Is the world more dangerous than ever for travelers? A global risk expert weighs in
Aside from maybe the Sabres, no NHL team needed to step away from their season more than the Rangers did this week. So much has happened through the first 2 1/2 months of the season. Two notable trades , two big contract extensions , one league-wide memo and so much more has been compacted into just 34 games. The very public details of the locker room’s unrest have been inescapable for a group that considers itself to be airtight. And it has all weighed the Blueshirts down into the basement of the Metropolitan Division, as well as 23rd in the NHL, which is where the club will resume its season Saturday in Tampa Bay. Hope for a turnaround has dwindled drastically as the Rangers dropped 13 of their last 17 games. Not just because the number of remaining contests has diminished, but because the team has consistently failed to generate an on-ice product worth believing in. Just like a lot can happen in 34 games, however, even more can happen in the 48 remaining. A lot will need to go right for the Rangers to regain playoff position, but it is not impossible. Sustaining success has not been easy. Whether it’s shift to shift, period to period or game to game, the Rangers will need to rediscover that part of their game if they wish to keep their postseason aspirations alive. Most Valuable Player When you sign your best player to a record-setting contract for his position and said player continues to be your best player, that’s a win. The Rangers haven’t had many of those lately, on or off the ice, so we’ll give them that one, for sure. Locking star goalie Igor Shesterkin down for the next eight years at $11.5 million per when the Rangers did was a smart business decision. Who knows what could’ve happened if the season continued to get out of hand. Since signing the extension Dec. 8, Shesterkin has gone 2-4-0 with a goals-against average of 2.63 and a .926 save percentage. Under the circumstances of the atrocious defense in front of him, that’s about as much as Shesterkin could be doing for his team. Even his season totals — a 2.91 GAA and a .913 save percentage — are indicative of Shesterkin pulling his weight. Least Valuable Player The unfortunate truth is that several Rangers qualify for this title. Perhaps the most adequate way to measure it would be to consider how much value said player once brought to the lineup. That would easily classify Mika Zibanejad as the Rangers’ least valuable player right now. Zibanejad has been the team’s most defensively responsible forward for much of his New York tenure. He’s also undoubtedly served as their No. 1 center. That is, until this season. His drastic dropoff on both sides of the puck has Zibanejad acting as the Rangers’ third-line center at the moment. The nine points he’s posted at five-on-five are tied with Filip Chytil for ninth on the team. His 4.9 goals-against per 60 at even strength leads the team. Biggest Surprise There was a time when comparing the Rangers with Ryan Lindgren in the lineup versus without made the 26-year-old defenseman look like the heart and soul of the team. Indeed, he has been just that for a majority of his 362 games as a Ranger. That’s why the way he’s weighed them down this season has been shocking. Whether it’s just a lost step or the pressure of knowing this is likely his last season in New York, Lindgren has been a liability on defense. In just 29 games, Lindgren is already almost halfway to his goals-against total (21) from last season (43). The constant misplays of the puck have proven costly time and time again, but that’s also just how this season has unfolded for the Rangers. Biggest Disappointment Similarly to how the LVP was weighed, the biggest disappointment would have to be a player who was also a big surprise at one point. Alexis Lafreniere finally arrived on Broadway last season, but the 2020 first-overall pick has vanished just as quickly. The fact that his disappearance came right after signing a seven-year, $52.15 million extension , however, is as bad a look as it can get for Lafreniere. Just as the club rewarded its prized lottery pick, he reverted to the low-impact skater we saw through his first three NHL seasons. First seven games before extension: Seven points (4 goals, 3 assists). Twenty-seven games after extension: 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) and minus-15. Best Moment There haven’t been many, but the 5-0-1 getaway that culminated in a 12-4-1 start to the season was the last time the Rangers’ 2024-25 campaign had a good feeling to it. The Rangers knew they weren’t playing their best, but they weren’t yet folding at the slightest sign of adversity. Worst Moment The way the Rangers buckled in the aftermath of president and general manager Chris Drury’s league-wide trade memo at the end of November was remarkable. If a response was the desired effect, it produced the complete opposite. Though it does not appear as though that was ever Drury’s intent. The goal was to begin addressing a lineup and a core that has clearly run its course, but the way it went down undoubtedly expedited the Blueshirts’ downfall. Upcoming Decisions What do the Rangers do now? Where do they go from here? What is their next move? Is it a series of trades? Unloading major players? Wait and see if they can turn it around? The trajectory of the franchise depends on it.
After rough start under coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks' defense has become a strengthRajnandgaon, A constable suspected to be involved in irregularities in an ongoing police recruitment drive was found hanging from a tree on Saturday in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, an official said. Constable Anil Ratnakar was found dead in Rampur village under Lalbag police station limits this morning, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg said. Ratnakar, a resident of Mahasamund district, was posted in Jalbandha police post in Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district and had been deputed on duty recently for the the constable recruitment drive in Rajnandgaon. "A note written with pen was found on the left palm of Ratnakar, which stated employees are being targeted in alleged irregularities in recruitment and officers are being protected. Prima facie, it seems to be a case of suicide and further investigation is underway," Garg said. The constable recruitment drive for Rajnandgaon Range, covering Rajanandgaon, KCG, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki and Kabirdham districts, began on the premises of 8th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force on November 16 and is being held with technical support of Hyderabad-based Timing Technology Company, the SP informed. Technical equipment used in the recruitment process, storage of data etc are the lookout of this company, he added. "Recently, an FIR was lodged when fraud was noticed in entries of marks obtained by candidates in physical efficiency tests. After this, some personnel, including Ratnakar, were removed from recruitment duty. Policemen and staffers of the company are being questioned," he said. The FIR was lodged on the December 17 on the complaint of Deputy Superintendent of Police Tanupriya Thakur, who was in-charge of shot put event under Physical Efficiency Test during the recruitment drive, after she detected forgery in marks obtained by a candidate. Meanwhile, the deceased's elder brother Sunil Ratnakar claimed the former had spoken to him over phone on Friday. During the conversation, the deceased had claimed he and other lower rung personnel were being implicated while senior officials were being protected. The opposition Congress attacked the BJP government in the state and sought a high level inquiry. "Rajnandgaon police recruitment scam seems to be a serious matter. What constable Anil Ratnakar wrote on his hand before committing suicide shows its seriousness. The meaning of 'employees are being framed, officers are being saved' is clear @vishnudsai ji. Corruption has happened. Officers are also involved. Now a high level investigation is necessary," former chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said in a post on X. The senior Congress leader also posted a picture of Ratnakar's note. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.These Holly Jolly Trivia Questions Are The Perfect Conversation Starter When There's A Lull In The Festivities At Your Next Holiday GatheringNew 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns
New Delhi, December 21: YouTube, the Google-owned platform, is preparing for a policy change to enhance user experience and trust. The company has announced plans to crack down on videos with misleading titles and thumbnails, which is known as "clickbait." The initiative will be rolling out in India in the coming months and aims to reduce misinformation and viewer frustration. YouTube is looking to strengthen its rules regarding videos that have titles or thumbnails that promise something that the actual content does not provide. It will be particularly for videos that discuss breaking news or current events but mislead its viewers about what they are watching. YouTube Expands Auto Dubbing Feature for More Creators To Break Language Barriers; Check Details and Know How It Works. Google emphasised that to give creators enough time to adapt to these new enforcement updates and they will begin by removing content that goes against their policy without giving any strike. Google will also continue to educate its creators about these changes as their enforcement will focus mainly on new video uploads in the future. What is Clickbait? Clickbait happens when a video's title or thumbnail makes promises or claims that the actual video does not fulfil. It is common with content related to breaking news or current events. When viewers encounter this, they may feel deceived, annoyed, or misled, particularly when they turn to YouTube looking for important or current information. Such experiences can be frustrating, as people expect to find reliable content that matches what was advertised in the title or thumbnail. YouTube New Feature Launched To Help Indian Viewers Find High-Quality Health Information From Health Professionals. Google explained that clickbait can be seen in examples like a video titled "the president resigned!" when the actual content does not discuss the president's resignation at all. Another instance is a thumbnail that claims "top political news" for a video that fails to provide any news coverage. These kinds of misleading titles and thumbnails can create confusion and disappointment for viewers who expect to find relevant information based on what they see. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 21, 2024 06:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com ).