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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is heading to the NFL draft after leading the Southeastern Conference in rushing and setting a handful of school records. The SEC Offensive Player of the Year announced on social media his intention Friday to leave after his junior season. He helped the seventh-ranked Vols go 10-3 with a first-round loss in the College Football Playoff where Sampson was limited by an injured hamstring. Sampson thanked his family, Tennessee coaches and fans, saying he learned so much and had the chance to be part of something special. Tennessee went 3-7 in 2020, and he leaves with the Vols having won 30 games over his three seasons. “I poured my heart and soul into this program and this community,” Sampson wrote. “With that being said, I will be declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.” Sampson set a school record running for 1,491 yards. He also set a program record with a league-best 22 rushing touchdowns, breaking a mark that had stood for 95 years. He was part of coach Josh Heupel’s first full signing class in December 2021 out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He also set school records for total touchdowns scored (22), points scored (132) and consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (11). He led the SEC in nine different categories, including rushing attempts (258), rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, 100-yard rushing games with 10, averaging 114.7 yards rushing per game, points scored, points per game (10.2), all-purpose yards (1,638) and all-purpose yards per game (126.0). He finished this season tied for fifth all-time in the SEC ranks for rushing TDs in a single season with Leonard Fournette of LSU. ___ 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
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Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson kept the overall lead in fan voting numbers revealed Monday for the NFL Pro Bowl Games with Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley a close second. Jackson topped vote-getters with 82,402 and Barkley was next, only 320 votes behind. Barkley was 4,079 votes back of Jackson in last week's first voting results. Eagles star Barkley, who set a team one-season rushing record on Sunday in a victory over Carolina, leaped ahead of Ravens rusher Derrick Henry, who fell to third on 76,582. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was fourth on 73,627 with Detroit Lions rusher Jahmyr Gibbs fifth on 73,617. The Lions garnered the most votes from NFL fans overall followed by Baltimore, two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City, Philadelphia and Minnesota. The NFL's all-star event will be staged February 2 in Orlando, Florida, for the second consecutive year as 88 players take part in skills competitions, including a flag football showdown with former NFL star quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning serving as coaches. Fan voting concludes on December 23. No other voting totals were revealed but top vote-getters at their position in the AFC and NFC also were revealed, including NFC rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels of Washington and wide receivers Justin Jefferson of Minnesota in the NFC and Ja'Marr Chase of Cincinnati in the AFC. js/bbNoneNews digest: SNS switches from 'foreign-funded' label for NGOs to lobbying regulation
With technical prowess and considerable style, Marta danced around two sliding defenders, outwitted a goalkeeper and calmly scored as another player rushed forward in desperation to stop her. It was more Marta Magic. That goal last weekend helped propel the Orlando Pride into Saturday's National Women's Soccer League championship game against the Washington Spirit. Barbra Banda also scored in the Pride's 3-2 semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current . While Banda has had an incredible first season with the Pride, captain Marta has been the talisman that has helped lead the team in its remarkable turnaround this year. The last time the Pride were in the NWSL playoffs was in 2017 — Marta's first year with the club. But this season they nearly went undefeated, going 23 games without a loss to start the season before losing 2-0 to the Portland Thorns with just two regular-season games left. “I think because of the way that we did it, during this season, from beginning to now, it’s something very special that I’ve never had before with any other club that I’ve played for," Marta said. "Plus year by year, we see in America, strong competition. This is the best league in the world. And you never know what’s going to happen, and it’s hard to keep winning the games, being in the first place almost like the whole season. That’s why it’s really different and so special.” Marta’s goal was the latest gasp-inducing moment in a stellar career filled with them. Known by just her first name, the 38-year-old is a six-time FIFA world player of the year. "Let's see if tomorrow I can do something similar — or even better," Marta said on Friday. Her teammate Kylie Strom chimed in: “That was the greatest goal I've ever witnessed, hands down." Appropriate. Earlier this year, FIFA announced that the best goal in women's soccer each year would earn the Marta Award. In a lighthearted moment the day before the title match, Marta was asked if she thought it was possible she might give the award to herself. “You guys need to decide, because who votes for the best goal in the year? It’s you. It’s the people in the public. So it should be really interesting, like Marta’s Award goes to Marta!” she said with a laugh. Marta has played in six World Cups for Brazil and played this summer in her sixth Olympics, winning a silver medal after falling in the final to the United States . She previously said this would be her final year with the national team. But since then Brazil was named the host of the 2027 Women's World Cup. "I had a conversation with my coach, the national team coach, and I was really clear about playing in 2027. I told him it’s not my goal anymore,” she said. “But I’m always available to help the national team. And if they think I still can do something during this preparation for the World Cup, yeah, I would be happy to help them." Marta's club career started in Brazil when she was just 16. She has also played in Sweden and in the U.S. professional women's leagues that came before the NWSL. With nine regular-season goals, Marta has had one of her best seasons since she joined the Pride. “I can never pick a side, I never pick favorites — but I love to see this for Marta," U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “Marta is someone we all like, admire and are grateful for. And that goal was just like prime Marta at her best. And so grateful for and thankful for her that she got the opportunity with another game with her team.” The Pride went 18-2-6 this season, clinching the NWSL Shield for the first trophy in club history. Orlando also set a record with 60 regular-season points to finish atop the standings. “We are sitting top of the table, but I think there still are a lot of doubters. I think there’s people out there who say, maybe this was a one-off season,” Strom said. “But we’re here to prove them all wrong. So I think we do carry a bit of that underdog mentality still with us.” The second-seeded Spirit advanced to the title match at Kansas City's CPKC Stadium last weekend on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw against defending champions Gotham FC. The Spirit's roster includes Trinity Rodman, a standout forward who formed the so-called “Triple Espresso” trio with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith for the United States at the Olympics. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSyrian rebels free prisoners from Assad's notorious dungeons who celebrate in Damascus streets
The Dallas Cowboys decided CeeDee Lamb is done for the season as he'll miss the remaining two games on the schedule. The decision was made after additional testing that revealed the "risk was too high" to play him. Now granted, it's fair to assume the timing to shut him down coincides with the fact that Dallas was officially eliminated last weekend leading up to their matchup against the Tampa Bay Bucs. With nothing to fight for anymore, ruling Lamb out certainly feels like waving the white flag. And though I wouldn't expect the Cowboys to sit all starters or anything like that, I do believe setting their sights on 2025 and beyond should impact their decision making regarding the lineup. Here are a few things that I should happen as a domino effect to the decision around Lamb. 1. Tyler Guyton should start at left tackle Guyton sitting on the bench has been one of the biggest surprises of the year for me. The Cowboys have started Chuma Edoga instead of their first-round rookie and even though Guyton has been undisciplined at times, I question if it's been the right call to sacrifice reps for the prospect who entered the league as a developmental project. That being said, as long as the Cowboys were "in the running," I understand Mike McCarthy starting who he thinks was his best guy. But now, it seems like a great opportunity to get Guyton some valuable opportunities to clean up his game in live action, which is totally different to whatever work he can get in during the offseason. I believe not starting No. 60 on Sunday would be a missed opportunity for the rookie. 2. More looks for Jonathan Mingo Since the Cowboys traded a fourth-rounder for Mingo , he's been targeted eleven times and caught two passes. It hasn't been pretty. With Lamb out, Mingo should receive more opportunities to get on the field. It's a perfect chance to get him involved and get an early look at him. Keep in mind, though his production has been disappointing, Mingo has two years left on his deal and the Cowboys were likely thinking about developing him more than he making an immediate impact. But him giving us something to be excited about is key over the next couple of games. 3. Honorable mentions Here are a few players I'd also love to see more from during the final two games of the season: DE Marshawn Kneeland: Though Carl Lawson and Chauncey Golston have earned their playing time, this feels like a game where the second-round rookie should get plenty of looks against top-tier offensive tackles. FB Hunter Luepke: He's been part of the lineup but I'd love to see Luepke getting some carries this game to see if anything clicks now that the offensive line has been much improved. WR Ryan Flournoy: Flournoy already had a big moment last weekend when he caught a deep pass for a 26-yard gain over the middle of the field. He'll likely get the start on Sunday and I look forward to seeing more targets for the fifth-round rookie. This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.Gen Bajwa advocated talks with TTP: Omar Ayub
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s crypto policy is taking shape with the announcement of a White House crypto czar and a new securities watchdog, but questions remain over who will drive policy and whether too many cooks could slow down changes. Trump on Thursday appeared to make good on his campaign pledge to be a “crypto president,” announcing he would make former top PayPal PYPL.O executive and crypto evangelist David Sacks “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” A day earlier, Trump said he would nominate pro-crypto Washington attorney Paul Atkins to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. While crypto executives cheered the news, saying the pair would end the Biden administration’s crypto crackdown and promote innovation, some Washington analysts said the creation of a crypto czar, a new role, sowed ambiguity over who would drive crypto policy and flagged the potential for policy clashes. “One big question is whether the policy will be driven by Sacks himself. A czar appointed by Trump is going to want to see changes fairly quickly, but the SEC has processes and you can’t just snap your fingers at the SEC and have new rules,” Ian Katz, managing director of Capital Alpha Partners, said in an email to Reuters. “Personalities will be important,” he added. A Silicon Valley venture capitalist and friend of Trump billionaire backer Elon Musk, Sacks was an early bitcoin investor. In a 2017 CNBC interview, he said cryptocurrencies were revolutionizing the internet, but he acknowledged there were also scammers in the sector. He does not appear to have any experience writing or leading policy, according to a Reuters review of his background. Atkins, meanwhile, is a former SEC official and respected veteran of Washington policy circles who has said he supports crypto innovation as way to boost financial services competition, and has helped crypto companies in their dealings with regulators via his consultancy Patomak Global Partners. “Atkins is kind of a known quantity,” said Lene Powell, senior legal analyst at financial consultancy Wolters Kluwer. Sacks is from “a different sphere.” Both have called for regulators to be more accommodating of crypto companies, but neither appear to have taken a position on whether and under what circumstances crypto tokens should be considered securities, commodities or utilities – a core issue that will ultimately decide how the industry is regulated. “I think we’ll see more constructive regulation. Obviously, that includes some clarification around what is (a) security or not,” said Chen Arad, co-founder of Solidus Labs, a crypto compliance company. Atkins and Sacks did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency, surged past the $100,000 milestone for the first time after Trump announced Atkins as his pick to lead the SEC, buoyed by hopes that the new administration would usher in softer crypto policies. Under President Joe Biden, the SEC has sued dozens of crypto companies, alleging they broke securities laws, while bank regulators discouraged lenders from dabbling in crypto and Congress failed to pass legislation that would help promote mainstream crypto adoption. The crypto industry is pushing for an ambitious raft of policies that would promote adoption of digital assets, including the creation of a crypto regulatory framework which would address when tokens can be classified as securities or commodities. Trump said in a Thursday post on his Truth Social platform that Sacks would “guide” crypto policy and “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has ... clarity,” leaving it unclear whether Sacks would lead the incoming administration’s crypto policy. It was also unclear whether Sacks will lead Trump’s crypto advisory council, which is also expected to play a key role in shaping crypto policy. Reuters previously reported the crypto czar was expected to lead that body and coordinate policy among the various regulatory agencies. That coordination will be crucial, since a crypto legal framework would need extensive input from the SEC and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, whose new chair has yet to be announced, and may also require congressional approval, said lawyers. Regulations on less contentious non-crypto issues such as proprietary bank trading and capital have been snarled up for years by inter-agency squabbles, they noted. “It definitely would be a lot of cooks,” Powell said. In an email on Friday, a Trump transition spokesperson reiterated the President-elect’s Thursday announcement in which he said Sacks would guide crypto policy, and did not answer Reuters questions seeking more details on how the role would work. Some consumer protection advocates have expressed concern that the Trump administration’s crypto agenda might create gaps that would leave investors at risk, a fear the industry has largely dismissed. “I don’t think there will be under-regulation,” said Anthony Scaramucci, the founder of asset manager SkyBridge, who briefly served in Trump’s first administration. “I don’t think it will create fraud, but I think it will help the United States maintain what it should be, which is our mantle of financial services leadership.” Source: Reuters (Reporting by Hannah Lang and Michelle Price; Additional reporting by Pritam Biswas, Lawrence Delevingne, Douglas Gillison, Chris Prentice, Carolina Mandl, Arsheeya Singh Bajwa and Jaiveer Shekhawat; editing by Jonathan Oatis)A holiday bounty of new releases, plus the week's best movies in L.A.
The union representing about 55,000 striking postal workers said it is “disappointed and frustrated” with Canada Post’s proposals as the labour disruption drags into its fourth week. However, in a statement Sunday afternoon, the Crown corporation told the Star that it has yet to receive a formal response from the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) through the federally-appointed mediator after its latest proposal on Friday. “We continue to operate within a confidential process, which was agreed to by Canada Post and CUPW,” Canada Post wrote in a statement. “While we strongly disagree with the responses the union has shared publicly, we encourage CUPW to share their positions through the formal process.” In an email to the Star, CUPW argued it “respects” the bargaining process and said that its representatives met with the mediator Saturday afternoon to discuss the proposals, which they argue contain “drastic changes and rollbacks that no union in the world would ever accept.” CPP and OAS cheques will still be delivered. However, cheques for many social assistance “We urge Canada Post to bring forward proposals that reflect the value of its workforce,” the union said. “While no counterproposal has been made yet, CUPW negotiators remain committed to working toward a fair deal and are ready to return to the table.” Details of the proposals exchanged between the two sides during the mediation process have not been shared publicly. The Crown corporation said its remains committed to getting people “back to work.” “Our proposals include significant moves to close the gap on key issues like weekend delivery, pensions and wages to reach new agreements,” a Canada Post spokesperson said. The strike began on Nov. 15 and will hit the four-week mark this Friday. In the last three weeks, most mail and parcels have not been processed or delivered, except for some . Both parties have been informally communicating via the meditator to find a solution, but have not been back to the official bargaining table since were suspended last week. As the strike continues, especially amid a crucial holiday period for many small businesses and customers, pressure has been building for the federal government to step in. But in a statement on Saturday, Ottawa signalled it’s not planning to intervene and force the postal employees back to work through binding arbitration. “We urge the parties to get back to the negotiating table,” Matthieu Perrotin, press secretary to Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon, stated in an email to the Star Saturday morning. “Parties must do the work necessary to reach a deal, as Canadians are counting on them. Those with passports being held by Service Canada can arrange to pick them up in person, “Negotiated agreements are always the best way forward,” he wrote. CUPW president Jan Simpson told the Star in an interview Saturday that the government not intervening is a “good thing.” The union had called for a cumulative wage hike of 24 per cent over four years, while the company previously countered with wage increases totalling 11.5 per cent over four years and additional paid leave, while protecting the defined benefit pension and job security provisions. “The proposals that they put forward are not adequate. This strike highlights there’s so many unresolved systemic issues. And it’s not an overreach of the unions to try to fix these,” Simpson said.US equity funds receive big inflows on cool inflation, funding bill, and holiday rallyGus Malzahn is resigning as Central Florida's head coach to become Florida State 's offensive coordinator, a person familiar with the hire told The Associated Press on Saturday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Seminoles have not confirmed Malzahn's move, which is pending a state background check. ESPN first reported the decision. The Knights made official that Malzahn is leaving in a statement released a day after UCF (4-8) concluded its season with a 28-14 loss to Utah. “We would like to thank Coach Malzahn for his contributions to our football program over the past four seasons, including our transition into the Big 12 Conference," the school said. "We appreciate his professionalism and dedication to our student-athletes throughout his tenure at UCF and wish he and his wife, Kristi, the very best in their future endeavors.” Malzahn finished with a 28-24 mark in four years at UCF, the last two ending with losing records after joining the Big 12. He coached at Auburn for eight seasons before being fired in 2020. Malzahn replaces offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins, who was fired Nov. 10 following a 52-3 loss at Notre Dame. The Seminoles rank 131st out of 134 in total offense and scoring offense, averaging 15.8 points a game heading into Saturday night's rivalry game against Florida. The Seminoles (2-9) have dropped significantly since going 13-1 last season and winning the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. The Knights, meanwhile, struggled mightily in Malzahn's fourth season — most of it because of quarterback issues. Four players took snaps from center as the Knights finished 2-7 in conference play. It was the program's worst record since going 0-12 in former coach George O’Leary’s final season in 2015. Florida State coach Mike Norvell fired Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and receivers coach Ron Dugans amid the Seminoles' season-long skid. 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
OpenAI whistleblower death: Parents want to know what happened to Suchir Balaji after apparent suicide
Trump says he can’t promise tariffs won’t raise prices and won’t rule out revenge prosecutionsBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson kept the overall lead in fan voting numbers revealed Monday for the NFL Pro Bowl Games with Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley a close second. Jackson topped vote-getters with 82,402 and Barkley was next, only 320 votes behind. Barkley was 4,079 votes back of Jackson in last week's first voting results. Eagles star Barkley, who set a team one-season rushing record on Sunday in a victory over Carolina, leaped ahead of Ravens rusher Derrick Henry, who fell to third on 76,582. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen was fourth on 73,627 with Detroit Lions rusher Jahmyr Gibbs fifth on 73,617. The Lions garnered the most votes from NFL fans overall followed by Baltimore, two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City, Philadelphia and Minnesota. More from this section The NFL's all-star event will be staged February 2 in Orlando, Florida, for the second consecutive year as 88 players take part in skills competitions, including a flag football showdown with former NFL star quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning serving as coaches. Fan voting concludes on December 23. No other voting totals were revealed but top vote-getters at their position in the AFC and NFC also were revealed, including NFC rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels of Washington and wide receivers Justin Jefferson of Minnesota in the NFC and Ja'Marr Chase of Cincinnati in the AFC. js/bbArtificial intelligence. Abortion. Guns. Marijuana. Minimum wages. Name a hot topic, and chances are good there’s a new law about it taking effect in 2025 in one state or another. Many of the laws launching in January are a result of legislation passed this year. Others stem from ballot measures approved by voters. Some face legal challenges. Here’s a look at some of the most notable state laws taking effect: California, home to Hollywood and some of the largest technology companies, is seeking to and put some parameters around social media stars. New laws seek to prevent the use of digital replicas of Hollywood actors and performers without permission and allow the estates of dead performers to sue over unauthorized AI use. Parents who profit from social media posts featuring their children will be required to set aside some earnings for their young influencers. A new law also allows children to sue their parents for failing to do so. New social media restrictions in several states face court challenges. A Florida law bans children under 14 accounts and requires parental consent for ages 14 and 15. But enforcement is being delayed because of a lawsuit filed by two associations for online companies, with a hearing scheduled for late February. A new Tennessee law also to open accounts on social media. NetChoice, an industry group for online businesses, is challenging the law. Another new state law requires porn websites to verify that visitors are at least 18 years old. But the Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult entertainment industry, has filed a challenge. Several new California measures aimed at are also being challenged, including one requiring large social media platforms to remove deceptive content related to elections and another allowing any individual to sue for damages over the use of AI to create . In a first nationally, California will start enforcing a law prohibiting school districts from adopting policies that require staff to notify parents if their . The law was a priority for Democratic lawmakers who wanted to halt such policies passed by several districts. Many states have passed laws since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a nationwide right to the procedure in 2022. One of the latest is the Democratic-led state of Delaware. A law there will require the state employee health plan and Medicaid plans for lower-income residents , copayments or other cost-sharing requirements. A new Minnesota law prohibits guns with “binary triggers” that allow for more rapid fire, causing a weapon to fire one round when the trigger is pulled and another when it is released. In Delaware, a law adds colleges and universities to a list of school zones where guns are prohibited, with exceptions for those working in their official capacity such as law officers and commissioned security guards. Kentucky is becoming the latest state to let people use . To apply for a state medical cannabis card, people must get written certification from a medical provider of a qualifying condition, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea or post-traumatic stress disorder. Nearly four-fifths of U.S. states have now legalized medical marijuana. Minimum wage workers in more than 20 states are due to receive raises in January. The highest minimum wages will be in Washington, California and Connecticut, all of which will top $16 an hour after modest increases. The largest increases are scheduled in Delaware, where the minimum wage will rise by $1.75 to $15 an hour, and in Nebraska, where a in 2022 will add $1.50 to the current minimum of $12 an hour. Twenty other states still follow the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. In Oregon, using drugs on public transit will be considered a misdemeanor crime of interfering with public transportation. While the measure worked its way through the legislature, multiple transportation officials said drug use on buses and trains, and at transit stops and stations, was making passengers and drivers feel less safe. In Missouri, law enforcement officers have spent the past 16 months issuing warnings to motorists that handheld cellphone use is illegal. Starting with the new year, penalties will kick in: a $150 fine for the first violation, progressing to $500 for third and subsequent offenses and up to 15 years imprisonment if a driver using a cellphone cause an injury or death. But police must notice a primary violation, such as speeding or weaving across lanes, to cite motorists for violating the cellphone law. Montana is the only state that hasn’t , according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Tenants in Arizona will no longer have to pay , thanks to the repeal of a law that had allowed cities and towns to impose such taxes. While a victory for renters, the new law is a financial loss for governments. An analysis by Arizona’s nonpartisan Joint Legislative Budget Committee estimated that $230 million would be lost in municipal tax revenue during the first full fiscal year of implementation. Meanwhile Alabama will offer tax credits to businesses that help employees with child care costs. Kansas is eliminating its 2% sales tax on groceries. It also is by dropping the top tax rate, increasing a credit for child care expenses and exempting all Social Security income from taxes, among other things. Taxpayers are expected to save about $320 million a year going forward. An Oklahoma law expands voting privileges to people who have been convicted of felonies but had their sentences discharged or commuted, including commutations for crimes that have been reclassified from felonies to misdemeanors. Former state Sen. George Young, an Oklahoma City Democrat, carried the bill in the Senate. “I think it’s very important that people who have gone through trials and tribulations in their life, that we have a system that brings them back and allows them to participate as contributing citizens,” Young said.
Former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit is one of the most well-known figures in college football. A longtime host of ESPN's venerable 'College Gameday' pregame show, Herbstreit is often singled out for his unique takes on the Buckeyes and Big Ten games along with college football games from across the nation. On Saturday, virtually all of the college football world expected Herbstreit's alma mater to snap its three-game losing streak against "The Team Up North," coach Sherrone Moore's Michigan Wolverines. What unfolded was an upset for the ages that had Herbstreit taking to social media to send a message to Michigan's rookie coach. Junfu Han/USA Today "Rivalry weekend. Ya just never never know," Herbstreit said on his X account after the game. "That's why they play the games. Congrats to @Coach_SMoore and @UmichFootball." Herbstreit's colleague Desmond Howard was the only member of the "College GameDay" crew who picked the Wolverines to win the game, an unsurprising turn of events considering Michigan was an underdog of 23 or more points in some circles. Herbstreit's tweet was viewed over 215,000 times heading into the evening as Ohio State players and coaches were left to pick up the pieces, their fate for the 2024 12-team College Football Playoff still undecided. Related: Gus Johnson Throws Shade at Michigan, Sherrone Moore After Win vs. Ohio StateThe Peoples Democratic Party has expressed confidence that opposition forces will oust the All Progressives Congress in Nigeria’s 2027 elections, drawing inspiration from the recent victory of Ghana’s National Democratic Congress in the country’s presidential polls. The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement on Monday, called Ghana’s opposition NDC victory a clear example of the people’s power prevailing over misrule. On Sunday, Ghana’s former President, John Mahama, was declared the winner of the country’s presidential election after his main opponent, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, admitted defeat. Ologunagba said, “The Peoples Democratic Party congratulates the people of Ghana for their resilience in defending democracy and ensuring that their Will prevailed in the Saturday, December 7, 2024 Presidential election which returned the National Democratic Congress and President John Mahama to power. “The verdict of the people of Ghana in this Presidential election is a signal to the APC that its days in office are numbered as the power of the people in Nigeria, just like in Ghana, will surely prevail, end APC’s oppressive rule and return Nigeria to the path of good governance, security, political stability and economic prosperity on the platform of the PDP in 2027.” Related News INEC chair commends Ghana poll, highlights lessons for Nigeria Ghana: CJID, DUBAWA harp on credible polls Oyo, Osun people will decide next govs, APC tells Makinde He accused the APC of presiding over years of economic decline, insecurity, and hardship, citing a spike in inflation, the devaluation of the naira, and soaring unemployment rates. The statement read, “Major multinationals are now leaving our country in droves and life has become so unbearable that our citizens, particularly the youths are now resorting to suicide or slavery mission abroad as alternative because of the monumental misrule and insensitivity of the APC. “Nigerians now recall with nostalgia and earnestly seek a return of the golden years of the PDP in government as their only hope for survival and triumph of their dreams, aspiration and collective Will as a people. “The PDP therefore calls on all institutions of government especially the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to note the yearning of Nigerians and ensure that all processes are put in place to guarantee that only the Will of the people prevail in elections. “INEC must note that Nigerians are not ready to accept a repeat of the massive manipulation and perversion of the electoral process as witnessed in the 2019 and 2023 Presidential elections in our country.”
Ghana's former president John Drahami Mahama won a historic comeback election victory on Sunday after the ruling party accepted defeat with voters appearing to punish them for the government's handling of an economic crisis. Following Saturday's election, New Patriotic Party candidate Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia on Sunday conceded Ghanaians wanted change after he failed to shake off widespread frustration over high costs of living. His defeat ended eight years in power for the NPP under President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose last term was marked by the west African state's worst economic turmoil in years, high inflation and a debt default. For opposition National Democratic Congress party's Mahama, president from 2012-2017, it was his third attempt to reclaim the top post after falling short in 2016 and 2020 elections. "Former president Mahama has won the presidential election decisively," Bawumia told a press conference. Mahama's NDC also won the parliament elections, Bawumia said, referring to the NPP's own internal collation of election results. "The people of Ghana have spoken, the people have voted for change at this time and we respect it with all humility," he said. The speedy concession came as official vote tallies were still arriving. Electoral authorities have yet to announce the results for the presidential and parliament ballots. Blaring horns and whistles and waving the party's green, white and red flags, Mahama supporters took the streets to celebrate outside the party campaign office in the capital Accra. "They said he can't come back, and he has come. The nation builder is back to build our Ghana for us," said trader and Mahama supporter Leyla Alhassan enjoying the celebrations. Mahama has yet to speak publicly. But on his X account, Mahama confirmed he received Bawumia's congratulatory call over his "emphatic victory". The US embassy in Accra also applauded a "successful election that reflects the will of the Ghanaian people." "The United States looks forward to continuing our strong partnerships under" Mahama, it said on X. Ghana's economic woes dominated the election, after the continent's top gold producer and world's second cacao exporter went through a crisis of default and currency devaluation, ending with a $3 billion IMF bailout. Earlier, NDC spokesman Sammy Gyamfi told reporters the party's internal review of results showed Mahama won 56.3 percent of the vote against 41.3 percent for Bawumia. Political parties had agents at polling stations to observe and tally the initial vote counts before the ballots were sent for official collation by the election commission. The commission had said official results were likely due by Tuesday. With a history of democratic stability, Ghana's two main parties, the NPP and NDC, have alternated in power equally since the return to multi-party politics in 1992. Under the slogan "Break the 8" -- a reference to two terms in power -- Bawumia had sought to lead the NPP to an unprecedented third term. But he struggled to break away from criticism of Akufo-Addo's economic record. Though inflation slowed from more than 50 percent to around 23 percent, and other macro-economic indicators are stabilising, economic struggles were still a clear election issue for many. That frustration opened the way for a comeback from Mahama, who came to the presidency in 2012 when he was serving as vice president and then President John Atta Mills died in office. During campaigning this year, the former president also faced criticism from those who remember his government's own financial problems especially the massive power cuts that marked his time in office. bur/pma/giv/juNew 2025 laws hit hot topics from AI in movies to rapid-fire guns
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Nonehttps://arab.news/rzcr3 LONDON: Arsenal moved up to second place in the Premier League with a 1-0 home win against Ipswich on Friday. Mikel Arteta’s side is six points behind leader Liverpool, which has a game in hand. Second-bottom Ipswich had won two of its last three away games but was up against it from the start at the Emirates. The visitors did not have one touch in the Gunners’ box during the first 45 minutes and, although Ipswich showed signs of life after the break, it was Arsenal which continued to dominate the game, marshaled by Declan Rice in midfield. Kai Havertz got the only goal midway through the first half when he knocked in a cross from Leandro Trossard. Havertz, Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus all had chances but none of them could add to Arsenal’s tally. “It’s so tough, every team is tough to break down,” Havertz said. “They fight for each other and at the end we’re very proud for the win.” Arsenal is a point above third-place Chelsea and two points clear of season surprise team Nottingham Forest in fourth. Seagulls and Bees share the points on south coast Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run to six league games. It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count. Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance. Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury. One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago. The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees.
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