President-elect Donald Trump was welcomed back to the world stage on Saturday, sitting down with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron with a dramatic backdrop: the reopening of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. With Trump set to return to the White House in January, the three leaders met at the Elysee Palace in Paris with diplomacy on the war in Ukraine in flux. Officials close to Macron and Zelenskyy said the meeting was positive, without providing details. “The world is going a little crazy right now and we’ll be talking about that,” Trump told reporters as he arrived for an initial two-way meeting with Macron. Macron had sought to engineer the talks to initiate a discussion on how to end the war in Ukraine, an official in his office said. Later, the French president hosted guests, including heads of state and global business leaders, at the cathedral that was painstakingly restored after a catastrophic 2019 fire. For Macron, the day’s events offered a brief fillip as he seeks a new prime minister after his government collapsed this week in a show of force by far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Almost three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy and his allies are anxiously watching Trump for signs of how he plans approach the conflict. U.S. weapons and financial aid have been a vital crutch for Kyiv, but Trump had promised he would engineer a swift end to the war on the campaign trail. That’s fueled concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that the next U.S. administration might roll back support for Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy to compromise. On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces have been on the back foot for most of the year and Russian gains have been accelerating in recent weeks. The incoming U.S. president faces a daunting range of geopolitical challenges, including war in the Middle East and long-running tensions with China. Shortly before arriving at the presidential palace, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform about the conflict in Syria, where rebels opposed to President Bashar Assad have made rapid advances. A withdrawal of its troops that are helping support Assad might be “the best thing that can happen” to Russia, he said. The U.S., he added, “should have nothing to do with it. This is not our fight.” The visit to Paris is Trump’s first trip abroad to meet with world leaders since he won back the White House in November and is a coup for Macron, who’s seen his political program decimated by the domestic opposition who forced out his prime minister with a no-confidence vote on Wednesday. Macron worked hard to engage Trump through his first term, despite Trump’s occasional barbs, inviting the U.S. leader to the Bastille Day ceremony in 2017 and taking him to dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Trump called Macron weak after the “Yellow Vest” protests broke out in 2018 and attacked him for cozying up to China. On Saturday, Macron deployed all his experience of dealing with Trump, welcoming him with a red-carpet ceremony at the Elysee and making him effectively the guest of honor at the cathedral. Trump was seated in the front row next to Macron and the two men were seen chatting during the service. Regardless of Macron’s domestic struggles, the meeting was testament to the unique soft power of France and the president’s ability to wield it. As Trump and Zelenskiy were speaking, an exclusive list of guests were arriving at the cathedral, which has been rebuilt at a cost of 700 million euros ($740 million). Bernard Arnault, Europe’s richest man, was among the early arrivals. Kering SA Chief Executive Officer Francois-Henri Pinault came with his wife, the actor Salma Hayek. Both men were major donors to the reconstruction effort. Billionaire John Elkann, who chairs automaker Stellantis SA, was also in attendance as was FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni chuckled as she posed for the cameras with Macron and his wife Brigitte. Zelenskyy embraced Macron as he arrived and appeared to say “thank you” to the French leader. The Ukrainian was given an ovation by the guests as he entered the nave. Trump was among the last of the grandees to be greeted by Macron outside the cathedral, though Elon Musk, a close ally of the president-elect, arrived shortly afterward, scurrying across the square in the rain. First lady Jill Biden followed soon before the ceremony started. After the ceremony at the cathedral, a select group of guests will attend a dinner back at Macron’s presidential palace. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
NEW JERSEY - Mysterious drones have been flying around parts of New Jersey, and it's leaving people worried. One political figure is demanding answers. State Senator Doug Steinhardt delivered a letter to Governor Phil Murphy on Saturday. In it, he demanded Murphy organize a Joint Legislative session where all members of the state legislature can ask state and federal officials for answers. Officials have been saying there is no threat to the public. But Steinhardt says that's not only dismissive, but irresponsible and dangerous. The FBI is investigating the sightings.The internet is rife with fake reviews. Will AI make it worse?A passenger aboard a domestic Volaris flight on Sunday morning attempted to hijack and forcibly divert the aircraft to the United States, prompting an emergency landing in Guadalajara and the man’s subsequent arrest. The individual — a 31-year-old Mexican national identified as Mario “N” — was traveling from Leon, Guanajuato, to Tijuana, Baja California, with his wife and two children when the incident unfolded. According to authorities, Mario assaulted a flight attendant and attempted to breach the cockpit, citing a recent kidnapping of a close relative and a death threat as motivations for his actions. Crew members and at least one passenger subdued the suspect while the pilot issued an alert code and diverted the Airbus A320 to Guadalajara International Airport. Authorities, including the National Guard (GN), arrested Mario upon landing and transferred him to the Federal Public Ministry (MPF) for further investigation. His legal status will be determined by the Attorney General’s Office (FGR). “The crew subdued the aggressor in accordance with established security protocols,” Volaris said in a statement. At the Guadalajara airport, “GN personnel were already waiting for him.” The passengers and crew later continued on to Tijuana. “All passengers, crew and the aircraft are safe,” read a Volaris statement that was posted to the social media site X . Volaris also announced it had formally filed a complaint to ensure the suspect faces legal consequences. According to the authorities, the suspect said that upon taking off from León, he received a message that threatened either his own life or his kidnapped relative’s life — it’s not quite clear — if Mario traveled to Tijuana. According to witness reports, Mario grabbed a flight attendant, threatened her with a pen against her neck, and grabbed the handle to the plane’s door, saying he would jump to his death and take the flight attendant with him. Another passenger reportedly played a pivotal role in defusing the situation by persuading Mario to release the flight attendant and surrender peacefully. This person said no security personnel were present, and that it was he, with the help of other passengers, who managed to contain the attack. One witness said the man managed to get the plane door cracked open as passengers could be heard screaming, crying and pleading with him not to open it. Videos of the incident appear to confirm that account. Another witness said the suspect initially told passengers that he wanted to attract attention because his wife had been kidnapped and was seeking political asylum in the United States. Authorities noted that the state of Guanajuato, the flight’s departure point, is a region heavily affected by cartel violence , including extortion and kidnapping. It remains unclear if the threats Mario said he had received were connected to organized crime. With reports from Milenio , AP, KABC-TV , Infobae, The Guardian and Fox 5 San Diego
THE penal colony of Coal River - later Newcastle - was full of desperate exiled villains, scoundrels and rogues. Login or signup to continue reading Their prison settlement was a hellhole, meant to hold Australia's worst felons, with the most troublesome inmates shuffling around shackled in heavy darbies (leg irons), as they were known in the convict 'flash' language. Started in 1801 and then abandoned, this grim outdoor prison was re-established in 1804 after Sydney's Vinegar Hill (now Castle Hill) revolt and lasted for 20 years. Most felons were then shifted to Port Macquarie. In 1855, the few remaining convicts - left to build Nobbys breakwater - were moved back to Sydney. But in its heyday, our harsh Coal River prison was meant to hold the "double-distilled villains", the colony's repeat offenders. In truth, it was Sydney's Siberia. And there was no escape from this hot, remote outpost. Perched on the edge of the coast, surrounded by sea and bush, the prison's only visitors were often foreigners: exotic, red-tailed, glossy black cockatoos, down from the mountains, soaring overhead towards dusk in formation. But coal became the saviour of this barbarous place. Newcastle's later reputation as the world's biggest exporter of coal came on the backs of the original convict miners, who hew two and a half tons of coal daily in cramped, candle-lit conditions after crawling hundreds of metres to the coal face deep down under Watt Street. Little wonder then, that at least one convict sought an easier way to survive his sentence in this severe place of punishment. His name was Joseph Lycett, a prolific landscape artist but also an alcoholic and a con man. Convict Lycett literally painted his way out of leg shackles, cedar-cutting duties, the mines and the dreaded lime gangs. This enterprising former forger is now the subject of a play, hoped to be performed sometime next year, by master wordsmith Carl Caulfield, of Cooks Hill. He comes to the project with an impressive pedigree after staging 28 plays, both here and overseas, and winning the City of Newcastle Award (CONDA) for Best New Play five times since 2002. For the past six months, Caulfield has been extensively researching artist Lycett as the University of Newcastle Library's' inaugural creative in residence, sponsored by the Vera Deacon Regional History Fund. Caulfield's extensive research into the convict era, including reading rare books and digging into the university's archive, culminated last month in an onsite performance of his play-in-progress, entitled The Reformation of Joseph Lycett . But the award-winning playwright is the first to admit the task is a challenge. "It's filling in the gaps. Most people might know of Lycett's 14 amazing paintings while he was here between 1815-1818 painting the traditional practices of the Awabakal people, including a corroboree." Caulfield says. "And they might know of his close link with the Newcastle penal commandant Captain James Wallis, himself a painter. Wallis began the Nobbys breakwater and built the first church in 1817, which became Christ Church Cathedral," he says. Caulfield says that while exploring the flawed Lycett, he sought an Indigenous insight into the gifted painter from the university's Wollotuka Institute and Professor John Maynard. "But all felt that Lycett was enigmatic. We do know though that he had two daughters and Burigon had his son educated at a European school," Caulfield says. Burigon was the chief of the Newcastle tribe. He and James Wallis hunted together and their close relationship probably allowed Lycett access to the natives to observe their cultural practices and paint them. Later, in 1822, a pardoned Lycett left the colony for England. Six years on, Lycett forged some bank notes, was arrested and immediately cut his throat rather than go to jail again. But all this is unconfirmed. Such is the intriguing nature of the material Caulfield is moulding into a play. To familiarise himself with the convict era, the playwright immersed himself in period detail, including the 'flash' language of the day. This argot of the criminal class came from the published work of another convict, the infamous James Hardy Vaux. "I've been interested in Lycett for ages, and writing this play is an opportunity for some creative recycling as his life is so sketchy, to say the least. You only get the bare bones of the man," Caulfield says. "But the play's initial public feedback, through the workshop, has been excellent. Lycett's a colourful, flawed, dodgy character. His story, you might say, is all about a liar who, through his art, is left to tell the truth. "And as for Wallis, he was full of his own personal demons. And through building Newcastle's first church I think he was seeking personal salvation," Caulfield said. (Wallis was earlier involved in a massacre of Aboriginal people at Appin, in Sydney.) When finished, Caulfield's play will consist of dramatic vignettes of the convict artist's life against the backdrop of his unique paintings of early colonial Newcastle. "There's 13 scenes so far, but it's a work-in-progress. Eventually, there might be 20 scenes or less," he jokes. Caulfield is especially proud of his "terrific cast" already waiting in the wings to perform, and the play's eye-catching poster (pictured) of how Lycett saw Newcastle is all framed inside a man's face in profile. "It's great, isn't it? The artwork is by Danylo Motkya," the playwright says. Caulfield suspects that until commandant Wallis took over in 1816, Lycett was a repressed and servile convict. Then, he blossomed as an artist with a patron. I can't wait to see the Lycett play. But looking ahead, what are the chances of Caulfield again tackling a play with a Newcastle historical background? After all, it's a rich field of research with some colourful contemporaries of Lycett. Others with enough fatal flaws to make them fascinating and their lives dramatically feasible might include Francis Greenway (1777-1837), who is buried at Maitland. Tetchy but talented, former convict Greenway became Australia's first government architect. Well, he did design Sydney's Hyde Park Barracks and construct the original Macquarie lighthouse at South Head as well as the grandiose stables off Macquarie St, Sydney. Regarded initially as a folly, the building now houses Sydney's famous Conservatorium of Music. Greenway was also the man on the $10 note for 27 years (until 1993) of Australia's first decimal currency. Perhaps more unbelievable is that Greenway is today seen as the only convicted forger in the world to be honoured on a banknote. Then there's the flash James Hardy Vaux, mentioned here earlier, the English-born convict transported to Australia on three separate occasions. A professional thief, swindler and forger, Vaux (1782-1841), of course, compiled A Vocabulary of the Flash Language in 1819 to help magistrates decipher the slang criminals in the dock were muttering. Vaux spent most of his time in Newcastle's open-air prison (between 1811 and 1818) and compiled his two most famous works here. His second manuscript was his memoirs of an ill-spent life. To probably make his daily life easier in Coal River, he dedicated his reminiscences to the commandant of the prison settlement (by then a Captain Thompson, not Wallis) who had allegedly encouraged Vaux to compile his memoir. Later, to Weekender's suggestion of creating another convict-era play, or maybe a series, based on early Newcastle's cavalcade of knaves and vagabonds, playwright Caulfield just smiles, as if to mysteriously say: "We'll see what happens". 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Shimla, Nov 23 (IANS): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Saturday extended congratulations to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi for her win in the Wayanad by-election. He said her record-breaking win “marks a significant milestone in her electoral journey and will further strengthen the Congress”. The Chief Minister also congratulated senior leaders and party workers for their success in the Jharkhand Assembly elections, emphasising their dedication and hard work. In response to a question from the media, the Chief Minister criticized the BJP for engaging in obstructionist rather than cooperative politics in Himachal Pradesh. “The BJP evades addressing public concerns and avoids discussing their five-year performance. Instead, they divert attention to matters like toilet tax and ‘samosas’. The public deserves to know why the standards of education and healthcare declined during their regime,” he said. He said his government is committed to fulfilling its promises and leading Himachal Pradesh on the path of development. “The people elect a government for five years, and democracy is the voice of the people. However, the BJP is creating hurdles in the state’s progress,” he added. The Chief Minister said the BJP is divided into five factions, each led by J.P. Nadda, Anurag Thakur, Jai Ram Thakur, Rajeev Bindal, and a group of former Congress members who joined the BJP, now referred to as the ‘East India Company’. He said the Opposition is not engaging in policy-based criticism but is instead targeting him personally. Despite their efforts, the state government is steadfast in its commitment to advancing Himachal Pradesh on the path of development. “Over the past two years, the government has strengthened the state’s economy, which has become a source of concern for the Opposition,” he said. Sukhu asked former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur to explain why Himachal Pradesh fell to 21st place in qualitative education during the BJP’s tenure.
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ATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!The 44-year-old Loggains replaces Shawn Clark, who was fired Monday after the Mountaineers finished 5-6 for their first losing season since 2013. Loggains was South Carolina's offensive coordinator for two seasons and an assistant at Arkansas, his alma mater, for two seasons before that. He spent 16 years in the NFL as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Tennessee, Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and the New York Jets. “He brings experience as a leader and play-caller at the highest levels of professional and college football," Gillin said. "He is a great recruiter and believes strongly in building relationships. He is aligned with our core values of academic integrity, competitive excellence, social responsibility and world-class experience. This is a great day for App State.” Loggains' offense at South Carolina featured LaNorris Sellers, one of the nation's top dual-threat quarterbacks, and running back Raheim “Rocket” Sanders. Sellers and Sanders led the Southeastern Conference's third-ranked rushing offense. Loggains spent the 2021 and 2022 seasons as Arkansas' tight ends coach, and he worked with Sam Darnold, Jay Cutler, Mitchell Trubisky, Brian Hoyer and Vince Young during his time in the NFL. The Mountaineers, the preseason favorites in the Sun Belt Conference's East Division, tied for fifth with a 3-5 record in league play. App State was 40-24 under Clark, but the Mountaineers have failed to reach a bowl game two of the past three seasons. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballPresident-elect Donald Trump was welcomed back to the world stage on Saturday, sitting down with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and French President Emmanuel Macron with a dramatic backdrop: the reopening of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame. With Trump set to return to the White House in January, the three leaders met at the Elysee Palace in Paris with diplomacy on the war in Ukraine in flux. Officials close to Macron and Zelenskyy said the meeting was positive, without providing details. “The world is going a little crazy right now and we’ll be talking about that,” Trump told reporters as he arrived for an initial two-way meeting with Macron. Macron had sought to engineer the talks to initiate a discussion on how to end the war in Ukraine, an official in his office said. Later, the French president hosted guests, including heads of state and global business leaders, at the cathedral that was painstakingly restored after a catastrophic 2019 fire. For Macron, the day’s events offered a brief fillip as he seeks a new prime minister after his government collapsed this week in a show of force by far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Almost three years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Zelenskyy and his allies are anxiously watching Trump for signs of how he plans approach the conflict. U.S. weapons and financial aid have been a vital crutch for Kyiv, but Trump had promised he would engineer a swift end to the war on the campaign trail. That’s fueled concerns in Kyiv and other European capitals that the next U.S. administration might roll back support for Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy to compromise. On the battlefield, Ukrainian forces have been on the back foot for most of the year and Russian gains have been accelerating in recent weeks. The incoming U.S. president faces a daunting range of geopolitical challenges, including war in the Middle East and long-running tensions with China. Shortly before arriving at the presidential palace, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform about the conflict in Syria, where rebels opposed to President Bashar Assad have made rapid advances. A withdrawal of its troops that are helping support Assad might be “the best thing that can happen” to Russia, he said. The U.S., he added, “should have nothing to do with it. This is not our fight.” The visit to Paris is Trump’s first trip abroad to meet with world leaders since he won back the White House in November and is a coup for Macron, who’s seen his political program decimated by the domestic opposition who forced out his prime minister with a no-confidence vote on Wednesday. Macron worked hard to engage Trump through his first term, despite Trump’s occasional barbs, inviting the U.S. leader to the Bastille Day ceremony in 2017 and taking him to dinner at the Eiffel Tower. Trump called Macron weak after the “Yellow Vest” protests broke out in 2018 and attacked him for cozying up to China. On Saturday, Macron deployed all his experience of dealing with Trump, welcoming him with a red-carpet ceremony at the Elysee and making him effectively the guest of honor at the cathedral. Trump was seated in the front row next to Macron and the two men were seen chatting during the service. Regardless of Macron’s domestic struggles, the meeting was testament to the unique soft power of France and the president’s ability to wield it. As Trump and Zelenskiy were speaking, an exclusive list of guests were arriving at the cathedral, which has been rebuilt at a cost of 700 million euros ($740 million). Bernard Arnault, Europe’s richest man, was among the early arrivals. Kering SA Chief Executive Officer Francois-Henri Pinault came with his wife, the actor Salma Hayek. Both men were major donors to the reconstruction effort. Billionaire John Elkann, who chairs automaker Stellantis SA, was also in attendance as was FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni chuckled as she posed for the cameras with Macron and his wife Brigitte. Zelenskyy embraced Macron as he arrived and appeared to say “thank you” to the French leader. The Ukrainian was given an ovation by the guests as he entered the nave. Trump was among the last of the grandees to be greeted by Macron outside the cathedral, though Elon Musk, a close ally of the president-elect, arrived shortly afterward, scurrying across the square in the rain. First lady Jill Biden followed soon before the ceremony started. After the ceremony at the cathedral, a select group of guests will attend a dinner back at Macron’s presidential palace. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Title-chasing Inter claim 2-0 home win over Como
Jeremy Allen White Joins Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu Cast By continues to grow, with now reportedly having signed on to star in the highly anticipated movie. According to a report from Jeff Sneider of The InSneider, White will star in the movie in the role of Rotta the Hutt, the son of Jabba the Hutt. Sneider describes the character as “a rather adorable young character,” though it’s unclear just how old he’ll be by the time fans meet him in the movie. Alongside White, The Mandalorian & Grogu will also see the return of , who plays the role of Din Djarin/The Mandalorian in the Disney+ series as well. is also set to star in the film in an as-of-yet undefined role. White is best known for his roles in the hit television series’ Shameless and The Bear, the latter of which has seen him earn two Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. He also most recently starred in A24’s wrestling drama The Iron Claw, and will play the role of Bruce Springsteen in the upcoming biopic Deliver Me from Nowhere. What is The Mandalorian & Grogu about? The Mandalorian & Grogu will continue the story from the hit Disney+ series on the big screen. Plot details are currently being kept under wraps for the first Star Wars movie starring Pedro Pascal, who plays The Mandalorian. Jon Favreau will be producing the movie in addition to directing, while Kathleen Kennedy and Dave Filoni will also be producing the film, which will likely feature Sigourney Weaver. Sign-up today for access to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ “The journeys of the Mandalorian through the Star Wars galaxy continue. Once a lone bounty hunter, Din Djarin has reunited with Grogu,” says the synopsis for Season 3 of . “Meanwhile, the New Republic struggles to lead the galaxy away from its dark history. The Mandalorian will cross paths with old allies and make new enemies as he and Grogu continue their journey together.” The show hails from executive producers Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, Karen Gilchrist, and Carrie Beck. Favreau served as showrunner and one of the third season’s directors. Seasons 1-3 are now available for streaming on Disney+, where it has become one of the streaming service’s most popular series and helped kick off a resurgence of Star Wars television shows. (Source: ) Anthony Nash has been writing about games and the gaming industry for nearly a decade. When he’s not writing about games, he’s usually playing them. You can find him on Twitter talking about games or sports at @_anthonynash. Share articleAustralia, Nauru announce landmark security treaty
TEXAS, USA — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday overturned a lower court ruling that would have made state Attorney General Ken Paxton testify in a whistleblower lawsuit at the heart of impeachment charges brought against him in 2023 . The court on Friday said Paxton’s office does not dispute any issue in the lawsuit by four former Paxton employees and agreed to any judgment in the case. “In a major win for the State of Texas, the state Supreme Court has sided with Attorney General Paxton against former OAG employees whose effort to prolong costly, politically-motivated litigation against the agency has wasted public resources for years," a statement from Paxton's office said. An attorney for one of the plaintiffs declined immediate comment, and a second attorney did not immediately return a phone call for comment. The former employees allege they were improperly fired or forced out for bringing to the FBI allegations that Paxton was misusing his office to protect a friend and campaign donor, who in turn, they said, was helping the attorney general to conceal an extramarital affair. The Supreme Court ruling noted that the Texas governor and Legislature have expressed a desire to hear testimony from the witnesses prior to agreeing to appropriate funds to settle the lawsuit. The court said forcing Paxton, First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster, Chief of Staff Lesley French Henneke and senior advisor Michelle Smith to testify earlier could improperly be used for legislative purposes in deciding any appropriation. Under the preliminary deal , Paxton agreed to apologize to the former employees for calling them “rogue” employees, settle the case for $3.3 million and ask the state to pay for it, prompting the state House to reject the request and begin its own investigation, leading to the vote to impeach him. Paxton was ultimately acquitted after a Senate trial. The Supreme Court termed its ruling conditional upon the lower trial court complying with the decision, while saying it is “confident the trial court will comply” with the order.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A ban on New Zealanders wearing or displaying symbols of gang affiliation in public took effect on Thursday, with police officers making their first arrest for a breach of the law three minutes later. The man was driving with gang insignia displayed on the dashboard of his car and was among more than a dozen people arrested or summoned to appear in court for exhibiting such symbols since the law took force, New Zealand’s police said Friday. The prohibition on displaying gang insignia anywhere outside private homes, including on clothing or in vehicles, is among a suite of new measures intended to bolster police powers to disrupt the groups. Wearing or displaying the insignia of 35 listed gangs will now prompt a fine of up to 5,000 New Zealand dollars ($2,940) or up to six months in jail. New Zealand’s center-right government, which pledged ahead of last October’s election to tackle gang crime, says the measures will reduce the membership of groups responsible for violence and drug offenses. But detractors say the law breaches civil liberties and could drive gang activities underground. "Gangs aren’t community groups. They’re not a Rotary club," Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wrote on social media Thursday. “They thrive on destroying the lives of other New Zealanders, whether that’s by peddling drugs or through brutal acts of violence that leave communities in fear.” Under the new law, officers can also disperse public gatherings of three or more members, bar some gang affiliates from associating with each other, and enter homes of those who keep breaking the law to search for banned items. Gang membership will now be considered by the courts when sentencing offenders. Police Minister Mark Mitchell told reporters Thursday that two people were arrested hours after the law took effect for wearing gang “patches,” which are large insignia often worn by gang members on the backs of leather jackets or vests. The government says the patches are intimidating because members are required to earn them through violent acts. The measures shift New Zealand's response to gangs closer to that of neighboring Australia, which also uses a law to suppress the public visibility of gangs, and away from jurisdictions like the U.S. and Britain, which use criminal law to respond to specific activities carried out by organized crime groups, according to a report published by Treasury officials in February. Facial tattoos that display gang insignia are exempt from the ban, as is the wearing of gang colors. The government was criticized by some for not including white supremacist groups in its list of 35 organizations targeted by the new law. That means displaying swastikas and making Nazi salutes remains legal in New Zealand -– unlike in Australia, which banned both in a law that took effect in January. There are nearly 9,400 people on a New Zealand police list of known gang members. New Zealand’s population is 5 million. Successive governments have vowed to tackle criminal gangs, which often are linked to poverty and other deprivation. The previous center-left government was decried by Luxon’s administration for working with gangs on social initiatives, including COVID-19 vaccination efforts, while the current government has been denounced for advancing policies that are likely to ensnare some of New Zealand’s most marginalized groups, including Indigenous Māori. Official reports say three-quarters of those on the national gang list are Māori, who make up less than 20% of New Zealanders, and that 80% to 90% of those in two of the most notorious gangs are former wards of the state. Luxon made a formal apology this month for the widespread abuse of children and vulnerable adults in state care over the past seven decades. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
MSSC Scheme: Good news! Women are getting 7.50% interest on their deposits hereLOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. "I'm very honored," Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. "Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I'll get the award again." In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Angels. "Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods," he said. "I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States." The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman. Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine. The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball's 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offense, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases. In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages. Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases. "It wouldn't shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now," Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani's second season in Anaheim, said recently. "This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there's not a close second." Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers' franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021. "I kind of wanted to get over that bar," he said. "I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record." Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt. He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November. "I don't have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better," he told the AP. "There's no pain. There's obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it's getting better." Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he's focused on the near-term. "It's the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy," he said. Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason. "I'm going to continue to ramp up slowly," he said. The Dodgers' rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out. "We may go with a five-man rotation with a bullpen (game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation," he said. "But it's all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We'll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I've got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there." The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched. "My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start," he said. "To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself." Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there's great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats. "I just go out there and try to stay within myself," he said. "I can only control what I can control and that's where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me, you trust they're going to make the plays for you. I don't really try to overthink it." Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too. Fans traveled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball's third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtani-branded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey. Ohtani's presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: "Nope," which drew laughter. Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani's behind-the-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed. "I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he's a much better person. He's very kind, considerate, he cares," Roberts told the AP. "I'm just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way." Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That's why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world. The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani's money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn't seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. The public got a glimpse of Ohtani's softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate. As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024. He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month's National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors. "The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed," Ohtani said. "I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I'm sure Decoy himself would be happy about that." Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title. "It's almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent," Roberts said. "I'm just excited to see what '25 has for Shohei Ohtani." Get local news delivered to your inbox!John Stankey to Update Shareholders at UBS Global Media & Communications Conference on December 10
Anyone pushing for Mississippi to be in the College Football Playoff at this point is either on the payroll of the Southeastern Conference or wants to be at some point in the future. That’s the truth, as plain and simple as it can be after the Rebels choked away the best opportunity in the history of their program Saturday, losing 24-17 at Florida. No SEC championship game. No playoff. No nothin’, other than a New Year’s trip to Orlando or some such place that will force everyone in the program to pretend they’re honored and happy to be there. And given the vaunted name, image and likeness payroll Lane Kiffin had to work with this year, it's nothing less than a massive program-wide choke job. You want to play with the big boys after all these years? Fine, go ahead. But you better take care of business. Instead, Ole Miss messed around and put together one of the most disappointing and confounding seasons they’ve ever had. With all the hype, all the talent, all the momentum behind Kiffin after they dominated Georgia two weeks ago , are you really going to tell me the Rebels couldn’t do better than 5-for-18 on third and fourth down against a Florida team left for dead weeks ago? We can break down all the mistakes Ole Miss made in this game from Kiffin’s hard-headedness in handing the ball to defensive tackle JJ Pegues in short yardage to a missed 34-yard field goal to a muffed punt return that handed Florida three points to quarterback Jaxson Dart refusing to tighten his chin strap. There are a lot of things Kiffin will regret. But the bottom line is pretty straightforward. No team with losses to Florida, LSU and Kentucky should be within a mile of the playoff. And the worst part for Kiffin is that it was so avoidable. Yeah, the SEC is tough. So what? We’re in a new era here with the 12-team playoff. In a league like the SEC, you can survive losses, especially if you also have good wins. There has to be a limit, though. Three is just too many. Florida’s playing well toward the end of the season, but a real playoff team goes into Gainesville and handles a Florida team that just got its sixth win. LSU is a big brand name with lots of talent, but the Tigers are 6-4 and just not very good. Kentucky almost certainly isn’t going to a bowl game. Had any of those three games gone the other way, it would have almost certainly put Ole Miss in the 12-team field. The Georgia win was that valuable, and beating South Carolina 27-3 is one of the more underrated great performances of the season given how good the Gamecocks have been otherwise. And at some point, there will be a three-loss team in the expanded playoff. Maybe even this year. But it shouldn’t be Ole Miss. It can’t be Ole Miss, not when those losses all occurred to average or worse opponents. You have to point the finger at Kiffin. Yes, he’s elevated the Rebels’ program significantly. But for years, his record in the really important games that define seasons has been questionable. After the Georgia win, that narrative was starting to turn. If Ole Miss had simply beaten Florida and Mississippi State, it would have all but locked up its spot. And Kiffin would have been arguably the most important figure in the modern history of Ole Miss football. Maybe he will be one day. But it’s not going to be this year. For Ole Miss to implode and miss the playoff with such a stacked roster, and when most of the hard work had been done, is a crushing disappointment. It’s also a gift to the likes of Indiana and Tennessee. The manner in which the Hoosiers were beaten 38-15 by Ohio State certainly frames their resurgence a bit differently. They didn’t look the part at all and will end the season without any standout wins. But assuming they beat 1-10 Purdue next week, there’s little chance the committee can drop them below Ole Miss. The Vols also stand to benefit from the developments in Gainesville. The first team out this week, according to the committee, they are in much better position heading into next Saturday's game against Vanderbilt. SEC homers will undoubtedly argue that both the Vols and Rebels should be in. Already this week, commissioner Greg Sankey was on social media sharing some strength of schedule data as he begins his public lobbying effort to stack the bracket with SEC teams. And while the SEC is probably the best and deepest conference, you’d have to do a lot of mental gymnastics to conclude that the parity we’ve seen is evidence that it’s stacked with great teams. What’s closer to the truth is that the SEC has several pretty good, but deeply flawed teams, whose inconsistencies tend to show up on the road. The SEC will spend the next couple weeks claiming that the league’s depth means all of them should be in the playoff. The committee shouldn’t — and won’t — fall for it. Sorry, Ole Miss. But you’re out.SC notice to CBI on Indrani's plea for nod to visit UK, Spain