Lyle Menendez's Wife Speaks Out on 'Cheating Scandal'The Kimball High and Tracy High boys basketball teams delivered an early season classic when they squared off in their campaign curtain raiser at Kimball last Friday night. The two teams were evenly matched and as such, their back and forth went right down to the wire. In the final moments, you could have cut the tension inside the gym with a butter knife. With the game tied at 55-55 and under three seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the deadlock was broken by Tracy junior Juan Godoy who bottomed a buzzer beater to give the ‘Dogs a statement 57-55 win. Godoy was found cutting towards the paint by a sharp entry pass from senior Jaden Martinez on the wing. The former rose up immediately and floated a contested shot into the basket – sending the packed Tracy side of the bleachers into a frenzy with the celebrations spilling out onto the court. “It was a tough game,” Bulldogs’ head coach Junior Cueva said afterwards. “We were without three guards and two of our other ball handlers fouled out. It was great to see our bench and role players close it out. The team executed perfectly down the stretch.” Martinez poured in 10 points and added three rebounds for the visitors. Tracy was led by senior Ahmad Hardman with 12 points and eight boards. The Jaguars battled admirably and shared the wealth on offense among four players in their debut outing under first year head coach Ben Juarez. Football stars senior Jaylin Rodgers (8) and senior Tobe Nwankwo (11) combined for 19 points. Nwankwo led the hosts in scoring and added three boards and two steals. Rodgers pulled in 10 rebounds. Sophomore Rehmat Mann and junior Tristen DeBenedetti chipped in with nine points apiece. The Bulldogs have since improved to 2-0 on the year after mauling Millennium 83-29 in their home opener on Monday night. The Falcons are 0-2. They lost their first game to Valley (Sacramento) 53-29 last Tuesday. Contact Arion Armeniakos at aarmeniakos@tracypress.com , or call 209-830-4229.711 casino 。

Household wealth climbs to record on higher stock values

Bonbon boxes, loose-leaf tea and toys galore are some of the items shoppers have found at New Hampshire businesses this holiday season, spending amounts on par with pre-pandemic numbers, retailers and a state advocate reported in the last few weeks of December. Littleton business owner Clare Brooks says her 10-person staff worked hard to prepare Little Village Toy & Book Shop for Black Friday and beyond, with the store participating in the post-Thanksgiving promotion day for the first time this year. “We’ve been within two percentage points of the whole year (in sales) coming into it,” Brooks said on Dec. 12. “I feel like everybody on the team has done everything they can to get the shop ready. The only thing I’m seeing is a little bit of a decline in foot traffic and sales.” The small decline follows the shop’s strongest-ever year in sales, with Brooks viewing 2024 as a “post-COVID reset” to stabilize a period of rapid growth that began in 2020. Observations like those align with what Curtis Picard, president of the N.H. Retail Association, says he anticipated going into the fourth quarter. He cited the National Retail Federation’s prediction that American holiday spending will increase 2.5 percent to 3.5 percent this season, meaning the organization expects sales to rise from nearly $956 billion last year to between $979 billion and $989 billion this year. “Any time it’s positive, that’s a good thing, but certainly it’s not the same high level that it was in the post-COVID years when we were seeing significant increases year-over-year,” Picard said. “People weren’t spending as much money on other things like travel, experiences and concerts. They were more relying on things.” But as people have sought out seasonal events once more, some retailers have tapped into adding these experiences into their stores to entice customers. That’s the case for Shadow and Soul Emporium and Tea Lounge in Keene, whose owner Brandie Wells has introduced an alternative to the tradition of photos with Santa Claus. Instead of a jolly man in red and white, families turn out to meet and greet a horned half-goat, half-devil figure hailing from Germany and central Europe. “We scheduled Krampus to come for free photo opportunities, but we also booked some tea and story time with Krampus, which one of them has already sold out,” Wells said. “Some people call him the ‘anti-Santa,’ but he really represents the ego in all of us. He only takes the children who stop believing in Christmas, so it’s to teach children to continue to believe.” It’s proven a beneficial move for the Monadnock Region metaphysical shop, where Wells said that “sales are down significantly, unfortunately” from 2023, despite the business merging what were formerly twin storefronts with eclectic and gothic flairs into one space last year. While sales on “Plaid Friday” — the region’s “buy local” alternative to Black Friday — were overall strong, they also remained down 20 percent, she said. “My average sale last year was $32. This year, the average sale so far has been $24.25,” Wells said shortly before Christmas. “When I look at what people are buying, they are buying more lower-cost items.” The merger also introduced the store’s tea lounge, which was in its early stages of opening last holiday season but is now fully operational. “Tea is our No. 1 seller, and on the retail end it has helped the business having tea because ... it’s only $4 an ounce, people are getting something healthy, and they’re having an experience when they have it,” Wells said. “They get a sense of taking care of themselves and their well-being. Now, we have 135 different teas.” Drinks are also a draw this season for Dancing Lion Chocolate on Manchester’s Elm Street, where owner Richard Tango-Lowy and his small but steadfast group of four chocolatiers create drinking chocolate in-house, from cacao beans sourced directly from countries like Mexico, Bolivia and Vietnam, his newest nation with a partnered farm. The drinking chocolate and shop were recently venerated in “Wild Chocolate,” a book by Rowan Jacobsen that hit bookstores nationwide in October telling the stories of heirloom cacao beans, used to create chocolates via methods that Olmec peoples practiced 4 millennia ago in Mesoamerica, or modern-day Mexico. Tango-Lowy himself even chairs the Heirloom Cacao Preservation Fund. The humble business was also recently named “Confectionary Store of the Year” by Luxury Travel Guide, topping 90,000 global submissions. The honor means Dancing Lion isn’t just a Queen City hot spot for specialty chocolates; it gets national and international sales online. “We’re always busy, even in summer, but sales start to ramp up in October,” Tango-Lowy said from his store last Monday, as it was closed to allow more chocolate production. “Around Thanksgiving, it kicks up, and again about two to three weeks before Christmas, people are starting to buy gifts. Then, we shut off the online because we’ll be slammed next week for in-shop (customers).” Tango-Lowy estimated that sales would be up 20 percent from 2023 by the end of the season. At the start of the week before Christmas, he pointed out a handful of bonbon boxes on display for sale he guessed would be sold out by that Saturday, even as he and his team would be making more. “About a week before Christmas, we have to stop boxes (selling online), because we had one year when we had suddenly gotten much more popular that we just had no boxes and couldn’t even make them,” he said. “People were coming in and looking distraught.” It’s an indicator that even as online sales prove valuable to local retailers, their owners must balance their digital audiences with their face-to-face customers. Picard, at the N.H. Retail Association, said that’s important as he sees signs that younger adults among Gen Z “appreciate shopping in stores a little bit more than perhaps the millennials.” “They’re turning into a significant buying group,” Picard said. “They don’t shop exclusively at stores, of course, but it’s nice to see that the younger generation is appreciating what we call the experiential store experience.” He said he also feels New Hampshire consumers understand that local shops are more challenged than larger retail companies and want to ensure their viability by supporting them over chain businesses, as did Wells. “I love how people are intentionally shopping local, and have even had conversations with them about how they don’t want to lose small businesses downtown,” Wells said. “They’re taking a stance to buy less online and less from big box stores.” As the state’s retailers look ahead toward the 2025 holiday season, some wonder whether tariffs might be one of those challenges. Following his election win, President-elect Donald Trump has spoken about imposing a 60 percent tariff on imported Chinese products, and a possible 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico. On the national level, this move has toymakers concerned, as the cost would be shifted to consumers, resulting in higher-priced items in stores, NPR reported earlier this month. Attractive prices can be necessary for a local toy outlet like Brooks’ Little Village to keep people coming in rather than seeking other businesses or eyeing online shopping for better deals. “I can’t imagine any small business not thinking about tariffs, but especially the toy industry, because a lot of stuff is made in China,” Brooks said. “A lot of people want that (lower) price point, and you’re not always able to get that price point when things are made in America. ... I don’t think it’s going to be a January 1 hit, but my intention is to stock up fast and full early, right off in the new year.” Brooks said she began ordering for the 2024 holiday season as early as February but noted that ordering timeframes are sometimes company-dependent. Lego, for example, asks independent businesses like Brooks to order their planned bulk stock a year in advance but allows smaller orders to fill in empty inventory. In another case, Brooks had to ensure she would have enough plush toys from the popular brand Jellycat months ahead of the holidays, as customers have asked if she has specific animals and items the company renders in stuffed form — a first, she added. “It’s insanely expensive, and they demand a higher margin on their (suggested retail price) than a lot of companies,” Brooks said. “But if you don’t order up enough, it has gone so fast.” Going into the season, Little Village was ready for this year’s influx of purchases, with products floor to ceiling in the back of the business and on some shelves. “We were way stocked by November, and have been receiving minimal shipments along the way to fill in here and there,” Brooks said.

Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Assessment 2024: Therapies, Clinical Trials, and Market Insights | Genentech, Trevi Therapeutics, Guangdong Hengrui Pharma, Ltd, Bellus Health, Merck 12-12-2024 08:06 PM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: DelveInsight Business Research (Las Vegas, Nevada, United States) As per DelveInsight's assessment, globally, Chronic Refractory Cough pipeline constitutes 4+ key companies continuously working towards developing 4+ Chronic Refractory Cough treatment therapies, analysis of Clinical Trials, Therapies, Mechanism of Action, Route of Administration, and Developments analyzes DelveInsight. "Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Insight, 2024" report by DelveInsight outlines comprehensive insights into the present clinical development scenario and growth prospects across the Chronic Refractory Cough Market. The Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline report embraces in-depth commercial and clinical assessment of the pipeline products from the pre-clinical developmental phase to the marketed phase. The report also covers a detailed description of the drug, including the mechanism of action of the drug, clinical studies, NDA approvals (if any), and product development activities comprising the technology, collaborations, mergers acquisition, funding, designations, and other product-related details. Some of the key takeaways from the Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Report: https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/chronic-refractory-cough-pipeline-insight?utm_source=openpr&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr •Companies across the globe are diligently working toward developing novel Chronic Refractory Cough treatment therapies with a considerable amount of success over the years. •Chronic Refractory Cough companies working in the treatment market are Nocion Therapeutics, Genentech, Inc., Trevi Therapeutics, Guangdong Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Bellus Health Inc, Merck & Co, Kyorin Pharmaceuticals, NeRRe Therapeutics, Bellus Health, GSK, Axalbion, Aldeyra Therapeutics, Genentech, Inc., and others, are developing therapies for the Chronic Refractory Cough treatment •Emerging Chronic Refractory Cough therapies in the different phases of clinical trials are- NOC-100, GDC-6599, Haduvio, HRS-2261, BLU-5937, MK-7264 (gefapixant), Orvepitant Maleate, Camlipixant (BLU-5937), AX-8, ADX-629, GDC-6599, and others are expected to have a significant impact on the Chronic Refractory Cough market in the coming years. •In October 2024, Trevi Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRVI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing HaduvioTM (oral nalbuphine ER) for chronic cough in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and refractory chronic cough (RCC), announced the completion of enrollment for its Phase 2a RCC trial ("RIVER") and anticipates releasing topline results in the first quarter of 2025. •In August 2024, Axalbion, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative treatments for cough, announced the dosing of the first patient in the second phase of a randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical trial for AX-8, its lead compound. AX-8 is an oral, highly potent, and selective agonist of the transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) ion channel. The company has secured additional funding from both existing and new investors to support the trial and prepare for Phase 3 development. •In March 2024, Nocion Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, announced securing $62 million in Series B funding. The company is developing innovative small molecule, permanently charged sodium channel blockers (CSCBs), known as nocions, which selectively target activated nociceptors to address conditions like cough, itch, and pain. The funds will support the evaluation of their lead program, Taplucanium Dry Powder for Inhalation, in a Phase 2b study for Chronic Cough patients. Chronic Refractory Cough Overview A cough that lasts longer than eight weeks is referred to as chronic, and many individuals with chronic refractory cough have coughs that last considerably longer. Furthermore, the illness is known as chronic refractory cough when the reason of the persistent cough cannot be found or the cough continues even after receiving the best care possible for any related conditions. Get a Free Sample PDF Report to know more about Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Therapeutic Assessment- https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/chronic-refractory-cough-pipeline-insight?utm_source=openpr&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Emerging Chronic Refractory Cough Drugs Under Different Phases of Clinical Development Include: •NOC-100: Nocion Therapeutics •GDC-6599: Genentech, Inc. •Haduvio: Trevi Therapeutics •HRS-2261: Guangdong Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd •BLU-5937: Bellus Health Inc •MK-7264 (gefapixant): Merck & Co/Kyorin Pharmaceuticals •Orvepitant Maleate: NeRRe Therapeutics •Camlipixant (BLU-5937): Bellus Health/GSK •AX-8: Axalbion •ADX-629: Aldeyra Therapeutics •GDC-6599: Genentech, Inc. Route of Administration Chronic Refractory Cough pipeline report provides the therapeutic assessment of the pipeline drugs by the Route of Administration. Products have been categorized under various ROAs such as •Oral •Intravenous •Subcutaneous •Parenteral •Topical Molecule Type Products have been categorized under various Molecule types such as •Recombinant fusion proteins •Small molecule •Monoclonal antibody •Peptide •Polymer •Gene therapy Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Therapeutics Assessment •Chronic Refractory Cough Assessment by Product Type •Chronic Refractory Cough By Stage and Product Type •Chronic Refractory Cough Assessment by Route of Administration •Chronic Refractory Cough By Stage and Route of Administration •Chronic Refractory Cough Assessment by Molecule Type •Chronic Refractory Cough by Stage and Molecule Type DelveInsight's Chronic Refractory Cough Report 4+ covers around products under different phases of clinical development like •Late-stage products (Phase III) •Mid-stage products (Phase II) •Early-stage product (Phase I) •Pre-clinical and Discovery stage candidates •Discontinued & Inactive candidates •Route of Administration Further Chronic Refractory Cough product details are provided in the report. Download the Chronic Refractory Cough pipeline report to learn more about the emerging Chronic Refractory Cough therapies https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/chronic-refractory-cough-pipeline-insight?utm_source=openpr&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Some of the key companies in the Chronic Refractory Cough Therapeutics Market include: Key companies developing therapies for Chronic Refractory Cough are - Merck & Co, Kyorin Pharmaceuticals, NeRRe Therapeutics, Bellus Health, Shionogi, Axalbion, Aldeyra Therapeutics and others Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Analysis: The Chronic Refractory Cough pipeline report provides insights into •The report provides detailed insights about companies that are developing therapies for the treatment of Chronic Refractory Cough with aggregate therapies developed by each company for the same. •It accesses the Different therapeutic candidates segmented into early-stage, mid-stage, and late-stage of development for Chronic Refractory Cough Treatment. •Chronic Refractory Cough key companies are involved in targeted therapeutics development with respective active and inactive (dormant or discontinued) projects. •Chronic Refractory Cough Drugs under development based on the stage of development, route of administration, target receptor, monotherapy or combination therapy, a different mechanism of action, and molecular type. •Detailed analysis of collaborations (company-company collaborations and company-academia collaborations), licensing agreement and financing details for future advancement of the Chronic Refractory Cough market. The report is built using data and information traced from the researcher's proprietary databases, company/university websites, clinical trial registries, conferences, SEC filings, investor presentations, and featured press releases from company/university websites and industry-specific third-party sources, etc. Download Sample PDF Report to know more about Chronic Refractory Cough drugs and therapies https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/chronic-refractory-cough-pipeline-insight?utm_source=openpr&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Market Drivers •Increasing Prevalence of cough, growing demand for treatment for Chronic Refractory Cough are some of the important factors that are fueling the Chronic Refractory Cough Market. Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Market Barriers •However, lack of awareness, lack of availability of specific biomarkers that are useful for accurate and timely diagnosis and other factors are creating obstacles in the Chronic Refractory Cough Market growth. Scope of Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Drug Insight •Coverage: Global •Key Chronic Refractory Cough Companies: Nocion Therapeutics, Genentech, Inc., Trevi Therapeutics, Guangdong Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Bellus Health Inc, Merck & Co, Kyorin Pharmaceuticals, NeRRe Therapeutics, Bellus Health, GSK, Axalbion, Aldeyra Therapeutics, Genentech, Inc., and others •Key Chronic Refractory Cough Therapies: NOC-100, GDC-6599, Haduvio, HRS-2261, BLU-5937, MK-7264 (gefapixant), Orvepitant Maleate, Camlipixant (BLU-5937), AX-8, ADX-629, GDC-6599, and others •Chronic Refractory Cough Therapeutic Assessment: Chronic Refractory Cough current marketed and Chronic Refractory Cough emerging therapies •Chronic Refractory Cough Market Dynamics: Chronic Refractory Cough market drivers and Chronic Refractory Cough market barriers Request for Sample PDF Report for Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Assessment and clinical trials https://www.delveinsight.com/sample-request/chronic-refractory-cough-pipeline-insight?utm_source=openpr&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr Table of Contents 1. Chronic Refractory Cough Report Introduction 2. Chronic Refractory Cough Executive Summary 3. Chronic Refractory Cough Overview 4. Chronic Refractory Cough- Analytical Perspective In-depth Commercial Assessment 5. Chronic Refractory Cough Pipeline Therapeutics 6. Chronic Refractory Cough Late Stage Products (Phase II/III) 7. Chronic Refractory Cough Mid Stage Products (Phase II) 8. Chronic Refractory Cough Early Stage Products (Phase I) 9. Chronic Refractory Cough Preclinical Stage Products 10. Chronic Refractory Cough Therapeutics Assessment 11. Chronic Refractory Cough Inactive Products 12. Company-University Collaborations (Licensing/Partnering) Analysis 13. Chronic Refractory Cough Key Companies 14. Chronic Refractory Cough Key Products 15. Chronic Refractory Cough Unmet Needs 16 . Chronic Refractory Cough Market Drivers and Barriers 17. Chronic Refractory Cough Future Perspectives and Conclusion 18. Chronic Refractory Cough Analyst Views 19. Appendix 20. About DelveInsight Related Reports: Chronic Refractory Cough Market https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/chronic-refractory-cough-market?utm_source=openpr&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr DelveInsight's 'Chronic Refractory Cough Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast-2034' report delivers an in-depth understanding of the 7MM, historical and forecasted epidemiology as well as the 7MM market trends in the United States, EU5 (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom), Chronic Refractory Cough Epidemiology https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/chronic-refractory-cough-crc-epidemiology-forecast?utm_source=openpr&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=gpr DelveInsight's 'Chronic Refractory Cough Epidemiology Forecast to 2032' report delivers an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted Cholangiocarcinoma epidemiology in the 7MM, i.e., the United States, EU5 (Germany, Spain, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom), and Japan. Latest Reports: •Apheresis Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/apheresis-market •Hydrocephalus Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/hydrocephalus-market •Hemophilia A Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/hemophilia-a2030-market •Herpes Simplex Virus Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/genital-herpes-market •Peripheral Nerve Injuries Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/infographics/peripheral-nerve-injuries-market •Replacement Devices Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/hip-reconstruction-devices-market •Amblyopia Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/amblyopia-market •Type 2 Diabetes Market: https://www.delveinsight.com/report-store/diabetes-market Contact Us: Gaurav Bora gbora@delveinsight.com +14699457679 Healthcare Consulting https://www.delveinsight.com/consulting-services About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports Pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. It also offers Healthcare Consulting Services, which benefits in market analysis to accelerate business growth and overcome challenges with a practical approach. This release was published on openPR.Avrupa Minerals Ltd. ( CVE:AVU – Get Free Report ) shares reached a new 52-week low during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as C$0.02 and last traded at C$0.02, with a volume of 33000 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.03. Avrupa Minerals Stock Performance The stock has a 50 day moving average of C$0.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$0.03. The stock has a market capitalization of C$1.29 million, a PE ratio of -2.00 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.75. Avrupa Minerals Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Avrupa Minerals Ltd. engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Europe. It explores for gold, copper, and zinc. The company holds interest in the Alvalade project located in Iberian Pyrite Belt, Portugal; and Slivovo exploration license in Kosovo. It also holds interests in the Pielavesi, Kolima, and Yli-li properties in Finland. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Avrupa Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Avrupa Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Avrupa Minerals Ltd. ( CVE:AVU – Get Free Report ) shares reached a new 52-week low during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as C$0.02 and last traded at C$0.02, with a volume of 33000 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at C$0.03. Avrupa Minerals Stock Performance The stock has a 50 day moving average of C$0.03 and a two-hundred day moving average of C$0.03. The stock has a market capitalization of C$1.29 million, a PE ratio of -2.00 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.75. Avrupa Minerals Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Avrupa Minerals Ltd. engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Europe. It explores for gold, copper, and zinc. The company holds interest in the Alvalade project located in Iberian Pyrite Belt, Portugal; and Slivovo exploration license in Kosovo. It also holds interests in the Pielavesi, Kolima, and Yli-li properties in Finland. See Also Receive News & Ratings for Avrupa Minerals Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Avrupa Minerals and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

Colorado funeral home owners accused of letting 190 bodies decay plead guilty to corpse abuseMatt Gaetz says he won't return to Congress next year after withdrawing name for attorney general WASHINGTON (AP) — Matt Gaetz is not coming back to Congress. The Florida Republican said Friday he has no intention of serving another term in the House now that he is no longer President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general. Gaetz withdrew as the nominee this week amid growing fallout from the allegations of sexual conduct against him. Gaetz denies the allegations. Gaetz didn't lay out his plans now that he's out of office, saying only, “I’m still going to be in the fight, but it’s going to be from a new perch." After Gaetz's withdrawal on Thursday, Trump named former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi to lead the Justice Department. Vance takes on a more visible transition role as he works to boost Trump's most controversial picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 convicted in human smuggling case after Indian family froze to death on US-Canada border FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted on Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Northern California gets record rain and heavy snow. Many have been in the dark for days in Seattle FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm with heavy snow and record rain that's moving through Northern California has toppled trees, closed roads and prompted evacuations in some areas after knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people in Washington and Oregon. Forecasters warn that the risk of flash flooding and rockslides will continue through Friday. The National Weather Service has extended a flood watch for areas north of San Francisco as a plume of moisture known as an atmospheric river inundates Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Up to 16 inches of rain is forecast in Northern California and southwestern Oregon. The storm system unleashed winds earlier this week that left two people dead and hundreds of thousands without power in Washington. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health officials are confirming bird flu in a California child — the first reported case in a U.S. minor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced confirmatory test results on Friday. Officials say the child had mild symptoms, was treated with antiviral medication and is recovering. The child’s infection brings the reported number of U.S. bird flu cases this year to 55, including 29 in California. State officials have said the child lives in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and attends day care, but released no other details. Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8.

Colts coach Shane Steichen feeling heat after playoff elimination

NoneFlames prospect Zayne Parekh looking to keep Canadian world junior dream alive