The condemnation came as the House of Lords debated regulations paving the way for a scheme which would require animal lovers on the British mainland to have documentation in order to visit Northern Ireland. Critics view the move as further evidence of Northern Ireland still having to follow EU rules post-Brexit and being treated differently from the rest of the UK – a major source of contention to the unionist community. The paperwork, which will be free to apply for, includes a declaration that the owner will not travel onwards to Ireland or another EU country with their pet or assistance dog. Animals will have to be microchipped and have their own individual pet travel document, which will be valid for its lifetime. Northern Ireland residents returning after a stay in Great Britain with their pet or assistance dog will not need a travel document. The scheme is being introduced under the Windsor Framework, a revised deal for Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements aimed at tackling issues caused by the protocol. Raising her concerns in Parliament, Baroness Hoey, a Northern Irish Brexit supporter and former Labour MP, said: “These regulations are in effect about a new aspect of the Irish Sea border that has not had expression until this point because of the grace periods.” She added: “The experience of visiting Northern Ireland with your pet dog or cat, or even a ferret, will be made to feel like a visit to a foreign country. Lady Hoey went on: “This could spell the end of holiday trips for pet owners from GB to NI and then on to the Republic, when they want to explore both Northern Ireland and the Republic. “If they have a pet passport, they will have renounced their right to go to the Republic. That makes the border more of an obstruction than having border control posts on it, because at least in that eventuality, you could still cross over it.” Rejecting claims it was a result of the UK leaving the EU, she said: “The reality is that this is happening precisely because Northern Ireland has not got Brexit. “As we say repeatedly, it is still subject to EU rules and the EU could change the rules overnight.” Former DUP deputy leader Lord Dodds of Duncairn said: “Every one of the statutory instruments that come forward under the Windsor Framework must be properly debated, because these laws are being brought forward to implement what a foreign jurisdiction has decided should be the law of the United Kingdom. “In the 21st century, we should not accept colonial rule. We abolished it elsewhere. We believe it should not be tolerated for one second. People should have the democratic right to decide their laws for themselves, in their interests.” He added: “The ridiculous part about this debate is that we are having to debate European laws regulating the movement of pet animals owned by British citizens between one part of the United Kingdom and another. That is an outrage.” Lord Dodds went on: “As I said, there will be hundreds, thousands more of these regulations, in all areas, affecting the daily lives of people in Northern Ireland. They all add up to a grievous assault on Northern Ireland’s constitutional position.” But former leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick said: “I support the Windsor Framework because it is a necessary legal device to deal with the complexities that were presented to us in Ireland, north and south, on the issue of Brexit. “We need a pragmatic solution rather than choosing to have political contests and duels simply for the sake of them.” Introducing the regulations, environment minister Baroness Hayman of Ulloch said: “This scheme will simplify the requirements associated with moving pet dogs, cats and ferrets from Great Britain to Northern Ireland significantly. “It replaces single-use animal health certificates with a free-of-charge lifelong travel document and removes the need for costly pet health treatments. “Pet owners who travel frequently with their pets, or those who rely on the services of an assistance dog to travel independently, will benefit substantially from this change in approach.” However, she acknowledged the concerns raised by peers and promised to continue engagement with them.Jets' next game could be the last for 'disastrous' Aaron Rodgers experiment | Sporting News

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Following his team’s latest setback, a season-worst 40-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Patriots coach Jerod Mayo didn’t hold his tongue about what continue to be New England’s most glaring deficiencies. “This is what I told the players, there’s really nothing good to take out of that game today. Just the lack of execution,” Mayo said Saturday to begin his postgame news conference. “We just didn’t play well enough in any phase of the game. No complementary football, and that’s what you get.” At 3-13 with a game to go, this has been a lost season for New England. And that frustration is showing in a locker room that has faith in its coach but also recognizes that major offseason changes are likely coming for a team that has failed to meet even modest expectations this season. “I don’t want to use the same excuse, everyone says, ‘Oh, it’s a young team,’” cornerback Jonathan Jones said. “But it’s just learning that everything’s not going to go your way. That’s in football, in life, how you respond to that adversity is what type of team you’re going to have.” Receiver Demario Douglas expects the roster to look much different next season. “I feel like my two years I’ve been losing, and I feel like it’s time to make a change,” Douglas said. “We’ve got some pieces, we’ll add more pieces next year, and I feel like we could come out and do something. I’m trying to be in the playoffs, I’m trying to go for a run and have a winning season. I’m just tired of losing for real.” What’s working The Patriots currently are in position to secure the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL draft. That could change with a game to go, but it’s a valuable position for a team that appears set at quarterback with rookie Drake Maye and has several needs to fill. What needs help Turnovers continue to plague the Patriots. They had just one on Saturday, a fumble on a botched pitch by Maye. That’s at least one turnover in eight straight games for the rookie. Stock up Offensive lineman Cole Strange made his first start of the season a week after returning from injured reserve following offseason knee surgery. Strange, who played his first 27 NFL games at guard, started at center after Ben Brown was placed in IR with a concussion. Stock down Cole’s presence didn’t help the Patriots’ struggling offensive line, which allowed four sacks and five quarterback hits on Maye. New England has allowed 51 sacks, the fifth most in the NFL. Injuries Maye was evaluated for a head injury in the first quarter but returned. CB Christian Gonzalez left the game with a concussion. Key number 1-6 — The Patriots’ record at home this season. They are 2-14 at Gillette Stadium over the past two seasons. Next steps New England hosts AFC East champion Buffalo next weekend in its season finale. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

STEPHENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Keitenn Bristow had 23 points in Tarleton State's 70-60 victory over Florida A&M on Sunday. Bristow also had six rebounds and three blocks for the Texans (5-10). Bubu Benjamin added 17 points and 11 rebounds. Marty Silvera pitched in with nine points, five rebounds and six steals. The Rattlers (3-8) were led by Sterling Young with 16 points. Jordan Chatman added 11 points and Kaleb Washington totaled seven points, eight rebounds and two steals. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .As the retrial of the "Yang Niu Hua Case" concluded, the judge announced that a verdict would be delivered in the coming days. The courtroom fell silent as everyone waited anxiously for the decision that would determine the fate of Yu Huaying and bring closure to Yang Niu Hua and other victims.

Moreover, the visa-free month has laid the foundation for stronger diplomatic ties between South Korea and China. By facilitating greater people-to-people contact, the policy has helped bridge cultural gaps and build trust between the two nations. It has created a sense of mutual respect and understanding, paving the way for enhanced cooperation in various fields, including education, technology, and tourism.A Russian disinformation campaign appears to be targeting a popular video game designed in Ukraine and set in Chernobyl. In emails to journalists and a video with a fake WIRED magazine watermark, a network linked to past misinformation campaigns claims GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is being used to help “the government locate citizens suitable for mobilization” in the Ukraine-Russia war, as well as gather data on gamers, part of a deal with the Ukrainian government,” according to 404 Media . A Russian misinformation campaign would only be the latest hurdle for the cult-hit video game, which was released on November 20, after being delayed over three years amid the ongoing war. Its creators have faced missile attacks, cyber-attacks, and the challenges of developing a modern video game as its employees were scattered across Europe fleeing a war. GSC Game World has been an outspoken supporter of Ukraine’s war effort, raising money for a charity that supplies the country’s army with equipment and barring the sale of its titles in Russia. Russian officials have responded in kind. Anton Gorelkin, deputy head of the State Duma’s Information Policy Committee, suggested this month that the game might be banned in Russia and could face “the most severe measures if illegal content is found in the game upon release, such as extremism, justification of terrorism, or incitement of ethnic hatred.” Despite the game’s high profile, its developers said they did not set out to build a “propaganda thing” with the release, where players navigate a post-apocalyptic environment in the shadow of the famous nuclear disaster zone. ”We haven’t made the game a propaganda thing. We didn’t want to be very straightforward,” GSC Game World’s lead producer, Slava Lukyanenka, told the website VG247. “At the same time with the whole team travelling - half of us are in Kyiv, half in Prussia, some are scattered around Europe - we still need to keep delivering. We can’t not reflect it in the game. But we do it indirectly. We do it through the stories, through the environment, through the feeling of decay.” The Independent has contacted GSC Game World for comment. The game’s developers have described a harrowing process of bringing the title to life. "Sitting in that cellar with my wife and my cats, I felt like I was abandoned. But like a ‘stalker,’ you have to learn how to live in such situation," concept artist Anton Kukhtytskyi said in a documentary about the game. "I switched to drawing on paper, so I didn’t stop developing."