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Smallest Stage Yet: Four Candidates Set to Face Off in GOP Presidential Primary Debate Tonight

The upcoming GOP presidential primary debate is set to be the most intimate yet, featuring just four candidates, as announced by the Republican National Committee on Monday.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie have met the criteria to participate in tonight’s debate in Alabama. The event will be hosted by NewsNation, “The Megyn Kelly Show” on SiriusXM, and The Washington Free Beacon.

Chris Christie secured his spot shortly before Monday night’s deadline, meeting the RNC’s requirements by attaining at least 6% in necessary national and early-state polls. His campaign had previously announced his qualification by reaching the required 80,000 unique donors.

Notably, former President Donald Trump has opted out of the debate once again. Instead, he will be featured in a Fox News town hall on Tuesday and will host a private fundraiser today.

While a majority of likely Iowa Republican caucusgoers express that Trump’s decision to skip the debates is inconsequential to them, 42% believe he should participate in at least one debate before the caucuses, according to the latest NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom poll conducted in late October.

Despite Trump’s absence, he continues to dominate the GOP primary campaign, maintaining a front-runner position in the polls. Past debates suggest that the focus may shift to the candidates engaging with each other rather than directly challenging Trump during tonight’s event.

October Sees Sharp Decline in Job Openings, Indicating Potential Labor Market Shift Amidst Federal Reserve’s Watch

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In October, job openings experienced a significant decline to their lowest point in 2½ years, signaling a potential loosening of the historically tight labor market, according to the latest report from the Labor Department on Tuesday.

The data revealed a seasonally adjusted total of 8.73 million job openings for the month, indicating a notable decrease of 617,000 or 6.6%. This figure fell well below the Dow Jones estimate of 9.4 million and marked the lowest level since March 2021.

The drop in vacancies resulted in a ratio of openings to available workers at 1.3 to 1, a substantial shift from just a few months ago when it hovered around 2 to 1. This ratio is now nearly in line with the pre-pandemic level of 1.2 to 1.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), closely monitored by Federal Reserve policymakers for signs of labor slack, indicates a potential change in the labor market dynamics. The Fed, having raised interest rates significantly since March 2022 to address labor market tightness and inflation concerns, is now considering its next policy moves.

Despite the substantial decline in job openings, the total number of hires only experienced a slight decrease, while layoffs and separations saw modest increases. The quits rate, often viewed as a gauge of worker confidence in finding alternative employment easily, remained relatively stable. After peaking at around 3% of total employment during the Great Resignation in late 2021 and early 2022, the quits rate has since decreased to 2.3%.

“This data certainly solidifies the Fed’s decision to keep rates unchanged while looking for signs of a pivot in the upcoming meeting next week,” said Tuan Nguyen, U.S. economist at RSM. “Besides inflation, job opening data, serving as a proxy for labor demand and wage pressure, has been the Fed’s top priority in recent times.”

Job opening declines were observed across various industries, with notable decreases in education and health services (-238,000), financial activities (-217,000), leisure and hospitality (-136,000), and retail (-102,000).

The JOLTS report precedes the Labor Department’s nonfarm payrolls count for November, with economists anticipating an increase of 190,000, up from October’s 150,000.

Federal Reserve officials, particularly concerned about the robust jobs market contributing to inflation, may find the decline in job openings as positive news, suggesting a potential alignment of labor demand with supply.

The upcoming two-day policy meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee is anticipated to result in unchanged interest rates, with market expectations of rate cuts beginning in March as the central bank navigates inflation progress and potential economic headwinds. Additionally, economic news on Tuesday included the ISM services index for November, registering at 52.7%, indicating expansion and beating Dow Jones forecasts. The positive reading was attributed to gains in inventory sentiment, inventories, and new export orders, while employment inched higher and prices edged lower.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Allocates Over $27 Million for Texas Youth and Education in 2024

In a historic move, officials from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo have approved a staggering educational commitment of $27,317,634 to bolster support for Texas youth and statewide educational programs in the year 2024. This landmark commitment propels the Rodeo’s total contributions to Texas education beyond the remarkable sum of $600 million, a testament to its unwavering dedication since its inception in 1932.

Chris Boleman, President, and CEO of the Rodeo expressed gratitude, stating, “Being able to surpass $600 million is such an incredible achievement for our organization and reinforces our unwavering commitment to supporting Texas youth and education.”

The educational commitment for 2024 will be distributed across various avenues, including:

  • Scholarships: A substantial allocation of $14,618,000 will fund over 800 scholarships. The Rodeo stands as one of the largest scholarship providers in the U.S., having awarded more than 21,000 scholarships valued at over $290 million since 1957.
  • Junior Show Exhibitors: Over $9.5 million will be dedicated to supporting junior show exhibitors, emphasizing the Rodeo’s commitment to students demonstrating leadership in Texas 4-H or FFA programs.
  • Educational Program Grants: More than $2.6 million in grants will be bestowed upon 501(c)(3) charities and accredited institutions of higher education that align with the Rodeo’s mission. Recipients for 2024 include esteemed organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star, Camp For All, Houston Ballet, Small Steps Nurturing Center, and the University of Houston – Downtown, among others.
  • Graduate Assistantships: An allocation of over $484,000 will support graduate assistantship programs at 11 Texas universities, fostering academic excellence. The selected universities for 2024 include Angelo State University, Sam Houston State University, Texas Tech University, and others.

This significant investment reaffirms the Rodeo’s commitment to education and the community. Scholarship applications for the Rodeo’s programs in 2024 will be open from December 5, 2023, to January 31, 2024, offering Texas youth a valuable opportunity for educational advancement.

Texas House Approves Senate Bill 4 on Illegal Immigration After Lengthy Debate

After a seven-hour debate on November 14, Texas House lawmakers have given their nod to Senate Bill 4 (SB 4), a comprehensive proposal aimed at creating a new state crime for illegal immigration. The bill, which passed with an 83-61 vote along party lines, empowers Texas to expel undocumented immigrants—a function currently under federal jurisdiction.

Republican Governor Greg Abbott, prioritizing border security, directed lawmakers to address the issue in the fourth special legislative session of the year, initiated on November 7 and slated to last up to 30 days.

In addition to SB 4, lawmakers also approved Senate Bill 3 (SB 3), allocating $1.5 billion to support the continued construction of a wall along the Texas-Mexico border. The measure, approved by an 84-59 vote, will undergo further consideration in the Texas Senate due to a minor modification.

Key Points on SB 4:

  1. Arrest Authority: SB 4, sponsored by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, and Rep. David Spiller, R-Jacksboro, grants state and local law enforcement the unprecedented authority to arrest immigrants in Texas illegally. Judges could then decide to prosecute or order the return of undocumented immigrants to their country of origin.
  2. Exclusions: The bill specifies that arrests cannot be made at schools, places of religious worship, or medical facilities.
  3. Legal Challenges: Immigration advocates argue that SB 4 is unconstitutional, potentially conflicting with federal law. Despite concerns, Spiller maintains the bill’s legality by closely aligning its language with federal statutes, avoiding a direct challenge to the 2012 Supreme Court ruling in Arizona v. United States.
  4. Legal Threats: The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas has threatened legal action, asserting that SB 4 overrides federal immigration law, promotes racial profiling, and grants unconstitutional deportation powers without due process.

Democratic Opposition and Concerns:

  1. Democratic Objections: Democratic lawmakers raised concerns during the debate, arguing that SB 4 could lead to discrimination against Hispanic Texans, irrespective of their immigration status.
  2. Discrimination Fears: Democrats warned that the bill could provide law enforcement with broad latitude to question the citizenship of individuals, potentially leading to discrimination against brown-skinned and non-English-speaking individuals.
  3. Financial Impact: Some lawmakers questioned the financial burden on local police, especially in border communities, for arresting and detaining undocumented immigrants. Rep. Tracy King, D-Uvalde, labeled SB 4 an “unfunded mandate,” suggesting that the state should cover the costs arising from the bill.

What’s Next?

The Texas House is scheduled to reconvene on November 17, where lawmakers are expected to debate House Bill 1 (HB 1), a $7.6 billion proposal aiming to increase funding for public schools, provide teacher bonuses, and offer public money for families to send their children to private schools. Additionally, lawmakers will consider a bill and constitutional amendment focusing on enhancing funding for public school safety.

Astros Secure Catcher Victor Caratini with Two-Year, $12 Million Deal as Yainer Díaz Gears Up for Starting Role

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On Tuesday, reports indicated that the Houston Astros and catcher Victor Caratini reached a consensus on a two-year, $12 million contract. The agreement allows for additional performance bonuses for Caratini.

Victor Caratini, aged 30, had a stint with the Milwaukee Brewers in the last two seasons. In the most recent season, he served as a backup to William Contreras and posted a .259 batting average with seven home runs and 25 RBIs in 62 games.

Looking ahead to the next season, Yainer Díaz is anticipated to assume the role of starting catcher for the Astros. The signing of Caratini potentially signals that the team may not bring back Martín Maldonado, a 37-year-old catcher who has been with the Astros since 2019.

New manager Joe Espada shared insights on the team’s preparations, stating on Monday, “I’ve been talking to Yainer once a week. We’re going to do some things in January leading into spring training to prep him for spring training. I don’t want us to get to spring training and start from scratch. So this is going to be starting right now, having conversations about our staff, how to attack certain lineups, things that we know that we can help him with, receiving, throwing.”

Pamela Anderson hace otra aparición sin maquillaje en la alfombra roja de los Fashion Awards 2023

El ícono de la moda ha estado abrazando su belleza natural durante sus apariciones públicas.

Pamela Anderson muestra su belleza natural.

Anderson, de 56 años, hizo una aparición sin maquillaje en los Fashion Awards 2023 en Londres el lunes. La actriz y modelo apareció en la alfombra roja vestida con un conjunto completamente blanco que constaba de un par de pantalones anchos, una camiseta holgada y una chaqueta color crema sobre sus hombros.

La modelo combinó el look con pequeños aretes plateados. Su rostro fue el centro de atención mientras llevaba el cabello recogido en una cola de caballo baja, lo que mostraba la belleza descarada que le valió los titulares por primera vez cuando asistió a la Semana de la Moda de París con ropa de alta costura pero sin maquillaje.

Gareth Cattermole/Getty Una vista completa del atuendo de Pamela Anderson en los Fashion Awards 2023

En un video detrás de escena del ícono de estilo vistiéndose para el desfile de Vivienne Westwood en la Semana de la Moda de París, publicado por Vogue Francia, Anderson explicó por qué decidió no maquillarse.

Relacionado: Pamela Anderson habla de su momento sin maquillaje que está provocando un movimiento: ‘Es una liberación’

“No lo sé, algo se apoderó de mí y me estaba vistiendo con esta ropa hermosa y pensé: ‘No quiero competir con la ropa. No estoy tratando de ser la chica más bonita'”. en la habitación. Siento que es simplemente libertad. Es una liberación”, dijo. La estrella de Baywatch señaló que estaba desarrollando su nueva apariencia y estilo por su cuenta.

“No necesito un estilista. No tengo un estilista. No tengo un equipo glamoroso. Simplemente hago esto, estilo libre”, agregó Anderson. Explicó que quería ser modelo en todos los aspectos de la belleza.

‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ no se emitirá en televisión este año. Aquí es donde puedes verlo.

Charlie Brown y la pandilla “Peanuts” han sido una parte colectiva de nuestras vacaciones desde que “A Charlie Brown Christmas” debutó por primera vez en 1965.
Desde entonces, ver el especial animado se ha convertido en una querida tradición navideña para muchas familias, y con razón.
El mensaje atemporal de amor y el verdadero significado de la temporada de la clásica película navideña aún logra hacer llorar a Charlie, Lucy, Sally, Linus y el resto de los niños se reúnen alrededor del árbol y cantan “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”. “.
Y hablando del árbol de Navidad de Charlie Brown, no hay duda, se ha ganado un lugar permanente en nuestros corazones.
Si la película navideña está en su lista de seguimiento este año y se pregunta dónde transmitir “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, debe saber desde el principio que las cosas han cambiado desde los días en que el especial se transmitía anualmente en las cadenas y la televisión pública. Desafortunadamente, tampoco lo encontrarás en Netflix, Hulu o Disney.
Solo hay un lugar para ver “A Charlie Brown Christmas” en 2023 y tenemos los detalles sobre cómo y dónde verlo gratis este año, junto con algunas curiosidades divertidas sobre el especial de Navidad que te ayudarán a llenar tu taza. un poco más de alegría navideña.

Dónde ver ‘La Navidad de Charlie Brown’

En 2023, el único lugar para ver “A Charlie Brown Christmas” será en Apple TV+.

En 2018, Apple adquirió los derechos de “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, junto con el resto del catálogo de “Peanuts”, incluidos otros clásicos como “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” y “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”.

Para ver el especial de televisión animado de este año, necesitarás una suscripción a Apple TV+. Dicho esto, el servicio de transmisión ofrecerá a los no suscriptores una ventana gratuita para ver “A Charlie Brown Christmas” y tenemos los detalles a continuación.

Cómo ver ‘Una Navidad de Charlie Brown’ gratis en 2023

Afortunadamente, incluso si no tienes una suscripción a Apple TV+, aún puedes ver “A Charlie Brown Christmas” cuando Apple ofrece a los no suscriptores una ventana gratuita para transmitir el especial.

En 2023, esa ventana ocurre el sábado 16 de diciembre y el domingo 17 de diciembre.

Si no puedes verlo ese fin de semana, aún puedes ver “A Charlie Brown Christmas” registrándote en la prueba gratuita de 7 días de Apple TV+.

Meta desconectará el chat de Messenger e Instagram a finales de este mes

Meta no dijo por qué, pero la Ley de Mercados Digitales de la UE podría ser la culpable.

Meta pronto eliminará una función que te permite chatear con amigos de Facebook en Instagram. A partir de mediados de diciembre, la compañía desconectará la integración multiplataforma, que agregó en 2020. No proporcionó una razón para hacerlo, pero, como especula 9to5Google, evitar las consecuencias regulatorias en la UE parece un motivo lógico.

Anunciada en 2019, la integración multiplataforma opcional entró en funcionamiento un año después, borrando las líneas entre dos de los servicios más populares de la empresa. “Al igual que hoy puedes hablar con una cuenta de Gmail si tienes una cuenta de Yahoo, estas cuentas podrán hablar entre sí a través del protocolo compartido que es Messenger”, dijo en ese momento la vicepresidenta de Messenger, Loredena Crisan.

Meta dice que una vez que llegue “mediados de diciembre de 2023”, ya no podrás iniciar nuevos chats o llamadas con amigos de Facebook desde Instagram. Si tiene conversaciones existentes con cuentas de Facebook en Instagram, serán de solo lectura. Además, las cuentas de Facebook ya no podrán ver el estado de su actividad ni ver los recibos de lectura. Finalmente, los chats existentes con cuentas de Facebook no se trasladarán a su bandeja de entrada en ninguna de las plataformas.

La UE diseñó su histórica Ley de Mercados Digitales, aprobada en 2022, como un elemento disuasorio para que los titulares de plataformas obtengan poder de monopolio (o algo parecido). Si una empresa supera un umbral de ingresos y la Comisión Europea considera que la plataforma es demasiado dominante, puede imponer una multa máxima del 10 por ciento de su facturación global total del año anterior. Dado el “garrote” de aplicación que esto proporciona al organismo rector, tal vez Meta vio la escritura en la pared y consideró que la función de mensajería cruzada de Instagram/Facebook no valía la pena correr el riesgo.

Se culpa a Charged Lemonade de Panera Bread de una segunda muerte, según alega la demanda

Dennis Brown, de 46 años, bebió tres de las bebidas con alto contenido de cafeína antes de sufrir un paro cardíaco en octubre, según la demanda.

Ahora se culpa a la limonada cargada con alto contenido de cafeína de Panera Bread por una segunda muerte, según una demanda presentada el lunes.

Dennis Brown, de Fleming Island, Florida, bebió tres limonadas cargadas de una Panera local el 9 de octubre y luego sufrió un paro cardíaco fatal en su camino a casa, dice la demanda.

Brown, de 46 años, tenía un trastorno de deficiencia cromosómica no especificada, un retraso en el desarrollo y una discapacidad intelectual leve. Vivía de forma independiente y paraba con frecuencia en Panera después de sus turnos en un supermercado, dice la denuncia legal. Debido a que padecía hipertensión arterial, no consumía bebidas energéticas, añade.

La demanda se presentó en nombre de la madre, la hermana y el hermano de Brown menos de dos meses después de que Panera recibiera una demanda separada sobre Sarah Katz, una estudiante de la Ivy League con una enfermedad cardíaca que murió en septiembre de 2022 después de beber una limonada cargada. Esa demanda, reportada por primera vez por NBC News, calificó la bebida como una “bebida energética peligrosa” y argumentó que Panera no advirtió adecuadamente a los consumidores sobre sus ingredientes, que incluyen el estimulante extracto de guaraná.

Panera ha anunciado su limonada cargada como “de origen vegetal y limpia con tanta cafeína como nuestro café tostado oscuro”. Con 390 miligramos de cafeína, una gran limonada cargada de 30 onzas líquidas tiene más cafeína en total que cualquier tamaño de café tostado oscuro de Panera, dicen las demandas legales. La taza grande contiene más que el contenido de cafeína de las latas estándar de bebidas energéticas Red Bull y Monster combinadas, además del equivalente a casi 30 cucharaditas de azúcar, dicen las quejas.

La Administración de Alimentos y Medicamentos dice que los adultos sanos pueden consumir de manera segura 400 miligramos de cafeína al día.

Brown había consumido Charged Lemonades en los días previos a su muerte, según la demanda por muerte por negligencia del lunes, que se presentó en Delaware, donde está constituida Panera.

No está claro si Brown sabía cuánta cafeína y otros estimulantes había en la bebida, que en el momento de su muerte estaba disponible en dispensadores de autoservicio y “se ofrecía junto con todas las bebidas sin cafeína y/o de la tienda”. bebidas con menos cafeína”, dice la demanda.

La causa de la muerte de Brown fue un paro cardíaco debido a una enfermedad hipertensiva, según un certificado de defunción proporcionado a NBC News por Elizabeth Crawford, socia del bufete de abogados Kline & Specter, PC con sede en Filadelfia, que representa tanto a la familia de Brown como a la familia de Katz.

Panera dijo que expresaba “nuestro profundo pésame por la familia del Sr. Brown” y que defendía la seguridad de sus productos.

“Basándonos en nuestra investigación, creemos que su desafortunado fallecimiento no fue causado por uno de los productos de la empresa”, dijo en un comunicado. “Consideramos que esta demanda, que fue presentada por el mismo bufete de abogados que una reclamación anterior, tampoco tiene fundamento. Panera defiende firmemente la seguridad de nuestros productos”.

Texas Senate Approves $800 Million School Safety Bill Amid Ongoing Special Legislative Session

In the midst of the fourth special legislative session of the year, Texas lawmakers are addressing school safety concerns, with the Senate unanimously passing Senate Bill 5 on December 1. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick noted the unusual December session, emphasizing the nine months lawmakers have spent at the Capitol this year.

Authored by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, SB 5 aims to allocate $800 million for school safety funding, emphasizing a grant program to aid school districts in hiring armed guards. This move comes after months of Republican-led debates on various issues, including property tax cuts, border security, private school vouchers, and public school funding.

While SB 5 awaits its fate in the Texas House, which already passed its school safety proposal, House Bill 2, on November 17, uncertainties loom over the legislative landscape. HB 2 proposes two new school safety grants totaling nearly $1.3 billion annually and seeks voter approval in a future election.

Sen. Huffman underscores SB 5’s commitment to enhancing school safety, creating a grant program to assist public school districts and charter schools in meeting the requirements set by HB 3, a law from the regular legislative session. HB 3 mandates schools to have at least one armed security officer on campus during regular school hours and went into effect on September 1. Some schools have sought exemptions, citing financial constraints in hiring new law enforcement officers.

SB 5 specifically allocates $400 million for schools to hire armed officers during the 2024-25 biennium, with provisions for future reallocation of funds. Additionally, the bill proposes doubling the state funding requirement for schools, providing each campus with a $30,000 allotment and $20 per student, incurring an estimated cost of an additional $400 million.

Huffman characterizes the proposal as an “immediate response to the needs of our school districts.” As both legislative chambers are scheduled to convene next week, questions remain about the potential for a fifth special session, with Governor Greg Abbott yet to confirm additional sessions to address school safety and other education matters.