Major League Baseball announced some changes to its 2025 schedule as a result of the in Tampa during the upcoming season due to the during Hurricane Milton. "These proactive schedule adjustments have been made to optimize the number of games played in the best weather conditions given the Rays’ transition to an outdoor ballpark," said a statement issued by MLB. MLB announces changes to the Rays' schedule (as well as the Angels' and Twins' schedules) because of move to Steinbrenner Field — Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) To avoid the summer humidity, which can reach levels of 90% or higher in July and August, MLB has moved an April three-game series (April 7-9) between the Rays and from Anaheim's Angel Stadium to Steinbrenner Field. The three-game set the two clubs were scheduled to play in August (Aug. 4-6) in Tampa will now be played in Anaheim. Two series involving the Rays and will also swap places on the schedule. A three-game set previously scheduled to be played in Minneapolis from May 26-28 will now move to Tampa. And the series scheduled from July 4-6 at Steinbrenner Field will now be played at Target Field. Steinbrenner Field, with a capacity of 11,000, is the spring training ballpark for the and their Class-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons. The Tarpons will play their home games on other fields on the Yankees' complex during the Florida State League season. Tropicana Field suffered damage to its fabric roof panels, when Hurricane Milton made landfall, allowing rain and wind to also harm the interior of the stadium. After assessing the damage, the city of St. Petersburg, Florida, determined that fixing the facility would cost approximately $55.7 million and would not be ready until 2026. However, the St. Petersburg City Council initially voted to approve the funds, only to hours later.Hoverfly Technologies now leads both the VHA-L and VHA-H programs with their trailblazing Sentry and Spectre Tethered Drones SANFORD, FL / ACCESSWIRE / November 25, 2024 / After completing rigorous validation and environmental testing, Hoverfly Technologies is proud to announce its award of the U.S. Army Variable Height Antenna - Heavy (VHA-H) program with their Spectre Tethered Unmanned Aerial System (TeUAS). This monumental achievement will see Hoverfly's Spectre TeUAS deployed across critical operations as an integral part of the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN), underscoring the TeUAS's exceptional payload compatibility, versatile multi-mission capabilities, and unparalleled reliability. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Comelec Under Fire for Greenlighting Quiboloy’s Controversial 2025 Senate BidTulsa fires head coach Kevin Wilson
County agenda action
Vance takes on a more visible transition role as he works to boost Trump's most controversial picksPerioral Dermatitis Treatment Market is expected to reach USD 111.14 Million by 2030 and is expected to undergo a CAGR of 6.70% 11-21-2024 09:05 PM CET | Advertising, Media Consulting, Marketing Research Press release from: Data Bridge Market Research Private Ltd / PR Agency: Data Bridge Market Research "Global Perioral Dermatitis Treatment Market, By Treatment (Immunosuppressive Agents, Topical Ivermectin, Antibiotics, Others), Diagnosis (Physical Examination, Skin Biopsy, Others), Dosage (Injection, Tablets, Ointments, Others), Route of Administration (Oral, Parenteral, Topical, Others), End-Users (Hospitals, Specialty Clinics, Homecare, Others), Distribution Channel (Hospital Pharmacy, Retail Pharmacy, Online Pharmacy, Others) - Industry Trends and Forecast to 2030. Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the Global Perioral Dermatitis Treatment Market which was USD 66.15 Million in 2022 is expected to reach USD 111.14 Million by 2030 and is expected to undergo a CAGR of 6.70% during the forecast period of 2022 to 2030 Explore Further Details about This Research Perioral Dermatitis Treatment Market Share Report https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-perioral-dermatitis-treatment-market **Market Analysis of the Satellite Antenna Market:** In 2021, the global satellite antenna market witnessed steady growth due to the increasing demand for satellite communication services across various industries, including telecommunications, broadcasting, military, and government sectors. The advancements in satellite technology, such as high-throughput satellites and miniaturization of antennas, further fueled the market growth. The COVID-19 pandemic also played a role in driving the market as the need for reliable communication services increased with the rise in remote working and virtual events. By 2029, the satellite antenna market is expected to experience significant expansion. The increasing adoption of satellite communication for IoT applications, autonomous vehicles, and remote sensing is projected to drive market growth. Additionally, the growing investments in satellite infrastructure and the deployment of next-generation satellites are anticipated to create lucrative opportunities for market players. The demand for high-performance antennas capable of supporting bandwidth-intensive applications will likely fuel further market expansion. **Segments:** - By Antenna Type: - Parabolic Dish Antennas - Flat Panel Antennas - Horn Antennas - Others - By Platform: - Land - Space - Maritime - Airborne - By Application: - Broadcasting - Telecommunication - Military & Defense - Others **Market Players:** - Honeywell International Inc. - Gilat Satellite Networks - KVH Industries, Inc. - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - SpaceX - Viasat, Inc. - Raytheon Technologies - Cobham PLC - Harris Corporation - Communications & Power Industries, LLC The competition in the satellite antenna market is intense, with key players focusing on product innovations, strategic partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions to gain a competitive edge. The increasing investments in research and development activities to enhance antenna performance and reliability are further propelling market growth. As the demand for satellite communication services continues to rise, market players are expected to capitalizeThe satellite antenna market is poised for robust growth in the coming years as various factors converge to drive demand and innovation within the industry. One of the key drivers for market expansion is the increasing adoption of satellite communication technologies across diverse applications. Industries such as broadcasting, telecommunications, military, and defense are relying on satellite antennas for seamless and reliable communication services. The advancements in satellite technology, such as the development of high-throughput satellites and the miniaturization of antennas, are enhancing the efficiency and performance of satellite communication systems, further fueling market growth. The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) applications and the rise of autonomous vehicles are also contributing to the growing demand for satellite antennas. These technologies require robust and reliable communication networks, which satellite antennas can provide, making them essential components in the evolving digital landscape. Moreover, the deployment of next-generation satellites and increased investments in satellite infrastructure are expected to create lucrative opportunities for market players. The need for high-performance antennas that can support bandwidth-intensive applications will further drive the market forward, as industries seek to enhance their communication capabilities. In terms of market segmentation, the satellite antenna market can be classified based on antenna type, platform, and application. Antenna types include parabolic dish antennas, flat panel antennas, horn antennas, and others, each serving specific purposes based on the communication requirements. Platforms encompass land, space, maritime, and airborne systems, highlighting the versatility and adaptability of satellite antennas across different environments. Applications of satellite antennas range from broadcasting and telecommunications to military and defense, catering to a wide spectrum of industries and their specific communication needs. Key players in the satellite antenna market, such as Honeywell International Inc., Gilat Satellite Networks, and SpaceX, are actively engaged in product innovation and strategic partnerships to maintain a competitive edge in the market. Mergers and acquisitions are also common strategies employed by market players to strengthen their market presence and expand their product portfolios. The emphasis on research and development activities to enhance antenna performance and reliability underscores the commitment of**Market Players:** - Airbus S.A.S. - Honeywell International Inc. - General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc. - Cobham Limited - Harris Corporation - Mitsubishi Electric Corporation - Maxar Technologies Ltd. - GILAT SATELLITE NETWORKS - Elite Antennas Ltd. - Xi'an Space Star Technology (Group) Co., Ltd - Viasat, Inc. - Norsat International Inc. - Kymeta Corporation - Digisat International Inc. - SVH Tech Pvt. Ltd. - TICRA The satellite antenna market is poised for robust growth in the coming years as various factors converge to drive demand and innovation within the industry. One of the key drivers for market expansion is the increasing adoption of satellite communication technologies across diverse applications. Industries such as broadcasting, telecommunications, military, and defense are relying on satellite antennas for seamless and reliable communication services. The advancements in satellite technology, such as the development of high-throughput satellites and the miniaturization of antennas, are enhancing the efficiency and performance of satellite communication systems, further fueling market growth. The proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) applications and the rise of autonomous vehicles are also contributing to the growing demand for satellite antennas. These technologies require robust and reliable communication networks, which satellite antennas can provide, making them essential components in the evolving digital landscape. Moreover, the deployment of next-generation satellites and increased investments in satellite infrastructure are expected to create lucrative opportunities for market Table Of Content 1 Introduction 1.1 Objectives Of The Study 1.2 Perioral Dermatitis Treatment Market Definition 1.3 Overview 1.4 Limitations 1.5 Markets Covered 2 Perioral Dermatitis Treatment Market Segmentation 2.1 Perioral Dermatitis Treatment Market Covered 2.2 Geographical Scope 2.3 Years Considered For The Study 2.4 Currency And Pricing 2.5 Dbmr Tripod Data Validation Model 2.6 Multivariate Modeling 2.7 Primary Interviews With Key Opinion Leaders 2.8 Dbmr Perioral Dermatitis Treatment Market Position Grid 2.9 Dbmr Vendor Share Analysis 2.1 Secondary Sources 2.11 Assumptions 3 Executive Summary............. Browse Related Reports: "https://strategicmarketresearch12.blogspot.com/2024/11/cpp-packaging-films-market-delivering.html https://strategicmarketresearch12.blogspot.com/2024/11/buy-now-pay-later-market-transforming.html https://strategicmarketresearch12.blogspot.com/2024/11/burritos-market-rising-global-demand.html https://strategicmarketresearch12.blogspot.com/2024/11/commercial-telematics-market-enhancing.html Contact Us: Data Bridge Market Research US: +1 614 591 3140 UK: +44 845 154 9652 APAC : +653 1251 975 Email: corporatesales@databridgemarketresearch.com About Data Bridge Market Research: Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. This release was published on openPR.
VANCOUVER - Online predators are becoming increasingly resourceful in trolling media platforms where children gravitate, prompting an explosion in police case loads, said an officer who works for the RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in British Columbia. Data show the problem spiked during COVID-19 when children began spending more time online — but rates did not wane as police anticipated after lockdowns ended. In B.C., they soared, almost quadrupling from 2021 to 2023. Const. Solana Pare is now warning exploitation of children is likely here to stay, as a technological race between police and predators gains momentum. “Technology is becoming more and more available, and online platforms and social media sites are being used by children younger and younger, which provides an opportunity for predators to connect with them,” Pare said in an interview. Police say child exploitation cases in B.C. went from about 4,600 in 2021 to 9,600 in 2022 to 15,920 reports last year. The upwards trend is seen nationally, too. Statistics Canada says the rate of online child sexual exploitation reported to police rose by 58 per cent from 2019 to 2022, and police data show cases have continued to rise. The RCMP’s National Child Exploitation Crime Centre reported that from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, it received 118,162 reports of suspected online child sexual exploitation offences — a 15 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Online child sexual exploitation, Pare explained, includes offences such as sextortion, child luring and the creation or distribution of sexually explicit images of a minor. “We don’t see these types of reports going away,” Pare said. “We only see them increasing because the use of electronic devices and social media, and kids being online earlier and earlier is becoming more common. There’s going to be more opportunity for predators to target children online.” Monique St. Germain, general counsel for the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, said the most common type of child luring is communicating with a youth online in order get them to produce sexual abuse material. She said “the pandemic accelerated those types of cases, and it hasn’t slowed down.” “The tools (Canadian authorities) have to deal with this type of behaviour are inadequate for the scope and the scale of what’s going on,” she said. THE RISE OF ‘SEXTORTION’ Online exploitation gained international attention in 2015 in the case of Port Coquitlam, B.C., teenager, Amanda Todd, who died by suicide after being blackmailed and harassed online by a man for years, starting when she was 12. The month before the 15-year-old died, she uploaded a nine-minute video using a series of flash cards detailing the abuse she experienced by the stranger and how it had affected her life. It’s been viewed millions of times. Dutch national Aydin Coban was extradited to Canada for trial and, in October 2022, he was convicted of charges including the extortion and harassment of Todd. Since then, the term “sextortion” has made its way into the vernacular as more cases come to light. Among them was Carson Cleland, a 12-year-old Prince George, B.C., boy who died by suicide in October 2023 after falling victim to the crime. In New Brunswick that same month, 16-year-old William Doiron took his own life after falling victim to a global sextortion scheme. Mounties across Canada have issued news releases warning of increased cases in their communities, noting that the consequences for the victims can include self-harm and suicide. St. Germain said technology, such as artificial intelligence, is also becoming more user-friendly. “The existence of that technology and its ease of use and ready accessibility is a problem, and it is going to be an increasingly large problem as we move forward,” she said. Pare said police are also adapting to technological advancements in order to keep up with the ever-changing online landscape. “Police are constantly obtaining training on digital technologies to increase our knowledge and understanding of all the intricacies involving their use and how to capture any digital evidence,” she said. Pare said the true rates of the crime are impossible to determine, but pointed to increased social awareness and legislation across North America around mandatory reporting of child abuse material from social media companies as a potential reason for the increase. It’s not going undetected any longer, she said. “Additionally, there’s been a lot of use in artificial intelligence to detect child exploitation materials within those platforms.” Pare said “it’s up to each individual platform” to ensure there is no child sexual abuse material on their sites or apps. “With mandatory reporting, it’s putting the onus back on the electronic service providers to ensure they have measures in place to prevent this from happening, and if it is happening that it is being reported,” she said. “That being said, there are times when things don’t get located.” That is why the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has been advocating for the adoption of the Online Harms Bill that the federal government introduced in February, St. Germain said. “It’s shocking that up until now, we’ve relied on companies to self regulate, meaning we’ve just relied on them to do the right thing,” she said. “What we are seeing in terms of the number of offences and in terms of all the harm that is happening in society as a result of online platforms is completely tied to the decision not to regulate. We need to have rules in any sector, and this sector is no different.” ‘CANADA IS REALLY BEHIND’ The Online Harms Bill covers seven types of harms, from non-consensual sharing of intimate images to content that can be used to bully a child. Earlier this month, Justice Minister Arif Virani announced the Liberal government will split the bill into two parts: dealing with keeping children safe online, and combating predators and issues related to revenge pornography. “We are putting our emphasis and prioritization and our time and efforts on the first portion of the bill,” Virani told reporters on Dec. 5. Such measures would include a new Digital Safety Commission of Canada, which would compel social media companies to outline how they plan to reduce the risks their platforms pose to users, particularly minors. It would have the power to levy fines and evaluate companies’ digital safety plans. St. Germain said such a split “makes sense,” noting that most objections to the bill are related to changes to the Criminal Code and not measures around curbing harms to children. “There obviously are differences of opinion in terms of what is the best way forward, and what kind of regulatory approach makes sense, and who should the regulator be, but there does seem to be consensus on the idea that we need to do more in terms of protecting children online,” she said, adding that the organization is still in support of the second half of the bill. She said the United Kingdom previously passed its own Online Safety Act that will come into effect in 2025, which includes requiring social media firms to protect children from content such as self-harm material, pornography and violent content. Failure to do so will result in fines. “Canada is really behind,” she said. “The amount of information that has come out of the U.K., the amount of time and care and attention that their legislatures have paid to this issue is really quite remarkable, and we really hope that Canada steps up and does something for Canadian children soon.” In the absence of national legislation, province’s have filled the void. In January, B.C. enacted the Intimate Images Protection Act, providing a path for victims to have online photos, videos or deep fakes expeditiously removed. Individuals are fined up to $500 per day and websites up to $5,000 a day if they don’t comply with orders to stop distributing images that are posted without consent. B.C.‘s Ministry of the Attorney General said that as of Dec. 11, the Civil Resolution Tribunal had received a total of 199 disputes under the Intimate Images Protection Act. It said the Intimate Images Protection Service had served more than 240 clients impacted by the non-consensual distribution of intimate images, adding that four awards of $5,000 each and one for $3,000 had been supplied as of mid-December. Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta and Saskatchewan have also enacted legislation targeting unauthorized distribution of intimate images. St. Germain said the use of provincial powers is also necessary, but it’s not enough. “A piece of provincial legislation is going to be very difficult to be effective against multiple actors in multiple countries,” she said, noting that the online crime is borderless. “We need something bigger — more comprehensive. We need to use all tools in the tool box.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 29, 2024.Big Ten could place four teams in playoff, thanks to IU's rise
COLTS NOTEBOOK: Lions add physicality to explosive attack
By EDDIE PELLS When the page turns on 2024, it will be time to say goodbye, once and for all, to the amateur athlete in college sports. Related Articles Sports | Connecticut High School Football Alliance schedule released for 2025 season Sports | Netflix is airing 2 NFL games on Christmas Day. Here’s what to know Sports | Caitlin Clark effect hasn’t reversed the decades-long decline in girls basketball participation Sports | Lock’s return at QB includes two pick-6s in Giants’ franchise-record 10th straight loss Sports | Callahan: It’s time to forget about Jerod Mayo getting fired In theory, the concept held on stubbornly via the quaint and now all-but-dead notion that student-athletes played only for pride, a scholarship and some meal money. In practice, the amateurs have been disappearing for years, washed away by the steady millions, now billions, that have flowed into college athletics, mostly through football and basketball both through legitimate and illicit means. In the coming year, the last vestiges of amateur college sports are expected to officially sputter out — the final step of a journey that has felt inevitable since 2021. That’s when the Supreme Court laid the foundation for paying college players in exchange for promotions — on social media, TV, video games, you name it — featuring their name, image or likeness (NIL). The changes have come in spasms so far, not always well thought out, not always fair and not regulated by any single entity like the NCAA or federal government, but rather by a collection of state laws, along with rules at individual schools and the leagues in which they play. But on April 7, the day final approval is expected for the landmark, $2.8 billion lawsuit settlement that lays the foundation for players to receive money directly from their schools, what was once considered anathema to the entire concept of college sports will become the norm. David Schnase, the NCAA’s vice president for academic and membership affairs, acknowledges that maintaining the unique essence of college sports is a challenge in the shifting landscape. “You can use the word ‘pro,’ you can use the word ‘amateur,’ you can attach whatever moniker you want to it, but those are just labels,” Schnase said. “It’s much less about labels and more about experiences and circumstances. Circumstances are different today than they were last year and they are likely going to be different in the foreseeable future.” Few would argue that college athletes should get something back for the billions they help produce in TV and ticket revenue, merchandise sales and the like. But is everyone going to cash in? Are college players really getting rich? Recent headlines suggest top quarterback recruit Bryce Underwood was lured to Michigan thanks to funding from billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison, and that a top basketball recruit, A.J. Dybantsa, is heading to BYU — not a hoops powerhouse — for the reported price of $7 million. For every Underwood or Dybantsa, though, there are even more Matthew Slukas and Beau Pribulas. Sluka’s agent says his son agreed to play quarterback at UNLV after a promise of receiving $100,000 and quit three games into the season after the checks never came. Pribula was the backup quarterback at Penn State who abruptly entered the transfer portal earlier this month, choosing the college version of free agency over a chance to play with the Nittany Lions in the College Football Playoff. He’s not the only one hitting the portal in hopes of getting rich before new regulations related to the NCAA settlement take effect. “We’ve got problems in college football,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. The settlement will overhaul the current system. Currently, players receive money via third-party collectives that are booster-funded groups affiliated with individual schools. Coming up fast: the schools paying the athletes directly — the term often used here is “revenue sharing” — with collectives still an option, but not the only one. “It’s going to be more transparent,” said Jeff Kessler, the plaintiffs’ attorney and antitrust veteran who helped shape the settlement. “If anything, having the schools handling all the payments is only going to improve the system.” The NCAA has started collecting data about NIL payments, which date to July 2021. Its first set of numbers, which includes data from more than 140 schools across more than 40 sports in 2024, show a bracing disconnect between have and have-nots. For instance, average earnings for football and men’s and women’s basketball players is nearly $38,000. But the median earning — the middle number among all the data points on the list — is only $1,328, a sign of how much the biggest contracts skew the average. The statistics also show a vast difference in earnings between men and women, an issue that could impact schools’ ability to comply with Title IX. That 1972 law requires schools to provide equal athletic scholarships and financial aid but not necessarily that they spend the same dollar amount on men and women. Heading into 2025, there is no clarity on how this issue will play out. Regardless, the numbers are jarring. The NCAA data set shows the average earnings for women in 16 sports was $8,624, compared with $33,321 for men in 11 sports. Men,’s basketball players averaged $56,000 compared with $11,500 for women. The biggest losers from this move toward a professional model could be all the swimmers and wrestlers and field hockey players — the athletes in the so-called non-revenue sports whose programs also happen to serve as the backbone of the U.S. Olympic team. Only a tiny percentage of those athletes are getting rich, and now that universities have to use revenue to pay the most sought-after players in their athletic programs, there could be cuts to the smaller sports. Also, someone’s going to have backfill the revenue that will now go to the players. Well-heeled donors like Ellison are not around for every school, nor have private equity firms started sending money. The average fan will have to pony up, and the last six months have seen dozens if not hundreds of athletic directors begging alumni for money and warning them of changes ahead. Already there are schools placing surcharges on tickets or concessions . How will fans respond to a more transactional model of college sports? “I don’t know that fans have this really great love for the idea of 100% pure amateurism,” said Nels Popp, a University of North Carolina sports business professor. “I think what they care about is the colors and the logos and the brand. I don’t know that it matters to them if the players are making a little bit of money or a lot of money. They’ve been making money for the last couple years, and I don’t know that that’s making fans really back off.” The last time amateurism came under such assault was in the 1980s, when the Olympics unwound the final remnants of pretending the vast majority of their athletes were anything other than full-time professionals. The transformation was tinged with a note of honesty: The people putting on the show should reap some benefits from it. Even 40 years later, there’s an good argument they remain underpaid. The contours of the same debate are shaping up in college sports. Athletes are pushing for a players’ association that would add more transparency to a business that, even with the changes coming, is still largely dictated by the schools. The NCAA, while acceding to the need to pay the players, wants nothing to do with turning them into actual employees of the schools they play for. It’s an expensive prospect that is winding its way through the legal system via lawsuits and labor hearings that many in college sports are desperate to avoid for fear it will push the entire industry off the financial cliff. Among the few things everyone agrees on is that things aren’t going back to a time when athletes pretended to play for pride while the money moved under tables and through shadows. And that this, in fact, could only be the start, not the end, of the transformation of college sports. “At some point, I think people might have to understand that maybe college athletes don’t go to college anymore,” Popp said. “Or maybe they don’t go to class during the season. There could be more radical changes, and as long as they’re wearing the right logo and the right colors, I’m not sure that fans really care.” Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballWho is Cooper Koch’s partner, Stuart McClave? The filmmaker is known for his documentary on Richard Williams, Serena and Venus’ father – but is he secretly married to the star of Netflix’s Monsters?
Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen still gets asked about the Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma on the first day of 2007. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen still gets asked about the Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma on the first day of 2007. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Former Boise State coach Chris Petersen still gets asked about the Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma on the first day of 2007. That game had everything. Underdog Boise State took a 28-10 lead over one of college football’s blue bloods that was followed by a 25-point Sooners run capped by what could have been a back-breaking interception return for a touchdown with 1:02 left. Then the Broncos used three trick plays that remain sensations to not only force overtime but win 43-42. And then there was the marriage proposal by Boise State running back Ian Johnson — shortly after scoring the winning two-point play — to cheerleader Chrissy Popadics that was accepted on national TV. That game put Broncos football on the national map for most fans, but looking back 18 years later, Petersen sees it differently. “Everybody wants to talk about that Oklahoma Fiesta Bowl game, which is great how it all worked out and all those things,” Petersen said. “But we go back to play TCU (three years later) again on the big stage. It’s not as flashy a game, but to me, that was an even better win.” Going back to the Fiesta Bowl and winning, Petersen reasoned, showed the Broncos weren’t a splash soon to fade away, that there was something longer lasting and more substantive happening on the famed blue turf. The winning has continued with few interruptions. No. 8 and third-seeded Boise State is preparing for another trip to the Fiesta Bowl, this time in a playoff quarterfinal against No. 5 and sixth-seeded Penn State on New Year’s Eve. That success has continued through a series of coaches, though with a lot more of a common thread than readily apparent. Dirk Koetter was hired from Oregon, where Petersen was the wide receivers coach. Not only did Koetter bring Petersen with him to Oregon, Petersen introduced him to Dan Hawkins, who also was hired for the staff. So the transition from Koetter to Hawkins to Petersen ensured at least some level of consistency. Koetter and Hawkins engineered double-digit victory seasons five times over a six-year span that led to power-conference jobs. Koetter went to Arizona State after three seasons and Hawkins to Colorado after five. Then when Petersen became the coach after the 2005 season, he led Boise State to double-digit wins his first seven seasons and made bowls all eight years. He resisted the temptation to leave for a power-conference program until Washington lured him away toward the end of the 2013 season. Then former Boise State quarterback and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin took over and posted five double-digit victory seasons over his first six years. After going 5-2 during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, he left for Auburn. “They just needed consistency of leadership,” said Koetter, who is back as Boise State’s offensive coordinator. “This program had always won at the junior-college level, the Division II level, the I-AA (now FCS) level.” But Koetter referred to “an unfortunate chain of events” that made Boise State a reclamation project when he took over in 1998. Coach Pokey Allen led Boise State to the Division I-AA national championship game in 1994, but was diagnosed with cancer two days later. He died on Dec. 30, 1996, at 53. Allen coached the final two games that season, Boise State’s first in Division I-A (now FBS). Houston Nutt became the coach in 1997, went 4-7 and headed to Arkansas. Then Koetter took over. “One coach dies and the other wasn’t the right fit for this program,” Koetter said. “Was a really good coach, did a lot of good things, but just wasn’t a good fit for here.” But because of Boise State’s success at the lower levels, Koetter said the program was set up for success. “As Boise State has risen up the conference food chain, they’ve pretty much always been at the top from a player talent standpoint,” Koetter said. “So it was fairly clear if we got things headed in the right direction and did a good job recruiting, we would be able to win within our conference for sure.” Success didn’t take long. He went 6-5 in 1998 and then won 10 games each of the following two seasons. Hawkins built on that winning and Petersen took it to another level. But there is one season, really one game, no really one half that still bugs Petersen. He thought his best team was in 2010, one that entered that late-November game at Nevada ranked No. 3 and had a legitimate chance to play for the national championship. The Colin Kaepernick-led Wolf Pack won 34-31. “I think the best team that I might’ve been a part of as the head coach was the team that lost one game to Nevada,” Petersen said. “That team, to me, played one poor half of football on offense the entire season. We were winning by a bunch at half (24-7) and we came out and did nothing on offense in the second half and still had a chance to win. “That team would’ve done some damage.” There aren’t any what-ifs with this season’s Boise State team. The Broncos are in the field of the first 12-team playoff, representing the Group of Five as its highest-ranked conference champion. That got Boise State a bye into the quarterfinals. Spencer Danielson has restored the championship-level play after taking over as the interim coach late last season during a rare downturn that led to Andy Avalos’ dismissal. Danielson received the job full time after leading Boise State to the Mountain West championship. Now the Broncos are 12-1 with their only defeat to top-ranked and No. 1 seed Oregon on a last-second field goal. Running back Ashton Jeanty also was the runner-up to the Heisman Trophy. “Boise State has been built on the backs of years and years of success way before I got here,” Danielson said. “So even this season is not because of me. It’s because the group of young men wanted to leave a legacy, be different. We haven’t been to the Fiesta Bowl in a decade. They said in January, ‘We’re going to get that done.’ They went to work.” As was the case with Danielson, Petersen and Koetter said attracting top talent is the primary reason Boise State has succeeded all these years. Winning, obviously, is the driving force, and with more entry points to the playoffs, the Broncos could make opportunities to keep returning to the postseason a selling point. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. But there’s also something about the blue carpet. Petersen said he didn’t get what it was about when he arrived as an assistant coach, and there was some talk about replacing it with more conventional green grass. A poll in the Idaho Statesman was completely against that idea, and Petersen has come to appreciate what that field means to the program. “It’s a cumulative period of time where young kids see big-time games when they’re in seventh and eighth and ninth and 10th grade and go, ‘Oh, I know that blue turf. I want to go there,’” Petersen said. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Advertisement AdvertisementWhat is the best mattress for cold sleepers?
FIUGGI, Italy (AP) — Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations expressed cautious optimism Monday about possible progress on a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The top diplomats met for the final time before a new U.S. administration takes office with wars raging in the Mideast and Ukraine. “Knock on wood,” Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said as he opened the Group of Seven meeting outside Rome. “We are perhaps close to a ceasefire in Lebanon," he said. "Let's hope it's true and that there's no backing down at the last-minute.” A ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon was foremost on the agenda of the G7 meeting in Fiuggi, outside Rome, that gathered ministers from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, in the last G7 encounter of the Biden administration. For the first time, the G7 ministers were joined by their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the so-called “Arab Quintet,” as well as the Secretary General of the Arab League. “Everyone favors a ceasefire in both scenarios,” Tajani told reporters, adding that Italy had offered to take on an even greater peacekeeping role in Lebanon to oversee any ceasefire deal. As the ministers arrived in Italy, Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Mike Herzog, told Israeli Army Radio on Monday a ceasefire deal to end fighting between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah could be reached “within days.” Several Arab ministers reiterated calls for a ceasefire in both Lebanon and Gaza during a G7-affiliated conference in Rome. “We need a ceasefire, a permanent ceasefire. That will stop the killings and stop the destruction and restore a sense of normalcy to life,” Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi told the conference. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, for his part, reaffirmed that Cairo would host a minister-level conference next Monday on mobilizing international aid for Gaza. The so-called “Quintet” has been working with the U.S. to finalize a “day after” plan for Gaza. There is some urgency to make progress before the Trump administration takes over in January. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to pursue a policy that strongly favors Israel over the aspirations of the Palestinians. Tajani added another item to the G7 agenda last week after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas’ military chief. Italy is a founding member of the court and hosted the 1998 Rome conference that gave birth to it. But Italy’s right-wing government has been a strong supporter of Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, while also providing humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza. The Italian government has taken a cautious line, reaffirming its support and respect for the court but expressing concern that the warrants were politically motivated. The United States, Israel's closest ally, has called the warrants “outrageous.” Tajani acknowledged consensus hadn't been reached among the G7 members but hoped for agreement to have a unified position. He noted that all sides need Netanyahu to make any deal. “We can also not agree with how his government has led the reaction after the massacre of Oct. 7, but now we have to deal with Netanyahu to arrive at peace in Lebanon, peace in Palestine,” Tajani said. Nathalie Tocci, director of the Rome-based Institute for International Affairs think tank, warned that inserting the ICC warrant into the G7 agenda was risky, since the U.S. is the lone member that is not a signatory to the court and yet tends to dictate the G7 line. “If Italy and the other (five G7) signatories of the ICC are unable to maintain the line on international law, they will not only erode it anyway but will be acting against our interests,” Tocci wrote in La Stampa daily this weekend, recalling Italy’s recourse to international law in demanding protection for Italian U.N. peacekeepers who have come under fire in southern Lebanon. The other major talking point of the G7 meeting is Ukraine , and tensions have only heightened since Russia attacked Ukraine last week with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Russian President Vladimir Putin said the strike was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. The G7 has been at the forefront of providing military and economic support for Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 and G7 members are particularly concerned about how a Trump administration will change the U.S. approach. Trump has criticized the billions of dollars that the Biden administration has poured into Ukraine and has said he could end the war in 24 hours, comments that appear to suggest he would press Ukraine to surrender territory that Russia now occupies. “It’s hugely important that this G7, that all colleagues across the G7 continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it lasts,” British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said as he arrived. He announced new sanctions on vessels of Russia's “shadow fleet” of ships that are evading sanctions to export Russian oil. “And we are confident that Ukraine can have the funds and the military equipment and kit to get through 2025,” Lammy said. The G7 foreign ministers’ meeting, the second of the Italian presidency after ministers gathered in Capri in April , is being held in the medieval town of Fiuggi southeast of Rome, best known for its thermal spas. On Monday, which coincides with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, ministers were attending the inauguration of a red bench meant to symbolize Italy’s focus on fighting gender-based violence. Over the weekend, tens of thousands of people marched in Rome to protest gender-based violence , which in Italy so far this year has claimed the lives of 99 women, according to a report last week by the Eures think tank.Elon Musk's AI company, xAI, raised another $6 billion in funding, TechCrunch reported via the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission . The filing reports that each investor, of nearly 100, had to give a minimum of $77,593. The investors were not named in the filing, but X wrote in a press release that key investors included "A16Z, Blackrock, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Kingdom Holdings, Lightspeed, MGX, Morgan Stanley, OIA, QIA, Sequoia Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Vy Capital, amongst others." "xAI’s most powerful model yet, Grok 3, is currently training and we are now focused on launching innovative new consumer and enterprise products that will leverage the power of Grok, Colossus, and X to transform the way we live, work, and play," the press release stated . "The funds from this financing round will be used to further accelerate our advanced infrastructure, ship groundbreaking products that will be used by billions of people, and accelerate the research and development of future technologies enabling the company’s mission to understand the true nature of the universe." Tech Crunch reported that this doubles xAI's total raised funds and brings it to $12 billion. According to CNBC , xAI was aiming for a $50 billion valuation in November. Forbes reported on Monday that the valuation has reached over $40 billion since the $6 billion funding bump.Democrats plan to elect new party leader just days after Trump's inaugurationJinnah and Iqbal: Bridging Islamic principles with progressive statecraft Jinnah adhered to Islamic principles to guide creation of welfare state, blending idealism with practicality Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah said on November 8, 1945, “Personally, I believe that in modern times, essential key industries ought to be controlled and managed by the state.” Jinnah envisioned a welfare state founded on Islamic principles, which emphasise social justice and equality. In Muslim Modernism: The Case for Naya Pakistan,«Nadeem Farooq Paracha argues that the progressive and modern elements of Islam, combined with political philosophy, resonate with modern skills and techniques. Muhammad Ali Jinnah adhered to Islamic principles to guide the creation of a welfare state, blending idealism with practicality. A welfare state undertakes all essential responsibilities for its citizens, ensuring that all are treated equally. Addressing the All-India Muslim League (AIML) Planning Committee in Delhi on November 5, 1944, he said, “It is not our purpose to make the rich richer and to accelerate the process of the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few individuals. Our ideal should not be capitalistic but Islamic.” Jinnah speaks of the Islamic ideals, which mean basic social protections which Islam provides to its citizens. Mustafa Abdullah Kuyateha argues in “Islam and Social Welfarism: The Role of Islamic Social Interventions,” “The ‘theory of infaq’ emphasises spending one’s wealth and resources in the course of Allah.” This epitomises the Islam that Jinnah spoke about when he said that the Pakistan movement is not directed at making the rich richer but at fostering equality, with accumulation strictly banned. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah bridged idealism and practicality to achieve the goal of a welfare state. Recorded on February 26, 1948, in his speech to the people of America, Jinnah pointed out some basic social principles of Islam that would form the foundation of Pakistan. First, he believed that democracy is the basis of the Islamic political system. Social justice is the cornerstone of the Islamic welfare state, along with justice and fair play for everybody. Jinnah said, “In any case, Pakistan is not going to be a theocratic state to be ruled by priests with a divine mission. We have many non-Muslims, Hindus, Christians, and Parsees, but they all are Pakistanis.” Jinnah stressed and focused on the practicality of Islam’s ideal principles. Even in the same speech, Jinnah said that the tenets of Islam, though 1300 years old, are still applicable. Muhammad Ali Jinnah believed that Pakistan would be a Muslim state guided by Islamic principles. Jinnah’s approach in this regard is ideal. However, when one studies Allama Iqbal’s explanation of a Muslim state, it becomes clear that Jinnah’s understanding of political Islam was closely aligned with the concept of a modernist or progressive state. This is because Allama Iqbal considered Ijtihad the essence of movement and reform. In Arshia Javed’s The Need of Ijtihad for Sustainable Development in Islam, it is stated, “Ijtihad is the key to providing an Islamic interpretation of modern developments and circumstances.” Allama Iqbal believed that without Ijtihad, the Muslim political system would stagnate and fail to meet modern challenges. In his book The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, Allama Iqbal emphasises the significance of Ijtihad in Islam. Muhammad Ali Jinnah echoed similar thought in his vision of political Islam for Pakistan. Allah says in the Holy Quran: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Quran 13:11). Allama Iqbal further elaborated, “The teaching of the Quran that life is a process of progressive creation necessitates that each generation, guided but unhampered by the work of its predecessors, should be permitted to solve its problems.” Pakistan is not merely a country but a vision or program that Jinnah aimed to direct toward a state that would revive the genuine principles of Islam. It is now upto new generations of politicians to turn his vision into reality.
Inside the new club and bar replacing Bristol's Pryzm nightclub