Indiana aims to run its winning streak to five games Friday night when Nebraska welcomes the Hoosiers to Lincoln, Neb. Indiana (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) has lost the past three meetings with Nebraska after winning seven straight. The Hoosiers are led by center Oumar Ballo, a transfer from Arizona who averages 13.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, and forward Malik Reneau (team-best 15.5 points and 6.4 rebounds). Reneau, according to Indiana, is one of five major-conference players to average at least 10 points per game with a field goal percentage of at least 60 and 80 percent from the free-throw line. Off Indiana's 82-67 home win over Minnesota on Monday, head coach Mike Woodson said there are things to work on going forward. "When you get a team down 15, 20 points, you got to remember how you got them down and continue to do the same things that got you the lead," said Woodson, "and I don't think we did that coming down the stretch." Nebraska's best win this season was over then-No. 14 Creighton in an in-state battle last month. But the Cornhuskers (6-2, 0-1) haven't played a very difficult schedule, and were blown out 89-52 by current No. 21 Michigan State on the road last weekend. The Spartans became the first team in 25 games to make more than 50 percent of their shots against Nebraska, so improved defense will be key for the Huskers. Nebraska was also outrebounded 48-19. "That hadn't been us all year, and that was the disappointing thing," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "The physicality of the game in this league ... we're going to see it every night. I've been pleased with how they've responded, but we'll see how they step up to the challenge Friday night." If Nebraska can turn things around on offense, it is 38-2 under Hoiberg when scoring at least 80 points, including 4-0 this season. Brice Williams is Nebraska's leading scorer at 17.5 points per game. Connor Essegian adds 13.0 ppg and shoots 42.6 percent from 3-point range. --Field Level MediaNone
By REBECCA SANTANA WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has promised to end birthright citizenship as soon as he gets into office to make good on campaign promises aiming to restrict immigration and redefining what it means to be American. But any efforts to halt the policy would face steep legal hurdles. Birthright citizenship means anyone born in the United States automatically becomes an American citizen. It’s been in place for decades and applies to children born to someone in the country illegally or in the U.S. on a tourist or student visa who plans to return to their home country. It’s not the practice of every country, and Trump and his supporters have argued that the system is being abused and that there should be tougher standards for becoming an American citizen. But others say this is a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, it would be extremely difficult to overturn and even if it’s possible, it’s a bad idea. Here’s a look at birthright citizenship, what Trump has said about it and the prospects for ending it: What Trump has said about birthright citizenship During an interview Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Trump said he “absolutely” planned to halt birthright citizenship once in office. “We’re going to end that because it’s ridiculous,” he said. Trump and other opponents of birthright citizenship have argued that it creates an incentive for people to come to the U.S. illegally or take part in “birth tourism,” in which pregnant women enter the U.S. specifically to give birth so their children can have citizenship before returning to their home countries. “Simply crossing the border and having a child should not entitle anyone to citizenship,” said Eric Ruark, director of research for NumbersUSA, which argues for reducing immigration. The organization supports changes that would require at least one parent to be a permanent legal resident or a U.S. citizen for their children to automatically get citizenship. Others have argued that ending birthright citizenship would profoundly damage the country. “One of our big benefits is that people born here are citizens, are not an illegal underclass. There’s better assimilation and integration of immigrants and their children because of birthright citizenship,” said Alex Nowrasteh, vice president for economic and social policy studies at the pro-immigration Cato Institute. In 2019, the Migration Policy Institute estimated that 5.5 million children under age 18 lived with at least one parent in the country illegally in 2019, representing 7% of the U.S. child population. The vast majority of those children were U.S. citizens. The nonpartisan think tank said during Trump’s campaign for president in 2015 that the number of people in the country illegally would “balloon” if birthright citizenship were repealed, creating “a self-perpetuating class that would be excluded from social membership for generations.” What does the law say? In the aftermath of the Civil War, Congress ratified the 14th Amendment in July 1868. That amendment assured citizenship for all, including Black people. “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside,” the 14th Amendment says. “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States.” But the 14th Amendment didn’t always translate to everyone being afforded birthright citizenship. For example, it wasn’t until 1924 that Congress finally granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. A key case in the history of birthright citizenship came in 1898, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese immigrants, was a U.S. citizen because he was born in the states. The federal government had tried to deny him reentry into the county after a trip abroad on grounds he wasn’t a citizen under the Chinese Exclusion Act. But some have argued that the 1898 case clearly applied to children born of parents who are both legal immigrants to America but that it’s less clear whether it applies to children born to parents without legal status or, for example, who come for a short-term like a tourist visa. “That is the leading case on this. In fact, it’s the only case on this,” said Andrew Arthur, a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “It’s a lot more of an open legal question than most people think.” Some proponents of immigration restrictions have argued the words “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the 14th Amendment allows the U.S. to deny citizenship to babies born to those in the country illegally. Trump himself used that language in his 2023 announcement that he would aim to end birthright citizenship if reelected. So what could Trump do and would it be successful? Trump wasn’t clear in his Sunday interview how he aims to end birthright citizenship. Asked how he could get around the 14th Amendment with an executive action, Trump said: “Well, we’re going to have to get it changed. We’ll maybe have to go back to the people. But we have to end it.” Pressed further on whether he’d use an executive order, Trump said “if we can, through executive action.” He gave a lot more details in a 2023 post on his campaign website . In it, he said he would issue an executive order the first day of his presidency, making it clear that federal agencies “require that at least one parent be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for their future children to become automatic U.S. citizens.” Related Articles National Politics | Trump has flip-flopped on abortion policy. His appointees may offer clues to what happens next National Politics | In promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his own National Politics | Election Day has long passed. In some states, legislatures are working to undermine the results National Politics | Trump taps his attorney Alina Habba to serve as counselor to the president National Politics | With Trump on the way, advocates look to states to pick up medical debt fight Trump wrote that the executive order would make clear that children of people in the U.S. illegally “should not be issued passports, Social Security numbers, or be eligible for certain taxpayer funded welfare benefits.” This would almost certainly end up in litigation. Nowrasteh from the Cato Institute said the law is clear that birthright citizenship can’t be ended by executive order but that Trump may be inclined to take a shot anyway through the courts. “I don’t take his statements very seriously. He has been saying things like this for almost a decade,” Nowrasteh said. “He didn’t do anything to further this agenda when he was president before. The law and judges are near uniformly opposed to his legal theory that the children of illegal immigrants born in the United States are not citizens.” Trump could steer Congress to pass a law to end birthright citizenship but would still face a legal challenge that it violates the Constitution. Associated Press reporter Elliot Spagat in San Diego contributed to this report.The 2024 college football season may have slowed down, as most teams across the country have shifted into bowl and playoff mode. But one thing that is heating up every day is the college football transfer portal. The official transfer portal window opened on Monday, Dec. 9, and will close on Dec. 28. The transfer portal has become a vital tool in college football recruiting, especially in 2024. Coaches across the county use both the portal and recruiting classes to build their rosters every season. Let's run through the top list of college football transfer portal players and see which guys can make immediate impacts at their schools. MORE CFB: Transfer portal QB tracker | Bill Belichick rumors tracker Transfer portal rankings 2025: Top players available While this list is subjective, we'll use 247Sports' rankings as a guide. 1. Luke Kromenhoek, QB, Florida State: Florida State switched between quarterbacks DJ Uiagalelei, Brock Glenn, and true freshman Luke Kromenhoek this year. In six games during Florida State's 2-10 season, Kromenhoek threw for 502 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, rushing for 113 yards. A 4-star recruit, Kromenhoek was the No. 5 ranked signal-caller from the class of 2024, per 247Sports. Possible landing spot: Georgia Bulldogs, given that he is from Savannah and was a top-10 prospect in the state. 2. Eric Singleton Jr., WR, Georgia Tech : Singleton had an outstanding first two seasons at Georgia Tech. He started playing as a true freshman and combined for 1,468 yards receiving with nine touchdowns over his past two seasons. Possible landing spot: He is scheduled to visit Ole Miss, Georgia, and Auburn this week. Any one of these teams could use a talented wideout like Singleton. 3. Princewill Umanmielen, EDGE, Nebraska: Princewill is the younger brother of former Florida and Ole Miss defensive lineman Princely Umanmielen. He spent the past two seasons at Nebraska, where he racked up 35 total tackles with eight for loss, including 1.5 sacks. Possible landing spot: 247's Crystal Ball projections has him following his older brother and ending up at Ole Miss. 4. Dane Key, WR, Kentucky: Key was a bright spot during a tough year for the Wildcats, who finished 4-8 on the season. Key put up the best numbers of his career, getting 47 receptions for 715 yards and two touchdowns. Possible landing spot: A Kentucky native, Key has the talent to transfer to a bigger SEC program. He has been rumored to potentially be taking a visit to Louisville, as well. 5. Nic Anderson, WR, Oklahoma: Anderson had an unfortunate start to 2024, playing in just one game before suffering a season-ending quad injury. He had a breakout season for the Sooners in 2023 as a redshirt freshman, making 38 catches for 798 yards and 10 touchdowns, which was second on the team. Possible landing spot: Although Anderson doesn't have visits lined up just yet, he took official visits to USC, Oregon, and Penn State in high school. He is originally from Kathy, Texas, so the Longhorns could certainly be in play. 6. Hunter Zambrano, IOL, Illinois State: Zambrano spent the past four seasons at Illinois State, making 23 starts from 2021-23. He suffered a season-ending hip injury early in the 2024 season. Possible landing spot: Zambrano is a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He'll have his pick of schools as an experienced offensive lineman, despite his injury. 7. KC Concepcion, WR, NC State: Concepcion had a breakout season as a true freshman at NC State, accounting for 839 yards and 10 touchdowns. His numbers dipped a bit this year, getting just 53 receptions for 460 yards and six scores. Possible landing spot: Concepcion has reportedly been targeted by Alabama and is visiting Texas A&M on Tuesday. 8. Maalik Murphy, QB, Duke: Murphy started his career at Texas from 2022-23, making two starts for the Longhorns in 2023. He threw for 477 yards three touchdowns and an interception. Following his transfer to Duke last offseason, he threw for 2,933 yards with 26 touchdowns —a Duke school record— and 12 interceptions. Possible landing spot: Murphy is from Inglewood, Calif., so the likes of USC and UCLA could certainly be in the mix. He has the experience to have his pick of where to play, though. 9. Patrick Kutas, IOL, Arkansas: Kutas started in 13 games over two seasons for the Razorbacks, where he signed in 2022. Possible landing spot: 247's Crystal Ball projects Kutas to end up at Ole Miss. 10. Jaheim Oatis, DL, Alabama: Over his first two seasons in Tuscaloosa from 2022-23, Oatis accounted for 55 total tackles, including 16 for loss. Early this season, Oatis dealt with numerous injuries and didn't see much playing time, prompting him to opt out of the season and enter the portal in early October. Possible landing spot: 247's Crystal Ball also predicts Oatis to sign with Ole Miss. 11. Micah Hudson, WR, Texas Tech: Despite being a former 5-star recruiting prospect and the nation's No. 4 overall wideout for 2024, Hudson didn't see the field much this year in Lubbock. He finished with just eight receptions for 123 yards. Possible landing spot: Hudson is reportedly set to visit Texas A&M in the coming weeks. The Aggies also recruited him while he was in high school. 12. Williams Nwaneri, EDGE, Missouri: Williams was a highly-touted recruit from the class of 2024. A former 5-star prospect, he was the No. 1 overall defensive lineman prospect in his class. He played in just two games for Missouri this season, getting two total tackles and a sack. Possible landing spot: He'll have his pick of schools as a talented prospect, but he looks to be an early LSU target. 13. Barion Brown, WR, Kentucky: Over the past three seasons for the Wildcats, Brown had accounted for 1,528 yards with 11 touchdowns, averaging 12.5 yards per catch. Possible landing spot: He reportedly is being recruited by a number of SEC schools, as well as Florida State. 14. Bear Alexander, DL, USC: Alexander is on the move again, starting his career at Georgia in 2022 and winning a national title with the Dawgs that season. He transferred to USC before the 2023 season and had 48 total tackles with 1.5 sacks last year. After playing in three games for USC this season, he decided to take a redshirt and enter the transfer portal. Possible landing spot: Alexander has been linked to Oregon, Penn State, and SMU early on. 15. James Williams, EDGE, Nebraska: Williams spent the past two seasons at Nebraska, accounting for 18 total tackles including seven sacks in Lincoln. Possible landing spot: Williams already has a visit lined up with Florida State in the coming weeks. 16. Conner Weigman, QB, Texas A&M: Weigman is one of the more talented signal-callers in this year's transfer portal class. He was a five-star QB prospect from the class of 2022, signing with Jimbo Fisher's No. 1 overall recruiting class. Although he has dealt with some injuries during his career, he's thrown for 2,694 yards, 19 touchdowns, and seven interceptions over the past three seasons. Possible landing spot: Weigman can have his pick of where to go. One possible fit might be Notre Dame, which has used transfers like Sam Hartman and Riley Leonard in back-to-back seasons. 17. Mario Craver, WR, Mississippi State: Craver spent 2024 as a true freshman at Mississippi State. He had a solid season, finishing with 17 receptions for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Possible landing spots: Craver played high school football in Alabama, so expect Alabama and Auburn to be in the mix. Both schools offered him during his recruiting process last year. 18. Max Klare, TE, Purdue: During the Boilermakers' 1-11 season, Clare was a bright spot. He led the team in receiving with 685 yards and four touchdowns on the year. Possible landing spots: A native of Cincinnati, Klare was previously committed to Duke during his high school recruiting process. 19. Johntay Cook II, Texas, WR: It's rare to have a player on a team in the CFP enter the portal, but Cook II is here. He hasn't had much production, accounting for just 16 receptions for 273 yards and two touchdowns over the past two seasons. He was ranked as the No. 3 wideout in the class of 2023. Possible landing spots: There were rumors that Cook was planning a visit to Texas A&M, but it appears he doesn't have any set just yet. He is from DeSoto, Texas. 20. Reggie Virgil, WR, Miami (Ohio): Virgil has spent the past three seasons at Miami of Ohio, getting 43 receptions for 878 yards and 10 touchdowns. Possible landing spots: Virgil, from Apopka, Fla., is expected to be a Miami Hurricanes target, and he reportedly has plans to visit the University of Florida. Transfer portal rankings 2025 by position Quarterbacks Wide Receivers Running backs Tight ends Offensive tackles Interior offensive lineman Defensive linemen EDGE rushers Defensive backs Linebackers Punters/Kickers TBD
Martin Lukato: Endurance of a journeyman
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, is continuing to meet with Senators who will decide whether to approve his elevation to the post. There are still questions about reported sexual misconduct allegations, allegations of mismanagement of funds while leading a veterans' charitable organization, and questions about alcohol and drinking issues that he reportedly had while working at Fox News. Those questions have reportedly come up with Hegseth's meetings with senators. Hegseth met Monday with Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, who is herself a military veteran and a sexual assault survivor. Sen. John Cornyn on Tuesday told reporters he has learned more about Hegseth's reported history with alcohol. "[Hegseth] admitted that coming back from deployment he and a lot of his young single service members did enjoy drinking and partying. I don't find that unusual or abnormal," Cornyn said. "He doesn't currently believe that he has a problem. He has in the past consumed alcohol, but I don't think he would be unique here on Capitol Hill or in the Pentagon for having done that." RELATED STORY | Trump doubles down on support for Hegseth amid contentious nomination process Cornyn and other Republican senators have also reiterated that the allegations of sexual misconduct against Hegseth so far come from anonymous accusers. It's still not clear if accusers would come forward before or during confirmation hearings. Hegseth is expected to meet soon with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, another pivotal voice in the Senate who could lend crucial support to Hegseth's nominations. Republicans have a large enough majority in the next Congress to not need Democratic votes to confirm any of Trump's cabinet nominations — but that majority is still slim enough that the party can sustain only a few defections.SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Once-promising seasons hit new lows for the Chicago Bears and San Francisco 49ers last week. Another late-game meltdown sent the Bears to their sixth straight loss and led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus. The 49ers suffered their second straight blowout loss and more crushing injuries to go from Super Bowl contenders to outside the playoff picture in a matter of weeks. The two reeling teams will try to get back on track on Sunday when the Bears (4-8) visit the 49ers (5-7) in Chicago's first game under interim coach Thomas Brown . “I told them a minute ago after practice there is no confidence loss at all as far as what I think about them,” Brown said Wednesday. “I don’t care what anybody else thinks about them. I think we have a very talented football team. It’s about just putting the work in every single day to give us an opportunity to win.” The Bears are hoping to get an emotional boost from the first in-season firing of a head coach in franchise history. Over the last 10 seasons, teams with interim coaches are 13-11 in their first game with the new coach. Those teams had a .284 winning percentage at the time they fired their coaches. “I wouldn’t say a new voice was needed. I would say there was change that was needed," rookie quarterback Caleb Williams said, pointing to a need for more accountability and better communication. The Niners came into the season as the favorites to get back to the Super Bowl from the NFC after losing the title game to Kansas City last season. But a series of key injuries, bad losses and spotty play have left them in last place in the NFC West with only slim hopes of even reaching the postseason. San Francisco lost 38-10 to Green Bay and 35-10 to Buffalo in back-to-back weeks and lost star running back Christian McCaffrey to a knee injury last week that will sideline him for at least the rest of the regular season. The Niners already lost key players Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave to season-ending injuries and are preparing to be without stars Nick Bosa and Trent Williams for a third straight week. “It’s just been a rocky mountain for real with the injuries and other stuff we’ve had to go through this season,” receiver Deebo Samuel said. “Our record don’t show how really good we are as a team. We're still believing in this locker room.” Williams described Eberflus’ firing as “interesting” and “tough” and vowed to “roll with the punches” while insisting the chaos and turnover of the past few weeks could help him handle similar situations in the future. Just 12 games into his NFL career, the prized quarterback is on his second head coach and third offensive coordinator, though Brown will continue to call plays. How does he keep the faith that his career is in good hands with this organization? “The first part is understanding I can’t control,” Williams said. “Even if I understand or don’t understand, that doesn’t matter. I have to roll with the punches like I said before. I don’t control everything.” With McCaffrey and Jordan Mason injured, the Niners running game will turn to rookie Isaac Guerendo . The fourth-round pick has 42 carries for 246 yards and two TDs this season and will be making his second start in either college or the pros. Coach Kyle Shanahan said the progress Guerendo has made since training camp makes him ready for his new role as he sees him running with more “urgency.” “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it the more, if you’ve got the right stuff, the more you get reps, the more you can adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how when there is a hole how you have to hit it full-speed and can’t hesitate at all or it closes like that. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” San Francisco's usually stout run defense has been anything but that this season. The Niners have struggled to slow down the opposition on the ground all year with the problem getting worse recently. The 49ers allowed 389 yards rushing the past two weeks. “It’s been so frustrating because I know what is supposed to look like,” linebacker Fred Warner said. “That’s not it.” Stopping the run also continues to be a sore spot for Chicago. The Bears rank 25th overall against the run and 29th in yards allowed per rush after another difficult outing last week. They gave up 194 yards, including 144 in the first half as the Lions grabbed a 16-0 lead. Losing veteran defensive tackle Andrew Billings to a torn pectoral muscle last month did not help. He was injured in a Week 9 loss at Arizona and is expected to miss the remainder of the season after having surgery. AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLThis Friday, University of Montana students who are wrapping up their college career at the end of this semester will walk across the stage at winter commencement, a large UM celebration. On Monday night in the University Center, UM’s LGBTQ+ student group, Lambda Alliance, gathered for a smaller, more intimate celebration of commencement. Lavender Graduation is a long-standing UM tradition. It celebrates queer student graduates in a separate ceremony, acknowledging their unique challenges and celebrating community. This semester, only one student graduated at the event: River Watson, the Lambda secretary. They received a laminated certificate, a sachet of dried lavender, and a rainbow braided cord slung around their neck. “When I moved to Montana, I was really scared because I didn’t know what the politics would be like. I didn’t know what kind of acceptance I would find here,” Lambda President Parker Mickel said. But then Mickel found Watson in a terrible English class, and felt safe and seen with someone like them. Watson would go on to help even more queer UM students feel safe and seen by teaming up with Mickel and Nicole Service to take over as the executive team of Lambda at a time when it didn’t have one and had basically no presence on campus. According to Devin Carpenter, Lambda’s adviser, Watson was a major reason that Lavender Graduation happened at all last spring. “They have been able to continue to make spaces of community and belonging despite some really long odds,” Carpenter said. Watson is a psychology major from Missoula who hopes to be a school psychologist, and is heading to grad school next. They said they found a lot of support and community at the University of Montana, and also got to know more about their own identity. “A lot of it was meeting people who also had this experience but were further along in the journey,” Watson said. Watson will be going to the larger winter commencement this weekend. But Lavender Graduation is a chance to celebrate with their peers who share their experiences. “There’s a lot of family obligations with commencement,” Watson pointed out. This means that graduates who aren’t fully out to their families can’t be their authentic selves at commencement. Mickel also found a broader community at UM. “I’ve found a lot of wonderfully supportive staff members, faculty members,” they said. “But it hasn’t been everyone.” According to those present, Lavender Graduation also acknowledges the unique challenges that queer students face on the path to graduation. For instance, deadnames (a person's name before transition) are still used in the university records systems, many buildings don’t have gender-neutral bathrooms, and Mickel said they were often misgendered during class. That’s on top of larger systems of discrimination still faced by queer people at large. “Community, I think, is one of the most important things for queer survival,” Mickel said. By the time Mickel graduates this spring, a new executive team will be elected. Though Watson will remain at UM for grad school, they plan on letting the undergrads take the lead at Lambda. But both say that they hope to help make sure Lavender Graduation takes place next semester, to give UM’s queer students a way to celebrate their community as they take their next steps.
Trump promises to end birthright citizenship: What is it and could he do it?Indiana tries to snap 3-game losing skid to Nebraska
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SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy is charged with distributing the ball to the 49ers’ still-plentiful array of offensive weapons. On Tuesday, he threw disgruntled wide receiver Deebo Samuel his full support. “I want to get Deebo the ball every play if I could,” Purdy said. “I want to have him break all the records as best as possible. I want Deebo to do Deebo things, and we all do in this building.” Thing is, Samuel’s sub-par production this season has mirrored the 49ers’ rocky road to a 6-7 record entering Thursday night’s visit by the Rams (7-6). “Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!!” Samuel wrote Monday in a since-deleted post on the social media platform X. The timing off that complaint was peculiar. The 49ers had just shaken a three-game losing streak with a 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears, a game Samuel acknowledged was their best offensive showing and most complementary outing. But the 49ers did so with minimal production again from Samuel, who had two catches for 22 yards and five carries for 13 yards. “You read what you read. A little frustrated, for sure,” Samuel said Tuesday at his locker before practice. General manager John Lynch asked 49ers fans to give Samuel “some grace,” and coach Kyle Shanahan also threw support behind Samuel’s gripes. “Deebo and I talk every day so I understand Deebo saying that,” Shanahan said. “Deebo wants to help us out, and the only way he is helping us is getting the ball more. And we’d like to get him the ball more.” Samuel, a two-time captain, has scored just two touchdowns (Week 1 run, Week 5 reception) after 12 last regular season; he had 14 in 2021. He missed the 49ers’ Week 3 loss in Los Angeles because of a calf injury. Three years removed from his All-Pro breakout season, Samuel’s production has taken a nosedive this season, even though he is getting the ball. His 72 touches (40 receptions for 533 yards, 32 carries for 92 yards) are second to only now-injured running back Jordan Mason’s 164. In an X post 10 minutes after complaining about his opportunities, Samuel wrote : “Just cause I voice my opinions don’t mean I’m hating on any of my teammates!!” Jauan Jennings (57 catches, 774 yards, six touchdowns) and tight end George Kittle (56-800-8) have seized more on their targets from Brock Purdy, while 2022-23 mainstays Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey have missed most of the season injured. “We’d always love things to stay in-house,” Shanahan said. “It’s probably why I don’t go on social media: I’d get worked up if I was reading stuff all the time. Is it a distraction in our building? No.” “He’s one of my best friends on this team. I absolutely love Deebo and what he’s done for me,” Purdy said. “He’s right: he’s doing great right now with what we ask of him the offense. He’s not struggling. Like Ricky (Pearsall) or Aiyuk last year a little bit, there are moments through a season where guys just don’t get the ball, depending on defensive schemes and taking guys away.” Samuel has flourished in the 49ers’ rivalry against the Rams, including three years ago when his “wide back” persona emerged as he scored on both a run and a reception to lead the victorious 49ers out of a 3-5 rut and toward the playoffs. That dual-threat duty is not such an inventive concept anymore, however. “They’re not surprised anymore,” Samuel said. “We’ve been doing it almost three years now, so you’ve got a 50-50 chance whether I’m in the backfield getting a handoff or anything along those lines. They have a glimpse of what’s going on. ... There’s three or four (defenders awaiting) no matter who has the ball.” “Deebo has created such a high standard, the things he’s done, the innovation which we’ve created things for Deebo. That’s part of the problem,” said Lynch, noting that multiple teams now deploy Samuel-esque, dual-threat players that no longer surprise defenses. “... That frustration mounts. But he’s made so many plays for us, I think we need to give this guy some grace and bring him along, because we need him the rest of the way,” Lynch added. “We need him Thursday night. Deebo’s a big part of this team. We’re alright. We can all learn from different situations and a lot of things in the world these days that you can get caught up in.” Some of Samuel’s most productive efforts this season have come as a kick returner (11 returns for 333 yards, including six returns in their Dec. 1 loss at Buffalo). “We’ve got a lot of big football to play and he’ll be a big part of our season moving forward,” Lynch said. As for next season, Samuel carries a $16 million mark on the salary cap. The 49ers restructured his contract in March, so he would incur a $31.6 million hit if he’s released or traded before June 1; after that date, an exit would count $11 million in 2025 and $21 million in ’26. GUERENDO IDLING Running back Isaac Guerendo’s foot sprain Sunday kept him out of Tuesday’s light walkthrough and it’s uncertain whether he’ll make a second straight start. Guerendo ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns, and he had 50 yards on two catches, before exiting and bequeathing the backfield to Patrick Taylor Jr. Guerendo got clocked at 20.2 mph on a 30-yard, second-quarter carry that was the NFL’s fastest by a running back in Week 14. GREENLAW UPDATE The 49ers remain reluctant to declare whether linebacker Dre Greenlaw will make his season debut Thursday night, the date pegged for his comeback from an Achilles tear in the Super Bowl. Shanahan said there’s been no setback, that he merely wants to talk first to Greenlaw and see how the next two days go. OTHER INJURY UPDATES Defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique, hip) and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) will officially miss the fourth week of practice, albeit this week’s only consisting of Tuesday’s walk-through that began at 5:10 p.m. Shanahan has not indicated whether they’ll miss a fourth straight game. While left guard Aaron Banks practiced for the first time since a Nov. 24 concussion in Green Bay, guard Ben Bartch (ankle) did not practice and is expected to go on Injured Reserve before Thursday’s kickoff. Limited were defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, safety Malik Mustapha, and linebackers Dee Winters and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. HARGRAVE MOVEMENT Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave’s bloated contract was restructured to lessen the 49ers’ financial restraints next year. While that could stage his potential release after two seasons, as pointed out by OverTheCap.com, Hargrave is also more affordable to keep, seeing how his 2025 salary was chopped from $19.9 million to $2.1 million, and his salary cap mark fell from $28 million to $10.3 million. “The plan for him is to be a Niner,” Shanahan said, deferring business matters to the front office staff. “The mechanics of contract stuff, those are things I don’t look into until after the offseason.” Hargrave, 31, has been on injured reserve since tearing a biceps in the Sept. 22 loss at Los Angeles. He made the Pro Bowl last season and totaled seven sacks in his first year with the 49ers. Jordan Elliott replaced him in this season’s lineup next to Maliek Collins, with rookie Evan Anderson, Kevin Givens, Kalia Davis and Khalil Davis also in the interior rotation.
Canada and New Zealand share an important approach to gun control: both countries view firearms as a privilege, not a right. The similarities don't end there, either. Both have strong and legitimate firearms-owning communities, and both have problems with self-harm and rapidly changing technologies. They also face similar threats, including young people and violent extremism, and rising firearm violence in general. Both have a tragic history of mass shootings. But both can learn from each other. Canada's recent Mass Casualty Commission, which followed an armed rampage in Nova Scotia in 2020 that left 22 people dead, highlighted the dangers of ignoring warning signs of gender-based violence and the need for better community policing. Similarly, New Zealand's royal commission inquiry into the 2019 Christchurch terror attacks has lessons for Canada around the challenges of identity-based extremism. With amendments to New Zealand's firearms control laws before parliament now, here are five broad aspects of the Canadian experience New Zealand policymakers should consider. A robust gun registry One thing made clear to me from visits to multiple Canadian police agencies was the need for New Zealand's gun registration system to rise above politics. Registration of restricted firearms has been a long-standing practice in Canada. But following the horrific École Polytechnique massacre in 1989, when 14 women were killed, the registry was extended to include "long guns" (rifles and other non-pistol types). But budget problems and debates about its merits saw the long-gun registry canned in 2012 – despite police agencies accessing records over 17,000 times a day. The loss now makes it harder for police to assess risks when responding to calls, distinguish between legal and illegal firearms, trace the source of registered firearms found at crime scenes, and identify and return stolen and lost firearms to their owners. The lesson for New Zealand, which is currently...