big fish casino instagram
It was a fine first win for Ruud van Nistelrooy , and perhaps one final defeat for Julen Lopetegui. Leicester marked Van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge of the team by surging to a 3-1 win over Lopetegui's West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday. Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United striker, is back in English soccer this time as a manager, with Leicester taking something of a gamble on the Dutchman after his brief and impressive spell as interim coach at United this season following Erik ten Hag's departure. He faces the tough task of keeping Leicester, one of the top candidates for relegation, in the top division. For that to happen, he’s likely to need goals from Jamie Vardy — and the 37-year-old former England international delivered immediately. Nine years after breaking Van Nistelrooy’s record for scoring in consecutive games, Vardy scored the first goal of the Dutchman’s tenure at Leicester by beating the offside trap and slotting home a finish with less than two minutes gone. Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss supplied the pass for Vardy’s goal and scored himself with a low shot in the 61st minute to make it 2-0. Patson Daka added a third for Leicester in the 90th minute, before a stoppage-time consolation by West Ham substitute Niclas Füllkrug. “We are very happy with the new manager," El Khannouss said of Van Nistelrooy. “He arrived two days ago, and there’s a new dynamic in the group.” Van Nistelrooy praised the “spirit and energy” in his team. “The foundation for us going forward is everyone working their socks off, fighting for every inch and defending together,” he said. “We can look further then, and they did that in an unbelievable way.” This dismal result for West Ham came three days after its 5-2 thrashing at home by Arsenal , which piled more pressure of Lopetegui early in the former Spain and Real Madrid coach's first season with the London club. West Ham's disgruntled traveling fans chanted "You’re getting sacked in the morning” toward Lopetegui during the second half — even if his team dominated large parts of the game but only had one goal to show from 31 shots on goal. “We're very frustrated but in the same way I can say nothing about the players — they fight until the end,” Lopetegui said. "It’s not easy to explain football some days.” West Ham has lost seven of its 14 games so far and is in 14th place in the 20-team league, one spot above Leicester. Crystal Palace won for just the second time in the league this season, beating relegation rival Ipswich 1-0 to pull clear of the bottom three. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the goal in the 59th minute. Palace’s only other league victory was against Tottenham in October. While Ipswich stayed in next-to-last place, Palace moved three points above the relegation zone. Much of the focus ahead of the game was on the teams’ captains , Sam Morsy of Ipswich and Marc Guehi of Palace, during another round when the Premier League was celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity. For the second straight game, Morsy chose against wearing a rainbow armband issued to the captain of each of the 20 teams in the league. He has made the decision “due to his religious beliefs,” Ipswich says. Guehi did wear the rainbow armband but defied Football Association rules by writing a religious message on the item. The message read “Jesus loves you” — using a heart sign instead of the word “loves.” During the match against Newcastle on Saturday, Guehi wrote “I love Jesus” — and was later contacted by the FA for acting in contravention of its regulations. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Hail Flutie: BC celebrates 40th anniversary of Miracle in MiamiCOPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. — For a pair of lower-level downhill events, this sure had plenty of Olympic medal-capturing and World Cup-winning ski racers. The stage belonged to Lindsey Vonn, the 40-year-old who took another step on her comeback trail Saturday with her first races in nearly six years. Vonn wasn't particularly speedy and finished in the middle of the pack on a cold but sunny day at Copper Mountain. Times and places weren't the mission, though, as much as getting used to the speed again and gaining the necessary points to compete on the World Cup circuit this season. Vonn accomplished both, finishing 24th in the first downhill race of the day and 27th in the second. She posted on social media after the FIS races that she had enough points to enter World Cup events. The timing couldn't be more perfect — the next stop on the women's circuit is Beaver Creek, Colorado, in a week. Vonn, who used to own a home in nearby Vail, hasn't committed to any sort of timetable for a World Cup return. “Today was a solid start and I had a blast being in start with my teammates again!” Vonn wrote on X. “While I’m sure people will speculate and say I’m not in top form because of the results, I disagree. This was training for me. I’m still testing equipment and getting back in the groove.” Lindsey Vonn reacts after her run at a downhill skiing race at Copper Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colo. Her competition — a veritable who's who of high-profile ski racers — applauded her efforts. “I don't expect her to come back and win — just that she comes back and she has fun,” said Federica Brignone of Italy, a former overall World Cup champion and three-time Olympic medalist. “She's having fun, and she’s doing what she loves. That’s the best thing that she could do.” In the first race on a frigid morning, Vonn wound up 1.44 seconds behind the winning time of 1 minute, 5.79 seconds posted by Mirjam Puchner of Austria. In her second race through the course later in the morning, Vonn was 1.53 seconds behind Cornelia Huetter of Austria, who finished in 1:05.99. Huetter is the reigning season-long World Cup downhill champion. “It’s really nice to compare with her again, and nice to have her (racing) again,” Huetter said. “For sure, for the skiing World Cup, we have a lot of more attention. It's generally good for all racers because everyone is looking.” Also in the field were Nadia Delago of Italy, who won a bronze medal in downhill at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and Puchner, the Olympic silver winner in super-G in Beijing. In addition, there was Marta Bassino of Italy, a winner of the super-G at the 2023 world championships, and two-time Olympic champion Michelle Gisin of Switzerland. “For me, it was really a training, but it was fun to have a World Cup race level right here,” Gisin said. “It was a crazy race.” Vonn remains a popular figure and took the time after each run to sign autographs for young fans along with posing for photos. Lindsey Vonn competes in a downhill skiing race at Copper Mountain Ski Resort on Saturday in Copper Mountain, Colo. When she left the sport, Vonn had 82 World Cup race victories, which stood as the record for a woman and within reach of the all-time Alpine record of 86 held by Swedish standout Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s mark held by Vonn was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has 99 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport. Shiffrin is currently sidelined after a crash in a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. Vonn’s last major race was in February 2019, when she finished third in a downhill during the world championships in Sweden. The three-time Olympic medalist left the circuit still near the top of her game. But all the broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments took too big a toll and sent her into retirement. She had a partial knee replacement last April and felt good enough to give racing another shot. “It's very impressive to see all the passion that Lindsey still has,” Gisin said. Also racing Saturday was 45-year-old Sarah Schleper, who once competed for the United States but now represents Mexico. Schleper was the next racer behind Vonn and they got a chance to share a moment between a pair of 40-somethings still racing. “I was like, ‘Give me some tips, Lindsey,’” Schleper said. “She’s like, ‘Oh, it’s a highway tuck, the whole thing.’ Then she’s like, ‘It’s just like the good old days.’" Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Get local news delivered to your inbox!Crush Bar, one of Portland longest running LGBTQ+ bars and the oldest on the east side, will close at the end of the year after more than two decades in business, the bar announced on social media . “We are so fortunate to have enjoyed 23 years of serving our community and would like to thank our loyal patrons and wonderful staff for everything,” the bar announced. “We’d love to see you before we go.”
THE Met Office has confirmed that Brits will wake up to a 'green Christmas' and exceptionally warm weather. For those celebrating around the country, festive cheer will have to be enough, as there is set to be no snow or frost to be expected on December 25. Forecasters said the "exceptionally mild" temperatures seen on Christmas Eve will likely continue until closer to the new year. Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said this year will be a "green Christmas" as no snow or frost is expected anywhere in the country. "So great news if you do have travel plans over the next few days, no weather warnings are expected, no disruptive weather - but, as I say, not great news if you want a festive feel and certainly no snow or frost on the way. He added: "Christmas Eve has been very mild - we haven't broken any records, but we did see a high temperature today of 14.8C in Aberdeen, which is exceptionally mild for Christmas Eve. read more on weather "It's going to stay very similar through the Christmas period, so Christmas Day will dawn cloudy and very mild once again." Those living in Scotland will have to hold on to their Santa hats as The Met Office confirms "it's going to be quite windy with gales in the far north and some rain." Sadly, the absence of snow on Christmas Day will not be compensated by much sunshine as skies across the country are expected to remain overcast, with a few exceptions. Mr Morgan said: "Most places will have a dry and cloudy day. Most read in The Sun "A few places will see a few glimmers of sunshine, but you'll be fairly lucky to see much brightness on Christmas Day." "Glimmers of brightness" will be seen in a few more places on Boxing Day, Mr Morgan added. " Boxing Day will be very similar - it's another cloudy and mild day, with a few glimmers of brightness, particularly in north east England and the Midlands. "Some places in northern Scotland like the Shetland Isles should see some sunshine." The Met Office said the weather is expected to turn towards January 30, with colder and rainier weather to settle across the UK. Mr Morgan said: "Not a lot changes through the rest of this week and indeed this weekend, but as we move towards the New Year, we could see a change to cooler conditions and wetter conditions more widely. "There could be some heavy rain at times and there is an increasing chance of some snow - but it's too early to say where that snow is going to fall." This was possibly not the news Brits were hoping for with some taking to social media to express their disappointment. One user wrote: "Fed up with a mild and wet Christmas now." Another added: "What bad Christmas weather." A third complained: "Rubbish as usual." READ MORE SUN STORIES Despite the UK not getting any snow, there will be some spread out over the rest of Europe , especially in higher parts of Croatia , Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some are even hoping to see snow fall in Italy 's Colosseum. The weather forecast according to the Met Office Wednesday 25 December: On Christmas Day it'll be largely cloudy with some rain and drizzle at times, especially over the hills though some brighter breaks in the east. There could be mild temperatures with strong winds in the north. Thursday 26 December - Saturday 28 December: It's looking to be overcast after Christmas with some rain in north Scotland on Boxing Day. Otherwise largely dry for most with a few sunny breaks at times. For the time of year, it's regarded as rather mild.
It was a dry and cool Wednesday evening outside the Army’s Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey, a longtime military installation that once made the bombs and shells that led to victory in World War II. A contractor there knocked off work and decided to wait out rush-hour traffic. He picked up some takeout from Wawa, parked outside a nearby wildlife preserve and settled in to watch an episode of Joe Rogan’s podcast on his phone. Then he saw a flash in the side mirror. A light rising straight up from the tree line and toward the arsenal. He started recording. Could it have been a plane? Or was it a drone? And so began what seems to be the origin story of the ongoing drone saga. The contractor called in his sighting to his superiors Nov. 13, and others followed quickly, first throughout the county, then the rest of New Jersey, then into neighboring states. Countless people have reported mysterious hovering objects dotting the night skies and posted blurred images — a white light, a black background — on social media. Every day, for weeks. Drones. Drones? Small drones. Drones big as vans. Blinking, stationary, speeding and zipping and buzzing. Jeffrey Parker first saw them outside his Vineland, New Jersey, apartment building. He was barefoot, checking the mail, and there they were: three lights flying low and slow. “I was like damn, that’s not airplanes,” said Parker, 65. Was it a foreign government? Our own government? Kids? Visitors from space? The story grew to consume police departments, sheriffs, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security, a former reality TV star with a supposed inside line to NASA, mayors, governors, the White House and the president-elect. But now it appears increasingly likely that if there were any drones at all, it was very few, and that most of the drones people did see — stay with this — were up there looking for the drones people thought they were seeing. Mounting evidence, and lack thereof, suggests that perhaps the whole craze has been a sort of communal fever dream fueled by crowd mentality, confirmation bias and a general distrust in all things official. This explanation has been widely rejected by those sharing their personal drone experiences, leaving them feeling belittled and gaslit and creating the kind of hothouse where conspiracy theories take root, grow and thrive. ‘Out in the ocean’ Five days after the arsenal sighting, on Nov. 18, multiple drones were reported, there and elsewhere in surrounding Morris County. A Facebook page called Live Storm Chasers with 1.3 million followers posted a five-drone sighting. The Morris County Prosecutors Office issued a statement from sheriffs, police chiefs and emergency officials that simultaneously acknowledged and downplayed the sightings and urged people to “be mindful that what they read online may not be accurate.” Still, a day later, the FBI quietly opened its own investigation into the drones. The agency would later announce a drone hotline and receive about 5,000 tips. And the Federal Aviation Administration posted temporary flight restrictions prohibiting drone flights over the arsenal and, shortly after, the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster. The owner of that club would weigh in soon enough. November turned to December, and without any new, proved evidence or data to frame what was happening, the story exploded. A lack of facts became pure oxygen on social media and, on its heels, mainstream media. Even people’s Ring doorbells, equipped to alert users with messages from other Ring users, began to ping out drone sightings. Jessica Fiorentino, 33, a mother of two young children in Toms River, had heard about drones, but when she went to the beach one night, she couldn’t believe what she saw. “All the way out in the ocean, drones,” she said Friday in an interview. “Some would stay above the ocean, and some would come onto the land.” She alerted her followers on TikTok, normally filled with mom posts, and kept going out, every night, sometimes to other beaches, always posting videos. “They are very low in Seaside Heights right now,” she said in a video on a recent December night, pointing out two lights. “Part of me is starting to maybe think that red drone is someone’s drone, like someone here, putting it up, like police,” she reported. “And the one above it is the unidentified drone.” The video was viewed more than 393,000 times. The federal government was widely seen as being slow to react and confusing in its messaging, which was essentially “Don’t panic, but be vigilant.” Then came Dec. 8 at Island Beach State Park, a narrow stripe of coastline in southern New Jersey. A State Park Police officer contacted the local Ocean County Sheriff’s office with a frightening report right out of a summer blockbuster. “Fifty drones were coming from the ocean toward the mainland,” Sheriff Michael Mastronardy told Fox News. He rushed to the beach and met the officer. “She had legitimate information she provided,” Mastronardy said in a recent interview. The next night, he was joined by a Republican member of Congress, Rep. Chris Smith, who wanted a firsthand look. He said the drones “have so far evaded identification, origin, mission or potential threat to Americans” and criticized the Biden administration for not taking it seriously. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., was frustrated by a lack of information, so he accompanied police officers Dec. 12 to three sites that had been flooded with drone calls. “They were kind of pointing out things that were flying,” he said. “Some, they were like, ‘That’s a drone.’ These are police officers. They’ve been out there for weeks now.” He took videos and showed them to aviation experts, who convinced him that the objects were actually manned aircraft. “It kind of highlighted to me: This is the information that people need,” he said. Other lawmakers have suggested that the drones should be shot out of the sky. Some people may have tried to heed that call, in a way. Plane and helicopter pilots reported dozens of incidents of lasers being pointed at them over New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania in early December. Shining a laser at an aircraft can injure or blind the pilot, and is a federal crime. The FBI responded and urged people to stop. Fiorentino, her once-MomTok now a full-time DroneTok, was still recording every night, and growing more alarmed at what she was seeing. “There’s stuff spraying out of them — this is new to me,” she said in a video Dec. 15. That video was viewed 485,000 times, and another she posted about spraying got 2.8 million views. Jennifer McDonald, 48, taking her 15-minute break outside a Walmart in Pennsville, still hadn’t seen a drone well into December. Her husband kept asking her. Then she went outside and looked up. “Hot damn,” she said. She called her husband on FaceTime and they spent her whole break watching the little lights in the sky together. Airplanes and stars By mid-December, after weeks of shrugs, the federal government stepped up its attempt to explain what was going on. In short, officials said: They’re not drones. An FBI representative told reporters that of the 5,000 hotline tips it received, fewer than 100 leads had been generated and deemed worthy of further investigation. Four federal agencies quickly echoed that analysis, saying the bright lights floating or flying in the night sky above New Jersey were airplanes, helicopters, stars or drones that were not suspicious. The messaging did not appear to resonate among the people looking up. Kim, shopping with his two sons at a Lego Store in the Cherry Hill Mall recently, was approached with one question. “What is happening with the drones?” Bethenny Frankel, formerly of “The Real Housewives of New York City,” became another regular drone reporter on TikTok. “I know this guy whose father worked with the Pentagon and NASA and secret projects, and he has been messaging me that he will never forgive himself if he doesn’t tell the people he knows,” she began in a post last week. “These drones are ours and quite possibly could be sniffing out something dangerous.” The next morning, the “Good Day New York” program on Fox reported her claim, “and that it has something to do with radioactive material in New Jersey,” Rosanna Scotto, the host, said on air. At a news conference Dec. 16, the same day the federal agencies said most reported drone sightings were not drones, President-elect Donald Trump was asked about the situation, and he chuckled. “The government knows what is happening,” he said. “For some reason, they don’t want to comment.” He seemed to allude to the airspace restrictions over his club in Bedminster, where he said he had planned to go the next weekend. “I think maybe I won’t spend the weekend in Bedminster,” he said. “I decided to cancel my trip.” By the end of the week, looking to literally clear the air, the FAA announced a ban on drone use in airspace above critical infrastructure in more than 90 communities in New Jersey and New York. And Kim said Friday that federal drone detecting devices that had been put in place in hot spots in recent weeks had not detected any drones. This will probably do little to calm a jittery public. In Toms River, Fiorentino said she’ll keep posting TikTok videos. “We have no answers,” she said. “They’re still here. I hear more counties are getting them. More states are getting them.” And, if she’s being honest, it’s a nice diversion after a long day of work and kids. “People are relying on me to go out there,” she said. “For me it was like, OK, I can take a break from the chaos inside.” At Picatinny Arsenal, where it all began weeks ago, the contractor who reported what he saw in his car’s mirror has otherwise stayed quiet about the incident, telling just a few colleagues and an old college classmate. He is speaking out now on the condition that his name be withheld because he is not authorized to address the matter. As he has watched the drone frenzy spread across the country, he said he can’t help but worry he’s to blame. “I feel,” he said, “like I’ve caused mass hysteria.” Dodai Stewart and Nate Schweber contributed reporting.
Australia has changed its diplomatic position in backing a United Nations resolution calling for a peaceful settlement of Palestine. Login or signup to continue reading Australia was among 157 countries that supported the resolution, while eight voted against it, including the US and Israel. The motion called for a peaceful settlement of Palestine and a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. Australia's ambassador to the UN James Larsen told the General Assembly the position reflected growing international momentum. "A two-state solution remains the only hope of breaking the endless cycle of violence, the only hope to see a secure and prosperous future for both peoples," he said. Earlier, deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley said it was disappointing that Australia would shift its stance away from that of the US and Israel at the UN. "We still have hostages in tunnels under Gaza. We still have Hamas in the Gaza Strip, almost in control. And how is this not rewarding terrorists at this point in time?" she told Sky News on Wednesday. "At a critical point in the relationship that we should be having with the US, this is not going to encourage that strong closeness that we need with our nearest ally when it comes to the relationship we have to have." Australian Associated Press DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Get the latest property and development news here. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. WEEKLY Follow the Newcastle Knights in the NRL? Don't miss your weekly Knights update. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily!
President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money convictionBall Corp. stock falls Tuesday, underperforms market
SEOUL — South Korea's opposition said Tuesday it would hold back a decision to impeach acting president Han Duck-soo until later in the week. The opposition Democratic Party earlier said it would introduce an impeachment motion against Han on Tuesday to protest against the interim leader's refusal to sign into law special bills to investigate his impeached predecessor. "We have decided to exercise patience, taking into account the sentiments of the people, and wait until the 26th (Thursday) to determine whether our demands are met," floor leader Park Chan-dae said. The party originally set Christmas Eve as the deadline for Han to promulgate two special bills investigating suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived imposition of martial law, as well as graft allegations surrounding his wife, Kim Keon Hee. The conservative leader was stripped of his duties by parliament on December 14 following his brief declaration of martial law 11 days earlier, which plunged the country into its worst political crisis in decades. Yoon is now waiting for a decision by the Consitutional Court, which requires six votes in favour from its nine-member bench in order for the impeachment motion to be passed. Currently three seats are empty, and can be appointed. But Han, who stepped in to replace Yoon, rejected the opposition's demand at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, insisting on bipartisan agreements for the two bills. Han's stance "left us no other option but to interpret it as his intention to continue the insurrection by delaying proceedings", Park told a press briefing earlier. Yoon is currently under investigation by a joint team comprising police, the defence ministry, and anti-corruption investigators. 'Coercive Politics' On Tuesday, Yoon Jong-kun, the Democratic Party spokesperson told reporters that the impeachment motion against Han had been "unanimously adopted" as the party's official stance. The reasons for impeachment include not only rejecting the two bills but also "actively participating in and supporting the insurrection" and "attempting to exercise another form of power while the President's authority had not yet formally ended after the insurrection". The opposition says it needs only a simple majority in the 300-member parliament to impeach Han, as this is the threshold for a cabinet member. The ruling People Power Party, however, argues that a two-thirds majority is required since Han is currently serving as acting president. Kweon Seong-dong, leader of the ruling People Power Party, said The Democratic Party's "coercive politics have reached their peak" adding that they are "constantly interfering with the legitimate exercise of the acting president's authority". "This behaviour is no different from that of gangsters who threaten retaliation if money is not deposited," said Kweon.
"The Council of Autism Service Providers" And "ABA Centers" Partner to Ring Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange
None
Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolvedWINDHOEK, Namibia (AP) — Namibia elected its first female leader as Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was declared the winner Tuesday of a presidential election last week that was tarnished by technical glitches that caused a three-day extension to allow votes to be cast, and rejected as illegal by opposition parties. The 72-year-old Nandi-Ndaitwah won with 57% of the vote, defying predictions that she might be forced into a runoff. Her ruling SWAPO party also retained its parliamentary majority, although by a very thin margin, and extended its 34-year hold on power since the southern African country gained independence from apartheid South Africa in 1990. Namibia, a sparsely populated country of around 3 million on the southwestern coast of Africa, has a reputation for being one of the continent's more stable democracies and the problems around the election have caused consternation. Last Wednesday's vote was marred by shortages of ballot papers and other problems that led election officials to extend voting until Saturday. Opposition parties have said the extension is unconstitutional, and some have pledged to join together in a legal appeal to have the election invalidated. The Electoral Commission of Namibia, which ran the election, rejected opposition calls for a redo of the vote. It has undermined Nandi-Ndaitwah's place in history. She is set to become her country's fifth president since independence and a rare female leader in Africa. She was a member of Namibia's underground independence movement in the 1970s and received part of her higher education in the then-Soviet Union. She was promoted to vice president in February after President Hage Geingob died while in office . Nangolo Mbumba, who became president after Geingob's death, didn't run in the election. The ruling SWAPO party won 51 seats in the parliamentary vote, only just passing the 49 it needed to keep its majority and narrowly avoiding becoming another long-ruling party to be rejected in southern Africa this year. It was SWAPO's worst parliamentary election result. A mood of change has swept across the region, with parties that led their countries out of white minority or colonial rule in neighboring South Africa and Botswana both losing their long-held political dominance. South Africa's African National Congress, which freed the country from the racist system of apartheid, lost its 30-year majority in an election in May and had to form a coalition. Botswana's ruling party was stunningly removed in a landslide in October after governing for 58 years since independence from Britain. Mozambique's long-ruling Frelimo has been accused of rigging an October election and has faced weeks of violent protests against its rule. SWAPO faced similar challenges as those countries, with frustration at high unemployment and economic hardship, especially among young people, driving a desire for era-ending change. In a brief speech after the results were announced late Tuesday night, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibians had voted for peace, stability and youth empowerment. “We are going to do what we promised you during the campaigns. Thank you for your confidence and trust in us," she said. Nandi-Ndaitwah was also due to address the nation on Wednesday morning. “SWAPO Wins. Netumbo Wins. Namibia Wins. Now Hard Work,” the ruling party posted on its official account on social media site X. Some opposition parties boycotted the announcement by the Electoral Commission of Namibia at its results center in the capital, Windhoek. The commission has been roundly criticized for its running of the vote, with many angry Namibians complaining they had to wait hours and sometimes over multiple days for the chance to vote. Just over 1 million votes were cast out of 1.4 million registered voters, according to the electoral commission. Panduleni Itula, the leading opposition candidate from the Independent Patriots for Change party, was second in the presidential election with 25% of the vote. His party won the second-largest number of seats in Parliament behind SWAPO. Itula and his party have led the criticism of the vote and said they will lodge their appeal against the election this week. Other opposition parties said they will join that legal challenge. Itula has said that thousands of voters may have been prevented from voting as only some polling stations allowed an extension. "This election has violated the very tenets of our Electoral Act. Namibians deserve the right to choose their leaders freely and fairly, not through a rigged process,” he said. Namibia is a former German colony that came under South African control after World War I and its Black majority was later subjected to some of South Africa’s apartheid policies. SWAPO was at the forefront of the battle for independence from South Africa. While the country has swaths of desert running through it, it has diamond and uranium resources and untapped oil and gas off its coast that is being explored by international companies and could make it a major producer of both. ___ AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa The Associated PressJerzy Pomianowski is a Polish career diplomat who has been based in Brussels for over a decade, leading the European Endowment for Democracy (EED), an organisation that supports democratic and civil initiatives worldwide, including in Ukraine. Pomianowski has a keen understanding of how Western attitudes toward Ukraine and Russia’s war against Ukraine are evolving. Sergiy Sydorenko, the European Pravda's editor, has spoken with Pomianowski, whose position is very close to realpolitik. It included points about the West's perspective on the war and potential "compromises" that might unsettle or even offend some in the Ukrainian audience. Rather than dismissing these viewpoints, they need to be understood and addressed. Read more in the the full interview – "The West is preparing Ukraine for negotiations rather than victory." Such a clear change of administration will make a difference. The only thing we know about Trump is that he is unpredictable. It is very difficult to guess what his next move will be. This unpredictability means that it will be difficult to make any long-term plans. It does not necessarily have to have negative consequences. Sometimes it is positive because if something is not working, you can quickly change strategy and jump to another deal and another deal. A scenario where Trump hands Ukraine over to Putin, I don't consider a serious one. We need to keep in mind that there is a strong perception among the military community within the US that the war with Russia in Ukraine is extremely important from a strategic point of view , that it cannot simply be given up for some small political deals. But at the same time, the US interest is to make sure that Putin is not going out of this war stronger, because that would be against the US interest. I have this extremely strong voice in my head that is related to 1918. Тhere were two people – French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau and US General John Pershing – who were saying: we cannot stop now, we have to go to Berlin. Because if we don't do this, we will have a war in 20 years. But the public, in France, in the US and the UK, were so tired of the war that they demanded an immediate ceasefire, immediate peace. What we see today (here I am being absolutely blunt and down to the ground) is that the language of today's political discourse about Ukraine is a preparatory process for some kind of negotiations. Not a preparation for victory. That is the real danger. If you have such feelings that would dominate in the public in Western Europe, in the US, then of course no politician will be able to overrule such pressure. Because that’s how democracy works. Here is where the role of Ukrainian society comes in. We at the EED believe that the whole of society in today's world – through social media, through advocacy campaigns, through different mechanisms – can communicate the will of the Ukrainian people to other societies. But at the moment, if an ordinary Polish or Belgian person talks to their Ukrainian neighbour, they receive mixed messages which are not only about Ukraine’s readiness to defend itself. People hear things like "I don't know what's going on there," or "Corruption is still high, because you can pay and cross the border." This kind of cacophony that comes from ordinary Ukrainians all accumulates to one general message: that Ukrainian society is getting weaker than it was at the beginning of the war. This harms Ukraine. What we see today (here I am being absolutely blunt and down to the ground) is that the language of today's political discourse about Ukraine is a preparatory process for some kind of negotiations. Not a preparation for victory. That’s why NATO membership and EU membership are two elements that cannot be given up in any future negotiation. That will disable Russia’s ability to relaunch the war after 2, 3, 5, 7 years. I hope that pan-European support will be strong enough to give Ukraine the ability to manoeuvre, to strike those short-term deals with the US whenever the situation allows, and to prepare a better negotiating position for the future so-called peace talks.
New Orleans Saints interim head coach Darren Rizzi, right, and the Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce, meet after the game in at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (Staff photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com ) Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save The last seven weeks have been an audition for Darren Rizzi . Interim coaches aren't hired for the full-time gig very often, but since taking over for Dennis Allen nearly two months ago, Rizzi has had an extended stretch to show the New Orleans Saints he's up for the job after this season. But Sunday's 25-10 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders marked the second straight game in which the Saints suffered a humiliating defeat. And the game also dropped him to under .500 (3-4) in his tenure. Is he worried that his chances at keeping the job have dwindled? “I really don’t look at it like that," Rizzi said. "Maybe from an outside perspective, you guys look at it like that, and you’re right. I can’t concern myself with that right now. I have to coach this last week, take a step back and then evaluate the whole thing. "The powers to be will evaluate the whole thing, and we will go from there. I can’t be overly concerned with that. I’m concerned about the guys in the locker room. That’s what I’m concerned about. I’m pissed off. I’m upset for them.” In the aftermath of taking over for Allen, Rizzi had instituted changes throughout the Saints and they appeared to be working. New Orleans won three of its first four games under its new coach. But the Saints have cooled off, losing three straight. They were shutout in last week's 34-0 loss to the Green Bay Packers and on Sunday, they lost to a team that entered the afternoon just 3-12. Rizzi was previously considered for the Saints' last coaching vacancy in 2022 when he interviewed for the job that ultimately went to Allen. General manager Mickey Loomis said in a radio interview that the Saints wouldn't gear up until the end of the season. "Our execution just hasn’t been good enough," Rizzi said Sunday. "It’s frustrating, and it’s hard for me to see the players. That’s the most frustrating thing for me. Those guys are obviously the ones I care about the most. That’s the most frustrating part, but we’ve got one left. We have to find a way to respond and be better.”THE Met Office has confirmed that Brits will wake up to a 'green Christmas' and exceptionally warm weather. For those celebrating around the country, festive cheer will have to be enough, as there is set to be no snow or frost to be expected on December 25. Forecasters said the "exceptionally mild" temperatures seen on Christmas Eve will likely continue until closer to the new year. Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said this year will be a "green Christmas" as no snow or frost is expected anywhere in the country. "So great news if you do have travel plans over the next few days, no weather warnings are expected, no disruptive weather - but, as I say, not great news if you want a festive feel and certainly no snow or frost on the way. He added: "Christmas Eve has been very mild - we haven't broken any records, but we did see a high temperature today of 14.8C in Aberdeen, which is exceptionally mild for Christmas Eve. read more on weather "It's going to stay very similar through the Christmas period, so Christmas Day will dawn cloudy and very mild once again." Those living in Scotland will have to hold on to their Santa hats as The Met Office confirms "it's going to be quite windy with gales in the far north and some rain." Sadly, the absence of snow on Christmas Day will not be compensated by much sunshine as skies across the country are expected to remain overcast, with a few exceptions. Mr Morgan said: "Most places will have a dry and cloudy day. Most read in The Sun "A few places will see a few glimmers of sunshine, but you'll be fairly lucky to see much brightness on Christmas Day." "Glimmers of brightness" will be seen in a few more places on Boxing Day, Mr Morgan added. " Boxing Day will be very similar - it's another cloudy and mild day, with a few glimmers of brightness, particularly in north east England and the Midlands. "Some places in northern Scotland like the Shetland Isles should see some sunshine." The Met Office said the weather is expected to turn towards January 30, with colder and rainier weather to settle across the UK. Mr Morgan said: "Not a lot changes through the rest of this week and indeed this weekend, but as we move towards the New Year, we could see a change to cooler conditions and wetter conditions more widely. "There could be some heavy rain at times and there is an increasing chance of some snow - but it's too early to say where that snow is going to fall." This was possibly not the news Brits were hoping for with some taking to social media to express their disappointment. One user wrote: "Fed up with a mild and wet Christmas now." Another added: "What bad Christmas weather." A third complained: "Rubbish as usual." READ MORE SUN STORIES Despite the UK not getting any snow, there will be some spread out over the rest of Europe , especially in higher parts of Croatia , Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Some are even hoping to see snow fall in Italy 's Colosseum. The weather forecast according to the Met Office Wednesday 25 December: On Christmas Day it'll be largely cloudy with some rain and drizzle at times, especially over the hills though some brighter breaks in the east. There could be mild temperatures with strong winds in the north. Thursday 26 December - Saturday 28 December: It's looking to be overcast after Christmas with some rain in north Scotland on Boxing Day. Otherwise largely dry for most with a few sunny breaks at times. For the time of year, it's regarded as rather mild.
Vance takes on a more visible transition role, working to boost Trump’s most contentious picksSpaceX knocks out 1st of final 2 Space Coast launches of 2024It was a fine first win for Ruud van Nistelrooy , and perhaps one final defeat for Julen Lopetegui. Leicester marked Van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge of the team by surging to a 3-1 win over Lopetegui's West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday. Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United striker, is back in English soccer this time as a manager, with Leicester taking something of a gamble on the Dutchman after his brief and impressive spell as interim coach at United this season following Erik ten Hag's departure. He faces the tough task of keeping Leicester, one of the top candidates for relegation, in the top division. For that to happen, he’s likely to need goals from Jamie Vardy — and the 37-year-old former England international delivered immediately. Nine years after breaking Van Nistelrooy’s record for scoring in consecutive games, Vardy scored the first goal of the Dutchman’s tenure at Leicester by beating the offside trap and slotting home a finish with less than two minutes gone. Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss supplied the pass for Vardy’s goal and scored himself with a low shot in the 61st minute to make it 2-0. Patson Daka added a third for Leicester in the 90th minute, before a stoppage-time consolation by West Ham substitute Niclas Füllkrug. “We are very happy with the new manager," El Khannouss said of Van Nistelrooy. “He arrived two days ago, and there’s a new dynamic in the group.” Van Nistelrooy praised the “spirit and energy” in his team. “The foundation for us going forward is everyone working their socks off, fighting for every inch and defending together,” he said. “We can look further then, and they did that in an unbelievable way.” This dismal result for West Ham came three days after its 5-2 thrashing at home by Arsenal , which piled more pressure of Lopetegui early in the former Spain and Real Madrid coach's first season with the London club. West Ham's disgruntled traveling fans chanted "You’re getting sacked in the morning” toward Lopetegui during the second half — even if his team dominated large parts of the game but only had one goal to show from 31 shots on goal. “We're very frustrated but in the same way I can say nothing about the players — they fight until the end,” Lopetegui said. "It’s not easy to explain football some days.” West Ham has lost seven of its 14 games so far and is in 14th place in the 20-team league, one spot above Leicester. Crystal Palace won for just the second time in the league this season, beating relegation rival Ipswich 1-0 to pull clear of the bottom three. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the goal in the 59th minute. Palace’s only other league victory was against Tottenham in October. While Ipswich stayed in next-to-last place, Palace moved three points above the relegation zone. Much of the focus ahead of the game was on the teams’ captains , Sam Morsy of Ipswich and Marc Guehi of Palace, during another round when the Premier League was celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity. For the second straight game, Morsy chose against wearing a rainbow armband issued to the captain of each of the 20 teams in the league. He has made the decision “due to his religious beliefs,” Ipswich says. Guehi did wear the rainbow armband but defied Football Association rules by writing a religious message on the item. The message read “Jesus loves you” — using a heart sign instead of the word “loves.” During the match against Newcastle on Saturday, Guehi wrote “I love Jesus” — and was later contacted by the FA for acting in contravention of its regulations. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerIt was a fine first win for Ruud van Nistelrooy , and perhaps one final defeat for Julen Lopetegui. Leicester marked Van Nistelrooy’s first match in charge of the team by surging to a 3-1 win over Lopetegui's West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday. Van Nistelrooy, the former Manchester United striker, is back in English soccer this time as a manager, with Leicester taking something of a gamble on the Dutchman after his brief and impressive spell as interim coach at United this season following Erik ten Hag's departure. He faces the tough task of keeping Leicester, one of the top candidates for relegation, in the top division. For that to happen, he’s likely to need goals from Jamie Vardy — and the 37-year-old former England international delivered immediately. Nine years after breaking Van Nistelrooy’s record for scoring in consecutive games, Vardy scored the first goal of the Dutchman’s tenure at Leicester by beating the offside trap and slotting home a finish with less than two minutes gone. Morocco midfielder Bilal El Khannouss supplied the pass for Vardy’s goal and scored himself with a low shot in the 61st minute to make it 2-0. Patson Daka added a third for Leicester in the 90th minute, before a stoppage-time consolation by West Ham substitute Niclas Füllkrug. “We are very happy with the new manager," El Khannouss said of Van Nistelrooy. “He arrived two days ago, and there’s a new dynamic in the group.” Van Nistelrooy praised the “spirit and energy” in his team. “The foundation for us going forward is everyone working their socks off, fighting for every inch and defending together,” he said. “We can look further then, and they did that in an unbelievable way.” This dismal result for West Ham came three days after its 5-2 thrashing at home by Arsenal , which piled more pressure of Lopetegui early in the former Spain and Real Madrid coach's first season with the London club. West Ham's disgruntled traveling fans chanted "You’re getting sacked in the morning” toward Lopetegui during the second half — even if his team dominated large parts of the game but only had one goal to show from 31 shots on goal. “We're very frustrated but in the same way I can say nothing about the players — they fight until the end,” Lopetegui said. "It’s not easy to explain football some days.” West Ham has lost seven of its 14 games so far and is in 14th place in the 20-team league, one spot above Leicester. Crystal Palace won for just the second time in the league this season, beating relegation rival Ipswich 1-0 to pull clear of the bottom three. Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the goal in the 59th minute. Palace’s only other league victory was against Tottenham in October. While Ipswich stayed in next-to-last place, Palace moved three points above the relegation zone. Much of the focus ahead of the game was on the teams’ captains , Sam Morsy of Ipswich and Marc Guehi of Palace, during another round when the Premier League was celebrating LGBTQ+ inclusion in its campaign to promote equality and diversity. For the second straight game, Morsy chose against wearing a rainbow armband issued to the captain of each of the 20 teams in the league. He has made the decision “due to his religious beliefs,” Ipswich says. Guehi did wear the rainbow armband but defied Football Association rules by writing a religious message on the item. The message read “Jesus loves you” — using a heart sign instead of the word “loves.” During the match against Newcastle on Saturday, Guehi wrote “I love Jesus” — and was later contacted by the FA for acting in contravention of its regulations. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer