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jili medusa Albany scores 24 4th-quarter points to overtake Hampton 41-34Special to the Gazette The City of Boston has announced a new program to support Boston homeowners in building Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) on their property. This initiative, administered by the Boston Home Center (BHC), a division of the Mayor’s Office of Housing, offers a new bank loan option alongside grants and other financial assistance to help cover costs related to designing, permitting, and building an ADU. Additionally, the Planning Department is releasing an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Guidebook, an illustrated manual that will help property owners in Boston who may want to build an ADU on their property. This book is available online, and in all Boston Public Library branches. Building on the Mayor’s leadership to make Boston a home for everyone, these steps are important to increasing the City’s multigenerational housing stock, keeping families together and building wealth. “Accessory Dwelling Units are a powerful tool in our efforts to address the housing crisis in Boston,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “By creating more flexible and affordable living options, ADUs allow homeowners to maximize their property while contributing to the availability of housing in our neighborhoods. This initiative not only supports families looking to generate extra income or house loved ones but also strengthens our communities with more diverse and accessible housing choices.” Through the loan programs, the BHC provides income-eligible owners of 1-3 unit homes who plan to add an ADU with a Technical Assistant Grant of up to $7,500. This grant provides eligible homeowners with targeted funding and staff guidance throughout the pre-construction phases of researching, designing, and permitting their ADU. Additionally, homeowners can apply for an ADU Loan from the City of up to $50,000 to support construction costs. The ADU Loan carries 0% interest and is deferred, meaning there are no monthly payments. Homeowners approved for this program are paired with a BHC Construction Specialist who monitors progress throughout the building process. Eligible homeowners who receive an ADU Loan may also explore additional financing opportunities with participating lenders. To qualify for the program, applicants must meet specific income and asset limits. “Accessory Dwelling Units are an important part of our strategy to expand housing options in Boston,” said Sheila A. Dillon, Chief of Housing. “ADUs give homeowners a way to create additional living spaces that can serve as a source of income, provide housing for family members, and help address the city’s housing needs. By making it easier to build ADUs, we are supporting residents, increasing housing supply, and strengthening neighborhoods.” As part of this effort, the City is also piloting a new ADU Bank Loan in partnership with local banks, Leader Bank, Dedham/Southshore Bank, Needham Bank, and the Cooperative Bank. Recognizing the challenges posed by construction expenses, the Boston Home Center and the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics initiated a collaboration with Harvard’s Laboratory for Values in the Built Environment and local lending institutions to develop innovative solutions that ensure low- and moderate- income homeowners can access the unique benefits ADUs provide. This resulting loan fills a gap in the market, providing affordable financing to cover construction costs associated with building ADUs. Our research shows that homeowners need new loan products to meet the unique opportunity that rental ADUs can offer homeowners, and provide equitable access to ADU financing,” said Charu Singh, Research Associate at the Laboratory for Values in the Built Environment at Harvard GSD. “I’m proud of the groundbreaking work our group has done to equitably expand the lending toolbox, especially during this time when Boston is struggling with too few housing options and high costs.” Building on Mayor Wu’s commitment to remove barriers to building ADUs across Boston’s neighborhoods, the ADU Guidebook is designed to provide homeowners with practical guidance and inspiration for adding an ADU to their property, whether it is for additional living space, rental income, or housing family members. The ADU Guidebook features realistic, buildable designs tailored to Boston’s neighborhoods. Although the designs will still require permits and may need review by the Zoning Board of Appeal, they offer a clear starting point to help residents more easily move forward with their ADU. It will be available online and at all Boston Public Library branches. “This Guidebook is a fantastic starting point for anyone looking to add another unit to their home, and we hope it will inspire people to see ADUs as an expedient and unique way to add to our housing stock,” said Chief of Planning Kairos Shen. “I look forward to working with the community on new complementary zoning that will make the process of adding an ADU more flexible and affordable.” These initiatives align with the City’s broader zoning reform efforts to enable more housing options across Boston. By updating zoning regulations, the City aims to break down barriers and foster flexible housing solutions. ADUs not only help increase the housing stock but also offer residents opportunities to age in place, provide extra space for growing families, or generate rental income. ADUs can help residents stay in their neighborhoods, adapt their homes, and address their evolving needs. By allowing various forms of ADUs, the City aims to help homeowners fully utilize their properties, create more space, or unlock new income opportunities. Founded in 2010 as one of the first municipal innovation offices in the world, the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics serves as the City’s civic research and design team, building partnerships between internal and external agencies to pilot projects that increase the quality of life for all of Boston’s residents and visitors. The City of Boston’s Planning Department shapes growth that serves Boston’s residents and centers their needs. Our mission is to address our City’s greatest challenges: resilience, affordability, and equity, and to take real estate actions and prioritize planning, development, and urban design solutions that further these priorities. We seek to build trust with communities through transparent processes that embrace predictable growth and shape a more inclusive city for all.Now that election campaign promises, shenanigans and peccadillos are over, it is a time to engage the Governor and Governor-elect of Ondo State on managing distractions from the so-called godfathers who would normally seek jobs for their people who ‘helped’ to secure victory the other day. In all modesty, I know our country enough to know how the greed of the elite has crippled the most populous black nation on earth, Nigeria. This may not be a time to talk about how the greed of the elite has also crippled the national electricity grid that is supposed to trigger industrial development. But it is a time to get our leaders at all levels to note that enough is enough of frivolities and mediocrity they celebrate on live television for self-glorification every day. And so let me appeal to the newly hired Governor of Ondo State not to allow members of his ‘kitchen cabinet’ to impute motives for solution articles at this time. The reason for this seemingly unnecessary appeal is not far-fetched: some of the media aides of political leaders have always had several drafts of how to lambast commentators who even advise their principals on how to set off legacy projects, let alone those who point out what they aren’t doing well. Some of the aides we have watched over the years at all levels have always concocted conspiracy theories about why certain writers, and even television anchors should be ignored by their principals. They don’t study the messages; they go for the jugular of the messengers for their “bad verses”. Most times, the perverted public relations officers keep evil files of even the problems they cause and seek ways of benefitting from crises by discrediting anchors and commentators. Political leaders should be aware of these crisis merchants and mediocrities in their public relations space. And so, the Governor-elect of Ondo state should pay attention to some inconvenient truths and deliverables here so that he can make some difference in Ondo state at this time. He should concentrate on the message for the public good of the people who have also just hired him for the next four years. This stuff is only a fact file that can assist the Governor in strategic planning for revival of institutions of governance of Ondo state that has suffered some reverses as a consequence of slipshod governance the state has been experiencing for some years. Mr. Governor, this isn’t an appraisal of your tenure since you took over from your principal who was called home on 27 December, 2023. This new mandate should be a difference maker of some sort without noise making. And so it should begin with strategic thinking and planning that will remarkably affect the health of the state. And here is the thing, let the new mandate reinforce your significance rather than your prominence. How do I mean that? A cleric and an iconic writer I have quoted several times here, Rick Warren argues in his classic, ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ that there are some people in this life who are prominent but they may not be significant. He says at the same time, there are some significant people who may not be prominent, after all. He reinforces this point by pointing to the fact that God, the Almighty is seeking significant, not prominent people to shape His Kingdom on earth – for the public goods game that leaders play. All over the place, you see most of our even under-achieving leaders spending a lot of money to promote their prominence on the front pages of our news journals and prime time television programmes without any significant projects that can enhance humanity. You see vanity upon vanity as most leaders celebrate on live television, building of overhead bridges and provision of classroom desks and tables for teachers in dilapidated basic schools to showcase their prominence. Mr. Governor, election is over: it is a time to freeze politics and vengeance. It is a time for serious governance. It is a time to headhunt competent professionals and scholars who understand the technicality of rebuilding the broken walls all over Ondo state. It is a time for you to be a Nehemiah who will not care a hoot about the distractions of the discouragers –Tobiah and Sambalat who don’t like common-good projects. It is a time to shun partisan politics and visit some states in this same country where some progress has been made without noise in the media. If you do extra-ordinary things, citizen journalists in the area will post them to the public space for free at this time. Behold, visit states such as Akwa Ibom, Oyo, Ebonyi, Borno, and Enugu where you will find some exemplary spectacles. Don’t think about party affiliations at this time. It may not have been prominent in the media, but when you get to Akwa Ibom state that has used the model of public, private partnership (PPP) to run a flourishing airline, you will see the power of how state governments too can reform and run business as they do in Asia and most parts of the Middle East. I mean at the time our Federal Government, which exclusively oversees the Aviation industry and ministry could only unveil the fake airline (Nigeria Air) they promised for eight years on their last day in office, May 29, 2023, Akwa Ibom state floated Ibom Air within a four-year tenure of a governor. The Ibom Air is still running fruitfully till the present while the Federal Government’s fake airline has become a butt of jokes on dubious public sector enterprises. The state-supported Ibom Air is one of the preferred local airlines in Nigeria despite the inclement business climate in the aviation industry today. Go to Akwa Ibom where you will see on-going construction of a 10-lane road to the airport they had built before they established the airline. Governor Aiyedatiwa, go quietly to aforementioned states and see the difference between significance and prominence that define legacy and infamy, development and underdevelopment. Go to Oyo and see what the State Governor, Seyi Makinde has done about revival of Independent Power Project the regional government of Obafemi Awolowo left, but all former Governors abandoned inside Ibadan. Time to prioritise education: Mr. Governor, don’t get it twisted, you need to prioritise education quality in Ondo State. The state of public schools at all levels is quite unconscionable and that has resulted in the state’s poor results from national examinations bodies. Part of this tragic situation in basic and secondary schools was captured the other day by Otunba Sola Olatunji who wrote a piece on this debacle before the election campaigns. It isn’t beyond redemption. Mr. Governor, reviving education facilities in Ondo State requires a multi-faceted approach. Here’s a comprehensive plan for your team to consider: Infrastructure development Conduct a thorough assessment of all education facilities in the state to identify areas of need. Develop a phased plan to renovate and reconstruct schools, focusing on the most critical ones first. Invest in modern educational infrastructure, including smart classrooms, libraries, and laboratories as the Enugu state government is doing with education management experts in the state. Besides, ensure that all schools have access to basic amenities like electricity, water, and sanitation facilities. Teacher training and development Provide regular training and capacity-building programmes for teachers to enhance their skills and knowledge. Most of the teachers were drafted to the classrooms from even the Local Government Council Service Commission, etc long ago. There is a need to collaborate with reputable institutions to offer certification programmes in modern teaching techniques for teachers. Besides, the state’s education authorities need to encourage teachers to pursue higher education and provide incentives for those who do. That is another way of fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional development among teachers. You can recruit first class graduates as teachers and train those that didn’t have teaching certificates. To retrain them, pay them as consultants and specialists. Curriculum review and development This is 21st century where innovative technologies drive development. It should begin with education curriculum review. The state should conduct a comprehensive review of the current curriculum to ensure it is relevant and is aligned with modern educational standards. You don’t need to wait for Abuja to develop a new curriculum that incorporates STEM education, vocational training, and life skills. Ensure that the curriculum is inclusive and caters to the needs of students with disabilities. The state should sing a new song in education funding mechanism by providing resources and support for teachers to effectively implement the new curriculum. Technology Integration For the development goals to be sustainable in education, there should be investment in digital infrastructure, including computers, tablets, and internet connectivity, to facilitate e-learning. That is the only way we can face tomorrow as citizens, lest we become part of the huge population of the illiterate of the 21st century who can’t learn, unlearn and relearn as Alvin Toffler warns. In the main, the schools should be funded to develop online platforms and resources to support teaching and learning. There should also be provision for training for teachers to effectively integrate technology into their teaching practices. The Education system should encourage the use of educational software and apps to enhance student learning. This is where the authorities should be intentional in employing computer and data science graduates and pay them well to retain them so that they can integrate technology into learning. Community engagement and partnerships There should be skillset of development experts in the system to foster partnerships with local communities, businesses, and organisations to support education initiatives. In the same vein, the education authorities should establish a mentorship programme that pairs students with professionals and entrepreneurs. There should be constructive engagements to develop a culture of volunteerism and community service among students and teachers. Funding and resource mobilisation To make the desired difference Mr. Governor should allocate a significant portion of the state budget to education. Politicians don’t want to do this because they feel it is intangible unlike over-head bridges and water boreholes. There can also be exploration of alternative funding sources, such as public-private partnerships and international grants. The state government can establish an education endowment fund to support scholarships, research, and infrastructure development. Modern governments in ‘glocal’ context encourage philanthropic donations and corporate social responsibility initiatives to support education. Do we need three universities in Ondo? There should always be needs assessment to determine whether the state can cope with three universities that have obviously been underfunded in Akungba, Okitipupa and Ondo City, in this regard. I was in Akungba by this time last year where I delivered the Convocation lecture of the oldest university. The premier university I saw there still needs robust funding for physical structures and equipment they need to live up to their billing as an ivory tower. The University of Science and Technology in Okitipupa and the University of Medical Sciences in Ondo require strategic funding to restore the ‘universe’ that they may have lost to under-funding. It is a time to revisit the feasibility reports on the three universities before it is too late. Do we need more or better universities? Over to you Governor Aiyedatiwa even as we say, congratulations!

RETAIL SECTOR | BLACK FRIDAY NEW YORK — Retailers in the U.S. rewarded shoppers who ventured out for Black Friday with giveaways and bigger-than expected discounts on a day that still reigns as the much-hyped kickoff of the holiday shopping season despite losing some luster. Department stores, shopping malls and merchants — big and small — see the day after Thanksgiving as a way to energize shoppers and to get them into physical stores at a time when many do the bulk of their browsing and buying online. Enough consumers enjoy holiday shopping in person that Black Friday remains the biggest day of the year for retail foot traffic in the U.S., according to retail technology company Sensormatic Solutions. In the U.S., analysts envision a solid holiday shopping season, though perhaps not as robust as last year's, with many shoppers cautious with their discretionary spending despite the easing of inflation. People are also reading... At many stores, the huge crowds of Black Fridays past never returned after the coronavirus pandemic. Early Friday morning, a Walmart in Germantown, Maryland, had only half of its parking spots filled. Some shoppers were returning items or doing their routine grocery shopping. Retailers are even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there are five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. Target had an exclusive book devoted to Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and a bonus edition of her "The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology" album that it said would only be available in stores on Black Friday. Customers can buy them online starting Saturday. Best Buy introduced an extended-release version of the doorbuster, the limited-time daily discounts that for years were the rage and sometimes sparked brawls. The nation's largest consumer electronics chain has released doorbuster deals every Friday since Nov. 8. Michael Brown, a partner at global strategy and management consulting firm Kearney, reported seeing no lines at the Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, 10 minutes before the 7 a.m. opening. "It's not the old Black Friday that we used to know, " he said. Retailers that offered at least 40% off drove shoppers' attention, according to Brown. For example, Forever 21 had 50% to 70% discounts and had lines to the stores, while H&M, which offered 30% discounts, was relatively quiet. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Challenging the traditional approach to human-robot interaction

Terre Haute's Tommy John misses Hall of Fame induction once againHeisman Trophy finalist and two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter was named The Associated Press Big 12 defensive player of the year while also being a first-team selection at wide receiver on Thursday. Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is the league's top offensive player. Kenny Dillingham, the 34-year-old in his second season at Arizona State, was the unanimous choice as Big 12 coach of the year after leading his alma mater to a championship and a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Sun Devils (11-2) went into their league debut as the preseason pick to finish last among the 16 teams. At cornerback, Hunter had 31 tackles, tied for the Big 12 lead with 11 pass breakups and was tied for second with four interceptions. On offense, he leads the Big 12 with 92 receptions and 14 receiving touchdowns, and is second with 1,152 yards receiving. His 21 catches of at least 20 yards are the most nationally. He is also the AP's player of the year. Sanders is the Big 12 passing leader, completing 337 of 454 passes (74.2%) for 3,926 yards and a school-record 35 touchdowns with eight interceptions for the Buffaloes (10-2) Arizona State freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is 11-1 as a starter, is the league’s top newcomer. The Michigan State transfer has 2,663 yards passing with 24 touchdowns and only five picks in 304 attempts. LAS VEGAS — Former Florida and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen has agreed to lead UNLV's 24th-ranked football program, two people with knowledge of the hire said Wednesday. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made. The 52-year-old Mullen replaces Barry Odom, who left for Purdue on Sunday after going 19-8 and helping the Rebels receive back-to-back bowl invitations for the first time in program history. UNLV will play California in the LA Bowl on Wednesday. UNLV athletic director Erick Harper wasted little time in finding Odom's replacement. Mullen, most recently an ESPN college football analyst, went 103-61 at Florida and Mississippi State. Rich Rodriguez is returning to West Virginia for a second stint as head coach at his alma mater. Athletic director Wren Baker announced the hiring on Thursday, 17 years after Rodriguez made a hasty exit for what became a disastrous three-year experiment at Michigan. “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez and his family back home,” Baker said in a statement. “Coach Rodriguez understands what it takes to win at West Virginia, and I believe he will pour his heart, soul and every ounce of his energy into our program. I am convinced Coach Rodriguez wants what is best for West Virginia, WVU and West Virginia football, and I am excited about the future of our program.” Rodriguez, who is the current coach at Jacksonville State, an architect of the spread offense and a polarizing figure in his home state, replaces Neal Brown, who was fired on Dec. 1 after going 37-35 in six seasons, including 6-6 this year. TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona star receiver Tetairoa McMillan declared for the NFL draft following three stellar seasons. McMillan announced his decision Thursday on Instagram. “Now, it’s time to take the next step. ... I’m officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft,” McMillan posted. “This is only the beginning.” McMillian is Arizona's all-time leader in receiving yards, finishing with 3,423 in three seasons, and is projected to be a first-round NFL draft pick. The NCAA is taking its Football Championship Subdivision title game back to Tennessee. The FCS championship games at the end of the 2025 and 2026 seasons will be played in Nashville on the Vanderbilt campus. This season’s game will be played Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, which will host the game for a record 15th season in a row and was set for at least two more. UCLA announced Tino Sunseri’s hiring as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Sunseri replaces Eric Bieniemy, who was fired on Dec. 5 after fielding one of the nation’s worst offenses this season. Sunseri spent one season as Indiana’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after following Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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The first guest invited to ring the bell to open trading at the New York Stock Exchange in 1956 wasn’t a company executive, a politician or a well-known celebrity. It was a 10-year-old boy, Leonard Ross, who received the honor by winning a television quiz show. Since then, business titans, political giants and global film stars have all been among those ringing the opening bell at the NYSE. Ronald Reagan rang the bell as president in 1985. Billionaire businessman and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Hollywood star Robert Downey Jr. have also rung the bell. The list even includes famous Muppets: Miss Piggy was once a bell ringer. President-elect Donald Trump joined that list Thursday when he opened trading at the famous stock exchange on Wall Street. He was accompanied by his wife, Melania, who interestingly enough received the honor before her husband. As first lady, she rang the bell in 2019 as part of her “Be Best” program. Bell-ringers are more commonly founders and executives from a wide range of companies. Over the last few months, the guests have included executives from Alaska Air Group, Bath & Body Works, and Ally Financial. Stock trading around the location of the NYSE's current home has deep roots that trace back to the Dutch founding of New Amsterdam and when Wall Street had an actual wall. The NYSE traces its direct roots to the “Buttonwood Agreement” signed in 1792, which set rules for stock trading and commissions. The NYSE moved into its first permanent home in 1865. The first bell in use was actually a gong. The exchange moved into its current iconic building in 1903 and started using an electronically operated brass bell. That has evolved into synchronized bells in each of the NYSE’s four trading areas.

In the days after the presidential election, Sadie Perez began carrying pepper spray with her around campus. Her mom also ordered her and her sister a self-defense kit that included keychain spikes, a hidden knife key and a personal alarm. It’s a response to an emboldened fringe of right-wing “manosphere” influencers who have seized on Republican Donald Trump ’s presidential win to justify and amplify misogynistic derision and threats online. Many have appropriated a 1960s abortion rights rallying cry, declaring “Your body, my choice” at women online and on college campuses. For many women, the words represent a worrying harbinger of what might lie ahead as some men perceive the election results as a rebuke of reproductive rights and women’s rights. The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App “The fact that I feel like I have to carry around pepper spray like this is sad,” said Perez, a 19-year-old political science student in Wisconsin. “Women want and deserve to feel safe.” Isabelle Frances-Wright, director of technology and society at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think tank focusing on polarization and extremism, said she had seen a “very large uptick in a number of types of misogynistic rhetoric immediately after the election,” including some “extremely violent misogyny.” “I think many progressive women have been shocked by how quickly and aggressively this rhetoric has gained traction,” she said. The phrase “Your body, my choice” has been largely attributed to a post on the social platform X from Nick Fuentes, a Holocaust-denying white nationalist and far-right internet personality who dined at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club in Florida two years ago. In statements responding to criticism of that event, Trump said he had “never met and knew nothing about” Fuentes before he arrived. Mary Ruth Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis School of Law, said the phrase transforms the iconic abortion rights slogan into an attack on women’s right to autonomy and a personal threat. “The implication is that men should have control over or access to sex with women,” said Ziegler, a reproductive rights expert. Fuentes' post had 35 million views on X within 24 hours, according to a report by Frances-Wright's think tank, and the phrase spread rapidly to other social media platforms. Women on TikTok have reported seeing it inundate their comment sections. The slogan also has made its way offline with boys chanting it in middle schools or men directing it at women on college campuses, according to the Institute for Strategic Dialogue report and social media reports. One mother said her daughter heard the phrase on her college campus three times, the report said. School districts in Wisconsin and Minnesota have sent notices about the language to parents. T-shirts emblazoned with the phrase were pulled off Amazon. Perez said she has seen men respond to shared Snapchat stories for their college class with “Your body, my choice.” “It makes me feel disgusted and infringed upon,” she said. “... It feels like going backwards.” Follow CTV News on Snapchat for the top headlines in Canada and around the world Misogynistic attacks have been part of the social media landscape for years. But Frances-Wright and others who track online extremism and disinformation said language glorifying violence against women or celebrating the possibility of their rights being stripped away has spiked since the election. Online declarations for women to “Get back in the kitchen” or to “Repeal the 19th,” a reference to the constitutional amendment that gave women the right to vote, have spread rapidly. In the days surrounding the election, the extremism think tank found that the top 10 posts on X calling for repeal of the 19th Amendment received more than four million views collectively. A man holding a sign with the words “Women Are Property” sparked an outcry at Texas State University. The man was not a student, faculty or staff, and was escorted off campus, according to the university’s president. The university is “exploring potential legal responses,” he said. Anonymous rape threats have been left on the TikTok videos of women denouncing the election results. And on the far-flung reaches of the web, 4chan forums have called for “rape squads” and the adoption of policies in “ The Handmaid’s Tale ,” a dystopian book and TV series depicting the dehumanization and brutalization of women. “What was scary here was how quickly this also manifested in offline threats,” Frances-Wright said, emphasizing that online discourse can have real-world impacts. Follow CTV News on TikTok for the stories that matter to you Previous violent rhetoric on 4chan has been connected to racially motivated and antisemitic attacks, including a 2022 shooting by a white supremacist in Buffalo that killed ten people. Anti-Asian hate incidents also rose as politicians, including Trump, used words such as “Chinese virus” to describe the COVID-19 pandemic. And Trump’s language targeting Muslims and immigrants in his first campaign correlated with spikes in hate speech and attacks on these groups, Frances-Wright said. The Global Project Against Hate and Extremism reported similar rhetoric, with “numerous violent misogynistic trends” gaining traction on right-wing platforms such 4chan and spreading to more mainstream ones such as X since the election. Throughout the presidential race, Trump’s campaign leaned on conservative podcasts and tailored messaging toward disaffected young men. As Trump took the stage at the Republican National Convention over the summer, the song “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown blared from the speakers. One of several factors to his success this election was modestly boosting his support among men, a shift concentrated among younger voters, according to AP VoteCast, survey of more than 120,000 voters nationwide. But Trump also won support from 44 per cent of women age 18 to 44, according to AP VoteCast. Supporters react to Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump as he wraps up a campaign rally at First Horizon Coliseum, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Greensboro, NC. (Alex Brandon/AP Photo) To some men, Trump's return to the White House is seen as a vindication, gender and politics experts said. For many young women, the election felt like a referendum on women’s rights and Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris ’ loss felt like a rejection of their own rights and autonomy. “For some of these men, Trump’s victory represents a chance to reclaim a place in society that they think they are losing around these traditional gender roles,” Frances-Wright said. None of the current online rhetoric is being amplified by Trump or anyone in his immediate orbit. But Trump has a long history of insulting women, and the spike in such language comes after he ran a campaign that was centered on masculinity and repeatedly attacked Harris over her race and gender. His allies and surrogates also used misogynistic language about Harris throughout the campaign. “With Trump’s victory, many of these men felt like they were heard, they were victorious. They feel that they have potentially a supporter in the White House,” said Dana Brown, executive director of the Pennsylvania Center for Women and Politics. Brown said some young men feel they’re victims of discrimination and have expressed mounting resentment for successes of the women’s rights movement, including #MeToo . The tension also has been influenced by socioeconomic struggles. 5 Things to Know newsletter: Get the biggest headlines in your inbox each morning As women become the majority on college campuses and many professional industries see increasing gender diversity, it has “led to young men scapegoating women and girls, falsely claiming it’s their fault they’re not getting into college anymore as opposed to looking inward,” Brown said. Perez, the political science student, said she and her sister have been leaning on each other, their mother and other women in their lives to feel safer amid the online vitriol. They text each other to make sure they got home safely. They have girls' nights to celebrate wins, including a female majority in student government at their campus in the University of Wisconsin system. “I want to encourage my friends and the women in my life to use their voices to call out this rhetoric and to not let fear take over,” she said.Climate justice group has deep ties to judges, experts involved in litigation amid claims of impartialityPalvella Therapeutics to debut on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “PVLA” as a publicly traded rare disease biopharmaceutical company advancing a late clinical-stage pipeline and a platform for treating serious, rare genetic diseases Strong balance sheet with approximately $80.0 million of cash and cash equivalents, including proceeds from a PIPE financing co-led by BVF Partners, L.P. and Frazier Life Sciences Cash expected to fund operations into the second half of 2027, including through Phase 3 SELVA clinical trial of QTORINTM 3.9% rapamycin anhydrous gel (QTORINTM rapamycin) for the treatment of microcystic lymphatic malformations (microcystic LMs) and Phase 2 clinical trial in cutaneous venous malformations (cutaneous VMs) Microcystic LMs is a chronically debilitating and lifelong genetic disease affecting an estimated more than 30,000 diagnosed patients in the U.S. QTORINTM rapamycin has the potential to be the first approved therapy and standard of care in the U.S. for microcystic LMs and cutaneous VMs WAYNE, Pa., Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Palvella Therapeutics, Inc. (Palvella), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies to treat patients suffering from serious, rare genetic skin diseases for which there are no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapies, today announced the completion of its previously announced merger with Pieris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Pieris). The combined company will operate under the name Palvella Therapeutics, Inc., and its shares are expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on December 16, 2024, under the ticker symbol "PVLA". Palvella will continue to be led by Wes Kaupinen, its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and other members of the Palvella management team. The transaction was approved by Pieris stockholders at a special meeting held on December 11, 2024, and the transaction had been previously approved by Palvella stockholders. "With strong support from leading healthcare-dedicated investors, Palvella is well positioned to enter the public markets and pursue our vision of becoming the leading rare disease company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies to treat patients suffering from serious, rare genetic skin diseases," said Mr. Kaupinen. “This transaction will enable us to accelerate late-stage development of QTORINTM rapamycin, our lead product candidate, for microcystic LMs and cutaneous VMs while also further advancing additional novel product candidates from our QTORINTM platform." Concurrent with the merger, Palvella completed a previously announced oversubscribed $78.9 million private placement co-led by BVF Partners, L.P., an existing investor, and Frazier Life Sciences, a new investor, and with participation from a syndicate of leading healthcare-dedicated investors. Additional new investors include Blue Owl Healthcare Opportunities, Nantahala Capital, DAFNA Capital Management, ADAR1 Capital Management, and a healthcare dedicated fund. Existing investors Samsara BioCapital, Petrichor, CAM Capital, Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Integrated Finance Group (an AscellaHealth partner company), BioAdvance, and Gore Range Capital also participated in the financing. Palvella's cash and cash equivalents of approximately $80.0 million is expected to fund operations into the second half of 2027, including through results from the SELVA Phase 3 clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin for the treatment of microcystic LMs and Phase 2 clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin in cutaneous VMs. Palvella’s research team developed QTORINTM, a patented and versatile platform designed to generate novel topical therapies that penetrate the deep layers of the skin to locally treat a broad spectrum of serious, rare genetic skin diseases. Well-accepted mechanisms of action of rapamycin and other therapeutic agents represent potential therapies for rare genetic skin diseases. However, the adverse event profile of those agents through systemic exposure poses significant barriers to patient adoption. Palvella’s QTORINTM product candidates are designed for targeted, localized delivery of therapeutic agents to pathogenic tissue of interest while minimizing systemic absorption and thereby reducing the risk of unwanted adverse events associated with systemic therapy. Palvella's lead product candidate QTORINTM rapamycin is a novel, patented 3.9% rapamycin anhydrous gel currently under development for the treatment of microcystic LMs, cutaneous VMs, and other serious, functionally debilitating skin diseases driven by the overactivation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. QTORINTM rapamycin has received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation, Fast Track Designation, and Orphan Drug Designation for microcystic LMs and is the recent recipient of up to a $2.6 million FDA Orphan Products Grant. QTORINTM rapamycin has also received Fast Track Designation for venous malformations. QTORINTM rapamycin is protected by issued composition patents covering anhydrous gel formulations of rapamycin, as well as methods of use, in the U.S., Japan, Australia, China and Israel and pending patent applications broadly covering anhydrous gel formulations of rapamycin, as well as methods of use, in the U.S. and other countries. In the third quarter of 2024, Palvella initiated SELVA, a 24-week, Phase 3, single-arm, baseline-controlled clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin administered once daily for the treatment of microcystic LMs. The primary efficacy endpoint is the change from baseline in the overall microcystic LM Investigator Global Assessment (mLM-IGA) at week 24. The Phase 3 study is enrolling approximately 40 subjects, age six or older, at leading vascular anomaly centers across the U.S. Transaction Details Based on the final exchange ratio of approximately 0.30946 shares of Pieris common stock for each share of Palvella common stock, at the closing of the merger, there are approximately 13.95 million shares of the combined company's common stock outstanding on a diluted basis, with prior Pieris stockholders owning approximately 11% on a diluted basis and prior Palvella stockholders (including investors in the private placement) holding approximately 89% of the combined company's outstanding common stock on a diluted basis. In connection with the closing of the merger, Pieris issued a non-transferable contingent value right (CVR) to Pieris shareholders of record immediately prior to the closing, which does not include the former holders of shares of Palvella or the private financing investors. Holders of the CVR will be entitled to receive payments from proceeds received by the combined company, if any, under Pieris' existing partnership agreements with Pfizer and Boston Pharmaceuticals, in addition to other potential licensing agreements involving certain of Pieris' legacy assets, as well as certain potential payments related to historical research and development tax credits, which may or may not be realized. TD Cowen served as lead placement agent and Cantor served as a placement agent for Palvella's concurrent financing. Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP served as legal counsel to Palvella. Cooley LLP served as legal counsel to the placement agents. Stifel served as the exclusive financial advisor to Pieris and Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo, P.C. served as legal counsel to Pieris. About Microcystic Lymphatic Malformations Microcystic LMs are a rare, chronically debilitating genetic disease caused by dysregulation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/mTOR pathway. The disease is characterized by malformed lymphatic vessels that protrude through the skin and persistently leak lymph fluid (lymphorrhea) and bleed, often leading to recurrent serious infections and cellulitis that can cause hospitalization. The natural history of microcystic LMs are persistent and progressive without spontaneous resolution, with symptoms generally worsening during life, including increases in the number and size of malformed vessels that lead to complications and lifetime morbidity. There are currently no FDA-approved treatments for the estimated more than 30,000 diagnosed patients with microcystic LMs in the United States. About Palvella Therapeutics Founded and led by rare drug disease drug development veterans, Palvella Therapeutics (Nasdaq: PVLA) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing novel therapies to treat patients suffering from serious, rare genetic skin diseases for which there are no FDA-approved therapies. Palvella is developing a broad pipeline of product candidates based on its patented QTORINTM platform, with an initial focus on serious, rare genetic skin diseases, many of which are lifelong in nature. Palvella’s lead product candidate, QTORINTM 3.9% rapamycin anhydrous gel (QTORINTM rapamycin), is currently in the Phase 3 SELVA clinical trial in microcystic lymphatic malformations (microcystic LMs) and a Phase 2 trial in cutaneous venous malformations. For more information, please visit www.palvellatx.com or follow the Company on LinkedIn. QTORINTM rapamycin is for investigational use only and has not been approved or cleared by the FDA or by any other regulatory agency. This press release contains forward-looking statements (including within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (Securities Act)). These statements may discuss goals, intentions, and expectations as to future plans, trends, events, results of operations or financial condition, or otherwise, based on current beliefs of the management of Palvella and Pieris, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, management of Palvella and Pieris. Forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “likely,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “intend,” and other similar expressions or the negative or plural of these words, or other similar expressions that are predictions or indicate future events or prospects, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the sufficiency of the combined company’s capital resources; the combined company’s cash runway; the expected timing of the closing of the proposed transactions; statements regarding the potential of, and expectations regarding, Palvella’s programs, including QTORINTM rapamycin, and its research-stage opportunities, including its expected therapeutic potential and market opportunity; the expected timing of initiating, as well as the design of Palvella’s Phase 2 clinical trial of QTORINTM rapamycin in cutaneous venous malformations. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors, including, without limitation: the limited operating history of each company; the significant net losses incurred since inception; the ability to raise additional capital to finance operations; the ability to advance product candidates through preclinical and clinical development; the ability to obtain regulatory approval for, and ultimately commercialize, Palvella’s product candidates, including QTORINTM rapamycin; the outcome of early clinical trials for Palvella’s product candidates, including the ability of those trials to satisfy relevant governmental or regulatory requirements; the fact that data and results from clinical studies may not necessarily be indicative of future results; Palvella’s limited experience in designing clinical trials and lack of experience in conducting clinical trials; the ability to identify and pivot to other programs, product candidates, or indications that may be more profitable or successful than Palvella’s current product candidates; the substantial competition Palvella faces in discovering, developing, or commercializing products; the negative impacts of the global events on operations, including ongoing and planned clinical trials and ongoing and planned preclinical studies; the ability to attract, hire, and retain skilled executive officers and employees; the ability of Palvella and Pieris to protect their respective intellectual property and proprietary technologies; reliance on third parties, contract manufacturers, and contract research organizations. The foregoing review of important factors that could cause actual events to differ from expectations should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the risk factors included in Pieris’ most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC, as well as the registration statement on Form S-4 filed with the SEC by Pieris in connection with the merger. Palvella and Pieris can give no assurance that the conditions to the proposed transactions will be satisfied. Except as required by applicable law, Palvella and Pieris undertake no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement, or to make any other forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release contains hyperlinks to information that is not deemed to be incorporated by reference into this press release. Palvella Therapeutics Contact Information Investors Wesley H. Kaupinen Founder and CEO, Palvella Therapeutics wes.kaupinen@palvellatx.com Media Stephanie Jacobson Managing Director, Argot Partners palvella@argotpartners.com

A study published Thursday in Science reveals that a record-breaking marine heat wave in the northeast Pacific from 2014 to 2016 triggered a catastrophic population collapse, wiping out four million birds -- about half the species in the region. Strikingly, they have shown little signs of rebounding, suggesting long-term shifts in the food web that have locked the ecosystem into a troubling new equilibrium. "There's a lot of talk about declines of species that are tied to changes in temperature, but in this case, it was not a long term result," lead author Heather Renner of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge told AFP. "To our knowledge, this is the largest mortality event of any wildlife species reported during the modern era," she and her colleagues emphasized in their paper. The finding triggers "alarm bells," Renner said in an interview, as human-caused climate change makes heat waves more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting. With their dapper, tuxedoed look, common murres are sometimes called the "penguins of the north." Their slender wings power them across vast distances in search of food and make them expert divers. But even these hardy seabirds were no match for an unprecedented environmental catastrophe. The largest marine heat wave ever recorded began in the late fall of 2014, spanning a massive swath of the northeast Pacific Ocean from California to Alaska. It persisted for over two years, leaving devastation in its wake. During this time, some 62,000 emaciated murres washed ashore along the North American Pacific coastline -- dead or dying from starvation. Experts point to two key reasons for the bird deaths: elevated ocean temperatures reduced both the quality and quantity of phytoplankton, impacting fish like herring, sardines, and anchovies -- the mainstay of the murre diet. At the same time, warmer waters increased the energy demands of larger fish, such as salmon and Pacific cod, which compete with murres for the same prey. "We knew then it was a big deal, but unfortunately, we couldn't really quantify the effects," explained Renner. For years after the event, breeding colonies failed to produce chicks, complicating efforts to assess the full impact. Earlier estimates pegged the number of deaths at around a million, but a more robust analysis -- drawing on data from 13 murre colonies -- revealed the toll was four times higher. "It is just so much worse than we thought it was," Renner said of the new findings. The marine heat wave didn't just impact common murres. Pacific cod stocks collapsed, king salmon populations dwindled, and as many as 7,000 humpback whales perished. Yet the crisis created an uneven playing field: some species emerged unscathed, while others even thrived. Thick-billed murres, which often share nesting cliffs with common murres, were largely unaffected, possibly due to their more adaptable diet, Renner noted. For common murres, however, the fallout lingers. Despite nearly a decade since the heat wave, their numbers show no sign of bouncing back -- and the losses may well be permanent. Part of the reason lies in the long-term decline of some of their prey. Another factor is murres' survival strategy relies on numbers: they aggregate in massive colonies to protect their eggs from opportunistic predators like eagles and gulls. With their populations slashed, these birds have lost their critical safety buffer. Still, Renner offered a glimmer of hope. While addressing global warming is essential for curbing long-term climate change, conservation efforts can make a difference in the short term, she said. Removing invasive species like foxes and rats from murre nesting islands could also provide the beleaguered birds with a fighting chance. ia/des

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped. Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case. “Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them,” Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina. The two teams in September refused to sign NASCAR's “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer on a new revenue sharing agreement. All other 13 teams signed the deal. Front Row and 23XI balked and are now in court. 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan has said he took the fight to court on behalf of all teams competing in the top motorsports series in the United States. NASCAR has argued that the two teams simply do not like the terms of the final charter agreement and asked for the lawsuit be dismissed. Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm. Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three, and have agreements with SHR to purchase one charter each as SHR goes from four cars to one for 2025. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as “open” teams that don't have the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was “primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR,” Freeze said. “NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit,” Freeze said. “NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved.” A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing “new circumstances” in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a “coordinated effort behind the scenes.” “This is completely false,” Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk. NASCAR had been operating with 36 chartered teams and four open spots since the charter agreement began in 2016. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses. “23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing,” Lauletta said. "Our efforts to expand – purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track – are integral to achieving this goal. “It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships,” he continued. “It is a necessity because NASCAR’s monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level.” AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racingCHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped. Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case. “Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them,” Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina. The two teams in September refused to sign NASCAR's “take-it-or-leave-it” final offer on a new revenue sharing agreement. All other 13 teams signed the deal. Front Row and 23XI balked and are now in court. 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan has said he took the fight to court on behalf of all teams competing in the top motorsports series in the United States. NASCAR has argued that the two teams simply do not like the terms of the final charter agreement and asked for the lawsuit be dismissed. Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm. Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three, and have agreements with SHR to purchase one charter each as SHR goes from four cars to one for 2025. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as “open” teams that don't have the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was “primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR,” Freeze said. “NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit,” Freeze said. “NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved.” A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing “new circumstances” in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a “coordinated effort behind the scenes.” “This is completely false,” Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk. NASCAR had been operating with 36 chartered teams and four open spots since the charter agreement began in 2016. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo. The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses. “23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing,” Lauletta said. "Our efforts to expand – purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track – are integral to achieving this goal. “It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships,” he continued. “It is a necessity because NASCAR’s monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level.” AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Nobody Beats This Rockets Star 16 Times In A RowWith two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado and Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty leading the field, these certainly aren't your typical Heisman Trophy contenders. Sure, veteran quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel from top-ranked Oregon and Cam Ward of No. 15 Miami are finalists for college football's most prestigious award as well, but the 90th annual ceremony coming up Saturday night at Lincoln Center in New York City offers a fresh flavor this year. To start with, none of the four are from the powerhouse Southeastern Conference, which has produced four of the past five Heisman winners — two each from Alabama and LSU. Jeanty, who played his home games for a Group of Five team on that peculiar blue turf in Idaho more than 2,100 miles from Manhattan, is the first running back even invited to the Heisman party since 2017. After leading the country with 2,497 yards rushing and 29 touchdowns, he joined quarterback Kellen Moore (2010) as the only Boise State players to be named a finalist. “The running back position has been overlooked for a while now," said Jeanty, who plans to enter the 2025 NFL draft. "There's been a lot of great running backs before me that should have been here in New York, so to kind of carry on the legacy of the running back position I think is great. ... I feel as if I'm representing the whole position.” With the votes already in, all four finalists spent Friday conducting interviews and sightseeing in the Big Apple. They were given custom, commemorative watches to mark their achievement. “I'm not a watch guy, but I like it,” said Hunter, flashing a smile. The players also took photos beneath the massive billboards in Times Square and later posed with the famous Heisman Trophy, handed out since 1935 to the nation's most outstanding performer. Hunter, the heavy favorite, made sure not to touch it yet. A dominant player on both offense and defense who rarely comes off the field, the wide receiver/cornerback is a throwback to generations gone by and the first full-time, true two-way star in decades. On offense, he had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns this season to help the 20th-ranked Buffaloes (9-3) earn their first bowl bid in four years. On defense, he made four interceptions, broke up 11 passes and forced a critical fumble that secured an overtime victory against Baylor. Hunter played 688 defensive snaps and 672 more on offense — the only Power Four conference player with 30-plus snaps on both sides of the ball, according to Colorado research. Call him college football’s answer to baseball unicorn Shohei Ohtani. “I think I laid the ground for more people to come in and go two ways,” Hunter said. “It starts with your mindset. If you believe you can do it, then you'll be able to do it. And also, I do a lot of treatment. I keep up with my body. I get a lot of recovery.” Hunter is Colorado's first Heisman finalist in 30 years. The junior from Suwanee, Georgia, followed flashy coach Deion Sanders from Jackson State, an HBCU that plays in the lower level FCS, to the Rocky Mountains and has already racked up a staggering combination of accolades this week, including The Associated Press player of the year. Hunter also won the Walter Camp Award as national player of the year, along with the Chuck Bednarik Award as the top defensive player and the Biletnikoff Award for best wide receiver. “It just goes to show that I did what I had to do,” Hunter said. Next, he'd like to polish off his impressive hardware collection by becoming the second Heisman Trophy recipient in Buffaloes history, after late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994. “I worked so hard for this moment, so securing the Heisman definitely would set my legacy in college football,” Hunter said. “Being here now is like a dream come true.” Jeanty carried No. 8 Boise State (12-1) to a Mountain West Conference championship that landed the Broncos the third seed in this year's College Football Playoff. They have a first-round bye before facing the SMU-Penn State winner in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve. The 5-foot-9, 215-pound junior from Jacksonville, Florida, won the Maxwell Award as college football’s top player and the Doak Walker Award for best running back. Jeanty has five touchdown runs of at least 70 yards and has rushed for the fourth-most yards in a season in FBS history — topping the total of 115 teams this year. He needs 132 yards to break the FBS record set by Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988. In a pass-happy era, however, Jeanty is trying to become the first running back to win the Heisman Trophy since Derrick Henry for Alabama nine years ago. In fact, quarterbacks have snagged the prize all but four times this century. Gabriel, an Oklahoma transfer, led Oregon (13-0) to a Big Ten title in its first season in the league and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The steady senior from Hawaii passed for 3,558 yards and 28 touchdowns with six interceptions. His 73.2% completion rate ranks second in the nation, and he's attempting to join quarterback Marcus Mariota (2014) as Ducks players to win the Heisman Trophy. “I think all the memories start to roll back in your mind,” Gabriel said. Ward threw for 4,123 yards and led the nation with a school-record 36 touchdown passes for the high-scoring Hurricanes (10-2) after transferring from Washington State. The senior from West Columbia, Texas, won the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Year award and is looking to join QBs Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992) as Miami players to go home with the Heisman. “I just think there's a recklessness that you have to play with at the quarterback position,” Ward said.

Prince Andrew has said he "ceased all contact" with a businessman accused of being a Chinese spy after receiving advice from the government. In a statement, his office said Prince Andrew had met the man "through official channels" and there was "nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed". The alleged spy has been banned from the UK following a judgement by the UK's semi-secret national security court. The man, known only as H6, was described in court as a "close confidant" of Prince Andrew who had formed an "unusual degree of trust" with the duke. In 2023, H6 brought an appeal against his initial ban but the decision has been upheld by the court. Judges were told the businessman was attempting to leverage Prince Andrew's influence. The duke's office said he was "unable to comment further on matters relating to national security". His statement did not specify when he ceased contact with the man nor the duration of their communications. Buckingham Palace declined to comment, saying they do not act for the prince, who is not a working royal. China's embassy in the UK has denied the espionage claim saying "some individuals in the UK are always eager to fabricate baseless 'spy' stories targeting China". "Their purpose is to smear China and disrupt normal exchanges between Chinese and British personnel," a spokesperson for the embassy said. In March 2023, the man referred to as H6 brought his case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, a court set up to consider appeals against decisions to ban or remove someone from the country on national security or related grounds. In the published ruling , the judge said the former Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, was "entitled to conclude that [H6] represented a risk to the national security of the United Kingdom" and that the home secretary was "entitled to conclude that his exclusion was justified and proportionate". The ruling makes clear that the man had been subjected to the highest levels of national security investigation as someone that the UK's intelligence agencies feared was seeking influence over a member of the Royal Family. The court was told that H6 was invited to Prince Andrew's birthday party in 2020 and was told he could act on his behalf when dealing with potential investors in China. It is not clear how H6 became close to the prince, but in November 2021 police officers stopped and questioned him at the UK border under powers to investigate suspicions of "hostile activity" by a foreign state. During that stop H6 surrendered a number of electronic devices including a mobile phone. What officers found on them so concerned the security service MI5, that Braverman used her exceptional powers to ban H6 from the country. In a letter found on one of his devices, H6 was told by Dominic Hampshire, an adviser to Prince Andrew: "Outside of [the prince's] closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on." Mr Hampshire adds: "Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor." No further details about who the "relevant people" were are given in the excerpt from the letter included in the ruling. Mr Hampshire also confirmed to H6 that he could act for Prince Andrew in talks "with potential partners and investors in China". A document listing "main talking points" for a call with Prince Andrew was also found. It states: "IMPORTANT: Manage expectations. Really important to not set 'too high' expectations - he is in a desperate situation and will grab onto anything." The court assessed that this meant H6 was in a position "to generate relationships between senior Chinese officials and prominent UK figures which could be leveraged for political interference purposes by the Chinese State". Security chiefs feared Beijing was attempting to run an "elite capture" operation to influence the Duke of York because of the pressure he was under, a tactic which aims to appoint high profile individuals to Chinese businesses, think tanks or universities. H6 was subsequently informed that he was believed by UK authorities to be associated with the United Front Work Department (UFWD), an arm of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tasked with conducting influence operations. The ruling said MI5's Director General, Ken McCallum had expressed concern about the threat posed to the UK by political interference by China and that bodies such as the UFWD were "mounting patient, well-funded, deceptive campaigns to buy and exert influence". The Home Office said they believed H6 had been engaged in covert and deceptive activity on behalf of the CCP and that his relationship with Prince Andrew could be used for political interference. Upholding Braverman's decision, the judges said H6 had won an "unusual degree of trust from a senior member of the Royal Family who was prepared to enter into business activities with him". They added that the relationship had developed at a time when the prince was "under considerable pressure" which "could make him vulnerable to the misuse of that sort of influence". The prince faced increasing scrutiny from late 2019 over his friendship with the late US financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, which included his infamous Newsnight interview in November of that year.