DALLAS — After his big-league debut in 2019, Max Fried enjoyed an extended run better than any other Atlanta Braves pitcher since John Smoltz, the last of the team’s “Big Three” Hall of Fame pitchers to leave the franchise nearly two decades ago. Now it’s Fried’s turn to leave the franchise that turned him into a star. On Tuesday, Fried agreed to sign an eight-year, $218 million deal with the New York Yankees , a league source confirmed to The Athletic . The deal, first reported by ESPN, is the most lucrative ever for a left-handed pitcher and the fourth-largest pitching contract overall. The move comes after the Yankees’ failed pursuit of Juan Soto . Prior to agreeing with the Yankees, The Athletic ’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays both had interest in the southpaw . Source confirms: Max Fried to Yankees, eight years, $218M, pending physical. Biggest deal for a left-hander and fourth largest pitching contract in game’s history. First: @JeffPassan — Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 10, 2024 Fried, who’ll turn 31 in January, entered the offseason as The Athletic ’s No. 4 ranked free agent , and was projected by The Athletic ’s Tim Britton to sign a five-year deal worth $140 million . Since his first full season in the majors, he’s posted a 71-31 record with a 3.06 ERA. Over the past six seasons, Gerrit Cole (79-33) is the only pitcher with more wins than Fried, who went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA in 29 starts in 2024, despite being briefly sidelined by a forearm issue, the second year of the same injury. Advertisement Fried went to arbitration with the Braves in 2022 and again in 2023 — he won the first case, lost the second — before settling with the team on a $15 million deal last winter to avoid a third hearing. It’s unclear if the Braves and Fried were ever close to a long-term extension. The Braves made him a qualifying offer ($21.05 million) in November to assure they would get draft pick compensation if he signed elsewhere. Among pitchers with 800 or more innings in the past six seasons, only Cole (2.98) had a lower ERA than Fried (3.06). Still, the fact that Fried didn’t have enough innings to qualify for some rankings over that period points to lingering concerns about the health of the left-hander, particularly as he enters his mid-30s. Throughout his career, Fried has dealt with finger blisters and other injuries before the forearm issues impacted his past two seasons. He returned sooner than expected from the latest setback, missing just the first 13 games after being diagnosed with forearm neuritis following a one-inning appearance in the All-Star Game. Before heading to the IL with neuritis, the slender lefty was 7-5 with a 3.08 ERA and two complete games in 18 starts. Over his final 11 regular season starts in 2024, he went 5-6 with a 3.53 ERA. His season ended unceremoniously, when in Game 2 of the NL Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres, he allowed five runs on eight hits over two innings, having exited the start with soreness after taking a line drive off his glute. That final start for the Braves came against the very team that traded Fried to Atlanta in 2014, a six-player deal that also sent Justin Upton to the Braves. Fried, a first-round pick in 2012 out of Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles — where he was high school teammates with Jack Flaherty and Lucas Giolito — was a top prospect in the middle of Tommy John surgery rehab when the Padres traded him. Advertisement After joining the Braves rotation in 2019, he quickly developed into one of baseball’s elite pitchers. While Tim Hudson had an impressive nine-year stretch with the Braves through 2013, Fried is the most accomplished Atlanta starter since the trio of Smoltz, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux. Fried finished his Braves tenure as a two-time NL All-Star, a three-time Gold Glove Award winner and the 2021 Silver Slugger winner — the final year a pitcher was awarded the year-end hardware before the universal DH. He finished fifth in Cy Young Award balloting in 2020 and was runner-up to unanimous winner Sandy Alcantara in 2022, when Fried had a 2.48 ERA in 30 starts with career highs in innings (185 1/3) and strikeouts (170) The 2024 season marked the third consecutive postseason disappointment for the Braves and Fried, who was impacted by the flu in 2022 and wasn’t sharp in 2023. In both those years, the Braves lost to the Philadelphia Phillies after having won their fifth and sixth consecutive NL East titles, a streak that ended in 2024 when Atlanta finished six games behind Philadelphia in the division. But before those three quick October exits, there was glory in 2021. And like two other fan-favorite big pieces of that World Series team, Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson , did before him, Fried exits as a free agent. (Photo: Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images)CYNICS said 2024’s television could only get worse after it started with ITV’s landmark drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office. But you know the funny thing? They were absolutely right. Two weeks after the brilliant Toby Jones series finished, Love Island All Stars was filling the same slot and a pattern had been established for this rollercoaster TV year. For every Clarkson’s Farm, there was a Dating Naked. For every Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams, an Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends. And for every Sharron Davies, who spoke out about the obscenity of biological men beating up women at the Olympics, there were half a dozen Clare Baldings at the BBC who stared at their feet and said nothing. In between times, Gladiators made a triumphant return, Phillip Schofield gave self-pity a bad name on Cast Away, Chris McCausland saved Strictly, the art of the sitcom died with the end of Curb Your Enthusiasm and the BBC’s obsession with drag acts reached its bloody conclusion with Smoggie Queens. With awards for the following: BEST QUIZ SHOW ANSWER 2024 : The Chase, Bradley Walsh: “Which leader was exiled to islands in the Mediterranean and South Atlantic?” Sophie: “Tony Blair.” If only, if only, if only. BEST SHOW : Any of the following could’ve won, or deserve a namecheck: Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, Industry, Clarkson’s Farm, Helmand: Tour Of Duty, Freddie Flintoff’s Field Of Dreams, Slow Horses, The Wrong Man: 17 Years Behind Bars, Enemy In The Woods, Wolf Hall, BBC1’s faithful and brilliant Gladiators reboot, Ludwig, Michael McIntyre’s Big Show, Hell Jumper, Shogun and Gavin & Stacey. But it’s the size of the gap left by Larry David’s sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm, after its 12th and final series, that sets it apart from everything else. With a couple of honourable exceptions on the streaming channels, such as Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle, there is no mainstream comedian now who dares to say the unsayable and I will miss this show for ever. WORST SHOW : Dishonourable mentions for Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends, Buying London, Piglets, Rylan’s Hot Mess Summer, Gino And Fred: Emission Impossible, BBC1’s criminally irresponsible documentary The Chris Kaba Shooting, The Pet Psychic, Josh Must Win, Have I Got News For You, The Last Leg, Parents’ Evening, The Fortune Hotel, Red Eye, Love Island All Stars, Football Focus, The Way, with Michael Sheen, C4’s zombie disaster Generation Z and BBC1 thriller Nightsleeper. None were as bad, though, as BBC3’s Smoggie Queens, a sitcom so witless, repellent and woke I’m certain the drag-fixated Beeb will give it at least another three series. BEST LIVE TV MOMENT : I greatly enjoyed Israel briefly leapfrogging everyone and getting 12 from Britain at the Eurovision Song Contest, when the public vote was opened, and also Stephen Mulhern inviting Ricky Hatton to “hit me,” at Dancing On Ice. Which he did, very very hard. But neither was quite as funny as the meltdown Emily Maitlis , Susanna Reid, Ed Balls and the rest of Britain’s breakfast TV luvvies suffered in the early hours of November 6, when Donald Trump won the US election. With the killer line belonging to GMB work experience lad Noel Phillips, at Kamala Harris’s “victory party”. “The mood, despite there being nobody here, is one of hope.” WORST LIVE TV MOMENT : Saturday Kitchen Live’s Pride special “in honour of the LGBTQI+ community” was a cult meeting so terrified of offending the alphabet people it cancelled the usual “heaven or hell” recipe feature in case anyone got the impression there was any negative side to the event. But it was still less sinister and woke than the $130million Olympic Games’ opening ceremony with its headless women, Last Supper fat lass, environmental bleats and musical segment in honour of the EU. MOST GRIEVOUSLY MISLEADING TITLE : C5’s Sue Perkins: Lost In Alaska. BEST DRAMA : The mesmerising Wolf Hall, Slow Horses, Industry, Shogun and Until I Kill You may all have been technically better, but none of them had the same emotional impact as Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, which led to questions in Parliament, new legislation and King Charles forcing former Post Office boss Paula Vennells to return her CBE for “bringing the honours system into disrepute”. Yet still the newly knighted Sir Alan Bates hasn’t received any compensation. Extraordinary. WORST DRAMA: It would take a special kind of disaster to beat BBC1’s Nightsleeper, which seemed to be heavily based on Thomas The Tank Engine’s Rusty And The Boulder episode. But Michael Sheen’s utterly deranged drama The Way, about a left-wing Welsh workers’ uprising, was that special kind of disaster. It featured a Masonic sex orgy, a talking teddy bear and was very much like the Two Ronnies’ old Worm That Turned sketch with Diana Dors, but took itself incredibly seriously. Most chillingly, it was “produced with the support of the Welsh Government”. Get out now, my Welsh friends. Get out while you still can. BEST OLYMPIC NAME : Li Shiting in the Chinese kayak, which the IOC urgently needs to stamp out. COCK-EYED OPTIMIST OF THE YEAR : Alleged political satirist Adam Hills, the day after the General Election, proudly declaring: “Keir Starmer has given us all a promise of hope.” And how’s that working out for you, Adam? WORST TALENT SHOW : Made In Korea: The K-Pop Experience. Vocal coach Jin Young-Jan teamed up with choreographers Seung Hyun Yu and Do Yun Wun to polish a British boyband before a performance for Hee Jun Yoon. Only one problem. Kun Fuh-Kin Sing. WORST LOVE SCENE : Gary Neville with Keir Starmer before the England v Spain Euro final. Get a room, guys. HEALTH AND SAFETY WARNING OF THE YEAR : Amazon Prime’s screenings of Holocaust film Zone Of Interest, which arrived with a warning it contains: “Alcohol use and smoking.” ’Cos that’s the eternal worry isn’t it. A death camp commandant exceeds his 14 units while committing genocide. ABOUT-TURN OF 2024 : One week in March, The Last Leg host Adam Hills was joking about the Princess of Wales’ death and fanning the flames of the Photoshopping controversy by saying: “I’ve never seen our office as excited as it was by this story.” The next, Kate had announced she had cancer and Adam Hills was claiming: “We watched the news together, as a production team, and it’s fair to say a lot of people were really emotional. Our thoughts go out to the Princess and her family.” Too late, Adam. OLYMPIC FILTH GOLD MEDAL : Weightlifting, Jono Farr: “Duangaksorn Chaidee made us sweat in the snatch, she made us sweat in the clean, it took a while to get into position, but that jerk was very powerful.” THE AIR MILES ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD 2024 : Serial Panorama p**s- taker Richard Bilton, who flew from Iceland to the Alps to Sydney to the Barrier Reef to Southern Carolina to California and back again to Britain, via Arizona, to answer the question Can Scientists Save The World? Only to tell us: “Cutting carbon use is vital.” You first, Richard. OLYMPIC HEROES AWARD : While others, like Clare Balding , avoided the destruction of female sport issue and the grotesque spectacle of men taking part in women’s boxing, other BBC employees didn’t cower. With special mentions for Nicola Adams, Matthew Pinsent and the supremely brave Sharron Davies, who accused the IOC of “Legalising beating up females.” She deserves a damehood for services to women’s sport. WORST REALITY/TALENT SHOW CONTESTANT : Just ahead of Dean McCullough from I’m a Celebrity , Joey Essex and the entire cast of Love Island and Dating Naked? All- singing, all-dancing celebrity flasher John Barrowman, who had one shot at redemption on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, but quit just 32 minutes after the contestants arrived at their New Zealand base. GASLIGHTER OF THE YEAR : Dating Naked, the Paramount+ channel: “Strict hygiene and dignity protocols were in place during filming.” CELEBRITY Mastermind, Clive Myrie: “Which English naval captain lost his right arm in 1797 during an attack on the town of Santa Cruz on the island of Tenerife?” John Whaite: “Captain Hook.” Mastermind, Clive Myrie: “In the 1980s, Jocky Wilson, right, John Lowe and Keith Deller all won the world championship of what indoor sport?” Emma: “Cycling.” The Weakest Link, Romesh Ranganathan: “In geology, the White Cliffs of Dover are principally formed out of what substance, chalk or cheese?” Helen Flanagan: “Cheese.” The Finish Line, Roman Kemp: “Which late football manager was known as Cloughie?” Emily: “Sir Alex Ferguson .” And Romesh: “In sport, the US tennis player who won all four grand slams in the 1990s and an Olympic gold medal is Andre who?” Vicky Hawkesworth: “The Giant.” A BLANKET finish between Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Jessica Gunning (Baby Reindeer), Toby Jones (Mr Bates Vs The Post Office), Lesley Manville (Sherwood), Marisa Abela (Industry), Anna Maxwell Martin (Until I Kill You) and my favourite, mesmerising Mark Rylance, who wasted not a single gesture in Wolf Hall: The Mirror And The Light. THE Day Of The Jackal’s Lashana “Bianca” Lynch was narrowly beaten by Phillip Schofield for his performance in C5’s Cast Away and delivery of the line: “I’ve been chucked under the bus and I could drive the same bus over so many people. “But I’m not that sort of person, I never have been.” THEY may well be works of TV genius but, without apology, I just didn’t get the appeal of The Traitors (it’s a game of blink murder), Bridgerton or Rivals, which was the Disney+ channel’s ironically s**t adaptation of the Jilly Cooper novel, without the “ironically” bit. Joey Essex, who spent 55 days on Love Island thoroughly convincing us that, far from being just an amiable fool, he is in fact a short-tempered, pot-stirring opportunist with a nasty passive-aggressive manner and an incredibly high opinion of himself. Strictly Come Dancing’s Chris McCausland, obviously With thanks to chef Tony Singh who got Carol Vorderman to cook lamb pie, and the subtitler who attached these words just below her: “It’s mutton. OK.” Fine with me. Channel 5 News, July 12, asparagus-flinging psychic Jemima Packington: “I see a K for Kane, an E for England. It’s coming home. NO candidates from Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales on this year’s series of The Apprentice, but the ever “diverse and inclusive” BBC did pick a vile bigot called Doctor Asif Munaf, who denounced Zionism, on social media, as “a Godless Satanic cult.” Asif, you’re so fired. BBC2’s Boybands Forever concluding with the cheerful news “911 have had a massive hit with Vietnamese superstar Duc Phuc,” while the rest of us were mourning the fact he didn’t team up with Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen and give the world Phuc That. The Big Show, its Midnight Game Show segment, Michael McIntyre to Bradley Walsh: “Please welcome, Fanny Chmelar.”
FAIRFIELD — Armijo High School's girls basketball team lost a matchup against Antioch, 62-30, on Friday. Leilani Tiemann scored eight points for the Royals. Peyton Brown had five and Malia Moli added four. Armijo (0-2) will play at Vacaville Christian Wednesday in a 6:30 p.m. game.
How do you remove children from the harms of social media? Politically the answer appears simple in Australia, but practically the solution could be far more difficult. The government's plan to ban children under 16 from social media platforms - including X, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram - is politically popular. The opposition party says it would have done the same after winning elections if the government had not moved first. The leaders of all eight Australian states and mainland territories have unanimously backed the plan, although Tasmania would have preferred the threshold set at 14. But a vocal assortment of experts in the fields of technology and child welfare have responded with alarm. More than 140 experts signed an open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemning the 16-year age limit as "too blunt an instrument to address risks effectively." Leo Puglisi, a 17-year-old Melbourne student who founded online streaming service 6 News Australia at the age of 11, laments that lawmakers lack the perspective young people have gained by growing up in the digital age. "With respect to the government and prime minister, they didn't grow up in the social media age. What a lot of people fail to understand here is that, like it or not, social media is a part of people's daily lives," Puglisi said. "It's part of their communities, work, entertainment. It's where they watch content - young people aren't listening to the radio, reading newspapers or watching free-to-air TV - and so it can't be ignored. This ban is just kicking the can down the road." Puglisi has been applauded for his work online. He was a finalist in his home state Victoria's nomination for the Young Australian of the Year award. His nomination bid credits his platform with "fostering a new generation of informed, critical thinkers." Cyber safety campaigner Sonya Ryan, however, knows from personal tragedy just how dangerous social media can be for children. Her 15-year-old daughter Carly Ryan was murdered in 2007 in South Australia state by a 50-year-old pedophile who pretended to be a teenager online. She was the first person in Australia to be killed by an online predator. "Kids are being exposed to harmful pornography, misinformation, body image issues, sextortion, online predators, bullying. There are so many different dangers and kids just don't have the skills or life experience to manage those well," Ryan said. "The result is we're losing our kids. Not only what happened to Carly but also an alarming rise in young suicides." Ryan is part of a group advising the government on a national strategy to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse in Australia. She wholeheartedly supports setting the social media age limit at 16. "We're not going to get this perfect," she said. "We have to make sure there are mechanisms in place to deal with an anxious generation of children addicted to social media." A major concern for social media users of all ages is the legislation's potential privacy implications. Age estimation technology has proved ineffective, so digital identification appears to be the most likely option for assuring a user is at least 16. Tama Leaver, professor of internet studies at Curtin University, fears the government will make platforms hold users' identification data. The government has already said the onus will be on platforms to ensure everyone meets the age limit. "The worst possible outcome would be social media platforms being the identity arbiter," Leaver said. "They would hold identity documents, which would be absolutely terrible because they have a fairly poor track record on personal data." Platforms will have a year once the legislation has become law to work out how the ban can be implemented. Ryan said privacy concerns should not stand in the way of removing children from social media. "What is the cost if we don't? If we don't put the safety of our children ahead of profit and privacy?" she asked. ASSOCIATED PRESSKALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Zahir Abdus-Salaam ran for a touchdown and caught another as Western Michigan defeated Eastern Michigan 26-18 on Saturday to become bowl eligible, snapping a three-game losing streak. Abdus-Salaam scored on a 22-yard run for a 23-8 lead in the third quarter and he celebrated by jumping into a snowbank bordering the end zone. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.The global animation industry has witnessed explosive growth in recent years, with Indian animation studios emerging as key players on the international stage. Leveraging creative talent, cutting-edge technology, and a penchant for storytelling, these studios have produced world-class content that rivals their Western counterparts. From feature films and TV series to digital content and VFX, Indian animation is shaping the future of entertainment. Here’s a look at the top 10 best Indian animation studios in 2025, celebrated for their groundbreaking contributions. 1. Green Gold Animation Renowned for creating beloved characters like Chhota Bheem, Green Gold Animation continues to dominate the Indian animation industry. Based in Hyderabad, this studio has expanded its portfolio to include global collaborations and innovative IPs. Why It Stands Out : Creator of iconic shows like Chhota Bheem and Mighty Raju Focus on original Indian content with universal appeal Robust distribution network across 60+ countries Green Gold Animation is setting benchmarks in children’s entertainment with its compelling narratives and high-quality animation. 2. Toonz Animation India Founded in 1999, Toonz Animation is a pioneer in the Indian animation industry. Headquartered in Trivandrum, it has consistently delivered captivating stories and cutting-edge visuals. Key Achievements : Produced award-winning series like The Adventures of Tenali Raman Specializes in 2D, 3D animation, and VFX International collaborations with Disney, Nickelodeon, and Sony Toonz Animation’s expertise lies in crafting content that appeals to audiences across cultures, making it a global powerhouse. 3. Maya Digital Studios Maya Digital Studios, a trailblazer in computer-generated animation in India, has been a significant player in the industry since 1996. Known for its focus on VFX and digital content, Maya continues to innovate. Top Features : Specializes in animated series, movies, and digital media Worked on international projects like The Jungle Book Cutting-edge VFX for Bollywood blockbusters Maya Digital Studios is celebrated for its technical expertise and a consistent focus on quality storytelling. 4. Prana Studios Based in Mumbai, Prana Studios is globally recognized for its contributions to Hollywood and Bollywood animation projects. Known for its technical brilliance, the studio has worked on acclaimed movies like Planes and Thor: The Dark World . Standout Features : High-end animation and visual effects Partnerships with Disney, DreamWorks, and Warner Bros. Focus on blending Indian artistry with global animation trends Prana Studios is a prime example of how Indian animation studios are making their mark on international cinema. 5. Reliance Animation A division of Reliance Entertainment, Reliance Animation has played a pivotal role in elevating Indian animation to global standards. The studio has developed popular series for both Indian and international audiences. Key Highlights : Created the hit show Little Krishna Expertise in 2D and 3D animation Collaboration with DreamWorks for global projects Reliance Animation’s ability to blend creativity with technology has solidified its position as a leader in the animation industry. 6. DQ Entertainment Based in Hyderabad, DQ Entertainment is a major player in the global animation and gaming industry. With a team of over 3,000 professionals, the studio has worked on several international TV series and films. Why It’s Worth Noting : Co-productions with Nickelodeon, Disney, and BBC Projects like The Penguins of Madagascar and Iron Man: Armored Adventures Focus on delivering high-quality animation on a global scale DQ Entertainment’s ability to cater to international standards has made it a trusted name in the industry. 7. Red Chillies VFX Founded by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, Red Chillies VFX is a visual effects powerhouse based in Mumbai. While primarily a VFX studio, its animation expertise has been a game-changer for Indian cinema. Key Contributions : VFX for blockbuster films like Ra.One and Chennai Express Blending animation with live-action seamlessly Award-winning visual effects recognized globally Red Chillies VFX exemplifies how Indian animation studios are pushing the boundaries of creativity in cinema. 8. Cosmos-Maya Cosmos-Maya has revolutionized animated content production for television, creating some of the most beloved children’s shows in India. With a focus on speed and quality, the studio has produced over 20,000 minutes of animation. What Sets It Apart : Creator of hit shows like Motu Patlu and Selfie With Bajrangi Strong partnerships with streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Expertise in quick-turnaround animation Cosmos-Maya’s ability to produce high-quality content at scale makes it a top choice for broadcasters and OTT platforms. 9. Paperboat Animation Studios Paperboat Animation Studios is known for its creative storytelling and visually appealing animations. Based in Mumbai, the studio has carved a niche for itself in the advertising and short-film space. Key Features : Focus on high-quality short films and advertisements Award-winning projects like Raju The Rickshaw Expertise in delivering culturally rich narratives Paperboat Animation’s unique approach to animation has earned it a loyal following in the creative industry. 10. Vaibhav Studios Vaibhav Studios, founded by the celebrated animator Vaibhav Kumaresh, is renowned for its quirky and innovative animation projects. This indian amination studios specializes in stop-motion and 2D animation. Top Highlights : Creator of the iconic Simpoo character Worked on award-winning advertisements and short films Focus on exploring unconventional animation techniques Vaibhav Studios’ passion for innovation makes it a standout name in the list of Indian animation studios . How Indian Animation Studios Are Revolutionizing the Industry ? Indian animation studios have successfully combined storytelling traditions with modern technology. Their rise can be attributed to: The Future of Indian Animation Studios As Indian animation studios continue to grow, the future looks promising. With OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney+ investing in local content, Indian animation is becoming a global force. Studios are also exploring new avenues like gaming, AR/VR experiences, and metaverse content, paving the way for unprecedented growth. Conclusion The top 10 best Indian animation studios listed above are leading the charge in transforming India into a global animation hub. With their creativity, innovation, and commitment to excellence, these studios are not just entertaining audiences but also inspiring the next generation of storytellers. As the industry evolves, Indian animation studios are set to leave an indelible mark on the global entertainment landscape.A defiant Conor McGregor has repeated his vow to appeal against a jury's decision to award a hair colourist €250,000 in damages for sexual assault, describing the civil case against him as "absolute nonsense". The controversial UFC star walked out of the High Court on Friday evening after a jury's decision to award Nikita Hand €248,603 in damages. Ms Hand, who had alleged that McGregor raped her in the penthouse suite of the Beacon Hotel in Dublin in December 2018, afterwards claimed that "justice had been served". However, in a social media post yesterday, McGregor insisted that he would be appealing the decision. He wrote on X: "We are not done yet, not by a long shot. No chance. On we fight." He described the case against him as "absolute nonsense", while also claiming that the reporting of the case was an "absolute laughing stock to everyone present." In an emotional statement outside the court following a two week civil trial, Nikita Hand said hoped the decision of the court would give other victims of sexual assault the courage to speak up. She said: "To all the victims of sexual assault. I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be, speak up. You have a voice and keep on fighting for justice." For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage . Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. 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NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of , and who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83. Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote. Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978. In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s , for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s , simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990. , which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date. A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, would offer to pay for a second date. Woolery told The Philadelphia in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.” Other career highlights included hosting the shows , , and , as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s . Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, , which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics. Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer. started life as , incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on singing , Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford. “I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say—that’s the guy I want to be.’” NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on . Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak. “Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ’did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in , an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host. Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician. The Avant-Garde, which toured in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/ I can get a good sensation/ Feel like I’m naturally stoned.” After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.” Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album , Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/ Hear her laugh, hear her scream.” After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York , he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution. He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism. “President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said. Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.” During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency. “The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020. Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died. Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted. Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.” In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.49ers’ Shanahan expects Jake Moody to be his kicker into the future
Henry Siu Innovative perspectives and gathering talent are crucial to the development of an innovation ecology in Hong Kong, says Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po, who shared a meal with experts and proponents that included Jensen Huang Jen-hsun, founder of tech giant Nvidia. "This gathering - with innovative views and a Hong Kong taste - represents the two important elements of building a thriving innovation ecology - an innovative perspective and gathering of talent," Chan wrote on his blog yesterday. It was held at a dai pai dong in Sham Shui Po with a number of distinguished innovators and academic leaders in attendance, Chan said. Apart from Huang, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology president Nancy Chu Ip Yuk-yu and HKUST council chairman Harry Shum Heung-yeung were also present. "We shared authentic Hong Kong stir-fry and flavorful traditional Hong Kong dishes while we exchanged our views on IT development and talent cultivation," Chan said. He said he met several enterprises that have expressed interest in Hong Kong's IT development when he visited advanced economies spanning the United States and Europe, as well as the Middle East and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. "They are eager to know more about the development and application of cutting-edge technology and the development of its relevant manufacturing industry in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area for more opportunities of cooperation," he said. Chan said the development of the Hong Kong section of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Zone has been accelerated, coupled with the substantial investment in information technology made in recent years. He believes the local IT sector would further develop in the direction of industrial development, being an important part of driving Hong Kong's economy. Nvidia founder Huang, 61, was among four individuals conferred honorary doctorates by HKUST. Huang received his doctorate alongside actor Tony Leung Chiu-wai, 2013 Nobel chemistry laureate Michael Levitt and field medalist David Mumford. In a speech on Saturday, Huang, conferred an honorary doctorate degree in engineering, said "the age of AI has started - a new computing era that will impact every industry and every field of science." Huang also told university graduates that he wished he could have started his career now. "The whole world is resetting. You're at the starting lines with everybody else. An industry is being reinvented. You now have the instruments, the instruments necessary to advance science in so many different fields," he said. Asked about the possibility of US president-elect Donald Trump restricting the export of semiconductors against China and how the China-US trade war would affect AI development, Huang said AI development is global and will not be stopped. henry.siu@singtaonewscorp.com2 Ultra-High-Yield Dividend Stocks That Passive Income Investors Won't Want to MissWASHINGTON (AP) — For years, Pat Verhaeghe didn’t think highly of Donald Trump as a leader. Then Verhaeghe began seeing more of Trump’s campaign speeches online and his appearances at sporting events. There was even the former president’s pairing with Bryson DeChambeau as part of the pro golfer’s YouTube channel series to shoot an under-50 round of golf while engaging in chitchat with his partner. “I regret saying this, but a while ago I thought he was an idiot and that he wouldn’t be a good president,” said the 18-year-old first-time voter. “I think he’s a great guy now.” Verhaeghe isn't alone among his friends in suburban Detroit or young men across America. Although much of the electorate shifted right to varying degrees in 2024, young men were one of the groups that swung sharply toward Trump. More than half of men under 30 supported Trump, according to AP VoteCast , a survey of more than 120,000 voters, while Democrat Joe Biden had won a similar share of this group four years earlier. White men under 30 were solidly in Trump’s camp this year — about 6 in 10 voted for Trump — while young Latino men were split between the two candidates. Most Black men under 30 supported Democrat Kamala Harris, but about one-third were behind Trump. Young Latino men’s views of the Democratic Party were much more negative than in 2020, while young Black men’s views of the party didn’t really move. About 6 in 10 Latino men under 30 had a somewhat or very favorable view of the Democrats in 2020, which fell to about 4 in 10 this year. On the other hand, about two-thirds of young Black men had a favorable view of the Democrats this year, which was almost identical to how they saw the party four years ago. “Young Hispanic men, and really young men in general, they want to feel valued," said Rafael Struve, deputy communications director for Bienvenido, a conservative group that focused on reaching young Hispanic voters for Republicans this year. “They're looking for someone who fights for them, who sees their potential and not just their struggles.” Struve cited the attempted assassination of Trump during a July rally in Pennsylvania as one of the catalyzing moments for Trump’s image among many young men. Trump, Struve said, was also able to reach young men more effectively by focusing on nontraditional platforms like podcasts and digital media outlets. “Getting to hear from Trump directly, I think, really made all the difference," Struve said of the former president's appearances on digital media platforms and media catering to Latino communities, like town halls and business roundtables Trump attended in Las Vegas and Miami. Not only did Trump spend three hours on Joe Rogan's chart-topping podcast, but he took up DeChambeau's “Break 50” challenge for the golfer's more than 1.6 million YouTube subscribers. Trump already had an edge among young white men four years ago, although he widened the gap this year. About half of white men under 30 supported Trump in 2020, and slightly less than half supported Biden. Trump's gains among young Latino and Black men were bigger. His support among both groups increased by about 20 percentage points, according to AP VoteCast — and their feelings toward Trump got warmer, too. It wasn’t just Trump. The share of young men who identified as Republicans in 2024 rose as well, mostly aligning with support for Trump across all three groups. “What is most alarming to me is that the election is clear that America has shifted right by a lot,” said William He, founder of Dream For America, a liberal group that works to turn out young voters and supported Harris’ presidential bid. With his bombastic demeanor and a policy agenda centered on a more macho understanding of culture , Trump framed much of his campaign as a pitch to men who felt scorned by the country’s economy, culture and political system. Young women also slightly swung toward the former president, though not to the degree of their male counterparts. It's unclear how many men simply did not vote this year. But there's no doubt the last four years brought changes in youth culture and how political campaigns set out to reach younger voters. Democrat Kamala Harris' campaign rolled out policy agendas tailored to Black and Latino men, and the campaign enlisted a range of leaders in Black and Hispanic communities to make the case for the vice president. Her campaign began with a flurry of enthusiasm from many young voters, epitomized in memes and the campaign's embrace of pop culture trends like the pop star Charli XCX's “brat” aesthetic . Democrats hoped to channel that energy into their youth voter mobilization efforts. “I think most young voters just didn’t hear the message,” said Santiago Mayer, executive director of Voters of Tomorrow, a liberal group that engages younger voters. Mayer said the Harris campaign’s pitch to the country was “largely convoluted” and centered on economic messaging that he said wasn’t easily conveyed to younger voters who were not already coming to political media. “And I think that the policies themselves were also very narrow and targeted when what we really needed was a simple, bold economic vision,” said Mayer. Trump also embraced pop culture by appearing at UFC fights, football games and appearing alongside comedians, music stars and social media influencers. His strategists believed that the former president’s ability to grab attention and make his remarks go viral did more for the campaign than paid advertisements or traditional media appearances. Trump's campaign also heavily cultivated networks of online conservative platforms and personalities supportive of him while also engaging a broader universe of podcasts, streaming sites, digital media channels and meme pages open to hearing him. “The right has been wildly successful in infiltrating youth political culture online and on campus in the last couple of years, thus radicalizing young people towards extremism,” said He, who cited conservative activist groups like Turning Point USA as having an outsize impact in online discourse. “And Democrats have been running campaigns in a very old fashioned way. The battleground these days is cultural and increasingly on the internet.” Republicans may lose their broad support if they don't deliver on improving Americans' lives, Struve cautioned. Young men, especially, may drift from the party in a post-Trump era if the party loses the president-elect's authenticity and bravado. Bienvenido, for one group, will double down in the coming years to solidify and accelerate the voting pattern shifts seen this year, Struve said. “We don’t want this to be a one and done thing,” he said. Associated Press writer Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and AP polling editor Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux contributed to this report.WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday he had an “excellent conversation” with Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after the president-elect's threat to impose significant tariffs on two of America’s leading trade partners raised alarms in Ottawa and Mexico City . It was unclear, as Trudeau headed back to Canada from Florida, whether the conversation had alleviated Trump’s concerns. A person familiar with the details of the leaders' hastily arranged meeting Friday night said it was a “positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.” The official, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defense, Ukraine, NATO, China, the Mideast and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year. The Republican president-elect has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if the countries don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders when he takes office in January. As he was leaving his West Palm Beach hotel, Trudeau stopped briefly to answer a reporter’s question about the dinner meeting, saying it was "an excellent conversation." Trump’s transition team did not respond to questions about what the leaders had discussed. Trump, during his first term as president, once called Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest,” but it was the prime minister who was the first G7 leader to visit Trump since the Nov. 5 election. "Tariffs are a crucial issue for Canada and a bold move was in order. Perhaps it was a risk, but a risk worth taking,” Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Among those at the dinner were Howard Lutnick, Trump's pick for commerce secretary; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, in line to lead the Interior Department; and Mike Waltz, Trump's choice to be his national security adviser. Accompanying Trudeau were Canada's public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, whose responsibilities include border security, and Katie Telford, Trudeau's chief of staff. Trudeau had said earlier Friday that he would resolve the tariffs issue by talking to Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said a day earlier after speaking with Trump that she is confident a tariff war with the United States will be averted. Trudeau said Trump got elected because he promised to bring down the cost of groceries but now he's talking about adding 25% to the cost of all kinds of products including potatoes from Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau said before his leaving for Florida. “Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added. To Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, Trump "doesn’t need convincing that new tariffs on Canadian products would not be in U.S. interests. He knows that, but cannot say it because it would detract from what he has said publicly. His goal is to project the image that he gets action when he talks.” Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his first term. Trudeau noted they were able to successfully renegotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for both countries. Trump made the tariff threat Monday while citing an influx of migrants entering the country illegally, even though the numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison to those at the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump also spoke about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, even though seizures from the Canadian border are few in comparison to the Mexican border. Canadian officials say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair but say they are ready to make new investments in border security. When Trump imposed higher tariffs during his first term in office, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs of their own. Canada, for instance, announced billions of new duties in 2018 against the U.S. in a response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto.
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