First dog-friendly cruise scheduled for 2025. Organizers hope it turns into a recurring event.Judge hears closing arguments on whether Google's advertising tech constitutes a monopolySANTA CLARA — No Brock Purdy. No Nick Bosa. No chance for the 49ers on Sunday in Green Bay? “We’re missing two good players definitely but we’ll have a lot of good players out there,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan countered. “By no means do we not have a chance to win. We’ll fight our tails off. We’ll expect a real good game.” Purdy’s throwing-shoulder soreness will force him to miss his first game due to injury since becoming the 49ers’ starting quarterback nearly two years ago, and that thrusts ninth-year journeyman Brandon Allen into his 10th career start and first since 2021 with Cincinnati. Bosa’s oblique and hip injuries will sideline him for his first game of this wobbly season. Also ruled out were cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal), return specialist Jacob Cowing (concussion), defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee), while left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable as a game-time decision for a second straight game. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) are good to go for an offense that must make do without Purdy at the NFL’s most historic venue. Allen, who last threw a regular-season pass in 2022 as Joe Burrow’s backup in Cincinnati, will guide the 49ers’ offense in a key game as San Francisco aims to make a playoff push. “It’s an opportunity,” Allen said. “The circumstances are what they are. Our team all year long, we’ve been dealing with injuries here or there. It’s been a big next-man-up mentality. It’s definitely an opportunity for me to go out, play well, put our guys in a good position to win the game. “Obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that,” Allen added. “For the time being, it is an opportunity for me.” Josh Dobbs, who lost out to Allen in training camp and the preseason for the QB2 role, will serve in that capacity Sunday at Lambeau Field, where neither quarterback has played a regular-season game. Rookie Tanner Mordecai likely will be elevated from the practice squad Saturday to serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback. Purdy wore a resigned, dour expression but offered upbeat words as he walked through the locker room, saying: “We’re all good.” This is not how Shanahan scripted it earlier in the week. “(Purdy) got the MRI on Monday, we thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about not being there this week,” Shanahan said Friday. “I don’t want to say there’s long-term concern,” Shanahan said Friday. “We got the MRI on Monday. We thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about him not being good this week.” Purdy rested his arm Wednesday, then left the practice field Thursday after a few light throws. “It surprised him, surprised us how it felt, so we had to shut him down,” Shanahan said. “The MRI doesn’t look like (it’s serious) so it should be alright. But the way it responded this week, it’s really up in the air for next week. We’ll have to see on Monday.” The 49ers follow this week’s trip at Green Bay with a prime-time appearance next Sunday, Dec. 1 in Buffalo. “I know this is like the first time Brock’s missed a game probably in his life,” Allen said. “He’s a tough guy and I’m not too worried about it. I don’t think any of our guys are. He’ll rehab and get back as fast as he can.” No one is saying when Purdy got hurt in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to Seattle, whether it was from diving for the goal line on his first-quarter touchdown scramble or later in the game. Shanahan did note that Purdy struggled to keep his shoulder loose and threw on the sideline, then the pain intensified after the game and into Monday. “It was somewhere during that Seattle game and I’m not sure Brock knows,” general manager John Lynch said on KNBR. “He fought through it through the course of the game. I did see him during the course of the game, anytime there was a pause, he kept throwing. At that point, you’re feeling something but he was so focused on trying to win.” Shanahan lauded Allen as a “really good thrower” who “runs our offense well” and that “guys believe in him.” The feeling is mutual on Allen’s side, as he explained what it was like as Purdy’s stand-in on the starting unit in practice this week: “It’s been a blessing to have them in the huddle with me and the leadership that’s in the huddle, so I can just come in and fill the spot for Brock for now, just try to make some plays and get the ball in their hands.” Added Shanahan: “It’s not a big game-plan adjustment. This is something we didn’t think would happen early in the week. We were fully preparing for Brock to go.” The Packers prepared that way, too. Allen is no total stranger, however. Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Friday in Green Bay, prior to Purdy’s no-show practice: “I know Brandon. I was with him in L.A. (in 2017). He’s been in the league a long time. But I wouldn’t expect their offense to change a whole bunch.” BOSA WILL REMAIN HOME While Purdy traveled with the 49ers to Green Bay, Bosa was staying behind to rehabilitate the upper-body injuries that forced him to miss Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse against Seattle. It will be the first game Bosa has missed since Oct. 16, 2022 with a groin injury. The 49ers lost a road game that day to Atlanta 28-14 during a season in which Bosa was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Sam Okuayinonu figures to make his first career start in place of Bosa while Leonard Floyd makes his 11th start at the other defensive end slot. WILLIAMS QUESTIONABLE Williams, with the help of a pain-killing injection, made it through the Seattle loss at what he said afterwards was 65 percent. Although listed as questionable, Shanahan reiterated Williams’ status could go right up to kickoff. Jaylon Moore likely would start in place of Williams, if needed. WARD BACK NEXT WEEK? Ward, mourning the death of his 23-month-old daughter, was declared out but Shanahan hoped to have the All-Pro cornerback next week when the 49ers visit Buffalo. “He’s taken three full weeks off,” Shanahan said. “It’s not like dealing with all that stuff he’s getting workouts in and all that. We’re just happy to get him back in the building this week. We don’t want to put any pressure on him, hopefully he’ll be good to go next week.” Among those listed as questionable is guard/center Jon Feliciano, whose 21-day window of practicing while on injured reserve is about to expire. If the 49ers don’t put Feliciano on the 53-man roster by Monday, he’ll spend the rest of the season on injured reserve. PACKERS INJURIES Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was ruled out after being unable to practice all week, and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) also will not suit up for Green Bay’s defense. Defensive tackle Colby Wooden is questionable as the only other Packers player on their injury report.
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The Tennessee Titans are showing signs of growing tougher. This time, they shook off eight sacks and three turnovers to stave off a third straight losing season for at least another week. The Titans not only scored the game-winning touchdown on a one-play drive in the fourth quarter, they also came up with back-to-back sacks. The second led to a safety, clinching a 32-27 win over the First-year coach Brian Callahan called how the Titans (3-8) responded crucial validation in the NFL where the only grading system is wins and losses. “We finally get a chance against a really good team on the road in the division to show what we’re made of,” said. “This is the team we think we’re capable of being. It’s the team that I’ve believed in all year long.” Running back Tony Pollard says the Titans have learned some important lessons that only come from fighting through adversity. They’ve had lots of that, which can wear out teams this late in the season. “Eventually, they’ll start turning over,” Pollard said. What’s working The offense. The Titans scored a season high in points and topped their game average with 20 points by halftime. Better yet was quarterback Will Levis both starting and finishing his first win of the season. Levis also completed his first 11 passes and connected with seven different receivers. Levis finished with 278 yards passing and threw two touchdown passes. Pollard also ran for 119 yards as the Titans played keep-away, holding the ball for more than 34 minutes. They finished with four plays of 27 yards or longer with Levis responsible for the three longest. What needs help Special teams. Coordinator Colt Anderson has been under pressure, which didn’t ease after the Texans gave up an 80-yard return on the opening kickoff. The Titans then gave up a TD on the first play from scrimmage — and first since the Chargers in Week 7 in 2018. It didn’t get better as rookie Jha’quan Jackson fumbled a punt recovered by Houston near midfield in the third quarter. The Titans allowed only a field goal. But special teams allowed the Texans to average 36.8 yards per kickoff return. Punter Ryan Stonehouse had a net average of 45.2 yards as he made up for a 38-yarder that counts as a shank for him with a 62-yarder early in the fourth to help flip the field. Stock up Tight end Chig Okonkwo. The fourth-round draft pick in 2022 scored a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown that was the longest catch of his career. That one TD catch had more yards than Okonkwo had managed in any of his previous 44 games. It was enough as the game-winning TD. Stock down Levis completed his first 11 passes. He’s completed 67.9% of his passes in his past three starts with five TD passes with only two interceptions with a 107.2 passer rating. Callahan likes those signs of improvement. “We definitely got to get the sack numbers down. ... We can’t give up eight sacks a game and feel like it’s going to be good enough,” Callahan said. The has to be more aware of pressure to avoid sacks. The Titans offensive line hasn’t helped much, but Levis took a beating, being sacked eight times by Houston. He’s now been sacked 20 times in three straight starts since returning from a sprained AC joint in his right, throwing shoulder. He also had his this season. Injuries The Titans played Houston without starting safety Amari Hooker because of illness. Callahan said they will open the window for CB Chidobe Awuzie to practice in a possible return from injured reserve. Key number 35 — The number of times Levis has been sacked in eight games this season or more than all but three quarterbacks. One of those? Houston’s C.J. Stroud, who was sacked for a safety to clinch Tennessee’s road win. Next steps A road win over the leader and defending champion could provide the confidence boost the Titans needed. They wrap up a two-game road swing by visiting Washington (7-5), which has lost three straight. The Titans play four of the final five inside the AFC South where their faint hope of reaching the postseason lies even as fans root for a high draft pick. ___ AP NFL:SANTA CLARA — No Brock Purdy. No Nick Bosa. No chance for the 49ers on Sunday in Green Bay? “We’re missing two good players definitely but we’ll have a lot of good players out there,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan countered. “By no means do we not have a chance to win. We’ll fight our tails off. We’ll expect a real good game.” Purdy’s throwing-shoulder soreness will force him to miss his first game due to injury since becoming the 49ers’ starting quarterback nearly two years ago, and that thrusts ninth-year journeyman Brandon Allen into his 10th career start and first since 2021 with Cincinnati. Bosa’s oblique and hip injuries will sideline him for his first game of this wobbly season. Also ruled out were cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal), return specialist Jacob Cowing (concussion), defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) and linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee), while left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) is questionable as a game-time decision for a second straight game. Tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and running back Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) are good to go for an offense that must make do without Purdy at the NFL’s most historic venue. Allen, who last threw a regular-season pass in 2022 as Joe Burrow’s backup in Cincinnati, will guide the 49ers’ offense in a key game as San Francisco aims to make a playoff push. “It’s an opportunity,” Allen said. “The circumstances are what they are. Our team all year long, we’ve been dealing with injuries here or there. It’s been a big next-man-up mentality. It’s definitely an opportunity for me to go out, play well, put our guys in a good position to win the game. “Obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that,” Allen added. “For the time being, it is an opportunity for me.” Josh Dobbs, who lost out to Allen in training camp and the preseason for the QB2 role, will serve in that capacity Sunday at Lambeau Field, where neither quarterback has played a regular-season game. Rookie Tanner Mordecai likely will be elevated from the practice squad Saturday to serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback. Purdy wore a resigned, dour expression but offered upbeat words as he walked through the locker room, saying: “We’re all good.” This is not how Shanahan scripted it earlier in the week. “(Purdy) got the MRI on Monday, we thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about not being there this week,” Shanahan said Friday. “I don’t want to say there’s long-term concern,” Shanahan said Friday. “We got the MRI on Monday. We thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about him not being good this week.” Purdy rested his arm Wednesday, then left the practice field Thursday after a few light throws. “It surprised him, surprised us how it felt, so we had to shut him down,” Shanahan said. “The MRI doesn’t look like (it’s serious) so it should be alright. But the way it responded this week, it’s really up in the air for next week. We’ll have to see on Monday.” The 49ers follow this week’s trip at Green Bay with a prime-time appearance next Sunday, Dec. 1 in Buffalo. “I know this is like the first time Brock’s missed a game probably in his life,” Allen said. “He’s a tough guy and I’m not too worried about it. I don’t think any of our guys are. He’ll rehab and get back as fast as he can.” No one is saying when Purdy got hurt in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to Seattle, whether it was from diving for the goal line on his first-quarter touchdown scramble or later in the game. Shanahan did note that Purdy struggled to keep his shoulder loose and threw on the sideline, then the pain intensified after the game and into Monday. “It was somewhere during that Seattle game and I’m not sure Brock knows,” general manager John Lynch said on KNBR. “He fought through it through the course of the game. I did see him during the course of the game, anytime there was a pause, he kept throwing. At that point, you’re feeling something but he was so focused on trying to win.” Shanahan lauded Allen as a “really good thrower” who “runs our offense well” and that “guys believe in him.” The feeling is mutual on Allen’s side, as he explained what it was like as Purdy’s stand-in on the starting unit in practice this week: “It’s been a blessing to have them in the huddle with me and the leadership that’s in the huddle, so I can just come in and fill the spot for Brock for now, just try to make some plays and get the ball in their hands.” Added Shanahan: “It’s not a big game-plan adjustment. This is something we didn’t think would happen early in the week. We were fully preparing for Brock to go.” The Packers prepared that way, too. Allen is no total stranger, however. Packers coach Matt LaFleur told reporters Friday in Green Bay, prior to Purdy’s no-show practice: “I know Brandon. I was with him in L.A. (in 2017). He’s been in the league a long time. But I wouldn’t expect their offense to change a whole bunch.” BOSA WILL REMAIN HOME While Purdy traveled with the 49ers to Green Bay, Bosa was staying behind to rehabilitate the upper-body injuries that forced him to miss Sunday’s fourth-quarter collapse against Seattle. It will be the first game Bosa has missed since Oct. 16, 2022 with a groin injury. The 49ers lost a road game that day to Atlanta 28-14 during a season in which Bosa was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year. Sam Okuayinonu figures to make his first career start in place of Bosa while Leonard Floyd makes his 11th start at the other defensive end slot. WILLIAMS QUESTIONABLE Williams, with the help of a pain-killing injection, made it through the Seattle loss at what he said afterwards was 65 percent. Although listed as questionable, Shanahan reiterated Williams’ status could go right up to kickoff. Jaylon Moore likely would start in place of Williams, if needed. WARD BACK NEXT WEEK? Ward, mourning the death of his 23-month-old daughter, was declared out but Shanahan hoped to have the All-Pro cornerback next week when the 49ers visit Buffalo. “He’s taken three full weeks off,” Shanahan said. “It’s not like dealing with all that stuff he’s getting workouts in and all that. We’re just happy to get him back in the building this week. We don’t want to put any pressure on him, hopefully he’ll be good to go next week.” Among those listed as questionable is guard/center Jon Feliciano, whose 21-day window of practicing while on injured reserve is about to expire. If the 49ers don’t put Feliciano on the 53-man roster by Monday, he’ll spend the rest of the season on injured reserve. PACKERS INJURIES Cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was ruled out after being unable to practice all week, and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) also will not suit up for Green Bay’s defense. Defensive tackle Colby Wooden is questionable as the only other Packers player on their injury report.
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or signup to continue reading Progress and technology are quite literally part of 's motto, and those two words are the focus of the new . A key part of Audi's transition to electric power, the new all-electric model shares its architecture with the new SUV but sits lower and is offered in a choice of five-door body styles. There's a Sportback sedan (liftback) and an Avant station wagon, and both come with lots of technology and big battery options to tempt buyers away from combustion-engined models and challenge the established premium EVs. The and large electric sedans provide stiff competition, but Audi says it has worked on the chassis and the cabin quality to compete head-on with any rivals. To find out whether it really can, we headed to the Spanish Canary Islands to put Audi's latest electric offering to the test. Audi hasn't yet confirmed prices for the A6 e-tron in Australia, but it costs the equivalent of around A$140,000 in Germany, with the Avant commanding a premium of around A$10,000. Those figures may or may not translate when the car is launched here, but we'll find out more closer to the car's arrival on these shores next year. Although so many car manufacturers are heading down the minimalist interior design route, Audi has taken a slightly different path. While it's true that buttons have largely been eschewed in favour of touchscreen interfaces, the design is still quite busy. It looks and feels premium, though, with lots of upmarket materials that all seem to be neatly bolted together. There are some slightly cheap-feeling plastics knocking about, including the cover for the centre console and the buttons on the steering wheel and the door cards, but they're minor issues in what is generally a very classy cabin. It's a fairly roomy one, too, with plenty of space in the front and decent rear legroom, although it isn't especially easy to fit your feet under the front seats. But headroom is the more limiting factor, particularly in the rear of the Sportback with its swooping roofline, where tall adults will find their hair grazing the roof lining. The Avant has a bit more headroom, though, and if you regularly carry grown-ups in the back, they'll thank you for choosing the wagon. According to the official figures, they won't have any more space for their luggage. Both the Sportback and Avant versions of the A6 e-tron have 502 litres of luggage capacity, which is fractionally less than you'll get in a BMW i5. However, the numbers only tell part of the story because luggage space is traditionally measured to the window line, and the Avant offers more space above that line than the Sportback. That means loading bulky items is easier, and there's more space when the rear seats are folded down, too. No matter which model you choose or which options you specify, the A6 e-tron comes with a big central touchscreen and a digital instrument cluster, both of which live in a huge, curved housing. Both screens look sharp and modern, and have smart graphics, but they aren't quite as brilliant as we were hoping. The instrument cluster doesn't quite have the configuration options of the display in the old A6, for example, and the touchscreen isn't quite as easy to navigate. That's partly because the touchscreen has so much work to do. The almost total removal of buttons from the dashboard means a huge amount of functionality has been delegated to the screen, including climate control and driving mode selection. In fairness, the air-conditioning 'switches' are some of the most user-friendly touchscreen controls we've come across, partly because they're always accessible no matter which display you're using. However, proper buttons would still be more ergonomic. The same goes for the optional virtual door mirrors, which are vastly improved compared with the camera-based system of the original Audi e-tron (now known as the Q8 e-tron). Audi is now using sharper cameras and positioning the displays higher up, putting them in a more natural position, but they're still a bit awkward and clunky. You can't adjust the field of view simply by moving your head, and they play havoc with your depth perception, but thankfully they're an optional extra, not a standard feature. We've no complaints about the other screens available in the Audi's cabin, though. The optional passenger display seems a bit superfluous at first, but it's nicely integrated into the central operating system and its pared-back nature makes it slightly easier to use than the central screen. And the head-up display is even better, projecting graphics across a large area of the windscreen, allowing it to superimpose turn directions over the applicable part of the view outside, and enabling it to pick out hazards to help with the safety systems. Audi is offering four different battery-and-motor combinations for the A6 e-tron, regardless of whether you choose the Sportback or Avant. The base option combines an 83kWh battery with a 240kW electric motor that drives the rear wheels, while the Performance variant has a bigger 100kWh battery and a 280kW electric motor. Above those two models sit the quattro, which, as the name suggests, uses two electric motors to offer all-wheel drive, and ups the peak power output to 340kW. And the range is crowned by the S6 e-tron, which squeezes up to 405kW from its two motors. Unsurprisingly, some versions are more efficient than others, and some have more range than others. The base model will cover around 615km on a charge, according to the official figures, and that rises to an impressive 745km for the Performance version with the bigger battery. Opt for the quattro, meanwhile, and the figures suggest a range of around 700km, while the S6 manages about 650km of range. And when that range is finally exhausted, the 100kWh models will charge at up to 270kW, allowing them to recharge their batteries to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes, assuming you can find a suitable ultra-rapid charge point. Audi had a chance to wipe the slate clean with the new A6 e-tron, and – using the same architecture as the Q6 e-tron SUV – Audi says it has been tuned to make it better to drive than the old A6 without being any less comfortable. And to a degree, the plan has worked. Although the A6 e-tron isn't the most exciting or engaging car on the road, it feels solid and stable, with predictable handling that makes it safe and reassuring. The steering is a bit lifeless, but the response from the front wheels is smart enough and there's a pleasantly linear feel to it, even if you don't get much in the way of feedback. That said, the body control is good, keeping the car from rolling too much in corners, but it isn't as level and planted as rivals such as the BMW i5. That's despite our test car coming with the optional air suspension, designed to offer the maximum breadth of capability and merge comfort with handling. We don't know whether air suspension will be available in Australia, but it does a fairly decent job of softening the impact of potholes and other imperfections on the road surface, even if it's not quite perfect. Because it's quite soft and sometimes a little sluggish on the uptake, it doesn't always sort itself out that quickly after hitting a pothole, and if it hits another bump too soon, it can get caught on the hop. That said, in sportier settings, it tightens itself up and displays a little more composure over broken surfaces, even if the initial impacts aren't soaked up as competently. The ride improves as the speed increases, too, with the A6 e-tron gliding a little more easily over cats' eyes and potholes on faster roads than it does around town. There are differences between the standard A6 e-tron models and the S6 e-tron, too, which is a little stiffer and benefits from tighter body control. That means it feels a little more keen to turn into corners and a bit more stable when you drive it fast, but no version of the A6 e-tron really rewards you for grabbing it by the scruff of the neck. The steering never gives you the feedback that keener drivers crave and the car doesn't have the agility and performance of a BMW i5. Not that the A6 e-tron is slow. Even the base model gets from 0-100km/h in about six seconds, and the S6 can do it in under four. But neither of them feels as fast as those numbers suggest, despite the quiet relentlessness and immediacy of the electric motors. The car bounds forwards when you press the accelerator, but it doesn't feel as though it has found some previously unheard-of warp speed. It's quick, rather than rapid. But if it's fun you're after, then the Performance model is, in a weird way, one of the more exciting options. Unusually for an Audi, it's rear-wheel drive, and that means hitting the accelerator in mid-corner will cause the rear-end to step out of line, albeit in a docile, benign kind of way. And the brakes are impressive, too, despite the car's kerb weight of more than two tonnes. Australian specifications are yet to be confirmed, but in Europe the A6 e-tron is offered in a choice of three different trim levels. Base models come with LED headlights, heated front seats and climate control, as well as alloy wheels, fabric upholstery and the digital instrument display and big touchscreen. Moving up the trim levels to the S line version adds bigger wheels, privacy glass and sportier interior and exterior design cues, as well as leather upholstery and sports seats. And if you go for the range-topping Edition 1 model, you get LED lights that can be configured to offer a choice of different signatures, with the tail-lights also getting dynamic light signatures that can adapt to the situation. If you do an emergency stop, the lights will display a warning triangle, and they'll show another icon when parking or opening the door. It'll even show other drivers if they have pulled too close to your rear bumper. Other features, including the passenger infotainment screen and head-up display, are also available as options, along with the virtual door mirrors. The A6 e-tron has not yet been through either the ANCAP or Euro NCAP crash test procedure, but we would expect it to fare well. Audi has come out with some very safe models in the past few years, including the Q6 e-tron SUV that's based on the same architecture as the new A6 e-tron. And although Audi Australia hasn't confirmed standard specifications yet, there's lots of safety equipment included in European-spec cars, including automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning, as well as all the usual suspects, such as anti-lock brakes and a full array or airbags. All Audis sold in Australia come with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, as well as an eight-year/160,000km battery warranty on EVs. The official figures suggest the Performance version of the A6 e-tron – the version with the longest range – will cover around 750km on a single charge, which is an enormous range for an electric vehicle. Admittedly, that figure is reduced for the two-motor S6 e-tron and A6 e-tron quattro models, as well as the standard e-tron with the smaller battery, but all four variants are capable of impressive efficiency. That means most customers will be able to do most of their journeys without having to charge away from home, and if you can do that, the A6 e-tron will be a cheap thing to run. The A6 e-tron is not the most exciting electric executive car on the market, but that doesn't mean it won't appeal to lots of customers. The range is huge, and it's crammed with technology, while the quality and design live up to the usual standards set by Audi. The BMW i5 is still a better car to drive, but in pretty much any other aspect, the A6 e-tron claims the bragging rights, and that should make it one of the best cars in its class. Content originally sourced from: Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementJoe Biden begins final White House holiday season with turkey pardons for 'Peach' and 'Blossom' WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has kicked off his final holiday season at the White House, issuing the traditional reprieve to two turkeys who will bypass the Thanksgiving table to live out their days in Minnesota. The president welcomed 2,500 guests under sunny skies as he cracked jokes about the fates of “Peach” and “Blossom.” He also sounded wistful tones about the last weeks of his presidency. Later Monday, first lady Jill Biden will receive delivery of the official White House Christmas tree. And the Bidens will travel to New York to help serve a holiday meal at a Coast Guard station. Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by announcing plans Monday to hand more than $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Buffett has said previously that his three kids will distribute his remaining $147.4 billion fortune in the 10 years after his death, but now he has also designated successors for them because it’s possible that Buffett’s children could die before giving it all away. Buffett said he has no regrets about his decision to start giving away his fortune in 2006. Bah, humbug! Vandal smashes Ebenezer Scrooge's tombstone used in 'A Christmas Carol' movie LONDON (AP) — If life imitates art, a vandal in the English countryside may be haunted by The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. Police in the town of Shrewsbury are investigating how a tombstone at the fictional grave of Ebenezer Scrooge was destroyed. The movie prop used in the 1984 adaption of Charles Dickens' “A Christmas Carol” had become a tourist attraction. The film starred George C. Scott as the cold-hearted curmudgeon who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve who show him what will become of his life if he doesn’t become a better person. West Mercia Police say the stone was vandalized in the past week. At the crossroads of news and opinion, 'Morning Joe' hosts grapple with aftermath of Trump meeting The reaction of those who defended “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for meeting with President-elect Trump sounds almost quaint in the days of opinionated journalism. Doesn't it makes sense, they said, for hosts of a political news show to meet with such an important figure? But given how “Morning Joe” has attacked Trump, its viewers felt insulted. Many reacted quickly by staying away. It all reflects the broader trend of opinion crowding out traditional journalist in today's marketplace, and the expectations that creates among consumers. By mid-week, the show's audience was less than two-thirds what it has typically been this year. Pop star Ed Sheeran apologizes to Man United boss Ruben Amorim for crashing interview MANCHESTER, England (AP) — British pop star Ed Sheeran has apologized to Ruben Amorim after inadvertently interrupting the new Manchester United head coach during a live television interview. Amorim was talking on Sky Sports after United’s 1-1 draw with Ipswich on Sunday when Sheeran walked up to embrace analyst Jamie Redknapp. The interview was paused before Redknapp told the pop star to “come and say hello in a minute.” Sheeran is a lifelong Ipswich fan and holds a minority stake in the club. He was pictured celebrating after Omari Hutchinson’s equalizing goal in the game at Portman Road. A desert oasis outside of Dubai draws a new caravan: A family of rodents from Argentina AL QUDRA LAKES, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A desert oasis hidden away in the dunes in the far reaches of skyscraper-studded Dubai has drawn a surprising new set of weary world travelers: a pack of Argentinian rodents. A number of Patagonian mara, a rabbit-like mammal with long legs, big ears and a body like a hoofed animal, now roam the grounds of Al Qudra Lakes, typically home to gazelle and other desert creatures of the United Arab Emirates. How they got there remains a mystery in the UAE, a country where exotic animals have ended up in the private homes and farms of the wealthy. But the pack appears to be thriving there and likely have survived several years already in a network of warrens among the dunes. New Zealanders save more than 30 stranded whales by lifting them on sheets WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — More than 30 pilot whales that stranded themselves on a beach in New Zealand have been safely returned to the ocean after conservation workers and residents helped to refloat them by lifting them on sheets. New Zealand’s conservation agency said four whales died. New Zealand is a whale stranding hotspot and pilot whales are especially prolific stranders. The agency praised as “incredible” the efforts made by hundreds of people to help save the foundering pod. A Māori cultural ceremony for the three adult whales and one calf that died in the stranding took place Monday. Rainbow-clad revelers hit Copacabana beach for Rio de Janeiro’s pride parade RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Thousands of revelers have gathered alongside Copacabana beach for Rio de Janeiro’s annual gay pride parade, many scantily dressed and covered in glitter. Rainbow-colored flags, towels and fans abounded among the crowd mostly made up of young revelers, who danced and sang along to music blaring from speakers. While the atmosphere was festive, some spoke of the threat of violence LGBTQ+ people face in Brazil. At least 230 LGBTQ+ Brazilians were victims of violent deaths in 2023, according to the umbrella watchdog group Observatory of LGBTQ+ deaths and violence in Brazil. Stolen shoe mystery solved at Japanese kindergarten when security camera catches weasel in the act TOKYO (AP) — Police thought a shoe thief was on the loose at a kindergarten in southwestern Japan, until a security camera caught the furry culprit in action. A weasel with a tiny shoe in its mouth was spotted on the video footage after police installed three cameras in the school in the prefecture of Fukuoka. “It’s great it turned out not to be a human being,” said Deputy Police Chief Hiroaki Inada. Teachers and parents had feared it could be a disturbed person with a shoe fetish. Japanese customarily take their shoes off before entering homes. The vanished shoes were all slip-ons the children wore indoors, stored in cubbyholes near the door. Social media sites call for Australia to delay its ban on children younger than 16 MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An advocate for major social media platforms has told Australia's Parliament that a plan to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed rather than being rushed to approval this week. Sunita Bose is managing director of Digital Industry Group Inc. which is an advocate for the digital industry in Australia including X, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. She was answering questions on Monday at a single-day Senate committee hearing into world-first legislation that was introduced into the Parliament last week. Bose said the Parliament should wait until the government-commissioned evaluation of age assurance technologies is completed next year.
49ers rule out Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa; QB Brandon Allen to start at Green BayComforting robotic companions donated to pediatric cancer patients courtesy of Aflac ROSEVILLE Calif. , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Children in Northern California now have a cuddly companion to bring them comfort through their cancer treatment journey. Aflac Incorporated , a leading provider of health supplemental insurance in the U.S. donated the robotic ducks to Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance in Roseville Thursday. The event marks nearly 200 ducks given to Keaton's in the last two years and more than 33,000 ducks distributed free of charge since the program began in 2018. "Approximately 26 children are diagnosed with cancer each day in the United States , including the brave 'Child Cancer Warriors' supported by Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance," said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer , Aflac senior vice president and chief Communications officer. "These incredible children, and their families, embody determination and resilience – and most of all, as we saw today, their joyful spirit continues to shine. We're thankful to the team at Keaton's for allowing us to be a part of the great work they do each and every day. Together, we're making a difference in the lives of the children, their families and their communities." My Special Aflac Duck is a social robot powered by innovative technology that helps kids prepare for medical procedures, communicate their feelings, practice distraction techniques and more. The robotic companion was designed in consult with more than 100 children, families and medical professionals in conjunction with Empath Labs. A three-year study revealed that patients reported a reduction in distress, nausea, pain and procedural anxiety compared to those in the study who had not yet received a duck. In addition, parents and caregivers reported a reduction in stress and anxiety, showing how My Special Aflac Duck helps children's support system. The duck delivery Thursday coincided with Keaton's annual Operation Gobble, where more than 20 families received Thanksgiving meal kits. "We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Aflac to ensure that young cancer warriors and their families receive the personalized support they need throughout their journey" said Jessica Alonso , Executive Director of Keaton's Child Cancer Alliance. "This generous contribution of My Special Aflac Ducks will have a meaningful impact on the children we serve. These comforting, interactive companions provide emotional support and help children navigate the complexities of treatment, bringing much-needed smiles and strength to families during some of their most challenging moments. Together, we are empowering those we serve to face cancer with courage and hope." Since its debut in 2018 , My Special Aflac Duck has received numerous awards; it was named one of Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions and collected the Best in Show at CES and South by Southwest, among others. The My Special Aflac Duck program is a hallmark of Aflac's more than $184 million given toward pediatric cancer and blood disorder treatment, as part of the company's commitment to support the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta . Health care providers, support organizations and families can order My Special Aflac Duck free of charge for children 3 years or older who have been diagnosed with cancer or sickle cell disease at MySpecialAflacDuck.com . ABOUT AFLAC INCORPORATED Aflac Incorporated (NYSE: AFL ), a Fortune 500 company, has helped provide financial protection and peace of mind for more than 68 years to millions of policyholders and customers through its subsidiaries in the U.S. and Japan . In the U.S., Aflac is the No. 1 provider of supplemental health insurance products. 1 In Japan , Aflac Life Insurance Japan is the leading provider of cancer and medical insurance in terms of policies in force. The company takes pride in being there for its policyholders when they need us most, as well as being included in the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere for 18 consecutive years (2024), Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies for 23 years (2024) and Bloomberg's Gender-Equality Index for the fourth consecutive year (2023). In addition, the company became a signatory of the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) in 2021 and has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (2023) for 10 years. To find out how to get help with expenses health insurance doesn't cover, get to know us at aflac.com or aflac.com/espanol . Investors may learn more about Aflac Incorporated and its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainability at investors.aflac.com under "Sustainability." 1 LIMRA 2023 U.S. Supplemental Health Insurance Total Market Report Media contact: Jon Sullivan , 706-763-4813 or [email protected] Analyst and investor contact: David A. Young , 706-596-3264, 800-235-2667 or [email protected] SOURCE AflacRadical Jaguar rebrand and new logo sparks ire online NEW YORK (AP) — A promotional video for a rebrand of British luxury car brand Jaguar is being criticized online for showing models in brightly colored outfits — and no car. The rebrand, which includes a new logo, is slated to launch Dec. 2 during Miami Art Week, when the company will unveil a new electric model. But Jaguar Land Rover, a unit of India’s Tata Motors Ltd., has been promoting it online. The Jaguar brand is in the middle of a transition to going all-electric. “Copy Nothing,” marketing materials read. “We’re here to delete the ordinary. To go bold. To copy nothing.” Trump has promised again to release the last JFK files. But experts say don’t expect big revelations DALLAS (AP) — The nation is set to mark 61 years since President John F. Kennedy was assassinated as his motorcade passed through downtown Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. Even after over six decades, conspiracy theories about what happened that day still swirl and the desire to follow every thread of information hasn’t waned. President-elect Donald Trump made promises over the summer that if reelected he would declassify the remaining records. At this point, only a few thousand of millions of pages of records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released. And those who have studied what's been released so far say that the public shouldn’t anticipate any earth-shattering revelations even if the remaining files are declassified. Bitcoin is at the doorstep of $100,000 as post-election rally rolls on NEW YORK (AP) — Bitcoin is jumping again, rising above $98,000 for the first time Thursday. The cryptocurrency has been shattering records almost daily since the U.S. presidential election, and has rocketed more than 40% higher in just two weeks. It's now at the doorstep of $100,000. Cryptocurrencies and related investments like crypto exchange-traded funds have rallied because the incoming Trump administration is expected to be more “crypto-friendly.” Still, as with everything in the volatile cryptoverse, the future is hard to predict. And while some are bullish, other experts continue to warn of investment risks. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries The NFL has issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following recent burglaries involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the league says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets. Penn State wins trademark case over retailer's use of vintage logos, images PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer’s use of its vintage logos and images. A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages earlier this week over products made and sold by the firms Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc. Penn State accused the firms of selling counterfeit clothing and accessories. The defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with Penn State. At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, but the Pennsylvania case was the first to go to trial. Defense lawyers declined to comment on the verdict and whether they planned an appeal. Has a waltz written by composer Frederic Chopin been discovered in an NYC museum? NEW YORK (AP) — A previously unknown musical work written by composer Frederic Chopin appears to have been found in a library in New York City. The Morgan Library & Museum says the untitled and unsigned piece is the first new manuscript of the Romantic era virtuoso to be discovered in nearly a century. Robinson McClellan, the museum’s curator, says he stumbled across the work in May while going through a collection brought to the Manhattan museum years earlier. He worked with outside experts to verify the document's authenticity. But there’s debate whether the waltz is an original Chopin work or merely one written in his hand. Volcano on Iceland's Reykjanes Peninsula erupts for the 7th time in a year GRINDAVIK, Iceland (AP) — A volcano on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwestern Iceland is spewing lava from a fissure in its seventh eruption since December. Iceland's seismic monitors said the eruption started with little warning late Wednesday and created a long fissure but looked to be smaller than eruptions in August and May. Around 50 houses were evacuated after the Civil Protection agency issued the alert, along with guests at the famous Blue Lagoon resort, according to the national broadcaster. The repeated eruptions over the past year have caused damage to the town of Grindavík and forced people to relocate. Australian teen and British woman who drank tainted alcohol in Laos have died, bringing toll to 5 VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — An Australian teenager and a British woman have died after drinking tainted alcohol in Laos in what Australia’s prime minister said was every parent’s nightmare. Officials earlier said an American and two Danish tourists also had died following reports that multiple people had been sickened in town popular with backpackers. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament that 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being evacuated from Vang Vieng, Laos, for treatment in a Thai hospital. Her friend, also 19, remains hospitalized in Thailand. Later Thursday, Britain said a British woman also died and the media in the U.K. identified her as 28-year-old Simone White. US ahead in AI innovation, easily surpassing China in Stanford's new ranking The U.S. leads the world in developing artificial intelligence technology, surpassing China in research and other important measures of AI innovation, according to a newly released Stanford University index. There’s no surefire way to rank global AI leadership but Stanford researchers have made an attempt by measuring the “vibrancy” of the AI industry across a variety of dimensions, from how much research and investment is happening to how responsibly the technology is being pursued to prevent harm. Following the U.S. and China were the United Kingdom, India and the United Arab Emirates. Pop star Ed Sheeran helps favorite soccer team sign player before getting on stage with Taylor Swift It turns out British pop star Ed Sheeran is also good at recruiting soccer players. Sheeran is a minority shareholder at English soccer team Ipswich Town and it needed his help over the summer to get a player to join the club. Ipswich CEO Mark Ashton tells a Soccerex industry event in Miami: “Ed jumped on a Zoom call with him at the training ground, just before he stepped on stage with Taylor Swift. Hopefully that was a key part in getting the player across the line.” Ashton didn’t disclose the player in question, saying only: “He’s certainly scoring a few goals.”
Nurix Therapeutics chief legal officer sells $125,155 in stockNone
Wrap Technologies expands with new Virginia facilityTo start off their last study session, city officials came to the mayor and council's table and offered a menu of unappetizing options to pay for fare-free bus rides. A new tax on rental cars would require a change in state law for this purpose. So would the formation of a special taxing district, as would other options. Probably not gonna happen. We could raise the hotel/motel surcharge, or the tax on public utilities, but those are already among the highest rates in the state. We can beg the University of Arizona, Pima Community College and the school districts, but they're under no obligation to help out, even though they do benefit heavily from free transit. The mayor and some members of the council considered the whole topic at the Nov. 19 meeting to be premature and, it seemed to my ear, annoying. "I agree that we shouldn’t even be having the discussion about fares at this moment," Council Member Lane Santa Cruz said, supporting Mayor Regina Romero's earlier comments. "This mayor and council has stated time and time again their support of it. We should be talking about the financing of transit more holistically." The review of options left the impression that there is no easy way for covering the estimated $10 million-per-year cost of not charging fares for bus and streetcar rides. But that's not really the case — there are more appetizing alternatives. Next year, there are two tax elections, one for Tucson voters, and one for all Pima County voters that could absorb this cost. That way, too, voters could have a chance to weigh in on whether we want to pay for the idea. It's something Tucsonans talk about, perhaps because they think fares used to cover most or all of the cost of transit before the city went fare-free in 2020. That's not true: Fares only covered a small portion of the cost of the transit system in the times before pandemic funding from the federal government allowed the city to go fare-free. Fares covered around 10% of the cost of the entire transit system when Tucson decided to start covering the cost itself in 2023. At that time, the cost of not having fares was about $9.1 million, the city estimated. Last week, City Manager Tim Thomure estimated the cost of not charging fares at $10 million to $13 million per year. This is much higher than what some transit advocates think, because, among other things, charging fares anew is likely to depress ridership considerably, and it costs money to reinstall and operate a fare system. Ridership underwhelming City Council Member Paul Cunningham told me he thinks the cost of not charging fares could be as low as $5 million per year, depending on factors such as how high fares would be set if they ever came back. But he acknowledged he hears about the issue a lot from people who think the program costs more than it does, or that it is responsible for the spread of homeless camps around the city. "I don’t think we need to do any of those things," Cunningham said. "The general fund has absorbed significantly the fare-free transit." It's true as noted in the study session, that the cost of fare-free transit is accounted for this fiscal year and, probably, next year, going through June 2026. I'm with Romero and others on the council in liking fare-free transit, overall. It's incredibly simple — the key — and usually safe and reliable, though it's true that a lot of street people, some of them on drugs, use the system. That probably makes some car-drivers uncomfortable, though they should consider the threat of a serious car crash in their risk assessments. What I've found disappointing is that not as many people use the bus as I would expect, considering that it's free. Although Romero has said at the council and in an email that "we have seen record numbers of riders," that's not the case with the bus. Ridership topped 19 million for four consecutive years between fiscal year 2012 and fiscal 2015. Last year, ridership didn't even top 16 million rides, winding up at about 15.8 million according to preliminary figures. I want to see ridership return to the numbers of a decade ago. To pay for free fares beyond 2026, and drive ridership, though, we could have a source for the extra millions if the mayor and council will simply put it in packages that voters are already considering. Prop. 414 and RTA The first vote on a half-cent sales tax is scheduled for March. The details of Prop. 414 haven't been finalized, but council members are pretty committed to the priorities it's funding and are likely to approve something close to what's already being proposed. That means most of the estimated $80 million-per-year the tax would produce will go to Tucson police and fire, and related services, if the proposition passes. For example, $2.7 million per year would go to non-patrol vehicles for the Tucson Police Department. A million dollars per year would go to "community based violence intervention" programs. In the housing arena, $4 million per year would go to housing "resiliency" to help low-income homeowners and renters, as well as add new stock to city-owned housing. Another $3.45 million per year would go to expanding low-barrier shelters and extending the city's Housing First program. You may think these are higher priority items than fare-free transit, but as Romero said, "We’ve got to see free transit as part of a safe and vibrant city." There's no reason city officials couldn't scratch out, say, $5 million of the $80 million per year they're dreaming of to help pay for fare-free transit over the next 10 years. Alternatively, the RTA Next program, the continuation of an existing half-cent sales tax, will be voted on by all county voters in November. It includes $610 million over 20 years, or an average of $30.5 million per year, for mass transit. Hard to believe a few million of that couldn't go to ensuring fare-free transit. "I want to get to the point where we brag about our public transportation system being free and encouraging more people to use it," Santa Cruz said. I agree, and if we could put $5 million to $10 million per year into those tax elections for fare-free transit, we wouldn't have to think again about fares for 10-20 years. Then we could stop talking about it, as much of the mayor and council seem to want, and focus on maximizing the number of people who ride the bus. Contact columnist Tim Steller at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @timothysteller Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! ColumnistJoe Biden’s pardon for Hunter defies historical comparison