Lara Trump removes her name from the US Senate consideration list. The US president-elect Donald Trump 's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has removed her name from consideration for a Senate seat, as quoted in a report by BBC. ET Year-end Special Reads Gold outshines D-St with 20% returns, but 2025 may be different The year of the pause: How RBI maneuvered its policy in 2024 2024, the year India defeated China's salami-slicing strategy Her resignation as co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) this month stoked rumours that she would succeed outgoing Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio, whom Trump has nominated for secretary of state. She stated, however, that she had eliminated herself from consideration after an incredible amount of thought, contemplation, and encouragement from so many in a post on X. In order to complete Rubio's six-year term, which expires in 2026, she said she hoped Florida Governor Ron DeSantis would be successful in selecting a replacement by hand. Lara Trump wrote on X on Saturday that she could not have been more honoured to serve as RNC co-chair during the most high-stakes election of their lifetime and she is truly humbled by the unbelievable support shown to her by the people of their country, and here in the great state of Florida. 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View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI for Everyone: Understanding and Applying the Basics on Artificial Intelligence By - Ritesh Vajariya, Generative AI Expert View Program Without providing any additional information, she stated that she would make a significant announcement in January. The election of Lara Trump as co-chair of the RNC in March cemented her father-in-law's power within the party during his presidential campaign. She became one of the most prominent campaign surrogates for the Republican candidate in the lead-up to the election, along with her husband, Trump's son Eric, and his older brother Don Jr. FAQs Why did Lara Trump withdraw from the Senate campaign? Lara Trump decided to take a step back after careful consideration and encouraged Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to choose a replacement for Marco Rubio's Senate seat. What is Lara Trump's big announcement for January? Lara Trump has hinted at a significant announcement in January, but she has yet to provide any details. ET Year-end Special Reads An Indian's guide to moving abroad as the world looks for 'better' immigrants The year of the HNIs: How India's rich splurged in 2024 (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )

AbbVie Inc. stock rises Monday, still underperforms marketLOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. "I'm very honored," Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. "Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I'll get the award again." In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Angels. "Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods," he said. "I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States." The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman. Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine. The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball's 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offense, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases. In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages. Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases. "It wouldn't shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now," Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani's second season in Anaheim, said recently. "This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there's not a close second." Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers' franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021. "I kind of wanted to get over that bar," he said. "I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record." Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt. He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November. "I don't have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better," he told the AP. "There's no pain. There's obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it's getting better." Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he's focused on the near-term. "It's the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy," he said. Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason. "I'm going to continue to ramp up slowly," he said. The Dodgers' rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out. "We may go with a five-man rotation with a bullpen (game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation," he said. "But it's all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We'll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I've got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there." The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched. "My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start," he said. "To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself." Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there's great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats. "I just go out there and try to stay within myself," he said. "I can only control what I can control and that's where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me, you trust they're going to make the plays for you. I don't really try to overthink it." Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too. Fans traveled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball's third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtani-branded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey. Ohtani's presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: "Nope," which drew laughter. Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani's behind-the-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed. "I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he's a much better person. He's very kind, considerate, he cares," Roberts told the AP. "I'm just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way." Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That's why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world. The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani's money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn't seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. The public got a glimpse of Ohtani's softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate. As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024. He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month's National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors. "The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed," Ohtani said. "I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I'm sure Decoy himself would be happy about that." Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title. "It's almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent," Roberts said. "I'm just excited to see what '25 has for Shohei Ohtani." Get local news delivered to your inbox!The metallic screech of a train rolling by. The constant hum of traffic on the nearby Trans-Canada Highway. These are the sounds of the Brunette River in the fall, as it cuts through Burnaby, B.C. — and rising above the din of Metro Vancouver, the splashing of chum salmon as they push upstream to spawn. The salmon in the river are looking haggard by mid-November, their skin patchy and worn as they near the end of their lives. But they continue the timeless cycle to produce the next generation of their keystone species. First Nations harness power of AI to monitor wild salmon stocks in B.C. Jason Hwang, vice-president of the Pacific Salmon Foundation, recalled growing up in Delta, south of Vancouver, and thinking "salmon were something that came into the Fraser River but swam on by the Lower Mainland to better habitat" farther inland. Then, as a child, Hwang saw salmon spawning in Surrey's Bear Creek. "I couldn't believe it," he said. "You might look out at the city and Vancouver and say, 'Well, it's a big city now and maybe the time to have salmon in our proximity is long passed.' But that's not true." Efforts to rehabilitate urban waterways have helped bring spawning salmon back to parts of Metro Vancouver, including unlikely-looking streams surrounded by industrial and residential development. Salmon are seen spawning in Stoney Creek in Burnaby, B.C., in this undated photo. (UBC) While it's doubtful that city salmon will recover to their original numbers, those involved in restoration work say it has a host of side benefits, from boosting resilience to flooding to inspiring community connection and stewardship. Hwang said "an amazing thing happens" when people realize there are important natural assets in their communities, including spawning salmon. "There's a pride of stewardship that exists that you see all over the Lower Mainland ... in the communities that are aware they've got salmon in their neighbourhoods." Discover where ancient rivers flow under Canadian cities Salmon are a keystone species, supporting the broader ecosystem, and they serve as a barometer for the state of their environment, Hwang said. "If you look at salmon, it's one way to get a pretty good picture, and they're showing us that we can do better, and we need to do better." Creek restoration Francisca Olaya Nieto, a biologist with the Vancouver Park Board, said a century of urban development had altered the landscape to the point that aiming for healthy, sustainable salmon populations across the city is probably not realistic. About 100 kilometres of stream were covered up as Vancouver grew, she said, and just a handful of salmon-bearing waterways continue to flow naturally. Some of those original streams were diverted into pipes and connected to the city's water system, while others were filled in, buried and paved over. B.C. creek buried by construction in the 60s restored Nieto said salmon in urban waterways must contend with pollution, sediment, warming waters and infrastructure blocking their passage. Still, they have been returning to streams where the City of Vancouver and its park board have undertaken restoration work, said Nieto, who has been involved in efforts to recover or "daylight" sections of once-buried or degraded waterways. WATCH | BCIT restores creek buried under campus: B.C. college restores creek that was buried under campus 2 months ago Duration 1:01 As part of ongoing restoration efforts, the B.C. Institute of Technology has brought part of buried Guichon Creek back to the surface in Burnaby. "The main goal is to find those opportunities where we can improve the water quality, and if salmon can return, that will be a win, but also we can benefit many other species," she said. "We're working more toward creating healthy habitat across the city, working toward connectivity and improving our biodiversity." Amir Taleghani, a senior engineer with the City of Vancouver, said restoring salmon habitat may have started with naturalization and beautification in mind, but the work also provided an opportunity to tap into the broader benefits of natural assets. Hoy Creek Hatchery in Coquitlam, B.C., pictured in November 2021. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC) He pointed to Still Creek, which flows from East Vancouver into Burnaby. The creek has been the site of restoration efforts over several decades, and Taleghani recently captured a video showing salmon spawning in the stream surrounded by parking lots, train tracks, big-box stores and industrial buildings. But Still Creek plays a role beyond providing salmon habitat, said Taleghani, whose work is focused on floodplains and watercourses in Vancouver. "Increasingly, we're seeing the creek as a natural drainage asset, important to ... adapting to climate change and managing flood risk," he said. "You need room for water to safely be stored in a flood. So, by widening the creek and lowering the surface where we can, we provide the space that in an extreme rainfall event can be flooded in a safe way, but the rest of the year, it can be habitat." Taleghani said the city was incorporating Still Creek in its draft land-use plan for the area, which includes two SkyTrain stations, and looking at how the waterway can help manage run-off and flood risk as more housing and infrastructure is built. Chum salmon in Burnaby's Guichon Creek, pictured in October 2020. (Mark Angelo) Hwang, too, said it was crucial to include natural assets in city and regional planning given the population increases expected for the Lower Mainland. "As a salmon biologist, I would advocate for all of the reasons that [restoration] can be helpful for salmon, but it's also helpful for your community," he said, pointing to flood mitigation as well as recreational opportunities in naturalized areas. Salmon populations in decline across B.C. and Yukon: report Hwang said the target should be to restore as much habitat as possible. He recalled attending the British Columbia Institute of Technology as a post-secondary student, where there is an ongoing effort to restore Guichon Creek, which runs through the Burnaby campus and into Still Creek. "Maybe Guichon Creek used to produce thousands of salmon, and now it produces a couple of dozen ... but isn't that still awesome? Isn't it awesome that in the [school's] parking lot area, you can make salmon, still, in a stream?" Last year, BCIT installed a fishway along Guichon Creek to allow salmon to migrate through the river. (Brett Hitchins)

Global stocks mostly fall ahead of ECB, US inflation dataAston Villa boss Unai Emery has set his sights on automatic qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League after a 3-2 win at RB Leipzig. Ross Barkley’s 85th-minute goal gave them victory in Germany after goals from John McGinn and Jhon Duran early in each half were cancelled out by Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner. That sent them up to third in the new league phase of the competition ahead of Wednesday’s games and with matches against Monaco and Celtic to come, Villa have an excellent chance of finishing in the top eight. Job done... in the end 😅 — Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) That would mean they would avoid a play-off round to make it through to the last 16 and Emery says that is the target. “Today was key. Juventus at home, we were thinking more to win but in the end we accepted the draw because it was important for a point to be more or less in the top 24,” he told Amazon Prime. “Today was a match we were thinking at the beginning was key to be a contender to be in the top eight with the last two matches to be played. “It is going to be difficult and we have to get some more points but we now have the possibility to achieve this option. “We are going to enjoy and try to get top eight but we have to be happy because we are in the top 24 and maybe even the top 16. “We weren’t contenders in the beginning to get there but now we have to accept it.” Leipzig, who are flying high near the top of the Bundesliga, are out after losing all six matches. They did pose a threat to Villa, who inflicted some of their own problems on themselves, notably a rare gaffe from goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for Openda’s equaliser. But Emery was happy with his side’s performance. “I try to enjoy and always we want to improve and sometimes it is hard but today the team were performing well, playing seriously and I was enjoying it,” he added. “We tried to overcome the mistakes we made and we did. More or less we were playing consistently. One mistake and they score but then we played very well. “Champions League is very difficult and we have to expect that every team playing at home are feeling strong. We played with consistency and domination.”

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LIKE the characters aboard the Bapor Tabo of Jose Rizal’s second novel, El Filibusterismo, Filipinos found themselves in a similar boat that bobbed up and down with the volatile economic developments throughout the year. The pessimist would call the economy’s performance this year as sailing through treacherous waters, while the optimist would often see the economy as resilient—a word some would argue is overused, abused to describe anything Filipino. In an interview, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan admitted there were many challenges in 2024 and the government even fell short of its goals. But the economy managed to post respectable growth compared to its peers. “We certainly have faced, encountered many challenges for this year,” the country’s Chief economist told BusinessMirror. “We fell short of what we expected in the national economy. But again, no other economy in our region has met the expectations of their respective economies. And we still are able to maintain our relative position.” Growth Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed the economy started the year by growing only 5.8 percent, mildly higher than the 5.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 but short of matching the 6.4-percent growth in the first quarter of 2023. The second quarter saw the economy growing 6.4 percent, the highest since the 7.1-percent growth in the fourth quarter of 2022. Data said government consumption increased 11.9 percent and general government construction spending grew 21.7 percent in the second quarter. In the third quarter, the economy’s performance was slower-than-expected at 5.2 percent, blowing the wind out of the economy’s sails. Analysts attributed this to slower private consumption Balisacan said one major challenge this year were the successive typhoons that wreaked havoc on many provinces and caused billions of damage to agriculture and infrastructure. Typhoons Kristine and Leon had a combined damage of P6.75 billion in production losses; 208,458 damaged homes worth P3.38 billion; and P10.57 billion worth of infrastructure damage, per the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) last report on these typhoons. In June 2024, the NDRRMC reported that the El Niño cost the agricultural sector P9.89 billion, mostly in Livestock, Poultry and Fisheries worth P68.19 million. “The impact of the typhoons and both the El Nino in the first half of the year and the La Nina, has made a dent in the economy, particularly in agriculture and that contributed to the slowdown,” Balisacan told BusinessMirror. “But again,” he added, “the fact that the other sectors of the economy, particularly the consumption and the services sector, while slower than expected, managed to do well” is worth noting. Household consumption grew 5.1 percent in the third quarter, the highest in four quarters, and averaged 4.8 percent in the nine-month period this year. Government consumption slowed to 5 percent in the third quarter and averaged 6.5 percent in the first three quarters of 2024. PSA data showed the services sector grew 6.3 percent in the third quarter and averaged 6.7 percent in the first three quarters of the year. Prices Despite these, former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Dante B. Canlas said inflation was the biggest concern this year—not just for the Philippines but all over the world. “Central banks all over the world made concerted efforts to fight inflation. The risk from disinflation is inducing a recession and high unemployment,” Canlas told BusinessMirror. However, Ateneo de Manila University economist Leonardo Lanzona Jr. told this newspaper the government’s efforts fell short of expectations, particularly in bringing down the cost of food. Lanzona said importation by the national government was ineffective. By November, inflation averaged 2.5 percent, fueled by a 5.9-percent increase in the prices of vegetables, tubers, cooking bananas and pulses. He noted that this could be blamed for the tepid consumption of households this year. Faced with high prices, consumers tend to scrimp on various food and non-food items they purchase daily. “High or unpredictable inflation disrupts the balance between consumption, investment, and trade, reducing the efficiency of the economy and hindering growth,” Lanzona told BusinessMirror. “Ensuring stable and moderate inflation is key to fostering a conducive environment for sustainable economic development. And as the GDP growth decreases, the debt to GDP increases, placing the country on the brink of a financial crisis,” he added. University of the Philippines Professor Emeritus Epictetus Patalinghug also told BusinessMirror the reduction in rice tariffs to 15 percent from 35 percent did not translate to lower retail prices of the country’s food staple. “Big rice importers benefited from lower cost of imported rice. The effect of the anti-agricultural smuggling law passed in 2024 remains to be proven in the future, whether it is effective,” Patalinghug said. Nonetheless, Canlas said, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) efforts to keep monetary policy tight have allowed the economy to dodge a recession and high unemployment. The PSA data showed a 369,000 year–on-year increase in employment to 48.157 million workers in October 2024 from 47.788 million in October 2023. There was also a 5.9-percent contraction in the number of jobless Filipinos: at 1.966 million in October 2024, this was 124,000 less than the 2.089 million in October 2023. However, the data also showed an 8.7-percent increase in the number of underemployed Filipinos. This covered those who were visibly underemployed and invisibly underemployed, which posted a year on year growth of 4.1 percent and 15.2 percent, respectively. “The Philippines dodged those problems as BSP tightened money. The BSP’s stabilization worked and set a good stage for output growth, job creation, and rising real wages,” Canlas, however, said. “As inflation further declines, expect consumption of households and investments of enterprises to resume and grow, with salutary impacts on next year’s growth,” he added. Infrastructure, taxes Apart from high commodity prices, Patalinghug said general government construction suffered because of the delays faced by many projects. PSA data showed general government construction spending slowed to 3.7 percent in the third quarter, the slowest in five quarters. General government construction averaged 14.9 percent in the nine-month period. Patalinghug said Cavite-Laguna Expressway, Central Luzon Link Expressway, MRT 7, North-South Commuter Railway, Metro Manila Subway, and the Grand Central Station in Trinoma were all delayed. He said “the only major economic development” in the Philippines this year was the privatization of NAIA, the completion of Panguil Bay Bridge, and, to a lesser degree, the extension of LRT-1 by five stations from Baclaran to Sucat. “The BBM infrastructure program is simply a continuation of the Duterte infrastructure program. In 2024, it has not addressed the major implementation problem: right-of-way acquisition problem; and during the pre-implementation stage, it does not have the capability to undertake project analysis and the period of implementation from pre-feasibility stage is dragged too long (e.g. the EDSA busway project),” Patalinghug explained. The economist also lamented the passage of the Create-More Law which would reduce the government’s revenues leading to more debt. The new law brought down corporate income tax to 20 percent from the current 25 percent. Patalinghug also noted that lower taxes was not included in the nine disincentives to investment in the Philippines as indicated in the US State Department Investment Climate Report. He said the list of disincentives were poor infrastructure, high power costs, slow broadband connection, regulatory inconsistencies, cumbersome bureaucracy, corruption, complex and slow justice system, traffic in major cities, and congestion in ports. “None of our attractive tax incentives allowed us to attract Apple, Samsung, or Intel to choose the Philippines over Vietnam because we need tax revenues to build infrastructure, to solve road traffic, to reduce port congestion, and so on,” he told BusinessMirror. Surviving The year saw many distractions, including from the political side of the spectrum. This, Patalinghug said, side-tracked the government in terms of addressing the country’s economic development. These included geopolitical developments, particularly in the West Philippine Sea, and domestic issues such as investigations on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations and what he called a “demolition job against the Vice President.” Ultimately, he said, these resulted in wasted government and legislative resources, preventing the economy to be more productive and dynamic. He noted that while the government was distracted by these developments and other challenges, the country remained export- dependent through Overseas Filipino remittances and the earnings of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry. “In fairness to the BBM administration, it has passed a lot of laws in 2024 (e.g. real estate valuation and assessment law; value added tax in digital services, etc.). I hope they have a positive impact on the economy in the future,” Patalinghug said. “The economy in 2024 can best be described as “muddling through.” De La Salle University economist Maria Ella Oplas chooses to be positive, saying the economy was a survivor in 2024. Despite the odds, the country managed to post respectable economic growth, attract foreign direct investment and manage inflation. Oplas said while it was good to use the word “resilient” to describe the economy this year, this is still inaccurate given the need to be sustainable. She said the Philippines was not yet there. Elections as gamechanger Nonetheless, what is good was that the economy managed to weather its development challenges. The upcoming elections could be a gamechanger for next year as elections often lead to faster economic growth. “I would like to use the word, survivor to describe 2024. I would love to use resilient but that will require sustainability and I don’t think we are there yet,” Oplas said. “(We are) survivors because despite the El Nino, the typhoons and scandals we managed to still grow (economically) and even pushed for (the) Build Build More.” For his part, Lanzona said 2024 also showed that despite having good economic managers, they cannot prevent challenges from emerging and reaching Filipinos wherever they may be in the archipelago we call home. Given the political and economic challenges the country faced this year, he said his word was unraveling given how structural issues can have a significant impact not only on the general economic development of the country but also the life of every Filipino. “Even with good economic managers, there is no way of creating a firewall between a weak political structure and the economy. As the political structures continue to place unfit and corrupt individuals into positions of power, the economic activities continue to grow weaker,” Lanzona. Whether the economy muddled through—achieving a certain degree of success without much planning—or was resilient or was a survivor, the year 2024 certainly brought focus to the ebb and flow of life while aboard a boat sailing through a vast sea of change and uncertainty.

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Ohtani wins third AP Male Athlete of the Year awardA gang of people-smugglers promoted their work by having migrants record TripAdvisor-style reviews of their . Dilshad Shamo, 41, and Ali Khdir, 40, advertised their routes by using social media apps to circulate videos and messages from people who had already taken the journey. In one, a family travelling by plane details the route and states “we are very happy ... this is the visa, may god bless him, we are really happy”. In another video, a man travelling by HGV tells the camera: “Lorry route agreement, crossing agreement with the knowledge of driver. Here we have men, women and children. Thank God the route was easy and good.” In a sophisticated criminal enterprise, 100 people were over a period of two years. Shamo and Khdir were eventually convicted on Friday after pleading guilty to people-smuggling midway through their trial. The pair, who posed under the cover of running a successful car wash franchise in the south Wales town of Caerphilly, were caught after a surveillance operation by the National Crime Agency. Officers tracked down the smugglers after a tip-off and began secretly recording some of their phone calls. Working with a larger organised crime gang, Shamo and Khdir would facilitate the movement of people from Iraq, Iran and Syria through Turkey, Belarus, Moldova and Bosnia. From there they would travel to Italy, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Germany and France, with many . The men’s “customers” were offered varying levels of service – the simplest being on foot or via HGV or a smaller vehicle, the next by cargo ships or yachts, and the top “platinum” tier by providing plane travel. The platinum tier involved buying a fake passport and a plane ticket, costing between £10,000 and £25,000. The gold-tier service costing between £8,000 and £10,000 would involve , while the riskiest service – between £3,000 and £5,000 – involved travel by lorry. Money was lodged with Hawala money brokers in Iraq and Istanbul who would arrange and obtain funds from those travelling on particular routes. Shamo and Khdir used WhatsApp to communicate with people-smugglers across Europe, waiting to receive an “OK” for migrants to be moved by a specified route or timeframe once a deposit was paid. When the pair were first arrested in April 2023, police overheard Khdir telling Shamo: “Just tell them that we are buying and selling cars, just say we do transfer money from our home country.” Police found the video reviews on the smugglers’ own phones, intended to be used as a source of promotional material to win new customers. In another clip a man being filmed in the back of a lorry gives a thumbs-up when someone asks: “How was the route, lads?” One Iranian family, who was and filmed outside an airport, told the camera: “God bless you, we are very grateful.” Derek Evans, the NCA branch commander who led the investigation, said the pair operated “like a travel agency”. He added: “It’s like TripAdvisor, they were rating their service within that community. We worked painstakingly to piece together their movements to prove their important roles in a group, from advertising their services through videos to boasting of successful trips on messaging groups.” After hearing ten days of evidence against them at Cardiff Crown Court, both men pleaded guilty to offences of facilitation of migrants through Europe. A further hearing will be held on Monday ahead of sentencing. Praising the operation to bring the trafficking gang to justice, Dame Angela Eagle, a minister for border security and asylum, said: “Criminals like Khdir and Shamo put countless lives at risk smuggling vulnerable people through Europe in a shameless attempt to make cash. “Our new Border Security Command will intensify our efforts to disrupt the criminal gangs with cutting-edge technology and increased efforts in transit countries to prevent unsafe small boat equipment reaching the French coast.”LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. "I'm very honored," Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. "Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I'll get the award again." In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Angels. "Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods," he said. "I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States." The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman. Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine. The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball's 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offense, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases. In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages. Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases. "It wouldn't shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now," Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani's second season in Anaheim, said recently. "This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there's not a close second." Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers' franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021. "I kind of wanted to get over that bar," he said. "I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record." Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt. He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November. "I don't have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better," he told the AP. "There's no pain. There's obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it's getting better." Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he's focused on the near-term. "It's the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy," he said. Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason. "I'm going to continue to ramp up slowly," he said. The Dodgers' rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out. "We may go with a five-man rotation with a bullpen (game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation," he said. "But it's all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We'll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I've got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there." The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched. "My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start," he said. "To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself." Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there's great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats. "I just go out there and try to stay within myself," he said. "I can only control what I can control and that's where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me, you trust they're going to make the plays for you. I don't really try to overthink it." Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too. Fans traveled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball's third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtani-branded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey. Ohtani's presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: "Nope," which drew laughter. Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani's behind-the-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed. "I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he's a much better person. He's very kind, considerate, he cares," Roberts told the AP. "I'm just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way." Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That's why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world. The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani's money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn't seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. The public got a glimpse of Ohtani's softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate. As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024. He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month's National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors. "The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed," Ohtani said. "I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I'm sure Decoy himself would be happy about that." Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title. "It's almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent," Roberts said. "I'm just excited to see what '25 has for Shohei Ohtani." Get local news delivered to your inbox!

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani is keeping elite company. The Japanese superstar caps 2024 by winning The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time, tying him with basketball great Michael Jordan. He trails only four-time winners Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James. "I'm very honored," Ohtani said through translator Matt Hidaka in an exclusive interview with the AP. "Obviously all the hard work has paid off. Maybe next year, I'll get the award again." In balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members, Ohtani received 48 votes. He previously won the award in 2023 and 2021, when he was with the Angels. "Growing up in Japan, I did follow Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods," he said. "I would see their accolades and how they were successful in the United States." The AP honor has been given out since 1931. Golfer Babe Didrikson won six times, the most by a man or woman. Swimmer Léon Marchand of France, who won four gold medals at the Paris Olympics, was second with 10 votes in balloting announced Monday. Golfer Scottie Scheffler, whose victories this year included the Masters and an Olympic gold medal, was third with nine. The AP Female Athlete of the Year will be announced Tuesday. Moving from the beleaguered Los Angeles Angels to the powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player award and first in the National League, led his new team to its eighth World Series championship and created Major League Baseball's 50/50 club by hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases. Ohtani signed a then-record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers in December 2023. Already a two-way superstar, he embellished his reputation even further despite not pitching all season while he rehabilitated from a second major right elbow surgery he had in September 2023. Ohtani went wild on offense, making every at-bat a must-see moment. The 6-foot-4 designated hitter batted a career-high .310 while easily surpassing his previous career highs in home runs and stolen bases. In September, he reached the previously unheard of 50/50 mark in a performance for the ages. Against the Miami Marlins in Florida, Ohtani went 6 for 6 with three homers, 10 RBIs, two stolen bases and 17 total bases. "It wouldn't shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now," Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani's second season in Anaheim, said recently. "This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there's not a close second." Ohtani said he knew the Dodgers' franchise record for most homers in a season was 49. His previous best was 46, set in 2021. "I kind of wanted to get over that bar," he said. "I was pleasantly surprised I was able to pass that record." Ohtani carried the Dodgers offensively during the regular season, and he stayed healthy until Game 2 of the World Series. He injured his left shoulder trying to steal second base against the New York Yankees and finished the Series playing hurt. He underwent surgery a few days after the Dodgers celebrated their championship in early November. "I don't have full range of motion yet, but it feels a lot better," he told the AP. "There's no pain. There's obviously still a little bit of tightness, but slowly but surely it's getting better." Ohtani recently received an updated rehab schedule, and he's focused on the near-term. "It's the small steps that I think are very important to get me to the ultimate goal, which is to just get back healthy," he said. Ohtani is also throwing in the 70 mph range, which is typical for pitchers early in the offseason. "I'm going to continue to ramp up slowly," he said. The Dodgers' rotation for next season is in flux, and Ohtani is waiting to see how it shakes out. "We may go with a five-man rotation with a bullpen (game), which is what we did a lot during this season or we may have a six-man rotation," he said. "But it's all about balancing out when we can get rest and recuperate. We'll see where that takes us along the playoff chase. I've got to obviously pace myself, but again that situation will guide us to how we get there." The Dodgers open the 2025 season in Japan, where Ohtani is even more closely watched. "My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start," he said. "To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself." Each time Ohtani comes to the plate or steps on the mound, there's great pressure and expectation for him to perform spectacular feats. "I just go out there and try to stay within myself," he said. "I can only control what I can control and that's where you trust your teammates. The guys behind me, you trust they're going to make the plays for you. I don't really try to overthink it." Ohtani generated big bucks for the Dodgers off the field, too. Fans traveled from Japan in droves to see him play around the U.S. At Dodger Stadium, they paid extra for tours of baseball's third-oldest venue narrated by Japanese-speaking guides and to be on the field during pre-game batting practice. A majority of the fans bought Ohtani-branded merchandise, especially his No. 17 jersey. Ohtani's presence also helped the Dodgers land a bevy of new Japanese sponsors. Because Ohtani prefers to speak Japanese and use an interpreter with the media, he is shrouded in a bit of mystique. Asked before his first postgame series if he was nervous, he dropped a one-word answer in English: "Nope," which drew laughter. Japanese-born Dodgers manager Dave Roberts observed Ohtani's behind-the-scenes interactions with his teammates, coaches and staff, and came away impressed. "I really do believe that as good of a ballplayer as he is, he's a much better person. He's very kind, considerate, he cares," Roberts told the AP. "I'm just proud of any fame or glory or award that he receives because he just does it in such a respectful and humble way." Ohtani relishes his privacy and rarely shares details about himself off the field. That's why his February announcement via Instagram that he had wed Mamiko Tanaka, a former basketball player, stunned his new teammates and the rest of the world. The following month, after the Dodgers arrived in South Korea to open the season, he was enveloped in scandal when his longtime interpreter and friend, Ippei Mizuhara, was fired by the Dodgers after being accused of using millions of dollars of Ohtani's money to place bets with an illegal bookmaker. His new teammates rallied around Ohtani, who was found to have no part in the wrongdoing, and publicly it didn't seem to affect him even if he was privately distressed by it. By June, the uproar had subsided. Mizuhara pleaded guilty to federal bank and tax fraud charges and admitted to stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani. The public got a glimpse of Ohtani's softer side in August, when his dog Decoy delivered a first pitch to his owner on their shared bobblehead night. The Nederlandse Kooikerhondje exchanged an endearing high-five with Ohtani at the plate. As a result, Decoy became a celebrity in his own right, with his breed (pronounced COY-ker-HUND-che) making the list of the most mispronounced words of 2024. He and Ohtani were mentioned during the telecast of last month's National Dog Show, where the small Spaniel-type breed was among the competitors. "The number of the breed has kind of dwindled, so by him gaining a little bit of popularity hopefully that brings up the number of his breed," Ohtani said. "I do feel like we were able to, in a small way, contribute to the popularity of the dog and I'm sure Decoy himself would be happy about that." Ohtani will be looking to top himself next year while eyeing a repeat World Series title. "It's almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent," Roberts said. "I'm just excited to see what '25 has for Shohei Ohtani." Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Winners (Arizona State) and losers (*gestures at the entire SEC*) from a chaos-filled Week 13 of college football

Alifa Chowdhury’s successful campaign to lead the University of Michigan’s student government promised just one thing: to block financing for campus groups until the university agreed to divest from companies that Chowdhury said profited from the Israel-Hamas war. Nine turbulent months later, Chowdhury is out, impeached and removed from office by the student assembly just before midnight Monday. Impeachment and Removal Chowdhury’s ouster follows a lopsided impeachment vote in mid-November, which also led to the removal of Elias Atkinson, the body’s vice president and a fellow activist. In a student judicial hearing that spanned seven days and lasted more than 20 hours, they were found guilty on a single charge of dereliction of duty — the consequence of effectively fulfilling the shutdown their campaign promised. Related Story: Campus Polarization and Controversy Like the protest encampments at universities across the country, the takeover of Michigan’s student government by pro-Palestinian activists last spring polarized the campus. The activists’ tactics drew objections from students who said their obstructionism went too far and did little to help the Palestinian cause. The activists saw their movement as a way to shake university officials and students out of what they saw as complacency, and face the plight of Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip. Limited Impact and Opposition But like many student protests, the takeover made little headway — and maybe even stirred up opposition. The university, which had long said that it would not divest, adopted a policy of institutional neutrality in October, meaning that it would avoid taking stances on political or social issues that were not directly connected to the school. Margaret Peterman, a sophomore member of the student assembly who started the impeachment motion, said the president and vice president’s conduct in office and their unwillingness to aid the student body were “inexcusable.” Related Story: Campaign Promises and Aftermath The impeached president and vice president, both of whom declined to comment, ran for their positions last spring as part of the Shut It Down Party, with the promise that they would withhold the roughly $1.3 million of annual funding until the university’s regents agreed to total divestment from companies that they said profited from Israel’s war in Gaza. They won their elections handily with a low voter turnout. With the assembly’s leadership ousted, the speaker of the student assembly, Mario Thaqi, will finish out the presidential term. — This article originally appeared in The New York Times. By Halina Bennet/Nic Antaya c.2024 The New York Times Company