Rico Carty, who won the 1970 NL batting title with the Atlanta Braves, has died
Baker Mayfield mocks Tommy DeVito's celebration as the Bucs embarrass the Giants 30-7CHICAGO — It looked like the Vikings had put the game away for good on Sunday afternoon at Solider Field when a chip-shot field goal attempt from kicker Parker Romo sailed through the uprights in the final minutes. ADVERTISEMENT That made it 27-16 in favor of the Vikings with the Chicago Bears needing a miracle. They got it. After a big kick return put the Bears in very good field position, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams led an impressive drive, throwing a touchdown pass to receiver Keenan Allen to cut the deficit to 27-24. A blunder by the Vikings on the onside kick allowed the Bears to recover, then kicker Cairo Santos nailed a 48-yard field goal as time expired to tie the game at 27-27 and send it into overtime. In the extra session, veteran quarterback Sam Darnold took over for the Vikings. He went 6 for 6 passing on the final drive, setting up Romo for a game-winning field goal that helped the Vikings escape with a 30-27 win. The game looked like it was going to be a hot start for the Vikings after running back Aaron Jones got loose for a 41-yard gain. He was stripped of the ball at the goal line a couple of plays later, however, marking another missed opportunity for the Vikings in the red zone. ADVERTISEMENT That cracked the door open for the Bears, and the mobility of their rookie quarterback took centerstage. On a particular play, Williams avoided pressure from Andrew Van Ginkel off the edge, rolled to his right, then dropped a dime to D’Andre Swift along the sideline. That put the Bears in position to score, and running back Roschon Johnson found the into the end zone shortly thereafter to make it 7-0. In need of a response, the Vikings got it almost immediately when Darnold dropped back and unleashed a deep pass to receiver Jordan Addison. It was an incredible catch from Addison as he hauled it in while being dragged down from behind. On the very next play, Addison finished the drive, catching a touchdown pass in traffic to help the Vikings to tie the game at 7-7. The vibes shifted in favor of the Vikings on the following possession. ADVERTISEMENT It looked like the Bears had picked up a big gain when receiver Keenan Allen caught a ball along the sideline. After a challenge flag thrown by head coach Kevin O’Connell, however, the officials ruled that Allen did not get both feet in bounds. On the very next play defensive tackle Jerry Tillery blocked a field goal, and the Vikings kept the Bears off the board. That paved the way for the Vikings to take control as star receiver Justin Jefferson drew a 35-yard defensive pass interference penalty that put the ball in the red zone. A couple of plays later, Darnold found receiver Jalen Nailor for a touchdown to make it 14-7 in favor of the Vikings. After a punt by the Vikings, the Bears got a field goal Santos to cut the deficit to 14-10 at halftime. ADVERTISEMENT With an opportunity to take control coming out of halftime, Darnold found Addison with a perfect ball near the sideline that went for 69-yard gain. Unfortunately for the Vikings, they stalled out in the red zone, setting for a field goal from kicker Parker Romo to stretch the lead to 17-10. The biggest swing of the game came when receiver DeAndre Carter muffed a punt for the Bears, and edge rusher Bo Richter recovered the fumble for the Vikings. Not long after that, Jones atoned for his fumble with a touchdown to make it 24-10. After the Bears got a touchdown to cut the deficit to 24-16, it seemed like the Vikings put the game away with a field goal to restore the lead to 27-16. Not so fast. ADVERTISEMENT After an impressive drive by Williams helped cut the deficit to 27-24, the Bears recovered the onside kick. That set the stage for Santos to nail a 48-yard field goal to tie the score at 27-27 and send the game into overtime. In the extra session, the Vikings stepped up on defense by forcing a punt, then stepped up on offense with Darnold leading an impressive drive of his own. That set the stage for Romo and he nailed a 29-yard field goal to give the Vikings the win. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition
Specialty Board Certification Error Causes Headaches for Doctors MedPage Today story. Some doctors had a sleepless night when the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology's (ABPN) online certification program locked them out earlier than the expected deadline -- leading some to believe they would lose their board certification. Physicians were working on their quizzes to maintain board certification late on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 14, when the online tool shut down -- ahead of the expected deadline of 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, Dec. 15. "I almost had a heart attack thinking that I would no longer be board certified," one physician told MedPage Today. "I was laying in bed at 4 a.m. with chest pain. I thought I was either going to have a heart attack or a panic attack." By the morning of Dec. 15, some physicians had taken to social media channels, posting that... ABC NewsWahab remembers Benazir as champion of human rights Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab seen in his office.— APP/File Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Friday expressed homage to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto on the occasion of her death anniversary. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1700472799616-0'); }); In a statement, he said the late Benazir was a champion of human rights and an unparalleled political figure. "Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was the voice of the oppressed," Wahab said, highlighting her commitment to advocating for religious harmony and carrying forward the political legacy of her father Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The Karachi mayor praised her unwavering resistance to dictatorship, stating that Benazir always stood against authoritarianism and defeated it. He acknowledged her sacrifice in the fight against terrorism. "She waged a war against terrorism and embraced martyrdom in the process," he said. Wahab opined that Benazir’s political journey consistently strengthened democracy in the country and her assassination was an attempt to harm Pakistan. The two tenures of Benazir as prime minister were exemplary periods of public service and economic progress, Wahab said. He also credited President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto for advancing Benazir’s mission of public welfare and safeguarding rights. Under Benazir’s vision, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and local government institutions remained dedicated to serving the people, he said.DOJ tells Google to sell Chrome
While most investors around the world are scrambling to ditch coal plants like bad habits, a defiant European billionaire is still pushing all his chips in for this technology - scooping up these assets in a brazen move to cement coal’s place in the energy mix for many more decades to come. Czech billionaire Pavel Tykac, who owns Sev.en Global Investments, is on globe-trotting coal acquisition expedition - snapping up these power plants like rare collectibles. His reported latest conquest? A two-unit coal plant in Vietnam, but he’s not stopping there—his sights are still set on expanding his coal empire across Asia, Australia, and the United States, eyeing everything from coal mines to coal-fed plants. Sources in the coal industry suggest that Tykac’s buying spree is fueled by a fire-sale frenzy sweeping through energy markets, as many companies and even some countries are eager to flaunt their ESG credentials and have been seriously embracing energy transition goals, hence, they tend to unload coal plants even at bargain basement prices. The Czech business magnate started his pursuit to extend coal’s reign in his own country -- seizing both a coal mine and a power station, then he expanded his venture in other European energy markets. Coal’s defiance of the energy transition Whether at the negotiation chambers of the United Nations-led climate change diplomacy or at the power-laden policy tables of energy markets, the burning question persists: will coal be finally cast aside in the evolving energy mix, or does its grip on the future remain unyielding? And this very question echoes at home - that despite Philippine policymakers’ fervent drive to propel renewable energy (RE) investments on a massive scale - a relentless tug-of-war still rages between ambitious green goals and the deep-rooted reliance on fossil fuels to still power the nation’s economic growth. The Department of Energy (DOE) has steadfastly declared that: despite the 2020 coal moratorium, projects already in the pipeline—or those with permits and pre-development milestones—will continue to underpin the nation’s energy capacity, a harsh necessity in the face of a glaring baseload supply deficit that demands immediate action. Clashing voices reverberate: staunch anti-coal environmentalists and advocacy groups ferociously condemn the government for greenlighting new coal plants, while pro-coal investors argue that developing nations like the Philippines deserve a slower, more measured energy transition – all that while pointing fingers at industrialized nations for the lion's share of the climate crisis now jeopardizing the planet. For now, at least three major players have thrown their hats into the ring, unveiling plans for additional coal plant developments: the Aboitiz group’s 150-megawatt Therma Visayas expansion in Cebu, Meralco PowerGen’s massive 1,200MW Atimonan planned coal facility in Quezon, and Semirara Mining and Power Corp's targeted move to resurrect its 700MW Saint Raphael project in Batangas. In bold strokes, several of the country’s leading banks - chief among them RCBC of the Yuchengco group and Ayala-led BPI - have unflinchingly declared that they will no longer finance new coal plants, though they’ve tempered this commitment by acknowledging that existing coal projects, those funded before the shift and already on their books, will continue to be part of their loan portfolios. Other banks, however, have taken ‘more conservative stance’ on coal project financing, leaving the field still open, thus, it is interesting to see which financial giants will blink first to reinforce the gamble for the continued installation of new coal plants in the country despite the growing pressure for change. It’s also a guessing game whether the DOE’s coal retirement plan will be taken seriously under the current administration, or if the government will hold on to every last megawatt of existing coal capacity to stave off tight supply predicaments - particularly for the overburdened grids of Luzon and Visayas. Suffice it to say that the domestic energy market has morphed into an unforgiving mystery puzzle—packed with more questions than answers about coal's future, as this well-entrenched tech is now fighting tooth and nail for its reign while it locks horns with the country's ambitious green energy transformation. For over two decades, the Philippines has been caught in an endless loop of threatening power crisis—that was since the deregulation and restructuring of its power sector in 2001 by virtue of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). Then each time, the default solution has been coal plants as project sponsor-firms claim that this technology remains the cheaper, albeit not a cleaner option, if compared to gas-fired plants that could promise lower carbon emissions. In the grand scheme, it’ll be intriguing to see if the future will prove that Czech billionaire Tykac’s play on stretching coal plant lifecycles will persist as a defining force in global energy mix— that in addition to his coal asset acquisitions fattening his bank account, the energy transition might still be clinging to coal like a stubborn old friend, powering economies long after it was supposed to have left the party. For feedback and suggestions, please email at: [email protected]
Malik Nabers Had Disgusted 3-Word Quote to Describe Giants' Loss to Bucs - Sports IllustratedEmma Paton dazzles in bold, sparkly outfit live on Sky Sports for return of World Darts Championship after ChristmasA new chapter in both technology and democracy began with the 2024 U.S. elections , raising questions about the impact of rapidly evolving Artificial Intelligence on campaign strategies, voter outreach, and electoral discourse. The impact of artificial intelligence was such that the way campaigns connect with the voters changed quite radically. AI-fueled advanced data analysis allowed political teams to look at enormous amounts of voter data with great precision. All these insights on demographics, voting history, and behavioral patterns helped make targeted campaigns addressing concerns and preferences specific to the individual voter. This natural language processing helped AI come up with messages for various groups. This enabled campaigns to respond to voters' questions with chatbots. This helped maintain informed and engaged supporters. The personalized outreach made relationships between voters and candidates stronger, and communication between a candidate and citizens became more efficient than it was before. Artificial intelligence changed how campaigns could reach voters. Predictive analytics assisted campaigns in finding swing voters and places that needed extra work. Algorithms were applied to areas based on voters' thoughts, ensuring that resources are utilized well. AI tools created eye-catching digital ads that changed messages based on the reactions of the viewers. Deep learning enabled them to monitor trends on social media and adjust campaign materials according to the same so they remained relevant and appealing. This adaptive approach ensured high returns on investments for the funds used in campaigns while keeping voters interested. Artificial intelligence made its presence felt in the minds of people during elections. Social media sites would suggest political content based on algorithms, thus shaping information for voters. This increased awareness of the issues also brought worries about echo chambers where algorithms would just repeat what people already believed rather than showing them alternative ideas. Generative AI tools created videos , images, and articles that blur what is real and what isn't. Most of the campaigns utilized the tools well, but they also helped spread misinformation. AI media's manipulation power had questions regarding ethics and stronger rules. Another important issue surfaced was election security, which involved artificial intelligence again. High-tech threat detection systems continuously monitor cyberattacks and other attempts to disrupt the voting process. It analyzed patterns in real time for possible vulnerabilities. Besides protecting the voting infrastructure, AI played a significant role in fighting misinformation by checking facts. AI helps find false claims and ensure voters have the right information. For this reason, people continued trusting the election process even as misinformation campaigns increased. The use of artificial intelligence also brought several ethical questions into the election process. The use of AI-based tools raised questions on whether the process was transparent or accountable. Voters were frequently unaware of how algorithms influenced their choices. It also raised questions over the privacy of data with respect to personal information that campaigns were gathering and then analyzing. As AI helped increase the efficiency of the campaigns, misuse rose. Policymakers and technologists learned to find a balance between innovation and ethics. The 2024 U.S. elections clearly portrayed how AI can change democracy for the better. These benefits brought many good things for the 2024 U.S. elections, but there are also some problems that may need more careful management in future elections as AI keeps changing. Policymakers, tech experts, and citizens must create rules to help use artificial intelligence ethically in elections. Technology should be there to help democracy, not hurt it, to ensure that there is openness, responsibility, and learning about voting. This is a very important moment in the history of democracy, as AI is now meeting politics. It will only make future elections more open, efficient, and safer than they have ever been if used wisely. Continuous discussions about its influence will determine the future of democratic machinery. Artificial intelligence has already marked its presence on the political landscape and is only just beginning to take part in shaping elections. If used ethically, AI will have the power to make voters stronger and strengthen democracy in the years ahead.
Should the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?