vvjl slot THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Alyssa Naeher ended her national team career with one last win. The stalwart goalkeeper made two critical saves in her final match for the United States, and the Americans beat the Netherlands 2-1 on Tuesday. “I definitely wasn’t thinking about it during the game, just wanted to win the game and do what I could to come away with the ‘W’ for us to close out the year,” Naeher said. Lynn Williams scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute for the U.S., which won its fifth Olympic gold medal in France this summer and wrapped up the year on a 20-game unbeaten streak. The Americans were coming off a scoreless draw with England on Saturday at Wembley Stadium. Naeher announced two weeks ago that the European exhibitions would be her final matches. The 36-year-old goalkeeper played in 115 games for the U.S., with 111 starts, 89 wins and 69 shutouts. Naeher is the only U.S. keeper with shutouts in both a World Cup and an Olympic final. She was in goal when the United States defeated the Netherlands 2-0 in the 2019 Women's World Cup final . “I feel like in my heart I would love to keep going. In my head, in my body and mind, I feel like it’s the right time. And I think it’s the right time with this team as well as it builds towards the future and towards 2027,” Naeher said. “This environment, this team, is an incredible team to be a part of, but it’s also really hard and really challenging in a lot of ways as well. “I feel like I’ve given everything I have to give for this team and that’s why I feel at peace with that.” The Netherlands took the lead on center back Veerle Buurman's header off a corner kick in the 15th minute. Naeher prevented a second goal when she punched away Dominique Janssen's shot in the 38th. The United States drew even at the end of the first half on an own goal that deflected off Buurman and past Dutch goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar. Naeher slid to stop Danielle van de Donk's shot in the 69th minute before Williams, a second-half substitute, scored her fourth goal of the year and 21st of her career. “I wouldn’t say that this was our prettiest game of soccer ever. And sometimes that’s how games go. You can talk about tactics, you can talk about formations, you talk about everything, but the biggest thing was matching their intensity. Getting to the second ball, getting to the first ball. That was the shift that needed to happen,” Williams said about the team's second-half mindset. Naeher finished with six saves. She is not quite finished with soccer yet: She will continue playing next season for the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League. “She’s been consistent again and again. Even when she’s been questioned at times in her career, she’s always found the answer,” U.S. coach Emma Hayes said. “Not only has she been a great player in this program, but let me tell you, she’s so loved by everyone, players and staff alike. She is the best teammate you could ask for and that just speaks volumes to the person that she is.” Lily Yohannes came in as a substitute in the second half. Yohannes, who has dual citizenship, opted to play for the United States over the Netherlands last month. She plays professionally for the Dutch club Ajax. The U.S. finished the year without the trio of Mallory Swanson, Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith, who were left off the roster for the final two matches to rest and heal nagging injuries. The U.S. is unbeaten in 15 matches under Hayes, who took over in May. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer The Associated PressNEW YORK — U.S. stocks tiptoed to more records amid a mixed Tuesday of trading, tacking a touch more onto what’s already been a stellar year so far. The S&P 500 edged up by 2 points, or less than 0.1%, to set an all-time high for the 55th time this year. It’s climbed in 10 of the last 11 days and is on track for one of its best years since the turn of the millennium. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 76 points, or 0.2%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set a day earlier. AT&T rose 4.6% after it boosted its profit forecast for the year. It also announced a $10 billion plan to send cash to its investors by buying back its own stock, while saying it expects to authorize another $10 billion of repurchases in 2027. On the losing end of Wall Street was U.S. Steel, which fell 8%. President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on social media that he would not let Japan’s Nippon Steel take over the iconic Pennsylvania steelmaker. Nippon Steel announced plans last December to buy the Pittsburgh-based steel producer for $14.1 billion in cash, raising concerns about what the transaction could mean for unionized workers, supply chains and U.S. national security. Earlier this year, President Joe Biden also came out against the acquisition. Tesla sank 1.6% after a judge in Delaware reaffirmed a previous ruling that the electric car maker must revoke Elon Musk’s multibillion-dollar pay package. The judge denied a request by attorneys for Musk and Tesla’s corporate directors to vacate her ruling earlier this year requiring the company to rescind the unprecedented pay package. All told, the S&P 500 rose 2.73 points to 6,049.88. The Dow fell 76.47 to 44,705.53, and the Nasdaq composite gained 76.96 to 19,480.91. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady after a report showed U.S. employers were advertising slightly more job openings at the end of October than a month earlier. Continued strength there would raise optimism that the economy could remain out of a recession that many investors had earlier worried was inevitable. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.23% from 4.20% from late Monday. Yields have seesawed since Election Day amid worries that Trump’s preferences for lower tax rates and bigger tariffs could spur higher inflation along with economic growth. But traders are still confident the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in two weeks. They’re betting on a nearly three-in-four chance of that, according to data from CME Group. Lower rates can give the economy more juice, but they can also give inflation more fuel. The key report this week that could guide the Fed’s next move will arrive on Friday. It’s the monthly jobs report, which will show how many workers U.S. employers hired and fired during November. It could be difficult to parse given how much storms and strikes distorted figures in October. Based on trading in the options market, Friday’s jobs report appears to be the biggest potential market mover until the Fed announces its next decision on interest rates Dec. 18, according to strategists at Barclays Capital. In financial markets abroad, the value of South Korea’s currency fell 1.1% against the U.S. dollar following a frenetic night where President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law and then later said he’d lift it after lawmakers voted to reject military rule. Stocks of Korean companies that trade in the United States also fell, including a 1.6% drop for SK Telecom. Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.9% to help lead global markets. Some analysts think Japanese stocks could end up benefiting from Trump’s threats to raise tariffs, including for goods coming from China. Trade relations between the U.S. and China took another step backward after China said it is banning exports to the U.S. of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications. The counterpunch came swiftly after the U.S. Commerce Department expanded the list of Chinese technology companies subject to export controls to include many that make equipment used to make computer chips, chipmaking tools and software. The 140 companies newly included in the so-called “entity list” are nearly all based in China. In China, stock indexes rose 1% in Hong Kong and 0.4% in Shanghai amid unconfirmed reports that Chinese leaders would meet next week to discuss planning for the coming year. Investors are hoping it may bring fresh stimulus to help spur growth in the world’s second-largest economy. In France, the CAC 40 rose 0.3% amid continued worries about politics in Paris, where the government is battling over the budget.None

Ustby, Donarski lead No. 16 North Carolina women over Villanova 53-36 in Battle 4 Atlantis semifinalSocial media is buzzing with rumours former Bachelorette stars Georgia Love and Lee Elliott may have ended their relationship. Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that Love’s recent Instagram posts show her enjoying time with friends but missing one key accessory — her diamond wedding ring. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Former Bachelorette Georgia Love’s quokka selfie. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today In one video, the 36-year-old is seen decorating her Christmas tree at home with her left hand notably bare. Another image features Love at a café with a male friend — once again, no wedding ring is visible. Followers descended on the comments to question the state of Love and Elliott’s relationship. “Thinking they have broken up,” one person speculated. Another asked if Elliott would be joining Love on her upcoming trip to New York City. “Haven’t seen posts of them together for a long time,” one more noted, while yet another wondered if they might become “the first Bachelor divorce”. But Love was quick to squash rumours, by liking a comment that noted: “I don’t think they have (broken up) she’s got a ring on”. Then when a fan asked “where is Lee?” in a reference to a video about Love’s holiday plans, the reality star responded outright: “He’s literally in the video.” However, some followers suggested the footage was old, with one commenting, “Haha, they are all old pics of them together.” Love confirmed as much. “They’re all old photos, they’re from past holidays,” she said. The last time Love shared a current photo with Elliott was in September, while Elliott’s most recent post featuring Love was in August. The couple, who found love on the 2016 season of The Bachelorette, tied the knot in 2021. Their wedding took place at the Frogmore Creek Winery near Hobart, with an outdoor reception at the Shene Distillery. Originally, the pair planned to marry in Italy in 2020 but were forced to cancel due to COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Title: Expert Analysis Indicates High Possibility of Infighting Among Anti-Government Armed Groups as Battlefield Situation Dramatically ChangesMINNEAPOLIS – Penn State fans, greetings from Huntington Stadium. James Franklin’s No. 4 Nittany Lions are warming up ahead of their Big Ten matchup with P.J. Fleck’s Minnesota Golden Gophers. The weather is incredible for Minnesota at this time of year: 40 degrees and no wind. You can follow along here at PennLive for updates throughout the game. PSU has won two consecutive games since dropping a narrow 20-13 decision to Ohio State at Beaver Stadium. The Lions scored a total of 84 points in victories over Washington (35-6) and Purdue (49-10). Minnesota was off last week. PSU is 4-0 on the road. Penn State wideout Julian Fleming i s listed as questionable on the Big Ten-mandated availability report and young corner Elliot Washington is out with an undisclosed injury. Here’s the big question: What will Minnesota’s defense do to try and stop Penn State star tight end Tyler Warren? Warren, who leads the Lions in catches (67), yards (808) and receiving touchdowns (five). One more note on Warren: He will double his 2023 output in receptions with his next catch. He had 34 receptions for 422 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023. THIRD QUARTER PENN STATE 23, MINNESOTA 22 3:43: Penn State moved 57 yards in five plays to take its first lead on a 12-yard touchdown run by Nick Singleton. Penn State tight end Tyler Warren had three catches for 30 yards on the drive. Ryan Barker’s extra point gave the Lions the lead. PENN STATE 23, MINNESOTA 22. 9:59: Penn State’s defense could not get a stop on Minnesota’s first possession. The Gophers drove 51 yards in nine plays to set up a 42-yard field goal by Dragan Kesich. MINNESOTA 22, PENN STATE 16. HALFTIME MINNESOTA 19, PENN STATE 16 The final couple of minutes got crazy here in Minneapolis. Minnesota had all the momentum late, then Penn State and Drew Allar stole it, only to see a crazy special teams play but the Gophers in front, 19-16. First, Minnesota’s Derik LeCaptain deflected a Riley Thompson punt, giving the Gophers’ possession at the PSU 21 with 1:10 left before half. The Gophers then ran a trick play, with running back Darius Taylor taking a handoff, pitching it to wideout Daniel Jackson, who flipped it back to quarterback Max Brosmer. Tight end Jameson Geers was wide open on the right side for a 21-yard touchdown. Minnesota led 17-10, but PSU answered with a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that Allar capped with a four-yard rush with 19 seconds left before half. However, Ryan Barker’s point-after try was blocked by Minnesota’s Jack Henderson and teammate Ethan Robinson returned it for a two-point score. It could have been 17-17, but it was 19-16, Gophers. 7:50: Penn State’s offense turns an interception by linebacker Dom DeLuca into three points. Allar took another big sack on a drive, but Ryan Barker connected on a 45-yard field goal midway through the second quarter. PENN STATE 10, MINNESOTA 10. 10:48: Well, the Lions’ offense answered the Minnesota field goal with a quick score. Allar connected with wide-open speedy wideout Omari Evans on a 45-yard bomb. Barker with the extra point. MINNESOTA 10, PENN STATE 7. 12:56: Minnesota’s offense moved the Gophers into scoring territory again, and Gophers kicker Dragan Kesich connects from 48 yards on a field goal to give the hosts a 10-0 lead with 12:56 left before halftime. Minnesota only had to drive 25 yards in seven plays after Allar’s sack on fourth down. MINNESOTA 10, PENN STATE 0. FIRST QUARTER MINNESOTA 7, PENN STATE 0 Penn State’s offense has to get its act together as the Lions trail 7-0 after one quarter. The Lions managed just 30 yards total on their first two drives. And on the third drive, Allar, facing a fourth-and-five play from the Minnesota 33, was sacked for a 12-yard loss. 8:57: The game could not have started much worse for Penn State. First, starting right tackle Anthony Donkoh left the game on the Lions’ first offensive series with an apparent leg injury. He was replaced by Nolan Rucci. Then tight end Tyler Warren, aligned as the wildcat QB, got stuffed for no gain on a third-and-one try from the PSU 35. Minnesota took possession on its 30 and drove 70 yards in nine plays, the last one a 20-yard scoring run by backup running back Marcus Major with 8:57 left in the first quarter. Dragan Kasich with the extra point. MINNESOTA 7, PENN STATE 0. ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit pennlive.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Title: Acquittal of White Veteran in Choking Death of African American Sparks Outrage

Lincoln City and Charlton Athletic will both be looking to bounce back from midweek defeats when they face off at the LNER Stadium on Saturday. The Imps head into the weekend in ninth place in League One , while the visitors are four points behind in 13th position. © Imago After winning their final two league games in October, Lincoln were sitting in fifth position with 24 points to their name after 13 matches. However, their top-six push has been setback with a five-game winless run, leaving them four points adrift of the League One playoffs. They began that run of poor league form with consecutive draws, before they fell to three straight defeats against Wycombe Wanderers, Wrexham and Rotherham United. Jovon Makama netted his second goal of the season to cancel out Sam Nombe 's opener in Tuesday's away clash with Rotherham, only for Sean Raggett to score a 77th-minute winner to condemn the Imps to a 2-1 defeat, extending their winless away league run to six matches. Michael Skubala 's side will now return to the LNER Stadium, where they have recorded three victories in their last five home league matches. © Imago Charlton will be frustrated with their current position in the League One table, with the Addicks sitting in the bottom half and eight points adrift of the playoffs after winning six, drawing four and losing seven of their 17 league matches. The Addicks have found wins hard to come by in recent times, having won just one of their previous seven league games (D3, L3). That solitary victory took place at the end of last month when they bounced back from consecutive league defeats to clinch a narrow 1-0 victory over basement side Burton Albion. However, the Addicks were unable to build upon that result in their midweek home outing against Crawley Town, conceding the decisive goal in the 80th minute as they fell to a 2-1 defeat at The Valley, extending their winless home run to three league games. The first goal could be crucial if Charlton are to return to winning ways because they have won all six league games in which they have scored this season. © Imago The hosts are unable to call upon the services of Lewis Montsma , Tom Bayliss and Tom Hamer due to their respective injury issues. Adam Jackson has been ruled out after sustaining a facial injury against Rotherham, while Ben House picked up a knock in midweek and is now a doubt for Saturday's fixture. Tendayi Darikwa picked up his fifth yellow card of the season in midweek, meaning he will now have to serve a one-match suspension. As for the visitors, they are expected to be without the services of Kayne Ramsay , Chuks Aneke and Zach Mitchell . Charlton captain Greg Docherty is available following a three-match suspension, along with midfielder Luke Berry , who has completed a one-game ban for an accumulation of yellow cards. Karoy Anderson will have to be assessed after he sat out the midweek defeat to Crawley due to a hamstring issue. Lincoln City possible starting lineup: Wickens; Jefferies, O'Connor, Roughan, Hamilton; Moylan, Erhahon, McGrandles; Makama, Ring, Draper Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup: Maynard-Brewer; Edmonds-Green, Mitchell, Gillesphey, Edwards; Taylor, Coventry, Docherty; Godden; Leaburn, Ahadme The two sides will be low on confidence following their poor run of results in League One, and with wins proving to be hard to come by, we think Lincoln and Charlton could play out a draw in a cagey contest at the LNER Stadium. For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here .

Jannik Sinner inspired reigning champions Italy to a comeback victory over Argentina which set up a Davis Cup semi-final against Australia. World number one Sinner kept Italy in contention after Lorenzo Musetti's loss to Francisco Cerundolo with a commanding straight-set win over Sebastian Baez. The 23-year-old then partnered Matteo Berrettini to a 6-4 7-5 victory against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez in the deciding doubles match to complete the turnaround in Malaga. In a repeat of last year's title decider, Italy face Australia for a place in Sunday's final after they beat the United States 2-1 earlier on Thursday. Italy are seeking to become only the sixth nation to retain the Davis Cup since the final stage was introduced 52 years ago, and first since the Czech Republic in 2013. Germany to confirm a semi-final against the Netherlands on Friday, who knocked out Spain in the . Seeking to complete an outstanding individual season by helping Italy retain the Davis Cup, Sinner broke Baez's serve twice in both sets in a straightforward win. The in-form Sinner on Sunday to cap a year in which he also won the first two Grand Slam titles of his career, however he has also been embroiled in an . World number 30 Cerundolo produced an outstanding performance to give Argentina the perfect start, closing out a 6-4 6-1 win over 17th-ranked Musetti by winning 12 of the last 15 games after suffering an early break. But Sinner, who only arrived in Spain on Tuesday - two days after triumphing in Turin - returned following his singles victory to partner the excellent Berrettini and maintain Italy's hopes of winning back-to-back titles. Established pairing Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori were originally selected to play doubles for Italy, but Italy captain Filippo Volandri's decision to choose two of his star names paid off. "The court is very fast and I haven't had much time to adapt, but the most important thing was to keep Italy alive," said Sinner. Volandri, speaking about Sinner's contribution, said: "He never practised on this court since he arrived. Within three minutes [of his singles match] he was perfectly comfortable. "He is a special one." In a meeting between the two most successful nations in the tournament's history, American world number four Taylor Fritz defeated Alex de Minaur, after Ben Shelton lost to Thanasi Kokkinakis to force a deciding match. But Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson sent Australia, runners-up in the past two editions, through to the last four with a straight-set win over Shelton and Tommy Paul. In a thrilling opening contest, Kokkinakis saved four match points to edge a 30-point third-set tie-break against Shelton, putting Australia ahead with a 6-1 4-6 7-6 (16-14) victory after two hours and 17 minutes in Malaga. Fritz, who rose into the world's top four after finishing runner-up to Sinner at last week's ATP Finals, responded with a clinical 6-3 6-4 win against the ninth-ranked De Minaur to force a decider. However, Ebden and Thompson proved too strong for Paul and Shelton in the doubles match and completed an efficient 6-4 6-4 win with a break of serve in both sets. That sent 28-time champions Australia into the nation's third successive Davis Cup semi-final and the pair celebrated with a chest bump before embracing team captain Lleyton Hewitt - winner of two Grand Slam singles titles. Hewitt, part of Australia's last triumphant Davis Cup team in 2003, said: "We've got a rich history in this competition. These boys know it's a great honour every time you get the chance to wear the green and gold out here. "We've had a group of six guys that have really put their hands up the last three or four years now. They've gelled together well and I'm just super proud of the whole team as a collective."Innodata EVP Ashok Mishra sells $67,560 in stockIn response to the incident, the wildlife reserve has issued a statement urging visitors to adhere to proper safety guidelines when observing wildlife and to refrain from using intrusive equipment that may disturb the animals. They have also emphasized the need for mutual respect between humans and wildlife to coexist harmoniously in their shared environment.None

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Colin Smalls scored 23 points as American held off the University of Albany 81-77 at the Puerto Rico Classico tournament on Sunday. Smalls went 8 of 11 from the field (5 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Eagles (3-4). Elijah Stephens scored 20 points while shooting 7 of 10 from the field and 6 for 9 from the line and added five rebounds and six assists. Matt Mayock shot 6 for 8, including 3 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points. Justin Neely led the Great Danes (5-2) in scoring, finishing with 20 points and seven rebounds. Byron Joshua added 17 points and six rebounds for Albany (NY). Kheni Briggs also recorded 14 points. The Great Danes ended a five-game winning streak with the loss. American went into halftime ahead of Albany (NY) 39-30. Smalls put up 12 points in the half. American used an 8-0 run in the second half to build a 19-point lead at 65-46 with 10:27 left in the half before finishing off the win. NEXT UP American plays Saturday against UPR-Mayaguez, and Albany (NY) visits Georgetown on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

By ZEKE MILLER, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday reached a required agreement with President Joe Biden’s White House to allow his transition staff to coordinate with the existing federal workforce before taking office on Jan. 20. The congressionally mandated agreement allows transition aides to work with federal agencies and access non-public information and gives a green light to government workers to talk to the transition team. But Trump has declined to sign a separate agreement with the General Services Administration that would have given his team access to secure government offices and email accounts, in part because it would require that the president-elect limit contributions to $5,000 and reveal who is donating to his transition effort. The White House agreement was supposed to have been signed by Oct. 1, according to the Presidential Transition Act, and the Biden White House had issued both public and private appeals for Trump’s team to sign on. The agreement is a critical step in ensuring an orderly transfer of power at noon on Inauguration Day, and lays the groundwork for the White House and government agencies to begin to share details on ongoing programs, operations and threats. It limits the risk that the Trump team could find itself taking control of the massive federal government without briefings and documents from the outgoing administration. As part of the agreement with the White House, Trump’s team will have to publicly disclose its ethics plan for the transition operation and make a commitment to uphold it, the White House said. Transition aides must sign statements that they have no financial positions that could pose a conflict of interest before they receive access to non-public federal information. Biden himself raised the agreement with Trump when they met in the Oval Office on Nov. 13, according to the White House, and Trump indicated that his team was working to get it signed. Trump chief of staff-designate Susie Wiles met with Biden’s chief of staff Jeff Zients at the White House on Nov. 19 and other senior officials in part to discuss remaining holdups, while lawyers for the two sides have spoken more than a half-dozen times in recent days to finalize the agreement. “Like President Biden said to the American people from the Rose Garden and directly to President-elect Trump, he is committed to an orderly transition,” said White House spokesperson Saloni Sharma. “President-elect Trump and his team will be in seat on January 20 at 12 pm – and they will immediately be responsible for a range of domestic and global challenges, foreseen and unforeseen. A smooth transition is critical to the safety and security of the American people who are counting on their leaders to be responsible and prepared.” Without the signed agreement, Biden administration officials were restricted in what they could share with the incoming team. Trump national security adviser-designate Rep. Mike Waltz met recently with Biden national security adviser Jake Sullivan, but the outgoing team was limited in what it could discuss. “We are doing everything that we can to effect a professional and an orderly transition,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Monday. “And we continue to urge the incoming team to take the steps that are necessary to be able to facilitate that on their end as well.” “This engagement allows our intended Cabinet nominees to begin critical preparations, including the deployment of landing teams to every department and agency, and complete the orderly transition of power,” said Wiles in a statement. The Trump transition team says it would disclose its donors to the public and would not take foreign donations. A separate agreement with the Department of Justice to coordinate background checks for vetting and security clearances is still being actively worked on and could be signed quickly now that the White House agreement is signed. The agency has teams of investigators standing by to process clearances for Trump aides and advisers once that document is signed. That would clear the way for transition aides and future administration appointees and nominees to begin accessing classified information before Trump takes office. Some Trump aides may hold active clearances from his first term in office or other government roles, but others will need new clearances to access classified data. Trump’s team on Friday formally told the GSA that they would not utilize the government office space blocks from the White House reserved for their use, or government email accounts, phones and computers during the transition. The White House said it does not agree with Trump’s decision to forgo support from the GSA, but is working on alternate ways to get Trump appointees the information they need without jeopardizing national security. Federal agencies are receiving guidance on Tuesday on how to share sensitive information with the Trump team without jeopardizing national security or non-public information. For instance, agencies may require in-person meetings and document reviews since the Trump team has declined to shift to using secure phones and computers. For unclassified information, agencies may ask Trump transition staff to attest that they are taking basic safeguards, like using two-factor authentication on their accounts.

In conclusion, the recent judgment against Zhang Jizhong's company and the application for compulsory enforcement by his ex-wife underscore the challenges and consequences of legal disputes in personal and professional relationships. As the case continues to unfold, it serves as a reminder of the importance of transparent and fair resolution mechanisms in addressing conflicts and upholding justice in the legal system.None

Autodesk appoints Janesh Moorjani as chief financial officerA celebrated author argues that it's not at all impractical to study subjects like writing, languages, music and history

Galaxy assessing how to replace Riqui Puig for MLS Cup finalSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Colin Smalls scored 23 points as American held off the University of Albany 81-77 at the Puerto Rico Classico tournament on Sunday. Smalls went 8 of 11 from the field (5 for 7 from 3-point range) for the Eagles (3-4). Elijah Stephens scored 20 points while shooting 7 of 10 from the field and 6 for 9 from the line and added five rebounds and six assists. Matt Mayock shot 6 for 8, including 3 for 4 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points. Justin Neely led the Great Danes (5-2) in scoring, finishing with 20 points and seven rebounds. Byron Joshua added 17 points and six rebounds for Albany (NY). Kheni Briggs also recorded 14 points. The Great Danes ended a five-game winning streak with the loss. American went into halftime ahead of Albany (NY) 39-30. Smalls put up 12 points in the half. American used an 8-0 run in the second half to build a 19-point lead at 65-46 with 10:27 left in the half before finishing off the win. NEXT UP American plays Saturday against UPR-Mayaguez, and Albany (NY) visits Georgetown on Saturday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

Musk and Ramaswamy Aim to Use DOGE to Slash Taxpayer Funding for Abortion GiantScientists have raised concerns about hospitality staff coming into contact with second-hand smoke at work after the Government rowed back on plans to make it illegal to smoke in pub beer gardens. Concerns have also been raised about the “renormalisation” of smoking. Dr Rachel O’Donnell, senior research fellow at the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Health, said restrictions on smoking in outdoor places can “reinforce” a message that smoking “isn’t a socially acceptable thing to do” and could also help smokers to kick the habit. In November, it emerged that the UK Government is to scrap plans to ban smoking in the gardens of pubs and restaurants in England. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the hospitality industry has “taken a real battering in recent years” and it is not “the right time” to ban smoking outside pubs. But smoking and vaping could be banned in other public places in England – such as in playgrounds or outside of schools – under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill. According to the World Health Organisation, there is no safe level of second-hand smoke exposure. In a briefing for journalists, Dr O’Donnell said decision-making “should be on the basis of all the evidence that’s available”. She added: “Any debate about legislation on smoking in outdoor settings shouldn’t only focus on air quality and second-hand smoke exposure levels, because the impacts of restrictions in outdoor settings are also evident on our social norms.” Smoke-free outdoor environments “reinforce smoke-free as the acceptable norm”, she said. “This, I think, is a critically important point at a time where in the media, over the last year, we’ve seen various reports and questions as to whether we might be on the cusp of renormalisation of smoking for various reasons, and so smoke-free public environments still have a critically important role to play. “If you reduce opportunities to smoke, it can also help individuals who smoke themselves to reduce the amount they smoke or to make a quit attempt.” Dr O’Donnell said visibility of tobacco products and smoking is a “form of marketing for tobacco companies” as she pointed to studies highlighting the increasing number of tobacco depictions on screen. She went on: “The more often young adults observe smoking around them, the more likely they are to believe that smoking is socially acceptable, which feeds back into this idea of renormalisation of smoking. “So, restrictions on smoking in outdoor public places have other positive knock-on effects, potentially for young people as well, just sending out that clear message that this isn’t a socially acceptable thing to do and see, and this could help to discourage smoking initiation among young people at quite a critical time.” On being exposed to second-hand smoke at work, she added: “I think sometimes when we think about exposure to second-hand smoke in outdoor settings, in pubs, in restaurants, we think about that sort of occasional customer exposure, the nuisance element of it when people are out enjoying a meal with friends, but we also need to be reminded that this is a repeated occupational exposure for those who are working in hospitality and serving drinks and food. “Now, as we’ve already seen, concentrations of second-hand smoke in these settings are generally low, and they’re likely to present a low risk to health for most healthy people. “But ... there’s no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke, and so any individual with pre-existing heart, lung or respiratory conditions may be particularly vulnerable even to low levels of exposure. “We know that second-hand smoke is its known carcinogen, and on that basis those exposed in the hospitality sector have a right to be protected. “On that basis, there’s a need to protect them, as there is anybody in any workplace setting from second-hand smoke exposure in all areas of workplaces and spaces.” Sean Semple, professor of exposure science at the University of Stirling’s Institute for Social Marketing and Health, said: “I think that if I were a policy-maker, which I am not, then I would be looking at those occupational exposures as well. “I have asthma, if I was being occupationally exposed to SHS (second-hand smoke), and knowing that I was one of a very small number of workers now being legally exposed to SHS in the workplace, then I might not be very happy about that.” A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “As part of our 10 Year Health Plan we are shifting focus from sickness to prevention, including tackling the harms of smoking and passive smoking. “The landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill is the biggest public health intervention in a generation and will put us on track towards a smoke-free UK.”

Trump's 25% tariff would be devastating for Canada — but it would be devastating for the U.S. too, economists say