I’m A Celeb’s Maura Higgins ‘100% walking’ as her campmates spot clue she’ll quit within daysHeisman Trophy finalist and two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter was named The Associated Press Big 12 defensive player of the year while also being a first-team selection at wide receiver on Thursday. Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders is the league's top offensive player. Kenny Dillingham, the 34-year-old in his second season at Arizona State, was the unanimous choice as Big 12 coach of the year after leading his alma mater to a championship and a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Sun Devils (11-2) went into their league debut as the preseason pick to finish last among the 16 teams. At cornerback, Hunter had 31 tackles, tied for the Big 12 lead with 11 pass breakups and was tied for second with four interceptions. On offense, he leads the Big 12 with 92 receptions and 14 receiving touchdowns, and is second with 1,152 yards receiving. His 21 catches of at least 20 yards are the most nationally. He is also the AP's player of the year. Sanders is the Big 12 passing leader, completing 337 of 454 passes (74.2%) for 3,926 yards and a school-record 35 touchdowns with eight interceptions for the Buffaloes (10-2) Arizona State freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is 11-1 as a starter, is the league’s top newcomer. The Michigan State transfer has 2,663 yards passing with 24 touchdowns and only five picks in 304 attempts. LAS VEGAS — Former Florida and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen has agreed to lead UNLV's 24th-ranked football program, two people with knowledge of the hire said Wednesday. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made. The 52-year-old Mullen replaces Barry Odom, who left for Purdue on Sunday after going 19-8 and helping the Rebels receive back-to-back bowl invitations for the first time in program history. UNLV will play California in the LA Bowl on Wednesday. UNLV athletic director Erick Harper wasted little time in finding Odom's replacement. Mullen, most recently an ESPN college football analyst, went 103-61 at Florida and Mississippi State. Rich Rodriguez is returning to West Virginia for a second stint as head coach at his alma mater. Athletic director Wren Baker announced the hiring on Thursday, 17 years after Rodriguez made a hasty exit for what became a disastrous three-year experiment at Michigan. “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez and his family back home,” Baker said in a statement. “Coach Rodriguez understands what it takes to win at West Virginia, and I believe he will pour his heart, soul and every ounce of his energy into our program. I am convinced Coach Rodriguez wants what is best for West Virginia, WVU and West Virginia football, and I am excited about the future of our program.” Rodriguez, who is the current coach at Jacksonville State, an architect of the spread offense and a polarizing figure in his home state, replaces Neal Brown, who was fired on Dec. 1 after going 37-35 in six seasons, including 6-6 this year. BRIEFLY BETS: Texas winning the national championship next month would be bad news for BetMGM Sportsbook. It would be similarly disappointing if Boise State, Indiana or Arizona State won the title. Texas has attracted a lot of money all season to go all the way. Those other schools provide the hope of a big payoff. The Longhorns are the co-favorite at BetMGM with No. 1 Oregon at 7-2 odds. The other three teams are least 40-1. FCS: The NCAA is taking its Football Championship Subdivision title game back to Tennessee. The FCS championship games at the end of the 2025 and 2026 seasons will be played in Nashville on the Vanderbilt campus. This season’s game will be played Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, which will host the game for a record 15th season in a row and was set for at least two more. OC: UCLA announced Tino Sunseri’s hiring as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Sunseri replaces Eric Bieniemy, who was fired on Dec. 5 after fielding one of the nation’s worst offenses this season. Sunseri spent one season as Indiana’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after following Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison. Get local news delivered to your inbox!Hisense, an electronics and home appliances brand, has announced a strategic partnership with Reliance resQ, the service arm of Reliance Retail, to enhance its after-sales service capabilities across India. This collaboration aims to revolutionize the customer experience by combining Hisense's cutting-edge technology with Reliance resQ's extensive service network and expertise. Key highlights of the partnership Faster service: Reduced turnaround times for installations and repairs, ensuring quicker resolution of customer issues. Enhanced service coverage: Access to Reliance resQ's vast network, covering over 19,000 pin codes across India, ensures wider reach and improved service accessibility in even the most remote locations. Improved efficiency: Leveraging Reliance resQ's technology infrastructure, including an integrated consumer app, engineer app, and workforce management system, will streamline service operations. Increased transparency: Greater visibility and transparency in service processes, providing customers with real-time updates and improved communication. Enhanced customer satisfaction: Focus on customer satisfaction through initiatives like extended service hours (10 AM to 10 PM), free pick-up and drop services, periodic product health check-ups, and ISO 9001 certified quality standards. Pankaj Rana, CEO of Hisense India, stated, "This partnership with Reliance resQ is a crucial step in our commitment to providing exceptional customer service. By combining their expertise with our innovative technology, we are creating a service ecosystem that prioritizes speed, transparency, and customer satisfaction." Looking ahead Hisense plans to launch the "Hisense Care Hub" in collaboration with Reliance resQ in 2025, a premium service platform designed to deliver personalized support and elevate the overall customer experience. This partnership underscores Hisense's commitment to expanding its market share in India through a strong focus on customer satisfaction and a robust service network. By leveraging Reliance resQ's expertise and its own innovative product portfolio, Hisense aims to establish itself as a leading player in the Indian consumer electronics and home appliances market.
Dynamis Capital PTE Ltd. has recently completed the acquisition of several ship financing transactions from Fleetscape Capital Ltd. (“Fleetscape”), a company owned by Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (“Oaktree”), for an undisclosed sum. As part of the transaction, Fredrik Ulstein and Kaizad Doctor, previously with Oaktree, have transitioned to lead Dynamis Management PTE Ltd.. Fleetscape was founded in 2017 by Oaktree as a provider of alternative capital solutions to the maritime industry. Dynamis Capital PTE Ltd. is a Singapore-based company, with subsidiaries that currently own more than 20 vessels across various segments. The company is committed to the ongoing leasing of commercial maritime vessels, with a particular focus on supporting ship operators who are actively engaged in the industry’s energy transition. Dynamis Capital is part of the Quantum Pacific Group, an international group of businesses that includes significant interests in a broad range of industries globally. Companies associated with the group hold significant interests in, among other holdings, international shipping, chemicals, power generation and sports. DNB Markets and Crédit Agricole served as advisors to Oaktree on the transaction.” Quantum Pacific has extensive experience in the ship leasing sector, which is a key component of its broader investment strategy. The company has been considering the creation of a standalone ship leasing platform for some time, and this initiative aligns perfectly with Oaktree’s sale process of Fleetscape We are eager to leverage the investment team’s expertise in maritime finance and its systematic investment processes, with a strong focus on analytics and downside protection Dynamis Capital’s strategy is closely aligned with that of Quantum Pacific and Eastern Pacific Shipping, particularly in actively contributing to the decarbonization of the maritime industry and addressing the growing demand for modern vessels equipped with green propulsion technology. “We are excited to embark on this new venture with Dynamis Capital and believe that Quantum Pacific is the perfect partner for this journey. By combining Fleetscape’s expertise in structuring bespoke financing solutions with Quantum Pacific’s proven track record in forging successful partnerships, we are confident that Dynamis Capital is well-positioned for success. Combining the acquired Fleetscape transactions with the existing leasing portfolio contributed by Quantum Pacific is a key step in scaling our operations, which is vital in our industry,” commented Fredrik Ulstein. “Dynamis Capital is an asset backed private credit platform offering superior risk adjusted returns with the added advantage of being de-correlated from the liquid investable segments. Dynamis Capital will operate as an independent entity under Quantum Pacific, but we see tremendous synergies across the broader platform. We plan to leverage their expertise and network to further strengthen the platform. Our ultimate goal is to become a leading, long-term provider of alternative financing solutions for the maritime industry,” added Kaizad Doctor. Guillaume Bayol, Managing Director at Oaktree, said: “Dynamis has acquired a leading platform led by an experienced team together with a high-quality loan portfolio with reputable customers. We wish Fredrik, Kaizad and the rest of the team the best as they embark on this new chapter.” Oaktree was advised by DNB Markets and Crédit Agricole in relation to the transaction. Source: Dynamis Capital PTE Ltd.
Defying ordinary decency, international law, and world opinion, Netanyahu destroyed much of civilian Gaza, decapitated the leadership of Hamas, and followed up with a parallel military campaign against Hezbollah, with civilian casualties in central Beirut. Critics warned that this was not only barbaric, but that it would spread Israel’s military far too thin. But for now, Netanyahu’s strategy has worked. A much-weakened Hezbollah has agreed to a 60-day cease-fire, largely dictated by Israel. The always fragile government of Lebanon, which views Hezbollah as an interloper that draws Israeli fire, has gratefully gone along. None of this is any thanks to Joe Biden, who supplied weapons, bleated about the need for Israeli restraint, and was totally rolled by Netanyahu. At home, Netanyahu is more popular than ever. The Israeli pro-peace left is all but wiped out. Israeli democracy is a shambles. Illegal annexations and brutalities in the occupied West Bank continue. And one way or other, given his popularity and willingness to defy the rules, Netanyahu is very likely beat the criminal charges against him. Remind you of anybody? This is an era when autocrats can isolate opponents, undermine democracy, be as brutal as the need to, and get away with it. Putin, Trump, and Netanyahu are variations on the theme. But what comes next for Israel? Unlike Russia and the United States, Israel is a tiny country surrounded by a sea of hostile nations. Netanyahu’s bet is that the deep hostility of the Sunni Muslim states, notably Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, toward Shiite Iran and its proxies in Hamas and Hezbollah will allow for some kind of regional settlement. The devil, of course, is in the details. The irony is that it now falls to Trump to bring the deal home and restrain some of Israel’s more outlandish fantasies, such as making full-scale war on Iran or taking over Gaza. , “They [the Palestinians] never took advantage of it. You know, as a developer, it could be the most beautiful place — the weather, the water, the whole thing, the climate. It could be so beautiful... it could be one of the best places in the world.” Some restraint. Under Trump’s first term, one of the few concrete achievements were the so-called Abraham Accords of 2020, the first step toward normalization of relations between Israel and some of the smaller Muslim nations in the region, such as the Emirates and Bahrain. Saudi Arabia, the key to a larger regional deal, was not included. Now, Saudi terms for a settlement with Israel will be even more far-reaching. The Saudi leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), is said to want nuclear technology and other advanced weapons as part of the deal. The idea of the Saudis as a counterweight to Iran is complicated by the fact that last year Saudi Arabia normalized relations with Iran. as saying, that they “have to live with Trump for only four years but with Iran for one thousand years.” There is also the question of who will rebuild Gaza, who will pay the cost, and The Saudis could write the check, but it’s a non-starter for Israel to do the rebuilding, and the idea of a “reconstituted Palestinian Authority” strikes many knowledgeable people as a fantasy. In principle, some interim multinational governing authority under the aegis of the UN might work, but Trump is totally hostile to the UN and friendly to the idea of Israeli developing Gaza as beachfront property. In Trump’s first term, as , his foreign policy advisers restrained his more grandiose fantasies. This time, Beinart writes, “He has begun assembling even more extreme supporters of a ‘greater Israel’ that would extend from the river to the sea: Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, UN Ambassador Elise Stefanik, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.” In short, Bibi may win this round militarily and save his own skin, but Israel is further away from real security than ever. And Trump, far from promoting a durable peace, is likely to further inflame the region.