than 640 million users and more than 250 million subscribers. Video consumption is rapidly growing on Spotify. To find out a little more about the changes on the platform, Mediaweek spoke with Prithi Dey, podcast lead AUNZ at Spotify. Dey explained the platform is no stranger to video content. “We’re seeing a lot of engagement with video content on Spotify. We’ve had video podcasts since 2019.” “For audio-only podcasters, they are being an opportunity to grow via Spotify.” There’s good reason to consider adding video to audio-only content. More than 250 million users have watched a video podcast on Spotify, and nearly two-thirds of podcast listeners say they prefer podcasts with video. There are now more than 300,000 video podcast shows on Spotify Dey: “Our focus is really trying to give creators from all different backgrounds the opportunity to grow their audience, monetise their content and give them the tools they need to be able to engage with their audiences.” With no option for audio creators to offer subscriptions to podcasts on Spotify, their monetisation options were restricted. Now with the ability to share Spotify subscription revenue with creators, it provides a new revenue stream. “The reason we’re doing that is to basically have a creative, better user experience for the audience because they get an uninterrupted experience of being able to view video podcasts on Spotify,” said Dey. “We’re able to do this because we are going to be paying the video podcast creators the premium revenue from subscribers. “ It will also help video creators, like traditional YouTubers for example, decide if they want to bring their video content to Spotify because they will essentially have three revenue streams that they could leverage from the 2nd of January, 2025.” Prithi Dey “Spotify for Podcasters has been rebranded to Spotify for Creators,” explained Dey. “It’s an easy-to-use platform and the whole purpose of rebranding is to create a holistic ecosystem that is easy to use. It’s free to use, and those thinking about bringing their content onto Spotify can easily upload content through Spotify for Creators. “They can easily look at their analytics, they can easily distribute to all other platforms, and our job really is to support them on that process. We’re having multiple with creators and partners from all different places about how they can actually bring their video podcast onto Spotify and how to use Spotify for Creators. “We try to make it as easy for them as possible. We also have a help section on Spotify for Creators, which is easy to use and comprehensive. I often direct a lot of new creators there and all their questions are usually answered, and it’s a really easy process if they have that content.” Spotify has reacted to what its audience wants, explained Dey. “In 2021, 43% of podcast listeners said they prefer video podcasts. In 2024, just three years later, that number’s grown to 64%. We are seeing increased interest from audiences coming to Spotify to watch video content. “ In Australia, the number of podcast listeners engaging with video podcasts has surged around 25% year over year. This is why we are investing in this space a lot more.” See also: Every Thursday in Mediaweek’s Podcast Week When asked about what rates for Spotify users, Dey said: “ I don’t think there’ll be any major surprises if I say true crime is always popular. Entertainment in general, sport and comedy, too are the categories that we always see doing well. Given that we’ve got quite a young audience, entertainment skews towards younger demographics and sport is always really popular. “Long-form content is where we are going and what we’re encouraging creators to upload. When I say long form, we’re thinking 15 to 30 minutes. That’s something the audience can be consuming when commuting or maybe walking.” There is another initiative aimed at helping grow podcast audiences – podcast clips. These are basically short-form teasers that can be uploaded by creators. The purpose of the clips is to drive awareness to the long-form content.” For podcasters who have “baked-in ads”, including host reads, nothing changes. “That will not be impacted,” advised Dey. “If the podcaster or the video creator has those baked in ads, mayb sponsorships that they set up and manage directly. Those host reads and sponsorships will stay in the podcast or the video podcast. “Even if you’re a premium user and you don’t get those third party dynamic ads, the host reads will still be there. The creator gets a hundred percent of that revenue.” While Dey listens and watched a wide range of content for her work, she has a few regulars she doesn’t miss. “I’m watching more content now than I did previously because it’s actually a really good user experience when I can watch and listen to a podcast. It is easy to toggle between the two. “I recently started watching a new show called Swag on the Beat . They’re comedians, with a massive social following. They just launched a couple of weeks ago. “Also Relatables with Jake and Ottie, that’s a video show as well. So those are two local shows. In terms of audio podcasts, I like to listen to a lot of current affairs and I listen to the news. “I listen to Guardian podcasts and The Daily Aus . I love a good documentary series too. See also: Spotify’s Now Playing event: Uninterrupted Video Podcasts to roll out first in Australia Uninterrupted Video Podcasts: Beginning in January, Spotify Premium subscribers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada can watch their favourite podcasts uninterrupted by dynamic ads. Spotify Partner Program: Beginning in January, this new program will give eligible creators access to a new monetisation system. The Spotify Partner Program has two components: Premium Video Revenue and Ads. With new Premium Video Revenue, creators in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia can earn revenue based on video consumption from Spotify Premium subscribers beginning in January. With Ads, enrolled creators earn a share of revenue every time a dynamic ad monetised by Spotify plays in their episodes both on and off Spotify. Eligible creators can apply today and learn more at creators.spotify.com Spotify for Creators: Spotify for Podcasters, Spotify’s free, all-in-one podcast hosting and analytics platform, is evolving to Spotify for Creators to serve the needs of multiformat creators with a more expansive and streamlined platform. The platform features a new mobile app experience, robust analytics, a suite of new monetisation options, tools to customise shows’ presence on Spotify, creator-fan interactivity features, and turnkey audio and video distribution. Podcast Clips: Eligible creators will also have the ability to upload short-form, vertical Podcast clips to promote their episodes, and select a custom thumbnail to represent their content on Spotify. Seamless Streaming: We’re delivering the best viewing experience for audiences by making it easy for fans to stream their favourite video content in the foreground or background without disrupting the experience – whether they are using Spotify Premium or Free. We’re giving fans more content they love and a best-in-class UX so they can easily switch between watching or listening. • More than 170m users have consumed a podcast on Spotify, up from 10m in 2019. • There are now more than 300,000 video podcast shows on Spotify. • More than 250M users have streamed a video podcast on Spotify (based on users who streamed video in background or foreground). • More than 70% of users consuming video podcasts watch them in the foreground. • On Spotify, more than 1 in 3 US podcast MAU engage with video, while more than 1 in 4 global podcast MAU engage with video. Video Podcast MAU globally has grown by 60% year on year. • Premium users listen more than twice as much as Ad-supported users. • In 2021, 43% of podcast listeners said they preferred video podcasts, and in 2024, that number has grown to more than 64%. • In 2020, average users were spending 30 hours a month on Spotify. Today it’s closer to 40. And younger subscribers are spending around 60 hours each month on Spotify. • The share of podcasts from Australian creators that publish video has grown by more than 60% YoY. • Video podcast consumption hours in Australia are up 11% YoY. • Video podcast monthly listeners in Australia are up more than 40% YoY. • The share of podcast listeners in Australia who watch video podcasts is up almost 25% YoY. • Australia is the top podcast market in APAC for Spotify (by consumption hours). • Podcast listeners in Australia are up 13% YoY. • Podcast consumption hours for local shows in Australia are up 8% YoY. • Politics & Current Events, Horror, Paranormal & Conspiracy Theories, Business & Technology are the fastest-growing podcast categories on Spotify in Australia.

The BBC announced last week that Lineker will leave his role as host, which he has held since 1999, at the end of the current football season. Saturday’s episode of the football highlights programme opened with pundit Alan Shearer, Lineker’s fellow former England striker, saying direct to the camera: “All good things must come to an end.” Lineker then appeared, and said: “Yes Alan – Lee Carsley’s England reign is over. It’s back to business in the Premier League.” Despite his exit, the 63-year-old will remain with the BBC after both parties agreed to a contract extension through to the 2026 World Cup. Lineker will host BBC Sport’s coverage of the FA Cup in the 2025-26 campaign and continue presenting the Match Of The Day: Top 10 podcast for BBC Sounds, which will also host The Rest Is Football podcast, produced by Lineker’s Goalhanger Podcasts, with one episode released on the platform each week. The BBC has said future plans for Match Of The Day would be “announced in due course” with Mark Chapman, Alex Scott, Kelly Cates and Gabby Logan among those being tipped as candidates to replace him. Following the announcement, Lineker said it “has been an absolute joy and privilege to present such an iconic show for the BBC, but all things have to come to an end” on his podcast, The Rest Is Football. He added: “I bowed out in my football career when I felt it was the right time. I feel this is now the right time. “I think the next contract they’re looking to do Match Of The Day slightly differently, so I think it makes sense for someone else to take the helm.” Lineker has hosted Match Of The Day since 1999 and will have presented the show for more than a quarter of a century when he leaves in May 2025.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Alabama A&M University football player Medrick Burnett Jr. is still on life support following an injury during a game against Alabama State in October, according to Alabama A&M University Sports Information Director Brian Howard. This updates an earlier announcement from the university that Burnett had died a month after the injury. Howard said the university got news last night from Burnett's father, who is on the West Coast where the family is from, that his son had died. Burnett's mother, who is with him, said that he is still alive. The announcement from the university Wednesday that originally stated he had died has since been removed from their website . The redshirt freshman from Lakewood, California, joined Alabama A&M's team over the summer after starting his college career at Grambling State. He appeared in seven games for Alabama A&M this season, recording three tackles during a game at Austin Peay.