‘No, it doesn’t pass pub test’: Mali backtracks on contentious job ad

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LeBron James and Stephen Curry share the national spotlight on Christmas Day for perhaps the final time when the visiting Los Angeles Lakers square off with the Golden State Warriors in the holiday primetime showcase Wednesday night at San Francisco. Two teams currently sitting in play-in positions in the Western Conference playoff race will seek to bounce back from narrow home defeats when James and Curry meet on Christmas for the fourth time. The first three meetings were at the height of their powers, with Curry's Warriors and James' Cleveland Cavaliers dueling in 2015 and 2016 as reigning NBA finalists. James had joined the Lakers for the third matchup in 2018, when the Warriors again were defending champs. Curry and James are paired again this year despite neither team advancing past the first round of the playoffs last season. And neither is considered a serious title contender this season. With a 40th birthday approaching Monday, James has continued to play at a high level. He had 32 points in a win at Sacramento on Saturday, then put up a triple-double Monday in a 117-114 home loss to the Detroit Pistons. James joins reigning MVP Nikola Jokic as the only players in the league currently averaging at least 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.0 assists. James ended Monday's game with blood on his left wrist and promising he's not backing down from any challenges, even while nearing 40. "You just got to match physicality with physicality," said James, a former wide receiver in high school. "I can't speak for nobody but myself when it comes to that. I'm a football player so I don't mind physicality to be honest." Curry, who will turn 37 before season's end, had two of the worst performances of his career in his last three outings, shooting a combined 2-for-20 overall and 2-for-15 on 3-pointers while totaling 12 points in losses to Memphis and Indiana. The struggles have coincided with the addition of veteran point guard Dennis Schroder, acquired in a trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Schroder came to Golden State averaging 18.4 points and 6.6 assists, shooting 45 percent overall and 39 percent on 3-pointers. Inserted immediately into the starting lineup, he has contributed just 7.7 points and 3.7 assists a game for Golden State, shooting 8-for-29 overall (27.6 percent) and 1-for-11 on 3-pointers (9.1 percent). Curry believes it's just a matter of time before the new backcourt combination clicks. "It could be a lot better, and it will be," Curry said. "We're being defended a certain way, but it's nothing I haven't seen before. You just got to understand when to pick and choose your spots based on the attention you get. Get the ball moving, try to find a rhythm a little earlier. "That might be a little bit of an adjustment, but something I've been through and always try to find a way to bounce back." The Warriors will be playing on Christmas Day for the 12th straight season. They've faced the Lakers twice previously on the holiday - 1954 in a Philadelphia vs. Minneapolis matchup, and 2018 in a game in which James outscored Curry 17-15 in a 127-101 win in Oakland. -Field Level Media This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.Raw milk has been linked to at least 10 illnesses in California, according to the California Department of Public Health. None of the illnesses has been identified as bird flu, the agency said. “Since announcing multiple recalls of raw milk due to contamination with bird flu, state and local public health experts have received reports of illnesses from 10 individuals who reported drinking raw milk. Initial county and state public health laboratory testing has not identified any positive bird flu infections in these individuals to date,” a spokesperson said Thursday. The department didn’t immediately provide additional information about the 10 illnesses. Health officials in Northern California are also investigating a possible case of bird flu in a child who became ill after drinking raw milk in November, Marin County Public Health said Tuesday. The child went to a local emergency department with fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk and tested positive for influenza A, the county said . Interest in raw milk has surged amid support from some high-profile fans, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to lead the US Department of Health and Human Services . Although some fans claim there are nutritional benefits to drinking raw milk, health experts say any purported benefits do not outweigh the associated risks. Raw milk and some types of raw cheese can be a source of many kinds of germs, and lab tests show that bird flu virus in raw milk can be infectious. Raw milk and cream products from Fresno-based Raw Farm were recalled and distribution of the products was last month halted after samples tested positive for bird flu. Two possible cases of bird flu were reported in indoor cats who had consumed raw milk from Raw Farm, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said Thursday. In response to the increasing presence of the virus, the US Department of Agriculture has announced that it will begin testing raw milk stored in dairy silos across the country . Here’s what food scientists and dairy professionals say about the myths surrounding raw milk and the pasteurization process. What is raw milk? Raw milk has not undergone pasteurization, the process that removes disease-causing germs, yeasts, molds and other harmful microbes, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Raw milk can carry disease-causing bacteria from infected udder tissue, residue from milking equipment or particles from the water, soil and cow manure, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. That’s why the CDC recommends eating and drinking pasteurized milk and dairy products instead. Most milk in the US is pasteurized using High Temperature Short Time Pasteurization, which involves heating it to at least 161 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 15 seconds, according to the International Dairy Foods Association . The process was named after French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur , who refined the process to use in alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine, later adapting the method to milk as a way to remove bovine tuberculosis in the US and Europe in the early 1900s. Roughly 65,000 people died of the disease after eating and drinking unpasteurized dairy products between 1912 to 1937 in England and Wales alone. Instead of pasteurization, raw milk producers monitor the health of the cow, according to Raw Farm CEO Mark McAfee. “We can isolate that cow immediately and make sure she’s OK, and we can treat her,” McAfee told CNN. Raw Farm uses smaXtec boluses , capsule sensors swallowed by the cows to measure their body temperature, water consumption, activity and general health. The capsules stay in the same position in the reticulum for the cow’s life, neither digested nor regurgitated. The devices wirelessly transmit updates every 10 minutes. The data is then sorted by AI to provide information quickly, should a cow become sick, to ensure that the milk is safe to drink. Why do people drink raw milk? Despite the hype, the FDA estimates that less than 1% of Americans drink raw milk. Many fans claim to choose raw over pasteurized milk because they prefer the taste, according to Dr. William Hallman, a professor and psychologist in the Department of Human Ecology at Rutgers University. “One of the reasons is that some raw milk is not homogenized, which means that cream floats to the top, for example, so some of the first sips may be full of cream,” he said. There are also a variety of psychological reasons, Hallman said. Some people believe it’s healthier than pasteurized milk, while others might want to support local agriculture or choose it because family, friends or neighbors enjoy it. It’s also more expensive, with some gallons of raw milk costing almost twice as much as regular milk at the grocery store. “Psychologically, it reinforces the idea that it’s a premium product because otherwise they couldn’t charge so much for it,” he said. “There’s kind of this group effect that becomes normalized.” According to the FDA , many of the claims about raw milk’s health benefits are not true. For example, it doesn’t cure or treat asthma, allergy or lactose intolerance, and it doesn’t have the good gut bacteria that could improve your microbiome . “Pasteurization is meant to ensure the bad bacteria that can be harmful to people and make them ill are killed,” said Dr. Rabia de Latour, a gastroenterologist at NYU’s Grossman School of Medicine. “There’s been a lot of recent attention being paid to the concept of ‘processed’ foods being bad for your health. [Pasteurization] still provides some protein and aids in bone health by providing calcium and vitamin D to the drinker, but if you’re very concerned about your microbiome, I believe there are safer ways to enhance it.” Some ways to improve your gut microbiome include consuming high-fiber and fermented foods, fruits, vegetables and extra virgin olive oil . What are the risks of drinking raw milk? Raw milk has a neutral pH and substantial nutritional and water content , making it an ideal environment for bacteria and other harmful pathogens to grow., research shows. “Milk has around 87% moisture, and microbes love more moisture,” said Alex O’Brien, the food safety and quality coordinator at the Center for Dairy Research. “The more available water, the easier it is for them to grow.” The CDC says that drinking or eating products made from raw milk opens the door to several harmful germs , including E. coli, listeria, salmonella and brucella. Another, Cryptosporidium, can lead to very dangerous diarrhea in people who have HIV or AIDS, de Latour says. These foodborne illnesses can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach cramping and vomiting. In rare cases, they may lead to serious conditions like Guillain-Barré or hemolytic uremic syndrome. The germs are more likely to cause health complications in children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant people and the immunocompromised. What about raw cheese? Raw milk can be used to make raw cheese, and fans say it has a better, more complex flavor than pasteurized cheese. Dr. Don Schaffner, a food science professor at Rutgers University, said the health risk from raw milk cheeses may be significantly lower, depending on the type of cheese. Hard aged raw milk cheeses like cheddar, Asiago, Parmesan or Swiss are much less risky than soft raw milk cheese like queso fresco, feta, Camembert or Brie, Schaffner said. “Soft raw milk cheeses are not aged ... and probably pose about the same level of risk as raw milk itself,” he said. The CDC says that soft cheeses with a high moisture content are more likely to be contaminated with listeria bacteria. “There’s salt that’s added to cheeses, and there is rennet and other additives that make the cheese curdle the milk,” Hallman said. “That aging process and the addition of salt can basically reduce the risk of pathogens. It doesn’t mean it’s risk-free, which is why if you are pregnant or immunocompromised or an older individual, consuming raw milk cheeses can be somewhat risky.” Why we pasteurize milk The US Public Health Service created the Standard Milk Ordinance in 1924 to promote pasteurization practices and remove harmful bacteria that could cause typhoid and scarlet fevers as well as tuberculosis. The ordinance, now known as the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance , outlines the requirements for lab testing of milk and dairy products for quality and safety. Experts estimate that, before the wider adoption of this approach, roughly 25% of all disease outbreaks in the US were milk-borne. According to the FDA , for every 2 billion servings of pasteurized dairy products consumed in the US, about one person becomes ill. Pasteurization “has been incredibly effective at reducing the incidents of milk-borne disease,” Schaffner said. “Any biological organism has optimal conditions that it prefers, and if those deviate, organisms are inactivated. Heat is a very straightforward technology that is easy to apply with precision, and its effect on pathogenic microorganisms is well known.” Some health experts believe that people may continue to consume raw milk despite the health risks because they believe that the overall chance of illness is low. “Some people are extremely optimistic, and they believe that if there are risks, they are more likely to be much more likely to apply to other people,” Hallman said. “In this case, they may be focusing primarily on the health benefits and ignoring the risks because it’s more convenient to do that. They underplay the risks by overemphasizing the benefits to justify the choice they’ve made.” The raw milk controversy Raw milk has become a particularly hot topic because of Kennedy’s vocal support as well as endorsements from social media influencers and the “ Gwyneth Paltrows of the world,” Hallman said. Paltrow has said she drinks raw cream in her coffee. “The evidence for these health benefits is certainly not definitive, whereas the risks certainly are definitive,” he said. “Having worked on a farm and been around cattle, I can pretty much assure you that everything is not sterile around those animals. There’s this romanticized view of this, which is not entirely realistic.” The credibility and position of those endorsing the product, like Kennedy, who said in a social media post in October that raw milk was among a long list of items that faced “aggressive suppression,” also seems to play a role in raw milk’s recent attention. Sid Miller, the Texas agriculture commissioner, recently argued in an opinion piece on the department’s website that consumers in the state should maintain the right to purchase raw dairy products. “There’s nothing more American than the freedom to choose what kind of food you eat,” he wrote. “Raw milk isn’t for everyone, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be available. Just as we shouldn’t force people to consume something they don’t want, the government should allow people the right to choose what is best for their personal nutrition.” Hallman said that some people don’t want to be limited in their options and told what they can or cannot purchase. “Kind of perversely, some people drink raw milk because they don’t want the government telling them what they should do,” he said. “They support drinking raw milk because they want to maintain their ability, their freedom of choice.” The risks of bird flu The FDA notes that one increasingly common pathogen removed from raw milk during the pasteurization process is H5N1. This bird flu virus has caused “widespread” illness in a multistate outbreak among US poultry and cows, according to the CDC. When cows are infected with this strain of bird flu, Schaffner said, the concentration of the virus shed in milk can be quite high. “Eventually, cows become sick and either stop producing milk or produce poor-quality milk,” he said. The CDC has reported 58 human cases of bird flu this year, 32 of them in California, where raw milk is legal to drink and sell. Most of the cases are linked to farm workers who have been in contact with sick animals. California also reported last month the first US case identified in a child; the CDC that the virus from that case resembled those previously detected in humans, cattle and poultry in the state but that it’s not clear how the child was exposed. Bird flu symptoms in humans include flu-like symptoms like eye redness, sore throat, runny nose, cough, diarrhea, vomiting, body aches, fatigue, trouble swallowing or fever. Health experts encourage anyone who has consumed raw milk and notices symptoms to alert their health-care providers or local health departments. “We’ve seen the flu move from birds to cow,” de Latour said. “If you were to drink raw milk of a sick animal shedding this virus, theoretically, yes, maybe you could potentially contract bird flu, but we haven’t seen that happen yet. ... The ultimate big fear here is human-to-human transmission, which we have not yet seen.” CNN’s Meg Tirrell and Jamie Gumbrecht contributed to this report.

Rarely does a college basketball game provide such stark contrast between the sport's haves and have-nots as when Jackson State faces No. 9 Kentucky on Friday in Lexington, Ky. While Kentucky claims eight NCAA Tournament crowns and the most wins in college basketball history, Jackson State has never won an NCAA Tournament game and enters the matchup looking for its first win of the season. Impressive tradition and current record aside, Kentucky (4-0) returned no scholarship players from last season's team that was knocked off by Oakland in the NCAA Tournament. New coach Mark Pope and his essentially all-new Wildcats are off to a promising start. Through four games, Kentucky is averaging 94.3 points per game, and with 11.5 3-pointers made per game, the team is on pace to set a school record from long distance. The Wildcats boast six double-figure scorers with transfer guards Otega Oweh (from Oklahoma, 15.0 ppg) and Koby Brea (from Dayton, 14.5 ppg) leading the team. The Wildcats defeated Duke 77-72 on Nov. 12 but showed few signs of an emotional letdown in Tuesday's 97-68 win over a Lipscomb team picked to win the Atlantic Sun Conference in the preseason. Kentucky drained a dozen 3-pointers while outrebounding their visitors 43-28. Guard Jaxson Robinson, held to a single point by Duke, dropped 20 points to lead the Kentucky attack. Afterward, Pope praised his team's focus, saying, "The last game was over and it was kind of on to, ‘How do we get better?' That's the only thing we talk about." Lipscomb coach Lennie Acuff also delivered a ringing endorsement, calling Kentucky "the best offensive Power Four team we've played in my six years at Lipscomb." Jackson State (0-5) and third-year coach Mo Williams are looking for something positive to build upon. Not only are the Tigers winless, but they have lost each game by nine or more points. Sophomore guard Jayme Mitchell Jr. (13.8 ppg) is the leading scorer, but the team shoots just 35.8 percent while allowing opponents to shoot 52.3 percent. The Tigers played on Wednesday at Western Kentucky, where they lost 79-62. Reserve Tamarion Hoover had a breakout game with 18 points to lead Jackson State, but the host Hilltoppers canned 14 3-point shots and outrebounded the Tigers 42-35 to grab the win. Earlier, Williams, who played against Kentucky while a student at Alabama, admitted the difficulties of a challenging nonconference schedule for his team. "Our goal is not to win 13 nonconference games," Williams said. "We're already at a disadvantage in that regard. We use these games to get us ready for conference play and for March Madness." Jackson State has not made the NCAA Tournament since 2007. The Tigers had a perfect regular-season record (11-0) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference in 2020-21 but lost in the league tournament. Kentucky has never played Jackson State before, but the game is being billed as part of a Unity Series of matchups in which Kentucky hosts members of the SWAC to raise awareness of Historical Black Colleges and Universities and provide funds for those schools. Past Unity Series opponents have been Southern in December 2021 and Florida A&M in December 2022. --Field Level Media

Brera Holdings Outlines Three-Step Process to Acquire Majority Equity Interest in Juve Stabia, Integrating the Serie B Team into its Multi-Club Model to Promote Value Creation with "The Second Team of Naples"Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. The Capitals updated Ovechkin’s status Thursday after he was evaluated by team doctors upon returning from a three-game trip. The 39-year-old broke the leg in a shin-on-shin collision Monday night with Utah’s Jack McBain, and some of his closest teammates knew it was not good news even before Ovechkin was listed as week to week and placed on injured reserve. “Everyone’s bummed out,” said winger Tom Wilson, who has played with Ovechkin since 2013. “We were sitting there saying: ‘This is weird. Like, it’s unbelievable that he’s actually hurt.’ It’s one of those things where like, he’s going to miss games? I’ve been around a long time, and it’s new to me.” Ovechkin in his first 19 seasons missed 59 games — and just 35 because of injury. Durability even while throwing his body around with his physical style is a big reason he is on track to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals that once looked unapproachable. “He doesn’t go out there and just coast around,” Wilson said. “He’s played 20 years every shift running over guys and skating. He’s a power forward, the best goal-scorer ever maybe, and he’s a power forward that plays the game really hard.” Ovechkin surged to the top of the league with 15 goals in his first 18 games this season. He was on pace to break the record and score No. 895 sometime in February. “You know when goal-scorers start scoring, it’s dangerous,” said defenseman John Carlson, who has been teammates with Ovechkin since 2009-10. “There was a bit of that in the downs that everyone was feeling about it too, of course. We see him coming to the rink every day, we know what’s at stake. You never want anyone to get injured, but there’s a lot to it and certainly he was playing his best hockey in years.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

Looking for cheap ways to keep the kids entertained over school break? For travelers in the know, there’s a free vacation activity that’s hiding in plain sight. I don’t know about you, but anytime I get an inside view to a destination without the customized tour price, I gleefully take the wander win. A year or two ago, I was introduced to a new avocation I can enjoy anywhere in the world. It’s called geocaching, and it’s just about the most affordable way to enhance any travel outing I’ve ever seen. If you need a hobby the entire family can get behind, at any time of year and in any climate, look no further. From Antarctica to Ann Arbor, you’ve got options. All you need is a pen, a talent for finding hidden containers, and possibly a trinket or two to trade if you so choose. After that, it’s lather, rinse and repeat for affordable family fun on tap. Exploration With containers hidden around the world at historical locations, famous landmarks, scenic vistas and more, exploration is built into the geocaching equation. Game participants can explore their immediate local area, a bucket list destination, and nearly anywhere in between. The metaphorical magic behind this modern treasure hunt is provided by a company called Groundspeak, which manages score totals, event calendars, and container location data for members worldwide. Their headquarters in Seattle is a popular pit stop for long-time players. At the visitor center, you can find a cache, earn a souvenir, tour the geocaching museum and more. Economy As travel activities go, the affordability of geocaching is tough to beat. While premium accounts and paid apps are certainly available for more hard-core enthusiasts, the basic membership and smartphone software are free. Also, though exchanging inexpensive trinkets can be part of the cache-finding fun, it isn’t mandatory. You can simply search out a cache, and log the find. The economy of geocaching can apply to travelers of any budget. On the pricier end, certain caches can only be accessed with a passport and a trip abroad. Even then, I find it more affordable and fun to explore on foot while caching. On a recent extended trip to Europe, my logged locations included a castle, a Roman bridge and a quaint mountain village. The money I saved on packaged tours paid for two high-speed train tickets to Paris. If your vacation fund dictates a more modest getaway, there is plenty of adventure for you as well. Simply pull up the app on your phone to see what hides are available in your local area. These hidden stashes can be found on hiking trails, during an afternoon road trip or even at places you walk past on a regular basis. Efficiency Those who travel with hobby supplies in tow know firsthand that every bit of luggage space counts. Geocaching can be done with nothing more than a pen and a mobile phone. I try to find purse room for a small plastic bag stocked with a few extra log sheets, a small pair of tweezers and a couple of tiny trade items such as stickers, charms or mini erasers. It takes up less space than a pack of gum and lets me participate at a deeper level. Another way this game is incredibly space efficient? Souvenirs. In addition to trip memories and the electronic record of your overall game score, geocaching allows you to earn free digital souvenirs designed to represent the way in which they’re won. There are fun ones for completing specific challenges, visiting different states and countries, and attending special gatherings. There’s even one for finding a hidden code in some of NASA’s equipment footage from Mars! Since you can view these souvenirs from your phone, there’s no need to worry about finding room in your bag or lugging around extra weight. Events Whether you’re traveling alone or with a partner, long-term life on the road can feel isolating. This is especially true when you are only in a place for a short time, making it a challenge to form connections through traditional means. As geocaching has evolved, it has come to include not just physical caches, but events where members get together for any number of activities. Travelers can search out preplanned event caches at their selected destination, or schedule their own pop-up adventure for locals to attend. These meet-ups can focus on a range of interests from kayaking to a picnic spot, to poetry writing at a coffee shop, or going to a museum. I’ve even hosted a postcard making experience at one of my favorite beer joints. Attending and logging in at these social sessions counts as a cache find in your overall game total. Extras Events aren’t your only option for thinking outside the traditional container box. Adventure Lab caches are a great way to experience a new city as a geocacher. As with traditional and event caches, these vary widely. Expect anything from self-directed public art tours and searching out historical markers, to tips for finding favorite local swimming holes and suggested selfie spots. Other options include virtual and Earth caches, which are designed to help you learn specific things about the area. Typically, I’ve been required to submit photos or question answers as proof of completion. If you have a tiny bit of room in your trip bag, travel bugs are another neat geocaching extra. Typically a small novelty item attached to a coded tracking tag, a travel bug is registered in the app to a member, and placed in a cache. From there, another player can pick it up and take it to another hidden container for the next player to move along. All locations are documented in the system, so it’s a nifty way for folks to follow the journey of their item. Containers with room to house these trackable items tend to be a bit larger, and are often categorized as travel bug hotels. These are some of the more unique container caches out there. Hidden in locked urban junction boxes that require a code, secret compartments of little free libraries or even large containers in the woods, they can be a significant memory maker, especially for youngsters. If all this sounds like something you’d like to try, information for finding, making and hiding caches is available online. Geocaching.com , Groundspeak’s main user website for the hobby, offers a deep dive into everything a new player needs to know. Bottom line? Geocaching’s worldwide reach and affordability make it a budget travel win. Whether you want to see and save in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations, or search out local options for family fun, this international scavenger-style hunt has something to offer. ________ (Lifestyle and travel expert @MyschaTheriault blends thrift and luxury to live well for less around the world.) ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are climbing Thursday after market superstar Nvidia and another round of companies said they’re making even fatter profits than expected. The S&P 500 was pulling 0.7% higher, as of 2:45 p.m. Eastern time, after flipping between modest gains and losses several times in the morning. Banks, smaller companies and other areas of the stock market that tend do best when the economy is strong helped lead the way, while bitcoin briefly broke above $99,000. Crude oil, meanwhile, continued to rise. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.TORONTO — Broad-based gains led Canada’s main stock index to close higher in the shortened Christmas Eve trading session, while U.S. stock markets also rose. The S&P/TSX composite index ended up 97.84 points at 24,846.82, as most sectors rose other than telecoms and health care. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 390.08 points at 43,297.03. The S&P 500 index was up 65.97 points at 6,040.04, while the Nasdaq composite was up 266.24 points at 20,031.13. The gains added to increases in recent days to help offset the drop in markets last week after the U.S. Federal Reserve released its latest outlook. The climb however was more likely related to year-end balancing than any change in sentiment, said Dustin Reid, chief fixed income strategist at Mackenzie Investments. “I think it’s mostly just year-end flows that are driving it. I don’t think there’s anything that’s particularly reversed in terms of sentiments since the Fed meeting,” said Reid. There’s reallocation by geography, moving asset classes and other adjustments to align portfolios that is likely affecting markets, he said. “I find that price action around month end, quarter end, and year-end, you shouldn’t try and ascribe a ton of fundamental cause as to why things are moving, because there’s a lot of flows happening below the surface that are probably driving the price action that are not necessarily fundamentally based.” The U.S. Fed guided for only two rate cuts in 2025 at its Dec. 18 meeting, which pushed down markets for the day. But Reid said the guidance was largely in line with expectations, and the strong U.S. economy has likely since helped boost markets. The Canadian market, meanwhile, might be benefiting a little from the expectations of even more rate cuts needed here than expected as the economy is showing softness. On Monday, Statistics Canada said its early estimate for November suggests real GDP for the month edged 0.1 per cent lower for the first drop this year. “The negative flash print for November really suggests that the bank is going to have a fair bit more work to do,” said Reid. “I think that the market is not pricing in enough easing for calendar ’25 for the Bank of Canada.” There was no economic data releases Tuesday to sway markets, he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 69.51 cents US compared with 69.47 cents US on Monday. The February crude oil contract was up 86 cents at US$70.10 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was up 16 cents at US$3.50 per mmBTU. The February gold contract ended up US$7.30 at US$2,635.50 an ounce and the March copper contract was up two cents at US$4.11 a pound.

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"I can be ruthless when I have to be," said Ruben Amorim on Friday afternoon. Manchester United's new head coach was introduced to the press for the first time and made a convincing start to his media duties. Amorim usually has a smile on his face but warned he is not a soft touch. "There is some places to have fun and some places to work hard," he explained. "I’m not like that kind of guy who wants to show he’s the boss. I think they will feel it in the small details, that I can be the smiling one but then when we have a job to do, I will be a different person and they understand that." Although there has been a wide smile on Amorim's face in almost every photo since he touched down in Manchester, his time at Old Trafford won't be all sunshine and rainbows. The winter frost has coincided with his arrival and he must produce results in a busy festive period, but the 39-year-old strongly believes he is the "right man at the right time." ALSO READ: Exciting young defender included in first-team training ALSO READ: Ruben Amorim's first United press conference LIVE Amorim needs to transform the fortunes of a side that sit 13th in the Premier League , so he is bound to encounter challenges along the way but he doesn't lack self confidence. United believe they have hired one the finest young coaches in European football and a club source recently admitted his outstanding communication skills will be a helpful asset. Amorim made a strong impression in his first press conference ahead of facing Ipswich Town this weekend and demonstrated his savvy communication skills. "It’s so much harder to come to a team in the middle of a season because you have to know the players during the games," he said. "You’re talking about no national team periods to work with the players, it’s just games. It depends if you are winning it’s a lot of fun having a lot of games and trying to make some changes tactically and winning games. But if you’re losing, you don’t have the time in training to work on everything you want to work. "I think where you can improve a team is in training. This is the most important aspect. You can get the players to recover and react really fast, but if you don’t make any exercise with that, it’s really hard to do that on video or in recovery trainings. So it’s really hard in this way but we will find ways to try cope with that." Amorim was in great form. Amorim's appointment has generated huge excitement and the feel good factor around the club has returned. United fans are hoping the Portuguese is different from his predecessors, who have all struggled under the shadow of the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson in the last 11 years. "No, not yet. I didn’t have that opportunity," said Amorim when asked if he'd had a chance to meet Ferguson. "It’s hard to copy someone, so I have to be me. Of course I’m not the best person in here to show the history of Manchester United , it should be the club first and also me. "I’m always paying attention to those details and trying to focus our players in the history of the club, not the recent history, so you have to be very demanding. This is a club that has to win. "So we have to show that [history] to our players but it’s a different time. I cannot be the same guy Sir Alex Ferguson was. I need to have a different approach, but I can also be demanding." Amorim vowed to be his own man but has something in common with Ferguson: a trust in young players. Amorim's success at Sporting Lisbon was underpinned by talented players from the Portuguese club's academy and he is expected to use a similar formula at United. "It’s the project of Manchester United," he said. "Nowadays, you need young guys from the academy for everything, to bring that history of the club because they feel the club in a different way. "But also because you have all these rules with financial fair play when a player from our academy is so much different [worth more in FFP] to the players we sell - that we bought and that we sell. So everything is connected, I will try to help all the players and especially the young ones." The last question was about Pep Guardiola . The Manchester City boss has just signed a new two-year contract but was defeated by Amorim in the Champions League earlier in the month, with City suffering a 4-1 defeat to Sporting away from home. "I think it's a problem for everyone here," said Amorim. "But we have so much to do, we can't focus on anyone. We just have to focus on our club, improving our club and not focusing on the other clubs. It's amazing if you can beat that team, it's a good sign, but let's focus on United."Council told to be proud of achievements despite performance report red marks

The Los Angeles Rams have been the dark horse team of the 2024 season. They got off to a rough start early on in the season as the offense was without stars Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp . Through the first five weeks, it was safe to say that this season was going to be a losing one for the team as it got off to a 1-4 start. However, just when one thought they were done, Matthew Stafford got his wings back. Ever since Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua have been a part of the roster, their offense has been rolling. Now, LA finds itself in a unique position. As the Rams rank second in the NFC West, the team dons a unique tag, the team is a ‘Dreambreaker’ for the likes of the Seahawks, Cardinals, and the 49ers. Seattle is one win ahead of LA in the division but they have been inconsistent throughout the year which means fans should not be shocked if the Rams overtake them and win the division by the end of the season. Apart from that, the Arizona Cardinals still have a shot at making the number 1 seed but they are two wins away. Fortunately, for them, they face the Patriots and Panthers in the coming weeks, two games that can be won although considering the strong fight Carolina put up against the Eagles, the team should not be dismissed entirely. Then they go up against the Rams and the 49ers, two games that cannot be predicted as there are a lot of variables in play. However, given the Seahawks’ schedule, it is safe to say that LA might end up with the top spot in the NFC West. As Seattle goes up against Minnesota and Green Bay in the coming weeks, those are matchups they do not stand to win. Ultimately, the Rams can take benefit of this and sneak into the playoffs. Does that make the Rams a legitimate Super Bowl contender? Not necessarily but they will certainly not be a first-round exit in the playoffs and here are three reasons why: 1. Offense, Offense and Offense Matthew Stafford has been consistent throughout the season. Without his wide receivers too, he ranks top 5 in terms of yards thrown this season, top 10 in terms of passing touchdowns, and 8th in the NFL with a QBR of 65.6. The man knows how to work with unfavorable odds, after all, that is what he did for most of his career in Detroit. Now that he has Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp to rely on that is a boost to the offense. Add Kyren Williams to this equation and LA has a roster that can inflict damage to its opponents. Averaging 340.7 yards per game, they have primarily relied on the passing game this season. LA’s offense will be the primary driver that can deliver a blow to even the most seasoned of defenses. 2. Sean McVay and his strategic decision-making Trading Jared Goff for Matthew Stafford was a gamble, bringing Odell Beckham Jr. when there were rumors of his ability to perform at an elite level was a gamble, HC Sean McVay is no stranger to taking risks. He is always two steps ahead of the curve and when the Rams fanbase was deep into concern after the slow start, he did not lose hope. Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford together have formed a formidable duo. Since the veteran quarterback joined the Rams, they are 10-1 in December. Well, the next 3 of their games are in December so that’s a positive sign for them. 3. No moment is too big for the Rams Despite having a much different-looking roster than the Super Bowl squad, the Rams have not cracked under pressure so far. The evidence? Just look at what they did to Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. The MVP candidate had a historic night as he passed for three touchdowns and rushed for three but still, the Bills came up short. This showcases two things, one is that the Rams’ offense can compete with anybody. However, the other thing is that they can do this despite their defense. LA’s defense is far behind the offense but on days they come up short, the offense never fails to cover the deficit. Their win against Buffalo was a morale booster for them, one that they needed ahead of the TNF game against the San Francisco 49ers. This will be a matchup that will feature the intensity of a playoff game because the 49ers’ season is on the line but considering the grit LA showed against Buffalo, they are not going to be backing down in this one either. The team’s ability to get into the playoffs should not be doubted. They can make it as far as the Divisional Round until they meet a defense that is capable of shutting them down. If LA faces either the Detroit Lions or the Philadelphia Eagles then they stand no chance but apart from that, whichever team they face, they can beat. The Los Angeles Rams are dangerous and what makes them dangerous is the fact that it is easy to overlook them. This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.