Erling Haaland’s failure from the penalty spot and Bruno Fernandes' latest red card compounded the woes of Manchester City and Manchester United on another tough day for the two Premier League giants. City dropped more points Thursday in its improbably poor run of form by drawing 1-1 at home to Everton, with Haaland having 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 and manager Pep Guardiola acknowledged he needs to spend in the January transfer window to reverse City's slide. “The transfer window in the winter is not easy, but even the players know that we have to add some new players,” said Guardiola, who has had to cope without a host of key players, including Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, through injury this season. While City is languishing in seventh place, United is even further adrift in 14th place after a 2-0 loss at lowly Wolverhampton. United played almost the whole of the second half with 10 men after Fernandes collected his second yellow card in the 47th minute. It was the United captain's third sending-off of the season, though one was rescinded. Second-place Chelsea also dropped points after conceding in the fifth minute of stoppage time to lose 2-1 at home to Fulham, giving Liverpool the chance to extend its lead to seven points by beating Leicester later. Nottingham Forest won 1-0 against Tottenham to go up to third, while there were also victories for Newcastle and West Ham. Sixth-place Bournemouth drew 0-0 with Crystal Palace. City secured only its fifth point in the league since the end of October but that will be scant consolation to Guardiola, whose beleaguered team squandered a winning position after going ahead through Bernardo Silva’s deflected shot in the 14th. Iliman Ndiaye equalized in the 36th. Haaland’s penalty failure means the Norway international has only scored once in his last seven games. He headed in from the rebound after his spot kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Haaland, who last week admitted his form had not been good enough during a run that has seen City’s season unravel, held his head in his hands after his failure to score from the spot. He still has 18 goals in 25 appearances this season, but has not scored in a win for his club since the 1-0 victory against Southampton on Oct. 26. “We shoot a lot in the 18-yard box, but unfortunately we could not get the results that we wanted,” Guardiola said. City’s damaging run has seen it slip down the standings in the league and crash out of the English League Cup. It is also in danger of missing out on the playoffs for the round of 16 in the Champions League — sitting just one point above the cut-off point with two games to play. Wolves' first goal against United came direct from a corner, with Brazil striker Matheus Cunha seeing his kick curl over the head of goalkeeper Andre Onana and into the far corner in the 58th minute. Such goals are rare, though United also conceded from a corner in its 4-3 loss to Tottenham in the English League Cup this month. Son Heung-min scored on that occasion. Wolves added a second through Hwang Hee-chan in the ninth minute of stoppage time and have won two straight games since Vitor Pereira was hired to replace Gary O'Neil. Cunha has 10 goals of the season. Chelsea dropped points for the second time in as many games, with Enzo Maresca's team drawing 0-0 at Everton last week. The Blues gave up a lead earned by Cole Palmer in the 16th as Harry Wilson equalized in the 82nd and Rodrigo Muniz grabbed the late winner for Fulham, which won at Stamford Bridge for the first time in 45 years. Arsenal can now jump from fourth to second with a win against Ipswich on Friday. Forest's remarkable season shows little sign of slowing down after Anthony Elanga's winner against Tottenham at the City Ground. Forest is a point behind Chelsea in third. Villa was already a goal down to Newcastle after Anthony Gordon's strike in the second minute when Jhon Duran was sent off in the 32nd. Alexander Isak and Joelinton added goals for the hosts West Ham had to cope with first-half injuries to defender Max Kilman and goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski , but still won 1-0 at Southampton after Jarrod Bowen's goal in the 59th. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
BC NDP, Greens reach working agreement on ‘shared priorities’
MUMBAI: The BJP’s Colaba MLA Rahul Narwekar is set to be elected speaker of the assembly for the second time, a record hitherto held only by Congress MLA Balasaheb Bharde in the sixties. Narwekar’s appointment will be officially announced on Monday. On the day of filing nominations for the post of the speaker of the 15th Maharashtra legislative assembly, Narwekar’s was the only application received by returning officer Jitendra Bhole. The opposition does not have the adequate strength to claim the post. Pro-tem speaker Kalidas Kolambkar will complete the procedure by announcing Narwekar’s name in the lower house on the last day of the three-day special session. The MLA on Sunday claimed that nobody could point a finger at the decisions taken and rulings given by him in his first term as speaker. “The second term too will be dedicated to the people of the state by focusing on justice for them,” he said. “It will be an impartial tenure and I seek the cooperation of all my fellow MLAs in the lower house.” Narwekar is the second MLA to serve two terms in the speaker’s chair. Balasaheb alias Trimbak Bharde, a Gandhian and Congress leader who represented Shevgaon in Ahmednagar, served as the speaker from 1962 to 1972. Narwekar served a two-and-a-half-year term from July 3, 2022 and was the second-youngest speaker when elected to the post. Shivaraj Chakukar Patil was the youngest speaker of Maharashtra when he was elected to the post in March 1978. He was 42 then. Narwekar, 47, was a practising lawyer in the Bombay high court and is a two-term MLA from Colaba in South Mumbai. Son-in-law of senior NCP leader and former legislative council chairperson Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, he began his political career as the Shiv Sena spokesperson in 1999. He quit the Sena in 2014 after he was denied a Lok Sabha ticket and joined the NCP, subsequently contesting the Lok Sabha polls unsuccessfully from Maval. In 2019, he joined the BJP and contested from the Colaba assembly constituency, winning as an MLA for the first time. In his election affidavit in November this year, Narwekar announced his assets as ₹ 129.81 crore, up from ₹ 38.09 crore in 2019 and ₹ 10 crore in 2014. His younger brother Makrand and sister-in-law Harshita were former BMC corporators from Colaba and Cuffe Parade while his father, Suresh Narwekar, was also a councillor from Colaba. During his tenure, Narwekar delivered two important judgments. The Shiv Sena and NCP had been vertically split in June 2022 and July 2023 respectively and Narwekar, as the speaker, held hearings to decide on the “real” Shiv Sena and NCP on the directions of the Supreme Court. He ruled that the breakaway factions of the Sena under Eknath Shinde and the NCP under Ajit Pawar were the real parties, and the name and symbol of the undivided parties was allotted to them. The MLA is also heading a committee to look into the constitutional provisions that deal with the defection of MLAs and MPs in the anti-defection law. The committee was announced by Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla in January this year. The Shiv Sena too was reportedly demanding the speaker’s post as part of the power-sharing pact between the three ruling parties. However, the BJP retained the post, and picked Narwekar for it for the second consecutive time. Another name being considered was that of senior BJP legislator Sudhir Mungantiwar. “But the party leadership thinks that Narwekar is the best choice for the post, given his ruling in the disqualification petitions related to the Shiv Sena and NCP,” said a BJP leader. “Although he was eyeing a ministerial berth, there aren’t enough berths from Mumbai to accommodate him.” Narwekar was also interested in contesting the Lok Sabha election from Mumbai South, but the seat went to the Shiv Sena in the seat-sharing pact.NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The right frame can freeze a moment in time, creating meaning for the masses from a fist pump over a bloodied ear , a bridge crumbled by a ship , towns shredded by nature , and a victory sealed with an on-field kiss . In 2024, photographers across the U.S. captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election , to hurricanes and fires that ravaged communities, to campus protests over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The gallery from The Associated Press illustrates a new chapter of political history — the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump , the moment President Joe Biden announced he would no longer run again , the campaign sprint by Vice President Kamala Harris in Biden’s place, and the raw emotion from voters during a grueling contest ultimately won by Trump . Hurricanes whipped through the country with devastating imagery, leaving a path of wreckage and death from Florida to Appalachia . After Hurricane Helene , Lake Lure in North Carolina was shown in a jarring photo covered in shards of debris thick enough to hide the surface of the water. Hurricane Milton ripped apart the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. The scale of destruction experienced in some corners of the country in 2024 was hard to capture and might have been harder to fathom. That was the case when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and crumple around the vessel, killing construction workers on the bridge. As flames torched the landscape in California , another image captured firefighters and sheriff’s deputies pushing a vintage car away from a burning home. Elsewhere in California , one photo is aglow with bright orange flames, broken up only by the subtle features of an animal running through them. But hope also persevered in the face of devastation. In Helene’s aftermath , an image from Crystal River, Florida, shows Dustin Holmes holding hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, as they sloshed through floodwaters with her 4- and 7-year-old children to return to their flooded home. And in Manasota Key, Florida, a family was lit up by the glow of flashlights as they walked to check on their home damaged by Milton. Other photos from 2024 also grabbed the darkness and shadows to emphasize light: among them, a rocket liftoff and a total solar eclipse . And, yes, eclipse glasses were back in style for a shared moment of skygazing. But many other photos delivered a blast of color, from the spectrum of the northern lights across a Maine sky to a crew of workers wading into the deep-red of a Massachusetts cranberry bog . And, once again, Taylor Swift captured the country’s attention, even as a part of the crowd. She rushed down from the stands to kiss her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, after the Chiefs won the AFC Championship , en route to another Super Bowl win.
Judge rejects an attempt by Trump campaign lawyer to invalidate guilty plea in Georgia election caseThe South Carolina women's basketball team has been defeated for the first time since March 31, 2023. The No. 1 Gamecocks fell Sunday in Los Angeles as Lauren Betts posted a double-double effort to lead No. 5 UCLA to a 77-62 triumph. The Gamecocks (5-1) suffered their first defeat after 43 consecutive victories, dating back to the loss to Iowa 77-73 in the NCAA Tournament semifinals. South Carolina defeated Iowa last season for the national championship. Betts finished with 11 points, a game-high 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks to power the Bruins (5-0) to a historic victory. UCLA also got 15 points from Londynn Jones on 5-of-5 shooting from 3-point range, 13 points from Elina Aarnisalo and 11 each from Kiki Rice and Gabriela Jacquez. It's the first time UCLA has beaten South Carolina since 1981. The Bruins lost twice to the Gamecocks in the 2022-23 season, including in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Te-Hina Paopao had 18 points for South Carolina on 4-of-4 3-point shooting, while Tessa Johnson had 14 points. UCLA won the rebounding battle 41-34, marking the second time this season the Gamecocks have been outrebounded. South Carolina also got outscored in the paint 26-18. It's rare that a Dawn Staley-coached team -- units that typically revolve around dominant centers from A'ja Wilson to Aaliyah Boston to Kamilla Cardoso -- gets beat in the paint and on the glass, but with 6-foot-7 Betts, UCLA had the recipe to outmuscle the Gamecocks in those areas of the game. South Carolina never led after UCLA began the game with an 18-5 run, capped off by back-to-back 3-pointers from Jones. The Gamecocks cut the deficit to nine points in the second quarter, but the Bruins responded with a 17-5 run and entered halftime ahead by 21 points. Aarnisalo scored seven points during that run. From there, the Gamecocks never got within single digits of the lead in the second half. It's the first time in 21 tries that UCLA has beaten an AP-ranked No. 1 team. And it's the first time South Carolina lost a true road game since 2021, a streak of 33 games. The schedule doesn't get any easier for South Carolina. While UCLA faces UT Martin next on Friday, the Gamecocks play No. 8 Iowa State on Thursday. --Field Level Media
The Secular Constitution Protection Forum and speakers at a meeting organised by it on Sunday (November 24, 2024) demanded the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) to oppose the Waqf Amendment Bill. Also Read: Govt lists 15 bills including Waqf bill for winter session of Parliament Communist Party of India (CPI) State Secretary K. Ramakrishna said that the proposed bill was a threat to democracy. It was designed to divide the voters on religious lines. The Waqf Bill contains very dangerous amendments, he said. “The government is asserting that non-Hindus should not be serving in the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) while at the same time saying Hindus should be in the Waqf Board, calling it unjust. Home Minister Amit Shah is in a tearing hurry to pass the bill before the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) report even reached Parliament. The government, which rejected the Sachar Committee recommendations in the past, is now claiming to implement them, raising doubts, he said. Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) State secretary V. Srinivasa Rao said that the CPI(M) had opposed the Waqf Bill both inside and outside Parliament. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s policies were not favourable to even Hindus and are creating divisions among castes. There was a need for a special law to protect the properties of temples, mosques, and churches, he said. Former Minister Vadde Shobanadreeswara Rao stated that since the Waqf Board is under the Concurrent List, the opinions of the States must also be considered. “Why is the Election Commission not taking action against leaders who make provocative statements about giving Muslim reservations to SCs and STs?” he asked. “It is strange for a political leader, who once admired Che Guevara to now speak about Sanatana Dharma,” he said. “Deputy Chief Minister and Jana Sena Party (JSP) president Pawan Kalyan should listen to Swami Vivekananda’s speech on religious tolerance.” Jamat-e-Islami Hind State president Rafiq Ahmad, Ahl-e-Hadith Jamaat State president Fazlur Rahman Umri, Sunnatul Jamaat president Mukhtiyar, Majlisul Ulema president Mufti Younus, Muslim Unity Forum president Jafar Puli, Secular Constitution Protection Forum Vijayawada Urban convener Abdul Mateen, and others spoke. Published - November 25, 2024 03:40 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Vijayawada / Andhra Pradesh
BELLS jingle as our horse and carriage glides through the snowy forest illuminated by lanterns on the path. We’re making our way from the Austrian mountain village of Katschberg along the Advent Trail. As we stop, traditional alpine music fills the air as locals chatter and enjoy a hearty gluhwein (like mulled wine, but better) or local beer in a festively-lit wooden lodge. Crunching through the snow, we’re offered warm fruit tea as we make our way past other scenic lodges. In one, a choir gives an intimate performance of festive carols. In another, miniature ponies and sheep find warmth in the hay and accept pats from passers-by. It is a wonderful festive path, but it is far from the only thing on offer in this part of Austria. Carinthia , the southern-most region, is known for its stunning mountain vistas and quaint lakeside villages and is almost the epitome of Christmases from days gone by. My journey began in Klagenfurt, tucked in between the mountains on the eastern shore of Lake Worthersee, a 20-minute drive from the airport. The region’s capital, it’s known as the Renaissance Pearl of Austria, owing to its reconstruction by an Italian architect in the 17th century. It is home to theatres, beautiful churches and more than enough bars and restaurants. But the city is also perfect for a stroll, and you don’t need more than half an hour to walk from one side to the other. It’s also home to two beautiful Christmas markets. The one in front of the city hall sells everything from beautiful trinkets to local foods — the cheesemonger was a particular favourite. The other, open from Thursdays to Sundays, sees pointed tents and glistening fairy lights line the stone banks of the small canal. Here, skilled artisans work away at wooden gifts and barmen offer warm mugs of apple and rum for around £4. Being among the welcoming, festive atmosphere and groups of families and friends, I felt like a local. While you require plenty of layers in the day, the chill in the air is offset by the bright sun, which brings out the best of the mountainous landscape. From the village of Velden, on the other side of the lake, we caught a cruise boat that offered views across to evergreen forests and snow-capped peaks — and had a bar well-stocked with Aperol spritz. We made land in the tiny village of Maria Worth, with its miniature Christmas market and beautiful church that reached up from the water. From here, it was only a short drive up the Pyramidenkogel mountain, on top of which is a wooden observation tower with 360-degree views across the region. Entrance costs £14 but is worth it. The views stretch across the whole of the bright-blue Lake Worthersee and to the pin-pricks of villages dotted around its shore. Thanks to the clean, fresh alpine air, we were able to see as far as the borders of Italy and Slovenia, the horizon only obscured by huge mountains and dense forests. Even better is the slide — one of the longest in Europe — that whizzes you down to the bottom of the tower in 20 seconds. Accommodation was reasonably priced, with smart hotels round the corner from the markets in Klagenfurt and cosy Alpine lodges in the mountains offering something more traditional. Food might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Austria, but think again. At Das Kulinarium in Klagenfurt, we enjoyed a fine-dining four-course meal for £65.50pp featuring melt-in-the-mouth amuse bouches and battered sage leaves pinned to a miniature tree. Then came hazelnut foam soup and truffle French toast, followed by a main of either Arctic char (closely related to salmon) or veal. Cheaper options in other restaurants, such as the Bierhaus zum Augustin in the city centre, were just as delicious, with plenty of meat and fish from the surrounding countryside, at around £16 for a main. This is a region filled with the spirit of Christmas, and the welcome it gave was a gift all in itself. GETTING THERE : Ryanair flies from Stansted to Klagenfurt twice weekly in winter from £13 one way. See ryanair.com . STAYING THERE : Select Hotel Moser Verdino in Klagenfurt has double rooms from £71. See select-hotels.com . Hotel Bacher in Katschberg has rooms from £84 per night, half-board. See urlaub-katschberg.at . MORE INFO : See visitcarinthia.at ; visitklagenfurt.at and katschberg.at.
War fatigue deepens in Israel as deaths mount and fighting expands
San Francisco City Hall’s annual Board of Supervisors Holiday Bake Off was a layered cake of colorful treats, rich flavors, politicos dressed in festive sweaters, and as always, a heaping of extremely inside political gags. After a rigorous and contentious election season, city leaders momentarily put their differences aside to observe the time-honored tasty tradition and unite for the good of sugar-filled fun. The event — held each year the week before the board goes on winter break — was started in 2007 by Cammy Blackstone, an aide for former San Francisco Supervisor Carmen Chu, according to organizers. It was originally dubbed “Board of Supervisors Holiday Treat Throwdown.” But what began as an excuse for politicians to share desserts with City Hall colleagues has over the years evolved into not only a cooking contest, but a mechanism for political and social commentary. “It is a fun and sweet way to close out the year and bring the supervisors’ offices — friends and frenemies — together for this annual tradition,” said Jen Low, one of the event organizers and aide to San Francisco Supervisor Myrna Melgar. “Despite political differences and cutthroat competitiveness, we can all share a good laugh at the cheeky entries and admire the culinary talents of our colleagues.” And for the first time in four years, the competition was wide open. Melgar, the three-time defending “Best in Show” champion, whose cooking exploits have become the stuff of legend around City Hall, chose not to participate this year following her stiff fight to win reelection. “I take the bakeoff very seriously — I am competitive,” she said. “It takes weeks of preparation and prototypes. This year, with the election, I just did not have the bandwidth.” Any San Francisco elected official — or member of their staff —- is eligible to participate. This year’s judges were Chef Dontaye Ball, founder of Gumbo Social in the Bayview, Katy Tang, the former San Francisco Supervisor and current executive director of The City’s office of small business, and, for inexplicable reasons, this reporter, whose biggest claim to food fame is that he has never met a carb he didn’t like. There were 11 entrants this year judged on blind taste tests. We evaluated each entry mainly based on taste, creativity and look. This year’s group of entrants and award-winners also doubled as an appetizing recap of the year that was in San Francisco politics. Desserts that didn’t win but are worth mentioning for creativity include a pair of homages to Proposition K — the controversial ballot measure which a majority of voters approved, permanently closing the Great Highway to car traffic — and a chocolate graveyard symbolizing the “death” of various progressive causes in The City. Now, onto the winners. Honorable Mention: The Pie-lice Budget Dish: Cannoli pie Chef: Jackie Prager, legislative aide for District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen It’s no surprise that Ronen’s office, which hosted the competition, dished out plenty of digs against police spending. The outgoing District 9 supervisor has been one of The City’s most vocal opponents of measures and policies which would bolster police power or give raises to officers. Prager’s pie — which exaggerated the amount of money in The City’s budget earmarked for law enforcement — oozed with creamy and tasty cannoli filling. But the kicker were the two pistachios on a small plate right next to the pie, which, according to Prager, represented The City’s budget for “everything else” besides cops. Most Creative: Muni Fiscal Cliff Dish: Mexican chocolate and gingerbread Muni cake Chef: Kalpana Narlikar, legislative intern for District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar Narlikar’s fiscal-cliff cake scored major points for sheer degree of difficulty, with its beautifully crafted and detailed zero-emission and edible Muni bus attempting to drive out of the ditch that is the “SFMTA Deficit.” The cake depicts the so-called “fiscal cliff” facing San Francisco’s biggest transportation agencies, including the one running Muni. The transit lines have all collectively struggled to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, amounting to what has spiraled into a combined $700 million deficit. Narlikar called herself a “transit nerd” who wanted to create a cake that “reflected the issue, but with an optimistic twist.” “I wanted to convey that even though SFMTA is facing a financial crisis, if we work hard, we’ll be able to push through,” she said. Narlikar also made sure to note she’s proud to carry on Melgar’s legacy by keeping her office’s streak of appearances on the bake-off podium alive for another year. Most Delicious: Peanut Butter Dream Dish: Peanut butter mousse cake with chocolate coffee ganache Chef: Robyn Burke, legislative aide for District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan The only thing that Burke wanted to convey with her dessert was a message of “deliciousness.” The peanut butter mousse, one of the few nonpartisan desserts at the bake off, was packed with rich peanut-buttery flavor while maintaining a soft, light and creamy texture. “I knew it was delicious, but I know that there was some stiff competition,” Burke said. “I was honored and surprised.” Most Visually Stunning: Flight of Black San Franciscans Dish: Layered cake Chef: Natalie Gee, Chief of Staff for District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton In addition to being aesthetically gorgeous, the Flight of Black San Franciscans was cooked by Gee, a staffer for Walton. He is the only Black person on the board of supervisors and one of the leaders advocating that reparations be paid out to all Black San Franciscans . Gee said the cake aims to “tell the story of the Black community’s displacement from San Francisco while honoring the resilience of those who remain.” Each layer represents a different part of that larger theme. “We wanted to highlight the tragic reality of Black San Franciscans being displaced from this beautiful city due to its policies, unaffordable housing, and rising costs of living,” Gee said. The top and bottom coconut layers represent perseverance. The blueberries in the second layer symbolize the Black community’s “contributions and presence,” which “are often overlooked despite their deep-rooted impact,” Gee said. The third layer of luscious blackberry compote depicts the “cultural and historical richness Black San Franciscans have brought to The City.” The edible Black butterflies, Gee said, represent the “exodus of Black San Franciscans from The City. The five non-edible flowers on the side total the 5% of San Franciscans who are Black. Gee instructed those who found a blackberry in their slice to open one of two white boxes for a prize. Inside the first box were a few peanut M&Ms and statistics on San Francisco’s dwindling Black population. The other box was empty except for a note that read, “Empty Promises.” Best in Show: Lemon DROP Tart Dish: Lemon drop tart Chef: Sheila Chung Hagen, legislative aide for District 9 Supervisor Hillary Ronen The tart is all about Proposition F, last month’s failed police-retirement measure which Ronen led the charge against. The ballot proposition is colloquially known as the DROP — Deferred Retirement Option Program — measure . Had it been approved, the legislation, introduced by Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Aaron Peskin, would have allowed tenured police officers to delay their retirement in exchange for raises paid out over the next five years. Its proponents championed it as a way to alleviate The City’s critical police staff shortage . But Ronen, who resigned from the board’s Rules Committee in protest over how the charter amendment was placed on the ballot, staunchly opposed the DROP measure. She argued the measure would add more government costs amid a budget shortfall and boost police officers’ pay even though they are already among the highest paid city employees. The measure was voted down , with 54.7% of San Franciscans who weighed in on the measure coming out against it. “Both the voters and I dropped the DROP this holiday season,” Chung-Hagen said. Gumbo Social’s Brown, a self-described lemon lover, gushed about the pie’s flavor and said it was cooked perfectly. Chung-Hagen called the award “the highlight of my professional career.” “I’d like to thank Supervisors Ronen and [Matt] Dorsey for the inspiration and Supervisor Melgar for not entering the baking competition this year,” Chung-Hagen said.
NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Yankees acquired All-Star closer Devin Williams from the Milwaukee Brewers for left-hander Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin on Friday. The Yankees also will send more than $1 million to the Brewers as part of the trade. A 30-year-old right-hander, Williams is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season. He was diagnosed during spring training with two stress fractures in his back and didn't make his season debut until July 28 . Williams was 14 for 15 in save chances with a 1.25 ERA, striking out 38 and walking 11 in 21 2/3 innings. His fastball averaged 94.7 mph and he threw it on 53.5% of his pitches, mixing in 45% changeups — known as the “Airbender” — around 1.5% cutters. An All-Star in 2022 and 2023, Williams was a second-round pick in the 2013 amateur draft and is 27-10 with a 1.83 ERA and 68 saves in 78 chances over six seasons, striking out 375 and walking 112 in 235 2/3 innings over 241 games. Milwaukee declined a $10.5 million club option in favor of a $250,000 buyout last month, making Williams eligible for arbitration. Cortes, who turned 30 on Tuesday, was an All-Star in 2022 when he went 12-4 with a career-best 2.44 ERA in 28 starts. He made just one start after May 30 in 2023 because of a strained left rotator cuff and was sidelined late in the 2024 season by a flexor strain in his left elbow. He returned for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers and entered in the 10th inning of the opener, retiring Shohei Ohtani on a foulout with his first pitch and giving up a walk-off grand slam to Freddie Freeman on his second. Cortes, know for his many deliveries, is 33-21 with a 3.80 ERA in 86 starts and 49 relief appearances over seven seasons. He is eligible for arbitration and also can become a free agent after next season. New York had an excess of starters after reaching a $218 million, eight-year agreement with left-hander Max Fried that is pending. The rotation also is projected to include ace Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, with Marcus Stroman also available. Durbin, who turns 25 in February, hit .287 with 10 homers, 60 RBIs and 29 stolen bases this year at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He was with the big league team last spring training and hit .312 with five homers, 21 RBIs and 29 steals in 24 games at the Arizona Fall League. “I think he’s a stud," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said last month. "Great bat-to-ball, elite ability on the bases as a base stealer, good defender in the middle of the diamond, second base. He’s really started over the last year-plus to create some position flexibility, too. He's played some short, he's played some third. We introduced him to some outfield this year.” This story has been corrected to note New York is sending cash to Milwaukee, not the other way around. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The right frame can freeze a moment in time, creating meaning for the masses from a fist pump over a bloodied ear , a bridge crumbled by a ship , towns shredded by nature , and a victory sealed with an on-field kiss . In 2024, photographers across the U.S. captured glimpses of humanity, ranging from a deeply divisive presidential election , to hurricanes and fires that ravaged communities, to campus protests over the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The gallery from The Associated Press illustrates a new chapter of political history — the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump , the moment President Joe Biden announced he would no longer run again , the campaign sprint by Vice President Kamala Harris in Biden’s place, and the raw emotion from voters during a grueling contest ultimately won by Trump . Hurricanes whipped through the country with devastating imagery, leaving a path of wreckage and death from Florida to Appalachia . After Hurricane Helene , Lake Lure in North Carolina was shown in a jarring photo covered in shards of debris thick enough to hide the surface of the water. Hurricane Milton ripped apart the roof of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. The scale of destruction experienced in some corners of the country in 2024 was hard to capture and might have been harder to fathom. That was the case when a container ship slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse and crumple around the vessel, killing construction workers on the bridge. As flames torched the landscape in California , another image captured firefighters and sheriff’s deputies pushing a vintage car away from a burning home. Elsewhere in California , one photo is aglow with bright orange flames, broken up only by the subtle features of an animal running through them. But hope also persevered in the face of devastation. In Helene’s aftermath , an image from Crystal River, Florida, shows Dustin Holmes holding hands with his girlfriend, Hailey Morgan, as they sloshed through floodwaters with her 4- and 7-year-old children to return to their flooded home. And in Manasota Key, Florida, a family was lit up by the glow of flashlights as they walked to check on their home damaged by Milton. Other photos from 2024 also grabbed the darkness and shadows to emphasize light: among them, a rocket liftoff and a total solar eclipse . And, yes, eclipse glasses were back in style for a shared moment of skygazing. But many other photos delivered a blast of color, from the spectrum of the northern lights across a Maine sky to a crew of workers wading into the deep-red of a Massachusetts cranberry bog . And, once again, Taylor Swift captured the country’s attention, even as a part of the crowd. She rushed down from the stands to kiss her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, after the Chiefs won the AFC Championship , en route to another Super Bowl win.Trump says he can't guarantee tariffs won't raise prices, won't rule out revenge prosecutions
StemVacs-V by Res Nova Bio for Metastatic Breast Cancer: Likelihood of ApprovalThe Chickasaw Nation is accepting nominations through Jan. 26 for the 2025 Dynamic Woman of the Year Award. As leaders in education, health care, arts, cultural advocacy, legal professions, policies, social services, community development and more, Chickasaw women forge new roads that serve as a source of empowerment for people of all ages. The Chickasaw Nation Dynamic Woman of the Year Award honors women who impact the lives of Chickasaws and contribute to their communities. Since its establishment in 2006, Chickasaw women honored with this award have inspired and opened new possibilities and opportunities for others. Chickasaw women ages 35 and older are eligible for the award. Current Chickasaw Nation elected officials and employees are ineligible. Nominations must be submitted electronically to CreativeArts@Chickasaw.net by Jan. 26, 2025. For more information, call 580-272-9326 or visit Chickasaw.net . The award will be presented at the 2025 Chickasaw Nation Dynamic Women’s Conference.