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What Analysts Are Saying About Compass StockWASHINGTON (AP) — Special counsel Jack Smith moved to abandon two criminal cases against Donald Trump on Monday, acknowledging that Trump’s return to the White House will preclude attempts to federally prosecute him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat. The decision was inevitable, since longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Yet it was still a momentous finale to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history, as federal officials attempted to hold accountable a former president while he was simultaneously running for another term. In court filings, Smith's team emphasized that the move to abandon their prosecutions was not a reflection of the merit of the cases but a recognition of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief. “That prohibition is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Government stands fully behind,” the prosecutors wrote in one of their filings. Smith’s team said it was leaving intact charges against two co-defendants in the classified documents case — Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira — because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” Steven Cheung, Trump's incoming White House communications director, welcomed the decision to drop the prosecutions against the president-elect, describing it as a “major victory for the rule of law.” "The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country,” Cheung said in a statement. Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated, and he has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now he will re-enter the White House free from criminal scrutiny by the government that he will lead. The election case brought last year was once seen as one of the most serious legal threats facing Trump as he tried to reclaim the White House. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his defeat to Joe Biden in 2020, an effort that climaxed with his supporters' violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But the case quickly stalled amid legal fighting over Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for acts he took while in the White House. The U.S. Supreme Court in July ruled for the first time that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution, and sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan to determine which allegations in the indictment, if any, could proceed to trial. The case was just beginning to pick up steam again in the trial court in the weeks leading up to this year’s election. Smith’s team in October filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial, accusing him of “resorting to crimes” in an increasingly desperate effort to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden. The separate case involving classified documents had been widely seen as legally clear cut, especially because the conduct in question occurred after Trump left the White House and lost the powers of the presidency. The indictment included dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, and obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. The case quickly became snarled by delays, with U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon slow to issue rulings — which favored Trump’s strategy of pushing off deadlines in all his criminal cases — while also entertaining defense motions and arguments that experts said other judges would have dispensed with without hearings. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date amid a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case outright two months later. Smith’s team appealed the decision, but now has given up that effort. ___ Associated Press writer Colleen Long contributed to this story. Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker And Chris Megerian, The Associated PressJimmy Carter: From Submariner to Humanitarian Statesman
Maryland is suing the company that produces the waterproof material Gore-Tex often used for raincoats and other outdoor gear, alleging its leaders kept using “forever chemicals” long after learning about serious health risks associated with them. The complaint, which was filed last week in federal court, focuses on a cluster of 13 facilities in northeastern Maryland operated by Delaware-based W.L. Gore & Associates. It alleges the company polluted the air and water around its facilities with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances , jeopardizing the health of surrounding communities while raking in profits. The lawsuit adds to other claims filed in recent years, including a class action on behalf of Cecil County residents in 2023 demanding Gore foot the bill for water filtration systems, medical bills and other damages associated with decades of harmful pollution in the largely rural community. “PFAS are linked to cancer, weakened immune systems, and can even harm the ability to bear children,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said in a statement. “It is unacceptable for any company to knowingly contaminate our drinking water with these toxins, putting Marylanders at risk of severe health conditions.” Gore spokesperson Donna Leinwand Leger said the company is “surprised by the Maryland Attorney General’s decision to initiate legal action, particularly in light of our proactive and intensive engagement with state regulators over the past two years.” “We have been working with Maryland, employing the most current, reliable science and technology to assess the potential impact of our operations and guide our ongoing, collaborative efforts to protect the environment,” the company said in a statement, noting a Dec. 18 report that contains nearly two years of groundwater testing results. But attorney Philip Federico, who represents plaintiffs in the class action and other lawsuits against Gore, called the company’s efforts “too little, much too late.” In the meantime, he said, residents are continuing to suffer — one of his clients was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer. “It’s typical corporate environmental contamination,” he said. “They’re in no hurry to fix the problem.” The synthetic chemicals are especially harmful because they’re nearly indestructible and can build up in various environments, including the human body. In addition to cancers and immune system problems, exposure to certain levels of PFAS has been linked to increased cholesterol levels, reproductive health issues and developmental delays in children, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Gore leaders failed to warn people living near its Maryland facilities about the potential impacts, hoping to protect their corporate image and avoid liability, according to the state’s lawsuit. The result has been “a toxic legacy for generations to come,” the lawsuit alleges. Since the chemicals are already in the local environment, protecting residents now often means installing complex and expensive water filtration systems. People with private wells have found highly elevated levels of dangerous chemicals in their water, according to the class action lawsuit. The Maryland facilities are located in a rural area just across the border from Delaware, where Gore has become a longtime fixture in the community. The company, which today employs more than 13,000 people, was founded in 1958 after Wilbert Gore left the chemical giant DuPont to start his own business. Its profile rose with the development of Gore-Tex , a lightweight waterproof material created by stretching polytetrafluoroethylene, which is better known by the brand name Teflon that’s used to coat nonstick pans. The membrane within Gore-Tex fabric has billions of pores that are smaller than water droplets, making it especially effective for outdoor gear. The state’s complaint traces Gore’s longstanding relationship with DuPont , arguing that information about the chemicals' dangers was long known within both companies as they sought to keep things quiet and boost profits. It alleges that as early as 1961, DuPont scientists knew the chemical caused adverse liver reactions in rats and dogs. DuPont has faced widespread litigation in recent years. Along with two spinoff companies, it announced a $1.18 billion deal last year to resolve complaints of polluting many U.S. drinking water systems with forever chemicals. The Maryland lawsuit seeks to hold Gore responsible for costs associated with the state’s ongoing investigations and cleanup efforts, among other damages. State oversight has ramped up following litigation from residents alleging their drinking water was contaminated. Until then, the company operated in Cecil County with little scrutiny. Gore announced in 2014 that it had eliminated perfluorooctanoic acid from the raw materials used to create Gore-Tex. But it’s still causing long-term impacts because it persists for so long in the environment, attorneys say. Over the past two years, Gore has hired an environmental consulting firm to conduct testing in the area and provided bottled water and water filtration systems to residents near certain Maryland facilities, according to a webpage describing its efforts. Recent testing of drinking water at residences near certain Gore sites revealed perfluorooctanoic acid levels well above what the EPA considers safe, according to state officials. Attorneys for the state acknowledged Gore’s ongoing efforts to investigate and address the problem but said the company needs to step up and be a better neighbor. “While we appreciate Gore’s limited investigation to ascertain the extent of PFAS contamination around its facilities, much more needs to be done to protect the community and the health of residents,” Maryland Department of the Environment Secretary Serena McIlwain said in a statement. “We must remove these forever chemicals from our natural resources urgently, and we expect responsible parties to pay for this remediation.”
NEW YORK, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The holidays are underway, and while parents are planning to be more discerning with their budgets this year, toys remain a top priority. According to new research from The Toy AssociationTM, 69% of parents plan to cut costs elsewhere to ensure their kids have the top toys for the holidays. Recently, Toy Trends Specialist at The Toy Association, Jennifer Lynch, teamed with D S Simon Media on a nationwide satellite media tour to share some of the top toys for the holiday season. While toys based on kids’ favorite characters will certainly be driving kids’ ask, parents will also be seeking out toys that spark kids’ imaginations and provide learning benefits as they play. Here are some of the top toy picks for the 2024 holiday season: Spidey & His Amazing Friends Mega Jump HQ Trackset (Jazwares) Kids can launch their favorite Spidey characters down this 39-inch race track, which features Spidey’s Web-Quarters, an elevator, web tunnels, and ramps. With two exclusive vehicles and a mega jump, this action-packed set recreates scenes from the Spidey & His Amazing Friends TV show, offering hours of imaginative play. Transformers One Power Flip Optimus Prime (Orion Pax) (Hasbro) Inspired by the new Transformers One movie, this action figure transforms between four modes: Orion Pax, Cybertronian Truck, Optimus Prime, and Ultimate Optimus Prime. Lights, sounds, and action features bring the toy to life as kids flip between modes, celebrating 40 years of the Transformers franchise. LEGO Gravity Drop (Klutz) This STEM kit lets kids build and customize marble mazes with LEGO elements and papercraft components. With 168 LEGO pieces, kids can create various maze configurations and learn about physics and engineering through play. The set also includes an instruction book packed with engaging STEM content. Booksy Dome Figures (PMI Kids) Each collectible figure comes with a tiny book hidden inside featuring life lessons and colorful illustrations. Characters from PAW Patrol, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and PMI’s Monster Tales make reading fun while encouraging interactive play. Play-Doh Pizza Delivery Scooter Playset (Hasbro) This scooter is a ride-on toy and a Play-Doh pizza-making playset all in one. Kids can create pretend pizzas using the included Play-Doh, then "deliver" them using the scooter’s built-in pizza box slot. The set comes with 10 Play-Doh colors and 16 accessories, encouraging active, creative play. For more information, visit TheGeniusofPlay.org About Jennifer Lynch As an official spokesperson and toy trends specialist for The Toy Association, Jennifer Lynch chats with toymakers throughout the year to track trends and developments impacting the toy aisles and kids’ entertainment. She is interviewed frequently by national and local consumer and business media on toy trends and related topics. She has appeared on ABC News, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, KTLA-TV, WGN Chicago, WNBC New York, Bloomberg Radio, and CNET, among others, as well as in print publications including Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, Inc. Magazine, The Spruce, and others. She also served as the narrator for The Genius of Play’s "Once Upon a Playtime" podcast, which invited listeners to rediscover the value of play through real-life, personal stories of actors, artists, entrepreneurs, and more. Jennifer has over a decade of experience covering the toy and kids’ entertainment industries. Prior, she served as the editorial & creative manager for aNb Media and its b2c review site TTPM.com , where she oversaw all digital and print communications, reviewed product, and co-hosted a web series conducting in-depth interviews with toy industry executives. She began her career in her home state of Pennsylvania, handling marketing communications for Penn State’s art galleries (her alma mater). She resides in New Jersey with her husband and energetic three-year-old. * YourUpdateTV is a property of D S Simon Media. The video included and release was part of a media tour that was produced by D S Simon Media on behalf of The Toy Association About D S Simon Media The firm is well known as a leader in the satellite media tour industry and produces tours from its studio and multiple control rooms at its New York headquarters. Clients include top brands in healthcare, technology, travel, financial services, consumer goods, entertainment, retail and non-profits. Established in 1986 the firm has won more than 100 industry awards. Dante Muccigrosso Director of Media Integration & Client Reporting E: dantem@dssimon.com C: 973.524.0104 A video accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2da041fb-9a20-40be-b98a-cf143ed4e399Specialty Board Certification Error Causes Headaches for Doctors
Kevin Kisner, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, was named lead analyst for NBC Sports' golf coverage alongside commentator Dan Hicks. Kisner, 40, made his debut as an analyst for NBC in 2024, working in the booth for the Phoenix Open, The Players Championship and the FedEx Cup Playoffs. A native of Aiken, S.C., Kisner still will maintain a limited playing schedule on the PGA Tour. He participated in 23 events in 2004 and made the cut six times, while finishing 198th in the FedEx Cup points standings. "I'm humbled and grateful to have the chance to sit in the seat that many legends like Johnny Miller and Paul Azinger have sat in before me on NBC," Kisner said in a release. "I'm looking forward to offering a different voice and adding a new dynamic to the broadcasts, hopefully reaching more fans and telling things like it is. That's what I think I do best." Kisner's most recent PGA Tour victory came in the 2021 Wyndham Championship when he bested Branden Grace, Si-woo Kim, Kevin Na, Adam Scott and Roger Sloan in a playoff. Kisner also earned wins at the 2019 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, the 2017 Dean & DeLuca Invitational and the 2015 RSM Classic. He has earned $29.3 million since first joining the tour in 2011. --Field Level Media
Your black plastic kitchen utensils aren’t so toxic after all. But you should still toss them, group saysKeir Starmer Pledges Labour Will Recruit 13,000 More 'Bobbies On The Beat' In Crime CrackdownBIMCO’s long-awaited FuelEU clause has now been published. This is a helpful and welcome starting point for Owners and Charterers to agree how calculations and costs will be dealt with under their charterparties. However, as it does not cover everything in detail Owners and Charterers should be mindful of certain issues when incorporating this clause wholesale into their charterparties. This article takes a closer at these issues, and where parties may wish to consider adding to or amending the standard wording. Sub-clause (c) is intended to enable Charterers to supply biofuels or other alternative fuels to the vessel to comply with FuelEU requirements. Parties should remember that any agreement to supply biofuels, or any other compliance technologies, may require corresponding amendments to speed and performance warranties, bunker specifications and potentially provisions for on-board fuel trials, tank cleaning / preparation as well as agreement on the time and cost for these. A good starting place for agreement to burn alternative fuels is class and engine manufacturers’ comments whose approvals are likely to be required from Owners’ H&M insurers. Reporting of Compliance Balance on delivery Sub-clause (a) requires Owners to inform Charterers upon delivery of the Vessel’s compliance balance for the previous two reporting periods. ‘Reporting period’ is defined in the clause as from 1 January to 31 December. This transparency is necessary to allow Charterers to understand how any penalties may be calculated in future years. Under the FuelEU regulation, a negative compliance balance in consecutive years will increase the size of the penalty payable by the vessel – 10% for the first year, 20% for the following year and so on. So a Charterer needs clear information on what previous balances have been to know what their exposure may be. If a Charterer takes over a Vessel which had a negative compliance balance in the previous year under the previous charter, and then proceeds to register a negative compliance again, the Vessel will be left with a 10% extra (‘multiplier’) which arises partly because of a previous charterers’ performance. Ideally therefore a Charterer taking over such a ship will seek to negotiate terms so that the effect of a multiplier is not for their account. The default provision under sub-clause (d) is that Owners will notify Charterers of the aggregated compliance balance within the first 15 days after each relevant voyage. Where this compliance balance is in the negative (i.e. the vessel is operating above the GHG limit and thereby incurring a penalty), Owners’ calculation must be ‘independently validated’ in order to be presented to Charterers. The explanatory notes provide that this validation can be done by any service provider, but there could be disputes over whether Owners’ choice of validator will always be considered “independent”. Given this clause requires Owners’ calculations to be verified in order to trigger any payment, Owners should ensure that this is workable. Parties may wish to include provision for how the cost of any validation will be apportioned between the parties (is the cost one that arises from Charterers’ trading decisions, or simply an Owners’ running cost?). In situations where the vessel is sub-chartered, Charterers may wish to agree that any liabilities calculated by Owners, especially when verified, are fixed and binding in order not to leave Charterers in a difficult position with their sub-charterers. Under sub-clause (d) a surcharge becomes due from Charterers when the vessel operates in the EU above the FuelEU GHG emission limits. The surcharge reflects the cost of the penalty that the vessel becomes liable for as a result of this. The parties are free to agree when payment for any surcharge is payable by Charterers to Owners. Under sub-clause (f), this can be paid on a monthly or per voyage basis or upon redelivery, but no later than 7th June of the following year, by which time Owners will have had their final Fuel EU liability calculated and verified. Payment terms and deadlines can be negotiated , but Owners should be aware that leaving payment to be calculated with a final hire statement will potentially expose Owners to a significant and unsecured sum. A Charterer may argue that they should not have to put Owners in funds to cover penalties unless/until they are actually confirmed and paid, but there are no other areas where Owners offer time-charterers significant credit in this way. In this regard, sub-clause (g) provides rules for possible reimbursement of a surcharge from Owners to Charterers with an aim to deal with this concern. At the very least, a Charterer should always seek to ensure that any payment arranged under a sub-charter will match that which has been agreed with Owners. Where the parties opt for a monthly or per voyage payment, the BIMCO clause gives Owners the right to suspend service under the charterparty where the surcharge has not been paid. This is similar to the suspension of performance provision under the BIMCO EU-ETS clause which some Charterers were reluctant to include in their contracts. If a Charterer can agree at least to defer payment until payment of final hire, this will remove the threat of any suspension of performance. Under sub-clause (i), Charterers have the right to instruct the Owners to bank or pool any Compliance Balance under the BIMCO clause but only where a charter covers a complete reporting period – meaning that it runs from 1 January to 31 December. So a charterparty entered into from February 2025 – November 2026 will not, without amendment, entitle Charterers to bank or pool any credit. This is presumably to reflect the fact that Owners (and disponent owners) need to be careful not to grant Charterers conflicting rights about who decides about pooling and banking because in each calendar year, only one party can have the right to make such choices. If Charterers qualify for banking / pooling, Owners have to follow Charterers’ instructions to do so. If Owners wish to reserve the right to decline pooling (in the event of a sanctions risk, for example) Owners would need to expressly reserve the right to do so in any clause. Whilst not set out, it is presumably implied that Charterers will provide Owners with all the necessary information allowing for banking / pooling; albeit it is made clear that all banking / pooling costs and liabilities will be at Charterers’ cost. It is still unclear how pooling agreements will work in practice, and it is not clear under the BIMCO clause if or how Owners will reimburse Charterers in the event that Owners receive payment for pooling a positive compliance balance, or if recoveries would go to the charterer directly. This is another issue which may need some additional wording or agreement. BIMCO’s explanatory notes provide that Charterers should obtain any benefits from the pool, but express provision for this in the clause is seemingly absent. If the parties expect the vessel to generate significant FuelEU compliance surplus then we recommend that careful thought is given to how it will be handled (and likely pooled) as the BIMCO clause contains very little detail on this, and the Charterers would likely want more certainty over what their rights are going to be. If Owners wish to enter vessels into a pool as part of their own separate pooling strategy, Owners will need to amend the provision in the BIMCO clause that gives Charterers the right to make the decisions on pooling. Such amendment would need to deal with who bears the cost of pooling for compliance purposes and if / how Charterers repay it, and what happens to funds generated from pooling compliance balances. Borrowing is only permissible where the charter period encompasses at least two consecutive reporting periods (sub-clause (l)). That is, the charter must for example run from 1 January 2025 – 31 December 2026 in order for Charterers to be able to request that Owners borrow in 2026 for the preceding year’s negative compliance. Charterers are not entitled to borrow in the final year of a charter, which should give Owners some time in the final year to take action to deal with any borrowed deficit. Owners may want to include restrictions on the value of what can be borrowed, so that if a deficit goes above a certain limit there are no rights to borrow, even if borrowing is currently limited under the regulation to 2%. Positive compliance balance If a charterparty runs for several years and the vessel generates positive compliance balances in the early years then it is easy to understand that the Charterers would want to receive the full benefit of them, whether by banking the credit for use in future years, or by pooling the credit to realize their value. However, what should happen to credits that are accrued in partial years, e.g. in the first six months of a year when the vessel is re-delivered by the Charterer in June 2027? If that Charterer is given the right to direct what happens to credits accrued during the first six months, then it will prevent the subsequent charterer from being able to say what happens to credits earned under the last six months of the year. The same concern would arise for a charterparty that runs for only a few months, but where a FuelEU credit may be generated. BIMCO’s solution to this is contained in sub-clause (m), but it will only apply if the parties agree on a value to be entered. Under this sub-clause, the Owners will pay the Charterers for the credit at a pre-agreed price, up to a fixed cap. The difficulty for Owners with this arrangement is that they are likely to have to finance the cost of the refund before its actual value is known, and before any funds are realized. Correspondingly, Charterers may not like to receive less than the full value of the credit they have earned. One, more complex, alternative, would be for the full actual value of the credit to be passed to Charterers when it is realized. The BIMCO clause provides a starting point for how the various mechanisms of the FuelEU regulation could work under a charterparty. Given that the industry is still familiarizing itself with how things will work in practice, the BIMCO clause is helpful for negotiations but it is not a panacea for all parties. There will still need to be some careful thought on how this clause should be amended in order to fit different parties’ needs and their plans for how to use vessels operating in the EU. Source: Gard,
Martin Marietta Materials Inc. stock rises Friday, outperforms marketFor the Montreal Canadiens, December brings with it an air of familiarity. The NHL schedule makers tend to hand Montreal plenty of home games at the start of the month before sending them on the road for Christmas and New Year’s. As such, the Canadiens start a five-game stretch at the Bell Centre on Tuesday (Dec. 3) versus the New York Islanders. What should they strive to accomplish? What should be expected? Let’s discuss. 1: Integrating Patrik Laine Into the Offence As this writer was prepping the article, news broke that forward Patrik Laine will make his season debut against the Islanders. Laine was viewed as a massive coup by Canadiens’ general manager Kent Hughes when he acquired him via trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets in August. Then came his knee injury in a preseason game versus, of all teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs, which was estimated to set back Laine’s participation with the Habs for two tor three months. Thankfully no surgery was required for the sprain. The 26-year-old started skating with the team in November , which was a terrific sign. Whether it’s the miracle of modern medicine, a good diet, inspiring dedication, or a cocktail made with each, the Finn is officially part of the active roster again. The catch is that all the questions pundits and supporters had in August and September have never been answered and it’s December. Who will his best line partners be? Is he a good fit with the club at all? Can he rekindle some of the offensive magic of yesteryear? As per online reporters , it seems he’ll start his Canadiens’ regular-season career with Juraj Slafkovsky and Kirby Dach as linemates. It’s potentially a great choice. Take a proven offensive threat (Laine) and include him on a line with a young talent that shows sparks of genius (Slafkovsky) and a player whose full potential has never been unlocked (Dach). The Canadiens get at an early Christmas present early this year. One hopes it won’t need to be returned to sender. 2: Find Points Against Beatable Opponents It’s one thing to argue about the positive takeaways in a defeat, as we did after the Nov. 30 match against the New York Rangers . An even better takeaway, especially for a team that needs to find some rhythm, is a point or two in the standings. Here are Montreal’s opponents on this five-game home stand: The Islanders match is special since Canadiens legend Patrick Roy will be back in Montreal. But as a team, Roy’s ensemble isn’t much to write home about. They rest on 24 points, a 9-10-6 record, and a minus-9 goal differential. To be fair, they are probably looking at the Habs as a relatively easy way to pick up a pair of points but it is a winnable game for Montreal. It’s certainly one that can be pushed to the extra session to guarantee a minimum of one point. Speaking of winnable games, Nashville, Anaheim, and Pittsburgh are all ripe for the taking. The Predators are experiencing a calamitous campaign compared to what their preseason expectations were when Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault joined in free agency. Not helping is their 21 st -ranked goals against average (GAA) of 3.13 as of Dec. 3. Those are two points begging to be plucked. Anaheim and Pittsburgh are more on the Islanders’ level. They aren’t terrible, but have lost enough games (sometimes badly) to let it be known that both are still works in progress. The Penguins have a minus-28 goal differential as of Dec. 3. That’s worse than Montreal’s minus-25. Shockingly or embarrassingly – it depends on who one asks – the Canadiens have lost twice to the Penguins this season (6-3 at home on Oct. 14 and 3-1 away on Nov. 2). Third time’s a charm? The one behemoth in the mix is on Saturday, Dec. 9, when the Capitals are in town. Even without their living legend Alexander Ovechkin (injured), the Caps are holding their own just fine. At the time of publication, they’re on a run of four wins, are 17-6-1, and sit in second in the Metropolitan Division. They also sport, at the time of publication, the NHL’s best attack, having netted 101 goals. 3: Get Newhook, Primeau, & Dach Going There are have been plenty of groans, audible or typed on social media, about some Canadiens’ players who aren’t performing up to par. Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, and backup netminder Cayden Primeau are players who, for all sorts of reasons, have annoyed the experts and fanbase. Newhook is not scoring as expected (five goals in 24 games), Primeau is giving up too many of them (4.45 goals against average), and Dach, well, the minus-20 rating says a lot. Not the whole story, but a lot. This home stretch is an opportunity to gain some confidence. Playing Primeau in the Nashville and Anaheim games is a sensible option. Neither club’s attack strikes fear, and Primeau could use some easy games. We’re being very liberal with the word “easy.” This is the NHL, where anything can happen on a given night. Newhook — and especially Dach — need momentum boosters. That Dach will play with Slafkovsky and Laine is interesting. We shall see if that works, but something has to. Likewise for Newhook; he was not brought in to be a star like Nick Suzuki or Cole Caufield, but his season is underwhelming. 4: Fan Support They say this is the season of giving. In that spirit, and at the risk of sounding saccharine, the Canadiens need support. Not more trading or calling players up and down from the American Hockey League (the Joshua Roy experiment is already over ), but from the fans. Does Dach need more people booing him? He’s well aware of his mediocre play. This home stretch is not just a test for the club but one for the fans. Canadiens supporters are remarkably loyal and stick with this franchise though thick and thin. The club can be a disaster on the ice, yet attendance remains among the highest in the NHL . Now is one of those times when these young players — Lane Hutson, Arber Xhekaj, Kaiden Ghule, Dach, Slafkovsky – need the home crowd’s support more than ever. Everyone knows this team is a work in progress. It’s not a secret. If you happen to attend any of these games and have a penchant for showing up early to wave and watch warm-ups or hold up a sign in support, have at it. In more ways than one, everyone is in this together. This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.
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The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Miller had 24 points in SMU’s 98-82 victory over Longwood on Sunday. Miller also added five rebounds and seven assists for the Mustangs (11-2). Yohan Traore added 20 points while going 7 of 10 from the floor, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and 4 for 4 from the free-throw line while and grabbed 11 rebounds. Matt Cross shot 6 for 10 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 5 of 6 from the free-throw line to finish with 19 points. The Mustangs prolonged their winning streak to seven games. The Lancers (11-4) were led in scoring by Elijah Tucker, who finished with 20 points and six rebounds. Longwood also got 19 points and 11 assists from Colby Garland. Emanuel Richards had 12 points. SMU took the lead as time expired in the first half on a jumper by Chuck Harris and did not give it up. Traore led their team in scoring with 15 points in the first half to help put them up 45-43 at the break. SMU pulled away with an 18-2 run in the second half to extend a nine-point lead to 25 points. They outscored Longwood by 14 points in the final half, as Miller led the way with a team-high 13 second-half points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Players Era Festival organizers betting big NIL is future of college tourneysBrighton draws 0-0 with Brentford in lackluster Premier League encounter
A new report says Canada needs to rethink its approach to health care to help manage rising costs as people age. CSA Group, an organization that helps policymakers develop standards around health and safety, says health care currently costs about $12,000 per year for each person 65 years and older, compared to $2,700 for each person younger than 65. Today’s report says seniors make up about 18 per cent of Canada’s population but account for about 45 per cent of health-care spending by provincial and territorial governments. The group projects costs will continue to increase significantly, with seniors making up 22 per cent of the Canadian population by 2040. Jordann Thirgood, manager of CSA Group’s public policy centre, says that will coincide with more retirees and therefore less income tax revenue to pay for health costs. Thirgood says governments need to put more resources into illness prevention, including addressing factors such as housing, mental health and loneliness, which affect people’s overall health as they age. “The Canadian health-care system is often described as a ‘sickness treatment’ or ‘illness treatment’ system, (where) our public health-care system is primarily focused on doctors and hospitals,” she said in an interview Tuesday. That means “less focus on preventive care, wellness, and increasingly urgent needs in uninsured areas such as mental health,” says the report, which is called Aging Canada 2040: Policy Implications of Demographic Change. Thirgood said focusing on social determinants of health and addressing people’s health needs over the course of their lives to help them age well is critical to reducing illness and the associated health-care costs. She said that can have a big impact on improving people’s overall health as they age. ”There’s strong evidence that correlates social isolation and loneliness with serious health risk,” Thirgood said. “Research shows that (it) is similar to or even exceeding risks such as smoking, obesity and physical inactivity.” Homelessness is another factor that puts people at higher risk of chronic illness, she said — and many seniors are affected. ”We are increasingly seeing older adults that are unhoused as a result of increasing cost (and) financial insecurity,” Thirgood said. “Given ... the context of the housing crisis, I think we can imagine that that’s going to remain an urgent issue for the years to come.”