The story so far: In August, U.S. Federal Judge Amit Mehta, in a tech industry-defining case, said Google had illegal monopoly power in the online search market. Following that landmark ruling, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on November 20, proposed large-scale remedies that go far beyond the Silicon Valley giant’s online search business. The proposals include possible divestment of Google’s Chrome and Android businesses. What does the U.S. DOJ proposal mean for Google? The DOJ, in its proposal, stressed that Google’s hold over the online search market had to be loosened so there can be more competition. The federal government unit has argued for a mandatory sale of the Chrome browser, possible divestment of the Android mobile operating system, a five-year-long ban on entering the browser market, and a restriction on paying third parties like Apple to make Google the default search engine on their products. Additionally, the DOJ has asked Google to provide publishers and content creators with the ability to block their data from being used to train AI models. The DOJ suggested the formation of a ‘Technical Committee’ to monitor how Google is implementing the various remedies. The proposal raised concerns about whether Google could use its AI technologies or business strategies such as acquisitions, mergers, and partnerships to bypass these remedies. Google will also have to make its search index available to rivals for a small fee and be more transparent about its search technologies. In essence, the regulator’s remedies are sweeping and intend on hitting where it hurts Google the most—its profits. The DOJ wants to make it so that “Google is prohibited from owning not only a browser—following its divestiture of Chrome it may not reenter the browser market for five years—but also from owning or acquiring any investment or interest in any search or search text ad rival, search distributor, or rival query-based AI product or ads technology.” What was Google’s response? Google strongly condemned the remedies as a “radical interventionist agenda.” “DOJ’s wildly overbroad proposal goes miles beyond the Court’s decision. It would break a range of Google products — even beyond Search — that people love and find helpful in their everyday lives,” said Kent Walker, President, Global Affairs & Chief Legal Officer, Google & Alphabet, in a blog post. The executive also listed out the potential dangers of the U.S. DOJ’s remedies. This included risking the security and privacy of millions of American users, forcing Google to disclose company and customer data to either domestic or foreign external companies, harming Google’s investments in AI, hurting Google’s business partners, impacting the ease of accessing Google Search, and normalising government micromanagement of a daily user’s internet experience. “DOJ’s approach would result in unprecedented government overreach that would harm American consumers, developers, and small businesses — and jeopardize America’s global economic and technological leadership at precisely the moment it’s needed most,” said Walker. How could the proposal affect Google’s Chrome users? When you buy a new phone, it might be natural to find Google’s search browsers or apps pre-installed and ready for you to use. The idea of intentionally finding and downloading a rival service that suits you better - such as Microsoft’s Bing, DuckDuckGo, Brave, Firefox, etc. - might not even cross your mind because Google is already present or is the easiest first choice. The DOJ’s proposals aim to break this chain for customers in America, by stopping Google from pushing its services as the go-to option for gadget users. For example, the DOJ’s filing proposed a “choice screen” even on Google devices to make sure that users can freely select either Google Search or a rival product as their default, without being nudged in Google’s direction. Needless to say, Google was not on board with this plan. “As just one example, DOJ’s proposal would literally require us to install not one but two separate choice screens before you could access Google Search on a Pixel phone you bought. And the design of those choice screens would have to be approved by the Technical Committee. And that’s just a small part of it. We wish we were making this up,” commented the company in its blog post. What are the next steps? The ball is now in U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta’s court, where the remedies will be evaluated next April. Google is also expected to propose its own remedies before Judge Mehta. Meanwhile, the DOJ will file a revised proposed final argument on March 7, 2025. It will continue to monitor Google’s activities and business operations to see if any other changes or remedies need to be added. A transition in the White House can’t be ignored as it is unclear how president-elect Donald Trump might weigh in on the legal matter. Trump had earlier threatened to shut down the search giant but backtracked later. On the other hand, Judge Mehta said the April 2025 trial would not be moved to accommodate late proposal revision requests by Trump-appointed DOJ officials. Published - November 30, 2024 02:54 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit CCI orders investigation into Google following complaint from real money gaming platform WinZO U.S. regulator opens wide-ranging antitrust probe into Microsoft Google asks U.S. appeals court to reject app store monopoly verdict Google makes closing arguments in trial alleging its ad tech constitutes an illegal monopoly technology (general) / internet / Artificial Intelligence / litigation and regulation / antitrust issue / The Hindu ExplainsRegency Affiliates, Inc. Declares Quarterly Dividend of $0.08 (OTCMKTS:RAFI)
Christensen King & Associates Investment Services Inc. lessened its holdings in shares of NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ) by 13.5% in the third quarter, Holdings Channel.com reports. The firm owned 14,576 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock after selling 2,280 shares during the period. NVIDIA comprises 0.8% of Christensen King & Associates Investment Services Inc.’s portfolio, making the stock its 25th largest holding. Christensen King & Associates Investment Services Inc.’s holdings in NVIDIA were worth $1,770,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Legal & General Group Plc grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 884.0% in the 2nd quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 213,127,959 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $26,329,751,000 after acquiring an additional 191,469,114 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 854.1% in the 2nd quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 182,622,629 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $22,561,200,000 after acquiring an additional 163,482,580 shares in the last quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 870.3% in the 2nd quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 102,422,225 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $12,658,922,000 after acquiring an additional 91,867,031 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 1,123.2% in the 2nd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 92,039,713 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $11,371,255,000 after acquiring an additional 84,515,429 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 808.6% in the 2nd quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 82,689,605 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $10,215,474,000 after acquiring an additional 73,589,208 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 65.27% of the company’s stock. Analysts Set New Price Targets Several brokerages recently issued reports on NVDA. HSBC raised their price target on NVIDIA from $145.00 to $200.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Wedbush raised their price target on NVIDIA from $160.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Citigroup raised their price target on NVIDIA from $170.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 21st. Susquehanna raised their price target on NVIDIA from $160.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock a “positive” rating in a report on Thursday, November 14th. Finally, New Street Research raised NVIDIA from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $120.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 6th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-nine have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $164.15. NVIDIA Trading Up 2.2 % Shares of NVDA stock opened at $138.25 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $136.05 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $123.67. The company has a quick ratio of 3.64, a current ratio of 4.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13. The company has a market capitalization of $3.39 trillion, a PE ratio of 54.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 1.66. NVIDIA Co. has a 12-month low of $45.01 and a 12-month high of $152.89. NVIDIA ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Get Free Report ) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, November 20th. The computer hardware maker reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.69 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $35.08 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $33.15 billion. NVIDIA had a net margin of 55.69% and a return on equity of 114.83%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 93.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business posted $0.38 earnings per share. As a group, analysts predict that NVIDIA Co. will post 2.76 earnings per share for the current year. NVIDIA Dividend Announcement The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 27th. Shareholders of record on Thursday, December 5th will be given a dividend of $0.01 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 5th. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a yield of 0.03%. NVIDIA’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 1.57%. NVIDIA declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a share repurchase plan on Wednesday, August 28th that permits the company to repurchase $50.00 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the computer hardware maker to repurchase up to 1.6% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are typically a sign that the company’s board of directors believes its stock is undervalued. Insiders Place Their Bets In other news, Director John Dabiri sold 716 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total transaction of $101,672.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 19,942 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,831,764. This trade represents a 3.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, CEO Jen Hsun Huang sold 120,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $110.76, for a total transaction of $13,291,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 76,375,705 shares in the company, valued at $8,459,373,085.80. This represents a 0.16 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold 2,036,986 shares of company stock worth $240,602,399 over the last three months. Insiders own 4.23% of the company’s stock. NVIDIA Profile ( Free Report ) NVIDIA Corporation provides graphics and compute and networking solutions in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and internationally. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU or vGPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems; and Omniverse software for building and operating metaverse and 3D internet applications. See Also Want to see what other hedge funds are holding NVDA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for NVIDIA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NVIDIA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .NoneOmar Kelly: Question Tua’s durability, not his competitive natureTexans foiled by mistake after mistake in 32-27 loss to Titans
eBullion, Inc. ( OTCMKTS:EBML – Get Free Report )’s share price rose 11.1% during trading on Friday . The company traded as high as $0.77 and last traded at $0.77. Approximately 320 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 100% from the average daily volume of 787,805 shares. The stock had previously closed at $0.69. eBullion Stock Performance The business has a 50 day moving average of $0.69 and a two-hundred day moving average of $0.95. eBullion Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) eBullion, Inc provides precious metals spot contract trading services for gold and silver trading through electronic trading platform located in Hong Kong. The company was incorporated in 2013 and is based in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for eBullion Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for eBullion and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
NoneMorgan Rogers looked to have given Emery’s side another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home in stoppage time, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Diego Carlos to have fouled Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the goal was chalked off. Contact seemed minimal but VAR did not intervene and Villa had to settle for a point in a 0-0 draw. “With the last action, it is the interpretation of the referee,” the Spaniard said. “In England, 80 per cent of those is given a goal and it’s not a foul. It’s very soft. “But in Europe, it could be a foul. We have to accept. “Everybody will know, in England the interpretation is different. The England referees, when actions like that the interpretation is a clear no foul but in Europe that interpretation is different. “They have to be working to get the same decision when some action like that is coming. I don’t know exactly why but we knew before in the Premier League that it is different. A very controversial finish at Villa Park 😲 Morgan Rogers' late goal is ruled out for a foul on Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the match ends 0-0 ❌ 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/MyYL5Vdy3r — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024 “In Europe for example we are not doing a block like in England and we are not doing in front of the goalkeeper in offensive corners the same situations like in England. “When the action happened, I was thinking here in Europe it’s a foul. In England not, but in Europe I have to accept it. “At first, I thought the referee gave us a goal. In cases like that, it’s confusing because he has to wait for VAR. I don’t know what happened but I think so (the referee changed his mind with VAR).” It was a disappointment for Villa, who remain unbeaten at home in their debut Champions League campaign and are still in contention to qualify automatically for the last 16. “We were playing a favourite to be in the top eight and usually a contender to win this competition,” Emery added. “We are a team who for a long time didn’t play in Europe and the Champions League and this year is very important. “We wanted to play competitive and we are in the right way. Today to get one point is very good, we wanted to win but wanted to avoid some mistakes we made in previous games. “We have 10 points and we’re happy.” Before the game Emery called Juventus one of the “best teams in the world, historically and now”, but this was an Italian side down to the bare bones. Only 14 outfield players made the trip from Turin, with striker Dusan Vlahovic among those who stayed behind. Juve boss Thiago Motta, whose side are 19th but still in contention to reach the top eight, said: “There’s just three games left to qualify. The next home against Man City, then Brugge, then Benfica. “One at a time, as we always did with the goal to qualify for the next round. “In the end we will try and reach our goal which is to go to the next round.”
With one of the most exciting AFL seasons done and dusted, it’s time to see how horribly wrong — or right — we were at the start of the year. Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. In January, we made a series of bold predictions for the 2024 season that, despite holding merit at the time, were still more likely to fail than succeed.Now it’s time to take a look back at which ones we got right and which ones were totally off the mark. BOLD PREDICTION: The Blues make the Grand Final VERDICT: Nope Carlton were one of the premiership favourites in pre-season, but their 2024 campaign was cruelled by injuries which meant they never really looked like featuring on the biggest stage of all. The Blues were bundled out in a hugely disappointing elimination final against eventual premiers Brisbane, conceding the first nine goals of the game. Twin towers Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay missed games through injury at the end of the season, while ruck Tom De Koning also missed a large chunk of the back end. Defenders Mitch McGovern, Adam Saad and Jordan Boyd all had disrupted seasons, while Adam Cerra, Zac Williams and Lachie Fogarty also spent some time on the sidelines. Overall, Carlton’s 2024 campaign was disappointing, but now all eyes turn towards whether or not they can bounce back in 2025. BOLD PREDICTION: Michael Voss wins Coach of the Year Award VERDICT: Nope There’s no doubt 2025 will be an intriguing year for the Blues, can Michael Voss find a way to get the most out of a talented group? Things were looking promising this time last year, but now the jury is out. The Blues arguably went backwards in 2024, but injuries certainly did play a part. Brisbane Lions premiership coach Chris Fagan won the award, while former Sydney coach John Longmire came runner-up. Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell rounded out the podium after he lifted the Hawks from cellar dwellers to premiership contenders. While we don’t know the full breakdown, you’d imagine Geelong coach Chris Scott, Giants head honcho Adam Kingsley and Port Adelaide mastermind Ken Hinkley would all have finished higher than Voss. A huge 2025 looms. BOLD PREDICTION: Brodie Grundy returns to All-Australian form VERDICT: Almost... Brodie Grundy was a key contributor to Sydney’s successes in 2024, but he didn’t quite reach those All-Australian levels he has before. After a turbulent year at Melbourne, Grundy returned to the number one ruck role at Sydney and performed admirably. The star Swan averaged 18 disposals, five clearances and 4.7 tackles a game as he started to get back to some good form. Max Gawn earned a seventh All-Australian blazer, while breakout Roos ruck Tristan Xerri and Collingwood tall Darcy Cameron were the other rucks to make the All-Australian squad. St Kilda’s Rowan Marshall was also considered an unlucky omission. Grundy was probably in the next batch of talls, including Tim English and Toby Nankervis. A stronger season and an increased output than what Grundy has produced in the past couple of years, but not quite All-Australian calibre. BOLD PREDICTION: The Suns break into the top eight VERDICT: Not yet We can probably rinse and repeat this one for 2025. Surely, the Suns aren’t far off from featuring in September action. In their first season under new coach Damien Hardwick, the Suns finished 13th with a win-loss record of 11-12. It was a bizarre year for the Suns, who were a dominant force on their home decks at People First Stadium and TIO Stadium, but didn’t win a game on the road until round 22 against Essendon at Marvel. The club’s had a refresh and a rebrand and will be hoping that next year is the year they break through for their maiden finals appearance. Their talented youth will only get better with another pre-season under their belts, while the acquisitions of damaging half-backs Daniel Rioli and John Noble will add the rebound out of the back half that they struggled with so much. Is 2025 the year they finally break the drought? BOLD PREDICTION: Three teams will drop out of the top eight VERDICT: Correct We were spot on with this one and the numbers didn’t lie. It’s been two every year since the top eight began and the average is approximately 2.8 per season. BOLD PREDICTION: The Saints are one of them VERDICT: Correct As we predicted, there was a bit of a dip for the Saints in 2024. They had a focus on getting experience into their younger brigade and they also lost some games they probably should’ve won. The likes of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Darcy Wilson and Mitch Owens all had strong campaigns that resulted in top 10 finishes in the best and fairest, while Mattaes Phillipou had a strong end to the season as well. They’ve attacked the draft hard again this year, securing Gippsland Power high-flyer Alix Tauru and Bendigo Pioneers product Tobie Travaglia, who both look like players for the future. The Saints will be hoping to improve on their win-loss record of 11-12 and push back towards September action in 2025. BOLD PREDICTION: But Max King returns to top form VERDICT: Nope As promising as Max King is, injuries limited the key forward to just 12 games in 2024. The Sandringham Dragons product booted 19 goals for the year at an average of 1.6 per game which was well down on his previous two years where he averaged 2.4 and 2.5 goals a match. It was the worst year of King’s career if you exclude 2019 (ACL injury so no games) and his first year in 2020, according to the AFL Player Ratings system. There’s no doubt that when fit, King is one of the most promising key forwards in the competition. The Saints have shown tremendous faith in King, extending his contract until the end of the 2032 season, can he repay that faith? 2025 will be a big year. BOLD PREDICTION: The Power also drop out VERDICT: Nope Port Adelaide strung together another strong home and away season, finishing in second spot with a win-loss record of 16-7. It was the fourth time in five years that Ken Hinkley’s side have featured in September action, yet they haven’t gone on to reach the big dance on any of those occasions. Right now, it feels like they’re home and away experts and then crumble under the finals pressure. Our bold prediction questioned how their recruits would fare and it’s fair to say they didn’t exactly fire. Brandon Zerk-Thatcher is probably a tick as a defender, while Jordon Sweet assumed the number one ruck role by seasons end. Ivan Soldo sought a trade out of South Australia after just one year and Esava Ratugolea is on the fringes of the side heading into 2025. They’re so strong at home, so expect the Power to be around the mark of the top four again in 2025, but the challenge for them is progressing further through a finals campaign. BOLD PREDICTION: And the Josh Carr handover is made official VERDICT: Not yet Six months ago, it looked like Ken Hinkley’s job was on thin ice. They’d lost three consecutive matches to the Blues, Giants and Lions but they went on to win eight of their last nine in a scintillating end to the season. Post-match after the gritty win over St Kilda, Ken Hinkley was emotional in an on-field interview with Fox Footy’s Sarah Jones, highlighting how much he loved the playing group and how much the playing group loved him. The Power were thumped in a qualifying final by Geelong but bounced back in the semi against Hawthorn, before going down to the Swans in a preliminary final. Hinkley still remains in the hot seat, but there’s a sense amongst the competition that Josh Carr will inherit that throne sooner rather than later. Hinkley is yet to reach a grand final during his time as senior coach, a role he has held for 12 years. Carr has been a part of the Power footy program for several years and the club could execute a handover similar to that at the Swans, where Dean Cox took over from John Longmire. It feels inevitable that Carr takes over, but don’t rule out the Power making a bold play and trying to poach someone if Hinkley does step aside some time in 2025. BOLD PREDICTION: The Crows take their spot VERDICT: Not even close Adelaide were one of the biggest disappointments in 2024, if not the biggest disappointment. After finishing 10th with a win-loss record of 11-12 in 2023, there were high hopes that the Crows could return to September action for the first time since 2017. While it was overall a poor season, there were a few shining lights for Matthew Nicks’ side. Midfielder Jake Soligio showed positive signs of growth, while exciting youngster Max Michalanney is going to become a serious player. Izak Rankine played some good footy and Ben Keays was joint winner of the Best and Fairest alongside captain Jordan Dawson. Draftee Sid Draper has been tearing up the training track and is on target to feature in round one, while the likes of Riley Thilthorpe, Josh Rachele and Dan Curtin should only get better with another pre-season under their belts. At the end of the day though, the Crows weren’t as good as they could’ve been in 2024, given the talent at their disposal. BOLD PREDICTION: And Jordan Dawson finishes in the top three of the Brownlow Medal count VERDICT: Also no Let’s be honest, this one was pretty bold! Dawson finished equal 16th in this year’s Brownlow Medal count, polling 18 votes, two less than last year, where he finished 13th (including ineligible players). Dawson did not poll a vote in his first five games and just one in his final six, so it was the middle part of the year where he did his best work. His inconsistent campaign was a bit reflective of Adelaide’s season as a whole. Playing mainly through the midfield, the former Swan averaged 24.5 disposals, five marks and 6.1 tackles. The Crows skipper will no doubt have a huge pre-season to try and give himself the best chance of leading the Crows to their first finals campaign since 2017 and return to some of the best form of his career. BOLD PREDICTION: Dustin Martin finishes in the top five VERDICT: Nope There was clearly a bit of nostalgia behind this one and let’s be honest, it wasn’t even close to being correct. Martin polled just one Brownlow Medal vote this year for his performance in round 11 against Essendon, where he amassed 23 disposals and three goals. Injury and then retirement meant he played just one match of the last eight of the season and he had clearly lost his edge that will see him go down as one of the greats. A superb career and one we were so lucky to be able to witness. BOLD PREDICTION: Then moves to the Gold Coast VERDICT: Still, no Wow, wasn’t this one bubbling away for some time! There were murmurings of Dusty reuniting with former coach Damien Hardwick up at the Suns, but nothing materialised and he is happily retired. He is the only three-time Norm Smith Medallist, a triple premiership player, four time All-Australian and 2017 Brownlow Medallist. He’ll go down as one of the greatest ever Tigers and a true champion of the game. BOLD PREDICTION: The Dogs come in VERDICT: Yes! The Bulldogs made the finals yet again after narrowly missing out in 2023, which was a step in the right direction. The Bulldogs are one of the biggest mysteries in the competition right now. Their list is incredibly talented, and their best football is electric, but they struggle to piece it all together for a prolonged period of time. The club continues to back in premiership coach Luke Beveridge who never backs down from a challenge and will be looking to press towards a top four berth in 2025. Their youth is exciting, but it is important that they capitalise while the likes of Marcus Bontempelli and Adam Treloar are in career-best form. BOLD PREDICTION: But the Cats miss out again VERDICT: Nope Year after year, the Cats continue to prove the footy world wrong. Chris Scott’s side made it all the way to a preliminary final in 2024, falling just short to eventual premiers Brisbane. The Cats have featured in September every year bar three since 2004. That is an absurd period of time to be featuring at the pointy end of the season. The scary thing is, you’d imagine the Cats only get better in 2025. The recruitment of former Bulldog Bailey Smith will bolster their midfield stocks dramatically, while if they can get ex-Blue Jack Martin fit, that could be a bargain. It would take a brave person to write them off again. BOLD PREDICTION: The Hawks just miss out VERDICT: Not quite Can we give this one a tick? We predicted the Hawks would surge up the ladder this year, just not all the way to a semi-final. No one saw that coming, especially after their poor start where they sat 0-5 and then 1-6. The evolution of ‘Hokball’ has been a joy to watch this season. Sam Mitchell’s side have played with plenty of dash and dare and they’ve had the celebrations to match. The scary thing? They could be even better in 2025 and are genuine premiership contenders. The core of their list is still young and will only improve, while the additions of Tom Barrass and Josh Battle will further bolster their defensive stocks. The sky is the limit for these young Hawks. BOLD PREDICTION: And Jack Ginnivan thrives VERDICT: We’ll pay this one! A move to Hawthorn under Sam Mitchell has resulted in Jack Ginnivan playing the best footy of his career. Ginnivan averaged 16.5 disposals, 3.9 marks and 2.7 tackles a game this year, booting 28 goals. He’s become an integral part of one of the best forward lines in the competition and loves to get under the skins of his opponents. He’s become an absolute fan favourite amongst the brown and gold faithful and will be key in Hawthorn’s quest for success. It’s fair to say, he’s put a messy exit from Collingwood behind him and is absolutely thriving. BOLD PREDICTION: Fremantle remains stranded outside the top eight VERDICT: Bang on We were spot on with this one, the Dockers missing out on the top eight by just two premiership points. It went down to the last game of the season, if they had been able to defeat Port Adelaide on their home deck, then they would’ve squeezed Carlton out. The general consensus right now though is that the Dockers could be the biggest risers of 2025. They’ve added former Tiger Shai Bolton to their weaponry, while young gun Murphy Reid could make an impact early on in the year, too. Fremantle have stars across every single line. In defence, Luke Ryan, Jordan Clark and Alex Pearce have been super, while the on-ball brigade of Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong and Hayden Young genuinely could be the best in the competition. Their forward half improved as Josh Treacy and Jye Amiss took big strides forward and the ruck duo of Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson gives them great flexibility. It’s exciting what they could produce next year. BOLD PREDICTION: And Justin Longmuir goes VERDICT: Nope Justin Longmuir signed a one-year extension in March, tying him to the Dockers until the end of 2025. There’s no doubt that the pressure will be on Longmuir next year to try and get the best out of his side, because they are just so talented. It’s never easy entering the final year of your contract, but his future really is in his hands. A strong season will surely see him recontracted, but if the Dockers can’t feature in September, the heat will well and truly be on. BOLD PREDICTION: Finn Callaghan jumps into the All-Australian side VERDICT: Nope This was another pretty bold call, but one that didn’t eventuate. Giants youngster Finn Callaghan had a strong year but it definitely wasn’t All-Australian calibre. Callaghan took a small step forward from his 2023 campaign, lifting his disposals average (22.9), tackles (3.6) and clearances (3.4) and will be an exciting player to track in the years to come. He is clean with ball in hand, smooth-moving in traffic and has plenty of drive out of stoppage. He also managed to finally get some continuity with his body, playing 24 games for the year. Intriguingly, Callaghan did not finish in the top 10 in the club best and fairest. BOLD PREDICTION: And Jamarra Ugle-Hagan does too VERDICT: Nope A strong season for Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, but not All-Australian worthy. The former number one draft pick booted a career-high 43 goals this season and continued his steady increase year-on-year. Alongside Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy, the Bulldogs have a three-pronged attack that is the envy of the competition. He improved his consistency this year, kicking at least one goal in 19 out of 22 appearances this season. At his best, Ugle-Hagan is flying for his marks and kicking miraculous goals. Should he continue his upwards trajectory, hitting that 50-goal mark for the first time in his career won’t be out of the question in 2025. BOLD PREDICTION: With one club offering him a 10-year contract VERDICT: We’ll pay it! We’re going to claim this one! According to the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph, clubs were offering “lifetime deals” to Ugle-Hagan early in the season to try and lure him out of the Kennel. Ralph reported that deals “as much as 11 or 12 years” were tabled to Ugle-Hagan, but ultimately, he decided to re-sign with the Dogs. The star forward put pen to paper on a two-year contract extension in May, tying him to the club until the end of 2026. Keep an eye on what he can produce next year. BOLD PREDICTION: The grand final start time stays put VERDICT: Correct The AFL decider indeed remained in its traditional afternoon slot. Instead, the AFLW grand final had its start time moved to the evening. But, while we correctly predicted nothing would change in Andrew Dillon’s first season in charge, we did tease that an eventual tweak might be ‘inevitable’ — and that might too be the case, given the success of the night grand final in the women’s competition. “A night grand final is pretty special ... Maybe we might see it in the men’s, who knows? ... Maybe not!” said victorious North Melbourne AFLW skipper Emma Kearney post-GF. BOLD PREDICTON: Any issues with the score review system will be a thing of the past VERDICT: Tongue in cheek Admittedly this one was tongue in cheek, but the spotlight once again was on the score review system in 2024. At the start of the year, the system was being used too often and for too long and then there’s the AFLW score review system, which had a few kinks in it to begin with. An error with the new ball tracking technology in the Suns and Pies clash incorrectly recorded that the ball was touched, when the video clearly showed the ball had not been touched. The Suns went on to lose that game and the AFL issued a statement afterwards apologising for the mistake.Aston Villa boss Unai Emery described the decision to rule out his side’s last-gasp goal in their Champions League draw with Juventus as “very soft” and has called for consistency from European referees. Morgan Rogers looked to have given Emery’s side another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home in stoppage time, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Diego Carlos to have fouled Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the goal was chalked off. Contact seemed minimal but VAR did not intervene and Villa had to settle for a point in a 0-0 draw. “With the last action, it is the interpretation of the referee,” the Spaniard said. “In England, 80 per cent of those is given a goal and it’s not a foul. It’s very soft. “But in Europe, it could be a foul. We have to accept. “Everybody will know, in England the interpretation is different. The England referees, when actions like that the interpretation is a clear no foul but in Europe that interpretation is different. “They have to be working to get the same decision when some action like that is coming. I don’t know exactly why but we knew before in the Premier League that it is different. A very controversial finish at Villa Park 😲 Morgan Rogers' late goal is ruled out for a foul on Juventus goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the match ends 0-0 ❌ 📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/MyYL5Vdy3r — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) November 27, 2024 “In Europe for example we are not doing a block like in England and we are not doing in front of the goalkeeper in offensive corners the same situations like in England. “When the action happened, I was thinking here in Europe it’s a foul. In England not, but in Europe I have to accept it. “At first, I thought the referee gave us a goal. In cases like that, it’s confusing because he has to wait for VAR. I don’t know what happened but I think so (the referee changed his mind with VAR).” It was a disappointment for Villa, who remain unbeaten at home in their debut Champions League campaign and are still in contention to qualify automatically for the last 16. “We were playing a favourite to be in the top eight and usually a contender to win this competition,” Emery added. “We are a team who for a long time didn’t play in Europe and the Champions League and this year is very important. “We wanted to play competitive and we are in the right way. Today to get one point is very good, we wanted to win but wanted to avoid some mistakes we made in previous games. “We have 10 points and we’re happy.” Before the game Emery called Juventus one of the “best teams in the world, historically and now”, but this was an Italian side down to the bare bones. Only 14 outfield players made the trip from Turin, with striker Dusan Vlahovic among those who stayed behind. Juve boss Thiago Motta, whose side are 19th but still in contention to reach the top eight, said: “There’s just three games left to qualify. The next home against Man City, then Brugge, then Benfica. “One at a time, as we always did with the goal to qualify for the next round. “In the end we will try and reach our goal which is to go to the next round.”
SALT LAKE CITY — Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 122-103 victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. Jokic scored 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting in the first quarter alone to rally Denver from an early 12-point deficit. Jamal Murray added 22 points, eight assists and four steals for the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. had 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Christian Braun finished with 18 points and seven boards. Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 26 points. Keyonte George scored 23, including five 3-pointers. Walker Kessler chipped in with 16 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. Utah played without injured starters Lauri Markkanen and John Collins. Denver broke open a close game behind a 21-4 run extending from the middle of the second quarter into the third. With three baskets apiece, Murray and Porter fueled the spurt, which gave the Nuggets a 70-53 lead. Utah trailed by double digits the rest of the way. Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun looks to pass as Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton, middle, and Utah Jazz forward Drew Eubanks, right, defend during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP/Rick Egan Takeaways Nuggets: Jokic proved too much for the shorthanded Jazz to handle. His efficient offense helped Denver turn a sluggish start into a blowout victory. Jazz: Micah Potter and Svi Mykhailiuk made their first starts of the season. They combined for 16 points, and Potter grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds. Key moment After George tied it on a 3-pointer midway through the second quarter, the Nuggets held the Jazz to two baskets during an eight-minute stretch spanning the second and third quarters. Key stats Denver scored 28 points off 18 Utah turnovers. Takeaways also helped the Nuggets tally 33 fast-break points. Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun is guarded by, Utah Jazz guard Collin Sexton, during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Salt Lake City. Credit: AP/Rick Egan Up next The Nuggets play at the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, while the Jazz host the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.
Morgan Rogers looked to have given Emery’s side another famous win when he slammed a loose ball home in stoppage time, but referee Jesus Gil Manzano ruled Diego Carlos to have fouled Juve goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio and the goal was chalked off. Contact seemed minimal but VAR did not intervene and Villa had to settle for a point in a 0-0 draw. “With the last action, it is the interpretation of the referee,” the Spaniard said. “In England, 80 per cent of those is given a goal and it’s not a foul. It’s very soft. “But in Europe, it could be a foul. We have to accept. “Everybody will know, in England the interpretation is different. The England referees, when actions like that the interpretation is a clear no foul but in Europe that interpretation is different. “They have to be working to get the same decision when some action like that is coming. I don’t know exactly why but we knew before in the Premier League that it is different. “In Europe for example we are not doing a block like in England and we are not doing in front of the goalkeeper in offensive corners the same situations like in England. “When the action happened, I was thinking here in Europe it’s a foul. In England not, but in Europe I have to accept it. “At first, I thought the referee gave us a goal. In cases like that, it’s confusing because he has to wait for VAR. I don’t know what happened but I think so (the referee changed his mind with VAR).” It was a disappointment for Villa, who remain unbeaten at home in their debut Champions League campaign and are still in contention to qualify automatically for the last 16. “We were playing a favourite to be in the top eight and usually a contender to win this competition,” Emery added. “We are a team who for a long time didn’t play in Europe and the Champions League and this year is very important. “We wanted to play competitive and we are in the right way. Today to get one point is very good, we wanted to win but wanted to avoid some mistakes we made in previous games. “We have 10 points and we’re happy.” Before the game Emery called Juventus one of the “best teams in the world, historically and now”, but this was an Italian side down to the bare bones. Only 14 outfield players made the trip from Turin, with striker Dusan Vlahovic among those who stayed behind. Juve boss Thiago Motta, whose side are 19th but still in contention to reach the top eight, said: “There’s just three games left to qualify. The next home against Man City, then Brugge, then Benfica. “One at a time, as we always did with the goal to qualify for the next round. “In the end we will try and reach our goal which is to go to the next round.”China’s Exclusive Museums Offer Unrivaled Insights into the Nation’s Rich and Diverse Heritage
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DES MOINES, Iowa -- Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks won her reelection bid Wednesday after a recount confirmed her lead, helping her party pad its thin majority in the U.S. House and retain control of all four of Iowa’s congressional seats. Miller-Meeks said in a post on the social platform X that she was “deeply honored” after she defeated Democrat Christina Bohannan in a rematch of 2022, when Miller-Meeks won by 7 percentage points. The margin this year was much tighter — Miller-Meeks' lead over Bohannan was less than a percentage point, or fewer than 1,000 votes. “I am now looking forward to getting back to work in Washington to lower prices at the gas pump, grocery store and on prescription drugs, secure the border and help farmers," said Miller-Meeks, who represents the 1st District, which includes the eastern part of the state and a swath of south-central Iowa, including Johnson County, home to University of Iowa in Iowa City. Miller-Meeks earned a first term in Congress representing Iowa’s 2nd District when she defeated Democrat Rita Hart by just six votes in 2020. The Associated Press called this year's race at 4:02 p.m. ET on Wednesday. Miller-Meeks had declared victory earlier, but the AP had not yet called the race because the margin was close enough that it could prompt a recount. Bohannan's campaign on Nov. 14 requested a recount , as any candidate is allowed to do, saying in a statement that the recount will make certain “that every voter is heard.” She congratulated Miller-Meeks in a message on X after the vote count was completed. “Although this is not the result we wanted, I am so proud of our campaign,” she wrote. “We exceeded all expectations and turned a district that many pundits thought was unwinnable into one of the very closest races in the country.” The request was made for a recount in each of the district’s 20 counties. Because the margin was less than a percentage point, the state — not the candidate — pays for the costs associated with the recount. Miller-Meeks’ campaign accused Bohannan and other Democrats of being “election deniers," and Republicans have said Bohannan is wasting taxpayer dollars. “This is a delaying tactic to thwart the will of the people,” the Miller-Meeks campaign said in a Nov. 14 statement. “A recount won’t meaningfully change the outcome of this race as the congresswoman’s lead is mathematically impossible to overcome.” Republican incumbents held onto Iowa’s three other congressional seats, maintaining GOP control over the entirety of Iowa’s congressional delegation. The sweep in 2022 represented the first time in three decades that Iowa had an all-Republican delegation, emblematic of the sharp rightward shift in the state not long after former President Barack Obama carried Iowa in 2008 and again in 2012. Obama won with solid support from the eastern counties along the Mississippi River that have mostly backed Trump since and bolster Miller-Meeks' in her district as well. Two competitive congressional races in Iowa this year — the 1st and 3rd Districts — brought millions of dollars in paid advertising to the state from national campaign arms for House Republican and Democrats. Zach Nunn fought off the challenge from Democrat Lanon Baccam in the 3rd District, which includes much of the Des Moines metro area. Republican incumbents Ashley Hinson in the 2nd District and Randy Feenstra in the 4th District won decisively. Hinson defeated Democrat Sarah Corkery. Feenstra defeated Democrat Ryan Melton.BIG 12 THIS WEEKChicago Atlantic Real Estate Finance, Inc. (REFI) to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.47 on January 13th
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