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Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday. The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law. The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school. Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth. “Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.” LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who is resigning in January, said the new gender policy "is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach." By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA. The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition. The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty. “Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.” Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports. United States Golf Association CEO Mike Whan said the new policy will prevent anyone from having "a competitive advantage based on their gender." “It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line. “We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.” The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part. “Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.” The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours. Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels. The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Sent weekly directly to your inbox!Matt Hancock has revealed England's hospitals were on the brink, mere "hours" away from exhausting supplies of certain personal protective equipment (PPE) during the initial months of the Covid-19 crisis. The ex-health secretary disclosed to the Covid-19 inquiry that some PPE was in critical shortage across the first pandemic wave. He holds a firm belief that in any forthcoming pandemics, vaccines should be compulsory for NHS and social care workers, and that masks ought to be obligatory in hospitals immediately. When probed by lead counsel to the inquiry, Jacqueline Carey KC, about the pre-pandemic lack of gowns impacting the capacity to provide adequate PPE, Mr Hancock admitted: "The stockpile that we had was not as good as it needs to be in the future, absolutely." Enquired whether England ever completely depleted its PPE stock, he conceded: "As a whole? No, but individual locations did. "We came extremely close. We came within small numbers of items on a regular basis during April and May 2020 – by the second wave, we were in better shape. "Gowns I think at one point we got to within six or seven hours of running out. "We were working incredibly hard to make sure that we didn’t (run out). We nearly did." On the topic of facemask usage in hospitals during future pandemics, he commented: "It should be brought in immediately, and supplies need to be ready, preferably in each hospital, to make that possible." Additionally, Mr Hancock stated that ensuring health and social care workers are fully vaccinated is a "reasonable step that should be expected" and advocated for simultaneous implementation in the NHS and social care sectors. The policy requiring Care Quality Commission-registered care home staff to be fully vaccinated to work in care homes, unless medically exempt, came into effect in November 2021, with full enforcement from April 2022. Mr Hancock expressed regret over not applying this rule to both social care and the NHS at the same time, emphasising: "If you are employed to care for others, then you should take reasonable steps to ensure you are not harming those in your care." "A clinically proven vaccine is a reasonable step that should be expected." Earlier, Mr Hancock, who was booed by a campaigner as he arrived to give evidence, claimed he had "ruffled some feathers" by shielding the NHS from political interference. He also told the inquiry meddling from Number 10 created "incredible difficulties" in Covid-19 testing efforts. The inquiry's third module is scrutinising the repercussions of the virus on healthcare frameworks within the UK's four nations. When questioned about his witness statements, which alluded to "inappropriate political interference from Number 10" affecting the scope of these hearings, Mr Hancock acknowledged: "Well, of course some of it did. For instance, the biggest interference that caused difficulties was within testing, where some of the political appointees in Number 10 caused incredible difficulties." He also pointed fingers at Scotland's former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, for instigating "all sorts of difficulties" during the crisis. At the onset of Thursday's hearing, Mr Hancock was probed about the protection of frontline workers throughout the pandemic. He maintained that the government did "everything we possibly could", but conceded: "Does that mean, in a system that employs 1.4 million people in the NHS, with another around two and a half million in social care, that every decision was perfect? Of course it wasn’t." Defending the Stay Home, Save Lives, Protect the NHS campaign, Mr Hancock affirmed its balance when asked, replying simply: "Yes. "We needed to ensure that the public across the whole of the UK understood the importance of staying at home whenever possible in order to stop the spread of the virus." Inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett questioned Mr Hancock about his assertion that the NHS was available to all during the pandemic based on need. She pointed out that individuals requiring cancer screening or major surgeries, such as hip operations, were unable to access necessary care. In response, Mr Hancock explained: "It was not safe clinically to go for some cancer treatment during the pandemic, because cancer treatment sometimes involves reducing the immune system. "It was better to delay some non-urgent operations in order to protect both the space in the NHS and the patients themselves because, as we know, you’re more likely to catch Covid in a hospital than in almost any other setting." Mr Hancock emphasized that "the overall point is, that we did not have a collapse in the system". Mr Hancock had previously resigned as Health Secretary after footage surfaced of him breaching social distancing rules by kissing his former aide, Gina Coladangelo, in his office. Following his sensational departure from the front bench, he joined the cast of the ITV reality series I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Upon exiting Dorland House after giving testimony on Thursday, the ex-health secretary was greeted with cries of "liar" from protestors. 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Why an innocent photo of a bag at the airport has thousands 'freaked out' right now A simple photo has freaked out thousands of people READ MORE: The one mistake with Carry-On By BELINDA CLEARY FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 23:09 GMT, 23 December 2024 | Updated: 23:09 GMT, 23 December 2024 e-mail 10 shares View comments Thousands have been left 'completely freaked out' after a woman posted a photo of a suitcase sitting by a table at the airport. The small hard-shelled black case had been left for a moment by its owner. But the stand-alone suitcase wasn't the only 'scary' thing about the bag. It also had a little red ribbon. And it looked just like the suitcase bomb from the new Netflix drama 'Carry-On'. The timing of the lone-luggage only added to the hysteria. The movie is set on Christmas Eve and was released on December 13. The luggage was pictured on December 18, with many agreeing it felt 'too real'. In the movie a young airline security guard is blackmailed by a mysterious passenger who threatens to smuggle a dangerous package onto a plane. This simple snap of a suitcase has left thousands of people terrified The woman's post which was captioned: 'In the airport and I see this. I can’t make this up. If you know, you know'. It had attracted 7,000 likes and 1600 comments at time of writing. 'I watched this movie three days ago, definitely going to head out,' one woman said. 'Watched this last night - scrolled past and immediately scrolled back up again because PTSD,' added another. 'See something say something or post something.... if you're reading this its too late for those at the airport,' added another. But some were less afraid. 'We low-key all learned how to disarm it,' said another. And others were having none of it. 'People use ribbon all the time to distinguish their luggage from everyone else, be real,' one woman said. The case looks like the one on Carry-On - the new, explosive Christmas movie centered around an airport (stock image) 'Someone did this on purpose to scare people,' another said. The rest were confused. 'Can someone explain this,' one asked. 'I have no idea what movie this is,' said another. 'Why is this blowing up? I don't get it,' a third cried. The movie, which stars Taron Egerton, has an 86 per cent approval rating on Rotten tomatoes. Some are describing it as the new 'lethal weapon', an alternative, dark Christmas movie. Facebook Netflix Taron Egerton Share or comment on this article: Why an innocent photo of a bag at the airport has thousands 'freaked out' right now e-mail 10 shares Add comment
Rickey Henderson’s numbers are astounding. The Hall of Fame outfielder stole more bases than anyone in major-league history. He also scored the most runs and hit the most leadoff home runs while collecting more than 3,000 hits on the way to enshrinement in Cooperstown, N.Y. Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa will remember Henderson for more than the stats. “Rickey Henderson, as great a player, just as great of a teammate,” La Russa said during a conference call with Chicago reporters Sunday afternoon. “He was always in the midst of everything happening in the clubhouse, dugout and on the plane. “Great sense of humor. Personally, my interchanges with him was just honored to have him on the team.” Henderson died Friday at age 65 . He and La Russa were together for parts of seven seasons (1989-93 and 1994-95) with the Oakland Athletics. It was a very successful period. The A’s won the 1989 World Series, with Henderson earning MVP honors in the American League Championship Series. Henderson was named AL MVP in 1990 as the A’s captured their third consecutive pennant. “The thing about Rickey was the old saying, ‘When your best player or one of your best players sets the best example on and off the field, it’s a huge plus for your team,'” La Russa said. “He made other teammates want to be part of a team that was like glue. “Rickey was the ideal great player, great teammate and made everybody better.” Blue Jays first baseman John Olerud looks for the ball over the A’s Rickey Henderson after a wild pickoff throw in the American League Championship Series on Oct. 13, 1992, at Oakland Coliseum. Henderson made it to third base on the error. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) La Russa recalled having to prepare to face Henderson while he was managing the Chicago White Sox from 1979-86. And also what it was like getting to write Henderson’s name at the top of his lineup with the A’s. “One of the things, one of the realities of Rickey’s career — and we knew it (going) against him — was that he was so dangerous that teams focused on stopping him,” La Russa said. “And look at the career he had. He was a marked man whether he was hitting or baserunning. People went through all the extremes to stop him and you couldn’t stop him. “I was just in awe. Our teammates were in awe of how hard he played. There were a lot of attempts to intimidate him, which never made us happy. You couldn’t scare him and you couldn’t stop him.” Henderson was born in Chicago and grew up in Oakland, where he later would become a superstar. His 1,406 stolen bases, 2,295 runs and 81 leadoff homers are the most in MLB history. He also holds the modern-era record for stolen bases in a season, swiping 130 in 1982. He finished his 25-year career with a .279/.401/.419 slash line, 3,055 hits, 510 doubles, 66 triples, 297 home runs and 1,115 RBIs while playing for nine teams, including four stints with the A’s. He won a second World Series ring with the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. “I don’t think anybody would disagree, in our generation, he was the most dangerous player on the other side in a tie game or you are one run ahead,” La Russa said. “The all-timers, he’s on the team.” La Russa also praised the 10-time All-Star’s baseball IQ. A’s legends Dave Stewart and Rickey Henderson share a moment in the dugout before the team’s last game at the Oakland Coliseum on Sept. 26, 2024. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group) “As smart as any position player I’ve ever been around,” La Russa said. “(He had) that stance with the small strike zone, but he was ready to strike if you threw a strike. All the leadoff homers. He was smart. And he learned to be a great base stealer, learned to be a better hitter. “He told me a couple years ago, there was one statistic in his career that he never expected — he didn’t say he ‘appreciates more than the others’ because he had to work hard to hit those home runs and steal all those bases — but it was that he never had a thought that he could be a 3,000-hit guy. “He explained because he drew so many walks, (he) never thought he’d have enough at-bats. When you think about all the at-bats that didn’t count, the fact that he got 3,000 hits — remarkable, makes him even greater. One of a kind. As good as any player who has ever played the game.” La Russa and Henderson remained in contact through the years. La Russa estimated he saw Henderson about “three or four times” in the last three months. “If you looked at him like we looked at him, we commented, ‘Look how great he looks,'” La Russa said. “He could still play. Very, very difficult to accept. “Great person, great player, great teammate. ... Great friend.”
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Purdue Fort Wayne defeats Green Bay 83-67Shohei Ohtani wins 3rd AP Male Athlete of the Year award, tying Michael Jordan for 1 shy of record LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani has been named The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time. That ties the two-way superstar with Michael Jordan, an athlete Ohtani followed while growing up in Japan. He trails only Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods and LeBron James, who each won the award four times. Ohtani received 48 votes in balloting by 74 sports journalists from the AP and its members. He earned his third National League Most Valuable Player award after helping the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title. Ohtani hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases as the first player with a 50-50 season. His dog, Decoy, became a celebrity, too, helping Ohtani deliver a ceremonial first pitch at a game. On Football: Falcons and Buccaneers flip spots atop the NFC South and playoff races tighten up The 49ers, Cowboys and Cardinals are out of the playoff race. The Falcons took control of their hopes and the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals kept slim chances alive. The NFL’s playoff picture became clearer Sunday. With two weeks remaining, three of eight division titles are secured, eight teams have wrapped up playoff berths and 11 more are competing for the six remaining spots. The biggest change in the standings occurred in the NFC South with Atlanta reclaiming the top spot from Tampa Bay. The Chiefs have the inside track for the AFC's No. 1 seed and the NFC's top spot could likely come down to the Vikings-Lions matchup in Week 18. Tennessee and Auburn remain 1-2 in AP Top 25 poll featuring 10 SEC teams Tennessee and Auburn remained Nos. 1-2 atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll. They were the headliners among the Southeastern Conference's haul of 10 ranked teams. Iowa State, Duke and Alabama rounded out the top five. Kentucky had the week's biggest fall, sliding six spots to No. 10 after a loss to Ohio State. Mississippi State, Arkansas, Illinois and Baylor rejoined the poll after stints in the rankings earlier this season. They replaced Memphis, Dayton, Michigan and Clemson. The Big 12 and Big Ten were tied for second with five teams each in the AP Top 25. USC up to No. 4 in women's AP Top 25 after win over UConn. UCLA, South Carolina, Notre Dame stay 1-3 Southern California jumped to No. 4 in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll on Monday after edging UConn. The Trojans moved up three spots after beating the then-No. 4 Huskies 72-70 in a rematch of last season’s Elite Eight game that UConn won. UCLA, South Carolina and Notre Dame remained the top three teams. The Bruins received 30 of the 32 first-place votes from a national media panel. The Gamecocks and the Fighting Irish each got one first-place vote. UConn fell to seventh behind Texas and LSU. Maryland, Oklahoma and Ohio State rounded out the top 10 teams. Former NFL great Michael Vick introduced as Norfolk State’s football coach NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Michael Vick has been introduced as Norfolk State’s football coach, a homecoming for the former NFL star and a splashy, attention-grabbing hire for a program that has struggled in recent years. Vick donned a Norfolk State letterman’s jacket and cap in front of a crowd of supporters that included fellow Hampton Roads, Virginia, sports greats Allen Iverson and Bruce Smith. Vick led Virginia Tech to the national championship game as a redshirt freshman and was selected No. 1 overall in the 2001 NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons. His career was derailed by his conviction in 2007 for his involvement in a dogfighting ring. No. 1 Oregon and No. 8 Ohio State gear up for rematch of thriller won by Ducks Oregon and Ohio State have already produced one heck of a game this season. Now, the top-seeded Ducks and eighth-seeded Buckeyes are gearing up for a rematch more than 10 weeks later in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. Of course, both teams have had ample time for evolution since that 32-31 Oregon win on Oct. 12. But they also have that game and players’ familiarity with each other, not to mention common opponents in the Big Ten. Penn State preparing for hard-charging Jeanty and Boise State in CFP quarterfinals STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Penn State players have watched Ashton Jeanty make opponents look silly all season. They don’t want to be the next defenders Boise State’s star posterizes with jukes, spin moves, stiff arms and heavy shoulders. But they also know that slowing down Jeanty, who finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, will be their toughest task yet when the two teams meet in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. Texas sues NCAA in latest push to block transgender athletes in women's sports AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the NCAA to block the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sports, arguing that it tricks and misleads fans. The lawsuit filed in state district court argues the NCAA violates the Texas Trade Practices Act. The law is designed to protect consumers from deceptive business practices. The lawsuit is the latest attempt by conservative politicians to target transgender athletes and push the NCAA into banning them from competition. NCAA President Charlie Baker recently told Congress he was aware of fewer than 10 active transgender athletes. Sabrina Ionescu is joining Unrivaled as the new 3-on-3 league's final player Sabrina Ionescu is joining Unrivaled as the new league’s final player for this season. The Liberty star guard who helped New York win the first championship in franchise history earlier this year signed a historic agreement on Monday. She’ll join the Phantom BC that made a trade Saturday night to acquire Natasha Cloud. Ionescu will also be playing with Brittney Griner, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally and Katie Lou Samuelson. The 27-year-old Ionescu is recovering from a procedure she had earlier this month on her right thumb to stabilize the ulnar collateral ligament. Sean Manaea to re-sign with Mets for $75 million over 3 years, AP source says NEW YORK (AP) — Sean Manaea is set to return to the New York Mets on a $75 million, three-year contract, according to a person familiar with the agreement. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to a successful physical. Manaea blossomed into New York’s top starting pitcher this year during his first season with the team, going 12-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 32 starts. Then he became a free agent for the third straight offseason. The reunion with Manaea, who turns 33 on Feb. 1, gives New York a much-needed frontline starter to help complete its reconstructed rotation. Mets owner Steve Cohen has committed $916.25 million to five free agents this offseason — four of them starting pitchers.By MICHELLE L. PRICE and ROB GILLIES NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s recent dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his visit to Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral were not just exercises in policy and diplomacy. They were also prime trolling opportunities for Trump. Related Articles National Politics | Trump names Andrew Ferguson as head of Federal Trade Commission to replace Lina Khan National Politics | Biden says he was ‘stupid’ not to put his name on pandemic relief checks like Trump did National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television Throughout his first term in the White House and during his campaign to return, Trump has spun out countless provocative, antagonizing and mocking statements. There were his belittling nicknames for political opponents, his impressions of other political figures and the plentiful memes he shared on social media. Now that’s he’s preparing to return to the Oval Office, Trump is back at it, and his trolling is attracting more attention — and eyerolls. On Sunday, Trump turned a photo of himself seated near a smiling first lady Jill Biden at the Notre Dame ceremony into a social media promo for his new perfume and cologne line, with the tag line, “A fragrance your enemies can’t resist!” The first lady’s office declined to comment. When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect’s threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state. The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.” After decades as an entertainer and tabloid fixture, Trump has a flair for the provocative that is aimed at attracting attention and, in his most recent incarnation as a politician, mobilizing fans. He has long relished poking at his opponents, both to demean and minimize them and to delight supporters who share his irreverent comments and posts widely online and cheer for them in person. Trump, to the joy of his fans, first publicly needled Canada on his social media network a week ago when he posted an AI-generated image that showed him standing on a mountain with a Canadian flag next to him and the caption “Oh Canada!” After his latest post, Canadian Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday: “It sounds like we’re living in a episode of South Park.” Trudeau said earlier this week that when it comes to Trump, “his approach will often be to challenge people, to destabilize a negotiating partner, to offer uncertainty and even sometimes a bit of chaos into the well established hallways of democracies and institutions and one of the most important things for us to do is not to freak out, not to panic.” Even Thanksgiving dinner isn’t a trolling-free zone for Trump’s adversaries. On Thanksgiving Day, Trump posted a movie clip from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” with President Joe Biden and other Democrats’ faces superimposed on the characters in a spoof of the turkey-carving scene. The video shows Trump appearing to explode out of the turkey in a swirl of purple sparks, with the former president stiffly dancing to one of his favorite songs, Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.” In his most recent presidential campaign, Trump mocked Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, refusing to call his GOP primary opponent by his real name and instead dubbing him “Ron DeSanctimonious.” He added, for good measure, in a post on his Truth Social network: “I will never call Ron DeSanctimonious ‘Meatball’ Ron, as the Fake News is insisting I will.” As he campaigned against Biden, Trump taunted him in online posts and with comments and impressions at his rallies, deriding the president over his intellect, his walk, his golf game and even his beach body. After Vice President Kamala Harris took over Biden’s spot as the Democratic nominee, Trump repeatedly suggested she never worked at McDonalds while in college. Trump, true to form, turned his mocking into a spectacle by appearing at a Pennsylvania McDonalds in October, when he manned the fries station and held an impromptu news conference from the restaurant drive-thru. Trump’s team thinks people should get a sense of humor. “President Trump is a master at messaging and he’s always relatable to the average person, whereas many media members take themselves too seriously and have no concept of anything else other than suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director. “President Trump will Make America Great Again and we are getting back to a sense of optimism after a tumultuous four years.” Though both the Biden and Harris campaigns created and shared memes and launched other stunts to respond to Trump’s taunts, so far America’s neighbors to the north are not taking the bait. “I don’t think we should necessarily look on Truth Social for public policy,” Miller said. Gerald Butts, a former top adviser to Trudeau and a close friend, said Trump brought up the 51st state line to Trudeau repeatedly during Trump’s first term in office. “Oh God,” Butts said Tuesday, “At least a half dozen times.” “This is who he is and what he does. He’s trying to destabilize everybody and make people anxious,” Butts said. “He’s trying to get people on the defensive and anxious and therefore willing to do things they wouldn’t otherwise entertain if they had their wits about them. I don’t know why anybody is surprised by it.” Gillies reported from Toronto. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville contributed to this report.Fox News justice correspondent David Spunt reflects on the life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter on ‘Fox News Live.’ Former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100, is expected to lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda in January, Fox News has learned. Officials have not yet released the specific dates when Carter's body will be in the Rotunda. The New York Times reported that the 39th president is expected to lie in state in both the Georgia State Capitol and the U.S. Capitol before a state funeral takes place at Washington National Cathedral. Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in January 2022 was the most recent statesman to lie in state. Twelve U.S. presidents have lain in state, beginning with former President Abraham Lincoln. The last U.S. president to lie in state was former President George H.W. Bush, who died in November 2018. Multiple observances of Carter's death are expected in coming days. The Carter Center said on Sunday that events are expected in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. Carter was from Plains, Georgia. JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100 Former President Jimmy Carter discusses his cancer diagnosis during a press conference at the Carter Center on Aug. 20, 2015, in Atlanta. (Jessica McGowan/Getty Images) "The final arrangements for President Carter’s state funeral, including all public events and motorcade routes, are still pending," the center noted. The former president will be interred privately in his hometown, to which he returned after serving as president from 1977 to 1981. His death came after years of health problems, including cancer that spread to his liver and brain. He entered hospice care in February 2023 . Carter outlived his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter, who died in November 2023 at the age of 96. His death inspired an outpouring of sympathy from both sides of the political aisle, with President-elect Trump writing that Americans "owe [Carter] a debt of gratitude." JIMMY, ROSALYNN CARTER'S HABITAT FOR HUMANITY LEGACY WILL CONTINUE, ORGANIZATION SAYS Carter served two terms as a Georgia state senator from 1963 to 1967, one term as governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975 and one term as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. (Archive Photos) "Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History," Trump said in a Truth Social post on Sunday. "The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans." In a statement released on Sunday, the late president's son, Chip Carter, called his father a "hero." "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love," the statement read. "My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs." "The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Former President Jimmy Carter speaks to the congregation at Maranatha Baptist Church before teaching Sunday school in his hometown of Plains, Ga., on April 28, 2019. (Hennessy/NurPhoto via Getty Images) More information about the funeral and ceremony plans for Carter is expected to emerge in the coming days. Andrea Margolis is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Readers can send story tips to andrea.margolis@fox.com .
It looked like a recipe for disaster. So, when his country's swimmers were being accused of doping earlier this year, one Chinese official cooked up something fast. He blamed it on contaminated noodles. In fact, he argued, it could have been a culinary conspiracy concocted by criminals, whose actions led to the cooking wine used to prepare the noodles being laced with a banned heart drug that found its way into an athlete's system. This theory was spelled out to international anti-doping officials during a meeting and, after weeks of wrangling, finally made it into the thousands of pages of data handed over to the lawyer who investigated the case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for that same drug. The attorney, appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, refused to consider that scenario as he sifted through the evidence. In spelling out his reasoning, lawyer Eric Cottier paid heed to the half-baked nature of the theory. "The Investigator considers this scenario, which he has described in the conditional tense, to be possible, no less, no more," Cottier wrote. Even without the contaminated-noodles theory, Cottier found problems with the way WADA and the Chinese handled the case but ultimately determined WADA had acted reasonably in not appealing China's conclusion that its athletes had been inadvertently contaminated. Critics of the way the China case was handled can't help but wonder if a wider exploration of the noodle theory, details of which were discovered by The Associated Press via notes and emails from after the meeting where it was delivered, might have lent a different flavor to Cottier's conclusions. "There are more story twists to the ways the Chinese explain the TMZ case than a James Bond movie," said Rob Koehler, the director general of the advocacy group Global Athlete. "And all of it is complete fiction." In April, reporting from the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD revealed that the 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. China's anti-doping agency determined the athletes had been contaminated, and so, did not sanction them. WADA accepted that explanation, did not press the case further, and China was never made to deliver a public notice about the "no-fault findings," as is often seen in similar cases. The stock explanation for the contamination was that traces of TMZ were found in the kitchen of a hotel where the swimmers were staying. In his 58-page report, Cottier relayed some suspicions about the feasibility of that chain of events — noting that WADA's chief scientist "saw no other solution than to accept it, even if he continued to have doubts about the reality of contamination as described by the Chinese authorities." But without evidence to support pursuing the case, and with the chance of winning an appeal at almost nil, Cottier determined WADA's "decision not to appeal appears indisputably reasonable." A mystery remained: How did those traces of TMZ get into the kitchen? Shortly after the doping positives were revealed, the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations held a meeting on April 30 where it heard from the leader of China's agency, Li Zhiquan. Li's presentation was mostly filled with the same talking points that have been delivered throughout the saga — that the positive tests resulted from contamination from the kitchen. But he expanded on one way the kitchen might have become contaminated, harkening to another case in China involving a low-level TMZ positive. A pharmaceutical factory, he explained, had used industrial alcohol in the distillation process for producing TMZ. The industrial alcohol laced with the drug "then entered the market through illegal channels," he said. The alcohol "was re-used by the perpetrators to process and produce cooking wine, which is an important seasoning used locally to make beef noodles," Li said. "The contaminated beef noodles were consumed by that athlete, resulting in an extremely low concentration of TMZ in the positive sample. "The wrongdoers involved have been brought to justice." This new information raised eyebrows among the anti-doping leaders listening to Li's report. So much so that over the next month, several emails ensued to make sure the details about the noodles and wine made their way to WADA lawyers, who could then pass it onto Cottier. Eventually, Li did pass on the information to WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel and, just to be sure, one of the anti-doping leaders forwarded it, as well, according to the emails seen by the AP. All this came with Li's request that the noodles story be kept confidential. Turns out, it made it into Cottier's report, though he took the information with a grain of salt. "Indeed, giving it more attention would have required it to be documented, then scientifically verified and validated," he wrote. Neither Wenzel nor officials at the Chinese anti-doping agency returned messages from AP asking about the noodles conspiracy and the other athlete who Li suggested had been contaminated by them. Meanwhile, 11 of the swimmers who originally tested positive competed at the Paris Games earlier this year in a meet held under the cloud of the Chinese doping case. Though WADA considers the case closed, Koehler and others point to situations like this as one of many reasons that an investigation by someone other than Cottier, who was hired by WADA, is still needed. "It gives the appearance that people are just making things up as they go along on this, and hoping the story just goes away," Koehler said. "Which clearly it has not." Get local news delivered to your inbox!Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis.
By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday named Andrew Ferguson as the next chair of the Federal Trade Commission . He will replace Lina Khan, who became a lightning rod for Wall Street and Silicon Valley by blocking billions of dollars’ worth of corporate acquisitions and suing Amazon and Meta while alleging anticompetitive behavior . Ferguson is already one of the FTC’s five commissioners, which is currently made up of three Democrats and two Republicans. “Andrew has a proven record of standing up to Big Tech censorship, and protecting Freedom of Speech in our Great Country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, “Andrew will be the most America First, and pro-innovation FTC Chair in our Country’s History.” Related Articles National Politics | Biden issues veto threat on bill expanding federal judiciary as partisan split emerges National Politics | Trump lawyers and aide hit with 10 additional felony charges in Wisconsin over 2020 fake electors National Politics | After withdrawing as attorney general nominee, Matt Gaetz lands a talk show on OANN television National Politics | What will happen to Social Security under Trump’s tax plan? National Politics | Republican-led states are rolling out plans that could aid Trump’s mass deportation effort The replacement of Khan likely means that the FTC will operate with a lighter touch when it comes to antitrust enforcement. The new chair is expected to appoint new directors of the FTC’s antitrust and consumer protection divisions. “These changes likely will make the FTC more favorable to business than it has been in recent years, though the extent to which is to be determined,” wrote Anthony DiResta, a consumer protection attorney at Holland & Knight, in a recent analysis . Deals that were blocked by the Biden administration could find new life with Trump in command. For example, the new leadership could be more open to a proposed merger between the country’s two biggest supermarket chains, Kroger and Albertsons, which forged a $24.6 billion deal to combine in 2022. Two judges halted the merger Tuesday night. The FTC had filed a lawsuit in federal court earlier this year to block the merger, claiming the deal would eliminate competition, leading to higher prices and lower wages for workers. The two companies say a merger would help them lower prices and compete against bigger rivals like Walmart. One of the judges said the FTC had shown it was likely to prevail in the administrative hearing. Yet given the widespread public concern over high grocery prices, the Trump administration may not fully abandon the FTC’s efforts to block the deal, some experts have said. And the FTC may continue to scrutinize Big Tech firms for any anticompetitive behavior. Many Republican politicians have accused firms such as Meta of censoring conservative views, and some officials in Trump’s orbit, most notably Vice President-elect JD Vance, have previously expressed support for Khan’s scrutiny of Big Tech firms. In addition to Fergson, Trump also announced Tuesday that he had selected Jacob Helberg as the next undersecretary of state for economic growth, energy and the environment.
VIEW FROM THE GALLERY BY MAHMUD JEGA We all thought, with the impending withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic from ECOWAS at the end of January 2025 and the unlikelihood that they will utilise the six months period offered by ECOWAS leaders for them to have a rethink, “All will be quiet on the Northern Front,” to paraphrase from the title of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1928 novel about a German soldier’s life in World War One. Not so. Much like the German dictator Adolf Hitler, who opened a second, Eastern Front against the Soviet Union when his war against France and UK was not yet won, Nigerien military ruler General Abdourahmane Tchiani opened a Southern Front against Nigeria even when his battle to banish the French and Americans from his country was not yet won. Luckily this is not a shooting war; it is a political, diplomatic, economic, cultural, psychological and propaganda war that could however easily spin out of the Nigerien ruler’s control, much as Adolf Hitler lost control of events after launching Operation Barbarossa in June 1941. Last week, Tchiani gave a wide-ranging televised interview to a fawning journalist. Not only did the reporter not interrogate the soldier’s claims or demand for evidence, but he bent over backwards to nod in agreement at every one of Tchiani’s claims. On many occasions, he even completed his sentences for him. Critically, the interview was conducted in Hausa language. To some extent that is understandable because Tchiani probably speaks no English, only French, while most people of Niger Republic speak Hausa either as first or as second language, including Tchiani himself, who is an ethnic Zarma. But there was a more important reason. Hausa is the dominant language spoken in northern Nigeria, by tens of millions of people as first language and by some more millions as second language. Tchiani’s message is directed at them as well as at his countrymen, for two different but related reasons. Until the recent misunderstanding arose following last year’s coup in Niger Republic, the peoples of Northern Nigeria and Niger Republic see themselves as one due to deep historical ties and socio-cultural similarities. The response of ECOWAS and Nigerian government to the events in that country, especially the initial threat of military action to depose the coupists, was not well received in Northern Nigeria, where many people thought a war with Niger Republic is unthinkable. Many people in Nigeria do not really think that restoring democracy to a friendly neighbouring country is worth a war, or even sanctions that could disrupt their lives and also hurt our own border communities. ECOWAS has since backtracked from those threats, but Tchiani is intent on whipping up sentiment in the North, using the agency of Hausa language, to further upstage President Tinubu and if possible, win the support of millions of other Africans in his fight against France. And for a good reason. The soldiers who overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum, in a desperate search for legitimacy, found, whipped up and rode on anti-French sentiment like an Argentine polo pony. Sure, French colonial and post-colonial record in Africa is sordid, hence the relative ease with which it was easy to whip up feelings against it and chase its troops and military bases out of a long swathe of West Africa all the way from Chad, Niger Republic, Burkina Faso, Mali and most recently, Senegal. However, Tchiani and the soldiers did not just promise to oust the French and Americans. They also promised that their country will oust terrorists, enjoy peace and security and also experience an economic boom, allegedly because France will no longer be stealing its resources. To boot, they sought to bring in the Russians to assist with both security and economic prosperity. A year down the road, neither prospect is on the cards. Trade with Nigeria, not to mention smuggling of petrol and food, has always been a major factor in Niger Republic’s economy. Even without ECOWAS sanctions, Nigeria’s government is trying to stem the flow of subsidised petrol to our neighbours, hence Niger will feel the heat. Expected Russian help on the security front was not forthcoming either. Tchiani must have wished it was the old Soviet Union, which had global reach and power, and deep commitment in those days to strategic alliances as well as the “Brezhnev Doctrine,” which the Communist Party defined as “defending the gains of socialism worldwide.” Matters were not helped by the mysterious death of Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, the arrow head of Russian military intervention in Africa. He was killed in a plane crash in August last year, immediately after he returned to Russia from a visit to Niger Republic. Russia itself is so mired in its war in Ukraine that it needs help from Iran, China and North Korea. That Russia couldn’t render help recently when its most prized strategic Middle East ally, Syrian President Hafiz al-Assad, was overthrown by rebels was the best pointer yet that a Sahelian African ally should hardly rely on it to help pull any chestnuts out of a domestic fire. Most probably, it was the recent bombing of the Niger-Benin Republic oil pipeline, allegedly by the Lakurawa terrorist group, that drove General Tchiani to desperation and he began his frantic search for a scapegoat. Nigeria came in handy. Not the whole of Nigeria, but specifically the Tinubu Administration, which he hopes to destabilise by inciting the Hausa speaking section of Nigeria’s population against it. How that will bring either security or economic prosperity to his country, I am yet to figure out. The most important allegations that Tchiani made are that the Nigerian government is working to destabilise Niger Republic, that it created and sponsors the Lakurawa terrorist group, and that there are French military bases in Nigeria. With respect to the first allegation, since I am not a government official in Nigeria, I have no access to secret planning files. However, three people who have access to those files and will be privy to any such plans if they exist, namely National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu, Information Minister Mohammed Idris and Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, have all denied that there is such a plot. I believe them. Why because, what can Nigeria possibly gain by destabilising Niger Republic? Last year, the initially stated goal of both Nigeria and ECOWAS in adopting a hostile attitude towards Tchiani and the coupists was to restore democratic rule, and if possible, restore President Bazoum to power. Those aims are all but abandoned now because neither Nigerians nor Nigeriens have exhibited a hunger for restoring democratic rule in that country. A possible reason for the Nigerian government’s initial response was the fear that a successful military coup in Niger Republic could have a contagious effect in neighbouring countries, including Nigeria. I don’t think there is a good reason for that fear now. Besides, if chaos were to envelop Niger Republic, millions of its citizens could flee to Nigeria, as happened during the 1973-74 Sahelian drought. Luckily General Yakubu Gowon is still around; we only have to ask him how he grappled with the mass inflow. Nigeria created Lakurawa terrorist group in order to destabilise Niger Republic? To begin with, all the Lakurawa men are of Nigerien and possibly Burkinabe and Malian origin, as attested to by people of northern and western Sokoto and Kebbi states who encountered them. These people know a Nigerien when they see one, from his looks, dress, accent, tribal marks, manners and ways of speaking, greeting and praying. We have 200 million plus people in Nigeria, many of them in desperate search for employment and adventure, including a lot of ex-servicemen and veteran Boko Haramists, ISWAPists and bandits. We don’t have to go very far in a search for recruits. More seriously, if Nigerian security agents created the Lakurawa army, why was it unleashed against communities in Nigeria, why is it causing so much mayhem, such that Nigerian Air Force has to drop bombs on its suspected camps, with image-damaging collateral damage on hapless villagers? Tchiani’s most specific allegation was that there are French military camps in Nigeria. He even mentioned a place, Banga, which he said is in Silame Local Government of Sokoto State, and another place in Borno State. Well, there were reports in the newspapers yesterday where communities in northern Sokoto State denied that there were any foreign military bases in the area. If there are, they will know. Even a Nigerian Army Forward Operating Base will be very visible in a local community. A foreign military base will be known to everyone. For one, white French soldiers will stand out in a local Nigerian community like an archbishop in a brothel, to borrow a French saying. Tanks, armoured vehicles, huge radars and even aircraft will be all over such a base. Tchiani knows best what a foreign military base looks like because there were several of them in his country during his 13-year stint as Head of the Presidential Guard. As NSA Nuhu Ribadu stated, we never had foreign military bases in Nigeria, but during my primary and secondary school days, I read much about the American Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base both in the Philippines, before they were closed down in the 1990s. We also read much about America’s strategic bomber base in Diego Garcia, its Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, its naval base in Guantanamo, Cuba, as well as bases in Munich, South Korea and its Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. A foreign military base cannot be innocuous. Tchiani alleged there are such bases in Nigeria and locals say there are none. A judge who is judging over this case will invoke the legal principle of falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus. That is, “False in one, false in all.” If you tell one lie, all your other testimony is thrown out. How times change. In the 1960s, Nigerian university students staged protests against French testing of nuclear weapons in the Sahara Desert in southern Algeria, slightly to the north of Niger Republic. Prime Minister Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa even went to London to protest. Did Niger Republic lodge a protest? See who is now accusing the other of acquiescing in French military machinations.Uncover How One Tech Giant’s Success is Shaping the Future of ElectronicsReal Madrid’s big stars turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering Champions League title defense on Tuesday. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a thrilling 3-2 win at Italian league leader Atalanta. But Madrid still had to ride its luck as Mateo Retegui fired over from in front of goal in stoppage time when handed a golden chance to level the game. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champion in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. “It’s a very important win. Not everyone wins here. We suffered and competed. In the Champions League, you have to suffer,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “It’s still difficult to finish in the top eight, but we have two games left to earn points.” Six-time champion Liverpool leads the way after maintaining its perfect record in Europe this season with a 1-0 win against Girona. Like Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain also picked up a much-needed win, beating Salzburg 3-0 to sit in the last playoff spot in 24th place. Bayer Leverkusen is second after a 1-0 win over Inter Milan, while Aston Villa beat Leipzig 3-2 and is third. The top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16. Positions nine to 24 face a playoff to reach the next phase. After three losses in its opening five games of the league phase, the pressure was mounting on Madrid. Questions were also being asked of Mbappe after his uncertain start since his offseason move from PSG. But he produced a moment of class to fire Madrid 1-0 up after 10 minutes at Gewiss Stadium — controlling the ball with his left foot and then finishing low with his right. It was the 25-year-old Mbappe's 50th Champions League goal . Lionel Messi is the only player to have reached that number at a younger age. Mbappe was substituted off before halftime with an apparent physical issue and Charles De Ketelaere leveled the game before the break from the penalty spot. But two goals inside three second-half minutes from Vinicius Junior and Bellingham put Madrid in control. Ademola Lookman's goal made it 3-2, but Madrid survived Retegui's late effort and held on. Mohamed Salah’s 50th Champions League goal maintained Liverpool’s perfect record in the competition this season. The Egypt forward struck a 63rd minute penalty to seal the win in Spain that kept Liverpool atop the 36-team league. But even after a sixth straight win for the Merseyside club, head coach Arne Slot was critical of his players in a game that saw goalkeeper Alisson pull off several saves to keep Girona out. “If you ask me about all the six games, I’m really pleased with all the results, I am really pleased with the five (other) games with the way we played. I’m far from pleased about the performance tonight,” he said. Salah’s goal was his 16th in 22 appearances overall this season. Girona was 30th with just one win from six games. “I almost feel sorry for them because they deserved so much more in this Champions League campaign than the three points they have until now. But we have an incredible goalkeeper,” said Slot, whose team also leads the Premier League. Liverpool’s two remaining games are against Lille at home and PSV Eindhoven away in January. Story continues below video U.S. international Christian Pulisic is the only player to have scored against Liverpool in this season’s Champions League in a 3-1 loss for Milan in September. Bayern Munich routed Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 to move into the automatic qualifying positions for the round of 16. Michael Olise scored a wonderful solo goal by dribbling past a host of players for his first of two in the game. Bayern's win came after going 1-0 down inside five minutes to a goal from Brazilian winger Kevin. PSG is not done yet. A miserable start to the league phase saw the French giant pick up just four points from five games as it adjusted tp life without stars like Mbappe, Messi and Neymar, who have all departed in the past two seasons. But victory at Salzburg moved PSG up into the playoff positions. Goncalo Ramos, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue all scored. Leverkusen is back on a roll after struggling to repeat the success of last season's stunning German league and cup double. It's now six straight wins in all competitions, with Nordi Mukiele's 90th minute goal securing victory against Inter and moving Leverkusen into second on 13 points — five behind Liverpool. Villa, Inter and Brest are all on 13 points as well. Inter dropped to fourth after conceding for the first time in this season's competition. Villa is third after its own resurgence in form. Victory against Leipzig was its third in a row after an eight-game winless run. Brest is one of this season’s surprise packages on its Champions League debut and is fifth after beating PSV Eindhoven 1-0. Sporting Lisbon, in 12th, couldn’t build on taking a third-minute lead at Club Brugge — losing 2-1 in Belgium. Brugge is 14th. Dinamo Zagreb drew 0-0 with Celtic and both teams remain in the playoff positions. James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
How to Break Up Better
— BIRTH NAME: James Earl Carter, Jr. — BORN: Oct. 1, 1924, at the Wise Clinic in Plains, Georgia, the first U.S. president born in a hospital. He would become the first president to live for an entire century . — EDUCATION: Plains High School, Plains, Georgia, 1939-1941; Georgia Southwestern College, Americus, Georgia, 1941-1942; Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, 1942-1943; U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, 1943-1946 (class of 1947); Union College, Schenectady, New York, 1952-1953. — PRESIDENCY: Sworn-in as 39th president of the United States at the age of 52 years, 3 months and 20 days on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating President Gerald R. Ford in the 1976 general election. Left office on Jan. 20, 1981, following 1980 general election loss to Ronald Reagan. — POST-PRESIDENCY: Launched The Carter Center in 1982. Began volunteering at Habitat for Humanity in 1984. Awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Taught for 37 years at Emory University, where he was granted tenure in 2019, at age 94. — OTHER ELECTED OFFICES: Georgia state senator, 1963-1967; Georgia governor, 1971-1975. — OTHER OCCUPATIONS: Served in U.S. Navy, achieved rank of lieutenant, 1946-53; Farmer, warehouseman, Plains, Georgia, 1953-77. — FAMILY: Wife, Rosalynn Smith Carter , married July 7, 1946 until her death Nov. 19, 2023. They had three sons, John William (Jack), James Earl III (Chip), Donnel Jeffrey (Jeff); a daughter, Amy Lynn; and 11 living grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Source: Jimmy Carter Library & MuseumIndian billionaire Gautam Adani on Saturday said "attacks" on his company made it "stronger", days after US prosecutors accused him and other officials of fraud. The November 20 bombshell indictment in New York accused the industrialist and multiple subordinates of deliberately misleading international investors as part of a multi-million-dollar bribery scheme. Addressing the allegations for the first time, the 62-year-old tycoon said his conglomerate was committed to "world-class regulatory compliance". "What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger and every obstacle becomes a stepping stone for a more resilient Adani Group," he said at an awards ceremony in the northern Indian city of Jaipur. Adani is suspected of having participated in a $250 million scheme to bribe Indian officials for lucrative solar energy supply contracts. The billionaire, however, said nobody from his company had been charged with any violation of corruption laws or "any conspiracy to obstruct justice". The US Justice Department said Adani, his nephew Sagar Adani, and one other official were charged "with conspiracies to commit securities and wire fraud and substantive securities fraud". Five others were charged "with conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act," the department said. On Thursday, Adani's company said it had suffered a loss of nearly $55 billion in market capitalisation across its 11 listed companies since the US indictment was filed. With a business empire spanning coal, airports, cement and media, Adani Group has weathered previous corporate fraud allegations, suffering a similar stock rout last year. The conglomerate saw $150 billion wiped from its market value in 2023 after a report by short-seller Hindenburg Research accused it of "brazen" corporate fraud. Adani is a close ally of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi and was at one point the world's second-richest man, and critics have long accused him of improperly benefitting from their relationship. ash/aha
Liverpool suffered a setback on Friday (November 29, 2024) as central defender Ibrahima Konate confirmed he suffered an injury, days before the Merseyside club's Premier League home meeting with champions Manchester City. France international Konate, who has been superb at the heart of a Liverpool defence that has conceded only eight Premier League goals in 12 games, appeared to hurt his knee in a 2-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday (November 27, 2024). According to reports in British media, the 25-year-old could be sidelined for five to six weeks due to the injury. "So frustrating to pick up this injury right at the end of a great game on Wednesday (November 27, 2024) night," Konate wrote in a post on Instagram. "Now we start the recovery process but one thing I promise is I will come back and be the best I can be once again. Thank you for the amazing support at Anfield." Liverpool are also without first-choice goalkeeper Alisson, attacker Diogo Jota and left-back Konstantinos Tsimikas. The Premier League leaders can go 11 points clear on Sunday (December 1, 2024)if they can beat City, who have been struggling in recent weeks and are winless in six matches across all competitions. Published - December 01, 2024 05:03 am IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Football / sport
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