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By MEAD GRUVER and AMY BETH HANSON, Associated Press A judge on Monday rejected a request to block a San Jose State women’s volleyball team member from playing in a conference tournament on grounds that she is transgender. Monday’s ruling by U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Kato Crews in Denver will allow the player, who has played all season, to continue competing in the Mountain West Conference women’s championship scheduled for later this week in Las Vegas. The ruling comes after a lawsuit was filed by nine current players who are suing the Mountain West Conference to challenge the league’s policies for allowing transgender players to participate. The players argued that letting her compete was a safety risk and unfair. While some media have reported those and other details, neither San Jose State nor the forfeiting teams have confirmed the school has a trans women’s volleyball player. The Associated Press is withholding the player’s name because she has not publicly commented on her gender identity. School officials also have declined an interview request with the player. Judge Crews referred to the athlete as an “alleged transgender” player in his ruling and noted that no defendant disputed that San Jose State rosters a transgender woman volleyball player. He said the players who filed the complaint could have sought relief much earlier, noting that the individual universities had acknowledged that not playing their games against San Jose State this season would result in a forfeit in league standings. He also said injunctions are meant to preserve the status quo. The conference policy regarding forfeiting for refusing to play against a team with a transgender player had been in effect since 2022 and the San Jose State player has been on the roster since 2022 – making that the status quo. The player competed at the college level three previous seasons, including two for San Jose State, drawing little attention. This season’s awareness of her identity led to an uproar among some players, pundits, parents and politicians in a political campaign year. The tournament starts Wednesday and continues Friday and Saturday. San Jose State is seeded second. The judge’s order maintains the seedings and pairings for the tournament. Several teams refused to play against San Jose State during the season, earning losses in the official standings. Boise State and Wyoming each had two forfeits while Utah State and Nevada both had one. Southern Utah, a member of the Western Athletic Conference, was first to cancel against San Jose State this year. Nevada’s players stated they “refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes,” without providing further details. Crews served as a magistrate judge in Colorado’s U.S. District Court for more than five years before President Joe Biden appointed him to serve as a federal judge in January of this year. Gruver reported from Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Hanson from Helena, Montana.Gary Neville has aimed a cheeky dig at Pep Guardiola after Manchester City were drawn against Salford in the FA Cup. The reigning Premier League champions will host local fourth-tier opposition in the third round in January after the two clubs were paired together in Monday night’s draw at Old Trafford. Such a fixture is certainly not short on narrative, with League Two side Salford co-owned by United’s famous ‘Class of 92’ stars in Gary Neville, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Phil Neville and Nicky Butt. And Neville could not resist a playful jab at Guardiola on social media straight after Monday’s draw, writing on X: “He’s getting sacked in the morning @SalfordCityFC.” That is a reference to the chants aimed at the Catalan - to which he responded by holding up six fingers as a reminder of how many Premier League titles he has won - by the gleeful home fans at Anfield as Premier League leaders Liverpool deepened the sense of crisis at City with a 2-0 win on Sunday that moved them nine points clear at the top of the table. City are now winless in their last seven matches across all competitions, having last tasted victory at home to struggling Southampton on October 26. Their recent uncharacteristic slump has included an initial run of five successive defeats and now four consecutive Premier League losses, while they also inexplicably threw away a 3-0 lead at home to Feyenoord in the Champions League to draw 3-3. By far the worst run of his illustrious managerial career to date has taken its toll on Guardiola, who said before watching his team fall 11 points off the Premier League title pace on Merseyside: “I don’t like it. I don’t enjoy it at all. “I don’t sleep as good as when I won every game. Maybe it’s more unusual to win four Premier League titles in a row. In that moment I was stable enough, I was happy because I eat better and sleep better.” Among the multitude of other compelling narratives to emerge from Monday’s FA Cup third round draw was League One Peterborough being handed a trip to face Premier League strugglers Everton at Goodison Park - a match that could see the Toffees’ veteran winger Ashley Young go up against his son Tyler, 18. “WOW.......... Dreams Might Come True #FaCup #GoosebumpsMoment #YoungVsYoung,” Young Sr wrote on X.
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Jean-Philippe Mateta struck in the second half with the only real piece of quality in a nervy encounter between two struggling teams. It is now two wins and three draws from the last six matches for Glasner’s side, whose winter revival is gathering pace nicely following a sticky start to the campaign. “I feel very happy, we’re all very pleased with the result, it was not the best performance but the result was more important,” said the Eagles boss. “Most of the time we controlled the game and we scored an amazing goal, a fantastic finish from JP. “We had more chances to decide the game but we couldn’t, but I think the win was well deserved. “We didn’t give them any chances from open play and with a clean sheet you can always take the win. “It’s a big win. Now it’s not time to sit back and relax but to keep going. In four days we face Manchester City. We stay humble. There are still many things to improve but we are on the right path.” Ipswich looked the likelier to score as a low-key first half drew to a close and were denied by a point-blank save by Dean Henderson from Harry Clarke’s near-post header. Shortly after the interval Wes Burns got clear down the right and lifted an inviting cross towards Liam Delap, whose header was straight at Henderson. However, from out of nowhere Palace conjured up a lightning counter-attack to go ahead on the hour. Eberechi Eze led the charge before feeding Mateta, who surged forward with a couple of stepovers before brushing off the attention of Jacob Greaves and finishing superbly past Arijanet Muric. It was the French forward’s sixth goal of the season, and his first away from Selhurst Park. Back came Ipswich with Leif Davis fizzing in another cross for Delap, who somehow mistimed his jump and completely missed the ball from six yards. As time ticked down Greaves looped a header against the far post, with the rebound just eluding substitute Ali-Al Hamadi. “Frustrating night,” said Town boss Kieran McKenna. “It was a tight first half, we weren’t fantastic in terms of the flow of the game and didn’t create as many opportunities as we wanted. But having said that neither did our opponents. “In the second half we conceded a really poor goal and that proved decisive. We can do better than we did tonight.”Posts area Latest 1 of 1 Latest posts Latest posts 7.28am Two people pulled from the water after Mindarie accident A boat is believed to have capsized off the coast in the Mindarie/Jindalee area this morning, landing two people in the water. Police were notified at 6.45am and St John Ambulance 7.14am. St John Ambulance has confirmed it sent four crews at priority 1 speed to attend two people pulled from the water, ages and genders unknown. Water police, marine rescue staff and the police helicopter are also attending. We’ll bring you more on that soon. 7.18am Cottesloe’s iconic Sculpture by the Sea cancelled after federal funding falls through By Holly Thompson Sculpture by the Sea has today announced its popular annual Cottesloe art exhibition will be cancelled in 2025, due to a lack of vital support from the federal government. In a post on their website, the company expressed their dismay at the lack of funding from the federal arts agency Creative Australia. Zadok Ben-David’s ‘Big Boy’, Sculpture By the Sea, Cottesloe 2017. Credit: Richard Watson “Following the end of the Catalyst Fund and the RISE Fund in 2023, Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe has received no federal government arts funding to stage the large-scale exhibition that transforms Cottesloe beach for 230,000 visitors over 18 days in March each year,” the post reads. “One of Perth’s largest, longest running and most beloved public events, it was founded on the idea of providing a major free exhibition to transform Cottesloe beach into a temporary world-class sculpture park for everyone to enjoy. “However, organisers see no other choice but to cancel the 2025 edition due to the significant costs of mounting a free exhibition of this scale.” Many WA artists have signed a letter to the federal arts minister or written their own, asking for funding to resume. Denise Pepper, a Perth-based artist who has exhibited at the Cottesloe event 10 times since 2009, said it had been a “game-changer” in her career. WA artist Dr Jon Tarry said the lack of funding “felt like a funeral.” “We can’t believe it’s happening and how anyone responsible for the public arts in Australia could let this happen. Sculpture by the Sea is what every city in the world would love to have,” he said. This is not the first time the organisers of Sculpture by the Sea Cottesloe have been forced to consider pausing the exhibition but, unlike in previous years, no solution has been found. 7.16am Across the nation and around the world Making headlines today: Police suspect Kazem Hamad is directing the Melbourne tobacco war firebombings , shootings and drug trafficking from Iraq. We reveal why they can’t bring him back to face justice. Kazem Hamad seems out of reach to Australian authorities. Credit: The Age Some of the nation’s top economists are accusing the Reserve Bank of putting the employment of hundreds of thousands of Australians at risk by keeping interest rates too high. Paul Keating has emerged as a significant winner from the sale of Boost Mobile , with the former prime minister set to pocket at least $40 million from the telco tie-up. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will try to salvage a deal to set up a peak federal agency to protect the environment despite a new demand from the Greens for major changes, amid talk of a feud within the ministry over a decision to shelve the reform last week. Rude children and long hours are fuelling a Father Christmas shortage in France as men increasingly refuse to take on the jolly white-bearded role. Longtime Neighbours star Ian Smith has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer . The 86-year-old actor, best known for playing Harold Bishop, revealed the news in an interview with Channel 10 last night. Advertisement 7.13am Today’s weather Mostly cloudy today, staying cool with a top of 23 degrees. 7.12am Good morning readers Good morning, and welcome to our live blog for Tuesday, December 3. Would you look at that? Christmas is nearly upon us (did you need another reminder?) and just in time for the festive season is an opening in Leederville that’s sure to spark boundless joy among fans of bound pages. Many people – aforementioned fans chief among them – would say a high street without a bookstore will always lack that certain something special. So it will be good news to those who frequent Oxford Street that a new retailer will be opening its doors to, er, start a new chapter in the heart of the premier precinct. Emma Young’s got the full story. Read it here. Stormie Mills on the river in Perth. Meanwhile, in the latest instalment of our Three Things I Love series, we chat to celebrated artist Stormie Mills about what he loves in his home town. And, as it turns out, Mills’ time spent in Venice (he’s been living there for the past 18 months) has given him a new perspective on our city, and the beautiful river that flows from the hills, through its heart and out to the sea. Read the full article here. Thanks for joining us today, and stay tuned as we bring you all the news you need to know. Latest 1 of 1 Latest Most Viewed in National Loading
South Korea lifts president's martial law decree after lawmakers vote against it SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s government has lifted the martial law he imposed during a tense night of political drama in which troops surrounded parliament and lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Yoon said early Wednesday that his government withdrew military personnel following a bipartisan parliamentary vote rejecting martial law, and the measure was formally lifted during a Cabinet meeting around 4:30 a.m. Yoon declared martial law late Tuesday, vowing to eliminate “anti-state” forces as he struggles against an opposition that controls the country’s parliament and that he accuses of sympathizing with communist North Korea. Less than three hours later, parliament voted to lift the declaration. President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urge judge to toss his hush money conviction NEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers have formally asked a judge to throw out his hush money criminal conviction. Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan in court papers Monday that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. They argue continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency." Prosecutors 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. Trump team signs agreement to allow Justice to conduct background checks on nominees, staff WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team has signed an agreement to allow the Justice Department to conduct background checks on his nominees and appointees after a weeks-long delay. The step lets Trump transition aides and future administration staffers obtain security clearances before Inauguration Day to access classified information about ongoing government programs. It also allows those nominees who are up for Senate confirmation to get the background checks lawmakers want before voting on them. Trump's FBI pick has plans to reshape the bureau. This is what Kash Patel has said he wants to do WASHINGTON (AP) — Kash Patel has been well-known for years within Donald Trump’s orbit as a loyal supporter who shares the president-elect’s skepticism of the FBI and intelligence community. But he’s receiving fresh attention, from the public and from Congress, now that Trump has selected him to lead the FBI. As he braces for a bruising and likely protracted Senate confirmation fight, Patel can expect scrutiny not only over his professed fealty to Trump but also for his belief — revealed over the last year in interviews and his own book — that the century-old FBI should be radically overhauled. Hamas and Fatah are near an agreement on who will oversee postwar Gaza CAIRO (AP) — Palestinian officials say Fatah and Hamas are closing in on an agreement to appoint a committee of politically independent technocrats to administer the Gaza Strip after the war. It would effectively end Hamas’ rule and could help advance ceasefire talks with Israel. The rival factions have made several failed attempts to reconcile since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007. Israel has meanwhile ruled out any postwar role in Gaza for either Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by Fatah. Thanks to peace, two unexpected words are echoing across Afghanistan's capital: Luxury housing KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Peace is driving up property prices in Kabul and fueling the luxury market. Afghans who spent years overseas are returning home, keen to take advantage of the country’s improved security after decades of war. They include those escaping deportation campaigns in Iran and Pakistan and are taking their cash with them. Kabul is less violent since the Taliban transitioned from insurgency to authority and foreign forces withdrew. The Taliban, sticklers for bureaucracy, have pledged to stamp out corruption and regulate legal and commercial matters. That means no more dealing with warlords or bribing local officials for land purchases or construction projects. Native American students miss school at higher rates. It only got worse during the pandemic SAN CARLOS, Ariz. (AP) — Years after COVID-19 disrupted American schools, nearly every state is still struggling with attendance. But attendance has been worse for Native American and Alaska Native students — a disparity that existed before the pandemic and has since grown, according to data collected by The Associated Press. Out of 34 states with data available for the 2022-2023 school year, half had absenteeism rates for Native students that were at least 9 percentage points higher than the state average. Many schools serving Native students have been working to build stronger connections with families. They must navigate distrust dating back to the U.S. government’s campaign to force Native kids into abusive boarding schools. Democrats stick with Schumer as leader. Their strategy for countering Trump is far less certain WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats reelected Chuck Schumer as party leader on Tuesday as the party moves into a deeply uncertain time, with no real consensus on a strategy as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office. Schumer faced no opposition in the party leadership elections, in which Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin was also re-elected to the No. 2 spot and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar became the new No. 3. Schumer said he was honored to move the party forward “during this crucial period for our country.” But it is a bleak moment for Senate Democrats, who lost four seats and the majority in November's election. The year in review: Influential people who died in 2024 O.J. Simpson’s “trial of the century” over the 1994 killings of his ex-wife and her friend bared divisions over race and law enforcement and brought an intersection of sports, crime, entertainment and class that was hard to turn away from. His death in April brought an end to a life that had become defined by scrutiny over the killings. But he was just one of many influential and noteworthy people who died in 2024. Alexei Navalny, who died in prison in February, was a fierce political foe of Russian President Vladimir Putin. And the music industry lost a titan in producer Quincy Jones, who died in November. 2024 in pop culture: In a bruising year, we sought out fantasy, escapism — and cute little animals NEW YORK (AP) — Did you have a “Brat summer” this year? Were you “demure,” and were you “mindful”? Did you enter a celebrity look-alike contest? All these were pop culture trends that emerged in 2024. But most of all, it seemed the theme was escapism. Whether it was the yellow brick road in “Wicked” or the beckoning seas of Oceania in “Moana 2” or adorable fuzzy animals like Moo Deng or even unlikely Olympic heroes making us proud, audiences gravitated to fantasy and feel-good moments.These Home Depot Cyber Monday Deals Are Still Going
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A campaign to stop wealth flowing out of Blaenau Gwent has been launched by Smart Money Cymru Community Bank. With the support of Blaenau Gwent County Council, the bank is offering a new community investment bond to businesses, charities, societies, renewable energy funds and other organisations looking to invest their funds safely, ethically and with a good return. Blaenau Gwent Councillor Jules Gardner said: “The purpose of this campaign is to offer local organisations a safe home for their investments and so, in turn, allow Smart Money Cymru to use that capital to lend to its members in Blaenau Gwent and other parts of South Wales boosting the economy and in turn improving living standards.” The bond, which can be from £10,000 and up to £85,000, offers good returns over fixed terms. And as well as a fair rate of interest, the CIB offers significant social returns for investors. A document highlighting the benefits of the CIB was launched at the Tredegar offices of Smart Money Cymru. The community bank has six staffed offices in South Wales providing face to face banking to its 14,000 members who benefit from its sophisticated loans and savings products. Chairman of Smart Money Cymru Alun Taylor said: “We are keen to keep wealth working hard for people in the area and I am sure this message will resonate with those who control the finances of businesses, charities, local authorities and other organisations. “We are proud of our role and the ways in which our work supports community cohesion and this is explained in detail in the document. “This means that an investor in a CIB is not only supporting their community, but can also be seen to be investing socially and ethically,” he said. More than 70 per cent of Smart Money’s current loans have been to people living in the most deprived areas of Wales, according to the Wales Index of Multiple Deprivation.
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The 49ers shored up their suddenly thin running back corps on Tuesday by claiming Israel Abanikanda off waivers from the New York Jets. In a corresponding move, the Niners placed Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve after he suffered a right knee injury in Sunday night’s 35-10 loss to the Bills . Coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday said backup running back Jordan Mason would “most likely” join McCaffrey on IR, but the 49ers did not place him on that list just yet after he sprained his ankle Sunday. Abanikanda, 22, is in his second year as a pro after the Jets picked him in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of Pittsburgh. He was waived Monday to make room for Kene Nwangwu, who had a 99-yard kick return touchdown and forced a fumble as a practice-squad elevation in New York’s loss Sunday to the Seahawks. Abanikanda has been inactive for all 12 of the Jets’ games this season. Last year, he had 22 carries for 70 yards in six games, adding seven catches for 43 yards. The 49ers also signed maligned wide receiver Ronnie Bell to the practice squad. Bell, whom the 49ers waived last week, was drafted by San Francisco last year in the seventh round out of Michigan and has eight catches for 90 yards in 26 career games.
