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Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan to enter 2025 NFL DraftMany New Jersey drone sightings are actually legal, manned aircraft: White House
Streamlined point-of-sale system helps small merchants process payments, manage inventory, and control expenses – without subscription fees BOULDER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / November 26, 2024 / SumUp , a global financial services company, has launched its POS Lite in the United States. POS Lite is a lightweight and user-friendly point-of-sale (POS) solution designed to support microbusinesses. With no monthly subscription fees, POS Lite empowers merchants to accept payments, track orders, and manage inventory seamlessly. "At SumUp, we understand the challenges entrepreneurs face, no matter the size of their business. POS Lite reflects our commitment to providing accessible tools that go beyond payment processing to help small business owners thrive," said Andrew Helms, CEO of SumUp USA. The POS Lite has a large 13" full-HD touchscreen that serves as a register and is paired with SumUp's proprietary Solo card reader. "Developed entirely in-house, the system delivers exactly what microbusinesses need to thrive," according to Helms. Unlike traditional POS systems, POS Lite eliminates the barrier of subscription costs. "Thousands of entrepreneurs in the US hesitate to adopt POS systems due to subscription fees. With POS Lite, we've removed this barrier, making it easier for small businesses to manage operations and accept payments more efficiently," added Helms. Beyond payment processing, POS Lite offers robust inventory management tools, allowing merchants to create detailed product catalogs with customizable variations and pricing. It also includes sales and payout reporting, digital and printed receipt options, preset tipping capabilities, and streamlined refunding processing for smoother transactions. For businesses looking for more advanced capabilities, SumUp also offers the SumUp POS , which includes robust loyalty and customer communication features and online ordering options. The Pos Lite is available for $499, with standard payment processing fees. To learn more, visit https://www.sumup.com/en-us/pos/pos-lite . About SumUp SumUp is a global financial technology company driven by the mission of empowering small businesses all over the world. Founded in 2012, SumUp is the financial partner for more than 4 million entrepreneurs in over 35 markets worldwide. In the United States, SumUp offers an ecosystem of affordable, easy-to-use financial products, such as point-of-sale and loyalty solutions, card readers, invoicing, and a business account that allows customers to manage their money and receive payouts the next day. For more information, please visit https://www.sumup.com/en-us . Contact Information Adriano Lira PR Manager, US 5511983918632SumUp PR Team Source: SumUpWhat’s New in Digital Equity: All BEAD Proposals Approved
Musk causes uproar for backing Germany’s far-right AfD party ahead of key electionsNoneThe Canada Games Centre has closed both of its rinks due to an issue with one of the facility’s ice plant compressors. “The decision has been made to cancel all ice bookings as well as any drop-in ice activities with the exception of the Arctic Edge Skating Club’s Gold Nugget Competition,” read a Dec. 6 press release. “Impacted user groups have been notified directly by Facility Bookings staff.” Darrell Peters is the operations supervisor at the Canada Games Centre. He told the News that one of the rink’s three compressors went out of commission on Wednesday, Dec. 4. “An instrument panel that’s on the compressor is not working, it’s dead. So that compressor is no longer working,” he said. The warm conditions that Whitehorse has been experiencing have complicated the matter further: Peters said operations cannot keep up with the flooding of the ice. He said the operations have not been flooding after every period of hockey since Dec. 4 because the ice wasn’t setting quickly enough. “So what’s happening is our ice is getting slimmer and slimmer,” he said. The ice is usually maintained at an inch-and-three-quarters to two inches, but the ice level is now down to an inch-and-a-quarter. “It’ll keep getting lower, and then we’ll lose our lines on the ice, and then it’s a problem,” said Peters. Arctic Edge will be able to use the ice due to the nature of their sport compared with hockey, as well as the fact the rink only needs to be flooded every few hours with figure-skating as opposed to after every period with hockey, Peters said. It is also due to the fact that Arctic Edge is running their test program. “That’s why we’re shutting everything down, so that they have good quality ice still, on the ATCO ice, for them to do the testing program.” Peters said that their technicians will be arriving from Edmonton on Monday, Dec. 9 with the replacement parts. “I expect them to be working on it Tuesday morning and hopefully be running by lunchtime on Tuesday, if everything works out,” Peters said.Penn State has been campaigning — hard — for Tyler Warren to get national nods from the John Mackey Award, the Paul Hornung Award and maybe even the Heisman Trophy. One of those things came through Tuesday. Warren was added as a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the nation’s best tight end. He was honored alongside Michigan’s Colston Loveland and Bowling Green’s Harold Fannin Jr. After debating entering the NFL Draft after last season, Warren sure seems to have made the right decision. He leads Penn State with 75 receptions for 910 yards and five touchdowns. He’s also rushed 18 times for 157 yards and four scores. Oh yeah, he’s also thrown a few passes, one for a touchdown, and punted against Minnesota. The Virginia native holds Penn State single-season records for tight end receptions and receiving yards, while he holds the most receiving yards for a tight end in their career and is tied for the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end. He made the game-clinching catch against Minnesota this weekend on a later fourth-and-1, a play in which he could’ve scored easily to break another record. But he went down to run the clock out, a show of his commitment to winning above all else. “It’s the best thing to do in terms of managing that situation and winning the game and not having to kickoff again, ending on our terms,” James Franklin said Monday. “So just really, really cool play and not surprising that Tyler Warren is going to put the team first. I’m a big believer in that. The more you give to others and pour into others, it comes back to you ten times. Tyler Warren is a perfect example of that.” Warren is also a Paul Hornung Award finalist for college football’s most versatile player. Fannin has made a great case for the award himself, and Bowling Green has pushed as hard if not harder than Penn State to make it happen. Falcons strategic communications staff have been sending press releases about Fannin since Oct. 9. He has 92 receptions for 1,295 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Like Warren, Fannin has rushed some, too. He has six rushes for 51 yards and a score. Loveland will probably be the odd man out in this race. He has 56 receptions for 582 yards and five touchdowns. CARTER NAMED BEDNARIK AWARD FINALIST Junior defensive end Abdul Carter is back on national awards lists. Penn State’s star pass rusher was named a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award on Tuesday, given annually to the nation’s best defensive player and presented by the Maxwell Football Club. Carter was joined as a finalist by Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter and Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. Carter, already a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (defensive player of the year), has 48 total tackles, eight sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles this season. His 17.5 tackles for loss are third-best in the country and best in the Big Ten, while his eight sacks are tied for 20th in the country and fourth in the conference. He’s made a significant impact in his first season since switching from linebacker to defensive end, earning Pro Football Focus’s 10th best defensive grade among edge rushers at 86.9. His pass-rushing grade is slightly better at 90.7, ranking fourth-best in the nation. The Philadelphia native is also a semifinalist for the Lombardi Trophy (best lineman) and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Hunter is the betting favorite to win the Heisman this year, largely thanks to the fact that he plays both corner and wide receiver for the Buffaloes. He has 30 tackles, three interceptions, nine pass breakups and a forced fumble this season. Downs has 50 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a half of a sack and three pass breakups this season for the Buckeyes.
On Friday, NASCAR officially closed the 2024 season with the annual awards banquet at the Charlotte Convention Center in North Carolina. For the third consecutive year, the star-studded black-tie event honored drivers from the Craftsman Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series for their accomplishments during the 2024 season. Chase Elliot, Joey Logano, Rajah Karuth, Ty Majeski, and Justin Allgaier were among the top names honored at the banquet. Though several nominees were in each category, Elliot, Logano, Karuth, Majeski, and Allgaier once again proved why they’re among NASCAR’s best. About the Award Categories Award categories honored on Friday included the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award, the Bill France Award of Excellence, the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, the NPMA Myers Brothers Award, and the Comcast Community Champion of the Year. Each of the five awards has a unique purpose. The nominees are typically a mixture of drivers, contributors, and community members. One of the most impactful awards is the Comcast Community Champion of the Year, which honors a person working within NASCAR for making the world a better place through service and sacrifice. The National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) Most Popular Driver Award honors drivers from Craftsman, Xfinity, and the Cup Series. Additionally, the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award goes to the person who contributes to making a difference in the lives of children and their families. Contributions can be through giving or volunteering at children’s charities or organizations. Similarly, the Bill France Award of Excellence recognizes those who have made the most impact while working or driving for NASCAR. Lastly, the NMPA Myers Brothers Award honors groups or individuals whose contributions have impacted stock-car racing as a sport, but who walked away with these prestigious honors? NMPA Most Popular Driver Award Chase Elliot, driver of the No.9 for Hendrick Motorsports and son of veteran driver Bill Elliot, was awarded the NMPA Most Popular Driver for the seventh consecutive year. The only other driver who matches this number is the legendary Bobby Allison, who passed away on November 9 at 86. However, Elliot has a lot of work to do if he plans to match up with his father, who has received the honor 15 times. Even so, Elliot graciously accepted his award but still struggles to understand the impact of his popularity on fans and NASCAR as a sport. He doesn’t see himself as an icon or use his time behind the wheel for popularity. For Elliot, the sport is a way to escape the stresses of the natural world, and he describes it as his haven. He understands the appeal of idolizing an athlete because he’s an avid football fan, and like everyone else, he has that one athlete he idolizes. Yet, he can’t accept placing himself in the same category even though he beat out nominees Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, and Kyle Busch. “It’s always tough for me to accept and understand the impact that we have,” Elliott said. “I just don’t look at myself that way at all.” “Some days, I have to remind myself that I look at it like this : I’m a huge sports fan. I love sports. And sports are a great escape for so many things that we deal with as human beings.” NMPA Most Popular Xfinity Driver Like Elliot, Xfinity driver Justin Allgaier was again crowned the most popular driver in Charlotte for the fifth consecutive year. Though he’s been on the track for 15 years, Allgaier celebrated the single best moment in his career history at Phoenix Raceway on November 9. With tears in his eyes and pride in his heart, the JR Motorsports driver crossed the finish line to clinch his first series title, so Friday was more or less a dual celebration. In a heartwarming acceptance speech, the popular Xfinity driver tearfully thanked his family for their support and sacrifice. Allgaier closed his speech by toasting Xfinity’s outgoing director, Wayne Auton, who plans to step down in 2025. The driver only had a few minutes to finish the speech but thanked everyone attending the banquet. He mentioned how it was an honor to compete amongst each of his Xfinity brethren. “To all of you in this room tonight: You are such an unbelievably talented group that pushes me to be better every single day,” said Allgaier. “It’s an honor to compete alongside of you week in and week out. This Xfinity Series is a special place, and that’s clear by what we get to do every single week at the race track.” NMPA Most Popular Craftsman Truck Series Driver The last of the NMPA’s most popular driver award honors went to Rajah Caruth. Caruth, driver of the No. 71 for Spire Motorsports in the Craftsman Truck Series, was surprised by his nomination. The young driver deserved the honor, especially after clinching his first Craftsman Championship title at Las Vegas Motorspeedway in March. The win earned him the honor of being the third African American, with Bubba Wallace and Wendell Scott, to win a national NASCAR race. It was only his second season as a Craftsman Driver, but what better way to be recognized? NMPA Myers Brothers Award Greg Biffle, who earned 19 wins, 13 poles, and 175 top-tens during his stint with NASCAR, running in the Nationwide, Craftsman, and Cup Series’, was honored with the Myers Brother Award . He was chosen for the award for his lasting impact on the sport and his selflessness in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Biffle spent time in Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee, aiding those devastated by the storm’s damage in late September. According to insiders, he boarded a helicopter to survey the damages and aided those stranded in the debris. Biffle’s kind act led NASCAR’s “Operation Helidrop” efforts to supply survivors with food, water, and shelter. During a solo flyover of the region affected by Helene’s wrath, he stopped to help a man trapped under debris who, desperate for help, summoned him using a lone piece of mirror. Once the helicopter landed, the former NASCAR great safely rendered the help the man and those in the surrounding area required. Logano spoke fondly of Greg Biffle during a speech, noting that this standard of excellence and selflessness makes him proud to represent NASCAR as a sport. Bill France Award of Excellence Without excellent contributors, drivers wouldn’t have the tools to help make NASCAR into the $158 million entity it is today, and there’s no better example than David Wilson. Wilson, the principal of Toyota Racing Development (TRD), who has assisted the franchise for 35 years, received the highest honor when he accepted the Bill France Award of Excellence on Friday. It was an emotional moment for Wilson, who was announced by long-time NASCAR executive and friend Jim France. Wilson has singlehandedly made the most impact on NASCAR, contributing to driver development and overseeing the beginning of TRD’s presence in the Series Championships with veteran Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and 63-time cup winner Kyle Busch. Despite numerous successes under his leadership, NASCAR’s drivers and team owners will see a new face in 2025. After announcing his retirement in August, Wilson plans to pass his leadership torch to TRD General Manager Tyler Gibbs. “I’m still soaking it in. I had no idea.” I’m beyond humbled and incredibly grateful,” Wilson said. Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award Unlike other Friday awards honoring drivers and franchise contributors, the Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award stands out the most. Perhaps it’s because it’s the only honor awarded to a fan. An avid NASCAR fan and humanitarian, Judy Simmons was awarded for selfless volunteer work at the non-profit disaster relief organization “God’s Pit Crew.” A native of Axton, Virginia, Simmons works closely with the organization to ensure that families across the United States are aided during a significant weather event. She has worked with 1,500 disaster response team members for over six years, providing everyday essentials for families who have lost everything. Nichole Krieger, who presented Simmons with the $100,000 award, mentioned no one is more deserving of the award. She added that she’s an incredible person who has profoundly impacted families recovering from crises with her valiant volunteers at “God’s Pit Crew.” “Judy is an incredible person doing impactful work for families that have experienced hardship due to natural disasters, especially during the difficult times faced in Western North Carolina this year,” said Nichole Krieger. The NASCAR Foundation Vice President and Executive Director. Final Thoughts The NASCAR banquet in Charlotte was a night that honored service, sacrifice, and champions as it does every year. Yet, it seemed to have a different feel on Friday night and a turning point for NASCAR as a sport. There was an overwhelming sense of warmth in the room, and everyone was gracious and humbled by the support. Joey Logano and Ty Majeski presented speeches that moved audience members in recognition of their respective championship titles. In addition to the other awards received, it was a moment of celebration, and all the attendees were full of smiles. This article first appeared on Total Apex Sports and was syndicated with permission.
University of Michigan will no longer use diversity statements in faculty hiring, promotion, tenureThe draw for the first 32-team Club World Cup brought us approximately 172 mentions of how “amazing” next summer’s tournament is going to be, a very drawn-out trophy reveal and a message from Donald Trump. But after an hour and 40 minutes in Miami, Florida on Thursday, we finally found out which clubs will play each other in the group stage of the competition next June and July in the United States. Here, our correspondents James Horncastle, Felipe Cardenas, Jeff Rueter, Seb Stafford-Bloor and Dermot Corrigan debate the pick of the opening-phase games and which teams and players will catch the eye and share their predictions for the tournament overall. GO DEEPER Club World Cup draw: Inter Miami vs Al Ahly opens tournament, Man City to face Juventus Which group game stands out? James Horncastle: River Plate-Inter in part because Inter are, perhaps, the European club most identified with Argentinian players. Javier Zanetti, Inter’s vice president and a former Argentina international, applauded today’s draw from the audience. The barbecues at the Inter training ground are legendary. Zanetti has a couple of Argentine steakhouses in Milan. Advertisement Felipe Cardenas: I’m with Horncastle on this one. River-Inter will feature great kits, nostalgia, and two footballing cultures that have a lot in common. My pick though is Monterrey vs River. Monterrey’s newly-minted manager Martin Demichelis facing off against the club he was previously in charge of and their coach Marcelo Gallardo, the man whose shadow he couldn’t escape there. It could be a very petty match-up. Jeff Rueter: Benfica-Boca Juniors. Two teams who are among the very best in legacy footballing nations but are more often viewed from Europe’s top levels as developmental clubs burgeoning with promising talent. Getting to see them square off is a delight, and could be a way for Boca to issue a particularly poignant reminder of their caliber. They’ll also likely be competing to advance from Group C, as Bayern Munich is a favorite to win the whole tournament. And if nothing else, it’s a tremendous kit match-up. Seb Stafford-Bloor: River-Inter for me, too. There’s so much shared culture between those two sides and even if we don’t know quite what the atmosphere will be like, that could — if it’s allowed — be one of the most colourful occasions of the group stage. Bring all your flares and tifos. Dermot Corrigan: Atletico Madrid versus Paris Saint-Germain in Group B will definitely provoke interest in Spain. PSG ’s Spanish head coach Luis Enrique talked to Atletico about possibly replacing Diego Simeone a few years back. Simeone survived and Atletico won 2-1 at PSG in the Champions League , with a late Angel Correa goal, just a few weeks ago. Which team could emerge as the hipsters’ favourite? Horncastle: Monterrey. Their stadium is on my bucket list. Sergio Canales, one of the first young talents to have their skills hyped up and set to EuroTechno on early YouTube, plays for them along with former Porto duo Oliver Torres and Jesus Corona. Although the long hair of his playing days has gone, Demichelis still looks mean. I would love to see him in a remake of From Dusk Till Dawn. An easy choice. Cardenas: Inter Miami ’s pink uniform is about as hipster as it gets, but my pick is newly-crowned South American champion Botafogo. This is a good team that loves to attack and score goals at will. They’re young. They’re creative. And they’re showmen, who are led by American owner John Textor . It’s a new-money side with some really good players. Advertisement Rueter: The Seattle Sounders could rightfully feel hard done by being overlooked as tournament host, as FIFA ’s eagerness to ensure Inter Miami showed up to the party snubbed the 2022 North American champion. Winger Pedro de la Vega has had a tough first year in MLS , but a tournament like this could remind the league why he was so coveted. Otherwise, the likely answer is “whichever non-European team is able to beat more familiar opponents without fully committing to anti-football.” Let’s say Flamengo, as they’ve been drawn in a group with Chelsea . Stafford-Bloor: The financial disparities between the continents being what they are, it’s hard to know how many true underdogs will stick around long enough to win those hipsters’ hearts. So, we need someone possessing a bit of romance, who is good enough to last and make it through the group, but who will ultimately be crushed mercilessly under the foot of Champions League capitalism in the quarter-finals. I’ll take Boca Juniors and River Plate. Corrigan: I’m not going to claim a deep knowledge of Liga MX, but Monterrey have a very interesting mix of former La Liga talents. Ex- Real Madrid , Valencia , Real Sociedad and Real Betis playmaker Canales will be 34 when the tournament starts but can still run a game from No 10. Former Sevilla trio Oliver Torres, Lucas Ocampos and Jesus Corona are also talented, if erratic. And 36-year-old (37 by tournament time) Hector Moreno brings grizzled experience at the back. One-time Argentina centre-back Demichelis is already building a reputation as a coach, having presumably picked up a thing or two during his playing career under managers including Manuel Pellegrini, Louis van Gaal, Ottmar Hitzfeld, Jurgen Klinsmann, Alejandro Sabella and Diego Maradona. So, on their day, Monterrey could give anyone a game — including Inter and Demichelis’ previous employers River. While there’s also potential for it all blowing up spectacularly for them against Urawa Red Diamonds. Which player could put himself in the transfer shop window? Horncastle: Instinct brings us to the South American teams. Until, that is, you realise Chelsea and Real Madrid have bought all the teenage Brazilians, and Brighton and Manchester City have already signed the bright young Argentinians. It’s perhaps symptomatic of where the world is at right now that the second coming of John Kennedy is not in the White House, but on the Fluminense team sheet. He scored their winner in last year’s Copa Libertadores final against Boca. Advertisement Cardenas: If Palmeiras midfielder Richard Rios is still on their team come next summer, the playmaker will certainly be a name to follow. Rios, 24, was excellent during Colombia’s run to the Copa America final this past summer. He’s a player whose skill and flair stand out, but whose work rate is equally as impressive. Rios has been unnerved by the pressure of playing at Palmeiras, which has placed him on the scouting boards of several European clubs. Rueter: Seattle boasts an incredible midfield prospect who could benefit from the Club World Cup. Obed Vargas (pictured below) is a precocious 19-year-old holding midfielder who can play as either a No 6 or No 8, a product of Seattle’s academy who’s already a vital starter for the perennial MLS contender. Vargas is also a rarity: despite being born in Alaska, he has opted to represent Mexico rather than the United States, making him the first Alaskan member in the team’s history. It’s a matter of when, not if, he follows this summer’s departure of Aidan Morris from MLS to Europe, either in a similar tier as the English (second-tier) Championship , or a larger league with a loan-led development plan in mind. Stafford-Bloor: Jamie Gittens. His market value seems to be rising week-by-week at Borussia Dortmund and his performances in the Bundesliga and Champions League this season certainly qualify him as one of the most destructive players in Europe. If that form continues into next summer, he could easily be one of the most watchable players at this tournament and someone who clubs start viewing less with interest and more as a player they urgently need. GO DEEPER How Dortmund's 'golden boy' Jamie Gittens is becoming one of Europe's most destructive players Corrigan: Borja Baston had only played for Atletico Madrid, Murcia, Huesca, Deportivo La Coruna, Real Zaragoza, Eibar, Swansea City , Malaga, Alaves, Aston Villa , Leganes and Oviedo, before arriving at Mexican outfit Pachuca in July. The Spanish centre-forward with a good touch for a big man has scored goals wherever he went (except for Villa, and so far with Pachuca). And his career history, presumably there’s a decent chance that, still just 32, he could well be on the move again next summer. But what better way to secure an interesting and lucrative next adventure than by banging in a few goals against Real Madrid, Al Hilal or Red Bull Salzburg with the world watching? Who’s your predicted winner? Horncastle: To be consistent with my picks over the past year: Inter. To be eclectic: Al Hilal. Cardenas: Inter Mia... kidding! I’ll say Chelsea. Enzo Maresca’s young crew of talented and hungry footballers will raise the Club World Cup trophy. Will anyone care, though? Rueter: Erm... FIFA? On the pitch, Bayern has long wanted to become among the best-supported clubs in the United States, and winning a Club World Cup could help get over that rare missed Bundesliga title from last season. Stafford-Bloor: Real Madrid. More than the two Premier League clubs, they can be trusted to take this competition seriously. Clearly, they have the footballing tools — maybe Kylian Mbappe will have found some form by then, too — and this is the kind of title that they would pursue with real vigour. Advertisement Corrigan: Atletico are one of the European teams who actually look really excited to be involved in this — both CEO Miguel Angel Gil Marin and club president Enrique Cerezo travelled to Miami for today’s draw. The club’s owners are keen to promote their brand in the United States, coach Simeone needs another trophy to maintain his position of power, and Conor Gallagher could become England ’s first football World Cup winner since 1966. Does football need a revamped Club World Cup? Horncastle: In abstract, now that technology has made the world a much smaller place, the Club World Cup should be the extracurricular activity outside of domestic competition. The summer scheduling makes it feel important and not an inconvenient league interruption, like other winter tournaments. All that being said, the financial disparities between continents and the way FIFA president Gianni Infantino has forced this vanity project on the game at a time when players are playing more than ever makes it hard to be enthusiastic. Cardenas: It’s actually very American to supersize an international club tournament. ‘The bigger, the better’ seems to be FIFA’s new mantra, and clearly, the U.S. is the ideal market for an expanded format. To be honest, I like the concept. But I also really liked the old Intercontinental Cup, or the Toyota Cup, that pitted the South American club champion against its European counterpart. Was that too exclusive? Probably. But Sao Paulo versus Milan in Tokyo in 1993, in those classic kits, will never get old. Rueter: Not one bit. Players, coaches, staff — to say nothing of journalists — are gasping for time off between competitions. There’s a point where there’s just too much of a good thing, and an oversaturated market dilutes the product. I would argue we are well past that point. Stafford-Bloor: Of course not. I actually quite like the idea in theory, but it feels 30 years too late. Imagine some of these teams facing each other in the late 1980s and early 1990s, before all the talent was plundered by European clubs, and snatched away before it was old enough to grow a bad moustache. If this tournament was introduced instead of another — displacing something currently in the calendar, rather than simply adding to it — then it would be a different conversation. Corrigan: If you were starting organised football from scratch, there could well be a place for a World Cup of clubs. The idea of the best teams from all continents coming together sounds quite exciting. It could also help big, historic teams outside Europe to attract and retain a better standard of players in their home countries for longer. But the reality of the game’s current calendar means there is just no room to fit in a new competition of this size. GO DEEPER Club World Cup: Inter to Chelsea to Auckland City, all 32 teams at 2025 tournament profiled What does it need to make it succeed? Horncastle: Not DJ Khaled saying: “Another one” feat: Gianni Infantino. In all seriousness, FIFA needs to really hype this thing up and generate interest. Now that the games are going to be free-to-view on DAZN, I want ticketing to be accessibly priced, travel to be subsidised and for fans from Tunisia, Argentina and South Africa to be able to show up. If the games are corporatised, atmosphere-less and fail to sell out, it’ll look and sound terrible. These supporters are already squeezed enough as their clubs demand international travel for the Champions League, Copa Libertadores and so on. The Club World Cup only adds to that cost. Last but not least, given how much casual transcendental interest is tied up in his star system, it’ll need Lionel Messi to step up and drop ‘Another one’ for Gianni . Advertisement Cardenas: Good football. Blood, sweat and tears. Underdogs, upsets, and breakout stars. That has always been the recipe for success at any international tournament. If the new Club World Cup looks like the pre-season competitions we already see some of these European clubs playing here in the U.S. every July, it’ll flop. Or if the minnows are thoroughly beaten and humiliated, the tournament will fail. If the world’s top players and teams believe that it could jeopardise their club seasons, it will carry on with very little interest. In the end, what is the incentive here for Europe’s top teams? The UEFA Champions League is the pinnacle of the club game. In South America, the Copa Libertadores defines greatness. I don’t see how the Club World Cup can eclipse those realities. It’ll take time. Rueter: Players and coaches to treat it with full seriousness. That’s the sole metric, no matter how much money is at stake or pomp and grandeur is pumped into venues. If those involved don’t appear bought in and the games more closely resemble the fervour of a charity match or pre-season friendly, why should those of us on the outside looking in care? Stafford-Bloor: Credibility. There must be the sense that this is actually competitive and that the participating teams are bothered by the outcome. If not, then the results do not matter and the fans will not care. An enormous prize fund would be a good motivator but the market seems lukewarm at best and Infantino is some way off delivering on his bold promises. Perhaps one of his new, deep-pocketed friends will step in to make up the shortfall? Corrigan: Structural changes to the existing match calendar, to give it some space. But that would mean FIFA and UEFA both ceding some power and money. As well as agreement from regional and national federations and leagues. Which all seems quite unlikely. What should organisers be fearing most? Horncastle: Salt Bae? Elon Musk? Elon Musk and Salt Bae? Frankly, I am disappointed that the draw did not involve Infantino beaming in from a Space X flight while particles of salt, gold leaf and a rib-eye float around him in micro-gravity as Salt Bae mouths, ‘Wooooooow’, when Al Hilal are suddenly paired with RB Salzburg (or FC Salzburg, to use the new name FIFA has given them). A missed opportunity. Cardenas: Security issues. The Copa America final in Miami back in July was a near-tragic event , when thousands of fans (both with and without tickets) were jammed against the Hard Rock Stadium gates as they attempted to enter. Stadium security, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL officials all looked overwhelmed, and frankly, terrorised, by their lack of preparation for a major final. There was also a notable episode of fan violence in the stands during the Colombia vs Uruguay semifinal . Several Uruguay players, including Liverpool ’s Darwin Nunez , climbed into the stands and clashed with Colombia supporters. They proved that American organizers are still naive when it comes to the security responsibilities that are a part of international football. Preparing for altercations between rival ultras or barras bravas must be part of the scouting report next summer. Rueter: Apathy, but this feels like a brave venture of sorts for FIFA. Although the diehard fans of the sport loathe its global body, its tournaments and ventures still always carry a bit of aura. That’s beginning to crack, though. For all of its efforts to bloviate the importance of The Best FIFA Football Awards — yes, that’s its fully serious branding — we still fixate on the Ballon d’Or as the calendar’s hottest award series. If this competition becomes little more than an afterthought to the average fan, that’s an outright calamity: too big to fail, no more. Advertisement Stafford-Bloor: Indifference. Mexican Waves. Paper aeroplanes. More than anything: experimental line-ups. If teams approach this as an exercise in collecting as much money as possible while risking as little as they can get away with — second-choice goalkeepers, third-choice right-backs, star players being subbed off after 55 minutes — it will be harder to sell the broadcasting rights next time around in 2029. Corrigan: Figures at clubs such as Real Madrid and Manchester City are already openly complaining about the length of the season . Top players either crying off early from this due to injury or fitness problems, or looking disinterested and even rebellious if they do arrive in the States, would be a real problem for the tournament’s credibility. Individual shock results in the group stage, with high and mighty European giants being sent home early, might entertain the neutrals but a knockout phase mostly featuring smaller teams and lower-profile players will not attract a big audience. Organising the next iteration of the tournament in 2029 would become even more difficult. (Top photo: FIFA president Gianni Infantino and draw host Alessandro Del Piero; Eva Marie Uzcategui/FIFA via Getty Images)MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Atomic Data today announced a multi-year agreement to make it the Official IT Provider of Fishers Event Center , a 7,500-seat entertainment and sporting event venue opening today in Fishers, Indiana. Managed by ASM Global , the newly constructed Fishers Event Center is home to three professional sports teams – Indy Fuel Hockey Club (ECHL), Indy Ignite (Professional Volleyball Federation), and Fishers Freight (Indoor Football League) – and will host a wide variety of events, concerts, and entertainment. “We are thrilled to reach a multi-year deal partnership with Atomic Data,“ Larry McQueary , Indy Fuel president said. “Atomic Data has been an integral part of the building process at the Fishers Event Center. With their help, we are ensuring an elevated experience for fans, employees and the community as they experience events here.” Throughout construction, Atomic Data’s Game Day Technologies ® arm took the lead in the design, installation, integration, and testing of the mid-size venue’s HPE Aruba Networking-powered Local Area Network (LAN) and Wi-Fi network. Going forward as the Official IT Provider for Fishers Event Center, Atomic Data will provide 24x7 monitoring and management of key network and server infrastructure, as well as remote support during and between event days. "Venues like Fishers are essential to cities across the U.S., supporting a variety of events and teams. Their success relies on seamless behind-the-scenes technology. Atomic Data and Game Day Technologies have once again proven that tailored venue technology can be delivered efficiently, even with tight timelines and modest budgets," commented Yagya Mahadevan , Game Day Technologies Director at Atomic Data. About Atomic Data Atomic Data , trusted IT provider for hundreds of enterprises, sports teams, and large venues, is on a mission to deliver always-on, custom-tailored technology solutions and objective IT leadership. Game Day Technologies , powered by Atomic Data, enables owners and teams to right size and modernize their venues, districts, training facilities, and back offices with objective, holistic technology oversight and activation. Media Contact: Atomic Data, Scott Evangelist, marketing@atomicdata.com
WINNIPEG — Kyle Walters doesn’t believe losing a third consecutive Grey Cup means the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ roster should be blown up. The CFL club’s general manager told reporters at his year-end availability Tuesday that reaching a fifth straight championship game by overcoming lots of injuries was a big accomplishment. Even before Winnipeg’s recent 41-24 Grey Cup loss to the Toronto Argonauts, Walters said he was looking forward to next season. “I was excited for next year based on what I'm looking at, compared to years past, where we've got more young guys that have contributed that are under contract," he said. "We've got more young players in the building. So, the idea of, ‘This is the end of the road. The team is in a free-for-all downward,’ I don’t think is accurate. "We have a good group of guys and we were in a one-point (Grey Cup) game with 10 minutes left ... before things went downhill.” The Blue Bombers started the season 0-4, moved to 2-6 and finished 11-7 to claim the West Division title. Star receiver Dalton Schoen, veteran linebacker Adam Bighill and backup quarterback Chris Streveler all suffered season-ending injuries and are pending free agents. Negotiating with the team’s 27 unsigned players could be impacted by moves across the league among coaches, personnel staff and players such as quarterbacks, Walters said. The Bombers have given permission for offensive coordinator Buck Pierce to speak to the B.C. Lions and Edmonton Elks about those teams’ vacant head-coaching jobs, he said. Walters also revealed the Ottawa Redblacks were given the go-ahead to talk to Richie Hall about their defensive coordinator vacancy. Hall was a Winnipeg defensive assistant this season after Jordan Younger took over from him as defensive coordinator. Walters said the Bombers received permission to speak to Lions offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic in case Pierce leaves. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have already been given the OK to talk to Winnipeg assistant general managers Danny McManus and Ted Goveia about the Ticats’ GM opening. “You're hesitant to have too much conversation with people who may not be in the organization next year, so it's just been me and (head coach) Mike (O’Shea) in this moment huddled together and talking about next year,” Walters said. He said an NFL team had asked Tuesday morning to work out one Blue Bomber, but he didn’t reveal the player’s name in case he wasn’t aware of the request yet. The Blue Bombers won the Grey Cup in 2019 and ’21, but lost 28-24 to the Montreal Alouettes last year and 24-23 to Toronto in 2022. Winnipeg re-signed placekicker Sergio Castillo last week. Walters said he’d like to have deals done with three or four main players before the end of the year. The team has some up-and-coming young players inked for next year, and injuries gave others valuable experience on both sides of the ball, Walters said. Receivers such as rookie Ontaria Wilson (1,026 yards receiving in 18 games) and Keric Wheatfall (273 yards in seven games) are signed through next season. “The experience that they got was invaluable,” Walters said. Re-signing players who missed time because of injuries can get tricky. “Organizationally, can we approach (their agents) and say, 'Well, your guy was hurt, he should come back for less money?’” Walters said. “Generally, they don't view it like that. They view that they'll be back 100 per cent.” One question mark is the backup to starting quarterback Zach Collaros, who suffered a deep cut to the index finger of his throwing hand late in the third quarter of the Grey Cup. Collaros got five stitches and numbing agent applied to his finger. He returned with a bandage on it, but admitted he had a hard time gripping the ball. “We'll have to find out who our offensive coordinator is first,” Walters said when asked who might be Collaros’s backup. Terry Wilson, who briefly replaced Collaros in the Grey Cup, and Jake Dolegala are signed for next year. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 26, 2024. Judy Owen, The Canadian PressGrace Ofure Ibhakhomu advocates youth empowerment for Nigeria's growthTetairoa McMillan, one of the best wide receivers in Arizona history, will skip his final year of eligibility and enter the 2025 NFL Draft, he announced on social media on Thursday. Projected as a top-10 draft pick, the 6-foot-5, 212-pound McMillan finished his illustrious career at Arizona with 3,423 receiving yards, breaking the mark set by Bobby Wade (3,351). In three seasons, the Hawaii native also posted the fourth-most catches (213) and third-most touchdowns (26) in school history. "Wildcat Nation, this journey has been everything I dreamed of and more," McMillan wrote on Instagram. "From the moment I committed to the University of Arizona, to every second spent wearing that Arizona jersey ... it's been an absolute honor. "The University of Arizona has provided me with the platform to grow and chase my dreams. ... Thank you from the bottom of my heart. To the best fans in the country, I appreciate you for all of the love and support you have given me these last 3 years. I will always be a Wildcat." In 2024, McMillan totaled 84 grabs (ninth in Division I) for 1,319 yards (third in Division I) and eight touchdowns for the 4-8 Wildcats. He also ranked third in Division I with 109.9 receiving yards per game. McMillan is a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the most outstanding receiver in college football. --Field Level Media
‘The president’s Middle East policy has failed’: Democrats are breaking with Biden over Israel and Gaza
By Associated Press Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, said it has donated $1 million to President-elect Donald Trump ‘s inauguration fund. The donation comes just weeks after Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with Trump privately at Mar-a-Lago. A Meta spokesperson confirmed the offering Thursday. The news was first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Stephen Miller, who has been appointed deputy chief of staff for Trump’s second term, has said that Zuckerberg, like other business leaders, wants to support Trump’s economic plans. The tech CEO has been seeking to change his company’s perception on the right following a rocky relationship with Trump. Trump was kicked off Facebook following the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. The company restored his account in early 2023. During the 2024 campaign, Zuckerberg did not endorse a candidate for president but has voiced a more positive stance toward Trump. Earlier this year, he praised Trump’s response to his first assassination attempt. Still, Trump had continued to attack Zuckerberg publicly during the campaign. In July, he posted a message on his own social network Truth Social threatening to send election fraudsters to prison in part by citing a nickname he used for the Meta CEO. “ZUCKERBUCKS, be careful!” Trump wrote. Corporations have traditionally made up a large share of donors to presidential inaugurals, with an exception in 2009, when then-President-elect Barack Obama refused to accept corporate donations. He reversed course for his second inaugural in 2013. Facebook did not donate to either Biden’s 2021 inaugural or Trump’s 2017 inaugural. Google donated $285,000 each to Trump first inaugural and Biden’s inaugural, according to Federal Election Commission records. Inaugural committees are required to disclose the source of their fundraising, but not how they spend the money. Microsoft gave $1 million to Obama’s second inaugural, but only $500,000 to Trump in 2017 and Biden in 2021. Be civil. Be kind.
Tiny overlooked error on your 20p could make it worth £72 – do you have one?CHICAGO — With a wave of her bangled brown fingertips to the melody of flutes and chimes, artist, theologian and academic Tricia Hersey enchanted a crowd into a dreamlike state of rest at Semicolon Books on North Michigan Avenue. “The systems can’t have you,” Hersey said into the microphone, reading mantras while leading the crowd in a group daydreaming exercise on a recent Tuesday night. The South Side native tackles many of society’s ills — racism, patriarchy, aggressive capitalism and ableism — through an undervalued yet impactful action: rest. Hersey, the founder of a movement called the Nap Ministry, dubs herself the Nap Bishop and spreads her message to over half a million followers on her Instagram account, @thenapministry . Her first book, “Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto,” became a New York Times bestseller in 2022, but Hersey has been talking about rest online and through her art for nearly a decade. Hersey, who has degrees in public health and divinity, originated the “rest as resistance” and “rest as reparations” frameworks after experimenting with rest as an exhausted graduate student in seminary. Once she started napping, she felt happier and her grades improved. But she also felt more connected to her ancestors; her work was informed by the cultural trauma of slavery that she was studying as an archivist. Hersey described the transformation as “life-changing.” The Nap Ministry began as performance art in 2017, with a small installation where 40 people joined Hersey in a collective nap. Since then, her message has morphed into multiple mediums and forms. Hersey, who now lives in Atlanta, has hosted over 100 collective naps, given lectures and facilitated meditations across the country. She’s even led a rest ritual in the bedroom of Jane Addams , and encourages her followers to dial in at her “Rest Hotline.” At Semicolon, some of those followers and newcomers came out to see Hersey in discussion with journalist Natalie Moore on Hersey’s latest book, “We Will Rest! The Art of Escape,” released this month, and to learn what it means to take a moment to rest in community. Moore recalled a time when she was trying to get ahead of chores on a weeknight. “I was like, ‘If I do this, then I’ll have less to do tomorrow.’ But then I was really tired,” Moore said. “I thought, ‘What would my Nap Bishop say? She would say go lay down.’ Tricia is in my head a lot.” At the event, Al Kelly, 33, of Rogers Park, said some of those seated in the crowd of mostly Black women woke up in tears — possibly because, for the first time, someone permitted them to rest. “It was so emotional and allowed me to think creatively about things that I want to work on and achieve,” Kelly said. Shortly after the program, Juliette Viassy, 33, a program manager who lives in the South Loop and is new to Hersey’s work, said this was her first time meditating after never being able to do it on her own. Therapist Lyndsei Howze, 33, of Printers Row, who was also seated at the book talk, said she recommends Hersey’s work “to everybody who will listen” — from her clients to her own friends. “A lot of mental health conditions come from lack of rest,” she said. “They come from exhaustion.” Before discovering Hersey’s work this spring, Howze said she and her friends sporadically napped together in one friend’s apartment after an exhausting workweek. “It felt so good just to rest in community,” she said. On Hersey’s book tour, she is leading exercises like this across the country. “I think we need to collectively do this,” Hersey explained. “We need to learn again how to daydream because we’ve been told not to do it. I don’t think most people even have a daydreaming practice.” Daydreaming, Hersey said, allows people to imagine a new world. Hersey tells her followers that yes, you can rest, even when your agenda is packed, even between caregiving, commuting, jobs, bills, emails and other daily demands. And you don’t have to do it alone. There is a community of escape artists, she said of the people who opt out of grind and hustle culture, waiting to embrace you. The book is part pocket prayer book, part instruction manual, with art and handmade typography by San Francisco-based artist George McCalman inspired by 19th-century abolitionist pamphlets, urging readers to reclaim their divine right to rest. Hersey directs her readers like an operative with instructions for a classified mission. “Let grind culture know you are not playing around,” she wrote in her book. “This is not a game or time to shrink. Your thriving depends on the art of escape.” The reluctance to rest can be rooted in capitalist culture presenting rest as a reward for productivity instead of a physical and mental necessity. Hersey deconstructs this idea of grind culture, which she says is rooted in the combined effects of white supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism that “look at the body as not human.” American culture encourages grind culture, Hersey said, but slowing down and building a ritual of rest can offset its toxicity. The author eschews the ballooning billion-dollar self-care industry that encourages people to “save enough money and time off from work to fly away to an expensive retreat,” she wrote. Instead, she says rest can happen anywhere you have a place to be comfortable: in nature, on a yoga mat, in the car between shifts, on a cozy couch after work. Resting isn’t just napping either. She praises long showers, sipping warm tea, playing music, praying or numerous other relaxing activities that slow down the body. “We’re in a crisis mode of deep sleep deprivation, deep lack of self-worth, (and) mental health,” said Hersey. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2022 , in Illinois about 37% of adults aren’t getting the rest they need at night. If ignored, the effects of sleep deprivation can have bigger implications later, Hersey said. In October, she lectured at a sleep conference at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota, where her humanities work was featured alongside research from the world’s top neuroscientists. Jennifer Mundt, a Northwestern clinician and professor of sleep medicine, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, praises Hersey for bringing the issue of sleep and rest to the public. In a Tribune op-ed last year, Mundt argued that our culture focuses too heavily on sleep as something that must be earned rather than a vital aspect of health and that linking sleep to productivity is harmful and stigmatizing. “Linking sleep and productivity is harmful because it overshadows the bevy of other reasons to prioritize sleep as an essential component of health,” Mundt wrote. “It also stigmatizes groups that are affected by sleep disparities and certain chronic sleep disorders.” In a 30-year longitudinal study released in the spring by the New York University School of Social Work, people who worked long hours and late shifts reported the lowest sleep quality and lowest physical and mental functions, and the highest likelihood of reporting poor health and depression at age 50. The study also showed that Black men and women with limited education “were more likely than others to shoulder the harmful links between nonstandard work schedules and sleep and health, worsening their probability of maintaining and nurturing their health as they approach middle adulthood.” The CDC links sleeping fewer than seven hours a day to an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and more. Although the Nap Ministry movement is new for her followers, Hersey’s written about her family’s practice of prioritizing rest, which informs her work. Her dad was a community organizer, a yardmaster for the Union Pacific Railroad Co. and an assistant pastor. Before long hours of work, he would dedicate hours each day to self-care. Hersey also grew up observing her grandma meditate for 30 minutes daily. Through rest, Hersey said she honors her ancestors who were enslaved and confronts generational trauma. When “Rest Is Resistance” was released in 2022, Americans were navigating a pandemic and conversations on glaring racial disparities. “We Will Rest!” comes on the heels of a historic presidential election where Black women fundraised for Vice President Kamala Harris and registered voters in a dizzying three-month campaign. Following Harris’ defeat, many of those women are finding self-care and preservation even more important. “There are a lot of Black women announcing how exhausted they are,” Moore said. “This could be their entry point to get to know (Hersey’s) work, which is bigger than whatever political wind is blowing right now.” Hersey said Chicagoans can meet kindred spirits in her environment of rest. Haji Healing Salon, a wellness center, and the social justice-focused Free Street Theater are sites where Hersey honed her craft and found community. In the fall, the theater put on “Rest/Reposo,” a performance featuring a community naptime outdoors in McKinley Park and in its Back of the Yards space. Haji is also an apothecary and hosts community healing activities, sound meditations and yoga classes. “It is in Bronzeville; it’s a beautiful space owned by my friend Aya,” Hersey said, explaining how her community has helped her build the Nap Ministry. “When I first started the Nap Ministry, before I was even understanding what it was, she was like, come do your work here.” “We Will Rest!” is a collection of poems, drawings and short passages. In contrast to her first book, Hersey said she leaned more into her artistic background; the art process alone took 18 months to complete. After a tough year for many, she considers it medicine for a “sick and exhausted” world. “It’s its own sacred document,” Hersey said. “It’s something that, if you have it in your library and you have it with you, you may feel more human.” lazu@chicagotribune.com
Hallmark Fave Andrew Walker Goes Inside His Skincare Line and Shares Holiday Plans (VIDEO)Matty Healy is reflecting on his “self-destructive” tendencies online after his internet feud with (and violent threat against ) Azealia Banks earlier this week. On Thursday, the 1975 frontman shared a lengthy post on his band’s Reddit channel, saying he was “embarrassed” by his actions. “What a bad day, I really let myself down,” he wrote. “I have worked so hard to move past these impulsive self-destructive and honestly quite volatile outbursts I have. I’m constantly making trouble for myself for no reason, I come back to social media after depressive episodes (which is NOT an excuse) because I often become sober, so as an addict when I’m not using I pick up social media my new way of ‘consuming’ and changing how I feel.” “I just feel dreadful about how I acted violent – I think Azealia and all [obviously] flawed people all deep down have a heart and I hate that I have contributed to her mental fragility,” he added. “She’s a human. This cultural discourse has become so violent in general.” Healy said he doesn’t “regret” who he is or has been, but wrote that he feels gross for “having said anything negative ever about anything – if it’s contributed to this culture.” (He’s been slammed for his comments about Ice Ice Spice’s appearance in the past.) “I’m not here saying this cos I feel bullied and scared. I’m embarrassed man. And I’m sad. And I want this 1975 world to be dreamy and wonderful again,” Healy said. “Not some black mirror episode about being a fucking hipster.” “I hope to put as much work into our need and desire for altruism and understanding and love as I have about the dangers of becoming an internet lunatic,” he added. “Cos that happened to me and it’s was real but it’s time to move on as an artist. Sending you all love.” The Reddit post from Healy comes after Banks threatened to sue him after he threatened her with physical violence. “Talk to me like that I’m not gonna side eye you at an awards show do I’ll fucking slap you so hard I’ll get a Guinness world record for the highest a rat some bitch calls a wig has ever flown,” he wrote. His remarks were in defense of his wife Gabbriette, who got caught in an online scuffle after Banks blasted Charli XCX, his bandmate George Daniel’s partner. Healy took a shot at Banks this week after she said Charli “ used to be ” pretty. “Azealia you seem to have a blind spot when it comes to your ‘reads,’” he wrote . “All the women you attack seem to be culturally relevant, attractive, divisive and NICE people. I think this makes you jealous cos you’re so talented but everything else about you is a failure. Just rap bro.”C3.ai Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors