nice 6 Greg Gumbel, a longtime CBS sportscaster, has died from cancer, according to a statement from family released by CBS on Friday. He was 78. “He leaves behind a legacy of love, inspiration and dedication to over 50 extraordinary years in the sports broadcast industry; and his iconic voice will never be forgotten,” his wife Marcy Gumbel and daughter Michelle Gumbel said in a statement. In March, Gumbel missed his first NCAA Tournament since 1997 due to what he said at the time were family health issues. Gumbel was the studio host for CBS since returning to the network from NBC in 1998. Gumbel signed an extension with CBS last year that allowed him to continue hosting college basketball while stepping back from NFL announcing duties. In 2001, he announced Super Bowl XXXV for CBS, becoming the first Black announcer in the U.S. to call play-by-play of a major sports championship. David Berson, president and CEO of CBS Sports, described Gumbel as breaking barriers and setting standards for others during his years as a voice for fans in sports, including in the NFL and March Madness. “A tremendous broadcaster and gifted storyteller, Greg led one of the most remarkable and groundbreaking sports broadcasting careers of all time," said Berson. Gumbel had two stints at CBS, leaving the network for NBC when it lost football in 1994 and returning when it regained the contract in 1998. He hosted CBS’ coverage of the 1992 and 1994 Winter Olympics and called Major League Baseball games during its four-year run broadcasting the national pastime. In 1995, he hosted the World Figure Skating Championships and the following year hosted NBC’s daytime coverage of the Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta. But it was football and basketball where he was best known and made his biggest impact. Gumbel hosted CBS’ NFL studio show, “The NFL Today” from 1990 to 1993 and again in 2004. He also called NFL games as the network’s lead play-by-play announcer from 1998 to 2003, including Super Bowl XXXV and XXXVIII. He returned to the NFL booth in 2005, leaving that role after the 2022 season. “Like all who knew and loved him, I too am saddened by his death, yet also so very grateful to have known him in my life,” Clark Kellogg, a CBS Sports college basketball game and studio analyst, said in a statement. “What a gift to be touched by such a good man and partner.” Gumbel, the older brother of sportscaster Bryant Gumbel, grew up in Chicago and graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1967 with a degree in English. He won local Emmy Awards during his long career and was the recipient of the 2007 Pat Summerall Award for excellence in sports broadcasting. Outside of his career as a sportscaster, he was affiliated with the March of Dimes for three decades, including as a member of its board of trustees. He also was a member of the Sports Council for St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for 16 years.

The Controller of Defence Accounts, Chennai, on Saturday organised SPARSH, a mass outreach programme at the Vellore Institute of Technology for the benefit of defence pensioners and family pensioners of the Vellore region. The programme was organised in association with the Headquarters Dakshin Bharat Area of the Indian Army, Chennai and the Vellore District Ex Servicemen Welfare Board. Governor R.N. Ravi, who presided over the event, honoured Chakra awardees and veterans of the defence forces. He spoke about the contribution of Vellore to the Indian freedom struggle. He further highlighted the role of the Indian Armed forces in nation building and in rendering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, a release said. Over 2100 defence and family pensioners took part in the outreach programme. Their grievances were taken up for a speedy resolution. Lieutenant-General Karanbir Singh Brar, General Officer Commanding, Dakshin Bharat Area; Mayank Sharma, Special Controller General of Defence Accounts; and General Dinakaran, Indian Coast Guard Deputy Inspector were among those present. Published - December 21, 2024 11:14 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp RedditTrump asks court to delay TikTok ban so he can weigh in after inaugurationISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Nov, 2024) A delegation of the Dairy and Cattle Farmers Association (DCFA) , led by Chief Organizer Shahbaz Rasool Warraich met with the High Commissioner in Rabia Shafiq to discuss avenues for collaboration in the dairy . The delegation included President North DCFA Raja Zahid Sarfraz and CEO of the Pacific Qaiser Mehmood, said a release here on Saturday. The meeting focused on exploring opportunities for farmers, including the potential export of quality dairy products to and the adoption of cutting-edge technological advancements available in 's dairy sector. The High Commissioner Rabia Shafiq assured the delegation of full support in facilitating trade and fostering collaboration. “Pakistan's agricultural sector, particularly dairy, holds tremendous potential. We are committed to supporting initiatives that promote and strengthen ties between and ,” said the High Commissioner. The Pacific , headquartered in , will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between farmers and the Singaporean . CEO Qaiser Mehmood said, “This collaboration can revolutionize the dairy sector in , bringing global standards and innovation to our farmers while tapping into lucrative international .” Chief Organizer of DCFA , emphasized the importance of the partnership. “We are excited to explore new frontiers for our farmers. Leveraging ’s advanced dairy technologies will help us modernize the sector and achieve our export potential.” The DCFA delegation’s signals a promising step toward international collaboration, offering a significant boost to 's dairy .

UCF will attempt to shake off a dreadful offensive performance when it collides with LSU on Sunday afternoon in the third-place game of the Greenbrier Tip-Off in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. The Knights (4-1) couldn't get anything going against No. 19 Wisconsin on Friday, going 21-for-62 from the field (33.9 percent) and just 2-for-17 from 3-point range (11.8 percent) en route to an 86-70 loss. Jordan Ivy-Curry finished with 13 points while Keyshawn Hall and Dior Johnson added 11 apiece for UCF, which never led and fell behind by as many as 23. Knights coach Johnny Dawkins is hoping that his team's struggles don't carry over into the meeting with the Tigers (4-1). "We have to do better offensively," Dawkins said. "We have to space the floor better. We have to balance our offense between our perimeter and our bigs. Those are things that we didn't do consistently (on Friday)." LSU also needs to clean things up after committing 15 turnovers in a 74-63 setback against Pitt on Friday. Tigers forward Jalen Reed doesn't believe giving the ball away will be a lingering issue. "I feel like a lot of our turnovers were more on us than them," Reed said. "I feel like a lot of the turnovers were careless, but we're a better team than that and I feel like we'll take care of the ball better moving forward." Reed and Vyctorius Miller each posted 14 points in the loss to the Panthers, with Reed also hauling in seven rebounds. Cam Carter chipped in 11 points. Carter is putting up a team-leading 16.4 points per game. Jordan Sears (12.0 points per game), Reed (11.0) and Miller (10.2) also have scoring averages in double figures. Ivy-Curry (16.8 points per game), Hall (16.2) and Darius Johnson (13.0) have been leading the way for UCF. Sunday marks the first-ever meeting between the Knights and Tigers. --Field Level MediaPresident-elect Donald Trump has petitioned a Georgia Appeals Court to terminate the criminal case accusing him of attempting to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. Trump's legal team contends that ongoing legal proceedings violate the Constitution as he prepares for his second term. The lawyers argue that the case, prosecuted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, should be dismissed entirely due to its political motivation. They cite the Justice Department's policy of not prosecuting a sitting president, referencing dropped cases and postponed sentencing elsewhere. Trump and 14 others are charged with racketeering in Georgia. His legal team highlights potential biases in the case and appeals to disqualify Willis from prosecution. The court has postponed oral arguments, leaving the case paused amid ongoing appeals. (With inputs from agencies.)

Alex Berenguer prodded the hosts ahead after 53 minutes before Mbappe – who failed to convert a Champions League penalty against Liverpool last week – sent his kick too close to Bilbao goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala. Jude Bellingham appeared to have rescued a point for Real after scoring for the fourth successive league game 12 minutes from time. 📸 PORTERAZO. JULEN, JULEN! JULEN JULEN! #AthleticRealMadrid #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/w260s6xo79 — Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) December 4, 2024 But Federico Valverde’s mistake two minutes later gifted Gorka Guruzeta the winner in front of a delirious San Mames crowd. On a busy night of second-round Copa del Rey action, Villarreal suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at Pontevedra while there were wins for Real Betis, Rayo Vallecano and Valencia. Fiorentina went out of the Coppa Italia to Empoli on penalties on an emotional night at Stadio Artemio Franchi. Viola were back in action after Edoardo Bove’s health scare forced their weekend league fixture with Inter Milan to be abandoned during the first half. Midfielder Bove collapsed on the pitch and required emergency medical treatment. He was taken to hospital but regained consciousness in intensive care. Esposito's penalty books Empoli's place in the next round 💪 #FiorentinaEmpoli pic.twitter.com/UUxghH9l6b — Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN) December 4, 2024 Empoli led at half-time through Emmanuel Ekong’s fourth-minute opener before Moise Kean and Riccardo Sottil put Fiorentina ahead. Sebastiano Esposito struck 15 minutes from time to make it 2-2 and take the last-16 tie into extra time, Empoli eventually winning 4-3 on penalties. Benjamin Sesko opened the scoring and Luis Openda struck twice as RB Leipzig brushed aside Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 in the German DFB Pokal. Second-half goals from Denis Vavro, Jonas Wind and Yannick Gerhardt saw Wolfsburg beat Hoffenheim 3-0. Cologne knocked out Hertha Berlin 2-1 after extra time with Dejan Ljubicic converting a penalty in the final seconds, while Augsburg prevailed 5-4 on penalties against Karlsruhe after a 2-2 draw.World number one Jannik Sinner triumphed in singles and doubles to help Davis Cup holders Italy beat Argentina 2-1 on Thursday to reach the semi-finals. Italy will face Australia after they earlier defeated record 32-time winners the United States with a tense 2-1 victory. Sinner won his first two Grand Slams this season, as well as triumphing at the ATP Finals last week without dropping a set, and blew Sebastian Baez away 6-2, 6-1 after Francisco Cerundolo comfortably beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1 in the opening rubber. In the decisive doubles battle, Sinner and Matteo Berrettini shaded Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez 6-4, 7-5 to progress. “If they put me on the court in doubles I try my best,” said Sinner. “Matteo played unbelievable today, he carried me.” Italy booked a third consecutive return to the semi-finals and are favourites to win the Davis Cup for a second year running, in no small part because of Sinner’s presence. The 23-year-old is still waiting for the outcome of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal against his initial exoneration for twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. Sinner beat Novak Djokovic in singles and doubles in last year’s semi-finals on the way to helping Italy end a 47-year wait to lift the trophy again. “I didn’t have time to adapt to this court (after the ATP Finals) so I’m very happy with how I handled the situation today,” Sinner told reporters. “It was a very good doubles (pairing), he played unbelievable, I tried to stay there (with Berrettini), he also gave me a lot of confidence to play.” The doubles teams were tied until the ninth game of the first set when Sinner won three points and then Molteni clipped his passing shot which was heading wide to hand Italy the decisive solitary break. The second set was even tighter with Italy breaking for a 6-5 lead and sealing their victory with a Sinner smash. Berrettini more than held his own alongside Sinner. “When you’re playing with Jannik the pressure is off a little bit, he’s going to play great,” said the world number 35. Argentina’s captain Guillermo Coria said he was pleased with his team taking Italy to the wire. “It speaks of the respect Italy have for us, and my doubles pairing, that they put the world number one out there,” he said. “We were close to taking out a powerful team like Italy.” Australia’s match-up with the USA was the most played in Davis Cup history with this their 48th meeting — the first was in 1905. In the opening rubber, Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis edged Ben Shelton 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (16/14) with a gripping tie-break triumph. Taylor Fritz pulled the US level in the tie by beating Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 before Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson scored a 6-4, 6-4 win over Shelton and Tommy Paul. Australia, who have lifted the trophy 28 times, second only to the USA, last won the tournament in 2003 and finished as runners-up in the last two editions.

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Song to debut at Border Carols by Candlelight filled with newcomersBlues supporters also sang the name of head coach Maresca during the closing stages of an emphatic success sealed by goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and substitute Jadon Sancho. Bottom club Southampton briefly levelled through Joe Aribo but were a man down from the 39th minute after captain Jack Stephens was sent off for pulling the hair of Marc Cucurella. Chelsea, who have endured an underwhelming period since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the club in 2022, climbed above Arsenal and into second place on goal difference, seven points behind leaders Liverpool. “It was a very good feeling, especially because you can see that they are happy, that is our target,” Maresca said of the atmosphere in the away end. “We work every day to keep them happy and tonight was a very good feeling, especially the one that they can see that Chelsea’s back. This is an important thing.” Maresca rotated his squad in Hampshire, making seven changes following Sunday’s impressive 3-0 win over Aston Villa. Following a sloppy start, his side, who stretched their unbeaten run to six top-flight games, could easily have won by more as they hit the woodwork three times, in addition to squandering a host of chances. “I’m very happy with the five we scored,” said the Italian. “I’m not happy with the first 15, 20 minutes, where we struggled. The reason why we struggled is because we prepared the game to press them man to man and the first 15, 20 minutes we were not pressing them man to man. “After 15, 20 minutes we adjust that and the game was much better. For sure we could score more but five goals they are enough.” Southampton manager Russell Martin rued a costly “moment of madness” from skipper Stephens. The defender’s ridiculous red card was the headline mistake of a catalogue of errors from the beleaguered south-coast club as they slipped seven points from safety following an 11th defeat of a dismal season. “I don’t think anyone will be as disappointed as Jack,” Martin said of Stephens, who was sent off for the second time this term after tugging the curls of Cucurella as Saints prepared to take a corner. “I haven’t got to sit down and talk with him about that at all. He will be hurt more than anyone and it’s changed the game for us tonight, which is disappointing. “I think they have to describe it as violent conduct; it’s not violent really but there’s no other explanation for that really. It’s a moment of madness that’s really cost us and Jack.” Southampton repeatedly invited pressure with their risky attempts to play out from defence, with goalkeeper Joe Lumley gifting Chelsea their second goal, scored by Nkunku. While Saints were booed off at full-time, Martin, who was missing a host of key players due to injuries and suspensions, praised the effort of his depleted team. “When they see such a big scoreline and a couple of the goals we concede, I understand it (the jeers),” he said. “It’s football, it’s emotive, people feel so much about it, it’s why it’s such a special sport in this country and so big. “I understand it but I feel really proud of the players tonight, some of the football we played at 11 v 11 was amazing. “For an hour with 10 men we’ve dug in so deep, there were some big performances. I’m proud of them for that and I’m grateful for that because that’s not easy in that circumstance.”Spain is blessed with a multitude of beautiful seaside resorts, providing the ideal destination for those looking for some rest and relaxation. Last year saw a staggering 85 million tourists from all around the world visit the country. One resort increasingly popular with visitors is the vibrant and dynamic city of Vigo in Galicia . The city offers a perfect blend of rich history, thriving culture and natural beauty. With its bustling harbour, beautiful beaches and renowned seafood cuisine, Vigo is fast becoming a must-see destination. However, local authorities have become increasingly frustrated with people relieving themselves on the beaches and in the sea. As a result, they have introduced a ban on urinating in public, with fines of up to €750 (£622) payable for any breach of the new regulations. To help motivate a change in the behaviour of beach goers, local officials have installed a wide network of public toilets along the seafront. Vigo has become famous for its associations with the Jules Verne story Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. In the story, Captain Nemo travels with the Nautilus to Vigo harbour, so as to stock up on gold. In the Vigo estuary, there are believed to be dozens of sunken galleons loaded with gold from the Americas and treasures that have never been unearthed. Oysters are a favourite local dish and there are plenty of restaurants serving the speciality, as well as octopus in paprika. It's also worth walking through the Casco Vello (the old town), that is filled with Renaissance-era architecture and centred on the fresco-filled, 19th-century Concatedral de Santa María church. Stone steps lead up Rua Baixada O Forte to a hilltop garden and lookout over the harbour, and cobbled lanes open onto Plaza de la Constitución, framed by grand arcades lined with artisan stores. A visit to the Cíes Islands is also a must-do. They are part of the Maritime-Terrestrial National Park and are an archipelago of three islands, two connected by a sandy strip called Rodas Beach. They are a small paradise of crystal-clear waters, with a natural environment that makes them a unique observatory of fauna and flora.

Cowboys G Zack Martin, CB Trevon Diggs out vs. CommandersPrime Minister Narendra Modi praised India and Kuwait's strong commercial connections dating back to the nineteenth century, as well as IMEEC as an idea that provided the globe with new direction. Addressing the Indian diaspora in Kuwait City, Modi reflected on the two nations' common ambitions, Viksit Bharat and New Kuwait, and emphasised that there were several potential for India and Kuwait to collaborate. India's skill sets and creativity might lead to new collaborations between the two nations. He said that Ayurveda was assisting the globe with wellbeing while underlining India's contributions to the world in terms of science and innovation. He told the Indian diaspora during the 'Hala Modi' event that even in the 19th century Kuwait and India had robust trade relations. "We share the same sea, we share affection, trade and most importantly sensibilities," he added. 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View Program "India's traditional medicine - Ayurveda and our Ayush products are prospering the World's wellness. Our knowledge system from Nalanda to IITs is providing strength to the World's knowledge system. Last year, during the G-20 summit , the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor was announced, this corridor is going to give a new direction to the world," he said. In his address at the 'Hala Modi' event, Modi invited the Indian diaspora members to come visit India and experience the festival season, the Kumbh mela and Republic Day. He also encouraged them to promote travelling to India to Kuwaiti citizens as well. He stated that India had become digitally smart and this was only the beginning. Speaking about the partnership between the two countries, Modi addressed the need for 'skill, innovation, technology and manpower' and how India is working towards providing that in partnership with countries like Kuwait, as well as other nations like Italy. Taking a jibe at the previous governments, Modi stated that though his flight till Kuwait took only 4 hours, it had taken an Indian PM 43 years to reach the nation. Modi also visited a labour camp in Mina Abdullah area of Kuwait with a workforce of around 1500 Indian nationals. He interacted with a cross-section of Indian workers from different States of India and enquired about their well-being. (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

A celebrated author argues that it's not at all impractical to study subjects like writing, languages, music and history

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Legendary Arab singer Fairuz, whose ballads have told of love, her native Lebanon and the Palestinian cause, turned 90 on Thursday as her conflict-weary country is wracked by the war. Social media users lit up the Internet with her songs and tributes to the Lebanese star, who has seldom been seen in public in recent years but remains a rare symbol of national unity in the crisis-hit country. In one for her most well-known songs, which came out during Lebanon's civil war, Fairuz crooned: "I love you, oh Lebanon, my country, I love you." In a post on Instagram, French President Emmanuel Macron said Fairuz "embodies the soul of this region with dignity". She "watches over the hearts of many Palestinians and Lebanese who are deprived of the peace they deserve", Macron said Composer and oud player Marcel Khalife, in a tribute on social media platform X, wrote: "My homeland is Fairuz's voice." Born Nouhad Haddad in 1934 to a working-class Christian family in Beirut's Zuqaq Al Blat district, Fairuz -- a stage name that means "turquoise" in Arabic -- studied at the national music conservatory as a teenager. She shot to fame after her first performance at the Baalbek International Festival in 1957. On Monday, Zuqaq Al Blat was the target of a deadly Israeli strike, while Baalbek's ancient ruins, where the music festival is still held annually, were granted "provisional enhanced protection" by UNESCO amid the Hizbollah-Israel conflict. Fairuz, her composer husband Assi Rahbani and his brother Mansour revolutionised traditional Arabic music by merging classical Western, Russian and Latin elements with eastern rhythms and a modern orchestra. Fairuz worked closely with her eldest son Ziad, known as the "enfant terrible" of the Lebanese stage and song, who composed Arabic music for her with a jazz influence. Fairuz's reign as the queen of Arabic music was partly thanks to her championing the Palestinian cause, including "Sanarjaou Yawman" or "We Shall Return One Day", an elegy to Palestinians exiled by the creation of Israel in 1948. She won national acclaim for remaining in Lebanon throughout the country's 1975-1990 civil war, and for refusing to side with one faction over another. In 2020, France's Macron kicked off a trip to Lebanon by calling on Fairuz, awarding her France's Legion of Honour. It was a rare public appearance for the ageing star that delighted the country, which at the time was reeling from a catastrophic explosion at Beirut's port.An Italian renewable energy giant and Japan's largest oil and gas company are plugging into Australia's clean energy resources under the banner of a new company. or signup to continue reading Potentia Energy will be launched at the Sydney Opera House on Monday as an Australian renewable energy firm co-owned by Rome-headquartered Enel Green Power and INPEX. With rights in place for a development pipeline of over seven gigawatts across the country, Potentia is most focused on developing and acquiring assets in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia, chief executive Werther Esposito told AAP. The company is not deterred by the risk of political change, with opinion polls favouring the coalition ahead of the 2025 federal election. "The energy transition will go ahead in any case. There could be an acceleration or slowing down in the process," Mr Esposito said. "Renewables represent, from a technical and economic perspective, the solution for climate change," he said. "I don't think any government could deny that today wind and solar are cheaper than other technologies, and are faster in reaching the phase of deployment and construction and then supply of renewable energy." NSW had suffered some planning delays that had hit investment but there had been a "strong improvement" in the past 12 to 18 months, he said. The company also has a stake in Queensland, particularly in the north's Copperstring area, where the recently elected LNP government has pledged to stick by a massive transmission project begun under Labor. Enel won the bidding in 2024 to develop renewable energy to power a vanadium mining and processing project, which is one of a number of giant resources projects intended to be connected to the $9 billion Copperstring transmission line from Townsville to Mt Isa. WA offered a "huge opportunity" for the deployment of wind farms and battery energy storage systems, Mr Esposito said. With a decades-long footprint in Australia's north and west, INPEX is Japan's largest fossil fuel exploration and production company. Under pressure to reduce its global contribution to climate change, INPEX is already developing the production of liquid hydrogen and ammonia. "They elected Australia as the market to start diversification of the energy mix and huge investment in renewables," Mr Esposito said. "Of course in this regard, Australia is the place to be," he said. Enel and INPEX joined forces in a share purchase agreement in 2023, with the renewables business operating plants comprising 310 megawatts of solar capacity across South Australia and Victoria and a 75MW wind farm in Western Australia. A 93MW solar farm is under commissioning in Victoria and financial close was recently announced for a hybrid 98MW solar and 20MW battery project in NSW. But with international firms lining up to exploit clean energy resources, Australians living alongside projects are demanding a share of future profits through community funds, power bill rebates and other benefits. "The energy transition should be just. To be just it means that you need to support the communities and involve the communities in a proper way," Mr Esposito said. He said Enel was proud of its legacy in providing support to areas facing a changing landscape and the impact of new infrastructure, including community funds, a focus on local hiring and providing training to support new jobs. "It's an approach that is, for us, absolutely a pillar of our strategy," he said. "We are still facing some regulatory ambiguity in what a social licence means, and we are trying to be a leader in the industry in helping and supporting all the key stakeholders in determining and defining what it is." Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement