Rutgers 77, Georgia Southern 60
In a significant move, President Joe Biden is set to block the acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns. The $15 billion deal is under scrutiny by a U.S. national security panel, which must report to Biden by December 22 or 23, Bloomberg News has revealed. The planned acquisition has faced backlash since its announcement, with both Biden and former president Donald Trump expressing intentions to oppose it. Concerns center on the potential impact on critical infrastructure sectors like transportation and agriculture. The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has emphasized these risks. Despite the resistance, Nippon Steel is striving to push the deal forward by promising not to move production capacities outside the U.S. and offering significant financial bonuses to employees. However, tensions remain high, with both companies prepared to engage in legal battles if the deal is obstructed. (With inputs from agencies.)
The City boss is enduring the worst run of his glittering managerial career after a six-game winless streak featuring five successive defeats and a calamitous 3-3 draw in a match his side had led 3-0. The 53-year-old, who has won 18 trophies since taking charge at the Etihad Stadium in 2016, signed a contract extension through to the summer of 2027 just over a week ago. Yet, despite his remarkable successes, he still considers himself vulnerable to the sack and has pleaded with the club to keep faith. “I don’t want to stay in the place if I feel like I’m a problem,” said the Spaniard, who watched in obvious frustration as City conceded three times in the last 15 minutes in a dramatic capitulation against Feyenoord in midweek. “I don’t want to stay here just because the contract is there. “My chairman knows it. I said to him, ‘Give me the chance to try come back’, and especially when everybody comes back (from injury) and see what happens. “After, if I’m not able to do it, we have to change because, of course, (the past) nine years are dead. “More than ever I ask to my hierarchy, give me the chance. “Will it be easy for me now? No. I have the feeling that still I have a job to do and I want to do it.” City have been hampered by a raft of injuries this term, most pertinently to midfield talisman and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. The Euro 2024 winner is expected to miss the remainder of the season and his absence has been keenly felt over the past two months. Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne has also not started a match since September. The pressure continues to build with champions City facing a crucial trip to title rivals and Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday. Defeat would leave City trailing Arne Slot’s side by 11 points. “I don’t enjoy it at all, I don’t like it,” said Guardiola of his side’s current situation. “I sleep not as good as I slept when I won every game. “The sound, the smell, the perfume is not good enough right now. “But I’m the same person who won the four Premier Leagues in a row. I was happier because I ate better, lived better, but I was not thinking differently from who I am.” Guardiola is confident his side will not stop battling as they bid to get back on track. He said: “The people say, ‘Yeah, it’s the end of that’. Maybe, but we are in November. We will see what happens until the end. “What can you do? Cry for that? You don’t stay long – many, many years without fighting. That is what you try to look for, this is the best (way). “Why should we not believe? Why should it not happen with us?”
SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union — Residents of this capital city have asked concerned government officials to stop the construction of a baywalk and seawall spanning four coastal villages here, saying the project will "endanger the environment, health and livelihood of the residents" in the area. In a letter to Gov. Raphaelle Veronica Ortega-David on Monday, Koalisyon Isalbar Ti Pintas Ti La Union Inc. (Kiplu) President Crisanto Palabay said that the project has already started in the coastal villages of Ilocanos Sur, Ilocanos Norte, Pagdaraoan and Carlatan. Register to read this story and more for free . Signing up for an account helps us improve your browsing experience. OR See our subscription options.
Stock market today: Wall Street slips as the 'Magnificent 7' weighs down the market
NoneLiam Manning was delighted to see a response from his Bristol City squad in their 1-1 draw with Sunderland , despite being left frustrated by the manner in which the Robins conceded a late equaliser at the Stadium of Light. The Reds were just moments away from securing an excellent and professional away win to bounce back from their defeat to Portsmouth at the weekend after Luke McNally had opened the scoring midway through the second half with a composed right-footed finish. However, Sunderland found a way to level things up in stoppage time as Patrick Roberts smashed past Max O'Leary from close range to ensure the two sides would have to settle for a point each in the North East on Tuesday night. The draw leaves City sitting 11th in the Championship table, five points adrift of Middlesbrough who occupy the final play-off place and nine points clear of Cardiff City and the relegation zone, although the Bluebirds have two games in hand. Although Manning admitted he was disappointed that his side let their lead slip in the closing exchanges, the City boss was quick to credit his backline in particular for stepping up and performing following the dismal defeat to Portsmouth at the weekend. "Obviously, the timing of it is what makes it feel a little bit like that [a loss]," the 39-year-old admitted post-match. "We were looking for a response from the weekend, I was quite honest at the weekend with everybody. We weren't good enough and we were looking for that response tonight. "Of course, it's hugely disappointing and frustrating to concede so late but ultimately the lads gave absolutely everything which like I said, I was quite critical of at the weekend, but tonight they did that and left everything out there. "The blocks, people putting their bodies on the line, Rob Dickie on his knees heading things clear in the box. I thought the lads gave absolutely everything so as disappointing as it is, it's not the worst point." City had chances to extend their advantage before the last-minute leveller with the likes of Anis Mehmeti and Sam Bell both being unable to test Anthony Patterson in the Black Cats' goal despite finding themselves in some reasonable positions. Those chances ultimately came back to bite the Robins who have now only won one of their five matches since the November international break, but Manning was reluctant to criticise his players who he felt gave their all for the travelling supporters. Join Bristol City Live's Whatsapp community for all the biggest Bristol City stories sent straight to your phone Bristol City Live is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our community. Through the app, we’ll send the Bristol City news, live match coverage, team news, transfers, fixtures, analysis and more straight to your phone. To join our community you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select ‘Join Community’. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Bristol Live team. We also treat community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out at any time you like. To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose ‘Exit group’. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Click here to join our WhatsApp community. "They're the margins I think at the level," admitted the City head coach. "It's one of the toughest divisions in the world right and that's the bit, you wouldn't want to call any result in the Championship I don't think. "But they're the key bits. We're all in behaviourally, it's then just have you got the quality to kill the game off and Anis is improving. He's working on it but they are the moments that not just Anis but collectively we need to make sure we put the game to bed. "The change of shape at half-time helped, I thought we were able to press a little bit higher and obviously went ahead. Then it's a case of whether you can see it out in what is a really difficult place to come so like I say, it's a frustrating one." Fortunately, with the busy festive period looming on the Championship calendar, the Reds have a chance to get back to winning ways in just a few days when they welcome Queens Park Rangers to Ashton Gate on Saturday afternoon in what is their penultimate game before Christmas.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli troops stormed one of the last hospitals operating in northern Gaza on Friday, forcing many staff and patients outside to strip in winter weather , the territory’s health ministry said. The army denied claims it had entered or set fire to the complex and accused Hamas of using the facility for cover. Kamal Adwan Hospital has been hit multiple times over the past three months by Israeli troops waging an offensive against Hamas fighters in surrounding neighborhoods, according to staff. The ministry said a strike on the hospital a day earlier killed five medical staff. Israel's military said it was conducting operations against Hamas infrastructure and militants in the area and had ordered people out of the hospital, but said it had not entered the complex as of Friday night. It repeated claims that Hamas militants operate inside Kamal Adwan but provided no evidence. Hospital officials have denied that. The Health Ministry said troops forced medical personnel and patients to assemble in the yard and remove their clothes. Some were led to an unknown location, while some patients were sent to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was knocked out of operation after an Israel raid this week. Israeli troops during raids frequently carry out mass detentions, stripping men to their underwear for questioning in what the military says is a security measure as they search for Hamas fighters. The Associated Press doesn’t have access to Kamal Adwan, but armed plainclothes members of the Hamas-led police forces have been seen in other hospitals, maintaining security but also controlling access to parts of the facilities. The Health Ministry said Israeli troops also set fires in several parts of Kamal Adwan, including the lab and surgery department. It said 25 patients and 60 health workers remained in the hospital. The account could not be independently confirmed, and attempts to reach hospital staff were unsuccessful. “Fire is ablaze everywhere in the hospital,” an unidentified staff member said in an audio message posted on social media accounts of hospital director Hossam Abu Safiya. The staffer said some evacuated patients had been unhooked from oxygen. “There are currently patients who could die at any moment,” she said. Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesman, denied the accusations. “While IDF troops were not in the hospital, a small fire broke out in an empty building inside the hospital that is under control,” he said Friday night. He said a preliminary investigation found “no connection” between military activity and the fire. The Israeli military heavily restricts the movements of Palestinians in Gaza and has barred foreign journalists from entering the territory throughout the war, making it difficult to verify information. “These actions put the lives of all of these people in even more danger than what they faced before,” U.N. spokesperson Stephanie Tremblay told journalists, and noted colleagues' reports of “significant damage” to the hospital. It should be protected as international law requires, she added. Since October, Israel’s offensive has virtually sealed off the northern Gaza areas of Jabaliya, Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya and leveled large parts of them. Tens of thousands of Palestinians were forced out but thousands are believed to remain in the area, where Kamal Adwan and two other hospitals are located. Troops raided Kamal Adwan in October, and on Tuesday troops stormed and evacuated the Indonesian Hospital. The area has been cut off from food and other aid for months , raising fears of famine . The United Nations says Israeli troops allowed just four humanitarian deliveries to the area from Dec. 1 to Dec. 23. The Israeli rights group Physicians for Human Rights-Israel this week petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice, seeking a halt to military attacks on Kamal Adwan. It warned that forcibly evacuating the hospital would “abandon thousands of residents in northern Gaza.” Before the latest deaths Thursday, the group documented five other staffers killed by Israeli fire since October. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza vowing to destroy Hamas after the group’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in which militants killed around 1,200 people and abducted some 250 others. Around 100 Israelis remain captive in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead. Israel’s nearly 15-month-old campaign of bombardment and offensives has devastated the territory’s health sector. A year ago, it carried out raids on hospitals in northern Gaza, including Kamal Adwan, Indonesian and al-Awda Hospital, saying they served as bases for Hamas, though it presented little evidence. Israel’s campaign has killed more than 45,400 Palestinians, more than half women and children, and wounded more than 108,000 others, according to the Health Ministry. Its count does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. More than 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians have been driven from their homes, most now sheltering in sprawling tent camps in south and central Gaza. Children and adults, many barefoot, huddled Friday on the cold sand in tents whose plastic and cloth sheets whipped in the wind. Overnight temperatures can dip into the 40s Fahrenheit (below 10 Celsius), and sea spray from the Mediterranean can dampen tents just steps away. "I swear to God, their mother and I cover ourselves with one blanket and we cover (their five children) with three blankets that we got from neighbors. Sea waters drowned everything that was ours,” said Muhammad al-Sous, displaced from Beit Lahiya in the north. The children collect plastic bottles to make fires, and pile under the blankets when their only set of clothes is washed and dried in the wind. At least three babies in Gaza have died from exposure to cold in recent days , doctors there have said, and the Health Ministry said an adult — a nurse who worked at the European Hospital — also died this week. Khaled and Keath reported from Cairo. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Narions contributed to this report.
It was a long and mostly miserable season for Toronto’s veteran reliever Jordan Romano in 2024. He was coming off two All-Star seasons as the Blue Jays closer, had accumulated 95 saves over the previous three seasons, but but as the season trickled through the late spring it became obvious this season wasn’t going to turn out like those other two. He first encountered elbow inflammation issues during spring training, delaying his season start until mid-April. He seemed to pick up where he’d left off in 2023, accumulating four saves in a couple of weeks, but his velocity dropped significantly during a stretch in May and his ERA ballooned to 6.59 before he was finally pulled from action at the end of the month. But before his injury troubles really began to set in on him, there was the memory of the day that he managed his fifth save of the season, coming on May 8 on the road in a day game at Citizens Bank Park. “The place was absolutely sold out,” Romano said Tuesday, recalling the surprise of what even a workday baseball game in South Philadelphia was like. “The atmosphere was electric, and kind of coming off that series, I thought that if I get a chance to play here, I think I’d really enjoy it.” Romano will indeed get that chance, after he was signed Monday to a one-year, $8.5 million contract by Phillies president Dave Dombrowski. While some critics thought the signing was a bit of a gamble with what today is almost like a pocket-change free agent contract, Dombrowski sees in Romano a 31-year-old premier reliever almost back to full health and still in the prime of his career. Before departing the Winter Meetings in Dallas, Dombrowski praised Romano, calling him “one of the best back-end, high-leverage guys in baseball. Our medicals on him have been very good.” On a Zoom call with media members Tuesday, Romano said he was excited to keep progressing in his efforts to recapture his form from a couple of seasons ago. “Last Friday I got off the mound, felt great, mid-90s, for the first bullpen, which i was really excited about,” said Romano. He added that after another few weeks of “deloading” and strength training, he’ll get back to throwing bullpens in January. But he thinks he’s well on his way to full recovery before spring training starts. It was a long road. Romano, 31, would go on IL on June 1, and after another setback during rehab finally underwent elbow surgery in July. His rehab after that didn’t go well, either, and after initial optimism that he’d be returning sometime in August, the call was made to let him continue to rehab while the Blue Jays were quickly playing themselves out of contention. “The whole plan last year was never really to come back at the end of the year. We were just going to take it a little bit ... not even slower, just follow the timeline with that,” said Romano, a native of Markham, Ontario. “I want to get back on track, I’m feeling healthy and good now so I just want to have the one year to get back out there and prove my worth.” Before meeting any of his teammates, Romano can feel comfortable knowing that his manager, Rob Thomson, is a fellow Ontarian. But Thomson isn’t being provincial in his thinking about Romano’s role here – there were no fast promises of giving a closer role to Romano. Thomson doesn’t like to use that “closer” term anyway. Instead, the plan for Romano is to help in “high-leverage” situations, especially since both Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez are currently on the free agency market themselves. The Phillies now have Romano to go with fellow right-hander Orion Kerkering and left-handers Matt Strahm and Jose Alvarado as back-end bullpen weapons. “I’m just kind of going in and wherever I can, help,” Romano said. “If they want me to throw the ninth, you know, I do love closing. I have experience there and I’m happy to do it. But if they need me in other spots, too, I’m happy to do that. “I’m kind of just there to help get big outs wherever they need them.”Reform UK set to 'help Labour' in Scotland - 'anything's better than the SNP'Central Committee on Counter-Terrorism meeting 2024 heldRogers Park resident donates handmade hats to asylum-seekers through 500 Hats for Refugees initiative
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In one of their most dovish statements in more than a decade, Chinese leaders signalled on Mondaythey are ready to deploy whatever stimulus is needed to counter the impact of expected U.S. trade tariffs on next year’s economic growth. After a meeting of top Communist Party officials, the Politburo, officials said they would switch to an “appropriately loose” monetary policy stance, and “more proactive” fiscal levers. The previous “prudent” stance that the central bank had held for the past 14 years coincided with overalldebt – including that of governments, households and companies – jumping more than 5 times. Gross domestic product (GDP) expanded roughly three times over the same period. The Politburo rarely details policy plans, but the shift in its message shows China is willing to go even deeper into debt, prioritising, at least in the near term, growth over financial risks. “From prudent to moderately loose is a big change,” said Shuang Ding, chief economist for Greater China and North Asia at Standard Chartered. “It leaves a lot of room for imagination.” Tang Yao, associate professor of applied economics at Peking University, says this policy reset is needed, because slower growth would make debt even more difficult to service. “They’ve by-and-large made peace with the fact that the debt-to-GDP ratio is going to rise further,” said Christopher Beddor, deputy China research director at Gavekal Dragonomics, adding that this was no longer “a binding constraint.” It’s unclear how much monetary easing the central bank could deploy and how much more debt the finance ministry could issue next year. But analysts say that works in Beijing’s favour. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January, having threatened tariffs in excess of 60% on U.S. imports of Chinese goods. The timing and the ultimate level of the levies, which a Reuters poll last month predicted at nearly 40% initially, will determine Beijing’s response. “They are willing to do ‘whatever it takes’ to achieve the GDP target,” said Larry Hu, chief China economist at Macquarie. “But they will do so in a reactive way,” Hu said. “How much they will do in 2025 will depend on two things: their GDP target and the new U.S. tariffs.” Next year’s 2025 growth, budget deficit and other targets will be discussed – but not announced – in coming days at an annual meeting of Communist Party leaders, known as the Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC). Reuters reported last month that most government advisers recommend that Beijing should maintain a growth target of around 5%, even though that pace seemed difficult to reach throughout this year. The tone of the Politburo statement suggests that China won’t lower its growth ambitions for 2025, says Zong Liang, chief researcher at state-owned Bank of China. But it also suggests that China is likely to set an initial budget deficit target of around 4%, its highest ever. “Beijing may want to use the ‘around 5.0%’ growth target to show that it won’t cave to Trump’s threatened 60% tariff and other restrictive measures imposed on China,” said Ting Lu, chief China economist at Nomura, who also expects a 4% fiscal deficit, up from 3% in 2024. A one percentage point increase in the deficit amounts to additional stimulus of about 1.3 trillion yuan ($179.4 billion), but China can add to that if needed by issuing off-budget special bonds or allowing local governments to do so. Beijing is expected to gradually take on greater fiscal responsibility as local municipalities are too deep in debt. China is facing strong deflationary pressures as consumers feel less wealthy due to a prolonged property crisis and minimal social welfare. Low household demand is a key risk to growth. In an apparent nod to this risk, the Politburo pledged “unconventional counter-cyclical adjustments” and to “greatly boost consumption.” The new wording suggests the composition of stimulus “will likely differ substantially from past cycles, with more focus on consumption, high-tech manufacturing, and risk containment rather than traditional infrastructure and property investment,” Goldman Sachs analysts said in a note. Morgan Stanley also read the statement as suggesting that elevating consumption will be “the No.1 key task for 2025,” but warned that “implementation remains uncertain.” China has issued increasingly forceful statements on boosting consumption throughout the year, but it has offered little in terms of policies apart from a subsidy scheme for purchases of cars, appliances and a few other goods. What else Beijing is prepared to do to boost consumption is another unknown. But demand-focused measures are key to improve the effectiveness of monetary policy easing in an economy that for decades has put production at its core. “Monetary easing in China is far less potent than it used to be,” said Julian Evans-Pritchard, an analyst at Capital Economics. “There is now limited appetite among households and large parts of the private sector to take on more debt, even at lower rates.” Source: Reuters (Graphics by Kripa Jayaram; writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Kim Coghill)Pep Guardiola: If I can’t reverse Manchester City slide then I have to goFootball Ferns book first games since Olympics
The holidays are in full swing, and Granite Staters are already taking advantage of sales in-store and online. Before getting caught up in the busyness of the season, New Hampshire Department of Justice officials are advising consumers to stay alert and protect themselves from potential scams. Wherever you are shopping, keep an eye out for the following common holiday scams: The Department of Justice has outlined some ways to protect yourself from these scams. Gift cards, mail and charitable-giving scams have also become more common. DOJ officials have outlined key traits to watch out for and ways to respond if you find yourself subject to a scam. Gift cards are a popular and convenient purchase during the holiday season, making them a prime target for scammers. Scammers may reach out to you through calls, texts, emails, or social media messages, asking you to buy gift cards to settle a debt or loan. They may claim it's urgent and try to convince you to purchase cards for retailers like Google Play, Apple or Amazon. Once the gift card is purchased, the scammers will pressure you to provide the card numbers and PINs so they can access the funds. If you are a victim of a gift card scam, make sure to report it to the gift card company right away and ask for your money back. Package deliveries increase this time of year and can be easy targets for thieves. Scammers may send phishing emails or texts pretending to be delivery companies like FedEx or UPS to steal personal information. Always verify delivery notifications before clicking links, as these companies will not ask for personal details via email. In addition, porch thieves might steal unattended packages. Track deliveries, use a neighbor’s address, or set a less-visible drop-off spot to reduce the risk of theft. If you are traveling, have your mail held at the post office to avoid theft from a full mailbox. This ensures your holiday mail is safe until you return. The holiday season is also a popular time for charitable donations, but it is important to ensure your money goes to a legitimate cause. The New Hampshire Charitable Trusts Unit (CTU) offers these tips for safe giving: For concerns about a holiday scam or purchase, call the Consumer Protection Hotline at 603-271-3641 or email DOJ-CPB@doj.nh.gov . You can also file a Consumer Complaint with the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau here .