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A former wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills is accused of intentionally infecting a woman, and others, with an incurable STD, according to a new lawsuit. In the lawsuit, the woman says Eric Moulds kept quiet about having herpes during their monthslong romantic relationship in 2023. After they exchanged messages over Instagram in January 2023, Moulds offered her “an all-expenses paid trip” and flew her out to see him in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to a complaint filed Dec. 10 in New York State Superior Court. They began a sexual relationship during this trip, the complaint says. Moulds, as a Buffalo Bills player from 1996 to 2005, played in the NFL’s Pro Bowl three times and has a football training facility in Charlotte, according to the Buffalo News, which first reported on the lawsuit. According to the complaint, the woman continued to visit Moulds, who paid for her flights, until November 2023, which was the last time they were intimate and had unprotected sex. Moulds never told her that he had herpes, the complaint says. Instead, his pregnant fiancée did when she contacted the woman in December 2023 and suggested that she get tested for STDs “because she, along with other women whom (Moulds) had relationships with, had been transmitted diseases by him,” according to the complaint. The woman, who didn’t know Moulds had been in a relationship with his fiancée for eight years, tested positive for herpes simplex virus type 2 that month, the complaint says. The woman, of Erie County, New York, is suing Moulds, who lives in Rock Hill, South Carolina, on claims of negligence and for purposefully giving her an STD. Moulds hasn’t been officially served with the lawsuit as of Dec. 12, but is aware of it, according to his attorney Frank LoTempio III. “We are in the process of preparing a response and possibly a motion to dismiss,” LoTempio told McClatchy News via email on Dec. 12. “We will be fully defending this action against him.” Tried ‘to buy her silence’ According to the lawsuit, Moulds first reached out to the woman over Instagram in 2018 and they would occasionally message each other before reconnecting over the social media platform in January 2023. After her herpes diagnosis, the complaint says the woman learned Moulds “also engaged with multiple women besides (her) via social media.” He’s accused of targeting “single mothers who were Buffalo Bills fans living in Western New York.” According to the complaint, Moulds used his “celebrity status” as an NFL star to meet women online and initiate sexual conversations before later offering “all-expenses-paid invitations to see him in person to convert the online relationship into (an) intimate sexual relationship.” The woman isn’t the first to similarly sue Moulds, the complaint says. Moulds is accused of giving other women herpes and paying them to drop lawsuits they filed against him, according to the complaint, which says he had them sign non-disclosure agreements. The woman suing him now says she hadn’t been intimate with anyone else throughout her relationship with Moulds. “In the wake of another potential lawsuit, (Moulds) offered money in an attempt to buy her silence,” the complaint says. The woman seeks an unspecified amount in damages with her lawsuit. The herpes simplex virus 2 can lead to recurring “painful blisters or ulcers” in the genital area, according to the World Health Organization. Though incurable, the disease’s symptoms can be treated. Most people who have herpes don’t experience symptoms or only have mild symptoms, the WHO says online. “(Moulds’) conduct was outrageous and extreme as it put his own sexual desires over (the woman’s) permanent health,” the complaint says. Woman fired after reporting co-worker exposing himself in NC, feds say. She gets $35K Masked men injected couple with fake ‘deadly’ virus and demanded $8.5 million, feds say Parents sue Whole Foods after they say son had a life-threatening reaction to pizzaBoopie Miller scored 24 points and Yohan Traore added 20 points and 11 rebounds as SMU was at its best after halftime in a 98-82 win over Longwood on Sunday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (11-2) have won seven straight games but this one was not without a serious scare from Longwood. SMU led by just a bucket after a seesaw first half but took charge with a 15-3 run to open the second. The Lancers pulled to within 69-62 on a tip in by Elijah Tucker with 11:37 to play before SMU put away the game with a 14-1 run capped by Chuck Harris' 3-pointer with 6:57 remaining. Matt Cross added 19 points while Harris hit for 12 for the Mustangs, who shot 62 percent from the floor. Tucker led Longwood (11-4) with 20 points, with Colby Garland adding 19 and Emanuel Richards scoring 12 points in the loss. The Lancers allowed their most points of the season and surrendered 32 points more than their season average. The teams went back and forth in a contentious first eight minutes that featured 11 lead changes and three ties with neither team up by more than three points. Harris' jumper with 11:55 left in the first half pushed the Mustangs to a 21-19 lead but that was quickly answered by a 3-pointer from Jefferson to put Longwood back on top at 22-21. SMU then reeled off 17-4 run, with Kario Oquendo contributing two free throws, a 3-pointer and a bucket to that surge and two free throws from Traore put the Mustangs up 38-26 with 5:34 to play in the half. Just when it seemed like SMU had found the formula to dispatch the feisty Lancers, Longwood rallied to tie the game at 43 on pull-up jumper by Garland with 8.9 seconds left before halftime. That gave Harris enough time to get down the floor and into the paint for a short jumper that gave the Mustangs a 45-43 lead at the break. Traore led all scorers with 15 points and seven rebounds before halftime while Miller added 11 for SMU. Garland and Tucker had 10 points apiece to pace the Lancers. --Field Level Media
The Atlanta Hawks were fined $100,000 by the NBA on Tuesday after a league investigation into star guard Trae Young missing an NBA Cup game two weeks ago. The NBA found the Hawks violated the league's Player Participation Policy when the 26-year-old American missed a November 12 contest at Boston. The probe, which included a review by an independent physician, determined the Hawks held Young out of a game, in which he could have played, under the medical standard clause of the policy, which is aimed at having top NBA talent play in regular-season contests. The Hawks, who beat Boston 117-116, said Young was unavailable due to tendinitis in his right Achilles tendon. Three-time NBA All-Star Young, who has not missed another game this season, has averaged 21.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and an NBA-best 11.9 assists so far this season. At 7-11, the Hawks are 11th in the Eastern Conference. The NBA also fined Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown $35,000 for aggressively pursuing a referee during his team's 108-103 home loss to Brooklyn on Sunday. The Kings are 8-10, 12th in the Western Conference after dropping four games in a row. js/bsp
Aden Holloway established career highs of 26 points and eight 3-pointers to help No. 5 Alabama roll to a 105-82 nonconference victory over South Dakota State on Sunday at Tuscaloosa, Ala. Freshman Labaron Philon had the best game of his young career with 21 points and six assists for the Crimson Tide (11-2). Mark Sears had 20 points, including 6-for-14 3-point shooting. Grant Nelson added 17 points and eight rebounds and scored the game's first eight points. Alabama coach Nate Oats has sometimes been critical of his squad's defensive effort and the second half against the Jackrabbits will provide more fuel for that concern. Alabama did connect on a season-best 19 3-point shots but also attempted 55 long-range shots (34.5 percent). The Tide also saw South Dakota State put up 49 points in the second half to keep the score relatively competitive. Alabama claimed a fifth straight win with its third 100-plus point performance of the season. South Dakota State (9-6) was led by Washington State transfer Oscar Cluff, who had 21 points and 15 rebounds, including seven offensive boards. The Jackrabbits connected on 11-for-26 3-point shooting (42.3 percent), with guard Isaac Lindsey scoring 11 points, including 3-for-6 on 3-point tries. After Nelson's personal 8-0 run to open the game, South Dakota State pulled with 16-14 on a shot by William Whorton with 11:45 to play in the opening half. But Alabama then broke the game open, going on a 24-3 run culminating in a Holloway 3-pointer to give the Tide a 40-17 edge with 7:37 left in the opening half. South Dakota State trailed 57-33 at halftime, but played a much more competitive second half offensively by connecting on 17 of 33 shots (51.5 percent). Alabama will open 2025 with a home game against No. 12 Oklahoma on Saturday. South Dakota State will host Summit Conference opponent Denver on Thursday. --Field Level MediaClayton scores 34 as Ohio knocks off Portland 85-73
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Georgia police fire water cannons at pro-EU protestersArticle content If it feels like driving has gotten a bit more hair-raising lately, a study coordinated by the firm of Preszler Injury Lawyers will confirm your suspicions. Using data from Transport Canada and other sources, the study shows motor vehicle fatalities are on the rise in this country. In fact, the law firm’s study suggests recent years have broken about three decades’ worth of downward trend. During 2022, the most recent calendar year for which the firm says data is available, the number of people killed on Canadian roads totalled 1,931 souls — apparently the highest in about ten years. More worryingly, the firm uses modelling and partial data to speculate road fatalities in the 2023 and 2024 calendar years will continue to rise, likely exceeding 2,000 deaths once complete numbers are available. A chart provided by Preszler Injury Lawyers using Transport Canada source data shows the trend. Motor vehicle fatalities regularly exceeded 3,000 per year until the late 1990s and dropped under the 2,000 mark about a decade later at which point it seems to flatten out around 1,800 deaths per annum. The legal group then drilled down further into the data, taking numbers for each of our ten provinces and comparing it to population count. This revealed that, as a per capita measure, Ontario statistically has the lowest road fatality rate, at 4.1 deaths per 100,000 people. Quebec measured 4.2 on the same scale. At the opposite end of the spectrum, New Brunswick saw 8.2 fatalities per capita; and Manitoba settled at 7.1 deaths per 100,000 residents. Further insight can be gained by looking at the data along lines which have divided Canadians since the dawn of time: rural versus urban. Big cities like Toronto and Ottawa had fewer lives lost on the road compared to the year prior, resulting in per capita fatalities of 0.8 and 1.6 respectively, using the same measure as applied to the provinces overall. Vancouver was even lower, at 0.7 fatalities per 100,000 residents during that year. While the total number of crashes in urban areas outstripped those in rural spots, it was the latter in which wrecks were three times more likely to claim a life. Higher speeds are pointed to as a major factor in this stat, since it is easier to achieve extra-legal velocities when not hemmed in by gridlock; in other words, when a crash does happen outside city limits, it’s likely to be more serious in terms of injury. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice.
An Israeli airstrike flattened a multistory building in central Gaza, killing at least 25 people and wounding dozens more, according to Palestinian medical officials, after strikes Thursday across the Gaza Strip killed at least 28 others. The latest deadly strike hit the urban Nuseirat refugee camp just hours after U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem that the recent ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for a potential deal to end the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the deadly strike in Nuseirat. Israel says it is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine in some of the hardest-hit parts of the territory. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and around 250 others were taken hostage. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Here's the latest: DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — An Israeli airstrike hit the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing at least 25 Palestinians and wounding dozens more, Palestinian medics said, just hours after President Joe Biden’s national security adviser raised hopes about a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza. Photos from the scene of the blast that circulated on social media showed a completely collapsed building with people walking through its mangled and charred remains, smoke rising from piles of belongings strewn over the rubble. Officials at two hospitals in the Gaza Strip, al-Awda Hospital in the north and al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, reported they received a combined total of 25 bodies from an Israeli strike on a multistory residential building in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp. Palestinian medics also reported that over 40 people, most of them children, were receiving treatment at the two hospitals. The al-Aqsa Hospital said that the Israeli attack also damaged several nearby houses in Nuseirat. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the deadly strike. Israel is trying to eliminate Hamas, which led the attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that sparked the war in Gaza . The Israeli military says Hamas militants hide among Gaza’s civilian population. Israel’s war against Hamas has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory. UNITED NATIONS – The U.N. food agency is trying to deal with massive needs in Syria not only from escalating war-related food insecurity and an upsurge in displaced people fleeing Lebanon but also the dramatically new environment following the ouster of Bashar Assad, a senior U.N. official says. “It’s a triple crisis and the needs are going to be massive,” said Carl Skau, deputy executive director of the World Food Program, in an interview with The Associated Press late Wednesday. The WFP estimated that 3 million people in Syria were “acutely food insecure” and very hungry. However, that estimate was made before the Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon pushed many Syrian refugees back to their home country, plus the instability caused by the overthrow of Assad. Due to funding cuts, the WFP had been targeting only 2 million of those people, he said. Because WFP has been working in Syria during the 13-year civil war, he said, it has pre-positioned food in the country. It has 500 staff in seven offices nationwide and has operated across conflict lines, across borders, and with all different parties, he said. Skau said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the main rebel group now in control of Syria, has promised to provide security for WFP warehouses. Humanitarian aid supplies had been looted at U.N. warehouses in the disorder after Assad fell. “We’re not really up and running in Damascus because of the continued kind of uncertainty there,” he said. WFP initially thought of relocating non-essential staff but the situation in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, has been “quite calm and orderly," he said. In the short term, Skau said, “what we’re seeing is that markets are disrupted, the value of the currency dropped dramatically, food prices are going up, transport lines don’t work,” and it’s unclear who will stamp required papers for imports and exports. This means that a bigger humanitarian response is needed initially, he said, but in the next phase, the U,N. will be looking at contributing to Syria’s recovery, and ultimately the country will need reconstruction. Skau said he expects a new funding appeal for Syria and urged donors to be generous. JERUSALEM — President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, told reporters in Jerusalem on Thursday that Israel’s ceasefire in Lebanon has helped clear the way for another deal to end the war in Gaza. He plans to travel next to Qatar and Egypt — key mediators in the ceasefire talks — as the Biden administration makes a final push on negotiations before Donald Trump is inaugurated. Sullivan said “Hamas’ posture at the negotiating table did adapt” after Israel decimated the leadership of its ally Hezbollah in Lebanon and reached a ceasefire there. “We believe it puts us in a position to close this negotiation,” he said. Sullivan dismissed speculation that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was waiting for Trump to take office to finalize a deal. He the U.S. believes there are three American hostages still alive in Gaza, but it’s hard to know for sure. He also said “the balance of power in the Middle East has changed significantly” since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, especially with the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar Assad, a key ally of Hezbollah and Iran. “We are now faced with a dramatically reshaped Middle East in which Israel is stronger, Iran is weaker, its proxies decimated, and a ceasefire that is new and will be lasting in Lebanon that ensures Israel’s security over the long term,” he said. KHIAM, Lebanon — An Israeli strike killed at least one person Thursday in the Lebanese border town of Khiam, the Health Ministry said, less than a day after Israeli troops handed the hilltop village back to the Lebanese army in coordination with U.N. peacekeepers, Khiam is the first Lebanese town Israel has pull out of since a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah militants began two weeks ago, and marks an important test of the fragile truce . Lebanon's Health Ministry and state news agency did not provide details on who was killed, and did not report airstrikes elsewhere on Thursday. The Israeli military said an airstrike targeted Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, without saying if the strike was in Khiam. Lebanese troops deployed in the northern section of the town on Thursday morning and were coordinating with U.N. peacekeepers to finalize Israel’s withdrawal before fully entering into other neighborhoods. An Associated Press reporter who visited Khiam on Thursday observed widespread destruction, with most houses reduced to rubble. Entire neighborhoods were flattened, with collapsed walls and debris scattered across the streets. Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, sharply criticized Israel for striking the town less than 24 hours after the Lebanese army returned, saying it was “a violation of the pledges made by the parties that sponsored the ceasefire agreement, who must act to curb Israeli aggression.” The truce was brokered by the U.S. and France. Israel has previously said the ceasefire deal allows it to use military force against perceived violations. Near-daily attacks by Israel during the ceasefire, mostly in southern Lebanon, have killed at least 29 people and wounded 27 others. Khiam, which sits on a ridge less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the border with Israel, saw some of the most intense fighting during the war. The Lebanese army was clearing debris and reopening roads in the northern section of the town. Civilian access to other areas remained challenging as the army clears roads and works alongside the U.N. peacekeepers to ensure the area is free of unexploded ordnance. AQABA, Jordan -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is urging the many players in Syria to avoid taking any steps that could lead to further violence. Blinken spoke to reporters in Jordan on Thursday shortly after meeting King Abdullah II as he opened a trip in the region to discuss Syria's future after former President Bashar Assad's ouster. Blinken will next visit Turkey, a NATO ally and a main backer of Syrian rebel groups. Blinken called this “a time of both real promise but also peril for Syria and for its neighbors.” He said he was focused on coordinating efforts in the region “to support the Syrian people as they transition away from Assad’s brutal dictatorship” and establish a government that isn’t dominated by one religion or ethnic group or outside power. Blinken was asked about Israel’s incursion into a buffer zone that had been demilitarized for the past half century. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the move is temporary and defensive, but also indicated Israel will remain in the area for a long time. Blinken declined to say whether the U.S. supports the move, but said the U.S. would be speaking to Israel and other partners in the region. “I think, across the board, when it comes to any actors who have real interests in Syria, it’s also really important at this time that, we all try to make sure that we’re not sparking any additional conflicts,” he said. ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s intelligence chief, Ibrahim Kalin, arrived in Damascus on Thursday, according to Turkish media reports. Kalin was seen arriving at the Umayyad Mosque to pray, surrounded by a large crowd, according to video shown on Turkish television. The visit is highly symbolic. Turkish officials, who supported the opposition against Syria’s government, had predicted at the start of the civil war in 2011 that President Bashar Assad’s government would fall, allowing them to pray at the Umayyad Mosque. JERUSALEM — Paraguay reopened its embassy in Jerusalem Thursday, becoming one of a small handful of nations to recognize the city as Israel’s capital and marking a diplomatic victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel’s international isolation has increased as the war in Gaza drags on, and Paraguay was the first country to move its embassy to Jerusalem since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack that kickstarted the war. The United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Kosovo, and Papua New Guinea are among the few countries with Jerusalem embassies. Israel annexed east Jerusalem in 1967 but it wasn’t recognized by the international community, and most countries run their embassies out of Tel Aviv. Spirits were high at the ceremony marking the embassy’s inauguration Thursday, with Netanyahu and Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar lavishing praise on Paraguayan President Santiago Pena. “My good friend Santiago,” said Netanyahu, addressing Pena. “We’re a small nation. You’re a small nation. We suffered horrible things but we overcame the odds of history...we can win and we are winning.” Paraguay had an embassy in Jerusalem in 2018, under Former President Horacio Cartes. That embassy was moved back to Tel Aviv by Cartes’ successor, Mario Abdo Benitez, prompting Israel to close its embassy in Asuncion. Saar said Israel and Paraguay shared a “friendship based not only on interests but also values and principles.” He and the Paraguayan foreign minister, Rubén Ramírez Lezcano, signed a series of bilateral agreements and Saar said he would soon visit Asunción with a delegation from the Israeli private sector. “Israel is going to win and the countries we are standing next to Israel, we are going to win," Pena said. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is renewing calls for Syria’s new leadership to respect women and minority rights, prevent extremists from gaining new footholds in the country and keeping suspected chemical weapons stocks secure as he makes his first visit to the Mideast since the weekend ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad . Making his 12th trip to the Middle East since the Israel-Hamas war erupted lasted year but amid fresh concerns about security following the upheaval in Syria, Blinken emphasized Thursday to Jordan’s King Abdullah II U.S. “support for an inclusive transition that can lead to an accountable and representative Syrian government chosen by the Syrian people,” the State Department said. Blinken also repeated the importance the outgoing Biden administration puts on respect for human rights and international law, the protection of civilians and stopping terrorist groups from reconstituting. Blinken met with the monarch and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi in Aqaba before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on the situation in Syria and the urgency of securing a long-elusive deal to release hostages and end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Abdullah told Blinken that “the first step to reach comprehensive regional calm is to end the Israeli war on Gaza." GENEVA — The U.N. envoy for Syria is calling on authorities to save evidence from detention centers that were a hub of “unimaginable barbarity” that Syrians have faced for many years and cooperate with international investigators looking into such crimes. Geir Pederson referred to new images from the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of the capital, Damascus, after President Bashar Assad fled Syria as armed groups stormed in to overthrow his government over the weekend. “The images from Saydnaya and other detention facilities starkly underscore the unimaginable barbarity Syrians have endured and reported for years,” Pedersen said in a statement. Documentation and testimonies “only scratch the surface of the carceral system’s horrors,” he added. Pedersen urged authorities to cooperate with U.N. bodies like an independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, which was created in 2011, and an independent group known as the IIIM that was set up five years later to also compile evidence of crimes. ROME — Leaders of the Group of 7 industrialized nations offered their full support for an inclusive political transition in Syria and invited all parties to preserve the country’s territorial integrity. In a message released by Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’s office, the leaders said they were ready to support a transition that “leads to a credible government, inclusive and not sectarian, that guarantees respect for the state of law, universal human rights, including rights for women, (and) the protection of all Syrians, including religious and ethnic minorities.” The leaders also underlined the importance that ousted President Bashar Assad’s government is held responsible for crimes, citing “decades of atrocities.” They said they would also cooperate with groups working to prohibit chemical weapons “to secure, declare and destroy” remaining chemical arms in Syria. Italy currently holds the rotating presidency of the G-7, which also includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States. JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it struck Hamas militants in two locations in the southern Gaza Strip who planned to hijack aid convoys. Palestinian Health officials had earlier said that the two strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees established to secure aid deliveries. The committees have been organized in cooperation with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry in Gaza. It was not possible to independently confirm either account of the strikes, which occurred overnight into Thursday. Israel has long accused Hamas of hijacking humanitarian aid deliveries, while U.N. officials have said there is no systemic diversion of aid . U.N. agencies and aid groups say deliveries are held up by Israeli restrictions on the entry of aid and movement within Gaza, as well as the breakdown of law and order more than 14 months into the war between Israel and Hamas. Israel has repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, which maintained internal security before the war. The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, the main aid provider in Gaza, said a U.N. convoy of 70 trucks carrying humanitarian aid in southern Gaza “was involved in a serious incident,” resulting in just one of the trucks reaching its destination. It did not provide further details on the incident but said the same route had been used successfully two days earlier. Israel’s offensive, launched after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack, has caused vast destruction and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million, leaving the territory heavily reliant on international food aid. DAMASCUS, Syria — An American who turned up in Syria on Thursday says he was detained after crossing into the country by foot on a Christian pilgrimage seven months ago. Travis Timmerman appears to have been among thousands of people released from the country’s notorious prisons after rebels reached Damascus over the weekend, overthrowing President Bashar Assad and ending his family’s 54-year rule. As video emerged online of Timmerman on Thursday, he was initially mistaken by some for Austin Tice, an American journalist who went missing in Syria 12 years ago. In the video, Timmerman could be seen lying on a mattress under a blanket in what appeared to be a private house. A group of men in the video said he was being treated well and would be safely returned home. The Biden administration is working to bring Timmerman home, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Aqaba, Jordan, without offering details, citing privacy. Timmerman later gave an interview with the Al-Arabiya TV network, saying he had illegally crossed into Syria on foot from the eastern Lebanese town of Zahle seven months ago, before being detained. He said he was treated well in detention but could hear other men being tortured. AQABA, Jordan — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has arrived in Jordan on his 12th visit to the Mideast since the Israel-Hamas war erupted last year and his first since the weekend ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad that has sparked new fears of instability in a region wracked by three conflicts despite a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon. Blinken was meeting in Aqaba with Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi on Thursday before traveling to Turkey for talks with Turkish officials on Friday. The meetings will focus largely on Syria but also touch on long-elusive hopes for a deal to end the fighting in Gaza that has devastated the Palestinian territory since October 2023. Blinken is the latest senior U.S. official to visit the Middle East in the five days since Assad was deposed as the Biden administration navigates more volatility in the region in its last few weeks in office and as President-elect Donald Trump has said the U.S. should stay out of the Syrian conflict. Other include national security adviser Jake Sullivan and a top military commander who traveled there as the U.S. and Israel have launched airstrikes to prevent the Islamic State militant group from reconstituting and prevent materiel and suspected chemical weapons stocks from falling into militant hands. Blinken “will discuss the need for the transition process and new government in Syria to respect the rights of minorities, facilitate the flow of humanitarian assistance, prevent Syria from being used as a base of terrorism or posing a threat to its neighbors, and ensure that chemical weapons stockpiles are secured and safely destroyed,” the State Department said. The U.S. would be willing to recognize and fully support a new Syrian government that met those criteria. U.S. officials say they are not actively reviewing the foreign terrorist organization designation of the main Syrian rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, known as HTS, which was once an al-Qaida affiliate, but stressed they are not barred from speaking to its members. JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli forces will remain in a Syrian buffer zone until a new force on the other side of the border can guarantee security. After the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad, Israeli forces pushed into a buffer zone that had been established after the 1973 Mideast war. The military says it has seized additional strategic points nearby. Israeli officials have said the move is temporary, but Netanyahu’s conditions could take months or even years to fulfill as Syria charts its post-Assad future, raising the prospect of an open-ended Israeli presence in the country. Netanyahu’s office said in a statement Thursday that Assad’s overthrow by jihadi rebels created a vacuum on the border. “Israel will not permit jihadi groups to fill that vacuum and threaten Israeli communities on the Golan Heights with October 7th style attacks,” it said, referring to Hamas’ 2023 attack out of Gaza, which ignited the war there. “That is why Israeli forces entered the buffer zone and took control of strategic sites near Israel’s border.” The statement added that “this deployment is temporary until a force that is committed to the 1974 agreement can be established and security on our border can be guaranteed.” The buffer zone is adjacent to the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed. The international community, except for the United States, views the Golan as occupied Syrian territory. JERUSALEM — Israel’s military said Thursday that the attacker who fatally shot a 12-year-old Israeli boy in the occupied West Bank overnight turned himself in to authorities. The attacker opened fire on a bus near the Israeli settlement of Beitar Illit, critically wounding the boy, who hospital authorities pronounced dead in the early morning. Three others were wounded in the attack, paramedics said. The shooting took place just outside Jerusalem in an area near major Israeli settlements. JAKARTA, Indonesia — The Indonesian government has evacuated 37 citizens from Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad government, officials said Thursday. The evacuees were taken by land from Damascus to Beirut, where they boarded three commercial flights to Jakarta, said Judha Nugraha, director of citizen protection at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The Indonesian Embassy in Damascus said all 1,162 Indonesian citizens in Syria were safe. Indonesian Ambassador to Syria Wajid Fauzi said the situation in Syria has gradually returned to normal. “I can say that 98% of people’s lives are back to normal, shops are open, public transportation has started running,” Fauzi said, adding that most Indonesian nationals living in Syria had chosen to stay. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian medical officials say Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 28 people in the Gaza Strip, including seven children and a woman. One of the strikes overnight and into Thursday flattened a house in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp, according to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the nearby city of Deir al-Balah, where the casualties were taken. An Associated Press reporter saw the bodies at the hospital’s morgue. Two other strikes killed 15 men who were part of local committees established to secure aid convoys . The committees were set up by displaced Palestinians in coordination with the Hamas-run Interior Ministry. The Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis received the bodies and an AP reporter counted them. The hospital said eight were killed in a strike near the southern border town of Rafah and seven others in a strike 30 minutes later near Khan Younis. The war in Gaza began when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250 people. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, at least a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel’s offensive has killed over 44,800 Palestinians in Gaza, more than half of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which does not say how many were combatants. The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. The fighting has plunged Gaza into a severe humanitarian crisis, with experts warning of famine. Israel says it allows enough aid to enter and blames U.N. agencies for not distributing it. The U.N. says Israeli restrictions, and the breakdown of law and order after Israel repeatedly targeted the Hamas-run police force, make it extremely difficult to operate in the territory. UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved resolutions Wednesday demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and backing the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees that Israel has moved to ban . The votes in the 193-nation world body were 158-9 with 13 abstentions to demand a ceasefire now and 159-9 with 11 abstentions to support the agency known as UNRWA. The votes culminated two days of speeches overwhelmingly calling for an end to the 14-month war between Israel and the militant Hamas group . General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, though they reflect world opinion. There are no vetoes in the assembly. Israel and its close ally, the United States, were in a tiny minority speaking and voting against the resolutions.
President Joe Biden’s announcement on Tuesday of a couldn’t have come soon enough for Lebanon, a country in the midst of a yearslong economic crisis and intense political paralysis. The war, which began on Oct. 8, 2023, as a series of hostile exchanges across the Israel-Lebanon border and escalated into a heavy Israeli air and ground campaign in Southern Lebanon, and turned some of Beirut’s districts into a war zone. Hours before the U.S.-brokered deal was announced, Israel in what was no doubt a message to the Lebanese militia: Israel can sustain the conflict for as long as it sees fit. In the end, Israel and Hezbollah concluded that they could gain more through negotiations than they could on the battlefield. The agreement is a recitation of , which ended a previous monthlong war between the two adversaries more than 17 years ago but was viewed by all the parties involved, Israel in particular, as a lackluster initiative that wasn’t enforced. The current deal seeks to strengthen UNSCR 1701 by adding stronger monitoring. During a 60-day ceasefire, Israeli troops will withdraw from Southern Lebanon, Hezbollah will do the same, and the Lebanese army will re-deploy to the area. Meanwhile, the approximately 60,000 Israelis who have been displaced in northern Israel will get to return home. In effect, the deal allows both Israel and Hezbollah to claim victory; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can boast that Hezbollah’s military capacity has been significantly diminished; Hezbollah can claim that its resistance drove Israeli forces out of Lebanon. Over the long term, the pause in fighting is designed to give Israel and Lebanon the time and space to officially demarcate their shared border. Yet, at the risk of sounding like a pessimist, just getting to that point would be an achievement. A lot can go wrong between now and then. After all, signing an agreement means nothing if it isn’t implemented. There are any number of ways the agreement can go sideways. First and foremost, the question of whether Hezbollah will actually withdraw north of the Litani River, approximately 20 miles from the Israeli-Lebanese border, is very much in question. Southern Lebanon is Hezbollah’s support base; the militia is a core part of the social fabric in the region, its fighters have homes and families there, and the small towns and villages dotting the area have often been given the short end of the stick from the Lebanese government, which has proven incapable of delivering social services or even basic administration. Hezbollah may be willing to move their weapons caches further north, but the idea that tens of thousands of Hezbollah fighters will uproot their lives is difficult to believe. In this case, Israel will then be forced with a choice: renew military operations and risk the resumption of war, or loosen enforcement and risk Hezbollah maintaining its power base. Second, is the Lebanese army capable of patrolling Southern Lebanon to Israel’s satisfaction? While the Lebanese army is a well-respected institution inside the country and crosses the usual sectarian divisions that have defined Lebanese political life for decades, it’s also arguably the weakest military in the Middle East. , the Lebanese army is smaller than Hezbollah. The since 2006 has barely kept the Lebanese army afloat. The defense systems you would expect a modern military to possess — air defenses, fighter and bomber aircraft, patrol vessels, various air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions — . Due in large part to Lebanon’s financial crisis, some of Lebanon’s soldiers to support themselves and their families. Israel understands all this but is nevertheless unlikely to be very patient. If the Lebanese army is unable or unwilling to do the job of clearing Hezbollah forces out and confronting the remnants that remain, the Israeli army will do it for them as Netanyahu during his remarks upon announcing the ceasefire. This, in effect, would negate the ceasefire and risk plunging the country into war again. Assuming the ceasefire in Lebanon sticks, Israeli and U.S. officials are hopeful it will change Hamas’ calculations about continuing its war with Israel in Gaza. “What Hamas wanted was support from Hezbollah and others,” an Israeli official the Times of Israel. “Once you cut the connection, you have the ability to reach a deal. It’s a strategic achievement. Hamas is alone.” But this sounds more like wishful thinking than reality. Hamas has experienced the most destructive war with Israel in its 37-year history, with tens of thousands of its fighters killed, its upper echelon wiped out and its control in Gaza at its weakest since it kicked the Palestinian Authority out of the coastal territory in 2007. Even so, it’s bottom-line negotiating position remains unchanged: If Israel wants to retrieve the rest of its hostages, it must withdraw entirely from Gaza and end the war permanently. Hamas’ strategy doesn’t depend on Hezbollah, so the notion it will adopt Hezbollah’s position now that it is out of the fight is fanciful at best. If all goes according to plan, Lebanon will now have a chance to rebuild. But how long the peace will stick is another matter entirely.Pbf energy sees $7.8 million stock purchase by control empresarialS Korea sets a good example
New York, NY, Dec. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Globalink Investment Inc. (Nasdaq: GLLI, GLLIW, GLLIR, GLLIU) (“ Globalink ” or the “ Company ”), a special purpose acquisition company, announced today that its stockholders approved amendments to its charter and trust agreement to extend the deadline to complete its initial business combination and change the structure and cost of such extensions. Under the amended charter, Globalink may extend the deadline to complete its initial business combination by up to six (6) monthly extensions, from December 9, 2024 to June 9, 2025 by depositing $60,000 into its trust account (the “ Trust Account ”) with Continental Stock Transfer and Trust Company (“ Continental ”). Globalink’s stockholders, at a special meeting of its stockholders held on December 3, 2024, approved an amendment to Globalink’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the “ Charter Amendment ”), and Globalink’s Investment Management Trust Agreement, as amended, originally entered into on December 6, 2021 with Continental (the “ Trust Agreement Amendment ”) to extend the deadline to complete Globalink’s initial business combination from December 9, 2024 to up to June 9, 2025 for up to six times of monthly extensions, by depositing into the Trust Account $60,000 prior to each one-month extension. The Charter Amendment triggered a right of Globalink’s public stockholders to demand the redemption of their public shares out of funds held in the Trust Account. Holders of 2,285,056 public shares properly requested redemption leaving 277,511 public shares outstanding. After payment of the redemption price to the redeeming public shareholders of approximately $11.77 per share for an aggregate of $26.89 million, Globalink will have approximately $3.27 million left in its Trust Account. As a consequence of the adoption of the Charter Amendment and the Trust Agreement Amendment and the redemptions, Globalink can now obtain up to six monthly extensions, or up until June 9, 2025, to complete its initial business combination at a cost of $60,000 per extension. About Globalink Investment Inc. Globalink is a blank check company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, share purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. Although there is no restriction or limitation on what industry or geographic region, Globalink intends to pursue targets in North America, Europe, South East Asia, and Asia (excluding China, Hong Kong and Macau) in the technology industry, specifically within the medical technology and green energy sectors. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and are subject to the safe harbor created thereby. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “outlook,” “guidance” or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of the Company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because these forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, there are important factors that could cause future events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, many of which are outside of the Company’s control. These factors include, but are not limited to, a variety of risk factors affecting the Company’s business and prospects, see the section titled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Prospectus filed with the SEC on December 6, 2021 and subsequent reports filed with the SEC, as amended from time to time. Any forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Globalink Contact: Say Leong Lim Globalink Investment Inc. Telephone: +6012 405 0015 Email: sllim@globalinkinvestment.com
How to Watch Top 25 Women’s College Basketball Games – Friday, November 22The long sports-filled Thanksgiving weekend is a time when many Americans enjoy gathering with friends and family for good food, good company and hopefully not too much political conversation. Also on the menu — all the NFL and college sports you can handle. Here's a roadmap to one of the biggest sports weekends of the year, with a look at marquee games over the holiday and how to watch. All times are in EST. All odds are by BetMGM Sportsbook. • NFL: There is a triple-header lined up for pro football fans. Chicago at Detroit, 12:30 p.m., CBS: Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams and the Bears go against the Lions, who are one of the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in February. Lions favored by 10. New York at Dallas, 4:30 p.m., Fox: The Giants and Cowboys are both suffering through miserable seasons and are now using backup quarterbacks for different reasons. But if Dallas can figure out a way to win, it will still be on the fringe of the playoff race. Cowboys favored by 3 1/2. Miami at Green Bay, 8:20 p.m., NBC/Peacock: The Packers stumbled slightly out of the gate but have won six of their past seven games. They'll need a win against Miami to try to keep pace in the NFC North. Packers favored by 3. • College Football: Memphis at No. 18 Tulane, 7:30 p.m., ESPN. If college football is your jam, this is a good warmup for a big weekend. The Tigers try to ruin the Green Wave’s perfect record in the American Athletic Conference. Tulane is favored by 14. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes works in the pocket against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of Sunday's game in Charlotte, N.C. • NFL: A rare Friday showdown features the league-leading Chiefs. Las Vegas at Kansas City, 3 p.m. Prime Video: The Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are 12-point favorites over the Raiders. • College Basketball: Some of the top programs meet in holiday tournaments around the country. Battle 4 Atlantis championship, 5:30 p.m., ESPN: One of the premier early season tournaments, the eight-team field includes No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 14 Indiana and No. 24 Arizona. Rady Children's Invitational, 6 p.m., Fox: It's the championship game for a four-team field that includes No. 13 Purdue and No. 23 Mississippi. • College Football: There is a full slate of college games to dig into. Oregon State at No. 11 Boise State, noon, Fox: The Broncos try to stay in the College Football Playoff hunt when they host the Beavers. Boise State favored by 19 1/2. Oklahoma State at No. 23 Colorado, noon, ABC: The Buffaloes and Coach Prime are still in the hunt for the Big 12 championship game when they host the Cowboys. Colorado favored by 16 1/2. Georgia Tech at No. 6 Georgia, 7:30 p.m., ABC: The Bulldogs are on pace for a spot in the CFP but host what could be a tricky game against rival Georgia Tech. Georgia favored by 19 1/2. • NBA. After taking Thanksgiving off, pro basketball returns. Oklahoma City at Los Angeles Lakers, 10 p.m., ESPN: The Thunder look like one of the best teams in the NBA's Western Conference. They'll host Anthony Davis, LeBron James and the Lakers. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the first half of a Nov. 23 game against the Denver Nuggets in Los Angeles. • College Football. There are more matchups with playoff implications. Michigan at No. 2 Ohio State, noon, Fox: The Wolverines are struggling one season after winning the national title. They could make their fan base a whole lot happier with an upset of the Buckeyes. Ohio State favored by 21. No. 7 Tennessee at Vanderbilt, noon, ABC: The Volunteers are a fairly big favorite and have dominated this series, but the Commodores have been a tough team this season and already have achieved a monumental upset over Alabama. Tennessee favored by 11. No. 16 South Carolina at No. 12 Clemson, noon, ESPN: The Palmetto State rivals are both hanging on the edge of the CFP playoff race. A win — particularly for Clemson — would go a long way toward clinching its spot in the field. Clemson favored by 2 1/2. No. 3 Texas at No. 20 Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. ABC: The Aggies host their in-state rival for the first time since 2011 after the Longhorns joined the SEC. Texas favored by 5 1/2. Washington at No. 1 Oregon, 7:30 p.m., NBC: The top-ranked Ducks have been one of the nation’s best teams all season. They’ll face the Huskies, who would love a marquee win in coach Jedd Fisch’s first season. Oregon favored by 19 1/2. • NBA: A star-studded clash is part of the league's lineup. Golden State at Phoenix, 9 p.m., NBA TV: Steph Curry and the Warriors are set to face the Suns' Big Three of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal. • NFL: It's Sunday, that says it all. Pittsburgh at Cincinnati, 1 p.m., CBS: Joe Burrow is having a great season for the Bengals, who are struggling in other areas. They need a win to stay in the playoff race, hosting a Steelers team that's 8-3 and won five of their past six. Bengals favored by 3. Arizona at Minnesota, 1 p.m., Fox: The Cardinals are tied for the top of the NFC West while the Vikings are 9-2 and have been one of the biggest surprises of the season with journeyman Sam Darnold under center. Vikings favored by 3 1/2. Philadelphia at Baltimore, 4:25 p.m., CBS: Two of the league's most electric players will be on the field when Saquon Barkley and the Eagles travel to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Ravens favored by 3. San Francisco at Buffalo, 8:20 p.m. NBC/Peacock: The 49ers try to get back to .500 against the Bills, who have won six straight. Bills favored by 7. • NBA. The best teams in the Eastern Conference meet in a statement game. Boston at Cleveland, 6 p.m., NBA TV: The defending champion Celtics travel to face the Cavs, who won their first 15 games to start the season. • Premier League: English soccer fans have a marquee matchup. Manchester City at Liverpool, 11 a.m., USA Network/Telemundo. The two top teams meet with Manchester City trying to shake off recent struggles. • Auto Racing: The F1 season nears its conclusion. F1 Qatar Grand Prix, 11 a.m., ESPN2 – It's the penultimate race of the season. Max Verstappen already has clinched his fourth consecutive season championship. Before the 2023 National Football League season started, it seemed inevitable that Bill Belichick would end his career as the winningest head coach in league history. He had won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and 298 regular-season games, plus 31 playoff games, across his career. Then the 2023 season happened. Belichick's Patriots finished 4-13, the franchise's worst record since 1992. At the end of the year, Belichick and New England owner Robert Kraft agreed to part ways. And now, during the 2024 season, Belichick is on the sideline. He's 26 wins from the #1 spot, a mark he'd reach in little more than two seasons if he maintained his .647 career winning percentage. Will he ascend the summit? It's hard to tell. Belichick would be 73 if he graced the sidelines next season—meaning he'd need to coach until at least 75 to break the all-time mark. Only one other NFL coach has ever helmed a team at age 73: Romeo Crennel in 2020 for the Houston Texans. With Belichick's pursuit of history stalled, it's worth glancing at the legends who have reached the pinnacle of coaching success. Who else stands among the 10 winningest coaches in NFL history? Stacker ranked the coaches with the most all-time regular-season wins using data from Pro Football Reference . These coaches have combined for 36 league championships, which represents 31.6% of all championships won throughout the history of pro football. To learn who made the list, keep reading. You may also like: Ranking the biggest NFL Draft busts of the last 30 years - Seasons coached: 23 - Years active: 1981-2003 - Record: 190-165-2 - Winning percentage: .535 - Championships: 0 Dan Reeves reached the Super Bowl four times—thrice with the Denver Broncos and once with the Atlanta Falcons—but never won the NFL's crown jewel. Still, he racked up nearly 200 wins across his 23-year career, including a stint in charge of the New York Giants, with whom he won Coach of the Year in 1993. In all his tenures, he quickly built contenders—the three clubs he coached were a combined 17-31 the year before Reeves joined and 28-20 in his first year. However, his career ended on a sour note as he was fired from a 3-10 Falcons team after Week 14 in 2003. - Seasons coached: 23 - Years active: 1969-91 - Record: 193-148-1 - Winning percentage: .566 - Championships: 4 Chuck Noll's Pittsburgh Steelers were synonymous with success in the 1970s. Behind his defense, known as the Steel Curtain, and offensive stars, including Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris, and Lynn Swann, Noll led the squad to four Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1979. Noll's Steelers remain the lone team to win four Super Bowls in six years, though Andy Reid and Kansas City could equal that mark if they win the Lombardi Trophy this season. Noll was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, two years after retiring. His legacy of coaching success has carried on in Pittsburgh—the club has had only two coaches (Bill Cowher and Mike Tomlin) since Noll retired. - Seasons coached: 21 - Years active: 1984-98, 2001-06 - Record: 200-126-1 - Winning percentage: .613 - Championships: 0 As head coach of Cleveland, Kansas City, Washington, and San Diego, Marty Schottenheimer proved a successful leader during the regular season. Notably, he was named Coach of the Year after turning around his 4-12 Chargers team to a 12-4 record in 2004. His teams, however, struggled during the playoffs. Schottheimer went 5-13 in the postseason, and he never made it past the conference championship round. As such, the Pennsylvania-born skipper is the winningest NFL coach never to win a league championship. - Seasons coached: 25 - Years active: 1946-62, '68-75 - Record: 213-104-9 - Winning percentage: .672 - Championships: 7 The only coach on this list to pilot a college team, Paul Brown, reached the pro ranks after a three-year stint at Ohio State and two years with the Navy during World War II. He guided the Cleveland Browns—named after Brown, their first coach—to four straight titles in the fledgling All-America Football Conference. After the league folded, the ballclub moved to the NFL in 1950, and Cleveland continued its winning ways, with Brown leading the team to championships in '50, '54, and '55. He was fired in 1963 but returned in 1968 as the co-founder and coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. His other notable accomplishments include helping to invent the face mask and breaking pro football's color barrier . - Seasons coached: 33 - Years active: 1921-53 - Record: 226-132-22 - Winning percentage: .631 - Championships: 6 An early stalwart of the NFL, Curly Lambeau spent 29 years helming the Green Bay Packers before wrapping up his coaching career with two-year stints with the Chicago Cardinals and Washington. His Packers won titles across three decades, including the league's first three-peat from 1929-31. Notably, he experienced only one losing season during his first 27 years with Green Bay, cementing his legacy of consistent success. Born in Green Bay, Lambeau co-founded the Packers and played halfback on the team from 1919-29. He was elected to the Hall of Fame as a coach and owner in 1963, two years before his death. You may also like: Countries with the most active NFL players - Seasons coached: 29 - Years active: 1960-88 - Record: 250-162-6 - Winning percentage: .607 - Championships: 2 The first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Tom Landry held the position for his entire 29-year tenure as an NFL coach. The Cowboys were especially dominant in the 1970s when they made five Super Bowls and won the big game twice. Landry was known for coaching strong all-around squads and a unit that earned the nickname the "Doomsday Defense." Between 1966 and 1985, Landry and his Cowboys enjoyed 20 straight seasons with a winning record. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990. - Seasons coached: 26 - Years active: 1999-present - Record: 267-145-1 - Winning percentage: .648 - Championships: 3 The only active coach in the top 10, Andy Reid has posted successful runs with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City. After reaching the Super Bowl once in 14 years with the Eagles, Reid ratcheted things up with K.C., winning three titles since 2019. As back-to-back defending champions, Reid and Co. are looking this season to become the first franchise to three-peat in the Super Bowl era and the third to do so in NFL history after the Packers of 1929-31 and '65-67. Time will tell if Reid and his offensive wizardry can lead Kansas City to that feat. - Seasons coached: 29 - Years active: 1991-95, 2000-23 - Record: 302-165 - Winning percentage: .647 - Championships: 6 The most successful head coach of the 21st century, Bill Belichick first coached the Cleveland Browns before taking over the New England Patriots in 2000. With the Pats, Belichick combined with quarterback Tom Brady to win six Super Bowls in 18 years. Belichick and New England split after last season when the Patriots went 4-13—the worst record of Belichick's career. His name has swirled around potential coaching openings , but nothing has come of it. Belichick has remained in the media spotlight with his regular slot on the "Monday Night Football" ManningCast. - Seasons coached: 33 - Years active: 1963-95 - Record: 328-156-6 - Winning percentage: .677 - Championships: 2 The winningest head coach in NFL history is Don Shula, who first coached the Baltimore Colts (losing Super Bowl III to Joe Namath and the New York Jets) for seven years before leading the Miami Dolphins for 26 seasons. With the Fins, Shula won back-to-back Super Bowls in 1972 and 1973, a run that included a 17-0 season—the only perfect campaign in NFL history. He also coached quarterback great Dan Marino in the 1980s and '90s, but the pair made it to a Super Bowl just once. Shula was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997. Story editing by Mike Taylor. Copy editing by Robert Wickwire. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. 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Team officials said they had agreed on a memorandum of understanding involving the amount of taxes to be paid for the former site of the Arlington International Racecourse. The village and local school boards still need to approve the agreement, which could happen next month. While it does not guarantee the team will build a stadium in Arlington Heights, the deal does shift some momentum back toward the suburban site and keeps the team’s options more open than before. “The Chicago Bears remain focused on investing over $2 billion to build a publicly owned enclosed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront while reevaluating the feasibility of a development in Bronzeville,” Bears officials said in a team statement released Monday. “That being said, we remain significant landowners in Arlington Heights and establishing a framework for potential future development planning, financing and property tax certainty has been a priority since the land was purchased. We continue to have productive conversations with the village and school districts and are aligned on a framework should we choose to explore a potential development.” Details of the deal were not released Monday. The Bears and the suburban taxing districts have been at loggerheads over the valuation of the Arlington Heights property, which the Cook County Board of Review set at about $125 million. The Bears have countered with appraisals ranging from $60 million to $71 million and categorizing the property as vacant residential land, which gets taxed at 10% of market value. Local school officials have said the land should be valued at $160 million and classified for commercial use, which puts it into a 25% tax bracket. Despite those differences and the team’s focus on building a new stadium in Chicago , the Bears has never closed the door on the Arlington Heights site, especially as the lakefront proposal has withered due to opposition from state leaders . Arlington Heights Mayor Tom Hayes called the deal a “significant step.” “We’ve had productive conversations with the Bears and the school districts, and we believe we’re in agreement on a framework for moving forward on the previously unresolved tax issues,” Hayes said. “I do anticipate this agreement would be formalized in the near future. It outlines a more clear path forward.” In addition to the site next to Soldier Field and the Arlington Heights property, which the team purchased last year, another site the Bears are looking at is the land once occupied by Michael Reese Hospital in Bronzeville near Lake Michigan. The Bears previously dismissed the old Michael Reese site as being too small and said the site also was unworkable because it’s next to Metra train tracks that pose a security risk, all of which Hayes pointed to as reasons he is bullish on Arlington Heights. “If the Bears come back, it’s going to be a much easier road,” Hayes said about the suburban site, adding he hopes progress is made between the taxing bodies and the team in the first half of next year. “We’re on the same sheet of music. All sides are ready to pursue the opportunity when the Bears turn back in our direction. I’m encouraged something could happen in the spring to enable a new stadium in Arlington Heights.” After the Bears released their statement, the three local school districts — Community Consolidated School District 15 in Palatine, Arlington Heights-based Township High School District 214 and Palatine-based High School District 211 — released a joint statement of their own Monday: “We continue to believe Arlington Heights remains an incredible opportunity, and we have a common understanding with the team on how to create a framework for potential development, financing, and property tax certainty in Arlington Heights that works for all parties. We look forward to future conversations.” The Bears bought the 326-acre former Arlington Park in 2023 for $197 million and announced plans for a $2 billion enclosed stadium as part of a $5 billion mixed-use development. But after new team President Kevin Warren took over that year, he said that local schools’ proposals for taxes on the site were a deal-breaker, and turned the team’s attention back to the city. With Mayor Brandon Johnson’s support, the team earlier this year proposed contributing $2 billion toward a $3.2 billion enclosed, publicly owned stadium to replace Soldier Field. That $3.2 billion figure doesn’t include the $1.5 billion in infrastructure money funded by the public that the team says would be needed to fully realize its vision for a year-round venue and surrounding park space. Gov. JB Pritzker and legislative leaders have thrown cold water on the idea , saying the state has priorities other than providing major funding to a private business. Both the lakefront and Arlington Heights plans would involve public dollars, something lawmakers have been cool on for both sites. But some northwest suburban state lawmakers said the recent developments were encouraging. Democratic state Sen. Mark Walker of Arlington Heights said that despite the team’s agreement with the school districts, bigger financial issues as to how the project would be paid for still need to be resolved. Team officials have said they would need public funding to help pay for infrastructure such as new expressway ramps for the Arlington Heights site. A previous proposal for a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, in which the long-term taxes would be addressed, would require state legislation. But funding concerns could be exacerbated by a projected state budget hole of nearly $3.2 billion for the next fiscal year that would prevent the lawmakers from granting significant taxpayer subsidies. The concerns also include Johnson’s struggles to balance his proposed $17.3 billion budget, with aldermen earlier this month voting unanimously to spike his plan to implement a $300 million property tax hike. “I would think that the local communities, especially Arlington Heights, have more flexibility on providing property tax relief than would the city (of Chicago) at this point,” said Walker. “But the issues of capital and state funding are still out there and ... my guess is that the Bears would have to find another source for the big capital.” State Rep. Mary Beth Canty, who has continued to advocate for the Bears to move to Arlington Heights, called the memorandum of understanding “a positive step forward.” “I think this is a great opportunity and I think that they could do a lot of good here. They have the opportunity to be really good neighbors,” Canty, an Arlington Heights Democrat, said of the Bears. “I’ll be anxious to see what the boards have to say when they go over it in their meetings as I’m sure they’ll be required to do. But I think everybody is coming to the table thinking positively and also thinking about what does the community need, what does the community want and how can we deliver on those things in a way that moves everyone forward.” The agreement would cover taxes going forward, but the Bears continue to appeal the team’s 2023 tax bill to the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board. The team also demolished the former race track stadium to lower its taxes, leaving the site vacant. Suburban school officials have always doubted the taxes were the determining factor in the team’s decision to play in Arlington Heights since they offered less than the estimated $9 million tax bill, a relatively small amount in what would be a multibillion-dollar deal. The taxes were raised after Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi raised the property’s assessed valuation to near the site’s $197 million purchase price. Ultimately, the assessor would have to approve any agreement on taxes.
Four members of Congress unveiled a bipartisan bill Friday that would spark changes at the U.S. Center for SafeSport, placing a time limit on resolving cases that can sometimes take years and improving communication between the center and abuse survivors. The Safer Sports for Athletes Act looks to address some of the bigger concerns that have opened the center to criticism since it was established in 2017 to handle sex-abuse cases in Olympic sports and their grassroots cousins. The bill has potential for a fivefold increase of an existing grant to the center, bringing it to $10 million a year. But even if the full amount were approved, it wouldn't solve all of the problems. As before, that grant can only be used for training and education , not investigations and enforcement, which are the focus of complaints about the center , and also of the reforms the lawmakers are seeking. “We’re hoping the combination of appropriations for other activities will free up money for investigations, as well as the streamlining,” said one of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Deborah Ross, D-North Carolina. The center estimates the reforms in the bill could cost more than $4.5 million. It currently operates on a budget of around $21 million a year, most of which comes from the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and its sports affiliates, known as national governing bodies, or NGBs. “It's really unclear, and I don't think that some parts of the bill jibe with other parts of the bill," SafeSport CEO Ju'Riese Colon said. "We're going to need some more conversation to suss out some of this stuff. Right now, it just doesn't really add up for us.” The center's critics, meanwhile, have long been skeptical about giving more resources to an agency they feel is missing the mark. The bill would also mandate that investigations be concluded within 180 days after a report is made, with possibilities to extend them. Some of the most egregious complaints about the center have come from people who say it has taken years for their cases to be resolved. The center currently receives about 155 reports a week, which comes to more than 8,000 a year. When fully staffed, it has 77 people on its response and resolution team. “Too many other survivors have also been left waiting for years for SafeSport to investigate or have their cases closed without action,” said soccer player Mana Shim, who helped lawmakers draft the bill. Shim's own case, involving sexual harassment and coercion by her coach, took more than two years for the center to resolve and led to investigations and reforms across American soccer. Other reforms include a requirement for the center to provide victim advocates at no cost for those needing them — a move already underway as part of a menu of changes the center announced earlier this year — and to assign case managers who can give timely updates to victims and the accused. “I have questions around, if the center were to hire and staff the advocates, there might be some conflict of interest with us doing this internally," Colon said. The center was also concerned with one provision that would redefine how arbitration works and another that would change the dynamics of information sharing between the center and the USOPC and NGBs. The other bill sponsors were Reps. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio; Don Bacon, R-Nebraska; and Kathy Castor, D-Florida. The lawmakers positioned the bill as one that will help the Denver-based center, while making clear they are not satisfied with the results so far. “We're going to make sure the center has the resources it needs to effectively respond to thousands of reports it handles annually,” Castor said. “It has unfortunately fallen short." Ross conceded this bill will probably get pushed to the next Congress, which convenes Jan. 3, “but we needed to set the stage as soon as possible.” AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Phillips 66 stock falls Wednesday, underperforms marketMOUNT VERNON, S.D. — Reagan Rus is always ready to compete. Those who’ve known Rus since she was a little kid gracing the halls of Mount Vernon Public School saw the potential competitor she would become as a muti-sport standout for Mount Vernon/Plankinton's sports teams. ADVERTISEMENT Numerous school records, all-state recognition and state championships. All the accolades came from a simple lesson at an early age. “My mom has always taught us to try and do our best,” said Rus, now in her senior year at Mount Vernon. “Although we can put in the most effort and whatever we do to get in that extra practice, we do it so we can excel. My mom pushed me to be the best I can be for our team.” As the cliche, “Mother knows best,” holds true here, Rus has been at the top of her game. She’s been a state champion in track and field in the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter relay, holding the school record in the latter. In basketball, Rus was an all-state player last season for the first time and committed to Division II Northern State University to play college hoops in August. However, Rus’ volleyball play this season went to the next level, setting the Titans’ single-season team record with 510 kills. She also added 356 digs, 42 aces, 18 assists and 12 blocks. Averaging over 14 kills and 10 digs in 35 matches played, Rus powered the Titans back to the Class A state tournament for the first time since 2015. Rus also added her first all-state first-team selection in volleyball for the seventh-place finishing Titans, recording double-doubles in all three tournament games, totalling 55 kills and 52 digs. She was named to the all-Southeastern South Dakota Conference team and wrapped her five-year varsity career as the Titans’ all-time leader in kills (1,477) and digs (1,130). For displaying a high level of consistency as one of the top attackers in the region and being an integral part of MVP’s return to the Class A state tournament, Reagan Rus was selected as the 2024 Mitchell Republic volleyball player of the year. ADVERTISEMENT Since 2001, the Mitchell Republic volleyball player of the year has been selected by the newspaper’s sports staff, and conducted via a point-based voting system, awarding five points to the top player, four points to the second player and so on. Rus tallied 19 total points with three first-place votes, joining 2014 and 2015 player of the year Makaela Karst as honorees to have donned the Titans’ colors. Other players garnering consideration were Burke’s Kailee Frank, who received the remaining first-place vote, Emmie Hausmann and Paige Bull, Winner teammates Keelie Kuil and Gracie Root, and Hanson’s Ava Doyle. Rus’ first exposure to volleyball came during instructional camps hosted mainly at Dakota Wesleyan University, quickly picking up on the basics of the sport. By her sixth-grade year, volleyball became her fall activity. But the jump from middle school volleyball to high school presented Rus with a new challenge and new teammates. Nervous about integrating herself with the varsity roster at the beginning of the season, she attributes the feeling to not having much confidence in herself at the time. However, former teammate Maria Baker, who Rus credits as her influence for her own volleyball game, reached out to the then-eighth grader and helped Rus make the leap forward. “She was always really there for me if I needed to talk to someone and if I really needed support,” Rus said. “It was a big change for me and she helped bridge that gap. ... She was (MVP’s) go-to attacker at the time, and I just always wanted to be that go-to person.” ADVERTISEMENT Rus also credits Titans head coach Darcy Deinert for taking a chance on bringing her up to the varsity volleyball team when she did. However, Deinert was one of those that felt Rus had the potential to be a great player given her competitive spirit. “She has the determination and likes to be challenged,” Deinert said. “I knew she was physically and mentally capable of getting to a higher level because of her tenacity and her fire and will to compete at a level that challenged her.” Beginning to see valuable time on the floor at varsity as a freshman, Rus played exclusively in the front row, often getting rotated out depending on the point in a match. Always having the mindset of wanting to attack, the substitutions served as motivation to work on other skills valuable to a player. Rus’ focus immediately went to her passing and setting of the volleyball, always getting extra reps to time up her contact of the ball and putting the ball in position for teammates to make a play. Her defense also showed improvement, due to her willingness to get to the ball where others might look to someone else. “As a defender, you just want them to go get (the ball),” Deinert said, “And that was easy for her. She had to analyze what angle it’s coming from and to learn that this ball’s going over here or if a girl is taller than our blocker, and it came quite quickly.” “I hated coming out of the game,” Rus added. “I just wanted to be in there all the time so I can influence the game in whatever way possible. I worked as hard as I could when we had practice and got as many reps as I could so I didn’t have to come out.” ADVERTISEMENT Regardless of whether she’s collecting kills, draining triples or leaping over hurdles, Rus will always be found with a smile on her face. Even as the Titans grew together on the court or in the weight room, Rus was counted on with the other seniors on the roster to keep the atmosphere light and enjoyable, while also setting the example for the mostly young roster. One aspect of Rus’ personality is undeniable: her passion for sports. “She loves the game, whether it's volleyball, basketball or track,” MVP girls basketball head coach Preston Kristensen said. “She embraces every moment, and as she's gotten older, she's taken over that leadership role and understands that she's setting the tone and the girls feed off her.” “We talked about body language all the time and she's rocking a smile out there while still competing at a high level,” he added. “That's going to relax the rest of the teammates, you know, let them settle in.” Knowing about the added responsibilities of becoming the mentor she once looked up to as an eighth grader, Rus set a goal of being more positive on herself at the beginning of the volleyball season, knowing patience was going to be key as the team built chemistry on the floor. She noticed early on following the Titans’ Oct. 3 victory against Winner how it can guide a team towards their goals. “We were just really positive,” Rus said. “We all just wanted to win and that was our main goal for all of us together this year.” From there, the group began to rewrite their potential goals for the year, and Rus shifted her focus to developing a repertoire of attack shots, mainly to hit positions where holes might be created. By the time MVP faced conference foe and Class B third-place finisher Burke on Oct. 26 for the SESD tournament title, the adjustments on the floor were realized. ADVERTISEMENT The Titans came back from an ugly first set to beat the Cougars for the championship, cementing their status as a team poised to make a run towards the state tournament. The remaining matches brought a renewed focus along with a new demeanor from everyone. “We were bringing a lot of energy,” Rus said. “Those games were very loud for us and we were very positive, which helped our team chemistry. They were high-stakes games, so we just tried to minimize errors as much as we could and find those open spots.” “Reagan had a lot to do with that environment,” Deinert added. “When everybody feels like they’re fighting for something similar, I think the group just goes together and she had a big part in leading that. ... Just the willingness of the group to give to something bigger was pretty cool.” Rus will return to the hardwood for MVP girls basketball this year following a career season in 2023, where she averaged 16.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, earning a spot on the Class A all-state third team. Rus enters 2024 only needing 17 more points to top 1,000 for her career. Following the spring track and field season, Rus will be off to Northern State to join the women’s basketball team, chasing a dream of hers from when she first picked up a basketball and through the countless pickup games against former teammate and current South Dakota State player Emilee Fox and her older brother Reed, who plays football for the University of South Dakota “I’ve been playing basketball for the last few years in the summer just trying to get my name out there,” Rus said. “I just knew I wanted to play basketball and college as it was always a dream of mine just to play in college.” ADVERTISEMENT As for high school, this volleyball season will forever be one of Rus’ lasting memories, and will miss going for those kills to clinch matches while rooting on her teammates along the way. Her impact beyond the walls of Mount Vernon competing for the Titans hasn’t gone unnoticed by those she’s been around and had the opportunity to compete under. “I hope she understands that all the hard work she put in for herself and all the work she did off the court to help build our programs is very appreciated,” Kristensen said. “The coaches couldn't thank her more for all her hard work and dedication.” “I hope she’s able to go into her next chapter in life and be able to say, ‘All right, I’m ready,” Deinert added, “‘I’m ready for this and I’m prepared.’ I hope she leaves prepared and knows that she and any player can believe in themselves and know they can do great things.” Here’s a look at the other players who received consideration, with their point totals in parentheses: Kailee Frank, Burke (14): A senior outside and middle hitter, Frank showcased her proficiency on both ends of the court, netting 375 kills and 337 digs, ranking second on the Cougars in those categories. She was also named to the Class B all-state first team for the second time, previously named to the first team in 2023 and as an honorable mention in 2022. Emmie Hausmann, Burke (9): A junior outside and middle hitter, Hausmann paced the Cougars with 378 kills and 90 service aces. She was named to three all-conference volleyball teams and helped Burke to a 35-4 record and a third-place finish at the Class B state tournament for the second consecutive season. Keelie Kuil, Winner (6): A senior outside hitter, Kuil helped lead Winner back to the Class A state tournament for the first time since 2019. Earning a Class A honorable mention, Kuil led the Warriors with 335 kills and finished among the team’s leaders with 321 digs and 39 aces. Gracie Root, Winner (5): A junior setter, Root finished with 848 assists for the season and was second on the team with 338 digs and third with 32 aces. The Warriors finished the season at 26-9 and came in eighth place in the Class A state tournament. Ava Doyle, Hanson (4): A sophomore setter and outside hitter, Doyle helped the Beavers to a 21-7 record and a Class A SoDak 16 appearance. She finished the regular season with 274 kills, 213 digs, and 56 service aces to her line, earning all-Cornbelt Conference recognition. Paige Bull, Burke (3): A senior middle hitter, Bull’s presence at the net garnered a Class B all-state honorable mention, finishing with 123 total blocks. Adding 309 kills and 15 aces for the third-place finisher Cougars, Bull concluded her prep volleyball career having accumulated 437 total blocks, including 200 solo blocks. Previous award winners: 2001: Marcy Jacobsen, Mitchell; 2002 (winter): Chelaine Knudsen, Andes Central; 2002 (fall): Chelsey Miller, Mitchell; (*Note: 2002 season switch) 2003: Katrina Brooks, Andes Central; 2004: Gina Baldwin, Mitchell; 2005: Kelli Fiegen, Parkston; 2006: Jena Doom, Wagner; 2007: Kelli Fiegen, Parkston; 2008: Keaya Weber, Wagner; 2009: Jilanne Doom, Wagner; 2010: Charlee Nelson, Mitchell; 2011: Dana Misiaszek, Mitchell; 2012: Taylin Alm, Mitchell; 2013: Anna Flitner, Lyman; 2014: Makaela Karst, Mount Vernon/Plankinton; 2015: Makaela Karst, Mount Vernon/Plankinton; 2016: Sierra Mesman, Bon Homme; 2017: Mackenzie Miller, Mitchell; 2018: Chelsea Brewster, Mitchell; 2019: Taylee Indahl, Burke; 2020: Julia Weber, Bridgewater-Emery; 2021: Karly VanDerWerff, Platte-Geddes; 2022: Adisyn Indahl, Burke; 2023: Karly VanDerWerff, Platte-Geddes; 2024: Reagan Rus, Mount Vernon/Plankinton