is sports betting legal in texas Chess grandmaster Magnus Carlsen returns to a tournament after a dispute over jeans is resolvedTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Evans scored for the career-high fifth consecutive game and the surging Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Sunday night. Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and Alex Newhook also scored to help the Canadiens win for the fifth time in six games. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves. Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel scored for Tampa Bay. Jonas Johansson stopped 31 shots. Newhook opened the scoring on a one-timer midway through the first period. Hagel tied it 37 seconds into the second period, but Dvorak and Evans scored 5:54 apart in the period for a two-goal Montreal lead they would not relinquish. SABRES 4, BLUES 2 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jason Zucker scored a tiebreaking power-play goal with 9:30 remaining and Buffalo notched their third straight victory by beating St. Louis. Jiri Kulich extended Buffalo’s lead with a breakaway goal that went between Blues goalie Jordan Binnington’s legs with 3:41 to play. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist against his former team as the Sabres won in St. Louis for just the second time in 12 years to sweep the season series. Zucker had a goal and an assist, and Jack Quinn had two assists for Buffalo. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 shots. Brayden Schenn and Nathan Walker scored for the Blues. Binnington had 12 saves. Buffalo scored on two of its first three shots, including its first of the game. DUCKS 5, OILERS 3 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Strome scored with 2:36 remaining as Anaheim rallied from a two-goal deficit in the second period to defeat Edmonton. Strome’s goal, his sixth of the season, originally wasn’t called, but it was reversed after a review. Strome’s shot was entirely over the goal line before Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard could stop it with his skate. Mason McTavish added an empty-net goal. It is the first time since March 30, 2019, the Ducks have defeated the Oilers by more than one goal. Cutter Gauthier, McTavish and Robby Fabbri each had a goal and an assist. Drew Helleson also scored for Anaheim, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to Edmonton. Lukas Dostal made 20 saves. Leon Draisaitl had two goals and Connor McDavid two assists for the Oilers, who were 3-0-1 in their past four. Evan Bouchard also tallied a goal and Pickard stopped 27 shots. RED WINGS 4, CAPITALS 2 DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane reached the 1,300-point mark and Todd McLellan won for the first time as Detroit’s coach in their victory over Washington. Kane, who needed two points to reach that mark, had a power-play goal and assist during Detroit’s four-goal first period. Alex DeBrincat scored two goals and Lucas Raymond added another as the Red Wings snapped a four-game losing streak. Alex Lyon made 26 saves. McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde prior to Friday’s loss to Toronto . Alex Ovechkin scored for the second consecutive game after missing the previous 16 due to a fractured fibula . The Capitals star forward is 25 goals shy of passing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 . Nic Dowd had the other Capitals goal. Charlie Lindgren made 23 saves but Washington remained one point behind first-place New Jersey in the Eastern Conference. PENGUINS 3, ISLANDERS 2 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby broke Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh franchise career record for assists on Michael Bunting’s power-play goal and the Penguins beat New York. Crosby has 1,034 assists, good for 12th in NHL history. Only three players — Ray Bourque, Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman — have more assists with a single team. The 37-year-old Crosby has played 1,310-regular-season games. Lemieux played 915. Evgeni Malkin added the deciding power-play goal in the third for Pittsburgh, which has 14 goals with the man advantage in its last 13 games. Anthony Beauvillier also scored to help the Penguins win for the seventh time in their last eight home games. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves in his first start since Dec. 17. Kris Letang missed the game because of a lower-body injury, and defenseman Nathan Clurman made his NHL debut. Anders Lee and Bo Horvat scored third-period goals for the Islanders, who fell behind 3-0 before their rally fell short. Marcus Hogberg stopped 38 shots during his first start since April 28, 2021. GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, FLAMES 0 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brett Howden scored his 15th goal of the season and Ilya Samsonov stopped 31 shots as Vegas Golden defeated Calgary. Howden redirected defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s shot from the top of the slot late in the second period and is now tied with Ivan Barbashev for the team lead in goals. Howden has scored a goal in four of the last five games. Victor Olofsson and Tanner Pearson also scored for the Golden Knights, who have shut out Calgary twice this season, beating them 5-0 on Oct. 28 . Dan Vladar made 34 saves for Calgary. The Golden Knights have now won six straight, the longest active win streak in the NHL, while improving to 25-8-3 on the year. They own a 13-2-1 record against Pacific Division opponents. SENATORS 3, WILD 1 ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Josh Norris broke a tie on a power play with 7:18 left, Leevi Merilainen made 30 saves in his fifth NHL game and Ottawa beat Minnesota. Ottawa has won seven of its past nine games, while the Wild have lost five of their past seven. The Senators won in Minnesota for the first time since 2016. With starter Linus Ullmark and backup Anton Forsberg out with injuries, the Senators have been relying on Merilainen and Mads Sogaard since before the NHL holiday break. Frederick Gaudreau opened the scoring for Minnesota late in the first period. Ridly Greig tied it early in the second. Claude Giroux added an empty-netter. STARS 5, BLACKHAWKS 1 CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn each had a goal and two assists, and Dallas beat Chicago. Jason Robertson, Evgenii Dadonov and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist for Dallas, which had lost three of four. Jake Oettinger made 24 saves. Chicago dropped its fourth consecutive game. It lost three of four in its season series against Dallas. Connor Bedard scored his 10th goal for the Blackhawks, and Arvid Soderblom made 26 stops. Next up for Bedard and company is the Winter Classic on Tuesday against St. Louis. Dallas grabbed control after Chicago forward Tyler Bertuzzi was ejected 8:11 into the second period. Bertuzzi was sent off for elbowing Stars forward Colin Blackwell in the face.

Morning Bid: China inflation, global political uncertainty bubbling up - ReutersBy Pepper Intelligence Unit President Museveni is reportedly not happy about how he was cajoled to hand over Kiteezi landfill to a Ghanaian investor without getting all the information he required. He is now mad at local/Ugandan promoters who religiously pushed to have the deal handed over to Dr. Joseph Sian Agyepong’ firm— Jospong Group of Companies from Ghana. Gen.Museveni was convinced that Jospong had the capacity to address the country’s garbage management by converting waste at Kiteezi landfill into fertilizers and other recyclable materials in the aftermath of a tragedy that killed over 30 and displaced a hundreds including destruction of property. A whistleblower has however revealed that the Ghanaian investor and local promoters may have not told the President the ‘whole truth’ about their capacity to handle the project. Reports emerging indicate that Jespong is desperately hunting for an investor to sub-contract with necessary technology and expertise to do the actual job. We are told several firms in the USA and Dubai have been approached by Jespong agents for this purpose. The whistleblower says this is how Jespong has been getting contracts by hoodwinking unsuspecting government officials around Africa to secure contracts when in actual sense is a mere broker. “Jespong lacks the capacity to execute such a project. They are actually brokers. After securing the President’s approval to take over the Kiteezi landfill they are now running around shopping for firms with capacity,” the whistle blower revealed. We are now told a full report has been given to Gen.Museveni and he is not happy with all the local promoters involved. Insiders say that he (Gen.Museveni) felt betrayed because he expected Frank Rusa who has been KCCA’s Ag ED to tell him all the truth about Jespong which was not the case. Rusa applied for KCCA top job and was initially reportedly telling whoever cared to listen how ‘the thing’ –read KCCA top job- was his—no matter what. In a twist of events, we are told when Gen.Museveni got this not so palatable report about Jespong’s shenanigans, he expressed his disappointment in Rusa and those knowledgeable about the KCCA ED recruitment process knew that was the end for Rusa in pursuit of KCAA top job. “The President was not happy. He could not allow Rusa to take the KCCA top job after the messy handling of the Kiteezi landfill takeover deal,” a source revealed. Some other Jespong Ugandan promoters whom the President is also not happy with—and heads may turn soon— include Kampala and Metropolitan Affairs Ministers Minsa Kabanda and Kabuye Kyofatogabye and one Ssebagala. Others include Obed Lutakome who is KCCA’s former land-fill management officer (who ironically should have warned the government before the Kiteezi disaster struck). But together with other two partners, he now owns a firm housed at Fontis Residences Hotel-Nakasero, Kampala which is partnering with Jespong to take over the Kiteezi landfill privately. “Obed Lutakome was formerly land-fill management officer at KCCA. He should have warned the government about the Kiteezi situation but he didn’t! He should be now in court with the Kisaka’s but he is a free man. He is now coming back to privately takeover Kiteezi with Jespong through a private partnership. Who bewitched Uganda for sure?” The whistleblower expressed concern. We are also told that the Deputy Speaker of Parliament who is also among the local promoters of Jespong in Uganda is not happy about these new developments and is reportedly regretting why he allowed connecting Jespong people to President Museveni for a meeting. The name of Hussein Akandwanaho has also featured prominently among the local promoters of Jespong. This publication could not independently verify if this Akandwanaho is by any chance biologically linked to Gen. Salim Saleh Akandwanaho. But available information indicates that Hussein recently swore an affidavit to adopt ‘Akandwanaho’ name. Bismark Nortei Annoo, the honorary consul for the Republic of Ghana in Kampala, Uganda is also among key promoters of Jespong in Kampala. There are reports that Jespong appreciated all those who were involved in securing the Kiteezi Landfill deal in monetary terms but this is a story for another day. The new developments, if confirmed to be true, corroborate Inspector General of Government (IGG)Beti Kamya’s earlier fears and reservations about Jespong’s capacity to execute this project only to be ‘shut up’ by a presidential directive. In a letter dated October 17, 2024, Kamya ordered the suspension of all activities at Kiteezi landfill involving Jospong Group of Companies due to alleged irregularities in the awarding of their contract. “You are therefore directed to halt all transactions with Jospong Group of Companies who have been engaged to manage the Kiteezi landfill until this office completes investigations or issues further orders on the matter,” the letter stated. The IGG’s letter also indicated that an investigation had been launched to probe the alleged irregularities in the procurement process for the Kiteezi management contract, focusing on how it was awarded to Jospong Group of Companies. The letter revealed that Jospong was allegedly handpicked, bypassing standard government procurement procedures as outlined in the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Act. “The investigations will also look into the allegations that other investors had approached the government with interest in investing in the Kiteezi landfill, but these were ignored or frustrated. That Jospong was awarded the tender without going through an open bidding process, which would have allowed other competent entities to express interest in partnering with KCCA,” the letter further stated. The IGG’s letter also highlighted concerns regarding the funding of the project. “Jospong Group of Companies has offered to manage the Kiteezi landfill at no cost to the government. This raises questions since one wonders how the company will recoup returns on their investments,” it read. Other issues to be investigated include the alleged lack of an environmental impact assessment, the absence of a feasibility study for the project, and concerns about whether due diligence was conducted to verify if the company possesses the necessary technology and experience to handle the magnitude of the project. Instead, the local promoters of Jespong rushed to secure a meeting with President Museveni who in turn issued a directive to have the former take over the landfill to the disappointment of the IGG. There have been many scandals and corruption allegations levelled against Jespong.In 2013 an investigation into massive corruption in the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) led to the cancellation of all contracts under the programme. It also led to reforms which culminated into the passage of the Youth Employment Agency Law. The main companies that were indicted in the GYEEDA scandal were those from the Jospong Group of Companies owned by Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong and the AGAMS Group owned by Roland Agambire. The exposé also revealed and catalogued questionable contracts with various metropolitan and municipal assemblies. The report exposed how a waste bin contract awarded on sole sourcing basis to the JOSPONG Group was inflated by at least GHC130 million.Another report revealed how a GHC98 million contract was awarded to 11 companies under the Jospong group to undertake fumigation exercises across the country when Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the parent company of Jospong had already been paid to undertake the same fumigation. In 2013 the World Bank banned Zoomlion Ghana Limited, Jespong’s waste management services firm and its affiliate companies from bidding for the Bank’s contracts because Zoomlion “paid bribes to facilitate contract execution and processing of invoices” in Liberia. Watch this space! editorDo you know who Austen Pleasants or Charlie Heck are? Don’t worry about it. Before this week, I didn’t either, and knowing practice-squad-level offensive linemen is my thing. Either way, we’ll likely hear their names often on Monday Night Football, as one of those newcomers will be protecting 49ers’ quarterback Brock Purdy’s blindside against the Lions. The other might be bookending him at the opposite tackle spot. Best of luck out there, 13! But that’s not all, folks. By extrapolating the way the season has gone for the 49ers into Monday, don’t be surprised if we see a third offensive-line newcomer — interior lineman Matt Hennessy — against the Lions. Yes, a bad situation first turned worse for the 49ers, and now it’s turned downright cruel, with potentially three players who were acquired (on waivers and poached from practice squads) protecting their potentially $60 million man. And with the 49ers having nothing to play for in the standings, it’s enough to make you wonder if Kyle Shanahan should even bother playing Purdy — or any of the Niners’ other top players, for that matter — this week or next. After all, if these next two weeks are, effectively, preseason football for 2025, shouldn’t the 49ers head coach treat them as such? (As a refresher, Shanahan hates the preseason and would, in an ideal world, not play anyone who could potentially make the 53-man roster.) This is the first time the 49ers have faced truly meaningless games in years — going back to the pandemic 2020 season — so it’s a fair question. But I think it should be saved for the season’s final week, when both the Cardinals and 49ers will play a game that both teams would be better off losing. Yes, so long as there is one team in a game with something to play for in the standings — for the Lions, that’s a shot at the No. 1 seed in the NFC – it’s incumbent on the 49ers to maintain a code of professionalism and put something close to their best out on the field. So unless you’re injured, you’re going into harm’s way. “Welcome to the reality of the world,” Shanahan said Thursday. The game might not always mean anything as it releases to the playoffs, but the beauty of the NFL is that every game — no, every snap — is an opportunity to show your worth. “This is your job... Teams all over the league are in this situation. You’ve still got to go out there and perform the same way.” “You get 17 checks for 17 games.” And, for the record, Purdy said this week that he’s “100 percent healthy.” So, yes, he’s playing. And that should remain the case until the Lions open up an insurmountable lead on Monday. (We might not have to wait long.) Not just because of the code of professionalism or pride but also because there is still something to be gleaned from Purdy’s performance. As I wrote a few weeks back, the season’s final games would be a referendum on Purdy . The 49ers will sign him this offseason, but how the team and fan base feel about that new contract will be determined by what Purdy has done for the 49ers lately. I don’t need to tell you that the fan base isn’t too keen on Purdy signing a record-breaking, market-setting deal. Reaching that standard might never happen — the mere concept of a $60 million quarterback has folks’ heads spinning (even though with recent-season salary-cap growth, it’d be the equivalent of Jimmy Garoppolo’s record-setting contract from 2018). But Purdy performing at a high level on Monday could sway at least the rational amongst us. Not only would he be doing that with a makeshift (if that) offensive line and a second-string receiver group (we’ll see if Deebo Samuel shows up again on Monday), but he’d have done it against the kind of defense that has stymied him this entire season. The way to beat the 49ers and Purdy is to play man coverage and blitz in strange and confusing ways. The Lions play more man coverage than anyone else in the NFL and have been blitzing like crazy in recent weeks. It all makes Monday something close to a perfect data point. Yes, the circumstances are hardly ideal for Purdy, but a $60 million quarterback is expected to smooth at least some of the issues the Niners will face. And wouldn’t it be good to know if Purdy can beat man-to-man coverage? Monday’s game would leave zero doubt if he flails and be one hell of a negotiating point for him if he succeeds. And beyond all of that, the Niners quarterback needs to develop some rhythm, chemistry, and verve with this offense heading into next season. It’s not all his fault that the Niners have regressed to the point where this game is meaningless for San Francisco, but he needs to be part of the solution. Can he get something going with Ricky Pearsall? Can he keep George Kittle in that deserved first-team All-Pro spot? Can he help buy another year of Deebo Samuel in Niners’ red? Can he help one of these new offensive linemen land a job with the Niners (or another team) next season? If the risk of injury is deemed too high, then we might as well never practice or play football again. Call the NFL and ESPN and tell them the game is canceled—the Niners can’t win the Super Bowl, so they’re taking their ball and staying home. Because above everything else, it does comes down to professionalism. Is this effectively the preseason? Sure. But you’re not paid for the preseason — you merely earn a per diem for those games. On Monday night, everyone will receive a handsome check for their services. Even Purdy, the lowly-paid quarterback, will earn close to $60,000 for his work week. That’s enough to pay off two-thirds of one of those new trucks he bought his offensive linemen. Yes, being in the NFL is a great job, if you can get it. And the surest way to lose it is to take it for granted. ©2024 MediaNews Group, Inc. Visit at mercurynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Customs, Malomatia renew partnership to develop Al Nadeeb

LEO MCKINSTRY: It is frankly impossible for council employees to show the same commitment to their position when they are thousands of miles away sipping a pina coladaThe world juniors are about to begin. Why isn't there a women's world junior tournament?