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super console x2 game list expert valuer Hilary Kay encountered a supposed rowlock from one of RMS Titanic's 20 lifeboats during the latest episode. Brought to her by a lone gentleman at Beaumaris Castle, she was informed that he'd found the ornamented relic in the garage of the house he'd recently bought, with no proof of its authenticity. Although thrilled to see such a potentially historically significant piece infront of her, Kay regrettably cast it aside as a "mystery". "When I woke up this morning I can assure you I didn't expect to see this, which is a brass rowlock on a board which says 'TITANIC LIFEBOAT NO.3.' So I have to ask you, which member of your family was on the Titanic and obviously survived?" she said, to which the Roadshow guest explained the situation. "Uhh, none of us!" he replied. "We recently purchased a house in Llandudno last year and as we [were] sifting through the house we came across this in the corner of the garage really." Kay went on to reveal that this particular lifeboat could've held 65 passengers, yet only between 36 and 38 individuals were counted when the RMS Carpathia picked it up in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1912. The Titanic's lifeboats were subsequently transported to The White Star Pier in New York, where they remained for six months after the infamous maritime disaster before being dispersed. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could categorically say that this is from Lifeboat No.3 on the Titanic?" continued the specialist. "And if it was, we could be talking about in excess of £50,000 for value. "Although there's probably some fairydust sprinkled over it we can't say it for sure, so I'm afraid we've got to leave it out there as a mystery as to where it ultimately came from." Reacting to this interaction via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), one Antiques Roadshow fan : "It's not from the titanic, mate. Bin it." "Mass produced Titanic lifeboat item copy," . “If we could prove this was from the Titanic, it would be worth in excess of £50k, but we can’t. So it’s not” What a rollercoaster for that guy — Cath 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@Cathaclysmal) Bloke could be sitting on £50,000, could be a dud, coz they can't confirm if it was on a lifeboat from the Titanic — Jonsta (@Jonsta1990)None

Shopping on Temu can feel like playing an arcade game. Instead of using a joystick-controlled claw to grab a toy, visitors to the online marketplace maneuver their computer mouses or cellphone screens to browse colorful gadgets, accessories and trinkets with prices that look too good to refuse. A pop-up spinning wheel offers the chance to win a coupon. Rotating captions warn that a less than US$2 (HK$15.60) camouflage print balaclava and a US$1.23 skeleton hand back scratcher are "Almost sold out." A flame symbol indicates a US$9.69 plush cat print hoodie is selling fast. A timed-down selection of discounted items adds to the sense of urgency. Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit that will have faded by the time your package arrives is always just a click away. It is an accelerating age for consumerism, one that Temu, which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Shein, its fierce rival, supercharged with social media savvy and an interminable assortment of cheap goods, most shipped directly from merchants in China based on real-time demand. The business models of the two platforms, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising, have enabled them to give Western retailers a run for their money this holiday shopping season. Lisa Xiaoli Neville, a nonprofit manager who lives in Los Angeles, is sold on Shein. The bedroom of her home is stocked with jeans, shoes, press-on nails and other items from the ultra-fast fashion retailer, all of which she amassed after getting on the platform to purchase a US$2 pair of earrings she saw in a Facebook ad. Neville, 46, estimates she spends at least US$75 a month on products from Shein. A US$2 eggshell opener, a portable apple peeler and an apple corer - both costing less than US$5 - are among the quirky, single-use kitchen tools taking up drawer space. She acknowledges she doesn't need them because she "doesn't even cook like that." Plus, she's allergic to apples. "I won't eat apples. It will kill me," Neville said, laughing. "But I still want the coring thing." Shein primarily targets young women through partnerships with social media influencers. But the Shein-focused content also includes videos of TikTokers saying they're embarrassed to admit they shopped there and critics lashing out at fans for not taking into account the environmental harms or potential labor abuses associated with products that are churned out and shipped worldwide at a speedy pace. Neville has already picked out holiday gifts for family and friends from the site. Most of the products in her online cart cost under US$10, including graphic T-shirts she intends to buy for her son and jeans and loafers for her daughter. All told, she plans to spend about US$200 on gifts, significantly less than US$500 she used to shell out at other stores in prior years. "The visuals just make you want to spend more money," she said, referring to the clothes on Shein's site. "They're very cheap and everything is just so cute." Unlike Shein, Temu's appeal cuts across age groups and gender. The platform is the world's second most-visited online shopping site, software company Similarweb reported. Customers go there looking for practical items like doormats and silly products like a whiskey flask shaped like a vintage cellphone from the 1990s. Temu recently advertised Black Friday bargains for some items at upward of 70 percent off the recommended retail price. Making a purchase can quickly result in receiving dozens of e-mails offering free giveaways. The caveat: customers have to buy more products. Both Shein and Temu have set up warehouses in the United States to speed up delivery times and help them better compete with Amazon, which, in turn, is trying to erode their price advantage through a new storefront that also ships products directly from China. ASSOCIATED PRESSWASHINGTON — As several of President-elect Donald Trump’s choices for high-level positions in his incoming administration face scrutiny on Capitol Hill, a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that Americans have their own doubts. Relatively few Americans overall approve of Pete Hegseth, Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Defense, or Tulsi Gabbard, his pick for intelligence chief, although a substantial share doesn’t know who those figures are. The other selections who were included in the poll, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary and Marco Rubio for secretary of state, are more well-known but not much more popular among Americans overall. Trump and his allies are pushing Republican senators to confirm his picks, who are meeting with lawmakers before Trump returns to the White House next month. Given the Republicans’ slim majority in the Senate, the stakes are high for each Trump pick. Only about 2 in 10 Americans approve of Hegseth’s nomination An Army veteran and former Fox News commentator, Hegseth has been trying to make his case amid allegations of excessive drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. Trump has reiterated his support for Hegseth, who appears to have won over some of the senators who were once critical of his selection. Hegseth is still an unknown quantity for many Americans. About 4 in 10 don’t know enough about him to give an opinion, according to the poll. But his selection is viewed more negatively than positively among Americans who do know who he is. About 2 in 10 U.S. adults approve of Hegseth being picked for Trump’s Cabinet, while 36% disapprove and about 1 in 10 don’t know enough to have an opinion. He has higher support among Republicans, but it’s not overwhelming. Many Republicans do not have an opinion of Hegseth: About 4 in 10 say they don’t know enough about him. About one-third of Republicans approve of him as a pick, and 16% disapprove. Another 1 in 10 Republicans, roughly, are neutral and say they neither approve nor disapprove. Those approval numbers among Republicans are at least slightly lower for Hegseth than any of the other names included in the poll. Approval of Gabbard’s nomination is also low Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in the House for four terms as a Democrat, sought the 2020 presidential nomination before leaving her party. She was one of Trump’s most sought-after surrogates in the 2024 campaign. Gabbard has faced new questions about her proximity to Syria amid the sudden end of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s long hold on power. Gabbard is as unknown as Hegseth is, but Americans are a little less likely to disapprove of her nomination. About 2 in 10 Americans approve of Trump’s pick of Gabbard, while about 3 in 10 disapprove. The rest either do not know enough to say — about 4 in 10 said this — or have a neutral view. Approval is slightly higher among Republicans than Hegseth’s, though. About 4 in 10 Republicans approve of the choice, while very few disapprove and 16% have a neutral view. Similar to Americans overall, about 4 in 10 Republicans don’t know enough to say. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is better known — and less well-liked A scion of a famous Democratic dynasty, Kennedy made a name in his own right as an environmental attorney who successfully took on large corporations. In recent decades, he has increasingly devoted his energy to promoting claims about vaccines that contradict the overwhelming consensus of scientists. Trump has said he would give Kennedy free rein over health policy — from drug, vaccine and food safety to medical research and the social safety net programs Medicare and Medicaid. Only 14% of Americans say they don’t know enough to have an opinion about Trump’s move to name Kennedy, but that greater name recognition doesn’t translate into warmer feelings. About 4 in 10 Americans disapprove of Trump’s selection of Kennedy, while about 3 in 10 approve and 14% are neutral. Once a contender for the Democratic presidential primary, Kennedy has become something of a GOP darling, with a strong majority of Republicans approving of him joining the Trump administration. About 6 in 10 Republicans approve, and only about 1 in 10 disapprove. About 2 in 10 are neutral, and about 1 in 10 don’t know enough about him to say. Americans split on Marco Rubio In his third Senate term from Florida, Rubio has gone from a Trump rival for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination to one of his staunchest congressional allies. Rubio is seen as having the incoming president’s ear on foreign policy issues, particularly related to Latin America. Americans are divided about Rubio being elevated to a key Cabinet role: About 3 in 10 approve, and a similar share disapprove, while about 2 in 10 don’t know enough to say and 15% neither approve nor disapprove. Most Republicans, nearly 6 in 10, approve, making his selection nearly as popular with this group as Kennedy’s. Only about 1 in 10 Republicans disapprove, while 14% are neutral and about 2 in 10 don’t know enough to say. Rubio, who is Cuban American, earns higher approval among Hispanic adults than some of Trump’s other high-profile choices, but more still disapprove than approve. ——— The poll of 1,251 adults was conducted Dec. 5-9, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points. ———Top Trump adviser Stephen Miller on Sunday morning laid out what policies the president-elect will enact on day one of his second administration and how the first 100 days might shake out. President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Miller to serve as his homeland security adviser and deputy chief of staff for policy in his second administration. Miller served as Trump's director of speechwriting and senior adviser during the first administration. During an appearance on Fox News ' Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo , Miller discussed Trump's agenda starting with what he aims to do from day one, including reforms to border security as well as energy and tax policies, saying the plan is to put these policies on a "fast track." Newsweek reached out to the Trump transition team by email on Sunday morning for comment on Miller's interview. Miller went into greater detail on how the administration plans to actually tackle its massive border reform, which would result from a funding package from Congress that would lead to "the most significant border security investment in American history." The package would allow the government to increase the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) agents through incentives that include "historic" pay raises for agents and "full funding for military operations, full funding for ICE beds, full funding for Air and Marine operations, full funding for all of the barriers and technology that you need to ensure there's never another got away entering this country." "President Trump, regardless, on day one, is going to issue a series of executive orders that seal the border shut and begin the largest deportation operation in American history. But you're talking about what would be the largest investment in immigration and border security," Miller said. He added: "This is something Republicans have been talking about for decades, but with Donald Trump, this is something that is going to happen. It will be the most important and significant, as I said, domestic policy achievement in half a century." Additionally, Miller said that Congress would address a "comprehensive tax reform package" that would deal with State and Local Deductions (SALT) and "different policy baselines that you're going to use for the tax cuts, about corporate tax reform, about trade reform, manufacturing reform, and all those tax policies." "Tax reform will happen," Miller said. "It will happen, and it will be the greatest tax bill that we've ever seen now. These are not final these are ongoing discussions and negotiations. But I just want to be very clear that no one's talking about delaying tax reform." On other policies Miller expects to see in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration, he said: "You're going to have energy reforms, maybe additional border reforms, but the very important point in all this is that with the current size of the majority in the House, there isn't a proposal to pass taxes in February. That's going to take some period of time." Miller continued: "When President Trump comes into office right away, he's going to fully deregulate the energy market, fully deregulate the financial market, fully deregulate this economy. You're going to get a jolt of job growth and job creation and inflation relief from his deregulatory agenda unlike anything anyone has ever seen before."

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DAMASCUS — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capital’s historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey, which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, U.S. officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria’s new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has worked to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad’s fall and concerned about extremist jihadis among the rebels. Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS’s leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after, we will work to build this country, and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed the historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital’s old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. Syrian state television reported that the sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world’s oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria were tightly controlled under Assad’s rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. “I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011,” because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.” Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come. But there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.” Blocks away in Damascus’ biggest roundabout, named Umayyad Square, thousands gathered, including many families with small children — a sign of how, so far at least, the country’s transformation has not caused violent instability. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” the crowd chanted. Some shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centers of Assad’s security forces. One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine — originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted — said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze.” The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition’s enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels were bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Similar scenes of joy unfolded in other major cities, including in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Raqqa. Al-Sharaa, HTS’ leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will impose a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds. Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria’s Kurds. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s Embassy in Damascus would reopen Saturday for the first time since 2012, when it closed due to the Syrian civil war. The U.S. has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad’s fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. It has also seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the U.S. on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an “interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey’s borders a terrorist group, as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the U.S. A U.S. official said that in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan both told Blinken that Kurdish attacks on Turkish positions would require a response. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic talks. The U.S. has been trying to limit such incidents in recent days and had helped organize an agreement to prevent confrontations around the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which was taken by Turkey-backed opposition fighters from the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces earlier this week. In Baghdad, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, saying both countries wanted to ensure the Islamic State group — also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh — doesn’t exploit Syria’s transition to re-emerge. “Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out, and we’re determined to make sure that that doesn’t happen,” Blinken said. The U.S. official who briefed reporters said that Blinken had impressed upon al-Sudani the importance of Iraq exercising its full sovereignty over its territory and airspace to stop Iran from transporting weapons and equipment to Syria, either for Assad supporters or onward to the Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Lee reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.Did 'Time' Magazine Choose Adolf Hitler as Its Person of the Year in 1938?Ousted Syrian leader Assad flees to Moscow after fall of Damascus, Russian state media say DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Russia media say ousted Syrian leader Bashar Assad has fled to Moscow and received asylum from his longtime ally. The reports came hours after a stunning rebel advance swept into Damascus to cheers and ended the Assad family’s 50 years of iron rule. Thousands of Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire, joyful after a stifling, nearly 14-year civil war. But the swiftly moving events raised questions about the future of the country and the wider region. The rebels face the daunting task of healing bitter divisions in a country still split among armed factions. One rebel commander said “we will not deal with people the way the Assad family did." The fall of Bashar Assad after 13 years of war in Syria brings to an end a decades-long dynasty BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian President Bashar Assad has fled the country. Assad’s departure on Sunday brings to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto power in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers. Assad’s exit stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. But faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to his father's brutal tactics to crush dissent. A long stalemate was quickly broken when opposition groups in northwest Syria launched a surprise offensive late last month. Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad? BEIRUT (AP) — Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syria’s President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters. He renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and depicts himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. The extent of that transformation from jihadi extremist to would-be state builder is now put to the test. The 42-year-old al-Golani is labeled a terrorist by the United States. He has not appeared publicly since Damascus fell early Sunday. But he and his insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, stand to be a major player in whatever comes next. Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise US prices and won't rule out revenge prosecutions WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump says he can’t guarantee his promised tariffs on key U.S. foreign trade partners won’t raise prices for American consumers. And he's suggesting once more that some political rivals and federal officials who pursued legal cases against him should be imprisoned. The president-elect made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday. He also touched on monetary policy, immigration, abortion and health care, and U.S. involvement in Ukraine, Israel and elsewhere. Trump often mixed declarative statements with caveats, at one point cautioning “things do change.” The hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO's elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers NEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a targeted attack, not a random one. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of a backpack found in Central Park that they believe was carried by the killer. Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside of a hotel in Manhattan. Trump calls for immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and says a US withdrawal from NATO is possible WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump is pushing Russian leader Vladimir Putin to act to reach an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine. Trump describes it as part of his active efforts as president-elect to end the war despite being weeks from taking office. Trump also said he would be open to reducing military aid to Ukraine and pulling the United States out of NATO. Those are two threats that have alarmed Ukraine, NATO allies and many in the U.S. national security community. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says any deal would have to pave the way to a lasting peace. The Kremlin's spokesman says Moscow is open to talks with Ukraine. South Korean prosecutors detain ex-defense chief over martial law imposition SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have detained a former defense minister who allegedly recommended last week’s brief but stunning martial law imposition to President Yoon Suk Yeol. Local media say that ex-Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun voluntarily appeared on Sunday at a Seoul prosecutors’ office, where he had his mobile phone confiscated and was detained. A law enforcement official says Kim was later sent to a Seoul detention facility. Kim's detention came a day after Yoon avoided an opposition-led bid to impeach him, with most ruling party lawmakers boycotting a floor vote to prevent a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. Gaza health officials say latest Israeli airstrikes kill at least 14 including children DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Palestinian health officials say Israeli airstrikes in central Gaza have killed at least 14 people including children, while the bombing of a hospital in northern Gaza has wounded a half-dozen patients. Israel’s military continues its latest offensive against Hamas militants in northern Gaza, whose remaining Palestinians have been almost completely cut off from the rest of the territory amid a growing humanitarian crisis. One airstrike flattened a residential building in the urban Bureij refugee camp Sunday afternoon. That's according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. Trump's return may be a boon for Netanyahu, but challenges abound in a changed Middle East TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is jubilant about President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House. Trump's first term policies skewed heavily in favor of Israel, and he has picked stalwart Israel supporters for key positions in his administration. But much has transpired since Trump left office in early 2021. The turmoil in the Middle East, the lofty ambitions of Netanyahu’s far-right governing coalition and Netanyahu’s own personal relationship with the president-elect could dampen that enthusiasm and complicate what on the surface looks like a seamless alliance. First 12-team College Football Playoff set, Oregon seeded No. 1 and SMU edges Alabama for last spot SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs (11-2), losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama (9-3) of the SEC but one fewer loss. The first-of-its-kind 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta.

Best Bets for NCAA Basketball Picks Against the Spread for Saturday, November 23CHARLESTON, S.C. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today filed a Form 8-K with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) stating that the Company concluded a material pre-tax noncash impairment charge, which may be up to approximately $415 million , is required for its EVERFI asset group and will be recorded during the fourth quarter of 2024. As previously disclosed, due to EVERFI performing below expectations, Blackbaud is considering a range of alternatives for EVERFI, one of which includes a potential divestiture of the business. The impairment charge was determined to be necessary as part of this process. "To comply with generally accepted accounting principles, we're planning to record this noncash charge in the fourth quarter," said Mike Gianoni , president, CEO and vice chairman of the board of directors. "We want to emphasize that EVERFI remains well positioned to support its customers and continue helping companies dedicated to social impact reach communities through custom education and workplace solutions for today's key issues. In addition, Blackbaud's core business remains strong, and we are committed to helping customers around the world use technology to drive meaningful social impact. As we determine our long-term strategic approach to the EVERFI business, we will continue to provide updates." Additional details can be found in Blackbaud's Form 8-K filed today with the SEC. About Blackbaud Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud's essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud's solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek's list of America's Most Responsible Companies, Quartz's list of Best Companies for Remote Workers, and Forbes' list of America's Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States , Australia , Canada , Costa Rica , India and the United Kingdom , supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com or follow us on X/Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . Media Inquiries media@blackbaud.com Forward-looking Statements Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations and assumptions contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K are forward- looking statements that are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's estimates regarding the impairment charge related to the EVERFI assets. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although we attempt to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the risk factors set forth from time to time in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or upon request from our investor relations department. We assume no obligation and do not intend to update these forward- looking statements, except as required by law. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blackbaud-announces-impairment-charge-related-to-everfi-assets-302330791.html SOURCE Blackbaud

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10'000 Hours Extrapolation is a dangerous tendency in the stock market, and Four Corners ( NYSE: FCPT ) seems to be priced with extrapolation in mind. The restaurant REIT has put together a strong track record of steady, medium-paced growth and with a 16X forward multiple, it seems the market is extrapolating its history. S&P Global Market Intelligence While we believe FCPT is a reasonably well-managed company, it has been operating in an easy-mode environment for most of its history. An inflection point is coming to the restaurant landscape, which could slow growth and potentially upset FCPT’s nearly flawless historical rent collection. This article will discuss the following: FCPT leases, tenants and cashflows Restaurant industry tailwinds becoming headwinds Valuation relative to peers Investment alternatives better positioned than FCPT FCPT niche focus on restaurants Many triple net REITs have some restaurants in their portfolio, but Four Corners intentionally concentrated its portfolio in restaurants, which is a concept I actually like quite a bit. When companies focus their portfolios on specific niches, it allows investors to obtain pinpoint exposure. While at a company level, there is a lack of diversification, investors can create their own diversification. So while FCPT is mostly restaurant, if an investor owns it in a portfolio otherwise not exposed to restaurants, they can still be diversified. As such, I don’t see any problem with FCPT being so concentrated in restaurants and getting roughly half of its revenue from a single tenant (Darden). In fact, the targeted restaurant exposure has been a boon for the company due to the extreme strength of restaurants in the last 5 years, which has contributed to its AFFO/share growth outperformance over peers. FCPT scores well on traditional triple net statistics. Occupancy is full at 99.6% and tenants are consistently paying rent on time. FCPT Long lease terms along with moderate rent escalators provide decent organic growth. One of the sticking points of triple net REITs can be what happens on lease renewal. Some leases are signed above market rates as part of an initial sale-leaseback transaction which can cause poor rent recapture rates on renewal. Thus, we like to check current lease rates against market rates to ensure leases are at or below market. FCPT’s leases are at just over $22 rent per foot which is on the low end and tenant EBITDAR coverage of rent is healthy at just over 5X. Each of these metrics suggests current leases are toward the conservative end which bodes well for maintaining or growing lease income upon renewal. FCPT’s tenant roster is robust. FCPT Note that Darden ( DRI ) owns more brands than just Olive Garden, so FCPT’s exposure to them is even larger than the 35% of rent that comes from Olive Garden locations. This is an unusually concentrated tenant roster compared to other REITs, but both Darden and Longhorn are among the largest and most profitable in the sit-down dining space. The main weakness on the tenant roster is the 1.6% of ABR coming from Red Lobster, which is in the bankruptcy process. All 18 of FCPT’s leases with Red Lobster have been affirmed in hearings which indicates 2 things: Four wall EBITDA coverage is well over 1.0X at these particular locations 18 out of 18 affirmed suggests FCPT’s acquisition underwriting is perspicacious. These particular locations are clearly among the more profitable of Red Lobster’s broader operations. On the liabilities side of the balance sheet, FCPT operates at 5.6X debt to EBITDA, which is right in line with the institutionally “recommended” level for REITs. Some combination of luck and skill allowed FCPT to not have to roll much of its debt during the higher interest rate environment, which has kept its weighted average cost of borrowing at 3.94%. FCPT This has been excellent for cashflows over the past few years, but does risk interest expense increasing going forward. With a 10-year Treasury yield at 4.4% today, debt that rolls will likely have to be refinanced at rates significantly more expensive than the current 3.94%. Below is FCPT’s debt maturity ladder: FCPT Given a generally strong balance sheet and ample cashflows, I don’t see material solvency risk or difficulty in refinancing, but interest expense will likely increase for the next few years as cheap debt rolls to more expensive debt. This will be a slight drag on AFFO/share. Overall, I think FCPT is a solid company with a good track record and above-average property quality. That said, there are 2 main reasons we are bearish on the name. Restaurant tailwinds becoming headwinds Valuation relative to peers Restaurants operating above sustainable levels According to the National Restaurant Association “Restaurant Industry Sales Forecast to Set $1.1 Trillion Record in 2024” The pandemic created a shift in consumer behavior, with a notable inflection point in restaurant sales. FRED Note the clear pre-pandemic trendline and then the upward inflection in slope starting in 2021. This is fueled by an increasing portion of consumers' food dollars being spent out of home. USDA Food away from home shot up after the pandemic. We don’t think this level of restaurant consumption is sustainable. So far, it was fueled by pandemic stimulus checks and dipping into savings. FRED With stimulus checks running out and personal savings rate already near all-time lows, consumers are going to have to tighten somewhere. Restaurant spending tends to be the flex slot of consumption. It is the first to ramp up when consumers are feeling better about their finances, but also the easiest valve to shut off. One can simply eat out less frequently to save money while still largely maintaining one’s lifestyle. Inflation is straining a large portion of Americans, and inflation is particularly potent for restaurants. Food inflation is well above overall CPI. USDA Labor, which is another key input to restaurant costs, is also running hot on inflation. FRED The result is that restaurants have raised prices materially to maintain margins. Consumers have not yet adjusted their behavior in response to the higher prices, and food spending has passed 30% of household income for lower income households. USDA This is not sustainable. Behavior will change. Cracks are already starting to show. Retail REITs are generally very strong right now, but a plethora of retail REITs are reporting weakness, specifically in restaurants. Here is an exchange from the Agree Realty ( ADC ) 3Q24 conference call: Linda Tsai : “There's a headline this morning that Denny's is closing 150 stores. Can you opine on what's happening with the restaurant chain?” Joel N. Agree “I continue to eat at them, not specifically Denny's. But Linda, we've been pretty clear that restaurants are not in our sandbox. Our restaurant exposure is on ground leases. We'll take the building back for free. But specifically, the furnitures, the fixtures, the mechanical, electrical and plumbing, the build-outs all amortized into the rental rates in 1 of the 2 probably most difficult retail business -- retail sectors to operate in the restaurant business is not our forte. Again, we're focused on fungible rectangles here. And generally, those rents are elevated and they're tenant specific. And so our focus has not been in the restaurant space. We didn't acquire one in Q3. I don't anticipate us acquiring one in Q4. We'll continue to enjoy the food and stay away from the real estate.” Linda Tsai “But any general thoughts on why they might be struggling now?” Joel N. Agree “Certainly. I mean, if you look at the elevated labor cost to constrained consumer at the low end, I mean, there's different value propositions here, but elevated labor costs led by the state of California, elevated consumers, also just the elevated consumer preference, frankly, excuse me, for eating at home, utilizing things such as DoorDash and Uber Eats. Those numbers have not come down to pre-COVID levels. And it's a difficult business, undeniably. But I would tell you, it's just not restaurants. What we're seeing today is a shakeout in that post-COVID free money world of retailers that probably had no value proposition in the first place, but had access to cheap capital that elongated their life cycle and we'll see continued elevated bankruptcies now while they have to refinance their ongoing obligations and their sales continue to erode. And so we're going to see that in the pet space, in the office supply space, in the sporting goods space, in the restaurant space. These are things that were inevitably delayed by free capital or nearly free capital that was out there. And now we're seeing the shakeout. And so it's back to capitalism, which I think is healthy.” Joey Agree seems to be quite bearish on restaurants along with a couple other asset types that were propped up by “free money”. CTO Realty ( CTO ) had excellent growth in 3Q24 yet still experienced weakness in restaurants. John James Massocca “Okay. And then maybe bigger picture, have you seen any change just given some of the macroeconomic uncertainty around retailer demand for either their existing space or to kind of take over move-outs or reposition space, et cetera?” John P. Albright (CTO’s CEO) “Not really. I mean, really, the only -- the softness that we're seeing is some of the restaurants, sales are down. And we're definitely monitoring that. But as a commentary on the economy, I would say, on the restaurants, that's where you're seeing more of the challenges and the softness.” Overall, it seems restaurant sales have been at an unsustainably high level and there is some pain ahead in the return to a more normal trend line. Due to FPCT’s greater than 5X tenant EBITDAR coverage of rent, the likely declines in tenant profits are unlikely to directly hurt FCPT’s contractual revenues. However, I see it impacting the REIT in 2 ways: Lower long-term growth Lower EBITDAR coverage ratios Both are quality factors which should filter into valuation. Valuation The average triple net REIT trades at 13.38X 2025 estimated AFFO. FCPT trades at 15.64X. Portfolio Income Solutions Source: Portfolio Income Solutions This greater than 2 turn premium made sense when the restaurant niche was relatively stronger than the average triple net property. Today, however, restaurants are one of the more at-risk triple net assets, with profitability of the sector peaking and consumer spending tightening back up. Given the subsector level challenges ahead, I don’t think FCPT should still trade at a premium to peers. Below we plotted the P/AFFO of each triple net on the Y axis and Debt to EBITDA on the X axis to obtain a sort of leverage neutral valuation. Portfolio Income Solutions Those above the line are relatively overvalued, while those below the line are cheap compared to peers on a leverage neutral basis. Valuation in the above graph is quality/growth agnostic, so those factors would also need to be considered in overall valuation. Within the sector, there are 5 companies that we believe provide a significantly better forward total return potential. Getty Realty ( GTY ) VICI Properties ( VICI ) W. P. Carey ( WPC ) Broadstone Net Lease ( BNL ) Gladstone Commercial ( GOOD ) We have written extensively on each of these, so feel free to check out the full articles in my archives . The REIT market has gotten egregiously underpriced making it a great time to get in to the right REITs. To help people get the most updated REIT data and analysis I am offering 40% off Portfolio Income Solutions, but you can only get it through this link. https://seekingalpha.com/affiliate_link/40Percent I hope you enjoy the plethora of data tables, sector analysis and deep dives into opportunistic REITs. Dane Bowler is the Chief Investment Officer and a registered investment adviser at the 2nd Market Capital Advisory Corporation. He has over a decade of experience running a proprietary portfolio with a specialization in REITs. On-site property tours and critical analysis of REIT management help inform his selection process. Dane leads the investing group Portfolio Income Solutions along with Simon and Ross Bowler. Features of the service include: a diversified high-yield REIT portfolio, data tables on every REIT, tax guidance, macro analysis, fair value estimates, and quick updates via chat on breaking news. Learn More . Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of GOOD, BNL, WPC, GTY, VICI either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. All articles are published and provided as an information source for investors capable of making their own investment decisions. None of the information offered should be construed to be advice or a recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction, or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person.The information offered is impersonal and not tailored to the investment needs of any specific person. Readers should verify all claims and do their own due diligence before investing in any securities, including those mentioned in the article. NEVER make an investment decision based solely on the information provided in our articles.It should not be assumed that any of the securities transactions or holdings discussed were profitable or will prove to be profitable. Past Performance does not guarantee future results. Investing in publicly held securities is speculative and involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Historical returns should not be used as the primary basis for investment decisions.Commentary may contain forward looking statements which are by definition uncertain. Actual results may differ materially from our forecasts or estimations, and 2MC and its affiliates cannot be held liable for the use of and reliance upon the opinions, estimates, forecasts, and findings in this article.S&P Global Market Intelligence LLC. Contains copyrighted material distributed under license from S&P2nd Market Capital Advisory Corporation (2MCAC) is a Wisconsin registered investment advisor. Dane Bowler is an investment advisor representative of 2nd Market Capital Advisory Corporation. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. 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NBA L2M: Refs Correctly Called Foul on Warriors' Jonathan Kuminga in Loss to RocketsSAN DIEGO, Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of all persons and entities who purchased or otherwise acquired Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: KYTX) (“Kyverna” or the “Company”) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Company’s registration statement issued in connection with its initial public offering (“IPO”) held on February 8, 2024. The Kyverna lawsuit charges the Company, certain of its current and former senior executives and directors, and the underwriters of Kyverna’s IPO with violations of the federal securities laws (collectively, “Defendants”). Kyverna investors have until February 7, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Kyverna class action lawsuit. If you purchased or acquired Kyverna common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the Company’s registration statement issued in connection with its IPO on February 8, 2024, and suffered substantial losses , and you wish to obtain additional information or serve as lead plaintiff in this lawsuit, you may submit your information and contact us here: https://dicellolevitt.com/securities/kyverna/ . You can also contact DiCello Levitt attorneys Brian O’Mara or Ruben Peña by calling (888) 287-9005 or emailing investors@dicellolevitt.com . Those who inquire by email are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. Case Allegations Kyverna is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. During its IPO, Kyverna offered 14.5 million shares of common stock at $22.00 per share, resulting in the Company receiving approximately $296 million in net proceeds. The Kyverna lawsuit alleges that the IPO’s registration statement contained false and misleading statements and/or concealed material adverse facts, including that: (i) Kyverna did not disclose negative information about one of its clinical trials; (ii) the undisclosed negative information was likely to, and eventually did, substantially and negatively affect Kyverna’s main product, making the information and trends disclosed in the registration statement, false, misleading, and not indicative of Kyverna’s business prospects; (iii) Kyverna’s statements about risk factors did not to adequately disclose the risk posed by Kyverna’s nondisclosure of adverse information about one of its clinical trials, that other adverse results and trends had already manifested or the probable materially negative effects on Kyverna’s future results, share price, and prospects. The truth began to emerge on June 14, 2024, when Kyverna published an investor presentation that revealed adverse data about one of its clinical trials. The Kyverna lawsuit alleges the Company’s shares plummeted after this data was disclosed. In fact, by the filing of the Kyverna lawsuit, the Company’s stock had traded as low as $3.92 per share, a decline of more than 82% from the IPO’s price per share. About DiCello Levitt At DiCello Levitt, we are dedicated to achieving justice for our clients through class action, business-to-business, public client, whistleblower, personal injury, civil and human rights, and mass tort litigation. Our lawyers are highly respected for their ability to litigate and win cases – whether by trial, settlement, or otherwise – for people who have suffered harm, global corporations that have sustained significant economic losses, and public clients seeking to protect their citizens’ rights and interests. Every day, we put our reputations – and our capital – on the line for our clients. DiCello Levitt has achieved top recognition as Plaintiffs Firm of the Year and Trial Innovation Firm of the Year by the National Law Journal , in addition to its top-tier Chambers and Benchmark ratings. The New York Law Journal also recently recognized DiCello Levitt as a Distinguished Leader in trial innovation. For more information about the Firm, including recent trial victories and case resolutions, please visit www.dicellolevitt.com . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Media Contact Amy Coker 4747 Executive Drive, Suite 240 San Diego, CA 92121 619-963-2426 investors@dicellolevitt.com

PHILADELPHIA , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC), a leading global agricultural sciences company, today announced the election of Anthony DiSilvestro to the company's Board of Directors, effective December 12, 2024 . DiSilvestro will serve on the Audit and Compensation and Human Capital Committees. DiSilvestro brings more than 40 years of broad financial experience in multi-billion dollar companies to FMC's Board. He currently serves as the chief financial officer of Mattel Inc., where he has been instrumental in the successful financial turnaround of the company. Prior to Mattel, DiSilvestro held various senior leadership positions at Campbell Soup Company, including Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, where he played a key role in the successful defense of an activist-led proxy contest and led significant cost reduction and divestiture programs. "We are pleased to welcome Anthony to the FMC Board of Directors," said Pierre Brondeau, FMC chairman and chief executive officer. "His extensive experience in leading large transformations, developing and executing corporate strategies, and collaborating with executive leadership teams will be invaluable to FMC. We look forward to benefiting from his expertise and insights." DiSilvestro expressed his enthusiasm for joining FMC's Board, stating, "I am honored to join the Board of Directors of FMC Corporation, a company with a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability. I look forward to working with the Board and management team to contribute to FMC's continued success and value creation for all stakeholders." About FMC FMC Corporation is a global agricultural sciences company dedicated to helping growers produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for an expanding world population while adapting to a changing environment. FMC's innovative crop protection solutions – including biologicals, crop nutrition, digital and precision agriculture – enable growers and crop advisers to address their toughest challenges economically while protecting the environment. With approximately 5,800 employees at more than 100 sites worldwide, FMC is committed to discovering new herbicide, insecticide and fungicide active ingredients, product formulations and pioneering technologies that are consistently better for the planet. Visit fmc.com to learn more and follow us on LinkedIn ® . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fmc-corporation-announces-election-of-anthony-disilvestro-to-board-of-directors-302330762.html SOURCE FMC CorporationToronto could hike spending on its road safety program by about 25 per cent later this month as it continues to grapple with dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries each year on its streets. City staff are asking councillors to approve the largest budget in the history of the Vision Zero strategy, created in 2016 to eliminate all road fatalities. Staff want spending to increase to $99 million, up from nearly $80 million this year, as they step up work to improve intersections, install more traffic calming measures and double the number of automated speed enforcement cameras. While fatalities and injuries have dropped since the program's inception, this latest Vision Zero annual report comes after 46 people including pedestrians, cyclists and motorists, have died on Toronto roads this year. "It is really hard to talk about killed or seriously injured as statistics," said Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, chair of the city's infrastructure committee. "They are people. And they are people that did not get home to their families, or people that following a horrific incident, will never be the same." The committee greenlit the additional spending this week but it will still need a final approval from city council later this month. Under the plan, the city would more than double its complement of speed cameras across Toronto early in 2025 from 75 to 150. Most of the city's current camera stock is moved to different locations twice a year. Barbara Gray, the city's general manager of transportation services, said 25 of the new cameras would be permanently installed in places with a high number of collisions. Those cameras raise tens of millions for the city in ticket revenue each year. But Gray defended their use as a safety tool and not a money-maker for Toronto. Toronto city councillors are being asked to spend more on their Vision Zero road safety plan this year. The increased funding would pay for intersection safety redesigns and other traffic calming measures. (Patrick Morrell/CBC) "Our goal would be that the cameras didn't generate any revenue at all, because people would not be traveling above the speed limit," she said. "Sadly, that's not been the case so far, but we hope that as we continue to expand the program, we really start to see that impact." The plan would also see staff push ahead with a multi-year effort to lower the speed limit on local roads citywide to 30 km/h. So far, that has been done in 15 of the city's 25 wards, with two more wards set to change each year until 2028. The transition takes four to six months in each ward as staff need to install between 500 and 1,000 new signs. The city will also roll out hundreds more traffic calming measures, including an estimated 735 speed humps next year and 810 in 2026. "We do know that speed is such a huge issue," Gray said. "That's a lot of what a lot of what our tools support is managing speeds... So, we know that the toolkit that we're using on Vision Zero is the right tool kit." The number of deaths and injuries on Toronto roads have been coming down since the program's start eight years ago. In 2016, 78 people died and 337 were injured. In 2023, the last year with complete data available, 45 people died and 294 were injured. Despite the overall decrease, Coun. Dianne Saxe said she's troubled by the number of injuries sustained on city roads in recent years. Those numbers jumped between 2021 and 2023, from 241 to 294. "We are absolutely getting value for the dollar. I have no doubt about that," she said of Vision Zero spending, adding that an increase in the program's budget is warranted. "We have people feeling that because congestion is bad, they're entitled to take shortcuts, break the rules, go through red lights, drive on sidewalks, race whenever they see a spot, and they don't take into account who will pay the price," she added. But Coun. Anthony Perruzza said while the work — and spending — to curb dangerous driving habits is important, so too is public education to ensure pedestrians and cyclists exercise caution on city streets. "It's really, really difficult to fix stupid," Perruzza said of distracted pedestrians often on their cell phones. "You have a 2,000 pound vehicle, and you meet it on foot or you meet it on your bike or in some other way — you're going to lose."Storm dumps record rain and heavy snow on Northern California. Many in Seattle still without power