Sherpao calls for dialogue amid political crisis PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Monday called for holding a grand national dialogue to address the worsening political and security crises. In a statement, he warned that the ongoing political unrest had reached an alarming level. He added PTI protest and the effort to counter it was costing the country approximately Rs200 billion daily. Sherpao feared that if this situation continued, the government would be forced to seek additional loans from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under harsher conditions. This, he stated, would not only deal a severe blow to the national economy but also exacerbate inflation, pushing the people further into deeper poverty and starvation. The QWP leader criticized the ongoing confrontation between federal and provincial governments, calling it detrimental to national interests.He said the confrontation had economically paralyzed the country. Sherpao lamented that the federal government had sidelined pressing national issues, including inflation, unemployment, and deteriorating law and order and was focusing on suppressing the PTI protests. “The provincial government has also devoted its resources to ensuring the success of the protests and securing the release of former prime minister Imran Khan,” he said.Sherpao expressed concern over the alarming security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in the southern districts. He also referred to the violence in the Kurram tribal district, where dozens of innocent lives have been lost. He stressed that these challenges necessitated immediate and inclusive dialogue among all political stakeholders to bring stability. “The ongoing crisis has sidelined critical national issues and compounded the sufferings of the people. A grand national dialogue is imperative to restore political stability and address the pressing economic and security challenges facing the country,” he added.A map shows activity by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, including a balloon, in the 24 hours that ended at 6am yesterday.Photo courtesy of the Ministry of National Defense ‘GRAY ZONE’ TACTICS:China continues to build up its military capacity while regularly deploying jets and warships around Taiwan, with the latest balloon spotted on Sunday / AFP, TOKYO, TAIPEI The US is drawing up contingency plans for military deployments in Japan and the Philippines in case of a Taiwan emergency, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported. They would be incorporated in a first joint operation plan to be formulated in December, Kyodo reported late on Sunday, citing sources familiar with Japan-US relations. A US Marine Corps regiment that possesses High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems — a light multiple rocket launcher — would be deployed along the Nansei Island chain stretching from Kyushu to Yonaguni near Taiwan, Kyodo said. According to US military guidelines for dispatching marines in small formations to several locations, if a Taiwan contingency becomes imminent, temporary bases would be set up on inhabited islands, the report added. Japan’s military is expected to mainly provide logistical support for the US marine unit, including supplying fuel and ammunition, it said. The US Army would also deploy Multi-Domain Task Force long-range fire units in the Philippines, Kyodo said. The defense ministries of Japan and the Philippines were not immediately available for comment. The US embassy in Manila declined to comment. Asked about the report yesterday, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Taiwan is an “inalienable part of China’s territory.” “China firmly opposes relevant countries using the Taiwan issue as an excuse to strengthen regional military deployment, provoke tension and confrontation, and damage regional peace and stability,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Mao Ning (毛寧) said. China is building up its military capacity while ramping up pressure on Taiwan. Meanwhile, Washington has been strengthening alliances in the region and infuriating Beijing with regular deployments of ships and fighter jets in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. In other developments, Taiwan yesterday said it had detected a Chinese balloon over waters northwest of the nation, the first such sighting since April. China regularly deploys fighter jets, drones and warships around Taiwan, and occasionally balloons, as it keeps up military pressure. The latest balloon was spotted at 6:21pm on Sunday, about 111km northwest of Keelung at an altitude of 10,058m, the Ministry of National Defense said. It entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone and disappeared at 8:15pm, the ministry said. Twelve Chinese military aircraft and seven warships were also detected around the nation in the 24 hours to 6am yesterday, it added. The ministry releases daily data on China’s military presence around Taiwan. In the run-up to the January presidential election, balloons crossed the sensitive waters separating Taiwan and China day and night, with some floating above the nation. Taipei has described the balloons as a form of “gray zone” harassment — a tactic that falls short of an act of war. China has previously brushed off allegations that it sends balloons over Taiwan, accusing Taipei of trying to raise tensions. Asked about the balloon yesterday, Mao told reporters: “First of all, Taiwan does not have a ‘defense ministry.’ Furthermore, the question you asked is not a diplomatic one.” Balloons from China became a politically fraught topic early last year when the US shot down what it called a spy balloon. The huge balloon, which carried a large payload of electronics, flew over sensitive US military installations and prompted concerns Beijing was scooping up vital intelligence. Beijing has said it was a civilian airship blown off-course. 新聞來源: TAIPEI TIMES 不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎 點我下載APP 按我看活動辦法ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In losing Sunday’s battle with the Buffalo Bills, perhaps the best team in football, Jerod Mayo won the war. Best I can tell, he’s staying put. For 2025, and maybe beyond. To his angry fan base and incredulous pockets of the New England Patriots’ media corps, remember Mayo’s future doesn’t hinge on winning this season. It’s not about what you want, or what I think. It’s about the Krafts, who hand-picked Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick four and a half years before he actually did, believing in him, and finding reasons to maintain that belief. In the eyes of someone who wants to believe, Sunday supplied enough reason. The Patriots led at halftime, then lost by three as 14-point underdogs. They became the first team since mid-October to hold the Bills under 30 points. Drake Maye outplayed the next MVP of the league for most of the game and took another step toward his destiny as a franchise quarterback, If that sounds like a low bar, that’s because it is. Such is life in Year 1 of a rebuild, a multi-year process ownership has committed to seeing through to the end with their organizational pillars now in place: Mayo, Maye and de facto GM Eliot Wolf. As frustrating as this 3-12 campaign has been, there are always nuggets of optimism amid the rubble of a losing season; particularly if you want to find them. The Krafts do, and so does Maye, who loves his head coach, by the way; calling questions about Mayo’s job security “BS.” “We’ve got his back,” Maye said post-game. Maye’s voice matters. Certainly more than any number of fans or media members. Ever since media-fueled speculation that Mayo could get canned at the end of his first season began rising, the caveat has always been the same: if, a Gillette Stadium-sized “if,” the Patriots bomb atomically down the stretch, ownership could pull the plug on Mayo. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport became the latest to join that chorus Sunday with this pregame report: “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo,” he said. “They believe he is the leader for the organization for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right. Now if things go off the rails, if they really start to struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season, we’ve seen this thing turn. “But as of now, the Patriots believe Jerod Mayo is their leader for the future.” Well, Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room. That’s a fact. To a man, both in public and from those I’ve spoken to in private, Patriots players believe in their head coach. Mayo might be a players’ coach, yes, in the best and worst senses. But the Patriots were a few plays away Sunday from pulling off their largest upset since Super Bowl XXXVI. “I think we’re building something good,” Maye said. The Patriots also played their best half of football this season against their toughest opponent yet. Another fact. Now, to the frustrated, I am with you. To the shocked, I understand. But to the trigger-happy, lay down your arms. Mayo, by all accounts, is returning in 2025. Alex Van Pelt, however, is another story. In the same vein that the Krafts could have viewed Sunday’s performance as a reason to save Mayo — despite his pathetic punt at midfield, down 10 with just eight and a half minutes left — they could have convinced themselves their offensive coordinator is the real problem. After all, team president Jonathan Kraft was visibly exasperated over Van Pelt’s play-calling during the Pats’ loss at Arizona a week earlier. Four days later, Van Pelt told reporters he had yet to hear from his boss. Well, that time may be coming. Trailing by three in the fourth quarter Sunday, Van Pelt called a pass that resulted in an unnecessary lateral and game-winning touchdown for Buffalo. His offense later operated like it was taking a Sunday drive with the game on the line, using up 3:16 of the final 4:19 en route to its final touchdown. Van Pelt, finally, weaponized Maye’s legs in critical situations, something that arguably should have been done weeks ago. Not to mention, Van Pelt’s top running back can’t stop fumbling, and the offensive line remains a hot mess. Call him Alex Van Fall Guy. Because Van Pelt’s offense, for the first time in a while, under-performed relative to Mayo’s defense. On merit, he deserves to stay; a case that’s harder to make for defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. But it’s not about merit this season. It’s not about what you want. It’s not about what I think. It’s about the Krafts; what they see, what they want, what they believe. Even in defeat. ____ Sent weekly directly to your inbox!starbet777 withdrawal 。

Aaron Judge wins second AL MVP in 3 seasons. Shohei Ohtani expected to win NL honor 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 led the major leagues with 58 homers, 144 RBIs and 133 walks while hitting .322. Alex Ovechkin is expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks with a broken left leg Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks. The Washington Capitals confirmed Ovechkin’s injury and prognosis Thursday after he was evaluated by doctors upon the teams’ return from a three-game road trip. This prolonged absence puts a pause on Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record. He scored 15 goals in his first 18 games this season to move just 27 away of passing Gretzky. Ovechkin was on pace to break the record in February before his shin-on-shin collision with Utah’s Jack McBain on Monday night. NFL issues security alert to teams and the players' union following recent burglaries The NFL has issued a security alert to teams and the players’ union following recent burglaries involving the homes of Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. In a memo obtained by The Associated Press, the league says homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become “increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups.” Law enforcement officials noted these groups target the homes on days the athletes have games. Players were told to take precautions and implement home security measures to reduce the risk of being targeted. Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets. QB Daniel Jones disagrees with the Giants' decision to bench him and says he wants to play EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — With tears occasionally welling in his eyes, Daniel Jones disagreed on Thursday with the New York Giants' decision to bench him earlier this week and perhaps end his five-plus tenure as the team’s quarterback. The 27-year-old Jones said he gave the team everything he had after being taken sixth overall in the 2019 draft and he believes he still has a future in the NFL. He held himself accountable for the Giants making the playoffs once in his tenure as the starter. Guardiola signs a 2-year contract extension at Man City and eyes 'more trophies' MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking time with Manchester City is far from over. The City manager has signed a two-year contract extension ending speculation about his future by agreeing to a deal that would prolong his tenure to 11 seasons. Guardiola’s contract was due to expire at the end of this season. The four-time defending Premier League champions announced the deal Thursday. The Catalan coach has overseen a period of unprecedented dominance since joining City in 2016. He has gone on to win six Premier League titles in seven years and also lifted the Champions League among 15 major trophies at the club. Narin An leads with a 64 in the wind as Nelly Korda struggles in LPGA finale NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Narin An is the surprise first-round leader at the richest-paying event on the LPGA Tour. The South Korean played bogey-free for a 64 in the CME Group Tour Championship. That gives An a one-shot lead over Angel Yin. As for Nelly Korda, she has some work to do. Coming off her seventh victory of the season last week, Korda could only manage an even-par 72. That leaves her needing to make up eight shots over the next three rounds. At stake if a $4 million payoff to the winner. Lydia Ko was among those three shots off the lead. Jannik Sinner leads Italy back to the Davis Cup semifinals and a rematch against Australia MALAGA, Spain (AP) — No. 1-ranked Jannik Sinner has led defending champion Italy to a comeback victory over Argentina for a return to the Davis Cup semifinals. A rematch of last year's championship matchup against Australia now awaits in the final four on Saturday in Malaga, Spain. Italy fell behind 1-0 in the quarterfinals when Argentina's Francisco Cerúndolo defeated Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1. But two-time Grand Slam champion Sinner overwhelmed Sebastián Báez 6-2, 6-1. Then Sinner teamed with Matteo Berrettini in the deciding doubles match to win 6-4, 7-5 against Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez. Australia eliminated the U.S. to reach the Davis Cup semifinals for the third consecutive year. Drama surrounds final 3 races of F1 season as drivers voice displeasure with recent FIA decisions LAS VEGAS (AP) — There’s three races remaining in the Formula 1 season and Max Verstappen is inching so close to a fourth consecutive world championship he could wrap it up Saturday night at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. But all is not smooth sailing headed into this final month of racing. There’s a new race director following the shock sacking of Niels Wittich that blindsided the Grand Prix Driver’s Association so badly they created an Instagram account to rebuke the lack of FIA transparency. It’s the lone post on the account. Greg Maffei, the CEO of Liberty Media said last week he was stepping down from his position and F1 furiously denied over the weekend that Stefano Domenicali, CEO of Formula One Management, was also on the move. Colorado's 2-way star Travis Hunter eyes Big 12 title and more before 'for sure' entering NFL draft DENVER (AP) — Travis Hunter made a pair of proclamations when he announced he’s for sure turning pro after this season, but not until he sees Colorado all the way through the College Football Playoff should the Buffaloes make it there. The first was a given for the junior who plays both receiver and cornerback. The second is a risk-reward play for a projected first-round draft pick who averages around 120 snaps a game. In years past, it took two extra postseason wins to capture a national title. Now, it could take up to four additional contests. That’s more of a chance to shine, but also more chance for an injury. 76ers' star Paul George sidelined the next 2 games with bone bruise in left knee PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has a bone bruise on his left knee and will miss two games, the team said. The 76ers said George did not suffer any structural damage when he injured the same knee that he hyperextended during the preseason in Wednesday night’s loss at Memphis. George will miss home games Friday against Brooklyn and Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. The team says George will be evaluated again on Monday.T hat one in eight young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training is a dismal statistic. Nearly a decade after the school-leaving age was raised to 18 in England (in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland it remains 16), and 25 years after Tony Blair aimed to have 50% of young people in higher education, Britain under the Tories went backwards. The problem of a shrinking workforce, and the rising benefits bill it entails, is not limited to young adults. The UK’s lack of a post-pandemic bounceback in employment is a concern in other age groups, particularly the over-50s. But the government is right to be alarmed by the phenomenon of young people emerging from 14 years of schooling unable to work or undertake training. Unemployment and long-term illness are not a great start to anyone’s adult life. So it makes sense that this week’s announcements about benefits will be directed at young claimants . The challenge for Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, is to convince them that finding work – or signing up for a course – serves their interests as well as the government’s. Years of harsh rhetoric around the benefits system and its working-age recipients have made this task far harder. Rather than a basic entitlement and a necessity – particularly for families with children, disabled people and those living in unaffordable housing – social security has been wrongly depicted, by politicians and others opposed to the welfare state, as a reward for doing nothing. If the new government intends to reduce the number of people on sickness or disability benefits from 2.8 million back to closer to the 2 million figure of five years ago, it needs to do this without coercion. As this column has argued often, one of the lessons of the past 14 years is that demoralising people is more likely to make them ill than productive. The lifting of the minimum wage announced in last month’s budget was a positive move. So was the pledge that the 16% increase in the lower hourly rate for workers aged 18-20 (from £8.60 to £10) will eventually lead to equalisation with older workers’ pay. Problems around working conditions , job insecurity and the lack of progression opportunities remain. But at least ministers recognise that if people are to be encouraged to work, then work must pay them enough to live on. The transformation of jobcentres into what Ms Kendall calls a “a genuine public employment service” is also welcome. A stronger emphasis on proactive advice should help more people find suitable roles. Linking jobcentres with other services is also constructive and in line with a health reform agenda that emphasises prevention, early intervention and co-working with councils and the voluntary sector. The limited nature of many of the jobs on offer is one problem Ms Kendall can’t solve. The government’s argument is that by investing in the health service, particularly in areas with the longest waiting lists , while also boosting the labour market, they can nudge the nation back towards a better overall state of health. The hope is that this, in turn, will foster the kind of economic development that creates more fulfilling opportunities and, eventually, lives. The proof, as always, will be in the pudding. But policies to incentivise employment were inevitable given the shifts of the past few years. As long as social and health support systems are in place, this approach is a reasonable one.

Big Tech is warming up to Trump — to gain what?Transportation Secretary told a gathering of young Democrats on Thursday not to be “mesmerized” by what takes place during Republican Donald Trump’s upcoming presidential term. “We cannot be mesmerized by the worst things that we see happening,” he told the group of elected officials in Washington, as . “We will be inclined to react with shock by some things which are done precisely with the intent of shocking us. We need to move very quickly through the shock.” Buttigieg, a 2020 presidential candidate and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, also called on his party to “figure out how to take online conversations offline at scale.” “While it is not obvious how to do that, that is something that through human history until about 15 years ago, we all did,” he said. “So we’re going to have ways to do that that might on some level be a return to form, but on other levels entail information environment work that is unfamiliar to people who have taken a free press in a democratic society for granted.” His suggestions are akin to those of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who that it will be important for Democrats to and engage in more direct, offline communication in the years ahead. At another point during Thursday’s event, Buttigieg Democrats might deal with performative Republican antics. As an example, he cited incoming Rep. Sarah McBride’s (D-Del.) of a transgender bathroom ban in the Capitol that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) this week. Earlier this month, McBride became the first out transgender person elected to Congress. McBride responded to the ban by saying: “I’m not here to fight about bathrooms. I’m here to fight for Delawareans and to bring down costs facing families.” Buttigieg said McBride’s response to Republicans “reminded everybody that they’re the ones who are worried about where other people go to the bathroom; she’s worried about how to make life more affordable for people who live in Delaware.” He argued that this put Republicans “on the defensive.” “Let the speaker of the House ... explain how, in a country that has crises ranging from the character of its democracy to the affordability of its housing, why he is spending one second of his time policing where one of his congressional colleagues gets to go to the bathroom,” Buttigieg added. It’s not clear what role Buttigieg, a rising star in the Democratic Party, will take on next, as his position in Joe Biden’s presidential administration is set to come to an end in January.

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No. 23 Alabama women beat Alabama State 83-33 at Emerald Coast Classic

Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug useNo. 23 Alabama women beat Alabama State 83-33 at Emerald Coast ClassicThe NBA decided to hit Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown with a $25,000 fine for making a throat-slash gesture Wednesday night after a dunk against the Detroit Pistons. Brown celebrated after making a wild dunk over Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart. Stewart was playing a physical and aggressive game and Brown responded. In the heat and intensity of the play, with 12 seconds left on the clock, the 28-year old made the throat-slashing gesture toward Stewart. And that’s all it takes to ruffle the feathers of the powers-that-be. Joe Dumars, NBA’s head of basketball operations, announced the $25,000 penalty two days after for what the league called an “inappropriate gesture,” according to ESPN. THIS ANGLE OF THE JAYLEN BROWN POSTER ON STEWART IS SO FUCKING COLD 🥶 @CelticsCLNS COOKING 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cp5STgasai — CELTICS ☘️ BANNER 19 (@BiggLynch) December 5, 2024 The hefty fine is a bit excessive given the circumstances and simply takes the focus off the sport by putting it on to the corporate policies that govern the game. The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/rRG7JTlXme — NBA Communications (@NBAPR) December 6, 2024 Brown didn’t seem too surprised. He spoke to the press after the game and acknowledged that he knew would be held accountable by them. Celtics’ Jaylen Brown has been fined $25,000 for throat slash gesture toward Isaiah Stewart on Wednesday. — Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 6, 2024 If the NBA isn’t expecting their players to hit the court with fire and ferociousness, they have underestimated the passion they have for the sport. The gesture wasn’t an ideal one, a penalty was expected and they’re not exactly making Brown suffer, given he agreed to a $304 million deal with the Celtics in 2023. (RELATED: Jontay Porter Facing Potential Lifetime Ban From NBA After Allegedly Committing ‘Cardinal Sin’ Of Betting On Games)ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In losing Sunday’s battle with the Buffalo Bills, perhaps the best team in football, Jerod Mayo won the war. Best I can tell, he’s staying put. For 2025, and maybe beyond. To his angry fan base and incredulous pockets of the New England Patriots’ media corps, remember Mayo’s future doesn’t hinge on winning this season. It’s not about what you want, or what I think. It’s about the Krafts, who hand-picked Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick four and a half years before he actually did, believing in him, and finding reasons to maintain that belief. In the eyes of someone who wants to believe, Sunday supplied enough reason. The Patriots led at halftime, then lost by three as 14-point underdogs. They became the first team since mid-October to hold the Bills under 30 points. Drake Maye outplayed the next MVP of the league for most of the game and took another step toward his destiny as a franchise quarterback, If that sounds like a low bar, that’s because it is. Such is life in Year 1 of a rebuild, a multi-year process ownership has committed to seeing through to the end with their organizational pillars now in place: Mayo, Maye and de facto GM Eliot Wolf. As frustrating as this 3-12 campaign has been, there are always nuggets of optimism amid the rubble of a losing season; particularly if you want to find them. The Krafts do, and so does Maye, who loves his head coach, by the way; calling questions about Mayo’s job security “BS.” “We’ve got his back,” Maye said post-game. Maye’s voice matters. Certainly more than any number of fans or media members. Ever since media-fueled speculation that Mayo could get canned at the end of his first season began rising, the caveat has always been the same: if, a Gillette Stadium-sized “if,” the Patriots bomb atomically down the stretch, ownership could pull the plug on Mayo. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport became the latest to join that chorus Sunday with this pregame report: “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo,” he said. “They believe he is the leader for the organization for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right. Now if things go off the rails, if they really start to struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season, we’ve seen this thing turn. “But as of now, the Patriots believe Jerod Mayo is their leader for the future.” Well, Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room. That’s a fact. To a man, both in public and from those I’ve spoken to in private, Patriots players believe in their head coach. Mayo might be a players’ coach, yes, in the best and worst senses. But the Patriots were a few plays away Sunday from pulling off their largest upset since Super Bowl XXXVI. “I think we’re building something good,” Maye said. The Patriots also played their best half of football this season against their toughest opponent yet. Another fact. Now, to the frustrated, I am with you. To the shocked, I understand. But to the trigger-happy, lay down your arms. Mayo, by all accounts, is returning in 2025. Alex Van Pelt, however, is another story. In the same vein that the Krafts could have viewed Sunday’s performance as a reason to save Mayo — despite his pathetic punt at midfield, down 10 with just eight and a half minutes left — they could have convinced themselves their offensive coordinator is the real problem. After all, team president Jonathan Kraft was visibly exasperated over Van Pelt’s play-calling during the Pats’ loss at Arizona a week earlier. Four days later, Van Pelt told reporters he had yet to hear from his boss. Well, that time may be coming. Trailing by three in the fourth quarter Sunday, Van Pelt called a pass that resulted in an unnecessary lateral and game-winning touchdown for Buffalo. His offense later operated like it was taking a Sunday drive with the game on the line, using up 3:16 of the final 4:19 en route to its final touchdown. Van Pelt, finally, weaponized Maye’s legs in critical situations, something that arguably should have been done weeks ago. Not to mention, Van Pelt’s top running back can’t stop fumbling, and the offensive line remains a hot mess. Call him Alex Van Fall Guy. Because Van Pelt’s offense, for the first time in a while, under-performed relative to Mayo’s defense. On merit, he deserves to stay; a case that’s harder to make for defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. But it’s not about merit this season. It’s not about what you want. It’s not about what I think. It’s about the Krafts; what they see, what they want, what they believe. Even in defeat. ____ Sent weekly directly to your inbox!

I'M A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! star Jane Moore has taken on her first Bushtucker Trial - and managed to keep her cool. The Sun columnist, 62, joined all the campmates for the nail-biting challenge, which fell on the evening of Maura Higgins' 34th birthday. But while most of them screamed in terror, Jane managed to stay calm and even comforted her Loose Women co-star GK Barry. Called The Fright Bus, the Bushtucker Trial was dropped on all the celebs as they finished eating their dinner around the camp fire. Moments earlier, they were seen discussing why the lights were still on in the jungle. GK Barry said: "Predictions... I think we're going to have songs, a little boogy and a bit of birthday cake." Tulisa added: "They're not going to do something negative for Maura's birthday. It's only going to be a treat." But Danny read a laminate to the group: “Tonight, you will all have the chance to win treats. "However, to be in with a chance of winning, you will all need to take a trip on The Fright Bus!” Each campmate was handed a ticket before being told to go and stand by a bus stop in the jungle. Jane told her campmates: "I think there's going to be extra passengers..." The doors then opened and the celebs began filing on, with Jane being left at the front with GK - aka Grace - and Oti Mabuse. "Front row, front row!" she exclaimed. "The seat that everybody wants!" The challenge was simple: the campmates had to endure the bus and work within their rows of three to escape it, passing four stops on its journey. To do this, each row would wait until their stop to manoeuvre three tokens across the bar to the stop button as fast as they could. Every token won, would equate to one piece of luggage. As the gang were told to put their safety goggles on, GK told Jane: "Oh my God, I'm so on edge!" But tapping her knees in anticipation, Jane simply nudged her and replied: "No, come on, we can do this!" She then gently rested her head on GK's shoulder before the task really got going, while wishing everyone luck. Extremely shrill screams is all that could then be heard as creepy crawlies and critters began falling from the roof of the bus onto its famous passengers. In a first for this series, the Bushtucker Trial ended on a major cliffhanger as hosts Ant and Dec revealed the rest of it would be shown in Tuesday night's episode. However, on spin-off show I'm A Celebrity: Unpacked, it was revealed that the nightmare is not yet over for Jane. i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher. Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth." Together with Maura, Jane will also be taking on the next Bushtucker Trial; Fright At The End Of The Tunnel. The underwater challenge will require the ladies to be "trapped in a pair of petrifying pipelines" with critters waiting for them. They will then have to complete words and crack locks to win stars - aka meals - for camp. Big Brother host Will Best , who is this week's celebrity panellist on Unpacked, only had positive words for Jane. He told presenter Joel Dommett: "I feel like she is going to be stoic and get through it."

Skier Lindsey Vonn looks on after a training run at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Copper Mountain, Colo., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Skier Lindsey Vonn takes a training run at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Copper Mountain, Colo., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Skier Lindsey Vonn takes a training run at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Copper Mountain, Colo., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Skier Lindsey Vonn reacts after a training run at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Copper Mountain, Colo., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Skier Lindsey Vonn takes a drink after a training run at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Copper Mountain, Colo., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Lindsey Vonn, right, pets her dog Lucy with fellow skiers after a training session at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Copper Mountain, Colo., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) Skier Lindsey Vonn looks on after a training run at Copper Mountain Ski Resort in Copper Mountain, Colo., Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) By PAT GRAHAM COPPER MOUNTAIN, Colo. (AP) — Word on the mountain has it that Lindsey Vonn is still fast through a downhill course, even at 40 years old. Maybe even challenge-for-downhill-wins fast. On a frigid Friday morning, Vonn darted through the shadows along the speed course at Copper Mountain and through the mist created by the snow makers. There was no clock at the bottom of the hill to measure just how speedy she was as she makes a comeback to skiing nearly six years removed from her last race. But she certainly looked the part of fast by dropping into a tuck position to become more aerodynamic, and even banging through a few gates on several high-speed runs. Vonn plans to enter a series of lower-tier FIS downhill and super-G races this weekend at Copper Mountain in an effort to gain the necessary results to lower her ranking so she can possibly enter World Cup races this season under a new wild-card rule. It could be the first step toward seeing her on the World Cup circuit again, maybe even on the podium. “I honestly think she will win,” retired ski racer Ted Ligety said in an interview with The Associated Press. “From what I’ve heard, she’s been kicking (butt) and been really fast in training. Some of the women on the World Cup are going to be rudely awakened to have to compete against a Lindsey Vonn again.” Vonn declined to talk after her practice session Friday. She chatted with several racers on the hill and again inside the lodge, where her dog, Lucy, became the center of attention. In a post Friday afternoon on Instagram, Vonn wrote : “Happy to be able to take another step this weekend! Technically tomorrow will be my first race but I’m using it as a training opportunity to keep on building. ... It’s been 6 years since I last raced so I still have a lot of equipment to test, finding my groove and really getting into racing form. I am having a lot of fun and want to keep on doing so!” When she left the sport, Vonn’s 82 World Cup race victories stood as the record for a woman and within reach of the all-time Alpine record of 86 held by Swedish great Ingemar Stenmark. The women’s mark held by Vonn was surpassed in January 2023 by Mikaela Shiffrin, who now has 99 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport. Shiffrin is currently sidelined after a crash in a giant slalom event in Killington, Vermont, last weekend. The next World Cup races for the women’s circuit will be held in a week in nearby Beaver Creek, Colorado. There’s no timeframe for Vonn’s return to racing. Vonn’s last competition was in February 2019, when she finished third in a downhill during the world championships in Sweden. In a lot of ways, the three-time Olympic medalist stepped away still near the top of her game. But the broken arms and legs, concussions and torn knee ligaments took too big a toll and sent her into retirement. Last April, she had surgery for a partial knee replacement. She felt good enough to give it another go. Ligety, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, applauds her for her comeback bid. “It’s beyond my risk appetite, but it will be really fun to watch,” said Ligety, who’s covering the World Cup races in Beaver Creek this weekend for NBC. “She left at the top of her game, obviously, because of her knee injury. She probably felt like she got short-changed in her quest to take down Stenmark in wins, being only four away and her body failed her. “I can see how that would weigh on you. And then when you all of a sudden feel perfectly healthy again and you’re not that old, I can see giving it some ideas. I understand where she’s coming from and I think she has a good chance (to win races).” The aura of Vonn hovered around the bottom of the slope Friday. She had several pairs of Head skis all ready to try out. After each run — at least three — Vonn would huddle with her team, take a quick swig of water and head back up the lift. “She’s still super-fast,” fellow American teammate Keely Cashman said. “She’s been helpful talking to us about whatever we need. We’re excited to have her around.” What stands out about Vonn to Sophie Goldschmidt, the CEO of U.S. Ski and Snowboard, is the racer’s “strength of mind and attitude,” she said. “To be able to come back time and time again is very impressive. “We’re delighted that she’s rejoined the team,” Goldschmidt added. “Her achievements speak for themselves. She’s clearly one of the most decorated athletes in the U.S. and had an amazing ski racing career. So for her to feel fit and strong enough to want to give it another go, I think is quite remarkable. I’m excited to see what she might be able to achieve.” ___ AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing

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GEORGE WASHINGTON 72, ILLINOIS STATE 64

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