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No. 22 Xavier unbeaten but looking for more effort vs. South CarolinaThe team that President-elect Donald Trump has selected to lead federal health agencies in his second administration includes a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All could play pivotal roles in fulfilling a political agenda that could change how the government goes about safeguarding Americans' health — from health care and medicines to food safety and science research. In line to lead the Department of Health and Human Services secretary is environmental lawyer and anti-vaccine organizer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Trump's choices don't have experience running large bureaucratic agencies, but they know how to talk about health on TV . Centers for Medicare and Medicaid pick Dr. Mehmet Oz hosted a talk show for 13 years and is a well-known wellness and lifestyle influencer. The pick for the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, and for surgeon general, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, are frequent Fox News contributors. Many on the list were critical of COVID-19 measures like masking and booster vaccinations for young people. Some of them have ties to Florida like many of Trump's other Cabinet nominees: Dave Weldon , the pick for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, represented the state in Congress for 14 years and is affiliated with a medical group on the state's Atlantic coast. Nesheiwat's brother-in-law is Rep. Mike Waltz , R-Fla., tapped by Trump as national security adviser. Here's a look at the nominees' potential role in carrying out what Kennedy says is the task to “reorganize” agencies, which have an overall $1.7 billion budget, employ 80,000 scientists, researchers, doctors and other officials, and effect Americans' daily lives: The Atlanta-based CDC, with a $9.2 billion core budget, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. Kennedy has long attacked vaccines and criticized the CDC, repeatedly alleging corruption at the agency. He said on a 2023 podcast that there is "no vaccine that is safe and effective,” and urged people to resist the CDC's guidelines on if and when kids should get vaccinated . Decades ago, Kennedy found common ground with Weldon , 71, who served in the Army and worked as an internal medicine doctor before he represented a central Florida congressional district from 1995 to 2009. Starting in the early 2000s, Weldon had a prominent part in a debate about whether there was a relationship between a vaccine preservative called thimerosal and autism. He was a founding member of the Congressional Autism Caucus and tried to ban thimerosal from all vaccines. Kennedy, then a senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, believed there was a tie between thimerosal and autism and also charged that the government hid documents showing the danger. Since 2001, all vaccines manufactured for the U.S. market and routinely recommended for children 6 years or younger have contained no thimerosal or only trace amounts, with the exception of inactivated influenza vaccine. Meanwhile, study after study after study found no evidence that thimerosal caused autism. Weldon's congressional voting record suggests he may go along with Republican efforts to downsize the CDC, including to eliminate the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, which works on topics like drownings, drug overdoses and shooting deaths. Weldon also voted to ban federal funding for needle-exchange programs as an approach to reduce overdoses, and the National Rifle Association gave him an “A” rating for his pro-gun rights voting record. Kennedy is extremely critical of the FDA, which has 18,000 employees and is responsible for the safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs, vaccines and other medical products, as well as overseeing cosmetics, electronic cigarettes and most foods. Makary, Trump’s pick to run the FDA, is closely aligned with Kennedy on several topics . The professor at Johns Hopkins University who is a trained surgeon and cancer specialist has decried the overprescribing of drugs, the use of pesticides on foods and the undue influence of pharmaceutical and insurance companies over doctors and government regulators. Kennedy has suggested he'll clear our “entire” FDA departments and also recently threatened to fire FDA employees for “aggressive suppression” of a host of unsubstantiated products and therapies, including stem cells, raw milk , psychedelics and discredited COVID-era treatments like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. Makary's contrarian views during the COVID-19 pandemic included questioning the need for masking and giving young kids COVID-19 vaccine boosters. But anything Makary and Kennedy might want to do when it comes to unwinding FDA regulations or revoking long-standing vaccine and drug approvals would be challenging. The agency has lengthy requirements for removing medicines from the market, which are based on federal laws passed by Congress. The agency provides health care coverage for more than 160 million people through Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act, and also sets Medicare payment rates for hospitals, doctors and other providers. With a $1.1 trillion budget and more than 6,000 employees, Oz has a massive agency to run if confirmed — and an agency that Kennedy hasn't talked about much when it comes to his plans. While Trump tried to scrap the Affordable Care Act in his first term, Kennedy has not taken aim at it yet. But he has been critical of Medicaid and Medicare for covering expensive weight-loss drugs — though they're not widely covered by either . Trump said during his campaign that he would protect Medicare, which provides insurance for older Americans. Oz has endorsed expanding Medicare Advantage — a privately run version of Medicare that is popular but also a source of widespread fraud — in an AARP questionnaire during his failed 2022 bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania and in a 2020 Forbes op-ed with a former Kaiser Permanente CEO. Oz also said in a Washington Examiner op-ed with three co-writers that aging healthier and living longer could help fix the U.S. budget deficit because people would work longer and add more to the gross domestic product. Neither Trump nor Kennedy have said much about Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans. Trump's first administration reshaped the program by allowing states to introduce work requirements for recipients. Kennedy doesn't appear to have said much publicly about what he'd like to see from surgeon general position, which is the nation's top doctor and oversees 6,000 U.S. Public Health Service Corps members. The surgeon general has little administrative power, but can be an influential government spokesperson on what counts as a public health danger and what to do about it — suggesting things like warning labels for products and issuing advisories. The current surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, declared gun violence as a public health crisis in June. Trump's pick, Nesheiwat, is employed as a New York City medical director with CityMD, a group of urgent care facilities in the New York and New Jersey area, and has been at City MD for 12 years. She also has appeared on Fox News and other TV shows, authored a book on the “transformative power of prayer” in her medical career and endorses a brand of vitamin supplements. She encouraged COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, calling them “a gift from God” in a February 2021 Fox News op-ed, as well as anti-viral pills like Paxlovid. In a 2019 Q&A with the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation , Nesheiwat said she is a “firm believer in preventive medicine” and “can give a dissertation on hand-washing alone.” As of Saturday, Trump had not yet named his choice to lead the National Institutes of Health, which funds medical research through grants to researchers across the nation and conducts its own research. It has a $48 billion budget. Kennedy has said he'd pause drug development and infectious disease research to shift the focus to chronic diseases. He'd like to keep NIH funding from researchers with conflicts of interest, and criticized the agency in 2017 for what he said was not doing enough research into the role of vaccines in autism — an idea that has long been debunked . Associated Press writers Amanda Seitz and Matt Perrone and AP editor Erica Hunzinger contributed to this report. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.The Duckhorn Portfolio Announces Fiscal First Quarter 2025 Financial Results
(The Center Square) – The majority of Americans generally support the idea of cutting back on the federal government, polling finds. The Pew Research poll from this summer found that 56% of Americans say the government is “almost always wasteful and inefficient.” Gallup’s recent polling data shows that 55% of Americans say the government is doing “too much” while only 41% say it should do more. Americans are more evenly split how big the government should be, but increasing government efficiency has more broad support. “Gallup polling earlier this year showed that 58% of Americans are dissatisfied with the size and power of the federal government,” Gallup said. “A slight majority of Americans say the government has too much power. Seven in 10 Americans in 2019 agreed that businesses can do things more efficiently than the federal government.” The survey comes after President-elect Donald Trump won the White House and issued broad, sweeping plans to decrease the scope of the federal government. To accomplish this task, Trump appointed businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and billionaire Elon Musk to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency. “Together, these two wonderful Americans will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies – Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement,’” Trump said in his announcement. Both Ramaswamy and Musk have publicly issued scathing remarks about the waste of federal resources currently occurring in Washington, D.C. Ramaswamy, for instance, has laid out a specific plan on how thousands of federal workers could be fired. The pair of businessmen have said publicly DOGE could cut $2 trillion in federal spending. Ramaswamy and Musk visited Capitol Hill on Thursday to meet with lawmakers to discuss the potential cuts, which could even include ideas as drastic as eliminating the Department of Education and returning that responsibility to the states. Trump's allies have also discussed cutting spending on diversity, equity and inclusion programs, which are seen by Trump's camp as taxpayer-funded investment in woke ideology. Whether such stark actions would be supported by Americans remains unclear, but for now the latest polling shows Americans want something to be done. On top of that, Americans’ desire for smaller government seems to be more than a momentary political phase. “Gallup has asked this question annually over the past 24 years. On average, 52% of Americans have said the government is doing too much, compared with 42% saying the government should do more...” Gallup said. “Only twice have more Americans chosen the ‘government should do more’ alternative over the ‘government doing too much’ alternative -- in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and in 2020 after the outbreak of COVID-19.”Is Secret Santa stressing you out? Here’s your holiday gift-exchange survival guide'My noise-cancelling headphones blocked out baby's cries on packed flight'
( MENAFN - Jordan Times) WASHINGTON - US President-elect Donald Trump said Monday he intends to impose sweeping tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China in response to illegal drug trade and immigration. In a series of posts to his Truth Social account, Trump vowed to hit some of the United States' largest trading partners with sweeping tariffs on all goods entering the country. "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25 per cent tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders," he wrote. In another post, Trump said he would also be slapping China with a 10 per cent tariff, "above any additional Tariffs," on all of its products entering the US in response to what he said was its failure to tackle fentanyl smuggling. Tariffs are a key part of Trump's economic agenda, with the Republican president-elect vowing wide-ranging duties on allies and adversaries alike while he was on the campaign trail ahead of his November 5 victory. Trump's first term in the White House was marked by an aggressive and protectionist trade agenda that also targeted China, Mexico and Canada, as well as Europe. While in the White House, Trump launched an all-out trade war with China, imposing significant tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of Chinese goods. At the time he cited unfair trade practices, intellectual property theft, and the trade deficit as justifications. China responded with retaliatory tariffs on American products, particularly affecting US farmers. The US, Mexico and Canada are tied to a three-decade-old free trade agreement, now called the USMCA, that was renegotiated under Trump after he complained that the US businesses, especially automakers, were losing out. "Mexico and Canada remain heavily dependent on the US market so their ability to walk away from President-elect Trump's threats remains limited," Wendy Cutler, vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute, and former US trade official, told AFP. "He would undoubtedly be challenged in US courts but that will take time to work through the legal process," she added. By citing the fentanyl crisis and illegal immigration, Trump appeared to be using national security concerns as a means to break that deal, something that is allowed under the rules set by the World Trade Organization. But most countries and the WTO treat national security exceptions as something to be used sparingly, not as a routine tool of trade policy. Trump in 2018 cited national security justifications to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum imports that targeted close allies like Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. This led to retaliatory measures from the trading partners. 'No cause of concern' The EU ambassador to the United States on Friday said that Europe would be ready to respond in case of renewed frictions with the US over trade. Shortly after Trump's victory, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reassured her citizens that Trump's return was "no cause for concern" despite the virulent trade threats. Many economists have warned that tariffs would hurt growth and push up inflation, since they are primarily paid by importers bringing the goods into the US, who often pass those costs on to consumers. But those in Trump's inner circle have insisted that the tariffs are a useful bargaining chip for the US to push its trading partners to agree to more favorable terms, and to bring back manufacturing jobs from overseas. Trump has said he will put his commerce secretary designate Howard Lutnick, a China hawk, in charge of trade policy. Lutnick has expressed support for a tariff level of 60 per cent on Chinese goods alongside a 10 per cent tariff on all other imports. MENAFN30112024000028011005ID1108942284 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.Share Tweet Share Share Email Investors in leading cryptocurrencies are shifting their attention to a new token valued at just $0.0013. This up-and-coming digital asset is poised to make a significant impact in the altcoin market. Its low price and high potential are creating a buzz. What is driving interest from holders of established tokens, and could this be the next big thing? 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DOGEN follows the same upward trend, starting at $0.0003 and now trading at $0.0013, a staggering 333% leap . With a total of 13 presale stages, DOGEN is set to rise to $0.0019 by the token generation event (TGE), which represents a 500% increase from its initial price. Like it DOGE style? Grab Some DOGEN Now and Watch It Soars 500% A Community-Driven Token with Referral Program The backbone of DOGEN is its strong and engaged community—an energetic group of investors ready to seize the next big opportunity. With nearly $4,000,000 already raised , DOGEN has proven its appeal among crypto enthusiasts. Adding to its allure is DOGEN’s unique multi-level referral program, which rewards community participation: 7% in USDT from direct referrals 2% from second-tier referrals 1% from third-tier referrals Wanna Surf this Bull Wave? Join the DOGEN Army! Step into the winner’s circle with DOGEN—where elite investors get access to exclusive campaigns, epic perks, and top-tier deals . Live the high life you deserve: luxury cars, stacks of cash , and unforgettable experiences await those who go all-in on DOGEN. Don’t settle for ordinary when you can have it all! Flex Hard, Earn Big – DOGEN is Your Power Move! Polkadot (DOT): Connecting Blockchains for a More Scalable Future Polkadot (DOT) is a decentralized protocol and cryptocurrency that enables secure communication between different blockchains. It allows value and data to be shared across blockchains like Ethereum and Bitcoin without intermediaries. Polkadot uses parachains to improve speed and scalability, processing more transactions than Bitcoin and Ethereum. The DOT token is used for governance and staking, letting holders participate in development and transaction verification. Developed by Gavin Wood, a co-founder of Ethereum, and launched on May 26, 2020, Polkadot aims to create more interconnected and efficient blockchains. In the current market cycle, Polkadot’s technology and potential to enhance blockchain interoperability continue to draw interest. Polygon (POL): Enhancing Ethereum with Faster and Cheaper Transactions Polygon (POL) is a layer 2 solution for Ethereum that offers fast transactions and lower fees. It works alongside Ethereum, allowing users to move assets and access many applications at reduced costs. POL is the native cryptocurrency used for fees, staking, and governance. The platform uses a proof-of-stake system where users can earn by staking. Validators secure the network and process transactions, and delegators can stake their POL with trusted validators. Polygon’s efficiency and low fees make it appealing for decentralized finance and other applications. In the current market cycle, Polygon’s focus on scalability and accessibility positions it as a promising option for users looking to benefit from the Ethereum ecosystem without high costs. Conclusion While tokens like DOT and POL show less short-term potential, DOGEN stands out. Designed for those seeking the best in life, it embodies luxury and success. With an expected 700% growth by the end of its presale and potential for huge returns, DOGEN follows the path of successful tokens like BONK, building a community of leaders and offering real benefits to early adopters. Site: https://dogen.meme/ Twitter: https://x.com/dogenmeme Telegram: https://t.me/Dogen_Portal Related Items: dogen , Polkadot Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Top 5 Meme Coins to Explode in Winter Rally – Dogen Aims for Ethereum-Level Growth by 2025 Altcoin Analyst Names DOGEN as the 25,000% ROI Leader for 2025 Over BTC and ETH The Next Crypto Millionaires: 5 Memecoins Outshining DOGE and SHIB in 2025 Comments
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‘We’ll send the MRI’ – Arteta hits back at Saka injury doubters as Arsenal star scores after missing England dutyPOLICE investigating Louise Haigh’s “stolen” phone believed a photo she submitted of the handset had been taken after the alleged theft, according to bombshell new claims. Sources told Sky News officers looked at metadata attached to the photo – info that can tell you when it was taken. And they became suspicious after suspecting it was taken after the alleged theft. She resigned as Transport Secretary on Friday after it was revealed she had a fraud conviction over a stolen phone claim. She was told to resign in a phone call with the Prime Minister. Sir Keir Starmer said it would be better for her and the government if she stepped down, according to sources. READ MORE LOUISE HAIGH They spoke on the phone Thursday evening after stories broke about her conviction for fraud over a stolen mobile phone claim. Ms Haigh announced her resignation around 6am the next day. The Prime Minister faced questions over why he gave Ms Haigh the top transport brief — despite claims she told him about the case four years ago. But sources said there were gaps in the story the PM had originally been told. Most read in The Sun Ms Haigh wrongly reported to police that her mobile phone was stolen when she was mugged almost a decade ago. Downing Street said her departure from government was due to “further information emerging” potentially in breach of the ministerial code. The Times reported she was convicted after the phone she reported as stolen was used to call one of her relatives.
Parts of Scotland are bracing for a second day of disruption with high winds and localised flooding after Storm Bert swept heavy snow and rain across the country. The central belt was hit by more snow that anticipated early on Saturday, causing widespread problems on the roads. The M8 saw long traffic jams and two of the main routes south - the M74 and A68 - were closed for a time due to accidents. Lothian buses suspended all of its 70 routes across Edinburgh and surrounding areas and there was disruption to the rail network. But an amber weather warning for rain and snow in the east of Scotland was downgraded to a yellow warning for rain which will remain in place . In an unusual move, the Queensferry Crossing across the Firth of Forth was closed due to the threat of falling ice. Traffic in the area was diverted via the Forth Road Bridge. The diversion was due to remain in place until 01:00 on Sunday. David Bishop from the national road maintenance body Bear Scotland said the closure was due to concerns that ice sticking to the bridge's 70km of cable stays could fall and cause a "significant road traffic incident". It is the first time since 2021 the bridge has closed. All 700 buses in the Lothian Buses fleet ground to a halt for much of the day due to tough road conditions. The company announced services were back to normal early on Saturday evening. Edinburgh sightseeing buses were cancelled and there was disruption on Citylink, McGill's and First services. A dramatic image shared on social media showed a bus which had left the road at Buchlyvie, a village in the Stirling area. George Henry, head of road safety and road policy for Transport Scotland, said the conditions had been "challenging". He said: "We have been treating our roads around the clock, our operating companies have been out and we have used over 240 gritters. "Unfortunately there has been some impacts with various vehicles being stuck due to some vehicles losing traction at various location and we’ve tried to treat that as quickly as we can to minimise the disruption to the motoring public." Mr Henry said particular incidents had impacted the M8 near Livingston and the M74 at various points on Saturday. He added attention is now turning to the risk of localised flooding caused by the temperature rising and snow melting. "There will be lots of surface water so we urge the motoring public when they are returning to the roads to please take care and drive to the conditions they are faced with," he added. Regional flood alerts have been issued for parts of Dumfries and Galloway, west Borders, Central, Tayside, Aberdeenshire, Dundee and Angus regions. While a flood warning urging people to "act now" is in place for the Churchill Barriers in Orkney. A total of 11 were called off with kick-off times delayed on another three, including two in the Premiership. One of those called off was a league two match between Cove Rangers and Stenhousemuir, after the away team's bus got stuck in snow at Broxden Services outisde Perth. Over 3,000 homes in England and Wales are without power. Scotland has not been hit as hard, with both Scottish Power and SSE reporting just a few localised faults. The Met Office has warned a rapid thaw and subsequent rain may cause further disruption. A yellow weather warning for rain and snow remains in place for most of Scotland until 09:00 on Sunday. The Highlands and Argyll and Bute will see winds of up to 65mph on Sunday, with a yellow warning has been in place from 12:00 until 00:00. Forecasters say Storm Bert will be quite slow moving and will only start to clear from Monday.
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Mexican immigration authorities have broken up two small migrant caravans headed to the U.S. border, activists said Saturday. Some migrants were bused to cities in southern Mexico, and others were offered transit papers. The action comes a week after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to slap 25% tariffs on Mexican products unless the country does more to stem the flow of migrants to the U.S. border. On Wednesday, Trump wrote that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum had agreed to stop unauthorized migration across the border into the United States. Sheinbaum wrote on her social media accounts the same day that “migrants and caravans are taken care of before they reach the border.” Migrant rights activist Luis García Villagrán said the breaking-up of the two caravans appeared to be part of “an agreement between the president of Mexico and the president of the United States.” The first of the caravans started out from the southern Mexico city of Tapachula, near the border with Guatemala, on Nov. 5, the day Trump was elected. At its height it had about 2,500 people. In almost four weeks of walking, it had gone about 270 miles (430 kilometers) to Tehuantepec in the state of Oaxaca . In Tehuantepec, Mexican immigration officials offered the tired migrants free bus rides to other cities in southern or central Mexico. “They took some of us to Acapulco, others to Morelia, and others from our group to Oaxaca city,” said Bárbara Rodríguez, an opposition supporter who left her native Venezuela after that country's contested presidential elections earlier this year. Rodríguez said by telephone she later caught a bus on her own to Mexico City. In a statement Saturday, the National Immigration Institute said the migrants voluntary accepted bus rides “to various areas where there is medical assistance and where their migratory status will be reviewed,” and said “upon accepting (the rides), they said they no longer wanted to face the risks along their way.” The second caravan of about 1,500 migrants set out on Nov. 20 and made it about 140 miles (225 kilometers) to the town of Tonala, in Chiapas state. There, authorities offered a sort of transit visa that allows travel across Mexico for 20 days. Sheinbaum has said she is confident that a tariff war with the United States can be averted. But her statement — the day after she held a phone call with Trump — did not make clear who had offered what. Apart from the much larger first caravans in 2018 and 2019 — which were provided buses to ride part of the way north — no caravan has ever reached the U.S. border walking or hitchhiking in any cohesive way, though some individual members have made it. For years, migrant caravans have often been blocked, harassed or prevented from hitching rides by Mexican police and immigration agents. They have also frequently been rounded up or returned to areas near the Guatemalan border. ___ Follow AP migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migrationThe Liberal government is pulling out the federal wallet to put more money into people’s pockets over the holidays, but its recently announced affordability measures create winners and losers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Thursday that the federal government will remove the goods and services tax on a slew of items for two months, starting Dec. 14. But in provinces where the provincial and federal sales taxes are blended together into a harmonized sales tax, Canadians will get a larger break. The federal government also plans to send $250 cheques to Canadians who were working in 2023 and earned up to $150,000. That means Canadians who were not working in 2023, including those who were receiving social assistance or were in retirement, will not be sent a cheque in April. In the House of Commons on Friday, NDP MP Peter Julian called the government out for not including Canadians with fixed incomes. “Why are Liberals excluding seniors and people with disabilities from the real help they need this holiday season? Why won’t Liberals help them, too?” Julian asked during question period. At a news conference on Friday, Trudeau said that the federal government has already stepped up to help the most vulnerable Canadians and that it is now time to give a hand to workers. “Over the past number of years, we have been extraordinarily present in helping the most vulnerable Canadians,” Trudeau said, mentioning the boost to old-age security for seniors aged 75 and older and the Canada Child Benefit. “But as I travel across the country, I do regularly hear from working Canadians who are having trouble making ends meet, but saying, ‘look, I don’t have kids. I’m not a senior yet, and I’m facing challenges.’” The GST break, which is expected to cost the federal government $1.6 billion, will apply to a number of items including children’s clothing and shoes, toys, diapers, restaurant meals and beer and wine. It also applies to Christmas trees — both natural and artificial — along with a variety of snack foods and beverages, and video game consoles. Meanwhile, 18.7 million people will receive a check this spring, costing the government about $4.7 billion.LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lynne Roberts wasn’t looking to leave the Utah women’s basketball team. Then she got a call from Los Angeles Sparks general manager Reagan Pebley that changed her thinking. Roberts was introduced Thursday as coach of the Sparks, becoming the second coach to make the leap from college to the WNBA this month. Karl Smesko of Florida Gulf Coast got the Atlanta Dream job last week. “I was 100 percent invested at Utah,” Roberts said. “It just kind of felt like this is a golden opportunity. As a competitor, the chance to coach the best in the world, it’s what I want.” She replaces Curt Miller , who was let go in September and now is general manager of the Dallas Wings. Roberts inherits a team that has a strong young nucleus of Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink and Dearica Hamby. The Sparks have the No. 2 pick in next year’s WNBA draft. “We’ve got kind of a cool combination of some veteran leadership and then we’ve got a really dynamic young group,” Roberts said. “That’s a good roster right there and then we can keep working with it.” Los Angeles finished 8-32 last season for the league’s worst record and has missed the playoffs for four straight years. “I want to compete, I want to win now,” Roberts said. “I know that’s easier said than done, but I’m up for the challenge and I can’t wait to get started.” Roberts is friends with Southern California women’s coach Lindsay Gottlieb and UCLA coach Cori Close. “That was intentional,” Sparks general manager Reagan Pebley said. “That we were bringing somebody into this role that had existing relationships because again this is a community of women’s basketball that is exceptional.” Roberts added, “I want to be the top of that pyramid with the Sparks.” Roberts is returning to her native California. The 49-year-old coach grew up in the Northern California city of Redding. She played college ball at Seattle Pacific and then began coaching at Chico State before moving to Pacific and then Utah. Roberts was 165-116 in nine-plus seasons at Utah and recently signed a six-year extension. She led the team to three straight NCAA Tournament berths and was the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023. The Utes have started this season 3-1 and will be coached by Gavin Petersen, who was promoted from associate head coach. “I poured 10 years of my life into that place and I loved it. I loved every minute of it,” Roberts said. “Where we started wasn’t great, where it is now is great and I’m very proud of that.” Roberts said the current upheaval in college basketball including name, image and likeness, the transfer portal and Utah's move to the Big 12 this season had nothing to do with her leaving. “I'm sitting here because it's a chance to coach the best people in the world and win a championship in LA. That's it,” she said. “As a competitor and as someone that kind of thrives in pressure, being in this market, being in LA, it sounds like heaven to me." AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketballMiss Manners: I only want some of the people in my walking group to attend my party ... this is a problem
Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers reacts to reinstatement from commissioner's exempt list | Sporting News
NoneArsenal moved into second place in the Premier League table with a 1-0 win over Ipswich at the Emirates. In their final fixture of 2024, Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the game midway through the opening period. Arsenal’s victory takes them back to within six points of leaders Liverpool, having played one match more than the Reds, and a point clear of Chelsea following their Boxing Day defeat to Fulham. Ipswich, although much improved in the second half, have now lost five of their last six games, and remain just one place off the bottom of the table, three points away from safety. 🎯 — Arsenal (@Arsenal) Mikel Arteta’s men have been rocked by Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury which could keep the England winger, who has nine goals and 13 assists this season, out of action for the next two months. Gabriel Martinelli was handed the unenviable task of filling Saka’s shoes on Arsenal’s right-hand side and the Brazilian was involved in the only goal of the evening. The Ipswich defence failed to deal with Martinelli’s cross, with the ball falling to Leandro Trossard on the opposite side of the area. Trossard fought his way to the byline before fizzing his cross into the box for Havertz to convert from a matter of yards. It was Havertz’s third goal in four matches, his 12th of the season, and no less than the hosts, who at that stage of the match had enjoyed a staggering 91.4 per cent of the possession, deserved. Heading into Friday’s fixture, Arsenal had lost only one of their last 75 Premier League games when they had opened the scoring, and their triumph here rarely looked in doubt following Havertz’s strike. Three points that take Arsenal into second 🪜 — Premier League (@premierleague) Havertz thought he had doubled Arsenal’s lead with 34 minutes gone when he converted Gabriel Jesus’ cross. But Jesus – handed his third successive start for the first time in a year – strayed into an offside position in the build-up. When referee Darren England blew for half-time, Ipswich had failed to touch the ball in Arsenal’s box, becoming just the second side to do so in the Premier League this season. Nottingham Forest were the other, away at Liverpool, before they went on to inflict Arne Slot’s sole defeat of his tenure so far. And for all of Arsenal’s possession, while they held just a one-goal advantage, Ipswich knew they were still in the game. An encouraging start to the second half for the Tractor Boys ensued, albeit without testing David Raya in the Arsenal goal. Shortly after the hour mark, Gabriel should have settled any growing Emirates nerves when he arrived unmarked to Declan Rice’s corner, but the defender headed wide of Arijanet Muric’s post when it looked easier to score. Just over an hour on the clock. — IPSWICH TOWN (@IpswichTown) Martin Odegaard then forced a fine fingertip save from Muric at his near post after a mazy run and shot from the Arsenal skipper. Rice’s stinging goal-bound volley from the following corner was blocked by Dara O’Shea as Arsenal pushed for a game-killing second. Havertz should have tapped home Trossard’s header but he fluffed his lines. And moments later, substitute Mikel Merino’s effort was diverted from danger by a diving Muric. Ipswich looked to catch Arsenal on the counter, but the match ended without them registering a single effort on Raya’s goal. Ipswich fans goaded their opponents with chants of “boring, boring Arsenal”, but it was the Gunners who enjoyed the last laugh as they saw out 2024 with a win which keeps the pressure on Liverpool.
WASHINGTON — The United States is expected to announce that it will send $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, as the Biden administration pushes to get as much aid to Kyiv as possible before leaving office on Jan. 20. The large package of aid includes a significant amount of munitions, including for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems and the HAWK air defense system. It also will provide Stinger missiles and 155 mm- and 105 mm artillery rounds, officials said. The officials, who said they expect the announcement to be made on Monday, spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public. The new aid comes as Russia has launched a barrage of attacks against Ukraine’s power facilities in recent days, although Ukraine has said it intercepted a significant number of the missiles and drones. Russian and Ukrainian forces are also still in a bitter battle around the Russian border region of Kursk, where Moscow has sent thousands of North Korean troops to help reclaim territory taken by Ukraine. Earlier this month, senior defense officials acknowledged that that the Defense Department may not be able to send all of the remaining $5.6 billion in Pentagon weapons and equipment stocks passed by Congress for Ukraine before President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in. Trump has talked about getting some type of negotiated settlement between Ukraine and Russia, and spoken about his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many U.S. and European leaders are concerned that it might result in a poor deal for Ukraine and they worry that he won’t provide Ukraine with all the weapons funding approved by Congress. The aid in the new package is in presidential drawdown authority, which allows the Pentagon to take weapons off the shelves and send them quickly to Ukraine. This latest assistance would reduce the remaining amount to about $4.35 billion. Officials have said they hope that an influx of aid will help strengthen Ukraine’s hand, should Zelenskyy decide it’s time to negotiate. One senior defense official said that while the U.S. will continue to provide weapons to Ukraine until Jan. 20, there may well be funds remaining that will be available for the incoming Trump administration to spend. According to the Pentagon, there is also about $1.2 billion remaining in longer-term funding through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which is used to pay for weapons contracts that would not be delivered for a year or more. Officials have said the administration anticipates releasing all of that money before the end of the calendar year. If the new package is included, the U.S. has provided more than $64 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russia invaded in February 2022.