Despite the initial discomfort and awkwardness of wearing cotton pants in such extreme conditions, the southern potatoes soon realized the benefits of the protective clothing. The cotton pants provided insulation against the biting cold, keeping their tender roots and shoots from freezing and allowing them to withstand the harsh frosty climate.
NEW YORK (AP) — New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge was a unanimous pick to win his second American League Most Valuable Player Award in three seasons on Thursday, easily outdistancing Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Shohei Ohtani was expected to win the National League honor later Thursday, his third MVP and first in the NL. Judge received all 30 first-place votes in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Witt got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points. Judge had discussed the MVP award with Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, the NL winner in 2015 and ’21. “I was telling him, `Man, I’m going to try to catch up to you with these MVPs here, man,’” Judge recalled. “He’d say, hopefully, he could stay a couple ahead of me, which I think he’ll do.” Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Witt topped the big leagues with a .332 average, hitting 32 homers with 109 RBIs. Soto batted .288 with 41 homers and 109 RBIs. When Judge won his first MVP award in 2022, he received 28 first-place votes while Ohtani got the other two. He is the Yankees' 22nd MVP winner, four more than any other team. Judge was hitting .207 with six homers and 18 RBIs through April, then batted .352 with 52 homers and 126 RBIs in 127 games. “March and April were not my friend this year.” Judge said. “Just keep putting in the work and things are going to change. You can’t mope. You can’t feel sorry for yourself. Especially in New York, nobody’s going to feel sorry for you. So you just got to go out there and put up the numbers?” Ohtani was unanimously voted the AL MVP in 2021 and 2023 as a two-way star for the Los Angeles Angels and finished second to Judge in 2022 voting . He didn’t pitch in 2024 following elbow surgery and signed a record $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Ohtani hit .310, stole 59 bases and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs exclusively as a designated hitter, becoming the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. He helped the Dodgers to the World Series title , playing the final three games with a torn labrum in his left shoulder . Ohtani would become the first primary DH to win an MVP. He would join Frank Robinson for Cincinnati in 1961 and Baltimore in 1966 as the only players to win the MVP award in both leagues. Ohtani would become the 12th player with three or more MVPs, joining Barry Bonds (seven) and Jimmie Foxx, Joe DiMaggio, Stan Musial, Roy Campanella, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Mike Schmidt, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols and Mike Trout (three each). New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte also were among the top three finishers in the NL. Lindor batted .273 with 33 homers, 91 RBIs and 29 steals, while Marte hit .292 with 36 homers and 95 RBIs. Balloting was conducted before the postseason. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLBFor Henderson, the draw against Manchester City was more than just a point gained in the league table – it was a source of confidence and motivation for the matches to come. "Drawing with a team like Manchester City is no small feat," he explained. "It shows that we have the quality and the mentality to compete at the highest level, and that belief will serve us well as we continue our season."
The United States on Saturday announced a new $988 million security assistance package for Ukraine as Washington races to provide aid to Kyiv before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Trump's November election victory has cast doubt on the future of American aid for Ukraine, providing a limited window for billions of dollars in already authorized assistance to be disbursed before he is sworn in next month. The package features drones, ammunition for precision HIMARS rocket launchers, and equipment and spare parts for artillery systems, tanks and armored vehicles, the Pentagon said in a statement. Trump met in Paris earlier Saturday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said any resolution of the war with Russia should be a "just" settlement that includes "strong security guarantees for Ukraine." The meeting was of huge importance to Zelensky, given fears in Kyiv that Trump may urge Ukraine to make concessions to Moscow. The latest aid will be funded via the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, under which military equipment is procured from the defense industry or partners rather than drawn from American stocks, meaning it will not immediately arrive on the battlefield. It follows a $725 million package announced on Monday that included a second tranche of landmines as well as anti-air and anti-armor weapons. The outgoing administration of President Joe Biden is working to get as much aid as possible to Ukraine before Trump -- who has repeatedly criticized US assistance for Kyiv and claimed he could secure a ceasefire within hours -- takes over. Trump's comments have triggered fears in Kyiv and Europe about the future of US aid, and Ukraine's ability to withstand Russian attacks in the absence of further American support. "Our job has been to try and put Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield so that it is in the strongest possible position at the negotiating table," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Saturday. In the closing weeks of Biden's term, the goal is "a massive surge of assistance and to up the economic pressure on Russia," he said. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday warned that failure to continue opposing Russia's actions would have dire consequences. "We can continue to stand up to the Kremlin. Or we can let (Russian President Vladimir) Putin have his way -- and condemn our children and grandchildren to live in a world of chaos and conflict," said Austin, who like Sullivan was speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California. "This administration has made its choice. And so has a bipartisan coalition in Congress. The next administration must make its own choice." The defense chief also emphasized the importance of US allies and partners in his remarks -- a contrast to Trump's go-it-alone "America first" world view. "Here is the stark military fact: our allies and partners are huge force multipliers," Austin said. "Ultimately, America is weaker when it stands alone. And America is smaller when it stands apart," he said. "There is no such thing as a safe retreat from today's interwoven world." The United States has spearheaded the push for international support for Ukraine, quickly forging a coalition to back Kyiv after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 and coordinating aid from dozens of countries. Ukraine's international supporters have since then provided tens of billions of dollars in weapons, ammunition, training and other security aid that has been key to helping Kyiv resist Russian forces. wd/mlm/acbLooking ahead, the year 2024 serves as a testament to China's unwavering commitment to transformative economic growth and social progress. By embracing innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity, China has set a positive example for the world and positioned itself as a global economic powerhouse. As we reflect on the achievements of the past year, we are confident that China will continue to lead the way in driving high-quality economic development and shaping a prosperous future for all.
c hambers of j ustice Cricket scores, the rising cost of petrol, a new restaurant - these are the comfortable conversations that fill our days in Pakistan. There is a truth that we hold back, though, like a bitter pill lodged in our throats: the shadow of sexual violence looming over the country, shrouding the sanctity of our most familiar spaces - your bedroom, a classroom, the office, a crowded bus, a playground, the arms of a close relative and even your marital bed. The only way to obliterate the darkness of this shadow is to drag it screaming into the light. So, let’s talk about sexual violence in Pakistan. Not to sensationalise, but to understand, to heal, and to fight for a future where fear of violation does not seep into every corner of a safe space. On July 9, 2024, 20-year-old Sania Zehra, who was pregnant, was brutally raped, tortured, and murdered by her husband in Multan. Similarly, on September 9, 2020, a woman was raped on a highway in Lahore, with her two traumatised children as witnesses. In Pakistan, only 10 per cent of rape cases are reported, yet even these figures reveal a woman is raped every two hours - a statistic that barely scratches the surface of the harsh reality. This violence extends adult women; an average of 12 children per day - or one every two hours - were subjected to sexual abuse in Pakistan in 2023. The rape and murder of 6-year-old Zainab Ansari in January 2018 shook the country, but lessons remained unlearned. Moreover, according to the Anti Rape Crisis Cell Karachi, underage boys have recently been more at risk than underage girls. The reason rape cases and sexual assault cases in general in Pakistan are unrevealed is because society assigns the responsibility of maintaining ‘honour’ to the victim- usually women. According to the data provided by some non-governmental organisations, nearly 1,000 women are killed in the name of honour in Pakistan every year. However, this societal pressure also affects males, particularly underage boys, who fear being perceived as less ‘masculine’ if they disclose their victimisation by other men. Additionally, sexual violence, particularly against children and women, is exploited as a profitable business through trafficking. This highlights that sexual violence is about domination and control over another person’s bodily autonomy. Traffickers force children and women into various forms of exploitation, including begging, forced domestic labour, prostitution, and bonded labour, creating a demand-and-supply chain that generates substantial profits for those involved, hence compelling more to join into this abhorrent money-making scheme. This drive to control other human beings also manifests in the form of female genital mutilation (FGM), a practice seldom discussed in Pakistan or globally, so much so that there are not many statistics available about it. This is done to control the female sexuality, and ensure her chastity, subsequently ensuring her fidelity once she marries. The physical marks left on the body are not prominent, but the psychological trauma is profound, affecting women during menstruation and sexual intercourse. This abominable act stands in stark irony next to the acts of sexual harassment so frequently carried out by men in Pakistan through the form of indecent exposure and ‘flashing’ of their genitals in public, and, with technology now, through unsolicited pictures online. Wielding their sexuality as a weapon to scare and threaten, men exercise their entitlement over other’s bodies and anxieties by freely exposing theirs, without fear of any consequences. Using sex and sexuality as a tool to harm is a common practice in Pakistan, corroborating the fact that sexual violence is not about lust or desire, but more so about power and entitlement. This is evident in various forms, including politically motivated sexual violence supported by governing bodies and the police. Adding onto this, marital rape is another method through which men exert control and ownership over their wives. This crime is rarely reported, and convictions are even more uncommon. Ultimately, the root causes of these atrocities are clear: the perpetrators, predominantly men, derive their audacity from a sense of entitlement. These acts aren’t driven by desire; they are about power and control. Laws alone are insufficient; casual sexism, degrading jokes, and victim-blaming create a breeding ground for such violence. Open conversations are crucial, as well as challenging the very notion of ‘izzat’ being tied to female sexuality. Pakistan can forge a brighter future, one where individuals walk freely, unafraid.
Comsats University hiring likely to be postponed again Despite absence of regular rector, university management allegedly advertised for posts ISLAMABAD: The recruitment process for management positions of registrar and controller exams is likely to be postponed once again due to non-regular rector of Comsats University Islamabad. Despite the absence of regular rector, the university management allegedly advertised for the posts of registrar and controller of examinations recently. Earlier, during the tenure of Acting Rector Dr. Qamar, an advertisement was made for the posts and the Ministry of Science and Technology had stop the recruitment process and said that only a regular rector can recruit for the posts. When contacted, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Joint Secretary Nazir Ahmed said that the look-after rector does not have the authority to recruit any officer.Ranma 1/2 Cafe opening in three Japanese cities, features food with transformable flavors
3. Chris Smalling - After a successful loan spell at AS Roma, Smalling has made a permanent move to the Italian club.
LA Galaxy win record 6th MLS CupHimalaya, often referred to as the "Netflix of audio," has established itself as a key player in the global audio streaming market. With a diverse range of content spanning from podcasts to original shows, music, and more, Himalaya has garnered a large and loyal user base worldwide. The platform's success can be attributed to its focus on high-quality, engaging audio content that resonates with audiences across various demographics and interests. As a result, Himalaya has not only become a go-to destination for audio entertainment but also a lucrative business venture with substantial commercial potential.