top646 online casino
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Mayor-President-elect Sid Edwards addresses the Chamber of Commerce of East Baton Rouge Parish at its Cafe Americain luncheon on Monday, December 10, 2024. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Sid Edwards, who will become East Baton Rouge mayor-president next month, has selected businessman Charlie Davis as his interim chief administrative officer. The CAO is the mayor's top staffer, managing relationships with the metro council and overseeing city-parish departments. Davis is the founder and CEO of Moxey, a Louisiana small business network, and a cofounder of MasteryPrep, a Baton Rouge-based company that helps underprivileged students across the country raise their ACT scores. He is the secretary of the Republican Party of Louisiana and vice president of New Schools for Baton Rouge. "Charlie loves Baton Rouge and shares my vision for building unity and improving the quality of life for every person in the parish," Edwards said in a news release. "He's going to help us to get off to a fast start and deliver results." The release says Davis will work with Edwards to "establish goals for departments and individual administrators, assess policies and staffing needs, and collaborate on financial strategies and help to analyze the city-parish government’s budget." An inauguration ceremony for Edwards is planned for 5 p.m. Jan. 2 at the River Center for the Performing Arts downtown. It is open to the public, but those planning to attend are asked to RSVP at info@winEBR.la . Doors open at 4 p.m., and a clear bag policy will be enforced.
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The 26-year-old man charged in last week’s killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO appeared in a Pennsylvania courtroom on Tuesday, where he was denied bail and his lawyer said he'd fight extradition to New York City, where the attack happened. Luigi Nicholas Mangione was arrested Monday in last Wednesday's attack on Brian Thompson after they say a worker at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, alerted authorities to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. When arrested, Mangione had on him a gun that investigators believe was used in the attack and writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. As Mangione arrived at the courthouse Tuesday, he struggled with officers and shouted something that was partly unintelligible but referred to an “insult to the intelligence of the American people.” Mangione is being held on Pennsylvania charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Here are some of the latest developments: Wearing an orange jumpsuit, Mangione mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. Judge David Consiglio denied bail to Mangione, whose attorney, Thomas Dickey, told the court that his client did not agree to extradition and wants a hearing on the matter. Blair County (Pennsylvania) District Attorney Peter Weeks said that although Mangione's fighting extradition will create “extra hoops” for law enforcement to jump through, it won’t be a substantial barrier to sending him to New York. In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Monday that Mangione also had a ghost gun, a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Officers also found a sound suppressor, or silencer, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” she said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, the commissioner said. Kenny said Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, has ties to San Francisco and that his last known address is in Honolulu. Mangione, who was valedictorian of his Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press on Monday. Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. Mangione likely was motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain with corporate greed, said a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world and that the profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, which was based on a review of the suspect’s hand-written notes and social media postings. The defendant appeared to view the targeted killing of the UnitedHealthcare CEO as a symbolic takedown and may have been inspired by “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski, whom he called a “political revolutionary,” the document said. Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. on Wednesday. Eleven minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park, according to police. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack, police said. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspect exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene, Matt O'Brien, Sean Murphy and Cedar Attanasio contributed to this report.
Being a successful investor requires just a few skills: knowing when to buy and knowing when to sell. Although it sounds simple, you'll have incredible returns if you're the best at both. There's one popular artificial intelligence (AI) stock that was a buy at the beginning of the year that has now moved into the sell category. That's Palantir ( PLTR 6.22% ) . Palantir has been an incredible success in 2024, with the stock price more than quadrupling. However, the stock has become disconnected from the business, and I think there's a high likelihood that it could come falling back down to earth in 2025. As a result, it's best that investors take their profits and run. Palantir's business is capitalizing on the AI arms race The unfortunate thing about Palantir's business and stock becoming disconnected is that it is doing incredibly well and will likely maintain that status quo throughout 2025 and beyond. Palantir's application-specific AI models aid their clients in decision-making and have found heavy usage in the commercial and government sectors. One of its newer products that has quickly emerged as one of its most popular is its Artificial Intelligence Platform (AIP). AIP allows its clients to build AI applications into their workflows rather than using it as a tool on the side. This allows businesses to control the data that gets plugged into these AI models rather than having it go to a third-party AI platform, which could present an issue when sensitive information that the government deals with is used. Since the AI arms race kicked off, Palantir's AI products have seen a surge in demand, which has translated into strong performance for the company. In Q3, Palantir's revenue rose 30% year over year to $726 million. U.S. clients spent more than their international counterparts, with U.S. commercial revenue rising 54% year over year to $179 million and U.S. government revenue rising 40% year over year to $320 million. Palantir is also solidly profitable, posting a profit margin of around 20% for the second straight quarter. PLTR Profit Margin (Quarterly) data by YCharts With just this information, it's understandable why Palantir has received a lot of investment interest. It's growing rapidly in an area that investors are focused on right now. Palantir is doing incredibly well as a business, and I predict strong results for 2025. The problem is that its stock has disconnected from these fundamental results. The stock and the business are disconnected As mentioned earlier, Palantir's stock is up by over 300%, yet its revenue growth is a tenth of that. As a result, the stock has become highly valued, trading at an unbelievable valuation. PLTR PS Ratio data by YCharts At 64.5 times sales , Palantir has eclipsed the highest level Nvidia traded at over the past three years (45 times sales). Despite significantly lower profit margins and far slower growth, it has done this. When Nvidia achieved that valuation, it tripled its revenue the following quarter. At Palantir's current growth rate (30%), it would take over four years to triple its revenue. No part of Palantir's valuation makes sense, which is unfortunate because the company is doing so well. Let's take a second to assess the absolute best-case scenario for Palantir. It would include these factors: Revenue growth accelerates to 40%. Profit margin rises from 20% to 30% to match software leader Adobe . It trades for 50 times trailing earnings. Effects of stock-based compensation are ignored (this is a terrible assumption, as Palantir's share count rose 3.5% this past year thanks to hefty stock-based compensation). If Palantir achieved these four items, the stock price would have to stay at its current level for over four years to achieve the 50 times trailing earnings valuation. All of these are extremely aggressive assumptions that likely won't come true, further illustrating how expensive Palantir's stock has become. As a result, I think there's a very high likelihood that Palantir's stock will crash sometime in 2025. There is just too much growth baked into the stock for its current growth levels, and investors will eventually decide to take profits en masse, which will cause the stock to struggle even if the business is doing well .
Donkey named Wonder gets new prosthetic leg for Christmas
Bethlehem marks a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Bethlehem is marking another somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. The church was built atop the spot where Jesus is believed to have been born. The war, the violence in the occupied West Bank it has spurred and the lack of festivities has deeply hurt Bethlehem's economy. The town relies heavily on Christmas tourism. The economy in the West Bank was already reeling because of restrictions placed on laborers preventing them from entering Israel during the war. Middle East latest: Bethlehem marks a somber Christmas Eve amid war in Gaza TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Palestinian city of Bethlehem is preparing for another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza. Most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children. The Health Ministry does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Heavy travel day off to a rough start after American Airlines briefly grounds all flights WASHINGTON (AP) — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide due to a technical issue just as the Christmas travel season kicks into overdrive and winter weather is threatening more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. American flights were cleared to fly by federal regulators about one hour after a national ground stop order was issued by federal regulators Tuesday. The American groundings couldn’t come at a worse time for the millions of travelers expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers over the holidays and through January 2. Major storm pounds California's central coast, blamed for man's death and partially collapsing pier SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — A major storm has pounded California’s central coast bringing flooding and high surf that was blamed for fatally trapping a man beneath debris on a beach and later partially collapsing a pier, tossing three people into the Pacific Ocean. The storm was expected to bring hurricane-force winds and waves up to 60 feet Monday as it gained strength from California to the Pacific Northwest. Some California cities have ordered beachfront homes and hotels to evacuate early Monday afternoon. Forecasters have warned that storm swells would continue to increase throughout the day. Caitlin Clark honored as AP Female Athlete of the Year following her impact on women's sports Caitlin Clark has been named the AP Female Athlete of the Year after raising the profile of women’s basketball to unprecedented levels in both college and the WNBA. She led Iowa to the national championship game, was the top pick in the WNBA draft and captured rookie of the year honors in the league. Fans packed sold-out arenas and millions of television viewers followed her journey on and off the court. Clark's exploits also put other women's sports leagues in the spotlight. A group of 74 sports journalists from AP and its members voted on the award. Other athletes who received votes included Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and boxer Imane Khelif. Clark’s only the fourth women’s basketball player to win the award since it was first given in 1931. 20 years after the Indian Ocean tsunami, a boy found in the mud embraces being known as 'Baby 81' KURUKKAL MADAM, Sri Lanka (AP) — The boy once known as “Baby 81,” who was pulled from the mud as an infant after the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and reunited with his parents following an emotional court battle, is now a 20-year-old dreaming of higher education. Jayarasa Abilash’s story symbolizes that of the many families torn apart by one of the worst natural calamities in modern history, but it also offers hope. He grew up being followed by the nickname “Baby 81” and feeling embarrassed until he learned more about the events that tore him from his family and brought him back. He has lost his fear. A blast at a Turkish ammunition factory kills 11 people ISTANBUL (AP) — An explosion at an ammunition factory in northwest Turkey left 11 dead and five injured Tuesday morning. The state-run Anadolu Agency says the blast occurred in Balikesir province, in a rural area away from population centers. The provincial governor says one building collapsed and others were damaged, The governor says the explosion was due to a technical issue and there was no possibility of sabotage. An investigation has begun. France has a new government, again. Politics and crushing debt complicate next steps PARIS (AP) — France’s president and prime minister have managed to form a new government just in time for the holidays. Now comes the hard part. Crushing debt, pressure from the nationalist far right, wars in Europe and the Mideast. The hallenges abound for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Francois Bayrou. They already had a tumultuous 2024. The most urgent order of business is passing a 2025 budget. Financial markets, ratings agencies and the European Commission are pushing France to bring down its deficit. It is threatening the stability and prosperity of all countries that share the euro currency. Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Ethics Committee’s long-awaited report into Rep. Matt Gaetz documents a trove of salacious allegations of misconduct, including sex with an underage girl, that tanked the Florida Republican’s nomination to lead the Justice Department. Citing text messages, travel receipts, online payments and other evidence, the committee painted a picture of a lifestyle in which Gaetz and others connected with younger women for drug-fueled parties, events or trips, with the expectation the women would be paid for their participation. Gaetz, who had filed a last-minute lawsuit to try to block the report’s release Monday, slammed the committee’s findings. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing and has insisted he never had sex with a minor. Legendary Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal dies at age 90 NEW DELHI (AP) — Shyam Benegal, a renowned Indian filmmaker known for pioneering a cinema movement that tackled social issues in the 1970s, has died after chronic kidney disease. He was 90. His contribution to cinema was recognized as a director, editor and screenwriter. He came into the limelight with films that challenged mainstream Bollywood by dealing with the social realities of a poor nation. He also was a mentor to top Indian actors. India's prime minister says he is “deeply saddened” by Benegal's death.Bryce Thompson scores 17 points and Oklahoma State beats Miami 80-74 in the Charleston Classic
Tempus AI: Why I'm Buying This AI StockRash: Year of elections doesn’t ensure an era of strong democraciesSUMMARY (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 30,000 Public Workspaces Exposed: CloudSEK identifies massive data leaks from Postman workspaces. Sensitive Data at Risk: Leaks include API keys, tokens, and administrator credentials. Major Platforms Affected: GitHub, Slack, and Salesforce among the impacted services. Key Causes: Misconfigured access, plaintext storage, and public sharing of collections. Mitigation Steps: Use environment variables, rotate tokens, and adopt secret management tools. On December 23, 2024, CloudSEK’s TRIAD team identified critical security vulnerabilities and risks from the misuse of Postman Workspaces , a popular cloud-based API development and testing platform. In their year-long investigation, researchers found over 30,000 publicly accessible workspaces leaking sensitive information about third-party APIs, including access tokens, refresh tokens, and third-party API keys, posing severe risks to businesses and individuals alike. According to the company’s report shared with Hackread.com, leaked data spanned organizations across various industries, from small businesses to large enterprises, impacting major platforms like GitHub , Slack , and Salesforce . Critical sectors affected included healthcare, athletic apparel, and financial services, exposing organizations to numerous threats and security risks. Researchers noted that common practices leading to these data leaks include inadvertent sharing of Postman collections, misconfigured access controls, syncing with publicly accessible repositories, and storing sensitive data in plaintext without encryption. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); These vulnerabilities can lead to severe consequences. The leaked data, which included administrator credentials, payment processing API keys , and access to internal systems, can lead to financial and reputational damage for the affected organizations. Sensitive data exposure within Postman can have significant consequences for both individual developers and entire organizations. Reportedly, top API services like api.github.com, slack.com, and hooks.slack.com have the most exposed secrets. High-profile services like Salesforce.com, login.microsoftonline.com, and graph.facebook.com have also been exposed. A leaked API key or access token can provide attackers with direct access to critical systems and data, potentially leading to data breaches, unauthorized system access, and increased phishing and social engineering attacks. Postman often stores sensitive information like API keys, secrets, and PII for authentication and communication with APIs. To ensure data safety, organizations should use environment variables wisely, limit permissions, avoid long-lived tokens, use external secrets management, and double-check before sharing any collection or environment. CloudSEK responsibly reported most identified incidents to affected organizations, helping mitigate risks. To prevent such exposures, CloudSEK urges organizations to adopt more reliable security measures, such as using environment variables to avoid hardcoding sensitive data, limiting permissions, rotating tokens frequently, leveraging secrets management tools, and double-checking collections before sharing. Moreover, Postman has implemented a secret-protection policy to prevent sensitive data from being exposed in public workspaces following the disclosure of these findings. The policy alerts users if secrets are detected, offers resolutions, and facilitates transitions to private or team workspaces. “ Starting this month, we are removing public workspaces with known exposed secrets from the Public API Network. As we roll out this policy change, owners of public workspaces containing secrets will be notified and have the opportunity to remove their exposed secrets before that workspace is removed from the network,” the company noted. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); RELATED TOPICS The Most Common API Vulnerabilities OwnCloud “graphapi” App Flaw Exposes Sensitive Data Urlscan.io API Inadvertently Leaked Sensitive Data and URLs Automotive Industry Exposed to Have Major API Vulnerabilities Millions impacted as payment API flaws exposed transaction keys
With a market capitalization of around $1 trillion, Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK.A 0.12% ) ( BRK.B -0.01% ) is a very large company. That's an important fact to consider when you think about what CEO Warren Buffett and his team have been doing so far in 2024. Although nothing big happened on the acquisition front in 2024, investors should be prepared for big news in 2025 and beyond, given some other things that transpired at the company in 2024. It takes a lot to move the needle at Berkshire Hathaway Size matters when it comes to companies. That's highlighted clearly with Berkshire Hathaway's most recent "big" stock investments. The business news headlines were filled with commentary about the company's purchase of shares in Pool Corp. ( POOL -0.38% ) and Domino's Pizza ( DPZ -1.25% ) . With Pool, which sells pool supplies, Berkshire Hathaway bought around $150 million or so of stock for a roughly 1% stake in the company. The Domino's Pizza investment amounted to $550 million and a 3.6% stake. When Warren Buffett buys a stock, investors generally pay close attention because of his incredible long-term success. That makes sense, but $700 million of investments for a company with a $1 trillion market cap ? Well, that's just not a huge deal. Even if those two investments turn into massive successes over time, as so many of Buffett's investments have, they aren't going to move the needle on the top or bottom line. Buffett himself explained the problem to investors in the company's 2023 annual report. Buffett is preparing to move the needle in 2025 and beyond This is where the really important moves Buffett made in 2024 come in. Berkshire Hathaway sold shares, including in Apple and Bank of America . That materially increased the size of the cash hoard sitting on the company's balance sheet . To put a number on that, at the end of 2023, Berkshire's cash balance was just shy of $168 billion. By the third quarter of 2024, that had ballooned to roughly $325 billion. The $700 million of investments Buffett made in Pool Corp. and Domino's Pizza didn't even make a dent in that giant cash pile. BRK.A cash and short-term investments (quarterly) , data by YCharts. But don't just think about today -- when you look at Buffett's decisions, you need to think down the road. That's because his approach is largely focused on the long term , with the overall goal of buying great companies at reasonable prices. Then he just sits back and lets the management of those companies do their jobs as they grow the business. Buffett -- and Berkshire Hathaway shareholders -- benefit from that growth. There's one more notable fact. Buffett doesn't have a problem sitting on cash if he can't find anything he wants to buy. With the S&P 500 index near all-time highs, it is hardly shocking that he isn't finding great stocks trading at reasonable prices. What he appears to be doing is selling stocks that have appreciated materially and socking away cash for future acquisitions -- a lot of cash since, as he noted, it takes a lot to move the needle at Berkshire Hathaway. No telling when, but Buffett is ready now What Buffett is likely preparing for is a bear market , when asset prices will be more attractive. There's no way to know when the market will turn south; it could be in 2025, it could be later. But whenever the next opportunity comes along, Berkshire Hathaway will have the cash to act on it. And that's the most important takeaway from 2024 when it comes to Buffett and the company he runs. At some point, there's likely to be a very large investment, one that makes Pool Corp. and Domino's Pizza look like child's play. Until that opportunity comes along, however, Buffett will happily wait and build more cash.
Rain chains vs rain barrels: which water management system is best – and what happens if you combine them?Inflation is predicted to average 2.5% this year and 2.6% next year, according to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The British Medical Association said the Government showed a “poor grasp” of unresolved issues from two years of industrial action, and the Royal College of Nursing called the pay recommendation “deeply offensive”. The National Education Union’s chief said teachers were “putting the Government on notice” that the proposed increase “won’t do”. The pay recommendations came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves called for every Government department to cut costs by 5%, as she started work on a sweeping multi-year spending review to be published in 2025. Independent pay review bodies will consider the proposals for pay rises for teachers, NHS workers and senior civil servants. The Department of Health said it viewed 2.8% as a “reasonable amount” to set aside, in its recommendations to the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Board remit groups. A 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would “maintain the competitiveness of teachers’ pay despite the challenging financial backdrop the Government is facing”, the Department for Education said. The Cabinet Office also suggested pay increases for senior civil servants should be kept to no more than 2.8%. Paul Johnson, director of the influential economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said it was “not a bad ballpark figure” and feels “just about affordable” given the Government’s public spending plans. The downside, he said, is that public sector workers have lost out since 2010 and unions will be upset that this is not making up the gap, he told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. “But given the constraints facing the Chancellor I think it’s pretty hard to argue for more for public sector pay when public sector services ... are under real strain,” he said. Unions expressed their disappointment in the recommendations, with some hinting they could be willing to launch industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive called for “open direct talks now” to avoid “further escalation to disputes and ballots”. Professor Nicola Ranger said: “The Government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day, less than the price of a coffee. “Nursing is in crisis – there are fewer joining and too many experienced professionals leaving. This is deeply offensive to nursing staff, detrimental to their patients and contradictory to hopes of rebuilding the NHS. “The public understands the value of nursing and they know that meaningful reform of the NHS requires addressing the crisis in nursing. “We pulled out of the Pay Review Body process, alongside other unions, because it is not the route to address the current crisis. “That has been demonstrated today. “Fair pay must be matched by structural reform. Let’s open direct talks now and avoid further escalation to disputes and ballots – I have said that directly to government today.” Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the British Medical Association’s council, urged the sector’s pay review body to “show it is now truly independent”. “For this Government to give evidence to the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB) believing a 2.8% pay rise is enough, indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action,” he said. He said the proposal is far below the current rate of inflation and that the Government was “under no illusion” when doctors accepted pay offers in the summer that there was a “very real risk of further industrial action” if “pay erosion” was not addressed in future pay rounds. “This sub-inflationary suggestion from the current Government serves as a test to the DDRB. “The BMA expects it to take this opportunity to show it is now truly independent, to take an objective view of the evidence it receives from all parties, not just the Government, and to make an offer that reflects the value of doctors’ skills and expertise in a global market, and that moves them visibly further along the path to full pay restoration.” The NEU’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, said teachers’ pay had been cut by more than one-fifth in real terms since 2010. “Along with sky-high workload, the pay cuts have resulted in a devastating recruitment and retention crisis. Teacher shortages across the school system hit pupils and parents too. “A 2.8% increase is likely to be below inflation and behind wage increases in the wider economy. This will only deepen the crisis in education.” In a hint that there could be a return to industrial action he added: “NEU members fought to win the pay increases of 2023 and 2024. “We are putting the Government on notice. Our members care deeply about education and feel the depth of the crisis. This won’t do.” The offer for teachers is the “exact opposite of fixing the foundations” and will result in bigger class sizes and more cuts to the curriculum, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The inadequacy of the proposed pay award is compounded by the Government’s intention that schools should foot the bill out of their existing allocations. “Given that per-pupil funding will increase on average by less than 1% next year, and the Government’s proposal is for an unfunded 2.8% pay award, it is obvious that this is in fact an announcement of further school cuts.” Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: This recommendation falls far short of what is needed to restore the competitiveness of the teaching profession, to enable it to retain experienced professionals and attract new talent. Unison head of health Helga Pile said: “The Government has inherited a financial mess from its predecessors, but this is not what NHS workers wanted to hear. “Staff are crucial in turning around the fortunes of the NHS. Improving performance is a key Government pledge, but the pay rise proposed is barely above the cost of living.”
Gifts for the runner in your lifeNew shoplifting data explains why they’re locking up the toothpasteMYSTERY gifts left on your doorstep might not be a happy Christmas surprise - because some last-minute packages could scam you out of thousands of dollars. Brushing scams use unexpected Amazon parcels to trick recipients into scanning malicious QR codes to find out who sent the gift. The packages, often appearing to be sent by Amazon or another popular retailer, can contain seemingly lavish gifts like jewelry or technology. However, because no return address is indicated anywhere on the package, shoppers are led to scan a QR code that promises to reveal who sent the gift. The QR codes can lead consumers to a site that leads them to enter personal information. In some cases, the QR codes could automatically install malware that immediately surrenders all personal information on your phone - including credit card information, which could mean money being drained from your bank accounts. READ MORE ON SCAMS Confused recipients who opt out of scanning the dangerous QR code typically call Amazon or the retailer who sent the gift - only to be told to keep the package, even if they didn't order it. While you can hold on to the gift inside the package, officials warn not to fall for the QR code trick. "A scammer’s QR code could take you to a spoofed site that looks real but isn’t," the Federal Trade Commission advised last year. "And if you log in to the spoofed site, the scammers could steal any information you enter. Or the QR code could install malware that steals your information before you realize it." Most read in The US Sun The FTC encourages recipients to inspect URLs and to never open QR codes from unexpected gifts - especially if it urges you to act immediately. If you think the message could be legitimate, contact the company via phone number or website. Amazon says on their site that the company takes action against third-party sellers that send scam packages. "Amazon investigates reports of 'brushing' and takes action on bad actors that violate our policies, including suspending or removing selling privileges, withholding payments, and working with law enforcement," Amazon said. "Customers don't need to return the item." Jennifer Leach, associate director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer and Business Education, told USA Today that third-party sellers can enact brushing scams to try to boost their reviews on Amazon. As scams become more sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence, it is important you know how to spot a scam: Be skeptical of online deals that seem too good to be true, especially on social media. Scammers will often use tactics to make you panicked so you make quick decisions - be cautious if you are told to take immediate action and verify who has contacted you. Chase Bank warns customers to "never return any unexpected funds without calling Chase first." Never send money to someone you have only spoken to online or by phone as this is likely a romance scam. Unless you 100% know who you are talking to, never give someone remote access to your device. Never accept help from strangers at an ATM and always be vigilant when making withdrawals. Do not send money or click any links indicating that you have won a prize. Source: Chase.com "Dishonest businesses and scammers are sending all sorts of unordered junk in the mail - and then writing good reviews for their business in your name," Leach warned. "That’s bad for honest businesses, which don’t cheat to get reviews, but it could be bad for you, too," she said. "Getting this stuff in the mail could mean a scammer has created an account in your name, taken over your account on the shopping site, or even created new accounts in other names, but tied to your address." If you receive a package you didn't order or weren't expecting, Amazon encourages recipients to check with friends and family to make sure it's not a surprise. Read More on The US Sun Then, you can contact customer service to confirm it's not a gift for you. You can report unwanted packages through a form on Amazon's site .
Sports on TV for Wednesday, Dec. 25Falcons drafting Penix no longer a head-scratcher with rookie QB shining in place of benched Cousins
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