Saquon Barkley has become the Shohei Ohtani of the NFL. There's no better home run hitter playing football right now. Barkley had touchdown runs of 72 and 70 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles in a 37-20 victory over the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night. He now has five runs of 50-plus yards this season and is on pace to break Eric Dickerson's single-season record of 2,105 yards set in 1984. Barkley's historic performance against the Rams — his 255 yards set a team record — captivated a national audience and turned him into a fan favorite for the AP NFL MVP award. He's not the betting favorite, however. Josh Allen has the best odds at plus-150, according to Bet MGM Sportsbook. Two-time MVP Lamar Jackson is next at plus-250 followed by Barkley at plus-400. Running backs have won the award 18 times, including three-time winner Jim Brown, who was the AP's first NFL MVP in 1957. Quarterbacks have dominated the award, winning it 45 times. Only three players who weren't QBs or RBs have been MVP. It takes a special season for a non-QB to win it mainly because the offense goes through the signal caller. Quarterbacks handle the ball every offensive snap, run the show and get the credit when things go well and the blame when it doesn't. Adrian Peterson was the most recent non-QB to win it when he ran for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings in 2012. Playing for a winning team matters, too. Nine of the past 11 winners played for a No. 1 seed with the other two winners on a No. 2 seed. The Vikings earned the sixth seed when Pederson was MVP. Barkley is a major reason why the Eagles (9-2) are leading the NFC East and only trail Detroit (10-1) by one game for the top spot in the conference. Does he have a realistic chance to win the MVP award? Kicker Mark Moseley was the MVP in the strike-shortened 1982 season when he made 20 of 21 field goals and 16 of 19 extra points in nine games for Washington. If voters once selected a kicker, everyone has a chance, especially a game-changer such as Barkley. Defensive tackle Alan Page was the MVP in 1971 and linebacker Lawrence Taylor won it in 1986. Running back Christian McCaffrey finished third in voting last year and wide receiver Justin Jefferson placed fifth in 2022. The Offensive Player of the Year award and Defensive Player of the Year award recognize the best all-around players on both sides of the ball, allowing voters to recognize non-QBs if they choose. Wide receivers and running backs have won the AP OPOY award seven times over the past 11 seasons. McCaffrey was the 2023 winner. The AP's new voting format introduced in 2022 also gives non-QBs a better opportunity to get MVP recognition. Voter submit their top five picks for each award, with a weighted point system. Previously, voters made one choice for each award. A nationwide panel of 50 media members who regularly cover the league vote for MVP and seven other awards. The awards are based on regular-season performance. The Chiefs (10-1) and Bills (9-2) already are in position to lock up postseason berths right after Thanksgiving. Kansas City clinches a playoff berth with a win over Las Vegas on Black Friday and a loss by Miami on Thursday night, or a win plus a loss by Denver on Monday night. Buffalo can wrap up a fifth straight AFC East title with a victory over San Francisco on Sunday and a loss by the Dolphins. It's not a given that the Dallas Cowboys will be looking for a new head coach after this season. Owner Jerry Jones said Tuesday on local radio that Mike McCarthy could end up getting a contract extension. "I don't think that's crazy at all. This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there and done that. He has great ideas. We got a lot of football left," Jones said. McCarthy led the Cowboys (4-7) to three straight 12-win seasons, but they went 1-3 in the playoffs and haven't reached the NFC championship game since winning the Super Bowl 29 years ago. Injuries have contributed to the team's struggles this season, but Dallas was just 3-5 before Dak Prescott was lost for the rest of the season. The Cowboys upset Washington last week and their next four games are against teams that currently have losing records. If they somehow end up 9-8 or even 8-9, Jones could make a case for keeping McCarthy. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Irish actor Barry Keoghan and singer Sabrina Carpenter 'take a break' from year-long romanceNissan and Honda to attempt a merger that would create the world's No. 3 automaker TOKYO (AP) — Japanese automakers Nissan and Honda have announced plans to work toward a merger that would catapult them to a top position in an industry in the midst of tectonic shifts as it transitions away from its reliance on fossil fuels. The two companies said they signed an agreement on integrating their businesses on Monday. Smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors agreed to join the talks. News of a possible merger surfaced earlier this month. Japanese automakers face a strong challenge from their Chinese rivals and Tesla as they make inroads into markets at home and abroad. What a merger between Nissan and Honda means for the automakers and the industry BANGKOK (AP) — Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan will attempt to merge and create the world’s third-largest automaker by sales as the industry undergoes dramatic changes in its transition away from fossil fuels. The two companies said they had signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday and that smaller Nissan alliance member Mitsubishi Motors also had agreed to join the talks on integrating their businesses. Honda will initially lead the new management, retaining the principles and brands of each company. Following is a quick look at what a combined Honda and Nissan would mean for the companies, and for the auto industry. Nordstrom to be acquired by Nordstrom family and a Mexican retail group in $6.25 billion deal Century-old department store Nordstrom has agreed to be acquired and taken private by Nordstrom family members and a Mexican retail group in a $6.25 billion deal. Nordstrom shareholders will receive $24.25 in cash for each share of Nordstrom common stock, representing a 42% premium on the company’s stock as of March 18. Nordstrom’s board of directors unanimously approved the the proposed transaction, while Erik and Pete Nordstrom — part of the Nordstrom family taking over the company — recused themselves from voting. Following the close of the transaction, the Nordstrom Family will have a majority ownership stake in the company. An analyst looks ahead to how the US economy might fare under Trump WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump won a return to the White House in part by promising big changes in economic policy — more tax cuts, huge tariffs on imports, mass deportations of immigrants working in the United States illegally. In some ways, his victory marked a repudiation of President Joe Biden’s economic stewardship and a protest against inflation. It came despite low unemployment and steady growth under the Biden administration. What lies ahead for the economy under Trump? Paul Ashworth of Capital Economics spoke recently to The Associated Press. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. American consumers feeling less confident in December, Conference Board says American consumers are feeling less confident in December, a business research group says. The Conference Board said Monday that its consumer confidence index fell back in December to 104.7 from 112.8 in November. Consumers had been feeling increasingly confident in recent months. The consumer confidence index measures both Americans’ assessment of current economic conditions and their outlook for the next six months. The measure of Americans’ short-term expectations for income, business and the job market tumbled more than a dozen points to 81.1. The Conference Board says a reading under 80 can signal a potential recession in the near future. Stock market today: Wall Street rises at the start of a holiday-shortened week Stocks closed higher on Wall Street at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 rose 0.7% Monday. Several big technology companies helped support the gains, including chip companies Nvidia and Broadcom. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite rose 1%. Honda's U.S.-listed shares rose sharply after the company said it was in talks about a combination with Nissan in a deal that could also include Mitsubishi Motors. Eli Lilly rose after announcing that regulators approved Zepbound as the first prescription medicine for adults with sleep apnea. Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse? Researchers and watchdog groups say the emergence of generative artificial intelligence tools that allow people to efficiently produce detailed and novel online reviews has put merchants, service providers and consumers in uncharted territory. Phony reviews have long plagued many popular consumer websites, such as Amazon and Yelp. But AI-infused text generation tools enable fraudsters to produce reviews faster and in greater volume, according to tech industry experts. The deceptive practice is illegal in the U.S. and becomes a bigger problem for consumers during the holiday shopping season, when many people rely on reviews to buy gifts. A tech company and watchdog group that uses software to detect fake reviews says AI-generated reviews have multiplied. Romanian lawmakers narrowly approve new pro-European coalition during period of political turmoil BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers have voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move on Monday could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in the 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, the center-right National Liberal Party, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government on Monday night. Government regulators close investigation into Ford Focus recalls Government safety regulators are closing an investigation into two previous recalls of the Ford Focus after determining that Ford Motor Co. has satisfied its concerns. Ford recalled around 1.5 million Ford Focus sedans from the 2012-2018 model years in 2018 because they could lose power. The issue was a malfunctioning canister purge valve and software that didn’t adequately detect when it was stuck open. Ford fixed the software in two separate recalls, but after cars continued to stall, the government opened an inquiry last year. Earlier this fall, Ford offered to replace the canister purge valve on all of the vehicles, satisfying regulators' concerns. AI will eavesdrop on world's wildest places to track and help protect endangered wildlife PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (AP) — A biologist hid 350 audio monitors across Costa Rica’s tropical rainforests to spy on endangered spider monkeys in order to help protect them. But she had to go back to collect the data and feed those sounds into artificial intelligence systems that can recognize monkey calls. Now tech giant Microsoft's philanthropic arm is hoping to supercharge AI-assisted wildlife research with new solar-powered devices that can capture sounds, images and other wilderness data for a year or more without human intervention. Researchers say more AI wildlife surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the health of species at risk of extinction.
Chad Chronister, Donald Trump’s pick to run the DEA, withdraws name from considerationSyrian Rebels' 'First Fight' With Russian Army: Gunshots Fired As Armed Fighters Confront Convoy Recommended Playlist 'No Mercy': Putin's Army Destroys U.S. Missiles; Russia To Bomb Zelensky's HQ In Kyiv? | Details Jolani's Speaks Out After Khamenei's Warning; Syria Conflict Enters New Phase | Watch Iran Launches Locally Developed Military Satellite with Largest-Ever Payload Into Orbit Putin Orders Big Attack On U.S. Ally; Casualties, Destruction After Russian Strikes In Kherson 'Leaked' Documents Expose Secret Dealings Between Assad And Netanyahu: Report Israel's Syria Blitzkrieg: Russia-Made Air Defense Systems Destroyed In IDF Strikes IDF Reports Intercepting Houthi Drone Over Eilat, Sirens Triggered In Several Israeli Towns Near Gaza Putin Leaves NATO Wanting More? Kremlin Drops Bombshell Report On Phone Call With German Chancellor Putin’s Biggest Victory In Ukraine? Russia Close In On Kursk, Ukraine Troops Chased Out Of Forts Israeli Soldiers 'Chased Out' Of Southern Lebanon After War With Hezbollah | Watch Top Viral Videos Shocking! Lawyer rams Mercedes car into Kachori shop in Delhi, Six injured In a shocking incident, six people were injured after a lawyer rammed his speeding Mercedes car into a Kachori shop in the national capital. The incident took place at Fateh Kachori in Civil Lines area. The police have taken the lawyer into custody and seized his car. The lawyer has been identified as Parag Maini who is a resident of Noida’s Sector 79. The police have registered a case against the lawyer under Section 279 (rash driving) and 337 (causing hurt by endangering life). Telangana cop punched, dragged by villagers, video goes viral On Cam: Crane drags car with senior citizens sitting inside, case registered | video goes viral Instagram influencer shot dead by husband in Rajasthan's Phalodi CCTV: Thieves arrive in car, decamp with jewellery in MP's Damoh Goons hurl abuses at toll plaza employee in MP's Chhatarpur Two goons hurled abuses at a toll plaza employee in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur. One of the assailants is reportedly the brother of an MLA. The incident was filmed by an employee of ol plaza which has gone viral on social media. The goons were upset after they had to wait in the queue. Viral: Cobra blocks road in MP's Chhatarpur district Nigeria: Lion kills zookeeper at Obafemi Awolowo University CCTV: Biker crushed to death by speeding bus in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain district Four women steal tray full of earrings from a jewellery shop in MP's Raisen Shirtless British man punches air steward after destroying aircraft toilet, arrested A shirtless British man punched an air steward after destroying the aircraft toilet. The man was arrested. The man went berserk soon after the flight took off . He went up to smash the plane’s toilet. The incident took place on February 7 when the flight took off from Bangkok to London. A video of the incident went viral on social media. On cam: Several injured after swarm of bees attacks guests during wedding ceremony in MP's Guna On cam: Man hurls abuses at government school teacher in MP's Chhatarpur district On cam: Man thrashes youth with stick in MP's Ujjain Doctor loses cool, misbehaves with home guard in MP's Chhatarpur On cam: Goons thrash Dalit youth in MP's Betul A Dalit youth was thrashed in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul. The man was brutally thrashed and forced to squat while holding his ears. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media. Congress leader Jitu Patwari highlighted the plight of the Dalit man. The police have launched a probe into the matter. On cam: Govt employee consumes alcohol at work place in MP's Singrauli On cam: Goons thrash liquor shop employee in MP's Gwalior CCTV: Man thrashed, abducted in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district Fight breaks out between CHC employee and patient in UP's Barabanki Short Videos BJP Orchestrated Attack On Kejriwal During ‘Padyatra’ Campaign: Delhi CM Atishi Your Autistic Child Can Also Make A Difference Your Autistic Child Can Also Make A Difference Kejriwal Questions RSS Over BJP’s 'Dirty' Tactics Against Opposition | Watch Atishi's 1st Statement After Being Picked As Delhi CM; 'Kejriwal Made Biggest Sacrifice' Kejriwal To Give Up CM Residence; AAP's Sanjay Singh Issues Big Warning... Haryana Polls: Vinesh Phogat & Bajrang Punia Join Congress; Sakshi Malik next? Putin's Big Pledge For Russian Speakers In Ukraine; 'Will Fight For...' Ukraine’s Kursk Incursion Has Failed To Achieve Objectives, Declares Putin Putin Says Russia Will Support Kamala Harris In U.S. Elections Related Articles New Syria govt to suspend constitution and parliament for three months after Assad's ouster Searching for loved ones who disappeared, Syrians confront grim reality Syria Civil War: Tomb of ousted president Bashar al-Assad's father torched in Qardaha Rebels assert control in Damascus, their plans still unclear Assad's PM says he has agreed to hand over power to rebels With Assad gone, will Iran race for a nuclear bomb? 'Independence from Assad': How the rebel flag differs from the current Syrian flag Watch: Rebel flag raised over Syrian embassy in Russia
Man accused of killing Edmonton security guard has violent criminal past, parole documents showThe family of a father-of-two has made an urgent appeal for information after he failed to catch his flight home from Spain to spend Christmas with his children. John Hardy, 37, was reported missing on December 18 when he didn't board his flight from Benidorm to Belfast, where he was due to celebrate the festive season with his two sons, aged 13 and six. John had been staying at a friend's house in Alicante and had left to meet friends in Benidorm. Since then, there has been no contact from him, leaving his sister Courtney George extremely worried. READ MORE - Tragic takeaway delivery driver who died when car plunged into Grand Canal named as tributes paid READ MORE - Kyran Durnin's mother refuses to comment on son's disappearance She revealed that it was unusual for the Belfast man to go 48 hours without speaking to her, but it has now been nine days since they last heard from him. Courtney, who works as a pharmacy assistant and had planned to host John for Christmas dinner, said: "All his kids want for Christmas is for him to come home". She has set up a GoFundMe account which has already raised more than €10,00 (£8,900). The situation has left her feeling like "setting her tree on fire and running away from this nightmare". Courtney, who lives in Belfast, added: "I have to have Christmas for my own kids but I would happily set my tree on fire and run away from this nightmare. We've lost a family member recently and he was really upset and thought he needed a holiday. His youngest is very confused and the 13-year-old has seen everything on social media and is very distressed. They love their daddy," reports Belfast Live . "All they want for Christmas is their dad to come home. I haven't eaten in five days and have been physically sick because it's been nine days without contact. My brother would never go two days without speaking to me. He was meant to be coming to my house for Christmas dinner and we had our plans made. "John is missing from Alicante to Benidorm so we need a search party out there to look for him. It's family time so nobody will be looking for our family when they want to spend it with their own. It's very urgent because places close and people go on holiday. We already know that we won't have John for Christmas." Courtney, a mother of two, expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support received through the GoFundMe campaign, which has seen donations pouring in from Belfast and beyond. A spokesperson for the Police Service of Northern Ireland stated: "The Police Service of Northern Ireland received a report on Wednesday, 18th December that a 37-year-old man from Belfast, holidaying in Spain, was believed to be missing. Enquiries are ongoing in conjunction with our international policing partners." Join the Irish Mirror’s breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive breaking news and the latest headlines direct to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .
Manmohan Singh, one of the longest-serving Prime Ministers of India and the first Sikh to hold the prestigious position, passed away on December 26, 2024, at the age of 92. The former Prime Minister was admitted to the emergency department of AIIMS, New Delhi, on Thursday evening. “With profound grief, we inform the demise of the former Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, aged 92. He was being treated for age-related medical conditions and had a sudden loss of consciousness at home on 26 December 2024. Resuscitative measures were started immediately at home. He was brought to the Medical Emergency at AIIMS, New Delhi at 8:06 PM. Despite all efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 9:51 PM,” the official statement from the hospital read. Singh is survived by his wife, Gursharan Kaur, and three daughters: Upinder Singh, Daman Singh, and Amrit Singh, along with their families. Born on September 26, 1932, in Gah, West Punjab (now in Pakistan), Manmohan Singh was the son of Gurmukh Singh and Amrit Kaur. The family migrated to India during the partition in 1947, first settling in Haldwani and later moving to Amritsar in Punjab. Singh pursued his education in Economics at Panjab University, earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He then went on to study at the University of Cambridge, completing his Economics Tripos in 1957. Later, Singh earned a doctorate in Economics from the University of Oxford in 1960. His career as an economist took him to the United Nations between 1966 and 1969, where he also began his journey into public service. His time in government began when Shri Lalit Narayan Mishra appointed him as an advisor in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, a pivotal moment that marked the start of his distinguished bureaucratic career. In 1958, Singh married Gursharan Kaur, a history professor and author. Together, they raised three accomplished daughters: Upinder Singh , a history professor and Dean of Faculty at Ashoka University, is also a renowned author with six published books. Formerly the head of the History Department at the University of Delhi, she has won multiple awards, including the Infosys Prize for Social Sciences. Notable books by her include Ancient Delhi and A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India. Daman Singh , an author and graduate of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi, and the Institute of Rural Management in Anand, Gujarat, is known for works such as The Last Frontier: People, Forests in Mizoram, and the biography Strictly Personal, which chronicles the lives of her parents. She is married to Ashok Pattnaik, an Indian Police Service officer, who served as the CEO of the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) in 2016. Amrit Singh , the youngest daughter, is a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), advocating for civil liberties and human rights. Manmohan Singh’s leadership as Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014 was marked by economic reforms that transformed India’s global standing. His tenure is remembered for the liberalization of India’s economy, moving the country towards greater market integration and fostering rapid growth. His death marks the end of an era for Indian politics, leaving behind a rich legacy that shaped the nation’s economic landscape. Also Read: Manmohan Singh: ‘A Technocrat with A Vision,’ Remembered As A Master Of Politics And Policy Written By Priyanka Negi Updated By Priyanka NegiScorpio Tankers Inc. Announces Commitments for New $500.0 Million Revolving Credit FacilityWASHINGTON — The House Ethics Committee on Monday accused Matt Gaetz of “regularly” paying for sex, including once with a 17-year-old girl, and purchasing and using illicit drugs as a member of Congress, as lawmakers released the conclusions of a nearly four-year investigation that helped sink his nomination for attorney general. The 37-page report by the bipartisan panel includes explicit details of sex-filled parties and vacations that Gaetz, now 42, took part in from 2017 to 2020 while the Republican represented Florida’s western Panhandle. Congressional investigators concluded that Gaetz violated state laws related to sexual misconduct while in office, though not federal sex trafficking laws. They also found that Gaetz “knowingly and willfully sought to impede and obstruct” the committee’s work. “The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress,” the report said. Before the report came out, Gaetz denied wrongdoing and criticized the committee’s process. “Giving funds to someone you are dating — that they didn’t ask for — and that isn’t ‘charged’ for sex is now prostitution?!?” he posted on social media. Gaetz, who was first elected in 2017, spent the majority of his time in Washington enmeshed in scandals that ultimately derailed his selection by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the Justice Department. Gaetz abruptly resigned from Congress last month. The committee painted a damning portrait of Gaetz’s conduct, using dozens of pages of exhibits, including text messages, financial records, travel receipts, checks and online payments, to document a party and drug- fueled lifestyle. The committee said it compiled the evidence after issuing 29 subpoenas for documents and testimony and contacting more than two dozen witnesses. Regarding the 17-year-old girl, the report said there was no evidence Gaetz knew she was a minor when he had sex with her. The woman told the committee she did not tell Gaetz she was under 18 at the time and that he learned she was a minor more than a month after the party. But Gaetz stayed in touch with her after that and met up with her for “commercial sex” again less than six months after she turned 18, according to the committee. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Ajoka Theatre’s ‘Bala King’ captivates audience at Faisalabad Literary FestivalHyderabad: In spite of the Telangana govt expected to fall short of its targeted procurement of fine variety paddy (fine rice) from the kharif crop, the state is not allowing fine rice to be brought in from neighbouring states, including Andhra Pradesh, to procurement centres. Recently, as many as 16 lorries of fine variety paddy were stopped in a night in Khammam on the Telangana-AP border. Traders from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are trying to sneak in lorries with fine variety paddy into Telangana as the govt here is offering a 500 bonus per quintal of fine variety paddy, in addition to the minimum support price. The Congress govt needs 36 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of the fine variety paddy for supply through ration shops. After milling, the state gets 24 lakh metric tonnes of rice. The 24 LMT fine rice is the annual requirement of Telangana to supply rice through ration shops to over 89 lakh ration card holders. If the state falls short of the targeted 36 LMT of fine variety paddy procurement from kharif, it would have to make alternate arrangements to fill up the gap. Till date, the govt has procured 18.07 lakh metric tonnes of fine variety paddy from farmers, and major arrivals of paddy are likely to come to an end by Dec 31. Over 300 check posts armed with CCTV cameras have been set up on the Telangana-AP, Telangana-Karnataka borders and other states. Traders have expressed their ire over the state govt not allowing their paddy-laden trucks to enter Telangana. "As per rules, rice millers have to mandatorily mill 50% of the govt-given paddy, and the remaining 50% they can purchase from the market and mill it," a trader said. However, officials said the main reason for traders flocking to Telangana with paddy stocks is due to the 500 bonus. The name of the farmer, details of the location where paddy was produced, and generation of OTP on the farmer's mobile number are some of the measures being implemented by the civil supplies corporation to check paddy from other states being sold at procurement centres. Civil supplies commissioner DS Chauhan said the 500 bonus was meant only for Telangana farmers and that they would manage fine rice supplies to ration shops as ‘sanna biyyam' (fine rice) in huge quantities was expected to be procured from the ensuing rabi crop too. Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has already announced that the 500 bonus would be extended to fine variety paddy for the ensuing rabi crop too. Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India . Don't miss daily games like Crossword , Sudoku , Location Guesser and Mini Crossword .Trump has pressed for voting changes. GOP majorities in Congress will try to make that happen ATLANTA (AP) — Republicans in Congress plan to move quickly in their effort to overhaul the nation’s voting procedures, seeing an opportunity with control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. They want to push through long-sought changes such as voter ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements. They say the measures are needed to restore public confidence in elections. That's after an erosion of trust that Democrats note has been fueled by false claims from Donald Trump and his allies of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. Democrats say they are willing to work with the GOP but want any changes to make it easier, not harder, to vote. Americans are exhausted by political news. TV ratings and a new AP-NORC poll show they're tuning out NEW YORK (AP) — A lot of Americans, after an intense presidential election campaign, are looking for a break in political news. That's evident in cable television news ratings and a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll found nearly two-thirds of Americans saying they've found the need recently to cut down on their consumption of political and government news. That's particularly true among Democrats following President-elect Donald Trump's victory, although a significant number of Republicans and independents feel the same way. Cable networks MSNBC and CNN are really seeing a slump. That's also happened in years past for networks that particularly appeal to supporters of one candidate. Israel strikes Houthi rebels in Yemen's capital while the WHO chief says he was meters away JERUSALEM (AP) — A new round of Israeli airstrikes in Yemen have targeted the Houthi rebel-held capital of Sanaa and multiple ports. The World Health Organization’s director-general said the bombardment on Thursday took place just “meters away” as he was about to board a flight in Sanaa. He says a crew member was hurt. The strikes followed several days of Houthi attacks and launches setting off sirens in Israel. Israel's military says it attacked infrastructure used by the Houthis at the international airport in Sanaa, power stations and ports. The Israeli military didn't immediate respond to questions about the WHO chief's statement. The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern. WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials say they asked for — and got — the retraction of an independent monitor's warning of imminent famine in north Gaza. The internationally Famine Early Warning System Network issued the warning this week. The new report had warned that starvation deaths in north Gaza could reach famine levels as soon as next month. It cited what it called Israel's “near-total blockade” of food and water. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, criticized the finding as inaccurate and irresponsible. The U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the famine-monitoring group, told the AP it had asked for and gotten the report's retraction. USAID officials tell The Associated Press that it had asked the group for greater review of discrepancies in some of the data. India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh, architect of economic reforms, dies aged 92 NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, widely regarded as the architect of India’s economic reform program and a landmark nuclear deal with the United States, has died. He was 92. The hospital said Singh was admitted to New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences late Thursday after his health deteriorated due to “sudden loss of consciousness at home." He was “being treated for age-related medical conditions,” the statement added. A mild-mannered technocrat, Singh became one of India’s longest-serving prime ministers for 10 years and earned a reputation as a man of great personal integrity. But his sterling image was tainted by allegations of corruption against his ministers. What is known about a plane crash in Kazakhstan that killed 38 of 67 people on board The crash of an Azerbaijani airliner in Kazakhstan has killed 38 of 67 people on board. Azerbaijan Airlines’ Embraer 190 was en route from Azerbaijani capital Baku to the Russian city of Grozny in the North Caucasus on Wednesday when it was diverted for reasons that aren’t fully clear yet. It crashed while making an attempt to land in Aktau in Kazakhstan after flying east across the Caspian Sea. Officials in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia haven't commented on a possible cause of the crash pending an official investigation. Some commentators pointed out holes in the plane's tail section pictured after the crash as a sign that it could have been fired upon by air defense systems. Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy battlefield losses KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence says North Korean troops are suffering heavy losses in Russia's Kursk region and face logistical difficulties as a result of Ukrainian attacks. The intelligence agency said Thursday that Ukrainian strikes near Novoivanovka inflicted heavy casualties on North Korean units. Ukraine's president said earlier this week that 3,000 North Korean troops have been killed and wounded in the fighting in the Kursk region. It marked the first significant estimate by Ukraine of North Korean casualties several weeks after Kyiv announced that North Korea had sent 10,000 to 12,000 troops to Russia to help it in the almost 3-year war. How the stock market defied expectations again this year, by the numbers NEW YORK (AP) — What a wonderful year 2024 has been for investors. U.S. stocks ripped higher and carried the S&P 500 to records as the economy kept growing and the Federal Reserve began cutting interest rates. The benchmark index posted its first back-to-back annual gains of more than 20% since 1998. The year featured many familiar winners, such as Big Tech, which got even bigger as their stock prices kept growing. But it wasn’t just Apple, Nvidia and the like. Bitcoin and gold surged and “Roaring Kitty” reappeared to briefly reignite the meme stock craze. Holiday shoppers increased spending by 3.8% despite higher prices New data shows holiday sales rose this year even as Americans wrestled with still high prices in many grocery necessities and other financial worries. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve climbed 3.8%, a faster pace than the 3.1% increase from a year earlier. The measure tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. This year, retailers were even more under the gun to get shoppers in to buy early and in bulk since there were five fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Mastercard SpendingPulse says the last five days of the season accounted for 10% of the spending. Sales of clothing, electronics and Jewelry rose. Why this Mexican American woman played a vital role in the US sacramental peyote trade MIRANDO CITY, Texas (AP) — Amada Cardenas, a Mexican American woman who lived in the tiny border town of Mirando City in South Texas, played an important role in the history of the peyote trade. She and her husband were the first federally licensed peyote dealers who harvested and sold the sacramental plant to followers of the Native American Church in the 1930s. After her husband's death in 1967, Cardenas continued to welcome generations of Native American Church members to her home until her death in 2005, just before her 101st birthday.
Cheers and beers for Ruud van Nistelrooy as Leicester reign starts with winCheers and beers for Ruud van Nistelrooy as Leicester reign starts with win
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The guy on the Philly sports talk radio station had something to say, and he started to vent about the perceived strained relationship between star quarterback Jalen Hurts and standout wide receiver A.J. Brown. Why weren’t these two Pro Bowl Eagles on the same page? Why had their personal and professional relationship changed even with Philadelphia enjoying tremendous success? It was football gossip usually ripe for a hot-take host or fed-up fan to stir up on the air — only in this instance, the temperature check came from inside the locker room. Normally respected team leader Brandon Graham, who is sidelined with a triceps injury, noted in a radio appearance that “ things have changed ” between Hurts and Brown in the wake of a stale passing game in last week’s win over Carolina. An apologetic Graham walked back his comments. Hurts and Brown both insisted their relationship was cool in front of media hordes more appropriate for the Super Bowl. As for the rest of the Eagles, they were ready to squash the so-called controversy. “We are moving on,” offensive lineman and Christmas song crooner Jordan Mailata said. “It is the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Not the A.J. Brown and Jalen Show. It is the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s it.” Oh yeah, the Steelers! Lost in the brouhaha ignited in a Philly sports bar is the fact that sitting — and winning — on the western side of Pennsylvania are the Steelers (10-3). Unlike most matchups in series history, this one Sunday at the Linc comes with the tantalizing appeal of a potential Super Bowl preview. The Steelers have won seven of eight, and the Eagles (11-2) have won nine straight and could clinch the NFC East with a win and a Washington loss or tie. It's the first time the teams — among the original eight NFL teams — will play each other when they both have a double-digit win total. Both teams are in strong position for a playoff run — the Eagles led by Saquon Barkley and his pursuit of Eric Dickerson's NFL season rushing record; Russell Wilson and the soft-schedule Steelers atop the AFC North in large part thanks to six wins against teams that currently have losing records. “I do like playing really good people, I think there's growth in it,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “You've got to get the job done. But man, I think there's significant growth in pitting your collective talents and skills versus big-time opponents and they're certainly that.” Will the drama out of Philly this week affect the Eagles? They certainly don't think so and neither do the oddsmakers — the Eagles are 5 1/2-point favorites, per BetMGM. “What I’ve noticed about this football team is they’re so locked in and determined to get better each day,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We don’t really want anyone else talking to us about anything other than the Pittsburgh Steelers.” Good luck with that, Coach. Maybe playing the Steelers on Sunday at home can snap the Eagles out of their offensive malaise. Hurts threw three TD passes to Brown in a 35-13 win in 2022. Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,623 yards, 216 yards ahead of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry. He is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace, and with one more game to play than Dickerson had, he would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. Barkley is on pace for 2,122 yards, which would put him just 17 yards beyond Dickerson’s 2,105 in 1984. Barkley doesn’t need much of a reminder from his 2020 performance when, while playing for the New York Giants, he ran into a Pittsburgh defense that seemed reminiscent of its famed Steel Curtain. The Steelers held Barkley to 6 yards on 15 carries. The Steelers will have to find a way forward against the NFL’s toughest defense without wide receiver George Pickens, who will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury. Pittsburgh survived last week against Cleveland, with Mike Williams and Scotty Miller — afterthoughts of late — coming off the bench to make an impact. While Tomlin believes “the strength of the pack is the pack,” the reality is the Steelers don’t have anyone who can stretch the field like Pickens, who leads the team in receptions (55) and yards (850) by a wide margin. It’s a challenge, but considering the way Wilson has spread the ball around — eight players caught passes against the Browns — he won’t lack for options. “Everybody in the receiver room has a different skill set, different strengths,” Calvin Austin III said. “The coaching staff knows that and they know how to put us in position to be able to show that.” The cross-state trip to Philadelphia, where the Steelers haven’t won in nearly 60 years, is the start of an 11-day stretch in which Pittsburgh faces three teams likely bound for the playoffs. While Tomlin is leaning into the “nameless, gray faces” mantra he uses for every opponent, his players know facing the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs in such a short period is a litmus test for what’s to come in January. “That’s why I’m in the league, period,” linebacker Patrick Queen said. “When you sign up to play football, you want to play at the highest level. ... I love to play the game the right way. I think these next few games is going to show that and it starts with the Eagles.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflA Cook County judge is expected to determine members of the Calumet City electoral board after the city clerk, who is challenging Mayor Thaddeus Jones’ eligibility, objected to its makeup. Clerk Nyota Figgs is objecting to Jones’ bid for reelection, saying the mayor’s principal residence is not in the city and that a referendum passed in 2020 prohibits a Calumet City official from also being a state legislator. Jones has been a state representative since 2011. A municipal electoral board normally includes the mayor, clerk and longest serving alderman. However, because both the mayor and clerk are involved in the objection, the electoral board created for these objections has been attorney Tom Jaconetty, as chair, and the two longest serving aldermen, Ramonde Williams and Anthony Smith. Figgs and her attorney, Burt Odelson of Odelson, Murphey, Frazier and McGrath, said both Williams and Smith are biased in their support for Jones, having close political ties to the mayor. Williams, Smith and Jones are among those whose campaigns have received funding raised by the Calumet City Democrats United political party , according to filings on the Illinois State Board of Elections website. “You can’t get a fair and impartial hearing because they raise money with him,” Odelson said Tuesday. “The two aldermen will vote any way that they’re told to vote — it’s as simple as that.” Odelson said he believes Jones will be knocked off the ballot despite an unsuccessful challenge to his candidacy when he first ran for the mayor’s seat in 2021. Odelson said the referendum passed to prohibit candidates from running for mayor if they also hold an elected, paid office created by the state constitution had not been certified when Jones filed his petition for that election. Jones’ attorney, Ed Mullen of Bucktown Law in Chicago, said the Illinois General Assembly passed a bill prohibiting such a restriction on who is allowed to seek local office. “If the state legislature passes a law, it supersedes the referendum,” Mullen said. Ted Slowik / Daily Southtown City Clerk Nyota Figgs, left, and Mayor Thaddeus Jones discuss an item during a Calumet City City Council session Sept. 21, 2021, at Calumet City City Hall. (Ted Slowik/Daily Southtown) But Odelson said the legislature does not have the authority to reverse action taken in a direct vote, and that Jones prompted the change state law. “They can’t retroactively go back and undo the votes of the people,” Odelson said. Figgs, who also is running for reelection, faces a candidacy challenge from city auditor Alyssia Benford. Benford claims Figgs does not reside in Calumet City, but at an address in North Chicago. Figgs also objects to the makeup of the electoral board, and Cook County Judge Maureen Ward Kirby is to rule next week. If she determines Williams and Smith cannot serve on the board, she will appoint new members, Odelson said. The next electoral board meeting with a potentially different board is scheduled for Dec. 6 at City Hall, 204 Pulaski Road, Calumet City. ostevens@chicagotribune.com
TORONTO — Shoppers flocked to malls on Thursday to take advantage of Boxing Day deals made more enticing by the federal government’s GST holiday, but some say the lower prices aren’t enough to keep up with the country’s cost of living. For two months, a slew of items including children’s toys, video games and consoles, snacks, wine and restaurant food are GST- or HST-free, depending on the province. The tax break has incentivized some consumers to take advantage of Boxing Day sales at their local retailers. Nakul Singal said he came to Fairview Mall in Toronto on Thursday morning with his partner to hunt for deals. "Every year, we generally get good deals,” said Singal, who added he’d been waiting for Boxing Day to get new earphones. “It’s good to shop around during this time.” He added that while the tax break has helped his family with food prices, he would like the government to do more to help Canadians with the high costs of living, especially housing. “I hope that they could stop inflation,” he said. “We are struggling right now." The vice-president of federal government relations for the Retail Council of Canada, Matt Poirier, told The Canadian Press last week that Boxing Day in particular is expected to get a boost amid the temporary break. However, he said businesses, including ones with older payment systems, have faced hurdles trying to implement the tax break on short notice and even figuring out which items qualify. An RBC Economics report from earlier this month showed retail spending slowed in November, with holiday spending slightly below 2023 levels over the Black Friday weekend. Spending on hobbies, toys and games scaled back notably after Nov. 21, wrote RBC economist Carrie Freestone — the day the tax break was announced. "Typically, spending on popular children’s gifts builds as the holiday season approaches," wrote Freestone. But even with November's decline, Canada is likely on track for a slight uptick in per-person retail spending in the fourth quarter for the first time since mid-2022, she wrote. Joey Comia-Orellano, an assistant store manager at a GameStop in north Toronto, said the store has seen an influx of customers since the tax break was announced. Shoppers have been eager to benefit from the tax holiday, he said. “We’ve been getting shoppers before Boxing Day,” he said. Comia-Orellano added that he expects the store to get busier on Thursday as consumers look to save with Boxing Day deals combined with the tax break. “I did notice a lot of people buying more games, a lot of controllers, and definitely a lot of consoles, too," he said. Meanwhile, Raj Jeetu, another shopper at Fairview Mall on Thursday, said while he has already taken advantage of the tax break at restaurants multiple times, he’s skeptical of what it will do for Canadians in the long-term. “I don’t know if it’ll help much. I guess the prices really need to come down,” he said. For Comia-Orellano, one thing he has heard from customers is that while the tax break and Boxing Day deals might not help with the overall affordability crisis, it’s still worthwhile for savings. “It's necessary, it gets hard around the holidays,” he said. “This is almost like a small break for people when it comes to taxes, so not necessarily making things a little bit more affordable." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 26, 2024. Rianna Lim, The Canadian Press