
Innovative approach maps gene activity in the living human brain November 25, 2024 RCSI A groundbreaking method to profile gene activity in the living human brain has been developed. This innovative approach opens new avenues for understanding and treating neurological conditions like epilepsy. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email A groundbreaking method to profile gene activity in the living human brain has been developed by researchers at FutureNeuro, the Research Ireland Centre for Translational Brain Science and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dublin, in collaboration with international partners. This innovative approach, published in JCI Insight , opens new avenues for understanding and treating neurological conditions like epilepsy. Studying gene activity in the brain without requiring invasive tissue samples from surgery or post-mortem donation has been a long-standing challenge in neuroscience. By analysing molecular traces -- specifically RNA and DNA -- collected from electrodes implanted in the brains of patients with epilepsy and linking these with electrical recordings from the brain, the researchers were able to take a 'snapshot' of gene activity in the living brain. These electrodes, clinically used to pinpoint seizure activity in patients enabling surgical interventions, provide a unique opportunity to link brain activity to the genes being switched on or off in specific regions. The study demonstrates how integrating molecular data with electrical recordings of seizures can enhance our understanding of the brain's seizure networks, potentially improving the precision of epilepsy surgeries. Professor David Henshall, Director of FutureNeuro and Professor of Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience at RCSI said: "This study represents a significant advancement in epilepsy research, providing a method to detect active genes within the living brain of individuals with epilepsy. This technology has the potential to complement traditional brain imaging and EEG tests that measure electrical activity in the brain, offering valuable insights to guide surgical decision-making in the treatment of those with epilepsy." Epilepsy affects approximately 40,000 people in Ireland, with one in three people unable to control seizures through medication. For these individuals, surgical intervention is often the best option, but its success hinges on accurately mapping the regions responsible for seizure activity. Beyond epilepsy, the study lays the groundwork for broader applications, including research into Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and schizophrenia, where understanding molecular processes in the living brain is vital. The research, led by Professor Henshall and Professor Vijay Tiwari, Professor of Genome Biology at the University of Southern Denmark, also involved a global network of collaborators, including experts from Beaumont Hospital, Blackrock Clinic, Queen's University Belfast, the University of Southern Denmark, and the Danish Institute for Advanced Study. It underscores the value of international collaboration and marks a step forward in understanding how our brains function at the molecular level, offering hope for improved diagnosis and care for those impacted by neurological conditions. This study was funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) North-South Research Programme and FutureNeuro. Story Source: Materials provided by RCSI . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :
Full house: Inside production of the European Curling Championships The 2024 European Curling Championships are currently underway in the south Finland town of Lohja, bringing together 20 teams from across Europe to compete in a sport that has become more popular in recent years, particularly since the 2022 Winter Olympics. Television coverage has played a part in raising the profile of what was previously regarded as a niche and somewhat arcane game that involves two teams sliding granite ‘stones’ along a lane marked out on ice towards a target known as a house. Curling is now played in many countries around the world, having spread out over the years following its creation in Scotland during the 16th century. It is a major sport in Canada, where it arrived due to Scottish emigration, and is also popular in the US, Japan and Korea. It is Europe, however, that has the greatest concentration of curling countries, including Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Estonia, Lithuania, Czechia, Austria, England and, of course, Scotland. For competitions including the European, World and World Mixed Championships, the sport’s governing body, World Curling, distributes both the world feed to national broadcast companies of competing countries that request it and something more basic for the streamed Curling Channel. The distribution and booking manager for World Curling TV (WCTV), Sylvie Aubrit, who deals with rights holders and unilateral activity on- and off-site, explains that three levels of coverage are produced. “This is because between three and six different matches can be being played on the same sheet of ice during the same session,” she says. “Level 1 coverage will focus on one game but there will be updates on what is happening in the others going on at the same time. And if that game finishes early, we switch to one of those other matches until it is over, while updating the remaining games as well. Level 2 concentrates on only one game, with no updates from any others, and the coverage finishes when it’s over.” The vision set-ups for both these levels involve moving cameras mounted on trusses above the ice, supported by cameras on tripods controlled by operators on the same level as the players. Level 1, used only for the World Championships, involves more crew and offers features such as commentary, replays, interviews and live graphics. Aubrit describes level 2 as similar but more computer-based, involving fewer people; the European Championships is being covered with two level 2 feeds for broadcasters plus one level 3 production on The Curling Channel. This coverage comprises a static overhead camera looking at either end of a sheet with no commentary. “Level 3 uses PTZ cameras and is web-only,” Aubrit comments. “Levels 1 and 2 use broadcast-quality cameras and on the Europeans those are Sony HDC-4300s. We don’t always have the same model and even if we’re using the same supplier the cameras can change [from production to production] but they are always broadcast-quality cameras and lenses. Our suppliers know what we need but it’s not as specific as something like the Tour de France.” The main issue, Aubrit continues, is the workflow, which is “incredibly complicated” due to several games taking place at the same time, with crossovers between different sheets of ice. “Usually the productions are controlled from an OB truck but on this occasion we are using a flyaway kit with all the equipment inside the arena,” she adds. “Sometimes it is easy to send a truck but our suppliers can provide the same equipment in a flyaway kit.” Vision mixers are a 128-input Grass Valley K-Frame for the broadcast coverage and a vMix software switcher on the streaming feed. Aubrit describes the video side of covering curling as relatively simple, while the audio is “very complicated”. This is largely because all the players and coaches are miked up with wireless microphones, with other sound sources dedicated to ambience within the arena and the commentator mics. The wireless system for this event is based on 30 Wisycom MTP 41S transmitters working with Dante Audio over IP for networking and control. The mixing consoles used on European productions are Lawo, while Calrec features on North American events. “The audio mixing requires a lot of expertise and we have two people who work on it for us,” Aubrit says. “There’s also an audio manager and a floor manager who look after the wireless mics. It’s a big thing for us and we can’t mess up on it. If a player goes to the washroom we have to make sure that their mic isn’t left on.” The crew additionally includes production and technical managers, Aubrit comments, with most of those working on at the different competitions coming from Canada, where curling is extremely popular. Aubrit, who worked previously for FIFA and has a background in transmission, oversees distributing the broadcast coverage, which was recently taken in-house. “It’s something new for us, handling the distribution ourselves,” she says. “Transmission costs a lot and we used to use satellite and then fibre. Now we’ve gone full IP with a software-defined networking system provided by GlobalM in Switzerland. We use their technology to schedule all the transmissions to broadcasters and do not have to involve an intermediately or a production company.” Like other sports broadcasters, WCTV has been looking into remote production in recent times but it is does not appear to be something the organisation is preparing to adopt any time soon. “Everyone is testing remote production at the moment,” says Aubrit. “We have run tests on smaller events with some success but not enough for us to move to it yet.” The European Curling Championships began on 16 November, with the men’s and women’s competitions running concurrently. It is available on platforms including Eurosport and BBC iPlayer, as well as The Curling Channel, and concludes on Friday 22 November.California vs. Trump: State prepares for battle to protect taxpayers, progressive policies
DALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. A World Series title in his first season was followed by a losing record this year. “I believe in the guys in the group that we have. We were able to do it in ‘23. I don’t feel a lot has changed,” Eovaldi said Friday, a day after finalizing a $75 million, three-year contract . “We had a down year last year, but I've said it before, you learn a lot from losing seasons.” Eovaldi had declined a $20 million player option to become a free agent again and reached an agreement during the winter meetings in Dallas. Texas also acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger in a swap with Miami. Burger had fallen asleep before getting a call late Tuesday night that he had been traded to Texas, where his family is planning to move after the October birth of a daughter with Down syndrome. “The other city that is really good other than Nashville in terms of children's hospital and resources for her Downs is in Dallas," Burger said. “Not just from the baseball spectrum, from the life aspect as well ... I feel like it was meant to be, and we couldn’t be more more excited about that.” In the Nashville area, Burger lives close to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, whom he plans to visit with soon. His former Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker , was hired last month by the Rangers as a senior adviser for baseball operations, and Luis Urueta, Miami’s bench coach the past two seasons, recently joined Bochy’s on-field coaching staff for 2025. Burger and Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning were once roommates in the Chicago White Sox organization. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, when he started 59 games at third base and 50 starts at first. He was with the White Sox in Texas when he got traded to Miami on Aug. 1, 2023, and four days later hit his first homer with the Marlins at Globe Life Field. When the Rangers made the title run in 2023, Eovaldi was 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six postseason starts. He was the winning pitcher in their World Series-clinching Game 5 at Arizona. He was also part of Boston’s 2018 title. Eovaldi was 12-8 this year with a 3.80 ERA in 29 starts, the last seven scoreless innings in the regular-season finale. He is 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts for Texas the past two seasons. The new deal for the Texas native, who who turns 35 in February, includes a $12 million signing bonus, half payable on Nov. 15, 2026, and the rest on Jan. 15, 2028, and salaries of $18 million next season, $25 million in 2026 and $20 million in 2027. He gets a full no-trade provision. After being welcomed back by Chris Young, the team's president of baseball operations, the pitcher said he never felt like he really left. The Rangers stayed in contact throughout the process after he declined his option Nov. 4. “Kind of listening to the market and everything, I’m extremely happy to be back. I’m glad we were we were able to make it all work out,” Eovaldi said. “We had a lot of teams reach out right away and we were in contact with most them across the league. Ultimately we were able to make it back here.” AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
No. 20 Texas A&M will try to bounce back from its loss to Auburn and punch its ticket to the SEC Championship when it hosts No. 3 Texas on Saturday night during the Week 14 college football schedule. The Aggies still have a chance of making the College Football Playoff, but they are 6-point underdogs in the Week 14 college football odds via SportsLine consensus. No. 13 Alabama is also on the outside looking in heading into the Iron Bowl, with the Crimson Tide favored by 11.5 points against Auburn in the Week 14 college football spreads. College football score predictions can be used to identify value on those games and others this weekend. No. 12 Clemson is a 2.5-point favorite against No. 16 South Carolina, which is on a five-game winning streak. Which side of that rivalry week spread should you back with your Week 14 college football bets? Before you make any Week 14 college football picks, make sure you see the latest college football predictions from SportsLine's proven model. The model simulates every FBS game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a betting profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college spread football picks , and it is a strong 27-17 on all top-rated picks over the past nine weeks of this season. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen strong returns. Now, the model has simulated every Week 14 game 10,000 times. You can only see the model's Week 14 college football exact score predictions at SportsLine. Top Week 14 college football picks After diving into every game on the Week 14 college football schedule, the model is backing the No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-7.5, 51.5) to beat the USC Trojans , 36-22, covering the spread in a 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS kickoff that goes over the total. Notre Dame suffered a shocking loss to Northern Illinois early in the season, but the Fighting Irish have responded with a nine-game winning streak to get within one win of a College Football Playoff appearance. They have won four straight games by at least 21 points, including a 49-14 win over then-No. 19 Army last week. Sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love had 130 rushing yards and scored three touchdowns, while senior quarterback Riley Leonard completed 10 of 13 passes for 148 yards and two scores. Notre Dame's defense has not allowed more than 14 points in six straight games, and USC has only reached the 30-point mark four times this season. SportsLine's model does not expect the Trojans to keep pace on Saturday, projecting Notre Dame to win by two touchdowns. See the model's other Week 14 college football score predictions here. How to make Week 14 college football score predictions The model has also released score predictions for every FBS matchup in Week 14, and it's calling for a whopping 13 underdogs to win outright. You can only get every score prediction for every game at SportsLine . Who wins each Week 14 college football game, and which underdogs win outright in Week 14? Visit SportsLine now to get the model's college football Week 14 score predictions, all from the model that has generated well over $2,000 on its top-rated college football picks , and find out.
EMPOLI, Italy (AP) — Scotland international Che Adams scored from almost the halfway line as Torino ended a run of poor form to win at Empoli 1-0 in Serie A on Friday. Adams replaced Antonio Sanabria in the 64th minute and made his mark almost immediately. With 70 gone, he spotted the Empoli goalkeeper off his line and lobbed the ball over his head from inside the center circle. The goal ended his personal eight-game drought in spectacular fashion, and will ease pressure on coach Paolo Vanoli. The Turin club was unbeaten in its first five league games and topped the table for a time. But it has won only one of 10 games since, back in late October. Friday's win lifted Torino into 12th place, two places and three points behind Empoli. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerConference title games a chance at a banner, bragging rights and, for some, a season-wrecking loss
MALIBU, Calif., Dec. 13, 2024 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — As the Franklin Fire nears containment, having scorched over 4,000 acres and displaced thousands of residents, the Satellite Phone Store ( satellitephonestore.com ) is stepping up to provide critical communication solutions to assist recovery efforts and prepare communities for future emergencies. The Franklin Fire, which destroyed six homes and damaged others, left many areas without reliable communication infrastructure. Satellite communication devices such as sat phones & starlink terminals , which function independently of damaged cell networks, are proving essential for both emergency responders and returning residents. IN RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS, THE SATELLITE PHONE STORE IS OFFERING: “A WAKE-UP CALL FOR PREPAREDNESS” “Disasters like the Franklin Fire remind us how essential reliable communication is during and after an emergency,” said Tina Blanco, CEO of Satellite Phone Store. “We’re here to help Malibu recover, but we also want to encourage everyone to think ahead. It’s never too late to prepare for the unexpected, and having the right tools can make all the difference.” SATELLITE COMMUNICATION: A LIFELINE DURING AND AFTER A CRISIS As displaced residents begin returning home, satellite communication tools are helping: With the wildfire starting to be under control, attention now shifts to the importance of emergency preparedness. Wildfires, earthquakes, and other natural disasters can happen at any time, and satellite communication ensures connectivity when traditional networks fail. WHY PREPAREDNESS MATTERS The Satellite Phone Store emphasizes the importance of readiness for future emergencies: PREPARE TODAY FOR TOMORROW’S EMERGENCIES As Malibu rebuilds, the Satellite Phone Store urges individuals and communities to take action now to prepare for what’s next. Reliable communication tools aren’t just for disasters—they’re a safeguard for the unexpected challenges of the future. About Satellite Phone Store: The Satellite Phone Store, a division of Connecta Satellite Solutions LLC , is a global leader in satellite communication technology. Specializing in satellite phones, portable internet hotspots, GPS trackers, and emergency equipment, the company equips families, businesses, and governments with tools to stay connected in extreme conditions. For more information, visit https://SatellitePhoneStore.com/ or call 1-877-324-6913. MEDIA CONTACT: Lacey Moore Website: SatellitePhoneStore.com Email: Care@SatellitePhoneStore.com Phone: 1-877-324-6913 Locations: California, Florida, Alaska NEWS SOURCE: Satellite Phone Store Keywords: Telecom and VoIP, Emergency, Telecom, Technology, Internet, Natural Disasters, malibu wildfires, portable internet, satellite internet, sat phones, franklin fires, emergency response, california, MALIBU, Calif. This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (Satellite Phone Store) who is solely responsibile for its accuracy, by Send2Press® Newswire . Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P122844 APDF15TBLLI To view the original version, visit: https://www.send2press.com/wire/satellite-phone-store-steps-in-to-support-malibu-wildfire-recovery-with-lifesaving-communication-tools/ © 2024 Send2Press® Newswire, a press release distribution service, Calif., USA. Disclaimer: This press release content was not created by nor issued by the Associated Press (AP). Content below is unrelated to this news story.
The five-part series will debut globally on December 10, following elite global players on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. A trailer for the series titled Polo, executive produced by Harry and Meghan, was released on Thursday, giving a behind-the-scenes look at the “fast-paced and glamorous world of polo”. In a statement, Harry said: “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. “We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.” It has been produced by the Sussexes’ Archewell Productions, having previously released three documentaries with Netflix as part of a multimillion-pound deal with the streaming giant. Heart Of Invictus, which aired last August, followed a group of service members on their road to the Invictus Games, the Paralympic-style sporting competition set up by Harry in 2014 for injured and sick military personnel and veterans. Netflix also released the documentary series Live To Lead and the controversial six-part Harry & Meghan documentary in December 2022. Harry and Meghan moved to the US in 2020 after stepping down from royal duties.
Charted: Copper vs. Oil Demand (1970-2040)Social media users are misrepresenting a report released Thursday by the Justice Department inspector general's office, falsely claiming that it's proof the FBI orchestrated the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. The watchdog report examined a number of areas, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. Claims spreading online focus on the report's finding that 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who had been tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the events. Although 17 of those informants either entered the Capitol or a restricted area around the building during the riot, none of the 26 total informants were authorized to do so by the bureau, according to the report. Nor were they authorized to otherwise break the law or encourage others to do so. Here's a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: A December 2024 report released by the Department of Justice's Office of the Inspector General is proof that the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was a setup by the FBI. THE FACTS: That's false. The report found that no undercover FBI employees were at the riot on Jan. 6 and that none of the bureau's informants were authorized to participate. Informants, also known as confidential human sources, work with the FBI to provide information, but are not on the bureau’s payroll. Undercover agents are employed by the FBI. According to the report, 26 informants were in Washington on Jan. 6 in connection with the day's events. FBI field offices only informed the Washington Field Office or FBI headquarters of five informants that were to be in the field on Jan. 6. Of the total 26 informants, four entered the Capitol during the riot and an additional 13 entered a restricted area around the Capitol. But none were authorized to do so by the FBI, nor were they given permission to break other laws or encourage others to do the same. The remaining nine informants did not engage in any illegal activities. None of the 17 informants who entered the Capitol or surrounding restricted area have been prosecuted, the report says. A footnote states that after reviewing a draft of the report, the U.S. attorney's office in Washington said that it “generally has not charged those individuals whose only crime on January 6, 2021 was to enter restricted grounds surrounding the Capitol, which has resulted in the Office declining to charge hundreds of individuals; and we have treated the CHSs consistent with this approach.” The assistant special agent in charge of the Washington Field Office's counterterrorism division told the inspector general's office that he “denied a request from an FBI office to have an undercover employee engage in investigative activity on January 6.” He, along with then-Washington Field Office Assistant Director in Charge Steven D'Antuono, said that FBI policy prohibits undercover employees at First Amendment-protected events without investigative authority. Many social media users drew false conclusions from the report's findings. “JANUARY 6th WAS A SETUP!" reads one X post that had received more than 11,400 likes and shares as of Friday. “New inspector general report shows that 26 FBI/DOJ confidential sources were in the crowd on January 6th, and some of them went into the Capitol and restricted areas. Is it a coincidence that Wray put in his resignation notice yesterday? TREASON!” The mention of Wray's resignation refers to FBI Director Christopher Wray's announcement Wednesday that he plans to resign at the end of President Joe Biden's term in January. Other users highlighted the fact that there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on Jan. 6, but omitted key information about the findings of the report. These claims echo a fringe conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump's 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the Capitol in a violent clash with police. The report knocks that theory down. Wray called such theories “ludicrous” at a congressional hearing last year. The inspector general's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the false claims about its report. In addition to its findings about the the FBI's involvement on Jan. 6, the report said that the FBI, in an action its now-deputy director described as a “basic step that was missed,” failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence ahead of time. That was a step, the report concluded, “that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6.” However, it did credit the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known “domestic terrorism subjects” who planned to come to Washington that day. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general’s recommendation “regarding potential process improvements for future events.” — Find AP Fact Checks here: https://apnews.com/APFactCheck .
There are many developers who have worked towards enhancing their games and taking advantage of the PlayStation 5 Pro's capabilities, but CD Projekt Red is not one of those, and certainly not for "Cyberpunk 2077." The company did not reveal anything as to why it will not work on giving "Cyberpunk 2077" a highly-requested PS5 Pro patch, but reports claimed that it is because of other priorities. No PS5 Pro Patch is Coming For 'Cyberpunk 2077' says CDPR A new reply from CD Projekt Red shared sad news to its fans as the game-developing company has no plans to offer a special PS5 Pro patch for "Cyberpunk 2077" that would help enhance the experience. The game developing company confirmed that they "currently have no plans" to bring a PS5 Pro update that will allow gamers to take advantage of the console's massive capabilities despite many doing so. Developers that released dedicated patches for their game's PS5 Pro run recently received massive praise from analysts and fans for their significant improvements compared to its PS4 or PS5 versions. Despite many players anticipating a PS5 Pro... Isaiah RichardDALLAS (AP) — The championship vision that led Nathan Eovaldi to sign with Texas as a free agent two years ago is the same one that brought him back to the Rangers. A World Series title in his first season was followed by a losing record this year. “I believe in the guys in the group that we have. We were able to do it in ‘23. I don’t feel a lot has changed,” Eovaldi said Friday, a day after finalizing a $75 million, three-year contract . “We had a down year last year, but I've said it before, you learn a lot from losing seasons.” Eovaldi had declined a $20 million player option to become a free agent again and reached an agreement during the winter meetings in Dallas. Texas also acquired slugging corner infielder Jake Burger in a swap with Miami. Burger had fallen asleep before getting a call late Tuesday night that he had been traded to Texas, where his family is planning to move after the October birth of a daughter with Down syndrome. “The other city that is really good other than Nashville in terms of children's hospital and resources for her Downs is in Dallas," Burger said. “Not just from the baseball spectrum, from the life aspect as well ... I feel like it was meant to be, and we couldn’t be more more excited about that.” In the Nashville area, Burger lives close to Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, whom he plans to visit with soon. His former Marlins manager, Skip Schumaker , was hired last month by the Rangers as a senior adviser for baseball operations, and Luis Urueta, Miami’s bench coach the past two seasons, recently joined Bochy’s on-field coaching staff for 2025. Burger and Rangers pitcher Dane Dunning were once roommates in the Chicago White Sox organization. Burger hit .250 with 29 home runs and 76 RBIs in 137 games for the Marlins last season, when he started 59 games at third base and 50 starts at first. He was with the White Sox in Texas when he got traded to Miami on Aug. 1, 2023, and four days later hit his first homer with the Marlins at Globe Life Field. When the Rangers made the title run in 2023, Eovaldi was 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA in six postseason starts. He was the winning pitcher in their World Series-clinching Game 5 at Arizona. He was also part of Boston’s 2018 title. Eovaldi was 12-8 this year with a 3.80 ERA in 29 starts, the last seven scoreless innings in the regular-season finale. He is 24-13 with a 3.72 ERA in 54 starts for Texas the past two seasons. The new deal for the Texas native, who who turns 35 in February, includes a $12 million signing bonus, half payable on Nov. 15, 2026, and the rest on Jan. 15, 2028, and salaries of $18 million next season, $25 million in 2026 and $20 million in 2027. He gets a full no-trade provision. After being welcomed back by Chris Young, the team's president of baseball operations, the pitcher said he never felt like he really left. The Rangers stayed in contact throughout the process after he declined his option Nov. 4. “Kind of listening to the market and everything, I’m extremely happy to be back. I’m glad we were we were able to make it all work out,” Eovaldi said. “We had a lot of teams reach out right away and we were in contact with most them across the league. Ultimately we were able to make it back here.” AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Trump taps Rollins as agriculture chief, completing proposed slate of Cabinet secretariesThe suspect in the high-profile killing of a health insurance CEO that has gripped the United States graduated from an Ivy League university, reportedly hails from a wealthy family, and wrote social media posts brimming with cerebral musings. Luigi Mangione, 26, was thrust into the spotlight Monday after police revealed he is their person of interest in the brutal murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a father of two, last week in broad daylight in Manhattan in a case that laid bare deep frustration and anger with America's privatized medical system. News of his capture in Pennsylvania -- following a tip from a McDonald's worker --triggered an explosion of online activity, with Mangione quickly amassing new followers on social media as citizen sleuths and US media tried to understand who he is. While some lauded him as a hero and lamented his arrest, others analyzed his intellectual takes in search of ideological clues. A photo on one of his social media accounts includes an X-ray of an apparently injured spine. No explicit political affiliation has emerged. Meanwhile, memes and jokes proliferated, many riffing on his first name and comparing him to the "Mario Bros." character Luigi, sometimes depicted in AI-altered images wielding a gun or holding a Big Mac. "Godspeed. Please know that we all hear you," wrote one user on Facebook. "I want to donate to your defense fund," added another. According to Mangione's LinkedIn profile, he is employed as a data engineer at TrueCar, a California-based online auto marketplace. A company spokesperson told AFP Mangione "has not been an employee of our company since 2023." Although he had been living in Hawaii ahead of the killing, he originally hails from Towson, Maryland, near Baltimore. He comes from a prominent and wealthy Italian-American family, according to the Baltimore Banner. The family owns local businesses, including the Hayfields Country Club, its website says. A standout student, Mangione graduated at the top of his high school class in 2016. In an interview with his local paper at the time, he praised his teachers for fostering a passion for learning beyond grades and encouraging intellectual curiosity. A former student who knew Mangione at the Gilman School told AFP the suspect struck him as "a normal guy, nice kid." "There was nothing about him that was off, at least from my perception," this person said, asking that their name not be used. "Seemed to just be smiling, and kind of seemed like he was a smart kid. Ended up being valedictorian, which confirmed that," the former student said. Mangione went on to attend the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, where he completed both a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science by 2020, according to a university spokesperson. While at Penn, Mangione co-led a group of 60 undergraduates who collaborated on video game projects, as noted in a now-deleted university webpage, archived on the Wayback Machine. On Instagram, where his following has skyrocketed from hundreds to tens of thousands, Mangione shared snapshots of his travels in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. He also posted shirtless photos flaunting a six-pack and appeared in celebratory posts with fellow members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. However, it is on X (formerly Twitter) that users have scoured Mangione's posts for potential motives. His header photo -- an X-ray of a spine with bolts -- remains cryptic, with no public explanation. Finding a coherent political ideology has also proved elusive, though he had written a review of Ted Kaczynski's manifesto on the online site goodreads, calling it "prescient." Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, carried out a string of bombings in the United States from 1978 to 1995, a campaign he said was aimed at halting the advance of modern society and technology. Mangione called Kaczynski "rightfully imprisoned," while also saying "'violence never solved anything' is a statement uttered by cowards and predators." According to CNN, handwritten documents recovered when Mangione was arrested included the phrase "these parasites had it coming." Mangione has also linked approvingly to posts criticizing secularism as a harmful consequence of Christianity's decline. In April, he wrote, "Horror vacui (nature abhors a vacuum)." The following month, he posted an essay he wrote in high school titled "How Christianity Prospered by Appealing to the Lower Classes of Ancient Rome." In another post from April, he speculated that Japan's low birthrate stems from societal disconnection, adding that "fleshlights" and other vaginal-replica sex toys should be banned. ia/nro/dwLINCOLN — The World-Herald's Wilson Moore is handing out his Husker Report Card, assessing Nebraska's performance in several areas. Here are the grades coming out of the Huskers' win over Wisconsin. Emmett Johnson was the speed back Nebraska needed him to be as slipped into space and past would-be tacklers. The redshirt sophomore was a receiving threat out of the backfield and was rarely taken to the ground by the first defender to meet him on a play. He set career highs in rushing yards and all-purpose yards. Dante Dowdell scored untouched on a 12-yard run in the first half and tacked on a plunge from the goal line. GRADE: A People are also reading... Recap: Here's how Joey Graziadei will win 'Dancing with the Stars' Zitel bound over to district court in death of child They fell in love with Beatrice. So they opened a store in downtown. At the courthouse, Nov. 16, 2024 Kidnapping in Nebraska prompted police chase that ended with 3 dead on I-29 in Missouri Chamberlain among seven inducted into Nebraska Baseball HOF No change in bond amounts in child abuse death case Harmonizers to perform Just Askin': Dana Holgorsen noncommittal on future, ranking a big week for Nebraska Athletics Clabaugh family presents Outstanding Educator award Inside Nebraska volleyball’s finishing kick for a Big Ten title: First up, Wisconsin Courthouse lighting ceremony planned for Sunday Historical society appoints board members, elects officers Believers bought airplane for dead preacher thinking he’d rise from grave to fly in it How one Virginia woman persevered through abuse, oppression in Christian 'cult' Nebraska didn’t come out with the most ambitious game plan, but Dylan Raiola executed it. The quarterback was accurate and efficient, particularly over the middle of the field. He didn’t often push the ball downfield, but he took what the Wisconsin defense gave him, forcing little and avoiding negative plays. GRADE: B Shaky tackling, allowing Wisconsin to break off the occasional chunk play, blemished an otherwise solid night for Nebraska in the trenches. The Badgers struggled to maintain drives, and two of the game’s pivotal plays were NU run stops: a Nash Hutmacher forced fumble that set up a field goal late in the first half and John Bullock stuffing Tawee Walker on fourth down in NU territory in the third quarter. GRADE: B Like his counterpart on the opposite sideline, Braedyn Locke was solid within a conservative attack. He took care of the ball and hit receivers when they were open. Nebraska, like in the running game, didn’t do itself any favors with its tackling — especially in the secondary. A 58-yard bomb to Vinny Anthony II gave Wisconsin a quick touchdown it needed for a potential comeback attempt. GRADE: C Barney gave the Huskers a nice jump with a 45-yard kickoff return to begin the game, setting up an opening-drive touchdown. Brian Buschini continued his excellent season with a coffin-corner punt to pin Wisconsin at its own 3-yard line, and John Hohl connected on 37- and 45-yard field goals. GRADE: B The Dana Holgorsen effect is real. Nebraska’s offense moved as smoothly as it has since the first half against Colorado in Week 2. Raiola was comfortable. Playmakers like Johnson and Jacory Barney Jr. got the ball in space, and the Huskers finally stopped looking like they were fighting themselves. GRADE: B It really didn’t matter how Nebraska got to six wins. The resulting feeling was always going to be cathartic, and eight years of pressure and dread released from Memorial Stadium on Saturday, the recent past dissipating into the air. The Huskers’ bowl drought is no longer a topic of conversation. For one night, nothing else matters. GRADE: A Get local news delivered to your inbox!
EMPOLI, Italy (AP) — Scotland international Che Adams scored from almost the halfway line as Torino ended a run of poor form to win at Empoli 1-0 in Serie A on Friday. Adams replaced Antonio Sanabria in the 64th minute and made his mark almost immediately. With 70 gone, he spotted the Empoli goalkeeper off his line and lobbed the ball over his head from inside the center circle. The goal ended his personal eight-game drought in spectacular fashion, and will ease pressure on coach Paolo Vanoli. The Turin club was unbeaten in its first five league games and topped the table for a time. But it has won only one of 10 games since, back in late October. Friday's win lifted Torino into 12th place, two places and three points behind Empoli. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer