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CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — Joshua Meo and Jordan Battle both scored 13 points as Coastal Carolina beat South Carolina Upstate 73-51 on Saturday. Meo shot 4 for 7 (2 for 3 from 3-point range) and 3 of 6 from the free-throw line for the Chanticleers (3-4). Battle went 6 of 10 from the field (1 for 3 from 3-point range). Noah Amenhauser shot 5 of 7 from the field and 2 for 3 from the line to finish with 12 points. The Spartans (2-8) were led in scoring by Brit Harris, who finished with 12 points and two steals. Karmani Gregory added 11 points and two steals for South Carolina Upstate. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Some quotations from Jimmy Carter: We have a tendency to exalt ourselves and to dwell on the weaknesses and mistakes of others. I have come to realize that in every person there is something fine and pure and noble, along with a desire for self-fulfillment. Political and religious leaders must attempt to provide a society within which these human attributes can be nurtured and enhanced. — from 1975 book “Why Not the Best?” Our government can express the highest common ideals of human beings — if we demand of government true standards of excellence. At this Bicentennial time of introspection and concern, we must demand such standards. — “Why Not the Best?” I am a Southerner and an American, I am a farmer, an engineer, a father and husband, a Christian, a politician and former governor, a planner, a businessman, a nuclear physicist, a naval officer, a canoeist, and among other things a lover of Bob Dylan’s songs and Dylan Thomas’s poetry. — “Why Not the Best?” Christ said, “I tell you that anyone who looks on a woman with lust has in his heart already committed adultery.” I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times. This is something that God recognizes I will do — and I have done it — and God forgives me for it. But that doesn’t mean that I condemn someone who not only looks on a woman with lust but who leaves his wife and shacks up with somebody out of wedlock. — Interview, November 1976 Playboy. This inauguration ceremony marks a new beginning, a new dedication within our Government, and a new spirit among us all. A President may sense and proclaim that new spirit, but only a people can provide it. — Inaugural address, January 1977. It’s clear that the true problems of our nation are much deeper — deeper than gasoline lines or energy shortages, deeper even than inflation and recession. ... All the legislation in the world can’t fix what’s wrong with America. ... It is a crisis of confidence. — So-called “malaise” speech, July 1979. But we know that democracy is always an unfinished creation. Each generation must renew its foundations. Each generation must rediscover the meaning of this hallowed vision in the light of its own modern challenges. For this generation, ours, life is nuclear survival; liberty is human rights; the pursuit of happiness is a planet whose resources are devoted to the physical and spiritual nourishment of its inhabitants. — Farewell Address, January 1981. We appreciate the past. We are grateful for the present and we’re looking forward to the future with great anticipation and commitment. — October 1986, at the dedication of the Carter Presidential Library and Museum. War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn to live together in peace by killing each other’s children. — December 2002, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. Fundamentalists have become increasingly influential in both religion and government, and have managed to change the nuances and subtleties of historic debate into black-and-white rigidities and the personal derogation of those who dare to disagree. ... The influence of these various trends poses a threat to many of our nation’s historic customs and moral commitments, both in government and in houses of worship. — From 2005 book “Our Endangered Values.” I think that this breakthrough by Barack Obama has been remarkable. When he made his speech (on race) a few months ago in Philadelphia, I wept. I sat in front of the television and cried, because I saw that as the most enlightening and transforming analysis of racism and a potential end of it that I ever saw in my life. — August 2008, commenting on then-Sen. Barack Obama’s candidacy. I think it’s based on racism. There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president. ... No matter who he is or how much we disagree with his policies, the president should be treated with respect. — September 2009, reacting to Rep. Joe Wilson’s shout of “You lie!” during a speech to Congress by President Barack Obama. I’m still determined to outlive the last guinea worm. — 2010, on The Carter Center’s work to eradicate guinea worm disease. You know how much I raised to run against Gerald Ford? Zero. You know how much I raised to run against Ronald Reagan? Zero. You know how much will be raised this year by all presidential, Senate and House campaigns? $6 billion. That’s 6,000 millions. — September 2012, reacting to the 2010 “Citizens United” U.S. Supreme Court decision permitting unlimited third-party political spending. I have become convinced that the most serious and unaddressed worldwide challenge is the deprivation and abuse of women and girls, largely caused by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare, unfortunately following the example set during my lifetime by the United States. — From 2014 book “A Call to Action.” I don’t think there’s any doubt now that the NSA or other agencies monitor or record almost every telephone call made in the United States, including cellphones, and I presume email as well. We’ve gone a long way down the road of violating Americans’ basic civil rights, as far as privacy is concerned. — March 2014, commenting on U.S. intelligence monitoring after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks We accept self-congratulations about the wonderful 50th anniversary – which is wonderful – but we feel like Lyndon Johnson did it and we don’t have to do anything anymore. — April 2014, commenting on racial inequality during a celebration of the Civil Rights Act’s 40th anniversary. I had a very challenging question at Emory (University) the other night: “How would you describe the United States of America today in one word?” And I didn’t know what to say for a few moments, but I finally said, “Searching.” I think the country in which we live is still searching for what it ought to be, and what it can be, and I’m not sure we’re making much progress right at this moment. — October 2014 during a celebration of his 90th birthday. The life we have now is the best of all. We have an expanding and harmonious family, a rich life in our church and the Plains community, and a diversity of projects at The Carter Center that is adventurous and exciting. Rosalynn and I have visited more than 145 countries, and both of us are as active as we have ever been. We are blessed with good health and look to the future with eagerness and confidence, but are prepared for inevitable adversity when it comes. — From 2015 book, “A Full Life.”

Casey concedes U.S. Senate race in PennsylvaniaGeorge Russell will start from pole position for the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix. Here's how and when you can watch the race. Mercedes driver Russell inherited pole position after a one-place grid drop was handed to Max Verstappen for driving unnecessarily slowly and causing Russell to take evasive action during a Q3 preparation lap. Red Bull's Verstappen had initially taken his first F1 pole since June, as his 1m20.520s final effort in Q3 put him 0.055s clear of Russell , but will instead start second with Russell moving up to the top spot. The second row is a McLaren lockout, with Lando Norris heading Oscar Piastri after the latter took victory in the earlier sprint race . Piastri had trailed Norris throughout while defending from Russell, but Norris allowed the Australian through out of the final corner to return Piastri's gesture from Brazil when he had ceded sprint victory to Norris. Charles Leclerc is the highest placed Ferrari in fifth, ahead of his 2025 team-mate Lewis Hamilton, the soon-to-be-former Mercedes driver claiming "I've still got it" after remarking on Friday that "I'm definitely not fast anymore”. The second Ferrari of Carlos Sainz, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso, Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Kevin Magnussen in the Haas complete the top 10. When is the F1 Qatar Grand Prix? Date: Sunday 1 December 2024 Start time: 7:00pm local time/4:00pm GMT The 23rd round of the 2024 F1 season, the Qatar GP, gets under way at 7:00pm local time on Sunday 1 December. How can I watch Formula 1? In the United Kingdom Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK. Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £18 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.99 or a month membership of £34.99 per month. How can I watch the F1 Qatar GP? In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports will be live broadcasting the Qatar GP. The race will be shown live on Sky Sports F1, with pre-race coverage starting at 2:30pm GMT, ahead of the race start at 4:00pm GMT. Channels: Sky Sports F1 Start time: 2:30pm GMT Sunday 1 December 2024 Autosport will be running a live text coverage of the Qatar GP. When can I watch the F1 Qatar GP highlights? In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 is broadcasting highlights of the Qatar GP at 9:00pm GMT on Sunday. The full programme will run for two and a half hours, covering the pre-race, the race highlights and the initial post-race reaction to wrap up the major talking points of the race weekend. For the entire 2024 F1 season, Channel 4 will broadcast highlights of every qualifying and race of each event. The highlights will also be available on Channel 4’s on demand catch-up services. Channel: Channel 4 Start time: 9:00pm GMT, Sunday 1 December 2024 Will the F1 Las Vegas GP be on the radio? Live radio coverage of every practice, qualifying and race for the 2024 F1 season will be available on the BBC Radio 5 Live, 5 Live Sports Extra stations, the BBC Sounds app and the via the BBC Sport website. Live coverage of the Qatar GP will start at 4:00pm GMT on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and on the BBC Sounds app. Weather forecast for the F1 Qatar GP Current weather forecasts predict dry and warm conditions in Qatar, with a low chance of rain and moderate winds. The temperature is expected to be 21 degrees Celsius for the start of the race. How many laps is the F1 Qatar GP? The race is scheduled to complete 57 laps of the Losail International Circuit, covering a total race distance of 308.611 km. F1 Qatar GP qualifying result In this article Stefan Mackley Formula 1 Be the first to know and subscribe for real-time news email updates on these topics Subscribe to news alertsLAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) — Las Vegas Aces standout Kelsey Plum won't play in the new, 3-on-3 women's league, Unrivaled, saying wants to take more time for herself in the offseason. Plum posted her decision on social media this week. The Unrivaled league, co-founded by Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, will start its season Jan. 17 and play into March with all games being held in Miami. Plum was named to the roster of the Laces, one of the league’s six teams. Those expected to play for the team are Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams of the Minnesota Lynx, Alyssa Thomas of the Connecticut Sun and Stephanie Dolson of the Washington Mystics. Plum thanked the league for its understanding of her choice. “I wish the league and all of the players nothing but the best and I'm excited to watch!” Plum said her post. WNBA rookie of the year Caitlin Clark of Indiana decided not to take part in the league. Plum, 30, played in 44 WNBA games this season, counting playoffs, and was a member of Team USA, which won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris this past summer. Plum earned her third straight selection to the WNBA all-star game. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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( MENAFN - The Rio Times) The London stock exchange faces its most significant challenge since the 2009 financial crisis. In 2024, 88 companies abandoned the British market, with only 18 new listings to offset the losses. This exodus represents £94 billion in market value leaving the exchange, with £84 ($67) billion from FTSE 350 companies alone. High-profile departures include Ashtead Group, Flutter Entertainment, and CRH, with a combined market capitalization exceeding £100 ($80) billion. These companies chose to relocate to the New York Stock Exchange, citing better valuations and a deeper investor pool. The exodus began in 2022 when BHP, a mining giant worth $125 billion, shifted its primary listing to Sydney. While some argued this move reflected BHP's Australian-centric operations, others saw it as a sign of London's declining influence. The reasons for this shift are multifaceted. UK-listed companies often trade at a discount compared to their US counterparts. The FTSE 100 rose only 7.5% in 2024, while the S&P 500 surged 27.5%. Brexit's impact lingers, creating regulatory uncertainty and shrinking the potential investor base. Mergers with US companies have also contributed to the trend. These consolidations often result in the relocation of corporate headquarters and stock listings to the larger market. This pattern reflects the UK's economic challenges compared to the US. London Stock Exchange Loses Record Number of Firms Since 2009 Crisis UK pension funds have dramatically reduced their investments in domestic shares , from over 40% three decades ago to just 4% today. This shift further erodes the appeal of London's market. The consequences extend beyond the financial sector. London's status as a global financial hub faces a serious threat, potentially impacting job markets, tax revenues, and the UK's overall economic standing. Experts suggest several measures to stem the tide, including encouraging UK pension funds to increase domestic equity investments, establishing a UK ISA for retail investors, and cutting stamp duty on shares to improve competitiveness. As 2025 approaches, the financial world watches London closely. The city's ability to adapt and reclaim its position will shape its role in global finance for years to come. This situation holds significant implications not just for investors, but for the future of international economic power dynamics. London Stock Exchange Loses Record Number of Firms Since 2009 Crisis MENAFN29122024007421016031ID1109039908 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.

How to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Friday, December 6In what has become a bit of an annual tradition , I sat down with Amazon CTO Werner Vogels at AWS re:Invent this week . Another annual tradition now is that Vogels, who joined Amazon in 2004, publishes a series of predictions for the next year. It’d be easy to think that this year’s predictions are all about AI, but instead, Vogels focuses on how Millennials and Gen Z think about being part of the workforce, nuclear energy, combatting misinformation, open data for disaster preparedness, and the need for intention-driven technology. Unlike his employer, whose keynotes this week focused almost exclusively on AI, Vogels only mentions it three times in his written predictions “ for 2025 and beyond .” And while AI is now a steady drone in the background, he seems to be more preoccupied with how technology in general is shaping the world right now. The next generation of employees “I’ve been very much interested in looking at companies that are interested in solving really hard human problems, really big problems, like economic equality, whether it’s food, health care globally,” he told me. “And with that whole ‘Now Go Build’ documentary series, we’ve raised some of those. But one of the things that I’ve been noticing in the past, let’s say four or five years, is that there is a new generation of workers out there that are actually willing to take a pay cut if they can work for a company that has sustainability in mind — all these issues.” He also said that he has heard from a number of NGOs that there is a massive increase in tech workers who would like to volunteer at these organizations. “Where, in the past — five, ten years ago, you would have to beg for people to come. Now people knock on the door,” he said. “The problem that these companies have is how to manage them. They don’t actually have the people. An organization like Mercy Corps, for example, they only have two people that are in tech, right? Because that money goes to the area [where] they can actually have impact. They don’t go on the tech side....Now, they have an engineer for two weeks. They have all these great ideas that they want to do, and even companies that are coming to them saying: ‘Oh, you can have our products for free.’ But they do not have the people to work on this.” Vogels believes — and I think a lot of people would back him up — that the next generation of workers will also bring this mindset to the companies they work for, and that these companies will have to adapt to them. “That means as employers, if you’re interested in actually hiring the absolute best engineers, you better make sure that you change your company culture to actually be able to attract these people. It’s no longer: do I get the best laptop? Do I get the best screen? Do I get two screens, right? But does my work matter? And that’s a really big shift, because it’s no longer about what’s the salary I’m getting? Because I’m willing to give up some of it if the work I’m doing means something right. And that means that, as an employer, you need to change that as well.” When I asked him if this means that Amazon itself may also have to change its vaunted set of leadership principles (the ones new employee at Amazon basically has to memorize), he noted that “with scale and success comes broad responsibility” — the final of the 16 leadership principles. Amazon, he stressed, also has a whole division focused on Social Responsibility and Impact. Who can you even trust anymore? In that context, he also noted that one of his predictions for next year is about fighting misinformation and — within that context — supporting open source intelligence. “We have rapidly shifted from an era of prolonged news cycles that lasted weeks or months to a constant stream of updates that break at the speed of a click. Social media platforms have become a primary source for disseminating and consuming news, and it’s never been harder to distinguish between what’s true and false,” he writes in his prediction blog post. If technology brought us fake news, “then it’s also our responsibility as technologists to go the other way around to find solutions,” he told me. He believes that solutions like browser sidebars that display relevant context — and maybe academic research — about a given topic, could be helpful, for example. “Elon is really good in time to push the story that media can’t be trusted,” Vogels said. “And since there’s many competing voices, can you trust the Washington Post and The New York Times and LA Times? Can you, or not? I mean, in the past, these used to be the source of truth. There was no discussion. If you were published in the Frankfurter Allgemeine, everybody in Germany would read that and know that that’s the truth. But can we help with technology? Is there a general perception, at least during the US, recent US elections, that the general media can be trusted? At least one candidate is pushing that story very hard. Then we need to make sure that there is context around those stories that demonstrate which ones are telling the truth or not.” “If we look at X and sort of the community notes, I’m not really sure whether the community notes are terribly useful, but [they] should be. And the question is, can we automate these kind of things?” Meanwhile, the organizations doing open-source intelligence work, he said, are often not using the most advanced technology. He believes that locating where an image was taken, for example, should be automated by using image recognition. Similarly, he hopes that access to open data will help NGOs to improve their disaster preparedness by allowing them to build better maps in areas where commercial mapping isn’t financially viable, for example, or by building new real-time data sources for tracking wildfires. Fighting tech addiction Vogels also noted that one of the reasons technology has been such an accelerant for the spread of misinformation is because our devices and apps have become so addictive. “We have tremendous impact with our technology on the lives of people, not only in terms of whether we advocate for what’s the truth, but the amount of time we spend with technology,” he said. Applications today, he said, are essentially built to be sticky and addictive. “We as adults may be able to handle that,” he said (though I’ll interject here that I’m not sure if adults actually can). “You know, if your kid of four years old is sitting in the back of the car, and, you know, in the past, they will be singing or yammering: ‘Are we there? Are we there?’ But [what] parents now do is just give them an iPad. Kids at four or five years old know how to use YouTube, but it also means that they get on a cycle of continuous highs, continuous highs, continuous highs. So the expectation is that these kids, and we already see that, are more prone to other types of addiction later as well, because you need to continuously get this next high whether it’s drugs, food, drinking, sex, or whatever.” People, he believes, are realizing this now and starting to take some action — maybe that’s using a dumb phone or going offline for extended periods. He noted that new regulations in Australia, which seek to ban kids under 16 from using social media, “is a pretty brute force approach, but it does signal a problem,” even if forbidding something to teenagers will make it more appealing, of course. “After all, you know, in the Netherlands [where cannabis has long been tolerated], a lot [fewer] kids continue to smoke weed because it wasn’t cool.” It’s up to technologists to ensure that their applications aren’t addictive — maybe by making the interfaces simpler, for example. “I mean, probably for TechCrunch, if somebody reads one article, you wanted them to read more articles. After all, pageviews equals income. It’s a business. But you know, how addictive do you make your interfaces, right? And yes, of course, as a company, you have a responsibility to shareholders to do that, but I think these days, we also have a social responsibility to make sure that our society is healthy enough in ten, twenty years from now that you can continue to be in business.” The nuclear option This year’s set of predictions is a bit of “all over the place” (Vogels’ words, not mine), and his next one is about the use of nuclear energy. In Vogels’ view, the expansion of nuclear energy and the growth of renewable energy “will lay the groundwork for a future where our energy infrastructure is a catalyst for innovation, not a constraint.” “We know how to do small nuclear,” he told me — referring to the reactors used to power military submarines, for example. “We just never built them because they weren’t commercially interesting. Plus, society didn’t accept them as being [located] somewhere near them. If your submarine will go up in flame, fine, submarine, you chose for that. It’s a different story.” But we’ve now also reached a point where large businesses aren’t allowed to build new facilities near cities like Amsterdam, where Vogels lives, because the energy companies can’t deliver enough electricity to them anymore — not because they can’t generate enough. A few years ago, Vogels told me that he wasn’t ready to retire yet . I don’t get the sense that anything has changed for him. He’s clearly still enjoying his role — even if his predictions this year are a bit darker than usual.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle , the restaurateurs behind Berkeley’s Rose Pizzeria are debuting a cafe just around the corner. Coming to 2000 University Avenue , Cafe Brusco will land near establishments such as Burger IM Berkeley, Cal’s Fried Chicken & Burgers, and Red Tomato Pizza House. What Now San Francisco reached out to Gerad Gobel and Alexis Rorabaugh to inquire about their plans for the new spot, but they could not provide additional information before publication. Nevertheless, the Chronicle reports that “it will serve coffee, pastries and sandwiches during the day and wine and snacks at night.” Additionally, “in the daytime, Cafe Brusco will pour coffee courtesy of Emeryville’s Counter Culture Coffee, in vintage Italian saucers, plus cold drinks like a sesame matcha latte and affogato.” “The owners will stock fresh pastries from Good Luck Bakery... Savory treats, available warm or to go, may take the form of a mortadella breakfast sandwich, porchetta melt or roasted sweet potato sandwich with feta and Calabrian chili aioli with a lentil salad.” Finally, “in the evenings, Cafe Brusco will become a wine bar featuring mainly natural, local producers but also plenty of Lambrusco and Italian and European wines.” Cafe Brusco is slated to open in January 2005.COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Police had to use pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves in the melee that overshadowed the rivalry game. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week

Include emerging sectors under priority sector lending: CIIOver two years ago, OpenAI unveiled ChatGPT, a generative AI chatbot that revolutionized the industry. What began as a small project swiftly grew into the fastest-growing app in history (before Threads dethroned it later that year), currently boasting 200 million active users. One thing is evident even though its effects on businesses and daily life are still evolving: ChatGPT has been a huge boon for Big Tech. According to Bloomberg, the six largest tech companies – Google, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft and Nvidia – have added over $8 trillion in market value since its launch. Don't Miss: The global games market is projected to generate $272B by the end of the year — for $0.55/share, this VC-backed startup with a 7M+ userbase gives investors easy access to this asset market. Elon Musk Told The U.N. If They Could Show A Plan For Ending World Hunger He'd Donate $6 Billion – ‘I Will Sell Tesla Stock Right Now And Do It' When ChatGPT went live, it kicked off an AI boom, getting people and businesses excited about new possibilities. Nvidia, for one, has skyrocketed to become one of the world's most valuable companies , even taking the number-one spot at times. AI demand has boosted its chip sales and positioned it as the backbone of this growing tech revolution. By December 2024, Nvidia's market cap had surged by an incredible $3 trillion, recovering from a $54 billion drop in value in January 2023 relative to ChatGPT's launch in November 2022, according to a report by Visual Capitalist. Microsoft's trajectory has been similarly remarkable. After losing $194 billion in January 2023, its market cap rebounded by $1.2 trillion by December 2024, supported by growing AI and cloud adoption. Amazon's valuation followed suit, climbing by $1.1 trillion in November 2024. Meta and Alphabet saw big gains, too, with companies growing by $1.1 trillion and $845 billion in market cap by late 2024, respectively. See Also: Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart & Target – Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share! Despite its initial volatility, Apple saw a recovery. By December 2024, its market capitalization had grown from losing $345 billion in January 2023 to gaining $1.1 trillion. As companies of all sizes rushed to implement AI solutions, cloud providers like Microsoft, Amazon and Google experienced tremendous growth. According to Crunchbase data, generative AI businesses have been consuming venture funds, making up about 35% of all VC funding this year. Having recently raised $6.6 billion at a valuation of $157 billion, OpenAI has grown into a behemoth comparable to firms like AT&T and Goldman Sachs. Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today. ChatGPT vs. Google Perhaps the most intriguing shake-up is ChatGPT's rising challenge to Google's dominance in search. A survey showed ChatGPT now captures 5% of the search market, up from 1% in June, with Millennials leading the way. But Google won’t be going down without a fight. According to 71% of users, its Gemini AI and new search functions are still more popular than ChatGPT. Nevertheless, even a small shift in search market share is worth billions. OpenAI has taken aggressive steps to compete, rolling out a full search feature and partnering with Apple to make ChatGPT more accessible. Whether it can monetize these efforts as effectively as Google remains to be seen. In the end, despite AI’s huge impact, established tech firms have reaped the most rewards. High costs and competition from big firms make it difficult for startups to compete. Smaller startups often focus on niche markets like health care and law to avoid competing with the internet giants. Read Next: Inspired by Uber and Airbnb – Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets – with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share! If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it ? © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

The federal government has abandoned its controversial misinformation bill due to opposition in the Senate. Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced in a statement on Sunday the legislation would not proceed because there was "no pathway" in the upper house. The scrapped legislation would have given the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) power to monitor digital platforms and require them to keep records about misinformation and disinformation on their networks. The media watchdog would have also be able to approve an enforceable industry code of conduct or introduce standards for social media companies if self-regulation was deemed to fail. If tech giants did not meet their obligations, they could have faced a range of penalties including fines of up to 5 per cent of their global revenue. The bill did not cover misinformation if it's used for parody or satire or within news, academic, artistic, scientific or religious content. Critics from across the political spectrum had concerns the bill would infringe on freedom of speech . Dr Jay Daniel Thompson, a senior lecturer from Melbourne's RMIT University, previously told SBS News that while the bill is "well-intentioned", he believed it had the "potential for censorship". Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, whose party was among those opposed to the bill, told the ABC's Insiders program on Sunday that some sections of the proposed legislation were "very vague". She said legislation needed to tackle algorithms that promote dangerous and harmful content. "The practical implementation was just not there," Hanson-Young said. In her statement on Sunday, Rowland put forward several other proposals for regulating online content. These included legislation targeting the sharing of non-consensual and sexually explicit deep fakes ; measures to enforce truth in political advertising; and reforms on regulation of artificial intelligence . "Mis and disinformation is an evolving threat and no single action is a perfect solution, but we must continue to imporve safeguard to ensure digital platforms offer better protections for Australians," Rowland said. Meanwhile, a ban on under-16s accessing social media is set to sail through parliament with support of the Opposition during the final sitting week of the year next week. How the age limit will be enforced is up to the social media platforms, but they have raised concerns about the efficacy of technology that does not unduly encroach on privacy. Tech giants and human rights groups have also come out against a blanket social media ban saying the focus should be on creating a safe online experience, not stripping access to some of the positive benefits. The federal government has said it would make the online environment safer for young people. It could come into effect as early as the end of 2025 due to a minimum 12-month lead time once it passes parliament. With reporting by the Australian Associated Press.

India’s successful test of its newly inducted nuclear-powered INS Arighaat, equipped with a K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), marks a significant milestone in its defence capabilities. The K-4 missile boasts an impressive range of 3,500 kilometres, significantly enhancing India’s nuclear deterrence strategy and bolstering its second-strike capability (SSC). This achievement, achieved just months after INS Arighaat’s commissioning in August 2024, underscores India’s growing military prowess in general and naval strength in particular in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Indo-Pacific and IOR are becoming increasingly important in the global geopolitical arena, with competing interests from the international powers. India’s growing naval capabilities, particularly in the domain of nuclear-powered submarines and SLBMs, offer significant leverage in the ongoing balancing act between these powers while enhancing India’s deterrence capability and ensuring strategic stability in the region. The K-4 Test and Its Strategic Significance India’s nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat, which carries the K-4 missiles (developed by DRDO), is now the second vessel in India’s fleet to be equipped with these advanced ballistic missiles, following INS Arihant (commissioned in 2016). The successful test of the K-4 missile off the Visakhapatnam coast is crucial because it demonstrates India’s ability to conduct full-range tests of its strategic weapons from operational submarines, not just from submersible pontoons or other platforms. The missile, capable of striking targets up to 3,500 kilometres away, significantly enhances India’s nuclear triad , which comprises land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), air-launched weapons, and now, sea-based SLBMs. The K-4 missile system is key in India’s strategic deterrence doctrine. By providing India with a credible SSC, the K-4 ensures that the country can maintain a nuclear deterrent even in the face of a first strike by an adversary. This is crucial for India’s no-first-use (NFU) policy, which commits the country to using nuclear weapons only in retaliation to a nuclear attack. With a more extended range and the ability to be launched from a submerged submarine, the K-4 increases India’s atomic deterrent’s survivability and operational flexibility. It allows Indian nuclear-powered submarines (SSBNs) to remain in secure waters, such as the northern Bay of Bengal, far from potential adversaries’ detection and counter-strike capabilities. The K-4’s range expands India’s strike potential across large parts of both China and Pakistan, ensuring that the country can target high-value assets in these nuclear-armed neighbours while maintaining the operational advantage of its sea-based assets. By boosting the reach of its SSBN fleet, India significantly improves its ability to respond in the event of a nuclear conflict, reinforcing the credibility of its deterrence. Global Peers As India builds and refines its nuclear deterrence capabilities, its growing strategic footprint in the Indo-Pacific and IOR intersects with the interests of other global powers, particularly the United States, China, and Russia. Each nation maintains a unique approach to its respective defence postures and regional influence (Russia has zero or less influence in this region). Still, they also share some common objectives, such as ensuring regional stability and maintaining a robust naval presence in the strategically critical maritime routes that pass through the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea (SCS). The United States, as a global superpower with extensive naval capabilities, has long maintained a strategic presence in the Indo-Pacific. It views the region as critical to its broader geopolitical objectives, particularly in countering China’s increasing influence. The US Navy’s fleet is heavily deployed in this region, and its focus on freedom of navigation and the preservation of regional security has often put it in direct competition with China’s growing maritime assertiveness, particularly in the South China Sea. India and the US share common interests in ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, particularly as both nations seek to counterbalance China’s rising power. The US has been a vital partner in India’s defence modernisation efforts, with increased cooperation in naval exercises, arms sales, and technology sharing. The US recognises India’s burgeoning nuclear deterrence as a pivotal stabilising force in the region, serving as a counterbalance to China’s nuclear and missile capabilities. Nevertheless, the development of India’s K-4 missile and expanding submarine fleet underscores India’s growing independence in defence matters, even as it fortifies its security ties with the US. On the other hand, China perceives India’s advancements in submarine-launched missile systems as a direct challenge to its regional and global ambitions. China has invested heavily in its naval and missile capabilities, including developing its SSBN fleet equipped with long-range SLBMs capable of reaching deep into Indian sea territory. The K-4 missile’s range of 3,500 kilometres is especially significant because it extends India’s reach into China, including critical sites like Beijing , which are within striking distance from secure positions in the Bay of Bengal. This operational advantage significantly alters the security calculus in the region. China’s naval activities in the Indian Ocean have grown in recent years, driven partly by its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and increasing presence in crucial maritime chokepoints. With Chinese naval vessels frequently operating in the Indian Ocean, India views its growing nuclear capabilities as essential for ensuring its strategic autonomy and maintaining a balance of power in the region. India’s successful test of the K-4 missile from INS Arighaat has solidified its position as a critical player in the Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions. The test not only strengthens India’s nuclear deterrent but also enhances its ability to project power and influence in an area where the interests of the major powers, such as the US and China, are intertwined. By ensuring its ability to launch nuclear strikes from the sea, India has bolstered its second-strike capability, making it a formidable force in regional security dynamics. As the security environment in the Indo-Pacific continues to evolve, India’s strategic autonomy, coupled with its growing defence capabilities, will ensure that the country remains an important and influential actor in the region. The K-4 missile test is just one of many steps India takes to safeguard its position as a regional power capable of deterring any adversary and maintaining peace and stability in the face of emerging challenges from global powers like China and the US. The author is a PhD candidate at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.From Astro Bot to Prince of Persia: 15 best video games of 2024

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“Cassoulet, that best of bean feasts, is everyday fare for a peasant but ambrosia for a gastronome.” ~ Julia Child When winter heads our way, bringing chilly temperatures and close, dark nights, my thoughts turn to Cassoulet, the iconic comfort food from southwestern France. It has it all – juicy beans, duck leg confit, sausages and sometimes pork or lamb, slowly simmered in well-seasoned broth, then baked in a wide-mouthed, glazed terra-cotta dish called a cassole . Like any truly traditional dish, there are multiple versions, all claiming to be the “authentic one.” Cassoulet originated in southwestern France. Toulouse claims it — and so does Castelnaudary and Carcassonne — and the recipes vary. Toulouse adherents eschew adding cubed pork. Castelnaudary purists add a bit of lamb, while Carcassonne’s adds partridge. In most restaurants, cassoulets are served in an individual cassole , bubbling with hot juices,and with a bit of duck leg peeking through the top. But at Hostellerie Etienne , a vast indoor- outdoor restaurant on the edge of a forest near Castelnaudary, the cassoulets come to the table in family-size cassoles , big enough to serve two, four, six or even 10 people, so you can share the dish with your dining companions. I don’t know if Etienne’s even has a single-serving bowl size. I didn’t see one, when I was there as the guest of a bean trader from Castelnaudary. According to him, Etiennne’s has the best cassoulet anywhere, and they use the Lauragais lingot beans known as the Castelnaudary bean. Copious doesn’t begin to describe the cassoulet scene there, with stacks of cassoles lined up in Etienne’s kitchen, next to caldrons of simmering beans, ready to be filled and popped into the vast ovens. Here in the Bay Area, we have our own go-to restaurants for cassoulets. Some, like the Left Bank Brasseries in San Jose, Menlo Park, Oakland and Larkspur, and Reve Bistro in Lafayette, only serve it during the winter months as a special. (Reve will be serving cassoulet Dec. 10-14, for example, and Jan. 7-11; reserve it when you reserve your table.) Others, such as Bistro Jeanty in Yountville and Le Central in San Francisco, always have it on the menu. Both Reve Bistro and Bistro Jeanty use cassoles made by potter Kathy Kernes at her Crockett Pottery in Crockett, and they are every bit as beautiful and as practical as those you’ll find in southwestern France. Kernes’ makes cassoles in six sizes ($38-$210), ranging from individual to “extra large plus,” which is very large indeed. (Browse the possibilities at www.crockettpottery.com.) Reve Bistro offers take-out cassoulets if you pre-order the week the dish is on the menu. Pick it up — in a takeout container, not a cassole! — then heat it at home. Just note that chef-owner Paul Magu-Lecugy only makes a limited number of portions. “It’s time consuming,” he says, noting for him, it is a two-day process. Le Central’s cassoulet is one of the more elaborate around, with lamb, pork shoulder and boudin blanc, as well as the all-important duck leg confit and slightly garlicky Toulouse sausage. Left Bank uses chef-owner Roland Passot’s recipe (see below) and keeps it simple, limiting the meats to duck leg confit and Toulouse sausages. (Don’t panic. If you’re making this at home, some specialty markets sell duck confit.) The beans are key to cassoulet. Once cooked, they should not be mushy, but hold their shape after the long cooking. In France, tradition calls for either Tarbais beans, a plump, white bean, or lingot beans — a strain of cannellini beans — in making cassoulet. As Passot suggests in his recipe below, you can substitute cannellini beans or Great Northern beans. Rancho Gordo produces a variety called cassoulet , a West Coast-grown bean from the Tarbais strain. Cassoulet isn’t difficult to make. It just requires time and patience. You can make it a couple of days ahead, refrigerate it and then slowly reheat it. That way, there’s nothing to do on the day of but sip a glass of wine while the beans and meats slowly heat to bubbling. Add a green salad and some crusty bread, and you’ll have the perfect winter meal. Or put your coat on and head to one of our local restaurants, where the cooking is done for you. All you need is a reservation. Left Bank Brasserie Cassoulet Serves 6 to 8 INGREDIENTS Beans: 4 cups dried lingot beans (white kidney, cannellini or Great Northern, will all work) 1 small carrot, peeled and chopped 1 small onion, diced (about 3⁄4 cup) 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 pound slab bacon or extra thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 sprigs of thyme 1 bay leaf Cassoulet: 1⁄4 cup duck fat (lard will do in a pinch) 2 pounds pork butt cut in 2-inch cubes 1 cup onions, diced small 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1⁄4 cup tomato paste 1 small can diced tomatoes 11⁄2-2 cups reserved bean water 6 Toulouse sausages 1 small garlic sausage 4 confit duck legs, purchased or homemade (see note below) 1 cup panko bread crumbs 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1⁄4 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Note: If you are making your own duck confit, start the night before by rubbing the duck legs with a “green salt” mixture — kosher salt, parsley, a couple of bay leaves and thyme ground together. The next day, rinse the duck legs well, pat dry and place in an oven-safe cooking vessel with enough duck fat to cover the legs. Roast in a 225-degree oven for 21⁄2 to 3 hrs. DIRECTIONS The night before, place the beans in a deep pot and add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Let beans soak overnight. The next day, rinse the beans well. Add the rinsed beans, carrots, onions, garlic, bacon, thyme and bay leaf to cold water and cook, over low heat, until the beans are tender. Strain the beans, saving the water, and set aside the beans. In a large braising pan, melt the duck fat over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, brown the pork butt pieces without stirring. When beginning to brown, start stirring, making sure you scrape the bottom if it starts to caramelize. The pork doesn’t need much color, but it does need to cook in the duck fat for a while. Add lots of salt and pepper. This is not a shy dish. When the pork is nice and brown on all sides, add the 1 cup onions and garlic, and sauté until the onions are soft and cooked through. Add the tomato paste, diced tomatoes and reserved liquid from the beans. Stir, using a rubber spatula to clean the side of the pot. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Bring the heat under the braising pan up to high. Once at a rolling boil, turn down to low heat and add all the sausages. When they are cooked through, remove and set aside. Slice the garlic sausage in half and cut into 1-inch pieces. Return the whole and sliced sausages back to the pot along with the cooked beans. Continue to cook on low heat until the pork is cooked through. Taste for seasoning; add more salt and pepper if needed. Transfer the beans and pork to a heavy, wide mouth, earthenware, clay or cast iron baking dish that can hold 5 to 6 quarts. Bake at 250 degrees for about 11⁄2 hours, checking at least every 30 minutes. It may require a bit more time. If the dish is starting to look too dry, add a small amount of reserved bean broth or chicken stock. Add warmed duck legs to the cassoulet and make a breadcrumb topping by combining the panko, garlic, parsley, thyme and extra virgin olive oil. Return the dish to the oven and continue baking until the crumbs brown on the top. — Courtesy Roland Passot, Propriétaire, Chef Culinary Officer, Vine Hospitality