Commentary: What Assad regime collapse in Syria means for Russia and Iran
It’s not hard to understand the value tight end Josh Oliver brings to the Vikings. ADVERTISEMENT Just listen to the way people talk about him. “He’s an animal,” tight end T.J. Hockenson said. “Once he gets his hands on somebody, it’s kind of like, ‘Good luck.'” It was similar sentiment from offensive coordinator Wes Phillips. “He’s the best blocking tight end in the league, and that’s no disrespect to anybody else,” Phillips said. “We will take Josh over anybody in this league in the role that he’s in. It’s not only that he’s physically imposing as a 270-pound man. It’s the attitude that he plays with out there.” ADVERTISEMENT What are the Vikings losing now that Oliver has been ruled out with an ankle injury? His absence will be felt most when the Vikings try to run the ball against the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. Though he has proved he can contribute in the passing game, Oliver has been a force in the running game since signing with the Vikings. There have been multiple times this season that Oliver had singlehandedly carved out space for running back Aaron Jones to go to work. That’s partially why Hockenson has played only about 50% of the offensive snaps since returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament a few weeks ago. Even if the Vikings are often telegraphing a run when Oliver is on the field, they don’t care because they feel that strongly about his ability as a blocker. “You see it every single week,” Phillips said. “He’s moving large men and putting them on the ground.” ADVERTISEMENT It’s safe to assume Oliver would suit up for the Vikings if he were able to do so. He’s been playing through a wrist injury for the past few weeks, for example, and has still been extremely effective at the point of attack. How tough is it to replace Oliver in a vacuum? “It’s a big challenge because of all the things he does on a snap in and snap out basis,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We will see some guys make some impacts on some different downs and distances than we have maybe seen up to this point.” ADVERTISEMENT Briefly The only other players on the injury report for the Vikings are tight end Nick Muse (hand) and edge rusher Gabe Murphy (knee). Both players were officially listed as questionable and being full participants in the walkthrough on Friday afternoon at TCO Performance Center. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .‘It’s Christmas for them, too’: Boarded pets enjoy the holidays
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Looking for cheap ways to keep the kids entertained over school break? For travelers in the know, there’s a free vacation activity that’s hiding in plain sight. I don’t know about you, but anytime I get an inside view to a destination without the customized tour price, I gleefully take the wander win. A year or two ago, I was introduced to a new avocation I can enjoy anywhere in the world. It’s called geocaching, and it’s just about the most affordable way to enhance any travel outing I’ve ever seen. If you need a hobby the entire family can get behind, at any time of year and in any climate, look no further. From Antarctica to Ann Arbor, you’ve got options. All you need is a pen, a talent for finding hidden containers, and possibly a trinket or two to trade if you so choose. After that, it’s lather, rinse and repeat for affordable family fun on tap. Exploration With containers hidden around the world at historical locations, famous landmarks, scenic vistas and more, exploration is built into the geocaching equation. Game participants can explore their immediate local area, a bucket list destination, and nearly anywhere in between. The metaphorical magic behind this modern treasure hunt is provided by a company called Groundspeak, which manages score totals, event calendars, and container location data for members worldwide. Their headquarters in Seattle is a popular pit stop for long-time players. At the visitor center, you can find a cache, earn a souvenir, tour the geocaching museum and more. Economy As travel activities go, the affordability of geocaching is tough to beat. While premium accounts and paid apps are certainly available for more hard-core enthusiasts, the basic membership and smartphone software are free. Also, though exchanging inexpensive trinkets can be part of the cache-finding fun, it isn’t mandatory. You can simply search out a cache, and log the find. The economy of geocaching can apply to travelers of any budget. On the pricier end, certain caches can only be accessed with a passport and a trip abroad. Even then, I find it more affordable and fun to explore on foot while caching. On a recent extended trip to Europe, my logged locations included a castle, a Roman bridge and a quaint mountain village. The money I saved on packaged tours paid for two high-speed train tickets to Paris. If your vacation fund dictates a more modest getaway, there is plenty of adventure for you as well. Simply pull up the app on your phone to see what hides are available in your local area. These hidden stashes can be found on hiking trails, during an afternoon road trip or even at places you walk past on a regular basis. Efficiency Those who travel with hobby supplies in tow know firsthand that every bit of luggage space counts. Geocaching can be done with nothing more than a pen and a mobile phone. I try to find purse room for a small plastic bag stocked with a few extra log sheets, a small pair of tweezers and a couple of tiny trade items such as stickers, charms or mini erasers. It takes up less space than a pack of gum and lets me participate at a deeper level. Another way this game is incredibly space efficient? Souvenirs. In addition to trip memories and the electronic record of your overall game score, geocaching allows you to earn free digital souvenirs designed to represent the way in which they’re won. There are fun ones for completing specific challenges, visiting different states and countries, and attending special gatherings. There’s even one for finding a hidden code in some of NASA’s equipment footage from Mars! Since you can view these souvenirs from your phone, there’s no need to worry about finding room in your bag or lugging around extra weight. Events Whether you’re traveling alone or with a partner, long-term life on the road can feel isolating. This is especially true when you are only in a place for a short time, making it a challenge to form connections through traditional means. As geocaching has evolved, it has come to include not just physical caches, but events where members get together for any number of activities. Travelers can search out preplanned event caches at their selected destination, or schedule their own pop-up adventure for locals to attend. These meet-ups can focus on a range of interests from kayaking to a picnic spot, to poetry writing at a coffee shop, or going to a museum. I’ve even hosted a postcard making experience at one of my favorite beer joints. Attending and logging in at these social sessions counts as a cache find in your overall game total. Extras Events aren’t your only option for thinking outside the traditional container box. Adventure Lab caches are a great way to experience a new city as a geocacher. As with traditional and event caches, these vary widely. Expect anything from self-directed public art tours and searching out historical markers, to tips for finding favorite local swimming holes and suggested selfie spots. Other options include virtual and Earth caches, which are designed to help you learn specific things about the area. Typically, I’ve been required to submit photos or question answers as proof of completion. If you have a tiny bit of room in your trip bag, travel bugs are another neat geocaching extra. Typically a small novelty item attached to a coded tracking tag, a travel bug is registered in the app to a member, and placed in a cache. From there, another player can pick it up and take it to another hidden container for the next player to move along. All locations are documented in the system, so it’s a nifty way for folks to follow the journey of their item. Containers with room to house these trackable items tend to be a bit larger, and are often categorized as travel bug hotels. These are some of the more unique container caches out there. Hidden in locked urban junction boxes that require a code, secret compartments of little free libraries or even large containers in the woods, they can be a significant memory maker, especially for youngsters. If all this sounds like something you’d like to try, information for finding, making and hiding caches is available online. Geocaching.com , Groundspeak’s main user website for the hobby, offers a deep dive into everything a new player needs to know. Bottom line? Geocaching’s worldwide reach and affordability make it a budget travel win. Whether you want to see and save in some of the world’s most sought-after destinations, or search out local options for family fun, this international scavenger-style hunt has something to offer. ________ (Lifestyle and travel expert @MyschaTheriault blends thrift and luxury to live well for less around the world.) ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Advertisement 2 This advertisement has not loaded yet. Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement 3 This advertisement has not loaded yet. Advertisement 4 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement 4 This advertisement has not loaded yet. Advertisement 5 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Advertisement 5 This advertisement has not loaded yet. 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WINNIPEG - Mike O’Shea stood in front of reporters Friday and kept his cool while answering questions about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts last weekend. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * WINNIPEG - Mike O’Shea stood in front of reporters Friday and kept his cool while answering questions about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts last weekend. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? WINNIPEG – Mike O’Shea stood in front of reporters Friday and kept his cool while answering questions about the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts last weekend. The head coach was asked if he made a mistake keeping injured quarterback Zach Collaros in the game, why star running back Brady Oliveira didn’t get the ball more and whether a flawed game plan led to Winnipeg’s third consecutive championship loss. “As an entire team, we didn’t have our best game,” O’Shea said in his end-of-the-season press conference. “We didn’t lack effort. We didn’t lack desire. “We didn’t have our best game as an entire team. Three phases. Coaches — everybody. Me especially.” O’Shea admitted he missed calling a timeout in the fourth quarter when there were only 11 Blue Bombers on the field instead of 12. “I don’t get the count over the headset as quickly as I probably need to, we can’t count. As I’m seeing a guy come off, that’s the right time for that timeout that I should have used,” O’Shea said. He also said he should have used a challenge flag earlier on a play he didn’t identify, and checked on his players more during the game. But hindsight wouldn’t change his decision to put Collaros back in the game after the index finger on his throwing hand was cut deep when it hit a defender’s helmet. “He absolutely deserves every opportunity to lead this team,” O’Shea said. “From what I saw and from chatting with him very briefly, I felt really comfortable with that. I didn’t think it was going to be easy, but I thought it’s Zach, so...” The injury to Collaros’s finger happened late in the third quarter when the Blue Bombers were trailing the Argonauts 17-10. The veteran left the game and returned with a bandaged finger that needed five stitches and a numbing agent. He wore a glove on the hand and told reporters earlier this week it was difficult to grip the ball. Collaros said he warned receivers in the huddle his throws might not have the usual zip and they should be prepared to come back for the ball. “(I) saw him delivering the ball on the sidelines. Then you see him deliver a couple balls out there and some of them are pretty damn good, right?” O’Shea said. “The awareness of Zach to say to the receivers, ‘hey, work a little harder for me,’ I think it’s natural and what should be said. I think they already know that.” When Collaros re-entered the game, he threw interceptions in back-to-back series. “On one of them he got rid of the ball and I thought it was a good ball and the defensive player made a good play,” O’Shea said of the picks. “One slipped right out of his hand or I don’t know if it got tipped or not. You’ve got to give him that opportunity.” Oliveira was questioning his lack of opportunities in the game when he spoke to reporters earlier in the week. The CFL’s newly minted most outstanding player and top Canadian only had 11 carries for 84 yards and one late touchdown. About 17 or 18 run plays were called, O’Shea said. “One starts off with a procedure penalty in the first and then six of those get pulled because there’s X number of guys in the box or the read says this is not a run play anymore, this is now a pass play,” he said. “You call that many runs and then a pile of them get pulled because of the structure of the defence. That’s OK with me at that point.” O’Shea said Bombers offensive co-ordinator Buck Pierce has been granted permission to talk to CFL teams with head-coaching job openings. The B.C. Lions are reportedly interested in Pierce. The Edmonton Elks also have a vacant head coach spot. If Pierce doesn’t become a head coach, O’Shea said he wants him to stay in Winnipeg. He believes Pierce had the offence “extremely well-prepared” for the Grey Cup. “I’m never going to question the play-calling, and I think what’s going on here is we’re questioning,” O’Shea said. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “We’re trying to find blame and fault when that’s nowhere in our DNA of how we built this eight, nine, 10 years ago. We’re starting to try and find all these answers and question all these people that were 0-4 and 2-6 and then 10-1, and we just didn’t play our best game.” The Bombers finished 11-7 and claimed the West Division title that earned them a fifth consecutive trip to the Grey Cup. They won the championship in 2019 and ’21, but lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes last year and 24-23 to Toronto in 2023. “We’re the same group that got there, that went on a phenomenal run after a bad start, and a bad start for a lot of reasons that we overcame,” O’Shea said. “I just, I don’t question any of it. I look for answers, too. I watch the film over and over and over again. And look to already make notes on how we’re going to be better, how we’re going to get back there again.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 22, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement
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Will Utah State or Boise State forfeit vs. San Jose State in the Mountain West semifinals?Stock up on these popular board games for your next get-together
FOX45: O’Malley picks up endorsements for DNC chair from Maryland senatorsMUMBAI: Zepto has raised a fresh funding of $350 million from a clutch of domestic investors led by Motilal Oswal's private wealth division at a flat valuation of $5 billion, taking its total fund count for the year to over $1 billion. This marks the third fund-raise by the quick commerce startup this year as investors rush to take a slice of the growing market for rapid deliveries. Indian HNIs (high net worth individuals), family offices and financial institutions also backed the new funding round. Investors who joined the firm's cap table (firm's shareholding), include Motilal Oswal AMC and Raamdeo Agarwal, the Mankind Pharma Family Office, RP Sanjiv Goenka Group, Cello Family Office, Haldiram Snacks Family Office, Kalyan Family Office, Mothers Recipe Family Office (Desai Brothers) among others. Celebrities Abhishek Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar also participated. The latest funding comes barely three months after the Bengaluru-based firm bagged $340 million from investors led by General Catalyst at a valuation of $5 billion. The investment was an extension of the funding round as part of which Zepto garnered $665 million from investors in June at a valuation of $3.6 billion, marking a revival of late stage startup funding deals after almost a two-year slump. Quick commerce or 10 minute deliveries has seen huge consumer adoption in metros, where people are more than willing to sign up for services that offer them convenience of rapid doorstep deliveries. Ready to Master Stock Valuation? ET's Workshop is just around the corner!TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Aden Holloway made eight 3-pointers and scored 26 points off the bench, and No. 5 Alabama overwhelmed South Dakota State with 19 made 3-pointers in a 105-82 victory on Sunday. Labaron Philon added 21 points, six assists and two steals for Alabama (11-2), while Mark Sears had 20 points and five assists. Grant Nelson scored 17 points. Oscar Cluff scored 21 points and Isaac Lindsey had 11 for South Dakota State (9-6). South Dakota State: Cluff entered Sunday averaging 16.6 points and 10.8 rebounds, but had failed to hit double digits in either category in either of his last two games before returning to form Sunday with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Alabama: Holloway’s 8-for-19 performance was a welcome sight after making four of his 15 attempts in his previous three games. Holloway, in his first season at Alabama after transferring from Auburn, saw his scoring average dip under 9 points per game before 13 points in the previous game and 26 on Sunday. Sears and Holloway hit 3-pointers less than 30 seconds apart just past the midway point of the first half, completing a 17-0 run and putting Alabama up by 23 points. The Jackrabbits never got the deficit lower than 14 after that. Alabama committed six turnovers, after having committed at least 14 in six of its last seven games. Alabama begins Southeastern Conference play at home against Oklahoma on Saturday; South Dakota State beings Summit League play on Thursday at home against Denver. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
The Shipping Industry Can Help Carbon Capture Sail AheadChristopher Nolan’s next film is based on ‘The Odyssey’Nollywood actress and film producer, Funke Akindele has achieved a groundbreaking milestone with her latest film, “Everybody Loves Jenifa” becoming the first Nollywood film to hit $100,000 in diaspora sales. The talented actress and filmmaker made this disclosure on her official social media handle on Tuesday, December 24, following the movie premiere in the United Kingdom (UK) on Friday, December 20. Taking to her Instagram page, Funke expressed gratitude to her fans, cast, colleagues, and the global diaspora community for their unwavering support. READ ALSO: In her heartfelt post, Funke Akindele described the achievement as a collective success, thanking her loyal fanbase, the “Jenifans,” and everyone who contributed to the movie’s journey. She credited their love and support as the driving force behind this record-breaking success. The film’s international appeal has garnered widespread attention, with tickets continuing to sell rapidly. This milestone not only highlights the global potential of Nollywood films but also solidifies Funke Akindele’s position as one of the industry’s leading figures. The Movie is setting a new benchmark for Nigerian cinema on the global stage.
If the Democratic Party wants to win future elections outside of deep blue areas, it might just need to take inspiration from Goodwill Industries and embrace its philosophy of “A hand up, not a handout.” Many election analysts attribute President-elect Donald Trump’s win to one or two major factors, such as the economy or immigration. And as time goes on, political scientists like me may learn more. But one takeaway that is not really being discussed is the role of work, aspiration and prosperity. Warning: I will be painting with a very broad brush here. Please proceed with the understanding that some people in our society require services, and this is by no means a suggestion that they not receive the assistance they need. Patrick Ruffini, a Republican pollster and author of “Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP,” recently joined New York Times columnist Ezra Klein on Klein’s podcast for an episode titled “The Book That Predicted the 2024 Election.” Ruffini shared polling that he conducted with Hispanic voters living in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. He asked them what is the No. 1 problem they see today with the Democratic Party. Ruffini told Klein that the answer they gave “wasn’t ‘too woke’ or the buzzword of socialism.” Rather, they perceived the Democratic Party as being “the party of welfare benefits for people who do not work.” “And if you look at how the Democratic Party has been perceived in the last four years, in particular in terms of letting immigrants into the country, illegal migrants into the country, and there’s a perception that they’re getting government benefits and not working,” Ruffini said. “And all of this is coming at the expense of people who made their way in America who started from the very bottom of the rung and worked their way up the economic ladder through their own hard work and not necessarily through government policies.” This advice, if heeded, could have helped Vice President Kamala Harris in her campaign. Harris’ economic policy agenda focused on cutting taxes for working families, going after businesses and corporations for price gouging, lowering health care costs, expanding the child tax credit and offering $25,000 for new homebuyers. While Harris’ plan may have put more money in working Americans’ pockets, the focus seemed to be on the government’s role in helping citizens rather than empowering them to achieve their own success. Consider it in light of Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu’s famous quote, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” A Harris administration would have doled out a lot of fish. Back in May, Trump held a large rally in the South Bronx, New York, one of the most Democratic counties in the nation, where he tried to reach out to Black and Hispanic voters. While Trump’s speech was littered with lies about the 2020 election and other ramblings, he spent a large portion of that rally talking about success, both for the country and for individual Americans. “Do you remember I used to give talks on success before politics?” Trump told the crowd. “It starts with getting the right leadership. It also involves men and women just like you. ... I think we’re in the Bronx, we have young people, people that aspire to success.” As we sift through the data of the election, it appears Trump was able to reach at least some of those voters. For example, he increased his vote share in the Bronx by 11 percentage points to nearly 30% on Nov. 5. Trump won the 2024 election by turning out his base of supporters, but he also expanded his coalition among other voters, including several groups that have traditionally been a part of the Democratic base. VoteCast conducted a sweeping survey of the American electorate, interviewing more than 120,000 voters nationwide from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5. Its results found that Trump picked up a small but significant share of Black and Hispanic voters and made narrow gains with men and women. Harris lost support from this portion of the electorate as compared with President Joe Biden’s coalition in 2020. Talking about success seems to have bred electoral success. For years now, Democrats have been wringing their hands over the loss of the working-class voter to Republicans. Instead of trying to “help” workers with aid and programs, Dems should acknowledge, praise and encourage Americans’ labor. Schmidt writes for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: SchmidtOpinions@gmail.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Longest-lived US president was always happy to speak his mind