Renato Rossini Jr. faces possible elimination in the Argentine reality show ‘ Big brother’ . While some support him, other Internet users are carrying out campaigns on social networks to remove him from the program. Renato Rossini Jr., son of the renowned Peruvian artist Renato Rossini, remains one of the most controversial participants of ‘ Big brother Argentina ‘. Since entering the reality show, the young influencer has generated mixed opinions both among his colleagues and among viewers. While his outgoing personality has been well received by some, his other attitudes and statements, such as comparing his participation to entering Harvard University, have earned him harsh criticism. Furthermore, his recent sentence has put his future in the program at risk, as he will face elimination on Sunday, December 15. Users harshly criticize Renato Rossini Jr.’s participation in ‘Big Brother’ Renato Rossini’s sentence has been the product of a nomination by Sofía, the contestant who won the leadership of the week. Despite her affinity with some colleagues, Sofía decided to nominate Renato, considering that he is a strong competitor within the house. However, the Peruvian, far from feeling offended, showed a conciliatory attitude, highlighting that it was an honor for him to be nominated. “I am honored that they nominated me, because that means that I am strong and have the support of many people,” he commented in a gesture of respect towards Sofía. Renato Rossini’s nomination has generated a stir on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok. Several users have shown their dissatisfaction with the influencer’s performance in ‘Big Brother’, criticizing his lack of experience and his attitude in front of the cameras. Comments such as “What a cringeworthy role he is doing” and “Renato Rossini is making such a basic mistake” have been common among followers of the program. Even the influencer Ric La Torre warned that Renato runs the risk of being eliminated this Sunday, since his participation has been frowned upon by many. Join our entertainment channel6 stocks that will benefit from the next wave of AI development, Bank of America says

Trump's lawyers rebuff DA's idea for upholding his hush money convictionStock market today: Stocks waver in thin trading after US markets reopen following a holiday pauseA federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company’s challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment. “The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court’s opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.” TikTok and ByteDance — another plaintiff in the lawsuit — are expected to appeal to the Supreme Court, though its unclear whether the court will take up the case. “The Supreme Court has an established historical record of protecting ans’ right to free speech, and we expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” TikTok spokesperson Michael Hughes said in a statement. “Unfortunately, the TikTok ban was conceived and pushed through based upon inaccurate, flawed and hypothetical information, resulting in outright censorship of the American people,” Hughes said. Unless stopped, he argued the statute “will silence the voices of over 170 million Americans here in the US and around the world on January 19th, 2025.” Though the case is squarely in the court system, it’s also possible the two companies might be thrown some sort of a lifeline by President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the presidential campaign that he is now . The law, signed by President Joe Biden in April, was the culmination of a over the short-form video-sharing app, which the government due to its connections to China. The U.S. has said it’s concerned about TikTok collecting vast swaths of user data, including , that could fall into the hands of the Chinese government through coercion. Officials have also warned the proprietary algorithm that fuels what users see on the app is vulnerable to manipulation by Chinese authorities, who can use it to shape content on the platform in a way that’s difficult to detect. The European Union on Friday as it investigates intelligence that suggests Russia possibly abused the platform to influence the elections in Romania. TikTok, which sued the government over the law in May, has long denied it could be used by Beijing to spy on or manipulate Americans. Its attorneys have accurately pointed out that the U.S. hasn’t provided evidence to show that the company handed over user data to the Chinese government, or manipulated content for Beijing’s benefit in the U.S. They have also argued the law is predicated on future risks, which the Department of Justice has emphasized pointing in part to unspecified action it claims the two companies have taken in the past due to demands from the Chinese government. Friday’s ruling came after the appeals court panel, composed of two Republicans and one Democrat appointed judges, in September. In the hearing, which lasted more than two hours, the panel appeared to grapple with how TikTok’s foreign ownership affects its rights under the Constitution and how far the government could go to curtail potential influence from abroad on a foreign-owned platform. On Friday, all three denied TikTok’s petition. In the court’s ruling, Ginsburg, a Republican appointee, rejected TikTok’s main legal arguments against the law, including that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder, or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. He also said the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. “Content on the platform could in principle remain unchanged after divestiture, and people in the United States would remain free to read and share as much PRC propaganda (or any other content) as they desire on TikTok or any other platform of their choosing,” Ginsburg wrote, using the abbreviation for the People’s Republic of China. Judge Sri Srinivasan, the chief judge on the court, issued a concurring opinion. TikTok’s lawsuit was consolidated with a second legal challenge brought by several content creators — for which the company is covering legal costs — as well as a third one filed on behalf of conservative creators who work with a nonprofit called BASED Politics Inc. Other organizations, including the Knight First Amendment Institute, had also filed amicus briefs supporting TikTok. “This is a deeply misguided ruling that reads important First Amendment precedents too narrowly and gives the government sweeping power to restrict Americans’ access to information, ideas, and media from abroad,” said Jameel Jaffer, the executive director of the organization. “We hope that the appeals court’s ruling won’t be the last word.” Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, lawmakers who had pushed for the legislation celebrated the court’s ruling. “I am optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok to allow its continued use in the United States and I look forward to welcoming the app in America under new ownership,” said Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China. Democratic Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who co-authored the law, said “it’s time for ByteDance to accept” the law. To assuage concerns about the company’s owners, TikTok says it has invested more than $2 billion to bolster protections around U.S. user data. The company has also argued the government’s broader concerns could have been resolved in a the Biden administration more than two years ago during talks between the two sides. It has blamed the government for walking away from further negotiations on the agreement, which the Justice Department argues is insufficient. Attorneys for the two companies have claimed it’s impossible to divest the platform commercially and technologically. They also say any sale of TikTok without the coveted algorithm — the platform’s secret sauce that Chinese authorities would likely block under any divesture plan — would turn the U.S. version of TikTok into an island disconnected from other global content. Still, some investors, including and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in purchasing the platform. Both men said earlier this year that they were launching a consortium to purchase TikTok’s U.S. business. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said unnamed participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital.

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The United States surpassed a horrific and unforgivable milestone in late September. With five prisoners executed in one week, the U.S. marked 1,600 executions since the Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976. Nine U.S. states have carried out 25 executions this year alone. Despite the trend toward the abolition of the death penalty worldwide, the U.S. stubbornly clings to a practice that is not only outdated and inhumane but also deeply flawed and unjust. President Joe Biden today moved the needle toward justice, commuting the federal death sentences of 37 men, taking a vital step toward addressing the cruelty, arbitrariness and bias embedded in the capital punishment system. In one day, Biden commuted more death sentences than any president before him, but he fell short of his 2020 campaign promise to end the death penalty at the federal level and incentivize states to do the same. Biden left three prisoners on federal death row – Robert Bowers, sentenced to death for the 2018 mass shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh; Dylann Roof, sentenced to death for the 2015 mass shooting at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, sentenced to death for the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Biden still has the opportunity to show moral leadership by opposing the death penalty under any circumstances and commuting their sentences, too. Austin Sarat Dec. 18, 2024 Before President-elect Donald Trump’s first term, the federal government had executed three people in the previous six decades. But Trump resumed executions , with 12 men and one woman put to death during his final months in office. The same systemic injustices that taint federal death sentences – racial bias, prosecutorial misconduct, wrongful convictions and more – also taint the cases of some 2,200 men and women on state death rows across the United States, according to figures from the Death Penalty Information Center . Biden’s commutation today sets an example for state leaders to follow. They must put an end to this inhumane practice once and for all and align the U.S. with global human rights standards . We stand at a moral crossroads: to perpetuate a system that is riddled with bias and error or to make a stand for justice and human rights. Many states have recognized the profound moral, legal and social costs of capital punishment. In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that placed a moratorium on the death penalty in California and immediately dismantled the state’s execution chamber. In 2021, Virginia became the first southern state to abolish the death penalty. In North Carolina , advocates are urging Gov. Roy Cooper to commute the sentences of those currently on death row before he leaves office in January. Globally, more than two-thirds of countries have abolished or ceased executions , recognizing that capital punishment violates the right to life and the prohibition against cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights . The U.S. remains an outlier, aligning itself with such bedfellows as China, Iran and Saudi Arabia in continuing this barbaric and outdated practice. The death penalty is not just a relic of an inhumane past but a glaring contradiction of the values of fairness and justice that the U.S. champions. Marginalized communities and those without access to adequate legal defense are disproportionately condemned to death. Studies show that people of color , especially Black defendants , are even more likely to be sentenced to death and executed when the victim is white . Racial bias is just one of the many systemic flaws that plague the death penalty. Another is the risk of executing innocent people. The recent case of Marcellus Williams in Missouri serves as a stark reminder of this possible danger. Marc M. Howard Sept. 27, 2024 The state of Missouri executed Williams on Sept. 24 despite the fact that none of the forensic evidence at the crime scene matched him, and the county’s top prosecutor called for his conviction to be overturned . His case is not an anomaly; numerous studies show wrongful convictions in death penalty cases are disturbingly common. For every eight people executed in the U.S. since 1973, one person is exonerated . This is not justice; it is a system that gambles with human lives, often with tragic results. Its defenders contend the death penalty is a deterrent , but there is no reliable evidence of this. What is clear is that the death penalty is costly , arbitrary and profoundly unjust. It perpetuates cycles of violence and retribution, rather than offering the opportunity for rehabilitation and redemption. Leaders across the country have a tremendous opportunity now to advocate to end the death penalty and ensure that the U.S. moves toward justice and fairness. This is about who we are as a nation and what we stand for. The clock is ticking, and the lives of those who remain on death row – along with the moral fabric of our nation – hang in the balance. Terrance Sullivan is director of racial justice at Amnesty International USA, part of the world’s oldest, largest grassroots human rights organization. Olivia Ensign is the senior advocate and researcher at the U.S. program of Human Rights Watch, a global nonprofit organization that investigates and reports on abuses worldwide.Patriots coach Jerod Mayo believes narrow loss to Bills shows potential of his young team

Published 4:38 pm Monday, December 23, 2024 By Sarah Stultz Families and students gave overall positive responses regarding their desired daily experiences while in school, while staff responses were ultimately in favor, though not as strong, according to data from a recent survey conducted in the Albert Lea school district. Tonya Franks, executive director of academics and accountability for the district, said the daily desired experiences were identified as part of the district’s strategic planning work. The district conducted its first survey about the experiences in 2022 and is conducting annual surveys of students, families and staff to see how the groups feel those experiences are being met. For the student portion, the survey was given out to students in grades six through 12, and over 800 responded, Franks said. The goal overall with the survey was to have at least 60% in the agree or strongly agree categories and below 10% in the strongly disagree or disagree categories. For students, the most positive response came in a question about if the school offers a variety of activities where they have opportunities to try new things and grow when 70.5% said they agreed or strongly agreed. Sixty-nine percent also said they agreed or strongly agreed that they are safe in the school. Sixty-seven-and-a-half percent said they thought their teachers supported and valued them, while 67.3% agreed that they have access to resources and feel their needs are met. When asked if they are recognized and appreciated, 57.6% answered that they agreed or strongly agreed. Only one question came back higher than 10% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing and that was a question that asked if the students were having fun completing engaging activities about interesting topics to help them learn in class. Most of the questions had between 23% and 33% in the “neutral” category. Franks said the data was being distributed to the individual buildings for further study and for principals to review with their staff. Once the baseline was determined, then they could set goals to achieve in the future. Family responses were more favorable with all questions receiving 60% in the agree or strongly agree categories and all below 10% for the disagree or strongly disagree categories. She said families feel their children are physically and emotionally safe, that their schools are welcoming and that they have resources to meet their child’s needs and are appropriately challenged. Out of about 3,500 students enrolled in the district, they received back 388 family responses. Families with multiple children were asked to fill out the survey for each child. About 68% of the responses were from elementary school families. Board member Gary Schindler said he was happy to see that parents and families feel their students are safe. About 88% agreed or strongly agreed that their child’s school was welcoming to all students, while only 3.9% disagreed or strongly disagreed. About 84% agreed or strongly agreed that their child is physically and emotionally safe, and 86.6% answered that their child’s classroom is an engaging, orderly and productive learning environment. The lowest response was 77.5% agreed or strongly agreed that they are connected and have a partnership with their child’s school. Staff responses as a whole were less favorable than the family and student responses, with three questions below the 60% threshold for agreeing or strongly agreeing, and five questions above the 10% threshold for disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. About 67% said they agreed or strongly agreed that they work in a safe and orderly school, while 11.4 disagreed or strongly disagreed. Less than 52% said they agreed or strongly agreed that they had the resources and time to perform their job duties effectively. Almost 32% disagreed or strongly disagreed. Fifty-seven percent of staff agreed or strongly agreed that their students’ social and emotional needs are supported, while 21.7% disagreed or strongly disagreed. Only 46.2% agreed or strongly agreed that the communication from the district and building administration is consistent, timely and relevant, with 27.7% disagreeing or strongly disagreeing. Schindler said he appreciates surveys as they help identify things they can celebrate, as well as things they need to work on. He said he was glad to see a high response from staff about a collaborative workplace but noted the disconnect between how the students and the families are feeling in some categories and how the staff responded. Franks said the survey results would be placed on the principal leadership agenda for January for further follow-up. They will discuss some of the highest needs that came from the surveys and said they will help guide decisions for continuous improvement in the future. Updates would be presented to the school board in the spring.

SHAMED ref David Coote won’t appeal the decision to sack him, it emerged last night. Referees’ body the PGMOL gave him the boot this month after a probe into videos of him snorting white powder and a foul-mouthed rant about ex Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp . Advertisement 4 Shamed ref David Coote won’t appeal the decision to sack him, it emerged last night Credit: Reuters 4 Coote was filmed branding ex-Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp a 'German c**t' Credit: X 4 The top-flight ref was also filmed snorting white powder at Euro 2024 Sources last night said the 42-year-old Premier League official had decided to accept his sacking - rather than fight to keep his old job, the Daily Mail reported. The PGMOL - Professional Game Match Officials Board - showed Coote the door after examining evidence provided by The Sun. We exclusively revealed a film of him snorting what appears to be cocaine during the Euros in Germany this summer . In the eight-second WhatsApp clip, he was wide-eyed as he used a rolled-up US banknote to snort a four-inch line of the substance in his Uefa-funded hotel room. Advertisement READ MORE ON DAVID COOTE REF’S A WORKER Shamed David Coote seen for first time since being sacked as Prem referee FINAL WHISTLE Scandal-hit Prem ref David Coote SACKED after white powder video & Klopp rant The previous day, the official had acted as a VAR for France's quarter-final shootout win over Portugal. Days before that exposé, footage emerged on social media showing him calling former Liverpool boss Klopp a “German c***”. Coote had also tried to arrange a drugs party during Tottenham’s win over Manchester City on October 30 . He was the fourth official for the Carabao Cup clash. Advertisement Most read in Football PAT ON THE BACK Hearts hero makes abrupt move to former club of Postecoglou and Muscat MOR TO COME Huge twist in Morelos' future as ex-Gers boss lands Santos job amid return saga TEENAGE KICKS Celtic star unrecognisable in throwback pic when he played with ex-Hoops ace AMA NEW MAN Rangers flop finds new club after five months in wilderness and buying COWS Official body PGMOL said the ref - also subject of a separate betting probe - was sacked after his actions were found to be in breach of contract. In a statement, they said: “David Coote’s actions were found to be in serious breach of the provisions of his employment contract, with his position deemed untenable. "Supporting David Coote continues to be important to us and we remain committed to his welfare.” Moment scandal-hit Prem ref David Coote snorts white powder in shocking video during Euro 2024 Coote has been lying low near his Midlands home since the video emerged. Advertisement Referees body the PGMOL, who examined evidence provided by The Sun, sacked him on Monday following a probe into his sweary rants and white powder abuse. Coote was then the subject of a new probe over allegedly issuing a yellow card to order. The loss of Coote’s career is set to cost him £1m over the next few years in loss of earnings. Shocking David Coote video in full First video First man : "What did you think of the Liverpool game earlier when you were fourth official?" Second man (allegedly Coote) : "Erm Liverpool were s***." First man : "What did you think of Jurgen Klopp?" Second man (allegedly Coote) : "C***, absolute c***." First man : "Why would you say that Jurgen Klopp is a c***?" Second man (allegedly Coote) : "Erm, aside from having a right pop at me when I reffed them against Burnley in lockdown. "Then, he accused me of lying and then just had a right f***ing pop at me - and I’ve got no interest in speaking to somebody whose f***ing arrogant. "So I do my best not to speak to him. [James] Milner is alright, I get on with Milner." First man : "James Milner, he gets on with James Milner." Second man (allegedly Coote) : "You can see me there with mask on." First man : "Mask on, obviously." Second man (allegedly Coote) : "Yea Covid, got to be done. Social distancing right? We’re two meters apart." First man : "We have to social distance." Second man (allegedly Coote) : "Yep, so but [exhales] my God. German c***, f*** me." First man : "Long story short, Jurgen Klopp’s a c***, Liverpool are all f***ing b******s, we hate Scousers." Second video Second man (allegedly Coote) : "Right just to be clear, that f***ing last video cant go anywhere, seriously." First man : He’s a Premier League referee, let's not f***ing ruin his career. "Like let's face we’re good blokes but we can’t ruin a bloke’s career. We’re not that bad. Also he’s a f***ing legend." Second man (allegedly Coote) : "So, yeah." First man : "So lets not ruin his career." 4 Shamed ref David Coote was seen for the first time since his sacking, as he was pictured heading to the gym Credit: BackGrid Advertisement

Hyderabad: A city court on Thursday granted bail to BRS leader and former chairman of Telangana SC/ST Commission Errolla Srinivas, hours after he was arrested for obstructing policemen from performing their duties. Srinivas was arrested from his residence in the morning and was later taken to Masab Tank Police Station. The police later took Srinivas to Osmania Hospital for medical tests before presenting him in Nampally Court. After hearing the arguments, the court granted conditional bail to Srinivas. He was directed to arrange Rs 5,000 personal bond, submit two sureties and cooperate with the police in the investigation. BRS leaders Harish Rao, Vivek and E. Dayakar Rao met Srinivas at Masab Tank Police Station. BRS student leaders tried to stop police vehicle when he was being taken to court. Police dispersed the protestors. Srinivas and others booked along with BRS MLA P. Kaushik Reddy early this month for obstructing policemen from performing their duties. The former chairman of SC/ST Commission was called thrice by police for questioning. Kaushik Reddy, the BRS MLA from Huzurabad, along with others had gone to Banjara Hills Police Station on December 4 to lodge a complaint that his phone was being tapped. When the MLA was coming to the station, the Circle Inspector or the Station House Officer Raghavendra was going out. Kaushik Reddy insisted that the SHO should leave only after taking his complaint. When the police officer told him that he was going for some urgent work and would take the complaint on his return, the MLA vented his ire. Kaushik Reddy had a heated argument with the SHO and told him that when a MLA comes to the police station it is the duty of the SHO to receive him properly. He was heard threatening the police officer. The MLA’s supporters stopped the SHO’s vehicle and raised slogans. The SHO came back and took the complaint from the MLA. Later, on the complaint of the SHO, the police booked Kaushik Reddy and others for unlawful assembly; using force to obstruct the duties of a public servant; criminal intimidation; wrongful restraint, public nuisance, and rioting against Kaushik Reddy and others. Kaushik Reddy was arrested the next day but was granted bail by a court the same day. BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao condemned the arrest of Srinivas. He alleged that the Congress government is targeting BRS leaders for questioning the ruling party for not fulfilling the promises made to Dalits and Bahujan sections.(BPT) - This article was sponsored and developed by Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting movement and posture that begins in early childhood development. It is the most common cause of motor disability in children, affecting about one in 345 children in the United States. 1-2 It may happen as a result of lack of oxygen during or around birth, stroke, infection, a problem with metabolism or other problems that cause injury or affect the development of parts of the brain involved in movement control in the first few years of life. 3 CP is a permanent condition, affecting a person for their entire life. People living with CP typically have motor problems, which may include spasticity (abnormal muscle tightness), dyskinesia (uncontrolled movements) or ataxia (poor muscle control), and many people have a mix of these motor disorders. 4 Dyskinesia due to CP (DCP) is one of the most disabling forms of CP and impacts approximately 10% to 20% of people living with CP. 5-6 According to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation (CPF), the combination of irregular and unpredictable movements (chorea) and twisting and repeating movements (dystonia) often disrupt activities and cause significant functional impairment, including the ability to maintain balance, walk or fine motor control. 7 Heather Riordan, M.D., Neurologist and Movement Disorders Specialist, Director of the Phelps Center for Cerebral Palsy at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, discusses the symptoms of chorea and impact on patients in a video shared on the CPF website here . About 30% of people with DCP are affected mostly by these involuntary and irregular movements (chorea), while dystonia is the predominant motor finding in the remaining 70%. 8 However, it is common for both chorea and dystonia movements to be present together. 6 For people living with DCP, these movements can occur in any region of the body, including the arms and legs, torso and face and may vary in severity. They are often triggered or made worse by stimulation or stress. Because dyskinesia can occur at rest and/or when actively using the body, the problems with movement are very burdensome in day-to-day living, with discomfort and pain affecting the quality of life for people and their caregivers. 9 Jen Lyman, mom to a son with DCP, highlights how dyskinesia makes communicating more difficult. "The most difficult thing about dyskinesia is watching my son struggle to do things that he wants to do, but the extra movements get in the way...special things, such as using a touch screen to video chat with his grandmother, are nearly impossible despite his best efforts to use his hands and fingers. Something so simple, yet so special for him should be effortless." DCP has a wide-ranging impact on the individual, including lifelong challenges with movement, a higher risk of other medical issues, a higher rate of mental health challenges and difficulties with communication. 10-12 "Those of us who have the privilege to serve patients with dyskinetic, hyperkinetic or mixed cerebral palsy see the functional impact of this very challenging type of tone every day," said Susan Biffl, M.D., Rehabilitation Medicine Specialist at Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego and Assistant Professor at UC San Diego School of Medicine. "Patients face challenges with self-care, independence, mobility, communication, fine motor skills that affect occupational and recreational activities, swallowing, social interactions and even sleep. As this tone is variable, it is much more challenging to treat than more consistent tone issues, such as spasticity." Treatment Options There are currently no Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for DCP. Dystonia and chorea are often managed separately as they respond differently to various treatments, which can make treatment challenging. 3 Most drugs being investigated for DCP have focused on dystonia, and more research is needed to determine potential treatments for chorea. New treatment options are needed to help manage these movement disorders and improve daily function and quality of life for those affected. "After 20 years of caring for individuals with cerebral palsy, I continue to find those with dyskinetic cerebral palsy among the most challenging to treat, largely due to the limited effectiveness of available pharmacologic options," said Joyce Oleszek, M.D., Professor, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine. "There is an urgent need for more robust evidence to support pharmacologic treatments for this condition, given its profound impact on function, comfort and quality of life." Ongoing Research Clinical studies are important in the development of treatment options, allowing researchers to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of new medicines. The data from clinical studies are used to determine if an investigational treatment can be approved for use to treat certain disorders. There are ongoing clinical studies evaluating potential treatments for DCP, including one for chorea. Neurocrine Biosciences is conducting the KINECT ® -DCP clinical study, a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study investigating the study drug, valbenazine, for the treatment of DCP. The clinical study is currently enrolling children, adolescents and adults six to 70 years of age who have been diagnosed with DCP. "The Cerebral Palsy Foundation is excited to partner with Neurocrine Biosciences on this study," said Rachel Byrne, Executive Director of the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. "We are proud to support strong research that can potentially bring meaningful change to the lives of those living with cerebral palsy." If you or someone you know may be eligible for this research study, please visit the study website for additional information here: FindADCPStudy.com . REFERENCES © 2024 Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. All Rights Reserved. CAP-NBI-US-0115 12/2024 NBI-98854-DCP3018_11DecMatRelease_v1.0_25November2024A massacre of more than 200 people in Haiti this month followed a gang-ordered manhunt that saw victims, many of them elderly, pulled from their homes and shot or killed with machetes, the UN said Monday. The victims were suspected of involvement in voodoo and accused by a gang leader of poisoning his child, with the suspects taken to a "training center" where many were dismembered or burned after being killed. A civil society organization had said at the time that the gang leader was convinced his son's illness was caused by followers of the religion. "On the evening of December 6, (Micanor Altes) ordered the members of his gang -- around 300 -- to carry out a brutal 'manhunt.' They stormed into about ten alleys of the (Port-au-Prince) neighborhood and forcibly dragged the victims out of their homes," said the report, authored jointly by the UN office in Haiti, BINUH, and the UN Human Rights Commissioner (OCHR). In the days that followed, the gang returned to the neighborhood, abducting adherents from a voodoo temple, targeting individuals suspected of tipping off local media and slaughtering people seeking to escape. Some of the bodies "were then burned with gasoline, or dismembered and dumped into the sea," the report concluded. A total of 134 men and 73 women were killed in total over six days, the report said. A mosaic of violent gangs control most of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. The impoverished Caribbean country has been mired for decades by political instability, made worse in recent years by gangs that have grown in strength and organizational sophistication. Despite a Kenyan-led police support mission, backed by the United States and UN, violence has continued to soar. "According to BINUH and OHCHR, since January 2024, more than 5,358 people have been killed and 2,155 injured," the report said. "This brings the total number of people killed or injured in Haiti to at least 17,248 since the beginning of 2022." The UN Security Council "strongly condemned the continued destabilizing criminal activities of armed gangs and stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the population." A spokeswoman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said "these crimes touched the very foundation of Haitian society, targeting the most vulnerable populations." Voodoo was brought to Haiti by African slaves and is a mainstay of the country's culture. It was banned during French colonial rule and only recognized as an official religion by the Haitian government in 2003. While it incorporates elements of other religious beliefs, including Catholicism, voodoo has been historically attacked by other religions. gw/nro

Rams can take huge step toward NFC West title by avenging 31-point loss to Cardinals

Stocks shook off a choppy start to finish higher Monday, as Wall Street kicked off a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 ended 0.7% higher after having been down 0.5% in the early going. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also recovered from an early slide to eke out a 0.2% gain. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Gains in technology and communications stocks accounted for much of the gains, outweighing losses in consumer goods companies and elsewhere in the market. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, rose 3.7%. Broadcom climbed 5.5% to also help support the broader market. Walmart fell 2% and PepsiCo slid 1%. Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan said they are talking about combining in a deal that might also include Mitsubishi Motors. U.S.-listed shares in Honda jumped 12.7%, while Nissan ended flat. Eli Lilly rose 3.7% after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first and only prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Department store Nordstrom fell 1.5% after it agreed to be taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. All told, the S&P 500 rose 43.22 points to 5,974.07. The Dow gained 66.69 points to 42,906.95. The Nasdaq rose 192.29 points to 19,764.89. Traders got a look at a new snapshot of U.S. consumer confidence Monday. The Conference Board said that consumer confidence slipped in December. Its consumer confidence index fell back to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Wall Street was expecting a reading of 113.8. The unexpectedly weak consumer confidence update follows several generally strong economic reports last week. One report showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The latest report on unemployment benefit applications showed that the job market remains solid. A report on Friday said a measure of inflation the Federal Reserve likes to use was slightly lower last month than economists expected. Worries about inflation edging higher again had been weighing on Wall Street and the Fed. The central bank just delivered its third cut to interest rates this year, but inflation has been hovering stubbornly above its target of 2%. It has signaled that it could deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than it earlier anticipated because of concerns over inflation. Expectations for more interest rate cuts have helped drive a roughly 25% gain for the S&P 500 in 2024. That drive included 57 all-time highs this year. Inflation concerns have added to uncertainties heading into 2025, which include the labor market's path ahead and shifting economic policies under an incoming President Donald Trump. "Put simply, much of the strong market performance prior to last week was driven by expectations that a best-case scenario was the base case for 2025," said Brent Schutte, chief investment officer at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Company Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.59% from 4.53% late Friday. European markets closed mostly lower, while markets in Asia gained ground. Wall Street has several other economic reports to look forward to this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. will release its November report for sales of newly constructed homes. A weekly update on unemployment benefits is expected on Thursday. Markets in the U.S. will close at 1 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday for Christmas Eve and will remain closed on Wednesday for Christmas. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!