circus costume ideas male Rivals focus on different chipsLAHAINA, Hawaii -- Andrej Jakimovski converted an off-balance layup with 8 seconds left, and Colorado handed No. 2 UConn its second loss in two days at the Maui Invitational, beating the two-time defending national champion 73-72 on Tuesday. A day after a 99-97 overtime loss to Memphis that left Huskies coach Dan Hurley livid about the officiating, UConn (4-2) couldn't shake the unranked Buffaloes (5-1), who shot 62.5% in the second half. With Colorado trailing 72-71 in the closing seconds, Jakimovski drove to his right and absorbed contact from UConn’s Liam McNeeley. He tossed the ball toward the glass and the shot was good as he fell to the floor. Hassan Diarra missed a 3-pointer just ahead of the buzzer for UConn. Elijah Malone and Julian Hammond III scored 16 points each for Colorado, and Jakimovski had 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Huskies led 40-32 at halftime and by nine points early in the second half, but Colorado quickly closed that gap. McNeeley led UConn with 20 points. UConn: Hurley's squad is facing its first adversity in quite a while. The Huskies arrived on Maui with a 17-game winning streak that dated to February. Colorado: The Buffaloes were held to season lows in points (56) and field goal percentage (37%) in a 16-point loss to Michigan State on Monday but shot 51.1% overall and 56.3% (9 of 16) from 3-point range against the Huskies. Hurley called timeout to set up the Huskies' final possession, but the Buffs forced them to take a contested 3. Colorado had a 28-26 rebounding advantage after being out-rebounded 42-29 by Michigan State. Colorado will play the Iowa-Dayton winner in the fifth-place game on Wednesday. UConn will play the loser of that matchup in the seventh-place game. ___ 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 .None

LONDON: BlackRock Inc is nearing a deal to buy HPS Investment Partners, a purchase that would vault the firm into the top ranks of private credit as it seeks to become a major force in alternative assets. An agreement could be announced as early as the coming week and value HPS at US$12bil or more, according to people with knowledge of the matter. BlackRock will pay for HPS with a mix of cash and stock, they said. Bloomberg News reported in October that BlackRock was interested in acquiring HPS and later that talks about a purchase were advancing and both sides were seeking a deal by end of the year. The Financial Times reported in November that a transaction was close. The deal would leave BlackRock, which manages US$11.5 trillion, with more than US$500bil of alternative assets. While discussions are in the final stages, they could still be delayed or falter, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private. A representative for BlackRock declined to comment, while spokespeople for HPS didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. BlackRock chief executive officer Larry Fink has moved aggressively to expand in private markets, and buying HPS would mean BlackRock has clinched the two largest-ever acquisitions of alternative asset managers in less than a year. BlackRock, already the biggest manager of public equity and bond portfolios, is seeking to replicate that scale in the private assets increasingly sought by pensions, insurers, sovereign wealth funds and rich individuals. In October, the company completed a US$12.5bil acquisition of Global Infrastructure Partners, making BlackRock the second-largest manager of infrastructure assets with about US$170bil. It’s already in the final stages of completing a £2.55bil (US$3.25bil) deal for private markets data provider Preqin, which Fink has vowed will help the firm “index the private markets” and lay the groundwork to tie exchange-traded funds to alternative assets. HPS would turbocharge BlackRock’s ability to compete in one of finance’s hottest and most lucrative areas: private credit. HPS manages US$123bil in private credit, making it one of the largest independent managers in that surging US$1.6 trillion market. It oversees an additional US$22bil in public credit and has more than 760 employees. Founded in 2007 by Scott Kapnick, Scot French and Mike Patterson, the firm bought itself out of JPMorgan Chase & Co in 2016 in a deal that valued it at almost US$1bil. With HPS, BlackRock’s alternative investments business would be larger than that of Carlyle Group Inc and begin to rival, at least in size, private-asset leaders such as KKR & Co and Apollo Global Management Inc. Blackstone Inc is still considerably larger, with about US$1.1 trillion of assets at the end of the third quarter. BlackRock’s expansion into private markets would add considerable revenue and profit to the firm, as investors shifted aggressively over the past decade to low-cost index funds and exchange-traded funds, and away from higher-fee active mutual funds. — BloombergPPL boosts domestic hydrocarbon output KARACHI: Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) has achieved a significant increase in hydrocarbon production across its wells nationwide, reaffirming its commitment to bolstering the country’s energy security. In a notice to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) on Wednesday, the exploration and production company detailed its production enhancements between April and November 2024. PPL attributed the gains to cost-efficient initiatives aimed at maximising domestic hydrocarbon output amidst natural declines in its mature fields. “PPL is proud to contribute to Pakistan’s energy landscape through strategic measures that enhance hydrocarbon production while conserving foreign exchange,” the company stated. The efforts resulted in substantial production increases, including 17 MMscfd of natural gas, 400 barrels per day (bpd) of oil/condensate, and four tonnes per day of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). These gains were achieved through innovative measures such as rigless interventions, surface system optimisations, and workover treatments. Key initiatives highlighted by the company include:Workover optimisation: enhanced gas output by 8.4 MMscfd from the Sui-71 and Sui-73 wells; system optimisation: delivered 7.1 MMscfd of additional gas production from the Sui and Gambat South Gas Fields by refining wellhead surface fittings and plant processing systems; artificial lift systems: increased production by 200 bpd of oil/condensate, two tonnes per day of LPG, and 0.5 MMscfd of gas at Adhi-28, Adhi-29, and Adhi South-5; acid wash treatments: boosted output by 200 bpd of oil/condensate, two tonnes per day of LPG, and 1.3 MMscfd of gas through scale removal and acid wash treatments at the Adhi, Hala, and Sui fields. “These measures underscore PPL’s dedication to cost-effectively enhancing indigenous hydrocarbon production while addressing Pakistan’s energy demand-supply gap,” the company added.LAHAINA, Hawaii — The Colorado men’s basketball team finally found its mettle in Maui. And they were rewarded with a monumental victory. Bouncing back from the trouncing CU received in its opening game of the Maui Invitational, the Buffs pulled off a stunner on Tuesday, topping No. 2, two-time defending national champion UConn 73-72 at the Lahaina Civic Center. Andrej Jakimovski converted the winning points on a driving bucket with 5.9 seconds remaining, the Buffs recorded one final stop to pull off the upset. The victory tied the second-highest ranked win in CU’s program history. UConn led 40-32 at halftime, but early in the second half the Buffs reeled off 11 consecutive points to take their first lead at 48-46. The Huskies led 72-69 after a putback basket by Jaylin Stewart with 1 minute, 29 seconds remaining. Elijah Malone converted the last of his 16 points to get CU within 72-71, and after a huge defensive play by Javon Ruffin got the ball back for the Buffs, Jakimovski was able to score the game-winner. CU (5-1) went 9-for-16 on 3-pointers and outrebounded UConn 28-26, one day after Michigan State outrebounded the Buffs by 13. Senior guard Julian Hammond III went 4-for-5 on 3-pointers and shared the team lead with 16 points, while Jakimovski recorded his first double-double with CU, finishing with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. The Buffs will play Tuesday’s winner between No. 5 Iowa State and Dayton in the Maui finale on Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. MT. This story will be updated Colorado 73, No. 2 UConn 72 UCONN (4-2) Karaban 1-8 3-4 6, McNeeley 6-9 4-4 20, Johnson 4-5 0-0 8, Ball 5-9 2-3 16, Diarra 4-7 0-0 11, Reed 1-1 1-2 3, Stewart 3-5 0-0 6, Nowell 1-3 0-0 2, Ross 0-3 0-0 0, Mahaney 0-1 0-0 0, Singare 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-52 10-13 72. COLORADO (5-1) Diop 0-1 5-6 5, Jakimovski 4-7 2-2 12, Malone 6-10 4-6 16, Hammond 6-11 0-0 16, Ruffin 1-4 3-5 6, Baskin 2-3 1-3 5, Smith 3-3 0-0 8, Dak 1-4 3-4 5, Rancik 0-1 0-0 0, Kossaras 0-1 0-0 0, Carrington 0-0 0-2 0. Totals 23-45 18-28 73. Halftime: UConn 40-32; 3-Point Goals: UConn 12-31 (Ball 4-6, McNeeley 4-6, Diarra 3-4, Karaban 1-7, Mahaney 0-1, Nowell 0-2, Stewart 0-2, Ross 0-3), Colorado 9-16 (Hammond 4-5, Smith 2-2, Jakimovski 2-4, Ruffin 1-2, Rancik 0-1, Dak 0-2); Fouled Out: Johnson, Reed; Rebounds: UConn 26 (Karaban, Reed 5), Colorado 28 (Jakimovski 10); Assists: UConn 17 (Diarra 6), Colorado 12 (Hammond, Smith 3); Total Fouls: UConn 22, Colorado 14.

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The Islanders had rallied twice, erasing a two-goal deficit in the first period and a one-goal deficit in the second. Yet while they didn’t have a third-period lead to blow against the Bruins, they still cost themselves the game over the final 20 minutes. So the Islanders went into Thanksgiving with the sour taste of a 6-3 loss on Wednesday night at UBS Arena to conclude a 1-2-0 homestand that ended with increasing chants of “Let’s Go Bruins” and calls for firing president/general manager Lou Lamoriello. “The crowd noise, you hear some of it,” said Brock Nelson, who scored twice as part of a three-point game. “No one in here is happy with where we’re at or the results. We all want to win and we know we have to be better.” Yet, the Bruins’ Pavel Zacha scored twice in a span of two minutes, 35 seconds in the final period to snap a 3-3 tie. He deflected defenseman Andrew Peeke’s point shot past Ilya Sorokin (15 saves) for the winner at 10:48 of the third period after defenseman Scott Mayfield bumped into his own goalie. Then a defensive miscommunication and poor stick placement allowed David Pastranak to feed Zacha from behind the net for an in-tight backhander at 13:23. Defenseman Nikita Zadorov added an empty-netter. “I guess we just found a way to lose that game, basically,” coach Patrick Roy said. “Both teams make [mistakes],” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “You’ve got to limit them. At times, it’s too many. We need to find a way to come together and fix the problem. Right now, we’re just not finding that. I don’t think it’s mental. I just think we’ve got to bear down. You’ve got to know the situation of the game. You’ve just got to be sharp.” The Islanders (8-10-5) had lost four of their previous five games because they could not protect a third-period lead. Nelson tied the game at 3-3 by lifting a wrister from low in the left circle with 6.5 seconds left in the second period. “I feel like we’re playing good, we’re not winning,” Roy said. “I’m not stupid, I know that it’s a big part of the equation. We do a lot of good things. I’d rather focus on those things than going and saying to you all, ‘We did this bad and that bad.’” “It’s a great group and we do the best with the guys we have. I love these guys. They work hard. They're pushing. It's the team that Lou gave me and I'm going to work extremely hard for these guys.” Joonas Korpisalo made 21 saves for the Bruins (11-10-3), now 3-1-0 since Joe Sacco replaced the fired Jim Montgomery as coach. The Islanders had scored first in their previous four games yet had lost third-period leads in four of their last five games (1-3-1). The Islanders had conceded a 2-0 lead to the Bruins. Brad Marchand connected on a one-timer just 57 seconds into the first period after Elias Lindholm beat Casey Cizikas on a draw in the Islanders’ zone, then scored again at the crease at 6:31. That prompted Roy to use his timeout. “Yeah, there was some resiliency,” Kyle Palmieri said. “But, as a whole, we’ve got to keep the puck out of our net. We fought back from 2-0, not a great start. Found a way to get it tied going into the third.” Maxim Tsyplakov, who earlier in the first period lifted a backhander over the net on a wide-open look from in-tight, backhanded the puck through Korpisalo’s pads at 12:50. Nelson, coming into the Bruins’ zone with speed off a turnover, then lifted a wrister to tie it at 2-2 at 8:52 of the second period before Morgan Geekie’s one-timer from the left circle off Zacha’s cross-ice feed regained a one-goal lead for the Bruins at 11:59. Notes & quotes: The Islanders and UBS Arena distributed 200 Thanksgiving dinners to families in need prior to the game, with players, players’ wives and UBS staff members volunteering to help distribute the meals...Defenseman Grant Hutton and forward Hudson Fasching were the healthy scratches but Roy said Fasching would play on Friday afternoon in Washington...Roy briefly flip-flopped Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom in the second period, wanting Holmstrom’s speed on the top line and Lee’s defense to help Cizikas’ third line. Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.Electric ‘flying’ ferries to begin three-year Scottish island trial

The Canadian Government has expressed its strong commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s initiatives to combat corruption and fraud. This assurance was conveyed by Eric Walsh, the High Commissioner of Canada to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, during a meeting with Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. (12). High Commissioner Walsh emphasized Canada’s readiness to share its expertise and experiences in preventing corruption and fraud, offering technical and strategic support to help Sri Lanka achieve its anti-corruption objectives. Addressing Sri Lanka’s economic challenges, High Commissioner Walsh highlighted the impact of the country’s political culture on its economic downturn. He commended the current government’s efforts to reform this culture, marking a significant step toward sustainable development and improved governance. The discussion reflects Canada’s continued support for Sri Lanka’s governance and reform agenda, reinforcing the strong ties between the two nations. Patrick Pickering, Second Secretary (Political) of the Embassy of Canada in Sri Lanka, was also present at the meeting.The League of Northern Democrats (LND), said the Nigerian government response to the allegation of planned destabilisation of Niger Republic by its military ruler, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, raises more questions than answers. The league had challenged the Federal Government to react to the allegations because to keep silent would erode public confidence. LND in a statement on Friday, expressed worry at what it described as “France’s well-documented history of destabilising regions to secure access to natural resources.” The statement by the spokesman Dr. Ladan Salihu, said critical analysis of the Nigerian government’s denial and its supporting arguments reveals significant gaps in logic and veracity. “The government categorically denies colluding with France to destabilise Niger. However, France’s track record in Africa – supporting insurgencies and covert operations to secure resources – casts doubt on this outright dismissal,” the league added. It wondered why Boko Haram, ISWAP and other terror groups continued to acquire sophisticated weapons, including drones, which, it noted, are accessible only through state-sponsored channels or illicit global arms networks, if Nigeria was committed to combating terrorism. “Who are the actors facilitating these supplies and why has the government failed to curtail these supply lines for nearly two decades?” it asked. The league recalled that President Bola Tinubu as Chairman of ECOWAS had openly backed military invasion of Niger Republic “but for the refusal of the EU and the international community. “Nigeria’s support for ECOWAS sanctions and even military invasion against Niger following the military coup undermines this claim of fostering peace. These sanctions have exacerbated the suffering of ordinary Nigeriens and strained bilateral relations, indicating a misalignment between rhetoric and actions.” According to the statement, the Nigerian government’s denial of hosting foreign military bases does not address the central issue of “the presence of highly sophisticated weaponry in the hands of insurgents. “The claim that Nigeria safeguards its sovereignty does not explain how international arms and funding networks continue to fuel terrorism within its borders. “If Nigeria is indeed independent in its security operations, why has it been unable to intercept these networks or identify their sources?” It noted that the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline and Kano-Maradi Railway highlighted as evidence of its commitment to Niger’s development, were faced with delays and controversies, which it said, was often attributed to instability in the region. “If Nigeria truly prioritises these initiatives, its inability to address the root causes of regional insecurity, such as arms proliferation and terrorist funding, calls into question its sincerity. “The government’s denial of the existence of a Lakurawa terrorist headquarters in Sokoto State is undermined by the documented presence of insurgent strongholds within Nigeria’s borders. “While Operation Forest Sanity III is cited as a countermeasure, such initiatives have yet to produce lasting results. The persistence of terrorism suggests either a lack of capacity or complicity, and dismissing these allegations without transparency only fuels skepticism,” the league argued. Arewa Think Tank blames desperate politicians Meanwhile, a Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has blamed politicians for being behind the allegations by Tchiani, saying that the claims by the Niger Republic leader were the imagination and calculated moves by “desperate politicians to frustrate President Tinubu from giving Nigerians the much needed dividends of democracy.” In a statement on Friday by its Convener, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, the Arewa Think Tank argued that Nigeria has never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France or any other country to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize the Niger Republic in the wake of the undemocratic change in the leadership of that country. “We are therefore warning desperate politicians not to mismanage our relationship with Niger Republic and cause acrimony between the two neighbouring countries. Nigeria has the history of living peacefully with the world, not to talk of living peacefully with its neighbours. The election has come and gone, it is time for governance. Politicians should wait until the whistle is blown for another election before they will start doing what they want to do for the electioneering campaign. “For now, we want peace in the country so that we can enjoy the dividends of democracy. These desperate politicians should allow President Tinubu to govern well. If they have issues with him, they should meet him for an amicable settlement, but not to rock the boat. They should not show their desperation to destabilise the country because there must be a country before anybody can govern. “Desperate politicians should not collaborate with foreign enemies to destroy this country. They have been trying to destroy this great country for a long time. We won’t allow them to do it. By God’s grace they will not succeed, Tinubu will succeed.” The Northern group said: “Arewa Think Tank strongly rejects allegations made in a viral video by the military leader of Niger Republic, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, claiming non-existent collusion between Nigeria and France to destabilize his country. “These claims exist solely in the realm of imagination, as Nigeria has never engaged in any overt or covert alliance with France – or any other country – to sponsor terrorist attacks or destabilize the Niger Republic in the wake of the undemocratic change in the leadership of that country. “It is on record that President Tinubu as Chairman of ECOWAS, has demonstrated exemplary leadership, keeping the doors of the sub-regional body open to re-engaging the Niger Republic despite the political situation in the country. “We believe that Nigeria remains committed to fostering peace, harmony, and historic diplomatic ties with Niger. We are happy that Nigeria’s Armed Forces, in collaboration with partners in the Multinational Joint Task Force, are succeeding in curbing terrorism within the region. It is, therefore, absurd to suggest that Nigeria would conspire with any foreign power to undermine the peace and security of a neighbouring country.” ATT said as a group committed to peace and unity of our country, Arewa Think Tank knows that no part of Nigeria has been ceded to any foreign power for subversive operations in Niger Republic. “We will continue to encourage Nigerian government officials for their untiring commitment to fostering peace and security between the government and people of Nigeria and Niger Republic, and for their efforts towards stronger cooperation in the ECOWAS region.” the statement said.SEC settles with ICBC unit over ransomware attack, imposes no fine

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — An online spat between factions of Donald Trump’s supporters over immigration and the tech industry has thrown internal divisions in his political movement into public display, previewing the fissures and contradictory views his coalition could bring to the White House. The rift laid bare the tensions between the newest flank of Trump’s movement — wealthy members of the tech world including billionaire Elon Musk and fellow entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and their call for more highly skilled workers in their industry — and people in Trump’s Make America Great Again base who championed his hardline immigration policies. The debate touched off this week when Laura Loomer, a right-wing provocateur with a history of racist and conspiratorial comments, criticized Trump’s selection of Sriram Krishnan as an adviser on artificial intelligence policy in his coming administration. Krishnan favors the ability to bring more skilled immigrants into the U.S. Loomer declared the stance to be “not America First policy” and said the tech executives who have aligned themselves with Trump were doing so to enrich themselves. Much of the debate played out on the social media network X, which Musk owns. Loomer’s comments sparked a back-and-forth with venture capitalist and former PayPal executive David Sacks, whom Trump has tapped to be the “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar.” Musk and Ramaswamy, whom Trump has tasked with finding ways to cut the federal government, weighed in, defending the tech industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. It bloomed into a larger debate with more figures from the hard-right weighing in about the need to hire U.S. workers, whether values in American culture can produce the best engineers, free speech on the internet, the newfound influence tech figures have in Trump’s world and what his political movement stands for. Trump has not yet weighed in on the rift. His presidential transition team did not respond to questions about positions on visas for highly skilled workers or the debate between his supporters online. Instead, his team instead sent a link to a post on X by longtime adviser and immigration hard-liner Stephen Miller that was a transcript of a speech Trump gave in 2020 at Mount Rushmore in which he praised figures and moments from American history. Musk, the world’s richest man who has grown remarkably close to the president-elect, was a central figure in the debate, not only for his stature in Trump’s movement but his stance on the tech industry’s hiring of foreign workers. Technology companies say H-1B visas for skilled workers, used by software engineers and others in the tech industry, are critical for hard-to-fill positions. But critics have said they undercut U.S. citizens who could take those jobs. Some on the right have called for the program to be eliminated, not expanded. Born in South Africa, Musk was once on an a H-1B visa himself and defended the industry’s need to bring in foreign workers. “There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent,” he said in a post. “It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.” Trump’s own positions over the years have reflected the divide in his movement. His tough immigration policies, including his pledge for a mass deportation, were central to his winning presidential campaign. He has focused on immigrants who come into the U.S. illegally but he has also sought curbs on legal immigration, including family-based visas. As a presidential candidate in 2016, Trump called the H-1B visa program “very bad” and “unfair” for U.S. workers. After he became president, Trump in 2017 issued a “Buy American and Hire American” executive order, which directed Cabinet members to suggest changes to ensure H-1B visas were awarded to the highest-paid or most-skilled applicants to protect American workers. Trump’s businesses, however, have hired foreign workers, including waiters and cooks at his Mar-a-Lago club, and his social media company behind his Truth Social app has used the the H-1B program for highly skilled workers. During his 2024 campaign for president, as he made immigration his signature issue, Trump said immigrants in the country illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country” and promised to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. But in a sharp departure from his usual alarmist message around immigration generally, Trump told a podcast this year that he wants to give automatic green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. colleges. “I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country,” he told the “All-In” podcast with people from the venture capital and technology world. Those comments came on the cusp of Trump’s budding alliance with tech industry figures, but he did not make the idea a regular part of his campaign message or detail any plans to pursue such changes.Pewundax App Review 2024: Scam Or Legit Trading Platform? – Quick Facts!The TOI Entertainment Desk is a dynamic and dedicated team of journalists, working tirelessly to bring the pulse of the entertainment world straight to the readers of The Times of India. No red carpet goes unrolled, no stage goes dark - our team spans the globe, bringing you the latest scoops and insider insights from Bollywood to Hollywood, and every entertainment hotspot in between. We don't just report; we tell tales of stardom and stories untold. Whether it's the rise of a new sensation or the seasoned journey of an industry veteran, the TOI Entertainment Desk is your front-row seat to the fascinating narratives that shape the entertainment landscape. Beyond the breaking news, we present a celebration of culture. We explore the intersections of entertainment with society, politics, and everyday life. Read More How to make Banana Almond Cake at home All about Keerthy Suresh and Antony Thattil's traditionally-styled Goan wedding Krithi Shetty Redefines Elegance in Her Latest Look Master the art of power dressing with Sonam Kapoor's style secrets Mouni Roy seeks divine blessings from lord Shiva at Adiyogi statue Adidas Copa to Nike Mercurial: Best soccer cleats or shoes for you How can you help your colleagues improve at work? Malavika Mohanan mesmerizes in a gorgeously embellished lehenga ​10 animals that glide effortlessly without wingsAaron Rodgers: 'I'm Always Available' If Jets Want My Input on HC, GM Searches

Suspect allegedly steals city vehicle, crashes it and assaults 2 Buckeye police officersDisney Treasure Ultimate Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Disney's Newest Cruise ShipWell, this may be just for you: USA Football is holding talent identification camps all over the country to find that next flag football star. It's "America's Got Talent" meets "American Idol," with the stage being the field and the grand prize a chance to compete for a spot on a national team. Because it's never too early to start planning for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, where flag football will make its Summer Games debut. Know this, though — it's not an easy team to make. The men's and women's national team rosters are at "Dream Team" status given the men's side has captured six of the last seven world championships and the women three in a row. To remain on top, the sport's national governing body is scouring every football field, park, track, basketball court and gym to find hidden talent to cultivate. USA Football has organized camps and tryouts from coast to coast for anyone ages 11 to 23. There are more than a dozen sites set up so far, ranging from Dallas (Sunday) to Chicago (Dec. 14) to Tampa (March 29) to Los Angeles (TBD) and the Boston area (April 27), where it will be held at Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The organization has already partnered with the NFL on flag football initiatives and programs. The numbers have been through the roof, with engagement on social media platforms increasing by 86% since flag football was announced as an Olympic invitational sport in October 2023. The participation of boys and girls ages 6 to 17 in flag football last year peaked at more than 1.6 million, according to USA Football research. "We pride ourselves on elevating the gold standard across the sport," said Eric Mayes, the managing director of the high performance and national teams for USA Football. "We want to be the best in the world — and stay the best in the world." Flag football was one of five new sports added to the LA28 program. The already soaring profile of American football only figures to be enhanced by an Olympic appearance. Imagine, say, a few familiar faces take the field, too. Perhaps even NFL stars such as Tyreek Hill or Patrick Mahomes, maybe even past pro football greats donning a flag belt for a country to which they may have ties. Soon after flag football's inclusion, there was chatter of NFL players possibly joining in on the fun. Of course, there are logistical issues to tackle before their inclusion at the LA Olympics, which open July 14, 2028. Among them, training camp, because the Olympics will be right in the middle of it. The big question is this: Will owners permit high-priced players to duck out for a gold-medal pursuit? No decisions have yet been made on the status of NFL players for the Olympics. For now, it's simply about growing the game. There are currently 13 states that sanction girls flag football as a high school varsity sport. Just recently, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles helped pave the way to get it adopted in Pennsylvania. Around the world, it's catching on, too. The women's team from Japan took third at the recent word championships, while one of the best players on the planet is Mexico quarterback Diana Flores. "Could flag football globally become the new soccer? That's something to aspire to," said Stephanie Kwok, the NFL's vice president of flag football. This type of flag football though, isn't your Thanksgiving Day game with family and friends. There's a learning curve. And given the small roster sizes, versatility is essential. Most national team members need to be a version of Colorado's two-way standout and Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter. Forget bump-and-run coverage, too, because there's no contact. None. That took some adjusting for Mike Daniels, a defensive back out of West Virginia who earned a rookie minicamp invitation with the Cleveland Browns in 2017. "If a receiver is running around, I'm thinking, 'OK, I can kind of bump him here and there and nudge him,'" Daniels explained. "They're like, 'No, you can't.' I'm just like, 'So I'm supposed to let this guy just run?!' I really rebelled at the idea at first. But you learn." The competition for an Olympic roster spot is going to be fierce because only 10 players are expected to make a squad. The best 10 will earn it, too, as credentials such as college All-American or NFL All-Pro take a backseat. "I would actually love" seeing NFL players try out, said Daniels, who's also a personal trainer in Miami. "I'm not going to let you just waltz in here, thinking, 'I played NFL football for five years. I'm popular. I have a huge name.' I'm still better than you and I'm going to prove it — until you prove otherwise." Around the house, Bruce Mapp constantly swivels his hips when turning a hallway corner or if his daughter tries to reach for a hug. It's his way of working on avoiding a "defender" trying to snare the flag. That approach has earned the receiver out of Coastal Carolina four gold medals with USA Football. The 31-year-old fully plans on going for more gold in Los Angeles. "You grow up watching Usain Bolt (win gold) and the 'Redeem Team' led by Kobe Bryant win a gold medal, you're always thinking, 'That's insane.' Obviously, you couldn't do it in your sport, because I played football," said Mapp, who owns a food truck in the Dallas area. "With the Olympics approaching, that (gold medal) is what my mind is set on." It's a common thought, which is why everything — including talent camps — starts now. "Everybody thinks, 'Yeah, the U.S. just wins,'" Daniels said. "But we work hard all the time. We don't just walk in. We don't just get off the bus thinking, 'We're going to beat people.'"