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The world stands at the dawn of a “third nuclear age” in which Britain is threatened by multiple dilemmas, the head of the armed forces has warned. But alongside his stark warning of the threats facing Britain and its allies, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said there would be only a “remote chance” Russia would directly attack or invade the UK if the two countries were at war. The Chief of the Defence Staff laid out the landscape of British defence in a wide-ranging speech, after a minister warned the Army would be wiped out in as little as six months if forced to fight a war on the scale of the Ukraine conflict. The admiral cast doubt on the possibility as he gave a speech at the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) defence think tank in London. He told the audience Britain needed to be “clear-eyed in our assessment” of the threats it faces, adding: “That includes recognising that there is only a remote chance of a significant direct attack or invasion by Russia on the United Kingdom, and that’s the same for the whole of Nato.” Moscow “knows the response will be overwhelming”, he added, but warned the nuclear deterrent needed to be “kept strong and strengthened”. Sir Tony added: “We are at the dawn of a third nuclear age, which is altogether more complex. It is defined by multiple and concurrent dilemmas, proliferating nuclear and disruptive technologies and the almost total absence of the security architectures that went before.” He listed the “wild threats of tactical nuclear use” by Russia, China building up its weapon stocks, Iran’s failure to co-operate with a nuclear deal, and North Korea’s “erratic behaviour” among the threats faced by the West. But Sir Tony said the UK’s nuclear arsenal is “the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on (President Vladimir) Putin than anything else”. Successive British governments had invested “substantial sums of money” in renewing nuclear submarines and warheads because of this, he added. The admiral described the deployment of thousands of North Korean soldiers on Ukraine’s border alongside Russian forces as the year’s “most extraordinary development”. He also signalled further deployments were possible, speaking of “tens of thousands more to follow as part of a new security pact with Russia”. Defence minister Alistair Carns earlier said a rate of casualties similar to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine would lead to the army being “expended” within six to 12 months. He said it illustrated the need to “generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis”. In comments reported by Sky News, Mr Carns, a former Royal Marines colonel, said Russia was suffering losses of around 1,500 soldiers killed or injured a day. “In a war of scale – not a limited intervention, but one similar to Ukraine – our Army for example, on the current casualty rates, would be expended – as part of a broader multinational coalition – in six months to a year,” Mr Carns said in a speech at Rusi. He added: “That doesn’t mean we need a bigger Army, but it does mean you need to generate depth and mass rapidly in the event of a crisis.” Official figures show the Army had 109,245 personnel on October 1, including 25,814 volunteer reservists. Mr Carns, the minister for veterans and people, said the UK needed to “catch up with Nato allies” to place greater emphasis on the reserves. The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Defence Secretary John Healey had previously spoken about “the state of the armed forces that were inherited from the previous government”. The spokesman said: “It’s why the Budget invested billions of pounds into defence, it’s why we’re undertaking a strategic defence review to ensure that we have the capabilities and the investment needed to defend this country.”
The Oregon Ducks will don some eye-catching cleats when they open their College Football Playoff account in the Rose Bowl. The school shared photos Friday of the custom Kobe IV cleats they'll wear for the playoff quarterfinals on New Year's Day: Being the alma mater of Nike co-founder Phil Knight has long held its advantages for Oregon. Especially in football, the Ducks have been on the cutting edge in terms of uniform design and technology. The program hasn't released its full uniform set for the Rose Bowl, but the white-and-green cleats offer a strong hint. For the Big Ten title game against Penn State, Oregon broke out its all-black "Fly Era" jerseys with green helmets. To kick off 2025, it looks like the Ducks will be going back to the more traditional "Gang Green" set , which utilizes green tops with green or yellow pants. As the top seed in the playoff, Oregon awaits the winner of Saturday's first-round battle between No. 9 Tennessee and No. 8 Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.The Obama Democracy Forum kicks off Thursday in Chicago. The goal is to bridge the political divide and get people talking about issues together. The former president, along with actor Ryan Reynolds and country music singer Reyna Roberts, will be speaking. Obama Foundation CEO and longtime Barack Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett spoke with Scripps News about what to expect from the conference. "Part of what we're doing [Thursday] is inviting leaders in the community who can take these tools back to their local communities and help the people on the ground who are feeling helpless in this situation," Jarrett said. "I do think there is a hunger around our country and around the world to focus on what we have in common, to avoid the kind of polarization that we're seeing, to talk to each other in a way that's respectful, to disagree and have hard conversations without letting them break down into acrimony." RELATED STORY | South Korean parliament defies president by lifting declaration of martial law Jarrett also discussed recent threats to democracy, including in South Korea, where President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law in an attempt to eliminate "anti-state" forces alleged to be sympathizing with North Korea. "We take a long view. We look at this as a way of building confidence in leaders that are moving forward, that will be leaders of tomorrow. They'll be confident because they'll have the necessary tools to avoid the kind of friction and combativeness that we are seeing all too often," Jarrett said. Watch the full interview with Jarrett in the video above.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has announced the long-awaited costings of the Coalition's nuclear energy transition. The Coalition claims its "reliable" energy mix, which includes converting seven end-of-life coal-fired plants into nuclear reactors, will reduce energy bills by 44 per cent. "This will make electricity reliable, it will make it more consistent, cheaper, for Australians and it will help us decarbonise as a trading economy, as we must," Dutton told reporters on Friday. However the government's Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the plan has "three fatal errors". Frontier Economics modelled the Coalition's plan at $331 billion, $263 billion less than Labor's renewable transition, however, the figure is at odds with industry experts. Hidden costs? Cheaper energy? 'Farcical' locations? Debunking the hype around nuclear Bowen says the costings incorrectly assumed Australia will need less energy in 2050. He said Dutton had "rejected the work of the CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator, and fatally assumed there would be savings due to fewer transmission lines. "After months of talking about what nuclear would mean for energy bills, they couldn't even put a price on the impact of their plan on the average bills of Australians," Bowen said. He also disputed figures within the Coalition's plan, quoting the government's policy at $600 billion. Bowen argued the government plan would cost $122 billion, citing a forecast by the national energy grid operator. The Opposition's energy spokesperson Ted O'Brien defended the independent costings, stating that any exclusions were based on "what Labor has been modelling". "So people say something that been excluded like the cost of EVs and home batteries, well, that is because Labor's modelling excludes that and in order for us to compare their model to our model we had to adopt some of those basic assumptions," he said. Dutton said Labor's support for nuclear submarines meant there were "no safety concerns around nuclear", as he pushed for reversing Australia's nuclear energy ban. Power bill impact: The energy price decision affecting a million households Labor's plan is to boost renewables to 80 per cent of the grid by 2030 and increase the figure to 90 per cent by 2050, with the remainder made up of storage and gas. A crucial difference between the two proposals is energy output, with the Coalition's preferred plan producing 311TwH whereas Labor's Step Change plans to deliver 450Twh. CSIRO report casts doubt over Coalition costings A report released just ahead of Dutton unveiling the Coalition's modelling found deferring coal power station closures would increase Australia's carbon emissions in the medium term. For the seventh straight year, the GenCost 2024-25 report found renewable energy sources are the lowest-cost of any new-build electricity-generating technology. Nuclear energy generation would be 1.5 to two times more expensive than large-scale solar, according to the analysis by the national science agency CSIRO and the Australian Energy Market Operator. Will nuclear lead to cheaper energy prices? Experts weigh in Experts have said energy market operators will need to establish new connection points to safely supply the national electricity grid. Frontier Economics cost Labor's transition around $600 billion. Energy Minister Chris Bowen has rubbished this number, saying the government's plan would cost $122 billion, citing a forecast made by the national energy grid operator. "They're making it up as they go along," Bowen told ABC TV of the Coalition's costings on Friday. Bowen said preliminary reports of the Coalition's plan ahead of Friday's full announcement that nuclear would need fewer transmission lines — therefore bringing down the estimated cost — was incorrect. Source: AAP "I'm not sure how they'll get the nuclear power into the grid, maybe by carrier pigeon if they're going to assert if somehow you'll need less transmission," he said. "They have had to make some very heroic assumptions here, and they have had to really stretch the truth to try to get some very dodgy figures." Keeping coal-fired power plants open beyond their lifespan was a threat to energy reliability, with outages and breakdowns happening on a daily basis, Bowen said. 'Misleading': Reaction to Coalition's nuclear plan The Coalition is pushing for an end to Australia's nuclear ban but has faced opposition from states who strongly support the government's renewable transition. The reaction from experts has been swift, with climate councillor and economist Nicki Hutley stating that the Coalition has "knowingly mislead Australians on true costs of nuclear". The Climate Council identified four ways the Coalition was "cooking the books", including underestimating costs, the timeline of reactors, not factoring the costs of keeping coal-fired generators operational and excluding costs such as a managing nuclear waste from their figures. 'Economic insanity' or 'cheaper electricity'? Peter Dutton reveals nuclear power locations Nuclear power doesn't stack up for Australian families or businesses, iron ore company Fortescue's executive chairman Andrew Forrest said on Friday. "As our national science agency has shown, 'firmed' solar and wind are the cheapest new electricity options for all Australians," he said in a statement. Forrest, who is a big player in the non-fossil fuels energy market, said that without continued action on "low-cost, high-efficiency renewable energy", Australians will be left with "pricier power and crumbling coal stations".Tech occupation unemployment rate inches down to 2.5% DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The tech workforce saw modest movement in the latest national employment data, according to CompTIA , the nonprofit association for the tech industry and workforce. Analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) #JobsReport data reveals the tech unemployment rate for the month fell slightly to 2.5%, matching the low end of the rate for 2024. The national unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2% in November. Employment within the technology industry sector was essentially flat with a decline of 1,636 jobs for the month. 1 The tech sector employs nearly 5.6 million people, which translates to a percentage decline of essentially 0%. Tech professions throughout the economy declined by 6,000 in a national workforce of nearly 6.5 million workers. 2 "While a flat month in the aggregate as some employers take a breather, the data continues to highlight the diversity of hiring activity across the tech workforce," Tim Herbert , chief research officer, CompTIA. "Across industry sectors, metro areas and company sizes harnessing tech talent remains a top priority." Active employer job postings for new hiring totaled more than 475,000 in November, down about 42,000 from October. 3 Companies added nearly 184,000 new tech job postings last month, with employers in consulting, finance, manufacturing and technology hardware, software and services among the most active. Artificial intelligence (AI) hiring momentum continues to build. In the aggregate employers recorded nearly 331,000 active job postings throughout 2024 in recruiting for AI job roles and AI skills, a year-over-year increase of 71%. Across all tech occupations 44% of November postings did not specify a four-year degree requirement for applicants. Some occupations had notably higher percentages, including network support specialists (84%) and tech support specialists (71%). The data indicates hiring for work from home (WFH) positions is holding steady at about 20% of total tech job recruiting. On a hiring activity volume basis, the top WFH positions include software developers, IT project managers, data scientists and analysts, tech support specialists, and systems analysts. The "CompTIA Tech Jobs Report" is available at https://www.comptia.org/content/tech-jobs-report . About CompTIA The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is the world's leading information technology (IT) certification and training body. CompTIA is a mission-driven organization committed to unlocking the potential of every student, career changer or professional seeking to begin or advance in a technology career. Millions of current and aspiring technology workers around the world rely on CompTIA for the training, education and professional certifications that give them the confidence and skills to work in tech. https://www.comptia.org/ 1 Labor market data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and employer job postings from Lightcast may be subject to backward revisions. 2 Monthly occupation level data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tends to experience higher levels of variance and volatility. 3 Active job postings include open postings carried over from previous months and new postings added by employers. Media Contact Steven Ostrowski CompTIA sostrowski@comptia.org +1.630.678.8468 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/latest-employment-data-shows-little-change-in-tech-job-market-comptia-analysis-finds-302325237.html SOURCE CompTIA
have seen a spectacular rally in the last few months, driven by several factors, including declining interest rates and easing inflationary pressures, which have encouraged investors to buy back into growth-oriented sectors. In addition, recent U.S. presidential election results, in which Donald Trump was re-elected, have sparked renewed discussions around trade policies and economic growth, indirectly benefiting the tech sector. While valuations of many in my portfolio have surged in recent months, I believe their potential for long-term growth remains intact. That’s why any market pullback in the coming months could be a golden opportunity for long-term investors to add more shares of such strong stocks. In this article, I’ll share two I already own and would happily buy more of if their prices dip. BlackBerry stock After struggling for over a year, ( ) seems to be attracting investors’ attention in recent months. That’s why the stock of this Waterloo-based enterprise software company has risen 16.5% over the last three months to currently trade at $3.61 per share with a of $2.1 billion. Besides the broader market rally, investors’ renewed interest in BlackBerry could be attributed to the improving performance of its cybersecurity and Internet of Things (IoT) segments. In the second quarter (ended in August 2024) of its fiscal year 2025, BlackBerry’s total revenue climbed by nearly 10% YoY (year over year to US$145 million due to the strong performance of its IoT and Cybersecurity divisions. IoT segment revenue grew by 12% YoY, reaching US$55 million, while cybersecurity revenue increased by 10% to US$87 million. In addition, BlackBerry’s operational efficiency showed significant improvement in the most recent quarter, helping it achieve breakeven adjusted earnings. I expect its ongoing cost-optimization efforts and continued focus on developing artificial intelligence and machine learning-powered solutions for businesses to accelerate its financial growth in the years to come. That’s why I wouldn’t hesitate to add more shares of BlackBerry to my portfolio if its stock sees a pullback. Shopify stock While ( ) is known for its eye-popping returns that have made many investors rich, I recently bought this top tech stock for my portfolio. Despite being too late to catch its early meteoric rise, I’m not at all concerned about missing out on Shopify’s potential for long-term growth, as the growth story of this e-commerce platform giant is far from over, in my opinion. After rocketing by 69% over the last three months, Shopify stock currently trades at $160.08 per share with a market cap of $206.7 billion. Despite the ongoing macroeconomic challenges, Shopify’s sales have risen 23.5% YoY over the last 12 months to US$8.2 billion. Its recent cost-cutting measures and innovative product launches seem to be paying off as its profitability is continuing to improve. In the last four quarters combined, its adjusted earnings have risen by 150% YoY to US$1.15 per share, which continues to beat Street analysts’ expectations by a huge margin. Given its outstanding financial performance and strong fundamental outlook, I’d definitely consider adding more shares of Shopify if it witnesses a correction in the coming months.CNBC Daily Open: South Korea and its markets are not unfamiliar with impeachmentTrump announces picks for IRS, SEC, NASA and a new ‘hostage affairs’ envoy
Former major league pitcher Roberto Gomez died in a traffic accident in the Dominican Republic on Sunday, according to Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital . Roberto Gomez was 35. The pitcher was signed as an amateur by the Tampa Bay Rays out of Santiago, DR., in 2010 at the relatively advanced age of 20. He made his minor league debut that same year. More news: Popular MLB All-Star Outfielder, Broadcaster, Coach Dies By 2014, Gomez had reached the Rays' Double-A affiliate, the Montgomery Biscuits. A 6-foot-5 pitcher described in scouting reports as having "easy" velocity, an elbow injury curtailed his trajectory in the Tampa Bay organization. After missing the entire 2015 and 2016 minor league seasons following Tommy John surgery , Gomez signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants in Nov. 2016. That proved to be the fresh start Gomez needed. The Giants challenged him, assigning him to Triple-A in his first full season back on the mound. Gomez ultimately thrived in his new role as a relief pitcher, touching 96-98 mph with his fastball and limiting home runs — a problem he encountered often in the Rays' system. More news: MLB News: Former World Series Champion Outfielder, Coach Dies at 81 By midseason, he was striking out nearly a batter an inning. The Giants were intrigued enough by his cross-body delivery to promote him to the major leagues on Sept. 5, 2017, for his big league debut in relief against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. He had a 2.22 ERA in 12 Triple-A appearances prior to his promotion. Coincidentally, Gomez's first major league promotion came on the same day as another hard-throwing reliever on the Giants' Triple-A roster — Reyes Moronta, who died in a car accident in the Dominican Republic earlier this year. Now Roberto Gomez makes his MLB debut! pic.twitter.com/8atAYNaXmz Gomez made three more appearances out of the Giants' bullpen in Sept. 2017, and allowed a total of five runs in 5.1 innings, walking one batter and striking out six. The following year, San Francisco optioned Gomez to the minor leagues in spring training but ultimately decided to include him as part of their 2018 Opening Day roster. His only major league win came on April 7, 2018, in an extra-innings game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gomez allowed a home run in the top of the 14th inning before an Andrew McCutchen home run in the bottom of the inning won the game for the Giants. More news: Legendary Chicago Slugger, Television Analyst, Dies at 79 Gomez was optioned to the minor leagues for the final time between games of a doubleheader against Los Angeles on April 28, 2018. He made 18 minor league appearances afterward, then became a free agent at the end of the season. The Pittsburgh Pirates signed Gomez to a minor league contract in Jan. 2019 and invited him to spring training. However, in February, the Pirates announced they had voided his contract due to concerns that arose from his physical. According to data from the World Health Organization , the Dominican Republic is the second-most deadly country in the Americas in which to drive, behind only Haiti, with an estimated death rate of 27.4 deaths per 100,000 people. For more MLB news, visit Newsweek Sports .Former NHL star Thornton back as co-GM of Canada's Spengler Cup squadI’M A Celebrity's stars suffered a raging hangovers after their boozy party as Danny Jones joked one of his campmates can join McFly. The cast went wild as they received a surprise boozy trip out of camp during yesterday's installment. But, after a night at the Jungle Arms, they woke up feeling a little worse for wear. Oti told the Bush Telegraph: “I only had two glasses but I felt like I had a rough night! Everyone is waking up with hangovers, we’re all hanging this morning.” However, the campmates were in high spirits, as they reflected on the night before. Danny said to GK about her singing ability: “I’ve already spoken to your agent, you’re booked on for next year.” Adding: “You’re gonna replace Tom for a bit.” more on I’m A Celebrity Maura said of her Celine Dion rendition: “There’s a lot of jealousy down in camp this morning, I think a few of them might be threatened over my success as a singer when I leave here.” Reflecting on the day’s vote off result, Danny said: “We’re all feeling quite positive about today because, to end in the Jungle Arms, it’s such a high to go out on!” In last night's episode, Maura Higgins delivered the news that they had a chance to visit the Jungle Arms. Excited, the group were left wondering what they would have to do to gain entry. Most read in Reality Former Love Island star Maura said: "I'm telling you now, I will go to lengths to get my glass of wine, you watch." Echoing a similar sentiment, social media star GK Barry declared: "Let's get a glass of prosecco! I've never walked so fast in my life." Afterwards, the nine campmates arrived at the Kangaroo Court challenge area. They found a seating area, a DJ booth and three dance booths. To win their place in the Jungle Arms, they had to take part in a game of Jungle Musical Statues. Hosted by Kiosk Kev, the campmates split up into groups of three. Kev played tracks from "Jungle on the Dance Floor" as the celebrities entered the dance booths. In a twist on musical statues, they needed to strike the correct dance pose and hold for ten seconds. Both Maura and GK were respectively put off by critters - putting their treat in jeopardy. While things generally didn't to go plan at first after failed attempts. But by the end, all nine campmates successfully won a place in The Jungle Arms. The thrilled group received a buffet of pizza and chips, accompanied with a drink of their choice. Music was also provided, thanks to a guitar, keyboard and a microphone for singing. In a fun twist, GK Barry sang McFly 's Obviously - in front of campmate Danny Jones . The line-up also had a group singalong of The Communards' Don't Leave Me This Way. Of course, campmate Reverend Richard Coles was a member of the 1980s band. Maura took on Celine Dion's power ballad It's All Coming Back To Me Now. Laughing, the reality star quipped: "Celine is going to be obsessed with me!" Danny tackled Livin On A Prayer, while Dancing On Ice judge Oti Mabuse sang I Have Nothing. READ MORE SUN STORIES Melvin Odoom treated his co-stars to a rendition of classic tune Hey Ya, with the group dancing along. I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here continues nightly at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX . i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz , Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street , was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women . She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher . Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan . It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth."
Minutes after the University of North Carolina announced it had hired Bill Belichick as its next head football coach, the Tar Heels’ Instagram account posted a photo of the legendary NFL coach — at no more than 3 years old — sitting in the UNC bleachers. “Welcome home, Coach,” the post reads , dredging up the memory of when the young Belichick shadowed his father, Steve, who was a UNC assistant from 1953 to 1955. As news of his hiring spread around the NFL world, the reaction ranged from excitement at seeing him back on the sideline to disbelief. The most decorated coach in NFL history after earning six Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots, and two more as the defensive coordinator with the New York Giants, Belichick is officially making his next challenge college football after agreeing to a five-year deal with UNC. “I will have to see him on the sideline to believe that’s happening,” Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury joked Thursday. “We’ll see how the NFL job search goes and all that. I will have to see him on the sideline coaching in Chapel Hill to believe that’s happening." While Belichick’s knowledge of the sport, and his success, are unquestioned, there has been debate among those who have played for the 72-year-old coach during his 40-plus years in football about how well his style will translate to the college game. Some of his former players believe his skill set will work at any level. That list apparently includes Tom Brady, the quarterback during all six of Belichick’s Super Bowl wins with New England. “Congrats, coach. The Tar Heel way is about to become a thing,” Brady posted on Instagram on Thursday, referencing “The Patriot Way” that he popularized in New England. Some cautioned that the players he brings into the UNC program should prepare to have their limits tested like never before. “I think he’s going to do good,” said Patriots receiver Kendrick Bourne, who played under Belichick during his final three years in New England. “Bill does a good job of developing players, developing young men. I think it will be a challenge for the young man. He’s a tough coach, which we all know. But I think it will be good for certain players that have the right mindset.” Bourne's advice? Always stay locked in mentally. “Just stay tough,” Bourne said. “Have a gritty mindset because it’s not going to be easy, but in the end, it’s going to be worth it." Though some have questioned why the Tar Heels would even consider hiring Belichick after parting ways with 73-year-old Mack Brown this season, current Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said good coaching is ageless. “To me, it doesn’t matter if you’re a young man or a 10-year vet in the league, he’s a great teacher,” said Mayo, who played eight seasons under Belichick, winning a Super Bowl during the 2014 season, and then succeeded him as head coach after last season. "I wish him nothing but the best. It doesn’t really matter what level, I think he’ll be successful.” NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders is a relative newcomer to the college game himself. He spent three seasons at Jackson State before going to Colorado in 2023. In a message posted to the X social media platform, he welcomed Belichick as a competitor. “Coach Bill Belichick is a coaches coach to all us Coaches along with my man coach (NIck) Saban,” Sanders posted. “They’re game changers and they know how to move people forward. I know this is a great thing for College Football & for North Carolina. God bless u Coach, if you’re happy I am 2.” But former Patriots defensive back Je’Rod Cherry wonders how well Belichick’s old-school coaching style will be received in an era in which in-your-face methods don't always fly as well as they did when Belichick began his career. “You can’t coach hard anymore,” Cherry said during an appearance on ESPN GameNight. “You can’t yell at guys, curse at guys and that’s what he does. You are going to have to find guys who are going to accept that brand of coaching and will accept someone constantly getting on them." New York Jets safety Jalen Mills, who played for Belichick with the Patriots from 2021 to 2023, said he was surprised by the news. “I thought he definitely was going to try to wait it out until after the season and come back to the NFL,” Mills said. "But I think it’s gonna be a good thing for him because now you get a guy who has won and, of course, he’s going to try to turn that program around. But he also gets to connect with the younger generation and kind of modify and adjust to this younger generation of football on top of what he already knows. So I think that’ll just help him as far as coaching. And then, of course, he’ll give those guys, those young guys, structure as far as what the NFL looks like, too.” Just how much the Belichick on the college sidelines will resemble the one in the cutoff hooded sweatshirt who patrolled NFL sidelines is unclear. Belichick hinted they will be one and the same. During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on ESPN prior to agreeing to the UNC job, Belichick laid out what his approach at the college level would be. “The program would be a pipeline to the NFL for the players than have the ability to play in the NFL,” Belichick said. “It would be a professional program — training, nutrition, scheme, coaching, techniques — that would transfer to the NFL. It would be an NFL program at a college level.” ___ AP National Writer Howard Fendrich and Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak contributed to this report. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflFormer NHL star Thornton back as co-GM of Canada's Spengler Cup squad
captain Jack Stephens was handed his marching orders after spotted him pulling hair. Stephens had led his team out at St Mary's, only for Axel Disasi to send ahead within the opening ten minutes - Joe Aribo would level the game for the Saints, but they were quickly behind again as Christopher Nkunku found the net. With the Saints trailing, Stephens was involved in a penalty box clash with Cucurella. Referee Tony Harrington initially missed the incident, but he was soon summoned to the pitchside monitor where he was left with no choice but to brandish the red. Come and join The Daily Star on , the social media site set up by ex-Twitter boss Jack Dorsey. It's now the new go-to place for content after a mass exodus of the Elon Musk-owned Twitter/X. Fear not, we're not leaving , but we are jumping on the bandwagon. So come find our new account on , and see us social better than the rest. You can also learn more about The Daily Star team in what Bluesky calls a . So what are you waiting for?! Let's "Just unbelievably stupid in the VAR era," one fan fumed. While a second said: "I know it’s naive to do it but I have a hard time feeling that’s worthy of a straight red for Jack Stephens." "Jack Stephens you genius, funniest red card we’ve ever seen," a third shared. And another added: "I will take a last man challenge and get sent off but that is utter madness by Jack Stephens. So stupid!" Want to be on the ball with all of the latest football news? Well then sign up for the brilliant Daily Star Football email newsletter! From the latest transfer news to breaking stories, get it all in your email inbox. It only takes a matter of seconds. Simply , then provide your email address and that's it, job done. You'll receive an email with all of the top football stories. You can also sign up for our sport email, Off the Ball, for all the latest darts, boxing, snooker, F1 stories and more, It's Stephens' second red card of the season - after he was previously slapped with a three match ban following his sending off against in September. The incident involving Cucurella was not the first time that he had been the at the centre of a hair-pulling incident. defender Cristian Romero escaped a red card for a similar offence in August 2022. "For me it is too clear in the game, on the pitch. I didn't see it on the TV, the video. I think it's very clear, but this is one error of the referee or VAR," Cucurella said. "Sometimes the referees have good decisions, sometimes not. This is not my problem. Maybe we need to work harder to not concede this goal in the last minute. I saw [VAR] checking for a red card in the stadium. For me it is clear. In this moment, I don't know what happened."Chance of direct attack by Russia ‘remote’, says UK armed forces chief
