top646
2025-01-12
top646
Louis Moult insists Rangers are no bigger than Dundee Utd as he tells Tannadice teammates 'it's only a badge'Luke Kromenhoek throws 3 TD passes as Florida St. ends six-game skid vs. Charleston Southern
Middle East latest: Blast rocks Beirut moments after Biden announces Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire
Senate Democrats are flexing their outgoing majority, filling a mass of court vacancies with liberal judges before the Senate term ends on Dec. 20 —and before they lose their majority in January. “It’s far too important, and we’re not going to let anything stand in our way,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters on Tuesday. “Everyone should be prepared for another late night on Wednesday to vote on nominations and get as many judges done as possible.” And a late night it was, with the vote lasting to around midnight. Democrats succeeded in confirming two additional judges —one in Washington state and one in Washington, D.C. Since Donald Trump won the presidential election earlier this month, Senate Democrats have confirmed nine judges, many to lifetime appointments. Few, if any, Republicans have supported the nominees. Democrats have confirmed a new judge almost every weekday since Nov. 12. And now they’re guaranteed to vote on at least another 12. On Thursday, Politico reported that Democratic leaders had negotiated behind the scenes to give up four appellate judges in December in exchange for more than a dozen district judges. “The trade was four circuit nominees—all lacking the votes to get confirmed—for more than triple the number of additional judges moving forward,” a spokesperson for Schumer said. Lawmakers will take a weeklong recess the last week of November, then return with only three weeks until the 118th congressional session ends, where they’ll vote on seven judges once senators return after Thanksgiving. On Tuesday, Trump used his bully pulpit to tell Republicans to “Show Up and Hold the Line,” adding, "No more Judges confirmed before Inauguration Day!" Republicans have also reportedly been getting increasingly frustrated with Vice President-elect JD Vance and Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for secretary of state, sabotaging their efforts by not showing up to vote. Both are currently senators. White House officials quickly responded to Trump. "There is no excuse for choosing partisanship over enforcing the rule of law,” said White House spokesperson Andrew Bates, in response to Trump. "Regardless of party, the American people expect their leaders to fight for the rule of law and to ensure the criminal justice system can function effectively in every state," Bates added. "Delaying the confirmation of highly qualified, experienced judges takes a real-life toll on constituents and leads to backlogs of criminal cases—meaning Senator [John] Thune was correct in 2020 when he said senators have every urgent reason for Republicans and Democrats to continue working together in good faith to staff the federal bench." Bates is referring to the fact that when the tables were turned in 2020, after Joe Biden won, Trump had no issue with confirming judges during the transition period. In fact, during that lame-duck period, the GOP-led Senate confirmed dozens of nominees without missing a beat . “There is no time to waste,” said Democrat Dick Durbin, chair of the Judiciary Committee. “ The Senate must try to confirm every one of these highly qualified, diverse nominees before the sun sets on the 118th Congress. The American people deserve nothing less.” As the battle over judicial nominees unfolds, progressive groups are ready to support the confirmation push. Progressive political organization Demand Justice is preparing to stake out at Capitol Hill in the coming weeks. “Senate Democrats cannot give up and go home just because they lost the chamber,” Skye Perryman, a senior adviser to the progressive group Demand Justice, told the Associated Press . “It is even more critical now that good, qualified, fair-minded judges are confirmed so they can serve as a backstop and uphold the rights of ordinary people and protect our Constitution. ” Senate Democrats’ confirmation blitz should provide something of a judicial bulwark against Trump’s radical agenda and his Cabinet full of far-right, washed-up TV personalities .2 big winners reported at East Peoria casinoKNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a 56-0 victory over UTEP on Saturday. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn't caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. Tennessee's defensive line, which had no sacks in last week's loss to Georgia, had three against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. Tennessee's offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to Squirrel White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. UTEP was the dominant team in the first quarter. Tennessee managed just 37 offensive yards and, thanks to an interception near the end zone and a missed field goal by the Miners, both teams were scoreless after 15 minutes. POLL IMPLICATIONS Tennessee’s convincing victory, coupled with losses by Mississippi and Indiana, should put the Volunteers in a good position when the next College Football Playoff poll is released. The Vols were ranked No. 11 going into this week’s games. THE TAKEAWAY UTEP: The Miners will head into a very winnable game against New Mexico State having won two of their last five games. First-year coach Scotty Walden will try to build on that success in the offseason to help enhance his roster. Tennessee: Even a lopsided win won’t carry much weight where it means the most — in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Vols will have to rely on a convincing win against Vanderbilt next week, a team that has shown a lot of improvement this season, to help their standing for those coveted spots. UP NEXT UTEP: The Miners will finish their season at New Mexico State Saturday. Tennessee: The Vols will finish their regular season at Vanderbilt next Saturday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
LINCOLN — Republican Gov. Jim Pillen plans to toss his party’s right flank some red meat next year before addressing the harder politics of closing Nebraska’s projected $432 million budget shortfall. One reason could be the potential of Pillen facing Republican primary challengers in 2026. Those could include his top 2022 GOP primary opponent, Charles Herbster. Pillen denied “political” motivations for picking any of his top legislative priorities for the 2025 legislative session, which he announced last week and detailed in an interview Friday. But all four policies are likely to be popular with the GOP base that typically decides races for Nebraska governor. Echoing themes from his 2022 campaign and speeches around the state, he said his four goals for the session would benefit Nebraska’s “kids, taxes, agriculture and values.” “Those four words, there’s a lot of opportunity to make a difference along,” Pillen said of the upcoming session, set to start on Jan. 8. “That’s what guides ’25.” He outlined those goals in a Dec. 1 statement and clarified them during the pre-session sit-down. Some highlights: Missing from the priorities was closing the state’s projected $432 million budget gap, which was largely driven by Pillen’s previous tax-cut and tax-relief changes. Another contributing factor is more spending than the governor’s budget shows, an Examiner analysis indicates. Pillen highlights his first two years of spending increases as being fiscally conservative. He cites budget documents listing the increases at 3.9% in fiscal year 2023 and 1.9% in fiscal year 2024. But a review of two decades of state budgets shows Pillen’s team kept the spending figures lower than his predecessors’ budgets, partly by classifying some significant expenditures as budget transfers rather than direct spending. This affects the numbers because money that is moved between funds, such as moving it from the general fund or the rainy day fund to the state’s new Education Future Fund, is classified as a transfer and not as spending, even if the money is being moved to spend on a specific purpose. A key example is how Pillen’s administration lists a $1 billion investment in the Education Future Fund and follow-up investments in the fund as transfers. The fund is intended to cover special education costs and create a new baseline of K-12 public school aid, which Pillen has said would reduce some of the reliance on local property taxes. Pillen’s budget numbers show that the general fund in fiscal year 2023 increased from $5.15 billion to $5.35 billion. If he had included the $1 billion in Education Future Fund spending, the general fund budget would have jumped to $6.35 billion. If Pillen had classified the fund the same way other governors have done with similar investments, it would push the general fund annual spending increase to 23.5% in Pillen’s first year as governor. His combined two-year spending increase would be 22.5%, instead of the listed 5.9%. By contrast, spending increased a combined 8.9% in the first two years of Republican Gov. Pete Ricketts’ administration. Previous Gov. Dave Heineman, also a Republican, increased spending a combined 9.6% in his first two years, an Examiner analysis found. “The Education Future Fund is an investment in our kids,” Pillen said. “If somebody wants to call that spending, I don’t care. It doesn’t matter to me, but I believe in investing in our kids.” Pillen also signed income tax rate cuts into law in 2023 that were projected to reduce revenues by $3.3 billion from 2024-2029. He and State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha have called the cuts needed to compete better with neighboring states. Those cuts phased in a reduction of the top income tax rate from 6.84% to 3.99% by 2027 and lowered corporate taxes. The governor’s critics say those changes risk the structural balance of future budgets. Some have questioned whether the state can afford the school spending changes Pillen wants. On sports and spaces, the governor said he wants to see the next Legislature revisit the core of Legislative Bill 575, known as the Sports and Spaces Act, which fell to a filibuster in 2024. Pillen said Nebraskans are right to want to “protect their kids” and act on their “values.” He repeated his stance that he has no ill will toward transgender kids or adults. He said he thinks they should have the right to be who they want to be once they are old enough to understand the ramifications of their actions and mature enough to decide for themselves. But he wants specific legislation to protect women’s sports. His issue, he said, is having a student with male characteristics playing against girls or “showering with your daughter and granddaughter.” “That’s not going to happen if I can do anything about it,” he said. He said he has less of a problem with women competing against men, because there is no “competitive advantage.” He wants a new law to require separate locker rooms, though. “If there’s two young girls that are really good at wrestling and there’s not enough to have women’s wrestling, hey, it’s great to wrestle boys,” Pillen said. “That’s not a problem.” The Nebraska School Activities Association, which governs middle and high school sports, has had a policy addressing locker rooms and sports eligibility of trans student-athletes since 2016. In response to a question, Pillen said he didn’t have any concerns about a sports and spaces ban potentially impacting Nebraska’s longstanding relationship with the NCAA, which oversees college sports. The NCAA, which has specific guidelines for each sport to allow trans athletes to participate, signs contracts that let Omaha host the College World Series and NCAA tournament games, including volleyball and basketball. Pillen, who played defensive back for Nebraska football, said he does not think the organization would change where it holds one of its signature championships “over a state doing what’s right.” “All due respect, the NCAA has failed college athletics miserably for the last 20 years,” Pillen said. “Whatever their opinion is, from my seat it really doesn’t hold any water.” The author of LB 575, State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, said she appreciates that Pillen remains committed to protecting “opportunities, safety and privacy” for women and girls. “I am grateful he is willing to make this issue a priority,” she said. Kauth has not yet shared a new version of her proposal or said how or whether her approach might change to secure more legislative votes. She has said she wants a proposal to include collegiate athletics . Critics of the sports and spaces restrictions have said LB 575 and similar measures needlessly attack a tiny minority of children who are transgender and already at higher risk of self-harm. Advocates for LGBTQ kids have said the governor and supporters of similar policies in this and other states risk creating a public panic that leads to increases in bullying or worse. State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha, who helped filibuster the bill, said it was “embarrassing” but not surprising to see Pillen prioritize cultural issues instead of kitchen-table economics. “I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues in the Legislature to address the budget deficit, child care, affordable housing, and other priorities for our state,” Hunt said. Pillen said he understands the challenge of pushing for changes to the state aid formula for K-12 education because legislative support often comes down to the impact on schools in senators’ legislative districts. He said his focus remains reducing the property tax burden. He has been sharing tax rankings that he says hurt the state when he is trying to recruit new businesses and residents. He says lawmakers hear demands for change from their constituents. He repeated many of the arguments he made last year when pushing for broader property tax reform: including that the state leans too heavily on property taxpayers to pay for schooling. He said he still wants to broaden the sales tax base to ease the burden of property taxes. This year, he is focused on adapting sales taxes to the modern service economy. He said he expects pushback from people who don’t want to pay more for haircuts, massages and lawn care but said he would focus on taxing services people could do for themselves. “Most of us agree we have a property tax crisis, so how do we come up with the fairest way?” Pillen asked. “If all of us are unhappy, then that’s going to be pretty good policy.” He believes the state should fund the cost of operations — the costs of teachers, staff and classroom learning. He said local property taxpayers should fund the cost of school buildings, athletic facilities, and school grounds and maintenance. He said buildings and maintenance would represent about $650 million of the $3.1 billion in property taxes spent each year on K-12 education in Nebraska. “The school districts, the school boards, the communities, they decide what kind of buildings they want to have their kids in, and that stays on the property tax,” Pillen said. “If you want to build a Taj Mahal, good for you. Your people pay for it.” He said he wants to fund education and work with school district leaders to spend less money on things that don’t help educate kids — the middle managers, administrators and “checkers of the checkers” who distract teachers from teaching. Pillen says he is focused on finding government efficiencies. He says his team is working with school superintendents, the Legislature and the Nebraska Department of Education to reduce the number of costly state mandates on schools. Legislation meant to curb unfunded mandates has stalled for years in the Legislature. His goal is “decrease the administrative bloat“ and get more money back into classrooms. The next version of the state aid formula should build off the idea that it costs a certain amount to educate each child, he said. He says he is hearing from lawmakers and people in education about the need to make sure that any formula accounts for fast-growing districts and that rearranging aid per student will make that easier. Some school leaders have publicly supported the idea of shifting more school funding to the state. Others have questioned whether the state will be able to meet its K-12 commitments when the farm economy sours or when state receipts drop. “I think running state government is just like life,” Pillen said. “It’s priorities. Education’s a top priority. We’re always going to find the money there.” Pillen wants Nebraska to join Florida and Alabama in banning the sale of meat alternatives, or if sales of some products that cannot be stopped to no longer be labeled as meat, which he said was misleading. He called it “bioreactor meat.” He considers the proposal part of his years-long effort to fight against animal-rights activists and others who have tried to demonize production agriculture and animal agriculture, which is personal for him as an owner of a Columbus-based hog operation. He said he hears from dairy producers dealing with labeling like almond milk, which he calls “almond nut juice.” He said companies shouldn’t be able to confuse potential consumers about what they’re buying. He said he knows some Nebraskans might want to purchase lab-grown meat, but they “ain’t gonna buy it in Nebraska.” Lab meat defenders say they reduce greenhouse emissions, cut down on the use of antibiotics and reduce cruelty to animals. “Cattle is king,” Pillen said. “We can’t stand back and reactive. We need to be proactive. So our policies are going to be aggressive ... so we lead and create the dust, not eat the dust.” Pillen also wants to make 2024 the last time Democrats can win a “blue dot” in the Omaha area’s 2nd Congressional District from a Republican candidate. Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb has said Republicans would rather change the rules than continue to compete. Pillen says he wants to make Nebraska like 48 other states. Nebraska and Maine are the only states that award Electoral College votes to candidates for president by congressional district, in addition to giving two votes to the winner statewide. Pillen pressed the Legislature to make the change in time for the 2024 general election but fell short of votes when State Sen. Mike McDonnell, a former Democrat-turned-Republican, said he wouldn’t back it. He needed 33 votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster from senators in the Omaha area. One reason supporters like the current practice is seeing tens of millions of dollars being spent every four years on political ads and campaigns. Many of those senators also like the boost to Democratic voter turnout in the 1st and 2nd Districts. Nebraska Republicans have wanted to make the change for decades. Republicans outnumber Democrats in the state more than 2-to-1 by registration, though nonpartisan and third-party registrants make up about a fourth of the state’s registered voters. President-elect Donald Trump tried to persuade Nebraska senators to make the change earlier this year . Trump praised Pillen publicly for trying, but if Pillen can finish the job it could help him if he faces another run against Herbster, a multi-state businessman and top Trump donor whom Trump endorsed in 2022. Pillen on Friday said there are 33 Republicans in the officially nonpartisan Legislature and noted that McDonnell leaves office in January. “My belief is that it was a mistake 30 years ago (to stop using winner-take-all),” Pillen said. “If it was such a great policy ... we’d have a lot of other states that have the same policy.” He said he wants all states to play by the same rules when electing a president. He said he doesn’t believe the outside political money coming into Omaha is helpful. He does not see the change as a means of voter suppression and said people shouldn’t need the extra motivation of a competitive presidential race to choose to vote. “This is Nebraska,” he said. “This should be decided by Nebraskans, not lots of other people’s money. ... Democracy is way more important. Our values are way more important.”Movie theaters across the country are hoping to inspire audiences to dance through life — or at least through their lobbies and into their seats — when opens on big screens Friday. If you’re not entertained by the movie musical, they’ve got plans for fans as well. The two films — one a retelling of the famous story and the other a Roman Empire thirst trap — might not have a lot in common outside of their shared opening date of Nov. 22. But after 2023’s meets- social media phenomenon (that’s “Barbenheimer,” in case you forgot) — and combined $966 million domestic gross — movie theaters are looking to once again defy box-office gravity while having some heavily themed fun in the process. At Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations, audiences can buy tickets to its , which offer everything from themed props such as green-tinted glasses like the ones Elphaba wears to pink bubbles, Shiz University notebooks and broom pens. That’s in addition to themed custom food and beverage menu items and merch. Partygoers are even “encouraged to get up and dance or sing if you’d like,” something that’s not otherwise allowed in regular screenings, Alamo Drafthouse chief marketing officer Chaya Rosenthal told Yahoo Entertainment. The theater chain also hosts separate Emerald City soirees in bars before or after the film screenings so audiences can keep the party going “in a way that doesn’t disturb others during the moviegoing experience,” she said. “ was huge for us,” Rosenthal explained, “and it really set us on the track of, how can we do more fun, experiential merchandise that enhances the experience.” Other cinema chains, like B&B Theatres, are building experiences around both films, complete with themed backdrops and step and repeat banners for Instagrammable red carpet moments. For fans, the chain is rolling out pink and green carpets with employees dressing up as Glinda and Elphaba. Theaters will even be decked out in specialty lighting that shines pink and green for the themed film. B&B will also be selling helmet-covered popcorn buckets for the Paul Mescal-Pedro Pascal movie, along with themed drink specials like for . Don’t be surprised to find lobby attendants dressed up as Roman warriors and theaters using a lighting system to create “a creamy Colosseum look” for the Ridley Scott-directed film. Moviegoers are even encouraged to dress up — no masks or weapons are allowed, though. Once changed its opening date in July to coincide with the release, B&B Theatres president and chief content, programming and development officer Brock Bagby told Yahoo Entertainment, “we immediately went to work on how we can make this an event weekend, and how can we capitalize on these two films that typically have two different audiences.” Jordan Hohman, vice president of project development at Phoenix Theatres, echoed the sentiment. “In regards to the comparison to maybe ‘Glicked’ doesn’t roll off the tongue as well as ‘Barbenheimer’ does, but I think there’s a lot of similarities here. You’re looking at a mix of movies that have a lot of good counterprogramming,” he told Yahoo Entertainment. “We’ve always tried to eventize these movies in that way, whether it be inviting cosplayers to take pictures with customers or just encouraging people to really get into this,” he added. With serving as “the largest preshow film with advance tickets in the history of [Phoenix Theatres’] business,” according to the chain’s president, Cory Jacobson, Phoenix added themed concession items, including premium popcorn tins with LED lights. Calling this movie pairing “the perfect storm to bring everyone out,” Mike Bowers, president and CEO of Harkins Theatres, told Yahoo Entertainment that the chain has been “eventizing movies” since its founding in 1933 — and plans to continue with “Glicked.” “Whether it’s specialty cocktails or, of course, the famous popcorn vessels and lobby interactions and such for the guests,” he explained, “it’s beyond going to the movies and going home. They get an opportunity for an Instagram moment and something that’s shareable.” Those social media moments could even include photos with some of the costumes from at one of its locations. With so many films and TV shows available to stream at home, movie theaters are looking for that edge when it comes to bringing people to the cinema. While many people enjoy going to the theater for the experience, Rosenthal said others need that “extra nudge.” “Those FOMO moments are really helpful because you start seeing a lot of people you know at the theater enjoying these limited-edition items on the menu or merch or giveaway items,” she said, “and it really does help to reencourage people that it’s a must-see in a theater on the big screen.” Building community also plays a large role as audiences move further away from the pandemic and people . “We’re trying really hard to create these social spaces where you can linger longer and hang out and discuss that and have your pink drink cocktail as a nightcap or whatever it is,” Bagby said, referring to one of B&B Theatres’ themed drinks. Alamo aims to lean into that togetherness as well and hopes that fans of and can connect through the moviegoing experience. “We really embrace each of the communities we’re in and do custom events that bring people out and gather and socialize and find like-minded people,” Rosenthal said. “I absolutely think that people are in need of that and [have] a desire to be part of something bigger when they’re at the theater.”
ALTOONA, Pa. — The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare’s CEO struggled with deputies and shouted while being led into court Tuesday as new details emerged about his possible motivation behind the ambush. In his first public words since a five-day search ended with his arrest at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, Luigi Nicholas Mangione emerged from a patrol car shouting about an “insult to the intelligence of the American people” while deputies pushed him inside a courthouse. The 26-year-old Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland real estate family is fighting attempts to extradite him to New York so that he can face a murder charge in the Manhattan killing of Brian Thompson, who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company. Related Story: Mangione Carrying Handwritten Document Expressing Anger A law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said that at the time of his arrest, Mangione was carrying a handwritten document expressing anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed and power. He wrote that the U.S. has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin. In social media posts, Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski — who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology — a “political revolutionary,” according to the police bulletin. Mangione remained jailed in Pennsylvania, where he was initially charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors were beginning to take steps to bring Mangione to New York, but at a brief hearing Tuesday, defense lawyer Thomas Dickey said his client will not waive extradition and instead wants a hearing on the issue. Mangione was denied bail after prosecutors said he was too dangerous to be released. Related Story: He mostly stared straight ahead at the hearing, occasionally looking at papers, rocking in his chair or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion but was quieted by his lawyer. “You can’t rush to judgment in this case or any case,” Dickey said afterward. “He’s presumed innocent. Let’s not forget that.” Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles (about 370 kilometers) west of New York City, after a McDonald’s customer recognized him and notified an employee, authorities said. Images of Mangione released Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and beanie. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. Mangione Carrying Gun, Fake ID New York police officials have said Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Thompson and the same fake ID the shooter had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. A law enforcement official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said a three-page, handwritten document found with Mangione included a line in which he claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also said, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Thompson, 50, was killed last Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the shooter quickly fled the city, likely by bus. Related Story: Mangione was born into a life of country clubs and privilege. His grandfather was a self-made real estate developer and philanthropist. Valedictorian at his elite Baltimore prep school, he went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Maryland Del. Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” From January to June 2022, Luigi Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of touristy Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder R.J. Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago.
THREE KEY FACTS: For over a century, NZ had privileged access to the markets, resources and technologies of the British Empire. The Four Firsts with China gave NZ initially unique access to the world’s greatest rising economic power. While GDP per capita has often fallen during this century a wave of new immigrants has arrived. “Matthew,” sighed Speaker Gerry Brownlee in a pre-Christmas podcast, “you really do have to give up this dreadfully negative approach to everything in life.” For anyone connected with politics, it pays to listen to the Speaker. After all, the Speaker can theoretically still have you locked up for contempt.
Virgo Daily Horoscope Today, Dec 10, 2024 predicts positive attitudeStock market today: Wall Street rises with Nvidia as bitcoin bursts above $99,000Southwest Airlines Co. stock outperforms competitors despite losses on the day
The Giants announced four roster moves on Saturday, including activating OLB Kayvon Thibodeaux from injured reserve. In addition, New York signed QB Tim Boyle from their practice squad and officially waived QB Daniel Jones and LB Tomon Fox . Thibodeaux, 23, was selected fifth overall by the Giants in the 2022 draft. He’s in the third year of a four-year rookie deal worth $33.3 million that includes a $20 million signing bonus and is fully guaranteed. In 2024, Thibodeaux has appeared in five games for the Giants and recorded 12 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. This article first appeared on NFLTradeRumors.co and was syndicated with permission.Crisis, what crisis? Before this month’s international break, Arsenal ’s season felt like it was teetering on the edge - but this win over Sporting CP showed how they have found their groove. The Gunners produced arguably their best performance of the season to thump the Portuguese champions 5-1 in their own backyard. Only three weeks ago, Sporting had humbled Manchester City 4-1 on the same ground. This time, they were the ones on the end of a drubbing that will surely ignite Arsenal’s season. Sporting were poor, especially in the first half, but the Gunners were equally brilliant as for the first time since 2008 they scored five goals away from home in the Champions League . After months of injuries and suspensions, this felt like a night where Arsenal’s season truly turned. Before tonight, you had to go all the way back to December of last year to find the last time Arsenal had scored a goal on the road in Europe. Eddie Nketiah, now of Crystal Palace, was the scorer that day as the Gunners drew 1-1 in a dead rubber with PSV Eindhoven. Mikel Arteta had called on his side to be more “ruthless” in front of goal after failing to find the net in any of their last four away games in the Champions League - and his side emphatically answered that call. It took just seven minutes for Arsenal to open the scoring through Gabriel Martinelli and they did not take their foot off the gas. By half-time it was 3-0 - the last time the Gunners had managed that in a European away game was April 2021, when they beat Slavia Prague 4-1. The stadium in Prague then was empty due to the Covid-19 pandemic and you’d have been forgiven for thinking the same was the case in Lisbon, such was the way Arsenal silenced the home fans. By the time Leandro Trossard scored a fifth by heading home Mikel Merino's saved shot, fans were already well on their way to the exit. The news over the recent international break that Ben White would be out for months after knee surgery was a hammer blow for Arsenal. The right-back has been one of the Gunners’ most consistent performers in recent seasons, but Jurrien Timber is showing how he could thrive in his absence . The Dutchman impressed in last weekend’s win over Nottingham Forest, when he had a goal ruled out for offside, and he was excellent against Sporting. Timber set up Arsenal’s opening goal, playing a brilliant ball into the box that found the gap between Sporting’s defence and goalkeeper Franco Israel, enabling Martinelli to score. It was the start of a bright first half by Timber, who got forward whenever he could to support Bukayo Saka. The Dutchman has played on both flanks since joining Arsenal, but he will now get extended time at right-back and looks set to shine. Watching Sporting in the first half, you could not help but wonder if they had done any homework on Arsenal. Much of this performance was vintage Arsenal under Arteta, with Gabriel scoring their third before half-time by heading home from a Declan Rice corner. Another one for set-piece coach Nicolas Jover to add to his scrapbook. Before that, Arsenal’s second came after great play down the right. Thomas Partey clipped a delightful ball to Saka, who slid it across for Kai Havertz to tap home. It summed up the first half, which saw Arsenal’s right side purring. 65 per cent of their attacks came down that flank and it is no coincidence that it looks reborn since the return of Martin Odegaard. The Norwegian was sensational against Sporting, drifting out right and linking up with Saka to great effect. The pair even combined for Arsenal’s fourth goal, with Saka smashing home a penalty after Odegaard was hacked down by Ousmane Diomande.None
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Leighton Clarkson has insisted Stiliyan Petrov and the former Celtic stars who are writing Aberdeen off are wasting their breath. The Bulgarian is amongst a number of former Hoops players who have dismissed the Dons' title credentials - even though they are unbeaten in the league and sit joint top of the Premiership. Petrov came out earlier this weekend and claimed that the Dons are not a threat to his former side. Clarkson insisted that nobody within Jimmy Thelin ’s squad is even discussing possible title bids or even listening to any of the outside noise from those of a Celtic persuasion or elsewhere for that matter. The midfielder said: “You could see it as a compliment, it’s one of them. But at the same time we don’t think about any of that or listen, to be honest. We have to go to St Mirren and beat them because if we lose three on the bounce, those conversations wouldn’t be happening any more. So for us it’s a case of trying to stay consistent, pick up as many points as we can and further down the line we’ll see where we are.” Aberdeen have still to taste defeat in the league under Thelin although their unbeaten Premiership run goes back to the end of March last season. The former Liverpool youngster admitted Aberdeen is now a team who go into every game believing. He insisted: “Does it feel like we’ve been unbeaten for as long as we have? No, it doesn’t really. “After that last loss (at Dundee) there were a lot of harsh words spoken, we took it on board and the reality of it all kicked in. After that we kicked on, started showing what we are as footballers and have taken it on this season too. It’s mental thinking back to that. “This last six or seven months everyone is loving it. The confidence is high. In the past couple of seasons we’d have been going to St Mirren thinking ‘this is going to be a sticky game’ and it still is. “But we’re going into it knowing the way we want to play, knowing the squad we’ve got. We feel we’re going down there in full force.” Clarkson will be up against a familiar face in Killian Phillips. The Irishman had a loan spell at Pittodrie last season but has now signed for St Mirren. His former teammate insisted: “Killian is a great lad who everyone liked when he was here. “He’s a great player too, he’s got size and energy so it’s going to be a great battle. We still keep in touch a little bit, I spoke to him a couple of months ago and before that when he signed for St Mirren. “He came here on loan in January, which is always tough and played quite a few games. We all thought he did really well for us in what was a difficult time for the team. It will be nice to see him - but hopefully after the game when we’ve won!” Aberdeen also welcome back Dante Polvara for the first time under Thelin. The American midfielder is now over the hamstring tear he suffered in pre-season. He has made the trip to Paisley with the Dons squad, although Angus MacDonald and Pape Habib Gueye miss out through injury. Thelin said: “I can't remember exactly how many weeks he was in training before he got injured. “So, I didn't see him so much, but he started well in the training camp and also, his last part of last season, he did really well. So, it's good to have this quality. “He also has different characteristics than the other players. So, I think he's a good weapon for us to use in different positions on the pitch when we can.” Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football.Lindsay's Pregnancy Is Front and Center in 'Summer House' Season 9 Teaser
T he world is reeling from the chaos of disasters, pandemic, war, conflicts, political unrest, hunger, and deprivation, for the people and children who are trying to restart and rebuild their lives and communities. We pray for spiritual grace, healing, love, forgiveness, and lasting world peace. We count our blessings and release all negative vibes. Here’s my annual list of wishes for the children. They are future citizens, and they deserve to inherit a better world. 1. A home with loving parents who will guide and care for them. That all parents will lead by example and teach their kids good manners, family and spiritual values. That all children will be safe from domestic violence and abuse. 2. Good health. That all children, especially those in the rural areas and the marginalized communities, will have proper nourishment and medical and dental care in order to grow strong and healthy. That the essential vaccines to combat diseases will be available to all children in remote and devastated areas. 3. A pollution-free environment — clean air, pure drinking water, open fields, and parks with trees and flowers. That they may appreciate nature and learn how to protect the rivers, seas, lakes, and forests. 4. Quality education. That the public school system will be upgraded with dedicated teachers, more classrooms equipped with internet facilities, and books for students. That all kids will be given the opportunity to study and have the chance to excel. 5. Mental health care. That there will be enough psychologists and guidance counselors to help and protect adolescents with their issues such proper mental health care. Many children suffer from depression and anxiety. Some are desperate and take extreme risks. There should be a holistic psychospiritual treatment program to address this growing situation. 6. A comprehensive sports program for national and international competitions. That kids will learn the values of friendly competition, and the art of winning and losing gracefully. 7. A gender discrimination-free society that will encourage girls and boys to become leaders in school and later in their chosen professions. That they would have the resources from government and the private sector to fulfill their goals. 8. A progressive national arts and culture program and outreach projects to elevate and enhance the consciousness of children. 9. More education grants and financial stipends for good scholarships for deserving students. The appropriate work opportunities and support, both local and international, graduates. 10. Quality and balanced programming on television with more educational and entertaining shows. That producers will not exploit aspiring young performers. That there be proper protection for minors and performers who come out in shows. That all children and adolescents be protected. That social media content would be elevated to a higher level. 11. An accelerated science, math, and technology educational program to equip all future graduates with the necessary IT skills to compete in the international markets. 12. A stable economy. Jobs and livelihood opportunities for parents so that their children can go to and stay in school. Children should not be made to work in sweatshops or beg on the streets. Illegal child labor factories and armies are forbidden. 13. A country with visionary national and local leaders. An efficient, transparent government that is free from corruption. Integrity, compassion, and delicadeza (a sense of pride, honor, propriety, decorum, and/or decency) are some of the best qualities the officials should have. 14. A safe, crime-free, drug-free, abuse-free environment. That all kids be protected from the menace of incest, physical and emotional abuse, and the scourge of drugs. The internet is now being used by predators to exploit children and expose them to sexual abuse. 15. That children not be used as soldiers in areas of armed conflict. 16. Freedom of expression. That children have the right to be themselves. That adults realize that children need respect, and they are entitled to be heard. That there be open communication with parents and teachers or mentors. 17. Innocence. That they have a happy childhood and the chance to enjoy being a child. That they have time to play, study, rest, and heal. Above all, time to grow up at their own pace. A Happy, Prosperous and Healthy New Year to all! Maria Victoria Rufino is an artist, writer, and businesswoman. She is president and executive producer of Maverick Productions. mavrufino@gmail.com
California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites
Web Hosting Services Market to Grow by USD 124.2 Billion (2024-2028), Driven by E-Commerce Growth and AI-Driven Market Transformation - Technavio
FAI defends season ticket price hikes and highlights value for money and loyal fanbase
WASHINGTON (AP) — A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told the Associated Press. The move follows public criticism of the report from the U.S. ambassador to Israel. The rare public dispute drew accusations from prominent aid and human-rights figures that the work of the U.S.-funded Famine Early Warning System Network , meant to reflect the opinion of unbiased international experts, has been tainted by politics. A declaration of famine would be a great embarrassment for Israel, which has insisted that its 15-month war in Gaza is aimed against the Hamas militant group and not against its civilian population. U.S. ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew earlier this week called the warning by the internationally recognized group inaccurate and “irresponsible ." Lew and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the monitoring group, both said the findings failed to properly account for rapidly changing circumstances in north Gaza. Humanitarian and human rights officials expressed fear of U.S. political interference in the world's monitoring system for famines. The U.S. Embassy in Israel and the State Department declined comment. FEWS officials did not respond to questions. “We work day and night with the U.N. and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew said Tuesday. USAID confirmed to the AP that it had asked the famine-monitoring organization to withdraw its stepped-up warning issued in a report dated Monday. The report did not appear among the top updates on the group's website Thursday, but the link to it remained active . The dispute points in part to the difficulty of assessing the extent of starvation in largely isolated northern Gaza. Thousands in recent weeks have fled an intensified Israeli military crackdown that aid groups say has allowed delivery of only a dozen trucks of food and water since roughly October. FEWS Net said in its withdrawn report that unless Israel changes its policy, it expects the number of people dying of starvation and related ailments in north Gaza to reach between two and 15 per day sometime between January and March. The internationally recognized mortality threshold for famine is two or more deaths a day per 10,000 people. FEWS was created by the U.S. development agency in the 1980s and is still funded by it. But it is intended to provide independent, neutral and data-driven assessments of hunger crises, including in war zones. Its findings help guide decisions on aid by the U.S. and other governments and agencies around the world. A spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, Oren Marmorstein, welcomed the U.S. ambassador's public challenge of the famine warning. “FEWS NET - Stop spreading these lies!” Marmorstein said on X . In challenging the findings publicly, the U.S. ambassador "leveraged his political power to undermine the work of this expert agency,” said Scott Paul, a senior manager at the Oxfam America humanitarian nonprofit. Paul stressed that he was not weighing in on the accuracy of the data or methodology of the report. “The whole point of creating FEWS is to have a group of experts make assessments about imminent famine that are untainted by political considerations,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch and now a visiting professor in international affairs at Princeton University . “It sure looks like USAID is allowing political considerations -- the Biden administration’s worry about funding Israel’s starvation strategy -- to interfere." Israel says it has been operating in recent months against Hamas militants still active in northern Gaza. It says the vast majority of the area’s residents have fled and relocated to Gaza City, where most aid destined for the north is delivered. But some critics, including a former defense minister, have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Gaza’s far north, near the Israeli border. North Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its war with Hamas militants. Global famine monitors and U.N. and U.S. officials have warned repeatedly of the imminent risk of malnutrition and deaths from starvation hitting famine levels. International officials say Israel last summer increased the amount of aid it was admitting there, under U.S. pressure. The U.S. and U.N. have said Gaza’s people as a whole need between 350 and 500 trucks a day of food and other vital needs. But the U.N. and aid groups say Israel recently has again blocked almost all aid to that part of Gaza. Cindy McCain , the American head of the U.N. World Food Program, previously called for political pressure to get food flowing to Palestinians there. Israel says it places no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and that hundreds of truckloads of goods are piled up at Gaza’s crossings and accused international aid agencies of failing to deliver the supplies. The U.N. and other aid groups say ongoing combat, looting and insufficient security by Israeli troops make it impossible to deliver aid effectively. Lew, the U.S. ambassador, said the famine warning was based on “outdated and inaccurate” data. He pointed to uncertainty over how many of the 65,000-75,000 people remaining in northern Gaza had fled in recent weeks, saying that skewed the findings. FEWS said in its report that its famine assessment holds even if as few as 10,000 people remain. USAID in its statement to AP said it had reviewed the report before it became public, and noted “discrepancies” in population estimates and some other data. The U.S. agency had asked the famine warning group to address those uncertainties and be clear in its final report to reflect how those uncertainties affected its predictions of famine, it said. “This was relayed before Ambassador Lew’s statement,” USAID said in a statement. “FEWS NET did not resolve any of these concerns and published in spite of these technical comments and a request for substantive engagement before publication. As such, USAID asked to retract the report.” Roth criticized the U.S. challenge of the report in light of the gravity of the crisis there. “This quibbling over the number of people desperate for food seems a politicized diversion from the fact that the Israeli government is blocking virtually all food from getting in,” he said, adding that “the Biden administration seems to be closing its eyes to that reality, but putting its head in the sand won’t feed anyone.” The U.S., Israel’s main backer, provided a record amount of military support in the first year of the war. At the same time, the Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to allow more access to aid deliveries in Gaza overall, and warned that failing to do so could trigger U.S. restrictions on military support. The administration recently said Israel was making improvements and declined to carry out its threat of restrictions. Military support for Israel’s war in Gaza is politically charged in the U.S., with Republicans and some Democrats staunchly opposed any effort to limit U.S. support over the suffering of Palestinian civilians trapped in the conflict. The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections. ___ Sam Mednick and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Ellen Knickmeyer, The Associated Press
Initial reaction from U’s boss after defeat to Blades - Oxford MailComing EV models include small hatchbacks, pickups, sports cars, and minivans. They come from brands like Audi, Cadillac, Lucid, Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, Tesla, and Volkswagen. This article is part of " Getting Ready for Electric ," a series of guides and practical advice for buying your next EV. Advertisement A large number of exciting EVs are headed to market soon. Several automakers have modified their electrification strategies in recent months, replacing some of their prior electric-vehicle concepts with a focus on internal-combustion-engine and hybrid models. Advertisement Even with this strategic change, you can expect to see a lot of EV options in the coming years. Here's a collection of cool EVs — including small hatchbacks, pickups, sports cars, and minivans — that we can't wait to drive.
Flick reveals what he told Yamal after Barca’s ‘wonderful’ Brest winInclusive governance essential for national unity, says Minister Gurung
Related hot word search:
Previous:
Next: #top646