MI5 has had to “pare back” its counterterrorism focus because of the growing threat from Russia and other hostile states, the security agency’s boss has said. Ken McCallum, the director general of MI5, said in an interview recording obtained by The Times newspaper that the agency has to look at its “finite” resources and make “uncomfortable choices”. “We now face much, much more aggression from nation states. In effect, we had the 20 to 30-year holiday from that kind of big player, sophisticated states in serious conflict with each other. It’s back, I’m afraid. “And so there is something quite profound about that ... we’ve had to make some of those uncomfortable choices in recent years ... how could we pare back a bit on the amount of our capacity we are spending on countering terrorism in order to be ready to meet these somewhat grander and more sophisticated, in some respects, threats from nation states.” He made the comments in an interview with Simon Case, the outgoing cabinet secretary, for a civil service podcast Mr Case is making, the newspaper reported. He said: “We’ll be looking at how much of our finite capacity can we spend on state activity from Russia or Iran or China , how much do we have to spend on various forms of terrorism, but also how much of our capacity can we spend on things that we think might be a threat tomorrow morning and how much do we have to keep back to plan for how we are capable to do what the nation needs us to do in five years’ time? “We need to invest in new technology, new skills. So you always have some version of these uncomfortable choices.” The MI5 boss recently warned that Russia is intent on causing “mayhem” on UK streets and that Iranian-backed plots that pose “lethal threats” to British people are ramping up at an “unprecedented pace and scale”. In a speech in October, the security agency’s director general said Britain should “expect to see continued acts of aggression here at home” from Russia, with its military intelligence agency, the GRU, on “sustained missions”, adding: “We’ve seen arson, sabotage and more.” The number of state threat investigations run by MI5 has “shot up by 48%” in the last year and 13% of people being investigated by the security agency for involvement in UK terrorism are under 18, he said at the time. He called the rise in the number of children being investigated for terrorism in the UK “staggering” and warned of “canny online memes” drawing them into extreme right-wing ideologies. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “This innovative conversation series was provided on the civil service learning site to offer insight into the experience of senior leaders from across the civil service, to allow other civil servants to learn and develop, as is so vital throughout their careers. “The comments made by Ken McCallum, director general of MI5, reflect those he has previously made publicly. In his October threat update, he talked about the challenges of prioritisation.”
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Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing and moves within 100 of Dickerson's record PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley became the ninth running back in NFL history to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season, reaching the milestone with a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys. That rush gave Barkley 2,005 yards with one game left and left him exactly 100 yards from Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley could potentially top the record in next week’s finale against the New York Giants. However, that game will be mostly meaningless for the Eagles, who could opt to rest Barkley to protect him from injury ahead of the playoffs. Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing as Eagles beat Cowboys 41-7 to clinch NFC East PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. Penn State coach James Franklin says Nick Saban should be college football's commissioner SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times. Mayfield throws 5 TD passes and Bucs keep playoff, NFC South hopes alive with 48-14 rout of Panthers TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Baker Mayfield threw for 359 yards and five touchdowns to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers keep their division and playoff hopes alive with a 48-14 rout of the Carolina Panthers. The team’s fifth win in the past six weeks nudged the first-place Bucs a half-game ahead of Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South at 9-7. The Falcons played on the road later Sunday night at Washington. Atlanta holds the tiebreaker in the division race and can end Tampa Bay’s three-year reign as NFC South champions by beating the Commanders and winning again next week at home against the last-place Panthers. Lakers send D'Angelo Russell to Nets in trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, Shake Milton LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The Lakers also sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn. Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points per game for the Lakers this season in a diminished role under new coach JJ Redick. Finney-Smith is a steady 3-and-D wing who fills an obvious need for the Lakers. Russell is being traded by the Lakers to the Nets for the second time in his career. He also made the move in 2017. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Rising Sun Devils: Arizona State looks to pull off another big surprise at the Peach Bowl ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They've been an underdog most of the season. Of the eight teams still vying for a national championship, there’s no bigger surprise than 11-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 a year ago and were picked to finish dead last in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they're getting ready to face Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day. Penn State's polarizing QB Drew Allar puts critics on mute and keeps winning games SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Even when Penn State quarterback Drew Allar gets some praise, it’s usually a backhanded compliment. They say he’s a good game manager and stays within himself, or that he doesn’t try to do too much. They mention he might not be flashy, but he gives the team a chance to win. And here’s the thing about Penn State since Allar stepped under center: The Nittany Lions have won games. A lot of them. Sometimes that’s hard to remember considering the lukewarm reception he often gets from fans. The polarizing Allar has another chance to quiet his critics on Tuesday, when Penn State plays Boise State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Feels like 1979: Nottingham Forest moves into 2nd place behind rampant Liverpool in Premier League The Premier League table is starting to have a 1979 kind of feel to it with Liverpool at the top of the standings and Nottingham Forest in second place as the closest challenger. Liverpool padded its lead with a 5-0 rout of West Ham on Sunday while upstart Nottingham Forest climbed into second place by beating Everton 2-0 to continue its surprising push for a Champions League place. Manchester City marked Pep Guardiola's 500th game in charge by beating Leicester 2-0 but is still 14 points behind Liverpool having played a game more.LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Pittsburgh quarterback Eli Holstein was carted off the field and taken to a hospital with a left leg injury sustained while being sacked in the first quarter of Saturday's Atlantic Coast Conference game at Louisville. The redshirt freshman's left ankle was caught at an awkward angle beneath Louisville defensive end Ashton Gillotte's hip on a twisting tackle for a 4-yard loss at midfield. Panthers medical personnel rushed to Holstein's aid, with a cart arriving quickly on the field within minutes. Holstein’s leg was placed in a boot before he was helped onto the cart. He gave a thumbs-up to nearby teammates as he left the field to applause before being taken a hospital. Holstein started for the Panthers (7-3, 3-3 ACC) after missing last week’s 24-20 home loss to No. 17 Clemson with a head injury sustained in the previous game against Virginia while sliding at the end of a run. He left an Oct. 24 game against Syracuse after taking a hit, but returned against SMU the following week. Holstein completed 3 of 4 passes for 51 yards before being intercepted in the end zone by Louisville's Stanquan Clark on the game-opening possession. He was relieved by junior Nate Yarnell. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — Kyle McCord threw for a season-high 470 yards with two touchdowns to lead Syracuse to a 31-24 win over UConn on Saturday. The win gives the Orange (8-3) their first eight-win regular season since 2018, and third since 2000. McCord completed 37-of-47 passes for his first 400-yard game this season. He opened the game with a 77-yard touchdown drive, spanning two plays in 50 seconds. The touchdown came on a 22-yard pass to Oronde Gadsden. McCord broke Syracuse’s all-time record for single-season passing yards with 4:12 remaining in the first half. He needed 273 yards and three touchdowns to pass Ryan Nassib. UConn (7-4) will end its season without a Power Four win after staying within 10 points of the Orange for all 60 minutes. The Huskies have ended each of their four Power Four games within one score of their opponent. Huskies running back Cam Edwards led UConn on the ground with 87 rushing yards, including a 71-yard touchdown dash in the first quarter. Quarterback Joe Fagnano finished the game with 228 passing yards and two touchdowns. UConn: Linebacker Jayden McDonald recorded a second-best 12 tackles, including a sack and tackle-for-loss. McDonald was the one of three Huskies to reach McCord for a sack. Syracuse: Eight receivers caught passes, with three recording over 100 yards each. Wide receivers Darrell Gill Jr. (177 yards) and Jackson Meeks (110) and tight end Oronde Gadsden (103 and a touchdown) combined for 390 receiving yards. Syracuse had 540 total yards to UConn's 352. UConn: Visits Massachusetts on Saturday Syracuse: Hosts No. 11 Miami on Saturday — Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballJACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Josh Reynolds was ready for another change of scenery after getting shot in Denver in mid-October. The Jaguars (2-10) claimed Reynolds off waivers from the Broncos on Wednesday, adding the journeyman to help offset season-ending injuries to Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis. The 29-year-old Reynolds missed the last eight games, with the bulk of those coming after the shooting. “Yeah, man, one of them things I had rather put behind me,” Reynolds said following practice Friday, his first public comments since the incident. “But I mean anybody going through that, man, it is a crazy ordeal. But, hey, I’m here now. I’m in sunny Florida. I’m just blessed to be here.” Reynolds and another man were shot as they drove from a strip club in the early morning hours of Oct. 18, about the time the Broncos were returning from a 33-10 win at New Orleans. Denver police arrested two men in connection with the shooting, which involved at least 30 rounds getting fired into the vehicle carrying Reynolds and his companions. The men have been charged with six counts of attempted murder, assault and other felonies. Reynolds was shot once in his left arm and once in the back of his head. “Was tough for a few weeks, but I had a good support system behind me,” Reynolds said. “A lot of the organization over there was helping me out a lot, so they made it easier for me to kind of transition through that whole process.” His mom was there, too, taking off work to be with him on weekends. “She’s always been a big part of my life,” Reynolds said. “Always been in my corner whenever she can. It’s been awesome to have her traveling and just seeing her at my games, man. It’s awesome.” Reynolds has 12 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown this season. He has 232 catches for 3,116 yards and 20 scores in eight NFL seasons with the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit, Tennessee and Denver. He signed a two-year, $9 million contract with the Broncos in 2024. “You put on the tape, he’s obviously been in a couple of spots, and he’s been a guy that’s a bigger, taller, athletic receiver,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said. “Again, gives us depth where we’re obviously missing Christian and Gabe. Definitely gives us something that we can continue to develop that room, I think. “It helps us in the way that we’re trying to win these games. We’re trying to go out and play well, and he gives us an opportunity to do that. So, we’re excited to get him going a little bit and see how he can help.” The Jaguars play Sunday at Tennessee (3-9).
Long-suffering fans of the Dallas Cowboys could be forgiven for thinking that their season from hell couldn't possibly get any worse. Unfortunately, however, there is every chance that the iconic NFL franchise is still making its way to rock-bottom as they prepare to face the in-form Washington Commanders on Sunday. Record defeats, a miserable home losing streak and a season-ending injury to star quarterback Dak Prescott would have been bad enough. But on Monday, just to add to the impression of an organization engulfed by chaos, sections of metal sheeting from the roof of the AT&T Stadium plunged to the field before the team slumped to an abject 34-10 defeat to Houston. The jokes about the sky falling in on Dallas wrote themselves. Not for the first time, the franchise that likes to think of itself as "America's Team" had instead become America's punchline. But after the Cowboys latest loss, which virtually extinguished any chance of a ticket to the post-season, even the team's harshest critics began to take pity. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith, who regularly delights in trolling the Cowboys, insisted that the club's crisis was no laughing matter. "This is a horror show," Smith said solemnly on ESPN's 'First Take' program this week. "I like getting on the Cowboys fans, and I enjoy their misery. But they've stripped the fun out of this because of how god-awful they have been. I can't believe how bad they are." The Cowboys' fall from grace has been decades in the making. The team which dominated the NFL in the early part of the 1990s -- winning three Super Bowls in four seasons between 1993 and 1996 -- has not been back to the championship game since that golden era. Head coaches and quarterbacks have come and gone, and none have come close to returning the Cowboys to the pinnacle of the NFL, despite the team being ranked as the most valuable sports franchise in the world according to Forbes, with a valuation of $11 billion. The one constant during those decades of disappointment has been owner Jerry Jones, the Texas billionaire who bought the team in 1989. Jones, one of the NFL's most colorful and polarizing personalities, was at a loss to explain the team's current problems. "I don't know that there's anything beyond the obvious -- and that is we just aren't playing very well," Jones told reporters after Monday's home defeat to Houston. The Cowboys stat-line this season makes for grim reading. After opening the campaign with a 33-17 defeat of Cleveland, the wheels came off in a 44-19 home loss to the New Orleans Saints where Dallas' vaunted defense leaked a whopping six touchdowns. To date, the Saints have scored more touchdowns at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington this season than the Cowboys. Other brutal losses have followed, notably a 47-9 home shellacking by the Detroit Lions, and a 34-6 trouncing by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys, who are 3-7 in the NFC East, are the only team in North American professional sport who have not managed to win a game at home in 2024. There is every chance that Washington, led by their talented rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and expertly coached by former Dallas defensive guru Dan Quinn, will add to the Cowboys' woe when they host the Texas club on Sunday. It has left Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, who is in the final year of his contract, facing a bleak future. McCarthy put a defiant face on his team's problems as they attempt to somehow stop the bleeding. "We got seven losses. We've got to go. Backs against the wall. We got to fight, scratch, claw," McCarthy said. "We've got to do everything we can to go win the next game. That's where my mind's at." Jones, meanwhile, attempted to put a brave face on the team's season of woe, insisting he has seen worse. "You stay in this league long enough, you'll have times like this," the 82-year-old tycoon said. rcw/jsA case has been registered against the close aide of Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge , Raju Kapanur and five others in connection with hatching a conspiracy to kill BJP MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu and other leaders, police said on Sunday. The case was registered based on a suicide note by a civil contractor, Sachin Panchal, who had mentioned that the Congress leaders had connived to kill Mattimadu, Siddalinga Swami of Andola Math, BJP leaders Manikanth Rathod and Chandu Patil. ET Year-end Special Reads What kept India's stock market investors on toes in 2024? India's car race: How far EVs went in 2024 Investing in 2025: Six wealth management trends to watch out for Panchal, a contractor from Bidar, allegedly ended his life by lying down in front of an approaching train on Thursday. In his suicide note, he had accused Kapanur and his aides of making death threats. Meanwhile, the Bidar District-In Charge Minister, Eshwar Khandre, who holds the forest portfolio, visited Panchal's residence in Bhalki Taluk. As soon as the officials visited the house, the angry family members shouted at them to go away as they held them responsible for Panchal's death. 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"The government will ensure that justice is done, and the accused persons are punished. Government is with you," the minister told the inconsolable family members. Later, the minister announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the family members of Panchal. "I spoke to the family members who complained to me that the police refused to register a case. I have spoken to senior police officials. Action has been taken against a few policemen," he added. Khandre said the Government Railway Police (GRP) is probing the suicide case and the government would also consider handing over the investigation to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The BJP has taken the case seriously. It has demanded that the case should be handed over to the CBI. "The death note written by Panchal, a contractor from Bidar who committed suicide due to harassment by Minister @PriyankKharge's right-hand man, Raju, reveals alarming and serious information that he had given 'Supari' (contract killing) to kill our MLA Basavaraj Mattimadu, BJP leaders Chandu Patil, Manikantha Rathod and Andola Swami," the party's state president B Y Vijayendra said in a statement. Vijayendra and senior BJP functionaries on Sunday evening visited Panchal's residence and spoke to the family members. Priyank Kharge, who is the son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, hit out at the BJP for making baseless allegations against him and politicising Panchal's death. He said nowhere in Panchal's death note is his name mentioned, and added that there were financial transactions between Panchal and Kapanur which need to be investigated. Amid mounting pressure, Priyank Kharge met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his residence 'Cauvery' in Bengaluru. "Priyank Kharge had a discussion with the chief minister for about 10 minutes. The details of the discussion are not known," sources close to the minister told PTI. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
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The great National Hockey League contradiction of sports, celebration and politics is upon us. We have already begun the daily Alexander Ovechkin watch, the giant leap as he makes his way toward the career goal-scoring lead in hockey history. This all comes at a time when the league couldn’t — or wouldn’t — find a place for a Russian team in its major in-house tournament in February. It will be Ovechkin — yay — in the days and months to come, game by game, as he chases down Wayne Gretzky for a record none of us thought was possible. It will be Ovechkin — yay and Russia boo. All in the same convoluted sentence. All happening in a season in which Kirill Kaprizov of Minnesota and Nikita Kucherov of Tampa Bay are among the leading candidates for the Hart Trophy as the most valuable player in the NHL and the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin signing a contract making him the highest paid goaltender in hockey history. Russian hockey is alive and well, individually. But it’s not alive in any team concept internationally. Ovechkin has been a long-time supporter of Russian president Vladimir Putin. So has the Stanley Cup-winning goaltender, Sergei Bobrovsky, who was just named Russian athlete of the year. We like their hockey but don’t care much for their politics or the war that continues in Ukraine. Ovechkin has had an incredible run since entering the NHL in 2005. His 868 goals are 266 more than anyone who has played during his time. Sidney Crosby is second in goals at 602, as of Saturday. Steven Stamkos and another Russian, Evgeni Malkin, are the only others within 300 goals of Ovie’s totals. In Gretzky’s career, he finished 186 goals ahead of Mike Gartner, 281 and 284 ahead of Mario Lemieux and Mark Messier. Ovechkin, in his time, is individually more of a dominant goal-scorer than Gretzky was in his time. And there’s a certain discomfort that goes along with it all in current times. I can cheer for Ovechkin the hockey player, while at the same time feel disdain for his politics and those of his leader and country. Sports and politics mix, whether we want them to or not. Rarely are they as separate as they should be or as they seem right now while Ovechkin works his way to a mark that may never be equalled. There is nothing wrong with Mitch Marner that a playoff series against Detroit or Buffalo or Pittsburgh wouldn’t solve. Marner has 13 goals this season, 10 of them against teams that won’t be in the playoffs. He has six playoff goals in his past 37 playoff games ... Marner, having a terrific season, still ranks below Mikko Rantanen and Kucherov in scoring among right wingers ... The Florida Panthers’ second line has Sam Bennett centring Matthew Tkachuk and Carter Verhaeghe. Not sure anyone would relish playing against them in a best-of-seven series in April ... If Auston Matthews doesn’t play for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Americans will still have Jack Hughes, Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin at centre. But it becomes a tougher matchup, depending on what Canada does with Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid and Crosby as either their first three centres, or two of the top three with one of Crosby or MacKinnon going to the wing ... Nearing the halfway point of the NHL season, Cale Makar leads all defencemen in scoring. But he’s also been on the ice for 37 even-strength goals-against. That’s significantly more than Victor Hedman and Gustav Forsling with 24, and Darnell Nurse, if you can believe this one, at just 15 ... A Canadian network would be wise to snap up fired Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde for panel work, at least for the short term. Lalonde was sharp on TV in the playoffs between periods a few years back ... Outdoor hockey games are wonderful spectacles for the city in which they take place. But as a must-see TV event, they’ve kind of lost their way. I can’t imagine there are a lot of people waiting for this Chicago-St. Louis outdoor event ... When I first met Scott Arniel, he was playing left wing on a line in Winnipeg with Dale Hawerchuk and Paul MacLean. All three of them became coaches, and Arniel is now a coach of the year candidate in the NHL with the Jets ... The last talk I had with Hawerchuk was when he was coaching Barrie of the OHL. He was telling me all about his underrated centre, Mark Scheifele. He said NHL scouts had him rated too low and he was going to be a good one. The great Hawerchuk, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 57, was right on Scheifele. I had this conversation with a Blue Jays front office man after they traded Teoscar Hernandez to Seattle following the 2022 season. “Would you pay Teoscar $20 million a year?” I was asked. I said I would not. He said neither would the Jays. Since then, Hernandez has won a World Series in Los Angeles and has recently signed to remain with the Dodgers for the next three years at an average of $22 million a season. And the Jays remain in need of a power bat for the outfield. Which means two things: 1) Don’t expect financial advice from me; 2) don’t trust whatever financial advice you might get from the Blue Jays front office, either ... A question to ask yourself, Mr. Edward Rogers. How is it the Blue Jays keep offering more money for free agents, but aren’t signing any? What does that say about the perception of the franchise around Major League Baseball and those operating it? ... This has not been the best of years for shareholders of Bell or Rogers Communications, the former majority owners of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. Bell stock is down 36.5% on the year. Rogers stock is down 35%. Netflix stock, by the way, is up 85% on the year and 227% over the past two years ... This was Thursday in the NBA: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 45 points for Oklahoma City and teammate Lu Dort had 13 against Indiana. Meanwhile, Andrew Nembhard and Ben Mathurin combined for 41 for the Pacers. That’s 99 points scored by four Canadians in the same game. Not sure that’s ever happened before ... Some things in life don’t make sense: The Raptors are a better three-point shooting team on the road than the 24-5 first-place Thunder is ... Simon Benoit is hardly a sexy name among NHL defencemen, but few are on the ice as much as he is while being scored upon so infrequently. My favourite sporting things of 2024, in no particular order: The Paris Olympics; Paris itself; Roland Garros Stadium; everything that is Summer McIntosh ; the American League Championship Series; the Patrick Mahomes comeback in the Super Bowl; the Stanley Cup final, never mind the result; Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Vladdy Guerrero Jr.; the unlikely Argos; Matthews’ almost 70-goal season; Andre De Grasse and his 100-metre teammates in the 4 x100 relay at the Olympics; Team USA vs. Serbia in men’s basketball, the greatest game I’ve ever seen; Steph Curry ... Terrible time to be a sports fan in Chicago. The Bears stink. The Blackhawks stink. The White Sox stink. The Bulls aren’t any good. Not much to care about in one of the great sporting towns in America ... It’s wonderful for the hammer thrower Ethan Katzberg to be named The Canadian Press male athlete of the year. But I don’t quite understand how you can compare a hammer thrower — a singular event in athletics with a very small competitive field — with an NBA star such as Gilgeous-Alexander, who plays 82 games, plus playoffs. Or McDavid or MacKinnon, who played more than 100 NHL games in the calendar year ... The challenge for Leafs coach Craig Berube in the second half of the NHL season: Finding the right defensive partner for Morgan Rielly. He hasn’t had the right partner since Ron Hainsey was a Leaf ... First baseman Pete Alonso, a good player, not a great one, seems to be pricing himself out of the free-agent market in baseball. Even the high-priced Mets seem to be willing to walk away from Alonso ... Brendan Shanahan takes a lot of heat for his time running the Leafs, but consider this: Steve Yzerman is six years in as GM in Detroit, nowhere near the playoffs; Buffalo hasn’t made the playoffs in a lifetime. Shanahan missed the playoffs once, hasn’t missed since drafting Matthews ... Don’t know where Darko Rajakovic rates as an all-time coach — probably near the bottom — but his tantrum in Memphis the other night is an all-time unforgettable Raptors moment ... So many tough questions this time of year. What presents to keep, which to return, which games to watch when you’re not screaming about junior hockey. Are you watching the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl or the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl? ... And good luck to all those playing fantasy football championship games on Sunday. I started the wrong kicker two weeks ago. Cost me and my partner a title shot. There are four sound candidates for MVP in the NFL, although if you watch enough television these days, you would think there is only one: Josh Allen. It’s a quarterback’s job to produce wins and Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City have the most in the league. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson has combined yardage of 4,807 passing and rushing in Baltimore, which blows everyone else away. The giant Allen is unstoppable, having run for 11 touchdowns and passed for 3,549 yards with the Bills. And Saquon Barkley is in contention for all-time numbers as a running back, leading the Philadelphia Eagles. In any given year, any one of the four could, or should, be MVP. This year it will come down to Allen or Jackson, and a sound case could be made right now for either quarterback ... It drives me a little batty when I see Tkachuk or Steelers wide receiver George Pickens dangling or chewing on their mouthguard, rather than keeping it where it should be. We try to convince kids about the necessity of mouthguard usage. This kind of example doesn’t help ... Wonder how many owners in sports are paying attention to what the Suns are doing in Phoenix, charging $2 at concession stands for water, soda, hotdogs, and popcorn? A small popcorn at Cineplex is $9 now. And you wonder why people don’t go to movies anymore ... It’s highly possible that Cody Bellinger will be batting next to Giancarlo Stanton in the Yankees batting order this coming season. Bellinger, by the way, is married to Stanton’s old girlfriend ... The NBA was excited to have five million people watching games on Christmas Day on television, especially those up against NFL games on Netflix for the first time. But follow me here for a second: The U.S. is 10 times the size of Canada. A five-million-person audience in the U.S. is about half a million Canadians. By my translation, the NBA audience in the U.S. at Christmas is basically equal to the average CFL audience in Canada throughout the season ... Happy birthday to Ray Bourque (64), Myles Garrett (29), Bill Lee (78), George Parros (45), Julio Rodriguez (24), Sean Payton (61) Theo Epstein (51), Adam Vinatieri (52) and B.J. Ryan (49) ... And hey, whatever became of Jonathan Toews? ssimmons@postmedia.com twitter.com/simmonssteveSports on TV for Monday, Dec. 30
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NoneSHOPPERS have come across a mega Christmas deal at a popular discount chain with a price that blows rivals out of the water. With the Christmas countdown nearly upon us, Brits are taking to the shops to find the best deals and prices for their festive treats. 5 Home Bargains is selling the Milky Bar advent calendar for just 99p Credit: facebook/ExtremeCouponingAndBargainsUK 5 Shoppers have raved at the bargain price as other retailers charge up to £3 Credit: Alamy 5 The Milky Bar advent calendar has long been a kids' favourite for Christmas Credit: Getty Taking to Facebook, one shopper revealed how they found a Christmas staple for just 99p at Home Bargains. They shared the Milkybar advent calendar deal on the Facebook Group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK. "Found for 99p in Home Bargains I got 2," the delighted shopper wrote. "They also do a KitKat one for 99p I got 2 for my kids," another commented. read more on advent calendars Lovehoney launches 70% Black Friday discount on bestsellers like couples advent SAUCY! Heinz unveil £25 'saucemas' advent calendar with 12 full-size bottles of condiments "On our way," another excited shopper said in response to another post about the deal. The jaw-dropping deal beats the price of the advent calendar at rival stores by far. Here are some price comparisons: Aldi - £1.99 Morrisons - £2.50 Asda - £2.50 but a reward deal saw coupon holders get it for £1 Sainsbury's - £3.00 Ocado - Reduced from £3.00 to £2.50 until Tuesday. Most read in Money FESTIVE BEER Full list of Wetherspoons opening in Scotland on Xmas Day, is one near you? WINTER WONDERLAND First look inside award-winning Santa's Grotto just 20mins from Glasgow FARM LIFE Farm with Scotland's only lake up for sale LUXURY LIVING Scots tycoon smashes house sale record at neighbourhood loved by celebs Meanwhile, the clock is ticking on shoppers to bag another festive favourite - the Cadbury advent calendar. The Sun has done the work for you, exploring which supermarket is the cheapest to buy the popular chocolate treat this week. Costco is selling a 5ft tall giant advent calendar Much like the above price comparisons, Alid comes out as a winner with the best offer for the 24-piece milk chocolate calendar for just £1.46. But, those who buy the calendar directly from Cadbury will pay a whopping £3.29. Tesco offers the firm favourite for £1.50 with a Clubcard while Sainsbury's, Ocado, and Waitrose have their prices at £1.75. Prices tend to fluctuate a lot in the run-up to the festive period, so it's worth keeping a close eye on your local stores for new deals. If you want something with something a bit extra than just white or milk chocolate why not try the Terry Chocolate Orange calendar? Currently, the best place to go for that is Morrisons or Sainsbury's where is it £2.50. Or, if Malteasers are more your thing, Aldi again comes out on top with the price set at £2.04. For those still making up their minds, here is a review by The Sun of all of the classic supermarket chocolate calendars . Even if chocolate is not what you fancy, or you want something a little more warming to count down to Christmas there are several rum advent calendars available. Read more on the Scottish Sun FESTIVE FIZZ Coca-Cola Christmas truck in Scotland: Dates, locations & all you need to know AND RELAX Scots seaside hotel with outdoor hot tub and firepit named UK's top spa resort The Sun tested seven of this year's releases so you don't have to. Some calendars offer just 12 bottles while others do the full countdown. 5 The Home Bargains deal is also valid on the KitKat calendar (stock) 5 The Sun researched which supermarket is selling the Cadbury advent calendar for the best price this week Credit: Ocado If chocolate isn't your thing or you want something a bit more adult, there are several alcoholic advent calendars for sale this year Credit: Samantha PriestlyGamer girls levelling up as UK duo dominate at top esports tournament Mariam Mus at the inaugural Women's Esports Finals in London (Image: Will Ireland/PinPep ) Gamer women are levelling up as they overcome tough challenges to break down barriers and achieve success in the world of esports - a traditionally male-dominated space. Londoners Grete Lajal and Mariam Musa, both 30, are among the trailblazers, carving out a name for themselves in what has often been seen as a staunch boys' club. The pair's recent victory in the UK's first Women's Esports initiative, a partnership between Sky Broadband and Guild Esports and Gaming, highlights the opportunities emerging for women. And their success is testament to the growing impact women are having in esports. Mariam Musa (Image: PA ) The competition saw 15 finalists share a £50,000 prize pool, with the top two, Grete and Mariam, securing professional contracts. And it comes not a moment too soon; research shows a mere 5% of pro-gamers in the UK are women despite making up almost half (47%) of gamers in the country. Mariam, who streams under the name Futheda on the gaming platform Twitch, made her mark by winning the Football Eseries after bossing the field in EA Sports FC... Will Stone , Rhi Storer