SALT LAKE CITY – As infrequent as losses have been for the Wild, what’s even rarer is two in a row. Only twice have the Wild dropped back-to-back games, and both “skids” included a shootout finish. They’ve followed up every regulation defeat with a win, meaning the longest they’ve gone without picking up a point is a single game. To keep their perfect response record intact, the Wild will need another bounce-back effort in their road trip finale on Tuesday in their first appearance at Utah after a lull over the weekend to Los Angeles. “Same as when you win,” captain Jared Spurgeon said. “Once that win’s done, you’re onto the next one. Take things from every game on video, just what we can improve on. But once that one’s done, you can’t really do much about it so you’re looking forward to the next one.” The Wild’s five regulation losses through 27 games are the fewest in the NHL, and the Kings are responsible for two of them. After pulling away late on Nov. 5 for a 5-1 victory, Los Angeles nabbed a first-period lead on Saturday before building and bubble wrapping it the rest of the way to edge the Wild 4-1 — a result that was indicative of the Kings’ stingy style but also the Wild playing their second game in 22 hours and not being as in-sync and sharp as they usually are. They had a couple days to reset, including a practice on Monday to check out Delta Center in Salt Lake City where the Utah Hockey Club has relocated from Arizona for its inaugural season, and the Wild are getting healthier. Jakub Lauko is ready to return after the winger missed six games with what he described as a muscle injury. “Nothing serious, but it’s one where you need to take time to make sure it’s 100% because it could get worse or it could be longer,” said Lauko, who was acquired by the Wild in an offseason trade with Boston for Vinni Lettieri. “So, we took the time to get it proper, and I feel good on the ice now.” Lauko has two goals and two assists and skated alongside Frederick Gaudreau and Yakov Trenin on the Wild’s third line. The team also made a switch with its extra defenseman, sending David Jiricek to the minors and calling up Cameron Crotty to replace him. Jiricek has yet to crack the lineup since the Wild added him in a trade from Columbus on Nov. 30. But after the onboarding process, which included getting a feel for the team and its expectations for practices and games, the Wild want him to get back in action; Jiricek’s last game was Nov. 29, and he’s logged just 10 games total between the American Hockey League and NHL. “It was really good for him and self-admittedly that was nice,” coach John Hynes said. “But he wants to play, too, and it’s important for him to go down and play, work on some things that we want to see him execute, but get back into playing hockey.” That outlook also applies to the Wild, who have embraced a business-like, forward-thinking attitude to have their victories outnumber their defeats. “We enjoy [wins],” Hynes said. “We celebrate them, for sure. But I think when you lose, it’s not getting too low and everything’s not lost. I think it’s our job to have that demeanor with the team, but it’s also our job to take the things out of the game that are going to help us improve from that one either way: Reinforce the good, but also I think it’s important to turn the page quick to prepare for the next team.” Wild at Utah Hockey Club, Delta Center, 8:30 p.m. Tuesday TV; radio: ESPN+/Hulu; 100.3 FM Utah update : Utah is in the middle of the Central Division, continuing the strides the franchise started to make in Arizona before relocating. The team has won two in a row, sweeping its recent road trip to Buffalo and Philadelphia, and has just one regulation loss in its last six games. Utah has actually been better on the road, going 4-5-2 in its first season at Delta Center. LW Clayton Keller leads Utah in scoring with 24 points (seven goals and 17 assists). Blaine native and former Gopher Nick Bjugstad scored four goals, including a hat trick, vs. the Wild last season. Injuries : Wild D Jonas Brodin (upper body), C Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) and RW Mats Zuccarello (lower body) are out. Utah D Sean Durzi (shoulder), G Connor Ingram (upper body), D Maverick Lamoureux (upper body) and D John Marino (back) are out.
This year’s Citizen of the West raised more than $100 million for charity (and trained the Broncos mascot)LUQUE, Paraguay — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It’s brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan’s culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday by UNESCO on its list of the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” At a meeting in Luque, Paraguay, members of UNESCO’s committee for safeguarding humanity’s cultural heritage voted to recognize 45 cultural practices and products around the world, including Brazilian white cheese, Caribbean cassava bread and Palestinian olive oil soap. Unlike UNESCO’s World Heritage List, which includes sites considered important to humanity like the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Intangible Cultural Heritage designation names products and practices of different cultures that are deserving of recognition. A Japanese delegation welcomed the announcement in Luque. “Sake is considered a divine gift and is essential for social and cultural events in Japan,” Kano Takehiro, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO, told The Associated Press. The basic ingredients of sake are few: rice, water, yeast and koji, a rice mold that breaks down the starches into fermentable sugars like malting does in beer production. The whole two-month process of steaming, stirring, fermenting and pressing can be grueling. The rice — which wields tremendous marketing power as part of Japan’s broader cultural identity — is key to the alcoholic brew. For a product to be categorized Japanese sake, the rice must be Japanese. The UNESCO recognition, the delegation said, captured more than the craft knowledge of making high-quality sake. It also honored a tradition dating back some 1,000 years — sake makes a cameo in Japan’s famous 11th century novel, “The Tale of Genji,” as the drink of choice in the refined Heian court. Now, officials hope to restore sake’s image as Japan’s premier alcoholic drink even as the younger drinkers in the country switch to imported wine or domestic beer and whiskey. Japanese breweries also expressed hope the listing could give a lift to the country’s export economy as the popularity of sake booms around the world and in the United States amid heightened interest in Japanese cuisine. “I hope that this will also be an opportunity for Japanese people to take another look at sake, shochu and awamori, which are the essence of their culture,” Hitoshi Utsunomiya, director of the trade group Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association, said in Tokyo. “I would like them to try it even once and see what it tastes like,” he said. Sake exports, mostly to the U.S. and China, now rake in over $265 million a year, according to the association. Japan’s delegation appeared ready to celebrate Wednesday — in classic Japanese style. After the announcement, Takehiro raised a cypress box full of sake to toast the alcoholic brew and cultural rite. “It means a lot to Japan and to the Japanese,” he said of the UNESCO designation. “This will help to renew interest in traditional sake elaboration.” In Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “delighted” by UNESCO’s recognition of traditional sake-making techniques, and he congratulated those dedicated to preserving and promoting the tradition.n “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.”LONDON (AP) — West Ham forward Michail Antonio was taken to hospital after being involved in a road traffic incident on Saturday. West Ham added the 34-year-old player was in a stable condition after the incident in the Essex area. “Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital," the Premier League club said in a statement. “At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. “The club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.” Unverified images of a heavily damaged Ferrari were shared on social media on Saturday. It was not known if it was the car involved in the accident. Antonio signed for West Ham in 2015 and has made more than 300 appearances. Story continues below video West Ham doesn't have a league game until Monday. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner will be sidelined indefinitely with a torn right oblique muscle, the NBA team said Saturday, a major blow for a club already missing star Paolo Banchero with the same injury. Wagner was hurt in the Magic's 102-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday. Jeff Weltman, Orlando president of basketball operations, said he would be re-evaluated in four weeks. Wagner has played a key role in keeping the Magic competitive since Banchero was injured on October 30. He has scored at least 20 points in nine straight games and is averaging 24.4 points, 5.7 assists and 5.6 rebounds per game for the season. At 16-9 the Magic are in third place in the Eastern Conference. However, they are still without Banchero, who said on Monday he had "finally" been able to take part in some on-court ball-handling and spot shooting practice. "Obviously (there) wasn't any sprinting or cutting or anything," Banchero said. "But hopefully in the next few weeks I can start getting into more of that and just work my way back into playing shape." bb/sev
Flyers’ Tortorella calls out Bruins for divingWill a government shutdown affect Social Security checks? Here's what you need to know
Syrian opposition fighters have reached the suburbs of the capital, Damascus, for the first time since the region was recaptured by government troops in 2018, opposition activists and a rebel commander said Saturday. One resident told The Associated Press the city was on edge, with security forces on the streets and many shops running out of staple foods. The Syrian army withdrew from much of the country's south on Saturday but later said it was fortifying positions in the Damascus suburbs and in the south. Lebanon said it is closing all its land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with Damascus. Jordan closed a border crossing with Syria because of the security situation on the Syrian side. The rapidly developing events in Syria have again put the region on edge. Elsewhere, Palestinian officials said at least 29 people were killed, including four medical staff, when Israeli strikes pummeled the area around one of the last remaining hospitals in northern Gaza. Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90% of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage . Israel’s blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,600 Palestinians , more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. Here's the Latest: The United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Syria says the U.N. is relocating non-critical staff outside the country. Adam Abdelmoula in a statement Saturday called it a precautionary measure to protect U.N. teams. “Let me emphasize—this is not an evacuation and our dedication to supporting the people of Syria remains unwavering,” Abdelmoula said. The statement did not say how many U.N. staffers were leaving Syria as opposition fighters reached the suburbs of Syria’s capital, Damascus. The statement said the fighting in Syria has displaced over 370,000 people as the humanitarian situation deteriorates, “with many seeking refuge in the northeast and others trapped in frontline areas, unable to escape.” Foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran have gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit along with the U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, to discuss the situation in Syria. The talks continued late Saturday and no details were immediately available. Qatar, Jordan and Iraq also were part of the discussions as opposition fighters closed in on the Syrian capital, Damascus. BAGHDAD — An Iraqi government spokesperson says about 2,000 Syrian army soldiers have crossed into Iraq seeking refuge as opposition forces advance in Syria. Bassem al-Awadi said the soldiers’ equipment and weapons were registered and taken into custody by the Iraqi army. “We dealt with them according to the principle of good neighborliness and humanity,” he said Saturday. Al-Awadi also said Iraqi officials are concerned about the security of the al-Hol camp and other facilities in northeast Syria where suspected Islamic State group members and their families are detained. The facilities are guarded by U.S.-backed Kurdish forces. Al-Awadi said there is “high security coordination” between Iraqi officials and those forces to “prevent the prisoners from escaping.” Syria's army says it is fortifying its positions in the suburbs of Damascus and in the country’s south, as opposition fighters close in on the capital. The army statement on Saturday also asserted that Syria is being subjected to a “terrorist” and propaganda campaign aiming to destabilize and spread chaos. The statement also said the military is continuing with operations in areas including the central provinces of Hama and Homs, and that it has killed and wounded hundreds of opposition fighters. At least two people were wounded in a car-ramming attack in the West Bank on Saturday, according to the Israeli army and rescue services. The army said the attack took place in the area of the Fawwar refugee camp, near the city of Hebron. It said a soldier was severely wounded, and security forces were looking for the attacker. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said another man in his 40s suffered light injuries from shrapnel. The West Bank has seen a surge in violence since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack out of Gaza sparked the war there. Israel has intensified its military raids in the West Bank, targeting what it says are militants planning attacks, and there has also been a rise in Palestinian attacks on Israelis. The Israeli military says it is helping United Nations forces to head off an attack on a U.N. position in Syria close to the Israeli border. The army said in a statement Saturday that an attack was carried out by “armed individuals” on a U.N. post near the Syrian town of Hader and it was “assisting U.N. forces in repelling the attack.” On Friday, Israel’s military said it would reinforce its forces in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and opposition fighters. Hamas has released a video showing Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker making an emotional plea for his release and describing the conditions he and other hostages face in Gaza after being seized in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. His mother, Einav, has become a symbol of the fight to bring back the hostages and is an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Matan Zangauker, speaking under duress, appealed to the public to protest in front of Netanyahu’s home and “not let him sleep even for a minute.” Zangauker also referred to 420 days of being held by Hamas militants. “We want to return before we go crazy. Isolation is killing us, and the darkness here is frightening,” he said, describing having little food and medicine and “undrinkable” water. President-elect Donald Trump has made his first extensive comments on dramatic advances by opposition fighters in Syria, saying the besieged President Bashar Assad didn’t deserve U.S. support to stay in power. “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” Trump posted on the Truth Social platform on Saturday. Syrian opposition activists and regional officials have been watching closely for any indication from both the Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration of how the U.S. would handle the sudden advances against Syria’s Russian- and Iranian-allied leader. Trump condemned the overall U.S. handling of the 13-year civil war in Syria, but spoke favorably of the routing of Assad and Russian forces. ISTANBUL — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday that there was “now a new reality in Syria” following the rapid advance of rebel forces. Speaking in Gaziantep, a city less than 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the Syrian border, Erdogan said that “increasing attacks on civilians” in Syria’s northwest Idlib province “triggered the latest events like the straw that broke the camel’s back.” It was not possible for Turkey to ignore developments in a country with which it shares a lengthy border and it would not allow any threats to its national security, he added in a televised speech. “Our wish is for our neighbor Syria to attain the peace and tranquility it has been longing for for 13 years,” he told a rally of supporters. “We want to see a Syria where different identities live side by side in peace. We hope to see such a Syria in the very near future.” Erdogan claimed President Bashar Assad had erred in rebuffing Turkey’s previous efforts to establish relations, saying Damascus “could not appreciate the value of the hand Turkey extended.” Ankara has supported anti-Assad rebel groups since the early months of the conflict and hosts 3 million refugees dislodged by the fighting. While Turkey lists HTS, the group leading the latest offensive, as a terrorist organization, the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army has worked alongside it. BEIRUT — A resident of the Syrian capital of Damascus says the city is very tense as troops and members of security agencies are deployed on main streets and intersections. The resident told The Associated Press that many shops are closed and those that are open have run out of main commodities such as sugar. He added that if food products are available, some shops are selling them for a price three times higher than usual. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said on condition of anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” — Bassem Mroue in Beirut DOHA, Qatar — Russia’s foreign minister says he has met his Turkish and Iranian counterparts in Doha and that all three countries were calling for an “immediate end to hostile activities” in Syria. Russia and Iran are the chief supporters of Syria’s government, while Turkey backs opposition fighters trying to remove President Bashar Assad from power. Speaking at the annual Doha Forum, Sergey Lavrov said Russia continues to help the Syrian army confront insurgents, military via airstrikes. Asked whether Assad’s rule is threatened by the fast-moving rebel offensive, he said, “We are not in the business of guessing what’s gong to happen.” He blamed the United States and the West for the events in Syria and said, “We are very sorry for the Syrian people who became a subject of another geopolitical experiment. “We are doing everything we can not to make terrorists prevail, even if they say they are not terrorists,” Lavrov said, referring to the de facto leader of the Syrian insurgents, Abu Mohammed al-Golani, who says he has cut links with al-Qaida. His group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, is listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and United Nations. He said Russia, Iran and Turkey want the full implementation of a U.N. resolution, which endorsed a road map to peace in Syria. Resolution 2254 was adopted unanimously in December 2015. The measure called for a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Lavrov also downplayed reports that Moscow had withdrawn ships from Russia’s base in Syrian city of Tartus, saying that the vessels had left to take part in naval exercises in the Mediterranean. DOHA, Qatar — The U.S. envoy who brokered the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah says the deal has created a new opportunity for Lebanon to reshape itself. Amos Hochstein told the Doha Forum that the weakness of Hezbollah after nearly 14 months of fighting along, along with blows to its Syrian and Iranian allies, give the Lebanese military and government a chance to reassert itself. “Now is the moment with this ceasefire to rebuild Lebanon again for a much more prosperous future and stronger state institutions,” Hochstein told The Associated Press on the sidelines of the conference. He said Lebanon needs “to do its part” by rebuilding its economy, choosing a president after years of delays and strengthening its central government to attract investors. “And the international community has a requirement and a responsibility to support Lebanon after this devastating conflict and after years of Hezbollah control,” he said. Hochstein told the conference that the turning point in ceasefire efforts was Hezbollah dropping its pledge to keep fighting as long as the war in Gaza continues. He said the change in position was the result of the heavy losses inflicted on Hezbollah, and Lebanese public opinion in favor of delinking the two conflicts. He said key tests for the ceasefire will be whether Israel carries out its promised phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon over the coming two months and whether the Lebanese army is able to move into those areas. BEIRUT — Insurgents and a war monitor say opposition fighters are taking over military posts evacuated by Syrian government forces in the country’s south, bringing them closer to the capital, Damascus. An insurgent official known as Maj. Hassan Abdul-Ghani posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition fighters are now in the town of Sanamein, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the southern outskirts of Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said insurgents have entered the town of Artouz, which is about 10 kilometers (6 miles) southwest of Damascus. Opposition fighters have captured wide parts of Syria, including several provincial capitals, since they began their offensive on Nov. 27. BEIRUT — Lebanon’s government has approved a plan to deploy more troops along the border with Israel, part of the ceasefire deal that ended the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a rare Cabinet meeting outside of Beirut, held Saturday at a military base in the southern port city of Tyre, the government also approved a draft law to reconstruct buildings destroyed during the Israel-Hezbollah war that broke out in October 2023 and ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire last week. Information Minister Ziad Makary told reporters after the meeting that the committee whose job is to monitor the ceasefire that went into effect on Nov. 27 will hold its first meeting on Monday. The committee is made up of military officials from the U.S., France, Israel and Lebanon as well as the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along the border. As part of the ceasefire deal, during the first 60 days Israeli troops will have to withdraw from Lebanon, while Hezbollah will have to pull its heavy weapons away from the border area to north of the Litani river. The Lebanese army said this week it will begin recruiting more soldiers, apparently to deploy them along the border with Israel. BEIRUT — The Syrian army withdrew from much of southern Syria on Saturday, leaving more areas of the country, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters, the military and an opposition war monitor said. The redeployment away from the provinces of Daraa and Sweida came as Syria’s military sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, Syria’s third largest, as insurgents approached its outskirts. The rapid advances by insurgents are a stunning reversal of fortunes for Syria’s President Bashar Assad , who appears to be largely on his own, with erstwhile allies preoccupied with other conflicts. His chief international backer, Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine, and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up his forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran, meanwhile, has seen its proxies across the region degraded by Israeli regular airstrikes. JERUSALEM — Israeli security forces killed a Palestinian man after he attacked them at a border crossing in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Saturday morning, police said. The man shot firecrackers at security forces at the checkpoint and threatened them with a knife, the police statement said. The man wore a t-shirt emblazoned with a symbol of the Islamic State militant group, according to an Associated Press reporter Israeli fire has killed at least 700 Palestinians in the West Bank since the Israel-Hamas war began last year, Palestinian health officials said. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. DOHA, Qatar — The prime minister of Qatar says he has seen new momentum in Gaza ceasefire efforts since the U.S. presidential election, with the incoming Trump administration seeking an end to the conflict before it takes office. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a key mediator in the ceasefire efforts, declined to give specifics of the negotiations but told an international conference in Doha that the gaps between the sides are not large. Qatar, which has served as a mediator throughout the 14-month war, suspended its efforts last month in frustration over the lack of progress. But Sheikh Mohammed said his government has re-engaged in recent days after determining a new willingness by both parties to reach a deal. ’We have sensed after the election that the momentum is coming back,” he told the Doha Forum on Saturday. He said has been in touch with both the outgoing Biden administration and the incoming Trump administration and found that while there are some differences in approach, both are committed to the same goal of ending the war. ’We have seen a lot of encouragement from the incoming administration in order to achieve a deal, even before the president comes to the office,” Sheikh Mohammed said. He declined to discuss details, saying he wanted to “protect the process,” but expressed hope for a deal “as soon as possible.” ’If you look at the gaps and the disagreements, they are not something substantial that really affects the agreement,” he said. CAIRO — At least 29 people were killed, including four medical staff, when Israeli strikes pummeled the area around one of the last remaining hospitals in northern Gaza, Palestinian officials said. The situation in and around the Kamal Adwan hospital is “catastrophic,” according to Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of the hospital. The dead included five children and five women, according to the hospital casualty list, which was obtained by The Associated Press. Friday’s strikes also wounded 55 people including six children and the five women, according to the hospital. Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya is one of the few hospitals still partially operating in the Gaza’s northernmost province , where Israeli forces are pressing an offensive that has almost completely sealed off the area from humanitarian aid for two months. Israel’s military denied that its forces had struck the hospital or operated inside it. The army said that in the past few weeks, “coordinated efforts with international organizations have been underway in order to transfer patients, companions, and medical staff to other hospitals.” An Indonesian medical team which had been assisting in Kamal Adwan for the past week was forced to evacuate on foot after the area was surrounded by Israeli soldiers, according to a statement from the team. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the medical team’s expulsion. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization representative in the Palestinian territories, said an Israeli tank approached the hospital at around 4 a.m. Friday. Although no official Israeli evacuation order was issued, “people started to climb the wall to escape, and this panic attracted IDF (Israeli) fire,” he said. He spoke by video from Gaza to journalists in Geneva. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been struck multiple times over the past two months since Israel launched a fierce military operation in northern Gaza against Hamas militants. In October, Israeli forces raided the hospital, saying that militants were sheltering inside and arrested a number of people, including some staff. Hospital officials denied the claim. MANAMA, Bahrain — Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has reiterated the kingdom’s call for an end to the war in the Gaza Strip. Prince Faisal bin Farhan described Israel as acting with “impunity and is getting away without punishment” in its war on Hamas there. The prince said that any permanent solution requires a two-state solution, with the Palestinians having east Jerusalem as their capital. After the speech, Prince Turki al-Faisal, a prominent royal in the kingdom who led Saudi intelligence for more than two decades and served as ambassador to the U.S. and Britain, took the stage. He harshly criticized Israel’s conduct in the wars. “Israel has become an apartheid, colonial and genocidal state,” Prince Turki said. “It is about time for the world to address that issue and take the necessary steps to bring those who are thus charged by the International Criminal Court to justice.” Israeli officials could not be immediately reached for comment on Prince Turki’s remarks. The Saudis spoke at the International Institute for Security Studies’ Manama Dialogue in Bahrain.$25 million World Cup training field upgrades head to Vancouver Park BoardMLB Winter Meetings Notebook: Juan Soto, Roki Sasaki drive Day 1 chatter
New Social Security Commissioner under Trump Administration – Here’s What Will Happen in 2025
"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum." Section 1.10.32 of "de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum", written by Cicero in 45 BC "Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" 1914 translation by H. Rackham "But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness. No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful. Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure. To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?" To keep reading, please log in to your account, create a free account, or simply fill out the form below.SADC announces that Zimbabwe’s rogue leader Emmerson Mnangagwa is visiting Gaborone, stating in full: His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa – President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC and President Duma Gideon Boko of the Republic of Botswana to undertake Working Visit to the SADC Secretariat in Gaborone, Botswana on 13 December, 2024. His Excellency Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa – President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and current Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and President Duma Gideon Boko of the Republic of Botswana will visit the SADC Secretariat Headquarters in Gaborone, Botswana on 13th December 2024. President Mnangagwa became the Chairperson of SADC on 17th August 2024 during the 44th SADC Summit of Heads of States and Government that was held in Harare, Zimbabwe. As is customary, Chairpersons of SADC visit the SADC Secretariat Headquarters during their tenure to appreciate the work done by the Secretariat in facilitating the SADC regional integration agenda and to provide guidance on the Secretariat’s implementation of SADC Programmes. The SADC Chairperson will be appraised on the status of implementation of SADC Programmes, decisions, and the 44th SADC Summit theme, “Promoting Innovation to Unlock Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth and Development towards an Industrialised SADC”. During the visit, the SADC Secretariat, the SADC Chairperson together with President Duma Gideon Boko of the Republic of Botswana will receive the SADC Headquarters building from Bongwe Investments Proprietary Limited on behalf of the SADC Heads of State and Government. The SADC Secretariat Headquarters Building has been governed through a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) Agreement involving SADC, Bongwe Investments (Proprietary) Limited (Private Party) and the Government of the Republic of Botswana as a guarantor to the PPP arrangement. The SADC Chairperson and the President of the Republic of Botswana will also perform a ground-breaking ceremony for the commencement of the construction of the SADC Standby Force Regional Logistics Depot (RLD) at Rasesa village, in the Kgatleng District, 40km from Gaborone. The SADC Standby Force Regional Logistics Depot will serve as a storage for materials, equipment and end-user stocks for use by the SADC Standby Force when undertaking mandated peace support and humanitarian missions. The SADC Chairperson oversees the highest level of the governance structure of SADC, and among others, has the overall mandate of providing policy direction, and controlling the functions of SADC. The Press Release is available on the SADC Website: https://www.sadc.int/latest-news/his-excellency-dr-emmerson-dambudzo-mnangagwa-president-republic-zimbabwe-and For more information on SADC follow us on these platforms: Website: http://www.sadc.int YouTube: @SADCnews Facebook: @SADC X (formerly Twitter): @SADC_News Linkedin: Southern African Development Community (SADC)
Full Time Newsletter ⚽| This is The Athletic ’s weekly women’s soccer newsletter. Sign up here to receive Full Time directly in your inbox. Welcome back to Full Time! We’ll have a year-in-review newsletter later this month, but first, we have news on NWSL offseason moves and a College Cup final to preview. Emily Olsen here with Meg Linehan, Steph Yang and Melanie Anzidei. Stick around to see what FIFA ’s latest idea of “growth” is. The confetti has finally settled in Orlando, which means the NWSL offseason is upon us. It will be a major test for all 14 clubs following the elimination of drafts in the latest collective bargaining agreement. College and expansion drafts are the basic mechanisms for populating rosters in most American sports. Now, teams in the NWSL will have to attract players on their own merits while still functioning under the salary cap, which has been set at $3.3 million for 2025, although teams can still spend over the cap through allocation money. There’s also the matter of player consent required for trades. Advertisement The general managers who adapt quickly to the new rules will have the advantage for 2025, which may also prove instructive for expansion teams scheduled to arrive in 2026. Related: A team making changes quickly under new management is also one of the leaders in global valuations ... Gaining a controlling stake in one of the highest-valued NWSL clubs is an ambitious move, and new Angel City owners Willow Bay and Bob Iger have made their intentions clear after taking over the club in July. On the field, Angel City has yet to match the sparkle of its brand power — something Bay and Iger are clearly trying to remedy (and quickly). The team recently announced it was taking over the LA Rams’ former training facility, giving Angel City a permanent training ground. And earlier today, the club announced it is parting ways with head coach Becki Tweed after missing the playoffs for a second time in three years of existence. The news comes less than a week after the club also moved on from general manager Angela Hucles, who was previously suspended amid the team’s salary-cap violation sanctions. Ownership is making moves. The question now: Will next year be all about rebuilding, or contending? The BOS Nation FC saga continues. Following its apology for the “ Too Many Balls ” launch campaign, the team finally posted again the week before Thanksgiving. “We want to assure you that we have heard your feedback and are actively listening,” the post said. Hopefully, at some point, they hire someone who can tell them to cool it with the overly corporate language. BOS Nation needs engaged supporters, not “ brand advisers ” like they’re asking for. There was no promise of a new name, not yet anyway, but the post certainly felt like the first step on the way to a rebrand. Advertisement In better news, the club has found its first general manager in FC Barcelona’s Domènec Guasch, a strong international hire from the best club in Europe. But that news was almost immediately followed by another negative story around White Stadium, the team’s potential home, where costs have ballooned. Public sentiment around the stadium renovations remains divided, and Boston’s ownership may face new headwinds now that taxpayers will be on the hook for $91 million . I keep going back to their post, which starts, “Over a year ago, we announced the return of women’s professional soccer to the greatest sports city in the country — Boston.” They have so little to show for a year’s work. I hope in 2025 they’re ready to get aggressive, make some good hires with more women’s soccer experience, and remember there’s a club at the heart of this — not a brand. With the end of the year comes the exhaustive and exhausting list of accolades during awards season. Today it was FIFPRO’s turn. The worldwide player representation organization released its World 11, voted on exclusively by 7,000 players based on performances between Aug. 21, 2023, and Aug. 10, 2024. While two NWSL champions — Marta and Barbra Banda — made the cut, no USWNT players appeared in the World 11 despite the team’s Olympic gold medal performance within the voting window. I’m a firm believer that players typically know more than outsiders, but did the group get it right on this one? Let us know your thoughts by emailing fulltime@theathletic.com . After 303 days away, English goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck made her debut for Barcelona in a 4-1 win over Real Betis in Liga F on Saturday. But the victory was a lot more special than a few points in the Spanish side’s already league-leading season. Saturday marked Roebuck’s first minutes since suffering a stroke last year. The 25-year-old joined Barcelona over the summer from Manchester City , though she didn’t feature in City’s 2023-24 season due to the medical incident. The goalkeeper announced she avoided lasting brain and vision damage. Advertisement After the game, Roebuck said her return at times “felt impossible,” adding that “to do it for Barcelona is a dream.” Wales Women qualified for their first major tournament , booking a place in the 2025 European Championship after a 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland last week. Head coach Rhian Wilkinson, who previously coached the Portland Thorns , said her side have provided “a generation of football that’s going to change everything.” Welsh veteran and Seattle Reign midfielder Jess Fishlock spoke to The Athletic before the team’s qualification and explained just how important having Wales in the Euros will be. Move over, Bill Belichick ; there’s bigger news happening in North Carolina. All eyes will be on the Research Triangle and WakeMed Soccer Park when Wake Forest and North Carolina meet in the College Cup final tonight in Cary. It will be the first time since 1992 that the Division I women’s soccer championship features two North Carolina-based teams. It marks Wake Forest’s first showing in the national title game, while the Tar Heels are making their 28th appearance and vying for their 23rd national crown. E-MO FINDS A WAY 👏 #WCollegeCup x 🎥 ESPNU / @WakeWSoccer pic.twitter.com/bJpGIjmC5q — NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) December 6, 2024 The ACC teams last saw each other in conference play in September, with UNC defeating Wake Forest 1-0 in Chapel Hill. The championship match will air at 7 o’clock ET tonight on ESPNU . Is bigger better?: FIFA is open to exploring expanding the Women’s World Cup to 48 teams — with some member associations lobbying for it to happen. The competition most recently increased from 24 teams to 32 for the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Switching roles: Jill Ellis has left her role as San Diego Wave FC president to become chief football officer at FIFA . Ellis had been the Wave’s president since the club’s first season in NWSL in 2021. A little bit longer: Chelsea does not expect to have Sam Kerr back for “at least two or three more months” as she continues her recovery from an ACL injury. 📫 Love Full Time? Check out The Athletic ’s other newsletters . (Top photo: Rob Kinnan / Imagn Images)Seoul, Dec 7 (AP) A South Korean legislative push to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law fell through on Saturday after most lawmakers from his conservative governing party boycotted the vote. The defeat of the motion is expected to intensify public protests calling for Yoon's ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president's impeachment. Also Read | Atrocities on Minorities in Bangladesh: Indian-Americans To Hold Rallies in US Capital and Chicago Against Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. Yoon's martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative party, but it is also determined to oppose Yoon's impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. Impeaching Yoon required support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion had 192 seats, but only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn't reach 200. Also Read | Bangladesh Violence: Temples Set on Fire, Centre Burnt Down in Dhaka, Claims ISKCON (See Pics). National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country's democracy that has been closely watched by the world. “The failure to hold a qualified vote on this matter means we were not even able to exercise the democratic procedure of deciding on a critical national issue,” he said. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. There are worries that Yoon won't be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office because his leadership took a huge hit. Many experts say some ruling party lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties' efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Woo repeatedly urged ruling party members to return to the chamber to participate in the vote, waiting several hours for them to come. At one point, Democratic Party leaders visited a hall on the floor below the main chamber where PPP lawmakers were gathered, attempting to persuade them to vote. After being blocked from entering, they angrily accused the conservatives' leadership of preventing its lawmakers from voting freely. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued a public apology over the martial law decree, saying he won't shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose martial law. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country's political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologise to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The turmoil resulting from Yoon's bizarre and poorly-thought-out stunt has paralysed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the US and Japan. Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon's martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. Yoon's speech fuelled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon's early exit from office. Lee Jae-myung, the leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, told reporters that Yoon's speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon's martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” The passage of Yoon's impeachment motion appeared more likely Friday when the chair of Yoon's party called for his removal on Friday, but the party remained formally opposed to impeachment. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people densely packed several blocks of roads leading up to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing and singing along to K-pop songs with lyrics changed to call for Yoon's ouster. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP's headquarters near the Assembly, angrily shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon's supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied in separate streets in Seoul, decrying the impeachment attempt they saw as unconstitutional. Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon's wife. Some lawmakers from Yoon's party were seen leaving the hall after that vote, triggering angry shouts from opposition lawmakers. On Friday, PPP chair Han Dong-hun, who criticised Yoon's martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country's defence counterintelligence commander to arrest and detain unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea's National Intelligence Service, told lawmakers in a closed-door briefing Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defence counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians. The targeted politicians included Han, Lee and Woo, according to Kim Byung-kee, one of the lawmakers who attended the meeting. The Defence Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defence counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defence Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defence Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly after Yoon imposed martial law. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)None
Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso Martini Kit Is Back in Stock, Just in Time for Her New ‘Nonsense Christmas’ SpecialIn academia, the true measure of academic rigour lies not in the quantity of words but in the depth of ideas and their clarity of expression. Yet, in Pakistan, thesis standards still prioritise the former. Research theses are often regarded as the ultimate benchmark of a student's academic journey, shaping how their contributions are evaluated. The norm in many Pakistani institutions is for PhD theses to be lengthy - spanning hundreds of pages with extensive references. This practice, widely perceived as a marker of dedication and thoroughness, can inadvertently shift the focus from quality and originality to sheer volume. However, global academic practices tell a different story. When I pursued my PhD in Sweden, my thesis was a concise document, just under 100 pages, including six of my published papers as appendices. This format, common across Europe, emphasises quality over quantity, prioritising clear synthesis of findings and robust arguments over exhaustive elaboration. The experience left me convinced that Pakistan's approach to thesis writing needs reimagining. In most of the developed countries, the expectation is that a thesis should synthesise core findings with clarity, offering concise arguments supported by robust evidence. In Pakistan, however, students often spend years producing hundreds of pages to meet institutional standards. These standards, which emphasise minimum page counts and exhaustive references, promote a "checklist" mentality. Students focus on meeting formal requirements rather than crafting impactful insights. This approach can dilute the originality and clarity of their research, creating documents that are long but lack coherence. The example of Nobel laureate John Nash's groundbreaking 26-page thesis, Non-Cooperative Games, illustrates the power of concise and impactful research. Despite its brevity and only two references, Nash's thesis introduced the Nash Equilibrium, a concept that revolutionised multiple fields, including economics and political science. This underscores that academic rigour is not measured by length but by the depth, precision and clarity of ideas. Similarly, the practice of integrating published papers into theses, common in Europe, demonstrates how a focus on quality and innovation can yield work that is both concise and impactful. These examples challenge the prevailing assumption in Pakistan that length equates to thoroughness, suggesting that clarity and originality should instead define academic rigour. Reimagining academic rigour in Pakistan requires a shift from quantity-driven metrics to quality-focused evaluation. Institutions must revise their guidelines to emphasise analytical depth, originality, and clarity over arbitrary page counts. Allowing students to incorporate published papers into their theses, as practiced in Europe, would encourage them to focus on producing high-quality, impactful research rather than meeting length requirements. Faculty mentors play a pivotal role in this transformation. By guiding students to prioritise precision and innovation, mentors can foster a research culture that values clear communication and critical thinking. Such a model would not only benefit students by enhancing their ability to present complex ideas succinctly but also ensure that theses are easier for reviewers to evaluate based on their merits. Adopting a quality-over-quantity model for research theses in Pakistan could bring the country's academic standards in line with global best practices. Shorter, well-focused theses would encourage critical thinking, originality and effective communication - qualities essential for impactful research. Moreover, students trained in this approach would be better equipped to contribute to international academia and professional fields, where clarity and precision are highly valued. By reimagining academic rigour, Pakistani institutions have the opportunity to cultivate a new generation of scholars whose work is defined by its depth, not its length. In doing so, they can foster an academic culture that prizes meaningful contributions over exhaustive verbosity, aligning with the true essence of scholarly pursuit. COMMENTS Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. For more information, please see our
UVALDE, Texas — A Texas judge on Thursday refused to throw out criminal charges accusing the former Uvalde schools police chief of putting children at risk during a slow response to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting. Pete Arredondo said he was improperly charged and that the shooter was responsible for putting the victims in danger in the school attack on May 24, 2022. Nineteen children and two teachers were killed. Arredondo also said he was scapegoated for the halting police response. Nearly 400 law enforcement agents rushed to the scene in rural South Texas but waited more than 70 minutes to confront and kill the gunman in a fourth-grade classroom. Judge Sid Harle handed down the ruling during a hearing in a Uvalde courtroom, and set a trial date for Oct. 20, 2025. Several victim family members attended the hearing but left without comment. Arredondo has pleaded not guilty to 10 counts of abandoning or endangering a child, each of which carried a punishment of up to two years in jail. He and former Uvalde schools officer Adrian Gonzales are the only officers who have been charged for their actions that day. Gonzales has not asked the judge to dismiss his charges but could at a later date. Gonzales and Arredondo attended the hearing in person. Nico LaHood, an attorney for Gonzales, said he will ask for the trial to be moved out of Uvalde County because he believes his client cannot receive a fair trial there. “Everybody knows everybody,” in Uvalde, LaHood said. The indictment against Arredondo alleges he did not follow his active shooter training and made critical decisions that slowed the police response while the gunman was “hunting” his victims. It alleges that instead of confronting the gunman immediately, Arredondo caused delays by telling officers to evacuate a hallway to wait for a SWAT team, evacuating students from other areas of the building first, and trying to negotiate with the shooter while victims inside the classroom were wounded and dying. Arredondo’s attorneys say the danger that day was not caused by him, but by the shooter. They argued Arredondo was blamed for trying to save the lives of the other children in the building, and have warned that prosecuting him would open many future law enforcement actions to similar charges. “Arredondo did nothing to put those children in the path of a gunman,” said Arredondo attorney Matthew Hefti. The massacre at Robb Elementary was one of the worst school shootings in U.S. history, and the law enforcement response has been widely condemned as a massive failure. Nearly 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents, 91 state police officers, as well and school and city police rushed to the campus. While terrified students and teachers called 911 from inside classrooms, dozens of officers stood in the hallway trying to figure out what to do. More than an hour later, a team of officers breached the classroom and killed the gunman. Within days of the shooting, the focus of the slow response turned on Arredondo, who was described by other responding agencies as the incident commander in charge. Multiple federal and state investigations have laid bare cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of children and teachers. Several victims or their families have filed multiple state and federal lawsuits. ___ Associated Press reporter Jim Vertuno in Austin, Texas, contributed.The Hinterland Scholarship Dormitory (HSD) in Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown is home to a diverse population of hinterland scholars, and will soon undergo a major facelift, to cater to students’ specific needs. President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali unveiled this crucial initiative, during a dinner with scores of hinterland scholarship students, at his official residence, on Friday evening. According to the head of state, plans are afoot to enhance dormitory facilities, including the founding of essential amenities that will foster sport and artistic development. General enhancements will also be undertaken, ensuring students’ comfort and well-being. “We can development of cricket, maybe a hard tarmac, so that you can play other forms of sport, even during the rainy season... we will put in a facility, preferably a prefab building in there so you can have your art room,” he elaborated for students at the dinner. While students travel home for the Christmas holidays, the head of state and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand along with Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai will be working to concretise the plans. Already, an assessment of the general enhancements has been completed, and “We’re going to invest in those upgrades so that we can make your life as easy and comfortable as possible and we can give you a feeling of home,” President Ali emphasised. Furthermore, as the dormitory Liliendaal Dormitory is home to diverse backgrounds, the head of state affirmed the government’s commitment to investing and expanding opportunities for them. He also expressed pride in their achievements and encouraged them to exploit the opportunities available, foster a sense of mutual understanding and support for each other, an important asset in life. “You’re living as a family, and as family, you’re getting to share experiences, build new friendships, and this is what is going to ensure that the Guyana we are building, the One Guyana, is made up of every single community,” he further underlined. These improvements are part of the government’s broader commitment to investing in human capital, particularly in hinterland and riverine communities, so they can have the best futures. Since 2020, investments have been made in improving educational facilities, to ensure equal access to quality education. A massive training programme for hinterland teachers is also being rolled out. Modern schools are being established in every part of Guyana, and are being equipped with technology, including internet access that will integrate the hinterland to broader learning resources. As a result, there is an increasing number of students shining in academics, and joining programmes such as nursing, technical and military training. “Today we celebrate .... the largest intake to the army officers programme came from the hinterland and riverine communities...and we could have only achieved that because for the first time, our young people in the hinterland and riverine communities are having access to secondary education,” Guyana’s president expressed. Ministers Manickchand and Sukhai also delivered brief remarks, in which they underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to hinterland youths. Since 2020, the government would have invested over $300 million to support high achievers from the hinterland, signalling their staunch commitment. (DPI)DJT Stock Eyes Golden Cross As Truth+ Expands Its ReachSikich, a technology and professional services provider, has completed a fifth acquisition in as many years that focuses on building out its presence across the federal landscape. The newest move as part of that strategy sees Sikich purchase the federal contracts business of Cherry Bekaert Advisory, whose primary government customer is the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Six members of the Cherry Bekaert team will join Sikich, which is also adding Aurpon Bhattacharya as a principal in the federal government practice. Financial terms of the transaction announced Monday were not disclosed. Chicago-headquartered Sikich employs close to 1,900 employees whose client base includes federal agencies, state and local government agencies, corporations and nonprofit organizations. Sikich has recorded approximately $13.1 million in unclassified prime contract revenue over the trailing 12 months with the Pentagon's Defense Finance and Accounting Service its largest client at 42% of the obligations, according to USASpending.gov. Cherry Bekaert's unclassified prime revenue figure over that same timeframe is $2.4 million with all of it from USPTO. In May, Sikich accepted a $250 million minority growth investment from Bain Capital to support this current iteration of the expansion strategy. Bain Capital is the same private equity firm that , while Sikich retains majority control of itself in this instance. Sikich’s approach to growth across the federal landscape covers both agencies and contractors. Its expansion push traces back to 2019 and the purchase of public accounting firm Halt, Buzas & Powell that marked an initial entry into the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan regions. Then in 2022, Sikich bought another public accounting firm in Cotton & Company. That transaction added 200 employees to Sikich’s team, including 15 partners, and footprints with cabinet-level and independent federal agencies. Sikich acquired professional services firm CLA in 2023 to add 70 employees and a business whose client base included the Transportation Department, Defense Commissary Agency and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In August, Sikich purchased the accounting and consulting services firm Saggar & Rosenberg to further extend across both GovCon industry clients and federal agencies.