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Commonwealth Games row: Ditching of Ulster Banner discussed in 'calm and respectful way' at AGMPublished 5:31 pm Saturday, December 7, 2024 By Data Skrive Today’s NBA schedule has a lot in store. Among the 12 contests is the Houston Rockets facing the Los Angeles Clippers. Here you can find info on live coverage of all of today’s NBA action. Sign up for NBA League Pass to get access to games, live and on-demand, and more for the entire season and offseason. Watch ESPN originals, The Last Dance and more NBA content on ESPN+. Use our link to sign up for ESPN+ or the Disney bundle. Not all offers available in all states, please visit BetMGM for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER .
SMU has plenty to play for when it closes the regular season against California on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who checked in at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, would like to send their seniors off the right way. They would also like to complete a perfect regular season before appearing in the ACC title game in their first year in the conference. Most importantly, they want to continue to strengthen their playoff case. "You've got the College Football Playoff, so every game matters. That's what's so cool about it now. The regular season is important," SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. "We'd like to finish well in everything we do, particularly on Saturday, to finish off the regular season, continue our momentum into the following week. Hopefully, continue to show the committee and others that we're worthy of continuing to play this year." The Mustangs are a worthy playoff team to date. Kevin Jennings has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, throwing for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has rushed for 315 yards and four TDs. Brashard Smith has been another standout, rushing for 1,089 yards and 13 TDs. Defensively, the Mustangs rank tied for 14th in the country with 20 takeaways. "Obviously they've had a phenomenal season," Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of SMU. "As soon as you turn the tape on, it doesn't take very long to see why their record is what it is. They're very, very good really in every phase of the game - extremely explosive and quick and fast. They've got a dominant D-line. We've got a lot of challenges in front of us and our guys are excited for that." Cal (6-5, 2-5) is coming off an emotional win, defeating rival Stanford 24-21 on Saturday to secure a bowl berth. The Golden Bears will appear in consecutive bowls for the first time since 2018-19 and are now looking to clinch their first winning season since 2019. SMU is not overlooking Cal, as all five of the Golden Bears' losses have come by one score. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a better 6-5 team in America," Lashlee said. "I think you can conservatively say they very, very easily could be 9-2." Cal is led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Tight end Jack Endries leads the team with 555 yards receiving, while wide receiver Nyziah Hunter has caught a team-leading five touchdowns. Defensively, Cal has the ACC's top scoring defense (20.7 points per game) and is tied with Clemson for the ACC's best turnover margin (plus-13). Defensive back Nohl Williams is the star of the group -- he leads the country with seven interceptions. Even though oddsmakers are heavily favoring SMU, Cal is going into the game with a simple mindset. "Our task at hand is to make the best bowl game right now," Mendoza said. "And the way to do that is to go into Dallas, give it our best and ruin SMU's season." Saturday will mark the first conference meeting between these ACC newcomers, and just the second meeting between the programs all time. SMU won a 13-6 game back in 1957. --Field Level MediaMadhya Pradesh Political Punch: Devilish Pet, Number One, Hidden Chasm & More
A woman left with botched breasts after a boob job gone wrong in Turkey says she "knew something wasn’t right" the minute she woke up. Mum-of-two Stacey Bates was left with messy scars, wonky nipples and uneven breasts after a surgeon allegedly told her "time for sleepy bye bye" and put her under the knife. The 29-year-old claims she wasn’t even consulted about the size of the implants that were being fitted - and believes the clinic randomly chose her implants "off the shelf" without any consideration as to what would be appropriate for her body. Stacey, from Bedale, North Yorkshire, said: "I was seduced by the price, but as soon as I woke up from the general anaesthetic, I knew something wasn’t right. The surgeon chose the implant size without a detailed consultation. It felt like they just grabbed one off the shelf. They also did not inform me about having a catheter inserted. The fear is you may not make it home and see your kids again.” Stacey had thought about having breast augmentation for a breast reduction and uplift for years. After seeing an advert for a clinic in Turkey on social media earlier this year, the 29-year-old filled in an online consultation. Having been impressed with the communication and price, which totalled £3,500 including flights, Stacey decided to go for it. But her dreams would quickly crumble when she discovered there was more to the operation than she realised. She said: “I was instructed to walk around shortly after surgery and left with drains dangling, which I was told to empty myself. I’d had to leave [my children] for so many days and then I was worried that when I got home I wouldn’t be able to pick them up.” Stacey said the experience failed to live up to her expectations from the moment she landed in Turkey in January. She explained: “They told me the transport would be a private minibus, but when I arrived, I was sharing it with others. After arriving, I was taken to the hotel, then went to the hospital for pre-surgery checks, including blood tests and a brief meeting with the surgeon to mark areas for surgery. Payment was also collected from the bed on the day of surgery, but I did not see the surgeon on the day. I observed other patients on surgical beds and had to transfer myself onto a cold, hard operating table. When I was laid on the table the surgeon said ‘time for sleepy bye bye’ and that really freaked me out." Stacey says she decided to go ahead with the procedure despite her doubts and initial confusion over who was going to perform it. On the day her drains were removed, she was sent straight to the airport to fly home - but needed a trip to A&E upon her return to the UK when her stitches became infected. She said: “After returning home, the stitches became infected, and I was unable to contact the surgeon directly, only communicating with the provider. I had to seek treatment at A&E and was prescribed antibiotics.” When Stacey told the clinic about her concerns over the results, they asked her to contact them again in January 2025 to discuss options. Stacey claims they mentioned that additional surgery would require another payment, but that doctor fees would be reduced. Stacey is now working with London-based Pall Mall Medical to have revision surgery, which will include correcting bad scarring and repositioning her nipples. She also plans to have an uplift and implant revision in January 2025. According to the latest figures, 28 Britons have lost their lives due to complications from overseas procedures since 2019, including seven deaths in 2024 alone. Stacey has shared her story to help warn the public about the dangers of low-cost cosmetic procedures abroad. She said: “I just wish I'd stayed here in the UK to get it done, where you've got that reassurance if something goes wrong you can contact your surgeon. If you're not happy with the results, you've got that guarantee. Whereas you haven't got anything doing what I did. I went for the price, and now I’m having to pay again, so it's cost me more in the long run. Definitely do your research. Don't go by price. Look into each company and surgeon and make sure you know the process.” Dr Simon Theobalds, an A&E doctor and Pall Mall GP, spoke of his growing concern over the rising number of cases involving botched surgeries. He said: “We see patients drawn in by deals for half-price tummy tucks or breast augmentations. “But these clinics often don’t match the safety standards required in the UK. Language barriers can also lead to misunderstandings, and hygiene standards are often compromised. People don’t realise they may be treated by unqualified practitioners, and unfortunately, some end up paying the ultimate price - their life.”Georgia Republicans recommend further law to restrict transgender women’s participation in sports
Jannik Sinner leads Italy back to the Davis Cup semifinals and a rematch against AustraliaBEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria gained speed on Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and with the government forced to deny rumors that had fled the country. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by an opposition war 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 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 organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. As they have advanced, the insurgents, led by the 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 four of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Homs, Latakia and Tartus. The U.N.’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 the Syria border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remained 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 yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Amid the developments, Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. Russia, is busy with its . Lebanon’s powerful 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, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald 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 of U.N. Resolution 2254 would be announced later. The resolution, adopted in 2015, called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later in the day, 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 also marching from eastern Syria 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. Syria’s military, meanwhile, sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that insurgents had entered the historic central town of Palmyra, home to invaluable archaeological sites, a day earlier. Palmyra had been in government hands since it was 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. HTS leader Abu told CNN in an interview Thursday from Syria that the aim is to overthrow Assad’s government. 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, 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. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces and are sending reinforcements to Homs, where a battle loomed. If the insurgents capture Homs, they would cut the link between Damascus, Assad’s seat of power, and the coastal region where the president enjoys wide support. 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 Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized 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. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report.
Satellite Phone Store Steps in to Support Malibu Wildfire Recovery with Lifesaving Communication ToolsSitting around a North Hollywood rehearsal studio on a recent Wednesday evening, the members of the Hard Quartet are taking a break from prepping for the first concert by this indie-rock supergroup by recounting the first gigs they played with some of their other bands. Drummer Jim White volunteers a recollection of his first show with Dirty Three, which formed in Melbourne in the early 1990s because “this guy had a bar, and he wanted a band,” as White puts it. “We played three sets for three people, and we got 60 bucks.” “Each?” asks singer and guitarist Matt Sweeney, known for founding New York’s Chavez around the same time. “Total,” White answers. “Plus all you can drink.” Says Stephen Malkmus , indie-rock famous as the frontman of Pavement: “That’s a f— deal in Australia.” Does White reckon the Dirty Three downed more than $60 worth of booze? “Oh yeah,” the drummer says. “We left our gear there and came back again the next day. The drinks were still flowing.” Given their established-veteran status — the Hard Quartet’s fourth member is Emmett Kelly, who’s played with the Cairo Gang and with Will Oldham for years — these guys ranging in age from mid-40s to early 60s seem not in the least bit anxious about the fact that, 24 hours from now, they’ll make their debut in front of an audience at the Belasco in downtown Los Angeles. Sweeney passes around a tray of brie and raspberries as we chat; Malkmus is wearing tennis shorts and tennis shoes, having come here straight from an afternoon match at a friend’s place. Yet their laid-back attitude is accompanied by an endearing excitement about the music they make together. “It’s good, right?” Malkmus asks. “Some of the lyrics are kind of blah-blah-blah. But I get a kick out of the songs.” As he should: The band’s self-titled debut, which came out last month, is a tuneful blast of fuzz-bomb pop — glammy, folky, a little psychedelic — with great riffs and a loping, late-Beatles-era groove. Malkmus, Sweeney and Kelly take turns singing lead, evoking memories of each of their past projects (especially Pavement). Yet the pleasingly off-kilter way they combine these familiar parts feels fresh. The Hard Quartet came together after Malkmus and Sweeney worked on Malkmus’ 2020 solo album “Traditional Techniques.” Nobody in the band pushes back particularly hard on the term “supergroup,” though it does seem slightly embarrassing to all of them. The way Sweeney sees it, each member’s ample experience just meant “we didn’t have to talk about a lot of stuff” in order for everyone to find common ground. The Hard Quartet having more than one lead singer and songwriter was part of the deal from the get-go; Malkmus says that setup puts the band in a lineage that also includes the B-52’s , Sonic Youth, X and Royal Trux. “It adds this communal element,” he explains. Adds Sweeney: “Different points of view from the same spaceship.” So far, at least, the guy playing bass on any given Hard Quartet song is one of the guys who didn’t write the song — which shouldn’t lead anyone to conclude that bass is an undesirable instrument. In fact, Kelly says, “it’s the one that everyone wants to play the most — even Jim.” (Sitting behind his drum kit, White nods in agreement.) “There’s all these weird myths about rock ’n’ roll, but maybe the weirdest is that nobody wants to play bass,” Sweeney says. “Back in the hardcore days, it was a rite of passage that the new guy would be on bass,” Malkmus points out. “People wanted to move up to guitar. I don’t know why. I guess Johnny Thunders was cooler,” he adds of the famously dissolute New York Dolls member. “The guitar hero and all that.” “Which is hilarious now because nobody cares about the guitar anymore,” Sweeney says with a laugh. “Young people come up to me and ask how I do what I do, and it’s like they’re saying: ‘Oh, it’s so cool that you still sew your clothes by hand while everybody else wears real clothes.’ ” The Hard Quartet started recording its album in New York before finishing it at the storied Shangri-La studio in Malibu owned by producer Rick Rubin, for whom Sweeney has worked frequently as a session player, including on albums by Adele, Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond. (Fun fact involving the well-connected Sweeney: The rehearsal space where the Hard Quartet is practicing in North Hollywood is owned by Bob Brunner, whose father was a writing partner on TV’s “Happy Days” with the late Garry Marshall, whose son Scott played bass in Chavez.) For the sweetly shuffling “Rio’s Song” — which Sweeney wrote about his friend Rio Hackford , the actor and bar owner who died in 2022 — the band filmed a music video in the form of a shot-for-shot remake of the Rolling Stones’ charming early-MTV-era clip for “Waiting on a Friend.” Asked whether the Stones’ endurance is inspiring, Kelly says, “I think it’s cool that rock ’n’ roll still seems vital to them. They’re still trying to tap into it instead of being like, ‘I’m too old for this s—.’ ” Sweeney recalls seeing the Stones in 2002 at Chicago’s Aragon Ballroom. “I went with [David] Pajo,” he says, referring to the prolific indie-rock musician with whom Sweeney played in Billy Corgan’s short-lived Zwan. “We were joking beforehand like, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if they did “Turd on the Run”?’ And then they did like every song we wanted to hear. They started ‘It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll,’ and the crowd’s going apes—. I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ It was because Bono came out onstage. We had to leave in protest.” Speaking of the U2 frontman, has anyone in the Hard Quartet been to Sphere in Las Vegas ? “I know about it because Phish played there,” Malkmus says. “And I’m in the Phish hive. Accidentally. I clicked on something one time in my ‘For you’ feed, and now if I look over there...” “This is Twitter-related?” Sweeney asks. “Yeah, there’s this ‘For you’ thing — this dark, weird, instant algorithm that makes you regret your decisions immediately,” Malkmus says. “You know how you try heroin once and then your whole life’s over? It’s like that, except in a social-media way.”Police deny sitting on evidence as Netflix doc brings renewed attention to JonBenet Ramsey's killing
George Russell 's escalating feud with Max Verstappen is capturing the attention of the Formula 1 paddock, with suggestions emerging that there may be a political or strategic angle behind the Mercedes driver's actions. The controversy began in Qatar over a qualifying penalty, where Russell claims Verstappen threatened him with "violence" after the stewards' meeting. The dispute has since drawn in their team bosses, with Mercedes' Toto Wolff accusing Red Bull 's Christian Horner of acting like a "yapping little terrier." Horner responded in Abu Dhabi on Friday, saying, "I'd rather be a terrier than a wolf." At the centre of the feud, Russell accused Verstappen of being a "bully" and threatening to "put me on my f*cking head in the wall." "I think Russell's being a bit intense," former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde told Viaplay. "He is really going way too far." Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko defended Verstappen, claiming the Dutchman was truthful about the incident. "I believe him when he says that Russell didn't stick to the truth in his portrayal of events," Marko told Sport1. "Max is going to be a father, but that will only make his naturally strong character even stronger. He doesn't let himself be manipulated and always says what he thinks." Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher sided with Verstappen, saying, "Russell reacted too sensitively. He's playing the drama queen a little too much." McLaren's Lando Norris agreed, noting that Verstappen isn't attempting to intimidate others. "I don't think Max is trying to intimidate anyone. He just says it as it is, even if these days people don't always want to hear the truth," Norris commented. Reports indicate that the tension carried over to the end-of-season drivers' dinner in Abu Dhabi, where Verstappen greeted Russell with a "Hi George," but Russell responded by moving his chair to the opposite end of the table. Dutch GT3 driver Indy Dontje suggested that Russell's behaviour might compromise his role as senior director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA). "That's a bit of a problem now because in principle he should represent the group of drivers, but he has indicated that he has no respect for one of them," Dontje told Ziggo Sport. Speculation is also growing that Russell's actions might be politically motivated. Dontje hinted that Russell could be preparing for Verstappen's potential move to Mercedes in 2026. "Maybe he knows that Max is coming that way in 2026," Dontje speculated. "If he ends up sitting next to Max, it's war. Otherwise, he could even take his seat away. He is setting something up." Red Bull's Marko, however, is keen to move on. "We have to focus on the car," he said. "If the drivers are fighting with each other, it has nothing to do with fixing the technical problems with our car." body check tags ::Fortnite players have found their new Klombo: Chapter 6’s Giant Turtle POI