ATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com .
Christian vote, especially Catholics, critical to Trump's historic win
LEBANON — A team of Dartmouth engineering students are helping bring public electric bicycle charging to Lebanon. Dartmouth seniors Avery Moorhead, Nathan McAllister, Gannon Forsberg and Grace Connolly paired up with Lebanon Energy and Facilities Manager Tad Montgomery in September to solve two separate problems: the city needed a low-cost skilled engineering team and the students needed an engaging senior capstone project. The team will give Montgomery a report that outlines design and implementation recommendations for e-bike charging stations around Lebanon. “I don’t know where I would find an engineering team that has expertise in e-bike charging stations ... These Dartmouth students are very resourceful, they have lots of resources to tap into at Dartmouth and in the Upper Valley,” Montgomery said. The project was born out of the 2023 Walk, Bike, Ride Leb report that assessed Lebanon’s infrastructure resources and how to create a safer, more accessible and less car-based transportation system. Montgomery began working early this year — at the request of City Manager Shaun Mulholland — to develop plans and cost estimates for solar-powered e-bike charging stations. Before working with the team, the city learned that there was little to no funding available to do the design work, according to a September memo written by Montgomery. This made the Dartmouth team, who also bring a range of expertise and resources despite being students, an ideal option, Montgomery said. Students enrolled in Dartmouth’s Bachelor of Engineering program have to complete senior capstone projects through the Cook Engineering Design Center. This group is one of 28 teams working on different projects, Center Director Emily Monroe said. To her knowledge, this year is the first time Lebanon has been a sponsor. The center matches student groups with “sponsors” such as companies and municipalities who have engineering needs. Monroe organizes these real-world projects before the start of the fall academic term. Students are assigned to a team based on their background and preferences. “I’m not sure if any of us chose this as our first choice (project) but for me I’m super grateful to be placed on this project ... it combines all of this technology work with very real-world applications,” McAllister said. “I think working with the city forces us to consider some constraints that aren’t normally considered in academic engineering projects.” While students enrolled in accredited engineering programs nationwide have to do capstone projects, Monroe said Dartmouth is unique because all of its projects are “industry-based” and always “interdisciplinary,” with teams comprised of students with different engineering specializations. On this team, McAllister is specializing in mechanical engineering, while the team’s other members are energy and electrical engineering students. Moorhead said she is especially interested in electricity as it relates to green infrastructure, which drew her to the project. “It’s also great to see your work in a tangible sense given that it’s a local project where many of the projects aren’t local so you might never see any result of your work,” Moorhead said. The city hopes to build three to five electric bike charging stations around Lebanon in “high-use areas” and has identified Kilton Library, two locations on the pedestrian mall and Colburn Park as possible charging locations, according to the students’ project pre-proposal. The team has to determine if these are the best charging locations. It also has to address remaining logistical questions such as whether solar panels are a viable option to power the stations, what kind of chargers the team should design or city should purchase, if the city can charge residents for using the stations and how to fund the project. So far, the Dartmouth team has conducted preliminary research and created a digital survey to assess key questions. They released the survey Nov. 13 through the city email network and posted QR code links around town in areas with a lot of bike activity, Moorhead said. Responses were due Nov. 30. The team has almost completed a report for the city “fulfilling all of their requests,” McAllister said. Because of their overwhelming interest in electrical work, he said that during the winter term they are “pivoting” to designing an e-bike fire prevention system so that they can do more “technical electrical work.” Despite the unexpected shift, “it’s been really interesting to work on a project that’s actually getting applied versus an engineering project where you might just build something and not see an outcome to it. It’s been great to work with the city and think about how the project impacts stakeholders,” Moorhead said. Montgomery will use the students’ report to present design and cost estimates to the city manager. He had hoped to do this by the end of the year but said “that may be delayed because of the extra effort needed to bring in the Dartmouth team.”From Godwin Tsa Abuja Amidst calls for the sack of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), immediate past governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has said its only President Bola Tinubu and the National Council of States (NCS) that have such powers to remove him. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and some aggrieved Nigerians have called for the sack of the INEC Chairman and other officials at all levels over recent election results in Edo and Ondo states. Obasanjo specifically made the call recently during his address at the prestigious Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at the Yale University in the United States, where he presented a paper titled: “Leadership failure and state capture in Nigeria.” But responding to the call, the former two-term governor of Abia State noted that the removal of the INEC boss falls within the powers of president Tinubu and the National Council of States. Ikpeazu spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of a book: “Contemporary Legal Cooperation: China and Africa – A Comparative Survey of Legal Systems,” written by a Nigerian Journalist, John Chucks Azu. The theme of the dialogue which was part of the event is: “New Horizons in Rule of Law, Judicial Efficiency and Dispute Resolution: Any Lessons of China and Nigeria?” The former governor who lost his senatorial election to Senator Abaribe of the All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA, had faulted INEC for declaring Abaribe winner. However, speaking at the sidelines of the event, Ikpeazu tasked INEC to be more transparent and impartial in the conduct of elections. On the Ondo election, he said, “unfortunately, my party lost, but that election has come and gone. I will advise INEC to be more transparent and impartial in the conduct of elections. “When people are not happy with your process, you don’t talk about it but you open up the space to let people come and see what you are doing. Sometimes you meet them upfront,” he stated. On the call for the sack of the INEC Chairman, Ikpeazu said: “It is not my call to make about a new leadership of INEC. That is the call of Mr. President and council of state and I think they will take that decision when the time comes.” The former governor commended the author of the book, John Azu, for putting the works together to encourage people to understand the legal framework between China and Africa. He said the book will be beneficial for both China and Nigeria to have a proper knowledge of the contemporary legal issues between them. The 245- page book dwells on the prospect of China-African Cooperation and how it can support each country in the areas of social-economic development. Beyond that, it presents a clear understanding of the growing global influence of China’s legal system with emphasis on the features that underwrite China’s business engagement in Africa. While presenting China as a rule-based system of governance, it further explored the interconnectivity between the unique historical, ideological and structural basis of the legal systems of both regions and the opportunities for future cooperation. The author of the book, John Azu said he was motivated by the need for Nigeria lawyers and the business community to leverage on the opportunity provided to learning and understanding the judicial and legal practice in other climes especially in the context of the Asian system.
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Ante Budimir has continued his scoring streak to help Osasuna draw 1-1 at Sevilla in La Liga. Osasuna cut the gap to the top four in Spain to three points on Monday, sitting in seventh and 11 behind league leaders Barcelona. Sevilla are four points behind the Pamplona-based club in 11th. The match struggled to spark into life at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium in Seville but Budimir broke the deadlock in the 69th minute when he headed in a cross from Jesus Areso. It was the Croatian international's ninth goal in his past 10 league matches. However, the visitor's lead lasted just three minutes. Dodi Lukebakio latched onto a ball over the top from substitute Saul and rounded goalkeeper Sergio Herrera to fire in the equaliser for the Andalusians. Herrera and Sevilla counterpart Alvaro Fernandez pulled off crucial saves in the dying seconds to ensure their sides held on for a point in the final match of round 15. "It's a point that we need to value as it was achieved away from home against a very good team," Budimir told Movistar. "We did what we needed to do. Against Villarreal (2-2), we left with a bittersweet taste; today was similar as they equalised right after we scored. I would have liked to know what would have happened if we had held on for five more minutes with the score at 0-1. "We would have liked the game to have been like the last 20 minutes throughout, but we leave with an important point."Arizona State dominates in Texas, giving CFP-seeking Big 12 exactly what it needs
Christian vote, especially Catholics, critical to Trump's historic win
THANE: A 35-year-old schoolteacher was arrested on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing three boys between the ages of 9 and 15. The accused, employed at an English-medium school in Ambernath, is also associated with a Delhi-based open schooling institute that caters to underprivileged children. The victims, whose parents are daily wage earners, had enrolled them in the classes in June where the accused taught. Officials said that the teacher forced the minors to give him massages, touched them inappropriately and recorded their nude videos. The incident first came to light in September when the abrupt discontinuation of classes by three students raised concerns within the school administration. Alarmed by their prolonged absence, the institution’s social service team was tasked with investigating the matter. Despite repeated efforts by the boys’ parents to persuade them to return to school, the children firmly refused. It was only after weeks of hesitation that one of the boys confided in his family, revealing the inappropriate behaviour of the teacher. This revelation prompted the parents to discuss the matter collectively with the families of the other two boys. The discussions eventually led to the school being informed of the true reason behind the students’ refusal to attend, shedding light on a matter. Senior police inspector Balaji Pandhare stated that upon receiving a complaint from the institution’s officials on December 6, a team was promptly dispatched to the children’s homes to gather all necessary information. “We have arrested the accused at his residence for committing this heinous act against children,” he said. During the investigation, the police examined the teacher’s electronic devices and discovered videos involving some children. “The content is currently under verification,” the inspector added. The accused, a resident of Ambernath, lives with his wife and child. He has been booked under sections 68 (criminalises sexual intercourse) and 95 (using a child for sexual exploitation or pornography) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and sections 4 and 6 (punishment for penetrative sexual assault), 8 (sexual assault on a child), 10 (five years in prison for aggravated sexual assault on a child) and 13 (Use of child for pornographic purposes) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. Police are now investigating the matter with all 20 students who were under the teacher’s tutelage, recording their statements to gather more details about the extent of the abuse.ATLANTA — Already reeling from their November defeats, Democrats grappled Monday with President Joe Biden's pardoning of his son for federal crimes, with some calling the move misguided and unwise after the party spent years slamming Donald Trump as a threat to democracy who disregarded the law. The president pardoned Hunter Biden late Sunday evening, reversing his previous pledges with a grant of clemency that covers more than a decade of federal crimes his son might have committed. The president said in a statement his son's prosecution on charges of tax evasion and falsifying a federal weapons purchase form were politically motivated. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday. She, along with Biden and other White House officials, insisted for months that Hunter Biden would not get a pardon. People are also reading... That explanation did not satisfy some Democrats, angry that Biden's reversal could make it harder to take on Trump, who argues that multiple indictments and a conviction against him were a matter of Biden and Democrats turning the justice system against him. "This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation," Colorado Gov. Jared Polis wrote of Biden on social media. "Hunter brought the legal trouble he faced on himself, and one can sympathize with his struggles while also acknowledging that no one is above the law, not a President and not a President's son." Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., said on social media: "This wasn't a politically motivated prosecution. Hunter committed felonies and was convicted by a jury of his peers." Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet said Biden "put personal interest ahead of duty" with a decision that "further erodes Americans' faith that the justice system is fair and equal for all." Michigan Sen. Gary Peters said the pardon was "an improper use of power" that erodes faith in government and "emboldens others to bend justice to suit their interests." Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., called the pardon "understandable" if viewed only as the "action of a loving father." But Biden's status as "our nation's Chief Executive," the senator said, rendered the move "unwise." Certainly, the president has Democratic defenders who note Trump's use of presidential power to pardon a slew of his convicted aides, associates and friends, several for activities tied to Trump's campaign and first administration. "Trump pardoned Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort, as well as his son-in-law's father, Charles Kushner — who he just appointed US ambassador to France," wrote prominent Democratic fundraiser Jon Cooper on social media. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison said there "is no standard for Donald Trump, and the highest standard for Democrats and Joe Biden." Harrison pointed to Trump's apparent plans to oust FBI Director Christopher Wray and replace him with loyalist Kash Patel and suggested the GOP's pursuit of Hunter Biden would not have ended without clemency. "Most people will see that Joe Biden did what was right," Harrison said. First lady Jill Biden said Monday from the White House, "Of course I support the pardon of my son." But Biden’s decision to go back on his word and issue a categorical pardon for his son was a surprise that wasn't all that surprising. Not to those who had witnessed the president’s shared anguish over his two sons after the boys survived a car crash that killed Biden's first wife and a daughter more than a half-century ago. Or to those who heard the president regularly lament the death of his older son, Beau, from cancer or voice concerns — largely in private — about Hunter’s sobriety and health after years of deep addiction. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president — who had pledged to restore a fractured public’s trust in the nation’s institutions and respect for the rule of law — raised new questions about his already teetering legacy. Biden aides and allies were already resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn't see time behind bars, especially after Donald Trump's win. The president's supporters have long viewed Biden's commitment to his family as an asset overall, even if Hunter's personal conduct and tangled business dealings were seen as a persistent liability. Democrats already are facing the prospects of a Republican trifecta in Washington, with voters returning Trump to the White House and giving the GOP control of the House and Senate. Part of their argument against Trump and Republican leaders is expected to be that the president-elect is violating norms with his talk of taking retribution against his enemies. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Court upholds death sentence for tycoon in $12bn fraud case
FLORIDA, USA — The president of Tyler Perry Studios died in a plane crash Friday night in Homosassa, Fla., according to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office and a Tyler Perry Studios spokesperson. Deputies said that a small-engine aircraft went down around 8:15 p.m. along Highway 19 and Longfellow Street near the Village Cadillac Dealership. Stephen Mensch, 62, was identified as the sole occupant of the plane and was pronounced dead at the scene. Mensch, a Fayetteville, Ga., resident, was a key figure in Georgia’s film industry and led operations at the Atlanta-based Tyler Perry Studios. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp shared condolences on social media, praising Mensch’s contributions to the state’s film industry and describing him as “a good man and an instrumental part of a studio Georgia is proud to call its own.” Mensch played a critical role in transforming Tyler Perry Studios into one of the nation’s largest production facilities. Located on the historic Fort McPherson campus, the studio has become a hub for major productions, generating significant economic impact and positioning Georgia as a leader in film and television. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
President-elect Donald Trump has weighed in on the rapid-moving events in Syria , where jihadist groups backed by Turkey are entering the outside environs of the capital of Damascus. The embattled President Bashar al-Assad still appears to be in residence, but his future is far from certain. "Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad," he began the statement on Truth Social. Trump emphasized that Washington should stay completely out, calling the situation a "mess" and that it is "not our fight" . He posted the same message on X. It alludes to Russia's inability to continue protecting Syria , given it is bogged down in the nearly three year long Ukraine war, while also blasting former President Obama's past Syria policies and that he laid down 'red lines'. Below is the full statement: Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years. This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in. But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them. There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid. Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!” Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad. Russia, because they are so tied up... It must be remembered that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group backed by NATO member Turkey and leading this anti-Assad onslaught, is a US-designated terror organization . A big question is: what comes next? While HTS has morphed from Syrian Al-Qaeda, it is trying to present to the West a softer image, claiming that it will protect minorities including Christians. However, its recent past clearly demonstrates that it rules territories under its control with Taliban-style force and brutality. Much of the nation's population until now has stuck with Assad given the alternative is Somalia-style fracturing and rule by competing jihadist warlords. One thing is for sure: Trump will inherent dealing with an absolute tragic mess in Syria, the heartland of the Middle East, upon his opening days in office . Except the US has backed these Islamic rebels, for the very purpose of removing Assad who has protected the Christians in Syria and for that purpose, we should remove all support from the rebels. #orthodox https://t.co/eG7dbsYaKb Currently, US forces still occupy one-third of Syria, in the oil and gas areas of the northeast. During Trump's first term he expressed an effort to "bring the troops home" but it's widely reported he was stymied by his generals and national security officialsORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — In a season that began with many questions and lowered expectations , it was apt watching Bills quarterback Josh Allen join coach Sean McDermott lay on the cold, wet sideline to make snow angels in celebrating Buffalo’s earliest clinching of a division title in team history. That Allen took part was no surprise. The newly engaged 28-year-old has maintained the happy-go-lucky approach he brought with him to Buffalo as a raw-talented athlete in 2018, while gradually blossoming into one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks. For McDermott, it was a pleasant surprise to see the usually reserved eight-year coach finally let his hair down — figuratively, because the few jokes he does make are usually about being bald. With his latest do-it-all three-TD outing — one rushing, one receiving and, the coup de grace, being credited with receiving his own pass for a score off a lateral from Amari Cooper — in a 35-10 win over San Francisco on Sunday night , Allen continued making his strongest NFL MVP case. What’s also becoming apparent is how much McDermott deserves consideration for coach of the year honors. Without the two, the Bills (10-2) wouldn’t be in this position in becoming just the eighth NFL team — and first since Indianapolis in 2009 — to clinch a division title with at least five games remaining in their schedule. It’s reflective of how the two have grown together in what, on the outside, could be perceived as an odd couple relationship between an offensive-minded, swashbuckling quarterback and a defensive-minded coach, too often knocked for being too conservative. Perhaps, it’s Allen’s boyish nature that has brought out the risk-taker in McDermott, who has carried over the aggressive approach he takes to defense by placing trust in his quarterback. It’s become apparent in everything the Bills have accomplished so far in having at least 10 wins through 12 games for just the fifth time in team history, and first since 1991, when Buffalo was led by eventual Hall of Famers in coach Marv Levy and quarterback Jim Kelly. Buffalo has won seven straight since consecutive losses to Baltimore and Houston. And the Bills have scored 30 or more points in six straight outings, matching the team record set in 2004. Allen is doing more with less on an offense that was supposed to be hampered following the offseason departures of receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis and center Mitch Morse. The Bills are more balanced in leaning on their running attack, while Allen has also curtailed his turnover-prone ways. He's lost two fumbles and thrown just five interceptions after being picked off a career-worst 18 times last season. Meantime, McDermott has taken a different approach to fourth down situations. The Bills have converted 13 of 15 fourth down attempts after going 9 of 16 last season and 7 of 13 in 2022. The most fourth down attempts during McDermott’s tenure came in 2021, when Buffalo converted just 11 of 22. This is but an example of the bond the quarterback and coach have built in a shared objective of overcoming past playoff failures. Clinching a division title is but one step, with the Bills now focused on catching the Kansas City Chiefs (11-1), whom they’ve beaten already , for the AFC’s top seed. In calling it the team’s next goal, McDermott went off script from his usual game-at-a-time message by noting the importance of celebrating a division-clinching win, if only for one day. “Being 50 years old and 20-plus years in this league, I’ve learned to try and enjoy the moments,” McDermott said. “And this is a moment, right?” It certainly was. Turnover differential. Buffalo’s defense forced three fumbles, including one at its goal line, while the offense didn’t commit a giveaway. The Bills upped their league-leading turnover differential entering Monday to plus-17. Run defense. Though the conditions were snowy and slick, the Bills allowed 119 yards rushing in the first half before the 49ers were forced to start passing the ball once the score became lopsided. Buffalo particularly struggled in stopping Christian McCaffrey, who had 53 yards on seven carries before leaving the game with a potential season-ending knee injury . LB Matt Milano was in on five tackles while playing 37 of 48 defensive snaps in his first outing in nearly 14 months after being sidelined by a broken right leg and torn left biceps. CB Kaiir Elam, the 2022 first-round pick was a healthy inactive for a second straight outing, and still having difficulty finding a regular role. None reported. 9-0 — The Bills' home record going back to last season, marking their second-longest run in team history. Hit the road for two outings, starting with a trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Ukraine must be in strong position for negotiations, Starmer says
