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PGA Tour Q-School names to watch in Florida: Shaun, Lamprecht, GriffinHomeland Security agent pleads not guilty to drug distribution conspiracy chargeFrom the season’s outset, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Minnesota would leave itself the flexibility to close games with whatever lineup the coaching staff felt was needed to secure a victory. ADVERTISEMENT Sometimes, he noted, he’d get the choice right. Surely, there would be other times when he wouldn’t. “Hopefully, I do way more than I don’t,” Finch said this week. Sunday evening, however, was a checkmark in the “not right” column, at least based off the result. The Timberwolves didn’t score in the final 4:47 of their loss to Golden State. Finch said this week that Mike Conley’s inclusion in the closing lineup would’ve added organization to the equation. But he was quick to add that, with the ill-advised shots Anthony Edwards was taking, may not have mattered. ADVERTISEMENT Finch also reiterated what he said after the game, that Nickeil Alexander-Walker was playing “so well,” so he was hesitant to take him off the floor. “Maybe the other thing I could’ve done was go small,” Finch said, “but we’ve not really done that a ton.” That was the cry of many Wolves’ followers on social media on Sunday. Minnesota has proven rather inept at late-game offense when Conley isn’t on the floor. But all recognized Alexander-Walker had also earned the opportunity to close. You certainly won’t take Edwards off the floor in those situations, and the Wolves wanted Jaden McDaniels on the floor to guard Steph Curry. That left Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert as the only options to take off the court in favor of Conley, and that would’ve left Minnesota small. And, as Finch noted, the Wolves simply haven’t gone small this season. Like, at all. None of Naz Reid, Randle or Gobert have played more than 17 minutes this season without another big man next to him. ADVERTISEMENT It’s not something the Wolves practice, either. McDaniels said he’s only repped minutes at the four in practice when one of the bigs have been unavailable. Still, Finch said it wasn’t that he was “uncomfortable” rolling out a small-ball look Sunday. “But I worry a lot about rebounding. We struggle to rebound with our bigger lineups, at times. So, I know our smaller lineups have really struggled,” Finch said. “That’s some of the reason not to go small is really rebounding issues. But I think our guys are comfortable playing in all different combinations. But I haven’t really thought about going small, necessarily.” ADVERTISEMENT Indeed, Minnesota is just 12th in the NBA this season in defensive rebounding rate, grabbing 71.3% of opposing missed shots. The glass was especially an issue Sunday, as Golden State grabbed 14 offensive rebounds that led to 19 second-chance points. But it’s worth noting many of those came by guards in situations in which size was no factor on the play. McDaniels said he’s comfortable playing any position, including the power forward slot. And Minnesota certainly has the wing depth to roll out more small ball lineups if the situation ever called for it. There could be a playoff matchup that does just that, though Finch noted it could also go the other direction where the Wolves’ advantage would be to lean bigger. Versatility rules come April and May. But the Wolves don’t seem overly urgent to trot out any small-ball looks just to see how they perform at this juncture in the campaign. ADVERTISEMENT “Usually, it’s better with Naz at the four (than me),” McDaniels said. There is, however, at least one proponent of doing a little experimenting: Conley. “I think (small ball) kind of promotes a different level of spacing and speed to the game. You’re going to have to rely on guard-guard situations, guard pick and rolls,” Conley said. “Maybe me setting the screen and roll, Just creating different advantages for ourselves, as opposed to our typical offense or typical flow of things. I would love to see it, maybe — see how it works.” ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .NDC Deputy General Secretary Predicts Victory for John Mahama in 2024 Elections
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed an 18-member Presidential Task Force to plan and implement the “Clean Sri Lanka” program. The initiative was first announced by Dissanayake in his inaugural address to Parliament. The Task Force members and its objective was made official via an Extraordinary Gazette Number 2415/59 dated 19 December 2024. The members of the Task Force are Secretary to President Dr. N.S. Kumanayake (Chairman), Commander of the Army, Commander of the Navy, Commander of the Air Force, Acting IGP W.L.A. Saman Priyantha, Urban Development Authority Chairman Eng. Kumudu Lal De Silva, I.S. Jayaratna, Gihan De Silva, Sandya Salgado, Dr. Gamini Batuwitage, Dr. Anuruddha Gamage, Dilruk Wanasinghe, Deepal Sooriyaarachchi, Sisira Amarabandu, Krishantha Cooray, Jayathu Perera, Ruwan Weerasooriya, and Dayan Karunarathna. Senior Additional Secretary to the President G.M.R.D. Aponsu is the Convener/Secretary of the Task Force. Tasks assigned include plan, guide, implement, review the progress, and complete the “Clean Sri Lanka” program within a given time frame aiming to achieve the objectives of elevating society to a more advanced status through a social, environmental and ethical awakening and Create an organisational structure to facilitate the implementation of this programme from the national level to rural level. The Task Force will be required to obtain the subject knowledge and contribution of scholars, professionals, experts and representatives of institutions relating to the subject areas covered by the “Clean Sri Lanka” program and prepare a structure to engage stakeholders such as Government and semi Government sectors, private sector, research institutions, civil society organisations, non-Governmental organisations, international organisations and development practitioners, consultancy and professional organisations, community and citizen organisations, mass media and communication institutions, financial institutions, religious organisations, technology providers and inventors, Sri Lankan diaspora in this program. It will be responsible to raise funds for the “Clean Sri Lanka” fund and provide the necessary instructions and guidance to manage the “Clean Sri Lanka” fund as required. It will also identify programs implemented in concurrence with this program by various stakeholders such as Government institutions, private sector, international organisations and institutions, non-Governmental organisations and align them with the “Clean Sri Lanka” program. The Task Force is also mandated to identify and formulate legal provisions required to ensure the sustainability of the outcomes of this program and establish an institutional framework to which the responsibility for enforcing such laws and rules in the long term is conferred upon. It will also leverage digitalisation to plan, guide, implement, review the progress and sustainably continue this program and develop and implement a multi-mode communication strategy to positively influence and engage all stakeholders. The Task Force is authorised to make inquiries and issue instructions as required for the purpose of executing the tasks so entrusted, and also to obtain the assistance of the public officers from whom such assistance is intended by the Presidential Task Force. The rational for the Task Force and the “Clean Sri Lanka” program, as per the Gazette is that the people of Sri Lanka have become victims in the context of Sri Lanka lagging behind not only economically but also politically, socially, culturally and ethically, the people’s aspirations to take the country towards a new renaissance by changing the situation that they have experienced thus far has been clearly reflected in the recent election results. An approach to make behavioural changes in society can be achieved by role modelling, influencing, providing guidance, and strongly emphasising the need for change, the Government has recognised the need to implement a systematic program to steer the society towards progress and the Government believes that such changes make a decisive impact on the economic development of the country as well. Additional the Government recognises that it is essential to launch a national operation targeting a social, environmental and ethical awakening in the country, as well as fulfilling a transformative initiative ensuring the wellbeing, harmony and progress of the people of this country in line with the vision of “A Thriving Nation, A Beautiful Life.” The Government believes that a transformative initiative is required to be launched to strengthen the environmental, economic and social sustainability and the state machinery, and the present Government has been entrusted with an unavoidable responsibility to act accordingly. Given these factors, the necessity to establish a Presidential Task Force to implement the “Clean Sri Lanka” program, was recognised at the Meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on 2 December 2024.A stroke changed a teacher’s life. How a new electrical device is helping her move
Nokia Corporation Stock Exchange Release 20 December 2024 at 22:30 EET Nokia Corporation: Repurchase of own shares on 20.12.2024 Espoo, Finland – On 20 December 2024 Nokia Corporation (LEI: 549300A0JPRWG1KI7U06) has acquired its own shares (ISIN FI0009000681) as follows: * Rounded to two decimals On 22 November 2024, Nokia announced that its Board of Directors is initiating a share buyback program to offset the dilutive effect of new Nokia shares issued to the shareholders of Infinera Corporation and certain Infinera Corporation share-based incentives. The repurchases in compliance with the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (MAR), the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 and under the authorization granted by Nokia’s Annual General Meeting on 3 April 2024 started on 25 November 2024 and end by 31 December 2025 and target to repurchase 150 million shares for a maximum aggregate purchase price of EUR 900 million. Total cost of transactions executed on 20 December 2024 was EUR 3,657,384. After the disclosed transactions, Nokia Corporation holds 218,626,057 treasury shares. Details of transactions are included as an appendix to this announcement. On behalf of Nokia Corporation BofA Securities Europe SA About Nokia At Nokia, we create technology that helps the world act together. As a B2B technology innovation leader, we are pioneering networks that sense, think and act by leveraging our work across mobile, fixed and cloud networks. In addition, we create value with intellectual property and long-term research, led by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs. With truly open architectures that seamlessly integrate into any ecosystem, our high-performance networks create new opportunities for monetization and scale. Service providers, enterprises and partners worldwide trust Nokia to deliver secure, reliable and sustainable networks today – and work with us to create the digital services and applications of the future. Inquiries: Nokia Communications Phone: +358 10 448 4900 Email: press.services@nokia.com Maria Vaismaa, Global Head of External Communications Nokia Investor Relations Phone: +358 40 803 4080 Email: investor.relations@nokia.com Attachment Daily Report 2024-12-20
Hottoerak Revolutionizes At-Home Skincare with Advanced Light Therapy Technology 12-20-2024 09:14 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Kjprnews Hottoerak, a pioneering brand in light therapy solutions, today announced the launch of its comprehensive collection of advanced light therapy masks, bringing professional-grade skincare technology into the comfort of homes. This innovative line features scientifically-backed wavelength combinations designed to address various skin concerns, from aging to acne treatment. Image: https://hottoerak.shop/cdn/shop/files/13.jpg?v=1716973176&width=1100 The cornerstone of Hottoerak's new collection is its flagship Red Light Therapy Mask [ https://hottoerak.shop/products/hottoerak-red-light-therapy-mask-black ], which harnesses the power of dual-wavelength technology (660nm and 850nm) to stimulate collagen production and promote deep cellular repair. 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About Hottoerak: Hottoerak is a leading innovator in light therapy skincare solutions, dedicated to bringing scientifically-proven, professional-grade treatments to the home care market. By combining cutting-edge technology with comprehensive research, Hottoerak continues to set new standards in the beauty and skincare industry. Media Contact Company Name: HOTTOERAK Contact Person: Media Relations Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=hottoerak-revolutionizes-athome-skincare-with-advanced-light-therapy-technology ] Country: United States Website: https://hottoerak.shop/ This release was published on openPR.BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court on Friday annulled the first round of the country's presidential election, days after allegations emerged that Russia ran a coordinated online campaign to promote the far-right outsider who won the first round. The Constitutional Court’s unprecedented decision — which is final — came after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence on Wednesday that alleged Russia organized thousands of social media accounts to promote Calin Georgescu across platforms such as TikTok and Telegram. The court, without naming Georgescu, said that one of the 13 candidates in the Nov. 24 first round had improperly received “preferential treatment” on social media, distorting the outcome of the vote. Georgescu denounced the verdict as an “officialized coup” and an attack on democracy, as did the second-place finisher, reformist Elena Lasconi of the center-right Save Romania Union party. Despite being an outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner who was to face Lasconi in a runoff on Sunday. Some 951 voting stations had already opened abroad on Friday for the runoff for Romania’s large diaspora, but had to be halted. Iohannis said he would remain in office until a new presidential election could be rerun from scratch. On Dec. 1, one week after the first round of the presidential race, Romania also held a parliamentary election , which saw pro-Western parties win the most votes but also gains for far-right nationalists. Iohannis said that once the new government is formed, the date of the new presidential vote would be set. On Wednesday the president had released intelligence files from the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunication Service and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In a televised statement Friday, Iohannis said he was “deeply concerned” by the contents of the intelligence reports. “Intelligence reports revealed that this candidate’s campaign was supported by a foreign state with interests contrary to Romania’s. These are serious issues," he said. The Constitutional Court in its published decision cited the illegal use of digital technologies including artificial intelligence, as well as the use of “undeclared sources of funding.” It said one candidate received “preferential treatment on social media platforms, which resulted in the distortion of voters’ expressed will." Georgescu slammed the verdict as putting “democracy is under attack.” “I have only one pact ... with the Romanian people and God,” he said in a video statement. “We are no longer talking about fairness but rather about a mockery that betrays the principles of democracy ... It is time to show that we are a courageous people who know that the destiny and rights of the Romanian nation are in our hands.” Lasconi also strongly condemned the court's decision, saying it was “illegal, immoral, and crushes the very essence of democracy" and that the second round should have gone forward. “Whether we like it or not, from a legal and legitimate standpoint, 9 million Romanian citizens, both in the country and the diaspora, expressed their preference for a particular candidate through their votes," she said. “I know I would have won. And I will win because the Romanian people know I will fight for them, that I will unite them for a better Romania,” she added. Some 9.4 million people — about 52.5% of eligible voters — had cast ballots in the first round in this European Union and NATO member country. The president serves a five-year term and has significant decision-making powers in national security, foreign policy and judicial appointments. Most surveys had predicted the top candidate would be Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu of the ruling center-left Social Democrats. They indicated that second place would be claimed by either Lasconi or the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, George Simion. As the surprising results came in with Georgescu on top, and Lasconi narrowly beating Ciolacu, it plunged the political establishment into turmoil. The same court last week ordered a recount of the first-round votes, which added to the myriad controversies that have engulfed a chaotic election cycle. Following a recount, the court then validated the first-round results on Monday. Many observers have expressed concerns that annulling the vote could trigger civil unrest. The court said Friday that its decision was meant “to restore citizens’ trust in the democratic legitimacy of public authorities, in the legality and fairness of elections.” Simion, of the far-right party, said the development was a “coup d’état in full swing” but urged people not to take to the streets. “We don’t let ourselves be provoked, this system has to fall democratically,” he said. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said the court's decision amounts to a “crisis mode situation for Romanian democracy.” “In light of the information about the external interference, the massive interference in elections, I think this was not normal but predictable, because it’s not normal times at all, Romania is an uncharted territory,” he told The Associated Press. “The problem is here, do we have the institutions to manage such an interference in the future?” Georgescu’s surprising success left many political observers wondering how most local surveys were so far off, putting him behind at least five other candidates before the vote. Many observers attributed his success to his TikTok account, which now has 6 million likes and 541,000 followers. But some experts suspected Georgescu’s online following was artificially inflated while Romania’s top security body alleged he was given preferential treatment by TikTok over other candidates. In the intelligence release, the secret services alleged that one TikTok user paid more $381,000 (361,000 euros) to other users to promote Georgescu content. Intelligence authorities said information they obtained “revealed an aggressive promotion campaign” to increase and accelerate his popularity. Georgescu, when asked by the AP in an interview Wednesday whether he believes the Chinese-owned TikTok poses a threat to democracy, defended social media platforms. “The most important existing function for promoting free speech and freedom of expression is social media,” he said.WASHINGTON — The FBI should have done more to gather intelligence before the Capitol riot, according to a watchdog report Thursday that also said no undercover FBI employees were on the scene on Jan. 6, 2021, and that none of the bureau's informants was authorized to participate. The report from the Justice Department inspector general's office knocks down a fringe conspiracy theory advanced by some Republicans in Congress that the FBI played a role in instigating the events that day, when rioters determined to overturn Republican Donald Trump's 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden stormed the building in a violent clash with police. The review, released nearly four years after a dark chapter in history that shook the bedrock of American democracy, was narrow in scope, but aimed to shed light on gnawing questions that have dominated public discourse, including whether major intelligence failures preceded the riot and whether the FBI in some way provoked the violence. People are also reading... Rioters loyal to Donald Trump gather Jan. 6, 2021, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington. The report offers a mixed assessment of the FBI's performance in the run-up to the riot, crediting the bureau for preparing for the possibility of violence and for trying to identify known "domestic terrorism subjects" who planned to come to Washington that day. But it said the FBI, in an action the now-deputy director described as a "basic step that was missed," failed to canvass informants across all 56 of its field offices for any relevant intelligence. That was a step, the report concluded, "that could have helped the FBI and its law enforcement partners with their preparations in advance of January 6." The report found 26 FBI informants were in Washington for election-related protests on Jan. 6, including three who were tasked with traveling to the city to report on others who were potentially planning to attend the day's events. While four informants entered the Capitol, none were authorized to do so by the bureau or to break the law, the report said. Rioters storm the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Many of the 26 informants provided the FBI with information before the riot, but it "was no more specific than, and was consistent with, other sources of information" that the FBI acquired. The FBI said in a letter responding to the report that it accepts the inspection general's recommendation "regarding potential process improvements for future events." The lengthy review was launched days after the riot as the FBI faced questions over whether it had missed warning signs or adequately disseminated intelligence it received, including a Jan. 5, 2021, bulletin prepared by the FBI's Norfolk, Virginia, field office that warned of the potential for "war" at the Capitol. The inspector general found the information in that bulletin was broadly shared. FBI Director Chris Wray, who announced this week his plans to resign at the end of Biden's term in January, defended his agency's handing of the intelligence report. He told lawmakers in 2021 that the report was disseminated though the joint terrorism task force, discussed at a command post in Washington and posted on an internet portal available to other law enforcement agencies. "We did communicate that information in a timely fashion to the Capitol Police and (Metropolitan Police Department) in not one, not two, but three different ways," Wray said at the time. FBI Director Christopher Wray speaks March 11 during a hearing of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Separately, the report said the FBI's New Orleans field office was told by a source between November 2020 and early January 2021 that protesters were planning to station a "quick reaction force" in northern Virginia "to be armed and prepared to respond to violence that day in DC, if necessary." That information was shared with the FBI's Washington Field Office, members of intelligence agencies and some federal law enforcement agencies the day before the riot, the inspector general found. But there was no indication the FBI told northern Virginia police about the information, the report said. An FBI official told the inspector general there was "nothing actionable or immediately concerning about it." A cache of weapons at a Virginia hotel as part of a "quick reaction force" was a central piece of the Justice Department's seditious conspiracy case against Oath Keeper leader Stewart Rhodes and other members of the far-right extremist group. Trump supporters, including Douglas Jensen, center, confront U.S. Capitol Police on Jan. 6, 2021, in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber at the Capitol in Washington. The conspiracy theory that federal law enforcement officers entrapped members of the mob has been spread in conservative circles, including by some Republican lawmakers. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., recently suggested on a podcast that agents pretending to be Trump supporters were responsible for instigating the violence. Former Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who withdrew as Trump's pick as attorney general amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations, sent a letter to Wray in 2021 asking how many undercover agents or informants were at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and if they were "merely passive informants or active instigators." Wray said the "notion that somehow the violence at the Capitol on January 6 was part of some operation orchestrated by FBI sources and agents is ludicrous." Images of chaos: AP photographers capture US Capitol riot Rioters scale a wall at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Supporters loyal to then-President Donald Trump attend a rally on the Ellipse near the White House on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Trump supporters participate in a rally in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Trump supporters participate in a rally Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Then-President Donald Trump gestures as he arrives to speak at a rally in Washington, on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) People listen as then-President Donald Trump speaks during a rally Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Supporters of then-President Donald Trump try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A supporter of then-President Donald Trump is injured during clashes with police at the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A rioter pours water on herself at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) A Trump supporter holds a Bible as he gathers with others outside the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, at the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) A demonstrator supporting then-President Donald Trump, is sprayed by police, Jan. 6, 2021, during a day of rioting at the Capitol.(AP Photo/John Minchillo) Rioters try to enter the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) U.S. Capitol Police try to hold back rioters outside the east doors to the House side of the U.S. Capitol, Jan 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Rioters gather outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, on Jan 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Protesters gather outside the U.S. Capitol, Jan 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Jacob Anthony Chansley, center, with other insurrectionists who supported then-President Donald Trump, are confronted by U.S. Capitol Police in the hallway outside of the Senate chamber in the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Chansley, was among the first group of insurrectionists who entered the hallway outside the Senate chamber. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) U.S. Capitol Police hold rioters at gun-point near the House Chamber inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Lawmakers evacuate the floor as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Police with guns drawn watch as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Congressmen shelter in the House gallery as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Members of Congress wear emergency gas masks as they are evacuated from the House gallery as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) The House gallery is empty after it was evacuated as rioters try to break into the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., cleans up debris and personal belongings strewn across the floor of the Rotunda in the early morning hours of Jan. 7, 2021, after rioters stormed the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Members of the DC National Guard surround the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., read the final certification of Electoral College votes cast in November's presidential election during a joint session of Congress after working through the night, at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, Pool) A flag hangs between broken windows after then-President Donald Trump supporters tried to break through police barriers outside the U.S. Capitol, Jan 6, 2021. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) A flag that reads "Treason" is visible on the ground in the early morning hours of Jan. 7, 2021, after rioters stormed the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) An ATF police officer cleans up debris and personal belongings strewn across the floor of the Rotunda in the early morning hours of Jan. 7, 2021, after rioters stormed the Capitol in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter.NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK: HYATT CENTRIC SOUTH BEACH MIAMI DEBUTS ELEVATED STYLE AND LUXURY
Next Crypto to Explode in 2025? 5 Game-Changing Picks You Need to Watch NowEagles receivers Smith and Brown complain about vanishing pass offense during winning streak
SAN FRANCISCO — Once general manager Ohemaa Nyanin and her Golden State Valkyries staff had decided who to pick in the WNBA expansion draft, the first challenge became reaching each player with the news before she heard it anywhere else. That meant considering practice times, game schedules, time zones and potential sleep times. It all seemed worthwhile on Friday night when the roster began taking shape. The way Nyanin looks at it, they are all part of history, about to join something being built from the ground up. "I just want these players to be happy," Nyanin said. "I want them to understand the opportunity that they have to come and be historians. Once you get to put on that jersey and you get to sit in front of a packed Chase Center, your whole experience is going to change." The Valkyries selected center Iliana Rupert from Atlanta, guards Veronica Burton of Connecticut and Carla Leite of Dallas and forward Maria Conde from Chicago with their initial picks on Friday, the first players for the new Bay Area franchise that's set to begin play next season. Golden State rounded out its 11-woman roster with Indiana center Temi Fagbenle; Las Vegas guard Kate Martin; forwards Steph Talbot of Los Angeles, Cecilia Zandalasini of Minnesota, Kayla Thornton of New York and Monique Billings of Phoenix; and Washington guard Julie Vanloo. The Valkyries did not choose a player from Seattle. Thornton is riding high after helping the Liberty to a WNBA title. Martin, a second-round draft pick this year who played with Caitlin Clark at Iowa, could get more playing time and enjoy a big jump in productivity after she averaged 11.5 minutes and 2.6 points as a rookie with the Aces. Nyanin described the process of starting a new team as "complex." "I think these athletes are a really good step forward in our journey," said Nyanin, who also had conversations about trades. "I was so excited about the blank canvas, and then behind closed doors it was blank. Nobody's name just appeared or anything so there was a lot of work that myself and my team put into it. The complexities around it is what I want to continue to highlight because these are 11 humans, right? They all thought one thing and they woke up today or are still sleeping and they're a part of the Golden State Valkyries." The team plans to be active when free agency starts in February. Golden State did extensive scouting work and had discussions on each player to determine how she might fit in a new system. "It's a long process but it's also a great process for us," coach Natalie Nakase said. "We kind of did this cycle, where we collaborate, we discuss and then we go watch film, then do it again ... and that went over and over again for about two months. And finally we decided, we picked the best players that fit our culture. So we're excited and can't wait to get going." This marked the WNBA's first expansion draft in 16 years since the Atlanta Dream joined the league in 2008. Golden State was free to acquire the contract or negotiating rights to one player from each of the other 12 WNBA teams. The Valkyries can also choose one player from the league who's eligible to become an unrestricted free agent. The Valkyries will play at Chase Center, the 5-year-old home of the Golden State Warriors, and practice across the bay in the organization's Oakland training facility. Warriors star Draymond Green sported a Valkyries jersey with No. 25 on the back — for the inaugural campaign of 2025 — while sitting out injured during Thursday's win over the Houston Rockets. There is already plenty of hype in San Francisco and beyond. And there was excitement on both sides during those initial calls to the players. "We got some really good reactions," Nyanin said. "We talked about it just internally the three of us, like, 'Should we have taped that, should we have kind of screen recorded or something?' I'm very happy that we didn't. That's a moment that we will get to share just the four of us with each of the different athletes." Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Senior advisers to Vice President Kamala Harris’ failed presidential campaign suggested this week that there just wasn’t much else Harris could have done to beat Donald Trump. Harris couldn’t have distanced herself from President Joe Biden, they said, because she was loyal. She couldn’t have responded more forcefully to attacks over trans rights, because doing so would have been playing Trump’s game. And she might not have had much chance of winning anyway, given the deficit she inherited from Biden when he dropped out of the race in July. “We were hopeful. I don’t know how optimistic we were, but we thought, OK, this is tied, and if a couple things break our way [we could win],” David Plouffe, a senior adviser to the campaign, said Tuesday on the “Pod Save America” podcast in a joint interview with fellow Harris campaign alums Jen O’Malley Dillon, Quentin Fulks and Stephanie Cutter. Plouffe said the campaign’s internal polling never had Harris ahead of Trump. “We didn’t get the breaks we needed on Election Day,” he said. “I think it surprised people, because there was these public polls that came out in late September, early October, showing us with leads that we never saw.” There’s no doubt that voter anger over high prices hurt Harris , just as it has hurt incumbent politicians all over the world. Since Trump’s victory, however, Democrats have debated the relative impacts of other factors, such as the campaign’s muted response to Trump’s anti-trans TV ads and Harris’ decision not to say how she’d be different from Biden. During an early October appearance on “The View,” Sunny Hostin, one of the hosts of the daytime talk show, asked Harris if there was anything she would have done differently than Biden, whose approval rating had been underwater since 2021. “There is not a thing that comes to mind,” Harris said, in an answer ready-made for a Trump TV ad. “And I’ve been part of most of the decisions that have had impact.” Many Democratic pollsters and strategists have questioned why Harris didn’t give some example of how she’d be different, such as by saying she would have acted faster than Biden did to reduce migrant crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. Cutter said the campaign heard the second-guessing ― but, she said, Harris was merely being true to herself and loyal to Biden, and saying otherwise would have backfired. “We knew we had to show her as her own person and point to the future and not try to rehash the past,” Cutter said. “But she also felt that she was part of the administration, and unless we said something like, ‘Well, I would have handled the border completely differently,’ we were never going to satisfy anybody.” “She had tremendous loyalty to President Biden,” Cutter continued. “Imagine if we said, ‘Well, we would have taken this approach on the border.’ Imagine the round of stories coming out after that, of people saying, ‘Well, she never said that in the meeting.’” Since Election Day, Democrats have also debated the impact of Trump’s anti-trans messaging, with some lawmakers questioning the party’s fealty to trans rights activists with uncompromising positions . The Trump campaign spent significant resources on ads highlighting Harris’ past support for gender-affirming care, including surgery, for people incarcerated in federal prisons. Fulks, Harris’ former deputy campaign manager, called those ads “very effective,” though he and Plouffe said they doubted whether the ads actually moved voters. Some polling has shown the issue moved independent voters who broke for Trump. Don't let this be the end of the free press. The free press is under attack — and America's future hangs in the balance. As other newsrooms bow to political pressure, HuffPost is not backing down. Would you help us keep our news free for all? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . 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Log in to hide these messages. “I ultimately don’t believe that it was about the issue of ‘trans.’ I think that it made her seem out of touch, and it was sort of a pseudo-economic ad underneath it, because he was saying you’re going to pay for it with taxpayer money,” Fulks said, adding that the fact the ads used video of Harris stating her position in her own words made them more damaging. “We tested a ton of responses to this, direct responses, and none of them ever tested as well as basically her talking about what she would do... the future, the type of president that she would be,” Fulks said. The campaign’s internal research, Fulks said, indicated they should focus their message on attacking Trump or introducing Harris to voters in a positive way, rather than defending her from Trump’s attacks. (Plouffe noted that two Democratic candidates did put out ads responding to anti-trans attacks; neither won their race.) “If we spent this entire race pushing back on immigration attacks or crime attacks and pushing back against trans attacks, at what point are we bringing Trump down and/or introducing the vice president on our own terms?” Fulks said. “We’re playing on their field.” Related From Our Partner