The Rick Campbell era has ended while the Ryan Rigmaiden era has begun. The B.C. Lions introduced Rigmaiden as the football club’s new general manager at a press conference at the team’s Surrey practice facility on Wednesday, and at the same time, announced that they had parted ways with head coach Rick Campbell after four seasons and that Neil McEvoy was moving from the co-GM position that he shared with Campbell to the newly-created title of Vice President of Football Operations. As , the club moved quickly to elevate Rigmaiden from his previous role of Assistant General Manager and Director of U.S. Scouting in an effort to retain the 45-year-old native of Spokane, Washington. Rigmaiden was the Lions Director of U.S. Scouting from 2013 to 2017 before leaving to join the Winnipeg Blue Bombers organization. He returned in 2020 and has been responsible for bringing in import talent such as Sione Teuhema, Josh Banks, Alexander Hollins, Manny Rugamba, Jarell Broxton, Josh Woods and Kent Perkins to the Lions. His first task as general manager will be to find a new head coach. “The head coaching search is going to start immediately. There are several coaches that are currently unemployed that we are going to talk to. We also have several here internally that we will interview as well and then get permission (from other teams) for a handful of others,” said Rigmaiden, who becomes the 17th general manager in club history. There are approximately “eight to 10” candidates that the club will interview via ZOOM calls over the next week to 10 days, with that number being whittled down to three or four finalists who will then be interviewed in person. The front-runner for the head coaching position is former Lions quarterback Buck Pierce, who has been with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers organization since 2014 in various coaching capacities and has held the title of offensive coordinator since 2020. Other candidates include former Hamilton head coach Orlondo Steinauer, former Winnipeg and Ottawa head coach Paul LaPolice, former B.C. and Hamilton defensive coordinator Mark Washington and former Calgary special teams coordinator Mark Kilam as well as internal candidates that include offensive coordinator Jordan Maksymic and defensive coordinator Ryan Phillips, who is the only assistant from last year’s staff still under contract. The organization has no timeline in terms of naming a head coach and both Rigmaiden and McEvoy stressed that this will not be a rushed decision. That being said, there has to be some urgency as the new head coach will need time to assemble his own staff moving forward. Rigmaiden has set out three criteria that his hire will have to meet. “Leadership, accountability and toughness. I think those are essential for any head coach no matter what sport you are talking about. That’s going to be something that we emphasize,” replied Rigmaiden when queried on the subject. Rigmaiden hopes the new coach will be able to get the Lions to play with some edge. “The biggest thing I see is our lack of ability to overcome adversity on the field. There is a lack of mental toughness on this team. Internally, we have all been discussing that after last season. There are a variety of reasons why that happens. Instilling a new head coach with some different ideas and different values is going to be the biggest part of that,” said Rigmaiden. Another pressing item on his agenda will be trading quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. and there has already been an organizational shift in philosophy in how that will be dealt with moving forward. “He (Adams Jr.) will not have a say in this process. We are going to do what’s best for the club but we are going to be in constant communication with him,” said Rigmaiden, walking back a promise that Campbell made as co-gm that Adams Jr. would be consulted in trade talks. Rigmaiden added that it was strictly a business call, referring to his solid relationship with Adams Jr. going back to the time when Adams Jr. was a 19-year-old at Eastern Washington University, and that the process would begin immediately by “calling two or three teams” on Monday night. * The natural landing spot for Campbell is Edmonton. As we mentioned last week, new Edmonton owner Larry Thompson wants to reconnect the Elks to the history and tradition of the Eskimos. He already has hired Chris Morris as the Elks president and then followed that up by signing Ed Hervey as the Elks general manager. Morris played 14 years for the Eskimos while Hervey suited up for eight seasons with the green and gold. Hiring Campbell would be a natural fit seeing how his father Hugh coached the Eskimos to five straight Grey Cups from 1978 to 1982. Hervey also hired Campbell in B.C. during his stint as the Lions general manager. * As for the Lions assistant coaches, Phillips could be reunited with former teammate Dave Dickenson as the defensive coordinator for the Calgary Stampeders if things don’t work out in B.C. Meanwhile, Edmonton has asked the Lions for permission to speak to Maksymic about their head coaching vacancy. In other news, linebackers coach Travis Brown has interviewed for the defensive coordinators position in Ottawa but could follow Campbell to Edmonton if the Ottawa job falls through as the two have history together going back to Brown’s playing days as a RedBlack. * With Hervey leaving as Tiger-Cats general manager, former Lions quarterback Danny McManus becomes the leading candidate to replace him in Hamilton. McManus, who led the Leos to a Grey Cup in 1994, has been with Winnipeg since 2013 as the club’s assistant general manager and director of U.S. scouting. McManus was also the quarterback for Hamilton when they last won the Grey Cup in 1999 and is revered in The Hammer. Other candidates include former UBC head coach Ted Goveia, who is the Bombers assistant GM and director of player personnel and a pair of Canadians working as scouts in the NFL in Vince Magri (Buffalo) and Chris Rossetti (New York Giants). Magri and Rossetti both spent time with the Toronto organization before going south.A bid for to consider investing in was struck down by investors during Tuesday's annual shareholder meeting. Microsoft shareholders voted against a ballot proposal that was submitted by the National Center for Public Policy Research. The think tank called for the tech company to evaluate the benefits of adding bitcoin to its corporate balance sheet, arguing that the token is an "excellent" inflation hedge. The proposal, attached to Microsoft's , also cited that bitcoin has outperformed corporate bonds, and is a promising way to diversify the firm's treasury. But shareholders balked at the measure, following the board's recommendation to vote against the proposal. The board has noted that it already considers cryptocurrency investments, but prefers to stick with less volatile assets. According to , proxy advisory firms such as Glass Lewis agreed with the move, citing the lack of evidence that crypto investments would boost returns. Even the virtual appearance of cofounder Michael Saylor failed to persuade investors. The crypto evangelist spoke on behalf of NCPPR's proposal at the meeting, Bloomberg reported. "You can convert your cash flows and your dividends and your buybacks and your debt into Bitcoin," he said. "If you do that, you'll add hundreds of dollars to the stock price." Saylor has previously pitched Microsoft on the idea of amassing bitcoin. he made to Microsoft's leadership, he argued that bitcoin's valuation will jump from $2 trillion to over $200 trillion in 21 years — if Microsoft invests, it has the potential to add nearly $5 trillion in market value over the next decade. Saylor's confidence likely comes from a strict adherence to his own thesis, which has paid off for his company in recent years. MicroStrategy stock has rocketed 460% year-to-date as it sits on a . Investors have treated MicroStrategy as a proxy for the . Though Microsoft may other firms. Read the original article on
'Enough's enough': FENZ boss turns hose on bullying, and harassment
Luigi Nicholas Mangione, 26, emerged from a patrol car, spun toward reporters and shouted something partly unintelligible, yelling “insult to the intelligence of the American people” while deputies pushed him inside. Mangione is contesting his extradition back to New York. He was denied bail at the brief hearing. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was told to be quiet by his lawyer. Thomas Dickey, his defence lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Prosecutors on Tuesday were beginning to take steps to take Mangione back to New York to face a murder charge while new details emerged about his life and how he was captured. The Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family was charged with murder hours after he was arrested in the killing of Brian Thompson, 50, who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company. Mr Dickey had declined to comment before the hearing at the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione was likely motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said. He wrote that the US has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of his hand-written notes and social media posts. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, according to the police bulletin. Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania — about 230 miles (370km) west of New York City — after a McDonald’s customer recognised him and notified an employee, authorities said. Officers found him sitting at a back table, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he had been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake”, the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers’ request, “we knew that was our guy,” Officer Tyler Frye said. Images of Mangione released on Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and beanie. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Mr Thompson and the same fake ID the gunman had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America”. A law enforcement official who was not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said: “I do apologise for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and 10,000 dollars (£7,839) in cash, 2,000 dollars of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Mr Thompson was killed on Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Mr Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Mr Thompson’s body. The words mimic “delay, deny, defend,” a phrase used to criticise the insurance industry. From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the gunman quickly fled fled the city, likely by bus. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. After his elite Baltimore prep school, he went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” From January to June 2022, Luigi Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder RJ Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Mr Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Mr Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with RJ once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Mr Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Mr Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Mr Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Mr Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago.Kirk Herbstreit Reacts to Ohio State Loss With Message to Michigan Coach Sherrone MooreHow long do FBI directors normally serve? What to know as Wray announces resignation
AP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:31 p.m. ESTOhio State, Michigan players involved in postgame scuffle
Inflation is predicted to average 2.5% this year and 2.6% next year, according to forecasts from the Office for Budget Responsibility. The British Medical Association said the Government showed a “poor grasp” of unresolved issues from two years of industrial action, and the Royal College of Nursing called the pay recommendation “deeply offensive”. The National Education Union’s chief said teachers were “putting the Government on notice” that the proposed increase “won’t do”. The pay recommendations came after Chancellor Rachel Reeves called for every Government department to cut costs by 5%, as she started work on a sweeping multi-year spending review to be published in 2025. Independent pay review bodies will consider the proposals for pay rises for teachers, NHS workers and senior civil servants. The Department of Health said it viewed 2.8% as a “reasonable amount” to set aside, in its recommendations to the NHS Pay Review Body and the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration Board remit groups. A 2.8% pay rise for teachers in 2025/26 would “maintain the competitiveness of teachers’ pay despite the challenging financial backdrop the Government is facing”, the Department for Education said. The Cabinet Office also suggested pay increases for senior civil servants should be kept to no more than 2.8%. Paul Johnson, director of the influential economics think tank the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), said it was “not a bad ballpark figure” and feels “just about affordable” given the Government’s public spending plans. The downside, he said, is that public sector workers have lost out since 2010 and unions will be upset that this is not making up the gap, he told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge. “But given the constraints facing the Chancellor I think it’s pretty hard to argue for more for public sector pay when public sector services ... are under real strain,” he said. Unions expressed their disappointment in the recommendations, with some hinting they could be willing to launch industrial action. The Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive called for “open direct talks now” to avoid “further escalation to disputes and ballots”. Professor Nicola Ranger said: “The Government has today told nursing staff they are worth as little as £2 extra a day, less than the price of a coffee. “Nursing is in crisis – there are fewer joining and too many experienced professionals leaving. This is deeply offensive to nursing staff, detrimental to their patients and contradictory to hopes of rebuilding the NHS. “The public understands the value of nursing and they know that meaningful reform of the NHS requires addressing the crisis in nursing. “We pulled out of the Pay Review Body process, alongside other unions, because it is not the route to address the current crisis. “That has been demonstrated today. “Fair pay must be matched by structural reform. Let’s open direct talks now and avoid further escalation to disputes and ballots – I have said that directly to government today.” Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the British Medical Association’s council, urged the sector’s pay review body to “show it is now truly independent”. “For this Government to give evidence to the doctors’ and dentists’ pay review body (DDRB) believing a 2.8% pay rise is enough, indicates a poor grasp of the unresolved issues from two years of industrial action,” he said. He said the proposal is far below the current rate of inflation and that the Government was “under no illusion” when doctors accepted pay offers in the summer that there was a “very real risk of further industrial action” if “pay erosion” was not addressed in future pay rounds. “This sub-inflationary suggestion from the current Government serves as a test to the DDRB. “The BMA expects it to take this opportunity to show it is now truly independent, to take an objective view of the evidence it receives from all parties, not just the Government, and to make an offer that reflects the value of doctors’ skills and expertise in a global market, and that moves them visibly further along the path to full pay restoration.” The NEU’s general secretary, Daniel Kebede, said teachers’ pay had been cut by more than one-fifth in real terms since 2010. “Along with sky-high workload, the pay cuts have resulted in a devastating recruitment and retention crisis. Teacher shortages across the school system hit pupils and parents too. “A 2.8% increase is likely to be below inflation and behind wage increases in the wider economy. This will only deepen the crisis in education.” In a hint that there could be a return to industrial action he added: “NEU members fought to win the pay increases of 2023 and 2024. “We are putting the Government on notice. Our members care deeply about education and feel the depth of the crisis. This won’t do.” The offer for teachers is the “exact opposite of fixing the foundations” and will result in bigger class sizes and more cuts to the curriculum, Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “The inadequacy of the proposed pay award is compounded by the Government’s intention that schools should foot the bill out of their existing allocations. “Given that per-pupil funding will increase on average by less than 1% next year, and the Government’s proposal is for an unfunded 2.8% pay award, it is obvious that this is in fact an announcement of further school cuts.” Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said: This recommendation falls far short of what is needed to restore the competitiveness of the teaching profession, to enable it to retain experienced professionals and attract new talent. Unison head of health Helga Pile said: “The Government has inherited a financial mess from its predecessors, but this is not what NHS workers wanted to hear. “Staff are crucial in turning around the fortunes of the NHS. Improving performance is a key Government pledge, but the pay rise proposed is barely above the cost of living.”NoneLuigi Nicholas Mangione, 26, emerged from a patrol car, spun toward reporters and shouted something partly unintelligible, yelling “insult to the intelligence of the American people” while deputies pushed him inside. Mangione is contesting his extradition back to New York. He was denied bail at the brief hearing. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor’s warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was told to be quiet by his lawyer. Thomas Dickey, his defence lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Prosecutors on Tuesday were beginning to take steps to take Mangione back to New York to face a murder charge while new details emerged about his life and how he was captured. The Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family was charged with murder hours after he was arrested in the killing of Brian Thompson, 50, who led the United States’ largest medical insurance company. Mr Dickey had declined to comment before the hearing at the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione was likely motivated by his anger with what he called “parasitic” health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said. He wrote that the US has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while “our life expectancy” does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of his hand-written notes and social media posts. Mangione called “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski a “political revolutionary” and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, according to the police bulletin. Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania — about 230 miles (370km) west of New York City — after a McDonald’s customer recognised him and notified an employee, authorities said. Officers found him sitting at a back table, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he had been to New York recently, he “became quiet and started to shake”, the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers’ request, “we knew that was our guy,” Officer Tyler Frye said. Images of Mangione released on Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald’s while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and beanie. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Mr Thompson and the same fake ID the gunman had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows “some ill will toward corporate America”. A law enforcement official who was not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said: “I do apologise for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and 10,000 dollars (£7,839) in cash, 2,000 dollars of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Mr Thompson was killed on Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Mr Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9mm pistol. Investigators have said “delay,” “deny” and “depose” were written on ammunition found near Mr Thompson’s body. The words mimic “delay, deny, defend,” a phrase used to criticise the insurance industry. From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the gunman quickly fled fled the city, likely by bus. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. After his elite Baltimore prep school, he went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” Mangione’s family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Nino Mangione. “We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” From January to June 2022, Luigi Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a “co-living” space at the edge of Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder RJ Martin. “Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints,” Mr Ryan said. “There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they’re saying he committed.” At Surfbreak, Mr Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. “He went surfing with RJ once but it didn’t work out because of his back,” Mr Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Mr Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Mr Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Mr Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago.
Europa League table: Lazio still leaders, Roma revitalised
Syracuse Orange guard Elijah Moore (8) gets some shots in before the Cornell game. The Syracuse Orange Basketball team play the Cornell Big Red at the JMA Wireless Dome, Wednesday Nov. 27, 2024. Dennis Nett | dnett@syracuse.com dennis nett | dnett@syracuse.com Dhani Joseph | dhjoseph@syr.edu Syracuse, N.Y. — The Syracuse basketball team takes on the Cornell Big Red at 7 p.m., Wednesday in the JMA Wireless Dome. The game will be available to stream on ACC Network Extra . See in-game team and individual stats here . Note: Refresh this page throughout Syracuse’s game vs. Cornell to see the latest updates Sign up for more Orange basketball analysis from Donna Ditota in our ‘Posting Up’ newsletter. Try the newsletter for free . Fans can stream the full 2024-25 Syracuse Orange season on fuboTV . Fans can get cheap tickets to see the Orange from SeatGeek . Fanatics has a full collection of Syracuse Orange gear to shop online. First half Pregame Syracuse (3-2) return to the Dome to host one of its most faced opponents ever in Cornell (4-2) These two teams are well acquainted with one another. Since their first meeting back in the 1900-01 season, SU and Cornell have met 129 times. The Orange have won the last 43 matchups in a row, including a game last December where they beat the Big Red 81-70. Syracuse, however, hasn’t been as successful recently as they have been during the Cornell series. They are coming off two consecutive losses during last week’s UKG Legends Classic in Brooklyn. First a 70-66 loss to Texas, then a 79-74 lost to Texas Tech. The Orange often played from behind in these games. They’ve been plagued by slow starts to begin the season, and it proved to be too much to overcome against tougher Power Four opponents. J.J. Starling, who’s now the second leading scorer in the ACC behind some big scoring outings, had 27 points in the latest loss to the Red Raiders. Chris Bell added 22 points. Cornell comes into the contest off an 84-68 win against Iona. Junior Cooper Noard is coming off of a career-high 20 point night. Sophomore Jake Fiegen also looks to be a key contributor for the Big Red as he averages nearly 16 points a night. One Thing To Keep An Eye On: Syracuse’s Effort On The Defensive End Through five games, SU is the worst defensive team in the entire ACC. They allow nearly 80 points a night. That’s a twenty point difference than the number one defense in Duke. While the Orange certainly don’t have the high-end talent that Duke has in terms of multiple NBA-level defenders, many miscues have come on missed rotations and transition points. An improved Syracuse defense will be critical as conference play is just around the corner. More Orange Basketball What time, TV channel is Syracuse basketball-Cornell on today? Free live stream Syracuse vs. Creighton women’s basketball box score Hot-shooting Creighton beats Syracuse women’s basketball in Emerald Coast Classic Nobody in the nation plays faster than Cornell, Syracuse’s next basketball opponent Can Syracuse ‘turn over’ a new leaf? Plus, 4 more things to know about Syracuse basketball vs. Cornell
Fine Gael won 35 seats in the 2020 election, but 18 of those TDs did not seek re-election in Friday’s poll. An exit poll puts the party’s support at 21%, a fraction of a percentage behind the main opposition party Sinn Fein. Mr Harris, the outgoing Taoiseach, was elected with 16,869 first preference votes, well above the quota. He celebrated with his wife Caoimhe, his parents Bart and Mary, his sister Gemma and his political team at the count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Ahead of his re-election, Mr Harris told reporters he was “cautiously optimistic” about the election result and said it was “clear that my party will gain seats”. “It’s also clear that Fine Gael will top the poll in at least 10 constituencies, many more than we did the last time, that we will gain seats in constituencies where we haven’t had seats in many years, like Tipperary South and Waterford, and that we will add second seats in other constituencies as well,” he said. “I think the people of Ireland have now spoken. We now have to work out exactly what they have said, and that is going to take a little bit of time.” In one of the five consecutive broadcast media rounds he did from the Greystones count centre, he said there were a lot of areas where there were “straight shoot-outs” between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for final seats. He described the Sinn Fein vote as “pretty significantly down”, the Fianna Fail vote as “marginally down” and the Fine Gael vote as “static” compared with its 2020 vote. He said it was “a very close, a very competitive election” and that “we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it”. He said: “It was predicted by many that I would become the Taoiseach for a brief period of time, take over from Leo Varadkar, and then have to rebuild my party from the opposition benches as Sinn Fein led a government. “We don’t know what’s going to happen on government formation yet, but that is now looking less likely than it was.” He acknowledged that it was “a very difficult day” for the Green Party and paid tribute to their work in the coalition government, alongside his party and Fianna Fail. “Definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented,” he said. Fine Gael minister Helen McEntee said that her party’s campaign had been “positive”. “The feeling on the doors was very much that people were relatively happy with the government,” she said on RTE Radio. “It will come down to the last seats and it will come down to transfers,” she said of the final result, adding that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were performing better than the exit poll estimated.Brock Purdy threw one short pass in the open portion of practice for the San Francisco 49ers as he remains slowed by an injury to his throwing shoulder that has already forced him to miss a game. Purdy spent the bulk of the session of Wednesday's practice open to reporters as either a spectator or executing handoffs outside of one short pass to Jordan Mason. Purdy hurt his shoulder during a loss to Seattle on Nov. 17 . He tried to throw at practice last Thursday but had soreness in his right shoulder and shut it down. He missed a loss to Green Bay but was able to do some light throwing on Monday . His status for this week remains in doubt as the Niners (5-6) prepare to visit Buffalo on Sunday night. If he does not play, back-up QB Brandon Allen will step in again . Purdy isn't the only key player for San Francisco dealing with injuries. Left tackle Trent Williams and defensive end Nick Bosa remain sidelined at practice Wednesday after missing last week's game. Williams was using a scooter to get around the locker room as he deals with a left ankle injury. Bosa has been out with injuries to his left hip and oblique. Bosa said the week off helped him make progress and that he hopes to be able to take part in individual drills later in the week. Bosa wouldn't rule out being able to play on Sunday. "It's feeling a lot better," Bosa said. "Still need to get better before I'm ready to go. This week will be big and I'll know a lot more in the next couple of days." LB Fred Warner also revealed he has been dealing with a fracture in his ankle since Week 4 against the Patriots and is doing his best to manage the pain as he plays through it. Running back Christian McCaffrey has been able to play, but isn't back to the form that helped him win AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 after missing the first eight games this season with Achilles tendinitis . McCaffrey has 149 yards rushing in three games back with his 3.5 yards per carry down significantly from last season's mark of 5.4. But he is confident he will be able to get back to his usual level of play. "When you lose and maybe you don't jump out on the stat sheet, your failures are highlighted," he said. "I'm happy I'm out here playing football and I just know with time it will come." Coach Kyle Shanahan said he has liked what he has seen from McCaffrey, adding that there hasn't been much room to run in recent weeks. But Shanahan said it takes time to get back to speed after McCaffrey had almost no practice time for nine months. "Guys who miss offseasons and miss training camp, usually it takes them a little bit of time at the beginning of the year to get back into how they were the year before, let alone missing half the season also on top of that," Shanahan said. "I think Christian's doing a hell of a job. But to just think him coming back in Week 8 with not being able to do anything for the last nine months or whatever it is, and to think he's just going to be in MVP form is a very unrealistic expectation." LB Dre Greenlaw took part in his first practice since tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl. Greenlaw will likely need a couple of weeks of practice before being able to play. NOTES: CB Deommodore Lenoir didn't practice after banging knees on Sunday. His status for this week remains in question. ... DT Jordan Elliott (concussion), OL Aaron Banks (concussion) and LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee) also didn't practice.Man suspected of killing UnitedHealthcare chief appears in court in Pennsylvania
Unions attack 2.8% Government pay rise proposal for NHS workers and teachersDutch startup's new battery material could wean Europe off Chinese graphite
Giannis Antetokounmpo returns for Bucks after missing 1 game with knee swellingThe Labour government has announced a comprehensive plan to address the country's growing unemployment crisis, with a focus on revamping Jobcentres and tackling long-term sickness among workers. According to recent figures, the UK is the only major economy to have experienced a decline in its employment rate over the past five years. More than nine million people are economically inactive, with nearly three million unable to work due to long-term health issues. The proposed £55 million overhaul of the Jobcentre system is central to the government's "Get Britain Working" initiative. This plan also includes significant investments in the NHS and targeted support for young people at risk of falling out of education and employment. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall described the current Jobcentre system as outdated, with its methods reminiscent of the 1980s and 1990s. She outlined plans to modernise the service using cutting-edge digital technologies. Kendall emphasised the importance of leveraging technology to make Jobcentres more accessible and efficient. "We will trial a radically improved digital offer using the latest technologies and AI to provide up-to-date information on jobs, skills, and other support. This will free up work coach time and allow for video and phone support as well," she said. Kendall added, "In the 2020s, you shouldn't only have to go into the Jobcentre every week or fortnight when you can have a Jobcentre in your pocket." The government's proposal includes merging Jobcentres with the National Careers Service in England, creating a unified platform to streamline job searches, skills training, and career advice. Recognising the link between poor health and long-term unemployment, the government has committed an additional £125 million in funding for England and Wales to support areas with high levels of health-related joblessness. This funding will provide work, health, and skills support, with the aim of addressing barriers that prevent people from returning to the workforce. Health-related unemployment has been identified as a significant contributor to the UK's economic inactivity rates. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between healthcare and employment services, ensuring that individuals receive the necessary support to re-enter the labour market. Youth unemployment is another critical area of focus in the government's proposals. A total of £45 million has been allocated to eight regions in the UK to identify and assist young people at risk of falling out of education or the workforce. As part of this initiative, the government plans to provide all 18–21-year-olds with opportunities in employment, education, or apprenticeships. Partnerships with private organisations, including the Premier League and the Royal Shakespeare Company, are expected to deliver tailored programmes to engage and support young people. While the proposals have received praise for their innovative approach, concerns remain about the effectiveness of Jobcentres in meeting employers' needs. Peter Cheese, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), welcomed the government's move to modernise Jobcentres, stating , "The new digital offer stands to be a significant development, helping jobseekers access services wherever they are." However, Cheese noted that fewer than 10% of employers view Jobcentres as effective recruitment platforms, underscoring the need for substantial reform to restore confidence among businesses. Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary Helen Whately criticised the plan, describing it as underwhelming. "This appears to be little more than a pot of money for local councils, some disparaging language about the work of Jobcentres, and a consultation which will be launched in the spring," she said. The government's £55 million investment in Jobcentre reform, alongside funding for health and youth unemployment, represents a bold attempt to address the country's employment challenges. By integrating technology and forging partnerships with private organisations, the initiative aims to make Jobcentres more relevant and accessible in a changing labour market. However, the success of these reforms will ultimately depend on their implementation and the ability to address long-standing concerns about the effectiveness of Jobcentres. As millions of Britons remain out of work, the stakes for the government's plan could not be higher.
Hutch (61), a surprise contender in the election when he lodged papers earlier this month declaring his candidacy, received 3,098 first preference votes, or 9.5 per cent of the vote in the first count. The vote put him in fourth position in the race in the four-seater constituency behind three sitting TDs – Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, Fine Gael Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe and Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon – though almost 3,500 votes short of the quota. He remained in fourth position after the fourth count on Saturday night. Observers initially gave Hutch little chance, but he secured a large following in the north inner city, where he comes from, and picked up significant support in other areas. [ Dublin Central election 2024 results: Mary Lou McDonald elected; Gerry Hutch in contention for a seat Opens in new window ] The battle for the final seat is expected to come down to a contest between Hutch and Labour’s Marie Sherlock who remained almost 1,000 votes behind the veteran criminal after the fourth count. Mr Donohoe told reporters at the Dublin Central count centre at the RDS in south Dublin that the majority of people in his constituency didn’t vote for Hutch but other parties would “have to reflect” on why so many did. Paschal Donohoe told waiting media that “the centre has held in Irish politics”, along with stressing that the majority of people in Dublin Central didn’t vote for Gerard Hutch but that other parties “will have to reflect on what are the reasons as to why this happened, why he got the votes that he did”. Mr Gannon said Hutch’s candidacy was unexpected but attributed his popularity to the media attention he received and the hurt felt for a long period by the Dublin inner-city community. [ Election 2024: Five things we learned from the first day of the counts Opens in new window ] “For me, it’s not just about what happens and who takes the fourth seat. I think it’s a reflection of the fact that there’s a lot of hurt; there’s a huge amount of pain,” he said. The Social Democrats TD said that years of austerity had “destroyed the fabric of communities”, including those in Dublin Central. He described the support for Hutch not as a “protest vote” but a “cry for help”. Hutch’s election will depend on how many votes Hutch receives from elimination of Sinn Féin’s Janice Boylan and Independent candidates Clare Daly Malachy Steenson, an anti-immigration activist. Hutch’s electoral challenge is all the more surprising given it comes a year and a half after the end of the Regency Hotel trial during which Hutch was accused of the murder of gangland rival David Byrne. The 2016 attack marked an escalation in the bloody feud between the Hutch and Kinahan gangs which would eventually leave 18 people dead, including Hutch’s brother and two nephews. Hutch was later acquitted of the murder by the Special Criminal Court, which rejected the evidence of former Sinn Féin councillor and Hutch associate Jonathan Dowdall who turned state’s witness. The court concluded he did have control of the three assault rifles used in the murder and that Hutch was planning to give these to dissident republicans. However, Hutch was never charged with this offence.
