SEATTLE (AP) — The Seattle Seahawks rode their dominant defense to a big win over a division rival to vault into first place in the NFC West. No, it isn’t 2013. These are the 2024 Seahawks, who, after struggling mightily against the run earlier this season, held the visiting Arizona Cardinals to 49 rushing yards in Sunday's 16-6 victory . The defensive line kept Kyler Murray under consistent pressure thanks to a dominant performance from Leonard Williams, the secondary flew around to smack away passes, and safety Coby Bryant scored on a 69-yard pick-6. Sunday's defensive performance was reminiscent of the Seahawks of a decade ago and a promising sign that first-year coach Mike Macdonald’s system is starting to click. Macdonald, who coordinated Baltimore's NFL-best defense last year, was leading one of the worst rush defenses in the league earlier this season. But Seattle consistently stuffed the Cardinals, who came in as the fifth-best running team in the league at 149.4 yards per game. “Three games in a row now we played pretty decent on defense,” Macdonald said. “There is an expectation and standard here throughout the course of our Seahawks history that we’re trying to live up to and build on. So that’s the idea.” At 6-5, the Seahawks drew even with the Cardinals in the tightly bunched division. The teams play each other again in two weeks at Arizona. Last month's trade for linebacker Ernest Jones IV has clearly paid off. Seattle hasn't allowed a running back to rush for more than 79 yards since its Week 8 loss to Buffalo, which was Jones' first game in a Seahawks uniform. He has led the team in tackles in every game he's played and has helped resurrect the run defense. The Seahawks' run game continues to underperform. Seattle got 65 yards on the ground Sunday, with the Cardinals holding Kenneth Walker III to 41 yards on 16 attempts. Zach Charbonnet had 22 yards on six carries. Walker hasn’t topped 100 yards since Week 1. Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb needs to think of something different to get the running backs involved. Williams single-handedly disrupted the Cardinals with 2 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, three tackles for loss and one pass defensed. “I thought he was dominant,” Macdonald said. “I knew he played great and then I looked at the stat line and he played out of his mind.” The Seahawks finished with five sacks, seven quarterback hits, five tackles for loss and six pass deflections against the Cardinals, shutting down a team that had averaged 29.3 points over its previous three games. Geno Smith finished with 254 yards passing and a touchdown, but he threw another momentum-stalling interception. Smith was picked off on a third-and-6 play on the Arizona 18-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter, ending an 11-play, 73-yard drive. Smith has an NFL-most 12 interceptions this season, more than in either of his previous two seasons as the Seahawks' full-time starter. “That was a huge drive for us. ... Obviously made a terrible mistake down there, something I got to clean up,” Smith said. “But it was a big drive. We wanted to put the game ahead at least two scores.” The offensive line has contributed to the problem. Guard Anthony Bradford left with an ankle injury, and the line struggled to protect Smith, who was sacked five times. Macdonald said Bradford is expected to miss next week's game. 77 — Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the team with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, marking the fourth consecutive game that Smith-Njigba has led the team in receptions. He topped 100 yards receiving in the previous two games. “He’s getting open,” Smith said. “He’s catching the ball. He’s doing a great job in the screen game. All-around great player. I just think the way that teams are playing us coverage-wise, I feel like it’s the ultimate sign of respect.” The Seahawks play at the struggling New York Jets on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Munster boss pays glowing tribute to Shane Daly following sensational try on his 100th appearanceShare Tweet Share Share Email A decade ago, working from home was a rare anomaly, treated as a superfluous novelty by most individuals and organizations in the professional world. Today, most people with jobs that can be done remotely work remotely at least part of the time – and many businesses, especially those in the tech space, operate fully remotely. It seems that remote work is here to stay, thanks in part to the ever-increasing accessibility and power of technology. But how are companies going to evolve from here as these technologies grow in availability and sophistication? The Ever-Increasing Power of Technology Technology is the foundational building block that has allowed remote work to grow as popular as it has. Today, we have access to hardware and software that allows us to communicate, collaborate, and accomplish a wide variety of tasks, regardless of where we are. We have chat platforms and video conferencing platforms. We have robust management systems and project tracking tools. We have monitoring and productivity tools to keep people on point. We even have health and wellness apps to make sure that working from home isn’t getting the better of us. Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise that tech companies seem to be some of the most ardent supporters of remote work overall. Not only do they understand the power of technology for connecting people in remote locations, but they may also play a role in developing and maintaining it. The Pros and Cons of Remote Work Still, there are both pros and cons associated with working remotely. For example, these are just some of the benefits: Lower office expenses. If you work remotely, you don’t need an office building. If only part of your staff works remotely, you’ll need only a relatively small office building. This can help you greatly reduce office expenses, improving your profitability in the long run. And if you currently own commercial real estate, you may be able to rent or sublet it to other businesses as a secondary stream of income; it’s also possible to manage commercial real estate remotely , but this isn’t always a good organizational fit. Higher productivity. Many organizations with remote or hybrid work benefit from higher productivity. When people have more flexibility in how they approach work and more freedom on an individual level, they tend to get more done. Higher morale. Similarly, remote work environments often promote higher morale. People are happier working for organizations that grant them autonomy and flexibility, and they’re much more likely to stay there. A bigger talent pool. When you operate a company remotely or mostly remotely, you open the doors to candidates who would otherwise be unable to work for you. With a bigger talent pool, you can find better fits for your open positions. Increased retention. For these reasons and others, remote and hybrid workplaces benefit from increased employee retention. Not only does this reduce costs, but it also increases consistency and continuity within your organization. Sustainability. As you might imagine, remote businesses are greener and more sustainable. With fewer people driving to and from work, there will be fewer greenhouse gas emissions. These are some of the drawbacks: Detachment. Work culture is important , but it isn’t easy to maintain in a remote environment. When you have people living in different places, interacting with each other less frequently, you tend to lose the cohesiveness of your culture. Lack of transparency. Even with robust employee monitoring and productivity tools in place, your organization may suffer from a lack of transparency. You may not know exactly what your employees are working on or exactly how they’re spending their time, leading to gaps in knowledge and collaborative potential. Less information. It’s often harder for managers and supervisors to do their jobs in remote environments. It can also be harder for decision makers, who need to incorporate many independent pieces of information to make effective decisions. With less information available, every organization suffers. Loneliness and isolation. While many people benefit from higher morale and higher productivity when working from home, some people suffer from increased loneliness and isolation. Even people who work well by themselves need occasional in-person socialization to feel connected with others. Higher stress. Studies indicate that broadly, remote work is associated with lower stress levels , but for some workers, the opposite is true. They may not be happy or comfortable in their home environment, or they may simply work better in a traditional office setting. In any case, for these types of workers, working remotely is a source of additional stress. Technology and Company Evolution: Possibilities for the Future So where does remote work go from here? For starters, we need to recognize that technology is only going to become more advanced and better capable of connecting us remotely. With so many companies offering remote work to at least some of their people at least some of the time, the demand for better remote collaboration and communication tools is almost constantly growing. And, of course, with rising demand, there’s likely to be a rising number of entrepreneurs and innovators trying to meet that demand. So, in some ways, the advantages of remote work are almost certainly going to continue increasing, with the disadvantages increasingly being compensated for. But how will businesses adapt to these circumstances, and will the trend of remote work remain indefinitely? These are harder questions to answer. It’s very unlikely that all businesses will go fully remote, or even strive to be fully remote, given the persistent disadvantages of remote work and, to a lesser extent, stubborn mindsets in professional industries. But because the advantages of remote work are only growing, it’s also unlikely that any business that has dabbled in remote work will ever go back to being fully in-person. Accordingly, the most popular approach will likely be a hybrid one. As technologies that enable remote work become more advanced, companies will likely discover and reinforce strategies that enable “the best of both worlds,” with options for both remote and in-person work. Related Items: Remote work , work from home Share Tweet Share Share Email Recommended for you Want To Work Remotely? Then You Need To Develop These Skills Managing gen z remotely: tech challenges and solutions How gen z is redefining remote work CommentsThe Met Office has issued a new yellow weather warning for Surrey as Storm Darragh continues to batter the nation. Surrey has endured gusts of more than 50mph since the storm touched down in the UK on Friday afternoon (December 6). Events have been cancelled, roads closed and buildings damaged as a result. Now it seems the adverse weather will be here to stay a little longer, with more strong winds expected throughout Sunday (December 8). A yellow weather warning for wind is already in place over all of Surrey, which is due to be lifted at 6am tomorrow. At this time, another yellow weather warning will come into effect, again for wind and blanketing the entire county, alongside much of the UK. The new warning will last 12 hours, ending at 6pm on Sunday evening. Forecasters have said that Storm Darragh’s strong winds will gradually ease throughout the day, but could still result in further disruption. Weather maps show maximum wind gusts of around 51mph in areas such as Guildford and Epsom on Sunday morning. By the afternoon, these will have dropped to below 45mph for the majority of the county and will continue to wind down for the remainder of the day. Met Office chief meteorologist Steve Willington said: “Storm Darragh will gradually ease from late morning as it crosses the UK, so the strongest winds in the west will start to reduce through Saturday. As the low pressure moves away to the east, colder northerly winds will move across the UK bringing the risk of overnight frosts and some wintry showers over high ground in the north on Sunday. “By Monday high pressure becomes centred over the north of the UK and conditions will become much more settled.” While the warning on Sunday is in place, the public is urged to prepare for further travel disruption, including to rail, bus, ferry and air journeys. Roads may once again see closures, high-sided vehicles on exposed routes could be subject to delays and fallen trees could block busy carriageways. Forecasters have also warned of some short-term losses of power or other services, such as phone signal. To best prepare for the expected disruption, those needing to travel are urged to check their full routes before departing and keeping an eye on bus and train timetables, amending travel plans if required. To reduce the impact of power cuts, pre-emptively gather torches and batteries, charge phones as well as power packs and stock up on other essentials, forecasters say. Surrey has already been hit hard by the storm, with the A320 Victoria Way in Woking closed after a hotel development was damaged by the winds , while the A224 in Leatherhead had been partially blocked by fallen trees. Get the latest Storm Darragh updates over the weekend with our ongoing live blog here .
SAN FRANCISCO -- Willy Adames wasted little time making one thing clear: He wants to play all 162 games for the San Francisco Giants . So when introduced as their new shortstop Thursday, Adames looked to his left and gently put a hand on manager Bob Melvin's right shoulder, smiled and said, "if he lets me." Melvin might not need much convincing, thrilled to suddenly have stability at a position that lacked continuity this year in his first season as skipper. Editor's Picks Giants add ex-GM Evans and Posey's agent Berry 6d MLB winter meetings winners, losers and who needs to make a big move next 9h MLB Insiders Who has the most work to do? Where all 30 MLB teams stand ahead of winter meetings 7d Bradford Doolittle Adames didn't hesitate to also offer a thought to new boss Buster Posey: He plans to win a few championships with the Giants just like the catcher-turned-executive did here. Surrounded by his parents and other family and friends, Adames was formally introduced and welcomed at Oracle Park after signing a $182 million, seven-year contract - the first big, splashy move made by Posey since he became President of Baseball Operations in late September. "There's no words to describe my feeling right now to be here in this beautiful city, I'm just so happy to be here," Adames said. "... This is a dream come true for me. I'm thrilled to be here, I'm so excited. Hopefully we can win a few championships like you did, and that's one of the main reasons I'm here." Everyone who has encountered Adames so far can't wait for him to get to work as an example both on the diamond and in the clubhouse. "He's a unique connector of people," Posey shared from Craig Counsell's description of the 29-year-old infielder from the Dominican Republic. "That really struck me because I think to win championships you have to have personalities like Willy that they're able to identify with everybody in the clubhouse, and that's not just players. I heard from multiple people that Willy treats everybody with the utmost respect. He plays with energy, he plays with joy and I know that our fans are just going to be thrilled to watch him compete on a daily basis." Adames' deal marks the richest contract for San Francisco since Posey reached a $167 million, nine-year pact in 2013. "I didn't know 'til it was done. I was like 'wow,'" Adames said. From afar, Adames watched the legacy left by his hero Derek Jeter that went far beyond the baseball diamond. And that's as important to Adames as playing all 162 after he appeared in 161 games last season for Milwaukee. He considers part of his role to help the young players learn "to be a professional" and lead a club that has missed the playoffs the past three years in winning the right way. "For me that comes first, it comes first to be a great human being. I've got to thank my parents for that, they raised me the right way, to try to treat everybody the same, it doesn't matter what you're doing," Adames said. "I think that's something that I'm really proud of, just to be the same guy every day, to be kind, just to give love back to people because there's a lot of hate out there and I don't really like that." The Giants know Adames' positive influence could go far. Asked about the instability at shortstop, Melvin noted, "Well, it's not a problem now." Adames gives the Giants a power bat and reliable defense at his position. This year for the Brewers, he produced his best offensive season in the big leagues, batting .251 with a career-high 32 home runs and 112 RBI. "Look, every team wants a Willy Adames on their team. I think the thing that strikes me the most is when I'd watch him play a couple times a year on the other side was he never looked like he had a bad day," Melvin said. "It always looked like every day was opening day to him. That enthusiasm when your best players are like that - Matt Chapman is like that, too - it's easy for everybody to have to fall in and play in that type of style. It's easier said than done but really for me that's the thing that struck me most is how much he loved playing baseball." Adames is close friends with former Giants third baseman Matt Duffy , who shared his own experiences being part of the San Francisco franchise. It all became real when Adames pulled on his new cream-colored Giants jersey and buttoned it up, saying, "I'm a little nervous about this." A few moments later, the cap went on his head and he felt right at home. "It looks amazing."Donald Trump will ring the New York Stock Exchange bell as he's named Time's Person of the Year
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea's embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law , as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea, with a survey suggesting a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party, but the party is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the National Assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon's impeachment or resignation. The party's floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said it will soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. Opposition parties could submit a new impeachment motion after a new parliamentary session opens next Wednesday. “We'll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea,” party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “We'll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year's end.” Many experts worry Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 2 1⁄2 years in office. They say some PPP lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it grow further. The ruling party risks "further public outrage and national confusion if they don’t find a formula fast for Yoon’s departure,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security in Washington. PPP chair Han Dong-hun said his party will seek Yoon’s “orderly” early exit but didn’t say when he can resign. On Saturday, tens of thousands of people packed several blocks of roads leading to the National Assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of PPP’s headquarters near the Assembly, shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied elsewhere in Seoul, calling the impeachment attempt unconstitutional. Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the National Assembly's 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other small opposition parties, which filed the motion, have 192 seats combined. But only three lawmakers from PPP participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. National Assembly Speaker Woo Won Shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. Earlier Saturday, Yoon issued an apology over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose it. He said would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office.” “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologize to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving himself and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces.” The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. The turmoil has paralyzed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners like the U.S. and Japan. “Yoon’s credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won’t be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies especially when his days are numbered,” Kim, the analyst, said. “Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally.” Tuesday night saw special forces troops encircling the parliament building and army helicopters hovering over it, but the military withdrew after the National Assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak Wednesday. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. PPP later decided to oppose Yoon's impeachment motion. Yoon’s speech fueled speculation that he and his party may push for a constitutional amendment to shorten his term, instead of accepting impeachment, as a way to ease public anger over the marital law and facilitate Yoon’s early exit from office. Lee told reporters that Yoon’s speech was “greatly disappointing” and that the only way forward is his immediate resignation or impeachment. His party called Yoon’s martial law “unconstitutional, illegal rebellion or coup.” Lawmakers on Saturday first voted on a bill appointing a special prosecutor to investigate stock price manipulation allegations surrounding Yoon’s wife. On Friday, Han, who criticized Yoon’s martial law declaration, said he had received intelligence that during the brief period of martial law Yoon ordered the country’s defense counterintelligence commander to arrest unspecified key politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities.” Hong Jang-won, first deputy director of South Korea’s spy agency, told lawmakers Friday that Yoon had ordered him to help the defense counterintelligence unit to detain key politicians including Han, Lee and Woo. The Defense Ministry said Friday it suspended three military commanders including the head of the defense counterintelligence unit over their involvement in enforcing martial law. Vice Defense Minister Kim Seon Ho has told parliament that Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun ordered the deployment of troops to the National Assembly. Opposition parties accused Kim of recommending to Yoon to enforce martial law. Kim Yong Hyun resigned Thursday, and prosecutors imposed an overseas travel ban on him.ST Picks: More job options for ex-offenders, yet social stigma remains
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Daily Post Nigeria Police nab notorious suspected kidnapper in Kwara Home News Politics Metro Entertainment Sport Metro Police nab notorious suspected kidnapper in Kwara Published on December 12, 2024 By Abdulrazaq Adebayo The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a suspected kidnapper, identified as Mohammed Bello. According to a statement in Ilorin on Thursday by the spokesperson of the command, DSP Ejire Adeyemi Toun, the alleged suspect is also known as “Dandolo.” The spokesperson disclosed: “The arrest was made possible following actionable intelligence received from Egbe, Kogi State, indicating that the suspect had fled to Patigi, Kwara State, to evade arrest.” “Mohammed Bello is suspected to be involved in a series of kidnapping operations in Egbe, Isanlu, and surrounding areas in Kogi State.” “Upon receiving the information, the command immediately deployed a surveillance team to track the suspect’s movements. A thorough search of various locations, including hotels in Patigi, was conducted. Eventually, the suspect was apprehended at an undisclosed location.” The statement added: “The operation was carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian Army Forward Operation Base, FOB, in Egbe, Kogi State, led by Lieutenant Isah. The suspect has been transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, in Ilorin for further investigation. “Mohammed Bello has confessed to several kidnapping incidents along the Omu-Aran-Ilofa-Osi-Eruku-Egbe road in Kwara State and also to kidnapping incidents along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.” Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Victor Olaiya, assured the public that a discreet and thorough investigation will be conducted to ensure that justice is served, asserting that the command remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents in Kwara State and its environs. The command extended its appreciation to members of the public and security partners for their cooperation and swift action on the matter and encouraged citizens to continue providing timely information to assist in combating crime. Related Topics: kidnapper Kwara police Don't Miss Court remands woman for allegedly killing daughter with rat poison You may like Murder trial of suspects in Police Inspector’s death faces setback Police arrest 8 ‘one chance’ suspects in FCT, recover 7 vehicles Police demolish Ibom Youth Council headquarters, arrest three suspects Ogun gets new Commissioner of Police Police arrest two suspects, recover 25 stolen phones in Borno Court halts publication, sale of Farotimi’s book, orders Police, DSS to seize copies Advertise About Us Contact Us Privacy-Policy Terms Copyright © Daily Post Media LtdGretchen McKay | (TNS) Pittsburgh Post-Gazette PITTSBURGH — Many Americans consider social media a scourge, but for a home cook, it can be a fun and informative place to get help deciding what to eat. Sure, some of the recipes would-be influencers recommend are in fact pretty abominable — check out @chefreactions on TikTok, Instagram or X for many, many examples — but I have stumbled across some pretty good recipes on many occasions, too. Related Articles Restaurants Food and Drink | ‘Tis the season for baking cookies Restaurants Food and Drink | Here are some last-minute holiday gift ideas Restaurants Food and Drink | Don’t shun pinot grigio! The good versions of wines you think are bad Restaurants Food and Drink | Quick Fix: Horseradish Crusted Snapper with Arugula Pasta Restaurants Food and Drink | Pizza to the rescue for a simple dinner One that’s been going viral for a while and but only recently caught my eye shines a spotlight on the creamy, tomatoey dish known as Marry Me chicken. There are probably as many recipes for Marry Me chicken on social media as there are cooks. (Delish claims to have created the video recipe for the original dish, also known as Tuscan chicken, in 2016.) But in my opinion, the best variations hang their chef’s hat on a sauce made with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and cream. Yum! This rich and luxurious entree is a definite step above the “engagement” chicken that caused a similar stir when it made its debut in Glamour magazine in 2004. That proposal-worthy recipe — saved for posterity in the 2011 cookbook “100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life” — featured a whole chicken roasted with lemon and herbs. Awesome for sure, but not nearly as swoon worthy. I’ve been married for a very long time, so I’m not looking for a dish that will get me engaged. But who wouldn’t want applause when they put dinner on the table? That’s how Delish’s original recipe made it into the latest installment of “Dinner for Four for $25.” Usually when I’m building these economical meals, I do all my shopping in one store. This time, I shopped over the course of a weekend at some of my favorite haunts to see if that made a difference. (And no, I didn’t factor in the cost of gas, but maybe should have!) First stop after downing my Saturday morning latte and Nutella mele at a street-side table at Colangelo’s in the Strip District: Wholey’s Market, where I found boneless chicken breast at the bargain price of $3.89 per pound. I then crossed the street and headed down the block to Pennsylvania Macaroni Co., where I found several varieties of sun-dried tomatoes to chose from. I went with a jar of Ponti sun-dried cherry tomatoes for $5.09 — a definite splurge when your budget is only $25, but an ingredient I knew would deliver plenty of flavor. At Aldi, I found a bag of five huge lemons for $3.89, or 78 cents apiece, and a nice package of fresh broccoli for $2.28. A bargain, considering I would only use about two-thirds of it. The German supermarket chain known for its low prices and no-frills shopping experience (you have to deposit a quarter to get a shopping cart) also had butter — a main ingredient in my sandwich cookie dessert — on sale for $3.99 a pound. A bag of powdered sugar was pretty cheap, too, at just $2.09 for a two-pound bag. “Shopping” my pantry for ingredients I always have on hand, including garlic, olive oil, spices, rice, molasses and vanilla, once again helped keep costs down. Total bill: $24.38, or 62 cents under budget. Not bad when you consider the homemade dessert recipe makes more oatmeal sandwich cookies than a family can/should eat at one sitting. Marry Me Chicken PG tested Sun-dried tomatoes could be considered a splurge item because even a tiny jar is expensive, but their concentrated, sweet and tangy tomato goodness add so much flavor to a dish! They are certainly the star of this chicken dish that has been making the rounds on social media platforms. Some say the entree is so good, you’ll get a marriage proposal out of it. At any rate, the Parmesan cream sauce that gets spooned on top of the chicken and rice will certainly make your diners swoon. This original recipe from Delish.com is a pretty easy dish to get on the table in quick fashion. Just remember to use a dry pot holder to take the pan out of the oven because it will be very hot; I very stupidly used a damp dish towel and now have another cooking scar. 4 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 3/4 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan Fresh basil, torn, for serving, optional Cooked rice, for serving Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Generously season chicken with salt and black pepper and cook, turning halfway through, until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. In same skillet over medium heat, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Stir in garlic, thyme and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in broth, tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan; season with salt. Bring to a simmer, then return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet. Transfer skillet to oven. Bake chicken until cooked through and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife, 10-12 minutes. Arrange chicken on a platter. Spoon sauce over. Top with basil, if using, and serve with cooked rice. Serves 4. — delish.com Broccoli with Lemon PG tested Broccoli is a reliable veggie when you need a little something extra to round out a meal and don’t want to spend a fortune. Here, it’s blanched until crisp-tender and then tossed with lemon juice and zest and a pinch of red pepper flakes. I used lemon olive oil (already on hand) for an extra burst of citrus flavor. 1 large bunch broccoli, separated into florets 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter 1 clove garlic, minced Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon 1 pinch (or two) red pepper flakes Flaky salt and freshly ground ground black pepper, to taste Place broccolini in a large skillet with about 2 inches of water; bring to a boil and cook until bright green, 1-2 minutes. Drain. Heat olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook until golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add broccoli; cook and stir until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice and zest over broccoli and season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Serves 4. — Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette Oatmeal Cream Cookies PG tested Remember how if you were lucky when you were a kid you got an individually wrapped Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie in your lunchbox? These soft and chewy oatmeal cookies sandwiched with vanilla buttercream taste exactly the same. Actually, they’re better because they’re not made with corn syrup and artificial flavorings, but rather real butter and brown sugar. It’s important to let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack. Otherwise they will fall apart. The icing is very sweet, so you might want to reduce the amount of powdered sugar. For cookies 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon molasses 1 large egg, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt For filling 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 3 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons heavy cream 2 teaspoons vanilla Pinch of salt Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two sheet pans with parchment paper. In stand mixer outfitted with whisk attachment add butter, brown sugar and molasses and beat on low speed until combined. Gradually increase speed to medium-high and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with spatula, then add egg and vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Add flour, oats, baking soda and salt and beat on low speed until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Use a 1/2 -ounce cookie scoop tor tablespoon measure to portion out equal amounts of dough. Roll the dough in your hands to smooth the edges, then place 2 inches apart on prepared pans. Bake until cookies have puffed up and are set and firm around the edges but still somewhat soft in the middle, 9-11 minutes. Remove sheet pans from oven and allow cookies to rest on the pans for 5 minutes, then use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cookies have cooled, make filling. In stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla and salt. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing the speed to high, until creamy and fully incorporated, about 45 seconds. If filling is dry, add a small splash or two of cream. Assemble cookies. Using a small offset spatula or butter knife to spread about 2 tablespoons of filling onto the bottom side of one cookie, then place second cookie on top to sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies and serve. Makes 16 sandwich cookies. —”Sweet Tooth” by Sarah Fennel (Clarkson Potter, $35) ©2024 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.“Could this be the best tube amp under $700? For simpler needs, we definitely think it’s up there”: Blackstar TV-10 B combo amp review
President-elect Donald Trump will bring legal baggage to the White House in January, even if he succeeds in pausing or getting rid of the four federal and state criminal indictments against him. Trump’s reelection is expected to end the two federal cases, given the Justice Department’s policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. His defense lawyers are arguing that the same immunity principles should apply to the two state prosecutions. But Trump still faces at least a dozen civil lawsuits, and the presidency won’t provide any special protections or way out. The U.S. Supreme Court has said that officeholders aren’t immune from being sued over their private conduct. Ongoing cases include attempts to hold him liable for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, and his appeals of a $454 million New York civil fraud verdict and rulings that he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll. Trump has also continued to press ahead with lawsuits against news outlets and journalists that he alleges defamed or otherwise wronged him. On Wednesday, a Trump lawyer urged a judge to fast-track his suit against journalist Bob Woodward and publisher Simon & Schuster over the sale of an audiobook of recorded interviews from his first term. Trump’s upcoming inauguration made the dispute “timely and ripe” because of the “fear of further unaccounted for profit being made from the President’s voice,” his lawyer wrote. Asked about the pending cases, Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement that the election made it “abundantly clear that Americans want an immediate end to the weaponization of our justice system.” Here’s where the remaining civil litigation stands: Cases against Trump Jan. 6 Trump is a defendant in eight lawsuits over the Jan. 6 attack brought by law enforcement officers, congressional Democrats and the estate of a police officer who died. A federal judge in Washington rejected Trump’s argument that he was entitled to absolute immunity. Last year, an appeals court upheld that decision but said he could re-argue for immunity if he could present specific proof that he was engaged in official conduct at the time. The parties spent the past year gathering evidence, and the lawyers are set to appear before the judge on Dec. 6 to discuss next steps. Joseph Sellers, a lead attorney for the plaintiffs, said that Supreme Court precedent dating back to the Clinton administration on the limits of civil presidential immunity was clear. “I see no reason why there would be any different course,” Sellers said. A lead attorney for Trump declined to comment. Central Park Five Trump faced a new lawsuit shortly before the election over comments he made during the September presidential debate about five men who were wrongly convicted in a 1989 jogger rape case and came to be known as the “Central Park Five.” This week, Trump’s legal team filed a letter previewing that they planned to invoke Pennsylvania’s “anti-SLAPP” law that bars lawsuits targeting protected speech on “matters of public concern,” among other reasons they believe the case should be dismissed. 2020 election A few weeks after the 2020 election, voting rights advocates accused Trump of trying to disenfranchise Black voters by pressing false fraud allegations. Like the Jan. 6 liability lawsuits, the case became held up in a fight over whether Trump was entitled to immunity. After Trump lost that issue, the challengers hoped U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan would take action before the latest election, but that didn’t happen. Chutkan has yet to announce a new schedule. E. Jean Carroll Trump is appealing two verdicts finding he sexually abused Carroll decades ago and later defamed her when he accused her of fabricating the story to sell a book. A federal appeals court heard arguments in September in his challenge to the sex abuse verdict and a $5 million damages award. The other verdict, for more than $83 million in her earlier defamation case, is also on appeal. New York fraud In February, a Manhattan judge entered a $454 million verdict against Trump after finding he exaggerated his wealth by billions of dollars a year in order to secure more favorable loan terms. Trump is challenging that decision and a New York state appeals court heard arguments in late September. Cases brought by Trump Simon & Schuster Woodward and the publisher argue Trump doesn’t have a copyright interest in the interview recordings and have moved to dismiss the case. If the suit survives, Trump’s lawyer Robert Garson wrote in Wednesday’s letter that they expect the judge to handle the next phase in a way that creates “minimal interference” with Trump’s “obligations.” ABC A hearing is set for Nov. 27 in Trump’s lawsuit claiming an ABC host defamed him in describing the result of the Carroll litigation. Last week, the judge denied a joint request to delay upcoming deadlines. “With Election Day now behind us, there is no reason for any further delay,” U.S. District Chief Judge Cecilia Altonaga wrote. CBS Just before Election Day, Trump filed a case accusing CBS of deceptive practices by airing an edited version of an interview with Vice President Kamala Harris. The network recently asked for an extension to formally respond to the lawsuit, but previously released a statement calling Trump’s allegations of deceit “false.” CNN Trump is appealing the 2023 dismissal of a lawsuit against CNN over use of the phrase the “big lie” in describing his baseless claims of widespread voter fraud in the 2020 election. Trump’s lawyers filed their latest brief in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in September; the court hasn’t set a date for arguments. Twitter/Meta/YouTube Trump sued Twitter (now X Corp.), Meta and YouTube after he was kicked off social media platforms following the Jan. 6 attack. He appealed after a judge dismissed the Twitter case, and the Meta and YouTube fights were paused while that dispute went to the 9th Circuit. The appeals court heard arguments a year ago and has yet to rule. On Wednesday — just over a week after Trump announced that X’s owner Elon Musk would serve in his administration — lawyers for Trump and X alerted the court that they were negotiating a settlement.Russia security chief meets Taliban officials in Kabul
Luigi Mangione had the whole world at his fingertips. Until, authorities said, he pulled out a 3-D printed pistol Dec. 4 and shot Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Health, and fled to Altoona, Pennsylvania, where he was arrested at a McDonald’s restaurant. Now, Mangione is sitting in an isolation cell in SCI Huntingdon , a state prison located in the heart of the Appalachian region in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. On Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections released an image of a cell “similar to” Mangione’s cell. Officials said the photo of an empty 15-by-6-foot prison cell shares a concrete wall with Mangione’s cell. It features a desk and stool; sink attached to a toilet; and an elevated concrete bed with a pad atop it. Suspect Luigi Mangione is taken into the Blair County Courthouse on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Janet Klingbeil via AP) AP He’s being held on a firearms and forgery charges after police say he provided a false identity to Altoona officers. He has been denied bail as authorities work to get him back to New York to face murder charges in connection with Thompson’s death. He is fighting extradition, meaning he could be a guest of the Commonwealth for at least two more weeks. Mangione has been confined to his cell but will eventually get time outside his cell, according to Maria Bivens, department of corrections spokesperson. “That plan is being worked on right now. All state inmates are afforded time outside of their cells, even if they are [at] a higher custody level,” Bivens said. Mangione’s cell is situated in one of 14 housing units at the prison, according to the DOC. He is unable to see or interact with any other people incarcerated in his unit. Stories by Jonathan Bergmueller Dauphin County agency yanks contracts from political consultant after controversies Dauphin County polling place moved out of firehouse mired in theft, racial discrimination allegations What Luigi Mangione’s life looks like inside Pennsylvania prison