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Publicité Humans of Rodrigues 23 décembre 2024 22:16 Commentaire(s) Par Vijay Naraidoo Partager cet article Facebook X LinkedIn WhatsApp Humans of Rodrigues Michel Samoisy, a learned teacher, a cultured man, an educated young man of 77, a leader among his equals, I vouch these are not exaggerated superlatives on top of being a guardian of his country’s culture: ancient games, accordion playing and attachment to the ancestral culture. Michel’s is a living museum. His household premises, house, stores, farm, pens and poultry, crops, are in themselves a living museum of the authentic Rodrigues lifestyle and set up. Michel has grown into a man in Rivière-Coco and even his soul will not leave this place, a kingdom for a simple human whom he serves well, and which serves him and his family abundantly. A man of wisdom, he is never in the rush although in his football team Starshine, he rushed as a shooting star in his position as centre forward. One of his TTC (Teachers Training College) mates of the 68/69 cohort, Jay Augun, said Michel made them all laugh uncontrollably with his tricks on ball control. Michel expresses his pride and gratitude to the teaching staff of his primary schools, école Ste-Thérèse de L’Enfant Jésus and La Ferme St-Esprit Roman Catholic School. He’s been a ‘komi laboutik’ for some time before he joined the SaintLouis College founded by Regis Claude Obeegadoo in Port-Mathurin. The colonial administration offered a kind of positive discrimination for young Rodriguans to follow a special pupil-teacher training course after Form 3, which Michel completed. This opened the doors of the TTC for a three-year long course from1967 to 1969. They would go back home to fill an ever-increasing vacancy in the primary teaching profession. Living with host families like all Rodriguan students was an enriching experience, what with living in a new cultural set-up, what with making friends with members of other communities, travelling long distances by bus and... going on errands for the landlady. He saved the money the landlady gave him for the bus fare. Responsibility and reality facing the facts of life has always been Michel’s motto. Cut your coat according to your cloth. Oh! How absence of contact with the family outweighed all the material pleasures of travelling, sightseeing and meeting with fellow Rodriguans on weekends. A mobile phone was out of the imagination. His parents had to be at the Telegraph Department at Mt-Venus at a fixed time to secure a call with Michel. From Port- Mathurin to Port-Louis the sea route was, to say the least, long. I was invited to attend a special meeting of the Federation of Associations of Older Persons during my visit early December. Here was Michel, the person in chair, the depository of a vast knowledge of human rights, a leader with principles tinged with democratic rules, every member speaks relevantly, information is shared and consensus is developed. This openness to ideas coming from ‘others’ comes from his social engagement at 14 in Les Cœurs Vaillants, a scout-like organization, his involvement in the Rodrigues Council of Social Service, in the Comité village where he resides, in the Elderly Watch and in his day-to-day activities. Michel is ever ready to champion Rodriguan ancient games (jeux letan lontan), play his accordion and talk to you without fatigue and without pretending to be a man above the lot. He is humility personified. When he speaks and when his eyes brighten, you can expect a cool river of knowledge unfurling. Publicité Les plus récents Publicité 24 décembre 2024 06:00 Les grands titres de l'express de ce mardi 24 décembre 2024 23 décembre 2024 22:16 Michel Samoisy, a man of his time 23 décembre 2024 22:02 Haakaa, une marque écoresponsable, qui séduit les parents mauriciens 23 décembre 2024 21:19 Toujours sans salaire, le dossier déposé en cour industrielle 23 décembre 2024 20:34 «Nous viendrons avec des règlements», annonce le Premier ministre 23 décembre 2024 19:45 Quand Anthony Blinken tente de faire fléchir Navin Ramgoolam 23 décembre 2024 18:00 Port -Louis, quel bazar ! 23 décembre 2024 17:00 Le Maulana Khodadin souhaite rencontrer le Dr Navin Ramgoolam 23 décembre 2024 16:00 Il est acquitté 11 ans après 23 décembre 2024 15:45 «I consider myself lucky to be able to express my opinions freely!» PublicitéThe tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index – as tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust QQQ – extended its relentless climb this week, setting new record highs and nearing the 22,000-point milestone, fueled by strong investor optimism in the Magnificent Seven tech giants and the transformative potential of artificial intelligence. Year-to-date, the index has posted a robust 30% gain, on track to outperform the S&P 500 for the ninth time in the last decade. Since the start of 2023, the Nasdaq 100 is on track to double, nearing a 100% gain – a performance last achieved in 2019-2020 with a 102% rise and previously hit during the dot-com boom of 1998-1999. Notably, five out of the seven Magnificent Seven stocks— Apple Inc. AAPL , Amazon.com Inc. AMZN , Alphabet Inc. GOOGL , Meta Platforms Inc. META , and Tesla Inc. TSLA — achieved fresh record highs this week. The combined market capitalization of the group exceeded $18 trillion, surpassing China's gross domestic product at the end of 2023. Broadcom Inc . AVGO emerged as the week's standout performer, soaring after a strong quarterly earnings beat and delivering upbeat AI-driven guidance for the coming year. The rally propelled the chipmaker into the exclusive $1 trillion market-cap club, making it the eighth-largest publicly traded company. Inflation data released during the week raised some red flags. Consumer inflation rose 2.7% year-over-year in November, in line with expectations, but producer inflation jumped to 3% year-over-year, exceeding estimates of 2.6%. This marked the sharpest increase since February 2023, raising concerns about potential cost pass-throughs to consumers. Investors are fully pricing in a 25-basis-point interest rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s Dec. 18 meeting. Yet policymakers may signal fewer rate cuts for 2025 — potentially just three — while leaving open the possibility of a pause as early as January. You may have missed... Trump Rings NYSE President-elect Donald Trump rang the New York Stock Exchange opening bell on Thursday, expressing confidence in a strong U.S. economy. Trump was named TIME Person of the Year for the second time. GM Robotaxi Exit General Motors Co . GM plans to abandon its robotaxi ambitions, aiming to save $1 billion annually and potentially license Tesla’s Full Self-Driving technology, says analyst Gary Black. Google’s Quantum Leap Alphabet's new Willow quantum chip showcases cutting-edge innovation. Analysts praise Google for advancing technology leadership, signaling potential breakthroughs in computing power and commercial applications. Read now: Fed’s December Meeting Could Crush Rate Cut Optimism For 2025 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Walmart’s DEI rollback signals a profound shift in the wake of Trump’s election victory

Germany has pledged to tighten its law to make it easier to prosecute people-smugglers enabling small-boat crossings to Britain, as the two countries signed a new deal aimed at tackling immigration crime. Berlin confirmed plans to reform its legal framework make it a clear criminal offence to “facilitate the smuggling of migrants to the UK” as part of the agreement, the Home Office said. The Home Office said the move would give German prosecutors more tools to tackle the supply and storage of dangerous small boats. Both countries will also commit to exchange information that may help to remove migrant-smuggling content from social media platforms and tackle end-to-end routes of criminal smuggling networks as part of the deal. It comes ahead of the UK and Germany hosting the so-called Calais Group in London, which sees ministers and police from the two countries, alongside France, Belgium and the Netherlands, gather to discuss migration in Europe. Delegates are expected to agree a detailed plan to tackle people-smuggling gangs in 2025 at the meeting on Tuesday. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “For too long organised criminal gangs have been exploiting vulnerable people, undermining border security in the UK and across Europe while putting thousands of lives at risk. “We are clear that this cannot go on. “Germany is already a key partner in our efforts to crack down on migrant smuggling, but there is always more we can do together. “Our new joint action plan with deliver a strengthened partnership with Germany, boosting our respective border security as we work to fix the foundations, and ultimately saving lives.” Nancy Faeser, German federal minister of the interior said: “We are now stepping up our joint action to fight the brutal activities of international smugglers. “This is at the core of our joint action plan that we have agreed in London. “I am very grateful to my British counterpart Yvette Cooper that we were able to reach this important agreement. “It will help us end the inhumane activities of criminal migrant smuggling organisations. “By cramming people into inflatable boats under threats of violence and sending them across the Channel, these organisations put human lives at risk. “Many of these crimes are planned in Germany. “Together, we are now countering this unscrupulous business with even more resolve. “This includes maintaining a high investigative pressure, exchanging information between our security authorities as best as possible, and persistently investigating financial flows to identify the criminals operating behind the scenes.”Gaetz withdraws as Trump's pick for attorney general, averting confirmation battle in the Senate

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSSSSSSS MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! And....it’s a game week Monday again. The Canes are taking on Iowa State in the Pop Tarts Bowl on Saturday, and one Cameron Ward is suiting up for Miami. Ergo, it’s must-watch television. So let’s buckle those seat belts, clickety-clack our way up the track, and go careening around the corners of the Miami Hurricanes -related tracks of thought spread out through my brain. 1) So, yeah. The Playoff games were U-G-L-Y. Saturday was boring and uncompetitive (well, Friday too if you count IU- Notre Dame ). And what does that mean for Miami? Well, I think two things. First, it kind of validated at least the argument that Miami should have been more strongly considered. Kirk Herbstreit wanted to cry and moan after the game about how the best teams, NOT the most deserving ones, should have been in. That kind of felt like stumping for the 9-loss posse of the SEC, but I think Miami deserves to be in that conversation as well. A theme amongst the teams getting trucked was an embarrassing lack of offense for much of the blame. That’s where Miami would have succeeded. There’s little doubt this offense will put up points on pretty much anyone. And that alone gives Miami a chance to be competitive against just about anyone. And Miami didn’t get blown out once, providing competitive games each week - oh, unless they were blowing teams out, like Florida, Florida State , and USF. Yes, those games happened regardless of the bizarre chest-beating bravado that Florida fans have been exhibiting since arriving at 8-5 and winning the last-month-of-the-season national championship. 41-17. See you fools next year. 2) The other thing it means is that Miami could end up in the final top 10 with 11 wins if they can win on Saturday. Finishing in the top 10 at 11-2 would be a terrific thing for this program. That would be a nice rung to hang your hat on for a solid season. And thanks to all four road teams getting absolutely handled on Friday/Saturday in the playoff, it’s a legit possibility. Indiana tacked on two late scores to do some window dressing on a beatdown. SMU was embarrassed, as was Tennessee. Clemson sort of hung but was not really in the game after the first half. All in all, for those wanting to see Miami make the top 10, it worked out pretty darned well. 3) I admit, I have been busy over the weekend, but I did note that there’s been some portalmania over the last week. Of course, Isaiah Horton ended up following through and finding a new home in the portal, heading to Alabama. That’s a huge loss, no way around that. Hate it. Missing out on QB John Mateer, who signed with Oklahoma, is also a big kick in the pants. I have a feeling that kid is going to be really good next season for OU. But, the portal giveth, as well as taketh away. CJ Daniels seems to be a pretty good pickup and possible replacement from LSU . Mario added two secondary players in Jax State S Zechariah Poyser and Michigan State CB Charles Brantley, as well as Louisiana Tech DL David Blay. I don’t know what to make of them right now, but all are need areas, so that’s good to see. At this point, every time I see a secondary player visiting or targeted, I’m happy. Going to be that way for a while after this rough end of the season. We’ll see if the Canes can deliver a memorable finish to the season on Saturday afternoon in Orlando. Go Canes!BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Tommy Mellott threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns and top-seeded Montana State tied a school record with its 13th straight win, dominating Tennessee-Martin 49-17 on Saturday in the second round of the FCS playoffs. Scottre Humphrey ran for 102 yards and a touchdown, one of three rushing touchdowns for the Bobcats (13-0), who are home next weekend against the winner of Saturday's late game between Lehigh and eighth-seeded Idaho. MSU, which has scored at least 30 points in every game this season, won 13 games in 1975-76. Mellott threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the first half and the Bobcats rolled to a 28-10 lead. Mellott had touchdown passes of 24 yards to Hunter Provience and 12 yards to Taco Dowler in the first quarter and 39 yards to Ty McCullouch in the second. McCullouch also had a 6-yard touchdown run. The pass to McCullouch ended a six-play, 73-yard drive that took just 53 seconds, and came immediately after Trevonte Rucker took a pass from Kinkead Dent 78 yards to the end zone that made it 21-10. The Bobcats only allowed only 10 total points in the first half of home games in the regular season. Humphrey had a 36-yard TD run and Mellott hit Dowler for a 29-yard score in the third quarter Adam Jones contributed a 30-yard scoring run in the fourth. Mellott finished 22-of-25 passing and the Bobcats had 501 total yards. Dent threw for 167 yards and two touchdowns, both to Rucker, who had six receptions for 107 yards. The Skyhawks (9-6) finished with 264 yards. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT Named Compact Truck of Texas at Texas Auto Writers Association's Truck Rodeo

(BPT) - Tech gifts are consistently some of the most popular presents to give and receive during the holidays. In fact, according to the annual Consumer Technology Holiday Purchase Patterns report , a record 233 million U.S. adults (89%) will buy tech products during the 2024 holiday season. But with so many devices out there, it can be hard to decide on the perfect option for the loved one on your list. A tablet like the new Fire HD 8 from Amazon offers the versatility of an all-in-one device, with access to streaming, gaming, video chatting, reading or writing all at your fingertips. Fire HD 8 also features a vibrant 8-inch HD display and lightweight, portable design, for high-quality entertainment on the go. Plus, Fire HD 8 comes with three new AI features that can help you get the most out of your tablet experience. Check them out below and learn how they can help you with daily tasks this holiday season and beyond. 1. Meet your personal writing assistant Do you struggle with writing a heartfelt message or finessing a tricky email? Fear not! Writing Assist is here to help. Writing Assist works as part of your Fire tablet's device keyboard and compatible apps, including email, Word documents and social media. In just a few taps, you can transform your writing from good to great. Try Writing Assist's pre-set styles to turn a simple email into a professionally written note. Or, you can ask Writing Assist for grammar suggestions to make your writing more concise, or elaborate on your ideas. You can even "emojify" your writing to add more fun and personality. 2. Learn more in less time Say goodbye to scrolling through pages of information. The new Webpage Summaries feature allows you to learn pertinent information as quickly as possible. Available on the Silk browser on Fire tablets, Webpage Summaries provides quick insights on web articles. In a matter of seconds, this feature will distill the key points in an article or on a webpage into a clear, concise summary of what you need to know. 3. Get creative with your device wallpaper With Wallpaper Creator, you can easily add a touch of creative flair and customization to your tablet's home screen. You can choose from one of the curated prompts to get started on creating a unique background. Or, if you're ready to let your imagination run wild, type a description of what you'd like to see. For example, you can ask for an image of a tiger swimming underwater or a watercolor-style image of a desert landscape in space. Wallpaper Creator will then turn your vision into a reality, delivering a high-resolution image that you can use as your tablet's wallpaper. Celebrate an AI-powered holiday season Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and Wallpaper Creator are now available on Amazon's new Fire HD 8 and other compatible Fire tablet devices, including the latest Fire HD 10 and Fire Max 11 tablets. To learn more, or to order a new Fire tablet this gift-giving season, visit Amazon.com .By WILL WEISSERT, JUAN ZAMORANO and GARY FIELDS PANAMA CITY (AP) — Teddy Roosevelt once declared the Panama Canal “one of the feats to which the people of this republic will look back with the highest pride.” More than a century later, Donald Trump is threatening to take back the waterway for the same republic. Related Articles National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use National Politics | An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump National Politics | Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama Canal National Politics | House Ethics Committee accuses Gaetz of ‘regularly’ paying for sex, including with 17-year-old girl The president-elect is decrying increased fees Panama has imposed to use the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He says if things don’t change after he takes office next month, “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America, in full, quickly and without question.” Trump has long threatened allies with punitive action in hopes of winning concessions. But experts in both countries are clear: Unless he goes to war with Panama, Trump can’t reassert control over a canal the U.S. agreed to cede in the 1970s. Here’s a look at how we got here: It is a man-made waterway that uses a series of locks and reservoirs over 51 miles (82 kilometers) to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. It spares ships having to go an additional roughly 7,000 miles (more than 11,000 kilometers) to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip. The U.S. International Trade Administration says the canal saves American business interests “considerable time and fuel costs” and enables faster delivery of goods, which is “particularly significant for time sensitive cargoes, perishable goods, and industries with just-in-time supply chains.” An effort to establish a canal through Panama led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who built Egypt’s Suez Canal, began in 1880 but progressed little over nine years before going bankrupt. Malaria, yellow fever and other tropical diseases devastated a workforce already struggling with especially dangerous terrain and harsh working conditions in the jungle, eventually costing more than 20,000 lives, by some estimates. Panama was then a province of Colombia, which refused to ratify a subsequent 1901 treaty licensing U.S. interests to build the canal. Roosevelt responded by dispatching U.S. warships to Panama’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The U.S. also prewrote a constitution that would be ready after Panamanian independence, giving American forces “the right to intervene in any part of Panama, to re-establish public peace and constitutional order.” In part because Colombian troops were unable to traverse harsh jungles, Panama declared an effectively bloodless independence within hours in November 1903. It soon signed a treaty allowing a U.S.-led team to begin construction . Some 5,600 workers died later during the U.S.-led construction project, according to one study. The waterway opened in 1914, but almost immediately some Panamanians began questioning the validity of U.S. control, leading to what became known in the country as the “generational struggle” to take it over. The U.S. abrogated its right to intervene in Panama in the 1930s. By the 1970s, with its administrative costs sharply increasing, Washington spent years negotiating with Panama to cede control of the waterway. The Carter administration worked with the government of Omar Torrijos. The two sides eventually decided that their best chance for ratification was to submit two treaties to the U.S. Senate, the “Permanent Neutrality Treaty” and the “Panama Canal Treaty.” The first, which continues in perpetuity, gives the U.S. the right to act to ensure the canal remains open and secure. The second stated that the U.S. would turn over the canal to Panama on Dec. 31, 1999, and was terminated then. Both were signed in 1977 and ratified the following year. The agreements held even after 1989, when President George H.W. Bush invaded Panama to remove Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega. In the late 1970s, as the handover treaties were being discussed and ratified, polls found that about half of Americans opposed the decision to cede canal control to Panama. However, by the time ownership actually changed in 1999, public opinion had shifted, with about half of Americans in favor. Administration of the canal has been more efficient under Panama than during the U.S. era, with traffic increasing 17% between fiscal years 1999 and 2004 . Panama’s voters approved a 2006 referendum authorizing a major expansion of the canal to accommodate larger modern cargo ships. The expansion took until 2016 and cost more than $5.2 billion. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a video Sunday that “every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will continue to.” He added that, while his country’s people are divided on some key issues, “when it comes to our canal, and our sovereignty, we will all unite under our Panamanian flag.” Shipping prices have increased because of droughts last year affecting the canal locks, forcing Panama to drastically cut shipping traffic through the canal and raise rates to use it. Though the rains have mostly returned, Panama says future fee increases might be necessary as it undertakes improvements to accommodate modern shipping needs. Mulino said fees to use the canal are “not set on a whim.” Jorge Luis Quijano, who served as the waterway’s administrator from 2014 to 2019, said all canal users are subject to the same fees, though they vary by ship size and other factors. “I can accept that the canal’s customers may complain about any price increase,” Quijano said. “But that does not give them reason to consider taking it back.” The president-elect says the U.S. is getting “ripped off” and “I’m not going to stand for it.” “It was given to Panama and to the people of Panama, but it has provisions — you’ve got to treat us fairly. And they haven’t treated us fairly,” Trump said of the 1977 treaty that he said “foolishly” gave the canal away. The neutrality treaty does give the U.S. the right to act if the canal’s operation is threatened due to military conflict — but not to reassert control. “There’s no clause of any kind in the neutrality agreement that allows for the taking back of the canal,” Quijano said. “Legally, there’s no way, under normal circumstances, to recover territory that was used previously.” Trump, meanwhile, hasn’t said how he might make good on his threat. “There’s very little wiggle room, absent a second U.S. invasion of Panama, to retake control of the Panama Canal in practical terms,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Latin America Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. Gedan said Trump’s stance is especially baffling given that Mulino is a pro-business conservative who has “made lots of other overtures to show that he would prefer a special relationship with the United States.” He also noted that Panama in recent years has moved closer to China, meaning the U.S. has strategic reasons to keep its relationship with the Central American nation friendly. Panama is also a U.S. partner on stopping illegal immigration from South America — perhaps Trump’s biggest policy priority. “If you’re going to pick a fight with Panama on an issue,” Gedan said, “you could not find a worse one than the canal.” Weissert reported from West Palm Beach, Florida, and Fields from Washington. Amelia Thomson-Deveaux contributed to this report from Washington.(TNS) — Indiana State University junior Elaine Hardman played a Valorant video game on the competition stage of ISU’s new eSports lab Tuesday during the grand opening of the new facility in Jones Hall. She wasn’t alone. The room was crowded with visitors and students eager to use the new facility, which has 25 new gaming computers and other technology. Funded through student fees and philanthropy, it will be used for both competitive and recreational gaming. “It’s awesome. It’s nothing short of what I think ISU needs,” said Hardman, who will play competitively on the Valorant eSports team at ISU; her teammates were also on the stage. There are two others teams, Super Smash Brothers and Rocket League; that’s expanded from one Super Smash Brothers team that competed last spring. All three will play teams from other Missouri Valley Conference schools. Said ISU president Mike Godard, “Having a venue like this helps us recruit the next generation of students who want to have this type of space, whether or not they are competitive players or recreational players.” The initiative also will pair up with academic programs, as there are many career opportunities. Esports has become a global phenomenon and a multi-billion dollar industry, Godard said. “We want to make sure that we have opportunities for our students who are interested on the production side, the media side, the business side ... and those who really like to play and are competitive players as well,” he said. Michele Soliz, ISU vice president for student affairs, said the new eSports lab “is important to the student experience. We want all students to feel a sense of belonging on our campus. We know students who get involved in gaming have different interests than other students. This is a way to meet all of our students’ needs.” The idea for the eSports initiative grew out of student interest, she said. Among those pleased with the new lab is Cam Parvin, an ISU staff member who coaches the Super Smash Brothers team, which played in competition this past spring. “I’m astounded by the turnout and the reaction,” he said. “We’re hoping it’s a wonderful asset for the students, both for recreation and education.” The lab also has a production desk as well as Nintendo Switch, Xbox series X and PlayStation 5. It also has some wheelchair accessible desks. Parvin agreed that “something like this is important for actually giving people a sense of community.” Luke Kanter, a student and member of the Super Smash Brothers team, said of the new eSports lab, “I think it’s great ... I didn’t know how big this would be.” He’s not surprised by the level of interest “because there are so many people who really like video games.” Brayton Mier, another student on the Super Smash Brothers team, transferred from Purdue to ISU this year. “It’s incredible,” Mier said of the lab. “It’s so nice to have a whole new space where you can meet in person with people and meet new friends” who share an interest in gaming. Also Tuesday, officials announced Indiana State University’s partnership with the Indiana Association of School Principals. ISU will be the main sponsor of the IASP new eSports program. Todd Bess, an Indiana State alumnus and IASP executive director, spoke at the grand opening. “We’ve been looking and working to develop an eSports program at the middle and high school level,” Bess said. IASP does many academic competitions. “Involving ourselves in eSports or digital sports allows us to connect with a another group of kids,” Bess said. “Our first competition will start this spring.” Students involved in eSports have better attendance and better grades because of their connections to people at school, he said.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — If the Giants' franchise-record 10th straight loss proved anything, it's that New York could use a young franchise quarterback. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. showed what a young QB can do on Sunday against the Giants, who need to learn from it. The No. 8 overall pick in the draft, Penix played a nearly flawless game in his first career start to help the Falcons thrash the woeful Giants 34-7 in their best performance in weeks. The Giants gambled in 2019 that Daniel Jones would be their franchise QB and it really never panned out. The one exception was the 2022 season, when the No. 6 overall pick had a career year and led New York to a 9-7-1 record and a playoff berth in the first season after Joe Schoen was hired as general manager and Brian Daboll was named coach. The Giants even won a playoff game. With the release of Jones last month, the Giants (2-13) are now a team without a quarterback who can perform at the level required of an NFL starter. Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock have split the last four starts but neither has provided much of a spark for the league's worst offense. Lock handed the Falcons the game with two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns. To turn things around next season, the Giants must find a quarterback. “I’d say it’s very important,” Daboll said Monday. New York is going to have a high pick in the draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in late April. It could even be the No. 1 overall selection. Choosing the right quarterback is going to be hard. There isn't a can't-miss choice in 2025 draft and forcing one early would be a mistake. Unless the Giants are convinced that Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, Jalen Milroe or someone else is the next franchise player, they have have so many needs that it would be better to wheel and deal and fill as many holes as possible. Even if the Giants take a quarterback in the second round, there's bound to be someone available who has a chance to be better than what they have now. The calendar. The season ends in less than two weeks. The franchise is in disarray, and a shakeup appears likely. Daboll's future as the coach is not bright, considering the current skid and two straight losing seasons. Schoen has to share the blame and so do co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch, who hired the GM and coach. LB Darius Muasau. The sixth-round draft pick out of UCLA has started the last three games since Bobby Okereke (back) was hurt and eventually put on injured reserve last week. Muasau had 11 tackles Sunday along with a quarterback hit and a tackle for a loss. He made the defensive calls after LB Micah McFadden left with a neck injury. Lock. In his starts, Lock has had three interceptions returned for touchdowns. He also lost a fumble on a strip-sack at Atlanta. Lock sustained a shoulder injury during the game and had an MRI on Monday. Besides Lock and McFadden, S Jason Pinnock (eye) also left the game. C John Michael Schmitz and RB Tyrone Tracy were evaluated for ankle injuries on Monday. 1 — Thanks to the Raiders' victory over the Jaguars, the Giants will have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft with two more losses. For the ninth and final time, the Giants will try to find a way to win at MetLife Stadium. New York is 0-8 heading into Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts. Its only other winless season at home was in 1974 when New York played at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, while Giants Stadium was being built. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Needham initiates coverage on On Holding with buy rating

NEW YORK (AP) — Free agent pitchers Luis Gabriel Moreno and Alejandro Crisostomo were suspended for 80 games each by Major League Baseball on Friday following positive tests for performance-enhancing substances under the minor league drug program. Moreno tested positive for Nandrolone, and Crisostomo tested positive for Boldenone and Nandrolone, the commissioner’s office said. A 26-year-old right-hander, Moreno was released by the New York Mets’ Class A Brooklyn Cyclones on Tuesday. He was 5-1 with a 5.33 ERA in 12 relief appearances this season for Brooklyn after spending 2016-23 in the San Francisco Giants organization. Crisostomo, a 24-year-old right-hander, was released by Minnesota on Aug. 24 after going 0-1 with a 7.13 ERA this year with the Florida Complex League Twins. He signed with Boston in 2017, spent 2018 in the Dominican Summer League with the Red Sox, then signed with Minnesota and spent 2023 with the Twins DSL team. Nineteen players have been suspended this year for positive drug tests, including eight under the minor league program and nine under the new program for minor league players assigned outside the United States and Canada. Two players have been suspended this year under the major league drug program. Noelvi Marté , a 22-year-old infielder who is the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone. Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut . ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb The Associated PressNvidia drags down tech sector, US market

Giants' 10th straight loss showed once again that they need a young QBPORTSMOUTH — A judge on Wednesday effectively dismissed a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by former Portsmouth City Assessor Patrick Dorris, who sued both Mayor Shannon Glover and Councilman Bill Moody individually and in their official capacity. Dorris, whom the City Council fired in a 5-1 vote last spring, filed a $5.35 million lawsuit in Portsmouth Circuit Court in April alleging his termination was retaliatory as he refused to follow unlawful directives from Glover and Moody for assessing taxes on a private golf course. City assessors are among the handful of positions appointed by City Council that can also be terminated by a vote in a public meeting. Dorris was appointed to the position in September 2021 on a 4-3 vote. Glover and Moody didn’t support the appointment then, and both voted in support to terminate him. Upon his termination, Dorris was granted $57,224, or about six months worth of severance . Amid his termination, Dorris had shared with the council that the city did not collect real estate taxes from the Elizabeth Manor Golf and Country Club for almost two decades until Dorris’ time as assessor. The 18-hole course of roughly 140 acres was supposed to have its taxes lowered under an open-space agreement with the city. But records previously obtained by The Virginian-Pilot show that since at least 2003, the golf course had all of its taxes abated and wasn’t charged the lowered rate until 2022. Dorris’ lawsuit alleges his termination was the result of not abiding by directives from Glover and Moody to not tax the golf course. He also alleged that days before he was fired, Glover “demanded the assessment” of Rivers Casino Portsmouth using building permit values, which Dorris expressed was an unreliable method for determining value. Glover, who was present at the hearing, was represented by Brian Casey. Moody was represented by James Cales III. Both attorneys argued that neither Glover nor Moody had the authority to terminate Dorris alone as it required a full vote from the City Council. Judge Randall Smith, who’s retired, was appointed to the case after Portsmouth judges recused themselves. At Wednesday’s hearing in Portsmouth Circuit Court, Smith ultimately upheld the defense’s arguments, effectively dismissing the case. Since Dorris’ initial filing in April, his complaint was amended to include a new claim that Dorris was terminated in retaliation for reporting to the City Council that certain city employees refused to perform their employment duties of assessing and taxing city property. In the hearing, Dorris’ attorney, Verbena Askew, argued that it was a First Amendment right violation, and likened Glover and Moody to “bad actors” because they violated public policy to protect city employees who voice concerns, such as misconduct. She added that because of the reasoning behind their vote to terminate, they can be held liable for the termination. In a rebuttal to Askew’s “bad actors” argument, Smith said the case might require the court to seemingly probe the minds of the other council members who voted in support to fire Dorris. He also said it might mean going behind the City Council’s back on a vote they made. Smith said Dorris might have lost his license as a result of carrying out his alleged directive from Glover and Moody but that it didn’t necessarily equate to a criminal act. Askew asked for another opportunity to amend Dorris’ complaint to further specify the alleged criminal act and include the city as a defendant, arguing that Glover and Moody are agents of the city and that the intention was to go after “the bad actors.” She also argued that had Glover and Moody not met with Dorris, he wouldn’t have been fired. Smith said he was sympathetic to Dorris’ situation, but that it didn’t fall within the narrow set of exceptions in Virginia’s at-will employment laws. He believed amending the complaint would result in a “moot point.” After the hearing, Dorris, Casey and Cales declined to comment. Askew told The Virginian-Pilot they’d be appealing. Glover said he was glad the case was over. 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