
Defense is often described as the backbone of a successful basketball team. A strong defensive strategy can disrupt the opponent's offense, create turnovers, and generate fast-break opportunities. It requires discipline, communication, and a relentless pursuit of the ball. By encouraging Liu to be more aggressive on defense, the head coach is instilling a defensive mindset not only in him but also in the entire team. Liu's ability to pressure the opposing players, contest shots, and secure rebounds can make a significant difference in the team's defensive efficiency.A 34-year-old female pitcher has broken through baseball’s gender barrier by signing with an independent men’s league team, becoming the first woman to play Canadian pro baseball. “The Toronto Maple Leafs are honoured to announce the signing of Ayami Sato, one of the best pitchers in the world, who will make history as the first woman to play professional baseball in Canada! ” the Maple Leafs announced on social media. Sato will take the mound for Toronto when the new Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) season kicks off in May. The right-hander will try to improve on the 17-25 record the Maple Leafs finished with earlier this year. Sato previously led Japan to five Women’s Baseball World Cup titles between 2010 and 2018 and is arguably the top female pitcher on the planet. She led Japan’s Women’s Baseball League in strikeouts in three of its last four seasons before operations were suspended in 2021, according to the CBC. Sato called signing with the Maple Leafs “a dream come true.” She’ll join a roster that includes former professional players from the U.S as well as top-tier athletes from the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. The terms of Sato’s contract were not reported.
Pakistan’s cricket star Babar Azam has once again ascended to the top of the ICC Men’s ODI Rankings, reclaiming the No 1 spot with 809 rating points, as per the latest update released by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Babar Azam’s return to the top comes after a dominant run of performances, reaffirming his position as one of the world’s premier batsmen. Following him in the rankings are India’s Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli, who occupy the second, third, and fourth spots, respectively. Ireland’s Harry Tector rounds off the top five. Meanwhile, in the bowling rankings, Shaheen Afridi has dropped one place to settle at No 2. No other Pakistani bowler is currently in the top 10, with Haris Rauf slipping two places to No 15. Separately, India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has regained the top spot in the ICC Men’s Test Bowling Rankings after leading his team to a resounding 295-run victory over Australia in the first match of their ICC World Test Championship series in Perth. Bumrah’s hauls of five for 30 and three for 42 have helped him overtake Josh Hazlewood and Kagiso Rabada and reach a career-best 883 rating points, the highest rating points tally ever by an India seam bowler. Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin (904) and Ravindra Jadeja (899) are the only bowlers from India to record higher point tallies. This is the third time that Bumrah has been top of the rankings this year. He was top ranked for two one-month stretches each starting in February and October. India’s huge victory in the first of five Tests is reflected in gains for several other players including centurions Yashasvi Jaiswal and Virat Kohli. Opener Jaiswal has overtaken Harry Brook and Kane Williamson to reach a career-best second position after top-scoring in Perth with 161 in the second innings while Kohli’s unbeaten 100 has lifted him nine spots to 13th position after being outside the top 20 batters for the first time in 10 years. KL Rahul has advanced from 60th to 49th position and Nitish Kumar Reddy has entered the batting rankings in 74th position while Mohammad Siraj has moved up three spots to 25th position in the bowling rankings. Australia batter Travis Head is back in the top 10 after notching a fighting 89 in the second innings while Alex Carey (up one place to 39th among batters) and Mitchell Marsh (up 10 places to 68th among bowlers) are among others to progress after their performances in Perth. Steve Smith, who could only manage zero and 17, has slid down to seventh place, his lowest position since December 2014. Players from the West Indies too have gained in the latest weekly update after their 201-run victory in the first Test against Bangladesh at North Sound. Batter Alick Athanaze has moved up 18 places to 62nd position after scores of 90 and 42 while Justin Greaves (up 43 places to 81st) and Mikyle Louis (up 25 places to joint-86th) have also gained. West Indies seamers Jayden Seales (up three places to a career-best 11th), Kemar Roach (up four places to 17th) and Alzarri Joseph (up three places to 29th) have all been rewarded for their efforts in Antigua. For Bangladesh, Liton Das and Mominul Haque have inched up a slot each to 32nd and 47th positions, respectively, in the batting rankings while fast bowler Taskin Ahmed’s second innings haul of six for 64 has lifted him from 67th to 51st position. In the ODI bowling rankings, Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan has regained the top spot after Shaheen Shah Afridi was rested by Pakistan for their Zimbabwe tour. Pakistan opener Saim Ayub’s 62-ball 113 not out has lifted him 80 places to 90th position in the ODI batting rankings. India’s victory in the Perth Test sees the two-time finalists once again reach the top of the ICC World Test Championship table with 61.11 percentage points. Australia are back in second position with 57.69 percentage points.Despite his ambition, Gabia was quick to emphasize that he holds the utmost respect for the current captain of AC Milan. "I have learned so much from our current captain," he said. "His leadership, experience, and guidance have been invaluable to me as a young player. I believe that we all have a role to play within the team, and I am committed to supporting our captain in any way that I can."In a shocking turn of events, the local police have reported an incident where an ambulance was obstructed by a vehicle owned by a prominent factory, leading to delays in emergency medical assistance. The owner of the obstructing vehicle has been detained by authorities for obstructing public services and displaying a serious lack of regard for human life.
As the countdown to the release of "Moonlight Knock!" begins, anticipation is running high among fans and industry insiders alike. The film's clever humor, engaging storyline, and stellar performances are expected to make it a standout hit in the comedy genre and cement the reputation of Fei Xiang, Ma Dongxi, and Song Xiaobao as some of the most talented and beloved comedians in China.
Yoon Seok-youl, a prominent figure in South Korea's legal and political spheres, has been at the center of a major controversy surrounding allegations of abuse of power and interference in judicial proceedings. The decision to arrest him was met with mixed reactions, with his supporters viewing it as a politically motivated attack to undermine his efforts to root out corruption, while his critics argue that it is necessary to uphold the rule of law and restore public trust in the judicial system.he sexual assault allegations against rapper could affect the musical plans of his wife , who is scheduled to perform at the game between the , as well as her 2025 tour. According to , the 43-year-old singer may change her plans following accusations against her husband, for allegedly being involved in the abuse of a 13-year-old girl at an after-party at the in on September 7, 2000, along with , where an anonymous female celebrity was also said to be present. "Bey and Jay are one of the most dominant power couples in the world, so even though the claim has nothing to do with her, her name had already been dragged into online speculation," a source told , adding that "The plan was for Beyonce to perform a new song during her Christmas Day halftime show before kicking off a new era," plus the music diva is about to announce her third act of the three-album saga and a stadium tour in 2025. Jay-Z claims to be victim of blackmail Rapper is facing accusations of sexually assaulting a woman when she was a minor, and the singer called the lawsuit an attempt at "extortion." According to , asked a federal judge to have the plaintiff reveal her identity, in addition to saying he was the victim of a campaign to extort him and force him to pay "an exorbitant sum of money." "What (Buzbee) had calculated is that the nature of these accusations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle. Quite the opposite! It has made me want to expose him as the fraud that he is in the most public way possible. So no, I WILL NOT GIVE HIM A SINGLE PENNY!" said the rapper, who lamented the impact this accusation may have on his family. 's lawyer filed court papers asking a judge to require his accuser, who is only identified as , to reveal her identity if she wishes to proceed with the lawsuit. added that the accusing party has not provided any evidence to justify its anonymity and that its does not comply with the law with its "vague claims of potential harm are far from meeting the strict requirements".AV girls outlast Bismarck in early-season showdown
Furthermore, the implementation of supportive housing market regulations has also been instrumental in driving the resurgence of the real estate sector. Measures such as simplifying the process of property purchase, streamlining approval procedures for real estate development projects, and enhancing transparency in real estate transactions have instilled confidence in both buyers and sellers. These regulatory reforms have created a more efficient and reliable real estate market, thereby attracting more investments and driving the overall growth of the industry.Jurrien Timber and William Saliba struck in the second half from set-pieces. Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim hailed Arsenal as one of the best set-piece teams he has ever faced following the 2-0 defeat at Arsenal. The Gunners took two points out of Liverpool’s lead at the summit of the Premier League after Jurrien Timber and William Saliba struck in the second half – both from corners – to condemn Amorim to his first defeat as United boss. The hosts’ second-half strikes took their goals-from-corners tally to 22 since the start of last season – a statistic that is unmatched by any other team in the division. Asked if Arsenal are one of the best teams he has come up against on corners, Amorim replied: “If you follow the Premier League for a long time you can see that. “They are also big players and you see every occasion when (Gabriel) Martinelli and (Bukayo) Saka have one-on-ones, a lot of times they go outside and they cross, and they know that if the cross goes well, they can score, and if it is a corner they can score, too, so we have to be better on that. “You have seen in all Arsenal games that every team have had problems with that (corners). And the difference today was the set-pieces. “You see a goal and then the momentum changed, and it is really hard for us to take the full control of the game after that.” Timber leaned into Rasmus Hojlund at the front post before diverting Declan Rice’s set-piece into the back of Andre Onana’s net after 54 minutes to send Arsenal into the lead. Thomas Partey’s header from Saka’s corner then deflected in off Saliba’s shoulder with 17 minutes left. Arteta and the club’s set-piece guru Nicolas Jover embraced on the touchline as Amorim was left with his head in his hands. The Arsenal supporters cheered raucously every time they won a corner – landing 13 in all without reply. However, Arteta moved to play down the significance of Arsenal’s set-piece threat. “We need that, but we want to be very dangerous and very effective from every angle and every phase of play,” said Arteta. “Today we could have scored from open play like we did against West Ham and Sporting. Last year we scored the most goals in the history of this football club. “Not because of only set-pieces, but because of a lot of things that we have. We want to create individual and magic moments, too.” Arsenal’s win against United – the first time they have recorded four victories in a row against the Red Devils in the league – was their fourth in succession since the international break. They will head to Fulham on Sunday bidding to keep the momentum going. Arteta continued: “The will to win is there. We try our best to do that. We won four in a row, but it doesn’t matter. We have to go to Fulham now, try to be better than them and try win the game. “It’s every three days that we play. It’s a crazy schedule. We’re going to need everybody and to mentally be very strong.”Even with access to blockbuster obesity drugs, some people don't lose weight
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Real Madrid gets a 3-2 win against Atalanta but Mbappé had to walk out injuredJayud Global Logistics Regains Compliance with Nasdaq’s Minimum Bid Price Requirement
For some fans, Son's gesture was seen as a statement of Tottenham's dominance and confidence on the pitch. By literally taking down the corner flag, Son was symbolically declaring that Spurs have other strategies and tactics to secure victories, not just relying on set pieces like corner kicks. This interpretation aligns with Tottenham's reputation for playing attractive, attacking football under manager Antonio Conte.Warren Buffett's Berkshire hits near six month high
In the end, she knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, she would face them with the same courage and determination that had carried her through the desperate hours of that unforgettable day. And as she looked out the window at the city beyond, she whispered a silent prayer of gratitude for the precious gift of life and the unbreakable bond between a daughter and her father.Police, prosecutors disagree on Criminal Code release ‘mandate’Offshore wind turbines face higher wind speeds than onshore turbines and face strong ocean currents, requiring more robust designs and significantly higher capital costs. While they generate more energy due to stronger winds, these increased costs result in a higher levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The HIPERWIND project has developed new design simulation models that reduce the LCOE by up to 9%, thus making offshore wind turbine construction and operation more cost-effective and reliable. This year, reached a cumulative installation capacity of 1TW. The capacity is expected to grow up to 10TW by 2050. On this scale, reducing costs by 9% is monumental. "HIPERWIND set out to achieve a significant reduction in the LCOE by understanding how to deal with uncertainties in the wind turbine design modeling chain," says Project Coordinator Nikolay Dimitrov from DTU Wind. "We examined how to quantify and identify various uncertainties, ranging from environmental conditions to loads and wind turbine reliability. With this information, we focused on reducing material use by better understanding model performance and reducing uncertainty. This approach helped minimize material use and lower energy costs. This methodology has demonstrated the feasibility of designing more efficient systems." At the core of HIPERWIND is managing uncertainties. Uncertainties translate into higher safety margins, adding materials to components, shorter maintenance cycles, and increases in the cost of financing wind farms. Uncertainty management is consequently a driver in reducing costs and risk—thereby improving the production reliability and, ultimately, the value of offshore wind. Game changer "HIPERWIND could be a game changer," Clément Jacquet from EPRI Europe says. "We delivered a significant reduction of the LCOE of up to 9%—and even 10% is achievable if we consider the most optimistic case we have. In the least optimistic case, the reduction will still be 5%." EPRI assessed the impact of HIPERWIND technologies on LCOE, requiring both a holistic approach and a detailed analysis of offshore wind farm costs. This work resulted in a new, adaptable framework that EPRI will use in future projects to improve the economic efficiency of both onshore and . The project used a real-world case study involving the Teesside offshore wind farm off the coast of England, owned by project partner EDF. Data and models specific to the wind farm were used to identify and quantify turbine tower and foundation design uncertainties. The team then assessed whether the improved knowledge could reduce costs if the wind farm were rebuilt. HIPERWIND thereby demonstrated that using less material in turbine construction can reduce upfront costs (capital expenditure), which make up about 30% of the overall cost of energy. Additional cost reductions were achieved by scheduling maintenance during low energy price periods, boosting both cost savings and operational efficiency. Exploitation Leveraging the measured data and advanced physics-based and data-driven models, this management and reduction philosophy was applied throughout the offshore wind turbine design modeling chain—and beyond. IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN) is also already applying HIPERWIND results, improving chain modeling by accurately quantifying wind turbine fatigue loads. "The project has produced some significant reliability design procedures that are market-ready and thereby go beyond the research domain," explains Martin Guiton from IFPEN. "Taking uncertainties into account, we obtain a reduction of 21% of the mass of the wind turbine structure, which is a lot." Likewise, ETH Zurich is now using these methodologies not just to solve wind-related problems but also earthquake-related problems, such as the seismic fragility of buildings in complex environments and the design of high-rise buildings under random wind excitation. "The project required us to develop a new methodology from scratch to handle uncertainties in high-dimensional inputs and responses," says Senior Scientist Stefano Marelli, Chair of Risk, Safety and Uncertainty Quantification at ETH Zürich. "Our work on surrogate modeling techniques, which accelerated algorithm development and enabled cross-partner collaboration, proved to be successful."
Liverpool's interest in Havertz comes as no surprise, given his exceptional talent and versatility on the pitch. With the departure of key midfielders in recent seasons, Liverpool's pursuit of Havertz seemed like a strategic move to fortify their midfield and maintain their competitive edge in the Premier League and European competitions. The offer of £110 million reflected their determination to secure the services of the young star and potentially reshape their midfield dynamics.
The spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, in a press conference held earlier today, emphasized that China has always maintained a clear stance on the Hong Kong issue - that it is an internal matter that should not be meddled with by external forces. The spokesperson also reiterated China's firm commitment to safeguarding its sovereignty, security, and development interests.Title: "Breakthrough in Speed: JHU Proposes Groundbreaking Innovation with 1000x Faster Performance"