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ZT Mining Introduces Accessible Cloud Mining Solutions for Cryptocurrency EnthusiastsThe visa-free month has opened up new opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two nations. Chinese tourists have been able to immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of South Korea, from traditional hanbok clothing to the ancient palaces of Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. They have also been able to indulge in the vibrant K-pop and K-drama scene, which has gained a massive following in China.

NoneNEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including , Harley-Davidson, and . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.

St. Petersburg council approves $23M repair to hurricane-ravaged Tropicana Field roofBy TRÂN NGUYỄN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $50,000 In Xiao-I To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you suffered losses exceeding $50,000 in Xiao-I as a result of purchasing (a) Xiao-I American depository shares (ADSs) issued in connection with the Company's initial public offering on or about March 9, 2023 and/or (b) Xiao-I securities between March 9, 2023 and July 12, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310) . [You may also click here for additional information] NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP , a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Xiao-I Corporation ("Xiao-I" or the "Company") AIXI and reminds investors of the December 16, 2024 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com . As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that (1) Defendants had downplayed the true scope and severity of risks that Xiao-I faced due to certain of its Chinese shareholders' non-compliance with Circular 37 Registration, including the Company's inability to use Offering proceeds for intended business purposes; (2) Xiao-I failed to comply with GAAP in preparing its financial statements; (3) Defendants overstated Xiao-I's efforts to remediate material weaknesses in the Company's financial controls; (4) Xiao-I was forced to incur significant R&D expenses to effectively compete in the AI industry; (5) Xiao-I downplayed the significant negative impact that such expenses would have on the Company's business and financial results; (6) accordingly, Xiao-I overstated its AI capabilities, R&D resources, and overall ability to compete in the AI market; (7) as a result of all the foregoing, there was a substantial likelihood that Xiao-I would fail to comply with the NASDAQ's Minimum Bid Price Requirement; and (8) as a result, the Offering Documents and Defendants' public statements throughout the Class Period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein. On or around March 8, 2023, Xiao-I launched its initial public offering (IPO), selling 5.7 million American depositary shares (ADSs) at $6.80 each. Since the IPO, the price of Xiao-I's ADSs has dropped significantly, causing losses for investors. On August 10, 2023, Xiao-I Corporation filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission its amended annual report for the year ended December 31, 2022 on Form 10-K/A. In the amended annual report, Xiao-I disclosed that "However, should there be any changes to PRC laws and regulations or internal control policies of Bank of Ningbo in the future, [Zhizhen Artificial Technology (Shanghai) Company Limited, a Company subsidiary] then may be restricted from transferring funds from overseas to its capital account with Bank of Ningbo as a result." On this news, the price of Xiao-I American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") fell $0.93 per ADS, or 11.56%, to close at $7.11 on August 11, 2023. On July 15, 2024, Xiao-I issued a press release announcing "that it received a notification letter dated July 11, 2024 (the ‘Deficiency Letter') from the Listing Qualifications Department of [t]he [NASDAQ], indicating that the Company is no longer in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement as set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) as the Company's closing bid price per [ADS] . . . has been below $1.00 for a period of 30 consecutive business days." On this news, Xiao-I's ADS price fell 2.28% to close at approximately $0.67 per ADS on July 15, 2024. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Xiao-I's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Xiao-I Corporation class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/AIXI or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310) . Follow us for updates on LinkedIn , on X , or on Facebook . Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP ( www.faruqilaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/807ffe71-382e-48fd-91d1-846d96405715 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.After second meeting with Hegseth, Ernst hints at whether she will or won't support confirmation

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Dusty May, No. 14 Michigan try to continue strong start vs. Arkansas

Dusty May, No. 14 Michigan try to continue strong start vs. ArkansasCity are now six games without a victory but appeared to be cruising towards three points before being stunned by the Eredivisie side, who hit them with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko to fight back from 3-0 down. Two goals from Erling Haaland, one of them a penalty, and one from Ilkay Gundogan had the 2023 European champions three up after 53 minutes as they sought the win that would help to get their ailing season back on track. After the team collapsed in the closing stages, Ake called on his team-mates to show their mettle if their campaign is not to wither away. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he was asked whether he believed the the team’s problem is a mental one. “Maybe it is,” he said. “It is difficult to say. Obviously we have not been in this situation many times but this is where we have to show our character. “When everything seems to go against us and everyone is writing us off, we have to stay strong mentally, believe in ourselves and stick together. “Every season there is a period when they write us off. We have to make sure we stay strong as a team and staff and make sure we get out of it.” The draw leaves City with work to do if they are to secure one of the eight automatic spots in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League. They are currently 15th in the table, two points outside of the top eight, and will need positive results in their next two games against Juventus and Paris St Germain to keep their hopes alive. They then face Club Brugge in their final league match on January 29. The result at least ended a run of five straight defeats in all competitions ahead of Sunday’s Premier League showdown with leaders Liverpool at Anfield. “When you are three goals up it feels like a defeat when you give up three goals at home,” said Ake. “It is tough now, a tough night, but the only thing we can do is look forward to the next one. Liverpool is a big game and it is another challenge to overcome. “(We were) 3-0 up and we played quite well and were under control, but then it all changed. “You just have to stay strong mentally. At 3-1 they then push on but I think we need to go for it a bit earlier so we could keep the pressure on them, but we stayed playing at the back and maybe invited more pressure on us. “Then when you concede the second one there is even more pressure and then we have to stay stronger mentally.”

Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals?By Costas Pitas (Reuters) - In the end, the big break turned out to be a pair of images at a New York hostel. New York police scoured hundreds of hours of video searching for clues to the identity of the person who shot UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson in a brazen killing outside a Manhattan hotel last week, but released only two images to the public that showed the suspect's face. In every other photograph captured from video - of the suspect pedaling away on a bike, standing at a coffee shop counter, riding in a taxi - the man's face was obscured by a mask and hood. But the two crucial images, released the day after the shooting, were captured when the suspect lowered his balaclava at the request of a hostel desk clerk in a flirtatious moment to see his face, according to media reports. They are taken from above, and while he is still wearing a hood, his face can be clearly seen in the pair of pictures. In one he is smiling, in the other he appears straight-faced. On Monday, the suspect, identified as Luigi Mangione, 26, was captured in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after he was spotted eating at McDonald's by an employee of the fast-food restaurant who thought he resembled the gunman from images. "This picture was obtained by the NYPD during one of their extensive video canvasses," New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a press conference. "Hundreds of tips began to pour into our hotline. Each tip was investigated thoroughly, and we began to release additional photographs as they came into our possession," he said. ADVANCED SURVEILLANCE New York has one of the most advanced surveillance systems of any major U.S. city, largely built after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, according to Felipe Rodriguez, a former NYPD detective sergeant and now an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. The number of cameras in New York is in the thousands, and all camera feeds can be monitored in real time, as well as reviewed for previous footage, aided by facial-recognition software. Mangione appears to have been well aware of the extensive camera network, and seemingly took steps to shield his identity before, during and after the attack. The first images released by police came from footage of the shooting last Wednesday, with the suspect shown wearing a dark-colored hoodie and a backpack. Other footage showed him running from the scene and then riding a bike into Central Park. Over the weekend, police released a picture on the suspect inside a taxi. In all of them, he was masked. Meanwhile, police searched for the backpack - eventually finding it in Central Park - tested evidence for DNA, pored through tips from the public and, eventually, said they no longer believed he was in New York City. "For just over five days, our NYPD investigators combed through thousands of hours of video, followed up on hundreds of tips and processed every bit of forensic evidence, DNA, fingerprints, IP addresses and so much more to tighten the net," New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at Monday's press conference. But the case turned on a fast-food worker more than 200 miles outside the city recognizing the face of a customer. "In this case, (where) it really came down to technology was the use of drones in Central Park and it really comes down to the video canvass that we did," Kenny said. "We used every source of video that we could collect, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours from hundreds of sources, and that helped bring this to where we are right now." (Reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by Paul Thomasch and Rod Nickel)Zhang Baizhi, known for her ethereal beauty and graceful demeanor, exudes a timeless elegance in the photo. With her porcelain skin, delicate features, and softly cascading hair, she appears like a classic beauty from a bygone era. Her serene expression and poised posture seem to embody a sense of refinement and sophistication that has long been associated with her persona.

As It Happens 6:09 This Canadian is the new world champion of Excel spreadsheets It was down to the final 30 seconds at the Microsoft Excel World Championships in Las Vegas, and the crowd was going wild. Canada's Michael Jarman was in the lead, his eyes fixed on the scoreboard, desperately hoping nobody would come up from behind and snatch victory from his grasp. When the clock ran out, Jarman leapt from his computer and threw his hands up in celebration, as the spectators in the HyperX Arena erupted in cheers. Jarman, a Toronto financial modelling director, unseated Australia's three-time winner Andrew (The Annihilator) Ngai on Dec. 4 to become the undisputed world champion of managing spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. "It was an amazing feeling," Jarman told As It Happens guest host Peter Armstring. "It's definitely, you know, a really great memory for me, and will be for a long time." WATCH | Microsoft Excel World Championships: For his efforts, Jarman took home a $5,000 US ($7,033 Cdn.) cheque, and the event's signature pro-wrestling style championship belt. "We're thinking about how to put up on the wall," he said. Not enough spreadsheets at work You would think Jarman, who works for the project finance consulting firm Operis, would be sick of spreadsheets. But as he's risen through the ranks at work, he says he rarely has the opportunity to get down and dirty in the rows and cells anymore. "I'm very much at the stage of my career where I no longer do the modelling myself. I have to leave that for the juniors to do, while I go to meetings," he said. "So I'd say, actually, it placates me a little bit." Jarman competing in the 2024 Microsoft Excel World Championships in Las Vegas. (Financial Modeling World Cup/YouTube) Plus, the Excel World Championships' spreadsheets tend to be more exciting than the ones he sees at the office. The event is an offshoot of the more business-focused Financial Modelling World Cup. It's billed as an esports event, akin to competitive gaming, and sponsored by Excel maker Microsoft. "No finance, just Microsoft Excel and logical thinking skills," reads the competition's description. "Excel esports transforms a common office tool into a dynamic sport." Competitors are usually asked to build spreadsheets to perform tasks and solve problems based around a specific theme or game. Excel with orcs? This year's final battle involved using Excel to track stats in a simulated game of World of Warcraft (WoW), a long-running and wildly popular online video game featuring fantastical creatures like dragons, elves and orcs. "I mean, I'm not a WoW player myself, but it was pretty cool," Jarman said. "We were given an eight-page instruction manual before going on stage to read, so we had some idea of what was going on." To add a competitive edge the player with the lowest score is eliminated every five minutes, alluded to in the chorus of of the event's epic rock theme song: "It's the Excel World Championship / Who's going to win? / It's the Excel World Championship / Who's going in the spreadsheet bin?" As the competitors typed furiously into Excel, the spectators appeared enthralled. "The crowd was really quite electric this year," Jarman said. Jarman estimates there were a few hundred people watching in the arena. Another 60,000 people watched the YouTube livestream . As It Happens Harvard undergrad cracks code of knotted Inca rope used as 'an ancient Excel spreadsheet' As It Happens 'Pixel by pixel': MS Paint artist mourns his medium as Microsoft pulls the plug This is Jarman's fourth time competing, and his first time coming out on top. In the last three competitions, he finished second to Australia's Andrew Ngai. After 2023's championships, he told As It Happens : "Next year, it will be my year." He was proven right. But he's not done yet. Now that the belt is his at last, he's got his eyes on another goal. "The next vision is to ... win three more to break Andrew's record," he said. "I think that's virtually impossible to do, but you've got to give it a go."US indictment accuses two Syrian officials of torture at notorious prison

Oprah Winfrey surprises Gayle King again for her birthday with unexpected A-list guest

Shares of Nvidia fell Monday after China said it is investigating the high-flying U.S. microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. In a brief news release with few details, Chinese regulators appear to be focusing on Nvidia's $6.9 billion acquisition of network and data transmission company Mellanox in 2019. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.CHICAGO (AP) — As Donald Trump’s Cabinet begins to take shape, those on both sides of the abortion debate are watching closely for clues about how his picks might affect reproductive rights policy in the president-elect’s second term . Trump’s cabinet picks offer a preview of how his administration could handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail. He attempted to distance himself from anti-abortion allies by deferring to states on abortion policy, even while boasting about nominating three Supreme Court justices who helped strike down the constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for half a century. In an NBC News interview that aired Sunday, Trump said he doesn't plan to restrict medication abortion but also seemed to leave the door open, saying “things change.” “Things do change, but I don't think it's going to change at all,” he said. The early lineup of his new administration , including nominations to lead health agencies, the Justice Department and event the Department of Veterans Affairs, has garnered mixed — but generally positive — reactions from anti-abortion groups. Abortion law experts said Trump's decision to include fewer candidates with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement could indicate that abortion will not be a priority for Trump's administration. “It almost seems to suggest that President Trump might be focusing his administration in other directions," said Greer Donley, an associate law professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Karen Stone, vice president of public policy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund , said while many of the nominees have “extensive records against reproductive health care,” some do not. She cautioned against making assumptions based on Trump's initial cabinet selections. Still, many abortion rights groups are wary, in part because many of the nominees hold strong anti-abortion views even if they do not have direct ties to anti-abortion activists. They're concerned that an administration filled with top-level officials who are personally opposed to abortion could take steps to restrict access to the procedure and funding. After Trump’s ambiguity about abortion during his campaign, "there’s still a lot we don’t know about what policy is going to look like," said Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law. That approach may be revealed as the staffs within key departments are announced. Trump announced he would nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department, which anti-abortion forces have long targeted as central to curtailing abortion rights nationwide. Yet Kennedy shifted on the issue during his own presidential campaign. In campaign videos, Kennedy said he supports abortion access until viability , which doctors say is sometime after 21 weeks, although there is no defined timeframe. But he also said “every abortion is a tragedy” and argued for a national ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a stance he quickly walked back. The head of Health and Human Services oversees Title X funding for a host of family planning services and has sweeping authority over agencies that directly affect abortion access, including the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The role is especially vital amid legal battles over a federal law known as EMTALA, which President Joe Biden’s administration has argued requires emergency abortion access nationwide, and FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, called Kennedy an “unfit, unqualified extremist who cannot be trusted to protect the health, safety and reproductive freedom of American families.” His potential nomination also has caused waves in the anti-abortion movement. Former Vice President Mike Pence , a staunch abortion opponent, urged the Senate to reject Kennedy’s nomination. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the group had its own concerns about Kennedy. “There’s no question that we need a pro-life HHS secretary," she said. Fox News correspondent Marty Makary is Trump’s pick to lead the FDA, which plays a critical role in access to medication abortion and contraception. Abortion rights groups have accused him of sharing misinformation about abortion on air. Russell Vought , a staunch anti-abortion conservative, has been nominated for director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought was a key architect of Project 2025 , a right-wing blueprint for running the federal government. Among other actions to limit reproductive rights, it calls for eliminating access to medication abortion nationwide, cutting Medicaid funding for abortion and restricting access to contraceptive care, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives such as IUD’s. Despite distancing himself from the conservative manifesto on the campaign trail, Trump is stocking his administration with people who played central roles in developing Project 2025. Trump acknowledged that drafters of the report would be part of his incoming administration during the Sunday interview with NBC News, saying “Many of those things I happen to agree with.” “These cabinet appointments all confirm that Project 2025 was in fact the blueprint all along, and the alarm we saw about it was warranted,” said Amy Williams Navarro, director of government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All. Dr. Mehmet Oz , Trump’s choice to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is a former television talk show host who has been accused of hawking dubious medical treatments and products. He voiced contradictory abortion views during his failed Senate run in 2022. Oz has described himself as “strongly pro-life, praised the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade , claimed “life starts at conception” and referred to abortion as “murder.” But he also has echoed Trump’s states-rights approach, arguing the federal government should not be involved in abortion decisions. “I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves,” he said during a Senate debate two years ago. An array of reproductive rights groups opposed his Senate run. As CMS administrator, Oz would be in a key position to determine Medicaid coverage for family planning services and investigate potential EMTALA violations. As Florida’s attorney general, Pam Bondi defended abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period. Now she’s Trump’s choice for attorney general . Her nomination is being celebrated by abortion opponents but denounced by abortion rights groups concerned she may revive the Comstock Act , an anti-vice law passed by Congress in 1873 that, among other things, bans mailing of medication or instruments used in abortion. An anti-abortion and anti-vaccine former Florida congressman, David Weldon, has been chosen to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which collects and monitors abortion data across the country. Former Republican congressman Doug Collins is Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs amid a political battle over abortion access and funding for troops and veterans. Collins voted consistently to restrict funding and access to abortion and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “This is a team that the pro-life movement can work with," said Kristin Hawkins, president of the national anti-abortion organization Students for Life. ___ The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content. Christine Fernando, The Associated Press

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ZT Mining Introduces Accessible Cloud Mining Solutions for Cryptocurrency EnthusiastsThe visa-free month has opened up new opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two nations. Chinese tourists have been able to immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of South Korea, from traditional hanbok clothing to the ancient palaces of Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. They have also been able to indulge in the vibrant K-pop and K-drama scene, which has gained a massive following in China.

NoneNEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are revaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The risk associated with some of programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Trump’s incoming deputy chief of policy will be his former adviser , who leads a group called America First Legal that has aggressively challenged corporate DEI policies. “There has been a lot of reassessment of risk looking at programs that could be deemed to constitute reverse discrimination,” said Allan Schweyer, principal researcher the Human Capital Center at the Conference Board. “This is another domino to fall and it is a rather large domino,” he added. Among other changes, Walmart said it will no longer give priority treatment to suppliers owned by women or minorities. The company also will not renew a five-year commitment for a racial equity center set up in 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. And it pulled out of a . Schweyer said the biggest trigger for companies making such changes is simply a reassessment of their legal risk exposure, which began after that ended affirmative action in college admissions. Since then, conservative groups using similar arguments have secured court victories against various diversity programs, especially those that steer contracts to minority or women-owned businesses. Most recently, the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty won a victory in a case against the U.S. Department of Transportation over its use of a program that gives priority to minority-owned businesses when it awards contracts. Companies are seeing a big legal risk in continuing with DEI efforts, said Dan Lennington, a deputy counsel at the institute. His organization says it has identified more than 60 programs in the federal government that it considers discriminatory, he said. “We have a legal landscape within the entire federal government, all three branches — the U.S. Supreme Court, the Congress and the President — are all now firmly pointed in the direction towards equality of individuals and individualized treatment of all Americans, instead of diversity, equity and inclusion treating people as members of racial groups,” Lennington said. The Trump administration is also likely to take direct aim at DEI initiatives through executive orders and other policies that affect private companies, especially federal contractors. “The impact of the election on DEI policies is huge. It can’t be overstated,” said Jason Schwartz, co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice Group at law firm Gibson Dunn. With Miller returning to the White House, rolling back DEI initiatives is likely to be a priority, Schwartz said. “Companies are trying to strike the right balance to make clear they’ve got an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcome, and they want to get the best talent, while at the same time trying not to alienate various parts of their employees and customer base who might feel one way or the other. It’s a virtually impossible dilemma,” Schwartz said. A recent survey by Pew Research Center showed that workers are divided on the merits of DEI policies. While still broadly popular, the share of workers who said focusing on workplace diversity was mostly a good thing fell to 52% in the November survey, compared to 56% in a similar survey in February 2023. Rachel Minkin, a research associated at Pew called it a small but significant shift in short amount of time. There will be more companies pulling back from their DEI policies, but it likely won’t be a retreat across the board, said David Glasgow, executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging at New York University. “There are vastly more companies that are sticking with DEI,” Glasgow said. “The only reason you don’t hear about it is most of them are doing it by stealth. They’re putting their heads down and doing DEI work and hoping not to attract attention.” Glasgow advises organizations to stick to their own core values, because attitudes toward the topic can change quickly in the span of four years. “It’s going to leave them looking a little bit weak if there’s a kind of flip-flopping, depending on whichever direction the political winds are blowing,” he said. One reason DEI programs exist is because without those programs, companies may be vulnerable to lawsuits for traditional discrimination. “Really think carefully about the risks in all directions on this topic,” Glasgow said. Walmart confirmed will no longer consider race and gender as a litmus test to improve diversity when it offers supplier contracts. Last fiscal year, Walmart said it spent more than $13 billion on minority, women or veteran-owned good and service suppliers. It was unclear how its relationships with such business would change going forward. Organizations that that have partnered with Walmart on its diversity initiatives offered a cautious response. The Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, a non-profit that last year named Walmart one of America’s top corporation for women-owned enterprises, said it was still evaluating the impact of Walmart’s announcement. Pamela Prince-Eason, the president and CEO of the organization, said she hoped Walmart’s need to cater to its diverse customer base will continue to drive contracts to women-owned suppliers even if the company no longer has explicit dollar goals. “I suspect Walmart will continue to have one of the most inclusive supply chains in the World,” Prince-Eason wrote. “Any retailer’s ability to serve the communities they operate in will continue to value understanding their customers, (many of which are women), in order to better provide products and services desired and no one understands customers better than Walmart.” Walmart’s announcement came after the company spoke directly with conservative political commentator and activist Robby Starbuck, who has been going after corporate DEI policies, calling out individual companies on the social media platform X. Several of those companies have subsequently announced that they are pulling back their initiatives, including , Harley-Davidson, and . Walmart confirmed to The Associated Press that it will better monitor its third-party marketplace items to make sure they don’t feature sexual and transgender products aimed at minors. The company also will stop participating in the Human Rights Campaign’s annual benchmark index that measures workplace inclusion for LGBTQ+ employees. A Walmart spokesperson added that some of the changes were already in progress and not as a result of conversations that it had with Starbuck. RaShawn “Shawnie” Hawkins, senior director of the HRC Foundation’s Workplace Equality Program, said companies that “abandon” their commitments workplace inclusion policies “are shirking their responsibility to their employees, consumers, and shareholders.” She said the buying power of LGBTQ customers is powerful and noted that the index will have record participation of more than 1,400 companies in 2025.

St. Petersburg council approves $23M repair to hurricane-ravaged Tropicana Field roofBy TRÂN NGUYỄN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP Securities Litigation Partner James (Josh) Wilson Encourages Investors Who Suffered Losses Exceeding $50,000 In Xiao-I To Contact Him Directly To Discuss Their Options If you suffered losses exceeding $50,000 in Xiao-I as a result of purchasing (a) Xiao-I American depository shares (ADSs) issued in connection with the Company's initial public offering on or about March 9, 2023 and/or (b) Xiao-I securities between March 9, 2023 and July 12, 2024 and would like to discuss your legal rights, call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310) . [You may also click here for additional information] NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP , a leading national securities law firm, is investigating potential claims against Xiao-I Corporation ("Xiao-I" or the "Company") AIXI and reminds investors of the December 16, 2024 deadline to seek the role of lead plaintiff in a federal securities class action that has been filed against the Company. Faruqi & Faruqi is a leading national securities law firm with offices in New York, Pennsylvania, California and Georgia. The firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors since its founding in 1995. See www.faruqilaw.com . As detailed below, the complaint alleges that the Company and its executives violated federal securities laws by making false and/or misleading statements and/or failing to disclose that (1) Defendants had downplayed the true scope and severity of risks that Xiao-I faced due to certain of its Chinese shareholders' non-compliance with Circular 37 Registration, including the Company's inability to use Offering proceeds for intended business purposes; (2) Xiao-I failed to comply with GAAP in preparing its financial statements; (3) Defendants overstated Xiao-I's efforts to remediate material weaknesses in the Company's financial controls; (4) Xiao-I was forced to incur significant R&D expenses to effectively compete in the AI industry; (5) Xiao-I downplayed the significant negative impact that such expenses would have on the Company's business and financial results; (6) accordingly, Xiao-I overstated its AI capabilities, R&D resources, and overall ability to compete in the AI market; (7) as a result of all the foregoing, there was a substantial likelihood that Xiao-I would fail to comply with the NASDAQ's Minimum Bid Price Requirement; and (8) as a result, the Offering Documents and Defendants' public statements throughout the Class Period were materially false and/or misleading and failed to state information required to be stated therein. On or around March 8, 2023, Xiao-I launched its initial public offering (IPO), selling 5.7 million American depositary shares (ADSs) at $6.80 each. Since the IPO, the price of Xiao-I's ADSs has dropped significantly, causing losses for investors. On August 10, 2023, Xiao-I Corporation filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission its amended annual report for the year ended December 31, 2022 on Form 10-K/A. In the amended annual report, Xiao-I disclosed that "However, should there be any changes to PRC laws and regulations or internal control policies of Bank of Ningbo in the future, [Zhizhen Artificial Technology (Shanghai) Company Limited, a Company subsidiary] then may be restricted from transferring funds from overseas to its capital account with Bank of Ningbo as a result." On this news, the price of Xiao-I American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") fell $0.93 per ADS, or 11.56%, to close at $7.11 on August 11, 2023. On July 15, 2024, Xiao-I issued a press release announcing "that it received a notification letter dated July 11, 2024 (the ‘Deficiency Letter') from the Listing Qualifications Department of [t]he [NASDAQ], indicating that the Company is no longer in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement as set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) as the Company's closing bid price per [ADS] . . . has been below $1.00 for a period of 30 consecutive business days." On this news, Xiao-I's ADS price fell 2.28% to close at approximately $0.67 per ADS on July 15, 2024. The court-appointed lead plaintiff is the investor with the largest financial interest in the relief sought by the class who is adequate and typical of class members who directs and oversees the litigation on behalf of the putative class. Any member of the putative class may move the Court to serve as lead plaintiff through counsel of their choice, or may choose to do nothing and remain an absent class member. Your ability to share in any recovery is not affected by the decision to serve as a lead plaintiff or not. Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP also encourages anyone with information regarding Xiao-I's conduct to contact the firm, including whistleblowers, former employees, shareholders and others. To learn more about the Xiao-I Corporation class action, go to www.faruqilaw.com/AIXI or call Faruqi & Faruqi partner Josh Wilson directly at 877-247-4292 or 212-983-9330 (Ext. 1310) . Follow us for updates on LinkedIn , on X , or on Facebook . Attorney Advertising. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Faruqi & Faruqi, LLP ( www.faruqilaw.com ). Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome with respect to any future matter. We welcome the opportunity to discuss your particular case. All communications will be treated in a confidential manner. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/807ffe71-382e-48fd-91d1-846d96405715 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.After second meeting with Hegseth, Ernst hints at whether she will or won't support confirmation

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Dusty May, No. 14 Michigan try to continue strong start vs. Arkansas

Dusty May, No. 14 Michigan try to continue strong start vs. ArkansasCity are now six games without a victory but appeared to be cruising towards three points before being stunned by the Eredivisie side, who hit them with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko to fight back from 3-0 down. Two goals from Erling Haaland, one of them a penalty, and one from Ilkay Gundogan had the 2023 European champions three up after 53 minutes as they sought the win that would help to get their ailing season back on track. After the team collapsed in the closing stages, Ake called on his team-mates to show their mettle if their campaign is not to wither away. Speaking to Amazon Prime, he was asked whether he believed the the team’s problem is a mental one. “Maybe it is,” he said. “It is difficult to say. Obviously we have not been in this situation many times but this is where we have to show our character. “When everything seems to go against us and everyone is writing us off, we have to stay strong mentally, believe in ourselves and stick together. “Every season there is a period when they write us off. We have to make sure we stay strong as a team and staff and make sure we get out of it.” The draw leaves City with work to do if they are to secure one of the eight automatic spots in the last 16 of this season’s Champions League. They are currently 15th in the table, two points outside of the top eight, and will need positive results in their next two games against Juventus and Paris St Germain to keep their hopes alive. They then face Club Brugge in their final league match on January 29. The result at least ended a run of five straight defeats in all competitions ahead of Sunday’s Premier League showdown with leaders Liverpool at Anfield. “When you are three goals up it feels like a defeat when you give up three goals at home,” said Ake. “It is tough now, a tough night, but the only thing we can do is look forward to the next one. Liverpool is a big game and it is another challenge to overcome. “(We were) 3-0 up and we played quite well and were under control, but then it all changed. “You just have to stay strong mentally. At 3-1 they then push on but I think we need to go for it a bit earlier so we could keep the pressure on them, but we stayed playing at the back and maybe invited more pressure on us. “Then when you concede the second one there is even more pressure and then we have to stay stronger mentally.”

Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals?By Costas Pitas (Reuters) - In the end, the big break turned out to be a pair of images at a New York hostel. New York police scoured hundreds of hours of video searching for clues to the identity of the person who shot UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson in a brazen killing outside a Manhattan hotel last week, but released only two images to the public that showed the suspect's face. In every other photograph captured from video - of the suspect pedaling away on a bike, standing at a coffee shop counter, riding in a taxi - the man's face was obscured by a mask and hood. But the two crucial images, released the day after the shooting, were captured when the suspect lowered his balaclava at the request of a hostel desk clerk in a flirtatious moment to see his face, according to media reports. They are taken from above, and while he is still wearing a hood, his face can be clearly seen in the pair of pictures. In one he is smiling, in the other he appears straight-faced. On Monday, the suspect, identified as Luigi Mangione, 26, was captured in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after he was spotted eating at McDonald's by an employee of the fast-food restaurant who thought he resembled the gunman from images. "This picture was obtained by the NYPD during one of their extensive video canvasses," New York Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a press conference. "Hundreds of tips began to pour into our hotline. Each tip was investigated thoroughly, and we began to release additional photographs as they came into our possession," he said. ADVANCED SURVEILLANCE New York has one of the most advanced surveillance systems of any major U.S. city, largely built after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, according to Felipe Rodriguez, a former NYPD detective sergeant and now an adjunct professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. The number of cameras in New York is in the thousands, and all camera feeds can be monitored in real time, as well as reviewed for previous footage, aided by facial-recognition software. Mangione appears to have been well aware of the extensive camera network, and seemingly took steps to shield his identity before, during and after the attack. The first images released by police came from footage of the shooting last Wednesday, with the suspect shown wearing a dark-colored hoodie and a backpack. Other footage showed him running from the scene and then riding a bike into Central Park. Over the weekend, police released a picture on the suspect inside a taxi. In all of them, he was masked. Meanwhile, police searched for the backpack - eventually finding it in Central Park - tested evidence for DNA, pored through tips from the public and, eventually, said they no longer believed he was in New York City. "For just over five days, our NYPD investigators combed through thousands of hours of video, followed up on hundreds of tips and processed every bit of forensic evidence, DNA, fingerprints, IP addresses and so much more to tighten the net," New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at Monday's press conference. But the case turned on a fast-food worker more than 200 miles outside the city recognizing the face of a customer. "In this case, (where) it really came down to technology was the use of drones in Central Park and it really comes down to the video canvass that we did," Kenny said. "We used every source of video that we could collect, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours from hundreds of sources, and that helped bring this to where we are right now." (Reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by Paul Thomasch and Rod Nickel)Zhang Baizhi, known for her ethereal beauty and graceful demeanor, exudes a timeless elegance in the photo. With her porcelain skin, delicate features, and softly cascading hair, she appears like a classic beauty from a bygone era. Her serene expression and poised posture seem to embody a sense of refinement and sophistication that has long been associated with her persona.

As It Happens 6:09 This Canadian is the new world champion of Excel spreadsheets It was down to the final 30 seconds at the Microsoft Excel World Championships in Las Vegas, and the crowd was going wild. Canada's Michael Jarman was in the lead, his eyes fixed on the scoreboard, desperately hoping nobody would come up from behind and snatch victory from his grasp. When the clock ran out, Jarman leapt from his computer and threw his hands up in celebration, as the spectators in the HyperX Arena erupted in cheers. Jarman, a Toronto financial modelling director, unseated Australia's three-time winner Andrew (The Annihilator) Ngai on Dec. 4 to become the undisputed world champion of managing spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. "It was an amazing feeling," Jarman told As It Happens guest host Peter Armstring. "It's definitely, you know, a really great memory for me, and will be for a long time." WATCH | Microsoft Excel World Championships: For his efforts, Jarman took home a $5,000 US ($7,033 Cdn.) cheque, and the event's signature pro-wrestling style championship belt. "We're thinking about how to put up on the wall," he said. Not enough spreadsheets at work You would think Jarman, who works for the project finance consulting firm Operis, would be sick of spreadsheets. But as he's risen through the ranks at work, he says he rarely has the opportunity to get down and dirty in the rows and cells anymore. "I'm very much at the stage of my career where I no longer do the modelling myself. I have to leave that for the juniors to do, while I go to meetings," he said. "So I'd say, actually, it placates me a little bit." Jarman competing in the 2024 Microsoft Excel World Championships in Las Vegas. (Financial Modeling World Cup/YouTube) Plus, the Excel World Championships' spreadsheets tend to be more exciting than the ones he sees at the office. The event is an offshoot of the more business-focused Financial Modelling World Cup. It's billed as an esports event, akin to competitive gaming, and sponsored by Excel maker Microsoft. "No finance, just Microsoft Excel and logical thinking skills," reads the competition's description. "Excel esports transforms a common office tool into a dynamic sport." Competitors are usually asked to build spreadsheets to perform tasks and solve problems based around a specific theme or game. Excel with orcs? This year's final battle involved using Excel to track stats in a simulated game of World of Warcraft (WoW), a long-running and wildly popular online video game featuring fantastical creatures like dragons, elves and orcs. "I mean, I'm not a WoW player myself, but it was pretty cool," Jarman said. "We were given an eight-page instruction manual before going on stage to read, so we had some idea of what was going on." To add a competitive edge the player with the lowest score is eliminated every five minutes, alluded to in the chorus of of the event's epic rock theme song: "It's the Excel World Championship / Who's going to win? / It's the Excel World Championship / Who's going in the spreadsheet bin?" As the competitors typed furiously into Excel, the spectators appeared enthralled. "The crowd was really quite electric this year," Jarman said. Jarman estimates there were a few hundred people watching in the arena. Another 60,000 people watched the YouTube livestream . As It Happens Harvard undergrad cracks code of knotted Inca rope used as 'an ancient Excel spreadsheet' As It Happens 'Pixel by pixel': MS Paint artist mourns his medium as Microsoft pulls the plug This is Jarman's fourth time competing, and his first time coming out on top. In the last three competitions, he finished second to Australia's Andrew Ngai. After 2023's championships, he told As It Happens : "Next year, it will be my year." He was proven right. But he's not done yet. Now that the belt is his at last, he's got his eyes on another goal. "The next vision is to ... win three more to break Andrew's record," he said. "I think that's virtually impossible to do, but you've got to give it a go."US indictment accuses two Syrian officials of torture at notorious prison

Oprah Winfrey surprises Gayle King again for her birthday with unexpected A-list guest

Shares of Nvidia fell Monday after China said it is investigating the high-flying U.S. microchip company over suspected violations of Chinese anti-monopoly laws. In a brief news release with few details, Chinese regulators appear to be focusing on Nvidia's $6.9 billion acquisition of network and data transmission company Mellanox in 2019. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.CHICAGO (AP) — As Donald Trump’s Cabinet begins to take shape, those on both sides of the abortion debate are watching closely for clues about how his picks might affect reproductive rights policy in the president-elect’s second term . Trump’s cabinet picks offer a preview of how his administration could handle abortion after he repeatedly flip-flopped on the issue on the campaign trail. He attempted to distance himself from anti-abortion allies by deferring to states on abortion policy, even while boasting about nominating three Supreme Court justices who helped strike down the constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for half a century. In an NBC News interview that aired Sunday, Trump said he doesn't plan to restrict medication abortion but also seemed to leave the door open, saying “things change.” “Things do change, but I don't think it's going to change at all,” he said. The early lineup of his new administration , including nominations to lead health agencies, the Justice Department and event the Department of Veterans Affairs, has garnered mixed — but generally positive — reactions from anti-abortion groups. Abortion law experts said Trump's decision to include fewer candidates with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement could indicate that abortion will not be a priority for Trump's administration. “It almost seems to suggest that President Trump might be focusing his administration in other directions," said Greer Donley, an associate law professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Karen Stone, vice president of public policy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund , said while many of the nominees have “extensive records against reproductive health care,” some do not. She cautioned against making assumptions based on Trump's initial cabinet selections. Still, many abortion rights groups are wary, in part because many of the nominees hold strong anti-abortion views even if they do not have direct ties to anti-abortion activists. They're concerned that an administration filled with top-level officials who are personally opposed to abortion could take steps to restrict access to the procedure and funding. After Trump’s ambiguity about abortion during his campaign, "there’s still a lot we don’t know about what policy is going to look like," said Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law. That approach may be revealed as the staffs within key departments are announced. Trump announced he would nominate anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Health and Human Services Department, which anti-abortion forces have long targeted as central to curtailing abortion rights nationwide. Yet Kennedy shifted on the issue during his own presidential campaign. In campaign videos, Kennedy said he supports abortion access until viability , which doctors say is sometime after 21 weeks, although there is no defined timeframe. But he also said “every abortion is a tragedy” and argued for a national ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, a stance he quickly walked back. The head of Health and Human Services oversees Title X funding for a host of family planning services and has sweeping authority over agencies that directly affect abortion access, including the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The role is especially vital amid legal battles over a federal law known as EMTALA, which President Joe Biden’s administration has argued requires emergency abortion access nationwide, and FDA approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, called Kennedy an “unfit, unqualified extremist who cannot be trusted to protect the health, safety and reproductive freedom of American families.” His potential nomination also has caused waves in the anti-abortion movement. Former Vice President Mike Pence , a staunch abortion opponent, urged the Senate to reject Kennedy’s nomination. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national anti-abortion group Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said the group had its own concerns about Kennedy. “There’s no question that we need a pro-life HHS secretary," she said. Fox News correspondent Marty Makary is Trump’s pick to lead the FDA, which plays a critical role in access to medication abortion and contraception. Abortion rights groups have accused him of sharing misinformation about abortion on air. Russell Vought , a staunch anti-abortion conservative, has been nominated for director of the Office of Management and Budget. Vought was a key architect of Project 2025 , a right-wing blueprint for running the federal government. Among other actions to limit reproductive rights, it calls for eliminating access to medication abortion nationwide, cutting Medicaid funding for abortion and restricting access to contraceptive care, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives such as IUD’s. Despite distancing himself from the conservative manifesto on the campaign trail, Trump is stocking his administration with people who played central roles in developing Project 2025. Trump acknowledged that drafters of the report would be part of his incoming administration during the Sunday interview with NBC News, saying “Many of those things I happen to agree with.” “These cabinet appointments all confirm that Project 2025 was in fact the blueprint all along, and the alarm we saw about it was warranted,” said Amy Williams Navarro, director of government relations for Reproductive Freedom for All. Dr. Mehmet Oz , Trump’s choice to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is a former television talk show host who has been accused of hawking dubious medical treatments and products. He voiced contradictory abortion views during his failed Senate run in 2022. Oz has described himself as “strongly pro-life, praised the Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade , claimed “life starts at conception” and referred to abortion as “murder.” But he also has echoed Trump’s states-rights approach, arguing the federal government should not be involved in abortion decisions. “I want women, doctors, local political leaders, letting the democracy that’s always allowed our nation to thrive to put the best ideas forward so states can decide for themselves,” he said during a Senate debate two years ago. An array of reproductive rights groups opposed his Senate run. As CMS administrator, Oz would be in a key position to determine Medicaid coverage for family planning services and investigate potential EMTALA violations. As Florida’s attorney general, Pam Bondi defended abortion restrictions, including a 24-hour waiting period. Now she’s Trump’s choice for attorney general . Her nomination is being celebrated by abortion opponents but denounced by abortion rights groups concerned she may revive the Comstock Act , an anti-vice law passed by Congress in 1873 that, among other things, bans mailing of medication or instruments used in abortion. An anti-abortion and anti-vaccine former Florida congressman, David Weldon, has been chosen to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which collects and monitors abortion data across the country. Former Republican congressman Doug Collins is Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs amid a political battle over abortion access and funding for troops and veterans. Collins voted consistently to restrict funding and access to abortion and celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade. “This is a team that the pro-life movement can work with," said Kristin Hawkins, president of the national anti-abortion organization Students for Life. ___ The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here . The AP is solely responsible for all content. Christine Fernando, The Associated Press

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