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‘That was not a nice feeling’ – Jude Bellingham explains why he ‘lost his smile’ playing for EnglandA telephone town hall Monday provided Idahoans the opportunity to get the governor's perspective on key issues facing the state. With just a few weeks passed since the general election and the state's legislative session fast approaching, Gov. Brad Little sat down with Lupe Wissel, state director of AARP Idaho, in a look ahead to the upcoming political landscape for the state and the nation. While the focus was largely on state-specific issues, many callers raised questions regarding how potential national changes implemented by the incoming Trump administration could impact the state. IMMIGRATION CONCERNS The issue most consistently raised during the call-in session was related to the realm of immigration. President-elect Donald Trump has claimed he will launch the “largest deportation program in U.S. history,” as reported by the Associated Press . One caller asked what Idaho’s plan would be to offset the potential deportation of 35,000 people — the estimated number of undocumented immigrants in the state — and potential dairy staffing shortages that could follow an exodus of workers. “Their initial intent is known criminals, where they know they’re a danger to society,” Little said. “That’s the No. 1 priority, and I believe that's going to be the case.” Little noted that the dairy industry is also putting together a proposal that would put its workers in the same category as other agricultural entities, that are able to have workers come on a permitted basis year-round. According to the International Dairy Foods Association , the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which failed to pass in Congress, sought to eliminate the seasonality requirement in the H-2A program — which allows foreign workers to enter a contract for up to 10 months of agricultural work — to expand its application into the diary sector. “There’s a lot of H-2A workers that come to Idaho, but it’s only seasonal — well, you have to milk cows all year round,” Little said. SOCIAL SECURITY TAX CUTS One caller pointed to Trump’s proposed exemption on Social Security income taxes and the popularity this proposal has among seniors in Idaho. Little said that if this were ultimately passed by Congress, he would ensure Idaho is conforming to federal tax standards. “My position (is) always that taxes should be fair, simple, predictable and competitive, and one of the ways to make them simple is ... how you calculate your federal liability is the same way you should calculate your state liability,” Little said. Under the current standards of the Social Security Administration , a federal tax return filed by an individual with an income between $25,000 and $34,000 could pay an income tax on up to 50% of benefits. In the case of those filing jointly, the threshold shifts to between $32,000 and $44,000. These taxes currently pay into the Social Security system to maintain the program for future withdrawals and retirees. WOMEN’S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS One caller expressed concerns about women’s reproductive rights and how uncertainty regarding the implications of state law has led to doctors leaving the state. “There’s litigation taking place in Idaho right now to kind of clarify the issue for doctors,” Little said. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is currently scheduled to hear oral arguments on Dec. 10 regarding whether emergency abortions can be prosecuted under Idaho law. The case concerns the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law requiring medical providers that receive Medicare funds to treat and stabilize anyone in an emergency. A decision in the case will determine the validity of the state of Idaho’s argument that this federal law doesn’t supersede state law and that EMTALA does not require abortions to be conducted in emergencies, as reported by the Idaho Press . The incoming Trump administration’s position on bans similar to what is in place in Idaho is less than clear. In the past year, he has characterized an abortion ban after six weeks of pregnancy as "too severe," while also saying he would vote against Florida’s ballot measure that sought to repeal the state’s six-week abortion ban, as reported by the Associated Press .The standard Lorem Ipsum passage, used since the 1500s "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." 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Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah agree to a ceasefire after nearly 14 months of fighting JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel has approved a ceasefire agreement with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militants, setting the stage for an end to nearly 14 months of fighting linked to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire is set to take hold at 4 a.m. local time on Wednesday. Israeli warplanes have carried out the most intense wave of strikes in Beirut and its southern suburbs since the start of the conflict amid a record number of evacuation warnings. At least 42 people were killed in strikes across Lebanon, according to local authorities. President Joe Biden said his administration now would make a renewed push for a ceasefire in Gaza. What both sides are saying about the ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah A ceasefire deal that could end more than a year of cross-border fighting between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group won backing from Israeli leaders. The truce that is set to take effect early Wednesday raised hopes and renewed difficult questions in a region gripped by conflict. Hezbollah leaders also signaled tentative backing for the U.S.-brokered deal, which offers both sides an off-ramp from hostilities But the deal does little directly to resolve the much deadlier war that has raged in Gaza since Hamas militants attacked southern Israel last October. Cheap Ozempic? How millions of Americans with obesity may get access to costly weight-loss drugs WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of obese Americans would get access to popular weekly injectables that would help them shed pounds quickly if a $35 billion proposal from the Biden administration is blessed by President-elect Donald Trump. The rule, unveiled Tuesday by the Health and Human Services Department, would require Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound for a large segment of Americans who are obese. But it’s unclear if the proposal, which would not go into effect until after Trump takes office, will have support from his new administration — including from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an opponent of the drugs who has been tapped by the president-elect to serve as head of HHS. Trump vows tariffs over immigration. What the numbers say about border crossings, drugs and crime. WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is threatening tariffs on Mexico and Canada as he seeks to portray them as responsible for illegal immigration and drug smuggling. Over its tenure, the Biden administration has struggled with growing numbers of migrants arriving at the southern border. But this year, the number of people crossing the border without documents has actually been falling. That's due in part to stricter enforcement by Mexican authorities as well as asylum restrictions announced earlier this year by the Biden administration. When it comes to fentanyl smuggling, much of the deadly supply comes from Mexico though statistics show more than 86% of those sentenced for fentanyl trafficking crimes in the 12 months ending September 2023 were U.S. citizens. AP finds that a Pentagon-funded study on extremism in the military relied on old data Early this year, Pete Hegseth told a Fox News audience a new, Pentagon-funded study proved that the number of military service members and veterans involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection did not indicate a wider problem in the armed forces. Hegseth, Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Defense, wasn’t alone. The Wall Street Journal’s opinion page highlighted the same report as evidence that extremists in military communities were “phantoms” created by a “false media narrative.” The X account for Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee posted that the study showed the focus on extremism in the military was a “witch hunt.” But The Associated Press has found that the study relied on old data, misleading analyses and ignored evidence that pointed to the opposite conclusion. How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes WASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith move to abandon two federal cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats Trump was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump's political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Walmart's DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump's election victory NEW YORK (AP) — Walmart’s sweeping rollback of its diversity policies is the strongest indication yet of a profound shift taking hold at U.S. companies that are re-evaluating the legal and political risks associated with bold programs to bolster historically underrepresented groups in business. The changes announced by the world’s biggest retailer on Monday followed a string of legal victories by conservative groups that have filed an onslaught of lawsuits challenging corporate and federal programs aimed at elevating minority and women-owned businesses and employees. The retreat from such programs crystalized with the election of former President Donald Trump, whose administration is certain to make dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programs a priority. Brazil’s Bolsonaro planned and participated in a 2022 coup plot, unsealed police report alleges SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro was fully aware of and actively participated in a coup plot to remain in office after his defeat in the 2022 election, according to a Federal Police report that has been unsealed. Brazil’s Federal Police last Thursday formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. Bolsonaro called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, that would have declared the vote fraudulent, to justify a possible military intervention. Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. New rule allows HIV-positive organ transplants People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV. That's according to a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule takes effect Wednesday. It's expected to shorten the wait for organs for all, regardless of HIV status, by increasing the pool of available organs. The practice is supported by a decade of research, during which 500 transplants of kidneys and livers from HIV-positive donors have been done in the U.S. Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump's promised crackdown on immigration President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency’s supervision.Maybe 15 minutes before the Wild hosted and defeated the Nashville Predators on Saturday, general manager Bill Guerin took a few minutes to talk to the media about his first noteworthy acquisition of the season—the trade with Columbus, which will bring David Jiricek to the State of Hockey in the first few days of December. ADVERTISEMENT Maybe it’s just the pessimistic nature of a fanbase that hasn’t seen a men’s professional team play for a championship in more than three decades, but the grumbling had begun even before the collected media had reached the press box for Saturday’s game. “Seems like a lot to pay for a minor-leaguer,” was one of the comments overheard at the rink on Saturday. Indeed, to get Jiricek – the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft – and a lower-round pick, Guerin surrendered defenseman Daemon Hunt and four draft picks, including Minnesota’s 2025 first-rounder and a second round pick in 2027. He wasted no time in getting an up-close look at the new guy, calling Jiricek up to the NHL level on Sunday, and sending former Gophers forward Travis Boyd back down to Iowa. Guerin and Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell are old friends from their time working together with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But there was no discount offered from Waddell to his old pal in Minnesota. “It took awhile. Donny,” Guerin said with an exasperated grin. “He played with me. He’s one of my old mentors. He made me work for it. He’s the best.” ADVERTISEMENT Still, Guerin would not have pulled the trigger had he not believed in two things: 1) The Wild can turn all of Jiricek’s size (6-foot-4) and potential into another piece of their bright future on the blue line. 2) The price they paid was not as steep as it might look on the surface. To that second point, consider that Hunt was not really part of the Wild’s NHL-level defensive picture, even at a time like this when Jonas Brodin’s long-term viability is a serious question mark. And after getting two points with an overtime win over the Predators on Saturday, the Wild were tied for the most points in the NHL, meaning that at this pace, that 2025 first-round draft pick is going to come in the 25th spot or later. If the Wild go into a tailspin this season, the pick sent to Columbus is lottery protected, meaning the Blue Jackets will not get to pick in the top 10 at the Wild’s expense. ADVERTISEMENT To the first point, Jiricek is a player Guerin and his assistants have had their eye on for some time, even before he was named the top defenseman in the tournament while playing for Czechia in the 2023 World Juniors. “He’s not 30, he’s not a rental. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman that we can invest in. And we did. That’s how I look at it. It’s an investment,” Guerin said. In 2022, the Wild grabbed Liam Ohgren with the 19th overall pick, more than a dozen selections after Jiricek was picked by Columbus and was posing for pictures in a new red-white-and-blue sweater. ADVERTISEMENT “He was somebody that we really liked (during) his draft year. We knew we weren’t going to get him, but we liked him,” Guerin said. “And, you know, when this became available, I did my due diligence and asked our staff what they thought. They were all on board with it. So it’s good.” Perhaps in hopes of getting the fans on board, Guerin also stressed patience. Jiricek has not yet been a star in the NHL, despite his high draft stock. But the Wild are confident that their system of developing players — especially defensemen — is the change the new guy needs. “He’s a young player. He’s got a lot to learn. He’s going to continue to improve, just like all young players,” Guerin said, name-dropping two youthful every-night members of the Wild roster who still have ample room to grow. “Brock Faber’s got to get better. Matt Boldy’s still going to get better. All these guys are going to continue to improve because they’re so young. So just because they’re in the NHL doesn’t mean they’re not going to develop their game and get better. That’s our job as the coaches, management. That’s our job to help him get better.” If he has to spend some future draft capital to put those pieces in place, that is clearly a chance Guerin is willing to take. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Include PWDs in your holiday plans, MP asks KenyansOne of the most important aspects of LSU's early-season success has been the development of its freshmen. The young players figure to get significant playing time when the Tigers (10-2) play their final nonconference game against Mississippi Valley State (2-10) on Sunday in Baton Rouge, La. Redshirt freshman forward Corey Chest has had 10-plus rebounds in the last six games. True freshmen Vyctorius Miller (a team-high 17 points), Curtis Givens III (seven points, five assists, zero turnovers in 18 minutes) and Robert Miller III (four points, seven rebounds, three blocks in 18 minutes) were significant in a second-half surge during LSU's 86-70 victory against visiting New Orleans on Dec. 22. "I was really pleased with how the freshmen performed there and got us out to the 24-point lead," said LSU coach Matt McMahon, whose team begins SEC play Jan. 4 at home against Vanderbilt. The Tigers struggled to a 30-29 halftime lead before posting an 18-0 run to take command. Miller, the team's third-leading scorer (11.3 points per game) and No. 3 shooter from 3-point range (33.3 percent), is averaging 20 minutes off the bench, while Givens and Miller III are averaging about 13 apiece. LSU opened last season with a 106-60 victory against Mississippi Valley State, and the rematch figures to be similarly lopsided. The Delta Devils have home victories against a Division III opponent and an NAIA opponent. Their 10 losses have come against Division I opponents on the road by an average margin of 42.1 points. Coach George Ivory said he's trying "to change the culture" around a program that finished 1-30 last season and hasn't had a winning record since 2011-12, which also was the last time it had a winning record in the SWAC. Arthur Tate is the only Delta Devils player averaging double figures in scoring (11.0 points). Antonio Sisk led the team with 15 points in its most recent game, a 93-48 loss at Tulsa on Dec. 21. --Field Level Media

JPMorgan Chase & Co. grew its holdings in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF ( NYSEARCA:IJR – Free Report ) by 21.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 3,649,059 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock after buying an additional 655,679 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. owned 0.50% of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF worth $426,794,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Riggs Asset Managment Co. Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 50.6% during the third quarter. Riggs Asset Managment Co. Inc. now owns 271 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock worth $32,000 after acquiring an additional 91 shares during the period. HWG Holdings LP bought a new stake in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $41,000. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC boosted its stake in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 285.6% in the 3rd quarter. Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC now owns 482 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock valued at $56,000 after purchasing an additional 357 shares during the period. Fairscale Capital LLC acquired a new position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF in the 2nd quarter valued at $58,000. Finally, Davis Capital Management increased its position in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF by 20.1% during the 3rd quarter. Davis Capital Management now owns 597 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock worth $70,000 after buying an additional 100 shares during the period. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Stock Performance Shares of iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF stock opened at $115.80 on Friday. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF has a 52-week low of $101.50 and a 52-week high of $128.61. The stock has a market cap of $84.01 billion, a PE ratio of 12.95 and a beta of 1.16. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $120.70 and a 200-day moving average of $115.30. iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Company Profile iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF, formerly iShares S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poor’s SmallCap 600 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of publicly traded securities in the small-capitalization sector of the United States equity market. Featured Articles Want to see what other hedge funds are holding IJR? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF ( NYSEARCA:IJR – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .None

Monday night’s Ravens-Chargers game in Los Angeles will of course pit Baltimore coach John Harbaugh against his younger brother Jim in the third edition of a “Harbowl” and the first meeting since the Ravens’ Super Bowl victory over the San Francisco 49ers in February 2013. But there will also be another intriguing reunion of sorts at SoFi Stadium. It will mark the first time that Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and former Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman will be on the field together since the latter’s departure from Charm City a little under two years ago. When Jackson was asked Thursday how he looks back at his time with Roman, . The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player turned and looked straight ahead, paused for a handful of seconds and bobbed his head back and forth. “It was good,” Jackson finally said. “I mean, we had a lot of success. I won my first MVP with G-Ro’s system. We had a lot of great seasons.” In 2019, his first year as Baltimore’s full-time starter and just his second in the league, the Ravens went 14-2 during the regular season. Under Roman, Jackson led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes, threw for 3,127 yards and set the single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,206. That led to Jackson becoming just the second unanimous NFL MVP, joining Tom Brady. But the top-seeded Ravens stunningly lost to the Tennessee Titans, 28-12, in the divisional round, and the honeymoon didn’t last. Baltimore announced in January 2023 after a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the wild-card round of the playoffs, a game that Jackson missed because of a knee injury he suffered in Week 13 of the regular season. While Roman’s scheme unleashed Jackson as the game’s most potent player, critics believed the passing attack was lacking. In his first season under coordinator Todd Monken, Jackson won his second MVP Award after setting career highs in passing yards (3,678) and completion percentage (.672) and the Ravens reached the AFC championship game. Roman, meanwhile, spent the year out of pro football before being hired by Jim Harbaugh this past February shortly after the former quarterback led his alma mater Michigan to the national championship. Roman’s results in Los Angeles so far have been mixed. The Chargers (7-3) rank 18th in points per game (22) and yards per game (326.4), though they are 12th in rushing yards per game (121.6). They have also won four games in a row and five of their past six. The Ravens (7-4) have been more streaky, though Monken’s offense ranks first in yards per game (430.1) and second in scoring (30.4) with Jackson once again putting up MVP-worthy numbers. After an 0-2 start to the season, Baltimore won five in a row before splitting its next four, which included a sloppy, mistake-filled loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. In that 18-16 defeat, Jackson was held to just 207 passing yards and a 48.5% completion rate, easily his lowest mark of the season. Now comes a Chargers defense that ranks first in points per game (14.5). Related Articles “We’re not doing a good job of being consistent,” Jackson said. “We having our moments where, go into the game scoring first drive. Then there’s been a couple weeks we haven’t been scoring first drive and it’s been taking us a little while to get our groove. We gotta work on that.” It starts with the details, Jackson said. “Just being locked in on practice, every little detail, the smallest details, things from the game that we probably made a mistake on, cleaning that up. Small things like that and I feel like we’ll be on our way to being consistent.” And as for that time with Roman? Said Jackson: “I believe it was just short, that’s all.”Maybe 15 minutes before the Wild hosted and defeated the Nashville Predators on Saturday, general manager Bill Guerin took a few minutes to talk to the media about his first noteworthy acquisition of the season—the trade with Columbus, which will bring David Jiricek to the State of Hockey in the first few days of December. ADVERTISEMENT Maybe it’s just the pessimistic nature of a fanbase that hasn’t seen a men’s professional team play for a championship in more than three decades, but the grumbling had begun even before the collected media had reached the press box for Saturday’s game. “Seems like a lot to pay for a minor-leaguer,” was one of the comments overheard at the rink on Saturday. Indeed, to get Jiricek – the sixth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft – and a lower-round pick, Guerin surrendered defenseman Daemon Hunt and four draft picks, including Minnesota’s 2025 first-rounder and a second round pick in 2027. He wasted no time in getting an up-close look at the new guy, calling Jiricek up to the NHL level on Sunday, and sending former Gophers forward Travis Boyd back down to Iowa. Guerin and Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell are old friends from their time working together with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But there was no discount offered from Waddell to his old pal in Minnesota. “It took awhile. Donny,” Guerin said with an exasperated grin. “He played with me. He’s one of my old mentors. He made me work for it. He’s the best.” ADVERTISEMENT Still, Guerin would not have pulled the trigger had he not believed in two things: 1) The Wild can turn all of Jiricek’s size (6-foot-4) and potential into another piece of their bright future on the blue line. 2) The price they paid was not as steep as it might look on the surface. To that second point, consider that Hunt was not really part of the Wild’s NHL-level defensive picture, even at a time like this when Jonas Brodin’s long-term viability is a serious question mark. And after getting two points with an overtime win over the Predators on Saturday, the Wild were tied for the most points in the NHL, meaning that at this pace, that 2025 first-round draft pick is going to come in the 25th spot or later. If the Wild go into a tailspin this season, the pick sent to Columbus is lottery protected, meaning the Blue Jackets will not get to pick in the top 10 at the Wild’s expense. ADVERTISEMENT To the first point, Jiricek is a player Guerin and his assistants have had their eye on for some time, even before he was named the top defenseman in the tournament while playing for Czechia in the 2023 World Juniors. “He’s not 30, he’s not a rental. He’s a 21-year-old defenseman that we can invest in. And we did. That’s how I look at it. It’s an investment,” Guerin said. In 2022, the Wild grabbed Liam Ohgren with the 19th overall pick, more than a dozen selections after Jiricek was picked by Columbus and was posing for pictures in a new red-white-and-blue sweater. ADVERTISEMENT “He was somebody that we really liked (during) his draft year. We knew we weren’t going to get him, but we liked him,” Guerin said. “And, you know, when this became available, I did my due diligence and asked our staff what they thought. They were all on board with it. So it’s good.” Perhaps in hopes of getting the fans on board, Guerin also stressed patience. Jiricek has not yet been a star in the NHL, despite his high draft stock. But the Wild are confident that their system of developing players — especially defensemen — is the change the new guy needs. “He’s a young player. He’s got a lot to learn. He’s going to continue to improve, just like all young players,” Guerin said, name-dropping two youthful every-night members of the Wild roster who still have ample room to grow. “Brock Faber’s got to get better. Matt Boldy’s still going to get better. All these guys are going to continue to improve because they’re so young. So just because they’re in the NHL doesn’t mean they’re not going to develop their game and get better. That’s our job as the coaches, management. That’s our job to help him get better.” If he has to spend some future draft capital to put those pieces in place, that is clearly a chance Guerin is willing to take. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .

Climate-threatened nations stage protest at COP29 over contentious deal

In 2024, I watched, tested and reviewed more TVs than I can count. I've gawked at some of the best OLEDs I've ever seen, I've had my eyes blasted by bright, colorful Mini-LEDs and I've glimpsed the future of ultra-affordable 4K TVs. In the spirit of ringing in the new year (and in the spirit of end-of-year lists), I'm picking my favorite TVs across multiple price points. All of them are on sale, too, ahead of CES 2025 . 1. TCL Q6: my favorite QLED under $500 I've recommended this TV to three separate friends and family members this year with the exact same pitch each time: If you're just looking for an affordable TV with easy-to-use smart features, this is the one. The TCL Q6 is a dependable QLED with an accurate out-of-the-box picture and Google TV baked right in. Right now, the 65-inch TCL Q6 is just $399 at Best Buy . In 4K, its gaming support is limited to 60Hz, but you'll get ultra-low latency with an input lag of below 10ms, and the Q6 is bright enough to look good in most living rooms. You can read more about it in our full TCL Q6 review , but we thought it checked most of the boxes for a budget-friendly, set-it-and-forget-it set. Other sizes on sale: 55-inch TCL Q6: was $449 now $269 @ Best Buy 75-inch TCL Q6: was $749 now $529 @ Best Buy 2. Hisense U7N: my favorite Mini-LED TV under $1,000 If you're a casual or competitive gamer on a budget, or just someone who's looking for a good amount of HDR horsepower for movies and shows, the Hisense U7N is just the ticket. It's the brand's mid-range Mini-LED for 2024, and I really appreciate what it has to offer for the price. Right now, a 65-inch Hisense U7N is just $697 at Amazon. In our Hisense U7N review , we marveled at its tremendous HDR performance, as it sports over 1,300 nits of highlight brightness during HDR movies and games while its Mini-LED backlighting keeps contrast in check. It delivers nearly all of the gaming features one would expect from a higher-end TV, too, including support for 4K gaming at up to 144Hz and VRR. Other sizes on sale: 55-inch Hisense U7N: was $798 now $497 @ Amazon 75-inch Hisense U7N: was $1,499 now $899 @ Best Buy 3. LG B4: my favorite OLED under $1,500 The LG B4 is one of my favorite TVs of the year. It's not as bright as higher-end OLEDs, nor is it as thoroughly loaded with features. But it is an OLED TV, which means it's a real showstopper thanks to the built-in benefits of this impressive display technology (namely, perfect black levels and ultra-wide viewing angles). The 65-inch LG B4 is just $1,196 at Amazon , but most of the other sizes are on sale, too. You can read all about it in our LG B4 review , but this set offers excellent color volume (with fantastic accuracy in Filmmaker mode) along with some crucial gaming enhancements. It supports 4K gaming at 120Hz across all four of its HDMI 2.1 inputs. Other sizes on sale: 48-inch LG B4: was $799 now $699 @ Best Buy 55-inch LG B4: was $1,099 now $996 @ Amazon 4. LG C4: my favorite OLED under $2,000 The LG C4 lives up to its pedigree with incredible performance and a more agreeable price tag than you'd expect. It's one of the best TVs of the year in this price range, and right now, you can land a 65-inch LG C4 for $1,496 at Amazon . The C4 is the TV to get if you're looking for an OLED that's brighter than the B4 but not as pricey as a flagship model. In our LG C4 review, we noted the TV's impressive HDR brightness: over 1,000 nits for impressive specular highlights. The C4 also comes with pretty much every gaming feature you could ask for. It supports 4K gaming up to 144Hz, delivers VRR, FreeSync, and G-Sync compatibility, and LG's Game Optimizer mode is among the best in the biz. Other sizes on sale: 48-inch LG C4: was $1,599 now $1,196 @ Amazon 55-inch LG C4: was $1,296 now $1,196 @ Amazon 77-inch LG C4: was $3,699 now $2,196 @ Amazon 5. Sony Bravia 9: my favorite flagship Mini-LED TV It's been a highly competitive year for Mini-LED TVs, but if you were to drop a small sack of money on my lap and tell me to pick out my favorite of 2024, it would undoubtedly go to the Sony Bravia 9. It's a pricey proposition, as the 65-inch Sony Bravia 9 is on sale for $2,498 at Amazon . That's more than you'd spend on most of its competitors, so why do I love it so much? The Bravia 9 may not be the best Mini-LED for most people, but to my eyes, it's got some of the most impressive backlight control and picture processing I've ever seen. It also gets brighter than everything else on this list. For our Bravia 9 review , we measured HDR highlights in the 2,500- to 3,000-nit range. The Bravia 9 is limited to just a pair of HDMI 2.1 inputs with the remaining ports being HDMI 2.0. If you're a serious gamer or home theater enthusiast, this could be less than ideal. If you're committed to owning one of the best Mini-LED TVs on the market, splash out on Sony's top-of-the-line Bravia.

Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy say they’re hunting for ways to make American government more efficient. One possible target: the semiannual changing of the clock that so many Americans dislike. “Looks like the people want to abolish the annoying time changes!” Musk wrote last week on his social platform, X, linking to another user’s online poll that found most respondents wanted to end daylight saving time. The practice of shifting clocks forward one hour in March and back one hour in November is intended to maximize Americans’ exposure to sunlight during working hours but has long been derided for causing groggy mornings, missed appointments and even some public health problems. “It’s inefficient & easy to change,” Ramaswamy wrote in a reply to Musk. It was not immediately clear whether the two men, whom President-elect Donald Trump has tapped to run a new effort dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency” were seriously floating a new policy priority or just spitballing on social media. It was also unclear how a Trump White House would seek to end clock changes, given that Congress – not the executive branch – has controlled the nation’s time shifts, and lawmakers’ recent legislation has stalled. Ramaswamy did not respond to a request for comment. X and Tesla, which Musk also owns, did not immediately respond to requests sent to them asking for comment from Musk. In a follow-up post, Musk told Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) that he did indeed want to end the time changes. The simmering fight over how Americans set their clocks, and when they must do it, has drawn unusual coalitions in Washington based more on geography than on politics. Republicans and Democrats, mostly from the coasts, have called for year-round daylight saving time, saying that permanently advancing the clocks one hour and never “falling back” would allow more people to enjoy sunshine and avoid the frustrations involved with resetting clocks. “Switching the clocks just doesn’t make sense for a country on the move,” Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Massachusetts) said in a statement to The Washington Post. “But we need permanent daylight saving time – more hours of daylight in the evening means more hours to get things done.” Politicians in the center of the country have often balked at the idea, warning that a year-round “spring forward” would mean winter sunrises that could creep past 9 a.m. in cities such as Indianapolis and Detroit. Meanwhile, public health groups have said that permanent standard time would be more natural for our circadian rhythms, citing research that the clock changes increase the risk of heart attacks, stroke and other health problems. “There is a significant stress on the body, and changes that occur, when we are not aligned to the right internal clock,” Lourdes DelRosso, a sleep medicine physician at the University of California at San Francisco-Fresno and co-chair of this year’s World Sleep Day awareness event, said in an interview earlier this year. A March 2023 YouGov poll found that 62% of Americans want to end the practice of changing the clocks, but there was little consensus over what to do next. Half of respondents said they wanted year-round daylight saving time, just under one-third wanted permanent standard time and the remainder said they were unsure or had no opinion. For more than a century, Americans have shifted their clocks forward every spring and back every fall, a tradition that was eventually enshrined in federal law. Voters’ complaints about those clock changes are not new. Lawmakers in the early 1970s moved to permanently adopt daylight saving time, but the decision almost immediately backfired with nationwide complaints, such as children waiting in the dark for school buses to arrive. Congress rolled back the change after 10 months. That defeat has not stopped Markey and other lawmakers who have steadily pushed to lengthen the number of days that Americans spend under daylight saving time, extending that period in 1985, and again in 2005. Most Americans now live with daylight saving time for 238 days a year – nearly eight months. (Two states, Hawaii and most of Arizona, have opted out of the semiannual time changes and remain on permanent standard time, which states are allowed to do.) But states cannot adopt permanent daylight saving time unless Congress passes a bill that allows them to do so. There is a growing political movement attempting to do just that; the Senate in 2022 passed a bill that died in the House. Twenty states have also approved measures that would allow them to adopt year-round daylight saving time if Congress passed a bill making it permanent nationwide, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other countries have ended their own clock changes, including Mexico, which moved to abolish daylight saving time in 2022. Musk was born and spent his childhood in South Africa – which does not follow daylight saving time – and has previously mocked America’s semiannual time changes. “Finally, an explanation for daylight savings that makes sense ...” the billionaire entrepreneur wrote on social media in 2017, linking to a video by the Onion, a satirical news site, that lampooned the practice. President Biden’s views on time changes are unclear. The White House has not responded to questions in the past two years about whether Biden supported efforts in Congress to adopt year-round daylight saving time, which may have stifled lawmakers’ attempts to attract support for their bill. But the next president appears more receptive. “Making Daylight Saving Time permanent is O.K. with me!” Trump wrote on social media in March 2019, the Monday morning after the “spring forward” took effect that year. The Transportation Department oversees the implementation of daylight saving time, and agency officials have said DOT does not have the authority to change it without an act of Congress. It is not clear whether Musk and Ramaswamy, who have argued that recent Supreme Court decisions would allow the White House to make regulatory changes without going through Congress, see a path to doing so with daylight saving time. Their commission is supposed to make its recommendations to the president by July 4, 2026 – the date they’ve targeted to wind down their panel. Musk and Ramaswamy may have other allies in Trump’s emerging administration. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Trump’s pick to serve as secretary of state, has spent years calling to end clock changes and make daylight saving time year-round. “My Sunshine Protection Act would end this stupid practice of changing our clocks back and forth,” Rubio said in a statement in March, referencing his legislation. His office did not respond to a request for comment about whether Rubio had spoken with Musk and Ramaswamy about ending the semiannual clock changes. “Can we just stop changing our clocks twice a year?” Jim O’Neill, Trump’s pick to be deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, wrote on X in 2022. “The one industry that doesn’t need disruption is daylight.” We invite you to add your comments. 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