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Come 2025, India’s real estate developers will double down on luxury and premium housing, leaving the affordable segment to catch up. Developers from across India are stacking their portfolios with premium, luxury and uber-luxury projects. Delhi NCR-based M3M India has two luxury developments lined up for next year. Gaurs Group is looking at a series of ultra-luxury residential developments, townships and luxury projects in FY26. Among others, Bengaluru-based developer Sobha Ltd is planning to launch about 10 million sq. ft of projects in FY26, including venturing into the uber-luxury category. “We are strategically leveraging the robust demand in the luxury real estate segment by curating projects that align with the evolving preferences of modern buyers," said Robin Mangla, president, M3M India. “We have an exciting pipeline of new launches planned for next year in the luxury category." In the premium segment, Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd is turning away from affordable and launching more projects with ticket size starting from 2 crore. “We used to play mostly in affordable and mid-premium," said Amit Kumar Sinha, managing director and chief executive officer of Mahindra Lifespace. “Now, we will exit affordable after our commitment is over and will play in mid-premium and premium. These are two of our bread and butter segments." Consequently, the supply of homes in the luxury and premium segment has gone up significantly since last year. In the first three quarters of 2024, the supply of luxury homes priced over 2.5 crore surged by 59.27%, rising to 52,400 units from 32,900 units in the same period last year, according to data from Anarock Group. The 80 lakh to 1.5 crore segment saw modest growth of 2.26%, increasing from 85,475 to 87,410 units. In contrast, affordable housing supply declined significantly, with homes priced at 40-80 lakh dropping 14.64% from 1,04,000 to 88,770 units. This trend underscored a slowdown in affordable housing supply, while demand for higher-end homes continues to grow. “The luxury and mid-segments have seen an uptick in supply, driven by strong demand and developer confidence," said Amit Masaldan, chief revenue officer, Housing.com. “In contrast, the affordable segment faces supply constraints due to rising construction costs and slim margins, making it less appealing for developers." “To make the affordable segment more appealing, it is crucial to address the high cost of land, which remains a major barrier. Since land prices are market-driven, government intervention is essential to promote affordable housing, said Amit Modi, director at County Group. “Additionally, developers could be incentivized through subsidies or tax benefits to encourage their entry into this space, thus bridging the gap between demand and supply." Stickiness of demand The residential market has continued to strengthen, with demand reaching an 11-year high during H1 2024, said Shishir Baijal, chairman and managing director at Knight Frank India in its India Real Estate H1 2024 report. “A notable shift toward premiumization has taken root in the residential market, with higher priced homes driving market volumes." The demand for luxury housing in India has been rising since the outbreak of covid-19. Growing interest from non-resident Indians, high-net-worth individuals, and rising affluence are among the reasons that driving demand for high-priced residential apartments. “The pandemic prompted wealthy buyers to seek larger, amenity-rich homes suitable for remote work," said Anuj Puri, chairman of Anarock Group. “Additionally, increased financial market gains, growing business profitability, and a desire for wealth preservation through real estate have fuelled this segment." NRI interest is at an all-time high at a time the dollar is strengthening, said Parthh K. Mehta, CMD at Paradigm Realty. “What has been observed is that there is an increased NRI interest towards purchasing a residence in their homeland, especially in the luxury category. Reason being the cost parity, for instance – if there is 2 BHK in the foreign country that is priced 7 crore and above, the same can be invested in India to buy an elevated lifestyle." There has also been an unprecedented emergence of young, tech-wealthy professionals, which has created a new buyer demographic for luxury properties. Millennial and Gen Z buyers have been dominating the real estate space, accounting for over 60% of the purchases. Their penchant for premium living has driven strong demand for houses priced at 1 crore and above this year, said Saurabh Garg, co-founder, NoBroker. “There is a sizable chunk of these buyers that are inclined towards buying properties that have premium amenities that align with their aspirational lifestyle," Garg said. “To cater to the growing demand for premium properties, developers are increasingly focusing on this segment." Frenzy in sales The proof of the pudding is in the rapid sales that developers saw this year. Experts expect this trend to continue well into 2025. DLF Ltd, India’s largest listed real estate company, sold all 1,113 high-end luxury residential units of its DLF Privana South project in Gurugram for 7,200 crore within 72 hours of its official launch, the company said in a regulatory filing. Gaur Group's NYC Residences at NH24 was also completely sold out within two and a half days of its launch. Birla Estates sold 50% of its 30-40 crore apartments within three months of the launch of its Silas tower at Birla Niyaara project in Mumbai’s Worli. Prestige Group sold 60% of its apartments costing over 20 crore at the Prestige Ocean Towers project in Marine Lines within a year of launch, while the same kind of ticket size used to take at least 7 to 8 years to sell pre-covid. “Notable examples through early 2024 include DLF's projects in Gurugram and Oberoi Realty's developments in MMR, where units priced above 4 crore were sold out within weeks of launch," said Puri from Anarock. “Looking ahead, this trend is likely to continue into 2025. The luxury segment is poised for sustained growth." The luxury segment (apartments priced above 3 crore) saw a notable surge in sales during the first half of 2024, with a year-on-year growth of 109%, according to JLL’s September report on residential market. The share of luxury in total quarterly sales rose from 7% in H12023 to 12% in H12024. This increase was particularly prominent in Delhi NCR, where over 45% of sales in H12024 were in the luxury segment. The share of the affordable housing segment (apartments priced below 50 lakh), however, dropped from 18% to 14% in the same period, according to the report. Foraying into uber luxury Driven by the demand and frenzy in luxury sales, many developers are pivoting to uber luxury, or are looking to expand their footprint in this segment. Gaurs Group, which is preparing for an initial public offering, is planning to use the proceeds to expand its ultra-luxury residential segment among other developments. “We have several exciting projects lined up for FY26, including ultra-luxury residential developments," said Manoj Gaur, CMD of Gaurs Group and chairman of CREDAI National. “Our strategy involves not only expanding the luxury residential segment but also introducing integrated communities with high-end amenities such as private clubs, wellness centres, and sustainable infrastructure, ensuring a holistic living experience for our customers." Rustomjee Group is also exploring opportunities to expand its uber luxury portfolio in the MMR region in prime neighbourhoods like Bandra and Pali Hill, said Rakesh Setia, president, sales & marketing. Inventory overhang is going down Anarock data shows that the inventory overhang across the top seven cities has come down to 14 months by 9M 2024-end, from 17 months in the same period in 2023. This is the lowest inventory overhang in the last decade. This means that if developers stopped making more residential units, the entire existing inventory in the country will get sold out within 14 months. For comparison, at a time of recession, existing inventory would’ve taken 30-35 months to sell out, said Mahindra Lifespace’s Sinha. "City-wise, Hyderabad has the highest inventory overhang of 19 months among the top seven cities, while Bengaluru has the lowest at just eight months," said Prashant Thakur, head of research & advisory at Anarock. "In the last two years, Bengaluru saw its unsold stock drop by six months while Hyderabad saw a dip of just two months. Hyderabad also saw considerable new supply infusions in the last two years." “This is both good and bad. The bad part is everybody thinks it's only 14 months – let’s keep launching. So, there’ll be too much supply," Sinha said. “On the other hand, landowners will see that there are 10 guys who are buying for the same land. So, let me charge the highest price." Developers who then buy the expensive land have to charge more from their customers, creating a vicious cycle, he said. Housing prices in India’s top eight markets rose 11% year-on-year in Q3 2024, averaging 11,000 per sq. ft, according to a combined report by CREDAI, Colliers and Liases Foras. This marks the 15th consecutive quarter of price increases. Delhi NCR saw the highest rise at 32%, followed by Bengaluru at 24%. While demand remains strong, the momentum in top cities is stabilizing after record sales in the past two years. “A major price correction seems unlikely in the short term," said Masaldan from Housing.com. Strong demand in the luxury and mid-segments has supported price stability. While adjustments may occur as buyer expectations evolve, factors like urbanization and infrastructure growth will sustain current pricing trends in the foreseeable future."By ROB GILLIES, Associated Press TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products , a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, attended a dinner with Trump and Trudeau at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Friday. Trudeau requested the meeting in a bid to avoid the tariffs by convincing Trump that the northern border is nothing like the U.S. southern border with Mexico . “The prime minister of course spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs, but we also discussed with our American friends the negative impact that those tariffs could have on their economy, on affordability in the United States as well,” LeBlanc said in Parliament. If Trump makes good on his threat to slap 25% tariffs on everything imported from Mexico and Canada, the price increases that could follow will collide with his campaign promise to give American families a break from inflation. Economists say companies would have little choice but to pass along the added costs, dramatically raising prices for food, clothing, automobiles, alcohol and other goods. The Produce Distributors Association, a Washington trade group, said last week that tariffs will raise prices for fresh fruit and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers when the countries retaliate. Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on certain items from the U.S. should Trump follow through on the threat. After his dinner with Trump, Trudeau returned home without assurances the president-elect will back away from threatened tariffs on all products from the major American trading partner. Trump called the talks “productive” but signaled no retreat from a pledge that Canada says unfairly lumps it in with Mexico over the flow of drugs and migrants into the United States. “The idea that we came back empty handed is completely false,” LeBlanc said. “We had a very productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future Cabinet secretaries. ... The commitment from Mr. Trump to continue to work with us was far from empty handed.” Joining Trump and Trudeau at dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s pick to lead the Interior Department, and Mike Waltz, Trump’s choice to be his national security adviser. Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, told The Associated Press on Sunday that “the message that our border is so vastly different than the Mexican border was really understood.” Hillman, who sat at an adjacent table to Trudeau and Trump, said Canada is not the problem when it comes to drugs and migrants. On Monday, Mexico’s president rejected those comments. “Mexico must be respected, especially by its trading partners,” President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She said Canada had its own problems with fentanyl consumption and “could only wish they had the cultural riches Mexico has.” Flows of migrants and seizures of drugs at the two countries’ border are vastly different. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border. Most of the fentanyl reaching the U.S. — where it causes about 70,000 overdose deaths annually — is made by Mexican drug cartels using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia. On immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million encounters with migrants at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. That compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during that time. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electricity imports as well. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing for national security.

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NoneNEW YORK (AP) — Police don’t know who he is, where he is, or why he did it. As the frustrating search for UnitedHealthcare killer got underway for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They have troves of evidence, but the shooter remains an enigma. One conclusion they are confident of, however: It was a , not a random one. They know he ambushed Thompson at 6:44 a.m. Wednesday as the executive arrived at the Hilton for his company’s annual investor conference, using a 9 mm pistol that resembled the guns farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise. They know ammunition found near Thompson’s body “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase used by . The fact that the shooter knew UnitedHealthcare group was holding a conference at the hotel and what route Thompson might take to get there suggested that he could possibly be a disgruntled employee or client, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. Police divers were seen searching a pond in Central Park, where the killer fled after the shooting. Officers have been scouring the park for days for any and found his backpack there Friday. They didn’t immediately reveal what, if anything, it contained but said it would be tested and analyzed. On Sunday morning, police declined to comment on the contents of the backpack, or on the results of the search in the pond, saying no updates were planned. Investigators have urged patience, saying the process of logging evidence that stands up in court isn’t as quick as it . Hundreds of detectives are combing through video recordings and social media, vetting tips from the public and interviewing people who might have information, including Thompson’s family and coworkers and the shooter’s randomly assigned roommates at the Manhattan hostel where he stayed. Investigators caught a break when they came across security camera images of an unguarded moment at the hostel in which he briefly showed his face. Retracing the gunman’s steps using surveillance video, police say, it appears he left the city by bus soon after the shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown. He was seen on video at an uptown bus station about 45 minutes later, Kenny said. With the high-profile search expanding across state lines, the FBI announced late Friday that it was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, adding to a reward of up to $10,000 that the NYPD has offered. Police say they believe the suspect acted alone. Police distributed the images to news outlets and on social media but so far haven’t been able to ID him using facial recognition — possibly because of the angle of the images or limitations on how the NYPD is allowed to use that technology, Kenny said. Late Saturday, police released two additional photos of the suspected shooter that appeared to be from a camera mounted inside a taxi. The first shows him outside the vehicle and the second shows him looking through the partition between the back seat and the front of the cab. In both, his face is partially obscured by a blue, medical-style mask. Michael R. Sisak And Cedar Attanasio, The Associated Press

Wall Street stocks finished a lackluster week on a muted note Friday as concerns about rising Treasury bond yields competed with enthusiasm over artificial intelligence equities. Of the major indices, only the Nasdaq mustered a gain in Friday's session. The tech-rich index was also the only of the three leading US benchmarks to conclude the week higher. "Equities are kind of treading water," said LBBW's Karl Haeling. "A negative influence to some extent is the rise in bond yields." The latest US consumer price index data released this week showed prices ticked higher in November and the wholesale data also showed stubborn inflationary pressures. "Yields rose to their highest levels in over two weeks as markets brace for the Federal Reserve's final meeting of the year, reflecting concerns over sticky inflation," said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG. There is also growing concern over the inflationary pressures from President-elect Donald Trump's pledges to cut taxes and impose tariffs, as inflation still stands above the Fed's target. "While the markets still anticipate a rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week, the likelihood of a move in January has dropped," said Patrick Munnelly, partner at broker Tickmill Group. The CME FedWatch tool shows the market sees a more than 75 percent chance that the Fed will hold rates steady in January. In Europe, the Paris CAC 40 index ended the day down 0.2 percent after French President Emmanuel Macron named his centrist ally Francois Bayrou as prime minister, ending days of deadlock over finding a replacement for Michel Barnier. Frankfurt also dipped, with Germany's central bank sharply downgrading its growth forecasts on Friday for 2025 and 2026. It predicted a prolonged period of weakness for Europe's biggest economy. London stocks were also lower after official data showed that the UK economy unexpectedly shrank for the second consecutive month in October. The euro recovered after flirting with two-year lows against the dollar following a warning Thursday by ECB president Christine Lagarde that the eurozone economy was "losing momentum", cautioning that "the risk of greater friction in global trade could weigh on euro area growth". In Asia, Hong Kong and Shanghai both tumbled as investors were unimpressed with Beijing's pledge to introduce measures aimed at "lifting consumption vigorously" as part of a drive to reignite growth in the world's number two economy. President Xi Jinping and other key leaders said at the annual Central Economic Work Conference they would implement a "moderately loose" monetary policy, increase social financing and reducing interest rates "at the right time". The gathering came after Beijing in September began unveiling a raft of policies to reverse a growth slump that has gripped the economy for almost two years. "We're still not convinced that policy support will prevent the economy from slowing further next year", said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at research group Capital Economics. Among individual equities, chip company Broadcom surged nearly 25 percent after reporting a 51 percent jump in quarterly revenues to $14.1 billion behind massive growth in AI-linked business. New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 43,828.06 (close) New York - S&P 500: FLAT at 6,051.09 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 19,926.72 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 8,300.33 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,409.57 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.1 percent at 20,405.92 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.0 percent at 39,470.44 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.1 percent at 19,971.24 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 2.0 percent at 3,391.88 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0504 from $1.0467 on Thursday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2622 from $1.2673 Dollar/yen: UP at 153.60 yen from 152.63 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.19 pence from 82.59 pence Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.5 percent at $74.49 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.8 percent at $71.29 per barrel burs-jmb/stTCU leading scorer Frankie Collins will miss rest of season after breaking left footWall Street stocks finished a lackluster week on a muted note Friday as concerns about rising Treasury bond yields competed with enthusiasm over artificial intelligence equities. Of the major indices, only the Nasdaq mustered a gain in Friday's session. The tech-rich index was also the only of the three leading US benchmarks to conclude the week higher. "Equities are kind of treading water," said LBBW's Karl Haeling. "A negative influence to some extent is the rise in bond yields." The latest US consumer price index data released this week showed prices ticked higher in November and the wholesale data also showed stubborn inflationary pressures. "Yields rose to their highest levels in over two weeks as markets brace for the Federal Reserve's final meeting of the year, reflecting concerns over sticky inflation," said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG. There is also growing concern over the inflationary pressures from President-elect Donald Trump's pledges to cut taxes and impose tariffs, as inflation still stands above the Fed's target. "While the markets still anticipate a rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week, the likelihood of a move in January has dropped," said Patrick Munnelly, partner at broker Tickmill Group. The CME FedWatch tool shows the market sees a more than 75 percent chance that the Fed will hold rates steady in January. In Europe, the Paris CAC 40 index ended the day down 0.2 percent after French President Emmanuel Macron named his centrist ally Francois Bayrou as prime minister, ending days of deadlock over finding a replacement for Michel Barnier. Frankfurt also dipped, with Germany's central bank sharply downgrading its growth forecasts on Friday for 2025 and 2026. It predicted a prolonged period of weakness for Europe's biggest economy. London stocks were also lower after official data showed that the UK economy unexpectedly shrank for the second consecutive month in October. The euro recovered after flirting with two-year lows against the dollar following a warning Thursday by ECB president Christine Lagarde that the eurozone economy was "losing momentum", cautioning that "the risk of greater friction in global trade could weigh on euro area growth". In Asia, Hong Kong and Shanghai both tumbled as investors were unimpressed with Beijing's pledge to introduce measures aimed at "lifting consumption vigorously" as part of a drive to reignite growth in the world's number two economy. President Xi Jinping and other key leaders said at the annual Central Economic Work Conference they would implement a "moderately loose" monetary policy, increase social financing and reducing interest rates "at the right time". The gathering came after Beijing in September began unveiling a raft of policies to reverse a growth slump that has gripped the economy for almost two years. "We're still not convinced that policy support will prevent the economy from slowing further next year", said Julian Evans-Pritchard, head of China economics at research group Capital Economics. Among individual equities, chip company Broadcom surged nearly 25 percent after reporting a 51 percent jump in quarterly revenues to $14.1 billion behind massive growth in AI-linked business. New York - Dow: DOWN 0.2 percent at 43,828.06 (close) New York - S&P 500: FLAT at 6,051.09 (close) New York - Nasdaq Composite: UP 0.1 percent at 19,926.72 (close) London - FTSE 100: DOWN 0.1 percent at 8,300.33 (close) Paris - CAC 40: DOWN 0.2 percent at 7,409.57 (close) Frankfurt - DAX: DOWN 0.1 percent at 20,405.92 (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.0 percent at 39,470.44 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng Index: DOWN 2.1 percent at 19,971.24 (close) Shanghai - Composite: DOWN 2.0 percent at 3,391.88 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.0504 from $1.0467 on Thursday Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.2622 from $1.2673 Dollar/yen: UP at 153.60 yen from 152.63 yen Euro/pound: UP at 83.19 pence from 82.59 pence Brent North Sea Crude: UP 1.5 percent at $74.49 per barrel West Texas Intermediate: UP 1.8 percent at $71.29 per barrel burs-jmb/stPM congragulates SDA Church in Bougainville

Trudeau told Trump Americans would also suffer if tariffs are imposed, a Canadian minister saysAP News Summary at 10:00 p.m. ESTSupporters of Luigi Mangione , the man accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, say he is a political prisoner. The December 4 Legal Committee, comprised of 15 volunteers from around the country, formed shortly after Mangione's arrest on December 9 and created a GiveSendGo fundraiser for the suspect's legal expenses. At the time of publication, the fundraiser has over $84,000 in donations . D4 committee spokesperson Sam Beard told Newsweek that assassination is a "political act," making someone who engages in an assassination a political prisoner. "It is not the celebration of murder, but the political desire for a healthcare system that actually cares for people that has led to an outpouring of support for Luigi from all walks of American life," Beard said. "Our legal system treats single incidents of violence much more harshly than the legalized, structural violence that allows insurance companies to profit from people in their most vulnerable moments," he added. "If Woody Guthrie were around today, he might say, 'some people kill you with a ghost gun, some people kill you with an algorithm,'" Beard said. While a motive in the killing has yet to be determined, Mangione criticized the United States health care system in a three-page manifesto recovered by law enforcement. "United is the [indecipherable] largest company in the US by market cap, behind only Apple , Google , Walmart . It has grown and grown, but [h]as our life expectancy?" the manifesto said. "No the reality is, these [indecipherable] have simply gotten too powerful, and they continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it." New York City Police Department Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York on Thursday that Mangione was not a UHC client but may have targeted the insurance company because of its size and influence. Beard told Newsweek that no one in the committee knows Mangione personally but they support his coming legal battles. "To see why this fundraiser is important, simply take a look at all the other crowdfunding campaigns in the U.S. The vast majority are for medical expenses from people in desperate situations, the exact situations that insurance theoretically should protect against. It doesn't," Beard said. "The medical insurance industry is a scheme to profit off pain, sickness and death. It doesn't work for anyone but the people at the top." Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.

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. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Alyssa Nakken, first full-time female coach in MLB history, leaving Giants to join Guardians CLEVELAND (AP) — Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in an MLB game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt. Nakken, 34, will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26. In a 'Final Four-type weekend,' two top-6 clashes put women's college basketball focus on West Coast LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two games featuring four powerhouse teams has put the focus in women's college basketball on the West Coast this weekend. JuJu Watkins and No. 3 Southern California host Hannah Hidalgo and No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. Top-ranked South Carolina visits Lauren Betts and fifth-ranked UCLA on Sunday. Both games are nationally televised and the arenas are expected to be packed. WNBA scouts will be on hand to check out some of the nation's top talent. Two teams will come away with their first losses of the season. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb calls it “a Final Four-type weekend.” A documentary featuring Watkins will air on NBC ahead of USC's game, which leads into the Army-Notre Dame football game. Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga Blame it on the noodles. That's what one Chinese official suggested when anti-doping leaders were looking for answers for the doping scandal that cast a shadow over this year's Olympic swim meet. Earlier this year, reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication emerged. None were sanctioned because Chinese authorities determined the swimmers were contaminated by traces of the drug spread about a hotel kitchen. In a strange twist, the leader of China's anti-doping agency suggested this case could have been similar to one in which criminals were responsible for tainting noodles that were later eaten by another Chinese athlete who also tested positive for the drug.Village People founder Victor Willis is once again tackling two issues surrounding the disco band’s 1970s smash hit “Y.M.C.A.”: Donald Trump’s use of the track in his 2024 presidential campaign and the characterization of the song as a “gay anthem.” In a lengthy Facebook post on Monday (Dec. 2), the 73-year-old singer-songwriter doubled down on why he chose to let the president-elect play “Y.M.C.A.” at rallies and events leading up to his win in November, with Willis saying he “didn’t have the heart” to block the usage — despite originally asking Trump to stop in 2020 — upon realizing that the politician seemed to “genuinely like” and was “having a lot of fun” with “Y.M.C.A.” Plus, as Willis noted, the dance tune has only “benefited greatly” in terms of chart placements and sales since the twice-impeached former POTUS incorporated it into his campaign. “Therefore, I’m glad I allowed the President Elect’s continued use of Y.M.C.A.” the musician wrote. “And I thank him for choosing to use my song.” Willis also pointed out that Trump had, according to him, obtained the necessary license from BMI to play the song. The artist previously noted that the billionaire was legally allowed to use “Y.M.C.A.” in an October press release , in which Willis also stated that — despite supporting Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in the 2024 election — he would not go through any channels to bar Trump from using the track as it would’ve been “stupid and just plain hateful” to do so. Controversy surrounding Trump’s unauthorized use of artists’ music is nothing new, with Village People — prior to Willis’ change of heart — being just one of many acts since the polarizing president elect’s first White House bid in 2016 to ask that he stop playing their songs at campaign events without direct approval. This year alone, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, the Foo Fighters, Jack White and several others issued statements slamming Trump for doing so, while Isaac Hayes’ estate went as far as filing a lawsuit against the politician in August for using the late soul singer’s “Hold On, I’m Coming” at multiple rallies. However, as Willis noted in his post, it can pay to be on Trump’s playlists. In November, “Y.M.C.A.” ascended to the top of Billboard ‘s Top Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart more than four decades after its release, spending two weeks at No. 1. And according to the Village People star, the song “is estimated to gross several million dollars since the President Elect’s continued use of the song.” As for another debacle that has “reached a fever pitch” amid Trump’s continued use of “Y.M.C.A.,” according to Willis, the singer wrote that any branding of the track as a “gay anthem” is “completely misguided” and “damaging to the song.” He also threatened legal action against “each and every news organization that falsely refers” to it as such starting in January 2025, although he personally doesn’t mind if “gays think of the song as their anthem.” “This assumption is also based on the fact that the YMCA was apparently being used as some sort of gay hangout, and since one of the writers [Jacques Morali] was gay and some of the Village People are gay, the song must be a message to gay people,” Willis wrote. “To that I say, once again, get your minds out of the gutter. It is not ... such notion is based solely on the song’s lyrics alluding to [illicit] activity for which it does not.” “Y.M.C.A.” has indeed been widely adopted by the LGBTQ community over the years, with many interpreting the lyrics as references to the gym chain’s reputation as a popular cruising site back in the day — plus, the track comes from a 1978 album titled Cruisin ’. Even so, Willis’ latest post is not the first time he’s sought to distance the track from the gay anthem label, writing in a 2020 Facebook post : “No one group can claim Y.M.C.A. as somehow belonging to them or somehow their anthem. I won’t allow my iconic song to be placed in a box like that.” Clearly, Willis hasn’t budged on his stance in the four years since. “The true anthem is Y.M.C.A.’s appeal to people of all strips including President Elect Trump,” he concluded in his Monday post. “But the song is not really a gay anthem other than certain people falsely suggesting that it is.”Good London Builders 2024 Property Renovation Report: Consumer Technology Winning Over Wealthy Homeowners in Connected Home Market

zkMe Network Celebrates Second Anniversary, Announces Strategic Ecosystem Rewards Program for 2025 12-02-2024 11:58 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: LianPR Image: https://www.getnews.info/uploads/8c93e174729b63b281265de5934ee77c.jpg zkMe [ https://www.zk.me/ ] Network celebrates its second anniversary with significant ecosystem growth and technological advancement, marking the occasion with the launch of a strategic ecosystem rewards program and plans for a comprehensive tokenomics model in 2025. As a decentralized identity infrastructure powered by zero-knowledge proofs, zkMe provides private and secure identity verification with enhanced data protection. The platform enables users to authorize multi-chain applications with a single verification, serving as an all-in-one identity solution across chains.Through its decentralized node network, zkMe Network ensures transparent verification processes while allowing users to maintain control of their data and earn rewards from credential sharing. As the Web3 industry navigates increasing regulatory requirements, with the EU's MiCA regulations taking effect in 2025, zkMe's zero-knowledge proof technology continues to set the standard for privacy-preserving compliance solutions. The platform's innovative approach has earned recognition from leading investment firms, securing over $6 million in total funding, including a recent $4 million seed round led by Multicoin Capital with participation from OKX Ventures and Robot Ventures. "In the digital age, privacy data may be your most valuable personal asset," states Alex Scheer, Founder and CEO of zkMe. Born in Germany, Alex's vision for data sovereignty emerged from deep reflection on digital privacy. "Every day, we leave digital footprints through transactions, investments, and social interactions in the blockchain ecosystem. While these activities create value, they can also become vulnerabilities that expose our personal information. This profound understanding of digital privacy challenges drove our team to establish zkMe as a global privacy solution," Alex explains. Perhaps what's most striking about zkMe is the team's approach to building. "Think of us as modern digital craftsmen," Alex shares with enthusiasm. "We have the precision of German engineering but move at Web3 speed. While others might focus on crafting fancy narratives, we hands-on build identity infrastructure that deploys advanced identity solutions across 20+ major blockchain networks. Self-sovereign identity, value-generating data sharing, and decentralized privacy are not just goals-they're our foundations." In crypto, you need to be fast AND flawless - that's the standard we've set for ourselves." This patient, methodical approach has served them well in an industry often characterized by hype cycles. The team's market assessment quickly proved accurate. "The market response has been remarkable," Alex explains. "We're seeing users actively seek out our privacy-preserving solution, especially given their growing concerns about identity data breaches. Leading investors have also recognized this potential, backing our vision with their support. These strong signals confirm what we believed from the start - that decentralized identity verification would become essential for the future of Web3." zkMe has established partnerships with more than 70 Web3 projects across various sectors, including Real-World Asset (RWA) integration, On-and-Off-ramps platforms such as Plume and Xion Global, as well as DeFi and Gaming Infrastructure projects like KyberSwap, Hinkal, Singularity, and CARV. The platform's mobile application has reached 33,090 downloads and processed over 660,000 user attestations, demonstrating strong user adoption and market demand. The company's technological infrastructure features several key innovations: Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKP): A decentralized identity network powered by zero-knowledge proofs, enabling private verification while meeting compliance requirements Reusable credentials: An all-in-one identity verification solution that unlocks multi-chain application access with just one verification zkMe Identity Network [ https://www.zk.me/zkkyc]: A decentralized network that ensures transparent verification processes while allowing users to control their data and earn rewards from credential sharing Looking ahead to 2025, zkMe will introduce a comprehensive tokenomics model that aligns ecosystem value with participant contributions. The platform has developed a strategic framework that focuses on three key pillars: * Early supporters will receive ecosystem rewards through a structured incentive mechanism * Active users will gain priority rights in future value distribution events * Data contributors will benefit from a sustainable value-sharing system The robust technological foundation enables zkMe to deliver unique value across the entire Web3 ecosystem. For users, the platform ensures true data sovereignty, enabling both secure verification and value capture through reusable credentials. Projects benefit from streamlined compliance infrastructure that dramatically reduces KYC costs while eliminating data breach risks. Meanwhile, developers can leverage a comprehensive SDK and API suite for rapid ecosystem integration and expansion. As zkMe marks its second anniversary milestone, the platform acknowledges the crucial role of community support in its development journey. The upcoming year promises to be transformative, as the maturation of tokenomics and decentralized governance structures will usher in a season of unprecedented rewards for early contributors. Through these concrete actions, zkMe demonstrates that in this era of possibilities, privacy and compliance are not mutually exclusive choices but complementary forces driving industry advancement. "We're not just solving current identity verification challenges," Alex emphasizes, outlining a grander vision. "Through self-sovereign identity management, users will actively match services and discover opportunities, truly creating value from their own data. This embodies the real spirit of Web3 - decentralization and anonymity while giving users complete control over their digital assets and identity data." About zkMe zkMe builds zk Identity Oracles [ https://www.zk.me/identity-oracle ] for truly decentralized & anonymous cross-chain credential verifications. No personal information is ever processed by anyone but the user themselves. Data leaks & misuse by the service provider are impossible; full interoperability & reusability result in a superior ID solution. zkMe is the only FATF compliant KYC provider to be fully decentralized, offering a full suite of products from anti-bit/anti-sybil, to KYC and more. Contacts: Email: contact@zk.me Website: www.zk.me [ http://www.zk.me/ ] Twitter: @zkme_ [ https://x.com/zkme_ ] Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Media Contact Company Name: ZkMe Contact Person: Johnny Chan Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=zkme-network-celebrates-second-anniversary-announces-strategic-ecosystem-rewards-program-for-2025 ] State: Hong Kong Country: China Website: http://www.zk.me This release was published on openPR.

Patty Tavatanakit, Jake Knapp take Grant Thornton leadWASHINGTON, D.C. — Elon Musk, bouncing between meetings on Capitol Hill with his young son on his shoulders, and Vivek Ramaswamy spoke with large groups of lawmakers on Thursday about a significant effort to slash government spending once President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. “It’s a new thing and this is a new day in Washington, a new day in America,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said of the incoming Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, before entering a meeting with Musk, Ramaswamy and top Republican congressional leaders. Johnson said the “brainstorming session” was “the beginning of a journey” and wouldn’t produce detailed plans this week. Musk declined to answer reporters’ questions as he smiled and walked quickly ahead of the speaker with his 4-year-old son. But the pair of wealthy business leaders who Trump named to run the new unofficial agency have offered some public hints about where they might target their efforts — particularly in firing or pressuring government workers to quit, reversing regulations and eliminating areas of funding. What does DOGE mean for Maryland? Their plans could have an outsized impact in Maryland . With about 160,000 civilian federal jobs, the state is home to the headquarters of the Social Security Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Census Bureau and more. It also relies heavily on federal funding that pads about a third of the state budget — which is already strapped for cash in the coming years — and provides aid to local organizations. A DOGE social media account on X, which Musk owns, has specifically singled out funding at the National Institutes of Health. Headquartered in Bethesda, the national medical research agency makes major investments in health research across the state, with Maryland as one of its major beneficiaries. A post from DOGE last week claimed NIH spent $1.8 billion “studying racism” in 2024 through grants with names like “examining anti-racist healing in nature.” A Baltimore Sun review of the data referenced in the post indicates the $1.8 billion were actually funds from the 1992 through 2025 fiscal years. Maryland institutions have received the fifth-most amount of those funds, primarily because of research conducted at Johns Hopkins University, which was also the fifth-largest individual recipient of funds in the country. The Johns Hopkins grants, at least for the category referenced by DOGE, have focused on researching health disparities, including in areas like cancer, suicide, pediatrics and reproductive health. U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat and member of the Appropriations Committee that would have more authority to determine government spending than the unofficial DOGE, said he would defend the kind of funding that’s been identified so far. “Everyone agrees government should work more efficiently. But by targeting science, MAGA Republicans are ultimately going after efforts to develop life-saving cures for diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s and threatening public health,” Van Hollen said in a statement. “Our nation’s research should remain grounded in science, not driven by politics, which is why I will always fight to protect the integrity of our public health agencies as well as the people who drive them forward.” A Johns Hopkins spokesperson did not return a request for comment Thursday. U.S. Rep. Kweisi Mfume, a Democrat whose Baltimore-based district includes the campus, also did not immediately return a request for comment. Who’s joining the DOGE caucus? Maryland’s mostly Democratic federal delegation has not joined or publicly supported DOGE as a few other congressional Democrats have. U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican, has been named the chair of a new DOGE subcommittee on the House Oversight Committee when the next session begins in January. U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, of Florida, became the first Democrat to join the caucus. In a hearing Thursday about the assassination attempts against Trump this year, Moskowitz said he joined because he wants to reform the Department of Homeland Security, including removing from its control the U.S. Secret Service that came under fire after Trump was shot in July. Those kinds of changes will be easier said than done, he noted. “Everyone wants to protect their sacred cow,” Moskowitz said during the hearing. ‘A lot of change’ coming to Washington, speaker says While Johnson claimed there was “an enormous amount of waste, fraud and abuse in the government,” efforts to identify and eliminate federal spending is far from new, and spending has ultimately increased under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Musk has said he plans to reduce the $6.8 trillion budget by $2 trillion, a figure that would require drastic cuts. And though entitlement programs like Medicare and Social Security are major cost-drivers, Greene told reporters after one of the meetings Thursday that “no one wants to hurt Americans in that category.” The closed-door meetings included both small and large groups of House members and senators. Republicans will control both chambers once the next session of Congress begins Jan. 3 and before Trump takes office Jan. 20. “You’re going to see a lot of change around here in Washington and the way things are run,” Johnson said. ©2024 Baltimore Sun. Visit baltimoresun.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

House rejects Democratic efforts to force release of Matt Gaetz ethics report