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FIFA confirms Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host despite human rights concerns ZURICH (AP) — Saudi Arabia has been officially confirmed by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer. The Saudi bid was the only candidate and was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations. They took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich on Wednesday by the soccer body’s president Gianni Infantino. The decision was combined with approving the only candidate to host the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each getting one of the 104 games. The South American connection will mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930. Rape allegation against Jay-Z won’t impact NFL's relationship with music mogul, Goodell says IRVING, Texas (AP) — NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says a rape allegation against rapper Jay-Z won’t impact the NFL's relationship with the music mogul. Jay-Z's company Roc Nation has produced some of the NFL’s entertainment presentations including the Super Bowl halftime show. A woman who previously sued Sean “Diddy” Combs alleging she was raped at an awards show after-party in 2000 amended the lawsuit Sunday to include an allegation that Jay-Z was also at the party and participated in the sexual assault. Jay-Z says the rape allegation made against him is part of an extortion attempt. The NFL teamed up with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation in 2019 for events and social activism. The league and the entertainment company extended their partnership a few months ago. All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet acquired by Red Sox from White Sox for prospects DALLAS (AP) — All-Star left-hander Garrett Crochet has been acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Chicago White Sox for four prospects. Catcher Kyle Teel, infielder Chase Meidroth, right-hander Wikelman Gonzalez and outfielder Braden Montgomery are headed to Chicago. The 25-year-old Crochet was 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts for a White Sox team that went 41-121. It's the most losses for any club since 1900. He was picked for the AL All-Star team in his first season as a starter. Selected 11th overall by Chicago in the 2020 amateur draft, Crochet made his big league debut that September. He had Tommy John surgery in April 2022. NFL will consider replay assist for facemask penalties and other plays IRVING, Texas (AP) — The NFL will consider expanding replay assist to include facemask penalties and other plays. Officials have missed several obvious facemask penalties this season, including two in a three-week span during Thursday night games. League executive Troy Vincent also cited hits on a defenseless player, tripping, the fair catch, an illegal bat, an illegal double-team block, illegal formations on kickoffs and taunting as other areas that warrant consideration for replay assist. Current rules only allow replay assist to help officials pick up a flag incorrectly thrown on the field, or in assisting proper enforcement of a foul called on the field. The NFL’s Competition Committee will review potential recommendations for owners to vote on for expanding replay assist. Ohio politician proposes make flag planting a felony after fight in Michigan rivalry game An Ohio politician has seen enough flag planting. Republican state Rep. Josh Williams said Wednesday on social media he's introducing a bill to make flag planting in sports a felony in the state. His proposal comes after the Nov. 30 fight at the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry football game when the Wolverines beat the Buckeyes 13-10 and then attempted to plant their flag at midfield. A fight ensued and police had to use pepper spray to disperse the players. Former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield famously planted a flag in the middle of the field at Ohio State after the Sooners beat the Buckeyes in 2017. Jimmy Butler says he's not worrying about his future with Heat amid trade speculation Jimmy Butler knows there are tons of questions about his future with the Miami Heat. He might get traded, he might leave as a free agent next summer, he might exercise a $52.4 million option to return to the Heat or he might get a new contract. He isn't sure what will happen. The Heat forward spoke out about trade speculation Wednesday, telling reporters after practice that he doesn’t mind his name being in the rumor mill. US Biathlon officials ignored sexual harassment and abuse of female racers for decades, athletes say Sexual abuse and harassment by coaches and others who held positions of power over women on the U.S. Biathlon team were ignored or excused over decades by officials more concerned with winning medals than holding offenders accountable. That's according to Olympians and other biathletes interviewed by The Associated Press. While the men climbed the sport's ranks, these women say they were forced to end their careers early. The women and others describe a culture of misogyny and say they faced retaliation for speaking up. Three of the men denied allegations they were either part of the abuse or ignored allegations of abuse. A fourth did not respond to AP requests for comment. Man City crisis deepens with loss to Juventus in Champions League as Barcelona and Arsenal win Manchester City plunged deeper into trouble in the Champions League by losing 2-0 at Juventus in the latest setback in a scarcely believable run of poor results for the ailing English champions. City dropped to 22nd place in the 36-team standings and only the top 24 advances. Reaching the knockout stage looked a certainty before the season for a team that was European champion in 2022 and has won the last four Premier League titles. It's not anymore as City manager Pep Guardiola battles injuries and an apparent loss of belief among his players. Arsenal beat Monaco 3-0 and Barcelona won 3-2 at Borussia Dortmund. Tulane QB Mensah transfers to Duke; Mississippi State’s Van Buren, Cal’s Mendoza enter portal Former Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah has already found a new program in Duke, while Mississippi State’s Michael Van Buren Jr. and Cal’s Fernando Mendoza are exploring changes of their own in the transfer portal. Mensah is a redshirt freshman with three years of eligibility remaining. He told ESPN on Wednesday he has transferred to Duke. He attended the Blue Devils men’s basketball game against Incarnate Word on Tuesday night. The Blue Devils will face Mississippi in the Gator Bowl, but without 2024 starting quarterback Maalik Murphy and backup Grayson Loftis, who also entered the portal. Lindsey Vonn savors chance to test out World Cup course as a forerunner in comeback bid at age 40 BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — Lindsey Vonn is trying to take her comeback step-by-step even if there’s plenty of reason to look down the road. For now, the 40-year-old American ski racer was concentrating on testing out the course as a forerunner. Soon, it will be her first World Cup race. Possibly later, the 2026 Winter Games at one of her favorite venues in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. Vonn was one of three forerunners to test out the Birds of Prey course before the racers in the field went through a training run. Federica Brignone of Italy had the fastest time on a Birds of Prey course that’s new to quite a few racers. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
The 49ers have ruled out quarterback Brock Purdy for Sunday’s game against the Packers. It appeared to be trending that way when Purdy wasn’t on the field for the start of Friday’s practice. Purdy has a right shoulder injury that kept him from throwing the ball Wednesday and again Thursday, which was a surprise to the team. He was listed as limited the first two practice days before not practicing Friday. “I don’t want to say there’s long-term concern,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday. “You know, got the MRI on Monday and thought he just needed some rest and really weren’t concerned about him not being good this week. But when he started up Thursday, surprised him, surprised us how it felt, so we had to shut him down. So, I really don’t know what to think of it. The MRI doesn’t look like that, but the way it responded this week is really up in the air for next week. We will have to see Monday.” Brandon Allen will start this week, with Joshua Dobbs as his backup. Allen has not started a game since 2021 and has played only 16 games with nine starts in his career. Purdy appeared to injury the shoulder when his hand hit the arm of Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon as he released a pass early in the fourth quarter Sunday, though Shanahan said Purdy doesn’t know when he injured it. Purdy did not miss time with the injury in Sunday’s loss. “Just complaining about how tight it was throughout the game,” Shanahan said. “It sort of happened throughout the game. That’s why he was warming up a lot more than usual. He said he had a hard time keeping it loose. Then, after the game is when it really started to hurt, and Monday morning is why we did an MRI for it.” Purdy has thrown for 2,613 yards with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season. The 49ers also ruled out defensive end Nick Bosa (hip/oblique), giving them another concern as they face what feels like a must-win game at Green Bay. Cornerback Charvarius Ward (personal), punt returner Jacob Cowing (concussion), linebacker Tatum Bethune (knee) and defensive tackle Kevin Givens (groin) also won’t play this week. Left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) and center/guard Jon Feliciano (knee) are questionable. Williams did not practice this week.New Delhi: The agriculture ministry's scheme to promote entrepreneurship is receiving a lukewarm response, despite a better monsoon and improvements in the rural economy. Only a few individuals are venturing into becoming agro-entrepreneurs. According to data from the agriculture ministry, analysed by only 35 ventures have been established under the Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres (ACABC) scheme in the current fiscal year. This is far below the FY25 target of establishing 2,605 agri-ventures. The scheme is part of the Krishonnati Yojana, an initiative aimed at enhancing the agricultural sector. This figure is significantly lower than the 1,702 ventures established during FY24 and1,788 in FY23, the data showed. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) anticipates that India's economic growth will improve in the latter half of FY25, driven by festive activity, rural demand and agricultural growth. The number of candidates receiving training to establish these ventures has increased from 4,878 in FY23 to 4,952 in FY24. The data for candidates trained under the scheme in the first eight months of current fiscal (2024-25) year is not available on the agriculture ministry's website. Enhancing access to modern practices The scheme, launched in April 2022 in association with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), aims to enhance farmers' access to modern agricultural practices and generate employment in rural areas by promoting agri-entrepreneurship. Experts attribute the drastic decline in interest for ventures among agriculture graduates to the lack of a robust supply chain. According to Rakesh Arrawatia, professor of finance and accounting at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), this situation indicates that existing agri-ventures are not receiving significant business, leading to doubts about the need to establish new ones. Also read | “These ventures must be better integrated with incubators that are already working with farmers. A crucial link is missing between those actively working in the sector and the agri-business centres and clinics," said Arrawatia, an expert in financial inclusion. “To ensure better results, these ventures need strong market linkages to build trust and confidence among farmers. Strengthening these connections will help improve the viability and impact of agri-entrepreneurship in India," said Arrawatia. Supplementing public extension efforts The ACABC scheme supplements public extension efforts by providing agricultural services tailored to local needs and the affordability of farmers. It supports agricultural development while promoting self-employment for unemployed agricultural graduates, diploma holders, and related professionals, as per the scheme guidelines. The scheme is open to individuals aged 18 to 60 years and for individual projects, the subsidy ceiling is 20 lakh, with an additional 5 lakh available for exceptionally successful projects. Group projects, established by at least five trained individuals, have a subsidy ceiling of 1 crore. Also read | Under the scheme, individuals are trained to establish agri-clinics that provide expert advice on soil health, cropping practices, plant protection, crop insurance, animal health, post-harvest technology, and market prices. It also supports agri-business centres, which offer services such as farm equipment hiring, input sales, post-harvest management, and market linkages. Financial assistance includes training, handholding, and credit-linked subsidies to help agri-preneurs set up successful ventures. In the fiscal year 2022-23, a total of 1,788 agri-ventures were established across various states. Maharashtra led with 650 ventures, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 413 and Tamil Nadu with 209. Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan also contributed significantly, with 197 and 118 ventures, respectively. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar recorded 65, 31, and 20 ventures, respectively. The dip in agri-ventures In FY 2023-24, the total number of agri ventures established was 1,702. Maharashtra continued to lead with 788 ventures, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 314 ventures. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka contributed 220 and 100 ventures, respectively. Madhya Pradesh saw a decrease in the number of ventures, with 90 established in this fiscal year. Other states like Gujarat, Bihar, and Telangana had 7, 37, and 8 ventures, respectively. In fiscal year 2024-25 (April-November), only 35 ventures were established, with the majority coming from Uttar Pradesh (23 ventures) and Tamil Nadu (8 ventures), while Madhya Pradesh had 4 ventures. Also read | Queries emailed to the Ministry of Agriculture and NABARD remain unanswered as of press time. "The government needs to provide linkages with key stakeholders, including suppliers, distributors, and financial institutions, to create a more supportive ecosystem for agri-entrepreneurship. Without these connections, agriculture graduates are often left with limited opportunities to establish successful ventures, which impacts the growth of the sector," said Abhash Kumar, assistant professor, economics, Delhi University.REFORM, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge ruled that the family of former NFL player Glenn Foster Jr., who died in law enforcement custody in Alabama, can pursue a lawsuit alleging his death was the result of excessive force. Foster, a former New Orleans Saints defensive end, on Dec. 6, 2021, three days after being arrested and taken to jail in rural Pickens County for alleged speeding and attempting to elude police. A judge ordered Foster taken to a medical facility in Tuscaloosa for a mental evaluation. Foster was found unresponsive in the back of a law enforcement vehicle when he arrived at the facility. He was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later. His widow, Pamela Foster, against officers at the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office and jail saying Foster had been beaten, shocked with a Taser and strangled while at the jail. The defendants then asked a federal judge to dismiss the case. U.S. District Judge Annemarie Carney Axon ruled Thursday refused to dismiss allegations of excessive force and failure to intervene. Axon dismissed other portions of the lawsuit. The ruling came a day before the third anniversary of Foster’s death. Foster appeared in 17 games for the Saints in 2013 and 2014. The Associated PressIndigenous boy donating hair to cancer patients, raising money for Kemptville hospital
EXCLUSIVE : Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner David Auburn ( Proof ) has been tapped to write a new draft of Another Round , the English-language remake of Thomas Vinterberg’s Oscar-winning Danish drama from 2020, which has Chris Rock on board to direct. Rock joined the project in January, as we were first to report. At the time, he had a draft in hand from Stuart Blumberg but was looking for another writer with which to partner. We’re told Auburn landed the job after a long search, beating out maybe 200 scribes in the process. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions secured the remake rights to Another Round shortly after the film landed the Best International Feature prize at the Academy Awards. We’re told that the project is picking up steam now that Auburn is involved, though Rock did just sign on to direct and star in Misty Green , a Hollywood drama for which he wrote the script, in November. So how soon we might hear about further developments on Another Round is not yet clear. Introduced to buyers at the American Film Market, Misty Green is just the latest film Rock has eyed to direct, on the heels of a Universal-based adaptation of King: A Life , the Jonathan Eig book about Martin Luther King Jr. Pic was described by our sources as a contemporary tale of Hollywood excess and inequality. Another Round , meanwhile, watches as four high school teachers consume alcohol on a daily basis to see how it affects their social and professional lives. Vinterberg directed the darkly comedic drama from his script written with Tobias Lindholm, with Mads Mikkelsen in the lead. In addition to the Oscar, the film was recognized with a BAFTA and numerous European Film Awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenwriter. Brad Weston will produce the remake for Makeready, alongside Jennifer Davisson and DiCaprio for Appian Way. Exec producers include Vinterberg, Sisse Graum Jorgensen, and Kasper Dissing. Mike Hampton is overseeing for Appian Way. Fifth Season is the studio on the project. Auburn is well known for his play Proof , which won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play, and was adapted into a 2005 drama, starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Hope Davis, by Miramax. Taking on a number of other high-level studio jobs over the last few years, Auburn also wrote The Lake House , the romance starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves, for Warner Bros. Auburn is repped by Verve, manager Rich Freeman of Code Entertainment, and attorney David Matlof of Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum.
Chargers focused on avoiding a letdown and not a potential playoff berth in matchup with PatriotsUS sex-abuse watchdog fires investigator after learning of his arrest for stealing drug money DENVER (AP) — The U.S. Center for SafeSport abruptly fired one of its investigators last month after learning he’d been arrested for stealing money confiscated after a drug bust he was part of during his previous job as a police officer. Jason Krasley left his job with the Allentown Police Department in Pennsylvania in 2021 and was hired by the Denver-based SafeSport center to look into sensitive cases involving sex abuse and harassment. The center said it conducts multiple interviews and a “comprehensive background check” of potential employees. The center said it was looking into cases Krasley handled to make sure they were dealt with appropriately. Jim Larrañaga steps down at Miami, Bill Courtney takes over to finish season CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Jim Larrañaga has stepped down as Miami’s men’s basketball coach effective immediately. Larrañaga will be replaced by associate head coach Bill Courtney — one of Larrañaga’s best friends for the past three decades or so — for the remainder of the season. The now-former coach says he loves the university but believes it's the right time to step away. Larrañaga says "I’ve tried every which way to keep this going.” Larrañaga joins a long line of prominent college basketball coaches who have left their jobs in recent years citing the changes in the game and the challenge of coaching in the Name, Image and Likeness era. Detroit Red Wings fire coach Derek Lalonde, name Todd McLellan as his replacement The Detroit Red Wings have fired coach Derek Lalonde and named Todd McLellan as his replacement. The move a day after Christmas comes after the Red Wings lost 21 of their first 34 games this season. They're on a three-game skid. Assistant Bob Boughner was also fired and Trent Yawney hired to work on McLellan's staff. McLellan signed a multiyear contract to start his fourth NHL head coaching job. Lalonde was nearly midway through his third season with Detroit after winning the Stanley Cup twice as an assistant with Tampa Bay. Penn State offensive coordinator Kotelnicki's creativity has the Nittany Lions humming in the CFP Penn State's offense is thriving under first-year offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. The Nittany Lions are one of a handful of Power Four schools averaging 200 yards per game rushing and receiving heading into their College Football Playoff quarterfinal against Boise State. Penn State has one of the most unique offensive weapons in the country in tight end Tyler Warren. Warren has 92 receptions this season and has become a threat out of the backfield, rushing for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Pat Riley says the Miami Heat will not trade Jimmy Butler ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — If Jimmy Butler wants a trade, the Miami Heat have no plans to make him happy. Heat President Pat Riley — in a rare move — spoke out to address rumors Thursday, saying the team has no plans to trade Butler. It’s a clear sign that, if necessary, the team will be willing to let Butler leave as a free agent and get nothing in return. Riley says in a release distributed by the team "we usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches.” Organizers say two sailors have died in Sydney to Hobart yacht race amid wild weather conditions SYDNEY (AP) — Organizers said that two Sydney to Hobart sailors have died at sea amid wild weather conditions that forced line honors favorite Master Lock Comanche to withdraw among mass retirements. The race will continue as the fleet continues its passage to Constitution Dock in Hobart, with the first boats expected to arrive later on Friday or early Saturday morning. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which administers the yacht race, has said that one sailor each on entrants Flying Fish Arctos and Bowline were killed after being struck by the boom, a large horizontal pole at the bottom of the sail. Haaland penalty failure and Fernandes red card pile on woes for City and United in Premier League Erling Haaland’s failure from the penalty spot and Bruno Fernandes’ latest red card have compounded the woes of Manchester City and Manchester United on another tough day for the two Premier League giants. City dropped more points in its improbably poor run of form by drawing 1-1 at home to Everton. Haaland had a spot kick saved by England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 53rd minute. The four-time defending champions have only won one of its last 13 games in all competitions. While City is languishing in seventh place, United is even further adrift in 14th place after a 2-0 loss at lowly Wolverhampton. Fernandes was sent off in the 47th. Simona Halep withdraws from Australian Open qualifying because of knee and shoulder pain MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep has pulled out of Australian Open qualifying and a tuneup tournament in Auckland, New Zealand, because of pain in her knee and shoulder. Thursday's news represents the latest interruption of her comeback from a drug suspension. Halep posted on social media that she was feeling poorly after participating in an exhibition event in Abu Dhabi. The 33-year-old Romanian said she is planning to next enter the Transylvania Open in her home country, where play begins Feb. 3. Halep was granted a wild-card entry for qualifying in the Australian Open last week. Mahomes throws 3 TDs as Chiefs clinch AFC's top seed by breezing past the skidding Steelers 29-10 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Patrick Mahomes passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns and the Kansas City Chiefs locked up the top seed in the AFC for the fourth time in seven seasons with a 29-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions raced to an early 13-point lead and were never really threatened by the Steelers (10-6). Pittsburgh has dropped three straight to see its chances of capturing the AFC North take another hit. Travis Kelce caught eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Kelce also became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 receptions, joining Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Jackson breaks Vick's NFL rushing record for QBs in Ravens' rout over Texans HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson passed Michael Vick for the most yards rushing by a quarterback in NFL history in a 31-2 win over the Houston Texans in Wednesday. Jackson moved past Vick on a 6-yard run in the third quarter. Jackson had 87 yards rushing to give him 6,110 yards, moving him past Vick, who piled up 6,109 in his 13-year career.
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Georgia's Dasha Vidmanova, Columbia's Michael Zheng win NCAA singles titles
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Israeli air strikes on Yemen airport ‘were metres from WHO chief’Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page. If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet. FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted. The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
It’s fitting that the Stillwater Amateur Radio Association’s next major event will be held at Belwin Conservancy’s Savanna Center in Afton. The Savanna Center was once the home of the Rev. George Metcalf, a late Episcopal priest who helped craft a famous World War II prayer 80 years ago this week and was a ham-radio operator under the call sign of WØJH. “Remembering Father Metcalf-WØJH” will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 2-4 at the center, located at 795 Indian Trail S. The event is free and open to “anyone interested in communicating with other radio operators around the world,” said Dave Glas, past president of SARA. “This is a way for us to honor Father Metcalf,” Glas said. “We want to recognize his generosity in donating the land and his support of amateur radio and other sciences.” Metcalf, who died in 1995 , founded the Oratory of St. Mary’s on the site in 1959. For years, the land and the buildings, which included a residence and two small guest cottages, served as a spiritual retreat, and “Metcalf’s radio ministry was broadcast around the world from towers on the sloping hillside,” according to Belwin’s history of the center. Metcalf was a longtime volunteer with the Courage Center’s Handiham program, helping members with ham-radio education and learning Morse code, Glas said. Patton’s chaplain Metcalf grew up in St. Paul and served as Gen. George Patton’s personal chaplain during World War II. He was one of two chaplains who drafted the “Weather prayer” that Patton’s troops believed ended three months of cloudy skies and rain in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. “There was terrible weather in that part of the world,” Glas said. “The Allies couldn’t fly airplanes in to provide support, and the Germans had tanks surrounding Bastogne.” At 8 a.m. on Dec. 22, 1944, Metcalf was at his desk in the Caserne Molifor, an old French military barracks in Nancy in the region of Lorraine, when the telephone rang, according to Stillwater historian Anita Buck, who interviewed Metcalf in 1975 and wrote about that interview for an article that was published in the Stillwater Courier News in 2003. “‘This is General Patton,” the voice on the other end of the phone stated, according to Buck’s account. “Can you find me a prayer for fair weather for battle? We can’t get air cover under the present conditions. It’s pretty serious, and I think we ought to pray about it.” Metcalf told Buck that he found several excerpts from four or five prayers in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church. He also conferred with the Third Army’s head chaplain, James O’Neill, an American Catholic priest who “picked phrases from his missal of the Catholic church,” Buck wrote. “Using that material, the two men put together the ‘fair weather’ prayer.” FROM THE ARCHIVES: Afton priest’s faith bolstered by WWII Christmas prayer O’Neill presented the prayer to Patton, who had it printed and distributed to unit members. Here is that prayer: “Almighty and most merciful Father, we humbly beseech Thee, of Thy great goodness, to restrain these immoderate rains with which we have had to contend. Grant us fair weather for Battle. Graciously hearken to us as soldiers who call upon Thee that armed with Thy power, we may advance from victory to victory, and crush the oppression and wickedness of our enemies, and establish Thy justice among men and nations. Amen.” The weather cleared soon after. Afton property After the war, Metcalf was chaplain for Episcopal students at the University of Minnesota and, later, associate minister at St. Paul’s On-the-Hill Episcopal Church on Summit Avenue. In 1959, Metcalf and his wife, Mary, went looking for property in the country and fell in love with 100 acres in Afton. In 1972, the Metcalfs donated about 90 acres of their 100-acre parcel to the Science Museum of Minnesota. The couple wanted the land, which included a freshwater marsh, to remain undeveloped and to be used for the observation and study of natural phenomena. The Metcalfs eventually became frustrated that the museum was not using the land for scientific study as stipulated in the deed agreement, family members said. Related Articles Local News | From the archives: Afton priest’s faith bolstered by WWII Christmas prayer Local News | Giant tug-of-war over Stillwater Lift Bridge to precede Vikings-Packers rivalry game Local News | More than $25,000 raised for Stillwater girls soccer coach injured in crash on icy roads Local News | Forest Lake hires new city administrator Local News | North Branch man convicted in hit-and-run death of teen after Forest Lake brawl In 2004, Mary Metcalf sued the museum to get it to abide by the agreement or to allow control to be transferred to another organization. A settlement reached in 2006 transferred the land to Belwin . Mary Metcalf died in 2007 . Belwin officials have transformed the land into the Savanna Center, a hub for expanding programs and partnerships that make outdoor experiences more accessible to the community. The center is surrounded by 250 acres of restored oak savanna. The Belwin Conservancy, which specializes in outdoor science education, has protected more than 1,500 acres in the St. Croix Valley from development. The permanently protected land includes woodland, prairie, oak savanna, ponds, streams and wetlands. For more information about the SARA event, go to radioham.org .FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in January
AP Trending SummaryBrief at 5:16 p.m. ESTGeorgia's Dasha Vidmanova, Columbia's Michael Zheng win NCAA singles titles