game free 'Hawk tuah girl's' cryptocurrency crashes shortly after launch: What are meme coins?By JUAN A. LOZANO, Associated Press 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. 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 Ken Lay’s convictions were vacated after he died of heart disease following his 2006 trial. 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. 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

PLATINUM EQUITY INVESTS IN HVAC/R DISTRIBUTOR GLOBAL, THE SOURCE

NoneAfter Trump's win, Black women are rethinking their role as America's reliable political organizersDefending national champion South Carolina women defeated by UCLA 77-62 for their first loss since the 2023 Final Four

TNT Sports, in Collaboration with NBA 2K and Genius Sports, to Present NBA 2K25 DataCast Alternative Telecast on truTV & Max for 2024 Emirates NBA Cup Knockout Round CoverageSegall Bryant & Hamill LLC bought a new position in Conagra Brands, Inc. ( NYSE:CAG – Free Report ) in the 3rd quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 34,200 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,112,000. Other institutional investors have also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Innealta Capital LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Chilton Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $25,000. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC grew its stake in shares of Conagra Brands by 82.8% in the 3rd quarter. Hexagon Capital Partners LLC now owns 927 shares of the company’s stock worth $30,000 after buying an additional 420 shares during the last quarter. LRI Investments LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands in the 1st quarter worth approximately $42,000. Finally, Abich Financial Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Conagra Brands in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $47,000. Institutional investors own 83.75% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several analysts have commented on CAG shares. Royal Bank of Canada reiterated a “sector perform” rating and set a $29.00 target price on shares of Conagra Brands in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Conagra Brands in a research note on Monday, August 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $36.00 target price on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on Conagra Brands from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 17th. BNP Paribas upgraded Conagra Brands to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Finally, Bank of America cut their target price on Conagra Brands from $34.00 to $33.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, October 3rd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $31.63. Conagra Brands Stock Performance CAG stock opened at $27.42 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $13.09 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.62, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.34. Conagra Brands, Inc. has a 1 year low of $26.21 and a 1 year high of $33.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.86, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.33. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $29.67 and its 200-day moving average price is $29.91. Conagra Brands ( NYSE:CAG – Get Free Report ) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, October 2nd. The company reported $0.53 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.60 by ($0.07). The firm had revenue of $2.79 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.84 billion. Conagra Brands had a return on equity of 13.71% and a net margin of 4.14%. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.66 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that Conagra Brands, Inc. will post 2.59 earnings per share for the current year. Conagra Brands Announces Dividend The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 27th. Investors of record on Thursday, October 31st will be issued a $0.35 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, October 31st. This represents a $1.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 5.11%. Conagra Brands’s dividend payout ratio is currently 135.92%. Conagra Brands Profile ( Free Report ) Conagra Brands, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company primarily in the United States. The company operates through Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice segments. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding CAG? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Conagra Brands, Inc. ( NYSE:CAG – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for Conagra Brands Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Conagra Brands and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Joe Biden commutes death sentences of 37 inmates but three still face lethal injection

Joe Burrow is no longer talking about the playoffs after another loss by the high-scoring BengalsEuro plunges to its lowest for two years Purchasing managers' index at 48.1 in November, down from 50 in September Data sent euro plunging to just above $1.03 versus the dollar This is its lowest since November 2022 By JOHN-PAUL FORD ROJAS Updated: 21:50 GMT, 22 November 2024 e-mail 6 View comments The euro sank to a two-year low against the dollar yesterday as political turmoil in Germany and France dragged the single currency zone's economy into reverse. A closely-watched monthly survey of business activity fell unexpectedly to 48.1 in November, down from 50 in September – on an index where the 50 mark separates growth from contraction. The purchasing managers' index (PMI) data sent the euro plunging to just above $1.03 versus the US currency, its lowest since November 2022. Yields on eurozone government bonds also fell as investors bet on faster interest rate cuts. The European Central Bank has cut rates three times this year to 3.25 per cent amid deepening concerns about lacklustre growth. Markets expect another quarter-point cut next month followed by further reductions taking the rate to 1.75 per cent by the end of 2025. Jane Foley, senior FX strategist at Rabobank, said the euro had taken 'a step closer to parity' with the dollar. Struggle: The purchasing managers' index data sent the euro plunging to just above $1.03 versus the US currency, its lowest since November 2022 However, it was little changed versus the pound, after PMI data for the UK also proved dismal as Labour's tax raid on employers in the Budget took its toll. Sterling was trading at just over €1.20. The eurozone PMI figures showed the services sector going into reverse for the first time in ten months and the decline in the manufacturing sector deepening. Germany, Europe's biggest economy, is in limbo after its coalition government collapsed this month – and elections are not due until February. Meanwhile, revised figures yesterday downgraded third-quarter growth from 0.2 per cent to 0.1 per cent. The country, once a manufacturing powerhouse, is in crisis as demand from China slumps and its vast car industry grapples with the transition to electric vehicles. RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next Brussels warning to White House over 'harmful' tariffs Artificial intelligence to replace workers after Budget,... Share this article Share HOW THIS IS MONEY CAN HELP How to choose the best (and cheapest) stocks and shares Isa and the right DIY investing account Bosch became the latest industrial giant to be hit yesterday, announcing 3,500 job cuts, affecting the part of the company that develops technology for vehicles. US car maker Ford is also cutting thousands of jobs in Germany while Volkswagen, Europe's biggest car maker, is expected to close as many as three factories. In France, hard-Right legislators are threatening to topple prime minister Michel Barnier's fragile coalition in a dispute about the 2025 budget. Adding to the gloom is the fear that Donald Trump's threatened trade tariffs will hurt the European economy. Cyrus de la Rubia, chief economist at Hamburg Commercial Bank, which compiled the PMI figures, said: 'Things could hardly have turned out much worse. The manufacturing sector is sinking deeper into recession, and now the services sector is starting to struggle after two months of marginal growth. 'It is no surprise, given the political mess in the biggest eurozone economies lately. 'France's government is on shaky ground and Germany's heading for early elections. Throw in the election of Donald Trump and it is no wonder the economy is facing challenges.' Bert Colijn, chief economist at ING Bank, said 'The November PMI is another wake-up call for eurozone policymakers that the economy continues to show signs of weakness. 'New business is weakening again for manufacturing and services with export orders in particular being down sharply as the eurozone economy battles weak demand from abroad.' DIY INVESTING PLATFORMS AJ Bell AJ Bell Easy investing and ready-made portfolios Learn More Learn More Hargreaves Lansdown Hargreaves Lansdown Free fund dealing and investment ideas Learn More Learn More interactive investor interactive investor Flat-fee investing from £4.99 per month Learn More Learn More Saxo Saxo Get £200 back in trading fees Learn More Learn More Trading 212 Trading 212 Free dealing and no account fee Learn More Learn More Affiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. 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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge on the first play of double overtime and Jordan Hansen ended the game on a fourth-down sack to give Northern Illinois a 28-20 victory over Fresno State on Monday in the Idaho Potato Bowl. Dimopoulos, who played quarterback in high school, also converted the two-point conversion when he passed it to quarterback Josh Holst for his second completion of the season. Holst, a freshman walk-on, was making just his third start at quarterback as NIU was without starter Ethan Hampton, who entered with 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns to go with six interceptions. Holst completed 18 of 30 passes for 182 and two touchdowns for Northern Illinois (8-5). He was also intercepted on the first play of the game. Both teams missed a 35-yard field goal in the final three minutes of regulation, including Dylan Lynch's third miss of the game on the final play to send it to overtime. Fresno State started overtime with a touchdown when Bryson Donelson was left wide open out of the backfield to haul in a 9-yard touchdown pass. NIU needed five plays, and a defensive holding penalty, to score as Holst found Grayson Barnes for a 3-yard touchdown. Donelson finished with 15 carries for 82 yards and a touchdown for Fresno State (6-7). He added three catches for 28 yards and another score. Dual-threat quarterback Joshua Wood was 16 of 23 for 180 yards and a touchdown. Mac Dalena made six catches for 118 yards to help go over 1,000 yards for the season. Fresno State was without 14 players, including starting quarterback Mikey Keene after he transferred to Michigan. Two top-three receivers, Jalen Moss and Raylen Sharpe, also did not play as the Bulldogs were forced to use five new starters. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballN-Power: Unfreeze NSIPA accounts, resume stipend payments, Reps urge TinubuWhat to know from NFL Week 12: Houston is spiraling; Caleb Williams is improving

Keir Starmer has published an emotional first Christmas message as Prime Minister in which he talks about "the hope and joy of this special season". The PM thanked those who will spend the festive period serving others, including doctors and nurses, our armed forces and churches and charities who welcome their communities in. While he spoke about the "joy and wonder" of Christmas, Mr Starmer also acknowledged that it is not an easy time for many people across the country and the world . In a moving message, he told the nation: "My thoughts are with all those who are lonely this Christmas. Having a tough time, missing a loved one. You are not alone. "Because as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas story reminds all of us to reach out to one another. To care for one another. And to look after those around us." And he also spoke about those whose lives are being torn apart by war and conflict across the world: "This Christmas, I will be hoping for peace, particularly in the Middle East as the birthplace of the Christmas story." Downing Street earlier revealed the Prime Minister is due to take his first break abroad since winning the election over the festive season. Officials said Mr Starmer is due to go away for a few days with his family over New Year. No10 would not say where the PM is going, with his travel usually kept quiet due to security reasons. Mr Starmer will remain in charge of the country during his trip. In August Mr Starmer cancelled his family holiday following the wave of disorder across the UK. The PM had been expected to head to Europe with his family for a few days - but opted to stay at home with police forces on "high alert". Keir Starmer's Christmas message in full: This Christmas, people will be travelling up and down the country. Heading home, visiting relatives and loved ones to celebrate together the hope and joy of this special season. It’s a time to remind ourselves what’s really important. Family. Friendship. And fellowship between all people. Being there for one another – in these celebrations, as well as the more difficult times. I’d like especially to thank those who will spend their Christmas serving others this year. In our NHS and emergency services, our Armed Forces and the churches and charities that will welcome every person this Christmas. Be the first with news from Mirror Politics BLUESKY: Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here . And follow our Mirror Politics team here - Lizzy Buchan , Jason Beattie , Kevin Maguire , Sophie Huskisson , Dave Burke , Ashley Cowburn , Mikey Smith POLITICS WHATSAPP: Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here . We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice . NEWSLETTER: Or sign up here to the Mirror's Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox. PODCAST: And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell , hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday. Because I know that this is not an easy time for everyone, and my thoughts are with all those who are lonely this Christmas. Having a tough time, missing a loved one. You are not alone. Because as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas story reminds all of us to reach out to one another. To care for one another. And to look after those around us. This Christmas, I will be hoping for peace, particularly in the Middle East as the birthplace of the Christmas story. I’ll be looking towards a better, brighter future for every person and celebrating the joy and wonder that Christmas brings. So, from my family to yours, I hope you have a very merry Christmas.

Scott Bessent's rise through finance to the US Treasury

NoneTech occupation unemployment rate inches down to 2.5% DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The tech workforce saw modest movement in the latest national employment data, according to CompTIA , the nonprofit association for the tech industry and workforce. Analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) #JobsReport data reveals the tech unemployment rate for the month fell slightly to 2.5%, matching the low end of the rate for 2024. The national unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2% in November. Employment within the technology industry sector was essentially flat with a decline of 1,636 jobs for the month. 1 The tech sector employs nearly 5.6 million people, which translates to a percentage decline of essentially 0%. Tech professions throughout the economy declined by 6,000 in a national workforce of nearly 6.5 million workers. 2 "While a flat month in the aggregate as some employers take a breather, the data continues to highlight the diversity of hiring activity across the tech workforce," Tim Herbert , chief research officer, CompTIA. "Across industry sectors, metro areas and company sizes harnessing tech talent remains a top priority." Active employer job postings for new hiring totaled more than 475,000 in November, down about 42,000 from October. 3 Companies added nearly 184,000 new tech job postings last month, with employers in consulting, finance, manufacturing and technology hardware, software and services among the most active. Artificial intelligence (AI) hiring momentum continues to build. In the aggregate employers recorded nearly 331,000 active job postings throughout 2024 in recruiting for AI job roles and AI skills, a year-over-year increase of 71%. Across all tech occupations 44% of November postings did not specify a four-year degree requirement for applicants. Some occupations had notably higher percentages, including network support specialists (84%) and tech support specialists (71%). The data indicates hiring for work from home (WFH) positions is holding steady at about 20% of total tech job recruiting. On a hiring activity volume basis, the top WFH positions include software developers, IT project managers, data scientists and analysts, tech support specialists, and systems analysts. The "CompTIA Tech Jobs Report" is available at https://www.comptia.org/content/tech-jobs-report . About CompTIA The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world's leading information technology (IT) certification and training body. CompTIA is a mission-driven organization committed to unlocking the potential of every student, career changer or professional seeking to begin or advance in a technology career. Millions of current and aspiring technology workers around the world rely on CompTIA for the training, education and professional certifications that give them the confidence and skills to work in tech. https://www.comptia.org/ 1 Labor market data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and employer job postings from Lightcast may be subject to backward revisions. 2 Monthly occupation level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tends to experience higher levels of variance and volatility. 3 Active job postings include open postings carried over from previous months and new postings added by employers. Media Contact Steven Ostrowski CompTIA sostrowski@comptia.org +1.630.678.8468 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/latest-employment-data-shows-little-change-in-tech-job-market-comptia-analysis-finds-302325237.html SOURCE CompTIANEW YORK — Stoli Group USA, the owner of the namesake vodka , has filed for bankruptcy as it struggled to contend with slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack that has snarled its operations and several years of fighting Russia in court. The company in its bankruptcy filing said it is “experiencing financial difficulties” and lists between $50 million and $100 million in liabilities. Stoli vodka and Kentucky Owl bourbon will continue to be available on store shelves while the company navigates the Chapter 11 process, which only pertains to its U.S. business. Until 2022, Stoli was sold as Stolichnaya in the United States, which loosely translates to “capital city” in Russian. The company shortened its title following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and boycotts against Russian-branded vodkas . Stoli Group’s founder, Russian-born billionaire Yuri Shefler, was exiled from that nation in 2000 because of his opposition to President Vladimir Putin. Intel announced on December 2 that CEO Pat Gelsinger has resigned after a difficult stint at the company. The once-dominant chipmaker’s stock cratered as it missed the AI boom and was surpassed by most of its rivals. The liquor has long been marketed as a Russian vodka, but its production facilities have been in Latvia for several decades. Stoli Group is a unit of Luxembourg-based SPI Group, which owns other spirit and wine brands. “The Stoli Group has been targeted by the Russian Federation since it was formed nearly 25 years ago,” said Stoli Group CEO Chris Caldwell in a statement. “Earlier this year the company and our owner were both named by the Russian state as ‘extremist groups working against Russia’s interests.’” Its ongoing legal battle with the Russia government has forced Stoli to “spend dozens of millions of dollars on this long-term court battle across the globe with the Russian authorities,” according to its court filing. Caldwell also said that Stoli’s global operations has been a “victim of a malicious cyber attack” that has forced the company to operate “entirely manually while the systems are rebuilt.” A slowdown in demand for alcohol has crushed several company’s bottom lines following the pandemic when people were stuck at home and stocked up. Stoli’s filings said that it has seen a “decline and softening of demand for alcohol and spirits products post-Covid and especially beginning in 2023 and continuing into 2024.” Stoli Group USA, maker of Stoli vodka, has filed for bankruptcy due to slowing demand for spirits, a major cyberattack, and ongoing legal battles with Russia. The-CNN-WireTM & © 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title when he hit a major league-best .366 for the Atlanta Braves, has died. He was 85. Major League Baseball , the players' association and the Braves paid tribute to Carty on social media on Sunday. No further details on Carty's death were provided. “Carty was one of the first groundbreaking Latino stars in the major leagues, and he established himself as a hero to millions in his native Dominican Republic, his hometown of San Pedro de Macoris, and the city of Atlanta, where he was a beloved fan favorite,” the players' association said in its statement . The Braves said Carty left an indelible mark on the organization. “While his on-field accomplishments will never be forgotten, his unforgettable smile and generous nature will be sorely missed,” the team said in its statement. Carty made his big league debut with the Braves in September 1963. He batted .330 with 22 homers and 88 RBIs in his first full season in 1964, finishing second to Dick Allen in voting for NL Rookie of the Year. The Braves moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta after the 1965 season, and Carty got the franchise's first hit in its new home on April 12, 1966, against Pittsburgh. Carty had his best year in 1970, batting .366 with 25 homers and a career-best 101 RBIs. He started the All-Star Game after he was elected as a write-in candidate, joining Willie Mays and Hank Aaron in the NL outfield. Carty batted .299 with 204 homers and 890 RBIs over 15 years in the majors, also playing for Cleveland, Toronto, Oakland, Texas and the Chicago Cubs. He retired after the 1979 season. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Enzo Maresca believes his attack’s improvement means nobody can accuse Chelsea of being Cole Palmer FC any more. The nickname was coined by ­Mauricio Pochettino last season and soon came to be seen as a negative. It was on Maresca’s mind when he replaced Pochettino and the Italian is of the view that Chelsea, the highest goalscorers in the Premier League, have become less reliant on Palmer in the final third. “Yes – and we are very happy,” the head coach said. “If you remember in my first press conference I said that we cannot rely on Cole for every game because it is not correct. He has to enjoy football. “But if we prepare the season thinking Cole is the only solution then we are wrong. We work every day to allow Cole to be in situations where he can be the best and be good. You see that we move him from the right side to the left side, or from one side to the other side, because we want to put players in situations where they can be the best.” Palmer collected his ninth goal of the season when Chelsea won 5-1 at Southampton on Wednesday, when Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and Jadon Sancho also scored. Maresca, whose side are second before visiting Tottenham on Sunday, has enviable options up front. He praised Nkunku, Sancho, Madueke, Mykhailo Mudryk, Enzo Fernández, Nicolas Jackson, Pedro Neto and João Félix for lifting the pressure on Palmer. “I don’t know if the players are better than last season,” the former Leicester manager said. “The only thing I can say is that since we started, with the right side with Noni and Pedro and the left side with Mischa [Mudryk] and Jadon, and Enzo, Cole, João the other day, Nico and Christo, the attacking players are doing well.” Maresca was also effusive about Moisés Caicedo’s performance in midfield, saying that the Ecuador international was as good as Arsenal’s Declan Rice and Manchester City’s Rodri. “He is for sure now at that level,” he said. “No doubt. Unfortunately, Rodri is injured but Declan is playing. But I think Moisés can sit at that table with that kind of midfielder.” Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion Despite the growing positivity Maresca maintained that Chelsea were not in the title race. “We need to do so many other things good, not only scoring goals,” he said. “We need to avoid conceding goals. Overall, I think defensively we are doing quite well but we are just focused on Sunday’s game. We are not thinking about May or June, these kind of things, because it is too early. In football, everything can change very quick.”ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey gambling regulators have handed out $40,000 in fines to two sportsbooks and a tech company for violations that included taking bets on unauthorized events, and on games that had already ended. In information made public Monday, the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement fined DraftKings $20,000. It also levied $10,000 fines on Rush Street Interactive NJ and the sports betting technology company Kambi. According to documents released by the state, Rush Street accepted 16 bets worth $1,523 in Nov. 2021 on a college basketball game between the University of North Carolina-Asheville and Tennessee Tech University after the game had already concluded with a UNC victory. Kambi told the enforcement division that a trader had failed to manually remove that game from its betting markets, saying it had stopped receiving messages from its own sports data provider due to a network connectivity error. Kambi said it has updated its guidelines and retrained its traders to prevent a recurrence. Kambi, which is based in Malta, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday. Rush Street declined comment, and DraftKings had no immediate comment Monday. DraftKings stopped using Kambi in 2021. In March 2022 Rush Street took seven bets totaling just under $2,900 on three Magic City Jai Alai games after the results were already known. Kambi told the division it experienced a connectivity issue that allowed the bets to be accepted after the games were over. An explanation of what Kambi did to address the situation was blacked out in documents released by the division. A month earlier Rush Street took 13 wagers worth $8,150 with pre-match odds on a Professional Golf Association match after the event had already begun. In this case, Kambi told the division a newly hired trader failed to enter the correct closing time time for bets on the event. The trader and a supervisor underwent retraining. DraftKings was fined for taking bets on unapproved events including Russian basketball for nine months in 2020 and 2021. It eventually voided over $61,000 in bets and returned the money to customers after being directed to do so by the state. In this case, Kambi told the division it misidentified this particular Russian basketball league as one that was approved for wagering in New Jersey. DraftKings told the state it did not catch the error, either. In 2020, DraftKings accepted 484 wagers on unapproved table tennis matches. Kambi incorrectly enabled the events for wagering without conditions required by the state, the division said. In Feb. 2022, the division said DraftKings took pre-season NFL bets involving specific players but did not give the state specific information on what information was to be included in the bets, drawing 182 wagers worth nearly $7,000 that were later voided and refunded to customers. Follow Wayne Parry on X at www.twitter.com/WayneParryACS&P/TSX composite up almost 150 at closing, U.S. markets also higher

CALGARY, Alberta – Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury bounded down the tunnel and onto the ice for his 1,000th NHL start and what was presumably the final start of his career in the home rink of the Edmonton Oilers — a team he’d beaten 16 times previously in his career. ADVERTISEMENT He corralled one of the dozens of pucks strewn around the ice and fired toward the cage he would soon be guarding. But his attempt at an empty-net goal was foiled when the puck he had shot hit another puck at the top of the crease and both slid to the corners of the rink. It was just the first thing that would go wrong for the guy teammates lovingly call “Flower” on this night. Less than 30 seconds into the game, he swung at a puck bouncing in his direction all the way from the red line. He missed, and the Oilers led 1-0 on a fluke that had the Rogers Place crowd roaring and smiling. After the initial shock wore off, Fleury was smiling too. “I haven’t played in so long, I wanted to do well and help the team, and at the beginning to let that one in, I was mad for a little bit and then I just laughed. It was so stupid,” he said following Minnesota’s 5-3 win, which gave him a 4-0-1 record for the season. “The guys came by and they gave me a tap, and they laughed and kind of made it a little lighter. And they battled well, nobody sat back.” ADVERTISEMENT Just under 60 minutes of game time later, Flower was the one grinning in the Wild locker room as Minnesota won its ninth road game in a dozen opportunities. Fleury finished with 28 saves, and the other two Edmonton goals both went off the skates of Wild defenders. In the first period, he made a sprawling poke-check save to thwart Oilers star Connor McDavid’s rush to the net that had the Edmonton crowd primed to explode again. It was the 1,030th appearance in an NHL game for Fleury, moving him past Patrick Roy into third in the NHL record books for most games played by a goalie. He will turn 40 on Thanksgiving Day and has been in the league since 2003, after the Penguins made him the first-overall pick in that summer’s draft. But with Filip Gustavsson off to a fantastic start as the Wild’s mainstay in the crease, and Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings (in Iowa) presumably as the franchise’s goalie of the future, Fleury finds himself in a new role: backup goalie. Perhaps the only time his ever-present smile seemed forced following the win in Edmonton was when Fleury pointed out, on two occasions, that it was his first start in three weeks, since a win at San Jose on Nov. 7. ADVERTISEMENT Minnesota coach John Hynes reiterated on Friday afternoon that there was, for a brief moment, a thought that the Wild would carry three goalies — Gustavsson, Fleury and Wallstedt — for a time in October, meaning there would be two backups, or a rotation plus a third stringer. It didn’t work out that way. “Gus and Flower played well. Wally played well. But based on contracts and things like that and where everyone’s at in their career, Wally went down and played (in Iowa) and he’s doing a good job now and has found his game,” Hynes said. “But Flower’s playing really well and Gus is playing really well. So, it hasn’t been that he’s...the understudy. It’s just, here’s what we need to do everyday and then we’ll try to let you know when we’re going to start. Sometimes, it might be in advance. Sometimes, it might be a little closer to the game.” Fleury has made it clear that this will be the final season of his career, so like a rare flower that only blooms once in a while, seeing one of his remaining starts is worth seeking out. Of course, with the Wild defying expectations, the team’s fanbase is clearly hoping this flower keeps blooming well into May or even June. 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 .TikTok is one step closer to being banned in the US after a federal appeals court upheld a law requiring its Chinese owner ByteDance to sell the app or face a nationwide ban by January 19, 2025. The court rejected TikTok’s argument that the law violates the US Constitution, saying the law is about national security. “The law targets control by a foreign adversary, not the content or speech on TikTok,” the judges said. TikTok will appeal to the Supreme Court. Spokesperson Michael Hughes said, “This ban is based on flawed and hypothetical concerns, amounting to censorship. If enforced, it will silence over 170 million Americans.” Following the court verdict, ByteDance has said it won’t sell TikTok, calling that impossible. US officials say TikTok could allow the Chinese government to access user data or manipulate content for propaganda. No evidence has been shown but the government says the ownership is the risk. The court agreed, saying, “Even without evidence of manipulation in the US, the risk is great enough to act.” The law also allows President Biden to extend the January deadline once, but no decision has been made. If the ban happens, app stores and internet providers will face penalties for hosting TikTok. Analysts say that social media platforms like Meta, YouTube, and Snapchat will gain from TikTok’s removal. American content creators are worried. “I don’t want Zuckerberg to own TikTok. This is insane,” one said. Another said, “I hope TikTok survives but it doesn’t look good.” Critics say the ban is too much. Patrick Toomey from the ACLU said it sets a “bad precedent,” adding, “The government has no evidence of harm.” Civil rights groups and experts have also said a broader privacy law could address the concerns without targeting specific apps. As the deadline looms, TikTok’s fate in the US is up to its appeal or a last-minute deal. For now, its 170 million American users are in limbo.