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Man United preparing summer bid for Nigerian star Ademola Lookman
China lodges serious protests to US over FY 25 NDAAIt would be rash to declare that the war is over, but the social justice warriors are undoubtedly in retreat. The woke campaign to dress up Christmas into its diverse, equitable and inclusive agenda has failed, just like every other assault on this most enduring annual festival in the course of the last 2,000 years. The share of Americans who agree there is a war on Christmas has fallen from 39 per cent in 2022 to 23 per cent today according to a recent YouGov survey. The attempts to politicise Christmas has failed. Roughly a fifth of Americans (21 per cent) say if Santa Claus was a registered voter he’d support the Republicans. The same proportion believe he’d vote Democrat. Christmas remains universally popular. It will be embraced everywhere from Damascus to Dubbo. Christmas will be celebrated in Perth, WA, with a forecast maximum of 25C and in Ontario, Canada with -4C temperatures. Those who have tried to remove the celebration from the calendar over the course of a hundred of years have only succeeded in making it stronger. Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan government passed a law banning Christmas, Easter and Whitsun in 1647. Traditional Christmas decorations, such as holly and ivy, were prohibited as remnants of paganism. Soldiers were ordered to enforce sobriety and discipline by ensuring businesses stayed open and that people refrained from celebrating. The bans were met with widespread disobedience. Riots and protests occurred in some towns, with people demanding the restoration of Christmas celebrations. Business owners, particularly innkeepers and merchants, resisted because Christmas was a money maker. In Massachusetts Bay Colony, the Puritans enacted a law in 1659 stating: “Whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing labor, feasting, or any other way... shall pay for every such offence five shillings." The law was widely flouted and was revoked in 1684. Christmas was banned in Soviet Russia in 1929 as part of the Communist’s campaign for secularisation. In the mid-1930s, the Soviet government rebranded the Christmas Tree as Novogodnyaya Yolka (the New Year’s Tree) and Santa Claus as Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) based on a Slavic folklore figure. He was portrayed as delivering gifts to children with the help of his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow Maiden) and there were no Christian connotations. The Russian Orthodox Church continued to practice Christmas traditions clandestinely while many believers quietly observed these at home, attending secret church services or celebrating privately with family. Christmas, celebrated on January 7, was reinstated as a public holiday in 1991 after the collapse of Communism. In 2014, authorities in several Chinese cities began banning Christmas decorations in public schools. In 2018, the city of Langfang in Hebei Province prohibited Christmas-related displays, calling them a “Western religious festival”. Yet these and other recent attempts to limit western influence of Christmas have been undermined by the commercial benefits. A 2023 report by Straits Research found the export of Christmas decorations alone was worth $US 10 billion to the Chinese economy. The sociological argument for the survival of Christmas is compelling. Shared myths and feast days help strengthen the social fabric, reinforcing bonds through collective activities. The foundational sociologist Émile Durkheim made these the focus of his seminal work ‘The Elementary Forms of Religious Life’, published in 1912. He identified the importance of the myths, totems and corroborees that gave Aboriginal clans a sense of shared identity. The boundaries between religious and secular life are artificial in the sense that national myths, shared customs and public holidays have much the same sociological function as overt religious observance. For Christians, the Nativity story holds profound spiritual significance. It affirms the core Christian belief that Jesus is the Incarnation of God, fully divine and fully human. It signifies the arrival of God’s light into a world of darkness, bringing hope, peace, and joy to humanity. From a theological standpoint, the explanation for Christmas's endurance is bound to Christianity's survival. It has survived because it is grounded in reality and is not a human invention. However, the universal appeal of Christmas compared to other Christian festivals lies in its ability to adapt to cultural circumstances and changing times. It has become infused with pagan myths from Central Europe, the mid-winter festivals of old England and turbo-charged with the creative force of US popular culture. The songs sung by Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley are the ubiquitous soundtrack to the modern Christmas. The vast and expanding cannon of Christmas movies are as much part of the narrative as Charles Dickens 19th century novel ‘A Christmas Carol’. The morally confusing, illogical and incoherent ideology of woke was no match for the Christmas story with its grounding in the historical fact of the birth of the most influential figure in human history. The narrative evolved and adapted over the centuries to incorporate the stories that inspired our ancestors. It is still evolving in Australia where northern-hemisphere mid-winter rituals have been adapted for local conditions. Cold beer has replaced warm ale and log fires are substituted for a barbecue. New opportunities for bonding like the Boxing Day Test have been incorporated into the calendar. Christmas survives because of its all-encompassing charm, its ability to become many things to many people. It’s glad tidings of great joy extend not only to all men, but also to women wherever they sit on the LBGTQ spectrum and whatever the colour of their skin. Christmas, as Scrooge’s nephew put it in Dickens novel, is: “a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.” Woke could never compete with something as diverse, equitable and inclusive as that. Nick Cater is senior fellow at Menzies Research Centre and a regular contributor to Sky News Australia
A corporate first: Zain introduces ‘The Masters’, empowering 30 individuals with disabilities to create, shape their own experiences, and become leadersSAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The price of iLearningEngines (NASDAQ: AILE) shares crashed over 30% lower on November 18, 2024 after announcing that (i) the company had placed CFO S. Farhan Naqvi on administrative leave effective immediately, (ii) its outside auditor had withdrawn its prior opinions, (iii) investors should no longer rely on previously-filed financial statements, and (iv) the SEC had subpoenaed the company seeking various documents and information. The company’s recent announcement follows a scathing report from a renowned activist short seller that cast doubt on the financial health and business model of iLearningEngines and gave rise to an investor class action. Hagens Berman urges iLearningEngines investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now . Class Period: Apr. 22, 2024 – Aug. 28, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Dec. 6, 2024 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/aile Contact the Firm Now: AILE@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895 Securities Class Action Against iLearningEngines: The pending litigation focuses on the propriety of iLearningEngines’ disclosures about, among other matters, the source and veracity of its revenues and expenses and its relationship with an entity the company has called its “Technology Partner.” The complaint alleges that iLearningEngines made false and misleading statements and failed to disclose that: (1) the “Technology Partner” was in fact a related party; (2) the company used the “Technology Partner” to report largely fake revenues and expenses; and (3) as a result of the foregoing, the company significantly overstated its revenue. Investors began to learn the truth on August 29, 2024, when Hindenburg Research published a report accusing the AI-powered learning automation company of fabricating revenue and engaging in questionable accounting practices. Among other things, Hindenburg alleged that a significant portion of the company’s revenues and expenses are routed through an undisclosed related party (Experion Technologies), the company lied to the SEC abut its relationship with Experion, and the company artificially inflated its revenues. In response, the price of iLearningEngines shares plummeted by over 50% that day. After Hindenburg’s report and the lawsuit was filed, another shoe dropped on November 18, 2024, when iLearningEngines filed its current report on Form 8-K. The company announced that it placed its CFO on administrative leave and that the SEC issued a subpoena to the company seeking certain documents and information. The company also announced that its outside auditor (Marcum) withdrew its prior audit opinions and that all or virtually all of its financial statements filed in connection with its SPAC merger, which closed on April 16, 2024, should not be relied on. In response, the price of iLearningEngines crashed over 30% that day. Prominent shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman has launched an investigation into the matter. “Investors who relied on iLearningEngines’ alleged misleading statements and omissions may have suffered significant financial losses,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. If you invested in iLearningEngines and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm’s investigation, submit your losses now » If you’d like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the iLearningEngines case and our investigation, read more » Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding iLearningEngines should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email AILE@hbsslaw.com . About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs’ rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman’s team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw . Contact: Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895Trent Williams' wife, Sondra, says their son was stillborn
Richard Drury It has not been a strong year for factor investors. Both the high-dividend-yield and the dividend-growth smart beta plays have lost ground to a basic growth/momentum trade. What's more, a rising US Dollar Index ( DXY ) in 2024 Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers were hit by another family tragedy with the announcement that star left tackle Trent Williams' wife gave birth to a stillborn son late last week. Sondra Williams announced on Instagram on Sunday that she gave birth to Trenton O’Brien Williams Jr. on Nov. 24. Williams also wrote that she was initially pregnant with twins and lost the other child earlier in the pregnancy. “I can’t even begin to describe how I felt leaving the hospital without you,” she wrote. “Nor how it feels being home celebrating Thanksgiving without my baby in my arms. My heart is broken and my arms are empty. But I know you’ll always be near watching over me and your sisters. And for that, my heart smiles with gratitude. Thank God for allowing us to bond for 35 weeks and for me to birth you so I could hold you in my arms. I’m at peace knowing you will never have to suffer.” Williams wrote that her son was diagnosed with Trisomy 13, a genetic condition also known as Patau syndrome that affects how the face, brain and heart develop, along with several other internal organs. Trent Williams spent time last week at the hospital and grieving with his family, including the couple's three young daughters. “He was there at the hospital with her and got to meet him and say bye,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. "Then he had to cremate him on Friday. So he’s been dealing with that and he’s working through it. But we’re all just trying to be here for him through it all.” This is the second tragedy to hit the Niners in recent weeks. Cornerback Charvarius Ward's 1-year-old daughter , Amani Joy, died on Oct. 28. She had born prematurely with Down syndrome and had open-heart surgery in April 2023. Ward spent a few weeks away from the team and returned to the field for the first time on Sunday. Williams has missed the last two games with an ankle injury but Shanahan said he is hoping to be able to the return as soon as he's healthy. “It’s hard as a coach. It’s hard as a friend. It’s hard as a family member. It’s hard for everybody," Shanahan said. ”But we spend a lot of time with each other. That’s what’s cool about a football team. Whatever you go through, the good or the bad, we go through it together. I do like that they have a group of guys they can go to, a group of guys that can see them every day. You can never escape that full grief and stuff. But I do think it’s nice for those guys to have another avenue to get out on the football field, to get around teammates and things like that." AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl49ers OL Trent Williams will not return this season
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The price of iLearningEngines (NASDAQ: AILE) shares crashed over 30% lower on November 18, 2024 after announcing that (i) the company had placed CFO S. Farhan Naqvi on administrative leave effective immediately, (ii) its outside auditor had withdrawn its prior opinions, (iii) investors should no longer rely on previously-filed financial statements, and (iv) the SEC had subpoenaed the company seeking various documents and information. The company’s recent announcement follows a scathing report from a renowned activist short seller that cast doubt on the financial health and business model of iLearningEngines and gave rise to an investor class action. Hagens Berman urges iLearningEngines investors who suffered substantial losses to submit your losses now . Class Period: Apr. 22, 2024 – Aug. 28, 2024 Lead Plaintiff Deadline: Dec. 6, 2024 Visit: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/aile Contact the Firm Now: AILE@hbsslaw.com 844-916-0895 Securities Class Action Against iLearningEngines: The pending litigation focuses on the propriety of iLearningEngines’ disclosures about, among other matters, the source and veracity of its revenues and expenses and its relationship with an entity the company has called its “Technology Partner.” The complaint alleges that iLearningEngines made false and misleading statements and failed to disclose that: (1) the “Technology Partner” was in fact a related party; (2) the company used the “Technology Partner” to report largely fake revenues and expenses; and (3) as a result of the foregoing, the company significantly overstated its revenue. Investors began to learn the truth on August 29, 2024, when Hindenburg Research published a report accusing the AI-powered learning automation company of fabricating revenue and engaging in questionable accounting practices. Among other things, Hindenburg alleged that a significant portion of the company’s revenues and expenses are routed through an undisclosed related party (Experion Technologies), the company lied to the SEC abut its relationship with Experion, and the company artificially inflated its revenues. In response, the price of iLearningEngines shares plummeted by over 50% that day. After Hindenburg’s report and the lawsuit was filed, another shoe dropped on November 18, 2024, when iLearningEngines filed its current report on Form 8-K. The company announced that it placed its CFO on administrative leave and that the SEC issued a subpoena to the company seeking certain documents and information. The company also announced that its outside auditor (Marcum) withdrew its prior audit opinions and that all or virtually all of its financial statements filed in connection with its SPAC merger, which closed on April 16, 2024, should not be relied on. In response, the price of iLearningEngines crashed over 30% that day. Prominent shareholder rights firm Hagens Berman has launched an investigation into the matter. “Investors who relied on iLearningEngines’ alleged misleading statements and omissions may have suffered significant financial losses,” said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation. If you invested in iLearningEngines and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm’s investigation, submit your losses now » If you’d like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the iLearningEngines case and our investigation, read more » Whistleblowers: Persons with non-public information regarding iLearningEngines should consider their options to help in the investigation or take advantage of the SEC Whistleblower program. Under the new program, whistleblowers who provide original information may receive rewards totaling up to 30 percent of any successful recovery made by the SEC. For more information, call Reed Kathrein at 844-916-0895 or email AILE@hbsslaw.com . About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs’ rights complex litigation firm focusing on corporate accountability. The firm is home to a robust practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and other wrongdoings. Hagens Berman’s team has secured more than $2.9 billion in this area of law. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw . Contact: Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895
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Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen still gets asked about the Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma on the first day of 2007. That game had everything. Underdog Boise State took a 28-10 lead over one of college football's blue bloods that was followed by a 25-point Sooners run capped by what could have been a back-breaking interception return for a touchdown with 1:02 left. Then the Broncos used three trick plays that remain sensations to not only force overtime but win 43-42. And then there was the marriage proposal by Boise State running back Ian Johnson — shortly after scoring the winning two-point play — to cheerleader Chrissy Popadics that was accepted on national TV. That game put Broncos football on the national map for most fans, but looking back 18 years later, Petersen sees it differently. "Everybody wants to talk about that Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl game, which is great how it all worked out and all those things," Petersen said. "But we go back to play TCU (three years later) again on the big stage. It's not as flashy a game, but to me, that was an even better win." Going back to the Fiesta Bowl and winning, Petersen reasoned, showed the Broncos weren't a splash soon to fade away, that there was something longer lasting and more substantive happening on the famed blue turf. The winning has continued with few interruptions. No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for another trip to the Fiesta Bowl, this time in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year's Eve. That success has continued through a series of coaches, though with a lot more of a common thread than readily apparent. Dirk Koetter was hired from Oregon, where Petersen was the wide receivers coach. Not only did Koetter bring Petersen with him to Oregon, Petersen introduced him to Dan Hawkins, who also was hired for the staff. So the transition from Koetter to Hawkins to Petersen ensured at least some level of consistency. Koetter and Hawkins engineered double-digit victory seasons five times over a six-year span that led to power-conference jobs. Koetter went to Arizona State after three seasons and Hawkins to Colorado after five. Then when Petersen became the coach after the 2005 season, he led Boise State to double-digit wins his first seven seasons and made bowls all eight years. He resisted the temptation to leave for a power-conference program until Washington lured him away toward the end of the 2013 season. Then former Boise State quarterback and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin took over and posted five double-digit victory seasons over his first six years. After going 5-2 during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he left for Auburn. "They just needed consistency of leadership," said Koetter, who is back as Boise State's offensive coordinator. "This program had always won at the junior-college level, the Division II level, the I-AA (now FCS) level." But Koetter referred to "an unfortunate chain of events" that made Boise State a reclamation project when he took over in 1998. Coach Pokey Allen led Boise State to the Division I-AA national championship game in 1994, but was diagnosed with cancer two days later. He died on Dec. 30, 1996, at 53. Allen coached the final two games that season, Boise State's first in Division I-A (now FBS). Houston Nutt became the coach in 1997, went 4-7 and headed to Arkansas. Then Koetter took over. "One coach dies and the other wasn't the right fit for this program," Koetter said. "Was a really good coach, did a lot of good things, but just wasn't a good fit for here." But because of Boise State's success at the lower levels, Koetter said the program was set up for success. "As Boise State has risen up the conference food chain, they've pretty much always been at the top from a player talent standpoint," Koetter said. "So it was fairly clear if we got things headed in the right direction and did a good job recruiting, we would be able to win within our conference for sure." Success didn't take long. He went 6-5 in 1998 and then won 10 games each of the following two seasons. Hawkins built on that winning and Petersen took it to another level. But there is one season, really one game, no really one half that still bugs Petersen. He thought his best team was in 2010, one that entered that late-November game at Nevada ranked No. 3 and had a legitimate chance to play for the national championship. The Colin Kaepernick-led Wolf Pack won 34-31. "I think the best team that I might've been a part of as the head coach was the team that lost one game to Nevada," Petersen said. "That team, to me, played one poor half of football on offense the entire season. We were winning by a bunch at half (24-7) and we came out and did nothing on offense in the second half and still had a chance to win. "That team would've done some damage." There aren't any what-ifs with this season's Boise State team. The Broncos are in the field of the first 12-team playoff, representing the Group of Five as its highest-ranked conference champion. That got Boise State a bye into the quarterfinals. Spencer Danielson has restored the championship-level play after taking over as the interim coach late last season during a rare downturn that led to Andy Avalos' dismissal. Danielson received the job full time after leading Boise State to the Mountain West championship. Now the Broncos are 12-1 with their only defeat to top-ranked and No. 1 seed Oregon on a last-second field goal. Running back Ashton Jeanty also was the runner-up to the Heisman Trophy. "Boise State has been built on the backs of years and years of success way before I got here," Danielson said. "So even this season is not because of me. It's because the group of young men wanted to leave a legacy, be different. We haven't been to the Fiesta Bowl in a decade. They said in January, 'We're going to get that done.' They went to work." As was the case with Danielson, Petersen and Koetter said attracting top talent is the primary reason Boise State has succeeded all these years. Winning, obviously, is the driving force, and with more entry points to the playoffs, the Broncos could make opportunities to keep returning to the postseason a selling point. But there's also something about the blue carpet. Petersen said he didn't get what it was about when he arrived as an assistant coach, and there was some talk about replacing it with more conventional green grass. A poll in the Idaho Statesman was completely against that idea, and Petersen has come to appreciate what that field means to the program. "It's a cumulative period of time where young kids see big-time games when they're in seventh and eighth and ninth and 10th grade and go, 'Oh, I know that blue turf. I want to go there,'" Petersen said.
Vanguard Expands Investor Choice Pilot Program, Adds New Funds, Policy Options, and Retirement Plan Participation
Amicorp Group has announced its intention to challenge a claim exceeding $1 billion from the scandal-plagued Malaysian fund 1MDB. The corporate services provider denies any knowledge or facilitation of over $7 billion in fraudulent transactions associated with the embezzlement of 1MDB funds. In a statement released late Monday, Amicorp said it would contest the legal action initiated by Malaysia's sovereign wealth fund, 1Malaysia Development Berhad, in the British Virgin Islands. 1MDB claims Amicorp, headquartered in Hong Kong, and its CEO played a crucial role in the fraud that took place between 2009 and 2014, making it one of the largest claims tied to the multibillion-dollar graft scandal. Investigations by Malaysian and U.S. authorities previously suggested that $4.5 billion was illicitly diverted from 1MDB, implicating former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Goldman Sachs employees, and high-level officials globally. Amicorp is accused of orchestrating a sophisticated conspiracy involving shell companies and fake transactions to conceal the movement of funds. Amicorp argues that the funds were misappropriated by senior Malaysian officials and the top management of Abu Dhabi's International Petroleum Investment Co and its subsidiary Aabar Investments PJS. In 2023, these UAE firms agreed to pay $1.8 billion to Malaysia in settlement over the 1MDB scandal. Najib Razak, who established 1MDB in 2009, is now serving a prison sentence for corruption and money laundering involving former unit SRC International. Despite his reduced sentence, he continues to face several other corruption trials linked to 1MDB. Amicorp claims it has not been subject to any administrative investigations or civil lawsuits, affirming its cooperation with Singaporean and Swiss authorities under mutual assistance arrangements in criminal matters, though it provided no further details. (With inputs from agencies.)
Ranchi, Dec 24 (IANS): A high-level delegation from the Uttar Pradesh government is currently on a visit to Jharkhand to extend a formal invitation to its residents for the Prayagraj Mahakumbh 2025. As part of this effort, Uttar Pradesh ministers Yogendra Upadhyay and Suresh Rahi met Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren, here on Tuesday. The ministers presented them with holy Ganga water, a symbol of the Mahakumbh, and an official invitation on behalf of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The ministers also conducted a roadshow in Ranchi earlier in the day, inviting people to attend the grand spiritual event. Addressing a press conference, they highlighted that over 45 crore devotees are expected to participate in the Mahakumbh, a 45-day congregation celebrated every 12 years. Recognised by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity, this edition of the Mahakumbh is set to be divine, grand, and eco-friendly, with extensive preparations by the Uttar Pradesh government. The ministers emphasised that the Mahakumbh offers a unique opportunity for spiritual growth and a deeper understanding of Indian culture and traditions. “For the first time, the event will feature advanced digital measures. QR code-based vehicle passes, a multilingual digital lost-and-found centre, and software-driven tent city allocation will ensure smooth management. Headcount monitoring will also be conducted using modern technology,” they said. The Jharkhand government has issued necessary safety guidelines for pilgrims travelling to Prayagraj Mahakumbh 2025. It has urged pilgrims to download the Mahakumbh Mela 2025 mobile app, secure accommodations before travel, and ensure health check-ups for individuals over 60 or those with pre-existing conditions. This grand event, considered the largest public gathering in the world, draws millions of pilgrims, ascetics, saints, sadhus and devotees from all corners of India and across the world. It promises to unite millions in a celebration of spirituality, culture, and tradition. The Uttar Pradesh government is pulling out all stops to make Mahakumbh 2025 a grand affair and memorable experience for devotees.Arkansas visits skidding Miami in battle of veteran coachesPrince Harry and Meghan Markle documentary a 'major blow' as popularity 'plummets'
Farmers need a reality check on Trump’s tariff warWomen's rugby's biggest star is leaping into pastures new in 2025. Ilona Maher, the American rugby supernova who took the country by storm as a part of the United States' bronze medal-winning sevens side in the summer, is taking her talents to Bristol Bears in January, she announced on social media Monday afternoon. Maher, who parlayed her impressive on-field exploits to appearances on Sports Illustrated's Swimsuit Edition and, most recently, "Dancing With the Stars," had long been linked to a move abroad, with rumors swirling in October that she was on the cusp of inking a deal with sides in Bristol and Gloucester. A post shared by Ilona Maher (@ilonamaher) MORE: Who won Dancing with the Stars in 2024? In the end, Maher waited until the winter to make her move. She had to finish shooting "DWTS," after all. Now, she'll get ready for her latest test — a signing that will see her spurn her favored sevens for 15s over the next few months. With more than seven million followers across her various social media accounts, there will be plenty following along hoping to see Maher impress at the highest level. Who are the Bristol Bears? The Bristol Bears are a professional rugby union club based in Bristol, England. They compete in Premiership Women's Rugby, the top-flight division of women's rugby union in England. Formed in 1984, Bristol Bears has a far lengthier history than most of its adversaries. They play matches in Shaftesbury Park and Ashton Gate — the latter of which holds 27,000 and hosts Bristol City FC contests, as well. The Bears are one of six sides to have competed in every season of Premiership Women's Rugby since its inception in 2017-18. They've yet to capture a league title but finished as runner-ups to Gloucester last year, falling 36-24 in the championship final. Maher revealed that one of her primary reasons for inking a deal with the Bears lied in her national team affiliation: she's hoping to use her three months in Bristol as a springboard for the 2025 Rugby World Cup, also held in England. “I want to put myself in the best position to hopefully be selected for the World Cup," Maher told The Guardian's Sarah Rendell . "I think there are many reasons. I really love what the PWR is doing and I think I love their branding, I think that’s really cool. I have been in the USA sevens for six years now, so I wanted to try something different, go and live somewhere else, meet new people." It's unclear quite what position Maher will play over the next three months — her contract expires after that. Still, the 28-year-old is hoping to better herself in more ways than one over the course of her contract's lifespan. "I think we will see wing, some centre,” Maher said. “Then I would love to, we were just talking about it, when we can try in the forwards and see if there is an opportunity sometime to go to eight or flanker. "I have never been lifted before because in sevens I am always the biggest girl so I think this is a great time to learn those other skills, you wouldn’t get the opportunity to [in sevens]."
This handout from the South Korean Presidential Office taken on December 3, 2024 shows South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivering a speech to declare martial law in Seoul. – South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol on December 3 declared martial law, accusing the opposition of being “anti-state forces” and saying he was acting to protect the country from “threats” posed by the North. (Photo by Handout / South Korean Presidential Office / Agence France-Presse) Seoul, South Korea — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who declared martial law on Tuesday, was elected in 2022 as a conservative political novice promising a tougher line on North Korea. He has not had an easy ride, taking office with some of the lowest approval ratings of any democratically elected South Korean president. READ: What we know about South Korea’s martial law Those ratings dropped even further to 19 percent in the latest Gallup poll last week, with many expressing dissatisfaction over his handling of the economy and controversies involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee. In declaring martial law the South Korean leader accused the opposition of being “anti-state forces” and said he was acting to protect the country from “threats” posed by the North. Observers and allies have been left scrambling to make sense of the sudden move. Born in Seoul in 1960, Yoon studied law and went on to become a star public prosecutor and anti-corruption crusader, playing an instrumental role in former president Park Geun-hye being convicted of abuse of power. As the country’s top prosecutor in 2019, he also indicted a top aide of outgoing president Moon Jae-in in a fraud and bribery case that tarnished that administration’s image. The conservative People Power Party (PPP), in opposition at the time, liked what they saw and convinced Yoon to become their presidential candidate. READ: South Korean parliament defies president, lifts martial law declaration He duly won in March 2022, beating Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, but by the narrowest margin in South Korean history. Yoon was never much loved, and a series of scandals — including his administration’s handling of a deadly Halloween crush of 2022 — have further eroded his popularity. Critics have blamed Yoon’s administration for food inflation, a lagging economy, and increasing constraints on freedom of speech. He was also accused of abusing presidential vetoes, notably to strike down a bill that would have paved the way for a special investigation into his wife’s alleged involvement in stock manipulation. Yoon suffered further reputational damage last year when his wife was secretly filmed accepting a designer handbag worth $2,000 as a gift. Yoon insisted it would have been rude to refuse. His mother-in-law, Choi Eun-soon, is serving a one-year prison sentence for forging financial documents in a real estate deal. She is due to be released in July. Yoon was earlier this year the subject of a petition calling for his impeachment, which proved so popular the parliamentary website hosting it experienced delays and crashes. Local media have reported that Yoon is particularly inspired by British wartime prime minister Winston Churchill. As president, Yoon has maintained a tough stance against Pyongyang and bolstered ties with Seoul’s traditional ally, the United States. Last year, he famously sang Don McLean’s “American Pie” during his visit to the White House, to which US President Joe Biden responded, “I had no damn idea you could sing.” But his efforts to restore ties with South Korea’s former colonial ruler, Japan, did not sit well with many at home, as the issue remains sensitive in the country. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . The return of former US president Donald Trump — who had historic but ultimately failed summits with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un while in office — may create another layer of tension, experts say.Ukraine studies debris from new Russian ballistic missile