Why is it so hard to type in Indigenous languages?Brookfield Infrastructure Renews Its Normal Course Issuer Bids

In the end, the third-quarter catalysts—interest rate cuts and easing inflation—failed to lift the local bourse that struggled to climb and sustain an ascent the entire year. By the closing bell on Friday, the last trading day of 2024, the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) lost 0.16 percent or 10.23 points to 6,528.79. Meanwhile, the broader All Shares Index added 0.45 percent or 16.73 points to close at 3,748.51. READ: 2024 not a very good year for IPOs in PH A total of 1.18 billion shares worth P4.19 billion changed hands, stock exchange data showed. Foreigners opted to shed their stocks, with foreign outflows totaling P112.76 million. Although the PSEi’s closing value for the year is 1.22 percent higher year-on-year, it is still lower by 0.4 percent versus the beginning of 2024. Juan Paolo Colet, managing director at investment bank China Bank Capital Corp., said it was a “bittersweet culmination to a volatile year marked by steep rallies and corrections as hope turned into caution.” “Just like 2023, this year again turned out to be fairly good for investors who were able to trade in and out of the major market waves,” Colet said. To recall, the local stock barometer charged into the bull territory in September following the first of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ three quarter-point rate cuts of the year. Entering the bull market meant the PSEi climbed by at least 20 percent from its recent low. In this case, the index jumped from around 6,100 in June to as high as 7,500 in October. However, the easing cycle proved not to be enough to give the bourse a lift. By November and December, the PSEi suffered several bloodbaths amid growing fears around US President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming policies, including an import tariff hike that could lead to higher interest rates. Investors snapped up shares of mining and oil companies the most while also letting go of bank stocks. International Container Terminal Services Inc. was the top-traded stock as it slipped by 1.03 percent to P386 per share, followed by SM Investments Corp., up 1.93 percent to P899; BDO Unibank Inc., down 1.17 percent to P144; Ayala Land Inc., down 1.13 percent to P26.20; and Bank of the Philippine Islands, down 1.93 percent to P122 each. Other actively traded stocks were Globe Telecom Inc., up 4 percent to P2,184; SM Prime Holdings Inc., down 0.59 percent to P25.15; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., down 4.06 percent to P72; Jollibee Foods Corp., up 2.36 percent to P269; and Semirara Mining and Power Corp., up 1.45 percent to P34.90 per share. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . Gainers outnumbered losers, 138 to 82, while 44 companies closed unchanged, stock exchange data also showed. —Meg J. AdonisBrookfield Infrastructure Renews Its Normal Course Issuer Bids

Jimmy Roca first picked up a guitar when he was 10. Now 36 and a professional musician, he credits Dave Matthews for his ultimate career choice. Roca participated in chorus and band in school and said he was interested in playing drums, but he started on the acoustic guitar after hearing some Matthews songs. "I started on the acoustic, all thanks to Dave," Roca said. "I eventually got myself an electric and did a lot of that too." If you follow live music on the Grand Strand, you might have caught Roca at various venues, including regular weekly gigs at LuLu’s North Myrtle Beach (Fridays) and Travinia at The Market Common (Wednesdays). He’s also a regular feature at venues on the MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet and more. "I'm down in Pawleys sometimes and Little River sometimes – and everywhere in between," he said. Roca is slated to appear at Dead Dog Saloon on Dec. 2 from 6-9:30 p.m. Originally from Staten Island, N.Y., Roca also lived in the Pocono Mountains. Because this was a rural area, Roca said he couldn’t do the things he did in Staten Island, like walking over to a friend’s house. "I'd come home and just play guitar every day," Roca said. "Toward the end of high school, I was in some bands and that’s pretty much all I wanted to do at that point." After a brief stint in college, Roca went to live with some friends in Philadelphia and continued to play in bands. He said he bounced around the country and eventually moved to Arizona. "I was getting into stupid things, and that whole move was to get away from everything," Roca said. He spent 10 years in Arizona and worked for a time tinting windows at a Ford dealership until he began to meet musicians at open mics and shows. "I started doing music full time – whether that was with bands or studio sessions and things like that. Ever since then, I never looked back. The last regular job I had was in 2016 or 2017," he said. Roca moved to Myrtle Beach with his girlfriend in February 2020. Despite coming to the area on the cusp of the pandemic and, as he said, "right before everything got all weird for a little while," Roca carved out a respectable niche for himself as a solo musician. He’s like a modern one-man band. "It's kind of like you’re seeing a three-piece, but it's just me doing it," he said. "I do all of my looping live. I don’t play to any backing tracks. I'm building a song from scratch every time I play it. Then even with all of that, I still think my voice is my strength." For more information, visit www.jimmyroca.com . You don’t have to be a registered guest at Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort in Pawleys Island to enjoy a meal at Coastal Dish, a casual restaurant on the property. Open seven days a week with a full breakfast buffet, happy hour and diverse dinner offerings, your dining options are covered. Don’t feel like cooking Thanksgiving dinner? Enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet at Coastal Dish on Nov. 28 from noon to 4 p.m. Chow down on roasted turkey with stuffing and all the trimmings and have your fill of Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese and much more. Leave room for pumpkin or apple pie. The feast is $35 for adults, $18 for children. Call 843-235-5516 for reservations. Check out www.litchfieldbeach.com/food-and-beverage for more. Up your wreath-making game at Hobcaw Barony on Dec. 3 from 1-3 p.m. with horticulturist Patricia Mishoe. In this workshop, you will first travel through the woods to gather berries, greenery and other accents to create your masterpiece. At Bellefield Plantation stables, various stations will include grapevine wreath creation, bow making, fragrance, spray painting and more. Enjoy warm apple cider and holiday tunes. It’s $40 per person and reservations are required. Find out more at www.hobcawbarony.org . HAMMOCK COAST HAPPENINGS: NOVEMBER 27 EDITION 2024 Roger Yale Covering November 27-December 3 LOCAL MUSICIAN IS IN THE LOOP Jimmy Roca first picked up a guitar when he was ten. Now 36 and a professional musician, he credits Dave Matthews for his ultimate career choice. Roca participated in chorus and band in school and said he was interested in playing drums, but he started on the acoustic guitar after hearing some Matthews songs. “I started on the acoustic, all thanks to Dave,” Roca Said. “I eventually got myself an electric and did a lot of that too.” If you follow live music on the Grand Strand, you might have caught Roca at various venues including regular weekly gigs at LuLu’s North Myrtle Beach (Fridays) and Travinia at The Market Common (Wednesdays). He’s also a regular feature at venues on the MarshWalk in Murrells Inlet and more. “I’m down in Pawleys sometimes and Little River sometimes – and everywhere in between,” he said. Roca is slated to appear at Dead Dog Saloon on December 2 from 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Originally from Staten Island, N.Y., Roca also lived in the Pocono Mountains. Because this was a rural area, Roca said he couldn’t do the things he did in Staten Island like walking over to a friend’s house, for instance. “I’d come home and just play guitar every day,” Roca said. “Toward the end of high school, I was in some bands and that’s pretty much all I wanted to do at that point.” After a brief stint in college, Roca went to live with some friends in Philadelphia and continued to play in bands. He said he bounced around the country and eventually moved to Arizona. “I was getting into stupid things, and that whole move was to get away from everything,” Roca said. He spent 10 years in Arizona and worked for a time tinting windows at a Ford Dealership until he began to meet musicians at open mics and shows. “I started doing music full time – whether that was with bands or studio sessions and things like that. Ever since then, I never looked back. The last regular job I had was in 2016 or 2017,” he said. Roca moved to Myrtle Beach with his girlfriend in February 2020. Despite coming to the area on the cusp of the pandemic and as he said, “right before everything got all weird for a little while,” Roca carved out a respectable niche for himself as a solo musician. He’s like a modern day one-man-band. “It’s kind of like you’re seeing a three-piece, but it’s just me doing it,” he said. “I do all of my looping live. I don’t play to any backing tracks. I’m building a song from scratch every time I play it. Then even with all of that, I still think my voice is my strength.” For more information, visit www.jimmyroca.com . GOBBLE-GOBBLE IN PAWLEYS ISLAND You don’t have to be a registered guest at Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort in Pawleys Island to enjoy a meal at Coastal Dish, a casual restaurant on the property. Open seven days a week with a full breakfast buffet, happy hour and diverse dinner options, your dining options are covered. Don’t feel like cooking Thanksgiving dinner? Enjoy a Thanksgiving buffet at Coastal Dish on November 28 from noon to 4 p.m. Chow down on roasted turkey with stuffing and all the trimmings and have your fill of Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, mac and cheese and much more. Leave room for pumpkin or apple pie. The feast is $35 for adults, $18 for children. Call (843) 235-5516 for reservations. Check out www.litchfieldbeach.com/food-and-beverage for more. YULETIDE DAZZLE IN MURRELLS INLET Starting on November 29, the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk will be transformed into a dazzling nocturnal yuletide dreamscape as the Wonderland of Lights returns for the third year. This walk-through event features thousands of lights, Christmas songs, photo ops including a candy cane arch, gingerbread house, a giant Christmas ornament and so much more – including a 20-foot LED Christmas tree at the end of Veteran’s Pier. At Santa’s Village, there’s plenty for the kids to do , including a petting zoo, barrel cart rides visits with Santa and more. Artists and vendors will be on hand on Saturdays as well. Stop in for a meal or a cocktail at one of the eight MarshWalk restaurants and enjoy live music. Admission is free. Some children’s activities will be available for additional fees. The Wonderland of Lights display runs through December 31. Light show starts at the top of the hour from 5 p.m. – 11 p.m. Santa’s Village will be open Fridays – Sundays from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. through December 22. For details, visit www.marshwalk.com or check out www.facebook.com/MarshWalkMI for updates. THE ART OF THE WREATH Up your wreath-making game at Hobcaw Barony on December 3 from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. with horticulturist Patricia Mishoe. In this workshop, you will first travel through the woods to gather berries, greenery and other accents to create your masterpiece. At Bellefield Plantation stables, various stations will include grapevine wreath creation, bow making, fragrance, spray painting and more. Enjoy warm apple cider and holiday tunes. It’s $40 per person and reservations are required. Find out more at www.hobcawbarony.org .Iowa followed its lowest-scoring game of the season with a 110-point eruption the next time out. The Hawkeyes will be one week removed from that scorching effort when they host Northwestern in Tuesday's Big Ten opener in Iowa City, but rust won't be the only roadblock for a potential repeat showing. Iowa (6-1) also is bracing for stiffer competition in conference play while navigating an injury to Seydou Traore. The reserve forward suffered a sprained ankle midway through the first half of a 110-77 home rout of South Carolina Upstate on Nov. 26. Also missing frontcourt contributors Even Brauns and Cooper Koch, the Hawkeyes still flexed their resilience and depth. Brock Harding notched a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds and Owen Freeman netted 17 points as five Iowa players scored in double figures. "Coming off a loss, going into Thanksgiving break here, we've got a couple days off coming, it'd be easy to kinda (think), ‘All right, let's relax for this one, guys sit out,'" Harding said. "But I think we really locked in." Northwestern (6-2) overcame 40.8 percent shooting to defeat UNLV 66-61 in the third-place game of the Arizona Tip-Off on Friday in Tempe, Ariz. Brooks Barnhizer, a preseason All-Big Ten pick who was sidelined by a foot injury during the Wildcats' first four games, had team highs of 23 points, nine rebounds and six assists. He has scored at least 20 points in three of four games. Northwestern limited UNLV to a 42.1 percent effort from the floor. Matthew Nicholson propelled the defense with two of the Wildcats' seven steals to go with two blocks. "We're a defensive-minded team and, you know, our identity is just getting stops," Barnhizer said. "Everything else will take care of itself. So, the older guys were trying to come out here and do that tonight and I think we did a pretty good job of it." Strong ‘D' helped Northwestern's ball movement, too, as the Wildcats assisted on 15 of 20 made field goals. Northwestern went 8-for-18 (44.4 percent) from long range to improve to 3-0 this season when connecting on 40 percent of its 3-point shots or better. --Field Level MediaNone

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael eye independent TDs as option to secure Dail majorityCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — EJ Neal had 12 points in Sacramento State's 63-61 win against Air Force on Wednesday night. Neal had five rebounds for the Hornets (2-4). Julian Vaughns shot 5 for 8, including 2 for 4 from beyond the arc to add 12 points. Jacob Holt had 10 points and shot 3 of 5 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line. The Falcons (2-5) were led by Jeffrey Mills, who posted 19 points. Ethan Taylor added 11 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals for Air Force. Vaughns scored eight points in the first half and Sacramento State went into halftime trailing 33-22. Sacramento State used a 12-0 second-half run to take the lead at 34-33. Lachlan Brewer scored 10 second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Amid reports that Gaza cease-fire talks may be resuming, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz expressed optimism that “this time, we can truly advance a hostage deal.” A Qatari newspaper reported that an Israeli delegation—headed by Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar—was set to travel to Cairo on Dec. 5 for talks on a potential deal over hostages and a cease-fire. Katz, speaking to soldiers at an air force base in central Israel, attributed the improved outlook to Israeli military pressure on Hamas. The development comes after a Lebanon cease-fire began on Nov. 27. On Dec. 2, President-elect Donald Trump said there would be “hell to pay” in the Middle East if hostages held in Gaza were not released before his inauguration. Trump’s nominee for national security adviser, Mike Waltz, was set to meet with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer on Dec. 4. Hezbollah, which had previously refused to consider a cease-fire unless Israel pulled out of Gaza, was hard hit in recent months. The Israeli army eliminated many of the terrorist group’s top leaders, including longtime head Hassan Nasrallah, with targeted air strikes. And in an audacious strike on Sept. 17, thousands of pagers exploded on their Hezbollah users simultaneously—followed by a second wave of exploding handheld radios the next day—further crippling its leadership ranks. At least 39 people were killed in the blasts, and Lebanon said nearly 3,000 others were wounded. Hamas, in more than a year of warfare started by its Oct. 7 attack on Israel, has suffered the same kinds of losses. Trump’s impending return to power may be loosening a diplomatic logjam lasting more than a year. The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have tried unsuccessfully to broker a cease-fire and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in exchange for the return of around 100 hostages, a third of whom are believed dead, still held by Hamas after having been taken captive on Oct. 7, 2023. “Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied history of the United States of America,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked him in a Dec. 3 post on X. “I want to thank President Trump for his strong statement yesterday about the need for Hamas to release the hostages, the responsibility of Hamas, and this adds another force to our continued effort to release all the hostages.” Israeli ministers also thanked the president-elect. “How refreshing it is to hear clear and morally sound statements that do not create a false equivalence or call for addressing ‘both sides’, but rather clarify who are the good and who are the bad,” said Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. “This is the way to bring back the hostages: by increasing the pressure and the costs for Hamas and its supporters, and defeating them, rather than giving in to their absurd demands,” he said. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said simply on X: “Thank you, President Trump.” A senior Hamas official interpreted Trump’s words as directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Basem Naim said Netanyahu had sabotaged all efforts to secure a deal that involved exchanging the hostages for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons. Naim said Trump’s message was intended to pressure Netanyahu to “end this evil game.” A Gaza political analyst, Ramiz Moghani, said Trump’s words might embolden Israel not only to expel Palestinians from Gaza but also to annex the West Bank, which many Israelis refer to as Judea and Samaria. An eight-day cease-fire took place in late November 2023, during which more than 100 Israeli hostages were released. Since then, little progress has been made, with each side blaming the other. Meanwhile, fighting has continued across Gaza. On Dec. 4, an Israeli strike on a camp housing hundreds of thousands of displaced people near Khan Yunis killed 21 people and wounded 29, a Palestinian health official said. Gaza health authorities do not distinguish between civilians and fighters from Hamas and other terrorist groups such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Fighting was also reported in Rafah and near a hospital in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza. Further Hamas threats against the hostages have come to light. In an internal statement on Nov. 22, Hamas told its operatives Israel intended to carry out a hostage rescue operation and threatened to “neutralize” the captives in that event. Hamas told its operatives not to consider any repercussions of following the instructions.

DePaul looking to halt downturn vs. Loyola Maryland

SEATTLE — It wasn’t pretty, but the Seattle Seahawks pulled off a 6-3 slog of a victory Thursday over the Chicago Bears. The win featured an outstanding effort from Seattle's defense, a near disappearance from the offense and a game-sealing pick that ended Caleb Williams' rookie record for the most pass attempts without an interception at 353. The Seahawks sacked Williams seven times to tie the team’s season high as the Bears lost their 10th consecutive game in the lowest scoring contest of the season. The Bears had a chance to pull off an upset when they had the ball at Seattle's 40-yard line late in the fourth quarter, but Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen picked off Williams with 20 seconds left. It was a nice bounce-back win for Seattle, but had little impact on their postseason outlook. The more important game will come Saturday, when the Los Angeles Rams and Arizona Cardinals face off with Seattle’s postseason fortunes on the line. A win by Arizona keeps the Seahawks in the hunt — but still needing a win over the Rams next weekend to clinch the NFC West. A Rams win this weekend would dash Seattle’s hopes as Los Angeles would win the tiebreaker over Seattle even if the Seahawks win the regular-season finale. “We’re in the mode of controlling what we can control,” coach Mike Macdonald said. “We know what’s coming next week. We’re going to spend this weekend getting our minds and bodies and spirits right to go play a game. Seattle Seahawks defensive end Leonard Williams speaks during a press conference after an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. Credit: AP/Erin Hooley "Yeah, we’re praying that it’s for the division championship.” What’s working Leonard Williams continues to be a force for the Seahawks. The defensive tackle dominated the Bears' offensive line with two of Seattle’s seven sacks, four quarterback hits and three tackles for loss. Williams been the key to Seattle’s defensive resurgence. A unit that was among the worst in the league earlier in the season has become one of the NFL's most productive in the second half with Williams' big-time impact up front being a major reason Seattle is still in the playoff hunt. “He should be up for all the accolades,” Macdonald said. “I don’t know what the awards are out there, but I would give it to him,” Macdonald said. “He’s just a phenomenal player, phenomenal human being. I’m glad he’s a Seahawk. Glad he’s with us.” Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald speaks during a press conference after an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Chicago. Credit: AP/Erin Hooley What needs help Seattle’s offense was full of stops and starts, but two field goals proved to be enough. Geno Smith managed just 160 passing yards and nearly threw yet another interception in the red zone on Seattle’s first drive of the game. Zach Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh combined for 103 yards on 22 carries, with McIntosh’s 25-yard first-quarter run marking Seattle’s longest offensive play of the day. Charbonnet, starting in place of the injured Kenneth Walker III, was held to just 3.8 yards per carry. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has spent the season trying to figure out how to get the running game going, with little success. Stock up The Seahawks' defense put up a lockdown performance after struggling in losses against Green Bay and Minnesota, holding the Bears to just 179 yards of total offense and finishing with 10 quarterback hits. Along with Leonard Williams big day, Devon Witherspoon had six tackles with a sack and three tackles for loss as the Seahawks recaptured some of the momentum it had lost the past two weeks. Under constant pressure from Seattle’s pass rush, Caleb Williams threw for 122 yards, while completing 16 of 28 pass attempts. Stock down WR DK Metcalf. He had a tough day, with just three receptions for 43 yards. He also drew a pair of personal fouls on a single play, one coming after he head-butted Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson in the second quarter. Metcalf hasn’t had more than 70 yards receiving in a game since Seattle’s win over Atlanta on Oct. 20. He has only had more than four receptions in three games this year, and has just four touchdown catches in what has been a bit of a disappointing season for the sixth-year receiver. Injuries The Seahawks put Walker (ankle) on injured reserve Thursday, marking the end of his regular season. Walker has to miss at least the next four games, but could return if Seattle makes it deep into the playoffs. Key number 7 — Seattle’s seven sacks made it 67 on the year for Caleb Williams, 15 more than any other quarterback in the league and fourth-most in league history. Up next The Seahawks finish the regular season at the Los Angeles Rams on either Jan. 4 or 5.

NJIT defeats Morehead State 78-69