Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. The Capitals updated Ovechkin’s status Thursday after he was evaluated by team doctors upon returning from a three-game trip. The 39-year-old broke the leg in a shin-on-shin collision Monday night with Utah's Jack McBain, and some of his closest teammates knew it was not good news even before Ovechkin was listed as week to week and placed on injured reserve. “Everyone’s bummed out,” said winger Tom Wilson, who has played with Ovechkin since 2013. “We were sitting there saying: ‘This is weird. Like, it’s unbelievable that he’s actually hurt.’ It’s one of those things where like, he’s going to miss games? I’ve been around a long time, and it’s new to me.” Ovechkin in his first 19 seasons missed 59 games — and just 35 because of injury. Durability even while throwing his body around with his physical style is a big reason he is on track to pass Gretzky’s mark of 894 goals that once looked unapproachable. “He doesn’t go out there and just coast around,” Wilson said. “He’s played 20 years every shift running over guys and skating. He’s a power forward, the best goal-scorer ever maybe, and he’s a power forward that plays the game really hard.” Ovechkin surged to the top of the league with 15 goals in his first 18 games this season. He was on pace to break the record and score No. 895 sometime in February. “You know when goal-scorers start scoring, it’s dangerous,” said defenseman John Carlson, who has been teammates with Ovechkin since 2009-10. “There was a bit of that in the downs that everyone was feeling about it too, of course. We see him coming to the rink every day, we know what’s at stake. You never want anyone to get injured, but there’s a lot to it and certainly he was playing his best hockey in years.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhlLOS ANGELES (AP) — Eric Dailey Jr. scored 18 points, making four 3-pointers, and No. 22 UCLA edged 14th-ranked Gonzaga 65-62 on Saturday in the first college basketball game played at Intuit Dome, the new home of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers. Ryan Nembhard’s basket tied it at 60 before the Bruins (11-2) scored five points in a row. Nembhard then drove the length of the court and scored while getting fouled. After a timeout, he missed the potential tying free throw with 8 seconds remaining. Graham Ike fouled Skyy Clark, who made both free throws for a 65-62 lead with 5 seconds left. Nembhard's 3-point heave from halfcourt missed at the buzzer. Ike led the Bulldogs (9-4) with 24 points and eight rebounds. Nembhard had 16 points and eight assists. Graham was 11 of 16 from the floor on a day when both teams struggled offensively in the 18,000-seat arena. It was a tough shooting day for UCLA's Tyler Bilodeau, who was limited to seven points — well under his team-leading 15.1 average — while going against Ike. Gonzaga: The Zags fell to 3-4 on neutral courts. UCLA: The Bruins improved to 2-2 on neutral courts. They were coming off a two-point loss to North Carolina in New York City last weekend. The Zags lost starter Khalif Battle (five points) when he was ejected with 4:12 remaining in the first half for a flagrant-2 foul against Dailey. Before it was reviewed, UCLA coach Mick Cronin tore off his jacket. Early in the second half, Dailey and Nembhard were called for double technicals when things got heated between the teams. The Zags went 2 of 11 on 3-point attempts in the first half, when they trailed by 11. They made five 3s in the second half. Gonzaga stays in the Los Angeles area to visit Pepperdine on Monday. UCLA visits Nebraska on Jan. 4 in Big Ten play. Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: and
Marvell Introduces 1.6 Tbps LPO Chipset to Enable Optical Short-reach, Scale-up Compute Fabric Interconnects
What comes next for President-elect Donald Trump's cabinet picks?
Russia threatens more nuclear tests as World War 3 fears intensifyAnalysis President-elect Donald Trump has announced several unorthodox nominations for his cabinet over the last two weeks, including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, whom he tapped to serve as Homeland Security Secretary. Noem, a Trump loyalist and conservative Republican, is known for her tough stance on border control and hawkish immigration views (plus shooting the family puppy ). In accepting the nomination, Noem promised to "make America SAFE again," and she'll undoubtedly be a staunch supporter of Trump's mass deportation efforts — which is likely what earned her Trump's vote for the post. If the US Senate confirms Noem, she'll also play a role in government cybersecurity as the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency sits as an independent federal agency under the larger DHS umbrella. Amid an uptick in Russian and Chinese digital intrusions , American cybersecurity plays an increasing role in homeland security concerns. CISA's focus on countering online disinformation — especially as it relates to election security and Trump's loss to Joe Biden in 2020 — has drawn criticism from the president-elect and like-minded lawmakers, prompting calls to rein in CISA's mission or even eliminate the agency altogether . As governor, Noem supported infosec initiatives at the state level. However, she also twice refused millions of dollars in federal grants to support state and local governments' cybersecurity efforts. "Kristi Noem has a tough job ahead of her," former White House CIO Theresa Payton told The Register , adding that Noem's appointment comes at "a pivotal moment for US government cybersecurity." "Governor Noem's approach naturally reflects a governor's inclination toward states' rights, favoring state-led initiatives over federal oversight in cybersecurity. This perspective has its advantages, particularly in fostering localized solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of individual communities," Payton continued. "However, with the growing scale and sophistication of threats like infiltration of our gas pipeline, telecom systems, email platforms, — especially those targeting federal systems and national infrastructure — a streamlined approach at the federal level is more critical than ever." Noem likes to talk about cybersecurity being "South Dakota's next big industry ," and during her time in office, the state has added jobs and invested in university programs and research. Her website cites 4,000 jobs added in scientific and technical services over five years, and claims a 25 percent growth rate in the sector. Her track record shows she understands the importance of cybersecurity, particularly in local initiatives as seen in South Dakota Additionally, the US National Security Agency has designated Dakota State University as a "Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations," and Noem says her administration is investing $90 million to expand the university's infosec programs, which includes building a second cyber-research and development hub in Sioux Falls. "Her track record shows she understands the importance of cybersecurity, particularly in local initiatives as seen in South Dakota," Payton said. "She has championed investments in university programs and established the Cybercrime Prevention Consortium to protect state-level digital assets and infrastructure. These actions highlight her recognition of cybersecurity as a growing priority." Noem also took a hard stance on TikTok posing a national security threat to Americans, banning the video streaming app from state-owned devices in 2022. At the time, she cited TikTok's Chinese owner, ByteDance, and risks posed by its "broad data collection policies [ PDF ]." This, however, may be a tough position for Noem to maintain under the new administration. Trump supported a TikTok ban the first time he was in the Oval Office, and signed an Executive Order for this purpose in 2020. More recently, however, Trump has changed course and pledged to " save TikTok ." While TikTok is likely to get a pass under the incoming Trump administration, CISA may not fare as well. "CISA is one of agencies where the Trump Administration is pretty clear what it wants to do," Bambenek Consulting President John Bambenek told The Register . "It wants to end any role in countering disinformation/misinformation and have the agency focus solely on protecting the civilian government networks, public-private partnerships and information sharing on emerging threats, and coordinating protection of the nation's critical infrastructure," he said. "I imagine much of this will be executed upon quickly." One thing we do know: CISA Director Jen Easterly won't be sticking around. She will step down from the post prior to Trump being sworn in, a CISA spokesperson told The Register . "All appointees of the Biden Administration will vacate their positions by the time the new Administration takes office at noon on January 20," the spokesperson said. "At CISA, we are fully committed to a seamless transition." While CISA, and the attention given to it by DHS, will likely "fade even further to the background in the context of a Trump administration," according to Rex Booth, CISO at SailPoint, there are a couple ways in which the agency may draw Noem's ire. "By countering mis/disinformation campaigns, primarily executed by Russia, or by weighing in on election security," Booth told The Register . "Both issues have been hot button issues for past CISA directors, and I expect the next crop of CISA leadership under Noem-Trump will steer far clear of them." One thing Booth says he'll keep an eye on is whether "Noem's enthusiasm for border security extends to the digital domain." While the US "desperately" needs to do a better job securing critical infrastructure, "the battles we wage in the cyber domain don't resonate with the public or in politics," he noted. "Cyber remains a secondary concern to topics involving borders and soldiers and guns," Booth opined. "But the impact of a cyber attack on our power grids or water supply could exceed any domestic impact since the war of 1812, and any administration regardless of political party would be smart to pay attention." ®
Australia's proposal to ban under-16s from social media platforms is "rushed", social media companies claimed Tuesday, expressing "serious concerns" about potential unintended consequences. The landmark legislation would force social media firms to prevent young teens from accessing their platforms or face fines of up to Aus$50 million (US$32.5 million). Platforms such as X, Snapchat, TikTok, and Meta have criticised the 24-hour time frame given for stakeholder comments, claiming a lack of consultation and inadequate details about how the legislation would work. X said in its submission that it had "serious concerns" the ban would have "a negative impact" on children, adding it breached their "rights to freedom of expression and access to information". The company added that the proposed law was "vague" and "highly problematic" and that there was "no evidence" that it would work. Australia is among the vanguard of nations trying to clean up social media, and the proposed age limit would be among the world's strictest measures aimed at children. The proposed laws, which were presented to parliament last week, would also include robust privacy provisions that require tech platforms to delete any age-verification information collected. The government is trying to approve the law this week, before parliament breaks for the rest of the year. Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, said in its submission the ban would "fail" in its current form because there was not enough consultation with stakeholders. "More time should be taken to get this bill right," it said. TikTok raised concerns over the privacy provisions -- including that they overlapped and contradicted other legislation -- and the limited time to consult stakeholders. "Its rushed passage poses a serious risk of further unintended consequences," the company's submission said. Key details about how social media companies are expected to enforce the ban remain unclear. Some companies will be granted exemptions from the ban, such as YouTube, which teenagers may need to use for school work or other reasons. Once celebrated as a means of staying connected and informed, social media platforms have been tarnished by cyberbullying, the spread of illegal content, and election-meddling claims. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insisted Tuesday that "social media is causing social harm". "It can be a weapon for bullies, a platform for peer pressure, a driver of anxiety, a vehicle for scammers and, worst of all, a tool for online predators," he wrote in an opinion piece. "And because it is young Australians who are most engaged with this technology -- it is young Australians who are most at risk." The laws would give families "peace of mind" that their children's well-being and mental health were being prioritised, he said. If the proposed law passes, tech platforms would be given a one-year grace period to figure out how to implement and enforce the ban. The proposal comes just months before Australians go to the polls in a general election that must be held in the first half of 2025. lec/arb/fox
Stock market today: Wall Street drifts lower as it waits for inflation data
I had a visit on Sunday this week from a secondary school teacher who was asking how he can help his students who are all underage and who have sports betting apps and accounts. He is distressed that they have absorbed the gambling ad message and that their passion for sport is expressed through gambling. I assured him that given Labor and the Coalition would legislate a ban on social media for 16-year-olds they cannot enforce, it was surely a fait accompli that we would see a gambling ad ban which they can enforce. Exactly the same anxiety that parents feel about social media, they feel about gambling ads grooming their kids. Just a few hours later I saw the news that the prime minister, Anthony Albanese , seems to have squibbed any gambling ad reform at all. I was profoundly shocked. A year ago, I had witnessed the emotion of the PM when he spoke at Peta Murphy’s funeral and I had been assured that Labor would honour her groundbreaking legacy on gambling reform. I honestly believed that. She showed us the pathway to address one of our biggest health issues, in the country with the world’s highest per-capita gambling losses. The only question, I believed, was whether they would adopt her recommendation for a full ad ban or legislate just a partial ban. Would they move gambling out of racing and sport to address it in our health departments? Would they implement a national gambling regulator or continue to allow the Northern Territory to continue as the de facto regulator of these ads? Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email But to squib any reform at all, and dishonour her legacy so totally, never entered my mind. What has just happened? Well, it was not public opinion that defeated any reform. More than 70% of the public wanted a full ad ban and everyone wanted some limits placed on the ubiquity of these predatory ads normalising gambling in children’s minds with the AFL and NRL. The AFL supporters’ survey showed that 76% wanted a gambling ad ban from TV and radio. With more than a million ads a year on free-to-air television, the Australian public has had enough. There is a collective psychic vomit every time an ad appears, as well as parental incomprehension about why, 18 months after the Murphy inquiry, our children are still being subjected to this. Peter Dutton knew this. Months before the Murphy recommendations were handed down, he promised in his 2023 budget reply to limit gambling ads and received an overwhelmingly positive response. The Coalition has not responded to Murphy and was waiting to react to the government’s response. Now that the government has squibbed any reform, Dutton has a big opportunity. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion What happened is pretty simple in my view. The vested interests cowed the PM into dishonouring Murphy’s legacy. Those vested interests start with the obscenely rich foreign-owned sports betting companies. The British online gambling company Bet365 is well connected through their peak body Responsible Wagering Australia, which had former Labor senator Stephen Conroy as CEO followed by former Liberal chief of staff Kai Cantwell. Sporting bodies are often associated with gambling companies. The former CEO of the AFL is now CEO of Tabcorp. The AFL have been lobbying the PM not to implement the Murphy recommendations. Peter V’Landys is the chair of the NRL as well as chief executive and board member with NSW Racing. Media companies Seven, Nine and Foxtel have also been lobbying against the Murphy recommendations. In the same week that the federal government squibbed reform, the gambling industry achieved other successes. The Tasmanian government backflipped on its pokies reforms even though public opinion supports a cashless card. Tasmania Labor supported the Liberals signing the death warrant for promised reform. In New South Wales, the pokies industry sitting at the table of the premier Chris Minns’ expert panel has slowed down any cashless card reform to way beyond the next election. To have them at the table is a bit like having tobacco at the table to get smoking reform. In the US, despite overwhelming public desire to get gun reform, guns remain entrenched and it remains the US’s blind spot. In Australia, despite overwhelming desire to get gambling reform, gambling remains entrenched. What now seems clear is that, a year after her death, the recommendations of the brave Peta Murphy with multi-partisan support showed us a path forward, but our government caved in to vested interests. Tim Costello is chief advocate of the Alliance for Gambling ReformInstagram rolling out Find My Friends-like feature for sharing live location - 9to5Mac