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The Zygon SuperMind brainwave synchronizer and its Behavioral MindScripts cassette tapes promised to fulfill virtually every human desire. You could learn a foreign language, become a better public speaker, combat illness, lose weight, quit smoking, experience the afterlife and even transform into a whale. But...how? The setup consisted of the Brainwave Synchronizer computer and the Light Pulse glasses, which you used with your own headphones and cassette tape player. Everything was plugged into the Brain Synchronizer, which allowed you to choose from a list of programs designed to create specific brainwave states through a process called Brainwave Entrainment. The entrainment process consisted of using a rhythm of external stimuli like flickering lights, music or tactile stimuli that synchronized brainwaves to induce a highly-specific mental state. The SuperMind claimed to be capable of achieving four different levels: So the Supermind was built to place your mind in the ideal state for your intended goal. The programs ranged in duration from seven minutes for a Quick Charge of your mental acuity to 60 minutes for Super Delta Meditation. Sure, it cool, but the dozens of lawsuits filed against SuperMind might give you a clue to its veracity. And while Zygon called it “entrainment,” critics called it pseudoscience. host Kevin Leiber gave the SuperMind a whirl and, well, he ended up feeling tortured. Want more original video? .

Before billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy became co-chairs of Donald Trump’s bogus Department of Government Efficiency , Ramaswamy had all kinds of awful things to say about Musk, the Tesla CEO and world’s richest right-wing misinformation peddler . CNN’s KFile did a deep dive into Ramaswamy’s history of disparaging statements about his new co-chair. “I think Tesla is increasingly beholden to China,” Ramaswamy opined during a podcast in 2023 in response to the company’s announcement that it would be building a new battery plant in Shanghai. "I have no reason to think Elon won’t jump like a circus monkey when Xi Jinping calls in the hour of need." Musk's reliance on China has only increased over the years, and he has been trying very hard to maintain a favorable relationship with the country that provides a large share of his company's profits as well as so much of the raw materials used in Tesla's EV batteries. In May 2023, Ramaswamy wrote on X that while he appreciated Musk’s purchase of the social media platform, Musk and other “prominent business leaders” were “puppets” of the Chinese Communist Party. Ramaswamy further criticized Musk in a subsequent post . “Now the crusader for “free speech” (@elonmusk) kisses the ring of the world’s biggest censor: Xi Jinping,” he wrote. Musk and Ramaswamy have promised to use DOGE to target hundreds of billions of dollars in government spending cuts by focusing on slashing funding to entities such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives $535 million a year. It is an interesting tactic for Musk, whose entire business empire was buoyed by billions ( with a “B” ) of taxpayer dollars. “Both Tesla and SpaceX quite likely would not exist as successful businesses if it were not for the use of public funding,” Ramaswamy told a Fox News podcast in 2022 . “[E]ither through subsidies, through the electric car industry, or through actual government contracting in the case of SpaceX." “Elon Musk has, I think, demonstrated his willingness to change his political tunes based on the favors that he gets to be able to do business in China,” Ramaswamy said in the same Fox News interview. The increasingly tense trade battle over technology ramped up on Tuesday when China announced a ban on the exporting of rare minerals to the U.S. When you factor in Trump’s promises to add hefty trade tariffs to Chinese imports, Ramaswamy’s last claim is sure to be tested in the coming weeks and months. Predictably, Ramaswamy has changed his tune toward Musk and is now even promising to use DOGE to harass and possibly extinguish Musk’s domestic EV rivals. According to Ramaswamy, he now has heart eyes for Musk. “I love him and respect the hell out of him, and I’m proud to call him a friend,” a smarmy Ramaswamy told CNN. “The only country he puts first is the same one I do: the United States of America.” It’s easy to see how they’re now simpatico, since they both have the same obsessions: money and power. Are you sick and tired of Elon Musk? Click this link for instant access to Daily Kos and staff accounts on Bluesky. Follow along for the latest news to stay informed and engaged!

Foreign ministry dismisses fake ambassadorial list in circulationZelensky insists on a 'just peace' at Trump Paris meeting

Days after President Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter for a 10-year period dating back to his involvement with Burisma, senior White House aides are reportedly locked in a contentious debate over a potential unprecedented move: issuing preemptive pardons to a wide range of current and former public officials who could find themselves under intense scrutiny, and prosecution, after Donald Trump takes office, Politico reports. Among those discussed for potential pardons are high-profile figures like Senator-elect Adam Schiff (D-CA), former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY), and Dr. Anthony Fauci , the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Their justification is that Trump will seek retribution, with their concerns growing more urgent following Trump’s announcement last weekend appointing Kash Patel as FBI director. Patel, a staunch ally of Trump, has vowed to pursue the former president’s critics, heightening concerns among Biden aides about possible investigations or indictments against officials who have opposed Trump in the past. And there it is Biden is considering pardoning Dr. Anthony Fauci, according to Politico. Biden's White House is reportedly discussing preemptive pardons to protect certain people from being "targetted" by President-elect Donald Trump. Names on the list may include Dr. Fauci,... https://t.co/5bsfRZC9ze Biden aides are deeply divided , according to the report. On one hand, granting preemptive pardons could provide a shield against Trump’s promised "revenge tour" but might also create the appearance of impropriety, effectively validating Trump’s accusations of corruption . Additionally, those offered pardons might refuse them, citing innocence or the perception of guilt that could accompany a pardon. Meanwhile, were there any takers on this? Missed a chance to make 4x on Biden corruption? Here is a 10x opportunity on Biden pardoning Fauci ahead of the inevitable perp walk https://t.co/Q9cFWaPut2 pic.twitter.com/wqUzEW9QD8 Because... End-of-administration pardons are always politically fraught, but the stakes in this case are uniquely high. Biden’s aides have privately discussed the precedent set by President Gerald Ford’s 1974 preemptive pardon of Richard Nixon, which spared the nation further division after Watergate. Democrats like Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) have invoked that example, suggesting that pardons might be necessary to heal a polarized nation and protect officials from undue political persecution. " If it’s clear by January 19 that [revenge] is his intention, then I would recommend to President Biden that he provide those preemptive pardons to people , because that’s really what our country is going to need next year,” Markey said in a recent interview . Others are far less supportive. Schiff, who chaired the House Intelligence Committee during Trump’s first impeachment, has been outspoken in his opposition. "I would urge the president not to do that," he said, adding "I think it would seem defensive and unnecessary." As X user Derek Wang notes : Preemptive pardon has never been used in history and I think will likely be challenged and to be decided by SC. Section. 2 of US Constitution: The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States , except in Cases of Impeachment. “Offenses” are not “potential offenses” , the word clearly indicates the offenses that are already determined by court legally, not any potential offenses to be determined in future. Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, has further complicated the White House’s deliberations . Hunter’s sweeping 11-year pardon drew criticism from many within the Democratic Party and intensified pressure on Biden to extend clemency to others. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) invoked Hunter Biden’s pardon this week in calling on the president to, on a case-by-case basis, spare “the working-class Americans in the federal prison system whose lives have been ruined by unjustly aggressive prosecutions for nonviolent offenses.” -Politico Trump has repeatedly vowed to go after those he views as part of the Deep State. His disdain for figures like Cheney and Fauci is well-documented, with Trump even calling for members of the Jan. 6 committee to face jail time. The decision to issue preemptive pardons would undoubtedly solidify Biden's status as one of the worst presidents in US history. On one side lies the risk of fueling Trump’s narrative of impropriety; on the other, the prospect of leaving key public servants exposed to investigations that are completely warranted .

In light of the recent lawsuit and sexual harassment complaint against actor Justin Baldoni , his wedding apology to his wife Emily Baldoni has resurfaced. During their nuptials, the Jane The Virgin star expressed regret for "anything I've ever said or done that has hurt you" also apologizing for his "faults, shortcomings, insecurities and my ego." Baldoni, 40, and the studio behind the romantic drama It Ends With Us , based on Colleen Hoover's bestselling novel , are accused of a "multi-tiered plan" to tarnish Blake Lively's reputation following a meeting addressing allegations of "repeated sexual harassment and other disturbing behavior" against Baldoni and a film producer. A Simple Favor director shows support for Blake Lively after Baldoni accusations Amber Heard breaks silence on accusations against Justin Baldoni Baldoni vehemently denies these claims. In the pre-lawsuit damages complaint, Baldoni, his publicists, and Wayfarer Studios are named as defendants. It Ends With Us tells the story of a woman seeking a healthy, loving relationship, with Lively, 37, portraying lead character Lily Bloom and Baldoni playing her love interest Ryle Kincaid. Emily Baldoni, who shares two children with her husband, appears in the film as the medic performing a scan on Lively's pregnant character Lily. The couple wed in July 2013 in Corona, California , with MailOnline reporting that Baldoni pledged to "cherish, listen to you, honor you and respect" his wife during their Midsummer Night's Dream-themed ceremony. Emily allegedly replied, vowing to "stand tall by your side. Feeling blessed to have a man who speaks for those who cannot or do not have the strength to. And a man who will go without sleep to make sure someone's story is told." Blake Lively's co-stars and pals break silence over Justin Baldoni lawsuit Blake Lively ‘little bump’ reporter speaks out on Justin Baldoni lawsuit saga Ryan Reynolds 'blocked Justin Baldoni' on social media before bombshell lawsuit As they exchanged their vows, the couple reportedly high-fived, with Emily becoming emotional as she proclaimed: "Where there is love, nothing is too much trouble". Following the news of Lively's lawsuit, author Colleen Hoover expressed her support for the actress on Instagram, writing: "@blakelively you have been nothing but honest, kind, supportive and patient since the day we met." "Thank you for being exactly the human that you are. Never change. Never wilt." Hoover then shared a link to a New York Times article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside A Hollywood Smear Machine, which outlines the allegations, including claims that Baldoni worked with a crisis communications specialist to launch a "sophisticated, coordinated, and well-financed retaliation plan" that created "manufactured content" to sway public opinion, allegedly with the "approval" of the studio. "I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted," Lively said in a statement to the newspaper. Bryan Freedman, a lawyer representing Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its representatives, countered the allegations as "completely false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious." Freedman explained that the studio "made the decision to proactively hire a crisis manager prior to the marketing campaign of the film" and clarified: "There were no proactive measures taken with media or otherwise; just internal scenario-planning and private correspondence to strategize, which is standard operating procedure with public relations professionals."ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 4, 2024-- Angel Oak Capital Advisors (Angel Oak) , a leading investment management firm focused on active fixed-income investing, announces that, effective on or about Dec. 20, the stock exchange listings for the Angel Oak High Yield Opportunities ETF (AOHY), Angel Oak Income ETF (CARY), Angel Oak Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (MBS) and Angel Oak UltraShort Income ETF (UYLD) will be transferred to The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (Nasdaq) from the New York Stock Exchange Arca Inc. The board of trustees of the Angel Oak Funds Trust approved the transfer at a meeting on Dec. 4. Angel Oak expects the funds to begin trading as Nasdaq-listed funds on Dec. 20. Shares will continue to trade under the same tickers. Fund shareholders are not required to take any action, and the transfer is not expected to have any effect on the trading of the shares. Now managing more than $1.5 billion in assets through its ETFs and sub-advisory services, Angel Oak offers a suite of ETFs to provide investors with unique options tailored to various risk-reward profiles. For more information on Angel Oak’s ETFs and to view the latest performance data, click here . About Angel Oak Capital Advisors, LLC Angel Oak is an investment management firm focused on providing compelling fixed-income investment solutions to its clients. Backed by a value-driven approach, Angel Oak seeks to deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns through a combination of stable current income and price appreciation. Its experienced investment team seeks the best opportunities in fixed income, with a specialization in mortgage-backed securities and other areas of securitized credit. For more information, please visit www.angeloakcapital.com . 1 Gross and net expense ratios are reported as of the 5/30/24 prospectus. 2 Gross and net expense ratios are reported as of the 5/30/24 prospectus. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees to limit the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement to 0.79% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through 5/31/25. 3 Gross and net expense ratios are reported as of the 5/30/24 prospectus. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees to limit the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement to 0.49% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through 9/30/25. 4 Gross and net expense ratios are reported as of the 5/30/24 prospectus. The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its fees to limit the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement to 0.29% of the Fund’s average daily net assets through 5/31/25. Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the funds. This and other important information about the funds is contained in the Prospectus which can be obtained by calling Shareholder Services at 855-751-4324 or from www.angeloakcapital.com . The Prospectus should be read carefully before investing. Investing involves risk; principal loss is possible. Investments in debt securities typically decrease when interest rates rise. This risk is usually greater for longer-term debt securities. Investments in lower-rated and nonrated securities present a greater risk of loss to principal and interest than higher-rated securities do. Investments in asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities include additional risks that investors should be aware of, including credit risk, prepayment risk, possible illiquidity, and default, as well as increased susceptibility to adverse economic developments. Derivatives involve risks different from—and in certain cases, greater than—the risks presented by more traditional investments. Derivatives may involve certain costs and risks such as illiquidity, interest rate, market, credit, management, and the risk that a position could not be closed when most advantageous. Investing in derivatives could lead to losses that are greater than the amount invested. The Fund may use leverage, which may exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of securities in the Fund’s portfolio or higher and duplicative expenses when it invests in mutual funds, ETFs, and other investment companies. The Funds are a recently organized investment company with limited operating history. As a result, prospective investors have a limited track record or history on which to base their investment decisions. For more information on these risks and other risks of the Fund, please see the Prospectus. ETFs may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market prices (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. The Fund is an actively managed ETF, which is a fund that trades like other publicly traded securities. The Fund is not an index fund and does not seek to replicate the performance of a specified index. The Angel Oak Funds are distributed by Quasar Distributors, LLC. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204889615/en/ CONTACT: Media: Trevor Davis, Gregory FCA for Angel Oak Capital Advisors 443-248-0359 trevor@gregoryfca.com Company: Randy Chrisman, Chief Marketing & Corporate IR Officer, Angel Oak Capital Advisors 404-953-4969 randy.chrisman@angeloakcapital.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA GEORGIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: FINANCE CONSULTING BANKING ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES SOURCE: Angel Oak Capital Advisors Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/04/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/04/2024 04:05 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241204889615/en

Roborock makes history with out-of-this-world video campaignSyrian government forces withdraw from central city of Homs as insurgent offensive acceleratesRepublicans have dealt a pair of stinging rejections to President-elect Donald Trump over the past week, a sign of how Trump’s immediate lame-duck status could limit his influence despite his enormous sway over the GOP’s most dedicated voters. There’s little doubt Trump, like any president, remains the leader of his party, and is certain to have a mostly unified GOP rooting for him as he pushes for tax cuts for the wealthy, conservative judicial appointments and assaults on democratic norms. And there have long been limits to how far Republicans would actually go in service of a man many of them privately find ridiculous even as they lavishly praise him in public. But the two prominent rejections in the past week ― Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis resisting Trump’s entreaties to his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to Florida’s open Senate seat and more than three dozen House Republicans denying his request to include a debt ceiling hike in a government funding bill ― show how Trump lacks the power to simply dictate the GOP’s behavior in either politics or government, and function as warning signs for Trump allies hoping for seamless enactment of his agenda, from his plans for a complex piece of tax legislation to his vision for trillions in spending cuts engineered by Elon Musk. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) told HuffPost the GOP would obviously remain by Trump’s side, but noted some of his requests ― like a debt ceiling hike ― simply aren’t feasible. “I think he’s going to continue to lobby, and I think they respect the fact that he’s the incoming president of the United States, and they all want to have a good relationship with him, but they also know that certain things are doable and some things are not doable, and in the political process, there is no way at this stage of the game to effectively address the debt ceiling,” he said. “And so it was a matter of we do the best we can, and we’re all on the same team.” “We want to make things work out, right?” Rounds said. Trump’s demand that Republicans add a debt ceiling provision to their government funding bill tanked House Speaker Mike Johnson’s initial legislation, but set up a standoff that he wound up losing. Republicans hate raising the debt ceiling, and they weren’t willing to abandon their stubborn position just because Trump wanted them to. Thirty-eight Republicans voted against the legislation that Johnson hastily assembled to placate their leader. The president-elect even threatened to back a primary opponent against Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), only to see Roy openly defy him. “My position is simple - I am not going to raise or suspend the debt ceiling (racking up more debt) without significant & real spending cuts attached to it. I’ve been negotiating to that end. No apologies,” Roy wrote on X, tagging Trump to make sure he saw. Trump’s embarrassing defeat at the hands of House lawmakers followed a stiff-arm by Senate Republicans, who refused to support scandal-plagued Matt Gaetz for attorney general, forcing the would-be nominee to withdraw from consideration. In that confrontation, Trump backed down even after threatening to try to go around the Senate and use recess appointments to fill his cabinet. DeSantis’ resistance was less explicit. Lara Trump was never firmly rejected, instead withdrawing her name from consideration on Saturday night. The Washington Post reported Trump had pushed DeSantis to name her to the seat , which will become vacant when Sen. Marco Rubio is presumably confirmed as Trump’s Secretary of State. But when asked about it at a press conference earlier this month, Trump was skeptical he would get his way. “I probably don’t, but I don’t know,” the president-elect said at Mar-a-Lago. “Ron’s doing a good job and that’s his choice. Nothing to do with me.” Trump likely lost leverage over DeSantis when it became clear he was sticking by his troubled nominee for Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who stands accused of workplace drinking and sexual assault. Trump allies had floated DeSantis as a potential replacement nominee if Hegseth faltered. Former Rep. David Jolly (R-Fla.), a Trump critic, said DeSantis and other Republicans were already looking past the time when Trump ruled the party. “That episode clearly reflects Trump’s lame duck status when it comes to who will be fighting for control of the party starting in December of 2026,” Jolly said. “DeSantis clearly sees Trump as a lame duck with fading currency, and the Florida Governor still has plans to demonstrate his own Republican leadership. Surely DeSantis isn’t alone.” Another prominent Florida GOP consultant noted the “ceiling” of Trump’s ask could also decline in the future. “If there is obvious cognitive decline from Jan. 20, [his problems] will accelerate,” said the consultant, who requested anonymity to speak frankly about his party’s leader. Mike Davis, a former Senate GOP staffer known for his pro-Trump bombast, insisted the president-elect was charging full steam ahead. “Trump forced Biden, a Democrat-controlled Senate, and a barely Republican-controlled House to surrender on their annual end-of-year spending frenzy,” he said. “Trump’s just getting warmed up.” Still, it’s clear there’s also something of an indirect challenger for Trump’s throne atop the GOP. While Trump did not get any of what he requested from House Republicans, his top donor, tech billionaire Elon Musk, did. And Musk’s trillions may be able to power political careers years in the future when Trump’s social media missives have disappeared from the scene. Trump, in a speech in Arizona on Sunday, aimed to downplay the idea Musk could somehow supplant him, noting ― correctly, for once in his life ― that Musk is ineligible to be president. “I’m safe. You know why? He can’t be. He wasn’t born in this country,” Trump said jokingly.

Penny stock, 15,600% return: Smallcap company’s shares jump from Rs 5 to Rs 725 in just 5 years! - ET NowPITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens was a full participant in practice on Monday, opening the door for him to return from a three-game absence on Wednesday when Pittsburgh hosts the Kansas City Chiefs. Pickens hasn’t played since tweaking his hamstring earlier this month. The Steelers (10-5) have struggled to generate much in their passing game with their leading receiver watching from the sideline in sweatpants. Though Monday’s practice was a walkthrough, Pickens said he felt good and hopes he’ll be able to face the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. The 23-year-old was going through post-practice drills on Dec. 6 when he felt his hamstring tighten up, forcing him to miss the first games of his three-year career. Pittsburgh has gone 1-2 in his absence, including back-to-back losses to Philadelphia and Baltimore in which Russell Wilson passed for just 345 yards while missing one of the NFL’s top downfield threats. Wilson is encouraged by the way the sometimes mercurial Pickens — who has been flagged and fined multiple times this season for infractions ranging from facemasks to unsportsmanlike conduct — has remained engaged. “He’s been great in the midst of his little trial here over the past few weeks,” Wilson said. “And so we’re excited to have him back if that’s the case fully and let him do his thing.” Safety DeShon Elliott (hamstring) and defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (groin) were also listed as full participants on Tuesday. Neither veteran has played since getting hurt against Cleveland on Dec. 8. While Pickens, Elliott and Ogunjobi could be available as Pittsburgh tries to hold off Baltimore for the AFC North lead, cornerback Joey Porter (knee) and WR Ben Skowronek (hip) are likely out after missing practice for a second straight day. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Advertisement AdvertisementShopping on Temu can feel like playing an arcade game. Instead of using a joystick-controlled claw to grab a toy, visitors to the online marketplace maneuver their computer mouses or cellphone screens to browse colorful gadgets, accessories and trinkets with prices that look too good to refuse. A pop-up spinning wheel offers the chance to win a coupon. Rotating captions warn that a less than $2 camouflage print balaclava and a $1.23 skeleton hand back scratcher are “Almost sold out.” A flame symbol indicates a $9.69 plush cat print hoodie is selling fast. A timed-down selection of discounted items adds to the sense of urgency. Pages from the Shein website, left, and from the Temu site, right. Welcome to the new online world of impulse buying, a place of guilty pleasures where the selection is vast, every day is Cyber Monday, and an instant dopamine hit is always just a click away. By all accounts, we’re living in an accelerating age for consumerism, one that Temu, which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, and Shein, its fierce rival , supercharged with social media savvy and an interminable assortment of cheap goods, most shipped directly from merchants in China based on real-time demand. The business models of the two platforms, coupled with avalanches of digital or influencer advertising, have enabled them to give Western retailers a run for their money this holiday shopping season. A Christmas tree ornament purchased on Temu. Software company Salesforce said it expects roughly one in five online purchases in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada to be made through four online marketplaces based or founded in Asia: Shein, Temu, TikTok Shop — the e-commerce arm of video-sharing platform TikTok — and AliExpress. Analysts with Salesforce said they are expected to pull in roughly $160 billion in global sales outside of China. Most of the sales will go to Temu and Shein, a privately held company which is thought to lead the worldwide fast fashion market in revenue. Lisa Xiaoli Neville, a nonprofit manager who lives in Los Angeles, is sold on Shein. The bedroom of her home is stocked with jeans, shoes, press-on nails and other items from the ultra-fast fashion retailer, all of which she amassed after getting on the platform to buy a $2 pair of earrings she saw in a Facebook ad. Neville, 46, estimates she spends at least $75 a month on products from Shein. A $2 eggshell opener, a portable apple peeler and an apple corer, both costing less than $5, are among the quirky, single-use kitchen tools taking up drawer space. She acknowledges she doesn’t need them because she “doesn’t even cook like that.” Plus, she’s allergic to apples. “I won’t eat apples. It will kill me,” Neville said, laughing. “But I still want the coring thing.” Shein, now based in Singapore, uses some of the same web design features as Temu’s, such as pop-up coupons and ads, to persuade shoppers to keep clicking, but it appears a bit more restrained in its approach. Shein primarily targets young women through partnerships with social media influencers. Searching the company's name on video platforms turns up creators promoting Shein's Black Friday sales event and displaying the dozens of of trendy clothes and accessories they got for comparatively little money. But the Shein-focused content also includes videos of TikTokers saying they're embarrassed to admit they shopped there and critics lashing out at fans for not taking into account the environmental harms or potential labor abuses associated with products that are churned out and shipped worldwide at a speedy pace. Neville has already picked out holiday gifts for family and friends from the site. Most of the products in her online cart cost under $10, including graphic T-shirts she intends to buy for her son and jeans and loafers for her daughter. All told, she plans to spend about $200 on gifts, significantly less than $500 she used to shell out at other stores in prior years. “The visuals just make you want to spend more money,” she said, referring to the clothes on Shein's site. “They're very cheap and everything is just so cute.” Unlike Shein, Temu's appeal cuts across age groups and gender. The platform is the world’s second most-visited online shopping site, software company Similarweb reported in September. Customers go there looking for practical items like doormats and silly products like a whiskey flask shaped like a vintage cellphone from the 1990s. Temu advertised Black Friday bargains for some items at upwards of 70% off the recommended retail price. Making a purchase can quickly result in receiving dozens of emails offering free giveaways. The caveat: customers have to buy more products. Despite their rise, Temu and Shein have proven particularly ripe for pushback. Last year, a coalition of unnamed brands and organizations launched a campaign to oppose Shein in Washington. U.S. lawmakers also have raised the possibility that Temu is allowing goods made with forced labor to enter the country. More recently, the Biden administration put forward rules that would crack down on a trade rule known as the de minimis exception, which has allowed a lot of cheap products to come into the U.S. duty-free. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to slap high tariffs on goods from China, a move that would likely raise prices across the retail world. Both Shein and Temu have set up warehouses in the U.S. to speed up delivery times and help them better compete with Amazon, which is trying to erode their price advantage through a new storefront that also ships products directly from China. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — CNN wants a court to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by North Carolina Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson that attacks its report that he made explicit posts on a pornography website’s message board. The network says Robinson presented no evidence that the network believed its story was false or aired it recklessly. The September report says Robinson, who ran unsuccessfully for governor this month, left statements over a decade ago on the message board in which, in part, he referred to himself as a “black NAZI" and said he enjoyed transgender pornography. The report also says he preferred Adolf Hitler to then-President Barack Obama and slammed the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as “worse than a maggot.” Robinson, who was seeking to become the state's first Black governor, said he didn’t write those posts and sued in October, just before early in-person voting was to begin. While filing a dismissal motion Thursday in Raleigh federal court, attorneys for CNN said Robinson’s arguments suggesting he was the likely victim of a computer hacking operation that created fake messages would require a series of events that is not just “implausible, it is ridiculous.” Generally speaking, a public official claiming defamation must show a defendant knew a statement it made was false or did so with reckless disregard for the truth. “Robinson did not and cannot plausibly allege facts that show that CNN published the Article with actual malice,” attorney Mark Nebrig wrote in a memo backing the dismissal motion, adding that the lawsuit “does not include a single allegation demonstrating that CNN doubted the veracity of its reporting.” For Robinson, who already had a history of inflammatory comments about topics like abortion and LGBTQ+ rights , the CNN story nearly led to the collapse of his campaign. After the report's airing, most of his top campaign staff quit, advertising from the Republican Governors Association stopped and fellow Republicans distanced themselves from him, including President-elect Donald Trump. Robinson lost to Democratic Attorney General Josh Stein by nearly 15 points and will leave office at year-end. Robinson's lawsuit was initially filed in state court. It says, in part, that CNN chose to run its report based on data from the website NudeAfrica, which had been hacked several years ago and ran on vulnerable, outdated software. His suit claims the network did nothing to verify the posts. He's seeking monetary damages. Thursday's memo highlights the network's story, including a section where the CNN journalists showed how they connected Robinson to a username on the NudeAfrica site. As the CNN story said previously, the memo says the network matched details of the account on the message board to other online accounts held by Robinson by comparing usernames, an email address and his full name. The details discussed by the account holder matched Robinson’s length of marriage, where he lived at the time, and that both Robinson and the account holder had mothers who worked at a historically Black university, the memo says. CNN also said it found matches of figures of speech used by both the NudeAfrica account holder and in Robinson’s social media posts. “This is hardly a case where, as Robinson alleges, CNN ‘disregarded or deliberately avoided the truth’ rather than investigate,” Nebrig said, adding later that the network “had no reason to seriously doubt that Robinson was the author” of the posts. Robinson's attorneys didn't immediately respond to an email Friday seeking comment. The lawsuit says anyone could have used Robinson's breached data to create accounts on the internet. His state lawsuit also sued Louis Love Money, a former porn shop worker who alleged in a music video and a media interview that for several years starting in the 1990s, Robinson frequented a porn shop where Money was working and that Robinson purchased porn videos from him. Robinson said that was untrue. Money filed his own dismissal motion in the state lawsuit. But since then, CNN moved the lawsuit to federal court, saying that it's the proper venue for a North Carolina resident like Robinson and a Georgia-based company like CNN and that the claims against Money are unrelated.'Hoping and expecting' - Arne Slot drops Mohamed Salah contract hint as he lauds Liverpool talisman for heroics in thrilling draw with Newcastle - Goal.comFootball clubs ‘alarmed’ by lack of consultation on regulator – Karren Brady

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A political party in North Macedonia on Saturday demanded authorities ban social networks whose content incites violence and self-destructive behavior after several young people were seriously injured in connection with the popular “Superman challenge” on TikTok. Health authorities said at least 17 students, ages 10 to 17, were brought to hospitals in the capital Skopje and other towns over the past week with broken bones, contusions and bruises. The children were injured after being thrown into the air by their friends to fly like superheroes and get applause on the internet.The E-J Group Welcomes State Electric Corporation to the Organization

‘World at dawn of third nuclear age’, armed forces chief warnsRattled by China, West scrambles to rejig critical minerals supply chains

Ireland's 22 help Nicholls State take down New Orleans 73-70Dibrugarh: In a public meeting held on Tuesday, citizens of Dibrugarh and Northeast Frontier (NF) Railway officials gathered to deliberate the fate of the 141-year-old Dibrugarh Town Railway Station (DBRT). A majority of residents advocated for its closure and the consolidation of services at the new Dibrugarh Railway Station (DBRG). The historic station, established in 1883, currently serves only two trains: the Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani Express and the Dibrugarh-Ledo DEMU. In contrast, 36 other trains operate from the newer Banipur facility, which opened in 2009. The station is slated to add three more services, including the prestigious Vande Bharat Express . Dibrugarh MLA Prasanta Phukan, who has been spearheading the campaign for closure, spoke about the infrastructural challenges posed by the old station. He highlighted how the railway line from the old station has effectively bisected Dibrugarh town into two parts, creating severe congestion at multiple railway crossings. “The railway tracks running through the town have created severe bottlenecks, leading to constant traffic jams and accidents. This causes immense inconvenience to commuters, students, and patients alike. The Banipur station offers superior facilities, including systematic parking arrangements and state-of-the-art amenities. It makes logical sense to consolidate all operations there,” Phukan said during the meeting. The proposal to close the station has garnered support from urban planners and citizens who see an opportunity to address the town’s pressing infrastructure needs. We also published the following articles recently Dibrugarh debates future of historic railway station Dibrugarh residents and railway officials discussed the potential closure of the 141-year-old Dibrugarh Town Railway Station. With only two trains currently operating from the old station, compared to 36 at the newer Banipur station, MLA Prasanta Phukan highlighted the traffic congestion caused by the old station's railway line. Dibrugarh villagers capture black panther Villagers in Dibrugarh, India, captured a black panther that had been terrorizing their livestock for over ten days. Using a hen as bait in a homemade iron cage trap, the residents of Nohajar Sonowal village successfully caught the panther, nicknamed "Ghoong," early Saturday morning. Mass protest in Dibrugarh against persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh In Dibrugarh, hundreds protested against the attacks on Hindus and ISKCON temples in Bangladesh. Marching to the DC office, they condemned the violence and the arrest of ISKCON monk Chinmoy Krishna Das. Protesters called it systematic persecution, a humanitarian crisis demanding international attention, and urged the Indian government to intervene diplomatically for the safety of Bangladeshi Hindus and Das's release. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , and Mini Crossword .

Intel Corp. INTC stock has had a rough ride in 2024 so far, falling by over 56% year-to-date. The reason? The world's leading chipmaker has fallen behind the curve, ceding ground to rivals like Advanced Micro Devices Inc. AMD , Nvidia Corp. NVDA and failing to even catch up to Qualcomm Inc. QCOM on the smartphone side of things. The world's leading chipmaker lost the plot across both establishing as well as emerging technologies – it is no longer as dominant as it was in the x86 space, and companies like Nvidia have utterly dominated the AI chips space. See Also: Nvidia’s AI Dominance Leaves Intel, AMD Scrambling For Second Place Intel's failure to innovate is reflected in its stock performance as well – at $20.92, its stock is roughly back to the same level it was at nearly 27 years ago. To make matters worse for Team Blue, that is Intel (its rival AMD is Team Red,) the company's market capitalization has shrunk enough that there are rumors doing the rounds that rivals like Qualcomm could be interested in scooping it up. Qualcomm's interest in acquiring Intel subsequently waned, reportedly due to the "complexities" involved in the transaction. See Also: Palantir Co-Founder Joe Lonsdale Cheers Trump’s New SEC Pick, Calls Out Gary Gensler For ‘Purposely’ Not Defining Crypto Rules For context, Intel's market capitalization stands at $90.22 billion, while Qualcomm's is at $177.26 billion. Intel's closest rival, AMD, is valued more than two times at $224.91 billion. Nvidia, on the other hand, has a relatively stratospheric market capitalization of $3.488 trillion – worth over 38 times Intel's market capitalization. Things have gotten so bad for Intel, that the chipmaker let go of Pat Gelsinger , an industry and Intel veteran, in a somewhat less-than-ideal fashion. Lack Of Innovation, Manufacturing Difficulties, And Increasing Competition While Intel's woes have been ongoing for several years now, issues with its latest desktop chips were likely the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. After several reports revealed issues with Intel's 13th and 14th generation chips , the company took notice but eventually gave up on fixing them with software updates. The result? Gelsinger had to leave before realizing his mission to complete the 18A fabrication process – while the company says it has been set in motion, chips made using the process have not been rolled out yet. See Also: MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor Risks Breaking Down The ‘Magic Money Creation Machine’ With His Growing Bitcoin Bet, Says Expert Gelsinger and Intel would have hoped for the success of 18A, especially to keep its struggling foundry business alive. However, with Gelsinger now out and no suitor in sight, Intel's future seems to be hanging in the balance. Price Action: Intel's stock closed at $20.92 on Friday, up 0.6% for the day. Year-to-date, it has fallen 56.2%. Data from Benzinga Pro shows that analysts have a consensus rating of "Neutral" for the Intel stock. BofA Securities , Northland Capital Markets , and Mizuho are among the three most recent analyst ratings, and their average price target stands at $24, implying a 14.7% upside. Will Intel be able to turn around its fortunes, though? Only time will tell. Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by following this link . Read Next: AAPL Stock Hits New High Despite Sales Slowdown: Tech Bull Says ‘Street Is Realizing' iPhone 16 Marks The ‘Start Of A Super Cycle' For Apple Disclaimer : This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo courtesy: Unsplash © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.'Military courts lack transparency,' UK says after sentencing of May 9 rioters