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tricks in super ace casino President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee, Pete Hegseth, is not qualified to be secretary of defense, even if we put aside unproven sexual assault allegations made against him. While Hegseth is a veteran, Senate confirmation of a nominee with no leadership experience in such a large and complex organization as the Department of Defense would be in stark contrast with the notion of our military as a merit-based, professional force. Leading millions of service members and civilian workers is not an entry-level or training opportunity. Also, Hegseth’s publicly-stated views do not inspire confidence that he would provide apolitical leadership. He has cast the political/social situation in the United States as a crusade between irreconcilable foes with the only option being total victory for his — and Trump’s — chosen side. The ultimate loyalty of our military is to the U.S. Constitution, not political parties. Hegseth’s nomination appears to be based on the idea that the military must stop being “woke,” but its current challenges have nothing to do with “wokeness.” They have to do with chronic congressional delays in passing appropriations bills; inadequate funding of maintenance and modernization; competition with private industry for recruits; and stress on equipment, personnel and logistics systems brought on by decades of overcommitment around the globe. The list goes on. This hyperattention on getting rid of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, and every other military program that promotes fair treatment and inclusion is a bogeyman that takes the spotlight away from the real problems affecting our military readiness. Mike Lontoc, Hainesport Note: The writer is a retired U.S. Navy commander. What Bernie had that Kamala didn’t When I asked my blue-collar Pennsylvania friends why they voted for President-elect Donald Trump, I got an astounding reply. They said, “...because Bernie Sanders was not on the ticket.” On the surface this makes no sense, with Sanders way on the far left, and Trump certainly way on the far right. But look a little deeper. Back in 2016, when Sanders, the independent Vermont senator, was running against Hilary Clinton in the Democratic primaries, he “got it” in connection with these voters. He got it in town hall meeting after town hall meeting in a way Clinton could never understand. She seemed aloof and elitist. It’s my belief that Sanders would have beaten Trump in that presidential election, although that’s still pure conjecture. Across the Atlantic back in 2019, the Labour Party’s Jeremy Corbyn lost the British working-class vote, and the Conservatives’ Boris Johnson became the United Kingdom’s prime minister. This year , Labour’s Kier Starmer got the working class back, becoming prime minister in a vote that bucked a recent European trend of movement to the right and populist politics. This year in America, Kamala Harris lost the blue-collar vote. The Democrats will need to do some serious house cleaning to get it back! Tony Grant, Newton Proposed law is for the birds So, some New Jersey lawmakers want to restrict the use of residential bird feeders to control interactions between back bears and humans? Proposed regulations contained in legislation include elevating the feeders to at least 10 feet above the ground, and taking them indoors every night between April 1 and Nov. 30. Really? My only conclusion is that recent articles about this bill were meant to be printed on April Fool’s Day. Ellen Rogers, Skillman Congressional pair should call it quits U.S. Reps. Mikie Sherrill, D-11, and Josh Gottheimer, D-5, recently won reelection to Congress. They suggested to the voters that they would work full time for them in the next session of Congress. But, now, they are both declared candidates for governor in next year’s Democratic primary. Running for governor and being a member of Congress should be considered to be two full-time jobs. It’s no secret that Gottheimer and Sherrill have each planned their gubernatorial runs for months. They should do the honorable thing and resign from Congress. Their ambitious power plays are one of the many reasons why people don’t vote. Fred Stein, South Brunswick Election over; stop dividing the country This letter was sent to the Star-Ledger, but it is directed to all of the left-leaning media: Stop dividing the country. A plurality of the voting public elected Donald Trump as president. Even with all of the hate speech that the left could spew, it did them no good for the result. Some of the things they did is compare Trump to Hitler and say that Trump’s supporters are “garbage.” Now, the liberals are directing all of their venom to Trump’s cabinet picks. Realize that Trump was elected a second time because the American people are tired of all of the retreads that the left parades around Washington. So, instead of giving Trump’s picks the benefit of the doubt, the left goes into attack mode. They will not give Trump or his programs or his cabinet choices a chance. The left finds fault with everything. These tactics did not work for the election and they won’t work now. Again, stop dividing the nation and help it come together. RECOMMENDED • nj .com Which Trump cabinet pick steps aside next? GOP has one in its crosshairs Nov. 22, 2024, 11:32 a.m. Trump chooses Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Gaetz withdraws Nov. 21, 2024, 7:06 p.m. Don Montefusco, Maplewood Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion . Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion . Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion . Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. 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Cam Carter put LSU ahead for good with a jumper 1:08 into the third overtime and the Tigers came away with a wild 109-102 win over UCF on Sunday in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Carter's make sparked a 5-0 spurt for LSU (5-1), which mounted a ferocious second-half rally that began after Darius Johnson drilled a 3-pointer to put the Knights up 52-34 with 12:57 to play in regulation. UCF (4-2) got back within two in the third overtime, but it never found a way to draw even. Vyctorius Miller and Jordan Sears sealed the victory, combining for three buckets down low that gave the Tigers a 106-99 cushion with 17 seconds remaining. Carter was the late-game hero for LSU, scoring the final four points of regulation to forge a 70-70 tie. He also knocked down a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3:19 left in the first extra session to give the Tigers a 76-75 advantage. Sears gave LSU a four-point edge with a triple of his own with 2:10 to go, but the Tigers failed to stay in front, and UCF's Keyshawn Hall kept the game going by sinking two free throws with six seconds remaining to make it 82-82. Neither team led by more than three in the second overtime, with Hall again coming to the Knights' rescue. He made two layups in the final 52 seconds of the frame to knot things at 93 and send the teams to a third OT. Few could have predicted 15 minutes of extra basketball after UCF put together a 25-3 first-half run that lifted it to a 38-18 advantage with 2:12 left until the break. LSU responded with seven unanswered points, but the Knights still led comfortably, 40-25, at intermission. Sears finished with a game-high-tying 25 points to go along with nine boards, while Jalen Reed recorded a 21-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Tigers. Carter netted 20 points, Miller had 16 and Dji Bailey chipped in 14. Johnson collected 25 points, six rebounds, eight assists and five steals for UCF. Hall totaled 21 points and 10 boards, and Jordan Ivy-Curry supplied 20 points. LSU outshot UCF 43.2 percent to 40.7 percent and had narrow advantages from behind the arc (12 made shots to 10) and the free-throw line (21-18). --Field Level MediaKim Teng, who escaped the Killing Fields of Cambodia by faking his own death before fleeing to America where he become a beloved small business owner in Nacogdoches, died Dec. 1. He was 75. The cause of death is believed to be a heart attack, his daughter, Malinna Caraway said. Teng opened Continental Liquors at 2819 North St. in 1995 after the family moved to Nacogdoches from Dallas after he and his family came to the United States as refugees. “They came to the United States with nothing, nothing,” Caraway said. “They came because my dad wanted a better life for his family. My parents worked their butts off. It really makes me appreciate living here.” Teng also operated a gas station at the present day site of the restaurant Taco Salsa on North Street. He was the first Cambodian business owner in Nacogdoches, his daughter said. Teng brightened the lives of everyone he met both in and out of his store, Caraway said. “When the delivery driver came in this morning, he asked how my dad was,” Caraway said. “When I told him he had died, he started to cry. He’s been delivering to us for years, and my dad had built a relationship with him just like everyone else my dad met.” Customers could always count on Teng to lift their spirits, said Chris Edwards, an East Texas musician who frequented Continental while living in Nacogdoches. “Mr. Teng was just iconic, he was the most positive and sweetest individual you would ever hope to meet,” Edwards said. “There were many times that I would walk in there and be having a not so great day, and he’d always be so happy to greet people, especially his regulars. He was the kind of business person that we need more of.” Regular customers and community members visited the store throughout the week to express condolences. Customers who hadn’t yet heard the news reacted with shock and grief when informed of Teng’s death. “I can’t believe it,” one customer said Thursday. “I just saw him last week.” Teng had an unparalleled knowledge of alcoholic beverages cultivated over a lifetime of knowledge, despite rarely drinking himself, Caraway said. “When people talked about drinks, he would always listen, and that’s how he knew the stuff,” Caraway said. “My dad was not a drinker, but he could tell you the best stuff to get.” When Teng did drink, his beverage of choice was a glass of Naca Valley blueberry wine. Teng was a familiar presence even to those who did not visit his store. He would often walk the block around Continental Liquors and stop to chat with anyone he met. “He was a great guy,” said Steven Molanders, a former delivery driver for Teng. “Always real and himself no matter what.” Both Caraway and her brother, Steve Teng, worked with their father at Continental before running their own small businesses in Nacogdoches. “The biggest lesson I learned about business from him was to be nice to your customers,” Caraway said. “Don’t judge, don’t treat one better than the other because they look richer, help older customers out with their bags.” Kim Rin Teng was born Jan. 2, 1949, in Battambang, Cambodia. Battambang is in the far northwest of Cambodia near the border with Thailand. In his youth, Teng was a rice farmer, his daughter said. His home country became embroiled in a civil war the year Teng turned 18. The Marxist Khmer Rouge led by the dictator Pol Pot came to totally control the country in 1975. The regime systematically executed ethnic minorities and political dissidents at a rate unseen since World War II. Upwards of 3 million Cambodians — around 33% of the population — were killed over a five-year period at mass execution sites known as the Killing Fields. Teng was targeted for execution. “My mom always told us that they were going to take them and kill him, but he acted like he was dead so they never bothered him,” Caraway said. “That’s how he was able to escape.” He married his wife, Sous Lay Teng, Feb. 7, 1979. They were married 45 years at the time of his death. They fled to Thailand, where their son, Steve, was born. The family eventually was granted asylum in the United States. After the genocide ended, Teng made a point of returning to Cambodia periodically with his family. He also taught his children to speak Khmer, the Cambodian language. He is survived by his wife Sous, daughter Malinna, sons, Steve and Vee Rin, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Teng’s funeral is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday at Laird Funeral Home with burial following at Sunset Memorial Park. A visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.

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Xcede Group Announces Win of "Best Client Service" Award at Global Recruiter Awards 2024 12-05-2024 11:30 PM CET | Associations & Organizations Press release from: ABNewswire Xcede at the 2024 Industry Awards Xcede Group, a global leader in STEM talent recruitment, has been awarded the "Best Client Service" accolade at the Global Recruiter Awards 2024. This recognition highlights the company's unwavering dedication to delivering tailored recruitment solutions across its specialist brands, Xcede and EarthStream, serving industries such as technology, energy, and sustainability. The Global Recruiter Awards celebrate outstanding achievements within the recruitment industry, showcasing companies that excel in areas like client service, candidate experience, and innovation. The "Best Client Service" category honours organisations that consistently go above and beyond to meet client needs, offering exceptional support and value. Adam Marsh, CEO at Xcede Group [ https://www.xcedegroup.com/ ], commented on the win:"Winning this award is a testament to the expertise of our team. It reflects our commitment to understanding our clients' challenges and crafting innovative recruitment solutions that truly meet their needs. This recognition motivates us to continue setting higher standards in the recruitment industry." Xcede Group operates globally, specialising in connecting world-class organisations with skilled professionals in high-demand STEM fields. The company is structured around two specialist brands: * Xcede, which focuses on recruitment in areas such as Data, AI & Machine Learning, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Product, and Software. * EarthStream, which specialises in sourcing talent for the Renewable Energy, Power and Grid, and Industrial sectors, supporting projects across all stages of their lifecycle. Together, these brands ensure comprehensive coverage of the STEM talent landscape, offering contract, permanent, and project-based solutions tailored to meet the unique demands of their clients. This latest recognition builds on Xcede Group's history of industry accolades. In 2023, both brands received significant honours at the British Recruitment Awards, with Xcede named Technology Recruitment Agency of the Year and EarthStream recognised as Engineering Recruitment Agency of the Year. These achievements reflect the company's ongoing commitment to excellence across all areas of its operations. As global industries continue to evolve, the demand for skilled STEM professionals has surged. The shift toward renewable energy and the digital transformation of businesses has highlighted the critical role of recruitment firms in addressing talent shortages. Xcede Group has positioned itself as a trusted partner in this space, leveraging its global reach and local expertise to connect clients with the professionals they need to thrive. "The recruitment landscape is becoming increasingly complex," Adam Blaney, Xcede Global Managing Director, added. "This award validates our approach of ensuring our clients receive the best possible service." The Global Recruiter Awards serve as a benchmark of quality and innovation in recruitment, making Xcede Group's win a significant milestone. It demonstrates the company's ability to adapt to an ever-changing market while maintaining its focus on delivering value to clients. Looking ahead, Xcede Group's mission is to continue delivering exceptional service while fostering innovation in recruitment. For more information about Xcede Group, its award-winning services, and areas of expertise, visit their website. Media Contact Company Name: Xcede Group Contact Person: Janan Gok Email:Send Email [ https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=xcede-group-announces-win-of-best-client-service-award-at-global-recruiter-awards-2024 ] Country: United Kingdom Website: https://www.xcedegroup.com/ This release was published on openPR.

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At least 38 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes on residential buildings in GazaLeo – (23rd July to 22nd August) Daily Horoscope Prediction says, Do not let stress impact the morale Resolve the relationship issues and spend more time together. Continue the commitment at work that will help you meet the expectations. Health is safe today. The romantic relationship is packed with fun today. Despite the challenges, you will outshine others in the workplace. Consider better management of finance. Your health will also be good today. Leo Love Horoscope Today Have a pleasant time and you may also surprise the lover with unexpected gifts. A romantic lunch or dinner is a good time to propose. Ensure you value the relationship and also provide the proposed space to the partner. Be careful about the words you use while sitting with the partner as some statements may be misunderstood by the lover, leading to chaos. Your attitude is crucial here. Single Leos may meet someone interesting today. Married females may also conceive today. Leo Career Horoscope Today Continue the discipline at work and stay in the good book of the management. Those who are into human resources, hiring, finance, and sales will have a tough time while bankers and accountants should be careful about the figures. Government employees may be required to answer questions that are challenging. You will travel for job reasons. Your efforts will ensure the clients are happy and the management will consider the contribution during the appraisal discussions. Leo Money Horoscope Today Maintain a balance between income and expenditure Today is good to buy electronic appliances you should avoid large investments in the stock market. Do not get into arguments related to property with siblings as this can lead to complications in the relationship today. You may have challenges in raising big funds to expand your business. Some professionals will not receive the expected appraisal. Leo Health Horoscope Today No serious health issue will impact the routine life. However, some females may develop coughing, sneezing, and ear-related infections. Children may complain about throat pain which may stop them from attending school. It is good to have control over the diet. Ensure you skip all food items that are rich in oil and grease and instead opt for more vegetables and fruits. Leo Sign Attributes Strength: Generous, Loyal, Energetic, Enthusiastic Weakness: Arrogant, Luxury seeker, Careless, and Self-complacent Symbol: Lion Element: Fire Body Part : Heart & Spine Sign Ruler : Sun Lucky Day : Sunday Lucky Color: Golden Lucky Number : 19 Lucky Stone : Ruby Leo Sign Compatibility Chart Natural affinity: Aries, Gemini, Libra, Sagittarius Good compatibility: Leo, Aquarius Fair compatibility: Cancer, Virgo, Capricorn, Pisces Less compatibility: Taurus, Scorpio By: Dr. J. N. Pandey Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert Website: www.astrologerjnpandey.com E-mail: djnpandey@gmail.com Phone: 91-9811107060 (WhatsApp Only)

Kanye West blew off a key hearing in one of his Donda Academy lawsuits Wednesday, leading to the first defaults against the rapper’s companies in the wave of litigation over his failed private Christian school . Superior Court Judge Christopher K. Lui entered the defaults for Yeezy Christian Academy, Donda Services LLC, and Stokes Canyon LLC at a hearing in Downtown Los Angeles tied to the headline-grabbing breach of contract lawsuit filed last year by former school staffer Isaiah Meadows. In his complaint, Meadows said he was hired to help run Yeezy Christian Academy in 2020 and continued with the school when it transitioned to Donda Academy in August 2021. Meadows said his compensation was slashed, his promised rent stipend was revoked, and he was eventually terminated in August 2022 after he complained about deplorable conditions such as an overflowing septic tank, exposed electrical wiring, and a skylight and windows left with no glass because West purportedly “did not like glass.” Meadows filed his lawsuit shortly after two teachers stepped forward with claims they were fired when they complained about allegedly poor security, lax safety, and non-existent educational standards at Donda Academy. They said the only available lunch for students was sushi, every single day, and that West “did not allow chairs,” only foam cushions or stools. A third teacher eventually joined that lawsuit, and three additional lawsuits were filed by even more staffers after the teachers and Meadows. West initially had a lawyer named Brian Brumfield battling four of the lawsuits on his behalf, but Brumfield asked to be relieved as counsel over the summer. In court filings, Brumfield said West “terminated” their relationship on June 21, 2024. “Defendant also will not speak to counsel and defendant refuses to pay counsel as well,” he wrote to the court. On Wednesday, Judge Lui made it clear he was running out of patience. He found the three companies in default and made no mention of postponing the trial in the case currently set for April. West, who now goes by Ye, remains a defendant because as an individual — not a corporation — he has a right to wait until trial and then represent himself. Editor’s picks The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time “I think the case needs to move on,” Judge Lui said after noting West and his companies failed to appear through a retained lawyer at a similar hearing last month. “There’s basically no representation for these three entities.” The judge said the answers to the lawsuit previously filed by Brumfield on behalf of the three companies would be stricken. “We’re satisfied with the decision. This particular judge is not one to wait for things to happen. He makes sure things happen, and happen correctly. He wants case to move along without any weird loose ends,” Meadows’ lawyer Ron Zambrano tells Rolling Stone . “We’re looking forward to collecting a judgment.” Zambrano said he will soon submit a proposed judgment for the court to consider. If the remaining case goes to trial in April, West will have to chance to appear alongside another corporate defendant, Donda Academy Inc. A lawyer appeared on behalf of Donda Academy Wednesday because when the school transitioned from Yeezy Christian Academy, it picked up a new insurance policy. West, 47, was slapped with his fifth Donda Academy-related lawsuit last month when a former Yeezy staffer, Murphy Aficionado, sued West with claims the artist fired him after he pushed back on a plan to move the controversial K-12 private Christian school to a “decrepit property” without proper permits. Aficionado also alleges West subjected him to antisemitic tirades and forced him to sit in a hotel suite while West engaged in loud sex in an adjoining room. West also is facing legal action from former Yeezy staffers . The complaints started piling up after West posted antisemitic rants on his social media accounts in October 2022, sparking widespread criticism and the end of his lucrative partnerships with Gap and Adidas .Philly sports year in review: The top 10 plays of 2024

Posted: Thursday, December 26, 2024. 2:48 pm CST. The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Breaking Belize News. (Note: This TIME COME post features a guest piece by Mr. Grinch – or at least inspired by him. And Happy Holidays to all my readers.) By ‘Di Grinch’, TIME COME #18, 20 December 2024. I live on hill where it blows and it snows. So, I crave a place with no need for ploughs. Perhaps a warm isthmus with a nice quiet Christmas. To catch some warm breeze and escape the deep freeze. My mutt Max says, ‘let’s do Belize’. Hmmmm? But is it just what he heard from that migratory bird? That Belize now has tons of free turkeys and hams. Free turkeys and hams! Is it but a scam? The Grinch knows what to do! Trusting Max nor A.I., I will employ a good spy. Christmas in Belize? Do I go, or abort? Well, let me first read my intel report. Dear Mr. Grinch, Greetings from Belize and much thanks for the commission – though please note that I am a ‘consultant’, not ‘spy’. But straight to the point as your deadline is tight. The rumour Max heard is no rumour at all. At Christmas in Belize there are free turkeys and hams! There are also loud parties with free food and free drinks, with free gifts for the kids, and with free raffles of fridges. And some get free cash, if cards are played right. Who can argue with all this free giving in a season of joy? Perhaps you, Mr. Grinch? But I rudely digress. So yes, Max was right about free turkeys and hams. It’s important you know that some free ‘givings’ at Christmas are well above board. Several kind people and charity groups give food (including turkeys and hams) and gifts to some most in need. But these are not the free turkeys and hams that have Max excited. Those ones are doled out by politicos painted deep blue or deep red. (No green as yet, I am afraid, Mr. Grinch). The Blues – the People’s United Party (PUP) – and the Reds – the United Democratic Party (UDP) – have made such free ‘givings’ quite a fine art. How did it come to this you ask Mr. Grinch? The explanation does require some contextualization. From Informal to Normal It began quite innocently you see, Mr. Grinch. By 1981, when Belize became free, some politicians of both colours hosted wee parties for constituents at Christmas. It was mostly informal and the ‘givings’ were small. They used their own funds or donations from family and friends. Some used part of their constituency ‘vote’ they got from the state, or small contributions from companies like Belize Estate. Over the next three decades, the practice of ‘free givings’ expanded each Christmas. And so, the Blues and the Reds needed more and more funds for more and more free turkeys and hams. Reds Up the Game Voila! In December 2011, the then Red Government had an epiphany: Let’s just officially use public money! All in plain sight. If it is all formalised there is no need to hide giving out turkeys and hams. So, $1.4 million was allocated to a scheme with a name shrewdly innocuous: Christmas Cheer. Who can argue with that? And the money did flow. Red politicians in 31 divisions, elected or not, got $40,000 each for Christmas goodies for their constituents. But the Blue Opposition was quite vexed that its politicians received zero. They did, indeed, moan – and accused the Reds of vote-buying, gross bribery and abusing public funds. Well, the Reds won again in 2012, and by 2013, Christmas Cheer reached a new record of $2.3 million. This time, the 17 Red elected representatives got $90,000 each. The 14 Reds who were just standard bearers (not in the House) got $25,000 each. But guess what, Mr Grinch? The 14 Blue representatives got $25,000 each! Though they complained about the ‘inequity in distribution’, the Blues, took their smaller Cheer with little contrition – and continued to do so except for one year. Did the Blues just forget their vote-buying concerns? Well, they used the excuse that they too needed state money to meet the growing demand for turkeys and hams. By 2020, when the long-reigning Reds got the voters’ boot, Christmas Cheer was its own institution – a national programme much anticipated every December. So, would the new Blue Government, that came to power with the promise to clean up corruption, disband or clean up Christmas Cheer? Alas no, Mr Grinch. Blues Up the Game Instead, the Blues embraced the Reds’ Christmas Cheer tactics, it seems without question. In the Christmas of 2020 (that annus horribilis) the Blues called its programme ‘December COVID-19 Relief Fund’ with an allocation of $930,000. Although very much needed in that dark December, it very much resembled a Christmas Cheer. Since 2021, with the Blues in control, Christmas Cheer has both thrived and solidified. And so embedded was the name that the Blues could not lose it. In 2022, all 31 elected representatives got $75,000 each in Christmas Cheer. The total that year of $2.3 million matched or exceeded the Reds’ 2013 record. Some Belizeans lining up for Christmas Cheer But the Blues did initiate two noteworthy ‘Cheer’ changes. First, elected representatives of both the Blues and the Reds now receive equal amounts of Christmas Cheer funds. Then, in a change more recent, Cheer is allocated based roughly on the number of voters in a constituency. For example, this year, in 2024, all elected representatives of larger constituencies got $90,000 each and those of smaller constituencies got $60,000 each. Does it not all sound so fair? Well, at least until you realise that by adding some rules to the partisan game, it becomes further normalised with more official permission to splurge. An informal bi-partisan agreement perhaps? So, when next in power, the Reds will maintain equity in distribution? In 2024, 43 years after independence, Christmas Cheer and Santa Claus politicians are now deeply embedded in Belize’s political and Christmas culture. Christmas Cheer is now institutional policy, eagerly supported by the Blues and the Reds – and awaited each December by more and more people. But I know Mr. Grinch, you also did ask, “Is it but a scam?” Is it but a Scam? Before I respond, you should know, Mr. Grinch, that Christmas Cheer is but one piece of the broader practice of handout politics in Belize. This is where Red and Blue politicians hand out money, resources and services to voters in return for political support – usually their votes. Besides Christmas Cheer, there are also ‘Cheers’ for Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and such other big periods – like when the school year begins. And every week the politicians of the Reds and the Blues hold ‘clinics’ where constituents can go to personally ask them for bills to be paid, or for cash or for land or for some government favour. Then there are the big Christmas gimmicks like writing off mortgages (2011 by the Reds) and waiving GST (2024 by the Blues). And all this is before it is election day once again. But it’s time to talk scam. Scam 1: Tek di Turkey, Tek di Ham, Vote PUDP The Blues and the Reds all say they are just ‘helping’ the needy and bringing good cheer. But most everyone knows that it’s part of the partisan game where the prize is winning the next election. It’s best seen as ‘transaction’: from my hand to yours – and you owe me something. For you see Mr. Grinch, no matter what accountability measures they boast, each politician ensures that each voter knows that it is, he or she, the individual politician, who is giving. From my own hand to yours. That’s why politicians say insane things like, “I gave Miss Gertrude a turkey and ham.” Or “I gave all the kids in my constituency free gifts.” Or “I gave your daughter a scholarship?” So, Scam 1 is that politicians of the Blues and the Reds personally give voters ‘free’ Christmas goodies but expect their votes in return. But is free really free? Scam 2: Use the People’s Own Money Scam 2 is about where the money comes from for tens of thousands of turkeys and hams. You will recall, Mr. Grinch, that Christmas Cheer money comes from the public treasury. So, the funds for Christmas Cheer can come from things like taxes, duties, fees, returns on investments, grants or loans. In other words, from the people’s money or the people’s debt. Few people know that the $1.4 million for the 2011 Christmas Cheers came from proceeds received by the Red Government from shares it held for the people in the then newly nationalised Belize Telemedia Limited. Then between 2013 and 2019 the Reds funded most of their Christmas Cheers from the PetroCaribe loan provided by Venezuela. One credible estimate is that the total expended just on Christmas Cheer in this period was some $9,000,000.00. In this term of office, the Blues do not say much about the exact public source of the funds for their Christmas Cheers. It is just another line in an annual or supplementary budget. And whereas the Blues used to boastfully announce the monetary amounts for Christmas Cheers in the House, none was made for the over $2 million in 2024. So, Mr. Grinch, the scam here is deceitfully simple: for their personal electoral gain, the Blues and the Reds give people back their own money and make it seem free. But is free really free? I know time is short, but two more things you must know. One is that local governments (like city and town councils) and statutory bodies (like the Belize Tourism Board) also dole out Christmas Cheer, funded largely by the people’s money. The second is that both the Blues and the Reds also get private funds from some big wigs to supplement their Christmas Cheers. The funds or goods or discounts that they get, allow them, in theory, to have more goodies to barter with. There are no records kept here, for Belize has no laws that require political parties and politicians to disclose their donations. Scam 3: Immediate Relief but Core Problems Remain I suggest, Mr. Grinch, that Scam 3 is the most disillusioning of all. Who can blame needy people for accepting free turkeys and hams and free gifts for kids at this time of year? On top of high poverty and much inequality, inflation is rough, making times harder for many. But however much festive joy they bring and however many bellies they full, are most Christmas Cheer givings not just immediate gratifications? So, Mr. Grinch, even as some in need surely do benefit, these seasonal givings are like opiate-laced band-aids. The Blues and the Reds – and some of the people – ignore key questions like: “Why can’t more people afford their own turkeys and hams? And if there is to be a state programme, why must it be implemented by the Blues and the Reds? In short, Mr. Grinch, handout programmes like Christmas Cheer do not address why so many people are poor. Or why a few have so much and most have so little. In fact, such programmes may just foster even more socio-economic dependency on the Blues and the Reds. The more deeply we look, the more evidence we see that the short-term benefits of such things as ‘free’ turkeys and hams are outweighed by their long-lasting damaging effects. For sure programmes like these are wide open to corruption, to waste. How do we know that no public funds end up in private hands or that no deals are made with suppliers for kickbacks? And one often hears of double dipping – where more cunning constituents get again and again, while others get none. What promises are made to big private donors and how much public revenue is lost in this game? How much funds are wasted that could have gone to under-funded social programmes ran by the state? No time to explore such questions right now Mr. Grinch. Your deadline is today, and I must wrap up. The Grinch and Max in Belize? So, Mr. Grinch, by now you know that Belize’s turkeys and hams are not really free – they just seem to be. You may agree that, in principle, there is nothing wrong with people really in need getting social and economic assistance from the state. The issue is how it is done. We have seen that when programmes such as Christmas Cheer, go ‘through’ the hands of Blues and the Reds, their politicians use partisan discretion to decide who gets what and how much. It not only bad for democracy and people’s development, but, as you may suspect, it is not sustainable. But let’s dream for a bit, Mr. Grinch, that most Belizeans agree the needy should receive things like turkeys and hams from public funds each December. Then a sound social welfare programme, based on merit and transparency, is designed and established in a department of government. Then trained public officers implement the programme with full accountability and provide audited records for all to see. Politicians will be banned from any involvement – apart from informing their constituents that the programme exists. Wake up, Mr. Grinch! While your key query was about scams around hams, please do not assume that all is bad in Belize. Of course they are problems, but good things do happen. Belize has great natural beauty with warm beaches, blue seas, a long barrier reef, hundreds of birds, majestic Maya temples and lush forests that are greener than you. And yes, most Belizeans are really welcoming and nice – though I fear this could be a put off knowing you. The economy is growing, and unemployment is low. Minimum wage has been raised, and a National Health Insurance scheme is expanding. And more good things can happen – if Belize can fix things like free turkeys and hams. Mr. Grinch, I hope that this brief will help you decide whether you and Max will do Belize this Christmas. I am sure if you do, that Max can ‘arrange’ to eat dozens of ‘free’ turkeys and hams. As for you, Mr Grinch, you now know that Christmas in Belize comes with big noisy parties, lots of bright lights, much feasting on hams, and sleek politicians. All things that you say make you more and more grumpy. Perhaps you stay home and just send Max to Belize? Happy Holidays Mr. Grinch. Do extend my greetings to Max and the Whos. ******************** Dear Dr. Vernon, I appreciate your wee brief, though it has but increased my grief. I deduce that if we go to Belize, we may never leave – at least not in one piece. So, Max and I will stay put and just travel to nearby places by foot. Bah Hambug! Mr. Grinch But I want to go. Please Mr. Grinch...free turkeys and hams! Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Belize ~ We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages. Your content is delivered instantly to thousands of users in Belize and abroad! Contact us at mаrkеtіng@brеаkіngbеlіzеnеwѕ.соm or call us at 501-612-0315. © 2024, BreakingBelizeNews.com. Content is copyrighted and requires written permission for reprinting in online or print media. Theft of content without permission/payment is punishable by law.

EXCLUSIVE Father of British ex-soldier, 22, who was 'captured by Putin's forces while fighting for Ukraine on Russia soil' says he's terrified he'll be tortured in captivity after he was paraded on TV By RICHARD MARSDEN and ED HOLT Published: 22:00, 24 November 2024 | Updated: 22:04, 24 November 2024 e-mail View comments A British former soldier has been captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine in Kursk, his family confirmed tonight. The ‘mercenary’ fighter, James Scott Rhys Anderson, was paraded in front of the cameras and a short video clip published by Kremlin-backed sources online. The 22-year-old’s father told the Daily Mail he was in ‘complete shock’ to discover his son’s fate and said he fears he will be tortured. Scott Anderson, 41, said he and other family members had begged his son not to go to Ukraine before he joined up around eight months ago. But he said his son would not be dissuaded because ‘he thought what he was doing was right’. He said: ‘I’m hoping he’ll be used as a bargaining chip but my son told me they torture their prisoners and I’m so frightened he’ll be tortured.’ Speaking at the family home in Banbury, Oxfordshire, Mr Anderson Sr added he had been due to come home for Christmas in only a few weeks’ time. The father-of-four said: ‘We spoke on WhatsApp almost every day until he went on his most recent operation. He was acting as a signalman. Mr Anderson, appeared in the footage with an unkempt beard, his hair closely cropped and wearing green combat fatigues, but with no visible bruises or marks of torture James Anderson with his father Scott Anderson. The 41-year-old said he and other family members had begged his son not to go to Ukraine before he joined up around eight months ago James with his sister. He had been in the Army for four years, having gone to Army Foundation College as a 17-year-old ‘James last came home only a month and a half ago. He said his Ukrainian commander had made a promise that he’d contact me if he was ever killed or captured. ‘When he called me and sent the video I was in complete shock and in tears. I could see straight away it was him. He looks frightened, scared and worried. ‘I didn’t want him to go. I did try to persuade him not to go - my whole family tried to persuade him. ‘He wanted to go out there because he thought he was doing what was right. He was dead against what was happening to the Ukrainian people. ‘Since he went out earlier this year, he’s fallen in love with a Ukrainian although I don’t know her name. ‘I last spoke to him when I last saw him but we used to talk on WhatsApp every day. He’d tell me where he’d been and the things he’d seen. ‘He was alive, healthy. He sent me a video when he was at Sumy. Then he was being posted within the last week.’ Mr Anderson senior, who said he served a short prison sentence for a domestic matter at the time his son joined the Ukrainians, said he has been contacted by Foreign Office officials Mr Anderson Sr said he said his son would not be dissuaded from going to Ukraine because ‘he thought what he was doing was right’ His son had been in the Army for four years, having gone to Army Foundation College as a 17-year-old In the footage released by his captors, Mr Anderson can be heard describing his decision to go to fight for Ukraine in the Russian territory as a ‘stupid idea’ His son had been in the Army for four years, having gone to Army Foundation College as a 17-year-old. After leaving the Army last year, he became a civilian custody officer for Thames Valley Police, prior to joining the Ukrainians. In the footage released by his captors, Mr Anderson can be heard describing his decision to go to fight for Ukraine in the Russian territory as a ‘stupid idea’. He states he was a former soldier with the British Army, in the Royal Signals corps, between 2019 and 2023, but said he was dismissed. He said he then applied for the International Legion of fighters helping Ukrainian troops. Ukraine made a surprise incursion into Russia in the summer and seized 500 square miles of territory in the Kursk region. It has since lost 40 per cent of this territory, according to recent reports. In the video, Mr Anderson said: ‘When I left, got fired from my job, I applied for the international legion. I’d lost everything, my dad was in prison, I’d seen it on the TV. It was a stupid idea’. Mr Anderson, appeared in the footage with an unkempt beard, his hair closely cropped and wearing green combat fatigues, but with no visible bruises or marks of torture. He described travelling from Luton to Krakow, Poland, before travelling into Ukraine. A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man following reports of his detention.’ In 2022, six British nationals - fighters Sean Pinner, Aiden Aslin, Andrew Hill and John Harding, and aid volunteers Dylan Healy and Paul Urey - were captured by Kremlin-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine and threatened with the death penalty. Father-of-four Mr Urey, aged 45, died in Russian captivity, while the other five were eventually released in September that year following negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, brokered by Saudi Arabia and involving former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich. In a message to Mr Anderson, Mr Harding, 61, said: ‘I’d say to him, don’t give up hope. I’d hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Mr Anderson senior, who said he served a short prison sentence for a domestic matter at the time his son joined the Ukrainians, said he has been contacted by Foreign Office officials Mr Anderson Sr with James's grandmother Jacqueline Payne Ukrainian soliders fighting in the Kursk region. Andersen was captured by Putin's forces in the Russian region where Ukraine holds several hundred square kilometres Ukrainian soldiers in the Donetsk region of Ukraine ‘I’m sure there’ll be people from the Ukrainian side trying to negotiate his release but I understand it’s a lot worse to be captured now than when I was. There seem to be fewer negotiations going on. ‘When I was first captured, I was held in solitary but when they ran out of space, they put all us Brits together and we used to encourage each other.’ Mr Harding, who had been fighting in Ukraine for four years before being captured and subjected to interrogation and torture, added: ‘I was quite aggressive when I was first captured but it didn’t work. ‘If I was him, I’d be the grey man, try and keep my head down. You’ve got to give them (the Russians) some information but you try not to give them any information which could be of use.’ Mr Anderson’s capture comes just over a month after Russia’s defence ministry claimed that its forces killed two British ‘mercenaries’ in Ukraine. The Kremlin said that the fighters were killed during an attack on the Ukrainian village of Mykhailivka, in the Donetsk region, which was taken over by Russian forces on October 13. The defence ministry quoted the deputy commander of the Russian battalion that led the assault, Igor Krasilnikov, as saying: ‘There were two servicemen from Britain, mercenaries. They basically stayed in that stronghold. In July, Peter Fouche, 49, a former London taxi driver, was buried after he was killed in June, as his unit clashed with Russian troops. At the funeral ceremony, Ukrainian soldiers carried Mr Fouche’s coffin through Kyiv’s landmark Independence Square, the site of mass protests in 2014 that forced out a pro-Russian president. Russian President Vladimir Putin records a televised address in Moscow The burnt wreckage of a car in Kursk. Inside the region, it has been claimed that North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russians Read More Top Russian general and 500 North Korean soldiers 'killed by British Storm Shadow missiles' Ukraine holds several hundred square kilometres of the Kursk region, which borders the northeast of Ukraine, but Putin's forces are gradually pushing them back. Inside Kursk, it has been claimed that North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russians. The capture comes after a top Russian general, along with 500 North Korean soldiers, were allegedly killed by British Storm Shadow missiles in a devastating attack. The strike launched by Ukraine on November 20 wiped out Lt-Gen Valery Solodchuk and also resulted with 18 Putin officers reported lost, with a further 18 wounded, it has been claimed. Earlier reports suggested that a Kim Jong-un general had also been left injured in the attack as he commanded troops backing Vladimir Putin's Ukraine invasion. The strike carried out by Ukraine was the first time UK Storm Shadow missiles had been used blast targets deep inside Russia. It is understood that the pinpoint missiles had hit a Putin command post and military facility with the scale of Russian losses now alleged to be enormous. Russian Lt-Gen Valery Solodchuk (pictured) was reported to have been killed in the UK-supplied Storm Shadow strike by the Ukrainian armed forces on 20 November This is the moment missiles believed to be British Storm Shadow missiles struck inside Russia The strike carried out by Ukraine was the first time UK Storm Shadow missiles had been used blast targets deep inside Russia. One image following the attack showed a written indentation on a chunk of metal reading: 'Storm Shadow' Russian authorities have not yet confirmed losses which would be grievous to both Russia and North Korea if confirmed, and the reports are yet to be independently verified. The Storm Shadows were targeted on November 20 at an underground military facility in Maryino on a Tsarist estate, in Kursk region. New footage shows a Storm Shadow missile involved in the attack as it flew towards its target, it is claimed. Read More BREAKING NEWS Russia warns West WW3 is on way: Ambassador says missile strikes 'seriously escalates situation'' If true, the losses may explain Putin's furious reaction - firing a new Oreshnik hypersonic missile at Dnipro, and his public boasts he had a new super weapon which was unstoppable by the West. Moscow also threatened that the use by Ukraine of NATO-supplied missiles meant Putin could legitimately hit back with nuclear missiles. The Russian officers reportedly killed are from Putin's Southern and Eastern Military Districts. The strike carried out by Ukraine was the first time UK Storm Shadow missiles had been used blast targets deep inside Russia. US-based Global Defense Corp reported that 500 North Korean soldiers were killed alongside Russian officers, however, there was no independent confirmation. Some 10,000-plus North Koreans are believed to have been moved across Siberia to the war zone after being ordered to serve Putin by their leader Kim Jong Un. They are either currently fighting for Putin or about to be deployed. Kim's decision to inject North Korean soldiers into Russia to help in Putin's bloody war has raised concerns among Kyiv's allies who worry that the move may exacerbate what is already Europe's largest conflict since WWII. Images shared on social media showed what appeared to be fragments of a British Storm Shadow missile in Marino, Kursk, on November 20 US-based Global Defense Corp reported that 500 North Korean soldiers were killed alongside Russian officers, however, there was no independent confirmation (file photo) South Koreans watch Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin during a recent meeting The Storm Shadow missile attack last week hit the sanatorium of the Russian Presidential Affairs Directorate in Maryino, a former Tsarist estate, say reports. Britain's Storm Shadow missiles are capable of dodging air defences - making them a nightmare attack weapon for their enemy. The £800,000 rockets use GPS technology to precisely blast targets, and can travel through the air at 600mph. Storm Shadow missiles have already been used by Ukraine inside its own territory for some time, but Kyiv now appears to have been granted permission to use the weapons to strike within Russia. Storm Shadow - called Scalp by the French - is a weapon equipped with a navigation system that once launched, descends to a low altitude to avoid detection before locking onto its target using an infra-red seeker. On the final approach, the missile climbs to a higher altitude to maximise the chances of hitting the target. On impact, it penetrates the target before a delayed fuse detonates the main warhead. The strike comes after Russia issued a warning that British support for Ukraine could 'lead to a collision between nuclear powers' in a grave threat as President Vladimir Putin vowed to launch more hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine. Putin has said he will fire more of Russia 's new hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile being launched as part of nuclear deterrence forces drills in Russia on October 29, 2024 Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers roll on Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9 Andrey Kelin, Russia's ambassador to the UK, cited American support for Ukraine to use Western missiles against targets in Russia, backed by Britain and France, in his warning that 'this seriously escalates the situation' and 'can lead to a collision between the nuclear powers'. The Kremlin suggested this week it was 'entitled' to fire upon 'the military targets of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities' in a thinly-veiled threat to the West, after the US gave its support for Kyiv using ATACMS missiles against Russian and North Korean forces in Russia. After striking the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with an experimental hypersonic missile early on Thursday, Putin ordered the mass production of the 'unstoppable' Oreshnik, believed to be able to reach Britain in under 20 minutes. 'There is no countermeasure to such a missile, no means of intercepting it, in the world today. And I will emphasise once again that we will continue testing this newest system. It is necessary to establish serial production,' Putin said. Ukraine Russia Share or comment on this article: Father of British ex-soldier, 22, who was 'captured by Putin's forces while fighting for Ukraine on Russia soil' says he's terrified he'll be tortured in captivity after he was paraded on TV e-mail Add commentDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones' 21 points helped UC San Diego defeat James Madison 73-67 on Friday night. Tait-Jones also contributed six rebounds for the Tritons (4-2). Hayden Gray scored 16 points and added four steals. Nordin Kapic went 5 of 8 from the field (1 for 4 from 3-point range) to finish with 12 points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get the latest sports news delivered right to your inbox six days a week.

Lea Miller-Tooley hopped off a call to welcome the Baylor women’s basketball team to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, where 80-degree temperatures made it easy for the Bears to settle in on Paradise Island a week before Thanksgiving. About 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said Miller-Tooley, the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, the latter in 2017 amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Notre Dame takes on Chaminade during the first half of a 2017 game in Lahaina, Hawaii. Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions Villanova (2017) and Virginia (2018) later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in a ballroom-turned-arena at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, water slides and inner-tube rapids surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time – and staff and families – that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers from deadly 2023 wildfires that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence – they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo argues a call during the first half of a Nov. 16 game against Bowling Green in East Lansing, Michigan. Mi zzo is making his fourth trip to Maui. The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with No. 11 Tennessee routing No. 13 Baylor for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its fourth eight-team women’s tournament Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday back in Lahaina. It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion UConn, No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, last in 2021. “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii. Mike Tyson, left, slaps Jake Paul during a weigh-in ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal serves during a training session at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) A fan takes a picture of the moon prior to a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Uruguay and Colombia in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich) Rasmus Højgaard of Denmark reacts after missing a shot on the 18th hole in the final round of World Tour Golf Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts during the final match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) fails to pull in a pass against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson) Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, top right, scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) India's Tilak Varma jumps in the air as he celebrates after scoring a century during the third T20 International cricket match between South Africa and India, at Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski warms up before facing the Seattle Kraken in an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Kansas State players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Arizona State Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) A fan rapped in an Uruguay flag arrives to the stands for a qualifying soccer match against Colombia for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) People practice folding a giant United States flag before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Marquinhos attempts to stop the sprinklers that were turned on during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Georgia's Georges Mikautadze celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League, group B1 soccer match between Georgia and Ukraine at the AdjaraBet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili) Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, right, attempts to score while Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) and Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) keep the puck out of the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario misses the third goal during the Nations League soccer match between Italy and France, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Fans argue in stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova hits a return against Danielle Collins, of the United States, during a tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Malaga, southern Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) falls after driving to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against New Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) England's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and the Republic of Ireland at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Katie Taylor, left, lands a right to Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner, right, tackles Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington, left, on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) UConn's Paige Bueckers (5) battles North Carolina's Laila Hull, right, for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) Get local news delivered to your inbox!

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