Middle East latest: An Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital kills a teen in a wheelchair
The China Fund, Inc. Declares DistributionsOver 18,000 in Mexico register to run for Supreme Court seats and federal judges in new system
Navigating Volatility: Tips for Effective Trading with Mobile Investment Apps
WWE Planning Game Changing Move for Pre-Taped Episodes of RAW on Netflix - Ringside NewsA South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. The likely defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon would require support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion have 192 seats, meaning they need at least eight additional votes from Yoon’s People Power Party. The opposition-controlled parliament began a vote earlier Saturday, but only three lawmakers from PPP took part with opposition members. If the number of lawmakers who cast ballots doesn’t reach 200, the motion will be scrapped at midnight without the ballot counting, according to the National Assembly. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. There are worries that Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1/2 years in office because his leadership took a huge hit. Many experts say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik urged ruling party members to return to the chamber to participate in the vote, stressing that it was closely watched by the nation and also the world. “Don’t make a shameful judgment and please vote based on your convictions,” Woo said. Democratic Party leaders visited a hall on the floor below the main chamber where PPP lawmakers were gathered, attempting to persuade them to vote. After being blocked from entering, they angrily accused the conservatives’ leadership of preventing its lawmakers from voting freely. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The turmoil resulting from Yoon’s bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” The passage of Yoon’s impeachment motion appeared more likely Friday when the chair of Yoon’s party called for his removal on Friday, but the party remained formally opposed to impeachment. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing and singing along to K-pop songs with lyrics changed to call for Yoon’s ouster. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon’s party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.
When a city’s NFL mascot gets its own Super Bowl ring, you know you’ve got a champion on your hands. That was the case with Thunder, the Denver Broncos’ real-life mascot, after the team won the 2016 Super Bowl. Yes, it was a real ring, but also a symbolic gesture — just like Thunder. A quartet of majestic, white Arabian horses, all owned by Denver entrepreneur and philanthropist Sharon Magness Blake, have appeared under the name at games and events over the last three decades, even flying to select cities and appearing on TV shows. Just as important, Magness Blake said, have been the celebrity equine’s appearances at the during its 16-day run at the National Western Center, which takes place each January in Denver. “All the Thunders have been out there,” said Magness Blake, who has been providing Arabians to the Broncos since 1993. “They’ve been at roping classes, or done Dancing with the Horses on Kid’s Day. We have a free kids day at the (Stock Show), but last time I was there with Thunder they had neglected to tell us it was going to be 3,000 kids!” The turnout surprised Magness Blake, who’s a trustee of the event, but it makes sense given that attendance has been up year-over-year since 2021, with a total of about 700,000 earlier this year (with revenues “rising accordingly,” according to the Stock Show). In September, Stock Show leaders , a prestigious award that recognizes not only her work with animals, but her wide-ranging, massively successful fundraising for nonprofits and worthy causes — to the tune of more than $100 million by this point. “I grew up in Philadelphia with modest means, so I gravitate toward women who are abused, children and the elderly,” she said of her fundraising work. “I also grew up loving horses, but didn’t have access to them because I lived in a city of concrete.” “What has always struck me about Sharon is how comfortable she is with all people,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper, then governor of Colorado, in 2011 when Magness Blake won the . “She is literally right at home with some of the biggest stars in show business, but not at the expense of others. Few have her level of grace; there’s always such a sense of joy around her.” Magness Blake’s ability to land stars such as Garth Brooks for fundraisers has helped her success. But the 46th Citizen of the West award is particular to Denver, honoring those “who embody the spirit and determination of the Western pioneer – a true representative of Western lifestyle, ideals, agricultural heritage, and traditions,” according to the Stock Show. A panel of community leaders selects recipients, they said. That includes past winners and honchos at the 118-year-old event. “Sharon is an extraordinary citizen and philanthropist, supportive and freely giving of her talent, time and treasure,” wrote Pete Coors, chairman of the Stock Show’s $150 million capital campaign, in an email to The Denver Post. Magness Blake is a committee member of Honoring the Legacy, which is raising funds to support transformative construction on the National Western Complex’s grounds. She’s also an old friend, and a known quantity when it comes to supporting key Denver causes, Coors said. Like him, Magness Blake is one of Colorado’s business and philanthropic elite, but also a boots-on-the-ground type when it comes to Western culture. “Sharon’s love of horses is legendary; from owning and raising Arabian horses to thrilling Denver Broncos fans with Thunder she has made innumerable contributions to the world of horses,” he wrote. Magness Blake, the widow of , who died in 1996, has long raised and trained horses. As the Stock Show rightly boasts, Magness Racing Ventures sold 900 racing horses worldwide at its peak. Since 2004, Magness Blake has been married to former Breckenridge mayor and retired attorney Ernie Blake, who also and travels with Thunder. Magness, who lives with Blake in Cherry Hills, has sat on boards and raised money for Volunteers of America, the Denver Council of Boy Scouts of America, the University of Colorado Hospital Foundation, the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Denver Center for the Performing Arts and many others. She’s also president of the Thunder Foundation, a partner with Denver’s Epicurean Catering, and organizer of the Denver Broncos’ annual holiday party for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver. Still, she’s most closely associated in society circles with Western Fantasy, the main fundraiser for Volunteers of America, through which she’s raised about $40 million over the last three decades. She’s stepping back from that now, she said, following a couple of staph infections over the last year that nearly killed her, both from back surgeries. Fortunately, last year’s Western Fantasy raised $2.8 million — thanks in part to her husband stepping in to sell tables while she was recovering. “It’s funny because I am very competitive,” she said of the 31-year-old event, which she co-founded with Jean Galloway. “We beat every other event in Denver last year in (fundraising totals), which was our first year ever to do that. So this was going out on a high note for me.” She’s confident that when the $1 billion Stock Show project is finished, the muddy charm of the event will remain. With , it’s vitally important to continue the organization’s legacy and character. “It’s going to be a new awakening, if you can get people in there — which I’m sure we will,” she said. “We’ll be able to experience Western heritage in a modern way, and educate people about it, because let’s face it: you’ve got to reach young people in different ways than we used to.” Magness Blake is happy to use her position to donate, organize, and otherwise support nonprofit causes. But the 2025 Citizen of the West award is going not just to her, but to countless people who have helped in her efforts over the years, she said. “It’s great recognition not just for what I do, but what I’m part of, because teamwork is what the West is really about,” she said. “Most people don’t do things for credit, they do it because they love it. ... They don’t want any recognition, but are always there when you need them.”NoneNEW YORK (AP) — The outgoing head of the nation’s top public health agency urged the next administration to maintain its focus and funding to keep Americans safe from emerging health threats. “We need to continue to do our global work at CDC to make sure we are stopping outbreaks at their source,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. “We need to keep that funding up. We need to keep the expertise up. We need to keep the diplomacy up.” Cohen, 46, will be leaving office in January after about 18 months in the job. President-elect Donald Trump on Friday night said he picked Dave Weldon , a former Congressman from Florida, to be the agency’s next chief. Cohen said she hasn’t met Weldon and doesn’t know him. She previously voiced concern about Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the anti-vaccine advocate and CDC critic nominated to oversee all federal public health agencies . The CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. The staff is heavy with scientists — 60% have master’s degrees or doctorates. The last eight years have been perhaps the most difficult in the agency's history. The CDC once enjoyed a sterling international reputation for its expertise on infectious diseases and other causes of illness and death. But trust in the agency fell because of missteps during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, political attacks and resistance to infection-prevention measures like wearing masks and getting vaccinated. The CDC has four political appointees, out of about 13,000 employees. The rest serve no matter who is in the White House, with civil service protections against efforts to fire them for political reasons. Trump said during the campaign that he wants to convert many federal agency positions into political appointments, meaning those employees could be hired and fired by whoever wins the election. There’s also a proposal to split the agency in two: one to track disease data, and another focused on public health but with a limited ability to make policy recommendations. And then there’s a current budget proposal in Congress that would cut the agency’s funding by 22%. It would also eliminate the CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses, suicides and and shooting deaths. Cohen said there’s reason to be proud of the agency’s work in recent years. The CDC has built partnerships to improve the availability of testing for different infections and to watch for signs of disease outbreaks by monitoring wastewater . There are emerging threats, as always, but no new, full-fledged public health emergencies, she said. The day after the Nov. 5 election, Cohen emailed CDC employees to urge them to keep going. “While the world may feel different with changes ahead — our mission has not changed,” she wrote. She said she’s not aware of any wave of worried CDC scientists heading for the doors because of the election results. “There is a difference between campaigning and governing,” she said. “I want to go into this in a way that we’re passing the baton.” Cohen said she doesn’t know what she’ll do next, other than spend time with her family in Raleigh, North Carolina, where her family maintained its residence while she ran the agency. Next year, for the first time, the CDC director will be subject to Senate confirmation, which could make for a gap before Trump's pick takes the helm. CDC Deputy Director Dr. Debra Houry has been assigned to help manage the transition. Aside from administration transition, the CDC has to face several looming threats. Officials this month confirmed the first U.S. case of a new form of mpox that was first seen in eastern Congo. There’s also the ongoing stream of bird flu cases , most of them mild illnesses seen in farmworkers who were in direct contact with infected cows or chickens. CDC officials say they believe the risk to the public remains low and that there’s no evidence it’s been spreading between people. “I don’t think we’re yet at a turning place. But does that mean it couldn’t change tomorrow? It could,” she said. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
US defense secretary scraps South Korea trip after martial law attemptAfter two grand final losses in the past three seasons, John Longmire is set to quit as Sydney Swans coach. Longmire, 53, is expected to confirm the news at a 1.30pm press conference, ending his 15-year coaching stint at the Swans. Senior assistant Dean Cox, who knocked back offers to join his old club West Coast after Adam Simpson was sacked, could be at the head of the queue to replace Longmire. The news comes with players back in pre-season training after the Swans were smashed by the Brisbane Lions in the AFL grand final. It was a fourth grand final loss for Longmire as coach, going down in 2014, 2016, 2022 and 2024. Longmire also tasted premiership success in 2012 among his 194 wins in 334 games in charge after taking over from Paul Roos. Longmire was contracted for the 2025 season but in the wake of the grand final humiliation, having finished the season on top of the ladder, questions were being asked about his ongoing tenure. The Swans will address the situation on Tuesday afternoon. More to come
What failed before might succeed now — or fail again — and other startup bets
SNP in fresh freebies row after minister took taxpayer-funded limo to Scottish Open ‘jolly’By MICHAEL R. SISAK and JENNIFER PELTZ NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time National Politics | Ruling by a conservative Supreme Court could help blue states resist Trump policies National Politics | A nonprofit leader, a social worker: Here are the stories of the people on Biden’s clemency list National Politics | Nancy Pelosi hospitalized after she ‘sustained an injury’ on official trip to Luxembourg National Politics | Veteran Daniel Penny, acquitted in NYC subway chokehold, will join Trump’s suite at football game The Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won’t include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn’t sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump” who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.
Syrians cheer end of 50 years of Assad rule at first Friday prayers since government fellPresident-elect Donald Trump said on Friday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform, that the Republican administration under him "use its best efforts" to do away with Daylight Saving Time. "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't!" Trump wrote. "Daylight Saving Time is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation." Daylight Saving Time (DST) is the practice of moving the clocks forward by one hour during the warmer months to extend evening daylight. It typically starts in the spring and ends in the fall. In most countries that observe DST, it starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November. There have been several political efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time (DST) in recent years. Along with the President-elect, his "first buddy" Elon Musk has also voiced support for abolishing DST. Before Trump's recent announcement, Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott introduced the Sunshine Protection bill in 2018 to make DST permanent nationwide. In 2019, Washington passed a bill to adopt permanent DST, however, it is pending federal approval. Similarly, in 2018, Florida passed the "Sunshine Protection Act" to keep DST year-round. In 2018, California voters passed Proposition 7 to potentially adopt permanent DST. But federal approval in both these cases is still pending. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from US News, World and around the world.Vikings staying on track and in control behind Sam Darnold's composure and confidence
NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ready Capital Corporation (NYSE:RC) (the "Company”) announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.25 per share of common stock and Operating Partnership unit for the quarter ended December 31, 2024. This dividend is payable on January 31, 2025, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2024. Additionally, the Company announced that its Board of Directors declared quarterly cash dividends on its 6.25% Series C Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Series C Preferred Stock”), and its 6.50% Series E Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (the "Series E Preferred Stock”). The Company declared a dividend of $0.390625 per share of Series C Preferred Stock payable on January 15, 2025, to Series C Preferred stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2024. The Company declared a dividend of $0.40625 per share of Series E Preferred Stock payable on January 31, 2025, to Series E Preferred stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 2024. About Ready Capital Corporation Ready Capital Corporation (NYSE: RC) is a multi-strategy real estate finance company that originates, acquires, finances and services lower-to-middle-market investor and owner occupied commercial real estate loans. The Company specializes in loans backed by commercial real estate, including agency multifamily, investor, construction, and bridge as well as U.S. Small Business Administration loans under its Section 7(a) program. Headquartered in New York, New York, the Company employs approximately 350 professionals nationwide. Contact Investor Relations 212-257-4666 [email protected] Media Relations [email protected]ATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Paul Skenes and Olivia Dunne: Fans troll MLB star's $575K philanthropy pledge
EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — The game had suddenly gone sideways for the Minnesota Vikings , their 11-point lead on the Chicago Bears having evaporated in the closing seconds. They straightened it out in overtime, no sweat, because Sam Darnold simply hasn't been fazed. Save for his occasional rash of turnovers, in games the Vikings still managed to win, Darnold proved again on Sunday in defeating the Bears that he's directing a passing attack with the potential to be one of the NFL 's most potent. “I think he’s a mentally tough guy. I think he’s a physically tough guy. I think he’s confident in the guys around him, and I think he’s confident in our system,” coach Kevin O'Connell said after the 30-27 victory. “I think when he just continues to play quarterback at a high level, I think we’re a tough team.” After the defense forced the Bears to punt on the opening possession of overtime, Darnold led the Vikings on a 68-yard drive to set up the game-ending field goal while overcoming a 7-yard sack on the first play and two subsequent setbacks with a false start and a holding penalty. On third-and-10 from the 21, he hit Jordan Addison near the sideline for 13 yards. On first-and-15 from the 29, Darnold threaded a throw to Justin Jefferson for 20 yards after he'd muscled his way through Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson on a post route for the clutch catch after he'd been all but silenced all afternoon by a defense determined to constantly bracket him with double coverage. On second-and-11 from the 48, Darnold connected with a wide-open T.J. Hockenson underneath for 12 yards. Then two plays later off a second-and-8 play-action fake, he found Hockenson again on a deep corner route for 29 yards to put Parker Romo in prime position for the walk-off winner. “Just execute. It’s as simple as that. Just one play at a time," said Darnold, who went 22 for 34 for 330 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. “I think I tell the guys that every single time in the huddle, but that’s my mindset every single time I’m out there on the field, especially in that situation.” Even when Jefferson continues to draw an extraordinary amount of coverage , the Vikings with Addison, Hockenson, Aaron Jones and the rest of their crew running O'Connell's system have proven they have an offense that can go win a game when it's required. That wouldn't be possible without Darnold, whose career rebirth has helped spark the Vikings (9-2) become one of the league's biggest surprises in what's now its most difficult division. “He’s cool, calm, collected,” Hockenson said. "That’s what you want as the leader of the huddle.” What's working The Vikings' defense ranks ninth in the league on third downs, allowing a conversion rate of 34.5% after limiting the Bears to a 6-for-17 performance. The Vikings are tied for first on fourth downs with an allowance of 36.4% after the Bears went 2 for 3. Both conversions came in the fourth quarter during touchdown drives. The Vikings also rank fourth in the NFL in opponent points per drive (1.52). What needs help The Vikings had seven possessions that crossed the 20-yard line in Chicago, but only three of them yielded touchdowns. Their lone turnover was the type of game-altering giveaways they've struggled to eliminate this month, a fumble by Aaron Jones at the 1-yard line that ruined a promising first drive. The Vikings are tied for 20th in the league in red zone touchdown rate (53.9%) and are 17th in goal-to-go touchdowns (72%). Stock up Addison had eight catches for 162 yards, both career highs, and a touchdown on nine throws from Darnold. The second-year wide receiver has had a quieter season than his rookie year, but he stepped up in a significant way on an afternoon when Jefferson was as smothered by the opposing secondary as ever. Stock down TE Johnny Mundt had the onside kick glance off his shin as he charged toward the coverage, and the first kicking team recovery in the NFL this season helped the Bears extend the game. Mundt also had the false start on the overtime drive. His lone catch was a 7-yard gain when he was stopped short of the goal line, one play before the lost fumble. Mundt played 33 of 71 snaps and Hockenson took 48 snaps with Oliver out. Injuries The Vikings lost LT Cam Robinson (foot) and LB Ivan Pace (hamstring) to injuries in the first quarter against the Bears, and O'Connell said on Monday those players were still in "evaluation mode." Oliver (ankle) will have an opportunity to return after being sidelined last week. Key number 101.7 — Darnold's passer rating, which ranks ninth in the NFL. Darnold has posted a 100-plus passer rating in nine of 11 games this season. He had only 12 such performances in 56 career starts before joining the Vikings. Up next The Vikings have four of their next five games at home, starting with Arizona (6-5) this week, Atlanta (6-5) on Dec. 8 and a rematch with Chicago (4-7) in a Monday night game on Dec. 16. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Dave Campbell, The Associated Press