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Mutual of America Capital Management LLC Trims Position in Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:CLF)Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump’s most contentious picks

Crest 3D Whitestrips Professional Effects, Now 39% OffMumbai: Actress Prajakta Mali has filed a complaint with the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission (MSWC) against BJP MLA Suresh Dhas for dragging her name in his attempt to target NCP minister Dhananjay Munde in the Sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. Addressing a press conference, Mali said Dhas' comments were in bad taste, entirely baseless, and asserted that women, especially actors, should not be made soft targets. “Why name just women? Haven't male actors attended such programmes organised by politicians? Dhas has used my name for his selfish interests,” she said. The actor said she will meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to demand firm action against Dhas. Mali said she has sought a public apology from Dhas and is contemplating legal action against the MLA. A few days ago, Mali performed at an event organised by Dhananjay Munde in Parli, Beed district. She claims that she was trolled after that performance. Refusing to apologise to Mali, Dhas remarked, “I did not say anything objectionable. I have asked them to carefully review my statement.” He added that the MSWC president, NCP leader Rupali Chakankar, is handling the matter, and it remains to be seen what action they will take.Google has unveiled its new quantum computing chip, "Willow," which it claims can solve a problem in five minutes that would take the world's fastest supercomputers 10 septillion years, Reuters reported. This breakthrough, a major step forward in quantum computing, marks a new chapter in the effort to harness quantum mechanics for powerful computing. Quantum computers use the peculiar behaviours of particles to solve problems at speeds far beyond traditional machines. Google describes Willow as a key "breakthrough" that "paves the way to a useful, large-scale quantum computer." However, experts caution that Willow is still largely experimental, and a fully practical quantum computer capable of solving real-world issues is likely years — and billions of dollars — away. Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionise industries by speeding up complex processes like drug discovery, nuclear fusion design, and even improving car batteries. But its applications also raise concerns, such as its potential to break current encryption methods. Hartmut Neven, head of Google’s Quantum AI lab, referred to Willow as the "best quantum processor built to date." While he sees it as a step towards commercial applications, he emphasized that a usable quantum computer wouldn't be available before the end of the decade. Initially, the technology will be applied to problems where quantum effects are significant, such as in pharmaceuticals and energy storage. Despite its promise, quantum computing is still a work in progress. Errors in quantum chips, which increase as more qubits are added, remain a challenge. Google has made significant strides by improving error correction, a key hurdle in making quantum computers viable. Professor Alan Woodward from Surrey University warned that Willow's performance should not be overstated, noting that it was tailored to a specific task and does not represent a universal breakthrough. While Willow may not be a commercial product yet, it marks an important milestone in the development of practical quantum computing.

SUPP Youth chief sings praises of party leaders at Dudong Youth branch’s 10th anniversary do

At now-President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign rallies, attendees would hold “Trump Will Fix It” signs. Here’s hoping the antitrust policy that President Joe Biden excessively politicized is one of those “its.” Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, previously said he believes that Biden’s appointee as chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, has done a good job with antitrust policy. I disagree. For nearly 40 years, most antitrust scholars sensibly agreed that the government should base its treatment of potential corporate monopolization, mergers and related issues on these actions’ effect on “consumer welfare.” This standard ensures that antitrust is used only to prevent businesses from undermining economic competition, preserving a market that drives prices down and product quality up on behalf of us consumers. Antitrust should not protect businesses (SET ITAL) from (END ITAL) competition. Upon taking control of the FTC, Khan discarded this standard and, along with it, decades of bipartisan agreement. Biden’s Department of Justice and FTC quickly morphed antitrust into a tool for helping the White House achieve political aims that have nothing to do with keeping markets competitive. Consider, for example, how the FTC pursued Elon Musk. A newly released report by the House Judiciary Committee delved into how Khan issued a consent decree against X (then Twitter) for no reason other than that Musk — whose existing business interests were in other industries — was the company’s CEO. Khan “called for an immediate vote” just days after reporters announced the sale, which an FTC insider confirmed was what triggered the attention. The Biden FTC also had no problem targeting companies that challenged its corporate donor base. For example, Khan released an interim report against pharmacy benefit managers, companies that health plans hire to ensure they are receiving drugs at competitive costs. The major drug manufacturers have spent significant sums lobbying the government to challenge PBMs, even though the government’s own research shows these companies save patients (and taxpayers) significant sums. With the consumer welfare standard diminished, the facts didn’t stop Khan from protecting drug companies, which have showered her boss with campaign contributions, from market discipline. The shenanigans led Melissa Holyoak, a Republican FTC commissioner, to publicly dissent. She protested that “the Report was plagued by process irregularities and concerns over substance — or lack thereof — of the original order.” So much so that “the politicized nature of the process appears to have led to the departure of at least one senior leader at the Commission.” If that’s a “good job” in Vance’s view, we should be alarmed. The Biden DOJ hasn’t acted any more responsibly. For example, it sued RealPage, an AI-based software company that helps landlords come to terms with market pricing for their units, for facilitating alleged price-gouging even though it had no evidence. The Wall Street Journal editorial board stated that “it doesn’t require a Ph.D. in economics to understand that ballooning rents are caused by demand exceeding supply” and that “what’s really going on (with this suit) is an attempt to distract voters from frustration over the Biden Administration’s inflationary policies.” More recently, Biden’s DOJ targeted Visa’s debit card business over market share concerns despite the clear consumer benefits created by the company. These include secure, accessible services that millions of Americans rely on. Businesses and consumers have plenty of payment choices, but millions choose Visa for this reason. Rather than respecting those choices, Biden’s DOJ is pursuing its anti-corporate agenda with little regard for consumers’ welfare. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | Where do Democrats go from here? Opinion Columnists | California’s political clout will fade as long as population growth remains slow Opinion Columnists | Susan Shelley: Slow counts show election system needs reform Opinion Columnists | Here’s to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises Opinion Columnists | Grand DOGE promises of massive cuts to the federal government are unlikely to materialize The solution to the DOJ and FTC’s descent into political partisanship is straightforward: comprehensive reform. Come January, the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress must demand a recommitment to the consumer welfare standard. They must institute checks that prevent the DOJ and FTC from waging ideological warfare. Measures to ensure transparency and inter-commission collaboration, such as requiring the FTC to disclose the rationale and goals of its investigations, could also prove helpful. It’s hard to overstate the importance of appointing a better attorney general and FTC chair this time around. Coupled with new oversight measures, it could go far toward restoring fairness, protecting actual competition, and preventing rogue bureaucrats from imposing their will for personal or ideological gain. Most importantly, it would help restore the country’s trust in its governmental institutions. Whether that will come to pass remains to be seen. American businesses and consumers deserve a government that respects the rule of law. By simply refocusing the FTC and antitrust division of the DOJ on their foundational purposes, we can begin a new era of fair and impartial regulation that serves the public good. That’s something we all should be able to get behind. Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

A Pakistani government team has mediated a seven-day ceasefire deal between rival sectarian groups, halting days of clashes that have killed at least 68 people and injured dozens in the north-west of the country, one of the mediators said. The government is yet to identify or publicly name who the attackers were and no one has claimed responsibility. Armed groups stormed into settlements inhabited by members of rival sects. Many homes have been evacuated, while markets and schools remain closed and several petrol stations were set alight, the officials said. They said they feared the death toll could rise as communications in the area are down, making information difficult to obtain. Armed Shia and Sunni Muslims have engaged in tribal and sectarian rivalry for decades over a land dispute in the Kurram district near the Afghanistan border. "Both sides have agreed to a week-long ceasefire which is expected to be extended," Muhammad Ali Saif, a member of the mediation team, told Reuters on Sunday, local time, adding that major clashes had already stopped. Mr Saif said news of the ceasefire should also halt smaller skirmishes that had been reported in remote areas of the district. Another member of the mediation team, Akhtar Hayat Gandapur, the police chief of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said Shia leaders were demanding the immediate arrest of those involved in attacking passenger vehicles, as well as compensation for the victims and safety assurances for travellers. Mr Saif, who is also the information minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where Kurram is located, said both sides had also agreed to exchange prisoners, including women, and the bodies of those killed in the clashes. The prisoners and bodies will be exchanged with assistance from Pakistani paramilitary forces. Thousands of supporters arrested Pakistani police arrested thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of a rally in the capital to demand the ex-premier’s release from prison, a security officer said on Sunday. Khan has been behind bars for more than a year and has over 150 criminal cases against him. But he remains popular and his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), said the cases are politically motivated. Shahid Nawaz, a security officer in eastern Punjab province, said police have arrested more than 4,000 Khan supporters, including five parliamentarians. Pakistan has sealed off Islamabad with shipping containers and shut down major roads and highways connecting the city with PTI strongholds in Punjab and north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Tit-for-tat tear gas shelling between the police and the PTI was reported on the highway bordering Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Mobile and internet services suspended Earlier on Sunday, Pakistan suspended mobile and internet services “in areas with security concerns.” The government and Interior Ministry posted the announcement on the social media platform X, which is banned in Pakistan. They did not specify the areas, nor did they say how long the suspension would be in place. “Internet and mobile services will continue to operate as usual in the rest of the country,” the posts said. Meanwhile, telecom company Nayatel sent out emails offering customers “a reliable landline service” as a workaround in the areas suffering suspended cell phone service. Khan's supporters rely heavily on social media to demand his release and use messaging platforms like WhatsApp to share information, including details of events. PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram said Khan's wife Bushra Bibi was travelling to Islamabad in a convoy led by the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur. “She cannot leave the party workers on their own,” said Akram. There was a festive mood in Peshawar, with PTI members dancing, drumming and holding up pictures of Khan as cars set off for Islamabad. The government is imposing social media platform bans and targeting VPN services, according to internet advocacy group Netblocks. On Sunday, the group said live metrics showed problems with WhatsApp that were affecting media sharing on the app. The US Embassy issued a security alert for Americans in the capital, encouraging them to avoid large gatherings and warning that even “peaceful gatherings can turn violent.” In October, authorities suspended the cell phone service in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to thwart a pro-Khan rally. The shutdown disrupted communications and affected everyday services such as banking, ride-hailing and food delivery. The latest crackdown comes on the eve of a visit by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said authorities have sealed off Islamabad's Red Zone, which houses key government buildings and is the destination for Khan's supporters. “Anyone reaching it will be arrested,” Mr Naqvi told a press conference. He said the security measures were in place to protect residents and property, blaming the PTI for inconveniencing people and businesses. He added that protesters were planning to take the same route as the Belarusian delegation, but that the government had headed off this scenario. Mr Naqvi denied cell phone services were suspended and said only mobile data was affected. Reuters/ AP ABC

LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. 'Sonic 3' and 'Mufasa' battle for No. 1 at the holiday box office Two family films are dominating the holiday box office, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. According to studio estimates Sunday, the Sonic movie earned $38 million, while “Mufasa” brought in $37.1 million from theaters in the U.S. and Canada. The R-rated horror “Nosferatu” placed third with an unexpectedly strong $21.2 million. Thanksgiving release holdovers “Wicked” and “Moana 2” rounded out the top five. Christmas Day had several big film openings, including the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown,” the Nicole Kidman erotic drama “Babygirl” and the boxing drama “The Fire Inside.” Belgium will ban sales of disposable e-cigarettes in a first for the EU BRUSSELS (AP) — Belgium will ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes as of Jan. 1 on health and environmental grounds in a groundbreaking move for European Union nations. Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke tells The Associated Press that the inexpensive e-cigarettes have turned into a health threat since they are an easy way for teenagers to be drawn into smoking and get hooked on nicotine. Australia outlawed the sale of “vapes” outside pharmacies earlier this year in some of the world’s toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes. Now Belgium is leading the EU drive. Belgium's minister wants tougher tobacco measures in the 27-nation bloc. Charles Dolan, HBO and Cablevision founder, dies at 98 Charles F. Dolan, who founded some of the most prominent U.S. media companies including Home Box Office Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp., has died at age 98. Newsday reports that a statement issued Saturday by his family says Dolan died of natural causes. Dolan’s legacy in cable broadcasting includes founding HBO in 1972, Cablevision in 1973 and the American Movie Classics television station in 1984. He also launched News 12 in New York City, the first U.S. 24-hour cable channel for local news. Dolan also held controlling stakes in companies that owned Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Knicks and the New York Rangers. Snoop's game: Snoop Dogg thrills the crowd in the bowl that bears his name TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Miami of Ohio beat Colorado State in the Arizona Bowl, but Snoop Dogg was the main attraction. The Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop was much a spectacle as a football game. Snoop Dogg seemed to be everywhere all at once, from a pregame tailgate to the postgame trophy presentation. Snoop Dog donned a headset on Colorado State's sideline, spent some time in the broadcast and even led both marching bands as conductor during their halftime performance. Snoop Dogg saved the best for last, rolling out in a light green, lowrider Chevy Impala with gold rims and accents, the shiny Arizona Bowl trophy in his hand as fans screamed his name. Mavs star Luka Doncic is latest pro athlete whose home was burglarized, business manager says DALLAS (AP) — Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is the latest professional athlete whose home has been burglarized. The star guard’s business manager tells multiple media outlets there was a break-in at Doncic’s home Friday night. Lara Beth Seager says nobody was home, and Doncic filed a police report. The Dallas Morning News reports that jewelry valued at about $30,000 was stolen. Doncic is the sixth known pro athlete in the U.S. whose home was burglarized since October. Star NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes of Kansas City and Joe Burrow of Cincinnati are among them. The NFL and NBA have issued security alerts to players over the break-ins. Victor Wembanyama plays 1-on-1 chess with fans in New York Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. It was 9:36 a.m. And people began showing up almost immediately. Norwegian chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen quits a tournament in a dispute over jeans NEW YORK (AP) — The International Chess Federation says top ranked player Magnus Carlsen has left the World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships after refusing to change out of the jeans he wore to the competition. The federation said Friday that its regulations include a dress code that bars participants from wearing jeans at the event. The Norwegian chess grandmaster says he accepted a $200 fine but refused to change his pants out of principle before leaving the competition in New York. The federation said the dress code is designed to ensure professionalism and fairness for all participants. Trailblazing model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning NEW HOPE, Pa. (AP) — A trailblazing former “Sports Illustrated” model who pushed back against age discrimination has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities in Bucks County found 76-year-old Dayle Haddon, dead in a second-floor bedroom Friday morning after emergency dispatchers were notified about a person unconscious at the Solebury Township home. A 76-year-old man who was also in the home was hospitalized in critical condition. As a model, Haddon appeared on dozens of magazine coverage in the 1970s and 1980s. She then reentered the industry in the 1990s after landing contracts with cosmetic companies to promote their anti-aging products. 2 Oregon men die from exposure in a forest after they went out to look for Sasquatch STEVENSON, Wash. (AP) — Officials say two Oregon men have died in a Washington state forest after they failed to return from a trip to look for Sasquatch. The Skamania County Sheriff’s Office says the 59-year-old and 37-year-old appear to have died from exposure. The sheriff's office says it based that conclusion on the weather and their lack of preparedness. Both men were from Portland. They were found in a heavily wooded area of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest northeast of that city. Family reported them missing after they failed to return from a Christmas Eve outing. Sasquatch is a folkloric beast thought by some to roam the forests, particularly in the Pacific Northwest.

Jax State puts crinkle in Kats’ title hopesPublished 5:03 pm Saturday, December 28, 2024 By Data Skrive The Alabama State Hornets (4-8, 0-0 SWAC) meet a fellow SWAC team, the Jackson State Tigers (0-12, 0-0 SWAC), on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at Lee E. Williams Athletic and Assembly Center. The game will start at 4:30 PM ET and you can watch via SWAC Digital Network. Looking for men’s college basketball tickets? Head to StubHub today and see your team live. Catch tons of live college basketball , plus original programming, with ESPN+ or the Disney Bundle. Watch college basketball, other live sports and more on Max. Use our link to sign up today. Watch men’s college basketball, other live sports and more on Fubo. What is Fubo? Fubo is a streaming service that gives you access to your favorite live sports and shows on demand. Use our link to sign up.

Weyerhaeuser Co. stock rises Monday, outperforms marketAt now-President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign rallies, attendees would hold “Trump Will Fix It” signs. Here’s hoping the antitrust policy that President Joe Biden excessively politicized is one of those “its.” Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, previously said he believes that Biden’s appointee as chair of the Federal Trade Commission, Lina Khan, has done a good job with antitrust policy. I disagree. For nearly 40 years, most antitrust scholars sensibly agreed that the government should base its treatment of potential corporate monopolization, mergers and related issues on these actions’ effect on “consumer welfare.” This standard ensures that antitrust is used only to prevent businesses from undermining economic competition, preserving a market that drives prices down and product quality up on behalf of us consumers. Antitrust should not protect businesses (SET ITAL) from (END ITAL) competition. Upon taking control of the FTC, Khan discarded this standard and, along with it, decades of bipartisan agreement. Biden’s Department of Justice and FTC quickly morphed antitrust into a tool for helping the White House achieve political aims that have nothing to do with keeping markets competitive. Consider, for example, how the FTC pursued Elon Musk. A newly released report by the House Judiciary Committee delved into how Khan issued a consent decree against X (then Twitter) for no reason other than that Musk — whose existing business interests were in other industries — was the company’s CEO. Khan “called for an immediate vote” just days after reporters announced the sale, which an FTC insider confirmed was what triggered the attention. The Biden FTC also had no problem targeting companies that challenged its corporate donor base. For example, Khan released an interim report against pharmacy benefit managers, companies that health plans hire to ensure they are receiving drugs at competitive costs. The major drug manufacturers have spent significant sums lobbying the government to challenge PBMs, even though the government’s own research shows these companies save patients (and taxpayers) significant sums. With the consumer welfare standard diminished, the facts didn’t stop Khan from protecting drug companies, which have showered her boss with campaign contributions, from market discipline. The shenanigans led Melissa Holyoak, a Republican FTC commissioner, to publicly dissent. She protested that “the Report was plagued by process irregularities and concerns over substance — or lack thereof — of the original order.” So much so that “the politicized nature of the process appears to have led to the departure of at least one senior leader at the Commission.” If that’s a “good job” in Vance’s view, we should be alarmed. The Biden DOJ hasn’t acted any more responsibly. For example, it sued RealPage, an AI-based software company that helps landlords come to terms with market pricing for their units, for facilitating alleged price-gouging even though it had no evidence. The Wall Street Journal editorial board stated that “it doesn’t require a Ph.D. in economics to understand that ballooning rents are caused by demand exceeding supply” and that “what’s really going on (with this suit) is an attempt to distract voters from frustration over the Biden Administration’s inflationary policies.” More recently, Biden’s DOJ targeted Visa’s debit card business over market share concerns despite the clear consumer benefits created by the company. These include secure, accessible services that millions of Americans rely on. Businesses and consumers have plenty of payment choices, but millions choose Visa for this reason. Rather than respecting those choices, Biden’s DOJ is pursuing its anti-corporate agenda with little regard for consumers’ welfare. Related Articles Opinion Columnists | Where do Democrats go from here? Opinion Columnists | California’s political clout will fade as long as population growth remains slow Opinion Columnists | Susan Shelley: Slow counts show election system needs reform Opinion Columnists | Here’s to hoping Trump delivers on some of his Libertarian promises Opinion Columnists | Grand DOGE promises of massive cuts to the federal government are unlikely to materialize The solution to the DOJ and FTC’s descent into political partisanship is straightforward: comprehensive reform. Come January, the Trump administration and Republican-controlled Congress must demand a recommitment to the consumer welfare standard. They must institute checks that prevent the DOJ and FTC from waging ideological warfare. Measures to ensure transparency and inter-commission collaboration, such as requiring the FTC to disclose the rationale and goals of its investigations, could also prove helpful. It’s hard to overstate the importance of appointing a better attorney general and FTC chair this time around. Coupled with new oversight measures, it could go far toward restoring fairness, protecting actual competition, and preventing rogue bureaucrats from imposing their will for personal or ideological gain. Most importantly, it would help restore the country’s trust in its governmental institutions. Whether that will come to pass remains to be seen. American businesses and consumers deserve a government that respects the rule of law. By simply refocusing the FTC and antitrust division of the DOJ on their foundational purposes, we can begin a new era of fair and impartial regulation that serves the public good. That’s something we all should be able to get behind. Veronique de Rugy is the George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Libra, Weekly Horoscope, December 29 to January 04, 2025: Cautious financial management needed