60 jilibet

In a potentially game-changing move for the EV industry, Stellantis and Zeta Energy Corp have teamed up to develop the next-generation EV battery with more range, more power, 50% faster charging, and at less than half the cost. Lithium-ion batteries have powered the electric vehicle (EV) revolution since 2008, when Tesla introduced the to the world, powered by 53 kWh of Li-ion goodness, with a range of around 245 miles (394 km). The iconic Roadster nearly doubled the 140-mile (225 km) range of General Motors' 1999 EV1, which powered by an incredibly heavy, 26.4 kWh nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) battery pack. Despite lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries having been conceptualized in the 1960s, practical applications were limited due to issues like poor life cycles and capacity loss from something called " ," unique to Li-S batteries. As the battery discharges, sulfur at the cathode side reacts with the lithium, creating lithium polysulfides which diffuse through the electrolyte to the anode leaving deposits. While charging, some polysulfides would migrate back to the cathode, but not all, degrading the battery very quickly. Texas, USA-based Zeta, in partnership with global automotive giant, Stellantis, reckons it's got that figured out. Recent advancements in material technology and the development of barriers and coatings trap these polysulfides, preventing them from "shuttling" between the electrodes, effectively fixing the pesky premature death effect. Li-S is significantly lighter than their Li-ion counterparts. A Li-ion battery typically packs between 150-250 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) of energy in them. Li-S can achieve up to 400-600 Wh/kg. That's a . Li-S can provide same amount of power with a smaller package – meaning not only greater range in your EV because the batteries are going to weigh 30-50% less, but better handling and performance. The lighter, the better. The two companies also claim improvements in fast-charging speeds by as much as 50% over traditional lithium-ion battery packs. Li-S has a simpler chemistry and doesn't rely on the slow diffusion of lithium ions into solid materials (like the graphite in Li-ion). Instead, reactions occur directly between the lithium and sulfur which is faster and more straightforward. They also operate at lower voltages, so they don't have as much resistance during charging, making them absorb energy more quickly. The kicker: Li-S batteries are expected to cost less than the price per kilowatt-hour than Li-ion. Sulfur is abundant and Zeta's Li-S batteries use waste materials like methane and unrefined sulfur from various industries. They also ditch expensive, hard-to-source materials like cobalt, graphite, manganese or nickel; which Li-ion is also made from. Zeta's approach can utilize locally sourced materials and use existing factories to assemble its batteries, slashing CO2 emissions compared to existing battery tech. Contrary to what you might think of "sulfur" being in the name, it's not like what you find in gunpowder, matches or fireworks. The sulfur in Li-S is in a solid state. Li-S batteries don't have flammable electrolytes like what you'd find in a typical Li-ion battery. It's often the electrolyte that causes battery fires. They're not without any flaws, however, as the the use of a lithium metal anode can pose risks like dendrite formation, which can lead to short circuits. But if you've ever seen an EV battery fire, you know it to be . Fire departments often have to simply wait until the fire burns itself out when a lithium-ion battery "vents" or explodes. Punctures or thermal runaway (usually from over-charging) lead to chain reactions that create a lot of batteries. Li-S batteries are less prone to this as the sulfur's chemical reactions are less exothermic. And without ingredients like cobalt and nickel to fuel a fire, Li-S is considered to be safer than the batteries that , your laptop, your phone, . With Stellantis aiming to roll out Li-S-powered EVs by 2030, this partnership could redefine how we think about electric mobility. Source:

Manchester City’s crisis deepened as they surrendered a three-goal lead late in the game to draw 3-3 against Feyenoord in the Champions League. Pep Guardiola’s side avoided the indignity of a sixth successive defeat in all competitions and looked on course for a welcome victory thanks to a double from Erling Haaland – the first from the penalty spot – and a deflected effort from Ilkay Gundogan. Yet Guardiola was left with his head in hands as Feyenoord roared back in the last 15 minutes with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Sergio Gimenez and David Hancko, two of them after Josko Gvardiol errors. FULL-TIME | A point apiece. 🩵 3-3 ⚫️ #ManCity | #UCL pic.twitter.com/6oj1nEOIwm — Manchester City (@ManCity) November 26, 2024 Arsenal delivered the statement Champions League win Mikel Arteta had demanded as they swept aside Sporting Lisbon 5-1. Arteta wanted his team to prove their European credentials, and goals from Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Gabriel, Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard got their continental campaign back on track in style following the 1-0 defeat at Inter Milan last time out. A memorable victory also ended Sporting’s unbeaten start to the season, a streak of 17 wins and one draw, the vast majority of which prompted Manchester United to prise away head coach Ruben Amorim. Putting on a show at Sporting 🌟 pic.twitter.com/Yi9MgRZEkl — Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 26, 2024 Paris St Germain were left in serious of danger of failing to progress in the Champions League as they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Kim Min-jae’s header late in the first half was enough to send PSG to a third defeat in the competition this season, leaving them six points off the automatic qualification places for the last 16 with three games to play. Luis Enrique’s side, who had Ousmane Dembele sent off, were deservedly beaten by Bayern who dominated chances and possession. 🔔 FULL TIME – Victory at home! +3 in the #UCL 👏❤️ #FCBayern #MiaSanMia | #FCBPSG #UCL pic.twitter.com/BYE23dXXih — FC Bayern (@FCBayernEN) November 26, 2024 Elsewhere, Atletico Madrid were 6-0 winners away to Sparta Prague, Julian Alvarez and Angel Correa each scoring twice whilst there were also goals from Marcos Llorente and Antoine Griezmann. Barcelona ended tournament debutants Brest’s unbeaten start with a 3-0 victory courtesy of two goals from Robert Lewandowski – one a penalty – and Dani Olmo. Lewandowski’s first was his 100th Champions League goal, only the third man to reach the mark after Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. A Castello Lukeba own goal saw Inter Milan go top of the standings with a narrow 1-0 win over RB Leipzig at San Siro, whilst Bayer Leverkusen were emphatic victors against Red Bull Salzburg, Florian Wirtz scoring twice to move Xabi Alonso’s side into the automatic qualification places. Atalanta continued their strong start, albeit whilst conceding a first goal in Europe this season in a 6-1 win away to Young Boys, whilst Tammy Abraham scored the decisive goal as AC Milan beat Slovan Bratislava 3-2.But if a recession does hit, Illinois is ready to cushion the fall, a new economic study found. The state is in better shape to withstand a downturn than it was during either the 2007 Great Recession or the 2020 COVID recession, according to the joint study published Monday by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “No state in the nation is recession proof,” said report co-author Frank Manzo, an economist at the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, a La Grange-based nonpartisan research organization. “But Illinois is better positioned to overcome the challenges and withstand the forces that trigger recessions than at any point in recent history.” The elimination of the general fund deficit and replenishing the state’s “rainy day” fund with $2 billion lead the list of post-pandemic improvements that should help Illinois weather a possible recession with a little less pain than the previous two, the study found. Other improvements include a work-share program implemented in 2021 that allows employers to avoid layoffs by temporarily reducing workers’ hours while enabling them to receive pro-rated unemployment benefits. In addition, the state’s 2019 Rebuild Illinois capital plan, bolstered by federal infrastructure funding during the Biden administration, will invest $41 billion in roads, bridges, rail, air and public transit over the next six years, providing ongoing jobs and economic activity — even through a downturn. “The research shows that states which prioritize investments in skilled labor and infrastructure not only are more resilient, but also have higher growth rates,” Manzo told the Tribune. “So they do have better performing economies, regardless of whether they fall into recession or not.” A post-pandemic recession seemed inevitable to many economists last year after the Fed made 11 rate hikes over 16 months in an effort to curb inflation , which peaked at an annual rate of 9.1% in June 2022, due largely to supply chain disruptions. Next week, with inflation hovering at about 2.5% and the economy relatively stable, the Fed will weigh its third rate cut since September amid increasing optimism that a recession can be avoided. But a September report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics predicts that Trump’s tariff and deportation policies will cause consumer prices to rise and inflation to spike to as high as 9.3% by 2026, once again raising the specter of imminent recession. Manzo puts the odds of a recession during Trump's second term at about 30%, meaning Illinois needs to be ready. “When there’s a 30% chance of precipitation, most people pack an umbrella or bring a raincoat,” Manzo said. “And it’s really no different for states, which must work to create resilient economies that are prepared to weather the next downturn.” Despite its improved recession resilience, Illinois is still grappling with significant economic problems, including its worst-in-the-nation standing for unfunded pension liability and one of the highest corporate tax rates among the states, a competitive development disadvantage. Illinois has lost a number of big-name corporations to other states in the post-pandemic landscape, including billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin’s investment firm, Citadel, which moved from Chicago to Miami in 2022. Other recent high-profile exits included Boeing and Caterpillar. Even in some economic areas in which it has improved, such as the rainy day fund to keep the state operating during a downturn, which is up 700% since the Great Recession, Illinois still lags most other states, Manzo said. But the study did not compare Illinois to other states, only against itself as it navigated two recessions and the pandemic during the new millennium. And on that measure, Illinois is in much better financial shape, with nine upgrades from credit rating agencies since 2021. For Illinois employers and employees alike, the state’s improved financial health could make “a material difference” when the next recession hits, according to report co-author Robert Bruno, a professor of labor and employment relations at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and director of the Project for Middle Class Renewal. “People would likely, if a recession occurred, experience less hardship, there would be more shock absorbers available,” Bruno said. “We think there’s a real high probability that there would be less stress on families and on workers and on businesses.” Inflation and the economy were key issues during the recent presidential campaign, with divergent views on which party’s platform was more likely to put the U.S. on the road to recession. Vice President Kamala Harris touted a letter signed by 23 Nobel Prize-winning economists who said the Democratic nominee’s economic agenda was “vastly superior” to Trump’s plan for higher tariffs, which they said would lead to higher prices and larger deficits. Meanwhile, the Republican presidential campaign leveraged the high cost of eggs and frustration over inflation — among other topics — to a victory in November, returning Trump to the White House for a second term of promised tax cuts and tariffs after a four-year hiatus. Bruno said national politics, however, played no part in the Illinois recession study, which was undertaken before either party had even chosen a candidate, much less formulated an economic plan. But if the long-predicted recession does happen during the second Trump administration, Illinois may make some red and blue states green with envy over its improved resilience to the downturn. “A national recession is going to be felt everywhere if it happens,” Bruno said. “Illinois is better prepared to deal with it than they were. You can’t prevent it, but you can do better.”

Exit, voice, loyalty? What to do if you want a promotionHowever, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a United Nations official said the country’s public sector had come “to a complete and abrupt halt”. Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighbouring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Mr Assad’s brutal rule. There were already signs of the difficulties ahead for the rebel alliance now in control of much of the country. The alliance is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant, who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and has promised representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said they would not tell women how to dress. “It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women’s dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty,” the command said in a statement on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services had shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the UN official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali for the first time. Mr Jalali stayed in Syria when Mr Assad fled and has sought to project normalcy since. “We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth,” he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation had already improved from the day before. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said that judges were ready to resume work quickly. “We want to give everyone their rights,” Mr Haddad said outside the courthouse. “We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods.” But a UN official said some government services had been paralysed as worried state employees stayed at home. The public sector “has just come to a complete and abrupt halt,” said Adam Abdelmoula, UN resident and humanitarian co-ordinator for Syria, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies had been put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. “This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonised by the public media are now in charge in the nation’s capital,” Mr Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. “I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again.” In a video shared on a rebel messaging channel, Mr al-Sharaa said: “You will see there are skills” among the rebels. The Kremlin said Russia has granted political asylum to Mr Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Mr Assad’s specific whereabouts and said Mr Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people were still celebrating. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence though in some areas, small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets.

Health rethink needed as aging will escalate Canada costs significantly: report

You probably haven’t gotten wind of the news yet, but the Bears fired coach Matt Eberflus last week. No, really, they did . Happy to hear it? We figured some of you would be. In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the social platform X, we wanted to know if Bears fans’ enthusiasm about the team has changed with Eberflus out. Suffice it to say, almost no one who voted was disappointed. “Call me crazy,” commented @JeffreyCanalia, who was about to write something really crazy, “but I still think they can make the playoffs.” Next, we asked about Sunday’s Bears-49ers game . And the winner is? “I have thought they were going to win too many times this year to think this now,” @P6Cassidy offered. Last, we asked which Bears coach was worst among Marc Trestman, John Fox, Matt Nagy and Eberflus. “Yes,” answered @IllinoisGolfer, hilariously. And from @Marie_Manning: “None of them stayed long enough to find out.” One supposes we should count our blessings. On to the polls: Poll No. 1: Has your enthusiasm about the Bears changed since the firing of coach Matt Eberflus? Upshot: Will things be better on the field? Will better decisions be made on the sideline? We’ll see. It certainly could be argued that not having to hear Eberflus’ interpretations of events will be a victory in itself. Poll No. 2: How will the Bears fare Sunday at the 49ers in their first game post-Eberflus? Upshot: “Once again,” @RiisPark99, “the media and the fans are listening to their hearts and not their heads. Bears lose.” Wait a minute, where does this commenter get off implying the media have hearts? Poll No. 3: Of the Bears’ four head coaches since Lovie Smith, who was the worst? Upshot: What in the holy hell did we ever do to the football gods to deserve that lineup? Asking for a few million friends.

HOUSTON (AP) — An elaborate parody appears to be behind an effort to resurrect Enron, the Houston-based energy company that exemplified the worst in American corporate fraud and greed after it went bankrupt in 2001. If its return is comedic, some former employees who lost everything in Enron’s collapse aren’t laughing. “It’s a pretty sick joke and it disparages the people that did work there. And why would you want to even bring it back up again?” said former Enron employee Diana Peters, who represented workers in the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Here’s what to know about the history of Enron and the purported effort to bring it back. What happened at Enron? Once the nation’s seventh-largest company, Enron filed for bankruptcy protection on Dec. 2, 2001, after years of accounting tricks could no longer hide billions of dollars in debt or make failing ventures appear profitable. The energy company's collapse put more than 5,000 people out of work, wiped out more than $2 billion in employee pensions and rendered $60 billion in Enron stock worthless. Its aftershocks were felt throughout the energy sector. Twenty-four Enron executives , including former CEO Jeffrey Skilling , were eventually convicted for their roles in the fraud. Enron founder Key Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. Is Enron coming back? On Monday — the 23rd anniversary of the bankruptcy filing — a company representing itself as Enron announced in a news release that it was relaunching as a “company dedicated to solving the global energy crisis.” It also posted a video on social media, advertised on at least one Houston billboard and a took out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle In the minute-long video that was full of generic corporate jargon, the company talks about “growth” and “rebirth.” It ends with the words, “We’re back. Can we talk?” Enron's new website features a company store, where various items featuring the brand's tilted “E” logo are for sale, including a $118 hoodie. In an email, company spokesperson Will Chabot said the new Enron was not doing any interviews yet, but that "We’ll have more to share soon.” Signs point to the comeback being a joke. In the “terms of use and conditions of sale” on the company's website, it says “the information on the website about Enron is First Amendment protected parody, represents performance art, and is for entertainment purposes only.” Documents filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office show that College Company, an Arkansas-based LLC, owns the Enron trademark. The co-founder of College Company is Connor Gaydos, who helped create a joke conspiracy theory that claims all birds are actually surveillance drones for the government. What do former Enron employees think of the company’s return? Peters said that since learning about the “relaunch” of Enron, she has spoken with several other former employees and they are also upset by it. She said the apparent stunt was “in poor taste.” “If it’s a joke, it’s rude, extremely rude. And I hope that they realize it and apologize to all of the Enron employees,” Peters said. Peters, who is 74 years old, said she is still working in information technology because “I lost everything in Enron, and so my Social Security doesn’t always take care of things I need done.” “Enron’s downfall taught us critical lessons about corporate ethics, accountability, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. Enron’s legacy was the employees in the trenches. Leave Enron buried,” she said. ___ Follow Juan A. Lozano on X at https://x.com/juanlozano70 Juan A. Lozano, The Associated PressThe results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election rattled the country and sent shockwaves across the world — or were cause for celebration, depending on who you ask. Is it any surprise then that the Merriam-Webster word of the year is “polarization”? “Polarization means division, but it’s a very specific kind of division,” said Peter Sokolowski, Merriam-Webster’s editor at large, in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press ahead of Monday’s announcement. “Polarization means that we are tending toward the extremes rather than toward the center.” The election was so divisive, many American voters went to the polls with a feeling that the opposing candidate was an existential threat to the nation. According to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 120,000 voters, about 8 in 10 Kamala Harris voters were very or somewhat concerned that Donald Trump’s views — but not Harris’ — were too extreme, while about 7 in 10 Trump voters felt the same way about Harris — but not Trump. The Merriam-Webster entry for “polarization” reflects scientific and metaphorical definitions. It’s most commonly used to mean “causing strong disagreement between opposing factions or groupings.” Merriam-Webster, which logs 100 million pageviews a month on its site, chooses its word of the year based on data, tracking a rise in search and usage. Last year’s pick was “authentic.” This year’s comes as large swaths of the U.S. struggle to reach consensus on what is real. “It’s always been important to me that the dictionary serve as a kind of neutral and objective arbiter of meaning for everybody,” Sokolowski said. “It’s a kind of backstop for meaning in an era of fake news, alternative facts, whatever you want to say about the value of a word’s meaning in the culture.” It’s notable that “polarization” originated in the early 1800s — and not during the Renaissance, as did most words with Latin roots about science, Sokolowski said. He called it a “pretty young word,” in the scheme of the English language. “Polarized is a term that brings intensity to another word,” he continued, most frequently used in the U.S. to describe race relations, politics and ideology. “The basic job of the dictionary is to tell the truth about words,” the Merriam-Webster editor continued. “We’ve had dictionaries of English for 420 years and it’s only been in the last 20 years or so that we’ve actually known which words people look up.” “Polarization” extends beyond political connotations. It’s used to highlight fresh cracks and deep rifts alike in pop culture, tech trends and other industries. All the scrutiny over Taylor Swift’s private jet usage? Polarizing. Beef between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake? Polarizing. The International Olympic Committee’s decision to strip American gymnast Jordan Chiles of her bronze medal after the Paris Games? You guessed it: polarizing. Even lighthearted memes — like those making fun of Australian breakdancer Rachael “Raygun” Gunn’s performance — or the proliferation of look-alike contests, or who counts as a nepo baby proved polarizing. Paradoxically though, people tend to see eye to eye on the word itself. Sokolowski cited its frequent use among people across the political spectrum, including commentators on Fox News, MSNBC and CNN. “It’s used by both sides,” he said, “and in a little bit ironic twist to the word, it’s something that actually everyone agrees on.” Rounding out Merriam-Webster’s top 10 words of 2024: Demure TikToker Jools Lebron’s 38-second video describing her workday makeup routine as “very demure, very mindful” lit up the summer with memes. The video has been viewed more than 50 million times, yielding “huge spikes” in lookups, Sokolowski said, and prompting many to learn it means reserved or modest. Fortnight Taylor Swift’s song “Fortnight,” featuring rapper Post Malone, undoubtedly spurred many searches for this word, which means two weeks. “Music can still send people to the dictionary,” Sokolowski said. Totality The solar eclipse in April inspired awe and much travel. There are tens of millions of people who live along a narrow stretch from Mexico’s Pacific coast to eastern Canada, otherwise known as the path of totality, where locals and travelers gazed skyward to see the moon fully blot out the sun. Generally, the word refers to a sum or aggregate amount — or wholeness. Resonate “Texts developed by AI have a disproportionate percentage of use of the word ‘resonate,’” Sokolowski said. This may be because the word, which means to affect or appeal to someone in a personal or emotional way, can add gravitas to writing. But, paradoxically, artificial intelligence “also betrays itself to be a robot because it’s using that word too much.” Allision The word was looked up 60 times more often than usual when, in March, a ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. “When you have one moving object into a fixed object, that’s an allision, not a collision. You’re showing that one of the two objects struck was not, in fact, in motion,” Sokolowski said. Weird This summer on the TV news show “Morning Joe,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called Republican leaders “weird.” It may have been what launched his national career, landing him as the Democratic vice presidential nominee. Though it’s a word that people typically misspell — is it “ei” or “ie”? — and search for that reason, its rise in use was notable, Sokolowski said. Cognitive Whether the word was used to raise questions about President Joe Biden’s debate performance or Trump’s own age, it cropped up often. It refers to conscious intellectual activity — such as thinking, reasoning or remembering. Pander Pander was used widely in political commentary, Sokolowski said. “Conservative news outlets accused Kamala Harris of pandering to different groups, especially young voters, Black voters, gun rights supporters.” Whereas Walz said Trump’s visit to a McDonald’s kitchen pandered to hourly wage workers. It means to say, do, or provide what someone — such as an audience — wants or demands even though it is not “good, proper, reasonable, etc.” Democracy In 2003, Merriam-Webster decided to make “democracy” its first word of the year. Since then, the word — which, of course, means a form of government in which the people elect representatives to make decisions, policies and laws — is consistently one of the dictionary’s most looked up. “There’s a poignancy to that, that people are checking up on it,” Sokolowski said. “Maybe the most hopeful thing that the curiosity of the public shows, is that they’re paying attention.”In California's 'earthquake country,' a 7.0 temblor prompts confusion and a tsunami warning

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. “Wrongly continuing proceedings in this failed lawfare case disrupts President Trump’s transition efforts,” the attorneys continued, before citing the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse the conviction, which involved efforts to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option.

( ) has been heavily sold in the last month of trade and is down 14% in that time. The stock finished the session at $1.11 apiece on Monday, more than 22% off its 52-week high of $1.43 in August. But for savvy investors eyeing opportunities in ASX small-cap stocks, Hipages may offer an intriguing turnaround story if a handful of experts are correct in their bullish view. Let's take a look. ASX small-cap stock ready to rebound Hipages is a 'tradie marketplace' that lets individuals and businesses link up with various tradespersons here in Australia. Say you need a tradie in your local area to fix the tap, or repair a dent in the wall. You might jump onto Hipages and see what local services there are. After a strong run in the 2021 to 2022 period, shares hit an all-time high of $4.10 apiece. But the ASX small-cap stock was heavily sold when high inflation and interest rates sowed their way into markets, resulting in sharp losses for investors. Despite this, Matthew Brooker from Spheria Asset Management sees Hipages as a . Brooker says the firm has changed from a pay-per-lead business model to a subscription service, which means growth is more visible. Speaking to Hipages continues to win market share and is now the leading tradie marketplace in Australia and New Zealand. We're confident profitability and free cash flow generation will continue to expand from here..[it is] a bargain for a growing technology business with a subscription model. And Brooker would be largely correct in his views on the ASX small-cap stock's financials. Revenues were up 13% to $75 million in FY24, with recurring revenue rising 15% to $72 million. Annual revenue per user (ARPU) also rose 11%. It also facilitated a record-breaking 2.7 million tradie-homeowner connections, with 86% of jobs . Growth outlook for FY25 The ASX small-cap stock is targeting FY25 revenue growth in the "low teens", consistent with FY24. It also expects pre-tax margins to expand by 1 to 2 percentage points. Free cash flow is forecast to hit $4 to $6 million. At its AGM last month, CEO Roby Sharon-Zipser said the company was better positioned under its subscription model, along with efforts in its Tradiecore initiative. He said that job volumes had started to return to growth, with Tradiecore delivering "another record quarter". Our subscription model gives us great visibility over future revenues and our operating model is highly efficient and scalable, which will continue to deliver enhanced operating leverage and margin expansion over time. Meanwhile, the consensus of broker estimates rates Hipages a buy, according to CommSec. Foolish takeout This ASX small-cap stock is catching the eye of brokers and fundies alike with its recent performance and growth outlook. Whether or not they are correct, time will tell. In the last 12 months, the Hipages share price is up 59%.

IOWA CITY — Iowa named Jackson Stratton its starting quarterback for the regular season finale against Nebraska on Black Friday. Stratton picked up a win over Maryland in his first career start on Saturday, filling in for an injured Cade McNamara and Brendan Sullivan at quarterback. Iowa quarterback Jackson Stratton warms up before an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Iowa City, Iowa. Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz praised Stratton, who finished the win over the Terrapins with 76 yards on 10-of-14 passing and a 117 passing efficiency rating, during a postgame interview with the Hawkeye Radio Network. “He really, I thought, played with great poise,” Ferentz said. “Also, awareness, for a guy who has never started a game ... it did not seem to affect him at all. He really did a good job of preparing himself and did a really nice job of inserting himself. I thought he really played a good game.” With Stratton in line for his second career start, Marco Lainez III, who started the season as Iowa's third string quarterback, will serve as Stratton's backup on Friday. Lainez suffered a thumb injury on his non-throwing hand last month before returning to practice last week. McNamara, who topped Iowa's depth chart last Monday, but was not cleared to return to game action, did not appear on the two deep. McNamara released a statement via social media which dispelled rumors of his departure from the Iowa football program. "It has come to my attention that there are individuals in the media circulating rumors about my current status on the Iowa Football Team," McNamara wrote. "These are ridiculous accusations and 100% false. My status on the same as it's always been — a proud member of this football team. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night." In addition to McNamara, cornerback Jermari Harris, who was the subject of reports from 247Sports indicating he opted out of the final two games of the season in preparation for the NFL Draft, also did not appear on the depth chart. On Friday, Ferentz released a statement that said Harris would not play against Maryland due to a "medical issue." "We hope all our student-athletes can play next week in our regular season finale at Kinnick Stadium, however, a player's health and wellbeing are always our top priority," Ferentz said in the statement. "There are several players who will not compete in Saturday's game against Maryland because they have not been cleared medically (or by the medical team). "The decision of whether a student-athlete can compete after sustaining an injury is made by the medical team." Harris proved to be a reliable shutdown corner on the left side of the Hawkeyes' defense in his 10 appearances this season. The senior from Chicago recorded 27 total tackles (19 solo), 10 passes defended, three interceptions, including a pick six, and one tackle for loss. Pro Football Focus graded Harris as the No. 9 overall cornerback in the FBS this season. Nick DeJong will also start at right tackle in place of an injured Gennings Dunker. Iowa (7-4, 5-3 Big Ten) will face Nebraska (6-5, 3-5 Big Ten) at 6:30 on Friday with broadcast coverage provided by NBC. After Iowa's win over Maryland, uncertain reigns at quarterback and questions swirl regarding what version of Nebraska the Hawkeyes will face and what the stakes are on Black Friday. A career-long kick, an early stop and two-way one-two punch help Iowa secure its second road win of the season at Maryland on Saturday. Iowa outgained and out-possessed Maryland while limiting the Terrapins explosive passing attack to a season-low performance to earn its seventh win of the season on Sautrday. Iowa learned from its 2023 mistakes, leaned on the ground game, defense and Drew Stevens's turnaround to beat Maryland in its road finale on Saturday. Get local news delivered to your inbox! University of Iowa Athletics Beat Reporter {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.Brazil’s federal police last Thursday formally accused Mr Bolsonaro and 36 other people of attempting a coup. They sent their 884-page report to the Supreme Court, which lifted the seal. “The evidence collected throughout the investigation shows unequivocally that then-president Jair Messias Bolsonaro planned, acted and was directly and effectively aware of the actions of the criminal organisation aiming to launch a coup d’etat and eliminate the democratic rule of law, which did not take place due to reasons unrelated to his desire,” the document said. At another point, it says: “Bolsonaro had full awareness and active participation.” Mr Bolsonaro, who had repeatedly alleged without evidence that the country’s electronic voting system was prone to fraud, called a meeting in December 2022, during which he presented a draft decree to the commanders of the three divisions of the armed forces, according to the police report, signed by four investigators. The decree would have launched an investigation into suspicions of fraud and crimes related to the October 2022 vote, and suspended the powers of the nation’s electoral court. The navy’s commander stood ready to comply, but those from the army and air force objected to any plan that prevented Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s inauguration, the report said. Those refusals are why the plan did not go ahead, according to witnesses who spoke to investigators. Mr Bolsonaro never signed the decree to set the final stage of the alleged plan into action. Mr Bolsonaro has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing or awareness of any plot to keep him in power or oust his leftist rival and successor. “No one is going to do a coup with a reserve general and half a dozen other officers. What is being said is absurd. For my part, there has never been any discussion of a coup,” Mr Bolsonaro told journalists in the capital Brasilia on Monday. “If someone came to discuss a coup with me, I’d say, that’s fine, but the day after, how does the world view us?” he added. “The word ‘coup’ has never been in my dictionary.” The top court has passed the report on to prosecutor-general Paulo Gonet. He will decide whether to formally charge Mr Bolsonaro. Rodrigo Rios, a law professor at the PUC university in the city of Curitiba, said Mr Bolsonaro could face up to a minimum of 11 years in prison if convicted on all charges. “A woman involved in the January 8 attack on the Supreme Court received a 17-year prison sentence,” Mr Rios told the Associated Press, noting that the former president is more likely to receive 15 years or more if convicted. “Bolsonaro’s future looks dark.” Ahead of the 2022 election, Mr Bolsonaro repeatedly alleged that the election system, which does not use paper ballots, could be tampered with. The top electoral court later ruled that he had abused his power to cast unfounded doubt on the voting system, and ruled him ineligible for office until 2030. Still, he has maintained that he will stand as a candidate in the 2026 race. Since Mr Bolsonaro left office, he has been targeted by several investigations, all of which he has chalked up to political persecution. Federal police have accused him of smuggling diamond jewellery into Brazil without properly declaring them and directing a subordinate to falsify his and others’ Covid-19 vaccination statuses. Authorities are also investigating whether he incited the riot on January 8 2022 in which his followers ransacked the Supreme Court and presidential palace in Brasilia, seeking to prompt intervention by the army that would oust Mr Lula from power. Mr Bolsonaro had left for the United States days before Mr Lula’s inauguration on January 1 2023 and stayed there for three months, keeping a low profile. The police report unsealed on Tuesday alleges he was seeking to avoid possible imprisonment related to the coup plot, and also await the uprising that took place a week later.

Islanders blow another third-period lead in loss to Red WingsBody of girl found near Platteville identified 50 years later using forensic genealogy

Matt Gaetz withdraws as Trump’s pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in the SenateRenuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health | Sharyl Attkisson: The raw milk debate, and a Maryland farm owner who says it’s good for you Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do Health | Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Vancouver officials fear another Trump administration will reduce federal funding for projects the city has planned. The Vancouver City Council heard from its lobbyists at a workshop Monday night about the city’s federal agenda for 2025. Vancouver saw much success during the second half of outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration when it came to federal funding. From 2022 to 2024, Congress awarded Vancouver about $9.1 million for wastewater treatment equipment, road projects and police body cameras. The city also received almost $25 million in federal grants that went toward urban forestry, a safe streets initiative, the Heights District redevelopment project and firefighting equipment. “I do think that the new Trump administration is going to look for a number of areas to cut government funding and to cut regulations and to potentially reduce the staff size of the federal government,” said Joel Rubin, managing partner with the public policy advocacy firm CFM Advocates . However, the Trump administration may carry forward infrastructure investment because Biden’s 2021 funding package expires in 2026. “The optimistic side of me says that President-elect Donald Trump would want to do more than the previous administration when it comes to infrastructure,” Rubin said. “So that’s one area that I think could be an opportunity to fund additional local infrastructure for your community, your residents, but we’ll have to see how that all plays out.” The city backed $2.1 billion in successful federal funding requests for the Interstate 5 Bridge Replacement Program. However, Trump has yet to propose a comprehensive infrastructure investment plan similar to Biden’s and budget cuts are looming. Although the economy is growing, the federal government will likely make cuts for largely the same reasons the city of Vancouver did — inflation and rising costs. The U.S. budget deficit is projected to reach $1.9 trillion — one of the highest yearly deficit increases in American history, according to the Congressional Budget Office . National budget cuts could also threaten housing and homelessness assistance and climate initiatives. Previously, the city has received large grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, including an incoming $7 million grant for housing along the Fourth Plain corridor. The city has also spearheaded climate action initiatives with a goal to become carbon neutral throughout Vancouver by 2040. Trump previously criticized energy initiatives on the campaign trail and plans to roll back the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides billions of dollars in incentives for clean energy investments. Clawing back the act could jeopardize opportunities to fund the city’s climate initiatives laid out in its Climate Action Framework . David Hodges, partner with CFM Advocates, said the city’s congressional delegation will have sway and help fight for project funding. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is currently the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Sen. Maria Cantwell, a fellow Washington Democrat, is a ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Aaron Lande, the city’s policy and program manager, said the city should look for other funding sources, including within the private or philanthropic market and at the state level. “How do we keep a healthy mix of our grant pursuits and not put our eggs all in the federal basket or the state basket?” he said. This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism , a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation . Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj .