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Scotland hero John McGinn is well aware that Rangers fans are becoming increasingly disheartened, as he frequently notices the many empty seats at Ibrox during their games. In their recent Scottish Premiership match against Dundee United, a significant number of seats were vacant. While the poor weather, which delayed the kick-off by nearly an hour, certainly contributed to this, McGinn feels that the underlying issues go beyond just the impact of Storm Bert. Many supporters chose to stay indoors or watch the game from a nearby pub instead of attending the game live, with Rangers failing to overcome their Tayside opponents. During a segment on Premier Sports' Scottish Football Social Club, McGinn was asked whether he was surprised by Rangers' struggles this season under manager Philippe Clement , especially with the team already trailing Celtic by 11 points. His comments highlight the growing concern among fans regarding the team's performance and the obstacles they need to overcome over the coming week's if Clement is going to hold onto his job. Rangers have an important away trip where they face OGC Nice in the Europa League on Thursday before trailing to St Johnstone on league duty a few days later. “No, I'm not after watching some of the games they've played in," the Aston Villa captain confessed. "There's been games I have watched that I never thought they could break a team down. Read more: Hearts to appoint former Scotland manager in transformative new role Rodgers issues rallying cry: Celtic must not underestimate Club Brugge "There's been a couple of games in Europe, especially Olympiacos, where you think 'they've cracked it here, they've got something’. And then it just seems to go back to normal at the weekend. “I haven’t seen a lot of the games, but what I could see is all the empty seats. The fans at Rangers are loyal, it doesn’t matter what division they were in, they were always there. So I think they've had enough and are looking for a spark or something different.” Former Rangers full-back Alan Hutton chimed in to provide an explanation for the poor attendances. "They're voting with their feet," he stated. "They are trying to get their point across that they're not happy with the situation. We know they're trying to make changes at board level, there's no real stability. "Ultimately you pay money to go and be entertained and that's not what they're getting. There's spells within games where they look OK, but outwith that, it's a difficult watch. "John rightly said there's hardly any fans there. I know the weather was poor, but that's them showing that they're not happy with the situation."These gorgeous holiday cards by Josef and Anni Albers show the Bauhaus at its best
Remain firm KEIR Starmer must resist the incessant siren calls of Remainers in his party. For the first time this decade, Britain has an Anglophile US President keen to do a deal which could transform our economic fortunes. What is the point of risking that relationship by cosying up further to a failed EU which we fought so hard to free ourselves from? Don’t take our word for it. Listen to Shanker Singham, one of the world’s leading trade experts. Living standards have no chance of getting better if Labour resets ties with Brussels and ends up derailing a US deal, he says. Britain’s post-Brexit place in the lucrative CPTPP group of trading countries would also be put at risk. READ MORE ON SIR KEIR STARMER Our current trade with the EU is working. Brexit freedoms must not be thrown away at the insistence of those Remainiac MPs who have never forgiven voters for inflicting that 2016 Referendum defeat. We trust the Prime Minister won’t make a fatal mistake by listening to them now. No panic, Kemi NIGEL Farage’s boast that Britain’s youngest political party now has more members than the oldest in the world is, on the face of it, bad news for the Tories. Most read in The Sun Right now Reform is cashing in on widespread dismay at Labour’s stuttering start in Government. But there is no need for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to start panicking just yet. A General Election is not likely for at least four years. That’s plenty of time for the Tories to put their catastrophic defeat behind them and come up with serious solutions to the country’s many problems. Showing true Conservative values and policies is the way for Badenoch to win voters’ trust, land punches on Labour — and deal with the rise of Reform. Hope for Beeb FOR the first time in years the BBC served up a feast of Christmas telly. The superb ending to Gavin and Stacey and the sublime Wallace and Gromit provided us with rare moments of national unity. In their own ways, these brilliant shows are celebrations of traditional British values and ordinary lives. Each had their own little digs at wokery and warnings of the stupidity of being led by social media. Food for thought for BBC bosses obsessed with both. READ MORE SUN STORIES This was a timely reminder that the job of the national broadcaster is to cater for the majority — not the minority. To stop preaching and make shows that we all want to watch together.
As he prepares to return to a Manhattan courtroom to face the judge overseeing his transfer of property to women he defamed, Rudy Giuliani is urging him not to hold him in contempt. In a series of court filings on Christmas Eve, the former New York City mayor implored District Judge Lewis Liman to reject a demand for sanctions from a pair of election workers who accused Giuliani of repeatedly violating court orders — including blowing past deadlines and throwing up obstacles to hand over his property to satisfy tens of millions of dollars he owes them. He also claims that the mother-daughter pair of election workers he defamed in the volatile aftermath of the 2020 presidential election are not even legally entitled to receive any of his property because they failed to file an oath as required under state law. Giuliani is expected to testify at a court hearing set for January 3, where Donald Trump ’s former attorney will say that he “did not knowingly and/or intentionally and/or willingly violate or disobey” any court orders, according to a letter to the judge from his attorney Joseph Cammarata. In a separate filing to the judge written by Giuliani himself, he swore that he already turned over a long list of property to the women, just as he was ordered to. “I respectfully submit that the items which I was required to turn over, I turned over,” he wrote. “The Court should see that I gave everything that I could give.” Giuliani has given “everything” that the judge “required me to provide that I possessed, and out of an abundance of caution, additional items were provided to the Plaintiffs,” he added. The filings included lists of 42 pieces of property that he says were turned over as ordered by the court, including items removed from a storage facility in Ronkonkoma, New York, to another storage locker in Queens. “I have not intentionally or willfully disobeyed any of this Court’s orders or Plaintiffs’ discovery demands,” Giuliani wrote. “If any documents were not produced by me, it was because I did not possess them or was unable to locate them.” He wrote that he has “fully or substantially” complied with the court orders, and that he “should not be held in contempt or sanctioned.” But he also argues that the “receivership has not yet technically or legally begun” because defamed election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss never signed an oath, which “must have been administered by any person authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds by the real property law of New York State, and then filed with the Court before the Plaintiffs undertook the duties as Receivers.” “Even if the Plaintiffs could have filed the Oath at any time, the Plaintiffs failed to do so,” Cammarata wrote in a separate Christmas Eve filing. Earlier this month , attorneys for Freeman and Moss argued Giuliani “has not turned over a single dollar,” nor has he turned over a “number of specific items of personal property that he has been unambiguously ordered” to hand over — including the title to his Mercedes Benz convertible, keys to his Manhattan penthouse, valuable sports memorabilia and home furnishings. “It is unclear at this point even where those possessions are located,” they wrote in court filings. Giuliani has delivered a 1980 Mercedes Benz convertible , more than a dozen watches, and a “single diamond ring,” as well as access to his New York penthouse apartment, “but no keys or ownership documents,” leaving the women “to sort through significant logistical obstacles to a sale, including the presence of his ex-wife’s name on the title,” according to their attorneys. He also only delivered “some” of the items in a storage facility he was ordered to open for the women, they argued. During a court hearing last month , Liman warned Giuliani that he could face contempt sanctions for failing to meet his “unqualified obligation” to deliver all listed property to the women, but Giuliani “has neither complied with that obligation nor provided any explanation for why he could not do so,” according to attorneys for the women. In another hearing in November, Liman criticized Giuliani for “farcical” excuses about his assets. Following Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election, Giuliani falsely accused Freeman and Moss of manipulating election results in Georgia. They sued him for defamation in Washington, D.C., and in December 2023, a jury awarded them $148 million in damages. He then filed for bankruptcy, but after a protracted legal battle, the case was dismissed earlier this year to let Giuliani and his many creditors battle for control of his assets in separate courtrooms overseeing the lawsuits against him. Now, the 80-year-old former mayor faces even more financial penalties — or even jail — in the ongoing legal fallout from his false election claims during his spurious campaign to keep Trump in office. He will appear in court in D.C. on January 10, one week after he sits for a similar hearing in Manhattan, for allegedly breaking a court order against repeating defamatory statements about the women.This looks like another issue the Trump Administration should focus on as soon as they take power in January. Racial quotas for employment are obviously illegal. It’s even worse to have institutions that receive federal money to be openly breaking such laws. Putting a stop to this should be a priority for the Department of Education. https://t.co/fXhG1iBAZA NEW: ~40 departments at the University of Illinois Chicago have pledged, in writing, to hire faculty based on race. One department justified its quotas by claiming that minorities "have a greater sense" of the "nature of teaching." Here's how UIC is openly flouting the law:🧵 pic.twitter.com/2kesxyYrPz So, apparently, they believe some races are better at teaching than others? They believe the skills and temperament needed to teach is inherently related to the color of one's skin? Isn't that the textbook definition of racism? These people don't even hear themselves, clearly. In September 2022, the Department of Industrial Engineering made a bold promise to UIC's Office of Diversity, Equity, and Engagement: From then on, the department said, 50 percent of all faculty hires would be either women or minorities. pic.twitter.com/j0V0RXTprd Citing the need for "culturally relevant pedagogy," the department explained that "minoritized" professors "tend to have a greater sense" of "the human, social, and communal nature of teaching and learning." pic.twitter.com/sNTedDOFiu So, yes, they are absolutely claiming minorities can teach better than white people. That's racist. Tldr: It's not just one or two programs. At the University of Illinois Chicago, race-based hiring is the norm in dozens of departments. And given the paper trail, a Trump DOJ would probably have an easy time prosecuting UIC. Read the full article here: https://t.co/oWbiGAhKJI Also, it's not just one or two departments doing this. It's across the whole University. I actually appreciate their honesty. That is de facto policy at many, many schools which would deny it. Honestly, this is fair. So many other Universities are doing the same thing and covering it up. It is incredible how pervasive the corrupt DEI filth has become. Another one bites the dust... And I'm oh so sure they're not admitting students based on race at all... Of course they are. They are just hiding that behind some educational mumbo jumbo jargon, as well. So if someone who isn’t a minority doesn’t get hired because of these policies, couldn’t they challenge it legally? Feels like UIC is opening itself up to lawsuits by prioritizing race over qualifications. Where’s the line between diversity and discrimination? Whatever the line, surely it has been crossed and stomped on by this point.COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Apogee is proud to announce the promotion of Stacey Bekker to Director of Project Control, effective December 2024 . A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with over a decade of expertise in federal contract accounting and auditing, Bekker brings a proven track record of driving financial performance and operational success to her new role. Bekker has been an integral part of Apogee's Project Control division for over four years, delivering in-depth analytics and innovative strategies to support successful contract execution. In her previous role as Manager of Project Control, her leadership ensured efficient use of project funding, earning Apogee extensions and accolades for performance on key government contracts. Her ability to align financial oversight with project goals has been critical to Apogee's growth and reputation in the defense contracting sector. Before joining Apogee, Bekker held leadership positions in accounting and auditing with government and defense contracting agencies. She earned her Master of Science in accounting from the University of Colorado, Denver , and has consistently applied her skills to develop innovative solutions for complex customer reporting requirements. "Stacey's promotion is a testament to her outstanding contributions to Apogee," said Drew Cox , Chief Financial Officer at Apogee. "Her attention to detail, expertise in financial operations, and ability to navigate the complexities of defense contracts have been instrumental in our success. We're excited to see her further advance Apogee's mission in this new role." As Director of Project Control, Bekker will oversee efforts to target new contract awards and collaborate with department leads to enhance the execution of ongoing projects. Her focus on leveraging performance metrics and financial analytics will ensure Apogee continues to meet and exceed contract objectives. About Apogee Apogee is a nimble and mission-driven organization committed to delivering proven U.S. defense and national security solutions. With expertise in digital transformation, adaptive acquisition, science & technology, and mission operations, Apogee is a trusted partner to government agencies. Apogee is a Bernhard Capital Partners company. Learn more at www.ApogeeUSA.com . Media Contact: Rhea Phaneuf Apogee Corporate Communications & Engagement [email protected] SOURCE Apogee Engineering LLC
ESPN — Toledo vs. Pittsburgh at Ford Field (Detroit, MI) ESPN — Kansas State vs. Rutgers at Chase Field (Phoenix, AZ) ESPN — Bowling Green vs. Arkansas State at Hancock Whitney Stadium (Mobile, AL) NHLN — Sweden U20 at Slovakia U20 NHLN — Germany U20 at USA U20 NHLN — Switzerland U20 at Czech Republic U20 NHLN — Canada U20 at Finland U20 NBA TV — Oklahoma City at Indiana NBA TV — Utah at Portland USA — Premier League: Everton vs. Manchester City CBSSN — League One: Blackpool vs. Wrexham USA — Premier League: Aston Villa vs. Newcastle United USA — Premier League: Manchester United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers CBSSN — Scottish Premiership: Rangers F.C. vs. St. Mirren USA — Premier League: Leicester City vs. Liverpool TENNIS — Mixed Coverage: Center Court Live The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .Oak Valley Bancorp Stock Hits All-Time High at $30.8110 notable books of 2024, from Sarah J. Maas to Melania Trump
(BPT) - Every year, roughly 20-30% of older Americans head to warmer climates for the colder winter months. Snowbirds are often retirees on fixed incomes, though flexible work environments now provide more opportunities for anyone to spend several months escaping the chill. Whether on a fixed income or an empty nester with disposable income, consumers are interested in saving money where they can. With this in mind, snowbirds can look to their AARP membership to take advantage of relevant discounts and offerings as they fluff their feathers and get ready for takeoff. From savory breakfast options while driving to your seasonal destination, to home and auto protection, and even resources to support mental and physical health, AARP member benefits offer deals and savings that will help snowbirds take flight this winter. "Spending winters in warmer places has so many benefits that come with being able to be outside more often. Warmth and sunlight not only increase serotonin levels , which can result in more positive moods and a calm, focused mental outlook, but they also stimulate vitamin D production and may even boost immunity ," said Elvira Christiansen, Director of Retail and Loyalty for AARP Services. "An AARP membership makes it even better by offering savings as you plan your trip, as well as at many dining, entertainment and retail locations you will come across in your winter getaway destination, helping you to enjoy it to the fullest." 1. Order Up Road trips are often the preferred way to travel to a winter home for the flexibility of having a car once there. Whether your drive will have you behind the wheel for hours or days, you'll want to make sure you have your meals planned out. Fill up with a tasty breakfast or lunch with a stop at Denny's, which is easy to spot from most major highways. AARP members can save when heading to Denny's . With over 1,500 locations nationwide, members save 15% on everything from diner classics to breakfast items every day; maximum discount not to exceed $10. Restrictions apply. 2. Primary Care from Almost Anywhere Feeling under the weather can put a damper on your winter travels, so it's a good idea to make sure you can access quality healthcare even when you're at your winter destination. If you are on Medicare, you can check whether there is an Oak Street Health primary care clinic near you. Oak Street Health , the only primary care provider to carry the AARP name, provides primary care for adults on Medicare and focuses on prevention with personalized care to help keep you healthy — physically, mentally and socially. Benefits include same-day/next-day appointments where available, convenient locations, a dedicated care team and a 24/7 patient support line. AARP membership is not required to visit an Oak Street Health clinic. 3. Wellness Checklist Once you check off primary care needs for your winter destination, don't overlook other priorities like maintaining your prescriptions and protecting your vision. Start by making sure your prescriptions are up to date before you head out of town. If you do need a refill while you're away, you have access to a free prescription discount card from AARP ® Prescription Discounts provided by Optum Rx ® that can be used at over 66,000 pharmacies nationwide for savings on FDA-approved medications. You do not need to be an AARP member to take advantage of these benefits, though AARP members receive additional perks, including deeper discounts on medications, home delivery, coverage for your dependents and more. If you're having trouble with your vision, want to update your sunglass prescription, or simply want to maintain your annual visits to an optometrist or ophthalmologist while away, AARP members have access to information on vision insurance options that offer individual and family plans, featuring a large doctor network, savings on frames, lens enhancements, progressives and more. 4. Home (Safety) Away from Home One thing that should always be a priority is keeping your home safe while you're away for the winter. While Neighborhood Watch is always helpful, long periods away from a home require additional security systems. With an AARP membership, homeowners can secure their homes for less. Members save 5% on monthly home security monitoring with ADT Home Security , which covers smart home security systems including intrusion monitoring, connected smoke and CO detection, and smart automation for video doorbells, security cameras and smart locks. 5. Pack Auto Coverage in Your Luggage Driving south for the winter? Utilize AARP member benefits to save on auto care so you can road trip worry free. AARP members save up to 20% on annual membership fees for Allstate Roadside Assistance plans, which provides access to assistance for towing, jump-starts, tire changes, lockout assistance, fuel delivery and more. Allstate Roadside plan benefits can be used 24/7 in any car you drive, including rented and borrowed ones. And, if you want to bring any personal items with you but don't have room to squeeze them in your car, Budget Truck Rental has a variety of trucks for you to choose from. AARP members can save 20% on local or one-way truck rentals on Sunday through Thursday and 10% on Friday and Saturday, plus receive a $10-per-day Physical Damage Waiver. Regardless of how you're traveling or spending your winter months, AARP member benefits can help you maximize your budget while you prioritize the things that matter. To learn more about the benefits and discounts for AARP members to help you prepare for your relaunch, please visit aarp.org/save . AARP member benefits are provided by third parties. AARP receives a royalty fee for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions.NEW DELHI: Manmohan Singh, the former Indian prime minister whose economic reforms made his country a global powerhouse, has died at the age of 92, current leader Narendra Modi said Thursday. India “mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished leaders,” Modi posted on social media platform X shortly after news broke of Singh’s passing. “As our Prime Minister, he made extensive efforts to improve people’s lives.” Singh was taken to a hospital in New Delhi after he lost consciousness at his home on Thursday, but could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead at 9:51 p.m. local time, according to a statement by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Singh, who held office from 2004 to 2014, is credited with having overseen an economic boom in Asia’s fourth-largest economy in his first term, although slowing growth in later years marred his second stint. “I have lost a mentor and guide,” opposition Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said in a statement, adding that Singh had “led India with immense wisdom and integrity.” “Millions of us who admired him will remember him with the utmost pride,” said Gandhi, a scion of India’s powerful Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and the most prominent challenger to Modi. Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of the opposition in parliament’s upper house, said “India has lost a visionary statesman, a leader of unimpeachable integrity, and an economist of unparalleled stature.” President Droupadi Murmu wrote on X that Singh will “always be remembered for his service to the nation, his unblemished political life and his utmost humility.” Born in 1932 in the mud-house village of Gah in what is now Pakistan, Singh studied economics to find a way to eradicate poverty in India and never held elected office before taking the vast nation’s top job. He won scholarships to attend both Cambridge, where he obtained a first in economics, and Oxford, where he completed his PhD. Singh worked in a string of senior civil posts, served as a central bank governor and also held various jobs with global agencies including the United Nations. He was tapped in 1991 by then Congress prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao to reel India back from the worst financial crisis in its modern history. In his first term Singh steered the economy through a period of nine-percent growth, lending India the international clout it had long sought. He also sealed a landmark nuclear deal with the United States that he said would help India meet its growing energy needs. Known as “Mr Clean,” Singh nonetheless saw his image tarnished during his decade-long tenure when a series of corruption cases became public. Several months before the 2014 elections, Singh said he would retire after the polls, with Sonia Gandhi’s son Rahul earmarked to take his place if Congress won. But Congress crashed to its worst-ever result at that time as the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, led by Modi, won in a landslide. Singh — who said historians would be kinder to him than contemporary detractors — became a vocal critic of Modi’s economic policies, and more recently warned about the risks that rising communal tensions posed to India’s democracy.Call the Midwife season 14 release date, cast and episodes with 'very emotional' twists teased