Google is 'three times a monopolist' says DOJ in anti-trust lawsuitLeverkusen's touch of destiny remains after statement win over Inter in Champions League showdownArts and health is a broad field defined by its use of the arts to improve health and wellbeing. Practitioners make use of different artistic mediums such as visual arts, creative writing, music, dance, photography and more. This work can take place in hospitals, aged care homes, community centres, theatres, libraries, music festivals and beyond. Arts and health can be the use of music to slow down the heart rate of premature babies . It can be a community choir that helps those with dementia connect with friends and family . It can be an illustrated book about resilience in the face of natural disasters . Or it can be a health promotion campaign about the everyday wellbeing benefits of the arts . Benefits of arts and health include reduced loneliness and social isolation in older adults , improved social cognition , improved wellbeing , reduced risk of depression , reduced risk of dementia , and slower progression of frailty . Arts and health is an interdisciplinary field blending the knowledge and practices of two very different areas. It relies on diverse organisations to bring together the collective voices and activities of arts and health workers and supporters. Our recent international report, What does an arts and health organisation do? , interviewed staff members from 22 arts and health organisations across the world. We learnt about how they helped to connect practitioners, facilitate networking and disseminate research findings and best practice. However, amid the many positive stories, we also found one country that was noticeably lacking this kind of national arts and health organisation: Australia. A national hub Australia has at times been a leader in arts and health, most notably through the development of its world-first 2013 National Arts and Health Framework . This landmark document arose from decades of grassroots arts and health work. It marked the Australian federal, state and territory governments’ formal recognition and support for the arts and health sector, and was designed to raise awareness of the connection between the two fields and encourage government agencies nationwide to incorporate arts and health initiatives into their services. However, the framework did not call for any funding or legislative changes, which meant no permanent arts and health policy was established after its endorsement. Currently, arts and health research and practice is taking place across Australia in hospitals , community arts spaces , and universities . But while there are a number of regional networks , there is no central hub for the field. As a result, interviewees from Australia say a national organisation is needed for arts and health to take the next step. Christen Cornell, manager of research partnerships at Creative Australia, says that to be effective, arts and health in Australia “needs to be able to see itself, it needs to be visible”. Naomi Sunderland, director of the Creative Arts Research Institute at Griffith University, argues a new organisation should be developed to play this role. This would be “a meeting point for people to come together and have conversations, build relationships and do collaborative work, connected work”. Towards a diverse workforce Interviewees in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Europe all reported an overwhelmingly white and female workforce. Daniel Regan, founder of the London-based Arts & Health Hub , describes the UK arts and health workforce as “very female, very white, very middle class, very middle-aged”. Cornell says there is a similar lack of diversity in the Australian arts and health workforce. She points to a deeper economic context behind this lack of diversity: One of the major reasons it isn’t [diverse] is because it doesn’t pay well. So you default to white middle class over and over again. If you want a more culturally diverse workforce, you have to address that economic issue. We need to understand and address barriers to entry into the arts and health workforce for people from First Nations, Black, non-English speaking backgrounds, as well as people with lived experience of disability, illness and pain. Initiatives such as Arts & Health Hub’s The Artists’ Represent Recovery Network and Wales Arts Health & Wellbeing Network’s Stepping In , and Jameel Arts & Health Lab address the lack of diversity by providing arts and health mentorship and training for previously underrepresented groups. The politics of evidence Evidence is crucial to advancing the field of arts and health. However, there is an ongoing debate about what type of evidence would significantly advance the field. Some interviewees argued traditional gold standard evidence from medical trials is overestimated as a mechanism for unlocking decision-makers’ support. Instead, they point to the value of narratives and lived experience. Alexandra Coulter, director of the UK’s National Centre for Creative Health , testifies to the power of such arts and health narratives. During the UK’s 2017 inquiry into arts, health and wellbeing , Coulter organised themed roundtables on arts and health within parliament, managing to gather together “politician types” and “people with lived experience speaking out their stories”. Organisations and practitioners should look for opportunities to share evidence and stories about arts and health with the public and decision-makers. Australian examples include Good Arts Good Mental Health’s Christina Davies talking about the benefits of arts engagement on a nightly news broadcast , and the Creativity Talks Podcast . International examples include the powerful arts and health stories available on the WHO European Region’s YouTube channel . Building on the momentum for arts and health There is increasing interest in arts and health around the world , driven by the need to address health and wellbeing complexities. In Australia, a national hub for this work would help connect best practice and build an evidence base to inform decision makers and funders. Arts and health needs to be embedded in the future health systems and wellbeing strategies for our individual and national benefit.

Donald Trump is returning to the world stage. So is his trolling

BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents' stunning march across Syria accelerated Saturday with news that they had reached the suburbs of the capital and that government forces had withdrawn from the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The loss of Homs is a potentially crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base. The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said Syrian troops and members of different security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that rebels have entered parts of it. The capture of Homs is a major victory for insurgents, who have already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama , as well as large parts of the south, in a lightning offensive that began Nov. 27. Analysts said Homs falling into rebel hands would be a game-changer. The rebels' moves around Damascus, reported by the monitor and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including several provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions, led by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. In their push to overthrow Assad's government, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian army. For the first time in the country's long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The U.N.’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha Forum in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria was changing by the minute. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is Assad's chief international backer, said he feels “sorry for the Syrian people.” In Damascus, people rushed to stock up on supplies. Thousands went to Syria's border with Lebanon, trying to leave the country. Many shops in the capital were shuttered, a resident told The Associated Press, and those still open ran out of staples such as sugar. Some were selling items at three times the normal price. “The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” the resident said, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions. “People are worried whether there will be a battle (in Damascus) or not.” It was the first time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the area following a yearslong siege. The U.N. said it was moving noncritical staff outside the country as a precaution. Assad's status Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the country, saying he is performing his duties in Damascus. He has had little, if any, help from his allies. Russia, is busy with its war in Ukraine . Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one point sent thousands of fighters to shore up Assad's forces, has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region degraded by regular Israeli airstrikes. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that that the United States should avoid engaging militarily in Syria. Pedersen said a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation a U.N. resolution, adopted in 2015, and calling for a Syrian-led political process, would be announced later. The resolution calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with U.N.-supervised elections. Later Saturday, foreign ministers and senior diplomats from eight key countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, along with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to discuss the situation in Syria. No details were immediately available. The insurgents' march Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters were marching toward the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added. A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. HTS controls much of northwest Syria and in 2017 set up a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s image, cutting ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officials and vowing to embrace pluralism and religious tolerance. The shock offensive began Nov. 27, during which gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central city of Hama , the country’s fourth largest city. Opposition activists said Saturday that a day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is home to invaluable archaeological sites had been in government hands since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017. To the south, Syrian troops left much of the province of Quneitra including the main Baath City, activists said. Syrian Observatory said government troops have withdrawn from much of the two southern provinces. The Syrian army said in a statement that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints came under attack by “terrorists." The army said it was setting up a “strong and coherent defensive and security belt in the area,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south. The Syrian government has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since conflict broke out in March 2011. Diplomacy in Doha The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the hostilities. Turkey is a main backer of the rebels. Qatar's top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of the lull in fighting in recent years to address the country’s underlying problems. “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” he said. Sheikh Mohammed said he was surprised by how quickly the rebels have advanced and said there is a real threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He said the war could “damage and destroy what is left if there is no sense of urgency” to start a political process. ____ Karam reported from London. Associated Press writers Albert Aji in Damascus, Syria and Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad contributed to this report. Bassem Mroue And Zeina Karam, The Associated Press

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's government on Tuesday said it had lifted a ban on access to WhatsApp and Google Play after more than two years, the official IRNA news agency reported. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's government on Tuesday said it had lifted a ban on access to WhatsApp and Google Play after more than two years, the official IRNA news agency reported. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s government on Tuesday said it had lifted a ban on access to WhatsApp and Google Play after more than two years, the official IRNA news agency reported. The report said the country’s Supreme Council of Cyber Space made the decision in a meeting led by reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian, who has vowed to remove restrictions on social media. Iran’s telecommunication minister Sattar Heshemi in a post on X called the decision a “first step” in removing restrictions and said “the path will continue” — indicating the possibility of unblocking other services. Many people reached by The Associated Press across the capital, Tehran, and other cities said they had access to the services on computers but not yet on mobile phones. WhatsApp has been the third most popular messaging platform in Iran after Instagram and Telegram. The ban on WhatsApp and Google Play was put in place in 2022 during mass protests against the government over the death of a woman held by the country’s morality police for allegedly violating the strictly enforced dress code. The protests calmed in 2023 after a crackdown by police and security forces that led to the death of hundreds of people and the imprisonment of thousands. Iran has blocked access to various social media platforms over the years but many people in the country use proxies and VPNs to access them. Advertisement

The Louisville Cardinals host a ranked team for the second time this week when the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils pay a visit on Sunday, and the Cardinals hope for a better outcome in the teams' Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Louisville (5-3) has lost two straight, including an 86-63 thrashing at home by No. 23 Ole Miss in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Tuesday. The visiting Rebels shot 56.7 percent and dominated inside with a 48-26 edge on points in the paint. Tuesday's game was the first for coach Pat Kelsey's team without Kasean Pryor, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Oklahoma in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. The 6-foot-10 senior wing, a transfer from South Florida, was a key player early on for Louisville, averaging 12 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and blocking eight shots in seven games. Pryor is the latest Cardinals player to go down with an injury. Before the season started, the school announced center Aly Khalifa and guard Kobe Rodgers would redshirt due to injuries. Then just two games into the season, Aboubacar Traore broke his arm and Koren Johnson injured his shoulder. Traore is expected back this season, but Johnson announced earlier this week that he would also redshirt this season and undergo surgery. Besides the injuries, the Cardinals are also struggling to hit 3-point shots, a key facet to Kelsey's offense. Louisville entered Saturday 340th nationally in 3-point shooting percentage at 27.3 percent and seventh nationally averaging 31.6 attempts per game. Despite the woes, Kelsey told reporters after the Ole Miss loss that he doesn't plan to change his offense, adding that he believes in his players. "The percentages even themselves out," he said. "This has happened before. I just don't want our guys to lose confidence, because I really, really believe in them. They'll bounce back and be better on Sunday." The Blue Devils (6-2) won their SEC/ACC Challenge game on Wednesday, beating No. 2 Auburn 84-78 in Durham. Duke overcame a 13-2 deficit to get the Quadrant 1 victory on its resume. Coach Jon Scheyer's team shot 50 percent from the field and committed just four turnovers. It was just the 14th time in program history the Blue Devils had four or fewer turnovers in a game. Freshman Cooper Flagg, a preseason All-American and a contender for national player of the year awards, leads the Blue Devils in scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg), assists (4.1 apg) and blocked shots (1.4 per game). He scored 22, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out four assists in the win against the Tigers, but it was another freshman who stole the show. Isaiah Evans came off the bench to score 18 points and hit 6 of 8 3-point shots. The guard averages 9.4 points per game but has only played in five games and has yet to play more than 17 minutes in a contest. Scheyer told reporters after the win that Evans provided a "special moment" when his team needed a lift. "To have that amazing courage to come into this game and do what he did -- I'm not sure if I've ever been a part of something like that in my years here," Scheyer said. --Field Level MediaPSG beats Toulouse 3-0 and Akliouche double gives Monaco home win over BrestPHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller sat for a long interview with the NCAA as it looked into concerns about unusual gambling activity, his lawyer said Friday amid reports a federal probe is now under way. “Hysier Miller fully cooperated with the NCAA’s investigation. He sat for a five-hour interview and answered every question the NCAA asked. He also produced every document the NCAA requested,” lawyer Jason Bologna said in a statement. “Hysier did these things because he wanted to play basketball this season, and he is devastated that he cannot.” Miller, a three-year starter from South Philadelphia, transferred to Virginia Tech this spring. However, the Hokies released him last month due to what the program called “circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech.” Bologna declined to confirm that a federal investigation had been opened, as did spokespeople for both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, reported Thursday that authorities were investigating whether Miller bet on games he played in at Temple, and whether he adjusted his performance accordingly. “Hysier Miller has overcome more adversity in his 22 years than most people face in their lifetime. He will meet and overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead," Bologna said. Miller scored eight points — about half his season average of 15.9 — in a 100-72 loss to UAB on March 7 that was later flagged for unusual betting activity. Temple said it has been aware of those allegations since they became public in March, and has been cooperative. “We have been fully responsive and cooperative with the NCAA since the moment we learned of the investigation,” Temple President John Fry said in a letter Thursday to the school community. However, Fry said Temple had not received any requests for information from state or federal law enforcement agencies. He vowed to cooperate fully if they did. “Coaches, student-athletes and staff members receive mandatory training on NCAA rules and regulations, including prohibitions on involvement in sports wagering," Fry said in the letter. The same week the Temple-UAB game raised concerns, Loyola (Maryland) said it had removed a person from its basketball program after it became aware of a gambling violation. Temple played UAB again on March 17, losing 85-69 in the finals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. League spokesman Tom Fenstermaker also declined comment on Friday. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball Copyright 2024 The Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The Louisville Cardinals host a ranked team for the second time this week when the No. 9 Duke Blue Devils pay a visit on Sunday, and the Cardinals hope for a better outcome in the teams' Atlantic Coast Conference opener. Louisville (5-3) has lost two straight, including an 86-63 thrashing at home by No. 23 Ole Miss in the SEC/ACC Challenge on Tuesday. The visiting Rebels shot 56.7 percent and dominated inside with a 48-26 edge on points in the paint. Tuesday's game was the first for coach Pat Kelsey's team without Kasean Pryor, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Oklahoma in the Battle 4 Atlantis championship game. The 6-foot-10 senior wing, a transfer from South Florida, was a key player early on for Louisville, averaging 12 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and blocking eight shots in seven games. Pryor is the latest Cardinals player to go down with an injury. Before the season started, the school announced center Aly Khalifa and guard Kobe Rodgers would redshirt due to injuries. Then just two games into the season, Aboubacar Traore broke his arm and Koren Johnson injured his shoulder. Traore is expected back this season, but Johnson announced earlier this week that he would also redshirt this season and undergo surgery. Besides the injuries, the Cardinals are also struggling to hit 3-point shots, a key facet to Kelsey's offense. Louisville entered Saturday 340th nationally in 3-point shooting percentage at 27.3 percent and seventh nationally averaging 31.6 attempts per game. Despite the woes, Kelsey told reporters after the Ole Miss loss that he doesn't plan to change his offense, adding that he believes in his players. "The percentages even themselves out," he said. "This has happened before. I just don't want our guys to lose confidence, because I really, really believe in them. They'll bounce back and be better on Sunday." The Blue Devils (6-2) won their SEC/ACC Challenge game on Wednesday, beating No. 2 Auburn 84-78 in Durham. Duke overcame a 13-2 deficit to get the Quadrant 1 victory on its resume. Coach Jon Scheyer's team shot 50 percent from the field and committed just four turnovers. It was just the 14th time in program history the Blue Devils had four or fewer turnovers in a game. Freshman Cooper Flagg, a preseason All-American and a contender for national player of the year awards, leads the Blue Devils in scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounding (8.6 rpg), assists (4.1 apg) and blocked shots (1.4 per game). He scored 22, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out four assists in the win against the Tigers, but it was another freshman who stole the show. Isaiah Evans came off the bench to score 18 points and hit 6 of 8 3-point shots. The guard averages 9.4 points per game but has only played in five games and has yet to play more than 17 minutes in a contest. Scheyer told reporters after the win that Evans provided a "special moment" when his team needed a lift. "To have that amazing courage to come into this game and do what he did -- I'm not sure if I've ever been a part of something like that in my years here," Scheyer said. --Field Level MediaBiden touts economic gains despite Americans’ poor opinions of job in office

Affiliate Disclosure If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Read our ethics policy . Google is 'three times a monopolist' says DOJ in anti-trust lawsuit Marko Zivkovic | Nov 25, 2024 The DOJ has accused Google of being a monopoly in the advertising market. 0 Facebook x.com Reddit Google has been the subject of antitrust lawsuits since 2023 , with the DOJ claiming that the company was an illegal monopoly in the search market. In August of 2024, the courts sided with the DOJ, but another lawsuit concerning the company's advertising technology followed shortly after. The Department of Justice provided its closing arguments in the latest case against Google on Monday. Its lawyer, Aaron Teitelbaum, claimed that Google had linked together its ad-related technologies in a way that stifled the growth of rival products, forcing publishers to rely on Google's systems for ad revenue. A News Corp. executive claimed that their company was effectively held hostage, as it would have lost $9 million in 2017 had it abandoned Google's advertising platform. In response, the lawyer representing Google, Vidushi Dyall, pushed back and questioned the lack of evidence, as the DOJ had failed to provide examples of rival products directly affected by Google's advertising technologies. The judge presiding in this case, Judge Leonie Brinkema, questioned the DOJ, and pointed out that advertiser feedback would be valuable in the case, as was reported by Ars Technica . Brinkema is set to issue a ruling on the case in the following months, and it's possible that she may side with the DOJ against Google, as the company's search technology was already declared an illegal monopoly. Google may be forced to sell off its Chrome browser as a result of a different trial, and the company is far from enthusiastic about it, saying that this could harm browser security. The DOJ hopes that Google will be forced to sell off its Ad Manager as well, since it represents a significant source of revenue for the company. It is unclear how the judge will rule. Regardless of the ruling and punishments levied against Google, there will be appeals through 2025. The incoming administration is a wild card that could change everything for Google's case. How the anti-trust lawsuits against Google could impact Apple's cases In March of 2024, the Department of Justice, together with multiple U.S. states , has also filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, accusing the company of monopolistic practices . The company filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in August of 2024, and has asked the presiding judge to dismiss the case in November of the same year. The Department of Justice has also claimed that Apple is a monopoly. The ongoing anti-trust lawsuit against Apple alleges that the company is a monopoly because it restricts iMessage conversations to iPhone users, and prevents third parties from accessing NFC technology, among other things. Meanwhile, Apple has introduced RCS support with iOS 18 , and the DOJ case may not be an accurate accusation. The outcome of Google's anti-trust lawsuit about its advertising technologies is likely to influence the outcome of the case against Apple. At the same time, the arrival of the new administration could lead to an entirely different approach for these high-profile cases.Jones scores 22 and Fairleigh Dickinson downs Lehman 98-54

Two-time All-Star Max Fried and the New York Yankees are in agreement on an eight-year, $218 million contract, sources told ESPN, the largest guarantee ever for a left-handed pitcher. The deal, which is pending a physical, is the 12th contract of at least $100 million the Yankees have given out in franchise history, breaking a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for the most by any team. Fried, 30, who blossomed into one of the best pitchers in the National League over seven years with the Braves , is a two-time All-Star with a 2.81 ERA over the past five seasons in Atlanta -- tops in the majors, just ahead of Corbin Burnes (2.88) among MLB starting pitchers over that span. While he does not overwhelm hitters with his raw stuff, his artistry on the mound and his ability to go deep into games were attractive to teams in search of an Opening Day-type starter. Editor's Picks Latest MLB winter meetings updates and rumors from Dallas: Yankees land Max Fried for $218 million 22m ESPN Yanks 'proud' of Soto offer; don't regret trade 21h Jorge Castillo MLB free agency grades: Dodgers add Conforto, bring back Treinen 10h Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield The Yankees made the move for Fried -- who was also pursued by the Boston Red Sox , Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers -- two days after outfielder Juan Soto left for the rival Mets on the largest contract in professional sports history . Fried joins one of the deepest rotations in baseball, which already includes Gerrit Cole , Carlos Rodon , Luis Gil , Clarke Schmidt , Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman . His $218 million deal exceeds that of David Price , who signed with the Red Sox for $217 million in 2015. Price and the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw ($215 million) are the only other left-handed pitchers to receive $200 million contracts. While Fried's career includes up-and-down postseason performances, it's impossible to forget his six shutout innings in Atlanta's World Series-clinching Game 6 in 2021. He arrived in Atlanta as the headliner in a trade for Justin Upton after undergoing Tommy John surgery following two disappointing seasons in San Diego's farm system. The No. 7 pick in the 2012 draft, Fried projected as a classic spin-heavy left-hander whose command would be his biggest strength. Showed Him The Money Max Fried's $218 million guarantee is the fifth-largest contract all-time for a pitcher and largest for a left-hander. That proved prophetic. Fried's best pitches are his curveball and his slider, and while models regard his fastball as below average, his command of it -- and his ability to mix pitches -- has brought him continued success. Over the past five years, Baseball Reference has him third among all pitchers in WAR and FanGraphs 11th. The biggest question regarding Fried is whether he can evolve into the rarest sort of starter: productive and prolific. His career-high innings total, 1851⁄3, came in 2022. In 2024, with Braves co-ace Spencer Strider out after Tommy John surgery, Fried posted a 3.25 ERA in 1741⁄3 innings, struck out 166, walked 57, allowed only 13 home runs and led MLB with a pair of complete games. His year-by-year ERAs over the four prior seasons: 2.25, 3.04, 2.48 and 2.55. ESPN Research contributed to this report.US offers six companies contracts to make uranium fuel for nuclear plantsTrump's against climate action. But some right-wing governments are all for it

McDonald’s is making a big change to menus in days and customers can’t waitThe Onion's bid for Alex Jones' Infowars hangs in the balance as judge orders new hearing A bankruptcy judge on Monday delayed a hearing in conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ effort to stop the satirical news outlet The Onion from buying Infowars, keeping the auction sale up in the air for at least another few weeks. Dave Collins, The Associated Press Nov 25, 2024 3:28 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - Right-wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones speaks outside the federal courthouse after a bankruptcy hearing Friday, June 14, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File) A bankruptcy judge on Monday delayed a hearing in conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ effort to stop the satirical news outlet The Onion from buying Infowars, keeping the auction sale up in the air for at least another few weeks. Jones alleges fraud and collusion marred the bankruptcy auction that resulted in The Onion being named the winning bidder over a company affiliated with him. A trustee overseeing the auction denies the allegations and accuses Jones of launching a smear campaign because he didn't like the outcome. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez had been scheduled to hear an emergency motion to disqualify The Onion's bid on Monday, but put it off until either Dec. 9 or Dec. 17. That's also when the judge will hear arguments on the trustee's request to approve the sale of Infowars to The Onion. Lopez said it made sense to have one hearing on both requests. “I want a fair and transparent process and let’s just see where the process goes," Lopez said. Lopez could ultimately allow The Onion to move forward with its purchase, order a new auction or name the other bidder as the winner. At stake is whether Jones gets to stay at Infowars’ studio in Austin, Texas, under a new owner friendly to him, or whether he gets kicked out by The Onion. The other bidder, First United American Companies, runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements. Jones continues to broadcast his show from the Infowars studio, but he has set up a new location, websites and social media accounts as a precaution. The trustee shut down the Austin studio and Infowars' websites for about 24 hours last week after The Onion was announced as the winning bidder, but allowed them to resume the next day, drawing more complaints from Jones. Jones declared bankruptcy and liquidated his assets after he was ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion to relatives of victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. He was ordered to pay damages for defamation and emotional distress in lawsuits in Connecticut and Texas after he repeatedly said the 2012 shooting that killed 20 first graders and six educators was a hoax staged by actors to increase gun control. Proceeds from the liquidation are to go to Jones’ creditors, including the Sandy Hook families who sued him. Last year, Lopez ruled that $1.1 billion of the Sandy Hook judgments could not be discharged in the bankruptcy. On Monday, he denied a request from Sandy Hook families to make the full $1.5 billion not dischargeable, meaning the debt cannot be wiped clean. Also Monday, lawyers for the social media platform X objected to any sale of the accounts of both Jones and Infowars, saying X is the owner of the accounts and it has not given consent for them to be sold or transferred. Jones' personal X account, with 3.3 million followers, was not part of the auction, but Lopez will be deciding if it should be included in the liquidation. Jones has praised X owner Elon Musk on his show and suggested that Musk should buy Infowars. Musk has not responded publicly to that suggestion and was not among the bidders. Jones was permanently banned from Twitter in 2018 for abusive behavior, but Musk restored Jones’ account on the platform he has since renamed X in December last year. Jones alleges The Onion’s bid was the result of fraud and collusion involving many of the Sandy Hook families, the humor site and the court-appointed trustee. First United American Companies submitted a $3.5 million sealed bid, while The Onion offered $1.75 million in cash. But The Onion's bid also included a pledge by Sandy Hook families to forgo some or all of the auction proceeds due to them to give other creditors a total of $100,000 more than they would receive under other bids. The trustee, Christopher Murray, said that made The Onion's proposal better for creditors and he named it the winning bid. Jones and First United American Companies claimed that the bid violated Lopez’s rules for the auction by including multiple entities and lacking a valid dollar amount. Jones also alleged Murray improperly canceled an expected round of live bidding and only selected from among the two sealed bids that were submitted. Jones called the auction “rigged” and a “fraud” on his show, which airs on the Infowars website, radio stations and Jones' X account. He filed a counter lawsuit last week against Murray, The Onion's parent company and the Sandy Hook families in the bankruptcy court. In a court filing on Sunday, Murray called the allegations a “desperate attempt” to delay the sale of Infowars to The Onion and accused Jones, his lawyers and attorneys for First United American Companies of a “vicious smear campaign lobbing patently false accusations.” He also alleged Jones collaborated with First United American Companies to try to buy Infowars. Lopez’s September order on the auction procedures made a live bidding round optional. And it gave broad authority to Murray to conduct the sale, including the power to reject any bid, no matter how high, that was “contrary to the best interests” of Jones, his company and their creditors. The assets of Infowars' parent company, Free Speech Systems, that were up for sale included the Austin studio, Infowars' video archive, video production equipment, product trademarks, and Infowars' websites and social media accounts. Another auction of remaining assets is set for Dec. 10. Jones is appealing the $1.5 billion in judgments citing free speech rights, but has acknowledged that the school shooting happened . Many of Jones’ personal assets, including real estate, guns and other belongings, also are being sold as part of the bankruptcy. Documents filed in court this year say Jones had about $9 million in personal assets, while Free Speech Systems had about $6 million in cash and more than $1 million worth of inventory. Dave Collins, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message More The Mix Eggs are available -- but pricier -- as the holiday baking season begins Nov 25, 2024 3:29 PM Macy’s says employee hid up to $154 million in expenses, delaying Q3 earnings Nov 25, 2024 3:26 PM CDC chief urges focus on health threats as agency confronts political changes Nov 25, 2024 3:25 PM Featured Flyer