NoneAlexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. Declares Cash Dividend of $1.32 per Common Share for 4Q24, an Increase of 2 Cents Over 3Q24, and an Aggregate of $5.19 per Common Share for 2024, an Increase of 23 Cents, or 5 Percent, Over 2023
How Trump's bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woesThe Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Friday, extolled the achievements of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, describing him as a dedicated public servant who has brought pride to the nation in his current role. Speaking at a book presentation in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to mark Wike’s 57th birthday, Akpabio described the minister as “a workaholic public officer” and praised his outstanding contributions to every office he has held. Reflecting on why President Bola Tinubu nominated Wike to the Federal Executive Council despite his opposition background, Akpabio said, “Let me tell you why you were nominated into the FEC by President Tinubu despite being an opposition politician. Your performance as a local government chairman, Chief of Staff to the Rivers State Government, Minister, and two-term governor gave you the job.” He further lauded Wike’s remarkable strides in the FCT, noting, “You have made us proud as the FCT minister. You have turned Abuja into a model city befitting the capital of a country. You are a very committed public officer who has no room for excuses on any given task. In less than two years, you have turned Abuja into a huge construction site.” Celebrating Wike’s character and legacy, Akpabio remarked, “Today, we gather to celebrate not just the years in your life, but the life in your years. We honor not just the duration of your life but the donation of your life and the countless ways you’ve enriched the lives of the people around you. “Born in the tumultuous year of 1967, when the fabric of our nation was being tested in the fires of conflict, you emerged, my dear Wike, not in the safety of calm waters but amid the storm itself. It is this very fortitude that has shaped your character, allowing you to rise like an eagle, soaring high above the tempests that beset us.” He extolled Wike’s leadership as a two-term governor, commending his visionary approach, “As a two-term governor, you have been a leader of the people, a visionary who acts with purpose, and a friend whose care for others knows no bounds. Your dedication to uplifting communities as a Governor and now as an Honourable Minister has left an indelible mark on our nation’s history. The bridges you have constructed—both of steel and spirit—stand as testaments to your commitment to progress and unity.” Related News Senate orders Wike to halt Abuja house demolitions Edo hails Akpabio at 62 Speaker congratulates Senate President, Akpabio on 62nd birthday Akpabio highlighted Wike’s impact on Nigeria’s political landscape, “Your contributions to the political landscape of Nigeria, particularly during your governorship, shine like a beacon of hope. Your charismatic leadership and staunch advocacy for the rights of your constituents have focused on the pillars of infrastructure, education, and healthcare. “Your passion for sports, particularly football, and your commitment to nurturing the talents of our youth reflect your unwavering belief in the potential of the next generation. You have earned a reputation as a leader of uncompromising integrity, speaking truth in every circumstance, even when the winds of injustice howl around you like a tempest.” He also expressed gratitude to Wike’s family, especially his wife, for their steadfast support: “Let us not forget, on this auspicious day, the steadfast support of your beloved wife. She has stood beside you through trials and triumphs alike, her strength and encouragement complementing your leadership in extraordinary ways. Together, you exemplify a partnership that inspires countless souls, proving that love and unity can elevate a leader’s impact to unparalleled heights.” Ending with a prayer and birthday wishes, Akpabio said, “May this birthday bring you as much joy as you have bestowed upon others, and may you embrace even more adventures, more successes, and an ever-increasing momentum in your noble service to our beloved fatherland. “Here’s to another year of making a difference, inspiring change, and, of course, sharing that signature smile that warms our hearts! Happy Birthday, Your Excellency, Chief Nyesom Wike, CON! I fervently pray that the years ahead will be filled with even more splendid moments and that the remainder of your journey be more glorious than all that has come before.”
THE MOJ: It's Thanksgiving down south, and the Canucks aren't looking free and clearrevealed he told his players at half-time to “forget the shirt” they were playing as they beat at Anfield. in the Champions League after a fifth straight win, making it 17 victories in 19 matches under Slot in all competitions. opened the scoring just after half-time before Cody Gakpo doubled the lead and put the hosts in control, with Liverpool beating Real for the first time since 2009. The Reds were dominant in the early stages of the second-half before they deservedly took the lead, and Slot was asked about his half-time message to inspire the impressive performance. “I felt that we were a bit too impatient,” Slot said of his side’s display in the opening 45 minutes. Every time when they threatened us - which didn’t happen a lot - it was from us being sloppy in passing or forcing it too much. “So I said: ‘I think there’s more in you guys than you show at the moment. You can play with more intensity and better with the ball. Forget the shirt that you face, just do what you always do and hopefully we can create more chances than we did in the first half.’” In a dramatic ten-minute spell at Anfield after Mac Allister’s goal, Kylian Mbappe saw his penalty saved by before Mohamed Salah then smashed his own spot-kick off the outside of the post and wide. It was another impressive showing from Kelleher, who has consistently delivered since coming into the side with Alisson Becker out injured. “The same thing that went through my mind when Mo Salah stepped up,” Slot said when asked what he was thinking as Mbappe went to take the penalty. “In most situations you think it’s probably going to go in, because they have such a great record. But yeah, both missed. They showed us today that they are human beings. “In Mbappe’s situation, [Kelleher] saved it which made it more special for us. There was another situation where he was also outstanding. “He’s done remarkable for us, just like our other goalkeeper, but he did remarkable today.”
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will not play Sunday and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the lingering discomfort is a concern. Purdy sat out Friday after he participated in the start of Thursday's practice with the 49ers, then retreated indoors for what Shanahan said was a treatment session. Brandon Allen, 32, will start in Purdy's place, and the 49ers are also without defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique). Shanahan said players believe in Allen, even if he's an unknown. "Outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon. But it's his second year (with the 49ers)," Shanahan said. "Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Shanahan said they are "a little surprised" Purdy experienced tightness and discomfort in his shoulder after an MRI exam on Monday that showed no long-term cause for concern. "The way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week," Shanahan said of Purdy. Allen is familiar to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, who was an assistant coach with the Rams during Allen's two-year run in Los Angeles. Allen broke into the NFL in 2016 with the Jaguars and is 2-7 in nine career starts. He went 1-2 with the Broncos in 2019 and 1-5 in six starts over two years with the Bengals in 2020 and ‘21. Shanahan said Allen's confidence grew throughout the week and he doesn't anticipate a major change in how he calls the offense. Left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) also missed practice for the third consecutive day. Without disclosing the nature of the ailment to Purdy's throwing shoulder, general manager John Lynch confirmed Friday an MRI exam took place to determine the severity of any injury. Allen worked with the first team most of Thursday and Friday with Joshua Dobbs also taking snaps. Lynch described Purdy's status for the 49ers (5-5) this week as "tenuous." "Hopefully, he makes progress, and we can have a shot at this weekend, but we'll see," Lynch said in an interview with KNBR in San Francisco. "I think it's tenuous." When Purdy was on the field this week, he primarily worked on the side in position-specific drills with QB coach Brian Griese. Williams played through an ankle injury last week after being listed as questionable but exited the stadium with an exaggerated limp on Sunday. Run game coordinator Chris Foerster said the 49ers aren't where they want to be at 5-5 because they haven't won close games, not because of injuries. "Seven games left is like an eternity," Foerster said. "So much can happen. Do the math. What was our record last year? It was 12-5. I was on a 13-win team that was nowhere near as good as the team last year." With or without Purdy, Foerster said the challenge for the 49ers is not to give up the ball to a defense that has 19 takeaways. The 49ers have 13 giveaways this season. --Field Level MediaGREEN BAY, Wis. -- The right knee injury that cornerback Jaire Alexander has been dealing with over the past three weeks -- and the one that forced him out of his return last Sunday after only 10 snaps - could see him sit out more time, but the Green Bay Packers cornerback doesn't expect his season is over. Alexander told The Athletic on Thursday that he sustained a torn PCL when he hobbled off the field on the final defensive play of the Oct. 28 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars . Alexander sat out the next game, a Week 9 loss to the Detroit Lions . He returned to practice after the Week 10 bye and went into last week's game against the Chicago Bears expecting to play on a limited rep count but dropped out before halftime. Editor's Picks Latest NFL Week 12 buzz: What we're hearing on Daniel Jones' benching, GM candidates and playoff races 2d Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler 49ers TE Kittle vows to play Sunday vs. Packers 1d Nick Wagoner "I stayed here the whole bye week trying to hopefully come back and make an impact for the team," Alexander told The Athletic. "It was a game-time decision at that, so we didn't know ... until, you know, few minutes before the game if I would play or not." Alexander, a two-time All Pro, did not say what a reasonable timetable for his return. "I just need more than 21 days of non-contact," he said. "It just needed more time because to take three weeks off and not do much, that still wasn't enough." Earlier this season, he sat out Weeks 4 and 5 games because of groin and quadriceps injuries. Since the start of the 2021 season, when he appeared in only four regular-season games because of a shoulder injury, he has played in only 34 of a possible 61 games -- or 56%. All but one of the 27 games he sat out was because of injury; he served a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team in 2023. Second-year pro Carrington Valentine probably would start Sunday against the 49ers if Alexander can't play. Alexander did not practice Wednesday or Thursday this week.
revealed he told his players at half-time to “forget the shirt” they were playing as they beat at Anfield. in the Champions League after a fifth straight win, making it 17 victories in 19 matches under Slot in all competitions. opened the scoring just after half-time before Cody Gakpo doubled the lead and put the hosts in control, with Liverpool beating Real for the first time since 2009. The Reds were dominant in the early stages of the second-half before they deservedly took the lead, and Slot was asked about his half-time message to inspire the impressive performance. “I felt that we were a bit too impatient,” Slot said of his side’s display in the opening 45 minutes. Every time when they threatened us - which didn’t happen a lot - it was from us being sloppy in passing or forcing it too much. “So I said: ‘I think there’s more in you guys than you show at the moment. You can play with more intensity and better with the ball. Forget the shirt that you face, just do what you always do and hopefully we can create more chances than we did in the first half.’” In a dramatic ten-minute spell at Anfield after Mac Allister’s goal, Kylian Mbappe saw his penalty saved by before Mohamed Salah then smashed his own spot-kick off the outside of the post and wide. It was another impressive showing from Kelleher, who has consistently delivered since coming into the side with Alisson Becker out injured. “The same thing that went through my mind when Mo Salah stepped up,” Slot said when asked what he was thinking as Mbappe went to take the penalty. “In most situations you think it’s probably going to go in, because they have such a great record. But yeah, both missed. They showed us today that they are human beings. “In Mbappe’s situation, [Kelleher] saved it which made it more special for us. There was another situation where he was also outstanding. “He’s done remarkable for us, just like our other goalkeeper, but he did remarkable today.”ROME (AP) — Robert Lewandowski joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in Champions League history with 100 or more goals. But Erling Haaland is on a faster pace than anyone by boosting his total to 46 goals at age 24 on Tuesday. Still, Haaland's brace wasn't enough for Manchester City in a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord that extended the Premier League champion's winless streak to six matches. Lewandowski’s early penalty kick started Barcelona off to a 3-0 win over previously unbeaten Brest to move into second place in the new single-league format. The Poland striker added goal No. 101 in second-half stoppage time. Ronaldo leads the all-time scoring list with 140 goals and Messi is next with 129. But neither Ronaldo nor Messi play in the Champions League anymore following moves to Saudi Arabia and the United States, respectively. “It’s a nice number,” Lewandowski said. “In the past I didn’t think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League. I’m in good company alongside Cristiano and Messi.” The 36-year-old Lewandowski required 125 matches to reach the century mark, two more than Messi (123) and 12 fewer than Ronaldo (137). Barcelona also got a second-half score from Dani Olmo. The top eight finishers in the standings advance directly to the round of 16 in March. Teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a knockout playoffs round in February, while the bottom 12 teams are eliminated. Haaland has 46 goals in 44 games Haaland converted a first-half penalty to eclipse Messi as the youngest player to reach 45 goals then scored City's third after the break to raise his total to 46 goals in 44 games. Ilkay Gundogan had City's second. But then Feyenoord struck back with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko. Inter leads standings and hasn't conceded a goal Inter Milan beat Leipzig 1-0 with an own goal to move atop the standings with 13 points, one more than Barcelona and Liverpool, which faces Real Madrid on Wednesday. The Serie A champion is the only club that hasn't conceded a goal. Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 — the same score from the 2020 final between the two teams. PSG ended with 10 men and remained in the elimination zone. The French powerhouse has struggled in Europe after Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid. Kim Min-jae’s first-half header was enough for Bayern, especially after Ousmane Dembelé was sent off in the 56th with his second yellow. Atalanta moved within two points of the lead with a 6-1 win at Young Boys. Charles De Ketelaere scored two and assisted on three other goals for Atalanta. Also, Arsenal kept red-hot striker Viktor Gyokeres quiet in a 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon; and Germany star Florian Wirtz scored two goals and was involved in two more as Bayer Leverkusen boosted its chances of finishing in the top eight with a 5-0 rout of Salzburg. AC Milan follows up win over Real Madrid with another victory AC Milan followed up its win at Real Madrid with a 3-2 victory at last-place Slovan Bratislava in an early match. Christian Pulisic put the seven-time champion ahead midway through the first half by finishing off a counterattack. Then Rafael Leao restored the Rossoneri’s advantage after Tigran Barseghyan had equalized for Bratislava and Tammy Abraham quickly added another. Nino Marcelli scored with a long-range strike in the 88th for Bratislava, which ended with 10 men. Bratislava has lost all five of its matches. Alvarez and Griezmann lead Atletico to 6-0 rout Argentina World Cup winner Julian Alvarez scored twice and Atletico Madrid routed Sparta Prague 6-0 in the other early game. Alvarez scored with a free kick 15 minutes in and Marcos Llorente added a long-range strike before the break. Alvarez finished off a counterattack early in the second half after being set up by substitute Antoine Griezmann, who then marked his 100th Champions League game by getting on the scoresheet himself. Angel Correa added a late brace for Atletico, which earned its biggest away win in Europe. Atletico beat Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round and extended its winning streak across all competitions to six matches. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
BEIJING , Nov. 21, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Beacon Education is proud to celebrate an exciting and important milestone with its partner Northern Arizona University , as its Master of Computer Information Technology (MCIT) program graduates its 1000 th student this month. In just four years, NAU's innovative personalized learning model has helped the MCIT program become one of China's most successful online degrees, delivering important skills to working professionals across a variety of different industries. As one of Beacon's first partners, NAU has worked closely with teams across the company to design and implement an elite experience for working professional learners across China , ensuring that the program is delivered to NAU's s world-class standards and that all students become an authentic part of the NAU community. Carmin Chan , Vice Provost of NAU Online, notes "NAU has a long history of welcoming and educating students from across the world. The partnership between NAU Online and Beacon Education is a great example of how NAU offers career-ready degrees that provide economic mobility and increased opportunity for our students in Arizona and around the globe." With a broad array of companies, channels, and partners investing in the MCIT program, they increasingly ask for an expansion of the degree portfolio from NAU. As an innovative first-mover, NAU is helping educate the market about what is possible through online degree-based education, driving rapidly-increasing demand for degree programs from universities in the US and around the world. "We are so proud of what we have built with NAU and thrilled to continue expanding with new degrees, new markets, and new corporate partners. NAU has grabbed an opportunity to deliver innovative programs to untapped student pools and both Beacon and NAU are seeing the work to design and deliver outstanding programs pay off. The graduates in China are proud to be NAU alumni and the MCIT program continues to grow as word of the program spreads," explains CEO Michael Wang . With a breadth of degrees from a growing range of university partners experiencing similar enrollment and revenue expansion, Beacon looks forward to reaching new, ambitious milestones in coming years with NAU and other universities as they pursue this untapped opportunity in degree-based upskilling Chinese working professionals. Media Contact: Charles Iannuzzi, [email protected] SOURCE Beacon Education
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will not play Sunday and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the lingering discomfort is a concern. Purdy sat out Friday after he participated in the start of Thursday's practice with the 49ers, then retreated indoors for what Shanahan said was a treatment session. Brandon Allen, 32, will start in Purdy's place, and the 49ers are also without defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique). Shanahan said players believe in Allen, even if he's an unknown. "Outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon. But it's his second year (with the 49ers)," Shanahan said. "Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Shanahan said they are "a little surprised" Purdy experienced tightness and discomfort in his shoulder after an MRI exam on Monday that showed no long-term cause for concern. "The way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week," Shanahan said of Purdy. Allen is familiar to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, who was an assistant coach with the Rams during Allen's two-year run in Los Angeles. Allen broke into the NFL in 2016 with the Jaguars and is 2-7 in nine career starts. He went 1-2 with the Broncos in 2019 and 1-5 in six starts over two years with the Bengals in 2020 and ‘21. Shanahan said Allen's confidence grew throughout the week and he doesn't anticipate a major change in how he calls the offense. Left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) also missed practice for the third consecutive day. Without disclosing the nature of the ailment to Purdy's throwing shoulder, general manager John Lynch confirmed Friday an MRI exam took place to determine the severity of any injury. Allen worked with the first team most of Thursday and Friday with Joshua Dobbs also taking snaps. Lynch described Purdy's status for the 49ers (5-5) this week as "tenuous." "Hopefully, he makes progress, and we can have a shot at this weekend, but we'll see," Lynch said in an interview with KNBR in San Francisco. "I think it's tenuous." When Purdy was on the field this week, he primarily worked on the side in position-specific drills with QB coach Brian Griese. Williams played through an ankle injury last week after being listed as questionable but exited the stadium with an exaggerated limp on Sunday. Run game coordinator Chris Foerster said the 49ers aren't where they want to be at 5-5 because they haven't won close games, not because of injuries. "Seven games left is like an eternity," Foerster said. "So much can happen. Do the math. What was our record last year? It was 12-5. I was on a 13-win team that was nowhere near as good as the team last year." With or without Purdy, Foerster said the challenge for the 49ers is not to give up the ball to a defense that has 19 takeaways. The 49ers have 13 giveaways this season. --Field Level Media
Celebrities can spark change when they speak up about their healthALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Jurors in New Mexico have awarded a man more than $412 million in a medical malpractice case that involved a men’s health clinic that operates in several states. The man’s attorneys celebrated Monday’s verdict, saying they are hopeful it will prevent other men from falling victim to a scheme that involved fraud and what they described as dangerous penile injections. They said the jury award for punitive and compensatory damages is likely the largest in history for a medical malpractice case. The award follows a trial held in Albuquerque earlier this month that centered on allegations outlined in a lawsuit filed by the man's attorneys in 2020. NuMale Medical Center and company officials were named as defendants. According to the complaint, the man was 66 when he visited the clinic in 2017 in search of treatment for fatigue and weight loss. The clinic is accused of misdiagnosing him and unnecessarily treating him with “invasive erectile dysfunction shots” that caused irreversible damage. Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts “This out of state medical corporation set up a fraudulent scheme to make millions off of conning old men by scaring them with a fake test,” Nick Rowley, the man's attorney, wrote in a social media post that detailed the verdict. Rowley went on to say that the scheme involved clinic workers telling patients they would have irreversible damage if they didn't agree to injections three times a week. NuMale Medical Center President Brad Palubicki said in a statement issued Tuesday that the company is committed to high-quality and safe patient care. He said NuMale disagrees with the verdict and intend to pursue all available legal remedies, including an appeal. A message seeking additional comment was left Wednesday with the company and its attorney. NuMale also has clinics in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, Nebraska, North Carolina and Wisconsin. According to court records, jurors found that fraudulent and negligent conduct by the defendants resulted in damages to the plaintiff. They also found that unconscionable conduct by the defendants violated the Unfair Practices Act.
November 26 - NFL Thanksgiving, Black Friday capsules --Thursday Chicago Bears (4-7) at Detroit Lions (10-1), 12:30 p.m. ET, CBS With a nine-game winning streak and 2-0 record in the division, the Lions are no easy prey for the Bears in the first game of the holiday tripleheader on Thursday. Chicago lost another game in walkoff fashion, 30-27 to the Vikings in overtime, their third such defeat in a five-game losing streak to deflate a feel-good 4-2 start. Signs of growth are evident for Bears rookie No. 1 pick Caleb Williams. Facing Minnesota's notably blitz-happy defense, Williams guided the Bears to 17 points in the fourth quarter to force OT. He had his third 300-yard game of the season and hasn't thrown an interception during the ongoing five-game skid. A lasting pain point since the Bears tasted victory at London in Week 6 is execution on third downs converting 21 of 73 since the bye week. With the short and fruitless drives becoming habitual, Chicago has seen improvement with Thomas Brown calling plays the past two games, although there are signs of a weary defense late in games. No time for a breather at Ford Field. The Lions are all-gas, no-brakes with 10 total touchdowns the past eight quarters. The Bears have 12 touchdowns in their past six games. Old friend David Montgomery faces his former Bears' teammates and is doing his part to put points up for the Lions with 11 rushing TDs in 11 games. Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has more touchdowns (nine) than all Bears wide receivers combined (eight). Chicago's defense picked off Jared Goff five times in two games last season. He has 20 touchdown passes -- one TD catch -- and seven games with multiple TD passes in 2024. In recent games, the Bears' defense is getting scorched. Chicago has surrendered a league-worst 1,977 total yards since Week 8. New York Giants (2-9) at Dallas Cowboys (4-7), 4:30 p.m. ET, FOX Backup Tommy DeVito didn't enjoy much of his first start this season for the Giants behind an offensive line breached by the Buccaneers repeatedly. DeVito, elevated to the starting role upon the demotion and release of Daniel Jones, was sacked four times and hit early and often. But there are a couple of reasons the Giants might stick around in the rematch of their 20-15 loss to Dallas earlier this season. For starters, the Cowboys are 0-5 at home and also pushed their backup into a starting role. Cooper Rush threw two TD passes last week but he wasn't entirely responsible for Dallas putting up 34 points to upset Washington. They also had two implausible fourth-quarter kickoff return TDs and the Commanders suffered self-inflicted wounds, not the least of which was a missed extra point that would have tied the game at 27 with 14 seconds remaining. Given the state of affairs in New York, where rookie WR Malik Nabers defined the team's effort as soft, and the questionable health of DeVito's offensive line, the Cowboys are favored to sweep the two-game series from the Giants for the fourth consecutive season. Rush (knee) started the week hobbled but head coach Mike McCarthy said he was confident the QB would be ready for Thursday. Miami Dolphins (5-6) at Green Bay Packers (8-3), 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC If it's Miami on the road late in the season, we're talking temperature and the Dolphins' miserable record in sub-freezing conditions tells a depressing tale for the fish. Miami is 0-12 in its last 12 games when temps at kickoff are 26 degrees or lower and it could be at or under that number Thursday night. Green Bay's offensive line is setting the tone of late and it is built for plowing the path in front of RB Josh Jacobs, a downhill runner who is breaking tackles and taking names. Jacobs has six rushing touchdowns and three games with 95 rushing yards or more in the past four contests. The Dolphins haven't proven capable of being a run-first outfit with De'Von Achane limited to 32 yards on 10 carries last week. But he flashes big-play potential as a secondary option to QB Tua Tagovailoa. Since returning from IR, Tagovailoa has 1,043 passing yards, 10 TD passes and a completion percentage over 77. The Packers are in the primetime spotlight the next four weeks while attempting to work their way up the playoff pecking order. They've won five of the past six games with the Dolphins. This is the second consecutive game for Packers coach Matt LaFleur opposing a former co-worker in Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. He beat Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers last week. All three overlapped on staffs with the Houston Texans (2008), Washington Redskins (2011-13) and Atlanta Falcons (2015-16). --Friday Las Vegas Raiders (2-9) at Kansas City Chiefs (10-1), 3 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Normally cool and collected Chiefs coach Andy Reid nearly witnessed the coronary in Carolina courtesy of Bryce Young and the Panthers, who darted back into the game Sunday from an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to force a game-ending field goal by Kansas City's fill-in kicker Spencer Shrader. As if there was a reason needed to take the Raiders seriously, Las Vegas beat Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City on Christmas Day last season. Reid is 19-4 against the Raiders with the Chiefs and Mahomes is 11-2 since becoming the starter in 2018. Mahomes will become the Chiefs' all-time leader in TD passes with his next score, breaking an existing tie with Len Dawson (237). Mahomes has an entertaining history with Raiders pass rusher Maxx Crosby, largely out of respectful competition. Crosby's stamina will be tested by the Chiefs' methodical offense. Kansas City is first in the NFL in 10-play drives (32) and third-down percentage (52.7), areas where the Raiders' defense is below-average. Las Vegas is No. 22 in the NFL in third-down defense and allowed 104 total points in the past three games. Raiders QB Aidan O'Connell is preparing to start Friday and make his first appearance since a thumb injury sent him to IR Week 7. O'Connell returns to an offense leaning heavily on rookie TE Brock Bowers to produce. He leads the team with 74 receptions, 744 yards and three TD catches. He had five receptions for 55 yards in the Raiders' 27-20 loss to the Chiefs on Oct. 27. --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab
Column: The Chicago Bulls could advance to the NBA Cup semifinals with an unlikely win Friday. Who does that help?Sabrina Ionescu underwent surgery last Friday to repair an injury in her right thumb, according to multiple reports. The New York Liberty star guard had surgery on the thumb to stabilize the ulnar collateral ligament. Ionescu, who celebrated her 27th birthday on Friday, posted a photo on social media on Sunday with a large cast covering her hand and thumb. The former Oregon Ducks’ star seemed to suggest she had the surgery on her birthday, writing in the caption of the post, “ps: getting my thumb fixed was quite the bday present.” ESPN’s Alexa Philippou reported the surgery was considered successful and Ionescu is expected to return to the court in four weeks. Ionescu sustained the injury during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals, according to ESPN. News of the injury didn’t surface until after the Finals, which was won by the Liberty after they defeated the Minnesota Lynx in the decisive Game 5. The title was the Liberty’s first in franchise history. Ionescu, dealing with the thumb injury, struggled in Game 5, going 1-for-19 overall and missing nine of 10 shots from the 3-point line and scoring five points. In addition to winning the WNBA title, Ionescu earned second-team All-WNBA honors this season and an Olympic gold medal this summer with USA Basketball.
A man said he lost £76,000 after falling for a scam that used a deep fake of Martin Lewis. Des Healey, a kitchen fitter from Brighton, handed over £76,000 to what he thought was a bitcoin investment scheme, but actually turned out to be made up. He had come across the advert on Facebook in 2023, which used artificial intelligence (AI) to make it look like finance journalist Martin Lewis was endorsing Elon Musk's bitcoin scheme, the Mirror reports. Read more: Martin Lewis 'simple' tip gives 'immediate' savings on energy bills after price cap rise Des appeared on Good Morning Britain today and spoke to Susanna Reid and Ed Balls about his experience. He bravely shared his story and explained how he didn't realise it was a fake video of Martin Lewis. He said: "If you listen to the voice and look how the mouth moves, that normally gives it away. But at the time, obviously I wasn't studying that. I just got Martin Lewis saying that normally he doesn't cover these [investments] but this time, this is such a good thing. "Now I feel how stupid I was, how blind I was. You know, I'm normally the type of person that would tell other people that doesn't sound right, but these people... "Someone once described it as being under their spell, and I think that was probably the best term that he could have possibly said. I knew, in a way, something wasn't right, but I hoped that it was okay." Des originally told his story to the BBC and explained how he originally replied to the advert as he wanted to "earn a few extra bob" before Christmas . The scammer set up a bank account for Des with Revolut and took a £1,000 investment, but then the scammers pressured him into sending more money, under the fake promise of seeing a return on his investment. Martin Lewis (Image: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire) Des ultimately ended up taking out four loans with four different companies totalling £70,000. He managed to get two of the loans cancelled but he still owes £20,000 plus interest of almost £6,000. He is currently in the process of speaking to the Financial Ombudsman. Des's son Derren ultimately stopped him and threatened to call the police. Derren said: "It was like seeing someone you know in a toxic relationship, as an outsider. "You can't understand how they can't see what you're seeing. So that was like our dispute, and then eventually we was just having a conversation... and I think the penny just dropped." Martin Lewis told Good Morning Britain: "It doesn't just impact people's finances and their financial futures. It impacts the entire way you feel about yourself when you've been scammed. And we are just not good enough we allow this epidemic of scams in the UK to continue. "All I can really suggest to people is you be aware that it's not regulated. It's a wild west, and therefore you have to protect yourself." A spokesperson from Meta told Good Morning Britain: "We don't allow fraudulent activity and work closely with law enforcement to support investigations and keep scammers off our platforms." A spokesperson for Revolut said it was sorry to hear about what had happened to Des, and told the BBC: "Revolut works hard and invests heavily to protect our customers as best we can through our fraud prevention technologies, analysing over half a billion transactions a month."
Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara released a statement Friday slamming the "100% false" media reports that suggested he had thrown his final pass for the Hawkeyes. McNamara has been sidelined since sustaining a concussion during the Oct. 26 win against Northwestern. Backup quarterback Brendan Sullivan has started the last two games for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten) but is out with an ankle injury for Saturday's game at Maryland (4-6, 1-6). Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier this week that Jackson Stratton will be the likely starter against the Terrapins if McNamara is unavailable. McNamara's cloudy status prompted speculation on a podcast this week that he was "not mentally ready to play." The podcast hosts from the Des Moines Register and The Athletic also suggested that McNamara -- who played three years at Michigan (2020-22) before transferring to Iowa -- is not "fit to play quarterback in the Big Ten right now." "We don't want to bury his career yet, but it does seem like that interception against Northwestern was his last snap as a Hawkeye," Leistikow said. McNamara, who passed for 1,017 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions in eight games this season, released a statement updating his current status. "My status is the same as it's always been -- a proud member of this football team," he said. McNamara said he has not yet been cleared to play. He said he was cleared to practice on Sunday but suffered an "adverse reaction" and was unable to practice this week and therefore unable to travel with the team to Maryland. "I have been working with the University of Iowa doctors and trainers, a concussion specialist focused on vision training, as well as engaging in hyperbaric treatments as frequently as possible," McNamara said. "I have every intention to play versus Nebraska next Friday night and I am confident that my teammates will return from Maryland with a win." Including his time with the Wolverines, McNamara has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 4,703 yards with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 34 games. --Field Level MediaOn November 26, 1924, Mongolia’s government system shifted from a Buddhist monarchy to a constitutional republic, declaring itself the Mongolian People’s Republic. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the creation of Mongolia’s Constitution. On this special occasion, the chairman of the parliament of Mongolia, Amarbayasgalan Dashzevge, gave an interview to The Diplomat on the significance of the 1924 Constitution and the progress the Mongolian legislative branch has made over the last hundred years. On November 26, 1924, Mongolia adopted its first constitution, which ended the religious monarchy and established the Mongolian People’s Republic. From an historical perspective, what did the 1924 Constitution mean for the country’s independence and political system at the time? The 1924 Constitution marked a pivotal moment in Mongolia’s history, solidifying its sovereignty and establishing the Mongolian People’s Republic. The constitution replaced the religious monarchy with a republican government and formalized governance that enshrined principles like separation of religion and state and free education. These changes in principles have laid the foundation for Mongolia’s modern legal framework. Whilst the original constitution did not explicitly address modern democratic values like political pluralism or comprehensive human rights, it was a progressive document for its time. Most importantly, the 1924 Constitution established Mongolia’s state sovereignty and set the stage for subsequent constitutional developments and amendments. Adopted during a period of significant geopolitical uncertainties, the 1924 Constitution followed Mongolia’s national revolution of 1911, which restored its independence from the already collapsing Qing Dynasty. By affirming sovereignty and granting supreme power to its people, the Constitution declared Mongolia’s self-determination and governance through the State Great Assembly, now known as the State Great Khural, an unprecedented move toward participatory leadership in the region. Importantly, by aligning itself with the progressive trends of the early 20th century, it secured international recognition of the Mongolian People’s Republic as a sovereign state. Furthermore, as one of the first Asian nations to adopt a constitution, alongside Japan and China, Mongolia demonstrated regional leadership in constitutional governance. Today, the legacy of the 1924 Constitution endures in Mongolia’s democratic institutions and governance. It laid the groundwork for a century of constitutional evolution, culminating in modern reforms like the 2023 amendments, which enlarged parliamentary representation, from 76 to 126 [seats], and strengthened democratic governance. In 100 years, Mongolia’s legal framework has evolved to address changing societal and economic needs as with the 1940 Constitution achieving international recognition of independence and the 1992 Constitution institutionalizing democratic governance with political pluralism and a comprehensive rights framework. As we reflect on the 1924 Constitution and its consistent evolution over the last hundred years, we are thankful to those initial 77 representatives from across Mongolia who set us on the path toward a modern democracy. Reflecting upon the past 100 years, Mongolia has gone through multiple political systems: a Buddhist theocracy, 70 years of socialism, and over 30 years of multi-party governance. What does the centennial anniversary of the country’s first constitution mean to the Mongolian lawmakers and the Mongolian people? The centennial anniversary of Mongolia’s first constitution is a profound moment and cause for celebration for all Mongolian lawmakers and people. It marks the moment our nation took a transformative step toward sovereignty, equality, and democratic governance, laying a foundation that continues to shape the country’s political and national identity. In honor of this anniversary, the Parliament of Mongolia has decreed and organized several events across the country. Alongside the traditional wrestling tournaments and state ceremonial events, the Great Khural will host an honorary forum, “Effective Implementation of Parliamentary Oversight,” which will explore the implementation of the newly announced “Three Pillars of Excellence” policy. This policy will ensure the adoption of laws that uphold human rights and swiftly address evolving societal needs with timely regulations that adapt to rapid developments, all the while maintaining a clear distinction between legislation and regulations. For the Mongolian people, the 100-year anniversary of Mongolia’s Constitution is an opportunity to celebrate the journey from serfdom to citizenship and the introduction of universal suffrage, gender equality, democratic governance, and religious freedom. It serves as a reminder of Mongolia’s political history, independence, understanding the principles of principles and values. It also stands as an opportunity for Mongolian lawmakers and the public to reflect on the progress and understand that there are always additional measures to enhance and strengthen democracy. This is precisely why the “Three Pillars of Excellence” policy is significant. As Mongolia navigates the complexities of the 21st century, this anniversary and its corresponding legislation only reinforce the nation’s identity as a proud, sovereign democracy built on a century-old foundation of equality and justice. As chairman, how do you think the enlargement of Mongolia’s legislative branch, from 76 to 126 seats, strengthens the country’s political system or democratic institutions? The enlargement of Mongolia’s legislative branch from 76 to 126 seats, alongside the adoption of proportional representation for 48 of those seats, marks a pivotal step in strengthening the country’s political system and democratic institutions. These reforms have enhanced inclusivity and representation within the Great Khural, reflecting a broader commitment to constitutional principles of equality and participatory governance. One of the most significant benefits of this expansion is the diversification of political representation both individually and politically. Proportional representation ensures that smaller parties and minority groups gain a stronger voice in the legislative process, breaking the historic dominance of the two major parties: the Democratic Party and the Mongolian People’s Party. This structural change was evident in the recent 2024 general election, which produced the most diverse parliament in Mongolia’s history, with the current sitting parliament made up of 25.4 percent women and representation from various Mongolian ethnic backgrounds, including the first Kazakh woman and the first members with disabilities. The reforms also align closely with the spirit of Mongolia’s 1924 Constitution, which envisioned accountable governance and active civic participation. By increasing the number of legislators, the Great Khural becomes better equipped to address the diverse needs of Mongolia’s population, which stretch from urban centers such as Ulaanbaatar to remote grass steppes and the Gobi Desert. These changes fundamentally enhance the capacity of the legislature to address critical social, economic, and regional challenges, ultimately fostering improved policymaking for the entire population. Our mission is to increase transparency and bring legislators closer to the people they serve. Ultimately, the enlargement of the legislative branch strengthens Mongolia’s democratic institutions by fostering inclusivity, enhancing constitutional governance, and promoting a more representative and accountable political system. These reforms position Mongolia as an oasis of democracy, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner on the global stage. Given the rise of authoritarianism around the world, how does the current parliament aim to strengthen Mongolia’s constitution in order to protect the Mongolian people’s rights and their civil liberties? Mongolia’s parliament, the Great Khural, consistently takes proactive steps to strengthen the constitution and safeguard the rights and civil liberties of its people. Over the coming years, the parliament will undertake several constitutional reforms and innovative governance measures such as Parliament 2.0 and the Great Khural’s Strategic Plan. These reforms will enhance the accountability, inclusivity, and transparency of governance, ensuring that citizens’ democratic values and human rights are consistently protected. As the chairman, I was proud to see that the State Great Khural’s Strategic Plan for 2024–2028 was passed by the parliament recently. As a cornerstone of this parliament, it will oversee the development of a humane, civil, and democratic society in our homeland, prioritizing people-centered policies that will strengthen our country’s democracy and guarantee the civil rights of the Mongolian people. The strategy is divided into five goals. Primarily, it aims to reinforce the reforms made before the 2024 general election, which guaranteed improved participation in Mongolia’s democracy and increased transparency of lawmaking. Meanwhile, Goals 2, 3, and 5 seek to adapt the internal workings of the Great Khural as the legislature confronts the technological challenges of our time. The parliament embraces technological innovation by incorporating big data into decision-making, aligning legislation with sustainable development objectives and our desire for a greener planet, and strengthening parliament’s foreign partnerships to improve our institutional capacities. These five goals will ensure that the Great Khural values the fundamental national interests of all Mongolian citizens. As part of these measures, the Great Khural is already implementing legislative initiatives. For example, recent reforms enhance oversight mechanisms and improve the enforcement of anti-corruption laws, addressing one of the key challenges undermining trust in democratic institutions. These efforts coincide with ongoing initiatives to strengthen judicial independence and the rule of law. To further protect civil liberties, platforms like D-Parliament and D-Petition, launched in 2022, enable citizens to engage directly with lawmakers, ensuring that public opinion continue to shape policymaking and policy-decisions. I believe that these digital tools not only promote accountability but also counter authoritarian tendencies by strengthening democratic participation. In an era of democratic regression, Mongolia’s parliament exemplifies how legislative institutions can actively safeguard civil liberties and human rights. By embracing inclusivity, innovation, and accountability, the Mongolian State Great Khural aims to and will ensure that its constitutional framework remains a bulwark against authoritarianism and a guarantor of the Mongolian people’s rights and freedoms. What are some of the challenges Mongolia currently faces in terms of its legal system and how does the new parliament aim to improve these inefficiencies? In comparison to other older democracies in the world, like the United States or the United Kingdom, Mongolia’s democracy is still very young, but the principle and values have derived from historical times. We believe that in a democratic society, there is constant striving to improve the legal system, whether that be by increasing citizen’s participation, improving transparency and accountability in decision-making, or strengthening mechanisms of enforcement. The Mongolian public expect their representatives to develop laws that are inclusive, transparent, and adaptable to contemporary challenges. By aligning legislative drafting and enforcement with modern and emerging issues with human rights principles and evidence-based analysis, the Great Khural seeks to rise to this challenge and eliminate historical inefficiencies in the legal framework. Over the last few years, we implemented legislative measures aimed at addressing these inefficiencies and strengthening the legal framework. A couple notable ones are the anti-corruption initiatives, such as the “Sweeper Act,” which prevents government officials and their families from leveraging public projects for personal gain. The “Glass and Transparency Act” is designed to limit financial entanglement in party politics and parliamentary operations. Additionally, the “Whistleblower Act” further supports transparency by protecting those who expose corruption, offering legal protection and financial rewards to incentivise reporting. Also, important reforms such as empowering the Mongolian Constitutional Court to resolve citizen petitions concerning breaches of constitutional rights, ensuring greater accountability and responsiveness, are something new and needed to be noted. I believe that these changes are important in strengthening Mongolia’s democratic values and will bring positive impact. I would also like to add that the government has now fully implemented an auction system for the sale of coal on the Mongolia stock exchange and is beginning to work with civil society and international experts, such as the IAAC [Independent Authority Against Corruption] and the Brookings Institution. Looking ahead, the Parliamentary Strategic Plan 2024-2028 commits the parliament to strengthening oversight mechanisms by consistently monitoring enacted laws for effectiveness and relevance. It also emphasizes leveraging innovations such as big data and e-parliament technologies to streamline processes and enhance public access to information. On this centennial anniversary of the original constitution, the Mongolian government and the Mongolian people celebrate the progress we have made at creating a legal system that is transparent, participatory, and capable of addressing Mongolia’s current and future challenges. Much progress has been made. Yet, there is much more to be done.
As hundreds of millions of Americans get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving with a huge feast, park managers are warning budding chefs not to brine their turkey in Great Salt Lake. The admonition came after workers in the Utah park found someone's bird that had floated off, apparently while they were trying to tenderize it ahead of Thursday's festivities. "Just your annual reminder not to use Great Salt Lake to brine your turkey," Great Salt Lake state park wrote on its social media feed this week. "Not only is the salinity too high for a proper brine, the waves can be very strong and there's a good chance you could lose the entire turkey as this person did." The post was accompanied by a photo of a bird's carcass -- still bafflingly wrapped in its store-bought packaging -- and covered with bits of grass and muck. Great Salt Lake is one of the largest landlocked bodies of salt water in the world. Human activity is putting an enormous stress on the lake, which is a vital tourist draw for the region. In 2022, water levels in Great Salt Lake plummeted to their lowest on record due to a combination of overconsumption by the farming and mining sectors, and a two-decade drought. The water became so salty that brine shrimp, a major source of income for the local economy, began to die. hg/amz/st49ers QB Brock Purdy, DE Nick Bosa out, Brandon Allen to start at Green Bay
Thorne: Villa owners favoured
President Joe Biden on Tuesday celebrated the acceptance of a ceasefire deal brokered by the United States to end the "devastating conflict" between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah after more than a year of fighting. Biden, in remarks delivered from the White House Rose Garden, said he had just spoken to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati. "Under the deal reached today, effective at 4 a.m. tomorrow local time, the fighting across the Lebanese-Israeli border will end. Will end. This is designed to be a permanent cessation of hostilities," Biden said. MORE: Israeli cabinet approves Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal Biden said over the next 60 days, Israel will gradually withdraw its forces and Lebanon's military will deploy to take control of their territory. Hezbollah, he said, will not be allowed to rebuild infrastructure or threaten the security of Israel. "We're determined this conflict will not be just another cycle of violence," Biden said, "and so the United States, with the full support of France and our other allies, has pledged to work with Israel and Lebanon to ensure that this arrangement is fully implemented." Israel's Netanyahu on Tuesday officially recommended the country's security cabinet agree to a ceasefire deal. The cabinet approved the proposal by a majority of 10 ministers to one. In a video address, Netanyahu said he was doing so now for several reasons: so Israel can focus on the threat posed by Iran; to give the military time to rest and refill its stockpile; and to isolate Hamas. Netanyahu said how long the ceasefire would last depends on what happens in Lebanon. He warned that any "violation" of the agreement would be met with a forceful response from Israeli forces. MORE: Israeli cabinet approves Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal Biden, too, said if Hezbollah or any other entity broke the terms and threatened Israel that Israel "retains the right to self-defense." Switching gears to Gaza, Biden said Palestinians also "deserve an end to the fighting" that's plagued the strip since Hamas' terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. "Far too many civilians in Gaza have suffered far too much, and Hamas has refused for months and months to negotiate a good faith cease fire, and a hostage deal," Biden said. "And so now, Hamas has a choice to make. Their only way out is to release the hostages, including American citizens, which they hold. In the process, bring an end to the fighting which would make possible a surge of humanitarian relief." Asked by a reporter if he would get a ceasefire in Gaza before leaving office, Biden replied: "I think so. I hope so. I'm praying." This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
