cockfighting farm
2025-01-08   

cockfighting farm With rapid expansion in the gaming world, the notion of inclusivity is at the forefront of every design. As expansion occurs in all industries, more awareness is established regarding an incredible spectrum of players' needs, including those with hearing impairments. According to the research conducted by the World Health Organization, over 5% of the world’s population – about 430 million people, including 34 million children – experience disabling hearing loss that requires rehabilitation. For any deaf gamer, inadequate features of access will turn their enjoyable play from pleasurable into nagging. In this article, we will explore the challenges that hearing-impaired players face and offer solutions that can be endorsed to make the gaming experience more inclusive for all. Recognizing the Challenges The gaming experiences of people who are deaf or hard of hearing are far more different than those of someone with adequate hearing. Audio cues support gameplay in many ways, such as with the movement of enemies, changes in the environment, or the plot of a game. Without those cues, deaf players can miss essential moments that might leave an impression on the gaming experience and immersion. The missing audio cue may then have profound, sometimes devastating consequences: failure to detect an incoming attack, losing track of significant storyline development, and so on. Overall, it would then make gameplay more challenging and, of course, less enjoyable. Communication plays a more critical role in multiplayer games. Some games are team-based, depending on real-time coordination, which most commonly uses voice chat. Though most video games usually have a text chat facility, voice communication is limited to fewer games. It is thus a significant challenge for hearing-impaired players to keep track of the rapid flow of gameplay. Isolated or marginalized players who cannot participate in voice chat may feel competitively disadvantaged against their hearing counterparts. Technological Advancements and Solutions Despite all these challenges, the gaming industry has gone a long way to serve inclusively. Presently, developers are ever so aware of the need for accessibility features and are actively working on creating solutions that make gaming more enjoyable for the hearing-impaired. Some of the most effective solutions in this regard are as follows: Subtitles and Closed Captions Captions have been a synonym for accessibility since the old days of video games for hearing-impaired players. They transcribe spoken dialogue so players may continue understanding what is happening in the game. The closed captions extend the reach further by encompassing the descriptions of the non-verbal sounds, such as footsteps and environmental noises, and the sound effects in the context of explosion sounds and creaking doors. The disabled players, unable to fully hear everything in the game, can stay engaged in the action without missing the important audio-based clues. Having subtitles become extremely common in many games is very beneficial not only to deaf players but also to offer a better experience for those who find it easier to play games without sound. Visual Indicators A hearing-impaired gamer can be similarly notified of important events in a game by using visual cues to replace or supplement audio cues. For example, Fortnite and other games have used visual indicators that alert players to nearby sounds, such as footsteps or gunfire, through on-screen visual cues. The indicators may appear color-coded, flashing, or displayed at certain locations on the screen for quick notice. They could use visual signals for a threat or objective, such as flashing an icon when an enemy is close by or pulsing an area indicating in-game activity that needs attention. This will level the playing field so the hearing-impaired player will be able to react to threats at the same rate as their hearing peers. Haptic Feedback One of the emerging solutions is haptic feedback, or vibration, providing tactile responses to in-game events. This way, the player can "feel" the game as an alternate way of experiencing the audio cues. For example, a rumble in the controller could signal the incoming attack or an explosion near you to tell you what's essential in the game through touch. For instance, in Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, they used haptic feedback to create a sensory-rich environment where specific vibrations are carefully adjusted with the specific emotional and environmental moments. This is a great way to communicate the intensity of something happening or bring a player's attention to some danger close by for deaf players. Customizable Audio Settings This factor significantly increases the accessibility of a game for hearing-impaired players by offering customizable audio settings. That is because the user can control the audio experience, finding it as perfect as possible for their needs. This could be in the form of amplifying specific sounds, say dialogue or environmental noise, while diluting background music or sound effects that might be harder to listen to. Others may allow users to alter the frequency range of particular sounds to be more perceivable for gamers with partial hearing loss. By tailoring the audio experience, hearing-impaired players can be confident of getting the most out of the game by not missing critical audio cues. The Role of Game Developers Game developers are clearly at the top when it comes to developing accessible gaming experiences . By incorporating accessibility features at the onset of game design, developers can ensure games are fun for hearing-impaired gamers and all types of players. Committing to this will help developers reach a wider audience, better player satisfaction, and improvement in the gaming community at large. According to Private Internet Access (PIA), inclusivity in game design should be central, not something to be tacked on at the end. Accessibility features in the case of a study show that hear-impaired players benefit not only the targeted individual but also the layman, who might experience partial hearing loss or who merely prefers this accommodation. With this increased awareness of accessibility issues, more game studios have begun incorporating features that support diverse gamers in a more comprehensive, inclusive community. Conclusion Inclusion gaming isn't about adding features; it is more about creating a world where everyone is appreciated and included, regardless of their abilities. The deaf gaming community will always benefit from the proper accessibility options put together thoughtfully in their game: subtitles, visual cues, haptic feedback, and customizable audio settings. As technology evolves, the door will open even more for the tearing down of barriers between the industry and inclusive experiences, allowing every player, irrespective of their ability to hear, to enjoy the world of his favorite games without limit. It is a matter of all the developers, the community, and gamers themselves to make this dream a reality when everybody can be given joy.

I'M A Celebrity viewers are certain they know which star will quit the show first. Fans are currently watching as 12 famous faces grapple with the ITV show's twists and turns. Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough has faced the bulk of this year's Bushtucker Trials - but viewers don't think he'll be the first to quit. Instead, they've pointed to former boxer turned promoter, Barry McGuigan. A fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Barry isn’t enjoying himself at all. "I predict he’ll quit before Sunday." The 63-year-old has already been through a lot during his time in the jungle. Along with Jane Moore, he was one of only two campmates to not receive his luxury item. Danny Jones and Alan Halsall managed to secure the eight other family gifts. He was also left irritated after contraband led to a negative impact on the camp. Show bosses discovered Dean had smuggled teabags into the camp. Melvin Odoom won 10 cupcakes in a challenge, but only received five as a direct punishment. Speaking in the Bush Telegraph, Barry aired his frustrations to the camera. He said: "Unfortunately, we were punished and ten became five. "So, I'm pretty annoyed about that." Early on, the boxing legend showed a vulnerable side by opening up about his late daughter. Danika, an actress, passed away in July 2019 as a result of bowel cancer. i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher. Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth." Viewers and campmates alike were moved by Barry's emotions - with Tulisa offering him reassurance. The N-Dubz star said: "Barry, you are a man going through pain and you're being vulnerable and that takes strength." She added: "There is no rules to grieving Barry, it's a reflection of your love." I'm A Celebrity continues on ITV1 and ITVX.TO all The Legal Mind readers, thank you so much for another year of following this column, exclusively devoted to my education advocacy as a lawyer. And I extend my profound gratitude to the Times for once again giving me this space to connect with our education stakeholders and talk about legal issues on education. Through this column, I was able to answer queries and feature them here for others to learn from. Our discussions on complex education laws and policies have been cited even by policymakers in continuing discussions on education reforms. I also received personal messages of gratitude from administrators who turn to our discussions here to supplement their knowledge in performing their functions in the school. Thank you most especially to all our teachers, both from public and private schools, who continue to follow The Legal Mind. I remember a public school teacher who asked permission to share to her students one of my articles entitled, "The role of parents in the education of their children," for their small group discussion relevant to their MELC, or most essential learning competencies. I will continue with my education advocacy for 2025 even as I juggle other areas of practice at the Estrada & Aquino Law, as its managing partner. I will now be full-time in my private practice at the firm after my stint as chief legal officer of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EdCom 2) from January 2023 to September 2024. As a lawyer of educational institutions and associations, I will still be around for congressional deliberations on education bills as I have been doing for almost 20 years, helping craft measures to improve the quality of education and the promotion of welfare of learners, teachers and educational institutions. I will also continue going around the country for learning sessions with schools. This is something I look forward to doing every week for the rest of the year, as I get to learn a lot from the sharing of teachers, school personnel, students and even parents as well. I can't wait for January to start my speaking engagements, beginning with Laguna, Cagayan de Oro and Pampanga for the first month of 2025. School communities should prepare for at least three emerging issues to update their school policies: administrative and ethical impact of artificial intelligence in schools, schools as safe spaces for students — on protective measures against sexual harassment, bullying and cyber offenses, and gender inclusivity and neutrality — on cross-dressing, haircuts, self-expression and similar issues. Many educational institutions still need to address the recurring issues on the impact of social media and digital technology on their learners and educators, as well as the evolving capacities of minors in navigating these platforms. Moreover, the urgency to acknowledge in school policy environments the teenage psychology and predisposition of this generation of minor students, particularly their attitude toward sex, cannot be overemphasized. In my continuous interaction with schools as counsel, I have observed that there is an alarming prevalence of sex-related misconduct for child learners in schools. Thus, there is a need to recalibrate school interventions and discipline policies to conform with the profile of minor students at this day and age. Fortunately, Republic Act 12080, or the Basic Education Mental Health and Well-being Promotion Act, was recently enacted into law. This landmark measure aimed at strengthening mental health programs in schools and creating new plantilla positions for guidance counselors will certainly help in addressing these emerging issues surrounding schools and students. For 2025, I also expect the updating of major administrative issuances of the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Education (DepEd), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda). DepEd has been reviewing and drafting the revisions to its Manual of Regulations for several years through the change of administrations; and with Education Secretary Sonny Angara now at the helm, I expect that the revision of the manual will finally see the light of day. The Commission on Higher Education, with new commissioners joining the agency governing higher education, would also be introducing reforms in higher education to keep up with global trends and practices, and also with the final recommendations from EdCom 2 coming out this year. Tesda will be introducing more reforms as it continues to rebrand the authority and recalibrate its important role in the trifocalized education sector under the leadership of Secretary Kiko Benitez, most especially with the recent enactment of Republic Act 12063, or the Enterprise-based Education and Training Framework Act, aiming to provide Filipino workers with opportunities to gain new skills and competencies or to upskill for career advancement so they could secure quality jobs or obtain entrepreneurial proficiency. This landmark legislation's implementation falls primarily on the mandate of Tesda. The education sector, particularly the private sector, can count on me this coming year to continue advocating for the promotion of quality education, protection of learners, and in moving the guideposts in the education policy landscape to create more spaces for innovation. Happy New Year greetings and warm wishes to all! [email protected]

ENTRUSTED with our readers’ deep secrets, the Dear Deidre team really have a unique insight into what dilemmas the nation is grappling with. Of course, there are some constants — cheating, differing sex drives, low self-esteem and loneliness. But some issues loom larger in certain years as new problems come to the fore. As 2024 nears an end, we take a look at what exactly our readers have been writing in about. Every year, we help thousands of people by answering every single dilemma with a personalised answer, and we’ve kept a record of the issues we’ve tackled. Relationship issues consistently come out on top, with 23 per cent of the emails Dear Deidre receives focused on romantic problems. Sex came a close second, with 19 per cent of readers writing in with a sexual dilemma. Interestingly, half of every single relationship message addressed cheating. Sometimes, the unfaithful party would be writing in, otherwise a suspicious or heartbroken partner worried about their relationship. Among the emails about cheating on partners, home surveillance and doorbell cameras featured more prominently, with some partners forgetting to turn off cameras before inviting flings to come back to their homes. A growing number of readers also wrote in because, although they were separated, financial constraints meant they could not move out of the marital home. The reluctant house sharers were frustrated at being unable to move on — a trend that reflects economic uncertainty in the UK. Notable developments this year have been new requests for support with quitting vaping. Another new issue came in the form of pensioners worrying about losing their winter fuel allowance. Social media has been a common theme in all the categories. It is impossible to quantify but has had a huge impact. So many of the relationship problems relate to partners ogling scantily clad influencers or flirting with others they have met online. Plenty don’t see this as cheating but the feeling of betrayal is real for those on the receiving end. And it’s not just cheating that worries people. Time spent watching endless videos encourages weird infatuations, with one woman complaining her husband had become obsessed with the French election. He insisted they spend their family holiday in France watching speeches — and had previously had no interest in politics. The issue of phone addiction came up, particularly for parents fretting about not only what their children were being exposed to, but also how their mobile activity was affecting their own behaviour. They asked our team for help on how to manage this. And a huge number of adults wrote in fed up with their partner, who had little interest in them but spent all hours playing online games or scrolling through their socials. It’s clear that while technology enables us to do far more and do it efficiently, left unchecked it threatens our real-world connections and provides more opportunity for temptation. Next year, I will be recording when social media, phone usage and the internet are mentioned as part of the problem, and I predict this will be a huge growth area. Below is a reader’s letter about ogling, followed by one about winter fuel allowance. I also break down what percentages of our mail different types of letter make up. DEAR DEIDRE: MY ex saw me having sex with a one-night stand using the camera security system he’d installed as a favour to me. I was completely unaware that he was watching this, until he turned up the next morning and got very upset with me. Originally, I was grateful for his help setting up the system, but now I feel really uncomfortable. He said he’d received an alert on his phone and checked it by chance, but I can’t help worrying he’s keeping an eye on me. He insists he hasn’t been watching and that was a one-off, but the whole experience has really unsettled me. I’m 36, my ex is 39, and we were together for eight years before we broke up five months ago. Our split was both mutually agreed, and amicable, and we decided to remain friends. We still met up and sometimes even had sex, but as we didn’t discuss what this meant I thought we were simply friends with benefits. I really appreciated still having him in my life. When I was moving house, he offered to help, knowing how useless I am at DIY. He helped put up shelves, and installed security cameras which he set up online so I could view them through an app. I knew he had access to it all while he set it up but assumed he’d log out. So when I brought a man home, I didn’t think twice. Now I feel mortified. He says he didn’t mean to breach my privacy, but I feel so conflicted. DEIDRE SAYS: Watching you have sex with another man was a huge breach of your privacy, and you shouldn’t take it lightly. As a priority, please ensure that you are the only one with access to your security system. Make sure you’re the primary account holder and change your password so that he doesn’t have access. It’s completely understandable that this experience has made you question the sort of person he is. Unless you decide you can trust him completely, you would be wise to stay away. At the very least, it’s clear that the lines are blurred between you and your ex and some boundaries need to be re-established. As for your relationship with him, you need to decide if there’s any hope of a future together. If you decide there’s not, it would be best to step away so you can both move on. My support pack Moving On will help. DEAR DEIDRE : SINCE the Government cut my Winter Fuel Payment, I’ve been struggling to afford my bills. Now I’m forced to choose between putting my heating on or buying food, and the stress is making me unwell. I’m a 76-year-old pensioner, and live alone. Until this year, I was receiving £200 payments to cover the cost of my heating bills, and I heavily relied on it. So when the Government announced the change, I went into a complete panic. My pension is already low as it is, so without the extra payments I knew it was going to be a hard couple of months. When I contacted the council for help, they told me that, while I was eligible to apply, I had missed the deadline so now I’d have to go without. Ever since, my life has been an absolute nightmare. Now I wake up every morning to a freezing house – and no matter what I do, I can’t keep warm. The constant dread is getting me down, and I’m now struggling to cope. DEIDRE SAYS: I can only imagine how distressing this must be for you. While the qualifying week for this year’s Fuel Payment has now passed, you may still be eligible if you successfully apply for Pension Credit by December 21. Please note that you only have two days to do this, so please take action today. You may also be eligible for a £150 Warm Home Discount. You can find out more about this on the government website ( gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme ). TOP TOPICS: Relationships 23% Sex 19% Family 8% Parenting 7% Friendships 4% Workplace issues 5% Mental health 11% Health 5% Addictions 8% Bereavement 5% Sexuality 4% Other 1% SEX WOES Sex drive 43% Fetishes 16% Threesomes 12% Erection problems 11% Fantasies 7% Climaxing 4% Menopause 3% Other 4% LOVE Cheating 49% Domestic abuse 12% Addictive love 10% Broken heart 14% Online romance 6% Age gaps 5% Other 4% ADDICTION Alcohol 42% Porn 22% Drugs 13% Smoking 8% Vaping 5% Gambling 9% Shopping and spending 1%IN 2021, NOT long after they began this venture, a GAA streaming site was facing extinction. The coverage of two games had not gone well due to technical faults. Prospects weren’t looking favourable. For Jimmy Doyle and his crew at Clubber, this was entirely new territory. The ways of TV and broadcasting were not his skillset. Doyle, a Tipperary native, was a tech guy with computer studies and economics qualifications, who had worked in Microsoft for 25 years. He identified a gap in the market, one that could serve GAA fans in a revolutionary way. And since he always wanted to run his own business, he made his move. He was initially tinkering with technology for GAA analysis and still has plans to go further into that field. But more on that later. His innovation led to the birth of Clubber in 2020, a GAA streaming site with a few games on their books to break them into the industry. The hard launch followed in 2021. But that was just the introduction. Now they were taking on bigger matches, and bigger expectations. Bearing the hostility of the unsatisfied sports fan would be the cost if he wanted to persist with this project. “It’s a brutal market,” he says reflecting back on the lessons he gained from those wobbles in 2021. “If fans can’t get access to a game, there’s hell to pay.” The streaming of GAA games was a much-needed tonic for fans during the Covid pandemic. Crowds were banished from the grounds due to the risks of spreading the virus, but people could still watch the games through services like Clubber, and their competitor Streamsport. As restrictions eased, and fans had permission to attend matches again, one would presume that the public appetite for the streaming option would lessen. Or perhaps fade out entirely. But here we are, some three years on from the last Covid lockdown in Ireland, and these companies are still thriving. If anything, the audience number has swelled. It lines up with Jimmy Doyle’s vision. He never saw this as something that would survive on a temporary demand. He knew that GAA fans were hungry for more content. Currently, Clubber has GAA streaming deals with 11 counties, a number that has grown steadily since their first foray into the racket. Last weekend, they hit the 1,000-game mark when they streamed the Offaly U20 hurling final between Kilcormac Killoughey and Shinrone. For Streamsport owner Raffaele Rocca, he suspected that the viewership figures might “level off” in a post-Covid world, but different factors have allowed the business to soar. Similar to Doyle, technology has always appealed to him although he does have a background in media. A newsreader in his younger days, he holds a Masters in Journalism from UL before later becoming the editor of Sporting Limerick. Streamsport is a derivative of that outlet. His interesting name came from his Italian father who emigrated to Ireland in the 1970s and opened a Fish & Chip shop which Raffaele continues to run with his sister. Streamsport’s aim is to increase their audience number by 5% every year but they’ve surpassed that goal by hitting the 10% mark. Galway and Mayo are two major clients of theirs. Streamsport also collaborate with local media outlets including Galway Bay FM and MidWest Radio. The familiarity of voices like Mike Finnerty and Seán Walsh on the stream, along with the big general interest in those county championships, makes for a successful product. “We’re very lucky that the Galway and Mayo championships have massive interest,” says Rocca. “In a sense, a lot of the hard work is done for us. It’s up to us then to make use of it. “Clubber are a competitor of ourselves but I think we do a relatively good job of promoting the games that we’re currently streaming, in terms of in-game clips. Some of it is organic audience growth, some of it is audience growth but putting those clips on social media and promoting the games that you’re doing.” The diaspora form a crucial part of that GAA viewership community as it keeps people engaged with their home club despite the vast distance from where they reside now. They represent about 10% of Streamsport’s audience number. At home however, streaming can be a divisive word. Many will argue that it discourages fans from attending the games in person, thereby compromising the matchday atmosphere and reducing gate receipts for county boards. It’s the “age old concern” that Doyle hears about. But both Rocca and Doyle stress that putting the games on an online platform enables the GAA to draw in more fans, and ultimately, grow as a sport. “If a person is determined to go to a match,” says Rocca, “they’re going to go to it. If it’s absolutely bucketing outside, and just watch it at home, that’s a different argument. “There’s a good chance that if it wasn’t being streamed, they might not go at all because the weather is too bad. But if they watch it at home, I think you’ve gained a viewer rather than losing one.” Although streaming GAA games is proving to be viable for both Clubber and Streamsport, Doyle notes that the profit margins “are tight.” In terms of the cost involved in covering a typical game, Clubber could spend anything from a few hundred euro up to €2,000. It all depends on the number of cameras and commentators that are required to provide adequate coverage. Clubber hopes to expand operations and explore opportunities outside of Ireland. Doyle opted not to divulge on the details but says they’re “working on a few things” that will bring them into the global market. GAA analysis remains a major passion project for Doyle too, and Clubber aim to launch a product that enables teams to study the game more deeply. “The three key things it offers are: using AI in the background to automatically tag the game for you. Here’s all your kickouts, wides, scores and turnovers. The second thing is, as we build our portfolio of games that we cover, we will have a rounded view of all games so you can go in to analyse your own game and the opposition’s game. “And the third thing, which most analysis systems have, is a nice easy interface to cut clips for your players, have individual conversations with players on clips. We’re conscious that there’s a marketplace out there where there’s a lot of analysts doing this for a lot of clubs. We want to see ourselves as an addition to them rather than taking their jobs away.” Streamsport has expansion plans to work towards too. Rocca wants to cover more schools rugby and boxing, and has also worked with the Connacht and Munster provincial rugby bodies. For the latter side, they covered Munster v All Blacks XV for Access Munster in October. He’s veering into podcasting too, as well as building on the number of Ladies Football games they’ve covered by targeting some of the LGFA league games that aren’t being televised in the new year. Women’s sport is an area that Clubber also wants to branch into, a personal ambition for Doyle who has four daughters. Now that he has a better understanding of what providing a good viewing experience entails, he’s long past the days of worrying about the company’s future. Looking at what lies ahead for GAA streaming, Doyle feels the margins are too tight for many other companies to find a place in the market. Rocca believes that the GAA could become more involved in regulating the industry. “I could see the GAA looking to take a bit more control over streaming. “County boards would still have autonomy but it would be the GAA’s own official platform, kind of like an expansion of GAA GO. Would that be an issue for us? No, not necessarily. Whichever way we operate, it doesn’t matter to us. We just want to produce a quality product for our viewers. Whether that’s through county boards or through an overarching streaming arm, then that’s no issue.”

Unilever To Slim Down Food Arm Through Disposals In CEO’s Revamp

China’s trade with other countries and regions participating in the Belt and Road Initiative will keep growing in 2025, fueled by many emerging economies’ surging demand for products to meet their need for green transformation, consumption upgrade and industrialization, said market watchers and businesses leaders on Thursday. They noted that this trend is also driven by Chinese exporters’ efforts to diversify markets and reduce risks linked to protectionism and “decoupling” attempts by certain countries, along with advancements in both regional connectivity and supply chain operations. China’s trade with other economies involved in the BRI grew by 6 percent year-on-year to 18.74 trillion yuan ($2.57 trillion) between January and November, said the General Administration of Customs. Meanwhile, China’s trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations rose 8.6 percent on a yearly basis, while its two-way trade value with Latin America and Africa increased 7.9 percent and 4.8 percent year-on-year, respectively. Benefiting from the tangible growth of the BRI, favorable conditions created by the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor and China-Europe freight train services have all provided strong support for China and its partners involved in the BRI to boost their trade ties, said Wan Zhe, a professor at the Belt and Road School of Beijing Normal University. Countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, in particular Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Vietnam, are also experiencing strong demand for goods and infrastructure projects, providing Chinese exporters with opportunities for growth, said Wan. Lyu Yue, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies, part of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said China has nurtured a number of innovative companies and industrial clusters with strong international competitiveness. They have been transitioning toward green growth in recent years. She said that the increase in new orders from other BRI economies will not only lead to new growth points for Chinese manufacturers, but also propel them to invest in new plants, service centers and innovation facilities in markets involved in the BRI. Huzhou Sany Loader Co Ltd, a Huzhou, Zhejiang province-based equipment manufacturer, has been heading in that direction. The company began to export electric-powered loaders to BRI markets, specifically to Indonesia, Malaysia and Brazil, since last year. The average price of each unit is around 1 million yuan, which is twice the price of traditional diesel loaders. “Our calculations show that the operating cost of electric loaders is about one-third to one-quarter that of diesel loaders, bringing significant savings for users,” said Gao Pengfei, head of the company’s research and development unit. “Our export growth will focus on electrified products in the coming years,” said Gao, stressing that it is practical for Chinese manufacturers to expand their sales channels in more emerging markets to hedge against the risks brought forth by protectionism. Amphenol High Speed Technology (Nantong) Co Ltd, a Nantong, Jiangsu province-based wire and cable manufacturer, shipped a batch of cable worth 1.35 million yuan from its plant to Vietnam by trucks earlier this month. This is the 198th batch of cables exported by the company to countries participating in the BRI this year. The company exported 1.45 billion yuan of wire and cable products during the January-November period, jumping 190 percent year-on-year. More than half of its exports were shipped to BRI markets, said Nanjing Customs. The ongoing reshaping of the global supply chain has created new opportunities for Chinese companies to align their capabilities with evolving market needs, said Hu Weizhong, the company’s general manager. Source: China Daily

Trump’s net worth rose by billions this year despite legal challenges and wild stock market. Here’s what it is now.

Northern Highlands is skating in unfamiliar territory. Defending a state title isn’t anything new, as it’s the third time the program is doing so since 2019. The manner in which it is doing so this winter is different. After the 2018 and 2022 championships, Northern Highlands had a heavy core of upperclassmen leading the charge. This time around a lot of weight is being put on the shoulders of underclassmen. Just six juniors and seniors occupy roster spots this season and the team has yet to play a game with a full healthy roster. “The freshmen and sophomores especially, it’s been a learning process,” said Northern Highlands head coach Jason Beswick. “Highlands believes extremely strongly in defense. These kids are not taught that in youth hockey right now, so they’re starting to come around.” 12/29 - 1:30 PM Boys Ice Hockey Final Northern Highlands 5 Randolph 0 Despite that, the team has stayed afloat and will enter 2025 on a hot streak. In the final test of 2024, Northern Highlands, No. 15 in the NJ.com Top 20, matched up with No. 10 Randolph in a rematch of last year’s North Jersey, Public final. Brent Beswick, one of the few seniors and the reigning Player of the Year, had a big performance at Mennen Arena that night with three goals and three assists and was at it again on Sunday. Brent scored twice and added two assists to make program history and support a 38-save shutout from Quinn DeBruyn in a 5-0 win over Randolph in the Ice Vault Classic at the Ice Vault in Wayne. The four-point afternoon helped Brent eclipse 200 for his career, becoming the first player in Northern Highlands history to do so. In the process, he also passed Patrick Erstling’s mark of 197 career points in 2010 to become the program’s all-time leading point scorer. Beswick stands alone at Northern Highlands Brent Beswick has been at the centerpiece of Northern Highlands’ recent historical success. The historic accomplishments on the horizon became a footnote in his mind given the stretch his team was going through. “My biggest focus was getting the team back on track,” Brent said. “We got off to a rough start. Just wanted to make sure the team’s getting back to the win column, and I’ve been focusing a lot on playing really good defense, so the points are just an extra bonus.” Northern Highlands won its first three games but dropped three of the next four. The final loss, which came against St. Joseph’s Collegiate (NY) gave the team a spark. It rebounded the next day with a 3-2 win over Darien (CT) and built on that with Sunday’s win over Randolph. In the last four games, Sunday included, those underclassmen have combined for five goals and 12 assists. Davin Friedman and Laken Rohdiek combined for two goals and six assists against Randolph. “Those freshman, sophomores have stepped up huge,” Jason said. “I always say be prepared to block a shot with your throat, and they’re prepared to do that. They’re doing it and right now we’re in a good place.” It was also a great cap on 2024 for DeBruyn, who didn’t play for the team last year after appearing in six games as a sophomore during the 2022-23 season. It’s a hard task taking over after the last two starting goalies, Daniel Moor and Reade Adams, both led the team to state titles. The shutout jumps his save percentage on the season to .934 and .960 in his last three starts. Sure there have been some hiccups, injuries and a learning curve but Northern Highlands is putting itself in a great position to defend its title as the top Public team in the state. “The last two games we’re missing three of our top six forwards, and guys just stepped up,” Brent said. “I think our defensive play led. We have high-end guys that can score big goals. With a stud goalie in net, I think we’re a pretty good team.” Brian Bobal may be reached at bbobal@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on X at @BrianBobal. The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appears in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter)

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