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A pair of Mountain West Conference powers square off Saturday, when No. 20 San Diego State hosts Utah State in each team's second conference game. The Aztecs (8-2, 1-0 MWC) climbed three spots in this week's poll and have a five-game winning streak. Head coach Brian Dutcher's squad is ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the fifth time in six seasons and is chasing a fifth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Dutcher believes the difficult nonconference slate the Aztecs battled through will serve his team well ahead of Saturday's matchup with the Aggies (11-1, 1-0). "I'm really pleased with the effort I've gotten from these guys," Dutcher said. "We had as good a nonconference as we could have had with the schedule we played. A loss to Gonzaga, a loss to Oregon, that's nothing to hang your head over. Wins over Creighton, Houston, Cal and UC San Diego -- who's 11-2. I thought that we put a good resume together." Leading his new team in scoring at 13.4 points per game is senior Nick Boyd, who transferred from Florida Atlantic, where he faced San Diego State in the 2023 Final Four. Miles Byrd follows with 13.0 points per contest, up from just 4.0 a season ago, and BJ Davis adds 11.2 points per game. Saturday marks the first of two regular season games between the Aggies and Aztecs, with a third meeting in the conference tournament a strong possibility. Either San Diego State or Utah State has appeared in every MWC championship game since 2018, with the teams facing each other in four of the last six finals. Utah State only has one blemish on the season, a two-point loss to UC San Diego on Dec. 17. The Aggies won their first 10 games of the season prior to the defeat, marking the best start to a season in program history. First-year head coach Jerrod Calhoun's roster is a bit of a rarity in today's college basketball landscape. The Aggies' three leading scorers are all returned from last year's team coached by Danny Sprinkle. Mason Falslev (17.3 points per game), Ian Martinez (17.0) and Karson Templin (10.3) spearhead a Utah State group that looks to build off last year's NCAA Tournament first-round win over TCU. It was the Aggies' first tournament victory since 2001. "I've said all along, (Utah State) is a place that you can win at a high level consistently," Calhoun said. "They've shown that year after year, but these guys have the 'it factor.' ... It's about getting better each day. It's about enjoying the process. The outcomes will be there if you really take the process to heart." The Aggies will look to avenge last season's 86-70 loss to San Diego State in the MWC tournament semifinals. San Diego State and Utah State will meet again on Feb. 22 in Logan, Utah. --Field Level Media
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Whoever ends up coaching the Jacksonville Jaguars next season, receiver Brian Thomas Jr. will be the team's most dynamic rebuilding piece. Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes, including his fifth in as many games to Thomas , and the Jaguars beat the Tennessee Titans 20-13 in the rain Sunday to sweep the season series for just the fourth time in 30 years. Jones completed 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards, with most of those going to Thomas. The first-round draft pick from LSU finished with seven receptions for 91 yards. His 11-yard TD catch with 7:05 remaining gave him his eighth game with at least 60 yards and a score, tying him with Hall of Famer Randy Moss for the most by a rookie in NFL history . “Brian just keeps impressing each week,” said Jaguars coach Doug Pederson, whose future with the team remains cloudy. “You can't say enough good things about Brian.” Thomas also became the fifth player in Jaguars history with double-digit TD receptions in a single season, joining Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns, Marcedes Lewis and Reggie Williams. “It's definitely a great feeling to be able to do some of the things I did," Thomas said. “I don't even know all of them. But some of them I heard, just a great accomplishment.” The Titans (3-13) improved their position for the 2025 NFL draft — a potential chance to land a franchise quarterback — and secured last place in the AFC South. The Jaguars (4-12) guaranteed themselves third in the division. There was little else at stake in this Week 17 matchup. Jacksonville looked as if it might make it a blowout, but Pederson’s squad settled for field goals while building a 13-0 lead early. The Titans got back in it with an 85-yard drive to start the second half, which ended with Mason Rudolph’s 8-yard TD pass to a wide-open Nick Vannett. Tennessee kicked a field goal late to make it a seven-point game and got the ball back with 1:29 remaining. Rudolph drove the Titans to the Jacksonville 26, but safety Antonio Johnson knocked down his fourth down pass at the goal line to end it. “He was staring down the receiver the whole time," said Johnson, who was benched earlier this season. “Once I saw him pull the pin, I just broke on it and just got the ball on the ground. ... To seal the game felt good.” Rudolph completed 19 of 31 passes for 193 yards, with the touchdown and an interception in his second consecutive start in place of Will Levis. The Titans have lost five in a row and seven of eight. “I hope they’re not numb to it," coach Brian Callahan said. "I sure am not. ... It’s terrible. There’s no joy in this process. There’s no fun in this. It’s terrible. I feel it every day I walk into work. I feel it every day I stand up here in front of you guys. "Nothing is enjoyable about this, so I don’t get numb to any of it, and I hope nobody gets numb to it. And our job is to try to fix it. We’ll do whatever we can do to fix whatever problems we got to fix, to add whatever players we have to add, to make sure that we have a better football team moving forward.” Jacksonville’s Josh Hines-Allen moved a step closer to the franchise sack record. Hines-Allen sacked Rudolph in the third quarter, giving him 53 for his career and leaving him two shy of tying Tony Brackens’ team mark. Boris Cheek became the NFL’s all-time leader in games officiated when he took the field for the Titans-Jaguars game. Cheek officiated his 461st game over 29 seasons, passing Walt Coleman for the top spot. Coleman officiated 460 games over 30 seasons until his retirement in 2018. Titans running back Tyjae Spears was evaluated for a concussion late in the third quarter. Spears, who wears a protective “guardian cap” over his helmet to help prevent head injuries, ran 20 times for 95 yards. Tennessee had to turn to third-string right tackle John Ojukwu after backup Jaelyn Duncan left in the first half with a shoulder injury. Duncan started in place of Nicholas Petit-Frere, who was benched last week and inactive against Jacksonville. Jaguars right guard Brandon Scherff (shoulder) left in the second quarter but returned on the next series. Titans finish the season next weekend against division champion Houston. Jaguars play at Indianapolis next weekend to close out another year with double-digit losses. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflStanford knocks off Cal in both teams' ACC opener
Fazl says will 'mull' meeting Imran Khan if requested
Qatar tribune Agencies Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda’s unexpectedly dovish position on interest rate hikes expressed at a recent press conference puzzled many market players, calling further into question the central bank’s communication style that it has previously admitted needs to be improved. Explaining the bank’s latest decision to forego a rate hike, Ueda cited the “extremely slow” underlying pace of inflation and noted that the rise in import costs from a weaker yen is “calming down.” He suggested the bank is in no hurry for another hike. “There have been no factors that would clearly prevent the BOJ from raising rates,” said Koichi Fujishiro, an economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, who had predicted a December rate increase was possible. “It’s hard to tell if the current BOJ is a dove or a hawk. All we know at this point is it is just a bird,” he said, implying the bank is wavering. Ueda’s tone was notably different from that of October, when he signaled the bank was closer to another rate hike on the back of easing concerns about overseas economies. Ueda stated that he will no longer say the BOJ has “more time” to assess if further monetary tightening is necessary. He used the expression in September right after the bank decided to keep its policy rate on hold at around 0.25 percent. In mid-November, Ueda said that the BOJ is making “progress” toward achieving its 2 percent inflation target durably. Meanwhile, he said in a media interview published later that month that the timing of the next rate hike is “nearing.” Those who had taken his words at face value were confused on Thursday when Ueda said he is waiting for more data, particularly on wage trends, before determining when to hike again. The comment led some analysts to believe the next hike may not come until March, when major Japanese firms conclude their annual wage negotiations with labor unions. “The BOJ’s communication has room for improvement,” said Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co. The bank “should convey messages in a way that does not lead market participants’ perceptions about its policy to swing” he said. Key economic indicators have so far been moving in line with the BOJ’s expectations, experts say, meaning it could raise interest rates at any time. Some analysts say the bank’s change in discourse may have been attributable to recent political developments. A small opposition party, the Democratic Party for the People, which advocates for policies aimed at increasing disposable income among young people, made headway in October’s general election, while the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party lost a majority in the powerful lower house. The DPP’s increased political clout derived from its younger voters who are struggling to repay mortgages, as well as the fact that Ishiba’s government is drawing up measures to stimulate the economy, may have discouraged the BOJ from raising rates on Thursday, analysts said. “The government and the ruling parties are in the midst of discussions over economic measures,” said Saisuke Sakai, economist at Mizuho Research & Technologies Ltd. If the BOJ had raised rates, it would have had trouble “offering a convincing reason for the decision under such a situation.” The BOJ is exploring the right timing for a rate increase amid the changing political environment. Copy 22/12/2024 10A high-speed passenger train collided with a fire engine at a crossing on Saturday in Florida, injuring three firefighters and at least a dozen train passengers, authorities said. The crash happened at 10.45am in crowded downtown Delray Beach, multiple news outlets reported. The Brightline train was stopped on the tracks, its front destroyed, about a block away from the Delray Beach fire rescue truck, its ladder ripped off and strewn in the grass several yards away, The Sun-Sentinel newspaper reported. The Delray Beach Fire Rescue said in a social media post that three Delray Beach firefighters were in stable condition at a hospital. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue took 12 people from the train to the hospital with minor injuries. Emmanuel Amaral rushed to the scene on his golf cart after hearing a loud crash and screeching train brakes from where he was having breakfast a couple of blocks away. He saw firefighters climbing out of the window of their damaged truck and pulling injured colleagues away from the tracks. One of their helmets came to rest several hundred feet away from the crash. “The front of that train is completely smashed, and there was even some of the parts to the fire truck stuck in the front of the train, but it split the car right in half. It split the fire truck right in half, and the debris was everywhere,” Mr Amaral said. Brightline officials did not immediately comment on the crash. A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said it was still gathering information about the crash and had not decided yet whether it will investigate. The NTSB is already investigating two crashes involving Brightline’s high-speed trains that killed three people early this year at the same crossing along the railroad’s route between Miami and Orlando. More than 100 people have died after being hit by trains since Brightline began operations in July 2017 – giving the railroad the worst death rate in the United States. But most of those deaths have been either suicides, pedestrians who tried to run across the tracks ahead of a train or drivers who went around crossing gates instead of waiting for a train to pass. Brightline has not been found to be at fault in those previous deaths.
Mac Jones threw two touchdown passes Sunday and the Jacksonville Jaguars earned a season sweep of the visiting Tennessee Titans with a 20-13 victory. Jones connected on 15 of 22 passes for 174 yards, finding Parker Washington and rookie Bryan Thomas Jr. for scores, as Jacksonville (4-12) left Tennessee (3-13) behind in the AFC South cellar. Cam Little booted field goals of 48 and 44 yards. Mason Rudolph hit 19 of 31 attempts for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Titans, which dropped their fifth consecutive game. Tyjae Spears rushed for 95 yards on 20 carries, playing in place of Tony Pollard (flu/ankle). Jones' 11-yard scoring strike to Thomas with 7:05 left in the game gave the Jaguars a 20-10 lead but Tennessee responded with Matthew Wright's 28-yard field goal at the 2:02 mark. After getting a three-and-out, the Titans had a chance to force overtime and reached the Jacksonville 26. But Rudolph's fourth-down pass intended for Nick Westbrook-Ikhine was knocked down at the goal line with nine seconds left. The pregame storyline concerned which team could benefit most from a loss. Both entered a game behind the New York Giants for the potential No. 1 overall pick in April's NFL Draft. Jacksonville initiated scoring on the game's opening drive, needing to drive only 38 yards on nine plays to set up Little for his first field goal at the 10:46 mark. The Jaguars got into the end zone for the first time with 8:59 left in the half on Jones' 2-yard touchdown pass to Washington, coming five plays after Rudolph tossed a tipped-ball interception. Little's second field goal upped the margin to 13-0 with 2:02 remaining before Tennessee pieced together a two-minute drive that set up Wright for a 39-yard field goal as time expired, making it 13-3 at halftime. The Titans started the second half with their best drive of the game, chewing up 85 yards and eight minutes before Rudolph hit Nick Vannett with an 8-yard strike to cut the margin to 13-10. --Field Level Media
BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM news outlet reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The insurgency announced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. The city's capture is a major victory for the rebels, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said rebel control of Homs would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. For the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. The rapid rebel gains, coupled with the lack of support from Assad's erstwhile allies, posed the most serious threat to his rule since the start of the war. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that would lead to the end of military activity and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria; Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad; Josef Federman and Victoria Eastwood in Doha, Qatar; and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed to this report.
NexOptic Technology Corp. ( CVE:NXO – Get Free Report ) shares fell 20% on Friday . The stock traded as low as C$0.02 and last traded at C$0.02. 480,200 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 387% from the average session volume of 98,644 shares. The stock had previously closed at C$0.03. NexOptic Technology Stock Performance The stock has a market cap of C$3.90 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.00 and a beta of 1.14. The firm’s 50-day moving average is C$0.03 and its two-hundred day moving average is C$0.02. The company has a current ratio of 0.07, a quick ratio of 0.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 56.33. NexOptic Technology Company Profile ( Get Free Report ) NexOptic Technology Corp., a technology company, develops artificial intelligence and imaging products. It engages in developing All Light Intelligent Imaging Solutions (ALIIS), a suite of intelligent imaging solution that processes raw images and video in real time; and NexCompress technological solutions. See Also Receive News & Ratings for NexOptic Technology Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NexOptic Technology and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
Maura Derrane has shared a sweet memory and momento her mother has kept for almost three decades. Her parents, farmer Mattie and homemaker Bridgie, built their home in Inis Mór with Maura enjoying a quintessential Irish childhood there, and on returning there to celebrate Christmas , she found a newspaper clipping from 1995. The clipping was from story about Maura overcoming illness as she took on a project - theatre acting - to help her launch her television career. Read more: Maura Derrane is the spitting image of her mum in rare throwback photo Read more: Married couple killed in St. Stephen’s Day hit and run were with their daughter Posting a snapshot of the clipping to Instagram, she shared that she is always amazed at the things her mum keeps. She said: "Every time I come home to Inis Mór , I find a memory my mother has kept from many moons ago." "She showed me this newspaper clipping the other day, which she kept from 1995, when I launched my acting career. It’s a play from the Taibhdhearc Theatre in Galway." Explaining why she wanted to tackle the challenge of a play, she said: "I had just started working on television at the time, but has such a fear of cameras and public speaking that I decided I had to do something to get over it." "Facing my fears on stage seemed like the best way to do it. I seriously nearly passed out of the opening night, not just from the flu, but seeing actual humans in the audience." "But it was exhilarating at the same time. And it worked! It help me face the film and continue working in this industry since. Facing our fears is the only way!" On another occasion that she was home, she came across an old picture of her mum, who looks just like her. Taking to social media to share the beautiful black and white photo, Maura explained that her mother had made her own dress.
Op-Ed: AGI – Not mad science or bad science, but way too much spin in the market
The UN's marathon climate summit neared the finish line early Sunday, with nations due to approve or reject a hotly-disputed deal for wealthy historic emitters to provide at least $300 billion to poorer countries that had demanded much more. After an exhausting two weeks of negotiations in Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea capital of Baku, COP29 president Mukhtar Babayev declared open the final summit plenary after midnight, two days after the conference was officially scheduled to end. A final text was released following several sleepless nights for negotiators, with tensions boiling over as small islands states and the world's poorest countries walked out of one meeting. "This package is an affront to us. We are the countries that have the most at stake," said Tina Stege, climate envoy of the Marshall Islands, an atoll nation threatened by rising seas. Top German negotiator Jennifer Morgan told AFP that countries would be presented a "take it or leave it" deal. Before the closing session, delegates huddled in small groups on the floor of the main conference room inside Baku's sports stadium to pore over copies of the latest draft deal line by line. "I know that none of us want to leave Baku without a good outcome," Babayev said. A number of countries have accused Azerbaijan, an authoritarian oil and gas exporter, of lacking the experience and will to meet the moment, as the planet again sets temperature records and faces rising deadly disasters. Small island nations and impoverished African states on Saturday angrily stormed out of a meeting with Azerbaijan, saying their concerns had been ignored. "I think it caught a lot of people by surprise," said Brazil's climate envoy, Ana Toni. "It all happened very quickly." The walkout triggered an emergency meeting between those nations and top negotiators from the European Union, United States and Britain with the COP29 presidency in which new proposals were made. Wealthy countries and small island nations have also been concerned by efforts led by Saudi Arabia to water down calls from last year's summit to phase out fossil fuels. The final text proposes that rich nations raise to at least $300 billion a year by 2035 their commitment to poorer countries to fight climate change. It is up from $100 billion now provided by wealthy nations under a commitment set to expire -- and from $250 billion proposed in a draft Friday. That offer was slammed as offensively low by developing countries, which have demanded at least $500 billion to build resilience against climate change and cut emissions. Sierra Leone's climate minister Jiwoh Abdulai, whose country is among the world's poorest, called the draft "effectively a suicide pact for the rest of the world". Developing power Brazil pleaded for at least some progress and said it would seek to build on it when it leads COP30 next year in the Amazon gateway of Belem. "After the difficult experience that we're having here in Baku, we need to reach some outcome that is minimally acceptable in line with the emergency we're facing," Brazil's environment minister Marina Silva told delegates. As staff at the cavernous and windowless stadium began packing up, diplomats rushed between meetings, some armed with food and water in anticipation of another late night. Panama's outspoken negotiator, Juan Carlos Monterrey Gomez, warned not to repeat the failure of COP15 in Copenhagen in 2009. "I'm sad, I'm tired, I'm disheartened, I'm hungry, I'm sleep-deprived, but there is a tiny ray of optimism within me because this cannot become a new Copenhagen," he told reporters. Climate activists shouted "shame" as US climate envoy John Podesta walked the halls. "Hopefully this is the storm before the calm," he said. Wealthy nations say it is politically unrealistic to expect more in direct government funding. Donald Trump, a sceptic of both climate change and foreign assistance, returns to the White House in January and a number of other Western countries have seen right-wing backlashes against the green agenda. The draft deal posits a larger overall target of $1.3 trillion per year to cope with rising temperatures and disasters, but most would come from private sources. South African Environment Minister Dion George, however, said: "I think being ambitious at this point is not going to be very useful." The United States and EU have wanted newly wealthy emerging economies like China -- the world's largest emitter -- to chip in. The final draft encouraged developing countries to make contributions on a voluntary basis, reflecting no change for China which already pays climate finance on its own terms. The EU and other countries have also tussled with Saudi Arabia over including strong language on moving away from fossil fuels, which negotiators say the oil-producing country has resisted. "We will not allow the most vulnerable, especially the small island states, to be ripped off by the new, few rich fossil fuel emitters," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. bur-np-sct-lth/jmStanford knocks off Cal in both teams' ACC opener
Bristol's 21 lead Hampton past Loyola (MD) 76-68NonePatients languish in hospital for 12,600 YEARS due to bed blocking Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By MICHAEL BLACKLEY, POLITICAL EDITOR FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 15:11 EST, 26 December 2024 | Updated: 15:11 EST, 26 December 2024 e-mail View comments Patients have spent an extra 4.6 million days in hospital over nearly a decade due to ‘bed blocking’. Figures stretching back to 2016/17 show the huge number of beds taken up by patients who are medically ready to be discharged. SNP ministers have previously promised to abolish bed blocking, also known as delayed discharge, which often occurs because no care home beds are available or care packages have been finalised to allow patients to be released. The number of cases of bed blocking already looks on course to soar to another record high during the current year, 2024/25. Since Public Health Scotland (PHS) began producing figures in July 2016, there have been a combined total of 4,606,266 ‘bed days’ lost to delayed discharge. Alastair Cameron, chairman of the Scotland in Union campaign group, said: ‘The Scottish Government has made repeated pledges to tackle delayed discharge, but things are only getting worse. ‘Everyone knows it has long been a problem for Scotland’s NHS , and people will be shocked to see the sheer scale of it. ‘It’s appalling that millions of bed days have been taken up while patients wait on hospital trolleys and others struggle to get an appointment at all. There have been a combined total of 4,606,266 ‘bed days’ lost to delayed discharge since July 2016 John Swinney made promises over bed blocking ‘This is the consequence of a nationalist government being more worried about its narrow constitutional agenda than about fixing the things which matter to Scots today.’ In 2015, the then SNP Health Secretary Shona Robison pledged to eradicate delayed discharge by the end of the year. The PHS data showed that 399,315 bed days were lost to delayed discharge in 2016/17 and this figure then increased every year until 2020/21, when it fell back to 358,426. Bed days lost to delayed discharge then increased annually to 540,302 in 2021/22, 661,705 in 2022/23 and 666,190 in 2023/24. The figures for 2024/25 had already hit 422,229 by October this year, meaning it is currently on course to be another record high. Shortly after he became First Minister earlier this year, John Swinney pledged to prioritise efforts to ‘deliver sustainable social care by reducing delayed discharge’. Alastair Cameron, chairman of the Scotland in Union campaign When he unveiled his programme for government in September, Mr Swinney also promised to ‘intensify our work to tackle delayed discharge’. He said: ‘No one should remain in hospital any longer than they need to. Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement 'So we will standardise best practice and an integrated approach, from the time a person enters hospital through to their timely discharge. ‘This will ensure everyone can recover in the best, least intensive setting for them, whilst also making room in hospital for those who need it.’ A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘Most people are able to leave hospital with no delays - currently over 96 per cent of all hospital discharges happen without delay - but reducing delayed discharges further is a priority for the Scottish Government. ‘Our Budget for 2025-26 will invest £200 million to reduce waiting list backlogs, improve capacity and remove barriers which keep some patients in hospital longer than necessary. ‘We also want to expand Hospital at Home to treat 150,000 more patients, deliver additional support for GPs and invest in new hospitals at Belford and Monklands. ‘Our Budget will unlock investment to drive long-term and lasting improvements - and the healthier population that we all want to see. 'The NHS needs Parliament to unite behind this Budget.’ John Swinney SNP NHS Share or comment on this article: Patients languish in hospital for 12,600 YEARS due to bed blocking e-mail Add commentNews Hub Creator 5h Popular Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels took to social media to celebrate her elder brother, Lawrence, on his birthday. Regina shared a series of heartfelt photos and videos capturing cherished moments with her brother, accompanied by a touching message expressing her love and gratitude. Check out the screen capture of the post below; Regina Daniels described Lawrence as her biggest supporter and protector, highlighting the strong bond they share. In her post, Regina praised Lawrence for always standing by her side and being a constant source of encouragement. She wished him happiness, success, and good health in the coming year. Immediately after Regina’s post surfaced social media, Fans and followers rushed down to the comment section with birthday wishes for Lawrence, applauding the siblings’ close relationship. In response, Lawrence responded to Regina’s post with appreciation, thanking her for the wish. The birthday celebration showcased the deep love and connection between Regina and her brother. Log in to leave a comment
A lead organization monitoring for food crises around the world withdrew a new report this week warning of imminent famine in north Gaza under what it called Israel's “near-total blockade,” after the U.S. asked for its retraction, U.S. officials told The Associated Press. The move follows public criticism of the report from the U.S. ambassador to Israel. The rare public challenge from the Biden administration of the work of the U.S.-funded Famine Early Warning System, which is meant to reflect the data-driven analysis of unbiased experts, drew accusations from aid and human-rights figures of possible U.S. political interference. A finding of famine would be a public rebuke of Israel, which has insisted that its 15-month war in Gaza is aimed against the Hamas militant group and not against its civilian population. > Philadelphia news 24/7: Watch NBC10 free wherever you are U.S. ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew earlier this week called the warning by the internationally recognized group inaccurate and “irresponsible." Lew and the U.S. Agency for International Development, which funds the monitoring group, both said the findings failed to properly account for rapidly changing circumstances in north Gaza. Humanitarian and human rights officials expressed fear of U.S. political interference in the world's monitoring system for famines. The U.S. Embassy in Israel and the State Department declined comment. FEWS officials did not respond to questions. “We work day and night with the U.N. and our Israeli partners to meet humanitarian needs — which are great — and relying on inaccurate data is irresponsible,” Lew said Tuesday. USAID confirmed to the AP that it had asked the famine-monitoring organization to withdraw its stepped-up warning issued in a report dated Monday. The report did not appear among the top updates on the group's website Thursday, but the link to it remained active. The dispute points in part to the difficulty of assessing the extent of starvation in largely isolated northern Gaza. Thousands in recent weeks have fled an intensified Israeli military crackdown that aid groups say has allowed delivery of only a dozen trucks of food and water since roughly October. Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world. FEWS Net said in its withdrawn report that unless Israel changes its policy, it expects the number of people dying of starvation and related ailments in north Gaza to reach between two and 15 per day sometime between January and March. The internationally recognized mortality threshold for famine is two or more deaths a day per 10,000 people. FEWS was created by the U.S. development agency in the 1980s and is still funded by it. But it is intended to provide independent, neutral and data-driven assessments of hunger crises, including in war zones. Its findings help guide decisions on aid by the U.S. and other governments and agencies around the world. A spokesman for Israel's foreign ministry, Oren Marmorstein, welcomed the U.S. ambassador's public challenge of the famine warning. “FEWS NET - Stop spreading these lies!” Marmorstein said on X. In challenging the findings publicly, the U.S. ambassador "leveraged his political power to undermine the work of this expert agency,” said Scott Paul, a senior manager at the Oxfam America humanitarian nonprofit. Paul stressed that he was not weighing in on the accuracy of the data or methodology of the report. “The whole point of creating FEWS is to have a group of experts make assessments about imminent famine that are untainted by political considerations,” said Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch and now a visiting professor in international affairs at Princeton University. “It sure looks like USAID is allowing political considerations -- the Biden administration’s worry about funding Israel’s starvation strategy -- to interfere." Israel says it has been operating in recent months against Hamas militants still active in northern Gaza. It says the vast majority of the area’s residents have fled and relocated to Gaza City, where most aid destined for the north is delivered. But some critics, including a former defense minister, have accused Israel of carrying out ethnic cleansing in Gaza’s far north, near the Israeli border. North Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its war with Hamas militants. Global famine monitors and U.N. and U.S. officials have warned repeatedly of the imminent risk of malnutrition and deaths from starvation hitting famine levels. International officials say Israel last summer increased the amount of aid it was admitting there, under U.S. pressure. The U.S. and U.N. have said Gaza’s people as a whole need between 350 and 500 trucks a day of food and other vital needs. But the U.N. and aid groups say Israel recently has again blocked almost all aid to that part of Gaza. Cindy McCain, the American head of the U.N. World Food Program, called earlier this month for political pressure to get food flowing to Palestinians there. Israel says it places no restrictions on aid entering Gaza and that hundreds of truckloads of goods are piled up at Gaza’s crossings and accused international aid agencies of failing to deliver the supplies. The U.N. and other aid groups say Israeli restrictions, ongoing combat, looting and insufficient security by Israeli troops make it impossible to deliver aid effectively. Lew, the U.S. ambassador, said the famine warning was based on “outdated and inaccurate” data. He pointed to uncertainty over how many of the 65,000-75,000 people remaining in northern Gaza had fled in recent weeks, saying that skewed the findings. FEWS said in its report that its famine assessment holds even if as few as 10,000 people remain. USAID in its statement to AP said it had reviewed the report before it became public, and noted “discrepancies” in population estimates and some other data. The U.S. agency had asked the famine warning group to address those uncertainties and be clear in its final report to reflect how those uncertainties affected its predictions of famine, it said. “This was relayed before Ambassador Lew’s statement,” USAID said in a statement. “FEWS NET did not resolve any of these concerns and published in spite of these technical comments and a request for substantive engagement before publication. As such, USAID asked to retract the report.” Roth criticized the U.S. challenge of the report in light of the gravity of the crisis there. “This quibbling over the number of people desperate for food seems a politicized diversion from the fact that the Israeli government is blocking virtually all food from getting in,” he said, adding that “the Biden administration seems to be closing its eyes to that reality, but putting its head in the sand won’t feed anyone.” The U.S., Israel’s main backer, provided a record amount of military support in the first year of the war. At the same time, the Biden administration repeatedly urged Israel to allow more access to aid deliveries in Gaza overall, and warned that failing to do so could trigger U.S. restrictions on military support. The administration recently said Israel was making improvements and declined to carry out its threat of restrictions. Military support for Israel’s war in Gaza is politically charged in the U.S., with Republicans and some Democrats staunchly opposed any effort to limit U.S. support over the suffering of Palestinian civilians trapped in the conflict. The Biden administration’s reluctance to do more to press Israel for improved treatment of civilians undercut support for Democrats in last month’s elections. ___ Sam Mednick and Josef Federman in Jerusalem contributed to this report.Ottawa has been flooded with tourists as hockey fans from around the world arrive in the nation's capital. The IIHF World Junior Championships and the Bell Capital Cup are being held simultaneously, adding to an already busy period for holiday shopping. With holiday markets still wrapping up, it's creating a buzz the city has seldom seen in recent winters. "Leisure season for Ottawa is usually the summer, and then fall and spring are more about business tourism, conferences, congresses," said Jerome Miousse, director of public affairs with Tourism Ottawa. "To have a leisure peak now during the holidays, it's very good for the city." 250 minor hockey teams are taking part in the 24th annual Bell Capital Cup, bringing more than 4,500 U10 to U13 players and their families, filling hotels. Hockey Canada says the World Juniors attracts roughly 100,000 unique visitors to the host city every year that it is held in Canada. "Roughly 80 per cent of the people will come from 200 kilometres away from Ottawa, in that region, and the other 20 per cent will come from beyond that," said Dean McIntosh, a senior vice president for Hockey Canada. "We expect somewhere between 330,000 and 350,000 fans will come into a building to attend the game. Now, that doesn't include the fans that will also attend Fan Fest here in Ottawa." The Ottawa-Gatineau Hotel Association (OGHA) says accommodations around the city are between 80 and 90 per cent full. "What's great about this event is it's spread out all over the community," said Steve Ball, president of the OGHA. "It's benefiting hotels that are out in the Kanata area, in the south end." With thousands of visitors filling the city, the local economy is expecting a boost in the millions of dollars. The Bell Capital Cup runs until Dec. 31 and the World Juniors stretch to Jan. 5. Officials have high hopes for what the tournaments could mean for the local economy. "The main benchmark we have is the Halifax-Moncton World Juniors a couple of years ago," said Miousse. "They had an economic impact of $50 million. So that's our benchmark." Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks Here Are All The Best Amazon Boxing Day Deals You Can Find On Beauty Products In Canada These Walking Pads Will Help You Get 10,000 Steps Every Day (And They're On Sale In The Name Of Boxing Day) 10 Family Calendars And Planners That'll Help You Keep Track Of Everything In The New Year Home If You're Headed Somewhere Warm On Vacation, Don't Forget To Pack These 16 Things Our Guide To The Best Snow Shovels In Canada In 2024 (And Where To Get Them) 14 Of The Best Home Security Devices You Can Find Online Right Now (And They've Got The Reviews To Prove It) Gifts The Clock Is Ticking — Shop These 25 Last-Minute Amazon Prime Gifts Now If You Have An Amazon Prime Account, These 70+ Crowd-Pleasing Gifts Will Still Arrive Before Christmas If You Have An Amazon Prime Account, These 50 Brilliant Stocking Stuffers Will Still Arrive Before Christmas Beauty 20 Products Your Dry, Dehydrated Skin Will Thank You For Ordering 14 Hydrating Face Masks That’ll Save Your Skin This December 12 Budget-Friendly Products To Add To Your Winter Skincare Routine Deals 11 Bestselling Coffee Makers And Espresso Machines You Can Get On Sale Right Now Don’t Walk, Run! These LEGO Kits Are On Sale For Boxing Day 2024 The Waterpik Advanced Water Flosser Will Make Cleaning Your Teeth So Much Easier — And It's 41% Off For Boxing Day Ottawa Top Stories Here's how you can watch CTV News at Six tonight during the NFL game G2 driver stopped going more than 100 km/h over the speed limit on Hwy. 401 in eastern Ontario TC Energy says early morning gas leak near Cornwall, Ont. resolved Families enjoy unique programming at Ottawa museums over holiday break Environment Canada lifts freezing rain warning for Ottawa Major hockey tournaments, holiday shoppers bring big business to Ottawa Here’s what’s next for your Christmas tree Police watchdog investigating after officer shot crowd control gun at Ottawa man CTVNews.ca Top Stories Canadian model Dayle Haddon dies from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning Dayle Haddon, an actor, activist and trailblazing former 'Sports Illustrated' model who pushed back against age discrimination by reentering the industry as a widow, has died in a Pennsylvania home from what authorities believe was carbon monoxide poisoning. Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal has publicly released letters he sent to the Liberal caucus and president of the Liberal Party of Canada, calling on them to begin the process of moving on from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Magnus Carlsen quits World Rapid and Blitz Championships after refusing to change out of jeans World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen quit the World Rapid Chess Championship on Friday after he refused to change out of the jeans he was wearing, according to the International Chess Federation (FIDE). If you're mentally struggling during the holidays, here’s how to cope For many people, celebrating New Year’s Day can include reflecting on a life well lived or a chance to start anew. But for some, the holiday may have dark undertones, according to a recent large study. Friend of Quebec man killed in Florida boat explosion says his sister also injured A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion earlier this week says one of the victim's sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump's ongoing 51st state comments Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada's new $1.3 billion border plan with members of Donald Trump's transition team, a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. G2 driver stopped going more than 100 km/h over the speed limit on Hwy. 401 in eastern Ontario A 17-year-old driver is facing charges after being caught speeding and driving dangerously on Highway 401 in eastern Ontario Friday evening, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). Physical therapy is 'the best-kept secret in health care' If you think physical therapy is only about rehabilitation after surgery or recovering from an accident, think again. For the vast majority, seeing a physical therapist should be about prevention, routine assessment and staying well. Delta, B.C., port terminals closed after 'machinery fire' Saturday morning A large fire at the port in Delta, B.C., sent a plume of smoke into the sky Saturday morning. Atlantic No one injured after vehicle crashes into Shoppers Drug Mart: N.S. RCMP RCMP is investigating after a vehicle crashed into a Shoppers Drug Mart in Lower Sackville, N.S. on Saturday. Nova Scotia Muslim Society making hot meals and winter care packages for those in need For the fourth consecutive year, the Nova Scotia Islamic Society got together on Saturday to prepare warm meals and winter care packages to hand out for their community. Environment Canada forecasts mix of freezing rain and rain for parts of Maritimes Some nasty weather is headed toward parts of the Maritimes over the next few days, bringing with it a mix of freezing rain, rain and snow. Toronto Toronto, GTA to see ‘significant rainfall’ on Sunday Toronto and neighbouring areas are expected to see “significant rainfall” on Sunday. Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for most of the Greater Toronto Area. One person injured, suspect charged with arson following Etobicoke apartment fire A suspect has been charged with arson after a two-alarm fire at an Etobicoke apartment complex early Saturday morning left one person with injuries. Motorcyclist dead after 2-vehicle crash in Stouffville, Ont.: police A 21-year-old man is dead following a two-vehicle crash in Stouffville, Ont. early Saturday morning. Montreal Friend of Quebec man killed in Florida boat explosion says his sister also injured A childhood friend of the Quebec man killed in a Florida boat explosion earlier this week says one of the victim's sisters was among the other six passengers injured in the blast. Dobes gets shutout in NHL debut, Canadiens blank Panthers 4-0 Jakub Dobes stopped 34 shots in his NHL debut, Kirby Dach had his first two-goal game in nearly two years, and the Montreal Canadiens beat the Florida Panthers 4-0 on Saturday. Cyprus-flagged ship MV MACCOA remains stuck near Verchères The MV MACCOA, a cargo ship registered in Cyprus, that ran aground on Christmas Eve in the St. Lawrence River near Verchères, Que., was still trapped on Saturday, after the Friday’s attempt to refloat it failed. Northern Ontario Pair of 911 calls leads to two impaired driving arrests in three hours A pair of 911 calls from concerned citizens led to two separate impaired driving charges in a single northern Ontario town within three hours. Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal has publicly released letters he sent to the Liberal caucus and president of the Liberal Party of Canada, calling on them to begin the process of moving on from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Five southern Ont. hunters fined $37K for moose hunt offences in northern Ont. A multi-year moose hunting investigation resulted in five people being convicted of moose hunting offences and fined a total of $37,000, plus $9,250 in victim surcharges. Windsor Community partners in Windsor propose education campaign to veer people away from payday loans In a move aimed at combatting the financial strain caused by payday loans, the City of Windsor is considering the launch of a comprehensive education campaign to promote alternative financial options. Ex-boyfriend arrested for violating bail conditions Chatham-Kent police have made an arrest after a man allegedly violated his bail conditions. Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump's ongoing 51st state comments Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada's new $1.3 billion border plan with members of Donald Trump's transition team, a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. London St. Thomas fraud victim loses nearly $100K to job scam According to police, the victim was investing money into a company that they believed they were employed by for over a month. Ending the year with above seasonal temperatures Warmer conditions are expected in the London, Ont. region this weekend, with the high forecast in the double digits. Trudeau, Carney push back over Trump's ongoing 51st state comments Two senior members of the federal cabinet were in Florida Friday pushing Canada's new $1.3 billion border plan with members of Donald Trump's transition team, a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself appeared to finally push back at the president-elect over his social media posts about turning Canada into the 51st state. Kitchener Minor flooding possible with snow melt, rain on way: GRCA The Waterloo Region and the city of Guelph will be wrapping up 2024 with unusually warm weather over the weekend. Stretch of Kitchener road closed after gas leak at abandoned building Kitchener Fire is investigating after a "strange odor" was reported on Courtland Avenue East Saturday. Cambridge structure fire leads to road closure Emergency Services are on scene of a Cambridge structure fire Saturday morning. Barrie Deluxe taxi goes up in flames in Barrie parking lot Some locals were quick to pull out their cellphones and capture a minivan as it went up in hot flames in a Barrie parking lot. Boxing Day bust: Police allege shopper stole from LCBO amid holiday rush While Boxing Day is known for securing the best deals, one local shopper took things too far and allegedly tried to score a deal at a free cost. County Road 56 reopens following afternoon collision County Road 56 in Essa Township was closed for an afternoon collision. Winnipeg The most-read stories on CTV Winnipeg in 2024 Historic events, community pride and significant losses dominated headlines in Manitoba in 2024. Here’s a list of the most-read stories of each month of 2024 on CTV News Winnipeg. Cross-country ski race returns to Windsor Park The Prairie Holiday Loppet made its long-awaited return to Winnipeg’s Windsor Park Saturday, with dozens of racers hitting the trails. Experts, province urge caution over ice conditions after man dies in Hanover The province, along with outdoor enthusiasts, are urging people to use caution near frozen bodies of water after a man died when his skid steer loader fell through the ice. Calgary Calgary Skyview MP George Chahal joins growing chorus of Liberals calling for Trudeau to step down Calgary Liberal MP George Chahal has publicly released letters he sent to the Liberal caucus and president of the Liberal Party of Canada, calling on them to begin the process of moving on from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Lethbridge Police investigating suspicious death inside motel room Lethbridge Police are investigating after a body was found inside a southside motel room on Saturday. Calgary Boxing Day crash victim identified, mother and sister still in hospital A nine-year-old girl has died in hospital after the vehicle she was in was struck by a driver in a stolen vehicle fleeing from police. Edmonton Edmonton street photographer captures moments and people one frame at a time A local photographer who is passionate about capturing moments in one-hundredth of a second embraced many styles of his trade before landing on one which truly represents his mantra: street photography. 2 vehicles fall through ice at Sylvan Lake, promoting police warning RCMP issued a warning Saturday after two vehicles fell through the ice on Sylvan Lake. Physical therapy is 'the best-kept secret in health care' If you think physical therapy is only about rehabilitation after surgery or recovering from an accident, think again. For the vast majority, seeing a physical therapist should be about prevention, routine assessment and staying well. Regina 'A great holiday memory': Echo Valley Provincial Park gets plenty of visitors at Skate the Park launch Families and groups of friends made use of the good weather as the new season of Skate the Park got underway at Echo Valley Provincial Park. Moose Jaw Police Service asks public to help locate 89-year-old man The Moose Jaw Police Service (MJPS) is asking the public for help in locating an 89-year-old Moose Jaw resident who was last seen on Dec. 25, 2024. Regina police chief says new initiatives to enhance community safety will come in 2025 Looking back after one year in his new role as the chief of the Regina Police Service, Farooq Hassan Sheikh is highlighting challenges the city faces, what has worked during his tenure and what can be done to improve policing in 2025. Saskatoon The thrill is gone from Boxing Week shopping, Saskatoon residents say Christmas has come and gone for most people, but the shopping hype continues as some get out of the house to take in the post-Christmas scene. Police made two arrests following a shooting in Saskatoon A swift response from Saskatoon police led to the arrest of a man and woman following a reported shooting Friday afternoon. Saskatoon fire crews battle house fire Saskatoon firefighters responded to a house fire on the 100 block of Klassen Crescent Friday afternoon. Vancouver Delta, B.C., port terminals closed after 'machinery fire' Saturday morning A large fire at the port in Delta, B.C., sent a plume of smoke into the sky Saturday morning. 2 dozen guns, 'significant amount' of foreign currency stolen in Chilliwack, RCMP say Police in Chilliwack are warning the public after as many as two dozen firearms were stolen during a break-in at a home in the city this week. New Canadians, non-traditional demographics boost minor hockey uptake in B.C. Participation in hockey in British Columbia was struggling in 2021 — the pandemic had dealt a heavy blow to player registrations, and numbers had already been flagging before COVID-19 arrived. Vancouver Island New Canadians, non-traditional demographics boost minor hockey uptake in B.C. Participation in hockey in British Columbia was struggling in 2021 — the pandemic had dealt a heavy blow to player registrations, and numbers had already been flagging before COVID-19 arrived. 'We're sending a clear message': B.C. prepares for home flipping tax amid criticism Next week, when the calendars turn to 2025, the provincial government will begin imposing a 20-per-cent tax on all profits if a home is sold within a year of purchasing it. Former B.C. lawyer disbarred for 2nd time over sexual harassment A former lawyer who was convicted of sexual assault in 2020 and disbarred last year has been handed a second disbarment for sexual harassment of a different client. Kelowna B.C. team building 100 beaver 'starter homes' in the name of wetland preservation More than 70 manmade beaver dams have been installed in Interior waterways since the B.C. Wildlife Federation project launched last year with the goal of building 100 dams by the end of 2025. B.C. man charged with drug trafficking and weapons offences after CBSA investigation A resident of B.C.'s Interior has been charged with weapon and drug trafficking offences after an investigation launched by border agents at Vancouver International Airport earlier this year. B.C woman awarded nearly $750K in court case against contractor A B.C. woman has been awarded nearly $750,000 in damages in a dispute with a contractor who strung her along for a year and a half and failed to complete a renovation, according to a recent court decision. Stay Connected
Giants release quarterback Daniel Jones just days after benching him EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The Daniel Jones era in New York is over. The Giants quarterback was granted his release by the team just days after the franchise said it was benching him in favor of third-stringer Tommy DeVito. New York president John Mara said Jones approached the team about releasing him and the club obliged. Mara added he was “disappointed” at the quick dissolution of a once-promising relationship between Jones and the team. Giants coach Brian Daboll benched Jones in favor of DeVito following a loss to the Panthers in Germany that dropped New York's record to 2-8. Conor McGregor must pay $250K to woman who says he raped her, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has awarded more than $250,000 to a woman who says she was raped by mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor in a Dublin hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The jury on Friday awarded Nikita Hand in her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced her to do anything and that Hand fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. McGregor says he will appeal the verdict. Week 16 game between Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers flexed to Thursday night spot The Los Angeles Chargers have played their way into another prime time appearance. Justin Herbert and company have had their Dec. 22 game against the Denver Broncos flexed to Thursday night, Dec. 19. Friday’s announcement makes this the first time a game has been flexed to the Thursday night spot. The league amended its policy last season where Thursday night games in Weeks 13 through 17 could be flexed with at least 28 days notice prior to the game. The matchup of AFC West division rivals bumps the game between the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals to Sunday afternoon. NBA memo to players urges increased vigilance regarding home security following break-ins MIAMI (AP) — The NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes following reports of recent high-profile burglaries of dwellings owned by Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis and Kansas City Chiefs teammates Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo sent to team officials, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to “transnational South American Theft Groups” that are “reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices.” Red Bull brings wrong rear wing to Las Vegas in mistake that could stall Verstappen's title chances LAS VEGAS (AP) — Max Verstappen is suddenly in jeopardy of being denied a fourth consecutive Formula 1 title Saturday night. Red Bull apparently brought the wrong rear wing to Las Vegas and GPS data showed its two cars to be significantly slower on the straights than both McLaren and Mercedes, which led both practice sessions. Red Bull says it doesn’t have a replacement rear wing in Las Vegas to fix the issue and little chance of getting two flown in from England ahead of the race. Caitlin Clark to join Cincinnati bid for 16th National Women's Soccer League team WNBA star Caitlin Clark has joined Cincinnati’s bid for an expansion National Women’s Soccer League team. Major League Soccer franchise FC Cincinnati is heading the group vying to bring a women’s pro team to the city. The club issued a statement confirming Clark had joined the bid group. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has said the league plans to announce the league’s 16th team by the end of the year. The league's 15th team will begin play in 2026 in Boston. Aaron Judge won't be bothered if Juan Soto gets bigger contract from Yankees than his $360M deal NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge won’t be bothered if Juan Soto gets a bigger deal from the New York Yankees than the captain’s $360 million, nine-year contract. Speaking a day after he was a unanimous winner of his second MVP, Judge says “It ain’t my money” and adds "that’s never been something on my mind about who gets paid the most.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks in his first season with the Yankees, then became a free agent at age 26. In a 'Final Four-type weekend,' two top-6 clashes put women's college basketball focus on West Coast LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two games featuring four powerhouse teams has put the focus in women's college basketball on the West Coast this weekend. JuJu Watkins and No. 3 Southern California host Hannah Hidalgo and No. 6 Notre Dame on Saturday. Top-ranked South Carolina visits Lauren Betts and fifth-ranked UCLA on Sunday. Both games are nationally televised and the arenas are expected to be packed. WNBA scouts will be on hand to check out some of the nation's top talent. Two teams will come away with their first losses of the season. USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb calls it “a Final Four-type weekend.” A documentary featuring Watkins will air on NBC ahead of USC's game, which leads into the Army-Notre Dame football game. Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga Blame it on the noodles. That's what one Chinese official suggested when anti-doping leaders were looking for answers for the doping scandal that cast a shadow over this year's Olympic swim meet. Earlier this year, reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication emerged. None were sanctioned because Chinese authorities determined the swimmers were contaminated by traces of the drug spread about a hotel kitchen. In a strange twist, the leader of China's anti-doping agency suggested this case could have been similar to one in which criminals were responsible for tainting noodles that were later eaten by another Chinese athlete who also tested positive for the drug. Athletes see climate change as threatening their sports and their health. Some are speaking up BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Pragnya Mohan has been a professional triathlete for nearly a decade, but summers in her native India are now so hot that she can’t train there anymore. And she worries about a day when heat around the world kills her sport entirely. She was among athletes who spoke at the United Nations climate summit in Azerbaijan about the threat global warming poses to them, to fans and to sport itself. They described how extreme weather is making training and competing difficult or impossible. With billions of fans worldwide, some athletes and leagues are trying to get more people to care, and act, on climate change.The crash happened at 10.45am in crowded downtown Delray Beach, multiple news outlets reported. The Brightline train was stopped on the tracks, its front destroyed, about a block away from the Delray Beach fire rescue truck, its ladder ripped off and strewn in the grass several yards away, The Sun-Sentinel newspaper reported. The Delray Beach Fire Rescue said in a social media post that three Delray Beach firefighters were in stable condition at a hospital. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue took 12 people from the train to the hospital with minor injuries. Emmanuel Amaral rushed to the scene on his golf cart after hearing a loud crash and screeching train brakes from where he was having breakfast a couple of blocks away. He saw firefighters climbing out of the window of their damaged truck and pulling injured colleagues away from the tracks. One of their helmets came to rest several hundred feet away from the crash. “The front of that train is completely smashed, and there was even some of the parts to the fire truck stuck in the front of the train, but it split the car right in half. It split the fire truck right in half, and the debris was everywhere,” Mr Amaral said. Brightline officials did not immediately comment on the crash. A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said it was still gathering information about the crash and had not decided yet whether it will investigate. The NTSB is already investigating two crashes involving Brightline’s high-speed trains that killed three people early this year at the same crossing along the railroad’s route between Miami and Orlando. More than 100 people have died after being hit by trains since Brightline began operations in July 2017 – giving the railroad the worst death rate in the United States. But most of those deaths have been either suicides, pedestrians who tried to run across the tracks ahead of a train or drivers who went around crossing gates instead of waiting for a train to pass. Brightline has not been found to be at fault in those previous deaths.Public rightsSeoul: Embattled South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law , as most ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote on Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ousting and deepen political chaos in South Korea , with a survey suggesting most South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. A protest against President Yoon Suk Yeol outside Seoul’s national assembly on Saturday. Credit: Bloomberg Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party (PPP), but the party is also determined to oppose Yoon’s impeachment apparently because it fears losing the presidency to liberals. After the motion fell through, members of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party rallied inside the national assembly, chanting slogans calling for Yoon’s impeachment or resignation. The party’s floor leader, Park Chan-dae, said the opposition would soon prepare for a new impeachment motion. Opposition parties could submit a new motion after a new parliamentary session opens on Wednesday. “We’ll surely impeach Yoon Suk Yeol, who is the greatest risk to Republic of Korea,” party leader Lee Jae-myung said. “We’ll surely bring back this country to normal before Christmas Day or year’s end.” Many experts worry Yoon won’t be able to serve out his remaining 21⁄2 years in office. They say some PPP lawmakers could eventually join opposition parties’ efforts to impeach Yoon if public demands for it increase. The ruling party risks “further public outrage and national confusion if they don’t find a formula fast for Yoon’s departure”, said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Centre for a New American Security in Washington. PPP chair Han Dong-hoon said his party would seek Yoon’s “orderly” early exit but didn’t say when he could resign. Protests against Yoon are swelling On Saturday, tens of thousands of people packed several blocks of roads leading to the national assembly, waving banners, shouting slogans and dancing. Protesters also gathered in front of the PPP’s headquarters near the assembly, shouting for its lawmakers to vote to impeach Yoon. A smaller crowd of Yoon’s supporters, which still seemed to be in the thousands, rallied elsewhere in Seoul, calling the impeachment attempt unconstitutional. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol last Tuesday, when he declared emergency martial law. Credit: Getty Images Impeaching Yoon required support from 200 of the national assembly’s 300 members. The Democratic Party and five other smaller opposition parties, which filed the motion, have a combined 192 seats. But only three PPP lawmakers participated in the vote. The motion was scrapped without ballot counting because the number of votes didn’t reach 200. National assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik called the result “very regrettable” and an embarrassing moment for the country’s democracy. If Yoon is impeached, his powers will be suspended until the Constitutional Court decides whether to remove him from office. If he is removed, an election to replace him must take place within 60 days. The president apologises for turmoil Earlier on Saturday, Yoon apologised over the martial law decree, saying he won’t shirk legal or political responsibility for the declaration and promising not to make another attempt to impose it. He said he would leave it to his party to chart a course through the country’s political turmoil, “including matters related to my term in office”. “The declaration of this martial law was made out of my desperation. But in the course of its implementation, it caused anxiety and inconveniences to the public. I feel very sorry over that and truly apologise to the people who must have been shocked a lot,” Yoon said. Since taking office in 2022, Yoon has struggled to push his agenda through an opposition-controlled parliament and grappled with low approval ratings amid scandals involving he and his wife. In his martial law announcement on Tuesday night, Yoon called parliament a “den of criminals” bogging down state affairs and vowed to eliminate “shameless North Korea followers and anti-state forces”. Lee Jae-myung (second from right), the leader of South Korea’s main opposition party, and lawmakers after the vote to impeach South Korea’s president failed. Credit: Getty Images The declaration of martial law was the first of its kind in more than 40 years in South Korea. The turmoil has paralysed South Korean politics and sparked alarm among key diplomatic partners such as the US and Japan. “Yoon’s credibility overseas has been undermined by declaring martial law, so he won’t be able to exercise leadership in his foreign policies, especially when his days are numbered,” Kim, the analyst, said. “Its government bureaucracy will need to continue business as usual for existing alliance and foreign policy initiatives as best it can because there is a lot of important work to do globally.” A protest against Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Saturday. Most South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Credit: Bloomberg On Tuesday night, special forces troops encircled the parliament building and army helicopters hovered over it, but the military withdrew after the national assembly unanimously voted to overturn the decree, forcing Yoon to lift it before daybreak on Wednesday. Eighteen lawmakers from the ruling party voted to reject Yoon’s martial law decree along with opposition lawmakers. The PPP later opposed Yoon’s impeachment motion. AP Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter .
