Ange Postecoglou knows the next month will be “significant” for Tottenham, but is confident they will improve and not be mid-table at Christmas. Spurs travel to Premier League champions Manchester City on Saturday reeling from a disappointing home loss to Ipswich before the international break. The club’s problems have multiplied during the past fortnight with midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur handed a seven-match domestic ban on Monday and Cristian Romero (toe) joining a lengthy list of absentees. However, Postecoglou remains bullish about Tottenham’s progress and acutely aware of the scrutiny set to come his way if they stay 10th. “Christmas is a joyous occasion, irrespective, and I think it should be celebrated. If we’re still 10th then people won’t be happy, I won’t be happy, but we might not be 10th,” Postecoglou pointed out before nine games in 30 days. “Certainly for us I think it’s a significant period because you look at those games and we’ve got the league where we’ve got to improve our position and a couple of important European fixtures that can set us up for the back half of the year, also a Carabao Cup quarter-final. “At the end of that period we could be in a decent position for a strong second half of the year, so for us it is an important period. “You know there’s no more international breaks, so the full focus is here. You can build some momentum through that, or if things don’t go well you could get yourself into a bit of a grind. Ready for 👊 Go behind the scenes of training ahead of our trip to Manchester 🎥⤵️ — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) “Of course if we had beaten Ipswich, we’d be third and I reckon this press conference would be much different wouldn’t it? “I’m not going to let my life be dictated by one result, I’m sorry. I take a wider perspective on these things because I know how fickle it can be, but we need to address our position for sure. “And if we’re 10th at Christmas, yeah it won’t be great. There’d be a lot of scrutiny and probably a lot of scrutiny around me, which is fair enough, but that’s not where I plan for us to be.” Tottenham’s immediate efforts to move up the table will require them ending City’s two-year unbeaten home run in the Premier League. The champions have lost their last four matches in all competitions, but have some key personnel back for Saturday’s clash and will aim to toast Pep Guardiola’s new contract with a victory. Postecoglou was pleased to see Guardiola commit to a further two seasons in England, adding: “I love the fact that there’s a massive target out there that can seem insurmountable. “I look at it the other way. I go, ‘imagine if you knock him off, that’d be something’. “I’m at the stage of my life where I’d rather have the chance of knocking him off than missing that opportunity. “When greatness is around, you want to be around it. And hopefully it challenges you to be like that as well.” Saturday’s fixture will be Postecoglou’s 50th league game in charge of Spurs and he knows what is required to bring up three figures. “No European football, significant player turnover, change of playing style. Where did I think we’d be after 50 games? God knows. “It could have been a whole lot worse, but when you look at it in the current prism of we’re 10th, you’re going ‘it doesn’t look good’ and I understand that and we have to improve that. “But over the 50 games, I think there’s enough there that shows we are progressing as a team and we are developing into the team we want. “The key is the next 50 games, if they can be in totality better than the first 50? First, that means I’m here but second, I think we’ll be in a good space.”
Rest in peace, Dr Manmohan Singh | From September 26, 1932 to December 26, 2024Beirut, Dec 7 (AP) Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and that government forces had withdrawn from the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumours that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader's base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. Also Read | 'Matter of Immense Pride for India': PMO on Archbishop George Jacob Koovakad's Elevation As Cardinal by Pope Francis. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria's third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began November 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. Also Read | South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol Survives Impeachment Over Martial Law Declaration As His Party Leaders Boycott Vote. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organisation by the US and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The UN's special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition”. Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people”. In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a years-long siege. The UN said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria's state media denied social media rumours that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine. Lebanon's Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a UN resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with UN-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. No details were immediately available. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group's image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began on November 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest, and the central city of Hama, the country's fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists". The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area”, apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkiye, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkiye is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticised Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country's underlying problems. “Assad didn't seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria's “territorial integrity”. He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Ousted NY Rep. Jamaal Bowman pens ‘Dear White People’ letter after Daniel Penny verdict: ‘I don’t know why I feel the need to keep talking to you’
Nico Iamaleava passed for four touchdowns and Dylan Sampson rushed for 77 yards and set a school-record for TDs as No. 11 Tennessee rolled to a 56-0 victory over UTEP on Saturday afternoon in Knoxville, Tenn. Sampson scored on a 14-yard TD run early in the second quarter for the game's first points to deliver his 22nd TD of tje season to break the Tennessee single-season mark set by Gene McEvers in 1929. Iamaleava was 15 of 20 for 173 yards for Tennessee (9-2), while Bru McCoy caught a pair of TD passes and Squirrel White and Ethan Davis each had a TD reception. Tennessee moved its all-time record to 2-0 against the Miners, also having blanked the Conference USA school 24-0 in 2018. Jermod McCoy and John Slaughter had interceptions for the Volunteers, while Dominic Bailey recovered a fumble to set up a score. Skyler Locklear was 10-of-19 passing for 50 yards with an interception for UTEP (2-9), while rushing for 37 yards on eight carries. JP Pickles also had a turn at QB for the Miners and was 10 of 15 for 72 yards. Kenny Odom had eight receptions for 70 yards. Both defenses set the tone in the first quarter. The UTEP defense allowed just one first down to the Southeastern Conference team in three ugly series in the opening quarter and only 22 yards. In the second quarter, Sampson ended a 68-yard drive by dashing up the middle for 14 yards for the record-setting score to take a 7-0 lead with 13:22 remaining before halftime. After Bailey's fumble recovery, Iamaleava flipped a screen pass that White took 9 yards to the end zone nearly six minutes later. Davis put the Volunteers up 21-0 when he grabbed a short pass for a 1-yard TD. Iamaleava then found Bru McCoy from 18 yards with eight seconds left in the second quarter for a 28-0 halftime lead. McCoy caught his second TD and Peyton Lewis rushed for a pair for a 49-0 lead in the third quarter, but the biggest roar from Volunteers fans came when it was announced Florida beat No. 9 Ole Miss 24-17, to enhance the Volunteers' College Football Playoff hopes. Cameron Seldon's 3-yard run capped the scoring as the Volunteers finished the season undefeated at home for the second time in four years. --Field Level MediaTrump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leadersDavid Lee Myers passed away in the early morning hours on November 19th, 2024, at Lilac Homes in Dilworth, MN. His unique inner strength and wonderful sense of humor will be missed by so many. David was born and raised in Moorhead, MN. He was the third child born to Frank and Margaret Myers following brother Paul and sister Pam in the family line-up. In his youth David loved spending time with his family at West McDonald Lake, holidays with family in Fargo, visiting relatives in the Ada/Borup countryside, as well as with friends in his very early childhood exploring the Red River corridor behind his home at RR 3. In his early teens David began work at NDSU Residents Dining Center, a first job that he enjoyed very much. After high school he continued to live and work in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Unfortunately, just prior to his 21st birthday David was involved in a tragic hit and run accident in the summer of 1985. As a result, he would spend the next 9 months recovering in the hospital and being constantly remined by Doctors and Nurses that he would never be able to do basic tasks and would struggle to have a useful life. The accident left him permanently disabled with limited use of only one arm and wheelchair-bound. But as a testament to his strong determination and character David never let his physical limitations define him. Upon release from the hospital our parents dedicated themselves to caring for David in their home. Our mother survived our dad by 26 years, and she continued to care for David by herself until her passing in October of 2023. David had many wonderful experiences with his special friend, Kelly. She would visit David regularly; they would play Farkle, bags, attend RedHawks or simply listen to the Twins or watch Bison football games together. Kelly was a dedicated friend to David and helped him in countless ways, and we sincerely thank her for that. David is survived by brother Paul Myers (Lael) sister Pam Schmidt, aunts VelRae Burkholder, Donna Myers, Uncle Carl Myers (Janelle) nieces Brianna Molck (Chad), Chelayne Molck (Aaron), nephews Justin Myers (Magen) Josh Myers (Charli) and Alex Schmidt, 2 great nieces, 2 great nephews, 1 bonus great niece and 4 bonus great nephews, and many loving cousins. David will be missed but never forgotten and we take solace in the fact that he has been liberated from his wheelchair and is once again united with Mom and Dad. Visitation will be Saturday, November 23, from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m., followed by a Celebration of Life service at 11:00 a.m., in Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Moorhead, MN. Online guestbook and video tribute at www.wrightfuneral.com
It’s been another eventful year for U.S. air travel. Just five days into the year, a door panel blew off of a nearly new Boeing 737 Max, operated by Alaska Airlines , as it climbed out of Portland, Oregon, after sunset, plunging the airplane manufacturer back in crisis mode and delaying deliveries of new jets for months. Two weeks later, a federal judge blocked JetBlue Airways ’ planned purchase of Spirit Airlines, leaving the smaller, battered budget carrier to fend for itself. Struggling Spirit ultimately filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November. The drama-filled year also included an activist campaign in one of the country’s most cautious carriers, a tech meltdown that stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers during the height of summer travel, and the first major U.S. airline merger since Barack Obama was president. Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker announced he’ll step down on Jan. 20, about a year into a five-year term, and the day President-elect Donald Trump is inaugurated, leaving the critical agency that oversees everything from aircraft certification to the U.S. airspace yet again without a leader. Airline CEOs have been clamoring for more air traffic controllers and investment in air traffic technology. Meanwhile, carriers duked it out for who could be the most “premium” and profitable, with cabins closer to the front of the plane becoming more popular purchases for travelers (sorry to those seeking free upgrades) . The top two contenders — stalwart Delta and challenger United — brought most of the industry’s profits, and their stock prices hit records, while smaller airlines leaned into higher-end seats and announced higher-end credit cards. Airlines played chicken until the industry trimmed its glut of U.S. flights that were pushing down fares. But the international travel boom, well into the off-season , is showing no signs of slowing down. Through it all, demand for air travel overall smashed records, and CEOs are optimistic about next year, too. Here’s how they each fared in 2024: Delta Air Lines The most profitable of U.S. carriers struggled to recover from a July 19 CrowdStrike outage that took hundreds of Microsoft Windows machines offline. It cost Delta Air Lines more than $500 million and left thousands of stranded customers, with a cancellation tally that topped all of 2019. Still, the carrier’s stock price hit a record this month. CEO Ed Bastian told CNBC last week that demand looks strong going into 2025. The airline has been stepping up its premium offerings for high-paying customers, like with three new Delta One lounges, dedicated to travelers flying in that eponymous highest-tier cabin; New York, Los Angeles and Boston opened this year, with more on the way. It’s a sign of Delta’s continued focus on upscale travelers and its “premium” brand, which like Spirit for budget travel , has become a punchline about the upper end of travel to the point that a “Saturday Night Live” sketch last week featured Martin Short playing a Delta employee who blocks actor Paul Rudd from entering a coveted Delta Sky Club, saying his name “sounds poor.” Delta carrier stopped short of rolling out a business-class lite product that some analysts expected during a November investor day, but the new lounges could relieve crowding at Delta’s popular Sky Clubs. United Airlines Can it beat Delta? It’s not clear whether the Magnolia Bakery banana pudding is enough to get more travelers to buy up to first class, but United Airlines is making other big moves, like expanding its network to include more premium leisure destinations from Mongolia to Greenland to northern Spain in the next year to capture customers seeking to travel off the beaten path of traditional U.S. airline destinations. The carrier has thrilled investors with its results this year and set lofty targets for next year. Its stock has more than doubled in 2024, becoming the top-performing carrier. United is introducing freshly outfitted narrow-body planes with new interiors featuring seat-back screens and Bluetooth connections into its fleet. It announced a WiFi partnership powered by Elon Musk -owned SpaceX’s Starlink, and it won’t charge for the service, following Delta and JetBlue. CEO Scott Kirby early in the year said the carrier isn’t counting on Boeing’s yet-to-be-certified 737 Max 10 and will look at more Airbus planes as an alternative, but he’s thrown his support behind the planemaker’s new chief executive, Kelly Ortberg . Southwest Airlines Say goodbye to open seating. The Dallas-based carrier shocked customers — faithful and frustrated alike — when it said in July that it would start assigning seats and update its uniform cabin to include several rows with extra legroom in a bid to increase its revenue. It was the biggest strategy change for the carrier in its almost half century of flying. While Southwest said it was working on the changes for months, the carrier announced them after activist hedge fund Elliott Investment Management took a roughly $2 billion stake in the airline and pushed for changes, including CEO Bob Jordan’s ouster. He survived the campaign, though ex-CEO and former Chairman Gary Kelly agreed to retire. In a truce, Southwest appointed six new board members in October, including five of Elliott’s nominees. American Airlines American Airlines ousted its commercial chief , Vasu Raja, in May after a sales strategy that cut out travel agencies in favor of selling directly to business travelers backfired and the carrier abruptly slashed its sales guidance. Its outlook has improved, and executives are upbeat about year-end demand and into 2025. It inked a new credit-card deal with its partner Citi , and will end things with its co-brand partner Barclays, a holdover from American’s 2013 merger with US Airways. Spirit Airlines The budget carrier comedians love to hate saw its problems snowball this year, starting with a federal judge blocking Spirit’s acquisition by JetBlue in January. Merger off, Spirit was left to face its other problems: a surge in labor and other costs post-pandemic, high competition in domestic markets, a jump in travel demand to places it doesn’t fly (like Italy and Japan) and Pratt & Whitney’s engine recall that has had an outsize affect on Spirit, grounding dozens of its planes. Hemorrhaging money with a refinancing deadline approaching, Spirit filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month, becoming the first major U.S. carrier to do since American Airlines in 2011. It expects to emerge in the first quarter and it’s an open question whether it will again attempt a combination with fellow budget carrier Frontier . The carrier changed its longstanding business model of charging a low fare and adding on fees for everything else, like seat selection, to offering more bundled options in the summer. JetBlue Airways While Spirit saw its stock delisted after filing for bankruptcy, JetBlue forged ahead after the judge blocked the planned acquisition with a singular focus: Slash costs and get back to profitability. New CEO Joanna Geraghty and former commercial chief Marty St. George, who returned to the airline as president in February, set out on JetForward, a strategy that aimed to refocus the airline, which had added too many money-losing routes after the pandemic with its premium-outfitted planes deployed to the wrong places. The carrier earlier this month announced it would update some of its jets with a domestic business class , to complement its aircraft that feature its top-tier Mint business class. Its shares are up more than 40% this year through Tuesday’s close, topping the S&P 500′ s performance. Investors have been happy with its latest update that showed better-than-expected revenue. Alaska Airlines The airline started the year with the door-plug blowout of one of its new Boeing planes, which led to a temporary grounding of Max 9s, and later a payout from Boeing, which makes the Maxes a few miles away in Renton, Washington. Months later, it was back to focusing on its nearly $2 billion acquisition of struggling carrier Hawaiian Airlines, a combination that got through antitrust regulators in the summer, marking the first merger of major U.S. carriers since Alaska bought Virgin America in 2016. Alaska has posted solid profits and enjoyed a surge in its stock price of more than 70% so far this year, a nearly threefold premium over the broader market. Executives painted an ambitious picture for investors earlier this month, announcing a global expansion for the combined airline that includes nonstop service on wide-body planes from Seattle — where its top competitor is Delta — to Europe and Asia. Frontier Airlines First-class Frontier? The carrier is turning a profit again and is trying to go upscale, planning to outfit its planes with first-class domestic seats . It’s also planning to offer more bundles that include seat assignments, baggage and no change fees. CEO Barry Biffle said the airline expects to get back to double-digit margins in mid-2025 and credits recent improvement in results with a series of network changes, such as cutting flying during lower-demand days like Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and in crowded markets like in Florida and Las Vegas. Allegiant Air Allegiant Travel ’s foray into the hotel business hit a rough patch and said this summer said it would undergo a strategic review for its Sunseeker Resort in Florida. It added this fall that it was closing in on a capital partner for the property that located north of Fort Myers. The main business, low-cost Allegiant Airlines , has turned a corner, seeing high demand in peak periods, new CEO Greg Anderson told investors this fall. The carrier updated its fourth-quarter guidance that came in ahead of analyst estimates in early December. Sun Country With enviable margins, especially for a low-fare airline, the carrier has benefitted from its cargo-flying contract with Amazon and competitors cutting capacity from its home hub of Minneapolis, Deutsche Bank airline analyst Mike Linenberg said this month. “ Sun Country ’s revenue diversity provides the company with an economic moat that has allowed the carrier to maintain profitability during even the most volatile and intensely competitive quarters since the pandemic,” he wrote in a Dec. 11 note. The airline has been successful at switching its schedule with the seasons, ramping up service to warmer destinations in the winter. Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC and NBC, which broadcasts “Saturday Night Live.”
The United States Postal Service might have found a way to unite a nation bitterly divided after this month's election: It will release a Betty White stamp. The beloved actor known for roles in "The Golden Girls," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Boston Legal" and others will be on a 2025 Forever stamp, USPS announced this past week. White died in late December 2021 , less than three weeks before her 100th birthday. The Postal Service hasn't announced a release date for the stamp. Betty White speaks Sept. 17, 2018, at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. “An icon of American television, Betty White (1922–2021) shared her wit and warmth with viewers for seven decades,” the Postal Service said in announcing the stamp, which depicts a smiling White based on a 2010 photograph by celebrity photographer Kwaku Alston . “The comedic actor, who gained younger generations of fans as she entered her 90s, was also revered as a compassionate advocate for animals.” Boston-based artist Dale Stephanos created the digital illustration from Alston's photo. "I'd love to send a letter back to my 18-year-old self with this stamp on it and tell him that everything is going to be OK," Stephanos posted on Facebook . Regardless of personal politics, self-proclaimed supporters of Republican President-elect Donald Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris reacted with delight on social media. "Betty White was my hero, all of my life! I actually had a doll when I was a little girl I named Betty White," one Trump supporter posted on X , formerly Twitter. “Something to make this awful week a little better: We’re getting a Betty White stamp,” a pro-Harris X account posted. White combined a wholesome image with a flare for bawdy jokes . Her television career began in the early 1950s and exploded as she aged. “The only SNL host I ever saw get a standing ovation at the after party," Seth Meyers posted on Twitter after her death. "A party at which she ordered a vodka and a hotdog and stayed til the bitter end.” Allen Ludden and his wife Betty White, who love to play games, continue a two year gin rummy battle in which she's ahead by a cumulative 6,000 points in Westchester, N.Y. on April 29, 1965. They do it professionally on TV. He's the master of ceremonies on "Password," and she makes frequent guest appearances on game shows. They play games to relax at home. (AP Photo/Bob Wands) Allen Ludden and his wife Betty White admire magnolia blossoms on the lawn of their country home in Westchester, N.Y. on May 14, 1965. (AP Photo/Bob Wands) Actress Betty White in 1965. (AP Photo) Betty White shares a moment backstage at the 28th annual Emmy Awards with Ted Knight after they each won an Emmy for their supporting roles in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." On the series Miss White played Sue Ann Nivens while Knight played newscaster Ted Baxter. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 17, 1976: (L-R) "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" co-stars - Ed Asner, Betty White, Mary Tyler Moore and Ted Knight - all won awards at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 28th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards held at the Shubert Theatre on May 17, 1976 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by TVA/PictureGroup/Invision for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences/AP Images) Actress Betty White with Ted Knight at the Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, Sept. 13, 1981. (AP Photo/Randy Rasmussen) Betty White and Anson Williams don't seem to faze Buckeye, a St. Bernard, during an awards ceremony during which Williams was honored by the Los Angeles Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals as a friend and lover of animals. Ms. White presented a humanitarian plaque to Williams at the event, which was held in Hollywood, California, Friday, May 1, 1982. (AP Photo/Marc Karody) Actress Betty White with actor John Hillerman arriving at Emmy Awards, Sept. 22, 1985 in Pasadena, California. (AP Photo/LIU) Actresses Betty White Ludden, left, and Mary Tyler Moore, right, smile at each other in Los Angeles, Friday, June 22, 1985 during Annual Meeting of Morris Animal Foundation, at which Ludden announced her retirement as President of the animal health group, held at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) These four veteran actresses from the television series "The Golden Girls" shown during a break in taping Dec. 25, 1985 in Hollywood. From left are, Estelle Getty, Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur and Betty White. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Actress Betty White poses in Los Angeles, Ca. in June, 1986. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon) Betty White stands backstage at the NBC TV Bob Hope "I Love Lucy" special on Sept. 16, 1989. (AP Photo/Djansezian) Michael J. Fox and Betty White, winners of Emmys for best actor and actress in a comedy series, stand backstage at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California, Sunday, Sept. 21, 1986 after receiving their honors. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac) Comedienne Betty White places her hand on the star that was presented posthumously to her husband, Allen Ludden, during ceremonies inducting him into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, Los Angeles, Thursday, March 31, 1988. Ludden was honored with the 1,868th star of the famed walkway — between those of White and Tyrone Power. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Estelle Getty, who plays Sophia, poses with her new husband, who plays Max, and the other "Golden Girls" after taping of episode on Friday, night, Nov. 5,1988 in Hollywood. Left to right are Rue McCLanahan (Blanche), Getty, Gilford, Bea Arthur (Dorothy) and Betty White. (AP Photo/Ira Mark Gostin) Former cast members of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, sans Mary Tyler Moore, are reunited for the Museum of Television and Radio's 9th annual Television Festival in Los Angeles Saturday, March 21, 1992. From left are Gavin MacLeod, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Betty White and Ed Asner. (AP Photo/Craig Fujii) Actress Betty White, left, writer/producer David E. Kelley, actress Bridget Fonda, and actor Oliver Platt pose at the premiere of their movie "Lake Placid," Wednesday night, July 14, 1999, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Betty White, from "Golden Girls," and Mr. T, Lawrence Tureaud, from "The A Team," pose for photographers at NBC's 75th Anniversary Party, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2002, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rene Macura) Actors Betty White, left, Georgia Engel, second left, Gavin MacLeod, center, Valerie Harper, second right, and John Amos pose for photographers during arrivals at CBS's 75th anniversary celebration Sunday, Nov. 2, 2003, in New York. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano) Actress Betty White laughs as an African eagle roosts overhead at the Los Angeles Zoo Monday, Feb. 20, 2006, in Los Angeles, where White was honored as Ambassador to the Animals by the city for her decades of dedication to the humane treatment of animals. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Betty White poses for photographers on the red carpet before Comedy Central's "Roast of William Shatner," Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Rene Macura) Betty White arrives at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, on Friday, June 15, 2007. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Beatrice Arthur, left, Betty White, center, and Rue McClanahan, of the Golden Girls, arrive at the TV Land Awards on Sunday June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Actor Henry Winkler, center, is seen Beatrice Arthur, right, and Betty White at the TV Land Awards on Sunday June 8, 2008 in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) In this Nov. 24, 2009 file photo, actress Betty White poses for a portrait following her appearance on the television talk show "In the House," in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File) Actress Betty White poses for a portrait on the set of the television show "Hot in Cleveland" in Studio City section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Actress Betty White is seen on stage at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010 in Universal City, Calif. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Betty White, a cast member in "You Again," poses with fans holding Betty White masks at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Actress Betty White wears a U.S. Forest Ranger hat after being named an Honorary Forest Ranger by the US Forest Service, at the Kennedy Center in Washington Washington, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2010. White has stated in numerous interviews that her first ambition as a young girl was "to become a forest ranger, but they didn't allow women to do that back then". (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Betty White, left, Bradley Cooper and Scarlett Johansson arrive at the MTV Movie Awards in Universal City, Calif., on Sunday, June 6, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Betty White, left, Kristen Bell, center, and Jamie Lee Curtis, cast members in "You Again," pose together at the premiere of the film in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Betty White, left, accepts the Life Achievement Award from Sandra Bullock at the 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) From left, actresses Betty White, Wendie Malick, Valerie Bertinelli, and Jane Leeves pose for a portrait on the set of the television show "Hot in Cleveland" in Studio City section of Los Angeles on Wednesday, June 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles) Alec Baldwin, left, and Betty White are seen on stage at the 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday, Jan. 30, 2011 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Betty White attends a book signing for her book 'If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)' at Barnes & Noble in New York, Friday, May 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Charles Sykes) Actress Betty White attends a press conference prior to the taping of "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl" on Sunday, Jan. 8, 2012 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Vince Bucci) Actress Betty White arrives on a white pony as she is honored at a Friars Club Roast sponsored by Godiva, Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at the Sheraton Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Starpix, Marion Curtis) Betty White, at left, attends her wax figure unveiling at Madame Tussauds on Monday, June 4, 2012 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Katy Winn/Invision/AP) From left, Sgt. 1st Class Chuck Shuck, Actress Betty White and The 2012 American Hero Dog Gabe pose during 2012 American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012, in Los Angeles, Calif. (Photo by Ryan Miller/Invision/AP) Betty White and Cloris Leachman onstage at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the JW Marriott on Saturday, April 20, 2013 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP) Ellen DeGeneres, left, presents Betty White with the award for favorite TV icon at the People's Choice Awards at the Nokia Theatre on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Betty White, left, speaks at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Looking on from right are Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 12.12.2024Chinese film about Covid-19 wins Taiwan's top Golden Horse prizes
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Narendra Modi bears the hallmark of popular mandate: Sarbananda Sonowal
Touch football in Greenfield has a long, storied history. Greenfield YMCA program director Pete Duffy founded and served as league director for the original Greenfield Recreational Men’s Touch Football League in 1971. The league served as a competitive outlet for players, many coming over from the adult softball circuit, and used a system based on UMass’ intramural touch football team. The field was 80 yards instead of UMass’ 60-yard space, with seven players per side playing 15-minute periods. Duffy asked that each player bring 50 cents “to cover the cost of practice jerseys,” according to a Recorder article from Oct. 1971. Four teams played that initial year — the 49ers, Colts, Redskins and Lions — with team captains Dick Howe, Bob Lively, Bill Martin and Bob Laskowski guiding their squads through the fall and early winter months at Beacon Field and Green River Park. “This will be the only sport in Greenfield to report their games to the Sports Desk with a body count as well as a score,” joked Recorder scribe Denny Wilkins of expected bumps and bruises in his “Sports Notebook” column. The league changed, and sponsors came into the mix by 1973. Teams were sponsored by the likes of Wrisley Funeral Home, Mt. Mohawk Ski Area, Northwestern Mutual and Merrigan Real Estate in the early days. Lou Grader ran the Greenfield Touch Football League for decades, with sponsors like Taylor’s Tavern, Alberti’s Restaurant and Shelburne Falls Bowling Alley coming into the mix. Grader would call the Recorder each week with stats and scores from the weekend’s games. Eventually, Rich Clark took the baton – about 15 years ago, he said. Some 50-plus years removed from the very first pass, the venture continues as the last remaining touch football league in western Massachusetts. Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess The 2024 season will come to its conclusion on Sunday, when Green River Park hosts the championship game between defending champion Gill CC Woodworking and the Titans at 10:30 a.m. Quarterbacks Pat Viencek and Julio Rivera will sling passes to Cody Underwood and Gio Ortiz, as the top two seeds in the league playoffs battle it out for a title. “It’s been great,” explained Clark of the league’s longevity. “We’ve done everything in our power to make it a family-friendly environment and it’s worked. After games, people stick around, have cookouts... it’s a real community environment.” That community environment enticed Diana Nunez, who went to a game as a spectator for the first time about 10 years ago. Fast forward a decade, and she now helps run two teams sponsored by Namaste Restaurant — the Rockets and the Panthers. Nunez, who runs social media and handles community events for Namaste, said she was hosting an event and found out that a team in the touch league had lost a sponsor. Her son also wanted to start a team in the league, and the restaurant has now sponsored both squads for two seasons. “It’s really such a good community thing that a lot of people don’t know about,” said Nunez. “It’s a great group of people getting together to play football and have a good time.” This year’s league had seven teams, with upward of 100 players participating. Clark said a team from Holyoke joined the mix this fall, and competition is fierce with a number of former college football players on rosters. Teams play 8-on-8 across two 80 yard fields that Clark sets up every Sunday morning — two games played simultaneously. For Clark, a longtime football official and coach, every Sunday is an opportunity to see former players continue to light it up as adults. “So many of the people who we have playing in the league, I coached them when they were 8 years old,” he said. “I really enjoy keeping a league going where these guys can still play.” Despite touch football leagues folding in Holyoke and Springfield in recent years, Clark’s devotion, and the passion he says still resonates from the league’s players, has the Greenfield Touch Football League chugging along. “I always said I’ll stay in the league as long as I’ve got teams that want to play,” he said. “If we’re gonna dwindle down and not have guys show up on Sunday, I might consider passing it off but as long as there are teams and players that want to play, yes, I plan to stay.”
Trump isn’t back in office but he’s already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leadersTrump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders
New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday termed the verdict given by the people of Maharashtra to the Mahayuti, which swept back to power with a near absolute majority, is a "stamp" of approval for the good governance of the BJP-led government. “Without a doubt, the Maharashtra result is historic. The verdict of Maharashtra is a stamp for the BJP model of good governance. The people of Maharashtra have blessed us for the time because they trust us. The BJP has also become the largest party in Maharashtra for the third time,” said PM Modi in his victory speech at BJP headquarters here. He added that the people of Maharashtra have given the BJP many more seats than the Congress and its allies combined, adding that this shows that when it comes to good governance, the country trusts only the BJP and the NDA. "Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj is an idol for me and the BJP. Dharamveer Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is our inspiration. We have always believed in the ideas of social justice of Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Mahatma Phule, and Savitribai Phule... this is in our conduct, this is in our behaviour. Respect for cultures and history is in our culture, in our nature,” PM Modi said. Lies, deceit and fraud have been badly defeated in Maharashtra, he said, adding that divisive forces have been defeated, negative politics has been defeated, and dynastic politics has also been defeated. “Maharashtra has witnessed the triumph of development, good governance, and genuine social justice. The forces of deception, divisive politics, and family dynasties have been defeated. Maharashtra has strengthened its resolve for a developed India,” PM Modi said. Lashing out at Congress, PM Modi said that people across the country are with the 'nation first' mantra and not with the ‘kursi first’ formula, adding that people have rejected Congress and people know that they will not keep their “dishonest” promises. "Congress and its ecosystem thought that by lying in the name of the Constitution and lying in the name of reservation, they would divide SC/ST/OBC into small groups. Maharashtra has completely rejected this conspiracy of Congress and its allies. Maharashtra has said it loudly: If there is one, then it is safe," PM Modi said. PM Modi said that whoever talks about two constitutions, people reject them and the Congress again tried to create two constitutions in J&K but Maharashtra results show that this will not be allowed at any cost. He said that no power on earth in the world can bring back Article 370, adding that the Maharashtra results have exposed the dual face of the INDIA bloc and the Maha Vikas Aghadi. "The results of by-elections in many states of the country have also come and our number in the Lok Sabha has increased by one more seat. UP, Uttarakhand, and Rajasthan have given full support to BJP. People of Assam have once again expressed their trust in the BJP. We also got success in Madhya Pradesh. Support for NDA has increased in Bihar too. This shows that the country now wants only development,” PM Modi said. He also congratulated and applauded all BJP and NDA workers across the country. On Jharkhand, where the JMM came back to power, PM Modi said: "We will work even harder for the rapid development of Jharkhand, and every single BJP worker will contribute their utmost efforts towards this goal." Earlier, BJP President J.P Nadda said that the people of Maharashtra have delivered a decisive verdict, affirming their unwavering support for PM Modi and Mahayuti. “Simultaneously, they have sent a strong message to Maha Aghadi, acknowledging the reality that Congress is a 'Parjeevi' party that prioritises its own interests while leaving others to wither away! The outcome of Maha Aghadi serves as a testament to this harsh reality,” Nadda said.