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Lebawit Lily Girma | (TNS) Bloomberg News When winter rolls around, travelers predictably turn their attention to beaches. And this year, it’s the destination that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean” that’s experiencing outsize demand from Americans planning a warm island vacation. Talk about trashing stereotypes. Puerto Rico has recovered overseas visitors (excluding those from Canada and Mexico) faster than any U.S. state or territory — a staggering 85% increase over its 2019 overseas inbound visitor levels as of 2023, according to an October study from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office. There are now more daily flights from the U.S. West Coast, and hotel bookings are 6% higher so far in this last quarter of 2024 year-over-year. It’s a trifecta of tourism growth: more visitors, but also longer stays and a higher spend that reached a record $9.8 billion in 2023, boosting small businesses as well as major brands. “We don’t have a slow season in Puerto Rico anymore,” says Brad Dean, chief executive officer at Discover Puerto Rico. Even if they’re not booking, people are dreaming about “La Isla.” By tracking flight searches for trips between November 2024 and February 2025, a measure of “inspirational” demand, tourism intelligence company Mabrian Technologies reports Puerto Rico is up 9% compared with the same period last year and leads Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas in the Caribbean proper. Only Costa Rica ranked higher in the wider region. Dean attributes Puerto Rico’s ongoing tourism growth to a strategic effort to reposition the island’s brand as more than a sun-and-sea destination, starting back in 2018. That led to the Live Boricua campaign, which began in 2022 and leaned heavily on culture, history and cuisine and was, Dean says, “a pretty bold departure” in the way Puerto Rico was showcased to travelers. He adds that at least $2 billion in tourism spend is linked to this campaign. “We (also) haven’t shied away from actively embracing the LGBTQ+ community, and that has opened up Puerto Rico to audiences that may not have considered the Caribbean before,” Dean says. Hotels are preparing to meet this growing demand: A number of established boutique properties are undergoing upgrades valued between $4 million and more than $50 million, including Hotel El Convento; La Concha, which will join the Marriott Autograph Collection; Condado Vanderbilt Hotel; and the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. That’s in addition to ultra-chic options that are coming online in 2025, including the adults-only Alma San Juan, with rooms overlooking Plaza Colón in the heart of Old San Juan, and the five-star Veranó boutique hotel in San Juan’s trendy Santurce neighborhood. The beachfront Ritz-Carlton San Juan in Isla Verde will also be reopening seven years after Hurricane Maria decimated the island. The travel industry’s success is helping boost employment on the island, to the tune of 101,000 leisure and hospitality jobs as of September 2024, a 26% increase over pre-pandemic levels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Efforts to promote Puerto Rico’s provinces beyond the San Juan metro area — such as surfing hub Rincón on the west coast, historical Ponce on the south coast and Orocovis for nature and coffee haciendas in the central mountains —have spread the demand to small businesses previously ignored by the travel industry. Take Sheila Osorio, who leads workshops on Afro-Puerto Rican bomba music and dance at Taller Nzambi, in the town of Loíza, 15 miles east of San Juan; or Wanda Otero, founder of cheese-producing company Vaca Negra in Hatillo, an hour’s drive west of Old San Juan, where you can join a cheese-making workshop and indulge in artisanal cheese tastings. “The list of businesses involved in tourism has gone from 650 in 2018 to 6,100, many of which are artists and artisans,” Dean says. While New Yorkers and Miami residents have always been the largest visitor demographic, Dean says more mainland Americans now realize that going to Puerto Rico means passport-free travel to enjoy beaches, as well as opportunities to dine in Michelin-rated restaurants, hike the only rainforest in the U.S. and kayak in a bioluminescent bay. Visitors from Chicago and Dallas, for example, have increased by approximately 40% from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2022-2023, and more travelers are expected from Denver now that United Airlines Holdings Inc. has kicked off its first nonstop service to San Juan, beginning on Oct. 29. Previously, beach destinations that were easy to reach on direct flights from Denver included Mexico, Belize and California, but now Puerto Rico joins that list with a 5.5-hour nonstop route that cuts more than two hours from the next-best option. Given United Airlines’ hub in San Francisco, it could mean more travelers from the Golden State in the near future, too. In December, U.S. airlines will have 3,000 more seats per day to the territory compared with the same period last year, for a total of 84,731 — surpassing even Mexico and the Dominican Republic in air capacity, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the island’s primary gateway, is projecting a record volume of 13 million passengers by year’s end — far surpassing the 9.4 million it saw in 2019. As for Hinchcliffe’s “floating island of garbage” line, Dean says it was “a terribly insensitive attempt at humor” that transformed outrage into a marketing silver lining, with an outpouring of positive public sentiment and content on Puerto Rico all over social media. Success, as that old chestnut goes, may be the best revenge. “It was probably the most efficient influencer campaign we’ve ever had,” Dean says, “a groundswell of visitors who posted their photos and videos and said, ‘This is the Puerto Rico that I know.’” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay woman $250K in sexual assault case, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has found that mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The Dublin jury awarded the woman more than $250,000 for her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her on Dec. 9, 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified he never forced her to do anything and that the woman had fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. The jury found for the woman on Friday. At least 15 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 15 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 160,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat this week after Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, which can cause life-threatening infections. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City. Top football recruit Bryce Underwood changes commitment to Michigan instead of LSU, AP source says ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Top football recruit Bryce Underwood has flipped to Michigan after pledging to play at LSU. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the recruit’s plans to join the Wolverines. Underwood pinned a post on his Instagram account, showing a post in which On3.com reported that he has committed to Michigan. The 6-foot-3 quarterback played at Belleville High School about 15 miles east of Michigan's campus, and told LSU nearly a year ago he intended to enroll there. Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach. The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on sand dunes in temperate southwest Australia about 2,200 miles north of the Antarctic coast. He was released Wednesday from a boat that traveled several hours from Western Australia state's most southerly city of Albany. His caregiver Carol Biddulph wasn't sure at first if the penguin would live. She said a mirror was important to his rehabilitation because they provide a sense of company. Biddulph said: “They’re social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time.” Shohei Ohtani wins third MVP award, first in NL. Aaron Judge earns second AL honor in 3 seasons NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday. Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points.
Empowered Funds LLC lifted its stake in shares of MarineMax, Inc. ( NYSE:HZO – Free Report ) by 5.3% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 21,473 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,072 shares during the period. Empowered Funds LLC owned 0.10% of MarineMax worth $757,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP lifted its stake in MarineMax by 8.3% in the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,444,769 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $46,767,000 after acquiring an additional 110,601 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC lifted its stake in MarineMax by 22.7% in the 2nd quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 401,978 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $13,012,000 after purchasing an additional 74,451 shares during the last quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. grew its holdings in MarineMax by 60.0% during the second quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 55,243 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $1,788,000 after purchasing an additional 20,724 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in MarineMax by 342.7% during the second quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 29,785 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock worth $964,000 after buying an additional 23,057 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royce & Associates LP raised its stake in MarineMax by 45.2% in the third quarter. Royce & Associates LP now owns 368,826 shares of the specialty retailer’s stock valued at $13,008,000 after buying an additional 114,880 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 92.85% of the company’s stock. MarineMax Stock Up 2.9 % HZO stock opened at $30.56 on Friday. MarineMax, Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $22.51 and a fifty-two week high of $39.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 0.34. The stock has a market capitalization of $690.35 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.52 and a beta of 1.85. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $31.75 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $31.50. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In Several research analysts have recently commented on the company. Citigroup upgraded MarineMax from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $40.00 to $44.00 in a research note on Monday, September 9th. Benchmark assumed coverage on shares of MarineMax in a report on Tuesday, October 15th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $40.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, StockNews.com lowered shares of MarineMax from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $41.83. Get Our Latest Report on MarineMax About MarineMax ( Free Report ) MarineMax, Inc operates as a recreational boat and yacht retailer and superyacht services company in the United States. It operates in two segments, Retail Operations and Product Manufacturing. The company sells new and used recreational boats, including pleasure and fishing boats, mega-yachts, yachts, sport cruisers, motor yachts, e-power yachts, pontoon boats, ski boats, jet boats, and other recreational boats. Featured Stories Want to see what other hedge funds are holding HZO? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for MarineMax, Inc. ( NYSE:HZO – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for MarineMax Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MarineMax and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .None
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Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, speaks to reporters on Friday about the civil rights' organization's strategy to contend with President-elect Donald Trump's second term. (Allison Kite/Kansas Reflector) Civil rights activists in Kansas are staffing up and engaging with local officials to prepare for a second Donald Trump presidency, the ACLU of Kansas said Friday. Executive director Micah Kubic told reporters the organization has a three-part strategy for Trump’s second term, including attempting to expand civil rights protections at the local level, preparing for ultra-conservative bills in the Kansas Legislature and filing strategic lawsuits to stop “extremist” policies. Working proactively at the local level to expand voting rights and other civil liberties, Kubic said, will be more effective than simply reacting to Trump policies the ACLU opposes. “It really does show folks that we need not live in a defensive crouch,” Kubic said. “We need not be despondent about attacks that we may see from Washington, but instead that we have some control over our own destiny, we can make lives better here.” That will let “those in power know to not collaborate in the extremism,” Kubic said. Kubic said he anticipates that Trump’s second term, which begins in January, will bring “more attacks on civil liberties and civil rights ... than any of us have seen in our lifetimes,” including policies about immigration, voting, LGBTQ rights and abortion access. Working at the local level, Kubic said, will help if the federal government seeks to compel local officials to assist with policies like mass deportations. “When the Trump administration comes calling,” Kubic said, “we want there to be a firewall in place at the local level from elected officials who know that is not something that their own voters, their own constituents, the residents of their places want them to do.” At the same time, Kubic said, the ACLU will keep working to mobilize state lawmakers to block legislation the organization opposes. He said the organization had success defeating “attacks on voting rights” and a proposed ban on gender-affirming healthcare. Kubic said he also expected abortion rights to be an issue in the Kansas Legislature, despite the state’s 2022 vote to keep abortion enshrined in the Kansas Constitution. “We’re able to defeat them because there is a large number of Kansans who don’t want that stuff. ... Regardless of how they voted on Election Day, we know that Kansans don’t want bodily autonomy to be restricted,” he said. The ACLU of Kansas’ fledgling political action committee, Kansans United for Civil Liberties, will continue, Kubic said. The ACLU spent money educating voters in opposition to candidates in 10 legislative races in November, but only one of those candidates was defeated. The ACLU’s most prominent work, its litigation efforts, will also continue, he said. “We will sue anybody who needs suing when the time comes,” Kubic said. “ ... We have been preparing for the Trump administration in particular for a very long time.” While the ACLU’s views on those issues often align with those of Democrats, Kubic said the organization has worked to pursue its priorities no matter who is in power. He noted the ACLU criticized Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, for signing legislation stopping Wyandotte County from issuing identification cards to undocumented immigrants.
Unity of hearts & minds essential for peace & progress, says J&K Lt GovernorBiden opens final White House holiday season with turkey pardons and first lady gets Christmas tree WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has kicked off his final holiday season at the White House, issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in Minnesota. The president welcomed 2,500 guests under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom.” He also sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency. Separately, first lady Jill Biden received the delivery of the official White House Christmas tree. And the Bidens are traveling to New York later Monday for an early holiday celebration with members of the Coast Guard. Formula 1 expands grid to add General Motors' Cadillac brand and new American team for 2026 season LAS VEGAS (AP) — Formula 1 will expand the grid in 2026 to make room for an American team that is partnered with General Motors. The approval ends years of wrangling that launched a federal investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti, who has since stepped aside. The 11th team will be called Cadillac F1 and be run by new Andretti Global majority owners Dan Towriss and Mark Walter. The team will use Ferrari engines its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season. US goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer U.S. women’s national team goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher is retiring from international soccer. Naeher is on the team’s roster for a pair of upcoming matches in Europe but those will be her last after a full 11 years playing for the United States. Naeher was on the U.S. team that won the Women’s World Cup in 2019 and the gold medal at this year's Olympics in France. She’s the only U.S. goalkeeper to earn a shutout in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. Bah, humbug! Vandal smashes Ebenezer Scrooge's tombstone used in 'A Christmas Carol' movie LONDON (AP) — If life imitates art, a vandal in the English countryside may be haunted by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Police in the town of Shrewsbury are investigating how a tombstone at the fictional grave of Ebenezer Scrooge was destroyed. The movie prop used in the 1984 adaption of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol” had become a tourist attraction. The film starred George C. Scott as the cold-hearted curmudgeon who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who show him what will become of his life if he doesn’t become a better person. West Mercia Police say the stone was vandalized in the past week. Megachurch founder T.D. Jakes suffers health incident during sermon at Dallas church DALLAS (AP) — The founder of Dallas-based megachurch The Potter's House, Bishop T.D. Jakes, was hospitalized after suffering what the church called a “slight health incident.” Jakes was speaking to churchgoers after he sat down and began trembling as several people gathered around him Sunday at the church. Jakes' daughter Sarah Jakes Roberts and her husband Touré Roberts said in a statement on social media late Sunday that Jakes was improving. The 67-year-old Jakes founded the non-denominational The Potter's House in 1996 and his website says it now has more than 30,000 members with campuses in Fort Worth and Frisco, Texas; and in Denver. At the crossroads of news and opinion, 'Morning Joe' hosts grapple with aftermath of Trump meeting The reaction of those who defended “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for meeting with President-elect Trump sounds almost quaint in the days of opinionated journalism. Doesn't it makes sense, they said, for hosts of a political news show to meet with such an important figure? But given how “Morning Joe” has attacked Trump, its viewers felt insulted. Many reacted quickly by staying away. It all reflects the broader trend of opinion crowding out traditional journalist in today's marketplace, and the expectations that creates among consumers. By mid-week, the show's audience was less than two-thirds what it has typically been this year. Pilot dies in plane crash in remote woods of New York, puppy found alive WINDHAM, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a pilot and at least one dog he was transporting died when a small plane crashed in the snowy woods of the Catskill Mountains, though a puppy on the flight was found alive with two broken legs. The Greene County sheriff’s office says Seuk Kim of Springfield, Virginia, was flying from Maryland to Albany, New York, when the plane crashed at about 6:10 p.m. Sunday in a remote area. Officials believe the pilot died from the impact. The surviving dog was hospitalized, while a third dog was not located. The flight was connected with a not-for-profit group that transports rescue animals. Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by announcing plans Monday to hand more than $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Buffett has said previously that his three kids will distribute his remaining $147.4 billion fortune in the 10 years after his death, but now he has also designated successors for them because it’s possible that Buffett’s children could die before giving it all away. Buffett said he has no regrets about his decision to start giving away his fortune in 2006. Pop star Ed Sheeran apologizes to Man United boss Ruben Amorim for crashing interview MANCHESTER, England (AP) — British pop star Ed Sheeran has apologized to Ruben Amorim after inadvertently interrupting the new Manchester United head coach during a live television interview. Amorim was talking on Sky Sports after United’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich on Sunday when Sheeran walked up to embrace analyst Jamie Redknapp. The interview was paused before Redknapp told the pop star to “come and say hello in a minute.” Sheeran is a lifelong Ipswich fan and holds a minority stake in the club. He was pictured celebrating after Omari Hutchinson’s equalizing goal in the game at Portman Road. A desert oasis outside of Dubai draws a new caravan: A family of rodents from Argentina AL QUDRA LAKES, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A desert oasis hidden away in the dunes in the far reaches of skyscraper-studded Dubai has drawn a surprising new set of weary world travelers: a pack of Argentinian rodents. A number of Patagonian mara, a rabbit-like mammal with long legs, big ears and a body like a hoofed animal, now roam the grounds of Al Qudra Lakes, typically home to gazelle and other desert creatures of the United Arab Emirates. How they got there remains a mystery in the UAE, a country where exotic animals have ended up in the private homes and farms of the wealthy. But the pack appears to be thriving there and likely have survived several years already in a network of warrens among the dunes.
Israel hits back at Houthis in Yemen after their slow escalation
As Texas A&M men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams talked with his assistant Steve Roccaforte during their morning workout on Friday, the two reminisced on some cool stories about players past. Both have coached players that were first-generation college students and the first in their families to graduate college. Williams said he isn’t sure the duo has seen a story like A&M forward Andersson Garcia’s before, though. A native of the Dominican Republic, Garcia graduated from A&M on Thursday with a bachelor’s degree in recreation, park and tourism sciences. “How he got to the United States, how he got to college, how he got to this college, how he graduated from this college is other worldly,” Williams said. “I don’t know if I’ve seen a more faithful, grateful, excited, proud, crying emotional student-athlete in my career.” Although attempts to get some of Garcia’s family members from the Dominican Republic to Texas to see him walk the stage came up empty, Williams witnessed the raw emotion of Garcia’s conversations with family members on Thursday after his graduation ceremony. “To watch FaceTime post-graduation with family members who can’t speak a word of English, but to see the emotion not knowing what Andy’s saying or what they’re saying, it was very moving, to be honest with you,” Williams said. Garcia’s journey from Moca, Dominican Republic to the graduation stage in Aggieland has been a six-year journey with stops in Nashville and Mississippi in between. Back in 2018, a high school basketball coach from a private Christian school in Chattanooga, Tennessee met Garcia during a basketball clinic in the Dominican Republic. Garcia soon moved to Tennessee for his junior year of high school. He did have to learn English on the fly. During the 2019-20 season, Garcia helped Hamilton Heights Christian Academy post a 28-3 record and win a NACA national championship. Garcia started his college career at Mississippi State. He played two seasons for the Bulldogs before he transferred to A&M after Mississippi State had a coaching change. In his first season at A&M, Garcia started to make an impact as a rebounder off the bench. His role expanded last season as he led the SEC in offensive (156) and total rebounds (327). He was A&M’s sixth man, coming off the bench in 32 of 36 games. Garcia’s efforts earned him SEC all-defensive team honors. He averaged 4.3 offensive rebounds per game, which was second nationally behind Purdue’s Zach Edey who was the two-time national player of the year. Offensive rebounding has become a key piece to winning for the Aggies under Williams and Garcia has been a key component to that formula. This season, A&M leads the nation in offensive rebounds per game (17.2) and offensive rebounding percentage (43.3%), according to KenPom. Garcia leads the Aggies in total rebounding (7.4 per game) through 10 games this fall. “Him learning the language a few years ago, it’s amazing,” fellow A&M forward Solomon Washington said. “We’re happy for him. I’m really just proud of him. We got here at the same time.” Garcia is looking to get back on track this Saturday against Purdue, though. Williams said last A&M’s win last Sunday over Texas Tech in Fort Worth was Garcia’s worst performance as an Aggie. He had no points and just three rebounds as he fouled out in just seven minutes of play. It came on the heels of Garcia’s 16-rebound performance against Wake Forest. A&M will need Garcia to be back to his usual self on the court Saturday as the Aggies take on No. 11 Purdue in a neutral-site contest in Indianapolis. “I just told him continue to be yourself,” Washington said. “Stay with your same habits. Just be smarter on defense. Don’t pick up early fouls where you have to sit and play timid in the second half. Just Andy being Andy, he’s going to show up in the big games.”
BY MELISSA GOLDIN Social media users are misrepresenting a report released Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general’s office, falsely claiming that it’s proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. Related Articles National News | OpenAI whistleblower found dead in San Francisco apartment National News | Judge rejects an attempt by Trump campaign lawyer to invalidate guilty plea in Georgia election case National News | Texas’ abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine National News | US military flies American released from Syrian prison to Jordan, officials say National News | Nearly half of US teens are online ‘constantly,’ Pew report finds The watchdog report examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report’s finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here’s a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That’s false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau’s informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day’s events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office’s counterterrorism division told the inspector general’s office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D’Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report’s findings. “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!” reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray’s resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray’s announcement Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden’s term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a fringe conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump’s 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. Wray called such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. Asked for comment on the false claims spreading online, Stephanie Logan, a spokesperson for the inspector general’s office, pointed The Associated Press to a press release about the report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI’s involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.”NEW YORK (AP) — A Brooklyn real estate magnate accused of working with a Turkish government official to funnel illegal campaign contributions to New York City Mayor Eric Adams plans to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge tied to the scheme, federal prosecutors said Monday. Erden Arkan, the owner of a real estate construction firm, was one of several individuals implicated in the sprawling corruption indictment brought against Adams in October. He would be the first to plead guilty in a public proceeding. In court papers, prosecutors said Arkan planned to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud by collecting campaign contributions for Adams that were made under the name of someone other than the true contributor. Adams then used those funds to fraudulently obtain public funding under the city’s matching funds program, which provides a generous match for small-dollar donations, prosecutors allege. A lawyer for Arkan did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An attorney for Adams, Alex Spiro, said in an emailed statement that the decision would have "no bearing on the Mayor’s case whatsoever.” “We know from the government’s own interviews that Mr. Arkan repeatedly said that Mayor Adams had no knowledge of his actions," Spiro said. A well-known member of New York’s Turkish community, Arkan is a co-owner of KSK, a Brooklyn-based construction firm specializing in luxury condominiums. His firm’s ties to Adams emerged in November 2023, as investigators searched his residence, along with the home of Adams’ chief fundraiser and his liaison to the Turkish community. Adams was subsequently charged with accepting bribes in the form of luxury travel benefits and illegal campaign contributions from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals hoping to buy his influence for their benefit. He has pleaded not guilty and vowed to remain in office as he fights the charges. The indictment details an April 2021 dinner organized by the Turkish official in which Adams personally solicited illegal campaign contributions from Arkan — identified in court papers only as “Businessman-5.” The following month, Arkan hosted a fundraiser at KSK’s headquarters for Adams in which 11 of his employees donated between $1,200 and $1,500 to the campaign. Each was reimbursed by the construction firm, prosecutors allege, making the contributions illegal straw donations. Arkan later confirmed to the FBI that he had spoken to the Turkish official about the fundraiser. He initially denied reimbursing his employees, prosecutors said. As he sought to recruit others to raise money for Adams, Arkan appeared to acknowledge misgivings about the fundraising scheme, telling prospective donors in New York's Turkish community that it “may feel like swimming against the current but unfortunately this is how things work in this country,” according to the indictment. As Adams gears up for an April trial, he has pledged to fight the case “with every ounce of my strength and my spirit." But his administration has faced overlapping scandals and investigations, leading to the resignations of his police commissioner , schools chancellor , multiple deputy mayors and his director of Asian affairs . His former buildings commissioner was also charged in a separate bribery conspiracy case involving real estate officials last year. Last week, Adams' former top advisor and close confidante, Ingrid Lewis-Martin, was charged by state prosecutors for allegedly accepting bribes from two real estate developers seeking to speed the process of construction approvals. She has pleaded not guilty. Jake Offenhartz And Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press
The New York Yankees completed a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for All-Star closer Devin Williams , the team announced Friday . In exchange, Milwaukee got left-handed starter Nestor Cortes , infield prospect Caleb Durbin and cash considerations in the deal. Williams, 30, is coming off an injury-compromised 2024 season for the Brewers in which he put up an ERA of 1.25 with 38 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings. The 2025 season will mark Williams' walk year, which means the Yankees acquire him with one year of team control remaining. For his career, Williams boasts an ERA+ of 232 with an FIP of 2.39 across parts of six MLB seasons, all with Milwaukee. Over that span, Williams has struck out 39.4% of opposing batters, which is an elite figure even by the high standards of late-inning relievers. Williams has registered sub-2.00 ERAs in each of the last three seasons. He boasts good fastball velocity, and his changeup is one of the best out pitches in all of baseball. Williams has, however, dealt with his share of health issues. A stress fracture in his back cost him four months this past season. In the past, Williams has also had shoulder and calf issues, and he's spent time on the injured list with elbow discomfort and a hand fracture. His career high in innings pitched came in 2022 with 60 2/3 frames. The Yankees' recent free-agent addition of Max Fried gave them rotation depth from which to trade. As well, Clay Holmes' decision to sign with the Mets left the Yankees in need of another high-leverage bullpen arm. On the Brewers' side of things, they get a seasoned left starting pitcher with swingman potential in Cortes, who turned 30 on Dec. 10. For his career, he owns an ERA+ of 110 with an FIP of 4.10 in 86 starts and 49 relief appearances. Last season for the Yankees, Cortes had an ERA of 3.77 in 174 1/3 innings. Cortes, an All-Star in 2022, is arbitration-eligible for the final time in 2025 before becoming a free agent after the upcoming season. Durbin, a 24-year-old multi-positional infielder, has a slash line of .269/.374/.407 in four minor-league seasons with 110 stolen bases in 281 games and more walks than strikeouts. Durbin reached Triple-A this past season and then enjoyed a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. A former 14th-rounder out of Washington University in St. Louis, he's seen most of his defensive innings at second base.Comcast, the parent company of NBC and its affiliated properties, recently announced plans to spin off its cable television networks, including CNBC and MSNBC, into a new company. Following this news, Elon Musk, owner of X, shared a meme online fueling speculation he might purchase MSNBC if it becomes available. A video of Rachel Maddow, one of MSNBC’s leading personalities, went viral on social media , appearing to show her reaction to Musk’s memes about buying MSNBC. The clip appears to show Maddow on air during a breaking news segment with a banner on screen reading: “BREAKING NEWS ELON MUSK POSTS DANGEROUS MEME.” Maddow becomes visibly upset, then requests a graphic to be displayed and the screen cuts to an explicit meme about Musk's buying MSNBC. The video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. Google Trends data shows a spike in searches for terms including “Elon Musk meme,” “Rachel Maddow crying,” and “Rachel Maddow Elon Musk.” People in the comments on the video expressed surprise that Maddow would act like that on air. THE QUESTION Is the video of an emotional Rachel Maddow during a news segment about speculation that Elon Musk could MSNBC real? THE SOURCES Video of Maddow’s show on June 19, 2018 MSNBC network spokesperson VERIFY analysis of the video Rachel Maddow social media post from June 19, 2018 Review of recent episodes from “The Rachel Maddow Show” InVid and RevEye , video and photo forensics tools THE ANSWER No, the video is not real. It was created using a real video of Maddow from 2018 and was edited to include fake onscreen graphics and a meme about Musk. WHAT WE FOUND The viral video appearing to show Maddow upset on air in response to social media posts depicting the potential sale of MSNBC to Elon Musk is fake. It was created using a real clip from “The Rachel Maddow Show’s” June 19, 2018 episode that was then edited to include graphics and images to make it appear like she is reacting to a story about Musk. An MSNBC network spokesperson told VERIFY the video “has been manipulated and is fake.” Using InVid, a video forensics tool, VERIFY analyzed the video and conducted a reverse image search, which led us to clips of Maddow’s original 2018 news segment about immigration policy. When comparing the edited video with the original clip from 2018, it was clear Maddow was making the same gestures, wearing the same outfit and the background is identical. A thumbnail promoting MSNBC’s live coverage from the southern border also appears in the bottom corner of both versions. In the original segment, Maddow got emotional while reading an Associated Press report about children separated at the southern border and placed in “tender age” shelters. After her show aired, Maddow apologized on social media for becoming emotional during the broadcast. There have been no verified reports that Musk is considering purchasing MSNBC or that the network would be sold as part of Comcast’s restructuring. Other posts from Musk included retweets of articles from satirical websites. None of Maddow’s recent broadcasts contain this fake news segment. Related Articles No evidence that Elon Musk’s Starlink technology was used to interfere with the election No, the Department of Government Efficiency is not a new government agency No, Taylor Swift didn’t cancel the Eras Tour in red states The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter , text alerts and our YouTube channel . You can also follow us on Snapchat , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok . Learn More » Follow Us YouTube Snapchat Instagram Facebook TikTok Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808
Post offices and postal outlets should be bustling in the days leading up to Christmas, but a Vancouver small business owner says that his location is the slowest he has ever seen due to the Canada Post strike. And though the federal government has ordered an end to the strike that began nearly a month ago, small business owner Azm Jamiul Haque says that the news comes “weeks too late” for him and his family. Haque and his wife, Farhana Tasmin, run the Centre Point Postal Outlet, a Canada Post-authorized dealer on Main Street and East 13th in Vancouver. They woke up to the news of Minister of Labour Steven MacKinnon announcing his decision to invoke his authority to on Friday morning. “It feels good to receive the news, but we had hoped that the strike would have ended earlier,” Haque told Daily Hive. “It’s happening weeks too late, but at least we have a chance to work on the holiday rush. “We have had lots of people come in daily to ask for updates. Many customers have been frustrated, though our store has had lots of support, too.” Over 55,000 employees represented by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) on November 15. Earlier this week, MacKinnon advised the postal service and the CUPW to reach a deal after weeks of failed negotiations. “We hope to hear from Canada Post soon and return to regular hours on Monday, December 16,” Haque added. “We have lots of backlog to go through and appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience. The backroom is completely full of 200 to 300 parcels and lots of letters that haven’t been picked up since mid-November.” “There has been about a $200,000 loss of my business during this ongoing strike due to the impact of low to no traffic to my front store, Print Express, which is interdependent of the postal outlet.” Centre Point offers a variety of services to the community in addition to being a Canada Post outlet, including printing, key cutting, engraving, postal boxes, Moneygram, and passport photos. They had to cut their store hours during the strike but will return to regular hours now that the strike is over. “We bought this store last year because we wanted to own a family-run business. We were looking for something stable, especially with an 11-month-old baby boy. “This strike has impacted us mentally and financially through the loss of foot traffic, sales and inventory and the financial burden. Between 75 to 85% of our income comes from solely operating Canada Post Outlet services.” Haque explained that authorized dealers pay for all Canada Post supplies up front, including stamps, coins, boxes, and packaging. Due to the strike, those items have been sitting in his outlet without Christmas presents and greeting cards to fill them. “We were told to be all stocked up for the holiday rush, but the strike put a stop to that.” The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) estimates that the postal strike has cost billions. It has also , with many taking to social media in either support of or against the union. “We talked to a few other postal outlets and they are in a similar situation as us,” Haque said. “I hope Canada Post will compensate Independent Authorized dealers (postal outlets) for the strike. “We understand the postal workers’ rights to strike and frustration too. It just needs to be resolved so that we can operate our outlet and move forward now. It dragged on far too long, and we were worried we may have to close down.” As postal service resumes early next week, Haque hopes that Canadians return to using Canada Post and authorized dealers such as his. “When you use Canada Post and outlets like ours, the money stays in the community. The Mount Pleasant community has been very supportive through this hard time, dropping by to check in on me and my wife and our baby. They buy snacks and print items to help us survive during this strike, and we look forward to helping them with all of their postal needs soon.”Comcast, the parent company of NBC and its affiliated properties, recently announced plans to spin off its cable television networks, including CNBC and MSNBC, into a new company. Following this news, Elon Musk, owner of X, shared a meme online fueling speculation he might purchase MSNBC if it becomes available. A video of Rachel Maddow, one of MSNBC’s leading personalities, went viral on social media , appearing to show her reaction to Musk’s memes about buying MSNBC. The clip appears to show Maddow on air during a breaking news segment with a banner on screen reading: “BREAKING NEWS ELON MUSK POSTS DANGEROUS MEME.” Maddow becomes visibly upset, then requests a graphic to be displayed and the screen cuts to an explicit meme about Musk's buying MSNBC. The video has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. Google Trends data shows a spike in searches for terms including “Elon Musk meme,” “Rachel Maddow crying,” and “Rachel Maddow Elon Musk.” People in the comments on the video expressed surprise that Maddow would act like that on air. THE QUESTION Is the video of an emotional Rachel Maddow during a news segment about speculation that Elon Musk could MSNBC real? THE SOURCES Video of Maddow’s show on June 19, 2018 MSNBC network spokesperson VERIFY analysis of the video Rachel Maddow social media post from June 19, 2018 Review of recent episodes from “The Rachel Maddow Show” InVid and RevEye , video and photo forensics tools THE ANSWER No, the video is not real. It was created using a real video of Maddow from 2018 and was edited to include fake onscreen graphics and a meme about Musk. WHAT WE FOUND The viral video appearing to show Maddow upset on air in response to social media posts depicting the potential sale of MSNBC to Elon Musk is fake. It was created using a real clip from “The Rachel Maddow Show’s” June 19, 2018 episode that was then edited to include graphics and images to make it appear like she is reacting to a story about Musk. An MSNBC network spokesperson told VERIFY the video “has been manipulated and is fake.” Using InVid, a video forensics tool, VERIFY analyzed the video and conducted a reverse image search, which led us to clips of Maddow’s original 2018 news segment about immigration policy. When comparing the edited video with the original clip from 2018, it was clear Maddow was making the same gestures, wearing the same outfit and the background is identical. A thumbnail promoting MSNBC’s live coverage from the southern border also appears in the bottom corner of both versions. In the original segment, Maddow got emotional while reading an Associated Press report about children separated at the southern border and placed in “tender age” shelters. After her show aired, Maddow apologized on social media for becoming emotional during the broadcast. There have been no verified reports that Musk is considering purchasing MSNBC or that the network would be sold as part of Comcast’s restructuring. Other posts from Musk included retweets of articles from satirical websites. None of Maddow’s recent broadcasts contain this fake news segment.Romania in shock after far-right populist enters presidential runoff with most votes
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