WATCH AS University of Manitoba Political Science professor Royce Koop shares his views in the latest edition of Koop and Klein Inside Politics, expressing frustration with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s approach to the Liberal government. Speaking to The Winnipeg Sun , Koop criticizes Singh’s ongoing public complaints about Liberal policies, pointing out that his party’s support is what keeps the minority government in power. If the NDP is going to criticize the Liberals so forcefully, they need to take responsibility for their role in enabling this government. It’s a contradiction that undermines their credibility. Koop also addressed the pressing issue of crime in Winnipeg, an ongoing concern for residents and businesses. He pushed back against recent claims by some media commentators that little can be done to tackle the rise in violent crime. Governments absolutely can and should take action. Accepting this level of crime as inevitable is a failure of leadership. The impact of violent crime on community life is significant, Koop added. “People don’t feel safe. They stay home. They don’t engage with their community. This hurts not just individuals but the entire social fabric of the city. The conversation highlighted the lack of urgency from all levels of government to address crime effectively. Koop and Klein called for more concrete actions to restore public safety and foster a sense of community in Winnipeg.“There needs to be a focus on solutions,” Koop said. “This isn’t just about enforcing laws; it’s about creating an environment where people feel safe to live, work, and participate in public life. Winnipeg deserves better.”Former prime minister Gordon Brown and Scottish First Minister John Swinney were among those who remembered a “giant of a man” during a memorial service for Alex Salmond . Tributes were paid to the former Scottish first minister, who died suddenly in North Macedonia in October at the age of 69. A private family funeral has already taken place, with Saturday’s memorial service in Edinburgh held to celebrate his love of Scotland and his commitment to the cause of independence. But while some 500 people, including family, friends and politicians from across the spectrum attended the service at St Giles’ Cathedral, his successor Nicola Sturgeon was not present. A rift between her and Mr Salmond – who she had previously described as her mentor – developed during her term as SNP leader. Ms Sturgeon attended the funeral of Scottish comedian Janey Godley in Glasgow on Saturday morning. Her successor, Mr Swinney, was met with boos as he arrived at the service – held on St Andrew’s Day – with at least one person in the crowd outside on the Royal Mile shouting “traitor”. Mr Salmond stood down as SNP leader and first minister after the 2014 referendum in which Scots voted to stay part of the UK. He helped found and went on to lead another pro-independence party, Alba, with Kenny MacAskill, a long-time friend who served as justice secretary in Holyrood under Mr Salmond. Mr MacAskill, now the acting Alba leader, told the congregation – which included Mr Salmond’s widow Moira as well as Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, former Labour first minister Henry McLeish and Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay – that Mr Salmond had been a “giant of man”. Mr MacAskill, who quit the SNP to join Alba, hailed Mr Salmond as “an inspiration, a political genius” and being “most of all a man who had the cause of independence burned into his heart and seared in his soul”. The cause of independence was Mr Salmond’s “guiding light, his north star”, the former justice secretary said, adding that “he came so close to achieving it”. He added: “Those of us who share his dream must conclude that journey on his behalf. That’s the legacy he’d expect and the duty we owe him.” Recalling Mr Salmond’s words from when he stood down as first minister that “the dream shall never die”, Mr MacAskill concluded his address with the words: “Your dream shall be delivered.” Former Conservative Brexit minister and long-time friend of Mr Salmond, David Davis, gave a reading as did former Scottish government minister SNP MSP Fergus Ewing. Scottish folk singer Dougie MacLean performed his famous song Caledonia, while singer Sheena Wellington led mourners in a rendition of Robert Burns’ classic A Man’s A Man For A’ That. Scottish rock duo the Proclaimers were applauded for their performance of Cap in Hand – a pro-independence song which features the line “I can’t understand why we let someone else rule our land, cap in hand”. Brothers Craig and Charlie Reid said: “We’re going to do this for Alex, with love and respect and eternal gratitude for everything you did for our country.” Christina Hendry described her Uncle Alex as a “political giant, a strong leader, a fearless campaigner” but also remembered his as a “dearly loved husband, brother and uncle”. While she said he had been “the top man in Scotland”, he had “always made time for his family”, recalling how he phoned her brother on his birthday – the day after the Scottish independence referendum in 2014 – to apologise for not posting a card “as he’d been busy”, before telling them he would “resigning in 10 minutes”. She told the congregation: “As his family, we always felt loved no matter how far away he was or the time that passed before we saw him next. “We always knew he was standing up for our country, and for that we were grateful.” Ms Hendry continued: “The world will be a much quieter place without Uncle Alex, for Moira, for the wider family and for Scotland. “Uncle Alex passing means a great loss for many. A loss of Scotland’s voice on the international stage. A loss of integrity in Scottish politics. And a great loss to Scotland’s independence movement. “As a family it is likely a loss we will never get over.” Duncan Hamilton KC, who was an SNP MSP after the first Scottish Parliament elections, but also served as a political adviser and legal counsel to Mr Salmond, said the former first minister had “rightly been hailed as one of the greatest Scottish politicians of this, or any, generation”. He told how Mr Salmond took the SNP from being “a fringe act trying to get onto the main stage” to a party of government. “In Scottish politics, his success was both spectacular and unrivalled,” Mr Hamilton said. “Alex Salmond will forever be a pivotal figure in Scotland’s story. He changed a nation. He inspired a country. “History will certainly remember him as a man of talent, charisma and substance. But also as a political leader of courage, vision and intelligence. “He dared to dream. And so should we.” As the service finished the crowd gathered outside applauded and chanted “Alex, Alex” before singing Flower Of Scotland.McGill runs for 2TDs and North Texas becomes bowl eligible by beating Temple 24-17
WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin . Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion. Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate. One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022. More articles from the BDN
Swinney and Brown at memorial service for ‘giant of a man’ Alex Salmondn an incredible move that will make tsunami-size waves in the world, has been named the new of the . The legendary figure, known for his six Super Bowl titles with the , is stepping into the college football arena for the first time and the University marked the occasion by rolling out a inspired by . Check it out below: Tar Heels turn to 'Family Guy' to introduce Bill Belichick The social media team did not disappoint. The video taps into the viral trend of splicing Family Guy clips with highlight reels, a format that's taken over and caught the attention of football fans worldwide. This mash-up, featuring the likes of and , has quickly become a fan favorite, with many commenting on its perfect timing. One fan summed up the enthusiasm, calling it Another joked, Belichick ready for College Football challenge At 72, Belichick is venturing into uncharted territory. Though he's spent decades in the , including overseeing the Patriots' dominance, he's now faced with the unique challenges of college football. Beyond recruiting and navigating NIL deals, will need to balance managing a team of 18- to 22-year-olds with the demands of building relationships with donors, university officials, and fans. Despite the unconventional nature of the move, this isn't a step back for . may be more complex than its pro counterpart, but it offers a chance for the storied coach to reclaim his favorite job title after months of navigating the media landscape. As embarks on this new journey with the , the only question left is how quickly he can turn North Carolina into a powerhouse-and whether he'll do it with the same level of success he saw in the .I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! fans have hit out at ITV bosses as they accused them of "choosing their winner" already. Eagle eyed viewers have noticed a "campaign" in the jungle show's ad breaks for one certain star. Those watching at home have taken note and hit out that adverts for Coleen Rooney's Wagatha documentary have been showing when the ITV show cuts to a break. The advertisement urges ITV viewers to tune in to Disney+ to watch Coleen Rooney: The Real Wagatha Story, which was released on October 18 of last year. It sees the WAG dressed in a hot pink power suit as she is surrounded by newspaper cuttings. The star holds her phone in her hand, which she used to out fellow footballer's wife, Rebekah Vardy , as Coleen sensationally accused her of selling made up stories to the press in a dramatic social media post. Now, posting on social media, fans have complained about the timing of the ads with some suggesting that they will help Coleen to win the whole show and be crowned Queen of the Jungle. One user wrote: "#ImACeleb I feel like there is a campaign to push Colleen to be Queen of the Jungle especially with the documentary commercials about her. Is it a fix for her to win?" Another added: "Have ITV had to up the number of ad breaks to pay Coleen’s fees?! #ImACeleb." While a third wrote: “Oh these Coleen ad breaks must be a ploy to get her to win the show.” Someone else noted: "We got a Coleen advert while Coleen is in the jungle. #ImACeleb" Elsewhere on the ITV show, other fans have accused bosses of "favouriting" McFly star Danny Jones as he was reunited with his guitar. It comes as the camp mates were tasked with collecting coins in exchange for a luxury item. Dean McCullough received a glitzy dress and Maura Higgins received an apple on her birthday - leaving fans raising their eyebrows over Danny's sentimental item, which featured drawings from his young son on the instrument. Bookmakers have also suggested the singer will win the show. The 38-year-old, who entered the show as the favourite, is once again tipped to win the reality TV show with odds of 10/3 after impressing viewers at home.
DURHAM, N.H. (AP) — Kinkead Dent threw for 246 yards and ran for another 56 yards and a touchdown as UT Martin rolled to a 41-10 win over New Hampshire in an FCS first-round game on Saturday. The Skyhawks (9-4) advance to face unbeaten and top-seeded Montana State (12-0) in the second round. UT Martin's rushing game amassed 236 yards on 52 carries and five different backs reached the end zone. Meanwhile, the Skyhawks limited New Hampshire to 124 yards of total offense and held the Wildcats' run game to just 53 yards on 16 carries. Rashad Raymond scored from 4-yards out midway through the first quarter to put UT Martin on the board first and All-Big South/OVC first-team running back Patrick Smith added a 3-yard scoring run in the second to take a 17-7 lead. Dent capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive by nosing in from the 2 and Jaren Van Winkle kicked field goals from 30- and 36-yards to make it 24-7 at intermission. Trevonte Rucker scored from the 4 to start the fourth quarter and Glover Cook III punched in from the 1 to complete the scoring. Dent Completed 17 of 26 passes without an interception. Rucker caught nine passes for 98 yards and DeVonte Tanksley caught four for 81, including a 56-yard reception. Smith carried 15 times for 71 yards. Glover had 12 carries for 56. Seth Morgan was held to 14 of 35 passing with an interception for New Hampshire (8-5). Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
NFL fans are fuming over an awful game on Thursday Night Football. The Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks produced one of the worst games of this NFL season. The two teams combined for just nine points in what was the lowest scoring game of the season. Chicago ended up losing to Seattle 6-3 in a game where no touchdowns were scored. It was an extremely ugly game, with neither Geno Smith nor Caleb Williams throwing for over 200 yards. Smith had a 47.1 QBR while Williams had a 24.4 QBR. Read more on the NFL The two quarterbacks also combined to get sacked 10 times over the course of the game. The terrible outcome has many fans questioning the future of Thursday Night Football. The short week for NFL teams leads to many injuries, and a lot of the time it leads to worse football games. This was especially apparent in this 6-3 stinker of a game. Most read in American Football Fans shared how much they disliked the product on the field on social media after the game. "I’d rather watch badminton at this point," one fan said. "Fell asleep 3 times," another fan said. "You can point to this game but it is not isolated," a third fan said. "Game should have been flexed for a different game tbh," a fourth fan said. "These schedule makers gotta go!" a fifth fan said. The biggest action to come out of the Thursday Night Football game was wide receiver DK Metcalf's antics on the field. August 1 - Hall of Fame Game - Houston Texans vs Chicago Bears August 8 - Pre-season begins August 27 - Deadline for 53-man rosters September 1 - Final day of pre-season September 5 - Season opener - Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs November 5 - Trade deadline January 5 - Week 18 of regular-season January 11 - Playoffs begin February 9 - Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana He was penalized multiple times for unsportsmanlike conduct throughout the game. Metcalf was seen pushing players on the head, and eventually headbutting another player. He only had 42 yards on the day, making his actions even more inexcusable. Read More on The US Sun Metcalf wasn't ejected from the game, but he did cost his team 15 yards multiple times. At least he gave viewers something to watch during the quiet game.Labour Asians Society Hosts Landmark Event: 'Bridging the Future: British Asians and the Labour Party' at the House of Commons( THE REPORTER ) — It wasn’t that long ago that Carmel’s Stephen “Sky” Simpson was too anxious to get off the bench to play on the Unified Football team. Look at him now. Simpson spent part of last November in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he put on a show while winning gold medals in the 2024 International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Open Equipped Powerlifting Championships. Simpson won three gold medals in the Special Olympics 93-kilogram division (93 kilograms is around 205 pounds). He won two of the three individual events, taking the squat and bench press while finishing second in the deadlift, then placed first in the total standings to win the gold medal there. “It was good for me,” said Sky, who turns 24 in February. He competed with another athlete from his gym, Ben Boehn, and enjoyed having him there as well. The World Open took place from Nov. 11 to 16 in the Iceland capital. Simpson started with the squat, which he won with a lift of 127.5 kilograms. Next was the bench press, and Simpson was first in that event as well with a lift of 97.5 kilograms. He finished with the deadlift, placing second and winning the silver medal with a lift of 107.5 kilograms. Simpson’s total was 332.5 kilograms, easily earning him the gold medal. Throughout it all, Sky was putting on a show, flexing for the appreciative crowd and wearing a big smile on his face. The announcer referred to Sky as Stephen “The Rock” Simpson, a nickname that goes back to his days throwing shot put on the Carmel Unified Track & Field team. (You can watch the entire competition on YouTube at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UhKslWkRFs ) “He went crazy,” said Sky’s father, Stephen Simpson. “He was jumping up and down and flexing his muscles for the crowd. The response with the audience was terrific, too. They connected with them. The crowd really loves to see them at these meets.” “He was super hype,” said Sky’s coach Kyle Moran. “He enjoys putting on a show anyway. Getting a few extra medals never hurts that willingness to put on a show.” And there were many people there to watch Sky’s show. Moran said there were “a couple hundred spectators” at the meet, adding that the presentation the IPF put on was “world class.” “Iceland, the host federation, did a really good job of promoting it,” said Moran. “They had a pretty big contingent there to help with loading and run the meet.” Iceland was certainly a long way from Sky’s athletic beginnings. He played Unified football at Carmel in addition to participating in Unified Track. “He had anxiety along with Down’s Syndrome when he started,” said Stephen Simpson. “When he first started with Unified football, he wouldn’t even get off the bench. When Sky wouldn’t get off the bench, the kids would just surround him and make him feel good and make him laugh a little bit. By the third game, he was trotting on the field. It was really cool as a dad to see that. Unified track was the same thing.” Other people started telling Stephen that he needed to get his son into weightlifting, which Sky began to do about four years ago. Stephen jokingly said he blames Carmel High School for this, adding that he doesn’t believe Sky would be this far along without his initial participation in Unified sports. “I think all of that has worked to make Sky much more confident in himself, more outgoing and take risks in social settings,” said Stephen. “That’s so important for the kids to be able to have the courage to go out there and be themselves. Unified sports is huge for these guys. Sky’s chance was Unified sports.” Moran, the owner and head coach of Moran Academy for Strength and Speed in Carmel, said he met the Simpsons in early 2021, with Sky coming to his academy specifically for power lifting. “He picked up on it pretty quick,” said Moran. “From Day 1, you could tell he liked the idea of getting big and strong.” Moran said Sky was “already pretty strong,” but the focus was now on getting him strong for the sport of powerlifting. Sky Simpson’s first competition was the Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games of 2021. He was a winner right off the bat, finishing first in the bench press, deadlift and total. Sky then competed in a couple more Summer Games before branching out and competing in more meets. Sky qualified for the World championships through a Power Lifting America competition. When he’s not in the gym, Sky works at the Penn Station restaurant on Range Line Road in Carmel. “He’s the guy that washes all those pounds of potatoes,” said Stephen. Penn Station conducts roundups for certain causes, and Sky hands out free cookies and greets people for he gets to work. “Penn Station is a really good supporter for Down Syndrome,” said Stephen. Moran said that Sky Simpson’s next meet will be in February in Indianapolis. The coach said he likes his athletes to compete “three or four times a year,” while training in the gym in the interim. “Having him and Ben in the gym as well have created a pretty big culture change in the gym in general,” said Moran. The coach has enjoyed watching Sky learn the etiquette in the weight room as well as his continued expanding confidence. “Now he’ll do box jumps and broad jumps,” said Moran. “He’s created the confidence and the body awareness to do pretty much anything we ask of him.”
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday demanded that BRICS member countries commit to not creating a new currency or supporting another currency that would replace the United States dollar or face 100% tariffs. "We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy," Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social. "They can go find another 'sucker'. There is no chance that the BRICS will replace the U.S. Dollar in International Trade, and any Country that tries should wave goodbye to America." (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani and Ismail Shakil; editing by Diane Craft)The tallies, carried out by party activists and volunteers as boxes opened at 9am, give a more localised sense of the potential result than Friday night’s exit poll. The largest opposition party Sinn Fein held 21.1% of first-preference votes, narrowly ahead of current coalition partners Fine Gael and Fianna Fail at 21% and 19.5% respectively, according to the Ipsos B&A Exit Poll commissioned by RTE, The Irish Times, TG4 and Trinity College Dublin. With boxes now open, the votes must first be sorted before counting formally begins in a process which could last days because of Ireland’s complex system of proportional representation with a single transferable vote (PR-STV), where candidates are ranked by preference. It means the voting slips need to be counted several times, an undertaking which can last days. The inconclusive early indications have turned the focus of speculation to the tricky arithmetic of government formation, as the country’s several smaller parties and many independents potentially jockey for a place in government. First counts which carry the potential for the election of new members of parliament, known as TDs in Ireland, are expected later on Saturday. Most of the leaders of the main parties, including Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris, deputy premier and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, and Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald seem set to be reelected. However, Green leader Roderic O’Gorman, who is the head of the junior partner in the outgoing coalition, is in with a fight to hold on to his seat. He has conceded that a number of his colleagues will not retain their seats, amid the broader potential for a wipeout. That would be a repeat of history given the last time the Greens exited a coalition – in 2011, the party lost all six of its TDs. Mr O’Gorman, the outgoing integration minister, said on Saturday: “It’s clear the Green Party has not had a good day.” Catherine Martin, the Green party’s former deputy leader and outgoing media minister, is also at risk of failing to be reelected. The tallies suggest potential trouble for Fianna Fail in Wicklow, where the party’s only candidate in the constituency Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is considered to have a battle ahead, with the risk of losing his seat. Meanwhile, there is significant focus on independent candidate Gerard Hutch, who is sitting on fourth in the four-seat constituency of Dublin Central after the completion of the unofficial tallies there. Last spring, Mr Hutch was found not guilty by the non-jury Special Criminal Court of the murder of David Byrne, in one of the first deadly attacks of the Hutch-Kinahan gangland feud. Mr Byrne, 33, died after being shot six times at a crowded boxing weigh-in event at the Regency Hotel in February 2016. A Special Criminal Court judge described Mr Hutch, 61, as the patriarchal figurehead of the Hutch criminal organisation and said he had engaged in “serious criminal conduct”. The constituency will be closely watched as other hopefuls wait to see if transfers from eliminated candidates may eventually rule him out of contention. In the constituency of Louth, the much-criticised selection of John McGahon has appeared not to have paid off for Fine Gael. The party’s campaign was beset by questioning over footage entering the public domain of the candidate engaged in a fight outside a pub in 2018. The Social Democrats have a strong chance of emerging as the largest of the smallest parties. Leader Holly Cairns announced the birth of her baby girl on polling day. Elsewhere, Labour and Sinn Fein are eyeing potential gains. Despite the apparent rise of the Social Democrats, it initially appeared unlikely that only one smaller party would be needed to act as a kingmaker to seal a majority. It has turned eyes to the possibility that a coalition could potentially be formed with four parties or with the use of independents – considered by some to be a recipe for unstable governance. The leaders of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have consistently ruled out entering into a coalition with Sinn Fein, citing substantial differences on policy. As such, the opposition party faces a much more challenging route to forming a government. However, long-held and ostensibly insurmountable political differences have eroded as recently as 2020, when the general election also delivered an inconclusive result. Then, Fine Gael and Fianna Fail, two parties forged from opposing sides of Ireland’s Civil War of the 1920s, agreed to set aside almost a century of animosity and share power for the outgoing coalition, after similar pledges against forming coalitions had been made before the final results. In that election, Sinn Fein won the popular vote but a failure to run enough candidates meant it did not secure sufficient seats in the Dail to give it a realistic chance of forming a government. Sinn Fein’s director of elections said on Saturday that another Fine Gael and Fianna Fail government would be a “nightmare scenario”. Matt Carthy told RTE: “We will try and do everything in our power to create a government that doesn’t include Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.” The “encouraging” exit poll suggests Fine Gael has “held ground”, according to the party’s general secretary John Carroll. Before voting began, Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers said the race remained “too close to call”. Asked if there is now no difference between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, Mr Chambers told RTE radio that the parties had worked well together in government but added: “There were very clear differences in policies (during the campaign).” A key factor in determining the final result of any Irish election is the transfer of votes based on a voter’s preferences, a key part of PR-STV. It is through this system that candidates can still claim a seat after insufficient votes following a first count. More than 3.6 million people were registered to vote in the election to choose their representatives across 43 constituencies, in a campaign that has focused on the country’s housing crisis, the response to a dramatic increase in immigration, and economic management for the cost of living, as well as potential future trade shocks. There are a total of 174 seats in the country’s parliament to be filled, more than ever before. As the Ceann Comhairle, the speaker of the house, is automatically returned, 173 seats will be filled in the counting process.