MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Liverpool’s lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to seven points after a thrilling 3-3 draw with Newcastle on Wednesday. Chelsea moved up to second by thrashing last-place Southampton 5-1, while Arsenal is third after a 2-0 win over Manchester United. Fourth-place Manchester City ended its seven-game winless run with a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest. Liverpool’s result will give hope to its title rivals after Fabian Schar’s 90th-minute equalizer at St James’ Park. Arne Slot’s team had twice come back from a goal down to take the lead in the 83rd through Mohamed Salah’s second goal of the match. But the Merseyside club was denied an eighth-straight win in all competitions when Newcastle produced a fightback of its own. “I have mixed feelings, we were outstanding in the second half, but we were not good enough in the first half," Slot said. “Maybe 3-3 is what the game deserved.” Chelsea and Arsenal took advantage. Chelsea's third league win in a row puts it ahead of Arsenal on goal difference. City also reduced the gap and is nine points behind Liverpool after finally ending the worst run of results of Pep Guardiola’s managerial career. “We needed it. The club, the players, everyone needed to win,” Guardiola said. After wins over Real Madrid and City last week, Liverpool’s title credentials were given a stern test by Newcastle, which led at halftime through Alexander Isak and again in the second half through Anthony Gordon. Goals from Curtis Jones and Salah twice leveled the game before Salah looked to have sealed the win late on. Schar equalized after Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher misjudged a late free kick. It meant Liverpool dropped points for only the third time this season after drawing against Arsenal and losing to Forest. Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said this week that his team was not in the title race, but the standings tell a different story. The London club is Liverpool’s closest challenger after its latest win against 10-man Southampton. Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho were all on target in the rout at St Mary’s Stadium. Southampton had briefly leveled the game through Joe Aribo, but Chelsea was already 3-1 up and in control when Jack Stephens was sent off before the break. Arsenal inflicted a first loss on new United head coach Ruben Amorim with a 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium. Two goals from second-half corners made the difference, with Jurrien Timber and William Saliba finding the back of the net, but Arsenal still slipped to third, despite edging closer to Liverpool. Mikel Arteta's team finished runner-up in each of the last two seasons and looks primed to challenge again after making an unconvincing start to the campaign. “You get written off but we stuck together as a group," Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice said. “You stick together and we’re starting to reap the rewards of that.” Making his first start since September, Kevin De Bruyne showed City exactly what it has been missing by scoring a goal and creating another as the four-time defending champion got back to winning ways. The Belgium playmaker provided the cross for Bernardo Silva to give City an eighth-minute lead against Forest at the Etihad Stadium. He produced a trademark finish to sweep the ball past goalkeeper Matz Sels in the 31st to put City on course for a first win in eight games. Jeremy Doku made it 3-0 in the 57th, but it was De Bruyne’s performance that stood out after seeing much of his season disrupted by a groin injury. He left the field in the 74th to an ovation from the home crowd. “It’s been a tough time but you have to accept the challenge and I think we did well today," De Bruyne said. "The Premier League is getting harder and harder. We have to improve as a team first and we’ll see in a couple of months where we are. Hopefully, we would have improved a bit and are a lot closer.” But victory could have come at a cost with concerns over the fitness of Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake, who both went off. “Nathan doesn’t look good. We (will) see tomorrow,” Guardiola said. “Manu is making the last two months struggle a lot.” A first win in six games for Everton moved Sean Dyche’s team further away from the relegation zone, while back-to-back losses for Wolverhampton left the club second from bottom of the standings. Ashley Young and Orel Mangala put Everton in control before two second-half own goals from Craig Dawson sealed a 4-0 win for the Merseyside club, which is five points clear of the bottom three. Aston Villa ended an even longer winless run by beating Brentford 3-1 to secure a first victory in nine games in all competitions. Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins from the penalty spot and Matty Cash were on target. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerJeff Bezos and Sam Altman Discuss Elon Musk’s Political Power at DealBook SummitSIOUX FALLS — After the Dakota Valley High School volleyball team defeated Sioux Falls Christian in the Class A state tournament semifinals, Claire Munch’s voice was so horse it was barely audible. Her game speaks volumes by itself, but the junior outside hitter’s voice was a casualty of spending the match trying to pick her teammates up. Time and time again this season, it seemed as if the bigger the hole DV found itself in, the more the team was capable of overcoming. The Class A championship match, however, presented No. 4 Dakota Valley a bit of a different challenge. While the Panthers spent the quarterfinals and semifinals overcoming double-digit deficits and lopsided set losses to reach the title match, No. 3 Dell Rapids gave DV a series of speed bumps that, in the end, proved too much for the Panthers to overcome as Dell Rapids seemingly held a one-point lead all match to capture the Class A state championship in four sets ( at the Denny Premier Center in Sioux Falls on Saturday. “These girls have given it their all since the beginning of the season,” said DV head coach Erik Krenz. “They’ve gone all a coach could ever ask for. That’s what meant the most to me. They were willing to do whatever it took on the court, and they did that tonight.” Claire Munch finished the match with 24 kills, tied with Dell Rapids’ Madelynn Henry for the match high. The DV junior was a star all season for the Panthers and shined even brighter on the state’s biggest stage as she and younger sister Madelyn, a sophomore setter for Dakota Valley, were named to the Class A all-tournament team. During DV’s stay at the tournament, Claire had 79 kills and Madelyn had 110 assists in 13 sets played in Sioux Falls. Claire ended the season with well over 500 kills for the campaign, and Madelyn went over 1,000 assists for the Panthers in her first season as the team’s primary distributor. The runner-up finish was DV’s best since winning its last second-place finish in 2020, and the Panthers end the season with a record of 31-6. Dell Rapids (32-3) opened Set 1 of the championship with a 5-1 lead but that was quickly closed to one as Claire Munch’s first kill made it 5-4 Dell Rapids, and the set was played with a four-point margin until the Quarriers scored five of the last six points. That would provide Dell Rapids a template to win the second set, too. True to form, DV bounced back and took the third frame as Claire, junior Samantha Kimbell and senior Cameryn Sommervold registered kills to put away the set win. DV got the set rolling with a block by senior Emersen Mead and an ace by senior Reagan Granstrom. Sommervold, Mead (the team’s two starting middle blockers) and Granstrom (the starting libero) represent the biggest holes that DV will suffer to graduation. All three were multi-year starters. The DV senior class also includes setter Jacee Squier and hitter Hailey Severson. Set 4 was tight early, but Dell Rapids put too many hurdles in front of the Panthers after Henry and the Quarriers’ other hitters became more and more effective. Dell Rapids setter Sophi Randall finished with 40 assists. The Quarriers were also successful at the net as they went for nine total blocks to DV’s three — an area that largely went in favor for much of the season behind the play of Mead and Sommervold. For the season DV’s pair of senior middles each finished with over 100 kills for the campaign and Granstrom notched over 350 digs. “Losing our two middles and our libero is going to be really, really big and difficult to replace,” Krenz said. “The senior class on this team has not only shined in their individual roles as well as their ability to embrace the team game.” As the season’s accomplishments for the Panthers include winning the Dak XII conference tournament and spending a few weeks of the season ranked No. 1 in Class A, ending with a state title game appearance provided an inspiration for the next generation of Panther volleyball stars. And the future is certainly bright as the Munch sisters stand to head into the 2025 as two of the state’s top at their positions. DV’s other set of siblings, junior Samantha Kimbell and sophomore defensive specialist Coryn, also emerged this season as major contributors. Samantha finished with the second-most total kills on the squad this season with over 300 while Coryn registered nearly 200 digs. Mead’s serving was also a huge asset for the Panthers. The four Munch and Kimbell sisters, Mead and Granstrom combined for over 250 aces this season, and the club also has an asset in freshman hitter Aubree Worden, who had over 150 kills this season. “We have a lot of young players,” Krenz said. “Throughout the year, we had matches where some players were on or off, but during (the state tournament) everyone was in the zone and really played their best. “It’s all about inspiration. There’s a trickle-down effect. The younger kids were here and saw these girls rocking the house, and now they’ll want to be just like them and hopefully that inspires them to stay in the sport, stay with the program and get here too, someday.”Sunday's inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff bracket reveal officially set the stage for the most anticipated postseason the sport has ever seen. Eight more spots in the playoff field have created two extra rounds to determine a national champion, which could come from the Big Ten, the Southeastern Conference or even the Mountain West! Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Scenes from Georgia's victory over Texas in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on December 7, 2024. (Photos: Jim Blackburn) Click for more. PHOTOS: Georgia Defeats Texas for SEC Championship
RTÉ star Doireann Garrihy has taken to social media to share some snaps of her glamorous wedding to Mark Meighan as further details of her dress emerged. The Dancing with the Stars co-host opted for a glam Christie Nicole ostrich feather dress for her most special day. Hugely sought-after designer Christie has a penchant for designing whimsical, dramatic, flirtatious wedding gowns and has gained a reputation for embodying fun wedding style. Despite having a stunning array of beautifully created dresses to choose from, Doireann eventually set her heart on Christie’s standout Lily gown. The strapless A-line gown has a bespoke, feathery large train which careers down the centre back for a creative peacock effect, Described as ‘equal parts elegance and drama’, the Lily is crafted from a textured feather tulle giving it a sense of fluidity in movement. While the exact price of Doireann’s desired gown differs, wedding specialists in Ireland who stock Nicole’s wedding collections start from Є6,000 and can go anywhere up to Є9,975. Podcaster Doireann, who is known for not taking herself too seriously, appeared to pick the perfect dress as pals were quick to compliment her for her choice. Doireann’s sister Ailbhe said: ‘The most perfect day.’ Former Miss Universe Rosanna Davison wrote: ‘Absolutely beautiful. Congratulations!’ 2FM presenter Emma Power commented: ‘Beautiful. Congratulations to you both.’ While Newstalk’s Ciara Kelly posted: ‘A photo for the ages! Congratulations... so beautiful.’ On Saturday afternoon, Doireann took to social media to give fans an insight into her big day and the morning after the day before. Posing with Mark, the pair posted a self with the caption: ‘The morning after breakfast’. Doireann wore a gorgeous mini dress in the post, while Mark was smartly attired min a jacket and casual jumper. Doireann also posted a picture of one of her false eyelashes which met a watery end in the bridal suite bathroom sink. As pr eviously revealed by Extra.ie earlier this year, Doireann and Mark tied the knot in the exclusive K Club Hotel and Resort in Kildare.Please use the picture of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi for this articleThe customary Christmas tree delivery on Nov. 25, 2024, to the Kansas governor's mansion from Fontana marked the beginning of the holiday season. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector) CEDAR CREST — About a year ago, Ed Bartoszek’s mother could ride a tractor through the rows of pines on the family tree farm in Fontana. His mother, Faye, now sits in a wheelchair after suffering a stroke in October of last year, but she was able to witness Monday a tree grown at her ’60s-era tree farm tucked into a corner at the governor’s mansion at Cedar Crest. “Getting her up here was most important,” Bartoszek said. It’s the first Christmas tree the Bartoszek family has been able to donate to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly from their farm, Fontana Pines, south of Kansas City. As it was delivered in a horse-drawn carriage and carried by the teen-aged members of the family into the mansion, Ed Bartoszek said he was filled with emotion. “I’m feeling overwhelmed. It’s a nice feeling,” he said. The tree was a 9-foot scotch pine, and Ed Bartoszek wandered the four fields of trees on his property to find the right one for Kelly. Members of the Kansas Forest Service, the Kansas Christmas Tree Growers Association and the horses’ current and former owners welcomed the tree Monday alongside Kelly to mark the beginning of the holiday season. The same pair of horses have delivered a Christmas tree to the governor’s mansion off and on for more than a decade. Cecil and Robert Carter, the horse’s former owners, have been a part of the ceremonious delivery during those years, and this year will likely be their last as they sold the business. The horses will carry on with new owners. “It’s a relief,” Cecil Carter said. “The thing that we miss most is being out in the public.” The Carters talked Monday on their drive to Cedar Crest about the politics, or lack thereof, in their business, Cecil said. Each governor is different. Former Gov. Sam Brownback used to like to get into the carriage and hold the reigns, he said. “When I do a job, there’s no political feelings whatsoever,” Cecil Carter said. Race, gender, political beliefs don’t matter to him, he said. Kelly visited with Faye Bartoszek and the rest of the family and posed for photos in her home. She advised Kansans preparing for potentially opinionated holiday gatherings “to do exactly what I’m going to do — and that’s steer away from conversations that are divisive.”
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Loki child star Jack Veal has provided an update after revealing he is now homeless. The 17-year-old British actor, who starred as Kid Loki in the popular Tom Hiddleston -led Disney + series, shared a TikTok on Monday (December 2), sharing that he was living on the streets and seeking help. “Social services refuses to help me, despite what I’ve told them,” Veal explained. “I am desperate. I have been sleeping in the streets. I’m currently sleeping in a trailer that has smashed-in windows; it’s unsafe.” Calling life hard and saying that he “has nothing else,” he continued: “I am on my knees, begging for you guys to just share this, do something, spread the message about how the government are treating kids.” Veal — also known for his role in Netflix’s The End of the F***ing World and Amazon Prime Video’s The Peripheral — claimed that he “didn’t have a very good upbringing.” “I struggle with mental health, like autism, ADHD, and [have been] screened for bipolar and psychosis,” he said. He went on to give a tour of the trailer he’s been living in, noting that it gets cold because the windows are broken. “But I cope. There’s no electricity, so I have to use a power bank and cycle through those,” Veal said. “I need help. Please share, please share it with whoever you can. You don’t have to pay me anything; I don’t need anything. I just need you to make this go as viral as possible. I will continue to put more stuff out. But please, I need help.” In a video the following day, he tearfully shared that he had received a call from social services “to potentially get me into foster care and supportive accommodations.” “I don’t know what you guys have done, but it’s gotten out there, and it’s really really helped me. They’re taking action now, they’re actually doing something. So God bless you all,” he said. “I’ll let you know how the meeting goes — there’s no promises, but this is the first time they’ve ever considered me for accommodations, so thank you. Thank you so much, I love you all.” Veal has since posted another update on Wednesday (December 4), sharing that he met with social services but is “still homeless.” “They’ve told me that I need to be street homeless again or return home,” he said, “until they find me a foster care placement, which might take a while. They’re telling me days, which is probably gonna be weeks, because they lie. So I’m gonna have to be street homeless.” Stating that he doesn’t know what to do, Veal added: “This is another call out for help. I had hope, but again they’re not doing anything. They want to put me in foster care, but in the meantime, I have to stay on the streets. It’s f***ing ridiculous.”
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