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Little Troopers sent 175 of the boxes to military children at the base as part of its Christmas Smiles campaign, which aims to help children separated from their serving parent during December. The festive season is often the hardest time of year for these children, the charity says, as they miss out on Christmas moments such as school performances, Santa visits, family get-togethers, and Christmas Day itself. The charity worked closely with the community team at RAF Brize Norton to identify the families most in need. The boxes included resources and activities to help children cope with parental separation, as well as treats and stocking fillers. Flight Sergeant Jane Corban, from the community support team at RAF Brize Norton, said: "The families of RAF Brize Norton personnel were all thrilled to receive their Little Troopers Christmas Smiles boxes. "With a consistently transient population who are away from home for anything from a few days to up to nine months, a token of appreciation from Little Troopers is a very welcome surprise. "Thank you Little Troopers for your support and thoughtfulness." Little Troopers, a national charity dedicated to supporting service children, has sent out 2,500 Christmas Smiles boxes across the country this year. Louise Fetigan, founder of Little Troopers, said: "Christmas Smiles is such an important annual campaign for our charity. "Being separated from your parent at Christmas is hard and we want to get our resources to as many children as possible and help them to feel recognised and supported, as well as spreading some Christmas smiles. "A big thank you to the team at Brize Norton for getting the boxes to your local families in Oxfordshire. "We hope they make a real difference to your families." Last year, 7,000 service personnel were deployed on military operations over Christmas, and it is expected a similar number will be serving overseas this year. As 72 per cent of service personnel have at least one child younger than 18, it means thousands of military children across the UK will be missing one of their parents on Christmas morning. The Little Troopers Christmas Smiles boxes have been made possible by funding from BAE Systems and Vivo Defence Services. The charity has also organised other activities as part of its Christmas Smiles campaign, including free cinema screenings at Odeon cinemas, a storytelling event with the Chelsea Pensioners, an elf workshop, and an online panto.
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Man City stunned again as Feyenoord fight back to draw 3-3 in the Champions LeagueMr Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker”. Mr Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former senior Trump adviser who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Mr Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was co-operating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. Mr Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Mr Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison – the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the US attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Mr Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Mr Trump’s transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushner’s offences “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was US attorney”. Mr Trump and the elder Mr Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.
The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — Alvaro Folgueiras scored 27 points as Robert Morris beat Saint Francis (PA) 90-77 on Saturday. Folgueiras added 16 rebounds, four steals, and three blocks for the Colonials (8-5). Kam Woods added 19 points while shooting 7 for 16 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 3 of 7 from the free-throw line while he also had seven assists and three steals. Amarion Dickerson had 16 points and shot 5 of 8 from the field and 5 for 7 from the line. The Red Flash (3-9) were led in scoring by Riley Parker, who finished with 21 points. Saint Francis also got 19 points and three steals from Juan Cranford Jr.. Valentino Pinedo had 14 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .ADAM Shultz fondly remembers his father's old farming analogy of "make every post a winner". Login or signup to continue reading It's an ethos the ambitious new Labor mayor of Lake Macquarie has been determined to live by since he won the local government election in September with almost 36 per cent of the popular vote. He's enjoyed what could be described as the most golden of honeymoon periods. In less than two months, Shultz has overseen a glowing annual report for the 2023-24 financial year, which showed Lake Macquarie completed 97 per cent of council actions, accepted the AR Bluett Memorial Award for being the most progressive regional council , and on Monday night, his first mayoral minute to advocate a housing forum was unanimously accepted by his fellow councillors. But when Trevor Shultz was passing down life lessons on his beef cattle farm near Bulahdelah, or while driving a 20-tonne excavator for his earthmoving business 20-plus years ago, he never expected his eldest son would oversee NSW's most successful regional council. Nor would Trevor know how pivotal he would be in his son's political ascension. "I'm the youngest mayor in the history of Lake Macquarie, but I didn't set out to be that," Adam Shultz tells Weekender over a Wagyu beef burger at Table 1 Espresso in bustling Warners Bay. "Since Dad's passing, I've got the sense that time is finite, so you need to make a contribution and effectively work backwards from where you want to be." January will mark 20 years since Trevor Shultz died from cancer. He endured a three-year battle as the cancer from his kidneys eventually spread to his lungs and bones. "He was an incredibly hard worker," Shultz says. "There's a lot of Dad in me. I miss him and think about him most days." In his final months, Trevor was nursed by the then 21-year-old Adam and his teenage siblings Nick and Anna at their mother Sue's home in Warners Bay. This is despite Trevor and Sue divorcing 13 years prior. "It's a testament to Mum and who she is in terms of having Dad come back and spend his last couple of months with us as a family," Shultz says. "They had their ups and downs as all divorced couples do, but at the end of the day, I think they did that together to provide us all with closure with what was ultimately coming, which was Dad passing. "I effectively had to take over his earthmoving business and cattle farming, so it was a baptism of fire and a lot of responsibility." The untimely loss of his dad sent him in "different directions". As a kid growing up in Warners Bay and attending Valentine Public School and then Warners Bay High, Shultz was hardly political. He was "incredibly shy" and was never interested in debating. His true calling was on the rugby league field, where Shultz played for his beloved Valentine-Eleebana Devils and eventually was selected in the Newcastle Knights junior system as a hard-working hooker or second-rower. His teammates included eventual NRL stars Anthony Quinn and Anthony Tupou. Following his father's death, Shultz quit plans to become a PE teacher and studied bachelor degrees in business and commerce at the University of Newcastle. It was during his studies that he plucked up the courage to ask out Cassandra Shultz (nee Shepherd), who grew up at Woodrising and Marmong Point. "I don't know what she saw in me, but it's worked out," he laughs. "We're best friends." The couple have been together 15 years, married for nine and have three children, Sidney, 5, Mackenzie, 3, and Seaton, 1. Cassandra is the national online manager for Australia and New Zealand for multinational cosmetics giant, Estée Lauder. "It's a juggle with three little kids, obviously with being mayor and Cass having such a demanding but fulfilling role, as well," he says. "We're lucky enough that we have family support in Lake Macquarie, with my mum and her parents. So we often lean on them for support." Another important union Shultz made in his formative years was joining the Labor Party at 22. It was hardly surprising. The Labor Party is in his blood. Shultz's maternal grandfather, Don Day, spent 19 years in local government at Maclean on the NSW north coast and delivered a miraculous coup for Labor in 1971 when he won the safe Country Party seat of Casino, later renamed Clarence. Day would later serve as minister for decentralisation, primary industries and agriculture in three of Neville Wran's governments and is best known for his "forceful personality" and a "free-ranging use of colourful language". Shultz presents completely different to his "grandpa". He's polite and polished to the point of relying on talking points, and he exudes a suburban dad vibe that feels authentic. Shultz says Day, who died in 2010 aged 86, is a major influence in his life. "In a lot of ways, he was a father figure as well," he says. "Grandpa grew up in extreme poverty and made something of himself, and I guess that filtered down to all of us. "I was rugby league mad, that was all I ever wanted to do, politics wasn't on my horizon at all. "When you look at your community and where you live and you want to make it a better place and something bigger than yourself, politics is the perfect vehicle. "Whether you're a Labor Party member, a Liberal, an Independent, or dare I say it, a Green. "If you want to contribute to your local community, there's no better way than joining a political party and getting involved." Another pivotal moment in crystallising Shultz's political ambitions was working as a volunteer with Cassandra on the 2012 US election campaign. The couple spent more than a month working for the Democrats in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Des Moines, Iowa, in their bid to re-elect then president Barack Obama. The pair even met the 44 th president a night before the election. "It solidified in my mind and motivated me to think, 'OK, what's next?'," he says. That led to Shultz undertaking a Masters in Public Policy at the University of Sydney and working in then Member for Charlton Greg Combet's office alongside the now State Member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley, and Federal Member for Shortland, Pat Conroy. Shultz credits Catley for giving him his start in politics. "Yas [Catley] and I have always been close," he says. "In all honesty, I think of Yas as my big sister within the Labor Party. "She's always had my back, and I value her friendship." Catley says she and Shultz have been friends more than a decade and describes him as a man of integrity. "Adam is a tireless advocate for our community, and I have been fortunate to call both him and his wife Cass friends," Catley says. "They are incredible people with a wonderful young family. Adam embodies the kind of young, dynamic leadership our community needs." Other mentors are former Member for Swansea, Jill Hall, and former mayor Kay Fraser, who Shultz served under at Speers Point when he was elected to Lake Macquarie City Council at 32 in 2016. A background in financial services and a graduate diploma in corporate governance isn't a typical resume for a Labor politician. Shultz's cordial and professional relationship with councillors of other political stripes is also clear from the way he manages council meetings. He's more CEO or chairman than political apparatchik. "[It's about] trying to be collaborative, working together," he says. "If the councillor has a good idea then let's hear about it. "In my previous two terms as a councillor, I would do notices of motion, but I would try to get a co-author, that being a Liberal or Independent, and work with them to come up with an initiative that was important to the city. "When you co-author things as well, that sends a message that you're not trying to politicise things, you're trying to work hand-in-hand with them, but also with the other councillors in the city." It's an approach that has earned Shultz admirers on the opposing side. West Ward Liberal councillor Jason Pauling has served on the council for the entirety of Shultz's eight-year stint and says he understands "the big picture". "He's well respected," Pauling says. "That's not to say that there's not contention here and there, but he's always been professional. He's always been focused on the best outcome for the city. "He certainly has an eye for financial detail, well beyond the average councillor, which I've taken a particular shine to. "He and I seem to find ourselves in lots of financial committees together because his financial and policy literacy are quite high." Shultz has also made it crystal clear that economic growth and development are his highest priorities. As a father of three young children, he is deeply concerned that future generations of Lake Macquarie residents could be forced to live and work outside the city due to a lack of affordable housing. The NSW Government has announced ambitious plans for 8000 new home completions by 2029 and has contentiously earmarked high-density housing around train stations at Morisset, Booragul, Teralba, Cockle Creek and Cardiff. How Shultz and his council balance the growth acceleration against infrastructure upgrades, environmental impact and resident concerns will likely define his mayoralty. "We don't want endless urban sprawl, and hence why we need to focus on being strategic in our urban infill and utilise that underutilised train network that we have at our disposal," Shultz says. Former Lake Macquarie mayors such as Greg Piper and Jodie Harrison have used the role as a launchpad to state politics. While family might have ignited Shultz's political aspirations, it's also the reason he's keeping his plans locally focused. "I've got a young family," he says. "When people have said, 'How are you going to cope being mayor?', I've said, 'Don't worry, I'm only going to Speers Point. I'm not going to Sydney or Canberra'. "At this point in my life I want to contribute all that I can at a local level, but also I want to be there for my kids. "I don't want to be an absent father. My dad passed away when I was 21 and my parents divorced when I was nine. "We didn't have three kids for me not to be there for them. I love contributing and trying to improve my community, but at the end of the day, my family is number one." Josh Leeson is a news and features journalist, who focuses on Lake Macquarie, politics and entertainment at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport, including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league. Josh Leeson is a news and features journalist, who focuses on Lake Macquarie, politics and entertainment at the Newcastle Herald. He first joined the masthead in 2008 after stints at the Namoi Valley Independent and Port Stephens Examiner and has previously covered sport, including the Asian Cup, A-League, Surfest, cricket and rugby league. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. 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Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!Nest Learning Thermostat Fourth-Generation Review: A stunning design infused with AIRecover, a leading global producer of recycled cotton fiber, has announced the opening of its latest manufacturing facility in Vietnam, set to begin operations in early 2025. This facility, located in Dong Nai province, represents a significant step in the company’s global expansion strategy and aims to enhance sustainability in the Vietnamese textile industry. Key Takeaways Strategic Location and Capacity The new factory spans nearly 14,000 square meters and is strategically located in Dong Nai province, which is pivotal to Vietnam’s textile industry as the third-largest textile exporter globally. This proximity to textile waste sorting and manufacturing operations will help reduce shipping costs and environmental impact. The facility will initially operate with two advanced recycling lines, allowing for a production capacity of 10,000 metric tonnes annually. Additionally, a dedicated laboratory will ensure consistent product quality and ongoing innovation in both product and process. Innovative Recycling Solutions One of the standout features of this facility is its focus on RMix, Recover’s innovative recycling solution for cotton-polyester blends. This process eliminates the need to separate fibers, addressing a long-standing challenge in the industry and providing a sustainable advantage in energy efficiency. Commitment to Sustainability Anders Sjöblom, CEO of Recover, emphasized the importance of this expansion, stating, "Circularity is currently an underutilized tool in the Vietnamese textiles industry. By bringing our advanced technology to a key textile hub, we are not only enhancing how we serve our customers but also creating a positive shift towards circularity in Vietnam." Opportunities in the Textile Sector The opening of Recover’s facility comes at a time when the global textile and apparel sector is experiencing significant opportunities due to increasing demand and shifting economic factors. The political instability in Bangladesh may further accelerate the diversification of textile production, with Vietnam poised to benefit from this shift. Future Prospects Recover’s expansion into Vietnam is part of a broader strategy to meet the growing demand for recycled materials among brands and retailers worldwide. With a commitment to sustainability and technological excellence, Recover is setting new industry standards and paving the way for a more circular economy in textiles. As the company continues to grow, it aims to establish itself as a trusted partner in the global textile market, contributing to a more sustainable future for the industry. Sources
Milestone deal for DAZN's position as the global home of sport. This acquisition establishes DAZN's sports platform in Australia , one of the world's most attractive sports markets. Foxtel Group will leverage DAZN's global reach, industry-leading technology and extensive content portfolio to further enhance the viewing experience for Australian sports fans. LONDON , NEW YORK , and SYDNEY , Dec. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- DAZN, a world-leading sports entertainment platform, has today announced an agreement to acquire Foxtel Group ('Foxtel') from its majority shareholder News Corp and minority shareholder Telstra at an enterprise value of US$2.2 billion , subject to regulatory approval. The acquisition establishes DAZN as a leader in sports entertainment in Australia – a highly attractive sports market – while also expanding DAZN's global footprint and enhancing the group's standing as the global home of sport. The addition of Foxtel to DAZN brings the Group's pro-forma revenues towards US$6 billion and provides the additional content, expertise, and expansion opportunities to accelerate DAZN's growth trajectory. Foxtel is one of Australia's leading media companies, with 4.7 million subscribers, who will benefit from DAZN's extensive portfolio of sports content, platform technology, and global reach. From its beginnings as Australia's original pay-TV innovator, Foxtel has evolved to become a digital and streaming leader in sports and entertainment and the proposed transaction positions Foxtel for continued expansion as a digital-first, streaming-focused business. Foxtel will maintain its local character, led by the CEO, Patrick Delany , and his world-class management team. DAZN, a sports streaming platform with a truly global reach, is committed to growing the global audience for domestic Australian sports across the 200 territories in which it is available. Under the terms of the transaction, News Corp and Telstra will become minority shareholders in DAZN, enabling them to retain an interest in Foxtel. Shay Segev , Chief Executive Officer of DAZN, said: "Australians watch more sport than any other country in the world, which makes this deal an incredibly exciting opportunity for DAZN to enter a key market, marking another step in our long-term strategy to become the global home of sport. Foxtel is a successful business that has undergone a remarkable digital transformation in recent years, and we are confident that our global reach and relentless pursuit of innovation will continue to drive the business forward and ensure long-term success. "We are committed to supporting and investing in Foxtel's television and streaming services, across both sports and entertainment, using our world-leading technology to further enhance the viewing experience for customers. We are also committed to using our global reach to export Australia's most popular sports to new markets around the world, and we will continue to promote women's and under-represented sports. "We're looking forward to working closely with Patrick Delany and his team, as well as News Corp and Telstra as shareholders in DAZN, to realise our ambitious vision for the future of sport entertainment." Siobhan McKenna , the Chairman of Foxtel , said the agreement with DAZN was international recognition of the transformation of Foxtel from an incumbent pay TV operator to a sports and entertainment digital and streaming leader. "Over the last seven years the Foxtel team, with the strong support of News, have achieved an extraordinary turnaround in an intensely competitive environment." Foxtel Group CEO, Patrick Delany , said: "Today's announcement is a natural evolution for the Foxtel Group, having reinvented the company over the past five years as Australia's most dynamic technology-led streaming company. "Kayo and Foxtel provide Australian sports fans with access to the best Australian and international sport and shows, including AFL, NRL and Cricket with 4.7 million subscribers. "We are excited by DAZN's commitment to the Australian market. They are experts in the sports media business and can play a significant role in supporting Foxtel as the business grows its streaming capabilities, bringing a bigger and better service to customers across entertainment, news and sport. They are a perfect match for us as we look toward this next era of growth. "We have been grateful for the support of News Corp while we reimagined the future of Foxtel. In 2019, when we merged Foxtel and Fox Sports we had many people questioning our future. "After launching Kayo later in 2019 and BINGE in 2020, today we are the largest Australian-based streamer of sport and entertainment, we have stabilised our Foxtel base and launched Hubbl to help consumers find all the streamed content they love all in one place. This wouldn't have been possible without the support and encouragement of News Corp." NOTES TO EDITORS About DAZN As a world-leading sports entertainment platform, DAZN streams over 90,000 live events annually and is available in more than 200 markets worldwide. DAZN is the home of European football, women's football, boxing and MMA, and the NFL internationally. The platform features the biggest sports and leagues from around the world – Bundesliga, Serie A, LALIGA, Ligue 1, Formula 1, NBA, Moto GP, and many more including the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. DAZN is transforming the way people enjoy sport. With a single, frictionless platform, sports fans can watch, play, buy, and connect. Live and on-demand sports content, anywhere, in any language, on any device – only on DAZN. DAZN partners with leading pay-TV operators, ISPs and Telcos worldwide to maximise sports exposure to a broad audience. Its partners include Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Sky, Movistar, Telenet, Vodafone, and many more. DAZN is a global, privately-owned company, founded in 2016, with more than 3,000 employees. The Group generated $3.2bn in revenue in 2023, having grown its annual revenues by over 50% on average from 2020 to 2023, through diverse revenue streams comprising subscriptions, advertising, sponsorship, and transactional. For more information on DAZN, our products, people, and performance, visit www.dazngroup.com . About Foxtel The Foxtel Group is one of Australia's leading media companies with 4.7 million subscribers. Its businesses include subscription television, streaming, sports production and advertising. The Foxtel Group is owned 65% by News Corp and 35% by Telstra. The Foxtel Group's diversified business includes Fox Sports, Australia's leading sports production company, famous for live sports and shows with the best commentators and personalities. It is also the home of local and global entertainment content and continues to be the partner of choice for the widest range of sports and international content providers based on established, long-term relationships, growing streaming audiences, and position as the largest Australian-based subscription television company.Unpacking IT challenges
News Corp’s Foxtel sold to UK sports platform DAZN in $3.5b dealNo. 7 Mercer stages 4th-quarter comeback to top No. 10 Rhode Island 17-10, advances to FCS semifinalPresident-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants real estate developer Charles Kushner, father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, to serve as ambassador to France. Trump made the announcement in a Truth Social post, calling Charles Kushner “a tremendous business leader, philanthropist, & dealmaker." Kushner is the founder of Kushner Companies, a real estate firm. Jared Kushner is a former senior Trump adviser who is married to Trump’s eldest daughter, Ivanka. The elder Kushner was pardoned by Trump in December 2020 after pleading guilty years earlier to tax evasion and making illegal campaign donations. Prosecutors alleged that after Charles Kushner discovered his brother-in-law was cooperating with federal authorities in an investigation, he hatched a scheme for revenge and intimidation. RELATED STORY | Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum are discussing tariffs. What should consumers expect? Kushner hired a prostitute to lure his brother-in-law, then arranged to have the encounter in a New Jersey motel room recorded with a hidden camera and the recording sent to his own sister, the man’s wife, prosecutors said. Kushner eventually pleaded guilty to 18 counts including tax evasion and witness tampering. He was sentenced in 2005 to two years in prison — the most he could receive under a plea deal, but less than what Chris Christie, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey at the time and later governor and Republican presidential candidate, had sought. Christie has blamed Jared Kushner for his firing from Trump’s transition team in 2016, and has called Charles Kushner’s offenses “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes that I prosecuted when I was U.S. attorney.” Trump and the elder Kushner knew each other from real estate circles and their children were married in 2009.The Cybertruck Embodies Elon Musk, for Better and Worse