
SHOPPERS could see an unexpected item in supermarkets this Christmas for the first time ever - and we've got the perfect festive recipe to celebrate it. Tesco, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencers earlier confirmed they will stock home-grown strawberries on their shelves this winter season. Strawberries are usually imported over winter due to economic and environmental reasons. But fruit suppliers have innovated new technology which will finally allow strawberries to be grown in the UK all year round. The Summer Berry Company, a supplier in West Sussex, will be growing the fruit 12 months a year and supplying supermarkets. This means that shoppers will be able to get their hands on the British strawberries this Christmas as an exciting new addition to their festive celebrations and desserts. Typically the British strawberry season runs from May to October, and are a familiar sight in summer commonly associated with the Wimbledon tennis tournament. And bosses at The Summer Berry Company have come up with a mouth-watering dessert that will be a showstopper for Christmas Dinner. They promise it will be "a beautiful centre piece to a party table and makes a lovely grazing platter". The pretty strawberry wreath takes just 20 minutes to prepare - and even better, there's no cooking involved. All you need is 600g of strawberries and 80g of dark, milk and white chocolate. First up, melt the different chocolates in separate bowls by placing in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring and returning for repeat 30 seconds slots until smooth and glossy. Next, line a baking tray with parchment or a reusable silicon sheet and arrange a selection of decorations - chopped nuts, desiccated coconut and candied orange peel - in separate bowls or plates. Dip whole strawberries into melted chocolate then sprinkle over a decoration and set aside on the baking tray to set. The Summer Berry Company team say: "You can vary your combinations of chocolate and decorations however you fancy." The strawberries usually set at room temperature within 10 minutes but you can also store them in a cool place until ready to serve. Finally, arrange a rough ring of greenery on a large platter or board in a circular shape, pile on the strawberries, adding in extra bits of green herb to decorate. Then simply add a big bow somewhere on the wreath to finish the effect.
Marqeta, Inc. Stockholder Alert: Robbins LLP Reminds Investors of the MQ Class Action Lawsuit
Drones are a constant part of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Drones are often small, fast, and cheap. They can give a fighter eyes on the battlefield or deliver death to their enemies. When someone shoots them down, you lose a machine and not a soldier. But they’re hard to shoot down and Russian soldiers are trying everything, including custom buckshot rounds for the AK-74 assault rifle. The DIY AK-74 buckshot started appearing on Russian Telegram channels that document the war earlier this year. The journalists at The Armourer’s Bench have put together a comprehensive look at the phenomenon . Drones are ubiquitous in the war between Russia and Ukraine and both sides recognize their significance. After years of importing the devices from outside, both have ramped up domestic production. On Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy claimed his country’s domestic production capacities could hit 4 million drones in 2025 . In September, Putin claimed that Russia had ramped up its 2024 production 10 times over 2023 . Defending against the machines is hard, but not impossible. The most effective method is jamming them. Pick the right frequency and the machines will simply drop out of the air. But the average soldier doesn’t have access to that kind of tech on the battlefield. What they do have, most of the time, is a gun. Using a rifle to shoot a drone out of the air is a nightmare. Soldiers have to stand still, take aim, and pray they hit the drone before it hits them. A shotgun is preferred because of the perception that the buckshot, which has a far wider spread than a traditional rifle round, can more easily hit and destroy a drone. But not everyone can get a shotgun on the battlefield. Russian soldiers on the ground in Ukraine have developed a unique workaround: custom buckshot rounds that fit in a standard AK-74 magazine. There are several different ways to make this happen. In a July Telegram video , a Russian soldier showed how to make the custom cartridge. First, they removed the projectile from a standard 5.45x39mm round. Then they poked several ball bearings into a wire insulation sleeve. When the sleeve was filled with seven or so ball bearings, he used a candle to heat up the sleeve and shrink it over the ball bearings. Then he inserted that into the shell casing, ran it over the candle again, and crimped it into place by hand. If this sounds like a bizarre and dangerous tactic, you’re right. The Armourer’s Bench noticed the July video but didn’t see anything else from Russian sources until November when there was a sudden explosion of activity around the technique. Throughout November and early December, the journalists tracked several Telegram channels that shared videos of both techniques for manufacturing the AK-74 buckshot rounds, and ways to improve their effectiveness. There’s even a video that claims to show a soldier shooting a drone from the sky using the rounds, though it looks staged and it’s impossible to know what rounds the soldier is firing from his rifle. AK-74s are not meant to fire rounds made from ball bearings and melted plastic. They’re reliable and sturdy rifles, but the balls and whatever’s holding them in the shell casing can leave residue behind in a rifle barrel when fired. That residue might throw off the next shot someone takes or it might cause the weapon to misfire. Homemade buckshot rounds for a rifle are an interesting battlefield innovation that speaks to the fear and desperation drones cause. There are hundreds of videos of FPV drones killing Russian soldiers online. Sometimes they drop grenades on them, other times they simply fly into their lines and explode. In one iconic video, a desperate Russian soldier takes several shots at incoming drones, misses, and throws his whole gun at the deadly machine. The gun struck true, even if the bullets didn’t and the drone exploded. Shotguns are the weapon of choice against drones, but the dark truth is that buckshot mostly doesn’t work . Even with a wide spread, it’s hard to hit a fast-moving target like a drone. The problem is so big that many companies have taken it on. There are several different versions of buckshot loaded with “nets,” the idea being that an even wider spread fired from the end of a shotgun can down an incoming drone. In the U.S., anyone can buy Skynet rounds . Thirty-nine bucks will buy you three custom shotgun rounds that expand into a net when fired. A Russian company is working on a similar shotgun round that’s akin to a bola . The aim is for the string to wrap around the propellers of a drone and knock it out of the air. In the U.S., a defense company backed by a16z is testing a more expensive solution to the problem. ZeroMark’s “ handheld Iron Dome ” seeks to convert a standard rifle into an autonomous machine that does the aiming for a soldier. ZeroMark’s tech consists of a bunch of rotors attached to the stock of a standard rifle and sensors on the barrel. A soldier who sees a drone bearing down on them would simply need to aim vaguely at the drone and let the machines do the rest. ZeroMark is betting a computer is better at tracking a fast-moving target than a human. It’s a more expensive attempt at keeping soldiers safe from drones, but no less ridiculous than stuffing ball bearings into an AK-74.PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer's use of its vintage sports logos and images. A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages on Wednesday over products made and sold by Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc., two firms co-founded by former minor league baseball player Chad Hartvigson. Penn State accused them of selling “counterfeit” clothing and accessories, while the defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with the university. At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, including Purdue, Stanford and UCLA, Penn State said in its 2021 lawsuit. However, the Penn State case was the first to go to trial and seen by some as a test case in the sports merchandising industry. “It addresses an important issue with trademark law — whether or not the mark owner is able to prevent third parties from using its marks on T-shirts and paraphernalia without permission,” said Tiffany Gehrke, a trademark lawyer in Chicago who was not involved in the case. Story continues below video The verdict, she said, maintains the status quo, while a victory for Vintage Brand “could have shaken things up.” It followed a six-day trial in federal court in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann. Defense lawyers declined to comment on the verdict and whether their clients planned to appeal. Penn State, in a statement, called its trademarks “critical” to the school's brand, and said it was grateful for the verdict. “The university appreciates this result as it relates to the many hundreds of licensees with whom the university works and who go through the appropriate processes to use Penn State’s trademarks," the statement said. Founded in 1855, Penn State adopted the Nittany Lion as its mascot in 1904 and has been using various images of the animal, along with the school's seal and other logos, for decades, the lawsuit said. The school now has more than 100,000 students at 24 campuses.
Booze bans in place as former mayor talks up Chryslers on the Murray
“I Wore my Heart on my Sleeve and Paid the Price’ Dylan Moran React to McKenna Defeat
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — De'Vondre Campbell's decision to quit on his team in the middle of a game overshadowed the bigger issues for the San Francisco 49ers. An offense that was one of the most dynamic in the NFL during a run to the Super Bowl last season has been just ordinary for most of 2024 and was downright bad in a 12-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night that just about ended San Francisco's playoff hopes. San Francisco (6-8) was held to its fewest yards (191) in a regular-season game in eight seasons under coach Kyle Shanahan and its fewest points since Shanahan's debut in 2017 on a rainy night that will be remembered mostly for Campbell walking off the field in the middle of the game with a towel draped over his head. The game also featured San Francisco going three-and-out on four drives as Brock Purdy struggled to connect with his receivers. Deebo Samuel dropped a potential touchdown pass after complaining earlier in the week about a lack of touches. Purdy then missed Ricky Pearsall on an underthrown deep shot in the fourth quarter before throwing an interception into the end zone that ended the Niners' comeback attempt. “I just feel like I had a lot of plays left out there that I could have made for our team,” Purdy said. “I thought the defense and special teams played so good. That’s what’s hurting me is I just feel like I failed the team. I could have been better for our offense and we could have put up more points.” Scoring has been an issue this season for the 49ers, who have been missing key playmakers like Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk for much of the season. San Francisco is scoring 8.5 fewer points per game on offense than the Niners did through 14 games last season. What’s working Red-zone defense. After allowing touchdowns on 13 consecutive red-zone drives over the previous four games, the 49ers kept the Rams out of the end zone on all three drives that went inside the 20. What needs help Receivers. The 49ers failed to get much production from their wide receivers with Purdy going 6 for 20 for 63 yards with an INT and a 19.4 rating when targeting wideouts. Samuel had 16 yards on seven targets with the key drop. Jauan Jennings had two drops and was the target on the interception. Pearsall had one catch for 16 yards on four targets. Stock up LB Dre Greenlaw returned for the first time since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season's Super Bowl. Greenlaw had eight tackles in the first half as he brought needed intensity and physical play that had been missing for much of the season. Stock down Campbell. The 49ers are deciding whether to waive or suspend Campbell, who lost his starting job when Greenlaw returned and then refused to play when he was needed. “His actions from the game just is not something you can do to your team or your teammates and still expect to be a part of our team,” Shanahan said. “We’re working through exactly the semantics of it right now, but we’ll handle the situation appropriately.” Injuries Greenlaw came out of the game feeling OK after leaving with soreness in his knee and Achilles tendon. He is day to day. ... S Ji’Ayir Brown (groin) and LB Dee Winters (neck) are also day to day. ... LT Trent Williams (ankle) is still trying to get back to play after missing the last four games. Shanahan said Williams' recovery has been "a lot slower than anticipated.” Key number 0 — The Niners didn't reach the red zone once all game, with their deepest penetration into Rams territory being when they reached the 27 on a third-quarter field goal drive. This marked the first time since Week 11 in 2010 that the 49ers didn't run a single play inside the opponent's 25. What’s next The 49ers visit Miami on Dec. 22. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL Josh Dubow, The Associated PressNone
Funding of horse and greyhound industries a hot topic among politicians in Premier Sports’ election debateEx-Rep. Anthony Weiner, Jailed for Sexting Child, Eyes Political Comeback in New York City Council
Study explores factors influencing acceptance of home-care robotsMIAMI — Lionel Messi completed his first full season with Inter Miami in Major League Soccer last month, and has spent the last year and a half as the sport’s greatest ambassador in the United States. It’s been everything MLS commissioner Don Garber has envisioned and more – outside of Inter Miami’s first-round playoff exit last month. Messi’s presence has helped elevate MLS on the world stage, and Inter Miami’s inclusion in the Club World Cup next summer will also help the league gain greater exposure it has already enjoyed since his arrival in July 2023. “I never expected it would be as big as it is,” Garber said Thursday during the FIFA Club World Cup group-stage draw. “We’re in the soccer, football business. When you’re here in the states, there are so many big stars. Unless you’re living in the world of football, it’s hard to imagine the overall appeal and the massive popularity and stardom that Leo Messi has. He is Michael Jackson, meeting Taylor Swift, and he’s playing in our league. “It exceeded my expectations,” Garber added about Messi. “I love what it’s done for MLS, and I hope Leo stays healthy and will stay in the league for a long time.” Just, how long? Messi is under contract with Inter Miami at least through the 2025 MLS season. Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas is working steadfast on a contract extension for the World Cup champion and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner . Mas hopes Messi is around when Inter Miami tentatively opens its new stadium, Miami Freedom Park , in 2026. Messi’s legion of fans worldwide, including those in his native Argentina, also hope he commits to playing in World Cup 2026. “I’ll be sitting with Leo at some point this offseason, and I’m optimistic as long as Leo Messi’s health holds up that we’ll be seeing him in pink,” Mas said of Messi. Messi and Inter Miami will play the opening match of the Club World Cup against Egyptian powerhouse Al Alhy at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on June 15, 2025. The tournament is one of five trophies Messi and Inter Miami could win next year, after their exit in the MLS Cup playoffs to Atlanta United last month. Garber downplayed Messi’s absence from the playoffs, which will end Saturday when the Los Angeles Galaxy host the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup final . “I think you have to play the games, and you have to win. They were the Supporters’ Shield winner and had more points than any team in the history of the league. But in our format, playoffs are tough. They had two games at home to win, and Atlanta really came on strong,” Garber said. “I think the playoffs have been great. We love the fact we can have upsets, and here we are with two great teams. I lean in and believe any team can win on any given day.” It’s been a busy week for Garber, who attended the stadium groundbreaking for New York City FC on Wednesday, the Club World Cup draw, and then will be in Los Angeles for the MLS Cup final. One thing Garber made sure to do during his time in South Florida was meet with Messi and his family. And he came away with one major reaction afterwards. “They seem very happy here – and that’s a good thing. ... That’s what it’s all about,” Garber said of Messi and his family. “Every now again, you take a step back. We have Leo Messi in our league, and I hope everybody really understands it because it is really special.”
Rolex ramps up SailGP backing as crews hit Dubai for new seasonNoneMore than 18,000 people expressed interest in standing as candidates in Mexico’s first ever judicial elections in 2025, the federal government announced Monday. Arturo Zaldívar, coordinator of policy and government in the administration led by President Claudia Sheinbaum, thanked 18,447 people for registering their interest in participating in the judicial elections scheduled to be held on June 1, 2025. Zaldívar, a former Supreme Court justice who resigned in late 2023 to join Sheinbaum’s presidential election campaign team , noted that the registrations were made on an “executive power” website. Mexico’s Congress and the judiciary also accepted registrations, as they — in addition to an “executive power” committee headed up by Zaldívar — will select candidates to contest the judicial elections. The Congress received more than 11,900 registrations while the judiciary received over 3,800. Some would-be judges likely submitted registrations to the federal executive, the Congress and the judiciary. A total of 881 judges, including nine Supreme Court justices, are set to be elected by popular vote next year. Mexico’s inaugural judicial elections will take place as a result of the enactment of a controversial judicial reform that was approved by Congress in September . Sheinbaum said that the registration process for judicial aspirants — which began on Nov. 5 and concluded at midnight Monday — was “a complete success.” “[It was] something unprecedented, historic,” she said. A second round of judicial elections is scheduled to be held in 2027. Critics of the judicial reform argue that the direct election of judges will politicize the judiciary, but Sheinabum and other government officials reject claims that Mexico’s courts will lose their independence. The president asserts that a judicial overhaul via the election of judges is necessary to eliminate corruption and other ills from Mexico’s justice system. Zaldívar said that 10,862 men, 6,101 women and 106 people who identify as nonbinary successfully registered their interest in contesting next year’s judicial elections. An additional 1,378 people made errors when submitting their registrations and will therefore not be considered by the executive’s candidate evaluation committee. Zaldivar said that 480 people “aspire” to become Supreme Court (SCJN) justices. But just 27 will ultimately be selected to contest the election to win one of nine positions on the bench of Mexico’s highest court. More than 10,000 people registered their interest in contesting federal district judge elections, while over 5,000 want to stand as candidates in circuit court elections. The remainder of those who registered on the federal government website want to become electoral judges or magistrates with the Judicial Discipline Tribunal. Minerva Martínez Garza, an academic and former president of the Nuevo León Human Rights Commission, is among those hoping to win a position on the SCJN. She told the Associated Press that the election of judges will help Mexico’s justice system overcome “the legitimacy crisis” it suffers. “We need a justice system that provides results,” Martínez said, adding that the recently-enacted judicial reform will help to eradicate corruption in the judiciary and favor a more rapid delivery of justice. “This change is profound,” she said. Sergio Méndez Silva, a legal official with the Fundación para la Justicia (Foundation for Justice), a Mexico City-based non-governmental organization, has a different view about the direct election of judges. “One doesn’t choose a doctor for an operation based on popularity,” he said, explaining that a surgeon is chosen because of his or her “technical knowledge, expertise and skill.” “... The same thing [should] apply for a judge,” Méndez said. He expressed concern about the makeup of the executive, congressional and judicial committees that will assess the qualifications and experience of those vying to become judges, asserting that people aligned with the ruling Morena party are among their members. Of the 11 current SCJN justices, just three — all of whom are widely seen as sympathetic to Morena’s agenda – intend to contest the 2025 judicial elections . Over the next three weeks, the federal executive’s candidate evaluation committee will look at the qualifications and experience of those who expressed interest in becoming judges to determine whether they comply with the “formal requirements,” Zaldívar said. Among the requirements are the following: Lawmakers had proposed setting a minimum age of 35 for judges but ultimately decided against that requirement. Zaldívar said that the executive’s evaluation committee will be looking for people who are “honest, qualified” and “committed” to delivering “the justice we all expect” as well as “building a better justice system.” “It’s clear that the one we have now doesn’t satisfy the yearnings and legitimate demands of the people of Mexico,” he said. Zaldívar said that the “most suitable” candidates will be selected by Dec. 14. Those “finalists” will participate in a public interview process after which some of them will be selected as candidates via sortition , or selection by lottery. The official said that the response from Mexico’s lawyers to the call to register as judicial election candidates was “amazing.” “The results are spectacular, they exceeded all expectations, which demonstrates the interest of the people of Mexico in this process,” he said. “... It’s a historic event because for the first time we’re going to elect judges in Mexico, it’s an event that will completely transform our democratic, social and political life,” Zaldívar said. With reports from Infobae , Reforma , El Financiero and AP
NoneThe AFLW trade period has come and gone and now the AFLW draft takes centre stage. Get all the latest AFL news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!! The 2024 Telstra AFLW Draft is almost upon us, with young guns ready to realise their footy dreams and AFL clubs ready to recruit the next wave of stars. From start times to a bidding system explainer, plus the biggest burning questions to which clubs could take the top prospects, here’s everything you need to know in our 2024 AFLW Draft Ultimate Guide ! WHEN IS THE 2024 AFLW DRAFT AND WHAT TIME WILL IT START? The 2024 AFLW national draft will be held on Monday December 16, with coverage beginning from 7pm AEDT. Every club must take at least two selections into the draft and last year’s draft saw 53 players find their way onto an AFLW list. You can follow the AFLW draft live on foxfooty.com.au with analysis of every pick and every club, along with Fox Footy’s social media channels. The draft can be viewed via AFL.com.au and the AFL Live Official App. HOW DOES THE AFLW DRAFT WORK? All 18 clubs earn draft picks, which are based on the reverse finishing order from the previous AFLW season. On draft night, the clubs select in order, adding the best young or mature-aged talent that aren’t already on AFLW lists. An exception is when bids on father-daughter and academy prospects that are linked to certain clubs are made. Those clubs can then choose to match those bids made by a rival club by using one of their own picks within 18 selections of the nomination. Last year, Sydney placed a bid on Lions academy product Evie Long at pick 15, but the Lions used their pick 20 to match it and secure Long’s services. HOW DOES THE AFLW DRAFT BIDDING SYSTEM WORK? Unlike in the men’s draft, where a Draft Value Index is used to allocate points to draft picks, the AFLW system is far less complex. Any club can place a bid on a northern academy or father-daughter selection, but the club tied to that player is required to match the bid with their own pick, within 18 selections. You’ll often see in the men’s draft that clubs can package up a host of later picks (that sometimes won’t be used) for a top end talent, but this formula for the women’s means that clubs will have to ‘pay’ something close to their ‘true’ value. WHO ARE THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE DRAFT? The term ‘super draft’ gets thrown around a lot in footy circles, but this one really is. Gippsland Power star Ash Centra is looming as the likely pick 1 selection which means she could be bound for Collingwood. Centra is extremely talented with strong skills and an elite footy IQ. You’d imagine she slots straight in at AFLW level. Gold Coast Academy prospect Havana Harris is also a top end talent. Harris can quite literally play anywhere on the ground given her power and strength. The West Australian duo of Zippy Fish and Molly O’Hehir are also in the mix to be top three picks on Monday night. Fish is zippy by name and nature and plays like Richmond champion Mon Conti, while O’Hehir is an eye-catching defender with her run and carry and intercept ability. India Rasheed, the daughter of tennis great Roger Rasheed also has claims as a top five selection, while Carlton father-daughter Sophie McKay will also be near the pointy end of the draft. McKay is the daughter of Blues great Andrew and sister of current Carlton midfielder Abbie. Vic Country pair Lucia Painter and Sara Howley have had consistent draft campaigns, while Poppy Scholz, the sister of Port Adelaide tall Matilda, has plenty of clubs interested. Western Jets midfielder Sierra Grieves won the National Championships MVP, Eastern Ranges product Grace Belloni is one of this year’s bolters and Vic Metro forward Emma McDonald is arguably the best key forward in the pool. Check out foxfooty.com.au’s top 20 prospects to find out more about some of the brightest talents this year. WHAT ARE THE BIG STORYLINES FOR THE DRAFT? Who are the Dees eyeing off with pick 2? Melbourne pulled the surprise of the AFLW Trade Period when they made a bold play to secure pick 2. The Dees landed picks 2 and 20 in a mega-deal involving six clubs, but parted ways with picks 10, 28, 46 and gun midfielder Lily Mithen. Mithen is widely regarded as a heart and soul player at the club, having played 82 AFLW games. She was also a crucial piece to their 2022 season seven flag triumph and won the Demons’ Trademark Player in 2019 and the Demon Spirit Award in 2023. So, who has caught the eye of Melbourne’s recruitment staff so much? All things considered, it looks extremely likely that Collingwood will take Ash Centra with pick 1 and the Suns will match a bid on Havana Harris early. That brings the Western Australian duo of Zippy Fish and Molly O’Hehir into calculations. Fish has been widely regarded as the top West Australian prospect in this year’s pool, but there’s been plenty of momentum coming late for O’Hehir. Earlier this week, Code Sports’ Eliza Reilly reported that both Melbourne and GWS (who have pick 3) had flown to Perth to interview O’Hehir. The two are very different players. Fish is a speedy midfielder in the mould of a Mon Conti, while O’Hehir is an intercepting rebound defender. Both would add plenty to Mick Stinear’s Melbourne side, it’s just a question of which way they will lean. The Dees’ next three picks are 20, 46 and 64 and they could no doubt add another star player to their list with those selections. If they settle on O’Hehir at 2, are they more likely to look for a midfielder at 20? Oakleigh Chargers midfielder Sarah Poustie would be right in the mix at that point, as would Swan Districts product Lily Paterson, South Australian Grace Martin and West Australian Claudia Wright. What will the Bombers do? Despite the off-season changes, the Bombers have a huge chance to cash in at the draft. The Dons lost defender Ash Van Loon to Sydney and livewire Amber Clarke to St Kilda, while forward Paige Scott has opted to delist themselves and nominate for the national draft. That’s three key players lost to coach Nat Wood’s side, so how do they replace them? They did add Giant Courtney Murphy, but they also delisted three others in Jacqui Vogt, Kodi Jacques and Lily-Rose Williamson. The Dons hold picks 8, 11, 39 and 35 at this year’s draft, which means a quartet of really quality players will be walking through the door at the Hangar. When Bonnie Toogood and Steph Wales went down with injury this year, Essendon’s key position depth was exposed. Vic Metro forward Emma McDonald is right in that range for their first two selections and is the best key forward in the pool. Learning from the likes of Toogood and veteran Sophie Alexander would be an ideal introduction to the big stage and McDonald could then lead the forward line for many years to come. South Australian Poppy Scholz and Dandenong Stingrays prospect Elli Symonds are two other names who would fit the bill as key position players but might take a little bit longer to make their mark on the big stage. The other priority for the Bombers is to add some forward flair to the mix after the departures of Clarke and Scott. India Rasheed would be a great acquisition, but it appears unlikely she’ll still be on the board, so the Dons could turn their attention to Eastern Ranges midfielder/forward Grace Belloni. Belloni has had a strong 2024 season and skyrocketed up draft boards to be a likely top 20 selection. Alternatively, adding another young midfielder to the mix to back up the likes of Maddi Prespakis and Georgia Nanscawen in time could also be a good idea. When will the bids come for father-daughter/academy stars? There are handful of young guns already tied to clubs. A bid for Gold Coast academy gun Havana Harris is likely to come in the top 3 and some clubs believe she is the best player in the pool. That would mean the Suns use their pick 19 to match a bid. Carlton father-daughter prospect Sophie McKay will likely receive a bid in the top 10, but the Blues will be desperately hoping it comes after pick 5. The Blues will hope to take a young gun at pick 5 and then use pick 23 to match a bid on McKay. If a bid for McKay comes within the top 5, the Blues would be forced to use that to match the bid. Collingwood has access to father-daughter prospect Violet Patterson, daughter of Stephen, who played 96 games for the club back in the 1990s. It is unclear when exactly a bid will fall for Patterson, but it will probably be between the pick 25-40 range. In an ideal world, the Pies land Centra at one, another talented player at 26 and then can use their pick 55 to match a bid for Patterson. The Suns also have access to Tara Harrington and Mia Salisbury who could draw bids in the top 30, while Heidi Talbot and Nyalli Milne are also a part of their academy. The Lions have access to a trio of academy prospects of their own, headlined by athletic tall Lilly Baker. Given the Lions’ success in recent times, they could stow away Baker to develop her and unleash her further down the track. The hard-running Kaiya Hides and midfielder Isabella McDonough are also tied to the Lions. In New South Wales, Sydney have claims on winger Emma Juneja, as well as Amelia Martin and Ellie Veerhuis. Across town at the GWS Giants, Ellie Hall, Ash Patton and Amelie Prosser-Shaw are all linked via their academy. Who could be the biggest bargain of the draft? There are bargains aplenty to be had on Monday night, in one of the deepest drafts the AFLW has ever seen. It really is a super draft, which means a player that falls outside of the top five may well have been a top three selection in years gone by. One of those could be Lucia Painter, who has been terrific at every level she has played this year. Painter came second in the Coates Talent League best and fairest and earned a second consecutive All-Australian nod with Vic Country in the National Championships. She is great aerially, strong at the coalface and is a good user of the ball. There’s also a world where the reigning National Championships best and fairest, Sierra Grieves, somehow slips outside the top 10. Grieves has won plenty of awards in 2024 but could slide outside the top 10 if clubs in that range choose to target key position players such as Emma McDonald or Poppy Scholz. Oakeligh Chargers midfielder Sarah Poustie is ultra-consistent and works hard both ways, while South Australian utility Charlotte Riggs also has plenty of admirers. Further down the line, a prospect like Daisy Flockart has plenty of upside, while players such as Elli Symonds and Claudia Wright could slide given their limited exposure and injury concerns this year. Where will Paige Scott land? The AFLW trade period’s biggest twist was that neither Emelia Yassir nor Paige Scott found their way to their desired landing places. Yassir had reportedly wanted a move to Essendon, but that trade never eventuated, leaving the livewire Tiger in limbo. AFL Media’s Riley Beveridge reported this week that Yassir is likely to pen a short-term extension at Richmond, tying her to Punt Road until the end of 2025. But Scott’s situation is a little bit different. Scott had sought a trade to the Tigers, but like Yassir, no deal was struck. According to AFL Media’s Riley Beveridge, Scott will now enter the national draft after delisting herself from Essendon. It is expected that Scott will make their way to Richmond at pick 31 and that there is “no animosity” between Scott and the Bombers. But could another club pull a draft shock and nab Scott before they get through to the Tigers? There’s no doubt there will be some nerves on Monday night. Elsewhere, Melbourne spearhead Tayla Harris was linked to a move to Hawthorn, but AFL Media reports she will accept a one-year extension from Melbourne. WHAT IS THE 2024 AFLW DRAFT ORDER? Note: The draft order is subject to change. ROUND ONE 1 Collingwood 2 Melbourne (received from Gold Coast in six-club trade) 3 GWS Giants 4 Sydney Swans 5 Carlton 6 West Coast Eagles 7 Western Bulldogs 8 Essendon (received from St Kilda in Amber Clarke trade) 9 Geelong Cats 10 Richmond (received from Melbourne in six-club trade) 11 Essendon 12 Adelaide (received from Richmond in six-club trade) 13 Fremantle 14 Hawthorn 15 Brisbane Lions (received from Port Adelaide in four-club trade) 16 Geelong (received from Adelaide in six-club trade) 17 Port Adelaide (Brisbane Lions in four-club trade) 18 Richmond (received from North Melbourne in Eilish Sheerin trade) ROUND TWO 19 Gold Coast (received from Collingwood in six-club trade) 20 Melbourne (received from Gold Coast in six-club trade) 21 GWS Giants 22 Hawthorn (received from Collingwood in Mattea Breed trade, Coll received from Geelong in six-club trade; Geel received from Sydney in Darcy Moloney trade) 23 Carlton 24 West Coast Eagles 25 Western Bulldogs 26 Collingwood (received from Hawthorn in Mattea Breed trade, Haw received from St Kilda in Charlotte Baskaran trade) 27 Gold Coast (received from Geelong in six-club trade) 28 Hawthorn (received from Collingwood in Mattea Breed trade, Coll received from Melbourne in six-club trade) 29 Essendon 30 Gold Coast (received from Richmond in six-club trade) 31 Richmond (received from Fremantle in pick swap) 32 St Kilda (received from Hawthorn in Charlotte Baskaran trade) 33 Port Adelaide 34 Fremantle (received from Richmond in pick swap, Rich received from Adelaide in six-club trade) 35 Essendon (received from Brisbane Lions in four-club trade) 36 North Melbourne ROUND THREE 37 Geelong (received from Collingwood in six-club trade) 38 Fremantle (received from Richmond in pick swap, Rich received from Gold Coast in six-club trade) 39 Brisbane Lions (received from Port Adelaide in four-club trade, PA received from Adelaide in Hannah Ewings trade, Adel received from GWS Giants in four-club trade) 40 Port Adelaide (received from Sydney Swans in four-club trade) 41 Gold Coast (received from Carlton in Tara Bohanna trade) 42 North Melbourne (received from West Coast in Liz McGrath trade) 43 Adelaide (received from Western Bulldogs in four-club trade) 44 Hawthorn (received from St Kilda in Charlotte Baskaran trade) 45 Carlton (received from Richmond in pick swaps trade, Rich received from Fremantle in pick swap, Frem received from Collingwood in Airlie Runnalls trade, Coll received from Geelong in six-club trade) 46 Gold Coast (received from Melbourne in Lily Mithen trade) 47 Port Adelaide (received from Essendon in four-club trade) 48 Western Bulldogs (received from Adelaide in four-club trade; originally received from Richmond in six-club trade) 49 North Melbourne (received from Sydney in Lulu Pullar trade, Syd received from Fremantle in Bella Smith trade) 50 Hawthorn 51 Fremantle (received from North Melbourne in Ariana Hetherington trade, NM received from Sydney in Lulu Pullar trade, Syd received from Port Adelaide in four-club trade) 52 GWS Giants (received from Adelaide Crows in three-club trade) 53 Port Adelaide (received from Brisbane Lions in four-club trade) 54 West Coast ROUND FOUR 55 Collingwood 56 Richmond (received from Carlton in pick swaps trade, Carl received from Gold Coast in Tara Bohanna trade) 57 St Kilda (received from GWS Giants in three-club trade) 58 Sydney Swans 59 Richmond (received from Carlton in pick swaps trade) 60 West Coast Eagles 61 Western Bulldogs 62 St Kilda 63 Geelong Cats 64 Melbourne 65 GWS (received from Essendon in Courtney Murphy trade) 66 Richmond 67 Fremantle 68 Hawthorn 69 Port Adelaide 70 Adelaide Crows 71 Brisbane Lions 72 North Melbourne ROUND FIVE 73 Collingwood 74 Gold Coast Suns 75 GWS Giants 76 Sydney Swans 77 Carlton 78 West Coast Eagles 79 Western Bulldogs 80 St Kilda 81 Geelong Cats 82 Melbourne 83 Essendon 84 Richmond 85 Fremantle 86 Hawthorn 87 Port Adelaide 88 Adelaide Crows 89 Brisbane Lions 90 North Melbourne ROUND SIX 91 Collingwood 92 Gold Coast Suns 93 GWS Giants 94 Sydney Swans 95 Carlton 96 West Coast Eagles 97 Western Bulldogs 98 St Kilda 99 Geelong Cats 100 Melbourne 101 Essendon 102 Richmond 103 Fremantle 104 Hawthorn 105 Port Adelaide 106 Adelaide Crows 107 Brisbane Lions 108 North Melbourne ROUND SEVEN 109 Collingwood 110 Gold Coast Suns 111 GWS Giants 112 Sydney Swans 113 Carlton 114 West Coast Eagles 115 Western Bulldogs 116 St Kilda 117 Geelong Cats 118 Melbourne 119 Essendon 120 Richmond 121 Fremantle 122 Hawthorn 123 Port Adelaide 124 Adelaide Crows 125 Brisbane Lions ROUND EIGHT 127 Collingwood 128 Gold Coast Suns 129 GWS Giants 130 Sydney Swans 131 Carlton 132 West Coast Eagles 133 Western Bulldogs 134 St Kilda 135 Geelong Cats 136 Melbourne 137 Essendon 138 Richmond 139 Fremantle 140 Hawthorn 141 Port Adelaide 142 Adelaide Crows 143 Brisbane Lions
Gaza: At least 12 Palestinians were killed and several others injured in Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian sources. Israeli aircraft targeted a house behind Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahia city in northern Gaza, local sources and eyewitnesses said on Thursday. The raid killed seven people and wounded several others, Palestinian Civil Defence spokesperson in Gaza Mahmoud Basal told Xinhua news agency. According to Basal, Israel launched another airstrike later on Thursday at a gathering of Palestinians in the Shuja’iyya neighbourhood, east of Gaza City, killing three and wounding five others with varying degrees of injuries, Xinhua news agency reported. Meanwhile, paramedics told Xinhua that medical workers recovered two bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli drone attack on a gathering in Khirbet al-Adas, north of Rafah city, in southern Gaza. The Israeli army has not commented on the attacks yet. Israel has been conducting a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on October 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and about 250 taken hostage. The Palestinian death toll from ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza has risen to 44,580, Gaza-based health authorities said in a statement on Thursday.Global stocks mostly fall ahead of ECB, US inflation data
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) plans to showcase the critically endangered Ceratocentron fesselii orchid on its new polymer banknotes, an initiative that aims to improve security features and promote conservation awareness. In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Dec. 10, the BSP revealed plans to release the First Philippine Polymer (FPP) Banknote Series in the first quarter of 2025, which will showcase the country's rich biodiversity. Ceratocentron fesselii , known for its vibrant orange flowers, is found only in Luzon and Negros. The BSP stated the new series will highlight various endemic flora and fauna, with Ceratocentron fesselii as one of its stars. In a social media post last week, the BSP teased the upcoming series with silhouettes of different animals, emphasizing its commitment to producing banknotes that are "smarter, cleaner, and stronger." The central bank said this initiative aims to promote national pride and underscore the importance of protecting the country's unique species. The BSP, however, assured the public that existing paper banknotes would remain in circulation alongside the new polymer notes. While the new designs are a departure from tradition, the BSP noted that the contributions of national heroes will always be recognized.Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info I’m A Celebrity fans have declared they’ve changed their minds about who they want to face the next Bushtucker trial. So far, radio presenter Dean McCullough has been the clear favourite to do the dreaded tasks in order to win food for the camp. Dean has done a whopping six trials so far - and has gradually earned more stars each time. In today’s episode (Monday 25 November), Dean earned ten out of 12 stars - which is a huge improvement from the two he earned on his first trial. Dean’s impressed fans so much, that they’ve decided not to vote for him for the next trial. On social media viewers seem to make a big U-turn and agree not to vote for Dean. One said: “Right Dean done well time to vote for someone else now #imaceleb”. Another added:“ #ImACeleb Im not the biggest fan of Dean, BUT GIVE THE MAN PROPS, HE DID AMAZING IN THAT TRIAL.” A third said: “Right, no more Dean doing trails now #ImACeleb". A fourth has already decided who they will vote for and commented: “Enough now. Vote Jane. She’s desperate to do one. #ImACeleb”. However there was still a few who wanted to see Dean on their screens again. One said: “I'm voting for Dean to beat his Personal best again tomorrow #ImACeleb #imacelebrity #imacelebrity2024 ”. Viewers have recently noted the tension between contestant Dean and presenter Ant McPartlin. Ant had been irritated when Dean called out ‘I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!’ ending two trials prematurely. Ant previously expressed his frustration with Dean on the spin-off show Unpacked, admitting he was "unprofessional". Referred to as "bad cop" by host Joel Dommett , Ant laughed it off and said, "Oh my God," referring to the fish guts, before adding: "I told you not to talk to me about it Sam." He said: "My annoyance came across on screen and it was unprofessional, and I am not happy about it. I will be kind to him today." During today’s trial, Jack and the Screamstalk, there was another moment between Dean and Ant. As Dean reached part of the challenge where he needed to put his hand in a box to find a star, Dec exclaimed: "Hello, number four", to which Dean shouted out, "Don't tell me", in reference to what is hidden inside. This prompts Ant to attempt to say "spiders", before he was cut off by Dec who gave him a stern look. Much to Dean's horror he screamed out: "What?" to which Dec replies: "Nothing, nothing", in a bid to defuse the situation, as Ant pulled a face.