Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has diedWith these two convincing victories, the Champions League 6-time winners have not only showcased their individual talents but also their collective strength as a team. The seamless combination of world-class talents and tactical mastery has proven to be an unstoppable force in this season's competition. Fans and pundits alike are left marveling at the ease with which they have dispatched two of Europe's footballing powerhouses.

Among the social commerce platforms making significant waves in the US market is TikTok, the popular short-form video app known for its viral challenges and engaging content. With its massive user base and highly engaged community, TikTok has become a hotbed for social commerce activities, attracting brands and retailers looking to tap into its audience of millions. This year's Black Friday sales event served as a clear demonstration of TikTok's growing influence in the e-commerce space, as the platform raked in over one billion dollars in sales during the shopping extravaganza.

In conclusion, Hisense's response to the layoff rumors emphasizes the importance of clarity, honesty, and legal compliance in addressing potentially damaging misinformation. By debunking the rumors and promising legal accountability for those responsible, Hisense has reaffirmed its commitment to its employees and stakeholders while upholding its reputation as a reputable and responsible corporate entity. It is imperative for all parties involved to remain vigilant and uphold the principles of honesty and integrity in their communications to ensure a harmonious and trusting work environment.

In a tragic turn of events, a man's momentary distraction while driving led to a harrowing accident that left three people injured. The accident scene, once concealed from public eye, has now been revealed, shedding light on the dangers of distracted driving and the devastating consequences it can have.

The expanded Big Ten is poised to be a major player in this season's College Football Playoff. The 18-team conference had three of the top-four teams in the AP poll this week — No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 4 Penn State. A one-loss Indiana team is ranked 10th but is still very much a contender to make the playoff, given how many Southeastern Conference teams have three defeats or more. Indiana's rise has been perhaps the Big Ten's biggest story this season. Much of the spotlight was on newcomers Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington, but aside from the top-ranked Ducks, that foursome has struggled to impress. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers won their first 10 games under new coach Curt Cignetti before losing at Ohio State last weekend. Oregon beat Ohio State 32-31 back in October, and if the Buckeyes beat rival Michigan this weekend, they'll earn a rematch with the Ducks for the Big Ten title . And it's entirely possible another matchup between those two teams awaits in the CFP. Dillon Gabriel has quarterbacked Oregon to an unbeaten record, throwing for 3,066 yards and 22 touchdowns in 11 games. But don't overlook Iowa's Kaleb Johnson and his 21 rushing TDs, and quarterback Kurtis Rourke has been a big part of Indiana's improvement. Penn State's Abdul Carter has eight sacks and two forced fumbles and could be one of the top edge rushers drafted this year. Oregon (11-0, 8-0), Ohio State (10-1, 7-1), Penn State (10-1, 7-1), Indiana (10-1, 7-1), Illinois (8-3, 5-3), Iowa (7-4, 5-3), Michigan (6-5, 4-4), Minnesota (6-5, 4-4), Washington (6-5, 4-4), Southern California (6-5, 4-5), Nebraska (6-5, 3-5) and Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) have already reached the six-win mark for bowl eligibility. Michigan State (5-6, 3-5) and Wisconsin (5-6, 3-5) can join them. There may not be many firings in general at the top level of college football. The prospect of sharing revenue with athletes in the future might lead schools to be more judicious about shedding one coach and hiring a new one. Who should be most worried in the Big Ten? Well, Lincoln Riley is struggling to stay above .500 in his third season at USC. Purdue is 1-10, but coach Ryan Walters is only in his second season. Maryland's Mike Locksley has been there six years and his Terrapins are 4-7, but this was his first real step backward after guiding the team to three straight bowl wins. Cignetti has shown it is possible for a coaching change to push a previously moribund program to some impressive heights in a short amount of time — but the improvement has been more incremental at Michigan State following Jonathan Smith's arrival. Sherrone Moore wasn't a completely unknown commodity at Michigan after he won some massive games in place of a suspended Jim Harbaugh last year. But in his first season completely at the helm, the Wolverines have declined significantly following their national title a season ago. The Big Ten is home to one of the most dynamic freshmen in the country in Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith. He has 52 catches for 899 yards and nine touchdowns. Highly touted quarterback Dylan Raiola has teamed up with fellow freshman Jacory Barney (49 catches) to lead Nebraska to bowl eligibility. Ohio State is on track to land the Big Ten's top class, according to 247 Sports , but the big news recently was quarterback Bryce Underwood flipping from LSU to Michigan . If the Wolverines do in fact keep Underwood in his home state, that would be a big development for Moore. ___ Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

It hasn’t been particularly pretty in recent weeks — and Sunday’s game in Chicago was no exception — but the Minnesota Vikings have quietly become the best team that nobody’s talking about in regards to the NFC playoff picture. Minnesota did it again in Week 12, surviving the Bears in overtime to improve to 9-2 in the NFC North. The Vikings kept pace with their division rival Detroit Lions (10-1), who prevailed in a somewhat difficult spot on the road in Indianapolis five days before their big afternoon home game on Thanksgiving. The Vikes will remain the No. 5 seed entering Week 13, but they’re still very much in the hunt for the No. 1 seed, with a head-to-head game at Detroit in Week 18. The Vikings were also able to apply some pressure on the Philadelphia Eagles , the current No. 2 seed who take an 8-2 record into Sunday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams (5-5). A Philadelphia loss at SoFi stadium would boost the Vikings’ chances at the top seed, which sat at 14% entering Week 12 . MORE: NFL picks, score predictions for Week 12: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Minnesota has all but ensured itself a playoff berth at this point. Its odds to clinch at least one of the three wild-card spots jumped to 98% after John Parker Romo’s game-winning kick went through the uprights in Chicago on Sunday. The Vikings have now strung together four straight wins. They haven’t faced the NFL’s toughest competition, but they did win road games in each of the past three weeks. That’s a pretty impressive feat in a rare scheduling quirk. The reward? Minnesota plays four of its final six games at home, including the next three in a row. Detroit, meanwhile, after hosting Chicago on Thanksgiving, has a tough stretch against Green Bay (home), Buffalo (home), Chicago (road) and San Francisco (road) before Week 18 at home against the Vikings. That regular-season finale could easily be played with the division title and No. 1 seed on the line. Minnesota probably won’t get much love on Monday morning. The Vikings took a 24-10 lead into the fourth quarter Sunday before bearing down and white-knuckling their way to an overtime win. But it’s also plausible that the Vikings end up atop the entire NFC standings come playoff time, with everyone outside of the Twin Cities wondering: “Where the heck did they come from?” Related Minnesota Vikings stories: Vikings named among 2 ‘likeliest teams’ to sign exiled $160 million QB next week Vikings dump former No. 118 overall draft pick due to ‘major roster crunch’ Vikings named landing spot for polarizing $112.5 million QB in potential blockbuster Vikings predicted to land superstar Heisman hopeful in 2025 NFL Draft

(Reuters) -U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10% tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries clamp down on drugs, particularly fentanyl, and migrants crossing the border illegally. On China, the president-elect accused Beijing of not taking strong enough action to stop the flow of illicit drugs crossing the border into the U.S. from Mexico. "Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America," Trump said. Trump has previously pledged to end China's most-favored-nation trading status and slap tariffs on Chinese imports in excess of 60% - much higher than those imposed during his first term. The Chinese economy is in a much more vulnerable position given the country's prolonged property downturn, debt risks and weak domestic demand. The dollar rose more than 2% against the Mexican peso after Trump posted on his social media platform. Mexico's foreign ministry and its economy ministry did not have an immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. The Chinese embassy in Washington, the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Canadian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to separate requests for comment. (Reporting by Jasper Ward and Costas Pitas; additional reporting by David Ljunggren and Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Rami Ayyub and Jacqueline Wong)KyKy Tandy, FAU close out Oklahoma State in CharlestonAustralia's proposal to ban under-16s from social media platforms is "rushed", social media companies claimed Tuesday, expressing "serious concerns" about potential unintended consequences. The landmark legislation would force social media firms to prevent young teens from accessing their platforms or face fines of up to Aus$50 million (US$32.5 million). Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

Leading the charge for the Chinese team is a group of talented players who have demonstrated great skill and determination on the snooker table. With their strategic play and precise potting, they have managed to secure victory in four out of their seven matches on the opening day of the tournament. This impressive performance has earned them a spot in the Top 16, with a remarkable six wins out of seven matches.DENVER (AP) — So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's “America’s Got Talent” meets “American Idol,” with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at “Dream Team” status given the men’s side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023 . The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. “We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. “We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world.” Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores . “Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That’s something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok , the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado’s two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “If a receiver is running around, I’m thinking, ‘OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,’” Daniels explained. “They’re like, ‘No, you can’t.’ I’m just like, ‘So I’m supposed to let this guy just run?!’ I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn.” The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. “I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. “I’m not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, ‘I played NFL football for five years. I’m popular. I have a huge name.’ I’m still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise.” Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It’s his way of working on avoiding a “defender” trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. “You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the ‘Redeem Team’ led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, ‘That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. “Everybody thinks, ‘Yeah, the U.S. just wins,’” Daniels said. “But we work hard all the time. We don’t just walk in. We don’t just get off the bus thinking, ‘We’re going to beat people.’” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

Downing Street condemned Mr Putin for further escalating the conflict by using a ballistic missile with a range of “several thousand kilometres” against the city of Dnipro. Mr Putin suggested the missile could be used to hit Kyiv’s allies who have given Ukraine permission to use Western-supplied weapons to hit targets within Russia. The UK is believed to have allowed its Storm Shadow missiles to be used by Ukrainian forces within the Kursk region of Russia, while the US has given permission for its ATACMS weapons to be fired at targets in Mr Putin’s country. Mr Putin confirmed Russia has tested a new intermediate-range weapon, saying it came in response to Ukrainian strikes on the Russian territory with US and British missiles earlier this week. The Russian leader declared that Russia would issue advance warnings before strikes on other countries to allow civilians to evacuate to safety. “In response to the use of American and British long-range weapons on November 21 of this year, the Russian armed forces launched a combined strike on one of the facilities of the Ukrainian defence industry,” Mr Putin said in a televised address. “One of the newest Russian medium-range missile systems was tested in combat conditions, in this case, with a ballistic missile in a non-nuclear hypersonic warhead.” He added: “We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against military facilities of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities.” The US said the weapon was a new, experimental intermediate-range missile based on Russia’s existing RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. In Westminster, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “My understanding is that it is the first time that Russia has used a ballistic missile in Ukraine with a range of several thousand kilometres.” No 10 said it was “an example of escalatory behaviour from Russia”. But the Prime Minister’s spokesman added it “only serves to strengthen our resolve and to ensure that Ukraine has what it needs to act in self-defence against Russia’s reckless and illegal invasion”. Defence Secretary John Healey said: “Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine began, Russia has consistently and irresponsibly escalated the conflict while Ukraine continues to fight in self-defence for a democratic future. “Today’s ballistic missile attack is yet another example of Putin’s recklessness.” The missile’s range far outstrips that of newly authorised US and British supplied weapons. The distance from Moscow to London is around 2,500km, suggesting the range of the new missile could threaten the UK. Russia’s military claims it has shot down two British-made Storm Shadow missiles, following reports that debris from the weapons had been discovered in the country’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have launched an incursion. Mr Healey earlier revealed to a committee of MPs that the UK knew Russia had been “preparing for months” to fire a new ballistic missile. Mr Healey warned Ukraine faces a “serious moment” in its defence against Mr Putin’s invasion, but refused to confirm that Kyiv had been given permission to use Storm Shadow in Russia. Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence have repeatedly declined to comment publicly on the use of Storm Shadow. “It risks both operational security and in the end the only one that benefits from such a public debate is President Putin,” the Defence Secretary told MPs. Battle lines in Ukraine are now “less stable than at any time since the early days of the full-scale Russian invasion”, Mr Healey said, citing British intelligence. Speaking at the same time, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told the House of Commons the UK “will not be deterred or distracted by reckless threats” from Mr Putin, who has lowered the threshold for using his nuclear arsenal. Sir Keir also insisted that all the UK’s support for Kyiv was “in accordance with international law” and “always for self-defence”. I had a meeting with the UK delegation led by Chief of the Defence Staff @AdmTonyRadakin_ . We discussed defense cooperation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, focusing on developing and enhancing the technological capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Particular... pic.twitter.com/EcjqfTuR49 — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 21, 2024 The head of the UK’s armed forces visited Ukraine to discuss the country’s military needs. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky met Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin in Kyiv. Mr Zelensky said: “We discussed defence co-operation between Ukraine and the United Kingdom, focusing on developing and enhancing the technological capabilities of the armed forces of Ukraine. “Particular attention was given to Ukraine’s current military needs and the continued support from our partners.”The player in question, whose identity has not been disclosed due to legal reasons, was hailed as a rising star in English football. With a reputation for dazzling skills on the pitch and a bright future ahead of him, his sudden fall from grace has left many wondering how such a promising career could unravel so quickly.