43 jili Angela Merkel's newly released memoir, 'Freedom,' delves into the intricacies of her 16-year leadership as Germany's Chancellor. The book highlights her dealings with influential figures such as Vladimir Putin, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump, offering a behind-the-scenes look at her diplomatic and political strategies. Merkel revisits pivotal moments, including the global financial crisis, the influx of refugees in 2015-16, and the COVID-19 pandemic. She particularly examines her controversial decision to maintain strong trade ties with Russia and help broker a peace deal for eastern Ukraine. The memoir also reflects on Brexit, with Merkel questioning her efforts to prevent it, and recounts her choice to step down on her own terms, addressing public health concerns and the personal stress of leadership. 'Freedom' paints a comprehensive portrait of Merkel's impactful yet challenging career. (With inputs from agencies.)Activists say Mexican authorities have broken up 2 migrant caravans heading to the US

See ‘Wicked’ in Theaters, Stream ‘Out of My Mind’ on Disney+ and More Billboard Family Hits of the Week

Wander Franco's sex abuse trial has been postponed 5 months PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — The trial against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking, has been postponed until June 2, 2025. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing Thursday at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment. Rape investigation that Swedish media say focused on Kylian Mbappé has been closed STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with soccer star Kylian Mbappé’s visit to Stockholm in October. In a statement, lead investigator Marina Chirakova says there is not enough evidence to continue the investigation into the allegation at a hotel. Prosecutors never publicly named the suspect in the investigation but some Swedish media reported it was Mbappé. The Real Madrid striker visited Stockholm in October during a break in the Spanish league. At the time, Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false. 2034 World Cup visitors will live in 'a bubble' and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says LONDON (AP) — A Saudi human rights activist says soccer fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” that doesn't reflect real life there. Lina al-Hathloul is a London-based activist whose sister was jailed in Saudi Arabia then banned from travel after campaigning to end a ban on women driving. When FIFA confirmed the kingdom as the 2034 tournament host on Wednesday its president Gianni Infantino acknowledged “the world will be watching” for positive social change. Al-Hathloul says western people “will be very safe” at the World Cup but "will see a bubble of what Saudi Arabia is.” Chelsea teenager Marc Guiu scores twice in 3-1 win over Astana in Conference League A youthful Chelsea lineup made the most of a long trip to Kazakhstan by beating Astana 3-1 to stay perfect in the UEFA Conference League. Eighteen-year-old Marc Guiu struck twice within five minutes early in the first half in freezing conditions in the Kazakh capital. Renato Veiga, who is 21, headed home the third off a corner. Chelsea has 15 points atop the standings of the third-tier competition with one more game to play in the league phase. More games including those in the second-tier Europa League were scheduled later Thursday. Among them unbeaten Manchester United is at Viktoria Plzen while Rangers host Tottenham. Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter is The Associated Press college football player of the year. Hunter received 26 of the 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes, and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. A throwback player who rarely left the field, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defensed as a shutdown corner. Hunter helped the the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick's deal ahead of introductory news conference North Carolina’s trustees have approved terms of the deal to hire Bill Belichick as the Tar Heels’ new football coach. The board met Thursday morning to sign off on the agreement, announced Wednesday night by the school as a five-year deal. Specific terms of that deal have yet to be released. The school is set to hold its introductory news conference for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Thursday afternoon. Belichick has never coached in college football. Indian teen Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest chess world champion after beating Chinese rival NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in Thursday's game which was played in Singapore. He has surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Dommaraju is now also the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. Raiders player Charles Snowden facing misdemeanor DUI charge after Las Vegas arrest LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders football player Charles Snowden was arrested in Las Vegas on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence and released from custody. The NFL, the Raiders and Snowden’s attorneys acknowledged Thursday the 26-year-old first-year defensive end was arrested early Tuesday. He faces a scheduled court date in April. It’s not clear yet whether the arrest will affect Snowden’s status with the team. He has played every game this season, and the Raiders' next game is at home on Monday. Commissioner Roger Goodell can impose a three-game suspension without pay for a first violation of the league's alcohol abuse policy. Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15-year deal NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto will be introduced by the New York Mets at Citi Field, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Soto chose the Mets’ offer on Sunday, deciding to leave the Yankees after helping them reach the World Series in his only season in the Bronx. The 26-year-old’s contract value eclipsed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Its length topped Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year agreement with San Diego that runs through 2034. Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy new charter unless federal antitrust suit is dropped CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A new court filing says NASCAR rejected Front Row Motorsports’ agreement to purchase a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing unless the team and 23XI Racing dropped their federal antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series. Front Row and 23XI rejected NASCAR's new revenue sharing agreement and have gone to court. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo.A role reversal doomed the No. 22 Xavier Musketeers in their only loss of the season, against Michigan at the Fort Myers Tip-Off on Wednesday. Normally a team that avoids committing turnovers and pressures its opponent into making them, Xavier (6-1) will try to recapture its early-season winning form when it hosts South Carolina State on Sunday in Cincinnati. Through their six wins, the Musketeers had just 58 turnovers while forcing 82 by their opponents. But against the Wolverines, they lost the turnover battle 19-10 and the game 78-53. The Musketeers committed 14 turnovers in the first half and fell behind 41-30. Xavier head coach Sean Miller credited his team for typically playing an up-tempo style while avoiding mistakes, while also acknowledging that the turnover bug really bit them against the Wolverines. "We lost to a really good team; no shame in that," Miller said. "We, on top of that, didn't play well." "And that (avoiding turnovers) is something you (usually) do well? That's going to be hard to overcome against a quality team like Michigan." Leading scorer Ryan Conwell (17.6 points per game) gave the Musketeers a boost with 19 points. Zach Freemantle, second on the team at 15.4 ppg, added 14 points and 10 rebounds. Problematically, however, they also contributed to the turnover problem with three apiece. "We didn't play well enough to win the game," Miller said. "The game got out of hand. It's not like our guys quit. Their depth just continued to wear on us." The Musketeers also get 11 points and a team-high 4.4 assists per game from Dayvion McKnight. The guard had just one turnover against Michigan, but he also made just one of his eight shot attempts. Xavier may have an opportunity get right in the turnover area against the Bulldogs (4-4), who are No. 207 in the NCAA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.11. South Carolina State is fresh off an 82-53 road loss to Marshall on Wednesday, in a game in which turnovers weren't a huge problem. But assists and made shots were hard to come by for the Bulldogs. Leading scorer Drayton Jones (12.0 ppg) again paced his team in points with 10 vs. Marshall, but the Bulldogs as a team managed just six assists and shot terribly at the 3-point (18.8 percent) and the free-throw (47.1 percent) lines. Jones is also the team's leading rebounder with 5.1 a game, but no Bulldogs player is averaging more than two assists. It's all part of the learning process for coach Erik Martin, whose first team went 5-26 in 2022-23. The Bulldogs improved to 14-18 last season, including 9-5 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. "The only way you can grow sometimes is by failure or by struggling," Martin said this offseason. "You have to fail in order to learn how to deal with failure and move on and become the person you're supposed to be." --Field Level Media

Zimbabwe’s operating environment has remained largely the same over the years, and industry and businesses have continued to find ways to manoeuvre the difficult space to foster growth and make further investments. In 2024, several issues continued to be flagged by businesses as factors increasing the cost of doing business in Zimbabwe, including monetary and exchange rate distortions, inflation, limited access to finance, unreliable power supply, corruption, and unreliable infrastructure. Throughout the year, Zimbabwe’s businesses were constantly tweaking operational models with a major focus on costs as part of contingency strategies to keep their companies afloat in a volatile operating environment. According to the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) 2024 annual state of industry and commerce survey report, the year under review was generally economically difficult; capacity utilisation in most sectors decreased when compared to the previous year, 2023. The report noted that in some sectors, it remained unchanged, and in most service sectors and agriculture, capacity utilisation declined, while in the mining and quarrying sector, it marginally increased, particularly for enterprises in gold and ferrochrome production. ZNCC said the respondents were citing exchange rate distortions, low demand, and power outages as the main reasons weighing down capacity utilisation. “For some firms, lack of access to foreign currency or accessing foreign currency at the exorbitant exchange rate on the black market has resulted in lower capacity utilisation. The other reasons weighing down capacity utilisation are the cost of capital and the non-optimal fiscal framework,” reads the report. As companies struggled to secure adequate working capital and relied on expensive short-term borrowings, the risk of cutting back on production, retrenchments, and closures increasingly became a reality. According to ZNCC, the central bank should curtail money supply growth to stabilise the exchange rate and prices, as excessive liquidity fuels inflation and exchange rate instability. It noted that there is also a need to enhance the flexibility of the exchange rate to reduce the impact of the parallel market while stabilising the currency through well-targeted foreign exchange market interventions. Dairibord Holdings chief executive officer Mercy Ndoro told Business Weekly the year 2024 was tough, marked by a myriad of challenges, chief among them policy inconsistencies that affected business performance. She said the inconsistencies created uncertainties in the market that hindered the industry’s ability to enter into long-term commitments. “Government should enhance transparency of government’s intended moves, steadfastness in policy stance, and change of critical policies after wide consultations with all affected stakeholders,” she said. Ndoro said economic challenges such as liquidity crisis, inflation, and currency volatility also compounded the situation for companies. She said the Government should address macroeconomic challenges for currency stability, control inflation, and maintain fiscal discipline. In addition to that, Ndoro highlighted that the high tax burden, such as the introduction of a sugar tax, disallowed VAT claims on milks and other basic commodities, and the IMTT increase on USD transactions, placed a higher tax burden on industry. She said the Government must consider, at the very least, designating sugar tax and IMTT as allowable deductions for tax purposes. Business has over the year grappled with the high cost of and power supply deficit, which has crippled industry. Ndoro said to facilitate the transition to more sustainable energy sources, Governmental subsidies for industrial entities are recommended. “Furthermore, a concerted effort to rehabilitate critical infrastructure within ZETDC and ZPC is imperative to augment energy generation and transmission capacities,” she said. Most of the challenges resulted in high costs of production. Ndoro said there should be improvements in infrastructure for consistent and reliable power supply, efficient transport networks, and enhanced access to finance with lower interest rates and financial inclusion for SMEs. She said in 2025, the business will continue with its growth agenda with particular emphasis on enhancing processing capacity through capital investments aimed at expanding market reach and augmenting sales volumes. Ndoro said the company will also increase commitment to innovation, dedicating significant resources to research and development, with the objective of growing a robust and diversified product portfolio. “Market expansion with a deliberate, concerted effort on export growth while rigorous cost management strategies will be implemented across the business to optimise operational costs,” she said. Economist Victor Bhoroma told Business Weekly that Zimbabwe’s economy remained resilient and competitive in some sectors in 2024, and there are a number of businesses in some economic sectors that have remained attractive for investment. “When you look at high levels of inflation and distortions in currency, we can conclude that the economy is very resilient. Corporates have found ways of how to manoeuvre the economic instability to foster growth and to continue investing,” he said. Bhoroma noted that since 2009, there should have been serious action in terms of investment in energy, which has been among the major impediments for companies during the year. “Using generators, the cost is unimaginable,” he said. According to ZNCC, the Government should enhance the flexibility of the exchange rate to reduce the impact of the parallel market while stabilising the currency through well-targeted foreign exchange market interventions. “Continuously build foreign exchange reserves to cover at least six months of imports, and efficiently manage the current foreign exchange reserve stock through well-targeted foreign exchange market interventions to avoid depletion.,” reads the report. ZNCC said given the current foreign exchange reserve stock, coupled with factors such as high inflation, high public debt to GDP ratio, and widespread informality, the full adoption of the ZWG and a return to a mono-currency system (ZWG) is not advisable in the short to medium term. In order to give industrial support, the Government should move away from blanket incentives to sector-specific tax incentives that target firms creating additional employment to cater to each economic player’s needs to boost the rural industrialisation agenda and attract and retain foreign direct investment. Malone Gwadu, a financial economist, said particularly the manufacturing sector in Zimbabwe is in need of serious retooling to modernise their equipment in order to be competitive. “Outdated technologies currently in our market increase the cost structure and, by derivation, business costs, which are in US dollars; hence, retooling is quite key in arresting costs that render our local produce uncompetitive,” he said. Gwadu said the electricity situation is unfortunately here to stay for a while until the necessary interventions are finished, such as the Hwange power plants. “Alternative sources may need to be considered, especially solar energy. We have abundant solar power, which we are not utilising beyond household level even for our industries,” he said. Last month, Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube announced several proposed interventions that will shape industry and business operations next year. However, businesses are calling on the Government to consider reviewing some of the proposed measures, which they believe will erode competitiveness and drive the cost of production high. The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) expressed concern over the reduction of the degree of export orientation from 100 percent to 80 percent for manufacturing companies under Special Economic Zones (SEZ), as it will be difficult to penetrate the export market due to high costs of production. “The proposal is that the degree of export orientation be further reviewed down,” reads the report. CZI is also of the view that the 25 percent tax on rental income is too high, as there are other costs to be met by rental income collections, like renovations, maintenance costs, and others. The industry representative body said the Government should ensure that the tax is applied on net rental income as opposed to gross revenue from rentals. Source: Buisness Weekly

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KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Freshman Justus McNair made a 3-pointer from midcourt just before the final buzzer to cap Valparaiso's game-closing 29-4 run and the Beacons knocked off Western Michigan 76-73 on Friday. Valpo trailed 69-47 with 6:51 remaining. Tied at 73-all, Western Michigan's Donovan Williams came up short on a 3-pointer from the corner and McNair grabbed the rebound with about four seconds left before racing the other way for a one-footed runner at the horn. Cooper Schwieger scored 17 of his 19 points in the second half for the Beacons (6-5). Jefferson Monegro scored 13 points while going 4 of 15 from the floor, including 0 for 3 from 3-point range, and 5 for 9 from the line. McNair had 13 points and went 5 of 7 from the field (2 for 4 from 3-point range). Chansey Willis Jr. finished with 16 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Broncos (3-8). Owen Lobsinger added 14 points for Western Michigan. Brandon Muntu finished with 12 points. Monegro scored eight points in the first half and Valparaiso went into halftime trailing 42-26. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .Wander Franco's sex abuse trial has been postponed 5 months PUERTO PLATA, Dominican Republic (AP) — The trial against Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco, who has been charged with sexually abusing a minor, sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor, and human trafficking, has been postponed until June 2, 2025. Dominican judge Yacaira Veras postponed the hearing Thursday at the request of prosecutors because of the absence of several key witnesses in the case. Franco’s lawyers asked the court to reconsider the postponement, arguing Franco must report to spring training in mid-February. The judge replied that Franco is obligated to continue with the trial schedule and his conditional release from detainment. Rape investigation that Swedish media say focused on Kylian Mbappé has been closed STOCKHOLM (AP) — Swedish prosecutors say they have dropped a rape investigation that was launched in connection with soccer star Kylian Mbappé’s visit to Stockholm in October. In a statement, lead investigator Marina Chirakova says there is not enough evidence to continue the investigation into the allegation at a hotel. Prosecutors never publicly named the suspect in the investigation but some Swedish media reported it was Mbappé. The Real Madrid striker visited Stockholm in October during a break in the Spanish league. At the time, Mbappé’s legal team dismissed those reports as false. 2034 World Cup visitors will live in 'a bubble' and not see real life, Saudi rights activist says LONDON (AP) — A Saudi human rights activist says soccer fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” that doesn't reflect real life there. Lina al-Hathloul is a London-based activist whose sister was jailed in Saudi Arabia then banned from travel after campaigning to end a ban on women driving. When FIFA confirmed the kingdom as the 2034 tournament host on Wednesday its president Gianni Infantino acknowledged “the world will be watching” for positive social change. Al-Hathloul says western people “will be very safe” at the World Cup but "will see a bubble of what Saudi Arabia is.” Chelsea teenager Marc Guiu scores twice in 3-1 win over Astana in Conference League A youthful Chelsea lineup made the most of a long trip to Kazakhstan by beating Astana 3-1 to stay perfect in the UEFA Conference League. Eighteen-year-old Marc Guiu struck twice within five minutes early in the first half in freezing conditions in the Kazakh capital. Renato Veiga, who is 21, headed home the third off a corner. Chelsea has 15 points atop the standings of the third-tier competition with one more game to play in the league phase. More games including those in the second-tier Europa League were scheduled later Thursday. Among them unbeaten Manchester United is at Viktoria Plzen while Rangers host Tottenham. Travis Hunter, the 2-way standout for Colorado, is the AP college football player of the year BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado two-way standout Travis Hunter is The Associated Press college football player of the year. Hunter received 26 of the 43 votes from a panel of AP Top 25 voters. Boise State tailback Ashton Jeanty finished second with 16 votes, and Arizona State running back Cameron Skattebo received one vote. A throwback player who rarely left the field, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as a receiver. He had four interceptions and 11 passes defensed as a shutdown corner. Hunter helped the the 20th-ranked Buffaloes to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl against BYU. North Carolina trustees approve Bill Belichick's deal ahead of introductory news conference North Carolina’s trustees have approved terms of the deal to hire Bill Belichick as the Tar Heels’ new football coach. The board met Thursday morning to sign off on the agreement, announced Wednesday night by the school as a five-year deal. Specific terms of that deal have yet to be released. The school is set to hold its introductory news conference for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Thursday afternoon. Belichick has never coached in college football. Indian teen Gukesh Dommaraju becomes the youngest chess world champion after beating Chinese rival NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest chess world champion after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China. Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in Thursday's game which was played in Singapore. He has surpassed the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22. Dommaraju is now also the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year. Raiders player Charles Snowden facing misdemeanor DUI charge after Las Vegas arrest LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders football player Charles Snowden was arrested in Las Vegas on a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence and released from custody. The NFL, the Raiders and Snowden’s attorneys acknowledged Thursday the 26-year-old first-year defensive end was arrested early Tuesday. He faces a scheduled court date in April. It’s not clear yet whether the arrest will affect Snowden’s status with the team. He has played every game this season, and the Raiders' next game is at home on Monday. Commissioner Roger Goodell can impose a three-game suspension without pay for a first violation of the league's alcohol abuse policy. Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15-year deal NEW YORK (AP) — Juan Soto will be introduced by the New York Mets at Citi Field, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Soto chose the Mets’ offer on Sunday, deciding to leave the Yankees after helping them reach the World Series in his only season in the Bronx. The 26-year-old’s contract value eclipsed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers last December. Its length topped Fernando Tatis Jr.’s $340 million, 14-year agreement with San Diego that runs through 2034. Team claims NASCAR rescinded approval to buy new charter unless federal antitrust suit is dropped CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A new court filing says NASCAR rejected Front Row Motorsports’ agreement to purchase a charter from Stewart-Haas Racing unless the team and 23XI Racing dropped their federal antitrust lawsuit against the stock car series. Front Row and 23XI rejected NASCAR's new revenue sharing agreement and have gone to court. NASCAR now says it will move forward in 2025 with 32 chartered teams and eight open spots, with offers on charters for Front Row and 23XI rescinded and the SHR charters in limbo.Ovechkin's Unfortunate Pause in Record-Breaking Quest

JD Martin Expands Representation of Dialight into North and South CarolinaKenny Dillingham, the 34-year-old in his second season at Arizona State, was the unanimous choice as Big 12 coach of the year after leading his alma mater to a championship and a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The Sun Devils (11-2) went into their league debut as the preseason pick to finish last among the 16 teams. At cornerback, Hunter had 31 tackles, tied for the Big 12 lead with 11 pass breakups and was tied for second with four interceptions. On offense, he leads the Big 12 with 92 receptions and 14 receiving touchdowns, and is second with 1,152 yards receiving. His 21 catches of at least 20 yards are the most nationally. He is also the AP's player of the year. Sanders is the Big 12 passing leader, completing 337 of 454 passes (74.2%) for 3,926 yards and a school-record 35 touchdowns with eight interceptions for the Buffaloes (10-2) Arizona State freshman quarterback Sam Leavitt, who is 11-1 as a starter, is the league’s top newcomer. The Michigan State transfer has 2,663 yards passing with 24 touchdowns and only five picks in 304 attempts. AP source: Mullen picked as UNLV coach LAS VEGAS — Former Florida and Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen has agreed to lead UNLV's 24th-ranked football program, two people with knowledge of the hire said Wednesday. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because no announcement has been made. The 52-year-old Mullen replaces Barry Odom, who left for Purdue on Sunday after going 19-8 and helping the Rebels receive back-to-back bowl invitations for the first time in program history. UNLV will play California in the LA Bowl on Wednesday. UNLV athletic director Erick Harper wasted little time in finding Odom's replacement. Mullen, most recently an ESPN college football analyst, went 103-61 at Florida and Mississippi State. Rich Rodriguez back at West Virginia Rich Rodriguez is returning to West Virginia for a second stint as head coach at his alma mater. Athletic director Wren Baker announced the hiring on Thursday, 17 years after Rodriguez made a hasty exit for what became a disastrous three-year experiment at Michigan. “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Rich Rodriguez and his family back home,” Baker said in a statement. “Coach Rodriguez understands what it takes to win at West Virginia, and I believe he will pour his heart, soul and every ounce of his energy into our program. I am convinced Coach Rodriguez wants what is best for West Virginia, WVU and West Virginia football, and I am excited about the future of our program.” Rodriguez, who is the current coach at Jacksonville State, an architect of the spread offense and a polarizing figure in his home state, replaces Neal Brown, who was fired on Dec. 1 after going 37-35 in six seasons, including 6-6 this year. Arizona WR McMillan declares for draft TUCSON, Ariz. — Arizona star receiver Tetairoa McMillan declared for the NFL draft following three stellar seasons. McMillan announced his decision Thursday on Instagram. “Now, it’s time to take the next step. ... I’m officially declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft,” McMillan posted. “This is only the beginning.” McMillian is Arizona's all-time leader in receiving yards, finishing with 3,423 in three seasons, and is projected to be a first-round NFL draft pick. BRIEFLY FCS: The NCAA is taking its Football Championship Subdivision title game back to Tennessee. The FCS championship games at the end of the 2025 and 2026 seasons will be played in Nashville on the Vanderbilt campus. This season’s game will be played Jan. 6 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, which will host the game for a record 15th season in a row and was set for at least two more. OC: UCLA announced Tino Sunseri’s hiring as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Sunseri replaces Eric Bieniemy, who was fired on Dec. 5 after fielding one of the nation’s worst offenses this season. Sunseri spent one season as Indiana’s co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach after following Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison.First-ever athlete and fan-owned network boasts 2,200 Fan Owners and 70+ superstar athlete investors and partners by the likes of Chris Paul , Travis Kelce , Dwayne Wade , Chiney Ogwumike, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard , Natasha Cloud , Alysha Clark , Carmelo Anthony , and many more LOS ANGELES , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PlayersTV , the first athlete and fan-owned media company, today announced the acquisition of Cloud Media Center , an AI-driven sports adtech and media distribution company. This strategic year-end move boosts PlayersTV's reach to a total of 500 million monthly ad impressions, solidifying its position as a trailblazer in athlete-driven lifestyle entertainment while broadening its ability to connect with advertiser and inventory networks. PlayersTV empowers athletes to control their narratives while giving brands access to engagement opportunities with an expansive global audience. It is known for its groundbreaking athlete-fan ownership model, supported by more than 70 high-profile athlete investors and partners across the NFL, NBA, WNBA, and MLB, and a community of more than 2,200 Fan Owners (shareholders in the company). The network features high-profile athletes, including Travis Kelce , Chris Paul , Damian Lillard , Dwyane Wade , Chiney Ogwumike, Carmelo Anthony , Allen Iverson , Natasha Cloud , Kyrie Irving, Ken Griffey, Jr. , Vernon Davis , Austin Ekeler , DeAndre Jordan , CJ McCollum, AJ Andrews, Angel McCoughtry , Alysha Clark , and more. PlayersTV currently reaches more than 300 million households via OTT and CTV via DirecTV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Philo . Its proprietary ad network called Players360 generates an additional 500 million monthly ad impressions. Through the acquisition of Cloud Media Center, PlayersTV now owns technologies responsible for more than 1 billion combined monthly ad impressions. "This is a transformative moment for PlayersTV and the future of sports media," said Deron Guidrey , co-founder of PlayersTV. "The acquisition of Cloud Media Center catapults us into a new era of innovation, expanding our reach to an astounding 500 million monthly ad impressions. With cutting-edge AI technology now at the core of our operations, we are setting the gold standard for athlete-driven media, revolutionizing how athletes connect with fans and how brands engage with audiences worldwide. This is more than an acquisition, it's a declaration of our vision to lead the global sports media industry." PlayersTV Co-founder Collin Castellaw added, "This acquisition is a monumental step forward for our organization. By integrating Cloud Media Center's AI-driven tech we're significantly expanding our reach while revolutionizing how athletes and sports content is created, distributed and consumed. This is an exciting time for our company and the future of athlete media and sports media." Cloud Media Center's innovative platform brings state-of-the-art AI technology to PlayersTV, enabling more precise audience targeting, dynamic content distribution, and scalable adtech. With this acquisition, PlayersTV is poised to deliver highly personalized and impactful content experiences, meeting the growing demand for athlete-centered stories and authentic fan connections. About PlayersTV PlayersTV is the first-ever athlete-owned media network and content provider. As the premier athlete lifestyle content destination, PlayersTV empowers athletes to own their stories while engaging fans with authentic and meaningful connections, bridging the worlds of sports, lifestyle, and entertainment. PlayersTV's 24/7 channel can be found on DirecTV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Philo . See more at https://playerstv.com/ . About Cloud Media Center Cloud Media Center (CMC), based in Ponte Vedra, FL , sells digital advertising inventory through a cloud-based, analytically driven distribution platform that seamlessly connects advertisers with content providers and publishers. The result maximizes collaboration — unleashing next-level ad campaign synergies. CMC's next-gen platform and best-in-class dashboards — built by next-generation premier developers — provide AI-based microtargeting on the frontend, and real-time, easy-to-understand analytics on the back end. Content producers, advertisers, and publishers will have all the tools and data needed to optimize campaigns — and do it with speed and granular accuracy. Visit the CMC website at https://cloudmc.us/ . 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Special counsel Jack Smith moves to dismiss Trump's election interference and classified documents casesBeirut, Nov 25 (AP) Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 12 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including metres from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. Also Read | Israel-Lebanon Conflict: Israel Cabinet To Discuss Ceasefire Deal With Lebanon on November 26 After Netanyahu's 'In Principle' Approval, Says Report. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Also Read | Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari Arrested in Bangladesh: Police Arrest Former ISKCON Leader Chandan Kumar Dhar From Dhaka Airport. Airstrikes kill at least 12 Massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. No casualties were reported after many residents fled the targeted sites. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighbourhoods and other targets where Israel had issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatieh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon's Health Ministry said Monday that at least 12 people were killed in the strikes in the Tyre province, adding to the more than 3,700 people in Lebanon who have been killed since Israel launched its invasion two months ago. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians, and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. The latest round of airstrikes came weeks after Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military had previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding US-led ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment in order to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said on Monday that the pressure has increased because “we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire”. Hopes grow for a ceasefire Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were “close to a deal". “It can happen within days,” he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. Two Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Netanyahu's security Cabinet had scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, but they said it remained unclear whether the Cabinet would vote to approve the deal. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal deliberations. Danny Danon, Israel's UN ambassador, told reporters Monday that he expected a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah to have stages and to be discussed by leaders Monday or Tuesday. Still, he warned, “it's not going to happen overnight”. After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, US officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said on Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing UN peacekeeping force. Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel is demanding the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government has said that such an arrangement would authorise violations of the country's sovereignty. A ceasefire could mark a step toward ending the regionwide war that ballooned after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250. The lack of a ceasefire has emerged as a political liability for Israeli leaders including Netanyahu, particularly while 60,000 Israelis remain away from their homes in the country's north after more than a year of cross-border violence. Hezbollah rockets have reached as far south into Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers died fighting in the ground offensive in Lebanon. The Israeli military said about 250 projectiles were fired Sunday, with some intercepted. A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the strongest of Iran's armed proxies, is expected to significantly calm regional tensions that have led to fears of a direct, all-out war between Israel and Iran. It's not clear how the ceasefire will affect the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Hezbollah had long insisted that it would not agree to a ceasefire until the war in Gaza ends, but it dropped that condition. While the proposal is expected to be approved if Netanyahu brings it to a vote in his security Cabinet, one hard-line member, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said he would oppose it. He said on X that a deal with Lebanon would be a “big mistake” and a “missed historic opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah”. If the ceasefire talks fail, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, “it will mean more destruction and more and more animosity and more dehumanization and more hatred and more bitterness”. Speaking at a G7 meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, the last summit of its kind before US President Joe Biden leaves office, Safadi said such a failure "will doom the future of the region to more conflict and more killing and more destruction”. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)