slot games real money Opinion: Ruling in San Jose State volleyball case reveals farce of transgender hysteriaFacebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save BEIRUT — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials claimed they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Bulldozers remove the rubble of a destroyed building Monday that was hit in an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, in the southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon. Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations also expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire. What does Spirit Airlines' bankruptcy mean for Atlantic City International Airport? 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Voting closes at noon for The Press Football Player of the Week Jersey Shore restaurants shift gears to survive in offseason South Jersey student talks about her yearlong suspension as others adjust to school elsewhere: 'It was a hard lesson' “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. Thick smoke, flames and debris erupt Monday from an Israeli airstrike that targeted a building in Tayouneh, Beirut, Lebanon. Meanwhile, massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel claims to have killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Destroyed buildings stand Monday in the area of a village in southern Lebanon as seen from northern Israel. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because "we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire." Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were "close to a deal." "It can happen within days," he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. A member of the Israeli security forces inspects an impact site Sunday after a rocket fired from Lebanon hit an area in Rinatya, outskirts of Tel Aviv, Israel. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel demands the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government says such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. On paper, being more sustainable and eco-friendly while shopping sounds great—so why don't more people do it? There is growing consumer consciousness about the environmental impact of where people choose to shop and the sustainability of the products they buy. According to McKinsey, over 60% of individuals surveyed in 2020 said they would be willing to pay more for a product that is packaged in an eco-friendly way. Since 2019, products marketed as being environmentally sustainable have seen a 28% growth in revenue compared to 20% for products with no such marketing, a 2023 McKinsey and NielsenIQ report found. Much of this is thanks to the preferences and attitudes of Gen Z, who, on average, care more than their older counterparts about being informed shoppers. The younger generation also has more social justice and environmental awareness altogether. Shoppers are willing to spend around 9.7% more on a product they know is sourced or manufactured sustainably, with 46% saying they would do so explicitly because they want to reduce their environmental footprint, according to a 2024 PwC report. Sustainable practices consumers look for from companies include production methods, packaging, and water conservation. But despite the growing consciousness around being more environmentally responsible, consumer actions don't always align with their values. In psychology, this is defined as the "say-do gap": the phenomenon wherein people openly express concern and intention around an issue, but fail to take tangible action to make a change. According to the Harvard Business Review in 2019, most consumers (65%) say they want to buy from brands that promote sustainability, but only 1 in 4 follow through. So why don't people actually shop sustainably, despite how much they express a preference for eco-friendly products—and how can we close the gap? The RealReal examined reports from the Harvard Business Review and other sources to explore why some shoppers want to buy sustainably but struggle to follow through. This lack of action isn't due to a lack of caring—in many cases, it's hard to know how to be a sustainable consumer and other factors are often outside of shoppers' control. But the more people shop sustainably, the easier and more accessible that market will be for everyone—making it much easier for folks to buy aligned with their values. There are many obstacles preventing shoppers from upholding eco-friendly habits as much as they may want to—but not all of these barriers are necessarily real, or accurately understood. Shopping sustainably simply isn't convenient or accessible for many. Those who live in apartment buildings are 50% less likely to recycle , according to Ipsos. Reasons for this can vary from lack of space to buildings being excluded altogether because of recycling contamination issues. Many believe that sustainable products are too expensive or of a lower quality. The former is often true, which does create a hurdle for many: The manufacturing processes and materials for sustainable products are pricey. For instance, organic cotton requires an intensive production process free of certain chemicals or pesticides; by definition, true eco-friendly products can't be mass-produced, further upping their price tag. Using recycled materials for packaging, or obtaining an eco certification, can also be expensive. However, although the narrative of eco-friendly products being more expensive is true, there is often more of an effort to use better quality materials that last longer than their noneco-friendly counterparts. This could end up saving consumers money in the long run: By paying more upfront, they can get more wear out of sustainable fashion, for instance. There is also undeniable political rhetoric surrounding eco-friendly products—however, despite many Conservative politicians decrying sustainable products, members of all generations are increasingly choosing to prioritize shopping sustainably regardless of their political affiliation, according to research from NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business . This finding shows a trend toward seeing sustainability as a nonpartisan subject everyone can benefit from, no matter where they lie on the political spectrum. Some might think eco-friendly clothing, in particular, is not fashion-forward; after all, many of the top clothing retailers in the world partake in fast fashion. However, brands are increasingly being recognized as 'cool' and 'trendy' for supporting environmentally ethical practices, particularly as younger generations prioritize sustainability, as noted before. Many increasingly popular online stores are taking advantage of this paradigm shift by offering secondhand shopping options that are not only fashionable, but also more affordable, like ThredUp or Poshmark. Additionally, many legacy large-name brands are hopping on the sustainability movement and are gaining appreciation from loyal customers. Amazon's Climate Pledge Friendly program partners with third-party certification bodies to make it easier for shoppers to identify eco-friendly products as they browse the website. H&M's newly launched H&M Rewear program debuts a resale platform that allows the resale of all clothing brands—not just their own. Similarly, Patagonia's Worn Wear program allows shoppers to trade in and buy used gear and clothing. The federal government is also working to close this gap. The Environmental Protection Agency's Safer Choice program is attempting to make sustainable shopping easier for consumers and companies alike. It includes a directory of certified products, a list of safer chemicals to look out for on labels, a "Safer Choice" label that products can earn to denote they are eco-friendly, and resources for manufacturers looking to adopt more sustainable practices. Most of all, though, the biggest way shoppers can shift toward sustainable shopping is through their behaviors and attitudes amongst their peers and communities. Studies show that humans largely care what others think of their actions; the more shoppers make environmentally conscious shopping the norm, the more others will follow suit. From an economic perspective, the more consumers shop eco-friendly, the more affordable and accessible these products will become, too: Sustainable products are currently more expensive because they are not in high demand. Once demand rises, production rates and prices can lower, making these products more accessible for all. Story editing by Carren Jao. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story originally appeared on The RealReal and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!

Bangladeshi literature likely to remain absent from Kolkata’s cultural festivalsIn conclusion, Shanxi's thrilling 106-101 victory over Beijing was a statement win that showcased their talent, resilience, and determination. It marked a turning point in their season, propelling them to third place in the league standings and solidifying their status as a team to be reckoned with. As they continue their journey in the league, Shanxi will carry the momentum and confidence from this victory, aiming to build on their success and achieve even greater heights in the games to come.

The FIFPro Best XI of the Year has always been a highly anticipated list in the world of football, showcasing the top performers in the game over the past year. This year's lineup, announced recently, has sparked quite a bit of conversation and debate among fans and analysts alike.One of the most striking demonstrations of Willow's capabilities is its ability to solve a problem that would take a classical supercomputer 10^25 years to complete in just five minutes. This astounding speed represents a quantum leap forward in computing power and opens up new avenues for tackling complex scientific problems across a wide range of disciplines, from materials science and cryptography to machine learning and optimization.

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180 years of The Nassau Guardian

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Stay tuned for more updates and information on the release of "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc" as we count down the days until this much-anticipated cinematic experience comes to life on the big screen. Get ready to witness the extraordinary courage, resilience, and bonds of friendship that define the Demon Slayer Corps as they face their greatest challenges yet in the mesmerizing world of 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Arc.'

WATCH: 15-y-o autistic girl missing in ManchesterReports suggest that Rashford's inconsistent form and injury struggles have prompted Manchester United to consider selling him in order to bring in fresh talent and free up funds for other signings. With several top clubs rumored to be interested in acquiring the 24-year-old forward, including Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, United may be looking to capitalize on his market value while they still can.

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate tax products to write unbiased product reviews. If your circumstances have changed, you may end up owing taxes when you usually get a refund. Common reasons include underpaying quarterly taxes if you're self-employed or not updating your withholding as a W-2 employee. You may also owe if you collected unemployment benefits, which are taxable. Filing taxes is a task few people enjoy. But the frustration is worth it once you receive a refund . That is, unless, you owe money. While having a balance due on your tax return can be a surprise for some, it's nothing to panic over. There are multiple reasons why you may have underpaid taxes throughout the year, from shifting financial and personal circumstances to changing tax laws. But understanding why you ended up with balance due can help you avoid it in the future. Changes in income and withholding If you've transitioned into a new job in the past year, this can have tax implications. "Changing jobs midway through the year will affect your tax liability if your income changed between the two jobs," says Logan Allec, an accountant and owner of tax debt relief company Choice Tax Relief . If your new job pays more and moves you into a higher tax bracket, you'll naturally end up owing more come tax season. But Allec says that changing jobs can affect your expected refund for reasons other than the change in tax liability . "Let's say that halfway through the year, you go from a job making $25,000 per year to a job making $12,000 per year. Unless you prepare your Form W-4 in a specific way, that second job may not withhold any federal income tax from your paycheck because your $12,000 expected total annual earnings are less than your standard deduction," he explains. So while you paid your federal income taxes on the $12,500 you earned during the first half of the year, you didn't pay any on the $6,000 you made during the remainder of the year. This could cause you to owe money come tax time because you'll have to pay taxes on that $6,000 since none were withheld during the year. When calculating withholding, each employer only considers the income earned at that job. When you have multiple sources of income, however, combining those income sources may mean you may fall into a higher tax bracket than you might with a sole employer. Increasingly, many people are earning money from a side hustle in addition to their full-time jobs. These gigs don't typically withhold money for taxes like a traditional employer does, so you may need to make estimated quarterly payments to keep up with your tax liability. If you don't, you could owe at tax time. If your side hustle brought in more than $10,000 in 2023 and you received that income through an app like Venmo or PayPal, you should have received Form 1099-K from the payment platform at the beginning of tax season to fill out your 2024 tax return. For the 2024 tax year, payment processors have to issue 1099-Ks to anyone who received more than $5,000 in payments for goods and services, even if it was only one transaction. This is part of an IRS plan to phase in new reporting thresholds, which will eventually reach $600. Unemployment benefits are taxable , but most states don't automatically withhold your taxes. Benefit recipients can usually choose whether to pay taxes through withholding or by making estimated payments. If you received unemployment benefits in 2024, you should receive Form 1099-G by the end of January so you can report the amount on your federal tax return. If you haven't paid any income taxes on the benefits you received, you may owe money when you file. Withdrawals from traditional retirement accounts are typically taxable. How much you pay depends on your age and the distribution rules of the account. Many employer-sponsored retirement plans, including 401(k)s , will implement a mandatory 20% withholding on the amount distributed from the plan, plus an additional 10% penalty if it's an early withdrawal. Often the withholding amount is enough to cover taxes, but in some cases it's not, leading to additional tax owed when you file your annual return. Quick tip: Make sure you file your taxes on time, even if you're worried you can't pay the full amount you owe, as the penalty for late filing is 10 times the penalty for late payment. The IRS offers various payment plans, which may help you avoid additional interest charges and penalties. Changes in deductions and credits Congress greatly enhanced tax benefits for struggling households during the pandemic. These included several rounds of stimulus checks, an expanded Child Tax Credit providing advanced payments to families, and a $300 charitable deduction that could be claimed alongside the standard deduction. All of these benefits have since expired, which may have an impact on your tax liability if your income has stayed the same or gone up. If your income or marital status has changed since last tax season, you may no longer qualify for certain tax credits or deductions. The Earned Income Tax Credit , for example, is only available to non-parents earning between $18,591 (single filers) and $25,511 (married, joint filers) for tax year 2024, up from $17,640 to $24,210 for 2023. Be sure to review the current income limits for deductions and tax credits well ahead of tax season to avoid surprises. Life events and tax implications Combining — or dividing — financial assets can shake up your tax situation, leaving you owing money when you usually get a refund. If you get married or divorced, be sure you have chosen the correct filing status and accounted for the increase or decrease in income when updating your W-4. If you sold your home for a profit, you may qualify to exclude up to $250,000 of the gain if you're a single filer or $500,000 if you're married and filing jointly. In order to do so, you need to have owned the home and resided there for at least two of the last five years. If you don't pass the ownership and residence tests , you may have to pay taxes on the gain. If you sell investments in a non-retirement account and earn a profit, you could be on the hook for capital gains taxes . These investments include things like stocks, cryptocurrency, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Any stock or crypto gains should be reported on your tax return. You'll be taxed on the difference between your basis (usually your purchase price, but sometimes that includes an adjustment) and the proceeds from the sale. The amount you're taxed will depend on how long you owned the investment before selling it and your total income for the year. While taxpayers usually have to pay capital gains taxes on profits received from investments, Allec says there are exceptions, like if you have capital losses that equal or exceed your capital gains for the year. "If this is the case, you'll owe no capital gains taxes on your stock or crypto you sold at a gain because your capital losses will have wiped them out," he says. Other factors If you're self-employed and have no other sources of withholding, you're responsible for paying your taxes through quarterly estimated tax payments . Your estimated quarterly payments for 2024 are due on April 15, June 17, September 16, and January 15, 2025. If you underpay your quarterly taxes — or fail to pay them — you could owe money at the end of the year and the IRS could charge you additional penalties and interest. But you're not just paying income taxes. An employer must pay half of your Social Security and Medicare taxes when you have a job. If you're self-employed, you have to foot the entire bill yourself. However, you can deduct the employer-equivalent portion of that when figuring your adjusted gross income. If you're self-employed, it's a good idea to work with an accountant. A knowledgeable accountant will determine how much you owe for your quarterly tax payments and can give you tips for lowering your tax bill. If you're sure you should be getting a refund rather than having a balance due, you may have made an error in your calculations. If you're using tax software , consider upgrading to get one-on-one help from a tax professional. Oftentimes they will personally review your return to double-check for mistakes. If you identify an error — such as forgetting to report some income or failing to claim a deduction you're eligible for — in a return you've already filed, you should promptly file an amended return to correct it. FAQs on owing taxes Yes, you can negotiate your tax debt with an Offer in Compromise (OIC) , in which the IRS requests more information about your financial situation to determine whether you qualify to settle your debt for less than you owe. The IRS offers reasonable payment plans to individuals who can't afford to pay their tax bill in full, including short-term (180 days or less) and long-term options. To avoid owing taxes next year, ensure that your W-4 is updated to reflect any changes in your life, such as marriage, divorce, or the birth or adoption of children. If you have income that isn't subject to withholding, such as a side gig, you should calculate estimated taxes and make quarterly payments to the IRS, and possibly your state. Real estate/mortgages Taxes Retirement planning Small business finances Banking BudgetingThe Pittsburgh Steelers have been hit with a devastating blow on the offensive side of the ball during the most crucial point of the 2024 season. With an incredibly difficult schedule ahead, top play-maker George Pickens showed up on the injury report with a hamstring injury the Friday before a Week 14 contest against the Cleveland Browns. He ended up missing the game, and is expected to be out longer than originally expected. This could provide to be a crucial absence as the team attempts to not just clinch a spot in the playoffs, but the AFC North and a postseason matchup at home. Fans were originally concerned when Pickens popped up on the injury report, but many believed his limited participation in Friday's practice before the Cleveland game was just the team being cautious. Many were shocked when he was inactive for the contest, but more suspicion starting flying around after it was reported that the injury was believed to be worse than originally thought. Mark Kaboly joined The Pomp and Joe Show on Wednesday to cut the state of the Steelers as the franchise prepares to take on the Philadelphia Eagles. The insider, who is much more aware of what goes on behind closed doors than most, expressed complete and utter confusion about the approach that Pittsburgh took to Pickens and his injury. "Do you know that they got to walk about, uh, 200 to go get an MRI at any time," Kaboly noted. "I'm not quite sure if any other organization on the planet has that accessibility to MRIs. Usually, they take advantage of that. I mean, any time somebody has, you know, a sneeze, they'll send somebody over to have an MRI, so I don't quite get why they didn't send him Thursday after practice. I have no idea." No one is doubting that Pickens in dealing with some kind of ailment, but Kaboly's points more so focus on the questionable calls made by the training and coaching staffs during this time. Giving a fan base hope that all was okay with the star wideout, and then coming back to say that it could be more serious is a complete lack of communication. Kaboly went into some more detail about how the process typically works for the Steelers when it comes to injuries that can be diagnosed with an MRI. He seemed relatively shocked that the franchise decided not to get Pickens one as soon as possible, given the fact that it has always been very careful with players dealing with soft tissue injuries. "Maybe they just thought that it wasn't that bad and even if, the history says that they err on the side of caution so many times when it comes to an MRI to go over there for a half hour and find out. I mean, that's how they find out the severity of these things, so something doesn't all add up. I'm not saying it's a conspiracy." Time will tell if Pickens will be good to go before January or not, but Kaboly did suggest that the team should hold its top pass-catcher out until the postseason. The biggest issue with that is the group is still attempting to win the division, and being without a dynamic play-maker on offense could significantly affect the chances of having a playoff game at home. Steelers Need Pickens Healthy As Fast As Possible Pittsburgh will be able to get by with strong defense and veteran leadership, but those two things will only take the team so far. When any organization is without its best player on offense, digression is expected. If the Steelers want to make a true run at another Super Bowl, one of the key parts of that will be Pickens. His health will be critical moving forward. This article first appeared on SteelerNation.com and was syndicated with permission.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adrian Kempe and Quinton Byfield scored in the second period, and the Los Angeles Kings beat the Seattle Kraken 2-1 on Saturday. David Rittich made 19 saves for the Kings, who improved to 6-2-1 at home. Kempe and Byfield scored 1:44 apart in the second period. Byfield buried a sharp-angle slap shot on a power play while dropping to a knee. It was his 98th career point in 200 games. Brandon Montour got the Kraken on the board with 1:26 left in the game. He converted a long shot with Joey Daccord off for another skater, but Los Angeles held on. Daccord finished with 19 stops for Seattle. Kraken: Jordan Eberle will miss at least three months after undergoing surgery on his pelvis. He had six goals and five assists in 17 games before he got hurt against Chicago on Nov. 14. Kings: The power play had been in a 1-for-16 rut (6.25%) over the previous six games before Byfield found the net. It was the Kings' lone opportunity with the man-advantage. After following its 1-0 loss to Buffalo on Wednesday with a fourth straight period of extreme low-event hockey, Los Angeles created a lot more activity and offense to start the second and generate its two goals. The Kings know how to close out games, improving to 9-0-1 when leading after two periods. The Kraken visit Anaheim on Monday, and the Kings play at San Jose on Monday. AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl