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COLLEGE PARK — Off to its best start in six years, the Maryland women’s basketball team took the court Sunday against No. 19 Michigan State looking to prove its unbeaten record was more than the result of a relatively soft early-season schedule. In their first major test in more than a month, the No. 8 Terps built a large early lead, took the Spartans’ best counterpunch and pulled it out in the end, getting key plays down the stretch — including a layup by Christina Dalce with 36 seconds left — to help secure a hard-earned 72-66 win before an announced 9,200 at Xfinity Center. “Every league game is going to be like this. It’s going to be every possession matters,” Maryland coach Brenda Frese said. “I thought we were really resilient when you talk about staying the course for 40 minutes.” “Confidence can’t be shaken when you have so much trust and love for each other, and I think we proved that tonight,” guard Shyanne Sellers said. “I think we put our best foot forward today. It’s huge ... It’s a great win for us, but we’re not done yet.” With the win, the Terps (2-0 in the Big Ten) are off to a 12-0 start for the first time since 2018, despite a roster that includes 10 newcomers and seven transfers. To match the school-record 18-0 start of 2006, however, they still have plenty of work ahead of them, with tough matchups against No. 4 Southern California and No. 5 Texas on tap over the next three weeks. “It’s one of the most competitive groups I’ve ever coached,” Frese said. “It’s not really about being undefeated. Of course, we love it. ... I think it shows the work that they’re putting in. But for us, as long as we just continue to keep our head down and work hard through this process, I think that’s where you’re seeing the results pay off. This group hates to lose, and that’s where you want to be as a coaching staff.” Maryland forward Christina Dalce celebrates with Saylor Poffenbarger against Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at Xfinity Center in College Park. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics) Maryland guard Kaylene Smikle drives against Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at Xfinity Center in College Park. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics) Maryland guard Bri McDaniel puts up a shot against Michigan State on Sunday. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics) Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers drives against Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at Xfinity Center in College Park. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics) Maryland guard Kaylene Smikle celebrates a basket against Michigan State on Sunday at Xfinity Center in College Park. Smikle scored a team-high 19 points. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics) Maryland coach Brenda Frese waves during a game against Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at Xfinity Center in College Park. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics) Maryland forward Christina Dalce celebrates with Saylor Poffenbarger against Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024, at Xfinity Center in College Park. (Courtesy of Maryland Athletics) Kaylene Smikle scored 19 points to lead four players in double figures for the Terps, who built a 37-20 lead after a pair of free throws by Bri McDaniel (12 pounds) midway through the second quarter. But Michigan State (11-2, 1-1) clawed back into it with intense half-court defense, forcing 15 second-half turnovers and scoring nine straight points to open the fourth quarter. When Spartans guard Theryn Hallock (20 points) drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key with 6:06 to play, Michigan State had tied it at 57. In desperate need of a score, the Terps turned to guard Saylor Poffenbarger, who answered with a 3-pointer of her own to break a 4:54 scoreless streak to start the fourth quarter and give her team the lead for good. “Ironically, we had a whole lesson about momentum yesterday,” Poffenbarger said. “They obviously were going on a run, and I think just getting the momentum back on our side was really important for us. I think that shot did that for us.” Almost. The Spartans still one more run in them, getting the lead to two when Jadden Simmons sank a 3-pointer with 51 seconds left. The Terps, however, were then able to close it out, with Dalce first scoring a key layup, then stealing the ball from Hallock in the paint at the other end. Teammates Sarah Te-Biasu and Sellers each hit one of two free throws to seal the win, as the Terps closed out the game with 15 of the final 24 points. All told, Michigan State shot 32% from the field, including 6 of 24 from 3-point range. “It was probably one of our better defensive efforts,” Frese said. “You could tell the will to really get stops at the defensive end.” The schedule only becomes more difficult from here, with six more opponents currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. There are now six other Big Ten teams in the poll. “It will be the hardest conference slate we’ve ever faced, [and] I love to be facing it with this team,” Frese said. “With 18 conference games [and] only one team is a double, every gamer matters. Now you have head-to-head if it comes down to a tiebreaker with Michigan State. ... Our players love to be in these games, in these big moments. Fortunately for us, there’s a lot more to go.” Thursday, 7 p.m. Big Ten Plus
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Jimmy Carter , the 39th President of the United States, has died at 100. The longest-living president in U.S. history died almost two years after entering hospice care in his Georgia home in lieu of continued medical intervention for his various health issues. Carter was a one-term but popular president, holding office from 1977-1981, and was unseated by Ronald Reagan. The former Commander in Chief’s nonprofit organization announced he was entering hospice care in February 2023. “After a series of short hospital stays, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter decided to spend his remaining time at home with his family and receive hospice care instead of additional medical intervention,” the February 18 Twitter announcement read. “He has the full support of his family and his medical team. The Carter family asks for privacy during this time and is grateful for the concern shown by his many admirers.” Carter had undergone multiple hospital stints in recent years for various health issues, such as melanoma and several falls. On August 2, 2015, Carter underwent surgery to remove a small cancerous mass in his liver, and he recovered easily. However, the procedure revealed further health complications. On August 11, 2015, it was announced that the cancer had spread to other parts of Carter’s body. In an August 20, 2015 press conference, his doctor revealed the melanoma had spread to four parts of his brain. Hulton Archive/Getty Images The politician-turned-humanitarian had a history of cancer in his family. Carter’s parents and three siblings (two sisters and a brother) all died of different forms of cancer. His mother died of breast cancer; his father and siblings all died of pancreatic cancer. Age 90 at the time of his melanoma diagnosis, Carter believed he was nearing the end of his life but was at peace. “I just thought I had a few weeks left, but I was surprisingly at ease,” he said at the time, per ABC News . “I’ve had a wonderful life. I have thousands of friends...so I was surprisingly at ease, much more so than my wife was.” The former president underwent treatment (surgery, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy) to “extend” his life as much as possible. The treatment was successful, with Carter announcing in March 2016 that doctors stopped his treatment. Carter was hospitalized again the next year for dehydration due to building homes for Habitat for Humanity in Winnipeg, Canada. He was back at work on the homes the next day after some hours of observation. In May 2019, Carter broke his hip in a fall on his way out of his Plains, Georgia, home to go turkey hunting. He had a hip replacement a few days later and suffered another fall in October 2016, needing stitches over one of his eyebrows. In November 2019, he underwent surgery to address pressure in his brain caused by bleeding from the falls and recovered fine. Carter first served as a Georgia senator from 1963 to 1967 and then served as the 76th governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. He beat incumbent President Gerald Ford in the 1976 presidential election. The 2002 Nobel Peace Prize winner sought to make the government “competent and compassionate” during his tenure. His accomplishments as president include creating the Department of Education, bolstering the Social Security system, hiring a record number of minority groups in government jobs, and protecting/improving the environment. Part of that effort was successfully adding 103 million acres of Alaskan land to the national park system. Carter was determined to see the U.S. switch from fossil fuel to clean energy with renewable resources. To that end, he had 32 solar panels installed on the roof of the West Wing in the summer of 1979, hoping to set an example for the future of renewable energy. The panels were used for seven years before Reagan had them removed. While he had notable accomplishments, rising energy costs, mounting inflation, and continuing tensions made it difficult for Carter to meet the high expectations he set for his administration. He shepherded in nearly eight million new jobs and a decrease in the budget deficit (per WhiteHouse.org ), but near record-high inflation and interest rates of the time, and the efforts to fix them, triggered a short recession in the economy. In foreign affairs, Carter led the Camp David Accords in 1978, a political agreement between Egypt and Israel reached through 12 days of secret negotiations at the President’s Maryland country retreat. His focus on human rights didn’t sit well with the leaders of the Soviet Union and some other nations. He obtained ratification of the Panama Canal treaties, set up diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, and finished the negotiation of the SALT II nuclear limitation treaty with the Soviet Union. Born James Earl Carter, Jr. on October 1, 1924, Carter’s family ran a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia. Talk of politics and his Baptist faith were tenets of his childhood. He graduated from the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, in 1946, serving seven years as a naval officer. Carter married his wife, Rosalynn Carter — who died in November 2023 — after graduating from the Academy in 1946. They share three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff), and a daughter, Amy Lynn. Carter became a career politician in 1962 when elected to the Georgia State Senate. After his presidency, Carter focused his public efforts on humanitarian aid. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 “for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development.” More Headlines:On the table, unconscious and stretched out on a pillow, Joe Mangy looks deceptively peaceful. The koala's watery, red-rimmed eyes are the only sign of the disease at war with his body. Tubes snarl out of a mask covering his face as a vet tech listens to his chest with a stethoscope. He is not healing as well as they had hoped. Eight days earlier, Joe Mangy – who is about two years old – was found wandering in the middle of a suburban road. Dazed and confused, eyes nearly glued shut with mucus, he was rushed here, to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary's hospital. Enveloped by rainforest on Queensland's Gold Coast, the park is full of koalas like this. Outside the clinic, in a "Koala Rehab Centre" faintly perfumed by eucalyptus leaves, is a three-year-old recovering from a hysterectomy. "It saved her life... but she can't reproduce," the head vet Michael Payne says. Another male koala stares blankly through narrowed slits. His left tear duct is so inflamed his eyeball is barely visible. This hospital is ground zero of a grim chlamydia epidemic which is killing thousands of koalas and making even more sterile, pushing the national icons to the brink of extinction. But it's also at the core of desperate bid to save them with a vaccine – frustrated efforts which, after over a decade, are still tied up in regulation and running out of both time and money. Even a few decades ago, spotting a koala snuggled in a backyard tree was nothing out of the ordinary. They were plentiful on the country's populous east coast. But in recent times the species has been in dramatic decline – in some places plummeting by 80% in just 10 years. Land clearing and urbanisation are leaving the marsupials hungry and homeless, while natural disasters are drowning or cooking them en masse. "[But] it's the chlamydia that shot up tremendously - almost exponentially," says Dr Payne, who has run the Currumbin clinic for more than 20 years. "You get days where you're euthanising heaps of koalas that just come in completely ravaged." Estimates vary greatly – koalas are famously difficult to count – but some groups say as few as 50,000 of the animals are left in the wild and the species is officially listed as endangered on most of the eastern seaboard. There are now fears the animals will be extinct in some states within a generation. Dr Payne wistfully recounts "the early days" when his hospital only saw a handful of koalas a year. They now see 400. So many come through the door that the team has started giving them two names, a vet nurse says, cradling Joe Mangy as he wakes from the anaesthetic. His last name is a nod to the state of his eyes when he first arrived, she explains. Of the top reasons koalas are brought into wildlife hospitals – vehicle strikes, pet attacks and chlamydia – the bacterial infection is the biggest and deadliest. It results in conjunctivitis for koalas like Joe Mangy, but presents as an infection of the genitals and urinary system for others. Particularly unlucky animals, get both at the same time. At its worst, the ocular form can be so bad koalas are blinded and starve to death, while the urogenital infection produces giant fluid-filled cysts so "nasty" everyday bodily functions like passing urine make the animals cry out in pain. "Their reproductive system falls apart," Dr Payne explains. If caught early enough, treatment is an option, but that in itself is a potentially fatal "nightmare" as the antibiotics destroy the gut bacteria which allow koalas to digest otherwise toxic eucalyptus leaves – their main food source. On a species level though, the disease, which spreads through bodily fluids, causes even greater ruin. Chlamydia is not uncommon in other animals – koalas are suspected to have first caught it from livestock – but the spread and intensity of the disease amongst the marsupials is unmatched. Experts estimate around half of koalas in Queensland and New South Wales could be infected, but just a suburb away from Currumbin, in Elanora, that has climbed beyond 80%. It is the most diseased population in the region and numbers have been "falling off a cliff", Dr Payne says. "It's a disaster." Enter the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and their vaccine, which aims to prevent and treat chlamydia in koalas and has been almost two decades in the making. Alongside Currumbin, they're trying to save the Elanora koalas from oblivion: capturing 30 youngsters and vaccinating them, before recatching them at intervals over three years to track their health. So far only three of the vaccinated koalas in this research trial have contracted the disease, though all recovered, and encouragingly, more than two dozen joeys have been born - bucking the infertility trend. "There's generations of koalas now that have come through. We've got grand joeys," Dr Payne says excitedly. Currumbin has also been vaccinating every koala which comes through their hospital, and have reached about 400 koalas this way. But treating and vaccinating each koala with chlamydia costs them about A$7,000 (£3,500, $4,500). Capturing, jabbing, and tracking each wild Elanora koala is basically double that. Two hours away, researchers at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) are doing their best to flatten the wave of disease too, with a separate vaccine. They inoculate about 2,000 koalas a year through wildlife hospital trials and tack themselves onto development projects or research studies in the region that involve their capture. They've just wrapped a decade's-worth of those projects into one study of more than 600 animals – the largest and longest of its kind. Incredibly, deaths dropped by two thirds among vaccinated koalas. Molecular biologist Samuel Phillips tells the BBC about one local koala population they studied which was at risk of extinction. Authorities are now looking at translocating some animals so they don't overpopulate the area. "It turned it around completely." And crucially, the study found that the koalas that did contract chlamydia were doing so later in life, after their peak breeding years had begun. Dr Phillips and his research partner Peter Timms have now submitted their vaccine to the federal regulator for approval but say they're keeping their hopes in check. "There'll be hurdles," Dr Timms explains. In the meantime, for their small, overstretched team, dividing time and funding is an impossible balance. Do they involve themselves in as many trials as possible to help small groups of koalas now, or do they devote their efforts to advancing the tedious research and approval process which could help a huge cohort of them down the track? "People come to us semi-regularly and say, 'Can we vaccinate more koalas?' And the answer at some point is 'No', because otherwise we're just spending all our time and energy doing [that]," Dr Timms says. It has now been a decade since these two research teams first started seeing results, and there is still no real timeline on when a jab will be ready. And even when it is, there are huge barriers to any roll out. While making the vaccine isn't that costly, finding, capturing, and vaccinating wild koalas is extraordinarily expensive and time-consuming. Dr Phillips says they would have to strategically target select populations, though they're not yet sure how many koalas in each they'd need to treat to reverse decline. That challenge will be doubly complicated with the QUT vaccine, though, because it requires two doses, as opposed to UniSC's single-shot formula. The QUT team has been developing an implant – inspired by a human contraceptive device – that dissolves after four weeks to provide the booster. It will be trialled on Currumbin's captive koalas next year. Then there is the question of funding, which has been, and continues to be, fickle. Both vaccine developers provide their shots to wildlife hospitals and research trials for free, relying on individual donors, generosity from their universities, and the unpredictable whims of election cycles. State and federal governments are the biggest financial backers of the vaccine projects – last year Canberra gave QUT and UniSC A$750,000 each. "No-one wants to imagine an Australia without koalas," Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said at the time. But government contributions are random, and never quite enough. "I cannot believe somebody will not come along tomorrow and say 'You need to vaccinate? Here's my cheque to cover the next 10 years'. But we can't find them," Dr Timms says. However, the biggest barrier is the mountain of red tape researchers are yet to cut through. Both groups have conservation charities and wildlife hospitals knocking down the door, desperate for access, but until they go through the "painful" approval process, their hands are largely tied. "[It's] a critical step that is just taking too long. It kills me," Dr Payne says. "We've kind of passed it being urgent. It was urgent probably 10 years ago." Adding to their despondency, is a fact all involved stress repeatedly: the vaccine is simply not enough to save the species. And so even the lucky koalas like Joe Mangy, who dodge death by chlamydia and return to the wild, still must face off against a myriad of other mortal threats. "It's death by a thousand cuts, right?" Dr Timms says.What Are The New Travel Trends in US Tourism Sector and How It Will Affect in Industry ?
SEC starting QB announces retirement from football
Charvarius Ward will join the list of 49ers missing Monday night’s game against the Lions at Levi’s Stadium after the team ruled him out Sunday afternoon. The veteran cornerback and his girlfriend, Monique Cook, have been expecting the birth of a baby boy. The team cited personal reasons for Ward’s absence after coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Friday that Ward had good news but declined to explain further. Two months ago, Ward and Cook lost their first-born daughter unexpectedly at 23 months old. Ward missed three games in the wake of the devastating loss. As a pending free agent, Ward may have played his last game for the 49ers. He has been with the team the last three seasons after signing as a free agent from Kansas City, earning Pro Bowl honors last year as the top corner on an NFC champion team. He has 51 tackles and seven passes defensed this season after 72 tackles and five interceptions in 2023, including a two-pick, one-touchdown day last Dec. 17 at Arizona . In his absence, more will be thrust on the recently extended Deommodore Lenoir against the Lions’ air attack, and rookie Renardo Green will likely start in Ward’s place. Free agent signee Isaac Yiadom also may see more playing time. Along with Ward, left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (calf) were ruled out earlier this week, as were guards Aaron Banks (knee) and Spencer Burford (calf). Williams was placed on injured reserve and Greenlaw is also out for the season.
The quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff kicks off on New Year's Eve as 3-seed Boise State debuts against 6-seed Penn State . The Nittany Lions reach the quarterfinals fresh off crushing 11-seed SMU 38-10 in one of the top performances of the first round. Penn State forced a pair of pick sixes in the first half to put the game away. Boise State earned a first-round bye after an impressive 12-1 season with the only loss coming against unanimous No. 1 Oregon in Week 2. The Broncos cruised through an undefeated Mountain West schedule and only played three games closer than 14 points in conference play. These two programs have never met, and now they battle on the biggest of stages in the College Football Playoff. Both programs won their most recent Fiesta Bowl appearances. In fact, the Nittany Lions and Broncos are a combined 10-0 in the Fiesta Bowl since the game started in 1971. Penn State vs. Boise State: Need to know Heisman Trophy finalist: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is capping off one of the greatest seasons in college football history with an appearance in the College Football Playoff. Jeanty rushed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns and is only 131 yards away from breaking Barry Sanders ' all-time rushing record. Penn State has only allowed more than 131 yards on the ground against Oregon and USC this season, so Jeanty will have his work cut out. Do-everything star: Penn State tight end Tyler Warren was one of the breakout players in college football during the 2024 season. Warren emerged as perhaps the best tight end in America, catching 92 passes for 1,095 yards and six touchdowns, while adding another four touchdowns on the ground. He lines up everywhere from inline to slot to center. Boise State's pass defense ranks No. 109 nationally, and they have not met a player the caliber of Warren. Fiesta Bowl history: Boise State's finest moment as a college football program came in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl in a battle against No. 7 Oklahoma . In overtime, Boise State ran a legendary hook-and-ladder play that sprung running back Ian Johnson for a game-winning 2-point conversion. However, Penn State has also put together some historic Fiesta Bowl performances, including a 14-10 win over Miami in 1987 to capture the 1986 AP national championship. Where to watch Fiesta Bowl live Date : Tuesday, Dec. 31 | Time : 7:30 p.m. ET Location : State Farm Stadium -- Glendale, Arizona TV : ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free) Fiesta Bowl prediction, picks Penn State was able to take advantage of miscues from SMU, but the Broncos rarely make mistakes. In fact, Boise State is tied for No. 2 nationally in turnovers lost with only four fumbles and four interceptions. Even the steady Nittany Lions had 13 turnovers. Ultimately, it means the game will stay closer than expected for four quarters. Pick: Boise State +11 SportsLine's proven computer model is calling for 10 outright upsets during college football's bowl and playoff season. Visit SportsLine now to see them all, plus get spread picks for every game from the model that simulates every matchup 10,000 times.
President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday insisted at a meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump that any settlement with Russia after its invasion of Ukraine had to be "just", as fears grow in Kyiv on the position of the incoming administration. President Emmanuel Macron hosted three-way talks with Zelensky and Trump at the Elysee Palace, discussing what the incoming American president had termed a world that was a "little crazy". Hours after their meeting, the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden announced a new $988 million military assistance package for Ukraine. The package features drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement. Zelensky's meeting with Trump just before the three men headed to Notre Dame for the re-opening ceremony of the great Paris cathedral was his first face-to-face encounter with tycoon-turned-politician since his election victory. The meeting was of huge importance to Zelensky, given fears in Kyiv that Trump, who once boasted he could end Russia's war on Ukraine in 24 hours, may urge Ukraine to make concessions to Moscow. It also offered a unique chance for Macron to gain insights into how a second Trump presidency will look when he takes office in January. The trip to Paris is Trump's first international visit since his November 5 election win. "We all want peace. But it is very important for us... that the peace is just for all of us and that Russia, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin or any other aggressor has no possibility of ever returning," Zelensky said according to the presidential website. "And this is the most important thing -- a just peace and security guarantees, strong security guarantees for Ukraine," he added. Trump has scoffed at the billions of dollars in US military assistance to Ukraine and has spoken of forcing a quick settlement. But Zelensky also thanked Trump for his "unwavering resolve" describing the talks as "good and productive". Trump and Macron embraced and shook hands several times on the steps of the French presidential palace, with Trump given a full guard of honour despite not yet being in office. "It seems like the world is going a little crazy right now and we will be talking about that," Trump told reporters as he prepared to sit down for the talks with Macron. Despite tensions between the two men during his first term, Trump hailed his ties with the centrist French leader, saying: "We had a great relationship as everyone knows. We accomplished a lot." Macron told Trump it was "a great honour for French people to welcome you" for the re-opening ceremony at Notre Dame, which was devastated by a blaze in 2019 during Trump's first term. "You were president at that time and I remember the solidarity and the immediate reaction," Macron added, speaking in English. When he first took office in 2017, Trump's ties with Macron -- then also a fresh face on the world stage -- began warmly despite their obvious political differences. Their long and muscular handshakes -- which saw each man seek to assert his superiority -- became a light-hearted focus of attention before ties cooled, then soured, following disputes about climate change, trade and defence. Trump earlier wrote on his Truth Social platform that the United States should "not get involved" in the situation in Syria, where fast-moving rebel forces say they have begun to encircle the capital Damascus. The Republican's return to power has rung alarms in Paris and many European capitals after his promises on the campaign trail to force an end to fighting in Ukraine and levy tariffs on trading partners. In his own reaction to the discussions, Macron wrote on social media: "Let us continue our joint efforts for peace and security." European allies have largely enjoyed a close working relationship with Biden on the crisis in the Middle East, but Trump is likely to distance himself and ally the United States even more closely with Israel. In a sign of the importance of Trump's one-day trip to Paris, he was accompanied by his pick for White House chief of staff, Susie Wiles, as well as his Near East and Middle East advisors, Steve Witkoff and Massad Boulos, according to a guest list issued by the Elysee Palace. Tesla tycoon and Trump advisor Elon Musk, who was also on the line during a phone call between the incoming president and Zelensky last month, also flew into the French capital was present at the Notre Dame ceremony. sjw/adp/jj
Enzo Maresca has lifted the lid on Leicester’s promotion celebrations and revealed Jamie Vardy and co still know how to party. Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 — Leicester City (@LCFC) “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. (AP) — Amarion Dickerson had 27 points and 15 rebounds to help Robert Morris hold off Northern Kentucky 97-93 in triple overtime on Sunday. Dickerson blocked five shots and had three steals for the Colonials (9-5, 1-2 Horizon League). Sophomore Alvaro Folgueiras scored 21 points and added a career-high 19 rebounds and six assists. DJ Smith had 13 points. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week
NoneCharvarius Ward will join the list of 49ers missing Monday night’s game against the Lions at Levi’s Stadium after the team ruled him out Sunday afternoon. The veteran cornerback and his girlfriend, Monique Cook, have been expecting the birth of a baby boy. The team cited personal reasons for Ward’s absence after coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Friday that Ward had good news but declined to explain further. Two months ago, Ward and Cook lost their first-born daughter unexpectedly at 23 months old. Ward missed three games in the wake of the devastating loss. As a pending free agent, Ward may have played his last game for the 49ers. He has been with the team the last three seasons after signing as a free agent from Kansas City, earning Pro Bowl honors last year as the top corner on an NFC champion team. He has 51 tackles and seven passes defensed this season after 72 tackles and five interceptions in 2023, including a two-pick, one-touchdown day last Dec. 17 at Arizona . In his absence, more will be thrust on the recently extended Deommodore Lenoir against the Lions’ air attack, and rookie Renardo Green will likely start in Ward’s place. Free agent signee Isaac Yiadom also may see more playing time. Along with Ward, left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (calf) were ruled out earlier this week, as were guards Aaron Banks (knee) and Spencer Burford (calf). Williams was placed on injured reserve and Greenlaw is also out for the season.ATLANTA – Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer who tried to restore virtue to the White House after the Watergate scandal and Vietnam War, then rebounded from a landslide defeat to become a global advocate of human rights and democracy, has died. He was 100 years old . The Carter Center said the 39th president died Sunday afternoon, more than a year after entering hospice care , at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he and his wife, Rosalynn, who died in November 2023, lived most of their lives. The center said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family. Recommended Videos As reaction poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden mourned Carter’s death, saying the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” and he lost a dear friend. Biden cited Carter’s compassion and moral clarity, his work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless and advocacy for the disadvantaged as an example for others. “To all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility,” Biden said in a statement. “He showed that we are a great nation because we are a good people – decent and honorable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.” Biden said he is ordering a state funeral for Carter in Washington. A moderate Democrat, Carter ran for president in 1976 as a little-known Georgia governor with a broad grin, effusive Baptist faith and technocratic plans for efficient government. His promise to never deceive the American people resonated after Richard Nixon’s disgrace and U.S. defeat in southeast Asia. “If I ever lie to you, if I ever make a misleading statement, don’t vote for me. I would not deserve to be your president,” Carter said. Carter’s victory over Republican Gerald Ford, whose fortunes fell after pardoning Nixon, came amid Cold War pressures, turbulent oil markets and social upheaval over race, women’s rights and America’s role in the world. His achievements included brokering Mideast peace by keeping Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David for 13 days in 1978. But his coalition splintered under double-digit inflation and the 444-day hostage crisis in Iran. His negotiations ultimately brought all the hostages home alive, but in a final insult, Iran didn’t release them until the inauguration of Ronald Reagan, who had trounced him in the 1980 election. Humbled and back home in Georgia, Carter said his faith demanded that he keep doing whatever he could, for as long as he could, to try to make a difference. He and Rosalynn co-founded The Carter Center in 1982 and spent the next 40 years traveling the world as peacemakers, human rights advocates and champions of democracy and public health. Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Carter helped ease nuclear tensions in North and South Korea, avert a U.S. invasion of Haiti and negotiate cease-fires in Bosnia and Sudan. By 2022, the center had monitored at least 113 elections around the world. Carter was determined to eradicate guinea worm infections as one of many health initiatives. Swinging hammers into their 90s, the Carters built homes with Habitat for Humanity. The common observation that he was better as an ex-president rankled Carter. His allies were pleased that he lived long enough to see biographers and historians revisit his presidency and declare it more impactful than many understood at the time. Propelled in 1976 by voters in Iowa and then across the South, Carter ran a no-frills campaign. Americans were captivated by the earnest engineer, and while an election-year Playboy interview drew snickers when he said he “had looked on many women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times,” voters tired of political cynicism found it endearing. The first family set an informal tone in the White House, carrying their own luggage, trying to silence the Marine Band’s traditional “Hail to the Chief" and enrolling daughter, Amy, in public schools. Carter was lampooned for wearing a cardigan and urging Americans to turn down their thermostats. But Carter set the stage for an economic revival and sharply reduced America's dependence on foreign oil by deregulating the energy industry along with airlines, trains and trucking. He established the departments of Energy and Education, appointed record numbers of women and nonwhites to federal posts, preserved millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness and pardoned most Vietnam draft evaders. Emphasizing human rights , he ended most support for military dictators and took on bribery by multinational corporations by signing the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. He persuaded the Senate to ratify the Panama Canal treaties and normalized relations with China, an outgrowth of Nixon’s outreach to Beijing. But crippling turns in foreign affairs took their toll. When OPEC hiked crude prices, making drivers line up for gasoline as inflation spiked to 11%, Carter tried to encourage Americans to overcome “a crisis of confidence.” Many voters lost confidence in Carter instead after the infamous address that media dubbed his “malaise" speech, even though he never used that word. After Carter reluctantly agreed to admit the exiled Shah of Iran to the U.S. for medical treatment, the American Embassy in Tehran was overrun in 1979. Negotiations to quickly free the hostages broke down, and then eight Americans died when a top-secret military rescue attempt failed. Carter also had to reverse course on the SALT II nuclear arms treaty after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Though historians would later credit Carter's diplomatic efforts for hastening the end of the Cold war, Republicans labeled his soft power weak. Reagan’s “make America great again” appeals resonated, and he beat Carter in all but six states. Born Oct. 1, 1924, James Earl Carter Jr. married fellow Plains native Rosalynn Smith in 1946, the year he graduated from the Naval Academy. He brought his young family back to Plains after his father died, abandoning his Navy career, and they soon turned their ambitions to politics . Carter reached the state Senate in 1962. After rural white and Black voters elected him governor in 1970, he drew national attention by declaring that “the time for racial discrimination is over.” Carter published more than 30 books and remained influential as his center turned its democracy advocacy onto U.S. politics, monitoring an audit of Georgia’s 2020 presidential election results. After a 2015 cancer diagnosis, Carter said he felt “perfectly at ease with whatever comes.” “I’ve had a wonderful life,” he said. “I’ve had thousands of friends, I’ve had an exciting, adventurous and gratifying existence.” ___ Sanz is a former Associated Press reporter.
Former US President Jimmy Carter dies at 100
LOS ANGELES — Until he sustained a season-ending knee injury last week in the Western Conference final, Galaxy playmaker Riqui Puig was having a tremendous season. So I heard. I watched Puig play only twice this year, once in the Galaxy's season-opening 1-1 draw with Inter Miami and a second time in his team's Fourth of July defeat to LAFC at the Rose Bowl. Outside of short highlight clips on social media, I never saw the former Barcelona prospect, not even when he assisted on the goal that sent the Galaxy to the MLS Cup final. That wasn't a reflection of my interest. Some of my friends will make fun of me for publicly admitting this, but I like Major League Soccer. I covered the league in my first job out of college and have casually kept up with it since. I take my children to a couple of games a year. My 11-year-old son owns Galaxy and LAFC hats but no Dodgers or Lakers merchandise. When flipping through channels in the past, if presented with the choice of, say, college football or MLS, I usually watched MLS. But not this year. While the MLS Cup final between the Galaxy and New York Red Bulls will be shown on Fox and Fox Deportes, the majority of games are now exclusively behind a paywall, courtesy of the league's broadcasting deal with Apple. MLS Season Pass subscriptions were reasonably priced — $79 for the entire season for Apple TV+ subscribers, $99 for non-subscribers — but I was already paying for DirecTV Stream, Netflix, Amazon Prime, PlayStation Plus and who knows what else. MLS became a casualty in my household, as well as in many others, and the possibility of being out of sight and out of mind should be a concern for a league that is looking to expand its audience. Which isn't to say the league made a mistake. This was a gamble MLS had to take. Now in the second year of a 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with Apple, MLS did what Major League Baseball is talking about doing, which is to centralize its broadcasting rights and sell them to a digital platform. Regional sports networks have been decimated by cord cutting, making traditional economic models unsustainable. The move to Apple not only increased the league's broadcast revenues — previous deals with ESPN, Fox and Univision were worth a combined $90 million annually, according to multiple reports — but also introduced a measure of uniformity in the league. The quality of the broadcasts are better than they were under regional sports networks. Viewers know where to watch games and when, as every one of them is on Season Pass and most of them are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. local time either on Wednesday or Saturday. "That's been fueling our growth and driving our fan engagement," MLS Commissioner Don Garber said Friday at his annual state of the league address. Apple and MLS declined to reveal the number of League Pass subscribers, but the league provided polling figures that indicated 94% of viewers offered positive or neutral reviews of League Pass. The average viewing time for a game is about 65 minutes for a 90-minute game, according to Garber. In other words, the League Pass is well-liked — by the people who have it. The challenge now is to increase that audience. The launch of League Pass last year coincided with the arrival of Lionel Messi, which presumably resulted in a wave of subscriptions. But the league can't count on the appearance of the next Messi; there is only one of him. MLS pointed to how its fans watch sports on streaming devices or recorded television than any other U.S. sports league, as well as how 71% of its fans are under the age of 45. The league also pointed to how it effectively drew more viewers to the Apple broadcast of Inter Miami's postseason opener with a livestream of a "Messi Cam' on TikTok, indicating further collaborations with wide-reaching entities could be in its future. Garber mentioned how Season Pass is available in other countries. The commissioner also made note of how Apple places games every week in front of its paywall. "What we have, really, is a communication problem," Garber said. "This is new, and we've got to work with Apple, we've got to work with our clubs and we've got to work with our partners to get more exposure to what we think is a great product." The greatest benefit to the league could be Apple's vested interest in improving the on-field product. MLS insiders said Apple has not only encouraged teams to sign more high-profile players but also pushed the league to switch to a fall-to-spring calendar more commonplace in other parts of the world, reasoning that doing so would simplify the process of buying and selling players. The on-field product is what matters. The on-field product is why MLS continues to face competition for viewers from overseas leagues. The on-field product is why the league hasn't succeeded in converting every soccer fan into a MLS fan. And ultimately, if casual viewers such as myself are to pay to watch the Galaxy or LAFC on a screen of some kind, the on-field product will be why. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk's guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag — a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country," Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country's condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel , has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party's public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper's own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk's social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print," Eva Marie Kogel wrote. The newspaper was also attacked by politicians and other media for offering Musk, an outsider, a platform to express his views, in favor of the AfD. Candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, of the Christian Democratic Union, said Sunday that Musk's comments were “intrusive and presumptuous”. He was speaking to the newspapers of the German Funke Media Group. Co-leader of the Social Democratic Party, Saskia Esken said that “Anyone who tries to influence our election from outside, who supports an anti-democratic, misanthropic party like the AfD, whether the influence is organized by the state from Russia or by the concentrated financial and media power of Elon Musk and his billionaire friends on the Springer board, must expect our tough resistance,” according to the ARD national public TV network. Musk's opinion piece in the Welt am Sonntag was accompanied by a critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk's piece was "very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa.Britain's food security is at risk due to Labour’s inheritance tax raid on farmers, Shadow Environment Secretary Victoria Atkins has warned. She says that the “family farm tax” could push farmers to sell off precious agricultural land, which could then be used for solar panels. Ms Atkins claims the tax change – which means families will have to pay 20 per cent inheritance tax on agricultural land and assets after the first £1million – could “decimate” food security. A top concern is that farming must sell off large chunks of their land to pay this bill. Ms Atkins said: “Food security is national security. Yet instead of supporting domestic food production, Labour seems to be on a mission to decimate the very businesses that underpin it. “Their family farm tax will see farms split up and sold off, with no guarantee that land will continue to be used for food production. On top of this tax, Labour are whacking businesses with a national insurance hike, they have suspended grants to farmers that are vital to allowing them to invest, and they are making it easier to concrete over the best agricultural land.” She further warned that without a strong farming sector, people will not be able to eat high-quality food at affordable prices. “Labour has presented a Budget that will decimate British farming, and they are increasingly showing themselves to be the single greatest threat to food security that this country faces,” she said. Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union, said farmers have been left “reeling” and “many will be faced with a tax bill of millions”. He said: “Some will be forced to sell all or part of their farm to raise the funds. These are the working people of our countryside, the majority of them working for little profit but happy in the knowledge their life’s work will mean they can pass the farm on to the next generation. “This tax threatens to change all that. It threatens our food security, and with the compounded impact of National Insurance and National Living Wage changes, it threatens to push up food prices for consumers.” Mo Metcalf-Fisher of the Countryside Alliance agreed, saying: “As a result of the Budget, many farming families are having to have really difficult discussions about the future, which is truly devastating. If we lose these farms, there’s no guarantee that the land sold off will continue to be farmed by new buyers. “The more farming land lost, the more our ability to produce our own food to feed our citizens is hampered, meaning we become more reliant on foreign markets. Given the global political situation, I think that is incredibly unwise, and it’s yet another reason why Rachel Reeves needs to think again.” A Labour spokesman said the Conservatives had “forced” more than 12,000 farmers and agricultural enterprises out of business. He said the Tories had “sold farmers out” in trade deals while the present Government was “investing £5 billion into farming over the next two years”.Longest-lived US president was always happy to speak his mind
The Sultanate of Oman, represented by Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, and the State of Palestine, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Sunday to strengthen cooperation in the fields of telecommunications and information technology. The agreement also aims to facilitate exchange of experiences and expertise in the digital economy. The MoU was signed by H E Saeed Hamood al Mawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology of Oman, and Dr Abdul Razzaq al Natsheh, Minister of Telecommunications and Digital Economy of Palestine. H E Mawali informed that the agreement focuses on advancing the digital economy, with particular emphasis on areas such as digital government, cybersecurity, workforce training, and support for startups. He added that the MoU will facilitate business development and improve services in both countries. Some of the objectives outlined in the MoU are set to be implemented by the first quarter of 2025, including hosting Palestinian startups in Oman. Additionally, rapid progress is expected in the exchange of cybersecurity expertise with tangible results anticipated by 2025.adidas AG (OTCMKTS:ADDDF) Short Interest UpdateAP News Summary at 5:08 p.m. EST
Maresca led the Foxes to the Sky Bet Championship title last season before joining Chelsea over the summer. Leicester famously toasted their improbable Premier League success in 2016 with an impromptu bash at Vardy’s house. But the venue for last April’s party was not at the striker’s abode, but at Maresca’s house when the players turned up unannounced at 2am. Maresca recalled: “The best present I had from last season was when we got promoted and they arrived at my home. All the team. “This showed the connection between the players; they could go for a party at a different place but they all arrived at my home. It was a fantastic connection and I will always be thankful for them. “I was at home celebrating with my staff and my family and about two o’clock in the morning all the squad was there. We celebrated all together. Last night at Enzo’s 🏡 💙 pic.twitter.com/dqP8BFsDn3 — Leicester City (@LCFC) April 27, 2024 “When I was a player and I won things I never thought to go to the manager’s home. That shows the connection.” Similarly to when they clinched the Premier League crown, Leicester were not actually playing when they found out they were promoted after Leeds lost at QPR. “To be honest I was at home watching the game and when it finished all the staff came over – and later the players,” added the Italian. “They didn’t knock on the door, they were in the garden and knocked on the window. What time did they leave? I don’t remember.” Vardy might not be having a party at the end of this season but he is still banging in the goals at 37 and Maresca rates the striker even more highly than England’s two top goalscorers – Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney. “People don’t realise how good he is,” added Maresca. “I know England have been quite lucky because of Kane and Rooney, this type of striker, they are fantastic. “But Jamie is, if you ask me, the best one.” Maresca returns to the King Power Stadium for the first time with Chelsea on Saturday, but he will be without captain Reece James due to a hamstring problem.GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Defending the run has been one of the Green Bay Packers’ weaknesses over the last several years. Not so much lately, though. Green Bay limited San Francisco to 16 carries for 44 yards in a 38-10 rout of the 49ers on Nov. 24, with two-time All-Pro Christian McCaffrey gaining 31 yards on 11 attempts. Four nights later, the Packers beat Miami 30-17 by holding the Dolphins to 39 yards on 14 carries. It was the first time since 1995 — and only the second time since 1950 — that the Packers had allowed fewer than 45 yards rushing in back-to-back games within the same season. “I think we’re playing harder and harder each week,” first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley said. “And that’s how you play good defense.” That defense needs to be at its best Thursday as the Packers (9-3) close a stretch of three games in 12 days by visiting the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions (12-1), who have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense thanks in part to a rushing attack featuring the speedy Jahmyr Gibbs and the physical David Montgomery. “Gibbs is a great running back,” defensive lineman Kenny Clark said. “I really think the offense really starts with him, honestly. He can do everything — receive, in-and-out runner, can do stretch, duo plays. We’ve got to have all hands on deck with Gibbs. And then Montgomery, he’s a great complement to him. He can do everything, also.” The Lions were the first team since the 1975 Miami Dolphins to rush for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each of their first 11 games. The streak ended on Thanksgiving when the Lions rushed for 194 yards but didn’t have a touchdown on the ground in a 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears. Green Bay outrushed Detroit 138-124 in the Packers’ 24-14 loss to the Lions on Nov. 3 at Lambeau Field. Montgomery rushed for 73 yards while Gibbs ran for 65 yards and a touchdown. Gibbs has 973 yards this season, which ranks fourth in the NFL. Montgomery ran for a combined 192 yards and four touchdowns in the Lions’ two games against the Packers last season. Green Bay’s run defense has come a long way since. The Packers have allowed 106.6 yards rushing per game this season, which ranks eighth in the league. The Packers haven’t closed a season in the top 10 in run defense since 2016 and have finished outside the top 20 in four of the last six years, including 26th in 2022 and 28th in 2023. “I think Haf’s doing a good job of mixing up the fronts and some of the coverages, but really it’s ultimately about tackling, swarming, getting many hats to the football,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “And our guys have really embraced that style of play.” The Packers are yielding 4.2 yards per carry to rank seventh in the league after finishing 22nd or worst in that category each of the last three seasons. They haven’t closed a season ranked in the top 10 in yards allowed per carry since 2017. Hafley says the improvement starts up front. “The interior part of our D-line has done such a good job these last few games,” Hafley said. “They really have. They’re hard to block. They’re staying in their gaps. They’re tearing off of blocks, and it’s the same thing with those defensive ends. They’re setting edges, they’re forcing the ball back inside, they’re getting off blocks and then we’re tackling and we’re running to the ball and there’s multiple people to the ball. “And when you turn on our tape right now and when you freeze it, you see that. You see a lot of guys around the football. And then you’re not afraid, right? Like if I have an open-field tackle and I know eight other guys are coming, I’m going to take my shot because I know if I miss, it’s going to be, ‘Bang, bang, bang,’ we’ve got three or four other guys there, and we’re starting to play faster.” Green Bay's defense has the Lions’ attention. “They’ve been playing well,” Detroit coach Dan Campbell said. “I mean, they have, really, all season, and nothing has changed.” AP Sports Writer Larry Lage contributed to this report. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL