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Comedian Rob Schneider announced that he plans to launch an all-women talk show that he expects to directly compete with The View . The Saturday Night Live alum announced his plans during a recent appearance on Fox News @ Night . “No Apologies Media, my new company, we’re going to do an all-ladies talk show that won’t be like The View ,” he told host Trace Gallagher. “It will be the opposite because this will be entertaining. It’ll be funny.... It’ll have funny women on it that are going to tell jokes and tell stories.” Schneider threw some serious shade at the ladies of The View as he promised his new show will feature “household names” and will not “be drowning in politics.” “It’s not going to be shaming people and making people wince,” he said, claiming it will be “the opposite” of ABC’s The View . “People are sick of it.” “We’re going to have an entertaining show with people from all over America,” he said. “We’re not trying to just bring people who are angry and bitter and reinforcing their political echo chamber.” “You’re going to love it,” he promised. Schneider later promoted the show on X, maintaining that it will be “a show for ALL OF US!!” “We will be a show that will NOT be a ‘Narrow View’ or what you have had to endure all these years... a ‘single view’ that scolds and demeans those that have a ‘differing view,'” he wrote . The View was launched in 1997 by veteran journalist Barbara Walters, featuring a rotating panel of female television personalities discussing politics and culture. The current iteration stars Whoopi Goldberg , Joy Behar , Sara Haines , Alyssa Farah Griffin , Sunny Hostin and Ana Navarro . The ladies of The View have largely become quite critical of the right and President-elect Trump’s politics, including Griffin, a former Trump staffer who was brought on after Meghan McCain ‘s exit to be the more conservative voice on the panel. Schneider’s new talk show appears to be in early development, with no title or names attached just yet. But Schneider said he hopes to begin filming episodes before Donald Trump’s inauguration, which is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2025.SMU has plenty to play for when it closes the regular season against California on Saturday afternoon in Dallas. The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), who checked in at No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday, would like to send their seniors off the right way. They would also like to complete a perfect regular season before appearing in the ACC title game in their first year in the conference. Most importantly, they want to continue to strengthen their playoff case. "You've got the College Football Playoff, so every game matters. That's what's so cool about it now. The regular season is important," SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. "We'd like to finish well in everything we do, particularly on Saturday, to finish off the regular season, continue our momentum into the following week. Hopefully, continue to show the committee and others that we're worthy of continuing to play this year." The Mustangs are a worthy playoff team to date. Kevin Jennings has established himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the country, throwing for 2,521 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also has rushed for 315 yards and four TDs. Brashard Smith has been another standout, rushing for 1,089 yards and 13 TDs. Defensively, the Mustangs rank tied for 14th in the country with 20 takeaways. "Obviously they've had a phenomenal season," Cal coach Justin Wilcox said of SMU. "As soon as you turn the tape on, it doesn't take very long to see why their record is what it is. They're very, very good really in every phase of the game - extremely explosive and quick and fast. They've got a dominant D-line. We've got a lot of challenges in front of us and our guys are excited for that." Cal (6-5, 2-5) is coming off an emotional win, defeating rival Stanford 24-21 on Saturday to secure a bowl berth. The Golden Bears will appear in consecutive bowls for the first time since 2018-19 and are now looking to clinch their first winning season since 2019. SMU is not overlooking Cal, as all five of the Golden Bears' losses have come by one score. "You'd be hard-pressed to find a better 6-5 team in America," Lashlee said. "I think you can conservatively say they very, very easily could be 9-2." Cal is led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown for 3,004 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions. Tight end Jack Endries leads the team with 555 yards receiving, while wide receiver Nyziah Hunter has caught a team-leading five touchdowns. Defensively, Cal has the ACC's top scoring defense (20.7 points per game) and is tied with Clemson for the ACC's best turnover margin (plus-13). Defensive back Nohl Williams is the star of the group -- he leads the country with seven interceptions. Even though oddsmakers are heavily favoring SMU, Cal is going into the game with a simple mindset. "Our task at hand is to make the best bowl game right now," Mendoza said. "And the way to do that is to go into Dallas, give it our best and ruin SMU's season." Saturday will mark the first conference meeting between these ACC newcomers, and just the second meeting between the programs all time. SMU won a 13-6 game back in 1957. --Field Level Media

After rough start under coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks' defense has become a strengthARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin has not missed many games during his two decades in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, and that remarkable durability is one reason why he is fast-approaching Wayne Gretzky's career goals record. The Capitals had lost 33 of their 59 games without Ovechkin in the lineup during his first 19 seasons, including 23 of 36 over the past decade. In stark contrast to that, they've won six of nine since the 39-year-old captain was sidelined by a broken left fibula — a testament to a roster built not only to help him break the record but prepare the organization for the post-Ovechkin era. “Ovi, he’s a legend, he’s special, he’s always going to probably lead the team in goals and we’re a better team with him, but we’re also a team where I think we’re not necessarily maybe relying on one or two players to win games,” said center Lars Eller, who rejoined the team in a trade from Pittsburgh a month ago. “We have four pretty strong lines, three D pairs and two good goalies. We don’t depend on one or two individuals, and I think that’s the strength of the team.” Depth fortified by the additions of centers Dylan Strome , Pierre-Luc Dubois and Eller, wingers Andrew Mangiapane , Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh, defensemen Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Rasmus Sandin and goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson over the past few years has been the key to remaining a playoff contender. Longtime general manager Brian MacLellan, who after the most recent makeover this past summer handed day-to-day duties to Chris Patrick and moved upstairs as president of hockey operations, excelled in keeping Washington's winning window open with Ovechkin in the second-to-last year of his contract. Veteran defenseman John Carlson said the infusion of talent “really lit a fire under everybody.” The Capitals led the Eastern Conference when Ovechkin got injured Nov. 18, and they remain atop the East more than three weeks into his absence. Fourteen players have scored a goal during this stretch, including six wins and an overtime defeat since losing the first two without him. “We’re a deep group,” said right winger Tom Wilson, the team's leading scorer during this stretch with nine points on five goals and four assists who expects to continue playing with a shield protecting his face after breaking a small bone in the sinus cavity area on the left side. "Everybody’s kind of stepping up on any given night. It’s a real group effort, and I think guys are really playing for each other.” Carlson, who along with Ovechkin, Wilson and now Eller upon return are the only players left from Washington's 2018 Stanley Cup championship team, also sees it as a case of younger teammates taking advantage of this chance. “There’s the colossal emptiness of it, but there’s also a lot of opportunity for guys who would never otherwise be there when he’s on this team,” Carlson said. “When someone goes down, it’s obviously always kind of a rallying thing where guys need to step up, guys need to fill in and play bigger roles and play more minutes. But I think the way that our team’s built is depth, and that’s been our strength this year is kind of contributions from everybody.” Ovechkin led all players with 15 goals when he went down, and the Capitals were the high-scoring team in the league at 4.33 goals a game. They still are, down just a tick to an average of 4.04, and their 16 goals from defensemen are a big reason for that after ranking second-last in blue line production last season. “We’re playing to our structure and doing what we want to do out there,” said Chychrun, who has eight points in nine games as part of an impressive start to his contract year. “We’ve got a D corps where everybody’s a really good player on that back end and can play in all situations and two-way guys and guys who have contributed offensively throughout their career.” Another major defense is second-year coach Spencer Carbery , who acknowledged the structure and playing standard as a good place to start but pointed the credit to veteran leaders like Carlson, Strome, Wilson and Nic Dowd for shepherding the Capitals through Ovechkin-less hockey. “They don’t go around the room and go, ‘Hey, we’ve got to do more, guys,’” Carbery said. “They don’t announce it, but what they do is they think about it and go: ‘OK, we’re missing him. I’ve got to step my game up and I need to bring more.’ And that’s not just on the ice, on the power play, on 5 on 6 when we’re defending a lead. It’s not just the Xs and Os. It’s in the locker room. It’s energy in practice. It’s all the things that he brings every day when he’s in the lineup and when he’s practicing.” Ovechkin skated before practice Wednesday and got an assist from longtime running mate Nicklas Backstrom, who stepped away 13 months ago because of a lingering hip injury. Carlson quipped, “I think Ovi wanted someone with a little more skill passing him the rock out there.” The day is coming soon when Ovechkin returns to team drills and then game action. The Capitals are doing more than stay afloat without him, but they'll welcome him back with open arms the moment he's ready. As Eller said, “Obviously I think we’re even better when he’s in the lineup.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

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Judge hears closing arguments on whether Google's advertising tech constitutes a monopoly ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — The Justice Department and Google have made their closing arguments in a trial alleging Google’s online advertising technology constitutes an illegal monopoly. The arguments in federal court Monday in northern Virginia came as Google already faces a possible breakup of the company over its ubiquitous search engine. The Justice Department says it will seek the breakup of Google to remedy its search engine monopoly. The case in Virginia focuses not on the search engine but on technology that matches online advertisers to consumers on the internet. A judge is expected to rule by the end of the year. ‘Busiest Thanksgiving ever’: How the TSA plans to handle record air travel DALLAS (AP) — The Thanksgiving travel rush is expected to be bigger than ever this year. AAA predicts that nearly 80 million people in the U.S. will venture at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and next Monday — most of them by car. Thanksgiving Day falling so late this year has altered traditional travel patterns. At airports, the Transportation Security Administration says it could screen a record number of U.S. air travelers on Sunday. Meanwhile, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration says a shortage of air traffic controllers could cause flight delays. Transportation analytics company INRIX says roads could be congested on Monday with both commuters and returning holiday travelers. Macy’s says employee hid up to $154 million in expenses, delaying Q3 earnings Macy’s says it’s delaying the release of its fiscal third-quarter earnings results after it discovered an up to $154 million accounting-related issue. The company did provide some preliminary results for its third quarter, including that net sales fell 2.4% to $4.74 billion. It anticipates reporting its full third-quarter financial results by Dec. 11. Newsom says California could offer electric vehicle rebates if Trump eliminates federal tax credit SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California could offer state tax rebates for electric vehicle purchases if the incoming Trump administration eliminates the $7,500 federal EV tax credit. Gov. Gavin Newsom says Monday he'll propose creating a new version of the state’s successful Clean Vehicle Rebate Program, which was phased out in 2023 after funding nearly 600,000 new cars and trucks. Officials didn’t say how much the program would cost or how the rebates would work. Newsom’s proposal is part of his plan to protect California’s progressive policies ahead of Republican President-elect Donald Trump’s second term. But a budget shortfall could complicate California’s resistance efforts. Warren Buffett gives away another $1.1B and plans for distributing his $147B fortune after his death OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Investor Warren Buffett renewed his Thanksgiving tradition of giving by handing out more than $1.1 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to four of his family's foundations Monday, and he offered new details about who will be handing out the rest of his fortune after his death. Buffett has said previously that his three kids will distribute his remaining $147.4 billion fortune in the 10 years after his death, but now he has also designated successors for them because it’s possible that Buffett’s children could die before giving it all away. Buffett said he has no regrets about his decision to start giving away his fortune in 2006. Stock market today: Dow hits another record as stocks rise NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose, with those benefiting the most from lower interest rates and a stronger economy leading the way. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% Monday to pull closer to its record set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 440 points to its own record set on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. They got a boost from easing Treasury yields after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants hedge-fund manager Scott Bessent to be his Treasury Secretary. Smaller companies can feel a big boost from easier borrowing costs, and the Russell 2000 index of small stocks finished just shy of its record. Workers at Charlotte airport, an American Airlines hub, go on strike during Thanksgiving travel week CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — American Airlines says it doesn’t expect significant disruptions to flights this week as a result of a labor strike at its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina. Service workers there walked out Monday during a busy week of Thanksgiving travel to protest what they say are unlivable wages. Employees of ABM and Prospect Airport Services authorized the work stoppage. Union spokesperson Sean Keady says the strike is expected to last 24 hours. The companies contract with American Airlines to provide services such as cleaning airplane interiors, removing trash and escorting passengers in wheelchairs. The companies have acknowledged the seriousness of a strike during the holiday travel season. At the crossroads of news and opinion, 'Morning Joe' hosts grapple with aftermath of Trump meeting The reaction of those who defended “Morning Joe” hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski for meeting with President-elect Trump sounds almost quaint in the days of opinionated journalism. Doesn't it makes sense, they said, for hosts of a political news show to meet with such an important figure? But given how “Morning Joe” has attacked Trump, its viewers felt insulted. Many reacted quickly by staying away. It all reflects the broader trend of opinion crowding out traditional journalist in today's marketplace, and the expectations that creates among consumers. By mid-week, the show's audience was less than two-thirds what it has typically been this year. Eggs are available -- but pricier -- as the holiday baking season begins Egg prices are on the rise again as a lingering outbreak of bird flu coincides with high demand during the holiday baking season. The average price for a dozen eggs in U.S. cities was $3.37 in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That was up 63% from October 2023, when a dozen eggs cost an average of $2.07. Avian influenza is the main culprit. The current bird flu outbreak that began in February 2022 has led to the slaughter of more than 111 million birds, mostly egg-laying chickens. But the American Egg Board says egg shortages at grocery stores have been isolated and temporary so far. Detroit's iconic Renaissance Center could see 2 towers razed in $1.6B redevelopment plan DETROIT (AP) — Two towers at Detroit’s iconic Renaissance Center would be razed and the complex converted to a mix of housing and offices under an ambitious $1.6 billion plan announced on Monday. GM will move its headquarters out of the complex next year. The towers are a symbol of Detroit, with aerial views often shown on television sports broadcasts. GM announced that it would join forces with the Bedrock real estate development firm and Wayne County to turn the partially vacant property into a roughly 27-acre entertainment complex across the Detroit River from Windsor, Ontario. Bedrock would invest at least $1 billion, with roughly $250 million more coming from GM and another $250 million in public money, possibly from the state of Michigan.BERLIN (AP) — Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel recalls Vladimir Putin's “power games” over the years, remembers contrasting meetings with Barack Obama and Donald Trump and says she asked herself whether she could have done more to prevent Brexit, in her memoirs published Tuesday. Merkel, 70, appears to have no significant doubts about the major decisions of her 16 years as German leader, whose major challenges included the global financial crisis, Europe’s debt crisis, the 2015-16 influx of refugees and the COVID-19 pandemic. True to form, her book — titled “Freedom” — offers a matter-of-fact account of her early life in communist East Germany and her later career in politics, laced with moments of dry wit. Merkel served alongside four U.S. presidents , four French presidents and five British prime ministers. But it is perhaps her dealings with Russian President Putin that have drawn the most scrutiny since she left office in late 2021. Putin's power games Merkel recalls being kept waiting by Putin at the Group of Eight summit she hosted in 2007 — “if there's one thing I can't stand, it's unpunctuality.” And she recounts a visit to the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi that year in which Putin's labrador appeared during a photo opportunity, although Putin knew she was afraid of dogs. Putin appeared to enjoy the situation, she writes, and she didn't bring it up — keeping as she often did to the motto “never explain, never complain.” The previous year, she recounts Putin pointing to wooden houses in Siberia and telling her poor people lived there who “could be easily seduced,” and that similar groups had been encouraged by money from the U.S. government to take part in Ukraine's “Orange Revolution” of 2004 against attempted election fraud. Putin, she says, added: “I will never allow something like that in Russia.” Merkel says she was irritated by Putin's “self-righteousness” in a 2007 speech in Munich in which he turned away from earlier attempts to develop closer ties with the U.S. She said that appearance showed Putin as she knew him, “as someone who was always on guard against being treated badly and ready to give out at any time, including power games with a dog and making other people wait for him.” “One could find this all childish and reprehensible, one could shake one's head over it — but that didn't make Russia disappear from the map,” she writes. As she has before, Merkel defends a much-criticized 2015 peace deal for eastern Ukraine that she helped broker and her government's decisions to buy large quantities of natural gas from Russia. And she argues it was right to keep up diplomatic and trade ties with Moscow until she left power, Obama and Trump Merkel concluded after first meeting then-Sen. Obama in 2008 that they could work well together. More than eight years later, during his last visit as president in Nov. 2016, she was one of the people with whom she discussed whether to seek a fourth term. Obama, she says, asked questions but held back with an opinion, and that in itself was helpful. He “said that Europe could still use me very well, but I should ultimately follow my feelings,” she writes. There was no such warmth with Trump, who had criticized Merkel and Germany in his 2016 campaign. Merkel says she had to seek an “adequate relationship ... without reacting to all the provocations.” In March 2017, there was an awkward moment when Merkel first visited the Trump White House. Photographers shouted “handshake!” and Merkel quietly asked Trump: “Do you want to have a handshake?” There was no response from Trump, who looked ahead with his hands clasped. Merkel faults her own reaction. “He wanted to create a topic of discussion with his behavior, while I had acted as if I were dealing with an interlocutor behaving normally,” she writes. She adds that Putin apparently “fascinated” Trump and, in the following years, she had the impression that “politicians with autocratic and dictatorial traits” beguiled him. Could Brexit have been avoided? Merkel says she tried to help then-Prime Minister David Cameron in the European Union as he faced pressure from British Euroskeptics, but there were limits to what she could do. And, pointing to Cameron's efforts over the years to assuage opponents of the EU, she says the road to Brexit is a textbook example of what can arise from a miscalculation. After Britons voted to leave the EU in 2016, an outcome she calls a “humiliation” for its other members, she says the question of whether she should have made more concessions to the U.K. “tortured me.” “I came to the conclusion that, in view of the political developments inside the country at the time, there would have been no acceptable possibility for me to prevent Britain's way out of the European Union from outside,” Merkel says. Giving up power Merkel was the first German chancellor to leave power at a time of her choosing. She announced in 2018 that she wouldn't seek a fifth term, and says she “let go at the right point.” She points to three 2019 incidents in which her body shook during public engagements as proof. Merkel says she had herself checked thoroughly and there were no neurological or other findings. An osteopath told her that her body was letting off the tension it had accumulated over years, she adds. “Freedom” runs to more than 700 pages in its original German edition, published by Kiepenheuer & Witsch. The English edition is being released simultaneously by St. Martin's Press. Geir Moulson, The Associated Press

FBI director says he intends to resign at end of Joe Biden’s termNone

ANKARA The European Union on Wednesday reached an agreement on new sanctions against Russia, targeting its “shadow fleet” of oil, according to an official statement. “Ambassadors have just agreed on the 15th package of sanctions in reaction to Russia's aggression against Ukraine,” the Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU 2024 announced on X. The EU member states initially failed to agree on the package when Latvia and Lithuania refused to support it as it also extended a provision that permits Western companies to continue operating in Russia despite existing sanctions, the Politico news outlet reported last week, citing diplomats familiar with the issue. The new sanctions package is expected to be discussed and formally approved by EU foreign ministers at their meeting on Dec. 16. The proposed package “adds more persons and entities to the already existing sanctions list, and targets entities in Russia and in third countries other than Russia that indirectly contribute to Russia’s military and technological enhancement through the circumvention of export restrictions,” the Hungarian presidency of the EU Council explained. “The adopted sanctions constrain the activity of additional vessels of third states operating to contribute or support actions or policies supporting Russia’s actions against Ukraine,” it also said, referring to Moscow’s shadow fleet of oil exporting ships. EU's new foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas hailed the news on X and wrote: "We must keep up strong pressure on Russia. Good to see the 15th sanctions package agreed. It will further weaken Putin's war machine." EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also wrote on X: "The EU and its G7 partners are committed to keeping a pressure on the Kremlin. I welcome the agreement on our 15th package of sanctions, targeting in particular Russia’s shadow fleet." The shadow fleet “consists of a growing number of aging and poorly maintained vessels that operate with minimal regard to the regulations, poses significant environmental, maritime safety, and security risks,” according to the EU Parliament. The EU has imposed a series of sanctions on Moscow since President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine in February 2022. In June, the EU Council adopted the 14th sanctions package against Russia to target individuals and businesses suspected of assisting Moscow in its war against Ukraine, including Chinese companies.

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Alex Ovechkin has not missed many games during his two decades in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, and that remarkable durability is one reason why he is fast-approaching Wayne Gretzky's career goals record. The Capitals had lost 33 of their 59 games without Ovechkin in the lineup during his first 19 seasons, including 23 of 36 over the past decade. In stark contrast to that, they've won six of nine since the 39-year-old captain was sidelined by a broken left fibula — a testament to a roster built not only to help him break the record but prepare the organization for the post-Ovechkin era. “Ovi, he’s a legend, he’s special, he’s always going to probably lead the team in goals and we’re a better team with him, but we’re also a team where I think we’re not necessarily maybe relying on one or two players to win games,” said center Lars Eller, who rejoined the team in a trade from Pittsburgh a month ago. “We have four pretty strong lines, three D pairs and two good goalies. We don’t depend on one or two individuals, and I think that’s the strength of the team.” Depth fortified by the additions of centers Dylan Strome , Pierre-Luc Dubois and Eller, wingers Andrew Mangiapane , Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh, defensemen Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy and Rasmus Sandin and goaltenders Charlie Lindgren and Logan Thompson over the past few years has been the key to remaining a playoff contender. Longtime general manager Brian MacLellan, who after the most recent makeover this past summer handed day-to-day duties to Chris Patrick and moved upstairs as president of hockey operations, excelled in keeping Washington's winning window open with Ovechkin in the second-to-last year of his contract. Veteran defenseman John Carlson said the infusion of talent “really lit a fire under everybody.” The Capitals led the Eastern Conference when Ovechkin got injured Nov. 18, and they remain atop the East more than three weeks into his absence. Fourteen players have scored a goal during this stretch, including six wins and an overtime defeat since losing the first two without him. “We’re a deep group,” said right winger Tom Wilson, the team's leading scorer during this stretch with nine points on five goals and four assists who expects to continue playing with a shield protecting his face after breaking a small bone in the sinus cavity area on the left side. "Everybody’s kind of stepping up on any given night. It’s a real group effort, and I think guys are really playing for each other.” Carlson, who along with Ovechkin, Wilson and now Eller upon return are the only players left from Washington's 2018 Stanley Cup championship team, also sees it as a case of younger teammates taking advantage of this chance. “There’s the colossal emptiness of it, but there’s also a lot of opportunity for guys who would never otherwise be there when he’s on this team,” Carlson said. “When someone goes down, it’s obviously always kind of a rallying thing where guys need to step up, guys need to fill in and play bigger roles and play more minutes. But I think the way that our team’s built is depth, and that’s been our strength this year is kind of contributions from everybody.” Ovechkin led all players with 15 goals when he went down, and the Capitals were the high-scoring team in the league at 4.33 goals a game. They still are, down just a tick to an average of 4.04, and their 16 goals from defensemen are a big reason for that after ranking second-last in blue line production last season. “We’re playing to our structure and doing what we want to do out there,” said Chychrun, who has eight points in nine games as part of an impressive start to his contract year. “We’ve got a D corps where everybody’s a really good player on that back end and can play in all situations and two-way guys and guys who have contributed offensively throughout their career.” Another major defense is second-year coach Spencer Carbery , who acknowledged the structure and playing standard as a good place to start but pointed the credit to veteran leaders like Carlson, Strome, Wilson and Nic Dowd for shepherding the Capitals through Ovechkin-less hockey. “They don’t go around the room and go, ‘Hey, we’ve got to do more, guys,’” Carbery said. “They don’t announce it, but what they do is they think about it and go: ‘OK, we’re missing him. I’ve got to step my game up and I need to bring more.’ And that’s not just on the ice, on the power play, on 5 on 6 when we’re defending a lead. It’s not just the Xs and Os. It’s in the locker room. It’s energy in practice. It’s all the things that he brings every day when he’s in the lineup and when he’s practicing.” Ovechkin skated before practice Wednesday and got an assist from longtime running mate Nicklas Backstrom, who stepped away 13 months ago because of a lingering hip injury. Carlson quipped, “I think Ovi wanted someone with a little more skill passing him the rock out there.” The day is coming soon when Ovechkin returns to team drills and then game action. The Capitals are doing more than stay afloat without him, but they'll welcome him back with open arms the moment he's ready. As Eller said, “Obviously I think we’re even better when he’s in the lineup.” ___ AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press

Fritz Heinemann (My Turn, Dec. 19) makes some observations about how different people deal with challenges to their perception of how things should be. He noted a lack of “resilience” and “maturity” ascribed to people seeking “safe spaces” and “refusing service” to members of the new administration, as if such things were commonplace. Have such occurred? Yes. Are such things commonplace? No. Heinemann implies that such actions are due to those whose party lost the election. He conveniently ignores the petulance and immaturity of Mr. Trump who claimed (with little to no evidence) about a rigged election system in 2020 (but not 2024). Heinemann ignores the hateful and divisive rhetoric that continues from Trump’s political supporters even after the election. And Heinemann also misses the proposed approach to “rebuilding” our democracy using retribution against supposed enemies and acts to stifle honest debate and free speech. Such things are much more damaging to the future of our system of government than reports of people seeking safe spaces. I largely agree that we need more people to act as adults. We should “return to the principles of courtesy and respect.” But we should not make this return while wearing political blinders. So, when I see Trump and his team step away from divisive rhetoric, insulting those who disagree, using the legal system to silence dissent and, instead, take up actions that works for all, I’ll agree we are moving ahead to rebuild our resilience and maturity. Jim Maneval, LewisburgBig Central Conference: American Gold All-Division football teams, 2024Who is Red Sox’ catcher of future after trading Kyle Teel to White Sox?

Top eight advance directly to Round of 16. Teams ranked 9-24 will compete in knockout round play-offs to determine the remaining spots in the last 16. Juventus 3, PSV Eindhoven 1 Aston Villa 3, Young Boys 0 Bayern Munich 9, Dinamo Zagreb 2 Liverpool 3, AC Milan 1 Real Madrid 3, Stuttgart 1 Sporting Lisbon 2, Lille 0 Bologna 0, Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Sparta Prague 3, Salzburg 0 Borussia Dortmund 3, Club Brugge 0 Celtic 5, Slovan Bratislava 1 Manchester City 0, Inter Milan 0 Paris Saint-Germain 1, Girona 0 Benfica 2, Crvena zvezda 1 Leverkusen 4, Feyenoord 0 Atalanta 0, Arsenal 0 Atlético Madrid 2, RB Leipzig 1 Monaco 2, Barcelona 1 Brest 2, Sturm Graz 1 Brest 4, Salzburg 0 Stuttgart 1, Sparta Prague 1 Inter Milan 4, Red Star Belgrade 0 Borussia Dortmund 7, Celtic 1 Barcelona 5, Young Boys 0 Leverkusen 1, AC Milan 0 Arsenal 2, Paris Saint-Germain 0 PSV Eindhoven 1, Sporting Lisbon 1 Manchester City 4, Slovan Bratislava 0 Atalanta 3, Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Feyenoord 3, Girona 2 Liverpool 2, Bologna 0 Juventus 3, RB Leipzig 2 Benfica 4, Atlético Madrid 0 Dinamo Zagreb 2, Monaco 2 Lille 1, Real Madrid 0 Aston Villa 1, Bayern Munich 0 Club Brugge 1, Sturm Graz 0 AC Milan 3, Club Brugge 1 Monaca 5, Crvena zvezda 1 Paris Saint-Germain 1, PSV Eindhoven 1 Stuttgart 1, Juventus 0 Arsenal 1, Shakhtar Donetsk 0 Aston Villa 2, Bologna 0 Girona 2, Slovan Bratislava 0 Sporting Lisbon 2, Strum Graz 0 Real Madrid 5, Borussia Dortmund 2 Atalanta 0, Celtic 0 Brest 1, Leverkusen 1 Manchester City 5, Sparta Prague 0 Liverpool 1, RB Leipzig 0 Barcelona 4, Bayern Munich 1 Lille 3, Atlético Madrid 1 Feyenoord 3, Benfica 1 Dinamo Zagreb 2, Salzburg 0 Inter Milan 1, Young Boys 0 PSV Eindhoven 4, Girona 0 Dinamo Grazeb 4, Slovan Bratislava 1 AC Milan 3, Real Madrid 1 Liverpool 4, Leverkusen 0 Borussia Dortmund 1, Sturm Graz 0 Sporting Lisbon 4, Manchester City 1 Lille 1, Juventus 1 Celtic 3, RB Leipzig 1 Monaco 1, Bologna 0 Club Brugge 1, Aston Villa 0 Shakhtar Donetsk 2, Young Boys 1 Bayern Munich 1, Benfica 0 Atlético Madrid 2, Paris Saint-Germain 1 Inter Milan 1, Arsenal 0 Salzburg 3, Feyenoord 1 Barcelona 5, Red Star Belgrade 2 Brest 2, Sparta Prague 1 Atalanta 2, Stuttgart 0 AC Milan 3, Slovan Bratislava 2 Atlético Madrid 6, Sparta Prague 0 Manchester City 3, Feyenoord 3 Bayern Munich 1, Paris Saint-Germain 0 Inter Milan 1, RB Leipzig 0 Barcelona 3, Brest 0 Leverkusen 5, Salzburg 0 Arsenal 5, Sporting Lisbon 1 Atalanta 6, Young Boys 1 Red Star Belgrade 5, Stuttgart 1 Strum Graz 1, Girona 0 Liverpool 2, Real Madrid 0 PSV Eindhoven 3, Shakhtar Donetsk 2 Borussia Dortmund 3, Dinamo Zagreb 0 Celtic 1, Club Brugge 1 Benfica 3, Monaco 2 Aston Villa 0, Juventus 0 Lille 2, Bologna 1 Dinamo Zagreb vs. Celtic, 12:45 p.m. Girona vs. Liverpool, 12:45 p.m. RB Leipzig vs. Aston Villa, 3 p.m. Leverkusen vs. Inter Milan, 3 p.m. Atalanta vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m. Club Brugge vs. Sporting Lisbon, 3 p.m. Shakhtar Donetsk vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. Salzburg vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. Brest vs. PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. Atlético Madrid vs. Slovan Bratislava, 12:45 p.m. Lille Sturm Graz, 12:45 p.m. Borussia Dortmund vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. Benfica vs. Bologna, 3 p.m. Arsenal vs. Monaco, 3 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Red Star Belgrade, 3 p.m. Feyenoord vs. Sparta Prague, 3 p.m. Stuttgart vs. Young Boys, 3 p.m. Atalanta vs. Sturm Graz, 12:45 p.m. Monaco vs. Aston Villa, 12:45 p.m. Slovan Bratislava vs. Stuttgart, 3 p.m. Club Brugge vs. Juventus, 3 p.m. Atlético Madrid vs. Leverkusen, 3 p.m. Benfica vs. Barcelona, 3 p.m. Liverpool vs. Lille, 3 p.m. Bologna vs. Borussia Dortmund, 3 p.m. Red Star Belgrade vs. PSV Eindhoven, 3 p.m. Leipzig vs. Sporting Lisbon, 12:45 p.m. Shakhtar vs. Brest, 12:45 p.m. Real Madrid vs. Salzburg, 3 p.m. Paris Saint-Germain vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. Sparta Prague vs. Inter Milan, 3 p.m. Arsenal vs. Dinamo Zagreb, 3 p.m. Celtic vs. Young Boys, 3 p.m. Feyenoord vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Girona, 3 p.m. Sporting Lisbon vs. Bologna, 3 p.m. PSV Eindhoven vs. Liverpool, 3 p.m. Young Boys vs. Red Star Belgrade, 3 p.m. Stuttgart vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. Sturm Graz vs. Leipzig, 3 p.m. Manchester City vs. Club Brugge, 3 p.m. Bayern Munich vs. Slovan Bratislava, 3 p.m. Inter Milan vs. Monaco, 3 p.m. Borussia Dortmund vs. Shakhtar, 3 p.m. Barcelona vs. Atalanta, 3 p.m. Leverkusen vs. Sparta Prague, 3 p.m. Juventus vs. Benfica, 3 p.m. Dinamo Zagreb vs. Inter Milan, 3 p.m. Salzburg vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. Lille vs. Feyenoord, 3 p.m. Aston Villa vs. Celtic, 3 p.m. Girona vs. Arsenal, 3 p.m. Brest vs. Real Madrid, 3 p.m.AGNC Investment Corp. Declares Fourth Quarter Dividends on Preferred Stock

The Electoral Commission has been made aware of a fake Fine Gael account on social media platform Bluesky, as a number of parties confirmed they were the targets of fake accounts. Several parties previously said that fake party accounts were being proliferated on Bluesky, including for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the Social Democrats, and Aontú. On Wednesday, several fake Bluesky accounts appear to have been suspended by the social media firm, including fake accounts for Micheál Martin, Simon Harris, the Social Democrats, and Aontú. Others, including those for Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, were deleted entirely. Bluesky, which started as a research initiative within Twitter in 2019, is a social media website similar to X, with users able to share short posts, photos, and videos. It has become more popular in recent weeks, with millions of users joining the platform in the wake of the US presidential election. On Wednesday, Fine Gael alleged that members of Ógra Shinn Féin were involved in the setting up of such fake accounts, with a statement on the since deleted Fine Gael Bluesky alleging Ógra Shinn Féin involvement. However, a Sinn Féin spokesperson strongly rejected any assertions that the party’s youth wing were involved. “This story is a fabrication. No Ógra Shinn Féin members were involved in this,” the spokesperson said. Fine Gael’s Emer Higgins said she hoped that nobody in Sinn Féin was involved, and that senior party figures were not aware. “In this era of increasing misinformation and declining public trust in media, the operation of fake accounts during an election is extremely disconcerting,” Ms Higgins said. A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission confirmed that Fine Gael brought a fake Bluesky account to its attention but said that no formal complaint had been made to the regulator. The commission has a voluntary framework on online electoral process information, political advertising and deceptive AI content that is specific to this general election. The framework has been agreed with a number of social media platforms but Bluesky is not one of these. "We have no formal legislative powers in this area so currently there is no legislative basis for us to deal with complaints," it said. The commission does not have the legal power to order social media platforms to take down misinformation or material that is damaging to the election system.Racing Optics® Introduces Game-Changing Twilight Tearoff to Enhance Visibility in Low-Light Racing Conditions

Sources: Belichick finalizing deal to be UNC coach

A WOMAN has divided opinion after she revealed she ditched being maid of honour at her best friend's wedding to work instead. Amy Dikinson, from Queensland, Australia, was originally looking forward to supporting her childhood bestie on her big day. Advertisement 4 She had already put a lot of time and money into the work event when her friend allegedly booked her wedding on the same day Credit: tiktok/@amzdicko 4 Amy claimed her friend had always been jealous of her Credit: Getty But that all quickly went downhill when Amy received the invitation only to realise the wedding day clashed with a work event already in her calendar. Taking to TikTok, Amy explained that although the story might put her in a bad light, it was really her mate who caused all the drama. It turns out that the work event was no little obligation Amy could get out of, but rather a big event for her own business she'd been planning for ages and had already put a lot of time and money into. "My best friend decided to book her wedding on the same day, was this intentional? I think so," Amy explained in the viral video. Advertisement READ MORE ON WEDDINGS DECKED OUT We got quoted £7k to hire 'rustic barn' for our wedding so booked a village hall BUDGET BRIDE I tried out Shein wedding dresses - the cheapest was £40, but a £116 gown won In the clip, the entrepreneur went on to call her former best friend "petty and bitter". So, Amy made her feelings known loud and clear by ripping up the invitation and sending it back to her friend, along with her bridesmaid dress which she also cut into multiple pieces. Speaking to Femail , Amy said this isn't the first time her friend has been so petty, and noted that she'd always been a little bit jealous of her success. "We would go shopping and something would look amazing and she would screw her face up and say she hates it - but then something would look awful and she would say to buy it," Amy said. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous CHEERS! Shoppers run to Primark for ‘cute’ Netflix show merch and cry ‘we need everything’ HAIR ME OUT Reverse hair loss for good by introducing five 'key role' foods into your diet SOFA, SO GOOD I'm an interiors pro - the 5 sofa mistakes making your living room look cheap OH HEIR You'd be horrified to see the royals' Xmas gift haul - this is what happens to them What made Amy even more convinced her friend had booked her wedding on the same day on purpose was the fact it was "a random Thursday in February" - not a day with any meaning to her pal. "It's a Thursday! That makes it so much worse, who is getting married on a Thursday? She definitely did that on purpose," one person commented on the video. I'm engaged & bought a load of Shein wedding dresses to try out - the cheapest was £40, but a £116 gown beat the rest And another wrote: "Your friend was clearing sabotaging your business!" Amy replied to one of the comments, revealing that she ended up blocker her former bestie on social media because of the drama. Advertisement Meanwhile, someone else said: "You definitely need to reconsider this friendship and boundaries. She doesn't sound like your best friend. Best friend and longest friend are different." And others suggested Amy should call the venue to see if she had really booked her wedding for the same day. However, not everyone was convinced by Amy's story and thought she could be making it all up to get attention for her business. "I feel like this story is really good marketing for your event, I'm not sure if it's true but slay," one person commented. Advertisement "Sorry, but this scream marketing," another said. Read more on the Scottish Sun SNOW JOKE Snow maps reveal the Scotland areas forecast to have a white Christmas OFF THE AIR 'Gutted to hear this', fans cry as BBC Scotland series axed after 19 years And someone else agreed: "This seems like a really good ad for the event." Our wedding guides Got a number of weddings coming up? Get ready with our wedding guides. The best high street bridesmaid dresses that we’re loving The best high street wedding dresses What to wear to a summer wedding What to wear to a winter wedding 4 Amy claimed she cut up her maid of honour dress and sent it back to her friend Credit: tiktok/@amzdicko Advertisement 4 She also called the wedding venue to check if there was a booking on the day Credit: Getty