BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis is slated make his season debut Monday night against the Los Angeles Clippers following offseason ankle surgery. The 7-foot-2 Latvian center was upgraded from probable to available about an 90 minutes before tipoff, though Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said how much he'd play was to be determined. Veteran center Al Horford, who has started 14 of the Celtics 17 games this season, is out Monday with an illness. Fellow big man Luke Kornet is also sitting out as he continues to deal with hamstring tightness. “He has worked hard, he's in good shape. We'll put him in position to be healthy and be successful and do what's best for the team,” Mazzulla said. “He's been pretty consistent, just based on his work ethic and what he's done to get to this point.” Porzingis had surgery to fix a tear in the tissue that holds the ankle tendons in place. The issue limited him to seven playoff games during the Celtics' NBA championship run last season. Boston is 14-3 this season, but has missed his presence on the inside, with teams routinely outscoring the defending champions in the paint. Mazzulla acknowledged that how Porzingis plays on the offensive end, particularly how he operates sometimes out of the high and low post, will force some adjustment from how the team has played this season without him on the floor. “I think last year we had an opportunity to see how teams were guarding him,” Mazzulla said. "That'll take a little bit of time to figure out what the coverages are, just get used to that spacing. That'll take some time. ... Then we'll figure out how we go from there." The original window for Porzingis' return following surgery was five to six months. But Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said before the season that they didn't want to hold to a specific timeline because of the uniqueness of the injury. Porzingis injured his ankle in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks and missed the next two games. He returned for Game 5, contributing five points and one rebound in 16 minutes as the Celtics beat Dallas 106-88 to clinch their record 18th title. Porzingis averaged 20 points and seven rebounds in 57 games for last season. He signed a $60 million, two-year extension with Boston in the summer of 2023 after the Celtics acquired him in a trade with Washington. AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaTrump tax-cut plans could be slowed by a wary bond market
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Uruguay is set to vote in a run-off this Sunday to pick its next president, the most uncertain election the country has faced over the last 30 years. Despite the uniqueness of this scenario, however, this is not surprising. The contest between Yamandú Orsi (Broad Front) and Álvaro Delgado (National Party and leader of the so-called Republican Coalition) will come down to the wire, according to the last surveys. And while some say that Orsi has a slight advantage, any difference is within the margin of error. The parity between the two candidates is a reflection of the country’s polarization. However, it should be said that this divisiveness has not spilled into everyday life like Argentina. All attempts to try and replicate that scenario in Uruguay have fallen flat. The tight margins are also a signal of political continuity. All consulting and polling firms have been relaying the same message since the party primaries: the electorate’s main demand is that the country stay on the same course, regardless of who wins. The team of Andrés Ojeda, the presidential candidate who came in third in the first round, viewed this scenario as a potential opportunity. “Some of the proposals were undistinguishable. If you didn’t know who had said them, you could easily think that some made by the National Party were actually uttered by the Broad Front, and vice versa,” one of his campaign strategists said. Because of this, they reasoned that there was a chance that a disruptive message like Ojeda’s could land him in the run-off. Their bid was ultimately unsuccessful. Another feature of the most uncertain run-off of the 21st century is the high level of indecision. Some polls show that it can be as high as 8%. Studies show that the vast majority of these people, a little over 218,000 according to voting records, decide their vote in the two days before the election. In the first round — with 11 candidates in the running — polls showed that voters had begun making up their minds earlier. By the time the October 27 election came around, the scenario was much more clear. The fact that the number of undecided voters has remained so high in the four weeks since the first round is noteworthy. Orsi and Delgado have focused their campaign efforts on them, with little luck so far. Another unavoidable issue is the general political apathy. In addition to the extreme parity, the current electoral cycle notched another historical fact: the party primaries saw the lowest voter turnout since the return of democracy (36%). Many observers have attributed the lack of enthusiasm to the length of the electoral process in Uruguay: it has been eight months since the beginning of the primary campaign. And it’s not over yet: in May 2025, there will be elections for departmental authorities. This distance between the world of politics and the citizenry, far from being normalized, will have to be addressed by whoever wins the election. They will have five years to try and rebuild enthusiasm.Jahmyr Gibbs roasts himself for what he did to stay warm in Lions win vs. Bears | Sporting News
Nearly 1,000 protesters were arrested in Islamabad after a large rally demanding the release of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan. The protest, which saw more than 10,000 people marching towards the city center, was met with a sweeping security crackdown. Authorities deployed 20,000 security personnel to disperse the crowds, who were defying a lockdown and a ban on public gatherings. Protesters clashed with security forces, and police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Islamabad Police Inspector General Ali Nasir Rizvi confirmed that 954 individuals had been arrested between Sunday and Tuesday, as protesters came within 1.6 kilometers of their intended target. The government reported at least one police officer and four paramilitary personnel were killed during the clashes. PTI Continues to Challenge the Government Imran Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023, has faced numerous legal battles that he claims are designed to block his return to politics. Despite these setbacks, Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has continued to stage regular protests. This recent gathering marked the largest protest in Islamabad since the February elections. Key figures from PTI, including Ali Amin Gandapur and Bushra Bibi (Khan’s wife), led the protest, though Khan himself made a statement from prison urging his supporters to gather. Gandapur vowed that the movement would only end when Khan was freed. Government Calls Protests “Extremism” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the protests, calling them “extremism.” He and his ministers held regular press conferences, asserting there would be no mercy for the protesters. However, as the situation de-escalated, some officials began calling for reconciliation to avoid further damage to the country’s citizens. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan urged both Khan’s party and the government to engage in “purposeful political dialogue” to find a peaceful resolution. Michael Kugelman, South Asia Institute director, commented on social media, stating that Pakistan’s protests had no clear winners and that the country was facing a growing confrontation. Excessive Force Deployed Against Protesters The Pakistani government has faced increasing criticism for its heavy-handed response to the protests. Mobile internet was shut down across Islamabad, schools remained closed for multiple days, and roadblocks prevented many workers from reaching their jobs. Amnesty International condemned the government’s actions, stating that law enforcement had used “unlawful and excessive force” to quell the protests. Khan’s Struggle and Political Influence Imran Khan, a former cricket star and the leader of PTI, was ousted from office in 2022 after a no-confidence vote, which followed tensions with Pakistan’s powerful military establishment. His removal sparked protests, with Khan becoming a central figure in opposition to the establishment. PTI has continued to defy the government, gaining significant support despite the crackdown. Khan led PTI to win more seats than any other party in this year’s election, but a coalition of parties that is perceived to be more aligned with the military ultimately excluded PTI from power. The ongoing unrest and political tension have continued to polarize the nation.Top Tollywood star arrested after woman dies in crowd crush
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The end is nigh for the Staten Island vampire roommates Nandor ( Kayvan Novak ), Nadja ( Natasia Demetriou ), Laszlo ( Matt Berry ), and Colin Robinson ( Mark Proskch ) and their human pal Guillermo ( Harvey Guillén ) as FX ‘s What We Do in the Shadows prepares to present its series finale episode on Monday, December 16th. In anticipation of the show’s ending, TV Insider caught up with stars Novak, Guillén, Berry, and Proksch alongside creatives Paul Simms , Sarah Naftalis, and Sam Johnson in our studio at New York Comic Con to discuss the final season. So, do they stick the landing? It’s a question that looms over the show as we anticipate the finale episode, but according to Proksch, they do indeed. @Mattdoylephoto “I think it’s hard on a comedy, based on history, to stick the landing,” Proksch says in the video interview, above. “But I feel like we accomplish that.” It’s definitely something to consider as series executive producer Taika Waititi , who co-wrote and co-directed the 2014 film What We Do in the Shadows as well as starred as Viago in both the film and show, tells TV Insider, “It’s time for it to end... If there was another season, there’d be vampires jumping sharks.” While he couldn’t say anything about the finale itself, there’s plenty of love for the series on Waititi’s end as he notes, “I can’t believe this five-minute idea of vampire flatmates has lasted this many years. And I’m really... I’m proud of it.” Related 'What We Do in the Shadows': Doug Jones on Baron Afanas' Award & Alexander Skarsgård Guest Appearance (Exclusive) As Simms points out, Season 6 has been filled with so many funny plotlines, “there’s nothing really sad about it.” When it comes to fans facing the finale he adds, “They’ll love it. They won’t realize till the very end that it’s that there’s any reason to be [sad].” While Johnson jokes that “I pushed for self-importance,” within the final season, Novak jokes, “I pushed for Season 7.” See what else the team had to share about Season 6’s funnier storylines including Guillermo’s gig in the corporate business industry as well as Laszlo’s scientific experiments in the full video interview, above, and let us know what you hope to see in the series finale of What We Do in the Shadows before it airs on FX. What We Do in the Shadows , Series Finale, Monday, December 16th, 10/9c, FX More Headlines: ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ Stars & Creatives Tease Series Finale ‘Sticks the Landing’ (VIDEO) New Year’s Eve: How to Ring in 2025 With Your Favorite TV Hosts Christian Slater Reacts to That ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Death & Creator Explains New Intro College Football Playoff & Bowl Game TV Schedule 2024 How Will ‘Blue Bloods’ End for Each Character? Our TheoriesATIF Announces Plan to Change its Nasdaq Ticker Symbol to "ZBAI”'People got to be safe:' Manitoba premier responds to fatal police shooting
Marler to retire from rugby on Friday, a month after quitting international duty with EnglandSam Darnold completed 33 of 43 passes for a career-best 377 yards to go with three touchdowns and one interception, and the Minnesota Vikings escaped with a 27-25 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis. Justin Jefferson had eight catches for 92 yards for Minnesota (14-2), which won its ninth game in a row. Jalen Nailor, Jordan Addison and Cam Akers had one touchdown reception apiece for the Vikings. Jordan Love completed 19 of 30 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown for Green Bay (11-5). Josh Jacobs and Emanuel Wilson each rushed for a touchdown and Malik Heath had a touchdown catch for the Packers, who lost to the Vikings for the second time this season. Minnesota's nine-game winning streak matches its third longest in franchise history. The Vikings are enjoying their longest stretch of success since 1975, when they won 10 straight. Green Bay rallied with back-to-back touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull within two. Wilson scored on a 5-yard run to cut the Packers' deficit to 27-18 with 6:12 to go. Love brought Green Bay within 27-25 with 2:18 to play. He fired a 3-yard touchdown pass to Heath, who scored on a quick slant. The Vikings got the ball on the following kickoff and never gave it back to Green Bay. Darnold secured the win when he lobbed a pass to Akers for a first down to set up the victory formation. The Packers opened the scoring late in the first quarter with a 22-yard field goal by Brandon McManus. Minnesota responded to grab a 13-3 lead at the half. Darnold found Nailor for a 31-yard touchdown with 11:52 remaining in the first half. Nailor was wide open and made a basket catch near the back of the end zone. Reichard rounded out the first-half scoring with field goals from 25 yards and 50 yards. The Vikings increased their lead to 20-3 on the opening drive of the second half. Addison made a diving grab for an 18-yard touchdown. Green Bay pulled within 20-10 with 5:07 left in the third quarter. Jacobs scored on a 2-yard run. Darnold's third touchdown pass, this time to Akers, made it 27-10 in favor of the Vikings with 51 seconds remaining in the third quarter. --Field Level MediaColts coach Shane Steichen feeling heat after playoff elimination
