Liverpool boss Arne Slot talks up ‘special player’ Mohamed SalahCARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy finished 26th in the 29-team Major League Soccer standings just one season ago, and their biggest supporters boycotted certain matches to protest a decade of poor performance. The most successful club in league history seemed light years away from its luminous prime. When the Galaxy raised the MLS Cup again Saturday amid confetti and fireworks, their spectacular transformation was complete. In only one year, a team that was profoundly lost had rediscovered its peerless championship pedigree. "We won this trophy, and it's finally back where it belongs," striker Dejan Joveljic said. Joseph Paintsil and Joveljic scored in the first half, and the Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls. After striking twice in the first 13 minutes of the final, the Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league's biggest trophy for the first time since 2014. MLS' most successful franchise struggled through most of the ensuing years, but everything changed after LA spent smartly in the offseason to build a high-scoring new lineup topped by Paintsil, Joveljic and Gabriel Pec. The Galaxy finished second in the Western Conference and streaked through the postseason with an MLS playoff-record 18 goals in five games to win another crown. "I'm just so proud of this group after the challenges that we (had) and the way they bounced back and competed as a group," Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. "We spent a lot of energy at the start, but I'm just so proud of these guys. They've cemented themselves as legends in this club." The Galaxy even won this title without perhaps their most important player. Riqui Puig, the playmaking midfielder from Barcelona who ran their offense impressively all season long, tore a ligament in his knee last week in the conference final. Puig watched this game in a suit, but the Catalan catalyst's teammates hadn't forgotten him: After his replacement, Gastón Brugman, set up LA's opening goal with a superb pass in the ninth minute, Paintsil held up Puig's jersey to their roaring fans during the celebration. "I was really waiting for this moment," said Paintsil, who scored his 14th goal of an impressive season. "I'm much more, 10 times faster than them, and Gaston saw the space. ... It was really a good thing. We did it for Riqui, and we did it for our family that came, and our supporters." Just four minutes later, Joveljic sprinted past four New York defenders and chipped home his 21st goal. Brugman was named the MLS Cup MVP after a commanding performance in midfield. The Uruguayan hadn't started a match for the Galaxy since Oct. 5 after an injury-slowed season, playing only as a postseason substitute before the final. "I dreamed of that yesterday, of something I could give to the team," Brugman said of his pass to Paintsil. "Today, it happened." Sean Nealis scored for the seventh-seeded Red Bulls, whose improbable postseason charge ended one win shy of their first Cup championship. With the league's youngest roster, New York fell just short of becoming the lowest-seeded team to win the tournament under first-year German coach Sandro Schwarz. "I love these guys," Schwarz said. "Some guys, they are crying. In the big picture, that's a start. Sometimes when you lose the final, it's tough, but you use this experience to create the next energy, the next intensity." Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made four saves to win his second MLS title in three seasons, but Nealis beat the 2022 MLS Cup MVP in the 28th minute when he volleyed from the penalty area. The second half was lively: Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg hit the outside of the post in the 72nd minute, while Pec and Galaxy substitute Marco Reus nearly converted chances a few moments later. The ball got loose in the Galaxy's penalty area in the third minute of extra time, but two Red Bulls couldn't finish. After Galaxy owner Phil Anschutz received the MLS Cup that bears his name because of his steady financial support of the league during its shaky years, Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida carried the trophy to his teammates for the celebration. The Galaxy extended their lead over DC United (4) for the most MLS Cup championships in league history. The Red Bulls remain one of three original MLS franchises never to win the title, along with FC Dallas and the New England Revolution. The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 this season at their frequently renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 for the final included several robust cheering sections of Red Bulls supporters hoping to see their New Jersey-based club's breakthrough. But this season was about the Galaxy's rebirth. The club famous for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier "Chicharito" Hernández swiftly turned itself into a contender again by acquiring young talents without international fame. The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and grabbed Paintsil, a Ghanaian playing in Belgium. The duo combined with Joveljic to form a potent attack with orchestration from Puig, one of MLS' best players. "Losing a guy like Riqui after the performance he put in all season was devastating," McCarthy said. "Even if he wasn't on the field, we did it for him." 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Slate Office REIT (TSE:SOT.UN) Trading 53.7% Higher – Here’s What HappenedA STONE coffin believed to be that of the original 'Santa Claus' has been unearthed by archaeologists. The St Nicholas Church in Demre, Antalya, Turkey , has been an excavation site for researchers since 1989. It is believed to be the final resting place of the Christian bishop Saint Nicholas of Myra (now known as Demre) who died in 343 AD. The Greek bishop was the inspiration for the figures of both Santa Clause and Sinterklaas. He was a devoted Christian dedicated to helping those in need and he even spent his inheritance on the cause. Saint Nick was particularly known for his secret gift-giving and gained a reputation for leaving coins in people’s shoes. read more on saint nicholas Now, archaeologists exploring the church's two-story annexe have located a limestone sarcophagus that could belong to Saint Nicholas. The five-foot deep and six-foot-long coffin with a raised lid was located at the burial site of the seventh-century church in the dig led by Associate Professor Ebru Fatma Findik from Hatay Mustafa Kemal University. Researchers who are taking part in the "Legacy for the Future Project" at the site revealed that the stone coffin was about six feet underground. They only realised they were working on a burial site when the researchers started finding animal bones and parts of clay lamps, Findik explained to Turkiye Today . Most read in Tech The saint who died in the fourth century was buried at the site of his church and hundreds of years later, at the request of Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II, a grand church was built in his honour at the same site. His remains were moved into a sarcophagus which was buried at the new church. But, it is not yet guaranteed that the stone coffin belongs to the devout Christian saint celebrated every December. The location of the Bishop's tomb has long been under speculation but the coffin being found so close to the church has given researchers hope. "Some sources suggest that St. Nicholas was buried near the sacred area of the city of Myra," Findik explained. "The fact that we have found a sarcophagus near the church, which is thought to house his tomb, may indicate that this is indeed the sacred area we have been searching for." "This is a significant archaeological confirmation of historical sources regarding the burial place of St. Nicholas," Findik added. In 1087, some bones were taken from his sarcophagus by Italian thieves from Bari who took them back to their hometown. Sailors from Venice later took the remaining bones during the First Crusade. In 1953, researchers confirmed that both sets of bones found in Bari and in Venice were from the same person, but it is not known if it is Saint Nicholas, according to Heritage Daily. Only the lid has so far been fully unearthed, with only a tiny section of the burial chamber currently visible as researchers hope to soon find a big clue as to its contents. "Our biggest hope is to find an inscription on the sarcophagus," Findik said. "This would help clarify the burial contents and allow us to determine the exact period it dates to." The lead researcher said that further details about the sarcophagus are expected over the next few months. Another group of researchers have managed to rebuild the face of Saint Nicholas after 1,700 years. To create the face, Cicero Moraes and his team used data collected in the 1950s by Luigi Martino, with permission from the Centro Studi Nicolaiani. He said: “We initially reconstructed the skull in 3D using this data. “We then traced the profile of the face using statistical projections. “We supplemented this with the anatomical deformation technique, in which the tomography of a living person's head is adjusted so that the virtual donor's skull matches that of the saint. READ MORE SUN STORIES “The final face is an interpolation of all this information, seeking anatomical and statistical coherence.” The result is two sets of images: one objective in greyscale, and one more artistic – adding features like a beard and clothes, inspired by the iconography of Saint Nicholas. SAINT Nicholas, the historical figure who inspired the modern-day Santa Claus, is a beloved saint in Christian tradition. He was a 4th-century bishop of Myra (modern-day Demre in Turkey) and is known for his generosity, miracles, and compassionate spirit. Saint Nicholas was born around 270 AD in the Roman province of Lycia, in the town of Patara (present-day Turkey). Raised in a wealthy Christian family, he lost his parents at a young age and inherited a substantial fortune. Rather than keeping the wealth for himself, Nicholas dedicated his life to serving others, living out his faith through acts of charity. Several stories about Saint Nicholas emphasise his generosity and miraculous deeds. Some of the most well-known include: The Dowries for the Three Sisters : A poor man in Myra had three daughters but could not afford dowries for them, leaving them at risk of being sold into slavery or forced into lives of destitution. According to legend, Saint Nicholas secretly provided dowries by throwing bags of gold through their window at night. Some versions of the story say he dropped the gold down the chimney, where it landed in stockings hanging by the fire to dry—a detail that inspired the Christmas stocking tradition. Saving sailors at sea : Saint Nicholas is also revered as the patron saint of sailors. One legend recounts that he calmed a fierce storm while on a voyage, saving the ship and its crew through his prayers. This story spread widely among seafarers, and they began to invoke his protection during their journeys. The resurrected children: Another famous tale tells of Saint Nicholas resurrecting three children who had been murdered by a butcher during a famine. In this story, the children had been dismembered and hidden in barrels, but Saint Nicholas miraculously restored them to life. This narrative contributed to his reputation as a protector of children. Saint Nicholas was known for his habit of secretly leaving gifts for the poor.His generosity earned him widespread admiration, and he became a symbol of selfless giving. After his death on December 6 (the year is uncertain but believed to be between 343–352 AD), Saint Nicholas's feast day became widely celebrated in Europe. Over the centuries, his legend grew, blending with local customs.In the Netherlands, Saint Nicholas became known as Sinterklaas, a figure celebrated on December 5 or 6. Dutch settlers brought the tradition of Sinterklaas to America, where it evolved into the modern Santa Claus, further shaped by cultural influences such as Clement Clarke Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” and Coca-Cola’s iconic 20th-century advertisements. Saint Nicholas is the patron saint of numerous groups, including children, sailors, merchants, the innocent, and the wrongfully accused. Icons of Saint Nicholas often depict him as a bishop holding a staff, with gold coins, children, or ships symbolising his miracles and patronage.Jimmy Carter, 39th President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dies at 100
Liverpool boss Arne Slot talks up ‘special player’ Mohamed SalahJimmy Carter, America’s 39th president, dead at 100
Arctic Star Exploration Corp. ( CVE:ADD – Get Free Report ) shares hit a new 52-week low during trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as C$0.01 and last traded at C$0.01, with a volume of 18743 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at C$0.02. Arctic Star Exploration Stock Performance The firm’s 50-day moving average price is C$0.01 and its two-hundred day moving average price is C$0.02. The company has a quick ratio of 3.10, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.52. The firm has a market capitalization of C$2.23 million, a PE ratio of -1.50 and a beta of 1.56. Arctic Star Exploration Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) Arctic Star Exploration Corp., a junior natural resource company, acquires, explores, and develops mineral properties in Canada and Finland. It primarily explores for diamond. The company’s flagship project is the Diagras diamond project located in the north-eastern part of the prolific Lac de Gras kimberlite field. Further Reading Receive News & Ratings for Arctic Star Exploration Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Arctic Star Exploration and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Liverpool boss Arne Slot hailed “special” Mohamed Salah after seeing him fire the Premier League leaders to the brink of victory at Newcastle. The Reds ultimately left St James’ Park with only a point after Fabian Schar snatched a 3-3 draw at the end of a pulsating encounter, but Salah’s double – his 14th and 15th goals of the season – transformed a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead before the Switzerland defender’s late intervention. The 32-year-old Egypt international’s future at Anfield remains a topic of debate with his current contract running down. Asked about Salah’s future, Slot said: “It’s difficult for me to predict the long-term future, but the only thing I can expect or predict is that he is in a very good place at the moment. Two goals and an assist for Mo tonight 👏 pic.twitter.com/tMXidgeA0P — Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 4, 2024 “He plays in a very good team that provides him with good opportunities and then he is able to do special things. “And what makes him for me even more special is that in the first hour or before we scored to make it 1-1, you thought, ‘He’s not playing his best game today’, and to then come up with a half-hour or 45 minutes – I don’t know how long it was – afterwards with an assist, two goals, having a shot on the bar, being a constant threat, that is something not many players can do if they’ve played the first hour like he did. “That is also what makes him special. If you just look at the goals, his finish is so clinical. He’s a special player, but that’s what we all know.” Salah did indeed endure a quiet opening 45 minutes by his standards and it was the Magpies who went in at the break a goal to the good after Alexander Isak’s stunning 35th-minute finish. Slot said: “The shot from Isak, I don’t even know if Caoimh (keeper Caoimhin Kelleher) saw that ball, as hard as it was.” Salah set up Curtis Jones to level five minutes into the second half and after Anthony Gordon has restored the hosts’ lead, levelled himself from substitute Trent Alexander-Arnold’s 68th-minute cross. He looked to have won it with a fine turn and finish – his ninth goal in seven league games – seven minutes from time, only for Schar to pounce from a tight angle in the 90th minute. Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was delighted with the way his team took the game to the Reds four days after their disappointing 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace. Howe, who admitted his surprise that VAR official Stuart Attwell had not taken a dimmer view of a Virgil van Dijk shoulder barge on Gordon, said: “It’s mixed emotions. “Part of me feels we should have won it – a big part of me – but part of me is pleased we didn’t lose either because it was such a late goal for us. “Generally, I’m just pleased with the performance. There was much more attacking output, a much better feel about the team. “There was much better energy, and it was a really good performance against, for me, the best team we’ve played so far this season in the Premier League, so it was a big jump forward for us.”DUP minister rejected suggestion licensing laws could be relaxed for jubilee