By Conor Ryan The Red Sox have signaled all offseason that they’re willing to spend heavily. Beyond team president Sam Kennedy confirming Boston’s interest in Juan Soto and the team’s readiness to exceed MLB’s competitive balance tax (CBT) to bring in top talent, multiple reports have tied the Red Sox to some of the top names in both free agency and on the trade market. But if Boston wants to win the high-stakes sweepstakes for stars like Soto, Corbin Burnes, and Max Fried, the Red Sox might have to significantly outbid some other deep-pocketed teams like the Yankees. Why? According to longtime ESPN baseball writer Buster Olney, the Red Sox’ status as a top destination for players has waned in recent years — especially after the team dealt Mookie Betts to the Dodgers in February 2020. “One market factor that shifts cyclically is how some teams become a preferred destination for players, while other teams lose ground in the perception game,” Olney posted on X. “Boston is aggressive with dollars now, but the Red Sox will have to pay extra to overcome a negative player perception that really started growing when the team wouldn’t pay Mookie Betts.” One market factor that shifts cyclically is how some teams become a preferred destination for players, while other teams lose ground in the perception game. Boston is aggressive with dollars now, but the Red Sox will have to pay extra to overcome a negative player perception that... The Red Sox’ decision to move on from Betts has been nothing short of a disaster for Boston. Connor Wong the only remaining player still on Boston’s roster from that deal with the Dodgers. Meanwhile, Betts has gone on to win two World Series titles, four Silver Sluggers, and two Gold Gloves over the last five seasons in Los Angeles. Beyond Betts’ exit, the Red Sox have let other homegrown stars like Xander Bogaerts walk in free agency — with Boston prioritizing internal development over active offseasons. The result has granted Boston one of the top farm systems in baseball, but little to show for it at the big-league level so far. Boston has only punched its ticket to the postseason once over the last six seasons. Add in the Red Sox’ quiet offseason in 2023 after promises of a “full throttle” approach , and Boston might have some work to do when it comes to re-establishing itself as a major player in free agency. The Red Sox have already lost out on two potential pitching targets in Blake Snell and Yusei Kikuchi — who signed with the Dodgers and Angels, respectively, this week. Conor Ryan Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023. Sign up for Red Sox updates⚾ Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during baseball season. Be civil. Be kind.Salman Sagar visits fire victims in Khanyar, reviews snow-clearance operations
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Nearly five years ago, most office workers in Canada went home to work. Office life as we knew it vanished in a pandemic instant. Remarkably, most of these workers didn’t skip a beat. Most people liked the flexibility and the work got done – comfortably from home. Now many employers want people to come back to the office. Some make it a requirement on set days, others let employees make their own schedules, but most have settled on some kind of hybrid in-person and remote work model. But many employees don’t want to go back, citing long commutes, traffic, crowded or inconvenient public transit, expensive parking and the impact on the environment. Plus, remote workers who moved far away just don’t see the point of coming in at all. However, recent studies, such as one led by Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, report that fully remote work reduces productivity by 10 to 20 per cent , while hybrid work benefits companies and employees . Without an in-person requirement, employers are concerned about losing out on productivity, communication, creativity and a strong company culture. So, what works and how can employers make people feel good about commuting and coming into the office again? Linda Duxbury, the Chancellor’s professor of management at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University in Ottawa, says the key is to intentionally design the in-office experience, rather than just requiring people to show up without a clear purpose or plan. “One of the reasons people like coming into the office is to socialize with their colleagues – they enjoy the informality, team activities and discussions,” says Prof. Duxbury. “If employers want happier employees, then they have to manage the in-person days better than many do.” “Right now, it’s a dog’s breakfast. It can’t be just random, with people coming in and then spending all their time on video calls with co-workers who are at home. What works is requiring whole teams to come in on certain days to do activities that can’t be done remotely, maximizing collaboration, team building, coaching, mentoring, training and development.” At Universities Canada, a non-profit organization representing Canadian universities, all 108 full-time employees are required to work in-person for two days a week. Shortly after Gabriel Miller, president and chief executive officer, joined last June, the organization moved into new headquarters in downtown Ottawa, designed after surveying employees about what they wanted in their work environment. “The office has been thoughtfully designed with people in mind,” says Mr. Miller. “When you enter, there’s an open gathering space that connects to a big kitchen, where people can stop by for coffee or to eat lunch with everybody from the most senior employees to university interns.” “The office is full of green plants, which really humanizes the space and helps people feel at home. There’s a variety of work settings so people can choose what best suits their needs and a mix of meeting rooms equipped with seamless technology so it’s easy for people to access information, but also connect to people who aren’t present. What this office says to our people is that in every possible way, we want to support you being together as a team.” To minimize commuting woes, the new office is centrally located and well served by transit and includes lockers for employees who cycle to work. “We need to provide as many sustainable options as we can,” he says. “Being located in a place that our employees can get to with minimal inconvenience, whether by car, bike, bus or on foot is key. So far we’ve only allowed people to work remotely on a temporary basis, but overwhelmingly, we’ve held the line on [a minimum of two in-person days a week]. If you start chipping away at it, one person or project at a time, people would soon begin to doubt our commitment.” When people are together in the office, he stresses it’s important to have opportunities for them to connect and collaborate in ways that wouldn’t be possible to do from home. “I really believe you need to balance remote and in-person work to maintain productivity and relationships,” he says. “If you think back on your career, a lot of what we learned was the result of encounters and relationships that we built organically with the people around us. Especially for young people, in-person interactions are critical for mentorship and career development.” Toronto-based Accenture Canada takes a “one-size-doesn’t-fit-most” approach for its 6,500 employees, according to its chief human resources officer, Suehlan Yu. A 20-year veteran of the firm, she says remote/hybrid work isn’t new to the organization, as Accenture Canada has been doing it globally for decades, collaborating with clients, teams and people working remotely. “Our focus is on levelling the playing field, so that irrespective of where people are, they’re able to participate fully and bring their best to work,” says Ms. Yu. “We really started by listening to our people, and we do that through a robust listening framework that includes surveys, fireside chats and town halls. What the majority of our people say is that flexibility – when, where and how they work – is the top enabler for the successful future of work.” Ms. Yu says there’s no policy that requires everyone to be in the office on set days. Instead, leaders and teams work together to determine the unique mix of virtual and in-person work that’s best for them, guided by client needs, individual roles and responsibilities. “In-person connection is part of everyone’s role, but we don’t believe in being on-site for the sake of being on-site,” says Ms. Yu. “We like to make that purposeful for our people.” Offices at Accenture are designed with a focus on “we spaces” – collaborative areas with technology allowing remote employees to fully participate in meetings and team activities. There’s also a focus on friendly and accommodating workspaces to suit individual and diverse needs, as well as meditation rooms, mothers’ lactation rooms and wellness rooms equipped with yoga balls and table tennis. To encourage in-person socialization, the firm hosts a quarterly event that they call “stacked events” – a full-day at the office packed with engagement activities, panel discussions and learning sessions, ending with a social event. “People get to meet leaders, network with peers and maybe find their next staffing opportunity,” says Ms. Yu. “We also have Gen AI and industry and function learning days, lunch and learns, and employee resource group events constantly happening and encouraging people to come into the office. Everything’s available virtually as well, so people can be involved wherever they are at that time.” One caveat remote workers might consider is that many jobs that can be done at home may also be easily done by AI. That might inspire some to put in more office time. “There’s a recent article in Harvard Business Review that says AI is coming for remote tasks first,” says Prof. Duxbury. “That’s because much of the type of work that can be done at home is the kind of thing that has sequential structure, doesn’t require a lot of creativity, discussion with other people, negotiation or to be front-facing. So perfect for AI too.”Sam Darnold leads game-winning drive in OT and Vikings beat Bears 30-27 after blowing late lead
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CHINA launched the first of its next-generation amphibious assault ships, as the Chinese navy ramps up capabilities amid growing territorial tensions. The Type 076 vessel, named Sichuan, entered the water at a ceremony in Shanghai on Friday, according to the official Xinhua News Agency. It was independently developed and will enhance China’s combat capabilities far from its shores, the report said. The vessel, described as the world’s largest amphibious assault ship by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, brings more air power to China’s navy as the Asian nation confronts flash points in the South China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait. It will undergo tests and sea trials after the launch, according to Xinhua. The Sichuan is an upgrade from the three Type 075 ships currently operated by the People’s Liberation Army. It features an electromagnetic catapult system, seen also on the latest Fujian aircraft carrier, that allows it to carry fixed-wing aircraft and expand the use of drones increasingly seen as crucial in modern warfare. The launch of the Sichuan shows the Chinese military made technological progress despite persistent corruption in the PLA, as reflected in an anti-graft campaign sweeping through the PLA since last summer. The drive has expanded within the military after originally focusing on its equipment procurement unit and the secretive Rocket Force. This week, a navy commander of the Southern Theater was purged for suspected violations of law and discipline, which usually means corruption, following the removal of his predecessor a year ago. Bloomberg News
TORONTO — Ontario says Ottawa's tax holiday will cost the province $1 billion, but it will support the GST break for consumers. Last week, the federal Liberal government announced plans to pause the GST for two months on prepared food, toys, some types of alcohol and other holiday season staples. In provinces like Ontario, where the provincial and federal sales taxes are blended together into a harmonized sales tax, the entire HST would be removed from such items. Premier Doug Ford has said he was supportive of the move. Now, the office of Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy confirms it will remove the provincial sales tax on items not already covered under provincial rebate. Ontario has long removed the provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax from similar items listed in Ottawa's GST break plan, such as children's clothes and some food. The premiers of New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island have said they want to be compensated by Ottawa for the provincial revenue lost during the tax holiday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Liam Casey, The Canadian PressThe Kansas City Chiefs pulled off another nail-biter, defeating the Carolina Panthers 30-27 Sunday afternoon. The Chiefs’ new kicker Spencer Shrader with his big moment yet as a Chiefs, came through on the 31-yard field goal that sealed Kansas City’s victory as time expired, pushing Kansas City to a 10-1 record on the season. Despite struggles all day on defense, the Chiefs offense were the ones for a change that carried much of the load in the game. Led by Patrick Mahomes late-game heroics, which included a key 32-yard pass that set up the game-winning field goal. Kansas City had relative ease getting whatever they wanted on that side of the ball. However, the same thing can be said for Carolina, whose late-game flurry kept the pressure on, but Kansas City proved once again that when it’s crunch time, they, more times than not, will come through and find a way to win. Kansas City Chiefs Take Control Early The game started with a bang for Kansas City as running back Samaje Perine opened with a 56-yard kickoff return to set up the opening drive. Mahomes connected with Noah Gray on a 35-yard touchdown pass, giving the Chiefs a 7-0 lead just 1:25 into the game. That first-quarter touchdown drive was also the first of the season for Mahomes and this Chiefs offense. Then, on the Panthers’ first offense series of the game, they were able to move the ball down the field against the Chiefs’ defense but stalled out in the red zone and had to settle for a 30-yard field goal, which was good, and they got on the board 7-3 with 9:24 left in the first quarter. The Kansas City Chiefs offense slowed down a bit on the next series but managed another score late in the opening quarter. After some impressive red-zone coverage from Carolina, Shrader nailed a 25-yard field goal, extending the lead to 10-3. The Panthers ended the quarter threatening, but the Chiefs’ defense held firm at their 13-yard line. The second quarter began with Carolina being unable to get into the endzone once again and having to settle for another goal opportunity after their eight-play drive stalled. Kansas City responded on the very next drive by getting back on track and went down the field on a 14-play, 92-yard touchdown drive, capped by another Gray reception. Gray now had back-to-back games with at least two touchdowns, which puts him at four touchdowns on the season, a career-high. At halftime, the Chiefs led 20-9, controlling the clock and the momentum. Carolina Panthers Close the Gap Carolina came out firing in the third quarter on their first series of the half, going on a 15-play, 70-yard drive to score their first touchdown of the day. Bryce Young found wide receiver David Moore on a 1-yard pass, narrowing Kansas City’s lead to 20-16 with 6:26 remaining in the third quarter. Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs responded in signature fashion. A 10-play, 75-yard drive culminated in a 3-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Hopkins, pushing the score to 27-16. Patrick Mahomes recorded his second straight game with at least three passing touchdowns , and the Chiefs offense continues to stay in rhythm. The Chiefs’ defense, on the other hand, a defense known for its bend but don’t break mentality began to show cracks, allowing consistent big gains by the Panthers. Despite the struggles, the Chiefs managed to entered the fourth quarter with an 11-point advantage. Late Drama and a Walk-Off Win Then Carolina struck early in the fourth quarter, converting a 33-yard field goal to make it a one-score game at 27-19. Then the Kansas Chiefs punted for the first time of the day, but their defense stepped up and forced a quick three-and-out, giving Mahomes a chance to ice the game. However, penalties and poor execution forced another punt on the offense, setting the stage for the Panthers to tie the game and force overtime. With just over three minutes remaining, the Panthers capitalized on a short field and drove right down it in five plays to score a touchdown. The two-point attempt was also successful, and the game was tied up at 27-27 with 1:46 left on the clock in the fourth quarter. Then Patrick Mahomes did what he’s done for years since he’s been with the Chiefs. Mahomes put on his cape, and came through in the clutch, leading the Chiefs into field goal range with a 32-yard run, setting up Shrader for the game-winning field goal try . The rookie kicker delivered, hitting the game-winning 31-yard field goal as time expired. Final Thoughts Although the Kansas City’s Chiefs have shown improvement offensively, scoring 30 points for just the second time this season. Their defense has become a point of concern. This is now the second consecutive game, where they give up at least 27 points to an opponent. Yet, a win is a win because no matter the opponent there are no gimmes in the NFL, and the Chiefs found a way to get back into the win column. Up next, they will host divisional rivals Las Vegas Raiders back on Black Friday, as they look to clean up some things on both sides of the ball and move ever closer to locking up the division and No. 1 seed in the AFC. This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.
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