Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death row
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Robert Lewandowski converted a first-half penalty kick to become the third player to score 100 goals or more in the Champions League, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Lewandowski calmly sent a low shot into the net from the spot in the 10th minute to give Barcelona a 1-0 lead against Brest. He scored his 101st goal from inside the area in second-half stoppage time to seal the Catalan's club 3-0 victory. Lewandowski trails the 129 goals of Messi and the 140 of Ronaldo, according to UEFA. Lewandowski needed 125 games to reach his milestone — two more games than Messi and 12 fewer than Ronaldo, who also scored once in the qualifying round. “I'm delighted, it's a nice number,” Lewandowski said. “In the past I didn’t think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League." It was Lewandowski's sixth and seventh Champions League goals this season. It's the ninth season in which the Poland striker has scored six or more goals. The 36-year-old Lewandowski is having a standout campaign, having scored 22 goals for Barcelona in 19 appearances. He is the Spanish league’s scoring leader with 15 goals from 14 matches. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer The Associated PressPakistani police arrest thousands of Imran Khan supporters ahead of rally in the capital
Skilla Baby & Ari Fletcher Address Rampant Cheating Rumors Following Suggestive VideoDaniels and the Commanders host Penix and the Falcons in prime time with playoff chances at stake
The real-life violence that inspired South Korea's 'Squid Game'Many people are familiar with typical symptoms of dementia such as memory loss and changes in behaviour, but some more obscure signs could manifest themselves within the eyes, scientists have said. Saccades, or rapid eye movements, tend to be slower in those with dementia, experts have said. This is especially true for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the most prevalent type of dementia. A recent report featured on details new insights into the relationship between saccades and dementia, stating: "People with Alzheimer's exhibit a loss of motor control along with cognitive decline." These eye movements, which may be less accurate or delayed in dementia patients, are among the preliminary symptoms of decay. Researchers at École de Technologie Supérieure and Dartmouth University suggested this unique symptom could be detected via earpiece microphones. Researcher Arian Shamei explained: "Eye movements are fascinating since they are some of the most rapid and precise movements in the human body, thus they rely on both excellent motor skills and cognitive functioning." The team shared their breakthrough at this year's annual meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. They suggested that microphones might be the most effective way to identify these slower eye movements. Traditional methods involve using eye-tracking equipment to detect and analyse saccades, but such technology isn't widely available. Miriam Boutros, who presented the research, said: "We are using a device called a hearable. It is an earpiece with in-ear microphones that captures physiological signals from the body. Our goal is to develop health-monitoring algorithms for hearables, capable of continuous, long-term monitoring and early disease detection." The team believes that eye movements, including saccades, create eardrum vibrations detectable by these in-ear microphones. They're currently testing this hypothesis with volunteers using both hearables and traditional eye trackers, aiming to distinguish between normal saccades and those that could indicate neurological conditions like Alzheimer's. The NHS lists symptoms of dementia as: “These symptoms are often mild and may get worse only very gradually,” the health body says. If you spot any of these signs you should speak to your GP.
Trump vows to pursue executions after Biden commutes most of federal death rowJERUSALEM — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen on Thursday targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital and multiple ports, while the World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment occurred nearby as he prepared to board a flight in Sanaa, with a crew member injured. “The air traffic control tower, the departure lounge — just a few meters from where we were — and the runway were damaged,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the social media platform X. He added that he and U.N. colleagues were safe. “We will need to wait for the damage to the airport to be repaired before we can leave,” he said, without mentioning the source of the bombardment. U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay later said the injured person was with the U.N. Humanitarian Air Service. Israel’s army later told The Associated Press it wasn’t aware that the WHO chief or delegation was at the location in Yemen. The Israeli strikes followed several days of Houthi launches setting off sirens in Israel. The Israeli military in a statement said it attacked infrastructure used by the Iran-backed Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa and ports in Hodeida, Al-Salif and Ras Qantib, along with power stations, asserting they were used to smuggle in Iranian weapons and for the entry of senior Iranian officials. Israel’s military added it had “capabilities to strike very far from Israel’s territory — precisely, powerfully, and repetitively.” The strikes, carried out over 1,000 miles from Jerusalem, came a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “the Houthis, too, will learn what Hamas and Hezbollah and Assad’s regime and others learned” as his military has battled those more powerful proxies of Iran. The Houthi-controlled satellite channel al-Masirah reported multiple deaths and showed broken windows, collapsed ceilings and a bloodstained floor and vehicle. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes. The U.S. military also has targeted the Houthis in recent days. The U.N. has said the targeted ports are important entryways for humanitarian aid for Yemen, the poorest Arab nation that plunged into a civil war in 2014 . Over the weekend, 16 people were wounded when a Houthi missile hit a playground in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv , while other missiles and drones have been shot down. Last week, Israeli jets struck Sanaa and Hodeida, killing nine people, calling it a response to previous Houthi attacks. The Houthis also have been targeting shipping on the Red Sea corridor, calling it solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. The U.N. Security Council has an emergency meeting Monday in response to an Israeli request that it condemn the Houthi attacks and Iran for supplying them weapons. {h2}5 journalists killed in Gaza{/h2} Meanwhile, an Israeli strike killed five Palestinian journalists outside a hospital in Gaza overnight , the territory’s Health Ministry said. The Israeli military said all were militants posing as reporters. The strike hit a car outside Al-Awda Hospital in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The journalists were working for local news outlet Al-Quds Today, a television channel affiliated with the Islamic Jihad militant group. Islamic Jihad is a smaller and more extreme ally of Hamas and took part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel that ignited the war. Israel’s military identified four of the men as combat propagandists and said that intelligence, including a list of Islamic Jihad operatives found by soldiers in Gaza, had confirmed that all five were affiliated with the group. Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian militant groups operate political, media and charitable operations in addition to their armed wings. Associated Press footage showed the incinerated shell of a van, with press markings visible on the back doors. Sobbing young men attended the funeral. The bodies were wrapped in shrouds, with blue press vests draped over them. The Committee to Protect Journalists says more than 130 Palestinian reporters have been killed since the start of the war. Israel hasn’t allowed foreign reporters to enter Gaza except on military embeds. Israel has banned the pan-Arab Al Jazeera network and accused six of its Gaza reporters of being militants . The Qatar-based broadcaster denies the allegations and accuses Israel of trying to silence its war coverage, which has focused heavily on civilian casualties from Israeli military operations. {h2}Another Israeli soldier killed{/h2} Separately, Israel’s military said a 35-year-old reserve soldier was killed during fighting in central Gaza. A total of 389 soldiers have been killed in Gaza since the start of the ground operation. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed across the border, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. About 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third believed to be dead. Israel’s air and ground offensive has killed more than 45,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It says more than half the fatalities have been women and children, but doesn’t say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it has killed more than 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The offensive has caused widespread destruction and hunger and driven around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are packed into squalid camps along the coast, with little protection from the cold, wet winter. Also Thursday, people mourned eight Palestinians killed by Israeli military operations in and around Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the name of the local news outlet is Al-Quds Today, not the Quds News Network. Follow AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Legendary ESPN "College GameDay" analyst Lee Corso won't be on the show forever, but president Burke Magnus made it clear the network plans to keep him on the show through the playoffs and then reassess. “I think we’re going to do what we’ve done now for a couple years running, which is we’re gonna have a conversation with him after the season and see where things are,” Magnus said . “You know, he’s a special guy," the ESPN boss continued. "I mean, he’s one of the nicest men you or any of your listeners or anybody on Earth could ever come across. And he’s been absolutely iconic on the show. So we’re going to get through the playoff this year, let everybody decompress, and then we’ll have some time to figure out what we’re going to do for next season.” Sara Diggins/USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images On Saturday Corso and the rest of the "College GameDay" crew took to Columbus, Ohio ahead of a top five showdown between No. 2 Ohio State and No. 5 Indiana. The former Hoosiers coach received a shout out from former NFL coach Jon Gruden, whose father coached with Corso. In the shout out, Gruden admitted Corso lost five straight....oops. "My dad coached running backs for Lee Corso at Indiana from 1973 to 1977. Willie Jones was my favorite player. Ohio State beat us five years in a row! Go Hoosiers!!!" Gruden said on social media . My dad coached running backs for Lee Corso at Indiana from 1973 to 1977. Willie Jones was my favorite player. Ohio State beat us five years in a row! Go Hoosiers!!! pic.twitter.com/Zd2HBuT8qa Gruden's message had fans ready for today's game. "Let’s go," one person said . "Knock on wood if you’re with me!" added another . "So cool to have that memory with your dad and Coach Corso. My dad and I have alot of memories together for when I played college football in the 90s. Hopefully Indiana upsets Ohio state today," offered a third. Gruden will be rooting for the Hoosiers today as the team enters this afternoon's game as a 13.5-point underdog. Indiana sits at 10-0 on the season but hasn't faced a ranked team until today. Can Curt Cignetti and company pull off the upset?NFL fans are calling for a rules change after Sunday's wild Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders finish. The Cowboys topped the Commanders, 34-26, in a crazy game at Northwest Stadium in Landover, Md. on Sunday. The Cowboys took a commanding lead late, before the Commanders stormed all the way back and tied the game - well, almost tied it. After an 86-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Daniels to Terry McLaurin, the Commanders had a chance to tie the game with less than 30 seconds to play, at 27-27. But Washington kicker Austin Seibert, who had already missed one extra point, missed his second one. NFL fans have been calling for Seibert to be cut, but that's not all they are doing. Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images Some NFL fans are arguing for the league to get rid of extra points. Why make such a non-important play mean so much? "I’ll say it...get rid of extra points. Just make them 2 point attempts after every TD," one fan wrote. "Get rid of extra points, make teams go for two after every touchdown," one fan added. "Get rid of field goals and extra points man lol," one fan added. "I’m admittedly biased in saying this right now, but never liked the idea of the NFL making it more likely that extra points decide games. Least exciting play in the sport now has outsized importance," Chase Hughes of NBC Sports added. NO GOOD. 📺: #DALvsWAS on FOX 📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/FDg7wGy8KF It's understandable that Commanders fans would feel that way today, but the Cowboys had to make their extra points, too. And the Cowboys had a missed field goal, a blocked field goal and a blocked punt. Special teams allowed the Commanders to stay in the game, though they ended up costing them the chance to tie things up late. That's just sports, right? But with the NFL changing the kickoff rule, perhaps the league will consider changing the extra points rule at some point, too. Or maybe we'll just start to see more and more teams attempting to go for two points late in games. The Cowboys improved to 4-7 on the year with the win on Sunday, while the Commanders dropped to 7-5.As the owners of Crane Dance Farm in Middleville, Michigan, we are troubled by the language included in the U.S. House of Representatives’ proposed Farm Bill, which threatens to undermine state agriculture laws. This provision is being touted as a “fix” to California’s Proposition 12 — a 2018 state ballot measure that established important food safety and animal welfare standards. The truth is something else: This proposal poses a grave risk to small, family-owned farms like ours. It also challenges the principles of local governance and consumer choice. For more than two decades, Crane Dance Farm has sought to be a cornerstone of our community, and we have held ourselves to a high standard. We are dedicated to sustainable agriculture, humane animal treatment and fostering strong community ties. Our focus has been on restoring soil health and ensuring that our animals lead happy, healthy lives. We are a regenerative farm, certified humane by A Greener World. We take pride in delivering clean, healthy and ethically sourced products that our customers trust and value. The proposed House Farm Bill threatens to disrupt these efforts by potentially invalidating state agriculture laws and regulations and compromising our ability to maintain high standards and provide responsibly sourced products to our community. Supporters of the proposed legislation seek to override state-level regulations designed to protect local agriculture and ensure the welfare of farm animals. States across the country have implemented specific guidelines that are tailored to address the unique environmental, economic and social conditions of their respective regions. By imposing a one-size-fits-all approach, the current version of the House Farm Bill would strip states of their ability to enact and enforce policies that best serve their agricultural communities. Whether you’re a farmer or a consumer, that’s wrong, and it’s bad for you. In contrast to the House version, the proposed Senate version of the Farm Bill, offered by Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Sen. Debbie Stabenow, demonstrates a strong commitment to — and a deep understanding of — sustainable agriculture. We commend Sen. Stabenow for her strong, consistent and principled history as a champion for Michigan farmers and for animal welfare. We sincerely hope she remains steadfast in her opposition to measures that would undermine state and local agricultural standards and disregard voter preferences, purely to satisfy a small faction of the pork industry that seeks to turn the clock back on humane concern for animals and better products for consumers. We urge the individual members of Michigan’s congressional delegation — and, indeed, all Members of Congress — to carefully consider the far-reaching implications of the Farm Bill, and to stand up for a final version that rejects an unnecessary “fix” for state animal welfare laws. Our nation’s Farm Bill, at its best, should affirm and support the values of local governance, consumer choice and the preservation of our diverse agricultural heritage. The future of small farms and the communities they support depends on it.
SP wins just 2 seats, loses 2 to dominant BJP in Uttar Pradesh bypolls
SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 26, 2024-- Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL), a leading provider of daily data and insights about Earth, today announced that Robert Cardillo, Chief Strategist and Chairman of the Board of Planet Federal, will participate in a fireside chat at the Goldman Sachs Industrials & Materials Conference on December 5th, 2024, at 9:20 a.m. Eastern Time. The discussion will be hosted by Noah Poponak, Managing Director and U.S. Aerospace & Defense Equity Research Analyst at Goldman Sachs. The company will also be available for 1x1 meetings with investors. As the Chief Strategist and Chairman of Planet Federal, Robert is responsible for supporting strategic decision-making for future products and services, driving meaningful partnerships, and increasing the utility of commercial innovations for global government agencies. Robert also serves as an active member of the Planet Labs PBC Executive Team. Robert has a distinguished career as former Director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) from 2014-2019, where he successfully transformed the Agency’s future value proposition through innovative partnerships with the growing commercial geospatial marketplace. Prior to NGA, Robert served in leadership positions with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. From 2010 to 2014, Robert managed, edited, and delivered the President’s Daily Brief to President Obama and Vice President Biden – over 1400 editions – while also serving on the Deputies Committee of the National Security Council. The fireside chat will be webcast and accessible at Planet’s Investor Relations webpage ( https://investors.planet.com/ ). About Planet Planet is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. Planet is driven by a mission to image the world every day, and make change visible, accessible and actionable. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites. Planet provides mission-critical data, advanced insights, and software solutions to over 1,000 customers, comprising the world’s leading agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education and finance companies and government agencies, enabling users to simply and effectively derive unique value from satellite imagery. Planet is a public benefit corporation listed on the New York Stock Exchange as PL. To learn more visit www.planet.com and follow us on X (formerly Twitter). View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126843457/en/ CONTACT: Investor Contact Chris Genualdi / Cleo Palmer-Poroner Planet Labs PBC ir@planet.comPress Contact Claire Bentley Dale Planet Labs PBC comms@planet.com KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA CALIFORNIA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DATA MANAGEMENT DATA ANALYTICS SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY PHOTOGRAPHY SOFTWARE SOURCE: Planet Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 11/26/2024 04:17 PM/DISC: 11/26/2024 04:17 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241126843457/en
Published 5:08 pm Thursday, December 26, 2024 by Thomas Howard As Meridian and Lauderdale County residents head to the gym, count calories, save money or tackle other resolutions for 2025, the Lauderdale County Tax Assessor’s office is encouraging folks to add another goal to their lists: pay less taxes. Tax Assessor Whitney Hodges said the window to apply for a homestead exemption on property taxes opens Jan. 2 and runs through April 1, and residents could see significant savings on their annual tax bill by completing the paperwork. There are four types of homestead exemption, she said, including regular homestead for all homeowners, homestead for those 65 and older, and homestead for disabled veterans and disability homestead. Homestead exemptions help residents by lowering the rate a property is assessed at, which means each mill — equal to $1 for every $1,000 of assessed value — costs less. Additionally, homeowners can get a credit that will go directly toward reducing what they owe. Email newsletter signup “So what it does is two things. It’s assessed at a lower rate, and then you also get up to a $300 credit on your taxes,” she said. “As long as your house is over $75,000 in value, you would get that $300 credit, and it takes it off your taxes. So it just takes it off your taxes, which is good. Everybody wants to save money.” The Tax Assessor’s office has, for years, worked to educate area residents about homestead exemptions and encourage homeowners to take advantage of the tax breaks they may qualify for. Hodges, on Monday, received permission from the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors to stay open 8 a.m. to noon one Saturday each month leading up to the April 1 deadline for residents who may not be able to take time off work or get to the office during the regular Monday through Friday work week. The office will be open Jan. 25, Feb. 22 and March 29. Whether they’re coming on a weekday or weekend, residents planning to file for homestead exemption will need to gather some documents before heading down to the government center, Hodges said. Things to bring include social security numbers for the homeowner and spouse, tag numbers for vehicles, purchase price and down payment amount of the property, the name of the previous owner and documentation of being 65 or older, disabled or a disabled veteran. Residents who have previously filed for a homestead exemption may need to reapply if their spouse has died, they’ve purchased a new home, had a change in marital status, bought or sold property or turned 65, became disabled or became a disabled veteran. “Sometimes people don’t know, like a spouse will pass away, and the other spouse won’t come in,” Hodges said. “Well, we don’t know if they’re 65 or not, so we have to, legally, bump them back down to just regular homestead, but it costs a lot of money to them if they don’t come in.” More information about homestead exemptions is available on the county website, lauderdalecounty.org, Hodges said, and her staff are available to help. Residents can reach the Tax Assessor’s office at 601-482-9779. Also with the start of the new year are business renditions, Hodges said, which are like inventories of what has been bought or sold throughout the past year. Business owners are encouraged to keep an eye out for rendition notices, she said, and get them returned to the Tax Assessor’s office as quickly as possible. Renditions must be turned in by April 1. UPDATE: One dead, two injured in Christmas Eve shooting Civil rights icon James Meredith is honored in his Mississippi hometown Christmas shooting injures one, suspect in custody One dead, two injured in Christmas Eve shootingStorm Bert wreaks travel chaos with roads closed, trains axed & ferries cancelled – as snow building ‘thick and fast’
49 Gift Ideas For Anyone Who Still Has A Birthday Before The Year Ends
Daniels and the Commanders host Penix and the Falcons in prime time with playoff chances at stakeWith the war exceeding more than 1,000 days, Joe Biden has greenlighted Ukraine using American-made ATACMS missiles to strike deep inside Russia. This sparked an angry reaction from Vladimir Putin, who retaliated by firing an intermediate-range ballistic missile in a warning to the West. But experts are divided on whether this is merely "theater" or if the threats are credible as Putin tries to exert his dominance . There are also concerns that NATO is suffering "Zelensky fatigue" from the Ukrainian President's repeated requests as Western nations begin a "reckless" game of "nuclear dice." "I think what's ultimately what's going on here in Moscow is the politics of nostalgia. Putin wants to recover what the Soviet Union once had in importance, in status, in global influence," Teddy Uldricks, an expert in Russian politics at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, told Daily Express US. The United States, on the other hand, is perhaps working to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine in the meantime, said Sean McFate, a foreign policy expert and Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, a Washington D.C.-based think tank. "I speculate that the Biden administration is in the middle of secret talks, and they're doing these things on the battlefield to try to increase pressure on Putin for concessions," he said. Biden's decision seems to be in tandem with President-elect Donald Trump 's decisive victory in the 2024 US election. The Trump administration will probably "pick winners in two wars" that might lead to a "frozen conflict for Ukraine " that suits Putin's ulterior interests, McFate speculated, adding that Putin is simply "waiting out Biden" to either invade Ukraine completely or replace Zelensky with a Moscow-backed puppet. Uldricks is fearful of the incoming Trump administration in January 2025. Trump, who boasts of a close kinship with Putin, has previously stated that he will end the war in "one day" which is "unrealistic," Uldricks said. "I suspect that Putin will be emboldened, that as President, Trump, will be less likely to challenge him," Uldricks said. It will not be "surprising" if the US withdraws substantially from the conflict but it might be "disastrous," he opined. While Biden deserves credit for strengthening NATO, it has led to "an equal and opposite reaction," McFate said. "It created this axis of autocracies where China, Russia , North Korea, and Iran are all cooperating much more fluently and efficiently," he told Daily Express US. DON'T MISS: The problem with this "axis" is that it reverberates through the nations when either one is impacted. "I think it's a worst-case scenario threat. It's unfortunate but this conflict is indeed escalating and indeed going more and more global," McFate explained. However, both experts agree that it is a "bit of a stretch" and "premature" to call this the start of World War Three. "I suspect that Putin wants us to think that way so that we will be less inclined to give aid to Ukraine ," Uldricks said. While Russia has lost tens and thousands of soldiers since the start of the war, they have a larger army, also aided by North Korea that has baffled both experts. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has supplied nearly 11,000 troops to Moscow in their war against Ukraine . The Ukraine war has seen ethnic minorities die disproportionately as Putin tried to keep from drafting more native Russians into the war. China, a pragmatic ally to Russia , might not prefer witnessing a closer alliance between Moscow and Pyongyang due to the latter's "client relationship" with Beijing, McFate said. "It [North Korea joining the war] could either be very laughable. They get slaughtered and go home to Pyongyang. Or it just increases and increases the war," he said. Uldricks blamed North Korea's "paranoia" for partaking in a war that will remotely not affect them. He agreed with McFate, taking a jab at North Korea's prowess or the lack thereof in the war. "I was shocked because what we heard on the news broadcast was that the North Koreans had sent some of their elite troops. Perhaps that wasn't true, because the quality of those troops seems to be very low," he said. The experts, however, differed on how the US should approach the war. Uldricks thinks the necessary aid came in too little too late. He echoed a Ukrainian commander who said that while he was happy about Ukraine finally getting access to the ATACMS missiles, like every other American weapons package sent to Kyiv, they have been six months late. After Russia launched the ballistic missile with a non-nuclear warhead, Zelensky condemned Putin's actions calling it a "cynical violation of the UN charter." He also called on the rest of the world to respond and stand together in the face of Putin's wrath, saying that the Kremlin is "testing" them, which, according to McFate, is quite exhausting to NATO nations. "I think everybody is tired of hearing him say these things. I think there's 'Zelensky fatigue,'" he said. He also blamed the outgoing Biden administration's "strategic blunder" to have failed to employ a "wedge strategy" from the start of the war "to put daylight between China and Russia ." Additionally, the Biden administration authorizing the weapons at this juncture is quite unnecessary and reckless and can lead to further escalation, he believes. "I think that the Biden administration is being very reckless. I think that they need to take the knee, which means they need to chill out and let the next administration take it over and that's what the American people have asked for. And trying to do these last-minute negotiations, trying to, you know, play with nuclear dice is reckless. They should not do this," McFate said.
Daniels and the Commanders host Penix and the Falcons in prime time with playoff chances at stake Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. trained and went through the NFL draft process together on the way to becoming two of the five quarterbacks taken in the top 10. Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press Dec 26, 2024 3:21 PM Dec 26, 2024 3:35 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILES - At left, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (9) plays in the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Atlanta, Dec. 22, 2024, and at right, Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels throws a pass against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Dec. 15, 2024. (AP Photos/Danny Karnik, Butch Dill, File) Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr. trained and went through the NFL draft process together on the way to becoming two of the five quarterbacks taken in the top 10. After going off the board earlier with the second pick by the Washington Commanders, Daniels has been their starter all season and one of football's breakout stars . Penix, taken eighth in a move coach Raheem Morris joked “shocked the world," waited behind Kirk Cousins until usurping the veteran and making his first pro start last week. On Sunday night, they'll face off in the league's first prime-time showdown of rookie QBs selected in the first round, and the spotlight is bright with significant playoff implications at stake. “I'm happy for him — he waited his time,” Daniels said of Penix. “He's a phenomenal player in my eyes, and I'm excited to be able to match up against him.” Daniels and the Commanders (10-5) are in the playoffs with a win. They might already be in before kickoff if Tampa Bay loses at home to Carolina, though the Buccaneers are 8-point favorites on BetMGM Sportsbook. Washington is favored by 4 against the Falcons (8-7), who are vying with the Bucs for the NFC South title and a home playoff game and also in contention with the Commanders and others for the conference's wild-card spots. “The reality is that you fight, you fight, you fight and you put yourself in a position to go out there and win your division,” Penix said. "You put yourself in a chance to get yourself to qualify for extra play. We’re right in the mix of doing that, and we’ve got to go do it and finish.” Daniels, who threw five touchdown passes to beat Philadelphia last week and end the Eagles’ winning streak at 10 games, is the prohibitive favorite to win AP Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Penix completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards in a rout of the New York Giants that included two touchdowns by Atlanta's defense and two on the ground from running back Bijan Robinson. “I was really pleased with his composure, his poise, his ability to click through progressions,” Morris said. "Realistically, it was a pretty clean game at the quarterback position. I’m very pleased with what he did and how he did it and the support that he had around him.” Coaching connection Washington's Dan Quinn is facing the Falcons as a head coach for the first time since they fired him in 2020. He was replaced then on an interim basis by Morris, who was an assistant on his staff in Atlanta the entire time Quinn was in charge, including the run to the Super Bowl in the 2016 season. “It’s always fun to play against your friends, your confidants, your mentors — whatever you want to look at it as — that we’ve been able to grow up with throughout this whole process,” said Morris, who was an assistant in Washington from 2012-14 under Mike Shanahan and interviewed for the Commanders job last winter. “Dan coaching me in college," Morris added, "and then having a chance to work together and then having a chance to really follow the same path to the National Football League and then to now being in a fortunate position to be head coaches in this awesome league and having a chance to compete against each other at a very high level with high stakes on the line in prime time and all of those things — I just enjoy those moments of being able to go against guys that you care about.” Morris said conversations from their close working relationship, which dates to their time together at Hofstra, are on a break right now. “Obviously you swap texts on normal weeks,” Morris said. “I won’t talk to him this week. I’ll ban him. I’ll block him on the phone.” More zip leads to more drops Penix's results would have been even more impressive if not for some drops by receivers. Ray-Ray McCloud and Drake London had miscues on Atlanta’s opening drive. Tight end Kyle Pitts bobbled a pass later that led to Penix's interception. Serving as scout-team QB while Cousins was the starter , Penix had little practice time with the first-string offense before last week. As a left-hander, Penix gives receivers a different look, but perhaps the biggest adjustment was the added zip on his passes when compared with Cousins. “We kind of talked about that,” Morris said. “We figured that would happen. ... We talked about the reps with these guys, not having as many. So, things like that are going to happen. But I do like the fact that we’re able to keep playing and pushing and watch the guys get better and better as we went. Fuller strength The Commanders are expected to get two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jonathan Allen back after surgery in October to repair a torn pectoral muscle initially looked to be season-ending . “We know the caliber of Jon and what he can bring,” Quinn said. “He’s strong. He’s tough. So when that does happen, that’ll be something that will definitely bring energy to our defense.” Allen had 15 tackles and two sacks in five-plus games before getting injured at Baltimore on Oct. 13. Sacks on the rise After ranking last in the league with 10 sacks through the first 11 games, Atlanta’s long-struggling pass rush has enjoyed a dramatic surge. The Falcons have at least three in four consecutive games, the longest active streak in the league, with 16 total over this stretch. Arnold Ebiketie recorded his fifth sack and recovered a fumble against the Giants, and Kaden Elliss had a strip sack. Elliss also has five sacks and has dropped opposing QBs in four consecutive games: the longest streak by a Falcons defender since Patrick Kerney's five in a row in 2001. ___ AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Eagles look to clinch NFC East title while Cowboys hope to play spoiler Dec 26, 2024 3:29 PM Playoff hopes in the balance when the Broncos face the Bengals in Cincy Dec 26, 2024 3:20 PM Broncos cornerback Riley Moss is set to return after missing a month with knee injury Dec 26, 2024 3:05 PMSources: Ex-Giant Jones to eye playoff contender - ESPN
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Key Points Between April and June of this year, 1,962 people reported being scammed on social media. At the same time, emails and scam websites accounted for another 2,018 scams in which people lost money. While fewer individuals were scammed through a telephone call, on average, those who were, lost greater amounts. Australians are most likely to get scammed via social media. Having recorded more than $64.2 million in losses from people scammed through social media so far this year, the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) is warning Australians to be cautious when being contacted on social media. Data from the centre reveals more than 6,000 Australians are recorded as having been fooled into giving money to scammers they have been contacted by, through social media so far this year. More likely to be scammed NASC, which operates Scamwatch, a service that compiles reports of scams operating in Australia has found scammers are increasingly gaining financial profits through using fake or hijacked profiles on social media, messaging platforms and apps to steal money and personal information. A recently released quarterly update detailing scams that have targeted Australians showed while far more scam text messages, emails and phone calls were recorded than social media based scams, it was the latter which Australians most often fell for. Between April and June of this year, 1,962 people reported losing money to such scams and total of 4,350 contacts via social media were... Aleisha Orr