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what is the most popular online slot game Lewandowski joins Ronaldo and Messi in Champions League 100-goal club. Haaland nets 2 but City draws

By JOSH BOAK WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump loved to use tariffs on foreign goods during his first presidency. But their impact was barely noticeable in the overall economy, even if their aftershocks were clear in specific industries. The data show they never fully delivered on his promised factory jobs. Nor did they provoke the avalanche of inflation that critics feared. This time, though, his tariff threats might be different . The president-elect is talking about going much bigger — on a potential scale that creates more uncertainty about whether he’ll do what he says and what the consequences could be. “There’s going to be a lot more tariffs, I mean, he’s pretty clear,” said Michael Stumo, the CEO of Coalition for a Prosperous America, a group that has supported import taxes to help domestic manufacturing. The president-elect posted on social media Monday that on his first day in office he would impose 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada until those countries satisfactorily stop illegal immigration and the flow of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States. Those tariffs could essentially blow up the North American trade pact that Trump’s team negotiated during his initial term. Chinese imports would face additional tariffs of 10% until Beijing cracks down on the production of materials used in making fentanyl, Trump posted. Business groups were quick to warn about rapidly escalating inflation , while Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she would counter the move with tariffs on U.S. products. House Democrats put together legislation to strip a president’s ability to unilaterally apply tariffs this drastic, warning that they would likely lead to higher prices for autos, shoes, housing and groceries. Sheinbaum said Wednesday that her administration is already working up a list of possible retaliatory tariffs “if the situation comes to that.” “The economy department is preparing it,” Sheinbaum said. “If there are tariffs, Mexico would increase tariffs, it is a technical task about what would also benefit Mexico,” she said, suggesting her country would impose targeted import duties on U.S. goods in sensitive areas. House Democrats on Tuesday introduced a bill that would require congressional approval for a president to impose tariffs due to claims of a national emergency, a largely symbolic action given Republicans’ coming control of both the House and Senate. “This legislation would enable Congress to limit this sweeping emergency authority and put in place the necessary Congressional oversight before any president – Democrat or Republican – could indiscriminately raise costs on the American people through tariffs,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash. But for Trump, tariffs are now a tested tool that seems less politically controversial even if the mandate he received in November’s election largely involved restraining inflation. The tariffs he imposed on China in his first term were continued by President Joe Biden, a Democrat who even expanded tariffs and restrictions on the world’s second largest economy. Biden administration officials looked at removing Trump’s tariffs in order to bring down inflationary pressures, only to find they were unlikely to help significantly. Tariffs were “so new and unique that it freaked everybody out in 2017,” said Stumo, but they were ultimately somewhat modest. Trump imposed tariffs on solar panels and washing machines at the start of 2018, moves that might have pushed up prices in those sectors even though they also overlapped with plans to open washing machine plants in Tennessee and South Carolina. His administration also levied tariffs on steel and aluminum, including against allies. He then increased tariffs on China, leading to a trade conflict and a limited 2020 agreement that failed to produce the promised Chinese purchases of U.S. goods. Still, the dispute changed relations with China as more U.S. companies looked for alternative suppliers in other countries. Economic research also found the United States may have sacrificed some of its “soft power” as the Chinese population began to watch fewer American movies. The Federal Reserve kept inflation roughly on target, but factory construction spending never jumped in a way that suggested a lasting gain in manufacturing jobs. Separate economic research found the tariff war with China did nothing economically for the communities hurt by offshoring, but it did help Trump and Republicans in those communities politically. When Trump first became president in 2017, the federal government collected $34.6 billion in customs, duties and fees. That sum more than doubled under Trump to $70.8 billion in 2019, according to Office of Management and Budget records. While that sum might seem meaningful, it was relatively small compared to the overall economy. America’s gross domestic product is now $29.3 trillion, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The total tariffs collected in the United States would equal less than 0.3% of GDP. The new tariffs being floated by Trump now are dramatically larger and there could be far more significant impacts. If Mexico, Canada, and China faced the additional tariffs proposed by Trump on all goods imported to the United States, that could be roughly equal to $266 billion in tax collections, a number that does not assume any disruptions in trade or retaliatory moves by other countries. The cost of those taxes would likely be borne by U.S. families, importers and domestic and foreign companies in the form of higher prices or lower profits. Former Biden administration officials said they worried that companies could piggyback on Trump’s tariffs — if they’re imposed — as a rationale to raise their prices, just as many companies after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 boosted food and energy costs and gave several major companies the space to raise prices, according to their own earnings calls with investors. But what Trump didn’t really spell out is what might cause him to back down on tariffs and declare a victory. What he is creating instead with his tariff threats is a sense of uncertainty as companies and countries await the details to figure out what all of this could mean. “We know the key economic policy priorities of the incoming Trump administration, but we don’t know how or when they will be addressed,” said Greg Daco, chief U.S. economist at EY-Parthenon. AP writer Mark Stevenson contributed to this report from Mexico City.

WASHINGTON -- President-elect Donald Trump 's team still hasn't signed agreements that are required to formally begin the transition process to the White House — meaning the government can't provide security clearances and briefings to incoming administration officials and the FBI can't screen his rush of picks for the Cabinet and other key posts . The importance of strenuous federal background screenings — and the fact that Trump's team has not been subjecting the president-elect's selections to such vetting — was evident Thursday, when former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew as Trump's pick for attorney general following continued scrutiny over a federal sex trafficking investigation that cast doubt on whether he could be confirmed by the Senate. The continued delay on agreeing to start the formal transition process may eventually force senators to vote on Trump’s choices without the benefit of the usual background checks. That process is designed to uncover personal problems, criminal histories and other potential red flags that would raise questions about a nominee’s suitability for key jobs. Beyond the top personnel picks that Trump already has announced, good governance activists and other experts on the transition process have warned for weeks that refusing to sign the transition documents will make it impossible for potentially hundreds of Trump national security appointees to get clearances. And that means the new administration won't be fully prepared to govern when Trump takes power on Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, 2025. Here's a look at where things stand and what effect the delay might have: At issue are memorandums of understanding under which the incoming administration agrees to work with the outgoing one while also submitting requests for name and background checks. The FBI then commits to flagging to the White House any adverse information uncovered during the process. Congressionally mandated ethics disclosures and donor contribution limits are required as part of the agreements needed to begin the transition process. A reluctance to comply with those has been a factor in the Trump team's hesitance to sign them, according to a person familiar with the process who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal discussions. No. There's still time for the agreements to be signed. A Justice Department spokesperson said discussions were ongoing with the Trump transition team, which did not respond to a request for comment on Thursday. But transition spokesman Brian Hughes said earlier this month that the team’s “lawyers continue to constructively engage with" lawyers and officials from President Joe Biden 's outgoing administration and promised updates “once a decision is made.” In the meantime, Trump's team has relied on internal campaign aides, allied groups and outside law firms to support its personnel effort. Trump for years has regarded FBI leadership with suspicion — in part because of the Russian election interference investigation that shadowed his first term, and more recently because of FBI investigations into his hoarding of classified documents and his efforts to undo the results of the 2020 election that led to his indictment last year. During a normal transition period, the new administration uses the time before taking office to begin working to fill 4,000 government positions with political appointees, or people who are specifically tapped for their jobs by Trump’s team. That includes everyone from the secretary of state and other heads of Cabinet departments to those selected to serve part-time on boards and commissions. Around 1,200 of those presidential appointments require Senate confirmation — which should be easier with the Senate shifting to Republican control in January. Trump has moved at record-setting speed to announce his key picks , and Senate GOP leaders say they plan to launch confirmation hearings as soon as the new Congress convenes on Jan. 3 — potentially allowing them to begin voting on nominees as soon as Inauguration Day. But lawmakers also are complaining about what they see as insufficient screening of the picks they’re being asked to consider. Some Senate Republicans have expressed concern about alleged wrongdoing by some Trump selections and two Democratic House members — Don Beyer of Virginia and Ted Lieu of California — introduced a proposal seeking to codify the FBI’s role in the background check process for political appointees of the president. And, while Gaetz is no longer an issue, he's not the only Trump pick with an eyebrow-raising background. The president-elect's nominee to be defense secretary, former Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, was accused of sexual assault in 2017 after a speaking appearance at a Republican women’s event in Monterey, California, but was not charged after a police investigation. A police report released Thursday contains graphic details of the sexual assault allegations. The selection of former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence has alarmed some U.S. intelligence analysts. They point to her past criticism of Ukraine, comments supportive of Russia and meetings with Syrian President Bashar Assad, a close ally of Russia and Iran. Incoming members of Trump's administration aren't getting briefings and other information from their outgoing Biden administration counterparts that can help them better prepare for their new jobs. And Trump appointees with positions involving a security clearance won't be able to begin work without a required background check. Once the president-elect takes office, however, he could simply order that officials be given a security clearance, as he was reported to have done for son-in-law Jared Kushner during his first term. Whether the delay thus far will have any longer-term effects is impossible to yet know. The delayed process may not matter much given that Trump has already served as president and has a much better understanding of how to run an administration than he did in 2016, when he won his first term. But there is precedent for problems. The 9/11 Commission suggested that the disputed election of 2000 — which delayed the start of the transition between outgoing President Bill Clinton and incoming President George W. Bush until December — raised questions about national security gaps from one administration to the other that may have contributed to the U.S. being underprepared for the Sept. 11 attacks the following year. The “36-day delay cut in half the normal transition period,” which constituted a “loss of time that hampered the new administration in identifying, recruiting, clearing and obtaining Senate confirmation of key appointees” the commission's report stated in 2004. ___Browns restructure QB Deshaun Watson's contract to create cap space, flexibility, AP source says

Top gas plays have weathered the challenges and embraced opportunities in 2024 Gas will continue to play a major role in the global energy mix Australia still needs new sources of gas to avert forecast supply shortages One of the key themes in any discussion about energy has been about the continued role gas plays even as the world continues its march towards net zero emissions. In Australia, this is marked by the growing realisation that years of under investment in exploration means there are no ready replacements for ageing gas fields. This has led the Australian Energy Market Operator to warn in its 2024 Gas Statement of Opportunities that eastern Australia could experience shortfalls on extreme peak demand days from 2025, small seasonal supply gaps from 2026, and the controlled reduction of electricity supplied to homes and business during periods of peak demand from 2028. Energy consultancy EnergyQuest is far more pessimistic, saying that its calculations have indicated that there was only enough gas to meet 70% of NSW and ACT needs in the winters of 2026, 2027 and 2028 while Victoria would likely need to source 32% of its gas from LNG from the winter of 2028. Things aren’t much better globally, with the World Bank projecting the tightness of gas supplies in 2024 will persist in 2025 and 2026 with demand growth outstripping corresponding growth in supply. Natural gas storage in the European Union is already under pressure from high withdrawal rates and supply tightness is likely to get worse if forecasts that the region will experience its coldest winter since 2020 prove accurate. Gas company struggles are real While this might seem like the perfect environment for ASX gas plays to benefit from, the reality is that the demonisation of all fossil fuels has made investment almost taboo. One recent example is Commonwealth Bank, which announced in August 2024 that it would no longer offer money to fossil fuel companies that are not aligned with the Paris Agreement. Government action has also served to disincentivise investment with the $12 per gigajoule gas cap introduced in December 2022 acting to slow investment and introduce uncertainty about further market intervention . Environmental policies also appear to have disproportionately targeted gas , making it difficult to secure approvals for larger projects. It is not all negative though. The Federal government has recognised that gas is important and introduced a Future Gas Strategy that acknowledges this. Increasing pressure when power outages occur and the opposition, which backs faster approvals and development schedules, could also force the Albanese government to improve these areas if it stays in power following the 2025 election. With this in mind, here are some of the top performing gas plays in 2024 that have the potential to make further gains in 2025. CODE COMPANY PRICE MONTH % YEAR % MARKET CAP ROG Red Sky Energy. 0.01 37.5 120.0 $ 59,644,499 AXP AXP Energy Ltd 0.002 33.3 100.0 $ 5,824,681 CUE CUE Energy Resource 0.09 -6 86.5 $ 65,675,634 HYT Hyterra Ltd 0.04 -22.2 78.6 $ 61,786,438 TDO 3D Energi Ltd 0.1 6.74 63.8 $ 31,489,988 AEL Amplitude Energy 0.19 11.8 46.2 $ 501,607,264 ORG Origin Energy 10.4 0.14 22.8 $ 17,968,000,000 HZN Horizon Oil Limited 0.19 4.17 21.0 $ 300,680,864 LIO Lion Energy Limited 0.02 -21.7 9.1 $ 7,686,851 CND Condor Energy Ltd 0.02 -32.1 5.6 $ 11,726,674 Red Sky Energy (ASX:ROG) Red Sky holds a 20% interest in the Santos-operated Innamincka Dome project in South Australia and started receiving revenue in August 2023 from the sale of natural gas (76%) and liquids after the Yarrow field was tied into the grid. The company received $2.86m in cash receipts from then till the end of September 2024. About 76% of this comes from natural gas sales while the remainder is derived from ethane, LPG and condensate. The company recently completed the re-entry of the Yarrow-1 well and noted in mid-November that it is mobilising a workover rig to fracture stimulate it. The well is expected to boost output and revenue once it becomes fully operational in Q2 2025. AXP Energy (ASX:AXP) AXP is focused on establishing its Pathfinder gas field in Colorado as a reliable, off-grid gas-fired power generation operation. The company recently connected two modular data centres used for Bitcoin mining to the gas-to-power infrastructure at its Pathfinder #2 well site. Once this is completed, it will commence the setup of two more sites at the JW Powell and Kelce Court well sites. Cue Energy Resources (ASX:CUE) Cue Energy holds a diverse portfolio of oil and gas assets in Australia, Indonesia and New Zealand that generated $49.7m in revenue during FY2024 and delivered net profit after tax of $14.2m. In early December 2024, operator Central Petroleum started infill drilling at the Mereenie field in the Northern Territory to increase its near-term gas production back towards field capacity above 6 terajoules per day. Up to an additional 6TJ/d of gas from the two wells can be sold by the JV on a firm basis under the recently executed NT government gas sales agreement. Cue has a 7.5% interest in Mereenie. It also has a 15% stake in the Sampang PSC offshore Java, Indonesia, where the JV is moving towards a final investment decision on the Paus Biru project that could produce 20-25 million cubic feet of gas per day. Pic: CUE 3D Energi (ASX:TDO) 3D Energi holds a number of exploration licences across Australia, however its focus is on the Otway permits that were farmed out to supermajor ConocoPhillips. Conoco is carrying TDO for the drilling of two wells in 2025 under Phase 1 to a total of $65m. While the exact locations of the wells will be determined after 3D seismic is acquired and interpreted, the T/49P and VIC/P79 permits have the potential to host multiple trillion cubic feet of gas. Successful drilling could deliver much needed gas into the east coast market. Amplitude Energy (ASX:AEL) Formerly known as Cooper Energy, Amplitude is a significant producer of gas in Australia’s southeastern states. During FY2024, the company produced 62.1 terajoules of gas equivalent per day which returned underlying EBITDAX of $127.5m. Looking ahead, it expects production to increase to between 65 and 72TJe/d in FY2025 due to continued improvements at its Orbost plant in Victoria that will be accompanied by growing exposure to high spot and current market prices. The company has plans to start drilling in H2 2025 to test gross unrisked resources of >350 billion cubic feet in established basins. This is aimed at delivering first gas in 2028. HyTerra Limited (ASX:HYT) Natural hydrogen focused HyTerra recently expanded its Nemaha project landholding in Kansas by >15% to more than 60,000 acres, giving it plenty of room to expand should its upcoming drill program be successful. To top it off, Andrew Forrest’s Fortescue (ASX:FMG) made a $21.9m investment to earn a 39.66% stake in the company, a clear sign that big players are interested in the potential to find naturally occurring hydrogen with which to decarbonise existing uses of the gas. The investment also allowed the HYT to expand its original two well exploration program into a six well campaign to test a number of geological plays across its acreage. Historical exploration wells have already confirmed the presence of natural hydrogen and helium, with some returning up to 92% hydrogen and 3% helium. The Nemaha project. Pic: HyTerra Origin Energy (ASX:ORG) The only major energy company on our list of top performers in 2024, Origin has benefitted from continued strength of its LNG export business and domestic gas sales. During the September 2024 quarter, Australia Pacific LNG returned a 1% increase in revenue to $2.6bn due to higher sales volumes while domestic gas volumes were steady compared to the September 2023 quarter as higher retail sales and gas to generation were offset by a decrease in business volumes. For FY2025, it expects its LNG business to perform similarly to FY2024, when it produced 694 petajoules of gas while domestic gas profit is expected to moderate due to lower market prices. Horizon Oil (ASX:HZN) Like CUE, Horizon holds a 25% interest in the Mereenie gas field where Central is drilling two infill wells to increase near-term gas production. Mereenie currently accounts for 30-40% of the Northern Territory’s domestic gas supply, a number that will rise under the new gas sales agreement with its government. It also holds the producing Maari and Block 22/12 oil fields in New Zealand and China respectively. Lion Energy (ASX:LIO) While Lion has long enjoyed production from its small 2.5% (soon to be 2.25%) interest in Seram (Non-Bula) production sharing contract offshore Seram Island, Indonesia, and progressed oil exploration at its East Seram PSC, it is now progressing its green hydrogen ambitions. In Q3 2024, it signed a joint development agreement with Mitsubishi Corporation subsidiary DGA Energy Solutions Australia and Samsung C&T Corporation for the joint development of the Port of Brisbane green hydrogen project. DGA and Samsung will pay a total of $3.7m for historical and ongoing pre-construction costs in return for each taking up a 25% stake in the project. They will also procure $6.3m in debt financing, which will satisfy the capital requirement to complete the project. The Port of Brisbane project is designed to produce an initial 420kg/day of green hydrogen for public bus fleets and also to supply fuel cells providing onsite off-grid power to the Queensland construction and mining sectors. It is close to most of Brisbane’s 70+ bus depots as well as significant heavy vehicle traffic to and from the Port. Condor Energy (ASX:CND) Stepping a little further afield, Condor holds the Piedra Redonda gas field that covers almost all of the Tumbes Basin offshore Peru. The underexplored 4858km2 block is surrounded by multiple historical and currently producing oil and gas fields while Piedra Redonda itself has best estimate contingent resources of 404 billion cubic feet of gas. Its prospectivity has been enhanced by interpretation of newly reprocessed 3D seismic data which suggests the field is stratigraphic trap. This could improve reservoir connectivity and potential for future development. Adding further interest, a new petrophysical evaluation of the C-18X discovery well has indicated that a significant 500m gas column could be present from the crest of the structure down to the observed base. An updated resource estimate is currently being progressed. At Stockhead we tell it like it is. While HyTerra is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this article. Originally published as 2024’s top gas performers have their eyes on the future Stockhead Don't miss out on the headlines from Stockhead. Followed categories will be added to My News. More related stories Stockhead Bell Potter’s 2025 mining stocks to watch Gold benefits from rate cuts, while copper shows long-term promise, with Bell Potter backing both for 2025. Read more Stockhead More small cap gems set to shine in 2025 After a stellar 2024 for recovering small to mid caps sector, our experts scour the sector for more overlooked nuggets. Read moreMETAIRIE, La. -- Dejounte Murray plans to return to the New Orleans Pelicans ' lineup Wednesday night for the first time since fracturing his left hand in a season-opening victory over Chicago on Oct. 23. And when Murray takes the court against the Toronto Raptors , his mother will be on his mind. After practice Tuesday, Murray discussed his impending return and disclosed more details about the previously unspecified "personal matters" that caused him to leave the team during the final days of the preseason. His mother had a stroke, he said. "It was tough to leave and go deal with that. As she got better, she wanted me to come play," Murray said of his last-minute decision to start against Chicago. Editor's Picks Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning 4d Shams Charania NBA Power Rankings: OKC battles out West, Magic ascend in the East 6d NBA Insiders Surprise ROY? Repeat MVPs? Expert picks for NBA early-season awards 1d ESPN staff He added that his hand injury near the end of that game was God's way of telling him, "Nah, you need to stay with your mom." "I was more concerned about my mother. That was my priority," Murray continued. "I wasn't really worried about my recovery." Murray's mother has recovered well, he said, while he is "healthy and ready to help this team." "I'm ready to hoop. Play for my mother -- she's going to be watching," Murray said. "I'm ready to compete, bring that winning spirit." The Pelicans (4-14) certainly could use the help, having lost 14 of 16 games since opening the season with a pair of victories. Injuries have ravaged the roster. At times, all five starters have been out. Star power forward Zion Williamson has missed 12 games this season -- one with an illness and 11 with a hamstring injury. Herbert Jones has been sidelined by a shoulder strain, and Brandon Ingram 's status is in doubt after he sat out practice Tuesday with calf soreness that also sidelined him during a loss Monday night at Indiana. But at least two starters -- Murray and fellow guard CJ McCollum -- are expected to play against the Raptors. "I don't care how many games we've lost. I just know every time I step on the floor I feel like we can win games," said Murray, who had 14 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in his lone game with the Pelicans. "That's just my mentality, and I feel like it can carry over to a lot of guys."Alabama flips RB Jace Clarizio from Michigan State

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Running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment from his local team, Michigan State, to Alabama. The decision, announced by Clarizio on social media Tuesday, comes after the East Lansing (Mich.) High standout visited head coach Kalen DeBoer's Crimson Tide on Nov. 16. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Each year, an estimated 46 million turkeys are consumed on Thanksgiving alone, with production largely concentrated in a handful of states. To determine the top turkey producers in the U.S., researchers ranked states based on 2023 total turkey production, measured in pounds. Click for more. Thanksgiving's Hometown Heroes: The States You Can Thank for Your Turkey DinnerHong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai’s court case a ‘show trial’: son

ROME (AP) — Robert Lewandowski joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the only players in Champions League history with 100 or more goals. But Erling Haaland is on a faster pace than anyone by boosting his total to 46 goals at age 24 on Tuesday. Still, Haaland's brace wasn't enough for Manchester City in a 3-3 draw with Feyenoord that extended the Premier League champion's winless streak to six matches. Lewandowski’s early penalty kick started Barcelona off to a 3-0 win over previously unbeaten Brest to move into second place in the new single-league format. The Poland striker added goal No. 101 in second-half stoppage time. Ronaldo leads the all-time scoring list with 140 goals and Messi is next with 129. But neither Ronaldo nor Messi play in the Champions League anymore following moves to Saudi Arabia and the United States, respectively. “It’s a nice number,” Lewandowski said. “In the past I didn’t think I could score more than 100 goals in the Champions League. I’m in good company alongside Cristiano and Messi.” The 36-year-old Lewandowski required 125 matches to reach the century mark, two more than Messi (123) and 12 fewer than Ronaldo (137). Barcelona also got a second-half score from Dani Olmo. The top eight finishers in the standings advance directly to the round of 16 in March. Teams ranked ninth to 24th go into a knockout playoffs round in February, while the bottom 12 teams are eliminated. Haaland converted a first-half penalty to eclipse Messi as the youngest player to reach 45 goals then scored City's third after the break to raise his total to 46 goals in 44 games. Ilkay Gundogan had City's second. But then Feyenoord struck back with goals from Anis Hadj Moussa, Santiago Gimenez and David Hancko. Inter Milan beat Leipzig 1-0 with an own goal to move atop the standings with 13 points, one more than Barcelona and Liverpool, which faces Real Madrid on Wednesday. The Serie A champion is the only club that hasn't conceded a goal. Bayern Munich beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 — the same score from the 2020 final between the two teams. PSG ended with 10 men and remained in the elimination zone. The French powerhouse has struggled in Europe after Kylian Mbappe’s move to Real Madrid. Kim Min-jae’s first-half header was enough for Bayern, especially after Ousmane Dembelé was sent off in the 56th with his second yellow. Atalanta moved within two points of the lead with a 6-1 win at Young Boys. Charles De Ketelaere scored two and assisted on three other goals for Atalanta. Also, Arsenal kept red-hot striker Viktor Gyokeres quiet in a 5-1 win over Sporting Lisbon; and Germany star Florian Wirtz scored two goals and was involved in two more as Bayer Leverkusen boosted its chances of finishing in the top eight with a 5-0 rout of Salzburg. AC Milan followed up its win at Real Madrid with a 3-2 victory at last-place Slovan Bratislava in an early match. Christian Pulisic put the seven-time champion ahead midway through the first half by finishing off a counterattack. Then Rafael Leao restored the Rossoneri’s advantage after Tigran Barseghyan had equalized for Bratislava and Tammy Abraham quickly added another. Nino Marcelli scored with a long-range strike in the 88th for Bratislava, which ended with 10 men. Bratislava has lost all five of its matches. Argentina World Cup winner Julian Alvarez scored twice and Atletico Madrid routed Sparta Prague 6-0 in the other early game. Alvarez scored with a free kick 15 minutes in and Marcos Llorente added a long-range strike before the break. Alvarez finished off a counterattack early in the second half after being set up by substitute Antoine Griezmann, who then marked his 100th Champions League game by getting on the scoresheet himself. Angel Correa added a late brace for Atletico, which earned its biggest away win in Europe. Atletico beat Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round and extended its winning streak across all competitions to six matches. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

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In a move to enhance mobility and improve access to education, healthcare, and farming opportunities, the Osagyefo Ampem Foundation has entered into a five-year partnership with Trans Sahara Industries to supply electric bicycles to the citizens of the Wenchi Traditional Area in Ghana’s Bono region. This initiative aims to ease the daily struggles of students, nurses, and farmers, many of whom currently endure long walks to their respective destinations. The partnership was officially announced by Osagyefo Ampem Anyye Amoampong Tabrako III, the Omanhene of Wenchi, during the annual Yam Festival in Wenchi, underscoring the community’s ongoing efforts to improve the lives of its members. The initiative, dubbed “Our Wheels of Change,” is part of the Foundation’s broader mission to improve transportation options and access to vital services in the region. Trans Sahara Industries, a leading Ghanaian company specializing in electric micromobility solutions, has committed to donating 100 electric bicycles annually for the next five years to support this initiative. These bicycles will benefit individuals who face challenges accessing education and healthcare due to the geographic constraints of the Wenchi Municipality. The first batch of bicycles was handed over during the Yam Festival, marking the start of the collaboration. Founded by the Omanhene, the Osagyefo Ampem Foundation aims to improve the social and economic welfare of the people in the Wenchi Traditional Area and beyond. This partnership will serve as a significant step in reducing the travel burden on community members, particularly children who need to walk long distances to reach schools, as well as healthcare workers and farmers who face similar challenges. In his address during the festival, Osagyefo Ampem Anyye Amoampong Tabrako III also extended his congratulations to Alhaji Seidu Haruna, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Wenchi, following his victory in the December 2024 elections. The Omanhene pledged his full support for the new MP, urging the people of Wenchi to unite and set aside political differences to foster development in the region. This initiative not only aims to improve transportation but also represents a commitment to empowering the community of Wenchi, providing them with the tools needed to thrive in education, healthcare, and agriculture.Browns restructure QB Deshaun Watson's contract to create cap space, flexibility, AP source says

Trump convinced Republicans to overlook his misconduct. But can he do the same for his nominees?SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Brock Purdy threw one short pass in the open portion of practice for the San Francisco 49ers as he remains slowed by an injury to his throwing shoulder that has already forced him to miss a game. Purdy spent the bulk of the session of Wednesday's practice open to reporters as either a spectator or executing handoffs outside of one short pass to Jordan Mason. Purdy hurt his shoulder during a loss to Seattle on Nov. 17. He tried to throw at practice last Thursday but had soreness in his right shoulder and shut it down. He missed a loss to Green Bay but was able to do some light throwing on Monday. His status for this week remains in doubt as the Niners (5-6) prepare to visit Buffalo on Sunday night. Purdy isn't the only key player for San Francisco dealing with injuries. Left tackle Trent Williams and defensive end Nick Bosa remain sidelined at practice Wednesday after missing last week's game. Williams was using a scooter to get around the locker room as he deals with a left ankle injury. Bosa has been out with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Bosa said the week off helped him make progress and that he hopes to be able to take part in individual drills later in the week. Bosa wouldn't rule out being able to play on Sunday. "It’s feeling a lot better,” Bosa said. “Still need to get better before I’m ready to go. This week will be big and I’ll know a lot more in the next couple of days.” Running back Christian McCaffrey has been able to play, but isn't back to the form that helped him win AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 after missing the first eight games this season with Achilles tendinitis. McCaffrey has 149 yards rushing in three games back with his 3.5 yards per carry down significantly from last season's mark of 5.4. But he is confident he will be able to get back to his usual level of play. “When you lose and maybe you don’t jump out on the stat sheet, your failures are highlighted,” he said. “I’m happy I’m out here playing football and I just know with time it will come.” Coach Kyle Shanahan said he has liked what he has seen from McCaffrey, adding that there hasn't been much room to run in recent weeks. But Shanahan said it takes time to get back to speed after McCaffrey had almost no practice time for nine months. “Guys who miss offseasons and miss training camp, usually it takes them a little bit of time at the beginning of the year to get back into how they were the year before, let alone missing half the season also on top of that,” Shanahan said. “I think Christian’s doing a hell of a job. But to just think him coming back in Week 8 with not being able to do anything for the last nine months or whatever it is, and to think he’s just going to be in MVP form is a very unrealistic expectation.” NOTES: LB Dre Greenlaw took part in his first practice since tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl. Greenlaw will likely need a couple of weeks of practice before being able to play. ... LB Fred Warner said he has been dealing with a fracture in his ankle since Week 4 and is doing his best to manage the pain as he plays through it. ... CB Deommodore Lenoir didn't practice after banging knees on Sunday. His status for this week remains in question. ... DT Jordan Elliott (concussion), OL Aaron Banks (concussion) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) also didn't practice. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition

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