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Click with care: Rise in online travel scamsRuling parties across India, from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in the north to Karnataka and Kerala in the south, found relief in Assembly byelection results across 48 seats in 14 States: Assam, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, Kerala, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Meghalaya, and Uttarakhand. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, vacated by Rahul Gandhi, with a landslide margin. The BJP claimed the other Lok Sabha seat of Nanded in Maharashtra, which fell vacant after the death of Congress MP Vasant Chavan. In the Assembly contests, Uttar Pradesh led with nine seats, followed by Rajasthan with seven, West Bengal with six, and Assam with five. Punjab and Bihar had four seats each, Karnataka three, while Madhya Pradesh and Kerala had two each. Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Meghalaya each had one seat. The Congress performed well in the south—Karnataka and Kerala—while the BJP staged a comeback in the north, winning most seats in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Gujarat. Regional parties held their ground, with the AAP securing Punjab and the Trinamool Congress holding on to West Bengal. The BJP’s victory in six out of nine seats in Uttar Pradesh and five out of seven in Rajasthan strengthened its position, complemented by its success in Maharashtra. However, its polarisation strategy failed in Jharkhand. The biggest relief was for BJP’s Yogi Adityanth in Uttar Pradesh, where Assembly byelections were held for nine seats. The BJP, which had won only one of these nine seats in the 2022 State election, is slated to win at least six of them this time. This victory marks a turnaround for Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, whose leadership faced scrutiny after the BJP’s Lok Sabha tally in UP dropped to 33 seats in 2024 from 71 in 2014 and 62 in 2019. Adityanath had made these elections a matter of prestige, deploying 30 Ministers and 15 senior party leaders as cluster-wise caretakers across constituencies. The results will likely silence his critics within the State unit and ease tensions with the central leadership. The Samajwadi Party, buoyed by winning 37 Lok Sabha seats, managed to salvage some pride by retaining the Karhal assembly seat vacated by Akhilesh Yadav after he became MP. Meanwhile, the BJP held onto its urban stronghold in Ghaziabad. After the victory, Adityanath credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the success. In neighbouring Uttarakhand, BJP Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami celebrated the Kedarnath Assembly victory, calling it a fitting response to those spreading “misleading politics in Baba Kedarnath’s sacred land”. Kedarnath and Badrinath, two of the char dham (four holy abodes), hold central importance in Hindu pilgrimage. The BJP’s 2022 sweep of all 13 Garhwal Assembly seats excluded only Badrinath, which Congress later retained in a July 2024 byelection after its MLA defected to the BJP before the Lok Sabha election. The recent Kedarnath byelection, necessitated by the sitting BJP MLA’s death in July, saw Chief Minister Dhami and two former Chief Ministers supporting the BJP candidate’s nomination. Dhami pledged to oversee Kedarnath until the new MLA’s election. In Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance’s sweep of all four seats dealt a blow to the RJD-Congress coalition. The BJP claimed Tarari in Bhojpur and Ramgarh, while the Janata Dal (United) won the RJD stronghold of Belaganj. The Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi’s daughter secured Imamganj. The BJP’s victory in five of seven Assembly seats in Rajasthan adds four seats to its previous tally of one. Although the Congress retained Dausa, a stronghold of party heavyweight Sachin Pilot, the BJP’s dominance raises concerns for the faction-ridden Congress State unit. The Congress, which previously held four of these seats, lost three, squandering an opportunity for opposition unity in the Rajasthan byelections. The Congress surprised observers with wins in Madhya Pradesh, where it had lost all 29 Lok Sabha seats recently. In Vijaypur, the Congress candidate Mukesh Malhotra defeated the BJP’s Ram Niwas Rawat, a veteran who had switched from the Congress before the Lok Sabha election. The BJP retained Budhni, which fell vacant after Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s election to Parliament. In BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh, the party won Raipur by over 46,000 votes. The seat became vacant after the BJP veteran Brajmohan Agrawal moved to Parliament. Gujarat saw the BJP win the Vav Assembly seat by a narrow margin of 2,000 votes in what has been a party stronghold for decades. In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress dominated the six Assembly constituencies. Beyond retaining its five seats from the 2021 Assembly election, Trinamool also captured Madarihat in north Bengal while increasing its vote share across all constituencies. The Congress scored significant victories in Karnataka and Kerala. In Karnataka, the party won all three constituencies, retaining Sandur and wresting Shiggaon and Channapatna from the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular). Shiggaon and Channapatna carried special significance as former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and H.D. Kumaraswamy had vacated these seats after their election to Parliament. In Kerala, the ruling Left Democratic Front found relief after winning one of three contested seats. The Congress-led United Democratic Front claimed the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat through Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s commanding victory and held the Palakkad Assembly seat with a slim margin. The CPI(M), undefeated in Chelakkara since 1996, kept its stronghold, averting embarrassment for the ruling coalition. The BJP, despite controlling the Palakkad municipality, fell short as in 2021. Also Read | Jharkhand chose welfare over fear mongering The seats became vacant after sitting members departed, with Rahul Gandhi choosing to retain Rae Bareli over Wayanad after winning both Lok Sabha seats. In Punjab, the AAP’s performance reversed recent Lok Sabha trends, with the ruling party taking three seats from Congress while losing one. This success bolstered Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government, which faced criticism over unfulfilled 2022 campaign promises. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal framed the Punjab victory as a “semi-final” before Delhi’s Assembly election scheduled for early 2025. The National People’s Party retained the Gambegre Assembly seat in Meghalaya, while in Assam, the NDA secured all five seats, with the BJP winning three. The Congress faced disappointment in Samaguri, where MLA Rakibul Hussain’s son failed to retain his father’s seat after the latter’s move to Parliament. In Sikkim, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) candidates Aditya Golay and Satish Chandra Rai won unopposed. Here’s a detailed look at the States. West Bengal: A Trinamool sweep The Trinamool Congress’s sweep in the byelections to six Assembly constituencies—Medinipur, Taldangra, Naihati, Haroa, Sitai, and Madarihat—indicates that the prolonged protests over the rape and murder of an on-duty doctor at Kolkata’s R.G. Kar Hospital in August this year had no electoral impact in West Bengal. The ruling party not only increased its winning margins in every constituency it held but also captured one of the BJP’s strongholds in north Bengal. Apart from Madarihat in north Bengal, the Trinamool had won all five seats in the 2021 Assembly election. This time, it retained them while increasing its vote share across constituencies. In Medinipur, Trinamool’s margin rose from 24,397 votes in 2021 to 33,996. In Taldangra, a slender margin of 12,377 votes in 2021 expanded to over 34,000. Naihati’s margin grew from 18,855 to 49,277 votes. In Sitai, where Trinamool barely won with 10,112 votes in 2021, it secured a massive lead of 1,30,636 votes in 2024. Haroa’s margin increased from 80,179 to 1,31,388 votes. Trinamool Congress supporters celebrate the party candidate Sujoy Hazra’s victory in the Medinipur Sadar Assembly byelection, in West Medinipur on November 23. | Photo Credit: PTI The party’s biggest triumph came at Madarihat in Jalpaiguri district—a seat it had never won before. Despite faction feuds weakening the BJP in their stronghold, observers had expected a close contest. The BJP’s Manoj Tigga, who had won the seat twice, last securing it with 29,685 votes in 2021, vacated it to contest successfully for the Alipurduar Lok Sabha seat. His replacement, Rahul Lokar, lost to the Trinamool’s Jayprakash Toppo by 28,168 votes. The BJP’s former Alipurduar MP John Barla blamed party “arrogance” for the loss. “The leaders must know ground reality. They cannot simply sit in Kolkata and make decisions,” he said, criticising Tigga by adding, “It (the BJP’s organisation) has become a one-man party here.” Despite ongoing protests over the R.G. Kar case, this outcome was not surprising. Opposition parties, including the BJP, lacked the organisational strength to channel public anger into electoral gains. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee celebrated on social media: “The people are our support. We are common people; that is our identity. We are not zamindars; we are the security guards of the people.” These victories have reinforced Trinamool’s political dominance in Bengal. Karnataka: Congress shines The Congress government in Karnataka received a significant boost, scoring a hat-trick in byelections across three constituencies. Both captured seats, Shiggaon and Channapatna, carried special weight, having been previously held by former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and H.D. Kumaraswamy, who had vacated them after winning Lok Sabha seats. In Shiggaon, Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan defeated Bommai’s son Bharath, while in Channapatna, C.P. Yogeshwar bested Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil. Yogeshwar’s victory in Channapatna particularly stings Kumaraswamy, as the Union Minister had campaigned intensively in this Vokkaliga-dominated constituency. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother D.K. Suresh had made the contest a prestige battle following Suresh’s parliamentary defeat to Kumaraswamy’s brother-in-law, Dr C.N. Manjunath. The brothers, who orchestrated Yogeshwar’s defection to the Congress, have now gained the upper hand in their struggle with Kumaraswamy for Vokkaliga leadership. Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan being lifted by party workers after the announcement of his victory in the Shiggaon Assembly byelection in Haveri on November 23. | Photo Credit: SANJAY RITTI The BJP’s campaign strategy of highlighting district Waqf Board notices to farmers failed to polarise voters. Instead, the Congress benefitted from successfully implementing its five guarantees, while allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case gained little traction. According to political analyst A. Narayana of Azim Premji University, the byelection marked the first test for the BJP-JD(S) alliance at the State level, revealing its weakness. “The results are also a setback to the State president of the BJP, B.Y. Vijayendra, and his father, former CM B. S. Yediyurappa,” amid unprecedented internal dissent against Vijayendra. For the Congress, both Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar emerge stronger—Siddaramaiah weathering the MUDA case allegations and Shivakumar prevailing in his direct contest with the Deve Gowda family, he noted. Kerala: Relief for LDF The ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala found relief after winning one of three contested seats in the byelection. The CPI(M), which heads the Left Democratic Front and has held Chelakkara since 1996, kept its stronghold, sparing the ruling coalition embarrassment. The byelections were triggered by sitting members’ resignations. In the 2021 Assembly election, the Congress’ Shafi Parambil had won Palakkad by fewer than 5,000 votes against the BJP’s E. Sreedharan, known for developing India’s metro systems. The 2024 contest again pitted the Congress (Rahul Mamkootathil) against the BJP (C. Krishnakumar). The CPI(M) backed independent candidate P. Sarin, a Congress defector who was denied the party ticket, but it made little impact. In Chelakkara, former CPI(M) MLA U.R. Pradeep maintained the party’s traditional stronghold despite a challenge from former Congress MP Ramya Haridas, who campaigned on an anti-incumbency sentiment. Punjab: AAP bounces back The Assembly byelection results in Punjab have reversed recent Lok Sabha trends, with the ruling Aam Aadmi Party claiming three Congress seats while losing one to the opposition. The AAP secured Chabbewal, Gidderbaha, and Dera Baba Nanak—all previously held by the Congress—but lost Barnala. This success bolsters the Bhagwant Mann government, which faced scrutiny over unfulfilled promises from its 2022 Assembly campaign. The victory also strengthens the AAP’s position before Delhi’s Assembly election, helping counter corruption allegations against its leadership. Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwat Maan, party leaders Raghav Chadha, and others celebrate the party’s win in the Punjab Assembly byelections, in New Delhi on November 23. | Photo Credit: Ritik Jain/ANI For the Congress, the results mark a sharp decline from its recent Lok Sabha performance, where it won seven of the State’s 13 seats. That victory had suggested recovery from the AAP’s crushing defeat of the Congress in the 2022 Assembly election. The AAP had won three Lok Sabha seats, with independents claiming two. The Congress faced particular embarrassment as two prominent leaders-turned-MPs failed to secure victories for their spouses. State Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring’s wife Amrita lost Gidderbaha to the AAP’s Hardeep Singh Dimpy Dhillon by nearly 22,000 votes. Similarly, senior leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa’s wife Jatinder Kaur lost Dera Baba Nanak to AAP’s Gurdeep Singh Randhawa by 5,699 votes. Also Read | How cash transfers and communal politics propelled Mahayuti’s landslide win in Maharashtra In Chabbewal, the AAP’s Ishank Kumar defeated the Congress’ Ranjit Kumar by over 28,000 votes. The Congress managed to win Barnala—previously held by AAP’s Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, now an MP—where Kuldeep Singh Dhillon narrowly beat the AAP’s Harinder Singh Dhaliwal by 2,157 votes. A key takeaway from the byelections is the emergence of the BJP as a third player in the State’s politics. The BJP was in the third spot in the four seats, knocking the Shiromani Akali Dal off the podium. Rajasthan: Congress alliance crumbles Despite the INDIA bloc’s success in Jharkhand, Rajasthan’s byelection results exposed deep rifts within the coalition. The Congress, which previously held four of the seven seats, lost three while barely retaining Dausa, its traditional stronghold. This decline came just eight months after a successful electoral understanding between Congress, the CPI(M), the Rashtriya Lok Tantrik Party (RLTP), and the Bharatiya Adivasi Party (BAP) had prevented the BJP from sweeping all 25 parliamentary seats in 2024. The alliance fractured amid criticism that the Congress had given too much ground to its partners in the Lok Sabha election. The byelections suffered from a leadership vacuum as key Rajasthan Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot served as observers in Maharashtra, leaving Pradesh Congress Chief Govind Singh Dotasra in charge. The Congress’ decision to contest all seven seats, ignoring its allies RLTP and BAP, proved costly. The RLTP lost Khinwsar and the BAP lost Chorasi—both considered certain victories for either party—with the Congress finishing third in both constituencies. The BJP claimed both Jhunjhunu and Ramgarh, traditional Congress strongholds, while also winning Salumber’s reserved seat by narrowly defeating the BAP’s Jitesh Katara. The Jhunjhunu loss ended two decades of Congress control, previously held by veteran Sisram Ola, a former Union Minister, and then his son Brajendra Ola. After Brajendra’s election to Parliament necessitated a byelection, the party’s decision to field his son Amit Ola alienated workers already frustrated with dynastic politics. Similarly in Ramgarh, the BJP decisively defeated Aryan Zubair, who had inherited the ticket from his father Zubair Khan after the sitting MLA’s death. (Reporting by Anand Mishra in Jharkhand, Suhrid Sankar Chattopadhyay in West Bengal, Soni Mishra in Punjab, R.K. Radhakrishnan in Kerala, T.K. Rajalakshmi in Rajasthan, and Vikhar Ahmed Sayeed in Karnataka) CONTRIBUTE YOUR COMMENTS SHARE THIS STORY Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditGERMANTOWN, Tenn. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., or MAA (NYSE: MAA ), today announced that its board of directors approved a quarterly dividend payment of $1.515 per share of common stock to be paid on January 31, 2025 , to shareholders of record on January 15, 2025 . The increase will raise the annualized dividend payment 3.1% to $6.06 per share of common stock and represents the 15 th consecutive year MAA has increased its dividend to shareholders. As established in prior quarters, the board of directors declared the quarterly common dividend in advance of MAA's earnings announcement that is expected to be made on February 5, 2025 . About MAA MAA is a self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT) and member of the S&P 500. MAA owns or has ownership interest in apartment communities primarily throughout the Southeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the U.S. focused on delivering strong, full-cycle investment performance. For further details, please refer to www.maac.com or contact Investor Relations at [email protected] . Certain matters in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended with respect to our expectations for future periods. Such statements include statements made about the payment of common dividends. The ability to meet the payment of common dividends in or contemplated by the forward-looking statements could differ materially from the projection due to a number of factors, including a downturn in general economic conditions or the capital markets, changes in interest rates and other items that are difficult to control such as increases in real estate taxes in many of our markets, as well as the other general risks inherent in the apartment and real estate businesses. Reference is hereby made to the filings of Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, reports on Form 8-K, and its annual report on Form 10-K, particularly including the risk factors contained in the latter filing. SOURCE MAA

If you've been anywhere near the AI art scene, you've probably seen the magic of Midjourney — a generative AI tool that turns text prompts into surreal visuals. Since its launch in 2022, Midjourney has skyrocketed in popularity, becoming one of the top AI image generators . Initially, its charm lay in a unique, stylized aesthetic, eschewing photorealism for a vibrant, painterly quality. Users dove in, experimenting with everything from epic fantasy scenes to illustrative digital artwork. But as Midjourney evolves, with sharper processing and improved features, creatives are finding even more inventive ways to put it to work. Indie game designers are fleshing out RPG worlds, while entrepreneurs whip up quick product mockups – all with a few well-placed prompts. We took a deep dive into some of the most creative uses for Midjourney right now, and whether you're a seasoned user or just AI-curious, you might find some ideas to try out yourself. Business owners are turning to Midjourney to create visuals that are polished, cohesive, and feel genuinely on-brand — without breaking the bank on creative teams, stock photo subscriptions, or sifting through the same stale imagery as everyone else. Ethical debates around AI's role in creative work continue, but its practical appeal is undeniable. With AI-generated content, brands can craft graphics that capture their essence, while trimming time and cost from the creative process. It's Economics 101, especially for small businesses. What makes Midjourney stand out for Matty Brownell , founder of a branding agency for small businesses, is its iterative design process. By fine-tuning ideas through AI, he delivers graphics that reflect his clients' identities, minus the marathon brainstorming sessions. Users can upload reference images to guide the tool's output, and adjust results as much as needed to achieve their vision. Brownell also highlights the Blend tool, which allows him to merge elements from multiple concepts, unlocking even greater creative flexibility. It's a level of customization that traditional workflows often struggle to match, and it dramatically shortens the journey from idea to execution. We've all been there — you wake up from a vivid, complex dream, only for your brain to hit the delete button on the entire thing. Now, you're left blank, knowing you've been through something, but not sure what exactly. If you were hoping for news that AI can now recover those elusive dream fragments from the recesses of your mind, sorry to disappoint you — we're not there yet. However, what AI can do, as Reddit user Jae_Kingsley has discovered, is help render the content of the dreams you do remember into visuals that you can share with others. It's not mind-reading, but it's a close second. To make this work, though, you'll need to know how to write specific and detailed prompts for Midjourney . Dreams are often messy, abstract, and defy logic (why was your third-grade teacher juggling flaming pineapples?), and describing them comes with the inevitable "lossiness" of language — the gap between the vivid imagery in your head and the words you use to describe it. While AI can partially bridge this gap, it still relies on your ability to convey as much detail as possible. By experimenting with descriptions – focusing on elements like colors, textures, emotions, and unique details – and iterating on your inputs, you should be able to guide Midjourney toward creating something that feels close to what you imagined. You can make the output more immersive by pairing Midjourney with AI video generators like Hailuo or Kling to add movement and depth to your concept. If you're the kind of person who's big on device personalization , custom wallpapers are a no-brainer. But instead of turning to stock photo sites or pricey wallpaper apps, many people are simply using Midjourney to create their own. It's a perfect example of how AI can amplify personal expression in the digital age. Midjourney fans are generating wallpapers that reflect niche interests, mash up concepts that wouldn't normally coexist in the real world, or play around with unique artistic styles. Whether it's for your iPhone, Android, or desktop, a few well-crafted prompts can produce stunning wallpapers. Again, to level up your results, you'll want to hone your prompting skills. This means getting specific about the details, like aspect ratio (so it fits your screen perfectly), focal points (what stands out in the image), and art style (is it photorealistic, abstract, or painterly?). Knowing a bit about photography concepts like the rule of thirds or lighting effects can help too. For example, if you're dreaming of a Spiderman-themed wallpaper set in Narnia, you'll need to hone in on which version of Spiderman do you want — classic comic-book Spidey, a cinematic version, or maybe even a futuristic reimagining? What does Narnia look like in your vision — is it a snowy forest with the iconic lamppost, or a lush green Aslan-led utopia? The more details you provide, the better the AI will understand exactly what you're aiming for. Another way users are tapping into Midjourney for device personalization is by creating custom app icons. Android users have long been spoiled with robust customization options, but iOS has been stuck playing catch-up. It wasn't until iOS 18 that Apple finally let users change the look and placement of iPhone and iPad app icons on the home screen — and even now, the built-in options are pretty bare-bones. Swapping out proprietary icons for third-party ones remains a tedious process, but at least the Midjourney route makes it worth the grind by letting you design icon packs that feel truly personal. Whether you're dreaming of sleek minimalist icons in pastel shades or a bold, cyberpunk-inspired set straight from the future, Midjourney gives you the creative freedom to make it happen. You can dial in everything from color palettes and design styles (flat, 3D, hand-drawn) to niche themes like your favorite game, show, or aesthetic trend. Once your designs are ready, save and apply them using apps like Shortcuts (on iOS) or third-party launchers (on Android). Combined with some of the other customization features on iOS 18 , you can build an iPhone home screen that feels 100% you — and maybe even flex on your Android-using friends for a change. Midjourney is also a standout tool for creating detailed, imaginative worlds in all kinds of creative projects, especially if you're experimenting or working on a tight budget. Indie game developers are using it to craft everything from sprawling fantasy landscapes to gritty urban settings, as well as intricate props like mystical artifacts and futuristic gadgets. It's a smart way to flesh out ideas for game levels, themes, or aesthetics without the hassle of complex or expensive design software. It's not just about worldbuilding, either. Midjourney is also useful for creating unique, imagined characters, whether you're working on facial features, costumes, or accessories. The Character Reference tool ensures they stay consistent across scenes, which makes it perfect for projects that need continuity. The Retexture tool lets you put a fresh spin on an existing character if that's what you want to do instead, like Reddit user MattB_289 . Whether you're sketching concepts for a manga, bringing whimsical children's book illustrations to life, or designing worlds for an indie game, Midjourney makes it easy to explore, refine, and execute your creative ideas. The possibilities are as vast as your imagination will allow. For architects and interior designers, Midjourney's allure lies in its speed and capacity for creative exploration. The AI tool allows them to experiment with materials and textures that would otherwise take hours to model manually. As documented by Architect Magazine , Italian architect Cesare Battelli leverages Midjourney to breathe life into concepts that span from the ancient to the futuristic. He's used it to envision the architecture of the Tower of Babel, for example, and the results achieve a striking balance between technical detail and rich atmospheric character. Interior designers are using the tool to visualize design options for existing spaces, like Reddit user UnnamedCzech , or imagine entirely new concepts for space design. Whipping up the visuals for a modern loft that feels like a Renaissance painting will take minutes instead of months, making it a fantastic way to share ideas with clients and give them a vivid sense of how a space might look and feel. What's really cool is that Midjourney isn't just for professionals — clients and hobbyists can dive in and create their own designs, which means the creative process is more inclusive. Whether you're redesigning your home or proposing the next iconic skyscraper, Midjourney is opening up opportunities for everyone to participate in design. It's quick, user-friendly, and transforming our approach to what's achievable in architecture. Wherever you stand on the ethics of AI, there's no denying that Midjourney is driving some impressive creative breakthroughs. We'll have to see how the conversation and its use evolve, but hopefully these use cases have inspired you to at least give it a try.STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard scored 14 of his team-high 25 points in the final 10 minutes and Mississippi State pulled away late to post a 91-84 win over a road-weary Prairie View A&M on Sunday afternoon. Prairie View A&M, playing its eighth straight road game after a season-opening win over a non-NCAA opponent, will not play its second home game until it hosts Grambling in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener January 4. The Panthers have surrendered 100 points or more in three games and opponents have topped 90 points in seven of their eight road losses. Mississippi State (8-1), fresh off a dominating performance in a 90-57 win over No. 18 Pitt in the SEC/ACC Men's Challenge, got all it could handle from the Panthers. The teams were tied at the break at 44-44 and Tanahj Pettway hit from deep to give Prairie View the lead, 65-64 midway through the second half. The Bulldogs responded with a 16-2 run kick-started by a pair of Josh Hubbard layups and a Claudell Harris Jr., 3 and capped by a Hubbard 3 and a Jordan Tillmon layup to take an 80-68 lead with under five minutes to play. Hubbard hit 4 of 10 from beyond the arc and had three assists and a pair of steals. Harris came off the bench to hit 3 of 6 from deep to add 21 points. Shawn Jones Jr. scored 11 points, Michael Nwoko scored 10 points and grabbed 10 boards and RJ Melendez had 10 points. Nick Anderson led the Panthers with 21 points and four assists. Pettway hit 4 of 5 from deep and finished with 20 points while Marcel Bryant added 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

NoneA pair of teams with minimal rest will face off in Nassau, Bahamas, on Sunday when No. 22 St. John takes on Georgia. St. John's (5-1), which will play its third game in four days, began the stretch in the Bahamas Championship on Thursday, dropping a heartbreaker to No. 13 Baylor. The Red Storm led by 18 in the first half before Baylor forced overtime. From there, St. John's rallied from five down with 1:47 left to send the game to a second overtime, where it saw Baylor knock down a pair of 3-pointers in the final seven seconds -- including Jeremy Roach's buzzer-beater -- to knock off the Red Storm 99-98. In the third-place game on Friday, St. John's breezed past Virginia 80-55. RJ Luis Jr. led the way with 18 points and four steals, followed by Kadary Richmond's 12 points, as the Red Storm took a one-point lead with 15:21 left in the first half and didn't trail again. "I'm really impressed with our guys, coming off a double-overtime, extremely emotional loss," St. John's head coach Rick Pitino said. "To respond that way was extremely impressive, both offensively and defensively." Pitino, in his second year with the Red Storm, was moved by something off the court on Friday, involving captain Zuby Ejiofor, who chipped in eight points, nine boards, two steals and two blocks. Ejiofor was serenaded by St. John's fans during the win, following his two missed free throws at the end of double overtime against Baylor. "When you've only been in a job for a year, you search for things you love about a place," Pitino said. "Tonight I found out what I love about St. John's. Our fans chanted Zuby's name the whole game, which doesn't happen anywhere else in America. I was really impressed with our fans and I thank them for making Zuby feel good, because he gives you all the energy." Luis leads the Red Storm with 17.3 points per game, followed by Ejiofor (10.7), Aaron Scott (10.5), Deivon Smith (10.3) and Richmond (10.2). Georgia enters Sunday's matchup looking to rebound from its first loss after falling to No. 15 Marquette 80-69 on Saturday. Georgia (5-1) battled back from a 15-point, second-half deficit, but was held to just three points over the final 4:57 in Saturday's loss. Blue Cain led the Bulldogs with a season-high 17 points, including five 3-pointers. "It's a process. It's a journey with this team," Bulldogs head coach Mike White said. "It's about continuing to make strides, continuing to protect our culture. ... At the end of the day, wins and losses are going to take care of themselves. We just have to embrace the process and enjoy it." Five-star freshman recruit Asa Newell was held to a season-low nine points but leads the team with 15.5 points per game. Silas Demary Jr. is second with 13.8. --Field Level MediaOpinion: Congress' Troll Politics Leads To MVA's Downfall In Maharashtra

Southern California defense contractors optimistic Trump administration could create jobs locallyThe 2024 byelections tell a tale of local might

Bhiwandi: Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh From Bhiwandi East Seeks MCOCA-Like Law To Stop Defamation Of LegendsBEIJING , Dec. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- At the end of 2024, we take a look back at the Chinese economy's performance this year. China's domestic GDP grew by 5.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, 4.7 percent in the second quarter and 4.6 percent in the third quarter this year, with an average growth rate of 4.8 percent in the first three quarters. Since September, as a package of incremental policies continues to yield its effects, China's economy maintains an upward trend. Overall, we are fully confident in achieving our economic growth goal this year. The country's economic performance has been hard-won. Externally, transformations around the world unseen in a century are unfolding at a greater pace, with global economic growth remaining sluggish, and the complexity, severity and uncertainty of the external environment on the rise. At home, domestic demand is insufficient, social expectations remain weak and there are difficulties associated with structural adjustments. The situation is severe and complex, and the task is difficult and weighty. However, under the strong leadership of the Communist Party of China Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, Chinese localities and government agencies are more confident and are taking solid steps to deliver outcomes. The results underscore that "fundamentals of the Chinese economy, and favorable conditions such as a vast market, strong economic resilience and great potential remain unchanged." Huge market, vast space Markets are the scarcest resource. The modernization achieved by 1.4 billion Chinese people has resulted in the addition of a new super-large market larger than those of all developed countries combined. The new development paradigm will enable China to fully unlock its market potential and create greater demand for other countries. With a new car rolling off production line on November 14 , China's annual production of new energy vehicles (NEVs) surpassed the 10 million milestone, becoming the first country in the world to do so. Behind the number is China's robust supply and demand. In the first 10 months, China's production and sales of NEVs grew by 33 percent and 33.9 percent year-on-year, respectively. China continues to take the lead in the electrification and intelligence transformation of the automotive industry, which is attributed to the supply, policy support and demand advantage in the ultra-large market. Markets bring valuable business opportunities. Take cars for example. By the end of June, China had 345 million cars, but the country's car ownership level per 1,000 residents is less than half of that in developed countries. Additionally, China's NEV ownership is only 24.72 million, which means continuous demand in the future. Markets breed competition advantages. China's vast market contributes to the formation of "economy of scale" and "economy of scope," which generates greater profits for enterprises and reduces innovations costs, and also helps provide a large number of application scenarios and boost the large-scale application of innovations. China leads the world in batteries, motors and electronic control technologies, while its intelligent cockpits and intelligent driving are internationally advanced. Thanks to the benign interactions between supply and demand, the industrialization of new technologies and new products is speeding up. Strong resilience, solid basis Resilience strengthens self-belief. China has come to where it is today after overcoming all kinds of difficulties and challenges. Foreign trade is an important barometer in this regard. In the first 10 months of the year, China's foreign goods trade rose by 5.2 percent year-on-year to reach a new high compared with the same period historically. The improvement in the quality and efficiency of the country's foreign trade against the backdrop of shrinking external demand reflects China's economic resilience. This resilience originates from China's solid manufacturing basis and industrial chain advantages. "We could not do what we do without them," Apple CEO Tim Cook said of Chinese suppliers during his third visit to the Chinese mainland this year, as over 80 percent of Apple's 200 major suppliers have set up factories in China . China has the world's most comprehensive industrial categories and a well-rounded industrial system, with the scale of manufacturing industry ranking top for 14 consecutive years. The high-end, intelligent and green development of the manufacturing sector continues to strengthen the stability of the country's industrial and supply chain. In the first three quarters, the manufacturing industry contributed 32.2 percent to the country's economic growth, up 11.2 percentage points. China moved up to 11th place in the ranking of the world's most innovative economies. The basis is solid, and risks and challenges are not to be feared. Resilience also comes from excellent policy adjustments. The nation has been strengthening counter-cyclical adjustments, accelerating the implementation of major national strategies and the development of securities capabilities in key areas while supporting large-scale equipment upgrades and trade-in policies for consumer goods with robust measures, boosting the stabilization of the property market and galvanizing the capital market. The government has also put forward a package of measures to dissolve local government debt risks. This year, a series of existing policies continue to produce effects and incremental policies are being effectively implemented, jointly helping the economy stabilize. Vast potential, strong momentum China's economy has vast potential and many advantages and favorable conditions for sustaining long-term development momentum. China has been the world's second-largest economy for many years, but still has vast development potential in terms of per capita and structure. China's per capita GDP remains relatively low, and the country's amount of infrastructure per capita is only 20-30 percent of that of developed countries. In 2023, China's urbanization rate, which measures the ratio of permanent urban residents relative to the total population, reached 66.2 percent by the end of 2023. Estimates show that each percentage point increase in the urbanization rate could drive 1 trillion yuan ( $137.55 billion ) in investment. Currently, both China's fiscal deficit ratio and government debt ratio are low, and the country's policy toolbox remains well-stocked. The potential also lies in elementary resources. China's human resources in science and technology ranked first in the country and the average length of education received by new entrants into the workforce has increased to 14 years, turning the demographic dividend into a talent dividend. In addition, overall sufficient social capitals, vast room for the highly efficient use of land and the vast unleashing of the potential of digital elements provide solid foundational support. This potential also comes from the huge market. The country's population of over 1.4 billion and middle-income population of over 400 million support a large-scale, diverse and huge domestic market. Accelerating the building of a unified national market will improve overall economic operation efficiency and continuously unleash the potential of domestic demand. Overall, China is a country with vast territory, a large population and unbalanced and uncoordinated development. This is a shortcoming, but also represents potential and a driving force for future development. Sparking vitality and building synergy through reform is essential to continuously unleashing development potential. From implementing regulations for fair competition reviews, accelerating the legislative process of the law on the promotion of the private economy and formulating normal communication mechanisms between governments and enterprises, to releasing a new national negative list for foreign investment and removing all market access restrictions for foreign investors in the manufacturing sector, China's reforms in key fields continue to deepen this year and high-level opening-up advances in an in-depth way. The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted the Resolution of the CPC Central Committee on Further Deepening Reform Comprehensively to Advance Chinese Modernization. Driven by reform of the economic system, China is correspondingly boosting reform in other fields, and the internal development momentum and vitality will continue to strengthen. Reviewing allows a clear understanding of the situation and better moving forward. While some major economies experience low growth rates and high inflation this year, China is expected to achieve its economic growth target of around 5 percent, and continue to contribute around 30 percent to world economic growth. This stable performance underlines the fact that China's economy will continue to remain on a positive trajectory over the long run. The story was originally published on the front page of the People's Daily on December 8, 2024 View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-times-peoples-daily-article-says-favorable-conditions-for-chinas-economic-development-remain-unchanged-302325568.html SOURCE Global Times

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — There’s plenty of concern and second-guessing to unpack from how the Bills unraveled on defense, special teams and clock management in their loss to the Los Angeles Rams to wonder whether it was premature labeling Buffalo as Super Bowl contenders only a week earlier. But first, the good news. There’s very little wrong with Buffalo’s Josh Allen-led offense after the quarterback strengthened his NFL MVP case. A week after a four-TD performance that included the statistical anomaly of him scoring two touchdowns on the same play in a 35-10 win over San Francisco, Allen became the NFL’s first player to throw and rush for three scores apiece in 44-42 loss to Los Angeles on Sunday . That Allen's latest superhuman-like effort ended in defeat is what’s troubling for the five-time defending AFC East champions (10-3) in their bid to dispel questions of finding ways to fall short in the playoffs in each of the past five years. Buffalo’s defense had few answers in stopping the Rams’ dynamic attack while allowing a season-high 457 yards. Worse still, the Bills allowed Los Angeles to go 11 of 15 on third down for a 73.3 conversion percentage — the third highest allowed by Buffalo and worst since allowing Miami's 75% conversion rate in 1986. If that’s not bad enough, the Bills lost for the first time in 39 games in which they scored at least 42 points, while becoming the NFL’s second team to lose when scoring 42 or more and not committing a turnover. Special teams didn’t help. Aside from allowing a blocked punt to be returned for a touchdown, the Bills couldn’t muster an attempt to block the Rams’ final punt from midfield with 7 seconds left because they only had nine players on the field. As coach Sean McDermott concluded after finally addressing reporters more than an hour after the game ended: “I thought we lost two of the three phases today.” He failed to mention yet another clock management misstep. Rather than have Allen spike the ball to stop the clock after a failed quarterback keeper from the Rams 1 with 62 seconds remaining, McDermott called timeout. That left Buffalo with two timeouts and essentially relying on the slim chances of recovering an onside kick after Allen scored on his next attempt. McDermott defended his decision by saying he feared too much time would elapse before the Bills aligned for another snap. And yet, it would not have matched the 45 seconds the Rams ran off on their final possession after Buffalo used its final two timeouts. Together, these are the types of miscues that have haunted the Bills in their recent playoff losses. The bright side is the loss to the Rams didn’t end the Bills’ season, though they fell two games behind Kansas City (12-1) in the race for the AFC’s top seed . And perhaps, the loss can be chalked up to a team riding a little too high off a playoff-clinching win and having to travel across the country to face a Rams team in the thick of its divisional race. If that’s so, the Bills have a chance to address their flaws — and doubters — by how they respond in what still stands as a juicy showdown at the NFC-leading Detroit Lions (12-1) on Sunday. “They’re the top dog in football right now,” Allen said, looking ahead to Detroit. “We have to have a good week, learn from this one, and put it behind us.” Scoring. The Bills topped 30 points for a team-record seventh consecutive game and ninth time this season. Buffalo entered the day ranked second in the NFL averaging 30.5 points per outing, behind Detroit (32.1). Run defense. Though the Rams averaged just 3.3 yards per carry, they stuck with it in finishing with 137 yards, helping them enjoy a 17-minute edge in time of possession. Allen. If not for him, the Bills wouldn't have been in position to nearly overcome a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit. His 424 yards (342 passing and 82 rushing) accounted for all but 21 yards of Buffalo's total offense. With so many options, perhaps the focus falls on special teams coordinator Matthew Smiley. This is the second time in 13 months special teams personnel management became an issue. Buffalo was flagged for having too many men as time expired, providing Wil Lutz a second chance to hit a decisive field goal in sealing Denver's 24-22 win last season . Starting CB Rasul Douglas was sidelined by a knee injury. ... DE Casey Toohill injured his ribs. 80-1-1 — The Bills' record when scoring 38 or more points, including a 38-38 tie with Denver in 1960. Facing Detroit represents Buffalo's final major test before closing the season with two games against New England and hosting the New York Jets. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflAbbVie: Upgrading To 'Strong Buy' After Pullback

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Announces Pricing Of $8.5 Billion Of Shares Of Its Common StockWhat’s Happening is a free service of Columbia Gorge News and may be edited for length. Notices run as space allows. Send to kelsiec@gorgenews.com . Community Events Nov. 30 - Jan 3 – Skamania Lodge Holiday Light Walk, 4:30 p.m-9 p.m., nightly, at the Skamania County Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Dec. 8 & 15 – Photos with Santa, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., at Cousin’s Restaurant and Saloon, 2114 West Sixth St. in The Dalles. Dec. 9 — The Wasco County Board of Commissioners Special Session, 1:30 p.m. at 401 E. Third St., The Dalles, or via Zoom, wascocounty-org.zoom.us/j/2919733815 or call in to 1-253-215-8782 Meeting ID: 2919733815#. Dec. 9 – Free Presentation: Get me through the holidays: coping with loss on days that hold special meaning, 1 – 2:30 p.m., at the Hood River Valley Adult Center, 2010 Sterling Place in Hood River. Open to anyone in the community, no registration required. Dec. 9 — Monthly Grief Group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Pioneer Center, 501 NE Washington St. For anyone grieving a loss. More info at maggie@maggieconverse.com or 503-395-4738. Dec. 10 — Odell Garden Club Meeting, 10 a.m. at the Hood River County Fairgrounds Community Building. For more info, contact President Norma Curtis, 541-806-1019 or nlcurtis@hrecn.net . Meets second Tuesday of the month. Dec. 10 — Mid-Columbia Center for Living Regular Board Meeting, 11 a.m. in room 107, 1060 Webber St., The Dalles, or via Teams meeting, bit.ly/3VaelHa . Second Tuesday of the month. Dec 10 — Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group, 5:30-630 p.m. Meets second Tuesday of the month. Email belinda.ballah@hoodrivercounty.gov for more info. Dec. 11 — Back to Life Biochar Hands-On Workshop, noon to 4 p.m. in the Husum area. Underwood Conservation District’s Winter Workshop Series. In person, registration required at www.ucdwa.org . Dec. 11 – Sense of Place 15th Anniversary Season presentation, 7p.m., at Columba Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, or via livestream. “The Wolf Next Door: A Community Perspective on the Return of Wolves,” with Lara Volski, PhD Student of Human-Wildlife Interactions. Season 15 ticket information is available online at senseofplacegorge.org and via a monthly newsletter. Dec. 12 — High Prairie Bingo Night, 6-8 p.m. at 701 Struck Road (between Lyle and Centerville). Food and drinks for sale, cash prizes; minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 or over. Dec. 12 – Mid Columbia Community Choir “A Star is Arising” Benefit Concert, 7 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 1280 W. Jewett Blvd in White Salmon. A free will donation to support WAGAP and Fish Food Bank will be accepted at the event. Dec. 12 – Mid-Columbia Community Choir Benefit Concert: Bethlehem Lullaby, 7 p.m. at Grace Baptist Church, 1280 W. Jewett Blvd., in White Salmon. Dec. 13 – CGOA Voic Community Choir Holiday Pops concert, 7 p.m., Hood River Valley Christian Church, 975 Indian Creek Road in Hood River. Dec. 13-14, 20-21 — A Christmas Story, 7 p.m. at The Bingen Theater. Matinee performances Dec. 8 and 15 at 1:30 p.m. Directed by Joe Garoutte; family friendly. Tickets at www.bigbritches.org . Dec. 14 — WAAAM Second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the museum, 1600 Air Museum Road, Hood River. Different theme each month; see old technology in action. Dec. 14 – Holiday Fun Run, 10 a.m., at the Skamania Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Come dressed your festive holiday wear. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for Children. Tickets available at Skamania.com . Profits support the Stevenson volunteer firefighter association. Dec. 14 – Gateway Christmas Fair/Workshop, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Gateway Church, 111 Dry Hollow Road in The Dalles. Event is free and for all ages. Children under 12 must be accompanied by and adult. For more info, contact 541-298-8531. www.gatewaypc.org . Dec. 14 – Santa’s Big Day, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., at the White Salmon Masonic Lodge. Digital photos with Santa. Event is free and family friendly. For more info, contact Ivy Carpe at hiddengemeventsnmore@gmail.com or visit hiddengemeventsnmore@gmail.com Dec. 14 – Holiday Gift Workshop, 12 – 2 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library meeting room, 722 Court Street in The Dalles. Holiday gift related crafts. Event is all ages. Dec. 14 – 2024 Handel’s Christmas Messiah Concert, 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 10th and Union St. in The Dalles. Concert is put on by The Dalles Cascade Singers. Dec. 14 – Gift of Music with John Ross, 5 – 7 p.m. in the Gorge Room at Skamania Lodge, at the Skamania County Lodge, 1131 SW Skamania Lodge Way in Stevenson. Dec. 14-15 — Last Chance Holiday Bazaar, 10-4 p.m. Saturday and 10-3 p.m. Sunday at the Hood River County Fairgrounds, 3020 Wy’east Road. Dec. 15. – CGOA Voci Community Choir Holiday Pops concert, 2 p.m. Old St. Peter’s Landmark, 405 Lincoln Street in The Dalles Dec. 15 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Dec. 15 – Patrick Lamb’s Charlie Brown Christmas, 6:30 – 8 p.m., at Hood River Middle School auditorium, 1602 May Street in Hood River. Admission is $20. Tickets can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com/e/a-patrick-lamb-charlie-brown-christmas-tickets-1064480322299?aff=oddtdtcreator. Dec 17 — Mid-Columbia Car Club Meeting, 5 p.m. social / 6 p.m. meeting at Spooky’s Pizza, 3320 W. Sixth, The Dalles. Meets third Tuesday of the month. Dec 18 — Columbia Gorge Beekeepers Association Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Extension, 2990 Experiment Station Drive. All are welcome. Visitors may attend in person or via Zoom; info at admin@gorgebeekeepers.org . Dec. 19 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30-5:30pm. Meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449 Dec. 19 — Heritage Council Board Meeting, 5 p.m. at the History Museum of Hood River County, 300 E. Port Marina Way, Hood River. Public welcome to attend. New board members, volunteers needed. Third Thursday of the month. Dec. 20 & 21 – Gorge Winds Concert Band Christmas Concert, 7 p.m. on Friday, 3 p.m. on Saturday, at The Dalles First Christian Church, 909 Court St. in The Dalles. Donations appreciate. Thru Dec. 22 — Handmade for Holidays at Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Artists market; small art pieces of many types on display and for sale in the gallery. Jan. 2 — Criminal Records Expungement Clinic, 2-5 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library, 722 Court St., The Dalles. Free legal assistance to apply to set aside Oregon criminal records. Clinics are every first Thursday. No appointment necessary. For more information, email lynnmarie.crider@gmail.com . Jan. 2 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449. Jan. 2 — NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) of the Gorge, 6:15-7:45 p.m. at Dalles-Wasco County Library meeting room. For info, call Barbara at 541-980-7264. Jan. 4 — Lyle Lions Club Pancake Breakfast, 7-10 a.m. at Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. Adults $10, children 6-12 $5, under 5 free. Eggs and omelets cooked to order and endless pancakes. Jan. 4 — Leos Club Can and Bottle Collection, 9 a.m. to noon at Rosauers, Hood River. Supports local nonprofits. Jan. 4 – Mt. Adams Little League Christmas Tree Pick-up Fundraiser, 9 – 4 p.m. White Salmon/Bingen, Husum, Underwood, Mill-A and Lyle residents can call or text 360-831-7421, to arrange for pick up for $20. Trees must be free of decorations. Jan. 6 – Hood River Adult Grief Group, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., meets 1st and 3rd Thursdays, November 2024-February 2025. Registration required. To register or for more information, contact Haley at Providence Hospice of the Gorge at 541-387-6449. Jan. 6 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Jan. 8 — Criminal Records Expungement Clinic, 3-6 p.m. at 601 Cascade Ave., Hood River. Free legal assistance to apply to set aside Oregon criminal records. Clinics are typically every first Wednesday. No appointment necessary. For more information, email lynnmarie.crider@gmail.com . Jan. 9 — High Prairie Bingo Night, 6-8 p.m. at 701 Struck Road (between Lyle and Centerville). Food and drinks for sale, cash prizes; minors must be accompanied by an adult 18 or over. Jan. 13 — Friends of the Library, 11 a.m. in the Jean Marie Gaulke Room, Hood River Library; public welcome. More at hoodriverlibrary.org/friends . Jan. 13 — Monthly Grief Group, 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Pioneer Center, 501 NE Washington St. For anyone grieving a loss. More info at maggie@maggieconverse.com or 503-395-4738. Jan 14 — Odell Garden Club Meeting, 10 a.m. at the Hood River County Fairgrounds Community Building. For more info, contact President Norma Curtis, 541-806-1019 or nlcurtis@hrecn.net . Meets second Tuesday of the month. Jan. 14 — Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group, 5:30-630 p.m. Meets second Tuesday of the month. Email belinda.ballah@hoodrivercounty.gov for more info. Jan. 15 — Columbia Gorge Beekeepers Association Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Extension, 2990 Experiment Station Drive. All are welcome. Visitors may attend in person or via Zoom; info at admin@gorgebeekeepers.org . Jan. 16 — Heritage Council Board Meeting, 5 p.m. at the History Museum of Hood River County, 300 E. Port Marina Way, Hood River. Public welcome to attend. New board members, volunteers needed. Third Thursday of the month. Jan. 16 — More than Flowers: What your Landscape Needs to Support Pollinators, 6 p.m. at the White Salmon Valley Library. Underwood Conservation District’s Winter Workshop Series; with Matthew Shephard from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Register at www.ucdwa.org/winter-workshop-series . Jan. 20 – Rotary Ski Night at Mt. Hood Meadows, 3 – 9 p.m., at Mt. Hood Meadows, 14040 OR-35, Mt Hood, Oregon. Portion of the ticket sales will be donated to the Hood River Rotary Club. Night lift tickets are on sale with dynamic early pricing at www.skihood.com/explore/Events-and-Activities/Rotary-Night Jan. 20 — Lyle Lions Club Meeting, 6 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, corner of Fifth and Highway 14. First and third Monday. Jan. 21 — Mid-Columbia Car Club Meeting, 5 p.m. social / 6 p.m. meeting at Spooky’s Pizza, 3320 W. Sixth, The Dalles. Meets third Tuesday of the month. Feb. 19 — Soil! What it is and How it Works, 6 p.m. at the Mountain View Grange, 1085 N. Main Ave., White Salmon. Underwood Conservation District’s Winter Workshop Series; with James Cassidy, instructor of soil science, Oregon State University. Register at www.ucdwa.org/winter-workshop-series . Ongoing First Monday — Adult Writers Group, 5:30-7 p.m. at The Dalles-Wasco County Library. Third Monday — Hands On Maker Monday, 3:30 p.m. at The Dalles Public Library. With OSU Extension and 4-H. For kids, teens and adults. Projects like leatherworking, sewing, candle making, cake decorating and more. Mondays – Cascade Singers Rehearsal, 6:30 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 101 West 10th Street in The Dalles. Mondays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Voci Community Choir Rehearsals, 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Hood River Valley High School. All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Monday thru Friday — NU-2-U Shop Open, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth St., The Dalles. Shop is a nonprofit store that supports the Mid-Columbia Senior Center. More information at 541-296-4788. Monday & Wednesday — Senior Meals, noon at The Pioneer Center, White Salmon. Doors open at 8 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Monday, Wednesday and Friday — Strong Women, 10-11 a.m. at the Cascade Locks City Hall. Monday thru Friday — Klickitat Senior Services Telephone Support, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Goldendale, 509-773-3757; White Salmon, 509-493-3068; or Toll Free, 1- 800-447-7858. Staff will direct callers to available resources, assist with online benefit applications and issues with Social Security and Medicare. Seniors can also call for essential grocery delivery, prescription pickup or food bank needs. Tuesday — Senior Meals, noon at the Lyle Lions Community Center. Doors open at 10 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Tuesdays — Senior Meals, 11 a.m. at Mt. Hood Town Hall, 6575 Mount Hood Highway, Mt. Hood-Parkdale. Meals served at noon. In conjunction with Hood River Valley Adult Center; suggested $5 donation. Tuesdays — White Salmon-Bingen Rotary Club, noon to 1 p.m. Learn more at www.whitesalmon-bingenrotary.org , www.facebook.com/whitesalmonbingenrotaryclub , or email rotary.club.323@gmail.com . Tuesdays — Overeater’s Anonymous, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ninth and State streets, Hood River. For more info contact Rebecca at 510-861-2212. Tuesdays — Harmony of the Gorge, 6-8 p.m. at Providence Down Manor, Hood River. Please check the website for rehearsal details at www.harmonyofthegorge.com ; info at 541-490-2481. Tuesdays — Al-Anon Meeting, 7 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 400 11th St., Hood River. Tuesdays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Sinfonietta Rehearsals, 7-9 p.m. at Hood River Valley High School (music room). All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Tuesday & Thursday — Senior Meals, noon at the Goldendale Community Center. Doors open at 8 a.m. Suggested donation for seniors 60 and over is $3.50, all others $6.50. All welcome. Tuesdays thru Fridays — Senior Chair Yoga, 9:15 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, fourth floor, The Dalles. Cost is $4 per class. Contact debra.lutje@gmail.com for info. Wednesdays — Fitness Classes: Mat Pilates, 8:30 a.m. at Lutheran Church, Bingen; Barre 5 p.m. at Mt. View Grange, White Salmon. Loyalty, drop in rates available. ACE certified, longtime local fitness instructor. Call Caroline Elliott, 509-637-3162, for info. Wednesdays — Radio Tierra Storytime, 9:30 a.m. on Radio Tierra 95.1 FM; songs, stories and announcements for all kiddos who haven’t begun school. Wednesdays — The Dalles Rotary Club, noon at Spooky’s; visitors welcome. Wednesdays — Writing Group, 3-4 p.m. at the Hood River County Library, Columbia Room. Second Wednesday — Dufur Recreation District Meeting, 7 p.m. at Dufur City Hall. Visit website www.dufurcitypark.org for agenda and virtual attendance information. Thursdays — Hood River Art Club, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the FISH Food Bank Community Room, 1130 Tucker Road, Hood River. For more information contact Kori Walsh at Heronbird@aol.com . Thursdays — Hood River Toastmasters Club, 6:30-8 a.m. via Zoom and in-person at Bette’s Place, downtown Hood River. Drop in or email HRToastmasters@proton.me for link. Improve public speaking, listening and leadership skills. Thursdays — Take Pounds Off Sensible (TOPS) Support Group, 8:30 a.m. weigh-in and 9 a.m. meeting at Zion Church, 10th and Union, The Dalles. First meeting is free. Thursdays — Family Storytime, 10:30 a.m. at the Hood River Library. Free, open to all ages. Thursdays — Recovery Café, 1-6 p.m. at the White Salmon Grange. Dinner served; recovery circle 5-6 p.m. All welcome. Thursdays — The Dalles Kiwanis Club Meetings, noon at Spooky’s; visitors welcome. For more information go to www.thedalleskiwanis.org/ or The-Dalles-Kiwanis-Club on Facebook. Thursdays — Thursday Night Bingo, 5:30 p.m. at Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth St., The Dalles. Doors open 4 p.m. Must be 18 or over. $10 minimum buy-in. Third Thursday — West Klickitat Regional Fire Authority Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m. at the White Salmon Fire Station at 119 NE Church St. Thursday, Friday and Saturday — Hood River Valley Adult Center Thrift Shop, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels. Third Fridays - Community Game Day, 1 p.m. at the Lyle Lions Community Center, Fifth and Highway 14. Play scrabble, cribbage or bring your own favorite. Coffee and cookies will be offered. Fridays — Community Playgroup, 10-11:30 a.m. at Hood River Early Childhood Center (formerly Pine Grove Elementary). Free, follows school calendar. For children 0-5 and their parents. For info call 541-386-4919. Fridays — Storytime in Cascade Locks and Parkdale, 10:30 a.m. at the library branches in those communities. Includes parent playgroups. Fridays — Reflections on the Life of the Spirit, 1 p.m. at the United Methodist church in White Salmon, 341 N. Main Ave. Hosted by Baha’is of White Salmon. Explore spiritual identity and what it means to be human. For more information, contact White Salmon Bahá’ís at 509-637-3311. Fridays — Fun Friday, 3-4:30 p.m. at The Dalles Library. For kids 5-10 in the John and Jean Thomas Children’s Wing. Arts, crafts, games; each week is different and always fun. Saturdays — Makerspace, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hood River Library and Crafty Saturdays at the Cascade Locks and Parkdale library branches (same times). Free, for children. Saturdays — Grief Share, 10 a.m. to noon at Tucker Road Baptist Church, 1455 Tucker Road, Hood River. All welcome. Info at 541-386-1049. Saturdays — Chess Lessons, 1 p.m. at The Dalles Library. Free, for all ages and skill levels, beginners to advanced. Register at wascocountylibrary.com/events . Saturdays – Teen Programs, 2 p.m. at the Hood River Co. Library, 502 State St. Pick one or all that look fun and be creative, volunteer, play games, discuss books and eat snacks. Open to ages 12-18. For more info, contact Teen Librarian Rachel or go to hoodriverlibrary.org . Saturdays — Bingo, 5:30-8 p.m. at the Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. Ninth, The Dalles. Doors open 4 p.m.; new players should arrive by 5 p.m. Ages 8-18 must be accompanied by legal guardian. Minimum buy-in $6. Cash prizes, dinner concessions. Saturdays — Bingo, 6 p.m. at the Hood River Elks, Third and Cascade. Elks/Knights of Columbus scholarship fundraiser supports scholarships and charities. Progressive blackout prize, dinner available for purchase; 18 and older. Saturdays — Hood River Farmers’ Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Fifth and Columbia parking lot, across from Full Sail Brewing. Sundays — Pickup Basketball, 1 p.m. at the Horizon Christian gym, Hood River. Players 18 and older, $3/visit. Sundays — Columbia Gorge Orchestra Association Jazz Collective Rehearsals, 4-6 p.m. at WAAAM. All welcome. Questions to info@gorgeorchestra.org . Sundays — Cascade Singers Rehearsal, 7 p.m. at Zion Lutheran, The Dalles (10th and Union streets).

GERMANTOWN, Tenn. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Mid-America Apartment Communities, Inc., or MAA (NYSE: MAA), today announced that its board of directors approved a quarterly dividend payment of $1.515 per share of common stock to be paid on January 31, 2025 , to shareholders of record on January 15, 2025 . Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.GREG JOHNSON: Saints game proves Giants assembled historically bad quarterback room

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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a $2.38 per share dividend for the first quarter of 2025. The dividend will be paid on March 7, 2025 , to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 14, 2025 . About Amgen Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases. In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions . Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® , and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index ® , which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X , LinkedIn , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube and Threads . Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla® (apremilast) (including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of non-GAAP EPS accretion), our acquisitions of Teneobio, Inc., ChemoCentryx, Inc., or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition, and any projected impacts from the Horizon acquisition on our acquisition-related expenses going forward), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico , and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, such as COVID-19, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our environmental, social and governance objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks Elissa Snook , 609-251-1407 (media) Justin Claeys , 805-313-9775 (investors) View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amgen-announces-2025-first-quarter-dividend-302328180.html SOURCE Amgen

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