game 1 results Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:GPN) Shares Sold by Empowered Funds LLCThe International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Microsoft have launched a pioneering collaboration to combat climate-induced displacement, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven solutions. This partnership, supported by Microsoft’s AI for Good Lab, aims to provide actionable insights to mitigate the impacts of climate change on migration and bolster resilience in vulnerable communities. Pilot projects have already begun in the Maldives, Ethiopia, and Libya, marking a significant step in addressing the growing challenges posed by climate-related migration. Climate change is becoming an increasingly powerful driver of displacement, with 26.4 million internal displacements recorded in 2023. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), by the end of 2024, 7.7 million people are expected to be internally displaced due to disasters, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive data on climate-induced migration. Amy Pope, IOM Director General, emphasized the importance of proactive strategies in the face of this crisis. “We can no longer simply react to climate change,” she said. “This collaboration with Microsoft empowers IOM with data and insights that enable us to proactively address the impact of climate change on migration so we can better protect vulnerable communities.” The collaboration combines advanced AI tools with local expertise to assess the risks posed by climate change in various regions. In Ethiopia, AI-driven data analysis identified that 700,000 people and 1.5% of the country’s croplands are at risk of flooding. These findings are helping IOM plan more targeted interventions to assist displaced populations and reduce the risk of future displacement. In Libya, the partnership has focused on the impact of extreme heat on migration routes, with projections suggesting that 72% of the country’s migration pathways could face dangerous heat levels under a 2°C global warming scenario, raising health risks for migrants. In the Maldives, where rising sea levels threaten displacement, projections indicate that by 2050, about 9,000 people could be displaced, with some islands facing over 70% of their populations at risk. The research highlights five islands that are likely to remain safe, providing critical insights for adaptation and migration policies in partnership with the Maldivian government. The results of these projects will be showcased through the Climate Action Portal, an interactive platform designed to share key insights on climate change and migration. The portal will present dynamic data visualizations and maps to empower policymakers and humanitarian organizations with the information needed to respond effectively to climate-induced displacement. This initiative is part of a broader strategic partnership between IOM and Microsoft Philanthropies aimed at leveraging technology and data to save lives, improve decision-making, and create sustainable pathways for migrants. Through this collaboration, IOM and Microsoft are setting a new standard in identifying vulnerable populations, predicting displacement hotspots, and equipping stakeholders with the tools necessary to mitigate risks and support affected communities.

Spanish Standings

Hello Kitty is famously the height of just five apples. But these days, the more striking statistic is that she’s worth more than ¥1 trillion — or $6.5 billion. Stock in Japan’s Sanrio Co. hit that milestone for the first time recently, just weeks before the company’s feline star turned 50. Kitty White was born on Nov. 1, 1974, when she first appeared on a vinyl coin purse that quickly helped her became a national sensation in Japan. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.Thursday’s College of the Redwoods’ men’s basketball game was canceled following Thursday morning’s 7.0 earthquake west of Ferndale. The tournament is now set to begin on Friday and run through Sunday but those plans are still being finalized. “It has not been officially confirmed yet,” Corsairs’ head coach Ryan Bisio said. “The buildings all have to be inspected and assessed for damages. They were in the process of doing that while we were still on campus but with the power out, it was hard to assess the buildings. Now with the power back on, I’m assuming that that protocol is underway right now.” CR was set to begin the annual Coach Tregs Classic tournament on Thursday, with the Corsairs facing Mendocino College for the third time this season and second time in a row, with CR winning each matchup. The format will remain the same with the only difference being that each game will be pushed back one day. “The entire tournament just moved one day. Same game times, same everything,” Bisio said. “That outcome is still viable as long as we get the OK from the decision-makers in the institution.” The earthquake will delay CR until Friday from continuing their 7-1 start to the season. If all goes according to plan with no setbacks, the Corsairs will face Mendocino at 7 p.m. Friday, Southwestern Oregon on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Simpson University’s JV team on Sunday at 3 p.m. “I do know that assessing the buildings and inspecting it for any sort of damage is a high priority and obviously we want to be in a safe building to play these games,” Bisio said.

On Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here . Saquon Barkley has become the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL. There’s no better home run hitter playing football right now. Barkley had touchdown runs of 72 and 70 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles in a 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. He now has five runs of 50-plus yards this season and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105 yards set in 1984. Barkley’s historic performance against the Rams — his 255 yards set a team record — captivated a national audience and turned him into a fan favorite for the AP NFL MVP award. He’s not the betting favorite, however. Josh Allen has the best odds at plus-150, according to Bet MGM Sportsbook. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson is next at plus-250 followed by Barkley at plus-400. Running backs have won the award 18 times, including three-time winner Jim Brown, who was the AP’s first NFL MVP in 1957. Quarterbacks have dominated the award, winning it 45 times. Only three players who weren’t QBs or RBs have been MVP. It takes a special season for a non-QB to win it mainly because the offense goes through the signal caller. Quarterbacks handle the ball every offensive snap, run the show and get the credit when things go well and the blame when it doesn’t. Adrian Peterson was the most recent non-QB to win it when he ran for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. Playing for a winning team matters, too. Nine of the past 11 winners played for a No. 1 seed with the other two winners on a No. 2 seed. The Vikings earned the sixth seed when Pederson was MVP. Barkley is a major reason why the Eagles (9-2) are leading the NFC East and only trail Detroit (10-1) by one game for the top spot in the conference. Does he have a realistic chance to win the MVP award? Kicker Mark Moseley was the MVP in the strike-shortened 1982 season when he made 20 of 21 field goals and 16 of 19 extra points in nine games for Washington. If voters once selected a kicker, everyone has a chance, especially a game-changer such as Barkley. Defensive tackle Alan Page was the MVP in 1971 and linebacker Lawrence Taylor won it in 1986. Running back Christian McCaffrey finished third in voting last year and wide receiver Justin Jefferson placed fifth in 2022. The Offensive Player of the Year award and Defensive Player of the Year award recognize the best all-around players on both sides of the ball, allowing voters to recognize non-QBs if they choose. Wide receivers and running backs have won the AP OPOY award seven times over the past 11 seasons. McCaffrey was the 2023 winner. The AP’s new voting format introduced in 2022 also gives non-QBs a better opportunity to get MVP recognition. Voter submit their top five picks for each award, with a weighted point system. Previously, voters made one choice for each award. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league vote for MVP and seven other awards. The awards are based on regular-season performance. The Chiefs (10-1) and Bills (9-2) already are in position to lock up postseason berths right after Thanksgiving. Kansas City clinches a playoff berth with a win over Las Vegas on Black Friday and a loss by Miami on Thursday night, or a win plus a loss by Denver on Monday night. Buffalo can wrap up a fifth straight AFC East title with a victory over San Francisco on Sunday and a loss by the Dolphins. It’s not a given that the Dallas Cowboys will be looking for a new head coach after this season. Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on local radio that Mike McCarthy could end up getting a contract extension. “I don’t think that’s crazy at all. This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there and done that. He has great ideas. We got a lot of football left,” Jones said. McCarthy led the Cowboys (4-7) to three straight 12-win seasons, but they went 1-3 in the playoffs and haven’t reached the NFC championship game since winning the Super Bowl 29 years ago. Injuries have contributed to the team’s struggles this season, but Dallas was just 3-5 before Dak Prescott was lost for the rest of the season. The Cowboys upset Washington last week and their next four games are against teams that currently have losing records. If they somehow end up 9-8 or even 8-9, Jones could make a case for keeping McCarthy. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC Makes New Investment in PotlatchDeltic Co. (NASDAQ:PCH)Chris Cenac Jr., the top center in the Class of 2025 according to the ESPN100, has committed to play for the Houston Cougars. The five-star recruit announced his decision Tuesday via the Bleacher Report's B/R App. Cenac previously said he wouldn't make his decision until the spring, but his stock soared over the summer after his impressive play on the Puma Pro 16 circuit with Dallas-based YGC, vaulting him into the national top-10 rankings. The 6-foot-10 New Orleans native was reportedly choosing between LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Baylor, Kentucky, Tennessee and others before making the decision to join Cougars coach Kelvin Sampson's team. "I just like the coaching staff a lot, I like their plan to develop me and I like coming into a winning program," Cenac told 247Sports. "I'm looking forward to producing and just helping them win more. But the main thing was development and them being able to get me better so I can be ready for that next level." Cenac's rating of .9978 by 247Sports Composite makes him the Cougars' highest-rated commit in the modern era, according to multiple outlets. "They see me as a four who can kind of play all over the court and do everything," Cenac told 247Sports. "I can get rebounds, push the ball, shoot and play all over the floor." With Cenac joining other Houston commits like five-star shooting guard Isaiah Harwell, four-star point guard Kingston Flemings and three-star wing Bryce Jackson, Houston's Class of 2025 is ranked No. 2 in the nation by 247Sports and ESPN. --Field Level MediaThe Latest: Police search for man who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO, new photos of suspect released

MCA urges members to take ownership in rebuilding the partyCystatin C Assay Market Future Scope, Opportunities, Business Growth, Size, Share, Segmentation, Dynamics and Forecast to 2028 12-17-2024 12:02 AM CET | Health & Medicine Press release from: ABNewswire Cystatin C Assay Market by Product (Analyzers, Kits, Reagents), Method (ELISA, PETIA, IFA, CLIA, PENIA), Application (Diagnostics, Research), Sample Type (Blood, Urine), End User (Hospitals, Clinical Laboratories) & Region - Global Forecast to 2028 The significant players in the cystatin C assay are Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Germany), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), Abbott (US), Roche Diagnostics Limited.(Switzerland), and Bio-Techne (US), Randox Laboratories Ltd. (UK), DiaSys Diagnostic Systems GmbH (Germany), and Eurolyser Diagnostica GmbH (Austria) Cystatin C Assay Market [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cystatin-c-assay-market-186075328.html?utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] in terms of revenue was estimated to be worth $377 million in 2023 and is poised to reach $540 million by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 7.5% from 2023 to 2028 according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets Trademark . The growth of this market is majorly driven by growing number of old age population and rising number of kidney diseases. However, high development costs of cystatin C assay may challenge the growth of this market. Download an Illustrative overview: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=186075328 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=186075328&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] UK in European cystatin C assay market to witness the highest shares during the forecast period. The European cystatin C assay market is segmented into Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, and the Rest of Europe. UK is projected to occupy the highest share during the forecast period. Market growth is attributed to the rising geriatric population & chronic diseases, increasing number of accredited clinical & hospital laboratories, growing government healthcare expenditure. Clinical laboratories in End user' cystatin C assay market to witness the second highest growth rate during the forecast period. Based on the end user, cystatin C assay market is segmented into hospitals, clinical laboratories, and pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies & CROs & academic research institutes The clinical laboratories registered the second highest CAGR, due to the growing number of clinical tests performed in laboratories and the increasing number of accredited laboratories, and serving as centralized hubs for diagnostic testing, where a wide array of tests, including cystatin C assays which support market growth. China dominates the Asia Pacific cystatin C assay market. The APAC cystatin C assay market is segmented into Japan, China, India, and Rest of Apac. In 2022, China accounted for the largest share of the Asian cystatin C assay market. The large share of China can be attributed to the government efforts to increase awareness about the early detection of diseases and regular health check-ups; rising healthcare expenditure; the increasing number of hospitals and clinical diagnostic laboratories in India and China; and strengthening research base for diagnostic procedures across India, China, and Japan, rising cases of CKD. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=186075328 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=186075328&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] Cystatin C Assay Market Dynamics: Drivers: * Rising prevalence of kidney diseases * Growing geriatric population * Recent advancements in chemiluminescence immunoassay technologies * Growth in biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries * Increasing adoption of POC testing * Supportive government policies Restraints: * Stringent requirements for approval of cystatin C assay instruments and consumables * High development costs of cystatin C assays Opportunities: * Growth opportunities in emerging economies * Importance of companion diagnostics * Development of condition-specific biomarkers and tests Challenge: * Dearth of skilled professionals Key Market Players of Antibody Drug Conjugates Industry: The significant players in the cystatin C assay are Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Germany), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), Abbott (US), Roche Diagnostics Limited. (Switzerland), and Bio-Techne (US), Randox Laboratories Ltd. (UK), DiaSys Diagnostic Systems GmbH (Germany), and Eurolyser Diagnostica GmbH (Austria) Recent Developments: * September 2022, Gentian Cystatin C and GCAL assays received IVDR (In-Vitro Diagnostic Regulation) by TuV SUD. * March 2021, Roche acquired GenMark Diagnostics at USD 24.05 per share and a total transactional value of USD 1.8 billion. The acquisition strengthened Roche's Diagnostics portfolio. Get 10% Free Customization on this Report: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=186075328 [ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=186075328&utm_source=abnewswire.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=paidpr ] Media Contact Company Name: MarketsandMarkets Trademark Research Private Ltd. Contact Person: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=cystatin-c-assay-market-future-scope-opportunities-business-growth-size-share-segmentation-dynamics-and-forecast-to-2028 ] Phone: 18886006441 Address:1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 City: Florida State: Florida Country: United States Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cystatin-c-assay-market-186075328.html This release was published on openPR.

Dylan Watts has reached the stage of his career where he is comfortable with a weight of expectation. The honour of being voted the best player in the country by his peers was due reward for the best season of the 27-year-old’s career, even though the loss of the league crown to Shelbourne will add a bitter-sweet element to the memories. Still, the chance to break new ground in Europe offers significant consolation for a player who is a poster boy for choosing the top end of the League of Ireland over the lower echelons of the English game. Coming home has allowed Watts to deliver on his potential and learn to love the sport again, with the winner of the PFA Ireland’s main award acknowledging life as a professional in England didn’t suit him. He wasn’t cut out for his teenage stint at Leicester on a number of levels. “I was over there by myself,” says Watts, who arrived at Leicester just after their shock Premier League success in 2016 off the back of two seasons at UCD. “I probably didn’t expect it to be as intense as it was. I found it difficult to switch off ever from football because all I was thinking about was football. I found it really difficult if I’m being honest, just everything about the lifestyle, the amount of training. There was a reason that it was particularly rigorous for Watts (above). “I was years behind physically,” he explains, referring to his 19-year-old self. “Obviously, I’d back myself technically, but over there, physically, I was so far behind. I went over at 60 kilos. I weigh 70 now. That type of stuff is not talked about. “I had really tough off-season programmes where I was never really even resting, I was trying to get ready to go back over there physically better and stuff like that.” He did learn a lot from the experience, but Watts found his life balance was better at home. A loan move to Bohemians preceded a permanent switch to Tallaght, where he has picked up four league titles. Watts has always been rated but would accept that consistency has been an issue, with other team-mates grabbing the limelight. He has become the leading man this year, but the cruel irony from his perspective is that it coincided with the title sequence being broken by Shelbourne’s shock success. Watts scored the winning goals in Rovers’ final three games of the season and is honest enough to admit he did not anticipate Damien Duff’s side doing the business in Derry. “I really believed that if we beat Waterford that night, we’d be champions,” he says. “I’d been up to Derry a lot of times, it’s a really difficult place to go and that was my thinking going into the game. “I knew there were obviously other outcomes, but I just tried to get my frame of mind to be that if we won the game, we would be champions. But you can’t rely on other teams obviously to help you out. Shels absolutely deserved to win the league.” Watts says Rovers are hurting and the number one aim in 2025 will be ro regain the title, but there’s exciting and important work to do in the intervening period, starting with tomorrow’s trip to Austria. The Hoops face Rapid Vienna in a meeting of two unbeaten sides. A return of seven points from nine which was kicked off by his late equaliser against APOEL Nicosia means Rovers are highly likely to be involved in February’s knockout play-off round. Another point would remove any doubt and there’s also a seeding position to play for. The glamour of facing Chelsea on December 19 will function as motivation during a period when Rovers players are usually on holiday. Stephen Bradley gave his squad a mini break after the league disappointment. Watts went to New York for four days but didn’t want to switch off too much. These European opportunities play to his strengths. “It’s hard to put a finger on it, I think it’s the way other teams let you have a bit more of the ball,” he added. “Yes, if you lose it, they’re going to be at you, but I’ve enjoyed the amount of space in these games. It’s more technical. “I love these games. It’s the build-up, the away games, travelling to the hotel. There’s nervous energy because there’s so much waiting around and it’s just a really different feeling, the song, the walk-out, everything is set up differently. It’s just the best feeling as a footballer, to play in these games. If you play in League One, it’s not possible to play in Europe. They’re games that you don’t want to let go to waste.” At this stage of his life, the full focus on football is no longer a burden.President-elect Donald Trump will return to power next year with a raft of technological tools at his disposal that would help deliver his campaign promise of cracking down on immigration — among them, surveillance and artificial intelligence technology that the Biden administration already uses to help make crucial decisions in tracking, detaining and ultimately deporting immigrants lacking permanent legal status. While immigration officials have used the tech for years, an October letter from the Department of Homeland Security obtained exclusively by The Associated Press details how those tools — some of them powered by AI — help make decisions over whether an immigrant should be detained or surveilled. One algorithm, for example, ranks immigrants with a “Hurricane Score,” ranging from 1-5, to assess whether someone will “abscond” from the agency's supervision. The letter, sent by DHS Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen to the immigrant rights group Just Futures Law, revealed that the score calculates the potential risk that an immigrant — with a pending case — will fail to check in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The algorithm relies on several factors, he said, including an immigrant’s number of violations and length of time in the program, and whether the person has a travel document. Hysen wrote that ICE officers consider the score, among other information, when making decisions about an immigrant’s case. “The Hurricane Score does not make decisions on detention, deportation, or surveillance; instead, it is used to inform human decision-making,” Hysen wrote. Also included in the government’s tool kit is a mobile app called SmartLINK that uses facial matching and can track an immigrant’s specific location. Nearly 200,000 people without legal status who are in removal proceedings are enrolled in the Alternatives to Detention program, under which certain immigrants can live in the U.S. while their immigration cases are pending. In exchange, SmartLINK and GPS trackers used by ICE rigorously surveil them and their movements. The phone application draws on facial matching technology and geolocation data, which has been used before to find and arrest those using the app. Just Futures Law wrote to Hysen earlier this year, questioning the fairness of using an algorithm to assess whether someone is a flight risk and raising concerns over how much data SmartLINK collects. Such AI systems, which score or screen people, are used widely but remain largely unregulated even though some have been found to discriminate on race, gender or other protected traits. DHS said in an email that it is committed to ensuring that its use of AI is transparent and safeguards privacy and civil rights while avoiding biases. The agency said it is working to implement the Biden administration’s requirements on using AI , but Hysen said in his letter that security officials may waive those requirements for certain uses. Trump has publicly vowed to repeal Biden's AI policy when he returns to the White House in January. “DHS uses AI to assist our personnel in their work, but DHS does not use the outputs of AI systems as the sole basis for any law enforcement action or denial of benefits,” a spokesperson for DHS told the AP. Trump has not revealed how he plans to carry out his promised deportation of an estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Although he has proposed invoking wartime powers, as well as military involvement, the plan would face major logistical challenges — such as where to keep those who have been detained and how to find people spread across the country — that AI-powered surveillance tools could potentially address. Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, did not answer questions about how the incoming administration plans to use DHS’ tech, but said in a statement that “President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation” in American history. Over 100 civil society groups sent a letter on Friday urging the Office of Management and Budget to require DHS to comply with the Biden administration’s guidelines. OMB did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Just Futures Law’s executive director, Paromita Shah, said if immigrants are scored as flight risks, they are more likely to remain in detention, "limiting their ability to prepare a defense in their case in immigration court, which is already difficult enough as it is.” SmartLINK, part of the Intensive Supervision Appearance Program, is run by BI Inc., a subsidiary of the private prison company The GEO Group. The GEO Group also contracts with ICE to run detention centers. ICE is tight-lipped about how it uses SmartLINK’s location feature to find and arrest immigrants. Still, public records show that during Trump’s first term in 2018, Manassas, Virginia-based employees of BI Inc. relayed immigrants’ GPS locations to federal authorities, who then arrested over 40 people. In a report last year to address privacy issues and concerns, DHS said that the mobile app includes security features that “prohibit access to information on the participant’s mobile device, with the exception of location data points when the app is open.” But the report notes that there remains a risk that data collected from people "may be misused for unauthorized persistent monitoring.” Such information could also be stored in other ICE and DHS databases and used for other DHS mission purposes, the report said. On investor calls earlier this month, private prison companies were clear-eyed about the opportunities ahead. The GEO Group’s executive chairman George Christopher Zoley said that he expects the incoming Trump administration to “take a much more aggressive approach regarding border security as well as interior enforcement and to request additional funding from Congress to achieve these goals.” “In GEO’s ISAP program, we can scale up from the present 182,500 participants to several hundreds of thousands, or even millions of participants,” Zoley said. That same day, the head of another private prison company told investors he would be watching closely to see how the new administration may change immigrant monitoring programs. “It’s an opportunity for multiple vendors to engage ICE about the program going forward and think about creative and innovative solutions to not only get better outcomes, but also scale up the program as necessary,” Damon Hininger, CEO of the private prison company CoreCivic Inc. said on an earnings call. GEO did not respond to requests for comment. In a statement, CoreCivic said that it has played “a valued but limited role in America’s immigration system” for both Democrats and Republicans for over 40 years.

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Has $4.77 Million Stake in Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU)Sir Keir Starmer was speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) conference in Estonia where he met leaders of other Baltic states. After signing an energy partnership with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Bergen, Sir Keir flew to Estonia where he spoke alongside Mr Store and their Estonian counterpart Kristen Michal. Asked what else could be done to support Ukraine, Sir Keir said: “There is an ever-increasing demand for more capability. That is understandable, and Ukraine needs all the capability that it can get, so I think all of us have put in more capability into Ukraine by way of equipment.” He added: “A lot of money has been raised, funding has been raised, but more is going to be needed.” The Prime Minister’s also discussed making the economic case at home for continued support for Ukraine. Sir Keir said: “Making the case on the significance of Ukraine, making the case, to double down, linking it back to each of our countries – what does it mean for us if Russia succeeds, is a really important question that we have to answer with our people to make it clear why it is that we are so supportive of Ukraine, why it is that we must stand with our allies on this, why it is we must make sure that Nato is put in the strongest position as well. “Now, this is a different world to the world of 10, 20 years ago, to recognise the world that we are living in, there’s a positive case as well to be made. “Defence spending doesn’t sort of sit in a silo over here with no effect on the rest of the economy, no effect on technology. “It has a huge effect on technologies, the cutting edge of technology and change which can then be used in other areas. “It binds countries together. I think all of us have got joint projects on in terms of defence capabilities that bind us together. There’s a huge number of well-paid jobs that are very important to our economy in defence spending as well. “But we have to make that positive case. I don’t personally feel that we can sort of sit back and assume that all of those in our respective countries necessarily accept all of our arguments unless we make them in that positive way, which I do think the argument can and should and must be made. “But the challenge that you put to us is the right challenge, which is it’s very difficult when finances are tight, as they are in all of our countries.” On Tuesday morning the Prime Minister will meet Taavi Madiberk, the founder of Estonian tech start-up manufacturing low-cost air defence missiles, Frankenburg Technologies, which is planning to open a new office in London Specialising in the manufacture of the missiles, the rapidly growing company already collaborates closely with the UK defence industry, sourcing a significant portion of its subsystems locally, including from propulsion specialists Roxel in Worcestershire. The Prime Minister will again attend the JEF summit, joining leaders from the Nordics and Baltics to discuss support for Ukraine, the sustained threat posed by Russia and wider European security. He will then visit British forces serving in the region to deter malign Russian threats.CARSON, Calif. (AP) — The LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls have been Major League Soccer mainstays since the league's inaugural season in 1996, signing glamorous players and regularly competing for championships through years of success and setbacks in a league that's perpetually improving and expanding. Yet just a year ago, both of these clubs appeared to be a very long way from the stage they'll share Saturday in the MLS Cup Final . The Galaxy were one of MLS’ worst teams after a season of internal turmoil and public fan dissent, while the Red Bulls were merely a steady mediocrity seeking yet another coach to chart a new direction. A year later, these MLS founders are meeting in the league's first Cup final between teams from North America's two biggest markets. “Two original clubs being able to put themselves in this situation, I think it’s great,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “To see two clubs that have been at it as long as this league has been around be here, I think it’s a special moment. Couldn’t be two more different and contrasting styles as well, which could make for an interesting game, and I would imagine a high-intensity game.” Everything changed in 2024 after a dismal decade for the Galaxy , who are favored to cap their transformation by winning their team's record sixth MLS championship with a roster that's dramatically different from its past few groups — albeit with one massive injury absence in the final. The transformation of the Red Bulls happened only in the postseason, when a team that hadn't won a playoff game since 2017 suddenly turned into world-beaters under rookie coach Sandro Schwarz. New York struggled through the final three months of league play with only two wins before posting road playoff victories over defending champ Columbus , archrival New York City FC and conference finalist Orlando to storm into the Cup final. “We know about the history (of our club), and we know tomorrow will define what that could mean,” Schwarz said Friday. “To feel the pressure for tomorrow, it’s necessary, because it’s a final, and without pressure it’s not possible to bring the best quality on the field.” The Red Bulls have never won an MLS Cup, only reaching the championship match once before. What's more, they've somehow never won a Cup in any tournament, although they’ve collected three Supporters’ Shields for MLS' best regular-season record. The Galaxy’s trophy case is large and loaded, and those five MLS Cups are on the top shelf. But not much of that team success happened in the past decade for the club that famously brought David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and many other international stars to Hollywood. In fact, this season has ended a grim era for the Galaxy, who haven't lost all year at their frequently renamed home stadium — which was the site of protests and boycotts just a year ago. The club's fans were tired of LA's steady underachievement and ineptitude in the front office run by team president Chris Klein, who was fired in May 2023. One year ago Thursday, the Galaxy hired Will Kuntz, a longtime Los Angeles FC executive who engineered his new club's roster transformation, most dramatically by landing new designated players Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil — two international talents that LAFC also had in its sights. “I give Will and the group up there a ton of credit,” Vanney said. “It’s one thing to have players you like, and it’s a whole other thing to get them here and get them to connect with your group.” Pec and Paintsil combined for 32 goals and 27 assists while boosting the incumbent talents of striker Dejan Joveljic and Riqui Puig, the gifted Barcelona product who runs the offense from the midfield. The Galaxy clicked in the postseason, scoring a jaw-dropping 16 goals in four matches. Puig has been the Galaxy's most important player all season, but he won't be in the MLS Cup Final after tearing a knee ligament late in last week's conference final victory over Seattle . The loss of Puig — who somehow kept playing on his injured knee, and even delivered the game-winning pass to Joveljic — makes the Galaxy even more difficult to anticipate. “He played a lot in the regular season, so it was not so easy to analyze all these games now without him,” Schwarz said. “But the main focus is to analyze what we need to do, because it’s not clear now how they’re playing without him.” The Galaxy could give some of Puig's responsibilities to Marco Reus, the longtime Dortmund standout who joined LA in August. Reus is nursing a hamstring injury, but Vanney expects him to play. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

We unleash Grad missiles at Russian troops from a pick-up truck. Our mission can last ten minutes, max. On the eleventh, the drones will find us and that will be that... Richard Pendlebury and photographer Jamie Wiseman report from Ukraine's Pokrovsk front By RICHARD PENDLEBURY and PHOTOGRAPHER JAMIE WISEMAN Published: 22:19, 6 December 2024 | Updated: 22:40, 6 December 2024 e-mail View comments We’re in a secret workshop near the critical frontline city of Pokrovsk. Here, hundreds of Grad rockets are being prepared for use by the embattled and under-resourced Ukrainian army a little up the road. Some of the ammunition was locally produced, the rest ‘battlefield trophies’ – captured from the Russians. But the most striking detail is where these artillery rockets were manufactured. What lies around us in this nondescript shed is hard evidence of the globalisation of the Ukraine conflict, if not a slide towards a full-blown Third World War. A stack of missiles with red stripes around the warheads were made in Russia , we are told. Another smaller stockpile came from the arsenal of the former Warsaw Pact satellite, now Nato member, the Czech Republic. Over there are the rockets captured from Russia but made by two supposedly non-aligned countries, Pakistan and Iraq . Next to them is a quantity of Grads from Iran , one of Russia’s key allies and weapon suppliers. ‘And these,’ says an army engineer, pointing to a number of rockets with distinctive black warheads, ‘were supplied by North Korea .’ It’s that Asian dictatorship’s direct intervention in this European conflict which has brought us closer to the brink of a global or even – President Putin threatens – nuclear war . The arrival in Russia this autumn of 10,000 North Korean troops to fight Ukraine in the Kursk region was the ‘escalation’ which prompted US President Joe Biden to finally drop one of his so-called red lines. Ukraine would henceforth be allowed to use American-supplied long-range weapons against targets inside Russia. The UK has also permitted Storm Shadow cruise missiles to be similarly used. Escalation followed escalation with alarming rapidity. We’re in a secret workshop near the critical frontline city of Pokrovsk, writes Richard Pendlebury ‘Fire!’ a soldier shouts and the first ranging rocket goes with an astounding noise. The backblast sends a rolling cloud of black dust across the setting sun We stop in the cover of a wood to don our body armour. The soldiers produce the electronic ‘situational’ map, writes Richard Pendlebury Putin responded by changing Russia’s engagement protocols to permit the use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine. To drive home the point, Russia aimed an Oreshnik ballistic missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro – the first use of such a Doomsday weapon in the history of warfare. Thankfully it was not carrying its usual payload of nuclear warheads. But the warning was clear. Against this backdrop, the clock continues to tick down to January 20, 2025, when Donald Trump – an admirer of Putin and vocal critic of America’s multi-billion-dollar support for Ukraine – returns to the White House. Here in Donbas, the war is going badly for Ukraine. There is no other way of putting it. The Russians are advancing faster than at any time since 2022. In the face of overwhelming odds, huge infantry losses and ‘red lines’ against using Western weaponry, the Ukrainian defence lines are bending, creaking and breaking. The focus of this Kremlin push is the Pokrovsk district, where we are now. It’s the logistics hub for the Ukrainian military’s defence of Donbas. Read More Putin mouthpiece Sergei Lavrov renews threats of WW3 in interview with Tucker Carlson Three days after our visit to the workshop, six of these rockets will be launched by a special army unit, against a concentration of Russian troops and vehicles preparing to assault Pokrovsk. Mail cameraman Jamie Wiseman and I have been given exclusive access to the preparation and execution of this mission. The 122mm calibre Grads are not ballistic missiles. But Ukraine, which gave up its nuclear stockpile in the 1990s in order to secure its separation from the Soviet empire, has to fight with what it’s got, as the war enters a critical stage. Another beautiful morning in the Donbas. But the clear blue skies mean the Russian kamikaze drone threat is high. Today we are to accompany a reconnaissance of the Pokrovsk district with the team that will carry out the rocket attack. A military pick-up equipped with an electronic warfare set leads our small convoy. We’re told to keep within 100 yards of our leader in order to benefit from its drone-jamming umbrella. A stack of missiles with red stripes around the warheads were made in Russia, we are told, writes Richard Pendlebury Another smaller stockpile came from the arsenal of the former Warsaw Pact satellite, now Nato member, the Czech Republic writes Richard Pendlebury Some of the ammunition was locally produced, the rest ‘battlefield trophies’ – captured from the Russians, writes Richard Pendlebury This is easier said than done. The convoy drives at high speed, often leaving the Tarmac roads to go across country. The Highway Code no longer applies here. Our first destination is the small city of Kurakhove. When we last visited, in January, the Russians were a 20-minute drive away. We stop in the cover of a wood to don our body armour. The soldiers produce the electronic ‘situational’ map. ‘The frontline is only two and a half miles from the centre of Kurakhove this morning and it could have moved closer since then,’ says the squad leader. ‘That means we are in range of and could be targeted by anything from mortars to FVPs (kamikaze drones). We won’t be stopping.’ Read More Russia 'could target Gibraltar or Cyprus in retaliation for Ukraine using Shadow Storm missiles' We pass a huge roadside billboard of the Virgin Mary: ‘Dear Mother of God please save Ukraine,’ it reads. Shortly afterwards, we reach the outskirts of Kurakhove. Or what is left of it. In January Kurakhove was full of dread. Rockets were falling on the edge of town as we arrived. Now it feels doomed. Since our first visit, the row of shops at the junction where the main highway to Donetsk city meets Victory Street has been devastated by artillery fire. The cafe on the corner where we once ate barbecue chicken and drank chai is shuttered. The drunk who was directing traffic in the snow is gone, although we see a single female civilian striding defiantly along the roadside with a shopping bag. We spin about and speed westwards again. In a village a few miles down the road, we stop at a cafe that is still open. A young woman is serving hot drinks and snacks to a clientele of soldiers, within artillery range of the Russian advance. Yes, she expects to have to evacuate, she says, but not yet. Would we like chocolate on our cappuccinos? The resilience of ordinary Ukrainians in the ‘red zones’ is always impressive. North, now, to Pokrovsk city. The Russians are five miles from its centre. We approach the city through a flat agricultural landscape punctuated by spoil heaps and pitheads. Smoke is rising all along the horizon to our right, where the Russians are attempting a breakthrough. We are warned that Russian kamikaze drones are operating along a major boulevard in the city centre. It’s eerily quiet. The last evacuation train has left and the daily curfew extends from 3pm to 11am. In the main square, the municipal rose beds need deadheading, the grass verges mowing. But for that to happen, the constant artillery soundtrack needs silencing. We visit the ruins of Corleone’s cafe and pizza restaurant, where we used to meet contacts before a Russian missile closed it down. Today we are to accompany a reconnaissance of the Pokrovsk district with the team that will carry out the rocket attack It’s that Asian dictatorship’s direct intervention in this European conflict which has brought us closer to the brink of a global or even – President Putin threatens – nuclear war, writes Richard Pendlebury The authorities have even evacuated a statue of a local worthy, which is not a vote of confidence in Pokrovsk’s ability to hold out. The following morning finds us in a maple grove beside a sunflower field, a few miles behind the front. The rocket squad is here to conduct its final practice. They have arrived with their launch vehicle, a Mitsubishi pick-up, which has been adapted to carry four Grad tubes on the flatbed. This exercise is about marginal gains. On the fire mission, every second will count, both for hitting the target and getting away alive, in a location thick with enemy drones and within range of Russian counter-battery fire. Certainly, the men shout and run as if it’s for real. All the time, their leader is bent over his iPhone stopwatch, like a 19th-century frigate captain practising broadsides. Meanwhile the war continues around us. The constant beeping of the unit’s drone detector warns that a Russian Lancet (kamikaze drone) is hunting nearby. A trio of Mi-8 helicopters pass across our front, at tree-top height to avoid Russian air defence systems. Distant artillery sounds like a huge door being slammed. The practice reaches its climax with the imaginary launch of a volley of Grads. Read More Vladimir Putin will tell Donald Trump to 'screw himself', Kremlin hardliner warns ‘Fire!’ shouts one soldier. ‘Bang!’ shouts another. And so on, four times. Then the controlled chaos of packing up and the getaway. The stopwatch is stopped. ‘Eight minutes and one second,’ the leader announces. He is not happy. It should have been faster. The real operation will take longer. ‘On the frontline, our missions can last ten minutes, maximum. Because on the eleventh minute we will certainly [be located] and that will be that.’ The day of the mission starts with yet another air-raid alert. One gets to recognise the distinct tones of individual sirens. The one here in Kramatorsk does not have the mournful stirring start of others, but goes straight into its monotone shriek. The local birds seem to hate the sound as much as we do. The wind is blowing hard today and that will impact the mission. Kamikaze drones struggle with a windspeed of more than ten metres per second, we are told. Today the wind is double that, which is good for our safety. But it will also affect the accuracy of the Grad missiles. The rockets to be used today were made in Pakistan. The men paint messages on their casing, screw in detonators and then load the tubes. writes Richard Pendlebury As we watch, I chat to the deputy commander. His wife and children are refugees in Lincolnshire which, he says, is ‘very beautiful’. He shows me a family photograph. How surreal all this seems, writes Richard Pendlebury Temperature and coordinates are measured. Everything has to be right. One of the men carries the unit’s ‘drone gun’ – a pump- action shotgun – with a belt of bright brass-ended cartridges, writes Richard Pendlebury We set off in convoy, again, behind the electronic warfare truck and the launch vehicle, which is disguised with camouflage netting. Eventually, we turn off the highway on to a military track along a ploughed field. The weather has been hot recently and our vehicles throw up billows of dust that can be seen for miles. But it’s still very blowy, so the drones will struggle to track us. We hope. We stop in a clearing on the edge of a wood beside a field of black earth. Waiting for us is the ammunition van carrying the Grads. The squad leader explains the mission: ‘Two sighting rockets, then four more shots in a volley and we leave as fast as we can. If there is something in the air [Russian artillery] you lie flat or jump into a hole, if you can. You do not ever run for the vehicles.’ The rockets to be used today were made in Pakistan. The men paint messages on their casing, screw in detonators and then load the tubes. Nearby, a Starlink set – a satellite communication device manufactured by Elon Musk’s SpaceX – is being used. The operator is talking to the drone unit. Temperature and coordinates are measured. Everything has to be right. One of the men carries the unit’s ‘drone gun’ – a pump- action shotgun – with a belt of bright brass-ended cartridges. The weapon of last resort. The soldiers enjoy a final cigarette, then we leave for the launch site. This final leg of the journey has a Mad Max quality to it, as the vehicles race each other, wreathed in dust clouds, across vast rolling fields. Even the enormous slag heap in the distance looks like Ayers Rock. A soldier leaps on to the launcher to make an adjustment. The tube is reloaded. Then there’s another hellish roar and the second sighting rocket shoots into the sky We drive into treeline on a ridge overlooking a wooded valley. A lonely soldier is already standing in the middle of a field with an artillery-aiming compass on a tripod. The wind is blowing hard and the sun has sunk below the treeline as the soldiers set up the launcher and begin to call out coordinates and adjustments. A soldier climbs a tree to cut down a branch that is blocking the line of fire. As we watch, I chat to the deputy commander. His wife and children are refugees in Lincolnshire which, he says, is ‘very beautiful’. He shows me a family photograph. How surreal all this seems. The wind drops. ‘Get ready,’ says the unit commander. ‘Remember what I told you.’ We crouch in the undergrowth. ‘Fire!’ a soldier shouts and the first ranging rocket goes with an astounding noise. The backblast sends a rolling cloud of black dust across the setting sun. Jamie feels the dragon’s breath on his arm. A soldier leaps on to the launcher to make an adjustment. The tube is reloaded. Then there’s another hellish roar and the second sighting rocket shoots into the sky. Now a tense pause as the drone operator who has been watching the fall of the first two Grads calls in aiming corrections. More reloading. The big moment has come. ‘Volley fire!’ is the order – and four missiles are launched in quick, deafening succession. The last has barely left the launcher when the escape begins. Controlled panic. The launcher reverses at speed out of the treeline and the driver, pumping his fist out of the window, accelerates away. We must follow, but Jamie has lost a camera in the undergrowth and I’m screaming at him to leave it. Within one minute of the launch all of us are speeding into a Walt Disney sunset. ‘Volley fire!’ is the order – and four missiles are launched in quick, deafening succession, writes Richard Pendlebury No counter battery fire and the drone images will show two of the rockets scoring direct hits on enemy troops and light armoured vehicles No counter battery fire and the drone images will show two of the rockets scoring direct hits on enemy troops and light armoured vehicles. The rocket squad is on target and lives to fight another day. And each day is more dangerous – for Ukraine and the world. The globalisation of the war took another step forward this month when the Ukrainian defence minister was hosted in Seoul by the South Korean president. They discussed South Korea becoming a new weapon supply source. Notwithstanding the Asian democracy’s own political turmoil, that will be a major development. The Ukraine war will have come to both sides of the Korean peninsula. Meanwhile, major attacks continue. Almost two weeks ago, Russia launched its biggest drone strike on targets across Ukraine since the full-scale invasion. Later, one million Ukrainians were left without power after a concentrated attack on the country’s electricity grid. Punishment for the use of Western weapons inside Russia. Set against these figures, those six Grads we saw fired might seem inconsequential. But not as symbols of Ukraine’s continued defiance. Additional reporting: Oleksandr Kostiuchenko Russia Ukraine Share or comment on this article: We unleash Grad missiles at Russian troops from a pick-up truck. Our mission can last ten minutes, max. On the eleventh, the drones will find us and that will be that... Richard Pendlebury and photographer Jamie Wiseman report from Ukraine's Pokrovsk front e-mail Add commentCARSON, Calif. (AP) — The LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls have been Major League Soccer mainstays since the league's inaugural season in 1996, signing glamorous players and regularly competing for championships through years of success and setbacks in a league that's perpetually improving and expanding. Yet just a year ago, both of these clubs appeared to be a very long way from the stage they'll share Saturday in the MLS Cup Final . The Galaxy were one of MLS’ worst teams after a season of internal turmoil and public fan dissent, while the Red Bulls were merely a steady mediocrity seeking yet another coach to chart a new direction. A year later, these MLS founders are meeting in the league's first Cup final between teams from North America's two biggest markets. “Two original clubs being able to put themselves in this situation, I think it’s great,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “To see two clubs that have been at it as long as this league has been around be here, I think it’s a special moment. Couldn’t be two more different and contrasting styles as well, which could make for an interesting game, and I would imagine a high-intensity game.” Everything changed in 2024 after a dismal decade for the Galaxy , who are favored to cap their transformation by winning their team's record sixth MLS championship with a roster that's dramatically different from its past few groups — albeit with one massive injury absence in the final. The transformation of the Red Bulls happened only in the postseason, when a team that hadn't won a playoff game since 2017 suddenly turned into world-beaters under rookie coach Sandro Schwarz. New York struggled through the final three months of league play with only two wins before posting road playoff victories over defending champ Columbus , archrival New York City FC and conference finalist Orlando to storm into the Cup final. “We know about the history (of our club), and we know tomorrow will define what that could mean,” Schwarz said Friday. “To feel the pressure for tomorrow, it’s necessary, because it’s a final, and without pressure it’s not possible to bring the best quality on the field.” The Red Bulls have never won an MLS Cup, only reaching the championship match once before. What's more, they've somehow never won a Cup in any tournament, although they’ve collected three Supporters’ Shields for MLS' best regular-season record. The Galaxy’s trophy case is large and loaded, and those five MLS Cups are on the top shelf. But not much of that team success happened in the past decade for the club that famously brought David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and many other international stars to Hollywood. In fact, this season has ended a grim era for the Galaxy, who haven't lost all year at their frequently renamed home stadium — which was the site of protests and boycotts just a year ago. The club's fans were tired of LA's steady underachievement and ineptitude in the front office run by team president Chris Klein, who was fired in May 2023. One year ago Thursday, the Galaxy hired Will Kuntz, a longtime Los Angeles FC executive who engineered his new club's roster transformation, most dramatically by landing new designated players Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil — two international talents that LAFC also had in its sights. “I give Will and the group up there a ton of credit,” Vanney said. “It’s one thing to have players you like, and it’s a whole other thing to get them here and get them to connect with your group.” Pec and Paintsil combined for 32 goals and 27 assists while boosting the incumbent talents of striker Dejan Joveljic and Riqui Puig, the gifted Barcelona product who runs the offense from the midfield. The Galaxy clicked in the postseason, scoring a jaw-dropping 16 goals in four matches. Puig has been the Galaxy's most important player all season, but he won't be in the MLS Cup Final after tearing a knee ligament late in last week's conference final victory over Seattle . The loss of Puig — who somehow kept playing on his injured knee, and even delivered the game-winning pass to Joveljic — makes the Galaxy even more difficult to anticipate. “He played a lot in the regular season, so it was not so easy to analyze all these games now without him,” Schwarz said. “But the main focus is to analyze what we need to do, because it’s not clear now how they’re playing without him.” The Galaxy could give some of Puig's responsibilities to Marco Reus, the longtime Dortmund standout who joined LA in August. Reus is nursing a hamstring injury, but Vanney expects him to play. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer Get any of our free daily email newsletters — news headlines, opinion, e-edition, obituaries and more.A try, a scrap with a star and a trophy from grandma: Sione’s incredible day

White House Says Joe Biden Still Believes Trump Is Existential Threat: 'His Thinking on That Has Not Changed'

Truist Financial Issues Positive Forecast for Universal Technical Institute (NYSE:UTI) Stock PriceJury awards $310 million to parents of teen killed in fall from Orlando amusement park ride ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The parents of a 14-year-old Missouri boy who fell to his death from a Florida amusement park ride has won a $310 million verdict against the attraction's Austrian builder. The Orlando jury on Thursday ordered Funtime to pay Tyre Sampson's parents $155 million each. The trial lasted only a day as Funtime never appeared in court to defend itself. Icon Park had already settled with Sampson’s family for an undisclosed amount. Sampson stood 6 foot, 2 inches tall and weighed 380 pounds. He fell from the Orlando Free Fall ride at Icon Park because the harness did not fit him and he wasn't warned. Princess of Wales takes another step in return to public life after chemotherapy with carol service LONDON (AP) — The Princess of Wales is taking another step in her return to public life following cancer treatment as she hosts her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey. This year’s concert is designed to celebrate the support people give to one another, especially as they struggle through difficult times, a theme that may have particular resonance for the princess after abdominal surgery and chemotherapy forced her to step back from public duties for much of 2024. The princess, often referred to simply as Kate, alluded to this in a letter thanking the 1,600 people invited to attend the event because of their efforts to help others in their communities. Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness. More than a million oven gloves are being recalled after consumers report 92 minor burns NEW YORK (AP) — More than one million pairs of oven gloves are being recalled due to a burn hazard, after dozens of injury reports. Video and e-commerce retailer QVC is recalling about 1.1 million of its “Temp-tations Oven Gloves” because they fail to provide sufficient heat protection. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, QVC has received 162 reports of insufficient heat protection, including 92 minor burns. Consumers in possession of the now-recalled gloves are urged to stop using them immediately — and contact QVC for a refund. Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members. Alternative healer gets 10 years in UK prison for death of woman at slap therapy workshop LONDON (AP) — An alternative healer who advocated “slapping therapy” to treat a range of maladies has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the death of a 71-year-old diabetic woman who stopped taking insulin during his workshop. Hongchi Xiao, 61, was sentenced Friday after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence for failing to get medical help for Danielle Carr-Gomm in 2016. Prosecutors say she was howling in pain and frothing at the mouth during the fourth day of a workshop. The California healer promoted paida lajin therapy that advocates slapping to release “poisonous waste” from the body. He was previously convicted of manslaughter in the death of a six-year-old boy in Australia. Stellantis recalling more than 300,000 Ram trucks for braking system defect Stellantis is recalling more than 300,000 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks because a faulty part could cause certain braking and tracking systems to fail. The Netherlands-based automaker said the hydraulic control unit on the trucks is prone to failure, which can cause the anti-lock brake, electronic stability control and traction control systems to not work properly. Stellantis said regular braking systems are not affected by the defective part and that it’s unaware of any related injuries. The trucks in question are all model years 2017-18 and include the Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500. The company is unaware of any injuries related to the defect. El Salvador's president is triumphant after his bet on bitcoin comes true SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele is triumphant about his big bet on bitcoin as the cryptocurrency reached historic highs, surpassing $100,000 for the first time. Bitcoin has been legal tender in the country since 2021 but it never quite matched the president’s enthusiasm. The value of the government’s reported investment now stands at more than $600 million. Bitcoin has rallied mightily since Donald Trump’s election victory last month, exceeding the $100,000 mark on Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025 The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press. F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that "we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later.Saquon Barkley is the NFL's version of Shohei Ohtani: Analysis

NoneOTTAWA — A Liberal MP says his committee colleagues are wasting time by launching a third inquiry into the former employment minister instead of focusing on important legislation for Indigenous Peoples. Jaime Battiste, who is Mi'kmaq, said there has been an "attack" on fellow Liberal MP Randy Boissonnault, who left his position as employment minister on Wednesday after allegations of shifting claims of Indigenous identity and questions around his past business dealings. Boissonnault has been the subject of two ethics committee probes, and Battiste said a third one by the Indigenous and northern affairs committee is "a waste of time, and it seems to be the Conservatives' way of ensuring that nothing gets done in the House of Commons." The Conservatives, NDP and Bloc Québécois all supported pushing ahead with the third study, even after Boissonnault left cabinet. Though Liberal MPs did not object to the motion Thursday, Battiste said the committee's time would be better spent studying legislation on important issues such as First Nations policing, a modern treaty commissioner and clean water for First Nations. "It’s very much my fear and frustration that politics is now becoming more important at the Indigenous and northern affairs committee than actually Indigenous Peoples that we're there every day to try to make life better for," he said. NDP MP Lori Idlout, who is a member of the committee, said Canadians deserve answers and she doesn't expect the probe to cut into the committee's other work. "It's not a waste of time to have MP Boissonnault answer for why his identity kept changing. Pretending to be Indigenous is a serious matter and we need to have him be transparent to all Canadians." Boissonnault came under intense scrutiny after the National Post reported that a company he previously co-owned described itself as wholly Indigenous-owned in order to apply for government contracts set aside for Indigenous businesses. He has been described as Indigenous multiple times in communications from the Liberal party, and in 2018 referred to himself as "non-status adopted Cree" — a statement he has repeated on other occasions. He also said his great-grandmother was a "full-blooded Cree woman." He has since clarified that his adoptive mother and brother are Métis, and he apologized for his shifting claims last Friday. The House ethics committee has separately investigated Boissonnault's past business dealings after media reports alleged he remained involved in the company he co-founded after he was re-elected in 2021 and joined the federal cabinet. Opposition MPs passed a motion in the House of Commons on Tuesday — a day before Boissonnault left cabinet — for the employment minister to appear as a witness to discuss his claims to Indigenous identity. But because Boissonnault is no longer in cabinet, the Liberal chair of the committee ruled Thursday that newly minted Employment Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor is technically the person the motion called to testify. "I figured this might happen," said Conservative MP and committee member Jamie Schmale. "If there are games to be played here and we have Minister Petitpas Taylor attend, I don't think that goes to the spirit of the House order. I don't think it would be very responsible to go against that ... It's Randy Boissonault that the House determined it needs and is ordered to appear along with several other witnesses. That's who we expect to be in that seat." A new motion from the Conservatives calls directly for Boissonnault to appear at the committee. One of the key concerns raised about Boissonnault in recent weeks is related to the government's Indigenous business procurement strategy. A directory provides the federal government with names of businesses it could consider using to meet its Indigenous procurement target, which states a minimum five per cent of the total value of government contracts should be held by Indigenous-owned businesses. Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu told a House of Commons committee on Tuesday that the company Boissonnault founded was not listed on that directory. Battiste suggested the committee will now be in a position of determining who is eligible for Indigenous programming and determining who is Indigenous, and as a First Nations person he does not agree with that. "I have a lot of concern because no First Nations, Métis or Inuit in this country are asking committees — who are filled with non-Indigenous Peoples — to determine our identity, who we are." Schmale and Bloc MP Sebastian Lemire, who is also a member of the committee, did not immediately respond to requests for comment. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 21, 2024. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press

Five-star center Chris Cenac Jr. commits to HoustonOn Football analyzes the biggest topics in the NFL from week to week. For more On Football analysis, head here . Saquon Barkley has become the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL. There’s no better home run hitter playing football right now. Barkley had touchdown runs of 72 and 70 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles in a 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. He now has five runs of 50-plus yards this season and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season record of 2,105 yards set in 1984. Barkley’s historic performance against the Rams — his 255 yards set a team record — captivated a national audience and turned him into a fan favorite for the AP NFL MVP award. He’s not the betting favorite, however. Josh Allen has the best odds at plus-150, according to Bet MGM Sportsbook. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson is next at plus-250 followed by Barkley at plus-400. Running backs have won the award 18 times, including three-time winner Jim Brown, who was the AP’s first NFL MVP in 1957. Quarterbacks have dominated the award, winning it 45 times. Only three players who weren’t QBs or RBs have been MVP. It takes a special season for a non-QB to win it mainly because the offense goes through the signal caller. Quarterbacks handle the ball every offensive snap, run the show and get the credit when things go well and the blame when it doesn’t. Adrian Peterson was the most recent non-QB to win it when he ran for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. Playing for a winning team matters, too. Nine of the past 11 winners played for a No. 1 seed with the other two winners on a No. 2 seed. The Vikings earned the sixth seed when Pederson was MVP. Barkley is a major reason why the Eagles (9-2) are leading the NFC East and only trail Detroit (10-1) by one game for the top spot in the conference. Does he have a realistic chance to win the MVP award? Kicker Mark Moseley was the MVP in the strike-shortened 1982 season when he made 20 of 21 field goals and 16 of 19 extra points in nine games for Washington. If voters once selected a kicker, everyone has a chance, especially a game-changer such as Barkley. Defensive tackle Alan Page was the MVP in 1971 and linebacker Lawrence Taylor won it in 1986. Running back Christian McCaffrey finished third in voting last year and wide receiver Justin Jefferson placed fifth in 2022. The Offensive Player of the Year award and Defensive Player of the Year award recognize the best all-around players on both sides of the ball, allowing voters to recognize non-QBs if they choose. Wide receivers and running backs have won the AP OPOY award seven times over the past 11 seasons. McCaffrey was the 2023 winner. The AP’s new voting format introduced in 2022 also gives non-QBs a better opportunity to get MVP recognition. Voter submit their top five picks for each award, with a weighted point system. Previously, voters made one choice for each award. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league vote for MVP and seven other awards. The awards are based on regular-season performance. The Chiefs (10-1) and Bills (9-2) already are in position to lock up postseason berths right after Thanksgiving. Kansas City clinches a playoff berth with a win over Las Vegas on Black Friday and a loss by Miami on Thursday night, or a win plus a loss by Denver on Monday night. Buffalo can wrap up a fifth straight AFC East title with a victory over San Francisco on Sunday and a loss by the Dolphins. It’s not a given that the Dallas Cowboys will be looking for a new head coach after this season. Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on local radio that Mike McCarthy could end up getting a contract extension. “I don’t think that’s crazy at all. This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there and done that. He has great ideas. We got a lot of football left,” Jones said. McCarthy led the Cowboys (4-7) to three straight 12-win seasons, but they went 1-3 in the playoffs and haven’t reached the NFC championship game since winning the Super Bowl 29 years ago. Injuries have contributed to the team’s struggles this season, but Dallas was just 3-5 before Dak Prescott was lost for the rest of the season. The Cowboys upset Washington last week and their next four games are against teams that currently have losing records. If they somehow end up 9-8 or even 8-9, Jones could make a case for keeping McCarthy. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl