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GENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * GENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? GENEVA (AP) — World Cup sponsor Bank of America teamed with FIFA for a second time Tuesday, signing for the Club World Cup that still has no broadcast deals just over six months before games start. Bank of America became FIFA’s first global banking partner in August and sealed a separate deal for a second event also being played in the United States, two days before the group-stage draw in Miami for the revamped 32-team club event. It features recent European champions Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea. “FIFA is going to take America by storm and we’re going to be right at their side,” the bank’s head of marketing, David Tyrie, said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Bank of America joins 2026 World Cup sponsors Hisense and Budweiser brewer AB InBev in separately also backing the club event, and more deals are expected after Saudi Arabia is confirmed next week as the 2034 World Cup host. While games at the next World Cup, co-hosted with Canada and Mexico, will be watched by hundreds of millions globally mostly on free-to-air public networks, the Club World Cup broadcast picture is unclear. FIFA has promised hundreds of millions of dollars in prize money for the 32 clubs to share but is yet to announce any broadcast deals for the month-long tournament. It is expected to land on a streaming service. “You have to think about how you are going to connect with these fans,” Tyrie told the Associated Press from Boston. “TV is one, sure, social media is a big avenue. “The smart marketing capabilities are able to say ‘Hey, we need to tilt this one a little bit more away from TV-type marketing into social-type marketing.’ We have got a pretty decent strategy that we’re putting in place to do activation.” Engaging Bank of America’s customers and 250,000 employees are key to that strategy, Tyrie said. “It’s going to be for our clients, and entertainment, it’s going to be for our employees in creating excitement. All of the above.” The Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums across 11 cities, including Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C, and Lumen Field where the hometown Seattle Sounders play three group-stage games. European powers Madrid, Man City and Bayern Munich lead a 12-strong European challenge. Teams qualified by winning continental titles or posting consistently good results across four years of those competitions. The exception is Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, who FIFA gave the entry reserved for a host nation team in October based on regular season record without waiting for the MLS Cup final. LA Galaxy hosts New York Red Bulls playing for that national title Saturday. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Messi’s team opens the FIFA tournament June 15 in the Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium and will play its three group games in Florida. “The more brand players you bring in, the bigger the following you have got,” Tyrie acknowledged, though adding Messi being involved was “not a make or break for the event.” The Club World Cup final is July 13 at Met Life Stadium near New York, which also will host the World Cup final one year later. ___ AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer Advertisement Advertisement

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COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — Tafara Gapare scored 19 points, freshman Derik Queen had 15 points and eight rebounds and Maryland beat Bucknell 91-67 on Wednesday night. Maryland opened the game on a 15-2 run, extended it to 25-7 with 10:38 left and led 51-28 at the break. The Terrapins led by at least 16 points the entire second half, which included runs of 12-0 and 9-0. Gapare scored the 10 straight points during the second-half run. Gapare threw down a highlight dunk while being fouled with 2:08 remaining to give Maryland an 89-62 lead. He was called for a technical foul after stepping over Patrick O’Brien, who was attempting to take a charge. Jayden Williams made the two free throws for Bucknell and Gapare missed his free-throw attempt that would have tied his career high of 20 points. Maryland (6-1) has won 20 consecutive home games against unranked nonconference foes with its last loss coming on Dec. 1, 2021, against Virginia Tech in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Julian Reese added 14 points and Selton Miguel scored 13 for Maryland. Gapare, a Georgia Tech transfer, reached double-figure scoring as a Terp for the first time. The Terrapins shot 50% from the field with three 3-pointers apiece by Gapare and Miguel. Ruot Bijiek led Bucknell (4-4) with 20 points and Josh Bascoe added 10. The Bison turned it over 20 times leading to 22 Maryland points. Maryland stays at home to play Alcorn State on Sunday. Bucknell returns home to play Siena on Saturday. ___ 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-basketballWhy 'Wheel of Fortune' Fans Are Doubting Ryan Seacrest's Hosting Ability

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a landmark move to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, SGSITS (Shri .G.S. Institute of Technology and Science), one of Indore's premier educational institutions, has secured a major boost through a partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Under a newly signed Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), HAL will provide state-of-the-art equipment worth Rs 1 crore for the institution's Fabrication Lab, Die, and Design Rooms. This initiative is part of HAL's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts aimed at supporting the growth of technology and innovation in academic institutions. The MoA was formally signed in the presence of key dignitaries, including Inder Singh Parmar, the minister for technical education and chairman of the SGSITS Governing Body. Other prominent attendees at the event included Dr Divya Gupta, independent director and chairperson of HAL's CSR Committee; Saket Chaturvedi, CEO of MIG Complex; and Subrata Mondal, general manager (GM) of HAL's AOD division. SGSITS was represented by Dr Nitesh Purohit, director of the Institute, along with Tapan Mukherjee and Ramesh Vyas, directors of the SGSITS Incubation Forum. Key aspects of agreement Equipping Fabrication Lab, Die, and Design Rooms at SGSITS with advanced tools and machinery so as to enhance technical infrastructure of the college Support prototyping, product design, and manufacturing processes, encouraging practical learning and fostering an innovation-driven culture. Help create a robust ecosystem for startups within the institution, offering them access to high-quality equipment and mentorship. Pave the way for students and young entrepreneurs to work on groundbreaking projects, develop new technologies, and take their ideas to market. 'Important step in strengthening capabilities of SGSITS' Incubation Forum' In his address, Inder Singh Parmar lauded the partnership, stating that it marks an important step towards strengthening the infrastructure and capabilities of SGSITS' Incubation Forum. He emphasized that the initiative will not only support startups but also inspire innovation and entrepreneurship across the state. He further highlighted the role of such collaborations in bridging the gap between industry and academia, ensuring that students are well-prepared for real-world challenges. The collaboration with HAL, he noted, will also foster stronger ties between educational institutions and industries, creating opportunities for knowledge sharing and skill development. Future Implications Support from HAL is expected to accelerate the growth of the incubation centre at SGSITS, positioning it as a hub for innovation in the region. Startups and young entrepreneurs will benefit from not only the technical resources but also the guidance of industry experts and faculty members, creating a conducive environment for sustainable growth and technological advancements. The equipment will be made available to startups incubated at SGSITS, providing them with the infrastructure needed to prototype, test, and refine their products. This will also help students gain hands-on experience with industry-grade tools, enhancing their technical skills and preparing them for future careers in technology and engineering. By fostering collaboration between academia and industry, the initiative is set to provide invaluable resources to young innovators and entrepreneurs, helping them transform their ideas into successful enterprises. With strong industry backing and state-of-the-art infrastructure, the SGSITS Incubation Forum is poised to play a key role in shaping the future of technological innovation in the region.Trump Transition: Clearing the Hurdles for Nominee Background ChecksCruise into this holiday season with a non-traditional vacation

Chennai: The ruling DMK has deferred its December 18 executive council meeting owing to the heavy rain forecast issued for Tamil Nadu and the ongoing Parliament session. The DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan said that the executive council meeting scheduled for December 18 has been postponed as the party MPs must take part in the debate on major issues in the ongoing Parliament session and the heavy rainfall forecast issued to Tamil Nadu. He added that a fresh date would be notified for the executive council meeting. The DMK had announced a high-level meeting of the party executive council on December 18 to discuss preparations for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, was to chair the meeting scheduled to be held at the party headquarters, Anna Arivalayam. The party has already appointed full-time workers for each of Tamil Nadu’s 234 Assembly constituencies. Half of these full-timers were selected from those who worked during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which saw the DMK-led INDIA Bloc secure a landslide victory by winning all 39 seats in Tamil Nadu and a single seat in Puducherry. Each of the full-timers in charge of a constituency has been chosen after careful screening and with input from the party’s local leadership. Notably, these appointees are not residents of the constituencies where they are assigned full-time responsibilities. M.K. Stalin has expressed confidence that the DMK will win 200 of the 234 Assembly seats in the upcoming elections. The DMK currently holds 133 seats in the Assembly and is now working toward this ambitious target. A team of DMK leaders, led by youth wing leader and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, along with state ministers Thangam Thenarasu, E.V. Velu, and party organising secretary R.S. Bharathi, has been designated to manage the elections, with Udhayanidhi overseeing day-to-day operations. In a recent high-profile meeting at Anna Arivalayam, Udhayanidhi criticised certain party leaders who did not meet expectations in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, despite being assigned responsibilities for specific constituencies. R.S. Bharathi, DMK organising secretary and senior leader on the core committee for selecting DMK candidates for the 2026 Assembly elections, stated, “Our leader and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru M.K. Stalin, has already set a target of winning 200 assembly seats in the 2026 elections, and the party’s organisational machinery is fully activated to achieve this goal.” He emphasised that senior leaders, including Udhayanidhi Stalin, are managing day-to-day election preparations, ensuring the party’s readiness.

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EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K Dobbins is unlikely to play against the Atlanta Falcons this week because of a knee injury. Dobbins was hurt in the first half of the Chargers’ 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night. He had six carries for 40 yards and three catches for 19 yards before leaving the game. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh declined to get into specifics of the injury Wednesday, other than confirming Dobbins is “working through something with his knee,” he said. Dobbins had been putting together a strong first season for the Chargers (7-4) after his past three years in Baltimore had been injury-riddled. He has 766 yards rushing and eight touchdowns through 11 games for Los Angeles, which had positioned Dobbins as a strong candidate for AP Comeback Player of the Year. Dobbins tore his Achilles tendon in the 2023 season opener for Baltimore. He also tore his ACL in 2021, and the effects of that injury lingered into the following season. Dobbins played in just 24 of a possible 67 regular-season games for the Ravens, who drafted him in the second round in 2020. “We feel horrible for him,” quarterback Justin Herbert said. “He’s such a tough, tough teammate, and the way he’s fought through so many injuries, we have no doubt he’s going to be back better than ever. And so it’s up to us. It’s our responsibility to hold it down while he’s gone.” The absence of Dobbins leaves Gus Edwards, Hassan Haskins and rookie Kimani Vidal as the Chargers’ current options at running back. Edwards missed four games because of a high ankle sprain and has 206 yards and one touchdown in seven appearances. Haskins has mostly been a special teams contributor, while Vidal has been inactive for seven games, including each of the past three. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFLSean 'Diddy' Combs denied bail by third judge as he awaits sex trafficking trial

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Getting places in space quickly has been the goal of propulsion research for a long time. Rockets, our most common means of doing so, are great for providing lots of force but extraordinarily inefficient. Other options like electric propulsion and solar sailing are efficient but offer measly amounts of force, albeit for a long time. So scientists have long dreamed of a third method of propulsion – one that could provide enough force over a long enough time to power a crewed mission to another star in a single human lifetime. And that could theoretically happen using one of the rarest substances in the universe – antimatter. A new paper from Sawsan Ammar Omira and Abdel Hamid I. Mourad at the United Arab Emirates University looks at the possibilities of developing a space drive using antimatter and what makes it so hard to create. Antimatter was initially discovered in 1932 when physicist Carl David Anderson observed positrons – the antimatter form of an electron – in cosmic rays by passing them through a cloud chamber. He won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1936 for his discovery. It took 20 years to create it artificially for the first time. Since then, antimatter has been poked and prodded in as many ways as scientists could think of – including literally, but that causes the thing that antimatter is most famous for – self-annihilation. When an antimatter proton comes into contact with protons or neutrons of normal matter, they annihilate one another and release a combination of energy (typically in the form of gamma rays) and also high-energy short-lived particles, known as pion and kaon, which happen to be traveling at relativistic speeds. So, in theory, a ship could contain enough antimatter to intentionally create this annihilation explosion, using the relativistic particles as a form of thrust and potentially using the gamma rays as a source of power. The overall amount of energy released from a gram of antiprotons being annihilated is 1.8×1014, 11 orders of magnitude more energy than rocket fuel and even 100 times greater energy density than a nuclear fission or fusion reactor. As the paper puts it, “one gram of antihydrogen could ideally power 23 space shuttles.” All this begs the question – why don’t we have these awesome propulsions systems yet? The simple answer is that antimatter is tricky to work with. Since it will self-annihilate with anything it touches, it must be suspended in an advanced electromagnetic containment field. The longest scientists have been able to do that was for about 16 minutes at CERN in 2016, and even that was only on the order of a few atoms – not the grams or kilograms needed to support an interstellar propulsion system. Additionally, it takes absurd amounts of energy to create antimatter, which makes it expensive. The Antiproton Decelerator, a massive particle accelerator at CERN, makes about ten nanograms of antiprotons a year at a cost of several million dollars. Extrapolating that out, producing one gram of antimatter would require something like 25 million kWh of energy—enough to power a small city for a year. It would also cost over $4M at average electricity rates, making it one of the most expensive substances on Earth. Given this expense and the massive scale of the infrastructure needed to do it, antimatter research is relatively limited. Around 100-125 papers per year are produced on the subject, dramatically increasing from around 25 in 2000. However, that compares to around 1000 papers per year on large language models, one of the more popular forms of algorithms powering the current AI boom. In other words, the overall expense and relative long-term horizon over any payout limit the amount of funding and, therefore, advancements in antimatter creation and storage. That means it will probably be quite some time before we end up with an antimatter ship drive. We might even need to create some preliminary energy-producing technologies like fusion that could significantly lower the cost of energy and even enable the research that would eventually get us there. However, the possibility of traveling at near-relativistic speeds and potentially getting actual humans to another star within a single lifetime is an ambitious goal that space and exploration enthusiasts everywhere will continue to pursue, no matter how long it takes. Learn More: Sawsan Ammar Omira & Abdel Hamid I. Mourad – Future of Antimatter Production, Storage, Control, and Annihilation Applications in Propulsion Technologies UT – It’s Official, Antimatter Falls Down in Gravity, Not Up UT – Are There Antimatter Galaxies? UT – Spectrum of Antimatter Observed for First Time Lead Image: Artist’s conception of an antimatter rocket system. Credit – NASA/MFSCTweet Facebook Mail The search for a woman who is believed to have fallen into a sinkhole in western Pennsylvania has become a recovery effort after two treacherous days of digging through mud and rock produced no signs of life, authorities said on Wednesday. Pennsylvania State Police spokesperson Trooper Steve Limani said during a news conference that authorities no longer believe they will find 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard alive, but that work to find her remains continues. "We've had no signs of any form of life or anything" to make rescuers think they should "continue to try and push and rush and push the envelope, to be aggressive with the potential of risking harm to other people," Limani said. READ MORE: Disgusting discovery at Aussie beach sparks warning to dog owners Rescue workers continue to search on Wednesday for Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat. (AP) He noted that oxygen levels below ground were insufficient. Emergency crews and others have been trying to locate Pollard for two days. Her relatives reported her missing early Tuesday and her vehicle with her unharmed 5-year-old granddaughter inside was found about two hours later, near what is thought to be a freshly opened sinkhole above a long closed, crumbling mine. READ MORE: CEO killed in 'brazen, targeted attack' outside New York Hilton Pennsylvania State Police shows the top of a sinkhole in the village of Marguerite. (AP) "We feel like we failed," Limani said of the decision to change the status of the effort from a rescue to a recovery. "It's tough." Limani praised the crews who went into the abandoned mine to help remove material in the search for Pollard in the village of Marguerite, about 65 kilometres east of Pittsburgh. "They would come out of there head to toe covered in mud, exhausted. And while they were getting pulled up, the next group's getting dropped in. And there was one after the next after the next," Limani said. Authorities had said earlier that the roof of the mine had collapsed in several places and was not stable. "We did get, you know, where we wanted, where we thought that she was at. We've been to that spot," Pleasant Unity Fire Chief John Bacha, the incident's operations officer, said earlier Wednesday. "What happened at that point, I don't know, maybe the slurry of mud pushed her one direction. There were several different seams of that mine, shafts that all came together where this happened at." Searchers were using electronic devices and cameras as surface digging continued with the use of heavy equipment, Bacha said. READ MORE: Two more Melbourne school children targeted in 'white van' kidnapping attempts Elizabeth Pollard, who is believed to have disappeared in a sinkhole while looking for her cat. (AP) In the coming days, they plan to greatly widen the surface hole, with winter weather forecast in the region. Sinkholes occur in the area because of subsidence from coal mining activity. Rescuers had been using water to break down and remove clay and dirt from the mine, which has been closed since the 1950s. Crews had lowered a pole camera with a sensitive listening device into the hole, but it detected nothing. Another camera lowered into the hole showed what could be a shoe about 9 metres below the surface, Limani said Tuesday. Searchers also deployed drones and thermal imaging equipment to no avail. Pollard's family called police at about 1 am on Tuesday to say she had not been seen since going out at about 5 pm Monday to search for Pepper, her cat. The temperature dropped well below freezing that night. Limani said the searchers met with her family before announcing the shift from rescue to recovery. "I think they get it," Limani said. Pollard's son, Axel Hayes, described her as a happy woman who liked going out to have fun. READ MORE: Scorching heat, afternoon thunderstorms and showers: What the weather on Christmas Day is forecast to be in your city She and her husband adopted Hayes and his twin brother when they were infants. She used to work at Walmart but recently was not employed. Hayes called Pollard "a great person overall, a great mother" who "never really did anybody wrong". He said at one point Pollard had about 10 cats. "Every cat that she's ever come in contact with, she has a close bond with them," Hayes said. Police said they found Pollard's car parked behind Monday's Union Restaurant in Marguerite, about 6 metres from the sinkhole. Hunters and restaurant workers in the area said they had not noticed the manhole-size opening in the hours before Pollard disappeared, leading rescuers to speculate that the sinkhole was new. Pollard lived in a small neighbourhood across the street from where her car and granddaughter were found, Limani said. The young girl "nodded off in the car and woke up. Grandma never came back," Limani said. The child stayed in the car until two troopers rescued her. It's not clear what happened to Pepper. DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP : Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play .

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Solid Minerals Development Minister, Dele Alake, has called on investors worldwide to take advantage of Nigeria’s geo-data digital platforms to access information on the country’s rich mineral resources. Alake also announced plans to fund more geological research and leverage the findings from both private and public institutions to build additional data. A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Minister, Kehinde Bamigbetan, on Wednesday noted that the minister highlighted the benefits while addressing Chief Executive Officers of global mining conglomerates at the ongoing annual Mines & Money Conference, held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, United Kingdom. The minister said Nigeria has adopted digital technology to market its minerals, making business enquiries easier and promoting transparent transactions. He listed three web platforms—Nigerian Mineral Decision Support System (NMRDSS), Electronic Mining Cadastral (EMC+), and National Geo-Data Centre—as key information resources for serious investors. Describing the NMRDSS as a web application that provides read-only access to geo-scientific and geo-economic data, Alake said it allows users to analyse mineral occurrence locations and make informed decisions regarding mining activities. He said, “By providing publicly available data about the geology and mineral wealth of Nigeria, this dynamic resource, updated regularly to keep the data as current as possible, enables investors to explore the environment of their chosen mineral occurrences. It answers queries on hydrology, demography, geography, urban planning, and transportation. Explaining EMC+, the minister said it is an online, real-time system for administering mineral titles throughout their lifecycle, offering efficiency and transparency. “This means investors can research and plan their application for titles remotely, as long as they have the necessary data for the application process,” he noted. Related News FG, France sign MoU to boost mining Benue govt set to enact electricity law Niger invites Russian firms to exploit uranium, other resources He also assured that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to acquiring more geological data to enhance the value of these platforms. On certifying the quality of the data, Alake, who also serves as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group comprising African mining ministers, commended the efforts of African geoscientists in developing a new coding system to certify research reports. He stressed the need for value addition and beneficiation in the downstream segment of the mining value chain, stating that recent exploration has positioned Nigeria as a key player in supplying critical minerals to the world. “The deliberate investment in accurate geoscientific data, particularly for critical minerals such as lithium and rare earth minerals, has positioned Nigeria as a key player in the global transition to a green economy. This transition aligns with our commitment to sustainability and our role in the global fight against climate change,” he said. He urged major mining companies to partner with the Tinubu administration in its efforts to diversify the economy in favour of the solid minerals sector, adding that such collaboration would unlock the country’s vast mineral resources. He concluded his address with a strong pitch to top decision-makers in the global mining sector: “The future of Nigeria’s solid minerals is brimming with promise... Our doors are open to partnerships, and we invite you to join us on this transformative journey.” Chief executives at the event included Barrick’s President and Chief Executive, Mark Bristow, Traxys’ Chief Executive Officer, Mark Kristoff, and Anglo-American’s General Counsel, Kate Southwell. Earlier, the Minister engaged with investors at the Ministry’s exhibition booth, answering enquiries about mining opportunities.