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rich9 open now login ( MENAFN - Asia Times) This article was originally published by Pacific Forum. It is republished with permission. Vietnam's maritime security is shaped by its geographic position, strategic interests, and the pressing need to safeguard its territorial waters. The South China Sea (known in Vietnam as the East Sea) serves as a crucial route for international trade. It is also marked by intricate territorial disputes, highlighting the importance of Vietnam's naval and coast guard forces. China's growing fleet of unmanned air, surface, and underwater systems poses a serious security threat to Hanoi. In August 2024, a Chinese WZ-10 drone entered Vietnam's airspace 160 to 170 kilometers from Cam Ranh, a vital naval base. The Chinese have raised the temperature in the South China Sea by using unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), gliders and Argo floats , which are dual-use. This has prompted Vietnam to seek measures to enhance its monitoring, patrolling, and response capabilities without overcommitting its limited conventional forces. A key opportunity to bolster these efforts is integrating unmanned systems into Vietnam's defense arsenal. Given the existing capacity shortfalls, Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (“Quad”) nations, which have a plan to support capacity-building for regional navies in Southeast Asia, are well-positioned to enhance Vietnam's capabilities in this area. The Vietnamese People's Army (VPA) has extensive experience operating UAVs to augment its maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. These UAVs are either domestically developed with foreign assistance or imported from abroad. Vietnam also showcased its larger class of UAVs, conceivably a medium-altitude long-endurance system, during its first international defense expo in 2022. However, Vietnam's focus on unmanned maritime vehicles, both surface and underwater, is still in a nascent stage. As tensions in the maritime domain with China escalate, the VPA seeks advanced unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and UUVs to bolster its maritime security and protect critical maritime infrastructure in the Vietnamese EEZs. These systems not only are cost-effective but they also play a crucial role in ISR capabilities. The Quad is now more strategically aligned and is recognized as a valuable platform for fostering regional cooperation that aims to enhance peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. The September 2024 Quad joint statement explicitly highlights the importance of strengthening maritime security capabilities of Southeast Asian nations. Vietnam, given its robust ties with the Quad countries, has much to gain from partnering with the Quad, particularly in improving its technological and operational prowess in maritime security. The Quad nations have expertise in developing and operating unmanned maritime systems. Sharing technological knowledge or co-developing specialized systems tailored to Vietnam's requirements would substantially help its ISR capabilities. In particular, India and Vietnam maintain close defense ties, given that both use Soviet weapon systems. During Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's state visit to India in August 2024, both nations reiterated their commitment to strengthening mutual relations. India has provided a $300 million loan to Hanoi for acquiring two types of patrol vessels. In addition, the US has supplied the Vietnam Coast Guard with 18“Metal Shark” patrol boats, while Japan is offering a $348 million loan to Hanoi for constructing six patrol boats, set to be operational by 2025. There is potential for industrial collaboration, which could lead to a joint venture in constructing UUVs or USVs that would be advantageous for both nations. Defense industry cooperation to develop unmanned maritime systems presents a significant opportunity for the Quad nations to collaborate with Hanoi. This can include building or upgrading command-and-control infrastructure to ensure seamless operation and coordination. Additionally, supporting Vietnam in building a domestic unmanned maritime systems industry, potentially through technology transfers and specialized human resource training, could foster greater autonomy and capability in Vietnam's defense sector. While the potential benefits of unmanned systems are clear, they are not without challenges. Vietnam's approach to security partnerships is carefully balanced to avoid over-reliance on any one partner. Vietnam aims to engage with the Quad, ensuring its non-alignment policy remains intact while maximizing cooperation benefits. Although unmanned systems are more cost-effective than manned alternatives, acquiring and maintaining these still entails significant investment. Vietnam may need to explore financing options with the assistance of Quad nations. Additional challenges include the absence of a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for unmanned systems development and deployment in Vietnam. The collaboration in unmanned maritime systems may represent a significant advancement for Vietnam and the Quad. In conclusion, Vietnam's maritime security is a linchpin for regional stability and economic prosperity. As maritime threats grow more sophisticated, integrating unmanned maritime systems into its strategy will provide a critical edge for VPA. With its collective technological expertise and strategic interest in a free and open Indo-Pacific, the Quad can play a pivotal role. By focusing on technology transfer, training, infrastructure support, and joint exercises, the Quad can help build Vietnam's capacity to protect its waters. While Vietnam maintains a non-aligned stance, its advocacy for a rule-based order and its reliance on international law to safeguard its maritime interests make it a natural partner for the Quad. Strengthening Vietnam's maritime capabilities will therefore greatly enhance regional security and also underscore the Quad's commitment to safeguarding the shared interests of Southeast Asian countries. Prakash Panneerselvam, PhD, (... ) is a Japan Foundation Indo-Pacific Partnership (JFIPP) research fellow and an assistant professor at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru. Van T. Pham, rer, (... ) is founding director of the South China Sea Chronicle Initiative in Vietnam. Thank you for registering! An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link. MENAFN19122024000159011032ID1109014646 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. 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With technical prowess and considerable style, Marta danced around two sliding defenders, outwitted a goalkeeper and calmly scored as another player rushed forward in desperation to stop her. It was more Marta Magic. That goal last weekend helped propel the Orlando Pride into Saturday's National Women's Soccer League championship game against the Washington Spirit. Barbra Banda also scored in the Pride's 3-2 semifinal victory over the Kansas City Current . While Banda has had an incredible first season with the Pride, captain Marta has been the talisman that has helped lead the team in its remarkable turnaround this year. The last time the Pride were in the NWSL playoffs was in 2017 — Marta's first year with the club. But this season they nearly went undefeated, going 23 games without a loss to start the season before losing 2-0 to the Portland Thorns with just two regular-season games left. “I think because of the way that we did it, during this season, from beginning to now, it’s something very special that I’ve never had before with any other club that I’ve played for," Marta said. "Plus year by year, we see in America, strong competition. This is the best league in the world. And you never know what’s going to happen, and it’s hard to keep winning the games, being in the first place almost like the whole season. That’s why it’s really different and so special.” Marta’s goal was the latest gasp-inducing moment in a stellar career filled with them. Known by just her first name, the 38-year-old is a six-time FIFA world player of the year. "Let's see if tomorrow I can do something similar — or even better," Marta said on Friday. Her teammate Kylie Strom chimed in: “That was the greatest goal I've ever witnessed, hands down." Appropriate. Earlier this year, FIFA announced that the best goal in women's soccer each year would earn the Marta Award. In a lighthearted moment the day before the title match, Marta was asked if she thought it was possible she might give the award to herself. “You guys need to decide, because who votes for the best goal in the year? It’s you. It’s the people in the public. So it should be really interesting, like Marta’s Award goes to Marta!” she said with a laugh. Marta has played in six World Cups for Brazil and played this summer in her sixth Olympics, winning a silver medal after falling in the final to the United States . She previously said this would be her final year with the national team. But since then Brazil was named the host of the 2027 Women's World Cup. "I had a conversation with my coach, the national team coach, and I was really clear about playing in 2027. I told him it’s not my goal anymore,” she said. “But I’m always available to help the national team. And if they think I still can do something during this preparation for the World Cup, yeah, I would be happy to help them." Marta's club career started in Brazil when she was just 16. She has also played in Sweden and in the U.S. professional women's leagues that came before the NWSL. With nine regular-season goals, Marta has had one of her best seasons since she joined the Pride. “I can never pick a side, I never pick favorites — but I love to see this for Marta," U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “Marta is someone we all like, admire and are grateful for. And that goal was just like prime Marta at her best. And so grateful for and thankful for her that she got the opportunity with another game with her team.” The Pride went 18-2-6 this season, clinching the NWSL Shield for the first trophy in club history. Orlando also set a record with 60 regular-season points to finish atop the standings. “We are sitting top of the table, but I think there still are a lot of doubters. I think there’s people out there who say, maybe this was a one-off season,” Strom said. “But we’re here to prove them all wrong. So I think we do carry a bit of that underdog mentality still with us.” The second-seeded Spirit advanced to the title match at Kansas City's CPKC Stadium last weekend on a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw against defending champions Gotham FC. The Spirit's roster includes Trinity Rodman, a standout forward who formed the so-called “Triple Espresso” trio with Mallory Swanson and Sophia Smith for the United States at the Olympics. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccerSrinagar, Nov 22: To highlight the significance of Iqbal’s Persian poetry and its relevance in contemporary times, the Iqbal Institute of Culture and Philosophy (IICP), University of Kashmir, organised an extension lecture on the theme “Relevance of Iqbal’s Persian Collection: Javaid Nama in the Contemporary World.” The session featured Dr Syed Taqi Hassan Abedi, a renowned Canadian physician, poet, and scholar of Urdu and Persian literature, as the keynote speaker. In his lecture Dr. Abedi delivered a thought-provoking lecture and highlighted the universal relevance of Allama Iqbal’s Javaid Nama for all times to come. “In a world witnessing wars, loss of humanity, and erosion of social values, Iqbal’s poetry offers profound lessons. His literary work and poetry transcends borders and it is time we revisit him for guidance,” he remarked. Dr Abedi provided an in-depth interpretation of Iqbal’s poetic collection and the need for continued research on his multidimensional work and contributions. Prof Mohi-ud-din Sanghmi, Head Dept of Commerce KU who was guest of honor on the occasion lauded the session as enriching and informative. “Iqbal’s poetry carries deeper meanings that remain relevant even today. He wasn’t isolated from the realities of his time; instead, his works like Javaid Nama reflect his awareness and response to societal challenges,” said Prof Sanghmi. Earlier in his welcome address Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Ganai, Head of IICP, underlined the institute’s dedication in promoting Iqbal’s literary legacy. The event was attended by prominent academics, including Prof Hameed Naseem Rafiabadi, Dr Maroof Shah, faculty members and students. The session was moderated by Dr Fayaz Ahmad Wani, faculty at IICP, while Dr. Ajaz Ahmad Telwani, faculty at IICP proposed vote of thanks on the occasion.Broncos hope to continue playoff push when they meet the banged-up Raiders

49ers QB Brock Purdy remains severely limited by injury to his throwing shoulderHow Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woesWASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case.

The Reform UK leader pushed back against reports suggesting that legal action would be the next step, saying he would make a decision in the next couple of days about his response if there is no apology for the “crazy conspiracy theory”. Mr Farage also said the party has “opened up our systems” to media outlets, including The Daily Telegraph and The Financial Times, in the interests of “full transparency to verify that our numbers are correct”. His remarks came after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Farage of “fakery” in response to Reform claiming they had surpassed the Tories in signed-up members. Mrs Badenoch said Reform’s counter was “coded to tick up automatically”. A digital counter on the Reform website showed a membership tally before lunchtime on Boxing Day ticking past the 131,680 figure declared by the Conservative Party during its leadership election earlier this year. Mr Farage, on whether he was threatening legal action or not, told the PA news agency: “I haven’t threatened anything. I’ve just said that unless I get an apology, I will take some action. “I haven’t said whether it’s legal or anything.” He added: “All I’ve said is I want an apology. If I don’t get an apology, I will take action. “I will decide in the next couple of days what that is. So I’ve not specified what it is.” Mr Farage, on the move to make membership data available to media organisations, said: “We feel our arguments are fully validated. “She (Mrs Badenoch) has put out this crazy conspiracy theory and she needs to apologise.” The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News & FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. I am now demanding @KemiBadenoch apologises. — Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) December 27, 2024 On why Mrs Badenoch had reacted as she did, Mr Farage said: “I would imagine she was at home without anybody advising her and was just angry.” Mr Farage, in a statement issued on social media site X, also said: “The accusations of fraud and dishonesty made against me yesterday were disgraceful. “Today we opened up our systems to The Telegraph, Spectator, Sky News and FT in the interests of full transparency to verify that our data is correct. “I am now demanding Kemi Badenoch apologises.” A Conservative Party source claimed Mr Farage was “rattled” that his Boxing Day “publicity stunt is facing serious questions”. They added: “Like most normal people around the UK, Kemi is enjoying Christmas with her family and looking forward to taking on the challenges of renewing the Conservative Party in the New Year.” Mrs Badenoch, in a series of messages posted on X on Thursday, said: “Farage doesn’t understand the digital age. This kind of fakery gets found out pretty quickly, although not before many are fooled.” There were 131,680 Conservative members eligible to vote during the party’s leadership election to replace Rishi Sunak in the autumn. Mrs Badenoch claimed in her thread that “the Conservative Party has gained thousands of new members since the leadership election”. Elsewhere, Mr Farage described Elon Musk as a “bloody hero” and said he believes the US billionaire can help attract younger voters to Reform. Tech entrepreneur Mr Musk met Mr Farage earlier this month at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, amid rumours of a possible donation to either Mr Farage or Reform. Mr Farage told The Daily Telegraph newspaper: “The shades, the bomber jacket, the whole vibe. Elon makes us cool – Elon is a huge help to us with the young generation, and that will be the case going on and, frankly, that’s only just starting. “Reform only wins the next election if it gets the youth vote. The youth vote is the key. Of course, you need voters of all ages, but if you get a wave of youth enthusiasm you can change everything. “And I think we’re beginning to get into that zone – we were anyway, but Elon makes the whole task much, much easier. And the idea that politics can be cool, politics can be fun, politics can be real – Elon helps us with that mission enormously.”

NEW YORK — A judge on Tuesday cut loose Rudy Giuliani’s attorneys in his bankruptcy-related matter and denied efforts to push back his trial so he could participate in Donald Trump’s inauguration at a manic Manhattan federal court hearing that ended with an outburst from the former New York City mayor. The upcoming trial set for Jan. 16 relates to the action brought by Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, the mother and daughter election workers Giuliani owes nearly $150 million for falsely accusing them of rigging the last presidential election. It will concern his continued possession of his Palm Beach, Florida, condo, which he’s claimed is his homestead and cannot be taken away from him, and his Yankees World Series rings, which he claims he gifted his son, Andrew. He’s been forced to give up almost everything else he owns of value. After granting an application from his former attorneys Kenneth Caruso and David Labkowski to withdraw from the case, Judge Lewis Liman told Giuliani’s new legal representation, Joseph Cammarata, that his client could not fire his lawyer and “restart the clock” by hiring another, had sought multiple extensions, missed multiple deadlines, and had “not shown anything close to ‘due diligence’” concerning the deadlines for producing evidence. “My client regularly consults and deals directly with President-elect Trump on issues that are taking place as the incoming administration is afoot as well as [the] inauguration,” Cammarata unsuccessfully argued in a bid to delay the trial. “My client wants to exercise his political right to be there.” Later in the hearing, Liman expressed frustration that Giuliani had provided Freeman and Moss with his 1980 Mercedes-Benz once owned by Lauren Bacall but not the title certificate, prompting Giuliani to start yelling. “Your client is a competent person. He was the United States attorney for this district. The notion that he can’t apply for a title certificate for the car is ...” the judge said before Giuliani cut him off. “Every implication that you’ve made is against me!” Giuliani said, claiming he had applied for it. Responding to the judge’s skepticism that Giuliani is “indigent,” Giuliani said, “I’m not impoverished. Everything I have is tied up. I don’t have a car. I don’t have a credit card. I don’t have cash. I can’t get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put ... stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do.” Liman then warned Giuliani, 80, and his lawyer about continued outbursts. “I permitted Mr. Giuliani to speak. Next time, he’s not going to be permitted to speak, and the court will have to take action,” the judge said. In a statement, Giuliani’s now-ex-lawyers said they had moved to step down from the case due to “a difference of opinion.” In court, his new lawyer claimed they’d abandoned him. “We took on the representation in New York to help Rudy. We have a difference of opinion as to how best to do that. Therefore, we have withdrawn in favor of Mr. Cammarata, who appears ready, willing and able to assist Rudy. We wish them every success,” Caruso and Labkowski said. Outside the courthouse, Giuliani decried the legal proceedings and hurled unfounded accusations at Hunter Biden, including that he possessed child pornography. He told the Daily News he did not wish to clarify remarks he made the week before last about not regretting his defamation of Freeman and Moss. “I do not regret it for a minute,” he said.Longtime sports broadcaster Greg Gumbel has died from cancer at age 78

Northern Territory Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News. As footy competitions across the country come to close for the year, the NTFL bursts into life – and for that reason, plenty of top players have made their way north to try their hand at Top End footy. Whether they’re former AFL players or state league performers plenty of stars have made their way north to take advantage of the extra play time and mix it with the local NT talent . Even some legends of the game have come to the Top End including Eddie Betts and Gary Ablett Jr, boosting the profile of the league. There are other players that have the Top End their home including Nichols medal winners Brodie Filo and Dylan Landt, or multiple women’s best and fairest winner Jasmyn Hewett. But for the purpose of this list we’ve highlighted some of the standout men’s and women’s players who have arrived more recently so limited the list to players who have only played two seasons. Check out the list below. WOMEN Alessia Smythe (Southern Districts Crocs) Alessia Smythe (#24) of Southern Districts. Picture: AFLNT Media / Tymunna Clements. Smythe has state league experience, with seasons for Southport’s ressies and first grade outfits in the QAFLW. So far she has been a weapon for Districts and has earned six best player votes in her six games this season. Caitlin Sargent (St Mary’s Saints) St Mary's gun Caitlin Sargent (#28). Picture: AFLNT Media / Celina Whan. Sargent’s first full season with the green machine has got off to a flyer, in a side eager to go one better than their previous season. With her resume boasting time at St Bernards in the EDFL, Hillside in the Coates Talent League and more recently played a few matches for the Bombers and Bulldogs in the VFLW. Eilish Grundon (PINT Greenants) PINT premiership player Eilish Grundon (#6). Picture: AFLNT Media / Jack Riddiford. A seasoned veteran from Queensland, Grundon is in her second season for the Queenants. She has a lot of interstate experience with time in the QWAFL (Wilston Grange, Coolangatta Tweed), the VAFA and VFLW (Fitzroy, Port Melbourne) as well as time in the WAWFL (South Freemantle). In 2024-25 Grundon has earned three best player votes from six games. Eliza Hand (Nightcliff Tigers) Eliza Hand (#9) for Nightcliff Tigers. Picture: AFLNT Media / Jack Riddiford. The New South Welshmen has impressed many in the ruck in what is her first campaign at Nightcliff. With most of her career spent in the Hunter and North West leagues, Hand has been another great addition to the Tigers, and has earned three best player votes in her five games outings. Ella Ward (Palmerston Magpies) Ella Ward (#6) playing for the Palmerston Magpies. Picture: AFLNT Media / David Bradley. In her early 20s but already playing like a seasoned veteran the West Australian has been a menace in the ruck for Palmerston. With time spent in the WAFL and WAWFL at South Freemantle, Ward has quickly established herself as a cornerstone of the Pies’ rebuild with 15 best players in her 22 outings for the club. Ellie Kellock (Tiwi Bombers) Tiwi Bomber (#15) Ellie Kellock. Picture: AFLNT Media / Patch Clapp. The Glenelg premiership skipper is in her first season at the Bombers and has lived up to her billing. A Morphettville Park alum, Kellock is frequently one of if not the best on in the SANFL and has carried that from into the NTFL, already with seven votes in nine games. Erica Rowe (Palmerston Magpies) Palmerston Magpies' Erica Rowe (#34). Picture: AFLNT Media / Celina Whan. Another product from south of the border Rowe is in her first year at the Magpies. She has played her footy across the SANFLW and Barossa leagues, and has picked up three best on votes in her six caps. Gabrielle Deller (Nightcliff Tigers) Nightcliff Tiger Gabrielle Deller with the ball (#14). Picture: AFLNT Media / Celina Whan. Playing her second season for Nightcliff, Deller is a bit of a journey woman who has played in the VFLW and QWAFL. Capable of creating something out of nothing, Deller has received five best players in her six games this season. India Barker (Darwin Buffaloes) Darwin Buffaloes India Barker (#12). Picture: AFLNT Media / Celina Whan. Another Buffette in their second stint at the club Barker has been a great edition to a rebuilding side. With most of her footy career played in the EDFL for Maribyrnong Park FC, she’s since spent time at both the West Bulls and Williamstown in the VFLW. Imogen Loftes (Waratah Warriors) Waratah Warrior Imogen Loftes (#28). Picture: AFLNT Media / Celina Whan. In her first season at Waratah Loftes’ has injected a level of talent in the struggling outfit. She has high quality experience and skill from her time in the Adelaide Footy League and SAWFL for the Pulteney football club, and stint at West Adelaide in the SANFL. Jessica Nannup (Tiwi Bombers) Tiwi Bombers' Jessica Nannup (#28). Picture: AFLNT Media / Patch Clapp. A new addition to the Bombers, Nannup decided to play for Tiwi following her partner Marlion Pickett signing on for the Bombers’ season 2024-25. Originally from WA Nannup’s had experience in a number of different leagues including the WAWFL (South Fremantle), NFNL (Fitzroy Stars), and Moonee Valley (EDFL). Maddi Shaw (Southern Districts Crocs) Southern Districts' Maddi Shaw with the ball (#29). Picture: AFLNT Media / Tymunna Clements. In her maiden campaign with the Crocs, Shaw has already made an immediate impact. A winner through and through Shaw won the VFLW flag in 2023 with Port Melbourne and is currently signed to the Bombers VFLW list. Meg McGuiness (PINT Greenants) PINT Queenant Meg McGuiness (#8). Picture: AFLNT Media / Patch Clapp. A Queenslander playing her first season at PINT McGuiness has played her trade in the QWAFL for both Southport and Yeronga. In just the three games to date, McGuiness has earned two best player nods, making a noticeable impact to the reigning premiers. Roxy Beuzeville (Darwin Buffaloes) Roxy Beuzeville of the Darwin Buffaloes (#5). Picture: AFLNT Media / Celina Whan. The Sydney-sider is in her second NTFL season and continues to be one of the standout performers for the side. A Pittwater Tigers junior, Beuzeville has since established herself in the VFLW with the Western Bulldogs. Ruby O’Dwyer (Waratah Warriors) Ruby O'Dwyer with the ball for Waratah (#20). Picture: AFLNT Media / Jack Riddiford. In her second proper stint at the Tahs, O’Dwyer has become a mainstay of the team. From Victoria she’s played most of her footy in the SDFL and Coates Talent (Eastern Rangers). This season she’s had three best players from five matches. MEN Tom Simpson (Darwin Buffaloes) Tom Simpson playing for the Darwin Buffaloes against PINT in the opening round of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin It hasn’t been the start the Darwin Buffaloes would have wanted, but the recruitment of Simpson from Queensland has been one of the shining lights. Simpson has been with Labrador in the AFL Queensland League for the past few seasons earning him a call up into the state’s rep team earlier this year. At Buffaloes he’s a strong body in the middle with a booming kick that often gets around the ball in assistance of his standout skipper Jarrod Stokes. Lachlan Tardrew (Nightcliff Tigers) Lachlan Tardrew on the charge for the Nightcliff Tigers in the 2023-24 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media Tardrew has been one of the standout ring-ins for the Nightcliff Tigers across the past two seasons and brings a point of difference they rely on often being the one to burst through and find space. He’s only made one appearance so far this season, but it received a best player’s nod to go along with his six from seven outings in 2023-24. The Tigers fly-in had an outstanding season in the Bendigo competition too as a frequent standout for Sandhurst on their charge to the grand final. Sean Hunter (Nightcliff Tigers) Sean Hunter playing for the Nightcliff Tigers in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media A young recruit at the Tigers who has shown all the talents already to prove he will play a big role in Nightcliff’s finals prospects. Hunter already has a Rising Star nomination from his first stint in the Top End as well as five best players nods from six appearances. The Victorian played in the Central Murray Football Netball League grand final for Kerang prior to his trip north, having played at that stage in both the previous seasons. Boyd Bailey (Nightcliff Tigers) Boyd Bailey playing for Nightcliff in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media Bailey got his first taste of Darwin footy in the 2021-22 season when he featured for Banks in a Division 1 grand final making season, but this year he’s returned for a Premier League outfit. In the interim he has turned out for Morwell in the Gippsland League and is a near constant in the outfit’s best players when around. It makes him a huge boon for the Tigers this season where he has brought some pace, but crucially as proven against Palmerston he’s not bad in front of goal either. Cameron Nyko (Palmerston) Cameron Nyko playing for the Palmerston Magpies in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media The midfield dynamo is another leading the bunch for Palmerston with multiple best player mentions for the Magpies already this season. Nyko is fresh off a VFL season with Essendon and is already making a name for himself in his debut season in the NT. A player who can impose himself on the contest and impresses with what he does with the ball, and one that can influence the young outfit around him. Nayef Hamad (Palmerston Magpies) Nayef Hamad playing for the Palmerston Magpies in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Tymunna Clements / AFLNT Media Hamad quickly made an impression in his first outing for Palmerston with a best on ground performance where he notched up 35 disposals. It was the Magpies’ first win since the 2022-23 season and one that indicated the former Footscray VFL player would be a perfect fit for the side. He’s an experienced head who brings plenty of composure to a side that has struggled in recent times. Tristen Waack (Palmerston Magpies) Tristen Waack playing for Palmerston in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media Palmerston fans had plenty to celebrate when they noticed that Waack was indeed back after a season and a half out of the outfit. His footy career has grown leaps and bounds in the time since his departure midway through in his debut 2022-23 season with VFL appearances for both Box Hill and the Northern Bullants. The Magpies can play across the ground whether in the ruck or down back in a rebounding capacity and he’s even good for a surge forward to goal when the need strikes. Riley Mayne (PINT) PINT interstate player Riley Mayne (#29). Picture: AFLNT Media / Celina Whan. The former QAFL player has slipped seamlessly into life at the DXC Arena club on his return to the footy scene. Mayne is a big unit who can do the business in the ruck as well as around the ground when required, even able to offer himself up for a goal or two. One of the big new signings at PINT he’s sure to be a menace for any opposition, and was particularly dangerous in outings against Districts and Palmerston. Christopher Nield (PINT) PINT’s Christopher Nield playing in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: AFLNT Media / Tymunna Clements. Nield has returned to the fold at the Greenants after an injury sidelined him form an appearance in their 2023-24 finals debut season. The forward has been quick to make a reimpression as one of their better strike weapons in front of goal alongside Benjamin Brett. Nield hails from Tasmania and is both strong at taking marks and at booting the ball accurately, traits that have helped him become PINT’s top goal scorer of the season. Matt Shannon (Southern Districts) Matt Shannon playing for Southern Districts against PINT in Round 4 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin Shannon has returned to the Crocs after a year off and is once again one of the dominant midfield forces of the competition. A hugely influential figure in generating play out of the middle and someone happy to go forward to score himself when the time is right, as proven in his recent six goal outing against Palmerston. The Crocs were already shaping up to be a side to be reckoned with considering their stars across the field, and Shannon brings something extra after narrowly missing out on a VFL premiership. Matthew Johnston (Southern Districts) Matthew Johnston in the Southern Districts vs PINT 2023-24 NTFL men's elimination final. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin There’s no lacking of form for this man who came into the 2024-25 season fresh off captaining East Point to a Ballarat grand final, while picking up the Henderson Medal. Johnston kicked 22 goals across the distance for his side and now in the NTFL for the second time is bringing that same influence to Southern Districts. The midfielder comes as a package deal with his brother Jordan Johnston and the pair are already putting in some standout performances in side full of weapons. Wyatt Ryan (Southern Districts) Wyatt Ryan and Jackson Broadbent as Southern Districts took on the Tiwi Bombers in Round 3 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin Ryan has established himself as the dominant ruck of the 2024-25 NTFL season racking up the hit outs for his side full of midfield performers. The SANFL player for West Adelaide joined the Crocs in the 2023-24 season where he quickly formed a strong partnership with Matt Dennis. But this season he has made the rucking position his own with knock down stats frequently exceeding 40 in a match, while he can make an impact elsewhere as well. Connor West (St Mary’s) Connor West playing for St Mary's in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Patch Clapp / AFLNT Media The former West Coast Eagle has had a strong start to life in the Top End with back to back strong showings in the Saints outfit. A strong possession getter compliments the Green Machine’s midfield and will be important tool for the side as the season progresses. West plays for West Perth in the WAFL having returned to the club following the close of his AFL career at the end of the 2023 season and now brings that experience to the NTFL. Joel Garner (St Mary’s) Joel Garner playing for St Mary's in Round 3 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Celina Whan / AFLNT Media The VFL player has already made a bit of a name for himself in the Top End competition with a Chaney medal winning performance in Saints most recent premiership. Garner is known for his big tackles and important possessions that increasingly come to the fore as a game rolls on giving Saints their spark even in the dying stages. He’s returned to the fold this season and brought some friends in Chad Harris and Kaelan Bradtke along for the ride. Liam O’Brien (St Mary’s) Liam O'Brien playing for St Mary's in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Patch Clapp / AFLNT Media A Queenslander who is enjoying his first season in the Top End with reigning premiers St Mary’s and is holding his own in the squad. O’Brien plays for Palm Beach Currumbin in the QAFL, a club that has reached finals for the past three seasons with him playing an important role. He gets through plenty of possessions at Saints and throws himself into the contests to find a way to pull his side on top. Marlion Pickett (Tiwi Bombers) Marlion Pickett playing for the Tiwi Bombers against the Darwin Buffaloes in Round 4 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin There’s always question marks on how an established player will perform when they first tackle the Top End heat, but signing of the season Pickett hardly missed a beat. The Richmond premiership player is not only an inspiring, experienced head for the young Bombers outfit but a constant grafter in the action as much as he can be. His handy possessions have helped give the Bombers stability in their early success, and his ability to play across the ground, including in the ruck, is vital to the building side. Jackson Broadbent (Tiwi Bombers) Tiwi Bombers 201cm new recruit Jackson Broadbent (#39). Picture: AFLNT Media / Tymunna Clements. The 201cm former draft prospect has proved a vital cog in a Tiwi machine that has been on the rise in the 2024-25 season, and having a big unit in the middle has sure helped. Broadbent played his first two Top End games for Banks before getting the call up to the Bombers, where he’s played his role well in the middle allowing the likes of Karlson Kantilla to go forward. The West Australian played for Eaton Football Club in the South West Football League throughout 2024, and has previous experience with Peel Thunder and South Fremantle. Liam Odea (Waratah) Liam Odea playing for Waratah in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Jack Riddiford / AFLNT Media The gun midfielder from Woori Yallock has brought plenty of pace to the Waratah midfield and forward line. Odea can win clearances and knows how to use his skills in the contest to either create a scoring chance or go himself when the time comes. Recently played in the Outer East Football Netball League’s preliminary final where he was named among the best and is having similar standout performances in the Top End. Ricky Monti (Waratah) Waratah player Ricky Monti (32) on the ball. Picture: AFLNT Media / Patch Clapp. Monti is one of several newcomers to the Waratah outfit for the season and has taken to the Top End game admirably for a younger player. Has been rated one of the Bendigo’s premier midfielders in the past couple of seasons, and played for the Essendon VFL side earlier this year, and the skills he’s put on show in the NT reveal why. Gets plenty of the ball in a Waratah midfield full of great players and does what he needs to in order to impose himself. Jack Bambury (Waratah) Jack Bambury with the ball as Waratah took on Southern Districts in Round 1 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin Bambury has been one of the big pickups for the new look Waratah outfit of the 2024-25 season and has rewarded the club with some huge showings. The rebounding half-back was one of the best players for Sebastopol throughout the Bendigo league season and helped form them into a premiership threat. And again in the red and whites he’s part of a Waratah side that will threaten for top honours as well, with Bambury having achieved five best players’ nods already. Jaxon East (Wanderers) Wanderers midfielder Jaxon East in action during the NTFL season. Picture: NTFL Media The premier ball winner at Wanderers was the shining light in the early stages of the season for the side with his instinctive ability to make an impact on the play. East can hold his own against any midfield and usually comes away with plenty of the footy, as proven in his 38 disposal showing against Districts in Round 2. He played a crucial role in the side’s opening win of the season and it was an outing the Muk Muks have built on since. Jack Sinclair (Wanderers) Jack Sinclair playing for Wanderers in the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Tymunna Clements / AFLNT Media The hero from Wanderers Round 8 defeat of PINT with his last minute goal from the sideline that not only took the lead but sealed the deal in an incredibly tight tussle. Sinclair has been one of the big signings for the Eagles in the 2024-25 season with previous experience in the Murray Football League and the Kyabram District competition. His strong possessions have added some attacking flair to the side, while he has more than proven his ability to kick a goal in trying times. Jak Trewin (Wanderers) Jak Trewin for Wanderers against the Tiwi Bombers in Round 1 of the 2024-25 NTFL season. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin The Wanderers top goal scorer has added some real spark to the much-changed rebuilding outfit he has joined in the NTFL. Trewin is a potent threat up forward in a side that has made additions across the ground, including Jeremy Piercy and Billy Crofts, and has 16 majors to his name and assisted more than a few more. The new Eagle recently featured in the Murray Football League final for Congupna having scored four goals, after scoring a hat trick on the same stage the season prior. More Coverage How to watch every match of the 2024-25 NTFL Round 8 live Nathaniel Chambers Harley Reid eat your heart out, this is the real goal of the year Nathaniel Chambers Originally published as Interstate standouts playing in the 2024-25 NTFL season Join the conversation Add your comment to this story To join the conversation, please log in. Don't have an account? Register Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout More related stories Northern Territory How top airline will save Territorians hours of dead travel time Territorians will save hours in travel time after a leading airline announced it had juggled its schedule. Read what’s changing. Read more Northern Territory ‘Visionary’ NT mayor dies in office, successor vows to continue legacy A remote NT local government council has paid tribute to their mayor after his death, recalling the instrumental role he played in the early days of the municipality. His successor has now been appointed. Read moreBy ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff National Politics | Rudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke National Politics | Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration National Politics | Expecting challenges, blue states vow to create ‘firewall’ of abortion protections National Politics | Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.

Struggle with hunger ongoing for Sudan refugees

The Onion's bid to buy Infowars goes before judge as Alex Jones tries stopping sale The Onion's bid to buy conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars has returned to a Texas courtroom. A federal judge in Houston is hearing arguments Monday on whether a bankruptcy auction was run properly as Jones alleges collusion and fraud. The hearing is expected to continue into Tuesday. The Onion satirical news outlet was named the winning bidder last month over a company affiliated with Jones. The auction was held to help pay nearly $1.5 billion in defamation judgments that Jones was ordered to pay families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. The families won lawsuits against Jones for calling the shooting a hoax. Juan Soto agrees to record $765 million, 15-year contract with Mets, AP source says DALLAS (AP) — A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press that star outfielder Juan Soto and the New York Mets have agreed to a record $765 million, 15-year contract. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the agreement, first reported by the New York Post, was subject to a successful physical. Soto’s deal is the largest and longest in Major League Baseball history, topping Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year contract with San Diego. Soto's deal does not include deferred money, the person said. TikTok asks federal appeals court to bar enforcement of potential ban until Supreme Court review TikTok on Monday asked a federal appeals court to bar the Biden administration from enforcing a law that could lead to a ban on the popular platform until the Supreme Court reviews the case. The legal filing was made after a panel of judges on the same court sided with the government last week and ruled that the law, which requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company or face a ban as soon as next month, was constitutional. If the law is not overturned, both TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have said the popular app will shut down by mid-January. Pinheiro Braathen performs snow samba to celebrate Brazil's first podium in a World Cup ski race It’s not just soccer anymore. Brazil is finding World Cup success in skiing now too. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen became the first Brazilian skier to finish on a World Cup podium when he placed second in a giant slalom in Beaver Creek, Colorado, on Sunday. Pinheiro Braathen celebrated the achievement in truly Brazilian style: with a samba dance on the podium, the Brazilian flag wrapped around his waist and cowboy boots on his feet. Pinheiro Braathen’s mother is Brazilian and his father is Norwegian. He raced for Norway until switching his nationality for this season. The end of an Eras tour approaches, marking a bittersweet moment for Taylor Swift fans NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The global phenomenon that is Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is coming to an end after the popstar performed more than 150 shows across five continents over nearly two years. Since launching the tour in 2023, Swift has shattered sales and attendance records. It's even created such an economic boom that the Federal Reserve took note. But for many who attended the concerts, and the millions more who eagerly watched on their screens, the tour also became a beacon of joy. It's become a chance not only to appreciate Swift’s expansive music career, but also celebrate the yearslong journey fans have taken with her. College Football Playoff's first 12-team bracket is set with Oregon No. 1 and SMU in, Alabama out SMU captured the last open spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff, bumping Alabama to land in a bracket that placed undefeated Oregon at No. 1. The selection committee preferred the Mustangs, losers of a heartbreaker in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game, who had a far less difficult schedule than Alabama of the SEC but one fewer loss. The inaugural 12-team bracket marks a new era for college football, though the Alabama-SMU debate made clear there is no perfect formula. The tournament starts Dec. 20-21 with four first-round games. It concludes Jan. 20 with the national title game in Atlanta. Dave Parker and Dick Allen elected to baseball's Hall of Fame DALLAS (AP) — Dave Parker and Dick Allen have been elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame by the classic era committee. Parker received 14 of 16 votes and Allen got 13. A vote of 75% or more was needed for election. They will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on July 27 along with players voted in by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, whose balloting will be announced on Jan. 21. ‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend and $600 million globally “Moana 2” remains at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it pulled in another record haul. According to studio estimates Sunday, the animated Disney film added $52 million, bringing its domestic total to $300 million. That surpasses the take for the original “Moana” and brings the sequel's global tally to a staggering $600 million. It also puts the film in this year's top five at the box office. “Wicked” came in second place for the weekend with $34.9 million and “Gladiator II” was third with $12.5 million. The 10th anniversary re-release of Christopher Nolan's “Interstellar” also earned an impressive $4.4 million even though it played in only 165 theaters. Hemingway look-alikes visit Cuba and some of the late writer's favorite places HAVANA (AP) — Eighteen white-bearded men who resemble the late U.S. author Ernest Hemingway have arrived in Havana for the weekend to visit some of the his favorite places when he lived on the island decades ago. Members of the Hemingway Look-alike Society visited the author’s favorite bar in Havana, La Floridita, where the music immediately picked up, and tourists and locals gathered around to take photos. The visit comes as Cuba and the United States are in the midst of tense relations. Hemingway lived in Cuba from 1939 to 1960. 'Reindeer' volunteers bring holiday magic to Ukrainian children living on the frontlines IZIUM, Ukraine (AP) — A volunteer group is trying to fulfill the holiday dreams of thousands of children living near the frontlines in Ukraine. The St. Nicholas’ Reindeers initiative publishes letters online detailing the children's wishes. Some ask for gifts, such as a bicycle or a pet mouse, alongside more complicated requests for their family members to be released from captivity or to be able to return to their homes. Donors fulfill the gift requests and volunteer “reindeers,” named for the magical beasts that pull Santa's sleigh, deliver them in the weeks following Dec. 6, when Ukraine celebrates St. Nicholas Day. Project co-founder Inna Achkasova says the reindeer volunteers aim to ensure that every child feels seen, heard and loved.I started dieting at 9 after a mean comment from a boy. A non-surgical procedure finally helped me lose over 100 pounds.How Trump’s bet on voters electing him managed to silence some of his legal woes

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are stabilizing Thursday following one of their worst days of the year . The S&P 500 rose 0.2% in late trading, a day after tumbling 2.9% when the Federal Reserve said it may deliver fewer cuts to interest rates next year than earlier thought. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 136 points, or 0.3%, with less than an hour remaining in trading, following Wednesday’s drop of more than 1,100 points. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Wednesday’s drop took some of the enthusiasm out of the market, which critics had already been warning was overly buoyant and would need everything to go correctly for it to justify its high prices. But indexes remain near their records , and the S&P 500 is still on track for one of its best years of the millennium . Traders are now expecting the Federal Reserve to deliver just one or maybe two cuts to interest rates next year, according to data from CME Group. Some are even betting on none. A month ago, the majority saw at least two cuts in 2025 as a safe bet. Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they give the economy a boost and goose prices for investments, but they can also provide fuel for inflation. Darden Restaurants, the company behind Olive Garden and other chains, helped lift the market after leaping 15.1%. It delivered profit for the latest quarter that edged past analysts’ expectations. The operator of LongHorn Steakhouses also gave a forecast for revenue for this fiscal year that topped analysts’. Accenture rose 6.7% after the professional services company likewise topped expectations for profit in the latest quarter. CEO Julie Sweet said it saw growth around the world, and the company raised its forecast for revenue this fiscal year. Amazon shares added 1.8%, even as workers at seven of its facilities went on strike Thursday in the middle of the online retail giant’s busiest time of the year. Amazon says it doesn’t expect an impact on its operations during what the workers’ union calls the largest strike against the company in U.S. history. They helped offset a tumble for Micron Technology, which fell 16.7% despite reporting stronger profit than expected. The computer memory company’s revenue fell short of Wall Street’s forecasts, and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said it expects demand from consumers to remain weaker in the near term. It gave a forecast for revenue in the current quarter that fell well short of what analysts were thinking. Lamb Weston, which makes French fries and other potato products, dropped 22.6% after falling short of analysts’ expectations for profit and revenue in the latest quarter. It also cut its financial targets for the fiscal year, saying demand for frozen potatoes is continuing to soften, particularly outside North America. The company replaced its chief executive. In the bond market, yields were mixed a day after shooting higher on expectations that the Fed would deliver fewer cuts to rates in 2025. Reports on the U.S. economy came in mixed. One showed the overall economy grew at a 3.1% annualized rate during the summer, faster than earlier thought. The economy has remained remarkably resilient even though the Fed held its main interest rate at a two-decade high for a while before beginning to cut them in September. A separate report showed fewer U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week, an indication that the job market also remains solid. But a third report said manufacturing in the mid-Atlantic region is unexpectedly contracting again despite economists’ expectations for growth. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.57% from 4.52% late Wednesday and from less than 4.20% earlier this month. But the two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for action by the Fed in the near term, eased back to 4.31% from 4.35%. The rise in longer-term yields has put pressure on the housing market by keeping mortgage rates higher. Homebuilder Lennar fell 4.8% after it reported weaker profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. CEO Stuart Miller said that “the housing market that appeared to be improving as the Fed cut short-term interest rates, proved to be far more challenging as mortgage rates rose” through the quarter. “Even while demand remained strong, and the chronic supply shortage continued to drive the market, our results were driven by affordability limitations from higher interest rates,” he said. A report on Thursday may have offered some encouragement for the housing industry. It showed a pickup in sales of previously occupied homes. In stock markets abroad, London’s FTSE 100 fell 1.1% after the Bank of England paused its cuts to rates and kept its main interest rate unchanged on Thursday. The move comes as inflation there moved further above the central bank’s 2% target rate, while the British economy is flatlining at best. The Bank of Japan also kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged, and Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 fell 0.7%. Indexes likewise sank across much of the rest of Asia and Europe. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

Police arrested a 26-year-old man on Monday in the Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO after they say a Pennsylvania McDonald's worker alerted authorities to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. The suspect, identified by police as Luigi Nicholas Mangione, had a gun believed to be the one used in Wednesday’s attack on Brian Thompson , as well as writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. Here are some of the latest developments in the ongoing investigation: Mangione was taken into custody at around 9:15 a.m. after police received a tip that he was eating at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh, police said. Mangione was being held in Pennsylvania on gun charges and will eventually be extradited to New York to face charges in connection with Thompson’s death, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” Kenny said Mangione also had a ghost gun , a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference. Officers also found a suppressor, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” the commissioner said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, Tisch said. Kenny said Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, has ties to San Francisco and that his last known address is in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mangione, who was valedictorian of his Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press on Monday. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts also suggest that he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. Some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent people, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have had children attend the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things,” according to a post on the school website. He praised their collective inventiveness and pioneering mindset. Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. A swarm of reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. Luigi Mangione is one of 37 grandchildren of Nick Mangione, according to his obituary. Luigi Mangione's grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes ranging from Catholic organizations to colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione. A spokesman for the lawmaker's office confirmed the relationship Monday. Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. on Wednesday. Just 11 minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspected shooter exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore and Cedar Attanasio in New York contributed to this report. 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Dec 7, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck (15) reacts during the second half in the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Brett Davis-Imagn Images/File Photo Dec 7, 2024; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs punter Brett Thorson (92) punts the ball to the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the 2024 SEC Championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Brett Davis-Imagn Images/File Photo Georgia quarterback Carson Beck seeks a rehabilitation and strengthening program for his throwing arm, but the Bulldogs' outlook for the College Football Playoff at the position is unclear. Beck had 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in the final month of the season to propel Georgia into the SEC Championship. He hurt his throwing arm on the final play of the first half and was replaced by sophomore Gunner Stockton. Stockton completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with an interception to help the Bulldogs defeat Texas 22-19 in overtime. Georgia did not confirm reports Beck suffered damage to the UCL in his right arm. But the Bulldogs did announce punter Brett Thorson, also injured Saturday in the SEC title game victory, is out for the season with a knee injury. "Carson and Brett are both fierce competitors and extremely hard workers," Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in a statement on Monday. "I'm confident they will attack their rehab with the same determination they exhibit in their daily habits. We will be here to support them every step of the way." Beck threw for 3,485 yards, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a senior in 2024, returning to school after considering jumping to the NFL last spring. Thorson is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award given to the top punter in college football. He was carted to the locker room in the SEC Championship after attempting to corral Texas returner Silas Bolden in the third quarter. A junior from Melbourne, Australia, Thorson averaged 47.6 yards per punt with only five touchbacks in 2024. Smart said freshman Drew Miller, ranked as the top punter in last year's class, would be ready to handle the punting chores in the Sugar Bowl. --Field Level Media REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you. Read 3 articles and stand to win rewards Spin the wheel nowBy ALANNA DURKIN RICHER WASHINGTON (AP) — One year after the Jan. 6, 2021 , U.S. Capitol attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Justice Department was committed to holding accountable all perpetrators “at any level” for “the assault on our democracy.” That bold declaration won’t apply to at least one person: Donald Trump. Special counsel Jack Smith’s move on Monday to abandon the federal election interference case against Trump means jurors will likely never decide whether the president-elect is criminally responsible for his attempts to cling to power after losing the 2020 campaign. The decision to walk away from the election charges and the separate classified documents case against Trump marks an abrupt end of the Justice Department’s unprecedented legal effort that once threatened his liberty but appears only to have galvanized his supporters. The abandonment of the cases accusing Trump of endangering American democracy and national security does away with the most serious legal threats he was facing as he returns to the White House. It was the culmination of a monthslong defense effort to delay the proceedings at every step and use the criminal allegations to Trump’s political advantage, putting the final word in the hands of voters instead of jurors. “We always knew that the rich and powerful had an advantage, but I don’t think we would have ever believed that somebody could walk away from everything,” said Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor and former Justice Department official. “If there ever was a Teflon defendant, that’s Donald Trump.” While prosecutors left the door open to the possibility that federal charges could be re-filed against Trump after he leaves office, that seems unlikely. Meanwhile, Trump’s presidential victory has thrown into question the future of the two state criminal cases against him in New York and Georgia. Trump was supposed to be sentenced on Tuesday after his conviction on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money case , but it’s possible the sentencing could be delayed until after Trump leaves office, and the defense is pushing to dismiss the case altogether. Smith’s team stressed that their decision to abandon the federal cases was not a reflection of the merit of the charges, but an acknowledgement that they could not move forward under longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution. Trump’s presidential victory set “at odds two fundamental and compelling national interests: On the one hand, the Constitution’s requirement that the President must not be unduly encumbered in fulfilling his weighty responsibilities . . . and on the other hand, the Nation’s commitment to the rule of law,” prosecutors wrote in court papers. The move just weeks after Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris underscores the immense personal stake Trump had in the campaign in which he turned his legal woes into a political rallying cry. Trump accused prosecutors of bringing the charges in a bid to keep him out of the White House, and he promised revenge on his perceived enemies if he won a second term. “If Donald J. Trump had lost an election, he may very well have spent the rest of his life in prison,” Vice President-elect JD Vance, wrote in a social media post on Monday. “These prosecutions were always political. Now it’s time to ensure what happened to President Trump never happens in this country again.” After the Jan. 6 attack by Trump supporters that left more than 100 police officers injured, Republican leader Mitch McConnell and several other Republicans who voted to acquit Trump during his Senate impeachment trial said it was up to the justice system to hold Trump accountable. The Jan. 6 case brought last year in Washington alleged an increasingly desperate criminal conspiracy to subvert the will of voters after Trump’s 2020 loss, accusing Trump of using the angry mob of supporters that attacked the Capitol as “a tool” in his campaign to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. Hundreds of Jan. 6 rioters — many of whom have said they felt called to Washington by Trump — have pleaded guilty or been convicted by juries of federal charges at the same courthouse where Trump was supposed to stand trial last year. As the trial date neared, officials at the courthouse that sits within view of the Capitol were busy making plans for the crush of reporters expected to cover the historic case. But Trump’s argument that he enjoyed absolute immunity from prosecution quickly tied up the case in appeals all the way up to the Supreme Court. The high court ruled in July that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution , and sent the case back to the trial court to decide which allegations could move forward. But the case was dismissed before the trial court could get a chance to do so. Related Articles National Politics | After delay, Trump signs agreement with Biden White House to begin formal transition handoff National Politics | Rudy Giuliani in a courtroom outburst accuses judge in assets case of being unfair, drawing a rebuke National Politics | Surveillance tech advances by Biden could aid in Trump’s promised crackdown on immigration National Politics | Expecting challenges, blue states vow to create ‘firewall’ of abortion protections National Politics | Washington power has shifted. Here’s how the ACA may shift, too The other indictment brought in Florida accused Trump of improperly storing at his Mar-a-Lago estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case in July on grounds that Smith was illegally appointed . Smith appealed to the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, but abandoned that appeal on Monday. Smith’s team said it would continue its fight in the appeals court to revive charges against Trump’s two co-defendants because “no principle of temporary immunity applies to them.” In New York, jurors spent weeks last spring hearing evidence in a state case alleging a Trump scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex. New York prosecutors recently expressed openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term, while Trump’s lawyers are fighting to have the conviction dismissed altogether. In Georgia, a trial while Trump is in office seems unlikely in a state case charging him and more than a dozen others with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state. The case has been on hold since an appeals court agreed to review whether to remove Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis over her romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she had hired to lead the case. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed.