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Syrian insurgents reach the capital's suburbs. Worried residents flee and stock up on supplies BEIRUT (AP) — Insurgents’ stunning march across Syria is gaining speed with news that they have reached the suburbs of the capital of Damascus. The government on Saturday was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the country. The rebels’ moves around Damascus were reported by an opposition war monitor and a rebel commander. They came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern part of the country, leaving more areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The advances in the past week were among the largest in recent years by opposition factions. The factions are by a group that has its origins in al-Qaida and is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the United Nations. An archbishop's knock formally restores Notre Dame to life as winds howl and heads of state look on PARIS (AP) — France’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral has formally reopened its doors for the first time since a devastating fire nearly destroyed the 861-year-old landmark in 2019. The five-year restoration is widely seen as a boost for French President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ambitious timeline, and brings a welcome respite from his domestic political woes. World leaders, dignitaries, and worshippers gathered on Saturday evening for the celebrations under the cathedral's soaring arches. The celebration was attended by 1,500 dignitaries, including President-elect Donald Trump, Britain’s Prince William, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. For Catholics, Notre Dame’s rector said the cathedral “carries the enveloping presence of the Virgin Mary, a maternal and embracing presence.′′ Trump is welcomed by Macron to Paris with presidential pomp and joined by Zelenskyy for their talks PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed Donald Trump to Paris with a full dose of presidential pomp. And they held a hastically-arranged meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy on a day that's mixing pageantry with attention to pressing global problems. The president-elect's visit to France is part of a global a celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral five years after a devastating fire. Macron and other European leaders are trying to win Trump’s favor and persuade him to maintain support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Trump isn't back in office but he's already pushing his agenda and negotiating with world leaders NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is making threats, traveling abroad, and negotiating with world leaders. He has more than a month-and-a-half to go before he’s sworn in for a second term. But the president-elect is already moving aggressively to not only fill his Cabinet and outline policy goals, but also to try to achieve his priorities. In recent days, Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, two of the country’s largest trading partners. That led to emergency calls and a visit. And he's warned of “ALL HELL TO PAY” if Hamas doesn't release the hostages still being held captive in Gaza. South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over short-lived martial law SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol has avoided an opposition-led attempt to impeach him over his short-lived imposition of martial law. Most of Yoon's ruling party lawmakers boycotted a parliamentary vote Saturday to deny a two-thirds majority needed to suspend his presidential powers. The scrapping of the motion is expected to intensify protests calling for Yoon’s ouster and deepen political chaos in South Korea. A survey suggests a majority of South Koreans support the president’s impeachment. Yoon’s martial law declaration drew criticism from his own ruling conservative People Power Party. But the party also apparently fears losing the presidency to liberals. Days after gunman killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO, police push to ID him and FBI offers reward NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly four days after the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, police still do not know the gunman’s name or whereabouts or have a motive for the killing. But they have made some progress in their investigation into Wednesday's killing of the leader of the largest U.S. health insurer, including that the gunman likely left New York City on a bus soon after fleeing the scene. The also found that the gunman left something behind: a backpack that was discovered in Central Park. Police are working with the FBI, which on Friday night announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. UnitedHealthcare CEO's shooting opens a door for many to vent frustrations over insurance The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has opened the door for many people to vent their frustrations and anger over the insurance industry. The feelings of exasperation, anger, resentment, and helplessness toward insurers aren’t new. But the shooting and the headlines around it have unleashed a new wave of patients sharing such sentiments and personal stories of interactions with insurance companies. Conversations at dinner tables, office water coolers, social gatherings and on social media have pivoted to the topic. Many say they hope the new amplified voices can bring about change for companies often accused of valuing profits over people. 2 Pearl Harbor survivors, ages 104 and 102, return to Hawaii to honor those killed in 1941 attack PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) — The bombing of Pearl Harbor 83 years ago launched the United States into World War II. Two survivors returned to the Hawaii military base on Saturday for a remembrance ceremony on the attack's anniversary. Both are over 100 years old. They joined active-duty troops, veterans and members of the public for an observance hosted by the Navy and the National Park Service. A third survivor was planning to join them but had to cancel due to health issues. The bombing killed more than 2,300 U.S. servicemen. An explosion destroys an apartment block in a Dutch city, killing at least 3 and injuring others THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — An explosion and fire has rocked a neighborhood in the Dutch city of The Hague, killing three people and injuring other people and destroying several apartments. The cause of the disaster is unclear. Emergency authorities said four people were rescued from the rubble and taken to the hospital. The mayor said rescuers were no longer looking for survivors but for eventual bodies, but could not specify how many people might still be unaccounted for. Residents of the northeastern neighborhood of Mariahoeve in The Hague heard a huge bang and screams before dawn. Dutch authorities have deployed a specialized urban search and rescue team to find victims. How 'Mufasa' rose with Aaron Pierre and Blue Ivy's voices along with new Lin-Manuel Miranda music SAN DIEGO (AP) — When Aaron Pierre was cast as Mufasa, the weight of following in the late James Earl Jones’ legendary footsteps was enough to rattle any actor. But instead of letting the pressure roar too loudly, he harnessed his nerves to breathe fresh life into his young lion character. Pierre found parallels between himself and his character while filming his leading role in “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which opens in theaters Dec. 20. He took the reigns as the new voice of Mufasa after Jones played the iconic King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 versions of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The prequel offers a fresh exploration into Mufasa’s origin story.Inside TOWIE's James Argent's Essex home with famous new girlfriend - grand piano and wonky tree
Gemma Collins to spend Christmas with Jedward after they issue tragic updateI'm A Celebrity new arrivals Maura Higgins and Reverend Richard Coles convince campmate Coleen Rooney with their sneaky lies in first secret mission By BETHAN EDWARDS FOR MAILONLINE Published: 22:10, 21 November 2024 | Updated: 22:23, 21 November 2024 e-mail 10 View comments I'm A Celebrity new comers Maura Higgins and Reverend Richard Coles convinced Coleen Rooney with their sneaky lies in their first secret mission on Thursday. The latest stars were thrown into Jungle Junkyard, a basic camp that contains overgrown greenery and zero luxury, rather than the main camp. However, after arriving and speaking with Ant and Dec all was not as it seemed as a luxurious double bed, a container revealing a hidden large sofa, a cargo box opens with a large bathtub with bubbles, bath salts and hot water appeared. The pair were also treated to a red chest which had a gas cooker and a hidden fridge door, stocked with fruit smoothies and a fruit platter. Maura and Richard have been tasked with a number of missions in order to win food at the Jungle Junkyard buffet and the first mission was to convince main camp that their living conditions are horrific with no bed to sleep on and basic rations. I'm A Celebrity new comers Maura Higgins and Reverend Richard Coles convince Coleen Rooney with their sneaky lies in their first secret mission on Thursday The latest stars were thrown into Jungle Junkyard, a basic camp that contains overgrown greenery and zero luxury, rather than the main camp where Coleen Rooney, GK Barry, Danny Jones and Tulisa are The task read: 'Your first real test will come tonight, if you can convince them to sacrifice one of their beds for you, then you will win the first three portions of food at the jungle buffet. 'Beware when the intruder alarm sounds, you will not have long to hide the secrets of the junkyard, to do this just press the red button.' Hatching a plan, Richard said: 'You've got to be in a state ok, and I've got to be really worried about you.' Main camp also received a letter, revealing that two celebrities have moved into the Jungle Junkyard and they need to earn their place in main camp by completing chores for their fellow campmates, starting with their washing up. As Coleen Rooney and GK Barry were on washing up duty, the pair headed down to the Jungle Junkyard to meet the Maura and Richard and hand over their dirty dishes. As the alarm sounded in the Jungle junkyard, marking the arrival of Coleen and GK, Richard and Maura rush to hide away all their luxury items before they arrived. Putting on their best acting performances, they showed Coleen and GK around their very basic camp and go on about have a terrible time. The pair asked Coleen and GK if the main camp might be able to spare a bed for Maura for that night to save her sleeping on the floor. However, after arriving and speaking with Ant and Dec all was not as it seemed as a luxurious double bed, a container revealing a hidden large sofa were all revealed Maura and Richard have been tasked with a number of missions in order to win food at the Jungle Junkyard buffet Coleen and GK came to meet Maura and Richard and they were tasked to convince the pair to get them a bed from main camp so Maura didn't have to sleep on the floor As the alarm sounded in the Jungle junkyard, marking the arrival of Coleen and GK, Richard and Maura rush to hide away all their luxury items before they arrived Maura and Richard's acting soon paid off as Coleen admitted on the way back to main camp, 'I feel bad leaving them there' while GK added: 'It's like a jail, I don't know if Maura is going to last' Maura and Richard's acting soon paid off as Coleen admitted on the way back to main camp, 'I feel bad leaving them there'. And as they rejoined the main camp, GK added: 'It's like a jail, I don't know if Maura is going to last.' Later in the show, Maura and Richard were tasked with writing a letter to main camp to try and convince them to give up a bed. Oti shared the letter with her fellow campmates which does do the trick, as Radio 1 DJ Dean agreed to surrender his bed, and the celebrities carry it down to the Jungle Junkyard for a victorious Maura and Richard. Read More Maura Higgins reveals she has prepared for I'm A Celebrity in the 'worst way possible' It comes after fans were left fearing the Love Island US Aftersun host had quit the show before she had even begun after she posted pictures of herself partying in Vegas, the day she was due to touch Down Under. She said: 'Well, I mean, I couldn't say anything. I couldn't tell people. Everyone was pressuring me in my DMs saying, 'Why are you in Vegas? 'You should be in Australia. I've put a bet on you to be in the show,' and I'm like, oh, no, pressure, guys, Jesus.' Ahead of her Jungle stint Maura also admitted she has made the most of reality as she loaded up on 'all my favourite foods and red wine' before being forced to live off rice and beans. She said: 'No [I haven't prepared], I have probably been doing the worst thing by loading up on all my favourite foods, drinking as much red wine as I can and eating as much pasta. 'I probably should have weaned myself off things, but that's not how my brain works!' In recent days the celebrities have been soaked by heavy rainfall in the jungle and Maura said she believes the hit show will be 'the hardest thing she has ever done' as she has 'never slept outside' camping before. However the Irish model said she is 'ready to step outside my comfort zone' as the show is a 'real pinch me moment'. She added: 'I hope I do make myself proud and I am both excited but also very nervous, because I am scared of absolutely everything. 'It is quite scary going in later. They have all met and got to know each other. It's never easy being the newbie, but I am not a shy person, so I feel like I will be fine. It will be nice to bring some energy to the camp.' I'M A CELEBRITY 2024: MEET THE ALL STAR LINE UP OTI MABUSE Oti Mabuse has already two Strictly glitterballs under her belt AGE: 34 OCCUPATION: Professional dancer FAMOUS FOR: Oti is best known for being a professional dancer on the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020. DANNY JONES Danny Jones is one of the bookies' favourites to win this year's I'm A Celeb AGE : 38 OCCUPATION: McFly singer FAMOUS FOR: Danny is one of the lead vocalists and the lead guitarist for pop-rock band McFly. He is also a coach on The Voice UK. BARRY MCGUIGAN Former boxer Barry McGuigan is heading into the jungle AGE: 63 OCCUPATION: Retired professional boxer FAMOUS FOR: Barry was nicknamed The Clones Cyclone and held the WBA and lineal featherweight titles from 1985 to 1986. GK BARRY GK Barry is a TikTok star who recently joined the ITV family on Loose Women AGE: 25 OCCUPATION: TikTok star FAMOUS FOR: Grace is known for her comedic commentary on culture, lifestyle, and fashion. She has over 3.6 million followers and recently joined the Loose Women panel. DEAN MCCULLOUGH ITV bosses are hoping Dean McCullough will ruffle feathers in the camp AGE: 32 OCCUPATION: Radio 1 DJ FAMOUS FOR: Radio 1 DJ Dean has been signed by I'm A Celeb bosses, in the hope that he will ruffle feathers with his outspoken views. Earlier this year it was announced Dean would be taking over the BBC Radio 1 Early Breakfast Show, after previously fronting the afternoon slot. JANE MOORE Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women AGE : 62 OCCUPATION: Journalist FAMOUS FOR: Jane is best known as a panellist and anchor of Loose Women between 1999 and 2002. She returned as a regular panellist from 2013 onwards. Jane takes on the challenge following her high-profile split from husband of 20 years, Showbiz agent, Gary Farrow. MELVIN ODOOM Melvin was previously courted by I'm A Celeb bosses back in 2021 AGE: 44 OCCUPATION: DJ and TV presenter FAMOUS FOR: His work on radio. Melvin was previously courted by I'm A Celeb bosses back in 2021, but turned down the offer at the last minute. He also had a primetime stint on Strictly back in 2016. COLEEN ROONEY Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show's history AGE: 38 OCCUPATION: WAG FAMOUS FOR: Wagatha Christie case against arch rival Rebekah Vardy. Reports claim that she has been offered the biggest deal in the show's history, exceeding Nigel Farage's £1.5million from last year. ALAN HALSALL Alan Halsall is best known for his role as Tyrone Dobbs on Coronation Street AGE: 42 OCCUPATION: Actor FAMOUS FOR: Coronation Street actor Alan Halsall was forced to withdraw from I'm A Celeb last year, after undergoing ACL Reconstruction surgery. Bosses have now convinced the actor to sign up again, and no doubt he will draw in a huge fanbase thanks to his long-running role as Tyrone Dobbs on the soap. TULISA Tulisa is making her career comeback after reuniting with N-Dubz last year AGE: 36 OCCUPATION: Singer and former X Factor judge FAMOUS FOR: Tulisa reunited with N-Dubz last year for a tour after first finding fame with the band in 2007. In 2011, she became a judge on The X Factor and went on to launch her debut solo album, The Female Boss. She released her fourth album with N-Dubz last year. REVEREND RICHARD COLES Richard is an English writer, radio presenter and Church of England priest AGE : 62 OCCUPATION : Writer, broadcaster and priest FAMOUS FOR : Richard is an English writer, radio presenter and Church of England priest. He first came to prominence as the multi-instrumentalist who partnered Jimmy Somerville in the 1980s band the Communards. MAURA HIGGINS Maura is best known for her stint on Love Island UK in 2019 AGE : 33 OCCUPATION : TV Personality FAMOUS FOR: Maura is an Irish television personality, television presenter and model. She rose to prominence in 2019, when she was a finalist on the fifth series of ITV2 reality series Love Island. Coleen Rooney ITV Maura Higgins Share or comment on this article: I'm A Celebrity new arrivals Maura Higgins and Reverend Richard Coles convince campmate Coleen Rooney with their sneaky lies in first secret mission e-mail Add comment
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A group of veterans who played key roles in the private evacuation of thousands of Americans from Afghanistan in 2021 spoke out in defense of Pete Hegseth , President-elect Donald Trump 's defense secretary pick. Hegseth's nomination has come under heavy scrutiny, putting into question the viability of him passing the Senate. Several leading veterans have come to his defense, including former Force Recon Marine Chad Robichaux. WHAT MAGA AND THE GOP WILL LOOK LIKE IN A POST-TRUMP ERA Robichaux's and his team evacuated over 17,000 people in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, an act recognized by Congress. In an interview with the Washington Examiner, he threw his full support behind Hegseth. He took particular aim at senators hesitant on voting for his confirmation, hitting them for not being hesitant when confirming current Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. HOW TRUMP COULD IMPACT THE PENTAGON "That's the same Senate that's saying that [Hegseth] maybe had a few too many drinks, or whatever he did, is the same one that was silent when [Austin] left Americans behind, and when I say left Americans behind — thousands of Americans behind, in Afghanistan, when he left thousands of Americans stranded in Africa when he left thousands of Americans stranded in Ukraine," he said. Robichaux said that he had seen a groundswell of support for Hegseth, among groups previously apolitical. "There is a huge push from the military . Well, I've never seen this before," he said. "I've been around the military for 30 years. I've never seen [people] in the Marine Corps for four years, putting on social media who they want to be their secretary of defense. Most of the time, they don't even know who their secretary of defense is." "Everyone wants him in, mainly because he doesn't have a star," Robichaux said, referring to generals' stars. BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS, AND UNIONS TRY TO ‘TRUMP-PROOF SCIENCE’ He argued that generals were too separated from the regular troops to carry out their mission effectively, and that soldiers preferred one of their own. "Pete doesn't have to doesn't have to have lead at a strategic level. He doesn't have to have a star. He's a leader. He's he's got the right vision," Robichaux said. "And when he sits in this situation room and the nation needs him to make a decision, he's not going to do it in a silo." "He's going to be surrounded by the right people to make the right decision, to do their jobs, and that's very important for the American people to understand. He's not a Fox News host. He's a guy that served his country and in combat twice, Iraq and Afghanistan," he said. Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) echoed this sentiment, praising Hegseth's qualifications while bashing Austin. “Pete Hegseth is exactly the kind of leader we need as Secretary of Defense. He’s a combat veteran who’s led men in battle, holds degrees from Princeton and Harvard, and has the courage to take on the root causes of our military recruitment crisis, like the destructive and divisive focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion," he told the Washington Examiner. TRUMP’S ‘NO TAXES ON OVERTIME’ PROPOSAL: WHAT TO KNOW Mills put the full blame of the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan on Austin, over which he filed articles of impeachment against him. "I filed articles of impeachment against Austin for his dereliction of duty because leadership matters. When Austin failed to do his job, veterans like myself who stepped in to rescue American families left behind. Pete Hegseth’s leadership, integrity, and experience are exactly what this nation needs to restore accountability and strength to the Department of Defense," he concluded. Benghazi contractor Mark "Oz" Geist also lent his support to Hegseth. "As a warfighter, Pete Hegseth stands out because he gets what it takes to win on the battlefield—he’s lived it. His firsthand experience in Iraq and Afghanistan means he understands the realities of combat, the importance of morale, and the need for a lethal, well-trained force ready to fight and win," he told the Washington Examiner in a statement. Geist contrasted Hegseth to Austin, arguing that Austin's focus had been on "bureaucracy and social agendas" to the detriment of combat effectiveness. "He knows that strength, clarity of purpose, and a no-nonsense approach are what it takes to dominate any adversary, making him a leader who would ensure the military is always ready for the next fight," he said. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER After former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz dropped out as Trump’s attorney general nomination, the primary target of scrutiny landed on Hegseth. Reports emerged of past sexual assault allegations, financial mismanagement, and a drinking on the job. On Sunday the New Yorker published an article based on a whistleblower’s seven-page report detailing numerous allegations against Hegseth while he served as the president of Concerned Veterans for America from 2013 to 2016. He's pushed against the allegations, but promised Senators that he wouldn't drink if confirmed for the post. Trump’s team has publicly stood by him, decrying the accusations as false and politically motivated.
Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in a Major League Baseball game, is leaving the San Francisco Giants to join the Cleveland Guardians. Nakken made history in 2022 when she took over as first-base coach following an ejection. A former college softball star at Sacramento State, Nakken joined the Giants in 2014 and was promoted to a spot on manager Gabe Kapler’s staff in 2020, becoming the majors’ first full-time female coach. Nakken has been hired as an assistant director within player development for the Guardians, who won the AL Central last season under first-year manager Stephen Vogt — the AL Manager of the Year. With Cleveland, the 34-year-old Nakken will work with former Giants coaches Craig Albernaz and Kai Correa. Her exact duties are still being determined. “We thank Alyssa Nakken for her incredible contributions to the San Francisco Giants and for trailblazing a path for women in sports,” the Giants said in a statement on Friday. “Her leadership, dedication, and passion for the game have inspired countless individuals, and her impact has been truly transformative for the Giants organization and the baseball community. “As she embarks on this exciting new chapter in her career, we have no doubt that she’ll continue to inspire and achieve great things. We wish her and her family nothing but the best.” Nakken is the second on-field female coach hired by the Guardians. In 2023, the club brought in Amanda Kamekona as their hitting development coach for their year-round training academy in Goodyear, Arizona. Last season, she was an assistant hitting coach at Double-A Akron. Kamekona was twice a third-team All-American at UCLA after transferring from Cal State Fullerton. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb Seniors Helping Seniors, a Pennsylvania-based company founded in 1998 that California's poultry and dairy industries are being slammed by rampant Alyssa Nakken, the first woman to coach in a Major Health officials on Friday confirmed bird flu in a California
Taylor Swift fans flying to Vancouver for the Eras Tour were treated to an 'awesome' WestJet boarding call in CalgaryStanford knocks off Cal in both teams' ACC openerLONDON (AFP) – Paris’ stock market fell at the start of trading yesterday ahead of a key vote on part of France’s belt-tightening draft budget that threatens to topple the government. The Paris CAC 40 index dropped 1.1 per cent to 7,151.18 points. Shares in auto giant Stellantis, a multi-brand auto giant that includes Jeep, Peugeot-Citroen and Fiat, fell more than seven per cent after chief executive Carlos Tavares abruptly resigned. Elsewhere, London’s FTSE 100 index dropped 0.1 per cent to 8,278.15 points and Frankfurt’s DAX lost 0.2 per cent to 19,580.45. The euro remained stuck around 14-month lows on concerns about the budget standoff in Paris. Marine Le Pen, the parliamentary leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), has expressed opposition to several aspects of the government’s 2025 budget plan, including the social security financing project. These include planned cuts in employer social contributions, a partial end to inflation-indexing of pensions and a less generous prescription drug reimbursement policy. Lacking a majority, Barnier could use executive powers to force through the legislation without a vote. Such a move would expose him to a vote of no confidence within days, with the left wing and Le Pen’s RN willing to back that motion bringing down the government.
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Iowa turns to former walk-on QB to start against MarylandLisa Simpson once said during an episode of “The Simpsons:” What could be more exciting than the savage ballet that is pro football? On Monday night, the entire Simpsons universe gets to experience it in a way not many could have imagined. The prime-time matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys will also take place at Springfield’s Atoms Stadium as part of “The Simpsons Funday Football” alternate broadcast. The altcast will be streamed on ESPN+, Disney+, and NFL+ (on mobile devices). ESPN and ABC have the main broadcast, while ESPN2 will carry the final “ManningCast” of the regular season. The replay will be available on Disney+ for 30 days. Globally, more than 145 countries will have access to either live or on replay. “We’re such huge football fans, and the Simpsons audience and the football audience, I feel, are like the same audience of just American families and football. And the Simpsons are so much a part of the DNA of the American family and culture that for us to, like, mush them together in this crazy video game, it’s so fun,” said Matt Selman, executive producer of “The Simpsons.” While the game is the focal point, the alternate broadcast, in some ways, will resemble a three-hour episode of “The Simpsons.” It starts with Homer eating too many hot dogs and having a dream while watching football. Homer joins the Cowboys in the dream while Bart teams up with the Bengals. Lisa and Marge will be sideline reporters. “That’s the beginning of the story, and the story continues through the entire game until Homer wakes up from his dream at the end of the game. It is like a complete story, and the NFL game will happen in between. It’s just going to be an amazing presentation with tons of surprises,” said Michael “Spike” Szykowny, ESPN’s VP of edit and animation. This is the second year ESPN has done an alternate broadcast for an NFL game. It used the characters from “Toy Story” for last year’s Sunday morning game from London between the Atlanta Falcons and Jacksonville Jaguars. “The Simpsons” has featured many sports-themed episodes during its 35 seasons. Even though “Homer at the Bat” remains the consensus favorite sports episode for many Simpsons fans, there have been football ones such as “Bart Star” and “Lisa The Greek.” There also was a Super Bowl-themed one after Fox’s broadcast of Super Bowl 33 between Denver and Atlanta in 1999. Even though “The Simpsons” remains a staple on Fox’s prime-time schedule, it is part of the Disney family after their acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019. All 35 seasons are on Disney+. The show’s creators have worked with ESPN and the NFL to make sure the look and sound is definitely Simpsonsesque. The theme song is a mash-up of “The Simpsons” opening and “Monday Night Football’s” iconic “Heavy Action.” There have also been pre-recorded skits and bits to use during the broadcast featuring Simpson’s legendary voices Hank Azaria, Nancy Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, and Yeardley Smith. The telecast will be entirely animated, with the players’ movements in sync with what is happening in real-time on the field. That is done through player-tracking data enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats system and Sony’s Beyond Sports Technology. While Next Gen Stats tracks where players are on the field with a tracking chip in the shoulder pads, there is skeletal data tracking and limb tracking data — which uses 29 points per player — to get closer to the player’s movements. The other data tracking will allow Beyond Sports and Disney to add special characters to the game. For example, there might be a play where Lisa catches the ball and goes 30 yards instead of Cincinnati’s Tee Higgins. “Lisa is much smaller than the rest of the players. So, in real life, the ball would go over her head, but now, with data processing, we can take the ball and make it go exactly into her hands. So for the viewer, it still looks believable, and it all makes sense,” said Beyond Sports co-founder Nicolaas Westerhof. The other major challenge is making “The Simpsons” two-dimensional cartoon characters into 3-D simulations. Szykowny and his team worked to make that a reality over the past couple of months. “That’s a big leap of faith for them to say, hey, we trust you to make our characters 3-D and work with it. Our ESPN creative studio team has done a wonderful job,” Szykowny said. Lisa, Krusty, Nelson, Milhouse and Ralph will be with Bart and the Bengals; while Carl, Barney, Lenny and Moe join up with with Homer and the Cowboys. The broadcast will also feature ESPN personalities Stephen A. Smith, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning. ESPN’s Drew Carter, Mina Kimes and Dan Orlovsky will call the game from Bristol, Connecticut, and also be animated. They will wear Meta Quest Pro headsets to experience the game from Springfield using VR technology. For Kimes, being part of the broadcast and being an animated Simpsons character is a dream come true. She is a massive fan of the show and has a framed photo of Lisa Simpson — who she said is a personal hero and icon — as part of her backdrop when she makes appearances on ESPN NFL shows from her home in Los Angeles. “I didn’t have any input, and I didn’t see anything beforehand, so I wasn’t sure if it would look like me, but it kind of does, which is very funny,” said Kimes, who drew Simpsons characters when she was a kid. “To see the actual staff turn me into one was a dream.” Even though the Bengals (4-8) and Cowboys (5-7) have struggled this season, Selman thinks both teams have personalities that appeal to “The Simpsons” universe. “We were just so lucky also that the Cowboys are sort of like a Homer Simpson-type team, American team, and Mike McCarthy might be a Homer-type guy, one might imagine,” he said. ”And then you have Joe Burrow on the other side who is a cool young, spiky-haired, blonde bad boy -- he’s like Bart. And that fits our character archetypes so perfectly. “If Homer is mad at Bart and has a hot dog dream while watching ’Monday Night Football’, and then it’s basically McCarthy versus Burrow, Homer versus Bart, and that’s the simple father versus son strangling — Homer strangling Bart dynamic that has been part of the show for 35 years. I don’t know if that would have worked as well if it was like Titans versus Jacksonville. We would have found something. We would have made it work.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Labor has lashed Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's timing on releasing the costings of his nuclear power policy, as well as hitting back at the Coalition for sourcing a third-party quote on the Albanese government's own renewables transition plan. Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt told Sky News Mr Dutton had not revealed the costings of his nuclear plan because it “doesn’t stand up to scrutiny”. Mr Watt chastised the Opposition Leader's timing and questioned his faith in his own plan considering how much time has passed since announcing the policy proposal in June. “I think we'd all be interested to see when on Christmas Eve, when everyone's packing up for holidays, Peter Dutton finally slinks out with his costings and his nuclear policy," Mr Watt told Sky News political editor Andrew Clennell on Sunday Agenda. “There's a reason that he hasn't been prepared to put it out. “He knows in his heart it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.” Speaking to Sky News earlier on Sunday morning, Mr Dutton said the Coalition has stuck to a "very deliberate process" of drip-feeding information about its plan to ensure the Australian public could consume and understand the proposal. "We'll release the costings this week," Mr Dutton told Clennell. Mr Watt said if Mr Dutton was “actually proud” of his policy, the details of the Coalition’s nuclear plan would have been made available “some time ago”. When asked about a Frontier Economics estimate on the Albanese government’s renewable costings, Mr Watt said he would leave it to Australians to judge. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) estimated it would cost $122 billion to decarbonise the Australian government by 2050, while Frontier Economics concluded in its report on relative costs of nuclear power there was a $500 billion disparity in AEMO’s estimates. “When considering the costs of the energy transition, it is important to include the costs of transmission transparently with the generation costs rather than treating it as sunk,” the Frontier Economics report said. “By way of example, not including the cost of emissions, under AEMO’s Step Change, the sum of the real costs of the electricity supply options are $580 billion. “At the very least, a further $62 billion should be added to these costs, bringing the total costs of the electricity sector transition to $642 billion, not including the cost of emissions and not including the costs of consumer energy resources.” In response to the Frontier Economics report, Mr Watt said, “I'll leave it for Australians to make their judgement about whether they're prepared to believe an independent agency of government, which has costed the renewables rollout at a bit over $100 billion versus a consultant that Mr Dutton is paying who says it's a lot more.” “Every nuclear reactor that we have seen delivered around the world in recent years has not only cost an enormous amount of money, but it's blown out in cost and been significantly delayed. “It is not an answer for the energy needs of Australia and it will actually just drive prices up.Tizeti deepens access with FreeFiber broadband
Overcoming some controversy, No. 7-ranked nationally (On3.com) Bradley Central turned its toughest challenge so far this season into another runaway win, knocking off fellow 2024 TSSAA State Tournament participant Lincoln County Saturday afternoon in the Bearette Thanksgiving Challenge, at Jim Smiddy Arena. Breaking open a four-point difference in the opening minute of the second half, "Papa Bear" Jason Reuter's squad went on a 24-2, seven-minute hot streak to break the game open on their way to a 62-35 blowout. "Lincoln's got a good team, I think returning every starter from last year's state tournament team," commented the veteran Bradley mentor. "We weathered the storm and outscored them by 15 in the third quarter and that was the ball game. "We held them to 18 points in the first half and I told the girls at halftime if we do that again in the second half we're going to win big, and we held them to 17. "We'll take it an move on. We've got one day to prepare to get ready to face a back-to-back state champion and then Cleveland on Friday, over there" he related. Bradley opened the two-day, five team event with an 84-33 blow out of private-school powerhouse Ensworth. Having five state tournament qualifiers in their first half dozen games, the Bearettes (4-0) head to Knoxville Tuesday for a battle of two-time defending state DII-AA champion Knox Catholic (5-1). The Lady Irish opened the campaign with four straight wins before falling to McMinn Central 63-39 Friday in the Farragut Thanksgiving Tournament. Continuing to start the season with an extremely tough schedule, Bradley will travel across town Friday to battle archrival and unbeaten Cleveland (6-0). The Lady Raiders are not only coming off a Class 4A Final Four run last season, but winning the Silverdale Thanksgiving Invitational earlier this week, despite missing a pair of key starters. In Saturday's other two game at the Bearette Thanksgiving Classic, 2024 TSSAA state semifinalist Coffee County came to town for a pair of wins over Ensworth (90-54) and Stewarts Creek (58-28). On Friday, Stewarts Creek (4-3) got past Lincoln County 54-44. After the teams evenly split the game's opening eight points, the Bearettes closed out the first frame with the final dozen markers for a 10-point (16-6) edge. Lincoln County (2-2) fought back to take the second quarter by a 12-9 margin to loser the deficit to single digits (25-17) at the intermission. Abby Bryan, who led all scorers with 19 points, netted a 3-ball and a free throw in the first 57 seconds of the third period, before the hosts flexed their muscles for 20 straight points over the final seven minutes of the period, pushing the difference back to 22 points (45-23). Bryan once again led the girls from Fayetteville in a short rally, netting the first eight points for thee visitors, but Arkansas signee Harmonie Ware countered the run with back-to-back fast break buckets off steals and assists by Walter State-bound Malia Wilcox. Wilcox then sparked 13-3 streak with her second long-range bomb of the day as the Bearette "D" held Lincoln County to just a trio of free throws in the final five minutes. Ware paced Bradley with 17 points, hitting 6-fo-10 shots from the field, plus 4-for-5 at the free throw line, while grabbing a half dozen rebounds. Samford-bound Avary Brewer helped out with a trio of treys in her 13 points, plus she copped three steals and dished a pair of assists. Kennesaw State signee Tatianna Stovall posted a double-double for the victors with 10 points and 11 rebounds, plus she handed out four "dimes," swiped a pair of thefts and "swatted" two Lincoln County shot attempts. Netting just a half dozen points, 2024 Miss Tennessee Basketball finalist Kimora Fields was limited to just 14:33 on playing time after picking up two quick fouls early in the contest. "We have to overcome a little adversity with Kimora getting into foul trouble, but we've practice for that and we did a good job of compensating," assessed Coach Reuter. "It was good to see us face the adversity and still come away with a 27-point win." Along with Bryan's 19, Lincoln County got 10 points from Molly Brown to account for more then 82.6% of its scoring. Another match up of top teams turned into a one-sided affair Friday as Bradley completely dominated private-school powerhouse Ensworth. The Bearettes handed the Lady Tigers, which have played in a dozen state title games since the school's inception in 2002, the worst defeat in program history with an 84-33 mauling. Before the 51-point defeat, Ensworth, which has played in 16 TSSAA DII state tournaments, winning seven and finishing runner-up five times, in 22 seasons, previous worst defeat was to archrival Brentwood Academy, by a 62-25 margin (37) in January of 2015. Bradley set the tone right off the bat with a fastbreak bucket by Class of 2026 top state recruit Fields off an opening tip assist Stovall. The Bearettes quickly added two more fast breaks off steals by Brewer and Ware, forcing the visitors to call a timeout. The brief break didn't slow down Bradley as it roared out to an 18-0 edge before the girls from Nashville finally found the bottom of the bucket on a NBA-range 3-pointer by Jillian Sanderson five minutes into the game. The Bearettes responded with the next 10 points for a 28-3 edge at the first horn, the majority of which came off their eight steals in the period. The onslaught continued with a 17-2 Bearette run to open the second frame to push the advantage to 40 points before the teams traded the final 18 points, with the hosts going into the halftime locker room with a 53-15 edge. Ensworth came out of the intermission to net two of the first three baskets, but by the end of the third frame they difference had grown to 75-25 on a banked in buzzer-beating 3-pointer from the top of the key by Fields. With the "running clock" in affect for the final eight minutes, Bradley added just a point to the lead with a 9-8 period. Fields led the attack, connecting on 10-of-15 shots from the field, including both her long-range attempts, plus went 10-for-14 at the foul line on her way to 32 points. The 6-foot junior also pulled down 11 rebounds for a double-double, plus swiped seven steals, handed out a trio of assists and blocked a pair of shots. Ware went 9-for-10 on two-point attempts and 3-of-5 at the stripe for 21 points to go with four caroms, four thefts and a couple of helps. Stovall tallied 14 markers, seven ricochets, five "dimes" and a pair of steals. Brewer overcame some struggles from the field (4-of-11) to post eight points while grabbing five boards. Senior Love Howard came off the bench for seven points, an assist, a steal and a block. Wilcox copped a half dozen thefts, handed out four assists and snatched a trio of caroms. Although Bradley hit just 4-of-19 (21.1%) from long range, the hosts shot 56% (28-for-50) from inside the arc, plus 16-of-23 (69.6%) free throws. Forcing 33 Ensworth turnovers, the Bearettes turned them into 45 points, while holding the Lady Tigers to just 36 shots, of which they made just 12 (33.3%). The visitors also went to the foul line just seven times, sinking three. The hosts won the backboard battle 37-30 and as well as holding a 48-6 edge in scoring in the paint. The Bearettes also handed out 20 assists on 32 made shots. Bradley did most of its damage Saturday in 28-4 opening period run at Lebanon before increasing the difference by seven points over the final three frames. Ware led the Bearette attack with 15 points, sinking 7-of-10 shots from the field, plus she dished off four helps. Wilcox stepped up with a trio of treys on her way to 11 points, seven steals, six assists, five boards and a blocked shot. Stovall collected 10 markers, a half dozen ricochets, six helps and a couple of steals. While Fields hit just 4-of-7 shots on her way only nine points, she had half dozen rebounds, five thefts and a trio of assists. Brewer aded eight markers and a pair of thefts, while Howard drilled a couple of shots from long range for a half dozen points. Bradley hit half of its 34 shots from inside the arc, plus went 6-for-16 (37.5) beyond it.CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — RJ Johnson scored 23 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, Daylen Berry added two clutch free throws and Charleston Southern surprised Miami 83-79 on Saturday. The Buccaneers led for the last four minutes of the first half and deep into the second half before a 3-pointer from Austin Swartz gave Miami a 76-75 lead with 3 minutes left in the game. A three-point play by Lynn Kidd gave the Hurricanes a 79-75 lead with 2:11 remaining. Berry hit a 3-pointer to make it 79-78 and Johnson followed with a 3 that gave the Buccaneers an 81-79 lead. Kidd missed in the paint for Miami but came up with a steal a few seconds later. With 15 seconds left, Swartz missed a 3-pointer and the Buccaneers rebounded. Miami put Berry on the line and he made both free throws for a four-point lead with 11 seconds remaining. Miami's Jalen Blackmon missed a 3-pointer with 8 seconds left, the Hurricanes' A.J. Staton-McCray grabbed the rebound and he missed a 3 as time ran out. Taje Kelly had 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for the Buccaneers (2-7), who snapped a five-game losing streak and defeated a Division I opponent for the first-time this season. Thompson Camara made five 3-pointers and scored 21. Brandon Johnson made six 3-pointers and scored 23 for Miami (3-4). Swartz scored 15 points off the bench and Staton-McCray had 13 points. ___ 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
Organisers of the popular Tynemouth Market have been unable to confirm whether it can go ahead on Sunday due to continuing concerns about the weather. The weekend market in North Tyneside , which attracts huge numbers of visitors year-round, was cancelled on Saturday because of Storm Darragh. And it was just one of several events across the region to be called off following the latest weather forecast and its predictions of high winds and rain lashing the region . Now, with weather updates extending the yellow warnings for wind and rain into Sunday, there are also concerns over Sunday's plans. Tynemouth Market updated its Facebook page on Saturday to explain that no decision can yet be made for the next day. Its post read: "Market cancelled today. Sorry No decision can be made about Sunday until tomorrow morning." Among those commenting was one who had heard it is "blowing a hooley right through the market" and said that Saturday's cancellation was "a good call", adding "even though we’re all gutted". Another called it a wise decision given the market has a glass roof and one noted: "It's a very hard decision to make. The management respect that traders have bought stock and food producers have made perishable products. "They have to see what direction the wind is hitting the market etc. Cancelling is very very rare but on this occasion it needed to be done." Among the comments was one man apparently taking the weather in his stride, writing that "due to weather" Wetherspoon's "seemed appropriate". And one wrote: "Better safe than sorry. Hope Sunday has a better forecast." Some pointed out that this would be their last chance of trading until January. Tynemouth Market is expected to update its plans on Facebook on Sunday morning. As previously reported , several other events across the region have fallen victim to Storm Darragh , despite the west being hardest hit, and Saturday's closures have included North Shields Christmas Market as well as major visitor attractions such as Beamish Museum and The Alnwick Garden. Join our Things To Do community for all the latest news What's On news sent direct to your phone. To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is click on the link and press 'join community' . No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice . CLICK HERE TO JOINReport: Apple Aims to Increase Siri’s Capabilities With Advanced LLMsA drone, a plane or something else? Here’s how to identify what’s flying above you
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