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how to win blackjack WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump said Wednesday that he's picking Kari Lake as director of Voice of America, installing a staunch loyalist who ran unsuccessfully for Arizona governor and a Senate seat to head the congressionally funded broadcaster that provides independent news reporting around the world. Lake, an immigration hard-liner, was a television news anchor in Phoenix for nearly three decades until she left in 2021 after making a series of controversial statements on social media, including sharing COVID-19 misinformation during the pandemic. Telegenic, engaging and adept at communicating, Lake launched her political career a short time later, quickly building a loyal following and national profile as she sparred with journalists and echoed Trump in her sharp criticism of what she called the “fake news.” In a statement, Trump said Lake would be ultimately be appointed by and work closely with the head of the U.S. Agency for Global Media for his incoming administration, “who I will announce soon.” He said Lake will “ensure that the American values of Freedom and Liberty are broadcast around the World FAIRLY and ACCURATELY, unlike the lies spread by the Fake News Media.” Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . The president-elect has in the past been a fierce critic of Voice of America, including saying in 2020 that “things they say are disgusting toward our country.” The broadcaster drew additional criticism during Trump’s first term for its coverage of the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, with a White House publication, the "1600 Daily” email summary of news and events, accusing it of using taxpayer money “to speak for authoritarian regimes.” That was after VOA covered the lifting of lockdowns in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the virus first emerged. VOA was founded during World War II, and its congressional charter requires it to present independent news and information to international audiences. It responded to Trump’s criticism by defending its coverage. Upon taking office in January 2021, President Joe Biden’s administration swiftly removed a number of senior officials aligned with Trump from VOA and positions affiliated with it. Lake endeared herself to Trump through her dogmatic commitment to the falsehood that both she and Trump were the victims of election fraud. She has never acknowledged losing the gubernatorial race and called herself the “lawful governor” in her 2023 book, “Unafraid: Just Getting Started.” Lake continued her unsuccessful fight in court to overturn it even after beginning her run for Senate — which she lost by an even higher margin last month, after trying to moderate her tone during her tone but struggling to keep a consistent message on thorny topics, including election fraud and abortion. Trump nonetheless considered her for his vice presidential running mate before deciding on JD Vance. Also Wednesday, Trump announced Leandro Rizzuto as his choice to be the U.S. ambassador to the Washington-based Organization of American States, and said he wanted Florida personal injury attorney Dan Newlin to be his administration's ambassador to Colombia. He also picked Peter Lamelas, a physician and the founder of one of Florida's largest urgent care companies, to be the U.S. ambassador to Argentina. Lamelas is also a large donor to the past campaigns of Trump and other top Republicans.None

The Block's Paige and Jesse secretly tie the knot in Paris: 'Special'The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, a symbolic gesture rejected by the United States and Israel. The resolution -- adopted by a vote of 158-9, with 13 abstentions -- urges "an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire," and "the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages" -- wording similar to a text vetoed by Washington in the Security Council last month. At that time, Washington used its veto power on the Council -- as it has before -- to protect its ally Israel, which has been at war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group's October 7, 2023 attack. It has insisted on the idea of making a ceasefire conditional on the release of all hostages in Gaza, saying otherwise that Hamas has no incentive to free those in captivity. Deputy US Ambassador Robert Wood repeated that position Wednesday, saying it would be "shameful and wrong" to adopt the text. Ahead of the vote, Israel's UN envoy Danny Danon said: "The resolutions before the assembly today are beyond logic. (...) The vote today is not a vote for compassion. It is a vote for complicity." The General Assembly often finds itself taking up measures that cannot get through the Security Council, which has been largely paralyzed on hot-button issues such as Gaza and Ukraine due to internal politics, and this time is no different. The resolution, which is non-binding, demands "immediate access" to widespread humanitarian aid for the citizens of Gaza, especially in the besieged north of the territory. Dozens of representatives of UN member states addressed the Assembly before the vote to offer their support to the Palestinians. "Gaza doesn't exist anymore. It is destroyed," said Slovenia's UN envoy Samuel Zbogar. "History is the harshest critic of inaction." That criticism was echoed by Algeria's deputy UN ambassador Nacim Gaouaoui, who said: "The price of silence and failure in the face of the Palestinian tragedy is a very heavy price, and it will be heavier tomorrow." Hamas's October 2023 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. That count includes hostages who died or were killed while being held in Gaza. Militants abducted 251 hostages, 96 of whom remain in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory offensive in Gaza has killed at least 44,805 people, a majority of them civilians, according to data from the Hamas-run health ministry that is considered reliable by the United Nations. "Gaza today is the bleeding heart of Palestine," Palestinian UN Ambassador Riyad Mansour said last week during the first day of debate in the Assembly's special session on the issue. "The images of our children burning in tents, with no food in their bellies and no hopes and no horizon for the future, and after having endured pain and loss for more than a year, should haunt the conscience of the world and prompt action to end this nightmare," he said, calling for an end to the "impunity." After Wednesday's vote, he said "we will keep knocking on the doors of the Security Council and the General Assembly until we see an immediate and unconditional ceasefire put in place." The Gaza resolution calls on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present "proposals on how the United Nations could help to advance accountability" by using existing mechanisms or creating new ones based on past experience. The Assembly, for example, created an international mechanism to gather evidence of crimes committed in Syria starting from the outbreak of civil war in 2011. A second resolution calling on Israel to respect the mandate of the UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and allow it to continue its operations was passed Wednesday by a vote of 159-9 with 11 abstentions. Israel has voted to ban the organization starting January 28, after accusing some UNRWA employees of taking part in Hamas's devastating attack. abd/sst/jgc/nro/des

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Adcetera's creative partnership with Roborock sends the S8 MaxV Ultra into space HOUSTON , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Adcetera, a Houston -based digital marketing agency, announces the launch of a historic video campaign in partnership with Roborock , one of the world's leading robot vacuum brands. The campaign, centered around the theme "Beyond Limits," culminated in the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra being launched 120,000 feet above the Earth, making it the first robot vacuum in space. When Roborock began searching for an agency to develop a video campaign around their hashtag, #BeyondLimits, Adcetera's creatives stepped in to develop a narrative that could bring those two words to life. The resulting social media campaign features three scientists frustrated by outdated cleaning tools. Their solution? Invent the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra. After putting the vacuum through a series of "Beyond Limits" tests, the scientists take it one step further and launch it into space. The collaboration included partnering with Sent into Space, a UK-based company specializing in sending objects into the upper stratosphere. On September 17, 2024 , the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra successfully launched from Sheffield, UK , reaching 120,000 feet above Earth and enduring extreme temperatures, thus proving the product's endurance and innovation. The project involved building a unique laboratory set, sourcing talent and hundreds of props, a post-production that included multiple special effects, and coordinating an international space launch — all executed with precision to ensure the project stayed on schedule, within budget, and within scope. Stella Lin , Marketing Specialist at Roborock, praised the collaboration: "It was a pleasure collaborating with Adcetera on these projects. I believe they not only demonstrate Roborock's exceptional product quality and groundbreaking achievements, but also serve as a strong testament to Adcetera's professional expertise." To date, the video series has collectively garnered tens of millions of views across Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. "We're proud of how our team turned a larger-than-life idea — an idea that felt almost impossible — into reality," said Adcetera's Chief Creative Officer Rowan Gearon . "We're pushing creative boundaries just like Roborock pushes the limits of technology." About Adcetera Adcetera is a full-service, integrated digital marketing agency with an obsession to deliver innovative solutions that drive growth for brands. Headquartered in Houston, TX , with offices in Chicago, IL and The Woodlands, TX , they are a distinctively diverse team of innovators, creators, and leaders from around the world, deeply proud of the award-winning work and the ongoing value provided to brands, businesses, and communities for over 40+ years. Adcetera is a privately held, WBENC-certified, HUB-certified, woman-owned business. For more information visit adcetera.com . Follow on LinkedIn . Adcetera – Strategic. Creative. People. About Roborock Roborock is a leading smart cleaning brand renowned for its intelligent cleaning solutions. With a steadfast dedication to becoming a global leading smart appliance player, Roborock enriches lives with its innovative line of robotic, cordless, wet/dry vacuum cleaners, and washer-dryers. Rooted in a user-centric approach, our R&D-driven solutions cater to diverse cleaning needs in over 15 million homes across 170+ countries. Headquartered in Beijing and with strategic subsidiaries in key markets, including the United States , Japan , the Netherlands , Poland , Germany , and South Korea , Roborock is dedicated to elevating its market presence worldwide. For more information, visit https://global.roborock.com/. SOURCE ADCETERA

Tim and Joan Pieper will be enjoying their first Christmas at the house they purchased 21⁄2 years ago for $5. It took 21⁄2 years to restore this Dutch colonial house, which had been scheduled to be demolished. It was about to be demolished when they bought the Dutch colonial and had it carted about a mile to a 3-acre section of a farm they own near Mitchell, Nebraska. “We moved it and restored it to save it,” Joan said. With Brad Shaul of Shaul Construction as the main contractor, the house was gutted to the studs and then plumbing, electrical, HVAC, windows and new floors were added. “Everything is new but the entry, the staircase and the pocket doors from the living room and dining room,” Joan said. “We put in a new basement.” Landscaping will be done this spring. Rob Bullock of Furniture Medic by Cowboy Wood Doctors in Cheyenne, Wyoming, did a phenomenal job restoring the doors and some of the woodwork, Joan said. She and Tim visited antique stores in places like Crofton and Newman Grove to replace missing hardware for the doors. Joan cooked them in a crockpot and scrubbed them up the next day. It wasn’t a cheap project, but it was fun, Joan says. The dining room of the Piepers’ renovated house. “It’s not like HGTV when they do it for $100,000,” Joan said. “Once you are into it, you can’t stop.” They’re not sure what they’ll do with the house. They live across the border in Torrington, Wyoming. They’ve watched a few Nebraska football and volleyball games there with friends, and three of their four children and their families will be there for Christmas. Joan said it’s surreal that the renovation is finished. “I love it,” she said. “It really turned out wonderful.” Short Takes is a compilation of lightly edited press releases from various organizations. If you’d like to have your information included, send it to ducey@owh.com at least 10 days before the item needs to run. Photos are welcomed with a photo credit and caption. marjie.ducey@owh.com , 402-444-1034, twitter.com/mduceyowh For the holidays: Get inspiring home and gift ideas – sign up now!

Danny Wild-Imagn Images In somewhat of a surprising move, the New York Rangers made veteran . The 33-year-old left winger has produced only one goal and one point in his past eight games, and Rangers coaching and management obviously wanted to send a message by scratching Kreider. "We just need more," after the game. Peter Laviolette on why the Rangers scratched Chris Kreider: “It was just a lineup decision. We just need more.” — Remy Mastey (@MasteyRemy) Sitting out Kreider does not help the Rangers or the player at all. And clearly, the score suggested the same. The Devils hammered the Rangers 5-0, handing the Blueshirts their second straight loss and fifth defeat in six games. The Rangers, without their third-highest shooter in Kreider, only mustered up 12 shots on goal. New Jersey even mocked the Rangers for last week. The Rangers couldn't bring the best out of the No. 2 draft pick in 2019, and they scratched him, displeased him and traded him. The Devils, meanwhile, got three points from No. 1 pick Jack Hughes. OH MY GOD. The just played the video of Rangers fans cheering when Jack Hughes got drafted. Jack bursted out into laughter when they showed him on the jumbotron. — Daniel Amoia (@daniel_amoia) , and scratching Kreider did not help at all. The main issue in Manhattan isn’t Kreider’s struggles on offense. It’s the team’s struggles on offense. The Rangers scored one goal or fewer in four of their five games before Monday, and they scored just two goals in the fifth game. This can’t be pinned solely on Kreider, who has never posted fewer than 36 goals in any of the past three seasons. Kreider currently has 11 goals in 30 games – tying him for second-best on the Rangers – and somehow, the team thinks the Rangers will fare better without Kreider. If this healthy scratch is meant to be a prelude to Kreider getting traded, we don’t know how you showcase Kreider to other teams when he’s sitting in the press box. Wouldn’t it be best to keep Kreider in the lineup, give the Blueshirts some scoring firepower in the short term and trade him once the NHL’s holiday roster freeze concludes? We think so. The Rangers have more than enough salary cap space – about – to make a trade without including Kreider’s $6.5-million cap hit. And the bigger issue with Kreider is the two seasons he’s under contract following this one. That’s going to be a tough job for Rangers GM Chris Drury to convince another team to invest in a player the Rangers seem no longer interested in investing in. There’s no doubt about it – the Rangers are a serious mess. But chalking up their woes to Kreider’s impact (or lack thereof) is not right if you’re Rangers management. The loyalty Kreider has shown to the organization over the past dozen seasons is not being paid back at the moment. Given the fact that the Rangers lost 5-0 to the Devils and were humiliated in the process, Kreider obviously isn’t the problem in New York City. The only message the Rangers sent by scratching Chris Kreider is they should probably not scratch Chris Kreider — Adam Wylde (@AdamWylde) In the right situation – on a legitimate Stanley Cup contender – Kreider could be a goal machine and a difference-maker. But the Rangers are not in the right situation, and laying their struggles at the feet of an experienced hand like Kreider is not to see the forest for the trees. When Kreider does return to action, he needs to play with a chip on his shoulder because the Rangers have disrespected him in a major way. Kreider can be part of a team’s solution as he has long been, but the Rangers seem to no longer want him to be part of the solution in Manhattan.South Carolina found its next quarterback. Ohio State transfer Air Noland committed to the Gamecocks on Monday, per Hayes Fawcett of On 3. While Noland didn't see meaningful playing time on the Buckeyes, he was a 4-star prospect and the No. 4 overall quarterback in the recruiting class of 2024, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Noland isn't the only quarterback leaving Ohio State via the transfer portal, as backup Devin Brown also said he is heading elsewhere. However, Brown will remain with the Buckeyes through the College Football Playoff, while Noland has turned his attention to his next stop. The Scarlet and Gray may need to turn to the portal for depth at the position heading into the 2025 campaign, as Will Howard will also be gone next season. That leaves Julian Sayin as the presumed starter, but the team could use some additional depth for insurance. As for South Carolina, Noland is someone who could be the quarterback of the future if LaNorris Sellers leaves for the 2026 NFL draft down the line. Noland was buried on Ohio State's depth chart, but he brings potential as a pocket passer. Fisher Brewer of Sports Illustrated noted he threw for 55 touchdowns in his junior season of high school, which is second in Georgia history. His presence helps eliminate any questions about depth behind Sellers for the upcoming season and gives the Gamecocks a long-term option with a high ceiling. "Noland, who was an Elite 11 finalist and finished second in the prestigious quarterback competition, is known for his elite accuracy and poised decision-making," Brewer wrote. "While he has the ability to move in the pocket, his game is more aligned with a pro-style quarterback. Uniquely, he is a rare left-handed passer, which adds another layer of intrigue to his game." Don't be surprised if Noland is the No. 1 option for South Carolina for the 2026 season.

By Nandita Bose WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Elon Musk, the billionaire CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, vowed to go to "war" to defend the H-1B visa program for foreign tech workers late on Friday amid a dispute between President-elect Donald Trump's longtime supporters and his most recently acquired backers from the tech industry. In a post on social media platform X, Musk said "The reason I'm in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B." "I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend," he added. Musk, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in South Africa, has held an H-1B visa, and his electric-car company Tesla obtained 724 of the visas this year. H-1B visas are typically for three-year periods, though holders can extend them or apply for green cards. Musk's tweet was directed at Trump's supporters and immigration hardliners, who have increasingly pushed for the H-1B visa program to be scrapped amid a heated debate over immigration and the place of skilled immigrants and foreign workers brought into the country on work visas. Trump has so far remained silent on the issue. The Trump transition did not respond to a request for comment on Musk's tweets and the H-1B visa debate. In the past, Trump has expressed a willingness to provide more work visas to skilled workers. He has also promised to deport all immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally, deploy tariffs to help create more jobs for American citizens and severely restrict immigration. The issue highlights how tech leaders like Musk -- who has taken an important role in the presidential transition, advising on key personnel and policy areas -- are now drawing scrutiny from his base. The U.S. tech industry relies on the government's H-1B visa program to hire foreign skilled workers to help run its companies, a labor force that critics say undercuts wages for American citizens. The altercation was set off earlier this week by far-right activists who criticized Trump's selection of Sriram Krishnan, an Indian American venture capitalist, to be an adviser on artificial intelligence, saying he would have influence on the Trump administration's immigration policies. On Friday, Steve Bannon, a longtime Trump confidante, critiqued "big tech oligarchs" for supporting the H-1B program and cast immigration as a threat to Western civilization. In response, Musk and many other tech billionaires drew a line between what they view as legal immigration and illegal immigration. Musk has spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars helping Trump get elected president in November. He has posted regularly this week about the lack of homegrown talent to fill all the needed positions within American tech companies. (Reporting by Nandita Bose in Washington)