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PHOENIX — The culture wars are back at the state Capitol. But this time, Sen. John Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican, thinks the election results suggest public sentiment is on his side on the issue of transgender rights, and that Democrats who opposed his proposals in the past are now paying attention. One law he proposes would prohibit school employees from referring to a student by a pronoun that does not match his or her biological sex. And by that, Kavanagh means the sex at the time of birth as determined by anatomy, he told Capitol Media Services Tuesday. Only if a parent gave consent would his Senate Bill 1002 allow a teacher to use a different pronoun. More far reaching is his SB 1003, which would prohibit the use of restrooms, locker rooms and any sleeping quarters designated for one sex by those of the "opposite" sex. Kavanagh did include language requiring schools to make "reasonable accommodations'' for those who refuse to use the facility that aligns with their "immutable biological sex.'' Accommodation can include a single-occupancy restroom or changing facility, or use by students of a facility normally reserved for employees. Kavanagh If these seem familiar, it's because Kavanagh pushed both through the Legislature in 2023 — with only Republican votes — only to have them vetoed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. But Kavanagh said this year is different, citing what he claims is a major shift in public attitudes reflected in this year's election, and not just on the national level. Democratic state Sen. Christine Marsh lost her race in her "swing'' district that spans Phoenix and Scottsdale to Republican Carine Warner. Kavanagh contends Marsh lost because of her arguments Arizona should allow transgender students to use showers in locker rooms. Marsh had said a shower curtain would be sufficient, which Warner highlighted in campaign materials. "I think some Democrats got the message that people think they are totally out of touch with society on all of these social, transgender issues,'' Kavanagh said. Overall, Republicans strengthened their hold at the Legislature, picking up one seat in the Senate and two in the House. That still leaves Hobbs with her veto stamp. But Kavanagh said even she is reading the tea leaves of the election. He pointed out the governor now says she is willing to work — at least in some form — with the incoming Trump administration on immigration and border security issues. But gubernatorial press aide Christian Slater said Kavanagh is engaged in wishful thinking on the issue of transgender rights. He cited Hobbs' veto messages on both 2023 bills, and said her thinking has not changed since then. Kavanagh said if he can't get the measures past the governor, the ultimate fallback is to take the issue directly to voters. He tried to do that earlier this year, only to be thwarted by state Sen. Ken Bennett, a Prescott Republican. Bennett voted in 2023 for both the "bathroom bill'' and the pronoun bill. But he balked at sending both to voters, pointing out that anything approved at the ballot is constitutionally protected, meaning lawmakers cannot fix any problems that develop. He had other concerns. "I can probably identify three or four of my nephews and nieces that would fall under some of these situations,'' Bennett said. "And I have to always think of them on behalf of everyone who's in one of these situations: How would I want a state law to affect them at such tender ages?'' Plus , he said, he didn't want to combine both issues into a single take-it-or-leave-it ballot measure. Kavanagh said he thinks that vote to kill his ballot proposal is the reason Bennett's constituents voted not to return him to office. Bennett acknowledged Tuesday that campaign mailers sent out by Mark Finchem, his foe in the 2024 primary election, included charges that Bennett supported "transgender ideology.'' But he said that's just a piece of the puzzle. "The people in my party who didn't want me to be a senator any more, there were other excuses they could have come up with to do what they did,'' Bennett said. He said they recruited Finchem, who previously was a state representative from Oro Valley, to move to Prescott to run against him. They also helped Finchem raise more than $400,000 for a legislative race, more than three times what Bennett collected, he said. Finchem also had something else: Donald Trump's endorsement. With Bennett gone and a slightly larger GOP majority in the Legislature, Kavanagh figures he's got the votes for a 2026 ballot measure. Still, Kavanagh admitted there's a political motive behind his new legislative proposals. "I think the public has a right to know if the Democrats, especially swing district Democrats, have seen the light, or if they're still far left on these social issues,'' he said. "But I still wouldn't rule out the governor signing this.'' Slater said Hobbs made herself clear with her vetoes. In rejecting the pronoun bill, she called it "harmful legislation directed at transgender youth.'' "Instead of coming up with new ways to target and isolate our children, we should be working together to create an Arizona where everyone has the freedom to be who they are without fear of harassment or judgment,'' Hobbs said in a 2023 post on social media. And in vetoing the bill on bathroom use, the governor said "I will not sign legislation that attacks Arizonans.'' The issue of bathroom use is not just an Arizona question. Schools aside, it also made headlines when U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced after last month's election he is banning transgender women from using female bathrooms on Capitol Hill. That followed the election of Democrat Sarah McBride of Delaware, the first openly transgender member of Congress. Kavanagh also contends that polls on transgender issues — which also include the separate hot-button question of transgender girls participating in girls' sports — show the public is supportive of his position. But the question of public attitudes is a bit murkier than he says. There are no recent Arizona surveys. A 2022 poll by the Pew Research Center said 64% of those questioned supported protecting transgender people from discrimination in jobs, housing and public spaces. But the same survey said 58% thought trans athletes should compete on teams that match the gender of their birth, versus 17% opposed. And by a 41% to 31% margin, the poll said people should use public bathrooms that match their assigned gender. As to the issue of pronouns, a 2023 poll by the McCourtney Institute of Democracy found that 39% questioned said teachers should be encouraged to use a student's preferred pronoun, while 38% said that should be discouraged, and the balance said it should be left up to teachers. Get your morning recap of today's local news and read the full stories here: tucne.ws/morning Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, Bluesky , and Threads at @azcapmedia or email azcapmedia@gmail.com . Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Guwahati: On the occasion of Asom Diwas , Indian Army ’s Spear Corps celebrated Assam’s rich cultural heritage, history and contributions to India to instil a sense of pride and awareness among young minds. The event held on Dec 3 witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, who displayed keen interest and engagement throughout the programme. The function was held at Bhimbor Deori LP School at Jagun in Tinsukia district, which was attended by 100 students and eight teachers. According to an official statement, students participated in various activities. Through rhythm, movement and expression, they reflected the history, traditions and values of the society. An interactive session with the Indian Army was also organised during the event for the students. We also published the following articles recently Army celebrates Asom Diwas with students Indian Army's Spear Corps celebrated Asom Diwas at Bhimbor Deori LP School in Tinsukia district, highlighting Assam's cultural heritage and history. The event saw participation from 100 students and teachers who engaged in various activities. An interactive session with the army fostered curiosity and appreciation for India's military history among the students. Siu-Ka-Pha remembered on Asom Diwas Assam governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya emphasized Swagadeo Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha's impact on Assam's development on Asom Diwas. Highlighting advancements in technology and infrastructure, Acharya praised the state's heritage preservation efforts. Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma honored the Ahom dynasty founder's leadership and courage. Isro chairman interacts with students at science fest in Guwahati At the India International Science Festival in IIT-Guwahati, Isro chairperson S Somanath encouraged students to become future leaders in science and technology. Highlighting the importance of their involvement, he emphasized its role in making India a global powerhouse. The event, attended by over 20,000 students, featured interactions with prominent scientists and the signing of sustainability-focused technology transfer agreements.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court should overturn Mississippi's Jim Crow-era practice of removing voting rights from people convicted of certain felonies, including nonviolent crimes such as forgery and timber theft, attorneys say in new court papers. Most of the people affected are disenfranchised for life because the state provides few options for restoring ballot access. “Mississippi’s harsh and unforgiving felony disenfranchisement scheme is a national outlier,” attorneys representing some who lost voting rights said in an appeal filed Wednesday. They wrote that states "have consistently moved away from lifetime felony disenfranchisement over the past few decades.” This case is the second in recent years — and the third since the late 19th century — that asks the Supreme Court to overturn Mississippi's disenfranchisement for some felonies. The cases use different legal arguments, and the court rejected the most recent attempt in 2023. The new appeal asks justices to reverse a July ruling from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which said Mississippi legislators, not the courts, must decide whether to change the laws. Stripping away voting rights for some crimes is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment, the appeal argues. A majority of justices rejected arguments over cruel and unusual punishment in June when they cleared the way for cities to enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outside in public places. Attorneys who sued Mississippi over voting rights say the authors of the state's 1890 constitution based disenfranchisement on a list of crimes they thought Black people were more likely to commit. A majority of the appeals judges wrote that the Supreme Court in 1974 reaffirmed constitutional law allowing states to disenfranchise felons. About 38% of Mississippi residents are Black. Nearly 50,000 people were disenfranchised under the state's felony voting ban between 1994 and 2017. More than 29,000 of them have completed their sentences, and about 58% of that group are Black, according to an expert who analyzed data for plaintiffs challenging the voting ban. To regain voting rights in Mississippi, a person convicted of a disenfranchising crime must receive a governor’s pardon or win permission from two-thirds of the state House and Senate. In recent years, legislators have restored voting rights for only a few people. The other recent case that went to the Supreme Court argued that authors of Mississippi's constitution showed racist intent when they chose which felonies would cause people to lose the right to vote. In that ruling, justices declined to reconsider a 2022 appeals court decision that said Mississippi remedied the discriminatory intent of the original provisions in the state constitution by later altering the list of disenfranchising crimes. In 1950, Mississippi dropped burglary from the list. Murder and rape were added in 1968. The Mississippi attorney general issued an opinion in 2009 that expanded the list to 22 crimes, including timber larceny, carjacking, felony-level shoplifting and felony-level writing bad checks. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote in a 2023 dissent that Mississippi's list of disenfranchising crimes was “adopted for an illicit discriminatory purpose." Emily Wagster Pettus, The Associated PressHuefner 1-6 2-2 5, Sakho 1-3 1-3 3, Boykin 4-13 3-4 11, Finister 4-7 1-2 10, Wilkerson 9-23 3-3 22, Hammons 0-1 0-0 0, Scroggins 4-5 0-0 8, Burns 1-3 0-0 2, Ford 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 25-64 10-14 63. Huntley 2-9 1-2 6, Beaubrun 2-3 3-4 7, Conners 4-9 9-10 19, Tate 6-14 2-4 17, Threadgill 4-11 2-2 11, Wilson 0-0 0-0 0, Muttilib 2-5 0-0 4, Dodd 0-1 0-0 0, Marcus 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 21-53 17-22 66. Halftime_Sam Houston St. 33-30. 3-Point Goals_Sam Houston St. 3-14 (Finister 1-1, Huefner 1-3, Wilkerson 1-8, Boykin 0-1, Hammons 0-1), Appalachian St. 7-24 (Tate 3-6, Conners 2-5, Threadgill 1-3, Huntley 1-5, Beaubrun 0-1, Dodd 0-1, Muttilib 0-3). Rebounds_Sam Houston St. 35 (Finister 7), Appalachian St. 33 (Beaubrun 9). Assists_Sam Houston St. 9 (Boykin 5), Appalachian St. 11 (Tate 4). Total Fouls_Sam Houston St. 20, Appalachian St. 15. A_2,519 (6,100).

Valero clocks seven straight sessions of lossesWASHINGTON — American Airlines briefly grounded flights nationwide Tuesday because of a technical problem just as the Christmas travel season kicked into overdrive and winter weather threatened more potential problems for those planning to fly or drive. Government regulators cleared American flights to get airborne about an hour after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered a national ground stop for the airline. The order, which prevented planes from taking off, was issued at the airline's request. The airline said in an email that the problem was caused by trouble with vendor technology that maintains its flight operating system. An American Airlines employee wearing looks toward quiet check-in counters Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Dennis Tajer, a spokesperson for the Allied Pilots Association, a union representing American Airlines pilots, said the airline told pilots at 7 a.m. Eastern that there was an outage affecting the system known as FOS. It handles different types of airline operations, including dispatch, flight planning, passenger boarding, as well as an airplane's weight and balance data, he said. Some components of FOS have gone down in the past, but a systemwide outage is rare, Tajer said. Flights were delayed across American's major hubs, with only 37% leaving on time, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics company. Out of the 3,901 domestic and international American Airlines flights scheduled for Tuesday, 19 were canceled. Cirium noted that the vast majority of flights departed within two hours of their scheduled departure time. A similar percentage — 36% — arrived at their destinations as scheduled. Meanwhile, the flight-tracking site FlightAware reported that 3,712 flights entering or leaving the U.S., or serving domestic destinations, were delayed Tuesday, with 55 flights canceled. It did not show any flights from American Airlines. Cirium said Dallas-Fort Worth, New York's Kennedy Airport and Charlotte, North Carolina, saw the greatest number of delays. Washington, Chicago and Miami experienced considerably fewer delays. Travelers wait in line for security checks Tuesday at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles. Amid the travel problems, significant rain and snow were expected in the Pacific Northwest at least into Christmas Day. Showers and thunderstorms developed in the South. Freezing rain was reported in the Mid-Atlantic region near Baltimore and Washington, and snow fell in New York. Because the holiday travel period lasts weeks, airports and airlines typically have smaller peak days than they do during the rush around Thanksgiving, but the grind of one hectic day followed by another takes a toll on flight crews. Any hiccups — a winter storm or a computer outage — can snowball into massive disruptions. That is how Southwest Airlines stranded 2 million travelers in December 2022, and Delta Air Lines suffered a smaller but significant meltdown after a worldwide technology outage in July caused by a faulty software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations even more disruptive than during slower periods. That is especially true for smaller budget airlines that have fewer flights and fewer options for rebooking passengers. Only the largest airlines, including American, Delta and United, have "interline agreements" that let them put stranded customers on another carrier's flights. An American Airlines employee wearing a Santa Claus hat walks through the American terminal Tuesday at Miami International Airport in Miami. This will be the first holiday season since a Transportation Department rule took effect that requires airlines to give customers an automatic cash refund for a canceled or significantly delayed flight. Most air travelers were already eligible for refunds, but they often had to request them. Passengers still can ask to get rebooked, which is often a better option than a refund during peak travel periods. Finding a last-minute flight on another airline tends to be expensive. An American spokesperson said Tuesday was not a peak travel day for the airline — with about 2,000 fewer flights than the busiest days — so the airline had somewhat of a buffer to manage the delays. The groundings happened as millions of travelers were expected to fly over the next 10 days. The Transportation Security Administration expects to screen 40 million passengers through Jan. 2. Airlines expect to have their busiest days on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. American Airlines employees check in travelers Tuesday in the American terminal at Miami International Airport in Miami. Many flights during the holidays are sold out, which makes cancellations more disruptive than during slower periods. Even with just a brief outage, the cancellations have a cascading effect that can take days to clear up. About 90% of Americans traveling far from home over the holidays will be in cars, according to AAA. "Airline travel is just really high right now, but most people do drive to their destinations, and that is true for every holiday," AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz said. Gasoline prices are similar to last year. The nationwide average Thursday was $3.04 a gallon, down from $3.13 a year ago, according to AAA. Charging an electric vehicle averages just under 35 cents per per kilowatt hour, but varies by state. Transportation-data firm INRIX says travel times on the nation's highways could be up to 30% longer than normal over the holidays, with Sunday expected to see the heaviest traffic. "It's not the destination, it's the journey," said American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson. Ralph clearly was not among the travellers on one of more than 350 cancelled or 1,400 delayed flights after a worldwide tech outage caused by an update to Crowdstrike's "Falcon Sensor" software in July of 2023. U.S. airlines carried nearly 863 million travellers in 2023, with Canadian carriers accounting for another 150 million, many of whom experienced lost luggage, flight delays, cancellations, or were bumped off their flights. It's unclear how many of them were compensated for these inconveniences. Suffice it to say, posting a crabby rant on social media might temporarily soothe anger, but it won't put wasted money back in pockets. Money.ca shares what to know in order to be compensated for the three most common air travel headaches. Bags elected to go on a vacay without you? Check off the following: If you expect a large payout, think again. Tariffs (air carrier contracts) limit the compensation amounts for "loss of, damage to, or the delay in delivery of baggage or other personal property." In the case of Air Canada, the maximum payout is $1,500 per passenger in the currency of the country where the baggage was processed. To raise that limit, purchase a Declaration of Higher Value for each leg of the trip. The charge is $0.50 for each $100, in which case the payout limit is $2,500. For Delta Air Lines, passengers are entitled to up to $3,800 in baggage compensation, though how much you'll receive depends on your flight. Delta will pay up to $2,080 for delayed, lost, and damaged baggage for international travellers, almost half of what U.S. domestic passengers can claim. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. Different air carriers and jurisdictions have their own compensation policies when flights are delayed or cancelled. For example, under European Union rules, passengers may receive up to 600 Euros, even when travelling on a non-EU carrier. Similarly, the DOT states that travellers are entitled to a refund "if the airline cancelled a flight, regardless of the reason, and the consumer chooses not to travel." However, US rules regarding delays are complicated. Some air carriers, such as Air Canada, do not guarantee their flight schedules. They're also not liable for cancellations or changes due to "force majeure" such as weather conditions or labour disruptions. If the delay is overnight, only out-of-town passengers will be offered hotel accommodation. Nevertheless, many airlines do offer some compensation for the inconvenience. If your flight is marked delayed for more than 30 minutes, approach the gate agent and politely request food and hotel vouchers to be used within the airport or nearby. In terms of cash compensation, what you'll get can differ significantly based on things like departure location, time, carrier, and ticket class. The DOT offers a helpful delay and cancellations dashboard designed to keep travellers informed about their compensation rights. The dashboard is particularly helpful because, as the DOT states on its website, "whether you are entitled to a refund depends on a lot of factors—such as the length of the delay, the length of the flight, and your particular circumstances." The Canadian Transportation Agency is proposing air passenger protection regulations that guarantee financial compensation to travellers experiencing flight delays and cancellations, with the level of compensation varying depending on the situation and how much control the air carrier had. The proposed regulations include the following: The airline is obligated to complete the passenger's itinerary. If the new ticket is for a lower class of service, the air carrier would have to refund the cost difference; if the booking is in a higher class of service, passengers cannot be charged extra. If the passenger declines the ticket, the airline must give a full refund, in addition to the prescribed compensation. For overnight delays, the air carrier needs to provide hotel accommodation and transportation free-of-charge. Again, if you are unsatisfied, the Canadian Transportation Agency or Department of Transportation may advocate on your behalf. Passengers get bumped because airlines overbook. When this happens, the air carrier must compensate you. For international flights in the US, the rate is 200% of your one-way fare to your final destination, with a $675 maximum. If the airline does not make travel arrangements for you, the payout is 400% of your one-way fare to a maximum of $1,350. To qualify, you must check-in by the stated deadline, which on international flights can be up to 3 hours ahead. Keep in mind that if you accept the cash, you are no longer entitled to any further compensation, nor are you guaranteed to be rebooked on a direct flight or similar type of seat. Don't be too quick to give up your boarding pass. Negotiate for the best compensation deal that would include cash, food and hotel vouchers, flight upgrade, lounge passes, as well as mileage points. But avoid being too greedy—if the gate attendant is requesting volunteers and you wait too long, you'll miss the offer. According to Air Canada's tariff, if a passenger is involuntarily bumped, they'll receive $200, in cash or bank draft, for up to a two-hour delay; $400 for a 2-6 hours delay; and $800 if the delay is over six hours. (Air Canada was forced to raise its payouts in 2013 due to passenger complaints.) The new rules would raise the payout significantly: $900 for up to six hours; $1,800 for 6-9; and $2,400 for more than nine hours, all to be paid within 48 hours. Statistically speaking, Delta Airlines is the carrier most likely to bump. A few years ago, Delta raised its payout maximum to $9,950, while United Airlines tops out at $10,000. This story was produced by Money.ca and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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MAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country's highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections killed at least 21 people, including two police officers, authorities said Tuesday. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court's announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. “From the preliminary survey, in the last 24 hours, 236 acts of violence were recorded throughout the national territory that resulted in 21 deaths, of which two members of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique also died," Ronda said. He said 13 civilians and 12 police were injured. Ronda said 25 vehicles were set on fire, including two police vehicles. He added that 11 police subunits and a penitentiary were attacked and vandalized and 86 inmates were freed. Tensions were high in the country ahead of the The Constitutional Council ruling on Monday and violent protests started immediately after the announcement was made. Footage circulating on various social media platforms showed protesters burning and looting shops in the capital Maputo and the city of Beira, where some city officials were reported to have fled the city. Mondlane has called for a “shutdown” starting Friday but violence in the country has already escalated and the situation remained tense in the capital on Tuesday night following a day of violence and looting by protesters. The country of 34 million people has been on edge since the Oct. 9 general elections . Mondlane’s supporters, mostly hundreds of thousands of young people, have since taken to the streets, and have been met by gunfire from security forces. This brings to more than 150 the number of people who have died from post-election violence since the initial results were announced by the country's electoral body.None

High school recruiting isn't the only way to build a winner in the transfer portal eraMORGAN ROGERS was robbed of the last-gasp goal which would have ended Aston Villa’s six-match winless run. But instead, the new England international was denied by ref Jesus Gil Manzano who ruled that Diego Carlos had fouled Juventus keeper Michele Di Gregorio. Rogers netted with virtually the last kick of the match after the Juve gloveman had spilled a Youri Tielemans free-kick. But Spanish referee Manzano, who had enraged Villa Park for much of the night, ended up in danger of sparking a riot. So even matches have now passed since Villa last won a game of football but there is not remotely any sense of the Holte End losing faith in Unai Emery. It is Emery who propelled Villa onto European football’s grandest stage and Emery who will surely still lead them into the Champions League knock-out stage. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL It took a miraculous save from Emi Martinez - newly-crowned as the world’s best goalkeeper for a second successive year - to secure a draw against Juventus. The feline gymnastics of the big Argentinian somehow kept out a second-half header from Francisco Conceicao by the slimmest of margins. And while Lucas Digne had hit the crossbar for Villa with a first-half free-kick, Emery’s side were left grateful for a point as they entertained Italian royalty on a bitter Birmingham night. There is little doubt that Villa will qualify for the knock-outs on their first adventure in Europe’s elite competition for 42 years - it is just a matter of whether they reach the last-16 directly, or whether will need to contest a play-off round. Most read in Champions League FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS That is the problem with Uefa’s new monstrous group stage - there is precious little jeopardy for most clubs. But for Villa’s supporters, it is still a case of being damned happy just to be here. Villa only managed to halt a four-match losing run in Saturday’s 2-2 home draw with struggling Crystal Palace and the demands of fighting on two major fronts is almost invariably a problem. But despite a frustrating stalemate, Villa are still living the dream. Villa hadn’t won in six matches in all competitions since their last Champions League home clash, against Bologna. But these European nights at Villa Park have held a proper sense of occasion, assaults on the senses - fireworks, giant banners, songs of praise cranked up to full volume. - and Emery’s men have thrived on the theatre of it all. They have been handed home matches against three former champions of Europe - Bayern Munich, Juve and later Celtic. And while this is nothing like the star-spangled Juve side which won here in 1983, with Paolo Rossi, Michel Platini and Zbigniew Boniek - they are club which always carry an aura. Supporters of many clubs might moan about the bloated nature of the new Champions League format, with its skyscraper-tall league table - but not Villa’s. This was the sort of night when Jack Frost nips at brass monkeys although Emi Martinez warmed a few cockles by parading his Yashin Trophy after being voted the world’s No 1 keeper for a second straight year. Most of the early heat was aimed at ref Jesus Gil Manzano - who booked Yori Tielemans and Leon Bailey inside the first 12 minutes while failing to punish the visitors for similar fouls. Juve looked exactly what they are - a side unbeaten in Serie A, but who had contested four goalless draws already this season. The Italians were tight in their parking, neat in their passing and streetwise in their roiling around. Villa did have their moments though - Pau Torres glancing a header wide of the near post from a Boubacar Kamara corner then Watkins having a shoit beaten away by Michele Di Gregorio after a cute Kamara through-ball. From the resulting corner, Matty Cash had a thumping shot blocked but Juve broke rapidly and Timothy Weah - son of Ballon d’Or winner George - blazed over Martinez’s crossbar. Torres was booked for a late one on Weah but the biggest roar of the first half arrived when Manzano finally cautioned a Juve player - Pierre Kalulu for fouling Watkins on the edge of the area. Lucas Digne curled the free-kick against the crossbar but after the break, Juve began to take a grip on proceedings. The away supporters were howling for a penalty after Torres handled in the box but Manzano and his VAR were unimpressed. Soon, a Teun Koppmeiners corner found its way to the back post where Conceicao’s downward looked certain to have broken the deadlock - until you remembered the identity of Villa’s goalkeeper. Martinez bent his body backwards at an improbable angle and, with a big right hand, scooped the ball to safety. Goal-line technology footage showed that the Argentinian had completed his task with millimetres to spare Conceicao header at far post Martinez bent his body and scooped off line Koppmeiners, sparking another chorus of ‘Emi Martinez, the world’s number one’. Heartened by their escape, Villa got on the front foot and Bailey cut-back for John McGinn, whose shot was scrambled off the line. With 13 minutes remaining, Emery sent for Jhon Duran - the sub who can’t spell his own first name but cannot stop scoring from the bench. READ MORE SUN STORIES Not this time, though. After Rogers was denied late on, Villa head to Chelsea on Sunday with a tough task on their hands not to extend that winless run to eight.

Texas A&M signed the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class three years ago believing it had built a potential national title contender. Plenty of players from that heralded 2022 class could indeed be participating in the first 12-team College Football Playoff this month. They just won’t be doing it for the Aggies, who no longer have nearly half their 2022 signees. The list of 2022 recruits now with playoff contenders elsewhere includes Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen, Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart, Alabama defensive lineman LT Overton, SMU offensive tackle PJ Williams and injured Boise State receiver Chris Marshall. Texas A&M has done all right without them, going 8-4 as transfers filled about half the starting roles. Texas A&M represents perhaps the clearest example of how recruiting and roster construction have changed in the era of loosened transfer restrictions. Coaches must assemble high school classes without always knowing which of their own players are transferring and what players from other schools could be available through the portal. People are also reading... “It used to be you lost 20 seniors, you signed 20 incoming freshmen,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “You just had your numbers right. Now you might lose 20 seniors, but you might lose 20 underclassmen. You just don’t know.” Is high school recruiting losing value? Coaches emphasize that high school recruiting remains critical, but recent results suggest it isn’t as vital as before. The last two College Football Playoff runners-up – TCU in 2022 and Washington in 2023 – didn’t sign a single top-15 class in any of the four years leading up their postseason runs, according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports. This year’s contenders have shown there’s more than one way to build a championship-caliber roster. About half of No. 1 Oregon’s usual starters began their college careers elsewhere. No. 5 Georgia, which annually signs one of the nation’s top high school classes, has only a few transfers making major contributions. Colorado’s rise under Deion Sanders exemplifies how a team can win without elite high school recruiting. None of Colorado’s last four classes have ranked higher than 30th in the 247Sports Composite. Three ranked 47th or lower. “If anybody ever did the homework and the statistics of these young men – people have a class that they say is the No. 1 class in the nation – then five of those guys play, or four of those guys play, then the rest go through the spring and then they jump in the portal,” Sanders said. “Don’t give me the number of where you rank (in recruiting standings), because it’s like an NFL team," he added. "You always say who won the draft, then the team gets killed all year (and) you don’t say nothing else about it. Who won the draft last year in the NFL? Nobody cares right now, right?” Wisconsin's Christian Alliegro tries to stop Oregon's Evan Stewart, right, during the first half of a Nov. 16 game in Madison, Wis. Morry Gash, Associated Press The busy transfer portal Star quarterback Shedeur Sanders followed his father from Jackson State to Colorado in 2023, and Heisman Trophy front-runner Travis Hunter accompanied them. According to Colorado, this year’s Buffaloes team has 50 transfer newcomers, trailing only North Texas’ 54 among Bowl Subdivision programs. Relying on transfers comes with caveats. Consider Florida State's rise and fall. Florida State posted an unbeaten regular-season record last year with transfers playing leading roles. When those transfers departed and Florida State's portal additions this year didn't work out, the Seminoles went 2-10. “There has to be some type of balance between the transfer portal and high school recruiting,” said Andrew Ivins, the director of scouting for 247Sports. “I compare it to the NFL. The players from the transfer portal are your free agents and high school recruiting is your NFL draft picks.” A look at the composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports for the 2020-22 classes shows at least 40 of the top 100 prospects each of those years ended up leaving their original school. Coaches must decide which positions they’re better off building with high school prospects and which spots might be easier to fill through the portal. “The ones that have a ton of learning to do - tight end, quarterback, interior offensive line, inside linebacker, safety, where they are the communicators - they are the guys that are processing a lot of information,” Florida’s Billy Napier said. “Those are the ones in a perfect world you have around for a while. “It’s easier to play defensive line, edge, corner, receiver, running back, tackle, specialists. Those are a little bit more plug-and-play I’d say, in my opinion," Napier said. "Either way, it’s not necessarily about that. It’s just about we need a certain number at each spot, and we do the best we can to fill those roles.” Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, right, congratulates place kicker Cristiano Palazzo after he kicked an extra point during the second half of Friday's game against Oklahoma Stat in Boulder, Colo. David Zalubowski, Associated Press Transfer portal ripple effects Power Four programs aren’t the only ones facing a balancing act between recruiting high schools and mining the transfer portal. Group of Five schools encounter similar challenges. “We’re recruiting every position and bringing in a high school class,” Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said. “That’s not going to be maybe 24 scholarship guys like it used to be. It might be more like 16. It’s not four d-linemen necessarily, right? It might be three. It might not be three receivers. It might be two. And it might not be five offensive linemen. It’s two to three.” The extra hurdle Group of Five schools face is the possibility their top performers might leave for a power-conference program with more lucrative name, image and likeness financial opportunities. They sometimes don’t know which players they’ll lose. “We know who they’re trying to steal,” Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin quipped. “We just don’t know who they’re going to steal.” The obstacles facing coaches are only getting steeper as FBS teams prepare for a 105-man roster limit as part of the fallout from a pending $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement. While having 105 players on scholarship seems like an upgrade from the current 85-man scholarship limit, many rosters have about 125 players once walk-ons are included. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said last week his program would probably end up with about 30-50 players in the portal due to the new roster restrictions. Is there college free agency? All the added dimensions to roster construction in the college game have drawn parallels to the NFL, but Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck believes those comparisons are misleading. “When people talk about college football right now, they’re saying, ‘Oh, we have an NFL model,’ or it’s kind of moving toward the NFL,” Fleck said. “First of all, it’s nothing like the NFL. There’s a collective bargaining agreement (in the NFL). There’s a true salary cap for everybody. It’s designed for all 32 fan bases to win the Super Bowl maybe once every 32 years – and I know other people are winning that a lot more than others – but that’s how it’s designed. In college football, it’s not that way.” There does seem to be a bit more competitive balance than before. The emergence of TCU and Washington the last couple of postseasons indicates this new era of college football has produced more unpredictability. 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