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Opinion piece By Dan Walsh – Sports Reporter (Sydney Morning Herald) Coming to an NRL franchise not so near you – Port Moresby, to be precise – will be a whiteboard. The interminable expansion talks and reports will finally culminate in a Papua New Guinean NRL side being announced this week. Now the fun begins. And the whiteboard mapping out the all-important 2028 roster becomes the most important item in the planned Port Moresby centre of excellence. Real-life fantasy football, with real-life recruiting challenges never before seen in the NRL, starts now – albeit with a four-year burn until a side has to be put on the paddock. With little appetite for the politics, false starts and grandstanding of what is no doubt a historic move, we put our general manager’s cap on and get into the nitty-gritty of creating a 30-man roster, with lessons and theories gleaned from the successes and failures of previous expansion outfits and the men who built them. The PNG plan, variables and non-negotiables The priority signing Sam Walker, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Xavier Coates and Spencer Leniu are our targets. Chief playmaker, bona fide star, another with Papua New Guinean roots and a leading front-rower. Before his passing in 2021, inaugural Western Reds coach and career-recruiter Peter Mulholland subscribed to two marquee players – “who you might have to pay 10-15 per cent more than the rest of your players” and “two quality props at least” as the ideal club building blocks. Nathan Cleary is the prized target but we just can’t see him leaving Penrith. So Walker is our scrumbase star and will be paid accordingly – we’re banking on the half a million dollars saved on tax sweetening our deal for the Roosters No.7. Tabuai-Fidow, still just 23, is the type of player who can light up a nation, and has emerged as the Dolphins’ own marquee man after the last expansion club missed out on a string of signing targets. If $2.4 million across Tabuai-Fidow and Walker is too much of an outlay, emerging Titans fullback Keano Kini is our back-up target. Coates – born in Port Moresby and a Kumuls international – brings the local connection and ability to shift to centre, while Leniu will be 28 in 2028 and coming into his prime as a front-rower. The prospect of the NSW Origin enforcer strutting, huffing, puffing and coming off the back fence in PNG is one we just can’t resist, and we’re tipping the locals will be of the same mind. Just as Tabuai-Fidow has helped the Dolphins capture the imagination, our quartet of star signings are nothing if not entertainers. Make PNG everyone else’s second-favourite side with magic and madness, we say. What’s the point of fantasy football otherwise? The roster breakdown, local boys and philosophy Rising Dolphins star Max Plath may well be a Queensland Origin regular by the time PNG is up and running, but the 23-year-old represents utility value and salary cap savings. Plath is our pick at hooker with the ability to shift to lock, and with Storm middle Josh King offering similar cover in the front-row, you’re adding more value and cover for one roster position. Accordingly, mid-tier players like Kayal Iro, Kaeo Weekes, Connor Tracey and Erin Clark are among our wider roster targets. Most NRL clubs spend big on their frontline playmakers – in our case Walker and Storm half Jonah Pezet – while their back-ups sit in roster spots 20-30. Cowboys rookie Jaxon Purdue is our pick given he will still only be 23 in 2028, while hooker is where we see real value in Papua New Guinea’s own emerging talent. Kumuls livewire No.9 Edwin Ipape will be familiar to some fans already, and has the likes of Judah Rimbu (the 2024 Queensland Cup player of the year) and schoolboy Finley Glare following in his footsteps. Most NRL squads feature half a dozen or so players aged between 19-23, and picking schoolboys and teenagers to emerge in four years time is a task beyond us, especially when they’d be moving to compound life in Port Morseby. Rising Titans prop Josiah Pahulu – currently agitating to leave the club after missing out on a bonus payment – is one 20-year-old worth building a middle rotation around in four years time. Roughly a third of NRL salary caps (at least $3.5 million by 2027/28) is spent on the big boys, and we’re hoping a front-row/middle market stagnated by lost development years due to COVID-19 has sped up again. The likes of Brisbane’s Xavier Willison, Rabbitoh Davvy Moale, Pahulu and Wests Tigers’ Fonua Pole will be in their mid-20s by 2028, though we’re thinking we can only afford one out Willison and Pole (both off-contract at the end of 2027). Notable off-contract players at the end of 2027 Fullbacks: Jahream Bula, Scott Drinkwater, Clint Gutherson, Isaiah Iongi, Kalyn Ponga, Chevy Stewart, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Sunia Turuva Outside backs: Campbell Graham, Jacob Kiraz, Junior Pauga, Brian To’o, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Dominic Young, Jack Wighton, Latrell Mitchell, Paul Alamoti, Bradman Best, Jack Bostock, Stephen Crichton, Jack Howarth, Valentine Holmes, Tolu Koula Halves and hookers: Luke Brooks, Matt Burton, Latu Fainu, Cameron Munster, Jayden Sullivan, Kaeo Weekes, Nathan Cleary, Lewis Dodd, Ethan Sanders. Sam Walker, Mitchell Woods, Max Plath, Wayde Egan, Peter Mamouzelos Forwards: Spencer Leniu, Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Josh Aloiai, Tom Flegler, Moeaki Fotuaika, Royce Hunt, Moses Leota, Terrell May, Daniel Saifiti, Jacob Saifiti, Alex Twal, De La Salle Va’a, Stenao Utoikamanu, Xavier Willison, Jai Arrow, Mitch Barnett, J’maine Hopgood, Corey Horsburgh, Max King, Fonua Pole, Victor Radley, Jason Taumalolo, Connor Watson, Isaah Yeo.Edge forwards: Ryan Couchman, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, Jackson Ford, Jeremiah Nanai, Eliese Katoa, Ethan Bullemor, Coen Hess, Dylan Lucas, Matty Nicholson, Liam Martin, Isaiah Papali’i, Briton Nikora, Brendan Piakura, Jacob Preston, Jordan Riki, Hudson Young, Ben Trbojevic. North Queensland’s Griffin Neame is also on our radar. So too late-blooming Storm prop Lazarus Vaalepu, who debuted this year at 25, and young Papua New Guinean middles Cooper Bai (son of Storm cult hero Marcus) and Kafe Renson. The coach and a culture club The first and most important call of all is the man pulling it all together. Current Kumuls coach Jason Demetriou and predecessor Justin Holbrook are two obvious contenders, while Wayne Bennett will be 78, but off-contract at least, before PNG even take the paddock. Ex-Eels coach Brad Arthur is another with credentials to take up an expansion side, though a potential Perth posting is in his sights, too. Either way, the Dolphins made a point of targeting Melbourne’s vaunted playing stocks to fill key leadership positions, with the Bromwich brothers and Felise Kaufusi instrumental in their first two seasons.The photos captured Elly in various poses, each highlighting her natural beauty and chic sense of fashion. Her outfit choice of a white t-shirt, hoodie, and short skirt was simple yet sophisticated, reflecting her youthful charm and modern style. The white t-shirt hugged her trim figure, accentuating her curves, while the hoodie added a touch of casual coolness to the ensemble. Paired with a trendy short skirt, the overall look was both trendy and effortlessly chic.
No matter how you slice it, the Chicago Cubs were one of the most disappointing teams of 2024. Improved play in the second half enabled a winning record and a second-place finish in the NL Central, but the Cubs finished six games out of a wild-card spot and a whopping 10 games behind the rival Brewers. At this time a year ago — before our collective focus shifted to star players such as Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto — the baseball industry was in shock following the Cubs’ ultra-aggressive maneuver to hire manager Craig Counsell away from Milwaukee with a five-year, $40 million deal, the largest contract ever given to a big-league skipper. That Milwaukee then ran away with the division while the Cubs were stuck in the mud for much of Counsell’s first season at the helm only made Chicago’s uninspiring campaign that much more frustrating. The Cubs have not reached the postseason since Jed Hoyer assumed the top front office role after Theo Epstein departed following the 2020 season, and they haven't won a postseason game since 2017. Considering the talent on the roster and the massive commitment made to Counsell, such shortcomings can be tolerated for only so much longer. This organization must find a way to reestablish itself as a legitimate contender in the National League, and quickly. Here are the five biggest questions facing the Cubs this winter. “Anytime a really good player decides to stay with you, that's good news,” Hoyer this month after Bellinger’s decision to pass on another round of free agency and pick up his player option to stay with the Cubs for $27.5 million in 2025. “It mostly just gives us clarity,” he added. “Now we know what our roster looks like, and now we can go about building a team. Before that, there was some uncertainty.” Hoyer’s sentiment is reasonable on its face and an understandable one to share publicly. But there are two issues. For one, Bellinger’s second season in Chicago brought into question just how good of a player he actually is. Bellinger practically reinvented himself as a hitter in his first year with the Cubs in 2023, drastically cutting down on his strikeouts in favor of a more high-contact approach. While he kept the strikeouts down in 2024, he provided far less power, with his SLG% dropping nearly 100 points, bringing his overall offensive contributions closer to league average. Arguably more pressing here is Bellinger’s fit defensively, as the two positions he has been known for playing brilliantly in his career — first base and center field — are occupied in Chicago by two ascendant core pieces in Michael Busch and Pete Crow-Armstrong. That means Bellinger currently projects as Chicago’s every-day right fielder, with Seiya Suzuki shifting to more of a primary DH role. While Suzuki’s bat is certainly good enough to produce like a high-level DH, Bellinger — especially at his salary — as strictly a right fielder is notably less appealing, particularly if his power production remains middling at best. Combine these two factors, and it’s unsurprising that Ken Rosenthal earlier this week that the Cubs are trying to trade Bellinger but are having a tough time doing so, due to both his uncertain outlook as a hitter and his contract status. Bellinger has another player option for $25M in 2026 that he could pick up next winter if he delivers another mediocre campaign, so committing to two more years of this lesser version of him is probably a tough pill for potential suitors to swallow. All of this might keep his trade value at a suboptimal level, to the point that dealing him away isn’t worth more than moving forward with him as the every-day right fielder and hoping he rediscovers some power production. Another way to look at Bellinger’s decision to opt in is how it might’ve impacted Chicago’s willingness to spend in free agency this winter. Which brings us to our next question ... On a recent , ESPN insider Jeff Passan mentioned that the sense in the industry is that the Cubs to be playing in the deepest waters of free agency this winter. Whether that is directly related to having Bellinger back in the fold at a significant salary number is undetermined, but even with Bellinger, the Cubs’ payroll is currently well below $200 million, — nowhere near the $241 million competitive balance tax line that most big-market behemoths have flirted with or blasted past in recent years. There is unquestionably room for another big-ticket addition in Chicago without needing to pay the luxury tax, if ownership demonstrates an appetite for it, but it remains to be seen if such an appetite exists. Early indications out of Boston — another massive market that has been more conservative with spending in recent years — portray a Red Sox team after several consecutive underwhelming seasons. One could argue that the Cubs should be acting in a similar fashion, considering their roster and recent history, but that’s not exactly the tone we’ve seen thus far. However, we’re still in the earliest stages of the offseason, and things can change quickly. If the Cubs are going to spend more than we currently anticipate, it seems likely that something will be done to address the pitching staff. On that note ... Should the Cubs’ brass wake up someday soon with the ambition to chase , a pursuit of Corbin Burnes, Max Fried or Blake Snell would make plenty of sense — not to mention a run at Roki Sasaki, . But the Cubs proved last year with the smash-hit signing of Shota Imanaga that they can strike gold in the second tier of starting pitchers as well. In that realm, Sean Manaea and Nick Pivetta come with qualifying offers attached, but each offers substantial upside and won’t cost nine figures. The same goes for Walker Buehler, who could be a nice gamble on a shorter-term deal. Chicago also feels like an excellent landing spot for Shane Bieber, even if he won’t be ready to help right away next season. The bullpen is another avenue for the Cubs to make a significant splash in free agency. Chicago made a nifty trade with Cleveland earlier this week, dealing 20-year-old outfield prospect Alfonsin Rosario to acquire right-hander Eli Morgan, who was quietly excellent when called upon as one of the less-heralded members of the elite Guardians bullpen. Morgan will help, but there’s plenty more room for upgrades in this bullpen. Perhaps the Cubs stay away from top-tier starting pitchers in free agency and instead focus on landing one of the elite relief arms available, such as Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman or Clay Holmes. The bullpen market is also stocked with veteran types who could fortify this unit; Blake Treinen, Kirby Yates or even Kenley Jansen come to mind. The Cubs wouldn’t have to break the bank to land these types of arms and could realistically also add a mid-tier starter to seriously strengthen the entire pitching staff. With so much of the position-player group seemingly set — and with more help on the way — there’s no excuse for Chicago not to make several meaningful additions on the mound this winter. Let’s turn our attention back to the offensive side of things and contemplate the infield. The surprise acquisition of Isaac Paredes at the 2024 trade deadline made an already crowded depth chart even more difficult to project moving forward and prompted some intriguing possibilities entering this offseason. That would’ve been true even if Paredes had raked for the Cubs post-trade, but that’s practically the opposite of what happened, as he didn’t perform anywhere close to his potential in the second half. Still, Paredes is under team control through 2027, and it’s not like the Cubs got him for free; trading for him seemed to signal a real intention for him to be the third baseman in Chicago for the foreseeable future. Enter Matt Shaw. The Cubs’ first-round pick in 2023 out of the University of Maryland had a marvelous season in the minors, reaching Triple-A and excelling in 35 games to finish the season before he starred with Team USA in the Premier12 tournament. A shortstop in college, Shaw bounced around the infield in his first pro season but took the majority of his reps at third base, a position that seemed open in Chicago ... until Paredes was acquired. We don’t know if Shaw is ready to contribute on Opening Day, but it’s not difficult to imagine a big spring training from the talented infielder creating pressure for him to crack the Cubs' roster out of camp. But where will he play? This is a good problem to have on paper, but it becomes more complicated if Paredes doesn’t bounce back. With Busch entrenched at first base after a strong rookie season and Swanson locked in at shortstop for the long haul, second baseman Nico Hoerner becomes an interesting character here as well. Hoerner is under team control for two more seasons and provides outstanding defense but a bat that has plateaued around league-average. If the Cubs deem Shaw ready sooner rather than later, might they consider dealing Hoerner to make room for Shaw at second? It’s awfully difficult to determine whether that’s a sensible strategy without knowing just how big-league-ready Shaw is or what version of Paredes the Cubs will get in 2025, but it’s certainly a path worth exploring — especially if teams are willing to pay a substantial price for Hoerner. Shaw isn’t the only prospect in the upper levels of Chicago’s system who could make a difference in the big leagues in the near future. As if the infield picture weren’t jam-packed enough, second baseman James Triantos — a wonderful defender with strong contact skills and plus wheels on the basepaths — also reached Triple-A in 2024 and could play his way into consideration next summer. Third baseman Cam Smith, Chicago’s first-round pick this past summer out of Florida State, collected more total bases and finished the season in Double-A. He could be ready far sooner than anyone expected. Catcher Moises Ballesteros had a monster breakout season as a 20-year-old, hitting his way to Triple-A and finishing with a strong few weeks in the Arizona Fall League. But the recent acquisition of catcher Matt Thaiss from the Angels suggests that the Cubs might not be ready to lean on Ballesteros as the backup to incumbent Miguel Amaya too quickly, though it’s possible that his bat forces the issue at some point in 2025. Outfielder Owen Caissie was added to the 40-man roster this week and has massive raw power that was on display over a full season in Triple-A in 2024, but he’ll need to iron out some significant strikeout issues before getting the call to Chicago. Super-athletic 22-year-old Kevin Alcantara made his debut in the Cubs' outfield last summer after a much shorter stint in Triple-A, but he too will need to make more consistent contact to be considered a viable option in the short term. Caissie’s and Alcantara’s paths to playing time would’ve been much clearer had Bellinger opted out, but now each will need to prove his worth over a longer period of time in Triple-A to warrant consistent run at the big-league level. Not all of these players will end up making an impact in Chicago. But their proximity to the big leagues and prospect cachet are worth monitoring as the Cubs sort out their roster for 2025, especially in the context of possible trades this winter and next summer.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Fiscales federales solicitaron el lunes desestimar los cargos penales contra el virtual presidente electo Donald Trump en los que se le acusaba de elaborar un plan para revertir los resultados de las elecciones de 2020, y poner fin a la causa en su contra por retención de documentos confidenciales, señalando como motivo una vieja política del Departamento de Justicia que establece que un mandatario en funciones no puede enfrentar procesos penales. La decisión del fiscal especial Jack Smith, quien había buscado fervientemente responsabilizar penalmente a Trump por sus intentos por anular los resultados de las elecciones de 2020, representó el fin de las labores federales contra el exmandatario después de su victoria electoral de este mes, la cual lo llevó de regreso a la Casa Blanca a pesar de las causas penales en su contra relacionadas con los comicios y varios otros cargos. La decisión, dada a conocer en documentos judiciales, también significa un final, predecible aunque no menos sorprendente, de los casos penales que eran considerados como los más peligrosos entre las múltiples amenazas legales que enfrenta Trump. Es un reflejo de las consecuencias prácticas de la victoria electoral de Trump, la cual le garantiza que asumirá el cargo libre de escrutinio sobre su retención de documentos ultrasecretos y sus intentos por anular los resultados de la elección presidencial de 2020, la cual perdió ante el demócrata Joe Biden. El equipo de Smith enfatizó que la decisión de dejar de lado las acusaciones, presentadas ante tribunales federales en Washington y Florida, no reflejaba su opinión sobre los méritos de los casos, sino más bien un reflejo de su compromiso con la política del departamento. “Dicha restricción es categórica y no depende de la gravedad de los delitos, la solidez del caso del gobierno o los méritos para ser procesado, mismos que el gobierno defiende por completo”, escribieron los fiscales en los documentos presentados ante el tribunal el lunes en el caso de interferencia electoral. La decisión era de esperarse después de que el equipo de Smith comenzó a evaluar la manera de poner fin tanto al caso de interferencia electoral de 2020 como al caso separado de documentos clasificados en el contexto de la victoria de Trump sobre la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris. El Departamento de Justicia cree que Trump ya no puede ser procesado de acuerdo con la política de larga data que establece que los presidentes en funciones no pueden ser procesados. Trump ha dicho que ambos casos fueron presentados por motivaciones políticas y había prometido despedir a Smith tan pronto como asumiera el cargo en enero. El caso de las elecciones de 2020, presentado el año pasado, fue visto en su momento como una de las amenazas legales más serias que enfrentaba el republicano mientras competía por recuperar la Casa Blanca. Pero no tardó en estancarse en medio de las disputas legales sobre las afirmaciones de Trump de que gozaba de inmunidad a ser procesado por las acciones que tomó mientras estaba en la Casa Blanca. La Corte Suprema dictaminó por primera vez en julio pasado que los expresidentes gozan de una amplia inmunidad a ser procesados, y envió el caso de regreso a la jueza federal Tanya Chutkan para determinar cuáles de las acusaciones, de ser el caso, podrían proceder a juicio. El caso apenas comenzaba a cobrar impulso nuevamente en el tribunal a falta de unas semanas para las elecciones de este año. El equipo de Smith presentó un extenso informe en octubre en el cual se detallaron nuevas evidencias que planeaban usar contra Trump durante el juicio, acusándolo de “recurrir a delitos” como parte de un intento cada vez más desesperado por revertir la voluntad de los votantes después de su derrota electoral ante el presidente Joe Biden. Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
Economic cooperation emerged as a central focus of the forum, with participants highlighting the potential for increased collaboration in areas such as infrastructure development, agricultural technology, and digital economy. Both China and Latin America recognized the importance of fostering a more integrated and interconnected partnership to drive economic growth and shared prosperity.NoneNasdaq Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors despite daily gains
In a tragic incident, a passenger onboard a China Eastern Airlines flight suffered a sudden medical emergency, leading to their untimely death despite efforts to save them. The distressing event unfolded onboard a flight that was en route to its destination before the unforeseen incident occurred.In a recent press conference, former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand expressed his hope that the club will take decisive action to remove underperforming players from the squad. Meanwhile, a report from a reputable sports journalist indicates that Real Madrid is expecting Manchester United to sell Diogo Dalot for a fee of £45 million.
Alibaba's response to the crisis was marked by transparency and proactive communication. The company promptly issued updates on the situation, sharing information about the extent of the damage and the steps being taken to restore operations. In a display of corporate responsibility, Alibaba also expressed gratitude to the emergency responders and personnel who worked tirelessly to bring the situation under control.R Star, known for its groundbreaking and critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto series, has a reputation for pushing the boundaries of open-world gaming and storytelling. With each new installment in the GTA franchise, fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter in the series, eager to see what innovative gameplay mechanics and gripping narrative R Star will deliver.
Through its unwavering dedication to service and innovation, Huawei has truly built bridges of warmth and connectivity among the Zhoushan Islands. The once-isolated communities are now thriving hubs of technology, culture, and progress, all thanks to the transformative power of Huawei's services.
On the domestic front, the Chinese market has also seen a significant rise in gold prices, impacting not only investors but also consumers looking to purchase gold jewelry. The increase of 7 Yuan per gram in the price of gold jewelry reflects the broader trend of escalating gold prices, presenting both challenges and opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.'The Legend of Zhen Huan' has not only captivated Korean viewers with its engaging storyline and lavish production, but it has also sparked discussions about the dynamics of power, gender roles, and the nature of relationships within the palace setting. The drama has become a cultural touchstone, with fans eagerly discussing and analyzing every episode, creating a vibrant community of viewers who share their love for the drama.
As the pressures of his high-flying career mounted, our protagonist found himself increasingly disillusioned with the world he inhabited. The relentless pursuit of profit and power seemed hollow and meaningless to him, a stark contrast to the idealism and passion that had once fueled his dreams. The more he delved into the inner workings of the industry, the more he saw the dark underbelly of corporate greed and corruption that festered beneath the surface.Property owners appeal elk lawsuit to Montana Supreme Court
Overthrowing Assad’s regime will not translate into immediate political stability