The Gibbes Museum of Art honours Spike Lee

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose to records Friday after data suggested the job market remains solid enough to keep the economy going, but not so strong that it raises immediate worries about inflation . The S&P 500 climbed 0.2%, just enough top the all-time high set on Wednesday, as it closed a third straight winning week in what looks to be one of its best years since the 2000 dot-com bust. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 123.19 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.8% to set its own record. The quiet trading came after the latest jobs report came in mixed enough to strengthen traders’ expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again at its next meeting in two weeks. The report showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected last month, but it also said the unemployment rate unexpectedly ticked up to 4.2% from 4.1%. “This print doesn’t kill the holiday spirit and the Fed remains on track to deliver a cut in December,” according to Lindsay Rosner, head of multi-sector investing within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The Fed has been easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high since September to offer more help for the slowing job market, after bringing inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. Lower interest rates can ease the brakes off the economy, but they can also offer more fuel for inflation. Expectations for a series of cuts from the Fed have been a major reason the S&P 500 has set an all-time high 57 times so far this year. And the Fed is part of a global surge: 62 central banks have lowered rates in the past three months, the most since 2020, according to Michael Hartnett and other strategists at Bank of America. Still, the jobs report may have included some notes of caution for Fed officials underneath the surface. Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, pointed to average wages for workers last month, which were a touch stronger than economists expected. While that’s good news for workers who would always like to make more, it could keep upward pressure on inflation. “This report tells the Fed that they still need to be careful as sticky housing/shelter/wage data shows that it won’t be easy to engineer meaningfully lower inflation from here in the nearer term,” Wren said. So, while traders are betting on an 85% probability the Fed will ease its main rate in two weeks, they’re much less certain about how many more cuts it will deliver next year, according to data from CME Group. For now, the hope is that the job market can help U.S. shoppers continue to spend and keep the U.S. economy out of a recession that had earlier seemed inevitable after the Fed began hiking interest rates swiftly to crush inflation. Several retailers offered encouragement after delivering better-than-expected results for the latest quarter. Ulta Beauty rallied 9% after topping expectations for both profit and revenue. The opening of new stores helped boost its revenue, and it raised the bottom end of its forecasted range for sales over this full year. Lululemon stretched 15.9% higher following its own profit report. It said stronger sales outside the United States helped it in particular, and its earnings topped analysts’ expectations. Retailers overall have been offering mixed signals on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain amid the slowing job market and still-high prices. Target gave a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season, for example, while Walmart gave a much more encouraging outlook. A report on Friday suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers may be improving more than economists expected. The preliminary reading from the University of Michigan’s survey hit its highest level in seven months. The survey found a surge in buying for some products as consumers tried to get ahead of possible increases in price due to higher tariffs that President-elect Donald Trump has threatened. In tech, Hewlett Packard Enterprise jumped 10.6% for one of the S&P 500’s larger gains after reporting stronger profit and revenue than expected. Tech stocks were some of the market’s strongest this week, as Salesforce and other big companies talked up how much of a boost they’re getting from the artificial-intelligence boom. All told, the S&P 500 rose 15.16 points to 6,090.27. The Dow dipped 123.19 to 44,642.52, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 159.05 to 19,859.77. In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury yield slipped to 4.15% from 4.18% late Thursday. In stock markets abroad, France’s CAC 40 rose 1.3% after French President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to stay in office until the end of his term and to name a new prime minister within days. Earlier this week, far-right and left-wing lawmakers approved a no-confidence motion due to budget disputes, forcing Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his cabinet to resign. In Asia, stock indexes were mixed. They rallied 1.6% in Hong Kong and 1% in Shanghai ahead of an annual economic policy meeting scheduled for next week. South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.6% as South Korea’s ruling party chief showed support for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol after he declared martial law and then revoked that earlier this week. Yoon is facing calls to resign and may be impeached. Bitcoin was sitting near $101,500 after briefly bursting above $103,000 to a record the day before. AP Writers Matt Ott and Zimo Zhong contributed.Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's masked killer after 'brazen, targeted' attack on NYC street NEW YORK (AP) — UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has been shot and killed in what police say is a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference. The shooting rattled the city and set off a massive dragnet hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting. Police say 50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire. Police have not yet established a motive. UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New York NEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the US but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk Wednesday became a mystery that riveted the nation. Police say it was a targeted killing. Thompson was 50. He had worked at the company for 20 years and had run health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc.'s insurance business since 2021. It provides health coverage for more than 49 million Americans and brought in $281 billion in revenue last year. Thompson's $10.2 million annual compensation made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives. Supreme Court seems likely to uphold Tennessee's ban on medical treatments for transgender minors WASHINGTON (AP) — Hearing a high-profile culture-war clash, the Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to uphold Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by another 25 states and a range of other efforts to regulate the lives of transgender people, including which sports competitions they can join and which bathrooms they can use. The case is being weighed by a conservative-dominated court after a presidential election in which Donald Trump and his allies promised to roll back protections for transgender people. The Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer warned a decision favorable to Tennessee also could be used to justify nationwide restrictions on transgender healthcare for minors. Hegseth fights to save Pentagon nomination as sources say Trump considers DeSantis WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s Pentagon pick, is fighting to hold on to his Cabinet nomination amid growing questions about his personal conduct as the president-elect’s team considers alternatives, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. But Hegseth says, “We’re not backing down one bit." The Trump transition team is concerned about Hegseth’s path to Senate confirmation and is actively looking at potential replacements, according to a person familiar with the matter. Hegseth is under pressure as senators weigh a series of allegations that have surfaced against him. Beyond DeSantis, there have been discussions about shifting Michael Waltz, who was named by Trump as his national security adviser, to the Defense Department Israeli strikes on a Gaza tent camp kill at least 21 people, hospital says KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — A Palestinian health official said Wednesday that at least 21 people were killed in Israeli strikes on a camp housing displaced people in Gaza. The Israeli military said it struck senior Hamas militants. The strikes hit in the Muwasi area, a sprawling coastal camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people. It came after Israeli forces struck targets in other areas of Gaza. According to Palestinian medics, strikes in central Gaza killed eight people, including four children. The war in Gaza is nearly 14 months old and showing no end in sight, despite international efforts to revive negotiations toward a ceasefire. South Korean President Yoon's martial law declaration raises questions over his political future SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning martial law declaration lasted just hours, but experts say it raised serious questions about his ability to govern for the remaining 2 1/2 years of his term. The opposition-controlled parliament overturned the edict, and his rivals on Wednesday took steps to impeach him. Yoon's move baffled many experts. One analyst called his action “political suicide.” Yoon’s political fate may depend on whether a large number of people in coming days take to the streets to push for his ouster. Yoon hasn't commented on the impeachment bid. But the political instability he unleashed could make it more difficult for his government to nurse a decaying economy. Police say searchers don’t expect to find woman in Pennsylvania sinkhole alive UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — The search for a woman who is believed to have fallen into a sinkhole in western Pennsylvania has become a recovery effort after two treacherous days of digging through mud and rock produced no signs of life. Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Steve Limani said during a news conference Wednesday that authorities no longer believe they will find 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard alive, but that the search for her remains continues. Limani says crews have seen "no signs of any form of life or anything.” Pollard was last seen alive Monday evening when she went out looking for her cat in the village of Marguerite, about 40 miles east of Pittsburgh. Two children wounded and gunman dead after shooting at Northern California school PALERMO, Calif. (AP) — Sheriff’s officials say two children have been wounded in a shooting at a small religious school in Northern California and the gunman is dead. A Butte County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson says Wednesday the wounded students were taken to hospitals in unknown condition after the shooting at Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in Palermo, north of Sacramento. The spokesperson says the suspect died after apparently shooting himself. A motive is unknown. French lawmakers vote to oust prime minister in the first successful no-confidence vote since 1962 PARIS (AP) — France’s far-right and left-wing lawmakers have joined together to vote on a no-confidence motion prompted by budget disputes that forces Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet to resign. The National Assembly approved the motion by 331 votes. A minimum of 288 were needed. President Emmanuel Macron insisted he will serve the rest of his term until 2027. However, he will need to appoint a new prime minister for the second time after July’s legislative elections led to a deeply divided parliament. Macron will address the French on Thursday evening, his office said, without providing details. Barnier is expected to formally resign by then. White House says at least 8 US telecom firms, dozens of nations impacted by China hacking campaign WASHINGTON (AP) — A top White House official says at least eight U.S. telecom firms and dozens of nations have been impacted by a Chinese hacking campaign. Deputy national security adviser Anne Neuberger offered the new details Wednesday about the breadth of the sprawling Chinese hacking campaign that gave officials in Beijing access to private texts and phone conversations of an unknown number of Americans. Neuberger divulged the scope of the hack a day after the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued guidance intended to help root out the hackers and prevent similar cyberespionage in the future. White House officials cautioned that a number of telecommunication firms and countries impacted could still grow.Suspect charged with US insurance executive’s murder

Trump’s social media company is exploring a crypto payment service called TruthFi - CNNThe New Orleans Saints have placed star tight end Taysom Hill on the injured reserve list, effectively ending the 2024 season for the player, per NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. The #Saints have placed TE Taysom Hill (knee) on injured reserve, ending his season. More News: Saints Offensive Star Feared to Have Suffered Season-Ending Injury Hill sustained a torn ACL during the Saints' Week 13 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. He was carted off the field following a hard hit from two Rams defenders, but he managed to wave to the fans as the crowd gave him an emotional send-off before heading to the locker room. A key figure in the Saints' offense, Hill's absence will be deeply felt, as his versatility makes him the heartbeat of the team's attack. Throughout his career, Hill has battled a series of injuries, leading to growing concerns about his long-term durability. This latest setback adds to a list of injuries affecting key starters on the New Orleans offense this season, further complicating the team's efforts moving forward. Hill was having a career year before injury cut his game short in the Saints' 21-14 loss to the Rams. In that contest, he had already racked up five catches for 37 yards and five carries for 10 yards before exiting. This season, Hill had been a key contributor, despite missing four games earlier with chest and rib injuries. In 2024, he registered 34 carries for 278 yards and six touchdowns, along with 23 receptions for 187 yards. Remarkably, Hill's 278 rushing yards are the third-most ever by a tight end in a single season, trailing only his own performances from 2022 and 2023. His unique skill set has been a major asset to the Saints, who have faced a string of injuries. More News: Saints WR Chris Olave Likely Out for 2024 Season: Report Quarterback Derek Carr was sidelined with an abdominal injury, and Hill himself missed time with a hip issue. The team also lost wide receiver Rashid Shaheed for the year to a meniscus injury, while Chris Olave has struggled to recover from two concussions. One of Hill's most memorable games came in Week 11 against the Cleveland Browns, when he became just the second player since 1950 to record 130-plus rushing yards, three or more rushing touchdowns, and eight or more receptions in a single game. Despite Hill's standout efforts, the Saints have struggled throughout the season, dropping seven straight after a promising 2-0 start, with injuries continuing to decimate their offensive depth. Now, with Hill's absence, things are just going to get even more difficult. For more on the NFL , head to Newsweek Sports .

Former Northern Ireland star’s player agency links up with European giantsThe NBA’s seven-game lineup on Saturday is not one to miss. The matchups include the Memphis Grizzlies versus the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Looking for how to watch NBA basketball? All the games to watch on Saturday are here. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .Twitch CEO Daniel Clancy finally responded to streamers’ concerns regarding ad revenue on their channels, explaining some behind-the-scenes info about advertisers’ interactions with the platform. Clancy spoke out on the subject during a December 4 Patch Notes broadcast in response to a viewer who reported seeing lower ad revenue for channels they moderate during the holidays. In November, Twitch introduced new labels specifically for political content and streams with “sensitive social issues,” which Clancy touched on in his answer. “There’s been a lot of confusion around this recently... a big thing that we need to do with advertisements is make sure we’re running ads against content that the advertisers want their content run against,” Clancy said. “For a period of time, there were a number [of advertisers] that were expressing concerns around being shown up near sensitive subjects in politics, and so we had reduced the ads there. Some people that were doing stuff around politics and sensitive social issues may have seen a reduction, because some advertisers weren’t running ads there.” 🚨Twitch CEO Dan Clancy and MerryKish speak on Twitch streamers seeing a reduction in their Twitch Ad Revenue after Dan claimed streamers would make more money off Ads During Q4❗️🤦🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/Z7YcQLja16 This isn’t necessarily a new revelation; in November 2024, streamers like PirateSoftware explained that broadcasters who’d labeled their content as sexual or political were likely seeing a drop in ad revenue , which several spoke out about during that time. Dan Clancy opens up on Twitch ad revenue “confusion” Clancy even referenced PirateSoftware in his answer during the Patch Notes stream, going on to explain that some streamers might not realize their ad revenue is delayed by two days — something PirateSoftware also mentioned in his discussion of the topic last month. Related: “I think there’s a lot of confusion. It’s absolutely the case that certain content does affect your ads. Our advertisers, at times, adjust their controls in terms of the content that they want to see. But in general, we have not seen this big shift,” he continued, likely referencing fears of an impending ‘adpocalypse’ on the platform. Co-host and Direct of Community Marketing, ‘merrykish,’ went on to decry “misinformation” being spread on platforms like X, saying there’s “nothing really guaranteed” and that “we’ve seen a lot of creators not experience anything.” Clancy’s comments come on the heels of numerous complaints from streamers who reported a decrease in ad revenue due to certain content labels on their streams. For instance, FaZe Kaysan, an Iranian streamer, claimed that he’d been ‘demonetized’ due to labeling his stream ‘Iran,’ while another said the same due to labeling their stream ‘Venezuela.’ Meanwhile, on December 4, Bloomberg reported that three major companies had pulled their ads from the platform amid a series of allegations against the streaming site.

Universal Corporation Receives NYSE Notice Regarding Filing of Form 10-Q for the Fiscal Quarter Ended September 30, 2024The Senate approved the Investments and Securities (Repeal and Enactment) Bill 2024 for its third reading on Wednesday. The passage followed the consideration and adoption of recommendations presented by the Senate Committee on Capital Market, chaired by Senator Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West). According to the committee’s report, the bill, once enacted, will designate the Securities and Exchange Commission as the apex regulatory authority for Nigeria’s Capital Market. The proposed legislation is designed to align with global best practices in investments and securities. Its objectives include safeguarding the integrity of the securities market, preventing market abuse, insider trading, and other fraudulent trade practices while ensuring fair and lawful operations. The committee’s report stated, “Despite its revolutionary impact at inception, the existing law now requires substantial updates to keep pace with the evolving financial markets and global regulatory frameworks, thereby making it more appealing to local and international investors. “The proposed legislation will foster significant growth in the capital market, drive diversification, and create a conducive environment for investors in Nigeria’s capital market. Related News FG pledges to tighten fintech regulations NASD urges compliance with SEC rules Capital market operators get new registration requirement “It aims to address modern financial malpractices, reinforce investor protection through robust regulations against market abuse, and insider trading, and enhance governance standards for publicly traded companies.” The bill also proposes a regulatory framework for digital currencies and fintech activities, including oversight of blockchain and cryptocurrency transactions, to integrate innovative technologies into the capital market. Further provisions include a clear delineation of roles among regulatory bodies to enhance transparency and reduce overlaps, thereby improving the SEC’s operational efficiency. Support for the introduction and regulation of diversified financial instruments such as derivatives, Exchange Traded Funds, and other advanced products to deepen the market and meet diverse investor needs. Measures to drive growth and diversification in the capital market, contributing to economic expansion and job creation. Following a clause-by-clause consideration, the Senate passed the bill for a third reading.NoneNiagara Region councillors inched closer to finalizing the municipality’s 2025 spending during Thursday’s budget committee meeting. After a series of amendments, many of which crashed and burned — and a heated discussion of the Niagara Regional Police budget — councillors accepted several staff recommendations that helped reduce the overall budget increase to 9.77 per cent on a levy to taxpayers of nearly $538 million. The percentage increase could fall slightly, pending the outcome of about $4.6 million in program changes councillors asked staff to reconsider. The plan to complete the Region’s 2025 budget and pass enabling bylaws by next Thursday remains intact. The full council meeting on that date will begin 30 minutes early to consider the staff report on program changes. Councillors also avoided a stalemate with the police services board by approving its $213-million NRP budget with a 13.18 per cent increase. On Nov. 21, council had asked the police board to find another $1.076 million in savings. The police board rejected the request a week later in writing. “The board came back and said, ‘too bad, we think this is what we need, and that’s that’,” Region Chair Jim Bradley said. “I don’t agree with that approach.” Bradley said he didn’t object to adding 33 front-line officers. Still, he questioned the police need for staff dedicated to social media, graphic design and recruitment in such a challenging budget climate. Fort Erie Coun. Tom Insinna, a retired RCMP officer, proposed sending the budget back to the police services board with an almost $4-million cut, which he said would have reduced the overall regional budget increase to 9.55 per cent. “I believe we will be providing sufficient funding to ensure the police services board can comply with the adequate and effective policing with which they are charged. The council needs to decide: do our residents need a Ferrari, or can we make do with a Chevy? I would suggest with the state of our economy, the Chevy will do.” Port Colborne Mayor Bill Steele took umbrage with Insinna’s Ferrari comment. “I am insulted by my learned friend, Coun. Insinna,” Steele said. “By any means, this is not a Ferrari. “The chief was adamant — these aren’t things that would be nice to have. These are needs with the increase in crime coming down from the GTA. It is not going to get better. I believe it’s going to get worse. We’ve seen it getting worse.” Steele, a member of the police board, suggested councillors reject Insinna’s motion and avoid “going back and forth like a ping-pong ball.” If the motion passed, Steele said the Region and the board could jointly file for a budget dispute resolution. “I think that’s probably the most economical way to move forward with this,” Steele said. When a municipality and a police services board can’t agree on a budget, either side can appeal the decision to the Inspector General of Policing. The Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC) was used to handle disputes. The province dissolved the commission and replaced it with the Inspector General of Policing on April 1, when it introduced a new legislative framework governing policing in Ontario, the Community Safety and Policing Act. History has shown municipalities lose most appeals because arbitrators have traditionally not considered its ability to pay. The process is expensive regardless of the outcome. The two sides are represented by teams of lawyers and well-paid senior staffers, with taxpayers footing the bill for both sides as they prepare and present their respective cases. In 2014, regional councillors considered building a $600,000 war chest — with yearly contributions of $200,000 — so council could stand its ground against the growing police budget, most of which goes to salaries and benefits. The consideration came in the wake of an arbitrator’s award in 2013 that gave the police a pay increase of 3.05 per cent retroactive to January 2012. Councillors voted down Insinna’s motion, which effectively approved the police budget. During Thursday’s meeting, several changes helped keep the overall budget increase below 10 per cent. The changes included a $7.5-million reduction (1.55 per cent) due to changes related to Bill 23, the Building More Homes Faster Act, and Bill 185, the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act. The province introduced Bill 185 partly because of the feedback it received on the changes to municipal budgeting wrought by Bill 23. Councillors also voted to fund a new Welcome Streets pilot project in St. Catharines for $128,000. The peer-to-peer outreach project was a last-minute addition by St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe. Siscoe said Welcome Streets dovetails with the Region’s emergency declaration on homelessness, mental health and opioid addiction. Similar peer-to-peer outreach programs have improved downtown community safety in Brampton, Ottawa, Belleville and Sudbury. “My hope is that a project like this may allow us to decrease our reliance on police services and a relatively small cost, which is why I’m identifying the Taxpayer Relief Package as the funding source,” Siscoe said. “This is a pilot project. I know the (St. Catharines) Downtown Association is enthusiastic. “If we want to see an improvement in people’s willingness to go into those areas of town where we currently have problems, which are the areas identified in the proposal — the Queenston (Street) area, the Fairview Mall area and the downtown area.” Most of the budget changes approved Thursday are additions to staff, some of which are temporary. All are aimed at bolstering the Region’s pursuit of its strategic initiatives. The new positions include, for example, an IT security compliance and risk specialist, a debt analyst to help modernize the finance department and two transportation engineering project managers. The request also includes one-time spending on equipment, including centre line marking on all regional roads, soil testing and disposal, and storm water management system maintenance and repair. The latter two are legislated.