In July, 12 outstanding winners were honoured as part of this year's Warrington Guardian Education Awards. We wanted to celebrate schools, nurseries and colleges across the town, championing pupils and students, teachers and assistants, and classes and teams. Warrington’s educators do an amazing job and we wanted to shine a spotlight on best practice across the town while acknowledging special achievements throughout the academic year. A dozen awards were given out to pupils and students, teachers and teaching assistants as well as classes and schools just before they finished for the summer break, and we also handed out an outstanding achievement award and an unsung hero award. All the winners featured in a special edition of the Warrington Guardian but, as 2024 draws to a close, we thought we'd take a look back at this year's awards. We had a record number of nominations this year from parents and pupils, and colleagues and governors, with judges having some difficult decisions to make in every category. Gareth Dunning, deputy editor at the Warrington Guardian, said: “After two successful years of the Warrington Guardian Education Awards in 2022 and 2023, we wanted to recognise excellence in education once again this year. “There was an incredible response to our appeals for nominations with hundreds of readers getting in touch to tell us about nurseries, schools and colleges in Warrington and those people who make them such special places. “It’s evident from the entries we received how much we appreciate our children’s teachers, teaching assistants and headteachers as well as their fellow pupils and students and support staff. “After some very difficult decisions, our judging panel was able to agree on the 12 winners – each and every one is highly deserving of their award. “They should be proud of their achievements over the past 12 months – and beyond – and these awards are in recognition of all their hard work. “Congratulations to all our winners.” The 2024 awards would not be possible without our sponsors Warrington Borough Council and Redwood Bank. THE WINNERS: Janet Shaw Outstanding Achievement Award: Janet Shaw at Barrow Hall Primary School A surprise assembly brought Barrow Hall Primary School together to honour one of their own. Starting as a midday and teaching assistant, Janet Shaw has had quite the journey at Barrow Hall Primary School. Colleagues quickly realised that she had so much more to bring to the Barrow Hall community and she took on a SENDCO role, providing support and compassion for students and their families. Janet has a passion for helping children to succeed, whether that be educationally or socially, and she ensures all children are safe and supported - she is a true role model. Outstanding Achievement Award winner ends career on a high Nathan Jack Gerrard High School Pupil of the Year: Nathan Jack Gerrard at Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School Nathan Jack has thrown himself into being an advocate for young people with autism, who are finding life a challenge. Through his determination and his energy, he has highlighted the importance of encouraging people to be more supporting and less judgmental to those who have autism. Nathan Jack has discovered a talent for creating animations through illustrations and graphics, which he uses to spread his message of support for other young people leading similar lives. Talented young artist takes high school pupil of the year honour Tom Williams Further Education Teacher of the Year: Tom Williams at Priestley College Supportive and approachable, with a passion for his subject, Tom Williams never fails to offer encouragement to his pupils in his media and film studies classroom. Since starting at Priestley College in 2015, Tom has continued to cater to all his students’ needs. After nine years at Priestley College, Tom is the winner of our Further Education Teacher of the Year Award 2024. Further Education Teacher of the Year “inspires students every day” Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School School of the Year: Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School We were inundated with nominations for Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School - our School of the Year 2024. The school honours its motto - “to live, to love to learn” - and “encourages children to succeed and thrive every day”. Staff, students and parents form a school community and everyone is involved in the children’s future. Perfect end to the perfect year – Sacred Heart is our School of the Year Andrew Hayes Headteacher of the Year: Andrew Hayes at Latchford St James CE Primary School Andrew Hayes is hardworking, dedicated and an inspiration to staff, students and parents and is the epitome of what a role model should be. He made a promise when he first became headteacher at Latchford St James CE Primary School, saying he would to give the role everything. Everyone agrees that he has fulfilled this promise every single day over the past three years. “An inspiration to all” – hero head teacher takes top education award Fred Hutchings Primary School Pupil of the Year: Fred Hutchings at Locking Stumps Primary School An inspiration to us all, Fred Hutchings is the deserving recipient of the Primary School Pupil of the Year Award 2024. Despite the adversity Fred has faced, he has persevered through his challenges and grown into a “lovely young man” who is “kind, patient and caring towards others”. No challenge too great for inspirational primary school pupil Jon Leatherbarrow Primary School Teacher of the Year: Jon Leatherbarrow at Statham Primary School Jon Leatherbarrow is a patient and inspirational primary school teacher, who is able to connect with his students and support them with challenges, both big and small. "A true credit" to Statham Primary School and Nursery, Mr Leatherbarrow cares about his students and their futures and wants the best for each and every one of them. Every single child in his class matters and they feel safe and happy at school because of him. Teacher of the Year is a “true credit” to Statham Primary School Lesley Beswick Teaching Assistant of the Year: Lesley Beswick at Fox Wood School Four decades of hard work have earned a dedicated teaching assistant a 2024 Warrington Guardian Education Award. Lesley Beswick, a “caring, patient and wonderful” teaching assistant at Fox Wood School, is the 2024 Teaching Assistant of the Year. Nominations poured in for Lesley as parents and colleagues alike wanted to honour her unwavering support and commitment to her students and the wider school community. Tearful teaching assistant at Fox Wood School takes top education award The Progress Hub Team of the Year: The Progress Hub at Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School An incredible initiative has won staff at Sir Thomas Boteler CE High School the 2024 Team of the Year award. Enabling students to reach their full potential within school is at the heart of their programme, with staff providing alternative timetables and 1:1 opportunities for students that require extra support for mental health and additional needs. The progress hub also offers online provision and exam anxiety workshops as well as social skills groups to cater for all students. Progress Hub “goes above and beyond” to win Team of the Year 2024 Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School Early Years Award: Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School With children at the heart of the school, Sandy Lane Nursery and Forest School is the winner of our Early Years Award. This mainstream nursery with a special designated provision for children with additional needs offers the best support and guidance, with all staff going above and beyond for the children. In their nominations, parents shared personal stories of how they feel their children are in good hands and how youngsters are learning and developing in the most effective way at Sandy Lane. Sandy Lane “goes the extra mile” and wins Early Years Award 2024 Kate Evans Unsung Hero Award: Kate Evans at Great Sankey High School Kate takes on a variety of roles with staff and students saying that she is the “heartbeat of the school”. Whether it is providing support for the children or being a helping hand to staff, Kate is always the first person to volunteer. After 27 years at Great Sankey High School, her dedication is unwavering and staff believe there is “no one more deserving” of this award than Kate. They say she represents everything good about education. Unsung Hero Award for worthy winner who is "heartbeat of the school" Amy Dawson New Teacher of the Year: Amy Dawson at Stockton Heath Primary School Starting a new career in teaching can be overwhelming but Amy Dawson has taken it all in her stride as she impacts the lives of Year One students at Stockton Heath Primary School in such a positive way. There were cheers and tears from staff and students at the West Avenue school as Amy was presented with the award in recognition of all her efforts and success. Parents and students showered the new teacher with compliments in their nominations, wanting to honour her hard work and accomplishments over the past 12 months. Described as “wonderful”, “an absolute treasure” and “incredibly enthusiastic”, Amy Dawson is our New Teacher of the Year 2024. Classroom tears for award-winning nurturing New Teacher of the Year
CONWAY, S.C. (AP) — Kobe Knox's 13 points helped South Florida defeat Portland 74-68 on Thursday. Knox also had six rebounds for the Bulls (3-2). Brandon Stroud added 11 points while shooting 4 for 12 (1 for 3 from 3-point range) and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line while he also had six rebounds. Jamille Reynolds shot 3 of 6 from the field and 4 of 5 from the free-throw line to finish with 10 points. The Pilots (2-3) were led in scoring by Max Mackinnon, who finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Vincent Delano added 14 points for Portland. A.Rapp also had 11 points and eight rebounds. South Florida went into the half ahead of Portland 38-33. Knox scored eight second-half points. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Burmans' Religare open offer to acquire additional stake gets Sebi nod
Syria's Public Sector In Crisis As Workers Remain Absent, UN Warns of Complete ShutdownBy TRÂN NGUYỄN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.Eagles boss Oliver Glasner was reluctant to put a definite time frame on the comeback of the £30 million attacker but hopes it will come within the next two weeks. Earlier this month, Glasner took accountability for Nketiah’s injury, confessing he left the former Arsenal forward on the field for too long against Wolves. MORE PALACE NEWS Providing an update today, the Europa League winning coach said: “Let’s say [he will be available] during the week with three games against Newcastle, Ipswich and Manchester City. “I hope he’s available. I don’t know if it will be the first one or if it will be for Ipswich or Manchester City. We hope he’s back.” The South London club have just three senior attackers at their disposal when they travel to Villa Park tomorrow with Eberechi Eze and Nketiah absent through injury, while Daichi Kamada serves the first of his three-match ban.
Even though Waymo's robotaxis have surpassed the 25-million-mile mark on public roadways, AI trainers have yet to prepare these vehicles for every possible scenario. The latest incident highlights how humans—in certain situations—remain superior . X user Liam McCormick snapped a photo of a Waymo Jaguar I-PACE SUV that ignored traffic cones and work area signs and ended up stuck knee-deep in wet cement . Oops! @Waymo pic.twitter.com/DM2XaCCQ8C " There were ones, but spaced far enough apart that the Waymo was able to drive between them. New concrete poured in sections, the final section was fresh ," McCormick "aid. There were cones, but spaced far enough apart that the Waymo was able to drive between them. New concrete poured in sections, the final section was fresh. pic.twitter.com/zxhUgeOyBM Smart AI robotaxi can't outsmart wet cement. Is LiDAR to blame ?F1 expands grid, adds Cadillac brand and new American team for '26
Farewell 2024 as hopes for a brighter 2025 await
Key lines: Trump’s ‘not playing games,’ he says in interview laying out 100-day agendaTrudeau returns home after talks with Trump yield no tariff assurancesF1 expands grid, adds Cadillac brand and new American team for '26
Top staff shakeups are par for the course under a new police commissioner, but the storm of resignations and reassignments at the NYPD over the past three days — including Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey stepping down amid bombshell sexual misconduct allegations — served as a shock to the system with the head of the Internal Affairs Bureau the latest high-ranking cop to get the ax. Chief of Internal Affairs Miguel Iglesias “was relieved of his command and has notified the Department of his intent to retire,” the NYPD announced in a statement Saturday night — just hours after news broke that Maddrey had resigned abruptly . NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch appointed Chief Edward Thompson to replace Iglesias as the interim IAB boss. Maddrey’s quick exit came after former NYPD Lt. Quathisha Epps alleged he repeatedly demanded sex from her “in exchange for overtime opportunities in the workplace,” according to a complaint filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. That led to revelations the Manhattan D.A.’s office was investigating Maddrey’s conduct, and the city Department of Investigation and federal authorities were looking into the overtime abuse claims. The probes are expected to focus on possible misuse of the budget codes officers use to designate the reasons for overtime, the sources said. Epps filed for retirement last Monday after the Daily News reported she earned more than $400,000 in fiscal 2024, including $204,000 in overtime for 1,626 hours in the year. She was suspended Wednesday and has retained attorney Eric Sanders , a former cop who specializes in representing police officers in claims against the city. After the reports about Epps’ overtime, the NYPD ordered up an internal review of her hours, as well as her role in promotions and transfers in the department, police sources said. That review predates Epps’ allegations against Maddrey. Maddrey began forcing Epps, a cancer survivor, “into performing unwanted sexual favors” beginning in June 2023, usually in his office at Police Headquarters, according to her complaint. When Epps “finally developed the courage to reject Chief Maddrey’s advances,” he retaliated by doctoring a monthly overtime report to falsely portray her as an overtime cheat, she alleges. She also alleges the overtime list was constantly edited to protect top overtime earners, including Maddrey, Chief of Partol John Chell and NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry. Chell has been named interim chief of department after Maddrey’s departure. On Saturday, the department transferred a lieutenant, a sergeant and 16 detectives from bureaus at Police Headquarters, according to transfer orders shared with The News. Three of the detectives were from Maddrey’s office, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the move had anything to do with Epps’ allegations. The transfers came just two days after Tisch made a number of administrative appointments, including new heads of the department’s public information and technology bureaus. Tisch named Delaney Kempner as the new deputy commissioner of public information, replacing controversial top spokesman Tarik Sheppard . Kempner has spent the last four years as director of communications for New York State Attorney General Letitia James.Article content Things got heated between Bill Maher and Neil deGrasse Tyson as the two butted heads over their differing stances on transgender athletes in women’s sports, Scientific American magazine, and the Democrats’ loss in the election. Recommended Videos Maher kicked off Friday’s episode of Real Time with Bill Maher by asking deGrasse Tyson about the recent departure of Scientific American ’ s editor Laura Helmuth, who stepped down after posting a string of attacks on social media about President-elect Donald Trump. “It sure didn’t sound scientific. It didn’t sound like the person I would want to be running Scientific American. It was a rant on Twitter,” Maher said. In part, Helmuth posted: “You know, ‘I apologize to younger voters that my Gen-X is so full of f***ing fascists.” “OK. I’m not for cancelling people on either side, but here’s what I think is the scandal,” the host said. “This is in Scientific American less than a year ago: ‘Inequity between male and female athletes as a result, not of inherent biological differences between the sexes, but of biases in how they are treated in sports.’” Maher ranted: “That’s nuts. And it sure ain’t scientific. And it’s in Scientific American . And that’s why the Democrats lost the election.” Why the Democrats lost the election. pic.twitter.com/wu0K83JgsC Maher was referencing an article published on Nov. 1, 2023, titled “The Theory That Men Evolved to Hunt and Women Evolved to Gather Is Wrong” which explored the biological differences in males and females. Tyson laughed at Maher for linking transgender issues to Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in the presidential election. “Bill, every 20 minutes on your platform, you come up with another reason why the Democrats lost. You already have the answer. They lost the election,” deGrasse Tyson laughed before Maher interrupted him. The host noted that deGrasse Tyson doesn’t watch his show, so he doesn’t know what Maher says in each episode. “Engage with the idea here,” Maher said. “What I’m asking is Scientific American is saying basically that the reason why a WNBA team can’t beat the Lakers is because of societal bias.” The famed astrophysicist tried to deflect, but Maher continued on the offensive. RECOMMENDED VIDEO “I think a year ago, women still couldn’t beat men in basketball or any other sport, and it wasn’t because of society. You don’t see a problem here?” Maher asked before posing deGrasse Tyson another question: “Why can’t you just say this is not scientific and that Scientific American should do better?” Tyson countered, “Well, does she still have her job?” referring to Helmuth, to which Maher shouted, “Not because of this! I said the scandal is not her tweet... you don’t see a problem here?” Tyson responded: “Long distance swimming, women might actually have the advantage, you look into that.” A baffled Maher replied, “Well, I’m going to file you under ‘part of the problem.’”F1 expands grid, adds Cadillac brand and new American team for '26
The former prime minister called instead for better end-of-life care. Former prime minister Gordon Brown has declared his opposition to legalising assisted dying, which will soon be debated by MPs. The former Labour PM said the death of his newborn daughter in 2002 did “not convince me of the case for assisted dying; it convinced me of the value and imperative of good end-of-life care”. In a rare intervention ahead of the Commons debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday, November 29, Mr Brown shared a glimpse of the time he and his wife Sarah spent with their baby, Jennifer, who died when she was only 11 days old. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Mr Brown said: “We could only sit with her, hold her tiny hand and be there for her as life ebbed away. She died in our arms. “But those days we spent with her remain among the most precious days of my and Sarah’s lives.” While he acknowledged that at the heart of the assisted dying debate is a “desire to prevent suffering”, the former Labour MP called for a commission on end-of-life care to be set up, instead of the law change which MPs will consider. This commission, he said, should work to create a “fully-funded, 10-year strategy for improved and comprehensive palliative care”. “When only a small fraction of the population are expected to choose assisted dying, would it not be better to focus all our energies on improving all-round hospice care to reach everyone in need of end of life support?” he said. Mr Brown added: “Medical advances that can transform end-of-life care and the horror of people dying alone, as with Covid, have taught us a great deal. “This generation have it in our power to ensure no-one should have to face death alone, uncared for, or subject to avoidable pain.” Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP sponsoring the assisted dying Bill through the Commons, said she was “deeply touched” by Mr Brown’s decision to share his story. The Spen Valley MP said she agreed completely with his calls for better end-of-life care. But Ms Leadbeater added: “He and I agree on very many things but we don’t agree on this. “Only legislation by Parliament can put right what Sir Keir Starmer calls the ‘injustice that we have trapped within our current arrangement’. “The need to address the inability of the current law to provide people with safeguards against coercion and the choice of a better death, and to protect their loved ones from possible prosecution, cannot wait. “So for me it isn’t a case of one or the other. My Bill already includes the need for the Government to report back to Parliament on the availability and quality of palliative care, and I strongly support further detailed examination of its provision. We need to do both.” Though Ms Leadbeater made reference to the Prime Minister as she set out her difference from Mr Brown’s position, Sir Keir has opted not to say whether he will support the Bill. MPs will be given a free vote on the legislation, meaning their political parties will not require them to vote for or against it, and it will be a matter for their personal consideration. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is the latest senior minister to disclose her position on assisted dying, signalling to broadcasters on Friday that she may support the Bill. “I continue to support the principle of needing change but also to ensure that we’ve got the proper safeguards and systems in place,” she told ITV’s Good Morning Britain. Asked if that meant a “yes” when the Bill comes to the Commons, she replied: “I think I last voted on this about 20 years ago and so I have supported the principle in the past and continue to believe that change is needed but we do need to have that debate on the detail and I’ll continue to follow that debate next Friday.”
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina coach Shane Beamer has no doubt about where his surging, 16th-ranked Gamecocks belong in the postseason — chasing a national championship. “It's hard for me to say we're not one of the 12 best teams in the country,” a giddy Beamer said Saturday after watching his team pull off another late miracle, courtesy of quarterback LaNorris Sellers, to defeat No. 12 Clemson 17-14. Sellers scored his second touchdown , this one from 20 yards out with 1:08 to play, for South Carolina's sixth straight victory, four of them in that run coming over ranked opponents. Are you paying attention, College Football Playoff selectors? “If the committee's job is to pick the 12 best teams, you tell me,” Beamer said. It would be hard to pick against the Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3 SEC; No. 15 CFP) with Sellers, a confident, poised freshman, playing as well as he is. He finished with 166 yards rushing and 164 yards passing. Two games ago, he set career bests with 353 yards passing and five TD throws in twice rallying the Gamecocks from fourth-quarter deficits to defeat Missouri 34-30. This time, Sellers shrugged off his interception near Clemson's goal with less than 11 minutes left to lead his team to a field goal and then his game winner. Sellers spun away from defender Peter Woods in the backfield, broke through the line and cut left to reach the end zone. Sellers hears defenders get angry when they get their hands on but can't bring down the speedy, 6-foot-3 passer in his first year since taking over for Spencer Rattler. How does he do it? “I don't really know,” Sellers said. Beamer had an answer to that one, too. “He's a competitor, he's a warrior,” Beamer said. “He doesn't get too high or too low. He's out there having fun.” The Gamecocks hope to have more fun in a week so, confident they'll hear their name called among the expanded field of 12 that will play for a national crown. They know, too, they'll have Sellers leading the way. “He's a magician, man,” Gamecocks linebacker Demetrius Knight Jr. said. “LeMagic, LeComeback, whatever you want to call him.” Clemson (9-3, 7-1 ACC, No. 12) had a final chance and drove to the South Carolina 18 with 16 seconds left — well within reach of a tying field goal — when Cade Klubnik was intercepted by Knight to end things. The Gamecocks were 3-3 after losing at Alabama in mid-October and then pulled off their longest winning streak since 2012. The Tigers also were hoping to play their way into the CFP's 12-team field. But their offense had too many costly mistakes and their defense could not corral Sellers. “He's a great player and made great players,” Clemson linebacker Barrett Carter said. Still, there could be postseason hope for Clemson, which will cross its fingers and pray Syracuse can pull off an upset over No. 8 Miami later Saturday that would get the Tigers into the Atlantic Coast Conference title game next week against SMU. Both teams came in on highs, the Tigers having won three straight and the Gamecocks five in a row, including three consecutive over ranked opponents Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Missouri. But neither team found its offensive rhythm in the opening half. Sellers was sacked by T.J. Parker and turned the ball over as Parker recovered with South Carolina inside the Clemson 20. The Tigers drove to the South Carolina 11 and turned down a chip-shot field goal to go for it on fourth-and-1. But Mafah was stopped way short by Jalon Kilgore and Knight. Klubnik had scoring runs of 13 and 18 yards for the Tigers. South Carolina: What a run by the Gamecocks, who before the season were picked 13th in the SEC and now may find themselves part of the national championship playoff field. Clemson: The Tigers lost to both ranked SEC opponents they faced this season, first to No. 1 Georgia to start the year and then to rival South Carolina. Tigers coach Dabo Swinney was proud of his team's regular season but knew the loss might leave it short of getting back to the playoff. “We could've had a great year,” he said. "We got better this season, a lot of positives to build on. “But this one is tough. It's tough. It hurts,” he continued. Shane Beamer knew what a big week it was when he got a voicemail from his old boss, former South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. “Beamer, you're doing great,” said Spurrier, who coached the Gamecocks from 2005-2014. “This might be the biggest game in the history of South Carolina.” South Carolina and Clemson both await their postseason games. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballPEMBROKE, Bermuda--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 25, 2024-- Hamilton Re, the Bermuda-based insurance and reinsurance underwriting platform of Hamilton Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: HG) (“Hamilton” or “the Company”), today announced its expansion into Credit, Bond and Political Risk Reinsurance with the appointment of Sergio Lottimore to the role of Vice President, Credit, Bond and Political Risk Reinsurance. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125313447/en/ Sergio Lottimore, Vice President, Credit, Bond and Political Risk Reinsurance, Hamilton Re. (Photo: Business Wire) Based in Bermuda, Lottimore will report to Peter Riihiluoma, Senior Vice President and Head of Specialty Reinsurance at Hamilton Re. Hamilton Re offers a wide breadth of reinsurance solutions across multiple Property, Casualty and Specialty lines of business to meet the demands of its clients worldwide. The new Credit, Bond and Political Risk Reinsurance offerings will be incorporated within the Specialty Reinsurance portfolio, and further expands our offerings to clients. “Our expansion into Credit, Bond and Political Risk Reinsurance marks a significant milestone for Hamilton Re in its commitment to building a globally diversified reinsurance offering,” said Hamilton Re CEO Megan Graves. “This exciting development is bolstered by Hamilton’s AM Best financial strength rating upgrade to “A” (excellent) announced earlier this year. “I’m delighted to welcome Sergio to Hamilton. He brings dedicated expertise and experience in Mortgage, Trade Credit, Surety, Political Risks and Structured Credit lines to our already strong Specialty Reinsurance team.” Lottimore has 18 years of specialty and financial lines market experience. He joins Hamilton from Validus Re where he was Vice President, Credit Lines Underwriter for three years. Prior to that, he spent 15 years in roles of continuous progression at MS Amlin. About Hamilton Insurance Group, Ltd. Hamilton is a Bermuda-headquartered specialty insurance and reinsurance company that underwrites risks on a global basis through its wholly owned subsidiaries. Its three underwriting platforms: Hamilton Global Specialty, Hamilton Select and Hamilton Re, each with dedicated and experienced leadership, provide access to diversified and profitable business around the world. For more about our company, visit www.hamiltongroup.com or find us on LinkedIn at Hamilton View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125313447/en/ CONTACT: Media contact Kelly Corday Ferris kelly.ferris@hamiltongroup.comInvestor contacts Jon Levenson and Darian Niforatos investor.relations@hamiltongroup.com KEYWORD: CARIBBEAN UNITED STATES BERMUDA NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INSURANCE FINANCE SOURCE: Hamilton Insurance Group, Ltd. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/25/2024 04:15 PM/DISC: 11/25/2024 04:16 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241125313447/enStockhead Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. Good morning everyone, and welcome to Thursday, September 23, 2024 – an important date in the history of inhuman levels of overconsumption. That’s because it was on this day in 1387 that one of the most over-catered events in the history of mankind took place, when an enormous feast was put on for King Richard II in London. The menu consisted of – among other things – 14 entire salted oxen, 120 whole sheep, 1,200 pigeons and a frankly appalling 11,000 eggs. A clue as to why that vast quantity of food was served may be found in the name of the other guest of honour, the Duke of Lancaster, otherwise known as John of Gaunt, whose nickname clearly suggests that he was in need of fattening up. Luckily for you, you won’t have to overindulge to anywhere near that kind of extreme to get your hands on good pre-market info today. That’s because – as always – we’ve worked super-hard to gather together lots of fiddly little things below, so you don’t need to go ferreting all over the internet for your ASX info this morning. COMMODITY/FOREX/CRYPTO MARKET PRICES Gold: US$2,621.28 (+1.13%) Silver: US$31.74 (+1.30%) Nickel (3mth): US$16,482/t (+0.91%) Copper (3mth): US$9,393/t (+0.08%) Zinc: US$2,870/t (-2.00%) Oil (WTI): US$71.00 (-0.22%) Oil (Brent): US$74.49 (-0.52%) Iron 62pc Fe: US$91.55/t (-1.21%) AUD/USD: 0.6804 (-0.21%) Bitcoin: US$62,838.00 (-0.85%) WHAT GOT YOU TALKING What is the world of gold’s response to the Fed finally cutting interest rates going to be? Here’s a quick explainer from the inimitable Josh Chiat. The US Fed has finally cut interest rates. How will gold buyers react? https://t.co/LK4E1Cc61E â Stockhead (@StockheadAU) September 20, 2024 FRIDAY’S ASX SMALL CAP LEADERS Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks: Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort: Code Name Price % Change Volume Market Cap MTH Mithril Silver Gold 0.328 60% 13,835,305 $21,130,626 SMS Starmineralslimited 0.049 48% 1,671,463 $3,125,852 BGE Bridgesaaslimited 0.014 40% 250,000 $1,227,304 MEL Metgasco Ltd 0.004 33% 250,491 $4,342,760 RFA Rare Foods Australia 0.016 33% 1,275,975 $3,263,799 SIS Simble Solutions 0.004 33% 4,388,051 $2,260,352 ESR Estrella Res Ltd 0.009 29% 1,720,027 $12,723,936 PIM Pinnacleminerals 0.055 28% 237,072 $1,954,923 ATX Amplia Therapeutics 0.125 26% 708,198 $27,205,033 88E 88 Energy Ltd 0.003 25% 3,519,701 $57,867,624 AMD Arrow Minerals 0.003 25% 8,895,016 $25,378,730 EEL Enrg Elements Ltd 0.003 25% 1,592,003 $2,090,032 PUR Pursuit Minerals 0.003 25% 3,616 $7,270,800 BDG Black Dragon Gold 0.017 21% 371,921 $3,745,247 AD1 AD1 Holdings Limited 0.006 20% 255,657 $5,486,742 GCM Green Critical Min 0.003 20% 95,000 $3,671,357 TMG Trigg Minerals Ltd 0.024 20% 33,041,196 $9,360,026 TZL TZ Limited 0.024 20% 95,000 $5,131,662 SUH Southern Hem Min 0.019 19% 838,208 $11,779,841 ALY Alchemy Resource Ltd 0.007 17% 2,302,947 $7,068,458 AOK Australian Oil. 0.004 17% 523,188 $2,833,920 CDT Castle Minerals 0.004 17% 3,741,667 $4,118,442 POS Poseidon Nick Ltd 0.004 17% 3,946,555 $12,611,626 Friday’s Small Cap Winners included: Mithril Silver Gold (ASX:MTH) announced impressive drilling results from its Copalquin District project in Mexico, with hole CDH-159 yielding a remarkable intercept of 33.00 metres at 31.8 g/t gold and 274 g/t silver, including a standout 7.00 metres at 144 g/t gold and 1,162 g/t silver. This finding represents the highest-grade intercept to date in the area and suggests significant potential for resource expansion, with plans to double the existing resource of 529,000 ounces at El Refugio by Q1 2025. The Copalquin District, rich in mining history with 100 underground gold-silver mines, boasts a maiden JORC resource and ongoing exploration that highlights its potential as a major gold-silver district in Mexico’s Sierra Madre Trend. With multiple target areas and promising geological conditions, Mithril says it aims to capitalise on the district’s substantial mineralisation and further enhance its exploration success. In spite of weak lithium prices, US-focused ioneer (ASX:INR) has set its sights on a potential 2028 start date for commercial production and December 2024 date for FID on its Rhyolite Ridge lithium and boron mine in the USA. The company published its final environmental impact statement today for the project, which has the potential to quadruple domestic production of lithium in the United States, where carmakers are finding it tough to find material that complies with rules to garner tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act. Currently the only commercial source of lithium domestically in the USA is Albemarle’s Silver Peak brine operation. At 5000t LCE, that’s a fraction of the output of the giant hard rock lithium mines in Australia. Importantly, the release of the final EIS includes an opinion from the US Fish and Wildlife Service that it won’t jeopardise the future existence of the Tiehm’s Buckwheat, a flowering plant in the Silver Peak region of Esmeralda County, Nevada. Trigg Minerals (ASX:TMG) was also one of the best-performing small caps Friday. Reborn after originally listing in WA’s short-lived wave of potash proponents, Trigg has two major exploration fronts at hand now after securing a project where the company says some of Australia’s highest grade antimony has been found. It started drilling earlier this week at the Drummond project in Queensland, where the explorer is searching for an analogue of the 3.6Moz Pajingo mine. aBut the company has today acquired the Taylors Arm and Spartan assets in the New England Orogen of New South Wales. The latter is next to Hillgrove, Australia’s largest known deposit of the critical mineral, which has doubled in value this year and surged in investor interest since China initiated export controls in August. Taylors Arm, though, has the historic antimony chops. Its 71 historic workings include Testers, where grades from massive stibnite veins clocked 63% Sb, regarded by TMG as the highest in Oz. Also in the package, the Swallows Nest mine started during World War 2 and delivered a 40% Sb concentrate from 1940-1955 along with a 30% product when it reopened in 1972, with recent rock samples showing the grade could still be there (29.8% Sb and 31.4% Sb) Amplia Therapeutics (ASX:ATX) has received Fast Track Designation from the US FDA for its drug narmafotinib, a treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. This designation helps speed up the development of the promising drug, and will also mean Amplia can have more frequent communications with the FDA, which could lead to accelerated approval in the future. Meanwhile, the company’s ongoing ACCENT trial for narmafotinib is taking place in Australia and South Korea, and the company is also planning a trial in the US after receiving clearance for its application earlier this year. FRIDAY’S ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks: Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort: Code Name Price % Change Volume Market Cap OVT Ovanti Limited 0.003 -25% 23,419,786 $6,225,393 RBR RBR Group Ltd 0.002 -25% 8,250,000 $3,268,809 SI6 SI6 Metals Limited 0.002 -25% 328,987 $4,737,719 FSG Field Solu Hldgs Ltd 0.015 -25% 992,770 $15,468,891 PNT Panthermetalsltd 0.018 -25% 2,640,858 $2,091,988 BLG Bluglass Limited 0.023 -21% 5,630,473 $53,262,660 EXL Elixinol Wellness 0.004 -20% 27,908 $6,605,912 GTI Gratifii 0.004 -20% 3,013,784 $10,745,981 GTR Gti Energy Ltd 0.004 -20% 6,885,116 $12,749,735 ODE Odessa Minerals Ltd 0.002 -20% 41,833 $2,608,206 RIL Redivium Limited 0.004 -20% 160,000 $13,734,274 WML Woomera Mining Ltd 0.002 -20% 1,941,896 $3,795,347 TOR Torque Met 0.082 -18% 130,964 $18,843,893 GMN Gold Mountain Ltd 0.003 -17% 1,060,008 $11,722,420 BIM Bindimetalslimited 0.088 -16% 315,706 $3,386,250 EQX Equatorial Res Ltd 0.105 -16% 22,185 $16,430,669 OCN Oceanalithiumlimited 0.033 -15% 50,755 $3,217,422 DOU Douugh Limited 0.003 -14% 187,500 $3,787,241 M24 Mamba Exploration 0.012 -14% 141,772 $2,633,152 NRZ Neurizer Ltd 0.003 -14% 24,000,522 $7,633,918 PLG Pearlgullironlimited 0.012 -14% 51,102 $2,863,585 SS1 Sun Silver Limited 0.760 -13% 2,355,541 $60,969,125 TRADING HALTS Gullewa (ASX:GUL) – pending the release of an announcement of drilling results. Lithium Universe (ASX:LU7) – pending an announcement regarding its Bécancour Lithium Carbonate Refinery Preliminary Feasability Study. Cobre (ASX:CBE) – pending the release of an announcement with respect to a material transaction involving some of the Company’s projects in the Kalahari Copper Belt in Botswana. Element 25 (ASX:E25) – pending an announcement by the US Department of Energy (DoE) where Element 25 has been selected for award negotiations in relation to a grant in support of the Company’s High Purity Manganese project in Louisiana. Equity Story Group (ASX:EQS) – pending the release of an announcement in relation to a proposed equity raise by way of a placement. Carbonxt Group (ASX:CG1) – pending a material announcement to the market in relation to a proposed capital raise. North Stawell Minerals (ASX:NSM) – pending the release of an ASX announcement regarding a proposed capital raising. E&P Financial Group (ASX:EP1) – pending the release of an announcement by the Company in relation to the outcome of a proposed capital raising. Select Harvests (ASX:SHV) – pending a material announcement to the market in relation to a proposed capital raise. At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions. Originally published as Rise and Shine: Everything you need to know before the ASX opens More related stories Stockhead Morgans’ ASX health picks for 2025 Morgans healthcare and life sciences experts Iain Wilkie and Scott Power give Stockhead readers their top picks for 2025. Read more Stockhead Bell Potter’s top tech and health stocks for 2025 Australian stockbroking and financial advisory firm Bell Potter is bullish on these tech stocks and healthcare stocks for 2025. Read more