LONDON (AP) — A woman who claimed mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her in a Dublin hotel penthouse was awarded nearly 250,000 Euros ($257,000) on Friday by a civil court jury in Ireland. Nikita Hand said the Dec. 9, 2018, assault after a night of partying left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified that he never forced the woman to do anything against her will and said she fabricated the allegations after the two had consensual sex. His lawyer had called Hand a gold digger. The fighter, once the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship but now past his prime, shook his head as the jury of eight women and four men found him liable for assault after deliberating about six hours in the High Court in Dublin. He was mobbed by cameras as he left court but did not comment. He later said on the social platform X that he would appeal the verdict and the “modest award.” Hand’s voice cracked and her hands trembled as she read a statement outside the courthouse, saying she would never forget what happened to her but would now be able to move on with her life. She thanked her family, partner, friends, jurors, the judge and all the supporters that had reached out to her online, but particularly her daughter. “She has given me so much strength and courage over the last six years throughout this nightmare to keep on pushing forward for justice,” she said. “I want to show (her) and every other girl and boy that you can stand up for yourself if something happens to you, no matter who the person is, and justice will be served.” The Associated Press generally does not name alleged victims of sexual violence unless they come forward publicly, as Hand has done. Under Irish law, she did not have the anonymity she would have been granted in a criminal proceeding and was named publicly throughout the trial. Her lawyer told jurors that McGregor was angry about a fight he had lost in Las Vegas two months earlier and took it out on his client. “He’s not a man, he’s a coward,” attorney John Gordon said in his closing speech. “A devious coward and you should treat him for what he is.” Gordon said his client never pretended to be a saint and was only looking to have fun when she sent McGregor a message through Instagram after attending a Christmas party. He said Hand knew McGregor socially and that they had grown up in the same area. She said he picked her and a friend up in a car and shared cocaine with them, which McGregor admitted in court, on the way to the Beacon Hotel. Hand said she told McGregor she didn’t want to have sex with him and that she was menstruating. She said she told him “no” as he started kissing her but he eventually pinned her to a bed and she couldn’t move. McGregor put her in a chokehold and later told her, “now you know how I felt in the octagon where I tapped out three times,” referring to a UFC match when he had to admit defeat, she said. Hand had to take several breaks in emotional testimony over three days. She said McGregor threatened to kill her during the encounter and she feared she would never see her young daughter again. Eventually, he let go of her. “I remember saying I was sorry, as I felt that I did something wrong and I wanted to reassure him that I wouldn’t tell anyone so he wouldn’t hurt me again,” she testified. She said she then let him do what he wanted and he had sex with her. A paramedic who examined Hand the next day testified that she had never before seen someone with that intensity of bruising. A doctor told jurors Hand had multiple injuries. Hand said the trauma of the attack had left her unable to work as a hairdresser, she fell behind on her mortgage and had to move out of her house. Police investigated the woman’s complaint but prosecutors declined to bring charges, saying there was insufficient evidence and a conviction was unlikely. McGregor, in his post on X, said he was disappointed jurors didn’t see all the evidence prosecutors had reviewed. He testified that the two had athletic and vigorous sex, but that it was not rough. He said “she never said ‘no’ or stopped” and testified that everything she said was a lie. “It is a full blown lie among many lies,” he said when asked about the chokehold allegation. “How anyone could believe that me, as a prideful person, would highlight my shortcomings.” McGregor’s lawyer told jurors they had to set aside their animus toward the fighter. “You may have an active dislike of him, some of you may even loathe him – there is no point pretending that the situation might be otherwise,” attorney Remy Farrell said. “I’m not asking you to invite him to Sunday brunch.” The defense said the woman never told investigators McGregor threatened her life. They also showed surveillance video in court that they said appeared to show the woman kiss McGregor’s arm and hug him after they left the hotel room. Farrell said she looked “happy, happy, happy.” McGregor said he was “beyond petrified” when first questioned by police and read them a prepared statement. On the advice of his lawyer, he refused to answer more than 100 follow-up questions. The jury ruled against Hand in a case she brought against one of McGregor’s friends, James Lawrence, whom she accused of having sex with her in the hotel without consent.The Bruins activated depth defenseman Alec Regula from season-opening injured reserve on Tuesday and subsequently placed him on waivers for the purpose of assignment to AHL Providence, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports. Regula, 24, has yet to play this season after suffering a knee injury over the offseason. It held him out of the entirety of Boston’s training camp and preseason schedule and earned him a non-roster designation when the regular season began. It was an inauspicious start to the 2024-25 campaign for Regula, who spent all of last season in the minors after seeing NHL ice in his previous three professional seasons. Acquired from the Blackhawks in the 2023 Taylor Hall/Nick Foligno trade, Regula led the AHL last season with a +36 rating and added four goals and 26 points in 55 games for Providence, tying his previous career highs. When Regula can expect to touch NHL ice next is anybody’s guess. The 6-foot-4, 211-pound righty made 22 NHL appearances while with Chicago, scoring one goal and logging a -5 rating while averaging 16:54 per game. Initially a 2018 third-round pick of the Red Wings, he’s firmly established himself as a top two-way threat at the AHL level, but has yet to demonstrate marginally positive possession impacts in his NHL minutes. There are likely a few names ahead of Regula who are in line for a recall, namely Ian Mitchell, who leads Providence defenders in scoring with 13 points in 22 games. Whether or not he ends up seeing NHL action during the one-year, two-way deal he inked last summer remains to be seen, but a strong showing in his delayed start to the season should help him at least earn a qualifying offer at season’s end. This article first appeared on Pro Hockey Rumors and was syndicated with permission.FRESNO, Calif. -- A lawyer for former U.S. Rep. TJ Cox of California said the Democrat will plead guilty to two counts of fraud and pay $3.5 million in restitution after federal prosecutors alleged he perpetrated multiple schemes involving businesses he was involved in. Attorney Mark Coleman told the Fresno Bee on Wednesday that Cox wanted to avoid trial and had reached a plea deal that dismissed 24 of the 26 charges he has faced since 2022 . “It’s very stressful for him. It’s very stressful for his family, and he wanted to get it behind him,” Coleman said. At the next hearing in January, Cox will enter guilty pleas to wire fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution, the Bee reported. He agrees to pay $3.5 million in restitution and will be required to provide records of his financial standings once his plea changes, according to the deal. He is also subject to whatever sentence and fine is determined to be fair by the court. Prosecutors said Cox stole more than $1.7 million in diverted client payments and company loans and investments. They also alleged Cox created false records and a fraudulent loan guarantee in order to secure a $1.5 million construction loan through a sports nonprofit for improvements at Granite Park, a sports complex in Fresno. “Anytime you’re in business there are thousands of transactions, and people sometimes make shortcuts and it’s something he had to deal with,” Coleman said about the charges. The counts that were dismissed included wire fraud, money laundering and campaign contribution fraud. Prosecutors previously said that without the plea deal, Cox faced prison time and fines ranging from $250,000 to $1 million depending on the count, according to the Bee. The charges date back to business Cox was conducting in 2018, documents show, as well as during his time in Congress. Cox was elected in 2018 by beating out incumbent Republican David Valadao for the seat that covered Kings County and parts of Fresno, Kern and Tulare counties. Valadao retook the seat from Cox in a 2020 rematch.
End-point security: More disruption to come in 2025
Ten days ago, on December 2, Trevor Zegras was injured during a home game. The Ducks forward fell awkwardly on the ice against the Golden Knights, and we saw him leave afterward, struggling to put weight on one of his legs. Initially, it was thought that his injury was very serious: Trevor Zegras immediately waved at the bench after he went down. Not what the Ducks need to see at this point (or any point). @SportingTrib | #FlyTogether pic.twitter.com/GADrsRXNzi — Zach Cavanagh (@ZachCav) December 5, 2024 It took some time before we received updates, but the Ducks have shared an announcement regarding their forward. Here’s what you need to know: Zegras underwent surgery today for a torn meniscus in his right knee. The Ducks also announced that the American will miss “approximately” six weeks of activity: NEWS: Trevor Zegras had successful knee surgery today to repair a torn meniscus. He is expected to miss six weeks. https://t.co/nC5WgcWXV9 — Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) December 12, 2024 Zegras avoided the worst. Six weeks of absence is a long time... But seeing him fall and realizing he couldn’t use his right leg after the injury raised a lot of concerns. In the end – even though it’s not the same injury – it’s somewhat reminiscent of Patrik Laine’s situation. However, it’s unfortunate for Zegras because he was having great moments before falling in battle. He had collected seven points in his last nine games and he had bounced back after a terrible start to the season. In 24 games, the forward has a total of 10 points, including four goals. The good news is that he will be able to return to play before the end of the season. It would have been a disaster otherwise, as he also missed 51 games last season due to a lower body injury. Difficult to progress during those times... In Brief – Great staff. Brad Pascall, Joe Thornton and Hnat Domenichelli are returning to lead at the #SpenglerCup . Brad Pascall, Joe Thornton et Hnat Domenichelli dirigeront à nouveau le à la #CoupeSpengler . — Hockey Canada (@HockeyCanada) December 12, 2024 – Noteworthy: Belichick’s five-year contract will pay $1 million a year in base salary and $9 million a year in supplemental income. He also can receive as much as $3.5 million in bonuses per year. — Chip Alexander (@ice_chip) December 12, 2024 – Logical. Mais les fans des Yankees «gardent une place spéciale dans son coeur» quand même. https://t.co/HPvHBGOfkz — Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) December 12, 2024 – He found his niche in Toronto. RJ Barrett has taken his game to another level this season pic.twitter.com/Hl1atzCxOn — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 12, 2024 This article first appeared on Dose.ca and was syndicated with permission.Slovakia protests against minister who tests culture, LGBT limits
Paramedics deliver baby on Highway 11 during snowstorm
Miami of Ohio and Colorado State will try to overcome notable transfer-portal defections during Saturday's Arizona Bowl at Tucson, Ariz. Miami (8-5) enters the game without its top two wide receivers Javon Tracy and Reggie Virgil after the duo elected to play elsewhere. Tracy, a redshirt sophomore who caught 57 passes for 818 yards with seven touchdowns, is moving on to Minnesota. Virgil, a junior who tallied 816 yards on 41 receptions with nine touchdowns, is bound for Texas Tech. "It's kind of insane, to be honest," Miami coach Chuck Martin said. "We'll lose some real good kids in the portal, but we'll also gain some good ones. It's just crazy. "In some ways, it stinks, but in some ways, it's fun, too. We're looking at a lot of some good ones." Miami has also lost two cornerbacks, including sophomore Raion Strader to Auburn. Strader had 53 tackles with two interceptions and a team-best 17 passes broken up. Will Jados, a redshirt junior offensive tackle who started 38 games for Miami, is transferring to Texas Tech. Colorado State (8-4) also lost its two top receivers in the portal. Sophomore Caleb Goodie committed to Cincinnati and sophomore Jamari Person remains undecided. Goodie caught 21 passes for 436 yards with four touchdowns, and Person had 36 receptions for 386 yards and a touchdown. Another sophomore, linebacker Buom Jock, also is in the transfer portal after he led the Rams with 100 tackles. "They lost a couple receivers in the portal, just like us, so they've adjusted, just like most teams in the bowl season have adjusted to the team that they have available," Colorado State coach Jay Norvell said. Redshirt sophomore Armani Winfield, who had 37 catches for 338 yards and two touchdowns, is the top available receiver for the Rams. Miami's leading receiver entering the game is fifth-year senior Cade McDonald (49 catches for 606 yards and three touchdowns). Miami won seven straight games before losing to Ohio in the MAC championship game behind sixth-year quarterback Brett Gabbert, who has completed 57.6 percent of his passes (204 of 354) for 2,737 yards and 21 touchdowns. Gabbert has been prone to throw interceptions, with 11, including one against Ohio in the conference title game. He did not throw an interception in a 30-20 victory over Ohio earlier this season. Keyon Mozee is Miami's featured running back with 1,073 yards on 170 carries with four touchdowns. Matt Salopek, a sixth-year linebacker, leads Miami with 113 tackles. He is the first player in program history with four 100-tackle seasons. Colorado State won six of its last seven games -- committing only seven turnovers in that span. Senior running back Avery Morrow has 956 yards on 166 attempts with nine touchdowns. Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, a redshirt sophomore, has thrown for 2,475 yards while completing 207 of 335 attempts (61.8 percent) with 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Chase Wilson, a fifth-year senior linebacker, has 91 tackles this season, three for loss. --Field Level MediaMAPUTO, Mozambique (AP) — Violence that engulfed Mozambique after the country's highest court confirmed ruling Frelimo party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo as the winner of disputed Oct. 9 elections killed at least 21 people, including two police officers, authorities said Tuesday. Mozambique Interior Minister Pascoal Ronda told a news conference in Maputo late Tuesday that a wave of violence and looting was sparked by the court's announcement a day earlier. He said it was led by mostly youthful supporters of losing candidate Venancio Mondlane, who received 24% of the vote, second to Chapo, who got 65%. “From the preliminary survey, in the last 24 hours, 236 acts of violence were recorded throughout the national territory that resulted in 21 deaths, of which two members of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique also died," Ronda said. He said 13 civilians and 12 police were injured. Ronda said 25 vehicles were set on fire, including two police vehicles. He added that 11 police subunits and a penitentiary were attacked and vandalized and 86 inmates were freed. Tensions were high in the country ahead of the The Constitutional Council ruling on Monday and violent protests started immediately after the announcement was made. Footage circulating on various social media platforms showed protesters burning and looting shops in the capital Maputo and the city of Beira, where some city officials were reported to have fled the city. Mondlane has called for a “shutdown” starting Friday but violence in the country has already escalated and the situation remained tense in the capital on Tuesday night following a day of violence and looting by protesters. The country of 34 million people has been on edge since the Oct. 9 general elections . Mondlane’s supporters, mostly hundreds of thousands of young people, have since taken to the streets, and have been met by gunfire from security forces. This brings to more than 150 the number of people who have died from post-election violence since the initial results were announced by the country's electoral body.https://arab.news/24awb Riyadh: Speakers from all over the world addressed the fourth Riyadh International Philosophy Conference, which concluded on Saturday. Organized by the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, the conference, held at the King Fahd National Library in Riyadh, featured 60 speakers from around the world, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Subjects discussed included humanity’s progress and the role of philosophy in shaping a better future in a multicultural world. Other talks focused on the quality of life, philosophy’s role in societal well-being, improving urban life in the face of diversity, social solidarity for female athletes with disabilities, and the impact of artificial intelligence on human life. Mohammed Alwan, the commission’s CEO, said that the conference helps philosophy contribute to addressing pressing global challenges through dialogue among thinkers from various countries. For the first time in Saudi Arabia, the conference partnered with international organizations such as “New Philosopher” and The School of Life, the SPA reported. The event emphasized philosophy’s role in tackling contemporary societal challenges, exploring principles of justice, virtue, and happiness essential to prosperous societies. The conference underscored the Kingdom’s commitment to intellectual enrichment and cultural exchange, linking academic thought with real-world applications, the SPA reported.
