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s888 games Pep Guardiola is in unfamiliar territory. His Manchester City side's current malaise continued on Wednesday as they were beaten by Juventus to leave their progress to the Champions League knockouts far from certain. But the result's place in their recent run of form makes for alarming reading. The latest defeat means they have managed just one win in their last 10 games, losing seven games during that run. It would be foolish to write them out of anything at this stage of the season, but Guardiola knows he needs to find a way to end this poor run of form sooner rather than later. Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said on TNT Sports: "I think we are still going to be surprised given what they have done in recent years. "They have been a formidable team, they won four Premier Leagues on the bounce, they have a history of being very successful. "But we just have not seen a Pep Guardiola side in general ever be this bad. He has to find a way of galvanising this team and reinstalling some form and confidence. "They are under real pressure now." The statistics behind Manchester City's recent run of form highlight that it has gone beyond a blip to become a real cause for concern. After the Juventus loss, Guardiola chose to reflect on the positives: "We played good, really, really good. "We concede few, some transition happened but I am so proud for these players. They give everything and they tried and now we live in this period and hopefully we can change results." But ex-Manchester City defender Nedum Onouha said on Match of the Day: "They found it very hard to break [Juventus] down and Erling Haaland himself was frustrated. "To make it even worse there were times where City were very open. They seemed so stretched." Guardiola's side went into Wednesday's game knowing they would likely need to win all three of their remaining fixtures in the league phase to finish in the top eight and progress automatically for the knockouts. But they are now five points off the top eight with six left to play for, meaning progressing via the play-offs is their most realistic path. They are currently 22nd, with the sides finishing ninth to 24th going on to a two-legged tie in February for a place in the last 16. However, City are just one point above Paris St-Germain in 25th and must go to the French giants on 22 January in what will likely be a crucial fixture. After that they do have a winnable home game against Club Brugge, although a poor result against PSG would leave them under pressure going into that game. "We have two games, we need one point maybe," Guardiola added. "You go to Turin, Paris, our three games away were really tough. You have to accept it. "We will turn around, not forget that period, appreciate more what we have done in the past and what we are going to do in the future." Key to Manchester City's success under Guardiola has been their consistency. The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss has rarely made wholesale changes to his side between seasons, instead identifying the main areas needed for improvement and strengthening appropriately. But while that has been their biggest strength during their run to multiple titles, it could be seen as the reason behind their recent struggles, with Ferdinand suggesting "tiredness" in players who have had a role in City's success could be playing a part. In the summer they signed winger Savinho from Troyes and brought back midfielder Ilkay Gundogan from Barcelona. Former Chelsea winger Pat Nevin, speaking before Wednesday's loss to Juventus, said a significant rebuild of the side is needed. "It is worth considering just how momentous a period this will turn out to be in years to come," Nevin said. "Pep Guardiola's dominance is done - well, it is for the time being. Manchester City will not melt away to obscurity any time soon, but the run of clearly being the best of the best in Britain is over. "There is a rebuild of monumental proportions needed - and they know it. "How quickly can this be done? Inside two years is the answer as Chelsea have shown with their recent merciless clear-out and restructuring plan." It is well documented that Manchester City have been hampered by a significant injury list this season. Oscar Bobb, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji are all out but the biggest miss of all has been Rodri. Against Juventus City struggled to deal with transitions of play, and the absence of the Spain international means they have not been able to dominate midfield like they have previously. "Rodri, people are talking about, but there is a bigger picture than that," Ferdinand said in the build-up to the Juventus fixture. "They have lacked the control in the midfield area. They have not been able to react to the transition as well at the moment. They don't seem to have the security within the team. "They have been easy to play through, that isn't about Rodri, that is about the functionality of the team." Former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott added on TNT Sports: "It is not down to one individual, but with Rodri I think it is the only position where the replacement isn't as impactful. "There is never going to be one thing that is the reason for great results or negative results. There has to be a combination of everything coming together and it is building blocks slowly." Manchester City's bad spell - just like their good run of form - is not going to go on forever. While they've not experienced a difficult run like this before under Guardiola, they have shown form for bouncing back emphatically after some bad results. In December 2018 they lost three Premier League games and were 10 points off the top but then went on to win 18 of their next 19 games to overturn the deficit and win the title. "Of course I question myself, in the good moments, in the bad moments," added Guardiola. "I was stable in the good moments, I was stable in the bad moments. "I try to find the way, find the win."Membership of Britain's upstart anti-immigration Reform UK party has overtaken that of the centre-right Conservative Party for the first time, the party said Thursday, as Tories disputed the numbers. Party leader and Brexit figurehead Nigel Farage hailed the figure as a "historic moment". Immigration was a major issue at the ballot box at the UK's July general election which saw the Conservatives ousted after 14 years in power. The digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the main opposition Conservatives during its leadership election earlier this year. "The youngest political party in British politics has just overtaken the oldest political party in the world," wrote Farage on X. "Reform UK are now the real opposition." Party chairman Zia Yusuf said the milestone showed the long "stranglehold on the centre-right of British politics by the Tories has finally been broken". The last declared Conservative Party tally was the lowest on record and a drop on 2022, when there were around 172,000 members. New Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch, however, questioned the figures, accusing Farage of "fakery". She said Reform's counter was "coded to tick up automatically". Farage responded by saying he would "gladly invite" a firm to "audit our membership numbers" if the Tories did the same. Reform won five seats in the 650-seat UK parliament in July, though it received roughly 14 percent of total votes cast. Reform maximised the damage to the Conservatives by splitting the right-wing vote and picking up former Tory supporters in key constituencies. The Labour Party won by a landslide although Prime Minister Keir Starmer has had a bumpy first five months in power. An Ipsos opinion poll this month found that 53 percent of Britons said they were "disappointed" in what the Labour government had achieved so far. British politics has been dominated by the two main parties -- Labour and the Conservatives -- for decades but commentators have warned that major parties have seen irreversible downturns in their popularity in the past. In the years after World War I, a divided Liberal Party found itself supplanted by the Labour Party as the main opposition. The party of 19th-century political giant William Gladstone and World War I leader David Lloyd George never again regained its status as a party of government. Farage, a supporter of US President-elect Donald Trump, said earlier this month that he was in talks with tech billionaire Elon Musk about donating to his hard-right party. har/js

A social media presence might be essential, but with social media platforms in a state of flux, which is the best one for a photographer to call home? The fast-growing Bluesky platform could be a breath of fresh air for photographers tired of their work being hidden behind a pay-to-play paywall. I’m going to come right out and admit upfront that I’m a fan of the fairly new Bluesky social media platform—or perhaps I should qualify this by saying, “so far, so good, at least.” Looking to fill the unmet needs of many social media users who are tired of the relentless exploitation of their content by traditional social media platforms, and of their lack of control over how that content is used and presented, the Bluesky platform aims to provide a decentralized and more egalitarian social media forum that strives to place the needs of its users over corporate greed. The decentralized structure of the platform is apparently driven by the desire to offer its users more control over their own content, as well as making it “billionaire proof”—heading off any attempt by some well-heeled individual or group to buy it out from under the feet of its users and turn it into some kind of toxic tarpit whose owners impoverish their users while simultaneously (and metaphorically) feeding off their flesh to enrich themselves. I know—this sounds like some kind of far-fetched nightmare from a dystopian world very different from our own, but maybe it could happen! I have been using Bluesky for a short time now, and I have to say that I am quite surprised and impressed at how refreshingly different it feels from the other, more traditional social media platforms. As an example of this, when I post one of my photographs, I typically receive ten times more responses from my few followers on Bluesky than I do from my orders-of-magnitude larger followings on the other platforms. So when this video about using Bluesky as a photographer appeared in my YouTube feed, I felt I had to share it with you. Andy Hutchinson is a straight-talking photographer from down under, whose enjoyable, no-nonsense style is featured front and center on his of the same name. In his latest video, Andy describes his experience using the relatively new Bluesky social media platform as a photographer and offers some valuable and very practical advice to photographers who might be interested in establishing a presence on it. Before you watch it, I should just warn you that Andy does not mince his words in any way, and his sometimes strident opinions about the various social media platforms are often peppered with some colorful language that you might not want your kids to hear. You have been warned! Gordon Webster is a professional photographer based in New England. He has worked with clients from a wide range of sectors, including retail, publishing, music, independent film production, technology, hospitality, law, energy, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, medical, veterinary, and education.Article content DALLAS (AP) — Juan Soto gets free use of a luxury suite and up to four premium tickets behind home plate for regular-season and postseason New York Mets home games as part of his record $765 million, 15-year contract that was finalized Wednesday. Recommended Videos The Mets also agreed to provide personal team security for the All-Star outfielder and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games, according to details of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press. Major League Baseball teams usually provide security for player families in seating areas at ballparks. New York also agreed to assist Soto’s family for in-season travel arrangements, guaranteed Soto will have uniform No. 22 and included eight types of award bonuses. Soto’s suite will be valued at the Mets’ prevailing prices, presumably for tax purposes, and after 2025 he can by each Jan. 15 modify or give up his suite selection for the upcoming season. He can request the premium tickets, to be used by family members, no later than 72 hours before the scheduled game time. The Yankees had refused to offer Soto a free suite. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites they buy them ... whether it’s CC (Sabathia), whether it’s (Aaron) Judge, whether it’s (Gerrit) Cole, whether it’s any of these guys,” general manager Brian Cashman said. “We’ve gone through a process on previous negotiations where asks might have happened and this is what we did and we’re going to honor those, so no regrets there.” Cashman said the Yankees have a shared suite for player families and a family room with babysitting. Soto gets a $75 million signing bonus, payable within 60 days of the agreement’s approval by the commissioner’s office. The deal for the 26-year-old, which tops Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers, was reached Sunday pending a physical that took place Tuesday. Soto receives salaries of $46,875,000 each in 2025 and 2026, $42.5 million in 2027, $46,875,000 apiece in 2028 and 2029 and $46 million in each of the final 10 seasons. Soto has a contingent right to opt out of the agreement within three days of the end of the 2029 World Series to become a free agent again, but the Mets have the an option to negate the opt-out provision by increasing the yearly salaries for 2030-39 by $4 million annually to $50 million and raising the total value to $805 million. If the club exercises its option to negate the opt-out provision, Soto can make his opt-out decision by the fifth day after the World Series. He has a full no-trade provision and gets a hotel suite on road trips. Soto would receive a $500,000 bonus for winning his first Most Valuable Player award and $1 million for each MVP award. He would get $350,000 for finishing second in the voting and $150,000 for finishing third through fifth. Soto was third in the AL voting this year. He would earn $100,000 for each All-Star selection and Gold Glove, $350,000 for World Series MVP and $150,000 for League Championship Series MVP. Soto would get $100,000 for selection to the All-MLB first or second team, $150,000 for Silver Slugger and $100,000 for the Hank Aaron Award. Award bonuses are to be paid by the Jan. 31 after the season in which the bonus is earned.

Eagles try to clinch NFC East title with Hurts' head injury looming large

MALVERN, Pa., Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELA Bio, Inc. ("TELA Bio") (NASDAQ: TELA), a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on providing innovative soft-tissue reconstruction solutions, today announced that the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of TELA Bio approved inducement grants of restricted stock units covering 1,700 shares of its common stock to three newly-hired employees, with a grant date of December 11, 2024 (the "Grant Date"). The restricted stock units were granted pursuant to the Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4) inducement grant exception as a component of each individual's employment compensation and were granted as an inducement material to his or her acceptance of employment with TELA Bio. The restricted stock units will vest in equal annual installments over four years, subject to each individual's continued service with TELA Bio through the applicable vesting dates. About TELA Bio, Inc. TELA Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: TELA) is a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on providing innovative technologies that optimize clinical outcomes by prioritizing the preservation and restoration of the patient's own anatomy. The Company is committed to providing surgeons with advanced, economically effective soft-tissue reconstruction solutions that leverage the patient's natural healing response while minimizing long-term exposure to permanent synthetic materials. For more information, visit www.telabio.com. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations are forward-looking statements and reflect the current beliefs of TELA Bio's management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially and adversely from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this announcement speak only as of the date of this press release, and TELA Bio assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release, except as required under applicable law. Investor Contact Louisa Smith ir@telabio.comNetflix streamed two NFL games and got a TV-sized audiencePrairie premiers urge action on security to fend off Trump's tariff threats

Wales’ finance secretary laid down a challenge to Plaid Cymru after unveiling the Welsh Government’s 2025/26 draft budget which included an extra £1.5bn for public services. Prof Drakeford said he remains open to talks with Plaid Cymru about how the budget can be improved, with Labour one seat short of the majority needed to pass its spending plans. But, addressing opposition benches, he warned: “If that’s not the business you are in then, believe me, the people of Wales will see through you and the political games you think you can play with their future.” He added: “There’s £253m for local government and when you vote against the budget, you will be saying to those local authorities that you don’t want them to have a single penny of it. “That’s what serious politics is about ... and that day of reckoning is coming your way.” The cooperation agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru collapsed in 2023, and the party has said it intends to vote against this year’s budget on March 4. Leading a debate on December 10, the former first minister told the Senedd the spending plans for the 12 months from April seek to protect the most vulnerable people in society. He said: “It is a budget for priorities, it is a budget for growth, it is a budget that reminds people in Wales why, time after time, they have put their trust in a Labour government. “A government which shares their values of trust, ambition, care for one another, and especially those who need that care the most. And that ... is why this is a budget for hope, a budget which sets out on that path to deliver a brighter future.” Peter Fox, the Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, criticised Labour’s “tax-and-spend frenzy” and raised concerns economic growth could slow. Mr Fox said: “Both Labour governments just don’t understand business,” as he described national insurance increases as a tax on growth and a broken manifesto pledge. He rejected "fictitious" claims of a £22bn “blackhole” in the UK’s finances left by the Tories, adding that the Welsh budget has increased due to tax rises and vast amounts of borrowing. Mr Fox welcomed an additional £253m for local government but cautioned it will still leave councils facing a “cliffedge” with financial pressures totalling £300m. The former council leader said the Welsh Government has “finally seen sense”, agreeing to offer retail, hospitality and leisure businesses the same business rates relief as in England. Heledd Fychan, for Plaid Cymru, warned the draft budget falls short of the funding Wales is owed following the lowest real-terms increase of all the devolved nations at 1.3%. The party’s shadow finance secretary reiterated calls for billions from HS2 and replacement of the “outdated” Barnett formula with a fairer model based on population need. Ms Fychan said: “Without this, it is clear despite the uplift many sectors will be left broken and uncertain about the future: cuts will still have to be made, council tax will have to rise and the backlog across the NHS will remain incredibly high. “Yes, the investment is welcome but it is a drop in the ocean of what’s needed.” Ms Fychan, who represents South Wales West, warned the budget will largely plug gaps created by Westminster and Labour mismanagement. Labour’s Lee Waters said the opposition reaction “breeds cynicism in politics”, accusing the Conservatives of complaining about revenue raising plans while demanding more money.If Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts is unavailable for their Week 17 tilt with the rival Dallas Cowboys, they'll at least have Kenny Pickett at their disposal. Hurts remains in concussion protocol while also dealing with a finger injury on his non-throwing hand. He did not practice on Thursday, but QB2 Pickett (ribs) was a full participant. Pickett told reporters after practice Thursday that he expects to be able to play. He "tested out some different things padding-wise" in anticipation of being on the field Sunday against visiting Dallas, when the Eagles can clinch the NFC East title with a victory. "It is what it is. Just something I'm going to have to deal with," Pickett said. "So, yeah, I'll be ready to go for Sunday." Hurts was injured last Sunday in the Eagles' loss to the Washington Commanders. His head hit the turf while being tackled by Frankie Luvu and Bobby Wagner. Hurts connected on just 1 of 4 passes for 11 yards before he exited the game. Pickett took over and produced 143 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 14-of-24 passing as Washington rallied to beat Philadelphia 36-33. It was later revealed that Pickett hurt his ribs during the game. "I think after a couple more days, getting a chance to kind of rest it a little bit more, go do some rehab, I'll be good for Sunday," Pickett said. The only other quarterback on the Eagles' roster is Tanner McKee, a sixth-round pick in 2023 who has yet to play a snap for them. Philadelphia signed quarterback Ian Book to the practice squad earlier Thursday. --Field Level Media

Eagles try to clinch NFC East title with Hurts' head injury looming large

Boys Basketball | Vols dominate Bulldogs in crosstown matchup

TORONTO, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rogers Communications (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) (NYSE: RCI) today announced it has received clearance from the Competition Bureau to proceed with the acquisition of Bell’s 37.5% stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. Rogers and Bell received a "no-action letter" on December 12, 2024, from the Bureau, indicating that the Commissioner of Competition does not intend to challenge Rogers acquisition of Bell’s interest in MLSE. The deal is subject to league approvals and approval from the CRTC. “This reflects an important step in securing approvals and expanding our ownership of MLSE, one of the most prestigious sports and entertainment organizations in the world,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO, Rogers. “As Canada’s leading communications and entertainment company, live sports and entertainment are a critical part of our core business strategy.” In September, Rogers announced a deal to acquire Bell’s stake in MLSE for C$4.7 billion to become majority owner of MLSE. About Rogers Communications Inc Rogers is Canada’s leading communications and entertainment company and its shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For more information, please visit rogers.com or investors.rogers.com . For further information: Media Relations media@rci.rogers.com 1-844-226-1338 Investor Relations investor.relations@rci.rogers.com 1-844-801-4792MALVERN, Pa., Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELA Bio, Inc. ("TELA Bio") (NASDAQ: TELA), a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on providing innovative soft-tissue reconstruction solutions, today announced that the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of TELA Bio approved inducement grants of restricted stock units covering 1,700 shares of its common stock to three newly-hired employees, with a grant date of December 11, 2024 (the "Grant Date"). The restricted stock units were granted pursuant to the Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4) inducement grant exception as a component of each individual's employment compensation and were granted as an inducement material to his or her acceptance of employment with TELA Bio. The restricted stock units will vest in equal annual installments over four years, subject to each individual's continued service with TELA Bio through the applicable vesting dates. About TELA Bio, Inc. TELA Bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: TELA) is a commercial-stage medical technology company focused on providing innovative technologies that optimize clinical outcomes by prioritizing the preservation and restoration of the patient's own anatomy. The Company is committed to providing surgeons with advanced, economically effective soft-tissue reconstruction solutions that leverage the patient's natural healing response while minimizing long-term exposure to permanent synthetic materials. For more information, visit www.telabio.com. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "continue," "predict," "forecast," "project," "plan," "intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations are forward-looking statements and reflect the current beliefs of TELA Bio's management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results and events to differ materially and adversely from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the "Risk Factors" section and elsewhere in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Any forward-looking statements that we make in this announcement speak only as of the date of this press release, and TELA Bio assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date of this press release, except as required under applicable law. Investor Contact Louisa Smith ir@telabio.com