Thunderbird Entertainment Group Announces Completion of Annual Grant of RSUs and PSUs to Board of Directors and Executive Management and Renegotiated CEO CompensationIn a momentous event that captivated audiences and critics alike, the highly anticipated film "The Lord of the Rings: The Battle of Rohan" premiered in China with a grand celebration. The epic masterpiece, directed by the visionary filmmaker Peter Jackson, proved to be a cinematic triumph that left audiences in awe and garnered widespread acclaim for its stunning visuals, gripping storytelling, and exceptional performances.
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are determined to not get ahead of themselves. Sunday’s 30-7 rout of the New York Giants began a six-game, regular season-ending stretch in which the Bucs (5-6) will face five opponents that currently have losing records. The victory coming out of the team’s bye week stopped a four-game skid and moved the three-time defending NFC South champions within one game of first-place Atlanta in the division. The Falcons swept the season series, so the Bucs essentially trail the Falcons by two games with six remaining. They’re in a good position to chase their fifth consecutive playoff berth, but can hardly assume they’ll benefit from having an easy remaining schedule. “We’re hoping it builds confidence. We have belief that we’re still sitting and controlling our own destiny,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said of beating the Giants. “But it’s not just going to happen,” Mayfield added. “So, we have to take it one week at a time. And you find the recipe for success within your work week. ... You try to emulate that week after week and continue to build it.” The Los Angeles Chargers, who entered Monday night’s game against Baltimore at 7-3, are the only opponent remaining on Tampa Bay’s schedule that currently has a winning record. The Bucs will face division rival Carolina (3-8) twice in the next six weeks. They’ll also host Las Vegas (2-9) and New Orleans (4-7) and play the Chargers and Dallas Cowboys (4-7) on the road. “We can’t get comfortable,” rookie running back Bucky Irving said. “We just got to keep our foot on the gas and keep running.” The offense continues to put up big numbers, finishing with 450 yards against the Giants. It’s the fifth time Tampa Bay has gained more than 400 yards this season. The Bucs have now scored 30-plus points six times, second in the NFL behind Buffalo’s eight. There wasn’t a lot to fault in the team’s performance against the Giants, although coach Todd Bowles said both the offense and defense could have been done a better job closing out the game late. “For the most part we executed on both sides of the football,” Bowles said. “Still like to have finished the game a little better, but they came back (from the bye week) mentally tougher, and they came ready to play.” Irving averaged more than 7 yards per carry in rushing for 87 yards on 12 attempts. He also had six receptions for 64 yards, finishing with a season-high 151 yards from scrimmage. Just when it looked as if the defense was beginning to trend the right way health-wise, the Bucs lost safety Jordan Whitehead (pectoral) and linebacker Joe Tryon-Shoyinka (ankle) to injuries on Sunday. Bowles said Monday he was still awaiting an update on the severity of Whitehead’s injury. Tryon-Shoyinka has an ankle sprain. LT Tristan Wirfs (knee) sat out against the Giants and his status will be evaluated as the week progresses. 11. With wide receiver Mike Evans back on the field after missing three games with a hamstring injury, Mayfield completed passes to 11 different players, tying a team record. “He obviously changed the game, even when he's not getting the ball,” Mayfield said. “It's huge that we have him in.” At Carolina, the second of three consecutive games vs. last-place teams the Bucs will face during their stretch run. They’ll also host the Panthers on Dec. 29. “It’s an NFC South battle, and all of them are going to be hard. None of them are going to be easy,” Bowles said. “I think (coach) Dave (Canales) has done an excellent job taking on that team and it’s taking over his personality right now,” Bowles added. “They’re playing pretty good football. ... It’s going to be a tough battle.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
‘Pulling people apart’: Renewed tension between Canadian Jewish groups, United Church sparked by GazaHe's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate.
Former Liverpool veteran, Milan Baros, announces retirement at the age of 39: "Football was my first love, today I bid you farewell"
Title: Chief Prosecutor in Heilongjiang Caught Soliciting Prostitution? Resume Withdrawn, Official Response PendingHowever, the looming departure of Weber's long-standing editor, Weber, in January adds another layer of complexity to the situation. With Weber's editorial vision and direction set to undergo significant changes, the newsroom is bracing for a period of uncertainty and transformation.
Syria has been a hotbed of conflict and unrest for years, with the ongoing civil war causing immense suffering and displacement of millions of people. One of the central figures in this prolonged crisis has been President Bashar al-Assad, whose authoritarian rule and brutal tactics have led to widespread condemnation and calls for his removal from power. Recently, there have been rumors circulating about Bashar al-Assad considering stepping down from his position as the President of Syria.Renowned Chinese singer-songwriter G.E.M., also known as 邓紫棋 (Dèng Zǐ Qí), has recently made headlines by sharing behind-the-scenes photos of the collaboration between the highly anticipated video game "Black Myth: Wukong" and Coca-Cola. In the photos, G.E.M. can be seen posing with the iconic Coca-Cola bottle, but what caught the attention of many fans was the unexpected appearance of a gourd.These holiday gifts change the game when building fires, printing photos, watching birds and more
MADRID (AP) — Spanish King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic Valencia flash floods , and urged the country to remain calm despite public debates around hot-button issues such as immigration and housing affordability. In a pre-recorded speech that usually reviews the year's most relevant issues, Felipe said Spain “must never forget the pain and sadness" the flood have caused. The Oct. 29 floods killed more than 225 people in eastern Spain, damaging countless homes and leaving graveyards of cars piled on top of each other. In some towns, the heavy downpours that caused the floods dropped as much as a year's worth of rain in just eight hours. In early November, as Spaniards' shock at the wreckage turned into frustration, a political blame game began, directed especially at regional authorities who failed to send timely emergency alerts to cell phones on the day of the floods. The frustration of residents in hard-hit Paiporta near Valencia was on display when people tossed mud and shouted insults at the king and government officials in early November when they made their first visit to the town. “We have seen — and understood — the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination," Felipe said about how the disaster was managed, adding that he had asked that aid be sent to everyone who needed it. He also addressed the country's housing crunch and high rents, which have become a leading concern in this European Union country that is the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. Fast-rising rents are especially acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, where incomes have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Felipe urged that “all the actors involved reflect” and "listen to each other” so that they facilitate bringing access to housing under “affordable conditions.” Spain's immigration debate should keep in mind the country's European partners and immigrants' countries of origin, Felipe said, warning that “the way in which we are able to address immigration ... will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.” Felipe said Spain need to remain calm in the public sphere, even in the face of a “sometimes thunderous” contest in its politics.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the player revealed that Salah has remained in good spirits and very much happy within the squad despite the contract dispute. Contrary to the media narrative portraying Salah as unhappy or seeking an exit, the player emphasized that Salah has been fully committed to the team and focused on performing at his best on the pitch.
With the recent changes in the online streaming industry in China, Tencent Video, a leading streaming platform, has decided to adjust its member benefits following the footsteps of its competitors, iQIYI and Youku. This move aims to enhance user experience and maintain competitiveness in the increasingly crowded market.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The sight was a common one for Andrew Kolpacki. For many a Sunday, he would watch NFL games on TV and see quarterbacks putting their hands on their helmets, desperately trying to hear the play call from the sideline or booth as tens of thousands of fans screamed at the tops of their lungs. When the NCAA's playing rules oversight committee this past spring approved the use of coach-to-player helmet communications in games for the 2024 season, Kolpacki, Michigan State's head football equipment manager, knew the Spartans' QBs and linebackers were going to have a problem. "There had to be some sort of solution," he said. As it turns out, there was. And it was right across the street. Kolpacki reached out to Tamara Reid Bush, a mechanical engineering professor who not only heads the school's Biomechanical Design Research Laboratory but also is a football season ticket-holder. People are also reading... Kolpacki "showed me some photos and said that other teams had just put duct tape inside the (earhole), and he asked me, 'Do you think we can do anything better than duct tape,?" Bush said. "And I said, 'Oh, absolutely.'" Bush and Rylie DuBois, a sophomore biosystems engineering major and undergraduate research assistant at the lab, set out to produce earhole inserts made from polylactic acid, a bio-based plastic, using a 3D printer. Part of the challenge was accounting for the earhole sizes and shapes that vary depending on helmet style. Once the season got underway with a Friday night home game against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30, the helmets of starting quarterback Aidan Chiles and linebacker Jordan Turner were outfitted with the inserts, which helped mitigate crowd noise. DuBois attended the game, sitting in the student section. "I felt such a strong sense of accomplishment and pride," DuBois said. "And I told all my friends around me about how I designed what they were wearing on the field." All told, Bush and DuBois have produced around 180 sets of the inserts, a number that grew in part due to the variety of helmet designs and colors that are available to be worn by Spartan players any given Saturday. Plus, the engineering folks have been fine-tuning their design throughout the season. Dozens of Bowl Subdivision programs are doing something similar. In many cases, they're getting 3D-printed earhole covers from XO Armor Technologies, which provides on-site, on-demand 3D printing of athletic wearables. The Auburn, Alabama-based company has donated its version of the earhole covers to the equipment managers of programs ranging from Georgia and Clemson to Boise State and Arizona State in the hope the schools would consider doing business with XO Armor in the future, said Jeff Klosterman, vice president of business development. XO Armor first was approached by the Houston Texans at the end of last season about creating something to assist quarterback C.J. Stroud in better hearing play calls delivered to his helmet during road games. XO Armor worked on a solution and had completed one when it received another inquiry: Ohio State, which had heard Michigan State was moving forward with helmet inserts, wondered if XO Armor had anything in the works. "We kind of just did this as a one-off favor to the Texans and honestly didn't forecast it becoming our viral moment in college football," Klosterman said. "We've now got about 60 teams across college football and the NFL wearing our sound-deadening earhole covers every weekend." The rules state that only one player for each team is permitted to be in communication with coaches while on the field. For the Spartans, it's typically Chiles on offense and Turner on defense. Turner prefers to have an insert in both earholes, but Chiles has asked that the insert be used in only one on his helmet. Chiles "likes to be able to feel like he has some sort of outward exposure," Kolpacki said. Exposure is something the sophomore signal-caller from Long Beach, California, had in away games against Michigan and Oregon this season. Michigan Stadium welcomed 110,000-plus fans for the Oct. 26 matchup between the in-state rivals. And while just under 60,000 packed Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, for the Ducks' 31-10 win over Michigan State three weeks earlier, it was plenty loud. "The Big Ten has some pretty impressive venues," Kolpacki said. "It can be just deafening," he said. "That's what those fans are there for is to create havoc and make it difficult for coaches to get a play call off." Something that is a bit easier to handle thanks to Bush and her team. She called the inserts a "win-win-win" for everyone. "It's exciting for me to work with athletics and the football team," she said. "I think it's really exciting for our students as well to take what they've learned and develop and design something and see it being used and executed." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Jefferson keeps seeing double as Vikings aim to stay focused on overall offensive productionIn latest news, U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has taken action to save TikTok from a law which would force a sale or ban of the social media platform by Jan. 19, 2025. He filed a brief on Dec. 27 asking the Supreme Court to block the law. Passed on Apr. 20, the bill called for parent company ByteDance to either divest of TikTok, or face a complete ban in the country. The brief acknowledged the "difficult tension between free-speech rights on one side, and foreign policy and national-security concerns on the other". In the light of these facts, Trump opposes banning TikTok in the U.S. "at this juncture", the brief said. However, as the deadline imposed for TikTok to either be sold or shut down falls on Jan. 19 — just a day before his inauguration — Trump requested a delay. This is so he can "resolve the issues through political means once he takes office". Intends to pursue "negotiated resolution" The brief called Trump "one of the most powerful, prolific, and influential users of social media in history" and said he is in a position to evaluate TikTok's importance as a medium for freedom of expression. It said: "Indeed, President Trump and his rival both used TikTok to connect with voters during the recent Presidential election campaign, with President Trump doing so much more effectively." He therefore hopes to pursue a "negotiated resolution" to save TikTok. This is in line with his earlier election promise that he was "gonna save TikTok", shortly after creating his own account on the social media platform. Notably, the brief took no position on the merits of the ongoing debate as to whether banning TikTok infringes on Americans' First Amendment rights, which include freedom of speech. On the same day, TikTok filed a brief attesting that the law is a violation of the First Amendment. Calling it "profoundly unconstitutional", the platform said that it is one of the nation's "most important venues for communication". "Shuttering the platform will silence the speech of petitioners and the more than 170 million monthly American users that communicate there about politics, arts, commerce, and other matters of public concern — as illustrated by the massive interest expressed during the recent presidential election," it said, adding: "The government has banned an extraordinary amount of speech; demands deference to unsubstantiated predictions a future risk will materialise; and gets facts wrong when it bothers to provide them." Previously wanted to ban TikTok During his tenure in 2020, Trump said he planned to ban TikTok, and cited national security concerns. “As far as TikTok is concerned we’re banning them from the United States,” he said in July 2020, calling the action a “severance”. Then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo said that the Trump administration was evaluating TikTok akin to Chinese state-backed tech companies Huawei and ZTE. He previously described both companies as "Trojan horses for Chinese intelligence". Subsequently, in April 2024, amid a backdrop of concerns from U.S. lawmakers about TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, and accusations that it handed over sensitive information to the Chinese government, the bill banning TikTok was passed. Top image from Donald Trump/Facebook and TikTok
'Don't tell me what I know!' Explosive GB News row breaks out as two stars clash