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Cordilia also had seven rebounds for the Mountaineers (6-3, 1-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Dola Adebayo scored 15 points while shooting 5 of 7 from the field and 4 for 4 from the free-throw line and added nine rebounds, five assists, and four blocks. Dallas Hobbs shot 4 of 9 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 4 for 4 from the foul line to finish with 14 points. Prophet Johnson led the Stags (5-5, 1-1) in scoring, finishing with 22 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Braden Sparks added 16 points and four assists for Fairfield. Jamie Bergens had 15 points and four assists. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Until now, Ms Weinstein has been the US firm’s vice president and managing director in the UK and Ireland, having previously worked at Unilever. She said her focus will be on “unlocking AI-powered growth for everyone”, calling the current AI boom a “pivotal” time for the tech giant. Google has joined many of its rivals in launching a string of high-profile generative AI products in recent times, led by the firm’s generative AI-powered assistant, Gemini. “Europe, the Middle East and Africa is an amazingly diverse and varied region, but the enormous growth opportunity that AI can create is universal,” she said. “My focus will be on unlocking that AI-powered growth for everyone – users, businesses, partners and governments across every part of the region. “I’m excited to be stepping into this role at a pivotal time, in a company where I’ve spent the last ten years and leading a region where I’ve spent much of my life.” Google employs more than 29,000 people across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, with 56 offices across 35 countries in those regions working on many of the firm’s largest products, including its search engine, the Android mobile operating system and its Chrome web browser. Its AI research arm, at Google DeepMind, is also led from London. Philipp Schindler, Google senior vice president and chief business officer, said: “This is the AI era and we are only just beginning to see its transformative impact on business and society. “In such a pivotal moment for technology, I’m thrilled we’ve appointed a visionary leader to be our President of Google EMEA. “Debbie brings a track record of unlocking growth that benefits everyone, alongside the passion and focus needed to help our customers succeed, as we bring the best of Google’s Gemini-era to everyone across EMEA.”
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The College Football Playoff committee took SMU’s wins over Alabama’s strength of schedule, picking the Mustangs for the final at-large spot Sunday after a furious public debate and days of lobbying and arguing over which teams should make the 12-team field. SMU (11-2) showed it could compete against a traditional power, losing to Clemson, 34-31, on a 56-yard field goal on the final play of the ACC championship game. The late-game rally probably did the trick. “I just think America saw SMU belongs,” Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee told ESPN on Sunday after his team got in. “We’re a team that has a chance to compete for this championship. And to some degree, I think we’re a little bit America’s team after last night.” The Mustangs, seeded 11th, will visit No. 6 seed Penn State in the first round. The bracket was expanded from four teams this season, but that didn’t help Alabama or save the committee from controversy that began over the past two weeks as the CFP rankings — and “data points” — were parsed and criticized. The squabbling wasn’t limited to who should be in the field but also who should get consideration for first-round byes. The Crimson Tide (9-3) had quality wins against Georgia and South Carolina in their first season under coach Kalen DeBoer. Losses at Vanderbilt, Tennessee and Oklahoma proved costly. The 24-3 loss to Oklahoma was too much to overcome. The Sooners, who finished 6-6, rushed for 250 yards against the Crimson Tide and dominated despite having several key injuries. Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said the committee’s decision was not good for college football. “Disappointed with the outcome and felt we were one of the 12 best teams in the country,” Byrne said in a social media post. “We had an extremely challenging schedule and recognize there were two games in particular that we did not perform as well as we should have.” All of Alabama’s losses came in conference play. Still, Byrne said he now will reconsider how his program schedules nonconference games. For now, the Crimson Tide will settle for playing Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl on Dec. 31. Several teams with strong seasons were left out besides the Crimson Tide, including Miami (two losses), South Carolina and Mississippi (three losses each). Committee chairman Warde Manuel explained that strength of schedule was valued — a comment that didn’t sit well with Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. “Is this fake news??? he didn’t actually really say that ....” Kiffin wrote on a social media post, tagging both the Alabama and SMU football accounts. SMU actually increased its strength of schedule from the previous season by switching from the American Athletic Conference to the ACC. The Mustangs’ only regular-season loss this year was a nonconference game at home to 10-win BYU in the third game of the season. The Mustangs won nine straight before the loss to Clemson. That didn’t make the waiting easier Sunday. SMU was the last qualifier announced. “Until we saw SMU up there, you know, you’re just hanging, hanging on the edge,” Lashlee said. There was more controversy. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said he didn’t believe any Group of Five team should get the bye over a Power Four champion, citing strength of schedule. Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez pushed back hours ahead of the bracket announcement. “Participation in the College Football Playoff isn’t about entitlement,” she wrote on social media. “It should not be contingent upon a conference patch or the logo on the helmet. ... Boise State’s body of work this season, including an 11-game win streak, has earned it one of the top four seeds ahead of the Big 12 champion.” In the end, Boise State of the Mountain West got the No. 3 seed ahead of Big 12 champion Arizona State, which was seeded fourth. But both got first-round byes.BROOKLYN, N.Y., Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Moxie , the all-in-one platform for aesthetic entrepreneurs, announces the launch of Moxie Compliance Defender , a first-of-its-kind solution designed to help medspa practice owners navigate and manage complex regulatory requirements with ease. As the medspa industry grows, staying compliant with ever-changing regulations is more important—and challenging—than ever. Moxie Compliance Defender simplifies compliance management, saving time, protecting medical licenses, and defending businesses against costly violations. “With the launch of Compliance Defender, we’re empowering aesthetic entrepreneurs to confidently manage their compliance obligations, safeguard their licenses, and focus on what they do best—delivering exceptional, safe, and compliant care to their patients,” said Dan Friedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Moxie. How does Moxie’s Compliance Defender help protect medspa owners? Moxie built Compliance Defender in collaboration with some of the brightest legal and medical minds in the aesthetics space. Together, they designed a technology-fueled product that seamlessly integrates the required steps to safely and compliantly treat patients directly into the daily workflow of a medspa and its providers. This includes: Why does Moxie’s Compliance Defender matter? Compliance Defender is available to all medspa professionals through Moxie’s platform. This product is designed to integrate seamlessly with Moxie’s existing suite of medspa management tools and services, providing a holistic approach to medspa management. “Regulatory compliance is a critical, yet overwhelming part of running a medspa,” said Nicole Strothman, General Counsel at Moxie. “Compliance Defender provides the tools and confidence medspa owners need to stay on top of their obligations while minimizing risk.” For more information about Moxie's new compliance management solution, visit www.joinmoxie.com/compliance or email learn@joinmoxie.com . About Moxie Moxie helps medical professionals turn big dreams into thriving aesthetic businesses with an all-in-one solution for launching and growing their own aesthetic medicine practice. Combining software, strategic consulting, marketing support, and back-office solutions, Moxie gives aesthetic entrepreneurs everything they need to launch, run, and grow a sustainable, profitable, and compliant medspa. Moxie helps cut through the red tape, reduce costs, and fast-track success—because building a medspa should be exciting, not exhausting. For more information, visit www.joinmoxie.com . Media Contact: Brandi Eppolito Head of B2B Marketing Moxie 985.320.5470 Brandi@joinmoxie.com
LOS ANGELES , Dec. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Roblox Corporation and Epic Games were sued in Los Angeles Superior Court in a lawsuit alleging negligence on the part of these game makers for implementing programing that increased the known risks video games pose to minors. The lawsuit also alleges fraud , product liability, intentional misrepresentation and more. Roblox is an online game platform created by Roblox Corporation allowing uses to program and play games created by themselves or other users. Epic Games created a game called Fortnite which is another online video game. In both games, users can make in-game purchases of varying dollar amounts to further they advancement through the game. The suit was filed on behalf of a mother of a minor who started playing these games at 8-years-old, and who is alleged to have developed an increasing, incontrollable, compulsive and addictive behaviors. According the lawsuit, the makers of Roblox and Fortnite failed to warn parents or minors of the potential risks or create any proper safeguards. The lawsuit further alleges that the more time an individual spends playing these games, there is an increased likelihood that individual will make in-game purchases which increases the game-makers' revenues. The lawsuit alleges these game-makers manipulate younger minds to cause them to further purchase varying features. "Roblox Corporation and Epic Games are transforming children into ATMs by failing to implement simple safety measures such as adequate parental controls, warnings, or even something as simple as opt-in limits on time minors can spend in these games," said lead attorney Kiley Grombacher of Bradley Grombacher . "Studies clearly show the dangers posed to young minds, but these corporations are putting profits over children every single day." The lawsuit sites a study done over decades the clearly shows the addictive nature of video games on young minds. This study, from The Oxford Handbook of Digital Technologies and Mental Health, states "excessive gaming can have potentially damaging effects on individuals who appear to display compulsive and/or addictive behavior similar to other more traditional addictions." The suit further sites various studies that point out how video games severely impact adolescent minds, including a loss of grey matter. The case is Evette Gibson v. Roblox Corp, Epic Games, Los Angeles Superior Court, Case No. 23STCV32897. View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bradleygrombacher-negligence-lawsuit-alleges-roblox-epic-games-prays-on-young-minds-creating-addiction-among-minors-302333062.html SOURCE Bradley/Grombacher
The states that saw the most active attacks against election certification two years ago certified the results of this year’s races without controversy this week, prompting the Arizona secretary of state to proclaim that “election denialism” is a thing of the past. Others said they weren’t so sure. Certification proceeded normally this year in part because Donald Trump won the presidential race, quieting his supporters after he had spent the campaign making unsubstantiated claims that he could lose only through widespread cheating . The statewide certification votes Tuesday in Nevada and New Mexico follow a vote Monday to certify the results in Arizona. In all three states, the certification process was tumultuous during the 2022 midterms when Democrats won most statewide offices. Those controversies followed attempts by Trump and his allies to halt or challenge certification in Michigan, Georgia and other battleground states in 2020, disrupting what until then had been a routine administrative process. This year, some who have been the most vocal in questioning the integrity of elections have instead been celebrating Trump’s victory. “The results are being accepted in the manner that they are, in part, because those who have been eroding trust or casting doubt on the integrity of U.S. elections have a result they feel good about,” said David Levine, a former local election official in Idaho who now advises on election administration issues. “Hopefully we can get back to a place where Americans can feel confident in the results even if it’s one they disagree with.” On Tuesday, Nevada and New Mexico certified their statewide results with little discussion. During Monday’s certification in Arizona, Secretary of State Adrian Fontes reflected on the lack of controversy this year. “I think the age of election denialism, for all intents and purposes, is dead,” he said. Sitting next to Fontes, state Attorney General Kris Mayes, a fellow Democrat, said she was more skeptical. Her Republican opponent in 2022 spent two years challenging his loss . “Do I think election denialism is dead? No, I don’t,” she said. “We’ll see over the next couple of election cycles what happens, but I don’t think we’re there yet.” Public confidence in elections has dropped since Trump challenged his loss in 2020 and made false claims of widespread fraud, particularly among Republicans . Some Republicans began targeting the certification process, when local and state boards certify the results after local election officials provide them with the final tally of votes. A firestorm erupted in Georgia over the summer when the state election board, with a new pro-Trump majority, attempted to politicize the certification process with changes later blocked by the courts. While certification battles did not surface after the Nov. 5 election , a vocal segment within the Republican Party remains deeply skeptical of election processes, particularly of the availability of mail ballots and the use of ballot scanners to tally votes. During a forum Monday on the social platform X led by the group Cause of America, the group's director expressed doubt about voting equipment. Shawn Smith, who also is a retired Air Force colonel, argued the certification process suppresses legitimate concerns and goes against “the sovereignty of the people.” Although not as widespread as four years ago, this sentiment did surface sporadically at the local level this month. In Washoe County, Nevada, which includes Reno and voted narrowly for Vice President Kamala Harris, the vote to certify the results was 3-1 with one abstention. Commissioner Jeanne Herman has consistently voted against certification and did not make a public comment about her vote this year. Commissioner Mike Clark, a staunch Trump supporter who had also previously voted against certification, said he would abstain and left before the vote. “I am not an election denier and clearly the person I wanted to win, won this state,” Clark said before leaving the meeting. “However, that does not mean that all the protocols were followed and that we can truly certify the election.” Such skepticism, whether in Nevada or elsewhere, leaves the door open to certification disputes during future elections. The questioning of election results isn't limited to Republicans. Even though Harris quickly conceded after losing all seven presidential battleground states , online posts among her supporters continue to raise concerns about her loss. One Reddit community that has amassed 23,000 members features a steady drumbeat of Democrats scrutinizing a result they can’t believe is real. Some posting in the group have issued calls to contact Harris and her running mate to ask them to demand a recount or otherwise object to the outcome. Among the battlegrounds, Michigan was among those where Trump and his allies pressed to halt certification of the 2020 election for Democrat Joe Biden amid false claims of fraud and manipulation. Two Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers who initially opposed certification eventually relented. The state board of canvassers eventually voted to certify, even after one Republican member abstained. This year, the state board voted unanimously on Nov. 22 in favor of certifying and praised the state’s election workers. In Georgia, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger certified his state’s results on Nov. 22. Four years ago, the Republican state official was facing immense pressure from Trump and his allies to investigate their unsubstantiated claims of fraud. Also certifying results Tuesday, and doing so unanimously, was the state Board of Elections in North Carolina. It was the only presidential battleground state won by Trump in 2020 — and the only one where he and his allies didn't make claims of fraud. ___ Cassidy reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Susan Montoya Bryan in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas, Scott Sonner in Reno, Nevada, and Ali Swenson in New York contributed to this report. Christina A. Cassidy, The Associated Press
Young Boys players pay tribute to teammate Meschack Elia in Champions League game after his son diedMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold tossed aside his stoic demeanor for a moment after realizing he was on the videoboard, aggressively twirling a towel to further stoke the crowd's fire after the Minnesota Vikings had pulled away from Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons late in the game. “I just felt the buzz. That was pure passion, pure joy, man,” Darnold said. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, obituaries, sports, and more.
The Bank of Canada recently began cutting interest rates as early signs of easing inflationary pressures emerge, fueling a robust stock market rally in 2024. This favourable economic environment has propelled the to impressive year-to-date gains of 22.3%. While some uncertainty about the central bank’s next monetary moves lingers, one thing is clear: lower interest rates and cooling inflation could create the perfect conditions for growth-oriented companies to thrive in 2025. In this article, I’ll highlight two top that are well-positioned to skyrocket in the next 12 months, driven by their company-specific and strong market trends. goeasy stock ( ) is the first growth stock that I believe could stand out as a big gainer in the next year. This Canadian financial services provider mainly focuses on giving non-prime borrowers access to loans and leasing services through its easyfinancial and easyhome divisions. It currently has a of $2.8 billion as its stock trades at $166.50 per share after rising by 12.3% over the last year. Although GSY stock has underperformed the broader market so far in 2024, the ongoing strength in the Mississauga-headquartered firm’s strong financials suggests that it could soon catch up or even outperform. In the third quarter, goeasy’s loan originations climbed 16% YoY (year-over-year) to a record of $839 million with the help of a 22% jump in credit applications. This growth pushed its total loan portfolio to $4.39 billion, marking an impressive 28% surge from a year ago. Last quarter, goeasy achieved a record operating margin of 41.7%, up from 39.3% a year ago, as its profitability continues to improve. In addition, the company’s automotive financing segment is gaining traction, with originations for the segment up 60% YoY in the latest quarter. As lower interest rates begin to make borrowing more attractive in the next year, goeasy could benefit from the increasing demand for credit. Moreover, its strategic focus on secured loans, which now comprise 45% of its total portfolio, adds an extra layer of strength to its business and makes it a top growth stock in Canada to buy now. OpenText stock Just like GSY stock, ( ) hasn’t seen much appreciation of late. In fact, OTEX stock has dived by 22.3% so far this year to currently trade at $43.28 per share with a market cap of $11.5 billion due mainly to recent weakness in its sales growth trends. In the quarter ended in September 2024, OpenText registered an 11% YoY decline in total revenue to US$1.3 billion. However, after adjusting for the divestiture of its Application Modernization and Connectivity division, this decline narrows significantly to just 1.8% YoY. This fact clearly reflects that much of the drop in OpenText’s latest quarterly revenues could be attributed to one-time factors rather than its operational inefficiencies. In addition, OpenText’s cloud revenues in the September quarter grew by 1.3% YoY, posting the 15th consecutive quarter of organic cloud growth. Another major factor that makes OpenText so attractive for long-term investors is its increasing focus on innovation, especially in artificial intelligence, cloud technologies, and cybersecurity. As these areas are expected to drive massive growth in the tech sector in the coming years, OpenText stock could recover sharply.Young Boys players pay tribute to teammate Meschack Elia in Champions League game after his son died
