fc slotvip TORONTO — Canada's main stock index moved lower Monday, led by losses in technology and utilities stocks, while U.S. stock markets were also down. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 66.38 points at 25,625.42. In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 240.59 points at 44,401.93. The S&P 500 index was down 37.42 points at 6,052.85, while the Nasdaq composite was down 123.08 points at 19,736.69. “It started pretty positive in the morning. It's just been slowly, slowly grinding down ever since,” said Michael Currie, senior investment adviser at TD Wealth. Some of the market direction Monday was driven by two separate news stories out of China, he said. “The (Chinese) central bank says they're starting to buy gold again, and they're looking to loosen their monetary policy a bit. So that helped oil a lot, helped gold a lot,” said Currie. China also said it’s investigating semiconductor giant Nvidia over suspected violations of anti-monopoly laws, which sent the company’s stock lower. Nvidia’s share price was down 2.6 per cent Monday at US$138.81. Otherwise, “it’s all about interest rates today,” said Currie. In the U.S., investors are awaiting the latest update on inflation later in the week. However, given that the slowing job market is more of a concern for the U.S. Federal Reserve at this point, the data is unlikely to change what investors currently expect from the Fed next week, said Currie: a quarter-percentage-point cut. “Unless there's something really crazy out of the inflation numbers, there’s no reason to expect anything different is going to happen next week,” he said. In Canada, where the central bank is gearing up for a rate decision Wednesday, a larger half-point cut is more likely, he said. Expectations for a bigger cut rose after last week’s jobs report, which saw the unemployment rate jump to 6.8 per cent in November. “The more we're cutting rates, especially the accelerated rate compared to the States, the more that just keeps beating up our dollar,” said Currie. He expects more buzz in the coming months about the divergence between interest rates in Canada and the U.S. as the loonie continues to weaken. “We're seeing it already, and as the gap gets bigger, it'll become more of a story.” However, Currie noted the TSX briefly touched an all-time high earlier in the day. “Basically since the US election, it's just been a non-stop rally,” he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 70.77 cents US compared with 70.74 cents US on Friday. The January crude oil contract was up US$1.17 at US$68.37 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up 11 cents at US$3.18 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$26.20 at US$2,685.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was up eight cents at US$4.28 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

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Gettman kicks go-ahead FG as Villanova ends Delaware's FCS-era with a 38-28 win in finaleCynthia Yan had owned her new Tesla for less than a month when someone caused $3,000 of damage to it. The Vernon woman said she had parked the car on 31st Street near the Georgette Shop on Dec. 23 when the damage occurred. "Someone decided it was okay to jump on my vehicle. Thanks to him, there is now an enormous dent on my hood," Yan said. Teslas have multiple cameras on them, and one of them captured footage of the act of vandalism. The video shows two young men walking down the alley, when one of the men runs over to the car and body slams the hood of the vehicle. The two then run away. Yan told Castanet that she's frustrated by the incident, especially since it was close to Christmas and she is already having a tough year financially. She estimates the cost to repair the damage is about $3,000. Yan said she has to go to Kelowna for repairs, noting she paid $140,000 for the Tesla X. Since she posted the incident on social media, Yan has received an outpouring of support. The incident has been reported to RCMP and ICBC. Anyone with information on the incident is being asked to call police.

He’s in , at 27, and has collected nine points (six goals) in 20 games since the start of the campaign. For a support player and a guy who’s known as a tough guy, that’s more than excellent. That’s why his name has been circulating in Montreal over the past month. That said, the Québécois is aware of the rumours about him. He doesn’t want to worry about it because he’s concentrating on his , but it’s playing on his mind all the same: It’s hard not to hear them unless you live under a rock [...] I have family and friends in Quebec, so it comes back to my ears a bit. – Mathieu Olivier Mathieu Olivier is well aware of what’s being said about him in Montreal: – TVA Sports (@TVASports) But if it’s not in Montreal (many would like it to be), we can still expect to see Mathieu Olivier change addresses between now and the next NHL trade deadline. He’s in the final year of his contract ($1.1 million per season), and there are bound to be several clubs interested in his services in the coming months. That said, if Kent Hughes can’t get him in the next few months, he should at least try to bring him to town in the off-season. – Too bad. Jonathan Drouin has been particularly unlucky so far this season: – TVA Sports (@TVASports) – He’s going to be good. Lukas Dostal this season: – 5-7-2 record – .922 save percentage – 13.2 goals saved above expected (1st in NHL) – 35 shots against/game (most in NHL) Anaheim arguably has the best goalie in the league and they’re still 13th in the West. – Big Head Hockey (@BigHeadHcky) – An issue to keep an eye on. There’s a lot of interest in the NHL. – TVA Sports (@TVASports) – News in MLB: Wonder where he’ll sign. – Passion MLB (@passion_mlb)

Trump’s tariffs in his first term did little to alter the economy, but this time could be differentNo. 12 West Virginia women beat Boise State 82-47 to reach title game of Gulf Coast ShowcaseTorrent Power shares in spotlight as co’s Rs 3,500 crore QIP oversubscribed 4 times

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by improvising a quote people will remember for decades. Which is exactly what Will Ferrell and Mark Acheson did while making 2003's holiday classic Elf . Although Mark—who plays Mailroom Guy during a fan-favorite scene— admitted that his most famous line almost ended up on the cutting room floor. "I called my agent and he said, 'Listen, they would like you to come and do one line with Will Ferrell. Would you like to do it?' And I said, 'Yeah, I'd be happy to do that,'" Mark told People in an interview published Dec. 20. "I was only supposed to say ‘work release' and that was the end of it." But during what he called "the weirdest day " imaginable on set, Elf director Jon Favreau requested that Mark and Will do a bit of improv for the scene where Will's Buddy the Elf thinks he's drinking coffee and syrup when in reality he's getting drunk, leading the two to their existential discussion in the mailroom. "I'm in the flow, that's what got me in here," Mark's character confesses before his now famous line. "I'm 26-years-old, I got nothin' to show for it." But as Buddy tells him, "You're young, you're so young. My Papa, he didn't make Master Tinker until he was 490." And while the joke about his age is now a favorite for fans of the movie, the scene almost got edited out . "The producers wanted to axe the whole scene because of that," Mark , 67, explained. "I think, 'Who is gonna believe this guy is 26?' I mean, seriously. I believe I was 46 at the time and an older 46 even at that. Because I never looked young in my life." But Jon fought for the scene to remain, noting that's what makes the joke work. "He kept me in but they, they didn't want me," Mark recalled, "but he did and thank God for me because it changed my career quite a bit." And while Mark has appeared in numerous movies and TV series over the years— including appearances on shows like The X-Files , Supernatural and Fargo —his quip about being 26 has lived on in the minds of fans for over two decades. "With every passing year I watch this movie (esp now at 27)," one fan posted to TikTok alongside a clip from the scene, "I find it more and more ridiculous this man is supposed to be a 26yo." One user responded in the comments, "I watched it this year and gasped when he said 26." Another added, "Idk this is how I feel at 27." One person had a different take, noting, "I think it's like a child's perspective because when we were little we thought someone 26 looked old." But as one TikToker noted, "That's the joke, I fear." Curious about more behind the scenes secrets from Elf ? Keep reading. 1. The first script fo r Elf was actually written in 1993, with Jim Carrey in mind to play the titular Santa's helper. Because it took over a decade for the film to finally be made, the Ace Ventura: Pet Detective star never ended up taking on the role, which proved to be the ultimate Christmas gift for Will Ferrell . 2. Elf was also initially intended to be a bit more sinister, with director Jon Favreau revealing to Rolling Stone , "He was a darker character." 3. Before he was asked to come in to rewrite the script and transform the movie into a PG friendly-family affair, Favreau initially turned down the job. "I took a look at the script, and I wasn't particularly interested," he told Rolling Stone . "It was a much darker version of the film. I liked the notion of being involved with Will in his first solo movie after SNL , but it wasn't quite there." 4. Buddy's iconic costume was modeled off of the elves from the 1964 Rankin/Bass film Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer . "The costume was important," Favreau told ABC News. "It looks almost like he's a puppet and the tights and the boots and the hat and he was extremely brave wearing that costume." 5. Costume designer Laura Jean Shannon , tasked with finding the perfect look, revealed it wasn't accommodating Ferrell's 6-foot-3 frame that was the hardest part of her job. "It was less a challenge dressing Will due to his size and more a challenge to make sure nothing seemed off-putting or in bad taste." she explained to Feel Christmassy. "After all, I had to dress a grown man in tights and a cutaway coat. Needless to say, we did have a fair amount of fittings to be sure we struck the right balance between absurd and adorable." 6. Ferrell's Buddy costume was so captivating that the actor actually caused a few traffic incidents while filming in New York City. "When we had Will in the Lincoln Tunnel, the tunnel was open. Same thing with the 59th Street Bridge," Favreau told Rolling Stone . "Whenever he was out there in his suit, we'd hear screeches and fender-benders and lights smashing. People would be looking at him walking on the side and that would cause a few minor traffic accidents." 7. Buddy's infamous 12-second long burp wasn't actually performed by Ferrell. Voice actor Maurice LaMarche , best known for giving life to The Brain on Pinky and the Brain , provided the dinner table belch. And, yes, we heard that. 8. The cotton balls Buddy can't stop eating in the doctor's office were actually pieces of cotton candy that had yet to be dyed. 9. Buddy's all-sugar diet also became Ferrell's daily food intake while filming as he actually scarfed down all of that maple syrup-coated spaghetti and candy during scenes. "I ingested a lot of sugar in this movie and I didn't get a lot of sleep," Ferrell told The Sun . "I constantly stayed up. But anything for the movie, I'm there. If it takes eating a lot of maple syrup, then I will, if that's what the job calls for." 10. The late James Caan didn't have to act all that hard to nail his role as Buddy's reluctant father Walter. "I literally drove him crazy in that movie," Ferrell explained to Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler during a July 2024 appearance on their MeSsy podcast . “In between setups, he’d be like, 'I don’t get you. You’re not funny.' And I’m like, 'I know. I’m not Robin Williams .'" But the dynamic worked, acknowledged Ferrell. “I love that the whole time, he’s not acting," he continued. "He’s truly annoyed with me. He’s like, 'Can this guy shut the f--k up?'" 11. Determined to maintain the old school aesthetic, Favreau told Rolling Stone he didn’t want to make the film “a big CGI extravaganza," only using the technology to add some snow. “I like motion-control, models, matte paintings,” he explained. “It feels timeless. And stop-motion is my favorite. There were a lot of challenges to do that stuff in stop-motion. I had to fight very hard not to do that stuff in CGI.” 12. While Ferrell does have several inches on 5-foot-8 Bob Newhart (a.k.a. Papa Elf), Favreau revealed they used “forced perspective” to make it appear as if the SNL alum was towering over everyone else at the North Pole. Building two sets, one larger than the other, meant “if you look closely, you can see the two sets meet because we didn’t use CG to paint over that or blur it," Favreau explained. "I wanted it to have the same flaws that it would have had [before CGI], to make the movie feel more timeless. It made for great souvenirs. I have a Louisville Slugger that’s four and a half feet long in my office, that the elves were building.” 13. They came this close to filming the Santa scene at Macy's. However, one of the stipulations was removing the scene where Buddy called out the department store Santa, played by comedian Artie Lange , as fake "because their Santa has to be real," Favreau explained to Rolling Stone . "We had to think long and hard about it." Eventually they ended up filming in the cafeteria of a Vancouver mental hospital. They named their store Gimbels as a nod to 1947's Miracle on 34th Street . 14. When Zooey Deschanel was cast as Buddy's love interest Jovie, the film's producers decided to inject a shot of warmth with her peformance of "Baby, It's Cold Outside." "I remember Jon Favreau telling me that they were catering it to whoever played the part," Deschanel told Entertainment Weekly in 2020. "One actress they were looking at was good at skateboarding. But I had a cabaret act at the time and I was performing a lot. They knew that I was a singer, so they put that in to be my special thing that he could discover I was good at." 15. Some of Buddy's most iconic lines—"You smell like beef and cheese!" and "You sit on a throne of lies!"—were improvised by Ferrell in the moment. 16. The big fight scene between Ferrell and Lange was filmed in one take because it took the art department weeks to decorate Gimbels. "We had one take to destroy it," Lange told ABC News, "So Favreau said, 'Just go nuts!'" 17. While most people know Favreau had a small role as the pediatrician who examines Buddy and confirms he's Walter's son, the director also had another part: He voiced the Narwhal who infamously said, "Bye Buddy, hope you find your dad!" 18. Ferrell turned down a reported $29 million paycheck to reprise the role of Buddy for a sequel, telling The Guardian in 2006 that it "wasn't difficult at all" to pass on the opportunity."I remember asking myself: could I withstand the criticism when it's bad and they say, 'He did the sequel for the money?'" he explained. "I decided I wouldn't be able to. I didn't want to wander into an area that could erase all the good work I've done—but you watch, I'll do some sequel in the future that's crap." 19. But Caan alleged it was tension between Ferrell and Favreau that possibly squashed any plans for a follow-up. "We were gonna do it, and I thought, 'Oh my God, I finally have a franchise movie. I can make some money, let my kids do what the hell they want to do,'" he said on 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. "The director and Will didn't get along very well. Will wanted to do it, and he didn't want the director. He had it in his contract. It was one of those things." 20. While a sequel won't be found in anyone's stockings, fans were gifted with a Broadway musical inspired by the film in 2010. The show ran through 2013 and traveled overseas to the West End in 2015.Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. Chad "Ochocino" Johnson missed just 10 games in his illustrious 11-year career, and now he's spilling his secrets. The six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver revealed on the "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast an odd way of keeping his ankles healthy. Johnson would soak his ankles in his teammates' warm urine. CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM Wide receiver Chad Johnson of the Cincinnati Bengals celebrates during a game against the Houston Texans at Paul Brown Stadium Nov. 9, 2003, in Cincinnati. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images) The podcast brought up a video of Johnson discussing the remedy from a podcast in 2016. "You know what I did for ankle sprains?" the former wide receiver said at the time. "I would collect warm urine from my teammates, heat it up and put my ankle in it for 30 minutes." "Yeah, that worked," he nonchalantly recalled to the podcast this week. Johnson would soak his ankles for 30 minutes. "There's a reason I never been injured — home remedies," he said, admitting there was no "science" behind it. I'm sitting here living proof." Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals hauls in a one-handed catch for a first quarter touchdown against the Cleveland Browns during a game at Cleveland Browns Stadium Oct. 4, 2009, in Cleveland. (Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) Johnson said his grandmother told him about the secret sauce, and, apparently, it was pretty easy to convince his teammates to help. "It's a good thing. This is how I was able to collect it all at one time, right? You got team meetings in the morning, right? Everybody. 'Hey y'all, boy, do me a favor, boy. My ankle kind of f---ed up, I need you to all y'all to drink water at one time. So, when we break meeting, if y'all pee it's a bucket in the bathroom.' Boom. Y'all all peeing that bucket for me." Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals during a game against the New York Jets at Metlife Stadium Nov. 25, 2010, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Benjamin Solomon/Getty Images) CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "Ochocinco" was a six-time Pro Bowler and had seven 1,000-yard seasons. He retired with 766 catches (41st all-time), 11,059 yards (38th) and 67 touchdowns (T-56th). The 46-year-old has been eligible for Canton since 2017 but has yet to receive the call. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X , and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter .

Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp. stock rises Monday, outperforms marketJOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — John Buggs III's 15 points helped East Tennessee State defeat Austin Peay 79-57 on Saturday night. Buggs shot 4 for 7 (3 for 5 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line for the Buccaneers (6-2). Jaden Seymour scored 13 points and added 11 rebounds. Quimari Peterson had 13 points and went 6 of 11 from the field. The Governors (4-4) were led in scoring by LJ Thomas, who finished with 15 points. Austin Peay also got 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals from Tate McCubbin. Tekao Carpenter also had eight points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Kaleb Johnson rushes 35 times for 164 yards in Iowa's 29-13 victory over Maryland

Grad assistant coach suits up to fill QB void, sets Southern Illinois record with 7 TD passes

Talk therapy and rehabilitation may improve long COVID symptoms, but effects are modestMatthew Jaeger kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired as Minnesota State Mankato scored 10 points in the final three minutes to rally for a 20-19 victory over Augustana on Saturday in Sioux Falls, S.D., in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The Mavericks had lost to NSIC rival Augustana three times in the past two seasons. It looked glum again Saturday as the Vikings took a 19-10 lead with 3 minutes, 11 seconds remaining on Jake Pecina’s fourth field goal of the game. Minnesota State started its next possession at its 12-yard line but drove 88 yards in seven plays, capped by Grant Guyett’s 33-yard TD catch from Hayden Ekern and Jaeger’s PAT to pull within 19-17 with 1:35 to play. The Mavericks’ Lorenzo Jones then recovered an onside kick near midfield. On third-and-4 from the Vikings 39-yard line, Ekern ran 16 yards for a first down at the Vikings 23 with 21 seconds to go. The Mavericks reached the 17-yard line before Jaeger’s final kick. Ekern passed for 175 yards and two TDs for the Mavericks, who lost to Augustana 34-16 on Oct. 26 in Mankato. Richard Agyekum and Joey Goettl each had interceptions which led to 10 points for the Mavericks. The Mavericks (9-3) will play at Colorado State Pueblo, which had a first-round bye, next week. Bemidji State 24, Angelo State 14: Connor Carver’s 59-yard TD run with just over two minutes remaining and Isaiah John’s interception with 51 seconds remaining helped the Beavers earn a first-round victory in San Angelo, Texas. The Beavers (9-3) will play the winner of Central Washington and Western Colorado in the second round. The Beavers led 17-7 early in the fourth quarter after a 47-yard field goal by Connor Mantelli, but the Rams (9-3) scored with six minutes remaining to pull with 17-14. Following Carver’s touchdown, the Rams drove to the Beavers’ 14-yard line, before Johnson’s interception in the end zone on third down. Carver finished with 114 rushing yards in eight carries. The Beavers, who were limited to 31 yards passing, rushed for 231 yards. Division III Bethel 31, Coe 26: The host Royals (9-2) withstood a fourth-quarter comeback by the Kohawks (9-2) and held on for a first-round victory. Bethel led 31-20 going into the fourth quarter before Coe scored with 61⁄2 minutes left to pull within 31-26. The Kohawks’ attempt for a two-point conversion failed. The Kohawks got the ball back with two minutes remaining, but they had to start from their own 3-yard line after a 37-yard punt by Will Eliason. They turned it over on downs with 1:35 to play. Aaron Ellingson’s three first-half touchdowns helped the Royals take a 21-20 halftime lead. Cooper Drews passed for 268 yards and a TD and ran for a TD and Ellingson rushed for 80 yards and two TDs and caught a TD pass for the Royals. Bethel (9-2) will play at Lake Forest (10-0), which had a first-round bye, in the second round. Wisconsin-La Crosse 59, Northwestern (St. Paul) 14: Kyle Haas passed for 257 yards and four touchdowns to lead the host Eagles to the first-round victory over the UMAC champions. Wisconsin-La Crosse (8-3) will play at top-seeded St. John’s, which had a first-round bye, next week. Haas four TD passes all came in the first half as the WIAC runner-up opened a 45-7 halftime lead. Caden Cantrell passed for 169 yards and a TD and Sivert Klefsaas rushed for 63 yards and a TD for Northwestern.