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PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Wednesday she's suing a Saudi Arabian agribusiness for allegedly violating a public nuisance law, contending that its groundwater pumping threatens the public health, safety and infrastructure of local communities in a rural western county. The complaint filed in Maricopa County Superior Court alleges that the pumping at a Fondomonte Arizona, LLC. alfalfa farm has had widespread effects in the Ranegras Plain Basin of La Paz County, harming everyone who depends on basin water by drawing down supplies, drying up wells and causing the ground to crack and sink in some areas. The lawsuit is the latest action by Arizona against foreign companies that use huge amounts of groundwater to grow thirsty forage crops for export because of climate challenges in other countries. Rural Arizona is especially attractive to international businesses because it has no groundwater pumping regulations. The lawsuit alleges that since 2014, Fondomonte has extracted huge amounts of water that accelerated depletion of the basin’s aquifer. The company is a subsidiary of Saudi dairy giant Almarai Co. “We find the allegations of the Attorney General totally unfounded, and we will defend any potential action against Fondomonte and our rights vigorously before the competent authorities,” Fondomonte said in a statement Wednesday. “The company has invested significantly to bring the latest conservation technology and applies environmentally sustainable practices on these long-established farms,” it said. “Fondomonte has continued to develop responsibly during its time farming in the state and the company complies with all state regulations. ” Years of drought have increased pressure on water users across the West, particularly in states like Arizona, which relies heavily on the dwindling Colorado River. The drought has also made groundwater — long used by farmers and rural residents without restriction — even more important for users across the state. Mayes told reporters Wednesday that the Arizona Legislature has done nothing to fix the groundwater problem despite knowing about the problem for years. “While laws regulating groundwater pumping could have prevented this situation, the legislature’s inaction has allowed the crisis to grow,” Mayes said. “When the legislature fails to protect our most basic resources, the attorney general must step in.” La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin, a Republican, commended Mayes, a Democrat, for attempting to address what she described as her community’s “most challenging” concern. “I know that my constituents will be thrilled over this, that somebody is actually paying attention to the real problems here,” Irwin said during Wednesday’s news briefing via a video conference call. Mayes' lawsuit alleges that Fondomonte's actions are a public nuisance under a state statute that prohibits activity that injures health, obstructs property use, or interferes with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property by a community. Mayes called the company’s groundwater pumping “unsustainable” and said it caused “devastating consequences” for people in the area. “Arizona law is clear: no company has the right to endanger an entire community’s health and safety for its own gain,” she said. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin the company from further groundwater pumping it says is “excessive” and require that an abatement fund be established. Arizona officials have been targeting Fondomonte for more than a year over its use of groundwater to grow forage crops, by not renewing or canceling the company's leases in Butler Valley in western Arizona. Some residents there had complained that the company’s pumping was threatening their wells. ___ By GABRIEL SANDOVAL and ANITA SNOW (Associated Press/Report for America). Gabriel Sandoval is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Everything you need to know about Sydney's New Year's Eve fireworks: Best vantage points around Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, how to get to the harbourside waterfront, weather warning and more...Love, lust and billion-dollar trust funds: How one of Australia's richest dynasties is about to have its dirty laundry aired for all to see - and then there is bombshell nude pics row... Late billionaire Richard Pratt's daughter at war with ex-husband Heloise Pratt suing Alex Waislitz over alleged business dealings Heiress dating Jodhi Meares' former fiancé, rock star Jon Stevens Also locked in legal tussle with her father's lovechild, Paula Hitchcock Waislitz engaged to pop singer and actress Rebekah Behbahani Couple being sued by Behbahani's Real Housewives sister Venus All comes in the midst of an unrelated sordid nude photo extortion scandal By STEVE JACKSON FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 21:40, 29 December 2024 | Updated: 21:40, 29 December 2024 e-mail View comments The dirty laundry of one of Australia's richest dynasties is set to be exposed in a series of explosive court cases after a vicious feud erupted between billionaire divorcees Héloise Pratt and Alex Waislitz. The former couple have begun trading barbs in the Supreme Court of Victoria, with the legal action threatening to expose all their juicy romantic and financial secrets. The sensational tussle centres around control of the $1.3bn stock investment empire run by Mr Waislitz which is co-owned by Ms Pratt. But the estranged lovers now also find themselves engaged in fierce legal battles on multiple fronts. And it comes in the midst of a sordid nude photo 'sextortion' scandal involving one of their new lovers. Ms Pratt is the eldest daughter of late billionaire cardboard king Richard Pratt, chair of the philanthropic Pratt Foundation and, according to the 2024 Forbes Rich List, the country's 29th richest person with a personal net worth of $1.93b. She is also the sister of Donald Trump-confidante Anthony Pratt, who recently donated $15million to the president-elect's campaign earlier this year. Ms Pratt, 62, married Mr Waislitz in 1994, with the businessman turning $1.15m lent to him by his Rich List father-in-law into a billion-dollar funds management company and a personal net worth of $1.48b. Although the couple officially separated in 2015, they initially maintained amicable relations over joint ownership of Thorney Investments, and their shared custody of their three children, Jake, Milly and Joseph. They both moved on romantically following their split, with Ms Pratt coupling up with newly-single rock star Jon Stevens, who had just broken up with fiancée Jodhi Meares. Billionaire socialite Heloise Pratt is now in a relationship with rock star Jon Stevens Billionaire businessman Alex Waislitz is engaged to singer Rebekah Behbahani The former Noiseworks singer's 18-month engagement to James Packer 's first wife ended in a torrid row at their mansion in Sydney 's eastern suburbs in February 2015. Meares, now 53, had Stevens, 63, charged with common assault and domestic-related assault, and slapped with an apprehended violence order, following the argument, with the allegations effectively confirming the end of their relationship. Police eventually dropped the charges, which Stevens described as 'ridiculous', two months later - but by then the singer had been booted out of his new band, the Dead Daisies, and had more than 30 appearances cancelled as a result of the accusations. Around the same time, Mr Waislitz was spotted in Ibiza with UK nightclub singer Vanessa Von Tain but, despite calling the Melbourne investor her 'loved one' on social media during the trip, the romance soon fizzled out. Mr Waislitz, 66, has now found a new partner in the arms of 34-year-old singer and actress Rebekah Behbahani. The couple moved in together in February 2019 and welcomed a daughter, Storm, later that year before briefly breaking up. They are now being sued by Ms Behbahani's sister, former Real Housewives of Melbourne star Venus Behbahani in Victoria's Supreme Court. The 40-year-old lawyer and mother-of-four claims her younger sibling promised to gift her a townhouse in Melbourne's exclusive Toorak in exchange for helping her launch her pop career and caring for her and her daughter throughout her brief estrangement with Mr Waislitz. Heloise, with brother Anthony, is the eldest child of late cardboard king Richard Pratt Jon Stevens was engaged to Jodhi Meares until their acrimonious split in 2015 Meares is the first wife of billionaire James Packer Stevens rocking with his band the Dead Daisies According to court documents, Venus Behbahani claims Mr Waislitz agreed to give Rebekah two townhouses and $2.5m as part of a separation agreement after they broke up in October 2019. She alleges her sister agreed to then give her one of the homes as part of a Deed of Gift and Confidentiality agreement they drew up that December. However, Mr Waislitz and Rebekah ended up reconciling a couple of months later in February 2020 and their separation agreement was never enforced. They instead went on to announce their engagement in November that year. Despite the couple's reconciliation, Venus maintained her sister's promise to gift her the Toorak townhouse still stood and commenced legal action against them last year after placing a caveat on the property. In their defence filed with the Supreme Court, Rebekah claimed she was in a distressed state when she signed the agreement with her sister while Mr Waislitz denies they have any obligation to give Venus anything. In a counterclaim, Mr Waislitz accused his soon-to-be sister-in-law of living in the home with her family without permission since November 15, 2022 and sought orders to force her out and have the caveat she placed on the property removed. That case has been listed for trial on May 27 and is expected to run for 15 days. In the meantime, Ms Pratt has also launched legal proceedings against her ex-husband, filing her own explosive claim in the Victoria's Supreme Court last month. She has accused Mr Waislitz of 'acting 'dishonestly' by paying himself and his charitable foundation $1.147m without her knowledge or approval. Sisters Venus Behbahani and Rebekah Behanhani are fighting over a Toorak townhouse Venus Behbahani starred in season four of The Real Housewives of Melbourne Read More Ex-Real Housewives of Melbourne star is dragged into messy court battle with her sister over luxury house in one of Australia's wealthiest suburbs Ms Pratt also accused him of withholding board documents and financial information from her in relation to Thorney Investments, which Mr Waislitz runs and she co-owns, and their other related companies. The heiress commenced the action following a breakdown in their one-time friendly relationship after finalising their divorce and spending much of the past two years trying to divide their financial interests through lawyers. Mr Waislitz hit back at his ex-wife on Christmas Eve when he filed his defence with the Supreme Court furiously rejecting her allegations. In it, he described her case against him as 'embarrassing' and insisted she had failed to involve herself with their business and that her claims against him were liable to be struck out. Like Mr Waislitz and his fiancé, Ms Pratt is also fighting a separate legal battle with a sibling. The socialite's half-sister, Paula Hitchcock, won a small legal battle in her separate fight to claim a slice of the Pratt family's vast multi-billion-dollar fortune in October The 27-year-old love child of Ms Pratt's late father and his mistress Shari-Lea Hitchcock is suing her half-siblings, Ms Pratt, her brother Anthony Pratt and sister Fiona Geminder, after being cut out of the Pratt Family Trust. Ms Hitchcock has asked the NSW Supreme Court to nullify a deed of exclusion that prevented her from claiming inheritance as a Pratt child under the terms of the Trust. She argued she was always acknowledged and accepted as a full family member by both her late father and his wife, Jeanne. Paula Hitchcock is suing her half-siblings for a share of the vast Pratt family fortune Ms Hitchcock is the love child of late billionaire Richard Pratt and mistress Shari-Lea Hitchcock Richard Pratt and wife Jeanne both acknowledged Ms Hitchcock as his daughter Jeanne Pratt with her three children, Anthony, Heloise and Fiona She claimed Mrs Pratt assigned a bedroom to her at the couple's family homes, regularly invited her to attend the weekly family Shabbat and that the couple had listed her as their financial dependent in 2007. Her half-siblings argued Ms Hitchcock's case should be dismissed because she was not a child of both their parents as required under the Trust and insisted their mother's acceptance of Ms Hitchcock didn't 'convert' her into Mrs Pratt's child. However, Justice Michael Meek rejected their argument and granted Ms Hitchcock time to amend her claim that she fits the criteria of a 'child' of the Pratt family. 'I reject the siblings' submission that there is no rational basis to conclude that (Ms Hitchcock) being acknowledged by Mr Pratt as a member of his family implies that she could be considered as a 'child' of Mrs Pratt,' he determined. 'What seems to be relatively clear is that the definition of 'child' ... is cast in broad terms that may include a child who is not the biological child of both Mr Pratt and Mrs Pratt'. Meanwhile, on yet another unrelated legal front, Rebekah Behbahani was forced to call in police earlier this year after a trove of 'intimate images' of her were posted online on June 20 by an anonymous social media account without her permission. A second cache was uploaded by the account the following day before the profile disappeared, with Ms Behbahani telling police she was the victim of an 'extortion' attempt. There is no suggestion that any members of the Pratt family, Ms Behbahani's sister or Mr Waislitz were responsible for posting the images. 'I am deeply distressed by this malicious invasion of my privacy. No one deserves to be subjected to such appalling acts,' Ms Behbahani said in a statement at the time. 'This unlawful conduct is part of a long running and escalating campaign which is now the subject of investigation by the police. 'It has been a living nightmare. We will not give in to the extortion. I trust that the perpetrators will face the full force of the law.' Share or comment on this article: Love, lust and billion-dollar trust funds: How one of Australia's richest dynasties is about to have its dirty laundry aired for all to see - and then there is bombshell nude pics row... e-mail Add comment
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Cameron Haffner scored 13 points as Evansville beat Missouri State 57-40 on Sunday to snap a five-game losing streak. Haffner went 5 of 12 from the field (3 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Purple Aces (4-9, 1-1 Missouri Valley Conference). Joshua Hughes added 11 points, nine rebounds and four steals. Tayshawn Comer scored 11. Dez White finished with 12 points, four assists and six steals for the Bears (7-6, 0-2). Missouri State also got 10 points, 12 rebounds and two steals from Michael Osei-Bonsu. Zaxton King had eight points. Evansville carried a slim three-point lead into halftime, as Haffner led the way with seven points. Evansville took the lead for what would be the final time on Haffner's 3-pointer with 18:44 remaining in the second half. His team would outscore Missouri State by 14 points in the second half. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .1. A set of 2-in-1 magnetic rechargeable hand warmers that are a genuine must-have for cold weather climates — you can keep these in your pockets to keep your hands the kind of roasty toasty warm that radiates through your whole body, and makes it a heck of a lot easier to endure the elements. Bonus: both hand warmers double as device chargers, so they'll come in handy in warm weather, too! Promising review: "These are amazing! I use them when I volunteer at the outdoor food bank and they keep my hands nice and toasty. I keep them in my coat pocket and they warm me right up! They are easy to charge and easy to use!" — Karen Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in eight colors). 2. L'Oréal Paris BB Cream , a FAST-acting, anti-redness moisturizer reviewers swear by for an extra hydration punch to combat winter dryness and redness. It also makes an excellent skin-softening primer base for makeup, with a lot of reviewers comparing its competitor, the Dr Jart+ Cicapair Color Correcting Cream , which is over twice as expensive. Promising review: "I'm really pleased with this moisturizing foundation. It spreads evenly and covers well. I have trouble in the winter with dry flaky patches and redness on my cheeks and I was very pleased to see how this moisturized and covered those areas very well. It does not look cake-y and can be built up. I chose the one for redness. Which seems like it would work for anyone. Highly recommend! And I have tried products from top of the line to the bottom ." — Heather B. Get it from Amazon for $9.98 (available in six styles). 3. And E.l.f.'s Holy Hydration! Lip Mask for anyone who wants to go TURBO on ensuring they lock in enough moisture in the cold, dry weather. This silky, hyaluronic acid-infused formula is designed not to stick, so it plays nice with other lip products at all times of the day. Promising review: "If I could give this lip mask 100 stars, I would. What is there not to love about this product? It's beyond moisturizing and quite soft as you put it on, like butter. The scent has me perplexed, not sure that's the correct word to use. I know that scent, it reminds me of something from the '70s or '80s. The scent takes me back, but to where I do not know. AAAA++++, it's a must-buy !" — Stina Get it from Amazon for $7 . 4. A pair of windproof touch-screen thermal gloves to keep your hands toasty warm while you pop off in the group chat without missing a beat. Runners, hikers, and bikers especially swear by these since they're super flexible and insulating, and reviewers love that they come in a range of sizes for a snug fit! Check out a TikTok of the thermal gloves in action. Promising review: " These are awesome and fit so perfectly. They are extremely lightweight and well worth the price. I love the touchscreen functionality because it allows me to use my phone without having to take my gloves off." — Trin Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in sizes S–XL and 10 colors). 5. And a cleverly designed ice scraper mitt so you don't have to get your *actual* gloves all cold and wet before you even get to where you're going. Also you can pretend you're a snow-shoveling cyborg with a scraper for a hand, which might make those early morning commutes a little less 🥴. Promising review: "This is terrific for frosty mornings when your windshield has frost on it. Your hand is in a glove and your hand is warm." — Doll Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in three colors). 6. Eos' Shea Butter Vanilla Cashmere body lotion , which TikTok is going *feral* over both because of the lightweight, long-lasting moisture all through the cold weather months, and the soothing, delicious smell that reviewers compare to more expensive brands like Philosophy and Bath & Body Works. Promising review: " This lotion, OMG, it soothes my skin so well. I have really dry skin, especially in winter time, and this here is what saves me. This is a reasonable size, it’s worth the price, it smells amazing, and guess what? The scent last a really long time. The quality of this lotion is great, you can literally feel the difference as you rub it on to you skin ." — Tia Get it from Amazon for $8.98 . 7. A luxuriously soft winter scarf designed to mimic the feel of cashmere without the hefty price tag and finicky maintenance. It comes in so many lovely plaids and styles that you are guaranteed to find one that matches your ~winter aesthetic~. Veronz is a small business that specializes in affordable luxury winter accessories. Promising review: "I am absolutely in love with this plaid scarf! It’s the perfect blend of style and comfort. The pattern is charming and versatile, easily complementing a range of outfits from casual to more polished looks. The material is incredibly soft and warm, yet surprisingly lightweight, making it a cozy accessory without feeling bulky. I appreciate the attention to detail, from the even, high-quality weave to the neatly finished edges." — elyse Get it from Amazon for $21.98 (available in 36 styles). 8. Mega popular, high-waisted fleece-lined leggings so beloved by reviewers (literally 23,800+ 5-star reviews!) that you can get it all KINDS of ways to suit your needs, with styles that have one (hidden) pocket, three pockets, or are water-resistant. Bonus: it comes in a zillion colors, so when you fall in love with your first pair you can collect the rest and have a cozy leggings rainbow! Promising review: "These are so warm but still so sleek! Totally opaque, long inseam, buttery soft, and they've got pockets! I machine wash them in cold water and then hang them to dry. I have two pairs in black and I wear the heck out of them. Worth every penny." — Cassandra Get it from Amazon for $33.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–6X, three styles, and 24 colors). 9. Plus a pair of fleece-lined joggers that will feel like slipping on clouds that happen to be customized to your human form. Promising review : "These pants are warm and comfortable. I have been wearing these for over a year now and they are wonderful. They wash and dry well, and I have experienced no pills or shrinkage. They also have a functional back pocket as well as side pockets. I have these in three colors and I will purchase again. " — Spotted Mermaid Get it from Amazon $38.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–XXL and in 11 colors). 10. E.l.f.'s Hydrating Core Lip Shine in the "Ecstatic" shade, which reviewers say captures the some magic as " Black Honey, " the $25 ~universal shade~ from Clinique that's blowing up on TikTok at a fraction of the price. It doesn't shift colors as magically as the other version, but it's a perfect, richly tinted "go-to" lip to keep in all your favorite bags and haunts this winter. I personally will live, breathe, and die by the magic of $25 "universal" Black Honey version — it lasts FOREVER and also functions as the perfect blush — but it sells out so often that I am also deeply relieved to know it has a cheap alternative in case of lip emergency! Promising review : "I absolutely love this product. The dark color is perfectly sheer. It also adds the most beautiful color to your lips . I am a Clinique Black Honey lip fan, and this gives me the same look for a fraction of the cost. I love it and have several that I keep in various spots. Not sticky either, which is my biggest gripe about lip glosses. My hair doesn’t get stuck in this like some glosses, but I get the shine ." — Hamps5 Get it from Amazon for $7 (also available in eight other shades). 11. A bottle of Elizavecca hair treatment , an Olaplex-like repairing mask infused with collagen ingredients and protein extracts that will help restore hair health and reduce shedding when that winter dryness is coming for your 'do. All you gotta do is apply it on wet hair after a shampoo, wait five minutes, and rinse it out. This is designed to work on all hair types, with reviewers with 2b to 4c curls mentioning it worked for them! Promising review: "I have been buying this for a long time for me and my daughter. I have thin, curly hair but it gets dry in the winter and this really brings it back to life. My daughter has THICK and super curly hair and it keeps her hair so hydrated (we use it as a mask every two weeks on her). Highly recommend." — Marina M. Check out BuzzFeed's full review of the Elizavecca hair treatment for more deets! Get a bottle from Amazon for $8.40 . 12. Equal Exchange's decadently rich dark chocolate hot cocoa mix for anyone with high chocolate standards and a small budget. This fair trade, small farmer-grown cocoa is so perfectly bittersweet and pure in taste that you'll forget all the other brand name hot cocoas you used to settle for. Promising review: "If you are a fan of really dark chocolate, this is the hot chocolate powder you want. Deep, rich dark fudge flavor with just a hint of sweetness. This is not a 'big cup of cocoa' kind of hot chocolate; this is an espresso cup kind of hot chocolate. Intense, but so satisfying. " — theratwitch Get it from Amazon for $8.29 (available in two sizes and five other styles, including a spicy hot cocoa 🔥). 13. A brand-new satin-lined Carhartt beanie , a hairstyle-friendly version of the iconic originial Carhartt knit beanie so beloved that it's amassed over 88,800 5-star ratings on Amazon. This version is designed for all hair types to help prevent hair breakage, frizzing, and general "hat head" issues that come with wearing a beanie. Promising review: "Fits great and looks good. Made of good quality materials and keeps you warm on those 20-degree days." — Edward Kephart Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in six colors). 14. And a pair of chic wireless headband headphones to keep your ears toasty warm listening to music during outdoor workouts or long walks. Promising review : "I hate wearing earbuds and headphones with a winter hat is clunky and odd, so I love these. It holds a nice charge and has good sound quality. I had low expectations for this but was pleasantly surprised!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in 19 colors). 15. A ridiculously high-quality oversize cropped puffer jacket reviewers are not only obsessed with, but compare to the Aritzia version for a fraction of the price. This insulated, cozy, trendy puffer is perfect for anyone whose winter motto is "Go go go!!! ... As cutely as possible, of course." It even features an adjustable drawstring at the bottom for a personalized fit! Promising review: "I had no idea I would love this as much as I do. First of all, the cut is superb. Cropped yet oversized. It’s super warm and cozy. I literally grab this five out of six times. Today I ordered it in red! You need this. You want this. You shall have it!" — Cassidy Barbeau Get it from Amazon for $62.99 (clip the $10 off coupon on the product page for this price; available in women's sizes XS–L and 16 colors). 16. A set of delightfully ~~tingly~~ self-heating soothing foot masks made with Epsom salts, lavender, and peppermint perfect for anyone whose recent step count is "too many." Nothing like a lil' self-care on those aching feet to lift your spirits! Check out a TikTok of the foot masks in action. I'm a long-ish distance runner, and these were certainly an interesting experience for my feet! You slide them on and, after a few minutes, feel a tingling, mildly burning (in a good way) sensation. It doesn't quite numb your feet, but it relaxes them. I kept them on for 30 minutes and then toweled my feet off, and the tingling sensation slowly faded over the next 30 minutes. After that, my feet felt very refreshed and relaxed at a time of day when they're usually aching from all the miles I put in. The whole thing was a mess-free, easy process, and I will definitely keep them on hand for longer run days! Promising review: "Very soothing. My husband and l used these on our European vacation, and they definitely felt good on our feet!" — KS2018 Get a set of three pairs from Amazon for $14.37 . 17. A criminally cozy plush blanket sweater for anyone who's ready to take loungewear to the next level. Reviewers are obsessed with how soft this cozy nest of a sweater is, and that it comes with *pockets* for snack stashing. Aemicion is a small business specializing in oversize comfy sweaters. Promising review : "It’s like wearing a huge blanket wrapped around you without the hassle of it falling off or dragging on the floor. Very soft. Love the oversized bagginess of it. The hood is my favorite thing. And it has pockets! What more do you need?! Honestly it’s perfect for any cozy cold person." — Donavan Get it from Amazon for $19.99 (available in dozens of styles and kid sizes). 18. A set of oh-so-toasty but breathable winter socks in a wool cotton blend so cozy that you'll rotate between the cute colors all winter long. Promising review: "Love them! They are so warm. I am cold every month of the year. My feet stay blue. Not with these. They are warm, look good, and feel good. I can wear them with a low-cut shoe. I’ve washed them in the machine and hung them up to dry. No problem. Highly recommend for those of us with perennial cold feet." — Frances Get a set of five from Amazon for $14.99+ (available in a variety of color combos and styles). 19. An insulated weatherproof and soundproof strip that easily sticks to the outer rims of your door to keep heat from escaping out of your room, so you'll stay cozy all night long. (It also works great as a sound dampener if you *also* have neighbors who like to watch The Office on full blast at 2 a.m.!!) Promising review: "JUST WHAT I NEEDED! This weatherstrip worked great for me. It came in two attached strips with an adhesive backing. The strips can be separated as needed. It was easy to peel the backing and install the strips. I installed both strips on the door casing where the door meets it when closed. It immediately stopped the draft that was coming in around the door. " — RH in TN Get it from Amazon for $8.57 (available in two colors). 20. And a glass bead weighted door draft stopper you can use to get the cold air from seeping in without actually installing anything — just plop it down and you're good to go! It's also scratch-resistant for pet owners, and machine washable so you can use it every winter and keep it squeaky clean. Promising review : "If you have a drafty door, you absolutely need this. It is made of fabric and has some weight to it, which is a great feature. The added weight helps hold it down and absorb the cold. When I walk by the door, and the draft stopper is on, I can't feel ANY cold coming in... I highly recommend this door stopper if you have a drafty door. Whether it be for cool air in the winter or you losing AC in the summer." — Nikki Get it from Amazon for $22.95+ (available in six sizes and six colors). 21. A reviewer-beloved Cozy Spaces-themed coloring book featuring lil' bugs sleeping in upside down teacups, koalas snuggling in mushrooms, and all kinds of little critters reading, eating, and chilling in whimsical scenes. Psst — Coco Wyo has a *ton* of other cozy stress relief coloring books with different themes in their Amazon storefront ! Another psst — you can pick up a cult-fave colored pencil set on Amazon. Promising review : "This coloring book is a wonderful way to unwind and de-stress. The illustrations feature familiar, cozy corners that are both charming and relaxing to color. The designs are intricate enough to keep you engaged but not overly complicated, making it perfect for both adults and teens. The quality of the paper is great, holding up well to colored pencils, markers, and gel pens. I love how each page feels like a little escape, and coloring them has become a therapeutic routine." — Ali El-Khatib Get it from Amazon for $7.99 . 22. A set of moisture-wicking long thermal underwear you can wear as a base layer for some extra insurance against the cold, which truly has NO business trying to take residence in your chilly bones. Reviewers mention how comfy and lightweight they are for all-day use! Thermajane is a small business that specializes in thermal gear for the whole family. Promising review: "These are THE most comfortable long underwear! The fleece makes it so soft and comfy and warm, but for some reason you don’t get too hot indoors while wearing them . Highly recommend them!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $31.99+ (available in women's sizes XXS–3XL and 15 colors). 23. A sophisticated, minimalist-style sunrise alarm clock to gently ease you into waking every morning by gradually lightening the room so you're not JOLTED awake in a dark room if you've got the curtains drawn or wake up at odd hours. This model compares to the Hatch Sleep version for $170, both in aesthetics and because it also offers fully customizable wake-up experience, complete with timing, brightness modes, and soothing sounds. Promising review: "I wanted this clock for the sunrise lighting affect and didn’t want to pay for the really expensive clocks. I think it’s aesthetically pleasing and has tons of options. It really does help you wake up softer with the sunrise light. It’s easy to use and a good value for your money!" — Brianna Hughes Get it from Amazon for $48.89+ (available in three styles). 24. An oversize, lightweight knit button-up cardigan with a vibe reviewers compare to the beloved Jenni Kayne "Cocoon" cardigan. This is just *begging* to be layered with all your coziest looks, and it this price point, it might be an investment to grab a few colors to have on hand 👀 . Promising review: "The sweater is extremely comfortable and high quality, and the color selections were awesome. I chose the cognac color which is kind of a taupe-ish brownish color. Bought it to match some khaki boots, and the match was terrific. The pockets are nice. The sweater is roomy. The sleeves are a good length. The thickness is perfect for warmth without being overly bulky. I really like this sweater and will order more colors." — Alana Mohacsi Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in women's sizes XS–XL and 29 styles). 25. A two-pack of magnetic air vent deflectors for anyone who wants to play god with their heat — this lets you aim it more precisely so it isn't just warming up the empty ether. Promising review : "Such a great and simple solution to help redirect A/C and heat. Super simple and easy to install. Universal fit makes it a cinch to work with any vents within the size range." — Heydaddy Get a pack of two from Amazon for $12.59 (also available in a pack of four). 26. A pair of trendy, affordable winter boots that not only keep your feet absurdly warm, but actually deliver on traction — these anti-slip soles have made me, a certifiable Clumsy Individual, feel a lot more steady on my feet walking in the snow and icy pavement. I only got these a few years ago because it was a Black Friday sale, but now that I've worn them I would have paid full price and then some. They're ridiculously comfortable, keep my feet warm and dry, and I felt very secure walking in them on a day with fresh snow and the day after, when the sidewalks were icy . There was no break-in period, either, which I appreciate because I tend to go on long walks. There are no half sizes and some reviewers suggested leaning toward your lower size if you're usually a half — this was true for me! They run a smidge large. Promising review : "I purchased these to wear while walking my dog 1+ miles daily, and wanted to feel safe walking in the snow and ice. The anti slip tread on these boots did not disappoint. They are sturdy and allow me to walk without any slipping. My feet stay warm while walking through snow and ice sludge in the street." — lovetoshop Get it from Amazon for $35.99+ (available in women's sizes 5-11 and six colors). 27. A discreet rechargeable neck warmer for when the infamous "Hot Girl Walks" become "Freezing Cold Winter Gremlin Walks" — this holds a charge for over three hours and helps regulate your body temperature with different heat settings. Promising review: "It lasts a long time. I would recommend this item to anyone who has thyroid issues or anybody who is always cold. I literally took it right out of the box and it had 81 percent charge on it and it worked for over six hours and kept my whole body warm all day! I give 10 stars." — patti Get it from Amazon for $31.99 (available in three colors). 28. An affordable cult-favorite luxury-scented candle with a scent reminiscent of Le Labo's Santal 33, and a throw so satisfying that it'll save your space from getting that stuffy "stuck indoors" smell. If you're in the market for a signature scent for your home, look no further than this jasmine, oud, and sandalwood blend. Lulu Candles is a US-based small business that specializes in scented candles and perfumes. Promising review : "This is such a great candle that fills the room quickly with a really nice strong smell that is soothing and relaxing. I was looking for a less expensive Le Labo Santal 33 scent candle and this one is very very close! It's a bit stronger, but I love it! The shipment arrived fast, and I just love how fast it fills up the room without being lit for so long!" — Cristina Bertolotto Get it from Amazon for $19.95+ (available in three sizes, in gift box options, in packs of two, and in a variety of scents). 29. A wine caddy for the bathtub for those chilly nights you don't just need to relax in a warm tub, but need to relaaaaaaaaax in one. 🍷 SipCaddy is a US-based small business that specializes in shower beer and wine bath holders. Bonus : it also holds cans, so they can pop in a LaCroix or enjoy a shower PBR, too. Promising review: "Loved how easy this was to put in my shower and use for anything from holding beverages to face wash. Gifted it to two friends and my boyfriend who at first mocked it but now LOVES it. I’d consider traveling with it at this point." — MB Schatz Get it from Amazon for $13.99 (available in five colors). 30. A compact, one-setting personal heater so anytime a room is just a lil' too chilly for your liking, you can whip out this gizmo and be the master of your own temperature fate once more. Promising review: "My office was FREEZING due to unfixable circumstances. This little heater is great. It does not have to gear up; it immediately starts putting out heat when turned on. The top and sides remain cool while the device is on. I sit directly in front of the heater, and I’m not too hot or too cool; it’s perfect. I sit underneath an air vent, and this little thing cancels out the freezing air much to my liking. My office is small and enclosed, so the heat fills the entire space after a while (maybe 45–60 minutes). Good buy! I recommend it!" — BB.J Get it on Amazon for $19.76+ (available in four colors). 31. A portable mug warmer with three different temperature settings so you can take your sweet, sweeeeet time enjoying your morning cuppa without worrying about having to reheat it in the microwave or chugging lukewarm coffee. Bonus: it also operates as a candle warmer! Promising review: "LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Love the look. Love the temperature settings, although I don't believe I will use the lower ones since the 170 seems to be just right for me. Very simple to operate. Perfect Christmas gift or stocking stuffer for my daughter-in-law." — rkd Get it from Amazon for $25.99 . 32. A compressive cropped zip-up workout jacket so chic that you'll want to stock up on them not just for cold weather workouts, but errand running and days when your schedule is just "go go go." This is a great way to add some Lululemon-esque pieces to your rotation without breaking the bank! Promising review: "Lululemon WHOOOO? Great quality, washed well with my regular laundry. Retained it color and shape . I wore it for a back day at the gym and it was extremely comfortable/durable, no issues! I will keep buying these crop jackets. Also if you have a bigger chest I suggest you size up!" — Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $29.99 (available in women's sizes XS–XL and 14 styles). 33. A window AC unit cover perfect for anyone who can't pull theirs from the wall every season — this stops the cold air from seeping in and the warm air from seeping out. (It would also stop a bug infestation from a dead pigeon on your windowsill from getting into your apartment, but I'm not ready to talk about that yet!!!!!) It's available in four sizes, so make sure to measure your unit before you buy. Promising review: "I love it. I put it on and then in probably a half hour I could notice the change in the room. That breeze was gone." — DA-BIGGUY Get it from Amazon for $17.59+ (available in two colors and four sizes). 34. A lil' flat cat heating pad you can cook up in the microwave for some much needed relief from cramps or just the chill in the air. Promising review : "This was so much better than I anticipated. The quality is really nice, and there is a cover that you can remove and wash. It is soft and comfortable and comes in the cutest little box. So cute and functional. Heat is a humid heat but not too intense right out of the microwave." — brittany Get it from Amazon for $19.69 (available in three sizes and four other styles). Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.
NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. “Wrongly continuing proceedings in this failed lawfare case disrupts President Trump’s transition efforts,” the attorneys continued, before citing the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse the conviction, which involved efforts to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option.Who was Jimmy Carter and what was his cause of death?Musk’s huge Tesla payday is blocked again, but at least he’s got Trump
Lisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. The prime-time matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will also take place at Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as part of “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate broadcast. The altcast will be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+, and NFL+ (on mobile devices). ESPN and ABC have the main broadcast, while ESPN2 will carry the final “ManningCast” of the regular season. The replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Globally, more than 145 countries will have access to either live or on replay. “We’re such huge football fans, and the Simpsons audience and the football audience, I feel, are like the same audience of just American families and football. And the Simpsons are so much a part of the DNA of the American family and culture that for us to, like, mush them together in this crazy video game, it’s so fun,” said Matt Selman, executive producer of “The Simpsons.” While the game is the focal point, the alternate broadcast, in some ways, will resemble a three-hour episode of “The Simpsons.” It starts with Homer eating too many hot dogs and having a dream while watching football. Homer joins the Cowboys in the dream while Bart teams up with the Bengals. Lisa and Marge will be sideline reporters. “That’s the beginning of the story, and the story continues through the entire game until Homer wakes up from his dream at the end of the game. It is like a complete story, and the NFL game will happen in between. It’s just going to be an amazing presentation with tons of surprises,” said Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of edit and animation. This is the second year ESPN has done an alternate broadcast for an NFL game. It used the characters from “Toy Story” for last year’s Sunday morning game from London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. “The Simpsons” has featured many sports-themed episodes during its 35 seasons. Even though “Homer at the Bat” remains the consensus favorite sports episode for many Simpsons fans, there have been football ones such as “Bart Star” and “Lisa The Greek.” There also was a Super Bowl-themed one after Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl 33 between Denver and Atlanta in 1999. Even though “The Simpsons” remains a staple on Fox’s prime-time schedule, it is part of the Disney family after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. All 35 seasons are on Disney+. The show’s creators have worked with ESPN and the NFL to make sure the look and sound is definitely Simpsonsesque. The theme song is a mash-up of “The Simpsons” opening and “Monday Night Football’s” iconic “Heavy Action.” There have also been pre-recorded skits and bits to use during the broadcast featuring Simpson’s legendary voices Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real-time on the field. That is done through player-tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. While Next Gen Stats tracks where players are on the field with a tracking chip in the shoulder pads, there is skeletal data tracking and limb tracking data — which uses 29 points per player — to get closer to the player’s movements. The other data tracking will allow Beyond Sports and Disney to add special characters to the game. For example, there might be a play where Lisa catches the ball and goes 30 yards instead of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. “Lisa is much smaller than the rest of the players. So, in real life, the ball would go over her head, but now, with data processing, we can take the ball and make it go exactly into her hands. So for the viewer, it still looks believable, and it all makes sense,” said Beyond Sports co-founder Nicolaas Westerhof. The other major challenge is making “The Simpsons” two-dimensional cartoon characters into 3-D simulations. Szykowny and his team worked to make that a reality over the past couple of months. “That’s a big leap of faith for them to say, hey, we trust you to make our characters 3-D and work with it. Our ESPN creative studio team has done a wonderful job,” Szykowny said. Lisa, Krusty, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph will be with Bart and the Bengals; while Carl, Barney, Lenny and Moe join up with with Homer and the Cowboys. The broadcast will also feature ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky will call the game from Bristol, Connecticut, and also be animated. They will wear Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Springfield using VR technology. For Kimes, being part of the broadcast and being an animated Simpsons character is a dream come true. She is a massive fan of the show and has a framed photo of Lisa Simpson — who she said is a personal hero and icon — as part of her backdrop when she makes appearances on ESPN NFL shows from her home in Los Angeles. “I didn’t have any input, and I didn’t see anything beforehand, so I wasn’t sure if it would look like me, but it kind of does, which is very funny,” said Kimes, who drew Simpsons characters when she was a kid. “To see the actual staff turn me into one was a dream.” Even though the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) have struggled this season, Selman thinks both teams have personalities that appeal to “The Simpsons” universe. “We were just so lucky also that the Cowboys are sort of like a Homer Simpson-type team, American team, and Mike McCarthy might be a Homer-type guy, one might imagine,” he said. ”And then you have Joe Burrow on the other side who is a cool young, spiky-haired, blonde bad boy -- he’s like Bart. And that fits our character archetypes so perfectly. “If Homer is mad at Bart and has a hot dog dream while watching ’Monday Night Football’, and then it’s basically McCarthy versus Burrow, Homer versus Bart, and that’s the simple father versus son strangling — Homer strangling Bart dynamic that has been part of the show for 35 years. I don’t know if that would have worked as well if it was like Titans versus Jacksonville. We would have found something. We would have made it work.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflLOST IN NEW YORK ON THE SUBWAY — And what that means is, you’re on an E train because you stood on the wrong platform for C train you wanted, and there it goes, goodbye, and here you are, boarding the E train — vaguely aware of it — for the sake of doing something other than just waiting 12 minutes for the train you want. We can get into tangles that way. We can also end up in a better spot than we’d planned. During Nebraska’s 2024 season, it seemed like, more than once, NU sought more trouble than it had already caused by waiting for Matt Rhule’s initial staff to win big. Offensive gaffes cost the Huskers in 2023, while special teams blew up in Nebraska’s face in 2024. The offensive issues lingered, too; backs and receivers didn’t execute with purpose or precision. Rhule moved briskly to address the first issue by hiring, midseason, a new offensive coordinator. Dana Holgorsen was a good risk — given his Air Raid background, an odd pairing for the Big Ten — who paid off. NU went 2-2 in his four games calling plays, quarterback Dylan Raiola played more crisply, and when the Huskers absolutely needed the offense to come through, it did, triggering on-field confetti and postgame cigars. “I was fired up for our offense,” Rhule said. “It was the first time the offense took the ball and said enough is enough and went down the field.” The coach was full of rhetorical gems Saturday, and it’s credit to him that he could treat the Pinstripe Bowl win as something more than barely escaping defeat. Rhule has a gift for making three hours on a football field larger than the final score, and his tribute to Rahmir Johnson — who won MVP honors and rushed for 60 yards — gave a glimpse into why Rhule recruits transfers and high school players well. “I hope he wears his pads home on the subway and goes to his apartment, takes that MVP trophy and takes it out tonight somewhere,” Rhule said. Couldn’t have written it better. Rhule’s a football romantic in an age of social media-fueled, hard-bitten realists. He lives the journey of each season, which, at roller coaster Nebraska, can take a toll of his own. NU notched its first winning season since 2016 — what everyone wanted — and now, almost naturally, fans want to know how Rhule will rectify copious special teams debacles. He promises an “overhaul.” Sounds good. That unit needs one as Rhule and the Huskers aim to make a big jump in 2025. The plotting for that, as Rhule knows, begins now. Don’t count on the rest of the Big Ten standing still. Someone is going to be 2025’s version of 2024 Indiana. The expectation among many fans, fair or not, is that Rhule, in Year 3 of his tenure and Year 2 of Dylan Raiola’s career, will develop a team capable of 10 or 11 wins. The Leap Year is now upon us. Nebraska’s outgoing seniors, with some help from Raiola, Jacory Barney and a few others, produced a competitive 12-13 record over Rhule’s first two seasons, even if NU, with its 3-10 record in one-score games, still seems to be “Chasing 3” headed into the offseason. But Ty Robinson, Isaac Gifford, Bryce Benhart, Rahmir Johnson, John Bullock, Javin Wright, Ben Scott and Co. are gone now. So are four of the coaches off Rhule’s first staff — it could be more by the end of January. NU will need new player leadership and a renewed assistant-coach-player dynamic, all in a revenue-sharing era where it’s going to be fairly obvious — because it’s coming from the school itself — who’s getting paid more. Raiola will rightly get financial priority. So will the line of scrimmage, if you listen to what Rhule likes to emphasize. “We believe that the game is won primarily at the line of scrimmage,” Rhule said. “You have to be able to run the ball, stop the run. You have to be able to protect and affect the passer.” Rhule, now coach and de facto general manager, will be tasked with molding a tough team that’s also, despite all the changes, together. He already has Raiola in the fold and will need him as a locker room culture guy; Raiola has to take captain-level ownership of the whole team, pronto. No. 15 seems up for the task, too. Defensively, Rhule will have to meld an innovative mind — new coordinator John Butler — with old hand Phil Snow, coordinator-level defensive backs coach Addison Williams and two defensive line coaches coming from vastly different ends of the sport, as Phil Simpson spent years in the prep ranks while Terry Bradden has been coaching for the Kansas City Chiefs. These are compelling parts, particularly Butler, who folks around the program see as brilliant. Can they make a great staff? And will Rhule take more of the special teams load? Rhule wants that unit to be a playmaking group, and sometimes a big play is made, like the fake punt pass from Brian Buschini to Gifford. Sometimes the other team makes the play. I’ve long been lukewarm on criticism of special teams coaches — the HC sets the tone there. When Bo Pelini wanted to fix his punt return unit after a rough 2013 season, he took the job himself, taught the schemes, and got results. Likewise, Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz watched Nebraska punk the Hawkeyes’ punt unit in the 2014 game and over time developed the nation’s best special teams unit. He coaches to it, as well. In 2022, Scott Frost had a special teams coordinator, Bill Busch. Who took the hit for the onside kick in Ireland? Frost did. As he should’ve. Rhule can hire and fire whoever he pleases there. The successes and failures are his. Rhule will get a bit of time to reflect on 2024, but not much. So many variables crop up during a season that nine months are spent planning for every contingency — including waiting for the wrong train, or even getting on it. Nebraska ended this season the way it began: With its promise and its flaws in a 12-round fight. By that mucky afternoon in Yankee Stadium, potential won out by a bit. In 2025, Rhule, his coaches, players and NU fans expect that potential to win by a lot. NU’s moved into its new football palace. Its quarterback has a base of knowledge and year’s worth of tape from which to learn. The defense seems to have more four-star generals — including Rhule — than any time in Husker history. If Nebraska can fix special teams — if — well... Rhule and those seniors built the bridge to 2025. Now, the Leap Year is upon us. On with the Rewind. Defensive tackle Ty Robinson: A beast in his final game, with a sack, two tackles for loss, four hurries and a couple devastating blocks on key Husker running plays. He’ll be hard to replace, even if there’s a guy who has the physical tools to do it, Missouri transfer Williams Nwaneri. Running back Rahmir Johnson: A smaller back who always ran with the heart and the style of a big one, Johnson played the game fearlessly at Nebraska. He’s a poet, too, and, one day, he should have one heck of a poem about this season, and Saturday afternoon. Linebacker Vincent Shavers: Five tackles — two for loss — and the feeling that he was literally everywhere on the field, all at once. Pencil him in as a starting middle linebacker. Who plays next to him? John Bullock and Javin Wright, both of whom had strong games, just finished their Nebraska careers. Tight ends Thomas Fidone and Luke Lindenmeyer: Key pieces of the game, with Fidone grabbing five catches in 31 snaps and Lindenmeyer playing 49 snaps. Holgorsen’s made clear that, if you’re playing tight end in this offense, you’re blocking, a lot. Even if Fidone were to go to the NFL — he could, and potentially be a third day NFL Draft pick — Nebraska is in decent shape at the position. Edge rusher MJ Sherman: Starting with the Ohio State game — and perhaps excluding the UCLA game — the Georgia transfer really cranked up his level of play on the edge. He made the fourth down stop late in the second quarter against BC and six total pressures against the Eagles, according to Pro Football Focus. Receiver Jahmal Banks: Four catches, 89 yards, good blocking, and tough grabs in miserable playing conditions. He finished the season with 44 catches for 587 yards and three touchdowns. If you’re ranking NU transfer receivers, he’s behind Trey Palmer and Samori Toure, but ahead of the others. Quarterback Dylan Raiola: College football social media has become too much of a joyless dirge. Online criticism for Raiola’s celebration around Yankee Stadium seemed off-base. Do we not want to see people happy? He’s poised for a big Year 2 if he keeps working on his footwork — cut down on the fadeaway throws — and runs a little more. Cornerback Donovan Jones: Hello, Omaha North! The former Viking played exceedingly well in NU’s defensive backfield, given he was tasked with doing it for the first time. It was stunning to see Jones, who redshirted and played three snaps against UTEP, suddenly leaping the depth chart over Blye Hill, Jeremiah Charles and more. His work in practice clearly caught Butler’s eye. Left tackle Gunnar Gottula: The future’s bright for him after a strong game against Boston College’s pass rush. Nebraska needs one or two tackles out of the portal and some good injury news on either Turner Corcoran or Teddy Prochazka. Boston College quarterback Grayson James: Earned praised from Rhule for his play against a tough Nebraska pass rush. James threw several third down darts and scrambled for a few first downs, too. Without the benefit of a run game, he kept BC competitive. Yankee Stadium — with one exception: This stadium, wedged into the hard-edged Bronx cityscape, is a stunner. First class, fortress-like design, authoritative-but-helpful stadium workers, good food (for the media and the masses). It’s an exceedingly impressive venue — that did not have turf suited for a December football game in the rain. The grass didn’t kick up in tufts, like I once saw at Notre Dame, but sat below the thinnest film of water that turned the playing surface into a Slip ‘N Slide. People watching on TV could compare what they saw in the Pinstripe Bowl with a much more lush-seeming grass at Fenway Park, and note the difference. 226.3: Passing yards per game for Dylan Raiola in four games under Holgorsen’s leadership. That’s nine more yards per game than he averaged for the entire season, and 12 more yards per game than he averaged under former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield. Raiola completed 71.4% of his passes with Holgorsen, 67.2% for the whole season and 64.9% with Satterfield. The numbers, to some degree, speak for themselves. 18: Catches by the tight ends over the last four games of the season. That’s six by Thomas Fidone, five by the now-transferred Nate Boerkircher, four from Luke Lindenmeyer, two from Carter Nelson and one from Heinrich Haarberg, who has now moved to the position. The backs had 28 catches over those final four games under Holgorsen. NU’s staff feels like it’ll have more and better receiver options in 2025 — coaches are particularly excited for Kentucky transfer Dane Key — but the tight end and back numbers show Holgorsen’s interest in a high completion rate getting yards after the catch. 30: Sacks for the season, which is down two from 2024, when the Huskers appeared better at rushing from depth (Luke Reimer was still on the team) and former defensive coordinator Tony White was a tad more aggressive. We saw that aggression from new defensive coordinator John Butler Saturday, and it paid off with three sacks and John Bullock’s forced fumble, which set up NU’s last touchdown. Because of transfer portal departures, Nebraska lacked its usual edge rushing prowess, but coaches hope portal additions Dasan McCullough and Jaylen George help clear that up. 40.7: Opponents’ fourth down conversion rate. That currently ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 15th nationally, and NU’s fourth down defense played the largest role in wins over Rutgers (2 of 6 on fourth down) and Boston College (0 of 4). Colorado, which turned out to be Nebraska’s best win of the year, only converted 1 of 3 in the Huskers 28-10 victory back in September. 4-10: Nebraska’s record, under Rhule, when it loses the in-game battle in turnover margin. NU finished 3-7 in 2023 — with wins over Illinois, Northwestern and Purdue — and 1-3 this season, with losses to Indiana, UCLA and Iowa and the win, at season’s end, over Boston College. For the season, Nebraska finished -2 in turnover margin, its best figure since 2019, when the Huskers finished at 0. Raiola threw 12 interceptions — down four from 2023 — and, more importantly, Nebraska lost just seven fumbles, down from 15 in 2023. Under Rhule, the Huskers are 6-1 when they win the turnover battle, 2-2 when they break even and 4-10 when they lose it. After each game, I ask fans for their feedback on NU’s play. Selected and edited responses follow. Fred Wedemeyer: “Defense was outstanding, offense was pretty good other than a few mistakes, but wow, is there any other program in the country with worse special teams?” Jay Hoffman: “A cathartic Husker bowl win for a team that has been through a lot. I was in the stands and saw several fans noticeably emotional and immensely appreciative watching Johnson win the MVP. We can worry about special teams next week. Time to pop the bubbly and celebrate.” Michael Messerly: “Moving forward bowl games need to stop being played at baseball stadiums. The playing surface at Yankee stadium is atrocious.” Travis Hawkinson: “Loved what I saw from younger players. Wish we had one more year of (Jahmal) Banks. That would truly give us some great WRs. He really looked way better under Holgorsen than he did under(Marcus) Satterfield.” Cincinnati football — Nebraska’s first opponent in 2025 — is a program still making the leap from Group of Five conference power to a Big 12 team. Since joining its new league, UC Is 8-16 overall and 4-14 in league games. This includes a five-game losing streak to end the 2024 season and put coach Scott Satterfield, finishing his second year with the Bearcats, on a seat just as hot as the one Luke Fickell, Cincinnati’s former coach, sits on at Wisconsin. Defense is the issue; UC allowed 6.67 yards per play last season and 6.07 yards per play in 2024. On offense, Cincinnati returns quarterback Brendan Sorsby — previously at Indiana — after he threw 18 touchdown passes in 2024. He’s a keeper, as is tight end Joe Royer, who spent three years as a Ohio State backup before coming to Cincy and breaking Travis Kelce’s single-season tight ends reception record with 50 grabs for 521 yards and three scores. The Bearcats will open a new football practice facility this summer, and obviously didn’t want to turn down the financial opportunity afforded to them by playing in Arrowhead Stadium, where Nebraska will have 50,000 fans — at least. A satisfied Husker fan base settles in for a winter of Fred Hoiberg’s basketball team — Brice Williams is a sneaky possible Big Ten player of the year candidate — and portal watchin’ for that needed offensive lineman. NU football returns to offseason workouts in late January with genuine momentum. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
On Wednesday, at Sednaya, a political prison in Syria, hundreds of people prowled the grounds. It was the third day after an astonishing rebel offensive deposed Bashar al-Assad, who had ruled as a tyrant during thirteen years of vicious civil war. After the rebels swept into Damascus, the jailers had fled Sednaya, and the prisoners had been set free. The visitors on Wednesday were relatives of men who were known to have been held there but had not reappeared. On the grass outside, burned black in places by recent fires, groups of them camped out in a grim limbo. That morning, a Turkish search-and-rescue team in blue coveralls was busy with shovels inside the darkened administration block, working at a small rectangle of dirt where a concrete slab had been torn away. Rumors persisted that there was a buried hatchway to a “red prison”—a secret underground facility where hundreds, or even thousands, of prisoners might still be alive but dying of hunger, thirst, or asphyxiation. Whether or not the rumors were true, most everyone at Sednaya seemed to believe them, and several relatives approached me to ask whether, as “a Westerner,” I could provide the technology to peer through the floors. The leader of the Turkish team told me that his group had nothing but shovels. “We are here because we want to show solidarity,” he explained, gesturing at the desperate people around him. Being entombed alive is an apt metaphor for a populace that had its civic freedoms squashed by the Assad dynasty for half a century. Hafez al-Assad, a secular nationalist from the minority Alawite sect, ran Syria tyrannically from 1971 until his death, in 2000. He was succeeded by his son Bashar, a former ophthalmologist who proved no less repressive than his father. The civil war erupted in 2011, after Bashar responded to a peaceful demonstration with deadly force. Since then, it has been estimated that six hundred thousand Syrians have been killed; some six million, nearly a third of the population, have fled into exile. Throughout the decades of the Assads’ rule, resistance of any kind was brutally quashed, and offenders were detained and tortured in a network of dozens of facilities across the country. Sednaya was the most infamous. Built in the late eighties, on a barren limestone hilltop forty minutes from downtown Damascus, it acquired such a fearsome reputation that many Syrians refused to utter its name aloud. In the first days of the war, I visited the hills nearby and spotted the complex. When I asked my driver what it was, he shook his head. Asked again, he whispered, “Sednaya” but would add only that it was a “terrible” place. Since then, as the war intensified, the prison became, by all accounts, even more terrible. In 2021, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights calculated that as many as thirty thousand people had been executed there since the war began. But the number of people who survived within the prison’s walls was, like most everything else about it, impossible to know. When Sednaya was liberated, last weekend, some of those freed had been there for decades. One inmate had reportedly been imprisoned since 1981; he had entered as a young man of twenty-seven and emerged, a ghastly Rip Van Winkle, at seventy. The searchers who gathered on Wednesday morning, moving through dank stairwells and across the flat prison roof, were traversing a place that they could have seen only in their horrified imaginations. A militiaman in camouflage played me a cell-phone video—sent, he claimed, by a former jailer—that purportedly showed the layout of the prison and of a set of tunnels. The militiaman held out his hands uncertainly; even with the video, no one could find the tunnels. No one had even found a registry of prisoners who had been held there. I met an elderly couple from Aleppo—a man in a red-and-white-checked kaffiyeh and a woman in a dark hijab. “Where are the lists?” the man asked, and then answered himself: “There are no lists.” Moving away, he said, “All I want to know is if they are alive or dead.” For the family members who have come to Sednaya—after enduring years with no news about their fathers, brothers, sons, and nephews—any bit of evidence stirs a despairing hope, which shows plainly in their body language and on their faces. The crowd that gathered around the Turks shovelling at the floor resembled relatives of people buried in earthquakes; they watched avidly, helplessly, for any indication of life. Other visitors wandered through cellblocks, some stooping to examine the documents on prison stationery that lay everywhere. I asked one dazed-looking man about a paper in his hands. Studying it as if for the first time, he said that it had to do with food allocation—not for the prisoners but for the guards. “It says the guards have been transferred, so they don’t need the food anymore,” he said. Another visitor thrust his phone in my face. It was playing a video of a young man in shorts being beaten in a cell at Sednaya. There were vicious red welts on his body; he whimpered in fear and pain as guards struck him. For years, as reports of atrocities filtered out, Bashar al-Assad remained in power, propped up by Russian and Iranian allies. As I entered one hallway, a woman in a robe began shouting, “Now you come to look. Why didn’t you come before? Why didn’t you believe us? Why didn’t you hear us when we said they were killing us!” After a moment, she moved on, but a nearby man began shouting, too. He wanted revenge, nothing less or more. He would get a weapon and kill the Alawites—Assad’s sect, which some members of Syria’s Sunni majority see as complicit in his repression. The man vowed to kill every man, every woman, and every child he saw. A boy in a turban stood inside the barred steel door of a cell. He was looking for his brother, who had been taken, at the age of fifteen, from their family’s home in the northeastern city of Deir ez Zor. He had been gone for nine years, which would make him twenty-four now, the boy calculated. The cell floor, like all the others, was covered with unidentifiable stains and strewn with grimy gray blankets and bits of clothing. The boy looked intently at the refuse, as if expecting to see something that would help him find his brother. Up on the roof, three men pointed at a reinforced hatchway, from which a pipe protruded. Perhaps, they suggested, it was an air vent to the secret underground prison. There was a rank smell seeping from it, but it seemed like the stench of sewage, not of bodies. As I prepared to climb back down into the prison through a hole bashed through the concrete, they called out again, pointing to a hatch at the far end of the roof. Another vent there had an even worse smell—but that, too, seemed like nothing more than waste. The men went on, aimlessly looking for whatever they could find. Everywhere I went in Sednaya, it was the same story. The Syrian people had been so terrorized and disenfranchised, so thoroughly cut off from their missing relatives, that they were reduced to a kind of ad-hoc forensic anthropology. One man, who had lost two brothers and three cousins to Sednaya, told me that he had been able to visit them once, back in 2016. But he was told afterward that he could not return, and since then there had been only silence. I asked if he had tried to come back, despite the order, to check on his family members. He replied, with a stricken look, “My relatives told me not to ask about them, that it could be bad for them, and so I stopped.” As I walked down a stairwell, a young man beckoned to me, cupping his other hand over his mouth and nose. A friend of his had made a hole in the wall about six feet up and was crouched in the opening. “Please smell,” the young man asked me. This time, I thought, it did possibly smell like death. The man in the hole began tearing at the masonry and hurling aside debris. A knot of onlookers gathered, looking up through the bars of a locked doorway below. For the moment, their faces were hopeful. ♦ New Yorker Favorites A man was murdered in cold blood and you’re laughing ? The best albums of 2024. Little treats galore: a holiday gift guide . How Maria Callas lost her voice . An objectively objectionable grammatical pet peeve . 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TOKYO (AP) — Troops surround South Korea's parliament overnight when the president declares martial law. He accuses pro-North Korean forces of plotting to overthrow one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. Lawmakers voice outrage and vote to end the declaration, and the president lifts the decree before daybreak. President Yoon Suk Yeol spread fear and confusion through South Korea overnight by issuing his sudden edict late Tuesday, the first martial law declaration since more than four decades ago when the country was controlled by a dictatorship. The declaration, the rushed vote by lawmakers to overturn it and the president's lifting of martial law soon afterward were moments of high drama for an unpopular leader who has struggled with political deadlock in an opposition-dominated parliament and scandals involving him and his wife. While there was no direct evidence presented, Yoon raised the specter of North Korea as a destabilizing force. Yoon has long maintained that a hard line against the North is the only way to stop Pyongyang from following through on its nuclear threats against Seoul. Amid the surreal scenes of troops massing around parliament, here are some things to know as this story unfolds: Immediately after Yoon's declaration the military chief called in key commanders for talks. South Korean troops set up barricades and then made their way into parliament. The leader of the main opposition, which controls parliament, ordered lawmakers to return to the building, where they eventually voted to lift the declaration of martial law. Yoon lifted the martial law decree around 4:30 a.m. during a Cabinet meeting. Yoon's declaration had been accompanied by an accusation that the opposition was engaged in “anti-state activities plotting rebellion.” But he did not explain what that means, and provided no specific evidence. The vague statement is reminiscent of the heavy-handed tactics of the South Korean dictatorships that ended in the late 1980s. A series of strongmen repeatedly invoked North Korea when struggling to control domestic dissidents and political opponents. The opposition lambasted Yoon's move as un-democratic. Opposition leader Lee Jae-myung, who narrowly lost to Yoon in the 2022 presidential election, called Yoon’s announcement “illegal and unconstitutional.” But the sudden declaration was also opposed by the leader of Yoon's own conservative party, Han Dong-hoon, who called the decision “wrong” and vowed to “stop it with the people.” “The people will block the president’s anti-constitutional step. The military must be on the side of the public in any case. Let’s resolutely oppose it,” Kim Dong Yeon, the opposition party governor of Gyeonggi province, which surrounds Seoul, wrote on X. Average South Koreans were in shock. Social media was flooded with messages expressing surprise and worry over Yoon’s announcement. “Martial law? I thought it was deepfake content, but is it really a martial law decree?,” one X user wrote. “I first thought about a war with North Korea when he said he would impose a martial law,” another X user wrote. There were quick claims that the emergency declaration was linked to Yoon’s political struggles. His approval rating has dropped, and he has had little success in getting his policies adopted by a parliament that has been controlled by the opposition since he took over in 2022. Conservatives have said the opposition moves are political revenge for investigations into the opposition leader, who is seen as the favorite for the next presidential election in 2027. Just this month, Yoon denied wrongdoing in an influence-peddling scandal involving him and his wife. The claims have battered his approval ratings and fueled attacks by his rivals. The scandal centers on claims that Yoon and first lady Kim Keon Hee exerted inappropriate influence on the conservative ruling People Power Party to pick a certain candidate to run for a parliamentary by-election in 2022 at the request of Myung Tae-kyun, an election broker and founder of a polling agency who conducted free opinion surveys for Yoon before he became president . Yoon has said he did nothing inappropriate. South Korea became a democracy only in the late 1980s, and military intervention in civilian affairs is still a touchy subject. During the dictatorships that emerged as the country rebuilt from the destruction of the 1950-53 Korean War, leaders occasionally proclaimed martial law that allowed them to station combat soldiers, tanks and armored vehicles on streets or in public places to prevent anti-government demonstrations. Such scenes are unimaginable for many today. The dictator Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for nearly 20 years before he was assassinated by his spy chief in 1979, led several thousand troops into Seoul in the early hours of May 16, 1961, in the country’s first successful coup. During his rule, he occasionally proclaimed martial law to crack down on protests and jail critics. Less than two months after Park Chung-hee’s death, Maj. Gen. Chun Doo-hwan led tanks and troops into Seoul in December 1979 in the country’s second successful coup. The next year, he orchestrated a brutal military crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the southern city of Gwangju, killing at least 200 people. In the summer of 1987, massive street protests forced Chun’s government to accept direct presidential elections. His army buddy Roh Tae-woo, who had joined Chun’s 1979 coup, won the election held later in 1987 thanks largely to divided votes among liberal opposition candidates. AP writers Kim Tong-hyung and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this story.Alan Halsall admits he’s gutted to lose his I’m A Celebrity ‘wife’ Tulisa after her shock eviction
Manipur: Ban on mobile internet in nine districts extended till Dec 9The Winnipeg Goldeyes have announced a trade as they acquired a new first baseman. In a deal that was actually completed a few weeks ago, the Goldeyes revealed they picked up infielder Jake Guenther in a trade with the Frontier League’s Lake Erie Crushers. The Crushers will receive a player to be named later as part of the swap. The 27-year-old is a seventh-round draft pick of the MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays and also spent time in the Texas Rangers farm system. He had a .272 batting average with four home runs and 37 RBI with the Crushers last season. Goldeyes manager Logan Watkins has had his eye on the Wisconsin product for a number of years and has already signed Guenther to a new contract for the 2025 season. “Jake is a guy I’ve had on my radar for a while,” Watkins said in a media release. “He was at TCU (Texas Christian University) when I was with Cleburne, so he was someone we considered signing but it didn’t end up happening. “I’m happy to see he’s had a successful start to his professional career and our paths are finally crossing in Winnipeg. Fans should expect a plus defender coupled with a good, competitive approach at the plate.” Jake McMurray started the majority of the games at first base for the Fish last season, but is currently unsigned. Guenther is their eighth player signed for next season. Spring training starts on April 26.
Former US president Jimmy Carter dies aged 100
Obama, Trump and the King remember 'incredible leader' Jimmy Carter
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Photos: Notre Dame Cathedral reopens, with its first service since a devastating fireIn December 1978, Jimmy Carter – who has died aged 100 – outlined his belief that American strategic decisions abroad should be shaped by an adherence to human rights. “ is the soul of our foreign policy ... because human rights is the soul of our sense of nationhood.” In the sphere of foreign affairs, Jimmy Carter’s one term as US president (1977-1981) had some notable achievements. The most significant was the 1978 . Carter, Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin, and Egyptian president Anwar Sadat signed an agreement that saw Begin agree to relinquish the entire Sinai Peninsula, captured by Israel in the 1967 six-day war, in exchange for peace and full diplomatic relations with Egypt. This exemplified Carter’s belief in the power of American diplomacy and why US presidents should courageously assume the difficult task of . Twenty-five years later, and against the backdrop of the build-up to the second Gulf war, Carter was recognised for his role in the accords and awarded the 2002 Nobel peace prize. The Nobel committee said that while President George W. Bush was planning an invasion of Iraq: “former President Jimmy Carter was awarded the for undertaking peace negotiations, campaigning for human rights, and working for social welfare”. They added that the prize was in recognition of “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development”. On leaving office in January 1981, Carter sought to use his status as a former president to engage in the issues and causes that mattered to him most. He established the to pursue his own course of personal diplomacy. Starting in 1982, the centre has monitored in 39 countries. Ahead of the 2020 US presidential election and as then president Donald Trump on refused to commit to a transition should he lose, the Carter Center took the extraordinary step of designating the US as a . Carter, a devout Christian, maximised his personal relationships with former world leaders to promote democracy and human rights, support scientific work on eliminating diseases, and to mediate where possible to prevent conflict. His activism was not always appreciated by some of his White House successors, both Republican and Democrat. , professor of religion at Dartmouth College, said that the former president’s personal brand of diplomacy could often complicate and even contradict contemporary US diplomatic initiatives. Carter was a member of , an independent group of global leaders working on peace promotion, social justice, climate change and global human rights. During his years of active membership Carter dedicated significant energy to the , visiting the region on a number of occasions to support the Elders’ work. In the early 1990s the former president became involved in mediation work between the US State Department and several rogue states including North Korea and Libya. In 1994, Carter supported the US government’s efforts to resolve an increasingly tense nuclear weapons’ situation with North Korean leader Kim Il Sung. Carter met with Kim in June 1994, becoming the first former US president to visit the country. The trip laid the groundwork for an eventual between North Korea and the US. The saw North Korea pledge to freeze its plutonium weapons programme, while the US agreed to offer aid. Carter continued to weigh-in on contemporary geopolitical events well into his 90s. He was openly critical when Trump announced in May 2018 that he was withdrawing the US from the , which had been negotiated by the Obama administration in 2015. He called Trump’s move a . Carter felt that an international agreement made by an American president needed to be binding on all their successors and that by walking away from the Iran deal the US a “message to North Korea that if the United States signs an agreement, it may or may not be honored”. One of Carter’s major accomplishments since leaving office was his centre’s work in health care, and specifically the eradication of Guinea-worm disease. This is a parasitic infection caused by drinking contaminated water. The consequences of the , while not fatal, can incapacitate the sufferer and lead to permanent disability. The Carter Center committed to training over health care workers, invested in education programmes and provided water filters to protect people from swallowing the parasite. The results have been highly successful. According to the centre: “incidences of Guinea-worm disease have been reduced from an estimated 3.5 million in 1986 to , with the disease being eliminated in 17 countries”. Jimmy Carter’s commitment to human rights never went away and his concept of a human-rights focused foreign policy has become permanently encoded in the . The former president’s work brought him international acclaim, and illustrated why the nation’s leaders should reject short-sighted calculations that risk the US being complicit in . This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .