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THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) will present at Citi's 2024 Global Healthcare Conference at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday , Dec. 5, 2024. Peter Griffith , executive vice president and chief financial officer at Amgen, Jay Bradner , executive vice president of Research and Development and chief scientific officer at Amgen, and Susan Sweeney , executive vice president of Obesity and Related Conditions at Amgen, will participate in a fireside chat at the conference. The webcast will be broadcast over the internet simultaneously and will be available to members of the news media, investors and the general public. The webcast, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen's business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen's website, www.amgen.com , under Investors. Information regarding presentation times, webcast availability and webcast links are noted on Amgen's Investor Relations Events Calendar. The webcast will be archived and available for replay for at least 90 days after the event. About Amgen Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world's toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what's known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases. In 2024, Amgen was named one of the "World's Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company and one of "America's Best Large Employers" by Forbes, among other external recognitions . Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average ® , and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index ® , which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average and is also part of the Nasdaq-100 index. In 2023, Amgen was named one of "America's Greatest Workplaces" by Newsweek, one of "America's Climate Leaders" by USA Today and one of the "World's Best Companies" by TIME. For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn , Instagram , TikTok , YouTube and Threads . Amgen Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeiGene, Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla ® (apremilast) (including anticipated Otezla sales growth and the timing of non-GAAP EPS accretion), our acquisitions of Teneobio, Inc., ChemoCentryx, Inc., or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon's business, performance and opportunities, any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition, and any projected impacts from the Horizon acquisition on our acquisition-related expenses going forward), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. If we fail to meet the compliance obligations in the corporate integrity agreement between us and the U.S. government, we could become subject to significant sanctions. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico , and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, such as COVID-19, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our environmental, social and governance objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all. CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks Elissa Snook , 609-251-1407 (media) Justin Claeys , 805-313-9775 (investors) View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amgen-to-present-at-citis-2024-global-healthcare-conference-302319891.html SOURCE AmgenAs fashion fans wait in anticipation for the Roman Black Friday sale to drop, shoppers are already snapping up early deals on the website. One piece that is proving particularly popular with anyone who has a festive celebration in their calendar is the Bronze Embellished Sequin Velvet Bodycon Dress. The dress was £60 but is on sale for £49.50 if you apply the codes SHINE at checkout. Stocked in sizes ten to 20, customers are saying it 'will be good to wear to a party' and as the 'pattern is a bit different', you can make a showstopping entrance in an item that is more unique than you might find elsewhere. Cut from comfortable stretch velvet fabric, the 3'4 length sleeves and knee-length skirt provide a flattering finish that should keep you feeling confident all night. But, the real star of the show are the glittering sequin embellishments, nailing a number of festive fashion trends in one. The twinkly pattern isn't too much, but when placed under lights it should shine. READ MORE: Boots rival launches Black Friday beauty bundle for £22 that's 'unmissable' READ MORE: I got a beautiful leather jacket custom-made with a personal touch with 20% off To style this Roman dress we would keep accessories simple - some strappy heels and a clutch should be all you need to finish the outfit off. As well as a the figure-flattering silhouette, we love the V-back detail and how the concealed zip fastening provides a seamless look that makes the dress look a lot more expensive than £50. If you're worried about keeping the delicate velvet in tip-top condition, one wearer highlighted that this shouldn't be a problem writing: "Love love love this dress, super fit and super comfy. Washed well too." Someone else picked the style up to wear on the 25th, noting: "I have bought this dress to wear on Christmas day. It fits perfectly and looks lovely." While the fabric washes well, a customer pointed out that they found the dress hard to put on. They said: "The dress looks lovely but the zip is very difficult to do up and undo because of the sequin embellishment impeding it's passage." It might be a dress that needs another pair of hands to fully close. Despite this, the reviews section was still filled with five star comments from shoppers one of which explained: "Beautiful dress, I'm a 14/16 and bought the 16, perfect. Love the colour and length. Very comfortable to wear." And another shared: "It's a lovely dress for the party season. Just the right length for me, as I'm short! Just enough sparkle without being over the top. Comfortable to wear and great with sleeves." Elsewhere, New Look have a number of stylish velvet dresses that are perfect for this time of year. This Black Velvet Glitter Midi Dress is £44.99, described as 'true to size' and 'covered in shimmer made from really good quality material'. River Island's Black Velvet Sequin Mini Dress comes in at £49 and we're predicting it'll be a popular piece this party season, stocked in sizes six to 18.

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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — If anybody can slow down Cincinnati Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase, it's Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II. Denver Broncos' Pat Surtain II reacts after breaking up a pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in Denver. He did it before when both were rookies in 2021 and Surtain held Chase to a single catch for 3 yards on four targets on a day Joe Burrow threw for just 157 yards. "That was early in my career. Rookie year? Yeah, it was a good game," Surtain said. "They came in with a high-striking offense and we knew that we had to eliminate the explosives, eliminate their top threat. Ja'Marr, he's a great player, one of, if not the best, receivers in the league." Surtain and Denver's defense gets some help this weekend with the expected return of second-year cornerback Riley Moss, who has been out for a month with a sprained MCL. Moss's return to the lineup would allow defensive coordinator Vance Joseph to go back to playing primarily man coverage instead of zone, meaning Surtain could stick to Chase (108 catches for 1,510 yards and 16 TDs) while Moss defends Tee Higgins (58 receptions for 727 yards and seven TDs). "They got a lot going on with themselves on the offensive side of the ball, so it's gonna be a good challenge," Surtain said. "Trying to eliminate them like how we did that time would be great." Eliminating Chase as a game-breaking threat could go a long way toward the Broncos (9-6) eliminating the Bengals (7-8) from the AFC playoff chase. Cincinnati needs to beat Denver to stay alive and the Broncos can clinch their first playoff berth since 2015 with a win or a tie Saturday. Although ... Back in '21, the Bengals and Broncos were both 7-6 when Surtain and Chase squared off for the first time. Despite Chase having the worst statistical day of his career, the Bengals escaped Denver with a 15-10 triumph that they parlayed into a Super Bowl run. The Broncos lost their last three to finish on a four-game slide and a 7-10 record, one in a string of seven straight losing seasons, a skid they only snapped this year. The Broncos missed a chance to clinch a playoff spot last Thursday when they frittered away a double-digit second-half lead in a 34-27 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Although coach Sean Payton had written "Run It!!" in thick letters across the top of his play sheet, he only called for 14 hand-offs after the Broncos drove down the field for a TD on their opening drive in which four running backs carried seven times for 43 yards, capped by Audric Estime's 3-yard TD. The Broncos likely will look to run it more Sunday with rain in the forecast and Chase and Burrow waiting on the opposite sideline. Sent weekly directly to your inbox!SANTA CLARA, Calif. — On the day the San Francisco 49ers were officially eliminated from playoff contention, they delivered a performance that summed up their disappointing season. The offense failed to reach 20 points for the seventh time this season, a missed field goal hampered a comeback attempt and the defense got gashed on the ground in a 29-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. “It’s just been not clean football across the board,” quarterback Brock Purdy said. “I just feel like we’re hurting ourselves offensively and then when the defense gets a stop, like we got to go and capitalize. Last year we did that really well, last couple of years. We played team football for four quarters and I felt like we were pretty dominant. This year, it's just been hit or miss.” It's been mostly miss for San Francisco (6-9) since the start as the team has been plagued by contract disputes in training camp, injuries to key players on both sides of the ball and spotty play. Purdy's late interception after being under heavy pressure behind a makeshift line spoiled a comeback attempt and assured the 49ers of a losing season. San Francisco had already been eliminated from postseason contention earlier in the day after coming into the season as one of the favorites to return to the Super Bowl. The 49ers lost to Kansas City in overtime in February after falling short in the NFC title game the previous two seasons. After surging following mid-season bye weeks the past two seasons, the 49ers have stumbled this season as injuries that have sidelined stars such as Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk and Nick Bosa for multiple games have taken a toll. Miami Dolphins linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. (6) tackles San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Credit: AP/Rebecca Blackwell But even the healthy players haven't performed as San Francisco ranks sixth worst in scoring over the past seven weeks, last in takeaways and fifth worst in yards rushing allowed. That leaves the Niners in an unfamiliar place as they are playing meaningless games for the first time since the 2020 season, when they went 6-10 the season after losing the Super Bowl. “We’ve been the highest of highs for a long time,” Bosa said. “Sometimes things don’t go your way and a lot of it is because of what we’ve done, obviously.” What’s working Red zone defense. San Francisco held Miami to one TD on three red zone trips. After allowing touchdowns on 13 consecutive red zone drives over a four-week span, the 49ers have held the opposition to one TD on six trips the past two games. San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody (4) looks up after missing a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Credit: AP/Lynne Sladky What needs help Penalties. The Niners committed a season-high 11 penalties for 90 yards and several were costly. Rookie WR Ricky Pearsall lined up illegally twice on one drive, and DBs Talanoa Hufanga and Deommodore Lenoir each got called for unnecessary roughness penalties that helped fuel field-goal drives. “No matter what’s going on, when you have those penalties like that, you don’t deserve to win,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. Stock up WR Deebo Samuel. After being held to 116 yards from scrimmage the previous five games, Samuel delivered a throwback performance that looked like his play in recent years. He had seven catches for 96 yards and his first TD since Week 6 and ran for 25 yards. His 121 yards from scrimmage were a season high. Stock down K Jake Moody. The second-year kicker missed a 41-yarder wide left in the third quarter. Moody has missed seven field goals this season and his 76.7% conversion rate is tied for 26th. Injuries OL Aaron Banks (knee) and Jaylon Moore (quadriceps strain) will miss the final two games of the season. ... Shanahan said LB Dre Greenlaw also could be shut down with soreness in his right calf after returning from a left Achilles tendon injury. ... Shanahan said LT Trent Williams (ankle) won't return this season. ... RB Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) should return to practice this week. ... The team is awaiting MRI results to determine whether OL Spencer Burford (calf) can play again this year. ... S Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle) and LB Dee Winters (chest) are day to day. Key number 0-43 — The 49ers remain winless under Shanahan after falling behind by eight or more points in the fourth quarter in the regular season or playoffs. They are the only team in the NFL without a win in that scenario since Shanahan was hired in 2017. What’s next The 49ers host Detroit on Monday night.France's second woman premier makes surprise frontline return

ARNE SLOT’S vision is crystal clear now – even if it did get a bit murky for a while tonight and not just because of the fog that blanketed Anfield. For a first Premier League title in his first season as Liverpool manager is now on the horizon. With a lead at the top extended to seven points, with a game in hand over second–placed Chelsea, it is for more than just a shimmering image in the distance. Behind to Jordan Ayew’s shock early effort, they simply eased past the valiant but ultimately vain challenge offered by Ruud van Nistlerooy’s side. Slot’s debut campaign in English football is only gaining speed, powered by an unbeaten run that now stretches to a stunning 22 games since his only defeat to Nottingham Forest on September 14. Triumph, not even half a season after succeeding Jurgen Klopp in a job many feared might be impossible because of the huge space the German had vacated, is in his hands. All he and his players, also, of course, top of the Champions League table have to do is stay steady, keep believing, and it will surely be theirs. Although not for the first time this season their start to a game was anything but steady as Ayew produced a stunning opener. Slot will fret in his quieter moments that for all his determination to make his defence a more dependable unit he still has work to do. Yet going forward, Liverpool are becoming a juggernaut and have scored two or more goals in 13 of their last 14 games. Indeed they have also overtaken Tottenham as the Prem’s top scorers. The fog created concerns that this clash might have to be called off and even ten minutes before kick-off Anfield was clothed in murk. Yet within three minutes, Leicester were being dazzled by their opponent’s full–beam attack. Polish goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk, making his Prem debut in place of Danny Ward, will have been wondering what hit him. Ward, targeted by the club’s boo-boys in Sunday’s 3-0 humiliation against Wolves, didn’t even make the bench having also come on at half-time in the 4-0 defeat by Newcastle. Yet dreams for the 24-year-old who spent the second half of last season on loan at Hartlepool cannot have been made of that panic stations start. For he was a Fox stuck in the headlights as Slot’s men tried to walk the ball into the net before Salah’s stab hit a post. But rather than lie down, Van Nistelrooy’s side, without injured icon Jamie Vardy, were ahead - maybe to their own amazement – three minutes later. Left winger Stephy Mavididi went for it down the flank against Trent Alexander-Arnold and not for the first time this season the star under Real Madrid’s spotlight found himself beaten. Mavididi steadied himself before squaring and Ayew then performed brilliantly. As Andy Robertson moved tight to close down, the former Crystal Palace veteran produced a magical pirouette to then fire a perfect low shot passed the bog–smacked Alisson and inside his right–hand post. Slot’s side may well have gone into the game believing their own publicity given how so many around them have been declaring that the title is theirs to lose. But if they took it too easy in that first attack it did actually seem too easy for them as they continued to power forward. Cody Gakpo got unfortunate with one shot, Salah saw his effort deflected only inches over the bar. And in the 25 th minute, Robertson stole into the box to connect with Alexis Mac Allister’s chip, his header hitting almost exactly the same spot that had denied his Egyptian team-mate. Van Nistelrooy’s strugglers couldn’t keep riding their luck, however, although there was nothing fortunate at all about Gakpo’s equaliser. It was simply down to sheer class. Slot’s fellow countryman gathered the ball on the left flank, checked inside and then let fly with a tremendous, curling right–footer that Stolarczyk could only watch as it glided past him and into his top left-hand corner. That goal came a few seconds before first-half injury time. Four minutes after the break Slot’s men were celebrating again. And once again there was something special about the way they cut their way through Leicester’s massed ranks before Salah slid the ball across the box and Jones was there to calmly flick over the line. A VAR check for offside was needed to confirm the strike on what as the midfielder’s 100 th Prem appearance but there was no question of how high–end that goal was from start to finish. Leicester weren’t quite finished yet and Alisson dodged a bullet after an hour. For had Patson Daka stayed calm he would surely have tucked away another clever pass from Mavididi but instead he mis–kicked a dozen yards out. Having taken the hint Liverpool went back into high–energy attacking mode and Darwin Nunez – given a start to give No1 striker Diogo Jota a break – finally emerged from his own brain fog. His strike from Salah’s cross looked perfect to be fair to the mercurial Uruguayan but Stolarczyk excelled himself with a heroic block. Gakpo thought he had claimed a second after smashing a shot into the net only for a VAR check that seemed to take forever to cancel with Nunez minutely offside. Yet the third was always going to come and almost always when a killer blow is required, it once more came from Salah. He gathered the ball, moved forward in that usual quick fashion of his, then when Van Nistelrooy’s defence thought they were sorted to blight the danger, he simply used Victor Kristiansen as a wall to block his dart inside before curling another exquisite shot beyond a goalkeeper. THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball .In a significant move, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is all set to host the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 player auction, marking its first significant venture into cricket . The auction will be held on Sunday, November 24, and Monday, November 25, at Abady Al Johar Arena, also known as Benchmark Arena, in Jeddah . A total of 574 players have been selected from an initial pool of 1,574 names. Of the 574 players, 366 are Indian, while 208 are overseas, including three from associate nations. The auction will see 318 Indian uncapped players and 12 uncapped overseas players in contention. Featuring notable players such as Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, veteran England fast bowler James Anderson, and New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra. Saudi Arabia’s holding of the IPL auction signals its intention to elevate cricket alongside football , golf, and boxing in its sports investment portfolio under the Vision 2030 project. This is not the first time the player auction is venturing out of India. In 2023, the player auction was held at the Coca-Cola in Dubai .

Far from circling the wagons, India’s cricket community has reacted with dismay at the actions of Virat Kohli after his altercation with Australian debutant Sam Konstas on Boxing Day. Kohli escaped with a fine from the incident which left a sour taste as he went out of his way to make contact with Konstas during the 19-year-old’s stunning debut innings. Kohli’s ex-teammate – Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan – led the criticism in Kohli’s homeland. “Stay away from contact. You cannot contact a player,” Pathan said on Star Sports. Umpire Michael Gough speaks with Virat Kohli of India and Sam Konstas of Australia during day one of the Men’s Fourth Test Match in the series between Australia and India at Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) “You can show aggression and support your players. He is a 19-year-old boy. When we were 19-year-old boys, Hayden, Gilchrist, and all used to make a lot of noise from behind but never touched us. So you could have avoided that on the cricket field. “If it had been Steve Smith, who is Australia’s senior player, and one of our 19-year-old boys was making his debut, and he had come and pushed like that, would we have liked it? We would have not liked it at all. Same thing.” In the Indian Express, Venkata Krishna B said Kohli’s combative nature had won him respect in Australia on previous occasions – but “not this time, though. Without any provocation, Kohli walked across the pitch and bumped shoulders with 19-year-old debutant Sam Konstas. “Heated moments when Kohli is on the field aren’t new. But a physical contact with an opponent goes against the spirit of the ethos that the game is built on. Being a senior player and arguably global cricket’s biggest ambassador, better behaviour is expected from Kohli. He isn’t a brash 20-year-old, who wants to hush up his doubters any more. “On Thursday, there is every reason for everyone including match referee Andy Pycroft to believe Kohli has taken it too far against a debutant, who had picked him as a hero. It will definitely not go down as a proud moment for Kohli, who in the past has been gracious. “If anything Konstas’ audacity and his intent to take the bull by the horns should have won him a huge fan in Kohli. But the 19-year-old realised what “never meet your heroes” actually means. Kohli’s conduct will be reprimanded. He may not earn enough demerit points to miss the next Test, but Kohli may have lost a fan in Konstas.” Don’t take photos of my kids, But I’ll try intimidate teenagers.. #AGrade https://t.co/4etsSXw5KP The Times of India compared the clash to an AFL match. “The encounter resembled a scene from an Australian rules football game. The two players (Konstas and Kohli) bumped into each other and exchanged words,” it reported. “Usman Khawaja, Konstas’ opening partner, intervened to escalate the situation. Umpire Michael Gough also stepped in to mediate. “Neither player backed down during the exchange.” The Hindustan Times praised Konstas. “Debutant Sam Konstas rocked India in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne with his imaginative batting,” they wrote. “His audacious way of charging down the track and then reverse-ramping the world’s best bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, got India unsettled on Day 1 of the fourth Test match. “(After the 10th over) Kohli picked up the ball and moved purposefully in Konstas’ direction. The Australian teenager did not change direction, and neither did the Indian legend, as they ended up bumping into each other. “Kohli turned back and hurled a few words, and so did Konstas. Khawaja was quick to spot the tension rising. He separated the two by putting his arm around Kohli. The on-field umpires also had a word Kohli and Konstas.” The Indian Express admonished Kohli. “It looked bad. Virat Kohli, a former captain, cut across from his initial position on the leg side of play, with the ball in his hand, walked beside the pitch where Sam Konstas was returning back from the other end. And the shoulder barge happened,” they wrote. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed it had docked Kohli one demerit point, meaning he avoids a suspension that would have knocked him out of the Sydney Test, as well as docking him 20 per cent of his match fee. Umpires Joel Wilson and Michael Gough, third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Shawn Craig all reported Kohli. Former South Australia and Victoria player Darren Berry summed up the Australian reaction on X: “20% & 1 demerit point. Change direction to deliberately make contact with a kid on debut. What a spineless, pathetic, manipulated outcome confirming what we all already know. After 12 hours cricket I’m taking my bat & ball & going home.” There was some fight back however as India’s Inside Sport website took aim at the Australian reaction. The back page of tomorrow's The West Australian newspaper. #ViratKohli #Kohli #Konstas #AUSvINDIA pic.twitter.com/9LefPsTIwd “Australian media have started doing what they do best,” wrote Misha Ghosh. “After Virat Kohli‘s altercation with young Sam Konstas. And now Aussie media have upped their ante in slandering the ace India Cricket Team batter. As expected, the Australian media have started to target Virat Kohli. One such Western Australian newspaper has published a picture of Kohli with a joker nose imposed on the picture. “As if the picture was not enough, the Aussies have also hit back hard at the Indian star batter. The headline of the newspaper goes with the headline “Clown Kohli”. All these showcase the adverted mind games that the Aussie media are trying to impose on Kohli and Team India. “Virat Kohli has been a name that is favoured by the Australian media. Whenever Kohli has toured Down Under, the Aussie media have tried to get under his skin in whatever opportunity that has arisen. Recently, before the Melbourne Test, Kohli was involved in a verbal spat at the airport. “The Aussie media was not lenient with Kohli asking for privacy for himself and his family. And with the event that took place on Day 1 of the IND vs AUS 4th Test, there is no way the Aussie media would have left things easily. Kohli apparently shoulder-barged Sam Konstas after an over. “But after stumps on Day 1, the ICC decided to reprimand Kohli. He has been slapped with 1 demerit point along with a 2-% match fee deduction. But Kohli has not been banned for the next game which the Aussies so desperately wanted.”

The opportunity in front of Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on Saturday is not lost on first-year coach Bill O'Brien. When the Massachusetts native leads the Eagles (7-5) onto the hallowed New York ground, Boston College will be shooting for its first eight-win season since 2009. Facing an opponent as prestigious in the world of college football as Nebraska (6-6) makes it even more special. "I think that was the big thing for us," O'Brien said. "Can we play a great, legendary program? (We're) all very excited about the opportunity to go up against a program like Nebraska in Yankee Stadium around Christmastime. It's a very, very cool opportunity." The Eagles not only look to send seniors such as ACC Defensive Player of the Year Donovan Ezeiruaku (FBS-leading 16 1/2 sacks in the regular season), running back Kye Robichaux (452 yards, six touchdowns in the past four games) and former walk-on linebacker Joe Marinaro out on a high note, but also keep an eye on the future with many expected 2025 returnees already contributing on the depth chart. Florida International junior transfer Grayson James has emerged as Boston College's top quarterback, throwing for five touchdowns in four starts since Florida State-bound Thomas Castellanos departed the program midseason. The Eagles won three of those games, all in Atlantic Coast Conference play. This season has also seen the likes of running back Turbo Richard, wide receiver Reed Harris and safety Carter Davis receive significant time as true or redshirt freshmen for O'Brien's team. "There's a lot of guys that will be playing in this game that will hopefully be playing for us next year," O'Brien said. "If you can't get up to playing in a game like this, I think for our guys, you might want to check yourself out a little bit." While Boston College seeks back-to-back bowl victories after toppling now-ACC rival SMU in the Fenway Bowl last December, Nebraska is headed to its first postseason appearance since 2016. The Cornhuskers clinched the bowl berth with a Nov. 23 win over Wisconsin, ending a four-game losing streak that followed a 5-1 start. Five of Nebraska's six losses were by eight or fewer points, including setbacks against ranked Big Ten foes Illinois and Ohio State. "We're unbelievably excited and grateful," second-year Nebraska coach and native New Yorker Matt Rhule said. "We've worked really hard to get to this point. A tough schedule this year, had a chance to play against a lot of great teams." Nebraska has one of the nation's top young quarterbacks at the helm. Dylan Raiola has thrown for 12 touchdowns and ranks second among FBS freshmen with 2,595 passing yards and a 66.6 percent completion rate. Raiola shot down transfer portal rumors and affirmed his commitment to the Huskers since the regular season concluded. "I never officially entered and never really was shopping around," Raiola said. "I'm playing quarterback at Nebraska." The game has added significance to Rhule due to his New York City roots. This month, he added Dana Holgorsen as offensive coordinator and promoted John Butler to defensive coordinator. Eight Nebraska players hail from New York or New Jersey, including sophomore starting defensive end Cameron Lenhardt and sixth-year senior running back Rahmir Johnson. "It's been home for a long time," Rhule said. "This is a special, special kind of full-circle moment for us." --Field Level Media

GOSL decided to terminate the project with no alternative solution to the traffic congestion issue being proposed On 27 December, the railway community in Sri Lanka as well as national-minded islanders commemorate the day on which the inaugural Ceylon Government Railway (CGR) train ran between Colombo Fort and Ambepussa (34 miles on the main line) in 1864. A day before that, the same demographic remembers with grief and sorrow the cataclysmic effect of the Indian Ocean tsunami which devastated a 1,500 passenger train at Peraliya on 26 December 2004, taking a toll of over 1,000 lives in a disaster that saw an estimated 30,000 deaths. To the credit of Sri Lanka Railways, the destroyed locomotive – a Class M2a EMD-G12 (‘Manitoba’), imported under the Colombo Plan in 1956 – was fully restored a few years later, and makes its regular run on ‘D-Day’ annually, heading Train No. 8051 (#51). And in a trifecta of rail happenings, this December’s media has been rife with reports of how the Government of Sri Lanka is in talks with its counterparts in Japan to get back on track the much vaunted Light Rail Transit (LRT) project that was arbitrarily derailed by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration in 2021. Then Sri Lanka’s so-called “LRT fiasco” and the international fallout from a former regime’s ad-hoc policy decision is much in the news these days... for the right reasons, for a change. So much so that the case study of an arbitrary cancellation of the Japan-funded Light Rail Transit project in the context of international relations in an emerging geopolitical milieu may make interesting reading for all of SLR’s swains and stakeholders in good governance being restored. Ergo, this two-part piece on Sri Lanka’s ill-fated LRT project, on which fortune and the Government of Japan seem to be smiling again. Vehicular congestion has long been an issue in Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, and especially its business boroughs and suburban areas, from which and back to where millions of commuters travel daily. The railway network, which could have served to alleviate some of this congestion, is derelict and unable to function well as a public transport solution in its own right. Thus the feasibility of a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system to serve the metropolitan periphery for the Colombo Business District (CBD) was hailed and welcomed globally as a viable and efficient solution to a longstanding problem. However, despite the government of the day following due process and diligence in developing the project with Official Development Assistance (ODA) from Japan, a change of regime saw not only the project being abruptly terminated but Sri Lanka’s reputation suffer and attendant international fallout from the fiasco. The ‘Good Governance’ (Yahapalanaya) administration of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared as being among its aims the transparent and accountable dispatch of governmental and administrative matters. Among the positive outcomes of such an approach was the welcome Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and international developmental aid that the government of the day attracted. A key overseas sponsor at the time was Sri Lanka’s longstanding ally and benefactor in a post WWII and post-Cold War milieu, the government and people of Japan, who with their counterparts in Sri Lanka proposed a Light Rail Transit (LRT) project for Colombo and its suburbs, with the intention of serving the business district and peripheral boroughs. This two-part article will show that in soliciting and securing the LRT project, the Yahapalanaya administration followed the proper governance procedure, with attention being paid to due process and diligence; that a change of regime saw an ad-hoc policy decision that not only abruptly and unilaterally terminated the project, but also brought the Sri Lankan state into disrepute with its international donors; and eventually, resulted in the continued suffering of the island nation’s people; as well as that with a return to a semblance of ‘good governance’, recent efforts by a fresh government have attempted to revive the project in the disastrous aftermath of the fiscal, financial, socioeconomic and reputational losses incurred. The Light Rail Transit (LRT) project for Colombo was a long-felt need arising from many factors that included a growing population, an outdated and outmoded public transport system, and the increasing number of road and rail passengers entering the city’s metropolitan area on a daily basis for work, schooling and leisure or entertainment activities. At the time at which the Japanese-funded LRT project was first seriously considered, the status of this influx into the country’s commercial capital saw 10 million daily passenger trips within the Colombo Metropolitan Region (CMR) and 1.9 million passengers entering the CMR on a daily basis (JICA/Ministry of Megapolis and Western Region Development Project, ‘Light Rail Transit Project’). Despite the urgency of travelling from points of origin as far south as Galle and Matara; due east as Avissawella; north-east as Kandy and Kurunegala; and north as Negombo, Chilaw and Puttalam; the average travel speed of trains in the CMR was only 17 kilometres per hour (km/h) and 12 km/h in the smaller Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area due to the slowness of railway services caused by overcrowded trains; weak lines, ties, points, crossings and other railroad infrastructure; ancient locomotives – some in service since the 1950s, when they were imported from Canada to the then Ceylon under the Colombo Plan; and rush-hour congestion compounded by malfunctioning signals, poor track maintenance and derailments. As a feasibility study conducted sometime in the second decade of the 21st century observed, “With population increase, the need for travel is going to increase exponentially” (JICA/MMWRD), and this was equally true of rail as well as road public transport solutions that needed to be developed. The same study noted: “The Western Region Megapolis Transport Master Plan was developed encompassing all aspects of transportation to provide a framework for urban transport development in the Western Region Megapolis up to 2035 while giving high priority to improving transport in the Western Region.” Among the major public transport development initiatives identified in this Western Region Megapolis Transport Master Plan was the introduction of an LRT system as a new and innovative mode of public transport in the Colombo Business District (CBD), and comprising a light elevated railway network that would extend from the CBD and radiate into the populous suburbs of the commercial capital. Also of importance to note as regards the suitability of the proposed LRT were the number of lines, and the tactical way in which each of these would serve a larger strategic purpose of easing vehicular congestion in Colombo, while alleviating the burden of a derelict, dilapidated and deteriorating railway system that was often and in many instances the relict of a bygone colonial era of transportation. The proposed elevated railway network would comprise the following short, interconnected routes: LRT Elevated Line 1 – From Colombo Fort through Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya, Borella and Union Place, to Maradana (15 kilometres) LRT Elevated Line 2 – From Colombo Fort through Maradana and Mattakkuliya to Peliyagoda (11.5 km) LRT Elevated Line 3 – From Dematagoda through Borella, Narahenpita, Kirulapone and Havelock City to Bambalapitiya (10 km) LRT Elevated Line 4 – From Borella through Battaramulla to Malabe (10 km) LRT Elevated Line 5 – From Malabe to Kottawa (9.6 km) LRT Elevated Line 6 – From Malabe to Kaduwela (6 km) LRT Elevated Line 7 – From Peliyagoda to Kadawatha (13 km) To underline the planned and prepared nature of the LRT project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), these elevated lines had all their technical specifications pre-approved by both JICA and the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL) as follows: Namely, that it would be a fully elevated Light Railway Transit (LRT) system; with an electrified third rail traction type in the standard gauge for LRTs of 1.435m; and the pilot project would have a route length of 21 kilometres, with 21 stations, so that there would be one station every kilometre or so to serve the suburbs’ transportation needs effectively. In addition, there was a clear road map towards the development and implementation of the first phase of the LRT, as follows: Stage 1 – define the service levels of the LRT, define the respective routes of the LRT, define the system requirements to meet the needs of the defined routes, define the operational and management body of the LRT, and conduct the necessary environmental impact assessment (EIA) survey and analysis. Stage 2 – carry out preliminary design and cost estimations, as well as discern Operational and Management (O&M) costs, in addition to Economic Internal Rate of Return (EIRR), Financial Internal Rate of Return (FIRR), Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP). Further, from the initial meetings for discussion, deliberation and decisions between GOSL officers and JICA officials, together with other stakeholders of the project, up to the opening of the LRT’s first phase lines 1 and 4, there was a clear road map with clearly notated milestones. These included deep discussions with the Project Management Unit of the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development (PMU-MMWD) and decision-making for each of the topic lists (April, 2016); design works and co-adunations (June, 2016); a detailed feasibility report – DFR (December, 2016); an implementation stage with detailed designs; civil, mechanical and electrical engineering inputs for construction; and LRT system training, testing and trial runs. In addition to all of the above, the issues, constraints and challenges potentially facing the overall project as well as the initial pilot phase were identified as set out below: Social, land acquisition and resettlement issues – objections of the public demanding higher compensation prior to relocation, losses for entrepreneurs in the business district because of changing of locations, dealing with the traffic congestion created due to LRT construction activity, limited land being available for resettlement of the vulnerable group currently dwelling in the city limits Legal issues – no acts of parliament or state regulations being available for LRTs, forming a separate entity for operation and maintenance of the elevated LRT system Environmental issues – the route of the line, which in some areas would trace along ecologically sensitive zones such as the Thalangama Environmentally Protected Area (EPA) and the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Bird Sanctuary, in addition to which the LRT’s Malabe Depot was in a low-lying area prone to flooding during heavy rains especially in the South-West Monsoon season period Technical issues – no experienced hands with the skills being available in the country, especially key professionals with the requisite engineering, IT and construction industry related know-how; a shortage of manpower for construction and related work; poor coordination among key authorities and agencies that would be involved in the overall project; uncertainty as to what the respective contribution of each stakeholder in the project could or should be; utilities diversion because Colombo is an unplanned city, and records of existing utility plans have not been updated in years Working along the lines of the road map above, and in July 2016, the Government of Sri Lanka decided in principle to seek Official Development Assistance (ODA) funding from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the implementation of LRT Elevated Line 1 and LRT Elevated Line 4. Further to this, in September of the same year, JICA decided to examine the feasibility of the Malabe-Kollupitiya section comprising LRT Elevated Line 1 and LRT Elevated Line 4 as a candidate for a Japanese ODA loan. Finally, in December 2016, the GOSL decided to initiate the procurement process to implement these two lines, which were excluded under JICA financing, on a Build Own & Transfer (BOT)/Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis. Work on the project proceeded apace for 2-3 years, and in 2019, the Government of Japan agreed to grant loan assistance to the value of US$ 1,800 million for the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system project as part of its ongoing solution to the traffic congestion in metropolitan Colombo (Zulfick Farzan, ‘Sri Lanka Expecting to Resume Japan-Funded LRT Project’, 4 May 2024, News 1st). That quantum of funding was allocated to a phase of the LRT system for Colombo that was designed to construct a 17-km long elevated track including 16 stations to cover major and other important intersections from Colombo Fort to Malabe. When former UDA mandarin and erstwhile Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected to unprecedented power as President of Sri Lanka in November 2019, within months he ordered the immediate termination of the Japan-funded LRT project. That project as a whole was suspended by the instrumentality of a letter issued by the Secretary to the President, on 21 September 2020, stating that the project was not the appropriate cost-effective practical transport solution for Sri Lanka. (The project was suspended following a letter issued by the Secretary to the President on 21 September 2020 citing that the project was not the appropriate cost-effective solution transport solution.) A subsequent special audit report by the Auditor General of Sri Lanka was to reveal later that this arbitrary decision cost Sri Lanka a sum of money equivalent to Rs. 5.978 billion, incurred by the abrupt decision to terminate the project without any proper study being done and leading to an ‘uneconomic expenditure’ of nearly six billion rupees that had already been spent by the GOSL on the project up to date. In addition, as the media organisation News 1st reported: “The GOSL decided to terminate the project with no alternative solution to the traffic congestion issue being proposed.” The same media outfit also reported: “The Japan International Cooperation Agency had provided the facility of paying the said loan over a period of 40 years including a grace period of 12 years and the annual interest rate thereon was 0.1 per cent.” Previously, News 1st had also reported: “In April 2023, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing said that it had called for a report from an expert committee for the reimplementation of the Colombo Light Rail Transit (LRT) project that had been scrapped by the previous administration.” That media channel also reported: “A proposal to reimplement the project was put forward to the Ministry of Finance and Planning, and a report on it has been called for from the National Operation Centre.” In July 2023, Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal to finalise a time frame to form a fresh agreement with the Embassy of Japan’s mission to Sri Lanka, to recommend discussions to revive the proposed LRT project, with a view to start work on the key piece of transport infrastructure once again. At a more recent briefing in Colombo, on 4 May 2024, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister told reporters in the Sri Lankan commercial capital that the island nation “welcomes official development assistance extended to Sri Lanka over the past decades through JICA as one of the country’s key development partners”. The presence at the same briefing of his counterpart, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, conveying Japan’s intention to further support Sri Lanka in its ongoing development efforts, indicated that reactivating discussions on the LRT could bear fruit in the near future. The Government’s positive sentiments about revival of the Light Rail Transit project were further underlined by sentiments expressed by the head of state. As the Colombo Gazette online journal reported: “President [Ranil] Wickremesinghe emphasised his focus on ensuring the swift resumption of the investment projects, including the expansion of the BIA [Bandaranaike International Airport], the LRT [Light Rail Transit] and the Central Expressway.” (Colombo Gazette, ‘Sri Lanka Keen to Resume LRT Project Soon’, 14 February 2024) That web newspaper also reported the country’s present chief executive, under whose previous premiership the LRT project was first proposed, as being in favour of such a resuscitation of this key piece of infrastructure: “Sri Lanka is keen to resume the Japanese-funded Light Rail Transit (LRT) project soon, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said.” The presence of the President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in a frame of mind that “expressed gratitude for President Wickremesinghe’s commitment to the economic reform programme” (Colombo Gazette), bodes well for the impending resumption (as of mid 2024) of the once hastily abandoned LRT project. [To be continued]

TRE 3.0: Over 12k declared successfulThe Los Angeles Lakers’ most recent 103-99 win against the struggling Sacramento Kings Saturday night did plenty to alert the team of their improvement in core areas while serving as a reminder that they continue to struggle in others. For starters, the Lakers’ usually pitiful team defense ranking at No. 20 in the NBA with a 114.3 defensive rating performed spectacularly. Los Angeles held Sacramento to under 100 points and an awful 27.0% shooting percentage from behind the three-point line. On the other hand, the Lakers’ own shooting struggles were apparent as they outdid the Kings by connecting on just 25.7% from distance on 35 attempts. Following a contest where their defense showed major improvement but their efficiency from deep was nonexistent, the Lakers could have a chance to make a change that benefits both facets of their team. Recent reports have indicated that the Lakers may strike a deal with a fellow Western Conference team, the Portland Trail Blazers, to land their established 30-year-old combo forward, Jerami Grant. “Jerami Grant can be a game-changer for the Los Angeles Lakers because he gives reliable scoring from the forward position,” wrote Fadeaway World’s Cholo Martin Magsino Monday morning. “He and LeBron James will form a strong partnership there because of Grant’s athleticism and natural scoring ability.” Magsino's proposed trade sends the contracts of both D'Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt along with a prospect in Jalen Hood-Schifino and first-round draft compensation to Portland in exchange for the solid forward. After being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 39 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Grant blossomed into one of the more sought-after wing talents in the league. In 2023-24, Grant averaged 21.0 points and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 40.2% from distance on 5.1 attempts. Though both his scoring average and efficiency have taken a dip this season, it could be attributed to lessened minutes and shot attempts as Portland is trying to determine what they have talent-wise. Grant is currently averaging 15.5 points, but his 37.1% accuracy from the three-point line on a career-high 6.7 attempts sticks out as an impressive figure. With the 9-19 Trail Blazers in the middle of what could be a long-winded rebuild and Grant’s gargantuan $160 million contract taking up their cap space, the Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka could realistically swoop in and complete a deal to bring him aboard. With Grant’s two-way potential as a 6-foot-7 floor-spacer with agility and long arms, the fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis has the potential to be seamless. More NBA: New problem emerges in Suns' pursuit of Heat's Jimmy Butler, per reportGiants star WR Malik Nabers (toe) says he's a game-time decision