Haiti gangs fire on journalists covering a planned hospital reopening, leaving casualtiesThe Detroit Lions will play without two high draft picks in rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. while possibly getting back veteran Emmanuel Moseley against the host Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Arnold was downgraded Saturday from questionable to out because of a groin injury. He was limited at practice on Thursday and participated in a full practice on Friday. The Lions drafted Arnold with the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Arnold, 21, has started all 10 games and has 38 tackles and six passes defended. Rakestraw (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve after not practicing all week. He already had been ruled out for Sunday's game. Detroit picked Rakestraw in the second round (61st overall) out of Missouri. He has played in eight games and has six tackles. Rakestraw, 22, has played on 46 defensive snaps (8 percent) and 95 special teams snaps (42 percent). Moseley had full practice sessions all week and was activated from injured reserve on Saturday but was listed as questionable for Sunday. The 28-year-old is in his second season with Detroit and appeared in one game last season before going on IR in October 2023. He was placed on IR on Aug. 27 with a designation to return. Moseley played from 2018-22 for the San Francisco 49ers and had 162 tackles, four interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown -- and 33 passes defensed in 46 games (33 starts). Detroit elevated linebacker David Long on Saturday for game day. Long, 28, signed with the practice squad on Tuesday after the Miami Dolphins released him on Nov. 13. He had started six of eight games for the Dolphins this season and had 38 tackles. In other Lions news, the NFL fined wide receiver Jameson Williams $19,697 for unsportsmanlike conduct for making an obscene gesture during a touchdown celebration in last Sunday's 52-6 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL Network reported Saturday. Williams, 23, scored on a 65-yard pass from Jared Goff with 12:55 remaining in the third quarter. --Field Level Media
Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of guest commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here . ••• How well I remember the dawn breaking on that Sunday morning as our family headed to our Swedish church located on the tip of Manhattan. The silence was interrupted by the rhythm of Army marching boots hitting the pavement. It was early in the 1940s. America was sending its young men off to war, and New York was a major port of disembarkation. But what was unforgettable was the look on the faces of the young men. There was no cadence count, no barking of orders, no singing, no Hollywood embellishments. Just marching. These were Black troops about to cross oceans they had never seen to fight in countries they could barely remember from their geography class. And permanently imprinted in my mind is the look on their faces. No, it was not fear. It was anxiety — deep anxiety. Undoubtedly, they wondered if they would ever come back and, if so, would it be to a better America. A more welcoming home. Now, some 82 years later, I know that those faces defined what we term “The Greatest Generation.” They understood more clearly than any current generation the true meaning of service to others over self and the importance of community. No, we were not a perfect nation in 1942, but we had the wisdom to understand that opportunity for betterment was an expectation in a democratic society. We aspired to live according to our values. We celebrated honesty, loyalty and truthfulness. The work ethic was the cornerstone of the American dream and no one understood that better than immigrant parents who sacrificed in order that their children could enjoy success. That sacrifice was a norm, and my brothers and I were benefactors of those values. And this philosophy of extending a helping hand became a part of our nation’s culture. Think of the times someone reached out to you. It may have been a parent, a relative, a friend, a teacher, a business colleague, etc., or it may have been a stranger or a government program. But helping others was a large part of the American way. It was simply who we are. I now fear that sense of togetherness is swiftly eroding. The Trump era has trampled on those basic values that hold our society together. Honesty, integrity, competence, merit, compassion and helping others have all been replaced by service to self. Put aside President-elect Donald Trump’s felony convictions and his being found guilty of a sex offense, and look at how he treats others. His former chief of staff, four-star Gen. John Kelly, confirmed (NBC, Oct. 3, 2023) that Trump told him on multiple occasions that those American soldiers who were wounded, captured or killed in action were “losers” and “suckers.” And then, of course, we have Trump’s memorable assaults on the character of John McCain, who had been shot down over Hanoi and was imprisoned and tortured for six years. One notable Trump quote (CNN, July 18, 2015) was: “He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.” Trump’s own nephew, Fred Trump, spoke about a meeting he and members representing the disabled community had with then-President Trump in the White House and observed that the session went well and that the president seemed supportive. However, when alone, the President declared, “Those people, the shape they’re in, all the expenses, maybe those kinds of people should just die.” (Disability Scoop, July 25, 2024). Now, these are not attacks from the political left. They are from Trump, his relatives and his appointees. But more important, are these the values that bring Americans together? Is this what thousands and thousands of American service men and women fought and died for? The tragedy of the recent election and the flurry of incompetent and troubling appointments is that the very values that held our nation together since its founding are now coming undone. Try to name one still standing. Those faces I saw that early morn reflected serious anxiety. Many of us today have that same face and the same feelings. Where have our values gone? And service to self hardly fills the void. Besides, that world is too small for America. Arne H. Carlson was governor of Minnesota from 1991 to 1999.Heavy travel day starts with brief grounding of all American Airlines flights
1 Unstoppable Growth Stock That Could Join Nvidia, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft in the Trillion-Dollar Club By 2040'Bas Ab Nahi Lag Raha Zor' Jasprit Bumrah's Comments On His Exhaustion Caught on Stump Mic Caught on Day 4 of IND vs AUS Boxing Day Test 2024 (Watch Video)Percentages: FG .396, FT .810.South Carolina has won six straight games, and one of the catalysts has been the improved free-throw shooting of Nick Pringle. When South Carolina (9-3) faces Presbyterian (7-7) in the final nonconference game for both teams on Monday in Columbia, S.C., the Gamecocks won't have to hold their breath when Pringle toes the line. During South Carolina's surge, which includes wins over three power conference teams, Pringle has made 26 of 30 (86.7 percent) free-throw attempts. It's a remarkable improvement from his 51.7 percent career success rate entering the season. Last month, in his South Carolina debut after transferring from Alabama, Pringle's foul shooting woes continued as he shot 3-for-8 in stunning 74-71 upset at the hands of the visiting North Florida. But video work with coach Lamont Paris convinced Pringle that he needed to quicken his routine and tweak his set point, which is where a player's eyes focus on the rim. "How long it was taking him to release the ball once he started his free throw process was really long, really, really long," Paris said. "So he shortened it." In a 74-48 win over Radford on Dec. 22, Pringle made all 10 of his free throws. His work at the line is no small matter, as he has taken the second-most free throws on the team (61). Pringle averages 10.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, combining with Collin Murray-Boyles (16.2 points, 9.3 rebounds) to give the Gamecocks a formidable duo inside. Presbyterian enters after suffering its first home loss this season, 86-81 in overtime to Manhattan on Dec. 21. It was a frustrating defeat after the Blue Hose led by 19 points in the first half. There was a positive, however, as Carl Parrish delivered 23 points and nine rebounds, both career highs. It was a performance that sixth-year coach Quinton Ferrell has been awaiting. "Seeing him play like that offensively is not a shock to me because that's really what he's capable of," Ferrell said. "He's a big-time offensive player." Parrish combines in the backcourt with the Blue Hose's top two threats: Kory Mincy, who averages 14.9 points and 4.6 assists per game, and Kobe Stewart, who scores at a 14.4 ppg clip. Located just 60 miles apart, South Carolina and Presbyterian (Clinton, S.C.) have a long history, with their first game coming nearly 108 years ago. The Gamecocks lead the series 33-8. --Field Level Media