online gambling articles Kings fire coach Mike Brown less than halfway through his 3rd season, AP source says The Sacramento Kings have fired coach Mike Brown less than halfway through his third season with the team mired in a five-game losing streak, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. Josh Dubow, The Associated Press Dec 27, 2024 2:06 PM Dec 27, 2024 2:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown shouts instructions from the bench during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in Sacramento, Calif., Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. The Nuggets won 130-129. (AP Photo/Randall Benton) The Sacramento Kings have fired coach Mike Brown less than halfway through his third season with the team mired in a five-game losing streak, a person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the firing hadn't been announced by the team. ESPN first reported the firing. Brown won NBA Coach of the Year in his first season in 2022-23, when he helped Sacramento end the longest playoff drought in NBA history at 16 seasons. But Sacramento lost in the play-in tournament last year and was off to a 13-18 start this season, leading to the move to fire Brown about six months after he agreed to a contract extension through the 2026-27 season. The Kings have lost an NBA-worst nine games this season after leading in the fourth quarter with the worst one coming in Brown's final game as coach Thursday night against Detroit. Sacramento led by 10 points with less than three minutes to play only to collapse down the stretch. Jaden Ivey converted a four-point play with 3 seconds left when he made a 3-pointer in the right corner and was fouled by De’Aaron Fox. That gave the Pistons a 114-113 win, leaving the Kings in 12th place in the Western Conference. Brown has a 107-88 record in two-plus seasons in Sacramento with a winning record in both of his full seasons. Rick Adelman is the only other coach to post a winning record in a full season since the Kings moved to Sacramento Brown previously had two stints as coach in Cleveland and spent one-plus season as Lakers coach. He has a 455-304 record and has made the playoffs in seven of his nine full seasons. He won Coach of the Year twice, also getting the award in Cleveland in 2008-09. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA Josh Dubow, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Basketball Heat say Jimmy Butler will miss 2 more games before rejoining team next week Dec 27, 2024 2:18 PM Mavs star Luka Doncic will be out about a month before check on calf injury, AP source says Dec 27, 2024 7:24 AM Bulls take on the Bucks on 3-game skid Dec 26, 2024 11:03 PMAnthony Hopkins reveals near-death experience 49 years ago which turned his life upside down Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com READ MORE: Trump details why he keeps bringing up Hannibal Lecter By ADAM S. LEVY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 22:21 EST, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 22:30 EST, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments Anthony Hopkins marked nearly five decades of sobriety via social media Sunday, regaling his fans with a story of what led him to turn his life around. The two-time Oscar-winner, who turns 87 Tuesday, said on Instagram that a 1975 incident convinced him to stop drinking, noting, 'Forty-nine years ago today, I stopped.' The iconic Welsh actor admitted he 'was having such fun' until he 'realized' he was 'in big, big trouble' as he 'couldn't remember anything' and 'was driving a car drunk out of [his] skull.' Hopkins, known for playing the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in multiple films, said the near-tragedy led him to seek support to deal with his addiction to alcohol . 'Then, on that fatal day, I realized I needed help - so I got it,' said the Nixon actor. 'I phoned up a group of people like me - alcoholic. And that was it - sober. Anyway, I've had more fun these 49 years than ever.' Hopkins told more than 5.3 million followers that help is available for those in search of it. Anthony Hopkins, 86, marked nearly five decades of sobriety via social media Sunday, regaling his fans with a story of what led him to turn his life around 'If you do have a problem - having fun is wonderful, having a drink is fine - but if you are having a problem with the booze, there is help,' Hopkins said. 'It's not a terrible deal - it's a condition if you're allergic to alcohol, get some help, there's plenty of help around. 'One thing I didn't realize, that I was not unique. There are thousands of people around like me - anyway, I got sober and, it sounds a dull word, but I've had a wonderful life.' Read More Anthony Hopkins shares New Year's message while celebrating 48 years of sobriety He added: They still employ me, they still give me jobs. I'm going to be 87 in two days now.' The actor captioned the clip, 'One day at a time. 49 years. Life is in session.' Hopkins wrapped up in saying, 'So I'm celebrating my long life - unexpectedly long life.' He added, 'So if you have a problem, you know where to go. Phone any intergroup, 12-step program, whatever you could do - because it is a killer - with that, happy new year!' Hopkins has had a busy year professionally, amid a number of professional endeavors. He provided the voice of Jimmy in the Zack Snyder film Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver, which debuted on Netflix in April; and played the role of Vespasian on the 10-episode Peacock series Those About to Die, which debuted in July. The actor was pictured in 1975, the year he said he confronted his alcoholism problems Hopkins told more than 5.3 million followers that help is available for those in search of it Earlier this month, he played the role of Herod in the Netflix drama Mary opposite Noa Cohen. Hopkins won his first Academy Award for his portrayal of Lecter in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. The film also won the Best Picture, Best Actress for Jodie Foster and Best Director for the late Jonathan Demme, among other honors, at the 1992 Oscars . He reprised the role in 2001's Hannibal opposite Julianne Moore , and 2002's Red Dragon opposite Edward Norton . Hopkins won his second Best Actor Oscar for 2021's The Father opposite Olivia Colman for filmmaker Florian Zeller. Anthony Hopkins Share or comment on this article: Anthony Hopkins reveals near-death experience 49 years ago which turned his life upside down e-mail Add commentWATCH the incredible unearthed footage that shows the world's first autonomous car in action, and it's not one of Elon Musk's Teslas. Decades before self-driving cars were unleashed to the public a 1986 vehicle was moving without a human at the wheel. Musk is typically dubbed as the person who brought out self-driving vehicles. Decades before Musk's Tesla company was created a German man brought driverless vehicles onto European roads. Ernst Dickmanns, a German scientist, developed a vehicle that was able to navigate roads on its own. A group of German engineers came together in the 1980s to transform a Mercedes van, bought by Ernst. Read more on cars The team took eight years to build their technological phenomenon and it hit the roads in 1986. This van was filled with sensors that could detect cars, people, and objects around it. The modified Mercedes was able to identify up to six items and obstructions at any one time. The special car reached up to 59mph and was able to change lanes and stop on its own. Most read in Motors Despite his successes, Ernst's plans were initially doubted at the German university where he ran his tests, according to Politico . The scientist started out as an aerospace engineer but set his sights on revolutionizing the car world. Ernst said: “The colleagues at the university said, well, he’s an oddball, but he’s got a track record [of achievements in aerospace technology,] so let’s just let him do it." His modified van became the first self-driving car when it rode on a skidpan on the university campus. He upped the stakes when he sent his creation down the unopened autobahn at top speeds. Ernst then said he was approached by German carmaker Daimler to get a self-driving car on a busy Parisian road. The creator revealed he found this proposition to be "absurd" but eventually agreed to take on the challenge. The autonomous car picked up a group of elite visitors from Charles de Gaulle Airport and drove onto an open motorway where it was switched to self-drive mode. Ernst's creation was able to switch lanes on its own, while an engineer remained behind the wheel in case something went wrong. One of the engineers said: “Sometimes, we would take our hands off the wheel." This remarkable team even took one of their self-driving creations on a long ride from Southern Germany to Denmark . Despite its successes, this car did not become mainstream due to a lack of funding from Daimler. BIG CHANGES Driverless cars are slowly becoming more and more normal on our roads. Self-driving taxis have become a controversial part of San Francisco, as the Waymo robo-cabs don't even have a driver behind these wheels for emergencies. READ MORE SUN STORIES In February, a large crowd set one of these autonomous taxis alight in a fiery blaze in the middle of the major city. Chilling footage showed an aggressive mob surrounding the white vehicle as plumes of back smoke soared into the sky.

Jaylon Johnson isn't interested in bright spots with the Bears' skid at 5 games

Ukraine said it received 150 sets of SpaceX's Starlink from Poland hours before Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk told the U.S. to pay for the high-speed internet services because it can no longer afford to give it to Ukraine for free. What Happened: Ukrainian Ministry of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories said the Starlink sets would allow it to quickly restore communication until the damaged infrastructure is rebuilt in the liberated regions. See Also : Elon Musk’s ‘Special Administrative Zone’ Remarks Anger Taiwan’s Military, Says No More Tesla ‘Purchases’ "Some of them are intended for mobile operators and Internet providers. Currently, mobile operators have restored 27 mobile base stations in the Kharkiv region and continue to restore others," it added. This came days after Musk drew massive flak on social media , including from Ukrainian officials for polling his followers on what would be the most likely outcome of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Following his tweet, Ukraine’s outgoing ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk , sharply replied to Musk. “F**k off is my very diplomatic reply to you, Elon Musk,” he said. Musk later defended it to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and said he supports Kyiv. "I still very much support Ukraine, but am convinced that massive escalation of the war will cause great harm to Ukraine and possibly the world," he said. The billionaire entrepreneur early Friday on Twitter said SpaceX could not “indefinitely” fund the Starlink internet service in Ukraine and send it several thousand more terminals.. Check out more of Benzinga’s Europe and Asia coverage by following this link . © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer's use of its vintage sports logos and images. A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages on Wednesday over products made and sold by Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc., two firms co-founded by former minor league baseball player Chad Hartvigson. Penn State accused them of selling “counterfeit” clothing and accessories, while the defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with the university. At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, including Purdue, Stanford and UCLA, Penn State said in its 2021 lawsuit. However, the Penn State case was the first to go to trial and seen by some as a test case in the sports merchandising industry. “It addresses an important issue with trademark law — whether or not the mark owner is able to prevent third parties from using its marks on T-shirts and paraphernalia without permission,” said Tiffany Gehrke, a trademark lawyer in Chicago who was not involved in the case. The verdict, she said, maintains the status quo, while a victory for Vintage Brand “could have shaken things up.” It followed a six-day trial in federal court in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann. Defense lawyers declined to comment on the verdict and whether their clients planned to appeal. Penn State, in a statement, called its trademarks “critical” to the school's brand, and said it was grateful for the verdict. “The university appreciates this result as it relates to the many hundreds of licensees with whom the university works and who go through the appropriate processes to use Penn State’s trademarks," the statement said. Founded in 1855, Penn State adopted the Nittany Lion as its mascot in 1904 and has been using various images of the animal, along with the school's seal and other logos, for decades, the lawsuit said. The school now has more than 100,000 students at 24 campuses. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!The hits keep coming for Justin Baldoni, as it’s been revealed that the disgraced actor’s own publicist couldn’t “stand” him and found him to be “unlikable,” even as she still allegedly agreed to help him wage a “smear campaign” against his co-star Blake Lively. The Daily Beast reported Wednesday that publicist Jennifer Abel’s apparent animosity towards Baldoni was revealed in text messages she exchanged with colleagues as she prepared to help him boost his public image and his work on the film, “It Ends With Us,” according to a new lawsuit filed against Baldoni and the publicist. Baldoni directed the dramatic film about domestic violence, based on Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel, and starred as an attractive doctor who becomes abusive to his wife, played by Blake Lively. “I can’t stand (Baldoni),” Abel allegedly wrote in a Jan. 14, 2024, text message, the Daily Beast reported. “He’s so pompous.” In another message sent on the same day, Abel also wrote: “He needs to be humbled. When this movie flops, he’s going to try to blame every person around him for it.” “He may fire us because even if we put together an amazing campaign, it’s not going to change the fact that he’s so unlikable and unrealistic as a leading man,” Abel allegedly wrote in yet another text message, according to the Daily Beast. Abel is being sued by her former boss, Hollywood power publicist Stephanie Jones, for breach of contract and defamation, according to the Daily Beast and other outlets . The CEO alleged in the lawsuit filed Tuesday that Baldoni originally hired her PR company, Joneswork, to represent him, with Abel assigned to be the company’s point person for Baldoni and his studio, Wayfarer. Jones said that Baldoni signed a one-year contract with Joneswork for $25,000 a month, The Hollywood Reporter said . But in August, just as “It Ends With Us” was released theatrically, Baldoni dropped Jones’ firm and followed Abel to her newly launched PR firm. Jones alleges that she fired Abel after learning that Abel had been stealing documents from her firm as she prepared to start her own business, the New York Times also reported . When Abel left the company, she handed over her phone, which allowed Jones and her legal team to uncover a trove of messages that revealed that Abel had been working with Melissa Nathan, a crisis communications manager, on a retaliation campaign against Lively to boost Baldoni’s image, according to the Times and the Daily Beast. Jones’ lawsuit alleges that Abel and Nathan “secretly coordinated with Baldoni and Wayfarer to implement an aggressive media smear campaign” against Lively behind Jones’ back. Jones’ lawsuit was filed three days after Lively filed her own blockbuster complaint against Baldoni, alleging sexual harassment on the set of the film. In her complaint, filed with the California Civil Rights Department, Lively also alleged that Baldoni, Wayfarer and their public relationships representatives — Abel and Nathan — engaged in a “social manipulation” campaign to “destroy” her reputation, as The Hollywood Reporter explained. With the release of “It Ends With Us,” Baldoni allegedly feared that Lively’s allegations about his on-set behavior would be revealed, according to the New York Times. In response, Abel and Nathan began “to formulate a no-holds-barred strategy to discredit and suppress any potential revelations about Baldoni’s on-set behavior” to boost the actor’s profile. But even as Abel and Nathan sought to glorify Baldoni, Abel privately showed her disdain for him, according to the Daily Beast. Jones alleges that Abel and Nathan were motivated to carry out the alleged smear campaign by “avarice” and not because of “any sincere appreciation for Baldoni.” In the text exchange in which Abel called Baldoni “pompous,” she also complained that the actor wanted to go off on a “men’s retreat” over the summer, just as the film was being released. Over the past few years, Baldoni has built a personal brand around positioning himself as a #MeToo ally, who writes and speaks about the harm caused by toxic masculinity and men’s failure to embrace their vulnerability. In another series of text messages exchanged between Abel and an anonymous person on Jan. 13, 2024, the publicist described a kissing scene between Baldwin and Lively in the film as “so cringey,” the Daily Beast reported. When the recipient replied by saying, “Blake was probably grossed out too,” Abel allegedly responded: “Yeah and filed a cease and desist.” Abel appears to be referring to the sexual harassment allegations Lively raised against Baldoni. In her complaint, Lively said she detailed her concerns about Baldoni during an “all-hands” meeting with him and producers in early January 2024. With her husband, Ryan Reynolds, also present, Lively alleged that Baldoni improvised unwanted kissing and intimate touching while filming scenes. She also claimed that he discussed his own sex life and porn addiction and that both he and Heath repeatedly entered her makeup trailer uninvited while she was undressed, including when she was breastfeeding. The Daily Beast said that Abel’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Jones’ lawsuit. Earlier in the week, Freedman categorically denied the allegations in Lively’s suit, writing in a statement that the suit is “completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious.” He also described it as “yet another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ (Lively’s) negative reputation which was garnered from her own remarks and actions during the campaign for the film.” Since news of Lively’s allegations against Baldoni broke over the weekend, the “Jane the Virgin” alum has faced cascading consequences, according to the New York Times. The powerhouse talent agency, William Morris Endeavor, dropped him as a client, while author Hoover and “It Ends With Us” cast members Jenny Slate and Brandon Sklenar voiced public support for Lively. Earlier this week, Liz Plank, who has co-hosted the “Man Enough” podcast with Baldoni and Heath, announced she would no longer be appearing on the show. Moreover, Vital Voices, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering women, rescinded an “ally” award it had presented to Baldoni earlier this month for “advocating on behalf of women and girls.”

Article content The protest in Montreal last Friday that descended into violence wasn’t just a failure of leadership from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Pierre Poilievre insists, it was yet another sign that the Liberal government is on its last legs. Speaking to The Gazette, the federal Conservative leader framed last week’s unrest as a symptom of a country unravelling under Trudeau’s nearly decade-long tenure. “It is another confirmation of how everything is broken after nine years of Trudeau’s radical woke agenda,” Poilievre said. The pro-Palestinian, anti-NATO protest, which saw windows smashed and clashes with police, led to three arrests. Montreal police have indicated that more arrests are expected. It also came just before Trudeau’s attendance at a Taylor Swift concert, sparking uproar on social media. Trudeau condemned the protest on X on Saturday at noon. Speaking Monday at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Montreal, he said violent protesters should be “pursued and punished.” “I must reiterate how deplorable it was to see the violence and demonstrations here in Montreal on Friday night,” Trudeau told approximately 300 NATO delegates. “We must ensure that the laws are respected and that there are consequences for all those responsible.” However, Poilievre accused Trudeau of neglecting his responsibilities during a moment of crisis. “I have no problem with him taking his kids to a concert. That’s everyone’s right,” Poilievre said. “But part of the job of being prime minister is you get called away from important family and other functions to do your job.” When asked if he would leave a concert under similar circumstances, Poilievre was unequivocal: “Yes.” “He has a travelling team that sets up an on-site office everywhere he goes. He should have said, ‘I’m going to put my friendship bracelets down, get my national security officials on the line, and discuss how we can respond to this chaos,’” Poilievre said. “Instead, he danced around.” Montreal police reported no antisemitic acts during Friday’s protest, but tensions had risen earlier in the week when a woman was filmed making Nazi salutes and invoking Holocaust rhetoric . Last week’s protests and political fallout come at a precarious time for the Liberals, whose standing in national polls has steadily eroded. Even in Liberal stronghold Montreal, local races appear more competitive. Recent polls show Conservative candidates closing in on traditionally secure Liberal ridings. In the Mount Royal constituency, Conservative Neil Oberman is now two points behind incumbent Liberal Anthony Housefather — the Liberals previously won this seat by more than 30 points in the last election. LaSalle—Émard—Verdun’s byelection last month saw Liberal candidate Laura Palestini, who lost to Bloc Québécois candidate Louis-Philippe Sauvé, avoid featuring Trudeau’s image in her campaign materials. Poilievre tied Trudeau’s declining popularity to a range of national issues, saying rising rent, crime, and protests like Friday’s have ruptured Trudeau’s image. Poilievre said he believes in a common-sense approach to preventing future unrest, emphasizing stricter immigration screening, tougher penalties for violent protesters, and stronger safeguards for places of worship. “I plan to ask Montrealers a question: You’ve given Justin Trudeau and the Liberals your total loyalty for over a decade. What have you got? It’s clear what he’s getting. He’s getting power. But what do you get as a Montrealer?” hnorth@postmedia.com

Full-size Chevys got a total makeover for 1965Secluded private island where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had romantic getaway hits the market for $80 million The royal couple spent a night on the island back in 2018 The island includes an 800 acre resort, three villas, a golf course and more READ MORE: Prince Harry reveals why he'll never leave the U.S. By DEAN MURRAY Published: 23:27, 6 December 2024 | Updated: 23:31, 6 December 2024 e-mail View comments The paradise island on which Harry and Meghan were said to have had a secret getaway is up for sale for $79.5 million. Exotic property broker Vladi Private Islands' say the listing - dubbed the Ultimate Package and billed as the perfect Christmas present - features Kaibu Island in Fiji 's Lau archipelago. The then newly-married couple were reported to have spent the night at the idyllic tropical hideaway in a break from engagements on a 2018 royal tour. The island includes an 800 acre resort, three villas, an airstrip, an aircraft, a golf course, and is the only private island worldwide to include its own submarine from U-Boat Worx. The land-based operations run on solar and 'follow organic standards', while a desalination plant supplies portable water for the entire island. There is also six miles of compacted aggregate roads in the event you manage to get a car there. Farhad Vladi, CEO of Vladi Private Islands, said: 'Christmas is just around the corner and the race to buy the perfect present is well and truly on. But what to buy for a person who already has it all? Enter our new Ultimate Package. 'Kaibu Island is the ultimate destination for discerning discoverers. The island itself is perhaps the most complete private island property available today. Kaibu Island on which Harry and Meghan were said to have had a secret getaway is up for sale for $79.5 million The then newly-married couple were reported to have spent the night at the idyllic tropical hideaway in a break from engagements on a 2018 royal tour 'With the addition of the U-Boat Worxsubmarine and the Twin Otter aircraft, we are proud to present a package unlike any other on the market.' Roy Heijdra, Marketing Manager at U-Boat Worx, said: 'We are thrilled to be part of this extraordinary offering. Our submersibles are designed to open up the wonders of the underwater world, providing an unparalleled combination of safety, innovation, and luxury. 'With Kaibu Island as the ultimate base for exploration, this package sets a new benchmark for adventure and exclusivity.' In 2018, Hello! reported Harry and Meghan having stayed at the ultra-luxurious Vatuvara Private Island resort on Kaibu during their first royal tour. The couple spent 16 days travelling around Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand, fitting in 76 engagements. Harry declared this week that he has no plans to return to the UK because his family are so happy in Montecito. The Sussexes' A-list neighbour Katy Perry has agreed to perform at the Invictus Games while friends Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry are also among other supporters living in the celebrity-heavy enclave of California. But it appears that not all locals are happy with the couple , with one claiming the Duchess of Sussex is more aloof than her husband, who is 'jolly' but not fully involved with the locals either. The island includes an 800 acre resort, three villas, an airstrip, an aircraft, a golf course, and is the only private island worldwide to include its own submarine from U-Boat Worx The land-based operations run on solar and 'follow organic standards', while a desalination plant supplies portable water for the entire island. 'Kaibu Island is the ultimate destination for discerning discoverers. The island itself is perhaps the most complete private island property available today,' the island's owner said Neighbours and locals in Montecito have spoken about the couple's life there - and admit they don't often see them, unless Harry is on his bike followed by his security team. There are also questions about their 'elitist' lifestyle. Richard Mineards, one of their near-neighbours, has said they are not an 'asset' to the wealthy community. 'I personally don't think that Meghan is an asset to our community... She doesn't really go out or get involved with the community,' he said. 'Harry has to a certain extent, because he's quite jolly...but Meghan doesn't seem to get seen anywhere.... And you don't see him either.' Mr Mineards was speaking to a new German documentary, called 'Harry: The Lost Prince'. Earlier this year MailOnline revealed how Prince Harry spends his time pootling on his bike followed a security team in a Range Rover and walks his dog alone on the beach when not in the home office he shares with Meghan Markle or doing his daily meditations. The Duke of Sussex is rumoured to have made overtures via friends and intermediaries about a return to the royal fold - but only if he receives an apology from his older brother. However, insiders have pushed back on going back to royal duties - and shared details of his enviable and very quiet life in California's Montecito with Meghan and their two children. When away from his computer Harry speaks with staff and walks his garden enjoying the birds sandwiched between taking Archie to and from school. There is a long meditation in his diary each day - and often a workout with a personal trainer. One declared: 'They keep themselves to themselves. I haven't seen Harry around much. Normally when you see him around here, he's walking his Labrador on the beach or on his bicycle followed by his security in a Range Rover'. Outside the confines of their mansion, he enjoys a solo bike ride on his own with his bodyguards following behind or alongside in their SUV - part of the biggest security team in the area, one local said. There are mixed reports about his happiness. One ally recently said Harry is 'doing great' - but others claim he has become an 'angry boy' who is 'more and more isolated in California'. Meghan appears to stick to a small and loyal group of friends. She is said to have joined a local mahjong group, stops to speak to locals in the street or shops and has bonded with other celeb-locals. Fiji Meghan Markle California Share or comment on this article: Secluded private island where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had romantic getaway hits the market for $80 million e-mail Add comment

A wave of share buybacks has swept through the A-share market this year, driven by a series of policy incentives and guidance. A total of 2,153 listed companies have carried out buybacks so far in 2024, totaling 165.74 billion yuan ($22.71 billion), economic news site cls.cn reported on Sunday. During the past week, 26 public companies have disclosed updates on buybacks, share increases, and related refinancing activities, cls.cn reported. In terms of buyback, 12 listed companies have repurchased over 1 billion yuan each. Video surveillance company Hikvision leads the pack with a buyback totaling 3.02 billion yuan, followed by biotech service providers WuXi AppTec at 3 billion yuan. Hikvision's recent announcements revealed that the total value of its buyback plan will range from 2 billion to 2.5 billion yuan. The buyback will be carried out through centralized bidding, with a maximum price of 40 yuan per share. The funds will be sourced from the company's own capital and a special loan for share repurchases. The People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, in collaboration with the National Financial Regulatory Administration and the China Securities Regulatory Commission, issued a notice on October 18 to establish a stock buyback and share increase refinancing program. This aims to encourage financial institutions to provide loans to eligible listed companies and major shareholders, supporting their buybacks and share increases, according to the notice. Within three months of the notice's release, 218 A-share companies issued announcements related to the use of the loans, with the maximum loan amount for these activities reaching 49.85 billion yuan, financial service Wind.com revealed. The financing ratio for the loan has been raised to a maximum of 90 percent, a move that is expected to boost market confidence. This measure serves as a key tool for listed companies to enhance investor confidence, Yang Delong, chief economist at Shenzhen-based First Seafront Fund, told the Global Times on Sunday. A-share market companies have also significantly increased their dividend payouts throughout the year. On December 19, the Shanghai Stock Exchange revealed that a total of 481 companies listed on the Shanghai bourse have pledged to pay their shareholders the mid-year dividends, marking a sharp rise of 354 percent from last year.

Browns restructure QB Deshaun Watson's contract to create cap space, flexibility, AP source says

An Argentine horror-fantasy film called is coming to theaters in the U.S. and UK, but the Spanish-language movie doesn't rely on subtitles or English speakers to voice the performances. Instead, AI tools will recreate the original actors' voices and have them speak English. It's a controversial move as it is an actual instance of the frequent warnings about AI taking people's jobs. tells the story of a woman who gets a VR headset for her 18th birthday, which is capable of sending her to an eerie magical school in another world. Directly inspired by Harry Potter, is directed by rising horror star Fabian Forte. The performers speak in Spanish for the film, which usually means for non-Spanish-speaking audiences, subtitles or voice actors hired to dub the movie. Instead, the English dialogue sounds like the original actors, dubbed into English using AI. The technology translates and synchronizes the characters' voices to mimic the original tone and emotion of the speech. On the one hand, it's a way to preserve the original performance. It's also cheaper, which makes global distribution of independent films more feasible. And there's certainly demand for this kind of technology. Companies like Papercup, DeepDub, DubFormer, ElevenLabs, and other companies have all pioneered their own version of the same translate and re-dub tools. Most are still in early rollout or are aimed more at marketing and individually made videos. But there's a growing interest in what AI voices can do for films. That's one reason the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) went on strike recently and required certain guarantees from production companies before agreeing to a new contract. AI dubbing Voice actors understandably have been outspoken critics of AI dubbing. It removes opportunities for professionals who know how to evoke the right emotion and match the cadence of dialogue in other languages, even if they don't sound exactly like the original performers. That can be a good thing since AI can't do subtext, or play with complexities, let alone be spontaneous with adjusting line readings. There are also questions of consent and compensation when using AI. Do the original actors get the right to refuse an AI voice clone? Do they get paid for each additional language their voice clone performs? Some performers with real power in Hollywood have already taken a stand. Robert Downey Jr. from beyond the grave should a studio deploy an AI clone of his voice or appearance. California has passed a law prohibiting the unauthorized use of AI clones, but who knows how that will impact cinema globally. On the other hand, to let Disney use his voice for future Darth Vader projects before his recent passing. His contract details how and when his AI voice clone may be used, but the template is there. These questions may not apply to , as it is a relatively niche film made with a non-Hollywood budget looking for wider reach. However, should it prove to be a success, it's easy to imagine other indie filmmakers around the world making a similar decision.Balancing the demands of working or running a business, all whilst raising a family is no easy task. Choosing the right city can make all the difference for working parents. This is particular so in the U.S. A recent CoworkingCafe study has ranked the top 20 U.S. cities that offer the best combination of career prospects, childcare availability, and quality of life. What an individual’s daily life looks like depends in large part on where they live. How far do we have to travel to get to work and to school? How close are the nearest parks and paediatricians? These are essential questions for many families. To gather the necessary data, the company focused on U.S. cities with at least 200,000 residents that had data for all metrics analysed. Data points were analysed comparatively with the extreme values within the data pool determining the highest and lowest possible scores for each metric. Taking these data sets, Coworking Cafe proceeded to examine and then to rank cities on the basis of 10 metrics that were divided into three categories: education, work and health, and environment. The top ten cities were: The data reveals that Washington, D.C. topped the ranking with high scores in both the work and health categories, with 25 percent of its workforce being remote and registering 350 paediatricians per 100,000 children. Seattle, WA, ranked second nationally due to its high share of remote workers at 27 percent of the total workforce, on top of 80 percent of the jobs here being office-related. Coming third on the list, Arlington, VA, features relatively high due to a strong work environment, also recording a 27% share of remote workers out of the total workforce, as well as an 85 percent share of office jobs. In terms of cities demonstrating key advantages in specific categories, the survey finds that Plano, TX, led in the affordable childcare category with only 10 percent of the median household income spent on childcare. On a different measure, Miami, FL, ranked first in terms of accessible educational facilities, logging more than 400 public schools per 100,000 children. Overall, the West stood out with eight locations in the top 20, while the South closely followed with seven. Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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viewers called a "queen" and a "superwoman" for "smashing" the bushtucker trial which quit. The dancer earned eight out of nine stars in the Egyptian sarcophagus trial the Radio 1 presenter quit by saying "I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!" Mabuse remained calm throughout the trial, in which McCullough screamed and gave up after two questions. Afterwards she humbly said she had got "redemption for Dean" by completing the trial. Fans were in awe of Mabuse's strength and calm during the trial and for winning so many meals for the camp. Mabuse, 34, correctly answered a series of Egypt-theme trivia questions while trapped in a sarcophagus with her legs and body buried in sand and her head covered in live mealworms, crickets, beetles, cockroaches, scorpions beach, worms and green ants. Before covering her head with beetles hosts asked her: "This is where Dean quit the trial by calling 'I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!', do you want to continue." Mabuse remained calm and still throughout the trial, answering the questions thoughtfully and catching stars in her mouth before posting them though an opening in the box around her head. Only when the trial was over did she allow herself to scream and try to shake the insects and creepy crawlies from her hair. She squealed: "Oh my God! There is something in there! Do you know what, my worst nightmare. The ants bite you. The worms crawl up your nose. Aaaaaah!" Afterwards she said: "I got only eight, but that's still pretty good. I'm proud of myself. I got redemption for Dean and I hope he's proud wherever he is with his pina colada in his bubble bath." The sarcophagus trial was and he quit after two questions, only to be helped out of the box shaking by Ant and Dec. Viewers were left in awe of Mabuse's stoic performance and hailed her as a hero. One on social media platform X: "Oti is smashing this. Shows how dramatic Dean was giving up so easily #ImACeleb" Another : "I mean this sarcophagus trial isn’t massively scary... Oti mate. You are a SUPERWOMAN!!" One : "Oti’s composure needs to be studied. She is smashing this challenge #ImACeleb" And another : "Oti is literally a machine! #getitgirl #ImACeleb #ImACelebity" Someone else on Blue Sky: "Not doing a dean, over attention seeking over top drama loads of screaming ... Oti just totally determined ...oh yes!!!! She deserves to be in the final!!!! #ImACeleb" And another viewer : "This trial is HORRIFIC Oti you are a queen #ImACeleb" Another : "OTI THE QUEEN TAKE A BOW GIRL #imaceleb"

The Law Office of Purav Bhatt: Over a Decade of Excellence in Criminal Defense and Federal Cases in IllinoisPEP GUARDIOLA hit back at claims he has fallen out with Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian, 33, was out of the Manchester City side for two months with a groin injury but only made the bench for the last five matches. When left out of the starting line-up in Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Liverpool, pundit Jamie Carragher said it was “sad” and “something isn’t right between those two”. But sarcastic Guardiola snapped: “People say I have a problem with Kevin. Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? “No, I don’t want Kevin to play. The guy who has the most talent in the final third — I don’t want it! “Yes, I have a personal problem with him after nine years together.” Pundit Gary Neville had claimed it was “bizarre and strange” to see KDB benched at Anfield. The ex-Manchester United star argued “something is definitely going on in the dressing room”. While Gary Lineker and former City defender Micah Richards also felt there could be an issue. But De Bruyne said last week that he was struggling as he felt pain when he kicked the ball due to his niggling problem. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS The Belgian spent much of the last two seasons on the treatment table. And ahead of hosting Nottingham Forest on Wednesday, boss Guardiola says he cannot afford to rush him back — even though he is “desperate” to play him. The Spaniard explained: “He has delivered to me the biggest success to this club. “But De Bruyne was injured for five months last season — and two months injured. “Like last season, it’s step by step. He’ll try to do it and feel better. I’m desperate to have him back to his best.” De Bruyne feels he is now nearing full fitness — with his manager saying he took a big step forward in recent days. But Guardiola warned his return to the starting line-up will not solve all City’s problems after an extraordinary run of six defeats in seven matches. He added: “I’d love to have Kevin in his prime, 26 or 27. He’d love it, too. But he is not 26 or 27 anymore. "He had injuries in the past, important and long ones. He is a guy who needs to be physically fit for his space and energy. “But you think I’m complaining for that? It’s just normal — it’s nature. He has played ten or 11 seasons of football with a lot of games. “I know he is desperate to help us — he gives glimpses of brilliance that only he can have. “But always I have said, he himself will not solve our problems.” De Bruyne will be hoping to play some part as City look to halt their slump against Forest. Asked if the veteran was ready, Guardiola said: “He’s closer and getting better. The last few days was even better.”Rubrik's chief revenue officer sells $1.6 million in stock