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'She adored Harry' Robert Hardman sheds light on The Queen's 'special relationship' with grandson  GB News

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'She adored Harry' Robert Hardman sheds light on The Queen's 'special relationship' with grandson - GB News

From Comcast SportsNet LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Dustin Brown practically snatched the Stanley Cup away from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, skating directly to center ice and thrusting it skyward.Forgive his haste. The Los Angeles Kings' captain had only been waiting his whole life for this moment. The Kings' long-suffering fans had been waiting nearly 45 years for somebody to lift that 36-pound silver trophy and remove the burden on a franchise that had never won an NHL title.Brown, MVP goalie Jonathan Quick and the late-blooming Kings never flinched under all that weight. After an unbelievable postseason run that ended in a triumphant flurry of blood, sweat and power-play goals in Game 6, they're all champions.Jeff Carter and Trevor Lewis scored two goals apiece, Quick finished his Conn Smythe Trophy-winning performance with 17 saves, and the Kings beat the New Jersey Devils 6-1 Monday night, becoming the first eighth-seeded playoff team to win the Stanley Cup finals.When Lewis scored into Martin Brodeur's empty net with 3:45 to play, the Kings' decades of tension and frustration finally turned into raw anticipation. After 45 years of existence, one tumultuous regular season and two missed chances to clinch the Cup, the Kings knew they were about to be champions for the first time.Even the sober, serious Quick got happy."You get that four-goal lead, you know, it's hard for it not to creep into your head a little bit," he said. "That's when you take a big, deep breath, relax a little bit, and know it's going to happen."The Kings can exhale. They're reigning over the NHL for the first time.Brown had a goal and two assists for Los Angeles, which ended its spectacular 16-4 postseason run in front of a crowd including several dozen Kings faithful who have been at rinkside since the team's birth in the Second Six expansion in 1967."Every single guy worked so hard for us this season," said defenseman Drew Doughty, who began the year as a contract holdout and finished with six points in the finals, including two assists in the clincher. "Everyone deserves this. We got used to each other, we developed a chemistry, and we just went sailing from there."After taking a 3-0 series lead and then losing two potential clinching games last week, the Kings finished ferociously at Staples Center just when the sixth-seeded Devils appeared capable of matching the biggest comeback in finals history.One penalty abruptly changed the tone of the series. Brown, Carter and Lewis scored during a five-minute power play in the first period after Steve Bernier was ejected for boarding Rob Scuderi, leaving the veteran defenseman in a pool of blood. Quick took it from there, finishing a star-making two months by allowing just seven goals in six finals games."You never know. You get to the dance, you never know what's going to happen," Brown said. "We calmed down after losing two. It was the first time we had done that all playoffs, and we finally got off to a good start."Rookie Adam Henrique ended Quick's shutout bid late in the second period after the Kings had built a 4-0 lead, but Lewis and Matt Greene added late goals. Brodeur stopped 19 shots for the Eastern Conference champion Devils, just the third team to force a Game 6 in the finals after falling into an 0-3 hole."It's disappointing, but it's been a great season for the Devils," the 40-year-old Brodeur said. "We came a long way to challenge for the Stanley Cup from not making the playoffs last year. There's only one team that can win. It's not us this time, but we're proud of what we've done."The Kings steamrolled everyone in their path after barely making the playoffs, eliminating the top three seeds in the Western Conference in overwhelming fashion as they matched the second-fastest run to a title in modern NHL history. Although the Devils gave them a little trouble, the Kings boasted a talented, balanced roster that peaked at the absolute perfect time under midseason coaching hire Darryl Sutter.Quick is the third American-born Conn Smythe winner, adding one more dominant game to a run in which he set NHL records for save percentage (.946) and goals-against average (1.41) among goalies who played at least 15 postseason games.Brown, just the second American-born captain to raise the Cup after Dallas' Derian Hatcher, capped his own impressive playoff work by finishing with 20 points, tied for the postseason scoring lead with linemate Anze Kopitar. And don't forget: Brown accomplished what even Wayne Gretzky couldn't do in eight years in Los Angeles by lifting the Cup.Brown handed off the trophy to Willie Mitchell, the 35-year-old defenseman who had never won a title. Mitchell gave it to long-injured and recently returned forward Simon Gagne, who nearly tripped before raising the Cup for the first time.Sutter, the stone-faced Alberta farmer from a family of hockey-playing brothers, smiled like a kid at his first chance to lift the prize. Later, Brown and Justin Williams sat their crying children in the Cup, and Kopitar -- the first Slovenian NHL champion -- raised it while wearing a gold crown on his head.After going on a 12-2 tear to the Western Conference title, the Kings won the first two games of the finals in overtime by identical 2-1 scores in New Jersey. Los Angeles then flattened the Devils 4-0 in Game 3, but missed its first chance to clinch on home ice in New Jersey's 3-1 win in Game 4.The Devils then beat Los Angeles 2-1 in Game 5, earning another cross-country trip after becoming the first team since 1945 to win twice after falling behind 0-3 in the finals.The Kings were the West's bottom seed after failing to clinch a playoff berth until right before their 81st game, but only because they underachieved for much of the season, spending most of it as the NHL's lowest-scoring team. The talent coalesced under Sutter, who replaced the fired Terry Murray shortly before Christmas and turned Los Angeles into a competent offensive club by late February.Five years after the Anaheim Ducks won California's first Stanley Cup, the Golden State's oldest team raised the second. The Kings also are the first team to win the Cup at home since those Ducks, and their fans appreciated the Hollywood touch.Despite coming off their first back-to-back losses of the playoffs, the Kings started with impressive energy in Game 6, getting most of the good early scoring chances -- and then they got the break they needed when Bernier pushed Scuderi headfirst into the boards behind Quick's net. Scuderi stayed motionless for quite a while, eventually heading to the dressing room after leaving plenty of blood from his lacerated nose.Bernier, a 27-year-old journeyman and depth forward with two goals in 24 playoff games this season, went to the locker room. The Devils complained Jarret Stoll received no penalty for checking Stephen Gionta into the boards between the benches a moment earlier."I wish I could take that play back," Bernier said. "I didn't want to hurt my team. I wanted to help them. This is extremely hard. It's been a long playoff run for us. To finish on that note, it's not fun for sure. But there's nothing I can do now."Brown scored 53 seconds into the power play, slickly redirecting Doughty's low pass in front for his first goal since the Western Conference finals opener. Carter then deflected home his seventh goal of the postseason after Brown walked the puck out of the corner and fired a shot at Brodeur's glove side while skating away from the net.With the Los Angeles crowd on its feet, the Kings added another as rookie Dwight King ferociously drove the net and left a rebound for Lewis, who tucked it home for his first goal in 18 games. Staples Center was deafening for the rest of the first period, and Los Angeles went up 4-0 just 90 seconds into the second when Brown found Carter unchecked in the slot for a one-timer."It's pretty awesome," Sutter said. "It's the feeling of seeing them so happy, the work that you go through. The first thing you think about as a coach -- these guys are all young enough, they've got to try it again."NOTES: Linemates Brown and Kopitar finished tied for the NHL postseason scoring lead with 20 points in 20 games, and fellow first-liner Williams had 11 points in the final 14 games, finishing with 15 points. ... New Jersey LW Ilya Kovalchuk, who spurned the Kings' advances two years ago to sign with the Devils, managed just one empty-net goal in six finals games. Captain Zach Parise scored his only finals point on a Game 5 goal off a misplay by Quick. ... My Chemical Romance attended the game. Their song, "Welcome to the Black Parade," has become the black-jerseyed Kings' unofficial anthem after its incorporation into a clever pregame video featuring photos of several Kings as kids.

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Cam Newton sheds light on Justin Fields' late hits with eye-opening, personal anecdote - NBC Sports Chicago

Research sheds new light on moon rock formation solving major puzzle in lunar geology  Phys.org

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Research sheds new light on moon rock formation solving major puzzle in lunar geology - Phys.org

Chinese geologists have unearthed a groundbreaking new mineral in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, boasting a never-before-seen composition of heavy rare-earth elements.

It's the world's first discovery of such a mineral, offering valuable insights into the formation and abundance of these crucial elements in Bayan Obo, a major rare-earth depository.

Professor Li Guowu from the China University of Geosciences Beijing announced the discovery during a recent seminar, noting that the International Mineralogical Association has confirmed its status as a new mineral and approved its naming.

The project, led by Chinese Academy of Sciences academician Li Xianhua, aims to map the extent and formation history of rare-earth element mineral reserves within Bayan Obo.

The newly discovered mineral, a novel flurocarbonate composed of heavy rare-earth elements like yttrium, dysprosium and gadolinium, lies deep within the rock core of the deposit. The team did not disclose the estimated abundance of the mineral.

"This is a groundbreaking discovery," Li Xianhua told the seminar.

"It sheds light on the distribution and abundance of heavy rare-earth elements in Bayan Obo, providing significant clues about the mine's formation and how these elements are concentrated."

Bayan Obo, near Baotou in Inner Mongolia, has been a mining area for decades, primarily known for its iron ore.

However, advancements in technology have led to the continual discovery of new minerals within the deposit. Since 1959, a staggering 18 new minerals have been identified there, constituting roughly 10 percent of all new mineral discoveries in China.

In recent years, growing demand for rare-earth elements in cutting-edge electronics and new materials has spurred renewed interest in Bayan Obo's previously neglected or discarded rare-earth element minerals.

Efforts are underway to curb unsustainable and low-quality exploitation of this strategically vital resource.

The Baotou government reports that Bayan Obo covers 48 square kilometers and boasts proven rare-earth element reserves accounting for 80 percent of China's total and 38 percent of the world's total.

Baotou is also developing industrial zones to process these minerals locally, minimizing transportation and promoting efficient separation and smelting processes.

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Novel mineral sheds light on rare-earth formation - China Daily

Tangoe's Analysis Sheds Light on Taming Cloud Costs in 2024 - Techiexpert.com  TechiExpert.com

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Tangoe's Analysis Sheds Light on Taming Cloud Costs in 2024 - Techiexpert.com - TechiExpert.com

Controversial F-Factor diet creator sheds uptown condo for $24 million  Crain's New York Business

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Controversial F-Factor diet creator sheds uptown condo for $24 million - Crain's New York Business

Aryna Sabalenka Sheds Light on New Superstitious 'Routine' with Her Physiotherapist -'Anything for the Win'  EssentiallySports

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Aryna Sabalenka Sheds Light on New Superstitious 'Routine' with Her Physiotherapist -'Anything for the Win' - EssentiallySports

Tesla saw its market valuation shed $94 billion over the first two weeks of 2024, marking one of the sharpest share price drops in the electric vehicle companys history.

The number represents 12% of the companys valuation at the start of the month and is only surpassed by a 14% decline seen in January 2016. The surprise shift comes after a relatively successful year, which saw the brand claw back most of its valuation from a pandemic-era collapse, set new sales records, and retain its market share in an increasingly competitive sector. However, 2023 was not without its own controversies and concerns. The EV segment has experienced stagnating demand for the last 12 months due to issues with high car prices, limited driving ranges, and inadequate charging infrastructure. To prevent a sales cooldown, Tesla introduced frequent, previously rare discounts across its entire lineup over the year, causing some vehicles to lose more than 20% of their original value.

These price cuts were so significant that they affected average prices across the entire electrified segment, even as other manufacturers declined to lower MSRPs in response. While this strategy did allow the EV brand to generate impressive sales numbers, its profit margins suffered considerably as a result, shrinking from 27.9% to 16.3% by the third quarter of 2023 in the course of only a year. Faced with declining profitability and a weakening market, it is little surprise investors have started to respond.

Further complicating matters is the companys annual delivery statistics released earlier this month, which revealed it had lost to Chinese EV manufacturer BYD. The overseas automaker produces both battery-powered and hybrid models; excluding the latter, BYD came in a close second to Tesla regarding production and sales. However, 2023 was the second consecutive year the China-based automaker surpassed its American rival in overall sales.

Although their impact is less quantifiable than the companys discounting strategies and difficulties overseas, intensifying negative press focused on Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, has also taken its toll on investor confidence. Late last year, a Reuters investigation alleged the brand ignored evidence of defective components and charged customers thousands of dollars for repairs that should have been covered by warranty, sparking regulator probes in Scandinavia. More recently, a Wall Street Journal piece claimed Tesla and SpaceX leaders have become distraught over Musks alleged drug use, leading to an indignant denial from the tech executive on his social media platform, X. These stories, and many others, have weakened faith in the automaker and its leadership. Tesla does not operate a public relations department, leaving the task of setting the narrative and defending the brand almost entirely up to Musk.

Ultimately, Tesla remains the dominant EV player, not only in the U.S. but across the globe. However, its mounting challenges, both external and internal, have become increasingly apparent, causing many shareholders to dial back expectations. In the coming months, the company will need to answer questions regarding its future in a way that placates investors but sets realistic expectations, something the brand has a history of neglecting.

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Tesla market valuation sheds $94 billion in first weeks of 2024 - CBT Automotive News

'He Didn't Have the Courage' - Novak Djokovic Sheds Light on Ill-Tempered Interaction With Heckler at Australian Open  EssentiallySports

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'He Didn't Have the Courage' - Novak Djokovic Sheds Light on Ill-Tempered Interaction With Heckler at Australian Open - EssentiallySports

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a late scratch for the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of their Central Division showdown against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. The former back-to-back MVP has been dealing with a shoulder injury of late, which also had him questionable to play on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings.

Giannis played through the injury on Sunday, though, but unfortunately for the Bucks, this wont be the case on Wednesday against Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs.

The official injury diagnosis for Antetokounmpo is a right shoulder contusion. It seemed like he had already gotten over the knock when he played through it on Sunday. He even produced another triple-double in their win over Sacramento and it didnt look like his shoulder was bothering him.

It is worth noting that Giannis was not listed on the initial injury report either, with the Bucks making a sudden decision less than two hours before tip-off on Wednesday night.

Speaking to the press ahead of the Cavs game, Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin explained how the team came to their decision to give Giannis the night off. Apparently, it was Antetokounmpo himself who opted to sit this one out:

Well, from what Ive been told, he went through shootaround and then prior to the game tonight, he just felt that he couldnt go, Griffin said, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. So, were just being smart. And I dont believe its going to be multiple games. Itll just be day-to-day for now.

Giannis has only missed one game this season and he has been vocal about playing through injuries of late. The fact that Antetokounmpo himself decided not to play on Wednesday night could be a cause for concern.

This doesnt seem like a long-term injury for the seven-time All-Star but its possible that this costs him another game or two.

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Milwaukee Bucks' Adrian Griffin Sheds Light On Giannis Antetokounmpo's Sudden Injury Absence Vs. Cavs - Wisconsin Sports Heroics