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Nathan Doak confided that Ulster were "hyped up" leaving the visitors' dressing-room at the Dexcom Stadium as they picked up their first win in six games. And head coach Richie Murphy insisted there is more to come from a group of young players who seized their chance against Connacht in Galway. Despite a large casualty list, Murphy's side - with his 20-year-old son, Jack, making his first start - won 17-7. READ MORE: Gutsy Ulster hold their nerve away to Connacht to end five-game losing streak "It's a massive result for us," said scrum-half Doak. "We're coming off the back of massively tough fixtures and we didn't want to use coming down here, you know, 'tough place to come'. "I tell you what, the forwards got us hyped up before the game and we all wanted to go out and put in a big performance. "It was just so good to be a part of that tonight, there's a lot of boys making second starts and debuts and we wanted to make it special for them, so it was class for everyone to come together and put out a performance like that. "The coaches gave heart to us, they put out the standard of what we want in our team and they pushed us to train to make sure we delivered it, and Jeez I thought we delivered it tonight - the linespeed, the physicality. "You get a good bounce, a good flow and a good feeling off that so fair play to the boys, it's a great result for us. We're ecstatic to have a win, it's been a while for us." Murphy said that Ulster have picked up some more injuries as the players look forward to a few days off before preparations start for their third Champions Cup pool game against Leicester Tigers. "I thought the lads were incredible tonight," the head coach commented. "A lot of things went against us during the week, even in the warm-up. "Mike Lowry, we weren't sure if he was going to get through the game, for him to put in that performance that he did was incredible. "Rob Herring obviously pulls up in the warm-up, James McCormick comes onto the bench and then into the game within 10 minutes (as a temporary replacement), so it just shows you the strength that's growing in the group. "We're missing a fair few top, top players, so for our young boys to come out here and go up against a back line like they did and defend the way they did, I was really, really proud of them. "We're going away with four points and after five losses on the bounce it shows the character of the team to come back like that. "I still think there's way more in them. What I loved about that was the commitment to the jersey, the commitment to each other, the hard work that the lads put in and they never took a backwards step. "So really happy with that but especially on the attack side of the ball I think there's way more in us, so we'll have a mini-break, we'll come back on Thursday or Friday and get ready for Leicester. "But we picked up another few injuries tonight. We've a few boys coming back in who started returning to training on Monday and Tuesday this week who weren't quite ready to actually come into this game, so we'll get them back this week but we've lost a few as well. "We'll just move on to the next one." Meanwhile, Doak is optimistic that this victory can be the start of better times for the Ulster side. "Look, we're young, maybe we're naive but we've got to back ourselves. We want to get better, we want to push on," the 23-year-old stressed. "I know people will have their opinions of where we're at but, for us being involved, being in there, it's just about working hard every day and that will hold us in good stead, getting a win. "Maybe it gives us a bit of confidence going into the next round of league games after a break. We all want to build on this." Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts .Indiana Fever general manager opens up on ruthlessly sacrificing Caitlin Clark's teammateRANGERS have humbled a few famous clubs from major football nations in continental competition in recent years despite their domestic travails. Few if any of the European results they have recorded in modern times, though, will have felt as sweet for their fans as this Battle of Britain draw with Spurs at Ibrox tonight. The Glasgow club ensured there was no triumphant return to Scotland for former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou in their Europa League league phase match. The morale-boosting point against the Premier League giants – secured thanks to a second-half Hamza Igamane goal - will raise their confidence levels no end ahead of their Premier Sports Cup final meeting with their city rivals at Hampden on Sunday. A first win by a Scottish club over top flight English opponents in 18 years may have cruelly eluded them – but Rangers increased their chances of qualifying automatically for the knockout rounds of the competition all the same. Here are five talking points from a memorable night. Disappointing Spurs Postecoglou described the catalogue of injuries and suspensions which he has had to deal with this season as the worst he has experienced in his 25 coaching career at his pre-match press conference on Wednesday – and his team selection highlighted the problems he has had. He made no fewer than five changes to the side which lost 4-3 to Chelsea at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Premier League on Sunday. Rodrigo Bentancur, the Uruguayan internationalist whose ban for using a racial slur only applies to domestic fixtures, came into the midfield and James Maddison and Timo Werner also got the nod as Pape Sarr, Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke dropped to the bench, But it was at the back, where first choice centre halves Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven were both missing, that Postecoglou’s plight was most obvious. Archie Gray and Radu Dragusin came in to the heart of his rearguard. Gray - the son of Andy, grandson of Frank and great-nephew of Eddie, a trio of former Scotland internationalists – might have cost Spurs a cool £40m during the summer. But the ex-Leeds United kid is still just 18 and is more of a central midfielder or a full-back. Spurs looked very much like a side which had won just one of their previous seven games. They by no means, despite having Son Heung-min, Werner and Maddison on the park, troubled their hosts. Quite the opposite in fact. It was clear to see why they have been toiling in the English top flight. They were lucky to avoid defeat. Rangers spirit Philippe Clement mixed things up for this match too. Danilo and Ianis Hagi, who have been two of his best performers in recent weeks, were unavailable as they were not included in the European squad. Leon Balogun and Connor Barron also dropped out as Ridvan Yilmaz, Robin Propper, Mohamed Diomande and Nadim Bajrami came in. Yilmaz, who had not started since the Champions League qualifier against Dynamo Kyiv at Hampden way back in August, somewhat unusually slotted in on the left wing as Jefte remained at left back. Bajrami, too, moved inside and performed the playmaker role. But the set-up worked well. The atmosphere inside the ground was electric as the two teams emerged from the tunnel – and when the visitors peeled away to the corner of the pitch and formed a Celtic-style huddle before kick-off the decibel levels got cranked up a notch or two. Fraser Forster, the former Celtic player who inflicted so much misery on Rangers during his various spells in Scotland, was booed by the home supporters every time he took a touch. But the 6ft 7in goalkeeper did not have a huge amount to do in the opening 45 minutes. He pushed a Bajrami attempt wide and dealt with two on target efforts from Vaclav Cerny. He would have been beaten if Bajrami or James Tavernier had been able to get on the end of a square ball which Jefte whipped across the six yard box. Fortunately for him, neither man could make contact. But he could do nothing to keep an Igamane shot out of his net after the Moroccan striker had been supplied by Tavernier early in the second half. Nobody could begrudge Rangers their lead. They had been the better side. Ange under pressure Postecoglou removed Werner and put on Kulusevski at the start of the second half. But if anything his men were worse after the change. They were fortunate to only concede once as their hosts laid siege to their goal. However, the substitute levelled with 15 minutes of regulation time remaining to ultimately salvage a draw for the visitors which their display scarcely merited. The Greek-Australian enjoyed more successes than failures against Rangers during his time in Scotland. But his expensively-assembled team were on the back foot for long periods this evening. The pressure is well and truly on him now. He had chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” aimed in his direction by the home supporters in the 48,064-strong crowd after Igamane struck. He will have to oversee a distinct upturn in form to avoid that fate in the weeks ahead. Souttar setback Rangers contained the Spurs front three pretty effectively in the opening half an hour and Jack Butland was never seriously tested in goal. But they suffered a serious blow when centre half John Souttar sank to the turf and then hobbled off injured after failing to respond to treatment. Balogun, the Nigerian internationalist who is no stranger to big European nights, came on and acquitted himself well. But if Souttar is out of the Premier Sports Cup final it will seriously reduce the defending champions’ chances of retaining their trophy. The Scotland internationalist has been immense for them this term. Euro progress With Manchester United away and Union St Gilloise to come in January, there is still a lot of football to be played before Rangers can clinch a place in the next stage of the competition. But if they perform as well as this in their next two outings then they will go through. Only a brilliant Forster save from a Cyriel Dessers shot with five minutes of regulation time denied them victory.
Short Interest in Aecon Group Inc. (OTCMKTS:AEGXF) Drops By 29.0%Saskatchewan orders third-party review into reports of doctor misconduct, racismIf you've looked around at the gym lately, you've likely seen smartwatches, clip-on monitors or tech-embedded rings adorning the bodies of the gym goers all around you. While fitness trackers were once reserved for use in university performance labs or medical settings, they're now popular among exercisers of all ability levels. And, as the technology expands, you'll be seeing even more of these devices enter the market — the $62 billion fitness tracker industry is by 2032. Early fitness trackers, like simple clip-on pedometers or wearable wristbands, focused primarily on gauging daily step counts and heart rate. Newer devices, however, track everything from sleep and stress levels to oxygenation and fertility. Do these high-tech devices actually help make you fitter? With so much data available, do they contribute to information overload, or are they the missing tool that could help you make better decisions about your health? Are fitness trackers worth it? Ultimately, experts agree: Fitness trackers can be when used correctly. But, they aren't a one-size-fits-all solution or a magic bullet for all your exercise-related challenges. Here's why. A fitness tracker is worn on the body (or held, like an iPhone) to measure or estimate data points including step counts, calories burned, distance traveled, heart rate, sleep time or respiration. Some trackers (like smartwatches) can also display smartphone notifications, receive calls, store music and offer GPS data for outdoor workouts. "Fitness trackers use advanced sensors to monitor key metrics like heart rate, movement patterns and respiratory rates — providing valuable real-time data about your body's response to training," explains Laura Sommer, DPT and owner of . There are a range of different types of fitness trackers available, including basic activity trackers like pedometers or apps like Apple Health, general or sport-specific smartwatches, heart-rate-monitoring chest straps or arm bands and even rings. Wearables vary widely in price, but the more expensive models are usually able to measure multiple metrics. In addition to the gadget's base price, some trackers, like Whoop and , require a monthly or annual subscription. Fitness trackers are popular for a reason. "From a psychological perspective, fitness trackers are like having a strapped to your arm. You're with your health choices when someone (even if that someone is a watch) is keeping an eye on you," says Millica McDowell, a physical therapist and VP at . Sara Swaneck, a clinical psychology doctoral student and strength instructor at in Milwaukee, says that she used fitness trackers to keep herself accountable as she trained for a HYROX competition. "Having my Apple Watch motivated me to workout so I could 'close my rings' every day by meeting my exercise and movement goals. Having the Oura Ring motivated me to increase my sleep and reduce my stress levels since I could see the data," she says. Fitness trackers also offer a digital way to track progress toward performance goals or health improvements, a for regulating healthy behaviors. "One of the biggest values in a tracker is being able to see your trends over time to ensure that your workouts are actually achieving what you're trying to do in the first place. Use your tracker to monitor trends (like calories burned over a month and resting heart rate patterns) to make sure what you're doing on a daily basis is actually having a positive impact on your physiology," says Ashley Selman, founder of and . Some trackers even offer personalized training and recovery coaching with feedback based on your physiological data trends to help optimize your long-term healthy habits. Fitness trackers aren't medical-grade devices, so their data may occasionally be inaccurate. Step counts tend to be the most accurate metric across most devices, but studies show discrepancies in (calories burned) and , which can skew a tracker's recommendations for recovery and training protocols. Beyond inaccuracies, fitness trackers largely don't account for a comprehensive health and fitness outlook. "For example, trackers don't really measure strength or muscle [mass]. is our biggest determinant of metabolism and ability to store glucose and have better blood sugar numbers. If you're only tracking heart rate, this leaves out a whole other part of the health equation," says Selman. Also, access to so much data can also be distracting — and overwhelming — if you're not sure what metrics to focus on. With that in mind, a fitness tracker is best utilized in tandem with a guiding goal and training plan to help keep you focused on the results you're hoping to see without getting bogged down in the up-to-the-second minutiae. Knowing whether to jump on the fitness tracker bandwagon — and which tracker to consider buying — comes down to your personal wants and needs as well as your lifestyle. Start by assessing which metrics matter to you in relation to your health and fitness goals — and decide whether data motivates you. For instance, if you set a daily step goal of 8,000 steps, will it motivate you to take an after-dinner walk if you know you're at 6,500 steps at 5:00 pm? Will seeing the "rings close" on your daily goals help feed your desire to keep up the good work? For Swaneck, tracking daily activity and rest were both important as she worked toward completing her race. "With the Apple Watch, I looked primarily at my heart rate during workouts, especially when I ran, to track which zone I was in. I also used it to look at total workout time. For my Oura Ring, I looked at sleep data, as well as my recovery score, which is based on sleep and activity levels. This information helped me tailor my workouts based on how recovered I was from the day before. It also helped [me] gauge when I should implement meditation and self-care," says Swaneck. It's important to consider how a tracker might fit into your lifestyle too. Ask yourself if you're willing to wear a tracker to bed if you want to track sleep and recovery, if you'll feel comfortable wearing a wristband or ring while exercising or if you'll have the inclination to charge (yet another) device. Finally, ask yourself if the data may be overwhelming to you in a way that interferes with progress, or if you think it could lead to an unhealthy obsession with metrics and numbers. "If you notice that the fitness tracker is making you more anxious or creating a feeling of shame if you're not meeting your goals, it might be best to ditch the tracker and focus on the process, like the number of days you're working out or the number of minutes you're spending running rather than closely tracking your pace. Sometimes the stress of your sleep score makes it that much harder to sleep!" explains Sommers. There are plenty of trackers out there, but not every tracker is suited for every person. As you research which type of tracker is best for you, compare models and read reviews from reputable sources with an eye on the metrics, features and price points that fit your lifestyle best. Fitness trackers are can be a major investment, but if data is motivating to you and you have a plan on how to integrate tracking into your goals, wearables can be a useful tool in your "get fit" arsenal. Yahoo Life is currently testing a range of the most popular fitness wearables and will have testing complete at the beginning of 2025. Models being tested include the Oura Ring, Whoop, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, , Garmin Venu 3S and more. How accurate are fitness trackers? Fitness trackers are not medical-grade devices, so data has the potential to be inaccurate. Check in physically and mentally to assess fitness progress and recovery beyond the numbers. How much should I spend on a fitness tracker? Consider which features you're looking for, as well as your budget. A higher price doesn't always correlate with what works best for your personal routine. For instance, some pedometers cost less than $10 — if you don't plan to track more metrics than that, there's no reason to lay out the extra cash. However, if you prefer a watch or band that offers all the data along with smart notifications, expect to spend several hundred dollars. Do I need a smartwatch or a basic activity tracker? This depends on your goals and lifestyle. Determine which features you want and whether you'd prefer a smartwatch's visual interface and additional smartphone-connected features. If you're more of a low-tech person, it's likely best to go with a low-tech activity tracker. Can fitness trackers help me lose weight? Fitness trackers provide insight into health and movement trends that can help inform and guide a weight loss plan. They can also help you track your progress along the way and keep you accountable. That said, the data alone can't help you lose weight. The power for change remains in your work ethic, not the wristwatch. Are fitness trackers waterproof? Some fitness trackers are waterproof up to specific depths or time limits. Check the tracker's specifications before taking it in the shower or pool to make sure you don't damage your wearable. Laura Sommer, doctor of physical therapy and owner of Millica McDowell, a physical therapist and VP at Ashley Selman, MA, CSCS and founder/owner of and
The National Economic Council, on Thursday, urged state governments to key into the programmes of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit to address food insecurity. NEC also approved the winding down of the ad-hoc committee on flood, erosion, drought, and desertification, chaired by the governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, transferring its duties to a task force on flood, erosion, drought and mitigation agencies. The council took the decision at its 147th meeting chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja. In a presentation to the council, the Technical Assistant to the President on Agriculture (Office of the Vice President), Marion Moon and the coordinator of the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit highlighted the strategy proposed by the unit to collaborate with sub-nationals in addressing food insecurity and unlocking Nigeria’s agricultural potentials across the country. Moon said the PFSCU priorities, especially in agri-business, will enhance delivery mechanisms and expedite action in attaining targets enshrined in the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the various aspirations of the respective state governments. In its resolution, NEC commended the presentation by the unit’s coordinator and urged state governments to key into the initiative. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, said Moon was asked to present a summary of its key achievements at the next council meeting in January 2025. Edun explained, “There was a resolution whereby the Council noted the presentation and the prayers and requested that the unit prepare a summary of its key achievements to present to the next council meeting. “The issue of food security is a worldwide phenomenon. Food insecurity affects, to one extent, over 30 per cent of the world. “The major micro reforms that Mr President has implemented have successfully stabilised important parts of the economy and changed the whole economic incentive framework from rent-seeking to one of now looking to produce in agriculture to manufacture for exports.” Meanwhile, Ododo who is the chairman of the NEC Ad-hoc Committee updated the council on the committee’s activities, noting that the implementation of some of its recommendations, especially the provision of financial support to states and disbursement of funds to line ministries and agencies of government to address flood and related disasters across the country. Ododo prayed that the council approve the winding down of the committee’s activities and the transfer of its duties to the Taskforce on Flood, Erosion, Drought and Desertification. Related News NEC approves RMAFC’s new funding plan, legislative amendments NEC to review state police reports today Nigeria's food security top priority, says minister The council noted the prayers of the committee, commended the chairman and members for discharging their tasks dutifully and approved its recommendations for the disbursement of the balance of funds approved for MDAs for flood mitigation and related activities. Council members were also briefed on the World Bank collaboration on Human Capital Opportunity for Prosperity and Equality, known as the HOPE Project. The World Bank team told attendees that the HOPE-SOP provides an opportunity to boost human capital by tackling both upstream and downstream challenges. The Secretary of NEC, Vitalis Obi, told journalists that the presentation focused on addressing governance and service delivery constraints in basic education and primary health care, among others. The expected outcomes include an enhanced allocation, utilisation and transparency of federal and state funds at facility levels for health and basic education; improved focus on foundational service constraints at facilities (ANC-4, DPT3, mCPR, use of technology); improved foundational literacy & numeracy through structured pedagogy programs to reduce learning poverty (currently at 80; increased access to basic education and primary healthcare services at facility level through community-based management approaches, among others. Having approved the HOPE-GOV and HOPE-PHC in September 2024, the World Bank says it will grant the green light to HOPE-EDU in March 2025 An expression of Interest letter is a pre-requisite for program participation, as a few states have submitted theirs. Also, interested states are to submit their EOIs to the Finance Ministry with copies to sectoral Ministries and the World Bank. Obi said the Council noted the importance of the presentation on human capital development, noting that the programmes under the HOPE initiative are result-driven and would benefit all sub-nationals given the quantum of the challenges across the country. Speaking earlier, the Vice President, Kashim Shettima noted that the programme is a golden opportunity for states to reposition healthcare delivery and the education sector in the various domains and urged all state governments to key in and nominate focal persons to assist in driving the programmes in their areas. Shettima also described the World Bank’s HOPE Project as a significant opportunity for Nigeria. “This initiative promises to strengthen our basic education and primary healthcare systems, ensuring that we expand our human capital indices in ways that create lasting impacts. “Through targeted strategies, we can address long-standing inequalities and position our workforce to compete in a rapidly evolving global economy,” he noted.
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Airship AI (NASDAQ:AISP) Stock Price Up 7.2% – Here’s What HappenedLandcar Casualty Company Receives Upgraded Credit Rating from AM BestGavin McKenna will suit up for Canada at the world junior hockey championship. Set to turn 17 next week, the star forward with the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers headlines the country’s 25-player roster for the annual tournament announced Friday. McKenna, who is projected as the potential top pick at the 2026 NHL draft, will be joined by a pair of fellow youngsters battling for the No. 1 selection spot in June — 18-year-old winger Porter Martone and 17-year-old defenceman Matthew Schaefer. Five of seven eligible returnees from last year’s squad that finished a disappointing fifth in Sweden are back, with forwards Easton Cowan, Brayden Yager and Carson Rehkopf getting the nod, while defencemen Oliver Bonk and Tanner Molendyk will anchor the blue line. The two players unable to hold onto their spots for the event set to run Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Ottawa are forward Matthew Wood and goaltender Scott Ratzlaff. Making up the rest of the group up front are Bradly Nadeau, Jett Luchanko, Luca Pinelli, Berkly Catton, Ethan Gauthier, Calum Ritchie, Tanner Howe, Cole Beaudoin and Mathieu Cataford. Nadeau didn’t attend selection camp in Ottawa this week, but was guaranteed a spot after being made available by the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes from their American Hockey League affiliate. Canada’s defence corps also includes Andrew Gibson, Sam Dickinson, Caden Price, Sawyer Mynio and Beau Akey. The hockey powerhouse’s three-headed crease contingent is made up of goaltenders Jack Ivankovic — another 17-year-old eligible for June’s NHL draft — Carter George and Carson Bjarnason. “We believe we have assembled a competitive and talented roster that will give us the best opportunity to win a gold medal on home ice,” Hockey Canada’s Peter Anholt, who leads the under-20 program’s management group, said in a statement. “We look forward to them wearing the Maple Leaf with pride.” The Canadians, who will be looking to add to a record 20 gold medals at the annual showcase, were ousted in last year’s quarterfinals thanks to a last-minute loss to Czechia. Among the other notable cuts Friday were Calgary Flames defence prospect Zayne Parekh and Beckett Sennecke, who was selected No. 3 overall by the Anaheim Ducks at the 2024 draft. Both players were late injury additions for selection camp and are eligible to try out again next year. Canada will now hold training camp in Petawawa, Ont., before pre-tournament games against Switzerland, Sweden and Czechia. The hosts open Group A at the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators, on Boxing Day against Finland. The defending champions United States, Latvia and Germany make up the rest of the field. Group B at TD Place, home of the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s, includes Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland and Kazakhstan. Russia remains banned by the International Ice Hockey Federation due to that country’s ongoing war in Ukraine. Ottawa last hosted the world juniors in 2009 when Canada defeated Sweden to secure a record-tying fifth straight gold. Cameron, who guided the country atop the podium in 2022 after winning silver in 2011, was an assistant coach on the staff of the late Pat Quinn at that tournament 15 years ago in the nation’s capital. “This group of 25 players is excited for the opportunity to wear the Maple Leaf in front of Canadian fans in Ottawa, and to represent their country in our quest to win a gold medal,” he said in a statement. “This is a great accomplishment for these players and their families. “We know they will enjoy the world juniors experience while bringing the competitiveness needed for us to be successful and accomplish our goal.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 13, 2024.New Year Eve 2025: Best places to visit in India for an unforgettable celebration