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Three new railway projects sanctioned for Maharashtra: Railway ministerBy Funto Omojola, NerdWallet Mobile wallets that allow you to pay using your phone have been around for well more than a decade, and over those years they’ve grown in popularity, becoming a key part of consumers’ credit card usage. According to a “state of credit card report” for 2025 from credit bureau Experian, 53% of Americans in a survey say they use digital wallets more frequently than traditional payment methods. To further incentivize mobile wallet usage, some credit card issuers offer bonus rewards when you elect to pay that way. But those incentives can go beyond just higher reward rates. In fact, mobile wallets in some ways are becoming an essential part of activating and holding a credit card. For example, they can offer immediate access to your credit line, and they can be easier and safer than paying with a physical card. From a rewards perspective, it can make a lot of sense to reach for your phone now instead of your physical card. The Apple Card offers its highest reward rates when you use it through the Apple Pay mobile wallet. Same goes for the PayPal Cashback Mastercard® when you use it to make purchases via the PayPal digital wallet. The Kroger grocery store giant has a co-branded credit card that earns the most when you pay using an eligible digital wallet, and some major credit cards with quarterly rotating bonus categories have a history of incentivizing digital wallet use. But again, these days it’s not just about the rewards. Mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and PayPal can offer immediate access to your credit line while you wait for your physical card to arrive after approval. Indeed, most major issuers including Bank of America®, Capital One and Chase now offer instant virtual credit card numbers for eligible cards that can be used upon approval by adding them to a digital wallet. Additionally, many co-branded credit cards — those offered in partnership with another brand — commonly offer instant card access and can be used immediately on in-brand purchases. Credit cards typically take seven to 10 days to arrive after approval, so instant access to your credit line can be particularly useful if you need to make an urgent or unexpected purchase. Plus, they allow you to start spending toward a card’s sign-up bonus right away. As issuers push toward mobile payments, a growing number of merchants and businesses are similarly adopting the payment method. The percentage of U.S. businesses that used digital wallets increased to 62% in 2023, compared to 47% the previous year, according to a 2023 survey commissioned by the Federal Reserve Financial Services. Wider acceptance is potentially good news for the average American, who according to Experian has about four credit cards. While that won’t necessarily weigh down your wallet, it can be hard to manage multiple cards and rewards categories at once. Mobile wallets offer a more efficient way to store and organize all of your workhorse cards, while not having to carry around ones that you don’t use often. They can also help you more easily monitor your spending and rewards, and some even track your orders’ status and arrival time. Plus, paying with a digital wallet offers added security. That’s because it uses technology called tokenization when you pay, which masks your real credit card number and instead sends an encrypted “token” that’s unique to each payment. This is unlike swiping or dipping a physical card, during which your credit card number is more directly accessible. And again, because a mobile wallet doesn’t require you to have your physical cards present, there’s less chance of one falling out of your pocket or purse. More From NerdWallet Funto Omojola writes for NerdWallet. Email: fomojola@nerdwallet.com. The article Activating Your Credit Card? Don’t Skip the Mobile Wallet Step originally appeared on NerdWallet .

NoneRyne Sandberg's heartbreaking health update has Cubs fans sending prayers to legendary playerFederal wildlife officials proposed Tuesday that monarch butterflies receive protection as a threatened species. The flashy orange and black butterflies, which flutter forth each year on an epic migration that spans thousands of miles and multiple generations, are found from coast to coast in the United States during warmer months. Despite precipitous declines, they are still prevalent enough that, if the proposal goes through, they would become the most commonly seen species to receive federal protection. That means officials are walking a tightrope with the proposal. Restrict too few activities that harm monarchs, and officials risk creating a merely symbolic listing that does little to stave off further declines. Restrict too many, and they could trigger a political backlash. Tight rules could also backfire by dissuading people from creating butterfly habitat on their property because the presence of a protected species could expose them to liability. “There aren’t that many species where everyday people in their backyard can do something to help an endangered species,” said Jake Li, who leads efforts to list endangered species at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “That’s, to me, one thing that makes monarchs so different and why we want to put a heavier thumb on the scale of incentives for people to help us conserve the species.” The fate of the proposal will ultimately depend on the new administration in Washington. Under Donald Trump’s first presidency, wildlife officials found that monarchs met the criteria for listing under the Endangered Species Act, but they were not placed under protection because other species were deemed to have priority. There is some debate among scientists over the status of North American monarchs and what is driving observed declines in wintertime populations. To assess the species, a team of federal biologists reviewed hundreds of studies and conducted their own modeling, said Kelly Nail, a biologist with the Fish and Wildlife Service who helped lead the effort. The team estimated that over the next 60 years, North American monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains have a 56% to 74% probability of hitting the point where extinction appears inevitable. For those to the west, that probability was 99%. The primary drivers affecting the butterflies, the assessment found, were the loss and degradation of breeding, migratory and overwintering habitat; exposure to insecticides; and the effects of climate change. “It’s not any one of those in particular; it’s these key threats working in combination with each other that we think are causing this decline,” Nail said. Wildlife officials, conservationists and many monarch scientists are calling on the public to help by planting food for monarchs: native milkweeds, which the caterpillars rely on, and a variety of other native flowers that bloom throughout the warmer months to offer nectar for the adult butterflies. Tropical milkweed is best avoided, experts say, especially in areas where it does not die back during the winter, luring monarchs to keep breeding instead of migrating. The proposal punts on action related to pesticide use, asking for public comment on what measures are warranted. Activities like ranching, agricultural work and gardening are protected by language that allows for the management of milkweed and nectar plants, even though it could result in monarch deaths. The proposal does not allow killing monarchs for the conversion of natural grasslands, shrublands or forest without a permit, a condition that could lead to restrictions on developers. The danger to monarchs, scientists agree, is not global extinction. Populations of the species exist in the wild outside their native North American range; they’ve been introduced by people or blown by winds to places as distant as Hawaii, Spain and Australia. What’s at stake is their remarkable migration, which can span up to 3,000 miles between overwintering grounds in central Mexico and summer breeding grounds into Canada. If the migration collapses, the butterflies would likely persist in certain areas of the southern United States, several scientists said, but their numbers would be greatly diminished. In 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List, the scientific authority on the status of species, announced that it had listed the migratory monarch as endangered but later reclassified it as vulnerable, a less acute category. Canada listed the species as endangered in December 2023. In Mexico, it has a status of “special protection.” (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) Greg Mitchell, a research scientist with the Canadian government who studies monarchs, visited their overwintering grounds in Mexico last year, where he expected to see butterflies coating the trees. Instead, he said he found himself in what felt like “an empty cathedral.” “I’ve been two previous times and seen millions, the tree branches drooping,” Mitchell said. Last year, he didn’t see a single cluster. “It was devastating,” he said. The winter count would turn out to be the second lowest on record, apparently driven by hot, dry conditions in the United States and Canada that reduced the quality of milkweed and nectar plants. The monarch’s return to Mexico each year holds great cultural significance among Indigenous communities there, where the butterflies are associated with visiting ancestors, said Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñón, who works on monarch recovery at the National Wildlife Federation. “Losing the migration means losing deep-rooted traditions, and that’s huge,” Quiñonez-Piñón said. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Some monarch researchers say concerns for the species, and even the migration, are overblown. Insect populations tend to fluctuate sharply, they note, and monarchs have bounced back from alarmingly low numbers before. Butterfly survey data from the summer breeding grounds don’t show the sharp drops observed in the overwintering zones. And those winter counts don’t include populations of butterflies that aren’t part of the migration but could rejoin one day, said Anurag Agrawal, a professor of ecology at Cornell University. But other monarch scientists are not reassured. Nonmigratory populations have higher rates of disease. Data from the summer counts may be biased because of where it’s collected, they say. And even if the species has rebounded during the summer so far, the butterflies are only as strong as their weakest links. Public comments can be submitted until March 12.

TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. Read this article for free: Already have an account? As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $14.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? TikTok is challenging the federal government’s order to shut down its operations in Canada. The company filed in documents in Federal Court in Vancouver on Thursday. The government ordered the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business in November after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media platform. That means TikTok must “wind down” its operations in Canada, though the app will continue to be available to Canadians. TikTok wants the court to overturn the government’s order and to place a pause on the order while the court hears the case. It is claiming the minister’s decision was “unreasonable” and “driven by improper purposes.” The review was carried out through the Investment Canada Act, which allows the government to investigate any foreign investment with potential to harm national security. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said in a statement at the time the government was taking action to address “specific national security risks,” though it didn’t specify what those risks were. TikTok’s filing says Champagne “failed to engage with TikTok Canada on the purported substance of the concerns that led to the (order.)” The company argues the government ordered “measures that bear no rational connection to the national security risks it identifies.” It says the reasons for the order “are unintelligible, fail to reveal a rational chain of analysis and are rife with logical fallacies.” The company’s law firm, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, declined to comment, while Champagne’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the order would “eliminate the jobs and livelihoods of our hundreds of dedicated local employees — who support the community of more than 14 million monthly Canadian users on TikTok, including businesses, advertisers, creators and initiatives developed especially for Canada.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 10, 2024. AdvertisementZimbabwe: Recognition for Sterling Efforts

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Valens Adopts a Share Repurchase Program of up to $10 Million

NEW YORK, Nov. 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The law firm of Kirby McInerney LLP reminds investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida on behalf of those who acquired Celsius Holdings, Inc. ("Celsius" or the "Company") CELH securities during the period of February 29, 2024, to September 4, 2024, inclusive ("the Class Period"). Investors have until January 21, 2025, to apply to the Court to be appointed as lead plaintiff in the lawsuit. [ Click here to learn more about the class action ] On May 27, 2024, the price of Celsius stock declined materially as analysts and investors digested some of the latest retail store trends reported by Nielsen, a global data and analytics company. Morgan Stanley noted that Celsius' sales growth slowed sequentially in weekly retail data – slowing to 39% year-over-year in the week ended May 18, 2024, down from 50% in the week ended May 4, 2024. Morgan Stanley warned that Celsius faced difficult sales comparisons over the next several quarters as it rolled over the anniversary of its Distribution Agreement with PepsiCo, Inc. ("Pepsi"). Similarly, Stifel warned that sales could be dramatically diminished as Pepsi reduced the amount of Celsius inventory it held. The price of Celsius shares declined by $12.23 per share, or approximately 13%, from $95.15 on May 24, 2024, to close at $82.92 on May 28, 2024. Then, on September 4, 2024, Celsius' CEO, John Fieldly presented at the Barclays 17 th Annual Global Consumer Staples Conference. During the conference, Fieldly discussed the Company's Distribution Agreement with Pepsi, and revealed that Celsius' sales to Pepsi had decreased by "roughly around $100 million to $120 million ... from what Pepsi ordered last quarter." Fieldly added Celsius was "still seeing these inventory levels being reduced." Additionally, it was noted that Celsius' prior sales to Pepsi far outstripped market demand for Celsius products, and Pepsi was drawing down excess inventory from its warehouses. On this news, the price of Celsius shares declined by $4.25 per share, or approximately 12%, from $36.64 on September 3, 2024, to close at $32.39 on September 4, 2024. The lawsuit alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Celsius materially oversold inventory to Pepsi far in excess of demand, and faced a looming sales cliff during which Pepsi would significantly reduce its purchases of Celsius products; (2) as Pepsi drew down significant amounts of inventory overstock, Celsius sales would materially decline in future periods, hurting Celsius financial performance and outlook; (3) Celsius' sales rate to Pepsi was unsustainable and created a misleading impression of Celsius financial performance and outlook; and (4) as a result, Celsius business metrics and financial prospects were not as strong as indicated in defendants Class Period statements. If you purchased or otherwise acquired Celsius securities, have information, or would like to learn more about this investigation, please contact Thomas W. Elrod of Kirby McInerney LLP by email at investigations@kmllp.com , or by filling out this CONTACT FORM , to discuss your rights or interests with respect to these matters without any cost to you. Kirby McInerney LLP is a New York-based plaintiffs' law firm concentrating in securities, antitrust, whistleblower, and consumer litigation. The firm's efforts on behalf of shareholders in securities litigation have resulted in recoveries totaling billions of dollars. Additional information about the firm can be found at Kirby McInerney LLP's website . This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Contacts Kirby McInerney LLP Thomas W. Elrod, Esq. 212-699-1180 https://www.kmllp.com investigations@kmllp.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

New York Mortgage Trust Declares Fourth Quarter 2024 Common Stock Dividend of $0.20 Per Share, and Preferred Stock Dividends

Unai Emery knows Champions League top-eight spot is possible for Aston VillaThe Vanderbilt Commodores , led by quarterback Diego Pavia , face the LSU Tigers , led by quarterback Garrett Nussmeier on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 (11/23/24) at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La. How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via a trial of DirecTV Stream or fuboTV . You can also watch via a subscription to Sling TV , which is offering half off your first month. Here’s what you need to know: What: NCAA Football, Week 13 Who: Vanderbilt vs. LSU When: Saturday, Nov. 23 (11/23/24) Where: Tiger Stadium Time: 7:45 p.m. ET TV: SEC Network Live stream: fuboTV (free trial) , DirecTV Stream (free trial) *** Here are the best streaming options for college football this season: Fubo TV (free trial): fuboTV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS. DirecTV Stream (free trial) : DirecTV Stream carries ESPN, FOX, NBC and CBS. Sling TV ( $25 off the first month) - Sling TV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC and NBC. ESPN+ ($9.99 a month): ESPN+ carries college football games each weekend for only $9.99 a month. These games are exclusive to the platform. Peacock TV ($5.99 a month): Peacock will simulstream all of NBC Sports’ college football games airing on the NBC broadcast network this season, including Big Ten Saturday Night. Peacock will also stream Notre Dame home games. Certain games will be streamed exclusively on Peacock this year as well. Paramount+ (free trial): Paramount Plus will live stream college football games airing on CBS this year. *** Here’s a preview capsule via the Associated Press: Vanderbilt (6-4, 3-3 SEC) at LSU (6-4, 3-3), Saturday, 7:45 p.m. EST (SECN) BetMGM College Football Odds: LSU by 7 1/2. Series History: LSU leads 24-7-1 Both teams are bowl eligible and now are seeking the most attractive bids they can get. The winner will have an opportunity to get to eight regular-season victories. LSU is also trying to snap a three-game losing streak that knocked the Tigers out of the AP Top 25 , while Vanderbilt aims to avoid losing for the third time in four games. Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, who is a threat to run, or throw on the run, against an LSU defense that has been shaky against mobile QBs this season such as Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed. Vanderbilt: Pavia has figured in 124 points scored this season, the sixth-most in the SEC. He ranks eighth in the SEC with 628 yards rushing and has been named one of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards. LSU: RB Caden Durham leads all freshman running backs in the SEC with 551 yards rushing. He’s scored six TDs and rushed for 91 yards at Florida last week. RECOMMENDED • nj .com What channel is Vanderbilt vs. LSU game tonight (11/23/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for college f Nov. 23, 2024, 1:45 p.m. What channel is Texas A&M vs. Auburn game tonight (11/23/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for college Nov. 23, 2024, 1:30 p.m. Vanderbilt last played in Tiger Stadium in 2009 and has not won in Baton Rouge since 1951. ... The Commodores last defeated LSU in 1990 in Nashville. ... Vandy’s visit to LSU comes during what is also the first season since 1955 in which the Commodores have defeated both Alabama and Auburn . ... Vanderbilt is bowl eligible for the first time since 2018. ... Commodores WR Junior Sherrill has caught a pass in 21 straight games. ... Brock Taylor has made five field goals from 50 or more yards this season, making him the first Vanderbilt kicker to do so. ... Defensive back and returner Martel Hight is the first Vanderbilt player with 100-plus return yards since 2019 and his punt return average of 17.3 yards leads the SEC. ... LSU has won nine straight meetings with Vanderbilt and 13 of the past 14. ... After its loss last week at Florida , LSU is unable to reach 10 victories for the first time since coach Brian Kelly’s hiring before the 2022 season. ... Kelly is 15-7 in SEC regular-season games at LSU, including 8-2 in Tiger Stadium. ... LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier’s 22 TDs passing is tied for the SEC lead. He’s second in total offense (309.4 yards per game), passing yards per game (312.6) and TDs accounted for (25). ... Four LSU player have 35 or more receptions. (The Associated Press contributed to this report) Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.Shelia Poole | (TNS) The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ATLANTA — Holidays are a time for families and friends to gather, but for older people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, it can cause so much stress and confusion that they could be in danger of what experts calls wandering. Related Articles Health | Health officials say Louisiana patient is first severe bird flu case in US Health | What’s behind rising autism rates: A broader definition of autism and better screening Health | Most US teens are abstaining from drinking, smoking and marijuana, survey says Health | An Alabama woman is doing well after the latest experimental pig kidney transplant Health | Walking in a rhythmic wonderland with holiday songs that could help save lives “I would say around the holiday time is the biggest challenge for people with dementia,” said Kim Franklin, senior manager of programs and services at the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “Schedules are changing, people are traveling, families are coming together and friends are coming over. There’s a lot of chaos going on and that can cause a person to wander. They want to get away. It’s hard for them to process what’s happening.” The Alzheimer’s Association reports 72% of dementia patients who wander are found alive by the next day. Alerting 911 as soon as the person goes missing is critical. The odds of survival decrease as more time passes. Angel Alonso, president of Georgia Emergency Search and Recovery based in Gwinnett County, said the vast majority — between 60% and 70% — of the 30 to 40 calls the nonprofit received last year involved people with the disease. The GESAR is a volunteer-driven organization that works with law enforcement to find people who have gone missing, including children, people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and people lost during major disasters. “We get so many Alzheimer’s calls,” said Vice President John Clark, who is also volunteer instructor with the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. For caregivers and loved ones, a relative who goes missing is devastating. Two of Clark’s grandparents had dementia, so he gravitated to search and rescue to help other families and caregivers keep their loved ones safe. He’s consulted with police departments across metro Atlanta on the best ways to find people with Alzheimer’s. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can cause people to lose their ability to recognize people and places that are familiar. According to the Alzheimer’s Association there are often warning signs that a person might wander. Six in 10 people with dementia will wander during the course of the disease. That includes people returning from a regular walk or drive later than usual. Or they may talk about fulfilling former obligations, such as going to work or talk about going home even when they’re at home. Sometimes they become restless and pace or make repetitive movements. Clark recounted one call for help when a family reported a missing relative, but they insisted she couldn’t have gone far because of a bad knee that limited her to walking no further than the mailbox. Searchers found the missing woman 7 miles from home. Even those who have never shown an interest in wandering might start without warning. Dan Goerke is fortunate. His late wife, Diane, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2012, once went missing from the car of a caregiver. The caregiver had stopped for an errand. Diane had waited alone in cars as people ran errands before. But this time, when the caregiver returned, Diane was gone but her seat belt was still fastened. “It was like she disappeared into thin air,” said Goerke, who said he doesn’t blame the caregiver. Fortunately, she was found uninjured and nearby a short time later that same day. Goerke said it’s hard for caregivers to always be on guard for wandering. “We have so many things to juggle that’s not necessarily at the top of our minds. We have to manage medications, take them to doctor’s appointments, cook meals and taking care of things day to day,” he said. Clark said when searching for someone with dementia, one of the keys is to know what the person was like before their diagnosis. Often their long-term memories are still strong. They once found a woman who walked out of her home and went to where she used to shop and to her old job, although it had closed. Recently, GESAR unveiled a new tool to search for missing people: Maverick. An 8-month-old chocolate Labrador retriever, Maverick is in training to be part of the GESAR search and research team that will track missing people, including wandering dementia patients in metro Atlanta. In cases involving children and people with dementia, a dog’s personality can also be an asset. Labs like Maverick are friendly and affectionate, not imposing or threatening like some other breeds — and less likely to scare the person who is lost. Canines can be used in searches in both rural and urban areas. “He’s an asset,” said Maverick’s handler, Carmen Alonso. “His nose can pick up odors and track where a person has been that we might not think to go that direction.” At the Cobb County Police Department, Public Information Officer Sgt. Eric Smith said if dogs are needed to search for a wanderer they call the sheriff’s department, which has bloodhounds. “They’re not apprehension dogs so there’s little or no likelihood of a bite,” he said. Technology can also help, Smith said. Searchers can use drones and families can install technology on a person’s car to help locate it or use other kinds of trackable devices including on their phone. “We get so many Alzheimer’s calls,” said Clark, who is also a volunteer instructor with the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Most cases they’ve worked on have had favorable results, according to the Georgia Emergency Search and Recovery organization. No two searches are the same, said Sgt. Jeremy Blake of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. “When responding to calls for a missing person, the response is different than that of a fleeing suspect,” he wrote in an email. “The K-9s that are used to track missing persons are not trained in the apprehension of suspects. ... Often times, if the K-9 cannot locate the missing person, they can provide officers with a more accurate direction of travel than they may previously had.” Nearly 7 million U.S. residents age 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s according to the most recent Facts & Figures report . Of those, more than 188,000 Georgians ages 65 and older also have been diagnosed with the disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association Georgia Chapter. Facts on wandering: There is a better chance of being found in urban environments because of a higher probability of a “good Samaritan” stepping in. Wanderers may give no forewarning. Often those with memory issues wander away during activities they’ve done safely in the past, such as shopping or sitting on a front porch. Some people who still drive can become disoriented and drive for miles away from home. According to the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, on average, half the calls for missing persons involve the elderly or someone with disabilities. If a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia disappears: Call 911 as soon as possible. Have a photograph available for first responders and an article of clothing to provide a scent for search dogs. Sharing what the missing person liked to do in prior years can be a key: Did they have a job they went to every day? Did they like to fish or go to a certain spot? Searchers will need to know the last time the person was seen to help determine how far a person might have wandered. (Source: Alzheimer’s Association and Cobb County Police Department.) ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.