Injuries pile up, 49ers uncertain QB Brock Purdy can return SundayPaige DeSorbo Says She’ll Use This Acne Spot Treatment ‘Until the End of Time'Ukraine must be placed in the “strongest possible position for negotiations” to end the war with Russia, Sir Keir Starmer has said. The Prime Minister insisted the UK will back Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as he made a speech at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet in London, but for the first time acknowledged the conflict could move towards a negotiated end. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has in recent weeks suggested he is open to a possible ceasefire with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Kyiv and its European allies meanwhile fear the advent of Donald Trump’s return to the White House could result in American aid being halted. President-elect Trump has said he would prefer to move towards a peace deal, and has claimed he could end the conflict on “day one” of his time in power. As he attempts to strike up a good relationship with the incoming president, Sir Keir revealed he had told Mr Trump the UK “will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come”. In his speech at London’s Guildhall, the Prime Minister said there is “no question it is right we support Ukraine”, as the UK’s aid to Kyiv is “deeply in our self-interest”. Allowing Russia to win the war would mean “other autocrats would believe they can follow Putin’s example,” he warned. Sir Keir added: “So we must continue to back Ukraine and do what it takes to support their self-defence for as long as it takes. “To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their own future.” Mr Zelensky told Sky News over the weekend he would be open to speaking with Mr Putin, but branded the Russian president a “terrorist”. He also suggested Ukrainian territory under his control should be taken under the “Nato umbrella” to try to stop the “hot stage” of the war with Russia. In a banquet speech focused on foreign affairs, the Prime Minister said it was “plain wrong” to suggest the UK must choose between its allies, adding: “I reject it utterly. “(Clement) Attlee did not choose between allies. (Winston) Churchill did not choose. “The national interest demands that we work with both.” Sir Keir said the UK and the US were “intertwined” when it came to commerce, technology and security. The Prime Minister added: “That’s why, when President Trump graciously hosted me for dinner in Trump Tower, I told him that we will invest more deeply than ever in this transatlantic bond with our American friends in the years to come.” He also repeated his commitment to “rebuild our ties with Europe” and insisted he was right to try to build closer links with China. “It is remarkable that until I met President Xi last month there had been no face-to-face meeting between British and Chinese leaders for six years,” the Prime Minister said. “We can’t simply look the other way. We need to engage. To co-operate, to compete and to challenge on growth, on security concerns, on climate as well as addressing our differences in a full and frank way on issues like Hong Kong, human rights, and sanctions on our parliamentarians,” he added. The Prime Minister said he wants Britain’s role in the world to be that of “a constant and responsible actor in turbulent times”. He added: “To be the soundest ally and to be determined, always, in everything we do. “Every exchange we have with other nations, every agreement we enter into to deliver for the British people and show, beyond doubt, that Britain is back.” Ahead of Sir Keir’s speech, Lord Mayor Alastair King urged the Prime Minister and his Government to loosen regulations on the City of London to help it maintain its competitive edge. In an echo of Sir Keir’s commitment to drive the UK’s economic growth, the Lord Mayor said: “The idealist will dream of growth, but the pragmatist understands that our most effective machinery to drive growth is here in the City, in the hands of some of the brightest and most committed people that you will find anywhere in the world.”
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No. 3 Nittany Lions relying on defensive depth in Big Ten title game and postseason runPresident Joe Biden's decision to pardon his son Hunter Biden has sparked sharp criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. The controversial move has raised questions about the impartiality of the U.S. justice system, a point of contention that Democrats have consistently defended against former President Donald Trump's critiques. On Sunday, Biden, whose term ends on January 20, granted an unconditional pardon to his 54-year-old son, claiming Hunter had been selectively prosecuted. The White House expressed concerns that political opponents would continue targeting Hunter Biden in the future. This decision contradicts Biden's previous pledge not to intervene in his son's legal woes, sparking disapproval from his own party members. Democrats are grappling with the aftermath of Trump's election win over Vice President Kamala Harris in November, a defeat some attribute to Biden's persistent candidacy despite age-related concerns. Amidst this complex backdrop, the pardon's timing is criticized for undermining the Democratic party's previous defense of the justice system's fairness. (With inputs from agencies.)A little-known Florida-based drones company said on Wednesday it had appointed Donald Trump Jr as an adviser – then saw its stock price surge. “Don Jr joining our board of advisors provides us unique expertise we need as we bring drone component manufacturing back to America,” said Allan Evans, chief executive of Unusual Machines. By mid-morning on the New York stock exchange, company shares had climbed as high as $11.67, more than double the day’s opening price. Unusual Machines also said Trump Jr, the oldest son of the president-elect, was among its investors. A filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission listed Trump Jr as the second-biggest shareholder. In a press release that described Trump Jr as “a globally recognized business leader” and “best-selling author”, Evans said he would “bring a wealth of experience”. Trump, typically referred to as Don Jr, has spent most of his adult life working for his father’s company, the Trump Organization, on real estate and branding. But he has risen to political prominence since his sister Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner , distanced themselves from Donald Trump following his defeat by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election and incitement of the January 6 attack on Congress by Trump supporters who tried in vain to overturn his loss. This year, Trump Jr was widely held to have helped steer the Ohio senator, JD Vance , onto the Republican ticket which defeated the Democratic ticket of the vice-president, Kamala Harris and her running mate and Minnesota governor, Tim Walz . On Wednesday, Trump Jr said: “The need for drones is obvious. It is also obvious that we must stop buying Chinese drones and Chinese drone parts. I love what Unusual Machines is doing to bring drone manufacturing jobs back to the USA.” That was in line with statements from his father the president-elect, who has long said he will impose hefty tariffs on Chinese imports. Unusual Machines, however, says in its SEC filing it “has been heavily dependent on Chinese imports for our products and operations”. Referring to brands of drones and equipment, it said: “A substantial majority of Rotor Riot’s products are manufactured, directly and indirectly, using Chinese vendors. Fat Shark’s primary contract manufacturer is Shenzhen Fat Shark Technology Ltd ... which is located in Shenzhen, China.” Unusual Machines did not immediately comment further.German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, on a rare visit to Kyiv, announced substantial new military aid for Ukraine, signaling continuous German support in the face of Russian aggression. Scholz's trip is a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin that Berlin remains committed to backing Ukraine for an extended period. This strategic visit comes as uncertainty looms over Germany's political landscape, with Scholz's governing coalition recently collapsing. The political shifts could potentially impact the level of European support for Ukraine, particularly if U.S. aid diminishes under potential leadership changes. Scholz's announcement includes the delivery of IRIS-T air defense systems, Leopard 1 tanks, and drones, worth 650 million euros. His stance on not providing Taurus cruise missiles, due to fears of escalation, remains unchanged. Meanwhile, Ukraine's path to NATO membership remains a pivotal issue in Germany's upcoming elections. (With inputs from agencies.)
Sony’s big Black Friday sale has rolled into its PlayStation 30th anniversary sale without missing a beat. There are lots more games that are heavily discounted on PSN right now, from blockbuster PS5 exclusives to some equally amazing but lesser-known games that might not be on your radar. You can currently get just about every major Sony first-party blockbuster from the last few years for around $30 or less. Here’s the full list to refresh your memory: Helldivers 2 - $31 (20 percent off) Spider-Man 2 - $40 (43 percent off) God of War Ragnarok - $30 (58 percent off) Horizon Forbidden West: Complete Edition - $40 (34 percent off) Returnal - $30 (58 percent off) Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart Deluxe Edition - $40 (50 percent off) Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut - $30 (58 percent off) Death Stranding: Director’s Cut - $20 (60 percent off) The Last of Us Part I - $30 (58 percent off) The Last of Us Part II - $25 (30 percent off) Spider-Man Miles Morales - $20 (60 percent off) Demon’s Souls Deluxe Edition - $50 (45 percent off) Weirdly, a couple of the games are only on sale for the deluxe editions. Also, Spider-Man Remastered and Sackboy: A Big Adventure aren’t on sale at all. The remaster of Horizon Zero Dawn also just came out so it’s still full price and you can no longer get the original PS4 version that was usually on sale for just $10. From the above list, Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima are good pickups since both have sequels out next year. But there are also a bunch of other games on sale on PSN right now. You can click through the above slideshow for our other favorite picks. The original Final Fantasy VII is still peak . It’s also required playing for fully appreciating the recent remake trilogy, the first two games of which are also on sale right now. And unlike many modern RPGs, including FFVII Rebirth , you can cruise through the original 1997 PS1 game pretty quickly. The storytelling, music, and vibes are still immaculate. It’s one of the few proper ways to celebrate PlayStation’s latest milestone. Price: $6.40 (60 percent off) The Like a Dragon series has recently hit a new gear with sprawling new entries every other year, plus there’s a live-action adaptation that just hit Amazon Prime Video. If you really want to get Yakuza/Like a Dragon -pilled and don’t know where to start, though, Yakuza 0 , a prequel to the first game with all of the series’ modern refinements, is still you’re best bet . Price: $11 (45 percent off) Hitman World of Assassination is a wild achievement . It effectively turns the game into a platform, bringing over all the levels of the first two games in the recent trilogy and putting them inside of Hitman 3 . Plus, there’s an entire new roguelike mode that is worth the price of admission alone. It’s probably still the benchmark for immersive stealth games. Price: $28 (60 percent off) Penny’s Big Breakaway snuck out earlier this year and it’s a great adventure platformer in the mold of a lost Sega Saturn game. It has beautiful visuals and fun arcade-y levels that offer a great mix of retro-fueled nostalgia and modern invention. Price: $18 (40 percent off) Marvel’s Midnight Suns is XCOM meets Dragon Age with card-based battle mechanics. It sounds overwhelming but it’s sneakily good and regularly goes on sale for a steal. If you’re going through Marvel withdraw at the moment this is a great way to get your fix, especially since an actual Blade movie still seems to be in production hell. Price: $10.50 (80 percent off) There’s no PlayStation 1 without Crash Bandicoot . Fortunately, the N. Sane Trilogy does a great job of taking the original games and transporting them into an over-the-shoulder 3D format that feels faithful but fresh. Price: $16 (60 percent off) Tunic is a twee-looking Zelda -like about exploring a paper-crafted world with beautiful atmosphere and music that’s fully of mystery. The game thrives on not explaining anything to you, making the process of uncovering an in-game instruction manual to explain how everything works part of its adventure. It was a strong 2022 GOTY contender that only feels more special years later. Price: $15 (50 percent off) Dredge was a 2023 GOTY contender that’s finally getting some steeper discounts. It offers an enticing loop of catching fish, fixing up your boat, and exploring the horrors lurking in the depths of the ocean and your nighttime-addled imagination. Price: $15 (40 percent off) We might never get a new game like Gravity Rush 2 again. One of the last big, imaginative releases from the now-shutdown Japan Studio, it sports the nature-defying acrobatics of the first game in an even more vibrant, beautiful, and immersive world. Price: $10 (50 percent off) Chants of Sennaar is an awesome puzzle game that went slightly under-appreciated last year . Its colorful, minimalist world has you trying to untangle a made-up language to overcome obstacles and navigate messy political squabbles. It also does a good job of keeping you on track so that its linguistic conundrums never feel too overwhelming. Price: $14 (30 percent off) The original Blasphemous was part of an early batch of 2D Soulslikes that combined punishing combat with old-school pixel art. The sequel leans more heavily into a Metroidvania formula for a richer overall experience. It’s gorgeous, gore-y, and brutally fun all at once. It also recently got a free update and paid DLC. Price: $15 (50 percent off)