jili 123ph.com PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kenny Pickett had only fond memories of going to Eagles games with his dad and grandfather since the New Jersey native was 5 years old. Pickett rooted for greats such as Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook and could not believe his good fortune this week when he knew — with Jalen Hurts out with a concussion — his boyhood dream would come true. Pickett was the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. “It’s incredibly special. I had a lot of family here, my dad especially, he’s the one who took me to all the games, and we have great memories together,” Pickett said. Pickett gave his family — and 60,000 more Eagles fans at the Linc — reason to cheer when he had touchdowns passing and rushing to help the Eagles build a comfortable cushion Sunday on the way to a 41-7 win over Dallas . It was the finish that was the problem. Pickett was forced to leave in the third quarter with injuries to his ribs, raising doubt in his availability for next week's finale against the New York Giants. “I’m good. I’ll be all right,” Pickett said. “Came in with a little bit of an injury and we’ll do some more tests and everything, see how it looks. But I’ll be OK.” Hurts suffered a concussion last week at Washington, which opened the door for Pickett to start for the first time this season. Pickett, acquired from Pittsburgh in the offseason, played with extra protection under his jersey after he suffered a rib injury when he was pressed into service against the Commanders. He finished 10 of 15 for 143 yards and took two hard shots on the same drive on the third. Osa Odighizuwa was flagged for roughing the passer on a late hit and Pickett was then forced to the locker room on a hit by Micah Parsons. “All the bodies lying on top of you, and then those couple hits afterwards, tough,” Pickett said. “But it’s part of the game. We love the game. Do anything to win.” Third-stringer Tanner McKee threw two touchdown passes in relief of Pickett. “You can’t go out there and play that position without the greatness of other people, and they had some greatness from other guys out there,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. Pickett returned to the field to celebrate with the Eagles after the win, which gave them the NFC East title. He took a moment to look around and absorb the scene and think about how far he has come — from fan in the stands in team gear to wearing the real-deal Kelly green uniform and winning a game. “It’s special, man,” he said. “And I sit out there on the field, I’m sure there’s a kid dreaming about playing for the Eagles and doing things that we went out there and did today.” AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflDemocrats maintain trifecta, yet Republicans hopeful for 2025College roundup: Yakima Valley men's basketball tops Everett for third straight winSocial media posts raise the possibility Pa. homicide could have included more targets

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NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets wanted Juan Soto to know his future with them could be set in stone. When the free agent outfielder traveled to owner Steve Cohen's house in Beverly Hills, California, for a presentation last month, the team unveiled a video that included an image of a future Soto statue outside Citi Field, next to the one erected of franchise great Tom Seaver . “Everything that they showed me, what they have, what they want to do, it was incredible,” Soto said. “But my favorite part was the video.” Soto was introduced at Citi Field on Thursday, a day after his record $765 million, 15-year contract was finalized. Speaking in the Piazza 31 Club, he was flanked by Mets owner Steve Cohen, president of baseball operations David Stearns and agent Scott Boras. Security men in gray suits wearing earpieces were off to the side. The slugger walked in led by Boras, wearing a dark suit, black turtle neck shirt and gold chain with his No. 22. Soto picked the Mets over the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. His deal includes a luxury suite and four premium tickets for home games , all for free, and personal team security for the four-time All-Star and his family at the team’s expense for all spring training and regular-season home and road games. “My family is really important for me. Without them, I probably wouldn't have been here,” Soto said. “It's one of the biggest things.” Boras had asked for those sweeteners. “We included it at the beginning," Cohen said. “He made a request and we were happy to provide.” The crosstown Yankees, who reached the World Series for the first time since 2009 in part because of Soto, refused to consider the concept. “Some high-end players that make a lot of money for us, if they want suites, they buy them,” general manager Brian Cashman said. Cohen purchased the Mets ahead of the 2021 season and has boosted them to baseball's highest payroll in search of the team's first title since 1986 — when the World Series MVP, like Soto, wore No. 22 — Ray Knight. The owner thanked his son, Josh, for helping create the video and commended his 93-year-old father-in-law Ralph for attending the first get-together with Soto. While other teams met Soto at the Pendry Newport Beach, a hotel just a five-minute drive from Boras Corp.'s office, Cohen asked to host the session at one of his homes. “If we’re going to some restaurant, I didn’t know what the atmosphere would be,” Cohen said. “Food's better at my house.” Cohen and Soto met again Friday at another of the owner's homes in Boca Raton, Florida. Soto wanted to know how many championships Cohen expects over the next decade? “I said I’d like to win two to four,” the owner recalled. The value of Soto's contract 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. The 26-year-old Soto batted .288 with 41 homers, 109 RBIs and 129 walks this year and has a .285 career average with 201 homers, 592 RBIs and 769 walks over seven seasons with Washington, San Diego and the Yankees. Boras wouldn't discuss who finished second in the bidding in Soto's mind. “When you’re at a wedding, you don’t talk about the bridesmaids," he said. Soto made the decision Sunday while at home with his family. Boras referred to the group as the “Soto Supreme Court" defined as “mother, sister, father — he’s got a wide group. I think he may have eight or nine uncles.” “My information requests and such were rather unique,” Boras said, detailing that his team asked for OPS by ballpark. Soto's 1.175 at Citi Field is his highest at any stadium where he's played 15 or more games. Soto cited Cohen's relationship with Mets stars Francisco Lindor and Edwin Díaz as a factor in his mind. “They are kind of like (a tight) family, a family that wants to win but they definitely want to take care of their players and their families,” Soto said. Cohen had his wife Alex and father-in-law attend the initial meeting to emphasize kinship. “My father-in-law is at every game, every home game,” Cohen said. “I wanted him to see how important baseball is to this family. And Alex grew up with one TV in an apartment and that Met game was on every night.” Cohen relishes owning the Mets. He spoke earlier in the day to a town hall at his hedge fund. “Whenever you meet somebody, they want to talk about the Mets before they talk about financial markets,” he said. Soto's success will be determined by World Series titles. The Yankees have 27, the Mets two. “It's such a big city, right? There's plenty of room for both of us,” Cohen said. Soto had a more direct definition. "Championships is going to tell you if it's a Yankees or Mets town at the end of the day," he said. AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlbPolice say suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO killing wasn't a client of the insurer

Visa dispute highlights divide between Trump supporters like tech tycoon Elon Musk and immigration hardliners. A debate over what shape hardline immigration policies will take regarding high-skilled work visas has become the first major policy dispute among prominent supporters of United States President-elect Donald Trump – just weeks ahead of the Republican’s new presidential term. On one side are members of Trump’s so-called “Make America Great Again”, or MAGA movement, who have called for a crackdown on the high-skilled H-1B visas as part of the president-elect’s wider pledge to tighten migration and immigration. Trump’s campaign pledges particularly focused on the US-Mexico border, although he has floated other restrictions. In the other camp are prominent Trump supporters – including tech billionaire Elon Musk – who have defended the visas as essential to US industrial and economic growth. Here’s what to know. How did this start? The latest debate sparked when Laura Loomer, a far-right personality who has had close ties to Trump in the past, took to social media to criticise the president-elect’s selection of an adviser on artificial intelligence, who has argued the US needs more foreign skilled workers to remain competitive in the technology industries. The criticism from Loomer, who has been accused of racism and spreading conspiracy theories in the past, was quickly seized on by several high-profile figures in the tech industry. That included SpaceX and Tesla CEO Musk, who has been tapped by Trump to lead a government efficiency advisory board. In response, Loomer accused tech billionaires of influencing Trump for their own gains. “We have to protect President Trump from the technocrats,” Loomer said in a post on X on December 25. Who receives H-1B visas? H-1B visas are typically reserved for specialised foreign workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher who have been offered a temporary job paying an industry-standard wage in the US. The US authorities can issue 65,000 H-1B new visas a year, with a possible extra 20,000 for people with master’s degrees. The visas can also be extended upon expiration, with more than 309,000 approved for continuing employment in Fiscal Year 2022, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services. About 70 percent of H-1B visa recipients are from India and another 10 percent are from China. What have Musk and other defenders of H-1B said? Musk has said that the “number of people who are super talented engineers AND super motivated in the USA is far too low” and has described the H-1B programme as critical “for those who want America to win”. In a series of posts on X, which he also owns, Musk further pledged to “go to war on this issue”. Vivek Ramaswamy, a former presidential candidate who has been picked to work alongside Musk on the government efficiency board, has criticised the programme as “badly broken”, but does not support removing them completely, instead saying that the visas should be granted on merit. Ramaswamy antagonised the hardline anti-immigration faction of Trump’s supporters after he posted on social media on Thursday that tech companies hired immigrants because “American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long”. “A culture that celebrates the prom queen over the math olympiad champ, or the jock over the valedictorian, will not produce the best engineers,” he wrote. What about Trump? Trump weighed in on the issue for the first time on Saturday. He told the New York Post: “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B.” “I have used it many times,” he said, referring to his own real estate ventures. “It’s a great programme.” However, the statements were a departure for the president-elect. In the past, he has criticised the visas as “very bad” and “unfair” to US workers and his administration sought to increase barriers for applicants during his first term. Why does this matter? The back-and-forth underscores a growing fault line between many of the earliest supporters of Trump and those like Musk who only embraced him in the 2024 election campaign. Many of the latter – like Musk – are associated with the tech industry, and are less prone to amplifying nativist rhetoric. The infighting could inform the next four years of Trump’s presidency, with Musk already warning of a “MAGA civil war” over the issue. Several of Trump’s most prominent supporters during his first term have joined in, with strategist Steve Bannon condemning “Big Tech oligarchs” who support the visas.

Grant Read will take over from Helen Callen, who will now become the chair of the charity's board. Mr Read has more than 20 years of senior leadership experience across various sectors. He has most recently led teams as a regulated provider of social housing for older adults. He has been involved in tackling social isolation and building community in retirement villages and care homes. Ms Callen said: "I am delighted to welcome Grant to Age Concern Hampshire as our new CEO. "As I take on my new role as chair, I look forward to supporting him in our shared mission to positively impact the lives of older people across Hampshire." Mr Read said: "Helen’s leadership as CEO has been invaluable, and I’m pleased that she’ll continue to guide us as chair. "I am looking forward to us working together." Founded in 1985, Age Concern Hampshire provides services to the older community of Hampshire. The charity currently delivers support at its Care and Wellbeing Centres throughout the county, as well as Help at Home, Information via its Information Hub, Foot Care Clinics, Hospital to Home Services, Community Information Volunteer Services and a variety of other activities.Dallas (5-8) at Carolina (3-10) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, FOX. BetMGM Odds: Panthers by 3. Against the spread: Cowboys 4-9, Panthers 6-7. Series record: Cowboys lead 11-3. Last meeting: Cowboys beat Panthers 33-10 on Nov. 19, 2023 in Carolina. Last week: Cowboys lost to Bengals 27-20; Panthers lost to Eagles 22-16. Cowboys offense: overall (20), rush (28), pass (11), scoring (21) Cowboys defense: overall (25), rush (30), pass (22), scoring (31) Panthers offense: overall (30), rush (22), pass (27), scoring (28) Panthers defense: overall (31), rush (32), pass (12), scoring (32) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-8; Panthers minus-5. Panthers edge rusher Micah Parsons vs. Panthers offensive line. Parsons seems to be getting better as the season progresses and will be a tough matchup for Carolina's offensive line regardless of where he lines up. Parsons has 3 1/2 sacks over his past three games. WR Adam Thielen. The veteran wide receiver was Bryce Young's favorite option last season and is finally developing into that again this season after battling back from a hamstring injury that left him on injured reserve. Thielen has 17 catches on 21 targets for 201 yards and a touchdown over the past two games. When the Panthers need a first down on fourth down, the pass is almost always going to Thielen. Cowboys RB Rico Dowdle vs. NFL's worst run defense. Dowdle has had the first two 100-yard outings of his career the past two weeks, resetting his career best both times. The undrafted fifth-year player on an expiring contract had 131 yards in the loss to the Bengals. Since taking over as the lead back at the start of November, Dowdle is averaging 16 carries and 81 yards with a touchdown rushing and another receiving. On Sunday, he will face the league’s 32nd-ranked run defense. Carolina allowed Philadelphia’s Saquon Barkley to run for 124 yards last week and Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving to run for a career-high 152 yards the week before that. The Panthers are allowing more than 170 yards per game on the ground and 4.97 yards per carry. Cowboys LB DeMarvion Overshown was set for season-ending surgery on the right knee he injured in the fourth quarter of the loss to the Bengals. The second-year player from Texas missed all of his rookie season after tearing a ligament in his left knee in a preseason game. ... DE DeMarcus Lawrence, who hasn’t played since Week 4, is close to returning from a foot injury. With the playoff hopes all but gone, the question remains whether to press the 32-year-old into action. Lawrence is on an expiring contract. ... Rookie C Cooper Beebe sustained a concussion against Cincinnati.. ... The Panthers are hoping to get WR Jalen Coker back on the field this week after he has missed the past three games with a quad injury. ... Also, No. 1 CB Jaycee Horn has been playing with a groin injury, and that could be problematic against CeeDee Lamb. The Cowboys are 7-2 against the Panthers since losing a wild-card game at Carolina 29-10 during the 2003 season, the first of Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells’ four years leading Dallas. The Cowboys are 4-2 on the road this season, including victories over playoff contenders Pittsburgh and Washington. ... QB Cooper Rush is 2-3 filling in for Dak Prescott, who is out for the season after surgery for a torn hamstring. Assuming Rush starts, this will be his longest stint as Prescott’s replacement. He went 4-1 in 2022 after Prescott broke the thumb on his throwing hand in the opener. ... Dowdle’s 7.3-yard average per carry on 18 attempts against the Bengals was the highest for a Dallas back since Ezekiel Elliott averaged 7.9 per carry at Philadelphia in 2018. ... WR CeeDee Lamb has just one 100-yard receiving game this season after finishing with eight in his breakout 2023 All-Pro season. But Lamb has five other games with at least 89 yards. He has reached 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first five seasons, the fifth receiver to do that. ... S Malik Hooker’s interception of Joe Burrow was his second of the season. He has seven interceptions in his four Dallas seasons. He also had seven in four years with Indianapolis, where he spent four injury-filled years as a 2017 first-round draft pick. ... The Panthers have endured six straight seasons with at least 10 losses. ... Carolina’s past five games have come down to the last possession. ... Panthers 1,000-yard RB Chuba Hubbard needs one rushing touchdown to pass Stephen Davis for fifth in team history. He is also 9 rushing yards away from reaching 3,000 for his career. ... Rookie WR Xavier Legette had three drops last week vs. the Eagles, including one for a potential go-ahead score in the final minute. ... OLB Jadeveon Clowney is tied for 11th in sacks among active NFL players. ... The Panthers have 15 sacks in the past four games. Carolina’s improved pass rush has coincided with OLB D.J. Wonnum getting on the field after missing the first nine games of the season on injured reserve. Chuba Hubbard is expected to see the overwhelming majority of carries for the Panthers, who are now thin at the position. Miles Sanders and Jonathon Brooks are on injured reserve and Raheem Blackshear is working through a chest injury. That leaves Mike Boone as the Hubbard's backup. NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

Barron's surprise contribution in Donald and Melania Trump's 2024 Christmas card Melania Trump praises 'grown young man' Barron for his work on the campaign By CHARLIE SPIERING, SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER, WASHINGTON, DC Published: 17:27 GMT, 24 December 2024 | Updated: 17:27 GMT, 24 December 2024 e-mail 3 View comments The Trump family Christmas card is making its way onto social media as grateful MAGA recipients are gleefully sharing images of the holiday greeting. The bright red card features a gold star with the letter USA emblazoned on the center, wishing people a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Inside, the Trump family card reads ‘with our very best wishes,’ and is signed by President-elect Donald Trump , Melania Trump , and their son Barron Trump. The 18-year-old son of President-elect Donald Trump is now a freshman at New York University's Stern School of Business. The six-foot-nine youngest son of Donald Trump 'spends little time on campus,' according to reports, but remains 'chill' and 'friendly' according to his classmates. Barron’s signature has evolved slightly over the years, although it looks like the 18-year-old college freshman is still not signing his name in cursive. The Trumps followed the presidential tradition of releasing an official Christmas card every year they were in the White House . The Trump card from 2020 was entirely gold, featuring an imprint of the United States on the front. Just received this wonderful Christmas card from the 47th and greatest President (and family) in American history! 🇺🇸🎄🎅🏻 Merry Christmas, President Trump! Less than a month away until we make America Great Again! pic.twitter.com/hhq1szdD3B — Paul Ingrassia (@PaulIngrassia) December 21, 2024 The Trump family Christmas Card for 2024 I was enjoying reading "MELANIA" on a snowy day in NYC, when the Trump family Christmas card arrived. pic.twitter.com/L296b8r11l — ⚜Angel of 5th Avenue📯 (@Malakof5thAve) December 21, 2024 The Trump family Christmas card from 2020 The Trump family Christmas card from 2020 The Trump family’s official Christmas card from 2019 was also red, featuring a golden American flag. Over the years, Christmas enthusiasts have celebrated the Trump cards for specifically wishing recipients a 'Merry Christmas' instead of the more politically correct 'Seasons Greetings' or 'Happy Holidays.' Those greetings had traditionally been used by past Democratic presidents like the Bidens and Obamas. The Trump family Christmas card from 2019 The Trump family Christmas card from 2019 The official Trump family card from 2018 was green and gold with the White House on the cover. The Trump family Christmas card from 2018 The Trump family Christmas card from 2018 The 2017 Christmas card was white and gold, featuring the presidential seal. The Trump family Christmas card from 2017 The Trump family Christmas card from 2017 Over the years, Christmas enthusiasts have celebrated the Trump cards for specifically wishing recipients a 'Merry Christmas' instead of the more politically correct 'Seasons Greetings' or 'Happy Holidays' greeting cards used by past Democratic presidents like the Bidens and Obamas. Barron Trump Melania Trump Donald Trump Share or comment on this article: Barron's surprise contribution in Donald and Melania Trump's 2024 Christmas card e-mail Add commentCharlotte 39, FAU 27