Macron Asks French Lawmakers Not to Topple the GovernmentNoneThe Last Supper Áine Fitzgerald Managing Editor At 1:25am on Sunday, the atmosphere on the second floor at Limerick Racecourse was thick with anticipation - and tiredness - as Niall Collins, FF, awaited the declaration that he had retained his seat. Towards the far end of the room, a scene was unfolding, naturally. ‘The Last Supper’ or, in this instance, ‘The Last Seat’. You couldn’t plan the composition of this masterpiece if you tried. You have Niall Collins positioned at the centre, akin to Jesus, surrounded by his supporters, who take on the roles of apostles. Collins sits slightly elevated, prominent amid the surrounding figures. Behind him, a person, crouched, forms what seems to be a crown-like halo around his head. On the far left (as opposed to centre-right), a bottle of water and a brown paper bag - remnants of someone else's last supper - create an ornate pillar effect. The expressions on the faces of those in the frame tell their own unique story - conveying the weariness and tension that had set in after all the long hours of waiting. Unlike the original Last Supper, however, two mobile phones are visible, their users quite possibly checking the time as they await the final result. Finally, at 2:09am, Niall Collins was elected to the final seat in Limerick County and the subjects in The Last Seat lifted him shoulder high. Finishing line Jerome O’Connell News editor THE next big event at Limerick Racecourse will be the four-day Christmas Racing Festival from December 26-29. No doubt the annual festive event will have just as much drama as the two-day General Election count at the Patrickswell venue. The countdown to the Christmas Racing Festival is well underway for Michael Lynch, CEO of Limerick Racecourse, and his team, and as part of preparations the post to mark the finishing line in front of the grandstand is in storage. With rumours of legal challenges in relation to the alphabetical error on the ballot paper, and of a potential recount due to the closeness of the Limerick City constituency candidates down the home stretch, all were hoping on Sunday that the lack of a post to mark the finishing line wasn’t an omen! An epic quest to have a City seat filled by midnight Faye Dorgan Reporter AS THE CLOCK edged towards midnight on Saturday, waiting for the final election count to get the first candidate over the line in the city felt a bit like reading Game of Thrones - battling tiredness while keeping a close eye on the rivalry between the chief protagonists. Limerick Racecourse turned into a political Westeros, with candidates vying for the Iron Seat - or at least a plush velvet one in the Dáil. One punter decided to pass the time by reading Game of Thrones as they waited, seeking solace in fictional feuds. “Winter is coming,” someone muttered, in a chilly count centre on the edge of Patrickswell. Counts came in slower than ravens, the suspense thicker than Tyrion’s wit, as crowds battled with tiredness that inevitably kicked in. Eventually, cheers erupted as the first seat was filled by Fianna Fáil TD Willie O’Dea, marking an election night triumph. Really cleaning up at the races Abigail Hayden Reporter AS THE hours ticked on in the county's mammoth of a count on Saturday, one group of clever entrepreueneurs made the waiting time worth it. Daithi and Cillian O'Donoghue, aged nine and 12, and Conor Kelly, 12, the great-nephews of newly re-elected Deputy Richard O'Donoghue, Independent Ireland, collected dozens of bottles and cans with the Re-Cycle logo. They collected recycling rubbish off count staff, supporters, and even Limerick Leader reporters. People were seen finishing off the dregs of their drinks as the three boys with the huge bin bag came around, to make sure their recycling waste added to the collection. After the re-election of their great-uncle, who praised them in his post-election interview, the three businessmen left the building with the rest of the family, along with two bulking bags of recycling. When asked about how much they had made, they coyly replied “over €20” - a greater profit than many leave the racecourse with! As these astute men know, the 15c deposit sure does add up! ‘I’ve never been so happy to be wrong about a prediction’ Nick Rabbitts Reporter LABOUR Party stalwart Joe Kemmy is something of an oracle when it comes to politics. Back in the summer, based on tallies alone, he correctly predicted John Moran would become Limerick’s first directly elected mayor, more than three days ahead of it actually happening. When Joe talks, people listen, especially where politics is concerned. So, on Saturday night, when he predicted that Labour’s Conor Sheehan was too far behind Social Democrats councillor Elisa O’Donovan to realistically catch her in the race for the fourth seat in Limerick City, I naturally put pen to paper. At the time, Cllr Sheehan was 391 votes behind Cllr O’Donovan. But he clawed back votes through Sunday, and secured the fourth seat on the last count. “I’ve never been happier about being wrong in a prediction in my whole life,” Joe beamed. Proof, if any were needed, that sometimes the greats get it wrong. Man in Black Donal O'Regan Reporter THERE were a number of senior gardai at the count centre - Superintendent Ollie Kennedy, Inspectors Gearoid Thompson, Fergal Hanrahan and Jimmy Ruddle to name but four - but there was also what appeared to be an FBI agent. He was straight out of the film Men in Black starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith. Think black suit, white shirt, earpiece - all he was missing were the shades. He stood behind this reporter at a doorway on the second floor of Limerick Racecourse. I never felt safer. There was no chance of an irate supporter complaining that I had mixed up their candidate’s vote on the Leader’s blog. But, of course, he wasn’t there to mind this lowly hack - he was there to protect Minister Patrick O’Donovan. One photographer, unknowingly, asked him if he could take his photo - thinking he was just a random supporter in the crowd. Understandably, the response was a polite “no” from the man in black who gave a wry smile to himself after the photographer moved along. The only chance of Mr O’Donovan being hurt was a sprained wrist from receiving congratulatory handshakes or hitting his head on the ceiling when he was lifted high in the air but this chap wasn’t taking any chances. He watched everything. He went home happy as Mr O’Donovan is still in a job. As did a supporter of the Fine Gael man who was moving a lot better than the last time I saw her. The lady in question was on crutches at the mayoral and council count in June after breaking her ankle. She came a cropper while rounding up ducks. However, she was flying it on Saturday, much like Mr O’Donovan. ‘Lotto luck’ for reporter Nick Rabbitts Reporter I HAVE been playing the lottery since I came to Ireland in 2008, and have very rarely ever won anything. Despite this, I carry on spending €6 twice a week on a ticket, ignoring criticism that it is a tax on hope, and there is more chance of my beloved Tottenham Hotspur Football Club winning a title than me landing the jackpot. (Soccer fans, if you know, you know!) But, on Saturday night, peering at a colleague’s laptop which was tuned into RTE One, I caught the lottery results. And my numbers came up! Well four of them did - three regular numbers and the bonus ball - landing me a very welcome €29. It gave me a nice lift in the middle of a very busy election count, and felt like proof - if ever any is needed - that consistency can pay off! For the record, my numbers are 4, 7, 14, 24, 39 and 45!
Vikings cornerback Stephon Gilmore out vs. the Falcons; six players questionable
Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games without pay after violent hit on Trevor Lawrence HOUSTON (AP) — Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended by the NFL without pay for three games for repeated violations of player safety rules following his hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion. Al-Shaair’s punishment was announced by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, he noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons. Runyan says “video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide.” USWNT beats Netherlands 2-1 in goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher's final match THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Alyssa Naher made two critical saves in her final match for the United States, Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute and the Americans beat the Netherlands 2-1. The U.S., which won its fifth Olympic gold medal in France this summer, wrapped up the year on a 20-game unbeaten streak. The Americans were coming off a scoreless draw with England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Naeher announced two weeks ago that the European matches would be her last. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played in 115 games for the U.S., with 111 starts, 89 wins and 69 shutouts. Second-to-last college playoff rankings offer last chance to see how nervous teams should be The next-to-last rankings for the College Football Playoffs come out Tuesday night, serving up one last chance to see who would be in, who would be out, who will be mad and who should be very, very nervous. There are about 18 teams vying for 12 spots in the first-of-its-kind playoff that begins Dec. 20. Outside of Oregon — the only undefeated team in the country — and Notre Dame — on a 10-game winning streak and not playing this weekend — there are very few sure things. The rankings released Tuesday will be the last dry run before the real list is revealed Sunday. Signing with Dodgers was really easy decision for 2-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell says it was a really easy decision to sign with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Joining a team that includes two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani influenced the left-hander too. Snell was introduced Tuesday at Dodger Stadium after signing a $182 million, five-year deal last weekend. Snell has known Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman since he was 18. Friedman says all conversations the front office has had since the World Series ended last month involved Snell, who was 2-2 against the Dodgers during his career. High school recruiting isn't the only way to build a winner in the era of the transfer portal Texas A&M signed the nation’s top-ranked class three years ago believing it had built a potential national title contender. Plenty of players from that heralded 2022 class could indeed be participating in the first 12-team College Football Playoff this month. They just won’t be doing it for the Aggies. Texas A&M represents perhaps the clearest example of how recruiting and roster construction have changed in the era of loosened transfer restrictions. Coaches must assemble high school classes without always knowing which of their own players are transferring and what players from other schools could be available through the portal. Javier Mascherano arrives at Inter Miami as coach, 5 years after team first pursued him to play FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Javier Mascherano has arrived in Miami and is already at work as Inter Miami's new coach. The former teammate of Inter Miami stars Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suarez says he's aware of critics who believe he doesn't have the experience needed to succeed in the job. Inter Miami first pursued Mascherano as a player in 2019 with hopes that he would coach in its academy system after one season. Five years later, he's tasked with bringing trophies to the club that Messi has lifted to new heights. Analysis: Getting benched may have been best thing that happened to Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson Getting benched may have been the best thing that happened to Bryce Young and Anthony Richardson. Both second-year quarterbacks are playing well since returning to the starting lineup. Young has steadily improved after coming back in Week 8. He’s displayed the skills that earned him a Heisman Trophy at Alabama and convinced the Panthers to draft him ahead of C.J. Stroud with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Richardson has led Indianapolis to a pair of comeback wins late in the fourth quarter in three starts after he regained his starting job. Young and Richardson both have a long way to go to prove they can be franchise quarterbacks. But there’s far more optimism now that they’re not busts. Transgender powerlifter asks Minnesota Supreme Court to let her compete in women's events ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Attorneys for a transgender athlete have urged the Minnesota Supreme Court to allow her to compete in the women's division at powerlifting events, saying she’s protected against discrimination by the Minnesota Human Rights Act. USA Powerlifting rejected JayCee Cooper’s application in 2018 to compete in the women’s division of its events on the ground that she enjoys strength advantages over other women. Cooper sued in 2021, and a trial court sided with her. But the Minnesota Court of Appeals sent the case back to the trial court in March, saying there were “genuine issues of fact” about why USA Powerlifting excluded Cooper. Fueled by boos, Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy turns in 235-yard performance in return to Denver DENVER (AP) — The boos only brought out the best in Jerry Jeudy as he returned to Denver. The explosive Cleveland Browns wideout turned in an electric performance Monday night with nine catches for 235 yards, the most in NFL history by a receiver against his former team. He also had a 70-yard touchdown in a 41-32 loss to the Broncos. Jeudy, who played his first four seasons with Denver, was jeered every time he caught the ball. He loved all the noise directed at him, even motioning at times for the crowd to get even louder. His only regret was the Browns couldn’t close out the win. Ryggs Johnston goes from a tiny Montana town to Australian Open champion: Analysis Talk about taking the road less traveled. Ryggs Johnston honed his golf game in the tiny Montana town of Libby in the northwest corner of the state. He fulfilled his dream of going to Arizona State but never won a college tournament. But he did well enough to earn status in Canada and a pass to the second stage of Q-school. His Arizona State coach gave him a nudge to try European tour school. Johnston made it through all three stages and then won the Australian Open in only his second start on the European tour.
Bosa hilariously clarifies McDaniel encounter after 49ers-DolphinsShoppers bemused as Easter eggs hit shop shelves before New Year’s Eve
NoneElon Musk stuffed an additional $120 billion into his already money-packed deep pockets this year, solidifying his spot as the world’s richest person as he cozies up to President-elect Donald Trump. Trump’s so-called “First Buddy” is even richer after Trump’s election victory. The Tesla CEO’s net worth soared to a total of $349 billion this year, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Musk owns roughly 12 percent of Tesla, the world’s most valuable car company, Forbes noted. The company’s shareholders also gave him a 2018 compensation package worth more than $50 billion. But a Delaware judge struck it down Monday. She wrote in her decision that what would have been the largest pay deal in history was an “unfathomable sum” that “seems to have been calibrated to help Musk achieve what he believed would make ‘a good future for humanity.’” Monday’s decision reaffirms her decision from January, when she also rejected the pay package. “Never incorporate your company in the state of Delaware,” Musk wrote in January on X, another company he owns. He has vowed to use 58 percent of his Tesla shares as collateral for his personal loans, according to Bloomberg. Musk acquired the social media platform, then known as Twitter, for $44 billion in 2022. Fidelity valued its stake in X at $5.53 million at the end of October, a nearly 72 percent decrease in value since Musk took over the company, according to its Fidelity Blue Chip Growth Fund monthly report. The tech billionaire also owns about 54 per cent of xAI, an artificial intelligence company he founded in 2023. The startup was valued at $50 billion last month, according to the Wall Street Journal . Then there’s SpaceX. Musk owns roughly 42 percent of the aerospace company, which was valued at $210 billion in June, according to Bloomberg . He also founded The Boring Company, an infrastructure company that says it aims to dig transportation tunnels to “solve traffic.” The company announced that it was worth $5.68 billion in April 2022 after a Series C funding round. Neuralink, Musk’s computer-brain interface company that is developing brain chips, was valued at $5 billion as of June 2024, according to Reuters . In January, Musk posted on X that the first human patient received an implant from Neuralink and was “recovering well.” Musk contributed a massive $230 million of his personal coffers to Trump’s America PAC, which he created, in the last month leading up to the presidential election, FEC filings Thursday revealed. In the weeks leading up to Election Day, Musk made three separate $25 million donations to the super PAC, according to the records. But that wasn’t all; the SpaceX founder also donated more than $20 million to the controversially named RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) PAC, which falsely presented the late Supreme Court Justice as a Trump champion, in late October, new filings show. Trump tapped Musk to lead the newly created department of government efficiency alongside billionaire entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Despite campaigning on improving economic conditions for working class Americans , Trump has filled his next administration with a hefty handful of billionares, including Musk. The net worth of Trump’s second White House is estimated to be larger than the gross domestic product of more than 11 dozen countries . Billionaires have doubled their wealth in the past decade, amounting to a combined total of $14 trillion , Swiss bank UBS reported this week.
Biden is considering preemptive pardons for officials and allies before Trump takes office
Abandoned Puppy’s Life Saved Through Groundbreaking Augmented Reality Technology
NoneTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — This isn’t a week when coach Todd Bowles feels he needs to find the right words to ensure his Tampa Bay Buccaneers are motivated to face the last-place Carolina Panthers. The Bucs (8-7) have won eight of the last nine meetings between the NFC South rivals, including the past three with Baker Mayfield at quarterback. It hasn’t exactly been smoothly sailing against the Panthers (4-11), though, for the three-time defending division champions. And, with at least a share of first place on the line Sunday, Bowles and his players say they are focused solely on rebounding from last week’s disappointing loss to the Dallas Cowboys. “We know it’s going to be a tough ballgame. It went overtime last time. They’re coached very well; they play very hard,” Bowles said, referencing Tampa Bay’s 26-23 win at Carolina on Dec. 1. “We know what’s at stake for us. It doesn’t need to be talked about. Everybody understands that,” Bowles added. “We’ve got to clean up our own mistakes, and we’ve got to play an error-free football game.” The Bucs are tied with Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South, however the Falcons (8-7) hold the tiebreaker after sweeping the season series between the teams. To claim a fourth straight division title, Tampa Bay needs to win remaining home games against the Panthers and New Orleans Saints while Atlanta loses at least once in the last two weeks of the regular season. If the Falcons hold on to win the South, the Bucs can earn a wild-card playoff berth if they win out and the Washington Commanders lose twice. Mayfield, who has resurrected his career since being released by Carolina two years ago, summed up the attitude in a resilient locker room. The Bucs have won four of five games following a four-game losing streak threatened their playoff hopes. “I keep saying it, this team has the mental makeup of a great team. We just have to continue to fight and find ways to win,” the quarterback said. “If we don’t take of business, we won’t be in the playoffs.” Chuba’s revenge Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard cost his team the game four weeks ago against Tampa Bay when he fumbled on the second possession of overtime just after Carolina had reached field goal range. Mayfield responded by leading the Bucs back down the field for the winning field goal. The loss was devastating for Hubbard at the time, but he promised himself when the opportunity arose again he’d make the most of it. He did that this past Sunday, when he carried twice for 49 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown run in which he broke two tackles, in overtime to lift the Panthers to a 36-30 win over Arizona, knocking the Cardinals out of the playoff hunt. “I’d let it go, but it’s definitely been in the back of my head a little bit,” Hubbard said. “Like I said, when the next opportunity came, I told myself I’m going to get it back for them. To be able to have them trust me in that opportunity again, and to have it in that way is a blessing from God.” Young’s development Bryce Young has shown solid progress in his decision making, particularly when the pocket begins to break down. Last week, the second-year QB ran for a career-best 68 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown. Young was benched after two games this season, but since returning to the lineup has played better, restoring some faith that perhaps the No. 1 overall pick in 2023 can be the team’s quarterback of the future. “Just time in the system and time as a team for us to come together,” Young said of why he has improved. “For me, being able to get reps, and get time with everyone. It’s just all of us being able to feed off of each other, and it’s been able to allow us to turn in the right direction.” Awful vs. the run The Panthers have been abysmal against the run, allowing nearly 200 yards per game on the ground over the last seven games. In the last meeting with Tampa Bay, Bucky Irving ran for a career-high 152 yards and a touchdown, so Carolina’s defense has a good idea of what's coming Sunday. Close calls Mayfield has beaten Carolina three times since joining the Bucs in 2023. All of the meetings have been close, though, with the Panthers losing twice by three points and Tampa Bay settling for three field goals in a 9-0 regular season-ending victory that clinched its third straight NFC South championship last January. “We know them well. They know us well,” Mayfield said. ___ AP Sports Writer Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed to this report. ___ NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Fred Goodall, The Associated Press
Israeli attorney general orders probe into report that alleged Netanyahu's wife harassed opponentsSocial media users are misrepresenting a Vermont Supreme Court ruling , claiming that it gives schools permission to vaccinate children even if their parents do not consent. The ruling addressed a lawsuit filed by Dario and Shujen Politella against Windham Southeast School District and state officials over the mistaken vaccination of their child against COVID-19 in 2021, when he was 6 years old. A lower court had dismissed the original complaint, as well as an amended version. An appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was filed on Nov. 19. But the ruling by Vermont's high court is not as far-reaching as some online have claimed. In reality, it concluded that anyone protected under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP, Act is immune to state lawsuits. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that schools can vaccinate children against their parents' wishes. THE FACTS: The claim stems from a July 26 ruling by the Vermont Supreme Court, which found that anyone protected by the PREP Act is immune to state lawsuits, including the officials named in the Politella's suit. The ruling does not authorize schools to vaccinate children at their discretion. According to the lawsuit, the Politella's son — referred to as L.P. — was given one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Academy School in Brattleboro even though his father, Dario, told the school's assistant principal a few days before that his son was not to receive a vaccination. In what officials described as a mistake, L.P. was removed from class and had a “handwritten label” put on his shirt with the name and date of birth of another student, L.K., who had already been vaccinated that day. L.P. was then vaccinated. Ultimately, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that officials involved in the case could not be sued. “We conclude that the PREP Act immunizes every defendant in this case and this fact alone is enough to dismiss the case,” the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling reads. “We conclude that when the federal PREP Act immunizes a defendant, the PREP Act bars all state-law claims against that defendant as a matter of law.” The PREP Act , enacted by Congress in 2005, authorizes the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a declaration in the event of a public health emergency providing immunity from liability for activities related to medical countermeasures, such as the administration of a vaccine, except in cases of “willful misconduct" that result in “death or serious physical injury.” A declaration against COVID-19 was issued on March 17, 2020. It is set to expire on Dec. 31. Federals suits claiming willful misconduct are filed in Washington. Social media users described the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling as having consequences beyond what it actually says. “The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that schools can force-vaccinate children for Covid against the wishes of their parents,” reads one X post that had been liked and shared approximately 16,600 times as of Tuesday. “The high court ruled on a case involving a 6-year-old boy who was forced to take a Covid mRNA injection by his school. However, his family had explicitly stated that they didn't want their child to receive the ‘vaccines.’” Other users alleged that the ruling gives schools permission to give students any vaccine without parental consent, not just ones for COVID-19. Rod Smolla, president of the Vermont Law and Graduate School and an expert on constitutional law, told The Associated Press that the ruling “merely holds that the federal statute at issue, the PREP Act, preempts state lawsuits in cases in which officials mistakenly administer a vaccination without consent.” “Nothing in the Vermont Supreme Court opinion states that school officials can vaccinate a child against the instructions of the parent,” he wrote in an email. Asked whether the claims spreading online have any merit, Ronald Ferrara, an attorney representing the Politellas, told the AP that although the ruling doesn't say schools can vaccinate students regardless of parental consent, officials could interpret it to mean that they could get away with doing so under the PREP Act, at least when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. He explained that the U.S. Supreme Court appeal seeks to clarify whether the Vermont Supreme Court interpreted the PREP Act beyond what Congress intended. “The Politella’s fundamental liberty interest to decide whether their son should receive elective medical treatment was denied by agents of the State and School,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “The Vermont Court misconstrues the scope of PREP Act immunity (which is conditioned upon informed consent for medical treatments unapproved by FDA), to cover this denial of rights and its underlying battery.” Ferrara added that he was not aware of the claims spreading online, but that he “can understand how lay people may conflate the court's mistaken grant of immunity for misconduct as tantamount to blessing such misconduct.” John Klar, who also represents the Politellas, went a step further, telling the AP that the Vermont Supreme Court ruling means that “as a matter of law” schools can get away with vaccinating students without parental consent and that parents can only sue on the federal level if death or serious bodily injury results. — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .
Netflix Christmas Day NFL Games Average 24 Million Viewers in U.S.In a statement on Tuesday, top U.S. House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries called upon President Joe Biden to extend clemency to some working-class Americans. This plea comes in the wake of criticism Biden faced for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, who had legal issues related to drug addiction and tax evasion. Jeffries highlighted Biden's capacity for compassion and urged him to pardon individuals in federal prison for nonviolent offenses. Jeffries remarked on the importance of this action in the final weeks of Biden's presidency, invoking the spirit of justice and mercy in his request. Biden's pardon of Hunter, criticized by both Republicans and some Democrats, was deemed controversial and alleged to undermine trust in the judicial system. It cast a spotlight on the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. (With inputs from agencies.)