Manchester United is reportedly open to the idea of parting ways with midfielder Paul Pogba due to disciplinary reasons. The French international, affectionately known as "La Pogboom" among fans, has been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent months following a series of high-profile incidents both on and off the pitch.BRASILIA – Supermarket giant Carrefour’s support for French farmers’ protests against a trade agreement between the European Union and the South American bloc Mercosur has sparked a strong reaction in Brazil, including a refusal to supply beef to Carrefour stores in Brazil. Carrefour CEO Alexandre Bompard announced in social media posts last week that the French company would stop buying beef from all Mercosur countries, which also include Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Bompard wrote that he agrees with French producers' arguments that Mercosur beef is an unfair competitor due to lower production costs resulting from fewer environmental and sanitary requirements. Recommended Videos The executive encouraged other retailers to follow suit. Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture called Bompard's move protectionist, saying it was made “without any technical criteria.” The decision also angered Brazil's meatpackers. Though France makes up just a tiny sliver of Brazil’s beef exports, meatpackers worried that Carrefour’s decision would hurt its reputation in other markets. Beef giants JBS and Marfrig halted supplies last Friday to Carrefour's extensive supermarket chain in Brazil, including the food warehouse giant Atacadao. Both companies refused to comment on the boycott to The Associated Press, but Minister of Agriculture Carlos Fávaro confirmed it. “We support the reaction of the meatpackers. If Brazil ́s beef isn’t good enough for Carrefour’s shelves in France, it isn’t good enough for Carrefour’s shelves in Brazil either,” Faváro told Folha de S.Paulo newspaper on Monday. Carrefour Group in Brazil acknowledged the boycott in a statement, though it said there's not yet a shortage of beef in stores. It said it has “esteem and confidence in the Brazilian agricultural sector, with which it maintains a solid relationship and partnership.” “Unfortunately, the decision to suspend the meat supply has an impact on customers, especially those who rely on the company to supply their homes with quality and responsible products,” the statement said. “It is in constant dialogue in search of solutions that will make it possible to resume the supply of meat to its stores as quickly as possible, respecting the commitments it has to its more than 130,000 Brazilian employees and millions of Brazilian customers countrywide.” The backdrop for the conflict is the EU-Mercosur trade deal , which would increase agricultural imports to EU countries from South America. French farmers fear it will affect their livelihoods. An initial agreement was reached in 2019, but negotiations have faltered since then due to opposition that also includes some European governments. Brazil’s agribusiness sector also fears that the pending European Union Deforestation Regulation will outlaw the sale of forest-derived products within the EU’s 27-nation bloc if companies can’t prove their goods are not linked to deforestation. Its scope includes soy and cattle, Brazil’s top agricultural exports. Almost half of the country’s cattle is raised in the Amazon region, where 90% of deforested land since 1985 has turned into pasture, according to MapBiomas, a nonprofit network. The date of its implementation remains uncertain. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org .
Once teammates, Rollie Worster and Steven Ashworth duel in Nebraska-Creighton rivalryThrough two-plus weeks since his trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers , veteran wide receiver Mike Williams has been targeted just one time for one catch, the game-winning touchdown over the Washington Commanders in Week 10. However, that could change this week given the trajectory of his snap count, the need for threats opposite George Pickens, and the matchup with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday Night Football. Williams, who spent most of his career with the Chargers, only got on the field for nine snaps in his Week 10 Steelers debut in which he scored the highlight-reel, 32-yard game-winner on a pass from Russell Wilson. Despite seeing nearly three times (25) the snaps the following week, against Baltimore, Williams saw no targets in Pittsburgh's 18-16 Week 11 victory. That inefficiency can be attributed to a woeful offensive performance by the Steelers, who only managed 181 yards passing as quarterback Russell Wilson played by far his worst game in the Black and Yellow, sporting a 67.5 passer rating, and an interception. Having a jump ball target downfield like Williams could make all the difference against a team in Cleveland that plays Cover 1 and blitzes a lot. The Ravens avoided those tactics in order to defend Wilson's famous moonball, forcing Pittsburgh to mostly play the short passing game that better suited checkdown options like Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and Pat Freiermuth. Browns star cornerback Denzel Ward, the only player in their secondary who has been good this year, is off the injury report in advance of tonight's game, so he will likely be following Pittsburgh's star wide receiver George Pickens around. That and safeties cheating over towards Pickens will create space on the other side of the field for Williams to potentially do what he does best, just like he did two weeks ago. The Steelers sent a draft pick to the New York Jets to acquire the eight-year NFL veteran for precisely that reason: to take some defensive attention away from Pickens and make plays when No. 14 is covered. Pittsburgh's legendary coach and Coach of the Year frontrunner, Mike Tomlin, certainly acknowledges Williams' preparation and role with the team. "I like his work," Tomlin said of Williams . "How we feel about his progress is not always reflected in statistics. We'll keep working, he's doing a great job fitting in... I like the trajectory of it." For his part, Williams has his head in the right place as he is focused on winning football games and not ego. Yet, Thursday Night Football may give Williams more chances to help the Steelers win football games now that he is more acclimated to his new team.