Only time will tell what lies ahead for Stef K, but one thing is certain: the decline in his market value serves as a cautionary tale for young players aspiring to reach the heights of success in the competitive world of football. Talent alone is not enough to ensure a successful career; dedication, determination, and resilience are equally essential in navigating the ups and downs of professional sports.First and foremost, the Chinese government's commitment to deepening reform and opening up the financial market has been a key driver of positive sentiment among investors. With a series of policy measures aimed at creating a more market-oriented environment, such as the expansion of the Stock Connect program and the inclusion of A-shares in global indices, the government has signaled its intention to enhance the competitiveness and attractiveness of the A-share market.
One lucky winner could take home game's seventh billion-dollar prize during Christmas Eve drawing New Jackpot.com customers can claim a free Mega Millions ticket on their first play with promo code XMAS SAN FRANCISCO , Dec. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- With Christmas Day just hours away, lottery players across the country are preparing for an extraordinary opportunity to take home Mega Millions' seventh-largest Jackpot as a winner has not won the grand prize in the last 29 drawings, dating back to September 10th when a Texas resident took home $810 million . 2024 has already been a record-breaking year for the lottery as it hit the ground running with a massive $842.4 million Powerball win on New Year's Day. Shortly after, a second lucky winner took home a staggering $1.13 billion Mega Millions prize in March, followed by a $1.326 billion Powerball jackpot in April, all of which signify some of the largest prizes ever awarded. 2025 represents a significant year for Mega Millions players, as the game as they know it will undergo a variety of changes come April. The game will feature larger starting jackpots, expedited rollover growth, and better odds. Lottery courier services like Jackpot.com eagerly await these welcome changes, which will not only enhance gameplay, but also elevate player experience(s). "There's a lot to like about the upcoming changes to Mega Millions," said CEO and co-founder of Jackpot.com , Akshay Khanna . "Whether you're a casual player or avid lottery user, the faster-growing jackpots, improved odds, and built-in multipliers will offer an entirely new feel to the game - hopefully one that encourages new players to get in on the action. That said, we have a one billion-dollar prize just before Christmas and potentially the ultimate present for one lucky winner, a life-changing gift at that." While tonight's drawing occurs on Christmas Eve, the Mega Millions jackpot has been won just once on the "Eve." Back in 2002, a $68 million jackpot was won in New York , unfortunately going unclaimed. Currently available in Colorado , Massachusetts , Arkansas , New Jersey , New York , Ohio , Texas , and Arizona , New Jackpot.com customers can get in on the fun this holiday by scoring a free Mega Millions ticket on their first play by using promo code XMAS. Amid the Mega Millions frenzy, Jackpot.com remains committed to upholding responsible gaming protocols through the integration of modern conveniences and safety guardrails, one of the standout features of digital lottery platforms. Through responsible gaming protections including spend limits, default limits on daily deposits, access to local and national responsible gambling resources, self-exclusion, self-suspension and automated notifications that offer help should problematic behavior arise, Jackpot.com ensures safe and secure transactions and play. The platform is also the only lottery courier service to launch with iCap certification from the National Council on Problem Gambling . To get started, download the Jackpot.com Lottery App on the iOS or Android App Stores, or visit www.jackpot.com to learn more. About Jackpot.com Jackpot.com allows customers to order official state lottery tickets from their mobile phone, tablet, or computer. Currently available in Colorado , Massachusetts , Arkansas , New Jersey , New York , Ohio and Texas , Jackpot.com is expanding its safe and secure lottery courier service to additional markets across the US. An Associate Member of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL), Jackpot.com has invested significantly in responsible gaming safeguards, with default spending limits and other features built in throughout the experience, earning it iCap certification from the National Council on Problem Gaming. To learn more, visit www.jackpot.com or download the iOS or Android app. Jason Heller Senior Vice President 212.584.4278| 5WPR.com 3 Park Avenue, Floor 19 New York, NY 10016 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tickets-to-the-1-billion-mega-millions-draw-available-this-christmas-eve-on-jackpotcom-302339022.html SOURCE Jackpot.comAbout 5,000 miles west of the Caribbean nation, similar climes awaited Maui Invitational men's teams in Hawaii. They’ve often been greeted with leis, the traditional Hawaiian welcome of friendship. College basketball teams and fans look forward to this time of the year. The holiday week tournaments feature buzzworthy matchups and all-day TV coverage, sure, but there is a familiarity about them as they help ward off the November chill. For four decades, these sandy-beach getaways filled with basketball have become a beloved mainstay of the sport itself. “When you see (ESPN’s) ‘Feast Week’ of college basketball on TV, when you see the Battle 4 Atlantis on TV, you know college basketball is back,” said Miller-Tooley, the founder and organizer of the Battle 4 Atlantis men's and women's tournaments. “Because it’s a saturated time of the year with the NFL, college football and the NBA. But when you see these gorgeous events in these beautiful places, you realize, ‘Wow, hoops are back, let’s get excited.’” MTE Madness The Great Alaska Shootout was the trend-setting multiple-team event (MTE) nearly five decades ago. The brainchild of late Alaska-Anchorage coach Bob Rachal sought to raise his program’s profile by bringing in national-power programs, which could take advantage of NCAA rules allowing them to exceed the maximum allotment of regular-season games if they played the three-game tournament outside the contiguous 48 states. The first edition, named the Sea Wolf Classic, saw N.C. State beat Louisville 72-66 for the title on Nov. 26, 1978. The Maui Invitational followed in November 1984, borne from the buzz of NAIA program Chaminade’s shocking upset of top-ranked Virginia and 7-foot-4 star Ralph Sampson in Hawaii two years earlier. Events kept coming, with warm-weather locales getting in on the action. The Paradise Jam in the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cancun Challenge in Mexico. The Cayman Islands Classic. The Jamaica Classic. The Myrtle Beach Invitational joining the Charleston Classic in South Carolina. Numerous tournaments in Florida. Some events have faded away like the Puerto Rico Tipoff and the Great Alaska Shootout, the latter in 2017 amid event competition and schools opting for warm-weather locales. Atlantis rising Miller-Tooley’s push to build an MTE for Atlantis began as a December 2010 doubleheader with Georgia Tech beating Richmond and Virginia Tech beating Mississippi State in a prove-it moment for a tournament’s viability. It also required changing NCAA legislation to permit MTEs in the Bahamas. Approval came in March 2011; the first eight-team Atlantis men’s tournament followed in November. That tournament quickly earned marquee status with big-name fields, with Atlantis champions Villanova (2017) and Virginia (2018) later winning that season’s NCAA title. Games run in a ballroom-turned-arena at the resort, where players also check out massive swimming pools, water slides and inner-tube rapids surrounded by palm trees and the Atlantic Ocean. “It’s just the value of getting your passport stamped, that will never get old,” Miller-Tooley said. “Watching some of these kids, this may be their first and last time – and staff and families – that they ever travel outside the United States. ... You can see through these kids’ eyes that it’s really an unbelievable experience.” ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock knows that firsthand. His Louisville team finished second at Atlantis in 2012 and won that year’s later-vacated NCAA title, with Hancock as the Final Four's most outstanding player. “I remember (then-coach Rick Pitino) saying something to the effect of: ‘Some of you guys might never get this opportunity again. We’re staying in this unbelievable place, you’re doing it with people you love,’” Hancock said. “It was a business trip for us there at Thanksgiving, but he definitely had a tone of ‘We’ve got to enjoy this as well.’” Popular demand Maui offers similar vibes, though 2024 could be a little different as Lahaina recovers from deadly 2023 wildfires that forced the event's relocation last year. North Carolina assistant coach Sean May played for the Tar Heels’ Maui winner in 2004 and was part of UNC’s staff for the 2016 champion, with both teams later winning the NCAA title. May said “you just feel the peacefulness” of the area — even while focusing on games — and savors memories of the team taking a boat out on the Pacific Ocean after title runs under now-retired Hall of Famer Roy Williams. “Teams like us, Dukes, UConns – you want to go to places that are very well-run,” May said. “Maui, Lea Miller with her group at the Battle 4 Atlantis, that’s what drives teams to come back because you know you’re going to get standard A-quality of not only the preparation but the tournament with the way it’s run. Everything is top-notch. And I think that brings guys back year after year.” That’s why Colorado coach Tad Boyle is so excited for the Buffaloes’ first Maui appearance since 2009. “We’ve been trying to get in the tournament since I got here,” said Boyle, now in his 15th season. And of course, that warm-weather setting sure doesn’t hurt. “If you talk about the Marquettes of the world, St. John’s, Providence – they don’t want that cold weather,” said NBA and college TV analyst Terrence Oglesby, who played for Clemson in the 2007 San Juan Invitational in Puerto Rico. “They’re going to have to deal with that all January and February. You might as well get a taste of what the sun feels like.” Packed schedule The men’s Baha Mar Championship in Nassau, Bahamas, got things rolling last week with No. 11 Tennessee routing No. 13 Baylor for the title. The week ahead could boast matchups befitting the Final Four, with teams having two weeks of action since any opening-night hiccups. “It’s a special kickoff to the college basketball season,” Oglesby said. “It’s just without the rust.” On the women’s side, Atlantis began its fourth eight-team women’s tournament Saturday with No. 16 North Carolina and No. 18 Baylor, while the nearby Baha Mar resort follows with two four-team women’s brackets that include No. 2 UConn, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Mississippi and No. 20 N.C. State. Then come the men’s headliners. The Maui Invitational turns 40 as it opens Monday back in Lahaina. It features second-ranked and two-time reigning national champion UConn, No. 4 Auburn, No. 5 Iowa State and No. 10 North Carolina. The Battle 4 Atlantis opens its 13th men’s tournament Wednesday, topped by No. 3 Gonzaga, No. 16 Indiana and No. 17 Arizona. Michigan State Hall of Famer Tom Izzo is making his fourth trip to Maui, where he debuted as Jud Heathcote’s successor at the 1995 tournament. Izzo's Spartans have twice competed at Atlantis, last in 2021. “They’re important because they give you something in November or December that is exciting,” Izzo said. Any drawbacks? “It’s a 10-hour flight,” he said of Hawaii.
Moment baffled Man City star is BOOKED after being hit by projectile thrown from crowd when she scored
Despite these challenges, the residents of Beijing embrace the winter season with open arms, cherishing the opportunity to experience the beauty and wonder of snowfall in their city. From skating on frozen lakes to skiing down snowy slopes, there are countless outdoor activities for everyone to enjoy during this magical time of year.Interior and Comfort:
Pallion Group Welds Resilience and Customer Experience Into Dynamic Gold and Jewellery Business With BoomiInjection Perfection Medical Spa Unveils Morpheus8 Optimasmax For Comprehensive Aesthetic Treatments.What is particularly alarming about this case is how these individuals strayed so far from their initial aspirations and values. Many of them likely entered their prestigious universities with dreams of making a positive impact on the world and upholding the principles of honesty and integrity. However, somewhere along the way, they lost sight of these noble ambitions and succumbed to the allure of money and power.
Let us go into this match with confidence, determination, and a spirit of sportsmanship, ready to give our all and make the most of this incredible opportunity. The match against Liverpool is one that is worth enjoying, but also one that demands our full effort and commitment. Let us rise to the occasion and make the most of this momentous occasion.Recently, Chinese railway ticketing platform 12306 responded to a controversial incident where a mother and her daughter were found carrying knives on board a train. According to 12306, passengers are allowed to bring knives on trains as long as the blade length does not exceed 60 millimeters. This decision has sparked debates and discussions among the public regarding transportation safety and regulations.Grandkids already have lots of “stuff.” As the holidays approach, consider a gift that keeps on giving, that being a monetary contribution to a post-high school education fund. Said funds can be used for college, trade school, specialized training, all related to preparing your grandchildren for gaining skills to enable them to find long-term meaningful employment. Employers hire new people to fulfill specific needs within their organizations. Speaking for myself, having a B.A. degree in economics provided a macro understanding of how the economy works. However, to be able to communicate with employees and supervisors in a plant production arena, I took many short courses in science, technology, engineering and math-related subjects to acquire enough knowledge to fully understand the big picture and to be able to surround myself with people with the skill levels I needed (and knew had to be more advanced than my own to make plant operation successful). Bottom line: Education has to continue well beyond high school and even college. I would interview applicants with more “degrees” than a thermometer, but depth of knowledge was often lacking. Wiring a house is not the same as wiring a control panel with a maze of integrated circuitry. Give the gift that keeps on giving. King Embry, Winnetka Shooting down words of war The new Cook County state’s attorney compared Chicago’s gun violence to a “war zone.” Maybe Eileen O’Neill Burke should go on a fact-finding mission to Ukraine. Is it the duty of every elected official to exaggerate the problems they face? (See Mayor Brandon Johnson’s disingenuous performance.) She can follow her statement by blaming the last state’s attorney, taking another page out of Johnson’s playbook. O’Neill Burke’s statement was an insult to the service people who have been in a real war zone. Kevin Berg, Fox Lake More pardons needed to Trump-proof country I 100% agree with the pardon of Hunter Biden and here’s why. The Republicans investigated him for the last two years of the Trump administration and found nothing. They have trashed him for the last six years in the press and for the last two years, the Republican-majority House has tried everything but to tar and feather Joe Biden and came up with nothing. So, let’s look at the charges Hunter Biden was convicted of. Number one: the gun that he had illegally for 11 days. The fact is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rarely has brought charges against a single person for the purchase of a single gun. Number two: tax issues. He cheated on his taxes (Yes. So has Donald Trump). He’s paid his back taxes and his late charges, so fine him and move on. This entire thing has been 100% political ploy. If I were President Biden, I would issue a pardon to every Cabinet member and their top assistants across the board. I would pardon retired General Mark Milley and all of the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I would issue a pardon for every executive level employee in the justice, defense, education, energy and border protection departments, Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and of course, Dr. Anthony Fauci. If this doesn’t go far enough to stop Trump’s witch hunt, I would issue a blanket pardon for the entire federal government. With this out of his way, Trump can make America great again. Jeffery Carr, Carol Stream Too many guns How did we get to be a country where we put up with travesties like a police officer’s being fatally shot near the Oak Park Public Library at 9:30 a.m.? Where we live in terror whenever our kids go outside or, even scarier, go to school? Where people value their guns over human life? And many folks erroneously think these guns make them safer. Somehow I don’t think this is what the Founding Fathers had in mind. Deborah Donovan, Berwyn A new pledge to the flag Since the Supreme Court granted Donald Trump immunity from the law, thus rendering him lawless, and should he escape punishment for his felonies because of his money, I propose a new Pledge of Allegiance: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the plutocracy for which it stands: One nation under God, with liberty only for those who can obtain and retain more wealth for themselves, with freedom from governmental regulation, from equality, and from justice for all others. Marion J. Reis, Lombard Ohtani would make fewer errors in the Oval Office While the concept of “ Golden At-Bats” seems preposterous in the traditional game of baseball, it’s not without some merit elsewhere. For instance, maybe the next time Donald Trump brings up tariffs or tax cuts for the wealthy, maybe Shohei Ohtani can be announced as a designated decision-maker. After all, the Japanese superstar has succeeded at everything else, why not global economics as well? Bob Ory, Elgin
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MCNEESE 76, ILLINOIS STATE 68
Union Minister for Religious Affairs and Culture U Tin Oo Lwin attended the fourth coordination meeting for drafting a comprehensive master plan for Shwezigon Pagoda at the office of the Shwezigon Pagoda Board of Trustees yesterday. Speaking at the event, the Union minister urged the experts of the Myanmar Architect Council, Myanmar Engineering Council, Myanmar Engineer Association and the department concerned to make concerted efforts in drafting a master plan to complete in time. The Mandalay Region Social Affairs minister and the Myanmar Architect Council President reported on the collected data and recommendations for the master plan. Group 1, 2, 3 and 4 attendees coordinated the discussion, and the Union minister made proper instructions. At noon, the Union minister attended the “handing over of 1st (22 works) of the project titled Conservation of 11 Earthquake Damaged Pagodas at Bagan”. It is the India-Myanmar friendship project initiated by ASI of India. At the ceremony, the Union minister, the Indian ambassador and the Indian consul-general made remarks and observed the recorded photos of 11 pagodas taken during the renovation period. They also viewed the completed Nathlaung Temple and Thikyapone Pagoda. The country signed an MoU with the Indian government to conserve and restore the earthquake-damaged 72 pagodas and temples (89 works) in Bagan on 11 May 2018 in Nay Pyi Taw. It is a 10-year project containing Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3. The maintenance of 12 ancient buildings and pagodas started in 2020 as Phase 1, and among these 12 ancient buildings and pagodas, 11 (22 works) were completed. The Union minister attended the dinner event hosted by the Indian ambassador at Aureum Palace Hotel. — MNA/KTZHSo mark your calendars and get ready to ring in the New Year with a bang as "Full Moon Outside the Window, Bang!" opens in theaters nationwide. Get ready to laugh, gasp, and cheer as Fei Xiang, Ma Dongxi, and Song Xiaobao take you on a rollicking adventure full of humor, heart, and surprises. Don't miss out on this cinematic delight that is sure to leave you howling with laughter and longing for more.
JKL Construction Corporation, a key player in the construction industry of Jiangsu Province, demonstrated impressive sales accomplishments through its collaborative efforts with real estate developers and government agencies. By delivering quality infrastructure solutions and supporting the growth of urban developments, JKL Construction Corporation established itself as a reliable partner in the real estate sector.NEW YORK – President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers urged a judge again Friday to throw out his hush money conviction, balking at the prosecution’s suggestion of preserving the verdict by treating the case the way some courts do when a defendant dies. They called the idea “absurd.” The Manhattan district attorney's office is asking Judge Juan M. Merchan to “pretend as if one of the assassination attempts against President Trump had been successful,” Trump’s lawyers wrote in a blistering 23-page response. Recommended Videos In court papers made public Tuesday, District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office proposed an array of options for keeping the historic conviction on the books after Trump’s lawyers filed paperwork earlier this month asking for the case to be dismissed. They include freezing the case until Trump leaves office in 2029, agreeing that any future sentence won't include jail time, or closing the case by noting he was convicted but that he wasn't sentenced and his appeal wasn’t resolved because of presidential immunity. Trump lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove reiterated Friday their position that the only acceptable option is overturning his conviction and dismissing his indictment, writing that anything less will interfere with the transition process and his ability to lead the country. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined comment. It’s unclear how soon Merchan will decide. He could grant Trump’s request for dismissal, go with one of the prosecution’s suggestions, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court, or choose some other option. In their response Friday, Blanche and Bove ripped each of the prosecution’s suggestions. Halting the case until Trump leaves office would force the incoming president to govern while facing the “ongoing threat” that he’ll be sentenced to imprisonment, fines or other punishment as soon as his term ends, Blanche and Bove wrote. Trump, a Republican, takes office Jan. 20. “To be clear, President Trump will never deviate from the public interest in response to these thuggish tactics,” the defense lawyers wrote. “However, the threat itself is unconstitutional.” The prosecution’s suggestion that Merchan could mitigate those concerns by promising not to sentence Trump to jail time on presidential immunity grounds is also a non-starter, Blanche and Bove wrote. The immunity statute requires dropping the case, not merely limiting sentencing options, they argued. Blanche and Bove, both of whom Trump has tabbed for high-ranking Justice Department positions, expressed outrage at the prosecution’s novel suggestion that Merchan borrow from Alabama and other states and treat the case as if Trump had died. Blanche and Bove accused prosecutors of ignoring New York precedent and attempting to “fabricate” a solution “based on an extremely troubling and irresponsible analogy between President Trump" who survived assassination attempts in Pennsylvania in July and Florida in September “and a hypothetical dead defendant.” Such an option normally comes into play when a defendant dies after being convicted but before appeals are exhausted. It is unclear whether it is viable under New York law, but prosecutors suggested that Merchan could innovate in what’s already a unique case. “This remedy would prevent defendant from being burdened during his presidency by an ongoing criminal proceeding,” prosecutors wrote in their filing this week. But at the same time, it wouldn’t “precipitously discard” the “meaningful fact that defendant was indicted and found guilty by a jury of his peers.” Prosecutors acknowledged that “presidential immunity requires accommodation” during Trump’s impending return to the White House but argued that his election to a second term should not upend the jury’s verdict, which came when he was out of office. Longstanding Justice Department policy says sitting presidents cannot face criminal prosecution . Other world leaders don’t enjoy the same protection. For example, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on trial on corruption charges even as he leads that nation’s wars in Lebanon and Gaza . Trump has been fighting for months to reverse his May 30 conviction on 34 counts of falsifying business records . Prosecutors said he fudged the documents to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to suppress her claim that they had sex a decade earlier, which Trump denies. In their filing Friday, Trump’s lawyers citing a social media post in which Sen. John Fetterman used profane language to criticize Trump’s hush money prosecution. The Pennsylvania Democrat suggested that Trump deserved a pardon, comparing his case to that of President Joe Biden’s pardoned son Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of tax and gun charges . “Weaponizing the judiciary for blatant, partisan gain diminishes the collective faith in our institutions and sows further division,” Fetterman wrote Wednesday on Truth Social. Trump’s hush money conviction was in state court, meaning a presidential pardon — issued by Biden or himself when he takes office — would not apply to the case. Presidential pardons only apply to federal crimes. Since the election, special counsel Jack Smith has ended his two federal cases , which pertained to Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and allegations that he hoarded classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate. A separate state election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia, is largely on hold. Trump denies wrongdoing in all. Trump had been scheduled for sentencing in the hush money case in late November. But following Trump’s Nov. 5 election victory, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed the former and future president’s sentencing so the defense and prosecution could weigh in on the future of the case. Merchan also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. A dismissal would erase Trump’s conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office.
LINC adds SAIC to strategic partnershipsIn a shocking turn of events that has left authorities and the business world reeling, a man has been arrested for embezzling a staggering $2.2 million from his company, only to resign his position and announce his intention to become a leader of a notorious gang. As the details of this brazen crime continue to unfold, it has become increasingly clear that it was not financial desperation or necessity that drove this man to commit such a heinous act, but rather his insatiable vanity and desire for power.Now, at 30 years old and armed with a Ph.D. from MIT, Dr. Emily Park stands on the threshold of a new chapter in her life. Her resilience, intelligence, and unwavering determination have brought her to the brink of reuniting with her family and finding the peace she has long sought. As she faces the future with hope and courage, Dr. Park's extraordinary tale serves as a testament to the power of the human spirit and the enduring strength of a heart that never gives up.
As soon as the news broke that Sora would be joining the roster, social media exploded with excitement and joy. Fans from all corners of the world expressed their happiness and disbelief at the long-awaited arrival of their beloved hero. Memes, fan art, and heartfelt messages flooded timelines, showcasing the depth of love and admiration fans have for Sora.In a daring move to stop the scammers and retrieve the money lost by Ms. Li, the police staged a clever trap that involved engaging the fraudsters in a fake transaction. Posing as a potential victim, a police officer pretended to fall for the same scam that had ensnared Ms. Li, all while gathering evidence to build a case against the criminals. In a dramatic showdown, the police managed to apprehend the scammers red-handed, securing vital information that would lead to their arrest and the recovery of stolen funds.
