DENVER -- So you're the most valuable player of that annual Thanksgiving Day backyard flag football game. Or played tackle football on any level. Or ran track. Or dabbled in basketball. Or toyed with any sport, really. Well, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's “America’s Got Talent” meets “American Idol,” with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it’s never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at “Dream Team” status given the men’s side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023 . The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. “We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport,” said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. “We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world.” Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores . “Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That’s something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok , the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado’s two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. “If a receiver is running around, I’m thinking, ‘OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,’” Daniels explained. “They’re like, ‘No, you can’t.’ I’m just like, ‘So I’m supposed to let this guy just run?!’ I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn.” The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. “I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. “I’m not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, ‘I played NFL football for five years. I’m popular. I have a huge name.’ I’m still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise.” Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It’s his way of working on avoiding a “defender” trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. “You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the ‘Redeem Team’ led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, ‘That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. “Everybody thinks, ‘Yeah, the U.S. just wins,’” Daniels said. “But we work hard all the time. We don’t just walk in. We don’t just get off the bus thinking, ‘We’re going to beat people.’” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
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Percentages: FG 35.714, FT .606. 3-Point Goals: 8-20, .400 (Ayrault 2-6, Hallock 2-4, Hampton 2-2, Tate 1-2, Shumate 1-4, Kimball 0-1, Simmons 0-1) Blocked Shots: 6 (Ayrault 4, Hallock 1, Simmons 1) Turnovers: 11 (Tate 4, Hallock 1, Hampton 1, Kimball 1, Simmons 1, Sotelo 1, VanSlooten 1, Team 1) Steals: 10 (Hallock 2, Hampton 2, Simmons 2, Ayrault 1, Blair 1, Kimball 1, Tate 1) Technical Fouls: 2 (Tate 1, Team 1) Percentages: FG 40.678, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 8-22, .364 (Suarez 3-7, Twidale 3-8, Krimili 2-7) Blocked Shots: 8 (Abigor 3, Onyiah 2, Suarez 2, Williams 1) Turnovers: 20 (Suarez 6, Williams 4, Krimili 3, Twidale 3, Abigor 1, Donez 1, Maul 1, Onyiah 1) Steals: 4 (Williams 2, Ackerman 1, Onyiah 1) Technical Fouls: 1 (Krimili 1) A_325 Officials_Juchell Wardlow, Scott Osborne, Benny LunaBy ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The congressionally mandated agreement allows transition aides to work with federal agencies and access non-public information and gives a green light to government workers to talk to the transition team. But Trump has declined to sign a separate agreement with the General Services Administration that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts, in part because it would require that the president-elect limit contributions to $5,000 and reveal who is donating to his transition effort. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in ensuring an orderly transfer of power at noon on Inauguration Day, and lays the groundwork for the White House and government agencies to begin to share details on ongoing programs, operations and threats. It limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without briefings and documents from the outgoing administration. As part of the agreement with the White House, Trump’s team will have to publicly disclose its ethics plan for the transition operation and make a commitment to uphold it, the White House said. Transition aides must sign statements that they have no financial positions that could pose a conflict of interest before they receive access to non-public federal information. Biden himself raised the agreement with Trump when they met in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, according to the White House, and Trump indicated that his team was working to get it signed. Trump chief of staff-designate Susie Wiles met with Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients at the White House on Nov. 19 and other senior officials in part to discuss remaining holdups, while lawyers for the two sides have spoken more than a half-dozen times in recent days to finalize the agreement. “Like President Biden said to the American people from the Rose Garden and directly to President-elect Trump, he is committed to an orderly transition,” said White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma. “President-elect Trump and his team will be in seat on January 20 at 12 pm – and they will immediately be responsible for a range of domestic and global challenges, foreseen and unforeseen. A smooth transition is critical to the safety and security of the American people who are counting on their leaders to be responsible and prepared.” Without the signed agreement, Biden administration officials were restricted in what they could share with the incoming team. Trump national security adviser-designate Rep. Mike Waltz met recently with Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, but the outgoing team was limited in what it could discuss. “We are doing everything that we can to effect a professional and an orderly transition,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “And we continue to urge the incoming team to take the steps that are necessary to be able to facilitate that on their end as well.” “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power,” said Wiles in a statement. The Trump transition team says it would disclose its donors to the public and would not take foreign donations. A separate agreement with the Department of Justice to coordinate background checks for vetting and security clearances is still being actively worked on and could be signed quickly now that the White House agreement is signed. The agency has teams of investigators standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers once that document is signed. That would clear the way for transition aides and future administration appointees and nominees to begin accessing classified information before Trump takes office. Some Trump aides may hold active clearances from his first term in office or other government roles, but others will need new clearances to access classified data. Trump’s team on Friday formally told the GSA that they would not utilize the government office space blocks from the White House reserved for their use, or government email accounts, phones and computers during the transition. The White House said it does not agree with Trump’s decision to forgo support from the GSA, but is working on alternate ways to get Trump appointees the information they need without jeopardizing national security. Federal agencies are receiving guidance on Tuesday on how to share sensitive information with the Trump team without jeopardizing national security or non-public information. For instance, agencies may require in-person meetings and document reviews since the Trump team has declined to shift to using secure phones and computers. For unclassified information, agencies may ask Trump transition staff to attest that they are taking basic safeguards, like using two-factor authentication on their accounts.
KABUL (AFP): When Zainab Ferozi saw Afghan women struggling to feed their families after Taliban authorities took power, she took matters into her own hands and poured her savings into starting a business. Two-and-a-half years after putting 20,000 Afghanis ($300) earned from teaching sewing classes into a carpet weaving enterprise, she now employs around a dozen women who lost their jobs or who had to abandon their education due to Taliban government rules. Through her business in the western province of Herat, the 39-year-old also “covers all the household expenses” of her family of six, she told AFP from her office where samples of brightly coloured and exquisitely woven rugs and bags are displayed. Her husband, a labourer, cannot find work in one of the poorest countries in the world. Ferozi is one of many women who have launched small businesses in the past three years to meet their own needs and support other Afghan women, whose employment sharply declined after the Taliban took power in 2021. Before the Taliban takeover, women made up 26 percent of public sector workers, a figure that “has effectively decreased to zero”, according to UN Women. Girls and women have also been banned from secondary schools and universities under restrictions the UN has described as “gender apartheid”. Touba Zahid, a 28-year-old mother-of-one, started making jams and pickles in the small basement of her home in the capital Kabul after she was forced to stop her university education. “I came into the world of business... to create job opportunities for women so they can have an income that at least covers their immediate needs,” Zahid said. Half a dozen of her employees, wearing long white coats, were busy jarring jams and pickles labelled “Mom’s delicious homecooking”. Growing number of businesses While women may be making the stock, running the shops in Afghanistan remains mostly a man’s job. Saleswomen like Zahid “cannot go to the bazaar to promote and sell their products” themselves, said Fariba Noori, chairwoman of the Afghanistan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AWCCI). Another issue for Afghan businesswomen is the need for a “mahram” — a male family member chaperone — to accompany them to other cities or provinces to purchase raw materials, said Noori. After 40 years of successive conflicts, many Afghan women have been widowed and lost many male relatives. Despite these challenges, the number of businesses registered with AWCCI has increased since the Taliban takeover, according to Noori. The number went “from 600 big companies to 10,000” mainly small, home-based businesses and a few bigger companies, said Noori, herself a businesswoman for 12 years. “I am proud of every woman who is giving a hand to another woman to help her become independent,” said the 26-year-old. Though businesses like Mohammadi’s are a lifeline, the salaries ranging from 5,000 to 13,000 Afghanis, cannot cover all costs and many women are still stalked by economic hardship. Qamar Qasimi, who lost her job as a beautician after the Taliban authorities banned beauty salons in 2023, said that even with her salary she and her husband struggle to pay rent and feed their family of eight. “When I worked in the beauty salon, we could earn 3,000-7,000 Afghanis for styling one bride, but here we get 5,000 per month,” said the 24-year-old. “It’s not comparable but I have no other choice,” she added, the room around her full of women chatting as they worked at 30 looms. Women-only spaces The closure of beauty salons was not only a financial blow, but also removed key spaces for women to socialise. Zohra Gonish decided to open a restaurant to create a women-only space in northeastern Badakhshan province. “Women can come here and relax,” said the 20-year-old entrepreneur. “We wanted the staff to be women so that the women customers can feel comfortable here.” But starting her business in 2022, aged 18 was not easy in a country where the labour force participation for women is 10 times lower than the world average, according to the World Bank. It took Gonish a week to convince her father to support her. Aside from helping their families and having space to socialise, some women said work has given them a sense of purpose. Sumaya Ahmadi, 15, joined Ferozi’s carpet company to help her parents after she had to leave school and became “very depressed”. “(Now) I’m very happy and I no longer have any mental health problems. I’m happier and I feel better.” The work has also given her a new goal: to help her two brothers build their futures. “Because schools’ doors are closed to girls, I work instead of my brothers so they can study and do something with their lives.”
AP Business SummaryBrief at 1:32 p.m. EST
Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ:BTDR) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume – Here’s WhyMikael Backlund was first to suggest that this season could follow a familiar script. And now, as the Calgary Flames hit the quarter-mark of the 2024-25 campaign, it seems that the captain may have been onto something. It was a decade ago that the ‘Find-A-Way Flames,’ underestimated by just about everybody, earned a surprise playoff berth and then managed to advance to the second round. Even before the puck dropped this fall, Backlund had a hunch that this current crew could also exceed all external expectations. So far, so good. Back in 2014-15, the Flames posted a 12-6-2 record in their first 20 games. This edition is 11-6-3 at that same juncture, just one point off that pace. They’ll be shooting for their fourth straight victory in Saturday’s matinee matchup with the Minnesota Wild at the Saddledome (2 p.m. MT, Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). “I just felt like we had some good vibes here, and I felt like we had a better team than people gave us credit for going into this season,” Backlund said, explaining that initial comparison. “And I felt like if we got off to a good start, just like we did in ’14-15, then we could have a good year even though nobody believed in us at all and we could surprise a lot of people. “I think that’s what we have done so far. That’s what we have to keep doing.” While this current cast doesn’t rely on the stretch pass, while they don’t necessarily have a candidate to accept the Lady Byng Trophy in sock feet, we can’t ignore the similarities. Especially with their knack for the third-period comeback, you’re already hearing references to the ‘Find-A-Way Flames 2.0.’ Here are five ways that they are taking us on a skate down memory lane ... FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATIC Let’s start with the most obvious comparison. The 2014-15 Flames simply couldn’t be counted out, and their fans quickly learned that they couldn’t change the channel until the final buzzer. That bunch, coached by Bob Hartley, pulled off 11 victories when trailing at the second intermission. Ryan Huska’s squad has shown a similar blend of belief and resilience. That started on opening night of the new campaign, when they spotted the Vancouver Canucks a three-goal lead, only to storm back for a 6-5 overtime victory. Six weeks into this season, the Flames have already been credited with four third-period comeback wins, tied for tops in the NHL in that stat category. They are outscoring their opponents by a 27-17 count in final frames, a huge part of the reason they are sitting in second spot in the Pacific Division standings despite having played only 230:50 with the lead, the third-lowest total of time ahead of any team on the circuit. PUCK-STOPPING PLATOON The 2014-15 Flames didn’t have a clear-cut go-to goalie, and that didn’t seem to be a problem. Jonas Hiller was tapped for 44 starts that winter and Karri Ramo logged 32, and they continued to share the twine-minding duties in the playoffs. The C of Red is clamouring to see more and more of Dustin Wolf — after all, who doesn’t love to howl? — but this current crease share seems to be bringing out the best in both of their masked men. Wolf is off to such a stellar start that he is being billed as a Calder Trophy frontrunner, while Dan Vladar has also been stringing together sharpies. Wolf and Vladar have combined for a sparkling .942 save percentage in even-strength scenarios, the best mark of any tandem in the league. THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT Part of the reason the Flames were so darn fun to watch in 2014-15 was the emergence of Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan, a couple of kid linemates who filled both the score-sheet and the seats at the Saddledome. (RIP, Johnny.) This current squad doesn’t necessarily feature a budding superstar, which is what Gaudreau was, but they are trusting up-and-comers to in several prominent roles. The three youngest dudes on the active roster are Matt Coronato, Connor Zary and Wolf. Coronato, who turned 22 earlier this month, is tied for the team lead with six goals. Zary is now auditioning at centre on what could be considered Calgary’s top line, and the 23-year-old notched the game-winner in Thursday’s 3-2 triumph over the New York Rangers. Wolf is also 23 and if this was springtime, we’d probably be talking about him as the presumed playoff starter. SHOOTOUT SURPRISE One of the most memorable moments of the 2014-15 campaign was a gorgeous shootout goal by depth defenceman David Schlemko. He had been plucked off waivers just days before that eighth-round eye-popper against the Boston Bruins. While that occurred in the month of the March, the 2024-25 Flames have already discovered their under-the-radar shootout ace. Justin Kirkland has been one of the best stories in the NHL this fall, and the journeyman forward is nails in the breakaway competition. ‘Costco’ has two shootout-ending snipes so far, having clinched victories over the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders. The 28-year-old Kirkland hasn’t tried ‘The Schlemko’ yet — he has his own signature move that seems to be working wonders — but there’s still time for that. MIKAEL BACKLUND There’s only one roster holdover from 2014-15, and that would be the gent who first tried to tip us off that we could be treated to some deja vu this season. If you followed that inaugural edition of the ‘Find-A-Way Flames,’ you will remember a reliable centre who handled tough defensive matchups, played significant minutes on the penalty-kill and chipped in with some clutch offensive contributions. Sound familiar? Backlund now has a ‘C’ stitched on his sweater — Mark Giordano was the captain back then — and 1,000-plus games on his resume, but he is certainly not showing any signs of slowing down at 35. In fact, he is averaging more icetime than any other Flames forward. wgilbertson@postmedia.com
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — One of the most prominent figures from Canada's trucker protests against COVID-19 restrictions in 2022 has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order. A judge ruled Friday that Pat King was guilty on one count each of mischief, counseling others to commit mischief and counseling others to obstruct police. He was also found guilty on two counts of disobeying a court order. He could face up to 10 years in prison. Hundreds, sometimes thousands, of protesters clogged the streets of the capital, Ottawa, and besieged Parliament Hill for three weeks in early 2022, demonstrating against vaccine mandates for truckers and other precautions and condemning Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government. Members of the self-styled Freedom Convoy also blockaded U.S.-Canada border crossings in protest. The prosecution alleged King was a protest leader who was instrumental to the disruption in Ottawa. The prosecution alleged King coordinated the repeated bouts of honking, ordering the protesters to lay on the horn every 30 minutes for 10 minutes at a time, and told people to “hold the line” when he was aware that police and the city had asked the truckers to leave. The prosecution's case relied mainly on King’s own videos, which he posted to social media throughout the protest to document the demonstration and communicate with those taking part. King’s lawyers argued that he was peacefully protesting and was not one of the demonstration's leaders. King was found not guilty on three counts of intimidation and one count of obstructing police himself. The truckers' convoy gridlocked downtown streets around Parliament Hill, with area residents complaining about the fumes from diesel engines running non-stop, and unrelenting noise from constant the honking of horns and music from parties. Trudeau's government ultimately invoked the Emergencies Act to try and bring an end to the protests. Ottawa Police brought in hundreds of officers from forces across Canada. The protests were first aimed at a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers. They eventually encompassed fury over COVID-19 restrictions and dislike of Trudeau, reflecting the spread of disinformation in Canada and simmering populist and right-wing anger. The Freedom Convoy shook Canada’s reputation for civility, inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands and interrupted economic trade. For almost a week the busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit was blocked. It carries more than 25% of trade between the countries, who are each other's largest trading partners.
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