GOTHENBURG, Sweden , Dec. 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Stena RoRo has taken delivery of E-Flexer No. 12 - in a series of 15 vessels - from the Chinese shipyard CMI Jinling (Weihai). The ship is the Guillaume de Normandie and is long-term chartered to the French shipping company Brittany Ferries. In April next year, the ship will enter service on the Portsmouth - Caen route, replacing the Normandie, which has sailed the route since 1992. This is the fifth of five ordered E-Flexer vessels for the Brittany Ferries fleet. Just as with four of the five E-Flexer ships that Stena RoRo has delivered to Brittany Ferries, the vessel will be powered by multi-fuel engines as well as the market's largest battery-hybrid package of 12 MWh. With these batteries, the ship will be able to operate in and out of port solely on battery power and even maneuver when docking and undocking without using the ship's diesel engines. This is a unique technical solution that provides significantly lower CO2 emissions for the ship. The E-Flexer concept has been continuously developed in line with future environmental requirements, and through its technical design and high degree of innovation, it can fulfill and exceed both existing and future international requirements. The Guillaume de Normandie is also equipped with a shore connection with an output of 8 MW for high-speed charging of the batteries, which also enables a completely fossil-free stay when in port. With the installed battery capacity, the vessel can operate at speeds of up to 17.5 knots on batteries alone. The ship's engines can be powered by marine diesel (MGO), liquefied natural gas (LNG), biodiesel or biogas. In addition, the PTI/PTO system with the Battery Power function can be used for propulsion at sea or maneuvering in port. The system is scalable, which means that in the future, the Guillaume de Normandie can operate entirely on batteries or with a combination of the different fuels. The ship's modern interior (designed by Figura Arkitekter AB) has been especially created for the current route and with clear influences from Normandy. The ship is certified for 1300 passengers along with 2410 lane meters of cargo, whereof 176 lane meters for personal cars. The E-Flexer series is based on a basic concept with vessels larger than most existing RoPax ferries and features a highly flexible design. Each ship is tailored to customers' needs, both commercially and technically. An optimized design of the hull, propellers and rudders along with opportunities to incorporate new environmentally friendly technology contribute to the E-Flexer vessels being at the absolute forefront in terms of sustainability and performance as well as cost and energy efficiency. "It is with great satisfaction and pride that we have now taken delivery of the twelfth E-Flexer vessel in the series," says Stena RoRo AB Managing Director Per Westling . "Within the framework of the E-Flexer concept, there has been continuous technical development and we can offer our customers flexible and future-proof propulsion systems that by a wide margin meet both today's and future environmental requirements. The large battery hybrid system we installed on the Guillaume de Normandie means that the ship can operate optimally, in step with regulatory developments, or in accordance with the operator's own policies." The Guillaume de Normandie is chartered to Brittany Ferries for 10 years. The total of five E-Flexer ships ordered by Brittany Ferries are renewing and modernizing the company's current fleet of cargo and passenger ships. The first ferry, the Galicia , was delivered in the autumn of 2020, the second in November 2021 , the third in December 2023 . The Saint-Malo was delivered in October 2024 , which is the fourth vessel in the series, and the Guillaume de Normandie in December 2024 , the fifth and final ship. Stena RoRo currently has 15 confirmed orders at CMI Jinling, Weihai shipyard for E-Flexer vessels, as well as two orders for New Max RoRo vessels. Twelve vessels have now been delivered. Stena E-Flexer orders: 1. Stena Line : Stena Line network in the Irish Sea; delivered in 2019 2. Stena Line ; Stena Line's network in the Irish Sea, delivered in 2020 3. Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network; delivered in 2020 Long-term charter agreement 4. Stena Line : Stena Line network in the Irish Sea; delivered in 2021 5. DFDS; DFDS network; delivered in 2021 Long-term charter agreement 6. Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network; delivery 2021 Long-term charter agreement; LNG operation 7. Stena Line ; Stena Line network, delivered from the shipyard in May 2022 Extended version 8. Stena Line ; Stena Line's network, delivered from the shipyard in September 2022 Extended version 9. Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network; delivered in December 2022 Long-term charter agreement, LNG operation 10. Marine Atlantic; Marine Atlantic network, delivered in February 2024 Long charter agreement; LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation 11. Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network, delivered in 2024 Long charter agreement; LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation 12. Brittany Ferries: Brittany Ferries network, delivered in 2024 Long charter agreement; LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation 13. Corsica Linea, Corsica Linea network, delivery 2026 LNG operation with battery-hybrid installation 14. Attica Group, delivery April 2027 Methanol-ready, battery-hybrid installation 15. Attica Group, delivery August 2027 Methanol-ready, battery-hybrid installation E-Flexer No. 12 specifications for Brittany Ferries: Length: 194.7 m Draught: 6.5 m Beam: 27.8 m Capacity: 1300 passengers and 2410 lane meters, of which 176 lane meters are intended for automobiles Passenger cabins: 222 distributed over four decks Speed: 23 knots (17.5 on batteries only Photos: CMJS Shipyard Captions: Guillaume de Normandie – Brittany Ferries Batteri room 1 Batteri room 2 Les Planches, the ship's bar on deck 8, shows clear influences from Normandy There is a special lounge on deck 6 for the ship's pod cabin guests Riva Bella , the restaurant in the forward section of deck 7 For more information, please contact: Per Westling , Managing Director, Stena RoRo AB Tel: +46 31 855154; +46 704 85 51 54 Email: per.westling@stena.com Since 1977, Stena RoRo has led development of new marine RoRo, cargo and passenger concepts. We provide custom-built vessels, as well as standardized RoRo and RoPax vessels. The company leases about fifteen vessels to operators worldwide, both other Stena companies and third parties. Stena RoRo specializes above all in using its technical expertise for the design and production of new vessels and the conversion and technical operation of existing vessels in order to deliver tailor-made transport solutions to its customers. We call this "Stenability". Since 2013, we have had responsibility for the design and completion of Mercy Ships' new hospital vessel the Global Mercy – the world's largest civilian hospital ship. The ship was delivered in 2021. www.stenaroro.com Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company and tour operator based in Roscoff, France . The company was founded by an agricultural cooperative in Breton for exporting vegetables to the UK. The first ferry voyage was from Roscoff to Plymoth on January 2, 1972 , the day after the UK joined the EEC – the European Economic Community, the predecessor to the EU. The cargo consisted of artichokes and cauliflower. The company quickly expanded with more ships and routes when it became clear that the biggest market was British tourists who wanted to explore Brittany and later Normandy as well. Brittany Ferries presently operates 14 routes connecting France , Great Britain , Spain and Ireland . In a normal year, the company has sales of approximately 450 million Euros and transports approximately 2.5 million passengers and 205,000 freight units. The company is still largely owned by French farmers, supported by the regions of Brittany and Normandy, and prides itself on being the largest employer of seafarers in France . www.brittanyferries.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/r/stena-roro-takes-delivery-of-the-battery-hybrid-vessel-guillaume-de-normandie,c4086104 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/9515/4086104/3189235.pdf Stena RoRo takes delivery of the battery hybrid vessel Guillaume de Normandie https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/guillaume-de-normandie,c3365506 Guillaume de Normandie https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/battery-pack,c3365507 Battery pack https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/battery-pack,c3365508 Battery pack https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/les-planches-the-ship-s-bar-on-deck-8-with-influences-from-normandie,c3365509 Les Planches the ship s bar on deck 8 with influences from Normandie https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/dormitary-pod-lounge-area---on-deck-6,c3365510 Dormitary pod lounge area - on deck 6 https://news.cision.com/stena-roro/i/riva-bella-the-restaurant-in-the-forward-section-of-deck-7,c3365511 Riva Bella the restaurant in the forward section of deck 7
Syrians in Kabun struggle to rebuild lives amid destructionFall is the best time to think about cooking soup. Here’s 5 recipes you’ll want to try
WACO, Texas (AP) — Sawyer Robertson threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns as Baylor won its sixth straight to keep alive its slim hopes for a berth in the Big 12 championship game, beating Kansas 45-17 on Saturday. The Bears (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) scored touchdowns on three consecutive possessions in the first half to take a 21-7 lead, then found the end zone on all three of their drives in the third quarter. Bryson Washington ran for 192 yards on 27 carries that included a 10-yard TD run and punching in from the 1 in the second half for Baylor. “I’m proud of that team in the locker room there, just the grit they showed,” Baylor coach Dave Aranda said. “To go through the season we’ve had and not let the outside on the inside, all those things are just really hard.” Kansas (5-7, 4-5) entered on a three-game winning streak — all against ranked teams — to be in position for bowl eligibility with a win. But the Jayhawks had no answers for Baylor’s offense. “It’s extremely disappointing because this team has overcome so much,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “It’s been a roller-coaster year in many ways, and we didn’t fulfill expectations. We battled back. The locker room stayed together. To play a team like this that is playing really well and playing physical, and to do it on the road, is a challenge, and one that we didn’t answer.” Devin Neal ran for 133 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries for Kansas. Jalon Daniels was 12-of-23 passing for 280 yards passing, and had two passes intercepted by Baylor safety Devyn Bobby. Baylor, which started 0-3 in league play, had to wait for the outcomes of games later Saturday. Arizona had to beat Arizona State, Kansas State had to beat Iowa State and Houston had to beat BYU for the Bears to get into next week’s conference title game. “I feel like what is being built here can be sustained because of the quality of people we have," Aranda said. Robertson was 23-for-31 passing, with TDs of 36- and 39-yards to Monaray Baldwin in the first quarter before a 14-yard score to Josh Cameron in the second. Baldwin caught seven passes for 119 yards, and Cameron added eight receptions for 102. “To finish the game and the season the way we did, it’s super special," Robertson said. Kansas: The Jayhawks rarely had issues moving the ball in the first half. Despite trailing 21-10 at intermission, the Jayhawks had outgained Baylor 301-283. Their problems came with holding onto the ball and scoring when they had the chance. Tabor Allen missed a 38-yard field goal to end the Jayhawks’ first possession, and they had promising drives end on a Daniels interception and Tevita Noa fumble after a 39-yard reception. Baylor: The Bears made a remarkable turnaround in the second half of the season. They began the year with coach Dave Aranda’s future considered tenuous at best, and a 2-4 start only made calls for him to be replaced louder. But Aranda and Baylor haven’t lost since Oct. 5 against Iowa State. Baylor’s first two TDs came off the same route from Baldwin, and the second was nearly a replay of the first. Baldwin lined up in the slot to the right side in a one-on-one matchup with Kansas safety Marvin Grant and ran right by him and down the sideline. The only difference in the plays was that Baldwin had to adjust and keep his feet in bounds as he went to the ground in the end zone for the first score. Robertson hit him in stride as he crossed the goal line on the second. “He’s such a good teammate, a good athlete, fun to throw to, because he can run by anybody," Robertson said. "But it was the same route, just different formations.” Kansas’ season is over. Baylor has to wait to see when and where it will play its next game. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
NoneWASHINGTON NASA’s Parker Solar Probe survived its record-breaking closest approach to the solar surface on Dec. 24, the US space agency said on Friday. By flying 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) above the surface of the Sun, it broke its previous record, according to the US space agency. "Flying this close to the Sun is a historic moment in humanity’s first mission to a star," Nicky Fox, leader of NASA’s science mission directorate, said in a statement. "By studying the Sun up close, we can better understand its impacts throughout our solar system, including on the technology we use daily on Earth and in space, as well as learn about the workings of stars across the universe to aid in our search for habitable worlds beyond our home planet," Fox added. Launched in 2018, the spacecraft used seven flybys of Venus to gravitationally direct it ever closer to the Sun.
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims’ families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, , and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty for a decision they’d long sought. Supporters of , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Victims’ families and former colleagues share relief and anger Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.” Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017, called Biden’s commutation of the killer’s sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding that the weeks she spent in court with the hope of justice were now “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” Decision to leave Roof on death row met with conflicting emotions There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but some say they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can’t even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people,” Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof’s case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims’ families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I’ve got to stay away from the news today. I’ve got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. Politicians and advocacy groups speak up Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden “has shown our country — and the rest of the world — that the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on the other hand, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Liz Murrill, Louisiana’s Republican attorney general, criticized the commuted sentence of Len Davis, a former New Orleans policeman convicted of orchestrating the killing of a woman who had filed a complaint against him. “We can’t trust the Feds to get justice for victims of heinous crimes, so it’s long past time for the state to get it done,” the tough-on-crime Republican said in a written statement to the AP. One inmate’s attorney expresses thanks — and his remorse Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system’s flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.” ___ Swenson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers Jim Salter in O’Fallon, Missouri, and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report. Jeffrey Collins And Ali Swenson, The Associated PressLt. Gov. Jon Husted visits Mar-a-Lago. Could he succeed JD Vance as Ohio’s next U.S. senator?BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Aston Villa says it has failed in an attempt to have Jhon Duran’s red card at Newcastle overturned on appeal. The 21-year-old Colombia international was sent off 32 minutes into a 3-0 defeat in the Premier League at St. James’ Park on Thursday after appearing to stamp on defender Fabian Schar, prompting a furious reaction from Villa head coach Unai Emery, who later indicated that the club would appeal. However, Villa said Friday night that its bid was unsuccessful and the forward will now serve a three-match ban for violent conduct. “Aston Villa can confirm that our decision to appeal Jhon Duran’s red card in our match with Newcastle United has been rejected," a statement on Villa’s official X account read. "The player will now miss our next three matches.” Duran will miss Premier League games against Brighton and Leicester, followed by Villa's FA Cup third-round match with West Ham on Jan. 10. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
COLUMBIA, South Carolina (AP) — Victims' families and others affected by crimes that resulted in federal death row convictions shared a range of emotions on Monday, from relief to anger, after President Joe Biden commuted dozens of the sentences . Biden converted the sentences of 37 federal death row inmates to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The inmates include people who were convicted in the slayings of police, military officers and federal prisoners and guards. Others were involved in deadly robberies and drug deals. Three inmates will remain on federal death row: Dylann Roof , convicted of the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; the 2013 Boston Marathon Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev , and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh’s Tree of life Synagogue in 2018 , the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S history. Opponents of the death penalty lauded Biden for a decision they'd long sought. Supporters of Donald Trump , a vocal advocate of expanding capital punishment, criticized the move as an assault to common decency just weeks before the president-elect takes office. Donnie Oliverio, a retired Ohio police officer whose partner was killed by an inmate whose death sentence was commuted, said the execution of “the person who killed my police partner and best friend would have brought me no peace.” “The president has done what is right here,” Oliverio said in a statement also issued by the White House, “and what is consistent with the faith he and I share.” Heather Turner, whose mother, Donna Major, was killed in a bank robbery in South Carolina in 2017, called Biden's commutation of the killer's sentence a “clear gross abuse of power” in a Facebook post, adding that the weeks she spent in court with the hope of justice were now “just a waste of time.” “At no point did the president consider the victims,” Turner wrote. “He, and his supporters, have blood on their hands.” There has always been a broad range of opinions on what punishment Roof should face from the families of the nine people killed and the survivors of the massacre at the Mother Emanuel AME Church. Many forgave him, but some say they can’t forget and their forgiveness doesn’t mean they don’t want to see him put to death for what he did. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting shielding her granddaughter while watching Roof kill her son, Tywanza, and her aunt, Susie Jackson. Sanders brought her bullet-torn bloodstained Bible to his sentencing and said then she can’t even close her eyes to pray because Roof started firing during the closing prayer of Bible study that night. In a text message to her lawyer, Andy Savage, Sanders called Biden’s decision to not spare Roof’s life a wonderful Christmas gift. Michael Graham, whose sister, Cynthia Hurd, was killed, told The Associated Press that Roof’s lack of remorse and simmering white nationalism in the country means he is the kind of dangerous and evil person the death penalty is intended for. “This was a crime against a race of people," Graham said. “It didn’t matter who was there, only that they were Black.” But the Rev. Sharon Richer, who was Tywanza Sanders’ cousin and whose mother, Ethel Lance, was killed, criticized Biden for not sparing Roof and clearing out all of death row. She said every time Roof’s case comes up through numerous appeals it is like reliving the massacre all over again. “I need the President to understand that when you put a killer on death row, you also put their victims' families in limbo with the false promise that we must wait until there is an execution before we can begin to heal,” Richer said in a statement. Richer, a board member of Death Penalty Action, which seeks to abolish capital punishment, was driven to tears by conflicting emotions during a Zoom news conference Monday. “The families are left to be hostages for the years and years of appeals that are to come,” Richer said. “I’ve got to stay away from the news today. I’ve got to turn the TV off — because whose face am I going to see?” Biden is giving more attention to the three inmates he chose not to spare, something they all wanted as a part of what drove them to kill, said Abraham Bonowitz, Death Penalty Action’s executive director. “These three racists and terrorists who have been left on death row came to their crimes from political motivations. When Donald Trump gets to execute them what will really be happening is they will be given a global platform for their agenda of hatred,” Bonowitz said. Biden had faced pressure from advocacy organizations to commute federal death sentences, and several praised him for taking action in his final month in office. Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU, said in a statement that Biden “has shown our country — and the rest of the world — that the brutal and inhumane policies of our past do not belong in our future.” Republicans, including Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, on the other hand, criticized the move — and argued its moral ground was shaky given the three exceptions. “Once again, Democrats side with depraved criminals over their victims, public order, and common decency,” Cotton wrote on X. “Democrats can’t even defend Biden’s outrageous decision as some kind of principled, across-the-board opposition to the death penalty since he didn’t commute the three most politically toxic cases.” Liz Murrill, Louisiana's Republican attorney general, criticized the commuted sentence of Len Davis, a former New Orleans policeman convicted of orchestrating the killing of a woman who had filed a complaint against him. “We can’t trust the Feds to get justice for victims of heinous crimes, so it’s long past time for the state to get it done,” the tough-on-crime Republican said in a written statement to the AP. Two men whose sentences were commuted were Norris Holder and Billie Jerome Allen, on death row for opening fire with assault rifles during a 1997 bank robbery in St. Louis, killing a guard, 46-year-old Richard Heflin. Holder’s attorney, Madeline Cohen, said in an email that Holder, who is Black, was sentenced to death by an all-white jury. She said his case “reflects many of the system’s flaws,” and thanked Biden for commuting his sentence. “Norris’ case exemplifies the racial bias and arbitrariness that led the President to commute federal death sentences,” Cohen said. “Norris has always been deeply remorseful for the pain his actions caused, and we hope this decision brings some measure of closure to Richard Heflin’s family.” Swenson reported from Seattle. Associated Press writers Jim Salter in O'Fallon, Missouri, and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, contributed to this report.Liverpool have second-biggest lead EVER after 12 matches - Premier League
Rising Trends Launches Website to Help Entrepreneurs and Business Owners Track Emerging Market Trends
Aston Villa fails in its bid to overturn Jhon Duran’s red card at NewcastleNew pro-European coalition approved in Romania amid period of political turmoil
NW_FG Akers 21, 9:31. ILL_Laughery 30 run (Olano kick), 8:12. NW_D.Turner 13 interception return (Akers kick), 2:14. ILL_Altmyer 1 run (Olano kick), 13:21. ILL_Laughery 64 run (Olano kick), 14:15. ILL_P.Bryant 43 pass from Altmyer (Olano kick), 10:08. NW_FG Akers 34, 5:35. NW_Henning 11 pass from Lausch (Akers kick), 1:34. ILL_Laughery 31 run (Olano kick), 12:15. ILL_FG Olano 24, 11:06. NW_Gordon 15 pass from Lausch (Lang pass from Lausch), 1:00. A_26,378. RUSHING_Illinois, Laughery 12-172, McCray 11-46, Valentine 7-16, Anderson 1-4, (Team) 2-(minus 3), Altmyer 3-(minus 23). Northwestern, Porter 12-53, Komolafe 8-32, Lausch 5-22, Himon 3-21, Boe 1-(minus 15). PASSING_Illinois, Altmyer 10-17-2-170. Northwestern, Lausch 25-48-2-287, Boe 4-13-1-42. RECEIVING_Illinois, P.Bryant 4-70, Franklin 3-54, Dixon 1-38, McCray 1-5, Arkin 1-3. Northwestern, Henning 10-119, Gordon 7-53, C.Johnson 3-39, Eligon 2-35, Kirtz 2-25, Wagner 2-24, Porter 1-28, Himon 1-4, Arthurs 1-2. MISSED FIELD GOALS_Northwestern, Akers 44.Ready or not, the Washington women’s basketball team’s first season in its new conference begins in earnest this weekend. Set aside for a second UW’s 73-62 loss at home to top-ranked UCLA on Dec. 8 in the first-ever Big Ten Conference game for the former Pac-12 rivals. The Huskies will make a little bit of history while literally venturing into unknown territories during their first Big Ten Conference road games to Northwestern and Illinois. Saturday’s 12 p.m. PT tipoff versus the Wildcats (7-5, 0-1) will be UW’s first game at Welsh-Ryan Arena, a 7,039-seat facility on Northwestern’s campus in Evanston, Ill. Three days later, UW takes on the Illini at 10 a.m. PT Tuesday for the first time at State Farm Center (capacity: 15,544). Here’s what you need to know about the Huskies (9-4, 0-1) as they embark on a 17-game trek through the Big Ten. Well, maybe? It’s difficult to know because UW has undergone several transformations over the past two months. Washington began the season on fire while ripping apart four overmatched opponents at home to start 4-0. At the time, UW averaged 88.3 points per game and allowed just 53.3 points. Then, the Huskies offense ran into a brick wall during an 82-68 defeat at Montana, and seemingly didn’t fully recover despite claiming narrow wins at home during their next two outings. Washington was at its best during a four-game stretch, but came up short in the final minutes against UCLA, No. 6 LSU and a stout Utah team that’s ranked 27 th in the NET. And finally, UW stemmed a two-game slide with blowout wins at home last week versus North Dakota State and Furman. “What gives you confidence is confidence,” coach Tina Langley said. “We want to really know who we are and what we run and how we do it and what pace we do it at and all those small details. “We could have been sharper in some details in preparation as a staff and preparation as a team. We started cleaning up that up toward the end and having more moments where we could see that execution. We want to execute for 40 minutes on both ends of the floor as high level as we can. That’s the goal going forward.” Until further notice, the Huskies are good enough to beat bad teams, but not quite ready for prime time. Sophomore Sayvia Sellers, a 5-foot-7 point guard, is making a bid for All-Big Ten honors. She leads UW in scoring (15.5 points per game), assists (2.8), steals (1.9), field goal percentage (53.6%) and three-point percentage (44.4%). “I'm excited for her leadership to continue to develop because when you work the way she works and you're committed the way she's committed, and you're humble the way she's humble, you should have the ability to walk into a room and say ‘We need to do this better,’” Langley said. “She's really growing in that because she has earned that right and it's beautiful to see.” Sellers tallied a career-high 30 points in a 67-57 loss against Utah — the most points for a UW player since March 5, 2020. Eastern Michigan transfer Tayra Eke, a 6-3 senior forward, had been a difference maker at times in the low post. During a blowout win against Prairie View, she tallied a career-high eight blocks, which is the most for a UW player, and collected a personal-best 14 rebounds. She's tied for fourth in the Big Ten with 24 blocks and leads UW with 7.0 rebounds per game. Eke averages just 6.4 points, but she hasn't been often been prioritized offensively, considering she's attempted five or fewer shots in eight games despite shooting 46.9% on field goals. There’s no evidence to suggest Washington’s offense, which ranks 15 th in the Big Ten in scoring at 71.5 points, will radically improve when conference play begins. However, the Huskies have a winning formula with their stingy defense that allows 57.5 points and ranks 10 th in the conference. Washington held LSU, the third highest scoring team in the country, to a season-low 68 points and lost by a point to the Tigers in the Bahamas last month. That performance gives UW confidence that it can go on the road and win games in the vaunted Big Ten. No. 1 UCLA, seven Big Ten teams are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, including USC (4), Maryland (8), Ohio State (10), Michigan State (19), Michigan (23) and Iowa (24). Currently, ESPN’s bracket guru Charlie Crème predicts 12 Big Ten teams will make the NCAA tournament — the most from any conference. In addition to the aforementioned ranked teams, Crème has Oregon, Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota and Illinois advancing to the Big Dance. Seemingly, that leaves Purdue, Norhtwestern, Rutgers, Penn State, Wisconsin and UW, which is No. 76 in the NET, scrambling for a postseason berth. Keep in mind, 14 teams qualify for the Big Ten women’s basketball tournament.Stena RoRo takes delivery of the battery hybrid vessel Guillaume de Normandie
Missouri governor says he’s ready to go after six years in ‘pressure cooker’ job
Joanna Gaines Enjoys Late-Night Baking with Daughter Ella
(Bloomberg) — Prime Minister Keir Starmer will spell out a set of targets on the UK economy, health care and crime over the coming week as he seeks to reset his fledgling administration following a turbulent return to power for Labour. The British premier will unveil a “Plan for Change” setting out “measurable milestones,” adding flesh to the bones of the five core missions he outlined during this year’s general election campaign, his office said late Saturday in a statement. The aim is to deliver “real, tangible improvement to the lives of working people across the country,” it said. “Mission-led government does not mean picking milestones because they are easy or will happen anyway,” Starmer said in the statement. “It means relentlessly driving real improvements in the lives of working people.” Just five months after sweeping to power in a landslide election win, the British premier is seeking to turn the page on a rocky start beset by revelations about ministers accepting freebies while in opposition and unpopular tax and spending decisions by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves that have alienated pensioners, farmers and businesses. That’s unsettled markets and led to plunging poll ratings. Economic growth, which Starmer is counting on to achieve much of his mission-led agenda, has ground to a halt amid the fiscal uncertainty. Moreover, as higher debt servicing costs erode Reeves’ already narrow margin for meeting self-imposed fiscal rules, she now risks having to fill a further budgetary shortfall in the spring. The prime minister is looking to rebuild a sense of momentum after first replacing his chief of staff, Sue Gray, with his top political aide, Morgan McSweeney. Compounding the government’s woes, Starmer on Friday suffered his first cabinet resignation when his transport secretary, Louise Haigh, quit over revelations about a past fraud conviction. While Starmer’s office provided no details on the new targets, it said the premier will spell them out “later this week” and that they will allow working people “to hold government to account on its progress.” The government’s stated missions are to kick-start economic growth, turn the country into a clean energy superpower, reduce crime, reform childcare and education, and restore the flagging fortunes of the struggling National Health Service. That means that Starmer’s announcement is likely to include numeric goals in areas such as raising living standards and increasing disposable income, cutting crime and migration, reducing NHS waiting lists, improving educational attainment, showing progress on fighting climate change, and boosting homebuilding. Labour has already taken a series of unpopular decisions in an effort to restore order to the public finances and plug what Reeves describes as a £22 billion ($28 billion) budgetary hole left by the outgoing Conservatives, who had overseen a long period of spending austerity that pared back the country’s public services during their 14 years in power. The chancellor at the end of July stripped some 10 million pensioners of their winter fuel payments, and then in her budget in October raised taxes by £40 billion, primarily by increasing the national insurance payroll tax paid by employers. A budgetary measure raising inheritance tax for agricultural property, meanwhile, drew thousands of farmers to the streets of London in protest on Nov. 19. “Some may oppose what we are doing and no doubt there will be obstacles along the way, but this government was elected on a mandate of change and our plan reflects the priorities of working people,” Starmer said. “Given the unprecedented challenges we have inherited we will not achieve this by simply doing more of the same, which is why investment comes alongside a program of innovation and reform.” —With assistance from Alex Wickham.The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”
Donald Trump again calls to buy Greenland after eyeing Canada and the Panama CanalLOS ANGELES — UCLA football underclassmen carried their seniors off the field after Thursday’s practice as part of Bruin tradition, hoisting them above their shoulders in honor of the work they’ve done in their time with the team. Two days later, 42 players walked in the Senior Day celebration prior to the Bruins’ season finale against Fresno State at the Rose Bowl. Redshirt junior Carson Schwesinger took part in the celebration, indicating the possibility that the Butkus Award-nominated linebacker may not stay for another next season. Schwesinger and head coach DeShaun Foster said the FBS’ leading tackler has not made a decision as to whether he will go to the NFL. “He’s really going to do whatever is best for him in that situation,” Foster told reporters Wednesday. “I completely understand, especially if he gets the Butkus Award, and the way that he came out and performed this season. He deserves to get a shot and go to the NFL.” Receiver J.Michael Sturdivant also walked for Senior Day. Sturdivant, a redshirt junior, was UCLA’s third-leading receiver heading into Saturday’s game with 311 total yards and one touchdown. He averaged 31.1 yards per game. Sturdivant’s ability to stretch the field was underutilized in his two seasons at UCLA after he previously played two seasons at Cal. Offensive lineman Josh Carlin, edge rusher Oluwafemi Oladejo and defensive lineman Jay Toia each walked with the seniors Saturday and are expected to make a push for the NFL. “Incredibly grateful for the Bruin program, the UCLA program,” Oladejo told reporters Tuesday. “Came in here at the age of 19 and I’m now 21, so I’ve grown here a lot. Grown as a man, matured. Not just on the field but off the field as well. This means a lot to me.” Other notable players who took part in Senior Day: offensive lineman Garret DiGiorgio, quarterbacks Ethan Garbers and Chase Griffin, running back Keegan Jones, receiver Logan Loya, tight end Moliki Matavao and linebacker Kain Medrano. “A game like, this you want to send the seniors off on the right note,” Schwesinger said, “but on top of that, it’s being able to go out there and play competitively. We’re all here because we like to play football and you get a chance to do that, you’ve gotta go out and play your hardest.” Olympic and UCLA gymnast Jordan Chiles was in attendance for Saturday’s football game and gave a “4’s up” gesture on the big screen during the second quarter, promoting her return to UCLA. Chiles, a junior who took a year off to train for and compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics, will make her return as a Bruin for the upcoming 2025 season. She made the announcement in an interview with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb in early August. Related Articles Chiles won a silver medal in 2020 to make her the most decorated Olympian in UCLA women’s gymnastics history. She scored three perfect 10s in her 2022 season as a Bruin — two in floor exercise and one on the uneven bars. She won NCAA titles in both events in 2023 and was the runner-up in the all-around at the national championships. UCLA’s gymnastics season begins with its Meet the Bruins event on Dec. 14 at Pauley Pavilion.