digital circus gangle

digital circus gangle

Stock market today: Wall Street drifts lower as it waits for inflation dataPaul Bissonnette assault: Footage released of the Scottsdale fight

NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction , arguing that 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 anything short of immediate dismissal would undermine the transition of power, as well as the “overwhelming national mandate” granted to Trump by voters last month. They also cited President Joe Biden’s recent pardon of his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “President Biden asserted that his son was ‘selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted,’ and ‘treated differently,’” Trump’s legal team wrote. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, they claimed, had engaged in the type of political theater “that President Biden condemned.” Related Articles Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated a willingness to delay the sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. In their filing Monday, Trump’s attorneys dismissed the idea of holding off sentencing until Trump is out of office as a “ridiculous suggestion.” 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 his conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier. He says they did not and denies any wrongdoing. The defense filing was signed by Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove, who represented Trump during the trial and have since been selected by the president-elect to fill senior roles at the Justice Department. Taking a swipe at Bragg and New York City, as Trump often did throughout the trial, the filing argues that dismissal would also benefit the public by giving him and “the numerous prosecutors assigned to this case a renewed opportunity to put an end to deteriorating conditions in the City and to protect its residents from violent crime.” Clearing Trump, the lawyers added, would also allow him to “to devote all of his energy to protecting the Nation.” Merchan hasn’t yet set a timetable for a decision. He could 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. An outright dismissal of the New York case would further lift a legal cloud that at one point carried the prospect of derailing Trump’s political future. Last week, special counsel Jack Smith told courts that he was withdrawing both federal cases against Trump — one charging him with hoarding classified documents at his Florida estate, the other with scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election he lost — citing longstanding Justice Department policy that shields a president from indictment while in office. The hush money case was the only one of Trump’s four criminal indictments to go to trial, resulting in a historic verdict that made him the first former president to be convicted of a crime. Prosecutors had cast the payout as part of a Trump-driven effort to keep voters from hearing salacious stories about him. Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen paid Daniels. Trump later reimbursed him, and Trump’s company logged the reimbursements as legal expenses — concealing what they really were, prosecutors alleged. Trump has said the payments to Cohen were properly categorized as legal expenses for legal work. A month after the verdict, the Supreme Court ruled that ex-presidents can’t be prosecuted for official acts — things they did in the course of running the country — and that prosecutors can’t cite those actions to bolster a case centered on purely personal, unofficial conduct. Trump’s lawyers cited the ruling to argue that the hush money jury got some improper evidence, such as Trump’s presidential financial disclosure form, testimony from some White House aides and social media posts made during his first term. Prosecutors disagreed and said the evidence in question was only “a sliver” of their case. If the verdict stands and the case proceeds to sentencing, Trump’s punishments would range from a fine to probation to up to four years in prison — but it’s unlikely he’d spend any time behind bars for a first-time conviction involving charges in the lowest tier of felonies. Because it is a state case, Trump would not be able to pardon himself once he returns to office.190 athletes are competing at the Taekwondo Winter Classic Tournament with hopes of being crowned a champion – but winning isn’t all this competition is about – as it focuses on developing young athletes and allowing them to envision a future in this sport. “This is very important for taekwondo in Manitoba because it is opening up and giving an outside look into our taekwondo world,” said Master Kristy Tam, Owner & Coach at Tam’s Taekwondo. “We’ve seen actually quite a bit of growth since the Olympics, with Skylar Park winning a bronze medal everyone want to get a piece of the action and learn more about it,” said Kim BedonaPadua, President of Taekwondo Manitoba. Competing with mainstream sports like hockey, football, and basketball, taekwondo has faced challenges over the years. However, by producing athletes who have reached levels as high as the Olympics, interest in the sport has spiked in Manitoba over the past few years. “The sport has grown so much where there’s little kids from 5 years old to adults 70, 80, taekwondo is for everyone and no matter what direction you’re wanting to go in we have many different paths so it’s great,” said Tam. “As an adult I have my kids ask hey mom can I do taekwondo? And it’s like YES! And I figured you know what, it’s time for me to get back in and it’s a family thing and a really really great bonding experience for us,” said Aryanne Lu Cruz, Taekwondo Athlete. The Winter Classic featured athlete weigh-ins on Friday, followed by a showcase of poomsae patterns and intense sparring matches on Saturday to close out the tournament. “There’s two sides of taekwondo there’s the art of taekwondo where they do the poomsae which is patterns and very traditional, and then there’s the Olympic sport where Skylar Park and all of the fighters go to,” said BedonaPadua.Celebrating, introspection, and, of course, making memories are all part of the New Year. Smartphones are now capable of shooting beautiful pictures thanks to developments in mobile photography. This post examines some of the top cellphones on the market right now, ideal for recording your New Year's celebrations. Also Read | Moto G85 to Poco X6 Pro: Top 5 best gaming mobile phones of 2024 under Rs 20,000 1. iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max Apple's most recent flagship has a strong camera system that is led by a 48MP quad-pixel primary sensor. Even in difficult low-light situations, this results in outstanding image quality with remarkable detail and dynamic range. You can now take beautiful close-ups of complex details and festive decorations thanks to the inclusion of a 48MP ultra-wide camera with autofocus and macro capabilities. While the sophisticated computational photographic technologies, such the Photonic Engine, guarantee breathtaking images in a variety of lighting conditions, the 5x telephoto lens (now available on both Pro versions) brings far-off fireworks and celebrations closer. Also Read | CMF Phone 1 to Redmi A4: 2024's best 5 budget smartphones under Rs 20,000 With support for 4K 120 frames per second, video recording has also greatly improved, allowing for fluid and dramatic footage of the New Year's festivities. Using spatial audio recording gives your films a more immersive quality and faithfully captures the atmosphere of the celebrations. 2. Oppo Find X8 Pro The Oppo Find X8 Pro places a strong emphasis on display quality and zoom capabilities. It has two periscope telephoto lenses with Sony LYT-600 and Sony IMX858 sensors and a quad 50MP back camera system with up to 6x optical zoom. Because of these features, it's a great option for taking remarkably clear pictures of far-off objects, such fireworks on New Year's Eve. It also has a 50MP ultra-wide camera with a Sony LYT-808 primary sensor and a Samsung S5KJN5 sensor, which produces amazing group photos and outstanding low-light performance. The smartphone has a 6.8-inch 1.5K 120Hz LTPO micro-curved AMOLED display from BOE, which improves the viewing experience of images and movies with its rich colors and fluid scrolling. With its potent MediaTek Dimensity 9400 SoC, 5910mAh battery, and 80W rapid charging, it offers smooth performance for simple photo capture and editing. Also Read | Realme 14x 5G vs Poco M7 Pro 5G: Which budget smartphone is better? 3. Vivo X100 Ultra The Vivo X100 Ultra has an innovative camera setup that includes a 200MP ISOCELL HP9 periscope camera for remarkable zoom capabilities and a 1-inch Sony LYT-900 sensor on the primary camera for unmatched image clarity. It has Vivo's in-house BlueImage algorithm, which produces beautiful backlit and low-light images that are ideal for documenting nighttime events and New Year's Eve fireworks. With support for Dolby Vision and 4K 120 frames per second, the Vivo X100 Ultra is also an excellent video recorder. The phone could only be available in specific areas, though. Also Read | Xiaomi 14 to Poco F6: Top 5 mid-range smartphones offering premium features of 2024 4. Xiaomi 14 Ultra A very complete camera system is provided by the Xiaomi 14 Ultra. A 1-inch Sony LYT-900 primary sensor with a variable aperture is part of the quad rear camera arrangement, giving you more control over depth of field. This offers remarkable adaptability for a range of shooting situations when paired with a 50MP ultrawide lens, a 50MP 3.2x telephoto lens, and a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto lens, all of which include Leica Summilux optics. Top-tier performance is guaranteed by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and you are kept energized all day long by the large battery that charges quickly. Its attractiveness is further increased by its sturdy construction and IP68 rating. Also Read | GOOD news for WhatsApp users! You can now scan documents with your phone’s camera; Here’s how 5. Vivo X200 Pro With its 50MP Sony LYT-818 primary sensor, 1/1.28-inch size, and sophisticated picture processing, the Vivo X200 Pro is a flexible option for New Year's photography. It has a 200MP telephoto lens with a 3.7x optical zoom to take close-up pictures of fine details. For superior visibility, the smartphone has a 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a remarkable peak brightness of 4500 nits. It has a fast Dimensity 9400 CPU with up to 16GB of RAM, and it supports Dolby Vision for better video quality and 4K illuminated portraits. The Vivo X200 Pro's powerful 6000mAh battery and quick charging guarantee continuous operation for recording priceless moments. Also Read | Elon Musk’s X HIKES subscription prices in India by 35%: Here’s how much it will cost you

Janux shares surge on promising JANX007 prostate cancer trialZAGREB, Croatia Croatia's incumbent President Zoran Milanovic, supported by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), fell just short of winning in the first round of presidential elections Sunday despite leading his closest rival by around 30 percentage points. According to unofficial results announced by the State Electoral Commission (DIP), 99.67% of the votes have been counted. Although exit polls initially showed Milanovic with more than 50% of the vote, the yet-to-be-finalized results indicate he secured 49.1%. His opponent in the second round will be Dragan Primorac, the candidate of the ruling center-right Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and former education minister, who received 19.4% of the vote. While the SDP experienced both joy and disappointment, HDZ representatives acknowledged that they did not expect such a significant gap but emphasized that the second round represents a fresh start. If the results are confirmed, Milanovic and Primorac will face off in a run-off on Jan. 12. *Writing by Merve BerkerA key figure in a trucker protest that jammed Canada's capital and sparked a global movement against Covid mandates was found guilty Friday for his role in the blockade. The self-styled "Freedom Convoy" of big rig drivers and protesters rolled into Ottawa in early 2022 from across Canada to express anger at government protocols imposed to contain Covid-19. After three weeks of turmoil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked rarely used emergency powers to dislodge the protesters. Pat King was among hundreds of people arrested, and the first of the protest leaders to be convicted. Two other organizers, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber faced a separate criminal trial but those verdicts are not expected until 2025. King faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted on five charges, including mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and disobeying a court order. Acquitted of more serious charges, he smiled at a packed courtroom of supporters as the judge read the verdict. "Mr King was not merely engaging in political speech," Justice Charles Hackland said. "Rather, he was inciting the protesters to continue their ongoing blockade of downtown Ottawa." King led hundreds of big rigs and thousands of protestors to Ottawa, bringing the capital to a standstill for more than three weeks. Residents and business owners complained of incessant honking and harassment. As the demonstrators' demands expanded to a broader anti-establishment agenda, solidarity rallies popped up at Canada-US trade corridors and various places abroad. Most of the evidence at trial consisted of videos King posted on social media in which he urged his nearly 300,000 followers to rail against government overreach. "Hold the line," he said in video posts, appearing also to delight in the gridlock and misery of locals: "Pretty hilarious that people haven't been able to sleep for 10 days." Trudeau faced strong criticisms from civil liberties groups and the opposition Conservatives for invoking the Emergencies Act to dislodge the protestors. But a commission of inquiry ruled it had been "appropriate," calling it "a drastic move, but... not a dictatorial one." amc/bs/bfmNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stock indexes drifted lower Tuesday in the runup to the highlight of the week for the market, the latest update on inflation that’s coming on Wednesday. The S&P 500 dipped 0.3%, a day after pulling back from its latest all-time high . They’re the first back-to-back losses for the index in nearly a month, as momentum slows following a big rally that has it on track for one of its best years of the millennium . Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

The mounting direct costs of the ongoing war—reflected in an expanding budget deficit, rising debt-to-GDP ratio and the risk of a credit rating downgrade (w hich wouldn't be unprecedented )—are creating serious doubts about Israel’s ability or willingness to address the critical need to expand its high-tech workforce. This stark warning comes from the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Expanding Human Capital in High-Tech, chaired by David Perlmutter, in a follow-up report published on Monday. According to the committee, the war has created significant growth potential for Israel’s defense-tech industries, making it more urgent than ever for the government to solve the ongoing shortage of skilled workers in the high-tech sector. 1 View gallery ( Photo: Shutterstock ) “The 2025 budget must prioritize these initiatives as a national mission,” emphasizes Perlmutter, the committee’s chair. “Without urgent action, Israel risks losing its technological edge and the economic and security benefits it brings. The high-tech sector is essential to our economy, and the technologists of tomorrow are the ones who will develop Israel’s future security solutions. This war has proven beyond a doubt that technological education is our Iron Dome.” The committee, which submitted its final recommendations in November 2022, points out that while these recommendations were adopted by the government, their implementation has been slow. The committee is now issuing a “red flag” regarding the urgent need to accelerate these efforts, especially in light of growing national, economic and technological uncertainties, as well as the rapid pace of global technological advancements. The follow-up report paints a worrying picture of stagnation, with a troubling trend toward decline. At the end of 2023, 508,780 workers were employed in high-tech jobs, accounting for 14.9% of Israel’s workforce. By mid-2024, that number had dropped to 507,701, representing 14.7% of the workforce. The decline is particularly noticeable in growth-oriented professions. To meet its 2028 target of 736,000 high-tech workers, the committee says an annual growth rate of 3.5% is required. To meet the needs of Israel’s high-tech industry and economy, the number of high school graduates eligible for "tech matriculation" (the basic qualifications required for high-tech jobs) must grow from 13,850 in 2023 to 23,600 by 2028. Similarly, the number of university graduates with technology-related degrees must rise from 7,500 in 2023 to 9,000 by 2028. Without these significant increases, the committee warns, “we will fail to meet the needs of the economy in the coming years.” The Perlmutter Committee, established by a government decision in 2021, is an inter-ministerial body tasked with expanding human capital in high-tech. Led by the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, the committee includes representatives from the government, business sector and nonprofit organizations. David Perlmutter Photo: Pini Hamo The report also notes that between 2014 and 2021, the percentage of high school students eligible for "tech matriculation" rose from 6.4% to 11%. However, in the absence of active policies, this upward trend has stalled. The committee’s target—to reach 17% by 2028—has now become much harder to achieve. Similarly, the number of students enrolling in technology-related academic degrees has plateaued after years of steady growth. New recommendations for focused efforts In light of the dramatic changes in Israel and the world since its last report, the committee has outlined new recommendations to modify existing plans and focus on additional areas. These include: Deepening collaboration between schools in neighboring municipalities. Expanding physics centers and establishing computer engineering centers. Increasing informal educational programs to encourage girls to pursue "tech matriculation." Rethinking recent changes to the structure of the mathematics matriculation exam. Integrating AI education into the curriculum from an early age. Institutionalizing a national technological-civil service program for populations that do not enlist in the military. Incentivizing academic institutions to increase the number of students pursuing double-major degrees that include technology. Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play : https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store : https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv “The data is a clear warning sign for the economic resilience of the country and the future of the high-tech industry,” said Gila Gamliel, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology. “This situation demands a shift in mindset and new national priorities in the Ministry of Finance and the allocation of national budgets toward formal and informal education in tech-related fields. Without these changes, we risk losing our superiority in intelligence, security, space and energy to nations that have already made these necessary adjustments.” >

A key figure in a trucker protest that jammed Canada's capital and sparked a global movement against Covid mandates was found guilty Friday for his role in the blockade. The self-styled "Freedom Convoy" of big rig drivers and protesters rolled into Ottawa in early 2022 from across Canada to express anger at government protocols imposed to contain Covid-19. After three weeks of turmoil, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked rarely used emergency powers to dislodge the protesters. Pat King was among hundreds of people arrested, and the first of the protest leaders to be convicted. Two other organizers, Tamara Lich and Chris Barber faced a separate criminal trial but those verdicts are not expected until 2025. King faces up to 10 years in prison after being convicted on five charges, including mischief, counselling others to commit mischief and disobeying a court order. Acquitted of more serious charges, he smiled at a packed courtroom of supporters as the judge read the verdict. "Mr King was not merely engaging in political speech," Justice Charles Hackland said. "Rather, he was inciting the protesters to continue their ongoing blockade of downtown Ottawa." King led hundreds of big rigs and thousands of protestors to Ottawa, bringing the capital to a standstill for more than three weeks. Residents and business owners complained of incessant honking and harassment. As the demonstrators' demands expanded to a broader anti-establishment agenda, solidarity rallies popped up at Canada-US trade corridors and various places abroad. Most of the evidence at trial consisted of videos King posted on social media in which he urged his nearly 300,000 followers to rail against government overreach. "Hold the line," he said in video posts, appearing also to delight in the gridlock and misery of locals: "Pretty hilarious that people haven't been able to sleep for 10 days." Trudeau faced strong criticisms from civil liberties groups and the opposition Conservatives for invoking the Emergencies Act to dislodge the protestors. But a commission of inquiry ruled it had been "appropriate," calling it "a drastic move, but... not a dictatorial one." amc/bs/bfmNoneGRAIL Announces Inducement Grants Under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4)

BOSTON, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Duck Creek Technologies, penyedia penyelesaian pintar global yang mentakrifkan masa depan hartanah dan kemalangan (P&C) dan insurans am, telah melantik tiga eksekutif berpengalaman untuk menyertai pasukan kepimpinan global kanannya dengan matlamat memacu pertumbuhan dan transformasi untuk syarikat dan pelanggannya. Eksekutif tersebut terdiri daripada William Magowan, naib presiden kanan Jualan Amerika Utara; Elodie Hilderal, pengarah urusan EMEA; dan Christian Erickson, pengarah urusan APAC. Bersama-sama, mereka akan bekerjasama dengan organisasi yang lebih besar untuk menjalin peluang baharu bagi pengembangan dan pertumbuhan hasil pendapatan sambil memastikan penyampaian pengalaman bertaraf dunia untuk pelanggan dan rakan kongsi Duck Creek di seluruh dunia. William, Elodie dan Christian mempunyai latar belakang yang komprehensif dalam teknologi insurans, termasuk dalam Duck Creek: William Magowan menyertai semula Duck Creek sebagai Naib Presiden Kanan Jualan Amerika Utara, membawa bersamanya pengalaman selama 20 tahun sebagai peneraju jualan dalam industri teknologi insurans. Beliau telah menunjukkan rekod prestasi yang kukuh dalam membangunkan dan mengetuai pasukan jualan berprestasi tinggi, memacu inovasi produk dan menyampaikan nilai pelanggan yang terbukti. Berikutan kejayaan beliau dalam peranannya sebagai Naib Presiden Jualan Duck Creek, Elodie Hilderal telah dilantik sebagai Pengarah Urusan EMEA . Elodie merupakan seorang peneraju yang cemerlang dengan latar belakang yang kukuh dalam industri perisian perusahaan insurans dan insurans semula. Beliau telah memegang peranan kepimpinan selama 15 tahun dalam jualan, perkhidmatan profesional dan kejayaan pelanggan. Christian Erickson membawa lebih daripada 25 tahun pengalaman dalam perisian perusahaan, awan, keselamatan siber dan perkhidmatan profesional ke dalam peranan barunya sebagai Pengarah Urusan APAC . Sebelum menyertai Duck Creek, Christian telah berkhidmat sebagai pengurus besar bagi segmen perkhidmatan kewangan dan insurans di beberapa firma, termasuk Cognizant dan Accenture, di mana beliau bertanggungjawab untuk pertumbuhan, kejayaan pelanggan serta perkhidmatan profesional. “Pelantikan William, Elodie dan Christian menandakan detik penting bagi Duck Creek. Kemahiran kepimpinan dan kepakaran industri mereka meletakkan kami dalam kedudukan untuk mencapai pertumbuhan yang tidak pernah berlaku sebelum ini serta mengembangkan jangkauan global kami pada tahun 2025,” kata Mike Jackowski, Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif Duck Creek Technologies. “Memandangkan Duck Creek merupakan perintis dalam teknologi insurans, pelanggan kami menaruh harapan kepada kami untuk menetapkan standard untuk kecemerlangan, daripada penyelesaian yang kami gunakan kepada pengalaman pelanggan yang kami berikan. Ketiga-tiga eksekutif ini mempunyai latar belakang, pengetahuan dan kejayaan yang terbukti untuk membantu memimpin industri kami demi manfaat berpanjangan syarikat insurans dan pemegang polisi.” Perihal Duck Creek Technologies Duck Creek Technologies merupakan penyedia penyelesaian pintar global yang mentakrifkan masa depan industri hartanah dan kemalangan (P&C) serta insurans am. Kami merupakan platform yang membolehkan sistem insurans moden dibina, membolehkan industri memanfaatkan kuasa awan untuk menjalankan operasi yang tangkas, pintar dan malar hijau. Ketulenan, tujuan dan ketelusan adalah teras Duck Creek dan kami percaya insurans harus tersedia untuk individu dan perniagaan pada bila-bila masa,tidak kira tempat dan apa jua cara mereka memerlukannya. Penyelesaian peneraju syarikat kami tersedia secara kendiri atau secara suite lengkap dan semuanya tersedia melalui Duck Creek OnDemand . Layari www.duckcreek.com untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut. Ikuti Duck Creek di saluran sosial kami untuk maklumat terkini – LinkedIn dan X . Hubungan Media: Marianne Dempsey/Tara Stred duckcreek@threeringsinc.com

The PGA Tour is making the most sweeping changes to its eligibility in more than 40 years by eliminating 25 tour cards, along with shrinking the size of its fields. The all-exempt tour had been in place since 1983, meaning the top 125 players from the official money list — now the FedEx Cup standings — kept a full PGA Tour card the following season. That changes in 2026 after the PGA Tour policy board approved a new priority list on Monday. Only the top 100 players will earn full tour cards for the following year. The top 30 from the developmental Korn Ferry Tour used to advance to the PGA Tour. That number now goes to 20. Five players from qualifying school will get cards — it previously was the top five and ties. The tour also is doing away with 156-man fields except for two tournaments held on multiple courses. Most tournaments will have 120 players before Daylight Saving Time, then 132 players in spring and a maximum of 144 players in the summer months. Here's a look at what's behind the changes and what it means: The all-exempt tour led to a bloated membership in which nearly 200 players were on the membership rolls through one exemption or another, and those toward the bottom of the priority list could not get into all the tournaments they wanted to play. Those who graduated from the Korn Ferry Tour, for example, could only get in three or four tournaments over the first few months of the season, giving them a disadvantage. The PGA Tour believes that limited full status to the top 100 instead of the top 125 will give everyone who earns a card a fair chance at getting into regular tournaments. Priority to get into tournaments starts with winners of the majors and The Players Championship over the last five years; winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial and Genesis Invitational the last three years; tournament winners the last two years and career money leaders. Next are the top 125; players who have been given a medical extension; and then the 45 players who earned cards from the Korn Ferry Tour, European tour and Q-school. After that are those who finished from No. 126 to No. 150 in the FedEx Cup. All of them have PGA Tour cards. But there's not room for them in every tournament. The most common refrain in golf is to play better to get better status. Those who perennially finish in the top 100 should have no trouble keeping their cards, and they will have fewer players to beat because the fields will be smaller. It also helps newcomers from the Korn Ferry Tour, European tour and Q-school. They can expect to get into every regular tournament, increasing their odds of getting into some of the $20 million signature events. The PGA Tour, already the strongest circuit in golf, is likely to be even more competitive with a greater chance of the top names in contention. The tour also hopes — this is still to be determined — it will improve the pace of play and keep rounds from spilling over into the next day. Players like Peter Malnati and Taylor Pendrith come to mind. Under the new system, neither would have had a full PGA Tour card this year and likely would not have been in the fields for the tournaments they won — Malnati at the Valspar Championship and Pendrith at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. Those wins make them exempt through 2026. Players who have not performed consistently well, who seem to struggle each year just to finish in the top 125, will have to be at their best to stay on tour. The PGA Tour also is reducing the four spots from Monday qualifiers at open tournaments. Now there will only two spots for the 132-man fields and none for fields of 120 players. One of golf's charms is how one week can change a career. Then again, there has been only one Monday qualifier to win in the last five years — Corey Conners in the 2019 Texas Open. The new eligibility starts in 2026, so that puts a huge emphasis on playing well this year knowing that only the top 100 will keep full status. The four majors are not run by the PGA Tour. The Masters has the smallest field, typically fewer than 100 players. The U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship have 156-man fields. The Players Championship, the premier event run by the PGA Tour, is reducing its field from 144 players to 120. AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfNEW 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.” Related Articles 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.

BMW praises Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology on social mediaBJP President JP Nadda has accused the Congress of indulging in political gimmicks over the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. In a statement, Mr. Nadda alleged that the Congress party is using Dr. Manmohan Singh’s name for political gains. Mr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Nadda highlighted that the Prime Ministers’ Museum was established by the NDA government to honor all Prime Ministers of the country. He accused Congress of focusing only on building memorials and monuments for members of their own family.

Eagles roll as Barkley reaches 2KLos Angeles Chargers (7-4) at Atlanta (6-5) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS BetMGM NFL Odds: Chargers by 1 1/2 Series record: Falcons lead 8-4. Against the spread: Chargers 7-3-1, Falcons 5-6. Last meeting: Chargers beat Falcons 20-17 on Nov. 6, 2022, in Atlanta. Last week: Ravens beat Chargers, 30-23; Falcons had bye week following 38-6 loss at Denver on Nov. 17. Chargers offense: overall (21), rush (13), pass (20), scoring (18). Chargers defense: overall (13), rush (10), pass (10), scoring (13). Falcons offense: overall (8), rush (14), pass (5), scoring (16). Falcons defense: overall (25), rush (19), pass (26), scoring (26). Turnover differential: Chargers plus-8, Falcons minus-3. RB Gus Edwards will move up as the lead back for Los Angeles after J.K Dobbins (knee) was placed on injured reserve on Saturday. Edwards was activated from IR earlier this month following an ankle injury and had nine carries for 11 yards with a touchdown in Monday night's 30-23 loss to Baltimore. WR Drake London has 61 catches, leaving him four away from becoming the first player in team history to have at least 65 receptions in each of his first three seasons. London has 710 receiving yards, leaving him 140 away from becoming the first player in team history with at least 850 in each of his first three seasons. Falcons RB Bijan Robinson vs. Chargers' run defense. Robinson was shut down by Denver, gaining only 35 yards on 12 carries, and the Atlanta offense couldn't recover. The Chargers rank 10th in the league against the run, so it will be a challenge for the Falcons to find a way to establish a ground game with Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. A solid running attack would create an opportunity for offensive coordinator Zac Robinson to establish the play-action passes for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Besides Dobbins, the Chargers also placed S Alohi Gilman (hamstring) on injured reserve. CB Cam Hart (ankle) and LB Denzel Perryman (groin) also have been ruled out. ... The Falcons needed the bye to give a long list of injured players an opportunity to heal. WR WR KhaDarel Hodge (neck) did not practice on Wednesday. WR Darnell Mooney (Achilles), CB Kevin King (concussion), DL Zach Harrison (knee, Achilles) and WR Casey Washington (concussion) were hurt in the 38-6 loss at Denver on Nov. 17 and were limited on Wednesday. CB Mike Hughes (neck), nickel back Dee Alford (hamstring), ILB Troy Andersen (knee), TE Charlie Woerner (concussion) and ILB JD Bertrand (concussion) also were limited on Wednesday after not playing against Denver. C Drew Dalman (ankle) could return. The Chargers have won the past three games in the series following six consecutive wins by the Falcons from 1991-2012. Los Angeles took a 33-30 overtime win in Atlanta in 2016 before the Chargers added 20-17 wins at home in 2020 and in Atlanta in 2022. The Falcons won the first meeting between the teams, 41-0 in San Diego in 1973. Each team has built its record on success against the soft NFC South. Atlanta is 4-1 against division rivals. Los Angeles is 2-0 against the NFC South this season. The Chargers have a four-game winning streak against the division. ... Atlanta is 0-2 against AFC West teams, following a 22-17 loss to Kansas City and the lopsided loss at Denver. The Falcons will complete their tour of the AFC West with a game at the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 16. ... The Falcons are the league's only first-place team with a negative points differential. Atlanta has been outscored 274-244. The loss of Dobbins, who has rushed for eight touchdowns, could put more pressure on QB Justin Hebert and the passing game. Herbert's favorite option has been WR Ladd McConkey, who has four TD receptions among his 49 catches for 698 yards. McConkey, the former University of Georgia standout who was drafted in the second round, could enjoy a productive return to the state against a Falcons defense that ranks only 26th against the pass. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

BMW praises Tesla's Full Self-Driving technology on social media

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