BERLIN – We all think, speak, and write within certain intellectual frameworks that we largely take for granted. But, eventually, the passage of time renders familiar categories and ideas obsolete. For example, who still talks about the “Soviet Union” today, apart from historians? In a similar vein, this year’s presidential election in the United States was the most significant political event of 2024, and it will almost certainly be remembered as a historical turning point. The outcome will shape global events for decades to come. The effects will be felt on two levels. The first is the more immediate, practical, operational level of day-to-day governance. With Donald Trump back in the White House, the US will withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, impose new tariffs on its trade partners, and launch a massive campaign to round up and expel millions of undocumented immigrants. Taken together, this all represents a fundamental shift in how the world’s most powerful country operates, and in what it represents. Then there is the global dimension, where many scenarios are possible – from major power shifts to the dissolution of long-standing alliances and the disintegration of the world’s governing institutions and norms. What will happen to transatlantic relations? What about Ukraine? Will the US develop closer ties to Russia and other authoritarian regimes at the expense of the European Union and other allies? Trump won decisively despite his contempt for democratic institutions, his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and his subsequent 34-count felony conviction. Though voters know about his chaotic approach to governance, his habitual mendacity, and his sinister immigration policies, he won every swing state. Even with full knowledge of who Trump is, more Americans voted for him than for Kamala Harris. We must not mince words: liberal democracy in the US has suffered a lethal blow. It will be under increasing pressure on both sides of the Atlantic, and there is no guarantee that it will survive. After all, can there be any future for the liberal West without the US as its leader? I believe the answer is no. Trump will begin his second term with Republican control over both houses of Congress, and many observers expect the 6-to-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court to back him unequivocally. In June, the Court ruled, in a case brought by Trump, that presidents enjoy broad immunity from criminal prosecution for “official” acts. Thus, he will be able to govern – indeed, to rule – unimpeded. There is nothing to stop him from reshaping American liberal democracy into an illiberal oligarchy. Obviously, the pressure on European democracies to contribute more to their own security will intensify. But Trump has no interest in strengthening the EU – quite the opposite, in fact – and the EU’s capability to advance independently without the tacit support of the US is doubtful. Doing so would require a fundamental shift in Europeans’ political mentality, and such a change is currently nowhere in sight. Moreover, the Franco-German engine that has always propelled the EU is no longer operational, and no one knows when, or if, it will be restarted. Another major issue is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Will the current Israeli government now rush to annex the West Bank? What will it do about Iran, which has been amassing near-weapons-grade uranium? All signs point to a major war in the region – to a violent restructuring that will bring anything but peace or even a lasting ceasefire. That brings us to the final, all-important question: What will the world look like without a liberal West? For decades, the transatlantic alliance projected power (both hard and soft) and modeled the values that underpinned a cohesive global order. But now the global order is in the midst of a chaotic transition. If Europe fails to come together at this moment of tumultuous change, it will not get a second chance. Its only option is to become a military power capable of protecting its interests and securing peace and order on the world stage. The alternative is fragmentation, impotence, and irrelevance. The challenge is compounded by a massive technological shift toward digitalization and AI, as well as by Europe’s demographic crisis. Though the continent has too many elderly people and too few young people, it is increasingly opposed to immigration. So, what now? Will Europe prepare itself, or will it revert to a structure resembling the one that followed the 1814-15 Congress of Vienna, in which Russia’s influence was dominant and pervasive? Europeans woke up on November 6 to a result that will affect them more profoundly than all their own elections combined. Trump will not only change America (for the worse); he will also shape European history – if we let him.Asian Markets Cautious Amid Geopolitical Tensions: Markets Wrap - Bloomberg

Washington Commanders release 2023 first-round pick Emmanuel ForbesSo ends one of the wildest weeks in recent memory for the Nebraska football program. The one-week overlap of high school recruiting, transfer portal entries, coaching changes and bowl game decisions meant there were highs and lows for Nebraska fans to go through — but the program’s leader wasn’t bothered by the departures and changes that hit the Huskers. “If we have good players and we have good coaches, then people are gonna come try to get them,” Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule said on Wednesday. “If no one’s trying to take our players, it means we’re in trouble.” With news to break down in each of those areas, let’s drop into coverage: Nebraska’s defensive coaching staff will look much different in 2025 compared to 2024, but Rhule is hopeful that the defense itself won’t change much. Defensive coordinator Tony White is off to Florida State and has taken defensive line coach Terrance Knighton with him, a major blow to a Nebraska defense that ranked inside the top 20 nationally each of the last two seasons. Knighton was one of Rhule’s best hires for his initial Nebraska coaching staff. The defensive line, presumed to be a question mark in 2023, instead became a strength of the team. Players like Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher reached new heights under Knighton’s coaching, while several young Huskers also made an impact up front. There’s plenty of returning talent in the defensive line room even after some roster turnover, but NU’s next defensive line coach will have big expectations to continue Knighton’s good work at the position. As for White, he implemented his 3-3-5 scheme to great success a year ago, but Nebraska lined up slightly differently this fall with a four-man rush utilized far more often than in 2023. He’ll be a good fit at Florida State, while Nebraska has turned to John Butler in the interim to lead its defense. There’s no doubting Butler’s pedigree as a former NFL defensive mind, and his influence showed up in the way the Nebraska defense operated this season. Whether it’s Butler or an external hire who leads the Nebraska defense next season, continuity on that side of the ball is the expectation. “The defense isn’t going to change, but the offense is going to be better,” Rhule said. That optimism is underscored by the return of Dana Holgorsen as Nebraska’s offensive coordinator. Having brought in his own wide receivers coach, Daikiel Shorts Jr., Holgorsen will begin transforming the Nebraska offense this spring after the team’s bowl game. Nebraska signed a 20-player recruiting class on Wednesday that is loaded with talent across the board. While recruits can still sign with teams in February, expect Nebraska to be finished along the recruiting trail — and that means it’s time to take stock of the players in its 2025 recruiting class. Here are five of those signees who should impact the long-term future of the Husker football team. First up is linebacker Dawson Merritt. The highest-ranked signee in NU’s 2025 class was an Alabama commit for a reason, and it’s because the pass-rushing potential he shows. Set to be an off-ball linebacker and hybrid edge rusher at Nebraska, Merritt is the type of player who can make an impact early in his collegiate career. If he reaches his long-term potential, Merritt should be an NFL prospect when he leaves Nebraska. Nebraska also landed a top playmaking prospect in wide receiver Cortez Mills. Another wide receiver recruit, Isaiah Mozee, will provide an impact — but Mills is the all-around prospect who could dominate targets in a year or two’s time. The fast, athletic pass-catcher knows how to run himself open against coverage and excels at winning in one-on-one situations. Quarterback Dylan Raiola will like playing with Mills. In the secondary, cornerback Bryson Webber should be a starter down the road. His status as a former wide receiver gives him the ball skills Nebraska is after the spot, and Webber’s long, athletic frame will help him against opposing wide receivers. He may not be a day-one starter at cornerback, but Webber will make the position his own in the years which follow. Another explosive playmaker on offense is running back Jamarion Parker. Having signed alongside Bishop Neumann’s Conor Booth, Parker could be the lightning to Booth’s thunder as a one-two running back punch in the years which follow. A big-play threat and tough runner, Parker is an all-around talent who Nebraska and Holgorsen will find a way to utilize. The final pick is linebacker Christian Jones. Hard-nosed, athletic inside linebackers are hard to come by, but Jones is one of the rare few who could have a future at the position. He’s a top athlete who could push for playing time early in his career. For those interested, here are the five players I identified from NU’s 2024 class one year ago: Dylan Raiola, Carter Nelson, Willis McGahee IV, Mario Buford and Grant Brix. While Jacory Barney Jr. is a notable miss from that list, all but Brix played in at least 10 games and had an impact as freshmen. Nebraska’s transfer portal entrants have begun trickling out, and there will be many more which follow as a result of the 105-player roster limit teams must abide with next season. Many of the toughest departures to stomach have come on defense, where a veteran-heavy group will look much different in terms of its personnel next season. Defensive lineman Jimari Butler, a two-year starter at the position, has decided to move on. So have linebackers Mikai Gbayor and Stefon Thompson — who might’ve been starters next season — and rising young defenders Princewill Umanmielen, James Williams and Kai Wallin. Williams, Wallin and Umanmielen were all impactful defenders for Nebraska this fall, but their status as pass-rushing specialists still left room for improvement as all-around defenders. Butler and Gbayor, however, would’ve been pegged as no-doubt veteran starters, so their choice to move on will impact NU’s defensive strength. No entry was more surprising than that of running back Emmett Johnson, a player who emerged as NU’s top rusher late in the 2024 season. The up-and-down nature of Johnson’s Nebraska career — he showed flashes down the stretch in 2023 and was hardly utilized this fall prior to Holgorsen taking over — may have impacted his decision to seek out a new opportunity. Nebraska’s transfer portal targets will become clearer in the coming days, but one player has already stated his interest in the Huskers. Fresno State linebacker Phoenix Jackson, a multi-year starter at the position, announced on social media that Auburn, Indiana, Nebraska and SMU are the four teams he’s considering transferring to. Prior to learning its bowl opponent, Nebraska had a light week of practice before things get intense later this month. The Huskers practiced on Tuesday and Thursday last week with its veterans sitting out as younger players got reps in front of their coaches instead. Rhule said he expects Nebraska to practice from Tuesday to Thursday this week, with another day on Saturday during which the Huskers could bring transfer portal visitors to campus. “Being in bowl practice right now is exactly what this team needs, exactly what we need moving forward,” Rhule said. “I saw guys practice (Tuesday) and look like I haven’t seen them look all year.” After his firing at Nebraska, former head coach Scott Frost didn’t need to rush into his next coaching job, instead waiting for a situation and school that made sense for him. While it didn’t work out in Lincoln, there’s no denying the success Frost had at UCF. The in-state talent around the school and Frost’s offense made for a great fit, even if he only had two seasons to show it. The Knights are no longer in the AAC, though, instead having moved to a new-look Big 12 which has the makings of a difficult conference. It’s a good fit for Frost, but there’ll still be an element of pressure for him to deliver results and show that he can rebuild the program once again.Runner's World: Top RBs take flight when Ravens entertain Eagles

Studs and duds in Dolphins' 34-15 win vs. Patriots in Week 12 - Dolphins WireSan Diego Unified weighs plans for 1,000 affordable homes for school district employeesFor the better part of his two decades in the NFL, Aaron Rodgers has been one of the greatest quarterbacks who ever stepped foot on a field. Now at 41 years old, the Super Bowl champion knows his time is coming to a close. With the New York Jets a dismal 3-8 with Rodgers at quarterback, questions about the four-time NFL MVP's future have been of great debate in recent weeks. Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images Throughout the team's struggles this season, along with Rodgers' not putting up the numbers many demanded of him, analysts have questioned whether or not the quarterback would return in 2025 simply to not go out as he appears to be doing. Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Rodgers made it clear that returning for a 21st season would not be predicated on him wanting to go out a champion or as the best in the world. Related: Inside The Jets 'Big Lie' About Aaron Rodgers "I honestly am not worried about that at all. I think part of the process of losing self-importance is dealing with the ups and downs and the in-betweens," Rodgers said of the retirement rumors. "I'm not attached to that at all. If this is it - and it could be - nothing but gratitude for this time, for my career, for the men and women I've been around during my 20 years." There's no guarantee that even if Rodgers chose to return in 2025, it would be with the Jets. With so much uncertainty surrounding the franchise, Rodgers' future appears more clouded than ever. And it appears retirement is very much a part of the discussion. Related: Jets' Aaron Rodgers Addresses Injury Scan Rumors

Rumble Sues California Over Censorship Law

Tahj Brooks shines in final home game as Texas Tech routs West Virginia 52-15PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., Dec. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MISTRAS Group, Inc. (NYSE: MG)—a leading "one source" multinational provider of integrated technology-enabled asset protection solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Hani Hammad as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective January 1, 2025. This appointment follows the recent hiring of Natalia Shuman as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), to whom Mr. Hammad will report directly. In addition to his role as COO, Mr. Hammad will continue serving as MISTRAS Group Executive Vice President. Spearheading Operational Excellence In his role as COO, Mr. Hammad will continue to drive operational excellence, strategic growth, and a culture of innovation at MISTRAS Group. Working closely with both executive and operational management, Mr. Hammad will shape and implement strategies that expand market share by delivering exceptional customer value while overseeing the company’s services and data analytics solutions. MISTRAS Group Executive Chairman of the Board, Manuel (Manny) N. Stamatakis, commented, “With his value-creation approach to operational leadership, Mr. Hammad consistently uncovers growth opportunities and drives impactful changes that accelerate our organizational progress. The Board of Directors and I are confident in his ability to generate high-margin value for MISTRAS Group and our shareholders.” “MISTRAS Group leads the industry due to the strength and expertise of our operational teams,” Hani Hammad stated. “My role is to enhance our resources' position to succeed, emphasizing continuous improvement through innovation and delivering differentiated, high-value solutions that meet our customers' evolving needs.” An Architect of Efficiency and Effectiveness Mr. Hammad joined MISTRAS Group after a tenure with global consultancy firm AlixPartners and recently served as MISTRAS Group’s Chief Transformation Officer (CTO). He has been pivotal in identifying and executing transformational value-creation opportunities, leading various process efficiency and organizational optimization initiatives, and driving MISTRAS’ investments in high-margin growth areas. The goal now is to further engrain the transformational, continuous improvement culture initiated by Project Phoenix into the company’s day-to-day operations on a permanent basis. This will help create additional value creation opportunities while sustaining the progress already made. He was instrumental in designing and managing MISTRAS Group’s Project Phoenix EBITDA Improvement Program, which identified over $47M in annual run rate EBITDA improvement opportunities. His expertise in facilitating operational and financial transformations has made him a trusted advisor in the industry, adept at leading complex value creation programs through challenging landscapes, including mergers & acquisitions and strategic market repositioning. About MISTRAS Group, Inc. - One Source for Asset Protection Solutions® MISTRAS Group, Inc. (NYSE: MG) is a leading "one source" multinational provider of integrated technology-enabled asset protection solutions, helping to maximize the safety and operational uptime for civilization’s most critical industrial and civil assets. Backed by an innovative, data-driven asset protection portfolio, proprietary technologies, strong commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, and a decades-long legacy of industry leadership, MISTRAS leads clients in the oil and gas, aerospace and defense, renewable and nonrenewable power, civil infrastructure, and manufacturing industries towards achieving operational and environmental excellence. By supporting these organizations that help fuel our vehicles and power our society; inspecting components that are trusted for commercial, defense, and space craft; building real-time monitoring equipment to enable safe travel across bridges; and helping to propel sustainability, MISTRAS helps the world at large. MISTRAS enhances value for its clients by integrating asset protection throughout supply chains and centralizing integrity data through a suite of Industrial IoT-connected digital software and monitoring solutions. The company’s core capabilities also include non-destructive testing field and in-line inspections enhanced by advanced robotics, laboratory quality control and assurance testing, sensing technologies and NDT equipment, asset and mechanical integrity engineering services, and light mechanical maintenance and access services. For more information about how MISTRAS helps protect civilization’s critical infrastructure and the environment, visit https://www.mistrasgroup.com/ . Contact: Nestor S. Makarigakis Group Vice President, Marketing and Communications MISTRAS Group, Inc. marcom@mistrasgroup.com +1 (609) 716-4000

TOMS RIVER, N.J. (AP) — A U.S. senator has called for mysterious drones spotted flying at night over sensitive areas in New Jersey and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic region to be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft. “We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said Thursday, as concerns about the drones spread across Capitol Hill. People in the New York region are also concerned that the drones may be sharing airspace with commercial airlines, he said, demanding more transparency from the Biden administration. The White House said Thursday that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully. White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said there were no reported sightings in any restricted airspace. He said the U.S. Coast Guard has not uncovered any foreign involvement from coastal vessels. “We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat, or have a foreign nexus,” Kirby said, echoing statements from the Pentagon and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy. Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh has said they are not U.S. military drones. In a joint statement issued Thursday afternoon, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security said they and their federal partners, in close coordination with the New Jersey State Police, “continue to deploy personnel and technology to investigate this situation and confirm whether the reported drone flights are actually drones or are instead manned aircraft or otherwise inaccurate sightings.” The agencies said they have not corroborated any of the reported sightings with electronic detection, and that reviews of available images appear to show many of the reported drones are actually manned aircraft. “There are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted air space,” according to the statement. The drones appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio, according to a state lawmaker briefed Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security. The number of sightings has increased in recent days, though officials say many of the objects seen may have been planes rather than drones. It’s also possible that a single drone has been reported more than once. The worry stems partly from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. In a post on the social media platform X, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia described the drones as up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights switched off. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use but are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified. Most, but not all, of the drones spotted in New Jersey appeared to be larger than those typically used by hobbyists. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey said he was frustrated by the lack of transparency, saying it could help spread fear and misinformation. “We should know what’s going on over our skies,” he said Thursday. John Duesler, president of the Pennsylvania Drone Association, said witnesses may be confused about what they are seeing, especially in the dark, and noted it’s hard to know the size of the drones or how close they might be. “There are certainly big drones, such as agricultural drones, but typically they are not the type you see flying around in urban or suburban spaces,” Duesler said Thursday. Duesler said the drones — and those flying them — likely cannot evade detection. “They will leave a radio frequency footprint, they all leave a signature," he said. "We will find out what kind of drones they were, who was flying them and where they were flying them.” Fantasia, a Morris County Republican, was among several lawmakers who met with state police and Homeland Security officials to discuss the sightings from the New York City area across New Jersey and westward into parts of Pennsylvania, including over Philadelphia. It is unknown at this time whether the sightings are related. Duesler said the public wants to know what's going on. “I hope (the government agencies) will come out with more information about this to ease our fears. But this could just be the acts of rogue drone operators, it’s not an ‘invasion’ as some reports have called it,” Duesler said. “I am concerned about this it but not alarmed by it.” Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and reporter Darlene Superville and videojournalists Serkan Gurbuz and Nathan Ellgren in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

Upbound Group Enters Definitive Agreement to Acquire Brigit, a Leading Financial Health Technology Firm, for up to $460 Million

As spotted by a Reddit user this weekend, Panic is now selling a macaroni yellow charging brick to go with the yellow cable that comes with the distinctively yellow Playdate. Say yellow again. The good news for anyone who wants a complete set of matching accessories is that it’s only $5 — the bad news is that shipping costs almost double that at its cheapest, so it’s kind of hard to justify buying on its own. AC Adapter $5 at Panic Also note that the 10W power adapter has a USB-A connection so it’ll work with your existing Playdate charging cable, but it’s otherwise kind of behind the times considering the general shift toward the USB-C connection. At the moment, Panic is only selling a version that’s compatible with the 2-prong plug type that’s standard in North America and Japan. It goes without saying that absolutely no one needs this — our Playdates have been charging just fine without it so far — but if you’re already on the site getting a pizza case now that they’re back in stock, then sure, go wild.

CBC resurrects live New Year's Eve broadcast special with coast-to-coast show

The New Climate Math on Hurricanes

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — Chucky Hepburn had 16 points, 10 assists and seven steals, Noah Waterman also had 16 points and Louisville beat No. 14 Indiana 89-61 on Wednesday in the opening game of the Battle 4 Atlantis. Louisville (4-1) beat a ranked team for the first time since topping Virginia Tech 73-71 on Jan. 6, 2021. Kasean Pryor scored 10 of his 14 points in the second half and Reyne Smith added 12 points for Louisville. Malik Reneau scored 21 points and Oumar Ballo added 11 for Indiana (4-1). Reneau reached 20-plus points for the eighth time in his career. The Cardinals led 37-29 at the break after making 7 of 17 from 3-point range and shooting 57% overall. Indiana missed six straight shots on two occasions in the first half, sandwiched around a string of seven missed field goals, as the Cardinals shot 9 of 29 (31%). Louisville exploded for 52 second-half points by shooting 66.7% from the field. Pryor missed only one of his six shots in the second half. Louisville quickly built a commanding lead in the second half after starting on an 11-2 run, highlighted by Pryor's fast-break dunk . The lead reached 30 on freshman Khani Rooths' alley-oop dunk that came during the Cardinals’ 16-0 run for a 78-40 lead. Louisville entered the week ranked sixth in the country in 3-point attempts per game at 34. The Cardinals attempted 27 against Indiana and made 10 of them — with four apiece from Waterman and Smith. Louisville also came into the game averaging 19 forced turnovers per game. The Cardinals scored 30 points off 23 Indiana turnovers. Louisville, which played its first road game of the season, faces West Virginia on Thursday. Indiana plays No. 3 Gonzaga in the consolation bracket. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball'Soft power' through AI learningWhy and How Luca Guadagnino Shot ‘Queer’ Almost Entirely on a Soundstage