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Tahlia Randall has played in three AFLW grand finals across two clubs — and lost all of them. The key forward suffered two defeats at Brisbane in 2017 and 2018, then played in North Melbourne’s grand final loss to the Lions last year. But Randall is determined to ensure Saturday’s decider, also against the Lions at Ikon Park, falls in her favour. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today “Being undefeated doesn’t matter if you don’t win the grand final,” Randall told AAP. “It’s definitely not fun losing a grand final. So hopefully that streak is done and we can start our winning streak.” Head here to watch the AFLW grand final live and free on 7plus Randall joked after the Kangaroos’ win over Port Adelaide that facing Brisbane again would “make a good headline”. It will. North had last year’s grand final in their grasp at one point before the Lions wrested it into their control and ran away with it for a 17-point win. There is one key lesson Randall learned from last year’s capitulation. “The game’s never done until the final siren,” she said. “I know that sounds very cliche, but yeah, we gave up the lead last year in that final, and we didn’t make the most of our momentum.” If the Kangaroos are to succeed, they will need aerial specialist Randall, who has kicked 15 goals this season, at her absolute best. Since moving into the attack, she has established herself as one of the league’s best pack-crashing power forwards. “It sounds weird that I’m a veteran and I’m only 26 years old playing for Brissie and North,” she said. “But yeah, absolutely, I’ve learned a lot at both clubs, and I’m looking forward to the final next week.” Randall, Kate Shierlaw (18 goals), Vikki Wall (10) and Alice O’Loughlin (16) all regularly hit the scoreboard, as does star midfielder Jasmine Garner (14). “It’s so fantastic. We have so many avenues to go, whether it’s through our forwards, whether it’s through our mids or even our wings,” she said. “We’re a dangerous forward line when we play the way we want to, and hopefully we can showcase that next weekend.”
Whether you like them or loathe them, the holiday period has an association with Christmas songs. The worst offenders are variants of pop or rock music encased in saccharine melodies with a gooey centre of banal lyrics. Could artificial intelligence do any better? What would an AI generated Christmas song be like? And would you stream it? The answers are here (links to the resultant email appear at the end of this article). Some tunes you may be grooving to could already be semi-AI generated since recent reports reveal that over a third of musicians are now using artificial intelligence to aid their profession. In turn, major labels are turning to AI to help manage costs and to keep ahead of the competition (the stark warning is, as reported by The Guardian , to “adapt or die”), since some have predicted that AI will cut music industry incomes by 25 percent by 2028 . At the same time, artists steeped in the traditional songwriting tradition have expressed concerns over AI’s ability to mimic original works. This means to some that AI generated songs should be labelled as such; to others, there should be some redistribution of income since AI songs can only be conceived by an AI evaluating previous songs created by a human. There is also the question: can AI-generated music truly match the quality of original releases? The company AIPRM , in seeking to offer a view on the question, analysed popular and recent Christmas songs, identifying trends and commonalities. The AI analysed songs that appeared on the 2023 Official Christmas Charts and new releases from Spotify, where tracks had been ranked based on recency and popularity using SortYourMusic.com . The Christmas songs were generated using the AI platform Suno.com . What are the tracks like? “Christmas Love” AI’s interpretation of UK Christmas hits blends romantic and reflective lyrics with smooth pop and jazz influences. This offering was inspired by UK 2023 Christmas charts. The outcome is a combination of modern production, string and bass orchestration, and swinging rhythms creates a sophisticated yet festive vibe, capturing both the joy and introspective moments of the holiday season. Here is a sample of the lyrics: [Verse] Snow is falling bright Candles flicker light Warmth in every heart Christmas joy so tight [Verse 2] Lights all twinkle bright Memories ignite Stories by the fire Love’s our true desire [Chorus] Christmas love oh Christmas love Every heart filled from above Peace and joy just like a dove Christmas love oh Christmas love “Under the Mistletoe Glow” AI’s analysis of recent Christmas hits, with lyrics focused on personal reflection, celebration, and holiday cheer, alongside modern production with electronic beats and traditional sounds like chimes, were used to create a second tune. This toe-tapping offering was inspired by recent Christmas releases (2022-2024). The outcome is a blend of introspective and upbeat themes captures a fresh, festive vibe for the season. This is an except of the lyrical wonder: [Verse] Snowflakes softly twirl from clouds of dreams Under lights that shimmer like streams Hearts aglow with warmth so bright In this spellbound winter night [Verse 2] Cinnamon and pine embrace the air Joyful songs fill every square Footsteps crunch on crystal ground Love and cheer in every sound [Chorus] Under the mistletoe glow Where love and joy both flow Hold me tight and never let go Together in this holiday show The songs, whether fun or ghastly, suggest that rather than just mimicking existing music styles and structures, AI algorithms are creating more original forms of music that might resonate with audiences. MP3 audio files of the AI Christmas tunes can be found here . Now, what’s in store for Christmas 2025? Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.By Sarah Ferris & Jeremy Herb for CNN The House Ethics Committee has found evidence that former Republican Matt Gaetz paid tens of thousands of dollars to women for sex or drugs on at least 20 occasions, including paying a 17-year-old girl for sex in 2017, according to the panel's report. The committee concluded in its bombshell document - released on Monday, local time - that Gaetz violated Florida state laws, including the state's statutory rape law, as the GOP-led panel chose to take the rare step of releasing a report about a former member who resigned from Congress. "The Committee determined there is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz violated House Rules and other standards of conduct prohibiting prostitution, statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favours or privileges, and obstruction of Congress," panel investigators wrote. The panel investigated transactions Gaetz personally made, often using PayPal or Venmo, to more than a dozen women during his time in Congress, according to the report. Investigators also focused on a 2018 trip to the Bahamas - which they said "violated the House gift rule" - during which he "engaged in sexual activity" with multiple women, including one who described the trip itself as "the payment" for sex on the trip. On the same trip, he also took ecstasy, one woman on the trip told the committee. Earlier this month, the House Ethics Committee secretly voted to release its report after initially voting against doing so . The vote to put out the report - which was opposed by panel Chairman Michael Guest, a Mississippi Republican - was the culmination of a years-long probe into allegations surrounding Gaetz. He was President-elect Donald Trump's first pick to be attorney general but dropped out amid opposition from GOP senators and after CNN reported key details of this same ethics report. And it's a political jolt that could have reverberations for years to come, as the Capitol Hill panel takes aim at a long-time Trump loyalist and now conservative anchor at One America Network. Gaetz filed a civil complaint in federal court Monday morning unsuccessfully seeking to halt the release of the report, claiming he was not notified of the panel's plans to release the report nor was he provided copies of the materials. "As such, Plaintiff has been afforded no opportunity to respond to any report or investigative conclusions of Defendants," the complaint reads. "Plaintiff has frequently and vehemently declared his innocence regarding the alleged misconduct, and requested Defendants cease their investigation and provide him appropriate due process rights." Gaetz claimed the panel has been "unresponsive" to those demands. Gaetz wrote in the lawsuit that he told the committee in writing in May that allegations of sexual misconduct, illicit drug use, misuse of campaign funds and other actions were all false. The lawsuit serves as a route for Gaetz to formally claim in writing that the committee's findings are false and that he believes his privacy has been invaded and the committee is defaming him. But his unusual ask of a federal court to block congressional action is now essentially moot because the report has been released publicly. District Judge Amit Mehta asked Gaetz to explain by the end of the day why the lawsuit should not be dismissed because the report has been publicly released. CNN has reached out to Gaetz and his lawyers for comment. The committee posted the report on its website Monday morning while noting in a statement the "significant and unusual amount" of reporting about the panel's probe of Gaetz. Without identifying specific stories, the committee stated that some reporting about its probe had been "inaccurate". The committee condemned any potential unauthorised disclosures but emphasised that committee witnesses are permitted to disclose information about their interactions with its investigators. The panel also released appendices with its evidence, including financial documents and text messages cited in the report. Gaetz has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has pointed to the Justice Department declining to bring charges against him in 2023. In a statement Gaetz released on X last week after CNN reported that the committee had voted to release the report, Gaetz denied having sex with a minor or paying women for sex. "In my single days, I often sent funds to women I dated - even some I never dated but who asked. I dated several of these women for years," Gaetz said. "It's embarrassing, though not criminal, that I probably partied, womanised, drank and smoked more than I should have earlier in life. I live a different life now." Although the committee alleged that Gaetz violated state laws, the panel wrote that it did not find Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws, writing that "although Representative Gaetz did cause the transportation of women across state lines for purposes of commercial sex, the Committee did not find evidence that any of those women were under 18 at the time of travel, nor did the Committee find sufficient evidence to conclude that the commercial sex acts were induced by force, fraud, or coercion." Women told committee they were paid for sex The report documents the evidence the committee gathered of Gaetz's numerous interactions with women who say they were paid for sex by Gaetz and his friend, Joel Greenberg, a former Seminole County tax collector who is serving an 11-year prison sentence and co-operated with federal investigators. The committee wrote that it spoke to more than a half dozen witnesses who attended parties, trips and events with Gaetz between 2017 through 2020. "Nearly every young woman that the Committee interviewed confirmed that she was paid for sex by, or on behalf of, Representative Gaetz," the panel wrote. One of the sexual encounters involved a 17-year-old girl, the committee said. The woman told the committee she had sex with Gaetz twice at a July 2017 party when she was 17. CNN first reported on the second sexual encounter last month. "The Committee received testimony that Victim A and Representative Gaetz had sex twice during the party, including at least once in the presence of other party attendees," the committee wrote. "Victim A recalled receiving $400 in cash from Representative Gaetz that evening, which she understood to be payment for sex. At the time, she had just completed her junior year of high school." The then-17-year-old did not tell Gaetz she was a minor at the time, and he did not ask her age, the committee found. The committee did not receive any evidence Gaetz was aware of her age. The woman told congressional investigators she was under the influence of ecstasy at the party and that she recalled seeing Gaetz use cocaine at the party. Gaetz has denied having sex with a minor. "I NEVER had sexual contact with someone under 18," the Florida Republican wrote on X last week. "Any claim that I have would be destroyed in court - which is why no such claim was ever made in court." Committee cites online payments and text messages in report The committee found that the sexual encounters were often organised by Greenberg through a website, SeekingArrangement.com. "Mr Greenberg told the Committee that Representative Gaetz was aware that the women they had sex with and paid had met Mr Greenberg through the 'sugar dating' website," the panel wrote. Congressional investigators found that Gaetz made payment to women using multiple platforms, including PayPal, Venmo and CashApp. The committee listed payments Gaetz made to 12 women, including to his former girlfriend, as well as Greenberg. The committee wrote that Gaetz did not appear to negotiate specific payment amounts for sex with the women he paid. "Many of the women interviewed by the Committee were clear that there was a general expectation of sex," investigators wrote. "One woman who was paid more than $5,000 [NZ$8800] by Representative Gaetz between 2018 and 2019 told the Committee that '99 percent of the time that (Representative Gaetz and I) were hanging out, there was sex involved,'" the panel said. Gaetz' then-girlfriend "appeared to act as an intermediary" between Gaetz and women he paid for sex, the committee found, citing text messages it obtained. The committee said it found evidence that "Representative Gaetz's then-girlfriend sometimes participated with him in sexual encounters with other women who were active on the website or otherwise involved in sex-for-money arrangements." The committee bolstered its findings by citing those text messages, including when Gaetz's then-girlfriend wrote to women that "the guys (Representative Gaetz and Mr. Greenberg) 'wanted me to share that they are a little limited in their cash flow this weekend ... (M)att was like(,) if it can be more of a customer appreciation week... ." In another text message exchange cited by the committee, Greenberg exchanged messages with a woman in September 2018, writing, "If you have a friend that is down, perhaps all four of us can meet up later." The woman responded she did have a friend who could meet up, adding, "I usually do $400 per meet." Greenberg responded by sending a photo of Gaetz holding out a phone and taking a selfie. "Oooh my friend thinks he's really cute!" the woman responded. "Well, he's down here only for the day, we work hard and play hard," Greenberg wrote. "Have you ever tried molly." The panel wrote that several women told the committee they would not voluntarily participate in the investigation, and some were "clear at first contact that they feared retaliation or were unwilling to voluntarily relive their interactions with Representative Gaetz". "While all the women that the Committee interviewed stated their sexual activity with Representative Gaetz was consensual, at least one woman felt that the use of drugs at the parties and events they attended may have 'impair(ed their) ability to really know what was going on or fully consent,'" the panel wrote. "One woman said, 'I think about it all the time ... . I still see him when I turn on the TV and there's nothing anyone can do. It's frustrating to know I lived a reality that he denies.'" Report alleges Gaetz 'used or possessed illegal drugs' on multiple occasions Committee investigators concluded that between 2017 to 2019, Gaetz "used or possessed illegal drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, on multiple occasions." "There is substantial evidence that Representative Gaetz used cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana. At least two women saw Representative Gaetz using cocaine and ecstasy at different events," the committee wrote. "Additionally, nearly every witness interviewed observed Representative Gaetz using marijuana." The committee wrote that Gaetz appeared to set up a "pseudonymous e-mail account from his House office in the Capitol complex for the purpose of purchasing marijuana." Gaetz denied using illicit drugs in his correspondence with the panel, the committee said. The committee investigation also focused on other violations of House rules. That included a September 2018 trip to the Bahamas where the committee found that Gaetz accepted gifts of transportation and lodging in excess of permissible amounts. Gaetz travelled to the Bahamas with two other men and six women. He flew to the Bahamas on a commercial airline but returned on a private plane, the committee found. "The attendees stated that this was a social trip - they sunbathed, chartered a boat, and went to dinners and to a casino as a group. Representative Gaetz engaged in sexual activity with at least four of the women on the trip," the committee wrote. The Justice Department had investigated whether the Bahamas trip was part of an effort to illegally influence Gaetz in the area of medical marijuana, CNN previously reported. The Ethics Committee probe also found that Gaetz helped a woman he met through Greenberg and had sex with to obtain a new passport. Committee investigators wrote that Gaetz connected the woman with his chief of staff, and Gaetz's top aide helped the woman get a passport appointment at a Miami passport office, saying she was his constituent even though she lived outside Gaetz's district. Committee resumed investigation following closure of federal case The committee's investigation into Gaetz began in 2021 but was put on hold work while a separate, years-long federal sex-trafficking investigation into the former congressman was underway. The federal investigation closed in February 2023 without any charges being filed against Gaetz. Once the federal case closed, the Ethics Committee resumed its work. When Gaetz resigned from Congress last month during his failed bid to become Trump's attorney general, the committee initially voted not to make public its final report on the former congressman. Weeks later, after the drafting of the report was officially complete, the panel reversed its decision. Gaetz was Trump's first pick to lead the Justice Department, but the ephemeral campaign to convince senators the MAGA firebrand should helm the department ended in late November after it became clear Gaetz did not have the votes to get confirmed. In a dissenting statement included in the report, Guest, the committee chair and a Mississippi Republican, wrote that he and a minority of other members on the panel opposed the release of the report because Gaetz was no longer a member of Congress. "The decision to publish a report after his resignation breaks from the Committee's long-standing practice, opens the Committee to undue criticism, and will be viewed by some as an attempt to weaponise the Committee's process," Guest said. Gaetz is now set to join the right-wing One America News Network as an anchor in January. House Speaker Mike Johnson had said he did not think the report should be released because Gaetz was no longer a member of Congress, while some lawmakers believed his resignation was an attempt to bury the investigation. It is rare for an ethics report to be released after a member has left Congress, though it has happened on a couple of occasions in the past. The committee noted that Gaetz did not answer most of their questions even as he corresponded with the panel over the course of its probe. "In addition to alleging that the Committee's process was being 'weaponised' against him, Representative Gaetz repeatedly alleged that the Committee Members and staff were leaking information to the press, that the Committee's non-partisan staff were actually acting as Democrats, or that the Committee was working on behalf of former-Speaker Kevin McCarthy," the committee wrote. - CNNA.J. Brown has limited practice with a knee injury
Tafara Gapare throws down 19 points and a highlight dunk, and Maryland beats Bucknell 91-67
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Tafara Gapare scored 19 points, freshman Derik Queen had 15 points and eight rebounds and Maryland beat Bucknell 91-67 on Wednesday night. Maryland opened the game on a 15-2 run, extended it to 25-7 with 10:38 left and led 51-28 at the break. The Terrapins led by at least 16 points the entire second half, which included runs of 12-0 and 9-0. Gapare scored the 10 straight points during the second-half run. Gapare threw down a highlight dunk while being fouled with 2:08 remaining to give Maryland an 89-62 lead. He was called for a technical foul after stepping over Patrick O’Brien, who was attempting to take a charge. Jayden Williams made the two free throws for Bucknell and Gapare missed his free-throw attempt that would have tied his career high of 20 points. Maryland (6-1) has won 20 consecutive home games against unranked nonconference foes with its last loss coming on Dec. 1, 2021, against Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Julian Reese added 14 points and Selton Miguel scored 13 for Maryland. Gapare, a Georgia Tech transfer, reached double-figure scoring as a Terp for the first time. The Terrapins shot 50% from the field with three 3-pointers apiece by Gapare and Miguel. Ruot Bijiek led Bucknell (4-4) with 20 points and Josh Bascoe added 10. The Bison turned it over 20 times leading to 22 Maryland points. Maryland stays at home to play Alcorn State on Sunday. Bucknell returns home to play Siena on Saturday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballNational Police Chief Pol Gen Kittharath Punpetch has pledged to uphold the law and police professionalism, protect life and property, and prevent and detect crime. In an exclusive interview with the Bangkok Post following the Police Commission's unanimous approval of his appointment, the Ratchaburi native, also the son of a former police officer himself, promises to perform his duties to the best of his abilities. He succeeded Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, who retired at the end of September. Pol Gen Kittharath, who served as the acting police chief, was one of the three candidates considered by the commission, chaired by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. The other two candidates were Pol Gen Kraiboon Suadsong, the inspector-general, and Pol Gen Thana Chuwong, the deputy national police chief. Pol Gen Kittharath, 58, will serve until the end of September 2026. "I will work with honesty and transparency for the happiness of the people. They are my core working policies," he said. As for police reshuffles and appointments, he said he will adhere to seniority rules under the Police Act to make the police a more professional organisation. "The police are expected to work with transparency to maintain law and order while also protecting people's lives and property," Pol Gen Kittharath said. A graduate of Benjamarachutit Ratchaburi School before studying at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School (AFAPS), Pol Gen Kittharath had always dreamed of becoming a fisherman. However, he fondly recalls succumbing to his father's powers of persuasion after the offer of a new fishing net if he passed the AFAPS entrance exam saw him change career course. "I was accepted to AFAPS because of that fishing net he promised me," Pol Gen Kittharath said, "I never received it as he passed away." Pol Gen Kittharath went on to become a member of Class 41 of the Royal Police Cadet Academy (RPCA). He joined the police service in February 1988 as a deputy inspector in Rayong's Muang district. Fast track to the top In 1995, a senior officer at Rayong provincial station recommended that he work with the former deputy commissioner of Provincial Police Region 1, Pol Maj Gen Thawatchai Phaili, as an assistant. Pol Gen Kittharath rose rapidly through the ranks to assume an executive role at the Royal Thai Police's (RTP) headquarters, where, under Pol Gen Jakthip Chaijinda's management, he excelled in intelligence work. Being appointed chief of Provincial Police Region 8 during the pandemic followed, before another promotion, this time to deputy chief. Recently, the stand-off between Pol Gen Torsak and his then deputy, Pol Gen Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn, saw Pol Gen Kittharath serve as acting national police chief. The national police chief and his deputy had made frequent headlines amid reports that Pol Gen Surachate could be charged with money laundering in connection with online gambling websites. He says the move by former prime minister Srettha Thavisin shocked him because he did not want to be drawn into the internal conflict. Pol Gen Kittharath served as acting national police chief for three months, and he says he had never thought about becoming the country's top policeman until then. "At that time, I admitted I felt exhausted because the Royal Thai Police's image was being eroded [by the reports about the stand-off between Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate]." He also told of the stress he felt from reading so much negativity. So after the commission approved his appointment as national police chief, he promised himself, as much as his officers and the public, that he would bring about change. Determined to apply his professional experience and knowledge, he says he is especially keen to work with non-commissioned and lower-ranking officers. "My father was a former non-commissioned police officer. So, I understand the role of non-commissioned police officers. They form the majority of the RTP. So we have to take care of them well," he said. Urgent policies Once in the top job, he identified 15 urgent policies he felt needed to be introduced. One was measures to help suppress illegal migrant workers while supporting the immigrant influx. Pol Gen Kittharath said the Immigration Bureau now has clearer procedures that govern working with various units, such as tourist police, provincial forces and metropolitan police. He is also eyeing creating a "police influencer", after questioning why the public turns to online activists when facing legal issues, instead of lodging their complaints directly with police about online scams, for example. "My goal is that if the idea of creating a police influencer succeeds, it will strengthen trust between officers and the public," said Pol Gen Kittharath. "The police will become the ones the public feel they can turn to," he added. The idea includes a plan to develop the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) as the main point of contact for international or complex cases. "The CIB's excellent investigative team will cooperate with other divisions and help strengthen public trust in the police." Apart from that, Pol Gen Kitharath said he instructed the Foreign Affairs Division to coordinate with police forces in neighbouring countries on international crime syndicates and intelligence exchanges. "The RTP should have information about those crime networks to hand. We need to know if an immigrant was involved with nominee registration, narcotic drug networks, or committed a crime here," he said. Pol Gen Kittharath is also eager to tackle cybercrime at the behest of the government and is preparing to bring both himself and his officers up to speed on the technology that underpins this rapidly growing crime wave. He has also prioritised narcotic suppression by cooperating with neighbouring countries, with the intention of eliminating the drug trade in the country. "Thailand serves as a delivery point, not as a manufacturing nation. If the suppression effort succeeds, narcotics will become far too expensive and will not be sold," he said. "I always work hard to translate my vision into action."
