Christmas cheer was is good supply at the Garden for the Future as everyone from kindergarteners to Irish dancers got into the festive spirit at the . or signup to continue reading The carols, which were held on Saturday, December 7, are part of the City of Greater Bendigo's Summer in the Parks program. "It just keeps getting bigger and bigger," Jonathon Phillips, the pastor at Huntly Community Church, which runs the event, said. Mr Phillips joked that they would soon fill the entire Garden for the Future where the event is held each year. "You think, 'where's this going to stop?'" he said. Last year, about 1500 people , which included games for the kids, market stalls from local artisans, food vans and performances from local singers and nearby schools. "I just love the fact that we just see people coming together and enjoying each others' company," Mr Phillips said. "There's something about this time of year, I think, which does that quite naturally but just to be able to create the forum for that to happen and then to see it happen on such a scale - I think it's a wonderful thing." Journalist at the Bendigo Advertiser. Email me at georgina.sebar@austcommunitymedia.com.au Journalist at the Bendigo Advertiser. Email me at georgina.sebar@austcommunitymedia.com.au DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — Dallion Johnson scored 25 points and made seven 3-pointers to help FGCU defeat CSU Bakersfield 74-54 on Friday. Johnson went 9 of 14 from the field for the Eagles (1-4). Zavian McLean scored 12 points, going 4 of 9 from the floor, including 1 for 5 from 3-point range, and 3 for 4 from the line. Jevin Muniz went 3 of 10 from the field (2 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 10 points, while adding eight rebounds. Marvin McGhee led the Roadrunners (3-2) in scoring, finishing with 15 points. Fidelis Okereke added 10 points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Donovan Newby had 18 points in UNC Wilmington's 78-69 victory over Marshall on Saturday. Newby shot 5 for 10 (0 for 3 from 3-point range) and 8 of 11 from the free-throw line for the Seahawks (7-2). Sean Moore scored 14 points while shooting 6 for 11, including 2 for 3 from beyond the arc and added 16 rebounds. Khamari McGriff shot 5 of 6 from the field and 3 for 3 from the line to finish with 13 points, while adding six rebounds. The Thundering Herd (5-4) were led in scoring by Mikal Dawson, who finished with 12 points and two steals. Marshall also got 10 points and nine rebounds from Nate Martin. Dezayne Mingo also had 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists. UNC Wilmington took the lead with 12:17 to go in the first half and did not give it up. The score was 44-34 at halftime, with Moore racking up 12 points. UNC Wilmington was outscored by Marshall in the second half by one point, with Newby scoring a team-high 12 points after halftime. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .
Sky Labs Inc., BrainU Co., Ltd., and ANDOPEN Co., Ltd. will be recognized as Innovation Award Winners SEOUL, South Korea , Dec. 26, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Following its successful participation last year, Seongnam City will participate in CES 2025, the world's largest consumer electronics and information technology exhibition. The event will take place from January 7 to 10, 2025 , in Las Vegas , USA . Seongnam City will operate the "Seongnam Pavilion," which will support 25 local startups from the Seongnam region and highlight their innovative technologies and products. CES 2025 will attract approximately 4,400 companies and over 130,000 attendees worldwide. At CES 2024, Seongnam City garnered significant attention from domestic and international investors and buyers by showcasing startups with outstanding technological capabilities. This effort established valuable global networks and expanded market opportunities, achieving a total contract value of KRW 145.5 billion . These tangible outcomes highlighted the high level of satisfaction among participating companies. This year, Seongnam City, a leading innovative hub in South Korea , aims to actively support local startups in expanding into overseas markets and building global networks through its participation in CES 2025. The Seongnam Pavilion will feature cutting-edge technologies and products across advanced industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare, smart cities, and mobility. Through these efforts, Seongnam City seeks to further solidify its position as a "Global Innovation City." Notably, three companies from Seongnam were honored with CES Innovation Awards, demonstrating their technological excellence and global competitiveness on the world stage: Sky Labs Inc. : Recognized for its QuickGlyTM technology, which non-invasively measures glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). BrainU Co., Ltd.: Honored for its VET CAI, an EEG-based depth-of-anesthesia monitoring device designed for animals. ANDOPEN Co., Ltd.: Awarded for its SNAPPASS, a next-generation two-step authentication solution based on facial recognition. Seongnam City stated, "By participating in CES 2025, we aim to showcase Seongnam's innovative technologies to the global stage and provide a launchpad for our startups to expand into international markets." Meanwhile, the Seongnam Pavilion will feature 25 companies, including BRYTN Co., Ltd., NTL HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd., EMTAKE Inc., AWESOME LAB Co., Ltd., JNL Co. Ltd., Linkface Co., Ltd., Emma Healthcare Co.,Ltd., NC& Co.,Ltd, Becon Co.,Ltd, LITBIG, Inc., GeodeSound., Inc, MEDIAIPLUS, INC, BoS Semiconductors, Sky Labs Inc., STRATIO, INC., BrainU Co., Ltd., analogue plus Co.,Ltd., EX Healthcare Inc., Mangoslab, Littleone, Bluefeel Co., Ltd., Aram Huvis Co., Ltd., Real Design Tech Co.,Ltd., Crescom Co., Ltd., ANDOPEN Co., Ltd. These companies are set to unveil their groundbreaking technologies at the exhibition. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/seongnam-city-to-participate-in-ces-2025-paving-the-way-as-a-global-innovation-hub-302339453.html SOURCE Seongnam City:A tiger, named S-12, has been missing in the Dimmadhurthy forests in the Mamada range of Adilabad district for a week, officials said on Saturday. S-12, seen last week, had entered the Mamada range the Jannaram forest area. In another development, forest officials were learnt to be calling the tiger which killed a woman in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, S-4. It was informally being stated that S-4 may have killed three other persons earlier. The report could not be confirmed officials, and was gleaned from sources. S-4 has been reported to be moving in the Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, sources said. Meanwhile, principal chief conservator of forests (PCCF) R.M. Dobriyal, on Saturday cautioned that tiger migration to Telangana from Maharashtra would increase in the coming days and there would be more danger of human-animal conflict in the Kagaznagar forest division. He appealed to the people to not poison cattle to kill the tigers. He said there were now up to five tigers in the Asifabad district. Dobriyal meet with forests from Maharashtra on the state borders in Wankidi and reportedly inquired about the measures they were taking to track and protect tigers in the Tadoba Andhari reserve. He called for better coordination between the forest officials of the two states. The officials shared the photographs of migrating tigers and their pug marks. The Maharashtra foresters, including Chandrapur assistant conservator of forests Prakash Awadhuthawar and Dabha DFO Gourkar, informed Dobriyal about the compensation they were giving for human and animal deaths. Dobriyal’s visit to the Kagaznagar forest division on Friday was kept under wraps to avoid protests by locals who are affected by the movement of tigers. He watched the drones flown by the field staff to track a tiger that is believed to have killed a woman and attacked a man, verified forest maps and spoke with local foresters. The visit assumed importance following the forest department’s effort to develop the tiger corridor between the Tadoba Andhari reserve in Maharashtra and Kawal in Telangana as a conservation reserve. Foresters were focusing on controlling the outbreak of fires which affect tigers and other wildlife.SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lear Corporation (NYSE: LEA), a global automotive technology leader in Seating and E-Systems, will participate in a fireside chat on December 4, 2024, at the Goldman Sachs Industrials and Materials Conference in New York. Representing Lear will be: Lear's webcast will begin at 9:20 AM EST and will run approximately 35 minutes. The webcast link will be available on the Company's website at . About Lear Corporation Lear, a global automotive technology leader in Seating and E-Systems, enables superior in-vehicle experiences for consumers around the world. Lear's diverse team of talented employees in 38 countries is driven by a commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and sustainability. Lear is Making every drive betterTM by providing the technology for safer, smarter, and more comfortable journeys. Lear, headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, serves every major automaker in the world and ranks 174 on the Fortune 500. Further information about Lear is available at . View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Lear Corporation
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How deepfake technology worksDoctored images have been around for decades. The term "Photoshopped" is part of everyday language. But in recent years, it has seemingly been replaced by a new word: deepfake. It's almost everywhere online, but you likely won't find it in your dictionary at home. What exactly is a deepfake, and how does the technology work? RELATED STORY | Scripps News Reports: Sex, Lies, and Deepfakes A deepfake is an image or video that has been generated by artificial intelligence to look real. Most deepfakes use a type of AI called a "diffusion model." In a nutshell, a diffusion model creates content by stripping away noise. "With diffusion models, they found a very clever way of taking an image and then constructing that procedure to go from here to there," said Lucas Hansen said. He and Siddharth Hiregowdara are cofounders of CivAI, a nonprofit educating the public on the potential — and dangers — of AI. How diffusion models work It can get complicated, so imagine the AI – or diffusion model – as a detective trying to catch a suspect. Like a detective, it relies on its experience and training. It recalls a previous case -– a sneaky cat on the run. Every day it added more and more disguises. On Monday, no disguise. Tuesday, it put on a little wig. Wednesday, it added some jewelry. By Sunday, it's unrecognizable and wearing a cheeseburger mask. The detective learned these changes can tell you what it wore and on what day. AI diffusion models do something similar with noise, learning what something looks like at each step. "The job of the diffusion model is to remove noise," Hiregowdara said. "You would give the model this picture, and then it will give you a slightly de-noised version of this picture." RELATED STORY | Scripps News got deepfaked to see how AI could impact elections When it's time to solve the case and generate a suspect, we give it a clue: the prompts we give when we create an AI-generated image. "We have been given the hint that this is supposed to look like a cat. So what catlike things can we see in here? Okay, we see this curve, maybe that's an ear," Hiregowdara said. The "detective" works backward, recalling its training. It sees a noisy image. Thanks to the clue, it is looking for a suspect — a cat. It subtracts disguises (noise) until it finds the new suspect. Case closed. Now imagine the "detective" living and solving crimes for years and years. It learns and studies everything — landscapes, objects, animals, people, anything at all. So when it needs to generate a suspect or an image, it remembers its training and creates an image. Deepfakes and faceswaps Many deepfake images and videos employ some type of face swapping technology. You've probably experienced this kind of technology already — faceswapping filters like on Snapchat, Instagram or Tiktok use technology similar to diffusion models, recognizing faces and replacing things in real time. "It will find the face in the image and then cut that out kind of, then take the face and convert it to its internal representation," Hansen said. The results are refined then repeated frame by frame. The future and becoming our own detectives As deepfakes become more and more realistic and tougher to detect, understanding how the technology works at a basic level can help us prepare for any dangers or misuse. Deepfakes have already been used to spread election disinformation, create fake explicit images of a teenager, even frame a principal with AI-created racist audio. "All the netizens on social media also have a role to play," Siwei Lyu said. Lyu is a SUNY Empire Innovation Professor at the University of Buffalo's Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and the director of the Media Forensics Lab. His team has created a tool to help spot deepfakes called "DeepFake-o-meter." "We do not know how to handle, how to deal, with these kinds of problems. It's very new. And also requires technical knowledge to understand some of the subtleties there," Lyu said. "The media, the government, can play a very active role to improve user awareness and education. Especially for vulnerable groups like seniors, the kids, who will start to understand the social media world and start to become exposed to AI technologies. They can easily fall for AI magic or start using AI without knowing the limits." RELATED STORY | AI voice cloning: How programs are learning to pick up on pitch and tone Both Lyu and CivAI believe in exposure and education to help combat any potential misuse of deepfake technology. "Our overall goal is that we think AI is going t impact pretty much everyone in a lot of different ways," Hansen said. "And we think that everyone should be aware of the ways that it's going to change them because it's going to impact everyone." "More than just general education — just knowing the facts and having heard what's going to happen," he added. "We want to give people a really intuitive experience of what's going on." Hansen goes on to explain CivAI's role in educating the public. "We try and make all of our demonstrations personalized as much as possible. What we're working on is making it so people can see it themselves. So they know it's real, and they feel that it's real," Hansen said. "And they can have a deep gut level feel for tthe impact that it's going to have." "A big part of the solution is essentially just going to be education and sort of cultural changes," he added. "A lot of this synthetic content is sort of like a new virus that is attacking society right now, and people need to become immune to it in some ways. They need to be more suspicious about what's real and what's not, and I think that will help a lot as well."
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Well-Meaning Dogs Led Astray by Rule-Defying OwnersName two stocks that hit their all-time high last Friday – with strong volumes? This may seem an insignificant question as some stock or the other hits its high every day. But the question has relevance for three reasons. One: The size of these companies in terms of market cap. They are both large-caps. And two: They pretty much belong to the same industry. And last, but not least, they were quoting at a PE above 100. Now let's look at theRising inflation, a falling approval rating and a sharply divided country had put Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on the cusp of the most difficult chapter of his long years in office even before he underwent emergency brain surgery. Now, the operation raises difficult questions about whether the 79-year-old leftist leader is fit to meet the challenges that are piling up in front of him. Much as with Joe Biden in the U.S., the episode is bound to bring discussions about Lula’s age and fitness to the forefront of Brazil’s political conversation, especially as attention turns to whether he intends to seek a fourth term in 2026. The question is whether he draws the same conclusion and passes on the baton or waits for the storm to pass.
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Zinsify Launches: A New Era of Secure Banking Products by SMBC Bank EU AGHow the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Stock market today: Wall Street drifts to a mixed close in thin trading following a holiday pause Stock indexes drifted to a mixed finish on Wall Street as some heavyweight technology and communications sector stocks offset gains elsewhere in the market. The S&P 500 slipped less than 0.1% Thursday, its first loss after three straight gains. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Gains by retailers and health care stocks helped temper the losses. Trading volume was lighter than usual as U.S. markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. The Labor Department reported that U.S. applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years. Treasury yields fell in the bond market. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military later said it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief was at the location in Yemen. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose. Finland stops Russia-linked vessel over damaged undersea power cable in Baltic Sea FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finnish police say authorities detained a ship linked to neighboring Russia as they investigate whether it damaged a Baltic Sea power cable and several data cables. It was the latest incident involving disruption of key infrastructure. Police and border guards boarded the Eagle S and took control as they investigate damage to the Estlink-2 undersea power cable. The cable brings electricity from Finland to Estonia across the Baltic Sea. The cable went down on Wednesday. The incident follows damage to two data cables and the Nord Stream gas pipelines. Both have been termed sabotage. Russian ship that sank in the Mediterranean was attacked, owner says MOSCOW (AP) — The Russian operator of a cargo ship that sank in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Algeria says it has been hit by a series of explosions in an act of sabotage. Oboronlogistica is a state-controlled company that operated the Ursa Major freighter. The company said the vessel was wrecked by three powerful explosions just above the water line in what it described as a “terrorist attack” that caused it to sink on Monday. The company said in a statement carried by Russia’s state RIA Novosti news agency on Thursday that the explosions left a hole in the ship’s starboard and filled the engine room with acrid smoke. That hampered the crew’s attempts to access it. Undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia hit by outage, prompting investigation FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Finland’s prime minister says authorities are investigating an interruption in a power cable under the Baltic Sea between his country and Estonia. Petteri Orpo said on X that power transmission through the Estlink-2 cable suffered an outage Wednesday. Authorities have been on edge about undersea infrastructure in the Baltic after two international data cables were severed in November and the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Germany were blown up in September 2022. Japan to maximize nuclear power in clean-energy push as electricity demand grows TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese government panel has largely supported a draft energy policy calling for bolstering renewables up to half of Japanese electricity needs by 2040. It also recommends maximizing the use of nuclear power to accommodate the growing demand for power in the era of AI while meeting decarbonization targets. Cabinet is expected to formally approve the plan by March following a period of public consultation. The policy says nuclear energy should account for 20% of Japan’s energy supply in 2040, with renewables expanded to 40-50% and coal-fired power reduced to 30-40%. Working Well: Returning to the office can disrupt life. Here are some tips to navigate the changes NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of workers are facing an unsettling reality heading into 2025. After years of working from the comfort of home, they're being told it’s time to return to the office full-time for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic. That can bring a host of challenges, including losing time with family. Workers at Amazon, AT&T and other companies have been called back to the office five days a week. Experts have advice to share about how to navigate the changes when an employer calls you back to the office. Workers can convey what they need, seek flexibility and if all else fails, consider other options. FDA proposes new testing rules to ensure cosmetics are asbestos-free WASHINGTON (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is proposing a rule that cosmetic companies would have to take extra steps to ensure that any products containing talc are free of asbestos. The rule was proposed Thursday and is intended to reassure consumers about the safety of makeup, baby powder and other personal care products. The rule follows years of lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson and other companies alleging links between talc-based baby powder and cancer. Research has found mixed evidence of a potential link between cancer and talc, although the possibility has been recognized for decades because of how it is mined.Seongnam City to Participate in CES 2025, Paving the Way as a Global Innovation Hub
The three soldiers of the Indian Army, who were among five who died in an accident in Poonch of Jammu and Kashmir, were laid to rest with full military honours at their respective hometowns on Thursday. The soldiers, part of the 11 Maratha Light Infantry Regiment, were among five personnel who died when their vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a 300-foot-deep gorge during duty. The deceased soldiers were Subedar Dayanand Tirukannavar (44) from Belagavi, Sepoy Mahesh Nagappa Marigond (25) from Bagalkot, and Lance Naik Anoop Poojari (33) from Kundapur. Subedar Tirukannavar, a 25-year veteran of the Indian Army, was due to retire in a year. The mortal remains of Subedar Tirukannavar and Sepoy Marigond were flown to Sambra airport in Belagavi late Wednesday night. On Thursday, their remains were kept at the KGS School premises for public homage. Chief minister Siddaramaiah along with social welfare minister HC Mahadevappa and women and child welfare minister Laxmi Hebbalkar paid their respects in a solemn ceremony. Speaking at the event, Brigadier Joydeep Mukherjee of the Maratha Light Infantry Regiment Centre said, “The vehicle carrying the soldiers had fallen into a 300-foot-deep gorge. Three of them were from Karnataka and two from Maharashtra. We are soldiers, and our lives are dedicated to the nation.” Later in the day, Sepoy Marigond’s remains were transported to Mahalingapur in Rabkavi taluk, where his final rites were conducted with full military and state honours. Subedar Tirukannavar’s remains were laid to rest in his village, Panta Balekundri. His wife, Nanda, received the Tricolour draped over his coffin. Lance Naik Anoop Poojari’s mortal remains were flown to Mangaluru airport before being transported to Kundapur. They were kept for public viewing at the Bijadi Padu government school grounds. BJP MPs Brijesh Chowta and Kota Srinivasa Poojary received the remains at the airport earlier in the day. At the War Memorial in Belagavi, Siddaramaiah offered floral tributes to Subedar Tirukannavar and Sepoy Marigond. Addressing the media, he said, “The lives and careers of soldiers are of the highest honour. It is deeply saddening that soldiers from our state have been martyred in an accident. I pray for the peace of their souls and share in the grief of their families.” He also assured that the state government would provide all necessary support to the bereaved families. The accident occurred when the soldiers’ vehicle, travelling from Nilam Headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post, veered off the road and fell into the gorge. Brigadier Mukherjee confirmed that a quick reaction team (QRT) from the regiment immediately reached the site to carry out rescue and relief operations.Bob Molinaro also covers such topics as more sports on streaming services, the most vivid moment of the year and the possibility of another played named Holliday going No. 1 in the MLB draft. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Click to share on X (Opens in new window) Most Popular Get healthier in the new year with these resources in the Williamsburg area Get healthier in the new year with these resources in the Williamsburg area ‘We’re buddies now’: William & Mary students work with dementia patients as part of new program 'We're buddies now': William & Mary students work with dementia patients as part of new program Williamsburg leaders to prioritize funding for regional Trail757 project Williamsburg leaders to prioritize funding for regional Trail757 project How to dispose of natural Christmas trees in Hampton Roads How to dispose of natural Christmas trees in Hampton Roads Hitman who killed Navy officer in Newport News among 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden Hitman who killed Navy officer in Newport News among 37 death row inmates commuted by Biden Festival of Lights begins Wednesday to celebrate Hanukkah Festival of Lights begins Wednesday to celebrate Hanukkah New Kent administrator’s capital improvement plan has some big ticket items New Kent administrator's capital improvement plan has some big ticket items A Santa by any other name still spells Christmas A Santa by any other name still spells Christmas 50 years later, Christmas card still in the family as Virginia Beach man keeps tradition alive 50 years later, Christmas card still in the family as Virginia Beach man keeps tradition alive Where you can find restaurants with igloos in Hampton Roads Where you can find restaurants with igloos in Hampton Roads Trending Nationally 1 dead, 5 injured in boat explosion and fire at Florida marina California wharf partially collapses; 3 rescued from water Nordstrom family to take chain private in $6.25 billion deal A million taxpayers will soon receive up to $1,400 from the IRS. Who are they and why now? Need a cuddle? Check out America’s first CuppaPug café
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For a week without any new hit movie PVOD releases or a particularly interesting Netflix lineup, some interesting news tops our report this week. Clint Eastwood’s “Juror No. 2” (Warner Bros. Division, in spite of itself) debuts at #1 on PVOD. As noted initially last week, it immediately topped iTunes’ VOD last week and has maintained that position, and is also tops for the full week at Fandango. That’s a key sign of how public awareness of VOD has grown and how, for many, it’s a main source of recent movies that are otherwise minimally available to audiences in theaters. In the case of “Juror No. 2,” this was because of WB’s decision to keep its release limited (with very little marketing and most awareness created by social media outrage over its handling). But the primacy of VOD as a major source of revenue, and as a priority in terms of release, has been called into question by two very successful recent movies moving to streaming very quickly. Amazon MGM will stream “Red One” on Prime 27 days after its release (grossing $85 million so far in the U.S./Canada, #4 this past weekend with another $7 million). “ Conclave ” (Focus) will stream on parent company NBC Universal’s Peacock beginning Friday, after a short PVOD exclusive of just over two weeks, 49 days after its theatrical release. Those are both aggressive moves, particularly by Amazon. Though very quick for studios other than Universal in providing home availability, 27 days isn’t radical (though unusual for a film still doing as well in theaters as “Conclave”). But streaming, in this case meaning around 180 million U.S. Amazon Prime subscribers can watch the movie at no extra cost, is vastly more competitive to theaters than a $19.99 two-day PVOD rental. And also it is earlier than two other recent high-end Amazon productions. “Air” hit Prime after 38 days, “Saltburn” 36. And at a minimum it will limit PVOD interest (if even initially released; “Air” and “Saltburn” were initially Prime exclusives), with the substantial revenue available there not a priority apparently. By going on Peacock, “Conclave” will reduce its attractiveness to theaters during the upcoming awards period. Its late October release already suggested a stretch into January was unlikely, so after a better than expected $30 million U.S./Canada gross (with added revenue from PVOD; it was #1 at iTunes last week) it will get substantially more viewings on Peacock. This year both in release strategy ( “Conclave” surprisingly but successful had an initial wide opening ) and home availability, key contenders may be taking different routes. “Anora” (Neon) opened platform a week before “Conclave,” and has yet to go on PVOD. Figure that Oscar campaigners for these and other films will try to figure out what impact this has on their chances. “Juror No. 2” rents for $9.99, not the normal $19.99. Did this reduced pricepoint elevate interest and make its #1 ranking at iTunes more likely (their chart is determined by transactions)? Not insignificantly, Fandango ranks by revenue, which means its #1 placement there came with at least double the rentals for #2 “Elevation” (Vertical). The Eastwood movie, apart from the lower price, also will have depreciated performance with its streaming on Max starting on December 20. Sense a theme? Three key streamers will have top October/November films showing before Christmas. Christmas looms large on VOD otherwise. Ron Howard’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (Universal) is second at iTunes, third at Fandango (despite renting for $3.99), with three other titles on iTunes top 10. Among recent releases, the second week of “Terrifier 3” (Cineverse) is only fifth at Fandango, not ranked at all at iTunes. Netflix, the streaming leader, debuted “It Ends with Us” Monday, with a certain #1 ranking possible for some time just ahead. Sony now has a quaint four month window with Netflix to stream its films. Two new originals join their top 10. “That Christmas,” written by Richard Curtis (“Four Weddings and a Funeral” and “Love Actually), a new British animated holiday film, is #2. #3 “Mary,” described by Netflix as a historic coming of age story, is about the birth of Christ. It was directed by D.J. Caruso, prominent two decades ago for “Salton Sea,” “Disturbia,” “Two for the Money,” and more recently “xXx”. Last week’s #1, “Our Little Secret” with Lindsay Lohan, holds on the fourth place. iTunes ranks films daily by number of transactions, while Fandango at Home lists by revenue. The listings below are for Monday, December 9 (iTunes) and the week of December 2-8 (Fandango). The distributors listed are current rights owners. Prices for all titles are for lowest for either rental or download. 1. Juror No. 2 (WB) – $9.99 2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal) – $3.99 3. Conclave (Focus) – $19.99 4. The Substance (MUBI) – $5.99 5. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Universal) – $7.99 6. The Grinch (Universal) – $3.99 7. The Wild Robot (Universal) – $19.99 8. Deadpool & Wolverine (Disney) – $5.99 9. Home Alone (Disney) – $3.99 10. It Ends with Us (Sony) – $5.99 1. Juror No. 2 (WB) – $9.99 2. Elevation (Vertical) – $19.99 3. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Universal) – $3.99 4. The Wild Robot (Universal) – $19.99 5. Terrifier 3 (Cineverse) – $19.99 6. Dear Santa (Paramount) – $14.99 7. Conclave (Focus) – $19.99 8. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (WB) – $5.99 9. Alien: Romulus (Disney) – $5.99 10. Smile 2 (Paramount) – $19.99 These are the most-viewed, current rankings on Netflix’s domestic daily chart on December 9. Originals include both Netflix-produced and acquired titles it initially presents in the U.S. Netflix publishes its own worldwide weekly top 10 on Tuesdays based on time viewed , and usually includes films for which it doesn’t have domestic rights. They have no other U.S.-only weekly chart. 1. Subservience (2024 theatrical release) 2. That Christmas (Netflix British animated original) 3. Mary (Netflix original) 4. Our Little Secret (Netflix original) 5. Little (2019 theatrical release) 6. Run All Night (2015 theatrical release) 7. We’re the Millers (2013 theatrical release) 8. Midway (2019 theatrical release) 9. Faster (2010 theatrical release) 10. The Star (2017 theatrical release)( MENAFN - GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) SAN DIEGO, Dec. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Johnson Fistel, LLP is conducting a thorough investigation into possible violations of securities laws by specific officers at Agilon Health, Inc. (NYSE: AGL), B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: RILY), Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT), and Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: GETY). shareholders are encouraged to review additional information by following the links below: Agilon Health, Inc: Click Here to Join B. 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