Apple’s UK engineering teams have ‘doubled in size in five years’
For the second straight Major League Baseball offseason, a norm-shattering contract has been the talk of the winter , with Juan Soto agreeing with the New York Mets on a $765 million, 15-year deal that's the richest in baseball history. It comes almost exactly one year after the Los Angeles Dodgers forked out a princely sum of $700 million on a 10-year, heavily deferred deal for two-way Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani. They are believed to be the two richest contracts in pro sports history. The way it's going, a contract approaching $1 billion doesn't seem out of the question. But several factors are working against it — at least in the near future. There's reason to believe the megadeals for Ohtani and Soto are unicorns in the baseball world. Both players are uniquely talented, surely, but both also had unusual circumstances propelling their value into the stratosphere. Ohtani is the greatest two-way player in baseball history, capable of improving any team on both sides of the ball. He's also the rare baseball player who has true international appeal . His every move ( like his unexpected marriage announcement ) is followed closely in his native Japan, adding another 125 million potential fans who buy merchandise, watch him play and help fill the Dodgers' coffers. Then there's Soto — a four-time All-Star and on-base machine who won a World Series with the Washington Nationals in 2019. The X-factor for him is he became a free agent at the prime age of 26, which is extremely hard to do under current MLB rules. Players have to be in the big leagues for six years before testing free agency. The precocious Soto debuted at 19 with the Nats, making him part of a rare group of players who reached the highest level of professional baseball as a teenager. That accelerated his free agency timeline. It's rare for players to debut that young, and rarer still for them to develop into stars and test the open market the first chance they get. Two recent examples are Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, who both reached free agency in 2019. Machado signed a free-agent record $300 million contract with San Diego, and Harper overtook him days later with a $330 million contract to join the Phillies. Most players debut in the big leagues from ages 22 to 26, which means free agency comes in their late 20s or early 30s. A typical example is Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who is one of this generation's great players but didn't hit the market until he was 30. Judge played three seasons of college baseball for Fresno State before getting drafted by the Yankees in 2013 at age 21 — already two years older than Soto was when he made his MLB debut. It took a few years for the budding superstar to reach the majors, and he was 25 when he had his breakout season in 2018, smashing 52 homers to earn AL Rookie of the Year honors. By the time he reached free agency after the 2022 season, he had already passed age 30. It's a major factor that led to him signing a $360 million, nine-year deal with the Yankees, which seems downright reasonable these days after the Ohtani and Soto deals. Two major trends are colliding that will make it harder for guys like Soto to hit free agency in their mid 20s. First, MLB teams have been more likely in recent years to take college players early in the draft, betting on more experienced talents. Just 10 high school players were drafted among the top 30 picks in the 2024 draft . Second, teams are more eager to lock up young, premium talent on long-term deals very early in their careers, well before they hit free agency. Sometimes before they even reach the majors. Since Soto, just two players have debuted in MLB before their 20th birthday — Elvis Luciano and Junior Caminero. Luciano hasn't been back to the majors since his 2019 cup of coffee. Caminero is now 21 and has only played in 50 big league games. Among those that debuted at 20: Fernando Tatis Jr. signed a $340 million, 14-year deal with San Diego in 2021, years before reaching the open market. Milwaukee's Jackson Chourio got an $82 million, eight-year deal before even reaching the big leagues. Young stars Corbin Carroll ($111 million, eight years with Arizona), Bobby Witt Jr. ($288 million, 11 years with Kansas City) and Julio Rodriguez ($209.3 million, 12 years with Seattle) also got massive guarantees early in their 20s to forgo an early free agency. The exception and wild card: Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be a 26-year-old free agent next offseason. Guerrero hasn't been as consistent in his young career as Soto, but a standout 2025 season could position him to threaten Soto's deal. More likely is that the player to pass Soto isn't in the majors yet — and might not even be in pro baseball. When 25-year-old Alex Rodriguez signed his record $252 million, 10-year deal with Texas in 2001, it took over a decade for another player to match that total, when Albert Pujols got $240 million over 10 years from the Angels in 2012. For many players, passing up life-changing money in their early or mid 20s is too enticing, even if it means that they might not maximize their value on the free agent market later in their careers. Soto was determined to test the market. He famously turned down a $440 million, 15-year offer to stay with the Washington Nationals in 2022, betting that he could make even more as a free agent. Not many players would turn down that kind of cash. Then again, that's what makes Soto so unique. And it's also why his $765 million deal could be the industry standard for some time. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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'Sara Sharif was tortured by her family but local council must answer questions'Apple’s UK engineering teams have ‘doubled in size in five years’
Customs officials in New Zealand are reporting the arrest of a Canadian woman who is alleged to have been caught with 10.2 kilograms of methamphetamine found inside her baggage and wrapped as if it belonged under a Christmas tree. The New Zealand Customs Service issued a news release Tuesday saying the woman took a flight from Vancouver to Auckland, arriving in the North Island city on Dec. 8. The individual was questioned after landing in Auckland, the customs service said. Officers searched her bag and allegedly found the drugs inside it. On social media, the customs service identified the accused as a Canadian national . But she was not identified by name in that posting, nor in the news release. The customs service said the woman faces "charges of importation and possession for supply of a Class A controlled drug" and that she appeared in Auckland's Manukau District Court on these same charges and has since been remanded into custody. Global Affairs Canada did not immediately provide a response on Tuesday to an emailed inquiry about the reported arrest of the Canadian in New Zealand. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority — the Crown corporation responsible for security screening at more than 80 Canadian airports, including Vancouver International Airport — told CBC News in an email that it "not aware" of the investigation in New Zealand and as such has no information about it. CBC Investigates Australian police say illicit drugs being snuck in via Canada The New Zealand Customs Service has reported at least two prior incidents this year involving Canadians flying out of Vancouver, landing in New Zealand, and then being arrested on allegations they were ferrying methamphetamine to the island country. One case involved a 27-year-old male who travelled overseas in August , while another involved a 27-year-old female who flew to Auckland in late October . The customs service had directly referred to the individuals in the prior cases as being alleged drug couriers. In the current case, it said only that it works closely "with our Canadian partners and collaborate with them closely to, in some cases, stop the drug couriers even before they board a flight here." Canadians have also allegedly been caught with methamphetamine inside their luggage Down Under in recent months, according to the Australian Federal Police . In separate cases in October, a 59-year-old man was arrested at an airport in Brisbane and a 38-year-old man was arrested in Sydney . Both had flown to Australia from Vancouver and both had multiple kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in their luggage, according to police.
Châtillon, France, December 11 th , 2024 DBV Confirms Alignment with U.S. FDA on Accelerated Approval Pathway for the Viaskin® Peanut Patch in Toddlers 1 - 3 Years-Old "DBV is pleased to have received, what we believe to be, a clear and reasonable pathway towards an Accelerated Approval for the Viaskin Peanut patch in toddlers 1 - 3-years-old. This comes on the heels of our October 22 nd press release announcing details in support of our separate Viaskin Peanut programs in 4 - 7 year-olds and in 1 - 7 year-olds in Europe,” said Daniel Tassé, Chief Executive Officer, DBV Technologies. "We believe we have decreased the regulatory pathway risk of our programs. DBV can now fully focus on executing the remaining studies that will support two distinct BLAs across age groups and an MAA in Europe. We are grateful to the Agency for its attentive collaboration as we continue to work towards introducing this novel therapy to caregivers and patients as expeditiously as possible.” Accelerated Approval Pathway The FDA recently issued written communication confirming an Accelerated Approval pathway for the Viaskin Peanut patch in toddlers 1 - 3-years-old. As a reminder, current FDA guidance for Accelerated Approval includes three qualifying criteria: FDA and DBV have been engaged in ongoing dialogue throughout Q4 of this year regarding the intermediate clinical endpoint necessary to meet the third criterion. In the recent written communication, the FDA confirmed the efficacy data from the Company's Phase 3 EPITOPE study can serve as an intermediate clinical endpoint. The FDA has agreed that the endpoint is reasonably likely to predict clinical benefit and will therefore fulfill the requirement for Accelerated Approval. In preparation for commercialization, DBV made slight modifications to the Viaskin Peanut patch used in EPITOPE to increase the simplicity of application for the caregiver and provide product identification on each patch. No changes, including patch shape or size, were made to the device components that are in contact with the patient's skin. Further, to increase the volume of patch production for future commercialization, changes needed to be made to the manufacturing process and location. Although the intended commercial Viaskin Peanut patch is currently being used (N=304) in the ongoing 3-year Open Label Extension to EPITOPE, the collective changes to the commercial Viaskin Peanut patch were viewed by the FDA as constituting a different product relative to the clinical patch used in the EPITOPE study. The Company intends to use the commercial Viaskin Peanut patch in both the COMFORT Toddlers study and the post-marketing confirmatory study. Post-Marketing Confirmatory Study In the recent written communication, FDA confirmed criteria for a post-marketing confirmatory study in toddlers 1 - 3-years-old. DBV and FDA agreed that the confirmatory study will assess the effectiveness of the intended commercial Viaskin Peanut patch and will need to be initiated at the time that the BLA is submitted. To date, the commercial patch has been used in 304 subjects with over 234,695 patient-days of therapy in the placebo crossover and the EPITOPE Open Label Extension, with no clinically relevant differences in efficacy or safety vs. the clinical patch used in the EPITOPE Phase 3 trial. The confirmatory study will include a double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) and will use the same statistical criteria for success (i.e., lower bound of the 95% CI > 15%) as used in the EPITOPE Phase 3 efficacy study. Adhesion data for the post-marketing confirmatory study will be collected in a similar manner relative to the COMFORT Toddlers study. The Company expects these data will further support the importance of average daily wear time in the use of the Viaskin Peanut patch as it relates to efficacy and labeling. "When it comes to food allergy management, what works for one family, might not work for another. That is why having varied treatment options available is so incredibly important to our community,” said Sung Poblete, PhD, RN, CEO of FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education). "I'm pleased to learn that DBV's constructive dialogue with the FDA has resulted in this Accelerated Approval guidance outlining remaining developmental steps for the Viaskin Peanut patch in toddlers with a peanut allergy. At FARE, we look forward to the possibility that one day, if approved, caregivers and families will have this exciting new treatment as an option to consider.” COMFORT Toddlers Supplemental Safety Study COMFORT Toddlers is a Phase 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled (DBPC) study designed to generate additional safety (primary endpoint) and adhesion data of the Viaskin Peanut patch in peanut allergic toddlers 1 - 3-years old. DBV is pleased to announce that Dr. Julie Wang, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, the Icahn school of Medicine at Mount Sinai, will act as the Global Principal Investigator for the COMFORT Toddlers study. "I am thrilled to assume the role of Global Principal Investigator of the COMFORT Toddlers study,” stated Dr. Julie Wang, Professor of Pediatrics, Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, Icahn school of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York. "Viaskin Peanut, if approved, would offer a much-needed alternative treatment option for patients and caregivers. I look forward to working with the DBV team to advance this important clinical trial.” The Company anticipates that COMFORT Toddlers will enroll approximately 480 subjects randomized 3:1 (active: placebo) at approximately 80 - 90 study centers across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe. COMFORT Toddlers will be a six-month study followed by an optional 18-month open-label treatment phase, to provide 24 or 18 months of treatment with the Viaskin Peanut patch for participants randomized to the active or placebo groups, respectively. Thus, the COMFORT Toddlers study will increase the total subjects exposed to the Viaskin Peanut patch for at least six-months in a controlled study to 600, as required by FDA. In total, there will be approximately 240 subjects with the clinical patch in EPITOPE and 360 with the commercial patch in COMFORT Toddlers. As previously disclosed , DBV and FDA have aligned on a patch wear time collection methodology, analysis and study objective hierarchy in the COMFORT Toddlers study. The agreed-upon adhesion data collection methodology provides a practical approach for subjects, families, and investigators. The methodology is intended to generate sufficient data to support a BLA submission under the Accelerated Approval pathway (i.e., collecting patch adhesion data with a focus on daily wear time at relevant time points). We believe there are three positive outcomes coming out of the productive discussions with FDA: Biologic License Application Submission in 1 - 3 Year-Olds There will be two Phase 3 studies in 1 - 3-year-olds using the Viaskin Peanut patch. The data generated from the studies will be used to inform a BLA submission: Investor Conference Call and Webcast DBV management will host an investor conference call and webcast today, Wednesday, December 11 th , at 5:00pm EST, to discuss these regulatory updates. This call is accessible via the below teleconferencing numbers and requesting the DBV Technologies call. About DBV Technologies DBV Technologies is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing treatment options for food allergies and other immunologic conditions with significant unmet medical need. DBV is currently focused on investigating the use of its proprietary Viaskin® patch technology to address food allergies, which are caused by a hypersensitive immune reaction and characterized by a range of symptoms varying in severity from mild to life-threatening anaphylaxis. Millions of people live with food allergies, including young children. Through epicutaneous immunotherapy (EPITTM), the Viaskin® patch is designed to introduce microgram amounts of a biologically active compound to the immune system through intact skin. EPIT is a new class of non-invasive treatment that seeks to modify an individual's underlying allergy by re-educating the immune system to become desensitized to allergen by leveraging the skin's immune tolerizing properties. DBV is committed to transforming the care of food allergic people. The Company's food allergy programs include ongoing clinical trials of Viaskin Peanut in peanut allergic toddlers (1 through 3 years of age) and children (4 through 7 years of age). DBV Technologies is headquartered in Châtillon, France, with North American operations in Warren, NJ. The Company's ordinary shares are traded on segment B of Euronext Paris (Ticker: DBV, ISIN code: FR0010417345) and the Company's ADSs (each representing five ordinary shares) are traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market (Ticker: DBVT; CUSIP: 23306J309). For more information, please visit www.dbv-technologies.com and engage with us on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn . Forward Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements and estimates, including statements regarding the therapeutic potential of Viaskin® Peanut patch and EPITTM, designs of DBV's anticipated clinical trials, DBV's planned regulatory and clinical efforts including timing and results of communications with regulatory agencies, plans and expectations regarding initiation of the confirmatory study, plans and expectations with respect to COMFORT Toddlers and COMFORT Children, plans and expectations with respect to the submission of BLAs to FDA, anticipated support for the BLA submission, DBV's expectations with respect to the Accelerated Approval pathway and any other actionable regulatory pathway, and the ability of any of DBV's product candidates, if approved, to improve the lives of patients with food allergies. These forward-looking statements and estimates are not promises or guarantees and involve substantial risks and uncertainties. At this stage, DBV's product candidates have not been authorized for sale in any country. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described or projected herein include uncertainties associated generally with research and development, clinical trials and related regulatory reviews and approvals, and DBV's ability to successfully execute on its budget discipline measures. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements in this press release can be found in DBV's regulatory filings with the French Autorité des Marchés Financiers ("AMF”), DBV's filings and reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC”), including in DBV's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on March 7, 2024, and future filings and reports made with the AMF and SEC by DBV. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and estimates, which speak only as of the date hereof. Other than as required by applicable law, DBV Technologies undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this Press Release. Viaskin is a registered trademark and EPIT is a trademark of DBV Technologies. Investor Contact Katie Matthews DBV Technologies [email protected] Media Contact Angela Marcucci DBV Technologies [email protected] Attachment PDF Version
The Australian government's support for a UN resolution calling for an end to Israel's occupation of Gaza is to blame for a widely condemned arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue, the Jewish state's prime minister says. or signup to continue reading It is impossible to separate the reprehensible arson attack from the federal government's "extreme anti-Israeli position," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on social media early on Saturday. "Including the scandalous decision to support the UN resolution calling on Israel 'to bring an end to its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, as rapidly as possible', and preventing a former Israeli minister from entering the country," he wrote on X. "The burning of the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne is an abhorrent act of antisemitism," he said. The Adass Israel synagogue at Rippon Lea in Melbourne's southeast had two of its three buildings gutted after suspected masked intruders allegedly broke into the building and set it alight in the early hours of Friday. Two congregants preparing for morning prayers, were inside. They were evacuated, with one sustaining minor injuries. Police have not ruled out terrorism as a motive, believing the attack was targeted. The suspects had poured accelerant on the floor inside the synagogue and set it on fire before fleeing when they were disturbed by a congregant, police said. Israel President Isaac Herzog said he firmly condemned the horrific arson amid an intolerable wave of attacks on Jewish communities when he spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday night. "I noted to the prime minister that this rise and the increasingly serious antisemitic attacks on the Jewish community required firm and strong action, and that this was a message that must be heard clearly from Australia's leaders," he said. "I thanked him for his ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, and expressed my trust that the local law enforcement would do everything in their power to bring the perpetrators to justice." Political and religious leaders have widely condemned the attack on the synagogue, built by Holocaust survivors. Mr Albanese said he had no tolerance for antisemitism. "This deliberate, unlawful attack goes against everything we are as Australians and everything we have worked so hard to build as a nation," he said in a statement. Australian Federal Police will provide all requested resources to Victorian authorities, he said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said police patrols would be increased, and pledged $100,000 to rebuilding the synagogue. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. TWICE WEEKLY Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. WEEKLY Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. TWICE WEEKLY Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. AS IT HAPPENS Be the first to know when news breaks. DAILY Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! DAILY Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Advertisement Advertisement
The Stormont Assembly has voted to extend post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland for another four years. The vote to continue with the contentious arrangements passed on a straight majority basis after a lengthy and at times ill-tempered and fractious debate at Parliament Buildings, with 48 MLAs voting in favour and 36 voting against. The debate and vote were required under the democratic consent mechanism in the UK and EU’s Windsor Framework deal and were designed to give local elected representatives a say on the trade rules that now operate in the region. The framework, and its predecessor the NI Protocol, require checks and customs paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. Under the arrangements, which were designed to ensure no hardening of the Irish land border post-Brexit, Northern Ireland continues to follow many EU trade and customs rules. This has proved highly controversial, with unionists arguing the system threatens Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom. All unionist parties represented in the chamber – the DUP , UUP and TUV – and independent unionist Claire Sugden voted against continuing the arrangements on Tuesday evening, but they were outnumbered by members of Sinn Fein , the Alliance Party and the SDLP who all voted in favour of an extension. The three parties all argued the framework serves to protect Northern Ireland from negative economic consequences of Brexit. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll also voted for an extension. A Stormont vote had to be held on articles five to 10 of the Windsor Framework, which underpin the EU trade laws in force in Northern Ireland, before December 17. Unlike other votes on contentious issues at Stormont, the motion did not require cross-community support to pass. If it had secured cross-community support – ie a majority of unionists and a majority of nationalists in favour – then the arrangements would have been extended for eight years. However, the vote passing on only a straight majority means the relevant articles of the framework will instead be extended for four years. Passage on a simple majority also means the Government is now obliged to instigate an independent review of how the framework is working. Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn welcomed the outcome of the vote, describing it as an “important step forward” for the Windsor Framework arrangements. “This democratic safeguard has provided the elected representatives of the people of Northern Ireland with a say over the trading arrangements that will apply over the next four years,” he said. “I will now proceed as required by the law, including to commission an independent review. “The Government remains committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith and protecting the UK internal market, in a way that offers stability and works for Northern Ireland, for businesses, and for traders.” Advocating for an extension during the debate, Sinn Fein MLA and Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald highlighted the fact that the arrangements allowed companies in Northern Ireland to sell freely and unfettered within the UK internal market and into the EU single market. “I think the vast majority of us do recognise that we need to maintain both our north/south and east/west trade, and that has not been easy to achieve. It has required difficult compromise and imaginative solutions,” she said. Ms Archibald acknowledged there would be more Brexit-related challenges in the future. “But the arrangements in place are better than the alternative of a land border and checks on this island that would have had a catastrophic impact on our integrated supply chains, not to mention our integrated economies and communities,” she said. However, speaking from the backbenches, DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly accused those in favour of extending the arrangements of “dismissing and demeaning” the concerns of unionists. “We cannot and ought not to sneer at each other across this chamber when we are raising constitutional and ideological and real concerns that we genuinely feel,” she said. “That has been the hallmark of the last eight years and the lessons of the last eight years must be learned. It cannot be repeated. Issues must be addressed and promises kept. “Make no mistake, the mishandling of Brexit and the subsequent protocol was an unparalleled act of constitutional self-harm by the UK government. “No government should have ever signed up to such terms, an agreement that damaged the very fabric of our constitutional settlement and shattered the integrity of the UK internal market.” Earlier, her party colleague Jonathan Buckley branded the debate an “illusion of democracy” during a marathon speech that lasted more than an hour. Alliance Party leader and Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long insisted the arrangements were required only because of the result of Brexit. She highlighted that many of the unionists who opposed the framework had championed a UK exit from the EU ahead of the 2016 referendum. “I do get a sense that this entire debate feels a bit like ‘hello actions, let me introduce you to consequences’,” she said. Ms Long said the debate marked “another important moment in our long journey towards some kind of security post-Brexit”. “In the eight years since the UK voted to depart the European Union, a lot of time and energy and resources have been spent seeking to navigate the choppy and uncharted waters into which that decision launched us all,” she said. “A lot of time, energy and resource that may have been better spent actually investing in our communities and making life better for the people we represent.” Ulster Unionist Party MLA Steve Aiken said he had sympathy with the argument that the framework undermined the United Kingdom. However, he said the “real reason” MLAs should be voting no was because the sections of the framework being debated “fundamentally undermine the competitiveness of our economy”. “They work against our customers, our farmers, our hospitality sector, our green targets, and even our livestock and domestic animals,” he said. “These articles remove this place’s role in democratic accountability.” He added: “Supporting the retention of articles five to 10 (of the framework) shows that narrow ideology supplants the needs of our people. “Maybe not now, but soon the electorate will realise the severe long-term implications of this vote and note who voted for the needs of the people rather than those of the EU and, may I even dare say, the British government.” Leader of the Opposition at Stormont, SDLP MLA Matthew O’Toole said Brexit had been a “disaster” for the UK. “Northern Ireland has had some protections from Brexit,” he added. Mr O’Toole pointed to statistics that he said showed that economic output in Northern Ireland had grown at a faster rate than elsewhere in the UK over the last five years. He conceded that was not entirely thanks to the post-Brexit trade arrangements, but insisted the figures undermined unionist claims that the protocol/framework was damaging the region’s economy. “The idea that the protocol has ravaged our economy and that we’re doing terribly as a result of the protocol is clearly and obviously self-evidently untrue,” he said. “Because if it had been ravaging and damaging our economy in the way that some have claimed, then the numbers would bear it out. They don’t and they haven’t.” TUV MLA Timothy Gaston said it was “absurd” that the requirement for cross-community support – a key plank of the 1998 Good Friday/Belfast peace agreement – had been set aside on what he described as the most controversial vote in the history of Stormont. “The supposed protections of the Belfast Agreement only ever applied for as long as they suited nationalism,” he said. “Once unionism was in the minority in this place, the protections no longer apply.” A dispute over the so-called Irish Sea border led to the collapse of the Northern Ireland Assembly in 2022, when the DUP withdrew then-first minister Paul Givan from the coalition executive. The impasse lasted two years and ended in February when devolution returned.Stock market today: Wall Street slips to a rare back-to-back lossNone
NoneDETROIT — Dan Campbell’s gambles paid off. Detroit went for it on fourth down for a fifth time to set up Jake Bates’ 35-yard field goal as time expired , Jared Goff threw three touchdown passes and the Lions clinched a playoff spot with a 34-31 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. Campbell has been perhaps the NFL’s most aggressive coach since taking over what was a league laughingstock in 2021, but he turned it up a notch against the Packers with a short-handed defense that he wanted to keep off the field. “That was how I wanted to play that team with where we are at,” Campbell said. The NFC-best Lions (12-1) broke a franchise record with their 11th straight win — including two over the Packers (9-4) — to stay ahead of Minnesota (10-2) in the highly competitive NFC North. “This will be one of those you’ll never forget,” Campbell said. Campbell kept his offense on the field on a fourth-and-1 at the Green Bay 21 with 43 seconds left. David Montgomery ran for 7 yards, barely getting a handoff from Goff after the quarterback got his feet tangled up and was falling toward the turf. “It’s a bad feeling,” Goff said. The play ensured the Lions could try a field goal without giving Green Bay the ball back, and Bates hit his third-game winning kick this season. “I just felt like we needed to end it on offense,” Campbell said. “I did not want to give the ball back and I believed we could convert. I trust the O-line. I trust David.” Goff threw two touchdown passes on fourth-and-goal, one to Tim Patrick, who had two TD catches. He also threw an interception in the third quarter to set up one of Josh Jacobs’ career-high matching three TD runs. Goff found Jahymr Gibbs open in the end zone for a 2-yard pass on a fourth down with 11 seconds left in the first half to put Detroit ahead 17-7. Goff later connected with Patrick on a go-ahead, 1-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter. Green Bay took advantage of the only time Campbell’s aggressiveness didn’t pan out, denying Gibbs on a fourth-down run late in the third quarter from the Detroit 31. Jacobs scored for a third time on a 3-yard run on the ensuing drive. “The risk was there,” Campbell said. Brandon McManus made a 32-yard field goal with 3:38 left to pull the Packers into a 31-all tie in a game that had four lead changes earlier in the second half. “That’s exactly the kind of game we expected,” Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur said. “It was tough and it went back and forth. There were just a couple plays that didn’t go our way.” The Lions’ final drive began with Goff’s 19-yard pass to Jameson Williams. He also connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for 16 yards on the decisive possession. Goff finished 32 of 41 for 283 yards, and six Lions had at least five receptions, the first time that’s happened in NFL history, according to OptaSTATS. “They have great playmakers and they just get them the ball,” LaFleur said. “Jared Goff is an excellent quarterback and we gave him time to throw.” Jordan Love was 12 of 20 for 206 yards with a touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft early in the third quarter. “They have a really good offense, but so do we,” Love said. “I don’t think there was any extra pressure on us. We just got off to a slow start.” {h4 class=”mb-0 pb-2 ap-font-bold”}Odd scene{/h4} LaFleur lamented that someone holding the American flag during the national anthem ended up shouting at the Packers and had to be separated from them by officials before the game. “He was yelling at our players and giving the throat-slash gesture,” LaFleur said. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I would just like security to step in there and get him off the field.” Stay Informed: Subscribe to Our Newsletter Today